Open Shelf
What we're reading, sharing, and thinking about.
179 entries
Dungeon Crawler Carl
Matt Dinniman
A man and his cat must fight through a reality TV dungeon. Starts lighthearted but gets deeper. The audiobook version is especially recommended.
2026-05-22
Project Hail Mary
Andy Weir
Equally funny and entertaining, a light read to disconnect and wonder about the universe. Hard to put down.
2026-05-22
Murderbot Diaries
Martha Wells
A self-aware security robot who just wants to watch soap operas. Fun, witty, and surprisingly heartfelt.
2026-05-22
The Expanse
James S.A. Corey
A gritty space opera series. Great for audiobooks while driving.
2026-06-01
Ancillary Justice
Ann Leckie
The beginning is slow but it picks up. Widely recommended and the strongest of Leckie's Imperial Radch work.
2026-06-05
Theo of Golden
Allen Levi
A profound human connection, and the unexpected ways art can heal long-held grief.
2026-05-22
The Windup Girl
Paolo Bacigalupi
Biopunk speculative fiction. Some very dark moments, not for everyone, but brilliant.
2026-06-01
Bobiverse
Dennis E. Taylor
A man's consciousness uploaded to a space probe. Same narrator as Project Hail Mary. Fun and thought-provoking.
2026-05-22
Dune
Frank Herbert
One of the most influential science fiction books ever written. Pure escapism.
2026-05-22
The Fifth Season
N.K. Jemisin
Hugo Award-winning novel. All three books in the series won. Magic, science fiction, and apocalypse inspired by a visit to NASA.
2026-05-22
Wheel of Time
Robert Jordan
A unique world and a different take on the 'chosen one' narrative. A truly epic series.
2026-05-22
A Wizard's Guide to Defensive Baking
T. Kingfisher
A young baker whose magic works on bread dough must save her city. Delightful and original.
2026-06-05
Legends & Lattes
Travis Baldree
A retired adventurer opens a coffee shop. Cozy fantasy at its finest.
2026-06-05
Mercy Thompson
Patricia Briggs
Paranormal fantasy series featuring a shapeshifting mechanic navigating a world of werewolves and fae.
2026-06-05
Singing Hills Cycle
Nghi Vo
Poetic fantasy novellas beginning with The Empress of Salt and Fortune. Recommended by readers and their children alike.
2026-06-05
Circe
Madeline Miller
Madeline Miller's stunning retelling of the witch of Aeaea's story.
2026-06-01
Red Rising
Pierce Brown
A color-coded caste system on Mars and one man's fight to break it. Gripping from start to finish.
2026-06-01
Rubicon
Tom Holland
The fall of the Roman Republic. Tom Holland at his best.
2026-06-01
Song of Achilles
Madeline Miller
Madeline Miller is an incredible author. A beautiful retelling of the Iliad.
2026-06-01
Starter Villain
John Scalzi
Great fun. Scalzi at his most entertaining.
2026-06-01
The Water Knife
Paolo Bacigalupi
Near-future dystopian eco-fiction about the fight over the last drops of the Colorado River.
2026-06-01
Yesteryear
Caro Claire Burke
A tradwife influencer awakens in the brutal reality of 1855. A sharp satire and GMA Book Club pick.
2026-06-01
Children of Time
Adrian Tchaikovsky
Humans and sentient spiders, octopuses, and other evolved creatures explore and clash across star systems.
2026-05-22
Discount Dan
James A. Hunter
A darkly comedic LitRPG set in a twisted dungeon department store.
2026-05-22
Discworld
Terry Pratchett
Beloved comic fantasy. Perfect for audiobooks on dog walks.
2026-05-22
Exhalation
Ted Chiang
More mind-blowing short stories from Ted Chiang. Philosophical and beautiful.
2026-05-22
Radiant Star
Ann Leckie
From the author of the excellent Ancillary series, which features a very interesting depiction of AI in fiction.
2026-05-22
Remarkably Bright Creatures
Shelby Van Pelt
A feel-good story told partly from the perspective of an octopus. Possibly grab some tissues.
