#I also really really love The Child Thief by Brom

[goinggremlin]

Hello :)

1 do u prefer a standalone or a series? 11 do u prefer a standalone or a series? 21 hardcovers or paperbacks?

(ask me questions about books!)

I love all of these, thank you!!

1.Do I prefer a standalone or a series?

Series! While I also love a lot of standalones, they're usually too short for my taste. I read stupid quick when I get into something, so a single book is usually a delicious but fleeting mouthful, while a series is a whole meal.

This definitely has to do with the amount and style of fanfiction I read - it's difficult to get into a 90k standalone when my favorite one-shot, one scene fics are 20k by themselves, you feel me?

11. Best book I've ever read:

Oh this is a difficult question to answer, I've read so many great books over the years.

I mentioned this one in another answer and I'm gonna cheat because I own the omnibus edition so it's technically one book, but The Castings Trilogy by Pamela Freeman is one I reread at least once or twice a year and always recommend to people. The characters and story are like...actually pretty basic, somewhat run-of-the-mill fantasy stuff, but Freeman makes them so compelling. I just love it a lot, to the point I'm gonna need to start taping the cover on sooner rather than later.

21. Hardcovers or paperbacks?

Paperbacks, for sure. I love the way hardbacks look all lined up on a bookshelf, but I tend to be a little hard on my books (gotta ensure they're all well-loved) and I've had much better luck with paperbacks not falling apart over the years. Logistically I also like that they're a little lighter haha

[faerunsbest]

What are your favourite novels? 😊

I really LOVE the author brom, my favorite thing he's done is the child thief, it's a retelling of peter pan. actually its a toss up because I also love krampus a lot. Like a lot.

I remember reading the first page and having to put the book down to process those feelings.

He also has some really inspiring art books as he is a splendid painter.

I also liked neverwhere a lot, that's by Neil gaiman.

I would continue but my autocorrect is being rude

[distraxtionss]

I just finished The Child Thief and it was so good yet so tragic and funny and so so extremely chaotic. If you are okay with dark reads it’s worth checking out! Also the illustrations are really cool to look at. I love that Brom both writes and illustrates the book. It’s nice being inside his head and imagine the world and characters as he did.

[thotly-thoughts-101]

I'm here to talk about a book

I, like many fanfiction addicted people, often wanted an escape. We all had our comfort cartoons, usually Disney, back before we knew what they did, before we knew about the racism, or the antisemitism, we sat on the floor, a VHS or DVD player playing our favorite Disney movie. (side note, if you are young and watched on a blue-ray, cool, I'm catering to my nostalgia...hell, my mom finally caved and got a blue-ray player this year. So yeah, that's a thing, I'm 18 and finally got a Blue-ray player.) Back to my main target. You're between the ages of five and ten, favorite Disney movie playing while you sit on the floor, holding your blanket close, or eating spaghetti, because hey, I didn't grow up well off, I was a kid in an apartment complex with a tired mom, gore addicted older sister, alcoholic father, and gangs had begun moving into the area.

All that to start the fact that my comfort Disney movie was Peter Pan. My mom hated that movie, gods, she hated it so much. But me? I loved it. A fantastical land of wonder and pirates. What child wouldn't want that. Of course, when I stated that as one of my favorite movies, My mom began to drill the lessons of the Fae into my head by the age of five. Etiquette, manners, the dos and don'ts of the realm of Faerie. Those lessons still stick with me, more than any lessons that the church had been trying to teach me since I was three.

I was about 13 when I was able to recognize the natives of the Peter Pan movie were so extremely racist. It was still my favorite kids movie, but I wasn't going to ignore that the movie had it's flaws.

I was 14 when I read the original book. The book felt more at home in a thriller section than the kids section. I found it baffling that no real answer was given to anything. The novel didn't clarify what Peter was, though deep in my heart, from years of burned in fairy tales, I knew he was in the branch of Changeling. I was now fascinated by this genre of media.

But that's not the book I want to talk about. Imagine if it was? Gosh that would be so dull. No, I want to talk about a reimagining of Peter Pan. It is called "The Child Thief" by Brom.

Some may recognize Brom as an artist for Magic the Gathering. But I am here to talk about his book. Well, one of them. His books are a bit more pricey, so I only have one.

That is "the Child Thief".

The story follows many characters, Peter, who is seen as a changeling, and is confirmed. But more importantly it speaks on how our fairy tales have been choked out by modern society, we replaced magic with science and machines.

