Books I Read (and Loved) in Spring 2024
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I truly don’t know why it took me so long to get into audiobooks, but listening to titles through Libro.fm and Libby has hugely transformed my reading habits. When I was in the hospital for two weeks, I listened to nearly a dozen audiobooks while I played games on my Switch, texted friends and family, and did exercises in my room. I loved feeling like I could both take in a story (something I love doing, but can’t always manage the concentration to do by reading with my eyes) and spend virtual time with my loved ones, especially on days I was particularly homesick.
My reading was a little slow in April, but definitely picked up in May thanks to audiobooks. In addition to the books below, many of which I listened to, I’d also like to mention Plain Jane and the Mermaid and Blood City Rollers, both of which I reviewed for The Beat, and Loving, Ohio, which I reviewed last month.
The Age of Magical Overthinking
Cultish author and podcast host Amanda Montell does it again in this finely-tuned exploration of how we process information in the current age and what it’s doing to our sense of identity, our ability to connect, and our ability to actually separate fact from fiction. Her linguistics-forward approach offers a smooth, beautifully written deep-dive into her research and commentary without sacrificing readability or approachability, which is a tough line to walk.
If you’re even remotely interested in some of the science behind how we engage with the 24-hour news cycle, deep fakes, and old wives’ tales, I highly recommend adding this to your shelf.
A copy of the book was provided by the publisher for review.
All-Night Pharmacy
An unnamed narrator’s obsession with her older sister Debbie takes her down dark roads (addiction, drug dealing, sex work under duress, violence) until one day Debbie just… disappears. Then the narrator meets Sasha, who claims to be her “amulet”—someone who can tell the narrator tidbits of information about her future to act as a sort of guide—and their relationship is quickly complicated by strong romantic and sexual feelings, as well as their individual and generational trauma.
I don’t always love stories that rely so heavily on women’s trauma, but Madievsky’s writing is like a fine wine. It’s stunning, surprising, and incredibly captivating. Highly recommend.
Death Valley
An unnamed woman books a weekend alone at a Best Western in (you guessed it) Death Valley to process her father’s placement in the ICU and her disabled husband’s worsening condition without outside pressure. Instead, she gets lost and goes a little apeshit, but sometimes that’s exactly what you need.
Melissa Broder’s latest novel once again showcases incredible writing, acerbic wit with frequent laugh-out-loud moments, and excellent pacing for a sharp read that’s impossible to put down. I listened to the audiobook read by Broder herself and loved every second of it.
The Familiar
When Luzia Cotado sings, she makes magic—literally. And as a scullion maid, she’ll take any advantage to get through grueling days in a lesser house in the new Spanish capital of Madrid. But when she gains the attention of her aunt’s wealthy lover and his immortal companion, a man many believe to be the devil himself, her powers and Jewish heritage are suddenly displayed for the king himself… and the stakes have never been higher.
Leigh Bardugo is one of my favorite fantasy authors of all time and her particular skill for writing “magical girl protagonists” is unparalleled. This standalone novel is dark, tense, sensual, and so finely balanced I haven’t stopped thinking about it for weeks.
None of the Above
Travis Alabanza’s essays in None of the Above aren’t written for cisgender people to understand gender expansiveness, nor are they a mere surface-level exploration of how Alabanza began to explore their own gender. Instead, this book takes a nuanced dive into the impermanence of gender and how the binary forces all of us to pick a role, even if we don’t feel like we want or need to assign ourselves a label. These essays are vulnerable and exquisite, and each one precisely examines a unique but integrated theme to create an overall affirming and gorgeous read.
I read this for The Nonbinarian Book Club and really enjoyed our community discussion about Alabanza’s work on the eve of Pride Month.
Rouge
Skin care-obsessed Belle returns to Southern California for her estranged mother Noelle’s funeral and struggles to unravel the details of her death and the mindboggling debts she left behind. Along the way, she meets a strange woman in red and stumbles upon a luxurious but cultish spa where she finds out surprising information about her mother’s final months. She also unpacks childhood trauma she’s buried so deep she’s forgotten it, hiding it behind a multistep skin care routine and a dedication to staying as far from home as she possibly can.
I think Mona Awad is a genius? I devoured every last minute of this book. It’s one of the most bizarre and haunting commentaries on beauty culture and connection I’ve ever encountered.
Youth Group
High school senior Kay agrees to attend youth group meetings at her mom’s church so she can go to college in New York City next year with her mom’s full blessing. But what appears to be a singalong-obsessed, happy-go-lucky group hyperfocused on avoiding temptation is actually a front for a demon-hunting operation led by the pastor and youth group leaders Meg and Cortland. Kay gets caught up in the supernatural drama fast, then sticks around of their own volition… even when things get especially dicey regarding her and her family’s safety.
Beautifully illustrated, colored, lettered, and written, Youth Group upends stereotypes and truly explores how teenagers are going to save the world. Every second feels intentional and carefully placed as the pacing builds to create a campy take on religion and trauma bonding in the ‘90s.
A copy of the book was provided by the publisher for review.
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