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lilareviewsbooks · 1 year

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Short SFF Books!

I know getting into SFF can be difficult because of the sheer size of series and books in the genres. So here’s a couple of speculative fiction picks that don’t require that much time to read :)

I’ve also made a part two for this, so check that out if you’d like some more short SFF!

This Is How You Lose The Time War, by Amal El-Mohtar & Max Gladstone

209 pages

sapphic rep

standalone

This one is a classic when it comes to short sci-fis (thank you, Bigolas Dickolas), and that’s definitely for a reason! This Is How You Lose The Time War is a story in an incredibly unique format that will, to be honest, probably emotionally devastate you in some way or another.

Time War follows Red and Blue, two agents working for opposite sides of, you know it, a time war. Their job is to travel through time to change the odds for their respective “agencies”. But, of course, they can’t resist leaving each other messages along in the way - in the most unique manners possible.

This queer novella will take your breath away. It will lead you through multiple timelines, split into two perspectives, Red and Blue, with a beautiful, lyrical writing style, which will make you so invested in our two main characters. The author duo treats us to these fantastical, vivid settings, which are sparkling with potencial and leave you wanting to dive deeper.

Silver In The Wood, by Emily Tesh

112 pages

achillean rep

duology

This is part of the Greenhollow Duology, but can absolutely be read as a standalone. It’s also one of my all time favorites! Silver In The Wood follows Tobias, a groundskeeper who lives deep in the woods. When Henry Silver moves into the house Tobias watches, things change - there’s something in the woods, and Tobias might just have to introduce Henry to it.

It’s been a while since I read this, but I haven’t forgotten about it. I’m always thinking about this book. The vibes are simply immaculate, and so cozy. It will literally make you feel like you’re in the woods. The character work is excellent, and focuses on older protagonists, which is always a treat. The romance is well-constructed and the second book is completely optional, taking place almost as a side-quest for the main couple.

I wish there were so many more of these, but unfortunately there are only two. But damn, are they great! Highly recommend, Silver In The Wood and its sequel, Drowned Country!

The Singing Hills Cycle, by Nghi Vo

100 to 128 pages

non-binary and sapphic rep

series

The Singing Hills Cycle is a good one to recommend, because it’s very low-commitment. You can pick whichever one of the three books (there’s soon to be a fourth!!) draws your interest, you can start with that one, and then go from there. The series follows Chih, a wandering cleric, from the Wandering Hills Abbey, which is preoccupied with keeping records of the history of this China-inspired kingdom. Chih goes around the territory with his talking bird Almost Brilliant, collecting stories.

This series is beautiful! Every book contains in it a beautiful exploration of folklore, and bite-sized story that will always warm your heart. Chih is a wonderful character around which to revolve this story, and their commitment to keeping records and history flows off the page - which is hella important, let’s record our history, folks! The side characters that show up on a book-by-book basis are always the best, and their dialogue is always the best part.

I highly recommend listening to the audiobook - I did so for the last installment, Into The Riverlands, and it was amazing! Just a 2 hour listen, if that sells ya!

The Murderbot Diaries, starting with All Systems Red, by Martha Wells

144 to 256 pages

queer rep of all kinds! yay!

series

The Murderbot Diaries is for those of us looking for a bigger committment. The series currently has 7 books, one of which is a full-length novel. However, you can read the first book as a standalone and decide if you’d like to continue on following Murderbot’s adventures! Most of the books are 150 - 200 pages long, and so are a pretty quick read!

This is perfect if you enjoy a snarky narration style and a compelling protagonist who’s trying to figure out how they fit into the world. Murderbot, our main character and narrator, is a SecUnit, that is, a security android, that must accompany a scientific expedition to a distant planet, to keep the explorers safe. But Murderbot has hacked its security mode, and enjoys watching TV shows and chilling by itself. But when the mission starts to go wrong, it might need to perk up and start - oh, no! - interacting with the humans.

Although I haven’t read the whole series yet, - I’m waiting for the mood to come over me, okay! - I have the first three books under my belt, and I’m so excited to continue. Murderbot has this spark and this snark which is just so entertaining to read, and so this book will have you laughing and rooting for it as it tries to figure out how to fit in in human society. Such a compelling character, and I’m happy there’s a lot of content out there for me to consume.

The Emperor’s Soul, by Brandon Sanderson

192 pages

no gay rep :(

standalone

The Emperor’s Soul is a part of Mr. Sanderson’s Elantris universe, but can be read as a standalone without knowing anything else about this world. It’s a bit of a different rec - Mr. Sanderson’s writing style is - and I mean this in the politest way possible - dry as fuck, and definitely not for everyone. But there’s something here I think is worth your time.

The magic system here is so unique and so fascinating. The Emperor’s Soul follows Shai, a Forger, who can copy objects flawlessly by re-writing their history. But, suddenly, she’s enlisted to do the impossible - Forge the Emperor.

I would give this one a try, even if it’s not like all the others one I recommended. It’s a good read, and Mr. Sanderson is, like it or not, a classic fantasy writer that’s a must-read for most fantasy fans. And, for me, this and then Mistborn were perfect stepping in points for his fiction.

I have so many of these, guys. Like, literally, so many. So, let me know if you want more of these - I’ll write up another post! And if you’d more specific recs, feel free to drop an ask :)

Also, check out my SFF books with queer-normal worlds list, if you’re looking for more gay stuff!

#book recommendations #book recs #booklr #books #queer books #queer sff #queer reads #sapphic books #lgbtq books #novella #sff novellas #short book #this is how you lose the time war #greenhollow duology #silver in the wood #murderbot #the emperors soul #brandon sanderson #fantasy books

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kitspindles · 2 years

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I’ve seen a lot of people online lately saying how Nico better end up actually happy at the end of the Solangelo book or otherwise what was the point in writing it. Or about how they think Will (or Nico) is definitely gonna die and I’m like ???

1). Why do you think the book is being written to begin with??? Nico has been a fan-favorite for awhile now. He’s got a lot going on that couldn’t be easily explained away in the other books because it just wasn’t the time or place. Him and Will are a very popular couple, right up there with Percabeth. This book is meant to flesh out the rest of Nico and Will’s characters (lots with Will, we hope) and their relationship, to address their trauma or worries and where they stand with one another (and to save Bob, ofc, we love Bob), and either end with them healed or firmly on the road to a happier future where we as readers can see that they’ll be okay in the end.

2). Rick’s killed off plenty of characters before, yeah (Rip Jason) but I really don’t see him taking out either of the boys. Especially since Mark had the reins when it came to actually writing most of the book. What would be the reason? I’m pretty sure the book is meant to explore their relationship and bring them together, not kill one or the other and cause MORE trauma. Also, we all know how it feels to have a gay/otherwise LGBT+ character (one who’s in a relationship, too) killed off just because ✨angst✨ and then it’s just left at that. Can you imagine how angry people would get? Like what’s the point of writing an entire standalone SOLANGELO novel if the authors go and kill off one half of the ship? I get that people might be worried but I really don’t think it’s gonna happen lol.

Or idk maybe I just have too much faith? I think it’ll be fine. Also, we have to remember that this book is still meant to fall within the middle grade age category so things can’t get too crazy and dark (not saying that kids can’t process and understand that stuff when it’s written, it’s just how the books are usually for multiple reasons).

