Eitanli/goodreads huggingface dataset:
People Who Eat Darkness: The True Story of a Young Woman Who Vanished from the Streets of Tokyo--and the Evil That Swallowed Her Up
by Richard Lloyd Parry
Genres: True Crime, Nonfiction, Crime, Japan, Mystery, Audiobook, History
Average rating on Goodreads: 3.78

An incisive and compelling account of the case of 21-year-old Lucie Blackman, who stepped out into the vastness of Tokyo in the summer of 2000 and disappeared forever. The following winter, her dismembered remains were found buried in a seaside cave. The seven months in between had seen a massive search for the missing girl, involving Japanese policemen; British private detectives; Australian dowsers; and Lucie's desperate, but bitterly divided, parents. As the case unfolded, it drew the attention of prime ministers and sado-masochists, ambassadors and con-men, and reporters from across the world. Had Lucie been abducted by a religious cult, or snatched by human traffickers? Who was the mysterious man she had gone to meet? And what did her work, as a "hostess" in the notorious Roppongi district of Tokyo, really involve?Richard Lloyd Parry, an award-winning foreign correspondent, followed the case since Lucie's disappearance. Over the course of a decade, he traveled to four continents to interview those caught up in the story, fought off a legal attack in the Japanese courts, and worked undercover as a bartender in a Roppongi strip club. He talked exhaustively with Lucie's friends and family and won unique access to the Japanese detectives who investigated the case. And he delved into the mind and background of the man accused of the crime--Joji Obara, described by the judge as "unprecedented and extremely evil." With the finesse of a novelist, he reveals the astonishing truth about Lucie and her fate. People Who Eat Darkness is, by turns, a non-fiction thriller, a courtroom drama, and the biography of both a victim and a killer. It is the story of a young woman who fell prey to unspeakable evil, and of a loving family torn apart by grief. And it is a fascinating insight into one of the world's most baffling and mysterious societies, a light shone into dark corners of Japan that the rest of the world has never glimpsed before.
Tarzan of the Apes (Tarzan, #1)
by Edgar Rice Burroughs
Genres: Classics, Fiction, Adventure, Fantasy, Africa, Science Fiction, Pulp
Average rating on Goodreads: 3.90

1888 W Africa. Newlyweds Lord and Lady Greystoke are marooned by mutineers. He builds a snug cabin for their growing family.But disaster falls. Great Apes raise the small son, destined to be Lord of the Jungle.
The Elementary Particles
by Michel Houellebecq
Genres: Fiction, France, Literature, Novels, French Literature, Contemporary, Philosophy
Average rating on Goodreads: 3.81

An international literary phenomenon, The Elementary Particles is a frighteningly original novel–part Marguerite Duras and part Bret Easton Ellis-that leaps headlong into the malaise of contemporary existence.Bruno and Michel are half-brothers abandoned by their mother, an unabashed devotee of the drugged-out free-love world of the sixties. Bruno, the older, has become a raucously promiscuous hedonist himself, while Michel is an emotionally dead molecular biologist wholly immersed in the solitude of his work. Each is ultimately offered a final chance at genuine love, and what unfolds is a brilliantly caustic and unpredictable tale.
Breakfast is Severed
by TyCobbsTeeth
Genres: Short Stories, Horror
Average rating on Goodreads: 3.66

'Breakfast is Severed' follows a man through a changing world after the life he knows is ripped away. America is in upheaval in the wake of a global food shortage. He learns, all too quickly, how we are all part of a precariously balanced community and when the balance is lost; society is devoured by the chaos of desperation.Come follow David Cameron as he tries to survive the chaos of this new hell.SOCIETY for SUPPER follows a family in their struggle to survive in the aftermath of a global food shortage and ultimately the collapse of society. The life they know is ripped away; Ben Donnelly and his family have to fight to survive.You're going to find these stories to be delicious.Make sure you get Breakfast into you before Supper is ready!
Perception of Life (Perception, #1)
by Shandi Boyes
Genres: Romance, New Adult, College, Fiction, Music, Contemporary Romance, Contemporary
Average rating on Goodreads: 4.16

