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[-] gabe@literature.cafe 12 points 10 months ago* (last edited 10 months ago)

My surgery went fantastic! Heres to a week of some intense reading and getting started on NaNoWriMo!

[-] cleanandsunny@literature.cafe 2 points 10 months ago

So glad to hear it!!

[-] Eq0@literature.cafe 2 points 10 months ago

Great news! All the best for a complete recovery!

I've just started a re-read of the "Old Kingdom" series by Garth Nix for the Nth time. One of my all time favorites, Tim Curry as a narrator is phenomenal.

I'm stuck in a bit of a rut at the moment. One got a bunch of credits on Audible but most books I've tried i have not enjoyed and end up returning.

[-] HarvesterOfEyes@lemmy.ml 3 points 10 months ago

Feudal society by Marc Bloch. Non-fiction history book about - you guessed it - feudal society in Medieval Europe, namely France, Great Britain and Germany. It's a bit outdated (namely regarding the usage of some terms) but it's still very engrossing. Used to be mandatory reading if you wanted to know more about Western Europe in the Middle Ages.

[-] cleanandsunny@literature.cafe 3 points 10 months ago

I don’t have anything at the moment, but just finished Legends and Lattes which was cute and cozy reading. I kind of need low brainpower books right now. Maybe some trashy romance novels or grocery store mysteries. Any suggestions for the quintessential dumb read?

[-] Rinn@literature.cafe 3 points 10 months ago

Light-ish romances I've read semi-recently: Strange Love by Ann Anguire (fun and surprisingly engaging sci fi alien romance), The Elf Tangent (fantasy adventure).

Not a romance but low brain power required: Vespertine by Margaret Rogerson (young adult fantasy adventure, power of friendship).

Lightning fast read, frequently gets emotional + medium brain power required: Murderbot Diaries by Martha Wells.

And I personally tend to go for either fanfiction or progression fantasy/litrpg when I want something easy to read. The Wandering Inn was my gateway drug to the former.

[-] cleanandsunny@literature.cafe 2 points 10 months ago

Thanks for all these recommendations! I’ll check them out!!

[-] Bebo@literature.cafe 3 points 10 months ago

Reading "Fathers and Sons" by Turgenev and occasionally listening to The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy series.

[-] Eq0@literature.cafe 3 points 10 months ago

I’m reading “Homegoing”. I am liking the historical backdrop, but man that’s a sad book! I’m starting to be a bit fed up with the impression that nothing ever goes smoothly.

[-] Dave@lemmy.nz 2 points 10 months ago

I'm thinking of starting to read my 6yo some classic books, a few chapters each night. Have reviewed a bunch on Common Sense Media and am thinking I'll go with The Jungle Book.

A bit newer, but I'm thinking Charlie and the Chocolate Factory may be next.

[-] Eq0@literature.cafe 3 points 10 months ago

As a kid, I absolutely loved Roal Dahl!

[-] Dave@lemmy.nz 1 points 10 months ago

We tried the BFG but that had some stuff that was a little scary, plus we lost the book before we managed to finish it. I'm hoping this one has less man-eating giants.

[-] Eq0@literature.cafe 2 points 10 months ago

I distinctly remember reading “witches”, and getting a bit shaken by the ending, just as a heads up

[-] Dave@lemmy.nz 2 points 10 months ago

Thanks for the heads up! Normally I check out common sense media, they recommend ages 9+ for The Witches and mention that it can be pretty scary. I think we will avoid it for quite a while.

[-] Eq0@literature.cafe 2 points 10 months ago

I didn’t know about Common sense media, nice initiative!

[-] saturnalia@literature.cafe 2 points 10 months ago

I have a bunch going on at once lol

  • In Every Mirror She's Black by Lola Akerstrom. Good turn your brain off read so far.
  • Smarter, Sharper Thinking by Jenny Brockis. Not a turn your brain off read. Mentions a lot of "should be common sense" things and kinda cements my distaste for self help books
  • Still very slowly reading Paradise Lost by John Milton. My brain can only handle so much in a day
[-] DandomRude@lemmy.world 2 points 10 months ago
[-] Eq0@literature.cafe 1 points 10 months ago
[-] DandomRude@lemmy.world 1 points 10 months ago

So far, I think it's charming: an exciting fantasy adventure in a modern setting. I think if you like other books by Neil Gaiman, you'll like this one as well. If you haven't read any Gaiman books before, this is probably a good place to start.

