Book List - Tumblr Posts
Books I hope to read in October
Never let me go - Kazuo Ishiguro
A Quiet Kind Of Thunder - Sara Barnard
Needle - Patrice Lawrence
The lost boys Appreciation Society - Alan Gibbons
Little Dorrit - Charles Dickens
The Housemaid Is Watching - Frieda McFadden
Charming Deception - Jaine Diamond
The Accountant - Nigel Grundey
Solitaire - Alice Oseman
Nothing Ever Happpens Here - Sarah Hagger-Holt
George - Alex Gino
(Some may be rereads; COUGH SOLITAIRE COUGH COUGH)
♾️ Books for World Autism Month + Neurodiversity Celebration Week
♾️ The last week of March was Neurodiversity Celebration Week. My post is (obviously) late, but April is also World Autism Month (beginning with World Autism Awareness Day on April 2). To generate additional awareness, here are a few books by autistic authors and/or about autistic characters. On the last slide, you'll also find books with additional neurodiversity rep (including characters with ADHD, dyslexia, and OCD).
✨ The Bride Test - Helen Hoang ✨ Daniel, Deconstructed - James Ramos ✨ Tonight We Rule the World - Zack Smedley ✨ Paige Not Found - Jen Wilde ✨ Something More - Jackie Khalilieh ✨ Uncomfortable Labels - Laura Kate Dale ✨ The Luis Ortega Survival Club - Sonora Reyes ✨ Margo Zimmerman Gets the Girl - Brianna R. Shrum and Sara Waxelbaum ✨ The Spirit Bares Its Teeth - Andrew Joseph White ✨ The Brightsiders - Jen Wilde ✨ The Boys in the Back Row - Mike Jung ✨ Hating Jesse Harmon - Robin Mimna
✨ Queens of Geek - Jen Wilde ✨ The Maid - Nita Prose ✨ The Heart Principle - Helen Hoang ✨ The Girl Who Played with Fire - Stieg Larsson ✨ Even If We Break - Marieke Nijkamp ✨ The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time - Mark Haddon ✨ Unseelie - Ivelisse Housman ✨ This Could Be Us - Kennedy Ryan ✨ Act Your Age, Eve Brown - Talia Hibbert ✨ The Kiss Quotient - Helen Hoang ✨ On the Edge of Gone - Corinne Duyvis ✨ Against the Stars - Christopher Hartland
✨ Tell Me How It Ends - Quinton Li ✨ Izzy at the End of the World - K.A. Reynolds ✨ Late Bloomer - Mazey Eddings ✨ Fake It Till You Bake It - Jamie Wesley ✨ Whatever Happens - Micalea Smeltzer ✨ Gimmicks and Glamour - Lauren Melissa Ellzey ✨ Last Call at the Local - Sarah Grunder Ruiz ✨ Reggie and Delilah's Year of Falling - Elise Bryant ✨ The Charm Offensive - Alison Cochrun ✨ A Prayer for Vengeance - Leanne Schwartz ✨ Tilly in Technicolor - Mazey Eddings ✨ If Only You - Chloe Liese
[Revised 11/1/17] Book Recommendations for Witches, Spellcasters, and the Curious
I periodically (usually once a year) make an updated post of my annotated bibliographies for witchcraft, magick, and divination studies. I recently noticed that I hadn’t done this in a long time!
Since I’ve read a lot of new books in that time, and since many are worth adding, I thought I’d go ahead and post an updated list.
I’ve added just ten new ones this time! Unfortunately, still, it’s getting quite long, so I’m splitting it into two posts - one for divination, and one for magick/witchcraft. I will be tagging both as #long and #long+post because I realize this is pretty extreme in terms of length.
For Absolute Beginners
Encyclopedia of Witchcraft, by Judika Illes. Even better than the Weiser Field Guide to Witches - this book is huge and chock-full of information. It’ll explain in easy-to-understand language how the concept has developed throughout time, why witches do what they do, and different types of witches.
The Weiser Field Guide to Witches, by Judika Illes. This gives an excellent look at the historical lore concerning witches, from the perspective of a witch herself. It’s kind of tongue-in-cheek, but it does have some information that won’t be found elsewhere.
The Modern Guide to Witchcraft, by Skye Alexander. Great book for those who’re really absolute beginners and are wondering what witchcraft is all about. Skye takes a very postmodern, utilitarian, and unfailingly honest approach, and it’s geared towards those of almost any belief system.
Grimoire for the Apprentice Wizard, by Oberon Zell-Ravenheart. Attractively packaged and readible for almost all ages, this is a great (mostly) non-denominational look at the foundations of magical practice. It’s extremely detailed. Some of it only applies to Zell’s own tradition, but it’s quite useful, anyways.
Of Witchcraft and Whimsy, by Rose Orriculum. Written by Tumblr’s own @orriculum, this is one of the best, most modern an no-nonsense Craft introductory books I’ve seen. It’s unabashedly up-to-date and self-aware in its portrayal of the contemporary Craft.
Basic Techniques
Protection and Reversal Magick, by Jason Miller. This gets a little woo-woo at times, but he gives good advice on how to avoid serious problems that can come up as you begin to practice. Take with a grain of salt, though - some of this has the potential to make you feel paranoid.
City Magick, by Christopher Penczak. If you’re at all interested in tech witchery, or just want to practice magick within an urban setting, do check this out. It is by far the best look at the subject I’ve seen, and his discussion of urban tutelary spirits is worth the price alone.
Power Spellcraft for Life, by Arin Murphy-Hiscock. Nicely done, quite secular book providing basic beginner information regarding writing original spells and workings. It does fall prey to the trap of just listing correspondences with little information at times, but also contains a great deal of detail about ritual timing, raising power, and other topics essential for the beginner.
