Weekly Recommendation Thread: November 25, 2022

Submitted by AutoModerator t3_z4ams5 in books

Welcome to our weekly recommendation thread! A few years ago now the mod team decided to condense the many "suggest some books" threads into one big mega-thread, in order to consolidate the subreddit and diversify the front page a little. Since then, we have removed suggestion threads and directed their posters to this thread instead. This tradition continues, so let's jump right in!

The Rules

  • Every comment in reply to this self-post must be a request for suggestions.

  • All suggestions made in this thread must be direct replies to other people's requests. Do not post suggestions in reply to this self-post.

  • All unrelated comments will be deleted in the interest of cleanliness.

How to get the best recommendations

The most successful recommendation requests include a description of the kind of book being sought. This might be a particular kind of protagonist, setting, plot, atmosphere, theme, or subject matter. You may be looking for something similar to another book (or film, TV show, game, etc), and examples are great! Just be sure to explain what you liked about them too. Other helpful things to think about are genre, length and reading level.

All Weekly Recommendation Threads are linked below the header throughout the week to guarantee that this thread remains active day-to-day. For those bursting with books that you are hungry to suggest, we've set the suggested sort to new; you may need to set this manually if your app or settings ignores suggested sort.

If this thread has not slaked your desire for tasty book suggestions, we propose that you head on over to the aptly named subreddit /r/suggestmeabook.

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Comments

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MorriganJade t1_ixpz7f3 wrote

Books about elves? The kind who are tall, with long hair and pointy ears, have some magic, are long lived and wise etc. I love Lord of the rings by Tolkien, The last Elf series by De Mari and Eragon

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rohtbert55 t1_ixr1gq0 wrote

Have you tried the other books from Tolkien's legendarium?

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MorriganJade t1_ixsauzm wrote

no, not yet! in the same universe?

1

rohtbert55 t1_ixscnts wrote

Yep. Same universe: The Hobbit; The Silmarillion; Sons of Hurin; Beren and Luthien; Fall of Gondolin; Unfinished Tails....

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MorriganJade t1_ixsd027 wrote

I've been wanting to read those! I wasn't sure about sons of Hurin and unfinished tales but should I read them? :)

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rohtbert55 t1_ixse7j3 wrote

I mean, it's up to you. I love them. SOme find The SIlmarillion a tad...dense, but I enjoy them. The stories and universe.

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MorriganJade t1_ixsgev6 wrote

I'm definitely reading the Simarillion! thanks :)

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rohtbert55 t1_ixv5xhj wrote

Oh my God....you hardcore. Please let me know if you liked it.

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MorriganJade t1_ixv6925 wrote

Yes, I've been wanting to read it forever! I read the hobbit and LOTR when I was 10 so I really have been wanting to reread them but I feel like it has to be a good time with stability in my life but honestly I should just do it XD

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Raineythereader t1_ixx6s4o wrote

"The Children of Hurin" and "The Fall of Gondolin" are expanded versions of shorter stories within the Silmarillion. I would definitely recommend "Hurin," but "Gondolin" is a little disjointed because Tolkien wrote several versions of different length and style, and Christopher wasn't able to make them into a unified whole before he died.

Also, if you find the Silmarillion to be a slog (the early chapters definitely are), there's a read-along series on the Tor website that clarifies a lot of things. (Tons of spoilers in those articles, obviously.)

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MorriganJade t1_ixycc4p wrote

Thank you, that's good to know! I will read Hurin too then :D Tor is so cool as a publishing house

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tattoo-insp t1_ixrdniy wrote

Short-ish books that are fun and easy to read for a beginner reader

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hgaterms t1_ixsp0is wrote

The Upside Down Magic Academy books are great for a beginning reader.

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Mancalledm t1_ixxqn8s wrote

Are there any stories in genres that usually treat women like crap that, well...don't?

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satanspanties t1_iy2wxuv wrote

You're usually going to be looking for more recent works and women authors for that kind of thing. Are there any particular genres you had in mind?

