My spring in reading (so far)

Holy quarantine, Batman! Since I’ve been stuck inside so much, my reading has picked up considerably. Last time I went two months before giving you a reading update, but that’s not going to work this time—unless I want it to be the longest blog post in history. Let’s just cover what I read in March, shall we?

(Might be some late February/early April in there, but who’s counting?)

Soft Science by Franny Choi

This was a sneaky book of poetry—and I mean that literally. I’ve been reading it since early this year, but it took me forever because it kept falling under my bed, or hiding beneath my pillow, or getting lost in the laundry. Like Cyborgs? You’ll like this book. Like rage and gore mixed with sadness and simple beauty? It’s a winner. The best part is that I listen to the VS Podcast, so I could easily imagine Choi reading the work in her own voice.

One of Us is Lying by Karen M. McManus

This YA murder mystery is just as fun as everyone says it is. It’s like The Breakfast Club, but with an anonymous gossip blog and also death. It gave me serious Riverdale vibes, and it was the dictionary definition of a page-turner. I think I read the whole thing in two sittings. Three tops.

No Self-Respecting Woman by Katherine D. Morgan

I devoured this little chapbook of essays while I was waiting for my plane to Texas for the AWP Conference. (I can’t believe that was only in March. Seems like months ago.) The work may be short, but Morgan holds nothing back. She writes of her relationships, of her body, of her desires with wit and heart.

Shine of the Ever by Claire Rudy Foster

I’d seen this book described as “queer short stories with no sad endings,” and I’m happy to report that the description is exactly right! But to reduce Foster’s stories to that description alone would do them a disservice; they’re a skillful writer whose work weaves a living, breathing world around readers. If I were still teaching creative writing, I’d add some of Foster’s work to my syllabus.

The Companions by Katie M. Flynn

I’m so glad Katie’s debut novel is finally out in the world! And considering it’s about a pandemic and how humanity adapts to the disease, it couldn’t have come at a better time. Walking a tightrope between sci-fi and traditional literary fiction, her characters address the age-old question of what it means to be alive. I’ve had the honor of reading lots of Katie’s work-in-progress while we volunteered together at Split Lip Magazine, and all I can say is that you must keep an eye on her. She’s a literary superstar in the making.

Kindred by Octavia Butler

True story: I’ve been afraid to read Octavia Butler, because if I don’t like her work, then I’m that asshole who hates the universally beloved Octavia Butler. Sci-fi is typically hit-or-miss for me, and I worried that Butler would be a miss. But knowing all this, my friend Gena gifted me a copy of Kindred for my birthday, so I was forced to face my ridiculous fears! And I’m glad I did—I really liked the book. It takes a lot of skill to make such painful scenes so readable—without lessening the pain, that is. If you, too, are putting off reading Octavia Butler, you should stop procrastinating.

Pet by Akwaeke Emezi

My friend Hugh gifted me a copy of Pet at the Tin House Writer’s Workshop back in November, and I just LOVED LOVED LOVED this deceptively simple YA novel. In a world whose monsters have all been destroyed long ago, Jam accidentally pulls a creature from her mother’s painting into her own world—a creature who warns her of a monster still living in her best friend Redemption’s home. The language was gorgeous. The characters were gorgeous. I’d write more, but my friend Leta already wrote everything I’d say about it—only she did it better. Definitely read it.