Eitanli/goodreads huggingface dataset:
God Bless You, Mr. Rosewater
by Kurt Vonnegut Jr.
Genres: Fiction, Classics, Humor, Science Fiction, Literature, Novels, American
Average rating on Goodreads: 3.96

Second only to Slaughterhouse-Five of Vonnegut's canon in its prominence and influence, God Bless You, Mr. Rosewater (1965) presents Eliot Rosewater, an itinerant, semi-crazed millionaire wandering the country in search of heritage and philanthropic outcome, introducing the science fiction writer Kilgore Trout to the world and Vonnegut to the collegiate audience which would soon make him a cult writer.Trout, modeled according to Vonnegut on the science fiction writer Theodore Sturgeon (with whom Vonnegut had an occasional relationship) is a desperate, impoverished but visionary hack writer who functions for Eliot Rosewater as both conscience and horrid example. Rosewater, seeking to put his inheritance to some meaningful use (his father was an entrepreneur), tries to do good within the context of almost illimitable cynicism and corruption.It is in this novel that Rosewater wanders into a science fiction conference--an actual annual event in Milford, Pennsylvania--and at the motel delivers his famous monologue evoked by science fiction writers and critics for almost half a century: "None of you can write for sour apples... but you're the only people trying to come to terms with the really terrific things which are happening today." Money does not drive Mr. Rosewater (or the corrupt lawyer who tries to shape the Rosewater fortune) so much as outrage at the human condition. The novel was adapted for a 1979 Alan Menken musical. The novel is told mostly thru a collection of short stories dealing with Eliot's interactions with the citizens of Rosewater County, usually with the last sentence serving as a punch line. The antagonist's tale, Mushari's, is told in a similar short essay fashion. The stories reveal different hypocrisies of humankind in a darkly humorous fashion.
The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society
by Mary Ann Shaffer
Genres: Historical Fiction, Fiction, Romance, Historical, World War II, Book Club, War
Average rating on Goodreads: 4.19

 #1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER - NOW A MAJOR MOTION PICTURE ON NETFLIX - A remarkable tale of the island of Guernsey during the German Occupation, and of a society as extraordinary as its name. "I wonder how the book got to Guernsey? Perhaps there is some sort of secret homing instinct in books that brings them to their perfect readers." January 1946: London is emerging from the shadow of the Second World War, and writer Juliet Ashton is looking for her next book subject. Who could imagine that she would find it in a letter from a man she's never met, a native of the island of Guernsey, who has come across her name written inside a book by Charles Lamb...As Juliet and her new correspondent exchange letters, Juliet is drawn into the world of this man and his friends—and what a wonderfully eccentric world it is. The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society—born as a spur-of-the-moment alibi when its members were discovered breaking curfew by the Germans occupying their island—boasts a charming, funny, deeply human cast of characters, from pig farmers to phrenologists, literature lovers all.Juliet begins a remarkable correspondence with the society's members, learning about their island, their taste in books, and the impact the recent German occupation has had on their lives. Captivated by their stories, she sets sail for Guernsey, and what she finds will change her forever.Written with warmth and humor as a series of letters, this novel is a celebration of the written word in all its guises and of finding connection in the most surprising ways.
New England Witch Chronicles (New England Witch Chronicles, #1)
by Chelsea Luna
Genres: Witches, Young Adult, Fantasy, Paranormal, Magic, Urban Fantasy, Supernatural
Average rating on Goodreads: 3.98

NEW ENGLAND WITCH CHRONICLES is the first book in the four-book bestselling young adult series. The Salem Witch Trials of 1692 were an embarrassing stain on America’s revered past. Innocent people were persecuted at the hands of a few overzealous Puritans, but what if real witches existed during those colonial hunts? What if there are witches in present day New England? That’s what Alexandria Ramsey’s crazy grandmother believes. Grandma Claudia claims Alex descends from a long line of New England witches. Modern day witches in Hazel Cove, Massachusetts? Unlikely, but strange things are occurring in the weeks preceding Alex’s seventeenth birthday. Alex is haunted by bizarre recurring nightmares of a man chasing her through the Hazel Cove Cemetery. On a few occasions, when her emotions have spiraled out of control, inanimate objects have shattered around her. But that’s just a coincidence, right? Alex isn’t so sure, especially after a local girl, who supposedly dabbled in witchcraft, was killed in the nearby forest. Alex knows something strange is happening. With the arrival of a new boy in town, James Van Curen, who is causing problems between Alex and her best friend, Peter, Alex feels like her entire world is on the verge of chaos. Could Alex really be a witch? Is it possible Hazel Cove will become a battleground for modern-day witches and witch hunters?
The Mystery of Revenge (Back Bay Investigation #0)
by G.X. Chen
Genres: Mystery, Fiction, Crime
Average rating on Goodreads: 4.09

