Raise your hand if you are so over summer.
As we approach the season of PSL’s, comfy sweaters, and the promise of more rainy days, here is a quick list of books to make the time pass a bit quicker.
If We Were Villains by M.L Rio. The debut novel from M.L Rio absolutely oozes with dark academia vibes, the kind perfect for wishing that fall would just hurry up and get here already. The story is centered around the murder of a student at a prestigious arts school, and how, even ten years later, the truth about what happened may never be found out. If you enjoyed Babel by R.F Kuang or The Atlas Six by Olivie Blake, then If We Were Villains is right up your alley.
My favorite review: “In conclusion, I am once again appalled that I’m not part of a tight-knit group of morally bankrupt Shakespeare devotees who sport an unhealthy obsession with aesthetics and together try to cover up a murder one of them committed. Where’s MY dark-academia main-character moment?” – Chai, on Goodreads.
What Happened to Lani Garver by Carol Plum-Ucci. Carol Plum-Ucci pulled no punches with this one. Written back in 2002, this novel was genuinely ahead of its time in terms of the issues it was willing to tackle. What Happened to Lani Garver is nothing short of devastating, a true coming of age story set in that strange in-between time as summer winds down. At times, it might read as a laundry list of “issues” (the main character is in remission from cancer while trying her hardest to keep her spot in the popular crowd, the titular Lani Garver may or may not be trans, and homophobia runs rampant in the small town of Hackett Island), but at the end of the book you’re left with a haunting story about growing up different, about change and seeing our friends and family for the people they really are, and the feeling that something just isn’t right.
My favorite review: On my copy, the last two chapters are literally tearstained. I had to stop reading it and put it away because the action became too heart wrenchingly intense. I didn’t pick it up and finish it until six months later, and even with that pause, the intensity remained. “What Happened to Lani Garver” is also notable for its realistic and sympathetic portrayal of queer, physically ill, mentally ill, and otherwise disadvantaged youth. It treats the cancer survivor narrator as an actual person rather than an inspiring moral figure. It shows that eating disorders are insidious things, not always immediately identifiable by skeletal figures and not always motivated by appearance. tl;dr – This is a very, very good book.” – Ken, on Goodreads
Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-Garcia. Noemí Taboada is the protagonist of Mexican Gothic, an atmospheric mystery set in the Mexican countryside. Her mission? To save her cousin after receiving a strange letter claiming that a great doom would surely befall her. Noemí, admittedly, is not sure she’s up to the task, but takes it on anyway, discovering a home full of violence and mysteries, and finding herself surrounded by people both alluring and dangerous. The book is addictive, terrifying and beautiful in equal measure.
My favorite review: “Maybe the reason why this slow burn worked so well for me is because I instantly connected with Noemí; she is confident, intelligent, and the life of the party. When her father receives a suspicious letter from Noemí’s cousin, Catalina, he sends Noemí to investigate and report back. As expected, everyone involved gets more than they bargained for, and what begins as a handful of unusual occurrences slowly morphs into a whirlwind of horrifying circumstances.” – Chelsea, on Goodreads
A Discovery of Witches by Deborah Harkness. I was really tempted to save this book for my Halloween book list, but I love it so much that I had to bump it up and share it now. A Discovery of Witches is the first in the All Souls series, and damn, is it a good way to kick it off. Diana Bishop finds herself in the middle of an ages-old battle that she wants no part in – that between vampires and witches. It’s sexy and spellbinding, the perfect kind of book to lose yourself in on a rainy day. It’s full of rich mythology and world building, the kind that feels lacking in a lot of books these days. If you prefer your romance with a bit of darkness, then this one is for you.
My favorite review: “I was instantly mesmerized and drawn in. I knew that the author was setting the stage for all that was to come, and while it may seem slow at first, you will be very grateful as you continue in the book. Once I got into the “thick” of things, I was grateful to have waded through the beginning, as it gave me a strong foundation for all of the character developments and plot twists that arose throughout the story.” – Jilly, on Goodreads.
Such Sharp Teeth by Rachel Harrison. Ready for Halloween? Me too. If that’s the case, then it’s time to dive into Such Sharp Teeth. The story grips you from the first page, refusing to shy away from any of the topics it touches on (gore, awkward goodbyes, moving back to your crappy hometown, the whole turning into a werewolf thing). It’s a dark comedy, a horror story, and a romance all wrapped up into one delightfully snarky package. Once I started reading, I couldn’t put it down.
My favorite review: “I’m so grateful the book jumped out at me – it’s a killer read. The book is deceiving, though, and at first you think you’re only getting a standard tale of a young woman who changes into a werewolf. But Harrison turns the story into so much more. It’s about trauma and what it really does to a person, deep down inside. And it’s about the lingering anger a victim carries right beneath the surface. With Rory, our protagonist, Harrison gives us a survivor. Rory is angry because of what she’s suffered in the past and now must suffer in the future. And Harrison shows us it’s okay to be mad, that we should be mad when awful things happen to us. But the story isn’t all about anger. It has a sweet romance to it, some dark humor, a mystery, and enough blood and gore to satisfy horror lovers. Yes, the book is all that and a bag of chips. Its bite will leave a mark.” – Melissa, on Goodreads.