#whumpy book recs

[peachy-panic]

What are your top ten whumpy book recommendations?

Top 10, you say? How about a comprehensive list of every half decent whumpy book I've read in the last 3 years? (I tried to balance the order between my overall love for the book and the whumpiness level)

BLANKET TW FOR THESE BOOKS: noncon, abuse, domestic violence, med whump, lab whump religious trauma, institutionalized abuse

WHUMPY BOOK RECS

TOP 10

The Tarot Sequence - K.D. Edwards (series, ongoing)

Winter’s Orbit - Everina Maxwell

How To Bang A Billionaire - Alexis Hall (trilogy, complete)

The Darkness Outside Us - Eliot Schrefer (will rip your heart out)

All For The Game - Nora Sakavic (trilogy, complete)

Dark Room Etiquette - Robin Roe

HappyHead - Josh Silver (sequel in progress)

All That’s Left in the World - Erik J. Brown

The Gentleman’s Guide to Vice & Virtue - Mackenzi Lee

Stars in Your Eyes - Kacen Callender (releases in October 2023)

OTHER RECS:

- We Are The Ants - Shaun David Hutchinson

- Tonight We Rule the World - Zack Smedley

- The Lookback Window - Kyle Dillon Hertz (just finished!)

- Dark Space - Lisa Henry (trilogy, currently reading)

- First, Become Ashes - K.M. Sparza

- Parker - Jack Harbon

- A Strange and Stubborn Endurance - Foz Meadows

- Docile - K.M. Sparza (BBU vibes)

- Into the Light - Mark Oshiro

- Young Mungo - Douglas Stuart

- A List of Cages - Robin Roe (minor main character)

- Deposing Nathan - Zack Smedley (minor main character)

- How to Bite Your Neighbor and Win a Wager - D.N. Bryn

- Mysterious Skin - Scott Heim

- Surrender Your Sons - Adam Sass

- Yes, Daddy - Jonathan Parks-Ramage

- Not Quite Out - Louise Willingham

- Runner - Parker Williams

- Fraternity - Andy Mientus

- A Little Life - Hanya Yanagihara (honestly… maybe don't read this)

LADY WHUMP:

- They Never Learn - Layne Fargo

- The Girls I’ve Been - Tess Sharpe

- I’m The Girl - Courtney Summers

- Girls of Paper and Fire - Natasha Ngan

- We Set the Dark on Fire - Tehlor Kay Mejia (there’s a sequel)

[hold-him-down]

I am on a plane for 8 hours. Do you have anything new to read? Love all your work soooo much you are definitely my favourite author, and not only here on Tumblr!

I don't think I have anything new! I've been rereading Captive Prince but I think everyone on this side of the internet has read that. Always big recommend the Billionaire series (Alexis Hall - i don't feel like anyone takes me seriously on this recommendation but I ADORE this series it just took a minute to get into) and AFTG series (Nora Sakavic - I think everyone read this one the last time we went down book rec era). I just finished Boyfriend Material and really didn't like it, tried to read It Ends With US to see where the threads with the movie didn't align and it's not doing anything for me. I am in an absolute reading rut.

The next couple on my list are:

a complicated love story set in space (which i've started and so far enjoy a lot)

tonight we rule the world

a fractured infinity

icarus (i added this in edit because i just remembered its high on my list)

Here's the whumpy book rec list i cross reference whenever i am so so lost on what to read next, and sometimes I ask peachy to recommend to my tastes specifically. Unfortunately though I haven't had a series like SUCK ME IN the way my big 3/4 did in a long time. Hopefully I'll find a new one soon.

AND, to address your last bit, YOU ARE THE BEST thank you this made my absolute night if I can make my brain do the thing AT ALL I will make a little snippet out of sheer gratitude for this ask.

[aceofwhump]

Has anyone recommended The Queens Theif series for whumpy books??

It's sound vaguely familiar so many someone has brought it up? But I just looked it up and UUMM IT SOUNDS SO GOOD WHAT THE HELL? "Eugenides, the queen's thief, can steal anything—or so he says. When his boasting lands him in prison and the king's magus invites him on a quest to steal a legendary object, he's in no position to refuse. The magus thinks he has the right tool for the job, but Gen has plans of his own."

SOUNDS GREAT!

[whump-my-dear-watson]

Recommendations.. PLEASE!?

