#krystal recommends

[kazz-brekker]

read the invocations by krystal sutherland as an arc i got from work and god i love when magic is just truly weird and terrifying and gross and has an awful cost. there are genuinely inhuman and frightening demons that latch on your soul like a parasite and slowly drain it in exchange for magic! demonic bargains gone wrong that rot a person from the inside out and decay the world around them! an orchard where the trees grow rotten fruit and ground weeps blood because unavenged murder victims are buried there! the terrifying sense that the characters are tampering with forces beyond their control or understanding!

[lakecountylibrary]

Read -> Reading -> To-Read

Read what the librarian is reading! Here's what's been on LCPL librarian Kate's shelf lately.

Just Read: A Long Stretch of Bad Days by Mindy McGinnis

This YA thriller/mystery was enthralling. I finished the audiobook in one day. I loved the friendship between Lydia and Bristal and I was surprised by the plot twist at the very end. I recommend this book to readers who liked Sadie by Courtney Summers.

Now Reading: Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH by Robert C. O'Brien

This book was recommended by my husband and I'm really enjoying it so far! I'm hoping for the best for Mrs. Frisby and her children. The animals in the book are so brave and intelligent. I can't wait to see where this story goes.

To-Read: The Invocations by Krystal Sutherland

I loved Krystal Sutherland's book House of Hollow, so I've been wanting to read this book since it was published earlier this year. I'm hoping I like it as much as her last book.

See more of Kate's recs

[musician-not-magician]

🌈June Books🌈

I used 🌈 before the title to indicate LGBTQ+ featured characters within the book. I rated each book from ⭐️ - ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️. The books are listed in the order that I completed them.

🌈 “Breasts and Eggs” by Mieko Kawakami ⭐️⭐️⭐️

🌈 “The Society for Soulless Girls” by Laura Steven ⭐️

🌈 “Sunbringer” by Hannah Kaner ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

“The Princess Bride” by William Goldman ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

🌈 “The Invocations” by Krystal Sutherland ⭐️⭐️⭐️

“The Dragon Republic” by R.F. Kuang ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

🌈 “The Song of Achilles” by Madeline Miller ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

“The Iliad” by Homer; translation by Emily Wilson ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

🌈 “This is How You Lose the Time War” by Amal El-Mohtar and Max Gladstone ⭐���⭐️⭐️

🌈 “Siren Queen” by Nghi Vo ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

🌈 “Jade City” by Fonda Lee ⭐️⭐️⭐️

[melanielocke]

Book recommendations: horror

Horror & fantasy romance ended up in a tie in my poll. I chose to do horror first mainly because the book I'm reading right now will be on the fantasy romance first and I need to finish it first.

I have been reading some horror lately. It's not my most read genre, but I have a big enough pile that I could pick out the ones I think are really good. Most of these aren't necessarily so scary it keeps you up at night, but they can be eerie, very atmospheric, dark and occasionally very messed up. I'll mention the type of horror and what kind of scary elements are in there. All of these are YA, I don't have many adult horror books on my shelf.

I'll start with House of Hollow by Krystal Sutherland

Iris is the youngest of the three Hollow sisters. When they were young, the three sisters disappeared from a busy street. It should have been impossible, but there was no trace of them. A month later they reappeared, changed, and with no memory of what happened to them. Iris has tried to forget what happened, and stay away from the weirdness that followed. But when her oldest sister Grey goes missing, Iris and middle sister Viv go looking for her. If they want to find Grey, they will have to uncover the mystery of the past.

This book is creepy and has a rather horrifying twist near the end when you learn what really happened in the past. I think this is one of the scarier books on this list, but it's done really well, with monsters chasing Iris and her sister around and an eerie parallel world

Rep: bi main character, lesbian side character; Korean side character

Other books from this author: The Invocations (horror, coming early 2024); Our Chemical Hearts (contemporary), a semi-definitive of worst nightmares (fabulism)

The Wicked Deep by Shea Ernshaw

Two hundred years ago in small Oregon town Sparrow, three sisters were accused of witchcraft. Stones bound to their feet, they were thrown into the harbor and drowned. Ever since then, the sisters have returned once a year as ghosts. They each possess one young girl in town and kill one boy.

