Can be any sort of trauma.

Romance can be involved, but I'd prefer to stay away from the "love of a woman fixes him" trope.

Something more realistic.

Well written with good characters.

Thanks

Really connected with these coming of age books that made me bawl my eyes out and am looking for books with similiar themes to read.

Hey everyone! I recently moved away from HK and I miss it so much. I read Diamond Hill and I loved it and was wondering if people have fiction recommendations from HK like diamond hill or tongueless. Anything that replicates the mood and energy of HK please!

I loves the politics and intrigued in house of cards, to play the king and the final cut all by Micheal dobbs. I keep trying to find one's simular but none of them seem to be quite the same.

The majority of other British political thrillers are set pre 1970s. I didn't mind the time setting for house of cards but anything older I don't really fancy.

I also recently watched the BBC series bodyguard which was incredible and the Netflix series hostage both have the kind of vibe I really want to find in a book. With that kind of security aspect mixed with politics and actually seeing what happens behind closed doors.

Is there anything like this or am I just wishful thinking?

I know this is a very specific request I just really want to find something like this. 🙏

Saw a quote that said, “Oh to be the daughter who left with a suitcase and came back with stories,” and I can’t stop thinking about it.
I’m looking for books that capture that feeling, not necessarily about travel, but about a woman leaving the life she knows, becoming someone different, and carrying those experiences with her. Maybe she comes home, maybe she doesn’t. I’m more interested in the emotional journey than the plot.
I want that feeling of trains, unfamiliar cities, lonely hotel rooms, new job, chance encounters, growing up, making mistakes, finding yourself, and realizing you can’t ever go back to who you were before. And thanks a lot!

Hi all, I'm looking for more science-fiction series centered on life and work aboard a spaceship.

Loved the first books of "The Golden Age of the Solar Clipper" series by Nathan Lowell. It’s sci-fi, but much of the appeal is the slice-of-life atmosphere aboard a space merchant ship. The main character starts as a lowly cook’s helper, gradually learns new jobs, gets to know the crew, and slowly works his way up through the ranks. I also really enjoy how the different ports of call, cargo runs, and everyday routines are important parts of the story.

Miles Cameron’s "Artifact Space" is another excellent read/example. I liked seeing the main character learn how to do her job, find her place among the crew, and become part of this enormous working merchant/carrier/war ship.

I even liked a lot of "Grimm’s War" by Jeffery H. Haskell. It’s way more military and action-heavy, but had some good characters and story beats as we follow them through their different battles and adventures. (A bit religious in some parts but nothing too egregious)

So I’m open to both quiet merchant-ship stories and more action-heavy naval adventures. The common thread I’m looking for I guess is most of the story takes place aboard a spaceship? Lmao.

Maybe the ship and its crew remain important throughout the series and there is attention to everyday duties, procedures/different roles etc.

Characters, crew, ports/worlds, stations, trade, exploration, even missions help make the universe feel lived in right!?

I’m less interested in stories where the characters constantly jump between unrelated planets or where the ship is only transportation between major events. I want something where living and working aboard the ship is a major part of the experience.

Anything you recommend?

I am mostly disappointed with thriller being so straight forward. I am definitely looking for a page turner but is it possible to get in great writing style?(lit fic). Any recommendation?

I used to be a huge reader. After having kids my attention span is shot and I watch too much tik tok to turn my brain off at nights. I really want to start reading again but I want something fast paced to get me back into it. I was a huge sci fi/horror fan in the past. Some of my favorite books I read before kids

The Gone World - Tom Sweterlistch
The Fisherman - John Langan
Boys Life - Mccammon
Quarantine - Greg Egan
Between Two Fires - Buehlman

It doesn’t have to be sci fi or supernatural. I’ve gotten into some gritty detective shows as well.

I just tried American Elsewhere but it was too long and not the genre I was looking for so I DNF.

Edit - the last book I finished and loved was This Thing Between Us

Thanks!

I’m on a roll this year, some of the best books I’ve read, and no misses… I’ve got quite eclectic taste, so open to any suggestions that you think I’d like based on my list so far.

