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like-rain-or-confetti · 11 months ago

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5 ⭐️ Recommendations!

Okay, so PLEASE do your research for these because im not taking responsibility. In the same way, i have a look at what i get before i read, i ask you to do the same. I am guilty of not doing enough research, but I have seen people in the past get hate because of the 'why didn't you tell me ___' factor. So... Warning! Some of these books may have smut or generally 18+ content. PLEASE do you research before you read!💙

Self-Help

The Happiness Trap pocketbook by Russ Harris. - this is the condensed illustrative version of the Happiness Trap textbook. There are another two. If you want a smaller easy to read version of these, go for the pocketbook. I was recommended this by my therapist.

101 Essays That Will Change the Way You Think by Brianna West. I bought a physical copy of this book, I loved it so much. Let me paint you a picture. Like I've said before, my mental health tanked after 2020 covid. My life went on hold completely, and there was nothing left. I needed a change of perspective desperately because I'm now 26 years old and I was using an old mental system that protected me when I was a teenager. That doesn't work when you're in your 20s. This book blew my mind and I bought a physical copy that I practically use as a bible. So if you're feeling lost, like life is too hard or simply don't know what you want to do with your life- this book is what you want. It helped me a bunch through therapy and I recommended it to all my friends. It's written by various people, some of which was heartfelt "I wish someone told me this before so I'm telling you now." It's very comforting to me. Like a honest friend giving some honesty as well as not leaving you feeling helpess. Absolutely brilliant. I have mine annotated and still am annotating it to continue creating that new mental system I want to have.

Romance

Flowers for the Devil by Vlad Kahany. - A 18+ historical romance for my peeps! We follow a countess and her forbidden love with the villain of society itself. Set in 1851, making it victorian era romanceeeee! This is one of the most spiciest books I've ever read. Like I was taken aback. I'm not sure if it really counts as 'dark romance' as the sub-genre because it's not the same as other books I've heard of but it's a dark book in itself...and there's romance and an ungodly amount of spice but a very good take on the 'falling for the villain' but I would say do the research first because I did not and I was taken aback by the very veeeery descriptive smut with the borderline stalkery villain.

Beach Read by Emily Henry. Contradictory to my story graph, I am not a big romance girlie... but I want to be. Sometimes, I need a break from the doom and gloom and need an easy, simple book about the wonderous world of love and this one was a hit. Two writers, two different genres, switch genres to get out of their slumps. I give thee grumpyxsunshine trope. Which I have a major soft spot for. A very easy book to read!

Romantasy

Heartless by Marissa Meyer. - Any Alice in Wonderland fans? I love it, and I have so much love for this book that in my brain, it's practically canon. This book follows the journey of the Red Queen before she became Queen of Hearts and how expectations and love can descend someone into madness. It's heartbreaking in the sweetest way and a love story that I still think about on a regular basis. What a prequel take to Alice's Adventures in Wonderland.

A Dowry of Blood by S.T. Gibson. -Oh dracula fans in the house! Well, it never explicitly states its Dracula but...it's Dracula. This book follows the first wife of an unnamed vampire and his downfall. This is definitely 18+ as far as I remember. There are LGBTQ+ themes and polygamy and themes of having multiple sexual partners. Definitely something you'd enjoy if you enjoy a take of a woman taking back her power. As a vampire lover myself, I ate this book upppp! Old school vampires. ABSOLUTELY CHECK TRIGGER WARNINGS. There are some heavy themes that will likely trigger some people so definitely do your research!

Carmilla by J. Sheridan Le Fanu. I'VE FOUND A CLASSIC THAT I BELIEVE DESERVES THE TITLE OF A CLASSIC. This is a sapphic love affair between a vampire and a human. It's classic vampire description written in the 1800s and its brilliant. I will die on this hill that its a love story. I can't express why without giving it away but this is the OG forbidden love story. It's super short and absolutely amazing.

