✮ book wishlist!

The Illiad

Homeros;Homer · 2019

The Yellow Wall-Paper

Charlotte Perkins Gilman · 2024

The Picture of Dorian Gray

Oscar Wilde · 2021

Interview with the Vampire

Anne Rice · 2010

Rebecca

Daphne du Maurier · 2013

The Paul Street Boys

Ferenc Molnar · 1998

White Nights

Fyodor Dostoevsky · 2024

Perfume: The Story of a Murderer

Patrick Suskind · 2001

The Haunting of Hill House (Penguin Classics)

Shirley Jackson · 2006

Days at the Morisaki Bookshop

Satoshi Yagisawa · 2023

The wise and charming international bestseller and hit Japanese movie—about a young woman who loses everything but finds herself—a tale of new beginnings, romantic and family relationships, and the comfort that can be found in books. Twenty-five-year-old Takako has enjoyed a relatively easy existence—until the day her boyfriend Hideaki, the man she expected to wed, casually announces he’s been cheating on her and is marrying the other woman. Suddenly, Takako’s life is in freefall. She loses her job, her friends, and her acquaintances, and spirals into a deep depression. In the depths of her despair, she receives a call from her distant uncle Satoru. An unusual man who has always pursued something of an unconventional life, especially after his wife Momoko left him out of the blue five years earlier, Satoru runs a second-hand bookshop in Jimbocho, Tokyo’s famous book district. Takako once looked down upon Satoru’s life. Now, she reluctantly accepts his offer of the tiny room above the bookshop rent-free in exchange for helping out at the store. The move is temporary, until she can get back on her feet. But in the months that follow, Takako surprises herself when she develops a passion for Japanese literature, becomes a regular at a local coffee shop where she makes new friends, and eventually meets a young editor from a nearby publishing house who’s going through his own messy breakup. But just as she begins to find joy again, Hideaki reappears, forcing Takako to rely once again on her uncle, whose own life has begun to unravel. Together, these seeming opposites work to understand each other and themselves as they continue to share the wisdom they’ve gained in the bookshop. Translated By Eric Ozawa

Sweet Bean Paste

Durian Sukegawa · 2017

Heaven

Mieko Kawakami · 2021

The Restaurant of Lost Recipes

Hisashi Kashiwai · 2024

Schoolgirl (Modern Japanese Classics)

Osamu Dazai · 2011

The Setting Sun (New Directions Book)

Osamu Dazai · 1968

No Longer Human

太宰治 · 1958

<p> Mine has been a life of much shame. I can't even guess myself what it must be to live the life of a human being. </p><p>Portraying himself as a failure, the protagonist of Osamu Dazai's No Longer Human narrates a seemingly normal life even while he feels himself incapable of understanding human beings. His attempts to reconcile himself to the world around him begin in early childhood, continue through high school, where he becomes a "clown" to mask his alienation, and eventually lead to a failed suicide attempt as an adult. Without sentimentality, he records the casual cruelties of life and its fleeting moments of human connection and tenderness.</p><p>Still one of the ten bestselling books in Japan, No Longer Human is an important and unforgettable modern classic: "The struggle of the individual to fit into a normalizing society remains just as relevant today as it was at the time of writing." (The Japan Times)</p>

Venus and Aphrodite: A Biography of Desire

Bettany Hughes · 2020

The House in the Cerulean Sea

TJ Klune · 2020

She's Always Hungry

Eliza Clark · 2024

NEW YORK TIMES BOOK REVIEW "BEST HORROR FICTION OF 2024" From Eliza Clark, the author of the brilliant novels Boy Parts and Penance and one of Granta’s Best Young British Novelists, comes a fierce, visionary and darkly comic story collection. A woman welcomes a parasite into her body. A teenager longs for perfect skin. A scientist tends to fragile alien flora. A young man takes the night into his own hands.  Unsettling, revelatory, and laced with her signature dark humor, Eliza Clark’s debut short story collection plumbs the depths of that most basic human feeling: hunger.

