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belle-keys · 6 months

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Which books you find overhyped?

This is by no means a comprehensive list, but here's 5 of them that come to mind:

Red, White & Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston. Far too much "God Bless America" and romanticism of American and British institutions for me to not laugh in this book's face. The ship dynamics don't make up for the shitty political commentary.

Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo. It's kind of a cookie cutter "gritty fantasy". That being said, this is YA and I feel like I'm judging it by adult standards so I'm being unfair. But it's a little too moralistic... or something, idk.

Klara and the Sun by Kazuo Ishiguro. Lit critics were absolutely salivating over this book but I found it the most dry and boring way possible to comment on the relationship between technology and people.

Normal People by Sally Rooney. This book literally made me want to tear my eyes out of my face like I'm sorry for being dramatic but I don't *get* whatever it is people claim to get. Like, I kind of loathed the writing and dialogue.

Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros. I only have incredibly mean things to say about this book, so I'll keep it short, but this book stupid and not even in the fun way, idk. From the dialogue to the characters? Yeah, no. It's beyond me what booktok loves about it.

#book blog #books #books and literature #ya books #unpopular opinion #unpopular book opinions #book opinions #booktok #anti booktok

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basic-bitch-alkali · 2 months

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the pandava quintet! it's a little similar to percy jackson? but it's hindu mythology instead of greek! and it's so good.. found family!! (the reincarnations of the pandavas) and the sisterly bond!! there's romance too but like the familial bond >>>> it's middle grade but still so fun

you probably might have read this already but and then there were none by agatha christie I love it sm

the seven husbands of evelyn hugo. I love them your honour

a good girl's guide to murder trilogy (ik that these are considered "booktok books" but trust me they're good and they di not deserve to be insulted that way)

the lunar chronicles! (4 books) the first book is cinder which is basically cinderella in beijing who is a cyborg! the whole series is based on these 4 girls who are like the fairy tale characters but so so good in like a sci fi ish setting?

a series of unfortunate events (13 books) the Netflix tv show is amazing, neil patrick carris as count olaf was the best decision ever

miss peregrines home for peculiar children

the land of stories (again middle grade but it's good)

the inheritance games (there's a love triangle unfortunately but the mystery is good)

lockwood and co (netflix cancelled the show after 1 season I'm so angry) actually even I've only read the first book but I will be continuing the series!

sorry ik it's a lot and you might have read some of these already😭 but these are some of my favorites! if you want you can check out my goodreads which is linked in my intro post and see my 'want to read' shelf (I would recommend six of crows too but it's popular so I think you must have read it)

OH MY GOD ILY SRSLY, THANK U FOR ALL THE BOOK RECS!!

I'll check it out!!

yess i have heard of it, have the book too but my frnd is borrowing it for the moment but when she's done with it, imma read it

ohh i wanna buy that so badly but my mom will KILL me after reading the title lmao, maybe after a few years i can buy it

i've read them already and god do i love those books, i read the first one in like a day? and i was at my hometown, and i originally brought that book for my frnd, but being the bookworm i am, i read it myself, and the very next day i went and brought the next two cuz i couldnt wait to read the next parts

ohh yess my frnd told me its really good

the series is just 🤌🏼 perfection

ohh i loved the movie! gotta check out the book

ohh

that is in my list<33

ohhhhhh @demigoddess-of-ghosts really loves it too, imma check it out

its ok<33 im really glad u took ur time and wrote this ask srsly, ily<3 (SOC is in my list currently)

#asks #my lovely moots #an angel💗#<- this is ur tag now

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sudaca-swag · 4 months

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i read 60 books last year, most were actually re reads so these are my top reads from 2023:

Hell Bent by Leigh Bardugo: this is the best series bardugo ever wrote but ppl are too entrenched in the booktok six of crows cult to see it, this is peak urban fantasy they go to hell in a roadtrip ffs!! Alex Stern is THE female main character im on my knees for her.

The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt: look if she writes it i read it period, it might have been 1050 pages long but i breezed through it, hopefully this year ill read the little friend too.

