Author: Liberty Hardy

Okay, so this is wild. It’s a bananapants thriller about a woman named Katrina Kim who is definitely not stalking her coworker Kurt, uh-uh, not her. She just finds obsessing over him and spying on him a good way to control her anxiety and give her something to do. But when she witnesses his death by suicide, she discovers he was more aware of her attention than she knew. And suddenly her past comes flooding back, while reality might be going out the door. It’s hard to do this justice without making it sound like a really dark, upsetting book, which it can be, but it’s more nuanced, and the story is twisted around and poured out for us in such a way to make it wildly intriguing and complex. It’s quite something. (CW include discussions of mental health, suicide, violence, and death.)

Backlist bump: I don’t even want to try and compare it to something! So pick your favorite book with an unreliable narrator and add it here.

In keeping with Liberty’s Cheery Picks™ today, I chose this devastating and important book. If you’re a citizen of this country, it’s something you should read. We all know about the prevalence of gun violence and mass shootings in America. It happens so often now that it often doesn’t even make the news anymore. Auster looks at the history of gun use in this country and examines how it became the world capital of gun violence, and what, if anything, can be done about it.

Backlist bump: Dopesick: Dealers, Doctors, and the Drug Company that Addicted America by Beth Macy

And last but not least, let’s end this week on a delightful note. If you like faeries, magic, whimsy, romance, etc., you might be charmed by this one. It’s told through the journal entries of Cambridge’s foremost expert on faeries. Emily Wilde has set out to write a book about all the knowledge there is about faeries. To do so, she’ll need to go work among people, who are a species she’s not as sure about. But when a handsome academic rival appears in the small town where Emily is working, she discovers there’s another kind of magic she didn’t know existed — love. Okay, yeah, I made myself a little nauseated with that last sentence. But it is a charming novel for fans of fantasy (but a heads up that it isn’t very fast paced) and it certainly surprised me.

Backlist bump: Even the Darkest Stars by Heather Fawcett

This week, I am reading Bellies by Nicola Dinan and Episode Thirteen by Craig DiLouie. Outside of books, I watched The Menu this weekend and I *loved* it. Ralph Fiennes is just the best — THE BEST — and I always love Anya Taylor-Joy and Nicholas Hoult. If you watch it, try and avoid learning anything about it. Don’t even watch the trailer, it’s too spoiler-y! Moving on, the song stuck in my head is “Heathens” by Twenty One Pilots. I have been adding to a playlist of songs that are new to me, and you can listen too! And here is your weekly cat picture: I got a new blanket called a Coma Inducer to help me sleep, and it has been helping! It’s super-soft and pink and I named it Shagatha. But Zevon, who needs no help going to sleep, definitely uses it more than me.

This week: I’m currently reading The Davenports by Krystal Marquis and I Keep My Exoskeletons To Myself by Marisa Crane. Outside of books, I watched Glass Onion, which I thought was weird and silly in the most delightful way (put Janelle Monáe in everything, you cowards!) and The Banshees of Inisherin, which is really good and really upsetting. I cried so much. The song stuck in my head is “Been Here Before” by Tony Molina, because I just watched the first three seasons of Miracle Workers. (Daniel Radcliffe is a treasure.) And of course, here’s a cat photo: The orange monsters have been sitting closer to each other lately. It’s probably a cold weather necessity thing. It almost always devolves into wrestling and biting. (Related: Have you ever read No Fighting, No Biting? It was one of my favorite books as a kid.)

If you are like me, you were very sad when the Truly Devious trilogy came to an end a few years ago. But then we got a new book, The Box in the Woods, starring our favorite contemporary genius teenage sleuth, Stevie Bell! And oh my stars and Nick Carters, there’s a fifth book now. This time, Stevie goes to London to visit her boyfriend and college, and winds up investigating a double-murder from over two decades before. In 1995, nine friends gathered for a party and a game of hide-and-seek. At the end of the game, two were dead. Was one of the remaining seven friends the killer? Stevie is determined to find out. Which means we also get to find out. WHAT FUN.

