Will My Cat Eat My Eyeballs?: And Other Questions About Dead Bodies by Caitlin Doughty

Author, blogger, YouTube personality, and (most importantly) mortician Caitlin Doughty has compiled a list of the best questions about death that she’s received from kids and answers them in this hilarious book. As a mortician with a degree in medieval history, she answers these questions with science and history in an easy-to-understand matter while touching on her "death positive" movement, in which she believes that we should stop the cultural censorship of death for the betterment of society. All of the odd questions you’ve ever had about death but were too afraid to ask will probably be answered, and if they’re not in this book, she has two others as well. What happens to a body in space? Can I have a Viking funeral? You’ll have to read the book to find out, but fair warning: you probably will laugh out loud!

Doughty narrates the audiobook of this and really brings the book to life. Emphasizing certain words in her sarcastic manner shows you that she’s kidding. Some of the humor may get a little lost in reading the book rather than listening, so if you’re reading it in print or e-book and are unsure--she’s probably kidding.

Devolution by Max Brooks

Amidst the settling ash and chaos following the eruption of Mount Rainier, there is a massacre of a nearby community. Built to be eco-friendly and self-sufficient, Greenloop is already considered “off-the-grid living,” but in the aftermath of the eruption, the tiny town is even more cut off from the rest of Washington. So when, fleeing the fires, a group of Bigfoot – that’s right, BIGFOOT – descend upon the community, all Hell breaks loose.

The whole book takes place after the massacre, and is written as a series of interviews with people connected to the event, along with excerpts from a diary found at the scene. The reporter is able to bring the whole story to life and recreate the gruesome events by blending the interviews and diaries together, along with some real-life accounts of primatologists and anthropologists, like Jane Goodall.

This is is a wonderfully terrifying read that will have you sleeping with the lights on and taking a second look at the treeline the next time you go camping. The audiobook version was spectacular, especially since it is narrated by multiple great voice actors, who do a tremendous job voicing the fear and the anxiety felt by the residents of Greenloop. It’s not like Max Brooks to write sequels, but the cliffhanger at the end of Devolution will leave you begging for a second book. As Halloween approaches, there is no more perfect, scary, “campfire-y” story you’d want to read or listen to than this book. 10 out of 10 on the “scare-the-****-out-of-you” scale!

The Voting Booth by Brandy Colbert

Spend Election Day with Marva and Duke in this young adult novel about the importance of casting your first vote. Marva has been looking forward to voting in her first General Election, since, well, forever. She is passionate about social justice and has worked hard canvassing and helping to get people to the polls. So when she sees Duke get turned away at her polling place, she considers it her civic duty to make sure his vote is counted. No matter what obstacles get thrown in their way.

This book tackles issues of voter suppression, being a Black teenager in America, grief, social justice, and privilege balanced by Duke and Marva’s developing romance, typical high school struggles, and Marva’s insta-famous cat. Especially recommended for people of all ages feeling burnt out by politics, as well as anyone who loves a cute, quirky rom-com!