Sorcerer’s Secrets, by Jason Miller. This is a decent volume that describes a lot of techniques you don’t usually see in books, such as gesture and gaze-based magick. Be warned that Miller writes extensively about manipulative techniques, but it’s useful theory regardless of how you put it into practice.
Witch’s Bag of Tricks, by Melanie Marquis. This is not recommended for beginners, because the whole point of this book is to help existing practitioners refine and improve their already-established techniques. It’s got some novel ideas in it, and I like the author’s approach to symbolism in spellcasting.
Spirit Conjuring for Witches, by Frater Barrabbas. Frater B. is a very learned and rather famous magician and witch. This book is mostly geared towards Wicca, but even if you’re not Wiccan, his techniques are innovative and interesting, many utterly unlike anything I’ve seen elsewhere.
Direct Magick (Energy Work)
The Un-Spell Book, by Mya Om. This non-denominational guide to working with magical forces is filled with useful exercises that go beyond the author’s previous work. I recommend reading this after readingEnergy Essentials.
Instant Magick, by Christopher Penczak. Excellent beginner’s guide for those who don’t have access to a lot of fancy tools or prefer to work without them. This book won’t instantly teach you magick, but it will help even a seasoned practitioner find quicker, less-complicated ways of achieving results.
Energy Essentials for Witches and Spellcasters, by Mya Om. Though I balk at the use of the term “energy” to describe magical forces, this book is worth a look. It’s a bit like a workbook, with various exercises. Expect a lot of pseudoscience, though, and there are many religious references, but the techniques are solid.
Hedgewitchery and Astral Travel
Ecstatic Witchcraft, by Gede Parma. This is actually probably my favorite book on this subject, even though hedgeriding is only a part of what the book discusses. The only bad thing I can really say about this book is that it’s really not recommended for beginners, and it’s helpful to have the basics of visualization already mastered (for example) before doing the exercises Parma recommends.
By Land, Sky and Sea, by Gede Parma. This book goes into even greater details regarding different ways of conceptualizing the cosmology of hedgeriding, and I find it a very refreshing book that appreciatively draws from a number of different perspectives while grounding itself, so to speak, with the overarching metaphor of land, sky, and sea as the three worlds.
The Temple of Shamanic Witchcraft, by Christopher Penczak. Penczak is usually a pretty mixed bag, and this book is no exception. It gives a lot of good practical information and a very in-depth exploration of the three worlds (a useful concept), but it’s primarily framed by Wicca, so it might not resonate with those of other faiths and particularly those who aren’t pagan at all.
Ascension Magick, by Christopher Penczak. There’s a chapter or two in this that address alternate ways of conceptualizing the architecture of reality, and it’s pretty helpful for a hedgerider. Beyond that, this book is mostly about ceremonial magick, but it’s a (mostly) good book. Certain parts (such as the bit about UFOs) are a little off, in my opinion.
The Shamanic Witch, by Gail Wood. This book is really best suited for someone who practices Wicca and, besides the background info and cosmological descriptions, is really only useful in the context of that tradition. If you’re Wiccan or willing to pick around a lot of Wiccan-talk, though, this is a good foundation.
Witches, Werewolves and Fairies, by Claude Lecouteux. It can be hard to find scholarly works on these phenomena that are affordable, but here’s one I personally enjoyed. It details many accounts of journeying experienced by both pagans and Christians in earlier times, and gives a good description of the concept of the astral double, the architecture of the soul, and other topics throughout history.
Betwixt and Between, by Storm Faerywolf. This book is mostly a guide to the Feri tradition of witchcraft, but while I myself don’t practice that, those who do seem to know a lot about hedgeriding! The book has several chapters on the subject and is highly recommended for this reason.
The Psychic Energy Codex, by Michelle Belanger. A lot of people have strong opinions about this author, but this is book actually provides a lot of good information about so-called “energy work” which can be a step in the right direction for those wanting to ride the hedge.
Psychic Dreamwalking, by Michelle Belanger. In this book, Belanger discusses, essentially, how to use your non-waking life as a vehicle to for journeying, and while I myself don’t usually dreamwalk, much of what she says applies to hedgeriding in other states, too.
Hedge Rider by Eric De Vries. Considered a classic on this subject, this book contains a lot of good information on making the jump across the Hedge, but with a lot of editorializing about “true witchcraft,” etc. A mixed bag, but still recommended.
To Fly by Night, edited by Veronica Cummer. This is an anthology about hedgecraft by many different authors. The essays vary in quality but there’s something for everyone, and the text doesn’t shy away from tough topics, either.
Magical Writing, Words, and Symbols
Dictionary of Ancient Magic Words and Spells, by Claude Lecouteux. Mostly a historical text, this book isn’t exactly practical or terribly useful. It is, nevertheless, incredibly interesting. It’s a bit difficult to navigate, but worth a glance.
Composing Magick, by Elizabeth Barrette. A very general, but well-done, look at writing in a magical context. Some of the ritual templates are slightly specific to religious witchcraft traditions, but most information is widely applicable.
Crafting Magick with Pen and Ink, by Susan Pesnecker. Focuses both on the physical act of writing as a magical act, and the mental state associated with it. Highly recommended
The Modern Witchcraft Grimoire, by Skye Alexander. This book is for those who want to create their own grimoire. It gives fairly good advice for doing so, as well as providing hints and tricks for spellcasting and useful correspondences.
General Concepts
Practical Astrology for Witches and Pagans, by Ivo Dominguez, Jr. This book, unlike most astrology texts, won’t tell you much about interpreting a chart - instead, it’s an entire book on timing your magick with the stars!
Planetary Magick, by Melita Denning and Osborne Phillips. If you want to work with the planets at all, particularly in a highly ritualized context, I recommend this book. It’s large, comprehensive and gives a good foundation beyond what you find in general astrology books.
