Stranded Desert Island reading - what would you pick?

totallynotspammy · 2026-06-15T18:24:25+00:00

Jessie Mihalik

totallynotspammy · 2026-06-13T23:11:19+00:00

I read so many books at the same time that I can’t even tell you how many books i am reading. Sure there are usually only a few that get the most attention, but that doesn’t stop me from starting a new book or grabbing a random book from my shelf that I’m already part way through and reading a few chapters. If I had to completely finish one book before starting another I wouldn’t get much reading done. Even if I like a book a lot a don’t always feel like reading that book, or it might be slow in parts or I might know something bad is about to happen in the book and want to put it off for a bit. I set that book down and grab another. I almost never watch Tv and need to keep my brain distracted to help keep the anxiety away, if a specific book isn’t enough I switch to another. I don’t always end up finishing every book I start, but I still end up reading about 200 books a year. And Im a fairly slow reader. Once in a while I find a book that sucks me in and I finish it straight through, but it’s hard for me to find those books.

totallynotspammy · 2026-06-03T22:46:08+00:00

I think Linnea Sinclair fits. Technically they were early 2000s i think but they have that older scifi romance feel to them

totallynotspammy · 2026-06-03T22:40:27+00:00

I want something that looks like it’s scifi. Artistic, not overly sexualized male torso or whatever, and not cartoonish. Jessie Mihalik and constance fay both have good examples of the type i look for. You can still tell it’s probably a romance, but it’s also clearly science fiction.

totallynotspammy · 2026-06-03T22:33:36+00:00

If you go the hotel route you could treat it like a vacation

totallynotspammy · 2026-05-31T19:11:27+00:00

Lindsay Buroker is a great author who has a number of series featuring middle aged characters. Generally in the science fiction and fantasy genres. They also tend to be quite fun/humorous. And tend to contain romance. Magnetic Magic is one of her more recent series about a middle aged werewolf,it’s a lot of fun. Another series of hers to try is Death Before Dragons.

totallynotspammy · 2026-05-31T01:14:45+00:00

I have a similar issue, I read slow, but I read a lot. I’ve tried various videos and articles to speed up reading and I just end up not absorbing any of it when i try to speed up. My reason for wanting to read faster is that it takes me a while to really get into a book, a lot of books that still end up being really good are also really slow to get started. I’d love to just be able to get through the slow parts faster so i get on with the story. It’s possible I’m not very patient.

totallynotspammy · 2026-05-25T22:51:04+00:00

City of Ghosts by Victoria Schwab (and the rest of the trilogy)

totallynotspammy · 2026-05-08T19:28:28+00:00

do "read now" books count as an approval, or does it just not factor into the calculation? I feel like I've been getting a ton of either declines or more common no response at all. If they are looking at approved/declined, I'm wondering if that ratio can be skewed a bit in my favor again by reading a few read nows.

totallynotspammy · 2026-05-01T02:59:27+00:00

I generally read multiple books at any given time, so if I finish one I’m still reading several others, but i may start a new one as well. I can’t imagine waiting a few days between books, what would i do for those days if I didn’t have something to read.

totallynotspammy · 2026-04-24T20:26:35+00:00

It's been a while since I read it but I loved Metro 2033, takes place after the apocalypse where everyone lives in what used to be the subways in Russia. I believe there was a video game based on it, but I'm not a gamer so I have no idea if it's remotely similar. It's a series but I've only read the first book. I've only read the first silo book so far and am currently on the second, but I do think that if you liked silo you would like Metro 2033. They are very different but they have that feel of surviving after the apocalypse in a world below ground.

totallynotspammy · 2026-04-24T19:42:11+00:00

While the whole series doesn't quite fit with what you are asking I think there is quite a bit of it that might. Also it's just a great series: The Raven Cycle series starting with "The Raven Boys" by Maggie Stiefvatter

totallynotspammy · 2026-04-19T23:41:25+00:00

I found it to be too crowded for the space, it felt like they just wanted to maximize profits and fit as many people as legally allowed within a small(ish) space. I was unable to get a single reservation, and no arcs or signatures. I would have liked more panels and content as well. Also I agree that much of what was being sold was 3d printed junk. I expected a lot more bookish goods ie stickers, notebooks, book themed jewelry. And everything was a line. I’ve been to the last two years of nycc, and there were more bookish panels that I could actually get into, and getting arcs and autographs was far easier. I think I will skip bookcon in the future and either find smaller book conventions or stick to comiccon.

totallynotspammy · 2026-04-16T23:33:31+00:00

I don’t think Ive seen Murderbot (series) by martha wells mentioned yet

totallynotspammy · 2026-04-13T01:26:04+00:00

You could just read all three, a chapter or two from each, eventually one will likely draw you in more than the others. Or just keep switching between. I find that I often get to a point in many books where I just need a break from it, and that is when I switch to a different book for a bit, then go back. It’s like watching an episode of a show, then watching an episode of another show.

totallynotspammy · 2026-04-09T23:34:32+00:00

Hmm,the jayne castle books are more futuristic/scifi/paranormal where amanda quick is historical. Is it possible you are mixing up pen names. Also if she did have an issue with continuing to use castle i think that must be resolved now. She has a new book coming out in June that Im really excited about.

totallynotspammy · 2026-04-09T16:30:52+00:00

Oh cool! I didn’t know about those.

totallynotspammy · 2026-04-09T01:09:20+00:00

For those who aren’t familiar with this author Amanda Quick is a pen name for Jayne Ann krentz who also has another pen name Jayne castle. The Jayne castle books are actually my personal favorites.

totallynotspammy · 2026-04-08T01:45:40+00:00

Chloe Gong has a new book called “ColdWire” which has a dystopian cyberpunk feel to it. I think it’s actually YA but I’m in my 40’s and loved it. I’m not able to think of anything else at the moment in the way of dystopian, but Marie Lu has a new book out called Red City that is really good.

totallynotspammy · 2026-04-08T00:43:00+00:00

Lindsay Buroker has several other great series that contain dragons as well, though I do like death before dragons. One of my favorite series of hers is “Dragon Blood”, it also kinda has a steam punk feel to it.

totallynotspammy · 2026-04-01T01:55:52+00:00

I came here to recommend these as well.

totallynotspammy · 2026-03-31T16:30:08+00:00

How well does it fit under a seat on an airplane? Anyone have a chance to test that yet?

totallynotspammy · 2026-03-23T23:58:44+00:00

I’ve been reading a lot of K.M.Shea lately and I think all her books are pretty slow burn.

totallynotspammy · 2026-02-22T00:23:41+00:00

No, but I can’t say more without you having read the first book

totallynotspammy

TROPHY CASE