The end of the year typically marks a glory-filled time where I pat myself on the back for picking up a book in my off-hours (the joys of publishing). In trying to parse through exactly why or how I came to pick up the books I did, I couldn’t give a concrete reason. To be honest, this year felt solely motivated by vibes, and it felt like the only way to sum up my reading experience was to label them thusly.
For when I gave up on believing in celebrities: Idol, Burning by Rin Usami. A young Korean woman follows the downfall of a once-beloved K-pop star and grapples with her need to overcompensate for another person’s failures. Because who are we if not the things we buy endless merchandise for?
For every time I called my mother to help me through the simplest task or just to see which shoes she thinks I should wear: Maame by Jessica George. As a young woman who has longed for independence, I remember the exact moment I wished I could give it back and crawl into the arms of my mother. Those of us who love our parents with a too-tight grip, this one’s for you.
For when I binge watched Sex and the City the series three times…in a row: Quietly Hostile by Samantha Irby. There’s nothing quite like sitting down at a dinner table with a stranger and realizing that you both have the same unhinged obsession with the same topic. And I’m not talking about “Oh cool, I watched that show too”; I mean “Do you remember Season 4, Episode 10, when Carrie invited her ex-boyfriend to her current boyfriend’s upstate cabin?” There’s something gratifying about realizing that there’s someone else on Earth who’s pored over the same piece of media, formulated opinions and changed them during their next rewatch. Even though this kind of interaction is the subject of only one chapter in Iby’s endlessly hilarious collection, it was the most seen I’ve felt in awhile.
For when I forgot the world does not in fact revolve around me: The Late Americans by Brandon Taylor. We all hate being perceived. We all also hate being reminded that we’re just the background cast on someone else’s TV show. In The Late Americans, Taylor seamlessly leaps into the many perspectives of the same group, allowing us to experience all of the characters several times over and with a new lens. That person you thought was just perfect? Maybe they’re not so great when you read about them from their ex-boyfriend’s perspective. Taylor gives plenty to parse through in this delightfully messy novel of the interconnected webs we weave.
For when I’m in need of a good gossip sesh: The Three of Us by Ore Agbaje-Williams. What if your husband and best friend absolutely hated each other’s guts? This is the peak kind of drama I would dread IRL but thrive on reading about. In The Three of Us, said best friend, Temi, steals the show, but Agbaje-Williams also offers food for thought on the warzone between romance and platonic.
For when the disillusionment of romance became too much: A Shot in the Dark by Victoria Lee. Oh to be a part of the generation that destroyed IRL romance! But that’s what books are for right? Lee delivers a sensual and messy adult debut about an extremely horny woman and a himbo professor having to deal with one another after a one night stand. And even better, they’re both running from a past that’s gaining on them.
For when you just want to live on another planet entirely: Sing Me to Sleep by Gabi Burton. The stresses of my world would at least seem worth it if there was some magic involved. Burton’s YA debut about a deadly assassin and siren who must infiltrate the inner circle of royals to protect her family will suck you in. Saoirse is a smart cutthroat protagonist to carry you through a story of hidden history, impending revolution, and (of course) a star-crossed relationship destined for trouble.
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