From a new book by the founder of The Indigo Project to a capital ‘C’ clever novel by Australian favourite Claire Thomas, here are the best books read by Booktopia’s staff in January 2021! Read on …
Mark Harding – Brand & Content Manager
Darkness is Golden by Mary Hoang
Why I loved it: I would highly recommend this book to anyone who is going on a journey with their approach to mental health. Mary Hoang skilfully distils an approach towards dealing with the darkness in life into an accessible and achievable format. Full of exercises to do as you read, the book is also accompanied by audio content, including guided meditations and a 10-hour Spotify playlist designed to help get you in the right frame of mind as you read. Music and creativity are at the heart of Mary Hoang’s approach, and the result is a unique and helpful book.
Buy it here
Olivia Fricot – Senior Content Producer
The Friend by Sigrid Nunez
Why I loved it: To everybody who told me this book was fantastic and that I should read it ASAP: you were right and I’m sorry. This book about an academic in NYC who inherits an ageing Great Dane after the suicide of a friend, mentor and fellow professor has become an instant favourite. It holds some of the best writing about grief and friendship (with both humans and animals) that I’ve read in recent years, but it’s also incredibly clever on the topic of writing itself. It’s short, sharp and bittersweet, and I’ll be immediately diving into Sigrid Nunez’ backlist.
Buy it here
Nick Wasiliev – Social Media Specialist
Nobody is Ever Missing by Catherine Lacey
Why I loved it: Revisiting this book that I studied while at university, I was taken aback by how much I enjoyed it outside of the academic context. The book tells the story of Elyria, who spontaneously takes a one-way flight to New Zealand without telling her family with the aim of discovering who she is. Particularly given the context that many of us can no longer travel overseas, this book hits a lot harder than when it was released and serves as a strangely yearning and beautiful novel about the need to free your spirit — something we can all relate to right now!
Buy it here
Jo Lewin – Head of Trade Product
The Performance by Claire Thomas
Why I loved it: This book is Clever. I mean capital ‘C’ Clever. During a searing summer of bushfires, a Melbourne theatre stages a performance of Samuel Beckett’s Happy Days. The play itself is absurd and cryptic, and we view it in turn through the eyes of three women in the audience, each of whom is digesting the play’s enigmatic plot while also reflecting on her life. Claire Thomas portrays these women with sensitivity and insight, weaving their stories together with the narrative of the play like instruments in an orchestra. In doing so, she provides a unique portrait of what it means to be a woman in Australia today. (Full review to come.)
Buy it here
Ben Hunter – Fiction Category Manager
On Earth We’re Briefly Gorgeous by Ocean Vuong
Why I loved it: I’ve had this novel on the shelf for many moons and have finally found the time and the courage to read it. People I knew and trusted had vouched for the quality of the writing and the devastating power of the story. It takes the form of a letter written by a young man known as Little Dog to his mother. In full knowledge that his mother will never be able to read in English, Little Dog opens the floodgates on a family history forged in the destruction of Vietnam and his youth in America which is laden with neglect, poverty, abuse, lonerism, passion and grief. This book is everything. I wept.
Buy it here
Joel Naoum – Non-Fiction Category Manager
Futuristic Violence and Fancy Suits by David Wong
Why I loved it: I’ve been a fan of David Wong’s since John Dies at the End, but this is the first book in a new series. The previous series was horror (with a healthy dose of comedy) and this series does the same with near future cyberpunk. The main character, Zoey, is totally engaging and thoroughly enjoyable to read. Wong is also an expert at putting his characters into situations that you really can’t imagine they’ll escape from. Highly recommended!
Buy it here
Shanulisa Prasad – Lifestyle Category Manager
The Truly Devious trilogy by Maureen Johnson
Why I loved it: I’m always a sucker for a teen mystery – this series is one of the best I have read (with what I consider as the “right” ending). There’s an original mystery set in the 1930s that bleeds (pun intended) into the present day, with deadly repercussions. It’s set in an exclusive boarding school for exceptional students located in the woods, founded by an eccentric Hearst-like billionaire. What’s not to love?! This boxed set is the way to go, because once you’ve read the first book you will immediately need to read the next two!
