Eggplant.place

3d

Here’s my review of Albion by Anna Hope, 2025… I liked a lot about this story of family secrets and sibling infighting, the characters were excellently written but the story didn’t quite fulfil its potential #bookstodon #BookReview #reading #Storygraph #audiobook @bookstodon
https://app.thestorygraph.com/reviews/91b14292-73c9-42e5-b896-5760e760eb99

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4d

YAY! Now I have a special landing page for my beta and street team folks! https://newsletter.sightlessscribbles.com/forms/team #ReadingCommunity #Reading #Readers #Bookstodon #Books

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3d

📚 The Disappearers by: Marlon James

In 1988, eight men in Kingston, Jamaica, begin rehearsals for a play, a modern masterpiece titled Fortune and Men's Eyes by Canadian playwright John Herbert. The men are strangers to one another and each has a different reason for being involved. But they all share one inescapable truth: All o...

https://bookblabla.com/book/the-disappearers

@bookstodon

#books #reading #libraries #fiction #lgbtq #gayfiction #worldliterature #literary

In 1988, eight men in Kingston, Jamaica, begin rehearsals for a play, a modern masterpiece titled Fortune and Men's Eyes by Canadian playwright John Herbert. The men are strangers to one another and each has a different reason for being involved. But they all share one inescapable truth: All of them are gay—a "batty man" in Jamaican argot—and all of them must contend with the dangers that such a truth lays bare.

One night when the men are together a mob savagely attacks them, killing one of the men. For the survivors, their recovery is as much emotional as it is physical: As their bodies heal, each man grapples with the violence, the hatred, and the rage that the attack made plain. Some try to ignore what the attack unearthed, while others double down on retribution.

In The Disappearers, Marlon James has written a riveting and deeply human story of men forced to make compromises to survive that the society they live in demands. It is both a dramatic page-turner and an unflinching exploration of queer life in Jamaica during the 1980s and 1990s.

LONGLISTED FOR THE 2026 BOOKER PRIZE

From Marlon James, author of the Booker Prize–winning A Brief History of Seven Killings, a propulsive novel about the murder of a gay man in 1980s Jamaica and its tragic consequences.

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32d

The most recent review of my story The Last Philosopher, for me the greatest compliment I can get is that someone wants to reread the story 😊

Buy Part One: https://books2read.com/b/m0pJYA

1€ Ebook. Help an #IndieAuthor to get to 100€ sales. This is not for the profit but to avoid the fees from D2D.

@books @reading@fedigroups.sociall @fantasy @bookstodon

#Absurdism
#Reading #Readers
#Fiction #Fantasy #Comedy #SFF #Funny #Satire
#Indie #IndieBooks
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#Review #Bookreview
#Recommendation

$A Brilliant Story in Absurdist Flavor by Billy101 Friday, July 3rd, 2026 20:04 First of all, this story challenged my brain. It requires a slow read to appreciate the wit and clever humor. It has a distinct voice that uses play on words and Overall mundane absurdity to tell a story that’s actually cosmic horror. I'm honestly impressed with the author's skill in weaving a complex story that I think in many ways is a satire of social systems, which is the part that sometimes makes me stop and say “Oh wow, that is deep. And chilling.” like the imprisonment of philo—oh | don't want to spoil. Some comments: Sometimes the multiple inner voices / fractured psyche can be overwhelming, especially since the two protagonists share the same quirk. Though it’s funny. I feel like there's a deeper reason why they do. Another is that the story sometimes unfold through the characters not doing anything much physically (or maybe it's because they are philosophers). The humor is great, but I think there are times when it undercuts the impactful beats instead of letting them linger a little longer. There are also some tense slips and minor missing punctuations. Overall, it's very entertaining. Perfect for warming up my rusty brain since I'm just starting to read again. I think I will read this again in my free time because the voice is just so entertaining. But make no mistake, the worldbuilding is solid, and the plot is not what you see coming. I think this is actually a diamond in the rough. Excited to read book 2!$

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103d

Self-promotion in progress 😁

The Last Philosopher is a Fantasy/Attempted Comedy story that some have even compared to #DouglasAdams and #TerryPratchett

My response to that comparison, is to go hide under the covers for a week with embarrassment 😊

1€ Ebook. Help an #IndieAuthor to get to 100€ sales. This is not for the profit but to avoid the fees from D2D.