The Daevabad Trilogy by S.A Chakraborty: another series that demonstrates only women should write in the fantasy genre, Ali and Nahri got my whole heart (im tempted to shoot down a point bc i HATED Dara and he had so many chapters for himself, but i acknowledge that hes a very interesting character for others, just nor for me i found him annoying lol)

The Scum's Villian Self Saving System by MXTX: most hilarious most heart wrenching and confusing series ever, a homophobic gay man dies of rage when his favorite/most hated web novel has a shitty ending so he transmigrates into the book and becomes the male main characters love interest, its silly, a demon is called six balls, the sects accountant is the web novel author and is sleeping with his self insert male fantasy dream, they all got dick joke names.

The Raven Boys by Maggie Stiefvater: a must re read from my teenage years I LOVE THIS SO MUCH

Little Mushroom by Shi Si: a scifi duology where a mushroom becomes human in a post apocalyptic world where his kind is hated and has to hide from the general whos in charge of killing him (there is romance from these two of course but its secondary to the story). Very sweet and sad at the same time, its about humanity, resilience and building a community mainly.

#cata reads

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queenvreads · 11 months

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REVIEW: Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo

5/5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Finally found the perfect book to break my reading slump 🤑

Now, I didn't read "Shadow and Bone," but I watched the show and was way more intrigued by the characters of "Six of Crows" than Alina and Mal. After checking out Booktok reviews, everyone seemed to agree that this duology could be enjoyed as a standalone and that it was action-packed compared to "Shadow and Bone."

From the start, this story was ROCK N ROLL.

It threw me into the plot right away, which was a bit confusing at first, but thanks to the show, I knew the terms and names of most of the main characters. (so for those who don't know the universe maybe some research is necessary)

Once the story picked up, it was a breeze to follow and understand.

I absolutely LOVED all the characters, especially KAZ and NINA. 🥳

The way Nina and Matthias meet in the book was similar to the show, but told in reverse. This book did not have much romance in it, but the couples were implied and we felt some tension.

There was so much action, especially towards the end during the heist.

One thing I really appreciated was the way the book handled the characters' POVs, alternating between the present and their backstories. I've only ever seen this done in murder mysteries, so it was quite nice to be inside the mind of the main characters. It was easier than usual to follow.

I am so happy that I loved this book, and now I'm diving straight into "Crooked Kingdom" – can't wait to see what's in store for the Dregs! 💀☠😎

✍️Befriend me on Goodreads: ⭐HERE⭐

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anakinfallen · 7 months

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top 9 books

tagged by @gayarthur

(not in any order)

1. in memoriam by alice winn

as soon as i started reading this book i knew i wanted to reread with a pen. queer book set during ww1

2. blue lily, lily blue by maggie stiefvater

this book (and trc in general) had me in a chokehold when i read it in high school, not plot just vibes, the levels of mutual pining had me going insane

3. if we were villains by m l rio

i started this intending to only read about half go to bed and then finish it the next day because i’d already read one book that day and i finished it that night. another book i need to revisit with a pen. it has it all: murder, shakespeare

4. a man called ove by fredrik backman

this book is translated from swedish. the last book i read last year and the end had me sobbing. grumpy old man (who reminded me of my granddad) developing meaningful connections with his neighbours

5. the hunger games by suzanne collins

it feels like such a basic answer but this was one of the first books i ever sat down and read in one day. i borrowed it from the school library that morning and started it when our teacher gave us “free time” during our social science class and finished it at 1am. also when i was first on tumblr i was a hunger games blog (not this tumblr but my old one rip)

6. the poppy war trilogy by r f kuang (i know i cheated by including the entire trilogy but i don't care)

just this entire trilogy is so good (definitely check trigger warnings before reading though). i was originally intrigued by this series because it was described as “what if azula was the avatar” but it is so much more than that. explores the effects of war and colonialism

7. weather girl by rachel lynn solomon

one of my favourite romance books, two people who work for the same news channel work together to gets their divorced bosses back together (i just really love this trope, see: one of my favourite romcoms is set it up). touches on mental health issues.