Long story short- I have a hefty goal of reading 100 books this year! Everytime I read fanfiction lately I can't help but feel guilty because it's not a "real book" that I can count towards my goal (although I have definitely read fanfictions better than actual published work...that's a different conversation)

So! That brings me to: does anyone have any good whumpy book recs??? I don't care genre ect, I'm super open to anything! I am just missing enjoying whump and google is no help 😭

[emachinescat]

A Year in (Book) Review: My 2024 Reading Journey 📚

#46 - The False Prince by Jennifer A. Nielsen

Fantasy / The Ascendance Series #1 / 352 pages / Published 2012 / Finished May 27 / Reread

One Sentence Review: I've read this book more times than I can count, and I love it just as much every time - Sage is the perfect narrator (sassy, secretive, and too clever for his own good), and the twists and turns throughout the book never fail to keep me on the edge of my seat (even though I know all the twists and turns by heart).

Favorite Quotes (possible spoilers)

"'You have a clever tongue and an arrogant tilt to your head. I'm surprised Mrs. Turbeldy hasn't beaten it out of you.'

'You mustn't blame her. She beat me the best she could.'"

*

"My father said a person can be educated and still stupid, and a wise man can have no education at all."

*

"If you can't give anyone pain, you can't give them joy either."

*

"'Have you come to kill me?' I asked. 'Because I'll scream when you do and it'll wake up the princess and probably a whole lot of other people, and you'll get into trouble.'

'You'll be dead.'

'Yes, but you'll be in trouble.'"

*

"You should always choose on the side of hope."

*

"'You won't kneel?'

'Would a prince?'

Connor raised his voice. 'You're not a prince until I say so.'

'I don't need you to say so, sir. As you see me standing here, I am the prince of Carthya.'"

*

"'Hail His Majesty, the scourge of my life,' Connor said to Roden and Tobias as he stomped up the stairs. 'I fear the devils no longer, because I have the worst of them right here in my home!'"

My rating: 5/5

[lonesome--hunter]

CW whipping, captivity, forced body mods, humiliation

This book was sooooooooo good.

In His Cage - Ella Jones

[befuddled-calico-whump]

whump rec of the day: Ranger's Apprentice book 7, Erak's Ransom

overview: YA fiction, so it's a relatively light read for a fantasy book. While it is part of a series, the book itself is a standalone story (though there may be a few moments where characters reference something) so you don't need to read 1-6 to enjoy it. It's also one of the few whumpy books I read as a child that I feel comfortable going back to for the whump, as all the characters are adults.

whumpy bits: The whole premise is that one of the protagonist's allies is being held for ransom (hence the title), so we're already off to a good start. Without spoiling too much of the book, you can also expect...

Environmental Whump, when a character is stranded in the desert

Team Whump, when a rescue party is captured

Emotional Whump, when a character's love interest is threatened with torture

an Physical Whump, because if I remember correctly, at least two characters are described as being beaten by a vengeful captor

note: Descriptions aren't very heavy, but sometimes I find this sort of scene is more potent when left to the imagination.

[will-o-the-wips]

honestly, I know for a fact people been sleeping on YA novels and the whump and whump potential they've got. Granted, I'm sure a lot of folks are iffy about YA novels because the characters are pretty much always minors - because that's their audience. (Side note, am i the only one who just totally forgets about a character's age while reading and just...connects with them regardless??)

Anyway, this post is all about Lost Voices by Sarah Porter. Lovely dark take on mermaids where they were once young girls who gave up their humanity as a result of trauma. Not to mention that they're discovered by humans during the series and it leads to something of a survival war.

More aspects that are whumpy or could be made whumpy:

hypnotic siren-like voices, each unique to the individual

they want to be human again? they're more likely to die from the pain of leaving the water

a short, simple, but unmoving code practiced among all mermaids; breaking it results in excommunication

so much interpersonal drama and one-sided rivalries

main character self isolates frequently to avoid the drama

There's more, but that's what I've got off the top of my head. Anyway, I usually use some of this lore any time I write with merfolk so :3c

[shion-yu]

Top five fanfics that I still think about a literal decade later:

The Symphony Verse by shandyall. Glee AU where Blaine has a stutter and he meets Kurt in an online class. Incredibly written and so very sweet and real, follows Kurt and Blaine from college to having kids. Actually made me want to become a speech pathologist.

If I Die Young by BlowTheCandlesOut: Glee AU where Blaine is diagnosed with brain cancer after they graduate high school. A tearjerker with a great plot.