#nico di angelo #will solace #solangelo #solangelo book #rick riordan #mark oshiro #rrverse #pjo hoo toa #riordanverse #annabeth chase #percy jackson #jason grace #pjo fandom #my stuff

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lacependragon · 3 months

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2024 Book #1: The Hanging City by Charlie N. Holmberg

Intended Audience: Adult Genre: Romantasy (Romance-focused fantasy) Length: 335 pages Finished: February 17th, 2024

Narration: single narrator, first person pov

Summary: In a fantasy world consumed by an endless drought, a young woman on the run from her father has arrived at the last place that might take her in: the troll city under the greatest bridge ever built. But in order to get in, she must tell the leaders of her strange magic ability - she can push fear onto others, though she'll feel it too. As Lark, our MC, tries to fit into trollis (their preferred term) society, she finds herself struggling to fit in when kindness and compassion don't get you far in a society of strength. But some trollis soften to her, especially a handsome one named Azmar that Lark can't stop thinking about, no matter how dangerous it is.

Review: This is a very good book. Lark is a fun, compassionate, and quick thinking main character whose mistakes are understandable and who uses all the information at her disposal in clever ways. I loved how her compassion and struggle to fit in led to so much of the conflict in the story, and I loved how it also was a huge part of her success in the story, too. Lark's relationships with other characters, including Azmar and Unach, who she lives with, are just so, so good. I loved the job that Lark ended up with - monster hunting - and I really appreciate how it never stops being relevant to the story, both in activity and in social situations. In fact, this is just a very tightly written little book and everything circles around in some very fantastic ways.

The writing is lovely, too. I really enjoy the way this author writes books - I own a few of them - and I find there's a nice cadence to the words. It's smooth to read. And that spreads into how information is given to the reader, as well. Everything feels very smooth and easy flowing.

And, just to come back around, I really, really love compassionate protagonists. I love when characters want to help others, no matter the cost, and sometimes make stupid decisions because of that. Lark is such a fantastic protagonist who works around everything she is given. I love her. I love Azmar, too.

I think my biggest problem is that this is a seriously closed door romance. A few on-screen kisses and that's about it. Some light references. I would have loved to see more - I prefer my romances a little smuttier - but YMMV.

Just a fantastic book, seriously. So glad it was my first of the year.

Things I liked, specifically:

The romance was good. I understood why Lark was attracted to Azmar, and even though we never get Azmar's point of view, it was clear to me why he liked her. Watching them fall for each other was just adorable. Also, I love when a romance doesn't rely on badly done miscommunication for its third act drama. This does something SO GOOD that has nothing to do with that!

The worldbuilding was really neat. This is a standalone, so there's a lot of questions left unanswered, but the answers we got were fun. I also loved how it tied into the plot, as well as the culture of the trollis. You really get a sense for what their people value when the architecture is described. It's very evocative. And the cultural bits we get, the government and tax and law systems, the currency and caste stuff. God it's all so good and intriguing. Layered in just enough, in my opinion.

The friendships. There are so many good supporting characters in this story, including Unach, the trollis woman originally assigned to look over Lark. She's Azmar's sister and she's basically my fave. She's so gruff and short-tempered but also fantastic. Love her. I loved all of the supporting characters. All of them were well-written, well-rounded, and had motivations that were clear to me.

LARK. Again, emphasizing that Lark is just a fantastic, compassionate and kind protagonist. She is tired of fighting. Tired of having to hurt others. She wants a family, friends, and peace, and it is beautiful to watch her strive for her.

The themes. Sometimes you can't change a place, only you can change. Family isn't what your born into, but the people who will accept you no matter what you are. It is always right to try and save others. What is a monster? What is a man? Just to name a few that I personally pulled out of the story that I just adored the execution of. It's so good. And the trollis society embodies both good and bad, and you get to see the way it echoes into the themes and guh.

Rating: 4 1/2 stars.

Recommended for: Fans of romance who enjoy good worldbuilding, fans of Holes, fans of Gentle Giant men.

#book reviews #books #reading #bookblr #charlie n holmberg #the hanging city #amreading #lace speaks #lace reads #lace reviews #lace reviews books

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thecasualbookreviewer · 8 days

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⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Bound to fall, A.k. Caggiano

Summary:

Celeste Delacroix’s sister is dead. This is unfortunate…sort of. But it’s also an opportunity to return to the realm of Eiren and begin anew, if noxscura will allow her.

Cursed with dark magic, living virtuously has always eluded Celeste, but she’s determined to right the wrongs she wrought in the sleepy village of Briarwyke and maybe even find her ever after, happiness unrequired and, as she sees it, undeserved. But darkness accompanies Celeste as keenly as clumsiness and shame, and when she accidentally releases a new evil on Briarwyke, she must find a divine source of magic to destroy it.

Sir Reeve, Holy Knight of Valcord, is one such divine source—not to mention incredibly handsome—and as luck would have it, already intent on vanquishing the evil that plagues Briarwyke. Unfortunately, he believes that evil to be a noxscura-wielding witch who has desecrated his faith’s temple: Celeste herself. Abyss-bent on fulfilling his destiny, Reeve’s virtue and beliefs have never wavered because the world is simple, after all—there are those who are good, and those who are evil, and evil must be destroyed.

But what happens when a perceived evil requests assistance in defeating an even greater threat? Can Celeste and Reeve band together to save Briarwyke, or will their contempt for one another be their downfall?

Bound to Fall is a standalone spinoff of Villains & Virtues, a completed trilogy that follows the exploits of Damien and Amma. This book takes place in the spring, after the events of Villains & Virtues, and does contain spoilers for the series including character death. However, Bound to Fall focuses on a new couple, Celeste and Reeve, who we did not meet in the original trilogy, and can be read as a standalone story.

Review:

This book took a lot more time to get through than the other books in this universe, but that doesn't mean it wasn't good. The story felt a lot much slower, and it was all set in a single town with at times made it feel like it wasn't moving along at all, however the characters are pretty interesting and make you want to come back and continue reading their story.

Celeste and Reeve are two characters that at first I didn't see myself liking much, but by the end I had a great appreciation of both, and of course the author has a great balance of humor and serious moments.

I wouldn't quite call this a cozy fantasy, because the stakes are quite high, but i think for the most part it might fit the genre.

#the casual book reviewer reviews #bound to fall #ak caggiano #booklr #book review

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readnburied · 7 months

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Book Review: If We Were Liars by M. L. Rio

Date of Publishing: April 11th, 2017

Author: M. L. Rio

Publisher: Flatiron Books

Genre: Dark Academia, Mystery Thriller

This is a standalone novel and follows Oliver who has been released from jail after quite a long time and finally starts to tell the truth about what happened in college with his friends ten years ago. With Shakespeare taking center stage, Oliver and his friends go through quite a miasma of emotions and circumstances before the truth finally comes to light and that the thirst for power can sometimes lead to death.

When I started reading this book I thought I wouldn’t like it. I only read this book because people on social media were labeling it as dark academia which is a genre which I practically live in and fantasize about. And when I started reading it, it took me a couple of chapters to get into it but once I did, I couldn’t stop. It captured me and didn’t let go until I forced myself to close the book once I reached the end. And even then I was left with a heavy heart and a hangover so bad, I’m still suffering from it as I write this.

Starting off with the characters, I have to say there’s so much depth to each and every one of them. One can’t put them in one category and till the end you wonder what their motives are. Does he love her? Does she love him or just playing around with him? All the questions and more keep you guessing as the book continues. Which just gives proof of the author’s talent.

I especially loved the setting of the story as I love books with an academic setting. The drama college and its prestige makes me wish I lived and studied there because everything feels so exclusive and alluring. And the drama studies feel so unique to me because I’ve never attended drama school and I especially loved the class where they drink tea while studying. And I have to say the writer knows their Shakespeare and how they weave it within the story is impeccable.