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Mancalledm t1_iy3nzmc wrote

With all due respect, folks like E.L. James have proven that isn’t true.

Also, for specific genres, I’m thinking stuff like detective noir (Or just detective, if you prefer) and fantasy.

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lilythefrogphd t1_ixqttma wrote

Looking for more middle grade books featuring black female protagonists. Could be any genre, although my students tend to lean towards realistic fiction

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stevenmctowely t1_ixtba7h wrote

The Poet X - Elizabeth Acevedo

The story is mostly composed of poems written by a highschool student

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Arthurs_librarycard9 t1_ixxzr4b wrote

A Soft Place to Land by Janae Marks

Blended by Sharon M Draper

So Done by Paula Chase

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Kosyo_PTC t1_ixq1qfq wrote

'tis now the season, so what's the book about Christmas that you enjoyed the most?

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rohtbert55 t1_ixr1ewp wrote

Bariona, or, The Son of Thunder by Jean Paul Sartre

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candybug t1_ixswn9m wrote

A Redbird Christmas by Fannie Flagg. I might start reading this every Christmas (or listen to the audiobook)

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[deleted] t1_ixr1doh wrote

[deleted]

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NJ_Lyons t1_ixso1wq wrote

Are you looking for that type of mystery thriller or anything historical?

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[deleted] t1_ixt7sgb wrote

[deleted]

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NJ_Lyons t1_ixtdcfg wrote

I enjoyed Pillars of the Earth. It's set in a fictional town but it's more or less historically accurate.

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Pop3Productions t1_ixtwg3c wrote

The Name of the Rose by Umberto Ecco is a wonderful detective novel taking place in a monastery that is also densely packed with anecdotes from medieval history. I'd also recommend Ecco's novel Foucault's Pendulum, which is full of history, but also contains some conspiracy for entertainment purposes. Either way, you can't go wrong.

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theCHADnextdoor t1_ixumklu wrote

ANyone can recommend fiction or true stories that are great for medical students?

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Averyxlove t1_ixvfk57 wrote

Have you read ‘This is going to hurt- secret diaries of a junior doctor ’ or ‘ ‘Twas the nightshift before Christmas’ by Adam Kay ?

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reverseswang t1_ixuuflw wrote

Enjoyed Black Leopard, Red Wolf, never quite read anything like it. Anything similar?

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remibause t1_iy1a63m wrote

Just mentioning it's follow up Moon Witch, Spider King to be sure.

In term of queer african stories involving fantasy, The Sorceror of the Wildeeps by Kay Ashante Wilson features, though the fantastical elements are more downplayed. There is also a second installment, The Taste of Honey.

In terms of creatures different what we normally see in fantasical fiction, Rebecca Roanhorse spins tales based on Navajo mythology ina popst apocalyptic setting in Trail of Lightning and follow up Storm of Locusts.

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illseeyouinthefog t1_ixxaod8 wrote

Looking for a book about the Waco cult and whatnot

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Crench91 t1_ixy23p2 wrote

I just finished Lonesome Dove and would like to dive into another quality western. (I have read most of Cormac McCarthys work already)

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rohtbert55 t1_iy1ay2y wrote

Anything by Louis L'amour or The Virginian.

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StrandedOctopus t1_iy1xgqn wrote

Requesting recommendation for impulse control/binge eating/sugar.

I quit cigarettes and alcohol about a month ago. I've noticed I struggle with impulse control and I'm a binge eater and I'm addicted to sugar. I've gained 100 lbs in the last few years from formerly fitness modeling and very active. The worst part is I have lived a very healthy lifestyle before and I know what it takes, but for some reason, I can't flip that switch in my brain back.

I've gone through therapy and all that. I think this is my final frontier for making the changes to the life I want.

I don't mind anything with a bit of neuroscience or psychology involved because they are interesting, I just don't want it to be the whole focus of the book because it can get dull and tiring reading fact after fact. I'd like something that speaks real and addresses the issues and how to cope.

