Unusual Eulogies is a curated record of my reading life. These entries collect brief reflections on the books that have accompanied me at different moments — classics, contemporary fiction, unexpected finds, and the ones everyone was talking about.
These entries capture a unique period of my reading life: a deep, structured dive into the mechanics of meaning. Alongside novels and memoirs, I spent a significant amount of time with academic texts — deconstructing narrative theory, hermeneutics, and the structure of stories. This shelf is a focused exploration of the craft and philosophy behind the stories we tell.
I read with a dual heart: as a pure reader getting lost in a story, and as a writer marveling at voice, structure, and the lingering questions a great book leaves behind. Think of this not as a review site, but as a conversation about the stories that stick with us. It’s a reference for anyone curious about what’s on my shelf and, perhaps, a source for your next great read.
The Happy Hotline
Joseph “Joe” Kuttler
A raw, compelling, and messily human novel that leans unflinchingly into cringe and heavy themes. The second half builds with undeniable energy, pulling the reader into its chaotic, heartfelt conclusion. Its unvarnished voice and commitment to its own unique rhythm are definitely its greatest strengths.
Mrs. Dalloway
Virginia Woolf
A friend warned me this was long, descriptive, and plotless — and she wasn’t wrong. Still, I trust Woolf completely, so I gave it a shot. It’s a masterful, stream-of-consciousness immersion into a single day in London, exploring the vast interior worlds of its characters. Woolf’s prose is breathtaking (per usual) in its precision and depth, capturing the weight of memory, regret, and quiet connection.
Al final todo es amor
Tere Salazar
My aunt (my mom’s cousin, I think?) self-published this book, and I’m so glad she did. This is a heartfelt, intimately crafted novel that weaves together three perspectives on love, loss, and connection. The structure is inventive, pulling the reader into separate lives that ultimately converge in a moving and satisfying resolution.
In the Dream House
Carmen Maria Machado
Holy shit. Machado’s mind is a marvel. The structure of this memoir is unlike anything I’ve ever read — it’s raw, powerful, and so visceral you feel her thoughts bleeding through the pages. A breathtaking, genre-defying memoir that uses innovative structure to dissect memory, trauma, and a toxic relationship. An absolute landmark work of art and narrative form.
The Stranger
Albert Camus
The seminal, philosophically dense novel of existentialism and absurdism. Camus presents a detached, haunting portrait of a man confronting the meaninglessness of society and existence. Such a challenging text that continues to provoke and unsettle.
I’m Glad My Mom Died
Jennette McCurdy
Wow. McCurdy’s voice is raw, darkly funny, and profoundly impactful as she recounts her childhood stardom and complex trauma. I got completely lost in her story — no editing brain, just feeling. This is a stunning, brutally honest, and powerfully written memoir, and I haven’t stopped recommending it to everyone I know. Will definitely be the first to read her future works!
Cien años de soledad
Gabriel García Márquez
A beautifully written fever dream and foundational masterpiece of magical realism. Márquez paints the epic, dreamlike rise and fall of the Buendía family with lush, hypnotic prose. It gets confusing at times — highly recommend keeping a family tree handy — but the ending is perfect. A friend told me to imagine all the characters as versions of the same person, and it helped!
The Odyssey (Spanish Edition)
Homero
The epic of Western literature, chronicling Odysseus’s long, mythic journey home. Its tales of monsters, gods, and endurance have shaped storytelling for millennia. A foundational text whose archetypal adventures continue to echo through modern narratives.
The Suppliants (Spanish Edition)
Aeschylus
A powerful, early Greek tragedy. It boldly explores themes of female agency, divine law, and political refuge, showcasing the foundational tensions of drama and moral conflict. For an in-depth analysis (in Spanish), read here.
Óptica sanguínea
Daniela Bojórquez Vértiz
Absolutely blown away. It’s a world that feels both intimate and unsettling. Bojórquez Vértiz builds a world that is both intimately raw and expansively unsettling, with imagery that cuts to the bone. A book that genuinely rewires your sense of what language and story can achieve.
The Academic Shelf
For fellow writers, literature students, or the incurably curious, these are the foundational pieces that lived on my reference shelf this year.