#book rec ask game

[howtobecomeadragon]

hello!! this is perexcri because tumblr is dumb and doesn't let sideblogs send asks :) anyway!! for the book asks: 32, 38, 103, 129, and also 71!! i need some good lgtbq+ book recs and am always open to suggestions :] 💜💜💜

hello hello!!!! :)

32: your favorite nonfiction novel

i don’t read much nonfiction, but of what i’ve read, Know My Name by Chanel Miller stands out from the rest. not only was it really emotionally impactful, but also really informative about the criminal justice system (and its many failures to protect victims of sa). very very heavy though, and look into trigger warnings going into it!

38: your favorite series

this is a very hard question. i can’t… i can’t narrow it down. i’ll share a few.

Inkheart: a childhood favorite that i still revisit often. characters come out of books. it’s magical :)

Six of Crows: this duology is so popular for a reason. they’re just amazing. amazing plot, characters that will stick with you forever, and every romance is perfect (there is a queer relationship in here!). there is scheming, heists, magic, found family, revenge.

In the Woods (Dublin Murder Squad): i’ve only read two of these so far, but they’re detective books! they really pull you in and make you feel disoriented in the best way. they just totally transport you somewhere else.

The Foxhole Court (All for the Game): it feels insane and ridiculous to include this book on this list, but this book series was all i thought about for a week as i read them, and i still think about them all the time, three years later??? they’re ridiculous, it’s about a made up sport and the mafia, it’s so outside of what i usually read, and yet i was captivated. and i’m not alone, there’s like a very small dedicated following to the series, it’s like a little cult classic. it’s self-published so they’re not extremely polished, but it’s not too bad at all. i got them all as ebooks for like $5, but i loved them so much, i bought them all in print too. a bunch of crazy stuff happens, definitely check tw if needed! there’s also an extreeeeeemely slow burn queer romance in here, but like, it’s slooow.

103: a book that deals with heavy topics

Neverworld Wake is one of my favorites. it’s kind of like dealing with grief in a limbo time loop.

Sadie was a devastating book, about big sister’s love for her little sister, and made me sob. check out trigger warnings as needed!

also, i don’t own this one, but My Dark Vanessa by Kate Elizabeth Russell. this book isn’t for everyone, but it’s an exploration of csa and grooming from a teacher, with flashes forward to the narrator’s experience confronting what she thought to know to be true about that relationship within a 2017 context when that teacher has been accused of abuse. check out trigger warnings as needed.

129: a book with beautiful prose

The Strange and Beautiful Sorrows of Ava Lavender. beautiful but definitely check out trigger warnings!

71: your favorite LGBTQ+ fiction

i’m going to give you lots of recs bc it seems like you want a lot, and i have read a lot :)

In Other Lands: one of my favorite books of all time. silly YA fantasy, bi mc, amazing characters that stick with you.

Red, White & Royal Blue: goofy little son of the president x prince of england romance

Autoboyography: kinda insta-lovey, but explores a lot of IH and religious homophobia (love interest is mormon)

Charm Offensive: it’s like the BACHELOR, but he’s ANXIOUS, and he doesn’t fall for any of the CONTESTANTS, but rather a GUY CREW MEMBER with DEPRESSION. 5/5, amazing.

Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe: a classic!!! a couple teens figuring things out.

A Dowry of Blood: not my favorite, but it’s Dracula and his brides, it’s queer and poly.

Song of Achilles: a classic!!!! the fall of troy and everything that came before that.

Wolfsong: it’s a whole series about gay werewolves. what more can you ask for??

The Gentleman’s Guide to Vice and Virtue: not my favorite, but fun. an adventure!!!

Every Heart a Doorway: first in a series of novellas, so much great rep. people find doors to other worlds that they slip into, but the story picks up once they’re back and homesick.

I’ll Give You the Sun: one of those like… early queer books that i read before i knew i was queer, but it made me feel so much at the time. permanently imprinted in my brain.

