Hi everyone,
Today I’m sharing some book recommendations in case you have appetite to read. If you have read anything light and funny lately, please share your titles with me.
Enjoy!
PS. If you’re in Barcelona, you have to stop by Llibreria Finestres. It’s unbelievable! Thanks, Alejandra for the recommendation!
Section 1 — English
Romantic Comedy by Curtis Sittenfeld
If you're looking for a lighthearted and entertaining read that provides a much-needed escape from the chaos of the world, I recommend "Romantic Comedy" by Curtis Sittenfeld. This delightful book offers a blend of humour and insight into the comedy world that will leave you feeling uplifted and amused.
Sally Milz is a successful scriptwriter working for a renowned late-night TV show. The story revolves around her realisation that famous heterosexual female celebrities often marry non-famous men, while the reverse scenario is rare. Through her job, Sally meets Noah, a pop singer invited to host the show, and from there, things take unexpected turns. Inspired by the lives of real writers working at Saturday Night Live, Romantic Comedy offers a funny look into an improbable love.
🎧 Audiobook: ✅
Yellowface by R.F. Kuang
How can one begin to describe this book that has caused so much stir in literary circles? The story revolves around June, who steals the unpublished manuscript of Athena, her recently deceased famous writer friend. This turns our (unreliable) narrator into a thief, and while nobody likes thieves, we are always curious about whether they’ll be able to get away with their crimes. The book explores themes of cultural appropriation, racism, diversity, social media, and the challenges within the publishing industry, exposing the harsh realities of aspiring authors.
In ‘Yellowface’, the characters are not particularly nice or likeable, yet I found myself sympathising with them at times. Driven by a desperate and deep desire for fame, June makes a series of questionable decisions that soon spiral out of control. The narrative sometimes reads as a satire and other times as a thriller, making it an engaging and page-turning read.
🎧 Audiobook: ✅
Fire Rush by Jacqueline Crooks
Fire Rush was shortlisted for the Women’s Prize for Fiction in 2023. The protagonist, Yamaye, and her friends, only care about music, raving and dancing every night. They are enjoying their youth as best as they can when a series of tragic events hit the community and forever change the rhythm of their lives. Through the author’s rich language and its musicality, readers can almost witness the characters dancing and sweating the night away.
A few weeks ago, a group of friends and I went to see the author, Jacqueline Crooks, speak about her book. We all fell in love with her. She told the audience that the book took sixteen years to write. The author was fixated on finding the right language and sound for the book, and boy, did she succeed!
Fire Rush reads as auto-fiction and covers topics such as the lives of migrant communities, the rage of women, ancestral connections, sound, music, dancing, police brutality, silence, love and hope. It is incredibly musical, transporting you to an era that no longer exists. If you are interested in learning more about the author, you can read one of her interviews.
The Bandit Queens by Parini Shroff
The Bandit Queens is one of the books I’ve enjoyed most lately. It’s got a bit of everything: complex characters, real problems, and dark humour. The mess starts when Geeta’s husband suddenly disappears. The people in her village think she killed him, and as a result, nobody wants to go near her. As other women in the village have issues with their husbands, they dare to reach out to Geeta for “help”. One thing leads to another, and suddenly Geeta finds herself entangled in a situation she never thought was possible. This novel covers unique topics such as the impact of microfinance on women in small communities (but not in a boring way), female friendships, and of course… the good old patriarchy.
🎧 Audiobook: ✅
The Bees by Laline Paull
The Bees falls into a genre that I’ll call technical fiction—though I doubt this is an officially recognised category. Ever wondered what all the buzz is about when it comes to bees? We often hear about their significance, but it never occurred to me just how fascinating and multifaceted they can be! The Bees presents an incredible opportunity to delve into the inner workings of a hive, albeit in a fictionalised manner. Flora 717, our protagonist, takes us on a nerve-wracking journey through her hive, revealing a world of adventure and challenges. Who would have guessed a bee hive harboured such intrigue and politics? It reminded me a bit of what I see at work sometimes. Moreover, the strengths of bees are truly incredible! Thanks, Beth for this wonderful recommendation!
Think Again by Adam Grant
Think Again is my non-fiction recommendation by renowned behavioural psychologist and bestselling author, Adam Grant. The book delves into the importance of unlearning and relearning. Despite its technical nature, the book is presented in an approachable and engaging format, making it easy to read. Grant combines scientific rigour with memorable examples that allow readers to grasp and retain the concepts presented within its pages. Thanks, Shantall for the recommendation!
