#Author: Melissa Marr

[haveyoureadthispoll]

Seth never expected he would want to settle down with anyone - but that was before Aislinn. She is everything he'd ever dreamed of, and he wants to be with her forever. Forever takes on new meaning, though, when your girlfriend is an immortal faery queen. Aislinn never expected to rule the very creatures who'd always terrified her - but that was before Keenan. He stole her mortality to make her a monarch, and now she faces challenges and enticements beyond any she'd ever imagined. In Melissa Marr's third mesmerizing tale of Faerie, Seth and Aislinn struggle to stay true to themselves and each other in a milieu of shadowy rules and shifting allegiances, where old friends become new enemies and one wrong move could plunge the Earth into chaos.

[ultrameganicolaokay]

The Strange Case of Harleen & Harley by Melissa Marr and Jenn St-Onge. Cover by St-Onge. Out in September.

"A new YA take on how Harleen became Harley!

When Harleen signs up to participate in a clinical research trial with her girlfriend, Pamela, her only goals are extra cash and a chance to control her anxiety. But what she gets instead are increasingly larger gaps in her memory and stolen mementos from some guy named Jack. Soon, Harleen discovers she’s sharing her life with Harley—a take-no-prisoners, who-cares-about-attendance, maybe-we-oughtasave- the-bunnies kind of girl. She is the opposite of Harleen in every way. And although she’s throwing Harleen’s life completely off track, maybe she ain’t so bad either…

New York Times bestselling author Melissa Marr (Wicked Lovely) and celebrated artist Jenn St-Onge (Bingo Love) explore the twisted transformation from Harleen to Harley in this compelling YA graphic novel!"

[geekcavepodcast]

DC Comics Announces Publication Date for "The Strange Case of Harleen and Harley and "Bad Dream: A Dreamer Story"

DC Comic's young adult original graphic novels The Strange Case of Harleen and Harley and Bad Dream: A Dreamer Story will publish in 2024.

The Strange Case of Harleen and Harley from author Melissa Marr, artist Jenn St-Onge, colorist Jeremy Lawson, and letterer Lucas Gattoni will go in sale on September 3, 2024.

Harleen and her girlfriend Pamelia sign up to participate in a clinical research trial. For Harleen it sounds like a good way to make some extra cash and maybe help control her anxiety. Instead, Harleen end s up with "increasingly larger gaps in her memory and stolen mementos from some guy named Jack. Soon Harleen discovers she’s sharing her life with Harley—a take-no-prisoners, who-cares-about-attendance, maybe-we-oughta-save-the-bunnies kind of girl. She is the opposite of Harleen in every way. And although she’s throwing Harleen’s life completely off track, maybe she ain’t so bad either…" (DC Comics)

Bad Dream: A Dreamer Story from author Nicole Maines, artist Rye Hickman, colorist Bex Glendining, and letterer Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou, goes on sale on April 2, 2024.

"Nia’s spent her whole life taking a back seat to her older sister, Maeve, who was expected to inherit their mother’s Seer powers: the ability to see the future through dreams, passed down to one woman in each generation. But when Nia, a trans girl, starts having visions of the future, she must suppress her powers to protect her relationship with her sister.

Soon Nia’s dreams become impossible to ignore, and she has no choice but to distance herself as she navigates her new reality. Taking off for Metropolis, Nia is quickly swept up in the bustling city and, guided by her dreams, connects with a group of queer girls who feel more like sisters than her own. As Nia starts to discover her powers may be more than just a burden, she’s given a choice: accept her new responsibility as a Seer or give it all up for a chance at normalcy." (DC Comics)

(Images via DC Comics - Jenn St-Onge's Cover of The Strange Case of Harleen and Harley and Rye Hickman and Bex Glendining's Cover of Bad Dream: A Dreamer Story)

[magixfairyix]

Ink Exchange (and the rest of the Wicked Lovely book series by Melissa Marr) definitely impacted me on a psychological level.

Read it when I was just starting to form my own opinions and did I understand all the topics in it such as trauma and SA? No. And also effing hell in one of the later books of the series it made a comment about how SA to males exists as well.