Fence: there are graphic novels, and then a couple novels. it’s fencing at a boarding school, and everyone is so so so gay. the novels are hilarious too, written by the same author as In Other Lands.

some books that i don’t own and didn’t love, but were pretty good: The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid, Only Mostly Devastated by Sophie Gonzales, Perfect on Paper by Sophie Gonzales (explores biphobia and attachment styles, which was really interesting!), History Is All You Left Me by Adam Silvera (oh my GOD this book made me sob, it’s so much heavy grief), She Drives Me Crazy by Kelly Quindlen (fake dating), Her Name in the Sky by Kelly Quindlen (wlw but a lot of IH and religious homophobia)

i’ve read more that were just so-so, and have a ton of unread queer books, so if you want more ideas, let me know! i have a lot more i can give you, just without my personal stamp of approval :)

book rec asks here!

[terapsina]

The Very Specific Book Rec Ask Game!

Send me an emoji and I'll tell you which...

⚔️ ...high stakes adventure book(s) I enjoyed.

☕ ...cozy comfort book(s) I enjoyed.

💰 ...heist story focused book(s) I enjoyed.

⚫ ...gritty and dark themed book(s) I enjoyed.

💌 ...book(s) with a good love story I enjoyed.

🧩 ...book(s) with a found family trope I enjoyed.

🧚‍♀️...fairy tale-esque book(s) I enjoyed.

🤣 ...book(s) containing satire and humor I enjoyed.

🕸️...book(s) focusing on characters caught up in political games I enjoyed.

🩸...book(s) dealing with the realities of war I enjoyed.

🤝...book(s) with some very good friendships I enjoyed.

🏚️ ...book(s) containing horror elements I enjoyed.

🛸 ...first contact book(s) I enjoyed.

🪐 ..."explore strange new worlds" kind of book(s) I enjoyed.

👽 ...book(s) where aliens are just a regular part of life I enjoyed.

🎃 ...book(s) that are an excellent Halloween read that I enjoyed.

❄️ ...book(s) that are a perfect winter holiday read that I enjoyed.

💝...book(s) that are a perfect Valentine's Day read that I enjoyed.

🌌 ...book(s) I enjoyed that gives a lot of very deep and nearly palpable *vibes*.

🌆 ...urban fantasy book(s) I enjoyed.

🧭 ...book(s) with historical elements I enjoyed.

🧐 ...book(s) that deals with investigating some kind of mystery that I enjoyed.

🐕 ...the underdogs win the day kind of book(s) I enjoyed.

👿 ...book(s) containing a well-developed redemption story I enjoyed.

🏳️‍🌈 ...book(s) full of queer themes and characters that I enjoyed.

♀️ book(s) I enjoyed where women don't take the backseat in the story and instead are the ones pushing along the plot.

🧼 ...book(s) with the substance of a floating soap bubble but which was just fun to read.

👁️ ...book(s) that puts us in the head of some kind of non-human character that I enjoyed.

😠 ...book(s) that follow a very grumpy and sarcastic character I enjoyed.

🌞 ...book(s) that follow a very upbeat and optimistic character I enjoyed.

☯️ ...book(s) that deal with the question of right and wrong that I enjoyed.

🤯 ...book(s) that deal with large metaphysical questions of reality, dimensions, time, life or afterlife that I enjoyed.

🌪️ ...book(s) that drag you tumbling into an emotional roller-coaster and drop you out not knowing up from down that I enjoyed.

😭 ...book(s) that are a real tear-jerker that I enjoyed.

🐾 ...book(s) containing an animal companion I enjoyed (caveat: it doesn't have to be a real animal).

🧱 ...book(s) that for various reasons are very hard to read emotionally but that are ultimately worth it.

🌋 ...disaster survival story book(s) I enjoyed.

🔪 ...book(s) containing a good revenge story I enjoyed.

