I’m the quintessential bookworm, I read a ridiculous amount, and I’m not ashamed of my nerdiness. Read on to see some of my favorite authors, books, and genres.
1. if you like magical realism
Sarah Addison Allen
I’ve shown this book, the first in a small series, but in truth, I’d read the phone book if Sarah Addison Allen wrote it. I love everything she writes. She is such a beautiful writer, her prose absolutely lyrical and captivating. I can’t get enough of her books!
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2. if you love science fiction that doesn’t feel like a lecture
Andy Weir
Honestly, like Allen above, I would read just about anything he writes. I’ve read both The Martian (of movie fame) and Artemis (which is in the works to be a movie), as well as an Amazon Original short he did, and I love all of them. Somehow, Weir manages to write the incredibly complex science in such a way that is palatable without ever feeling as though I’m reading a textbook. And he wraps it up in a story rich with emotion and humor. I didn’t expect to cry at this one, but I did. And it’s going to be a movie, releasing in 2026.
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3. if you love historical fiction that is based on mythology
Genevieve Gornichec
I’m not usually a huge fan of historical fiction. I don’t know why, but I just can’t get into it. However, one big exception seems to be lit based on Viking lore. I can’t get enough of it. This novel… it grabbed me and still hasn’t let go. The story is from a female perspective, filling all the woman-shaped holes in Viking history. It is so much more than the usual love story between Loki and Angrboda; it’s a love story between Angrboda and herself. It’s a story in which she finds her own automony against even the gods. I also absorbed Gornichec’s next Vikingesque novel, The Weaver and the Witch.
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4. if you love high fantasy
Mercedes Lackey
I’m slightly obsessed with this book, this saga, and this author. Especially this saga. And this is the book that started it all, the first one to be published way back in 1987 when I was a tender 17 years old. In the 38 years since, I’ve never not been reading this series, which is still ongoing. The world-building is outstanding, with characters and stories that hold up over the years, with the quintessential good versus evil. Lackey has never shied away from tough topics, but the stories always leave me with such a feeling of hope. And Lackey was ahead of the times with her diverse characters. The books were published out of the greater chronology, so as new ones come out, along with anthologies of stories, I’ve spent years developing a reading order. It’s an ongoing project, but one I’ve devoted HOURS to. No small undertaking with (currently) some 41 novels, 18 anthologies with over 300 stories, and a handful of essays and super short stories. So if you ever decide to read it, I’m your girl to guide you through. Also a great series is her Five Hundred Kingdoms one, twisted fairytales.
5. My Dark Vanessa
Kate Elizabeth Russell
This was a deeply dark novel that was incredibly uncomfortable to read at times and equally as difficult to process. But it is also a book that I found to be meaningful and important. Told from her perspective, and alternating between her present and her past, Vanessa is just 15 when she becomes involved with her 42yo teacher. And the relationship is dark from the beginning. This is not a love story, even as Vanessa often views it as such. I know many readers felt like there were too many intimate scenes between the two, feeling like it was a bit gratuitous and too romanticized. I don’t agree. To me, those things were all integral parts of the story. Does it make a reader uncomfortable? Yes, it does. But that is because we, as readers, have distance from the story. We see the situation for what it is because we are looking at it through a different lens. But Vanessa, at 15, was torn between love and repulsion, desperate to matter, to feel. And there was a weird power for her, knowing that this older man yearned for her, a power that she craved and that fueled her obsession. I read this at a pretty relevant time, not long after the Me Too movement time, making the story that much more thought-provoking and meaningful. It puts a spotlight on psychological manipulation, on grooming, on the long-term fallout from trauma.
6. The Handmaid’s Tale
Margaret Atwood
There are no words adequate to describe how much this book affected me. It was originally published when I was about 16, but I didn’t read it then. In some ways, I regret that because I think it would have been interesting to compare the two experiences, 30 years apart. Kim at 16 would have taken it in very different ways than Kim at 46. But, on the other hand, I don’t think at that age I would have been able to fully appreciate the themes and implications of this novel. It’s a disturbing read, a look at sexual politics, misogyny, and overreaching policies. It is a clear statement of the reality that what is seemingly utopian for some is clearly dystopian for others. Despite being published decades ago, it is all too relevant to today’s world. What’s scarier is that the author has said that there is nothing in the story that has not or continues to happen in some society in our world.
7. The Fault in Our Stars
John Green
I’ve read just about everything he’s written, and loved them all. Every book he writes is deeply emotional and touching. But this one stole a piece of my soul. This is the kind of book that puts things into perspective and reminds us that our time is too precious to waste on things that just don’t matter in the grand scheme of life. It is not a book for the faint of heart. Like many of Green’s books, there is wrenching sadness from time to time. But, more than that, there is love and life, humor and hope. Hazel and Gus are incredible characters, protagonists that will stay with me for a long time. Their banter, with each other and with others, is witty and intelligent and often irreverently funny. I read this book four times in a row and twice since. There really are no words to adequately describe the power that this book holds. The truths in this book are often ugly, but they are realistic.
buy the book | buy his other books
8. if you like fantasy with a side of humor
Diana Rowland
A bit of a departure from the heavy stuff, this is hilarious fantasy. Set in the bayous of southern Louisiana, this is unlike anything I’ve ever read! It’ i’s irreverent, gritty, raw, and yet filled with characters that are still sympathetic. The main character isn’t just flawed… she is damaged. Yet, even with all of that, there is a lot of snarky humor that I would not have not expected. In a weird way, this was a bit of a coming of age story for Angel, our white trash zombie. First, she has to come to grips with her new life and learn how to live as a zombie in a human world. And, second, she has to grow up if she wants to stay alive. It’s interesting that dying seems to save her life… in more than one way. All of the characters in this book are fantastic. Kang works for a local funeral home and comes off as an Asian Goth gangster, chains and all. But Marcus, our cop love interest, he is where my heart lies. I love that he is a cop, through and through, and yet he doesn’t judge. In addition to being a zombie novel, it is a good, old-fashioned murder mystery. Her role in all of this is very unique, and I am not going to expand on that for fear of spoilers! But there are lots of unexpected moments and twists that create a lot of suspense. If the cast of CSI survived on brain smoothies, you would be in the general ballpark of White Trash Zombie!