Also the first LGBTQIAS2+ characters I had read. Like, bisexual Niall and Irial (aka the one man my lesbianism excuses) and the cannon Nial X Irial X Leslie.

Didn't know what any of it was when read it but I liked the ship so lol character development.

The first book honestly will seem like oh urban fey king tries to romance human girl (not Irial or Niall or Leslie those three are in book 2) but it's done in a really good way.

Also, urban fey book.

And along with the main series the author wrote a prequel book, short stories taking place before and after the main series (that introduces such a big plot twist) and a book that takes place afterwards (I haven't read it yet but yes). So there's a lot of lore.

Also, I would let myself get spirited away by the Dark Court. Irial is the one man I would marry for tax benefits like effin hell, because the terms of endearment he uses are "love" and "shadow girl" like congrats Irial for making a lesbian disaster straight panic.

Ink Exchange can also just be read on its on so slay cause its honestly the best book in the series in my opinion.

[howlsmovinglibrary]

24 in 2024

Thank you @logarithmicpanda

Book TBR for the year time, I suppose

Physical backlog

New releases

Library books

Emily Wilde's Map of the Otherlands by Heather Fawcett (I've just finished and it was the 1st 5 star book of the year)

The Prisoner's Throne by Holly Black

The Familiar by Leigh Bardugo

Funny Story by Emily Henry

The Warm Hands of Ghosts by Katherine Arden

Remedial Magic by Melissa Marr

The Bridges of High Hill by Nghi Vo

A Sorceress Comes To Call by T Kingfisher

To Cage a God by Elizabeth May

Long Live Evil by Sarah Rees Brennan (I can't believe my favourite author is essentially publishing an isekai I'm lowkey feral bc I *know* it'll be hilarious)

Alecto the Ninth by Tamsyn Muir

The Book Eaters by Sunyi Dean

The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches by Sangu Mandana

...Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros :')))) (I've had it on hold since Sept and I'm still like 15th in the queue, scared tbh... I don't think itll be good)

The Hacienda by Isabel Canas

Vampires of El Norte by Isabel Canas

Role Playing by Cathy Yardley

Carpe Jugulum by Terry Pratchett

Mortal Follies by Alexis Hall

Gwen and Art Are Not In Love by Lex Croucher

A Study in Drowning by Ava Reid

Deeplight by Frances Hardinge

The Hurricane Wars by Thea Guanzon (I've heard it's Reylo coded, so I might not last long)

You're Not Supposed to Die Tonight by Kalynn Bayron

Tagging: @eldritchcow, @vagabondly, @books-are-portals, and anyone else xx

[thebestestbat]

im rereading the ya book wicked lovely by melissa marr and im so few pages into it and im already in such relief at her fairies. vs acotar's fairies. like thank youuuuuuu. ya authors understand. actually holly black understands, and ya authors who copy her also understand.

there was a wolf fairy with crystalline fur that chimed in an entrancing song as she chases you......

[sapphicomics]

the strange case of harleen and harley

When Harleen signs up to participate in a clinical research trial with her girlfriend, Pamela, her only goals are extra cash and a chance to control her anxiety. But what she gets instead are increasingly larger gaps in her memory and stolen mementos from some guy named Jack. Soon Harleen discovers she’s sharing her life with Harley—a take-no-prisoners, who-cares-about-attendance, maybe-we-oughta-save-the-bunnies kind of girl. She is the opposite of Harleen in every way. And although she’s throwing Harleen’s life completely off track, maybe she ain’t so bad either…

New York Times bestselling author Melissa Marr (Wicked Lovely) and celebrated artist Jenn St-Onge (Bingo Love), with color by Jeremy Lawson and lettering by Lucas Gattoni, explore the twisted transformation from Harleen to Harley in this compelling new YA original graphic novel on sale beginning September 3!

[bookcoversonly]

Title: Loki's Wolves | Author: K.L. Armstrong / Melissa Marr | Publisher: Little, Brown Books (2013)

[draftmare]

Summer is here which means that reading always falls a bit by the wayside. There are just sooooo many things taking up my time, and not many of them are sitting in a chair for very long. So, the last time I read anything was on my honeymoon, however I did devour two books while I was there. We did a lot of excursions in Mexico, which meant a lot of time on buses. Once I saw the sights to and from the excursions locations a couple of times, an hour on the bus was the perfect time to dive into a book.