If anyone has any book recommendations for impulse and sugar control, I'd love to hear about it. Personal anecdotes welcome and appreciated.

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Different_Row8037 t1_iy27n6q wrote

What books would be a good gift for a high school male in the US? Anything trendy, hip or something all the kids are reading? I know that's broad, but I don't know much about the recipient.

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yotsubaswatergun t1_iyb9ubu wrote

Maybe the silent patient or the shining, the silent patient is kinda popular right now and the shining is a classic by king.

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Bierdigan_ t1_iy6agda wrote

I'm hoping to get recommendations of books to gift my Grandpa for Christmas. He watches cop dramas religiously (like Law&Order, Blue Bloods, and Chicago P.D.), loves the old West (he still watches Gunsmoke and The Rifleman occasionally), and typically reads mysteries from what I can tell (like the Gone Girl series, a lot of Dean Koontz, and Sherlock Holmes), and he usually reads the new books by his favorite authors as they come into stock at his library, so ideally I'd love recommendations that are older classics as well as from newer, lesser known authors, to increase the chance that he hasn't already read what I get him.

I've perused lists of the 'best' mystery novels and recognize some names, but I haven't had the time to pour through descriptions and reviews to find something that I know he'd enjoy, so I'm hoping to rely on the kindness and knowledge of this community. Thank you all so much for any recommendations you can offer!

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Arthurs_librarycard9 t1_iy6yjxe wrote

Do you think he would like the Joe Pickett series by C.J. Box, or the Dublin Murder Squad series by Tana French?

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Bierdigan_ t1_iy711om wrote

I think he would love both of those, thank you so much! The idea of the everyman hero stepping into trouble sounds right up his alley. The more recommendations I get the more I feel I should've shared about my grandpa haha. He grew up very simply in a small town in Utah, shootin' and idolizing guys like John Wayne, and he's always had a great sense of humor, so simple folk doing great and unlikely things is a theme I think he'd gravitate toward. There's also an incredible intellect about him, our whole family thinks he should be on Jeopardy cause he's always watched it daily and usually gets all the answers right.

That being said, the Dublin Murder Squad sounds right up his alley as well. When Grandma's not around he watches English detective shows, and that's not too far off from what this series seems to be. Thank you, I'm definitely adding those (probably just the first ones in the series unless there's some other standouts?) to his pile!

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Arthurs_librarycard9 t1_iy8frfj wrote

I think the first in the series is a great place to start!

And thank you for sharing about your Grandpa! My Nana (grandma) loves to read, and I love picking out books for her for Christmas as well. It is such a little thing that I cherish, and I hope you and your Grandpa have a lovely Christmas. I am sure he will enjoy whatever book you pick for him!

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rohtbert55 t1_iy6tw5m wrote

  • The Shadow of the Wind
  • A Matter of Honour
  • The Name of the Rose
  • The Prague Cementery
  • Falcó
  • Rogue Male
  • The Caves of Steel

I'll try thinking of more.

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Bierdigan_ t1_iy6vn6o wrote

I really appreciate that! It helps a lot to have a more narrow list to search up. 'The Name of the Rose' especially sounds right up his alley. His family was from Italy, and I know he likes his mysteries with a side of thriller. Thank you!

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silkymoonshine t1_iyabitd wrote

The Bernie Gunther books by Phillip Kerr! I especially liked Prague Fatale, but maybe because it was the first one I read...

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Raineythereader t1_iybfhka wrote

For Western mysteries, I like Tony Hillerman and Craig Johnson better than C.J. Box. (There's also the Arapaho mysteries by Margaret Coel, but I've only read the first book and I thought it was middle-of-the-pack.)

Johnson's first book, "The Cold Dish," is really good, although it goes to some dark places. For Hillerman, I'd recommend starting with "Dance Hall of the Dead."

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weirdabiii t1_iy6p9k8 wrote

Hi! I badly need some book recommendations for political science or history books. Anything related to politics or history. Preferably Filipino books but I also don't mind English books. I would appreciate it a lot! Thank you :))

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Mysterious-Ad2747 t1_iy8ehsd wrote

The other day I picked up Genealogy of Morals by Nietzsche, as well as Critique of Pure Reason by Kant, put out for free on the sidewalk.

