Amanda and Jenn discuss fantasy, diverse kids books, awkward romances and more in this week's episode of Get Booked.

This episode is sponsored by Lady Rogue by Theresa Romain and Everywhere You Want to Beby Christina June.

 

Questions

 

1. My husband loves fantasy but hasn’t read much recently. He has a long road trip this summer and is looking for a new series to dive into on audio. His past favorites have included Game of Thrones (of course!), anything by Patrick Rothfuss, Anne Rice books and Lord of the Rings. I had him try NK Jemisin Fifth Season and he couldn’t get into it. Any thoughts??

--Sara

 

2. Hi!

My "deadline" for this question is June 2018, that is the first birthday month :).

Two of my best girl friends have made me the proudest Auntie of three beautiful little boys. Ages 4 years, 8 months, and 2 months old. I love to gift them books, I always try to send at least one for each birthday/Christmas.

All three of my nephews are multiracial, and two (4 years old and 8 months old) are brothers. I want to gift them books that have one or more of the following themes:

~ unique story lines

~ characters that are not white (bonus points for multiracial characters)

~ Stories that provide a broader view of the world/culture curated for little people

I do not have a very deep knowledge of children's literature and find myself a little stuck, can you suggest books/authors for me to gift to my nephews?

Below is a sampling of the books I have gifted them in the past:

~ The Day The Crayons Quit by Drew Daywalt, Oliver Jeffers~ The Paper Bag Princess by Robert Munsch, Michael Martchenko~ Little Leaders: Bold Women in Black History by Vashti Harrison (decidedly too advanced for a two month old, but it is breathtakingly beautiful and he will grow into it!)

Thanks!

--Melissa

 

3. Hi Amanda, Hi Jenn

I am taking woman's history, and my professor is focusing on American woman who influence history. She assigned a project on women we don't talk about but have influenced or changed society. I have been left wanting more because I want to learn more about women who have influence outside America. I would love to read more on Mexican women, British women, African American women who have influenced history. I have already read Code Girls, Wonder Woman, The Wolves at the Door, Headstrong.

--Grace

 

4. Hello, my son's birthday is coming up towards the end of May, and I am looking for book recommendations. He will be turning 21. Lately, to my excitement,I have been able to find my way through a few books that we have both been able to form a connection over. We both seem to enjoy them and like talking about them together. But as of late I am now stuck. Could you help me with some recommendations? Among his favorites are the Night Circus by Morgenstern, and Little, Big by Crowley. I have not read those yet, but from how he describes them I would like to read them. Some books I gave him that we both like are the short story collections of Edgar Allan Poe, and Shirley Jackson. Also, the Kwaidan: Stories and Studies of Strange Things ( which are a collection of Japanese ghost stories with a mythological and traditional background). Graphic novels are a big plus, because of his love for art. I'm not sure if this will help but we both like Tim Burton's work. Thank you for your help

--Melissa

 

5. Hello!

First things first, I absolutely love this podcast! Thank you so much for always have great recommendations!

I have recently read "Me before you" by Jojo Moyes and really enjoyed it especially the controversial subject of assisted suicide that's legal in Switzerland. I have also previously read "The Universe Versus Alex Woods" by Gavin Extense that has the same subject in the book. I got very interested in this subject and haven't been able to find any great books that deal with this matter. I was wondering if you'd be able to help me with that! Thank you so so much!

--Fabiola

 

6. Jenn and Amanda,

Though I used to read a lot of urban fantasy romance in the past, more recently I tend to just dabble in romance. One of the things that I’ve really wanted to see is a heroine who is not instantly great at the sexy times. I thought I had found the perfect heroine in Lady Philippa in One Good Earl Deserves a Lover by Sarah MacLean, but unfortunately as soon as the steamy scenes became physical, our heroine is very not awkward and somehow instinctually knows what to do. I don’t know if this is a weird request, but I think I would like to see some more awkward and not-intuitively-good-at-sex sexy times between the romance hero and heroine. Can you ladies help me out??

--B

 

7. Hello Ladies!

I'm sure you've gotten a few of these already but... Black Panther, Afrofuturism, please! Black Panther has long been one of my favorite superheroes and I am so f****** pleased that the movie was so good and that so many people are excited about it. I've heard it described as afrofuturism which is a term I've heard before, but am maybe not as familiar with as I'd like to be. I think I'm a little more interested in a novel, but I'll take a comic if you've got one you are excited about. I'm not even sure if these qualify under that genre (as my understanding of the term is loose), but I've read N.K. Jemisin's Broken Earth Trilogy (well, the first two so far, third will be soon) & Octavia Butler is on my list. What have you got?

Thank you!

--Violet

 

Books Discussed

So Lucky by Nicola Griffith (out May 15)

History of the Philippines by Luis H. Francia

The Detective Elouise Norton series by Rachel Howzell Hall

A Desperate Fortune by Susanna Kearsley

The Journal of Best Practices: A Memoir of Marriage, Asperger Syndrome, and One Man's Quest to Be a Better Husband by David Finch

Shades of Magic series by VE Schwab (A Darker Shade of Magic)

The Acacia series by David Anthony Durham (The War with the Mein)

A is for Activist by Innosanto Nagara

Niño Wrestles the World by Yuyi Morales

Julián is a Mermaid by Jessica Love

The Leper Spy by Ben Montgomery

Empress by Ruby Lal

Hidden Figures by Margot Lee Shetterly

Neil Gaiman (The Graveyard Book or Stardust or Sandman)

Wayward Vol 1: String Theory by Jim Zub, Stephen Cummings, John Rauch

“At Death’s Window” by Anne Lamott (in Grace (Eventually))

Knocking on Heaven’s Door by Katy Butler

Once Upon a Tower by Eloisa James

How Not to Fall by Emily Foster

Binti by Nnedi Okorafor

Books Like Black Panther post

A Princess in Theory by Alyssa Cole

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