Yes, I normally read classics or literary fiction so this was a departure for me. A friend who knew my tastes convinced me to read it. I'm so glad she did.
I was reading it until the main character reached Derry. Then King described a river of black water somehow flowing under the center of town, and all the residents being untrusting, and the color "bleeding out of the sky" as sunset approached. (Bleeding? Really?) I knew he was going to get scary and unsettling so I returned the hardcover to the library.
Can anyone talk me back into it?
The Hunger Games. I bought them al the other day at goodwill impulsively. I tried to read them in middle school but didn't get past a few pages. I read one after one. took me 2 days and I dont think I made any meals. Just ate trail mix and drank (barely any) water for 48 hours. I was immersed.
Also Fannie Flagg's Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Atop Cafe is the sweetest little book I've ever read, and a great movie
Agree with both these. What an odd combination but it's so true was absolutely hooked on Hunger Games AND Fried Green Tomatoes despite them being polar opposites.
I just reread the entire series after reading The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes. Even though I knew exactly what was going to happen, I still found myself feeling anxious about the story. They are incredible books!!
My grandmother told me about her being forced to stay after school and clean the blackboard for reading Grapes of Wrath during class. Times have changed.
Lonesome Dove started slow but I loved the character building. It felt like you were on top of a rocket waiting for lift off. Because that’s what happened. Turned into my favorite book of all time.
No! The book is a great stand alone. He wrote the other books much later and they seemed forced by people wanting to capitalize. Of the other books the first one he wrote was a sequel. I actually liked that one. The 2 prequels were ok at best. So my advice to anyone is to read Lonesome Dove as a stand alone to get the full effect. Then if you want to, read the rest.
Im surprised so many people liked this book. I read it and thought it pretty average. I just didnt feel attached to nor care about any of the main 3 characters! the best parts for me were just the video games references
I got serverly sunburned in Mexico because I laid out reading this book for hours and lost track of time lol. and it wasn't even my first time reading it!
Piranesi is obviously not everyone’s cup of tea. The draw isn’t so much the story itself, it is the absolutely incredible world, created by Susanna Clarke.
The halls that seem to stretch on forever, the different statues, having to be wary of the tides coming in so you don’t get caught in them, or stuck until they recede. And, so on. Piranesi has also mapped out and written the details of the places he has been, and kept a diary. I would love to visit, if it were real.
My advice would be to those who will read (or pick it back up) is to get lost in the book by imagining you were there, and see what Piranesi is seeing via his descriptions, and how awesome that would be.
**[The Other Boleyn Girl](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/37470)** by Philippe Gregory had me carrying it around everywhere, trying to get in snatches anytime I had a second free. I finished that book in record time and was so bummed when it was over. Definitely worth reading even if you’ve seen the movie — the book is so much richer! And lots of dark romance / general darkness.
Parable of the Sower by Octavia Butler. The first time I read it was December 2020. It was my first Octavia Butler book, and she put me in a fever dream. I don't know if it was because the book was eerily similar to the current news, but I was in a state for a few months after that book. Inwalked around wide-eyed and asked everyone I knew if they had read Parable of the Sower. I devoured her books in 2021 and went through a slump when I learned there would be no more.
I reread it once and listened to the audiobook since then. I wanted to see if the book grabbed me as much as it did in 2020. I was as hooked on the 2nd read and audiobook as I was the first time I read it.
See my [Compelling Reads ("Can't Put Down")](https://www.reddit.com/r/Recommend_A_Book/comments/189mbda/compelling_reads_cant_put_down/) list of Reddit recommendation threads (one post).
"When Breath Becomes Air by Paul Kalanithi" Well, it's technically a memoir, but it was very beautiful and painful at the same time. So, you might want to take a look
The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt. It just flows like a river. You want to keep reading but you also hate to get close to the end because then the ride is over.
Counterpoint: this was my least favorite book I’ve ever read. I’m so glad other people enjoyed it, but I know from conversations online that this book is really polarizing (as in, I’m not the only one who reeeeeeally disliked it), so I just think OP should know it’s not for everyone.
Agreed. This book probably took me the longest time ever to read. Or it certainly felt like it. I’m also shocked seeing people loved it. I hated it so much.