(from here on forward, spoilers. you have been warned also lots of potential triggers)

This book opens with a really sensitive subject, rape (I did warn you). There is a lot of murder in the book, it's an adult novel so keep that in mind. We learn about Nick, a boy who is struggling with life, and trust me, life has been shit to Nick.

Peter finds Nick, and whisks him away to an island, Neverland, by technicality. There we learn of the species that is replacing the natives, elves, the children of the gods of the wild. (this is important) The current ruler is the son of the former god of the wild, a goat like man (I am not sure if this is a reference to Cernunnos or Pan, but as the mythology is very heavily tied to Celtic and Gaelic Myths, I'm inclined to vouch Cernunnos) and this Elf, fae, I can't recall, was expected to fill his father's (his father is the goat man) role. There is a lot going on in this story so I'm covering quite a few perspectives, so once I cover who has a perspective, I will break each story into sections. Next we have the Captain. A man who just wanted off of Neverland, as the island had turned him and all the adults around him into decaying monsters, all hellbent on the fact that peter was the anti Christ. We also follow Peter, who want's to rid the island of the rotting colonizers, but the pure Elves and fae hated him, as he was not seen as a pure member of the species. Nick spends his story grappling with the fact that he abandoned his mother to drug dealers, and the rage of her letting drug dealers into their life.

first, the easiest and least heartbreaking perspective, the Captain's.

The Captain's perspective is simple, he was in charge of the ship taking puritans to the new land, instead, the land on the island they would be trapped on when the lady of the lake casted a magical, protective mist around the island, effectively trapping the humans. From there the decay began, skin rotted on the bone, but they could not die. All the Captain wanted was to return home to his son, who by this time, is very much dead.

When the Lady of the Lake died, the mist was lifted, and upon his freedom, he took the nearest ship and left for England. The Captain was one of few who got a happy-ish ending. (below is cannon image of the captain)

Now, we have a more...sad story, the Royal.

The prince went mad while fighting a three front war. He put his father's helm on and lost his mind, drunk on power he wasn't meant to have. He was killed in his madness, never truly meant to survive. It's sad that he lost himself to rage, and jealousy towards Peter, who was a favorite of the Lady. (the prince/king names are hard, but he is below)

Nick, we have hit Nick, I really cried for Nick's story.

Nick went with Peter, battled so many emotions. He decides he wanted to return to his mom. He fought beside Peter, spent all this time with Peter and the Devils (the crew of young teens Peter has collected for his child army). So much happens to Nick, we watch him fight for the freedom of Avalon (the actual name of the island).

When the Lady dies, the battle moves to the New York streets, to the park. Peter promises Nick that when this is done, Nick will see his mom again, Nick will get to go home.

I genuinely cheered for Nick, I wanted him to live. I would be torn to shreds if he were to die...and he does, the battle is won, but Nick dies, drowning in a pond.

Rereading the novel, even though you know Nick won't make it, you still find yourself rooting for him. The knowledge of Nicks mortality will quickly dissipate as Brom drowns you in the story, and the thing is, it's the best kind of drowning, drowning in words, in the story of Nick, Peter, and the Captain. (This is Nick, a colorized image that isn't fanart doesn't exist, but there he is down below, bout to break glass with a bowling ball)

And now, my favorite lad, whom my gay self simps for, Peter.

We start with Peter being a mystery of red hair and golden eyes, freckles and grins. He mesmerizes young children with food, safety, joy, to bring them to Avalon.

Peter was born the bastard son of a goat god, the same as the one mentioned with the royal. He found himself fighting a war, dedicated to the Lady of the Mist (sorry, I never liked her, but I never was supposed to. So I don't remember her name) He served her for so long, eventually she dies, as that is a common factor. He promises Nick that he will get to see his mother again.

Nick dies, as you know by now, and Peter wins the war, but Avalon is lost. Peter, finds that he is the true heir to the role as the god of the wild, and the wild boy goes off into the city, to go visit the drug dealers that ruined Nick's life, after all, a promise is a promise. And in this case Peter had more fatal games to play.

(And now, an image of Peter, for your consideration.)

There is an important character that I didn't speak about, Seku, wonderful Seku. I don't want to ruin her story, but I will provide an image

Remember, all this art is done by Brom, the author.

Now, in after math, I'm not entirely sure why, I, at 15 years old, picked up this book on Christmas break, said "This is the one." I gave it no thought until I was 17, 100% certain I was some flavor of Bi or pansexual. and barely aware that I wasn't cis. I knew by the time I read the book again, even in my fantasy world, I was too old to truly belong there, I qualified as one of the adults now, one of the rotting beings that couldn't survive in that magical world.

