[**Glitterati** by Oliver K. Langmead](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/58656126)
synopsis:
***A Clockwork Orange and RuPaul's Drag Race meet Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind in this fabulous dystopian fable about fashion, family and feckless billionaires.***
*Simone is one of the Glitterati, the elite living lives of luxury and leisure. Slave to the ever-changing tides – and brutal judgements - of fashion, he is immaculate. To be anything else is to be unfashionable, and no one wants to be unfashionable, or even worse, ugly…*
*When Simone accidentally starts a new fashion with a nosebleed at a party, another Glitterati takes the credit. Soon their rivalry threatens to raze their opulent utopia to the ground, as no one knows how to be vicious like the beautiful ones.*
*Enter a world of the most fantastic costumes, grand palaces in the sky, the grandest parties known to mankind and the unbreakable rules of how to eat ice cream. A fabulous dystopian fable about fashion, family and the feckless billionaire class.*
this **MASTERPIECE** of absurd fiction about these insane out-of-touch "glitteratis" only has **84 reviews** on goodreads and it's a literal crime IMO. it's in my top 5 books of all time and the FUNNIEST book i have ever read. i recommended this in a separate thread a couple weeks back BEGGING someone, anyone to PLEASE read this book, and 2 people actually did and BOTH people said they absolutely LOVED the book!
i cannot explain how absurd, insane, hilarious and just fun this story is. i originally bought it solely due to the gorgeous and bizarre cover art, and it ended up being an all-time-fave that i now own in hard copy, ebook and audiobook format.
the audiobook is fantastic but so is just reading it. i will say, though, that if you choose to read it by audiobook, you may want to listen to it on 0.95x speed since the book has a lot of words that are bizarre and not words we normally would hear, and the narrator has an english accent, so the two mixed together could be a little confusing for some people, but slowing it down just a bit made a big difference for me, at least. i have ADHD, too, so it's totally possible that it's just a ME issue. 😂
i am once again BEGGING someone, ANYONE here to PLEASE give this odd little book a chance! it is SUCH a hidden gem.
thank you for letting me go on and on about this book. i just love it so much and know others will too. i've never read anything like it in my life and i have no idea how the author came up with the idea for this bonkers story. it's incredible.
OMG, thank you so much!!! i know reading is a time investment so thank you for taking a chance on a stranger's recommendation! at least for me it shows the ebook is available through libby (that's how i first read it).
if/when you get around to reading it, PLEASE either comment back or DM me to let me know how much you liked (or didn't like it)!
aaahhhh, i'm so excited already!! thank youuuuu!!!! i swear you won't regret it! 🤠
Haha - I will, I promise! Now I’m really excited too!
Also, your username reminded me that I started The Wives Under the Sea but couldn’t really get into it…I’m guessing it’s worth another shot?
it's my favorite book of all time next to [**Shark Heart: A Love Story** by Emily Habeck](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/62919375)
i can 100000% understand why you didn't like **OWUTS** if you read it by ebook/hard copy as i feel that the emotions in the book are not effective like they are by audiobook (the first way i read the book). the narrators REALLY make a difference. i think the only reason i can appreciate the hard copy of the book (i bought it in every single edition after finishing the audiobook) is because i had the "voices" of the narrators in my head.
i can't explain my love for this book. it uses light body horror as a vehicle to explore grief (which is apparently MY THING). i will say, though, that if you are someone who NEEDS to know all the hows and whys for what happened in a book,you should pass on this book because A LOT goes unanswered but the ambiguity is WHY i love the book so much and why i have thought about it every single day since i first read it. did the events in the book actually happen? was it all just a metaphor for (something i don't want to say because of spoilers), etc. the NOT knowing and the ENDING are what made this book immediately shoot up to my #1 book of all time.
now as far as **Shark Heart**, i was debating for a while making that my #1 book of all time because it was EXTREMELY similar to **OWUTS**. the premise sounds ridiculous: (a man in mid-life finds out that he has a rare genetic mutation that will cause him to turn into a great white shark.) *literally*
it sounds crazy, but it's a beautiful and haunting story about love, loss and letting go. like **OWUTS**, it also uses light body horror as a vehicle to explore grief.
it is so so so so so good. i originally read it by ebook, and then immediately bought a copy of it in hard copy and audiobook. i'd argue that this story is even more tragic and beautiful than **OWUTS** and it's honestly this close to being tied with it for best book, ever.
both books were debut novels which is insane to me and both were nominated for multiple goodreads choice awards.
if you are interested in giving **OWUTS** another chance, it's available by audiobook for free through both libby and hoopla (hoopla is where i first listened to it).
i still haven't gotten around to reading **Shark Heart** by audiobook so i can't speak to how good it is, but i did but i just keep re-reading the actual book because it's so so good.
prepare to be incredibly sad and shocked with both books, and again, possibly EXTREMELY frustrated at the end of **OWUTS** as you will be left wondering about A LOT.
sorry for rambling but i feel very strongly about both of these books.
😂😂😂
No, don’t apologize! This was a delight to read - believe me, I’ve done my share of gushing over books, so it’s lovely to find a kindred spirit in the wild 😊
I’m saving your comments so I can read them more in detail later, in a way that they deserve to be read. And please, by all means, throw any recommendations my way! Even if you just need to rave about it, I’d love to hear it.
AHHHHHHHH!!!!!! YES!!!!!! i'm SO HAPPY!!!!! omg yay!!! thank you SO MUCH for following up with me! i'm so glad this book has found a bit more loved cause it definitely deserves it!! i'm currently looking for another book just like this and if i do i will absolutely let you know!
i rarely if ever recommend that anyone blind buy a book (support your local library!), but i just checked amazon and they have used copies for as low as $3.80 in case you have a gift card that's just hanging out in your amazon account. it says it would be delivered by march 1!
Thanks for this recommendation! You definitely sold me on giving 'Glitterati' a try. What a bizarre/unique storyline. I'll let you know my thoughts after listening to it : )
I had just finished my latest audiobook this morning and was searching around for what to listen to next. You’ve convinced me to give this one a go. Thank you!
yay!!!!! everyone here is making me so excited!!! thank you thank you! i hope you love it so much!! i can't wait to hear how you liked (or didn't like) it!
dude, what the fuck are you even talking about. this book has **84** reviews on goodreads. that's basically nothing. the GMA thing (which i've never heard of) apparently didn't do shit because again, he has less than 100 reviews on goodreads for this book. and where is he "constantly being promoted???"
also, the book is so under-the-radar and not popular enough that it was never even published in hardback format. this book is the definition of a "hidden gem."
you seem to have a personal grudge against this author (not sure why). extremely weird.
