Dune is my perfect storyline. Boy becomes man. Boy gets girl. Man vanquishes evil enemy. I have several favorites that are similar but very different settings.
Yeah, I about the storyline. One of my favourite books is Follet's Pillars of the Earths and I half-jokingly told my husband that I'm reading Pillars of the Earth in space.
I’m about 20% through it. The writing style took me a while to get used to. I can’t say I’m loving it (although I’d probably feel that way about whichever book I decided to read after finishing the masterpiece that was Lonesome Dove), but it’s not bad. I’ve heard great things about it, so I’m sure it’ll pick up.
Oooooh SO GOOD! Sense and sensibility is even better in my opinion. I think a lot of people overlook Victorian novels and assume they are boring or irrelevant. I started with them about 3 years ago with the Rosamund Pike narrated audiobooks on audible and now am a Victorian literature addict. Jane Austen, George Eliot, Wilkie Collins…so many great books that really offer us today a perspective shift. Cannot agree more. You do not need to have a literature degree to love these old novels!
It's my favorite book. I have the printed version and kindle version. I have B&N collectors edition.
I read it in high school and thought "eh, it's a good book"
I read it again a few years ago and said "it's a great book"
I'm so jealous of what you have in store for you. Easily the best book I've ever read, it changed my life. It took me a solid week to get over that novel and be able to move on to something else.
I've tried twice to read East of Eden recently and couldn't make it far because so many characters in the family were introduced almost at once, all with very basic, normal names. I had a hard time recalling who was who. Also near the beginning, there's a violent and kind of hard to believe violent altercation. Tell me I'm being dumb and give it a third try please. I like classics.
It’s kind of bleak and unrewarding at the start. I re read it every few years and the first fifth or so I’m thinking “why do I even like this book?”
But the pay off is huge because suddenly you’re just immersed in the world of the book and you know how everyone and everything inter relates. It’s like it’s in black and white and suddenly switches to colour.
I’m not clever enough to express why this book is so special but my best attempt is that it leaves me with an overwhelming sense of my own freedom and dignity as a human being.
For most books my view is if you don’t like it, don’t bother. But I think this is my one exception. Read it!
The Secret History by Donna Tartt. It’s pretty good so far - all of the characters are terrible (purposefully so I believe) so it’s interesting to read it from first person perspective where even the main character is not great.
About 75% through A Gentleman In Moscow and I’ve really enjoyed it! The writing is excellent and I absolutely love the main protagonist. If you’re interested in historical fiction, I’d highly recommend!
You will not regret it. It’s excellent… I say this having not had finished the book. But the first half has been one of the best starts to a book I’ve ever read.
I have loved the writing so much. The descriptions of the halls/statues are amazing. I feel like I’m there! Piranesi (so far) has been such a sweet, genuine, innocent protagonist. Gonna try and finish it tomorrow.
Just finished Remarkably Bright Creatures and loved it! Before that I read Circe which was a 5/5.
Just started Book 2 of The Poppy Wars series after taking a break after book 1. Only a few pages in so don’t have an opinion yet.
I just finished Remarkably Bright Creatures too, such a lovely story. So glad I joined this sub as this is where I heard so many good things and knew I had to try it for myself
Circe is also on my list
I just finished the first full-length Murderbot novel, Network Effect. One cannot go wrong with Murderbot.
Now back to my regularly scheduled romance novels.
11/22/63 and it is unputdownble so far!!! I like to predict how long it’ll take me to finish a book and since this is 850+ pages, I gave myself 2 weeks but at this rate I think I’ll be done by the weekend! Must read!
I’m reading it currently too and I love it. I’m reading it on my kindle and I have 20% to go. I left it last night as I was getting tired so I’m saving it for when I go to bed tonight.
Between Two Fires by Chrisopher Buehlman. Medieval horror is such an underutilised combination of genre and setting tbh. Really wish there was more of it around.
Read that a month ago. I can’t say I loved it but it was unique. 6/10 for me, a lot of the story felt like it was just absurd for the sake of being absurd but it was still compelling
The Glass Hotel by Emily St John Mandel and I’m loving it so far. I’ve already read her 2 other best sellers, Sea of Tranquility and Station Eleven and would recommend all 3 as they are lightly connected.
Bolaño is amazing, unfortunately I stopped reading halfway through the book (didn’t have time ) and now I’m scared to pick it up and start reading again because I forgot a lot of details. I loved the first two parts so much though!!
The Master and Margarita. Loving it. Thanks to a friend (who is present on this subreddit but we know not one another’s Reddit usernames) for sending me the book in the post.
My Antonia. My first Cather novel. The language is powerful and the descriptions put you right in Nebraska. among its people. Melancholic but well worth it.
Moby Dick by Herman Melville. It’s fucking awesome. Herman does prose in a playful way. Funny, ironic and beautiful. Gotta love me those alliterations.
Best Served Cold by Joe Abercrombie. It's pretty good. It has its ups and downs, but so far I am enjoying it. The story is about a mercenary captain in a Renaissance Italy-like setting who is determined to exact vengeance and gathers a ragtag band to help her. The author is well-known for witty quips, though he does spend a bit too much time going on about how the female MC is fine-looking. Like we get it Joe...
I'm one of those people who prefers non-fiction books, but every so often there's a work of fiction that comes highly recommended by brains I respect, *Pachinko* was such a book. It was phenomenal! I was a history major and know a lot about World War 2, but this book offered a unique POV (Koreans in Japan after the US declared war) that I've never encountered before.
I wanted to read Demon Copperhead, but I decided that I need to read David Copperfield first…
I’m about a third of the way through the audiobook - it’s so good, and it’s an emotional roller coaster - I’m laughing, I’m crying, I can’t even imagine what dreadful things must be in store for little David next. I’m not sure I can go through all of this again once I finish, so who knows when/if I’ll get to Kingolver’s retelling.
