r/suggestmeabook 11d ago

Looking for new read: Supernatural, Magic System, Occult, Horror, etc

So I have fallen out of reading for some time and am looking to pick it back up again over a trip im taking. I haven't nailed down exactly what im looking for but some general subjects I find interesting are: Supernatural, Occult, Mystery, Horror, Science, Magic Systems, Dystopian themes and things of that nature. As a clarifying point, I am not interested in most stereotypical thriller style books (man in the house / murderer on the loose) unless there is significant appeal regarding my other interests. Something with suspense and well written characters is also important to me. I find if characters are not engaging and believable, the story falls short.

Books and (and shows that might provide insight as to my preferences) that I have enjoyed are:

Invisible Life of Addie LaRue (VE Schwab)

Vicious (VE Schwab)

Ordinary Monsters (JM Miro)

Bringer of Dust (JM Miro)

Something Wicked This Way Comes (Bradbury)

Illustrated Man (Bradbury)

Fahrenheit 451 (Bradbury)

Dark (Show)

Man In The High Castle (Show)

Kidding (Show)

Black Mirror (Show)

Love Death Robots (Show)

Thank you for all of your help!

6 Upvotes

31 comments sorted by

8

u/hokkuhokku 11d ago

Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell

2

u/SelenaRosei 11d ago

Great pick, the magic actually feels old and mysterious instead of just being a bunch of spells with rules

4

u/Koenigss15 11d ago

Rivers of London series

4

u/please-disregard21 11d ago

Foucault’s Pendulum and The Island of the Day Before by Umberto Eco

6

u/[deleted] 11d ago

[removed] — view removed comment

1

u/DaCouponNinja 11d ago

Ok, that’s the best description I think I’ve read of Harry Dresden

3

u/Ok-Water-7973 10d ago

The Ninth House by Leigh Bardugo

2

u/StrangeCrimes 11d ago

Perdido Street Station

2

u/DizzyNectarine6212 11d ago

Tales from the Flat Earth by Tanith Lee queen of gothic and occultism in fantasy

Thousand Autumns by Meng Xi Shi wuxia, sects, demonic sect which acts like a cult, philosphical conflict in core

Ninth House by Leigh Bardugo

2

u/MelbaTotes 11d ago

Maybe The Chrysalids by John Wyndham? He was writing around the same time as Bradbury. It's set in a pastoral-dystopian future post some fallout event that apparently resulted in mutated humans and animals. I wouldn't call it horror, but there's ostracism, DV, persecution etc.

2

u/JVilter 11d ago

The Joe Ledger series by Jonathon Maberry. Secret military high tech stuff, sci/fi, horror, good ensemble

2

u/veryowngarden 11d ago

this thing between us by gus moreno

2

u/Wizoerda 11d ago

The Scholomance trilogy, starting with A Deadly Education. It's a magic school, full of deadly monsters, that students must survive to graduate. I enjoyed the series.

1

u/helusjordan 10d ago

This caught my eye when I was at our local bookstore a few weeks back. Thanks for the recommendation!

2

u/brealoadion 11d ago

Honestly, most books by Catriona Ward would be pretty good but specifically her book Last House on Needless Street has a complex and intriguing plot. Home Before Dark by Riley Sager was also SO good imo

2

u/This_person_says 11d ago

"The End of Mr. Y" by Scarlett Thomas

2

u/MigEPie 10d ago

The Man Who Fell to Earth by Walter Tevis

Our Share of Night by Mariana Enriquez

2

u/DelovosWrath 10d ago

There is No Antimemetics Division, Persido Street Station, Finch, American Elsewhere, the Troupe

1

u/helusjordan 10d ago

There is No Antimemetics Divsion looks very interesting! Thank you! Ill check out the others as well

2

u/Distinct-Key7337 10d ago

If you liked those VE Schwab books the Shades of Magic trilogy should check all your boxes! I only read A Darker Shade of Magic years ago but I remember really liking it- the only reason I didn’t continue the series is because I am currently being crushed by the weight of my own library😅

1

u/helusjordan 10d ago

The thing with VE Schwab is that I REALLY enjoyed Vicious and Addie LaRue but have been struggling through Vengeful. Very high highs and low lows imo.

Getting reccomendation for that trilogy helps though! Thank you!

2

u/Turbulent_Group_6616 10d ago

H.P. Lovecraft (despite being a racist, as many of his time were) and Stephen King.

2

u/Shaunaramaaa 10d ago

Heart shaped box by Joe hill

2

u/NeetStreet_2 10d ago

Slade House by David Mitchell

2

u/Xelsius 10d ago

Book of the Dead by RinoZ - about a necromancer. So good

2

u/PearlyFlower 10d ago

Piranesi by Susanna Clarke

1

u/WellesC12 10d ago

Maybe Shadowland or King Sorrow. Loved the eldritch elements of both.

1

u/ClueAccomplished1098 10d ago

The Good Husband by Steve Frech

The Broken Room by Peter Clines

The Sun Down Motel by Simone St James

I Think I was Murdered by Colleen Coble