candlelitsuns' bookshelf

rmb to check the trigger warnings of a book before picking it up!

TitleAuthorGenreRemarks
Hitchhikers' Guide to the UniverseDouglas AdamsSci-Fi/HumourMy all-time favourite. I recommend this to everybody. It's also a series you can buy as one big book ('Hitchhikers' Guide to the Galaxy')
Love in the Big CitySang Young ParkComing-of-ageFor people who love introspective LGBTQ+ fiction, I've been recommending this on X for ages. It was recently made into a series, but the book has a special place in my heart
The Bee StingPaul MurrayHumour/PsychologicalShortlisted for the 2023 Booker Prize; didn't win but it's MY winner
Demon CopperheadBarbara KingsolverLiterary Fiction11/10 narrative voice
How high we go in the darkSequoia NagamatsuSci-Fi/Dystopia 
Babel, or the Necessity of ViolenceR.F KuangLiterary FictionFavourite read of 2022
The HikeDrew MagaryFantasy Comedy 
The GoldfinchDonna TarttLiterary Fiction 
Sweet Bean PasteTetsuya AkikawaComing-of-age 
On Earth We're Briefly GorgeousOcean VuongComing-of-age 
To ParadiseHanya YanagiharaHist-Fi/Dystopia 
War and PeaceLeo TolstoyClassic/Hist-FiMy favourite classic (but I don't recommend starting it as an entry pt)
White NightsFyodor DostoevskyClassic/Hist-FiMy second-favourite classic
All the Lovers in the NightMieko KawakamiComing-of-age 
The Seven Moons of Maali AlmeidaShehan KarunatilakaHist-Fi2022 Booker Prize Winner and deservedly so!
East of EdenJohn SteinbeckHist-fiIf I was Steinbeck I'd consider this my magnum opus too
The Poppy WarR.F KuangFantasy/Hist-FiMy favourite fantasy series. Read the whole trilogy RN
Kafka on the ShoreHaruki MurakamiMagical RealismIf you're thinking of reading any of his books, I would recommend this one. Mind you, as with many male authors, his way of writing women is a little...
I'm Glad My Mother DiedJennette McCurdyBiography/Memoir 
Alone With You in the EtherOlivie BlakeRomanceThis author has absorbed the essence of love into her brain and threw it back out in words
Our Wives Under The SeaJulia ArmfieldMystery/Horror*The genre is a little murky; it's classified as a horror but it didn't really come through as one imo. Still a fantastic read on PTSD and the endurance of love
In MemoriamAlice WinnHist-Fi 
Blue SistersCoco MellorComing-of-age 
AfterpartiesAnthony Veasna SoContemp 
Human ActsHan KangHist-FiI had to include her. 'The Vegetarian' and 'Greek Lessons' are great too but this one is my favourite
We Do Not PartHan KangHist-FiTies with Human Acts as my fav HK book
Project Hail MaryAndy WeirSci-Fi 
Shoko's SmileChoi Eun-youngLiterary Fiction 
The PlottersKim UnSuMystery 
The Sword of KaigenM. L. WangFantasyCertified Devastating Banger.
Night Sky with Exit WoundsOcean VuongPoetry Collection 
Someone who will love you in all your damaged gloryRaphael Bob-WaksbergShort Story Collection 
It Lasts Forever And Then It's OverAnne de MarckenPsychological/Absurdist 
JamesPercival EverettHist-FiVery popular recently and deservedly so!
The Picture of Dorian GrayOscar WildeGothic/Psychological 
If We Were VillainsM. L. RioMystery/Suspense 
The Secret HistoryDonna TarttMystery/SuspenseI love this author :) A popular read but worth the hype
A Little LifeHanya YanagiharaLiterary FictionCannot stress this enough: CHECK THE TWs. I wouldn't recommend it otherwise but it is a devastating study of character with a captivating writing style
CirceMadeline MillerHist-FiI'm biased but I like this a liiiittle more than SOA
Before the coffee gets coldToshikazu KawaguchiMagical RealismWorks as a stand-alone, but I heard the rest of the series is good too
Song of AchillesMadeline MillerHist-FiPandemic memories... do I even need to put this here I feel like everyone's read it
RegenerationPat BarkerHist-FiMy sister had to read this for school. I stole it from her haha... If only assigned reading was this good in my time
Six of CrowsLeigh BardugoFantasyAnd the follow-up 'Crooked Kingdom'! You don't need to read the trilogy that comes before. I didn't, and I enjoyed this loads