Book Recommendations - Blog Posts

["Congratulations! Today is your day. You're off to Great Places! You're off and away!"

"You have brains in your head. You have feet in your shoes. You can steer yourself any direction you choose. You're on your own."

"And you know what you know. And YOU are the guy who'll decide where to go."

"You'll look up and down streets. Look 'em over with care. About some you will say, "I don't choose to go there." With your head full of brains-"

"-and your shoes full of feet,"

"-you're too smart to go down any not-so-good street."

"And you may not find any you'll want to go down. In that case, of course, you'll head straight out of town. It's opener there in the wide open air. Out there things can happen and frequently do to people as brainy-"

"-and footsy as you."

"And when things start to happen, don't worry. Don't stew. Just go right along. You'll start happening too. Oh! The Places You'll Go!"

"You'll be on your way up! You'll be seeing great sights! You'll join the high fliers who soar to high heights. You won't lag behind, because you'll have the speed. You'll pass the whole gang and you'll soon take the lead. Wherever you fly, you'll be best of the best. Wherever you go, you will top all the rest."

"Except when you don't. Because, sometimes, you won't. I'm sorry to say so but, sadly, it's true that Bang-ups and Hang-ups can happen to you. You can get all hung up in a prickle-ly perch. And your gang will fly on. You'll be left in a Lurch. You'll come down from the Lurch with an unpleasant bump. And the chances are, then, that you'll be left in a Slump.

"And when you're in a Slump, you're not in for much fun. Un-slumping yourself is not easily done. You will come to a place where the streets are not marked. Some windows are lighted. But mostly they're darked. A place you could sprain both your and elbow and chin!"

"Do you dare to stay out? Do you dare to go in? How much can you lose? How much can you win? And IF you go in, should you turn left or right...or right-and-three-quarters? Or, maybe, not quite? Or go around and back and sneak in from behind? Simple it's not, I'm afraid you will find, for a mind-maker-upper to make up his mind."

"You can get so confused that you'll start in to race down long wiggled roads at a break-necking pace and grin on for miles across weirdish wild space, headed, I fear, toward a most useless place. The Waiting Place..."

"...for people just waiting. Waiting for a train to go or a bus to come, or a plane to go or the mail to come, or the rain to go or the phone to ring, or the snow to snow, or waiting around for a Yes or No or waiting for their hair to grow. Everyone is waiting.

"Waiting for the fish to bite or waiting for wind to fly a kite or waiting around for Friday night or waiting, perhaps, for their Uncle Jake. Or a pot to boil, or a Better Break or a string of pearls, or a pair of pants, or a wig with curls, or Another Chance. Everyone is just waiting."

"No! That's not for you!"

"Somehow you'll escape all that waiting and staying. You'll find the bright places where Boom Bands are playing. With banner flip-flapping, once more you'll ride high! Ready for anything under the sky. Ready because you're that kind of guy!"

"Oh, the places you'll go! There is fun to be done! There are points to be scored. There are games to be won. And the magical things you can do with that ball will make you the winning-est winner of all. Fame! You'll be famous as famous can be, with the whole world watching you win on TV."

"Except when they don't. Because, sometimes, they won't."

"I'm afraid that some times you'll play lonely games too. Games you can't win 'cause you'll play against you. All Alone! Whether you like it or not, Alone will be something you'll be quite a lot."

"And when you're alone, there's a very good chance you'll meet things that scare you right out of your pants. There are some, down the road between hither and yon, that can scare you so much you won't want to go on."

"But on you will go though the weather be foul. On you will go through your enemies prowl. On you will go through the Hakken-Kraks howl. Onward up many a frightening creek,"

"though your arms may get sore and your sneakers may leak. On and on you will hike. And I know you'll hike far and face up to your problems whatever they are."

"You'll get mixed up, of course, as you already know."

"You'll get mixed up with many strange birds as you go. So be sure when you step. Step with care and great tact and remember Life's a Great Balancing Act. Just never forget to be dexterous and deft. And never mix up your right foot with your left."

"And will you succeed?"

"Yes! You will, indeed! (98 and 1/4 percent guaranteed.) Kid, You'll Move Mountains! So...be your name Buxbaum or Bixby or Bray or Mordecai Ali Van Allen O'Shea...or Danny."

