Kacey Recommends
Incredible speculative fiction stories that capture the despair and trauma of people in pessimistic near-future American dystopias. This collection of authors manage to capture what it feels like to be hopeless but also to resist, protest, live your true identity, be kind to one another, and celebrate what's good in our lives.
An outstanding start to a fantasy trilogy that draws inspiration from early Colombian societies. This book lays incredible world-building groundwork while also captivating you with the story.
A perfect rendering of the ups and downs of first love and trying to make it work in a world that is set up to keep you apart.
A thoroughly scientific yet conversational approach to women's sexuality - anyone who picks this up will discover something new about themselves.
So, so good. Start by reading Vicious then follow it up with this one. It just keeps getting better throughout, and you might not be sure who you're rooting for in the end. Extraordinary abilities, extremely flawed characters, and ultimate showdowns make for a wonderful escape.
An impressive debut novel that builds slowly, revealing bits and pieces of characters throughout. Frannie's voice as the protagonist is wholly original, and despite the hell she goes through at the hands of others, she manages to love, learn, and tell her story.
It's hard for me to describe this book in just a few words, but there's time travel, a badass group of women trying to change history, and 90s punk rock concerts. If you like sci fi, read this.
Worth reading over and over again - a moving meditation on race in America.
An utterly engrossing novel about what happens when a mother must take one child with her and leave one child behind while fleeing Maoist China.
A great book for book clubs, this story of a brutal crime in 1970s Texas examines power, misogyny, and how women endure when traditional justice is nowhere to be found.
A fast-paced thriller with complicated characters and urban myths come to life.
A must-read - beautiful, eloquent, lyrical, and an incredible story. You'll find yourself re-reading paragraphs and sentences and letting them tumble through your thoughts for a while.
A fast read that gives you multiple perspectives on what happens when a young woman is accused of aiding a terrorist attack in India. A heart-rending, nuanced exploration of class, family, politics, and choices.
Stacey Abrams has an expansive knowledge of voter suppression tactics and years of experience fighting for the rights of minorities at the ballot box. She details her experience in the 2018 Georgia gubernatorial election where she saw firsthand how this country has disenfranchised hundreds of thousands of people. Reading this book will give you a basic understanding of voter suppression strategies and small steps you can take in the fight for voting rights.
Anderson explores how the aftermath of a 2013 Supreme Court decision has devestated our democracy by suppressing voting rights of Black people and other minorities. This is a must read to help understand the inner workings of voter suppression and then to fight it.
Dystopian fiction at its absolute best - heartbreaking, emotional, and gut-wrenching.
A fun, light-hearted rom-com between two authors experiencing writer's block.