Buy it here
Cassandra Sharpe – Assistant Category Manager
Amari and the Night Brothers by B. B. Alston
Why I loved it: Amari Peters is a 13 year old Black girl who doesn’t fit in at her posh, mostly white school, and is struggling with the disappearance of her brother, Quinton. When she discovers a clue in the form of a secret briefcase, Amari is thrown into a world she never expected – one where goblins, witches and more are real. There’s a lot of life bubbling away in this book. Filled with fantastic characters, Alston has created a world readers won’t want to leave – it’s perfect for readers who are ready to be swept into a world full of magic and potential! (Full review here.)
Buy it here
Amy Evans – Assistant Category Manager
Fake Accounts by Lauren Oyler
Why I loved it: What better time to read a novel set during the inauguration of Donald Trump than the week he hands the job over to Joe Biden? Oyler’s debut novel shares a modern story with a brutally honest look at love, social media, identity and authenticity. Reading this book felt like I was inside the mind of a cynical millennial – the main character is unfiltered and flawed, but refreshingly self-aware. If you like a stream of consciousness writing style, this book is for you – it’s scarily relatable at times, but it’s always witty. (Full review to come.)
Buy it here
Hannah Armstrong – Assistant Category Manager
The Invisible Life of Addie la Rue by V. E. Schwab
Why I loved it: This book is V.E. Scwab’s magnum opus, and is absolutely deserving of all the hype and buzz surrounding it. A slow, dreamy read, it is a languid exploration of history, art, music and the value of human life. I completely fell in love with Addie, a young French woman cursed to spend her immortal life alone, unable to leave a mark on the world and with no one to remember her. She is an incredible character – someone who values freedom and art above all else and relentlessly chases her desires. This book is spectacular, and has quickly become one of my favourites of all time.
Buy it here
Robert O’Hearn – Academic & Professional Category Manager
The Buddhist On Death Row by David Sheff
Why I loved it: Readers of David Sheff’s prize-winner, Beautiful Boy, will know this author can skilfully handle emotionally sensitive material. The Buddhist on Death Row takes up the story of Jarvis Jay Masters, a man framed for murder, finding life’s nadir in the hellhole of San Quentin and then serendipitously discovering meditation. Still on death row today, Masters is now spreading mindfulness through the prison network, assisting prisoners and guards alike to find peace. The author (and Buddhist nun) Pema Chodron cameos with inspiring counselling sessions. The Buddha would approve of this book’s message, as well as the charm and gritty pragmatism within.
Buy it here
Ashleigh Berry – Campaigns Coordinator
The Slow Regard of Silent Things by Patrick Rothfuss
Why I loved it: Last year I fell in love with Patrick Rothfuss’ The Kingkiller Chronicles and I was desperate to dive back into his world of magic and adventure with this novella. It tells the story of Auri and her days spent in the Underthing, tending to the world around her and learning the mysteries of this complex, ancient maze. This is a beautiful, ethereal story that accentuates Rothfuss’ exceptional prose. It’s the perfect tie-in to the series, showing a new perspective of the rich world Rothfuss has created through one of his most intriguing characters.
Buy it here
Scott Whitmont – Business Development and Relationship Manager
Bright Young Dead by Jessica Fellowes
Why I loved it: This second thrilling instalment of the Mitford Murders series is a combination of Agatha Christie and Downton Abbey. Each book highlights one of the real life infamous Mitford sisters, recreating the class war and social norms of 1920s British aristocracy – deliciously. Bright Young Dead immerses us in the world of the more staid Pamela Mitford, her older sister Nancy and their circle of hedonistic friends. During Pamela’s 18th birthday party, one guest is found murdered in the garden. What might be the connection with the notorious female crime gang being investigated by Pamela’s sometime chaperone and maid, Louisa, and her London police sergeant friend Guy Sullivan? A thoroughly entertaining distraction.
Buy it here
REVIEW: Amari and the Night Brothers by B.B. Alston 
Read a Q&A with B.B. Alston, author of Amari and the Night Brothers! 
10 books for kids coming in early 2021!
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