8. six of crows by leigh bardugo

another super basic answer but i also hate that this book is considered a "booktok book" when it was originally a "tumblr book" but i loved all the crows (and also the pining between kaz and inej). just ✨fantasy heist✨

9. vicious by v e schwab

i have always been a big reader but this book got me seriously back into reading after i graduated uni and started working full time. the relationship between victor and eli is just so good and toxic and fascinating. i just love the way v e schwab writes

special mention to summer sons by lee mandelo because it was so so so good

and also the bumper book of peanuts comics because i love flicking through it when i need a pick me up

this list was genuinely so hard for me because i read so many books and then forget about them except for the feeling it left me

it also started with me trying to give short descriptions as to why i liked the books and ended in word vomit

also going to plug my storygraph (and if you see i'm 50 books behind on my goal no you didn't)

tagging @shitouttabuck @fatedking @disasterbuckdiaz @enchantingverse @uelut-erinaceus @killianjonesz

#tag game #thank you andrew for giving me an excuse to talk about books #this had me staring at all my books trying to pick out my favourites #i know some of you have probably already been tagged but if you haven't done it yet then it still counts #i was so tempted to include one of my hockey romance books in here

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dreamingamongthestars · 8 months

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tysm @hansoloooo for tagging me 🥰🥰🥰🥰!! i love talking ab books this is perfect

An estimate of how many physical books I own: No idea lol maybe like.....200 throughout my whole life?

Favorite author: I've actually never really stuck to one author in particular....but I have to say Suzanne Collins or Carrie Fisher just bc they're so iconic and talented

A popular book I've never read and never intend to read: SO MANY. like when i think ab all the books booktok recommends i only seriously consider a few. I would say I'm never gonna read A Little Life bc of how triggering it is

Longest book I own: Probably Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix

A popular book I thought was just meh: The Hating Game by Sally Thorne. It was cute but the plot kinda bored me

Longest series I own all the books to: Harry Potter

Book I'm reading now: The House in the Cerulean Sea by T.J. Klune

A book or series I wish more people knew about: I wish more people read Carrie Fisher's books. they're incredible

Prettiest book I own: A vintage collection of children's stories

Paperback, hardcover, or ebook?: paperback and ebook

Book that's been on my to be read list for a while but I still haven't got around to it: Six of Crows LMAO

Do you have any books in a language other than english: Harry Potter in French

I'll tag @marvelwasmadeforthebis @cupidskissx @oconso and @linguine-pasta , no pressure tho!! Also anyone else who wants to join

#tag game #friends #mutuals #books

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justmybookthots · 9 months

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Crooked Kingdom

5/5 stars

I finished this in one whole day. This is a BIG book, and it took me hours and hours of non-stop reading from morning to night to get it done.

This book is a masterpiece. Usually, I can be kind of sceptical about books this size, because they might drag, but Crooked Kingdom’s length really helped wrap up a lot of loose threads for each of the Crows. And oh my gosh, but this book really blew Six of Crows out of water for me. See, I liked Six of Crows, but I wasn’t in love with it.

But this. This.

There was no major heist (save for the safe, I think), and I actually was fine with it! If anything, I liked it more! One of my biggest (and personal) issues with the original heist was that it was so setting-heavy that my brain was dying. But in this book, there really isn’t as much setting involved, and I LOVE mind-games and scheming so this was everythingggggggg.

Kaz is officially one of my book loves, my book boyfriends, as Booktok would say. Usually, he’s not my type because he’s too abrasive, too callous, and I like guys who are more emotionally intelligent—but here’s the thing, he isn’t emotionally unintelligent. Not entirely. He just chooses to be a dick half the time—and he can put up a hell of a show playing a different persona if he wanted to—but it doesn’t matter because he’s a fucking genius, and everyone knows that. Every single time they did something I didn’t understand, I was like, ‘never mind, I’ll wait,’ and LO AND BEHOLD, the shoe drops in a later chapter and everything earlier makes sense. There is always a shoe dropping. The plan is never straightforward. This is a devious Kaz’s world, and we are just living in it.

Also, I was just fucking wheezing with delight when Jan Van Eck's kid caught him breaking in and he handled the situation so... so......... I can't even articulate myself. It was so good. And how he handled Jan right after he left the house was fucking PERFECTION.

