The Bull Season: Remarkable Reads from Bookstr’s Tauruses

From heartfelt romance to thrilling fantasy, discover some phenomenal recommendations by the Bookstr team to read this Taurus season!

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Background is a starry sky in space, featuring three books for Taurus season. Decals include a bull representing Taurus, and a Taurus symbol in opposite corners.

It’s Taurus season! Placed as the second sign in the zodiac, this earth sign is known for its grounded and loyal nature, valuing stability and comfort. Ruled by Venus, the planet of love and beauty, Tauruses often appreciate gripping and immersive stories; this could include a slow-burning romance story, a historical series, or a cozy book they can enjoy beside a fireplace with a warm cup of tea. With their determined essence, they also value books that offer depth, wisdom, and strong character development. To celebrate this season, and if you are a Taurus yourself looking for recommendations, we have gathered a list of remarkable books by the Bookstr team!

The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches by Sangu Mandanna

This book was everything I wanted it to be. It’s a cozy read about a witch who becomes a live-in instructor to three young witches who, due to the laws of magic, aren’t supposed to live under the same roof. It’s got themes of found family, the grumpy x sunshine romance trope, and humor, of course. The best part is that the story gets wrapped up in a nice little bow as a stand-alone book, though I wouldn’t mind a sequel. The re-readability is strong with this one.

The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches by Sangu Mandanna, book cover. In the nighttime, a white house sits on top of a hill, a yellow car driving up towards it. A woman in a yellow dress is flying on a broom in the air near the house, and a man in a yellow shirt and blue pants holding books is peering up at her from the mountain.
IMAGE VIA BOOKSHOP

– Gabriela Collazo, Editorial

Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen

I will always recommend this novel as a great springtime read! Austen’s writing is renowned for its elegance and wit, and Pride and Prejudice is one of those books that you can glean something new from each time you read it. The detailed descriptions of the English countryside, the refined social settings, and the intricate character development will be beautiful to experience over and over again.

Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen, book cover. Penguin Classics edition, a woman in a white collared dress with dark brown hair in a bun is looking off into the distance with her head leaning on her hand, an open book is sitting on her lap below.
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The novel’s exploration of marriage, social status, and financial security provides a rich ground to delve into these themes. Austen’s exploration of human behavior and societal expectations provides timeless, entertaining, and thought-provoking lessons that readers of all ages will love. In essence, Pride and Prejudice offers a rich tapestry of beauty, romance, and practical wisdom that aligns perfectly with the tastes and traits of a Taurus.

– Adelina Milano, Social Media Outreach

The Tainted Cup by Robert Jackson Bennett

I recently read The Tainted Cup by Robert Jackson Bennett and can’t recommend it enough. It’s a Sherlockian murder mystery in a lush, strange fantasy world. We follow Dinios Kol, a dyslexic apprentice investigator to Ana Dolabra, a keen-minded investigator who wears a blindfold to sharpen her other senses.

The Tainted Cup by Robert Jackson Bennett, book cover. The background is dark blue with gold decorative outlines. The center displays the title diagonally across a scroll, and flowers filter around it, a yellow goblet the bottom of the flower roots.
IMAGE VIA BOOKSHOP

The story takes us through the city of Talagray, where sea monsters called Leviathans threaten to break through the walls at any given moment. When imperial officers begin to die in the strangest fashion — trees erupting from their torsos — Din and Ana take the lead in tracking down the killer(s). I’d recommend this fantastic, wholly singular read to anyone who loves twisty mysteries and solar punk/ecologically-driven and epic fantasy.

– Fiona Hansen, Editorial & Outreach

Long Live Evil by Sarah Rees Brennan

This story follows Rae who is transported into a novel she’s read as the villainess character. Knowing her tragic ending as this character, as most villains end, Rae is determined to change the plot to survive her fate. Along the way, she becomes friends with other quirky, snarky villains who join her team and some become very loyal to her, providing the story with a heartfelt element.

Long Live Evil by Sarah Rees Brennan, book cover. There's a dark background with royal pillars on either side, a woman in a long white gown with red stained on the bottom is sitting on a throne, and her legs are leaning over one of the armrests. The title is in big, bolded letters, highlighted in dark purple. In the top left corner reads, "It's time for your villain era."
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I came across this book by chance when it caught my eye in the bookstore. I have never heard it mentioned before but decided to give it a try, and I am so glad I did! This humorous story is perfect for ones who tend to root for the villains and is filled with surprising plot twists that kept me on the edge of my seat. I highly recommend this spectacular story and join these characters’ journey as they chant, “Evil wins at last!”

– Sophia Gerneck, Editorial

Blood Debts by Terry J. Benton-Walker

Blood Debts takes the cake for the best book I’ve read recently. It follows twins Clement and Cristina Trudeau as they not only mourn their father’s death, but grieve for their mother as her health rapidly declines. Things take a turn when they find a hex bag underneath her bed…she was never sick, she was cursed. Now the twins have to find out which magical family is out to destroy theirs before anyone else winds up on the hit list.

Blood Debts by Terry J. Benton-Walker, book cover. Black background with two people in the center, a man and a woman. Both figures have dark skin tones and are wearing all purple attire, with the woman wearing a purple head scarf. Bright red flowers surround them and a full moon is placed right behind them.
IMAGE VIA BOOKSHOP

This is the first book in a long time that I couldn’t put down. The action, the magic system, and especially the characters had me instantly hooked. Nothing hits more than fun, relatable dialogue that brings the characters to life! Since there are two protagonists, there’s a fantastic arc with romance for those who enjoy it, and a fantastic character arc without for those who don’t! And for anyone who loves revenge stories, you definitely won’t be disappointed with the justice(s) served either. 👀 For everyone out there looking for alternatives to the HP World (with the bonus of an all Black main cast!), I can’t recommend this enough!

– Annastasia Hinz, Social & Marketing

Celebrating all the Tauruses this season, we hope you enjoy these wonderful recommendations! These books will bring you the same strength, joy, and comfort that define your sign.


For more Taurus recommendations, read our other article here.

Check out our Bookstr Team recommendation list on bookshop.org here!

FEATURED IMAGE VIA BOOKSTR / SOPHIA GERNECK