Practical Planetary Magick, by Sorita d’Este and David Rankine. Shorter than I would have liked, but a useful reference to have on your shelf, with excellent tables and appendices in the back. The meditations are also quite useful.
Practical Elemental Magick, by Sorita d’Este and David Rankine. Should be read alongside the other book by this pair. Comprehensive guide to working with the elements in a ritualized fashion. Not as accessible to newbies as Lipp’s book, but good for seasoned practitioners.
The Way of Four, by Deborah Lipp. Though mostly geared towards Wiccans, I found this author’s in-depth treatment of the four elements highly fascinating. I will note that it’s probably best to get the print version of this book, as it contains exercises and quizzes.
A Handbook of Saxon Sorcery and Magic, by Alric Albertsson. I really enjoyed this little book, which focuses on older magical traditions common among the ancient Saxons. It is very much introductory, but worth a read for those new to those traditions.
Ingredients and Correspondences
The Herbal Alchemist’s Handbook, by Karen Harrison. I cannot praise this book enough for its concise and well-formulated approach to astrology, herbs, and magick as a whole.
The Weiser Concise Guide to Herbal Magick, by Judith Hawkins-Tillirson. This is excellent for anyone who’s interested in any kind of magick. Yes, the focus is generally herbs, but there’s a lot to be learned here about Kabbalah and other correspondence systems, as well.
Mixing Essential Oils for Magic, by Sandra Kynes. Fills a very difficult gap in published knowledge regarding the use of essential oils by discussing, in great detail, how scents interact with each other and how to create a formula that’s not only palatable, but evocative.
Dunwich’s Guide to Gemstone Sorcery, by Gerina Dunwich. Given the New Age fascination with all things shiny, it was quite a chore to sort through the myriad crystal books to find something with good information. While far from perfect and not exactly devoid of fluff, this book does give a level of detail about the lore surrounding gemstones not seen in many other texts.
Real Alchemy, by Robert Allen Bartlett. Excellent book, lots of history and detail. There’s a strong focus on tradition within the text, yet the author is quite accommodating of his audience and describes alternate methods that work better in a modern context.
Spagyrics, by Manfred M. Junius. With a highly-developed academic tone and attention to detail, this book is a meaty look at traditional alchemy. I recommend this more for intermediate practitioners due to the sheer density of information.
The Hearth Witch’s Compendium, by Anna Franklin. This book is essentially a recipe book for various home remedies and magical purposes. For the most part, it focuses on healing work, but there’s some great tips in there for making your own cleaning products and such, too. Highly recommended.
Magical Housekeeping, by Tess Whitehurst. This is worth reading if you keep your own house/apartment and are looking for practical magical techniques for cleanliness and inviting harmony into your spaces. It could be more detailed, but I enjoyed it.
A Kitchen Witch’s Cookbook, by Patricia Telesco. This is a recipe book. It is mainly geared towards Wiccans and those who celebrate the eight sabbats, but the dishes are tasty and sure to please anyone.
Spellbooks
The Goodly Spellbook, by Dixie Deerman and Steve Rasmussen. The title sounds horribly fluffy, but this is a hidden gem. It explains obscure concepts like alternative alphabets and potential uses of musical notes, as well as plant lore and other bits and pieces. Definitely worth checking out. It’s way more than just “a book of spells.”
Encyclopedia of 5,000 Spells, by Judika Illes. The title sounds trite to some, but it delivers. This book has spells from almost every culture and spiritual philosophy, as well as a very detailed formulary. I read it when I’m bored sometimes, too, just because I always learn some tidbit from it.
Book of Spells, by Nicola Pulford. In most editions, this book is absolutely gorgeous and describes spellcasting traditions from a variety of perspectives and traditions. Recommended for those who already understand the basics, as this book jumps straight into spellcasting and gives only a small amount of information about how things work.
Ceremonial Magick
Modern Magick, by Donald Michael Kraig. I received this as a gift several years ago. It is essentially a workbook meant to be completed slowly, step by step, and while the format will not appeal to everyone, it’s a good easy-to-read introduction to ceremonial magick.
Familiar Spirits, by Donald Tyson. Though geared towards ceremonialists, any practitioner can likely learn a thing or two from Tyson’s interesting stroll through the whys and wherefores of spirit work and thoughtform creation. This is by far the best book I’ve seen on the topic of familiar spirits.
Secrets of High Magick, by Francis Melville. The most recent edition of this (the one I own) is lavishly-illustrated and full of rudimentary, yet useful information. He stresses the basics of ceremonial practice, and his writing style is very accessible. Highly recommended for absolute beginners.
My Life With The Spirits, by Lon Milo DuQuette. This is a memoir of a ceremonial magician, but it gives a good look at the magickal mindset in a highly developed form from someone who’s experienced quite a lot. I havemajor issues with DuQuette’s approach to Qabalah, but his memoirs are worth a read.
Chaos Magick
Liber Null and Psychonaut, by Peter Carroll. Classic book of chaos magick. I consider it required reading for almost anyone interested in the occult. Even if you have no love for chaos magick, do give it a read, just to understand how influential Carroll is, and why.
Hands-On Chaos Magic, by Andrieh Vitimus. Knowing some of the people involved in the creation of this book, I’m a bit biased towards it. That said, even if I didn’t know them, I would still recommend it. It’s especially interesting to read alongside Liber Null and Psychonautin order to see how the chaos “current” has developed over the years.
Pop Culture Magic 2.0 by Taylor Ellwood. There aren’t a lot of books on using pop culture symbolism in magick, but this one is nearly perfect. The author writes in a highly erudite, literate fashion, while still being accessible to newbies. Many useful resources cited, as well, so prepare to branch off a bit while reading it.
History-Related
Triumph of the Moon, by Ronald Hutton. An inside no-holds-barred look at the history of Wicca and Modern paganism. Highly recommended. This is sort of the book that fluffbunnies don’t want you to read.