Some part of me wishes, wonders, dreams, that I could. That I could be accepted in that world. I know I can't now, at the age of 18. But the book lets me live that dream, through Peter, through Nick, through Seku, and even the Captain and the Royal. In some sense, I needed this book, and it came to me when I needed it too.

-thotly

[locke-writes]

3,8,16,17,21 for the film ask please! Those are great questions.

It's should come as no surprise that I've gone off the rails in responding to these questions which means I've added a read more for this answer.

3. An actor/actress you’ve seen in more than 8 movies? Name the movies.

I have a long list of these but we'll start with the man that started my list of actors I'll watch everything they've ever done and that's Tom Hardy. In terms of what I've seen him in (films only):

- Layer Cake (2004)

- Marie Antoinette (2006)

- Sucker Punch (2008)

- RocknRolla (2008) - this was the film that started it all and I can't recommend it enough

- Inception (2010)

- Warrior (2011)

- This Means War (2012)

- The Dark Knight Rises (2012)

- Locke (2013) - Not what my blog is named after but a fucking incredible film

- Child 44 (2015)

- Mad Max: Fury Road (2015)

- Legend (2015)

- The Revenant (2015)

- Dunkirk (2017)

- Venom (2018)

8. Which book would you like to see adapted into a film?

If I thought about this for an hour I could give you such a long list of adaptions I'd like to see but since I'm not about to overload anyone with book recommendations or ideas for cool films I'm going to list 5

- Graceling by Kristin Cashore

- The Child Thief by Brom

- When We Were Animals by Joshua Gaylord

- Gone by Michael Grant

- The Girl In the Arena - Lise Haines

16. A film you love but everyone else hates?

My brain immediately launched me straight into The Master of Disguise with Dana Carvey. It's a terrible movie, I mean it has 1% on Rotten Tomatoes bad. But it's also terrible in such a great way that it's utterly hilarious and it holds some nostalgia with me which I think influences my thoughts on the film. Also there's probably a few classics that I love which people hate but I'm not entirely certain regarding those.

17. Which cinematic universe would you like to live in?

It's funny because I really can't think of many cinematic universes in the sense of a universe being comprised of a setting spanning more than one film. I think that maybe living in the View Askewniverse would be great. It's just the Kevin Smith film universe which means a lot of hanging with my favorite characters from Clerks, Mallrats, and Chasing Amy, not to mention weird shit happening all the time a la Dogma. And who better than to hang with than Jay and Silent Bob

21. A film with an amazing soundtrack?

I'm splitting this into two. Soundtracks and Scores because soundtracks often implies songs containing lyrics although not necessarily musicals:

Soundtracks: A Knight's Tale, Dazed And Confused, Empire Records, The Big Chill, Velvet Goldmine

Scores: Interstellar, The Theory of Everything, Mr Magorium's Wonder Emporium, Edward Scissorhands, Dead Ringers

[aflyingcontradiction]

The Eyre Affair

Shades of grey (both by Jasper Fforde)

The child thief

The Eyre Affair - Added to TBR, I honestly didn't remember that it existed but I just looked it up on Goodreads and saw that a bunch of people I know have given it really high ratings and I like Jasper Fforde, so on the TBR list it goes! Shades of Grey - OH MY GOD I LOVED IT SO MUCH! (Also poor Jasper, re: the title...) I wish there was a sequel. The Child Thief - the one by Brom? It's been a while since I read it, I remember being intrigued and mildly disturbed, but I don't remember how much I actually liked it. Gave it 3 stars on Goodreads, apparently, so I guess "liked it"?

[hellas-himself]

People I’d Like To Get To Know Better Meme

Tagged by @weaverofwiles thanks for the tag love!!! xoxo 

tagging forward to @saraheliza95 @rainy-bloomingtide @dreamerlavellan @heraldofwho @goth-potato666

Name:

Lola 

Birthday:

you just missed it ;)))))))

Zodiac Sign:

Cancer

Height:

5′5

Hobbies/Interests:

I love to read and write. I love drawing, too. I spend most of my free time drawing or staring at empty word docs lol I can’t do anything without listening to music so I have playlists for everything. I also play Dragon Age (any of them) or Sims 4 almost daily if I have the time. 

Favorite Color:

I love dusty rose and greyish blue colors. But black will be my favorite forever I don’t care that it’s actually a shade lol

Favorite Book:

I haven’t read a book in months... But Lost Gods by Brom is still very much on my mind month after reading it. The Child Thief also by Brom was amazing. 

