We’ve always known that women are literary masterminds and this month’s novel picks prove it. From thrillers to horrors to short stories and mindfulness, there’s not a thing women can’t do when it comes to the art of writing. So head to your nearest independent bookshop or open up that browser to click purchase on your next great read.

3-Minute Happiness Journal

By Kristen Butler

Carve out a mere three minutes of your day and see how you can embrace the power of positivity thanks to this handy daily journal. From the author of Power of Positivity and the 3-Minute Positivity Journal, author Kristen Butler now brings us a daily practice to form lifelong habits. Research shows that it takes 66 days to form a habit and this journal prompts users to find joy in their everyday lives.

Baby X

By Kira Peikoff

This modern-age thriller delves into the amazing, yet frightening prospect of a technology that allows anyone to conceive a child from any DNA, which can be converted into either sperm or egg cells. Popular musician Trace Thorne hires a bio-security guard to protect himself from a black market operation called The Vault, used to steal celebrity cells and produce offspring. Reminiscent of Black Mirror, this novel will make you think about new-age technology and how it can impact our future.

Where the Dead Wait

By Ally Wilkes

From the creative mind of Bram Stoker Award-nominated author Ally Wilkes comes a – quite literally – chilling novel that takes place over the course of two fateful Arctic expeditions. William Day is an Arctic explorer whose last outing ended in disgrace – the survivors were said to have eaten their dead in order to survive. Thirteen years later, one of his former shipmates goes missing in the same area as their disastrous trip and Day is tasked with finding and bringing the crew home. Yet eerie coincidences keep occurring and have Day rehashing the horrors of his past.

The Mysterious Case of The Alperton Angels

By Janice Hallett

Lovers of true crime will dive head-first into this page-turning cult novel. This story follows true crime journalist Amanda Bailey, who decides to look into the 18-year-old case of the Alperton Angels. This cult became famous for brainwashing a teenage girl to believe that her baby was the anti-Christ, but once the veil lifted and she alerted the police, the rest of the cult committed suicide and the mother and baby duo vanished. While researching the case, Amanda teams up with a rival journalist, and together they uncover how dark this tale truly is.

Nearly All the Men in Lagos Are Mad

By Damilare Kuku

This collection of short stories regales readers with tales from Lagos, Nigeria, where women use their own unique coping mechanisms to deal with the men who have done them wrong. While one woman threatens her husband’s manhood with a knife, another defends her pastor husband against cheating allegations. Hailed as at once amusing and emotional, these stories tell the relatable tales of women across the world.

Love in Bloom

By Alli Koch

For those who want to take a break from reading, pick up those markers and get creative with best-selling author Alli Koch’s latest adult coloring book to relieve some stress. With over 40 pages of floral, romantic coloring pages, Love in Bloom is the ideal outlet for those looking to not only get those creative juices flowing but also calm the mind. Plus, each page can be easily removed for hanging or framing.