Book of Lies: The Disinformation Guide to Magick and the Occult, by Richard Metzger. Lots of facts and history of magick in the context of Postmodernity. This is different from the Crowley text of the same name, which I wouldn’t recommend unless you want to focus on his tradition.
The Place of Enchantment, by Alex Owen. This is a purely historical text that documents the occult revival within the context of Modernity. I remember it being very good, but please realize I haven’t really picked it up much since graduating, and it might just have served my mindset at the time.
Also, if horror is your thing, The Only Good Indians is excellent but not necessarily YA. There, There by Tommy Orange is also VERY good!!! Don’t forget to buy from Indigenous bookstores or borrow from your local library!!!
TRIGGER WARNING
But as an Indigenous person, Sherman Alexei is a known AND admitted sexual predator. I don’t support him anymore, because I find it far too triggering. At least three women have come forward, and he admitted to it and apologized. But just so everyone is aware, there are far more Indigenous authors you can support.
25 YA Books for Indigenous Peoples Day
With only 2 exceptions, the books below are written by indigenous authors. (Tree Girl is written by a white American born in Bolivia, but takes place during the Mayan genocide of the 1980s; Golden Kamuy is written by a non-Ainu Japanese, but is one of the few books about this culture)
For brevity and diversity, I did not include all the North American Native books I found - feel free to post your favorites in the comments! If anyone can suggest more Latin American indigenous stories (which were difficult to find from Latine authors) or especially Hawai’ian native stories (which I couldn’t find any of), please let me know.
Australia
The Things She’s Seen by Amebelin & Ezekiel Kwaymullina The Boy from the Mish by Gary Lonesborough Becoming Kirrali Lewis by Jane Harrison Swallow the Air by Tara June Winch
Canada
The Missing by Melanie Florence Sorrow’s Knot by Erin Bow Son of a Trickster by Eden Robinson The Marrow Thieves by Cherie Dimaline A Girl Called Echo by Katherena Vermette Surviving the City by Tasha Spillett
Japan - Ainu
Golden Kamuy by Satoru Noda
Latin America
Saints of the Household by Ari Tison Tree Girl by Ben Mikaelsen The Huaca by Marcia Argueta Mickelson Gods of Jade and Shadow by Silvia Moreno-Garcia The Lost Dreamer by Lizz Huerta
New Zealand - Maori
The Whale Rider, Witi Ihimaera Falling into Rarohenga by Steph Matuku
United States
Firekeeper’s Daughter by Angeline Boulley Trail of Lighting by Rebecca Roanhorse Elatsoe by Darcie Little Badger The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie If I Ever Get Out of Here by Eric Gansworth Hearts Unbroken by Cynthia Leitich Smith Rain is Not My Indian Name by Cynthia Leitich Smith
lots and lots of books for you!
1) jeeves and wooster
2) the age of innocence
3) call me by your name (derogatory)
4) little women
5) normal people
I LITERALLY REBLOGGED THIS 5 SECONDS AGO, HELLO?
... ana you're killing me
Jeeves and wooster
never heard of | never read | want to read | terrible | boring | okay | good | great | a favorite
yes I know this is two choices, but my answer is multilayered: bertie wooster sounds like a hoot, and i really wanna hear more about jeeves! buut i dont know if i'd sit and read like ... 400 pages of them? if their short stories were more bite sized i'd be more enticed, i think. like, if it was just 5-6 but within 200 pages, i'd be more enticed. but that doesn't mean by any means that their hijinks are off my list. if i ever do come across one particular book of theirs that piques my interest, i might just give in to the urge. oh also i NEED to know what other bonkers names this psychopath of an author comes up with, cuz i'm not convinced that tuppy isn't short for tupperware at this point.
2. The age of innocence
never heard of | never read | want to read | terrible | boring | okay | good | great | a favorite
... i mean it rung a bell? i've definitely heard the name before? but i can't say im familiar with the contents of this book. i might look into it and this answer might change potentially? but there's too much trash ya on my list that i need to sift through right now before this makes it on any sort of priority list
3. Call me by your name
never heard of | never read | want to read | terrible | boring | okay | good | great | a favorite
will this book traumatize me? most likely. will i hate it? most likely. will i regress into the closet and become homophobic after this book? not entirely certain, but still plausible. but i have a morbid, depraved curiosity to see what the rage is. cuz i've heard REALLY good things, and REALLY bad things. I NEED to know.
4. Little women
never heard of | never read | want to read | terrible | boring | okay | good | great | a favorite
YES ANA, I WILL EVENTUALLY READ LITTLE WOMEN AND IM SURE I WILL ENJOY IT, im actually kinda really excited for it. i wasn’t the biggest fan of pride and prejudice, it had its good points and its bad points, but im really interested to see how little women fares against my brain juices. will keep you posted. also i wanna know what the timothee chalamet’s guy’s deal is.
5. Normal people
never heard of | never read | want to read | terrible | boring | okay | good | great | a favorite
I’ll be honest... i dont think i will read this. I wanna read sally rooney’s other book first, conversations with friends, and if i enjoy it, i might pick up normal people, but with the things ive seen about it, im not too crazy about picking it up.
Following the great example you set, I will also be sending a variety of books (and a play).
The Picture of Dorian Gray, Oscar Wilde
Ulysses, James Joyce
Maurice, E. M. Foster
Orlando, Virginia Woolf
Macbeth, William Shakespeare
listen, i want to answer this ask so bad but it has deleted itself twice now. THIRD TIME’S THE CHARM.
this is gonna be VERY awkward because i know... approximately 2 books from this list? buut i’m willing to put my research in like a good samaritan.