I LOVE clever characters, and Kaz is single-handedly the smartest literary character I’ve read (or rather, not the smartest, but the one whose brains are actually shown rather than told the most). I adore him. I breathe him. I want to lick his shoes. I want to listen to his mordant wit and soak in its barbs. Also, when he kissed Inej’s neck, I was SCREAMING. SCREAMING!!!!!!!

I know a lot of people weren’t happy with the ending, so I went into Crooked Kingdom slightly apprehensively, worried about how it’ll conclude.

I needn’t have worried. The ending was good!!! Excellent, even. I really am confused about what people were so hung up about. It was everything, from Wylan getting his house and money back from his father, Jan arrested, Jesper getting closure with his dad and himself, Wylan and Jesper being in love and living together, KAZ FINDING INEJ AND THEIR FINGERS TOUCHING AND HIM BRINGING HER FUCKING PARENTS BACK, Pekka gone for good?? What more do they want????????

This is the wonderful, quintessential Crows ending. Okay, fine, I noticed that I didn’t mention Nina and Matthias, but, uh….

I don’t really care about them.

Look. I’m sorry to their fans, if they exist. I am sure they do. But I couldn't care less. Also Matthias’s death was so random, like everything was going fine, and some guy from his country pops up and shoots him and I was like, huh? Okay?

Ah, well. You see, a major annoyance I had with Crooked Kingdom was that everything was so good… until it was time for Matthias or Nina’s chapters. Nina, maybe not so much (it was only irritating because it meant I’d have to read about her budding romance with him), but Matthias’ chapters made my eyes glaze over. He is definitely less annoying than in the prequel, but I still found myself scrambling for fucks to give and coming up empty.

Now, back to the Crows I cared for:

Wylan!!!!!!!!!MY WYLAN. MY BOY. MY HEART AND JOY. When Jesper was kissing Kuwei (thinking it was Wylan), I was like: why is Wylan grinning? This isn’t Kuwei, is it? And OH BOY WAS I RIGHT. I loved that this happened, that it pushed a jealous Wylan to try to get his face back because I missed his original face so much. I love his reddish curls, his wide blue eyes, everything!! And when he shared his first kiss with Jesper—he initiated it!! He did!!! He told a jumpy Jesper to stay still and then KISSED him—I jumped up and squealed like a little bitch. Ah!!!!!!!!! I don’t care what anyone says. Wylan has more balls than anyone expects and he is literally taking care of Jesper financially at the end because he is a baby boy boss.

I did like Jesper’s story a lot, and I found it cool that he was a good marksman because he was a Fabrikator. I can’t say I love Jesper as a character that much, but he was still much more entertaining than Matthias because he’s so fucking funny. In fact, this entire book made me laugh out loud at certain parts—which is rare, because I’m beginning to realise that a lot of the fantasies I’ve read aren’t so funny.

Like, look at this:

By the way, even this innocuous little piece of banter had a purpose later. That’s how ingenious this story is.

Gah, I can’t take it. I have not spoken about Inej yet, but make no mistake; I love her to bits—she’s such a self-respecting queen. Like, she is not here to fix anyone, to be fucking Bob the Builder like fucking Evangeline from OUABH. This is exactly what she thinks:

Inej, you are a fucking queen. You are everything. You have a giant heart, yet you know your worth, and you are a badass, yet you are not invulnerable, and you are just *chef’s kiss*.

Fuck, this is definitely going to be one of my favourite books of all time. I love the Crows so much (well, most of them). I’m nursing a hell of a hangover and I don’t know how I can go back to other fantasy books without missing the hell out of them—and comparing male leads to Kaz without them coming up short. (Of course, there are exceptions like my boy in Cruel Prince but that's because I am biased. By the way... Jude and Kaz, if they ruled a kingdom together? Sheer chaos.)

Is this a perfect book? No. I skimmed certain parts like some of Nina and Matthias’ chapters, and I’m still not sure how to feel about the sugar scheme being abandoned completely. Also, colour me a sadist, but I was slightly disappointed Inej came out totally unharmed from the kidnapping. I think the tongue-ripping in The Stolen Heir really set my expectations too high, lol. Another thing - Mathias suddenly being brainy with Jesper and Kuwei when he was a stupid oaf in the first book had me confused, too. Him being "military" isn't really strong enough of an explanation for me.

