5 Great Gift Ideas for the Holidays

I already wrote reviews for these so feel free to read the full reviews using the links, otherwise, I limited myself to providing an excerpt from each review for each of my favorite books of 2023. These are not in ranked order. These are all amazing books and you should check them out.

Crimes Against Magic by Steve McHugh

https://joesnotesblog.com/blog/book-review-crimes-against-magic-by-steve-mchugh

This book is not complicated but it has just enough mystery and suspense to create a driving momentum that makes it easy to keep reading and to keep guessing as to what will happen next. The author does a great job doling out new world-building elements and clues to keep you wondering how deep the story goes and how many interesting creatures are involved. The main character is developed steadily upward in a way that is very satisfying and fun. There is plenty of action and tons of fun violence without the story getting too bleak. With plenty of humor and personality from the main character which makes the whole thing feel grounded and relatable. It is like Harry Potter meets The Witcher meets Jason Bourne. Just fun stuff!

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The writing is straightforward and unpretentious. It is easy to read and has fairly short chapters, which I like a lot. I highly recommend this book and I can’t wait to continue the series as it offers a fun escape into a fantasy world where anything can happen.

Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir

https://joesnotesblog.com/blog/book-review-project-hail-mary-by-andy-weir

This book is not only amazingly written from a technical standpoint it is also amazing fun to read. It is steeped in real scientific paraphernalia that borders on academic tedium but as much as it dives deep into sometimes inaccessible language it balances itself with helpful analogies, metaphors, humor, and emotional introspection. I might actually have a better understanding of physics and engineering after reading this book. For those that love science, this book offers an experience not unlike getting your scalp massaged but it does get technical and flew over my head more than a few times. There was a certain amount of uncertainty and acceptance to just believe that the science was accurate and it was as accurate as it needed to be for me. The high level of scientific detail added legitimacy and weight to the story that grounded it in reality even though it is certainly fiction. One of the best types of fiction, Science Fiction!

I can not recommend this book highly enough and if they decide to make a show out of it I will probably be both delighted and underwhelmed but the movie that played in my head as I read it was exceptionally compelling and I couldn’t get enough. The chapters are pretty long but the story drives forward steadily with stints of intense action and a ton of puzzles to ponder. It is also one of the cutest stories I have ever read. This book balances heart and mind in a way that represents a gold standard in creative writing. Read this book!

Tuf Voyaging by George R.R. Martin

https://joesnotesblog.com/blog/book-review-tuf-voyaging-by-george-rr-martin

Haviland Tuf is a shrewd and humorless man who loves cats and is incapable of small talk. He is highly intelligent and a master at understanding systems which makes him the perfect steward of a ship designed to utilize biological organisms from the size of bacteria to the size of tremendous monsters to potentially alter the ecology of entire planets. He first finds himself employed in this endeavor when his ownership of the EEC ship is threatened by a planet that wants to use the ship to solve their planet’s overpopulation issues. It seems that no matter where he goes and no matter how miraculous his offerings are, the people around him are constantly threatening him, incapable of helping themselves, and always underestimating his ability to come out on top. As he employs his godlike powers across the universe, he is in a constant battle to remain benevolent and outwit those who would try to take this power away from him or use this power for personal profit.

Jubal Sackett by Louis La' Moure

https://joesnotesblog.com/blog/book-review-jubal-sackett-by-louis-l-amour

Jubal Sackett is a badass and this book was awesome. It is exactly what I want out of a Western genre book. It is about survival in the harsh forests of America. Jubal starts out as a lone wolf and ends up as a leader of a tribe. The value of working together is exemplified as Jubal and his tribe defend against a myriad of aggressors. He is from the white man’s world but is so attuned to nature and the ways of Native Americans that he is able to give and get respect from almost everyone. His strong will and desire for peace create the ultimate good guy. One who doesn’t seek a fight but will defend himself and those he loves to the death. I highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys Westerns or Native American stories.

Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas

https://joesnotesblog.com/blog/book-review-throne-of-glass-by-sarah-j-maas

Throne of Glass is about an infamous assassin named Celaena who was caught and enslaved in a mining camp for her crimes. At just 18 she is considered Adarlan’s greatest and most deadly assassin. She is taken to the king’s palace in Rifthold to enter into a competition to become the king’s champion if she can defeat the other 23 murderous competitors. If she wins then she will be required to do the king’s bidding for four years and then she is promised that her freedom will be restored.

Make sure to use my affiliate links provided to pick up yours today!