Having not read much philosophy, any suggestions on which to read first?

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rohtbert55 t1_iy8zi08 wrote

Neither? I don't like Nietzsche and Kant is a tad dense for your first philosophy read. If you're interested in philosophy Maybe try The Story of Philosophy by Will Durant first.

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1purplesky t1_ixq2r1n wrote

Looking for a good thriller. I recently read The Chestnut man, though enjoyable about half way through I figured out the story. Thank you.

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evenclouder t1_ixqlu5o wrote

the silent patient is the best thriller ever in my opinion. stunning book.

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1purplesky t1_ixrl4pz wrote

Thank you, it's been on my TBR for a while, going to the top now. Cheers.

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constantrhapsody t1_ixq4utl wrote

technically a short story collection but The Dangers of Smoking in Bed by Mariana Enriquez has some pretty enthralling spooky stories. Also We Have Always Lived in The Castle by Shirley Jackson

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candybug t1_ixsw3zn wrote

The Last Mrs Parrish by Liv Constantine

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silkymoonshine t1_ixuajcj wrote

Rock Paper Scissors by Alice Feeney.

The Dinner Guest by B. P. Walter.

Until the Day I Die by Emily Carpenter.

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Chickenmilk_ t1_ixqjmxh wrote

Looking for a fast paced thriller/horror like Intensity - Dean Koontz.

And

I read An orchestra of minorities - Chicozie Obioma last year and loved it, so happy to take suggestion from others who liked it. Does not have to be same genre, just taste wise.

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rohtbert55 t1_ixr17lp wrote

Maybe try The Strain by Guillermo del Toro or A Matter of Honour by Jeffrey Archer.

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whatsthe-tea t1_ixr22p0 wrote

Motivational, growth related books suggestions pls

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Papanicco1 t1_ixs2jij wrote

The subtle art of not giving a f*ck by Mark Manson. I would also suggest Out of Your Mind by Alan Watts. Both are great for finding new ways to look at life.

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[deleted] t1_ixrznnk wrote

SAD novels

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rrrriddikulus t1_ixsn4qx wrote

I recently read and enjoyed All the Bright Places

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NefariousnessMain301 t1_ixuw247 wrote

I’m re reading this book after reading it a long time ago.. it never left my brain it was so good and made my teenage heart at the time ACHE

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prepperella t1_ixs6kkh wrote

Looking for the most gut wrenching books about breakups that make you ugly cry. Preferably queer, best case lesbian. Something similar to “Laura Dean Keeps breaking up with me” (but as a book and about/for adults)

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g00dmojo t1_ixsoeke wrote

Looking for a book with found family! Preferably with well-fleshed out characters set in their 20s. I love contemporary novels but I can get behind fantasy too. Example books could be Jellicoe Road, If We Were Villains, Six of Crows, etc.

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aspiretomalevolence t1_ixwtsto wrote

I'm currently reading The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches by Sangu Mandanna, where the FMC and the MMC are in their 20s/early 30s, but there are also children and older adults in the found family.

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g00dmojo t1_ixwwqto wrote

That sounds awesome, thank you for the rec!

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NikkiPotnick69 t1_ixssahd wrote

Book with a story on perseverance in the face of inevitable defeat?

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Petri-Dish t1_ixt62ok wrote

Unbroken is incredible. My other suggestion would be endurance. It's about a ship that gets trapped in Antarctica in the early 1900s with no hope to get rescued from their current situation.

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Perfect_Drawing5776 t1_ixuar1b wrote

Skeletons on the Zahara by Dean King. Unbroken and Endurance are fantastic recs too. There are several versions of Endurance. I read Caroline Alexander’s. Alfred Landing’s also gets good reviews. You could go straight to the horse’s mouth and read South by Ernest Shackleton, he’s not a bad writer. Just be sure to get an edition of whichever you pick with Frank Hurley’s photographs.

