Monday Moods is a weekly bookish meme created and hosted by Unwrapping Words (aka, me!). The premise is simple: every week, there’s a new ‘mood’, ranging from tropes to genres or actual moods (happy, sad, etc). On a Monday, feel free to post about books on your TBR, books you’d recommend, or a mix – whatever you like – that fits the ‘mood’ prompt. And of course, you can use your own if you’re not fussed on a particular one!
We are getting closer and closer to Christmas Day – do you tend to receive books as gifts? I love unwrapping new books, whether it’s Christmas or birthdays. What about giving to other people, do you buy books for others? Any particular ones you’ve had that stand out? I thought ‘Gifts’ would be a fun topic for this week, and give me the chance to shine a light on some of the books I’ve received over the years that I haven’t quite got around to reading yet! (Side note: due to time constraints, I’m keeping this to 4 for this week instead of the usual 5.)
This Week, I’m in the Mood For…
Gifts
Blood of my Blood
Montiese McKenzie
Genre: Horror/Urban Fantasy
Age: Adult
Format: Paperback
Published: September 16th, 2017
I Want to Read This Because I have been meaning to read this for a long while – it sounds really intriguing, about a thriller element as an FBI Agent looks into the disappearance of a wealthy DC financier. And it’s urban fantasy, definitely a genre I typically enjoy.
Monster, She Wrote: The Women Who Pioneered Horror and Speculative Fiction
Lisa Kröger, Melanie R. Anderson
Genre: Nonfiction – Horror
Age: Adult
Format: Hardback
Published: September 17th, 2019
I Want to Read This Because these women were often overlooked for far too long – horror especially entered a period of being a bit of a boys club, while women have always had a hand in the most foundational horror works. I had this as a gift a long time ago, and one which I really want to try and find a space for in my 2026 reading challenges.
Seasons of Love: Why Rent Matters
Emily Garside
Genre: Nonfiction – Pop Culture (Musicals)
Age: Adult
Format: Paperback
Published: November 15th, 2023
I Want to Read This Because I love musicals, I love Rent, I love reading about musicals, and Emily is a very talented writer! I’m not just saying that because she’s a friend who gifted me this book – I actually was a fan of her work before we became friends! So I have no doubt I’ll really enjoy this.
Whispers Under Ground
Ben Aaronovitch
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Age: Adult
Format: Paperback
Published: June 21st, 2012
I Want to Read This Because I really want to get back into this series! I really liked the first two books, and I tend to enjoy Urban Fantasy. I just haven’t got around to it yet!
I would love to hear from you about the books you have on your TBRs that you’ve received as gifts, or books you’ve read which you think of fondly because they were gifts. Books can, I find, often be extra special as a gift, as I think as readers we all know how much thought goes into picking out the right book for someone!
Unwrapping Words 