I just finished watching the film and I loved it!
I need book recs that are: 1.) Similar to the film's synopsis. (Genres: Survival, Thriller)
Themes: 2.) critiquing the wealthy and or wealthy families. 2.5) specifically on their inhumane rituals/norms like in the movie. 3.) shows the struggles of newly wed women.
Thank you!



serndpyrdr commented...
26w
I have slight entomophobia but they're so cute! Their colors makes them look like candy/popsicles/leaves!


The_BookishBug finished a book
26w

The Sting of the Wild
Justin O. Schmidt
Entomologist Justin O. Schmidt is on a mission. Some say it's a brave exploration, others shake their heads in disbelief. His goal? To compare the impacts of stinging insects on humans, mainly using himself as the gauge. In The Sting of the Wild, the colorful Dr. Schmidt takes us on a journey inside the lives of stinging insects, seeing the world through their eyes as well as his own. He explains how and why they attack and reveals the powerful punch they can deliver with a small venom gland and a "sting," the name for the apparatus that delivers the venom. We learn which insects are the worst to encounter and why some are barely worth considering. The Sting of the Wild includes the complete Schmidt Sting Pain Index, published here for the first time. In addition to a numerical ranking of the agony of each of the eighty-three stings he's sampled so far (from below 1 to an excruciatingly painful 4), Schmidt describes them in prose worthy of a professional wine critic: "Looks deceive. Rich and full-bodied in appearance, but flavorless" and "Pure, intense, brilliant pain. Like walking over flaming charcoal with a three-inch nail embedded in your heel." Schmidt explains that, for some insects, stinging is used for hunting: small wasps, for example, can paralyze huge caterpillars and then lay their eggs inside so that their larvae can feast within. Others are used to kill competing insects, even members of their own species. Humans usually experience stings as defensive maneuvers used by insects to protect their nest mates. With colorful descriptions of each venom's sensation and a story that leaves you tingling with awe, The Sting of the Wild's one-of-a-kind style will fire your imagination.

serndpyrdr commented...
26w
I love this list! My BSD phase got me interested in reading about some of these authors' Wikipedia pages<3
Bungo Stray Dogs
Books and authors that inspired the characters and their powers in Bungo Stray Dogs. [not complete*]
*missing Hirotsu R.'s Falling Camellia, Sakaguchi A.'s Betrayal (for Murakoso Yachiyo) and Blizzard Story (for Aoki Takuichi), Edogawa R.'s Monster's Trick (for Minoura and Sugimoto) and Shadow-Man (for Yamagiwa), Mushitaro O.'s Perfect Crime, Fukuchi O.'s The Mirror Lion, A Spring Diversion, Teruko O.'s Gasp of the Soul, Saigiku J.'s Priceless Tears, Shibusawa T.'s Draconia







serndpyrdr commented...
26w
I love your questions! SciFi's speculative and otherworldly elements/concepts mirror the fantasy genre but I believe the scientist/STEM characters or protagonists and jargon is what makes scifi scifi for me!
To answer your second question, the SciFi books with aliens but has an Earth setting is called Alien Invasion!
So I was looking at the Alien emoji, as one does, and I realized I see it on a lot of Scifi books even if they don’t have the stereotypical alien. 👽
I then thought about the X-Files, and other media that tend to contain more traditional aliens, and I realized I tend to categorize them as Paranormal, not SciFi.
So here is my query: what makes something fit the SciFi genre in your opinion? What genre do you categorize books with aliens that take place on earth?
Extra bonus question… any recs for the latter?

serndpyrdr commented...
26w
Pidge Gunderson from Voltron: Legendary Defender. She set the bar and complexity of my future favourite characters. I didn't even realize she was so complex and multifaceted when I first watched the series as a child. She has the best character design too!

