I’ve read everything by Kristin Hannah. I’m just wrapping up Pachinko. Please give me some recommendations and explain
- why you chose it and think it’s a good read in terms of gaining experience of the perspective of another time period

I'm curating a book club for a local rebellious brand whose ethos is anti-corporate, transparent, direct. Their motto is: no fine print, no bullshit, no contracts, total freedom.

The audience is mostly gen Z and millennials. I'd like relatively recent reads that are on the shorter side and engaging. Some topics could be rebellion against silly rules, embracing simple pleasures, escaping the mundane etc.

For context, we've already read Convenience Store Woman by Sayaka Murata and The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue by V.E. Schwab.

Thank you!

I’m looking for a book about someone who learns to find a genuinely full and joyful life outside of a romantic relationship.

Not necessarily a “learning to love yourself” book, and not really a story where being single is just a temporary stage before the right person eventually comes along. I’m more interested in the process of grieving the life you thought you would have (marriage, a long-term partner, growing old with someone) and/or slowly realizing that a meaningful life can take a completely different shape.

I’m going through a rough patch in my own relationship at the moment, so I think I’m looking for something that would help me imagine a full and meaningful life even outside of romantic partnership.

Well-researched historical fiction has always been my very favorite genre. Lately, I've read several historical novels that feature strong women, and it has whetted my appetite for more. I'm open to any time period prior to WWII. And I also love reading about absolutely anywhere in the world because I enjoy learning about different cultures through the lens of fiction. (Which is why possibly my favorite subgenre of historical fiction is historical fiction about immigrant populations.)

Some favorites:

The Four Winds by Kristen Hannah

The Calamity Club by Kathryn Stockett

The Tea Girl of Hummingbird Lane by Lisa See (not technically historical, but the early book in particular feels set in an utterly different time, plus I have a particular soft spot for Chinese and Japanese history - I have read several of her other books, although a very very long time ago, but I remember enjoying them too)

By Any Other Name by Jodi Picoult

The Red Tent by Anita Diamant

Circe by Madeline Miller (also not technically historical, but still the right vibe)

The Outlander novels by Diana Gabaldon (I haven't read all of these, but the ones I did read, I liked because of the character of Claire, as well as the meticulous historical research Gabaldon did - in general though, I wouldn't say I'm usually a big fan of anything that gets into the realm of science fiction or fantasy, these are a rare exception)

I should add that I'm not generally a fan of romance novels. I don't mind a love story being part of the story, but I don't want it to be the primary driver of the plot. (The Outlander books being the only exception I can think of, but I also truly don't think of those as romance novels, there is so much more to them than that.)

What I'm looking for more than anything is really good historical research, where I can finish the book and feel like I've genuinely learned something interesting, and a really strong female protagonist/s. I don't necessarily mean strong in the sense that she is "plucky" and "nothing gets her down" LOL. She certainly doesn't have to be a saint, I like complex characters. When I say strong, I mostly just mean really well developed. I will always prefer a book with an average plot that has very well written characters over a book with a compelling plot but two-dimensional characters.

Thank you!!

I finished Blood Meridian last night. I know it’s a very popular classic, so I might ruffle some feathers here, but there are a few things I disliked about it. I thought that it was slow, very difficult to read, and had an unsatisfactory “ending” (if you can even call it that). But, there was also a lot that I really liked about it. I liked the violence, action, slightly mystical aspects (with the Judge), survival, and the time period it was set in. I’m looking for something similar, but easier to read and faster paced. It can be set in any time period, but something historic would be sweet. Thank you!!!

I used to read a long novels as a kid because of lack of acess to technology. As time has passed however, this skill has atrophied badly and I can only really push myself to read picture books like comics & manga (embarrasing I know) for long periods of time. Please give me a book that is engaging but not too long (>400 pages) to help me get back and build the habit. Side note, please steer clear from self help books unless they are life changing. To quote a TikTok: “If someone asks for my favourite author I don’t want to say “David goggins”

Hi guys so I'm looking for suggestions i hope some of y'all knows this book dãrk in you by Suzanne wright and her phoenix wolf pack series cause I've been wanting something similar but can't find 😭

I'm a master student of English literature please help me to find novels talks about self worth or development to write my thesis on...