Though the characters try to be friends and act like a family, it is evident that the thirst for power is there in each one. They want to support each other but they don’t want them to be better than them. And if the threat is there, then they’re not afraid to eliminate them and that’s exactly what happens when one of their friend ends up dead. And when it comes to taking the blame and calling the police, the fight for survival increases and the hope of altruism is nothing but a miracle.

Another thing I loved was the formatting of the book. I loved how the book was formatted as a sort of a play with acts and scenes and how every prologue was a narration of the present and the rest of the chapters were a story of the past. Though it wasn’t anything unique I still found it interesting, which just makes me give some extra points to this story.

Oliver was a beautiful and complex character and his reasons for doing what he did might seem stupid to some people but I could understand why he made the choice he did even though he had to suffer for ten years because of it. And I hated how the group broke apart but that was to be expected considering the circumstances they were dealt.

The detective was another favorite character of mine. I liked how understanding he was and despite the evidence presented before him, he was able to see the truth and knew who really was innocent. And I liked how he was able to establish a relationship with Oliver.

However, the ending was what blew my mind. I’m still trying to wrap my head around it and I’m still not sure if I’m right. Was it what I think it was or is the writer just messing with me? As much as I wish for a gift wrapped ending I’m glad the writer ended it the way they did because till the end the author maintained the mysterious atmosphere of the story, so hats off to them.

I was surprised to see this book was released in 2017 because I’ve only started seeing it recently but I’m glad its finally getting the fame it deserves and I look forward to not only reading more works of the author but for reading more books like this. It really is one of the best dark academia books I’ve had the pleasure of reading.

If you’re thinking about giving this book a chance, please do so as soon as possible. I recommend everyone to read this book because it’s worth your time and energy. So do go and purchase this book and you will not be disappointed.

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kamreadsandrecs · 6 months

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Title: Paladin's Faith (Saint of Steel #4)

Author: T. Kingfisher

Genre/s: fantasy, romance, mystery, romantasy

Content/Trigger Warning/s: gore, death, violence, murder, sexual harassment (not explicit)

Summary (from author's website): Marguerite Florian is a spy with two problems. A former employer wants her dead, and one of her new bodyguards is a far too good-looking paladin with a martyr complex.

Shane is a paladin with three problems. His god is dead, his client is much too attractive for his peace of mind, and a powerful organization is trying to have them both killed.

Add in a brilliant artificer with a device that may change the world, a glittering and dangerous court, and a demon-led cult, and Shane and Marguerite will be lucky to escape with their souls intact, never mind their hearts…

Buy Here: https://argyllproductions.com/product/paladins-faith-saint-of-steel-book-4/

Spoiler-Free Review: Kingfisher does it again! As always the romance was on point and delightful. Marguerite is a delight to read, and honestly strikes me as much more…open, I guess? Than the previous protagonists. Which is funny given her line of work, but she read as the one with the least to hide, and was most willing to acknowledge her own feelings and the feelings of others.

And then there is Shane. I was not entirely expecting this storyline for him, but I am IMMENSELY pleased with and delighted by how it went. His connection to the Dreaming God was mentioned in passing in previous books, but now that I know how deep that connection goes, and what the loss of both that connection AND the connection to the Saint of Steel did to him, well… I mean, is it any surprise that his self-doubt runs VERY deep? This facet of his personality plays a lot into his dynamic with Marguerite, and makes for some admittedly squee-worthy moments between the two of them.

Wren is also a delight and a darling in this one. There is an entire subplot going on with her that in some ways was more enjoyable to read than Shane and Marguerite’s, largely because while the beats for the Shane/Marguerite romance were more or less familiar and unsurprising, Wren’s subplot was less predictable.

Speaking of the Dreaming God, it was fun getting to meet more of his paladins! I kind of hope some of them will get books of their own eventually, but given that there are still three more paladins of the Saint of Steel to go before the current series is finished, I suspect it’s going to take a while. And honestly, I’m more interested in seeing more paladins of the Forge God; they seem pretty cool, based on the few glimpses Kingfisher’s shown of them in previous books in this series.

I was also delighted by all the throwbacks to the Clocktaur War duology! Readers who’ve read those books are going to be in for a TREAT, given how many nods and mentions are made in passing to characters and events that happened in that series.

Since there’s a rather heavy Dreaming God presence in this book, it shouldn’t be any surprise that there are demons at play, and the one featured here is VERY interesting. Won’t say more to avoid giving out spoilers, but I think a lot of readers are going to be fascinated by this one - and by the implications that particular plotline has for a whole lot of things in potential future books in this series and in others set in the World of the White Rat.

Overall, this was a great continuation of the series, even if the connection to the bombshell ending of Paladin’s Hope isn’t as direct as some readers might’ve wanted. Then again, that’s been the pattern for this series all along, with each book able to function almost as a standalone and instead lightly referencing previous books instead of being direct sequels. Still, that plot thread in Paladin’s Hope is picked up in this one, though in a highly unexpected way that might leave some readers feeling a bit rabid about the release of the next one.

Rating: five rats

#book review #book reviews #paladin's faith #t. kingfisher #saint of steel series #romance #fantasy #mystery #romantasy #books

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smalltownfae · 1 year

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My Top 10 Favourite Fantasy Series

I just saw a top 10 fantasy series video that upset me so I am sharing my own (current) top fantasy series. Since it’s about series as a whole I am taking that into consideration instead of ratings for individual books. I am aware that this is really petty. I am counting series that aren’t finished but I read all the books that came out so far too. Also, some of the placements surprised even myself, but stay with me.

Some extras about fantasy series I want to read/continue at the end.

1. Realm of the Elderlings by Robin Hobb

I doubt this will ever change. I read this series for the first time in 2018/2019 and I already reread most of the books in such a short period of time. I also didn’t have an obsession hit me this hard ever since I was a teen. It is very rare for me to get to these levels (thankfully to my poor irl friends that had no idea what I was talking about at the high of my obsession with this). Now, it is in normal levels of loving a series but at the time I even created another tumblr blog in order not to bother my followers because I swear this series was all I posted about. The writing is beautiful, the plot is very emotional and the characters are the most realistic I have ever seen in fiction. There are some things I hate about this series, but also many things I love and those are in greater quantity. Funnily enough this series sort of saved me because at the time I was having some suicidal thoughts but wanting to know where these characters ended kept me going and eventually I got better. Who says fiction doesn’t save lives? This is the most personal series to me and I doubt any other will ever make me feel the same way. As sad as it can be at times, it also makes me laugh a lot and the quiet talks between the characters by the fire give me a comforting feeling like no other.

2. Discworld by Terry Pratchett

I might not have read all the books in this series. Not even close. But I read at least 10 of them so I am counting it! Since most of the books can be read as standalones anyway I feel like I am in my right. This series wouldn’t be this high if it wasn’t for Reaper Man, Hogfather, Men at Arms, Feet of Clay and the Witches series. I started with The Color of Magic and enjoyed quite a bit, which seems to be an unpopular opinion. However, that can’t compare with the later books and I see that now. The characters are very cartoon-like, but can be surprisingly deep at times and I love how Pratchett explores very real difficult themes through humour and imagination.

3. Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien

The one that is in most lists of this kind. The OG! I must say I am not the biggest fan of the Hobbit and I haven’t read the Silmarillion yet, but besides this trilogy (or one big book, whatever) I have read his essay on Fairy stories and the short Leaf by Niggle and damn me if the man couldn’t write. I know a lot of people struggle with his style, but this exactly the kind of beautiful evocative writing that I like and wish more authors would do. The big themes of Lord of the Rings are heart warming and there is still no place I would rather be but the Shire. I really like the characters too even if I have read the books a long time ago and ever since I have heard people say they aren’t the most complex. I remember the nature descriptions most of all and how Tolkien could be surprisingly funny at times. So, yeah, this warms my heart and I definitly need to give the Silmarillion a try someday. But, please do not talk to me about the world building. That is not the reason why I love this, but it seems to be a big one for most fans.

4. Pandora Hearts by Jun Mochizuki

I trusted two online friends and bought the beautiful box set for this series without having read it and I think the experience of reading it and having such a beautiful thing in my possession helped my enjoyment of this. Mochizuki’s style is very beautiful (and it was only improved in Vanitas), I really like her character and the plot - even though I saw some of the things coming - it’s magnificent. It builds slowly but it’s really worth it. The main character, Oz, appears to be the typical dumb shonen protagonist but very quickly the reader can see he is smarter than he lets on. I never saw a main character like Oz in other shonen manga. There are many characters I could praise and some I am upset about, like Alice. I feel like she could have had so much more development and it’s a bit sad that she didn’t. This series made me laugh, made me gasp and made me tear up, like all series should do to be honest.

5. The First Law by Joe Abercrombie

The reason this is in number 5 is because this man likes war and battle scenes too much. Those are not my favourite things. Still, I find First Law bleak but, most of all, funny. Abercrombie crafted some of my favourite characters like Savine, Jezal, Vick, etc. I have beef with many people in this fandom that doesn’t appreciate my favouries and only talks about the action scenes, but I guess that is the way it is when you get into a series loved by mostly men. I might have my criticisms of the books but Abercrombie knows how to wrap up the themes of his books. It all feels right for the kind of project he has. This series loses points, however, for not bringing me any comfort. The landscapes are mostly empty and I like my nature and quiet moments that are lacking in this.

6. The Poppy War trilogy by R.F. Kuang

We could have had it all, but you had to write two books with added characters I didn’t care about and make the ones I cared about feel stale. The first book in this trilogy is still my favourite. Even though it has flaws I don’t think they are as many (and don’t bother me as much) as the flaws in the two books that follow. The first book was the only one to make me cry and I felt so much for Rin, who had a big character development that stabilized at the end of that book for the most part. This book had some shonen moments, it was funny at times and even a little bit gay. It was great. Then, the second book was a little less great and the third was just disappointing. I know Kuang was just following real historical events, but I still think it could have been done better and that some characters that lasted so little time were unecessary.

7. The Chronicles of Prydain by Lloyd Alexander

In general, this is a 4 star series to me. However, I feel so cozy and nostalgic everytime I read it. I didn’t even read this as a kid, I am in my 30s, but the plot and characters are very familiar to me and remind me of similar stories from my childhood. For that, I have to put it in my favourites for now. This is another series that wraps up so well thematically that I love it as a whole. It’s the coming of age of coming of ages and even though Taran is the protagonist, all the other characters are also interesting and fun to follow. I have some complains about it (mostly about Gurgi’s reverence towards Taran), but I still like it a lot. Doli of the fair folk is the best character, followed by Eilonwy.

8. Greenhollow Duology by Emily Tesh

I didn’t think this will be in my top, but here we are. These short novellas are just so cozy, especially the first one. The nature, the kind giant man, the badass mother, the mischievous fae... it’s all such good vibes. The perfect ones for my tastes.

9. Gentleman Bastards by Scott Lynch

Unfinished and I really dislike the second half of the second book, but I love Sabetha, Jean and Locke. Locke could be such an annoying character if he didn’t got kicked in the ass so much. I like that he has that know-it-all attitude but things never go his way in the end. I like my characters to be flawed. Pretty fun and interesting series that I wish would be continued and finished, but I am glad I have two and half books I really like.

10. Sevenwaters by Juliet Marillier

Another series of ups and downs. I still have the last 2 books to read, but I finished the original trilogy. I absolutely despise the second book in this series and that main character annoys me to no end. The fourth book also made me really mad. However, I love the first book and really liked the third. I even liked the romance in the third, which is a rarity for me with this author. Why must people with this talent for writing so beautifully use it to write crap? I swear Marillier has one of the most beautiful and evocative styles but then some of the character’s moral values do not align with me at all. Thank you for the side gay character reveal in the later books though. I wish that was explored, but I understand that we are just doing heterosexual romances here. This, like the one that came before, will probably not stay in my top as I read more series that I like better, but it’s here for now.

Series I want to continue:

Graceling Realm by Kristin Cashore (read 1 book)

Malazan: Book of the Fallen by Steven Erikson (read 1 book)

Chocolat series by Joanne Harris (read 2 books)

The Broken Earth trilogy by N.K. Jemisin (read 2 books)

Riverside by Ellen Kushner (read 1 book)

Earthsea Cycle by Ursula K. Le Guin (read 2 books)

Chronicles of Tornor by Elizabeth A. Lynn (read 1 book)

A Song of Ice and Fire by George R.R. Martin (read 1 book)

Pern series by Anne McCaffrey (read the first book in the Harper Hall)

Enchanted Forest Chronicles by Patricia C. Wrede (read 1 book)

The Dark is Rising by Susan Cooper (read 1 book)

Series I want to start:

Westmark by Lloyd Alexander

Regency Faerie Tales by Olivia Atwater

The Councillor by E.J. Beaton

World of the Five Gods by Lois McMaster Bujold

Kushiel's Legacy by Jacqueline Carey

Parasol Protectorate by Gail Carriger

Sorcerer Royal by Zen Cho

Winds of the Forelands by David B.Coe

Tales of the High Court by Megan Derr

Chronicles of Ghadid by K.A. Doore

The Hythrun Chronicles by Jennifer Fallon

Nightrunner series by Lynn Flewelling

Lays of the Hearth-Fire by Victoria Goddard

The Light of the World trilogy by Nicola Griffith

Poison Wars by Sam Hawke

Fred, the Vampire Accountant by Drew Hayes

Tales of the Otori by Lian Hearn

Soldier Son by Robin Hobb

Quarters series by Tanya Huff

Redwall by Brian Jacques

Inheritace trilogy by N.K. Jemisin

The Serpent Gates by A.K. Larkwood

Windsingers by Megan Lindholm

The Deed of Paksenarrion by Elizabeth Moon

The Elric Saga by Michael Moorcock

The Squire’s Tales by Gerald Morris

The Swan’s War by Sean Russell

Twelve Houses by Sharon Shinn

Arthurian Saga by Mary Stewart

The House War by Michelle West

Memory, Sorrow and Thorn by Tad Williams

The Book of the New Sun by Gene Wolfe

The Darkwater Legacy by Chris Wooding

#top 10 fantasy series #fantasy series tbr

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stormblessed95 · 1 year

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Hi I’m an 8th/9th grade teacher and I’m looking to buy some new books for my classroom and you seem to be reading a lot of YA recently!! Would you mind sharing some recommendations you think are uh appropriate for me to purchase through the school? You seem to read a lot of fantasy/sci fi/romance which is a lot of what my kids like 🥰 thanks!

YA fantasy/scifi and romance! Yessss I can!

