I was a bad book owner and accidentally got a book wet and didn’t notice - it has a light dusting of mould along the top of the pages. I put the book in the freezer because I heard it’s easier to remove mould after and it gave me time to deal with it. It’s now drying in front of our electric fire. It’s not a special edition or anything so I don’t mind trying things and potentially having it be a little unsightly, but I just don’t like to throw it out if I don’t have to!

I'm looking for some good dark fantasy reads, or political reads.

I tried reading Alchemised which was the main recommendation I got from co-readers (like co-workers but insteas of people I work with they're fellow readers) and I just couldn't get into it - there is an entire review if you want the reasons why - I will note I'm not a fan of SA in books because I feel to many people now use it for shock value or a plot driver and just don't treat it with proper care or respect.

That being said I want dark, I want gritty I want morally corrupt characters. Any recommendations would be appreciated.

hey guys it is ollie from booktok i am in desperate need of this book pls lmao

Looking for recommendations with the same vibe as 'The Bear and the Nightingale', and 'Spinning Silver' for my December wintery reads ✨️🙌 And throw in your oddball wintery faves just for fun 😁

I feel like I haven’t read vampires in so long (except for Bury Our Bones In The Midnight Soil)! Do you have any favourite vampire books to recommend? Mine would probably be Twilight, it’s just such a classic!

I just wanted to ask, how do y'all end up with 100+ physical books? 😭 I can understand if you're an adult, your money is your money, you earned it, you can do what you want with it, but why would you get more books if there are ones yet to be read at home?

I've seen one girl my age (I can't say it exactly, for privacy reason, but between 13-17) online have 300 BOOKS for her physical TBR, which was insane to me, because how did her parents not complain or stop her once? Is it just me because my dad would never get me more books unless the ones I have are finished? Or is this overconsumption?

I get buying a book or two you've been really wanting and/or haven't been available or something, while you still have books at home. BUT WHYY would you buy 10+ books at once when you have 100+ unread books anyway 😭

I'm looking for a book i can blow through in one sitting without it consuming my entire day. I'll consider anything up to 200 pages but I'm really looking for something in the 70-125 range. Queer author or characters is a must!! Other than that i generally like fantasy, magical realism, soft sci fi, speculative fic, and weird shit. I can't stomach a lot of horror but i don't mind a little for flavor. Hit me with your best novellas, short stories & novelettes!!

I'm currently reading One Dark Window by Rachel Gillig. For those who haven’t read it: in the book, family names are inspired by trees as an ancient hommage to the Spirit of the Wood. In English, these names sound quite beautiful (like Hawthorn, Spindle, etc.).

To get a better sense of the types of trees they refer to, I looked up their Dutch translations and in Dutch they sound absolutely ridiculous. 😆 (I’m reading the English version, so I’m not sure if or how these names were translated in the Dutch edition)

I also had this with the Harry Potter books, where I initially started in Dutch and switched to English. Then to discover the Dutch translations really sucked. 🫣

So my question: what is the weirdest thing you've come across translation wise in books? Something that was translated awful or would be if you took it literally?

I just started to read a Sherlock Holmes re-telling, specifically "A Study in Scarlet Women", and it reminded me of how much I appreciate re-tellings in general (and of Sherlock Holmes). These stories have obviously been re-told many times not only in books, but e.g. with the BBC Sherlock Show. I have also read the "Young Sherlock" series about Sherlock, but as a kid, aimed at younger teens, and "A study in Emerald", another re-telling of "A Study in Scarlet". I think it's so interesting to discover how characters could act at another age or time, or being another gender, or in a different universe (probably a factor that plays into my appreciation of AU fanfiction haha).

Anyways, I'm curious about re-tellings of popular (or not so well-known) stories that you love and why!

I'm so disappointed. I read the entire series and if a story started taking drugs, this is it. What happened?

Ok I'm almost 3/4ths through my first T. Kingfisher book (Nettle & Bone) and I'm already entranced. I want to read absolutely everything she has written immediately. Luckily for me, this woman has produced a god-like amount of books (💃💃) and now I just need to narrow this list down to my next read (my wallet and library allowing).

Obviously I hope to get to all of them at some point, but I'm curious if anyone has a particular favorite to recommend next?

Is there anyone else who's read Cinder, or Heartless, or anything else by Marissa Meyer? I've never met anyone (other than one person) who has read any of her work. She's my favorite author EVER and I love her writing style, characters and stories. I''ve only read her books Cinder and Heartless once. I'm working on Scarlet. I'd love to discuss some things she does well in her writing with others who love her work! ^^

I just started to read a Sherlock Holmes re-telling, specifically "A Study in Scarlet Women", and it reminded me of how much I appreciate re-tellings in general (and of Sherlock Holmes). These stories have obviously been re-told many times not only in books, but e.g. with the BBC Sherlock Show. I have also read the "Young Sherlock" series about Sherlock, but as a kid, aimed at younger teens, and "A study in Emerald", another re-telling of "A Study in Scarlet". I think it's so interesting to discover how characters could act at another age or time, or being another gender, or in a different universe (probably a factor that plays into my appreciation of AU fanfiction haha).

Anyways, I'm curious about re-tellings of popular (or not so well-known) stories that you love and why!