smallbug

an autistic bug trying to survive ⭐︎ horror, whimsy & witches ⭐︎ please rec me books with no romance @_@

849 points

0% overlap

My Taste

smallbug is interested in reading...

12h

The Ferryman

Justin Cronin

From the New York Times bestselling author of The Passage comes a riveting standalone novel about a group of survivors on a hidden island utopia--where the truth isn't what it seems. Founded by a mysterious genius, the archipelago of Prospera lies hidden from the horrors of a deteriorating outside world. In this island paradise, Prospera's lucky citizens enjoy long, fulfilling lives until the monitors embedded in their forearms, meant to measure their physical health and psychological well-being, fall below 10 percent. Then they retire themselves, embarking on a ferry ride to the island known as the Nursery, where their failing bodies are renewed, their memories are wiped clean, and they are readied to restart life afresh. Proctor Bennett, of the Department of Social Contracts, has a satisfying career as a ferryman, gently shepherding people through the retirement process--and, when necessary, enforcing it. But all is not well with Proctor. For one thing, he's been dreaming--which is supposed to be impossible in Prospera. For another, his monitor percentage has begun to drop alarmingly fast. And then comes the day he is summoned to retire his own father, who gives him a disturbing and cryptic message before being wrestled onto the ferry. Meanwhile, something is stirring. The Support Staff, ordinary men and women who provide the labor to keep Prospera running, have begun to question their place in the social order. Unrest is building, and there are rumors spreading of a resistance group--known as "Arrivalists"--who may be fomenting revolution. Soon Proctor finds himself questioning everything he once believed, entangled with a much bigger cause than he realized--and on a desperate mission to uncover the truth.

smallbug commented on a post

13h

moss-mylk

Thoughts from 36%

All these ppl’s enthusiasm about snails is so endearing…and i get it

Eg:

In an article titled “Shell Fish: Their Ways and Works,” published in 1852, George Johnson praises the snail’s shell as “an edifice rivalling, nay exceeding, in complexity yet order of details and perfection of elaborate finish, the finest palaces ever constructed by man!”

smallbug commented on smallbug's review of You're Not Supposed to Die Tonight

14h

smallbug

Apr 09, 2026

4.0

Enjoyment: 4.0Quality: Characters: 4.0Plot: 3.0

🌊

🩸

🌳

what an insane book? **no spoileys here

when i first went into this book, i wasn't expecting too much. i was expecting your basic YA camp slasher (still fun, just not special) but it really proved to be an upgrade! it took on some of my favourite horror tropes, which i'm so glad for, and genuinely surprised me towards the end (most of the 'twists'/'reveals' were very predictable though, so if that bothers you, beware!). most of the main characters were likeable and believable as real people (yippee!) which made this book have some genuinely tense scenes. i liked the mystery, i liked the spookiness, and i loved the setting :) unfortunately the very end of this book felt.. goofy? i don't know. it felt very cartoonish. i mean, i definitely had to suspend my disbelief at certain points in the beginning, but nothing felt glaringly silly, i could just brush past it.. other than the ending though, i had a good time. ദ്ദി(˵ •̀ ᴗ - ˵ ) ✧

smallbug wrote a review...

14h

smallbug

Apr 09, 2026

4.0

Enjoyment: 4.0Quality: Characters: 4.0Plot: 3.0

🌊

🩸

🌳

what an insane book? **no spoileys here

smallbug finished a book

14h

You're Not Supposed to Die Tonight

Kalynn Bayron

At Camp Mirror Lake, terror is the name of the game . . . but can you survive the night?This heart-pounding slasher by New York Times bestselling author Kalynn Bayron is perfect for fans of Fear Street.Charity Curtis has the summer job of her dreams, playing the “final girl” at Camp Mirror Lake. Guests pay to be scared in this full-contact terror game, as Charity and her summer crew recreate scenes from a classic slasher film, Curse of Camp Mirror Lake. The more realistic the fear, the better for business.But the last weekend of the season, Charity's co-workers begin disappearing. And when one ends up dead, Charity's role as the final girl suddenly becomes all too real. If Charity and her girlfriend Bezi hope to survive the night, they'll need figure out what this killer is after. Is there is more to the story of Mirror Lake and its dangerous past than Charity ever suspected?

smallbug TBR'd a book

16h

Skulduggery Pleasant (Skulduggery Pleasant, #1)

Derek Landy

Meet Skulduggery Pleasant, Ace Detective,Snappy Dresser,Razor–tongued Wit,Crackerjack Sorcerer,and Walking, Talking, Fire-throwing Skeleton, —as well as ally, protector, and mentor of Stephanie Edgley, a very unusual and darkly talented twelve-year-old. These two alone must defeat an all-consuming ancient evil. The end of the world? Over his dead body.

smallbug commented on a post

17h

Different, Not Less: A Neurodivergent's Guide to Embracing Your True Self and Finding Your Happily Ever After

valkyrie_221B

Edited

Thoughts from 27% -- Chapter 3

Just as we don't call a flower weak for needing the sun to grow [...], we are not weak for needing each other.

I've spied a couple of potential quotes in this book, but for now this one seems worth sharing 🥹🌷

smallbug made progress on...

17h

You're Not Supposed to Die Tonight

Kalynn Bayron

100%

smallbug started reading...

17h

You're Not Supposed to Die Tonight

Kalynn Bayron

smallbug wrote a review...

