Recs if you like The Secret History...
Pure Dark Academia
campuses, the occult, a bacchanalia or two. only true dark academia in this list ππ¬βοΈ
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 β 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!
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).
Um, actually... (It's Satire)
You loved Patrick Bateman. You wanted to be Jay Gatsby. You know all the rules about Fight Club. Well, do I have the list for you! Um, actually... is a list of books where the whole point went over people's heads. These novels handed readers a mirror and they wore it as a name badge instead. Always taking recommendations! (p.s. I am begging you to watch Um, Actually on Dropout TV... um, actually please watch anything/everything on Dropout TV)
Gay people can never flirt normally
Books with obsessive and/or codependent queer relationships (relationship doesn't have to be canon but the vibesβ’ should be there)
1001 Books to Read Before You Die
Based on the list/book published in 2006, general editor Peter Boxall.
you are a regular guy!
you can enter a space. you are a regular guy, you can enter a room. you are a regular guy, you can do that transaction. you are a regular guy, you know how to answer the phone. you are a regular guy, you know what sleep is. you are a regular guy, you know what it means to be you.
all of these books have regular people as the protagonist doing all sorts of things, from kissing to killing!
as always, open to all suggestions!
Circular storytelling
"The end is already written. Your actions are up to you, you can choose to get off this ride whenever. We both know you won't do it."
High Femme Fiction
pink, sophisticated & sometimes fatale <3 (added some essential nonfic & poetry!)
twentysomething
books with characters who are in their 20s (and trying to figure out their 20s). primarily but not exclusively lit fic.
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.
rich kids should be studied for science
mc goes to a private school, tries and fails to hide a deep dark secret, and falls in love with someone they shouldn't have. "wait till my father hears about this" ahh kids
very cold people: new england gothic
the darker side of new england. crumbling colonial-era brick, run down coastal towns, abandoned factories, dilapidated mills, foggy orchards, cold dark waters, whispers of witchcraft, venerated institutions, secret societies, and uneasy echoes of the past.
that's a nice soul you've got there...
...it would be a shame if it was corruptedβ¦.
a list of corruption arcs because i have an (probably unhealthy) obsession with them. a work in progress! suggestions welcome
Sheβs spiraling
Books where the protagonist loses their grip on reality, has strange, unsettling, and/or surreal experiences
One Book Many Quests
Books in this list are in at least two quests. Thus helping to earn more badges. Books will span different genres. Once I scan through all the quests, I plan to further organize the list. I am thinking of creating a seperate list and moving the books with three or more quests to the new list and keeping the two badge books in this list. Are there other ways you would organize a list this big?
let me tell you my story
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!
Questmaxxing
I think Pagebound quests should be enjoyed at your own pace, reading whatever piques your interest. That being said, here's a list of books that are included in multiple quests. This list is a work in progress and suggestions are welcome :)
100 Gothic Classics
A list of 100 gothic classics which covers over 250 years of literature, from the high-drama castles of the 1700s to the psychological "New Gothic" of today.
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!!
