I’ve just started giving Kamisama Kiss (graphic novels count, surely?) and Zuleikha by Guzel Yakhina a try. I’ve also had Neil Gaiman’s Anansi Boys sitting on my shelf for ages; I finished American Gods years ago so it should probably be next.
Is anyone here a fan of The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern?
I’ve heard good things about Kamisama Kiss but never read it. How is it so far?
@Sellalellen I’m enjoying it more than I expected to, but there are quite a few Shinto-specific terms that might throw you for a loop if you aren’t used to them. Even given past obsessions with xxxHolic and Gate 7, I find myself checking the glossaries fairly regularly.
The main romance hasn’t really grabbed me yet, but I’m picky about those, and it does seem to be exploring the concept of a human girl becoming a kami (and what that would entail) quite well.
Cool. I just finished Mizutama Honey Boy so I might read that one next. That’s good to know about the Shinto terms. People haven’t mentioned that to me before.
They aren’t terribly important to know off the top of your head, but I like keeping track of the history and legends around each being as much as I can, to compare with the narrative choices the author made. Onibi-warashi, shinshi, and tochigami are the most common, but some plot lines benefit from knowing specific stories, like volume 7 and the story of Izanami and Izanagi. Luckily most of them are fairly searchable online these days.
Google sure is great for that. A little while ago I was reading a manga that followed an Oiran in the red light discrict of Edo, and I think I spent most of my time in the first chapters googling various ceremonies and the meanings of specific hairpins and all that. After a while though, I could understand without referencing Google every time.
Oiran Girl is a good manga, but so much of the drama is hairpin related and every kind has some sort of symbolism attached.
I think I remember seeing that series, I might check it out.
As a resource, I’ve actually found reading Case Closed/Detective Conan very informative. It shows a lot about modern Japanese culture, but quite a few cases also involve historical figures, mythical creatures, and other Japanese trivia that get explained for the benefit of its younger main audience.
@Tornus I am ever so slightly OBSESSED with The Night Circus! I created a whole playlist to listen o while reading it, and I try to always drink coffee or hot chocolate with nutmeg when I read it to really get in the zone with sound, taste and aroma 
Currently reading The Monarch Papers v1, and just getting to the end of The City of Brass by S. A. Chakraborty. It’s utterly delightful - I’ve never really read any fiction set in and around Egypt, and this which is full of djinn and weaves in Arabian myths & folklore was just stunning. Can’t wait to read the next instalment!
Hey all! I’m currently reading Red Rising by Pierce Brown. One of my good friends suggested it to me, and the story is quite captivating. The author’s writing style is very short and to the point, which I’m not used to!
Not to give any spoilers out, but the first few chapters are like their own rollercoaster. It’s kept me reading for sure! I’m about to get started on TMP though.
KamiSama Kiss is a slow burner, tbh, it takes a bit to get going but once it does it draws you in.
Love the Red Rising trilogy, I’m on book two now.
Those first few chapters though! They get you attached then rip it away
Honestly the whole series is kinda like that.
So many cool books, so little time to read them. 
The Night Circus is pretty much my favorite book of all time!!!
The Dune series is on my wishlist. I remember catching the miniseries on Syfy back in the day, and I’m so happy they’re still printing it.
I find a surprising lack of Brian Sanderson on here. I aim to rectify that since I am currently listening to Mistborn Book 2: The Well of Ascension and The Stormlight Archives Book 1: Way of Kings. and my god… so good.
I have pretty much everything Sanderson on my wishlist, waiting on getting a job
I just finished rereading the Mistborn trilogy and it was just as amazing as the first time, if not more.
I’m almost done with the second book and I already have the third lined up to read as well.