Fantasy lovers, we ride at dawn
What I've been reading, including fantasy, romance, and — what else — unhinged contemporary fiction.
I’ve always been a mood reader, and lately I’ve been in the mood for fantasy. I grew up with my nose lost in fantasy and sci-fi books, chasing the teenage high of storylines I secretly hoped happened to me. I wanted to fall into a secret world where magic actually exists! I would have killed to meet a 300-year-old faerie who fell in love with me and made me his queen. You probably could have even gotten me to admit that I would have made a great (reluctant, but not really) leader of a dystopian revolution.
I clung to my YA SFF books for as long as I could, but eventually they began to feel 1) too young for me, 2) not always well-written, and 3) too similar to each other. I dabbled in adult versions, but the genre felt over-saturated by male authors or just not that well written. So, I spent the last few years lost in a lot of literary and contemporary fiction, but the itch for a good fantasy book lingered like an itch in the middle of your back you can’t quite reach. But lately I’ve been on a fantasy kick and have some amazing recommendations to share. Fantasy is back big time baby!
Legends & Lattes by Travis Baldree
I know reading is kind of ~cool~ now, but when I gush about a book where a retired orc opens a coffee shop, I really remind myself (and others) how big of a nerd I am. It’s hard to describe this short and incredibly sweet story except that it’s like a cup of good, warm coffee on a rainy day. It’s a slice-of-life, low-stakes fantasy, so you get the fantastical world building without the battle scenes or political drama. Baldree manages to elevate what sounds like a mundane story into something I couldn’t stop reading (seriously, I left a bar to go home and read this) because of its wholesome, cozy vibe. If you want to dabble in fantasy, this might be a great place to start!
Good for people who like: The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet by Becky Chambers, playing D&D, cozy books
Natural Beauty by Ling Ling Huang
Not fantasy, but definitely worth mentioning as potentially one of my favorite books this year. This is a scathing and unputdownable debut about a former piano prodigy who abandons her future after her parents’ tragic accident. Instead, she ends up working at Holistik, a Goop-esque wellness brand that specializes in experimental beauty treatments for the wealthy. She becomes close with Helen, the eccentric CEO’s niece, and starts to notice some very weird things happening at her new workplace. Huang excels in the details, inventing bonkers creams and procedures involving everything from jellyfish to farmed spider silk. But this novel is as poignant as it is absurd, skewering the beauty/wellness industry with a darkly funny sharpness. At its heart is the mystery of what’s really happening at Holistik and we’re just along for the ride. This book is embedded in my brain and I can’t wait to see what Huang does next.
Good for people who like: body horror, Severance by Ling Ma, poking fun at Gwyneth Paltrow
Advika and the Hollywood Wives by Kirthana Ramisetti
When we meet Advika, she’s still grieving the loss of her twin sister, has all but given up on her screenwriting career, and — like most of her 20-something peers — is bartending elite Hollywood parties to get by. At a post-Oscars event, she catches the eye of a big-shot producer, Julian, who’s forty-one years her senior, and before she knows it their whirlwind romance has turned into marriage. But when one of (because of course) Julian’s ex-wives dies and leaves behind a cryptic stipulation for Advika in her will, the cracks in their relationship begin to show. I couldn’t stop turning the pages as Advika dug into the mystery of Julian’s past. Ramisetti sometimes gets too caught up in unecessary detail, but overall this story is strong enough to stand on its own. With references to #MeToo and an especially heartfelt exploration of Advika’s fresh grief, this packs a surprisingly heavy emotional punch while still being highly entertaining.
Good for people who like: The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid, books about Hollywood, mysteries that aren’t scary
The Adventures of Amina al-Sirafi by Shannon Chakraborty
This epic book is like if you rewrote The Odyssey, made Odysseus a female pirate, and set it in the Indian Ocean. Amina has retired after a lifetime of piracy, set on raising her young daughter in peace. But when adventure comes calling, she can’t help but set sail one last time in search of an allegedly kidnapped girl. Along the way, she meets up with old friends, reunites with her beloved ship, and reconnects with her demonic (literally) former husband. There are sea monsters, evil treasure hunters, and islands full of magical creatures like mermaids and flying humanoid birds. It’s also a captivating story of Amina’s legacy — one that she desperately clings to but also wants to give up for the sake of her daughter. You can sense Chakraborty’s own sense of maternal turmoil as well as the monumental amount of research she must have put into the novel. It’s fantasy-meets-history in the best possible way.
Good for people who like: epic adventures, heist novels (think Six of Crows but for an older crowd), historical accuracy (especially learning about ancient Muslim culture!)
The Severed Thread by Leslie Vedder: The second installment of this YA fairytale retelling was just as fun as the first. Highly recommend if YA is your thing. It’s also gay!
Big Swiss by Jen Beagin: I feel very uncool for not having loved this since I usually like anything Otessa-Moshfegh-coded, but I couldn’t get into it. It might just not be at its best in audio format, so take that with a grain of salt.
The Undertaking of Hart and Mercy by Megan Bannen: I finally watched Howl’s Moving Castle for the first time and can confirm that this is like if Howl’s was an adult romance. A delightfully fun, cozy fantasy listen.
Nightbitch by Rachel Yoder: Another one that I think I *should’ve* loved but didn’t. I liked the first half, but it began to drag on and feel repetitive. I think there are much better unhinged mother stories out there.
Well, thanks for reading! As always, my inbox/comments/DMs are open for personalized recommendations — give me a favorite book, a vibe, even just a word and I’ll find you something I think you’ll love. I also love recommendations, so send me those as well! Catch ya next time.
xoxo,
Kirby
I loved Big Swiss but I DO think the audio didn't do it any favors! I hated the voice she did for Big Swiss (whose name I've forgotten).