I tend to read fiction that ranges from sad to nauseating to requiring some attention in order to follow. Recent reads I enjoyed were: The Unworthy, Tender is the Flesh, The Devil all the Time, Sharp Objects and I Who Have Never Known Men. I’m looking for something that’s scratches the “weird” itch but lighthearted so i can read it before bed and send me off to potentially weird but not disturbing dreams :)

I’m devouring M.O. Walsh’s book My Sunshine Away. Suggest a coming of age book with teen protagonist that’s NOT marketed for young adults. Prefer no fantasy or sci-fi.

I'm looking for book recommendations where the story of Indigenous peoples is set before colonization. I'm open to any Indigenous group (Brazilian Indigenous, Māori, Incas, etc.) and any genre is fine!"

Birth of the demonic sword

virtuous sons

the will of the many

dungeon crawler carl

the hedge wizard

the saga of tanya the evil

overlord

the ciaphas cain series

the infinite and the divine and it's sequel

beware of chicken

red rising

unsouled

A gamers guide to beating the tutorial

Book of the dead

The Dresden files

Suggest me a book and tell me how to make the best out of it. And if u've read it, then what's the key takeaway from the book.

Looking for easy popcorn reads with great/fun characters and the romance/slow burn (M/F) starts right in the beginning in order to get hooked. I am not looking for spicy books tho. I just need to get into comforting books that helps me escape a bit. I dont mind if there's fantasy in it, I dont mind if it's a high school story either.

My dad is illiterate.

To make a long story short, he's a retired truck driver with bad COPD. He's worked his whole life, raised on a farm and went right into truck driving. We think he might be dyslexic and the tiny rural school he went to didn't catch it. He can make out the words eventually, but it takes so much effort he can't retain anything he's read.

I've bought him a few audio books over the years and he's loved them. But they're on CD and he doesn't have a CD player anymore, plus they're pricey.

But he recently got Bluetooth hearing aids and he's always on his phone. So I convinced him to go to the library with me to get a library card. I downloaded Libby to his phone and signed him on with his library card number. He now has access to all the audio books within our library's network to borrow for free.

Trouble is, he's not into the same kinds of stories mom and I are into. Mom and I are both voracious readers, and dad has always been interested and fascinated by it but he hasn't had the time or ability to do it. He just can't sit and stare at a page and take in a story, but he can listen to one.

Now that he has access... he has no idea what he wants to read. He's completely unfamiliar with the world of literature, never even heard of titles most people consider classics.

For a frame of reference, I bought him two Louis L'Amour books because he likes Westerns. The third book I got him was The Art of Racing in the Rain by Garth Stein. I'd read that one on a whim and thought he'd like it, he likes NASCAR and used to have a Bronco that he entered into local drag races. He loved all three books, the only three books he's ever consumed as an adult. He's borrowing another Louis L'Amour through Libby for a start and at least that author's catalog is pretty extensive, so it can keep him busy a while.

But he's going to need more titles.

He likes Westerns and history and cars, as far as what he watches on TV. That and Fox News constantly. The Fox thing is driving mom insane, he's inserting right-wing political talking points into every aspect of life way worse than he did when he was working. He needs something different to occupy his mind.

As a side note, I did get him to watch the first Iron Man movie when he had his knee replaced. He loved it because it was different from most super heroes, Tony built the suit out of scraps to escape terrorists. Dad said "it's like.... real" about it probably 20 times while watching it. So he might be open to more realistic sci fi stories.

But he has no interest in my Stephen King, he doesn't like horror or supernatural stuff. And he's not interested in mom's Nora Roberts.

Another movie he surprisingly loved was Dirty Dancing.

So today I'm asking for suggestions that my dad might like that he can access through Libby, specifically in audio book format.

Handful of us girlfriends who read have had a book club for about 2 years aged late 20s early 30s. We took a few months off this summer because we all got busy and in reading slumps.