A body was found in the living room of a concert pianist, shot to death. Yi-yun Lin, the deceased, was a foreign student from China. No murder weapon was found on the scene, no sign of forced entry.It was seemingly a homicide, but who was the killer? All the evidence points to her boyfriend, the concert pianist, but Detective Paul Winderman of the Boston Police Department has his doubts. The victim's ex-husband has vowed revenge on several occasions. Someone from her past might also want her dead.The tale of the Mystery of Revenge is a melting pot of love, desire, jealousy and greed. Proceed with caution; the facts could be deceiving.
Many Lives, Many Masters: The True Story of a Prominent Psychiatrist, His Young Patient, and the Past Life Therapy That Changed Both Their Lives
by Brian L. Weiss
Genres: Nonfiction, Spirituality, Psychology, Self Help, Philosophy, New Age, Memoir
Average rating on Goodreads: 4.17

The true story of a prominent psychiatrist, his young patient, and the past-life therapy that changed both their lives. As a traditional psychotherapist, Dr. Brian Weiss was astonished and skeptical when one of his patients began recalling past-life traumas that seemed to hold the key to her recurring nightmares and anxiety attacks. His skepticism was eroded, however, when she began to channel messages from the space between lives, which contained remarkable revelations about Dr. Weiss' family and his dead son. Using past-life therapy, he was able to cure the patient and embark on a new, more meaningful phase of his own career.
Finding the Rainbow
by Rachel McGrath
Genres: Memoir, Nonfiction
Average rating on Goodreads: 4.47

Finding the Rainbow is a fascinating and honest insight into a world that most would find difficult to understand, and many would be quietly thankful not to need to. McGrath tells the story of her battle to conceive and carry a baby, with unrestricted honesty, leaving the reader in no doubt as to her thoughts and feelings, and the courageousness with which she deals with a very difficult period in her and her husband's lives. This emotive account draws attention to some of the otherwise unknown aspects of infertility and miscarriage, whilst still leaving room for humour, happiness and philosophy.The first book for Rachel McGrath, she writes about her battle with her body, her mind and the health service, whilst showing an incredible amount of inner strength, elegance and poise.
Freaks I've Met
by Donald Jans
Genres: Humor, Drama, Fiction, Classics, Contemporary, Adult, Book Club
Average rating on Goodreads: 3.57

Spokane, Washington, is nearly perfect for most people, but Jack Fitzpatrick is not one of them. Hours after graduation and armed with his final paycheck from his nemesis, Mrs. Pohlkiss, Jack heads for Southern California determined to prove that money does buy happiness. Thanks to a lucky run-in with a talent agent a few weeks earlier, Jack has loftier (and more lucrative) dreams than minimum wage in the basement of Nordstrom's. But once there, he learns that lofty dreams are a dime a dozen in the City of Angels. Broke, barely scraping by, and hating his life as a temp, L.A. is definitely not what Jack expected. But that doesn't mean he is going to lay down and give up--not yet. After reading “Best Paying Jobs of 1987” in Newsweek magazine, he decides to go after the only one he thinks he has a shot at: institutional bond broker. Once frustrated that his dazzling lack of experience keeps getting in the way, Jack is ecstatic to land a job at Freedom Capital, a no-name firm with a hire anybody mentality. Pumped to be on his way to his first few million, Jack eagerly engages in the challenged ethics of his new employer. When a series of innocent events lands him in prison, he’s sure things can’t get any worse. He would be wrong. Funny, scathing and over-the-top, "Freaks I've Met" is an adventure so unlike any other, it must be totally true.
Samarkand
by Amin Maalouf
Genres: Fiction, Historical Fiction, Novels, Literature, Historical, France, Roman
Average rating on Goodreads: 4.24