Last Song:

The theme song for the Untamed lol I loveeeeeeeeee that OST so much

Last Film/Show:

I just started watching the Fatal Journey movie but I had to hit pause because life. So I’ll be finishing that soon. 

Inspiration:

Anything really lol I pull a lot from personal experience or that of those around me. Music can really help but sometimes it can throw me off, too. So sometimes I have to have the music on low enough that it’s not interrupting my thoughts. Sometimes random words or even being outside will inspire me. 

Story Behind URL:

I used to be crazy about Lorcan and for some reason that whole “blessed by hellas himself” line just did something for me lmaooooo idk i’ve never found another url to replace it with so it’ll stay this way till then. 

[the-modern-typewriter]

March Book Recommendation

Deathless, by Catherynne M. Valente

A glorious retelling of the Russian folktale Marya Morevna and Koschei the Deathless, set in a mysterious version of St. Petersburg during the first half of the 20th century. A handsome young man arrives in St Petersburg at the house of Marya Morevna. He is Koschei, the Tsar of Life, and he is Marya's fate. For years she follows him in love and in war, and bears the scars. But eventually Marya returns to her birthplace - only to discover a starveling city, haunted by death. Deathless is a fierce story of life and death, love and power, old memories, deep myth and dark magic, set against the history of Russia in the twentieth century. It is, quite simply, unforgettable.

modern-typewriter says: So, someone on this blog asked me what would you recommend to read that is like you're writing on this blog. I had no idea, but someone suggested this author. (Thank you, by the way.) Oh boy. Oh boy. I had to read it, I loved it, Marya and Koshei are my favourites and I love them. Not a perfect fit but oh I can see why you'd say it, so if that counts as a rec, go read it.

You could definitely see the fairytale elements throughout, but what really lingered with me (besides the relationship betwen Marya and Koschei) was the way it was set against the Russian history. It was really poignant. I have never read a book quite like this.

If you liked this try/you might like this if you liked: The Child Thief by Brom, The Witch Sea by Sarah Diemer, Bright Air Black by David Vann, and all manner of more adult fairytales.

It’s that time of month for my monthly book rec and, in a wonderful turn of fate, also World Book Day. Happy Reading! 

You can see all the previous recommendations here, on my Book Recs page. You can also find me on here on Goodreads to follow my reading lists, ratings and occasional book reviews.

[literaryromps]

Continued Reading Recs for Peter Pan

{{Please note all recs are for adult audiences unless indicated.}}

Books:

...if you want Hook to “get some” try:

Alias Hook by Lisa Jensen:  Meet Captain James Benjamin Hook, a witty, educated Restoration-era privateer cursed to play villain to a pack of malicious little boys in a pointless war that never ends. But everything changes when Stella Parrish, a forbidden grown woman, dreams her way to the Neverland in defiance of Pan's rules. From the glamour of the Fairy Revels, to the secret ceremonies of the First Tribes, to the mysterious underwater temple beneath the Mermaid Lagoon, the magical forces of the Neverland open up for Stella as they never have for Hook. And in the pirate captain himself, she begins to see someone far more complex than the storybook villain. [this is a Captain Hook redemption book]

...if you want Peter Pan told from Tiger Lily’s eyes try:

Tiger Lily by Jodi Lynn Anderson:  Before Peter Pan belonged to Wendy, he belonged to the girl with the crow feather in her hair... Fifteen-year-old Tiger Lily doesn't believe in love stories or happy endings. Then she meets the alluring teenage Peter Pan in the forbidden woods of Neverland and immediately falls under his spell. [this also has a really good take on a two spirit person!]

...if the original Peter Pan just isn’t dark enough try:

The Child Thief by Brom:  Peter's dark past is revealed: left to wolves as an infant, despised and hunted, Peter moves restlessly between the worlds of faerie and man. The Child Thief is a leader of bloodthirsty children, a brave friend, and a creature driven to do whatever he must to stop the "Flesh-eaters" and save the last, wild magic in this dying land. [this is a horror book, please be warned!]