I blasted through Salt by Liz Shipton pretty fast.

It takes place in a dystopian future post pandemic, and post extreme climate change. So you know, basically where we are heading. It’s the slowest of slow burn romances. The book throws some weird left turns at you then wraps up quick to get you on to book two (which I haven’t read yet). It was basically a quick, easy read to pass the time. I don’t know if I’ll pick up the rest of the series or not.

The second book I read was Heavenbreaker.

I bought a physical copy of this book on our way down to Mexico because it was just so pretty without really knowing anything about it. I ended up absolutely loving it. I’m disappointed that this genre type seems to be a one off for this author. Did you grow up watching Neon Genesis Evangelion? Did you love Gundam Wing as a kid? This is the book for you. 10/10 would recommend.

I currently have two unfinished books sitting by my bed. A Remedial Magic by Melissa Marr and A Day of Fallen Night, still. A Remedial Magic I was initially super excited about because it has magic and LGBTQ+ representation, but it just…hasn’t really pulled me in. It feels very much like the author wanted to set up a grungy sex filled Hogwarts for adults, and I dunno. I’m just not feeling it.

A Day of Fallen Night is just….long. I will finish it at some point, it’s just long…

[ash-and-books]

Rating: 1/5

Book Blurb: “No one builds worlds like Melissa Marr.” ―Charlaine Harris, New York Times bestselling author The Magicians meets One Last Stop in this brand-new fantasy romance Remedial Magic, about an unassuming librarian who 1) has fallen in love with a powerful witch; 2) has discovered that she is a witch; and 3) must attend magical community college to learn how to save her new world from complete destruction by New York Times bestselling author Melissa Marr!

Ellie loves working in her local library in the small town of Ligonier. She loves baking scones and investigating the mysterious and captivating in her spare time. And there is nothing more mysterious and captivating than the intriguingly beautiful, too properly dressed woman sipping tea in her library who has appeared as if out of nowhere. The pull between them is undeniable, and Ellie is not sure that she wants to resist.

Prospero, a powerful witch from the magical land of Crenshaw, is often accused of being… ruthless in her goals and ambitions. But she is driven to save her dying homeland, and a prophecy tells her that Ellie is the key. Unbeknownst to Ellie, her powers have not yet awakened. But all of that is about to change.

Review:

Three people, thrown into a world of magic and forced to go to witch college all the while deal with relationship drama, new powers, and no escape. This story is told in about 6 POVS and the three main characters are Ellie ( a local librarian who lives a cozy life), Maggie (a lawyer who is trying to escape her abusive ex and save her son), and Dan (a guy who went hiking and was dying of cancer but has a second chance at life). Ellie meets Prospero, a mysterious woman who kisses her ( Prospero was going to kill her but decided not to, she was sent to retrieve Ellie because there was a prophecy about Ellie saving the magic world). Maggie gets into a car crash that was planned by her husband that would have killed her and her son but her magic awakened when she saved them both only for her to be whisked away by the handsome Sondre, the headmaster of the witch college, and Dan awakens after a hiking accident at the witch college. Ellie is excited about the prospect of having magic and falling for the beautiful woman who kissed her. Maggie wants nothing more than to escape and go back to her son, but that wont stop her from sleeping with Sondre. Dan refuses to leave, he wants to stay at witch college forever. All the while witches are dying from a mysterious disease and the Ellie has to solve the prophecy. This book was a if you took three drops of paint and put it into water, muddy, all over the place, and lacking any clear distinction and the end product is just something that is unclear and not pretty. Initially I was so excited to read this book but it immediately fell flat, and I kept pushing myself to finish it and the fact that this is the first book in the series is a big no thank you, especially with how this book went. I definitely will not be continuing this series. This book starts off abruptly and is all over the place, the characters all lacked depth and actual interesting aspects to them, the world building felt nonexistent, and cohesive story where? The book doesn't really feel like much is happening and for a book that was advertised as The Magicians meets One Last Stop, it gave neither to me and I enjoyed both of those books. This book was not for me, and unfortunately I should have DNF'ed by the second chapter because it just kept dragging on and I just was left disappointed by the end. This one is not for me and if you like magic school and relationship drama then give it a go, I guess, maybe you'll have a better time with it than I did.