So, I was thinking of starting Daughter of the Moon Goddess after seeing someone market it as a book to read if you loved Mulan as a kid. So that struck me with a question for you guys, what book/book character you read recently reminds you of a movie or character you loved from your childhood?

serndpyrdr commented...
26w
When an author A obviously mimicked the lyrical prose writing of another author (B) in certain passages/paragraphs of their book. I'm very observant so it's uncomfortable to read, especially when author A's prose doesn't live up.
I've run across this a few times in some books, and now again in The Decagon House Murders where the author will name a place or thing, but blank it out like S__ Town, C__ Club, O__ University, etc.
I know it's just a stylistic choice, but I kind of hate it? I think it makes the story lose a sense of place, and it reminds me that I'm reading a book in a weird and unpleasant way, rather than let me get wrapped up in the story.
What are some writing style trends that make your eye twitch?
Readers of queer romance who like knights and princesses and enemies/bantering to friends to lovers and she's helping her achieve her dream, PLEASE PLEASE, READ LADY'S KNIGHT, trust me you'll love it
Vengeful (Villains, #2)
Victoria Schwab
Starting this right after re-reading Vicious. I'm excited, and cautiously optimistic, but I have heard it's not as strong as the first installment. Guess I'll see for myself!
Either way, with V.E. Schwab's growth as an author with her past few books, I am very much looking forward to Victorious!

Funny Story
Emily Henry


Beach Read
Emily Henry
I didn’t know what to title and this post is so funny to me considering I have not even read beach read yet but i just saw that Fabien Frankel was offered the role for Gus Everett in Emily Henry’s ‘Beach Read’ and omggg the way i jumped!! More so very undelicately fell off the bed but who cares about semantics right?? I generally do not usually move when it comes to adaptions so even my reaction to this surprised me, but after seeing Fabien Frankel’s performance in crime drama - Task (2025) on HBO - I NEED HIM TO ACCEPT THIS ROLE YESTERDAY!!
This is how roles are picked but it rlly is interesting and sooo freakin cool to watch actors act in various settings and be able to be like “shoot…well maybe” bc someone literally did that and even i was thinking about it while the show was still airing. AND THANK GOD THEY DIDDDD!!! honest to god curious if he got the role offered partly due to his performance in Task cause idk maybe that man ran in to some secret debt he was on the clock to clear cause…no words.
And again, my knowledge of beach read is just maybe some screenshots of some lines on the book on twt, so i’m very curious to what people who have actually read the book think.
Also like i fear there is no other Gus Everett for me. I’m sorry to the OG’. My bed has been made. but do plz tell me who you want // would have wanted instead too cause you know, my third eye does tend to be open sometimes. Also like that show is so recent??? that’s so cool for him to have had such a recent hit of a show and now this cause now i’m talking about why I NEED HIM TO ACCEPT bc of his portrayal as Grasso.
I’ve honesty been thinking about the show since it ended. The messages are absolutely beautiful and i think everyone should watch (if they can) at least once.
It’s a story on forgiveness. And how really nothing is black and white. Will definitely be rewatching soon. But definitely google as it definitely is not for everyone and does deal with dark subject matter with it being a crime drama.
Also if you do end up tuning in for whatever reason, let me know what you think about the show. it can be anything. tell me why unplugged your tv 30 mins in idk. but anyways, thank you for coming to my ted talk.
Jade City (The Green Bone Saga, #1)
Fonda Lee
Lan is my guy. idc if he's weaker in terms of strength or he's a bit rusty in fights. i've liked that man since he was presented to me. maybe he has to have a bit more initiative, but i respect his caution. my blood for the Pillar yessir

• Can either be fantasy or scifi (open to any subgenre of both!)/standalone or series. • Certain tropes that I want to see:
1.) Unlikely poor chosen one x wealthy fiery bodyguard(/best friend) 2.) Different social classes/lifestyles 3.) Experiencing a shift in the relationship after the heroine's chosen one/"secret" reveal 4.) Complex parent and daughter dynamic (*Complex mother and daughter dynamic for the Rangi-esque character, in particular)
Thank you!

serndpyrdr joined a quest
26w
Iconic Series
📚👤💭
Main Quest 🏆 // 13492 joined
A collection of the pilot books for popular series, for those of us who love to follow a character's journey for as long as an author will let us! Some of the below series have heavily debated starting points and book read orders--in those cases the pilot was selected based on what seems to be the most popular approach.

serndpyrdr commented...
26w
The first feminist non fiction book I read was White Tears/Brown Scars, I really liked the writing style and its themes of intersectional feminism! It is very informative about the variation of inequality that women go through because of their race.