9. My Sister, the Serial Killer
Oyinkan Braithwaite
This was such a brilliant book, one that was utterly surprising with every turn of the page. The book is set in Lagos, Nigeria, and it tells the story of two completely different sisters. They are bound by dark, childhood secrets, a bond that has cemented them together so completely that the older sister (who tells the story) doesn’t think twice about protecting her younger sister… the titular serial killer. It reminds me a bit of the Brewer sisters from Arsenic and Old Lace.
10. The Fortunes of Jaded Women
Carolyn Huynh
This book follows three generations of Vietnamese women as they navigate life straddling both East and West cultures. At its heart are the often complicated relationships between not only the generations, but between sisters, between cousins. The story also explored how the younger generation may not always appreciate cultural traditions and ideals. The author refers to her characters as “messy,” and this is true. But that’s also what makes them feel real, as they live between Vietnamese culture and American. Huynh wraps the messiness, and some very real and deep issues, with real emotion as well as humor and even some magical whimsy. The theme of generational trauma is very much at the center of this book, and with it some same-race discrimination and misogynistic ideals. Some of the mothers within the middle generation speak to the former, warning their daughters against marrying Vietnamese men. Many of the mothers also express disappointment at having daughters rather than sons, as giving birth to sons is preferable over daughters. The ironic side of this is that it is the daughters who later care for the elders. There is racism, too, especially among the younger generation. There are many moments during which they are treated as if all Asians are the same. There is also a character who clearly fetishizes Asian women in an extremely uncomfortable way. But while there are many moments that are deep and intense, there are also just as many moments that are tender and sweet, funny and hopeful, and, yes, sad. It’s a book that brings a culture to life, and that is utterly engrossing!
11. 56 Days
Catherine Ryan Howard
This was the first book I read that took place in the new world of COVID. It was written and published as the pandemic was still ongoing, so I approached it with trepidation, wondering how it would play out in the midst of something still happening. I worried it would feel more gimmicky than necessary for the plot. My fears were for nothing! Using COVID created an interesting premise right from the beginning. The idea of using lockdown to explore a new relationship without outside influences is fascinating. But it is also terrifying, creating a situation where anything could happen and who would know? It also fosters a controlled environment, where one can create a new reality in which all their secrets remain hidden. But it made for a gripping read, with jumps in the timeline from the present to varying times in the past. It also had multiple perspectives. from those of Ciara and Oliver in the past to the detective in the present. Timeline jumps and multiple POVs sounds as is it could become confusing, but it really wasn’t, instead creating a story that unfolded in delicious little tidbits. So many times I was sure I’d figured it all out, but I was almost always wrong. Which I LOVE!!
12. if you love unlikely heroes that might or might not be heroes
Deanna Raybourn
This is a book with serious RED vibes, RED being the movie starring Bruce Willis, Helen Mirren, Morgan Freeman, and John Malkovich, all of who are former black ops agents who’ve been targeted for death. For those who don’t know, RED is a real term that stands for “retired: extremely dangerous.” I love the premise of this story, the first of a series, that they were an elite team of female assassins. I also loved the underlying code they lived by… no freelance assassinations, only those sanctioned by their organization. That provided an oversight and a level of morality that wouldn’t have existed in freelance work. The author has created dynamic, engaging characters. Each woman comes to the story with her own history, her own experiences, even with so much of their lives wrapped up in one another. Somehow, despite their shared career path, they seem like women the reader could know. The storytelling is brilliant, with fabulous characters, international travel, twists and turns, and tons of action. And all of it is woven together with wit and depth, and a surprising amount of humor. There are so many unpredicatable moments, some leading to unexpected twists and others letting the reader learn more about who the characters are as individuals. I LOVED the focus on the women “of a certain age.” It flies in the face of the all-too-often invisibility of older women, and the perception of them. That is something there isn’t enough of in literature, so it really stood out.
13. Those Empty Eyes
Charlie Donlea
I had never read this author before, but this book put him on the top of my loved list. The plot is complex (in a good way) and very layered as it moves through alternating time lines, the present and various points/incidents within the past. Sometimes, those moments seem to be rather disconnected from one another, but there was always the sense that the connecting threads were just out of sight. The author was masterful with his red herrings, leaving them so subtly that I don’t think I caught a single one. It is a dark and twisty read with pacing that is on point, full of action with lots of suspense and mystery. Alex is a fantastic main character, tragic yet supremely strong in a way that is admirable. I felt so much compassion for her as she struggled to find her way after the worst of tragedies. Truly, rather in the forefront or not, the characterizations were great. Complex and varied, they ran the gamut.
Great list! I’ve rad Garden Spells, The Fault in Our Stars, My Dark Vanessa and My Sister the Serial Killer. Some of the others look good, too.
Great list. I don’t know why, but I was never able to get into Lackey. Maybe I need to give her another go.
Lots of great recommendations.
I’ve seen a couple of them as movies. I think Ray Bradberry had story called The Martian too.