*SPOILER* The ending itself was just not it ( the fact that Maggie is forced into a marriage and to have her and her sons minds warped and she has to obey Sondre while Ellie is forced into marriage and mindwipe by Prospero all the while Dan ( who barely even had any personality or characterization throughout the book and really did NOTHING, seriously go on Dan, give me nothing) gets to just enjoy life. I felt ick, just so much ick,

*Thanks Netgalley and Tor Publishing Group, Bramble for sending me an arc in exchange for an honest review*

[backlistbacklog]

Where Are They Now?

Enough has been going on recently in the lives of many of the Backlist Authors that I thought I'd do a small round up

Lisa Jane is hanging in there, and has discovered AI art. Click through for all the Elena-esque dolls you could never want

Amelia Atwater-Rhodes is pretty much entirely on Patreon now, and is releasing a fair amount of post-PTK Nyeusi stuff, as well as some Castra (Mancer, non Backlist) stuff. Most of it is patron early rather than patron exclusive, so go check that out if you somehow still want to hear about fascist falcons XD

Holly Black is still actively publishing, and I can't wait for Thief of Night to come out and (hopefully) resolve the cliffhanger that Book of Night (adult title, not backlist, and not faeries, but still) ended on

And Melissa Marr of a single episode fame got married on this past solstice bc of course she did XD (go read the rest of the Wicked Lovely if you haven't, its so good omg)

[books-and-strawberry-tea]

A small convo with Chat GPT about books:

(Green are the books I've read)

(Pink is on my TBR)

"Actually, I would like some help choosing all the series Id like to read"

ChatGPT said:

ChatGPT

I'd be happy to help you pick out series for your TBR! To make sure the suggestions align with your preferences, could you let me know a few things?

Genres you enjoy: Fantasy, science fiction, mystery, romance, historical fiction, etc.

Series length: Do you prefer trilogies, long-running series, or shorter series?

Books you've liked in the past: Any particular authors or books that you've enjoyed recently, which could help me suggest similar series?

Themes you're interested in: Magic, adventure, character development, dystopian worlds, etc.

Once I have a sense of your preferences, I can recommend some series that might be a perfect fit for your reading goals!

You said:

I love fantasy, Romance, dark themes, some smut. I love things like ACOTAR, haunting adeline, The Crave Series, The house of salt and sorrows. Books like that.

ChatGPT said:

ChatGPT

Thanks for sharing your preferences! Based on what you’ve mentioned, it seems like you enjoy fantasy with romance, dark or gothic themes, and some steamy or mature content. I’ll suggest some series that align with those vibes, ranging from fantasy to dark romance, with a bit of magic and mystery woven in.

Fantasy with Romance, Dark Themes, and Steamy Elements:

The Blood and Ash series by Jennifer L. Armentrout This series is a perfect blend of fantasy, romance, and action with some darker themes and steamy moments. The first book, From Blood and Ash, introduces a captivating world of forbidden love, fate, and a heroine with a mysterious past.

The Wicked series by Jennifer L. Armentrout If you love From Blood and Ash, you may also enjoy The Wicked series, set in a world of gods and monsters, with dark themes, magical creatures, and a touch of danger, all while delivering romantic and steamy moments.

The Serpent & Dove series by Shelby Mahurin This is a fantasy romance with witches, magic, and lots of tension. The relationship between the main characters is intense and filled with twists, and the books have dark, gothic undertones that might appeal to you.

The Dark Artifices trilogy by Cassandra Clare If you haven’t already read this, it’s set in Clare’s Shadowhunters world and deals with forbidden love, dark magic, and personal sacrifice. This trilogy has steamy moments and lots of romance, along with darker themes like grief and revenge.

The Crescent City series by Sarah J. Maas After ACOTAR, Maas’ Crescent City is a must-read. It's a blend of urban fantasy, magic, mystery, romance, and darker themes. While it's more on the fantasy side with action-packed scenes, the romance and steaminess are definitely there.

