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Book cover of Strange Love

Catriona Silvey Author Of Love and Other Paradoxes

From my list on sci-fi romcoms that combine ideas, jokes, and feels.

Why am I passionate about this?

I grew up on science fiction: I was obsessed with Star Trek as a child, and as I got older, my love for space, aliens, and time travel spilled over into my taste in books. The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy showed me that science fiction could be funny, and The Time Traveler’s Wife showed me that it could be romantic. But why not both at once? As a lifelong passionate reader, and now an author of two novels and counting, I love seeking out books that cross, blend, and transcend genres, as well as writing my own.

Catriona's book list on sci-fi romcoms that combine ideas, jokes, and feels

Catriona Silvey Why Catriona loves this book

This book is bonkers in the best way.

Beryl is accidentally abducted by Zylar, an alien from the planet Barath, and the two end up competing in a series of deadly trials to win the right to be together.

If you’d told me how invested I would become in the romance between Zylar, a chitin-armored extraterrestrial who’s sweet but a little lacking in confidence, and Beryl, a no-nonsense former childcare worker from Missouri, I wouldn’t have believed you. 

Their journey is both funny (Zylar calls Beryl "Terrible One" after misreading her smile as a threat display) and touching, as they work with each other to explore their differences and find compromises.

Oh, and did I mention there’s a talking dog?

By Ann Aguirre ,

Why should I read it?

2 authors picked Strange Love as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

He's awkward. He's adorable. He's alien as hell. Zylar of Kith B'alak is a four-time loser in the annual Choosing. If he fails to find a nest guardian this time, he'll lose his chance to have a mate for all time. Desperation drives him to try a matching service but due to a freak solar flare and a severely malfunctioning ship AI, things go way off course. This 'human being' is not the Tiralan match he was looking for.She's frazzled. She's fierce. She's from St. Louis.Beryl Bowman's mother always said she'd never get married. She should have added a rider…


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Book cover of The High House

The High House by James Stoddard,

The Victorian mansion, Evenmere, is the mechanism that runs the universe.

The lamps must be lit, or the stars die. The clocks must be wound, or Time ceases. The Balance between Order and Chaos must be preserved, or Existence crumbles.

Appointed the Steward of Evenmere, Carter Anderson must learn the…

Book cover of So Long, and Thanks for All the Fish

Catriona Silvey Author Of Love and Other Paradoxes

From my list on sci-fi romcoms that combine ideas, jokes, and feels.

Why am I passionate about this?

I grew up on science fiction: I was obsessed with Star Trek as a child, and as I got older, my love for space, aliens, and time travel spilled over into my taste in books. The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy showed me that science fiction could be funny, and The Time Traveler’s Wife showed me that it could be romantic. But why not both at once? As a lifelong passionate reader, and now an author of two novels and counting, I love seeking out books that cross, blend, and transcend genres, as well as writing my own.

Catriona's book list on sci-fi romcoms that combine ideas, jokes, and feels

Catriona Silvey Why Catriona loves this book

This is the first romance book I ever read.

It’s possible this is the reason behind my deep-seated belief that all romances should include comedy and science fiction, because Douglas Adams is the master of both.

But it’s not just hilarious and full of great SF ideas (like dolphins saving humanity by retrieving a replacement Earth from a parallel universe) – the romance between Arthur and Fenchurch is genuinely swoonworthy, to the point where I picked a passage from the book as a reading at my wedding.

By Douglas Adams ,

Why should I read it?

2 authors picked So Long, and Thanks for All the Fish as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

So Long, and Thanks for All the Fish is the fourth installment in Douglas Adams' bestselling cult classic, the Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy 'trilogy'.

This edition includes exclusive bonus material from the Douglas Adams archives, and an introduction by Neil Gaiman.

There is a knack to flying. The knack lies in learning how to throw yourself at the ground and miss. It's not an easy thing to do and Arthur Dent thinks he's the only human who's been able to master this nifty little trick - until he meets Fenchurch, the girl of his dreams.

Fenchurch knows how the…


Book cover of A Civil Campaign

Catriona Silvey Author Of Love and Other Paradoxes

From my list on sci-fi romcoms that combine ideas, jokes, and feels.

Why am I passionate about this?

I grew up on science fiction: I was obsessed with Star Trek as a child, and as I got older, my love for space, aliens, and time travel spilled over into my taste in books. The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy showed me that science fiction could be funny, and The Time Traveler’s Wife showed me that it could be romantic. But why not both at once? As a lifelong passionate reader, and now an author of two novels and counting, I love seeking out books that cross, blend, and transcend genres, as well as writing my own.