Noah Taylor is on the cusp of stardom with his band 'Rise Up'. Noah's soul has been shattered beyond repair after a series of devastating family events. The last thing that Noah wants is a committed relationship. But Noah soon learns that life doesn't always work out the way you plan. Sometimes life can take you on a small detour. You will never want another book boyfriend after you meet Noah Taylor. This novel is sexy, gritty and a little bit raw. Please note this novel contains adult content, such as swear words and sexual references.Full length novel at 96,000 words.
Speak
by Laurie Halse Anderson
Genres: Young Adult, Fiction, Contemporary, Realistic Fiction, Mental Health, Teen, Coming Of Age
Average rating on Goodreads: 4.04

The first ten lies they tell you in high school."Speak up for yourself—we want to know what you have to say." From the first moment of her freshman year at Merryweather High, Melinda knows this is a big fat lie, part of the nonsense of high school. She is friendless, outcast, because she busted an end-of-summer party by calling the cops, so now nobody will talk to her, let alone listen to her. As time passes, she becomes increasingly isolated and practically stops talking altogether. Only her art class offers any solace, and it is through her work on an art project that she is finally able to face what really happened at that terrible party: she was raped by an upperclassman, a guy who still attends Merryweather and is still a threat to her. Her healing process has just begun when she has another violent encounter with him. But this time Melinda fights back, refuses to be silent, and thereby achieves a measure of vindication. In Laurie Halse Anderson's powerful novel, an utterly believable heroine with a bitterly ironic voice delivers a blow to the hypocritical world of high school. She speaks for many a disenfranchised teenager while demonstrating the importance of speaking up for oneself.Speak was a 1999 National Book Award Finalist for Young People's Literature.
Coma
by Robin Cook
Genres: Fiction, Thriller, Mystery, Horror, Medical, Suspense, Science Fiction
Average rating on Goodreads: 3.88

 The blockbuster bestseller that kickstarted a new genre--the medical thriller--is now available in trade paperback for the first time.They called it "minor surgery," but Nancy Greenly, Sean Berman and a dozen others--all admitted to Boston Memorial Hospital for routine procedures--were victims of the same inexplicable, hideous tragedy on the operating table. They never woke up.Susan Wheeler is a third-year medical student working as a trainee at Boston Memorial Hospital. Two patients during her residency mysteriously go into comas immediately after their operations due to complications from anesthesia. Susan begins to investigate the causes behind both of these alarming comas and discovers the oxygen line in Operating Room 8 has been tampered with to induce carbon monoxide poisoning.Then Susan discovers the evil nature of the Jefferson Institute, an intensive care facility where patients are suspended from the ceiling and kept alive until they can be harvested for healthy organs. Is she a participant in--or a victim of--a large-scale black market dealing in human organs?
Dying To Forget (The Station #1)
by Trish Marie Dawson
Genres: Young Adult, Fantasy, Paranormal, Romance, Fiction, Ghosts, Supernatural
Average rating on Goodreads: 4.00

Librarian's note: This is an alternate cover edition for ASIN: B008S2RKAUFor some, the day you die is only the beginning. The Station books are part of a YA/NA Fantasy series that follow teenage anti-heroine, Piper Willow, after she dies and wakes up in the afterlife at a place called the Station, and is offered redemption – in the form of a job. After Piper dies, she gets two choices: enter her own personal hell, or go back to Earth and become the voice of conscience inside a boy’s head. Can she save Sloan from meeting the same fate? A tale of hope that will warm your heart.
The Drama of the Gifted Child: The Search for the True Self
by Alice   Miller
Genres: Psychology, Nonfiction, Self Help, Parenting, Mental Health, Personal Development, Psychoanalysis
Average rating on Goodreads: 4.06

The bestselling book on childhood trauma and the enduring effects of repressed anger and painWhy are many of the most successful people plagued by feelings of emptiness and alienation? This wise and profound book has provided millions of readers with an answer--and has helped them to apply it to their own lives.Far too many of us had to learn as children to hide our own feelings, needs, and memories skillfully in order to meet our parents' expectations and win their "love." Alice Miller writes, "When I used the word 'gifted' in the title, I had in mind neither children who receive high grades in school nor children talented in a special way. I simply meant all of us who have survived an abusive childhood thanks to an ability to adapt even to unspeakable cruelty by becoming numb.... Without this 'gift' offered us by nature, we would not have survived." But merely surviving is not enough. The Drama of the Gifted Child helps us to reclaim our life by discovering our own crucial needs and our own truth.
Up from Slavery
by Booker T. Washington
Genres: History, Biography, Nonfiction, Classics, Memoir, Autobiography, African American
Average rating on Goodreads: 4.09