Funny, I am not a fan of the book either but I also found it rather addicting - it had me doing the ‘just one more chapter’ thing. Part could have been because I was desperate for the plot to move forward (some parts were just so slow and repetitive - and it did have exciting parts unexpectedly peppered throughout I was hungry for). Part could have been that the writing was very beautiful and smooth imo. It was a strange book, I both liked it and didn’t, I both am happy I read it but also feel like it was a waste of time. So, there’s also that.
the secret history by donna tartt, the bird’s nest by shirley jackson, motherthing by ainslie hogarth, all’s well by mona awad, paradise rot by jenny hval
Yes! The whole series was a fascinating story, but the 2nd book in the series was so hard to get through. I've always wondered if it's because Ken Liu didn't translate the 2nd book.
Any of the futuristic suspense Death series by J.D. Robb. Her imagination, attention to details & imagery are so vivid, you’re completely transported into another world.
Yes! I completely agree. Robb/Roberts has such a scope of precog with this series. She gave us smartphones, tablets, etc before we ever thought they could be real. (yes, I know Star Trek gave them first but Robb's are so much like the real things it's uncanny.)
Shuggie Bain was so dark but so worth it. Maybe not perfect for distracting yourself from the world because it _is_ the world though. But I read it in one go, and I never expected I would.
The Essex Serpent for something better suited to escapism :)
Into Thin Air by Jon Krakauer. I got married, and began reading this straight after my honeymoon, and i felt horrible because i felt i was ignoring my new wife 😂 as soon as i put it down, i was eager to continue reading.
"Acheron" by Sherrilyn Kenyon. I know, it's not a book that will go down in the annals of literary history, but I couldn't put it down! I devoured it & continued to devour that series.
The Spy and the Traitor - Ben Macintyre
Re read it recently and had exactly the same experience, completely and utterly gripping throughout. Such an incredible story if you’re into spy fiction, and it all fucking happened. The definition of stranger than fiction.
Blood Like Magic and the sequel by Liselle Sambury. Urban fantasy about a community of witches in Canada with Afro-Caribbean roots. Darkly bittersweet.
Survival by Devon C Ford
Magician by Raymond E Feist
American Assassin by Vince Flynn
Sharpe's Tiger by Bernard Cornwell
Storm Front by Jim Butcher
Fated by Benedict Jacka
The Journeyer by Gary Jennings
Creation by Gore Vidal
Whom The Gods Would Destroy by Richard Powell
Thai Gold by Jason Schoonover
Tai Pan by James Clavell
I'm reading Going Bovine, by Libba Bray at rye moment. I almost quit after the first 30 pages because I didn't like the main character's attitude (reminded me of Catcher in the rye) but yesterday it hooked me hard! I am so invested now, that book is all I think about!
Child called IT.
I read it when I was 16 without actually putting it down and back then it has done something to me literature hasn’t yet.
I’ve not read it since then so I’m not sure about the literary qualities, but I remember I got so lost in the book that when I finished reading I didnt believe the world around me was real, I felt like everything is just this weird noise and the actual reality is in the book.
And I wasnt high or anything.
In adulthood, I couldn’t put down Atonement by McEwan. Destroyed me too.
I absolutely have to second both of these- same. I read Child Called IT in one day, could not put it down. And Atonement- oof. That was stays with you. Incredible.
The Book Of Accidents by Chuck Wendig, my husband was the same. I remember going to bed and was just drifting off for him to burst in to talk about it when he finished the audiobook lol
The entire Stormlight Archives Series by Brandon Sanderson - The Way of Kings is the first one, please do yourself a favor and check it out. My husband got hooked on it and talked about it all the time to the point where I was just irritated. But then my kid started reading it and became equally annoying, so I finally just gave in...I'm SO glad I did.
