r/WeirdLit

What are you reading this week?

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I'm in a nostalgic itch recently and I've been wanting to read middle grade books, also bec I'm currently developing a whimsical story right now and middle grade has a lot of those. but i'm wondering, are there any middle grade books that are close or can be considered weird lit? any recommendation is highly appreciated!

Hi guys,

I am looking for some interesting UFO lit (fiction only). Bonus if its whacky, conspiracy theory-inclined and existential.

Hi, I'm want to get more into reading Weird Fantasy and weird Lit because I've really, REALLY been enjoying it so far with some of my most recent reads.

Here's a bit of what I'm looking for:

WeirdLit books I've read so far and liked:

- Works of Vermin (LOVED THIS)

- The Tainted Cup (I am currently reading it, and I don't like murder mysteries but I LOVE the setting)

- Annihilation (great book, need to reread and read the rest of the series)

I don't know if the Emily Wilde's series counts as weirdlit, but I also enjoyed that one. I'm also a HUGE fan of Dungeon Crawler Carl (even if that's also not a weirdlit)

In general looking for:

- Preferably Fantasy (but I am not opposed to some sci-fi)
- Body Horror
- Bio-punk or Cosmic Horror
- Absurdity / WTF moments, I want cool monsters that make my jaw drop or moments that make me question what type of consumables the author was on when they wrote it.
- Anything that someone who wants to get into the genre should just make sure to read / Genre staples
- Quirky, loveable protagonists
- LGBTQ+ themes welcome
- Books that make up their own unique worlds, monsters, horrors, and so forth rather than reusing or retelling versions from other classics or mythos. (Inspired by is A-Okay)

What I don't like:
- Overly depressing or sad pieces. I don't want to read something where everything just flat sucks and it stays that way and makes me depressed about life
- No tragic Endings
- Stories set too strongly in our worlds, I want the weird stuff to be front and center
- I do NOT like murder mysteries or mysteries in general. (I am powering through Tainted Cup for its world, but even though I am enjoying it and it's objectively a GREAT BOOK, it's VERY slow going for me because I am struggling to care about the mystery element at ALL)
- No books in second person
- Stuff that is anti-Christian (or a major criticism of the religion or religion in general) or focuses on demons and angels in the same vain
- Stuff that rehashes Greek myths (I am so sick of Greek myths.)

Books I have on my shelf to read that I got from suggestions from another subreddit, but haven't gotten to yet just as an example of books I'm likely to pick up:
- The West Passage
- Piranesi
- The DawnHounds
- the Cautious Traveler's Guide to the Wastelands

I also have both of these two on my shelf to read but I'm not actually sure if they count or not as Weirdlit.
- Hell's Heart
- The Macabre

Thank you in advance!!!

I'm looking for some weird, frankly freakish fairtyale retelling books, if there is any. Folk/myths as well, but mainly fairytales from any place and any time.

I certainly didn't expect Cthulhu to be pronounced like that.

Some of my favorite books in the genre are the dark, moody, and dreamlike stories. Like The Memory Police, The Gone World, The Fisherman, and of course the Southern Reach series. I just love books that are filled with atmosphere and introspection either in a dreamlike world or at least written in a dreamlike prose. What are your favorite books like this?

Just finished The Divinity Student (enjoyed it). I was planning to read The Tyrant or The Traitor next but heard The Golem is sort of a sequel to TDS? I'm usually suspicious when it comes to sequels.

I loved the simplicity and stomach-turning themes in I Who Have Never Known Men and A Short Stay in Hell. Any others?

I also loved the complexity and mystical God-like elements in The Library at Mount Char and Piranesi. Are there similar books?

On a book buying ban but why not fill the cart up I guess….

Does anyone know any short stories/novellas with "nonorganic" entities, without any specific purpose, simply appearing and altering the environment, published post 2000s? Something like The Colour (Lovecraft) or the kind we see in The Monolith Monsters (1957 movie)?

Edit: thanks to everyone for these wonderful suggestions. For a bit of context, I am doing research on weird fiction and nonorganic life (hence the specific request). While it was easy to find nonhuman entities within the genre, it was not as easy to find works that cater specifically to the inorganic (and not floral/vegetal). You guys have been wonderful. :-)

Hello everyone so I read this book maybe a few years ago and it was one of my favorite books but I feel like no one has ever heard about it. Has anyone else here read this and what did you think of it?

No one around me has read this book, if you have please tell me your thoughts.