Death And Destruction Wherever She Goes, NBD
Amanda and Jenn discuss superpowered characters, travel novels and nonfiction, and more in this week’s episode of Get Booked.
This episode is sponsored by TBR, Book Riot’s subscription service offering reading recommendations personalized to your reading life, Care/of, and Sips by.
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Questions
1. Dear Get Booked:
I am writing on behalf of a friend who has been having trouble finding a truly scary horror book to read for this season. She is finding a lot of genre-bending works, or books that are more thrillers, but none of these are what she is looking for.
Here are some books she has found scary:
The Ritual
The Ring
Here are some books she has not found scary:
Stephen King (any)
I’m Thinking of Ending Things
She reads in English, Japanese and French — in case that broadens the options 🙂
Anything you can offer to help her search would be much appreciated! She has had a lot of unsuccessful recommendations from people and is wary of new recs but I’m crossing my fingers this podcast can help!
Best,
-Ko
2. TIME SENSITIVE! I run a book club at my office with a focus on diversity. In the past we’ve read books some of the topics we’ve read about have been race, gender, wealth inequality, disability representation. Some of the members have expressed an interest in a book around (American) politics, to make us better informed — whether it be about processes or systems that are in place, or even just to understand how ideas started/got embedded in different parties. I feel like this is hard given that everyone has different political viewpoints. I want the read to be informative but not biased one way or another so the discussion can stay thoughtful and civil. Ideally, you’re likely to learn something no matter which way you lean. I think something a little more anthropological or historical might be best but am looking for your expertise! We do read both fiction and non-fiction, but in this case, non is probably the way to go. We always vote on 4 books and majority wins, so I’m open to lots of different kinds of recommendations to include! Thank you.
PS – The link I’m including is a picture of most of the books we’ve read already for this group. Plus, we just read Stamped / Stamped Remix and Disability Visibility.
-Megan
3. A different kind of mystery for a book group with women who read a lot! Please don’t dip into horror. Has to be the first if it’s a series. Enjoy this podcast so much but your theme music is meh.
-Dianne
4. I’m looking for a book that centers on people with superpowers, preferably for the YA/adult ages.
I’ve read The Reckoners trilogy by Brandon Sanderson and Renegades by Marissa Meyer.
I’m looking for something along the same vein, a good vs. evil, action-packed adventure that follows superheroes.
-Quinn
5. Since travel isn’t really an option right now due to the pandemic, I’ve been looking for nonfiction travel books. I’d prefer diverse authors, and with a funny tone (no Eat, Pray, Love, please).
Thanks so much!
I love the show!
-Christina
6. I love the podcast!
So I watched this show on Netflix I loved called Amazing Hotels and they don’t have it anymore but it has me craving a book set somewhere really luxurious and exotic. I’d love a travel novel with really rich descriptions and still a good plot. A lot of the ones I find are nonfiction or memoirs but if possible I’d love to read a fun storyline that incorporates the setting. Something similar to Crazy Rich Asians maybe.
Thank you!
-Maria
7. Thank-you both (actually ALL of Book Riot) for the work you’re doing to carry us through these difficult times!
I am looking for TWO recommendations. Both my cousin (who is more like a sister) and I, have birthdays in December, the 15th and 13th, respectively. I would like birthday gift ideas for her…and for myself. 😀
For Her: My goal was to make a recommendation myself, but her taste is very far afield of my wheelhouse. She said she needs ‘some good fiction in [her] life’, and has gravitated AWAY from fantasy. She indicated she enjoys historical fiction, and ‘things similar’ to To Kill a Mockingbird (TCAM). I found the Book Riot read-a-likes for non-fiction similar to TKAM, but she prefers fiction.
For Me: I read and LOVED the Truly Devious series; I realized the trope/niche I want is ‘Boarding School Mystery’, or something that would feel similar. I think part of this hinges on being in a cozy common room with a fire- YA, cozy feels, boarding school, mystery, in a cold place. NO historical fiction. I did enjoy A Study in Charlotte, In the Hall with the Knife, Magic for Liars (even though the main character was an adult), and Bellweather Rhapsody.
I hope you can help!
Wishing you both well,
Kachina
Books Discussed
Bird Box by Josh Malerman
Post: The Most Terrifying Books
The Only Good Indians by Stephen Graham Jones
A People’s History of the US by Howard Zinn
The Heartbeat of Wounded Knee by David Treuer
Winter Counts by David Heska Wanbli Weiden
A Madness of Sunshine by Nalini Singh (tw: violence towards women and children including rape and domestic violence; terminated pregnancy; harm to animals)
Wonder Woman: Warbringer (that whole DC series also) by Leigh Bardugo
The Sidekick Squad by CB Lee (Not Your Sidekick)
An African in Greenland by Tete-Michel Kpomassie, transl. by James Kirkup
Buttermilk Graffiti by Edward Lee (rec’d by Jaime Herndon)
A Gentleman in Moscow by Amor Towles
The Unlikely Adventures of the Shergill Sisters by Balli Kaur Jaswal (rec’d by Neha Patel) (cw: emotionally abusive home situation; difficulties with pregnancy; discussion of sex-selective abortion; assisted suicide; sexual harassment & misogyny)
The Vanishing Half by Brit Bennett
Fence by CS Pacat, Johanna the Mad, Joana La Fuente, and Jim Campbell