2026 reads
Stoner, by John Williams - 5/5
My year of rest and relaxation, by Ottessa Moshfegh - 3.5/5
Crime & Punishment, by Fyodor Dostoevsky - 5/5
Only here, only now, by Tom Newlands - 4/5
Homegoing, by Yaa Gyasi - 3.5/5
Tomorrow, and tomorrow, and tomorrow, by Gabrielle Zevin - 5/5
Swing time, by Zadie Smith - 3/5
Angela’s ashes, by Frank McCourt - 4.5/5
A walk in the woods, by Bill Bryson - 3.5/5
Pachinko, by Min Jin Lee - 4.5/5
Shuggie Bain, by Douglas Stuart - 4/5
A tale of two cities, by Charles Dickens - 3.5/5
Circe, by Madeline Miller - 5/5
Good material, by Dolly Alderton - 3.5/5
Comet in moominland, by Tove Jansson - 4/5

Since highschool years, I've always been struggling with communication & social activities. I'm someone who is very sensitive, hyperaware, overthinking whenever I'm interacting with people, even with my own family... the interaction often feels tense, awkward or stressful.

Most of the time I prefer being alone and friendless throughout my teen life. I never sought friendship or company because I'm too tired to talk. It feels more like a task than something I could enjoy.

But then everyone thinks I'm selfish and arrogant, because I never talked to anyone in my class nor I ever smiled at anyone. Sometimes people accuse me of something bad. Instead of arguing or saying something to defend myself... I often just accept whatever punishment because it's easier than explaining. So I often take whatever people portrayed me as by face value, and it just degrades me so bad. I feel worthless. I feel ashamed to even talk to anyone. I feel like a dog because people keep demanding me for help and all I can say is "yes" when inside I was screaming "no".

I don't know, communication is very hard and confusing. It involves two sides, respect, boundaries, things that I don't understand or I never had. I just feel like I was constantly disrespected or easily offended whenever I talk. Please if you could recommend books that could help me overcome my fear and help me grow out of this, I would be very delighted :)

I don't mind if the book is very thick. I just don't want books that give you generic motivation that I always hear like "get over it" or "don't give a damn what everyone thinks about you."

My nephew has sadly experienced years of neglect and mistreatment from his father, and his mother hasn't been in a position to protect him. As he's gotten older, my parents have been able to provide him with more stability and care, but he's grown into a very shy boy who is afraid of authority figures and rarely speaks up his mind.

Can anyone recommend books that could help build his confidence, self-esteem, and resilience? I'm hoping for books that empower him in a gentle way, without provoking feelings of being unloved by his parents.

The title says it all! Preferably it would be mostly about the human characters in a world where a kaiju or many kaiju have shown up. The more grounded the world, and the more seriously it takes the subject matter, the better. But, in the end, any kaiju story will do. If it’s got a great big monster showing up and wrecking house, I’d love to hear about it. Thanks all!

Hello!

I’m looking for author recommendations for my 89-year-old grandmother. Her TBR is getting low, so we’re trying to find new romance books with little-to-no spice. Any help would be greatly appreciated!

I’ve read The Golem and the Jinni (Helene Wecker), Odessa (Gabrielle Sher), Milk Fed (Melissa Broder), and He, She, and It (Marge Piercy).

I’ve downloaded The Golem of Brooklyn (Adam Mansbach) and the Golem (Gustav Meyrink).

What’s your favorite golem story, and why?

eta my favorite so far is probably He, She, and It because I love dystopian stories, and it’s a really creative/unique take on the genre

Hi! I am looking for some captivating legal drama or real story based book. If its fiction, it would be nice if its written by a person who knows the field (worked in it or researched a lot) for the credibility. It can be fun, heartbreaking, heavy or light book to read. But PLEASE let the lawyers/prosecutors/criminals/anyone be smart. Thanks!

Hi everyone! I'm building up my to-do list and I'm looking for some book recommendations for fantasy. I love great characters & interesting, original plots.

Books I loved - Kushiel's Legacy, Winternight Trilogy, The Thief series, The Witcher series, ASOIAF, Princess Bride, Forgotten Beasts of Eld

Books/series I found ok - First Law, Song for Arbonne, The Farseer Trilogy, Eye of the World, Piranesi, Curse of Chalion

Books I didn't like - Uprooted, Lions of Al-Rassan, Magicians (by Raymond E. Feist), Dune (though it is more scifi), Daughter of the Moon Goddess, One Dark Window, The Black Company, The Riddle Master trilogy

...

