Good Bad Thing Or Bad Bad Thing
Amanda and Jenn discuss novels about deaf characters, immersive series, dark and angry fantasy, and more in this week’s episode of Get Booked.
This episode is sponsored by TBR: Tailored Book Recommendations, Catapult, and Harper Paperbacks.
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Feedback
Cantoras by Carolina de Robertis (rec’d by Malory)
Jazz Moon by Joe Okonkwo and The Gods of Tango by Carolina De Robertis
Questions
1. Hi, Amanda and Jenn. Love the podcast. I’m looking for an addicting series, like Twilight but good. I don’t mind fantasy but I’m not crazy about demon types of fantasy if that makes sense. I just really want four or five big books with romance and action and a fun plot, even if it’s not high quality. Basically those YA series like Hunger Games and Divergent but for adults (I’m in college).
I am considering Outlander?
Thanks!
-Maria
2. Hi! I had been serving in the Peace Corps for about 20 months when, in mid-March, we got the call to evacuate due to the pandemic. I was given less than 24 hours to say goodbye in my host family village and less than 72 hours before leaving the country as borders were closing shortly after both of my international flights. It was awful and traumatic, and now I am having trouble focusing on basically anything. The only book that has held my attention since has been The Dragon Republic by RF Kuang, which is a bit out of my regular wheelhouse but is incredibly absorbing and emotional and angry in a way that really worked for me in my current dark place. What should I read next??
Thank you for this and the show!!
-Cara
3. I’m looking for a book that features a blind or deaf character! I read literary fiction, magical realism, historical fiction, but I’m open to all fiction. Thank you!
-Anonymous
4. I’ll be volunteering at a remote ranger station this summer (where social distancing is built-in). I’d love to hear your recommendations for fictional women-centered stories in which the environment or setting plays a significant role. Light or dark, magical realism, horror, mystery…any genre! Some of my favorite nonfiction books related to this idea are The Hungry Ocean (Greenlaw), The Legacy of Luna (Hill), and West with the Night (Markham). I also liked The Girl Who Loved Tom Gordon (King) and absolutely loved Sourdough (Sloan).
(I don’t have any triggers. Preferably not graphic novels)
-Roxanne
5. Hi guys, I recently read ‘The Passage’ trilogy by Justin Cronin and loooved it so much I recommended it to some people and now they want more similar books. Me too. Unfortunately I think it’s one of a kind. Please, please recommend post-apocalyptic, fast paced, with many greatly developed characters (female too), preferably a series, with an emphasis on survival stuff. Thanks in advance:)
-Agnes
6. Hello! I’m a pretty avid reader that reads a lot of Young Adult fantasy. I like how fun, addictive and fast-paced they are, and I can get through them really quickly. However, lately I’ve been finding them to be more and more predictable. Also, as I’m getting past the intended age demographics for YA, i’m feeling more disconnected to the characters in the books.
So, I’ve been meaning to start branching out and dipping my toes into adult fantasy, but I don’t know where to start! For someone who is used to reading YA fantasy, they all seem kind of intimidating to me (especially with their size). Can you please recommend me an adult fantasy book/series for someone who’s just getting into it?
(Some of my favorite YA fantasies are the Six of Crows duology by Leigh Bardugo, The Folk of The Air Series by Holly Black, and The Conqueror’s Saga by Kiersten White).
Thank you so much!
-Nadya
7. I’m looking for books to get lost in – in particular I’d love to get my teeth into a series. I loved book series when I was younger but as I’ve gotten older I’ve realised I’m not a fan of fantasy or magical realism – which makes finding series difficult nowadays. I like gritty, character driven stories with female leads and themes of feminism, queerness, gender, race, family dynamics, social justice etc. My favourite writers include Sally Rooney, Dolly Alderton, Pandora Sykes, Sarah Moss, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, and I also loved the Pages for You/Pages for Her series from Sylvia Brownrigg. So likely a female writer but I’m not averse to writers of other genders.
Thanks so much in advance 🙂
-Heidi
Books Discussed
The London Steampunk series (Kiss of Steel #1) by Bec McMaster
Psy-Changeling series by Nalini Singh, start with Silver Silence (Psy-Changeling Trinity #1)
The City We Became by NK Jemisin
The Traitor Baru Cormorant (The Masquerade #1) by Seth Dickinson (tw: racism, homophobia, torture, violence, sexual assault, harm to children)
Hello Universe by Erin Entrada Kelly
Friend (With Benefits) Zone by Laura Brown
The Word for Woman is Wilderness by Abi Andrews, rec’d by Sharifah
Prodigal Summer by Barbara Kingsolver (tw: cancer, death of a spouse, bigotry, probably others)
Station Eleven by Emily St John Mandel
The Book of M by Peng Shepherd (tw: threat of sexual violence, gore)
We Ride Upon Sticks by Quan Barry
Kushiel’s Dart (Phedre’s Trilogy) by Jacqueline Carey (tw: abduction and rape)
My Brilliant Friend by Elena Ferrante (Neapolitan Novels) (tw domestic violence)
The Dime by Kathleen Kent (rec’d by basically everyone) (tw: sexism, homophobia)