Part One: https://books2read.com/b/m0pJYA

#FantasyBooks #Fantasy #Comedy #Reading #Bookstodon #Books #IndieAuthor #AmWriting

Edited 36d ago

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2d

📚 Mad Honey by: Jodi Picoult, Jennifer Finney Boylan

Olivia McAfee's picture-perfect life - living in Boston, married to a brilliant cardiothoracic surgeon, raising their beautiful son, Asher - was upended when her husband revealed a darker side. She never imagined that she would end up back in her sleepy New Hampshire homet...

https://bookblabla.com/book/mad-honey

@bookstodon

#books #reading #libraries #fiction #sagasfiction #literaryfiction #womenfiction #familylife

Olivia McAfee's picture-perfect life - living in Boston, married to a brilliant cardiothoracic surgeon, raising their beautiful son, Asher - was upended when her husband revealed a darker side. She never imagined that she would end up back in her sleepy New Hampshire hometown, living in the house she grew up in.

Lily Campanello is familiar with do-overs, too. When she and her mum relocate to Adams, New Hampshire, they both hope it will be a fresh start. And for just a short while, these new beginnings are exactly what Olivia and Lily need. Their paths cross when Asher falls for the new girl in school, and Lily can't help but fall for him, too. With Ash, she feels happy for the first time. Yet she wonders if she can trust him completely. Then one day, Olivia receives a phone call - Lily is dead, and Asher is being questioned by the police.

Olivia is adamant that her son is innocent. But she would be lying if she didn't acknowledge the flashes of his father's temper in Ash, and as the case against him unfolds, she realises he's hidden more than he's shared with her.

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1d

📚 Starless and Bible Black by: Steve Haddon

Martin King wouldn't be on many people's "saving the world" list. Not his mates'. Not even his own. Despite his nickname, ("Neo"), he can't run up walls, dodge bullets, or do any martial arts. Martin is a middle-aged science teacher, living in the tiny village of Llareggub, in mid-Wales. And his main objective in ...

https://bookblabla.com/book/starless-and-bible-black

@bookstodon

#books #reading #libraries #fiction #general

Martin King wouldn't be on many people's "saving the world" list. Not his mates'. Not even his own. Despite his nickname, ("Neo"), he can't run up walls, dodge bullets, or do any martial arts. Martin is a middle-aged science teacher, living in the tiny village of Llareggub, in mid-Wales. And his main objective in life is avoiding stress. Throw in some clear nights for star-gazing and a sound track of cracking songs, and you've got Martin's nirvana.

But God, (or whoever it is), has other ideas. And before he knows it, Martin, together with the other Advocates, is tasked with convincing idiot politicians and greedy billionaires that something has to be done about capitalism and consumerism. And if they don't? It's end of. Not surprisingly: the politicians don't get it; the mega-rich don't want it; and the press have questions - lots of questions. As do the Secret Service. Meanwhile, Captain Cat isn't pitching in with much of any use. Which is hardly surprising. He's just a cat!
But... it's not all fun and games! A serious question is asked in this story: Is the human race too greedy and too stupid to save itself from extinction?

"The best, most important, and funniest debut novel I've ever written." Steve Haddon
"My mum and dad wouldn't like it. They'd probably think you've lost the plot. But then again, they're dead - and didn't read books." A "friend"
"I don't give a flying f*** what your dead mum and dad think." Steve Haddon
"Whatever." An ex-friend.

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6d

RE: https://me.dm/@tuckerlieberman/117180472131650269

Please see! See see see! 👀 👀 👀
Under the lettuce bag!

The cover of ATTIS & ALEPH has been revealed! #poetry #bookrelease #reading
Cover art: Rachel A. Rosen @youseeatortoise

https://nightbeats.substack.com/p/write-on-back-to-school-edition

⬆️ ⬆️ ⬆️

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7d

I'm super late for my biannual re-#introduction post... Whoops! 😅

Anyway, I'm slanderoid. I'm just some guy from a tiny #rural village in Midwest, USA. I came to #Mastodon after #Twitter turned into a medical waste dumpster fire back in 2022. I'm turning 40 in a week and I feel weird about it

I'm a #geek. (Or a #nerd, I'm not sure which.) I love #horror of all kinds. I used to play a lot of #VideoGames but not so much, lately. I'm more into #movies and #music at the moment. I love #books and I can often be found #reading something. My wife and I run a big #LittleFreeLibrary from our front lawn. We've got some big plans for it next year!