Catriona's book list on sci-fi romcoms that combine ideas, jokes, and feels

Catriona Silvey Why Catriona loves this book

When I heard the words "Regency romance in space," I was already sold, but A Civil Campaign exceeded my expectations to become one of my favorite books of all time.

It’s hard to overstate the joy I experienced watching Miles Vorkosigan, military strategist and genius, fall flat on his face as he tries to woo quiet, intense widow Ekaterin Vorsoisson.

Navigating the complex social dynamics of the feudal colony planet of Barrayar, Miles’s romantic quest culminates in a proposal that rivals Darcy’s first attempt in its fist-in-mouth awfulness, and a love confession via letter that’s learn-by-heart-worthy.

By Lois McMaster Bujold ,

Why should I read it?

2 authors picked A Civil Campaign as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it. This book is for kids age 16, and 17.

What is this book about?

ONE CUNNING PLAN TOO MANY. . . ?
It's spring in Vorbarr Sultana, and a young person's fancy lightly turns to thoughts of love . . . money . . . bio-genetics . . . love . . . lack of money . . . incompat


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Book cover of December on 5C4

December on 5C4 by Adam Strassberg,

Magical realism meets the magic of Christmas in this mix of Jewish, New Testament, and Santa stories–all reenacted in an urban psychiatric hospital!

On locked ward 5C4, Josh, a patient with many similarities to Jesus, is hospitalized concurrently with Nick, a patient with many similarities to Santa. The two argue…

Book cover of The A.I. Who Loved Me

Catriona Silvey Author Of Love and Other Paradoxes

From my list on sci-fi romcoms that combine ideas, jokes, and feels.

Why am I passionate about this?

I grew up on science fiction: I was obsessed with Star Trek as a child, and as I got older, my love for space, aliens, and time travel spilled over into my taste in books. The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy showed me that science fiction could be funny, and The Time Traveler’s Wife showed me that it could be romantic. But why not both at once? As a lifelong passionate reader, and now an author of two novels and counting, I love seeking out books that cross, blend, and transcend genres, as well as writing my own.

Catriona's book list on sci-fi romcoms that combine ideas, jokes, and feels

Catriona Silvey Why Catriona loves this book

This book made me laugh out loud from the first page.

But the way it puts the com in romcom isn't the only special thing about it. The worldbuilding is surprisingly deep and sharply observed, offering a glimpse of a scarily plausible near future – protagonist Trinity works as a remote Uber driver, masquerading as self-driving AI because the real technology isn’t reliable enough.

And the characters are beautifully drawn: Trinity’s journey out of trauma to reclaiming her identity is heartwarming, and biosynthetic humanoid love interest Li Wei is equal parts hot, quirky, and adorable.

By Alyssa Cole ,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked The A.I. Who Loved Me as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

A captivating romantic comedy with a thrilling sci-fi twist by New York Times bestselling author Alyssa Cole!Trinity Jordan leads a quiet, normal life: hanging out with her two best friends at their apartment complex; working remotely for the Hive, a multifunctional government research center; and recovering from the incident that sent her world into a tailspin. She’s just beginning to regain her bearings when her life is turned upside down by the arrival of Li Wei, her neighbor’s super sexy and super strange nephew.Li Wei’s behavior is downright odd—and the attraction building between them is even more so. When an…


Book cover of A Line in the Dark

Tash McAdam Author Of No One Left But You

From my list on queer young adult books that will keep you guessing.

Why am I passionate about this?

I’m autistic, with a passion for narrative structure and my brain is exceptional at predicting twists, so something genuinely surprising is a rare treat I crave and value. As a queer and trans person, I’m always looking for content in which I can see myself and my loved ones. I’m obsessed with YA thrillers that don’t just keep me guessing but also give me messy, brilliant, unforgettable queer characters to root for. These are the books that stuck with me, made me lose sleep to finish, and gave me new queer icons to love. I hope you enjoy them as much as I did!

Tash's book list on queer young adult books that will keep you guessing

Tash McAdam Why Tash loves this book

I’m an absolute sucker for a ‘what really happened that night’ tale and this is one of my all time favourites due to the unreliable narration and the sense of slowly creeping dread.

The core of this book is the messy tangle of friendship, obsession, and unspoken longing, which I can never get enough of. Throughout my first read of the story, I re-evaluated what I thought I knew, and went back to the start over and over. I had to know who was lying…

By Malinda Lo ,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked A Line in the Dark as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it. This book is for kids age 14, 15, 16, and 17.

What is this book about?