Regardless, the story hit so many spots for me, and I’m happy that I finally got to this so wildly acclaimed series and enjoyed what it had to offer.

Better late than never, as they say.

- 27 July 2023

#books #six of crows #crooked kingdom #kaz brekker #kaz x inej #leigh bardugo #grishaverse

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kyndaris · 2 years

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Let’s Talk About Books, Baby!

From the ashes of obscurity, books have seen a resurgence. My mother always wondered why I would ever want to be employed at a bookstore when the printed word seemed to be going the way of the dodo. But what was once considered a dying medium has seen new life bestowed upon it through the valiant efforts of BookTubers and even Booktok.

Yes, you read that right. Booktok! Forget about all the dancing teenagers trying to create the next new floss dance move. There are people on TikTok that actually provide book recommendations. Or riff on certain tropes. Heck, there’s even relatable WriterToks!

Yet, this all comes with a caveat. Most of the books that are seeing a huge boost from influencers are Young Adult fiction. There’s also some very questionable romance stories that are also seeing an endless amount of attention being showered on them. Not once, in all the time that I’ve watched compilations of BookTok videos, have there been any videos on series that are lesser-known.

Instead, Sarah J Maas dominates with her wing kink Fae universe. Leigh Bardugo has also reached peak prominence with many on the site, but some of that may be due to the Shadow and Bone adaption on Netflix (and after reading the books, I definitely prefer the Six of Crows duology). Then, of course, there are a litany of romance stories with half-naked men on the covers.

Unfortunately, Fifty Shades of Grey was not an anomaly.

Rather, smut is in. Scratch that. Smut has never left. Whether that be fanfiction on Wattpad (apparently people just love Mafia alternate universes or being kidnapped by boybands. Where have I seen this trope before? Ah yes, the manga Haou Airen by Mayu Shinjo. Actually, just any work from Mayu Shinjo in general. It’s as if the collective gutter mind has picked up on her works and started to remodel it somehow into what now populates sites such as Archive of Our Own and other places where fanfiction exists.

And when it comes to Sarah J Maas and the disaster that was A Court of Silver Flames (I really agree with many BookTubers that have negatively reviewed this work such as withcindy), it seems authors can also get away with having about nearly three fourths of an 800-page book just be about having angry sex in every corner of a fantasy realm.

But that is NOT why I decided to write this post.

While I believe I could pump out decent videos and become a regular of the Booktok community, I just want to shine some light on a burgeoning series in the fantasy section that deserves more love than it’s been getting. And that is the Rook and the Rose trilogy. From its gorgeous cover to the excellent world-building to the lovable characters!

Somehow, it’s still so niche that my local Dymocks didn’t even stock it! I had to go online just to get it in hand. Honestly, that’s on me and I probably should have just gone to Kinokuniya or Abbey’s with its hefty science fiction and fantasy section.

Written by Marie Brennan and Alyc Helms under the name M.A. Carrick, the Rook and the Rose series tells the story of Ren, a con artist, who has come to the city of Nadezra to trick her way into a noble house and secure a fortune for both herself and her fellow ex-street urchin: Tess. The way the authors craft the world and the lore behind it is immaculate, the focus on the characters and the slow plotting also make it a delicious read that had me become incredibly invested into its world.

Nadezra, though the setting for the story that is being meticulously plotted out, feels like a character in its own right. The history of the city is rich with promise and the Venetian-esque vibe that emanates from it (along with the masquerade masks that adorn the covers) makes the place feel alive even though it’s only something crafted from words and I’ve merely just pictured the actual buildings in my mind.

But although Ren is front and centre, there’s also Vargo, everyone’s favourite criminal mastermind with a heart of gold, and Grey Serrado, a stiff Captain of the Guard that has a huge chip on his shoulder. While there are plenty of other characters to wrap one’s head around, these three are the heart, soul and mind of the series as it currently is and I cannot wait to see what happens in the third and final book of the series that should be releasing sometime in early 2023.

