Fiction Book Recs
Recommendations for novels you might like to read and/or buy for someone else to read
Welcome to part two of book recommendations from a very busy person who used to work as a bookseller and now only reads when she has time. Hi! If you missed part one, I went over some recs for non-fiction. You can read that here. Today I’m covering fiction.
Reminder: the links below to Libro.fm and Bookshop.org are affiliate links because this Substack is free.
Fiction!
I read so much fiction now. In large part because I’m in Roxane Gay’s Audacious Book Club. But I also just need more escapism than I used to. lolsob
The Unsettled by Ayana Mathis
This was my most recent read for the Audacious Book Club. Set in the 1980s in Philadelphia, it’s about a mother and son, honestly, just trying their best and making a lot of mistakes. It’s also about Alabama in multiple time periods. I really liked this book, but because I know people aren’t always in the mood for sad, I will say that this book is heartbreaking. But it’s so good!
Tom Lake by Ann Patchett
My queen. My former boss lol. This review is not objective because I love Ann Patchett with my whole heart. This is a beautiful book about women: moms, sisters, daughters, grandmothers. It’s also about love, cherry trees and youth. First of all, listen to this on audio because it’s read by Meryl Streep (I had more to say on that here). However you read it, just read this book. And then buy a copy for your best friend. You can get a signed and/or personalized copy at Parnassus.
The Militia House by John Milas
This is another one I read for the Audacious Book Club. In a million years I never would have picked this book up. It’s written by a man. Sorry, not sorry. And it’s about the military. But you guys, this book rules! It’s so scary! I couldn’t put it down. It’s got the tension of Leave the World Behind, but with an ending that makes sense. Sorry, not sorry x 2.
Do Tell by Lindsay Lynch
You should know that Lindsay is my friend, and she was on my podcast, but! I really liked this book. So much so that I gave it an award. Fans of old Hollywood, gossip columnists, secret, queer-coded romance, this is for you. Signed copies at Parnassus, where if you ask nicely, you can probably pet Lindsay’s shop dog Barnabus.
Prom Mom by Laura Lippman
I’m a big Laura Lippman fan. She writes women so well. If you like thrillers, add this one to your list. You can probably guess by the title what it’s about, so here’s what I’ll tell you. Half of it takes place in the nineties and the other half in the early lockdown part of the pandemic. It’s juicy and spicy, and I couldn’t put it down.
Yellowface by R.F. Kuang
If you haven’t read this yet and you’re worried there’s no way it can live up the hype, you’re wrong. Read it. The hype is warranted.
Chain-Gang All-Stars by Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah
FAVORITE BOOK OF THE YEAR. This book has won and been longlisted for so many awards: New York Times Top Ten Book Of The Year, Finalist For The National Book Award In Fiction, A Read With Jenna Book Club Pick, etc. It’s clear that a lot of people love it as much as I do. It’s actually sold out right now, so I linked to the audiobook, which, fun fact, audiobooks don’t sell out! This book is long as hell, but it’s riveting and I haven’t stopped thinking about the main characters or the ending since I read it in May.
The Survivalists by Kashana Cauley
This book is so good!! Spoiler alert: almost every book on this list came from the Audacious Book Club, this one included. This is about a woman in Brooklyn who accidentally falls in love with a survivalist. I haven’t dated in 19 years, but I have enough single friends to know that this scenario is possible.
I Have Some Questions For You by Rebecca Makkai
Earlier this year my therapist made me take a vacation so I could sit in a hotel room for two days and regulate my nervous system. Well, the joke was on her because I downloaded this audiobook and spent the whole weekend listening to it and getting my heart rate up. This is kind of a no-brainer for people who love The Secret History and/or people who listen to true crime podcasts.
Romance!
I’m a recent convert to the romance genre. I never read it until the pandemic and then when I started taking my daily mental health walks, I started doing them while listening to romance audiobooks. And it stuck! If you see me stomping out in the woods with my air pods in, I’m listening to smut.
Romantic Comedy by Curtis Sittenfeld
Curtis Sittenfeld hive, rise up! I loved this book so much. I listened to this on audio, which I recommend, although … it is a great cover. This is one of my favorite genres: famous person falls for a normie. This has the added bonus of revolving around a fictional version of Saturday Night Live. A perfect book. No notes.
Love, Theoretically by Ali Hazelwood
This was such a fun book to be accidentally listening to the same month Oppenheimer came out. The only enjoyment I got out of that three-hour nothing-but-men-onscreen-except-Florence-who-was-topless-a-thon was laughing because I understood the science in the movie thanks to this book.
The Charm Offensive by Alison Cochrun
It’s funny, I always say I don’t watch a lot of reality television, but then I realize I watch 130 hours of Love Island a year, plus every single reality show on Netflix. So naturally, I gobbled this book up. It’s about a producer on a dating reality show who falls for one of the contestants. Bonus: they’re both men!
Drunk on Love by Jasmine Guillory
Jasmine Guillory is my favorite romance writer. And I’ve met her! She is lovely. This book is a lot of fun, especially if you’re interested in reading a steamy book about a romance in Napa Valley.
TBR!
Last, but not least, the books I’ve bought recently and will read before the end of the year. I forgot to include this last time, so this is a mix of non-fiction and fiction.
The Comfort of Crows: A Backyard Year by Margaret Renkl
The Late Americans by Brandon Taylor
Thin Skin: Essays by Jenn Shapland
Southern Fried Sass by Ginger Minj
Your turn! I’d love to hear what you’re reading, what you’re looking for that I didn’t include, or how many books you’re trying to finish before the end of the year.
If you’re shopping in Nashville, we have three independent bookstores who would love to take your money. We’ve got Parnassus Books in Green Hills and The Bookshop and Novelette in East Nashville.
Ahh, thanks for the reminder about Romantic Comedy! I picked it up last week after reading this post and, obviously, loved it.
new to your blog/substack. Love this! And...thank you