#5Books: come to me my pretties! Book recs you NEED

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Our news is constantly peppered with stories of consent — whether it’s a husband and wife, college or school students. It’s a story theme that has permeated our lit and it needs to stay. This week I found a book about consent, about college students and the different narratives that come out following a rape. Read it. Read them all and then tell everyone you know.

Yesterday, my brother-in-law told me a story about a friend of a friend on Facebook who was abused, in essence, for commenting on a post about the attack in Nice, as well as other attacks recently. The woman in question doing the attacking told the friend that she didn’t belong in Australia, wasn’t Australian and didn’t have the right to. Naturally she prefaced with, “I’m not racist but”… I wish she could read the second recommendation I found this week.

I am finding my promise to myself about series is continually slipping because the third recommendation is the 12th book in a series and I am hoping it’s self contained. The blurb is all about the story in question, and doesn’t refer to anything from previous books… so I’m hopeful!

The fourth book recommendation wants to be a commentary on society and media and how they shape narratives, I think. Should be good right?

And last, the trailer for the movie is already breaking my heart, I am sure this book will too.

Wrecked: Consent is a bigger and bigger theme in YA and just generally these days and Wrecked is no different. From what I can tell it focuses on the different stories people tell and the way they view situations when their entire future is at risk. Some times I feel every story like this should be recced at all times because you never know what might resonate and with whom. And other times I just desperately hope authors treat the subject matter carefully, with the care and depth it deserves.

Dear Pakistan: Jamie is an Australian who has spent most of her life in Pakistan. She’s returned to Australia to finish school and this is where Dear Pakistan picks up — dealing with Jamie as she deals with Australian society, and she’s Australian. It’s an interesting and unusual perspective on a shitty time in our lives right now whether you’re Australian or American or anyone.

Blind Sight: This is the 12th in a series, but I can’t help it — this sounds intriguing and like it might be self contained. I hope. Maybe. A blind child and a nun disappear, but soon enough the nun’s body is found on the mayor’s lawn — which you know, bit of a statement there, right? The child is still missing when Mallory comes on to the case and along with her, comes a theory about the child, the nuns and the mayor. Alright, come on does that not sound good? And extremely complicated, like the best thrillers are* (*depending on execution of course and I reserve the right to change my mind lol)

The Light on the Water: I find I am growing more interested in stories that have something to say about social media, society and … look, Pokemon is taking over the world, and people are stopping cars in traffic to go catch them. We’re in a wacky, wacky world right now. And, it’s none harder than when the media rushes to pass on a judgement on everything. Like Anne and Aida’s death: mother and daughter are on a bush walk when Aida disappears. Two years later, she hasn’t been found and Anne is charged with her murder. And, as Anne waits for trial, she starts to reconstruct her last hours with Aida. How has the media portrayed her? 

Loving vs Virginia: A documentary of the landmark civil rights case: You’ve probably seen the trailer for the movie out recently? This is that story — of Mildred and Richard who fought for the right to marry and ended up changing the law in Virginia about interracial marriages. And, an added bit of interest: it is supposed to be written in blank verse. The trailer leaves me in tears just watching it, I’m going to be a wreck watching it, and most probably reading it.

What strikes your fancy this week?