#alexandra rowland writes good books

[a-kind-of-merry-war]

can you recommend your favourite queer historical/fantasy novels or series for me?? desperate for some new books to read 🙏

Anon I'm so mad, I had a couple of rec lists floating around but what do you know, tumblr has eaten them!! So I'm putting together a new one for you. I should pin this somewhere really.

Queer historical romances

Anything by Cat Sebastian. Seriously. Anything. My personal favourite series is "Seducing the Sedgwicks", and her two most recent 50s-set books are both exceptional.

Equally, anything by KJ Charles. Again, they're all brilliant, so it doesn't really matter where you start. I really liked Band Sinister.

Olivia Waite does lovely f/f historical romances. I really enjoyed The Lady's Guide to Celestial Mechanics.

Sebastian Nothwell (hello @nothwell) writes brilliant historical romances (and also has a couple of fantasy romances too). Planning a re-read of some of his when I've actually got time 😅

Solomon's Crown by Natasha Siegel, loved this one a lot

The Gentleman's Book of Vices by Jess Everlee (there's a f/f sequel coming out soon!)

Queer fantasy romance

I am utterly obsessed with A Strange and Stubborn Endurance by Foz Meadows. I loved it. It's like it was crafted just for me. Also, the sequel just came out!

A Taste of Gold and Iron by Alexandra Rowland, SO indulgent and tropey and fun, I had a blast reading it. (hello @ariaste). Also, Alexandra's next book is about to come out - it's called Running Close to the Wind and its about PIRATES. YES.

The Last Binding series by Freya Marske. Absolute best of the best. Everyone loves them.

(See also, Swordcrossed, also by Freya Marske, coming out later this year)

Silver in the Wood by Emily Tesh. Short, sweet, and engrossing. Finishing this book is like stepping into sunlight for the first time after being lost in the woods for hours.

Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller. It's a classic for a reason.

Queer fantasy/sci-fi with romantic elements, but isn't a straight-up romance

Under the Whispering Door by TJ Klune. I cried.

Legends and Lattes by Travis Baldree, extremely cosy domestic fantasy in the traditional D&D style, about an orc who sets up a coffee shop.

A Botanical Daughter by Noah Medlock. Frankenstein-style horror but with queer people and plants. More horror than fantasty, tbh.

Our Hideous Progeny by C E McGill (waving at @c-e-mcgill) is classic gothic horror/sci-fi, but this one is Frankenstein but with dinosaurs. And queer people. Very light background romance. Loved it.

OH WAIT ETA: What Manner of Man by @stjohnstarling - not sure if this fits your needs as its more horror romance than anything else, but its basically "dracula, but gay", and it's very good.

[cannibalspicnic]

So, I'm pretty obviously obsessed with Interview with the Vampire (2022- ), and I've even been reading (or in a couple cases re-reading) Anne Rice's The Vampire Chronicles, which I'm very much enjoying, but can sometimes be a bit of a slog with all the God-pondering etc. One thing that's been pushing me through is bouncing back and forth from that to IWTV fanfic on ao3.

There I found @ariaste's Different for Vampires, which quickly became my very favorite IWTV fic, and I read it repeatedly during my TVC breaks. THEN their TVC (books only) fic, Daniel Molloy’s Incredible Showstopping World-Famous Model Train Extravaganza for Children and Easily-Awed Vampires (Please Knock) started showing up, and I think I might love it even more than the other fic?

Both fics are funny, sweet, and the characters just shine in all the best ways. And I've read them both A BUNCH. And they've helped to break up some of the sloggier bits of TVC and push me through Anne's theological navel-gazing.

Now, here's where I get to be a really lucky fucker in fandom because during this time, I found out that @ariaste is a published author of queer novels that I can buy and hold in my hands and read! And I have done!

This is absolutely the same kind of hilariously endearing story with characters that charmed and hooked me immediately. It's a comedy, and an adventure, and an adorable queer romance, and there's cake! I loved the incredible fuck out of it, and I might have to buy a second copy because I loaned mine to a friend and now I miss it.

So, I'm back to The Vampire Chronicles now. But Yield Under Great Persuasion by Alexandra Rowland sits close by as extra motivation because I'm gonna be on that as soon as Lestat gets his body back. I also have A Taste of Gold and Iron for later, and ngl, those two fics I mentioned have found permanent tabs in my browser as well.

The point is, y'all should check out some of @ariaste's writing because it consistently puts me in a good mood for its charm and humor and lovable characters, whether those characters are original or borrowed. Just great fucking stuff all around.

[starful02]

Life is wild sometimes. I made a small decision almost a year ago, based on a recommendation of one of the most positive individuals to ever grace my life so far, and I firmly believe that it has changed the course of my life. The decision was to sign up for a class about fantasy writing and publishing that my university was offering, which is the exact genre I so desperately want to have a career in (I want to be a writer you see). That fall I took the 8 week class and it happened to be taught by none other than the absolutely wonderful, utterly amazing fantasy author Alex Rowland (aka @ariaste). If you asked myself or any of my peers, we will happily tell you that this class was one of the comfiest, kindest, most encouraging academic experiences we have ever had and that it has changed our lives. Anyone who has taken at least one creative writing class in their life will tell you of the horrors that ruthlessly plague them and all sorts of traumatic incidents endured. This class was a soothing balm to a disheartened soul with trampled ambitions. You might be wondering where I'm going with this? Well, when you take a class with an author, they tend to gush rather happily about their work. It did not take long for me to know in my heart of hearts that I NEEDED to get my hands on Alex's latest book, A Taste of Gold and Iron (aka ATOGAI). And when I finally got the perfect chance to read it a little over a month ago, when I tell you, it was chapter five when I became undeniably aware that this book had snatched my heart and I would gladly let it have it for the rest of my life. If I hadn't already bought all of Alex's books on a strong hunch that I would absolutely, completely and utterly fall in love with ATOGAI, I would have definitely right after I finished that chapter. This is inarguably one of the best books I have ever read, checking all my boxes (including ones I didn't even know I had). I don't think it's possible to praise it enough because it deserves it all. The wait I endured before I could read it was so worth it and I will be forever grateful for the sheer chance that it and it's author entered into my life. It shattered my high expectations and I will never be the same and couldn't be happier about it. Now, I still have to read the other books that Alex has written (and I will savor them like a piece of the finest of desserts and I haven't the slightest doubt, despite that I tend to be more on the quiet side, I will be absolutely mouthing off about them to anyone who will listen), but I want to specifically highlight their upcoming book, Running Close to the Wind (aka RCW). Because I was in their class and a part of their Discord, I have been treated to several chapters of the book and I can very firmly tell you that you need this in your life. It's terribly funny, utterly vibrant, very queer, full of gremlin chaos and pirate shenanigans, all good and wonderful things, right? I knew I needed it in my life half way through Alex reading chapter two to us. It comes out in June of this year and I so highly recommend you give it a look see. You can read an excerpt in the link below!