The town has long accepted their fate and Penny is no different. But then Bo Carter enters the town, unaware of the danger he's just stepped into. Penny can't trust him, but she wants to save him from the danger just the same.

This book has one big twist. It's not super scary perse, nor is there any gore, but very atmospheric and that's where this author excels. Would recommend it for people who aren't used to reading horror.

Winterwood is the next book by Shea Ernshaw

Once again set in a small, isolated town in Oregon, this book follows Nora Walker, a girl descended of a line of witches. She is connected to the Wickerwoods, dangerous haunted woods that only she can enter during full moon to collect lost things.

In the middle of winter, with the power out and all connection to the outside world lost, Nora finds a boy in the Wickerwoods. Oliver went missing from the Camp for Wayward Boys weeks ago. By all accounts, he should be dead and yet she found him. Oliver has no memory of what happened the past weeks.

Nora quickly bonds with him, but realizes she has to uncover the mystery of what happened to him and how he could survive so long in the woods. And it soon turns out Oliver was not the only boy who went missing.

Much like the Wicked Deep, this book excels in its atmosphere and the way it portrays a very creepy forest. It has an interesting plot twist, though not as strong as the one in the Wicked Deep. It's not keep you up at night scary, and also has a lot of focus on the romance.

Other books from this author: Long Live the Pumpkin Queen (Nightmare before Christmas book); A History of Wild Places; A Wildnerness of Stars

Next: Sawkill Girls by Claire Legrand

This book is set on the isolated island of Sawkill rock, where girls have been going missing for decades, stolen away by evil no one has dared fight... until now.

Marion is new to Sawkill rock, trying to escape the tragedy that befell her family

Zoey's best friend was the last girl to disappear, and she is determined to find out what happened, and if Val has anything to do with it

Val is the queen bee, the daughter of the richest woman on the island. But she has a dark secret.

This book was not entirely what I expected when I bought it, but I loved it. This one is rather creepy, I think, though not what would keep me up at night (to be fair, movies are more likely to keep me up than books due to being scary). It creates an isolated atmosphere, but another strong point in this book is the relationships between the three girls and the development there. Marion and Zoey become friends and team up to uncover the mystery when Marion's sister disappears. Zoey hates Val. But Marion might have feelings for Val.

Rep: Sapphic relationship, Zoey is Black and asexual

Also by this author: Furyborn trilogy (epic fantasy); Extasia (horror); Winterspell (Nutcracker retelling)

House of Salt and Sorrow by Erin A. Craig

This is a retelling of the Twelve Dancing Princesses

Annaleigh is one of twelve sister. Or, she used to be. Four of them are dead due to strange accidents, and people are saying her family is cursed. Annaleigh becomes more and more suspicious that her sister's death were no accidents.

Then, her sisters start sneaking out, going to glittering balls and dancing the night away. Annaleigh does not know if she can come with them or stop them, because where are they really going and who are they dancing with?

If Annaleigh does not find out what happened to her sisters soon, she might be the next one to die.

It's been long enough that I do not remember exactly what happened in this book, but I do remember that it was eerie and there was an interesting plot twist when Annaleigh finds out where they really go dancing.

The book stands on its own, but there will be a companion coming out this year, House of Roots and Ruin, which follows one of Annaleigh's sisters

Also by this author is Small Favors

I read this solely because someone told me it would make a good comp title for the book I'm querying, and this is a retelling of Rumplestiltskin.

Ellerie is the daughter of a beekeeper in Amity Falls, a small town surrounded by mountains. They're very isolated and have to go on supply runs to a bigger city to make sure they have what they need. But during a supply run, all people on it die. More and more strange things start happening, slowly building up. Monsters in the woods, people acting strange.