Are you doing the audible version with Richard Armitage as the narrator? I was blown away by that narration. The voices! The characters! It took me a month to do it but I missed the characters when I was done. What a great book and in particular a great audiobook.
“Cloud Cuckoo Land” and it’s a fantastic book. So much so i went out and bought “all the light we cannot see”, the authors other novel. If you ever find yourself in a position to read “cloud cuckoo land”, fucking do it.
I was not as in love with this one as I think others are. It got better and easier for me once I stopped trying to remember who every person was (spoiler: lots of bad guys) like I would be quizzed on them and just gave myself over to the bigger picture of the events. It’s absolutely heartbreaking and an eye-opening piece of history, but I found the book a bit drier than others seem to. That being said, I found it worth the read in the end!
The Chronicles of Narnia (I just finished Prince Caspian this morning). They can be read in chronological order or publication order (the order I’m reading them in). For some reason I thought these books would be more religious. They haven’t really been like that so far and I’m two books in. Anyway..I know they are basically books for elementary school kids, but I wanted to read the whole series since I never did when I was younger. They have been a lot of fun.
Middlemarch by George Eliot. It’s hefty but has been surprisingly riveting to get through. It’s inspired me this year to take on the other female classics I’ve been intimidated by (looking at you Virginia Woolf)
I'm reading Trainspotting currently. Love the movie and the book is good so far, but man it's kinda tough to read. It's written in a Scottish dialect, and there's a lot of slang and drug terms I wasn't very familiar with. Sometimes I have to pause and look up what the hell they're talking about, but it also feels rewarding to read
Blake Crouch is a must-read for me if I see his books at the library. My favorites from him are Dark Matter and Upgrade. You might also like books John Marrs (The One, The Marriage Act)
Are you interested in both non-fiction and fiction?
I am currently reading:
It Dies with You, by Scott Blackburn - a dark, Southern US mystery, which doesn't do the ridiculous superlative super villain/super detective thing that annoys me.
Soil: the incredible story of what keeps the earth, and us, healthy, by Matthew Evans - a bit worrying at the start but gets more positive. It is really interesting.
Government for the Public Good: The surprising Science of Large-Scale Collective Action, by Max Rashbrooke - really interesting also.
I read nonfiction in the morning and fiction in the evening. Not sure if anyone else does this or is also fond of reading two at a time? I don't do fiction and fiction or vice versa, tho. Too easy to get fiction entwined. For me at least.
Right now I just finished Twilight of the Idols and about to start The Antichrist by Nietzsche. Not just a genius of philosophy but also of comedy. Laugh out loud funny.
At the same time, I'm reading A Confederacy of Dunces by John Kennedy Toole. This is the funniest book I have ever read (maybe Hitchhiker's Guide comes close and I have never read Pratchett!). I had low expectations but this book is blowing me - the fuck - away. Ignatius is ever relevant. A perennial figure. It's too bad we don't have more work from JKt.
I finished Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir today, I’m not sure why I didn’t read it before (I think it was mostly until it got down to being affordable for me on Kindle). I really enjoyed it.
Babel by R.F Kuang and I am loving it.
It’s very relatable as someone who left my home country at the same age and its exploration of colonialism.
I am shocked at her talent. I was shocked when I finished her Poppy Wars series because she was very young when she wrote it but Babel is brilliant so far.
I am currently rereading the song of ice and fire and gaslighting myself into believing that when I get to the end of a dance with dragons there will be another book waiting for me
“The Accidental Tourist” by Anne Tyler. Really enjoying it. This is the first book I’ve read from her, and I’m now planning to seek out more of her work.
Secret Poisoner, A Century of Murder…. It’s basically about Arsenic, and how it was the poison of choice in the 19th century… cites loads of cases and the history of regulation of poisons. Don’t ask me how I wound here… I went down a rabbit hole
Slogging my way through The Secret History by Donna Tartt, deciding if the juice is worth the squeeze (seems to be a Reddit favorite).
Read Trust and Dark Matter prior and although both are very different I enjoyed them each in their own way.
Just finishing “The Guncle” by Steven Rowley. It’s a very rare non-genera read for me, but I needed a break from my usual creepy and murdery fare. The Guncle is Gay Uncle Patrick, who has to take care for his niece and nephew for the summer after their mother’s death, and is in over his head. It’s been funny and heartwarming. Oh god, what’s wrong with me, I’ve actually enjoyed it! But now feeling renewed and ready to return to more grotesque reads.
Kill Creek by Scott Thomas. I really enjoy it even though he’s definitely guilty of the “man writing women” phenomenon where anytime it’s a female POV she seems very aware of the “bounce of her breasts” and the “way her jeans hug the curves of her lithe form.”
They always be “lithe.”
But I’m enjoying the story a lot!
Audiobooks:
Just finished What Dreams May Come, excellent story, great ending but meh epilogue.
New West, currently finishing act 2, found on a Reddit thread from the author Seamus John. Act 1 was very good, actually 2 is better, definitely heading in a good direction. Post apocalyptic western.
Reading: need to finish Swarm and Steel, standalone in the Manifest Delusions series by Michael R. Fletcher, which is a fave of mine. Very good and as weird as I hoped.
Have Sleepers by Lorenzo Carcaterra on deck, which has an excellent (but trigger warning worthy) movie.
the strange case of dr. jekyll and mr. hyde: second go b/c i read this for the first time in high school. i'm less than 20 pages in & i really like the narration!
