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If you’re someone like me who would like some classic escapism to take your mind off the love-infested horrors of Valentine’s Day, then look no further. Below are six reads to bump up to the top of your reading list that mercifully don’t fall under the romance genre, but are still very enjoyable reads. Whether you’re looking for something to laugh, cry, or ponder about, I’ve made sure to include some of my favourites!
Yellowface by R.F. Kuang
I knew this book would be a five-star read from the first sentence: “The night I watch Athena Liu die, we’re celebrating her TV deal with Netflix.” Kuang does a fantastic job easing the reader into the premise before we’re thrown into an endless loop of satirical comedy and secondhand embarrassment. There will be plenty of jaw-dropping ‘I can’t believe she did that!” moments to keep you page-turning late into the night. This novel follows June Hayward, an unsuccessful author, as she feels overshadowed by Athena, her more successful counterpart. When Athena dies in a tragic accident, June finds her unpublished manuscripts in her office and decides to publish them herself under the purposefully racially-ambiguous name, “Juniper Song.” If you’re not shocked enough by this, don’t worry—it gets much worse.
The Only One Left by Riley Sager
Reading this felt like I was watching an 80’s slasher movie! It has all the classic tropes: an abandoned mansion on a cliff, a whodunnit murder, plot twists, and a morally grey main character. It’s a perfect recipe for a fun ride with plenty of spookiness so you don’t get too comfortable. An at-home aide named Kit McDeere is assigned to take care of Lenora Hope, a woman in her seventies who can only communicate via a typewriter. The only catch? She was accused of murdering her whole family in 1929. As both Kit and the reader get to uncover more about Lenorna’s past, the lines start getting blurred and we get more questions than answers.
Crying in H-Mart by Michelle Zauner
While this is technically a love story, it is one between a mother and daughter. This is an autobiographical novel where Michelle Zauner explores her deep, complicated, and devastating relationship with her Korean mom. Within this, we see Zauner’s inner struggle with being American while also having ties to Korea, issues of fitting in, and what it means to be close to her parents. Zauner narrates the struggles of trying to figure it all out while also navigating her mom’s pancreatic cancer diagnosis, which she’s having trouble coming to terms with. I think Zauner is a beautiful writer who articulates her thoughts and feelings so well onto paper. Every sentence felt like a gift. If you need a good cry, make sure to pick this one up.
The Push by Ashley Audrain
This will forever be one of my favourite books. If you decide to read it and don’t like it…please don’t tell me! Audrain tackles very serious topics about the complexities of motherhood throughout this fast-paced novel. Questions arise like: what if you don’t feel maternal instincts, or what if you feel like you lose your identity once you become a mother? And most importantly: Why are mothers expected to love their children unconditionally, even if that child is a terrible person? These were my worst fears about motherhood wrapped up in one little book. Definitely not about love. As a matter of fact, it makes me never want to find love again. Perfect!
I’m Thinking of Ending Things by Iain Reid
“I’m thinking of ending things. Once this thought arrives, it stays. It sticks. It lingers. It’s always there. Always.” I went into this book blind and needless to say, it was both chilling and tragic. This story moves along very quickly as we follow Lucy, who is on a road trip with her boyfriend Jake, to meet his parents for the first time. Reid does a good job at capturing tension—that kind of tension where you’re so stiff, you’re too scared to breathe. I personally held my breath for the duration of this book, anticipating what was going to come next and, of course, never predicting it correctly. If you like plot twists that keep you on your toes, pick up this one (and please read it before you watch the movie)!
Tender Is the Flesh by Augustina Bazterrica
(translated by Sarah Moses)
In this post-apocalyptic novel, we follow Marcos Tejos, who has found himself in a society where cannibalism is legal due to a report of all animal meat getting infected by a virus thus rendering it inedible. Questions of ethics and morals get internally debated as Marcos tries to find any semblance of humanity left, all the while working for the Government, which puts him under constant surveillance. This book will surely leave you questioning your perspective and ideas, but make sure to research the book’s trigger warnings if you feel hesitant or unsure about whether this one is for you. Or, if you like being traumatized for Valentine’s Day, then be my guest!
For the record, being single is not a requirement to read these. Perhaps nothing has been sparking your interest lately, and you wanted something new and fresh! Either way, I’m happy to help. And for the single people out reading this–myself included–I hope you can seek comfort in some anti-romance reads while living in a world where everything seems to be about love and romance. You deserve a much-needed break!