2026-05-22
Somewhere Beyond the Sea
TJ Klune
The companion to The House in the Cerulean Sea. Equally hopeful and warm.
2026-05-22
Stories of Your Life and Others
Ted Chiang
Mind-blowing short stories. Arrival (the movie) is based on one of them.
2026-05-22
The Dawn of Everything
David Graeber and David Wengrow
An extensive and humbling anthropological work that reshapes common narratives about human intelligence and societal evolution.
2026-05-22
The House in the Cerulean Sea
TJ Klune
Delightful and hopeful at exactly this moment in history. Touches of magic and beautiful messages.
2026-05-22
The Women
Kristin Hannah
About female medics in Vietnam. Powerful and moving.
2026-05-22
The Stormlight Archive
Brandon Sanderson
A masterclass in worldbuilding, Sanderson balances hard-magic action with deeply empathetic character arcs to make a modern epic.
2026-06-12
Alpha and Omega
Patricia Briggs
A companion series to Mercy Thompson set in the same paranormal universe.
2026-06-05
Blind Date with a Werewolf
Patricia Briggs
Short stories set in the Mercy Thompson universe. Good enough to read twice.
2026-06-05
Bugs in the Arroyo
Steven Gould
A short work by Steven Gould set in a larger scenario worth exploring further.
2026-06-05
Daemon
Daniel Suarez
A techno-thriller about an AI daemon that activates upon its creator's death.
2026-06-05
Dandelion Dynasty
Ken Liu
An epic fantasy series inspired by Chinese history, from the acclaimed translator and author.
2026-06-05
Dresden Files
Jim Butcher
A perennial favorite. Wizard detective noir set in modern Chicago.
2026-06-05
Foundryside
Robert Jackson Bennett
A trilogy blending heist fiction with industrial fantasy and magical engineering.
2026-06-05
Make Fresh Milk Paint
Lost Art Press
A practical guide to making traditional milk paint from scratch.
2026-06-05
Pandora's Jar
Natalie Haynes
Recenters Greek mythology on its women. Scholarly yet accessible.
2026-06-05
Promethea
Alan Moore
A mind-blowing comic book series exploring mythology, magic, and imagination.
2026-06-05
Scandal in Babylon
Barbara Hambly
A historical mystery series set in 1920s Hollywood. Part of Hambly's extensive and beloved body of work.
2026-06-05
Swimming with Crocodiles
Will Chaffey
An Australian adventure memoir.
2026-06-05
The Anarchist's Tool Chest
Chris Schwarz
Essential woodworking reference. Part of a series including The Anarchist's Design Book and The Anarchist's Workbench, also available as free PDFs from Lost Art Press.
2026-06-05
The Fabric of Civilization
Virginia Postrel
How textiles made the world. A fascinating look at the technology and trade of fabric through history.
2026-06-05
The Girl with a Thousand Faces
Sunyi Dean
Fantasy with horror elements. A great palate cleanser between books in a big series.
2026-06-05
The Maid
Nita Prose
A hotel maid with a unique perspective discovers a dead body and becomes entangled in a mystery.
2026-06-05
The Mystery Guest
Nita Prose
The sequel to The Maid, continuing the cozy mystery adventures of Molly the hotel maid.
2026-06-05
The Sword of Kaigen
M.L. Wang
A self-published fantasy gem with a chapter near the end that ranks among the most impactful things readers have experienced.
2026-06-05
Vera Wong's Unsolicited Advice for Murderers
Jesse Q. Sutanto
A nosy tea shop owner inserts herself into a murder investigation. Charming and funny.
2026-06-05
Wayfarers
Becky Chambers
Cozy, character-driven space opera. Perfect lighter sci-fi fare.
2026-06-05
Workshop Wound Care
Lost Art Press
Essential first aid knowledge for hand-tool woodworkers.
2026-06-05
White Trash Warlock (Adam Binder Series)
David R Slayton
The Dresden Files meets Supernatural, leaning into rural, low-magic fantasy while dealing with elves, demons, and family trauma
2026-06-04
The Devils
Joe Abercrombie
A funny, action packed novel in a alternate history Europe. Cool world, great characters.