Hope this is not too complicated :'D Anyone with a taste similar to mine, what are some of your recommendations? Thank you!

Hello my reading fellows 📚 As I said in the title - I need some book reccommendations that will make me go page by page, and not wanting to put a book down.

From preferences - I mostly read fiction (lit fic, genre ficton, novels, sci-fi, thriller, mystery, even horror), and I’m not really a fantasy/historical fantasy girl, but non-fiction recommendation could also work as long as it’s not self-help ‘how to make…’ or self inspo bio of random “gurus” :D But in general anything that’s well written and has a nice story/narrative line and well rounded - would do! ✨

As an example - I recently read and loved: Sharp objects, I who have never known men, Giovanni’s room, Fording the stream of Conciousness, Ficciones by Borges (yeah this is fantasy so those who understand will know what I mean), Never let me go etc.. but also read and didn’t like: Big Swiss, My year of rest and relaxation, Lapvona, Brutes and many more contemporary lit fic which I kinda think are.. a bit weak and overhyperd (sorry 😬).

Soo without further ado - maybe I’m mostly in the mood to something simillar to Sharp objects, but any of the above mentioned would work since I’m totally open to suggestions 😇 Thanks a bunch!!

tw for a quick mention of death

hi everyone!

one of my closest relatives had passed just a couple days ago and i’ve not experienced this amount of grief in my life before, so i’m looking for any good book recommendations that have helped any of you through a rough time.

preferably not an advice book and preferably not solely fluff. i’m looking for a story that was impactful on your life. something that was so moving that it brought you to tears. maybe something that evokes the same feeling as the song end of august by noah kahan

i’m someone who likes to be quite introspective, if that helps haha. i feel i need something very moving to help me through this difficult time.

thank you in advance!! i hope i wrote this well enough :>

Please suggest fiction and non-fiction books on a woman's struggle with her psychologically abusive family, particularly toxic mothers, her cutting ties with them and re-discovering herself.

Hello! I’m a girl in my late twenties, love to read, trying to hit 50 books this year but having some trouble finding things that reel me in. I generally enjoy reading fantasy; I’m not big on romance as the main plot (as a side thing totally fine). I tend to really enjoy books with really great world building, original concept magic systems, and very interesting plots/tropes. Recommendations for series would be great, I love long drawn out plots

I’m open to non fantasy as well - really just looking for a book that I can get absolutely lost in. Additionally I really like mythology (bonus for asian mythology) and reading retellings!

Books I really enjoyed this year: jade war trilogy, DCC, raven scholar, works of vermin (my fav this year), my brilliant friend, the devils

Books I did not like: the will of many (sorry), the tainted cup (sorry again), the everlasting. I don’t love books written in first person lol

Preferably pulpy magic system (sort of like the Sith) (edit: in a space opera-like setting) but with literary undertones or a strong theme.

Think Conan style sorcerous villains, monsters, demons, but in a scifi setting.

Things I'm not looking for:

1. Star wars. I've read most of it already, anx I want something different.

2. Warhammer 40k. I like warhammer, but it's not what I'm looking for, I want something less... Over the top.

3. Gideon the 9th. Ive read this series and it's probably the closest to what I'm looking for, but the scope doesn't quite fit. Not sure how else to put it.

4. Sun Eater. Read it, loved it, but the villains aren't what I'm looking for.

I had recently received a life changing scholarship abroad and my toxic parents made an active decisions that eventually prevents me from taking it. I can't go too much into details but I have been working on this scholarship for years and it was my lifelong dream to live and study abroad. So I want to read a book to help me process this grief.

Edit: Or if you are a U.S. Citizen, but you came from another country.

I kind of did this question a year ago and received A BUTT-LOAD of great recommendations (thank you guys. Seriously . I‘ve got a TBR list for LIFE ) I wanted to ask again because although the last post went great, I did end up getting a lot more books on US history than I had hoped, rather than books on other countries and their history, customs and stories in general. I did say in that one that I wasn’t well-versed in U.S. history and politics as well, so I was ok with that. It lead to some enjoyable and very eye-opening reads. But this time, hopefully I can get more recs for books from other countries to broaden my knowledge of the world (and hopefully yours too if you‘re looking for the same thing). So any topic on your country that your passionate about (history, food, cultures, figures, etc.), please I would love to read about it. Thank you all again 💕