1. The Picture of Dorian Gray
never heard of | never read | want to read | terrible | boring | okay | good | great | a favorite
I AM SO EXCITED TO READ THIS BOOK, YOU HAVE NO IDEA. this book has been on my tbr for a hot minute but like... i can never justify the purchase to myself? like, every time i go to the bookstore with the goal of buying frankenstein, dr jekyll and mr hyde, and the picture of dorian gray, but every single time, a ya novel catches my eye and i dive for it like a raven spotting a shiny on a woman adorned with accessories. i cannot possibly hovel up to the cash register holding to kill a kingdom, lunar chronicles part 2, and the picture of dorian gray. like i dont want to do that to mr. wilde OR mr. gray. will the cashier judge me? most likely not! but you know who will? I will judge myself. but i swear on everything, i WILL read this book some day, I’ll actually have it in my hands with the receipt probably tossed in my pocket, i swear it.
2. Ulysses
never heard of | never read | want to read | terrible | boring | okay | good | great | a favorite
the “what book is this” saga begins here. I don’t... understand?? what this is about?? but like... more than a little intrigued. imma need you or ana to put me on this book, but i read “celtic culture” and alarm bells went off. to say i’m enticed i think is fair.
3. Maurice
never heard of | never read | want to read | terrible | boring | okay | good | great | a favorite
Let me take you on the same rollercoaster I was put on when i looked up this book. “this has to be like... i dont know, some sort of depraved victorian romance. is maurice even a girl’s name? im too afraid to ask. OH. OH IT’S GAY. OH MY GOD THIS IS GAY.” SORRY ULYSSES, THIS ONE TAKES PRIORITY. and it’s short too?? i need this in my hands like, yesterday.
4. Orlando
never heard of | never read | want to read | terrible | boring | okay | good | great | a favorite
hm! hm hm hm. ive read tons about this book, and i do want to read some eventual woolfe in my life time. i dont have many thoughts on this? i wanna know more about it first.
5. Macbeth
never heard of | never read | want to read | terrible | boring | okay | good | great | a favorite
OHKAY. This is some serious cheating im about to do, BUT this book deserves a story time. so i was in my sweet 16s when i went to watch the macbeth play in like... the one big theater in greece, right? and my only previous experience with shakespeare was reading a midsummer night’s dream for school, playing the part of a nursemaid to juliet for romeo and juliet, and just freshly having watched hamlet with a less than stellar experience. (like all i know is that hamlet is gay, killed some guy, and argues with the spirit of his dad. he drank a pina colada on a beach chair at his dad’s funeral tho? kinda mood of him) so when i went to watch macbeth, my expectations were in hell. so zouboulia from para pente appears on stage, and immediately, i know im gonna have the time of my life. and despite the fact that this government protected PEDOPHILE was on stage playing the coward macbeth himself, I HAD A BLAST. my mom was sitting next to her 16 year old son, who was enjoying these two peoples’ dive into turmoil and the depicted bloodshed caused by it a little too much. Lady macbeth can step on me, i’ll be her carpet. i don’t care about any other shakespeare book (ok that’s a lie titus andronicus i apologize) other than macbeth. i REALLY want to read this. did i have a blast? yeah. will i have a blast again? yeah.
Ok you asked for books so here you go:
Northen Lights (1st book of a trilogy called His Dark Materials)
Treasure Island
Magnus Chase (i won't say pjo cause it is a lot books, this series has only three)
The Last Wild (it is supposed to be for kids/young teens but it's a great book)
Gideon the Ninth
Cemetery Boys
Mistborn
They both die at the end (im reading this now and im not sure if i like it or not but im adding it to the list anyway)
(Half of these are ya but the others recommended a lot of adult fiction so yeah)
... someday i will receive an ask for a book i have read- (/j, i know most of these books tho and i have some Thoughts)
... but damn that's a lot of books, this will take a while, thank you tho
Northern Lights
never heard of | never read | want to read | terrible | boring | okay | good | great | a favorite
Okay, I read the synopsis and it definitely seemed up my alley, and then I dug a little deeper into the his dark materials trilogy and suddenly... i couldn't find northern lights? but i found the golden compass, which is a series i know about, and ive been very intrigued for a long time. I don't know what the difference is? this feels like a mystery waiting to be uncovered, unless im completely and totally blind. it says the golden compass and northern lights are pretty much the same book, the first book from the same trilogy, but the synopsis is different, but the characters are the same. I really wanna read golden compass, so by proxy i guess this also means i wanna read northern lights? dont get me wrong, it sounds interesting and the premise sounds like something that's totally up my alley, but im left more confused than i was in the beginning. semi enthusiastic yes? but yeah, i wanna read the golden compass, and northern lights definitely sounds interesting, save for the little hiccup along the way.
2. Treasure Island
never heard of | never read | want to read | terrible | boring | okay | good | great | a favorite
again, this is semi cheating, but i've been to plays for treasure island, and i had a bad straight to dvd movie about it, and i REALLY enjoyed it, but i've never seen the disney version. i remember i really liked the protagonist, and to be honest, i didn't even know it was a book? but now that i know, im deeply intrigued. this seems like some good ass pirate fiction, and im really interested now. thanks for bringing this to my knowledge-
3. Magnus Chase
never heard of | never read | want to read | terrible | boring | okay | good | great | a favorite
honestly, you did good by bringing up magnus chase instead of pjo, cuz that would've been a resounding ~no~. im not ready for that kind of commitment. buuut magnus chase is a different story. i definitely want to read magnus chase at some point in the future, although i do prefer dark and grimy norse mythology fiction like god of war (yes, i know it's 'greek mythology' and has a lot of inaccuracies, but i really loved the game play of it so we forgive it) and depending on how dark and grimy this series is i might change my mind, so we'll see, but it's definitely on my list.
4. The Last Wild
never heard of | never read | want to read | terrible | boring | okay | good | great | a favorite
I assume this is by piers torday, and i have to say... im sadly not convinced. the premise sounds interesting? but i'd be more enticed to read nils holgersson than the last wild. too many bugs in the synopsis.