And if you too decide that you need this book in your life, go preorder it and then come join a Discord full of awesome queer pocket people that are also terribly excited for this book to be in our hands! I will also be posting fanart of ATOGAI and RCW if you also want to keep an eye on this little habitat of mine. :) Either way, best wishes and happy reading!

[fernthewhimsical]

Hopepunk Primer pt. 3

How to practice Hopepunk

Find joy in the small things. The flowers growing through concrete, the way the sunlight hits the grass. There is beauty and joy in the small things, but it takes a bit of training to find them. Mindfulness or a gratitude journal (or even a Tumblr sideblog) helps with this training. Hope can be learned, I promise.

Be a pebble. [8] Imagine a tall glass that is half-full with water. Imagine you are a crow. You try to drink the water but you can't reach, the glass is too deep. So you take a pebble and throw it in. The water level rises slightly. Other crows come in with pebbles, and with each pebble the water level rises until finally you all can drink from the glass. There is a lot of focus nowadays in activism circles to be aware of every horrible thing that is going on in the world and to work on each and every one of them. The tough reality is: we can't. We're only human and right now we are all very prone to burn-out. We can't bring change if we are burnt out or have compassion fatigue. So be a pebble. Stay small, perhaps even stay local. If everyone focuses on one thing and focuses their efforts and energy there, we will make it. We'll make the water rise so everyone can drink. Be a pebble.

Stop doom scrolling. It's ineffective and only serves to make us feel more hopeless and demoralized.

Be responsible for your own internet experience. This is related to doom scrolling. Unfollow people who make you feel hopeless and like the fight is useless. Block trolls and don't engage them. Find people who make you feel inspired, invigorated, hopeful. Blacklist tags, block, delete.

Look into hopepunk media. Be inspired by the stories told. Some examples are movires: Lord of the Rings, Mad Max: Fury Road, Pacific Rim. Series: Sense8, the Good Place, Star Trek. Books: Binti by Nnedi Okorafor, A conspiracy of truths by Alexandra Rowland, the Fifth Season by N.K. Jemisin. Music: Torches by X Ambassadors, This Yeah by the Mountain Goats, Be More Kind by Frank Turner.

Build/Find your Community. Share what you have, ask for what you need. We're in this together. If you grow your own fruits and vegetables share them with friends and neighbours. Exchange favours like doing a grocery run or offering to watch the kids for a night. Make a tiny library or give & take cabinet. Share skills and resources. This can be done both online and in person, but making a difference locally is easier with boots on the ground, so to speak.

Create. Live authentically. Do things just to do the thing. So much needs to be "content", these days. So much needs to be a "side hustle" or "monetized". Resist. Create because it makes you feel good. Because you want to. Create bad art, sing off key, swing your arms wildly and call it dancing, write edgy poetry, create Mary Sue self-inserts. Live.

Resist capitalism. Reuse, recycle, repair, thrift, make, trade, etc.

Vote. If you really want to make a difference get out there and vote. Especially in the US they do not want you so rebel and vote. Not just for the president. Voting locally for your representatives will have more of an influence.

Unionize. Alone you beg, together you negotiate. Only together can we make change

Spread hope. Do random acts of kindness, compliment people, share positive things that happened, spread love and joy where you go.

[8] Be a pebble

Further reading:

Alexandra Rowland's Hopepunk Manifesto What is Hopepunk by Vox.com Hopepunk-Humanity blog on Tumblr Hopepunk: A Genre, Philosophy and Movement by Lexi Drumonde (Video) Intro to Hopepunk by Morgan Hazelwood (Video)

Part 1: Intro and history Part 2: Philosophy of Hopepunk Part 3: How to practice hopepunk and further reading Part 4: Extra! Hopepunk and magic

[tschulijulesjulie]

I need book recommendations please. I read captive prince and I’m losing my mind.

ooooh gladly!

so first of all, nothing really compares to CaPri, however i do have some - imo - very good recommendations that might have similar vibes.

The Kingdoms by Natasha Pulley - historical (18th and 19th century) Fantasy. Amnesia and time-travelling, with a veeeery Laurent-coded love interest.

The Scottish Boy by Alex De Campi - historical (14th century) Captive/Prisoner and (reluctant) man who has to hold him captive, secret identity, political schemes, revenge, war

Solomons Crown by Natasha Siegel - historical (12th century), Crown Prince of England (Richard Lionheart) and King of France (Philipp II) falling in love despite their countries being enemies, political schemes, strained family relationship to the point of going to war against family members, allies to enemies to allies again

A Taste of Gold and Iron by Alexandra Rowland - not my personal favourite but still good, Fabtasy, outstanding non-european-centric world-building, anxiety rep, queer-normative, Disgraced Prince and his guard(s) having to uncover a political intrigue that could dethrown his sister, the monarch, nightly shenenigans in taverns while hiding their identity, forced proximity, kinda co-dependent relationship

Winters Orbit by Everina Maxwell - SciFy, Prince has to marry the widow of his cousin for diplomatic reasons who then gets accused of having killed his first husband, political intrigue, past abuse

Fence by CS Pacat and Johanna the Mad - graphic novels, sports (fencing), YA?, might be an entirely different setting but the character dynamics are reminiscent of CaPri/ you can tell Pacats writing

The Aeneid by Virgil - the great Roman epic. to this day im convinced Pacat might have drawn some inspiration from this (or possibly the Odyssee and the Iliad)

I hope that helps. Thank you for your ask!

