Recs if you like Bluets...

Shorter books (under 200 pages) that are part of at least one quest. Many are also in the public domain, making them easily accessible when you want to grind for that next badge.

Books that are part memoir part another genre: in a way that blends multiple mediums and/or themes in unique and engaging ways. Magical, explosive and memorable narratives expressed with creativity and depth. Books that inspire me to write more.

Books recommended by musician Lucy Dacus, a solo artist and member of the band boygenius. Pulled from her goodreads list.

colour/color appreciation, history and/or science

Being human is hard! This list is for shorter stories/books/novellas that can help ground us, offer connection, and remind us of what truly matters in this dumpster fire of a world.

Please share your recs in the comments! Let's keep this list growing!

Queer (& Trans, Two-Spirit +) poets

In-progress/Updated over time Recommendations highly welcomed! Seeking intersectional works esp.

Single work per author listed (unless an anthology of multiple authors works)

Ah yes, this ol' issue that has plagued librarians and bookstore clerks for decades.

And sometimes you find the right book, but... can you even call that shade blue?

works of literary fiction that use the stream of consciousness narrative technique (popular in post-WWI modernist literature) to express the natural flow of thoughts, feelings, memories and sensory impressions.

often fragmented, unconventional, experimental in terms of structure, punctuation and syntax.

recs welcome!

Our mental space can hold way more space than we think. So can our hands. This is for that tired, anxious and cool adult, go feed your soul and your creativity.

These are books that dissolve the edges of reality...quiet, uncanny, and often profound. You’ll find yourself suspended in dream logic, where time is slippery, identity flickers, and language floats like fog. Perfect for when you crave something liminal, lyrical, or just plain weird in the softest way. Read them when the world feels too loud and you want to disappear...but beautifully.

“220. Imagine someone saying, ‘Our fundamental situation is joyful.’ Now imagine believing it.”

Journals, essays, and other nonfiction that look long for beauty and find it.

for those situations when you don't want to talk about your own life or the world around you...here are books that will provide trivia, interesting stories, or memorable quotes to regale your friends

The best way to write poetry is to read poetry🫡

Nothing gets the inspiration flowing like nourishing your mind with the creative works of other writers

Here you’ll find poems & essays to read when you need a creative spark⚡️

A list of essay collections when you want something short but informative enough to ponder.

An intentional curation of books whose characters are navigating through the affliction of loneliness. Reading varied perspectives on this theme shows how loneliness can alter lives and the different ways in which people respond to it, endure it, and search for ways to escape (or even give in) to it.

Because my friend said this after reading one of my recs. Literary fic with more ✨vibes✨ than plot or when the book’s vibe feels like the main character

A gateway list for readers curious about magical realism but wary of too much whimsy. These books blend the uncanny with the everyday...strange happenings grounded in real emotion, culture, & sometimes politics. Perfect for readers craving wonder without leaving a sense of order behind.

Reading list

i discovered these when i was identifying as a cishet woman in college and have realized EVERY literary sad girl reads these