Booker T. Washington, the most recognized national leader, orator and educator, emerged from slavery in the deep south, to work for the betterment of African Americans in the post Reconstruction period. "Up From Slavery" is an autobiography of Booker T. Washington's life and work, which has been the source of inspiration for all Americans. Washington reveals his inner most thoughts as he transitions from ex-slave to teacher and founder of one of the most important schools for African Americans in the south, The Tuskegee Industrial Institute.
On the Other Hand: The Little Anthology of Big Questions
by Renée Paule
Genres: Philosophy, Nonfiction, Self Help, Inspirational, Spirituality
Average rating on Goodreads: 4.39

A straight from the shoulder look at life in which I ask some awkward questions; such as, ‘Who am I?’, ‘Where did I come from?’, ‘What am I doing here?’ and ‘Why do we resist change?’ If at this point you’re tempted to flick through this book looking for the answers, save yourself the trouble - you won’t find any. This isn’t a book of answers - it’s a book of self-reflective questions that have fascinated me all of my life. Reflecting on them has given new meaning and purpose to my life and changed not only the way I see the world, but the way I see you too. When we change our mind … we also change our world.
My Name Is Red
by Orhan Pamuk
Genres: Fiction, Historical Fiction, Mystery, Literature, Novels, Turkish, Turkish Literature
Average rating on Goodreads: 3.86

At once a fiendishly devious mystery, a beguiling love story, and a brilliant symposium on the power of art, My Name Is Red is a transporting tale set amid the splendor and religious intrigue of sixteenth-century Istanbul, from one of the most prominent contemporary Turkish writers.The Sultan has commissioned a cadre of the most acclaimed artists in the land to create a great book celebrating the glories of his realm. Their task: to illuminate the work in the European style. But because figurative art can be deemed an affront to Islam, this commission is a dangerous proposition indeed. The ruling elite therefore mustn’t know the full scope or nature of the project, and panic erupts when one of the chosen miniaturists disappears. The only clue to the mystery–or crime? –lies in the half-finished illuminations themselves. Part fantasy and part philosophical puzzle, My Name is Red is a kaleidoscopic journey to the intersection of art, religion, love, sex and power.
Little Fires Everywhere
by Celeste Ng
Genres: Fiction, Contemporary, Audiobook, Adult, Literary Fiction, Adult Fiction, Book Club
Average rating on Goodreads: 4.08

Everyone in Shaker Heights was talking about it that summer: how Isabelle, the last of the Richardson children, had finally gone around the bend and burned the house down.In Shaker Heights, a placid, progressive suburb of Cleveland, everything is meticulously planned - from the layout of the winding roads, to the colours of the houses, to the successful lives its residents will go on to lead. And no one embodies this spirit more than Elena Richardson, whose guiding principle is playing by the rules.Enter Mia Warren - an enigmatic artist and single mother- who arrives in this idyllic bubble with her teenage daughter Pearl, and rents a house from the Richardsons. Soon Mia and Pearl become more than just tenants: all four Richardson children are drawn to the mother-daughter pair. But Mia carries with her a mysterious past, and a disregard for the rules that threatens to upend this carefully ordered community.When old family friends attempt to adopt a Chinese-American baby, a custody battle erupts that dramatically divides the town - and puts Mia and Elena on opposing sides. Suspicious of Mia and her motives, Elena is determined to uncover the secrets in Mia's past. But her obsession will come at an unexpected and devastating cost . . .
A Capitalist in North Korea: My Seven Years in the Hermit Kingdom
by Felix Abt
Genres: Nonfiction, Asia, Business, Politics, History, Travel, Memoir
Average rating on Goodreads: 3.63

