I am stuck with my reading in 2026 and need some help.

[britt@mstdn.games]

I am stuck with my reading in 2026 and need some help.

I’m dyslexic, and mainly read with the help of audiobooks. Sadly, I’ve only read one book this year but I’ve started at least a dozen… I am having trouble getting anything to stick! I usually read 20-30 books per year - but - I don’t count everything I read because it’s not about numbers for me. I read for information, learning, escapism, and to challenge my own experiences and beliefs.

First: Please recommend authors and series to me for people who cant get into Sanderson. (I *adored* the Mistborn series but can’t get into his other books.)

Second: I can’t read dystopian fiction right now because it’s too close to real life.

Lastly: I like Susanna Clarke, V.E. Schwab, Octavia Butler, M. L. Wang, Ursula K Le Guin, Andy Weir, Kurt Vonnegut, Haruki Murakami, etc. I enjoy satire, humour, historical fiction, fantasy, magical realism. I don’t care for romance, dark themes or harsh environments. I enjoy reading about a strong female protagonist’s journey.

THANKS! #books #reading #readingcommunity #bookstodon

[raineyday@mstdn.games]

@britt

Can I plug PageBound.co here? It's a book community that's kind of like if Goodreads and Reddit had an ethically sourced baby. Everyone is very friendly and I'm sure you'd get a ton of really good rec's.

[chigaze@mstdn.ca]

@britt Maybe T. Kingfisher, lots of strong female characters.

The Clockaur War books were nice fun (Clockwork Boys and the Wonder Engine). There are bunch of sequels I haven't read yet.

A Wizard's Guide to Defensive Baking is also good fun.

She also has a number of books derived from fairy tales: "Nettle & Bone", "Thornhedge", "A Sorceress Comes to Call", and "Hemlock & Silver"

Watch out for her Sworn Soldier series. It's very good but it's also a horror series. It is worth double checking the genre for her books as she does have a number of horror ones.

[deidzoeb@podvibes.co]

@britt I don't listen to many audio books because I tend to zone out if the voice reader can't keep things interesting. Do you have any interest in audio dramas? I realize they're different from audiobooks but it seems like it might scratch the same itch. There are tons of old time radio shows for free on the web, plus new audio drama podcasts. In the 1930s-40s, they used to advertise many new movies by broadcasting a version of it on the radio. Lux Radio Theater is great for that.

[deidzoeb@podvibes.co]

@britt DJs on my local college radio station (WCBN) in the 1980s loved to play excerpts of Vonnegut reading his books or essays. His readings never put me to sleep. And they loved William S. Burroughs, but his stuff can get weird and dark.

[douglal@mstdn.ca]

@britt A few suggestions.

How about Canadian author: Heather Marshall, “Looking for Jane”? This historical fiction l, novel details women’s reproductive rights in Canada. I found it really informative and impactful.

I also like Lianne Moriarty - but perhaps her novels include too much romance for you?! I found “What Alice Forgot” to be particularly funny.

I also always enjoy Kristin Hannah. “The Women” is packed with strong female characters.

I read a wide variety of genres but often feel stuck trying to find a novel to suit my mood. Sometimes it is a case of the right book but the wrong time and I need to revisit at a later date. Good luck! I will follow to see if there are other recommendations that I might enjoy.

[lastrobot@writing.exchange]

@britt
I enjoyed all of these as audiobooks. Good luck.

Strange Practice -Vivian Shaw
https://www.hachettebookgroup.com/titles/vivian-shaw/strange-practice/9780316434614/

Witch King - Martha Wells
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Witch_King_(novel)

Strange Love - Ann Aguirre
https://www.hoopladigital.com/ebook/strange-love-ann-aguirre/15588981

[lastrobot@writing.exchange]

@britt oops. You said no romance. That last one is that.

[britt@mstdn.games]

@Deidzoeb this is a super creative suggestion, I really appreciate it.