When Ghosts Call Us Home

Katya de Becerra · 2023

Dead Poets Society

N.H. Kleinbaum · 2012

Todd Anderson and his friends at Welton Academy can hardly believe how different life is since their new English professor, the flamboyant John Keating, has challenged them to "make your lives extraordinary! Inspired by Keating, the boys resurrect the Dead Poets Society--a secret club where, free from the constraints and expectations of school and parents, they let their passions run wild. As Keating turns the boys on to the great words of Byron, Shelley, and Keats, they discover not only the beauty of language, but the importance of making each moment count. Can the club and the individuality it inspires survive the pressure from authorities determined to destroy their dreams? But the Dead Poets pledges soon realize that their newfound freedom can have tragic consequences. Can the club and the individuality it inspires survive the pressure from authorities determined to destroy their dreams?

The City of Brass: A Novel (The Daevabad Trilogy)

S. A Chakraborty · 2017

The Fifth Season (The Broken Earth, 1)

N. K. Jemisin · 2015

Bear Town

Fredrik Backman · 2021

Wordslut: A Feminist Guide to Taking Back the English Language

Amanda Montell · 2020

<p>"As funny as it is informative, this book will have you laughing out loud while you contemplate the revolutionary power of words." --Camille Perri, author of The Assistants and When Katie Met Cassidy</p> <p>A brash, enlightening, and wildly entertaining feminist look at gendered language and the way it shapes us.</p> <p>The word bitch conjures many images, but it is most often meant to describe an unpleasant woman. Even before its usage to mean "a female canine," bitch didn't refer to women at all--it originated as a gender-neutral word for "genitalia." A perfectly innocuous word devolving into an insult directed at females is the case for tons more terms, including hussy, which simply meant "housewife"; and slut, which meant "an untidy person" and was also used to describe men. These are just a few of history's many English slurs hurled at women.</p> <p>Amanda Montell, reporter and feminist linguist, deconstructs language--from insults, cursing, gossip, and catcalling to grammar and pronunciation patterns--to reveal the ways it has been used for centuries to keep women and other marginalized genders from power. Ever wonder why so many people are annoyed when women speak with vocal fry or use like as filler? Or why certain gender-neutral terms stick and others don't? Or where stereotypes of how women and men speak come from in the first place?</p> <p>Montell effortlessly moves between history, science, and popular culture to explore these questions--and how we can use the answers to affect real social change. Her irresistible humor shines through, making linguistics not only approachable but downright hilarious and profound. Wordslut gets to the heart of our language, marvels at its elasticity, and sheds much-needed light on the biases that shadow women in our culture and our consciousness.</p>

Juniper and Thorn

Ava Reid · 2022

The Spirit Bares Its Teeth

Andrew Joseph White · 2023

<b><i>INSTANT NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER!</i><br><i>A Stonewall Honor Book in Young Adult Literature!</i><br><br>A blood-soaked and nauseating triumph that cuts like a scalpel and reads like your darkest nightmare.<br><br><i>New York Times </i>bestselling author Andrew Joseph White returns with the transgressive gothic horror of our time!</b><br><br><i>Mors vincit omnia. Death conquers all.</i><br><br>London, 1883. The Veil between the living and dead has thinned. Violet-eyed mediums commune with spirits under the watchful eye of the Royal Speaker Society, and sixteen-year-old trans, autistic Silas Bell would rather rip out his violet eyes than become an obedient Speaker wife.<br><br>After a failed attempt to escape an arranged marriage, Silas is diagnosed with Veil sickness—a mysterious disease sending violet-eyed women into madness—and shipped away to Braxton’s Finishing School and Sanitorium. When the ghosts of missing students start begging Silas for help, he decides to reach into Braxton’s innards and expose its guts to the world—so long as the school doesn’t break him first.<br><br>Featuring an autistic trans protagonist in a historical setting, Andrew Joseph White’s much-anticipated sophomore novel does not back down from exposing the violence of the patriarchy and the harm inflicted on trans youth who are forced into conformity.<br><br><b>A Stonewall Honor Book in Young Adult Literature</b><br><b>A Chicago Public Library 'Best of the Best' Book</b><br><b>A Locus Award Finalist</b><br><b>A <i>Kirkus Reviews</i> Best Young Adult Book of the Year</b><br><b>A BCCB Blue Ribbon Book!</b><br><b>A <i>Booklist </i>Editors’ Choice</b><br><b>A <i>Shelf Awareness </i>Best Book of the Year!</b><br><b>A <i>School Library Journal </i>Best Book of the Year</b>