5. Gideon the Ninth
never heard of | never read | want to read | terrible | boring | okay | good | great | a favorite
LMAOO you know i wanna read this. it sounds so dark and grimy and edgy and im just very excited for when i muster up the courage to read it. im expecting a little bit of ebony d'arkness dementia raven way from it, but that's the kinda shit i love, so this is a compliment. also, finally, some good necromancer content.
6. Cemetery boys
never heard of | never read | want to read | terrible | boring | okay | good | great | a favorite
OUGH. i wanna read this one so bad. more than gideon the ninth. I'm really really interested, i dont fully understand what's going on in the synopsis, but color me fuckin intrigued, i wanna know what happens, i wanna have some good ass queer fiction, and this seems like the particular subgenre of supernatural that i really enjoy. it's in my sight for the near future, hopefully.
7. Mistborn
never heard of | never read | want to read | terrible | boring | okay | good | great | a favorite
... listen, i know this is probably very different, and you know how i feel about heists, and a lot of the other details don't match up, maybe even the dates are different, but this sounds like a six of crows spinoff by a different author. i know mistborn came 10 years earlier, but my expectations for this book, if i am to ever read it, are through the roof, purely because of six of crows. i cant say anything more? because i am not one who knows right now, so... maybe?
8. They both die at the end
never heard of | never read | want to read | terrible | boring | okay | good | great | a favorite
you torture me. you know ive been on the hunt for this book and have found it twice yet once in greek and once in jaundice orange and i cannot have it. I WANT TO READ IIIT, i wanna be part of the culture :( and it seems interesting? i really wanna know what this doomsday-ish book will make me feel. plus... gay.
25 YA Books for Indigenous Peoples Day
With only 2 exceptions, the books below are written by indigenous authors. (Tree Girl is written by a white American born in Bolivia, but takes place during the Mayan genocide of the 1980s; Golden Kamuy is written by a non-Ainu Japanese, but is one of the few books about this culture)
For brevity and diversity, I did not include all the North American Native books I found - feel free to post your favorites in the comments! If anyone can suggest more Latin American indigenous stories (which were difficult to find from Latine authors) or especially Hawai’ian native stories (which I couldn’t find any of), please let me know.
Australia
The Things She’s Seen by Amebelin & Ezekiel Kwaymullina The Boy from the Mish by Gary Lonesborough Becoming Kirrali Lewis by Jane Harrison Swallow the Air by Tara June Winch
Canada
The Missing by Melanie Florence Sorrow’s Knot by Erin Bow Son of a Trickster by Eden Robinson The Marrow Thieves by Cherie Dimaline A Girl Called Echo by Katherena Vermette Surviving the City by Tasha Spillett
Japan - Ainu
Golden Kamuy by Satoru Noda
Latin America
Saints of the Household by Ari Tison Tree Girl by Ben Mikaelsen The Huaca by Marcia Argueta Mickelson Gods of Jade and Shadow by Silvia Moreno-Garcia The Lost Dreamer by Lizz Huerta
New Zealand - Maori
The Whale Rider, Witi Ihimaera Falling into Rarohenga by Steph Matuku
United States
Firekeeper’s Daughter by Angeline Boulley Trail of Lighting by Rebecca Roanhorse Elatsoe by Darcie Little Badger The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie If I Ever Get Out of Here by Eric Gansworth Hearts Unbroken by Cynthia Leitich Smith Rain is Not My Indian Name by Cynthia Leitich Smith
A Various List of pdfs for Books and Short Stories
Paradise Lost
The Divine Comedy
Faust
The Picture of Dorian Gray
Salome
The Great Gatsby
The Silmarillion
The Complete Tales and Poems of Edgar Allen Poe
The Complete Works of William Shakespeare
His Dark Materials
Phantom of the Opera
The Strange Case of Doctor Jekyll and Mister Hyde
The Complete Works of H.P. Lovecraft
Through the Gates of the Silver Key (sequel to Lovecraft’s The Silver Key)
I Have No Mouth, and I Must Scream
Queen of the Damned
Carmilla
The Monkey’s Paw
The Yellow Wallpaper
The Most Dangerous Game
The Gift of the Magi
A Rose for Emily
The Leader
Lamb to the Slaughter
The Rocking-Horse Winner
Ancient Greek Philosophy
The Secret Teachings of All Ages
The Emerald Tablets of Thoth
Books with indigenous characters? Preferably mlm but fine with anything
You can find these here: https://lgbtqreads.com/representation/race-ethnicity/
YA
Fire Song by Adam Garnet Jones – G
Elatsoe by Darcie Little Badger – A
The Boy from the Mish by Gary Lonesborough
Songs that Sound Like Blood by Jared Thomas
Love After the End ed. by Joshua Whitehead
Adult
The Way of Thorn and Thunder by Daniel Heath Justice (Fantasy)
The Final Rose by Eliza Lentszki (f/f Romance)
Love Beyond Body, Space, and Time ed. by Hope Nichols (SFF antho)
The Dead Go to Seattle by Vivian Faith Prescott
Johnny Appleseed by Joshua Whitehead
Poetry
Holy Wild by Gwen Benaway
Disintegrate/Dissociate by Arielle Twist
full-metal indigiqueer by Joshua Whitehead
'Circle of the Sun' is one of the only extensively researched handbooks on the rituals of Kemetic paganism that is readily available on the market. Anyone seeking a closer relationship to the Egyptian deities will find this book immensely useful and informative. In particular, I enjoy that everything is simple to understand and nothing is left open-ended. For someone who is truly a newbie, you will have everything explained in clear words.
