100 books like Banana Fish, Vol. 1

The main thing I loved was Leigh Bardugo’s writing. She has a way of being elegant yet succinct with her writing which makes it easier for me to get lost in the intricate world she creates. And what a world she creates!

I fell in love with all the characters in this book. They had deep flaws and the vulnerability made me love them so much – it made them so real. There’s a powerful female lead in Nina, a passionate, voluptuous grisha (type of witch) who loves food, making her immediately relatable. The plot had me hooked and I didn’t want the book to end.

Neil Josten is a runaway. A survivor. Determined to stay hidden from his murderous father, the last thing he needs is a national spotlight. But that’s exactly what he risks by signing for the Palmetto State Foxes. Thrown into a team of outcasts, last chancers, and no-hopers, The Foxhole Court is the story of one broken, battered boy and his fight to find something worth living for, and someone who deserves his truth. Neil transcends the page, blossoming slowly and resentfully as his teammates chip away at the icy walls barricading his heart. In a genre full of hopeless adults, I found it refreshing and heartwarming to have Coach Wymack as the gruff yet dedicated foster father to all these damaged kids. A violent, vicious, yet heartfelt comfort read.

Caged and shackled, Nathan endures endless torments at the hands of his captor. His crime? Being born a ‘Half Code’ – half White witch, half Black witch – and son of their hidden world’s most infamous villain. Adapted on Netflix as The Bastard Son and the Devil Himself, Half Bad thrives on the intense, gritty voice of its protagonist. Captured by Nathan’s plight, his pain and rage seared my heart as, chapter by chapter, I longed for his escape and for him to find the peace and freedom he so deserved. Be warned, this is a book that will get under your skin. Just thinking about Nathan’s struggle for survival is enough to make my stomach churn, which I think speaks volumes about the power of this brutal story.  

Purists might raise their brows at seeing this series included, but I would argue this manga is so deeply queer-coded it could not be omitted. Following a horrific epidemic, vampires rise from the shadows to enslave the remains of humanity. Reckless and stubborn, Yuichiro has made a home with his fellow orphans, led by sensitive and intelligent Mikaela. When their daring escape from the vampires ends in disaster, Yuichiro's dream of ridding the world of vampires is kept alive at a devastating price. The dynamic between Yu and Mika is perfectly balanced, infused with yearning almosts and bittersweet if-onlys. At the heart of the series, you’ll find a fierce determination to protect one’s chosen family, and an unapologetic commitment to sacrifice everything – even humanity – for the sake of love. 

This science fiction novel from Eliot Schrefer has it all: a thrilling adventure in space, a disembodied robot withholding information, and a pair of adorably opposite boys falling in love. This dramatic story about survival, love, and love as a means of survival is on the upper end of YA, but it’s one you don’t want to miss! Be prepared to laugh, cry, swoon, and throw your book across the room in shock because this one will stick with you long after the final page.

In Bollen’s fourth novel, the boyishly handsome, 25-year-old Nick Brink meets the older and more remote Clay Guillory at the funeral of Clay’s boyfriend/benefactor, Freddy Van der Haar. Freddy, whose name is synonymous with American royalty, was one of the few remaining vestiges of the old New York gay scene. House poor, Freddy bequeathed Clay his shambling Venetian palazzo and a collection of counterfeit antiques. Nick falls for Clay, and they escape to Venice. To fund their new Continental lifestyle, they cook up a plan to con Richard West, a wealthy American retiree who has a sentimental affection for the Van der Haar name and fondness for acquiring antiques. Even as their criminal behavior begins to accrue a body count, we’re seduced by that all-too-recognizable outsider’s desire to belong to a place. For these men, Venice isn’t just a city but a way of seeing themselves, of imagining their futures.

This story is a gem.

Young Lewis is a believable and relatable character and the aging Chester Wheeler is a classic curmudgeon (at first). Their highly unusual cross-country journey in an old RV is an absolute delight, with both the young man and the old man demonstrating that age is not a barrier to friendship and personal growth.

As a longtime resident of Houston, of course, I must include a book about this unusual place! Washington’s characters lead difficult lives, his narrative is tough, and sometimes his geographical references are misleading. Nonetheless, each episode (which unfolds on a particular lot or spot in Houston) captures the experience of living in the Bayou City – the traffic, the summer weather, the slow-moving waterways, the unruly weed patches, the architecture, the neatly maintained neighborhoods, and the mix of cultures from around the world. Houston was transformed from prairie, swamp, and piney woods to a landscaped metropolis by wildcatters, entrepreneurs, scientists, workers, creatives, and others. Washington’s stories evoke this dynamic human/environment connection throughout. 

Time for a fun one. RX is a wry, insightful, graphic memoir by a woman with bipolar disorder who gets a job writing ads for a pharmaceutical company. She finds herself in meetings, brainstorming ad ideas for bipolar medication! A manic episode lands her in an inpatient psychiatric facility. She chronicles her experience as a patient, and reflects on what it means to heal. 

Autonomous is one of those books you finish reading and then just want to sit and stare off into space for a while.

The story takes place in a future world where Big Pharma runs basically the entire show. The main character is a drug pirate, fabricating expensive drugs to provide them to the population on the cheap… but when one of her fabbed drugs causes some horrible side effects, it kicks off a domino effect of chaos and death.

Other characters include a military agent sent to hunt our drug pirate down and his robotic, AI-powered partner. Every character is riddled with absolutely deal-breaking flaws, so if you’re looking for heroes, you’ve come to the wrong place. The story raises questions about morality, freedom, AI, and more. I can’t recommend it enough!