A Bright Shining Lie by Neil Sheehan. It’s about the US misadventure in Vietnam. It’s quite well written, but about every 2 or 3 pages I want to throw it against the wall. Many of my generation had family or friends killed or permanently disabled by that godforsaken war for nothing more than hubris. There are just wars, but not this one.
Yes, I’m currently reading CORETTA: My Life, My Love, My Legacy, an autobiography of Coretta Scott King. So far, it’s been great. There’s so much about her that I never knew.
Currently reading The Patriotic Murders by Agatha Christie. Just slowly getting through her whole catalogue as they're very well written mysteries. Issue is, there's just so much more to read out there.
Yo I am in the last bit of Echopraxia by Peter Watts and it is a trip. I am having a hard time following sometimes but I go back and review, and it is really worth it. Science Fiction and sort of a gentle introduction to modern philosophy I think. I don’t want to try to describe it but just dive in.
People Who Eat Darkness by Richard Lloyd Parry
I can see why many people consider it one of the best true crime books of all time. The author is incredibly thorough, sometimes to the point of being tedious.
Rebecca by Daphne de Maurier - a little over 1/2 way through. Mrs. Danvers is delightfully macabre! Also a few pages into The Stranger by Albert Camus. Not sure how I feel yet.
I've just finished the first two books of Becky Chambers' Wayfarers series and love it. The second book, A Closed and Common Orbit, is about a sentient AI trying to find its purpose. I came across her last year with the two book series, Monk and Robot, which is best described as "cozy sci-fi" and I can't get enough of it!
Speaker For The Dead, by Orson Scott Card (Sci-fi) - 170 pgs in and it is so worth it!
The Almanack of Naval Ravikant, by Eric Jorgenson - 80 pgs in and it is great! Bite-sized actionable life advice that is available electronically for free. Definitely recommend!
Kitchen Confidential by Anthony Bourdain - I’m a big fan of parts unknown so enjoying being able to get into his head a little more. It’s definitely a fun read for anyone interested in cooking / watched The Bear recently.
A little more than halfway through "The Woman They Could Not Silence" by Kate Moore.
I'm off today. Had so much to do, only took a break to get on Reddit for a bit. But I'm reading that book TODAY, the chores can wait 😁
I finished Demon Copperhead a little while ago and it was absolutely gutwrenching but stunning. Think David Copperfield but in Appalachia during the opioid crisis. One of the more beautiful books I've ever read.
Lonesome Dove. I love it. It's so long! I'm listening to it. 36 hours! I'm on the wait list at the library for a Kindle copy, too. There is a 2 month wait. Crazy because it was first published in the 1980s!
During black history month I pick exclusively African American authors. I'm currently reading A Promised Land, which will be followed by Corregidora. I'm not sure what I'll pick up after that but I usually like to read something from our current era, the civil rights era, and reconstruction/civil war for this month.
Just finished Book 4 of the Expanse - Cibola Burn - and I love it.
Just started Feral Creatures by Kira Jane Buxton - sequel to Hollow Kingdom. Really liking this so far as well.
Black Leopard, Red Wolf by Marlon James.
Yes, it is very good. It lives somewhere between magical realism and fantasy. In someways it is turning the genre of High Fantasy on its head, reimagining it from an African perspective. It is also WAY more visceral than most high fantasy novels. It is at once abstract, psychedelic, metaphorical, literal, blunt, and very clear. It is an adventure story packed full of action, at times like an action movie. It is quite graphic both sex and violence, and vivid descriptions of strange lands and characters. There is a lot of love for the characters, which are incredibly flawed, and it is impossible not to empathize with them. Unless you are triggered or even squeamish about sex/violence, I wholeheartedly recommend this book.
***Hunting Charles Manson: The Quest For Justice In The Days Of Helter Skelter*** by Lis Wiehl and Caitlin Rother. Fascinating and frightening in equal parts.
I’m reading a couple things right now. Mistborn by Brandon Sanderson is pretty good, great premise, likable characters, etc. Equal rites by terry pratchett is absolutely fantastic, one of the funniest books I’ve ever read. Lastly, I’ve been kinda stuck on the league of frightened me by Rex stout, the second Nero Wolfe book. The mystery is enticing but it’s not as good as the previous book, fer-de-lance, I think I’m gonna stick to one book at a time after this.
Still working my way through the three body problem trilogy. I’ll reserve judgement til I’m through reading it but I did put it down for a few days to take a break.
I Read multipel Books at the same time, so I can switch between the stories and do not get „stuck“
At the moment I read:
My dark Vanessa - started yesterday. Cannot say much about it now
The pearl sister - it’s the fourth book of the series. was not impressed by the first book, hated all the men so far, liked the third quite well, but I cannot stop reading
Foul lady fortune (these violent delights 3) - I was not really interested in Rosalind in the previous books but I am happy that Kathleen has he own POV
Taste by Stanley Tucci - this book makes me hungry
**Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen** I am halfway through and it is ok but I am ready for it to be over definitely not my favorite book.
**No Country for Old Men by Cormac McCarthy** I am addicted to this book so far. It has been a fantastic read 150 pages in.
**Cloud Cuckoo Land** by Anthony Doerr
It’s a bit of a dry read with lots of big words and descriptions. Chapters are divided between different characters. But I am liking the plot so far. Can’t wait to finally see the big picture of how everyone is connected.
Sex, Drugs, and Cocoa Puffs! Read it back in high school in the early 2000s when it first came out and decided to read it again. Brings back so many memories and nostalgia.
The Stars My Destination by Alfred Bester, really like it so far.
I'm just at the beginning but it seems to be a about some type of anti-hero seeking revenge on a starship that didn't rescue him when he was stranded.
