Tricky thing about asking for a recommendation is that I'm not entirely sure what I'd like to read. Some things that I think I'd like at first turn out to be boring to me, and I sometimes get surprised with things I didn't think I'd like. But since asking for suggestions will go nowhere without something to work with, I'll list out a few ideas I had for what I might be looking for:
- Female protagonist, preferably 18 or older. So much of what I read has a male lead, even if they aren't the actual focus of the story. So I'd like to see something a bit different, if possible. I'm also trying to get out of having most of my own stories feature teenagers, so it might help to see some adult leading characters.
- A story featuring the paranormal, but not from a romance angle. I'm thinking of something like the "occult detective" genre, or maybe horror/mystery like in Another. I'd prefer something less bleak than Lovecraft, but I can survive if it does get grim but I like the characters or setting (like with the Metro series).
- Alternatively, I'd be interested in something with a light sci-fi theme to it. Something like soft sci-fi or science fantasy, like Star Wars. Cyberpunk and themes like transhumanism work too, though I'd prefer to focus on the characters rather than the technology itself.
- If there is romance, I'd prefer to not have romanticized abuse or similar unfortunate implications. If the romance has flaws, they should at least be acknowledged, if not addressed. I'd also be interested in seeing queer romance in the story, as long as it's portrayed without resorting to stereotypes.
- I'd prefer not to see an "idiot plot" or a protagonist that doesn't attempt to act in any way. They can be ineffectual (like Artyom from Metro 2033), but they need to be willing to try to resolve the conflicts.
Hopefully that's enough information that someone will be able to help me. At any rate, thanks for reading, and thanks in advance for any ideas that you're able to give me.
