Recs if you like Never Let Me Go...
Too Real Dystopians
Dystopian fiction that feels a little bit too real. Imagined futures, apocalypses, society collapse, oh my!
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never the same river twice
books that are so changed by the end that they're entirely different books on the re-read. books best entered blind, with a twist or gradual reveal that is not just surprising, but retroactively rewrites everything you've already read โ the meaning, tone, genre, or intention of every page before it.
"No man ever steps in the same river twice, for it's not the same river and he's not the same man."
recs so so welcome!
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Literary Lasagna - Give Them Time to Cook
These are books that don't rush to impress you. They simmer while the author adds in the layers. They may confuse you or bore you at first - but if you give them time to cook you'll end up with a delicious meal of a book!
Always taking recommendations! If you are recommending a series - the layers need to come together by the end of the first book (not half way through the series).
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these titles are complete sentences!
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The Curio Cabinet: The Symbolic, Strange & Surreal
Not all collections hold things you can touch. This one holds worlds that breathe, selves that dissolve, and realities that refuse to hold their shape. These are the fictions that live on the edge of what language can contain - and sometimes just beyond. Admission is free, through entry requires a signed waiver: the curator cannot be held responsible for any transformations that occur upon your exit. We welcome specimen recommendations!
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Emotional Annihilation Toolkit
Are you currently not crying to the point of vomiting, but you want to be? Need to conduct a science experiment to find out if you are in fact the ugliest crier in all of Pagebound? Well, do I have the list for you! Brought to you by the fine, very sad, folks of Pagebound! These books have been frequently suggested or upvoted in PB club posts about sad books! Suggestions in any genre, and extra tissues, are welcome!
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1001 Books to Read Before You Die
Based on the list/book published in 2006, general editor Peter Boxall.
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Books that feel like an A24 film
Books that are atmospheric, emotionally unsettling, beautifully written, a little weird, and linger long after you finish them.
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Lucy Dacus Recommendations ๐
Books recommended by musician Lucy Dacus, a solo artist and member of the band boygenius. Pulled from her goodreads list.
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Profit > People
Fictional stories. Real consequences. Profit > People is dedicated to books with capitalist critique, focusing on the lives - and bodies - sacrificed at the altar of industry and interest. Always taking recommendations!
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High Femme Fiction
pink, sophisticated & sometimes fatale <3 (added some essential nonfic & poetry!)
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The System Is The Monster
Fiction has always been where truth hides. Across horror, thriller, literary fiction, fantasy & mystery every book on this list has something to say about power, who holds it, who destroys it, and how it reproduces itself.
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Read Like an English Major
Books for those who want to be well-read without the debt (created by someone with said debt)
Note: I will be deleting my PB account within the next two weeks, and I believe this list will be erased. Feel free to screenshot it if you see anything that interests you! โบ๏ธ 3/17/2026
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Evil Scientists - Fiction Edition
When the pursuit of knowledge crosses the line into moral depravity.
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books for purple readers
book recs for purple readers according to read your color on substack | updated periodically
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The Art of Engaged Reading: Fiction Companion
You've built up your skills as an engaged reader - now it's time to start reaping the benefits! Every book on this list was chosen because it's genuinely enjoyable AND hiding something underneath the surface worth finding. The goal isn't to find the "right" answer, but to trust your own instincts as a reader and see where that takes you. Start in your favorite genre - it makes close reading feel like a game, not homework. Happy Reading Boundlings!!
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NYT Readers' Best 100 Books of the 21st Century
A mix of reader favorites and editorial picks from The New York Timesโ100 books that defined the 21st century.
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The Big Bad Luddite Novel*
ANTI: fascism, ai, nfts, Big Tech, billionaires, surveillance states, optimization, algorithms, bot farms, technofeudalism, enshittification, exploitation, extractionism, planned obsolescence PRO: organized labor, punk, analog, solidarity, free speech, friction, degrowth, experimentation, right to privacy, right to repair, diy, material process, mutual aid, ecological living, the human hand, the human mind
*Short stories welcome. Looking for nonfiction? Check out The Big Bad Luddite List.
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Bleakness Is My Weakness
For when you need to wallow in melancholy and misery: a collection of pessimistic, cynical, downbeat, depressing, doom and gloom fiction for my disillusioned friends.
More to come!
Got the holiday blues? Check out my list Christmas with the Cranks!
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reading around the world: asia
a comprehensive list of books from each country in asia including books I want to read and have read! some countries have multiple books listed, but for starters each will have at least 1.
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