[-] Eq0@literature.cafe 1 points 10 months ago

I read American gods and did not particularly like the lack of introduction to the world building. It felt like he was expecting me to know all about Babylonian fertility rites and shaming me when i didn’t. Does Neverwhere have the same style?

[-] DandomRude@lemmy.world 2 points 10 months ago

As far as I can tell, "Neverwhere" is just a nice fatasy narrative. No prior knowledge is necessary.

[-] ThatsMrCharlieToYou@sh.itjust.works 2 points 10 months ago

I've not long started book two of 'The Passage' trilogy by Justin Cronin.

[-] Rinn@literature.cafe 2 points 10 months ago

Out of nowhere I dove into Tarot: History, Symbolism and Divination. I'm only interested in the first two of these keywords so I probably will drop it once it gets into the more mystical stuff, but the history section has been fun and interesting so far. Especially the long, long chapter which could be titled "how French occultists were wrong about everything and making shit up all the time". Petty drama in occult communities is always entertaining, and historical occultists are no exception.

[-] Moghul@lemmy.world 2 points 10 months ago

Recently finished Snow Crash by Neal Stephenson, and just started The Legend of Drizzt: The collected stories by R.A. Salvatore

I'm in a little bit of a drought, I don't have a list of books I'm interested in next, so I'm picking up random stuff here and there. If anyone has some suggestions for some fantasy or not-so-dense sci-fi, I'd love to check them out.

[-] JaymesRS@literature.cafe 2 points 10 months ago* (last edited 10 months ago)

If you’re looking for something lighter, Travis Baldree’s Legends and Lattes is really good for a bit more of the cozy Fantasy Genre. The Prequel is out here in a week or so. I really enjoyed the Fred, The Vampire Accountant series by Drew Hayes as well as The Rook Files by Daniel O’Malley as well.

The earliest Fred books can feel as though they are written almost as multiple vignettes where the resolution can feel a bit deus ex machina, but it is on purpose to the larger arc.

The Rook has been out for a while now and had a show made from it, but the show really didn’t capture the feel of why the book was so good.

[-] Moghul@lemmy.world 3 points 10 months ago

Thanks for the suggestions, all those are new titles to me so I'll be sure to check them out!

[-] cleanandsunny@literature.cafe 2 points 10 months ago

I just finished Legends and Lattes! It’s definitely a lighthearted book. Maybe I’ll pick up the prequel this week. I don’t have anything on the docket!

[-] JaymesRS@literature.cafe 2 points 10 months ago* (last edited 10 months ago)

The most recent Ant-Man movie had a subplot where Scott Lang had written a book called Look Out For The Little Guy. Marvel actually released it and so I read that. Other than a few moments that were a bit too one the nose as being references to moments in the movies, it was a pretty enjoyable read.

Beyond that, I had paused The Aeronaut’s Windlass by Jim Butcher to read the Ant-Man book, so it’s time to get back to that and finish it up.

[-] CherryClan@beehaw.org 2 points 10 months ago

I'm reading Lone Women by Victor LaValle. The last couple of books I read were kind of challenging so I'm enjoying reading a book that's just a good story to get lost in.

[-] JaymesRS@literature.cafe 3 points 10 months ago

I’ve really enjoyed his stuff lately.

[-] CherryClan@beehaw.org 2 points 10 months ago

This is the first thing I've read by him but I'm so down to read more if you have recs.

[-] JaymesRS@literature.cafe 2 points 10 months ago* (last edited 10 months ago)

My first encounter with his writing was The Ballad of Black Tom, I’ve also read The Devil in Silver, & The Changeling and really enjoyed both.

Take a look at my other recommendation to Moghul, the series in there are pretty fun reads and pretty accessible reading if you’re looking to get out of heavier books.

[-] CherryClan@beehaw.org 2 points 10 months ago

Thank you- will add these to my list!

this post was submitted on 01 Nov 2023
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