Business in North Korea: a paradoxical and fascinating situation is interpreted by a true insider.In 2002, the Swiss-Swedish power company ABB appointed Felix Abt its country director for North Korea. The Swiss Entrepreneur lived and worked in North Korea for seven years, one of the few foreign businessmen there. After the experience, Abt felt compelled to write A Capitalist in North Korea to describe the multifaceted society he encountered. North Korea, at the time, was heavily sanctioned by the UN, which made it extremely difficult to do business. Yet, he discovered that it was a place where plastic surgery and South Korean TV dramas were wildly popular and where he rarely needed to walk more than a block to grab a quick hamburger. He was closely monitored, and once faced accusations of spying, yet he learned that young North Koreans are hopeful - signing up for business courses in anticipation of a brighter, more open, future. In A Capitalist in North Korea, Abt shares these and many other unusual facts and insights about one of the world's most secretive nations.Author Felix Abt is a politically neutral businessman and, therefore, does not share partisan views about North Korea. He is, however, critical of unfair North Korea reporting and does what he can to contribute to a more objective view of a country he knows much better than the journalists and bloggers writing about it. Abt is a former investor at several legitimate Joint Venture companies in North Korea which are now being driven into bankruptcy by U.N. "sanctions."
Lilac Girls (Lilac Girls, #1)
by Martha Hall Kelly
Genres: Historical Fiction, Fiction, World War II, Historical, Audiobook, War, Holocaust
Average rating on Goodreads: 4.29

Inspired by the life of a real World War II heroine, this powerful debut novel reveals an incredible story of love, redemption, and terrible secrets that were hidden for decades. On the eve of a fateful war, New York socialite Caroline Ferriday has her hands full with her post at the French consulate and a new love on the horizon. But Caroline’s world is forever changed when Hitler’s army invades Poland in September 1939—and then sets its sights on France. An ocean away from Caroline, Kasia Kuzmerick, a Polish teenager, senses her carefree youth disappearing as she sinks deeper into her role as courier for the underground resistance movement. In a tense atmosphere of watchful eyes and suspect neighbors, one false move can have dire consequences. For ambitious young German doctor, Herta Oberheuser, an ad for a government medical position seems her ticket out of a desolate life. But, once hired, she finds herself trapped in a male-dominated realm of Nazi secrets and power. The lives of these three women are set on a collision course when the unthinkable happens and Kasia is sent to Ravensbrück, the notorious female-only Nazi concentration camp. The tragedy and triumph of their stories cross continents—from New York to Paris, and Germany to Poland—capturing the indomitable pull of compassion to bring justice to those whom history has forgotten. In Lilac Girls, Martha Hall Kelly has crafted a remarkable novel of unsung women and their quest for love, happiness, and second chances. It is a story that will keep readers bonded with the characters, searching for the truth, until the final pages.
First They Killed My Father: A Daughter of Cambodia Remembers
by Loung Ung
Genres: Nonfiction, History, Memoir, Biography, Asia, War, Biography Memoir
Average rating on Goodreads: 4.32

From a childhood survivor of the Cambodian genocide under the regime of Pol Pot, this is a riveting narrative of war crimes and desperate actions, the unnerving strength of a small girl and her family, and their triumph of spirit.One of seven children of a high-ranking government official, Loung Ung lived a privileged life in the Cambodian capital of Phnom Penh until the age of five. Then, in April 1975, Pol Pot's Khmer Rouge army stormed into the city, forcing Ung's family to flee and, eventually, to disperse. Loung was trained as a child soldier in a work camp for orphans, her siblings were sent to labor camps, and those who survived the horrors would not be reunited until the Khmer Rouge was destroyed.Harrowing yet hopeful, Loung's powerful story is an unforgettable account of a family shaken and shattered, yet miraculously sustained by courage and love in the face of unspeakable brutality.
The Glass Lake
by Maeve Binchy
Genres: Fiction, Chick Lit, Ireland, Romance, Irish Literature, Contemporary, Drama
Average rating on Goodreads: 3.97

