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she-who-fights-and-writes · 5 years ago

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She-who-fights-and-writes Coronacation Book Rec List

I know that a lot of people are stuck at home right now in dire need of entertainment, so I decided I’d put out a book recommendations list of all the books I’m currently reading and all of my must-reads!

(Just a note that a lot of these are Fantasy because I’m a fantasy nerd haha)

Books/Series I am currently reading

1. The Folk of the Air Trilogy by Holly Black (Currently on #2, The Wicked King)

Genre: High Fantasy

Setting: The land of Faerie which is kind of historical, but in the human world it is modern day

Main cast :

Jude Duarte (white, human, cutthroat, if I saw her in a Denny’s Parking Lot at 3am I would RUN)

Cardan Greenbriar (white, faerie, the true embodiment of Bastard)

Vivienne (Jude’s half-sister, lesbian with canon gf, half-human half-faerie, I would totally try to be her friend)

Taryn Duarte (Jude’s twin sister, queen doormat, still, I would take a bullet for her she’s jUST TRYING TO FIT IN)

Rating: 5/5 Stars

These books have been on my “To Read” list for so long now and for some reason I just never got around to reading them! Hands-down, these are some of the best high fantasy books that I’ve read in a long, long while.

I finished the first book, The Cruel Prince, in just two days and rated it 5/5 stars! Even though these books are high fantasy and focus on the traditions and ways of life of faeries, somehow all of the characters seem like I could meet them in real life!

The main character actually has genuine flaws and not just “””“flaws”””” and is a Bad Bitch down with murder, and the plot had me on the edge of my seat from page one!

The summary makes it sound like it’s going to be about their romance, but it’s really mostly about a power struggle and Jude being a badass.

Goodreads summary for The Cruel Prince:

Jude was seven when her parents were murdered and she and her two sisters were stolen away to live in the treacherous High Court of Faerie. Ten years later, Jude wants nothing more than to belong there, despite her mortality. But many of the fey despise humans. Especially Prince Cardan, the youngest and wickedest son of the High King. To win a place at the Court, she must defy him–and face the consequences. As Jude becomes more deeply embroiled in palace intrigues and deceptions, she discovers her own capacity for trickery and bloodshed. But as betrayal threatens to drown the Courts of Faerie in violence, Jude will need to risk her life in a dangerous alliance to save her sisters, and Faerie itself.

2. The Raven Cycle Series by Maggie Stiefvater (Currently on #1, The Raven Boys)

Genre: Present-Day/Realistic Fantasy (?)

Setting: The fictional town of Henrietta, Virginia

I haven’t gotten around to much of the book, so there’s not much I can tell you about the characters and I can’t properly give it a rating yet.

These books were also on my “To Read” list for a while; I was a huge fan of her book The Scorpio Races and have also been looking for something to quench my thirst for “private school/ghosts/magic” that I’ve been dealing with ever since I read The Ninth House by Leigh Bardugo.

I’ve only JUST started The Raven Cycle yesterday, but so far I am hooked! I’m super worried because I’m TERRIBLE at juggling two series at a time but both of these are just so interesting!

Goodreads Summary for The Raven Boys:

“There are only two reasons a non-seer would see a spirit on St. Mark’s Eve,” Neeve said. “Either you’re his true love . . . or you killed him.” It is freezing in the churchyard, even before the dead arrive. Every year, Blue Sargent stands next to her clairvoyant mother as the soon-to-be dead walk past. Blue herself never sees them—not until this year, when a boy emerges from the dark and speaks directly to her. His name is Gansey, and Blue soon discovers that he is a rich student at Aglionby, the local private school. Blue has a policy of staying away from Aglionby boys. Known as Raven Boys, they can only mean trouble. But Blue is drawn to Gansey, in a way she can’t entirely explain. He has it all—family money, good looks, devoted friends—but he’s looking for much more than that. He is on a quest that has encompassed three other Raven Boys: Adam, the scholarship student who resents all the privilege around him; Ronan, the fierce soul who ranges from anger to despair; and Noah, the taciturn watcher of the four, who notices many things but says very little. For as long as she can remember, Blue has been warned that she will cause her true love to die. She never thought this would be a problem. But now, as her life becomes caught up in the strange and sinister world of the Raven Boys, she’s not so sure anymore.

MY MUST-READ BOOK LIST

1. The Gentleman’s Guide to Vice and Virtue by Mackenzi Lee

Genre: Historical Fiction

Setting: 1700s Europe (England, Paris, Barcelona, Marseilles, Venice)

Main cast (I’ll try my best not to spoil anything because you find out a LOT of different stuff about these characters throughout the book):

Henry “Monty” Montague (white, bi/pansexual, attitude problem)

Percy Newton (mixed race, gay, very sweet boy, definitely got “most likely to bring home to mom” in the yearbook)

Felicity Montague (white, Monty’s little sister, headcanoned as asexual, I love her to death)

Rating: 5/5 Stars

Daring adventure, gay representation, historical setting, hilarious characters!