Backlist bump: Truly Devious by Maureen Johnson

And if you want to slip one more amazing historical novel into your brain before the year is out, I recommend this debut. I really don’t understand why it was tucked away on the last Tuesday of the year, but at least now it’s available! It’s the beautiful story of a perfumer’s apprentice and calligrapher’s apprentice who fall in love in Lahore in Pakistan. But when Partition divides their city, their relationship becomes forbidden and the lovers must decide how much they want to risk for one another, and figure out how they are going to move forward with their lives. I will say that it is a slow-paced novel, and it is sad (and very sad) in parts, but it’s worth it.

Backlist bump: Midnight’s Furies: The Deadly Legacy of India’s Partition by Nisid Hajari

And if you want to end the year with a lighthearted cozy mystery instead, this one would work great! It’s about the Jessup sisters in Cedar River, Texas—Juni, Tansy, and Maggie— who open a record store with a café called Sip & Spin Records. But their plans for a grand business skip a groove when a body is discovered in the closet of the store and their uncle is arrested for the murder. Now the Jessup sisters must do a little detective work to find the real killer and save their uncle from prison. It’s light and fun and will help you unwind for a few hours.

Backlist bump: A Deadly Inside Scoop (An Ice Cream Parlor Mystery) by Abby Collette

This week, I am reading Yellowface by R. F. Kuang and Every Drop Is a Man’s Nightmare by Megan Kakimoto. Outside of books, I am still rewatching Psych and looking forward to seeing Glass Onion now that it is streaming! And the song stuck in my head is “Wasted Time” by the Eagles. (In 2023, I have decided to stop fighting it and embrace the fact that I *do* love the Eagles.) Recently, I started a new playlist of songs that are new to me, and you can listen too! And here is your weekly cat picture: Zevon loves his mixing bowl. Does this look like a comfortable way to sleep to you? Well, he thinks so. He looks like that straw in a glass of water example we were shown in science class.

This is a slim, beautifully written love letter to identity, friendship, and grief. Hsu, the son of Taiwanese immigrants, grew up in California feeling like an outsider. He clung to American culture, as a way to discover his identity and to bond with his father. In college, he made a friend, Ken, who he had nothing in common with, except their love of American culture and finding the things that moved and excited them before everyone else discovered them. Then Ken was killed in a carjacking, and Hsu was left to grieve his friend. He has written an amazing book that captures the swirling, angsty feelings of youth. There is no question why it was named one of the top five nonfiction books of the year by The New York Times.

Backlist bump: Crying in H Mart: A Memoir by Michelle Zauner

I picked this up because I saw SO many people talking this year about how they loved it. It also has all the starred reviews. What I did not realize when I started it was that it’s just under 600 pages long. But that’s okay, because it was wonderful. It’s about two 80-year-old best friends. Agnes is a secret and public bestselling author (you’ll see) who has remained unattached her whole life. Polly is a mother and wife whose life has always revolved around her family. When a developer threatens to build McMansions in their sanctuary of Fellowship Point in Maine, the resulting attempts to keep it from happening will test their friendship. Plus, sooooooo much more. Illness! Secrets! Death! It’s not fast-paced, but it’s lovely and feels very real. Hooray for older protagonists!

Backlist bump: In The Gloaming: Stories by Alice Elliott Dark

And, last, but not least, if you are looking for a thriller with a bit of substance, I really enjoyed this one. It’s one of the “everyone hated the victim” stories, which is fun, because that means there are a lot of suspects! Officer Ffion Morgan regretfully wakes up on New Year’s Day beside a stranger. Unfortunately, she’s going to encounter him again before the day is out when they’re both assigned to investigate the murder of a local businessman. Someone killed him at his New Year’s Eve bash. But since he was hated by most, and everyone has a secret or two, how will they narrow down the list of suspects? I’m looking forward to the next book in this series, which is coming in August of 2023.