Jessica Wong is the kind of girl nobody notices. She's also the kind of girl who sees everything. There's no one better at overlooking Jess than her best friend, Angie. Jess can live without Angie knowing her real feelings, just so long as they're best friends. But when Angie meets Margot, Jess recognises that things will never be the same. Worse still, Margot is one of the rare people who sees exactly how Jess feels about Angie. As Angie falls hard for Margot and gets caught up with Margot's wealthy friends, Jess's life begins to fall apart. If she isn't…


Book cover of Tonight We Rule the World

Kelly Murashige Author Of The Lost Souls of Benzaiten

From my list on quiet, mousy, teenaged me feel seen.

Why am I passionate about this?

Aside from my brief stint as a bossy know-it-all when I was little, I have always been that quiet girl no one notices. In high school, it took me at least ten minutes and five tries to get myself to wish my desk partner a happy birthday. I spent a lot of my adolescence trying to find myself, so I understand what it’s like to feel lost. My greatest wish is for my book to help at least one person feel how these books helped me.

Kelly's book list on quiet, mousy, teenaged me feel seen

Kelly Murashige Why Kelly loves this book

I will never pass up an opportunity to discuss one of Zack Smedley’s books. This one is one of the most beautiful, truthful, and book-hangover-inducing stories I have ever enjoyed reading.

Its narrator, a boy struggling to tell and come to terms with a difficult truth, will live in my heart and mind forever. I advise people to check for content warnings, as Smedley’s work never fails to leave me an emotional wreck.

By Zack Smedley ,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Tonight We Rule the World as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it. This book is for kids age 14, 15, 16, and 17.

What is this book about?

Owen Turner is a boy of too many words. For years, they all stayed inside his head and he barely spoke-until he met Lily. Lily, the girl who gave him his voice, helped him come out as bi, and settle into his ASD diagnosis. But everything unravels when someone reports Owen's biggest secret to the school: that he was sexually assaulted at a class event.
As officials begin interviewing students to get to the bottom of things, rumors about an assault flood the school hallways. No one knows it happened to Owen, and he's afraid of what will happen if…


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Book cover of Trusting Her Duke

Trusting Her Duke by Arietta Richmond,

A Duke with rigid opinions, a Lady whose beliefs conflict with his, a long disputed parcel of land, a conniving neighbour, a desperate collaboration, a failure of trust, a love found despite it all.

Alexander Cavendish, Duke of Ravensworth, returned from war to find that his father and brother had…

Book cover of Thin Air

Elana Gomel Author Of Nine Levels

From my list on mountain climbing for non-climbers.

Why am I passionate about this?

I always want to be where I am not. This was why I read sci-fi and fantasy as a child. This was why I left the country of my birth and became a professional nomad. This is why I am spellbound by mountains I will never climb and oceans I will never dive into. Imagination can take you everywhere. It took me to the academy, where speculative literature became my scholarly field, and to the publishing world, where I am now getting ready for the launch of my eighth novel. When you are at home nowhere, you are at home everywhere–including on the summits of impossible mountains.

Elana's book list on mountain climbing for non-climbers

Elana Gomel Why Elana loves this book

I love ghost stories. But I am rather tired of old houses with creaky furniture. The strangest and most dangerous monsters lurk in the wilderness, in the remote and inaccessible corners of the natural world. And what is more remote and inaccessible than Kanchenjunga, the third-highest mountain in the world, located on the border between Nepal and India?

I have always admired those mountain climbers of the past who, with inadequate equipment and minimal knowledge, braved the unknown dangers of the heights. Paver’s beautifully written novel is a historical mystery and a ghost story at one, whose final twist is as vertiginous as the pinnacle of the sacred mountain. 

By Michelle Paver ,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Thin Air as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

The Himalayas, 1935.

Kangchenjunga. The sacred mountain. Biggest killer of them all.

Five Englishmen set out to conquer it. But courage can only take them so far. And the higher they climb, the darker it gets.


Book cover of Song of a Captive Bird

Lois Melbourne Author Of Moral Code

From my list on strong women solving problems uniquely.

Why am I passionate about this?

I’m a pragmatist and a problem-solver. As a student of innovation, I draw inspiration from a risk-taker’s approach to attacking a problem. I’ve changed my life drastically from a farmland kid to a global technology CEO and then author. Along the way, I’ve had opportunities to struggle. I’ve found conventional wisdom seldom fixes the problem, so I’ve refined the ability to look for unique paths. I believe women provide the best examples to learn from because they don’t walk into the room bluffing their way to the solution. They credit the resources they tapped for their solution and bring others along in the journey to raise the education level.

Lois' book list on strong women solving problems uniquely

Lois Melbourne Why Lois loves this book

The choices Forugh Farrokhzad made shocked me at times, which made the story even more compelling. This Iranian poet broke my heart with her desperation to live her life true to herself. I’m gutted by the fact that in another country, Forugh wouldn’t have needed to make such drastic choices to be a poet and a woman with dreams and needs.

