Dec 22-April 23 Book Recs

So, I've been having A Time. In under two months, I lost one of my jobs, got smashed by a drunk driver (and thus no longer have a car), had to sell my home and move back in with my parents (probably for the rest of my/their lives, because I Cannot be Trusted to live alone), and I broke my freakin' hip, so I've spent the last two months (and counting!) recovering in a rehab facility, contemplating suicide with varying degrees of seriousness, zooming around in a wheelchair, and flirting shamelessly with my physical therapist, all because the surgery to repair said hip had some ✨Complications✨ resulting in ✨Open, Bleeding Wounds that Refuse to Heal.✨ I refer to them as my Leg Holes. As in, "please stop fingering my Leg Holes; thank you."

But that's not what this is about. No, there's something far more dastardly afoot: my library is gonna stop using the Overdrive app! FOR SHAME.

They're switching to Libby, which, I guess has "all the same features" (sure, Jan). So why won't they accept book recommendations, huh? Huh?! I've been recommending 5 books to Overdrive every 30 days for the last few years, and I freakin' like doing it! So rude that I won't be able to do that anymore. (Yes, Libby has a feature where you can "express interest" in unowned items, but it's not the same, okay?!?!) SOB.

In honor of my favorite feature that will soon no longer be with us, here is a list of everything I've recommended for the last few months. Farewell, Overdrive, my old friend, patron saint of E-books and E-Audiobooks; you have served me well. You will be mourned, and someday, you will be avenged.

December 2022 was when I learned of this shameful cancellation of all things joyous. I wasn't yet sure when this transition between apps would take place, so I quickly recommended several books that I felt strongly about, in case I wouldn't get a chance to do it again.

The Message by Chris Grine may not have a cover yet (probably because it won't be published until December 2023), but it's the fourth book in the Animorphs series that Mr. Grine is adapting into graphic novel format. As a lifelong Ani-fan, I've loved all his adaptations so far, as well as his presence on podcasts. I'm particularly excited to see how he'll manage to portray a child getting bitten in half and slowly bleeding to death in any sort of PG way. Good luck, Chris!

Thornhedge by T. Kingfisher was another must-have. I love Kingfisher. I love her horror (The Twisted Ones, The Hollow Places), I love her fantasy (Nettle & Bone, Bryony and Roses). We're at a point where I'll read anything she publishes, so of course I was eager for another quippy fairytale, hopefully full of her usual staples of sassy old ladies and queer positivity.

So... Unseelie by Ivelisse Housman looked very promising. Before Autism was widely understood, some people believed it was the result of fairies and changelings. I love the idea of an Autistic author taking that myth and crafting a story around it. I do! I just... Didn't love this story. It's a matter of "it's not you, it's me" — my sister enjoyed this book! I just found it a little too "basic YA" for my tastes.

I've never read anything by Hannah F. Whitten before, but the cover and summary of The Foxglove King drew me in. Cults? Catacombs? Necromancy? Sign me up! In hindsight, some of the summary reads like red flags— "lush, romantic epic fantasy" isn't my cup of crack, and the protag will almost certainly have a romance/love triangle with the two guys mentioned, which is (barf emoji), so let's hope I don't hate it.

Lies We Sing to the Sea by Sarah Underwood is another "impulse click" that I'm afraid I'll regret. First off, it's pretty long (the audiobook is over 13 hours), and it's "inspired by Greek mythology." I don't particularly care for Greek mythology. But it's "sapphic," and centers around human sacrifice! That's gotta count for something. Right?!

January 2023, Aka: after I lost my job/home/car, but before I broke my hip:

Do you have any idea how loudly I squealed when I saw that Samantha Irby is publishing another memoir? DO YOU?! I adore this woman's essays. I love her fat, queer, irreverent, unapologetically sexual, chronically ill, hilarious sass. I love her attitude. I love how she can make me cry one minute, and then cry with laughter the next. I want to be her best friend. I'm so pumped for Quietly Hostile that it's not even funny, dude.

"The Dangers of Smoking in Bed" by Mariana Enríquez is one of my all-time favorite books, which is unusual, because I don't usually care for short story collections... But damn, she really nailed every one of them. I haven't read anything else by her since then, but the cover and promise of cults and family drama in Our Share of Night has drawn me in. She's the author that got me into Hispanic horror, and I know she won't let me down.

Really Good, Actually by Monica Heisey is an absolute wild card from me. Heterosexual feel-good British chick lit about breakups and makeups and "finding yourself"? Absolutely none of that is my usual fare! So why was I compelled to rec this, and why do I still want to read it now?! Beats me!

Maame by Jessica George is one of those books that's like, I know it's probably good, I know I should read it, I know I'll PROBABLY like it... But I keep putting it off. Maybe I'm intimidated because it's supposed to be Deep and Meaningful, all about motherhood and the immigrant experience, and I'm just not in a good headspace for depth right now? I'll get to it eventually...