I just finished Legendborn by Tracy Deonn and started it's sequel today and it was AMAZING. Highly recommend. It's a King Author + magic retelling, Black Main Character written by a Black Author and done SO WELL because duh, own voices. It's dark academia fantasy and such a killer debut novel FOR SURE. And it's got a the classic YA love triangle and some romance thrown in too. Plus February is Black History Month, great time to support BIPOC authors 💜 (Duolgoy)

Scythe by Neil Shusterman is a YA SciFi dystopian and its SO GOOD. It's a story about how in the future, death no longer exists. The only way a human can die is by being gleaned, aka murdered, by the Scythes. They are trained to deal out death to those who deserve it and contain the human population in the most humane way possible. Yet, there is lots of betrayals and power plays and double crossings happening between those in power of the Sycthe organization. And yes, a very cute side plot romance here too (Trilogy)

The Summoning by Kelley Armstrong. It's a YA Paranormal Urban Fantasy. It's actually like the YA verison of one of my favorite adult series of hers and it's set in the same world with little Easter eggs connecting the series. But can be read as a standalone trilogy. It follows Chloe discovering she is a necromancer and thrust into this supernatural world and all that comes with it, including a werewolf love interest and the classic YA love triangle and romance. Still so good honestly too. (Trilogy)

This Savage Song by V.E. Schwab. It's a YA Dark Urban Fantasy that basically explores the overall themes of how humans can be the monsters too. It's SO GOOD. Basically 2 kids of powerful men on either side of a war that is destroying their city, must choose whether to become heroes or villains—and friends or enemies—with the future of their home at stake.... and while one is human, one might be something else entirely 👀 Literally it's so good. And yes, it does end up having romance too (Duology)

Cemetery Boys by Aiden Thomas. It's a YA Paranormal fantasy story about a gay trans boy who while trying to get his family to accept both his gender and his powers (the men are traditionally spirit guides and the women are healers), accidentally summons a ghost, who then refuses to move on. And yes, its got a VERY sweet and cute romance here too. Plus own voices trans rep (Standalone)

Illuminae Files by Jay Kristoff and Amie Kaufman. A YA SciFi Trilogy where it's one of the most unique formats of crafting a story I've ever read. It's told through a series of files and emails and transcripts and it's SO FUN. It follows the story of Kady and Ezra and the journey they go on after their tiny space mining colony was attacked and destroyed. And oh yeah, they had just recently broken up but they Still love each other 😏 and what in the AI happens in this book too! Lol (Trilogy)

And I really wasn't kidding about it being a uniquely written book and yet somehow the audiobooks are just as well done too lol

Warcross by Marie Lu. A SciFi YA Dystopian Novel that is basically like an emersive video game. It follows our main character as she becomes lowkey a spy and bounty hunter. Yes, it's got romance and betrayal and plot twists and rainbow hair and constant reminders that nothing is truly as it seems. And it's so good. (Duology)

As always, make sure you look up content warnings. I didn't list them here this time. But these are all scifi/fantasy YA novels that include a fun romantic side plot that I've LOVED when I read them. Hope this helps and thanks for asking! I have more I can suggest too of course

#storm recommendations #YA fantasy and scifi recs

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vodid · 1 year

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MORE QUESTIONSSSS

Sooo, first one is, what advice do you have for aspiring writers and artists that follow you? Follow your passion, practice a lot, don’t get distracted, etc?

What’s the best part about being an author and a writer? The satisfaction when you finally finish a piece, or when a lot of people like and share your artwork and book?

Do you read any fanfictions? I’m wondering because I’ve almost ran out of good Prowl/Jazz fanfictions and I want more to cure my need for cuteness and angst with those two 🤲

Do you listen to music when you write/draw? If so, what kind of music, or does it depend on the scene when your writing/drawing. It definitely depends on what I’m writing at the moment to determine the music lmao

Will you ever make your Obsidian King fanfiction into a little series? Like after you’re done the first one with Prowl and Jazz whenever, will you plan on doing one with like Bluestreak and a love interest and how that would all play out? Or is the Obsidian King just a standalone?

Have you ever cried when you were writing your books? The Obsidian King, Vulnerability or otherwise? I cried during Vulnerability :( poor Bumblebee man and I relate to it so much too! Like, I absolutely love your writing in both because it feels as if I’m actually there, y’know?

Do you plan on continuing to learn German despite when you finish your Vulnerability fanfiction one day and only need a bit of German for it? I find it cool to learn German! I’m learning French at the moment, but I’m thinking about learning German after.

ANYWAYS, too many questions, I have more though. I was planning to send this before you woke up at some point, but then I had to go to a doctors appointment and I ran out of data unfortunately. Can’t wait to hear your answers if you respond to this!

hello anon <3

advice for aspiring artists/writers? you hit the nail on the head lol gonna preach the three P's i told myself and others years ago: practice, patience and passion. when you're a growing artist (which you always will be) you need to have patience with yourself as you navigate through the mistakes and learning curves as you practice. the passion keeps you motivated. if you don't have that passion and patience, you might have a hard time with the practice and growth

best part of being a writer? short answer: i love getting comments that analyze my work. long answer: i have been trying my best to focus less on the end product and its reception when it comes to writing, much like my art. this can even lead back to the first question: i personally believe you should not focus most on those things, but the process more. the things you learned, the steps you took, the parts that felt therapeutic for you. that's what should be the best part. (but ofc, i do love the comments i get on my writing and it certainly makes it feel even more worth it. analyses on my writing? THE best.)

j/p fanfic recs most of my favorites come from beloved rizobact. winner takes all and crystal ghosts are my favs from her. it's been a long time since i read this one, but domino milkshake was a fun one as far as i remember. if you've already exhausted those, the j/p zine just published some fics ',:)

do you listen to music when you draw/write? lot of times, i focus best with no music or a single song on repeat. tho i don't like the silence as much, it's quite boring. i like to have something so i'll either listen to music or put on a youtube video, usually mark or jack, sometimes reaction videos from other youtubers. i don't usually switch up what i'm listening to based on what i'm writing bc most times, it's the music that determines the art but it's not the biggest influence. i tend to listen to whatever my neurodivergent brain decided to attach to that week ...or month. rn, i'm still working through exhausting a german playlist and "rising kingdom" (yes, the minecraft song lol)

will obsidian king be a series? this is the plan as i realize i may not be able to juggle the various stories all in one fic (i'm sure i could but the way i had started the obsidian king wasn't the right setup for it) the next one i want to tackle after j/p is megoplita's story. from when they all first fell in love to the beginning of the autobot-decepticon war. bluestreak and the twins may not get their own story for a long while, if at all, since i do not have anything figured out post-war.

have you ever cried while writing a fic? not any of my current ones, no. but i have cried writing you are my flower iirc and infinity (i took prowl's death HARD, man.) vulnerability does hit home with me since it's just pure projection with bumblebee, a lot of it was actual sensations and thoughts i've experienced, but it was more therapeutic than upsetting for me. take care of urself anon <:)!

do you plan to continue learning german after you finish vulnerability? hell yeah, i hope to! i don't have a solid end goal going into this, because i highly doubt i will reach any sort of fluency, but it will always be a fun and interesting thing to learn. if i did have to give myself a goal, it would be to write a fic in german to test my knowledge! but for now, it's mostly just keeping my brain busy and engaged with something new

u can always drop more questions if u want <3

#vulnerability fic #obsidian king au

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yandere-sins · 2 years

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I'm a Pagan and I agree with the other anons - there's nothing wrong with writing about gods. I personally might not like it but it isn't out of the ordinary even in the realm of the traditional practices of polytheism. Iirc it was Hinduism that had some priestesses have a more sexual relationship with the god they were devoted to? So like...yeah.