2026-06-02
The Fisherman
John Langan
Abe lost his wife to cancer, he turned to fishing to keep him sane. When his coworker faces similar loss they encounter a long unvisted fishing spot and it's mysteries.
2026-06-02
1776
David McCullough
The dramatic story of the year that shaped the American Revolution.
2026-06-01
3 Days, 9 Months, 27 Years
John Scalzi
A time travel short story about tourism, secrets, and the question of when to change everything.
2026-06-01
428 AD
Giusto Traina
An ordinary year at the end of the Roman Empire. Really enjoyable.
2026-06-01
A Court of Thorns and Roses
Sarah J. Maas
A romantasy series that gets people back into reading.
2026-06-01
A Tree Grows in Brooklyn
Betty Smith
Essentially autobiographic and somehow about everything. Vivid storytelling that feels like saying goodbye to a friend.
2026-06-01
American Wolf
Nate Blakeslee
An excellent account of the re-introduction of wolves to the American west.
2026-06-01
Artifact
Jeremy Robinson
A harrowing blend of suspense, science, and survival involving a generative AI capable of printing living organisms.
2026-06-01
Bitten
Kris Newby
The secret history of Lyme Disease and biological weapons.
2026-06-01
Black Cake
Charmaine Wilkerson
A family saga unraveling secrets across generations.
2026-06-01
Consider Phlebas
Iain M. Banks
A landmark Culture novel exploring vast space opera and the clash of civilizations.
2026-06-01
Day Zero
C. Robert Cargill
Companion to Sea of Rust, narrated by an intelligent robot tiger.
2026-06-01
Don Quixote
Miguel de Cervantes
The original novel. Great as an audiobook.
2026-06-01
Dopesick
Beth Macy
The devastating story of the opioid crisis in America.
2026-06-01
Dynasty
Tom Holland
The rise of the Julio-Claudians and the invention of imperial power.
2026-06-01
Elsecaller
Brandon Sanderson and Dan Wells
A Cosmere novella.
2026-06-01
Emperor of Rome
Mary Beard
Mary Beard on the imperial period, balancing practical history with drama.
2026-06-01
Expeditionary Force
Craig Alanson
Sci-fi action at its best. Great for audiobooks.
2026-06-01
Fall; or, Dodge in Hell
Neal Stephenson
Ambitious Stephenson exploring digital afterlife, mythology, and the nature of consciousness.
2026-06-01
Fallen Dragon
Peter F. Hamilton
Excellent sci-fi, as expected from Peter F. Hamilton.
2026-06-01
Gilgamesh
Simon Armitage (translator)
A new translation of the ancient epic by Simon Armitage.
2026-06-01
God's Junk Drawer
Peter Clines
Land of the Lost meets Star Trek. A group of grad students discover a primordial valley of dinosaurs, aliens, and androids.
2026-06-01
Goodbye to All That
Robert Graves
Often considered the best memoir of World War I.
2026-06-01
House of Leaves
Mark Z. Danielewski
A terrifying non-Euclidean horror story within a horror story.
2026-06-01
I, Medusa
Ayana Gray
A captivating retelling of Medusa's origin story, reimagining her as a powerful young heroine.
2026-06-01
Infinite
Jeremy Robinson
Mind-bending sci-fi exploring reality itself. Narrated by R.C. Bray.
2026-06-01
Iron Widow
Xiran Jay Zhao
Historical fiction from another culture. Audiobook recommended for name pronunciation.
2026-06-01
Kaiju Preservation Society
John Scalzi
Fun and breezy sci-fi about protecting giant monsters.
2026-06-01
King Lopen: The First of Alethkar
Brandon Sanderson
A short Cosmere story set in the Stormlight Archive universe.
2026-06-01
Last House on Needless Street
Catriona Ward
A great read with significant portions written from a cat's perspective.
2026-06-01
Legendborn
Tracy Deonn
A fantasy trilogy blending Arthurian legend with Southern Black culture.
2026-06-01
Lincoln in the Bardo
George Saunders
Innovative and moving fiction by George Saunders.