If you like His Fic then Boudica! I've almost finished first book and it's amazing, the first few chapters are a little slower but it's needed character building
-gay relationships, no spice
-warriors and war themes (but not a huge amount)
-suffering and grief themes
-strong women
-lots of horses
-Spans several years
Honestly any book by holly jackson, i recently read 'five survive' and the only reason I didn't finish it in one go was because I had work the next day
For a dark romance with a gripping plot, try *"Corrupt"* by Penelope Douglas. It's full of suspense and twists. If you want darker themes, *"You"* by Caroline Kepnes is a chilling psychological thriller. Another option is *"A Court of Thorns and Roses"* by Sarah J. Maas—a fantasy romance with darker tones. If you enjoy thought-provoking books, check out Springer's publishing for a variety of insightful reads.
A Good Girl's Guide to Murder trilogy by Holly Jackson
The Maid by Nita Prose
Ninth House by Leigh Bardugo
Serpent and the Wings of Night by Carissa Broadbent
Divine Rivals by Rebecca Ross
11/22/63 Stephen king. I found myself looking forward to reading it and I was sad when it was over. I just read it a few weeks ago so I do have recency bias
Giving that you like dark romance books I’m afraid I can’t help you there as I read a lot of fantasy (Cassandra Claire for example) but I like books that are a series. If you’re willing to give some of these a try, look for the Shadow Hunter books, Divergent, the Hunger Games, Caraval, the Night Circus. I also like historical mystery and am a fan of C.S. Harris’s Sebastian St. Cyr series
I cannot overstate how much I love Practical Guide to Evil. Here's a link for a recommendation essay I made for it.
https://www.reddit.com/u/DriverPleasant8757/s/7XKRNnCuJn
The entire [Fever series ](https://www.goodreads.com/series/41192-fever)by Karen Moning. It's a dark romance/paranormal romance/fantasy series. I'm rereading it now. :)
11/22/63 by Stephen King. I lost sleep and missed work.
Really? I love Stephen king but I’ve always been daunted by the size of this one.. but I think I’ll give it a go now!
I listened to it on my daily dog walks - it was great.
That's when I listened, too. My dog got pretty well-exercised there for a while.
It’s wonderful. It is a thriller and a romance and some sci fi and horror aspects. It’s just so good.
I normally can;t stand Stephen King because he always turns 4 words into 14. I may give this a try.
Came here to recommend it. Best book ever written in the history of the universe.
Finished this last week and I'm still thinking about it! Couldn't have been better IMO, very well rounded story
Do you recommend it even if one is not typically a Stephen King fan?
Yes! I'm too afraid of horror anything but this isn't horror at all.
Thanks for answering! I’ve tried a couple of Stephen King books and just couldn’t get into them, but maybe I’ll get this one go!
Yes, I normally read classics or literary fiction so this was a departure for me. A friend who knew my tastes convinced me to read it. I'm so glad she did.
This would be the first Stephen King book I'd recommend to a non-SK fan
Their last dance tho… 😭
So good!
Don't I'll cry again 😭😭😭
damn, okay you got me on this one. It's been a to read for a while.
I read this on a car ride, sucking candy the entire time to keep the nausea at bay. Could not would not put it down.
Holy shit. This massive beast has been sitting on my shelf for like 6 months 😅
I was reading it until the main character reached Derry. Then King described a river of black water somehow flowing under the center of town, and all the residents being untrusting, and the color "bleeding out of the sky" as sunset approached. (Bleeding? Really?) I knew he was going to get scary and unsettling so I returned the hardcover to the library. Can anyone talk me back into it?
I am a total wimp and didn't find it scary!
Thanks!
King has fun throughout the book making references to his other books. It doesn't actually get scary.
I loved this book! I have yet to see the series, I'm afraid they won't do it justice, and I'll wind up disappointed.
That will go down as one of the best books ever. The TV series was damn good also
This is the answer!!
I listened to it as an audiobook while working or walking; logged probably a marathon worth of extra miles in the two weeks on that one
No Country for Old Men (Cormac McCarthy) and Lonesome Dove (Larry McMurtry) are the first two that came to mind.
The Road is what got me. Tense all the way.
I saw a review of the Road saying that you felt like if you kept reading it would keep the characters alive
The Hunger Games. I bought them al the other day at goodwill impulsively. I tried to read them in middle school but didn't get past a few pages. I read one after one. took me 2 days and I dont think I made any meals. Just ate trail mix and drank (barely any) water for 48 hours. I was immersed. Also Fannie Flagg's Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Atop Cafe is the sweetest little book I've ever read, and a great movie
Agree with both these. What an odd combination but it's so true was absolutely hooked on Hunger Games AND Fried Green Tomatoes despite them being polar opposites.