This book literally has it all! I would consider it one of my favorite books of all time, yet for some reason I’ve never gotten around to reading any of the sequel books! The ending is very satisfying and ties everything together, which I feel is part of the reason why I haven’t gotten around to them yet.

Therefore, it can serve as a one-shot read or a full series if you want to dive into something good!

The humor made me laugh out loud at points and all of the characters are very real and very, very relatable, not to mention the vivid settings of 1700s Europe!

Goodreads summary:

Henry “Monty” Montague was born and bred to be a gentleman, but he was never one to be tamed. The finest boarding schools in England and the constant disapproval of his father haven’t been able to curb any of his roguish passions—not for gambling halls, late nights spent with a bottle of spirits, or waking up in the arms of women or men. But as Monty embarks on his Grand Tour of Europe, his quest for a life filled with pleasure and vice is in danger of coming to an end. Not only does his father expect him to take over the family’s estate upon his return, but Monty is also nursing an impossible crush on his best friend and traveling companion, Percy. Still it isn’t in Monty’s nature to give up. Even with his younger sister, Felicity, in tow, he vows to make this yearlong escapade one last hedonistic hurrah and flirt with Percy from Paris to Rome. But when one of Monty’s reckless decisions turns their trip abroad into a harrowing manhunt that spans across Europe, it calls into question everything he knows, including his relationship with the boy he adores.

2. The Ninth House By Leigh Bardugo

Genre: Horror, Fantasy

Setting: Yale University and the town of New Haven, Present Day

Main cast:

Galaxy “Alex” Stern (Hispanic, sees dead people, very scary)

Daniel Arlington “Darlington” (white, rich, an angel who can sometimes be a dick)

Pamela Dawes (tbh I honestly don’t remember what she looks like, only that she’s a tired grad student with big nerd energy)

Detective Alan Turner (Black, takes shit from nobody, husband material)

Rating: 4/5 Stars

(NOTE: THIS IS VERY DARK ADULT FICTION AND CONTAINS MATERIAL THAT MAY BE TRIGGERING FOR SOME PEOPLE, WOULD NOT RECOMMEND FOR PEOPLE UNDER 16)

This book is a great read for someone who’s looking for a disturbing, gritty book with layers upon layers of secrets that you have to peel away as the mystery unfolds. I love the secret societies and the intricate magic systems that the book introduces, and it actually made me hungry for more books like it!

Alex is a three-dimensional, very real character who also serves as an unreliable narrator who witholds or warps the information that she’s telling you, making the narrative all the more riveting.

The only issues that I have with it are the fact that Leigh Bardugo kind of just dumps you in the middle of it without explaining stuff first, to the point where it kind of feels like you’re reading the second installment of a series rather than the first one, so things can get a bit confusing at first.

The book also can drag and draw things out for a bit too long, but once the plot fully kicks into gear, you will not be able to put it down!

Goodreads summary:

Galaxy “Alex” Stern is the most unlikely member of Yale’s freshman class. Raised in the Los Angeles hinterlands by a hippie mom, Alex dropped out of school early and into a world of shady drug dealer boyfriends, dead-end jobs, and much, much worse. By age twenty, in fact, she is the sole survivor of a horrific, unsolved multiple homicide. Some might say she’s thrown her life away. But at her hospital bed, Alex is offered a second chance: to attend one of the world’s most elite universities on a full ride. What’s the catch, and why her? Still searching for answers to this herself, Alex arrives in New Haven tasked by her mysterious benefactors with monitoring the activities of Yale’s secret societies. These eight windowless “tombs” are well-known to be haunts of the future rich and powerful, from high-ranking politicos to Wall Street and Hollywood’s biggest players. But their occult activities are revealed to be more sinister and more extraordinary than any paranoid imagination might conceive.

3. The Lunar Chronicles by Marissa Meyer

Genre: Sci-Fi/Fantasy

Setting: Earth, Space, The Moon

Main cast :

Linh Cinder (Chinese, based on Cinderella, cyborg, certified badass)

Scarlet Benoit (French, based on Little Red Riding Hood, farmer who is not afraid to shoot you)

Cress Darnel (White, based on Rapunzel, nerd, I will protect her with my life if I have to)

Kaito “Kai” (Chinese, based on Prince Charming, kind of has to run a whole country, a very kind soul, deserves a nap)

Carswell Thorne (White, based off of Rapunzel’s Prince, bastard)

Winter Hayle (Black, based off of Snow White, royalty, has super special powers)

Wolf (Race unspecified, based off of the Big Bad Wolf, charming killing machine, furry????)

