r/suggestmeabook

I read The Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follett out of curiosity and I absolutely fell in love! I'm a heavy sci-fi and fantasy reader but I just wasn't feeling any of my TBRs so I tried reading Pillars and oh wow I couldn't put it down! The world building and characters are just so well-developed and the pacing is immaculate UGH i just LOVED it

Now I'm on World Without End and am thinking of going further into the series (and the Century Trilogy)! Can't wait!

Please drop your great historical fiction recs because I'd love to explore this genre more! And please tell me this is a worthwhile rabbit hole haha.

I really like understanding our world better. I really liked Sapians, Thinking Fast and Slow, Of Boys and Men, etc. Anything that’s going to teach me something about our current understanding of science, sociology, etc.

Please help I’m 21 books into this year and not one has felt 5 stars. I’m reading a variety of genres authors eras and it just isn’t hitting. I read almost everything sci-fi, thrillers, romance, fiction, and non-fic. A few of last years 5 stars for me were Parable of the Sower, Rage Becomes Her, Empire of Pain, Chain Gang All Stars, Lost & Lassoed, Atmosphere etc
Let me hear your recs!! I’m down for anything

My daughter is looking for a witchy series similar to Sabrina the Teenage Witch. (We’ve read those few).

Hi, I'm transitioning from someone who primarily read non-fiction to reading a lot more of the "classics" or Great American Novels. One book I read recently was Crime & Punishment. I found it dense and hard to get through at times, but I think it's because my expectation weren't aligned. I expected a book that spent most of it's time pontificating on the ethics of murder in unique and rare circumstances, but it felt like most of the book was just the main character having panic attacks (lol) and some B plots that didn't capture my attention.

One thing I did very much appreciate from the book was that it introduced me to the concept of utilitarianism. I think I would very much enjoy reading a novel that revolved around the difficult questions that stem from this idea, where tough decisions are framed in the context of maximizing the wellbeing of large groups of people, and the ethics of those choices are debated.

The genre can really be anything as long as that theme is explored.

Thanks!

Ideally, it would include more than one of these elements:

- Midcentury setting

- Atmospheric Midwest setting

- Depictions of American Jewish life

- Darkly funny events or plot

- Allegories for/allusion to Old Testament stories

- Magical realism

- Existential bleakness

- Dark academia

Thanks!

Hi. I am (25F) studying for a very competitive exam. i actually studied for a year and took the exam last march, and i was among the top %5. but i have to do much better. so i have to retake it. during this process, ive been living back with my parents for 1.5 years now. i dont have any money. all my classmates and friends are living their lives, earning their money and i am stuck home all day studying. i know i did good but its not enough, and now i am lacking motivation. i am lacking energy. i dont want to do anything. i am not even stressed out. (i did gave myself 1 month of free time in april, so no its not burnout). i just need some motivation. and i am looking for book recommendations. just to help me with this upcoming year.

things i like:

• i am ok with fiction or non fiction. i usually read classics, but i love any genre, if its good quality.
• if fiction, a strong, focused main character that perseveres through anything would be nice.
• i am trying to enjoy the process rather than the outcome. so books that have a similar vibe would be nice.

things i want to avoid:

• ANY kind of toxic motivation or toughts. i dont want comparison, bitternes, jealousy, or any dark toughts.
• cheap superficial self help books that actually dont say anything useful at all
• cheap superficial cheesy fiction books

body text body text.

I have been searching for romance novel and I have no experience reading one coz I never tried that genre🤓 simply because all hyped books has some spice. I want something which doesn't have one.

Genuinely interesting not just revolving around the male and female protagonist. It should be interesting and with new plot. Not cliche with plot holes. Something underrated or even validly rated.

I’ve read the night circus. Not water for elephants. Will accept romance, added points if theres lgbt characters or love interests

I like where characters have discussion about their opposing philosophical stands. I don't find a philosophy book that interesting. But I've read a few books with scenes where characters of opposing philosophical views have a conversation that turns into impromptu debate, which keep my attention and makes me think

• Justice of Kings series - a judge and apprentice often discuss about justice
• Name of the rose - this is more like teaching than discussion

Suggest some books please
Thanks

I'm 22 years old, and I haven't done much reading prior to turning 20. I've read some Thomas Pynchon but much of his stuff, historically and literaturely(new word?) goes completely over my head. I feel like I'm very far behind on the "classics", and I don't even know where to begin. Where should I begin? And does anyone have any good websites or resources that could guide me as well? I try goodreads but many of the lists on there include things like Harry Potter or Hunger Games which aren't really what I'm looking for.

Preferably very little to no romance. Or at least, absolutely not a book that’s about a “ugly woman is actually beautiful and every man wants her” OR, “hot sexy man falls in love with ugly woman”. Would be great if not male centered at all but I know that’s idealistic lol

Would love something that centeres the experience of an ugly woman. About being ugly, about coming to terms with it and accepting it.

I am open to non-fiction but don’t want anything too preachy or self-helpy. I would prefer fiction :)

Edit: I can’t see comments for some reason!! I am getting notifications but when I click on the post I can’t see any. I’m sorry I can’t respond but thank you so much for the suggestions!!

I read in phases. I either read day in, day out nonstop. Or I don't read at all. My last nonstop reading phase happened some months ago when WaT came out.

