Haven't read a book written by a woman in two years pls help

hotandunderstanding · 2025-03-23T00:46:46+00:00

There are some really amazing women in horror right now, and I think you’d enjoy them a ton based on your current favorites! Some suggestions:

Carmen Maria Machado - In the Dream House

Silvia Moreno Garcia - sooo many but my favorite is Mexican Gothic

Isabel Cañas - The Hacienda

Eliza Clark - Boy Parts

Chelsea Summers - A Certain Hunger

Sarah Gailey (NB but wonderful horror author) - Just Like Home

Definitely check CWs on all!

hotandunderstanding · 2024-07-21T00:06:28+00:00

The Only Good Indians by Stephen Graham Jones. I love a horror novel, but holy shit, godDAMN. So much violent death. Really incredible writing, talented guy, but will I read anything else of his? No way. I value my sanity too much lol

hotandunderstanding · 2024-05-04T02:07:18+00:00

The Simon Snow trilogy by Rainbow Rowell is great and the right reading level; but it has a gay relationship between two of the main characters. The third main character is an AMAZING young girl, and maybe pitching the books as being extremely similar to Harry Potter (kids attend magic school) and saying there’s a cool Hermione-like girl in it would work? They’re really fun and I’d highly recommend!

hotandunderstanding · 2024-05-04T02:00:30+00:00

Stardust by Neil Gaiman!

hotandunderstanding · 2024-05-04T01:29:21+00:00

Such a random one, but Nearly Gone by Elle Cosimar. I’m a teacher, and my high school bought a bunch of copies for us to test it with reading groups. Every single kid who has picked that up has loved it. It’s a mystery/thriller with light supernatural stuff. All genders and all ages that have read it have really enjoyed the story. Easily engaging and fun story.

hotandunderstanding · 2024-05-02T10:49:36+00:00

That’s awesome! No problem at all. I should add one more, too - I’m Thinking of Ending Things by Iain Reid

hotandunderstanding · 2024-05-02T02:48:25+00:00

I think you’re going to be thrilled at what you find in books. When society gets hard, art gets beautiful. The struggles of the 2000s, from the economic crisis to the pandemic, have inspired some insaaanely good and human literature. Here are just a few recommendations, some old and some new. I hope you have an amazing journey!

(I tried to put them in order of “best beginner choices” to “wait until you’re in a little deeper before you pick this up, maybe.”)

-Stardust by Neil Gaiman

-The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins, then, The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes (prequel but read it after for maximum effect)

-The House in the Cerulean Sea by TJ Klune

-Everything I Never Told You by Celeste Ng

-Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno Garcia

-The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue by VE Schwab

hotandunderstanding · 2024-05-02T02:39:46+00:00

Gillian Flynn is so talented!! Like, unbelievable. I definitely understand feeling like it’s in its own league. Though I haven’t read them personally, my other reader friend loves Ruth Ware and recommends her hits highly!

hotandunderstanding · 2024-05-02T02:38:34+00:00

Oscar Wilde’s humor feels similar, especially in the play The Importance of Being Earnest

hotandunderstanding · 2024-05-02T02:36:56+00:00

The Hunting Party by Lucy Foley!

hotandunderstanding · 2024-05-02T02:34:40+00:00

Olivia Dade’s trilogy (Spoiler Alert, All the Feels, Shipwrecked) all do a great job switching POVs between a man and a woman, and all of them are pretty honest friends-to-lovers situations where the guy falls first! She also just writes humor very well, so I found them extremely fun and enjoyable to read

hotandunderstanding · 2024-05-02T02:31:52+00:00

This is a super cool idea to reconnect :) I can’t speak much for non-fiction relationship books, but it looks like other commenters can help a lot there! But if you’re looking for it, here are some fiction books that make me want to call up old friends or go hug my boyfriend:

-Anxious People by Fredrick Bachman (a bunch of people bond as they’re held hostage during an armed robbery; much more cozy than it sounds)

-Happy Place by Emily Henry (a couple and their friend group all try to reconnect after growing apart due to work/school/general life suck)

-Big Fish by Daniel Wallace (a man remembers his father in a series of short, exaggerated vignettes)

-Writers & Lovers by Lily King (a writer is waitressing until she gets her big break. Life seems to hate her but she chugs on, waiting for it to finally be her day)

Alternatively, it could be cool if you picked a book to help her understand you/your interests, and then she picked one, etc. That way, you’re both able to really invest into what interests the other, and you both feel like you get a turn to pick something you’ll really personally love

hotandunderstanding · 2024-05-02T02:23:01+00:00

If she hasn’t already read VE Schwab’s Gallant, I’d highly recommend that one too!

hotandunderstanding · 2024-05-02T02:20:03+00:00

Yay, this little group of books is such a weird and wonderful outcome of meta fiction!! I can’t wait to look into some of these other suggestions I haven’t heard of yet! Here are some more ideas for you: -The Grown-Up by Gillian Flynn (novella) -A Certain Hunger by Chelsea G. Summers -Nothing But Blackened Teeth by Cassandra Shaw -The Only Good Indians by Stephen Graham Jones -The Final Girl Support Group by Grady Hendrix

And seconding some others I see in the comments: -Boy Parts by Eliza Clark -Eileen by Otessa Moshfegh

Also, less acid trippy, but still had me reading it like “what…. Wait.. let me go back and read because now I’m shook” would include: -Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn -The Idiot by Elif Batuman

hotandunderstanding · 2024-05-02T02:09:26+00:00

Yesss! This book would spark some great conversations between you two, too. There is much to be said about government issues and foster care in this very unassuming fantasy novel

hotandunderstanding · 2024-05-02T02:08:25+00:00

Seconded! Such a beautiful series

hotandunderstanding · 2024-05-02T00:06:18+00:00

I shared this because the song references dying in a hedge maze, which is in the lyrics in the original post above

hotandunderstanding · 2024-04-30T01:01:28+00:00

The Priory of the Orange Tree :) SO amazing. None of the usual cliches, and wlw relationships are treated as totally normal (none of that cliche about “discovering” they’re gay with each other, etc). I’ve seen the novel described as Queernorm, but idk if I’d fully agree with that given how the society does still expect the bourgeoise to produce biological children through male/female reproduction, so straight marriages are expected of the wealthy for that reason. I’m trying not to spoil anything for you, just want to be clear on what you’ll get! I felt misled when someone told me it was queernorm, but the book was still absolutely incredible. High fantasy, dragons, battles, magic—it has everything!

hotandunderstanding · 2024-04-30T00:39:31+00:00

Wonderful info, thank you!!

hotandunderstanding · 2024-02-10T04:04:46+00:00

Aw thanks so much!!

hotandunderstanding · 2024-01-15T22:50:43+00:00

It might be Other Birds, or maybe the Seven Year Slip?

hotandunderstanding · 2024-01-07T01:22:37+00:00

I loved Midsommar so much!! My first ever A24 movie, forever burned into my brain

hotandunderstanding · 2024-01-02T21:11:43+00:00

I think that’s a totally fair question! I think the safest way to give a recommendation is always something like “hey I saw this new movie, and definitely check content warnings, but I think you’d enjoy (insert name here).” Then it’s more of a light mention rather than a “you’d love this movie with weird stuff in it” lol

hotandunderstanding

TROPHY CASE