I recently launched a website full of my #writing over at https://notaherostory.com. #NotAHeroStory has been my dream for many years and it's cool that, after some hard work, time, and dedication, it finally exists! If you're into #fantasy, #comedy, #LitRPG, or #beer, you should check it out. It's 94% free!

If you're new here, welcome! 😄

The painting I commissioned last year for the cover of "(Not) A Hero Story". A blue-haired man wields a wooden sword against a huge snake in a dark forest. The snake is holding a tanuki captive with its tail. A pink fairy and a massive spider are off to the sides.

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3d

Is it just me or should it be make HAPPY head voice louder? 🤔😂

@reading @bookstodon @books @humor @humor@lemmy.world @aiop @joinin

#ReadingMemes #Meme #Humor #Humour #Funny #Geek
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#Novel #Books #Fiction #Bookstodon

Meme photo of a caricature reading.
Caption: Stare shapes on dead tree make sad head voice louder.

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1d

Quote from Don't Say Palestine: https://bookwyrm.social/user/pivic/quotation/12495234#anchor-12495234

'PROLOGUE

Why I Correct Headlines

In May 2021, I was reading the news on my phone when a headline stopped me, not because it shocked me, but because it carried the familiar tone that Western media outlets have perfected in constructing their narrative of Palestine. The article was about Palestinians being forced out of their homes in East Jerusalem. I remember pausing, then rereading the headline and subhead to take in the careful linguistic choices and the essential information that was missing. As a historian of the region, I was not surprised to see the way the media reflected the official account of their country's foreign policy positions.

The headline used the word "evictions," which suggested paperwork, municipal procedure, and real estate disputes. It did not say that East Jerusalem is recognized under international law as occupied Palestinian territory and that these expulsions were just another episode in a long history of forced displacement and land theft. This history was not denied outright, but it was laundered to erase Israeli violence and Palestinian victimhood. The language was softened enough to dull its meaning, referring to "contested neighborhoods" instead of "occupation," saying "to remove" rather than "to ethnically cleanse." These word choices were no accident.

I found myself mentally rewriting it, inserting the missing context, restoring the agency and violation that had been carefully edited out. What would happen, I wondered, if the headline actually said what was happening? If it distinguished the occupier and the occupied? So, I decided to make those changes. I took a screenshot, crossed out the problematic language, made my edits in red, and posted it. I did not expect a strong reaction. But as the post gained traction and the image spread, I realized it could do more than correct headlines. It offered a way to expose how reality itself had been slanted to fit our political ecosystem.'

#Palestine #FreePalestine #ManufacturingConsent #israel #genocide @books #books #reading @bookstodon @booksto

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2d

It's tragic that Nassun, in a fit of rage, comes to understand her father's filicidal outbursts—but can't quite make the connection that what she aims to do with her fear and hatred is just as evil as what Jija did to Uche with his.

So close! Just a wee bit more self-reflection and she'd get there…

Ah, but we're only a quarter of the way through the book. There's time and hope for Nassun yet.

@bookstodon#Books #Reading #SFF #SciFi #Fantasy #Fiction #BrokenEarth

(comment on The Stone Sky)

N. K. Jemisin: The Stone Sky (AudiobookFormat, 2017, Hachette Audio)

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2d

Another sneak peak wednesday, this time the opening quote of chapter ten of The Last Philosopher: Part Two

Let me know what you think about the Gods' dice habit 🤔😁

1€ ebook of Part One found here: https://books2read.com/b/m0pJYA

@reading @books @fantasy @bookstodon @joinin

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#Quote #Quotes #BookQuote
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#Reading #Readers

In the dark

“The Gods’ only talent is playing dice with the universe. But even then they have to load the dice.”

~The first philosopher

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1d

"They’re afraid because we exist, she says. There’s nothing we did to provoke their fear, other than exist. There’s nothing we can do to earn their approval, except stop existing—so we can either die like they want, or laugh at their cowardice and go on with our lives."

— N. K. Jemisin: The Stone Sky

@bookstodon#Books #Reading #Quotes #SFF #SciFi #Fantasy #Fiction #BrokenEarth

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