I've been on a kick recently with dark/disturbing/emotional/gut-wrenching books and I have never read more in my adult life than now because of it.
I'm finding that I need something intriguing and disturbing—books whose protagonists I don't necessarily like or agree with but are incredibly interesting to be in the perspective of—in order to retain my attention and interest.
Books so far that I've loved include Tampa and Unclean Jobs for Women and Girls by Alissa Nutting, Hunger by Choi Jin-Young, and Saving Noah by Lucinda Berry. All three captivated me from start to finish and I find that I'm particularly intrigued by dark storylines (not necessarily anything gory though I don't have anything against that, but more so twisted and odd and skin-crawling).
I don't like splatter punk or anything too gory and neither do I like books that are gratuitous in its focus on its darker elements, though I will—as you may notice—never shy away from giving them a read. Essentially, I need a book that delves into dark, realistic, harrowing topics without it being tragedy porn.
Books I hated include A Little Life by Hanya Yanigahara and Distorted Metamorphosis by Lesley Camphouse. These were books that were just tragedy and gore porn to me and made me frustrated to read.
Sorry if this is an impossible request. I've just been in a bit of a reading slump since finishing Saving Noah and need something else that was equally captivating and devastating as that one.
by loveandache