Hey, everyone! Welcome to the Gen Con Book Club, a somewhat regular series where we talk about what books the people of Gen Con enjoy in their free time. No need for a long intro, let’s jump right in and see what stories we’ve enjoyed.
Dungeon Crawler Carl series by Matt Dinniman, Read by Dani
“ATTENTION CRAWLERS!”
Anyone around me for the past year or so knows about my guy Carl and Princess Donut. I’m sorry! I can’t help it. I picked up Dungeon Crawler Carl and was immediately hooked. What more can you ask for than a little litRPG (a new word I’ve learned) featuring a galactic game show, the fate of humanity, a sassy AI who is obsessed with Carl’s feet, and some political intrigue wrapped in new achievements, loot boxes, and character level-ups. Pro Tip: Don’t look at the original covers, go with the fun new covers! You’ll convince your friends to read with you a lot quicker.
From Goodreads:
“The buildings and all the people inside have all been atomized and transformed into the dungeon: an 18-level labyrinth filled with traps, monsters, and loot. A dungeon so enormous, it circles the entire globe. Only a few dare venture inside. But once you’re in, you can’t get out. And what’s worse, each level has a time limit. You have days to find a staircase to the next level, or it’s game over. In this game, it’s not about your strength or your dexterity. It’s about your followers, your views. Your clout. It’s about building an audience and killing those goblins with style.”
My Next Breath: A Memoir by Jeremy Renner, Read by Teena
Listening to this My Next Breath, read by Jeremy Renner, gave a heartbreaking first-hand account of the accident that captured headlines, and the incredible love of family and life that kept him going despite the excruciating pain and difficulty of recovery. More raw, honest, and intense than any work of fiction, this powerful story speaks of tenacity and the sheer stubbornness it takes to survive the unthinkable. Renner is human rather than super-human, reminding us that all we have to overcome adversity is right here among us.
Books For Every Mood Picked by Jackie
When a story stays with me long after I’ve finished reading it, I know it’s worth sharing with others. This is a short list of some of my recent faves – each completely and totally different in genre, style, and plot, but all had me turning pages and staying up way past my bedtime to see how it all shakes out in the end.
- Make Me Famous by Maud Ventura
- Burn by Peter Heller
- 2 A.M. at The Cat’s Pajamas by Marie-Helene Bertino
Sometimes you start reading a new book and realize by chapter 3 or page 97-ish that you are unsure what you got yourself into. However, for some compelling reason, you stay for the vibes. This is a short list of those books – the pages you keep turning because WTF is going on?
- All Fours by Miranda July
- A Touch of Jen by Beth Morgan
- Brutes by Dizz Tate
The Unmothers by Leslie J. Anderson, Read by Erika
I found this book in a NYT article, “3 New Horror Novels Full of Terrors That Are All Too Real.” On the edge of fall, I was craving something with spooky energy, and The Unmothers delivered.
I usually stick to curated lists and rarely venture away from best-of recommendations, since I want my reading to feel enriching. Still, aware of my tendency to be a bit of a book snob, I was looking for something that could be enriching, engaging, and fun.
The Unmothers follows journalist Marshall as she travels to a small American town where strange things are happening between the horses and the women who raise them. She uncovers generational trauma, the opioid crisis, profound relationships, and a terrifying secret the community has long concealed, all while working through the loss of her husband and child.
What struck me most were the lyrical descriptions of the forest and the devotion the townspeople show to their horses. Growing up in a rural area, I knew many “horse girls.” I was not one, and the intensity of their passion always seemed misplaced, horses are a lot of work. Yet the author immerses us in this world, where the barn becomes a gathering place for women to connect and invest in a shared love.
I highly recommend tucking into spooky season with this thought-provoking thriller.
That’s it for now. But what about you? What have you been reading lately? Any recommendations? Let us know on Instagram with the hashtag #GenConBookClub.