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pulphope t1_ixx3p7s wrote

The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao

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MKayulttra t1_ixt7wmm wrote

Hey, can anyone recommend romances with a Russian or French hero and an American {not needed but preferred} heroine? I'm reading Isn't it Bromanic, which has a Russian MMC and FMC. I also just watched the Greencard {1990} again, so I really want to find something similar.

If not, can anyone recommend any clean/sweet contemporaries? I really love enemies to lovers and fake dating/marriage.

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themostamazinggrace t1_ixtkz3o wrote

I cannot get Lolita out of my mind. I want to read anything that comes close to the kind of prose Nabokov writes

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homecountygent t1_ixw1o5d wrote

You may enjoy Joyce's A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man. Corny suggestion, but amazing nonetheless. Also a fan of Woolf, myself. Worth a try, perhaps?

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themostamazinggrace t1_ixxxojb wrote

I started reading Orlando a few years ago but never got back around to it. I'll have to pick it back up. Thanks for the suggestions!

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pulphope t1_ixx3l5n wrote

Martin Amis is heavily influenced by nabokov so could try him

Also Thomas Pynchon - my favourite writer - is a superb prose stylist

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themostamazinggrace t1_ixxxwq3 wrote

Do you have any specific books by either you'd recommend? They don't necessarily have to be Nabokov-esque. Thanks for the suggestions!

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pulphope t1_ixydeq4 wrote

Mm, for Amis id say Success is one I enjoyed, its kinda lightweight but reminded me of nabokovs earlier works, though Money is good and more substantial; Money and the books he did onwards are critically highly regarded though i havent read the others yet

For Pynchon it really depends on you as a reader.

Colleges tend to include The Crying of Lot 49 on syllabi as an introductory book, because its quite short; however, though short its actually really tight and heavy on linguistic and thematic complexity - it also brilliantly demonstrates the way he is able to collapse high level systems thinking with pop culture (as in his larger texts)

His first novel V is four times longer but perhaps demonstrates his genius in a more accessible way, he flips between mid 50s hipsters in NYC and chapters set across diff periods and from the perspectives of diff narrators (showing off a range of prose styles) of the previous century that demonstrate a kind of slide into decadence and inhumanity

Gravity's Rainbow is his masterpiece and is very long but a magnificent ride through the later stages of WW2, featuring streams of consciousness writing, hilarious sequences that echo classical hollywood and comic books, some heart ache and a lot of countercultural critique of the state of things in the early 70s through this work, it also presented Operation Paperclip as a major plot point, 40 years or so before the mainstream caught up

Mason & Dixon is similarly long and written entirely in old English and provides a more warmer emotional touch to Pynchons comedic and complex critique of hierarchical systems of power

Against the Day is 1000+ pages and is a multiverse novel (though not explicitly presented as such) that covers dozens of characters who become entangled in the lead up to WW1, it covers things like American anarchism in the face of capitalism and modernity, maths as mysticism, how Tesla and other inventors are destroyed by the greed of others, the birth of cinema, and a ton of other things

Inherent Vice is dismissed by some as lightweight but personally i really enjoy this stoner noir and think it features some of his best prose, it fits between Lot 49 and Vineland chronologically and features some of the same characters to make a california trilogy

Vineland is loved by some, dismissed by others, language wise its not so great but thematically its brilliant - how did the US go from hippies to 80s greed in the space of a decade?

Bleeding Edge is his most recent, possibly last novel, ive only read it once and didnt like it much, but will revisit eventually to reconsider.... set in the run up to 911 and burst of the dotcom bubble

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Bitter-Combination69 t1_ixtr4wn wrote

I’m looking to read something Christmassy and not Hallmark-love story or cozy murder mystery, but also don’t want to bawl the entire time. Something newer would be nice, too. I’ve read A Christmas Carol one too many times :) TIA!

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kissaminor420 t1_ixtsjuf wrote

books fitness related please.

