Quirk Books’ Perfect Literary Matches
[Photo by Thought Catalog from Pexels]
One never needs an excuse to compile read-alike book lists, but August 31st is National Matchmaker Day, which got us thinking: what non-Quirk reads would be the perfect match for our books?
Like how individuals in a couple can share similar interests and personalities but have their own uniqueness, these book pairings feature titles with thematic and narrative similarities, while managing to separate themselves in their genre. So if you find yourself fond of one of these Quirk titles, try giving their Matchmaker Day buddy a chance for a familiar but fresh read!
The Southern Book Club’s Guide to Slaying Vampires with Salem’s Lot
What’s more terrifying than knowing your neighbor is a blood-thirsty vampire and that if you tell people, they’ll either lock you up or turn you into a vampire themselves? Like Grady Hendrix’s The Southern Book Club’s Guide to Slaying Vampires, Stephen King’s Salem’s Lot introduces us to a charismatic monster that slides into a small town neighborhood and establishes himself as a well-liked and even necessary member of the community. Both horror tales feature tangible and conceptual horrors from serial killings to sexism to ostracization from one’s community.
Buy the books:
Salem’s Lot: Amazon | Barnes and Noble | Books A Million | Bookshop
The Southern Book Club’s Guide to Slaying Vampires: Amazon | Barnes and Noble | Books A Million | Bookshop
Warren the 13th series with A Series of Unfortunate Events series
If you enjoyed reading about orphaned Warren and his colorful friends, fighting to protect his inheritance (the Warren Hotel) from greedy forces of evil, then, of course, you’ll enjoy reading about the orphaned Baudelaires and their colorful acquaintances, fighting to protect their inheritance from greedy Count Olaf. Lemony Snicket’s clever writing style, snarky narrator, and purposeful word choice is similar to Del Rio and Staehle’s use of occasional comic-styled dialog, immersive illustrations, and stylistic formatting, and both series include the number thirteen and eye motifs.
Buy the books:
A Series of Unfortunate Events: The Bad Beginning: Amazon | Barnes and Noble | Books A Million | Bookshop
Warren the 13th and the All-Seeing Eye: Amazon | Barnes and Noble | Books A Million | Bookshop
We Are Here Forever with SuperMutant Magic Academy
Unlike the brightly colored world of the Puramus, Tamaki’s art is mainly black and white lineart, but the students at the academy are as hilarious and mysterious as Gish’s Puramus. Readers are thrown into both these familiar but strange worlds through short, often vague comics that add up to a larger, but just as vague, narrative. Why can some of the academy students turn into foxes and others live forever? This matters as little as how the Puramus in We Are Here Forever came to be. Instead, these comics focus on existential dread and laugh-out-loud punchlines.
Buy the books:
SuperMutant Magic Academy: Amazon | Barnes and Noble | Books A Million | Bookshop
We Are Here Forever: Amazon | Barnes and Noble | Books A Million | Bookshop
Spark and the League of Ursus with The Secret Zoo series
Although Spark’s story is spookier than that of Noah’s, there’s so many nuances of The Secret Zoo books that will leave Spark fans satisfied. A sibling is taken by a mysterious force, a group of friends band together to search for the kidnapped character, helpful animals (these ones aren’t stuffed) with fun names are part of the efforts, and the protagonists stumble across secret and magical worlds beyond their own. Thrilling action, archetypal characters with thoughtful development, and entertaining imagination await in this Spark read-alike.
Buy the books:
The Secret Zoo book one: Amazon | Barnes and Noble | Books A Million | Bookshop
Spark and the League of Ursus: Amazon | Barnes and Noble | Books A Million | Bookshop
William Shakespeare’s Star Wars series with Descender /Ascender comics
Lemire and Nguyen’s Descender and Ascender comics may not be in iambic pentameter like Doescher’s William Shakespeare’s Star Wars books, but this space opera has as much heart, ambition, and cinematic potential as the Star Wars stories. Both series tell a classic hero’s journey, follow the struggle between a ruling power and rebellion group, and paint an expansive galactic world with creative alien species and cultures. Did we mention Ascender features magically gifted baddies who can telepathically choke out their enemies or a robot beaming a cryptic message that acts as the hero’s call to action? Or that the hero is the key to either side’s victory?
Buy the books:
Descender volume one: Amazon | Barnes and Noble | Books A Million | Bookshop
William Shakespeare’s Star Wars book one: Amazon | Barnes and Noble | Books A Million | Bookshop
Siri, Who Am I? with Oona Out of Order
Not only do these book covers fit so perfectly together, but Mia and Oona’s stories have a lot in common as well. They both unceremoniously wake up in disjointed scenarios—Mia with amnesia in a hospital bed and Oona thirty-two years in the future—that result in a lighthearted adventure of self-discovery, one through LA and the other through time. If you enjoy Mia’s snarky comments and the narrative’s emphasis on becoming a better version of yourself, then you’ll want to pick up Oona’s just as humorous and touching tale.
Buy the books:
Oona Out of Order: Amazon | Barnes and Noble | Books A Million | Bookshop
Siri, Who Am I? (pre-order): Amazon | Barnes and Noble | Books A Million | Bookshop
Bookish and the Beast with The Life and Medieval Times of Kit Sweetly
Full of fantasy references and history-nerd facts, The Life and Medieval Times of Kit Sweetly will fill your geeky heart with as many good vibes as Bookish and the Beast did. Although Kit’s romance isn’t that of the iconic enemies to lovers trope between Rosie and Vance, it’s the just as adored best friends to lovers trope. Both girls hold a deep devotion to their family, passion for their work and fandom, and loyalty to their friends. Bonus: the cast of Kit Sweetly includes POC and LGBTQ+ characters like that of Rosie’s friends!
Buy the books:
The Life and Medieval Times of Kit Sweetly: Amazon | Barnes and Noble | Books A Million | Bookshop
Bookish and the Beast: Amazon | Barnes and Noble | Books A Million | Bookshop
Gabrielle Bujak
Gabrielle likes a lot of things and dislikes very little. Retired ice cream cake decorator, occasional farmhand, and reminiscing library worker, she spent her childhood dreaming of fighting fires and her college days writing about Bong Joon-ho before he was cool. Now, she preaches the importance of dental hygiene; chats up books, movies, and comics via the Quirk blog; and legally climbs silos. Whether the legality of the silo climbing makes her more or less interesting is up for debate. Email [email protected] if you want to review our titles or feature our authors.
