Happy Wednesday, Geekly Gang! Today’s post is Whatcha Reading, where our writers share what they’ve been reading over the past month. Feel free to share what you’ve been reading, too, because we’re all part of the Geekly Gang.

Kyra’s Reads

Kyra’s Fiction

I heard about Dungeon Crawler Carl years ago and hadn’t had a chance to start the series. It’s fun. Short and sweet, Dungeon Crawler Carl is pure fun. Earth belongs to an intergalactic trade federation. It’s time to pay up with our natural resources, so aliens slurp the marrow from our planet, causing all buildings and cars to sink beneath the surface, instantly killing any beings inside the buildings and cars. Donning a jacket, boxers, and ill-fitting pink Crocs, our “hero” Carl survives because he’s retrieving his ex-girlfriend’s cat (Princess Donut Queen Anne the Chonk–Princess Donut for short) from a tree in the middle of winter. Dungeon Crawler Carl gets its title because the aliens play Dungeon Master for a Dungeon Crawl Carl must navigate.

If this sounds at all interesting, I suggest reading Dungeon Crawler Carl. It may not win any book of the year awards, but it’s a phenomenal premise for a television series. And hey, a Dungeon Crawler Carl television series was announced last week. Now may be the perfect time to read Dungeon Crawler Carl before it makes a splash on the small screen.

Thomas Ligotti produces modern cosmic horror classics. Songs of a Dead Dreamer is one of those cosmic horror classics. Ligotti takes Lovecraftian horror to new heights. Sometimes, Ligotti’s work leans into realism like Songs of a Dead Dreamer’s opening story, “The Frolic.” Other times, it fully embraces established tropes like “The Troubles of Dr. Thoss.” And I love Ligotti’s experimental “Notes on the Writing of Horror: A Story.” No matter which flavor of existential dread you prefer, Songs of a Dead Dreamer has you covered. If you like stories like Bird Box or anything by H.P. Lovecraft, you owe it to yourself to check out Songs of a Dead Dreamer.

Kyra’s Non-Fiction

The Writer’s Map: An Atlas of Imaginary Lands compiles maps–many hand-drawn by the original creators–of fantasy and science fiction worlds. From a writing perspective, there may not be much to glean from these maps, but it’s fun leafing through the pages of literary history. I never knew Neverland had a map. Fun.

That’s all I have for Whatcha Reading this month. Let’s see what Skye’s been reading.

Skye’s Reads

Skye’s Fiction

While it may seem like a self-help book, How to Walk Away is far from it. How to Walk Away is a novel focused on mental health. The main character, Maggie, survives a plane accident with her pilot fiancé, Chip. Sure, the story is mainly about Maggie’s hospital recovery afterward, but what keeps me reading is the mental battle taking place. Chip can’t forgive himself, and their future relationship is thrown into question. How to Walk Away is not about what happened. It’s about moving on.

Skye’s Non-Fiction

I’ve been dying to read a book like Black AF History. Thank you, Michael Harriot, for giving us an alternative perspective on American history. I found Black AF History at my local library. Support your local libraries. Anyway, Black AF History is the history I was never taught in school but always wanted to know. My favorite aspect of Black AF History is how it’s explained from the perspective of the people who’ve been subjugated by this country since the beginning. Michael Harriot is clear that no teaching of history will be completely unbiased. This is just the history White people never wanted to hear.

Hey, hey! Kyra Kyle again. That’s everything our writers have read over the past month. Thank you for reading, and wherever you are, I hope you’re having a great day.