Hell Followed with Us

Andrew Joseph White · 2023

Half a Soul

Olivia Atwater · 2022

It's difficult to find a husband in Regency England when you're a young lady with only half a soul. Ever since she was cursed by a faerie, Theodora Ettings has had no sense of fear or embarrassment - a condition which makes her prone to accidental scandal. Dora hopes to be a quiet, sensible wallflower during the London Season - but when the strange, handsome and utterly uncouth Lord Sorcier discovers her condition, she is instead drawn into dangerous and peculiar faerie affairs. If Dora's reputation can survive both her curse and her sudden connection with the least-liked man in all of high society, then she may yet reclaim her normal place in the world. . . but the longer Dora spends with Elias Wilder, the more she begins to suspect that one may indeed fall in love, even with only half a soul. Bridgerton meets Howl's Moving Castle in this enchanting historical fantasy, where the only thing more meddlesome than faeries is a marriage-minded mother. Pick up HALF A SOUL, and be stolen away into Olivia Atwater's charming, magical version of Regency England!

The Library at Mount Char

Scott Hawkins · 2016

“Wholly original . . . the work of the newest major talent in fantasy.”—The Wall Street Journal<br/><br/>“Freakishly compelling . . . through heart-thumping acts of violence and laugh-out-loud moments, this book practically dares you to keep reading.”—Atlanta Magazine<br/><br/>A missing God.<br/>A library with the secrets to the universe.<br/>A woman too busy to notice her heart slipping away.<br/><br/>Carolyn's not so different from the other people around her. She likes guacamole and cigarettes and steak. She knows how to use a phone. Clothes are a bit tricky, but everyone says nice things about her outfit with the Christmas sweater over the gold bicycle shorts.<br/><br/>After all, she was a normal American herself once.<br/><br/>That was a long time ago, of course. Before her parents died. Before she and the others were taken in by the man they called Father.<br/><br/>In the years since then, Carolyn hasn't had a chance to get out much. Instead, she and her adopted siblings have been raised according to Father's ancient customs. They've studied the books in his Library and learned some of the secrets of his power. And sometimes, they've wondered if their cruel tutor might secretly be God.<br/><br/>Now, Father is missing—perhaps even dead—and the Library that holds his secrets stands unguarded. And with it, control over all of creation.<br/><br/>As Carolyn gathers the tools she needs for the battle to come, fierce competitors for this prize align against her, all of them with powers that far exceed her own.<br/><br/>But Carolyn has accounted for this.<br/><br/>And Carolyn has a plan.<br/><br/>The only trouble is that in the war to make a new God, she's forgotten to protect the things that make her human.<br/><br/>Populated by an unforgettable cast of characters and propelled by a plot that will shock you again and again, The Library at Mount Char is at once horrifying and hilarious, mind-blowingly alien and heartbreakingly human, sweepingly visionary and nail-bitingly thrilling—and signals the arrival of a major new voice in fantasy.<br/><br/>Praise for The Library at Mount Char<br/><br/>An engrossing fantasy world full of supernatural beings and gruesome consequences."—Boston Globe<br/><br/>"Vivid . . . the dialogue sings . . . you'll spend equal time shuddering and chortling."—Dallas Morning News"

Coraline

Neil Gaiman · 2012

Gone Girl

Gillian Flynn · 2014

The Burning God (The Poppy War, 3)

R. F Kuang · 2021

The Dragon Republic (The Poppy War, 2)

R. F Kuang · 2020

The Poppy War: A Novel (The Poppy War, 1)