Hi everyone! ✨ For International Women’s Day, let’s share books that inspire, challenge, and expand our thinking about feminism.
What are your favorite feminist books, and why? (:
I’m looking for anything that questions patriarchy, critiques power, and imagines more just futures. They can be from any genre: fiction, non-fiction, essays, theory, memoir, fantasy, horror, poetry… anything that moves you or makes you think.
These books matter more than ever. Right now: ★ In Iran, nearly 180 schoolchildren were killed in the bombing of Shajareh Tayyebeh girls’ school. ★ In Mexico, 10 women are murdered every day for being women, and thousands of girls are sold into marriage. ★ In the US, the Epstein files expose global sexual exploitation of girls and young women, hidden beneath elite power. ★ In Gaza, women report being promised food, money, or work in exchange for sexual interactions. ★ In Sudan, women endure starvation, rape, and bombs while fleeing El Fasher.
These realities show why we need literature that teaches, challenges, and empowers.
Some examples of what I mean: ☆ Feminist theory ☆ Anti-patriarchal fiction ☆ Essays or political non-fiction ☆ Fantasy or horror that critiques gendered power ☆ Books about resistance, autonomy, and liberation
I’d especially love to hear works from diverse feminist perspectives, for example: ★ Marxist feminism ★ Anti-racist / intersectional feminism ★ Anti-colonial or decolonial feminism ★ Queer and trans-inclusive feminisms ★ Radical critiques of patriarchy
Here are some of my recent favorites to get us started: ☆ Fiction (horror): Woodworm by Layla Martínez 🖤; generational oppression, patriarchy, and abuse collide in this eerie, class-conscious story where women and ghosts fight for justice. ☆ Non-fiction: Career and Family by Claudia Goldin 📊✨; explores a century of women balancing careers and family, with data, examples, and insights that make systemic barriers real and relatable. ☆ Non-fiction: No son micro. Machismos cotidianos; shows how everyday jokes and microaggressions are part of a bigger patriarchal system, clear, sharp, and eye-opening. ☆ Memoir / True Crime: Liliana’s Invincible Summer: A Sister’s Search for Justice 🌞; tells the story of Liliana Rivera Garza, her brilliance, autonomy, and the gender-based violence she faced, while demanding justice for her femicide/feminicide and celebrating her life. ☆ Fiction (historical/horror): Butcher by Joyce Carol Oates 🔪👩🦳; a chilling, immersive story set in a 19th-century women’s asylum where Dr. Silas Weir conducts grotesque experiments on women, fueled by obsession and unchecked ambition. Narrated by his eldest son, the novel blends historical fact and horror, exposing patriarchy, abuse, and the terrifying consequences of power gone wrong. ☆ Fiction (historical/magic): Weyward by Emilia Hart 🧙♀️🐦; across five centuries, three extraordinary women—Kate, Altha, and Violet—navigate abuse, societal limits, and dangerous legacies. From 17th-century witch trials to WWII estates to modern escapes, this story weaves female resilience, magic, and the natural world, showing how women survive, resist, and transform their destinies. Before reading please check the content warnings!
To everyone protesting today: stay safe and take care of each other ✊💜. Remember to bring your backpack with the essentials. :) To those who can’t or won’t go: we can still learn, read, discuss, and build community. Change grows through knowledge, conversation, and collective reflection.
💬 Let’s make this thread a living feminist reading list!
What books have challenged the way you think about patriarchy, exploitation, or power? Classics, hidden gems, fiction, theory… let’s hear it! (:
ETA: Updated formatting, wording, and added the real-world case examples I forgot to include before. (:
ETA 2: I just made a list with all your rec's in mind! It's called Girl Boss? More Like System-Buster #8M2026 (if you have a better name, pls tell me bc I don't know how to feel about this one, jeje) and you can find it here: https://pagebound.co/lists/e15f06fb-e2b4-44ca-aa24-d2874ce63e47. Pls keep them coming and I'll be updating the list!! 💜🔥🫶🏻