LOLOLOLOL. your response to my reply is "FUCK YOU" and then you delete both your comment and account. hilarious.
Imajica is fucking amazing. Great and secret show, too. Also
Books of Blood. It’s just not even close to fair how talented that guy is. His art is breathtaking and he’s an incredible writer. Choose one and share the talent with the rest of us, guy.
I'd watch it. The problem is it's got an old-fashioned fantasy world where this side seems kid-friendly, but then you have Christopher Carrion and Shape. John Mischief and his brothers are a problematic racial stereotype. As a black man I absolutely love him, but he is clearly the morally grey good guy stereotype black man.
Oh wow-- I never thought of it that way! (I have not read the books in a long time, admittedly). Mischief was always my favorite character. And yes-- it definitely has a weird mi of YA setting/protagonist but SUPER dark antagonists. I would also worry that the whole thing would look like shitty CGI.
Hooray, another one! I will say, I didn't love the third book as much as the first two, but that could be because I read the first two in high school and the third as an adult. Either way, the worldbuilding and colorful characters are fantastic and so imaginative.
I loved Abarat. And same, I know no one else who has read it!
I also liked his other children's book The Thief of Always. I CANNOT believe it never got adapted into a creepy kid's movie.
YES! This was my favorite read of last year. She was a badass, amazing protagonist! The plot was gripping (and still so incredibly relevant) and well paced…I can’t believe more people haven’t read this!
Bourne by Jeff Vandermeer. I was recovering from brain injury, and I thought reading was just one of those things I was no longer going to be able to do. Then I found this on my Kindle. It was bought during a period of life my brain can't recall, but I am glad I bought it.
This had a lot of hype when it came out, but it's faded from view a bit. Still, 148k reviews on Goodreads which is more than, say, any Iain (M.) Banks novel, to take an author who's mentioned here all the time.
EDIT: Aaaaand I've *just* realised that the author is the same David Benioff from HBO Game of Thrones. That might explain why people have cooled on it more recently, by association.
Problem with book recommendations is, people who read 2-3 books a year suggest those books over and over again just to tell the world and everyone around them that they've "read a book". This attitude is so seeped deep in our psyches that we sometimes upvote such views even though they're not going to be validated by others. Look at the comment above you have 25+ upvotes.
I mean, I read 50-100 books a year and yet I usually find myself recommending the same 2-3 books that truly left a lasting impact. Not saying you're wrong, this thread was for other book recs, just saying, people recommending the same 2-3 books isn't an indication of how much they've read.
And do I need to "get" anything out of it, other than the joy of reading? If someone had said the same thing about the movies they watched or the music they listened to, would we say they weren't getting anything out of it as if it were some sort of productivity extraction excercise?
I mean, don't get me wrong, books can change lives, they can have profound impact, but they can also entertain and distract for short periods of time, and that's valid too.
What is the point in being so rude? I know many book readers who have never heard of this book. Time is an American Magazine and it might have escaped your notice in all of you blustering but not everyone comes from America or reads that list.
Who cares if you hate the sub. Your opinion wasn’t asked for or needed. If you hate the sub don’t read it.
The giver series by Lois Lowry. I know the giver got a good amount of hype but of the four books in the series I find it was my least favorite. The other three get so little attention and are really unique. (The other books aren't a continuation of the same story as the giver but are different stories that seem to take place in the same world)
Wow I didn’t realize there were more, The Giver is one of my favorites and the reason I love dystopian stories, can’t wait to dive in to the rest of them!
Beautyland by Marie-Helene Bertino.
Unique, heartfelt and utterly heartbreaking. Not enough words to describe how great it is.
I wish it got more hype because it’s truly one of a kind.
It was only published six weeks ago and got pretty great [reviews](https://bookmarks.reviews/reviews/all/beautyland/).
Agree it's a wonderful book though. Doesn't seem to have hit the hype machine outside of the usual literary fiction circles and deserves to be wider read.
[The Tooth Fairy](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/44601) by Graham Joyce: Coming-of-age meets dark fantasy. Bizarre at times but a wholly engaging read. And I loved how the Tooth Fairy’s character was written: no delicate, dainty fairies here, kids - this one will rip you apart.
[After the First Death](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/869907) by Robert Cormier: This book is technically classified as YA, which, personally, I feel does it a disservice. I wanted to provide a trigger warning but I don’t know how to do spoilers, so I’ll just say: be warned, because this book does not hold back. Bleak and harrowing. Incredible book.
[The Gargoyle](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2595138) by Andrew Davidson: Absolutely gorgeous writing, fantastic world-building, and flawless good old-fashioned storytelling. It is an absolute shame that this book didn’t get the recognition it deserved.
[Let the Great World Spin](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/5941033) by Colum McCann: Stunning, stunning prose. Called a “writer’s book”, so do with that what you will; but it is more character-driven than plot-driven. Richly drawn, fleshed out characters and seamlessly plotted.
[Eating the Cheshire Cat](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/319405) by Helen Ellis: Pitch-black novel about 3 very different girls who are all connected by a hateful lie. Also a demented study on the relationship between mothers and daughters.
[One Last Thing Before I Go](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13586743) by Jonathan Tropper: This is Where I Leave You gets all the love, but this one’s better. Tragic and lovely.
I’m sure I have more, but this is all I got for now!
I read After the First Death in a 9th grade lit class (around 1991 or 92) and pieces of it still stick with me. I want to read it again as an older adult and given current events. I have a feeling it will still resonate.
When We Cease to Understand the World by Benjamin Labatut.
This is one of the most insightful and thought-provoking books I have ever read.
Labatut is a genius and crafts this book like a biography. He highlights accomplishments that have become catastrophic failures and weaponry used against ourselves.
You’ll have an in depth look at some of the most intelligent minds in chemistry and physics. Labatut interweaves backstories and scenes for each figure to the extent that you will find yourself researching if they actually did that particular thing in the middle of reading. It’s mind blowing stuff.
This book made me think twice about every step our scientific community takes forward. Labatut gives us a clear lens so that when you zoom out, you’ll see that we are taking a step deeper into the black hole we are inadvertently creating for ourselves through ‘progress’.
Give it a read. I promise you’ll feel smarter and have plenty of good dinner discussions.
So much by Diana Wynne Jones. Fire and Hemlock is one of the most beautiful books I've ever read. Dalemark has such an interesting premise for a fantasy series. It seems like her only book that truly got popular was Howl's Moving Castle.
Anything by Lily Tuck. If you like short stories, give *Limbo* a try. Her novel *Siam, or the Woman Who Shot a Man* is a thrilling, suspenseful page-turner about America’s growing involvement in Vietnam.