💋 ...book(s) I enjoyed include a very cool femme fatale character.

👓 ...book(s) I enjoyed include actually very smart and clever protagonists that make the intelligent choices with the information they have at the time.

🤡 ...book(s) I enjoyed contain characters that will just always make the dumb choices and it's always just the absolute best.

👌 ...book(s) I enjoyed are basically full of what we might refer to as 'competence porn'.

🗺️ ...book(s) I enjoyed contain just the absolute best worldbuilding around.

🔥 ...book(s) I enjoyed contain the characters trying to burn down the current system of injustice.

---

(alternate way to play this game: send me a book title, add the emojis from this list that you think fits that book, and I'll tell you if this makes me want to read it (if I haven't read it) or if I agree with the emojis you chose for the book in question (if I have read it)).

[greenhikingboots]

How about 1, 29, 55, & 126 for the book rec ask game.

omg. why did my answer turn out so long!?! ridiculous. but thanks for asking, dot!!! thanks for letting me play. :) 1. a book that is close to your heart Little Women and Tuesdays with Morie. i grew up on the 90s version of the Little Women movie, which led me to read the book for the first time in 7th or 8th grade. i’ve read it several times since and love how much it makes me care about all four March sisters. i used to have more of a temper like Jo and long for nice things like Amy. and i thought it was nice how, as they get older, they didn’t lose who they are but they did get a little softer around the edges. i think even as a kid, that gave me hope. Tuesdays with Morie is another one i first read when i was pretty young (high school not middle school) and have several times since. there are some “zen” messages i still carry with me. here’s a quote as an example: “the culture we have does not make people feel good about themselves. and you have to be strong enough to say if the culture doesn't work, don't buy it.” honorable mention: Committed: A Skeptic Makes Peace with the Institution of Marriage. do i have that subtitle right? it’s something like that. it’s one of the first books i read that weaves social science research into a more personal narrative, and i really enjoyed that. some parts of this book stuck out to me enough to use as a framework when writing the ceremony for my wedding (friend officiated). but that’s personal enough i’ll keep the details to myself. 29. your favourite YA novel for quite a while, YA was all i read. so i feel like i should have a long list that i’m struggling to choose from. but most YA leaves me thinking, “great idea, but B- on the execution.” (saying that makes me feel like a snob but whatever, it’s true). i will stand by the first book in the Hunger Games series being great and worth the hype. i read it again a year or two ago and it is very well crafted. sharp characterization, great pacing, background information weaved throughout in just the right way. too bad the later books didn’t keep up. Elanor & Park was one a read after hearing about it a million times and worried it wouldn’t live up to the hype. i don’t remember it that well now, but i remember liking it even more than i hoped it would. one of the characters with poverty and abuse and i thought it tackled those issues in a believable, not-at-all-cheap-or-gimmicky way. i read The Spectacular Now because i really liked the movie. and while the main character drives you crazy after a while, i think that’s kinda the point. he’s a mess and needs to learn about growing up and being considerate of others. similar to Elanor & Park, i thought this book handled teenagers going through rough stuff in a believable way. 55. a book with a satisfying ending is it weird to say Gone Girl? the ending was frustrating for me the first time i read it, i guess because i wanted something happier. but it’s satisfying in that, upon second read, i accepted that the author knows her characters better than i do and she wrote an ending that made perfect sense for how unhinged and unhealthy they are. i also have to admit that as i get older, i understand Amy’s resentments more and believe Nick’s bullshit less. so even though Amy’s totally off her rocker and should, logically speaking, be in jail, i’m glad Nick doesn’t get a normal happy ending. it’s just so messed up its satisfying, you know? 126. your favourite spring read

interesting and timely question! unfortunately, i don’t tend to have seasonal reading habits. can i tell you what my dad’s answer would be? he likes a book called Vipers’ Tangle (google just told me it’s sometimes called The Knot of Vipers since it’s originally written in…. french, maybe? it’s from the 50s). its set around Easter, so…. i’ve tried to read it around Easter too, but i haven’t managed to get very far with it. if i had to choose something i’ve personally read…. maybe something by Brene Brown. ya know, non-fiction stuff about how vulnerability is actually bravery and people are built for deep connections and we have to be willing to take a little emotional risk to make deep connections happen. that sounds good for spring, right? growth!!