I positively inhaled Sword of kaigen, Blood over bright haven, Priory of the orange tree ,Wind and Truth and some 40 Mary balogh books in between (Slightly series, school teachers series, survivors series, the bedwyns, another series that had only three books, and the ravens something). It was at this point that I got burned out.

Some of my dnfs :

1.Kushiel's dart (too many explicit scenes irrelevant to the plot make me uncomfortable)

2. A contemporary book where a rich grandma arranges marriages for her orphaned grandchildren and also manipulates them into accepting it (I'm into arranged marriages, it's the reason I read so much HR, but these books were too long. I'm talking 600 pages. I liked this one. It was just too long for the plot)

3.Shards of Honor (we were only following 2 people for a 100 pages. I was sick of them by then. I want to meet more people in my book , preferably more than 2, atleast.)

4.Wives and daughters ( the characters didn't make me think. I pick up classics mainly for the character work and I didn't connect with any one in this book and I'd already read 400 pages.)

Recommend me a book that feels nice to read. Super vague, I know. But I don't prefer any specific genre. I really enjoyed reading Salt, fat, acid and heat. And Anxious generation. Even intereesting non fictions are welcome.

So basically, under 500 pages for non romance. And 300 max for romance. No explicit mindless smut. Interesting and thought provoking characters. HEV not necessary but welcome.

I've already read Harry potter, Sanderson, Robin Hobb, WoT, six of crows, shadow and bone, Joe Abercrombie. Lotr, Memory, sorrow and Thorn. Lies of locke lamora.

Hi! 13F here. I am getting really bored of YA’s books because they simply aren’t that different. Coming from someone who has read a lot of things they probably shouldn’t (Fourth Wing, ACOTAR, ehm... other things) I really dislike spice because I feel like it takes away from the intellectual and emotional value of the relationship two characters have in a story, and the character stereotypes most authors write. Tall. Dark hair. Imposing. Even the characters have the same scent described. ok, enough with the yapping, I just really need some books where the main character is a boy, or not a brunette, or a tall female. And preferably fantasy. Should I go into adult fiction and look for stuff there? I’ve read The Eye of the World, but none of the other WOT books, and I’m afraid adult fictions is going to be a lot like that, but I’m just not finding what I’m looking for in YA. I don’t want romance as the main them. I want a good plot and some diverse character arcs and I am DONE with all the MMC’s looking exactly the same. Please give me something to read that isn’t boring but also isn’t the same thing most YA books are.

I read Intensity by Dean Koontz very recently ( my first Koontz) and loved it, made my top 10 list right away. The young clerk at the bookstore who recommended it called it the novel that got her hooked on suspense and thrillers… read it in her teens from her school library. I went back to the store to thank her for the recommendation, and she then recommended a book called The Cabin At The End Of The World by Paul Tremblay. She described it as a great introductory novel for a thriller person like me to branch out into the horror genre.

As a woman in her 70’s , I was quite impressed by this young person… enjoying the Koontz novel in her teens, that was written so long before her time. Makes me wonder if I too could become a fan of horror. Has anyone else read this novel by Tremblay? Or perhaps recommend others?

I find myself in an area of the US where many people are anti-vaxx and/or believe in woo woo stuff... Astrology, crystals, etc. I am becoming enraged a bit more each day, and just confused as to why they think this way. I'd love some books on the subject! Or hey, if you are into this stuff I would like to know a book where you got your information! I know RFK wrote some books, haha. One thing that really drives me nuts is how certain people are about their anti-scientific beliefs. I just don't get it, please help me understand.

Editing to say thank you to everyone who responded! There is a wealth of knowledge here and I have so much to learn.

I've been in a bit of a reading slump for a long while. I have a lot of mental health issues and just recently got medicated for my out of control ADHD. I'd really like to retrain my brain to be able to read (I used to read 52 books a year in spite of all my issues).

I think part of the problem is that I keep trying to tackle these behemoth novels when the truth is I haven't finished anything in months. I'm open on genre and content (I like dark and gory stuff too). The thing is I don't want to sound pretentious but I'm just picky on prose. I usually go for literary novels but I'm open to fiction or nonfiction - anything but self-help books.

Edit to add: by short here I mean approximately less than 200 pages

I’m going on vacation this weekend and want to grab a book to read while not rock hunting. I like most genres but I really just want a fun book. Nothing depressing or overly emotional or terrifying. Just some laughs, a good plot, and enjoyable characters. Maybe something shorter?

I have a couple of gift cards for book stores that I'm looking to use up. Since I have limited space for keeping books, most purchases I've made in the last few years have been ebooks, with actual physical book purchases being reserved for books that fit into one of two categories: books I absolutely love and just want physical copies of, or books that feel like they would suffer being read in ebook form. It's this latter I'm looking for.

Generally this is books that either have a number of illustrations in them that would suffer being on an ebook screen, or books that do wacky things with page layout or typefaces or whatever. Books like House of Leaves by Mark Danielewski, or XX by Ryan Hughes, or Sysiphean by Dempow Torishima.

Any genre is welcome. I'm not looking for suggestions for graphic novels or art books right now, and I'm also not necessarily just looking for books that have one or two pages with images that would be good to flip back to now and then (like a fantasy novel with a map or a gothic novel with a family tree or something).

Thanks!