[The Hands of the Emperor](https://app.thestorygraph.com/books/af2bba9c-8f41-4a3e-b87a-8532a44ccb67) by Victoria Goddard!! It's a slice of life book about the personal secretary to the emperor of the world, with a heavy focus on platonic relationships. Admittedly, it's very long, but it's so beautifully written.
Also, [Nevermoor](https://app.thestorygraph.com/books/6a6d5ca1-b2f5-47be-828c-018144d3bbc7) by Jessica Townsend! It's my favorite fantasy series and it must be somewhat popular, because it's available in most bookstores, has been translated into tons of languages, and has many many positive reviews online, but I've found that so many people have just never even heard of it.
>The Hands of the Emperor
>
> by Victoria Goddard!!
I think you recommended this one in another thread, and based on your recommendation I ended up devouring most of her books in this world. The Hands of the Emperor is just wonderful.
Of all her books, I have seen this one talked about the most.
I have read a good amount by her. I think the Parable of the Sower and The Parable of the Talents were really good, and also Fledgling.
I've also read the Xenogenesis trilogy.
She often explored themes of what it means to be human and what makes a society function. I like it a lot. I do intend to read all her books eventually!
Happy reading!
if nobody speaks of remarkable things by Jon Mcgregor.
I had never heard of this book till I found it in a shelf in a library, and honestly abandoned it the first time.
But the second time I tried reading it...I was pleasantly surprised! This book is written like poetry. I don't think most people would enjoy it as it does get a bit confusing sometimes and does not obey some grammar rules because of the way it flows, yet I still found it intriguing. Never read anything like this before.
„The world according to Garp“ by John Irving despite having everything he could need he still makes mistakes.
It’s a very human story all Garp‘s flaws are exposed and almost all his mistakes come back to bite him so if you read into it you could say that it’s a book about actions having consequences.
The Nightland by William Hope Hodgeson is an obscure 100 year old gem that's a great Lovecraftian mix of sci-fi, horror, and adventure. It's an incredible story that was crippled by bad prose, but the re-written and abridged version by James Stoddard is a great way to enjoy it. If I could convince one other person to read my favorite book throughout my lifetime, I'd die happy.
**The Book of Harlan** by Bernice L. McFadden (Black jazz musician travels to Paris and is thrown into a Nazi concentration camp.)
**Bear** by Marian Engel (Canadian classic novella that does not get enough hype...woman falls in love with..a bear?)
**The Hearing Trumpet** by Leonora Carrington (surrealist painter and writer, comparable to Angela Carter in some ways. This one is about what is basically the retirement home from Hell at the end of the world.)
**Necrophiliac** by a little known author named Gabrielle Wittkop (transgressive, kinda gross, but has a tender almost Nabokovian Lolita language that makes the necrophiliac *almost* lovable.)
**Comemadre** by Roque Larraquy (bunch of creepy Argentinian scientists perform beheadings to try to figure out the afterlife. So weird. So thought provoking).
**McGlue** by Ottessa Moshfegh (overlooked novella by the author of My Year of Rest and Relaxation, Eileen, etc. It gives "Rime of the Ancient Mariner" meets like...a gay Captain Jack Sparrow).
Almost every book I have mentioned multiple times is a book I think deserved more hype - and part of what I think of as more hype is the book would be perfect for TV or movies.
1. Death in Bloodhound Red, by Virginia Lanier. This was the first in a series (5 books) about a woman working on the Georgia/Florida border training bloodhounds for search and rescue. Okay, I am a long time dog owner and I know bloodhounds can be ornery but this is a great, colorful, sassy offbeat series and I'd renew the streaming service I dropped if they picked this one up.
2. Gentlemen and Players, by Joanne Harris. This slow-burn, lots of surprises, great plot twist mystery set at a boarding school flew too far under the radar. This would make a great movie or limited series.
3. Hidden Fires: A Holmes Before Baker Street Adventure, by Jane Rubino - Okay, I love Holmes and it's frustrating to hear all of the Holmes projects (Holmes and Daughter? Dr. Watson without Holmes?) on the boards and something this good gets overlooked. A real page turner with several plot twists and a great ending. Probably my favorite recent reads.
4. The Cellar, by Minette Walters - Okay, this is a tough one. The setup - a wealthy African family living in England keep a girl in the cellar as their servant have the tables turned in a very wicked way starting on the day their spoiled son goes missing. Pretty grim, with some chilling moments, very scary but really well plotted.
5. And an out-on-a-limb pick. The Revenge of Kali-Ra, by KK Beck. A stand alone, not part of her Iris Cooper series (also fun books), a rather dim-witted actress wants to commission a screenplay based on a pulp novel Kali Ra, Queen of Doom, so that she can play the lead. Over eager backers, a wacky set who claim to own the copyright, a series of crimes as the project spins out of control, an off-beat send-up to the pulp fiction and the early days of movie-making.
I know it’s gotten good reviews, but I didn’t like this novel much. Seemed like boilerplate “cop hunts serial killer” fare. On top of that, it kind of beggars belief - the crimes are not the work of a lone serial killer, but of a criminal conspiracy of ritualistic, pedophile serial killers. Overall, very similar to Winter Prey by John Sandford, which I thought was even better and I’d recommend if you really liked All The Sinners Bleed.
Traitor baru cormorant should have soooo much more hype! I only ever hear about it when asking for books with wlw characters, but it should just be a classic for political fantasy!
A Loving, Faithful Animal by Josephine Rowe
Disintegration by Richard Thomas
The City of Folding Faces by Jayinee Basu
The Princess of 72nd Street by Elaine Kraf (going back into print this year!)
Mother Howl by Craig Clevenger
Even though Heartstopper series by Alice Oseman is absolutely amazing, there is another gem that the author has to offer and that is - Radio Silence. This book should be hyped more.
The Space Adventures Of Commander Laine. The characters are just awesome. The story is very good. I've reread it a dozen times and it never loose's it funnyness. I luv the characters the most.
I promise I'm not being snarky but I feel like you must've missed the era where absolutely everyone and their mother was talking about Piranesi. as someone who DNF'd it I felt like I couldn't go a day without someone hailing it as the best fantasy book ever.
I love the book and love her other book even more, but yeah I feel like people recommend it here on literally every thread regardless of the context lol.
A Psalm for the Wild-Built and A Prayer for the Crown-Shy by Becky Chambers! Those books are incredible philosophical journeys through a kind post-apocalyptic world.
Never After by Rebecca Lickiss. It may be my favorite book ever and it's sorely underrated and under read.
It's a very fun "who will break the curse" locked room mystery with a hilarious cast of characters and rich detail.
I’m always in here recommending The Gentleman by Forrest Leo, a delightful fantasy of manners that’s like PG Wodehouse meets Terry Pratchett. A Victorian poet accidentally sells his wife to the devil, then realizes he loves her and assembles a ragtag group to get her back.
