Hey! You’re here. Thank you!
How are you? It’s September. We’re doing it. I’m proud of you.
You know what you need? A good book. I would also prescribe a perfect, clear September day and a puppy. But, the book is really my area of expertise/power so I will focus on that.
Once again I put out a call on my instagram for some book recommendation requests and I am going to answer as many as I can in today’s newsletter.
Absorbing, Not Cheesy, Moody, Dark, Atmospheric
Two different readers asked for something along the same lines: dark, atmospheric reads that will grab and capture their attention. Spooky season, let’s go!!
Little Rot by Akwaeke Emezi // This book comes with every single trigger and content warning in the book. If you are a sensitive reader this is simply not for you. That said, I found Emezi’s turn into the world of psychological thrillers to be deeply captivating. You don’t need to know much except this is an exploration of moral corruption and “rot” set in the “corrupt and glittering underworld” of a city.
Headshot by Rita Bullwinkel // This novel is interconnected vignettes about the teenage girl competitors in a regional boxing tournament in Reno, Nevada. This premise was enough to get me in the door, and what I found was a thoughtful, fierce, dark look at the interior world of each girl and the singular life she inhabits. Pairs well with Love Lies Bleeding and I do insist that Kristen Stewart play some kind of role in the film adaptation.
Heartwarming
Now let’s put it in reverse and back slowly out of spooky town and take the first exit for big heart city. Fall is the best because the spooky girlies are happy AND the cozy angels can cuddle up under a blanket and feel it all. Everybody wins!
Two rapid fire recs of books that immediately come to mind that I have quite simply not shut up about recently:
Another Word for Love by Carvell Wallace // For my money, the best memoir of the year.
Beautyland by Marie-Helene Bertino // I loved it so much I can barely talk about it. Forever grateful to
for forcing this book into my life.
Slow Dance by Rainbow Rowell // I picked this romance up on a whim and was genuinely shocked by how much I enjoyed it. Rainbow Rowell writes nostalgia and sweetness so well. I didn’t always understand their choices, but I loved the characters deeply and they were just quirky enough to feel totally new to me. So many romances feel cookie cutter but this felt absolutely brand new.
The Prospects by KT Hoffman // I recently buddy read this one with my dear friend Derrick and it was a delight (alliteration!). It’s a trans baseball romance, but don’t worry you don’t have to know anything about baseball. You just have to love queerness and queer people and rooting for the underdog. It’s very low stakes and 10/10 on the heartwarming scale. Oooh and it’s spicy! Bonus!
Literary Fiction to Bust a Reading Slump
Sweet autumn is no time for a reading slump. Here are some recs to bust that shit up.
You’re already in a reading slump so let me keep these short & to the point:
The God of the Woods by Liz Moore // Rebecca loved this one! What more do you need to know?
Colored Television by Danzy Senna // Funny, propulsive, and everyone is talking about it. One of my favorite reads of August.
James by Percival Everett // You may have already read this one, but I am not going to miss this opportunity to recommend it. The novel of the year by a landslide. A page turner, a thinker, a masterpiece.
Sandwich by Catherine Newman // You wouldn’t catch me recommending a “summer” book in September (horror!) unless it was really, really worth it. Catherine Newman is worth it. Also, the UK cover is so much better.
Come & Get It by Kiley Reid // This one came out way back in January and I feel like people have forgotten about it? I sure haven’t! This one is sharp and funny and certain scenes are imprinted on my brain forever. I read it while I was sick and it was the perfect distraction. A slump-buster for sure.
I hope some of these recommendations fit the book shaped hole in your heart.
I hope we all get the most precious gift of all - a little quiet time to read.
Be good to yourself.
Love,
Rosamond
Loved reading The Prospects with you! Also wowowow I really need to read like all of these and now I'm going to be so poor.
Great list! I’ve added a couple to mine. The God of the Woods and the Rainbow Rowell one.