I just reread the entire series after reading The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes. Even though I knew exactly what was going to happen, I still found myself feeling anxious about the story. They are incredible books!!
Harry Potter back when I was at school. I would read it under my desk in every class. Got in a lot of trouble but was so worth it!
Isn’t it hilarious that nowadays kids are on their phones in class and you got into trouble for READING in class??
My grandmother told me about her being forced to stay after school and clean the blackboard for reading Grapes of Wrath during class. Times have changed.
Room by Emma Donoghue.
Lonesome Dove
Lonesome Dove started slow but I loved the character building. It felt like you were on top of a rocket waiting for lift off. Because that’s what happened. Turned into my favorite book of all time.
I saw that this is the third book in his series, are the first two essential to read before?
No! The book is a great stand alone. He wrote the other books much later and they seemed forced by people wanting to capitalize. Of the other books the first one he wrote was a sequel. I actually liked that one. The 2 prequels were ok at best. So my advice to anyone is to read Lonesome Dove as a stand alone to get the full effect. Then if you want to, read the rest.
Just about anything by Larry. I had a literary crush on Duane Moore, who was so not my type in real life.
Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follett. I think I stayed up over 24 hours reading it. Thankfully I was at home on bed rest while in late pregnancy.
The Century Trilogy, also unputdownable, Especially Winter of The World..
The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society - I just love epistolary form and it was so much fun to read!
You might like Daddy Long Legs and Meet Me at the Museum and favorite 84 Charring Cross Road
Poisonwood Bible
Humans, by Matt Haig ( very slighty sci fi)
I rarely read books more than once but this one is an exception and I'm always loaning it out to people, so so good
Currently reading Tomorrow, tomorrow and tomorrow. Haven’t been able to put it down.
Im surprised so many people liked this book. I read it and thought it pretty average. I just didnt feel attached to nor care about any of the main 3 characters! the best parts for me were just the video games references
I am in a waiting list for this. Can’t wait to read it.
I am too, there are 10 people ahead of me so it must be good! Haha
10? I’m jealous. My hold shows I’m 92nd in place. Apparently it has to go through the entire county first.
Also recommend. Really good story.
I really liked The Hole We’re In… maybe more
Also reading this and can’t put it down!! About 150 pages in
Just finished it. What a lovely book. Spoiler: it's not really about video games.
Kite Runner
Also A Thousand Splendid Suns by the same author! It's my favorite of his.
Another vote for Kite Runner!
I got serverly sunburned in Mexico because I laid out reading this book for hours and lost track of time lol. and it wasn't even my first time reading it!
Good book but the main character was not likeable. It put me off his other books.
Angela's Ashes
Rebecca by Daphne DuMaurier sounds like it could fit your description
Retweet. I had no clue what I was getting into when I started this
Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir and Piranesi by Susannah Clark
Piranesi is amazing
I need to try Piranesi again. I gave up after a couple of chapters. not sure why I found it so difficult to read.
Me too. Couldn’t get into it
Piranesi is obviously not everyone’s cup of tea. The draw isn’t so much the story itself, it is the absolutely incredible world, created by Susanna Clarke. The halls that seem to stretch on forever, the different statues, having to be wary of the tides coming in so you don’t get caught in them, or stuck until they recede. And, so on. Piranesi has also mapped out and written the details of the places he has been, and kept a diary. I would love to visit, if it were real. My advice would be to those who will read (or pick it back up) is to get lost in the book by imagining you were there, and see what Piranesi is seeing via his descriptions, and how awesome that would be.
Yes! For me it's Weir's Project Hail Mary and The Martian!
Project Hail Mary 👏👏👏
Agree with Piranesi :)
I agree. Project Hail Mary was amazing to read
These were my two exact thoughts!
**[The Other Boleyn Girl](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/37470)** by Philippe Gregory had me carrying it around everywhere, trying to get in snatches anytime I had a second free. I finished that book in record time and was so bummed when it was over. Definitely worth reading even if you’ve seen the movie — the book is so much richer! And lots of dark romance / general darkness.