R. F Kuang · 2019

<p>“I have no doubt this will end up being the best fantasy debut of the year [...] I have absolutely no doubt that [Kuang’s] name will be up there with the likes of Robin Hobb and N.K. Jemisin.” -- Booknest</p><p>A Library Journal, Paste Magazine, Vulture, BookBub, and ENTROPY Best Books of 2018 pick!</p><p>Washington Post "5 Best Science Fiction and Fantasy Novel of 2018" pick!</p><p>A Bustle "30 Best Fiction Books of 2018" pick!</p><p>A brilliantly imaginative talent makes her exciting debut with this epic historical military fantasy, inspired by the bloody history of China’s twentieth century and filled with treachery and magic, in the tradition of Ken Liu’s Grace of Kings and N.K. Jemisin’s Inheritance Trilogy.</p><p>When Rin aced the Keju—the Empire-wide test to find the most talented youth to learn at the Academies—it was a shock to everyone: to the test officials, who couldn’t believe a war orphan from Rooster Province could pass without cheating; to Rin’s guardians, who believed they’d finally be able to marry her off and further their criminal enterprise; and to Rin herself, who realized she was finally free of the servitude and despair that had made up her daily existence. That she got into Sinegard—the most elite military school in Nikan—was even more surprising.</p><p>But surprises aren’t always good.</p><p>Because being a dark-skinned peasant girl from the south is not an easy thing at Sinegard. Targeted from the outset by rival classmates for her color, poverty, and gender, Rin discovers she possesses a lethal, unearthly power—an aptitude for the nearly-mythical art of shamanism. Exploring the depths of her gift with the help of a seemingly insane teacher and psychoactive substances, Rin learns that gods long thought dead are very much alive—and that mastering control over those powers could mean more than just surviving school.</p><p>For while the Nikara Empire is at peace, the Federation of Mugen still lurks across a narrow sea. The militarily advanced Federation occupied Nikan for decades after the First Poppy War, and only barely lost the continent in the Second. And while most of the people are complacent to go about their lives, a few are aware that a Third Poppy War is just a spark away . . .</p><p>Rin’s shamanic powers may be the only way to save her people. But as she finds out more about the god that has chosen her, the vengeful Phoenix, she fears that winning the war may cost her humanity . . . and that it may already be too late.</p>

All the Bright Places

Jennifer Niven · 2016

Vicious

V. E. Schwab · 2013

Things Have Gotten Worse Since We Last Spoke

Eric Larocca · 2021

The Last Unicorn

Peter S. Beagle · 2022

The Republic of Thieves

Scott Lynch · 2013

Red Seas Under Red Skies

Scott Lynch · 2008

The Lies of Locke Lamora

Scott Lynche · 2007

They say that the Thorn of Camorr can beat anyone in a fight. They say he steals from the rich and gives to the poor. They say he's part man, part myth, and mostly street-corner rumor. And they are wrong on every count.<br/><br/>Only averagely tall, slender, and god-awful with a sword, Locke Lamora is the fabled Thorn, and the greatest weapons at his disposal are his wit and cunning. He steals from the rich - they're the only ones worth stealing from - but the poor can go steal for themselves. What Locke cons, wheedles and tricks into his possession is strictly for him and his band of fellow con-artists and thieves: the Gentleman Bastards.<br/><br/>Together their domain is the city of Camorr. Built of Elderglass by a race no-one remembers, it's a city of shifting revels, filthy canals, baroque palaces and crowded cemeteries. Home to Dons, merchants, soldiers, beggars, cripples, and feral children. And to Capa Barsavi, the criminal mastermind who runs the city.<br/><br/>But there are whispers of a challenge to the Capa's power. A challenge from a man no one has ever seen, a man no blade can touch. The Grey King is coming.<br/><br/>A man would be well advised not to be caught between Capa Barsavi and The Grey King. Even such a master of the sword as the Thorn of Camorr. As for Locke Lamora ...