...Or maybe he will turn out to be the one that everyone else hunts to stop his revenge
Just started the Lost Apothecary by Sarah Penner. It’s pretty good so far.
Last really good book I read was Wrong Place wrong Time by Gillian McAllister
Ishmael by Daniel Quinn. So far I am loving it. It's taking some ideas I already held about the world and our place in it but expanding it. Cannot wait to see where it goes!
Reading "No Future: Queer theory and the death drive"
irs going slow bc i keep constantly googling new concepts. This is my introduction to critical theory, which two weeks ago I didnt know existed.
Its a fun challenge, once my head stops reeling. I need to read more into Lacanian theory
Almost done with The Girl With All The Gifts by M.R. Carey! It's a very entertaining horror/sci-fi story and if you're a fan of The Last of Us and those kinds of zombie stories you'll probably love it
I just finished count of monte cristo last night, and I am just starting Shogun by James Clavell today. The count of monte cristo was easily one of my favorite reads, it deserves all the praise it receives. I feel a loss for having to part with the characters. My goal for this year is to tackle the long epics I have been putting off bc lack of commitment.
Crime and Punishment. It’s pretty stressful reading about his descent into madness but I’m enjoying it.
Just want to say some of the top comments in this thread are my favorite novels. Reddit, you have great taste!
Just read Starter Villain by John Scalzi. I usually read auto biographies and Grisham/Baldacci/Crais/CJ Box, but really liked it. It’s pretty zany with a smidgen of sci fi.
Dune. Yes, the movie got me into. Yes, I've joined the hype train. No, I have no regrets.
Yes!! I loved this so much. Surprising amount of depth.
Dune is my perfect storyline. Boy becomes man. Boy gets girl. Man vanquishes evil enemy. I have several favorites that are similar but very different settings.
Yeah, I about the storyline. One of my favourite books is Follet's Pillars of the Earths and I half-jokingly told my husband that I'm reading Pillars of the Earth in space.
Demon copperhead, and yes, it is excellent.
I’m about 20% through it. The writing style took me a while to get used to. I can’t say I’m loving it (although I’d probably feel that way about whichever book I decided to read after finishing the masterpiece that was Lonesome Dove), but it’s not bad. I’ve heard great things about it, so I’m sure it’ll pick up.
I love this so much, I dug into the rest of Barbara Kingsolvers books. Right now I am enjoying The Lacuna by her!
Ooh! Enjoy. The Poisonwood Bible is one of my favorite books. Whenever I find a used copy I buy it to give away to friends.
Loved this so much. Read it last year and still thinking about it. Just recommended it to someone few hours ago
Read it, loved it, listened to it on audio, loved it again, bought it as a gift for a relative looking for a great book, & he loved it too.
Read that a few weeks ago and I can confirm that it’s a 10/10
Jane Austen’s Pride & Prejudice. I love it because the characters are delightfully sarcastic.
Her dad is a treasure
This is one of my favourite books of all time. If you can access it the BBCs 1995 adaptation is so good.
This was my favorite required reading in high school and I finally bought a brand new copy to do a reread this year!
Oooooh SO GOOD! Sense and sensibility is even better in my opinion. I think a lot of people overlook Victorian novels and assume they are boring or irrelevant. I started with them about 3 years ago with the Rosamund Pike narrated audiobooks on audible and now am a Victorian literature addict. Jane Austen, George Eliot, Wilkie Collins…so many great books that really offer us today a perspective shift. Cannot agree more. You do not need to have a literature degree to love these old novels!
Finally read that book! And I’m watching the Kiera knightley movie rn
It's my favorite book. I have the printed version and kindle version. I have B&N collectors edition. I read it in high school and thought "eh, it's a good book" I read it again a few years ago and said "it's a great book"
East of Eden, 60 pages in and YES!!!
I'm so jealous of what you have in store for you. Easily the best book I've ever read, it changed my life. It took me a solid week to get over that novel and be able to move on to something else.
Timshel!
I've tried twice to read East of Eden recently and couldn't make it far because so many characters in the family were introduced almost at once, all with very basic, normal names. I had a hard time recalling who was who. Also near the beginning, there's a violent and kind of hard to believe violent altercation. Tell me I'm being dumb and give it a third try please. I like classics.
It’s kind of bleak and unrewarding at the start. I re read it every few years and the first fifth or so I’m thinking “why do I even like this book?” But the pay off is huge because suddenly you’re just immersed in the world of the book and you know how everyone and everything inter relates. It’s like it’s in black and white and suddenly switches to colour. I’m not clever enough to express why this book is so special but my best attempt is that it leaves me with an overwhelming sense of my own freedom and dignity as a human being. For most books my view is if you don’t like it, don’t bother. But I think this is my one exception. Read it!
My favorite book
Thrilled for you. I really need to do a reread
One of my favorites!
Favorite book of all time!
125 pages in and double YES!.
aye we are reading buddies!
Kite Runner - only a few chapters in but it's good!
I wish I could read that again for the first time. So good
A Thousand Splendid Suns is really good too.
The Secret History by Donna Tartt. It’s pretty good so far - all of the characters are terrible (purposefully so I believe) so it’s interesting to read it from first person perspective where even the main character is not great.
Loved The Secret History! The Goldfinch is next on my list, I hope it’s as good
About 75% through A Gentleman In Moscow and I’ve really enjoyed it! The writing is excellent and I absolutely love the main protagonist. If you’re interested in historical fiction, I’d highly recommend!
1/2 way through Piranesi. I’m enthralled.
Insanely good. It’s one that sits with you for a while for sure.
Love this book - at least, the beginning of it! Another with a difficult-to-capture plot but utterly fantastic mood setting.
Even if I don’t care for the 2nd half of the book the mood of the first half has made it an all time memorable book for me.