[dmsr-art]

vee......do you have any incest book recs

Outer Dark by Cormac McCarthy (brother and sister have a baby. it's very bleak and fucked up i loved it)

Time Enough for Love by Robert A. Heinlein (aka Incest: the book. it's sci-fi and i found it very funny and charming)

Cassandra at the Wedding by Dorothy Baker (no actual incest BUT the vibes are there. it's about codependent identical twin sisters, one gets married and the other does NAWT take it well. highly recommend for all the tridentarii heads)

[fictionadventurer]

Potential July Reading

The Mysterious Benedict Society by Trenton Lee Stewart

At the Back of the North Wind by George MacDonald

Parnassus on Wheels by Christopher Morley

Farmer Giles of Ham by J.R.R. Tolkien

Bella at Midnight by Diane Stanley (may sub in different Cinderella retelling)

Old Front Line by John Masefield

Mere Christianity by C.S. Lewis or The Everlasting Man by G.K. Chesterton

A Golden Age mystery

A Shakespeare play (a movie counts)

Something Robin Hood related (movies can count)

[greenerteacups]

Hi GT,

Forgive me if this is a stupid question, but I absolutely love the recs you've given (you've introduced me to tomione, and I love it!) and I was wondering if it's possible to give you some recs in return? There are some books and fics that definitely have dramione / got vibes, and I was wondering if I could share them with you!

So glad you've enjoyed them! Feel free to rec me anything you want. I've read most of the classic recs in terms of fic and adjacent content (Cruel Prince et al), but I'll try anything that's well-written. My tastes run towards weird and/or audaciously creative stuff, and I can forgive a lot of weaknesses in plot on the grounds of (1) ambition or (2) character work. My turnoffs are instalove, protagonists who can't fail, and most Y/A (I'm not a hater, I swear, I just need characters who can say "fuck" when their leg gets chopped off.)

I'm also a fan of weird and fucked-up dynamics.(Wuthering Heights was my favorite book for a while, and as a teenager I wrote an AU in which the book ends on a long sex scene where Heathcliff fucks Cathy's ghost and then immediately gets murdered by Catherine 2.) Obviously, I am very normal.

[aedesluminis]

🤚 ^^

🤚Book recs

This is hard because I had stopped reading for many years and I've been trying to get on track in the last year. Overall, I have read many books, but the only ones I feel like recommending are all historical essays about the French Revolution and despite some being in Italian and French I will mention them anyway, given that some of my followers are also from Italy and France ^^

1. P. McPhee's Liberty or Death.

This book is very dear to me, because it was my first ever frev book! I recommend it because it's heavily sourced, explains very clearly the causes and consequences of the Revolution and the history is told, through the quoting of primary sources and accounts, from the people's pov, something quite unique in frev historiography. Unfortunately, this last point can also be a downside, especially for those who know absolutely nothing of the French Revolution: some of the key events sometimes get discussed in a few lines to give much more space to how they were perceived by the population. Not only this may lead to an oversimplification of said events, but also to confusion regarding their chronological order. At the end of the book there's a timeline though, which I suggest to consult in case you feel lost while reading.

I would say it's accessible to everyone interested in the topic and who has an adequate level of English to understand it. Of course, the read will be much more fluid if one already knows a bit about the French Revolution.

