These books have nothing in common except that I love them or expect to love them in the not-too-distant future. What I will say, is that I’ve become obsessed with the history of witchcraft and have delved into a lot of non-fiction recently. Otherwise, you can find one recommendation that will probably make you cry and another that will make you want to re-watch Center Stage.
Earlier
The Death Of Vivek Oji by Akwaeke Emezi
I truly loved this book; it’s such a sad but beautiful coming of age story set in Nigeria. As the title suggests, Emezi invites us to follow and unravel the events leading up to the death of the titular character, Vivek Oji, exploring identity, sexuality and family along the way. This is the only work from Emezi I’ve read but their other books, Pet and You Made A Fool Of Death With Your Beauty, have been on my to-read list for ages.
Now
The Penguin Book Of Witches by Katherine Howe
I’m into all things witchy at the moment and wanted to dig into the history of witchcraft before I inevitably got distracted by non-fiction. I bought Howe’s book because it seemed like a good place to start (it’s in-depth without being boring!) and The Witches Salem, 1692 by Stacy Schiff. For good measure I also picked up some fiction including, Practical Magic by Alice Hoffman and Everyone Knows Your Mother Is A Witch by Rivka Galchen.
Later
They’re Going To Love You by Meg Howrey
I read about this novel a while ago and then found it in a Street Library for free, which felt like an early Christmas present. Set amidst the professional ballet scene during the AIDS crisis, Howrey examines art and ambition—and I can’t wait to read it.
Enjoy!