Kit McMahon lives in the small Irish town of Lough Glass, where everyone knows everyone; children who walk to school together grow up and become sweethearts and marry, people gossip and grumble and dream their lives away. For it is a place where change comes slowly. Until one day, beautiful, mysterious Helen McMahon disappears, presumed drowned in the lake, and then the gossip runs wild. The consequences for Helen's husband, her son, but above all for her daughter, Kit, are unimaginable and will leave not one of their lives unchanged.
The Orb of Truth (The Horn King, #1)
by Brae Wyckoff
Genres: Fantasy, Fiction, Christian, High Fantasy, Christian Fiction, Science Fiction Fantasy, Epic Fantasy
Average rating on Goodreads: 3.72

In the hundreds of years since the Holy City disappeared, darkness has fallen over the land. Human kingdoms have seized control of the realm, scattering the other races into hiding.Bridazak, a skilled thief, and his friends, a Dwarf and a fellow Ordakian, have dared to remain within the human communities and live relatively quiet lives, until they discover a mysterious, magical artifact. The three friends are thrust into an adventure that will challenge their faith, their purpose, and their destiny as they chase a forgotten and lost prophecy across the realm of Ruauck-El, where they hope to discover the origins of the strange item and their place in its history.An ancient, unknown enemy threatens the completion of their journey at every turn. Bridazak is about to face the biggest adventure of his life, one that may change the known realm, and answer the questions he has carried all his life. Will they unlock the truth?
When the Moon Comes
by Paul  Harbridge
Genres: Picture Books, Sports, Childrens, Hockey, Canada, Realistic Fiction, Fiction
Average rating on Goodreads: 3.92

In this atmospheric story, a group of kids play hockey on a frozen lake by moonlight. At once nostalgic and timely, this is a gorgeous book that will speak to readers young and old.The beaver flood has finally frozen--perfect ice, without a bump or a ripple. For the kids in town, it's Christmas in November. They wait, impatiently, for the right moment. Finally, it arrives: the full moon. They huff and puff through logging trails, farms, back roads and tamarack swamps, the powdery snow soaking pant legs and boots, till they see it--their perfect ice, waiting. And the game is on.
The Outsider
by Stephen King
Genres: Horror, Fiction, Thriller, Mystery, Crime, Audiobook, Mystery Thriller
Average rating on Goodreads: 4.00

An unspeakable crime. A confounding investigation. At a time when the King brand has never been stronger, he has delivered one of his most unsettling and compulsively readable stories.An eleven-year-old boy’s violated corpse is found in a town park. Eyewitnesses and fingerprints point unmistakably to one of Flint City’s most popular citizens. He is Terry Maitland, Little League coach, English teacher, husband, and father of two girls. Detective Ralph Anderson, whose son Maitland once coached, orders a quick and very public arrest. Maitland has an alibi, but Anderson and the district attorney soon add DNA evidence to go with the fingerprints and witnesses. Their case seems ironclad.As the investigation expands and horrifying answers begin to emerge, King’s propulsive story kicks into high gear, generating strong tension and almost unbearable suspense. Terry Maitland seems like a nice guy, but is he wearing another face? When the answer comes, it will shock you as only Stephen King can.
None of Us Were Like This Before: American Soldiers and Torture
by Joshua E.S. Phillips
Genres: Nonfiction, War, History, Military Fiction, Politics, Sociology, Psychology
Average rating on Goodreads: 4.18

Sergeant Adam Gray made it home from Iraq only to die in his barracks. For more than three years, reporter Joshua E. S. Phillips—with the support of Adam’s mother and several of his Army buddies—investigated Adam’s death. What Phillips uncovered was a story of American veterans psychologically scarred by the abuse they had meted out to Iraqi prisoners. How did US forces turn to torture? Phillips’s narrative recounts the journey of a tank battalion—trained for conventional combat—as its focus switches to guerrilla war and prisoner detention. It tells of how a group of ordinary soldiers, ill trained for the responsibilities foisted upon them, descended into the degradation of abuse. The location is far from CIA prisons and Guantanamo, but the story captures the widespread use and nature of torture in the US armed forces. Based on firsthand reporting from the Middle East, as well as interviews with soldiers, their families and friends, military officials, and the victims of torture, None of Us Were Like This Before reveals how soldiers, senior officials, and the US public came to believe that torture was both effective and necessary. The book illustrates that the damaging legacy of torture is not only borne by the detainees, but also by American soldiers and the country to which they’ve returned.