2. M. Vovelle, La Révolution Française 1789-1799.

This book exists only in French and Italian sadly. I say sadly, because despite not having read it in full, it's an excellent and concise summary of the French Revolution. It's perfect for literally everyone: students who have to prepare an exam, historians who have to quickly revise it and amateurs who want to be introduced to the French Revolution through something that's not too big or overwhelming. What I like about it, it's the fact it's short, but it manages to perfectly highlight the main events and key figures, showing how important the Revolution was and its consequences in our present era.

I believe an English equivalent would be Soboul's The French Revolution 1789-1799.

3. M. Reinhard, Le Grand Carnot vol. I & II.

Yes, a specific biography, I mean it seriously. Lazare Carnot's life is truly fascinating, but in case you are not interested in him at all, I would still recommend it since it's a nice example of how it's perfectly possible to make an amazing, detailed, well sourced, as impartial as possible work on a beloved historical figure. Because Reinhard likes Carnot, but he cleverly manages to conceal it, by exposing his merits, epic fails and controversial actions; even when he enters the realm of speculation, he does it relying on sources, primary most of the time. Moreover, he is rather knowledgeable about the historical period Carnot lived through, thus the latter's words and decisions get explained in their relative historical context, making it easier to decipher Carnot's motives.

Lastly, it's godly and elegantly written. I genuinely can't wait to fully devote my reading sessions to it, because until now I have only read separate chapters and excerpts.

4. Anything about Nikola Tesla.

Seriously guys, I can't even find the right words to explain how important that genius was, and how unfairly poorly he was treated. Each of us would have something to learn from such a brilliant, devoted and altruistic mind.

[beguilingcorpse]

top five book series?

okay this is REALLY TOUGH!!! i feel like (with one notable exception) i’ve really only read standalone books (or only the first book in a series) for the past couple of years so FORGIVE ME IN ADVANCE

5. i am admittedly Not Far in the murderbot series (just started the second one) BUT i’ve really loved what i’ve read so far and i’m STOKED for the tv adaptation. it’s such a fresh take on an android character while still feeling like robust classic sci-fi. love it. want more

4. the hunger games I AM NOT KIDDING!!! i reread the first one a bit ago and i want to reread the other ones soon but it is CRAZY how much they hold up. i really do think that as time goes on they’ll just keep getting increasingly regarded as earnest and important additions to the literary canon. for being Baby’s First Dystopia the worldbuilding, themes, characters, and allegories are all incredibly compelling and well-thought-through. i WILL be reading the haymitch prequel when it drops. suzanne has me SAT

3. ok take this with a grain of salt because maybe they do not hold up. but the lunar chronicles was one of the first book series i really truly fell in love with. i am aware that there are many problems with it (on a number of levels lol) but i stand by the fact that sci-fi fairy tale adaptations about cyborg princesses and girls with guns and evil moon hypnosis is a badass concept. unless the series is way worse than i remember it being when i was 14. in which case i take all of that back

2. i went through a series of unfortunate events renaissance recently when i watch the tv show for the first time and it made me remember how damn good the books were. genuinely funny and clever and macabre and silly and weird. more books should be a series of unfortunate events

1. looks at the name of my blog. looks back at you. looks back at the name of my blog. coughs

in conclusion: i need to read more book series written for adults. and i need to FINISH THEM

(ask me my top 5 of anything!)

[wimbledon2008]

having hate sex with your rival with benefits is all fun and games until you're asking him to stay the night and making him a tuna melt

[searchingforserendipity25]

tag meme for posting your favorite 9 books read in 2023

Thank you @meadowlarkx! I'm loving getting to know everyone's book recs from last year.

Tagging with no pressure @sallysavestheday, @mayfriend, @theghostinthemargins, @thalion71, @247reader, @melestasflight, @nablah, @camille-lachenille, @m-b-w, and anyone who'd like to share their recs!

I took the liberty of writing a little about every book under the cut, because it is 22:30 and I am passionate about these books.