Ellerie finds herself in a race against time to save herself and the people she loves before her town goes up in flames.

This book has a kind of strange pacing. The last part has a lot happening, but before then it's all a very slow build up. Most of the incidents with monsters, Ellerie does not witness, she hears about it second hand. She befriends a strange boy who has come to town as a trapper, catching animals in the forest to sell their hides. He won't give her his name, making me instantly suspicious, but their relationship builds up for such a long time that I was constantly questioning if he could be trusted or not.

My biggest criticism of this book is that I could not tell you when it was set. It took me a while to figure out it was America, though the religious small town feels very American to me, but I couldn't tell you the time period. Likely historical. But when? Who knows, certainly not me.

The Honeys by Ryan La Sala

Mars and his twin sister Caroline have always been inseperable. But that summer, Caroline went to Aspen summer school alone. Mars no longer felt welcome there due to his gender fluidity. But when Caroline dies unexpectedly, Mars decides to take her place at the camp to feel more connected to her. It does not go as expected, and Mars quickly remembers why he stopped going. But he befriends Caroline's old friends, a group of girls called the Honeys because of the bees they tend to. But he soon finds something is seriously wrong in the camp, and it might very well have caused his sister's death.

This is a book about grief for a large part, and I think inspired by the author's own grief for his sister. I especially loved the way the Honeys were characterized in this book, and their friendship with Mars, and the story is also about a very femme queer person being accepted within a group of feminine girls.

Rep: gender fluid MC; queer side characters

Also by this author: Reverie (contemporary fantasy); Be Dazzled (contemporary); Beholder (horror, coming in October)

The Dead and the Dark by Courtney Gould

The Dead and the Dark is a paranormal/horror mystery set in a small town in Oregon. Because apparently Oregon is where all the spooky paranormal mystery things happen? I don't know, it seems to be a popular location

Logan's two dads host a ghost hunting show together, and have traveled to this town, which is also their hometown, for the new season. But teenagers are disappearing and there might be something really spooky going on here, and Logan has the feeling her dads are keeping secrets from her.

Ashley is a girl who has lived in this town her entire life, and her boyfriend was the first to go missing. Now, Logan is her only hope to find him.

This is a sapphic story as well as a paranormal mystery, but the emphasis is more on the mystery, I think. There are ghosts in here and a pretty sinister and quite creative explanation for what is happening in this town and why.

Rep: sapphic relationship, main character has gay dads

Last on this list is Hell Followed with Us by Andrew Joseph White

Trans boy Benji is on the run from a cult. A fundementalist sect that unleashed Armageddon, killing most of the population. They believe that one chosen one will end the world for them and they made the ultimate bioweapon to do this.

Benji is rescued by the teens from the ALC, a queer youth center, and their leader Nick. Benji is immediately drawn to Nick, he's slowly changing into a monster capable of destroying the world and Nick knows.

Still, Nick allows him to stay with them as long as he can control the monster and use it to fight on their behalf.

This is I think the goriest book on this list, with lots of details on the ways Benji is slowly transforming into a monster. It's written by an autistic trans man. Benji is trans, while Nick is autistic. There is a lot of creepy fundamentalist religion in this book, as Benji was raised in the cult and their whole idea is that they should kill everyone not part of their world with their bioweapons.

Also from this author: The Spirit Bares its Teeth (coming September)

@alastaircarstairsdefenselawyer @life-through-the-eyes-of @astriefer @justanormaldemon @ipromiseiwillwrite @a-dream-dirty-and-bruised @amchara @all-for-the-fanfiction @imsoftforthomastair @ddepressedbookworm @queenlilith43 @wagner-fell @cant-think-of-anything @laylax13s @tessherongraystairs @boredfangirl16 @artist-in-soul @beyondlifebeyonddeath @ikissedsmithparker

[keehomania]

watching the heirs be so fun when u dont have a bitch in ur ear telling u how corny it is

[fletcheraccounting]

You are my sunshine

[itsbooktimepeople]

House of Hollow

★★★★☆

Do you enjoy twisted sibling dynamics, wonderfully disturbing writing styles, and complex morality? Do you like to get creeped out? Are you looking for something that won't take long to read but will have a profound mental effect?

