E124: #124: Mushroom Wives and Vampire Boyfriends

March 22, 2018 00:44:12

Amanda and Jenn discuss fun magical reads, trilogies, non-scary true crime, and more in this week’s episode of Get Booked.

This episode is sponsored by The Curse of the Boyfriend Sweater by Alanna Okun and She Caused a Riot by Hannah Jewell.

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Questions

1.Hi!

I’m looking for a book that is fun, light, and possibly magical. While I do love books that deal with important and often heavy issues, several people in my family are battling major health issues that are pretty heavy. So I’m looking for a book to escape from all that when I need a little pick me up. I recently read The Invisible Library and loved it! Where’d you go Bernadette, Ready Player One, The Night Circus, and Harry Potter are some of my favorites. I want something I can spend some time with so please no short stories or graphic novels. I can’t wait to hear what you recommend!

–Jessica

2.For a trip in April!

Hi, Get Booked! The orchestra I perform with is going on tour to Peru, Argentina and Uruguay next month and I’d love to read a novel or two set in the countries where we’ll be. I’m also writing my dissertation, so lighter, fun reads would be appreciated. Nothing supernatural please.

Thank you!

–Sarah

3.Hi, I’m looking for a good trilogy to read. I’m participating in a Litsy Reading Challenge and one of the categories is read a trilogy. It can be YA or not, preferably not. I really liked The Grisha trilogy. I tried the first in Blood of Eden series (The Immortal Rules) and didn’t care for it. I’ve read all the popular YA ones like hunger games, divergent, etc. My favorite genres are fantasy, mystery and Historical fiction. Thanks in advance!

–Mikala

4.I’m participating in the read harder challenge and I’m a bit anxious just thinking about the true crime book. Could you recommend a nonviolent true crime book for anxious wimps like me? Maybe a heist or something?

–Emily

5.Hi Ladies!

My best friend’s birthday in in three weeks and I’m stumped. I’ve exhausted my knowledge of big-gothic-isolated-house-psychological thrillers (her FAVORITE in all caps). I’ve given her Rebecca, The Haunting of Hill House, The Silent Companions, The Woman in Black, The Essex Serpent and most of Wilkie Collins. Creepy and / or serious is great, but odd or quirky is okay – her favorite movie is Clue, so an Edward Gorey vibe is great too.

Thanks so much!

–Madeleine

6.TIME SENSITIVE for EARLY APRIL. I’ll be going to the French Quarter in New Orleans for an academic conference this April (Fun fact: the academic conference coincides with both WWE’s Wrestlemania and the city’s French Quarter festival, so I can only imagine who my neighbors at the hostel will be!!). Could you recommend any books or authors to check out if I wanna get to know the city ahead of time? Personally, I don’t know where to start because Nola ticks so many of my interests: jazz, mysticism/magic (vampires, voodoo, graveyards tours etc.), black culture & history, French Creole & Cajun culture, great food…all wrapped up in a small city that remains to be beautiful post-Katrina.

Thank you for answering everyone’s questions every episode!!

–Jess

7.URGENT!!!! Please help! My brother in law is going on a month long rafting trip down the Grand Canyon and I want to get him a book to bring. He’s a fan of Cormac McCarthy, Edward Abbey, western/mountain man stories, the classics. I think he would also enjoy interesting non-fiction. I would love to get him the perfect book to accompany in this adventure.

Thank you!!

–Joana Lau

Books Discussed

Blood of a Thousand Stars by Rhoda Belleza

The Beauty by Aliya Whitely

The Eyre Affair by Jasper Fforde

A Discovery of Witches by Deborah Harkness

Death Going Down by Maria Angelica Bosco translated by Lucy Greaves

The Hare by Cesar Aira

Shades of Magic by VE Schwab

The Broken Earth trilogy by NK Jemisin (trigger warning: harm to children)

The Orchid Thief by Susan Orlean