Athena Club trilogy by Theodora Goss
Daughters of classic novel villains (Dr Moreau, Jekyll/Hyde, etc) become found family with cameos of Sherlock Holmes and some great 4th wall breaking elements
Pilot Family Circus by Wil Elliott, if you like Geek Love this one is for you. It's interesting because the author was going through the onset of schizophrenia while writing it and it shows.
Clown Girl: A Novel by Monica Drake
Young Mungo by Douglas Stuart
Too close by Natalie Daniels (decent twist/reveal, realistic, not over-the-top for the sake of a stupid twist no one saw coming. What I wanted and expected from The Silent Patient but didn’t get)
Will Dean’s Tuva Moodyson series and standalones.
How The One Armed Sister Sweeps Her House by Cherie Jones. (Story itself is like nothing I've ever read before and will forever live in my mind. But the audible narrator, Danielle Vitalis, somehow makes its excellence even more obvious)
"A Dweller on Two Planets" by Fredrick S Oliver.
It was written in the 1890's when the author was only 18 years old and living with his family on Mt Shasta. The author somehow "channeled" a spirit named Phylos, an Atlantean being, who recalls several lives he lived, details of the afterlife, reincarnation, and ascension. He also talks about things that weren't invented yet, like "seer stones" that could be used to see and talk to others across the world (cell phones). He talks about levitating vehicles called Vailx, about dark matter, about electric rail cars, international travel via manned flight.
Why is this book not known by more people!? It's one of my all time favorite books, and I'm the only one besides Shirley Maclaine that I know who oiwns it. According to Shirley MacLaine, "A Dweller on Two Planets" jumped out of a bookshelf into her hands in a New Age bookstore in Hong Kong after she had recently had a near death experience.
The Last Days of Night by Graham Moore. Everyone I’ve ever recommended this book loved it. It’s a great piece of historical fiction, very well written, captivating plot and likable (and not) characters.
We, the Drowned by Carsten Jensen! The slow decline and collapse of a Danish fishing town told over 3 generations. Funny, exciting and evocative tales of sailing and life in the brutal town of Marstall. I absolutely loved it and haven't seen it brought up *anywhere*
[**Glitterati** by Oliver K. Langmead](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/58656126) synopsis: ***A Clockwork Orange and RuPaul's Drag Race meet Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind in this fabulous dystopian fable about fashion, family and feckless billionaires.*** *Simone is one of the Glitterati, the elite living lives of luxury and leisure. Slave to the ever-changing tides – and brutal judgements - of fashion, he is immaculate. To be anything else is to be unfashionable, and no one wants to be unfashionable, or even worse, ugly…* *When Simone accidentally starts a new fashion with a nosebleed at a party, another Glitterati takes the credit. Soon their rivalry threatens to raze their opulent utopia to the ground, as no one knows how to be vicious like the beautiful ones.* *Enter a world of the most fantastic costumes, grand palaces in the sky, the grandest parties known to mankind and the unbreakable rules of how to eat ice cream. A fabulous dystopian fable about fashion, family and the feckless billionaire class.* this **MASTERPIECE** of absurd fiction about these insane out-of-touch "glitteratis" only has **84 reviews** on goodreads and it's a literal crime IMO. it's in my top 5 books of all time and the FUNNIEST book i have ever read. i recommended this in a separate thread a couple weeks back BEGGING someone, anyone to PLEASE read this book, and 2 people actually did and BOTH people said they absolutely LOVED the book! i cannot explain how absurd, insane, hilarious and just fun this story is. i originally bought it solely due to the gorgeous and bizarre cover art, and it ended up being an all-time-fave that i now own in hard copy, ebook and audiobook format. the audiobook is fantastic but so is just reading it. i will say, though, that if you choose to read it by audiobook, you may want to listen to it on 0.95x speed since the book has a lot of words that are bizarre and not words we normally would hear, and the narrator has an english accent, so the two mixed together could be a little confusing for some people, but slowing it down just a bit made a big difference for me, at least. i have ADHD, too, so it's totally possible that it's just a ME issue. 😂 i am once again BEGGING someone, ANYONE here to PLEASE give this odd little book a chance! it is SUCH a hidden gem. thank you for letting me go on and on about this book. i just love it so much and know others will too. i've never read anything like it in my life and i have no idea how the author came up with the idea for this bonkers story. it's incredible.
That good, huh?
yes!! i wish i could have every redditor come and sit on my lap like im santa so i could read them this story at bedtime. 😂😂😂
Okay, you sold me! 😆
OMG, thank you so much!!! i know reading is a time investment so thank you for taking a chance on a stranger's recommendation! at least for me it shows the ebook is available through libby (that's how i first read it). if/when you get around to reading it, PLEASE either comment back or DM me to let me know how much you liked (or didn't like it)! aaahhhh, i'm so excited already!! thank youuuuu!!!! i swear you won't regret it! 🤠
Haha - I will, I promise! Now I’m really excited too! Also, your username reminded me that I started The Wives Under the Sea but couldn’t really get into it…I’m guessing it’s worth another shot?
it's my favorite book of all time next to [**Shark Heart: A Love Story** by Emily Habeck](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/62919375) i can 100000% understand why you didn't like **OWUTS** if you read it by ebook/hard copy as i feel that the emotions in the book are not effective like they are by audiobook (the first way i read the book). the narrators REALLY make a difference. i think the only reason i can appreciate the hard copy of the book (i bought it in every single edition after finishing the audiobook) is because i had the "voices" of the narrators in my head. i can't explain my love for this book. it uses light body horror as a vehicle to explore grief (which is apparently MY THING). i will say, though, that if you are someone who NEEDS to know all the hows and whys for what happened in a book,you should pass on this book because A LOT goes unanswered but the ambiguity is WHY i love the book so much and why i have thought about it every single day since i first read it. did the events in the book actually happen? was it all just a metaphor for (something i don't want to say because of spoilers), etc. the NOT knowing and the ENDING are what made this book immediately shoot up to my #1 book of all time. now as far as **Shark Heart**, i was debating for a while making that my #1 book of all time because it was EXTREMELY similar to **OWUTS**. the premise sounds ridiculous: (a man in mid-life finds out that he has a rare genetic mutation that will cause him to turn into a great white shark.) *literally* it sounds crazy, but it's a beautiful and haunting story about love, loss and letting go. like **OWUTS**, it also uses light body horror as a vehicle to explore grief. it is so so so so so good. i originally read it by ebook, and then immediately bought a copy of it in hard copy and audiobook. i'd argue that this story is even more tragic and beautiful than **OWUTS** and it's honestly this close to being tied with it for best book, ever. both books were debut novels which is insane to me and both were nominated for multiple goodreads choice awards. if you are interested in giving **OWUTS** another chance, it's available by audiobook for free through both libby and hoopla (hoopla is where i first listened to it). i still haven't gotten around to reading **Shark Heart** by audiobook so i can't speak to how good it is, but i did but i just keep re-reading the actual book because it's so so good. prepare to be incredibly sad and shocked with both books, and again, possibly EXTREMELY frustrated at the end of **OWUTS** as you will be left wondering about A LOT. sorry for rambling but i feel very strongly about both of these books. 😂😂😂
No, don’t apologize! This was a delight to read - believe me, I’ve done my share of gushing over books, so it’s lovely to find a kindred spirit in the wild 😊 I’m saving your comments so I can read them more in detail later, in a way that they deserve to be read. And please, by all means, throw any recommendations my way! Even if you just need to rave about it, I’d love to hear it.