Performance in a Leading Role by MadLori: Sherlock AU where Sherlock and John are famous actors cast in a romantic Hollywood movie. Delightfully a product of its time but masterfully penned and keeps you at the edge of your seat as a slow burn.

The Hay Wain by A Benediction: Sherlock AU about a young Sherlock running away from his sexually abusive uncle. Stuck with me because of its unique (and heartbreaking) plot. Major NSFW for child abuse.

The Heart Rate of a Mouse by beggarsnotes: Panic!ATD fic set in the 60s. Sex, drugs and rock n’ roll. Threw me straight into my teenage hippie faze and has the best playlists of all time.

Runners Up: A Stranger Heart (Glee), Not Your Average Threesome (Sherlock), Breaking Destiny (Doctor Who), Blind Man’s Go (Hikaru no Go), Alone on the Water (Sherlock), Until the Sun Goes Down (Glee).

[generic-whumperz]

Hello, do you have any whumpy book suggestions?

Hello! Oh gosh, I wish I had way more whumpy book recs than I currently do. So far, the whumpiest book I’ve read is “Misery” by Stephan King. I’ve read a couple of his (classic) books now and he seems to be a really whumpy author actually. He doesn’t shy away from hurting his characters or making them irredeemable and overall bad people (which I personally like because there’s plenty of shit people irl and appreciate when literary works reflect that).

“The Troop” by Nick Cutter was also pretty cra-zay. All hurt/ no comfort. But proceed with caution cause well, I don’t wanna ruin it, but let’s just say it’s giving “Lord of the Flies” and it’s about a group of some 13/14 year olds. I don’t typically like or read books with kids in them but this one kept me engaged and was an absolute nightmare.

If you like vamp stuff, there’s also the “The Sookie Stackhouse Series” which is what the HBO show “True Blood” is based off of. There’s 13 books in the series and I’ve only read like the first 4/5 for far, but pretty whumpy. And supernaturally whumpy at that. Not everyone’s cup of tea, but if you’re into it I’d say they’re pretty good (from what I’ve read so far).

Keeping in line with vamp stuff, I have to add “The Southern Book Club's Guide To Slaying Vampires” by Grady Hendrix. It’s more of a slow-burn in my opinion (which I also like) and very gas-lightly but FUCK I throughly enjoyed it. Also, general CW for shitty misogynist men in the 80’s/ 90’s, but that’s on emotional whump.

This is making me realize I need to go finish some audiobooks I forgot about!

If anyone has whumpy book recs, please feel free to add to this!

[peachy-panic]

MAJOR BOOK REC:

HAPPY HEAD & DEAD HAPPY, by Josh Silver

How do I even write this recommendation when I am still speechless? I’m just watching my cursor blink trying to process.

Josh Silver has created something so special with these two books, and it deserves everyone’s attention. Beyond impressed. 1000/10 stars. Happy Head was the kind of story I devoured in one sitting, and Dead Happy was the kind of sequel everyone wishes for in their favorite books.

Things these books have:

- Incredibly unique dystopian setting

- Forced institutionalization

- Gay love story

- Lovable characters

- Whump, of all shapes and forms

- Edge-of-your-seat tension

- Brilliant twists

- Beautiful character development

- Fast pace

(Specifically, there are a LOT of elements that I know will appeal to my following if you like my stories & stories like them, BBU etc).

Cannot recommend highly enough!

[hold-him-down]

STOP THIS IS AMAZING-

Is the darkness outside us next?!!! I LOVE THAT BOOK SO MUCH TOO.

I saw you read the AFTG fanfic I dropped chapter one on a crisp 15 months ago and has been simmering since and was SO EXCITED to see a familiar face on there!! I'm so excited to see how the rest fare!

I am not familiar with inception at all, could I follow this fic??

Hey! I’ve been lurking in the whumpblr community for a little while now and your writing is some of my favourite! On your recommendation I’ve bought The Sunshine Court (and the three books that come before it), but I’m wondering if you happen to have any other quick recs for whumpy books? All I seem to want to read and write rn is fictional queer men going Through It 😅

Signed ~💛

Thank you so much!! For the M/M whumpy books (in order of how whumpy they are, subjectively):

Foxhole Court/Raven King/King's Men/Sunshine Court (I cannot stress enough that it's imperative you get through the first 1.5 books before you make any kind of decision on finishing, because it doesn't get super whumpy til middle of second book, but then it pops off and the sunshine court is next level)