[magicalyaku]

Greetings! Welcome to my 2024 reading wrap up! Or my awards ceremony for books (and bookish media) I enjoyed the most. Looking back to my introduction to this post last year, I wrote that I'd try to write better reviews. I didn't do that. And I'd try to better remember what I read. I didn't to that either. Hmmm ... New year, new luck or something. Nevertheless, thank you to everyone who took time to look at my posts and read some of them! May the good books find you!

The one goal I accomplished 2024 was to read less (reading is fun but I have other things that need doing unfortunately), though it was not necessarily out of my own free will. I was just tired (work was annoying). I read a total of 64 books, including two graphic novels (not counting any manga), four non-fiction books and three audiobooks. 13 were borrowed from the library and 18 were sequels or spin-offs. I only DNFed one book and disliked two more (as if not to say, I hated them with a passion~).

The only pieces related to literature I hated more were two plays I saw: adaptions of Oscar Wildes's The Importance of Being Earnest and Eugène Ionesco's The Bald Soprano. I like both pieces but the adaptions had atrocious endings (The Importance of Being Earnest suddenly had vampires out of nowhere and The Bald Soprano had its final scene edited to 20 minutes of telling us how important love is ...) I didn't think I could walk out of a theatre that appalled and filled with hatred.

Worst Books:

Heir to Thorn and Flame (Ben Alderson)

Saint Sorrow Sinner (Freydís Moon)

Favorite Character: Patrick Collins (A Ferry of Bones & Gold/Soulbound series) (let's be honest, it's the same type every year)

Favorite Covers (or maybe: just give me a pretty illustration):

Memorable Quote: "If it can learn to talk, then it can learn to be good." (The Prince of Nowhere)

Highest Emotional Investment (aka The cutest shit and please please please don't break my heart Award): Prince of Fortune

The Wildest:

A Ferry of Bones and Gold

Running Close to the Wind

Favorite Books:

Prince of Fortune (Lisa Tirreno)

Icarus (K. Ancrum)

The Secret Lives of Country Gentlemen (KJ Charles)

Running Close to the Wind (Alexandra Rowland)

The Diablo's Curse (Gabe Cole Novoa)

Sorcery and Small Magics (Maiga Doocy)

A Ferry of Bones and Gold (Hailey Turner)

The Prince of Nowhere (Rochelle Hassan)

Cursebreakers (Madeleine Nakamura)

More Books I greatly enjoyed:

Into the Glittering Light (Kelley York)

The Boy who steals Houses (C.G. Drews)

This Fatal Kiss (Alicia Jasinska)

Tadek and the Princess (Alexandra Rowland)

Darker by Four (June CL Tan)

The Paris Affair (Maureen Marshall)

Legend of the White Snake (Sher Lee)

Upside Down (N.R. Walker)

The Prince's Assasin series (Ariana Nash)

Most used name: Dylan (at least 3 times)

Most used twist: The person I'm talking to is actually dead! (3 times)

Bonus! Queer story-focussed games I loved in 2023 and 2024:

Haven

I was a Teenage Colonist Exocolonist

All(?) the aro/ace books I read:

Dear Wendy (Ann Zhao)

Upside Down (N.R. Walker)

Ace Voices (Eris Young)

How to be Ace (Rebecca Burgess)

Don't let the Forest in (C.G. Drews)

The Eidolon (K.D. Edwards)

I want to be a Wall vol.3 (Honami Shirono)

Fallen Thorns (Harvey Oliver Baxter)

Little Black Bird & Tall White Tenement (Anna Kirchner)

That's it! While 2024 was not my best year, in terms of books I'm still content. I'm pretty good at picking the ones I will enjoy, so I usually have fun reading and what else would I want? I will continue to read in 2025 (not sure in which form I will share here yet), and I will continue to write! None of the aspec books really captured what I wanted to read, so I guess I have to start writing that myself. :'D Here's to hoping that you find the books you want and the books you need this year. Happy 2025!

[books-coffee-and-the-woods]

re: 2023 new releases. hope you're ready for a long message because there were a lot.

hot new releases/things that were relatively popular

He Who Drowned The World, Shelley Parker Chan (Chinese mythological historical, very gay, very stabby a la Baru Cormorant. Book 2 of 2. A particular favorite of mine from this year)

Witch King, Martha Wells (New fantasy book by author of murderbot fame. I didn't actually click with this one but I'd be remiss to leave it off)

House With Good Bones, T Kingfisher (Southern gothic rose horror by the very talented Ursula Vernon)

Translation State, Ann Leckie (high sf alien horror regency romance. Wheeeeee. I had a lot of fun reading this. You can read it as a standalone, but you get deeper context if you've read the ancillary justice series, also highly recommended)

Will of the Many, James Islington (futuristic roman empire aesthetic rigged murder school. Not precisely good but appallingly catchy, I read all six hundred pages in pretty much one sitting. If you liked red rising you'll like this, if you hated red rising you will Not)

OH YEAH THE ACTUAL NEW MURDEBOT NOVEL (System Collapse)

A Power Unbound, Freya Marske (book 3 of 3, magic alt edwardian romances with murder. This is more romance proper but it's about equal with the action plot and Marske is very good. I don't think you've read these so you'd have to start at book 1)

Some Desperate Glory, Emily Tesh (The book that absolutely knocked my socks off, my pick for the best sff release of the year. I forget if I've already told you about this one)

Starling House, Alix Harrow (Southern gothic house drama. Similar feel to Ninth House or The Book of Night)

The Adventures of Amina al-Sirafi, Shannon Chakraborty (Divorced lady pirate adventure-drama a la Arabian Nights.)

Emily Wilde's Encyclopaedia of Faeries, Heather Fawcett (Charming, heavily fairy tale trope themed, vaguely reminiscent of the Lady Trent books)

more obscure new releases from this year that I thought were cool, but not in the Hot New Reads You Can't Miss Because Everyone's Read Them category

Under Fortunate Stars, Ren Hutchings (sf timey wimey space shenanigans with aliens. Immensely cool premise.)