*And they were all wearing denim*
I SPRINTED TO AUDIBLE SO FAST I love u wifey 😘
Thanks for this - I’m loving the audiobook!
Alright, I'll check Libby for it! I love absurd novels, my usual go-tos are Confederacy of Dunces or Sirens of Titans. Always looking for more!
Saw this when you commented two days ago, just finished the audiobook a moment ago. Thank you, I LOVED it!
AHHHHHHHH!!!!!! YES!!!!!! i'm SO HAPPY!!!!! omg yay!!! thank you SO MUCH for following up with me! i'm so glad this book has found a bit more loved cause it definitely deserves it!! i'm currently looking for another book just like this and if i do i will absolutely let you know!
It appears you’ve gotten the news out. There is now a 3-4 month wait at my library.
i rarely if ever recommend that anyone blind buy a book (support your local library!), but i just checked amazon and they have used copies for as low as $3.80 in case you have a gift card that's just hanging out in your amazon account. it says it would be delivered by march 1!
Yeah I actually got the ebook due to wait time. Need a good read.
My library doesn't even have it 😒
Doesn't sound like something I'd usually be interested in so I should definitely read it.
You've convinced me; it's next on my TBR
adding this to my TBR. Also sounds like it'd make an interesting show if they ever adapted it.
Thanks for this recommendation! You definitely sold me on giving 'Glitterati' a try. What a bizarre/unique storyline. I'll let you know my thoughts after listening to it : )
I had just finished my latest audiobook this morning and was searching around for what to listen to next. You’ve convinced me to give this one a go. Thank you!
yay!!!!! everyone here is making me so excited!!! thank you thank you! i hope you love it so much!! i can't wait to hear how you liked (or didn't like) it!
Also sold! “Absurd, hilarious, fun, and heart-warming” as a combo is so great. I love an enthusiastic advocate!
This looks like my kind of book! Definitely adding it to my TBR list. Thanks for the recommendation ☺️
Thanks to Libby and u I just got the audio book-might start in a few days as currently listening to Homegoing.
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dude, what the fuck are you even talking about. this book has **84** reviews on goodreads. that's basically nothing. the GMA thing (which i've never heard of) apparently didn't do shit because again, he has less than 100 reviews on goodreads for this book. and where is he "constantly being promoted???" also, the book is so under-the-radar and not popular enough that it was never even published in hardback format. this book is the definition of a "hidden gem." you seem to have a personal grudge against this author (not sure why). extremely weird. LOLOLOLOL. your response to my reply is "FUCK YOU" and then you delete both your comment and account. hilarious.
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To me, Abarat by Clive Barker is one of the best YA fantasy series ever written and I know approximately zero people who have read it.
As someone who has the art tattooed on them, I recommend it to everyone when I can!! It’s crazy how few people have even heard of Clive Barker.
Imajica is fucking amazing. Great and secret show, too. Also Books of Blood. It’s just not even close to fair how talented that guy is. His art is breathtaking and he’s an incredible writer. Choose one and share the talent with the rest of us, guy.
It's such a bonus too because Clive is an incredible artist. Abarat is prob the best book template for a tattoo. What image did you go with?
I'm going to have to check this out. His book The Thief of Always is my all time favorite and I know one other person who has read it.
Make sure you get a version of the book with all the illustrations! He paints his own illustrations and they're really fantastical.
I love this book so much. It would make such a perfect creepy claymation movie.
I LOVED THAT BOOK!
This series is what kept me reading. Harry Potter hooked me, but this reeled me in.
It's incredibly imaginative and would have made a wonderful movie as well!!
I'd watch it. The problem is it's got an old-fashioned fantasy world where this side seems kid-friendly, but then you have Christopher Carrion and Shape. John Mischief and his brothers are a problematic racial stereotype. As a black man I absolutely love him, but he is clearly the morally grey good guy stereotype black man.
Oh wow-- I never thought of it that way! (I have not read the books in a long time, admittedly). Mischief was always my favorite character. And yes-- it definitely has a weird mi of YA setting/protagonist but SUPER dark antagonists. I would also worry that the whole thing would look like shitty CGI.
Oh you wonderful person! It's one of my all time favorite book series!
Hooray, another one! I will say, I didn't love the third book as much as the first two, but that could be because I read the first two in high school and the third as an adult. Either way, the worldbuilding and colorful characters are fantastic and so imaginative.
I loved Abarat. And same, I know no one else who has read it! I also liked his other children's book The Thief of Always. I CANNOT believe it never got adapted into a creepy kid's movie.
I adored that series and also am so sad no one knows it. Suuuuuch a great concept.
It's my favorite Clive Barker book. I like to imagine it takes place in the same universe as hellraiser
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YES! This was my favorite read of last year. She was a badass, amazing protagonist! The plot was gripping (and still so incredibly relevant) and well paced…I can’t believe more people haven’t read this!
Bourne by Jeff Vandermeer. I was recovering from brain injury, and I thought reading was just one of those things I was no longer going to be able to do. Then I found this on my Kindle. It was bought during a period of life my brain can't recall, but I am glad I bought it.
Borne was the *most* comprehensible Vandermeer I ever read. It was fantastic!
City of Thieves by David Benioff
This had a lot of hype when it came out, but it's faded from view a bit. Still, 148k reviews on Goodreads which is more than, say, any Iain (M.) Banks novel, to take an author who's mentioned here all the time. EDIT: Aaaaand I've *just* realised that the author is the same David Benioff from HBO Game of Thrones. That might explain why people have cooled on it more recently, by association.
YES. This book is fantastic, and I *never* hear it mentioned.
Ah yes, the Quest for some eggs. Fantastic book
Loved this one! Ron Perlman narrates the audiobook and does a great job.
