I periodically forget that I’m a sci-fi fan; it’s chronic.

I grew up reading mostly whatever genre Jacqueline Wilson books are classified as, delving deep into the muddy lives of dustbin babies and illustrated mothers. Quickly I discovered the emotion a gritty story could create for me, because what is reading if not a search for meaning and resonance. Somewhere after discovering A Series of Unfortunate Events and having an emotional awakening while reading the Noughts and Crosses books (definitely not age-appropriate when I read them), I unlocked the dystopian genre. And I was hooked.

I tore through end-of-the-world stories like they were keeping me alive. Something about having to start the world over clearly appeals to my millennial sensibilities. I guess I like the speculation.

Anyway, dystopias were my gateway to the world of science fiction, The Hunger Games trilogy being a huge obsession for me. When I studied the genre, as part of my literature degree, I wasn’t expecting it to be one of my favorite modules. Spoiler alert: it was. Then the world of Bookstagram began. For me, it started in 2016 though I know others started much earlier. YA and Fantasy muscled its way into my TBR with both force and volume and I quickly became an ACOTAR girlie. I didn’t really realize that my odd forays back into my favorite genre would linger in my head for longer than anything else. Then Covid happened and the whole dystopian genre felt a little too close to home for a while.

Fast forward to the last few months and I’m on what I can only describe as a sci-fi bender and I’m loving it. I can’t really pinpoint where it started but I’m using it as a springboard to discover new earth-defying stories. I’ve watched a few films—World War Z, Passenger, Ad Astra—anything that looks like it covers humans leaving Earth on crazy interstellar adventures. I probably should re-watch interstellar.

But on top of that, I’ve ALSO read some gosh darn books.

I know, I’m an inspiration.

I read Navigating the Stars first, a perfectly good place to start. Then I moved on to Sunrise on the Reaping, which was excellent. Next came Bird Box (also very good), and I polished it off with Project Hail Mary, which was outstanding. I’m not sure I can top it just yet but I’m definitely welcoming recommendations. I’ll probably try Malorie next (the sequel to Bird Box). I work in marketing. I know I should really end with a CTA, but I don’t have anything for you to do.

Go read a book.