Have you read something that you really enjoyed and want to give others a reason to try it out because it fits a square? Want to solicit help finding things to read that fit squares? This is a great place to do that.

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Markdown Card

A B C D E
1 Number in the Title Author from a Different Continent Featured Creature Minority Author Now a Major Motion Picture
2 Independent Author Set in War Orange Crush Short and Sweet Banned Book
3 Based on Folklore Title: [X] of [Y] FREE SPACE - Off Your TBR Pile LGBTQIA+ Lead Saddle Up
4 New Release Alliterative Title Judge A Book By Its Cover Award Winner Gamble, Game, or Contest
5 Steppin’ Up! Political Late to the Party Cozy Read Jerk with a Heart of Gold

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  • JaymesRS@literature.cafeOPMEnglish
    2·
    2 years ago

    2A Independent Author: Read a work self-published by the author. Any work later published though a conventional publishing house doesn’t count unless you are reading it before the switch, and its rerelease date is after April 30th, 2026. HARD MODE: Not published via Amazon Kindle Direct.

  • JaymesRS@literature.cafeOPMEnglish
    1·
    2 years ago

    3A Based on Folklore: The narrative must be based on a real world piece of folklore. Folklore encompasses fairy tales, fables, myths, and legends. HARD MODE: Non-European folklore.

  • JaymesRS@literature.cafeOPMEnglish
    1·
    2 years ago

    4E Gamble, Game, or Contest: Features an organized gamble, game, or contest (life-and-death or otherwise). HARD MODE: Take a gamble on a style or genre of work you don’t typically read, as well.

    • Contrariwise@lemmy.blahaj.zoneEnglish
      3·
      2 years ago

      Suggestion: Suzanne Collins - The Hunger Games; Clive Barker - The Damnation Game

      My card: Agatha Christie - The Sittaford Mystery

  • JaymesRS@literature.cafeOPMEnglish
    1·
    2 years ago

    4A New Release: New for 2025/2026 (no reprints or new editions). First translations into your language of choice are allowed. HARD MODE: This is the first work you’ve read by this author.

  • JaymesRS@literature.cafeOPMEnglish
    1·
    2 years ago

    2B Set in War: The work takes place with an active war in the foreground or background. The characters do not need to be directly involved in combat, but the war’s presence must be a primary driver of the narrative. HARD MODE: There are more than 2 factions in the war.

  • JaymesRS@literature.cafeOPMEnglish
    1·
    2 years ago

    5D Cozy Read: Cozies generally feature a smaller cast of characters in a smaller location, emphasize community, highlight successes and inspirational moments, and have a more optimistic and upbeat tone. Above all, they have to have a satisfyingly happy ending. They offer comfort to their readers and a safe escape from the realities of daily life. HARD MODE: There is no hard mode, hard mode defeats the purpose of the cozy task.

    • Contrariwise@lemmy.blahaj.zoneEnglish
      4·
      2 years ago

      Suggestions: Becky Chambers (I think all of her books qualify) - Monk & Robot; Diana Wynne Jones - Howl’s Moving Castle

      My card: Heather Fawcett - Emily Wilde’s Encyclopaedia of Faeries

  • JaymesRS@literature.cafeOPMEnglish
    1·
    2 years ago

    3D LGBTQIA+ Lead: A main character identifies as LGBTQIA+. HARD MODE: Includes a significant romantic relationship between characters that identify as LGBTQIA+.

    • Contrariwise@lemmy.blahaj.zoneEnglish
      4·
      2 years ago

      Suggestion: any LGBTQIA+ romance, such as TJ Klune - Under the Whispering Door (or pretty much any other book by this author)

      My card: TJ Klune - Wolfsong

  • JaymesRS@literature.cafeOPMEnglish
    1·
    2 years ago

    2C Orange Crush: The title, a prominent element of the cover, or the narrative involves some form of orange (color, word, or fruit). HARD MODE: The work you chose uses multiple types of orange features.

  • JaymesRS@literature.cafeOPMEnglish
    1·
    2 years ago

    1A Number in the Title: The work must have a number in the title that’s not a just a volume/version number. Example: The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid. HARD MODE: Only numbers in the title.

    • JaymesRS@literature.cafeOPMEnglish
      2·
      2 years ago

      The 7½ Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle by Stuart Turton is a fun murder mystery with a groundhog’s day aspect

      My plan for this one is to go hard mode and read 11/22/63 by Steven King. I’ve heard it’s good. It’s also a crossover with Motion Picture.

      I like crossovers where I can find them because it lets me reshuffle them.

  • JaymesRS@literature.cafeOPMEnglish
    1·
    2 years ago

    1C Featured Creature: A sentient non-humanoid is the primary PoV, or a non-humanoid creature holds such a prominent role that the work would be completely different without them. Examples: Call of the Wild by Jack London or Old Yeller by Fred Gipson. HARD MODE: Not a sci-fi/fantasy creature.

    • JaymesRS@literature.cafeOPMEnglish
      3·
      2 years ago

      Hollow Kingdom by Kira Jane Buxton was a fun take on an apocalypse book, from the perspective of the animals that are left behind. So my plan is to slot the sequel Feral Creatures in here.

    • Contrariwise@lemmy.blahaj.zoneEnglish
      3·
      2 years ago

      Suggestion: Richard Adams - Watership Down; Richard Adams - The Plague Dogs; Kenneth Grahame - The Wind in the Willows

      My card: Richard Adams - Shardik

  • JaymesRS@literature.cafeOPMEnglish
    1·
    2 years ago

    3B Title: [X] of [Y] - The title of the book must feature the format described, such as A Wizard of Earthsea by Ursula K. Le Guin. HARD MODE: [X] of [Y] and [Z] (the conjunctions can be flexible).

    • Contrariwise@lemmy.blahaj.zoneEnglish
      4·
      2 years ago

      Suggestion: Nghi Vo - The Empress of Salt and Fortune; Laini Taylor - Daughter of Smoke and Bone

      My card: Barry Hughart - The Chronicles of Master Li and Number Ten Ox (omnibus)

  • JaymesRS@literature.cafeOPMEnglish
    1·
    2 years ago

    5A Steppin’ Up!: Challenges can come at you quickly, especially for those least prepared. Whether it’s a major leadership position or suddenly being gifted a baby dragon, life is about to get a whole lot harder and more complicated. HARD MODE: The primary PoV does not assume the throne of a monarchy/empire.

  • JaymesRS@literature.cafeOPMEnglish
    1·
    2 years ago

    5C Late to the Party: Apparently this is a really popular work, you just haven’t gotten around to it yet. Read a book that you have seen recommended over and over. HARD MODE: Not Harry Potter.