"you're off to Great Places! Today is your day! Your mountain is waiting. So...get on your way!"]

- from "Wayne's Haunted Mansion" by Tathartiel on AO3 ~132k words (29/?) chapters

•this is from a scene where red hood is reading a Dr Seuss book to Danny, I don't know if this is actually based on an actual Dr Seuss book but I absolutely loved it and I want to share it

She Drives Me Crazy by Kelly Quindlen

Orpheus Girl by Brynne Rebele-Henry

All Our Hidden Gifts by Caroline O'Donoghue (the main romance is nblw, but there is some wlw in the second and third books in the series)

anyways if you’re as upset about the first kill cancellation as i am, here’s a list of sapphic books and books featuring queer girls to check out! for those i haven’t read, i’ve heard they’re worth reading, so please check out any of the books on this list!!

the priory of the orange tree by samantha shannon

the jasmine throne by tasha suri

a lesson in vengeance by victoria lee

the falling in love montage by ciara smyth

not my problem by ciara smyth

i kissed shara wheeler by casey mcquiston

one last stop by casey mcquiston

she drives me crazy by kelly quindlen

some girls do by jennifer dugan

perfect on paper by sophie gonzales

the chosen and the beautiful by nghi vo

siren queen by nghi vo

city of dusk by tara sim

i’ll be the one by lyla lee

flip the script by lyla lee

watch over me by nina lacour

we are okay by nina lacour

the seven husbands of evelyn hugo by taylor jenkins reid

loveless by alice oseman

last night at the telegraph club by malinda lo

a memory called empire by arkady martine

gideon the ninth by tamsyn muir

ophelia after all by racquel marie

PLEASE REBLOG WITH YOUR OWN IF YOU HAVE RECS!! i’m looking to add more sapphic books to my tbr and i know i’m not the only one

I'm bored, and I have no hyperfixation right now, so if yall have good movies, series, books, or music recommendations, please tell me I genuinely don't know what to do with my life right now😔

Current read: Call of the Bone Ships by RJ Barker

Book 2 of the Tide Child trilogy

If you grew up reading Ranger’s Apprentice/Brotherband then I highly recommend this series— lots of nautical elements including ship lingo and long voyages. It’s a high fantasy series, so it has Pirates of the Caribbean-esque elements as well. The sea battles are incredibly well-written.

‼️‼️🗣️🗣️ SEA DRAGONS 🗣️🗣️‼️‼️

I’ve seen reviewers classify these books as grimdark, but I disagree with that mainly because of the main character Joron and his captain (shipwife), Lucky Meas. Though hardened by the circumstances of their lives and their tragic pasts, both of these characters, along with many of the side characters, have strong moral compasses and a conviction to do what’s right.

I’m enjoying this series a lot so far and I think it definitely deserves to more well-known. I would love to see the fandom grow too because I haven’t found anyone to talk about it with yet 🥲 (if you have read them pls interact bc I am desperate to scream about Joron with someone)

Does anyone have any book recommendations for my Alevel coursework. I was thinking about doing 'crime and punishment' or 'Iron widow' but I have no clue what to compare either of them with.

Remembering these beauties from school.

clarice has been a great company these days. she speaks about god thru lóri's point of view, her believes, and it sounds a lot camus' absurdism! she says 'if i wanna pray, it would be to the cosmic or to Nothing'.

rainy days and depression, love to see it. 🌧🤍

started 'água viva' today. my first clarice! her writing is wow, i've been annotating a lot. so many thoughts already. just wild!

i was gonna go for run today, but gave up, it's been one of those lazy days. probably do some yoga before go to bed.

tomorrow i feel like it's gonna be a good day. (probably won't though) - let's keep it positive.

that's a goal: be more positive! 🤍🌧

here's a list of books I've read and would recommend as well as books from my to-read list for Pride Month!

A Psalm for the Wild-Built by Becky Chambers: a solarpunk novella that discusses existential purpose from the perspective of a nonbinary narrator who meets a sentient robot years after robots decided to stop working and disappear into the wilderness. A great read that I found very soothing!

