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A beginners guide to Literary Fiction
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By
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Cait Martin
What even is literary fiction? The best way I can describe it is this: no plot, just vibes. Literary fiction is usually character, rather than plot, based. That means very little world-building, fantastical elements, or background stories to understa...
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New Releases That Should Be on Your Radar
 
for when you need to feel like everything is going to be okay
 
for when you need a little drama
 
for when you need a good long cry
 
for when you want to get lost in something
 
it's rough out there for the girlies

New Releases That Should Be on Your Radar

new books being added to the lit fic essentials list

 
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girls night goes so hard we open a hell portal
Penance: A Novel
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If your late-night IG stalking was a book
I'm a Fan: A Novel
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A woman is literally followed by her own personal black hole as she just tries to do her job… relatable!
Ripe a book by Sarah Rose Etter
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A young man navigates first love and tragedy
Small Worlds a book by Caleb Azumah Nelson
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A drug-fueled LA fever dream I can't stop thinking about
All-Night Pharmacy a book by Ruth Madievsky
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A coming out / survivor story. Just beautiful <3
Old Enough a book by Haley Jakobson
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A student wants to be the cool new teacher's “pet”-- and things get dark
Pet a book by Catherine Chidgey
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After her friend's untimely death, June decides to publish her late friend's novel… as her own
Yellowface: A Reese's Book Club Pick
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for when you need to feel like everything is going to be okay

when you need to feel those warm fuzzies

 
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A writer finds her voice in the wake of her mother's death
Writers & Lovers a book by Lily King
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friends and lovers come together to imagine a different way of living
All This Could Be Different a book by Sarah Thankam Mathews
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Fancy cocktails, aesthetic restaurants, flower shops & lesbians… sign me up!
Yerba Buena a book by Nina Lacour
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You're not the only one struggling through the dating apps
Ghosts a book by Dolly Alderton
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The email exchanges in this book are immaculate
Beautiful World, Where Are You a book by Sally Rooney
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For all the university students who are in their own little world
The Idiot a book by Elif Batuman
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for when you need a little drama

when you wake up and choose chaos 

 
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A therapy transcriptionist develops an inappropriate relationship with a client
Big Swiss a book by Jen Beagin
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A lawyer for children receiving mental health care deals with her own trauma in a very messy way
Post-Traumatic a book by Chantal V. Johnson
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Art students vs. the 1%
Sirens & Muses a book by Antonia Angress
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Have you ever had an affair with a married man and then befriend his wife and started mentoring his daughter? Messy.
Luster a book by Raven Leilani
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A hot older professor falls for a younger man… and things spiral all the way out of control
Vladimir a book by Julia May Jonas
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A wild ride inside the mind of a deeply unlikeable person
Eileen a book by Ottessa Moshfegh
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for when you need a good long cry

these books were so depressing! ahhh… so satisfying!

 
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A not love story love story
Normal People a book by Sally Rooney
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When you want a little poetry
On Earth We're Briefly Gorgeous a book by Ocean Vuong
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classic tragic gay love
Giovanni's Room a book by James Baldwin
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trust me, the book is better
Call Me by Your Name a book by André Aciman
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two people learn to love in this scary world
Open Water a book by Caleb Azumah Nelson
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for when you want to get lost in something

this series was everything to me

 
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Book one of the Neapolitan novels-- where it all begins
My Brilliant Friend: A Novel (Neapolitan Novels, 1) a book by Elena Ferrante and Ann Goldstein
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Book two of the Neapolitan novels-- my favorite of the series!
The Story of a New Name: Neapolitan Novels, Book Two a book by Elena Ferrante and Ann Goldstein
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Book three of the Neapolitan novels-- all grown up
Those Who Leave and Those Who Stay: A Novel (Neapolitan Novels, 3) a book by Elena Ferrante and Ann Goldstein
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Book four of the Neapolitan novels-- the epic conclusion
The Story of the Lost Child: A Novel (Neapolitan Novels, 4) a book by Elena Ferrante and Ann Goldstein
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this book is thicc-- with love <3
The Love Songs of W.E.B. Du Bois: An Oprah's Book Club Pick a book by Honoree Fanonne Jeffers
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first book of a four part series with one of the most badass female characters of all time
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo: A Lisbeth Salander Novel a book by Stieg Larsson
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it's rough out there for the girlies

this is for the girlies who have no idea what they are doing-- I see you. I am you.

 
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for if you've ever been ghosted by a medium-ugly man
Acts of Desperation a book by Megan Nolan
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imposter syndrome got hands
Assembly a book by Natasha Brown
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a pandemic novel told through prophecy
Delphi a book by Clare Pollard
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your twenties are for intense and inappropriate relationships that result in your downfall… right?
Conversations with Friends a book by Sally Rooney
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mommy issues? check. inappropriate relationships? check. don't know what you are doing with your life? check, check, check.
You Exist Too Much a book by Zaina Arafat
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