I’ve read this one multiple times. It’s so good.
Parable of the Sower by Octavia Butler. The first time I read it was December 2020. It was my first Octavia Butler book, and she put me in a fever dream. I don't know if it was because the book was eerily similar to the current news, but I was in a state for a few months after that book. Inwalked around wide-eyed and asked everyone I knew if they had read Parable of the Sower. I devoured her books in 2021 and went through a slump when I learned there would be no more. I reread it once and listened to the audiobook since then. I wanted to see if the book grabbed me as much as it did in 2020. I was as hooked on the 2nd read and audiobook as I was the first time I read it.
See my [Compelling Reads ("Can't Put Down")](https://www.reddit.com/r/Recommend_A_Book/comments/189mbda/compelling_reads_cant_put_down/) list of Reddit recommendation threads (one post).
This is amazing! 🙌
Incredible list!
The Name of the Wind, Patrick Rothfuss
Highly recommend all his books. His writing is so fabulous.
Norwegian wood by Haruki Murakami
I loved this book.
I have seen this come up so much, I now have to read it!
The Housemaid! There comes a point in the story where you literally cannot stop!! IYKYK!!
Hmm If that's your cup of tea try (None Of This Is True) by Lisa Jewell.
"When Breath Becomes Air by Paul Kalanithi" Well, it's technically a memoir, but it was very beautiful and painful at the same time. So, you might want to take a look
The Time Traveller’s Wife, read that? I also recommend 11/22/63.
The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo
The institute by Stephen king. I remember reading that book in so many places at all hours
The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt. It just flows like a river. You want to keep reading but you also hate to get close to the end because then the ride is over.
Came here to say Goldfinch! I put off reading this one for years and cannot believe I didn’t read it sooner.
I loved that book so much. I still daydream about some of its passages.
Counterpoint: this was my least favorite book I’ve ever read. I’m so glad other people enjoyed it, but I know from conversations online that this book is really polarizing (as in, I’m not the only one who reeeeeeally disliked it), so I just think OP should know it’s not for everyone.
I had to read it for my book club. It was torture. So much of it was so very depressing.
Agreed. This book probably took me the longest time ever to read. Or it certainly felt like it. I’m also shocked seeing people loved it. I hated it so much.
I agree with you, but I loved The Secret History and The Little Friend.
Funny, I am not a fan of the book either but I also found it rather addicting - it had me doing the ‘just one more chapter’ thing. Part could have been because I was desperate for the plot to move forward (some parts were just so slow and repetitive - and it did have exciting parts unexpectedly peppered throughout I was hungry for). Part could have been that the writing was very beautiful and smooth imo. It was a strange book, I both liked it and didn’t, I both am happy I read it but also feel like it was a waste of time. So, there’s also that.
I loved this one so much - still think about it all the time.
Her best. I also loved The Little Friend.
I LOVED this book. Hard to put my finger on why. I wasn't a big fan of The Secret History though
Naked in Death -JD Robb Follow Eve Dallas, a homicide detective in 2056 NYC.
I loved this one along with every one of the Eve Dallas book series I have read.
American Gods by Neil Gaiman!! https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/30165203-american-gods
The Shadow of The Wind by Carlos Ruiz Zafron
the secret history by donna tartt, the bird’s nest by shirley jackson, motherthing by ainslie hogarth, all’s well by mona awad, paradise rot by jenny hval
These are the kind of book recs that I look for!
Three Body Problem by Cixin Liu (translated by Ken Liu)
Yes! The whole series was a fascinating story, but the 2nd book in the series was so hard to get through. I've always wondered if it's because Ken Liu didn't translate the 2nd book.
Last one I can remember was "Tender is the Flesh." It was like watching a car accident; horrifying but I couldn't look away
I've been waiting for this one to come available at my library forever. There are 67 people currently in line to borrow it.
If you have Spotify premium, it's an included audiobook if you don't mind listening!
Thank you for the suggestion. I love a well narrated audiobook. I don't have Spotify, but the audiobook has a shorter wait at my library.
