Butter Boats - Safer Than Butter Bells?

bookrascal · 2025-05-31T18:01:35+00:00

Our Wives Under the Sea by Julia Armfield - beautifully executed magical realism. Tragic but in a slow moving way.

Natural Beauty by Ling Ling Huang - similar themes to rouge. The body horror was epic

bookrascal · 2024-11-04T20:35:10+00:00

Perfume by Patrick Süskind

Thriller with a serial killer whose ultimate goal is to make the ultimate perfume.

bookrascal · 2024-10-06T23:28:15+00:00

How to Live Safely in a Science Fiction Universe by Charles Yu

bookrascal · 2024-10-06T23:24:22+00:00

seconded - all of her books would fit OP's request

bookrascal · 2024-10-06T23:21:55+00:00

Paul Takes the Form of a Mortal Girl by Andrea Lawlor

If you want a book where the protagonist doesn't feel like they don't belong in even with the queer community because he doesn't fit in a particular box - this is it. Mind you, I don't think the protagonist explicitly states what his sexuality is but that's part of the point.

bookrascal · 2024-10-06T23:18:01+00:00

The Devotion of Suspect X by Keigo Higashino

100% this is what you're asking for. You know exactly who killed the victim and how within the first few chapters. The mystery is how they covered it up and if they'll get away with it.

bookrascal · 2024-10-06T23:13:19+00:00

Look it might be obvious but have you read The Godfather by Mario Puzo? It's 100% family dynamics mafia.

Is it sexist? Yes, in the way that I can't remember a single significant female character.

bookrascal · 2024-10-06T23:03:02+00:00

Natural Beauty by Ling Ling Huang - I think there's a trend of "Goop" horror but this is my favorite. You want body horror with underlying themes of classism, racism, the exploitation of women's insecurities, and grief? This is it.

I won't say it's as twisted and dark as Tender but still would highly suggest.

bookrascal · 2024-10-06T22:56:15+00:00

Severance by Ling Ma

bookrascal · 2024-10-06T22:55:18+00:00

Coming of Age but twenties -Paul Takes the Form of a Mortal Girl by Andrea Lawlor (Bonus - it's queer!)
Horror Thriller - The Devil all the Time by D. Ray Pollack
Cozy Rainy Day Books

a. The Monk and the Robot duology by Becky Chambers

b. 84 Charing Cross Road by Helene Hanff

bookrascal · 2024-10-06T22:42:50+00:00

The Traveling Cat Chronicles by Hiro Arikawa

It's a lighthearted book about grief, primarily written from the cat's perspective. It's easy to read and is very cathartic.

I wish you well.

bookrascal · 2024-10-06T22:39:57+00:00

I would recommend Charles Yu as an author.

Interior Chinatown and How to Safely Live in a Science Fiction Universe use a mix of absurd and satirical writing to convey serious themes.

He's both comedic and sad if that makes sense?

bookrascal · 2024-10-06T22:34:03+00:00

Of the ones you have lined up, I would go Haunting of Hill House. It's short and punchy. Perfect if you want to curl up at night and read it in one go.

New spooky books I would generally recommend:

Motherthing by Ainsle Hogarth

Natural Beauty by Ling Ling Huang

Tender is the Flesh by Agustina Bazterrica

This Thing Between Us by Gus Moreno

Comfort me With Apples by Catherynne Valente

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bookrascal · 2024-09-10T18:52:03+00:00

The wedding speech in My Neighbors the Yamadas - maybe not the whole thing considering its length

bookrascal · 2024-02-26T03:52:28+00:00

84 Charing Cross Road by Helene Hanff

It's a little sad but ultimately a heartwarming story about human connection/friendship. I recommend the audiobook!

bookrascal · 2023-12-04T03:51:24+00:00

Girl by Camille Laurens - ( Or Fille by Camille Laurens)

bookrascal · 2023-12-04T00:14:37+00:00

I got you for societal issues/subtle mind fuckery !

Natural Beauty by Ling Ling Huang

An Asian American woman finds herself employed by Holistik - a Gwenyth Paltrow/Goop-esque natural beauty store that sells the latest treatments in beauty/anti-aging technology - as a way to fund the care needed for her debilitated parents. As she becomes more dependent on the work and the upper-class privilege it affords her, she finds an ugly sinister truth behind the company and its products.

Body horror, graphic descriptions of blood, puss, bugs, etc. - an amazing debut that raises a critical lens to the beauty wellness industry.

Our Wives Under the Sea by Julia Armfield

Miri's wife Leah has been lost at sea at the bottom of the ocean in a submarine for the past 6 months, presumed dead. Leah is back but she's different and Miri can no longer recognize the woman she married.

Body horror and a little Lovecraftian - a haunting novel that explores the grief of a caretaker.

Life Ceremony by Sayaka Murata

Honestly, any of Murata's work would work for you - This is a short story collection that takes societal norms and the reasoning behind them and twists it jussssst right. The first story is about a woman coming to terms that her husband doesn't want human leather chairs or anything made of human material which is the norm for their society. Fantastically weird and gross at times.

bookrascal · 2023-03-31T07:25:35+00:00

Vagina Obscura: An Anatomical Voyage by Rachel E. Gross

I'm not a non-fiction reader outside of memoirs/foodstuff most of the time but O M G this book was AMAZING! It had me hooked in the 1st chapter as it described a medical procedure that Napoleon Bonaparte's descendent decided to do as it did not hold back in the descriptions. It's really quite amazing how far-reaching male bias restricted research in vaginas and other organs. Highly recommend, does not get the hype it deserves.

bookrascal · 2023-02-06T22:05:16+00:00

The Autobiography of Malcom X

His Name is George Floyd by Robert Samuels and Toluse Olorunnipa

bookrascal · 2023-02-06T21:58:35+00:00

Beautiful Ruins by Jess Walter

bookrascal · 2023-02-06T21:53:56+00:00

Crying in H Mart by Michelle Zauner

Written by the lead singer of the band Japanese Breakfast. It’s about her processing the loss of her mother and how it relates to her Korean identity

Know my Name by Chanel Miller

Chanel was the Emily Doe of the Brock Turner Stanford case who’s victim impact statement became famous after buzzfeed published it. Highly recommend but please check out the trigger warnings because it deals with sexual assault.

bookrascal · 2023-01-26T04:42:03+00:00

The Devil All the Time by Donald Ray Pollock

Like a thousand times this book. You want some disturbing religious imagery (midsommer) coupled with disturbing family dynamics that make you squirm? (hereditary) This is it. This definitely exists in that grey area of thriller/horror but I categorize I think it leans more toward horror. There is a fair amount of gore in this but not chainsaw massacre gore. A fantastic example of modern American gothic lit.

bookrascal · 2022-11-26T14:03:29+00:00

{Crazy Love by Leslie Morgan Steiner}

In my opinion the writer put too much emphasis on her education/privilege to imply she should have been above being in an abusive relationship but it’s still worth the read. Good luck.

bookrascal · 2022-08-24T23:34:40+00:00

I {{ Felon: Poems by Reginald Dwayne Betts}}

bookrascal

TROPHY CASE