...if you want a canon sequel that is kid safe (at least as much as the first one) try:

Peter Pan in Scarlet by Geraldine McCaughrean: The first-ever authorized sequel to J. M. Barrie's Peter Pan! In August 2004 the Special Trustees of Great Ormond Street Children's Hospital, who hold the copyright in Peter Pan, launched a worldwide search for a writer to create a sequel to J. M. Barrie's timeless masterpiece. [this is very whimsical and is suitable for kiddos]

...if you think Peter & Jas are besties to enemies material try:

Lost Boy: The True Story of Captain Hook by Christina Henry:  There is one version of my story that everyone knows. And then there is the truth. This is how it happened. How I went from being Peter Pan’s first—and favorite—lost boy to his greatest enemy. Peter brought me to his island because there were no rules and no grownups to make us mind. He brought boys from the Other Place to join in the fun, but Peter's idea of fun is sharper than a pirate’s sword. Because it’s never been all fun and games on the island. Our neighbors are pirates and monsters. Our toys are knife and stick and rock—the kinds of playthings that bite. Peter promised we would all be young and happy forever. [this is another kinda horror book so be warned!]

Comics

...if you want a more real world version of Peter Pan and also love WW2 try:

Peter Panzerfaust by Kurtis J. Wiebe:  A coming of age tale told through the eyes of a group of French orphans during World War 2 who are saved by a brave and daring American boy named Peter. As they travel together, they get tangled up in the French Resistance in Paris, fighting a growing German presence under the leadership of a fanatical SS officer hell bent on wiping them out! Using the Peter Pan story as a touchstone, Peter Panzerfaust reinvents familiar character and plot elements in a unique and creative way. [this series is a delight and very emotional take on WW2 and Peter Pan]

...if aged-up, sex obessed Peter & Wendy is your thang (no judgements) try:

NVRLND by Stephanie Salyers, Dylan Mulick, Leia Leiz, etc:  NVRLND is sex, drug, and punk fuelled. Set in present day Hollywood, wallflower turned wild child Wendy Darling turns to the rave scene of the underground club NVRLND and falls for Peter, the lead singer of the band The Lost Boys. Meanwhile, Peter is mixed up with a tattoo artist who preys on the young by ‘hooking’ them on a designer drug known as Pixie Dust. [this deals with a lot of drugs, sex, and adult themes so please be warned!]

...if thinking of Neverland as a cover for trauma (#mood) is for you try:

The Wendy Project by Melissa Jane Osborne, Veronica Fish:  16-year-old Wendy Davies crashes her car into a lake on a late summer night in New England with her two younger brothers in the backseat. When she wakes in the hospital, she is told that her youngest brother, Michael, is dead. Wendy — a once rational teenager – shocks her family by insisting that Michael is alive and in the custody of a mysterious flying boy. Placed in a new school, Wendy negotiates fantasy and reality as students and adults around her resemble characters from Neverland. Given a sketchbook by her therapist, Wendy starts to draw. But is The Wendy Project merely her safe space, or a portal between worlds? [this deals with a lot of trauma themes, so please be warned!]

[jamiemarierose]

Hello Jamie, do you have some good book recommendations? Do you read classics? Hopefully you have a beautiful Monday! Also, the Phthalo update was absolutely glorious, can't wait to come home from work and write you another installment of that sappy love letter I have already sent you once (I mean the unnecessarily long comment). 💙💚💛💜

Well, right now I am reading the original Peter Pan story. I just read Brom’s ‘The Child Thief’; that was really great and I definitely recommend that! It’s the reason I am on such a Peter Pan kick at the moment. I’ve actually been talking with an illustrator about writing my own version of a Peter Pan - type story and having them draw things for it. But that’s just an idea so, we’ll see!

I always recommend that Chemical Garden Trilogy just because I love the way that’s written (First book is called ‘Wither’). And next on my list to read is a book called ‘Angelfall’ that was recc’ed to me, which sounds promising.

And I’m glad you like the Phthalo update! I can’t wait to read your ‘sappy love letter’ :D

[saligiare]

TAG 10 PEOPLE YOU WANT TO KNOW BETTER.

TAGGED  BY:  @desertgourd TAGGING: @siinfulpride, @inthe-goldenafternoon, @emyliabernstein, @willowwithdragonheartstring and whoever wants to do the thing

