Welcome to our first episode! I brought on Jenn Northington to be my guest host for our kickoff event because, to be frank, no one knows books like Jenn knows books. She is our Events Director here at Book Riot, cohost of the Bookrageous podcast, part-time bookseller at Word, and member of five book groups. Find her on Twitter @jennIRL. This episode is sponsored by Entry Island by Peter May and Killer Run by Lynn Cahoon. Questions! Dear Get Booked, I’d like a recommendation for my book hangover. I just read A Little Life by Hanya Yanagihara and I’m torn. Why did [spoiler]? Why couldn’t [redacted]? Why didn’t he ever get to [spoiler]? WHY!!!!! The point is, I’m having a serious book hangover. I’m switching over to ‘light’ reading but I’m still haunted by the events of the book. I really enjoy literary fiction and lesbian romance. I really enjoyed The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt last summer and one of my favorite books is Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Cafe by Fannie Flagg. Help me out guys! I’m a librarian who is mega hungover and I don’t know what to do. Thank you! -Marissa Dear Get Booked, So, I just finished A Little Life and I’m afraid I’m never gonna find the strength to pickup another book… ever… And so here’s my situation: I LOVE to read, but been slightly traumatized I don’t know what to read next. Of course my TBR is gigantic and all that, but I’m just in this huge hangover and can’t decide what to read. I don’t necessarily want anything too fluffy (to contrast with A Little Life). I wanted something thought provoking but not depressing. Do you have something for me? Thanks very much!! You’re my favorites. I love the site, the podcasts, the YouTube channel (stalker much?) -Roberta Dear Get Booked, I listened to the Mangalf podcast yesterday, and love the idea of your new podcast, Amanda! Can’t wait for it to start. 🙂 I know this is going to be a tough request since it seems like both of you either aborted or avoided A Little Life by Hanya Yanagihara. 🙂 I understand… Despite my loving it, I’ve been a little careful about who I recommend it to because I know it’s a LOT and not everyone is going to respond positively (or even neutrally) to the book. 🙂 Sooo… NOT to make your life difficult, but since I DID love the book, I’d love to hear about some books that are similar. The only reason I felt okay reaching out to you about this question is that I don’t need/want the same CONTENT necessarily… Moreso I loved how the book really dives deep into the lives of the characters, makes you FEEL something, and I feel like it even made me a stronger reader. I’d love to hear some of your recommendations for books that may have the same effect! Other books I loved for similar reasons: Cutting for Stone, We Need to Talk About Kevin, A Thousand Splendid Suns, Unbroken Books I thought were going to be similar and I ended up not loving: The Goldfinch, The Secret History *I think I’m just maybe not a Donna Tartt fan? I wish I was! Thank you in advance! Best of luck on your newEST podcast! 🙂 -Beth Dear Get Booked, I am a teacher at an urban high school in Trenton, NJ. Last year we started a One School, One Book program and our first book was The Martian by Andy Weir. Our goal is to choose a book that is really going to grab the student’s attention and make them want to read (The Martian was pretty successful on this front). We’ve had a few discussions on what the new book should be and my biggest concern is that I do not want to choose another book by a white American man. I think there are too many choices out there and our students are too diverse to only expose them to one kind of author. -Mia Hi guys, I’ve read a few re-workings of classic stories and fairy tales this year and am really enjoying this refresh of stories. Do you have any suggestions for books with retell a story or tell the story from a different point of view? The initial inspiration for this was when I read Longborn by Jo Baker and would love to discover more books which retell a story from a different view point. Thanks for your suggestions Kim
Books Discussed on the Show! Tiny Beautiful Things by Cheryl Strayed Bright Lines by Tanwi Nandini Islam Life after Life by Kate Atkinson All the lesbian romance for Marissa The Martian by Andy Weir The Engagements by J Courtney Sullivan Tigerman by Nick Harkaway The Residue Years by Mitchell S. Jackson Girl is a Half-Formed Thing by Eimear McBride The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay The Robber Bride by Margaret Atwood The Space Between Us by Thrity Umrigar Gemsigns by Stephanie Saulter On Such a Full Sea by Chang-Rae Lee Tusk that Did the Damage by Tania James Shadowshaper by Daniel José Older Signs Preceding the End of the World by Yuri Herrera Wide Sargasso Sea, Jean Rhys Song of Achilles, Madeline Miller anything edited by Kate Bernheimer Tender Morsels, Margo Lanagan Lavinia, Ursula K. Le Guin Fledgling, Octavia Butler The Ground Beneath her Feet, Salman Rushdie Re Jane by Patricia Park the Lunar Chronicles by Marissa Meyer Boy Snow Bird by Helen Oyeyemi
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