Lavinia, Ursula le Guin. It's le Guin, do I have to say it? I really have, because the depths of study on ancient animism in the Italian countryside is extraordinarily well researched, and even aside from the ambitious narrative approach of Lavinia speaking with Aeneas, the study that went into it is one of the most respectful and involving approaches to ancient spirituality I have read.

The Fury is Silvina Ocampo's recently translated short-story compilation! Whole-heartedly recommend any of her short works, which I understand are published with different titles. Reading anything of hers feels like the pervasive grey silence of staying awake till four a.m. as you consider all the familiar people and strangers you have known and reconcile with the strain of incurable isolation and cruelty present in human nature. Life, Silvina tells you, is sharpened and not redeemed by the possibility of understanding. You are not safe from Silvina Ocampo's studies in unsettling mundanity; no one, Silvina warns, is ever safe within themselves. But at least Buenos Aires is very beautiful, and so are all her deliciously malicious women.

The Fée et Tendres Automates (Béatrice Tillier-Téby) graphic book series starts with this book, about Jam, a young man who is not so young, surviving in a dystopic Victorian society while trying to reunite with the sentient mannequin he's in love with...it is moving, it is bold, it has class warfare and magic and a mad scientist, it is gorgeously written and illustrated.

I read The Blue Castle (L. M. Montgomery). Loved the Blue Castle. 'A book about being in your twenties' is a bad summary, but technically not wrong?

I wavered on putting on Claúdia Andrade's short-story collection 'Quarter Finals and Other Stories', because it's not translated, but it was my favourite book of the year, in many ways! An incisive and imaginative writer with a delightfully chilly grasp on human nature. I find myself thinking about the scenes she invokes several times a week. For instance, I think all dying old women should be cursed to speak the truth of every secret they ever knew.

Lords and Ladies was a lot of fun! Also reread Wyrd Sisters. Every years Granny Ogg grows hotter wait who said that.

The Fox (D. H. Lawrence) is about cottage-core lesbians, but like, detestable cottage-core lesbians in post-war England. It's terrific psychological work - I was on the edge of my seat the whole time. The last paragraphs haunts me. Will never trust seaweed metaphors again.

The Painter of Birds (Lídia Jorge) is translated. I recommend it. I recommend it a normal amount. I might be lobbying Lídia Jorge for a Nobel, idk. In all seriousness - she is an absolute powerhouse with a career of profound, invasive, masterful works, she's got most Portuguese language and French awards, do get a Nobel while she's still kicking. God!! This book!!!!

What Is Not Yours Is Not Yours (Helen Oyeyemi) is like nothing else. Ruiz Zábron married Angela Carter and then had an affair with Olga Tokarczuk? But it's queer and it's not white and unapologetic about being undefinable speculative fiction. Still chewing on it. Wonderful, wonderful, terrific.

[howtobecomeadragon]

1 & 8 for the book recs please!!

hello hello!!! :)

1: a book that is close to your heart

hehe me and my silly romance books. the whole Princess Diaries book series was such a staple in my life when i was much younger, i read and reread these. still of the opinion that the books are far superior to the movies.

and You Deserve Each Other is one of my favorite adult romances. it’s like second chances, an engaged couple that kind of fell out of love with each other, but they find their way back once they start reconnecting and being silly with each other. very very funny!

8: a book you finished in one sitting

i have a novella for this one! Every Heart a Doorway. this book (and series of novellas in the same universe) has amazing rep, and are one of those books that really captures the feeling of homesickness, which can be comforting to read if you’re struggling with that yourself :)

book rec asks here!!!

[terapsina]

#2 for the book worm ask game!

(ask game)

2. Favorite fantasy book(s).

(Eeeeexcellent, I do love fantasy books. Though how I'm gonna narrow it to only a few I've got no idea. Okay. I'm going to remove the very obvious choices like Lord of the Rings (though it is one of my faves)).