Of course I had to rec Heavenly Tyrant ASAP. The series is so popular, and I wanted to be as high on the hold list as possible when it comes out this August. Xiran Jay Zhao crafted a world of ancient Chinese history combined with sci-fi elements that I adore, and topped it all off with queer characters and, my absolute favorite: angry, dangerous, powerful women. I absolutely live for ruthless leading ladies who do horrible things and feel no remorse. (step on me, Mommy...)

February 2023: Hip-crunch time!

She Is a Haunting by Trang Thanh Tran has that gorgeous cover, and promises a haunted house story that's really an allegory (as all good horror is); this time for generational abuse, homophobia, and the French colonization of Vietnam. It sounds great! However... My best friend warned that it has a very YA feel, which makes me less excited for it.

I've gotten more into nonfiction lately, and Who Gets Believed?: When the Truth Isn't Enough by Dina Nayeri looks like a good one; all case studies about the rape culture we live in every day, from reproductive rights to immigrant asylum to the injustices of bureaucracy...

The Witch and the Vampire by Francesca Flores is actually the audiobook I'm listening to right now, as of writing this post. It's about two childhood friends, one of whom is turned into a vampire after a brutal attack. Her friend, the witch, helps her hide this taboo identity. Lesbian romance ensues. Combine that with a haunted forest, and it's pretty much everything I love all wrapped up into one... But the low ratings are making me nervous.

The London Séance Society by Sarah Penner is yet another impulse click that I hope I won't regret. Set in Paris in the 1870s, apparently this is about vengeance and murder-solvin'. Maybe it's the hipster in me that feels resistant to popular lit, but I'm not in any hurry to get my hands on this one. I hope it's less "cozy mystery" and more "actually dark."

Camp Zero by Michelle Min Sterling seems like an environmental sci-fi story with themes of immigration and climate change. I like stories about a group of near-strangers all slowly discovering each others' pasts and intentions... Very "Agatha Christie" vibes. I hope it gets spooky and weird.

March 2023: How am I still at this rehab facility???

Elizabeth Lim is the author of "Six Crimson Cranes," an Asian retelling/spin on the Six Swans fairytale that I enjoyed reading with my niece. While the sequel left something to be desired, I'm still intrigued to read When You Wish Upon a Star, Lim's retelling of Pinocchio from the perspective of the blue fairy!

Speaking of fairy tale retellings, The Salt Grows Heavy by Cassandra Khaw seems to be a dark continuation of the Little Mermaid, wherein evil mermaids take over the castle. I didn't care for Khaw's "Nothing but Blackened Teeth," but I'm willing to give her another chance, since I'll always have a soft spot for killer mermaids.

I don't like Riley Sager. I think he's hugely overrated (in a genre that's ALREADY oversaturated with bland white male authors, he somehow stands out as the Whitest and the Blandest). Most of all, I hate how his premises always sound so interesting before he fails them with mediocre writing. I KNOW I'm setting myself up for disappointment with The Only One Left, but I chose it anyway, and now I'm mad about it.

Mona Awad wrote a new book!!! I loved "Bunny," and I really liked "All's Well," so I'm beyond excited for whatever trippy batshit mess the lady's cooked up this time in Rouge. Her brand of femme horror is delightful. I'm excited for this takedown of the beauty industry, in which there's plenty of horror to be found. (I'm hoping for a Neon Demon vibe!)

R.F. Kuang wrote the famous Poppy War series... Of which I could barely finish the first book. It was extremely long, meandering, and depressing, and probably needed to be broken up into about 3 books itself. Thankfully, Yellowface is under 10 hours long and has a more contemporary vibe, which suits me better than epic fantasy.

April 2023: Seriously, let me go home please!!!

I loved Amy Engel for "The Familiar Dark"— it was as short as it was brutal, like a punch to the face in literary form. I Did It For You: A Novel is about a woman seeking answers from her sister's killer, and I'm confident Engel will cheerfully rip my heart out again (which is behavior that I encourage from an author!).

Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah is a new-ish author whom I've never read before, but Chain-Gang All-Stars looks right up my alley. Female gladiators? Death matches? Criticism/commentary on the private prison industry? Lesbians??? I'm hooked and it hasn't even been published yet.

Sisters of the Lost Nation by Nick Medina is a much-needed look at the violence against (and lack of police action to aid) indigenous women, told from the POV of a native girl living on a reservation where girls routinely go missing. I'm excited that this book is told using a lot of native myths/legends... I hope this newbie author pulls it off well.

The Haunting of Alejandra by V. Castro not only has a gorgeous cover, but it's also about La Llorona! One of my favorite legends. Mental health issues, therapy, and overcoming trauma are some dang good themes, too. This seems like an author worth checking out.

I wasn't wild about "The Wolf and the Woodsman" by Ava Reid, but it was set in the same verse as "Juniper & Thorn," which landed high on my "best of 2022" list, so of course I'm gonna give A Study in Drowning a shot. I'm always up for (dark, adult) fairy tales, so long as they're well written. (I love Judaism in fairy tales, too, which is something Ava Reid has in common with Naomi Novik.)

And... That's it. I won't be able to rec books anymore; at least not on Overdrive. It was good while it lasted, I guess... Thank you, OD, for making this winter/spring suck slightly less than it otherwise would have.