Uff, I let those asks steam in my askbox for a bit, sorry ‘bout that I actually got a little sick the last few days LOL

I think sexuality is very much woven into every culture/religion/etc. but I think the anon was most upset about making gods “evil” (??? I am assuming here) through applying yandere, which, newsflash, I still don’t care about and I don’t go to blogs and tell them to purify their gods either when the real stories of these gods are... questionable. Anyhow. Someone always gets offended, it’s not that big of a deal anymore. I just thought it was cool to meet actual practicing pagans! (And I admit I was in a bit of a mood over that hate anon especially.) I personally don’t have a good relationship with norse mythology due to trauma, but the greek gods will always be very dear to me (:

Anyhow, thank you guys for reaching out, it’s really okay now and thank you for reading the stuff you enjoy and are comfortable with ^^

I admittedly been reading just a fuckton of omegaverse books rn. No details as to why, but research. And I found this one called Pack Darling (Part 1) by Lola Rock which somewhere towards the last few chapters actually used the word yandere to to describe one character (he’s a bit feral ♥ I say that adoringly ♥). I do recommend getting both books (part 1 and 2) as a pack because the story will have a massive cliffhanger after book 1 and the story is worth reading and if you don’t have a kindle like I do (yet) it took almost 2 weeks to get the second book and that’s a timespan no one should endure.

If you like omegaverse otherwise, I also really liked Carnage Island by Lexi X. Foss (That author also has some more omegaverse books and I am dying to read them but they are all ebooks so I am waiting for my birthday to get a kindle hrhhrhrhr but they have a series of various standalones with the word Sector in them and those look mighty fine to me!!). Ask me again in a few months and I will have a lot more.

As for the vampire. Now, here’s the thing. For reasons I am not going into details for, I haven’t read any vampire ones... yet. See it as me keeping my pallet clean. I keep seeing the promotions on tiktok so I am just heavily influenced, hence my comment about vampires, but once I get around to actually read them, I’ll make a post with recommendations for you ♥

Something else to keep you busy till then:

Fated Mates of the Sea Sand Warlords by Ursa Dax

Honestly the best alien books out there and the series is 13 books long so far and not yet over and every one of them is more glorious than the last.

And my absolute favorite book with Naga:

Naga Brides Series by Naomi Lucas

All not what you asked for but they absolutely deserve a read, I am not lying.

#Admin

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otterandterrier · 2 years

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Review: The Princess and the Scoundrel

Soooo we got a Han/Leia wedding-honeymoon novel! I spent half of 2022 losing my mind over every little thing that was revealed about it ever since it was announced -aptly- on Valentine’s Day. You may be wondering, Dessi, why? Why, if you hate what the sequels did to them? Why, if even the books you’ve enjoyed have bittersweet moments that remind you of those horrible decisions? Why, if you don’t really take Disney canon as your canon? Why, if you can write and read happily-ever-after fics for free whenever you want? Why, if the only reason this book exists is as a marketing strategy for their luxury starcruise hotel??

I know, I know. But it’s a new Han/Leia novel! About their wedding! And honeymoon! When until now the only official wedding Han and Leia got was The Courtship of Princess Leia, one of the most OOC, least romantic Han/Leia books to exist, where their wedding is like a single paragraph long, and it’s somehow Mormon propaganda. Plus it was clear from interviews that the author loves them, and I knew it was going to be impossible for me to hate this book. So... didn’t I?

If you’re wondering whether you should read the book or not, this will be a spoiler-free review (I added a “read more” cut because it’s long!). I might make another post with spoilery comments on my favourite and least favourite parts.

Your comments and questions are very welcome... but please just make your own post if you only have negative things to say. Let’s go!

“The Princess and the Scoundrel” is an adult novel written by Beth Revis (author of “Rebel Rising”). You can read the summary here.

Spoiler-free review:

While this wasn’t the book of my dreams (and maybe that’s a tall order), overall, I really enjoyed this as a Han/Leia book. But I went in knowing more or less what to expect: it’s not fanfiction (it can never be), it’s a Classic Star Wars Adventure (with extra romance), it’s set on the Disney canon timeline, and it exists to integrate the Halcyon RPG hotel into the GFFA. If you don’t accept any of those premises, you’re not likely to enjoy it.

I actually think TPATS is more or less on the same level as Tatooine Ghost: neither of them are perfect books, both of them are set on shitty timelines, both of them have things I disagree with, both of them see Han and Leia on an adventure while they work on relationship stuff - but in terms of published Han/Leia books, they’re both exceptional and have so much good stuff to love. The problem lies in the context: TPATS has the heavy burden of being part of Disney canon, which many people just might not be able to overlook. No, it doesn’t “ruin” Han and Leia; it doesn’t foreshadow TFA (although, if you go in thinking that it does, then some parts will feel as if it does!), and that makes it perfect to work as a standalone book (there are no mentions of the child who shall not be named, yay!)

I think that Revis got Han and Leia in a way many other official writers haven’t. Her Han and Leia were up there with Claudia Gray’s and Troy Denning’s. Their voices felt right, there was enough banter that was actually banter and not two people snapping at each other (for the most part), there were plenty of cute and mushy moments (+ kissing + fade-to-black), and there was a ton of exploration both of their relationship and of them as individuals. She delved into Han’s PTSD in a way that hasn’t been done before in any published books, to my knowledge. She also explored Leia’s PTSD about Alderaan, and her feelings about Vader and the Force. In both cases, she showed Han and Leia acknowledging the other’s trauma and taking care of each other. Save some exceptions, Han came off as really emotionally mature, which is refreshing compared to books like the Aftermath trilogy. There was also a lot of great Badass Power Couple moments.

IMHO, it had two major flaws: first, the author was constricted to work with the given timeline of Han and Leia getting married about four-five days after the battle and going on a sponsored honeymoon right away (because Shattered Empire happens about 20 days later). This really affected the story because there was too much Han and Leia had to process during such a short period of time even without marriage on their plate, and this book has quite a lot of introspection, but it’s one book and it has to appeal to a general audience - so it’s not enough. This impacted some of the characterization.

The second major flaw for me was that the author took the movies at face value, basically ignoring the growth that must have happened in the three years between ANH and ESB as well as the trip to Bespin, focusing instead on the period between ESB and RotJ. I get that she didn’t want to take things for granted that she wasn’t going to show readers, and I get not wanting to add flashbacks. If you think of a GA, they see a couple who might have gotten married too soon, and have things to work out, which they do. From a narrative perspective, it’s not bad to have that relationship growth happen on the page thinking of an audience who hasn’t been reading trip to Bespin fic! But I felt like some things were used to emphasize certain themes at the cost of sacrificing previous character and relationship development that was shown or implied in the movies - for example, Han and Leia getting married right away would have made much more sense if we’d gotten a mention of how close they’d become between ANH and ESB and on the trip to Bespin, but we didn’t.

The book can be divided into three parts/settings: Endor, the Halcyon, and Madurs. The first part deals with the immediate aftermath of RotJ, the proposal and lead-up to the wedding, and the wedding. This was a lovely start. The wedding was dreamy, honestly; there were some nice moments between Leia and Luke and Han and Luke, plus Lando and Chewie; there was some Ewok shenanigans; we have more amazing Mon Mothma interacting with Leia and Han; and we have some emotional bits about Bail and Breha that made me cry.