The Ravenhood series by Kate Stewart This series is a dark romance trilogy with themes of obsession, secrecy, and heartbreak. The writing is intense and the emotional rollercoaster is accompanied by steamy scenes that will keep you hooked.

The Flesh and Fire series by Laura Thalassa A steamy and dark fantasy with some twisted, forbidden romance and a dangerous world. It’s set in a world of gods, magic, and betrayal, which might resonate with your love of darker themes.

Gothic Fantasy with Romance:

The Kingdom of the Wicked series by Kerri Maniscalco This series has a gothic atmosphere with witches, demons, and a romance full of forbidden attraction. It’s dark, steamy, and atmospheric with plenty of magic and intrigue.

The Wicked Lovely series by Melissa Marr A darker take on the fae world, where magic, romance, and danger collide. It’s filled with tension, desire, and darkness, and the world-building is vivid.

The House of Night series by P.C. Cast and Kristin Cast If you're looking for something a bit on the YA side, this series involves vampires, romance, and a supernatural school setting. It gets darker as the series progresses, and it mixes love, lust, and danger.

Dark Romance/Steamy Elements:

The Sinners of Saint series by L.J. Shen This series isn’t fantasy, but it’s perfect for your love of dark romance and steamy moments. Each book in the series features a bad boy hero with a romance that blends angst, steam, and lots of tension.

The Brutal Birthright series by Sophie Lark This is a mafia romance with dark themes, including betrayal, forbidden love, and a fair amount of steam. The series has a gripping plot and intense chemistry between the characters.

The Devil's Night series by Penelope Douglas This series explores dark romance, obsession, and twisted love in a way that matches the intensity of Haunting Adeline. It’s steamy, emotional, and often a bit on the darker side.

The Ice Planet Barbarians series by Ruby Dixon If you're into something a little more fantastical, this series has a mix of sci-fi, romance, and some steamy alien encounters. The plot revolves around romance on a harsh ice planet, and it's fun with plenty of steam.

The Blood to Dust series by K.A. Linde This is a dark romance series with a mix of suspense, magic, and steamy romance. It's intense and filled with twists, making it a thrilling read.

You said:

Wonderful! Thank you so much! But would you be able to recommend something different to the devils night series? I didnt like the first book.

ChatGPT said:

ChatGPT

You're very welcome! I completely understand, not every series is for everyone. If The Devil's Night series didn’t quite work for you, no worries! Here are some alternative dark romance recommendations that might suit your tastes:

Dark Romance Alternatives to The Devil's Night Series:

The Twisted series by Ana Huang This series offers a perfect mix of intense romance, dark themes, and steam. Each book focuses on a different couple, and the chemistry is sizzling. The characters can be a bit morally gray, which adds depth and complexity, along with plenty of twists and turns.

The Ruthless People series by J.J. McAvoy A mafia romance that’s as dark and steamy as it gets. The series follows the power struggles within a dangerous mafia family, with sizzling chemistry and characters who are morally ambiguous. If you love forbidden love and intense drama, this is a great pick.

The Billionaire’s Obsession series by J.S. Scott This series is on the steamy side with some darker tones, focusing on alpha male billionaires who have a dark side and a need to control. Each book features a different couple with intense relationships and sizzling chemistry.

The Hades series by Scarlett St. Clair This series follows the mythological story of Hades and Persephone, but with a darker and steamier twist. There’s a lot of passion and emotional depth, as well as a strong undercurrent of power dynamics, making it a gripping read for fans of dark romance and mythology.

The Monsters series by Clarissa Wild This is a dark, twisted romance with morally gray characters and high stakes. The series dives deep into obsession, power, and taboo relationships. If you like your dark romance with a lot of steam and high emotional intensity, this series might be a good fit.

The Royal series by Geneva Lee This series has a strong combination of dark romance, steam, and tension. It follows a forbidden relationship between a princess and a very controlling, secretive man. It has that possessive, angsty vibe with a little royalty thrown in for extra drama.

