Might I Recommend… Magical Realism???

I’ve been putting this recommendation off for a while, because if you all didn’t know:

Magical Realism is my favorite genre.

It’s that perfect mix of Contemporary setting and Fantasy. I think this tweet puts it best—

Fantasy vs. Magic realism:

So you're walking home from work and you meet a talking moose.

Fantasy: Tells you why/how the moose talks (Moose shifter, fairy blessing, etc)

Magical realism: Look, it's a fucked up world and sometimes you meet a talking moose, what do you want

— Melissa Caruso (@melisscaru) June 3, 2019

So I thought it’d be time to rec some of my favorites, but you see, I’m kind of picky. In general, I’m kind of picky. But, I have found a few gems and I’m sharing them with you.

I tried not to make that last sentence a generic sentence butttttttttttt what can you do.

Emily Henry

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When the Sky Fell on Splendor | A Million Junes | The Love That Split the World

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Just… Henry’s books in general are my absolute favorite, this is no secret. She just makes books for me: they’re sad, they’re poetic, each book has something that I personally can relate to… Honestly, if I haven’t shoved A Million Junes down your throats last year, I’M HERE NOW. READ IT FOR ME. AND THEN READ ALL OF HER OTHER WORKS.

The Hearts We Sold

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Review

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It’s kind of sad how much I don’t talk about this book, but it kind of traumetized me???

Quick story time that I’ve probably told on here before but I’m telling it again because why not: I bought this book second hand having no idea what it was about and what I would be getting into. I took a few days to pick it up and read it, read it in a day and cried for a week. No exaggerations. 

A certain someones mother was worried.

Look, queer rep, anxiety rep, depictions of an abusive home, demons and exchanging body parts for wishes and dying dreams and sadness. So. Much. SADNESS. Get on that.

A Semi-Definitive List of Worst Nightmares

Review

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Another book that had been on my shelf for about a few months before I picked it up. And as I kind of mold what my reading taste are, I’m finding that weird reads are it for me. A family full of phobias and a girl with a list determined to break the cycle. Meanwhile, Death is just hanging around… living life honestly, but kind of watching this family??? For old times sake???

It’s one of those books where the synopsis is kind of wild and again you don’t really know what you’re going into and then you get there and you’re dehydrating yourself from the tears you’ve cried through that last 60% a few days before Christmas.

Just a senario, nothing based on real life events or anything.

When the Moon Was Ours

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Review

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I don’t think I actually need to recommend Anna-Marie McLemore’s books?? I’m pretty sure damn near everyone is on the she’s a literary genius train/bus/plane/transportation vehicle???????

But this one may be my favorite of the ones I have read (I have yet to read Wild Beauty, but I’m getting there).  Something about this book, the writing just felt a bit more magical, the characters latched onto me a bit more tight, the story clinged to my heart a bit more than the others. Watching Miel and Sam fall in love, go through what they went through… I’m clearly failing at words right now tbh.

All the Birds in the Sky

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Review

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I’m going to be honest with you: I read this and didn’t really comprehend what I was reading. Fifteen (???) year old me was a bit confused, but still gave it four stars because something was there.

And now two years later, it still sticks with me. I’ve noticed I have a thing for the discussion of magic vs. science, of the outcast comeuppance story, of countdowns to doomsday plots. It was written well and though it took some time to actually click fully with my brain, to be honest some of the best stories do.

Magonia

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Review

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HOW COULD I FORGET MY GOOD FRIEND MAGONIA. Granted, I haven’t read book two yet but you can’t tell me you didn’t see that cover and think I don’t care what it’s about TAKE MY MONEY.

Maybe it’s because I relate to Aza’s cynical point of view or the writing which, many found strange, I won’t lie but it was my jam or the world-building. Which is wild since I don’t really pay attention to world-building, yet it was probably my favorite thing about the book. This one was an oldie, but goodie… I may have to revisit soon.

Any books that you could recommend for me? Have you read any of the one’s mentioned above?? Let me know in the comments below!