Books to Check Out Vol. 3

March was a slower reading month for me, but still an amazing one. I feel like I really marinated in the two books below, and they have so much to offer. So let's get to it!

Such Sharp Teeth by Rachel Harrison

As someone who loves all those fun horror monsters, I had to go for this werewolf book. I picked this up at an indie bookstore, and once I told the bookseller how much I love horror novels, she told me this was perfect for me. She was so right!!

Such Sharp Teeth has a straightforward premise: our main character Rory gets attacked by a werewolf while visiting her hometown and has to deal with the consequences. While helping out her pregnant sister, working on a strained relationship with her mother, and wrestling with her feelings for an old flame, poor Rory also has to juggle her new werewolf characteristics.

This book is AWESOME. I’m obsessed with stories that mix compelling, fun characters with some serious challenges. Every character is very fleshed out, the werewolf element is fantastic, and I love the cheeky little ending note. Don’t know what I mean? That’s why you have to read to find out!

Rory’s character is easily my favorite part of this book. She’s got an attitude, a sharp mind, and a slice of vulnerability you can get to if she gives you the chance. I rooted for her from page one, and I loved seeing her growth as a person through her werewolf dilemma. Her transformation into a wolf itself is also a great horror element, and it’s done super well. The body horror is appalling without going so over the top that it threw me off.

Those werewolf changes also serve to highlight how the book is about so much more than just a monster tale. I’m also someone with an anxiety disorder, and I found the entire narrative served as a metaphor for dealing with something like that. In managing her new condition, Rory works through trauma, relationship issues, and her own personal demons in a way that’s relatable for anyone reading.

Seriously this was such a badass read, and I’m excited to read even more from Harrison.

Normal People by Sally Rooney

In contrast to my impulse buy of Such Sharp Teeth, Normal People has been on my list for years. The title sums up the plot of this one. This book chronicles the love and friendship of two Irish teens, Marianne and Connell, throughout their school years.

There’s not much more to it than that. The two characters weave in and out of each other’s lives, and the story is all about the ways they grow and change. It made for another super relatable read. We can all relate to experiences with peer pressure and being victimized by bullying in high school, and the depictions here were easy to understand and sympathize with.

I also appreciated the way this book doesn’t shy away from some intense subject matter, and gives these instances the proper emotional depth they deserve. Unfortunately, every life contains all sorts of traumas and growing pains, and Normal People won't hesitate to remind you of that. There are moments of assault, emotional and physical abuse, mental illness, and trauma that our characters have to work through, and there were moments where I had to take breaks. By the end, you’ll definitely love both characters and wish for their happiness, long after you’ve set the book down.

Also, I recommend listening to this one on audio. As I mentioned before, this takes place in Ireland, so the narrator has an Irish accent as well. It adds real authenticity to the characters.

I thoroughly enjoyed my time with both of these books. Go check them out for yourself. As always, happy reading!

Check out Vol. 2’s recs here.