Accused of mocking the inviolate codes of Islam, the Persian poet and sage Omar Khayyam fortuitously finds sympathy with the very man who is to judge his alleged crimes. Recognising genuis, the judge decides to spare him and gives him instead a small, blank book, encouraging him to confine his thoughts to it alone. Thus begins the seamless blend of fact and fiction that is Samarkand. Vividly re-creating the history of the manuscript of the Rubaiyaat of Omar Khayyam, Amin Maalouf spans continents and centuries with breathtaking vision: the dusky exoticism of 11th-century Persia, with its poetesses and assassins; the same country's struggles nine hundred years later, seen through the eyes of an American academic obsessed with finding the original manuscript; and the fated maiden voyage of the Titanic, whose tragedy led to the Rubaiyaat's final resting place - all are brought to life with keen assurance by this gifted and award-winning writer.
Avaland
by Amy Croucher Rose
Average rating on Goodreads: 4.67

“Welcome to the Coliseum, the most important grounds the world’s magical arts has ever seen, and in which the fiercest Gladiators reside.”“You will be collecting these medallion’s, one for each of the elements.” The coin spun, changing from platinum to bronze, gold then silver. Each face revealing the words Magnum Opus.An orphan, her talisman and a cast of extraordinary creatures are brought together in Avaland, a place where nothing is quite as it seems.Charlotte is wrenched from her ordinary village life and finds herself in a magical world where she needs to learn the necessary skills to graduate to full Guardian status – and discover the special powers she was born with.Exploring the labyrinth Charlotte is required to complete a set of tasks, from battling with dragons in Gregorie’s Gorge to slaying sirens in Mermaid Cove.Alongside her new friends, Mandy and Frugal a diverse mix of monsters, fight to restore equilibrium to the kingdom, although some are not quite so enthusiastic about their quest.Charlotte walks the path of her destiny to discover who she really is.
The Zookeeper's Wife
by Diane Ackerman
Genres: Nonfiction, History, World War II, Holocaust, Historical, Biography, War
Average rating on Goodreads: 3.48

When Germany invaded Poland, Stuka bombers devastated Warsaw—and the city's zoo along with it. With most of their animals dead, zookeepers Jan and Antonina Zabinski began smuggling Jews into empty cages. Another dozen "guests" hid inside the Zabinskis' villa, emerging after dark for dinner, socializing, and, during rare moments of calm, piano concerts. Jan, active in the Polish resistance, kept ammunition buried in the elephant enclosure and stashed explosives in the animal hospital. Meanwhile, Antonina kept her unusual household afloat, caring for both its human and its animal inhabitants—otters, a badger, hyena pups, lynxes.With her exuberant prose and exquisite sensitivity to the natural world, Diane Ackerman engages us viscerally in the lives of the zoo animals, their keepers, and their hidden visitors. She shows us how Antonina refused to give in to the penetrating fear of discovery, keeping alive an atmosphere of play and innocence even as Europe crumbled around her.
Not Okay
by Brett Axel
Genres: Fiction, Dark, Contemporary
Average rating on Goodreads: 4.44

Alone, scarred, ill-equipped, sometimes brash, Peter Wilson searches for healing from child sexual abuse and mental illness in the 1980's. With the resources at his disposal inadequate, he turns to the pop psychology self help book, I'm OK You're OK, wisecracks, and a little bit of murder.
Stalingrad: The Fateful Siege, 1942–1943
by Antony Beevor
Genres: History, Nonfiction, War, World War II, Russia, Military History, Military Fiction
Average rating on Goodreads: 4.32