We Are The Ants by Shaun David Hutchinson: a YA sci-fi novel that follows a grieving high-schooler who gets routinely abducted by aliens. I read this one in the eight grade and as a kid who was unknowingly struggling with depression and had just learned that the word 'bisexual' existed, this was a pretty important read for me so even though I haven't read it in years it deserves an honorary place. CW: past suicide of the narrator's bf

Burning Roses by S.L Huang: a novella that combines European fairytales and Chinese mythology. It follows two middle-aged queer women as they reflect on their lives and chase down a deadly threat together. Told largely in flashback, I found this story very hopeful.

Blue Period (manga & anime) by Tsubasa Yamaguchi: had to toss this one in here as I adore BP. While not a romantic story, BP is about the discovery of artistic passion and the highs and lows of pursuing what makes you feel alive (and I find it to be relatable, refreshing, and inspiring tbh). In volumes 1-6 (and the anime), a secondary, genderqueer character has a fairly prominent storyline, told largely via the main character's changing perceptions of them. If you do give it a watch, I personally feel that the sub version hits harder.

In the Lives of Puppets by TJ Klune: I'm very excited to read this one (i love me some sentient robots lol) and have high hopes for the emotional depth. Here's the first bit of the synopsis. "Deep in the heart of a peculiar forest, in a strange little home built into the branches of trees, is a family assembled from spare parts: three robots- fatherly inventor android Giovanni Lawson, a pleasantly sadistic nurse machine, a small vacuum desperate for love and attention- and a human, Victor Lawson."

The Dark Tide by Alicia Jasinska: Google says it's a gripping, dark sapphic YA fantasy about two girls who must choose between saving themselves, each other, or their sinking island home. I love to see sapphic rep and truly hope this book delivers!

Feel free to drop more recs in the comments or share your thoughts about the books on this list!

Hello, yes, I'd like to slam the entire 22 Redwall novels by Brian Jacques down onto the counter and then add several picture books, recipe books, and supplemental mini-series.

I would like to look the Internet at large in the eye when I say the following.

These books are an excellent way to see cruel people from their own points of view just as you can see the kind and heroic people's perspectives. It might royally piss you off, even, to realize that you have motivations in common with a scoundrel. That you will have sympathy for the power-hungry murderer. That you might mourn for a monster even as you're so glad the monster is dead.

And you're going to love these characters. You're going to love the camaraderie and the jokes and the squabbling. The coming-of-age stories and the parents seeking to protect their children. You're going to cry so fucking hard at some point, guaranteed, and it's going to feel so cleansing.

Also! Brian Jacques wrote these books with massive feasts and was particularly descriptive about taste. This is because he often volunteered to read to blind kids and became frustrated with how so many books relied on visual descriptions, so he made it a point to focus on a different sense.

I think every single book worm had that series that got them through shitty teenage years. For me that series was Tigers Curse by Colleen Houck. The series quite literly was my source of hope and joy during my early teen years. Was my lifeline. It's definitely YA and a little cringe to read as an adult but it's like a found friend that holds nothing but fond memories💙🖤.

What was your hard time book series?

5 Books to Read to Write Better Stories

The newest post on my blog discusses five books that I think are essential to helping writers grow. They break the craft apart in easy-to-read ways. You'll treat yourself to funny lessons and entertaining perspectives while strengthening your ability to write captivating stories.

Check out the post here!

I have some recs! It's not exactly what you want (if you're looking for more cultivation based novels) unfortunately... but they're bahie and very beautifully written ones 2, they focus much more on politics and war so note: they will discuss heavy topics(so make sure to check any warnings labelled on the book):

All written by pdl (please don't laugh):

1)Jwqs:

It's abt a Cross dressing princess, who after her kingdom was completely destroyed during war by the enemy, seeks to get her revenge Unfortunately, her plans are foiled as the king marries her off to his favored princess and finds herself reluctantly falling in love(this changes nothing)

Very angsty and beautifully written.

It has a somewhat bitter sweet ending, it's not a BAD ending though.

2)Ruzhui:

The story of a women who is apart of a time travelling project finds herself accidentally stuck in a completely different dimension, After some accidental meddling she gets married to a rich merchant and is now stuck between deciding on leaving the women she loves or the world she knows and misses.

Unlike the former this is actually a comedy, it does dicuss heavy topics (alot). But I'm half-way into reading it, it's very good.