[luce@eldritch.cafe]

@britt Maybe Becky Chambers could be something you might like, especially the wayfarers series or the murderbot series by Martha wells! N K Jemisin is also so so good and R.F Kuang is also an author I like, I really enjoyed Babel and Katabasis. For historical fiction she who became the sun by Shelley Parker chan comes into my mind, I liked that story a lot too.

If you’re currently into not so much scifi:
I also really enjoyed the audiobooks of Elif Shafaks books „there are rivers in the sky“ and „the island of missing trees“ (the second one also contains some romance), the storytelling is so beautiful.
There’s also tomorrow and tomorrow and tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin which is about friendship and developing games.
I also recently liked the seven husbands of Evelyn Hugo by taylor Jenkins Reid, although it does contain some romance but I feel like it’s not the main focus.

And sometimes I just need to listen to a favourite of mine I already know, or something that makes me feel nostalgic. And that easy listening gets me back into the habit

[hollygodarkly@wandering.shop]

@Chigaze
@britt

I heartily second the T Kingfisher recs! But the World of the White Rat books (which includes Clockwork Boys & The Wonder Engine) do have a romance mixed into each book along with the adventure.

My fave of hers is Summer in Orcus because portal fantasies are my fave.

[chigaze@mstdn.ca]

@HollyGoDarkly I’ll have to add that to reading pile! Currently have Hemlock & Silver lined up.

@britt

[chigaze@mstdn.ca]

@luce @britt Jemisin is amazing but can be pretty dark at times. Particularly the Broken Earth trilogy. Some of the best SFF I’ve ever read but not really happy books.

[luce@eldritch.cafe]

@Chigaze @britt There’s also the books about New York that are more cheerful (although also somewhat dark at times)

[meyltje@beige.party]

@britt I second the Greta Helsing series by Vivian Shaw! I don't see Terry Pratchett among the recommendations. Loads to choose from and a lot of strong female characters too...

[clumsygolem@mstdn.games]

@britt

I don't feel particularly qualified to answer, but here are some books that came to mind:

Seraphina by Rachel Hartman - fantasy, strong female lead, dragons.

The Priory of the Orange Tree by Samantha Shannon - fantasy, strong female lead (and just like several strong female characters all around), and more dragons (I like dragons, what can I say?)

Gideon the Ninth by Tamsyn Muir - lesbian necromancers in space, need I say more?

Emily Wilde's Encyclopedia of Faeries by Heather Fawcett - A much cozier read than the other titles. If you like stories of the Fae Folk, deffs worth a read.

[sar@social.elderlogs.net]

@britt
I've literally just started in on the Mistborn Trilogy boxset

If you haven't, I'd give the original Pug (the main character) trilogy a read, by Raymond E Feist:

Magician
Silverthorn
A Darkness at Sethanon

All written in the 80's, and as such standard fantasy fare, but one I've begun re-reading through. I finished Magician last week, and jumped to Mistborn as a palette cleanser before carrying on with Silverthorn.

There's also cosy fantasy series, such as:

Tomes & Tea series by Rebecca Thorne, a fantasy series about a royal bodyguard on the run and her mage GF running a bookshop in a fantasy D&D style setting.

Similarly there's Travis Baldree's Legends & Lattes series, about an Orc warrior and her Elven GF running a coffee shop in a fantasy D&D style setting...

You may be getting a feel for the type of cosy fantasy I like to read

[tapi@mastodon.online]

@britt We are legion, We are Bob. Its smart and funny. There is some legitimate end of the world stuff in there but it doesnt delve too deep into it, mostly a hopeful, how do we do the best for everyone from here

[dhampirdamsel@corteximplant.com]

@britt
A Trial of Sorcerers by Elise Kova. A five book magical adventure series with a strong female protagonist. Her journey is the focus but there is a romantic sub-plot.
Kova's whole "Air Awakens" universe is stunning.

[britt@mstdn.games]

@sar hey!! Thanks a lot, these are great recommendations. I’ll have a dig into them this week.

I hope you enjoy Mistborn!