The Battle of Stalingrad was not only the psychological turning point of World War II: it also changed the face of modern warfare. Historians and reviewers worldwide have hailed Antony Beevor's magisterial Stalingrad as the definitive account of World War II's most harrowing battle. In August 1942, Hitler's huge Sixth Army reached the city that bore Stalin's name. In the five-month siege that followed, the Russians fought to hold Stalingrad at any cost; then, in an astonishing reversal, encircled and trapped their Nazi enemy. This battle for the ruins of a city cost more than a million lives. Stalingrad conveys the experience of soldiers on both sides, fighting in inhuman conditions, and of civilians trapped on an urban battlefield. Antony Beevor has interviewed survivors and discovered completely new material in a wide range of German and Soviet archives, including prisoner interrogations and reports of desertions and executions. As a story of cruelty, courage, and human suffering, Stalingrad is unprecedented and unforgettable.
The Last Time I Saw You
by Liv Constantine
Genres: Mystery, Thriller, Fiction, Mystery Thriller, Audiobook, Suspense, Psychological Thriller
Average rating on Goodreads: 3.49

The internationally bestselling author of The Last Mrs. Parrish follows that success with an addictive novel filled with shocking twists about the aftermath of a brutal high-society murder.Dr. Kate English has it all. Not only is she the heiress to a large fortune; she has a gorgeous husband and daughter, a high-flying career, and a beautiful home anyone would envy.But all that changes the night Kate’s mother, Lily, is found dead, brutally murdered in her own home. Heartbroken and distraught, Kate reaches out to her estranged best friend, Blaire Barrington, who rushes to her side for the funeral, where the years of distance between them are forgotten in a moment.That evening, Kate’s grief turns to horror when she receives an anonymous text: You think you’re sad now, just wait. By the time I’m finished with you, you’ll wish you had been buried today. More than ever, Kate needs her old friend’s help.Once Blaire decides to take the investigation into her own hands, it becomes clear that all is not as it seems in Baltimore high society. As infidelity, lies, and betrayals come to light, and tensions rise to a boiling point, she begins to alienate Kate’s friends and relatives with her relentless, accusatory questions, as she tries to find Lily’s killer. The murderer could be anyone—friend, neighbor, loved one. But whoever it is, it’s clear that Kate is next on their list. . .In The Last Time I Saw You, Liv Constantine takes the lightning pace of The Last Mrs. Parrish and raises the stakes, creating an exquisitely tension-filled and absorbing tale of psychological suspense in which innocent lives—and one woman’s sanity—hang in the balance.
A Christmas Memory
by Truman Capote
Genres: Christmas, Short Stories, Classics, Fiction, Holiday, Southern, American
Average rating on Goodreads: 4.24

“The mill owner's wife persists: 'A dollar, my foot! Fifty cents. That's my last offer. Goodness, woman, you can get another one.' In answer, my friend gently reflects: 'I doubt it. There's never two of anything.”'A Christmas Memory' is a short story written by Truman Capote, first published in 1956. This much sought-after autobiographical recollection of Capote's rural Alabama boyhood has become a modern-day classic.Seven-year-old Buddy knows that the Christmas season has arrived when his cousin, Miss Sook Falk exclaims: "It's fruitcake weather!" Thus begins an unforgettable portrait of an odd, but enduring, friendship between two innocent souls—one young and one old—and the memories they share of beloved holiday rituals.
Truman Capote
 (1924–1984) was an American writer whose non-fiction, stories, novels and plays are recognized literary classics. His first novel, 
'Other Voices, Other Rooms' (1948)
 stayed on the bestseller list for nine weeks. In the 1950s and 1960s, Capote remained prolific producing both fiction and non-fiction, such as the novella 'Breakfast at Tiffany's' (1958). His masterpiece, 'In Cold Blood' (1965), became a worldwide success, after which he published rarely and suffered from alcohol addiction. He died in 1984 at age 59. At least 20 films and TV dramas have been produced from Capote novels, stories and screenplays.
Summer of the Monkeys
by Wilson Rawls
Genres: Fiction, Young Adult, Classics, Childrens, Historical Fiction, Animals, Middle Grade
Average rating on Goodreads: 4.07

