Gothic

[close] Banned Literary Dept. is a monthly book club hosted by Briar Road, where we vote on and read thought-provoking, often challenged books that inspire curiosity, dialogue, and foster a diverse community of readers and new perspectives; bridging the worlds of fashion and literature. Through the Banned Literary Dept., we aim to foster a community that champions creative freedom, challenges convention, and advocates for positive change.

[close] Inspired by the Ph.D. Qualifying 50-Book Exam administered to second-year Ph.D. students in the English Department at the University of Pennsylvania, I have created my own version of that daunting task - meaningfully read 50 books across a diverse range of historical periods; generic and formal categories; national and geographic origins; and personal and societal identifications - all from a catalogue of texts spanning more than 1000 years. In the spirit of the exam, I encourage participants to organize their selected 50 works into three broad rubrics according to Genre; Historical Period; and Theme or Theory. Each topic should provide a framework to structure their reading with works that speak to one another. Each of the three rubrics should also include one or two critical, theoretical, or historical works. Keeping with their guidance, all or most of the works from the period chosen should be included in the Historical Period list (i.e., not in the Genre or Theme/Theory lists) to prevent that period's overrepresentation in the challenge as a whole; no more than 20 works from that period should appear on the full list. In other words, at least 30 of the 50 works should be outside of one's designated period of specialization. I want to use this group to make this challenge dynamic. Whether it's weekly discussion posts on specific themes or genres, a support group for those who jumped head-first into the Medieval period, or a deep-dive into the oddities of a specific literary movement or author, an ongoing dialogue is encouraged. The Reading List: https://www.english.upenn.edu/sites/default/files/Ph.D.%20Qualifying%20%252250-Book%2522%20Exam%20Book%20List.pdf For further insights on how to think about Genre, Historical Period, and Theme/Theory when building our your list and rubrics: https://www.english.upenn.edu/graduate/requirements-rules-procedures/first-year-oral-exam

[close] Celebrating Adult Fantasy, Scifi, and Horror books that promote diversity and inclusion. In all styles and formats: genre, literary, short stories, graphic novels, comics, poetry, etc. ✵Rep We Read✵: POC, LGBTQIA+, Disability, Chronic Illness, Neurodiversity, Mental Health & Fat Positivity 2026 Requirements: We're a welcoming bunch, but we require a couple of things from you: First, answer our mandatory question, which is only accessible on the desktop version of goodreads. Secondly, if your profile is private, temporarily make it public (until after your request-to-join is approved - usually within 24 hours). Note: Authors are welcome, but self-promotion is not permitted

[close] 🥀 Finding beauty in the shadows and romance in the red flags. 🚩 A sanctuary for those who prefer the villain and believe "morally gray" is just a starting point. We’re obsessed with the books your mother warned you about. Check the TWs at the door—it’s about to get dark. 🌑🖤