For those of you living under a rock for the last four years, tomorrow is Election Day in the United States. While I am very PRO-VOTING (seriously, go vote), I am generally not pro-election in that I do not handle election anxiety well. There’s lots that I can’t control, and there’s likely to be a waiting game this year with experts forecasting contested results and long waiting times of ballot counting and recounting.
That’s why, this month, I’ve stocked up on fantasy and sci-fi books. There is no better escape from the worries of Election Night (and the days that are sure to follow) than to dive into a completely different world.
Today, I’m rounding up some of my favorite sci-fi, fantasy, and dystopian books that are sure to distract you from the nightmarish landscape that is Facebook and election results.
Recursion by Blake Crouch
Ok so this book might be my whole reason for writing this post. I read this book in two days — it completely sucked me in. Being able to jump through our memories and relive key moments of our lives? Watching a love story unfold (and renew again and again)? Possibly the end of the world? Yes. Please.
Illuminae by Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff
Don’t let the 600 pages scare you — this book is written as a series of documents, emails, text exchanges, and diary entries as it documents the demise of a mining planet in space and a war between major corporations… all found out by two teenagers who may or may not still love each other. I’m currently flying though this book and having a hard time putting it down… the story is great and the format is so unique.
Uprooted by Naomi Novik
Our November book club pick, and I’m super excited about it. I read and loved Spinning Silver last year, and I’ve heard that this book is even better. Not sure what it’s even about, but I don’t want to read the synopsis because books are better blind, right?
The Space Between Worlds by Micaiah Johnson
This is my last book to read to complete the Book of the Month challenge. I get a candle if I can finish this one before December, and I am determined. Much like Recursion, this book features multiple timelines and realities, and what happens when you cross too many lines.
Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro
Our book club pick back in March, and it led to some pretty interesting discussion, especially in the time of great uncertainty. This book feels realistic, until you realize the real reason why these main characters are in existence.
Gods of Jade and Shadow by Silvia Moreno-Garcia
Mayan folklore at its finest. Set in the Jazz Age in Mexico, Casiopea stumbles into the middle of a war between gods, where she must help one god recover his lost bones in order to rise up and overthrow his brother. Simplistic in writing, but rich in detail.
Followers by Megan Angelo
If you don’t mind feeling a bit uneasy, and you want an excuse to get away from your phone, this book hits the spot. How far would you go to be known? This book is one of my favorites of the year for the way it takes our current reality and stretches it.
The Strange and Beautiful Sorrows of Ava Lavender by Leslye Walton
This one is more magical realism, but it’s stuck with me since I read it last year. It captured the generations leading up to Ava Lavender, and it was beautiful and effervescent in its writing. While it teeters on the edge of reality for most of the novel, the ending is surprising and mystical.
Trail of Lightning by Rebecca Roanhorse
If you’re looking for a book with a bit of grit and a lot of sass, this book is for you. Post-apocalyptic, but not in a scary way, this book features folklore of the Navajo Indians and a kickass female protagonist who is looking to pick a fight with the gods.
An Absolutely Remarkable Thing by Hank Green
Followers meets Recursion in this novel, where giant robots (nicknamed “Carl”) appear in every major city in the world. Why are they there? What made them appear? And how did April May become the expert on them?
The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern
Out of all of the books I’ve mentioned, this is the book that will completely transport you. Forget the plot, don’t worry about the characters, and lose yourself in the Night Circus. Truly, when you’re immersed in this world, nothing else matters.
And… when in doubt…
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone
Because this list is all about comfort reads, right?
