The Immortal King Rao (2022) by Vauhini Vara was a finalist for several literary awards that year, and I can see why. It’s a fascinating story to listen to. Following King Rao, born a Dalit in India in the 1950s, on his family’s coconut farm, through his emigration to the United States and the techContinue reading “The Immortal King Rao”
Tag Archives: family drama
Body Language
Body Language (publication day September 1, 2026) by Meg Howrey is her fifth book, and the first of hers that I’ve read. I’m a sucker for stories with three sisters, and this one hit a little close to home for me, though we’re not quite in the same place as this family. Howrey uses severalContinue reading “Body Language”
The Djinn Waits a Hundred Years
The Djinn Waits a Hundred Years (2024) is Shubnum Khan’s first novel published in the U.S., but she also has published an earlier novel and a memoir. Set along the coast of South Africa among the Muslim Indian community there, The Djinn Waits a Hundred Years is delicious, heartbreaking, gothic historical literary fiction that hasContinue reading “The Djinn Waits a Hundred Years”
A Grandmother Begins the Story
A Grandmother Begins the Story (2023) by Michelle Porter is an inventive, beautifully-written book that tells the story of five generations of Métis women and the bison and the land they live on. The audiobook is read by a full cast of 16 different actors, who read the chapters written from the perspectives of theContinue reading “A Grandmother Begins the Story”
The Library of Flowers
The Library of Flowers (publication day May 3, 2026) by L.C. Chu (aka Lily Chu) has a little bit of everything. This hard-to-categorize, enjoyable fantasy/historical/ romance/family drama/coming of age features Lucy Hua, the latest in a long line of Hua women perfumers who can create perfumes that can affect emotion or even summon true love–calledContinue reading “The Library of Flowers”
We Burned So Bright
We Burned So Bright (publication day April 28, 2026) by T.J. Klune is a short standalone dystopian fantasy that also happens to be uplifting, despite being set at the end of the world because a black hole is coming to swallow the earth. As the book opens, 72-year old Rodney and 78-year old Don, aContinue reading “We Burned So Bright”
Cherry Baby
Cherry Baby (publication day April 14, 2026) is only the second Rainbow Rowell book I’ve read, and wow!! (I read her amazing historical YA romance Eleanor and Park ten years ago!) Cherry Baby is fat positive in the best ways, and though Cherry has to deal with anti-fat bias (as we all sadly do inContinue reading “Cherry Baby”
Cleo Dang Would Rather Be Dead
Cleo Dang Would Rather Be Dead (publication day April 14, 2026) by Mai Nguyen is a well-written, funny book about a subject that is the furthest thing from funny–getting through the loss of an infant. So be warned if you want to stay far away–I wouldn’t blame you for not feeling up to it. ButContinue reading “Cleo Dang Would Rather Be Dead”
A Good Animal
A Good Animal (publication day 2/24/26) is Sara Maurer’s debut novel, and is set in the mid-1990s in the farmland around Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan. It is told from the perspective of Everett Lindt, a 17-year old boy who raises show lambs with his family-his mom works at a bank, his dad at the highwayContinue reading “A Good Animal”
A Letter to the Luminous Deep and A Letter from the Lonesome Shore (The Sunken Archive Duology)
I highly, highly recommend A Letter to the Luminous Deep (2024) and A Letter From the Lonesome Shore (2025) by Sylvie Cathrall, especially if you like epistolary novels, academic fantasy, and the idea of an underwater world created by the ancestors. I listened to them both, and recently found out that Luminous Deep was aContinue reading “A Letter to the Luminous Deep and A Letter from the Lonesome Shore (The Sunken Archive Duology)”
Reading While Fat 