Welcome back to another Zodiac sign TBR! If you missed the last post in this series, go check it out. In this series, I’ll be recommending books that I think give off the feeling of a certain zodiac sign. I judge books based on the cover and/or synopsis to determine which zodiac sign vibes with said book, and recommend a few books that I haven’t read before. This is a TBR, so I hope to read one (if not all) of these books within the length of a certain astrological season.
This post is especially close to me because Cancer is my sun and rising sign! With that said, I actually had a difficult time coming up with options for this sign because I think Cancers are a bit more complex than what is stereotypically said about them online. I didn’t just want to recommend books about family, mothers, and hopeless romantics, so I got really creative with these book recommendations because I wanted to do my fellow sign of Cancer some justice!
About Cancers
Cancer is the fourth sign in the astrology wheel. They’re a cardinal water sign and ruled by the Moon. Cancers are the most emotional signs out of all the 12 zodiac signs. As I mentioned, they’re ruled by the Moon, and the Moon changes every 2-3 days, so it’s no wonder Cancerians are so dramatic! Cancers are very empathic, caring, loving, devoted people, especially to their loved ones. If you’re looking for someone to talk about something deep with, you can bet a Cancer will hear you out! Cancers are also talented creatives and artistic people; many famous artists and actors happen to be Cancers! They also have a childlike wander and a wonderful sense of humor, which is why they get along with children and animals.
Go read my Cancer astrology spotlight for more information on Cancer signs. There is also an astrology spotlight for each of the 12 zodiac signs.
DISCLAIMER: Links included in this post might be affiliate links. If you make a purchase with the links I provide, I may receive a small commission at no additional charge to you.
Moomin: The Complete Tove Jansson Comic Strip – Book 2 by Tove Jansson
In the second volume of Tove Jansson’s humorous yet melancholic Moomin comic strip, we get four new stories about jealousy, competition, child rearing, and self-reinvention. The Moomins try to hibernate in the fashion of their ancestors but insomnia places them smack-dab into a winter carnival with the winter-sports-loving Mr. Brisk. The fickle and eternally lovestruck Mymble and Snorkmaiden find themselves in competition over a thrilling new man. Moominmamma meets her new neighbor, the Fillyjonk, causing her to hire the depressed and secretive Misabel as her new maid. Mymble’s mother arrives on the Moomin family’s doorstep with her seventeen new children. Finally, a prophet arrives on the scene declaring that the happy Moomins are in fact not happy at all and need to get back to nature and be free. Moomin, of course, becomes more and more miserable the freer he gets.
This may seem like an odd recommendation, but a cute comic about Moomins is the perfect recommendation for a Cancer! Cancers are very childish and love a bit of whimsy, so this comic book about Moomins makes sense. Not only that but the stories of Moomins revolve around a family, very Cancerian! I received this book during Christmas, and it’s been on my TBR for a while, so I hope I get around to reading this before the end of Cancer season.
You can purchase Moomin: The Complete Tove Jansson Comic Strip here
The Girl Who Chased the Moon by Sarah Addison Allen
Emily Benedict has come to Mullaby, North Carolina, hoping to solve at least some of the riddles surrounding her mother’s life. But the moment Emily enters the house where her mother grew up and meets the grandfather she never knew, she realizes that mysteries aren’t solved in Mullaby, they’re a way of life: Here are rooms where the wallpaper changes to suit your mood. Unexplained lights skip across the yard at midnight. And a neighbor, Julia Winterson, bakes hope in the form of cakes, not only wishing to satisfy the town’s sweet tooth but also dreaming of rekindling the love she fears might be lost forever. Can a hummingbird cake really bring back a lost love? Is there really a ghost dancing in Emily’s backyard? The answers are never what you expect. But in this town of lovable misfits, the unexpected fits right in.
“The Girl Who Chased the Moon” might as well be another name for a Cancer! I’ve been wanting to read more from Sarah Addison Allen ever since I read Garden Spells a few years ago. This is about a girl who goes back to where her mother grew up in order to find out more about her mother’s past. A Mother-daughter relationship and visiting a family home, this book is screaming Cancer vibes, plus they love nostalgia! This book sounds so magical, and I hope the moon plays a role in this novel because a Cancer loves a magical moon moment!
You can purchase The Girl Who Chased the Moon here
My Husband by Maud Ventura
At forty years old, she has an enviable life: a successful career, stunning looks, a beautiful house in the suburbs, two healthy children, and most importantly, an ideal husband, whose wealthy background allows her to transcend her own social class. After fifteen years together, she is still besotted with him. But she’s never quite sure that her passion is reciprocated.
Determined to keep their relationship perfect, she meticulously prepares for every encounter they have, always taking care to make her actions seem effortless. She watches him attentively, testing him to make sure that he still loves her just as much as he did when they first met.
Until one day she realizes she may have gone too far . . .
This book might not capture Cancer’s best side, but more of their negative side, the dependent side. But hey, I love a psychological thriller! Cancers are ideal partners, they’re wifey (and husband) material! However, it looks like the main character may take it too far in this novel. Based on the synopsis, the main character is a bit of a perfectionist which sways more Virgo but water and earth signs get along wonderfully! I’m very curious to read the twists in this novel.
You can purchase My Husband here
The Mermaid from Jeju by Sumi Hahn
In the aftermath of World War II, Goh Junja is a girl just coming into her own. She is the latest successful deep sea diver in a family of strong haenyeo. Confident she is a woman now, Junja urges her mother to allow her to make the Goh family’s annual trip to Mt. Halla, where they trade abalone and other sea delicacies for pork. Junja, a sea village girl, has never been to the mountains, where it smells like mushrooms and earth. While there, she falls in love with a mountain boy Yang Suwol, who rescues her after a particularly harrowing journey. But when Junja returns one day later, it is just in time to see her mother take her last breath, beaten by the waves during a dive she was taking in Junja’s place.
Though I normally only recommend 3 books, I wanted to include a mermaid book as I will be participating in The Bright Side Girl annual mermaid/pirate/underwater readathon again this year. Check out their post to learn more about this challenge. The Mermaid from Jeju by Sumi Hahn was a book I wanted to read last year during the readathon but didn’t get the chance to so I’ll be starting it during the 2-week challenge this year! Even though I view mermaids as more of a Pisces symbol, because Cancers are a summer sign, the mermaid aesthetic suits them well too!
Last year, I read The Island of Sea Women by Lisa See, and I’m hoping this one is similar to that book as they both involve haenyeo. Speaking of water and earth energy, I feel like there might be some more of that in this novel with the romantic interest. There is also a lot go family dynamics and a mother-daughter relationship aspect in The Mermaid from Jeju. I can’t wait to dive deep into this one!
You can purchase The Mermaid from Jeju here
Have you read any of these books? What books remind you of Cancers?
These sound like great picks! Love this zodiac reading series you’re creating! x