Here’s a more detailed description from the author’s website: “Intelligence is usually seen as the ability to think and learn, but in a rapidly changing world, there’s another set of cognitive skills that might matter more: the ability to rethink and unlearn. In our daily lives, too many of us favour the comfort of conviction over the discomfort of doubt. We listen to opinions that make us feel good, instead of ideas that make us think hard. We see disagreement as a threat to our egos, rather than an opportunity to learn. We surround ourselves with people who agree with our conclusions, when we should be gravitating toward those who challenge our thought process. The result is that our beliefs get brittle long before our bones. Intelligence is no cure, and it can even be a curse: there’s evidence that being good at thinking can make us worse at rethinking. The brighter we are, the blinder to our own limitations we can become.”
Big Swiss by Jen Beagin
Following a breakup, Greta aimlessly ventures into Hudson, unintentionally stumbling upon a new life. With limited options for herself, she secures a job transcribing therapy sessions for a local sex coach. However, life takes an unforeseen twist as she finds herself unexpectedly drawn to one of the coach’s clients when they meet at the dog park. As their interactions intensify, the complexity of their relationship grows, culminating in an inevitable explosion.
If you are into destructive characters who gravitate towards dysfunctional relationships, this book might be for you. I can’t remember where I read somebody describe Big Swiss as a Fleabag-kind-of-novel, and I guess they have a point. With its dark humour, original plot, and comic writing, I found this book a captivating read from start to finish. The characters are memorable and I found myself pondering the ending for a long time.
🎧 Audiobook: ✅
Section 2 — Español
Páradais by Fernanda Melchor
This is my second book recommendation by Fernanda Melchor. I find her writing so unlike anything else, and I’m quickly becoming a mega fan of her work. Her stories are not for the faint-hearted, and they’re not really what I’d call a “summer read” as there is little lightness to them. However, I believe that what she writes is so important that it’s worth a read.
One of the reasons I admire her so much is her fascination with language and her dexterity when integrating lenguaje popular in her books. You can tell she spends hours engineering her prose until it sounds just right. Her writing is incredibly lyrical and descriptive.
Páradais has been translated into English and longlisted for the International Booker Prize.
From the first pages and written remarks, it seems to me that her plot was inspired by Las Batallas en el Desierto, a pinch of reality, and then she took it to the extreme.
Violence and brutal inequality lie at the core of this heavy story. The author aims to make the reader understand where violence comes from and wants to discuss the stories we tell ourselves to justify violent behaviours. While the novel revolves around femicide, it’s never discussed in that way. I found an interesting summary of Páradais in this article: “...Paradais is a dystopian buddy story: a nightmare vision of the world made by femicide; a future that is already here. Polo and Franco show misogyny and violence emerging spontaneously, almost casually, from male camaraderie, ennui, dipshit youth.”
🎧 Audiobook: ✅
La Hija Única by Guadalupe Nettel
What happens between close friends when one decides to have children, and the other one decides not to? La Hija Única is the story of three different women, confronting their relationships with motherhood and with each other, challenging conventional notions of family.
Alina, one of the protagonists, receives the devastating news that the baby she’s expecting might not survive after birth. This heart-breaking event forces our characters to reflect on life, love, and loss. Despite the harrowing nature of the read, Nettel manages to infuse her narrative with hope and beauty, enabling the reader to connect with the core of the human experience. Although I was apprehensive to read this book after I read the synopsis, I found that the writing masterfully guided me towards an expansive and enriching reading experience.
This book has been translated into English and was also shortlisted for the International Booker Prize.
Links to buy the book
Always try to support your local bookshop. If you’d like me to add any bookshops to the list, let me know. Thanks to those who keep sharing new bookshops with me.
UK
Spain
Mexico
Italy
US
Important notes
For UK and US readers, Bookshop.org is a great option to support your local bookshop. You can read more about it here.
If you’re using Gmail and the newsletter keeps going to your Promotions tab, you can try the following:
Open Gmail on your computer or laptop (it doesn’t work on mobile phones), and then drag the email from the Promotions tab into the Primary tab.
Add mariachi@substack.com to your contact list