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Puzzleheaded_Leg6450 t1_ixwpgkh wrote

I’m a climber now so my training is different but I loved Bruce Lee’s the art of expressing the human body and he had incredible lb for lb strength in many different lifts

1

DrJamesSHabibib t1_ixvin2e wrote

Just finished Lidia Yuknavitch's Verge. It was an interesting read but not my favorite overall. What I am looking for are short story collections (preferably contemporary, though could be older too) of either literary fiction, speculative fictions, or even something in-between. I typically read novels so this has been an enjoyable new form for me

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satanspanties t1_iy2xi4h wrote

My favourite short story collections are Looking for Jake by China Miéville, Labyrinths by Jorge Luis Borges, The Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner by Alan Sillitoe and if you don't mind going quite a bit older, The Stolen Bacillus by H G Wells.

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AdAcademic624 t1_ixvmk7r wrote

looking for a fiction book (novel or short stories) about just real adult life- the bad, the good, the sad, the beauty of boring and mediocre. would love for it to have some Russian or German / queer accentuation (but no essential need for that!).

I just read „reminders of him“ by hoover because I got hooked by the idea of „a mother is forced to never get to know her kid for 5 years due to a fuckup that gets her to prison“ - but it was more about a superficial „sexappeal“ of the kids current guardian than about the relationships involved. so smth like along that lining (without the superficial) would be great!^^

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XBreaksYFocusGroup t1_ixwhyy9 wrote

Maybe Stoner by John Williams or The Glass Bead Game by Herman Hess ( which is lightly fantastical).

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TemporaryChipmunk806 t1_ixw0hjm wrote

Hey all! I'm looking to expand my reading accessibility in the coming year and I have heard good things about getting an E-Reader. The catch is that I am desperately avoiding giving Bezos any of my money, so I am looking for solid recommendations for e-readers that are NOT Kindle brand of any kind. I've done some reading online and Google searching, but all the things I am seeing reek of ads and monetary bias. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks in advance!

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MugWatch t1_ixx0c4f wrote

I have a Kobo Clara and love it! It has really good battery life, and you can just drag/drop epub files straight from your computer, it's compatible with Overdrive, and it has it's own bookstore (I'm not familiar with it though). For me the biggest benefit is the setting to invert the colour of the screen, it makes reading in the dark just before falling asleep a lot nicer.

They just came out with a second generation of that model as well, just the usual incremental upgrade you expect with tech products these days.

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Zikoris t1_ixx6pe6 wrote

I've been a Kobo user for many years, reading on the Clara model now for about the last 18 months and loving it. It stands up very well to extremely heavy usage (400 books a year). I have Kobo Plus as well for now and have been finding a lot of good reads on there.

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Elcabezadehomunculo t1_ixwicj2 wrote

any romance books that are not cringe?, ( not a native speaker so please excuse my english), for example when i started reading fantasy i started reading awful sagas like "shadow and bone" from leigh bardugo , then i progresed to read better authors like n.k jemisin or brandon sanderson. i want to start reading romance books but i dont wanna waste my time reading the awful romance books like i did with fantasy when i started reading, basically im searching for the n.k jemisin or brandon sanderson of romance, also , about the little reading i have done in the genre, i feel like most of these books where writen by lonely people that fantasize about relashionships because they can't have a healthy relashionship, and the pourpose of this books is to apeal to other people in the same circumstances, to the point where i find it cringe. so i would like to find an author that portrais relashionships in a realistic way ,not necesarily in a healthy way , beacause i often enjoy when i see a toxic relashion ships if the author is aware that it is toxic (not like , "after" for example)

An example of a credible love story that i have read is the one in "jumper", i hope that helps to understand my point.

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alligatorhill t1_ixwmovv wrote

Looking for a sci-fi book released in the last year for a gift. They’re into Brian Sanderson books, the three body problem, Protector, etc.

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JarSpec t1_iy05zq9 wrote

Project Hail Mary is an amazing sci-fi thriller (funny too). It also uses MUCH more real science than fictional concepts.