---

Monstrous Regiment. I love the entire Discworld series (especially The Witches) but I've also got a huge soft spot in my heart for Terry Pratchett's take on 'a girl dresses like a boy to go to war' (and thinks of everything except some spare socks in- erm... the right place). Along with Polly, the squad consists of a vampire, a troll, an Igor, a religious fanatic and two very, very close "friends" (and yes, the official summary put the friends in quotes too). And everyone has their own secret.

I love basically everything about this book and I can't tell you guys any of it because it would spoil all the fun.

The Goblin Emperor. This one's a story filled with light. Maia the half goblin son of the elven Emperor was never supposed to take the throne (or to ever even be at court. because racism). And then everyone ahead of him dies in a single "accident" and suddenly he's the new Emperor. Maia is a good person, and a kind one, and despite everything that gets thrown at him he keeps hold of that understanding of right and wrong and refuses to bend.

(I have to mention that the language of the writing is kinda hard to get into in the beginning, and the characters's have very complicated and long names, but once you get into it it really did enhance the story for me).

Good Omens. An Angel and a Demon try to stop the apocalypse and instead lose the Antichrist. I've loved that book for like a decade now and if I don't put it on a list of my faves that list would be a lie.

The King of Attolia. Third in The Queen's Thief series and my favorite one out of all of them. I've always enjoyed Outsider POV in fics. And here is a book that just... proves why. We've got Eugenides and Irene, the Thief and the Queen, and we know them from the two previous books. And adore them. But the story isn't from their POV, it's from the POV of Costis, a Queen's guard who's suddenly gotten assigned to the King. The useless, weak, undeserving king that as far as Costis is concerned doesn't deserve to even kiss the Queen's boots. And it's hilarious to read the story from the eyes of someone who knows so much less than us. And so satisfying, as he begins to understand.

(I recommend the whole series and am personally glad to have read them in the published order but Megan Whalen Turner has stated that she wrote them in a way that allows you to jump in at any point you want).

The Raven Tower. The story is from the viewpoint of a sentient, omniscient rock whose name is Strength and Patience of the Hill and it is the GREATEST THING EVER. The gods are real and must be very careful with their words, because if they speak a lie the reality will alter to make that lie the truth but if the lie is bigger than the power of the god... well. Inspired by Hamlet.

(the book also has a trans man as the main character; the other main character? The sentient rock is the narrator but the largest part of the story focuses on Eolo).

A Natural History of Dragons. The first book from The Memoirs of Lady Trent (and honestly it would probably be more honest to say that every single book from this series fits the category of fave but I'm putting up the first here because this isn't a series where you should skip ahead). The book focuses on the life of Isabella as narrated by her older self. This is the story how a Scirland lady bucked all tradition and became a world renowned expert on the Natural History of Dragons.

(this series has a piece of my heart and always will).

---

(and finally, here's some more of my favorite fantasy books that I also adore and would totally ramble about but I got tired of typing).

[slushrottweiler]

Tag game tag game yay!

tag game: share your phone homescreen and your recent kindle / book reader library? 😚

I was tagged by the spectacular @ejunkiet

Homescreen is a commission I bought from @fedemexyart. My KU page is 90% monsterfucker stories and I'm not sorry.

Tagging whoever wants to play, and also nopressure poking @pearl-kite @glassbearclock @arcxus-of-altihex @pikapeppa @andr0leda @hypotheticalandroid and yeah... anyone else who wants to play

[repotting]

people who don't normally read sci fi have such bad taste in sci fi 😭

[candiid-caniine]

hell, while we're on the subject!

i read a lot. like, i get through 15-30 books in a month depending on life circumstances. i'm wanting to get back to this blog, but not quite up for the horny stuff yet, so let's swap book recs:

rec me a book that knocked your socks off, and/or:

ask me to rec a book based on what you usually like :)

i like sci fi, cli fi, mysteries/thrillers, courtroom dramas, and occasionally coming-of-age novels (adult ones, not big on YA lately).

most recent read: After On by Rob Reid (4.5/5)

currently reading: The Ministry for the Future by Kim Stanley Robinson (5/5 so far!)