Backlist bump: I Let You Go by Clare Mackintosh

This week, I am reading Return of the Living Elves by Brian Asman and Brotherless Night by V. V. Ganeshananthan. Outside of books, I started rewatching Psych. I need my comfort shows right now! Also, Dulé Hill is a ridiculously under-appreciated actor. And the song stuck in my head is “Free” by Florence + The Machine. Again. It’s just so good! Recently, I started a new playlist of songs that are new to me, and you can listen too! And here is your weekly cat picture: Farrokh was trying to wrestle his brother, but Zevon calmly said, “No.”

A queer Ocean’s 8-like heist on the Titanic? YES PLEASE. Expert thief Josefa has gotten herself aboard the launch of the Titanic because she wants to steal the Rubiyat, a giant rare gem worth millions. She has assembled a team to help her pull off the huge heist before the ship reaches its destination. They each have special talents and they know how to push each other’s buttons. But here’s the thing—we all know the ship isn’t going to reach its destination. How will thing tale of daring thievery play out? And who will survive?

Backlist bump: The Henna Wars by Adiba Jaigirdar

And I am only at the beginning of this release from last week, but I really enjoyed her last novel, so I had to pick it up. It’s about a young boy’s love for his uncle, whose decision to live up on a billboard has made him outcast in their neighborhood. It’s an examination of both the intelligence and naivety of children, as a local boy goes missing and tensions in the community erupt.

Backlist bump: How to Order the Universe by María José Ferrada, Elizabeth Bryer (translator)

I went comic crazy the last few months of this year. I read something like 200 graphic novels, from middle grade to YA to adult. This was one of my favorites. It’s an adorable story of a kitchen witch named Planchette (like the Ouija board thingy) who buys a new house, which turns out to be haunted. When she is unable to convince the ghosts to leave, or force them to leave—she’s not very good at witchcraft—she instead decides to befriend them. It’s silly and adorbs, and I look forward to more from this world.

Backlist bump: Mooncakes by Suzanne Walker and Wendy Xu

This week, I am reading The Undertaking of Hart and Mercy by Megan Bannen and Crook Manifesto by Colson Whitehead. Outside of books, I started watching Dead End: Paranormal Park, which reminds me a bit of a darker Gravity Falls. (But sadly, not as good.) And the song stuck in my head is “Team” by Lorde, because of that Marion Cotillard Chanel commercial. Recently, I got my Spotify end-of-year round-up playlist, which called me out for only listening to old music this year that I have heard a million times. So I started a new playlist, of songs that are new to me, and you can listen too! And here is your weekly cat picture: The other day, I woke up to find Zevon sleeping on my bed with his face tucked in his side like a ridiculous furry duck.

This week: I’m currently reading Goodbye Earl: A Revenge Novel by Leesa Cross-Smith and Satanic Panic: Pop-Cultural Paranoia in the 1980s by Kier-La Janisse and Paul Corupe. (I have many layers, lol.) Outside of books, I have been rewatching a lot of Christmas movies, like Elf and Die Hard (yes, Die Hard) while I do work. The song stuck in my head is “Die Young” by Sylvan Esso. And of course, there’s a cat photo: Farrokh is doing his toe touches to stay in shape.

Here’s one more beautiful memoir to squeeze in before the end of the year. It’s a powerful debut about immigration, belonging, and home. When Daniels was young, her family moved from Nigeria to England, to a very different climate and culture. She discusses how over the years, she had to hold fast to her heritage but also carve her own identity, as she tried to decide which of her parents’ tribes to claim as her own while ending up in California. Daniels also discusses a lot of history and ancestry, making this educational as well as moving.