The Dark Love series by S. Jones This series brings in the darker, possessive elements of romance with characters who often live in morally complicated situations. It has a bit of everything: intrigue, passion, and those intense, steamy moments that you enjoy.

The Shattered series by M. S. Force If you're into emotionally intense dark romance with heavy themes of redemption and healing, this series blends suspense, passion, and emotional depth. It’s a journey of love, trust, and overcoming personal struggles, with a few dark moments thrown in.

The Trinity series by Audrey Carlan While not as dark as some of the others on this list, the Trinity series is a deeply emotional, steamy romance with an element of suspense. It follows a woman involved in a complicated love triangle with two very powerful and dangerous men.

The Death series by Tamara Rose Blodgett A dark romance series that focuses on forbidden love, twisted relationships, and steamy moments. It's filled with intense emotions and a lot of action, perfect for fans of darker romance with complex characters.

You said:

What are some dark romance fantasy series? Im not a huge fan of mafia dark romance books.

ChatGPT said:

ChatGPT

Got it! If you're looking for dark romance fantasy series instead of mafia-themed stories, there are plenty of captivating options that blend the dark, edgy elements of romance with magical, fantastical worlds. Here are some series that should be right up your alley, combining dark romance and fantasy in a way that aligns with your tastes:

Dark Romance Fantasy Series:

The Plated Prisoner series by Raven Kennedy This series is a dark fantasy with heavy romance elements. It’s set in a world where the main character, Auren, is imprisoned and controlled by a powerful king. The series explores themes of captivity, betrayal, and self-discovery, and it's full of tension, dark secrets, and steamy moments.

The Crescent City series by Sarah J. Maas While you may already be familiar with this series, it’s a perfect match for dark romance fantasy. The first book, House of Earth and Blood, is filled with intrigue, magic, and an intense romance that builds against a dark backdrop of loss and vengeance. There’s also a lot of steam and emotional complexity, with a strong, powerful heroine at the center.

The Fallen Kingdoms series by Morgan Rhodes If you're looking for a YA fantasy series with darker undertones and romance, this one is a great choice. It's a high-stakes epic with forbidden romance, betrayal, and supernatural intrigue. The political and magical conflicts come with intense emotional moments between the characters.

The Demon King series by C.L. Wilson This is a captivating, dark fantasy series full of magic, kingdoms, and steamy romance. It follows the heroine, who is caught in a dangerous power struggle between rival kingdoms. The romance is intense and grows with a backdrop of powerful forces at work, blending dark fantasy with strong romantic elements.

The Wicked series by Jennifer L. Armentrout This series is a mix of urban fantasy and romance, with a dark undertone throughout. It follows the main character, Ivy, who becomes involved with dangerous forces, including fae and dark magic. The romance is steamy and full of tension, and the plot dives into darker, more mysterious realms as the series progresses.

The Blood and Ash series by Jennifer L. Armentrout This one is perfect for fans of dark romance and fantasy. The series starts with From Blood and Ash, which follows Poppy, a maiden with a mysterious destiny who is thrust into a world of danger, magic, and forbidden romance. There’s plenty of dark elements—secrets, betrayal, power struggles—and lots of passion.

The Serpent & Dove series by Shelby Mahurin A dark fantasy with witches, magic, and a forbidden romance that builds in tension over time. The relationship between the two main characters starts off rocky but becomes more intense as the series progresses. There’s plenty of action, dark magic, and a slow-burn romance that adds depth to the story.

The Cursebreaker series by Brigid Kemmerer If you're into fantasy with a darker, grittier edge, this is a great series. It’s set in a world where magic is deeply tied to curses, and the romance has darker undertones that fit your preferences. Themes of sacrifice, power, and redemption run through the series, and the emotional depth adds to the intensity.

The House of Salt and Sorrows by Erin A. Craig A gothic fantasy with dark, eerie vibes and a slow-burning romance that keeps you hooked. It’s a retelling of The Twelve Dancing Princesses but with a much darker twist. The romance and supernatural elements are intertwined with eerie mystery, grief, and a haunting atmosphere.