That Time I Got Drunk and Yeeted a Love Potion At a Werewolf by Kimberly Lemming. So I did an oops and read book 2 before book 1 one the series which I won't lie, didn't do too much damage so no harm really done but this series is HILARIOUS. Book 1 and 2 follow two POC females who just so happen to be besties. (If anyone is looking for more poc books) Each one got drunk and ended up finding their mate. This writers humour is excellent, very modern day and not forced. These books are SPICY just as much as they are funny. So definitely 18+.

Horror

Hide by Kiersten White. Would you like to play a game? So it isn't Saw by any means, Amanda or Jigsaw aren't here and neither is the spooky doll on a trike...but there is a game. This is a deadly game of hide and seek in an abandoned theme park. One week, don't get caught and you'll get life changing money...but they didn't exactly mention what would happen if you did get caught. Mack is one of fourteen competitors, our main girl with a dark past and there's a whole new level of horror to discover the reasons people would ever create such a game. There is some LGBTQ+ themes and I can't say anything more without spoiling. Just know I'm very pleased. There are some triggering themes like death and murder so as usual check this is okay for you to read.

The Last Days of Jack Sparks by Jason Arnopp. -What does the dumb dumb skeptic do? Provoke a demon of course and demons never back down. Jack Sparks is a writer and paranormal skeptic. Working on his new book, he is invited to witness an exorcism (which hell to the no) and his life is never the same as an unknown entity ruins his life one piece at a time using those around him. This is the book for you if you want a read where the main character is not loveable at all. He makes bad decisions and a terrible person to everyone he loves. I'd say there are also found footage vibes as this book is pieced together by Jack's estranged brother who is trying to understand just what happened to his brother. I personally found the story so good that it didn't take away from the plot. I didn't rage read this and hate the story because I didn't like the main character. It was oddly fitting and I definitely intend to read more of Arnopp's work.

Penpal by Dathan Auerbach. -I'll start with this, it's definitely horror/thriller. There's a dash, a pinch, a smidge of mystery in the background but this is no doubt horror. Now, this book made me uncomfortable. This book is my answer to 'can you really get scared of books like you can movies?' Yes, the fuck, you CAN. Our adult main character looks back on the strange happenings in his childhood. It all started with the class of 5 year olds writing letters to strangers and it all just went wrong. So I can remember some trigger warnings that I know will upset people as some of them were a shock. There are mentions of animal cruelty and death, death, stalking and implied pedophilia. Also major spoiler (SPOILER) death of a child. SPOILER #2: Grown man is obsessed with child for years whilst the child has no idea. There's also a mystery to solve. Now you may ask why would I spoil this one and not others...because whilst I could stomach it (much to my surprise) it's a shock and I don't feel right recommending this book, as crazy good as it is, without you being aware that I'm not just hyping it up. These are sensitive topics and whether you know it or not, it'll still be a shocking read.

The Vessel by Adam L.G. Nevill. Another short read and listen I thought this was spooky. It won me over for being spooky. THEN THE TWIST HAPPENED and GUYS...this is a masterpiece. We follow a single mother who has taken up a job as a carer as she tries to support herself and her child after escaping an abusive relationship. The old woman she looks after is brutally mean, like you're-lucky-you-dont-have-family-because-your-ass-would-go-to-a-care-home-otherwise. Her house is old and weird with strange happenings. She's a crabbit, violent old bitch and she...happens to get attached to the main characters daughter. Terrific. This book isn't a regular old haunting. Infact, the living are more terrifying than the dead in this book and the mystery is amazing. I ended up not hating the old lady in the end as you get her back story. And I can't express enough just WTF?

What Moves the Dead by T. Kingfisher. - A historical horror! So I finished watching the Fall of the House of Usher just before starting this, completely unaware that I once again would be returned to The Madeline and Roderick Usher. This book is inspired by Edgar Allen Poe's stories on the Usher family with a unique twist. A family friend (our main character) has received word Madeline Usher is sick and has come to visit to find things aren't great with the isolated Usher's and their home. Something has taken up residence. What was originally considered a haunting or the results of age is discovered to be a fungus taking over. No, that isn't a spoiler. The description tells you, hehe. It's a short read that's definitely creepy and a lovely mix of seemingly paranormal and zombie vibes.

