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All in Recommendations
I asked the National Book Award judges to give us weird and original short stories on the longlist, and let me tell you — they really said YOU GOT IT, GIRL with this collection.
Happy fall, babes — Sally has come to crack our chests wide open once again. I could have kept reading this book forever, and it reminded me how badly I need to go back and finish Sally’s backlist.
I had a good time with Andrea Stewart’s The Drowned Empire trilogy, so I jumped at the chance to read this new one. And I had a good time with this too. Not a die-hard favorite here, but definitely something I enjoyed enough to anticipate book 2.
Elif Shafak is one of my favorite authors writing today — she combines lush, gorgeous storytelling with incredible research and a drop of the fantastic to give us a reading experience like no one else. And There Are Rivers in the Sky is no exception. In fact, it’s my favorite of her novels to date.
I read/listened to Small Rain in just a handful of sessions, engrossed as I was fully transported into the time, place, and mind of its narrator.
As the Ember in the Ashes quartet is my favorite fantasy series of all, it’s no surprise that Heir was my most anticipated new release of the year. Ember fans, rejoice — this book is so, so, so good.
The Palace of Eros was one of my most anticipated books this year. When I heard that De Robertis had written a queer, gender-fluid Eros and Psyche retelling, I was ON BOARD. And I enjoyed it very much!
The God of the Woods is the latest literary mystery from Liz Moore, and it delivers! People have been calling this the book of the summer for a reason, and I liked it a lot.
I absolutely LOVED Night Boat to Tangier, so imagine my excitement to hear that Irish powerhouse Kevin Barry had written not only an American western, but a LOVE STORY. Did it live up to the hype? You bet your bookloving butt it did.
There’s no denying that Chigozie Obioma is one of the best to ever do it. With The Road to the Country, he proves it once again — enough this time to finally win him the Booker Prize, IMO. He deserves it.
I loved Julia Phillips’ Disappearing Earth, so I was psyched to read her latest book, Bear. It’s hard to compare them, given their very different subject matter, but rest assured that Phillips’ mastery is once again on full display.
This ended up being one of my favorites from the 2023 Booker Prize longlist. I’m also glad I read this with a book club, because holy moly is there a LOT to process after that ending.
I loved this tender and propulsive look at the warfare in Palestine through the lens of relationships between Palestinians.
I’m glad that Soldier Sailor was shortlisted for the Women’s Prize for Fiction, because that’s why I read it. What a novel, and what a look at motherhood — raw, emotional, sharp, and a million other adjectives besides.
What I expected: a M/M reincarnation romantasy novel rooted in Asian mythology. What I got: a smart, epic, unputdownable, surprisingly literary story that examines the double-sided beauty and potential toxicity of soulmates.
Running Close to the Wind is a ROMP and a HOOT and very queer and piratey. It was occasionally a little overly horny (even though it’s closed door), but hell if it isn’t a ton of fun.
This book is like the best kind of meal you make from whatever’s in your refrigerator — a ton of ingredients you love, not too much brain power required, and a tasty result in the end. Call it the literary beach read of the summer.
Real Americans is a compulsively readable, three-timeline, multigenerational family saga that would make an excellent book club pick (especially during AAPI Heritage Month). I flew through its 400 pages in 24 hours!
To Gaze Upon Wicked Gods was a solid start to a new fantasy trilogy! The magic system is unique and the worldbuilding is imaginative and a strong metaphor for history/colonialism. I look forward to book 2!
Honestly, I can’t believe Some Desperate Glory wasn’t on my radar until it was nominated for the Hugo, especially with such blurb power. But wow am I glad it showed up!! One heck of a story.