The A Touch of Darkness series by Scarlett St. Clair This dark romance fantasy series is a modern retelling of the myth of Hades and Persephone. The series focuses on their forbidden romance, dark power dynamics, and emotional depth. There’s a mix of magic, betrayal, and steamy moments, making it a perfect blend of fantasy and dark romance.

The Wicked Lovely series by Melissa Marr A dark fantasy with fae, magic, and romance. The world is filled with dangerous creatures and darker elements, and the romance comes with plenty of tension and forbidden love. There’s a lot of magic and intrigue, with characters who are morally gray and relationships that are full of ups and downs.

The Queen of the Damned series by Anne Rice This series, part of The Vampire Chronicles, blends dark romance with gothic fantasy. It’s full of passionate, dangerous vampires, dark magic, and intense emotional and physical connections. While it’s a bit older, the dark, brooding atmosphere and forbidden love themes are still timeless.

The Darkest Drae series by Raye Wagner A dark fantasy series with dragons, magic, and romance. The story is filled with high stakes, tension, and intense romance between a strong heroine and her brooding love interest. As the series progresses, the stakes rise, and the romantic tension and dark undertones become more prominent.

The Lords of the Underworld series by Gena Showalter This series is perfect for fantasy lovers who want to mix dark romance with powerful, tortured heroes. The plot centers on ancient warriors who carry demons within them, creating both danger and a powerful romance with strong, complex heroines. Each book has a unique couple with plenty of steam and dark fantasy elements.

What do you guys think? Are the recommendations good??

[alrederedmixedmedia]

Alredered Remembers Melissa Marr, American author of young-adult/urban fantasy novels, on her birthday.

"He was an answer to a question she’d forgotten to ask."

[sarahbethdurst]

My Phoenix Fan Fusion 2024 Schedule

I'll be one of the Guest Authors at Phoenix Fan Fusion convention this weekend! So excited!!! Hope to see you there!

My Phoenix Fan Fusion schedule:

Fri 5/24 at 3pm Author Signing (B927S)

Fri 5/24 at 4:30pm Panel: "Choose Your Own Adventure Live!" with Robert Jackson Bennett, Soman Chainani, Ryan Dalton, Sarah Beth Durst, Todd Fahnestock, and Robin Hobb (North 226BC)

Fri 5/24 at 6pm Panel: "Fireside Chat at the Prancing Pony" with Peter V. Brett, Sarah Beth Durst, Sara Ella, Todd Fahnestock, and Aiden Thomas (North 226BC)

Sat 5/25 at 10:30am Panel: "Women Writers of Speculative Fiction" with Katherine Arden, Gwenda Bond, Sarah Beth Dust, Micaiah Johnson, and Lilliam Rivera (North 227B)

Sat 5/25 at 12pm Author Signing (B929S)

Sat 5/25 at 4:30pm Panel: "Everything You Wanted to Know About Being an Author But Were Afraid to Ask Part 2" with Gwenda Bond, Peter V. Brett, Ryan Dalton, Sarah Beth Durst, Sara Ella, and Micaiah Johnson (North 227B)

Sat 5/25 at 6pm Panel: "Defeating Writer's Block" with Sarah Beth Durst, Fonda Lee, and Gene Luen Yang (North 226BC)

Sun 5/26 at 10:30am Author Signing (B931S)

Sun 5/26 at 12pm Panel: "Creating Strange New Worlds" with Robert Jackson Bennett, Sarah Beth Durst, Fonda Lee, Melissa Marr, and Aiden Thomas (North 227B)

Sun 5/26 at 3pm Panel: "The Rise of Cozy Fantasy" with Sarah Beth Durst (North 227C)

https://www.phoenixfanfusion.com/authors

[yoko-kurama-the-sex-god]

I was tagged by @rouge-the-bat! Thank you for the tag!

