#169: Banter and Murder

Jenn and guest Sarah Davis discuss book club picks, dancers, capital punishment, and more in this week’s episode of Get Booked.

This episode is sponsored by Audible , EveryPlate, and Nurx.

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Questions

1. My book club is working on compiling a list of our upcoming books by the end of February. We have had a lot of books that really hurt the momentum of our group, and recently have had a streak of really great books that have gotten us all excited again.

The books we have enjoyed are: The Rosie Project by Graeme Simsion, Artemis by Andy Weir, Joyful by Ingrid Fetell Lee, They Both Die at the End by Adam Silvera, and Between The World and Me by Ta-Nehisi Coates.

The books that have made us collectively lose steam are: The Art of Motorcycle Maintenance by George O’Neilly, Desert Solitaire by Edward Abbey, Lord of Misrule by Jaimy Gordon.

Do you have any suggestions for us? We enjoy both non fiction and fiction. We have some readers that read almost exclusively non-fiction and some that read almost exclusively fiction.

-Traci

2. Hey there! I’ve been a long time fan of your podcast, but this is the first time I’m actually looking for a personal recommendation. Recently I’ve read The Cranes Dance by Meg Howrey and I immediately fell in love. Ever since I’ve been trying to find books that deal with similar topics or themes, but nothing managed to live up to it. So, here’s what I’m looking for: books dealing with ballet or any kind of activity the main character is really obsessed with (I’m open to ideas), books that talk about some more philosophical ideas that don’t go over one’s head, character driven stories and a strong character voice (preferably from a female point of view). I already have Sally Rooney’s books on my TBR, I’ve read Donna Tartt, Elena Ferrante and My Year of Rest and Relaxation. Any ideas what I should pick up next? Thanks in advance! xoxo

-Olivia

3. Hey Amanda & Jenn –

Thanks for all you do at Book Riot for us readers out there!

I’m hoping you can help me find more reading material on capital punishment. My interest in it peaked when I was reading Just Mercy (Bryan Stevenson) and I later followed it up with The Sun Does Shine (Anthony Ray Hinton). I’d prefer non-fiction but I’ll take whatever you can give me! Thanks so much.

-Nicole

4. Hi Jenn and Amanda! I was wondering if you could help me find some mystery/suspense books that involved two detectives who are a married couple. I’ve been binging through Agatha Christie’s “Tommy and Tuppence” series and I’m absolutely obsessed with their dynamic. Anything that involves a married couple (or romantic couple) solving crimes together and bantering is right up my alley! Thank you!

-Mallory

5. I recently read The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid and absolutely loved it! I am looking for recommendations for books that take place in old timey Hollywood that might be similar to The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo. I enjoy stories told from different points of view, time jumping from present to past and wouldn’t say no to some mystery. Thank you in advance for your help!

Looking forward to your recommendations.

-Rebeca T

6. I really loved the book The Sparrow by Mary Doria Russell, and the movie Arrival is one of my favorites because I love the glimpses that both works give of linguists.

I am looking for more books about linguists/linguistics. Fiction or non-fiction, as long as the non-fiction is accessible to a ‘regular’ non-academic.

Thanks,

-Angie

7. Hi Get Booked Ladies!

I’m kind of obsessed with the works of Ray Bradbury, specifically Dandelion Wine and Something Wicked This Way Comes. I can’t seem to find any other books that capture the same sort of nostalgia and enigmatic, subtle magic that those books portrayed so wonderfully. Help please!!!

Thanks,

-Rin

Books Discussed

Washington Black by Esi Edugyan

The Night Ocean by Paul LaFarge (Cosmic Horror post)

The Perfect Nanny by Leila Slimani

“10 New Controversial Books to Shake up Your Book Club”

Disoriental by Negar Djavadi, translated by Tina A. Kover

Sweetbitter by Stephanie Danler

Pointe by Brandy Colbert (tw: eating disorders)

Dancer by Colum McCann

Burial Rites by Hannah Kent

The Fact of a Body by Alexandria Marzano-Lesnevich

In the Bleak Midwinter by Julia Spencer-Fleming

To Say Nothing of the Dog by Connie Willis

A Touch of Stardust by Kate Alcott

Laura Lamont’s Life in Pictures by Emma Straub

The Study of Animal Languages by Lindsay Stern

Ammonite by Nicola Griffith

The Ocean at the End of the Lane by Neil Gaiman

Mama Day by Gloria Naylor

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