Another subversive tale of self-discovery, Mariam Rahmani’s Liquid asks, "What’s so wrong with setting high standards for your future husband?" Committed to marrying rich, the unnamed narrator in this sharp debut gives up her career as an adjunct professor to go on 100 consecutive dates, all of which she meticulously logs in a very satisfying spreadsheet. Imbued with a casual cleverness while effortlessly tackling themes of desire, ambition, and class, this one is for anyone who knows that dating is all about balancing priorities—and who wouldn't mind a few tips for keeping track of every time they have ever felt the "ick."

Now that I am a bit older than I was the last time I was single, I am surprised to discover which traits hold new importance for me in a partner. For example, though religion never played a major role in my past relationships, I am finding myself gravitating toward more fellow Jewish men than ever before. Turns out, our romantic interests often evolve in unexpected ways—just as tales about golems tend to do! To honor this reality, it's time to spread some love for this exceptionally sweet yet strange “Broad City meets Shaun of the Dead at Hanukkah” story, which left me in such a flurry of emotions around the holidays that I still haven’t entirely settled back down. When I got the chance to interview the author, I learned all about the biggest red flags of dating a golem, as well as how this heartwarming rom-com found its final form.

I introduced you to the handsome hunk of clay that is Paul Mudd with that last audiobook, by Beth Kander. Now it’s time to meet Bob the blob, the leading amorphous bachelor at the heart of Maggie Su’s brilliant novel. I dissolved into a formless mass of pure, uncontainable joy over this absurdist story about a young woman who finds an unidentified creature in a parking lot then literally shapes it into her perfect boyfriend. I’m taking this one as a reminder that, despite the fact that I think I'm moving closer to understanding what I'm looking for in a partner, love really can surprise us, taking all shapes and forms.

While undeniably absurd, these novels still resonate as laughably relatable because, when it comes to meeting strangers, we are basically just one wrong swipe away from becoming entangled in a stranger-than-fiction situationship. In her jaw-dropping memoir, Anna Akbari tells a true story from the especially messy early days of online dating, when she was lured in by a clever catfish named “Ethan.” Not only did this real-life dating horror story remind me that being single isn't the worst-case scenario, but the kinship that Akbari finds with her fellow victims proves that bad dating experiences aren't always for nothing: They often lay the foundation for life-long friendships, too. (For more tips on staying safe while online dating, check out Gabi Conti's hilarious yet hard-hitting podcast, Am I Dating a Serial Killer?.)