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MugWatch t1_ixx0nbd wrote

They might like the Eyes of the Void by Adrian Tchaikovsky. It's the second in a series, but is still quite good. If they haven't read the first one you could get them both!

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Optimal-Reference370 t1_ixygcsa wrote

I want to read stories where MC experiments, fails, and learns form and develops. The story could have Fantasy, Magic, Sci-fi, or a mix of them it doesn't matter. The story could be Western or Eastern.

But MC is of mindset trying to develop his own path different from the norm. In a simple sense, he would be like Orochimaru but Saner. It's also good if they have to also fight aside from research. Any recommendations for Books or Novel or Webnovels?

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silkymoonshine t1_iyacnqp wrote

The Fitz trilogies in The Realm of the Elderlings by Robin Hobb. Start with Assassin's Apprentice.

The Lighthouse Duet by Carol Berg.

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jrjsjr t1_ixzdxs5 wrote

Every year I gift my niece a book for Xmas. She’s graduating high school this year and I’m looking for something inspirational and empowering to young women at this stage in their lives. Preferably nonfiction, but not a “surviving college” or “adulting” type book. Looking more for something like female empowerment and knowing your worth type of books.

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TammieBrowne t1_iyepqe8 wrote

I guess it's inspirational how the author got out of her situation, although what she describes is kind of depressing, but Educated by Tara Westover?

1

snodoubts t1_ixzyyh6 wrote

can y'all recommend paranormal books with good romance but without it being the main plot?

1

silkymoonshine t1_iyac27k wrote

The Monsters We Defy by Leslye Penelope.

Can you specify what you mean by paranormal?

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snodoubts t1_iyacfhg wrote

i guess something like twilight, hush hush etc (but again, without romance being the main plot) where one of the main leads is some sort of creature and has struggles and stuff, but without being another twilight lmao, basically just a story with a vampire/werewolf/angel/other creature you get to know about while the story goes on

1

silkymoonshine t1_iyadore wrote

Well, then scratch The Monsters We Defy (it has ghosts and spirits and the main character has "the sight").

I read a shitload of fantasy, but almost nothing with vampires or werewolves.

Someone recommended Parasol Protectorate, but I haven't read it yet, so I don't know how much romance it has.

1

snodoubts t1_iyaggej wrote

i'll check your recommendation out, thank you :)

2

Dee_Bee_Fee t1_iy5xa9c wrote

Does anyone have a recommendation for an author with an extremely abstract style of writing? I've read Philip K Dick's Valis and Ubik, and Neil Gaiman's American Gods, as well as Kafka on the Shore by Haruki Murakami, which were all somewhat abstract, however, I am looking for something like a Jackson Pollock painting that's transferred into literature. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

1

XBreaksYFocusGroup t1_iy6hj9l wrote

Yo, I got you.

You want super abstract? Cyconopedia: Complicity with Anonymous Materials by Reza Negarestani. You want super surreal but still with something of a thru-line? Antkind by Charlie Kaufman.

2

AnTiPRO t1_iy639vu wrote

Haven't read in a loooong time and want to get back in the saddle. Terry Goodkind Sword of Truth series was one of my favorites. I admittedly stopped reading after the 10th one as I was under the impression that it was supposed to end there but he just kept going. I'm looking for some similar vibes in the whole fantasy world.

1

SpawnOfSkip t1_iy6nr33 wrote

I want to read a book similar to Stoner. It has been my absolute favorite book since I read it 4 years ago, and I haven’t read something similar since

1

XBreaksYFocusGroup t1_iy83jg5 wrote

East of Eden by John Steinbeck has a lot in common with Stoner. Maybe The Glass Bead Game by Herman Hesse.

1

silkymoonshine t1_iyab7zp wrote

I want some legal drama recs! I've read a couple John Grisham novels and liked them, but would prefer something newer...

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TammieBrowne t1_iyeowxo wrote

Michael Connelly's Mickey Haller series is fun. I think there are 5 or 6 books in the series, starting with The Lincoln Lawyer.