Small Miracles, Olivia Atwater (fallen angel sent to tempt a too good mortal. Extremely charming)

The King Is Dead, Naomi Libicki (vaguely persian flavored fealty romance, very heavy to the fealty. Original, thorny, and intriguing)

The Deep Sky, Yume Kitasei (What if we terribly traumatized everyone going on a generation ship by making them go to viciously competitive boarding school together and then act surprised when a murder mystery occurs. Heads up that it's more interested in the human drama than the SF worldbuilding)

The Saint of Bright Doors, Vajra Chandrasekera (early modern fantasy world anti-imperialism fever dream narrated by a cult survivor. Brilliantly written, spectacularly original, one of the best books I read this year)

Things for 2024, content warning for being (obviously) things I haven't read and thus without quality control

The Warm Hands of Ghosts, Katherine Arden

The Familiar, Leigh Bardugo

The Dead Cat Tail Assassins, P Djeli Clark

Long Live Evil, Sarah Rees Brennan

Goddess of the River, Vaishnavi Patel

The Woods All Black, Lee Mandelo

Exordia, Seth Dickinson

A Sorceress Comes To Call, T Kingfisher

Running Close To The Wind, Alexandra Rowland

Wow tumblr just lets me keep writing words. I didn't think they let me have this many in asks. Oh, and pro tip-- keep an eye out for tordotcom's most anticipated upcoming books for the first six months of 2024. They should be publishing it within the next week or so and I always add masses of books to my tbr from there.

oh holy crap, thanks!! I'll have to check these out!

thoughts on a few of em:

He Who Drowned The World - still have to read She Who Became the Sun lol but hopefully I'll get to em next year!

Witch King - Martha Wells has been recced by like All my sci-fi mutuals now lmao I REALLY gotta get into her!

House With Good Bones - THIS ONE IS ACTUALLY ON MY SHELF!! I just didn't fucking read it this year whoops. Very excited for new Kingfisher

Starling House - I was on the fence about this one since I really didn't like Once and Future Witches, but those comparisons give me hope! I'll add it to the library list!

Some Desperate Glory and Emily Wilde's Encyclopaedia of Faeries are 2/3 of the books published in 2023 that I actually managed to read (the 3rd is The Woman in Me lmao), I can't remember if you recc'd Some Desperate Glory, but it was SOOOOOOOO GOOD OMFG

Small Miracles - my aunt has been trying to convince me to read Atwater for quite a while, I'll have to give this one a try!

The Saint of Bright Doors - I have this one on hold!! Saw a post for it a week or so ago and it sounds absolutely delightful!

The Familiar - SO SO EXCITED for this one! I hope Bardugo is maybe...slowly....extricating herself from the Grishaverse and going to write more books not related to it... (not that they're all bad, I loved the Six of Crows duology, I'm just not into it anymore and I reeeealllly like her adult books lol)

Running Close To The Wind - oh yay new Rowland! I still haven't read her last book (the one with the guy on the cover who looked EXACTLY like my boss to the point where it became an Office Meme that [Boss] Is A Gay Romance Cover Model, still meaning to get a UK version of it but haven't yet) but I'll have to look this one up!

[jadejedi]

Fantasy Book Review: A Taste of Gold and Iron by Alexandra Rowland

JJ's rating: 5/5

How feral did it make me: 5/5

My book reviews

I’ve been reading (or listening) to a lot more books this year than normal, and I have realized that I need an outlet to talk about them. I considered making a goodreads account, but hey I already have this! So I will be reviewing the books I’ve read this year, and depending on how long it takes me, I might just start reviewing all my favorite reads. I'm probably going to add links to my blog to make them easier to find.

Let’s get into it. This book is so good. SO GOOD. I listened to it on audiobook, which normally means while I’m at work, driving, or at home doing chores, but I literally listened to the last 2 hours of this book at home doing absolutely nothing, just on the edge of my damn seat! 

Here’s a quick summary: the very anxious Prince Kadou accidentally causes a serious incident that leaves multiple of his personal guards dead or injured. In the aftermath, he is assigned a new guard by the sultan who is known for being an uptight rule follower. As their personalities clash, they have to solve a mystery and learn to work together…

I want to preface this review by saying that this is definitely a romance novel with a fantasy setting. The world building, especially for the main country this novel takes place in, is great and extremely vivid without unnecessary info dumps. The main plot of the story is perfectly serviceable, if a tad predictable, but it 1000% does what it needs to do for the romance. 

But, the romance. THE ROMANCE. This book was advertised as an “enemies to lovers slow burn romance” and it 100% delivers on both. Now, when some people think “enemies to lovers” or (even better imo) “enemies to friends to lovers”, they imagine that at least one of the parties involved is a horrible villain and the relationship is probably abusive in some way. I’m sure there are plenty of books out there where that is absolutely the case, but Rowland gets what makes that trope so good. It’s about two characters who are both good people, but initially clash. It’s the mutual hatred born out of a fundamental misunderstanding of the other’s character, it’s the eventual begrudging respect, it’s THE YEARNING. THE PINING. 

Both of these characters are so wonderful. We get both POV’s throughout: Kadou’s anxious desire to do what’s best for his country and not fuck anything up, and Evemere’s steadfast, noble determination to understand what makes the prince the way he is. 

I don’t want to give too much more away, but this book is filled with ALL the delightful romance tropes you could ever desire. 

Can we talk about pacing?? Pacing is so, so important, especially when writing a slow burn romance, and this author GETS. IT. Sometimes if the romance is resolved too early, all the tension goes out of the story, because if it’s a romance novel, we’re here for the romance, not the plot. But in this story the whole novel is centered around the romance, and the pacing just works so, so well. 

Also, the way that queerness is written into this story is wonderful. Third gender pronouns abound and  same sex attraction is fully accepted, and it’s really refreshing. Also, there are multiple female characters who play significant roles in the story who are fleshed out characters, which I feel is sometimes lacking in M/M romances. 

I have not been able to stop thinking about this book since I finished it like four days ago. I listened to the audio book, which had an excellent narrator, but have also ordered the paperback with my favorite version of the cover. Please, do yourself the favor and read this one. Also, if you do read it, the author published a 10,000 word fanfic epilogue on AO3. It’s called What spring does with the cherry trees, and it’s a goddamn delight. 