From the author of the beloved classic Where the Red Fern Grows comes a timeless adventure about a boy who discovers a tree full of monkeys.   The last thing fourteen-year-old Jay Berry Lee expects to find while trekking through the Ozark Mountains of Oklahoma is a tree full of monkeys. But then Jay learns from his grandpa that the monkeys have escaped from a traveling circus, and there’s a big reward for the person who finds and returns them.   His family could really use the money, so Jay sets off, determined to catch them. But by the end of the summer, Jay will have learned a lot more than he bargained for—and not just about monkeys.   From the beloved author of Where the Red Fern Grows comes another memorable adventure novel filled with heart, humor, and excitement.Honors and Praise for Wilson Rawls’ Where the Red Fern Grows : A School Library Journal Top 100 Children’s NovelAn NPR Must-Read for Kids Ages 9 to 14Winner of 4 State AwardsOver 7 million copies in print! “ A rewarding book . . . [with] careful, precise observation, all of it rightly phrased.” — The New York Times Book Review “ One of the great classics of children’s literature . . . Any child who doesn’t get to read this beloved and powerfully emotional book has missed out on an important piece of childhood for the last 40-plus years.” —Common Sense Media “ An exciting tale of love and adventure you’ll never forget.” — School Library Journal
The Canterville Ghost
by Oscar Wilde
Genres: Classics, Fiction, Short Stories, Fantasy, Horror, Humor, Gothic
Average rating on Goodreads: 3.88

This is Oscar Wilde's tale of the American family moved into a British mansion, Canterville Chase, much to the annoyance of its tired ghost. The family -- which refuses to believe in him -- is in Wilde's way a commentary on the British nobility of the day -- and on the Americans, too. The tale, like many of Wilde's, is rich with allusion, but ends as sentimental romance...
Reality of Life (Perception, #2)
by Shandi Boyes
Genres: Romance, New Adult, Family, Music, College
Average rating on Goodreads: 4.48

Book 2 in the 'Perception' Series.The reality of life is sometimes bad things happen to good people, especially when they least expect it. How will Noah overcome his latest tragic event?Continue to follow Noah on his next journey and see which path his life chooses to take.You will laugh and you will cry, but the story of Noah Taylor will stay with you forever.From the Author that brought you 'Perception of Life' comes the next instalment in the 'Perception' series.This book is NOT recommended as a standalone, it should be read after 'Perception of Life'. It contains adult content and sexual references. *** Warning - Angsty New Adult Romance *** NOTE: This is part 2 of a 2 part story.
Messenger (The Giver, #3)
by Lois Lowry
Genres: Young Adult, Dystopia, Fiction, Fantasy, Science Fiction, Middle Grade, Classics
Average rating on Goodreads: 3.91

Messenger is the masterful third novel in the Giver Quartet, which began with the dystopian bestseller The Giver, now a major motion picture. Matty has lived in Village and flourished under the guidance of Seer, a blind man known for his special sight. Village once welcomed newcomers, but something sinister has seeped into Village and the people have voted to close it to outsiders. Matty has been invaluable as a messenger. Now he must risk everything to make one last journey through the treacherous forest with his only weapon, a power he unexpectedly discovers within himself.
Dreams of Winter (A Forgotten Gods Tale, #1)
by Christian Warren Freed
Genres: Contemporary, Epic, Fantasy, Fiction, Drama
Average rating on Goodreads: 4.34

Under the rigid guidance of the Conclave; an order of holy men seeking to bring back the glory of the time of the gods, the Order of the Inquisition and their Prekhauten Guard divisions the seven hundred known worlds carve out a new empire with the compassion and wisdom the gods once offered. But a terrible secret, known only to the most powerful, threatens to undo three millennia of progress. The gods are not dead at all. They merely sleep. And they are being hunted.  Senior Inquisitor Tolde Breed is sent to the planet Crimeat to investigate the escape of one of the most deadly beings in the universe. Amongeratix, one of the three sons of the god-king is loose once again, the fabled Three. Tolde arrives on a world where heresy breeds insurrection and war is only a matter of time. Tolde is aided by Sister Abigail of the Order of Blood Witches in his quest to find Amongeratix and return him to Conclave custody before he can begin his reign of terror. What he doesn’t know is that the Three are already operating on Crimeat. Each serves a different emotion: Vengeance, Sorrow and Redemption. Their touch drives the various characters beyond themselves and towards an uncertain future that can only end one of two ways. Either the Three win and finally destroy the gods, or humanity stops them and continues to survive.