Then we get to the Halcyon. In this part, we get detailed descriptions of it as it is irl. I don’t think this was done to pitch it to the readers; I think it’s more that the author cared about making it feel real. I didn’t mind the descriptions, and I expected it. But some parts felt too salesy to me; there were some bits that were like “the Halcyon is so great and there is so much stuff to do in it and it’s so great!”. Additionally, this middle felt too slow; I felt like some of the first chapters of this section could have been sped up. It was marred by the lack of Han and Leia actually spending time together. This section sets up some conflict between Han and Leia, as Leia is reluctant to stop working and go on a vacation when there’s so much to do (and I get that! that’s why the premise of going on a honeymoon is silly!).

I didn’t mind Leia being pictured as a bit of a workaholic here per se even if her arc in the OT was that she grew from that, because the movies are supposed to solve things symbolically. Books (and fic) are meant to delve deeper and look at them realistically (up to a point), so it’s okay for me if the characters keep struggling with something they supposedly learned in the OT. And it was later revealed that she had a good reason for her wanting to accomplish as much as she could. The problem for me is that it wasn’t acknowledged at all that some growth had already happened. Maybe if Leia had thought at some point about how the trip to Bespin and then losing Han had made her realize that it was okay for her needs and her loved ones to come first sometimes, so she was trying to remember that but it was a struggle because she had been raised with the idea of self-sacrifice, or maybe if her underlying reason would have been hinted at sooner, it would have worked better.

That said, I thought that the conflict was nicely done. The author kept stressing the fact that neither of them wanted the other person to change, that they would figure it out and make it work, that they chose each other. There is a fight, but I liked how it was resolved - especially on Han’s end. Still, I was glad when we moved on to the third section, the ice moon of Madurs.

Here’s where the action picks up. I generally enjoyed this part of the adventure. It was fun to me and I liked that it has an environmentalist message, that it ties into Leia’s trauma of losing Alderaan, and that it ends with hope. I appreciated the that the blaster fights and space fights were minimal and it was a different type of action scenes than we’re used to in Star Wars books. Even with all the mission stuff, we see more of Han and Leia being honeymooners there than on the Halcyon, and it’s amazing. I also enjoyed seeing the consequences of the fall of the Empire. The resolution was fine, but there’s a Big Bad that I didn’t much care for. To readers not familiar with other content, this character came out of nowhere, very little context was given about them and their motivations, and it didn’t feel impactful - it just fell flat.

I really enjoyed the worldbuilding. The descriptions of things and places were really vivid and creative, especially the wedding on Endor and Madurs, which was made up by Revis.

The book has a lot of references to other Star Wars books and comics from Disney canon, as well as some nods to the EU (a dig at COPL!). I enjoyed most of them. With one important exception (the Big Bad), I think that if you’re familiar with that material, it just brings things together, and if you’re not, you can just assume Revis just made up some Star Wars stuff.

To me, TPATS is both enjoyable as a standalone book if you choose to ignore the sequels, and as a balm to the hurt of TFA, as it shows what we (as in, those of us who are superior) have always known: that Han and Leia were only briefly separated due to grief, not because they were incompatible, and that they never stopped loving each other. Is it perfect? No. But I’m genuinely happy that it’s part of that canon.

#hanleia #han x leia #han solo #leia organa #the princess and the scoundrel #han and leia #star wars books #my posts #fandom ramblings #you can see why it took me over a week to write this #i finished the book in two days the week it was released #i'm probably forgetting stuff i wanted to say

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if-kissofmidnight · 2 years

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Hello, Author! How long will this book be? Is it a standalone or will there be others? How do you plan on publishing it?

hello! as a serial pantser, I recommend that you take this with a grain of salt, but I’m thinking about 15 chapters of the main book and then an epilogue. however, I’ve been known to get carried away, so you might end up with more

it will be one book, but I’m hoping to publish some short interactive stories outside of the main book canon as well between updates. like ‘a date with your ro’ ‘a walk with ghost’ ‘xyz’s backstory’ for example

I will be publishing it on dashingdon, but there will be no forum page nor will I be publishing it through HG. I’m hoping to eventually port to twine and then fully publish it there for free

#ty for the ask <3 #writing progress #I don’t want to publish for money #way too much pressure on me

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deardragonbook · 2 years

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I’ve been an author for one full year now

As of today, 31st of July. It’s been one full year since my debut novel Dear Dragon came out.

The thing people don’t tell you about going from writing a story behind closed doors to publishing it is sitting at the computer with the mouse hovering over the send button questioning every word you put down on paper up until that moment.

People tell you about how there is always more to be done, you can always do just one more draft, but eventually, you have to say “enough”, and move onto the next step. Deciding its time to put that story into the world is far more difficult than just editing one more draft.

I don’t know how many times you expect to read that story before publishing. I read mine well over twenty times. The amount of scenes that got lost or changed along the way.

Characters got left behind.

Whole plotlines got cut out.

The world grew ever bigger.

What once was going to be a standalone became a series and with the second book release just around the corner and third book already in its second draft, I struggle to remember how I got here.

Things get easier. That I can say. My first book took four years of polishing, my second book took a year and a half, perhaps one? I forgot to write down the starting date... and I prefer my second book to my first. I think it’s different, less actions, more characters moment, but I think it’s better. I think I’m a better writer. I think I’m more confident in my ability and I have better access to the tools I need.

I also haven’t seen anybody talk about all the things you’re going to need to learn to be an author, other than writing! And no, I don’t mean researching random topics. I mean, marketing, you need to market your book and that means understanding social media, that means being confident in front of a camera a lot of the time, it means speaking clearly; it means writing posts like these; it means being okay with rejection from people making fun of your appearance on YouTube to working for hours on a video that gets seven views... you also might want to learn how to manage your author website, how to make promotional material, how to take appealing photos of your book...

Or you might be able to afford to pay other people for all of that, in which case, good on you for creating work for others!

That’s a lot of things I’ve had to learn this past year and I like to think each book I publish is going to be better than the last and I’m going to be better and more prepared to deal with publishing and marketing.

Every year I learn more.

Being an author has been really difficult at times: when nobody bought a book or downloaded any of my freely available stories in like three months, it was demotivating and it felt like nobody was giving me a chance.

But I also had so many small moments that felt like I was on top of the world:

First books I sold.

First reviews.

My first five star review on Amazon which to this day I go back and read because it makes me feel more confident in my writing than anything else. Strangers pointing out everything I did right is just amazing.

The first time somebody commenting on one of my social media posts, had clearly read the book, and they reminded me, there are people in the world who have read this. This isn’t just my story anymore, other people get to experience it.

Looking for ARC readers for my second book and people actually signing up!

Someone messaging me to say they read and enjoyed my book.

Finding time to write between school and work and keeping my home clean and taking care of my health, it’s hard work.

Saving up every day of the year so I can afford the cover and the proof copies I need to be able to publish and market the next book in the series is exhausting.

But I don’t think there’s anything in my day to day life that make’s me happier than these stories, than the knowledge that they’re out there for others to read and all of those small moments I’ve listed above.

I’ve come to accept the industry is not lucrative for most indie-authors. It’s trend based and if what you write isn’t what the market is looking for at any given time, you’re writing mostly for yourself. It’s a difficult pill to swallow, but I love my stories enough to deal with that.

I’m not going to stop writing even if nobody is reading it. I think that’s what being passionate about something is about.

Anyway, to celebrate one full year since Dear Dragon’s release, you can actually get the ebook for free today (July 31st) or tomorrow (August 1st).

Get your free copy here.

I wanted to do more than talk about my feelings and give people the chance to read the book for free, but I couldn’t actually think of anything cool to do.