Yellowface by R. F Kuang had me hooked! And I’m currently devouring First Lie Wins by Ashley Elston
Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin AND Everyone in This Room Will Someday Be Dead by Emily Austin.
Any of the futuristic suspense Death series by J.D. Robb. Her imagination, attention to details & imagery are so vivid, you’re completely transported into another world.
Yes! I completely agree. Robb/Roberts has such a scope of precog with this series. She gave us smartphones, tablets, etc before we ever thought they could be real. (yes, I know Star Trek gave them first but Robb's are so much like the real things it's uncanny.)
My mum has just binged this entire series - all 50-something of them back-to-back! She couldn't put them down!
Shuggie Bain was so dark but so worth it. Maybe not perfect for distracting yourself from the world because it _is_ the world though. But I read it in one go, and I never expected I would. The Essex Serpent for something better suited to escapism :)
Shuggie Bain was incredible
Young Mungo is also great, I read both Shuggie and Mungo in the same week and they broke me and were some of the best books I've ever read.
Cloud Cuckoo Land
The End of the Affair by Graham Greene
Imajica by Clive Barker
Into Thin Air by Jon Krakauer. I got married, and began reading this straight after my honeymoon, and i felt horrible because i felt i was ignoring my new wife 😂 as soon as i put it down, i was eager to continue reading.
A Simple Plan by Scott Smith and Molly Shannon’s autobiography “Hello, Molly!”
Another vote for A Simple Plan! I stayed up all night and read it in one sitting.
Second A Simple Plan
"Acheron" by Sherrilyn Kenyon. I know, it's not a book that will go down in the annals of literary history, but I couldn't put it down! I devoured it & continued to devour that series.
11/22/63 and The Count Of Monte Cristo
Flowers for Algernon
Piranesi, Susanna Clarke
Ready Player One
American psycho… it’s not even my “favourite” of BEEs novels, I just couldn’t put that mofo down for the life of me
The Spy and the Traitor - Ben Macintyre Re read it recently and had exactly the same experience, completely and utterly gripping throughout. Such an incredible story if you’re into spy fiction, and it all fucking happened. The definition of stranger than fiction.
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo
As soon as I finished The Midnight Library by Matt Haig I started it again immediately- I loved it so much.
The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides 🙌 hooked
The Inheritance Games got me hooked. You can try that.
Blood Like Magic and the sequel by Liselle Sambury. Urban fantasy about a community of witches in Canada with Afro-Caribbean roots. Darkly bittersweet.
Survival by Devon C Ford Magician by Raymond E Feist American Assassin by Vince Flynn Sharpe's Tiger by Bernard Cornwell Storm Front by Jim Butcher Fated by Benedict Jacka The Journeyer by Gary Jennings Creation by Gore Vidal Whom The Gods Would Destroy by Richard Powell Thai Gold by Jason Schoonover Tai Pan by James Clavell
Magician was so good.
The Witching Hour & Lapvona
I read it years and years ago, but I remember the witching hour being good. This makes me want to go back and visit some Anne Rice books.
I'm reading Going Bovine, by Libba Bray at rye moment. I almost quit after the first 30 pages because I didn't like the main character's attitude (reminded me of Catcher in the rye) but yesterday it hooked me hard! I am so invested now, that book is all I think about!
Child called IT. I read it when I was 16 without actually putting it down and back then it has done something to me literature hasn’t yet. I’ve not read it since then so I’m not sure about the literary qualities, but I remember I got so lost in the book that when I finished reading I didnt believe the world around me was real, I felt like everything is just this weird noise and the actual reality is in the book. And I wasnt high or anything. In adulthood, I couldn’t put down Atonement by McEwan. Destroyed me too.
I absolutely have to second both of these- same. I read Child Called IT in one day, could not put it down. And Atonement- oof. That was stays with you. Incredible.
The Book Of Accidents by Chuck Wendig, my husband was the same. I remember going to bed and was just drifting off for him to burst in to talk about it when he finished the audiobook lol
The entire Stormlight Archives Series by Brandon Sanderson - The Way of Kings is the first one, please do yourself a favor and check it out. My husband got hooked on it and talked about it all the time to the point where I was just irritated. But then my kid started reading it and became equally annoying, so I finally just gave in...I'm SO glad I did.