Roll Call (Dungeons & Dragons: Dungeon Club, #1)

smallbug

Apr 08, 2026

4.0

Enjoyment: Quality: Characters: Plot:

🎲

this graphic novel was exactly what i needed & i'll definitely be continuing with the series. molly knox ostertag has never let me down (ง^_^)ง

the art, as always, was beautiful. the characters were delightfully human :') and the plot was so fun to follow! i loved seeing the campaign, i honestly need to read more d&d related books/graphic novels.

smallbug finished a book

Roll Call (Dungeons & Dragons: Dungeon Club, #1)

Molly Knox Ostertag

From New York Times bestselling author Molly Knox Ostertag and critically acclaimed illustrator Xanthe Bouma comes an all-new Dungeons & Dragons graphic novel series! Middle school is a dungeon… At least, that’s how Jess sees it. Luckily, she and her best friend Olivia know how to escape into the sprawling worlds of their own imaginations. The two friends have always loved making up stories, first with little kid games of make-believe, and more recently with the fantasy roleplaying game, Dungeons & Dragons. When they play, Olivia runs the game as Dungeon Master and Jess is the solo party member, playing a take-no-prisoners, lone-wolf fighter of her own design named Sir Corius. But when Olivia wants to add new players to their group, Jess finds herself struggling to share their game—and her best friend. Will their epic campaign withstand all this change, or has their adventure—and their friendship—finally come to an end?

smallbug commented on keyaunna's update

keyaunna DNF'd a book

Let the Right One In

John Ajvide Lindqvist

It is autumn 1981 when the inconceivable comes to Blackeberg, a suburb in Sweden. The body of a teenage boy is found, emptied of blood, the murder rumored to be part of a ritual killing. Twelve-year-old Oskar is personally hoping that revenge has come at long last—revenge for the bullying he endures at school, day after day. But the murder is not the most important thing on his mind. A new girl has moved in next door—a girl who has never seen a Rubik's Cube before, but who can solve it at once. There is something wrong with her, though, something odd. And she only comes out at night....

smallbug commented on a post from the Pagebound Club forum

KReads317

Reading in Public

So, I dont particularly like to read in public public, but ill read at work. Like most of us, life gets busy and I try to sneak some reading in whenever I can, so I usually always bring my book or kindle to work with me. Most people ignore it and mind their own business, but every so often a customer will ask "Whatchya reading?". Now friends..here is where I always get my feelings hurt. Because without fail my mind goes strait to "Oh! Yay! A book person!" And Ill tell them what im reading......and 99.9% of the time the response is "Oh..cool....I dont really like to read".......... THEN WHY DID YOU ASK ME?!?! And what am I suposed to say next?!? I dont understand. Why even say something of you dont like books? You could have kept on going. Could have just left me alone.

So that brings me here to you lovely people. Do you read in public? Do people make comments? Good? Bad? What are your experiences?

smallbug commented on a post from the Pagebound Club forum

vulpecula

Shout out the people who have made YOUR PB experience great!

A couple of weeks ago, I put up a friending meme to meet new people on PB. This week, I want to put up a thread where people can shout out the people who have made their experience on PB great. It can be people you’ve talked to, people whose updates make your day, or people whose reviews are fascinating/hilarious/informative/etc.

Obviously this thread is not meant as a slight to anyone, but to celebrate the many people we have met on PB!

(I will do mine in the comments.)

192

575

smallbug commented on sharkbelt99's review of From Below

sharkbelt99

Mar 06, 2026

0.5

Enjoyment: Quality: Characters: Plot:

this book had SO much potential. i’m not saying it was horrible but it was almost a dnf bc of how slow it was. idk something ab it just didn’t click with me, and sean’s whole character was grating and just BLEUHH. also every time they went back down for another dive i was like NO LOL

smallbug wrote a review...

smallbug

Apr 08, 2026

2.0

Enjoyment: 1.5Quality: Characters: 1.0Plot: 2.0

🌫️

🚢

💍

..two 'bad' books in a row :( oh no :(( **i'm not educated in deep sea diving or the deep sea in general. i won't comment on whether anything in this book related to that is realistic!

this book had an amazing premise, sea horror has always intrigued me and will continue to. but i haven't had a good experience with it yet!

pros: / the past timeline. if the entire book was JUST that timeline i feel like it could've been 5 stars. / descriptions. not all of them! but my god, darcy coates can create some terrifying paragraphs. i've literally saved one of them and stuck it to my wall / the filming aspect.. which leads me into the cons

cons: / immediately forgetting about the filming aspect. :D / underdeveloped characters all round, i was only invested in one of them. / DUMB DUMB DUMB decisions. i can excuse a couple dumb decisions, but WOW these people were impressively silly / an unnecessary and obvious red herring (lol fish :3) that just felt really weird / the entire ending (brought the entire rating down, MASSIVELY it was so bad). there were too many 'explanations' and theories going on at once, i'm someone that doesn't like to know the 'origins' of my spookiness, i like the unknown (in books, irl i'd cry). also one of the main theories, which i believe is supposed to be the 'fact', is so silly i cant stand it !!

smallbug finished a book

From Below

Darcy Coates

No light. No air. No escape. Hundreds of feet beneath the ocean's surface, a graveyard waits... Years ago, the SS Arcadia vanished without a trace during a routine voyage. Though a strange, garbled emergency message was broadcast, neither the ship nor any of its crew could be found. Sixty years later, its wreck has finally been discovered more than three hundred miles from its intended course...a silent graveyard deep beneath the ocean's surface, eagerly waiting for the first sign of life. Cove and her dive team have been granted permission to explore the Arcadia's rusting hull. Their purpose is straightforward: examine the wreck, film everything, and, if possible, uncover how and why the supposedly unsinkable ship vanished. But the Arcadia has not yet had its fill of death, and something dark and hungry watches from below. With limited oxygen and the ship slowly closing in around them, Cove and her team will have to fight their way free of the unspeakable horror now desperate to claim them. Because once they're trapped beneath the ocean's waves, there's no going back.

smallbug is interested in reading...