2026-06-01
Nobody's Girl
Virginia Giuffre
Virginia Giuffre tells her own story.
2026-06-01
Old Man's War
John Scalzi
Military sci-fi with wit and heart. A Scalzi classic.
2026-06-01
On This Day in History Sh!t Went Down
James Fell
Comic takes on historical events by a historian who doesn't take himself too seriously.
2026-06-01
Opera Wars
Caitlin Vincent
A colorful, witty look behind opera's velvet curtain and the battles for its future.
2026-06-01
Paper Girl
Beth Macy
Journalism and social justice from the author of Dopesick.
2026-06-01
Path of Ascension
C_Mantis
LitRPG progression fantasy.
2026-06-01
Pax
Tom Holland
Post Julio-Claudian imperial history. Can be read standalone.
2026-06-01
Pax Romana
Adrian Goldsworthy
Dense and very, very well-written. Not breezy, but deeply rewarding.
2026-06-01
Persian Fire
Tom Holland
The Persian Empire gets the attention it deserves, beyond the Greek-biased worldview.
2026-06-01
Pushing Ice
Alastair Reynolds
Hard sci-fi at its best. A moon of Saturn breaks orbit and a crew is sent to investigate.
2026-06-01
Queen of the Tearling
Erika Johansen
A fantasy trilogy worth re-reading.
2026-06-01
Quest Academy
Brian J. Nordon
LitRPG fantasy series.
2026-06-01
Replaceable You
Mary Roach
Mary Roach's latest. Best as a regular book.
2026-06-01
Rivers of America
Various Authors
Many books by many authors covering America's rivers. All very well written.
2026-06-01
Sea of Rust
C. Robert Cargill
The apocalypse for robots. Western-style shootouts and scrounging for rare parts.
2026-06-01
Sir Gawain and the Green Knight
Simon Armitage (translator)
Simon Armitage's acclaimed translation of the medieval Arthurian poem.
2026-06-01
Sisters in Yellow
Mieko Kawakami
A noir novel of sacrifice and the tumultuous bonds of sisterhood, set in the gritty Tokyo of the 1990s.
2026-06-01
Soundbite
Sara Harberson
A college admissions guide from an insider turned consultant. Great if you have a high schooler.
2026-06-01
SPQR
Mary Beard
The whole story of Rome. An excellent way to learn about ancient Rome without stuffy academics.
2026-06-01
Staff Engineer
Will Larson
A guide to the staff-plus engineering career path.
2026-06-01
Superintelligence
Nick Bostrom
Exploring the paths, dangers, and strategies around artificial superintelligence.
2026-06-01
The Correspondent
Virginia Evans
An epistolary novel told entirely through a retired lawyer's letters and emails. A slow-burn NYT bestseller.
2026-06-01
The Count of Monte Cristo
Alexandre Dumas
A classic of revenge, justice, and redemption.
2026-06-01
The Department of Truth
James Tynion IV
A comic book series that is a real trip, with a delicious art style.
2026-06-01
The Elements of Marie Curie
Dava Sobel
Really hard to put down. A fascinating life of endurance and contribution to the world.
2026-06-01
The Enchanted Greenhouse
Sarah Beth Durst
Cozy fantasy standalone set in the same universe as The Spellshop.
2026-06-01
The Great Alone
Kristin Hannah
A Kristin Hannah novel set in Alaska. A great beach read.
2026-06-01
The Man in the High Castle
Philip K. Dick
An alternate history where the Axis powers won WWII.
2026-06-01
The Ministry for the Future
Kim Stanley Robinson
Climate fiction exploring humanity's response to the crisis.
2026-06-01
The Only Good Indians
Stephen Graham Jones
A fabulous horror novel. 10/10; scary, deep, and haunting.
2026-06-01
The Southern Book Club's Guide to Slaying Vampires
Grady Hendrix
Set in the 80s/90s. Spookier as an audiobook while walking at night.
2026-06-01
The Spellshop
Sarah Beth Durst
Cozy fantasy with plants, gardening, and witty banter. Great as either audiobook or regular.
2026-06-01
The Storm Before the Storm
Mike Duncan
Perhaps the best book about the beginning of the end of the Roman Republic.