Rating: 5/5 Stars

Do you like fairy tales?

Have you ever wanted to know what fairy tales would be like if they took place in the FUTURE instead of the PAST?

Do you like an amazing, hilarious cast paired with a super interesting plot?

These are the books for you!

I haven’t read them in so long, but I remember how much joy I felt while devouring these pages. Definitely something you will not able to put down!

Goodreads Summary for Book #1: Cinder:

Humans and androids crowd the raucous streets of New Beijing. A deadly plague ravages the population. From space, a ruthless lunar people watch, waiting to make their move. No one knows that Earth's fate hinges on one girl. . . . Cinder, a gifted mechanic, is a cyborg. She's a second-class citizen with a mysterious past, reviled by her stepmother and blamed for her stepsister's illness. But when her life becomes intertwined with the handsome Prince Kai's, she suddenly finds herself at the center of an intergalactic struggle, and a forbidden attraction. Caught between duty and freedom, loyalty and betrayal, she must uncover secrets about her past in order to protect her world's future.

4. The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller

Genre: Fantasy

Setting: Ancient Greece

Main cast:

Patroclus (Greek, Gay, quiet pining)

Achilles (Greek, gay, very strong, student athlete energy)

Brisies (Anatolian, clever, literally the only one in this story who has a brain cell)

Rating: 100000/5 stars

This is basically the Iliad but if historians hadn’t completely erased Patroclus and Achilles’ relationship. “Haha yeah these guys were totally bros” they say, even though I have read the Iliad and their relationship isn’t even subtle.

This book made me cry at least ten times. It’s just so beautifully written and has such a distinct vibe to it that whenever I crack it open for another time, it takes me straight back to the vacation that I read it on. (Needless to say, sobbing your eyes out can be less than helpful when you’re on the beach)

If you can only read one book on this list, it should be this one. I could talk all day about it and write novels on just how much of an incredible writer Madeline Miller is, but I feel like you’d get my drift a bit better if you actually read the book.

Goodreads Summary:

Greece in the age of heroes. Patroclus, an awkward young prince, has been exiled to the court of King Peleus and his perfect son Achilles. By all rights their paths should never cross, but Achilles takes the shamed prince as his friend, and as they grow into young men skilled in the arts of war and medicine their bond blossoms into something deeper - despite the displeasure of Achilles' mother Thetis, a cruel sea goddess. But then word comes that Helen of Sparta has been kidnapped. Torn between love and fear for his friend, Patroclus journeys with Achilles to Troy, little knowing that the years that follow will test everything they hold dear. Profoundly moving and breathtakingly original, this rendering of the epic Trojan War is a dazzling feat of the imagination, a devastating love story, and an almighty battle between gods and kings, peace and glory, immortal fame and the human heart.

Hope this list helps you through your coronacation, and please don’t be afraid to reblog or message me to tell me if you’ve read/will read any of these!

#books #book recs #book rec #book reccomendation #book reccomendations #coronacation #corona #coronavirus #covid-19 #book rec list

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givemeprompt · 6 years ago

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Live to Fight (part 3)

First class: English

I always felt like I had an overly complex vocabulary thanks to my mom, who works as an editor for a publishing company (she's cool with my dad training kids to kill. In fact, she'd give me a few lessons herself from time to tine). Anyway, I've had friends tell me that I had a knack for making anything I say believable or make me look more sophisticated. And I can see why. When I explain to people how "this world is full of corruption and indecency, and the only way to purify such faults is through direct action", people tend to swoon and call me inspiring.

So I entered my first class. The bell hadn't rung yet, but there were clusters of students hanging around the relatively large classroom. I watched as some kids glanced at me with raised eyebrows, only to turn back to their friends and keep talking. There was a free seat next to a ceiling-to-floor window in one of the middle rows, so I took the initiative and got there as quickly as possible. Before I even sat down, some girl with curly brown hair and tanned skin approached me with a clearly feigned smile. She wore a fitted grey sweater with jeans, her hands in her sweater pockets the entire time.

"So you're The Warden's kid huh?"

That was the first thing she said to me. No "hi, welcome to our school", nothing like that. Though her voice was very calm, her green eyes held back this hidden vemon that was almost radiating from her. I raised my eyebrow for a moment before realizing that "The Warden" was my dad, so I nodded as I sat down.

"Yeah. What's it to you?"

"Well my name is Hailey Rickets. I've heard rumors about fresh meat coming in. But..."

Hailey gave me the once over before a look of disappointment washed over her.