[mediawhorefics]

hi, i saw you recommended some lgbtq books a while ago but it's impossible to find anything from tumblr later on, so do you know any good fantasy/sci-fi/action/contemporary m/m books? like with actual plot instead of just romance and also with characters and (platonic) relationships other than the main couple. thanks!

hiiiii, sorry this is super late, but of course i can!

(apologies in advance cos some of these are prob books i’ve recced before 🤪✌🏻)

-> captive prince trilogy (cs pacat) | if you’re looking for something with actual plot, cp has a big political overarching plot that’s super compelling about the two princes of neighbouring enemy kingdoms trying to reclaim their respective thrones. there’s lots of triggering content so do look it up before… but while the romance is the main event, the political aspect of the book is really detailed and engaging.

-> dark rise trilogy (cs pacat) | 2 out of 3 books are out currently and the m/m romance is not the focus so far though it’s been well teased/a good slow start. the whole trilogy is a subversion of the classic medieval chosen one trope ft. an old world of magic being reawakened, a dark king’s return and an order of knights trying to prevent it. great found family vibes. ya historical fantasy.

-> hither page (cat sebastian) | a jaded spy and a shell-shocked country doctor team up to solve a murder in postwar england. historical murder mystery!

-> big bad wolf series (charlie adhara) | an ex fbi agent gets transferred to a secret agency dealing with werewolf crimes after being attacked by one of them. human and werewolf relations are tense and he ends up paired with a wolf agent from the wolf agency that echoes his to solve a series of brutal crimes. ok, i know this sounds like straight up werewolf porn, but i was really surprised by how engaging and well written the mysteries were in this series. i’m talking twists and shit, compelling/complex side characters…. this series completely took me by surprise.

-> seven summer nights (harper fox) | post war england, a shell-shocked archaeologist and a vicar fall in love while trying to uncover a small town’s archaeological mystery in the south downs.

-> the last binding series (freya markse) | edwardian magical mystery series, each book focuses on a different queer couple while following an overarching mystery/plot that threatens the welfare of magical britain. big found family vibes, lots of great side characters introduced in each book that then become leads in later books, beautiful writing.

-> a taste of gold and iron (alexandra rowland) | ottoman empire inspired fantasy world, a prince and his bodyguard must investigate a break in at one of their guilds, the results of which could save their queen’s reign.

-> the will darling adventures (kj charles) | 1920s mystery adventure series. great side characters, insp by 20s pulp novels. a wwi vet turned bookseller get swiped up in mystery and a spy he’s not sure he can trust. first one is a bit slower, but it picks up in book 2 & 3.

-> the kingdoms (natasha pulley) | 19th century alternate history mystery. an amnesiac journeys from london to a scottish lighthouse to try and unlock the mystery of his forgotten past. complex narrative and extremely immersive storytelling. the romance is central but subtle.

-> the binding (bridget collins) | 19th century historical fantasy. emmet is training to be a bookbinder in a world where books contain people’s memories and are highly controversial… eternal sunshine of the spotless mind vibes.

-> less (andrew sean greer) | arthur less is going on a worldwide literary tour to avoid going to his ex’s wedding. this book really took me by surprise, it was so delightful.

-> the house in the cerulean sea (tj klune) | linus baker, a case worker for the department in charge of magical youth, gets sent to an orphanage for so labelled 'dangerous' children in order to evaluate whether they're about/able to end the world and if the orphanage/the man in charge of it is best for them. big feel good book, really funny, great found family vibes, subtle love story, wonderful side characters.

-> the bedlam stacks (natasha pulley) | merrick tremayne is called upon by the india office to go on a dangerous expedition deep in peru to fetch quinine (essential for the treatment of malaria) despite the debilitating injury that almost cost him a leg. every expedition before his has yielded no results apart from dead bodies, but merrick has family history deep in the country so he goes against his better judgement. there, he meets raphael, a priest surrounded by strange stories of disappearances, cursed woods and living stones, and who might hold the key to his family’s past. really cool world building, really immersive writing, very subtle romance. more plot heavy than romance heavy, but it's still !!!!

-> salt magic, skin magic (lee welch) | lord thorny is cursed and can't leave his father's estate. trapped there for over a year now, he is slowly losing his mind. until industrial magical john blake arrives on the land to investigate an unrelated case involving witchcraft. soon enough the men get closer and must work together to figure out a way to break thorny's curse. historical fantasy, good mystery, fun twists. i haven't read this one in a while, but i remember really enjoying the mythology.

-> the watchmaker of filiigree street & sequel (natasha pulley) | telegraphist thaniel receives a mysterious watch on his birthday whose pre-set alarm saves him from a terrorist bombing on scotland yard. since the bomb was made with clockwork parts and only the bomber could have known when to set the alarm, thaniel is sent by a detective investigating the bombing to live with the suspected watchmaker to figure out what’s going on. sherlock holmes vibes. slow burn/subtle romance. delightful writing.

-> under the whispering door (tj klune) | an unpleasant and selfish man in life, wallace price meets his reaper at his near-empty funeral and gets taken to a whimsical tea shop where he meets hugo, the ferryman whose job it is to help him move on and crossover into the afterlife. a task that becomes complicated as wallace starts developing feelings for hugo. found family vibes.

[magpiefngrl]

2023 Book Review

Photo Credit (original): Ed Robertson

I read 95 books this year. Here's some of what I enjoyed and what I didn't, in genre or arbitrary categories:

Fave SFF books

Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell (Susanna Clarke)

Spinning Silver (Naomi Novik)

All Systems Red (Martha Wells)

The Library at Mount Char (Scott Hawkins)

Mammoths at the gates (Nghi Vo)

Gideon the Ninth (Tamsyn Muir)

Amberlough (Lara Elena Donnelly)

Fab m/m romances

Seven Summer Nights (Harper Fox)

The Lodestar of Ys (Amy Rae Durreson)

The Scottish Boy (Alex de Campi)

Magician (KL Noone)

Heated Rivalry (Rachel Reid)

Also Role Model and The Long Game (Rachel Reid)

The Secret Lives of Country Gentlemen (KJ Charles)

The older ones

(recently published books can feel very samey after a while. The irony of these being old books but feeling like a breath of fresh air)

Tam Lin (Pamela Dean) (1991)