2026-06-01
The Twelve Caesars
Michael Grant
Imperial biographies of Rome's first twelve rulers.
2026-06-01
The Tyr
Richard Fox
A first contact space opera about one family's fight to save an alien civilization. Narrated by R.C. Bray.
2026-06-01
The Wedding People
Alison Espach
A witty and warm novel about unexpected connections.
2026-06-01
The Witch's Heart
Genevieve Gornichec
Retells Angrboda and Loki's story from Norse mythology. Excellent.
2026-06-01
The Wolf Den
Elodie Harper
Historical fiction set in ancient Pompeii. Intriguing fiction from other cultures.
2026-06-01
Throne of Glass
Sarah J. Maas
An epic fantasy series with a fierce assassin protagonist.
2026-06-01
We Sold Our Souls
Grady Hendrix
A supernatural tale about a metal band, lost sparks, and the One Who Went Big. METAL.
2026-06-01
Whistler
Ann Patchett
The latest from Ann Patchett.
2026-06-01
World War Moo
Michael Logan
Apocalyptic comedy sequel featuring infected livestock.
2026-06-01
13.8
John Gribbin
The quest to find the true age of the universe and the theory of everything.
2026-05-22
About Time
David Rooney
A fascinating book about how clocks have shaped civilization. A history of civilization through twelve clocks.
2026-05-22
AI for Good
Josh Tyrangiel
Explores how AI can actually improve our lives and tells the stories of everyday citizens at the forefront of AI entrepreneurship.
2026-05-22
Atmosphere
Taylor Jenkins Reid
A standout from Taylor Jenkins Reid. Definitely grab tissues.
2026-05-22
Awareness
Anthony de Mello
More in the philosophy arena. A reminder to be present. An evergreen read.
2026-05-22
Baroque Cycle
Neal Stephenson
A challenging but amazing read spanning the scientific revolution and the birth of modern economics.
2026-05-22
Becoming Kin
Patty Krawec
An Anishinaabe author focuses on the past and present of Indigenous communities. Eye-opening and thoughtful.
2026-05-22
Beyond the Curtain
Marie Lunga
A debut fantasy novel. Written in English with a European flair.
2026-05-22
Conquest of the Useless
Werner Herzog
Werner Herzog's diary from the making of Fitzcarraldo. Obsessive, poetic, and wild.
2026-05-22
Cutting for Stone
Abraham Verghese
Beautiful prose and a sweeping story of twin brothers born in Ethiopia.
2026-05-22
Dark Tide
Stephen Puleo
The Great Boston Molasses Flood of 1919. How a big corporation cut corners at the cost of many lives.
2026-05-22
Fall of Civilizations
Paul Cooper
Also available as a podcast. A gateway to loving history even if it wasn't your favorite genre.
2026-05-22
Fifth Sun
Camilla Townsend
A new history of the Aztecs. Dense with nuanced differences in worldview that are sometimes difficult to quickly absorb.
2026-05-22
Frankenstein
Mary Shelley
Amazing, and I wish I had read it sooner. A timeless classic.
2026-05-22
Hackers and Painters
Paul Graham
Essays on art and tech. An evergreen collection.
2026-05-22
Have A Nice Day
Mick Foley
Over 700 pages but still feels like a light read. The wrestler Mick Foley has a compelling voice.
2026-05-22
He Who Fights With Monsters
Shirtaloon
A popular LitRPG series with great character development.
2026-05-22
How Minds Change
David McRaney
About how people actually change their minds. Practical and insightful.
2026-05-22
How to Make Your Brain Your Best Friend
Rachel Barr
Practical neuroscience for everyday life.
2026-05-22
Ilium and Olympos
Dan Simmons
Solid sci-fi that reimagines the Trojan War in a far-future setting. Dense and rewarding.
2026-05-22
Mayflower
Nathaniel Philbrick
A great perspective on what the Pilgrims went through, with the best rundown of King Philip's War from the perspective of both sides.
2026-05-22
Nemesis
Isaac Asimov
A telepathic girl on an isolationist space colony discovers that a sentient planet is on a collision course with Earth.