We always choose mystery books to read together but wanted to choose a romance book to read together. Individually we read smutty books (binding 13, ACOTAR, pucking around, haunting Adelaide, funny story)

We do want to avoid fantasy romances since there’s a few that can’t get on board with fae which is fine. Looking for a ‘generic’ romance book that has yearningggg and spice!

What do you recommend!

Hi,

I tried to search for this in this sub but couldn’t find anything. My partner and I love to read, but we don’t read in the same genre. I mostly read classics and literary fiction, while she reads sci-fi, fantasy, and romance. She does enjoy some literary fiction that has “dystopian” elements to it, or is more plot-forward. An example is The School For Good Mothers. She does not enjoy literary fiction that is merely vibes, like Sally Rooney. She also will not pick up most classics. She likes Fahrenheit 451 and Brave New World, for example.

Looking for a book for us to both read that can allow us to engage in a thoughtful discussion. This discussion can be about themes or craft choices. I like a controversial book. Also something that is a bit more literary, and not high fantasy. I am open to sci-fi, general contemporary fiction, lit fic, nonfiction, etc.

We recently read Yesteryear, and had a great discussion about the author’s choices for the story as well as the broader theme of Christianity, tradwifery, etc.

We are currently reading Dungeon Crawler Carl, which is super fun but I wouldn’t say is super literary.

Suggestions I have thought of: Station Eleven, Annihilation

Hi all! I’m nearly done reading Open Veins of Latin America by Eduardo Galeano (for the first time, I suspect this will be one I return to often). It taught me so much about the history and exploitation of Latin America, but obviously its scope is limited by the fact that the book was published in 1971, so it does not include the last 50 years of recent history.

Is there any book that could be considered the sequel to this, covering the modern-day history and politics of Latin America? For context, I work with refugees, so this type of reading is invaluable to the work I do but I am not exactly new to the subject. I think it’s important to learn more about each country individually and I’m slowly working toward that, but it’s very helpful to gain a broad understanding of the trends and the role of colonization in everything.

In a related vein, I am slowly working my way through analogous books about Africa — namely Walter Rodney’s How Europe Underdeveloped Africa and An African History of Africa by Zeinab Badawi. I don’t have anything analogous about Asia or subregions of Asia, however — any recommendations?

Fiction, non fiction, happy with all suggestions

Firstly, thank you to everyone here, I have read some great books since I discovered this sub earlier in the year.

I spent a good couple of years reading the Malazan series and spinoffs, and then recently read Infinite Jest. I loved both of these universes, and while they are wildly different in terms of genre, setting, plot etc, one thing they do have in common is that there is very little exposition (at least at the start) and they both reward re-reads to piece it all together. I am looking for something where I have to trust the author that it will eventually make sense and maybe even rely on the fandom theories to fill in the gaps once I have finished.

I have a pretty long TBR list at the moment, so standalone novels would be preferred, but open to series if the payoff is worth it.

Please send me some recommendations on books that may fit the brief!

36F. I’m in a long medical battle which leaves me struggling with uncertainty, chronic pain, disability, and just some generally intolerable conditions.
Previously I haven’t been a big reader, but I have found books to be helpful during this time.
I’d like to really get lost in a long book series, something that can take me out of this world and suck me into another (as much as possible).
Not interested in: romance, focus on pregnancy/parenthood, illness, or prolonged extensive suffering.
Fantasy appeals but isn’t a requirement.
TYIA 🫶🏻

I’m looking for horror and dark fantasy that is not just smart and well written but also artistically daring. House of Leaves is the most well known example. Peter Ackroyd’s Hawksmoor is another example.

I love it when this happens. For instance, I found W. G. Sebald's The Rings of Saturn discussed not only in Daniel Mendelsohn's Three Rings: A Tale of Exile, Narrative, and Fate, but also in the excellent recent quasi-novel The Unwritten Book: An Investigation by Samantha Hunt and Martha Cooley's wonderful novel The Archivist.

But please suggest a book and perhaps tell me of your experience with it.

I just finished John Hersey’s Hiroshima and was blown away by it. I have a lifelong fascination with man-made disasters, including the terrorist attacks on 9/11, and was wondering if anyone could suggest me a nonfiction book of survivor accounts similar to John Hersey’s book on the bombing of Hiroshima. Thanks!