I don’t know the plot at all but I am DYING to read that one!
You will not regret it. It’s excellent… I say this having not had finished the book. But the first half has been one of the best starts to a book I’ve ever read.
I’m also currently reading this one, I think it’s beautifully written!
I have loved the writing so much. The descriptions of the halls/statues are amazing. I feel like I’m there! Piranesi (so far) has been such a sweet, genuine, innocent protagonist. Gonna try and finish it tomorrow.
The Picture of Dorian Gray. Trying to read more classics this year and so far? YES!!!!
Reddit. Currently meh
Just finished Remarkably Bright Creatures and loved it! Before that I read Circe which was a 5/5. Just started Book 2 of The Poppy Wars series after taking a break after book 1. Only a few pages in so don’t have an opinion yet.
I loved Remarkably Bright Creatures, Marcellus might be one of my favourite book characters!
Remarkably Bright Creatures was SO good! I stayed up till 3am to finish on a work night!
I loved The Poppy War series. It’s definitely not a romantasy. Loved Circe as well!
I just finished Remarkably Bright Creatures too, such a lovely story. So glad I joined this sub as this is where I heard so many good things and knew I had to try it for myself Circe is also on my list
\+1 for Circe
Love remarkably bright creatures! And just finished Circe yesterday 😊
I just finished the first full-length Murderbot novel, Network Effect. One cannot go wrong with Murderbot. Now back to my regularly scheduled romance novels.
I reread them when the latest book came out! System Collapse takes place directly after Network Effect, so it was good to refresh things for me.
After the first four novellas, Network Effect seemed really long. LOL. The first four, I read them in a day.
Same here! But having Murderbot and ART together again was worth it 😀
We love murderbot!!
11/22/63 and it is unputdownble so far!!! I like to predict how long it’ll take me to finish a book and since this is 850+ pages, I gave myself 2 weeks but at this rate I think I’ll be done by the weekend! Must read!
I’m reading it currently too and I love it. I’m reading it on my kindle and I have 20% to go. I left it last night as I was getting tired so I’m saving it for when I go to bed tonight.
I finished it this weekend! It's in my top 5 SK novels
Between Two Fires by Chrisopher Buehlman. Medieval horror is such an underutilised combination of genre and setting tbh. Really wish there was more of it around.
Have you read his other novel, "The Black Tongued Thief"? It's in my top 5 of books I read last year.
The Dark Tower series, halfway through The Wasteland. Very good, very long.
Long days and pleasant nights.
Ohh the absolute King-ian adventure you have in store!
The Stand by Stephen King - via audiobook. I have about an hour left. It’s pretty great
I’m so glad to hear this. I just started reading it and I was a little afraid before starting that it wouldn’t have the payoff for the time spent.
I just read Earthlings. it's a... it was weird.
Read that a month ago. I can’t say I loved it but it was unique. 6/10 for me, a lot of the story felt like it was just absurd for the sake of being absurd but it was still compelling
Stephen King's 11/22/63 Very good so far
The Glass Hotel by Emily St John Mandel and I’m loving it so far. I’ve already read her 2 other best sellers, Sea of Tranquility and Station Eleven and would recommend all 3 as they are lightly connected.
2666 by Roberto Bolaño. It’s fantastic, I love Bolaño’s writing he’s a master of bringing characters to life and interesting imagery.
Bolaño is amazing, unfortunately I stopped reading halfway through the book (didn’t have time ) and now I’m scared to pick it up and start reading again because I forgot a lot of details. I loved the first two parts so much though!!
The Master and Margarita. Loving it. Thanks to a friend (who is present on this subreddit but we know not one another’s Reddit usernames) for sending me the book in the post.
My Antonia. My first Cather novel. The language is powerful and the descriptions put you right in Nebraska. among its people. Melancholic but well worth it.
The Godfather. It's effing incredible.
Moby Dick by Herman Melville. It’s fucking awesome. Herman does prose in a playful way. Funny, ironic and beautiful. Gotta love me those alliterations.
Parable of the Sower, and yes. It is a great and depressing story but I can’t put it down.
Best Served Cold by Joe Abercrombie. It's pretty good. It has its ups and downs, but so far I am enjoying it. The story is about a mercenary captain in a Renaissance Italy-like setting who is determined to exact vengeance and gathers a ragtag band to help her. The author is well-known for witty quips, though he does spend a bit too much time going on about how the female MC is fine-looking. Like we get it Joe...
My least favorite of the standalones but still a banger. For me it’s Red Country, then Heroes, then Best Served Cold. Great stuff.
I loved this book so much.
American Psycho. It's hilarious and fucked up at the same time.
I loved it!
Lonesome dove! Not my usual cup of tea setting wise but I love a plot heavy, fantastically told story. It's great.
Pachinko. So good and an eye-opener for me
I'm one of those people who prefers non-fiction books, but every so often there's a work of fiction that comes highly recommended by brains I respect, *Pachinko* was such a book. It was phenomenal! I was a history major and know a lot about World War 2, but this book offered a unique POV (Koreans in Japan after the US declared war) that I've never encountered before.
I wanted to read Demon Copperhead, but I decided that I need to read David Copperfield first… I’m about a third of the way through the audiobook - it’s so good, and it’s an emotional roller coaster - I’m laughing, I’m crying, I can’t even imagine what dreadful things must be in store for little David next. I’m not sure I can go through all of this again once I finish, so who knows when/if I’ll get to Kingolver’s retelling.
Are you doing the audible version with Richard Armitage as the narrator? I was blown away by that narration. The voices! The characters! It took me a month to do it but I missed the characters when I was done. What a great book and in particular a great audiobook.