Some of what it contains includes:
- daily, weekly, and monthly prayers and rites
- magic, heka, and spells
- rituals for genuine Egyptian holy days
- how to self-dedicate as a solitary Kemetic, and how to choose a deity name
- hymns to all the major deities
- how to cope as a solitary Kemetic
and heaps more!
One of my favourite things about this book is that it contains a quick reference guide for the ancient Egyptian language. Whilst pronunciation is varied (we literally have no idea how some of these words were said), the spelling is relatively straight-forward. Words like 'beloved' and other praising terms make for simple prayers you can write yourself and having that guide there is super helpful.
The author has even included photos of her altar during different times of the year to give you an idea of what you could do. While mine altar is always set up how I like it, many new Kemetics struggle with how they should create an offering space that is suitable. (Hint: it's all suitable!)
There are also recipes to create your own incense, information about prominent deities... honestly, it's just a super informative book. Retailing at only $31, you can't go wrong.
Sharon LaBorde is a well-respected Kemetic recreationalist and has published a few other books as well, including 'Following the Sun', which is a practical guide to Kemetic religion and paganism. I haven't read that one, but it does differ and contain other information. Sharon's website says... "It includes major topics such as explanations of Egyptian history versus conspiracy theories, understanding the concept of ma'at (justice) and Egyptian ethics, how to build your own altar or shrine, crafting your own ritual garb and oils, and rituals and prayers for a variety of purposes. Now with expanded sections on ancient Nubia's relation to ancient Egypt, ancient polytheism and the Exodus story, and complete rituals for a Wheel of the Year. With a down-to-earth, easy to read format, this book is a must for anyone seeking to explore Egyptian Paganism."
I highly recommend this book to those who are curious! And I'd venture a guess that 'Following the Sun' is just as good.
Books with indigenous characters? Preferably mlm but fine with anything
You can find these here: https://lgbtqreads.com/representation/race-ethnicity/
YA
Fire Song by Adam Garnet Jones – G
Elatsoe by Darcie Little Badger – A
The Boy from the Mish by Gary Lonesborough
Songs that Sound Like Blood by Jared Thomas
Love After the End ed. by Joshua Whitehead
Adult
The Way of Thorn and Thunder by Daniel Heath Justice (Fantasy)
The Final Rose by Eliza Lentszki (f/f Romance)
Love Beyond Body, Space, and Time ed. by Hope Nichols (SFF antho)
The Dead Go to Seattle by Vivian Faith Prescott
Johnny Appleseed by Joshua Whitehead
Poetry
Holy Wild by Gwen Benaway
Disintegrate/Dissociate by Arielle Twist
full-metal indigiqueer by Joshua Whitehead
'Circle of the Sun' is one of the only extensively researched handbooks on the rituals of Kemetic paganism that is readily available on the market. Anyone seeking a closer relationship to the Egyptian deities will find this book immensely useful and informative. In particular, I enjoy that everything is simple to understand and nothing is left open-ended. For someone who is truly a newbie, you will have everything explained in clear words.
Some of what it contains includes:
- daily, weekly, and monthly prayers and rites
- magic, heka, and spells
- rituals for genuine Egyptian holy days
- how to self-dedicate as a solitary Kemetic, and how to choose a deity name
- hymns to all the major deities
- how to cope as a solitary Kemetic
and heaps more!
One of my favourite things about this book is that it contains a quick reference guide for the ancient Egyptian language. Whilst pronunciation is varied (we literally have no idea how some of these words were said), the spelling is relatively straight-forward. Words like 'beloved' and other praising terms make for simple prayers you can write yourself and having that guide there is super helpful.
The author has even included photos of her altar during different times of the year to give you an idea of what you could do. While mine altar is always set up how I like it, many new Kemetics struggle with how they should create an offering space that is suitable. (Hint: it's all suitable!)
There are also recipes to create your own incense, information about prominent deities... honestly, it's just a super informative book. Retailing at only $31, you can't go wrong.
Sharon LaBorde is a well-respected Kemetic recreationalist and has published a few other books as well, including 'Following the Sun', which is a practical guide to Kemetic religion and paganism. I haven't read that one, but it does differ and contain other information. Sharon's website says... "It includes major topics such as explanations of Egyptian history versus conspiracy theories, understanding the concept of ma'at (justice) and Egyptian ethics, how to build your own altar or shrine, crafting your own ritual garb and oils, and rituals and prayers for a variety of purposes. Now with expanded sections on ancient Nubia's relation to ancient Egypt, ancient polytheism and the Exodus story, and complete rituals for a Wheel of the Year. With a down-to-earth, easy to read format, this book is a must for anyone seeking to explore Egyptian Paganism."
I highly recommend this book to those who are curious! And I'd venture a guess that 'Following the Sun' is just as good.
Reblogging so I can find this again
Happy Spooky Month! 🎃
As always, check under the cut for more on each~
I was lucky enough to read ALL of these books in advance this month! 🥰
After Dark With Roxie Clark by Brooke Lauren Davis is a October-set story of grief, generational curses, and mystery. While Roxie embraces the bad luck of their family, her sister has always clung to the rational and avoided the dark- until her boyfriend was brutally murdered. After being grief bound for months, she suddenly finds herself motivated to re-enter her own life- because she's sure she can prove Roxie's best friend, and her boyfriend's brother, was the murderer. If you like stories about complicated family relationships and breaking cycles, this is a book you'd probably enjoy!
The Restless Dark by Erica Waters is an atmospheric, tense story of serial killers, possible hauntings, and strangers that may or may not be trustworthy. Three girls find their way to a true crime podcasts camping contest to find the killer's bones- one for research, one to dominate the darkness she's sure is in her, and one for closure after nearly being his last victim. This book also has a sapphic romance!
If You Could See the Sun by Anna Liang is the perfect book for anyone who can relate to struggling to prove yourself without taking the time or risk to figure out who you are. It's also great for fans of magical realism and academic rivals to lovers! Alice's temporary invisibility is bad luck, especially since uncontrollably turning invisible means missing expensive classes, but it's also a way to earn some extra, much needed money. But just how are will she go to get the money to pay her school fees?
