literature

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

Book Review: "The Glow" by Jessie Gaynor
It's August 2025 (where has time gone?) and I'm reading more wellness horror/thriller novels. I'm going to admit it, the more I read of this trend, the more tired it seems. It was super original to begin with but there are only so many stories you can write about basically the same thing and each time, they get worse. Ling Ling Huang's Natural Beauty will always be the original book because, in my opinion, it is the best written. After that, we take a bit of a turn with EK Sathue's novel Youthjuice. But, I think The Glow by Jessie Gaynor is really toeing the line between what we would consider a good novel and what we can pick apart and say 'this isn't original at all.' Let's take a look at where it stands...
By Annie Kapur8 months ago in Geeks
David Corenswet lives in a world made of cardboard
Recently, I've had the opportunity to watch the newest Superman in theaters. I absolutely loved it. I'm eternally grateful for Gunn reminding the world what exactly being punk rock is and how we all need to be a little more punk rock. Now this is not a critique on the movie, but an opportunity moving forward as well as a slight character analysis of David's Superman relative to every other live-action version we've seen in length so far. Spoiler alert for those reading who have yet to see the film or are waiting on the digital release.
By Dyllon Rodillon8 months ago in Geeks
Book Review: The Things They Carried by Tim O’Brien
Yes, it’s another Tim O’Brien book and yes, it’s another short story collection or is it a novel? The lines blur, and maybe that’s the point. Why? Well, my library had a copy in surprisingly good condition, and it seemed like the right time to revisit Vietnam at least through O’Brien’s strange, shifting lens. I don’t own many of his books, partly because the urge to read them comes in waves, and partly because you can only carry so much war in your head at one time. Let’s take a look at The Things They Carried, a book that has been haunting literature classes and personal bookshelves since the 1990s.
By Jawad Ali8 months ago in 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 Ali8 months 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 Kapur8 months 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 Ali8 months 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 Kapur8 months 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 Kapur8 months 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 Ali8 months 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 Barenthaler8 months 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 Kapur8 months 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 Ali8 months ago in Geeks