Carmilla

Joseph Sheridan Le Fanu · 2023

Step into the world of Gothic mystery and supernatural intrigue with Joseph Sheridan Le Fanu's classic masterpiece, Carmilla. This chilling tale of vampirism and dark desires has captivated readers for over a century, and now comes to you in a beautifully republished paperback edition.<br/>In the remote Styrian countryside, young Laura's peaceful existence is shattered when she encounters the enigmatic and beautiful Carmilla. As a bond between the two women forms, Laura is drawn into a nightmarish world of unsettling dreams, haunting shadows, and a sinister presence that refuses to let go.<br/>Immerse yourself in the atmospheric storytelling of Joseph Sheridan Le Fanu, as he weaves a tale of love, betrayal, and the supernatural, which has inspired countless works of vampire fiction, including Bram Stoker's iconic novel. In Carmilla, you'll discover the original vampire story that pioneered the genre and continues to send shivers down the spines of readers to this day.<br/>What makes this edition special? A meticulously crafted reproduction of the original text, designed for modern readers. An exclusive introduction and about the author section that sheds light on the novel's historical context and enduring legacy. High-quality, acid-free paper for a comfortable and long-lasting reading experience. Modern cover<br/><br/>Dare to uncover the chilling secrets that lie within the pages of Carmilla, and experience the haunting allure of one of the most influential Gothic novels of all time. Add this stunning paperback edition to your collection, and let the gripping tale of passion and darkness envelop you, leaving an indelible mark on your literary soul.<br/>Order your copy of Carmilla today, and embark on a journey that will forever redefine your perception of the vampire mythos.

The Priory of the Orange Tree (The Roots of Chaos)

Samantha Shannon · 2020

<p><b>The <i>New York Times </i>bestselling "</b><b>epic feminist fantasy perfect for fans of <i>Game of Thrones</i></b><b>" (Bustle).</b><br><br><b>NAMED A BEST BOOK OF THE YEAR BY:</b><br><b>AMAZON (Top 100 Editors Picks and Science Fiction and Fantasy) * CHICAGO PUBLIC LIBRARY * BOOKPAGE * AUTOSTRADDLE<br><br>A world divided.<br>A queendom without an heir.<br>An ancient enemy awakens.</b><br><br>The House of Berethnet has ruled Inys for a thousand years. Still unwed, Queen Sabran the Ninth must conceive a daughter to protect her realm from destruction--but assassins are getting closer to her door. <br><br>Ead Duryan is an outsider at court. Though she has risen to the position of lady-in-waiting, she is loyal to a hidden society of mages. Ead keeps a watchful eye on Sabran, secretly protecting her with forbidden magic.<br><br>Across the dark sea, Tané has trained all her life to be a dragonrider, but is forced to make a choice that could see her life unravel.<br><br>Meanwhile, the divided East and West refuse to parley, and forces of chaos are rising from their sleep.</p>

The Bell Jar (Modern Classics)

Sylvia Plath · 2005

<p><i>The Bell Jar</i> chronicles the crack-up of Esther Greenwood: brilliant, beautiful, enormously talented, and successful, but slowly going under -- maybe for the last time. Sylvia Plath masterfully draws the reader into Esther's breakdown with such intensity that Esther's insanity becomes completely real and even rational, as probable and accessible an experience as going to the movies. Such deep penetration into the dark and harrowing corners of the psyche is an extraordinary accomplishment and has made <i>The Bell Jar</i> a haunting American classic.</p> <p>This P.S. edition features an extra 16 pages of insights into the book, including author interviews, recommended reading, and more.</p>