[guardian-angle22]

Nine ten books

thank you to @rmd-writes who tagged me (ages ago) in this... not sure you knew what you were going to unleash when you did that but here we are. 😅

I think the prompt for this is just list nine favorite books, but because I can't be normal about books and my taurus energy is strong today... I'm breaking up these book recs into categories, adding visuals, and also adding a tenth book to make it an even number. Cheers!

Books #1 & #2 (Nonfiction)

Ace by Angela Chen - Hello! Your friendly neighborhood asexual over here recommending that everybody read this book! It's such a good exploration of what it's like to navigate the world as an ace person and also the vast spectrum involved within asexuality.

Yoke by Jessamyn Stanley - Even if you've never done a single yoga pose in your life, I think you can gain something from this book. It's not a how-to yoga guide, but instead essays about her relationship to yoga, cultural appropriation within the community, fatness, colonization, capitalism, etc. It's fantastic and funny!

Books #3 & #4 (Excellent on Audio)

Six Stories by Matt Wesolowski - This fiction book (and the following books in the series) follows an investigative journalist who has a true crime podcast. The audiobook is full cast and it feels like you're following along to an actual podcast, but one you know you'll get a conclusion to. Highly recommend all of the books in this series on audio if you enjoy mystery/thrillers.

Where to Begin by Cleo Wade - The author narrates the audio version of this and her voice is like a balm to the soul. It feels a little bit like she’s a counselor guiding you through a thoughtful meditation. It’s short but it packs a punch.

Books #5 & #6 (Seasonally Appropriate)

Cemetery Boys by Aiden Thomas - This is a YA book following a young trans boy, Yadiel, who wants to prove to his family that he's truly a brujo and attempts to summon the ghost of a murdered family member. Except he accidentally summons a classmate who has no idea how he died. Adventure and mystery ensues!

The Changeling by Victor Lavalle - I've always loved the folklore surrounding changelings, but Lavalle's writing just takes this to another level. This is set in NYC and he somehow managed to make the city feel like a character in itself. Super chilling, creepy read.

Books #7 & 8 (Graphic Novels)

I Hate Fairyland by Skottie Young - This is a 4 volume series about a little girl named Gertrude who is whisked away to Fairyland, where she's told she must go on a quest to find the key to unlock the door back to her world. Turns out she sucks at quests and 30 years pass and she still hasn't found the key. Now she's stuck in the body of a six year old and just murders everything she comes across. The contrast of bright, happy colors vs. the murderous, jaded Gertrude is hilarious and wonderful.

The Magic Fish by Trung Le Nguyen - This is a standalone graphic novel following Tien, the son of Vietnamese immigrants, as he navigates how to come out to his parents. The art in this is wonderful and the use of color to define when we're in the past, the present, or a fairy tale was done so beautifully. A gorgeous read!

Books #9 & #10 (Books from Favorite Authors I Will Read Anything From)

A Psalm for the Wild Built by Becky Chambers - This book/series follows a tea monk who encounters a robot looking for the answer to the question, "what do people need?" It's cozy and comforting. I've read every Becky Chambers book published and will continue to do so. The way she weaves hope into everything she writes is phenomenal.

The Raven Boys by Maggie Steifvater - This series owns my soul. I don't even know how to pitch this other than it has a magical forest, a found family, the slowest of slow burn queer love, and Maggie Steifvater's atmospheric writing. Maggie is another author that I will read pretty much anything from (the werewolves weren't my cup of tea so I can't claim to have read all her books).

OPEN TAG to anyone who wants to list off some book recs/fave books. Tag me so I can get some new recs!! also no pressure tagging: @lemonlyman-dotcom @mikibwrites @alrightbuckaroo @reasonandfaithinharmony