Backlist bump: Antiman: A Hybrid Memoir by Rajiv Mohabir

Hold on to your butts! Okay, I know I talked about this on the podcast this week, but I can’t stop thinking about it. I’m practically having an existential crisis, realizing how unaware I was of basically anything to do with our butts. Radke covers butts from the first humans to have them, to fashion trends, to desire and shame, to their role in our survival. Now every time I sit down, I’m like, “I’m sitting on my butt.” It’s like becoming aware of your own breathing or blinking. That’s what this history of butts will do to you. You should get a copy for yourself and a friend — it’s FASCINATING.

Backlist bump: Breasts: A Natural and Unnatural History by Florence Williams

And I also mentioned this book on the podcast, but I hadn’t read it yet. I was saving it for when I needed a good cry, but it turned out, that was this weekend. And cry and cry I did. Writer and actor Delaney has written a heartbreaking but hope-infused memoir about the death of his youngest son, Henry, at age three. Delaney has done a remarkable job of mixing humor and love with his overwhelming grief. Obviously, it’s very sad because of the loss of a child, so if that’s something you’re sensitive to, you’ll want to pass. But it does us good to occasionally slow down and be reminded to appreciate what we have, and remember what we’ve lost.

Backlist bump: Everything Is Horrible and Wonderful by Stephanie Wittels Wachs

This week, I am reading Deep as the Sky, Red as the Sea by Rita Chang-Eppig and Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir. Outside of books, I have been trying out Hive Social (@LibertyHardy) and watching Christmas movies. (I’m Team Die Hard.) And the song stuck in my head is “Can I Sit Next To You” by Spoon. You can still listen to the playlist of music from the 1980s I made. And here is your weekly cat picture: Zevon desperately wants to wrestle a pigeon.

This one was an easy choice, because their first book was so funny. It’s a continuation of the sisters discussing the racist comments and microaggressions they and their family members have experienced as Black people in America. Where the first book was mostly about Lacey’s experiences living in Nebraska, this includes tales from many of their family members, told with humor and headshakes. It’s a great book to give someone who loves to laugh and learn at the same time.

Backlist bump: You’ll Never Believe What Happened to Lacey: Crazy Stories about Racism by Amber Ruffin and Lacey Lamar

And this is another book I immediately picked up because I loved the first one. Before you read on, know that this description contains slight spoilers for the first book, Delilah Green Doesn’t Care. Okay, ready? Designer Astrid Parker broke up with her controlling fiancé a year ago, and since, has put the thought of a relationship out of her mind as she works almost obsessively on her career. When she is hired to lead the Everwood Inn’s renovation, her job suddenly feels almost impossible as she butts head with the lead carpenter for the renovation, who hates every design change that Astrid proposes. But still, lots of tension in close quarters seems to have an affect on people, and soon they’ll…well, you know. It’s a romance, after all.

Backlist bump: Delilah Green Doesn’t Care by Ashley Herring Blake

And for fans of true crimes stories with little violence, but lots of unbelievable tales, this is a great read. At one time, Tetro was painting copies of some of the most famous artists in history and making mad bank doing it. His cash brought him a lavish sex, drugs, and rock and roll lifestyle, but it also brought the law to his door, and he was eventually busted and imprisoned for four years. Tetro has since become somewhat of an infamous celebrity since, and his discussion of how he creates forgeries, as well as the absurd high-finance of the art world, is really fascinating. As is the 2019 scandal that involved none other than King Charles III.

Backlist bump: The Art Detective: Adventures of an Antiques Roadshow Appraiser by Philip Mould

This week, I am reading The Sleeping Car Porter by Suzette Mayr and Rabbits for Food by Binnie Kirshenbaum (because I have been assured that despite the title, there is very little animal harm in it.) Outside of books, besides Celtics games, I haven’t had time for television the past week, but that’s okay, I like books better anyway. And the song stuck in my head is the “C’mon C’mon” by The Von Bondies. You can still listen to the playlist of music from the 1980s I made. And here is your weekly cat picture: Farrokh is practicing in case he ever needs to get a high school senior portrait done.