100 books like New Amsterdam

I like Seventh Son more than I liked Ender’s Game. There, I said it.

Seventh Son draws on legends and mythology that I’ve tasted throughout my life, but weaves a truly awesome tale of coming into power and heroism inside of all of that. Because Alvin is the seventh son, he’s endowed with a powerful potential but the world around him doesn’t want him to find his power. Evil forces do everything they can to stop him.

That sounds like my life at times. I know I have the ability to do special things, but forces outside my control seem to want me to fail. The Tales of Alvin Maker blew my imagination wide open, but also told me I could do anything if I was determined enough.

I love a noir detective story. Set that story in a fantastical, blood-drenched Tenochtitlan, the capital of the Aztec empire, and I’m totally sold.

The story follows Acatl, who is a high priest of the dead, as he, I kid you not, tries to solve what appears to be a murder case. Except he’s not walking the streets of some modern city – his journey takes him through the fascinating world of a familiar yet unique Aztec empire where human sacrifice is the only thing keeping the world spinning in its proper order.

Having familiar conflicts, including family issues, makes this one a unique standout. Acatl sounds like people I know. Following his determined efforts to bring a specific evil to heel – all while in a society that seemingly glories in bloodshed – is awesome.

Witchy Eye instantly transported me to a fascinating, alternate Appalachia, where magic and magical creatures abound.

Not only does this book tell a coming-of-age and heroic story about Sarah Calhoun, it takes place in a fascinating world where the New World has an emperor, legends that I’d heard tell of have come to life, and undead and shapeshifters haunt Sarah’s every step.

Sarah’s voice is accessible and sympathetic. At the same time, her journey to try to claim her own powerful heritage and discover the truth about her lineage, takes place in a world that is totally replete with creatures and mythology from the New World.

DJ Butler is deeply versed in the history and legends of many regions and people from old colonial America – making this a fascinating read.

Sometimes I want a dense, fascinating world to unpack, and sometimes I want to open a book and have it punch me in the face with no-holds-barred action and adventure.

The main character of Let Sleeping Gods Lie is Porter Rockwell – a real person from the history of Utah Territory and the Old West. But this story takes place where, once again, legends of the area have come to life and evil has real, lethal fangs. It’s like a spaghetti western meets Die Hard meets a D&D campaign – which pushes every single one of my buttons.

This one has a hero that refuses to be stopped, action that isn’t afraid of pushing expectations, and an unabashed love of over-the-top set pieces that made me giggle in delight.

This is another fictional diary but different again. To say I enjoyed it is an understatement. This is a witty, engaging, satirical romp of a journal with laugh-out-loud moments, an empathetic everyman protagonist, a full cast of colourful supporting characters, and a rich background, mainly in Amsterdam.

I whipped through the book in a couple of days and was left hoping that we might find out what happens to Gerard "next year." All in all, thoroughly entertaining.

This is undoubtedly the most captivating biography I’ve had the pleasure to read.

This woman, in the prime of her very ‘alive’, but somewhat distorted sexually active life is confused by her childhood, accosted by the Germans during the war, yet brings inspiration and love to those in the Nazi camp she finds herself living as wars escalate. She is hope.

I fell in love with this book so hard that I read it all in one sitting. (Yes, that means I spent one, entire, luxurious day reading it! That day was an absolute gift.) I loved the writing style, the chance to armchair travel to Paris on the back of Leo’s moped alongside Hannah. It had just enough intrigue but was quiet and charming overall. Reading this book was like taking my mind to a spa to be pampered and rejuvenated. 

I simply couldn’t resist the combination of the title of this book – a nod to Sue Townsend’s The Secret Diary of Adrian Mole, aged 13 ¾, which I enjoyed many years ago – and its ironic setting of an Amsterdam aged care home. The novel is supposedly an exposé by an anonymous care home resident, although the author was subsequently revealed as Dutch writer, Peter de Smet. Told in the form of a diary, the book portrays the frustrations, indignities, and occasional small victories of Hendrik and his buddies in the Old-But-Not-Dead-Yet club as they fight to maintain agency over their own lives. The interplay between self-deprecating humor and poignancy in exploring the important themes around old age had me laughing out loud on one page and shedding tears on the next. 

I love it when words and photos enhance each other in a book. Martijn Doolaard wrote and photographed his epic solo journey on his bike from Amsterdam, through Europe, through the middle east, and into the far east. It is one of the rare coffee table books that I actually read and love revisiting frequently to look at the beautiful photos.

Lilly Morton is such an exceptional writer, she’s able to transport readers smack-bang to Christmas in Amsterdam. I loved that. I also loved the two characters, Arlo and Jack. So different in so many ways, and yet utterly perfect together. Expect plenty of laughs, great conversations, and of course, a happily ever after!