"You don't look very promising. Kinda scrawny, around 100lb the least. And... you just look really dorky"

At that point, I couldn't help but laugh. I had gotten descriptions like that before. But with that smug look on her face, it was almost cute. Almost.

My laughing must've irritated her, because in a fit of rage, she pulled out a pencil from her pocket and tries to stab me in the eye. Which also wasn't surprising. I reacted the only way I knew how: grab her by the wrist, trip her and disarm her. I didn't even have to stand up to do anything. Her stance was lazy and she barely had any proper grip on her pencil. So with a twist of her wrist, she winced in pain and dropped it while falling on her side on the polished wood floor. It brought some attention from the rest of the class, but they stayed quiet. Watching Hailey scramble back to her feet, I dropped her pencil on the floor and smirked.

"Nice to meet you Hailey. I bet we'll have a great time this year"

There was deep sarcasm in my voice, which only annoyed her even more. Before she could say anything back, the bell rang and everyone rushed to their seats in silent panic. Within seconds, a tall, slim caucasian woman strutted into the room with a clipboard in her hand. Her grayish blonde hair was tied up in a tight bun, leaving her grey eyes and sunken face exposed for everyone to see. I could almost see her eyes darting around the classroom surveying every single student before stopping on me. Then she smiled, as if I was a nephew she hadn't seen in a long time.

"Good morning class. I'm sure you've all heard about the new student joining us this year"

"Yes Miss Aberdeen", the students droned on in monotonous harmony. It was clear that this woman kept tight leashes on her students, and maybe that was a good thing. Ms. Aberdeen nodded, glancing at me once more as she spoke, this time directly at me.

"Well don't just sit their. Come up and introduce yourself"

I unconsciously hesitated. I had a history of mot giving the best first impressions. But with a small breath, I stood up and walked to the front of the class. As I looked around, I saw that there were 28 students total - 13 girls, 15 boys including myself. I gave everyone a bright smile,hoping to seem at least a bit friendly.

"Umm...hello. My name is Dylan Hunter. I'm 17, born October 21st. And before any of you ask, yes I'm really the headmaster's kid. Yes, I'm bi. Yes, I didn't have to get in with entry exams. And no Hailey, you don't scare me."

As I walked back to my seat, small whispers lingered in the air. I could feel Hailey's eyes glaring into the side of my head, but all I could do was smile. The idle chatter came to a stop when Ms. Aberdeen slammed her clipboard onto her desk.

"Now now, I know we all was to acquaint ourselves with Mr. Hunter. But class is still in session."

From that point on, every class was a pattern of introductions and gossip. My next classes were geometry, physics, and home ec. It wasn't until lunch that things got a bit more interesting.

When I entered the cafeteria, it was exactly like what my old man told me to expect: buffets with the daily lunch options, a salad bar, vending machines and so forth. There was a line for students to scan their ID cards before getting food. Luckily, one of today's options were freshly made, custom burgers. I made sure to get in line while it was still relatively short, scanning my card and thinking about what burger I wanted. I decided on medium well, with cheese, lettuce, tomatoes and bacon. I also grabbed a fruit salad and a soda from a vending machine before finding an empty bench to sit on in the schoolyard.

Groups of students hung around the yard, some talking around the trees, others doing homework or checking out other students. I calmly ate while listening to some music, taking my time to enjoy myself in my happy place. But that peace was ripped away from my when someone slammed their hand down in front of me, making my can of Pepsi shake on fear. Sighing through my nose, I look up to see a Hispanic boy glaring down at me. He had an entourage behind him; two boys and two girls.He must've been trying to intimidate me, because his light brown eyes were narrow and his dark eyebrows were tightly knit together. I set my half-eaten burger down on my tray, pulling out one of my earbuds to give him my attention.

"Can I help you?"

"Damn right you can. You really think you're hot stuff huh?"

I raised my eyebrow at him, not really sure as to what he was trying to do. I shrugged, grabbing my soda to take a sip before this jerk slapped it out of my hand. I watched it roll onto the grass, the fizzy goodness slipping out helplessly.

"Listen newbie, we got rules around here. Your daddy can't help you now, so you'll have to go through initiation like the rest of us."

"I'm sorry...."

I paused, grabbing the guy by his buttoned up flannel and yanking him towards me. Our heads butted, but I didn't give a damn. This guy was ruining my lunch.

"But who died and made you king of the douchebags? If you want a fight, you just have to ask nicely."

Now it was my turn to glare. I could feel heat rushing to my face as I let go of his shirt. He stumbled back, rubbing his forehead as he chuckled.

"Alright. You and me, in the pit after school. Let's see if you're all talk."

The Hispanic boy started walking away before flipping me off, his entourage following close behind. What I would soon understand was that there was in fact an initiation, but none of the students took it as lightly as I could.

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