Especially with this summer, the heat is unbearable here in Spain and a lot of days I’m just fighting for breath.

Hopefully next year or sometime soon I’ll be able to find cool ways to celebrate this book and my passion for writing.

For now though, I have a lot of content on a lot of different sites. I have free stories to read and everything can be found here.

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burningdarkfire · 9 months

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books i read in aug 2023

[these are all short + casual reviews - feel free to ask about individual ones if u want my full thoughts or ask for my goodreads!!]

august wasn't a real month because either i was travelling or waiting to travel, but apparently it was a decent month for reading!!

bright dead things - ada limón ★★★★★ (poetry)

all of those posts about how poetry is a fundamental food group ... again sometimes the tumblr girlies are right to put these into all of their web weaving. lots of beautiful lines that will stay with me for a long time

ducks - kate beaton ★★★★★ (graphic novel autobiography)

really interesting look into a life that is very different from mine but still has a lot of similar elements (the soul crushing misogyny transcends context 👍) i was honestly surprised by how poignant and touching this was - both the art and story are beautiful

[reread] fire - kristin cashore ★★★★☆ (YA fantasy)

this reads pretty well as a standalone fantasy, despite being the second in a series. it's a masterfully written but utterly brutal look at what it's like to be desired as a woman - it's damn good, but it's definitely not uplifting

red, white & royal blue - casey mcquiston ★★★★☆ (romance)

really easy, hilarious fun. can't ask for much more from a romcom!

hell bent - leigh bardugo ★★★★☆ (fantasy)

tbh i didn't reread the first book before this so it was a slog to get into, but alex stern is still an utterly fantastic main character and the end of the book was certainly exciting in pulling it all together

the overstory - richard powers ★★★★☆ (ecofic)

long, dense, beautiful. if you want to know if it's worth it - you get a pretty good idea of what the book is going to be like early on, so you just need to be honest with yourself about your own tastes

what lies in the woods - kate alice marshall ★★★★☆ (thriller)

decently paced and plotted thriller. nothing genre-defying but fun

the hurting kind - ada limón ★★★★☆ (poetry)

sometimes you read a poetry collection from much later in a poet's career and you realize that at this point they've touched too much grass to still be deeply relatable. it's good, it just didn't reach me personally

the tenth muse - catherine chung ★★★☆☆ (historical)

i think this might be more enjoyable if historical fiction is your usual thing (it's not mine). the first person POV didn't land with me and it felt like a book that was trying to be much more intersectional than it actually was. it was relatively interesting and many of the characters had interesting shades of grey but .. meh?

remarkably bright creatures - shelby van pelt ★★☆☆☆ (contemporary)

this had good bones but i'm certain there are other authors out there that do a better feel-good novel. i loved reading about tova but ultimately wasn't convinced by cameron or marcellus and felt like the entire book was both pointless and too forced - it didn't cohere in a satisfying way

#my posts #books #liveblogging books #reading wrap up

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bushs-world · 9 months

Text

So, one of an (additional) challenge of the fantasy book bingo was to write a review of the books you read. I have been putting this off for sometime, but finally decided to sit down and write this book review, especially since I have a lot to talk about.

(also this is my first review so it might get a bit haphazard since it's more me keeping a track of my opinions)

THE PRIORY OF THE ORANGE TREE

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐/5

Author: Samantha Shannon

Genre: Fantasy, Queer relationships

Bingo Square: Queernorm setting

Detailed review under the cut. Contains spoilers

What I loved

Worldbuilding: the worldbuilding in the first half of the book is so well written and the most enjoyable part of this book. There's so much worldbuilding in this novel, from the different kingdoms, their religion, their rulers, their practices and beliefs as well as how they see the other kingdoms. And yet it never feels like exposition or info dump. Which btw there isnt a typical expository dump at the beginning of this book. Instead we are dropped right in the middle of the world and we figure and understand the world slowly as we read through

Weaving of plot: again, in the first half of the plot, there are four different pov characters in different parts of the world. They rarely know each other (except for two characters but they are in different places) and yet somehow the plot connects them together in a very interesting and enjoyable way.

Religion: religion plays a very important part in this book and the difference of beliefs and faiths, and how that causes conflicts is very realistically portrayed in this book. As well as two different religions believing two different versions of the same story. For example, the west follows a religion called virtuedom and thinks of Cleolind, a prominent historical figure as a damsel rescued by their saint after he trapped the dragon while the south believes the saint is a liar and Cleolind was the hero who trapped the dragon, and hail her as the Mother. Similarly, the East worships the dragons of the east and hate the wyrms of the west while the rest of the places don't see any distinction in the two types of dragons and hate both.

Diversity: absolutely adore how diverse the characters in this book were. Eadaz, also called Ead is brown (her characterisation parallels the SWANA region) and sapphic. Loth is a black man. Tané is Asian young girl and Niclays is an old gay man. Sabran, a very prominent character in the book (though not a pov character)who rules as the queen of the strongest kingdom is bi.

Ead and Sabran's relationship: especially during the first part, the slow burn and tension was just *chef's kiss*

Gender neutrality: this book is queernorm so there's no homophobia. Ead is in love with Sabran, Niclays is gay and Tane seems asexual. Also instead of gendered terms like husband or wife, the book uses words like partner. Position of powers is held equally between men and women. And both Ead and Tane are strong fighters who have trained all their life. There's only one issue with the queer stuff of this book which I will discuss in the cons section.

Standalone Fantasy: lastly I loved that this is a standalone fantasy.

What didn't work

Too much plot: the second half of the book is weighed down by too much plot, which imo was totally unnecessary. There was so much additional new information and twists that it was difficult to keep a track of. For the first half it was an understandable simple plot- there r two dragons; the evil wyrms of the west and the benevolent dragons of the east. And the leader of the wyrms was imprisoned under the earth by Cleolind through a sword. Her descendents, now protect the world from the wyrms in a secret order of mages. In the second half suddenly, it was complicated with two different types of magic, two jewels, there's another second woman (that no one knew about) who together with Cleolind binded the dragons, a witch, a mulberry tree, a comet and what not. That along with too many unnecessary subplots made the book too muddled by the second half

Unsatisfactory resolution of subplot: there are often subplots which are set up or pointed towards, only for them to be quickly (and unsatisfactory resolved) in a few pages without the characters actively overcoming any struggles. Instead the subplots are resolved with a very conveniently timed coincidence. For example, the book sets up Loth going into an enemy draconic kingdom for a good length. People worry that he doesn't get hurt. But as soon as he reaches there, the princess of the kingdom very conveniently tells him she's on his side and the kingdom is suffering due to his father. He's out of the kingdom in 4 pages flat and without any struggle (n the draconic kingdom is rarely explored beyond a few passages). Similarly while he's carrying a box from the princess to the priory, he gets attacked by a wyrm and is conveniently found by a friendly mythical animal who not only saves him but also takes him to the priory (n they don't face any other struggle in the middle). Same way, a civil war was hinted for so long only to be thwarted in a very anticlimatic way before it could even start. Magical weapons are lost and found in the same page.

Passive characters: ties into the above point but everything is very conveniently set up for the characters and they rarely need to struggle. Most of the time they discover important stuff totally by chance or someone tells them everything. Tané finds a jewel stitched inside her body totally by chance, without no build up of it before

Weird queer setting: so like the book is queernorm, same sex relationships aren't looked down upon yet the marriage is between a male and female character tho the reason for that is given to be children.

#book review #books and reading #the priory of the orange tree #bush rambles books

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