Found: An anthology of found footage horror stories by Andrew Cull and Gabino Iglesias. - Calling all found footage fans! Same here! So I wasn't sure how this would work as a book. It works. Just as brilliantly. I read this for the Halloween spirit and this is an easy would reread any time of the year. Its a bunch of short stories from various writers and some of the stories are still stuck with me now.

Mystery

If We Were Villains by M.L Rio. Trust the theatre kids to take things too far, eh? This is dark academia aesthetic at full blast. A group of friends, one ends up dead and only the friends know the truth about what happened. They love their Shakespeare as far as I remember. I got recommended this and when I tell you this book takes you on a JOURNEY. It's very poetic and reminds me a lot of 'The Secret History' which is very much in the same genre. If this doesn't convince you- I grew up watching pretty little liars and this was so refreshing. It draws you in the same way but doesn't over do it. Plus you're in on the secrets this time! The twist was exceptional and I remember needing to take a breather before I went to even consider another book. It was perfect.

Thriller

The Sundown Motel by Simone St. James.- I think this was the first book that I read that got me back into reading. It could go in thriller or mystery if I'm honest, but I'm putting it here. You follow two characters. A girl who's Aunt disappeared decades prior, takes the same job in the same Motel her aunt disappeared in hoping to find out just what happened to her aunt. The second being the Aunt and what happened before she went missing. So there are some time jumps but it's rather easy to follow along. I wasn't so intimidated by that format as I usually am. There is an element of paranormal in this book! And I love itttt! A very easy read but did suspect one of the twists...definitely didn't suspect the main twist though.

Fiction

Before the Coffee Gets Cold by Toshikazu Kawaguchi. This book is now one of a series. This book stabbed me in the heart and twisted in my chest...and I ended up thanking it. It's multiple stories. There is a simple, quiet coffee shop with a rumour attached to it. One of the chairs has the ability to make a person travel in time. The book follows a woman who wants to timetravel for reasons you'll find out in her turn and the coffee shops regulars. A definite tear jerker for me that helps you see the beauty of life even in the most painful of times. If you have the ability to go back in time but can't change the past, what exactly is the point? Well, the book will tell you why. So beautiful and an easy read. Again, check for any trigger warnings. There are sensitive themes in this book.

This Is How You Lose the Time War by Max Gladstone and Amal El-Mohtar. So I gave this a five star because the ending was magnificent and I can see why it was hyped up BUT I wouldn't classify this as an easy read. I got confused a lot with the Science fiction elements but I might just be dumb af. So if you're interested, you have to really focus on the book. If you skim read or anything like that. You'll have no idea what's going on. Red and Blue. That's their names. They're spies -I think female if I remember?- and their fighting in the war between the more natural world and the industrial world. Or atleast that's how I perceived it. The book is following Red and Blue's taunting notes they leave to one another in various eras and places but gradually turn into something else. Forbidden love. What I'm pretty sure is LGBTQ+. The ending decked me and so even though I found it complicated to wrap my head around some times, I loved it.

The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue by V.E. Schwab. Where... do I even start? So I think if I were ever to get a tattoo. It'd be something from this book. It is an historical fiction/romance about a woman who has been cursed by an entity. No one can remember her. She can't even utter her own name. Yet a few hundred years down the line, someone remembers her. This book is just beautiful. There's nothing else to say. AND THATS ALL IM SAYING BECAUSE THIS BOOK IS SO DEEP TO ME.

The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid. A historical fiction following a celebrities lifestory. Evelyn Hugo gives me Marilyn Monroe vibes and how Hollywood was back in the 1950's. A young woman is given an unexpected opportunity to write this timeless actress biography...the truth. Something the public never heard before.

Non-Fiction

Tuesdays with Morrie by Mitch Albom. A book Mitch wrote about his old mentor and the advice he had to give on how to live life. It's a short read and incredibly emotional to have the perspectives of life by someone half way or younger through their life and someone who's life is coming to an end.

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