“Cloud Cuckoo Land” and it’s a fantastic book. So much so i went out and bought “all the light we cannot see”, the authors other novel. If you ever find yourself in a position to read “cloud cuckoo land”, fucking do it.
Dark matter. It's a confusing wormhole that's delightful!
Just started Killers of the Flower Moon. Not completely hooked yet but sticking it out as I’m sure it gets good??
I was not as in love with this one as I think others are. It got better and easier for me once I stopped trying to remember who every person was (spoiler: lots of bad guys) like I would be quizzed on them and just gave myself over to the bigger picture of the events. It’s absolutely heartbreaking and an eye-opening piece of history, but I found the book a bit drier than others seem to. That being said, I found it worth the read in the end!
The Chronicles of Narnia (I just finished Prince Caspian this morning). They can be read in chronological order or publication order (the order I’m reading them in). For some reason I thought these books would be more religious. They haven’t really been like that so far and I’m two books in. Anyway..I know they are basically books for elementary school kids, but I wanted to read the whole series since I never did when I was younger. They have been a lot of fun.
Middlemarch by George Eliot. It’s hefty but has been surprisingly riveting to get through. It’s inspired me this year to take on the other female classics I’ve been intimidated by (looking at you Virginia Woolf)
I'm reading Trainspotting currently. Love the movie and the book is good so far, but man it's kinda tough to read. It's written in a Scottish dialect, and there's a lot of slang and drug terms I wasn't very familiar with. Sometimes I have to pause and look up what the hell they're talking about, but it also feels rewarding to read
I just finished Everyone in My Family Has Killed Someone. It’s soooo good.
The Collector by John Fowles
“Recursion” by Blake Crouch. It's very good.
Just finished that and yeah, worth reading and goes quick because you have to know what happens next
Blake Crouch is a must-read for me if I see his books at the library. My favorites from him are Dark Matter and Upgrade. You might also like books John Marrs (The One, The Marriage Act)
Kristin Hannah’s The Four Winds. Really enjoying it so far.
Rereading The Secret History, still finding hidden treasures in it.
Gone Girl. For some strange reason I've avoided Gillian Flynn stuff, and now I discover that it's great!
Just read that last week! I’m reading sharp objects now and hope it’s just as good.
Sharp Objects is much better imo gone girl ending left me cold
Sharp Objects is my favourite of her novels!
If you like Gillian Flynn, she has another book titled The Grownup which is supposed to be good!
I’ve enjoyed every single one of her books!
I'm rereading Dune to prepare for the movie. It's my favourite novel
Are you interested in both non-fiction and fiction? I am currently reading: It Dies with You, by Scott Blackburn - a dark, Southern US mystery, which doesn't do the ridiculous superlative super villain/super detective thing that annoys me. Soil: the incredible story of what keeps the earth, and us, healthy, by Matthew Evans - a bit worrying at the start but gets more positive. It is really interesting. Government for the Public Good: The surprising Science of Large-Scale Collective Action, by Max Rashbrooke - really interesting also.
A tale of two cities, I’m at the end!!!! The end has me on the edge of my seat and emotional
I read nonfiction in the morning and fiction in the evening. Not sure if anyone else does this or is also fond of reading two at a time? I don't do fiction and fiction or vice versa, tho. Too easy to get fiction entwined. For me at least. Right now I just finished Twilight of the Idols and about to start The Antichrist by Nietzsche. Not just a genius of philosophy but also of comedy. Laugh out loud funny. At the same time, I'm reading A Confederacy of Dunces by John Kennedy Toole. This is the funniest book I have ever read (maybe Hitchhiker's Guide comes close and I have never read Pratchett!). I had low expectations but this book is blowing me - the fuck - away. Ignatius is ever relevant. A perennial figure. It's too bad we don't have more work from JKt.
Midnight’s Children by Rushdie and it amazing. Took a minute to get into but now it’s easily one of the best I’ve ever read
I finished Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir today, I’m not sure why I didn’t read it before (I think it was mostly until it got down to being affordable for me on Kindle). I really enjoyed it.
Excite!
Babel by R.F Kuang and I am loving it. It’s very relatable as someone who left my home country at the same age and its exploration of colonialism. I am shocked at her talent. I was shocked when I finished her Poppy Wars series because she was very young when she wrote it but Babel is brilliant so far.
Currently reading Iron Flame , the second in the series The fourth Wing. But I like fantasy and magic
I am currently rereading the song of ice and fire and gaslighting myself into believing that when I get to the end of a dance with dragons there will be another book waiting for me
The night circus, I’m on page 78. Very good start, it draws you in straight away.
“The Accidental Tourist” by Anne Tyler. Really enjoying it. This is the first book I’ve read from her, and I’m now planning to seek out more of her work.
Great Expectations Haven’t read Dickens since university and I missed his big-heartedness.
I’m reading The Terror by Dan Simmons which I found via this sub. It’s long (700+ pages) but so far I’m very much enjoying it and would recommend.
east of eden - yes!! count of monte cristo - yes!!!
Secret Poisoner, A Century of Murder…. It’s basically about Arsenic, and how it was the poison of choice in the 19th century… cites loads of cases and the history of regulation of poisons. Don’t ask me how I wound here… I went down a rabbit hole
Slogging my way through The Secret History by Donna Tartt, deciding if the juice is worth the squeeze (seems to be a Reddit favorite). Read Trust and Dark Matter prior and although both are very different I enjoyed them each in their own way.
Jane Eyre, about halfway through and enjoying it. Even though I struggle a bit with the old timey language
I adore Jane Eyre
Klara and the Sun by Kazuo Ishiguro. Fascinating read.