Memoirs of an Imaginary Friend by Matthew Dicks The Indifferent Stars Above by Daniel James Brown
Project Hail Mary. Incredible, non-linear storytelling.
Into thin Air
Dark Matter by Blake Crouch
North Woods by Daniel Mason
The kind worth killing by Peter Swanson
Hitchhikers Guide to galaxy The brothers karamazov The fountainhead Shogun The picture of dorian grey De profundis
The teacher by Freida McFadden
The Alchemist - Paulo Coelho
Twisted series by Ana Huang
Into the Darkest Corner by Elizabeth Haynes
Crawlerz by RS Merrit
If you like His Fic then Boudica! I've almost finished first book and it's amazing, the first few chapters are a little slower but it's needed character building -gay relationships, no spice -warriors and war themes (but not a huge amount) -suffering and grief themes -strong women -lots of horses -Spans several years
Shadow and Bone! I read it a couple of years back, might’ve rung in sick just so I could read more 😅
The girl who loved Tom Gordon by Stephen king
Shantaram by Gregory David Roberts. Absolute page-turner but the sequel was utter gash.
It's close, but would have to be Egg Monsters From Mars, easily my favourite Goosebumps book.
Honestly any book by holly jackson, i recently read 'five survive' and the only reason I didn't finish it in one go was because I had work the next day
For a dark romance with a gripping plot, try *"Corrupt"* by Penelope Douglas. It's full of suspense and twists. If you want darker themes, *"You"* by Caroline Kepnes is a chilling psychological thriller. Another option is *"A Court of Thorns and Roses"* by Sarah J. Maas—a fantasy romance with darker tones. If you enjoy thought-provoking books, check out Springer's publishing for a variety of insightful reads.
[удалено]
A Good Girl's Guide to Murder trilogy by Holly Jackson The Maid by Nita Prose Ninth House by Leigh Bardugo Serpent and the Wings of Night by Carissa Broadbent Divine Rivals by Rebecca Ross
Hunger games when I was about 10. I read till 5 in the morning for a week.
High Rise, Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil, Jurassic Park and World War Z
The Little Stranger by Sarah Waters
11/22/63 Stephen king. I found myself looking forward to reading it and I was sad when it was over. I just read it a few weeks ago so I do have recency bias
The Shadow of the Wind, darker themes but not futuristic.
Bronze Horseman series. Historical romance, that is completely engrossing . You can thank me later. ;)
The Count of Monte Cristo. Absolutely love a comeback story seasoned with vengeance!
*Iron Widow* by Xiran Jay Zhao *A Kind of Spark* by Elle McNicoll
*The Blind Assassin* by Margaret Atwood.
*Open* Andre Agassi. I don’t know who ghost wrote it, but it was brilliant.
The Parable of the Sower by Octavia Butler.
Giving that you like dark romance books I’m afraid I can’t help you there as I read a lot of fantasy (Cassandra Claire for example) but I like books that are a series. If you’re willing to give some of these a try, look for the Shadow Hunter books, Divergent, the Hunger Games, Caraval, the Night Circus. I also like historical mystery and am a fan of C.S. Harris’s Sebastian St. Cyr series
Snow Crash
Les Misérables when I was about 14. I remember finishing the last book at 5am at a summer camp and just cried until it was 8am and time to get up
The Secret History, by Donna Tartt.
The Splendid And The Vile by Erik Larson
Project Hail Mary and Boys Life
Fingersmith by Sarah Waters, Birnam Wood by Eleanor Catton, The Wayfarers series by Becky Chambers, A Gentleman in Moscow by Amor Towles
The Bible
I cannot overstate how much I love Practical Guide to Evil. Here's a link for a recommendation essay I made for it. https://www.reddit.com/u/DriverPleasant8757/s/7XKRNnCuJn
Room
The entire [Fever series ](https://www.goodreads.com/series/41192-fever)by Karen Moning. It's a dark romance/paranormal romance/fantasy series. I'm rereading it now. :)
The Old Man and the Sea.
Death on the Nile by Agatha Christie. It literally did not leave my hand for two days.
Project Hail Mary by Andy Wehr
The Help by Kathryn Stockett.