nickname: [not including nicknames based on my irl name for obvious reasons] Sinnel is my typical alias, though I’ve also gone by Rani and Lyember

sign: Aquarius (western), Dog (Chinese), Cat (Irish) :p

height: 5′4″

last thing i googled: history channel (I wasn’t sure of the web address)

amount of sleep: don’t even talk to me about sleep

dream job: Nothing! That’s right, I don’t want to work for a living! I would much rather spend my time gardening and living that cottagecore life

wearing: a “to write love on her arms” tank and primrose colored shorts. It’s hot :(

media that summarizes me: This is so vague. I’m going to go with the ones I would recommend to people to understand me better. Movies: Mirrormask and Spirited Away. Songs: Her Name is Alice by Shinedown, Winter Born by The Cruxshadows, Born at the Wrong Time by Abney Park, The Story that Never Starts by Abney Park, Little Talks by Of Monsters and Men, really too many to remember... Books: The Thirteenth Tale by Diane Setterfield

favourite songs: Winter Born by The Cruxshadows, Out of the Darkness by Abney Park, Monsters by All Time Low, What I’ve Done by Linkin Park, Little Talks by Of Monsters and Men, Shallow Grave by The Birthday Massacre, Helios by The Cruxshadows, Singularities by The Cruxshadows, Icarus by Bastille, and so many more

instruments: My top three faves are piano, violin, and cello, though I have a special place in my heart for the hurdygurdy. I played clarinet for two years in school, piano for about five years before I had to stop due to living circumstances, and have messed around with the ocarina.

aesthetic: Everything, lol. No, but seriously, it’s like the song The Traveler’s Curse by Abney Park. Essentially there’s so many different things that feel right, I couldn’t even begin to list them all. It would be easier to tell you what isn’t my aesthetic.

favourite author: Melissa Marr and J.R. Ward

random fun fact: I’m actually a goblin masquerading as a human. You can tell by the boxes of rusted metal, broken glass, and animal bones I have.

some mutuals to tag: As always, anyone who wants to.

[hoarding-books]

Book Review- Faeries, Elves & goblins The Old Stories

By Rosalind Kerven

I picked this one up knowing faery stories date back centuries, that there were probably stories from all over Britain, but I'd only ever read anything about them in children's and YA fiction- there may have been more lore in Melissa Marr's series than Julie Kagawa's, but they still include a couple of things mentioned in the stories in what will be referred to, from here on, as simply 'Faeries'.

The book itself contains 25 individual stories, generally between 6-8 pages long, split into 5 sections ('Of Faeries, Elves and Goblins', 'Sightings', 'Some Faery Tribes', 'Dealings Between Faeries and Mortals' and 'Spells') accompanied by illustrations. Besides this, there are 39 pages of notes on the stories themselves, 6 of sources/consulted works, and obviously picture credits

The stories themselves were pretty short and interesting, even if a few felt pretty similar, but it didn't feel like there was much point to dividing them into sections, besides maybe adding a more comprehensive summary of lore and variations, and some of the introductions to each section felt a bit tedious to read

In addition, I didn't always feel like the illustrations, beautiful though some may be (and ugly when the sprites were) actually fit the tales they were paired with

Overall, though, this was a pretty pleasant reading experience, and I managed to finish it within a month- start to finish. It's one of those books where, once you've read through the sections at least once, you can just pick it up, open to a random story, and that's it

I will say, however, that certain tales directly reference abductions, an almost-execution, child abuse (beating one for losing his sister to the faeries') and other violence (non-descript, but apparently some of the mortals in the stories aren't against treating the Fae roughly to try and get what they want and underage drinking. There's also mentions of slavery, mostly in terms of the Fair Folk claiming mortals as such, along with a woman being pressured into sex, so I would personally be wary about the idea of reading very many of the tales to very young children, no matter how whimsical the cover*

Overall, certainly not a bad book. It was interesting enough, and if you're bored of the same old myths, wanting to branch out into something more like folklore, it could be a good starting point (Kerner is said to have published plenty of other books, including one on Arthurian legends, in the Author's summary)

*Edit made the morning after: This is totally up to any parents, but there is rarely a 'happy' ending, end no-one is really depicted as a 'good' guy, but maybe I'm underestimating these things, considering there used to be nursery rhymes about serial killers, or how the rumours about the origins started circulating around the schoolyard when I was maybe 7, at most. Or Hansel and Gretel, in general. Children can still like darker stories, as fairy tales show. Besides, according to the notes, there are variations of some of these stories dating back to the middle ages- even to Celtic mythology, supposedly. Just bear in mind how children love copying things