'How do you catch a cloud and pin it down?'
The twenty-third one
And just like that, December is here.
This year, three incredible shifts have happened in my life: my perspective on human behavior has evolved, my understanding of remembrance has deepened, and my need for community and storytelling has grown stronger.
How did this happen? Through five unforgettable stories I’ve had the privilege of reading. These aren’t just my top books of the year; they’re some of the most compelling stories I’ve come across in a long time.
To bring you into the experience even more fully, I thought I’d connect each book to one of the five senses that were heightened in me as I read them. I’ve also paired each book with a little something sweet, a little cozy, and a little moody to add to the vibe.
You ready? Let’s get into it!
#1
Title: The Heaven & Earth Grocery Store
Author: James McBride
Sense: Smell 👃🏼
James McBride has done it again with this one! While reading this moving story I was quickly immersed in the rich, earthy details of community life, and the scents of food, old buildings, and familiar places shaped the characters' experiences. The novel is rooted in humanity, connecting me to the smells that define home and memory—like the scent of fresh bread, spices, or even the dampness of an old store that easily brought this story to life. It reminded me of my late Grandmother’s house in West Oakland.
Read When: You need to breathe in something that feels familiar, comforting, and rooted in the past. The Heaven & Earth Grocery Store was a breath of fresh air—like the aroma of your favorite meal cooking, grounding you in community and history.
Reading Suggestion: I suggest lighting a warm, earthy candle—like cinnamon or vanilla—while you read, to deepen your connection to the novel's cozy, yet profound atmosphere.
#2
Title: How High We Go in the Dark
Author: Sequoia Nagamatsu
Sense: Taste 👅
“I’ve never read something like this before!” I shouted to my husband while reading on the couch as he watched another Ryan Gosling movie. This book explored the rich, often bittersweet flavors of human experience in a world shaped by tragedy and resilience. Just as a dish can leave a lingering aftertaste, How High We Go in the Dark left me reflecting on the future, both its sorrow and its hope. I remember reading a certain chapter and thinking, "Wait, you can write about things like that?" The author did such a great job of stretching imaginations and using recipes that you never thought would go well together, like French fries and mustard.
Read When: You’re craving something that stirs your emotions, like a dish that’s both satisfying and thought-provoking. This book was a feast for the mind and soul.
Reading Suggestion: Pair it with a cup of dark coffee or rich chocolate while you read, a flavor that balances the intensity of the novel’s themes and invites reflection.
#3
Title: All Good People Here
Author: Ashley Flowers
Sense: Hearing 👂🏼
Small towns are often the noisiest, aren’t they? With their gossipy, mysterious nature, they’re filled with whispers, suspicions, and the reverberations of long-held secrets. The tension in All Good People Here built like the steady hum of a suspenseful melody, gradually intensifying as Margot uncovered the truth. The quiet moments of realization and the loud moments of discovery both rang out clearly.
Read When: You want to experience the thrill of a puzzle slowly coming together, like listening to a song that rises to a crescendo. All Good People Here unfolded with a steady beat, each new chapter increasing the suspense. It kind of reminded me of a Kendrick Lamar album.
Reading Suggestion: Play a moody, atmospheric playlist in the background while reading—something instrumental or suspenseful—to mirror the novel's tone.
#4
Title: Perelandra
Author: C.S. Lewis
Sense: Touch ✋🏼
THIS BOOK! This is part 2 of a 3-part trilogy, and it was hard to choose which was the best. I think this one shifted my whole perspective of good and evil, and C.S. Lewis is so good at writing from the perspective of evil. The sense of touch aligned with Perelandra because the novel's vivid descriptions of the alien world invited me to physically "feel" the strange landscape of the planet. The tactile details of the world—like the feel of the air or the earth beneath Ransom’s feet—made the otherworldly feel real and urgent.
Read When: You’re ready to immerse yourself fully in an experience that is both physically and mentally engaging, as though you’re touching the very fabric of existence. Perelandra invited me to feel the texture of its world and the tension of its moral choices.
Reading Suggestion: I recommend reading with a soft blanket around you, a tactile comfort that contrasts with the novel's deep, philosophical challenges.
#5
Title: There Are Rivers in the Sky
Author: Elif Shafak
Sense: Sight 👀
I picked this book up because I thought it was going to be a completely different story than what it was, as the book's side panel mentioned Nineveh—but I wasn’t disappointed in the least! The very first story painted such a vivid image of memory and appealed to sight because of the way it drew me into imagining the mysterious worlds within and beyond the characters. The author invited me to see the world with fresh eyes, discovering beauty in the ordinary (like water) and extraordinary alike (how we’re all connected through it).
Read When: You’re in the mood for something visually imaginative, where every sentence feels like an artwork in itself.
Reading Suggestion: Pair it with something visually inspiring, like a view of nature from your window, preferably on a rainy day, to enhance the novel’s visual beauty.
Honorable Mentions:
That Hideous Strength by C.S. Lewis: The third book in C.S. Lewis’s Space Trilogy, That Hideous Strength delves into the battle between good and evil on Earth, focusing on a dark organization attempting to manipulate society through science and control. Blending science fiction with deep philosophical and moral questions about humanity, freedom, and power, the book is quite dense. Lewis uses both archaic language and his own invented terms, which made it a challenging read for me. After struggling through the first chapter, I switched to the audiobook on Audible for a smoother experience.
Tell Me Everything by Elizabeth Strout: Elizabeth Strout has a remarkable talent for weaving characters’ stories together. In Tell Me Everything, she beautifully captures the lives of older characters, reminding us that life doesn’t stop after 60 or 70—it’s filled with joy, pain, drama, and unexpected moments. The novel follows Dr. David O'Connor, a small-town psychiatrist, as he becomes entangled in the lives of his patients and their secrets, while grappling with his own personal struggles. Strout explores themes of intimacy, vulnerability, and the weight of unspoken truths with her signature depth and empathy.
Not me adding all these books to my list!
This was such a fun concept! Loved how you paired the books with the five senses. Tell Me Everything was one of my favorites this year too. Elizabeth Strout’s characters are just so good.