If This Book Exists, You're in the Wrong Universe by Jason Pargin is the 4th book in the John Dies at the End series, though if you really want to, it can be read as a standalone. This one follows the trio trying to stop a cult from ending the world via a super capitalistic toy and an angry teenage boy. This one is also pretty timey-wimey. *Adult book*
Self-Portrait With Nothing by Aimee Potwatka is about an adopted woman's famous biological mother coming back into her life- by disappearing. If magical paintings, wild goose chases, and identity stories are your thing, definitely pick this one up! *Adult book*
When Angels Left the Old Country by Sacha Lamb was pitched as a "modern, queer Jewish parable" and that definitely nails it, but I'd also call it a Jewish YA Good Omens. When an angel and a demon leave behind their shetl to find a girl who never sent word back from America, it's meant to be an excuse more than a real rescue mission, but with the interference of ghosts, crooked immigration, and a plucky, determined lesbian, they find themselves more involved than they could have imagined.
HIJAB BUTCH BLUES by LAMYA H.
Alright, changing it up a bit with my book stuff but this one hit home with me. The author draws very interesting parallels between stories in the Quran and her experiences as a gay muslim woman that are very interesting. And if you think you can’t be muslim and gay, or wear a hijab and be gay, or even tackle muslim culture and queerness in one, then you’re bound to be pleasantly proved wrong with this one.
Ok, so normally I just...ignore creators who can't be bothered to include women, LTGBTQIA, and BIPOC authors in Fantasy Book Lists, but today I'm tired and grouchy and this goddamn video pissed me off because it's a vast majority of white dudes and their fantastical man pain. SO. I would like to just toss out some NOT white male fantasy authors because frankly I am *so tired* of white dudes retreading Tolkien and Robert Jordan forever. So let's celebrate some amazing fantasy authors who tend not to make these lists.
I'll give the author (and a book to start with).
- Mercedes Lackey (Arrows of the Queen)
- Tamora Pierce (Sandry's Book)
- Fonda Lee (Jade City)
- India Holton (The Wisteria Society of Lady Scoundrels)
- NE Davenport (The Blood Trials)
- Naomi Novik (His Majesty's Dragon)
- Moniquill Bkackgoose (To Shape A Dragon's Breath)
- CE Murphy (Urban Shaman)
- Sue Lynn Tan (Daughter of the Moon Goddess)
- Chloe Gong (These Violent Delights)
- Judy I. Lin (A Magic Steeped in Poison)
- Tasha Suri (The Jasmine Throne)
- Xiran Jay Zhao (Iron Widow)
- Jordan Ifueko (Raybearer)
- Chelsea Abdullah (The Stardust Thief)
- Tracy Deonn (Legendborn)
- Gabi Burton (Sing Me to Sleep)
- Brittany N. Williams (That Self-Same Metal)
- Juliet Marillier (Dreamer's Pool)
- Stephanie Burgis (Scales and Sensibility)
- Allison Saft (A Fragile Enchantment)
- Chloe Neill (The Bright and Breaking Sea)
- Olivia Atwater (Half a Soul)
- Heather Fawcett (Emily Wilde's Encyclopedia of Faerie)
- MA Carrick (The Mask of Mirrors)
- Kristin Cashore (Graceling)
- Marie Brennan (A Natural History of Dragons)
- Maya Ibrahim (The Spice Road)
- HM Long (Dark Water Daughter)
- Aparna Verma (The Phoenix King)
And these are just the ones I can see on my bookshelves by turning my head without moving from my chair. There are DOZENS of others who I apologize for missing and who are absolutely worth reading. If I missed one of your favorites, add it to the list with a reblog, and let's stop defaulting to filling fantasy author lists with white dudes.
Ok so books i need to read in no particular order:
Night Stolkers by Kristopher Triana
The Rot by Stephen Cooper
The man with the scarred neck by SanityHorror
Cows (which i already started reading)
The end of Alice (already started)
Wasp factory (again)
Full brutal (again)
Through the Eyes of Desperation (both the red AND black versions because two authors writing the same universe from different PoVs intrigues me)
Hey love love your blog...I've been following you for a while...i appreciate the guidance you put out there. Do you hapoen to have a recommended book list?
I know I have a list floating around somewhere on here. I couldn’t find it, but I did create an image catalog for my discord. These are most of books I’ve read/listened to in the last four years.
Do you know any lgbt book with Asian characters
Yes, here are some books that would fit the criteria:
YA
A Darkly Beating Heart by Lindsay Smith
When the Moon Was Ours by Anna-Marie McLemore
Skim by Mariko Tamaki
Tell Me Again How a Crush Should Feel by Sara Farizan
Huntress by Malinda Lo
NA/Adult
Not Your Sidekick by C.B. Lee
Hold Me by Courtney Milan
Happy Reading!
12 Gothic Literature Books by BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, & People of Colour)
Every month Book Club for Masochists: A Readers’ Advisory Podcasts chooses a genre at random and we read and discuss books from that genre. We also put together book lists for each episode/genre that feature works by BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, & People of Colour) authors. All of the lists can be found here. This is our retrospective book list for Episode 002 - Gothic Literature.
Sing, Unburied, Sing by Jesmyn Ward
Ruby by Cynthia Bond
The Bondwoman’s Narrative by Hannah Crafts
Joplin’s Ghost by Tananarive Due
Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston
The Only Good Indians by Stephen Graham Jones
A Visitation of Spirits by Randall Kenan
Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-Garcia
Beloved by Toni Morrison
The Iliac Crest by Cristina Rivera Garza
The Night Wanderer by Drew Hayden Taylor
Cane by Jean Toomer