Recs if you like The Amber Spyglass ...

JK Rowling is a bigot who uses her platform to hurt transfolks and other marginalized groups (plus she literally just quoted Mein Kampf on the bird site). If you're still supporting her in 2025, don't bother talking to me.

katabasis (n.) “descent”; often referring to a descent into the underworld, or the realm of the dead.

A collection of the finales of some of our favorite series here on PB! If we get a badge for starting these series, we should have something to push us to finish them as well!

Tears may be shed now that the stories are over, but cheers to the accomplishment of completing and loving them✨

audiobooks where the narrator is the author! any book goes, no matter the genre. there may be multiple versions of the audiobook, but at least one version has the author as narrator. please suggest more in the comments!

For people who are interested in a long-term challenge to read all of the Booker Prize longlisted books! Before 2001 there were only shortlisted books so I am going to separate these into two different lists. After I finish adding in all of the books, I'll pin a comment with the winners by year in case you are only interested in those! (Work in Progress - I'm adding too many books to the database at once haha)

Top 100 books of the 21st century

books i got lost in during quiet reading time as a kid (and maybe you did too)

The Observer published a list of the “25 best books of the century so far” on December 18, 2025, as decided by their critics and editors. (Note: the inclusion of The Odyssey is specifically for the translation by Emily Wilson.)

Sentimental Garbage is a podcast by Caroline O'Donoghue. Often the topic is a particular title/book, so this list is slowly curating the different books that are discussed. For those who enjoy reading and podcasts! NB: it doesn't include books of film media discussed unless they've also done an episode on the book.

Books where characters either go through hell, or some other afterlife situation.

All of Philip Pullman's novels and short stories written around the His dark materials serie, in chronological order.

Note: The imagination chamber doesn't really take place in one specific moment or place, as it's a collection of scenes happening during the events of many different books.

These are fantasy series that interrogate religion and the role that religion plays in society.

Wholesome, beautiful stories in fantastical worlds; magic