2026-05-22
Pedro Páramo
Juan Rulfo
A classic. The book that inspired Gabriel García Márquez to write One Hundred Years of Solitude.
2026-05-22
Penric and Desdemona
Lois McMaster Bujold
Short novellas about a mostly friendly, somewhat tame demon and the very nice young man she ends up possessing. They come to be friends.
2026-05-22
Reamde
Neal Stephenson
A ransomware virus hidden inside a massive MMO accidentally triggers a global conflict between hackers, terrorists, and the Russian mob. Long, but rewarding.
2026-05-22
Rope
Tim Queeny
A fascinating book on the history and cultural impact of rope with a lot of sailing talk thrown in for good measure.
2026-05-22
Social Acceleration
Hartmut Rosa
A well-researched exploration of how modern systems that must continue to grow and accelerate impact us as individuals and communities.
2026-05-22
Staying Human in the Age of AI
Bryan Walsh
A grounded take on what AI actually changes about work and what it doesn't. Great for anyone feeling the hype fatigue.
2026-05-22
Stolen Focus
Johann Hari
About why it's harder to pay attention. A timely read.
2026-05-22
The Age of AI
Henry Kissinger, Eric Schmidt, and Daniel Huttenlocher
Published in 2021, it remains remarkably prescient and relevant despite the step changes of the last few years.
2026-05-22
The Courage to Be Disliked
Ichiro Kishimi and Fumitake Koga
A dialogue explaining Alfred Adler's philosophy. It really stuck with me and changed my way of thinking. Particularly helpful for building resiliency.
2026-05-22
The Demon-Haunted World
Carl Sagan
An interesting viewpoint on society from 1995 that is still relevant today. A case for scientific thinking.
2026-05-22
The Gales of November
John U. Bacon
About the Edmund Fitzgerald, plus fascinating historical background from the 1700s onward concerning Lake Superior and the Great Lakes region.
2026-05-22
The Mad Wife
Meagan Church
An emotional narrative with psychological suspense covering women's roles in the 1950s. Hard at times but a powerful read.
2026-05-22
The Many Lives of Mama Love
Lara Love Hardin
A remarkable true story of reinvention and resilience.
2026-05-22
The Measure
Nikki Erlick
Thought-provoking and well written, a mix of societal, existential, and philosophical analysis.
2026-05-22
The Nightingale
Kristin Hannah
Two sisters in occupied France during WW2. A deeply engaging read.
2026-05-22
The Starless Sea
Erin Morgenstern
Interesting narrative techniques and a good story. The main character finds a book in a library, starts reading, and realizes he is in the book.
2026-05-22
The Wandering Inn
pirateaba
Despite the trappings of LitRPG, it has some of the most comprehensive and complex worldbuilding of any book series. A lot is published and it's showing no signs of stopping.
2026-05-22
The World Before Yesterday
Jared Diamond
What can we learn from traditional societies? A wide-ranging look at how people used to live.
2026-05-22
This Is for Everyone
Sir Tim Berners-Lee
Like being behind the scenes at the start of the internet.
2026-05-22
Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow
Gabrielle Zevin
A novel about friendship, creativity, and video game design spanning decades.
2026-05-22
Tress of the Emerald Sea
Brandon Sanderson
A charming fairy-tale style adventure set in one of Sanderson's cosmere worlds.
2026-05-22
Under the Whispering Door
TJ Klune
A great book on grief, with TJ Klune's signature warmth and magic.
2026-05-22
Vigil
George Saunders
A natural follow up to Lincoln in the Bardo. Almost feels like the second in a trilogy.
2026-05-22
Wayward Pines
Blake Crouch
Sci-fi thrillers that explore perceived reality. So engaging you'll tear through all three books.
2026-05-22
When Breath Becomes Air
Paul Kalanithi
A neurosurgeon faces his own mortality. Profound and deeply moving.
2026-05-22
Zapatista Stories for Dreaming An-Other World
Subcomandante Marcos
Humorous and subtly profound, written in the spirit of Zapata and Kandiaronk.
2026-05-22