Honestly, it’s a shame that this series hasn’t received the attention it deserves. For anyone that has fallen in love with the Locke Lamora series or who likes tropes of found family and dashing rogues trying to fight against a corrupt aristocracy, the Rook and the Rose series has it all.

Heck, even if you want to have a creature mascot, there is one in Alsius! Someone, draw a spider with socks on each of its legs! Please! If Doomslug from the Cytonic series can have merch, then so can an aristocrat trapped in the body of a spider!

And the way he bemoaned his lack of gloves had to be one of the funniest sentences I’d read in a long time.

Then of course there’s the things that BookTok could be capitalising on. Like the tarot card readings and the drawing of numinatria (which is basically geometric shapes)!

Oh, can’t forget the FASHION!

Alyc Helms might not be Tess in real life but she’s definitely an eye for describing clothing and I wish I had that talent when it comes to describing what my characters are wearing. Given my current ineptitude (I can’t even tell the difference between a cross stitch and other forms of embroidery), it’s a wonder how I manage to clothe my various fictional characters at all. One of these days I ought to sit down and just research the different types of doublets, jerkins, cuirass and other such attire.

The world is also ripe for an adaption, as was requested in an interview with the authors with Kia Carrington-Russel, an Australian author.

It is a shame that many influencers have yet to read or signal boost this criminally underrated series. How is it that books such as House of Sky and Breath have become so popular that they now feature in the local Big W and not a fantastic fantasy series that tells such a bewitching tale in a fully realised world?

I can’t say for sure if I have any reach when it comes to my blog posts, but I hope that someone out there will draw a spider with gloves/ socks and it suddenly becomes viral. Because that is what the Rook and the Rose deserves!

That or a streaming deal. Just think of how beautiful the world would look with just the right vision behind it? Certainly, we’ve seen Bridgerton bring back Regency and Shadow and Bone dabble with an actually intriguing young adult fantasy series. Now let’s see that Netflix budget (or Amazon/ Binge/ Stan/ whatever other big streaming services there are) try to put it on a burgeoning IP that has so much promise! And don’t cancel it until the second season!

#books #booktok #rook and the rose #the mask of mirrors #the liar's knot #m.a. carrick

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1hellofacookie · 2 years

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hmm ok I have some recs for you. Idk if some of these are "less well known" but I don't see people talk about these that much

if I recall correct, you like dragons. so you should try reading Eragon (Inheritance Cycle series) by Christopher Paolini. it is a four book series, quite long, but hey it has dragons. the fandom, as far as I know, is rather dead and people don't talk abt these books alot because they were released in the beginning of 2000's

these two series are well known: The Red Queen series by Victoria Aveyard and Shadow and Bone series by Leigh Bardugo. I will warn you though, Red Queen can be hard to get through. It is boring at times but the third book is amazing. if you don't care to read until the third book, don't read the series, it will most likely not be worth it. I only reccomend Shadow and Bone because it is a short trilogy and there are two separate series that follow the original trilogy. If you manage to get through Shadow and Bone, you should definitely read the Six of Crows duology and King of Scars duology. They are way better than the main series, Shadow and bone.

I would consider this next book a less known one: Things Have Gotten Worse Since We Last Spoke by Eric LaRocca. It is a quick read but I have to say that you shouldn't read it if you struggle to handle gore.

if you want something easy or quick to read here are some recs: She Drives Me Crazy (lgbt) by Kelly Quindlen, The Taking of Jake Livingston (lgbt, horror) by Ryan Douglas, The Midnight Library (contemporary) by Matt Haig and It Will End Like This (horror, retelling of the Lizzie Borden case) by Kyra Leigh and Honey Girl (lgbt) by Morgan Rogers.

most of these recs are well known, but mainly on booktok/booktube. might be a little boring list now that I think about it, but if I remember some other good books I will tell you right away

sorry for the long ask :)

Don't apologize anon, I love long asks and all of these sound really good!

I also didn't know Six of Crows was a follow up to Shadow and Bone? But this list is great honestly thank you a lot!

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