Also cultivation is a thing in this story but its not a common thing, so far their is only one known cultivator in the story (so don't expect anything magical to happen)

3)Female general and eldest princess:

I haven't really read this novel yet, despite it arguably being pdls most popular novel so my info on the actual book is quite lacking but here we go (I got the summary from Google lol)

The story of a crossdressing General and a strategic all-knowing Eldest Princess enfolds; with betrayal, violence, thrilling romance, and acceptance

This might be an incredibly specific ask, and I may be asking in the wrong places, however..

Are there any good wlw novels set in fantasy/history, with the same writing style and vibe as danmei novels such as TGCF, MDZS, Ballad of Sword and Wine etc?

Any fictional setting will do, I'm just putting feelers out there since it's been a long time since I've found a book series I've truly fallen in love with :(

THE DEH SCRIPT BOOK IS SOLID GOLD

I may or may not have wanted this book for this line specifically

"(Alana exits as Jared Klineman approaches Evan with a kind of practice Swagger that only a deeply insecure person can truly pull off)"

ALSO THE PHOTOS IN THIS ARE AMAZING

I'm going to post the books I read again on here so here is my most recent read!

Forget Me Not by Julie Soto

I loved this book. It was such a cute romance and a fast read. This is a second chance romance about a wedding planner and a florist and maybe it's because my wedding it coming up but I was hooked lol definitely recommend

Christmas book haul 🎄🥰

I haven't done a book update on here in a minute so here's everything I've read since the last update 🥰 my favorites? Fourth Wing and Love Hypothesis lol

The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes

At first while reading this all I could think was what happened to Snow? He seemed so compassionate. But as things progressed his thought process just bothered me. I felt like the story didn't do Lucy Gray justice and that this didn't provide much of a necessary back story to the original books other than offering a few things you recognized in the originals.

Okay I loved this one. There was so much emotion and heart break in this book, you feel sorry for everyone involved. The story of her trying to get her daughter back is more of the focus than the romance but I think she did a great job balancing the 2.

Kingdom of the wicked series by Kerri Maniscalco

This series could have been written a bit better BUT it as still enjoyable and an easy read. And I do feel she did a good job wrapping the ending up

The Fear by Natasha Preston

I enjoy her books because it's like watching a cheesy thriller movie. The entire book I thought I was right about the killer, got so excited that I was right, and then the last sentence ended with me my mouth falling open 😂

Regretting you by Colleen Hoover

Her books are always either a hit or miss for me. This one was enjoyable but definitely not her best. I enjoyed the mother daughter relationship repair more than I did the romantic interests lol

I really feel beautiful in this picture 🥰 my natural curls wild and free, fresh put of bed, my tattoos. Just my confidence in general ❤️

Kingdom of Ash by Sarah J Maas

I can't belive the series is over 😭 I love this world and these characters so much. The ending was what I was hoping for 🥺❤️ I feel like she did a great job wrapping everything up and giving everyone the ending they deserved. The loss though were so sad. This book was an emotional roller coaster lol

Tower Of Dawn by Sarah J Maas

I will say I was not excited to read this one since it was Chaols point of view and with the cliff hanger of the last book I only wanted to read Aelins story. But I enjoyed the book! I enjoyed Chaols redemption and finally having Yrene in the story 🥰

I'm excited to start the last book but sad that the story is coming to an end 😭 the last book is nearly 1000 pages though so it will probably take me a minute to read lol

Empire of Storms by Sarah J Maas

This book was a constant go go go. I was so excited when all the point of views met and for the love connections that were made. But typical Sarah had to rip my heart out at the end 😭

Queen Of Shadows by Sarah J Maas

I think this is my favorite in the series so far. Everything played out so nicely and I hope 🥺 I absolutely love Rowan and Aelins relationship, Chaol finally isn't annoying, and Dorian is free! I can't wait to see Manons and Elides characters transform 🥰

Heir of Fire by Sarah J Maas

This book was heart warming and heart wrenching at the same time lol I was so happy with what happened with Rowan because i love him so much. And then all that other crap happened with everyone else! 😂 if I didn't have a test tomorrow I'd start the next book now lol

Crown of Midnight by Sarah J Maas

Oh Nehemia 😭 that made me so sad. Archer can got to hell. I need Celaena and Chaol to be back to normal. I'm glad she told him everything and I predicted that ending half way through lol