Docile

Captive Prince Series

A Little Life

The Darkness Outside Us

HappyHead

Tarot Sequence series

First Become ashes

Bonus Non-Whumpy M/M books I love:

How to Bang a Billionaire + sequels (this is fluffy but has some whumpy undertones but really is just a grand time and I can't express how much I loved this series, once I really got into it).

my recommendations usually initially come from @peachy-panic and she has a big list of recs (which include almost all of these) that you can see here

TWs + notes (not particularly spoilery but some might consider spoilers) off the top of my head under cut:

Foxhole Court/Raven King/King's Men/Sunshine Court - noncon, abuse, CSA mention, torture, emeto, med whump, lots of sports talk, tender tender caretaking, burning/branding, murder, mafia shit, etc, excellent 11/10 recomend

Docile - noncon, noncon drugging, institutionalized slavery, very BBU coded, i have major issues with this book but undeniably whumpy

Captive Prince Series - fantasy slave whump, noncon, noncon drugging, whumper becomes caretaker, whipping, branding, minor assault, etc, i loved this series heavily when it was posting on LJ, she made some changes and published, very whumpy, best whipping that i know of

A Little Life - devastating, CSA, child abuse, noncon, whipping, self harm + suicide themes, +++ i perrrssonnaally love a little life but some might say it's a smidge excessive on the suffering

The Darkness Outside Us - more emotional whump than physical with some physical whump, i loved this book so much i have such fond memories of reading it, the sequel comes out next month

HappyHead - conditioning, cult-like shit, drugging, ++, this was decently whumpy and the set up to a VERY whumpy sequel which also comes out this month

Tarot Sequence series - noncon, lots of basic physical whump like injuries and fights and stuff, this has a fair deal of whump and sets up some mega-whumpy future books, but the author is on an update schedule like mine where.. might get a book tomorrow, might have to wait three years (there's 6 books left in the series, 3 out now)

First Become ashes - noncon, self harm, weird fucking book but some scenes are burned into my memory, this was from the same author as docile and not unlike docile, has some issues but fjasklfdjadsk

[aceofwhump]

Hello, Ace! I was wondering if you had any non-fantasy book recs with some good whump? Preferably with male adult whumpee(s). I've been really in the mood for reading lately but I just can't find anything that suits my taste. Have a wonderful day! And happy Easter if you celebrate.

Happy Easter to you as well!

Non fantasy book recs. Yeah I can give a few recs. Is scifi okay? I love scifi and that's like all I'm reading right now. I've also added a few historical fictions cause I love historical fiction.

Both Project Hail Mary and The Martian by Andy Weir

The Murderbot Diaries series by Martha Wells

Reviver series by Seth Patrick

The Maximum Ride series by James Patterson

Any of the Hardy Boys books

The Stargate SG-1 tie in novels

The Reckoning by Sharon Kay Penman

A Distant Melody by Sarah Sundin.

[girlsdogmotif]

HIII!!! YOUR ONE SHOTS ARE SO COOOOL!! LOVE THEM <3333 are you planning on writing series or books? IM SURE THEY COULD BE STUNNING!! Also I saw your recs and THEY ARE SOMETHING 100% MY TASTE, if you cam give me some recs? Preferably if the main characters are males? I don't mind either way tho!! Thank you very much. <3

AHHHH THANK YOU SO MUCH!!!!!!!!!!!! I really need to finish the few one shots I've started and post them because people are actually reading them ! which is crazy ! but makes me very very happy :)

I would definitely be interested in writing some series, once I think of some characters or a rough plot I might try it out, but in the meantime I would also love to continue any one shots I post if people are interested 👀

For my recommendations (which is why this took me a while to get back to apologies):

(also you might have already seen the first few bc I can't stop telling people to read them!!)

@whumblr The "Home is Where the Hurt" series is one of the BEST stories on this app and has the best whump, if you haven't read it yet GO READ, and also "Crossed Out", the main whumpees and whumpers are male in both those series; but I also can't go through a whump rec post without recommending their other series Bookish!

@chaotic-orphan another blog I can't recommend enough, i'm literally part of the #notifcationsquad I'm obsessed with Intoxicating Fear, Vendetta, Defiant Leader x confident villain, Partners in Crime, and everything else as well, Heroic Betrayal is also my ALL TIME fav and features my one of my fav female whumpee Morgan <3 all the stories are somehow both funny and heart wrenching at the same time and I feel like I'm watching a movie every time I read them

@there-will-always-be-blood I talk about The Crow and The Dove so much but I will forever kai and kyriel are so fascinating and the world building is so good in the story and the WHUMP. UGH truly unparalleled. you know it's good characters, world, plot, and writing when I-ME wants a character to have a break and not get tortured more (well okay I also still want him to get tortured more) only thing I will mention is the story does contain nsfw stuff and pretty dark whump but everything is tagged so avoid if it's not your thing but if you're okay with it (and over 18) then I highly recommend!!!!