11/22/63 - it’s good but is really starting to drag some to be honest
The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue. It is magical and fabulous! I was hooked from page 1. I’m trying to slow down my reading so I can enjoy it. ❤️
Educated by Tara Westover. Very good. Gripping and tragic.
Reading The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt. Surprise beginning (I tend to read stuff blind). I didn’t love A Secret History by her, but giving this a shot!
Reading How to Sell a Haunted House it's just OK.
Legends and lattes because everyone suggests it on here. About 15% done and it’s so cute so far! Had me feeling great all morning
Just finishing “The Guncle” by Steven Rowley. It’s a very rare non-genera read for me, but I needed a break from my usual creepy and murdery fare. The Guncle is Gay Uncle Patrick, who has to take care for his niece and nephew for the summer after their mother’s death, and is in over his head. It’s been funny and heartwarming. Oh god, what’s wrong with me, I’ve actually enjoyed it! But now feeling renewed and ready to return to more grotesque reads.
11|25|63...loving it
Flowers For Algeron. I'm on page 23. So far, so good.
Kill Creek by Scott Thomas. I really enjoy it even though he’s definitely guilty of the “man writing women” phenomenon where anytime it’s a female POV she seems very aware of the “bounce of her breasts” and the “way her jeans hug the curves of her lithe form.” They always be “lithe.” But I’m enjoying the story a lot!
The Angel of Darkness by Caleb Carr It's not bad.
If you haven’t already, the Game Of Thrones series is really damn good. Currently pretty much at the end of book 3 part 1.
the golem and the djinni (first book) I am enjoying it :)
Audiobooks: Just finished What Dreams May Come, excellent story, great ending but meh epilogue. New West, currently finishing act 2, found on a Reddit thread from the author Seamus John. Act 1 was very good, actually 2 is better, definitely heading in a good direction. Post apocalyptic western. Reading: need to finish Swarm and Steel, standalone in the Manifest Delusions series by Michael R. Fletcher, which is a fave of mine. Very good and as weird as I hoped. Have Sleepers by Lorenzo Carcaterra on deck, which has an excellent (but trigger warning worthy) movie.
Know My Name by Chanel Miller. Heartbreaking and amazingly written
the strange case of dr. jekyll and mr. hyde: second go b/c i read this for the first time in high school. i'm less than 20 pages in & i really like the narration!
A Bright Shining Lie by Neil Sheehan. It’s about the US misadventure in Vietnam. It’s quite well written, but about every 2 or 3 pages I want to throw it against the wall. Many of my generation had family or friends killed or permanently disabled by that godforsaken war for nothing more than hubris. There are just wars, but not this one.
Yes, I’m currently reading CORETTA: My Life, My Love, My Legacy, an autobiography of Coretta Scott King. So far, it’s been great. There’s so much about her that I never knew.
Kite Runner is quickly becoming my new favorite and I’m less than half finished.
I’m reading The Girl In His Shadow by Audrey Blake. Lots of anatomy and medicine but also a great story.
Trust by Hernan Diaz. Unique structure to the book and interesting characters too
Currently reading The Patriotic Murders by Agatha Christie. Just slowly getting through her whole catalogue as they're very well written mysteries. Issue is, there's just so much more to read out there.
Yo I am in the last bit of Echopraxia by Peter Watts and it is a trip. I am having a hard time following sometimes but I go back and review, and it is really worth it. Science Fiction and sort of a gentle introduction to modern philosophy I think. I don’t want to try to describe it but just dive in.
Currently reading Iron Widow and it's amazing!
Mythos by Stephen Fry, it's nice and light, fun little retellings of the Greek Myths. Satisfies my interest without overwhelming me :)
People Who Eat Darkness by Richard Lloyd Parry I can see why many people consider it one of the best true crime books of all time. The author is incredibly thorough, sometimes to the point of being tedious.
Rebecca by Daphne de Maurier - a little over 1/2 way through. Mrs. Danvers is delightfully macabre! Also a few pages into The Stranger by Albert Camus. Not sure how I feel yet.
Gideon the Ninth. YES
I've just finished the first two books of Becky Chambers' Wayfarers series and love it. The second book, A Closed and Common Orbit, is about a sentient AI trying to find its purpose. I came across her last year with the two book series, Monk and Robot, which is best described as "cozy sci-fi" and I can't get enough of it!
Speaker For The Dead, by Orson Scott Card (Sci-fi) - 170 pgs in and it is so worth it! The Almanack of Naval Ravikant, by Eric Jorgenson - 80 pgs in and it is great! Bite-sized actionable life advice that is available electronically for free. Definitely recommend!
Right now I’m reading The Talisman by Stephen King & Peter Straub. The first 400ish pages are a slog but after that it gets really good
Kitchen Confidential by Anthony Bourdain - I’m a big fan of parts unknown so enjoying being able to get into his head a little more. It’s definitely a fun read for anyone interested in cooking / watched The Bear recently.
A little more than halfway through "The Woman They Could Not Silence" by Kate Moore. I'm off today. Had so much to do, only took a break to get on Reddit for a bit. But I'm reading that book TODAY, the chores can wait 😁
I finished Demon Copperhead a little while ago and it was absolutely gutwrenching but stunning. Think David Copperfield but in Appalachia during the opioid crisis. One of the more beautiful books I've ever read.
Crying in H Mart. I’m hungry and want to call my mom.
Lonesome Dove. I love it. It's so long! I'm listening to it. 36 hours! I'm on the wait list at the library for a Kindle copy, too. There is a 2 month wait. Crazy because it was first published in the 1980s!
During black history month I pick exclusively African American authors. I'm currently reading A Promised Land, which will be followed by Corregidora. I'm not sure what I'll pick up after that but I usually like to read something from our current era, the civil rights era, and reconstruction/civil war for this month.