Swordspoint (Ellen Kushner) (1987)

Wise Children (Angela Carter) (1991)

Chronicle of a Death Foretold (Gabriel Garcia Marquez) (1981)

(more books under the cut)

Best atmosphere

The Likeness (Tana French)

The fun rereads

Scum Villain's Self-Saving System (MXTX_

Grandmaster of Demonic Cultivation (MXTX)

The King of Attolia (Megan Whalen Turner)

Empress of Salt and Fortune (Nghi Vo)

The Ruin of a Rake (Cat Sebastian)

The unexpected delight

(it's a biography, and I never anticipated feeling so engrossed in one of them)

The invention of Angela Carter (Edmund Gordon)

The one that hurts so good

Checkmate (Dorothy Dunnett)

Didn't quite love the books but adored the characters

The Dreamer Trilogy by Maggie Stiefvater (my typical experience of her stories)

The meh

Bardugo's Nikolai duology

Schwab's Darker Shades of Magic

The dreadful and my only DNF

A Taste of Gold and Iron (Alexandra Rowland)

Most bitterly disappointing

The third installment of Hall's billionaire series How to Belong with a Billionaire.

Biggest book hangover

Seven Summer Nights and Heated Rivalry

Best book boyfriend

ILYA ROZANOV

Most bonkers book

The Library at Mount Char (Scott Hawkins)

The "not sure I liked it but it'll definitely stay with me"

Some Desperate Glory (Emily Tesh)

The writing craft book that actually offered a new insight

The Heroine's Journey (Gail Carriger)

Overall, a decent year. My goal of completing series I'd started in the past and hadn't finished meant I subjected myself to some less enjoyable books, but I also read some excellent romances and fantasy novels, and I really enjoyed reading some older books, a practice I plan to continue.

past years

2015 2016 2019 first half of 2020 top 5 books of 2020 2021 2022

[pagesandpothos]

12 5-star Predictions for 2025

I have several books that I am very excited to read in 2025 and some of those I'm nearly certain are going to become new favorites.

Here are twelve books that I plan to read in 2025 that I think might be new 5-star reads. Many are new releases and some are older books that I haven't gotten to yet, but all sound great and have me excited to read them!

A Drop of Corruption by Robert Jackson Bennett: This is the sequel to The Tainted Cup, one of my favorite books of 2024. The first book was an easy 5-star and I think this one will be too.

Emily Wilde’s Compendium of Lost Tales by Heather Fawcett: This is the third book in a series. The previous two books were both 5 stars for me. I adore Emily and Wendell, and this whole series is so charming. I can't imagine not loving the third book too.

The Spellshop by Sarah Beth Durst: I got this book for Christmas and I've only heard good things about it, so I feel like I'm going to love it. I've been really enjoying cozy fantasy lately and I've heard this is one of the best of the genre!

Winter’s Orbit by Everina Maxwell: This is a book that I've owned and had on my TBR for way too long. I'm determined to finally read it (and its sequel) this year. I'm planning on reading this soon and I hope I love it as much as I suspect I will!

A River Enchanted by Rebecca Ross: This is another that I've owned and wanted to read for over a year. This sounds beautiful and I really want to finally read something by Rebecca Ross. I got this and the sequel from Book of the Month, and I almost always love their picks!

When the Tides Held the Moon by Venessa Vida Kelley: This is a queer romantasy that releases in April. The early reviews for this are great and so many of my favorite authors have recommended it. I'm so certain that I'm going to love this that I've pre-ordered the signed hardcover even though I already have a digital ARC. This sounds beautiful and hopeful, and I can't wait to read it! I genuinely think this will be one of my favorites of the year.

The Martian by Andy Weir: I loved Project Hail Mary, so I think I'll love this one too. I've never seen the movie so I'm going in mostly spoiler-free and I'd really like to read it before I accidentally read a spoiler somewhere.

A Taste of Gold and Iron by Alexandra Rowland: I loved Running Close to the Wind, so I plan to read more Alexandra Rowland books this year. This one is the one I am most certain will be a 5-star but I really think I will love all of their books.

Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo: I feel like I'm the last person on earth to read this but it is 100% finally happening this year. Based on how beloved this series is, I'm certain I will love it too. I'm excited to finally understand the hype.

The Entanglement of Rival Wizards by Sara Raasch: This is an Achillean rivals-to-lovers romantasy written by the same author who wrote The Nightmare Before Kissmas and Go Luck Yourself. I gave both of those books 5 stars so I think I'm going to love this one too. This combines so many of my favorite things (wizards, elves, academic rivals...). I read the short snippet that's included at the end of Go Luck Yourself and pre-ordered it immediately!

Hemlock & Silver by T. Kingfisher: I love everything T. Kingfisher writes and this one sounds really exciting to me. It's a "Snow White" retelling and possibly a portal fantasy too? Heather Fawcett's review compares this to Nettle & Bone and says it's one of her new favorites by T. Kingfisher, so I've got high expectations!

A Gentleman's Gentleman by TJ Alexander: This is another that I have a digital ARC of and am really excited to read. This comes out in March and is a trans Regency romance. I've been in the mood to read more historical romances, so this sounds exactly what I'm looking for. Plus, I always love books with queer joy!

[insomnia3555]

Thoughts on: A Conspiracy of Truths

Overview:

One of the books I read this year that truly stuck with me is A Conspiracy of Truths by Alexandra Rowland. I read this book a good while back and always meant to write a well thought out review on it. The book is like a treasure trove for literary analysis especially for budding writers like me.

The story follows a character referred to only as the Chant and remains unnamed throughout the book. He had given up his and homeland long ago to become a Chant. A Chant in this story is a storyteller who travels across the lands and hears everyone’s stories to share the ones he was told. While traveling with his student Yfling he runs into trouble with the law of the place he currently staying, Nurveyet.  His mishandling of the court case that followed quickly escalated the situation landing him imprisoned in Nurveyet unable to prove his innocence. This kicks off the plot of the story as he tries to find a way to clear his name while his case gets more and more convoluted with government schemes and local revolutions.

Characters:

Chant

Chant is definitely a one of a type character. As the story progresses the readers witness him make increasingly questionable choices with full confidence just to save his own skin. It is quite an experience seeing a character willing to let a whole country fall into a civil war just to save himself.