The chrysalids by John Wyndham
Was just about to write Wyndham in general. My favourite is probably The Kraken Wakes.
I should check that one out! I only read the day of the triffids, but man the Chrysalids made me feel things.
Yeah, do! Triffids are actually my least favourite (though great too imho). Give Midwich Cuckoos a try too!
Books of the Raksura by Martha Wells. Fascinating fictional race.
I love the Murderbot Diaries series but haven't read any other books by her. I will check it out!
*The Light Pirate* by Lily Brooks-Dalton and *Sharks in the Time of Saviors* by Kawai Strong Washburn.
My Sister the Serial Killer by Oyinkan Braithwaite she is brilliant.
I loved this book!
Soooo good!
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Problem with book recommendations is, people who read 2-3 books a year suggest those books over and over again just to tell the world and everyone around them that they've "read a book". This attitude is so seeped deep in our psyches that we sometimes upvote such views even though they're not going to be validated by others. Look at the comment above you have 25+ upvotes.
I mean, I read 50-100 books a year and yet I usually find myself recommending the same 2-3 books that truly left a lasting impact. Not saying you're wrong, this thread was for other book recs, just saying, people recommending the same 2-3 books isn't an indication of how much they've read.
Maybe you’re not getting anything from reading that many books lol
And do I need to "get" anything out of it, other than the joy of reading? If someone had said the same thing about the movies they watched or the music they listened to, would we say they weren't getting anything out of it as if it were some sort of productivity extraction excercise? I mean, don't get me wrong, books can change lives, they can have profound impact, but they can also entertain and distract for short periods of time, and that's valid too.
How did you come to the conclusion based on one recommendation that people only read 2 or 3 books a year?
What is the point in being so rude? I know many book readers who have never heard of this book. Time is an American Magazine and it might have escaped your notice in all of you blustering but not everyone comes from America or reads that list. Who cares if you hate the sub. Your opinion wasn’t asked for or needed. If you hate the sub don’t read it.
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The giver series by Lois Lowry. I know the giver got a good amount of hype but of the four books in the series I find it was my least favorite. The other three get so little attention and are really unique. (The other books aren't a continuation of the same story as the giver but are different stories that seem to take place in the same world)
Wow I didn’t realize there were more, The Giver is one of my favorites and the reason I love dystopian stories, can’t wait to dive in to the rest of them!
I had no idea either, until I stumbled upon the second one and looked it up! I hope you enjoy!
This 100%! They are all SOOOO good! My favorite has always been Gathering Blue 😊
Omg how did I not know this was a series 😍 re-reading the giver asap and then on to the rest of it!
I have all four of them and I will read.
100% agree here. The 2nd and 3rd books are unbelievable. The 4th was meh but overall, fantastic set of stories.
Beautyland by Marie-Helene Bertino. Unique, heartfelt and utterly heartbreaking. Not enough words to describe how great it is. I wish it got more hype because it’s truly one of a kind.
It was only published six weeks ago and got pretty great [reviews](https://bookmarks.reviews/reviews/all/beautyland/). Agree it's a wonderful book though. Doesn't seem to have hit the hype machine outside of the usual literary fiction circles and deserves to be wider read.
Yes. It was SUCH a treat.
[The Tooth Fairy](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/44601) by Graham Joyce: Coming-of-age meets dark fantasy. Bizarre at times but a wholly engaging read. And I loved how the Tooth Fairy’s character was written: no delicate, dainty fairies here, kids - this one will rip you apart. [After the First Death](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/869907) by Robert Cormier: This book is technically classified as YA, which, personally, I feel does it a disservice. I wanted to provide a trigger warning but I don’t know how to do spoilers, so I’ll just say: be warned, because this book does not hold back. Bleak and harrowing. Incredible book. [The Gargoyle](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2595138) by Andrew Davidson: Absolutely gorgeous writing, fantastic world-building, and flawless good old-fashioned storytelling. It is an absolute shame that this book didn’t get the recognition it deserved. [Let the Great World Spin](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/5941033) by Colum McCann: Stunning, stunning prose. Called a “writer’s book”, so do with that what you will; but it is more character-driven than plot-driven. Richly drawn, fleshed out characters and seamlessly plotted. [Eating the Cheshire Cat](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/319405) by Helen Ellis: Pitch-black novel about 3 very different girls who are all connected by a hateful lie. Also a demented study on the relationship between mothers and daughters. [One Last Thing Before I Go](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13586743) by Jonathan Tropper: This is Where I Leave You gets all the love, but this one’s better. Tragic and lovely. I’m sure I have more, but this is all I got for now!
I read After the First Death in a 9th grade lit class (around 1991 or 92) and pieces of it still stick with me. I want to read it again as an older adult and given current events. I have a feeling it will still resonate.
Let the Great World Spin has more heart and depth than any book I’ve read. Masterful storytelling! Thank you for adding this fine work to your list!
When We Cease to Understand the World by Benjamin Labatut. This is one of the most insightful and thought-provoking books I have ever read. Labatut is a genius and crafts this book like a biography. He highlights accomplishments that have become catastrophic failures and weaponry used against ourselves. You’ll have an in depth look at some of the most intelligent minds in chemistry and physics. Labatut interweaves backstories and scenes for each figure to the extent that you will find yourself researching if they actually did that particular thing in the middle of reading. It’s mind blowing stuff. This book made me think twice about every step our scientific community takes forward. Labatut gives us a clear lens so that when you zoom out, you’ll see that we are taking a step deeper into the black hole we are inadvertently creating for ourselves through ‘progress’. Give it a read. I promise you’ll feel smarter and have plenty of good dinner discussions.
Added to my reading list. This brings to mind a line from a movie (paraphrased) - Genius without wisdom is extremely dangerous.
I loved this book, I couldn't put it down! So when his book " The Maniac" came out last year, I had to read that one too.
I finished The Maniac a few weeks ago and was knocked out. Thanks to this thread for reminding me of his other book… as OP said, he is a genius.
Thanks to your review, I just checked out the Audiobook on Libby!
So much by Diana Wynne Jones. Fire and Hemlock is one of the most beautiful books I've ever read. Dalemark has such an interesting premise for a fantasy series. It seems like her only book that truly got popular was Howl's Moving Castle.
I agree 💯 with you. And I would add Susan cooper’s The Dark is Rising sequence.
Anything by Lily Tuck. If you like short stories, give *Limbo* a try. Her novel *Siam, or the Woman Who Shot a Man* is a thrilling, suspenseful page-turner about America’s growing involvement in Vietnam.
