Grace, an avid reader who enjoys fall reading with a dose of magic, talks about her love for books with a darker twist or magical flair. The podcast explores the pleasure of reading about struggles and discovering oneself. They discuss specific books, genres like dark academia and fantasy, and the desire to find great audiobooks for a long commute.
Fall reading can be enhanced by books with darker twists, magical flair, thoughtful plots, and introspective characters.
Audiobooks can be a great format for enjoying fall reading.
The podcast provides a list of recommended books for pumpkin spice season.
Deep dives
Everyone in this Room Will Someday Be Dead by Emily R. Austin
The protagonist, Gilda, is a depressed and anxious young woman who takes on the role of a secretary at a Catholic Church after the death of the former secretary. Through a series of email exchanges, she pretends to be the deceased secretary, leading to a humorous and quirky narrative. The stream-of-consciousness writing style gives the book a cozy yet comedic and dark atmosphere, capturing Gilda's relatable mental health struggles and her journey of self-discovery.
The Violin Conspiracy by Brendan Slocum
This book follows Ray, a British musician, who auditions for a role in a musical production but doesn't get chosen. The story delves into the competitive world of classical music and explores themes of equality and representation in orchestras. The accurate depiction of the classical music scene, along with the complex characters and fast-paced writing, make this a compelling read for anyone interested in music and self-discovery.
Yellow Face by R.F. Kwong
Yellow Face is a fast-paced novel about June Hayward, a young author who steals another writer's manuscript after witnessing her death. The book includes elements of suspense and dark humor as June navigates the aftermath of her actions and begins to see Athena's ghost. The story raises questions about identity and the consequences of deceit, while featuring a relatable yet complex protagonist.
Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmis (not preferred)
Lessons in Chemistry didn't resonate with the reader due to the protagonist, Elizabeth, who, despite facing sexism and other challenges, comes across as cold and lacking emotional depth. The unlikable characters and flat secondary characters also contributed to the reader's lack of enjoyment for this book.
Possible Recommendations
1. The Cloisters by Katie Hayes
2. Goodbye, Vitamin by Rachel Kong
3. Second Best by David Funkenose
4. Sorrow and Bliss by Meg Mason
5. The Ensemble by Aja Gable
If you enjoy your fall reading with a dose of magic, villainy, and self-discovery, you're not alone. For today's guest, fall reading is all about the vibes.
Grace lives in South Carolina, and while her fall reading agenda includes books with a darker twist or magical flair, she also gets that fall-reading feeling from titles that feature thoughtful plots and introspective characters.
Anne and Grace talk about the types of titles Grace might especially enjoy this season, with an emphasis on audiobooks, a format Grace has especially enjoyed lately. Anne leaves Grace with recommendations that she might find especially enjoyable for pumpkin spice season.
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