NAME:  Tak BIRTHDAY:  June 8 ZODIAC:  Gemini HEIGHT:  172 cm SEXUAL ORIENTATION:  Asexual FAVORITE COLOR:  all shades of purple but mostly blackberry FAVORITE BOOK(S):  Child Thief by Brom, Johannes Cabal the Necromancer by Jonathan L. Howard, The City of Dreaming Books by Walter Moers FAVORITE ARTIST/BANDS:  Miyavi, Wise Guys, Voltaire, Poets of the Fall, Oonagh, Steam Powered Giraffe LAST MOVIE I WATCHED:  Inception HOGWARTS HOUSE:  Ravenclaw all the way RANDOM FACT:  I have a chronic illness of my eyes which nobody has ever really figured out. I’ve spent half my life with different eye doctors and specialists and have to go to the check up every three/four weeks. What annoys me about it the most though is my inability to wear coloured contact lenses because of it. And nope, I don’t need or have any glasses. WHEN DID I CREATE MY BLOG?  January 2014 DO YOU HAVE ANY OTHER BLOGS? Yeah, including two sideblogs that are exclusively reserved for AU threads and our rarely used college AU. Also this guy, who I really wished would get more attention and love because he’s my eternal son and a cinnamon roll to end all cinnamon rolls. Then two other loosely fandom related characters that I used to rp for years before I moved onto the demon blog. It is mostly inactive but I could easily get back into it. Ah, and my personal. WHAT MADE YOU DECIDE TO GET A TUMBLR?  After I introduced a friend of mine to a certain fandom she started to rp within it on Chatzy, where I soon joined her. She left for tumblr though and thus I followed close behind as well. It’s all Lani’s fault, essentially. DO YOU GET ASKS ON A DAILY BASIS?  Nope. I get some every once in a while but not very often. There have been an unusual amount lately tho. I wouldn’t mind keeping that up, I like asks. uvu WHY DID YOU CHOOSE YOUR URL?  I wanted to change my old one since it was sort of plump and boring. Then I stumbled across the little funfact that the first letters of the seven sins combined create the word S(uperbia), A(cedia), G(ula), I(invidia), L(uxuria), I(ra), A(varitia). Apparently the acronym saligia was used in the Middle Ages to describe the seven sins. Adding the suffix -re would turn it into a verb, meaning “to sin” or “to commit a deadly sin”. I thought that’s pretty elegant for an URL so I picked it. BONUS FACT: Next to tumblr rping I also really enjoy playing Dungeons&Dragons with my friends and attending Larp Events all over the year.

[inktaire]

selam! So I was looking some book recs bc I haven't finish a good book in ages. Do you maybe have any recent faves? I dont really have a specific preference so I'll just roll w whatever you give me. Thanks!

Hello! I actually finished Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe by Benjamin Alire Saenz 3 days ago and I am absolutely in love. I read it in less than a day, it was so well done.

Some that I post about all the time, and my all time favorites, are the Six of Crows Duology by Leigh Bardugo, The Raven Cycle by Maggie Stiefvater, and The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller

I also don’t talk or post about these ever on my blog, but I really like The Child Thief by Brom, Leviathan Trilogy by Scott Westerfeld, and The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern

Every title is linked to Goodreads!

[cities-alive]

Pu-erh tea???

18. Pu-erh tea: What is a book you can recommend to others? ((OOC: I was going to make a video but I changed my mind so here you go.Outlander-Diana Gabaldon… Do you like romance, action, Scottish history, sci-fi, the supernatural, time travel, and badass characters? Yes? Then this is the series for you. No? Well, shit.The Book Thief- Markus Zusak… It is honestly amazing and the narrator is death.Jane Eyre- Charlotte Bronte… Classic, very feminist in some partsThe Magicians- Lev Grossman… There isn’t enough time in the world for me to talk about thisOranges Are Not the Only Fruit -Jeanette Winterson… Honestly amazing, it’s about a girl who grew up in a very religious family/town who ends up in a relationship with one of her female friends but it doesn’t work out because her friend chooses God over her. I really love it because it brings up questions of faith and homophobia and I love how much analysis can be done. I’ve written at least five essays on this book alone, it is so beautifully written.The God of Small Things-Arundhati Roy… If I am being completely honest I don’t really remember this book cause I read it in my first year of Uni and my memory is scary bad. What I do remember is that it is hella freaking amazing so read it.The Secret Garden- Frances BurnettThe Outsiders- S.E HintonFangirl and Carry On- Rainbow Rowell… These were recommended to me by you, I had ignored them on the shelf because based on the summary in the book I didn’t think I would like it but you convinced me and I love them both. Cath is so relatable and it addresses things that really touched home with me like anxiety and depression but it also had a lot of interesting elements like HP/Not Hp fanfiction and overall it was really touching and funny. As for Carry On, just… the freaking innuendos, sexual tension, and overall hilarity was great, plus it was basically Drarry fanfiction (but also gave me VictorxYuri and Wolfstar vibes).Pride and Prejudice-Jane Austen… It is honestly so good. I love all of the characters and the slow burn love/hate relationship between Lizzy and Mr. Darcy. I could go on for longer about why I love it but I will leave it there for now.The Necromancer- Jonathan L. Howard… It’s about, you guessed it, a necromancer named Johannes Cabal who sold his soul to the devil for the gift of necromancy but his research ends up getting all screwy due to his lack of a soul so he makes another deal with the devil to get his soul back and keep the gift of necromancy. He is also a sass master 5000 he even sasses the devil and the devil gives him a run down carnival/circus (is there a difference? I feel like there is) and a year to use it and collect 100 souls in order to get his back. So he uses his powers to create “people” to help him and gets help from his flamboyant and even sassier vampire brother Horst. There is a lot of animosity between them though for reasons I will not disclose because of spoilers, but they have a classic sibling rivalry and Horst constantly has mic drop moments. It’s not a book you’d think would get you, but it does, I cried. And it has the greatest lines and plot twists. The Perks of Being a Wallflower- Stephen ChboskyMilk and Honey- Rupi Kaur… Honestly, read it, it is so pro-woman, and pro-self love. It is heartbreaking and beautiful.The Scarlet Pimpernel-Emma Orczy… If I am being honest I haven’t finished it yet but it is good