Short stories rec for you…How to Breathe Underwater by Julie Orringer 😃
[The Hands of the Emperor](https://app.thestorygraph.com/books/af2bba9c-8f41-4a3e-b87a-8532a44ccb67) by Victoria Goddard!! It's a slice of life book about the personal secretary to the emperor of the world, with a heavy focus on platonic relationships. Admittedly, it's very long, but it's so beautifully written. Also, [Nevermoor](https://app.thestorygraph.com/books/6a6d5ca1-b2f5-47be-828c-018144d3bbc7) by Jessica Townsend! It's my favorite fantasy series and it must be somewhat popular, because it's available in most bookstores, has been translated into tons of languages, and has many many positive reviews online, but I've found that so many people have just never even heard of it.
>The Hands of the Emperor > > by Victoria Goddard!! I think you recommended this one in another thread, and based on your recommendation I ended up devouring most of her books in this world. The Hands of the Emperor is just wonderful.
That's so so nice to hear!! You're ahead of me! I'm about to finish At the Feet of the Sun, and I'm looking forward to reading all her others.
I had a week's vacation at a beach so I read voraciously. Happy cake day!
Kindred by Octavia Butler
Of all her books, I have seen this one talked about the most. I have read a good amount by her. I think the Parable of the Sower and The Parable of the Talents were really good, and also Fledgling.
Those are on my TBR
I've also read the Xenogenesis trilogy. She often explored themes of what it means to be human and what makes a society function. I like it a lot. I do intend to read all her books eventually! Happy reading!
if nobody speaks of remarkable things by Jon Mcgregor. I had never heard of this book till I found it in a shelf in a library, and honestly abandoned it the first time. But the second time I tried reading it...I was pleasantly surprised! This book is written like poetry. I don't think most people would enjoy it as it does get a bit confusing sometimes and does not obey some grammar rules because of the way it flows, yet I still found it intriguing. Never read anything like this before.
*Spin* by Robert Charles Wilson. It won a Hugo and it's a pretty well-known novel, but I don't think it's ever been as hyped as it probably deserves.
„The world according to Garp“ by John Irving despite having everything he could need he still makes mistakes. It’s a very human story all Garp‘s flaws are exposed and almost all his mistakes come back to bite him so if you read into it you could say that it’s a book about actions having consequences.
**Dandelion Dynasty** by Ken Liu **The Lions of Al-Rassan** by Guy Gavriel Kay
- Enter the Aardvark by Jessica Anthony - Winter in Sokcho by Elisa Shua Dusapin
[Marjorie Morningstar](https://www.google.com/books/edition/Marjorie_Morningstar/JMzKPtgCsm0C?hl=en&gbpv=0) is an underrated classic IMO.
The Nightland by William Hope Hodgeson is an obscure 100 year old gem that's a great Lovecraftian mix of sci-fi, horror, and adventure. It's an incredible story that was crippled by bad prose, but the re-written and abridged version by James Stoddard is a great way to enjoy it. If I could convince one other person to read my favorite book throughout my lifetime, I'd die happy.
The Master and Margareta by Mikhial Buglukhov
The Library at Mount Char by Scott Hawkins. One of the wildest, most bizarre, and fascinating books I’ve ever read.
**The Book of Harlan** by Bernice L. McFadden (Black jazz musician travels to Paris and is thrown into a Nazi concentration camp.) **Bear** by Marian Engel (Canadian classic novella that does not get enough hype...woman falls in love with..a bear?) **The Hearing Trumpet** by Leonora Carrington (surrealist painter and writer, comparable to Angela Carter in some ways. This one is about what is basically the retirement home from Hell at the end of the world.) **Necrophiliac** by a little known author named Gabrielle Wittkop (transgressive, kinda gross, but has a tender almost Nabokovian Lolita language that makes the necrophiliac *almost* lovable.) **Comemadre** by Roque Larraquy (bunch of creepy Argentinian scientists perform beheadings to try to figure out the afterlife. So weird. So thought provoking). **McGlue** by Ottessa Moshfegh (overlooked novella by the author of My Year of Rest and Relaxation, Eileen, etc. It gives "Rime of the Ancient Mariner" meets like...a gay Captain Jack Sparrow).
Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs
A Brief History of Seven Killings by Marlon James.
The Kitchen House
Interior Chinatown
Deep Work By Cal Newport
Ishmael by Daniel Quinn
Absolutely, this should be required reading in schools.
If Reddit would let me pay $100 to pin this to the top of this and every similar post, I'd swipe my card today. This is a brilliant answer.
The Secret History
This book was very celebrated when it first came out!
Almost every book I have mentioned multiple times is a book I think deserved more hype - and part of what I think of as more hype is the book would be perfect for TV or movies. 1. Death in Bloodhound Red, by Virginia Lanier. This was the first in a series (5 books) about a woman working on the Georgia/Florida border training bloodhounds for search and rescue. Okay, I am a long time dog owner and I know bloodhounds can be ornery but this is a great, colorful, sassy offbeat series and I'd renew the streaming service I dropped if they picked this one up. 2. Gentlemen and Players, by Joanne Harris. This slow-burn, lots of surprises, great plot twist mystery set at a boarding school flew too far under the radar. This would make a great movie or limited series. 3. Hidden Fires: A Holmes Before Baker Street Adventure, by Jane Rubino - Okay, I love Holmes and it's frustrating to hear all of the Holmes projects (Holmes and Daughter? Dr. Watson without Holmes?) on the boards and something this good gets overlooked. A real page turner with several plot twists and a great ending. Probably my favorite recent reads. 4. The Cellar, by Minette Walters - Okay, this is a tough one. The setup - a wealthy African family living in England keep a girl in the cellar as their servant have the tables turned in a very wicked way starting on the day their spoiled son goes missing. Pretty grim, with some chilling moments, very scary but really well plotted. 5. And an out-on-a-limb pick. The Revenge of Kali-Ra, by KK Beck. A stand alone, not part of her Iris Cooper series (also fun books), a rather dim-witted actress wants to commission a screenplay based on a pulp novel Kali Ra, Queen of Doom, so that she can play the lead. Over eager backers, a wacky set who claim to own the copyright, a series of crimes as the project spins out of control, an off-beat send-up to the pulp fiction and the early days of movie-making.
Love the Bloodhound books!
All The Sinners Bleed by SA Cosby
Anything by SA Cosby. Razorblade Tears was far and away the best book I read in 2022.
I definitely agree with that
I know it’s gotten good reviews, but I didn’t like this novel much. Seemed like boilerplate “cop hunts serial killer” fare. On top of that, it kind of beggars belief - the crimes are not the work of a lone serial killer, but of a criminal conspiracy of ritualistic, pedophile serial killers. Overall, very similar to Winter Prey by John Sandford, which I thought was even better and I’d recommend if you really liked All The Sinners Bleed.
