literature

Geek literature from the New York Times or the recesses of online. Our favorite stories showcase geeks.

Book Review: The Memory Police by Yōko Ogawa
I’d been circling this book for months, watching the price tag stubbornly hold its ground like a sentinel. Every so often, I’d hover over the “Buy Now” button, wondering if I was in the right headspace for something so famously melancholic. Then, one unassuming Tuesday afternoon, the little orange Kindle box whispered: Best Price in 30 Days – £1.99. I didn’t hesitate.
By Jawad Aliabout a year ago in Geeks
Book Review: "Youthjuice" by E.K Sathue
As you probably know from my review of Natural Beauty by Ling Ling Huang, wellness horror is on the rise. Youthjuice is another one of these that is definitely on-trend when it comes to themes, story and characters. However, are we at the tipping point for where wellness horror is becoming fatigued? I could not help myself whilst reading this book, I constantly kept comparing it to Natural Beauty. I definitely thought about whether it was becoming a tired subgenre or whether I had become too used to it. Needless to say, this book had both its ups and its downs. Let's take a look at why...
By Annie Kapurabout a year ago in Geeks
Book Review: Piranesi by Susanna Clarke
I’ve been seeing this book for years and, for some reason, kept putting it off. Every time I passed it in a bookshop, I’d pick it up, admire the cover, then set it back down again, thinking “maybe next time.” But then one evening, I spotted it online at half the usual price “Best Price in 30 Days” blaring at me and I decided enough was enough. I clicked buy. Within hours of starting it, I realised I’d been a fool for waiting this long. This is the sort of book that rearranges your brain while you’re reading it, a story that is both strange and deeply human.
By Jawad Aliabout a year ago in Geeks
Book Review: "Night Watching" by Tracy Sierra
At the moment, I'm actually trying to discover my next read and by the time this review comes out, hopefully I would have solved the problem. I was also recently involved with a friend of mine who stated that they would like to watch all of the MCU movies again. I politely declined stating that I had already seen them all, many more then once and if we were going to start at Iron Man 1 and work through week by week, we would both be a year older at least by the time we caught up to the current MCU again. Anyways, Night Watching was a fantastic book from start to finish...
By Annie Kapurabout a year ago in Geeks
The Wonderful Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum
L. Frank Baum’s The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, first published in 1900, is one of the most celebrated works in American children’s literature. Written during a time of rapid industrialisation and social change in the United States, the novel reflects both the optimism and the struggles of its era. Baum was inspired by his storytelling sessions with his children and a desire to create a distinctly American fairy tale. Unlike European counterparts steeped in moral lessons and dark undertones, Baum’s work aimed to entertain while subtly addressing themes of self-reliance and personal growth.
By Annie Kapurabout a year ago in Geeks
Book Review of “The House in the Pines” by Ana Reyes
Ana Reyes might have only just arrived on the scene a few years ago, but I can confidently say she’s already carved out her place as one of the most haunting psychological thriller writers I’ve read in recent memory. Her debut novel, The House in the Pines, made waves all over the U.S. when it first came out and not without reason. It’s the kind of novel that gets under your skin quietly, and then lingers like a shadow in the back of your mind.
By Jawad Aliabout a year ago in Geeks
The Chapter Café
Subscribe now! The Chapter Café: A literary bistro where stories are served hot Pull up a chair. Breathe in the paper-and-coffee aroma. At The Chapter Café, books aren’t just discussed—they’re plated, paired, and savored. This is a literary bistro for readers who crave more than reviews; it’s for the ones who want the first crackle of a new spine to feel like the first sip of a perfect latte.
By Kristen Barenthalerabout a year ago in Geeks
Book Review: "The Complete Ghost Stories" by M.R James . Top Story - August 2025.
M.R James is perhaps one of my favourite short story writers purely for the fact that many of them are pretty bloody terrifying and have scared the pants off me in the past. There are certain stories in here where I have said to myself that I would never read again because when I read them the first time in my teens, I was really quite frightened. However, I have read them since then and I can confirm: still frightened. I'm actually working on a list of the scariest stuff I've ever read and if it has come out already by the time this review is released then I've done well there. If it hasn't, well then you might have to wait a bit longer for it.
By Annie Kapurabout a year ago in Geeks
Book Review: "Ego Is the Enemy" by Ryan Holiday
First of all, let me just say this: buying this book might have been one of the smartest decisions I’ve made all year. I picked up Ego Is the Enemy by Ryan Holiday without really knowing what to expect. The title pulled me in simple, bold, almost confrontational. The cover, with the broken Roman statue, felt like a warning and an invitation all at once. And once I started reading, I was hooked.
By Jawad Aliabout a year ago in Geeks
Don’t Tell Me How to Feel About Hulk Hogan’s Death.
Wrestling with the Legacy of Hulk Hogan as a Black Fan I didn’t expect to feel anything when I heard Hulk Hogan had passed away two weeks ago, But I did. Not sadness. Not relief. Just… conflicted. As a Black man, that reaction in itself feels like a story. One I’m still unpacking. One I’m not sure how I’m “supposed” to tell, but here I am — telling it anyway.
By NWO SPARROWabout a year ago in Geeks
Book Review: "Summer of the Monsters" by David Sodergren
I am back reading David Sodergren novels. In the past, I have enjoyed The Haar and The Forgotten Island and honestly, nothing has topped that first one as of yet but some have been pretty close. I've often praised David Sodergren's novels for being more than just meaningless gore. Instead, they have this weird extended metaphor that runs beneath them, the gore simply adding a layer to the horrors of all that is happening. Sodergren's novels are written often in atmospheric and quite fun ways - often creating whole backstories to characters and situations in a novel that also doesn't overwhelm the reader with information. Let's take a look at this one then, entitled Summer of the Monsters...
By Annie Kapurabout a year ago in Geeks
Book Review: "Cows" by Matthew Stokoe
I know what you're thinking. It's one of two things. The first one is probably: when is she going to get on to a new thing? She's been stuck on indie horror for a while now, I'm getting kind of sick of it. Or, you'll probably thinking: what kind of a name for a book is that? And both are perfectly valid. Though I do think that if you're expecting something different to reading horror, thriller or psychologically dark novels from me then you don't really know me at all. I recently reviewed The Travelling Vampire Show and so, we're going to be here for some time.
By Annie Kapurabout a year ago in Geeks