Book Recommendations
Book Recommendations: Hopefully well rounded, truly biased, book recs from Elijah
The Graveyard Book, by Niel Gaiman
This is my all-time favorite book about a boy who grows up in a graveyard, raised by ghosts and ghouls. It is written in typical Gaiman style so if you are not a fan of his writing I do not recommend, however I love his writing (not paired with VE Schwab, but still good) and highly recommend this book to add to your summer reading list
A Gathering of Shadows, by VE Schwab
This book is a young adult dark fiction/high fantasy and I am deeply deeply in love with it. From the writing style to the characters to the world-building it is all as brilliant as freshly baked cookies on a cold evening while wrapped up in a warm blanket with fresh tea. And as a plus, there is some LGBTQ representation. (there’s also three more books on their way soon to be added to the already existing trilogy which is very exciting)
The Life of PI, by Yann Martel
I read this book in three days over the summer one year. I had run out of books and it was sitting on a shelf at a friend’s house we were staying at. I picked up and admittedly was not immediately enthralled but with each page flip, I was further captured by the intriguing and unexpected story. This would be an excellent summer reading list addition.
I Wish You All the Best, by Mason Deaver
If you are looking for some good non-binary representation you have found the right book, it is beautifully well done and so excellent I wish I could read it for the first time again and again. It is about a young non-binary person who moves to a new school and who grapples with their gender, sexuality, and the new friends they have to make. Truly beautiful and heartwarming.
The Silence of the Lambs, by Thomas Harris
Kinda scary, so don’t read if you are not into that stuff. I absolutely loved it (I did not love that I had not yet finished it when I was left home alone for a weekend without a soul to protect me from being murdered). I have yet to watch the movie, but I’m sure the book is better, so I would highly recommend it, however, if you are easily scared make sure you have a partner to read it with or near.
Why Fish Don’t Exist: A Story of Loss, Love, and the Hidden Order of Life, by Lulu Miller
When I tell you I love this book and it genuinely changed the way I view things I mean it. It is a beautifully done memoir about Lulu Miller discovering a role model who is almost immediately torn from his pedestal in her eyes and how she deals with it. Through dealing with her troubles and mishaps she finds the love of her life. It is really well done and not too long and immensely intriguing and filled with lovely bits of random information. Highly recommend this one.
Good Omens: The Nice and Accurate Prophecies of Agnes Nutter, Witch, by Niel Gaiman and Terry Pratchett
If you have not already read this book or added it to your list, do so. It’s on the longer side but worth every second. Subtle gay/ace romance runs as the backdrop to the end of the world. The characters are pieced together delicately and with the precision of an insect taxidermist. Well worth the read and the cover is also really cool. AND to add to all the pluses this novel offers there is a season one and soon-to-be season two directed by Niel Gaiman that you can watch.
A couple of extras: Books I am about to read or am currently reading that I highly recommend
The Priory of Orange Tree, by Samantha Shannon
The Picture of Dorian Grey, by Oscar Wilde
The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue, by V E Schwab
Mediocre: The Dangerous Legacy of White Male America, by Ijeoma Oluo