Personally, these kind of characters get my attention faster than shiny candy. Even though I did not truly like him per say I could not abate my morbid curiosity of how he was going to actually make it out of this ordeal alive.

His character sticks out in many ways. He refuses to show any kind emotional vulnerability but is quick to use his age for getting better treatment during his time being imprisoned. He is also quick to understand people but does not have any empathy towards them. His works requires people having a level a trust in him to tell them their story or to listen to his but he tends to be the least trustworthy person in room.

He has the most nuanced picture of what people are because of his job but that gives him the opportunity to use that for his own advantage. The ability to connect people to the right story is almost like his own supernatural ability and he knows how to wield the power to his own benefit.

Consanza

Consanza is the Chant’s defense lawyer. In the beginning of the story, she seems to represent everything the Chant hates about Nurveyet. Her main concern at the beginning of the story was herself and what it could do for her career. There is direct no nonsense unemphatic approach she takes to her cases that almost makes her and the Chant similar. However, the Chant with his lack of self-awareness does not notice this.

There is instead a focus on what he does not like about her. He talks repeatedly about her unwillingness to appreciate his stories and her lack of imagination. Though as the story progresses the reader gets to see there is more to her through the Chant’s perspective. Her Arjuni heritage makes her conflicted about her people’s own storytelling heritage. There is also a reluctant bond developed between the two as the two spend more time with each other.

Yfling

By far the most endearing character in the story is Yfling. He has a passion and love for the art of story telling that makes him the perfect apprentice to the Chant. He is seen struggling to make the right choices while still trying to understand the world around him. He questions the different opinions people have about life at Nurveyet and asking the Chant to guide him. The Chant might be able to tell him the right choice but teaches him how to trust his own judgement.

There is still a sense of naivety to him as well that makes him easy target for Chant to abuse as well. Though the Chant clearly cares about him he continually uses Yfling trust in him to his own benefit.

Plot:

The plot of the book might not be its strongest pillar but it does a good job at setting up the actual focus of the story. It was a more character driven story choosing not to focus on the more exciting events happening during the story. It focuses more on the characters the Chants talks and how they affects the events happening in the story. It does not have much opportunity to be exciting as the Chant is locked in one place or another is every part of the story  but it does manage to do justice at conveying how the Chant kept getting himself more and more convoluted messes

Worldbuilding:

When writing a story about a travelling storyteller world-building was bound to be one of the most crucial building blocks to creating the story. Alexandra Rowland is able to deliver on this implicit promise made with this premise, creating a story about storytelling. She takes inspiration from different cultures and makes them their own. In doing so they were able to examine how different cultures tell stories, why they tell them, and what they are meant to say. This story gives space to take a look at the art of storytelling and appreciate it for what it is.

[specialagentartemis]

what if I wrote a meta entitled “Alexandra Rowland’s essay about Good Omens season two was bad on purpose and here’s why” making up a conspiracy about how their central metaphor that didn’t make a lot of sense and didn’t go anywhere, obsessive repetition that Neil Gaiman is the most perfect writer to ever exist and could never write clunky dialogue or a continuity ever, positing that “it’s all just a dream/lie” is actually better writing than the idea that the author simply has a different view of the characters and intended goal of the season than you do, and complete lack of attention to symbolism and character development is actually not bad writing at all, but a highly intentional ploy to trick former TJLC’s into buying their books

[very-grownup]

Book 52, 2023

When I started "A Taste of Gold and Iron" I immediately knew I was in for fanfiction vibes, which were quickly confirmed by a friend who had read some of Alexandra Rowland's fanfic.

I generally notice one or two specific things about original writing from an author who has built their writing skills and habits from the fanfic community:

FOCUS FOR THE LOVE OF GOD FOCUS.

"There's no rush."

These two things can be present in the same work and I think my problems with "A Taste of Gold and Iron" are a combination of both.

The focus isn't, as it often is, too many balls in the air, but balls where I'm constantly asking "why?" to the point that the ball's presence might take a good hundred plus pages to stop distracting me every time it goes past. The balls in my increasingly tortured metaphor are world-building. Rowland doesn't fall prey to the usual pit of speculative fiction authors, dropping giant hunks of world-building gracelessly for you to trip over. But they write as though they've possibly thought through all those bits and pieces of world-building and included the very end result without showing the work OR the reason.

In science fiction, things will be different and, in good science fiction, you can usually trace the author's logic for the in-world reason behind the Different Thing, whether it's explained or not. In fantasy things will be different and there doesn't have to be, often isn't, an in-world reason behind it because that is the world, but it's still a choice in difference chosen by the author and that choice has reasoning behind it. Possibly that's aesthetic - i.e. 'dragons are rad and I want a book with dragons' (there are no dragons in "A Taste of Gold and Iron") - and that's fine, but fantasy can be social commentary as much as science fiction.

Rowland, who uses they/them pronouns, has written a book set in a world with a third gender and a third set of pronouns, but has chosen not to use they/them.

And it never stopped distracting me.

Because it doesn't matter - not that the choice to have a third gender or set of pronouns can't be a creative choice that matters - but because it doesn't enter into the narrative in any way. The main characters are both men. The characters who do use the third set of pronouns are never commented on as having a different set of pronouns, which I feel would be find if they/them pronouns were used, because I have a reference point for that. But Rowland chooses different pronouns that I can't for the life of me remember (and am disinclined to look up) and because it's never expounded on - is this a biological difference? is this a cultural difference that not every group in this world shares [because the novel is ostensibly in part about political intrigue]? how are sex and gender linked here? do you choose to identify as [insert term for person who uses third set of pronouns here because Rowland never describes them as non-binary]? I don't know! Does it matter? Not to the narrative but it matters to me as the reader understanding this world because a decision has been consciously made to differentiate the world of the book from our world and every time I hit the unfamiliar pronoun it's like a mote of dust in the eye of my brain.