The Lock Artist by Steve Hamilton Rats by Robert Sullivan
Traitor baru cormorant should have soooo much more hype! I only ever hear about it when asking for books with wlw characters, but it should just be a classic for political fantasy!
Comfort Me With Apples by Catherynne M. Valente
Light from uncommon stars by Ryka Aoki
yesss i just got gifted this
A Loving, Faithful Animal by Josephine Rowe Disintegration by Richard Thomas The City of Folding Faces by Jayinee Basu The Princess of 72nd Street by Elaine Kraf (going back into print this year!) Mother Howl by Craig Clevenger
For some reason my unfinished and unpublished novel has sold no copies. I don't get it. My mom says it's good.
Sparrow by James Hynes (would recommend to look up trigger warnings, although despite everything the book has a warm tone to it)
Anything by Freida McFadden. Housemaid series was good and there’s another coming in June!
Even though Heartstopper series by Alice Oseman is absolutely amazing, there is another gem that the author has to offer and that is - Radio Silence. This book should be hyped more.
Fertility Wheel- Stephen Manning and still 1884 George Orwell
The Space Adventures Of Commander Laine. The characters are just awesome. The story is very good. I've reread it a dozen times and it never loose's it funnyness. I luv the characters the most.
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I promise I'm not being snarky but I feel like you must've missed the era where absolutely everyone and their mother was talking about Piranesi. as someone who DNF'd it I felt like I couldn't go a day without someone hailing it as the best fantasy book ever.
I love the book and love her other book even more, but yeah I feel like people recommend it here on literally every thread regardless of the context lol.
Piranesi is one of the most popular books in recent memory....
Long way to a small angry planet by Becky chambers + the other books in the series
I don't think this is underrated. It's talked about in every other post on this sub, and r/books...
It's actually pretty overrated considering how very twee and undemanding it is.
Can i do 2 different series? Gone: Michael Grant Scythe: Neal Shusterman
The Starless Sea by Erin Morganstern
The Poppy War trilogy by Rebecca Kuang. I still can stare at the wall when I think about it. Literally masterpiece
Looking for Alaska
Any book by Jennifer Hillier. I’ve read all her books and they r all SO good! Jar of hearts and little secrets are my favorites.
3 body problem
A Psalm for the Wild-Built and A Prayer for the Crown-Shy by Becky Chambers! Those books are incredible philosophical journeys through a kind post-apocalyptic world.
I don’t think there is anything in this universe that needs more hype. Hype is meaningless.
Keturah and Lord Death by Martine Leavitt
{All grown up}
Flight of the Silvers by Daniel Price.
The Impossible Us - Sarah Lotz
{{The Briar King, by Greg Keyes}} {{Inda, by Sherwood Smith}}
Humankind: A Hopeful History by Rutger Bregman
The Other Side of the Island I reread it every now and then. It’s an easy read, but an interesting premise.
DallerGut Dream Department Store!!! Please it's one of the best books ever
Never After by Rebecca Lickiss. It may be my favorite book ever and it's sorely underrated and under read. It's a very fun "who will break the curse" locked room mystery with a hilarious cast of characters and rich detail.
Armor by John Steakley. Especially with the attention Helldivers 2 is getting. It's a more serious one. But very similar to HD and Starship Troopers
With a fucking GREAT plot twist in there! Some of the best sci-fi battle scenes I ever read
The Winter of Frankie Machine
Tuesday Mooney Talks to Ghosts. Great read.
Suffer The Children by Craig DiLouie. I'll never forget it
I’m always in here recommending The Gentleman by Forrest Leo, a delightful fantasy of manners that’s like PG Wodehouse meets Terry Pratchett. A Victorian poet accidentally sells his wife to the devil, then realizes he loves her and assembles a ragtag group to get her back.
Athena Club trilogy by Theodora Goss Daughters of classic novel villains (Dr Moreau, Jekyll/Hyde, etc) become found family with cameos of Sherlock Holmes and some great 4th wall breaking elements
Pilot Family Circus by Wil Elliott, if you like Geek Love this one is for you. It's interesting because the author was going through the onset of schizophrenia while writing it and it shows. Clown Girl: A Novel by Monica Drake
Young Mungo by Douglas Stuart Too close by Natalie Daniels (decent twist/reveal, realistic, not over-the-top for the sake of a stupid twist no one saw coming. What I wanted and expected from The Silent Patient but didn’t get) Will Dean’s Tuva Moodyson series and standalones.
The Joe Ledger series. All thrillers. I don't know why more people don't talk about it.
Night of the Grizzlies by Jack Olsen
Gabby, a Girl in Pieces by Isabel Quintero
Rama by Sir Arthur C Clarke is an absolute beats of a book
Antkind by Charlie Kaufman!!
The shattered world is a brilliant fantasy book that no one talks about online, but I found it fantastic
The short and tragic life of Robert Peace.
How The One Armed Sister Sweeps Her House by Cherie Jones. (Story itself is like nothing I've ever read before and will forever live in my mind. But the audible narrator, Danielle Vitalis, somehow makes its excellence even more obvious)
Gilded Cage - Vic James
Chinese Cinderella by Adeline Yen Mah
Journey by Moonlight by Antal Szerb
The adventure Zone. It’s a graphic novel series that I genuinley think deserves more love!!
Abundance by Sena Jeter Naslund Cane River by Lalita Tademy Go as a River by Shelley Read
"A Dweller on Two Planets" by Fredrick S Oliver. It was written in the 1890's when the author was only 18 years old and living with his family on Mt Shasta. The author somehow "channeled" a spirit named Phylos, an Atlantean being, who recalls several lives he lived, details of the afterlife, reincarnation, and ascension. He also talks about things that weren't invented yet, like "seer stones" that could be used to see and talk to others across the world (cell phones). He talks about levitating vehicles called Vailx, about dark matter, about electric rail cars, international travel via manned flight. Why is this book not known by more people!? It's one of my all time favorite books, and I'm the only one besides Shirley Maclaine that I know who oiwns it. According to Shirley MacLaine, "A Dweller on Two Planets" jumped out of a bookshelf into her hands in a New Age bookstore in Hong Kong after she had recently had a near death experience.
Nobody’s Fool by Richard Russo. Fairly well known but not as popular as it should be imo. Plus the 2 sequels are brilliant as well
The Last Days of Night by Graham Moore. Everyone I’ve ever recommended this book loved it. It’s a great piece of historical fiction, very well written, captivating plot and likable (and not) characters.
We, the Drowned by Carsten Jensen! The slow decline and collapse of a Danish fishing town told over 3 generations. Funny, exciting and evocative tales of sailing and life in the brutal town of Marstall. I absolutely loved it and haven't seen it brought up *anywhere*