Listening to the story read by Mozhan Marno, a favorite actress of mine, magnified the intensity of the story. Feminism takes many forms and is highly impacted by our surroundings. This story made me dig deep into how far I’d push my personal boundaries for what I believe in. I will read anything Jasmin Dapzink publishes.

By Jasmin Darznik ,

Why should I read it?

3 authors picked Song of a Captive Bird as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

LOS ANGELES TIMES BESTSELLER • A spellbinding debut novel about the trailblazing Iranian poet Forugh Farrokhzad, who defied society’s expectations to find her voice and her destiny

“A complex and beautiful rendering of [a] vanished country and its scattered people, a reminder of the power and purpose of art, and an ode to female creativity under a patriarchy that repeatedly tries to snuff it out.”—The New York Times Book Review (Editors’ Choice)

All through her childhood in Tehran, Forugh Farrokhzad is told that Persian daughters should be quiet and modest. She is taught only to obey, but she always finds…


Book cover of Something More

Sydney Langford Author Of The Loudest Silence

From my list on YA with disability and/or mental health rep.

Why am I passionate about this?

As a queer, disabled YA author, I focus on writing stories that reflect the complexities of identity, disability, and mental health. I believe every teen who is disabled and/or struggles with mental illness deserves to see themselves represented, but I’m also passionate about stories that allow able-bodied readers to gain insight into new perspectives. These book recommendations showcase diverse voices and highlight a disabled experience, and I hope books like these will foster a new generation that values inclusivity and representation. Happy reading!

Sydney's book list on YA with disability and/or mental health rep

Sydney Langford Why Sydney loves this book

I was absolutely hooked by the theme of chaotic teenage girldom and hilariously relatable characters, but the thoughtful discussions centering on disability and identity were simply fabulous!

I greatly enjoyed the portrayal of universal feelings of youth—confusion, longing for adventure, and a quest for meaning. The protagonist, who is autistic and Palestinian, highlights representation the world desperately needs more of.

By Jackie Khalilieh ,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Something More as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it. This book is for kids age 12, 13, 14, and 15.

What is this book about?

A contemporary teen romance novel, now available in paperback, featuring a Palestinian-Canadian girl trying to hide her autism diagnosis while navigating her first year of high school, for fans of Jenny Han and Samira Ahmed.

Fifteen-year-old Jessie, a quirky loner obsessed with the nineties, is diagnosed as autistic just weeks before starting high school. Determined to make a fresh start and keep her diagnosis a secret, Jessie creates a list of goals that range from acquiring two distinct eyebrows to getting a magical first kiss and landing a spot in the school play. Within the halls of Holy Trinity High,…


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Book cover of Aggressor

Aggressor by FX Holden,

It is April 1st, 2038. Day 60 of China's blockade of the rebel island of Taiwan.

The US government has agreed to provide Taiwan with a weapons system so advanced that it can disrupt the balance of power in the region. But what pilot would be crazy enough to run…

Book cover of The Slide Area

Laurence Klavan Author Of The Cutting Room

From my list on Hollywood murder, crime, and failure.

Why am I passionate about this?

As a child, finding reality both overwhelming and boring, I was drawn to movies. My father, a New York City disc jockey also at odds with reality, had contacts at a sixteen-millimeter movie rental company. He often brought films home, shown in a makeshift screening room he set up in our basement. Singin’ in the Rain, the classic musical, made a great impression there. Its funny first scene at a movie premiere featured a pompous star’s ennobling account of his early days, comically contradicted by the tacky, scrounging, painfully undignified truth. What lay behind Hollywood's glamor, smiles, and success soon became as interesting to me as what was on the screen.

Laurence's book list on Hollywood murder, crime, and failure

Laurence Klavan Why Laurence loves this book

Gavin Lambert adapted the works of D. H. Lawrence and Tennessee Williams for the films Sons and Lovers and The Roman Spring of Mrs. Stone. He directed one interesting, low-budget, Paul Bowles-like movie, Another Sky. His prose work is insightful about the behind-the-scenes world of the movies.

The linked stories in this book memorably spotlight hangers-on and working-class people on the edges of entertainment. Also of interest is Inside Daisy Clover, his novel about a teen tomboy star which became an affected, bombastic, entertaining Natalie Wood movie.

By Gavin Lambert ,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked The Slide Area as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

The land along Pacific Palisades is apt to slip away without warning, hence the road-side signs - SLIDE AREA. Narrated by a script-writer, Lambert's widely-acclaimed 1959 Hollywood classic of lonely souls marooned on a glittering wasteland is a perceptive and sensitive study of human emotion.


Book cover of Strange Love
Book cover of So Long, and Thanks for All the Fish
Book cover of A Civil Campaign

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