@defire also has a TON of writing to read, stories, prompts and general whump musings that include some whump tropes that you don't see that often. Back to The Dregs is FANTASTIC angsty and whumpy and it also maybe kinda reminds me of one of the first whump stories I ever read when I was like 11 that was a newsies modern au fan fiction so I think I'm also partial to it

@holidayinhell literally every single piece of writing is so well written and give me whumperflies (do people still say that? I rarely see it anymore, am I old now im 20 I can't be) anyway Role Reversal is so good but THE CLIFFHANGER (nsfw)

@save-the-villainous-cat has such great stuff, really anything you're in the mood for there's a piece for it particularly I love the hero villain stuff

@jumpywhumpywriterlove's Vampire Captures Vampire Hunter to Use as Bloodbag series I def recommend if you like vampires, even if you don't I'd give it a shot, also Drugged Hero Whumpee used as Party Favor at Villain's Party is great. I have to admit I haven't read her whole blog but the few series I've read are amazing and she has SO MUCH WRITING (im not gonna make a Hamilton reference I've already made a newsies reference I've embarrassed my self enough)

and then here's a few other whump blogs that I enjoy and would recommend checking out!!

@whump-queen

@whump-in-the-closet

@shywhumpauthor

@kira-the-whump-enthusiast

okay for now I'll cut myself off but obviously there are so many more amazing whump blogs and stories out there!!! I hope this list can help you find something you like, thank you again for your kind words!

[emachinescat]

A Year in (Book) Review: My 2024 Reading Journey 📚

#79 - The Runaway King by Jennifer A. Nielsen

Fantasy / The Ascendance Series #2 / 331 pages / Published in 2013 / Finished Oct. 2 / Reread

One Sentence Review: My favorite book in the Ascendance series, The Runaway King is so action packed, full to bursting with subterfuge, pirates, sword fights, assassinations, and of course, so many loveable and memorable characters - and this book, I think, is the best example of Jaron's strengths, his loyalty, his sass, and his sheer grit and determination when literally all the odds are against him, which makes it a wholly satisfying read.

Favorite Quotes (spoilers)

"You want to be someone who matters to this world. If you want to make a difference, then let it be a difference for good."

*

"The memories of my time here remained fresh and raw. This is where I'd received two scars on my back as reminders of the price of returning to the throne. One was given to me by Tobias, and the deeper one came from Mott. They were now the two people I needed most in this world."

*

"As long as I'm Jaron I'll be a target."

*

"Good luck in your travels. If you have a home, return there safely. And if you don't, you'll always have one here."

*

"Roden bowed his head. 'Jaron, you have defeated me in battle. Therefore, I ... swear loyalty to you as king of Carthya, king of the Avenian pirates, and my king always, wherever in this world you go.'"

My Rating: 5/5

[pierrotwrites-hc]

remember how I said I was going to take a break after finishing part II and then...didn't? the first chapter of part III sprang forth from my brain fully-formed like Athena from the head of Zeus, but the second has been much slower going. I know what needs to happen in part III, but right now, scene by scene, I feel a bit like I'm groping around in the dark. I need to return to my chapter outlines and lay more track. which means, right now, that I don't know when the next chapter will be posted.

I do have a whump rec in the interim, however! I've recently discovered the works of the late Joel Lane, a brilliant British horror/slipstream writer. while his short stories are shelved under dark fantasy, his two novels, From Blue to Black and The Blue Mask, exist in a hazier interval between the supernatural and the plausibly weird. both are set in Birmingham in 1993 and are as much about the political disillusionment of the young British left after the Blair election as they are about the travails of the main characters -- which, as an American leftist in 2024, is pretty fucking relatable. also, these books are very gay, and very whumpy. do tread with caution: neither have a happy ending, and From Blue to Black is particularly grim.

anyway, I'm sorry I don't have more of an update. on the bright side, my busy season is tapering off, and I will have more time to write (and to reply to all the wonderful messages in my overflowing inbox). thanks for your patience. <3