Hungover From Hanya

 

Welcome to our first episode! I brought on Jenn Northington to be my guest host for our kickoff event because, to be frank, no one knows books like Jenn knows books. She is our Events Director here at Book Riot, cohost of the Bookrageous podcast, part-time bookseller at Word, and member of five book groups. Find her on Twitter @jennIRL.

This episode is sponsored by Entry Island by Peter May and Killer Run by Lynn Cahoon.

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Questions!

Dear Get Booked,

I’d like a recommendation for my book hangover. I just read A Little Life by Hanya Yanagihara and I’m torn. Why did [spoiler]? Why couldn’t [redacted]? Why didn’t he ever get to [spoiler]? WHY!!!!!

The point is, I’m having a serious book hangover. I’m switching over to ‘light’ reading but I’m still haunted by the events of the book. I really enjoy literary fiction and lesbian romance. I really enjoyed The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt last summer and one of my favorite books is Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Cafe by Fannie Flagg. Help me out guys! I’m a librarian who is mega hungover and I don’t know what to do.

Thank you!
-Marissa

 

Dear Get Booked,

So, I just finished A Little Life and I’m afraid I’m never gonna find the strength to pickup another book… ever…

And so here’s my situation: I LOVE to read, but been slightly traumatized I don’t know what to read next. Of course my TBR is gigantic and all that, but I’m just in this huge hangover and can’t decide what to read.

I don’t necessarily want anything too fluffy (to contrast with A Little Life). I wanted something thought provoking but not depressing. ‎Do you have something for me?

Thanks very much!!

You’re my favorites. I love the site, the podcasts, the YouTube channel (stalker much?)

-Roberta

 

Dear Get Booked,

I listened to the Mangalf podcast yesterday, and love the idea of your new podcast, Amanda! Can’t wait for it to start. 🙂

I know this is going to be a tough request since it seems like both of you either aborted or avoided A Little Life by Hanya Yanagihara. 🙂  I understand… Despite my loving it, I’ve been a little careful about who I recommend it to because I know it’s a LOT and not everyone is going to respond positively (or even neutrally) to the book. 🙂

Sooo… NOT to make your life difficult, but since I DID love the book, I’d love to hear about some books that are similar. The only reason I felt okay reaching out to you about this question is that I don’t need/want the same CONTENT necessarily… Moreso I loved how the book really dives deep into the lives of the characters, makes you FEEL something, and I feel like it even made me a stronger reader.  I’d love to hear some of your recommendations for books that may have the same effect!

Other books I loved for similar reasons: Cutting for Stone, We Need to Talk About Kevin, A Thousand Splendid Suns, Unbroken

Books I thought were going to be similar and I ended up not loving: The Goldfinch, The Secret History *I think I’m just maybe not a Donna Tartt fan?  I wish I was!

Thank you in advance!  Best of luck on your newEST podcast! 🙂

-Beth

 

Dear Get Booked,

I am a teacher at an urban high school in Trenton, NJ.  Last year we started a One School, One Book program and our first book was The Martian by Andy Weir.  Our goal is to choose a book that is really going to grab the student’s attention and make them want to read (The Martian was pretty successful on this front).  We’ve had a few discussions on what the new book should be and my biggest concern is that I do not want to choose another book by a white American man. I think there are too many choices out there and our students are too diverse to only expose them to one kind of author.  -Mia

 

Hi guys,

I’ve read a few re-workings of classic stories and fairy tales this year and am really enjoying this refresh of stories. Do you have any suggestions for books with retell a story or tell the story from a different point of view? The initial inspiration for this was when I read Longborn by Jo Baker and would love to discover more books which retell a story from a different view point.

Thanks for your suggestions
Kim

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Books Discussed on the Show!

Tiny Beautiful Things by Cheryl Strayed 

Bright Lines by Tanwi Nandini Islam 

Life after Life by Kate Atkinson

All the lesbian romance for Marissa

The Martian by Andy Weir

The Engagements by J Courtney Sullivan

Tigerman by Nick Harkaway

The Residue Years by Mitchell S. Jackson

Girl is a Half-Formed Thing by Eimear McBride

The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay 

The Robber Bride by Margaret Atwood 

The Space Between Us by Thrity Umrigar

Gemsigns by Stephanie Saulter 

On Such a Full Sea by Chang-Rae Lee 

Tusk that Did the Damage by Tania James 

Shadowshaper by Daniel José Older 

Signs Preceding the End of the World by Yuri Herrera

Wide Sargasso Sea, Jean Rhys

Song of Achilles, Madeline Miller

anything edited by Kate Bernheimer

Tender Morsels, Margo Lanagan

Lavinia, Ursula K. Le Guin

Fledgling, Octavia Butler

The Ground Beneath her Feet, Salman Rushdie

Re Jane by Patricia Park

the Lunar Chronicles by Marissa Meyer

Boy Snow Bird by Helen Oyeyemi

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Need a book recommendation? Fill out the form below or email getbooked@bookriot.com and we’ll help!