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outsellers t1_iyal0w4 wrote

Would you recommend Demon Copperhead, by Barbara Kingsolver, to a 17 year old?

A person I know, who happens to be a book store owner, asked me if I would recommend reading Demon Copperhead to a 17 year old.

I told her that it's a harrrd question; that I would definitely recommend the person to be a book lover as it is longer than average and has more than several characters; and that I think a 17 year old would appreciate the authors writing style and tone. I even told her that I loved the Author's first book, The Bean Trees (which she wrote when she was pregnant), as a teenager.

But I also felt like I had to add the fact that there is a lot of drug usage and addiction in the book. I felt like since I didn't know the person's situation, I didn't want to take responsibility for how they felt about it.

After thinking about it though... I know I would have loved this book as a teenager and feel like it would be pretty hard to misinterpret the message here.

I also just happened, by chance, to be reading David Copperfield a little more than a month ago when I found out that this book was coming out and it was a modern adaptation of the story (set in the Appalachians). So it was total synchronicity that this book came out. So, what do you think?

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youfighter t1_iyap34s wrote

Hey guys I would love some recommendations for books. I used to read a lot in my childhood but haven't touched a book in a decade. I really enjoy fantasy and future SciFi. I used to read a lot of young adult novels but have no idea what books to read as an adult now :( please help.

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rohtbert55 t1_iyb4qgw wrote

>future SciFi.

Try The Frontline series by Marko Kloos. I discovered it this yeara dn I'M OBSESSED with it. If not there's the usual suspects: Starship Troopers; The Caves of Steel; Have Spacesuit WIll Travel; The Moon is a Harsh Mistress; The End of Eternity; The Fountains of Paradise. Also maybe try The Witcher series or A Wizard of Esrthsea.

Also The Shadow of the Wind is a must read and one of my favourite novels. I'm sure you'll enjoy it.

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DanTheTerrible t1_iye8ksl wrote

Lois McMaster Bujold is great. Start with The Warrior's Apprentice (sci-fi) or The Curse of Chalion (fantasy).

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silverhalfmoon11 t1_iyapydi wrote

Hi! I've read 21 books so far this year and have sadly exhausted the reading list I had and now I'm aimless. I just finished My Struggle Book 1 and want something lighter before book 2. I love the writing style and detail of Karl One but need to brighten up.
I loved Writers and Lovers by Lily King and am super open to a romance novel that is also about being a normal person lol but not Sally Rooney please! I also loved The Secret History by Donna Tartt, East of Eden by Steinbeck, Even Cowgirls Get th

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iesharael t1_iyarsnn wrote

Supernatural academy books?

Looking for books in the style of girl finds out/ages into magic and goes to an academy for magic users. Especially ones available on kindle unlimited! It definitely seems hard to find ones where they are born with and know they have powers and then go to school for it.

My favorites so far:

Tatiana academy, animage academy, magical creatures academy, everlight academy, bloodline academy, and ravencrest academy.

Mostly I prefer stuff about fae or shapeshifters but I branch out too. I’m less into the whole reverse harem thing but I’m willing to read it if it looks good. I also like when it actually has them attend a few classes.

Pretty much I’m running out of new books in my search terms!

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CaptainQueero t1_iycfvx4 wrote

My girlfriend loves the Zodiac Academy series - sounds like it’s in the realm of what you might be looking for?

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Radio_gugu t1_iyddyrv wrote

Fiction about cities in developing countries around the world, something like 'Every day is for the thief' set in Lagos.

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kakashi_ofthe_shrngn t1_ixtpnio wrote

People in quandaries; the semantics of personal adjustment- book review

Anybody who has read this book can ELI5 what this book is about?
The description of this book reads: "This is a book about the problems we have in trying to live with ourselves and with each other. These problems, together with ways of dealing with them, are discussed from the point of view of general semantics. This point of view emphasizes those aspects of the scientific method that are useful in daily living."
But I could not make much sense of it.
I got it in recommendation while completing Word Power by Norman Lewis, and think it might be a good read.

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