Frankenstein-Mary Shelley… ‘nough said.Phantom- Susan Kay… It is based on The Phantom of the Opera by Gaston Leroux (I highly recommend it as well) and it is basically a biography of Erik. It explores his relationship with his mom- his mom sucks, he was fresh out the womb and she threw him on the floor and he was basically raised by his dog. Come talk to me more about it I have a lot of feelings- it just gives background on how he became the way he is and I find that super intriguing. Is it Just Me?- Miranda Hart…. if you don’t know who she is watch her show, she is freaking hilarious and I relate to her so hard.Shakespeare…. all the Shakespeare, I haven’t read all the Shakespeare and I really gotta get on that but I’ve read enough to recommend Shakespeare to everyone. He’s a legend for a reason.The Devouring- Simon Holt… It is a horror novel and it is really freaking good. So there are these things called Vours and on the coldest night of the year it goes after people who are most afraid and inhabits their bodies and hardly anyone ever notices, and when they inhabit bodies the soul of that person goes to a fear-scape. So this girl is reading the story to her kid brother thinking it is just a story but then a vour goes after her brother and stuff ensues. It scared the shit out of me when I was younger and remains really great and creepy today. Like this is the poem in it “When dark creeps in and eats the light, bury your fears on sorry night, for in the winters darkest hours, comes the feasting of the Vours.You cannot see it, the life they stole,Your body’s here but not your soul”.The Child Thief-Gerald Brom… A really dark version of Peter Pan. Basically Peter kidnaps abused/neglected/runaway children and brings them to Avalon. There’s a lot of Celtic and Scottish Mythology riddled throughout the novel. Peter uses the children to fight in a war to try and save the dying land. It is so good but triggering.Read Aesop’s Fables and The Brothers Grimm Read all of the Harry Potters-I am leaving so much out including my extensive list of romance novels but I am so tired and this is all I can think of right now))

[straythoughtshopelesshearts]

#acciomaybooks Day 4. Favorite genre. This is really difficult because I don't really have a favorite genre. I like stories that have a bit of magic and a bit if horror in them. I guess if I had to choose I would say fantasy. As you can see from my beat up copy of The Child Thief by Brom, I love a good fairytale too. I also highly suggest the book After Obsession. It's got Native American lore in it! #brom #horror #mythology #Bookish

[fic-dreamin]

5.0 out of 5 stars Deliciously Dark, As Expected

5.0 out of 5 stars Once We Were Gods **This book was reviewed for San Francisco Book Review**Brom's Lost Gods is a dark, gripping tale of the power of love, the wickedness of men, and the power of alchemic forces always at work in our lives. Chet Moran is a man with a new lease on life. Recently released from prison, Chet elopes with the live of his life, who is carrying his child. Impending fatherhood has made a new man of Chet, and he vows to be the best of fathers to his unborn child.Chet and Trish flee from her father, going nearly a hundred miles away to where his grandmother lives. Chet hopes to get on his feet, and make a new life for himself and his fledgling family here on remote Moran Island. He never gets the chance. Not even one day back and Chet learns the sinister truth behind his mother's family. Not one day back and he finds himself dead. The only way to save Trish and his unborn daughter the same fate is to traverse the Netherworld, searching for his grandfather, Gavin.Chet's travels carry him across the River Styx, and all the way to Lethe and back. Along the way, he meets some once-human friends, such as Ana and Ado, and makes the acquaintance of several gods, from Sekhmet to Veles. He also earns the enmity of several once-human souls, and their demon masters. In his quest to find Gavin, Chet helps thwart a hostile coup of humans and demons against the twilight gods who dwell in purgatory. After all that, he still needs to get back to the surface and confront the threat to his family.One part Dante's Inferno, one part the journey of Orpheus, Lost Gods is an alchemic journey quite unlike any other. I have yet to read a novel by Brom that wasn't richly complex, and this was certainly no exception.Read more › Go to Amazon