You know how when you read a fantasy novel you'll sometimes get a glossary of Fantasy Words at the beginning or the end and maybe they'll be italicized throughout and maybe you love that shit and maybe you hate it or maybe you're neutral on it, but you notice and if you eventually reach a point where you learn the author's made up a fantasy word for what turn out literally to be just fucking horses you know that's unnecessary bullshit no matter what kind of linguistic boner you have (it's a Reverse Gene Wolfe). It's like that but about a very current and relevant issue the awareness of which is growing and this decision by Rowland feels a bit like race or gender blind casting where that's the beginning and end of your disruption of the status quo.

Maybe this is where I have finally been undone by the critical reading eye of university education, because I just want to know, to the detriment of my reading experience, because I know it's a choice that is saying something but I don't know what Rowland thinks they're saying. Perhaps they have everything about sex and gender of this world or society sorted out in their head or in a document on their computer. Maybe they're planning on another book, or have already written books, in this world where it's relevant, but as the reader of this singular book, it's just there, in a distracting way.

Rowland also uses an invented term for the very special guards of the royal family which did eventually become written white noise that my brain slid over reading 'very special guard' because they never explain what's very special about these guards. There's hardly any reference to other kinds of guards or soldiers or anything else, so the choice is extra weird. 'You're special, we get it' but to a fictional armed force of several hundred.

The second fanfictiony thing, "there's no rush", isn't inherently bad, it's just noticeable. But toward the climax of the book, a very significant thing is discovered and everyone just drops it for several chapters of recovery and relationship development and I didn't know whether I wanted to shake the author or the characters while yelling "IT IS NOT THE TIME". By that point, I was well invested and interested in the plot, and that point felt like I stepped on a narrative rake.

There is an interesting plot and likeable characters (even if the part of character development that was 'learning to deal with anxiety in conjunction with self-worth issues' was a bit too, hm, psychologically efficient is perhaps the best way I can think of to describe this trend in writing?) but for once I wish an author had thought of a way to better incorporate the work of their world-building or focused on trimming the fat from the novel, because it's not flavourful, it's just chewy, and the good meat is sandwiched between a beginning and end that are tough to chew and stick in your throat.

Metaphor metaphor metaphor.

Also, some dudes kiss.

[agentpeggycartering]

For the 2024 Reading asks: 4, 20, and 24?

Ah thank you!

4. DNF With Regrets: Book(s) you didn’t finish but want to get back to

I didn't have time to finish Breeze Spells and Bridgegrooms by Sarah Wallace and S.O. Callahan. I got 60% of the way through it but I just ran out of time on my library loan.

20. Did you re-read any books? Were they what you expected?

I did! I love to reread books, I do it all the time! This year of note I reread A Taste of Gold and Iron by Alexandra Rowland, Howl's Moving Castle by Diana Wynne Jones, The Charm Offensive by Alison Cochrun, and We Could Be So Good by Cat Sebastian. (I actually re-read this one twice this year!) They were all good on the reread. They're all books that I enjoyed quite a bit, and most of them were rereads for my bookclub!

24. Do you have any goals for your reading in 2025?

Just to write more reviews, even just for myself, about the books that I read. And I could always make my reading more diverse!

2024 Reading Asks!

[magicalyaku]

Why is it October already and why am I still talking about books I read in April?! I'm like half a year behind in time than the rest of the universe. So let's make this quick, eh? The theme of this part is Gay Adult Fiction series, my comfort food. uAu

The Prince's Assassin series (Ariana Nash): I picked this up on a whim, at the end of April when I was in a slump, and then I read all 3 books and the novella in about a week. It's good! In the beginning, it has quite a few parallels to Captive Prince but I didn't mind and it quickly becomes its own story. There's magic and elves (who are very different from what you usually imagine as 'elves') and some dark themes. I liked reading it a lot and I enjoyed Nico as a character. That he actually walked away from Vasili when it got too much. And that just when I thought "how often will you repeat this?" they worked it out. :D

The Paladin's Shadow & The Sword-Witch's Heart (Radiance 2+3) (Tavia Lark): The easy-going ones, here they are! Not much different to say from the other books I read by this author. Enjoyable adventure, romance that works, good world-building. For the third book, I was very apprehensive to read about the second protagonist because I didn't like him when he appeared in the second book. But suprisingly, he got better and I ended up liking book 3 a lot more than book 2. The series got new covers recently btw. These look a lot better than the old ones. :'D

The Secret Lives of Country Gentlemen & The Nobleman's Guide to Seducing a Scoundrel (The Doomsday Books 1+2) (KJ Charles): Omg, so much fun. I loved reading the first book, so 4 days waiting for the second volume to be delivered was testing my patience really hard. yAy It's fun and at times suprisingly dark (as in people die) and I really like the portrayal of the marsh, as a place, as a home. That was the one piece I missed a little in the second book, but otherwise I liked that one just as much. Can't go wrong with KJ Charles. :)

Running Close to the Wind (Alexandra Rowland): As it turns out, we started with the darkest and end with the funniest book. :'D This one is not exactly a series, but set in the same world and slightly connected to the events of the author's previous novel A Taste of Gold and Iron. This one took me by surprise. It's hugely different than its predecessor but so much fun! It's a comedy, really, and a smart one at that, despite it consisting 70% of dirty jokes. (There are no explicit scenes, though!) I enjoyed reading every second of it. It's just great. Good characters, smart writing and dialogue, adventure, absurdity. Highly recommended.

There's still 4 more books on my list but I just decided that I don't to need to talk about them much, so have one (or three) sentence(s) for each and then be done with it:

Snow Boys (Simon Doyle): Cute, contemporary story with coming out drama and family drama. Why does it change covers so often?

A Spark of Magic (Tari Riley): Self-published fantasy story with a budding romance between a teen witch and an accidental merboy, first book of a series, was pretty okay. The only thing that irked me was how they were constantly grabbing things (instead of taking them or picking them up or fetching them ...). :'D

Only Mostly Devastated prequel novella (Sophie Gonzales): Of course, I've already forgotten everything about the main story except the main points and that I enjoyed it, yet it was easy enough to get into the prequel.

The Cat Who Saved Books (Sosuke Natsukawa): I didn't like it, because it's not about the cat but the usual Japanese teenage manga protagonist, but because it's a novel instead of a manga suddenly it's great and serious? My ass. It makes some good points about our modern reading habits but is very simplified, and if you let me talk any further, I will only rage about every single point that annoyed me, so I stop. :)