The Weirdest Book I Own

Jenn Northington Aug 9, 2018

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Amanda and Jenn discuss novels about the Balkans, contemporary YA, really weird books, and more in this week’s episode of Get Booked.

This episode is sponsored by Book Riot Insiders, Legendary by Stephanie Garber, and Megabat by Anna Humphrey, illustrated by Kass Reich.

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The show can also be found on Stitcher here.

Questions

1. Hello Ladies!

My friend and I are going on a trip to the Balkans (Croatia, Montenegro, Serbia, Bosnia, Belgravia, Macedonia and Albania). We love historical fiction or narrative non-fiction and would love to read more about these countries before visiting.

Thanks!
-Britany

2. Looking for an interesting essay collection for the Read Harder Challenge!

-Rachael

3. Hello from Canada! I love your show 🙂
I’m looking for book recommendations for my sister. She’s in her late 20s, and has described herself as “enjoys reading, not books shopping, but only likes weird stuff”. She seems to like John Wyndham books…Books that are weird, creepy, not very sci fi, and not very magical- something more in between. I suggested the Library at Mount Char (one of the weirdest I own), but she was turned off due to the title and perhaps my poor pitch. She will pick up Dark Matter, and the Southern Reach Trilogy due to my persistence. but I’m not sure they are right for her. Please help!

-Dominique

4. Hi ladies!
I just finished Retta’s So Close To Being The Sh*t Y’all Don’t Even Know and loved it. I was hoping you could recommend something similar. I loved the behind the scenes stories and comedic tone. I’ve also read and enjoyed books by Tina Fey, Amy Poehler, Mindy Kaling and Anna Kendrick.

-Whitney

5. Hello ladies!! Love your podcast and look forward to listening to it every week at work!! I love your passion for books and helping people find new books!! Anyways, I am in the process of pursuing my dream and writing my first novel, however I would love your thoughts on books for creativity and writing. I’ve read Big Magic, and Stephen King’s novel on writing, so anything that could help with encouragement and motivation would be lovely! Open to nonfiction and fiction! Thank you so much!!

-Kaitlin

6. Hello,

I love to listening to YA novels and could use some new recommendations. I have recently listened to and enjoyed When Dimple Met Rishi, I Am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter, And What I Saw and How I Lied.

I also really enjoy Rainbow Rowell. Eleanor & Park is the only one I have left to read and it is currently on my to be listened to list, as well as Dumplin’.

Thanks!
-Megan

7. Thanks to Read Harder, I’ve read 2 books this year – Pachinko and Do Not Say We Have Nothing – which really made me realize that I know very little about 20th century East Asian history. I’m looking for nonfiction to give me some more grounding in the topic. It doesn’t have to specifically be about the Japanese colonization of Korea or the Cultural Revolution, I’d be happy with anything compelling and readable about 19th or 20th century China, Japan, Korea, or even southeast Asia. Thanks!
-Laura

Books Discussed

Girl At War by Sara Novic

The Tiger’s Wife by Téa Obreht

The Fire This Time edited by Jesmyn Ward

How to Write an Autobiographical Novel by Alexander Chee (tw: child abuse)

The Beauty by Aliya Whiteley

The Book of M by Peng Shepherd

This is Just My Face by Gabourey Sidibe

We’re Going to Need More Wine by Gabrielle Union (tw: rape)

Bird by Bird by Anne Lamott

13 Ways of Looking at the Novel by Jane Smiley (rec’d by Attica Locke on Recommended)

Valley Girls by Sarah Nicole Lemon