5.0 out of 5 stars A Dark Journey I've read all of Brom's books to date, and have come to understand that each has its own voice - something rare among authors. Lost Gods is at times, horror, fantasy, tragedy, and even a bit of an old world western and yet somehow this works (wonderfully), creating a very unique take on purgatory. If you're a fan of immersive epics and richly fleshed out worlds, then I think you'll really enjoy this one. Go to Amazon

5.0 out of 5 stars Brom at his best! The best Brom novel (so far). The world-building is incredible and the story is epic and greatly satisfying if you're into the macabre like me. I'm trying to push it on friends so I have people to talk about it with. Go to Amazon

5.0 out of 5 stars all in all a pretty good read Admittedly the cover intrigued me so I of course bought it for my kindle instead....BUT...all in all a pretty good read. It would've worked equally well as a trilogy with all the potential source material and that is really my only complaint. It felt very short given the scope of the story. Still...a decently sized book that is a fairly quick read once you immerse yourself into the surroundings of the story. Go to Amazon

4.0 out of 5 stars Well done. I am a huge fan of Brom's work. He has a way of representing religious views and beliefs that truly is unique. The way this book reads is very compelling and makes you want to keep reading. I would highly recommend it.The reason I rated it 4 stars is because Brom's The Child Thief is still my favorite. Go to Amazon

4.0 out of 5 stars fascinating and frustrating I found Brom’s "Lost Gods" both fascinating and frustrating. Fascinating because this was an intriguing world (or, rather, underworld) I've never explored before, full of weird and interesting creatures and humans. But frustrating because it got bogged down and took too long to get to the end. I also was unable to wrap my head around dead people bleeding, suffering pain and being "killed."At first I eagerly followed the journey of Chet Moran into purgatory after the shock of being murdered by someone he trusted. Chet was determined to complete a quest to save the wife and unborn child he had left behind. And, perhaps, he would also redeem himself for the reason that caused him to be on his way to hell. A host of people, both human and supernatural, helped or impeded his progress and sometimes put his afterlife at risk, potentially leading him to a final death (which, as mentioned above, was a confounding concept).I found the chapter page artwork compelling, detailed and enjoyed examining the intricacies of each new image. But as chapter after chapter appeared, I grew weary. I thought numerous chapters could have been greatly trimmed or cut out entirely without the story suffering. At about the halfway mark, I was eager for the story to end.Condensed and with a bit more logic in place defining the parameters of "life" after death, I would have enjoyed this otherwise intriguing tale more. Go to Amazon

[the-modern-typewriter]

Have you read the Iron Fey series by Julie Kagawa? I'm not that into the plot but I really love faeries and faerie worlds. Could you recommend any books like this?

I have not read it, no, but I will look into it now - thank you! 

I haven’t read that many that I’ve loved yet so my ability to personally recommend is limited, but this is the goodreads lists for you to begin tracking down books about faeries. You can have a skim and see if anything takes your fancy and see other people’s reviews etc. 

Regarding the books I have read, and the books I would recommend within those (you will have seen some of these in my previous post):

1) The Darkest Part Of The Forest, by Holly Black. (I know she has also done a lot of other fairy/fey books, like Tithe. But I haven’t read them. However, judging by Darkest Part, I would imagine they’d be good.)

2) Ink Exchange, by Melissa Marr. In the Wicked Lovely series. 

3) The Child Thief, by Brom (this one is adult! Based off a darker adaptation of Peter Pan, it is super cool and beautifully illustrated. Peter is very fey.)

4) The Book Of Lost Things, by John Connolly (this was a fun read. It doesn’t explicitly say fairies but yo, it’s fairies, and its wonderfully creepy.)

The Stolen Child by Keith Donohue is on my to-read list.

I have heard A Court of Thorns and Roses, by Sarah J. Maas is a popular series choice, though I haven’t read it yet. The blurb hasn’t quite hooked me, I am personally trying to avoid reading YA these days unless it looks truly spectacular. Maybe if I run out of things ordered to library. That’s not to say it isn’t good, as it does come recommended by lots of other people.