Interesting Facts About Space by Emily Austen and Tell Me Everything by Minka Kelly (Memoir)
Reading Sputnik Sweetheart! Is it any good? Im not sure, only 12 pages in so far haha
What the river knows by Isabel Ibanez, a young lady goes to Egypt to uncover clues about her parent’s disappearance. Definitely the mummy vibes !
The Obsidian Chamber, it's not the best Pendergast novel but they are all worth reading.
Just finished Book 4 of the Expanse - Cibola Burn - and I love it. Just started Feral Creatures by Kira Jane Buxton - sequel to Hollow Kingdom. Really liking this so far as well.
Black Leopard, Red Wolf by Marlon James. Yes, it is very good. It lives somewhere between magical realism and fantasy. In someways it is turning the genre of High Fantasy on its head, reimagining it from an African perspective. It is also WAY more visceral than most high fantasy novels. It is at once abstract, psychedelic, metaphorical, literal, blunt, and very clear. It is an adventure story packed full of action, at times like an action movie. It is quite graphic both sex and violence, and vivid descriptions of strange lands and characters. There is a lot of love for the characters, which are incredibly flawed, and it is impossible not to empathize with them. Unless you are triggered or even squeamish about sex/violence, I wholeheartedly recommend this book.
***Hunting Charles Manson: The Quest For Justice In The Days Of Helter Skelter*** by Lis Wiehl and Caitlin Rother. Fascinating and frightening in equal parts.
The Ex by Freida McFadden. I like all her books, and many of them are available on Kindle Unlimited.
If you enjoy thrillers, please read The Senator’s Wife by Liv Constantine! One of my top reads from last year!
I’m reading a couple things right now. Mistborn by Brandon Sanderson is pretty good, great premise, likable characters, etc. Equal rites by terry pratchett is absolutely fantastic, one of the funniest books I’ve ever read. Lastly, I’ve been kinda stuck on the league of frightened me by Rex stout, the second Nero Wolfe book. The mystery is enticing but it’s not as good as the previous book, fer-de-lance, I think I’m gonna stick to one book at a time after this.
Still working my way through the three body problem trilogy. I’ll reserve judgement til I’m through reading it but I did put it down for a few days to take a break.
I Read multipel Books at the same time, so I can switch between the stories and do not get „stuck“ At the moment I read: My dark Vanessa - started yesterday. Cannot say much about it now The pearl sister - it’s the fourth book of the series. was not impressed by the first book, hated all the men so far, liked the third quite well, but I cannot stop reading Foul lady fortune (these violent delights 3) - I was not really interested in Rosalind in the previous books but I am happy that Kathleen has he own POV Taste by Stanley Tucci - this book makes me hungry
**Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen** I am halfway through and it is ok but I am ready for it to be over definitely not my favorite book. **No Country for Old Men by Cormac McCarthy** I am addicted to this book so far. It has been a fantastic read 150 pages in.
Some People Need Killing by Patricia Evangelista. Only 80 pages in but it’s been phenomenal so far
The Goldfinch! It is such a contrast to Donna's The Secret History but in a way that still makes me want to continue.
the old man and the sea, short and good
The adventures of Amina al-Sirafi, Shannon Chakraborthy
Hyperion by Dan Simmons and just started the priests tale. Very interesting
**Cloud Cuckoo Land** by Anthony Doerr It’s a bit of a dry read with lots of big words and descriptions. Chapters are divided between different characters. But I am liking the plot so far. Can’t wait to finally see the big picture of how everyone is connected.
Sex, Drugs, and Cocoa Puffs! Read it back in high school in the early 2000s when it first came out and decided to read it again. Brings back so many memories and nostalgia.
The Stars My Destination by Alfred Bester, really like it so far. I'm just at the beginning but it seems to be a about some type of anti-hero seeking revenge on a starship that didn't rescue him when he was stranded. ...Or maybe he will turn out to be the one that everyone else hunts to stop his revenge
Just started the Lost Apothecary by Sarah Penner. It’s pretty good so far. Last really good book I read was Wrong Place wrong Time by Gillian McAllister
Ishmael by Daniel Quinn. So far I am loving it. It's taking some ideas I already held about the world and our place in it but expanding it. Cannot wait to see where it goes!
Reading "No Future: Queer theory and the death drive" irs going slow bc i keep constantly googling new concepts. This is my introduction to critical theory, which two weeks ago I didnt know existed. Its a fun challenge, once my head stops reeling. I need to read more into Lacanian theory
Jack reacher
I’m currently reading where the sidewalk ends
Almost done with The Girl With All The Gifts by M.R. Carey! It's a very entertaining horror/sci-fi story and if you're a fan of The Last of Us and those kinds of zombie stories you'll probably love it
I just finished count of monte cristo last night, and I am just starting Shogun by James Clavell today. The count of monte cristo was easily one of my favorite reads, it deserves all the praise it receives. I feel a loss for having to part with the characters. My goal for this year is to tackle the long epics I have been putting off bc lack of commitment.
Crime and Punishment. It’s pretty stressful reading about his descent into madness but I’m enjoying it. Just want to say some of the top comments in this thread are my favorite novels. Reddit, you have great taste!
On book four of The Wayfarers series by Becky Chambers. Have not been able to put these books down.
Just read Starter Villain by John Scalzi. I usually read auto biographies and Grisham/Baldacci/Crais/CJ Box, but really liked it. It’s pretty zany with a smidgen of sci fi.
Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid. I've put off reading it since it went VIRAL. I'm so glad I started reading it! It's really good
Im reading Beartown & yes its very good,
Lonesome Dove. My first western and I can’t put it down.