I agree but I also think it was very groundbreaking for the genre and I wish more people would have heard of it and read it

Recently listened to audiobook The Secret of Secrets by Dan Brown. Really enjoyed the fascinating combination of factual scientific research and sci-fi based mystery adventure.

I'm currently reading:
An Age of Winters by Gemma Liviero

I recently finished:
The Night Watcher by Tariq Ashkanani

I just finished (for the 2nd time) Battle Royale by Kaushun Takami.
CAUTION: THIS BOOK IS NOT FOR EVERYONE!!!
If you liked Squid Games, you MIGHT like this.
It was banned in Japan and later written in English and sold in the US. They have made a movie about it dubbed in English, but it's nowhere near as good as the book.
I'll give the PG13 version of the story...
It's about 7th and 8th grade students that are placed on an island no longer being used. The goal is to be the very last person/child standing.
That's about all I should say about the book. It is a great book, if you like that sort of thing, which I do. 🫣
Anyways, that's the last book I read. Lol
Dawni ♡

Mama Stork, I may have to get this from the library to read. How would you star rate this book? I like your description of the story ☆

Oof. How would I star rate Fantasticland? I hesitate to give rating, just as I don't rate letterboxes--my opinions switch all the time!!

About half way through the book and I am still recommending it to folks. If I had to rate it, I'd give it a solid 3.75, mostly because I am waiting for it to go awry.

I plan on keeping this one, and I have limited book space, if that helps.

TY for this great topic!

Prior read - a fast-paced book: The Stolen Queen

Current read - LOVING The Comfort of Crows

Up next for me: The Alice Network

Similar to your NOT FOR EVERYONE!!

I just finished Tender is The Flesh by Agustina Bazterrica. In the aftermath of a virulent disease that has caused the collapse of most of the mammal food species, the world has adapted to a form of 'socially acceptable' cannibalism. This is like "What if Jonathan Swift's A Modest Proposal was a manifesto, not pointed satire. It was well thought out by someone who really understood the slaughterhouse business. It was grim, it was relentless, it was skeevy feeling, but it was really interesting and a quick read.

Currently reading: Robotech - The Macross Saga: Battlecry by Jack McKinney. The novelization of the 1980s anime (and roleplaying game!) where a squabbling, fractious Earth is united by the appearance of advanced alien technology, signaling that they are not alone in the universe and need to band to together to defend themselves when those aliens come looking for their lost tech.

Just finished “The Dinner” by Herman Koch - two couples meet for dinner to discuss a horrific crime committed by their teenage sons.

Listening to essays by Jonathan Franzen - “The End of the End of the Earth”.

That sounds like it's up my alley. I love sci-fi fantasy and trauma stories, Stephen King, Richard Laymon (he was an author that wrote some disturbing books, but somehow kept you reading till the end. He does multiple completely different crazy scenarios that finally come together somehow in the last 2 chapters) and the one person I would die to meet or even write to, Torey Hayden. She is my idol!! Ugh, I love her so much as an author, teacher and the very strong person she is ♡

That sounds good too, MissMoon!! What is the current book about?
I collect books, but only the ones I love 😍

This at the moment:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Gate_House

Followup to the Gold Coast, which was north of my old stompin grounds in Lawn Guyland.

Best, LB

I enjoyed that one! I do like historical fiction especially featuring females

Comfort of Crows looks intriguing!

The essays are on varying subjects, birding, friendship, technology....different things.

This review kind of makes it seem like it's almost all about birds but it's not really. He's an avid "birder" and has traveled all over the world as part of his hobby but he is not writing just about birds. He's narrating the audio book and that makes it really great.

NPR review

Then may I also recommend Sister, Maiden, Monster by Lucy A. Snyder! My Goodreads review: Effective, quick-moving body horror! It felt like it was a fun series of short stories that were woven together into a pretty cohesive eldrich pastiche. The tie-ins to the Lovecraftian themes were fun and flowed well. If Lucy Snyder ever wanted to run a game of Call of Cthulhu, I would be all in!

I'm always fond of the precocious reader game: What Stephen King book did you read waaay to early? For me it was The Bachman Books then The Dead Zone when I was 12 or 13 years old.

I read Lolita when I was 12. Heh

Carrie and Fire Starter and Bag of Bones (I dont believe i finished this one), but I was about 13-14 years old.
I'll definitely check out Sister, Maiden, Monster. I like the review ☆
A super quick read that I loved was SLASHER GIRLS AND MONSTER BOYS. There are about 14 young authors all written in short creepy stories that were selected by author April Genevieve Tucholke. I think it took me 3 days, and I'm a horribly slow reader. Lol
I've read so many awesome books, although of them were series (YA sci-fi fantasy mostly).
M.R. Carey has some great ones
Richard Laymon (he passed away, but there was something not right with his creations because... whoa).

Do you prefer electronic books or paper books??

Ultimately, I'm a paper guy, BUT I'm ultimately format agnostic... I use Kindle, Audible, Spotify, whatever. I'm dyslexic/a slow reader, as well and sometimes a format shift is useful to recalibrate the brain.

Both my wife (NMRK) and I definitely have dragon horde tendencies when it comes to books. We recently moved to Huntsville, AL, and there are a LOT of little libraries around town and that's fostering the otherwise rare impulse to get rid of some of our read books.

Watership Down. It's a slow, cozy read. Perfect for late Autumn.

Unfortunately, there aren't any book stores near me. I love to go to Auntie's bookstore in Spokane, WA. I could live there. Lol. There's a giant, 3 level, bookstore in Portland OR that I would give my left arm to spend a weekend at. Just drop me off and come back in 2-3 days, or longer :D ♡

For fans of The Talented Mr Ripley. I recently got a DVD of the French adaptation (called Putple Noon). And in the extras is an interview on French TV with Patricia Highsmith about her life and her writing ! Totally fascinating.

Amanda from Seattle

Where we lived in Texas, we were an hour away from Austin and there is a FANTASTIC independent book store there called Book People. It's a 3 story bldg, as well (2 shop levels, 1 event/storage level) of bibliophilic majesty. One of the things I truly miss about Texas (aside from a bumper crop of great letterboxing folks!).

I read The Comfort of Crows for Nonfiction November! Fantastic read. If you liked that one you’ll also probably enjoy Something in the Woods Loves You by Jarod Anderson.

We have a lot of smaller independent bookstores around Austin too! Birdhouse Books is one of my favorites!

Absolutely, MonarchATX! There were always several venues (book stores and comic shops) to vacuum the $ out of my wallet when I visited Austin! I miss it!

Currently reading: From Hell the Alan Moore/Eddie Campbell graphic novel about Jack the Ripper terrorizing London. It is AMAZING!

My first letterboxing event was at that bookstore. Powell's City of Books, back in early 2009 I think. Great place to just hang out too.

Have you seen “The Backyard Bird Chronicles” by Amy Tan?

https://amytan.net/backyard-bird-chronicles

I tell people heading to that area, "just drop me off when we get there and pick me up on the way back." It's on my bucket list ♡ lol

I have not, but I'm always willing to check it out ♡ I love series (chronicles) books. I think it's the anticipation of reading the next book when they leave you on a hanger.

It’s just one book, not a series.