This is Feature Shelf, a series that provides book recommendations based on theme or title suggestions. This is the podcase for Episode 19: The LOL Edition, requested by Vesper on YouTube. My name is Eli, I’m also called the book supplier.  Thanks for listening.

So on our shelf this week are some books I found absolutely hilarious. So the first book on our shelf is the funniest book I read in 2012, which is kind of like film noir meets spy novel meets one of those high school comedy movies from the 90s — You Killed Wesley Payne. So Dalton Rev has transferred to Salt River High because he was hired to solve the murder of Wesley Payne, who was billed as the student body president and all around nice guy. There are clique wars, school officials on the take, and a character that reminds me of Foxy Brown from 70s movies. I’m going to link to the trailer in the description so perhaps you’ll get a better idea of the tone of the novel, but trust me, it’s hilarious.

Second on the shelf this week is Beauty Queens by Libba Bray. Beauty Queens is Lord of the Flies meets beauty pageants meets reality television. A group of beauty queens on their way to their next pageant, are stranded on a seemingly deserted island and have to figure out how to survive. Honestly, the prospect of beauty queens how we typically think of them, and a deserted island is hilarious all by itself.

Third on the shelf is my stand-by book when any of my students asks for something funny, and is The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian. I’ve talked about it before, but it’s the story of Arnold Spirit, Jr., a Spokane Indian from Wellpinit, Washington who decides he wants to attend the all-White school in Reardan instead of the school on the reservation. In Part-Time Indian, Alexie examines the stereotypes we generally associate with the American Indian and does so in an amusing way. If you have an opportunity to listen to the audio for this one, do so. The subtleties of the reading make the novel funnier.

Next on the shelf is Will Grayson, Will Grayson by David Levithan and John Green. Set in Chicago, Will Grayson, Will Grayson follows two boys with the same name, and Tiny Cooper, who isn’t really so tiny, as they try to figure out life, find love, and listen to awesome music. Like with Part-Time Indian, the book is amusing by itself, but it’s so much more amusing in audio.

Last on the shelf this week is Hold Me Closer, Necromancer by Lish McBride. Sam’s dropped out of school and works in a fast food restaurant. His life is as dull as it gets. Until this guy, Douglas, comes in, tells Sam he’s a necromancer, and then proceeds to try to kill him to steal his powers. Sherman Alexie, author of one of other books on our shelf this week, said that Hold Me Closer Necromancer is either a scary funny book or a funny scary book.

So those are some books I find laugh out loud funny: You Killed Wesley Payne, The Absolutely True Diary of a Part Time Indian, Beauty Queens, Will Grayson, Will Grayson and Hold Me Closer, Necromancer.

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Either way, I think it’s a good place to end our shelf.  I hope you found something that piques your interest. If not, or if you’d like to request your very own feature shelf, you can do so by leaving me a comment here on YouTube, or on Facebook, Twitter, or Google+, or if you’re not a social networker, then on the contact page at thebooksupplier.com. Thanks for watching Feature Shelf #19: The LOL Edition. I am the (book) supplier wishing you happy reading. Don’t forget to be awesome.