The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo

Taylor Jenkins Reid · 2017

Fight Club: A Novel

Chuck Palahniuk · 2018

The Perks of Being a Wallflower

Stephen Chbosky · 2012

“A timeless story for every young person who needs to understand that they are not alone.” —Judy Blume<br/><br/>“Once in a while, a novel comes along that becomes a generational touchstone. The Perks of Being a Wallflower is one of those books.” —R. J. Palacio, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Wonder<br/><br/>This #1 New York Times bestselling coming-of-age story with millions of copies in print takes a sometimes heartbreaking, often hysterical, and always honest look at high school in all its glory.<br/><br/>The critically acclaimed debut novel from Stephen Chbosky follows observant “wallflower” Charlie as he charts a course through the strange world between adolescence and adulthood. First dates, family drama, and new friends. Sex, drugs, and The Rocky Horror Picture Show. Devastating loss, young love, and life on the fringes. Caught between trying to live his life and trying to run from it, Charlie must learn to navigate those wild and poignant roller-coaster days known as growing up.<br/><br/>A #1 New York Times bestseller for more than a year, adapted into a major motion picture starring Logan Lerman and Emma Watson (and written and directed by the author), and an American Library Association Best Book for Young Adults (2000) and Best Book for Reluctant Readers (2000), this novel for teen readers (or wallflowers of more-advanced age) will make you laugh, cry, and perhaps feel nostalgic for those moments when you, too, tiptoed onto the dance floor of life.

I'll Eat When I'm Dead

Barbara Bourland · 2017

Every weekday morning, as the sun rose above Sixth Avenue, a peerless crop of women-frames poised, behavior polished, networks connected, and bodies generally buffed to a high sheen-were herded by the cattle prod of their own ambition to one particular building. They're smart, stylish, and sophisticated, even the one found dead in her office. When stylish Hillary Whitney dies alone in a locked, windowless conference room at the offices of RAGE Fashion Book, her death is initially ruled an unfortunate side effect of the unrelenting pressure to be thin. But Hillary's best friend and fellow RAGE editor Catherine Ono knows her friend's dieting wasn't a capital P problem. If beauty could kill, it'd take more than that. When two months later, a cryptic note in Hillary's handwriting ends up in the office of the NYPD and the case is reopened, Det. Mark Hutton is led straight into the glamorous world of RAGE and into the life of hot-headed and fiercely fabulous Cat, who insists on joining the investigation. Surrounded by a supporting cast of party girls, Type A narcissists and half- dead socialites, Cat and her colleague Bess Bonner are determined to solve the case and achieve sartorial perfection. But their amateur detective work has disastrous results, and the two ingenues are caught in a web of drugs, sex, lies and moisturizer that changes their lives forever. Viciously funny, this sharp and satirical take on the politics of women's bodies and women's work is an addictive debut novel that dazzles with style and savoire faire.

Speak

Laurie Halse Anderson · 2011

Babel: Or the Necessity of Violence: An Arcane History of the Oxford Translators' Revolution

R. F. Kuang · 2022

Instant #1 New York Times Bestseller from the author of The Poppy War   “Absolutely phenomenal. One of the most brilliant, razor-sharp books I've had the pleasure of reading that isn't just an alternative fantastical history, but an interrogative one; one that grabs colonial history and the Industrial Revolution, turns it over, and shakes it out.” -- Shannon Chakraborty, bestselling author of The City of Brass From award-winning author R. F. Kuang comes Babel, a thematic response to The Secret History and a tonal retort to Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell that grapples with student revolutions, colonial resistance, and the use of language and translation as the dominating tool of the British empire. Traduttore, traditore: An act of translation is always an act of betrayal. 1828. Robin Swift, orphaned by cholera in Canton, is brought to London by the mysterious Professor Lovell. There, he trains for years in Latin, Ancient Greek, and Chinese, all in preparation for the day he’ll enroll in Oxford University’s prestigious Royal Institute of Translation—also known as Babel. Babel is the world's center for translation and, more importantly, magic. Silver working—the art of manifesting the meaning lost in translation using enchanted silver bars—has made the British unparalleled in power, as its knowledge serves the Empire’s quest for colonization. For Robin, Oxford is a utopia dedicated to the pursuit of knowledge. But knowledge obeys power, and as a Chinese boy raised in Britain, Robin realizes serving Babel means betraying his motherland. As his studies progress, Robin finds himself caught between Babel and the shadowy Hermes Society, an organization dedicated to stopping imperial expansion. When Britain pursues an unjust war with China over silver and opium, Robin must decide… Can powerful institutions be changed from within, or does revolution always require violence?