If you answered "yes" to any of the above questions, please read House of Hollow by Krystal Sutherland. It's so good and gripping and I read this sucker in one sitting and was still hungry for more.

Side note: the ending might disappoint you but what in life doesn't

[lynxiesblog]

Who do you recommend to listen to for subliminals

hii my luv ♡ here is a list of my favourite subliminal makers that have given me crazy amount of results! This isn’t in any particular order btw. ꒰ ˶• ༝ •˶꒱ ~♡︎ it’s kind of long , so I apologize in advance.

°˖ ✧ wonyangi — her clear skin subliminals work insanely good it’s mind blowing. Her upturned lip & nose subs work really well too. 10/10

°˖ ✧ baejin cafe — I mainly use their life subliminals (money, family, glow up, friends, etc.) and they work. 12/10

°˖ ✧ clinxque — her hair subliminal works really well, it’s the main thing I use her subs for.

°˖ ✧ crystie — I’ve been listening to her for a while now and her subliminal work really well. Especially her suffering from success sub.

°˖ ✧ Enchanted Workshop — their crystals subliminal series works really well. Same with intellect subliminals. I literally love

°˖ ✧ I want it, I got it — I’m literally a member of her patreon that’s how good her subliminals are. I’ve said this before but her pretty privilege sub works TOO well.

°˖ ✧ kestiny — i just live her subs. Her affirmations are amazing and simple and you get results.

°˖ ✧ m!ss b!imbeaux — her body subliminals WORK SO WELL😩. Every single one of them are just chef kisses

°˖ ✧ RAINY VIBES — her nose sub and pretty resting face worked really well and pretty much gave me instant results

°˖ ✧ voeux — her subs are in every single one of my playlists. They work so well and the songs are 👩‍🍳💋

°˖ ✧ zeivlyn — her school related subliminals are wonderful and work really well

°˖ ✧ Krystalized (Beauty Krystalized) — her grade subs 10/10. Beauty subliminals too.

°˖ ✧ wesylin — school, grade, everything subs are just heart eyes

°˖ ✧ million dollar woman — her themes are adorable & her subliminals work pretty well for me

°˖ ✧ Cajel Amirah — guys I just started listening to her but her “guys simp on me” works INSTANTLY. I listened to it before going out and so many guys were staring at me even women. Her nose sub works really well too.

°˖ ✧ V1Per — I almost forgot her. Her subliminals are very good too and are in most of my playlists.

[smutoperator]

When a porn company asks a girl group idol member to film porn, which member would be appropriate in the following situation?

Idol who quit being an idol and turned to porn because she liked it after shooting porn:

Idol who hates filming porn but only does it once because of the huge amount of money the porn company will pay:

3: Idol who films it once out of interest, regardless of the money:

4: Idol who requests the opposite partner they want or the scenario they want:

5: Idol who requests lesbian sex:

6: Idol who wants an orgy:

7: Idol who wants a creampie:

8: Idol who films porn and then recommends another member:

9: Idol who finds and watches her own porn:

1: Idol who quit being an idol and turned to porn because she liked it after shooting porn: this one could literally be any Momoland member but I'm gonna pick JooE

2: Idol who hates filming porn but only does it once because of the huge amount of money the porn company will pay: I think this fits Rosé the most, she only films scenes if there a good paying offer

3: Idol who films it once out of interest, regardless of the money: gotta be the idol I picked for a fic with this theme: Yuna.

4: Idol who requests the opposite partner they want or the scenario they want: Krystal pretty much. Very picky with her choices. Also requires her male partners to always wear condoms.

5: Idol who requests lesbian sex: Karina. She's a bit cautious and would do G/G porn first to warm up before jumping to B/G scenes.

6: Idol who wants an orgy: I gotta agree with @rvp32 on this one. If there is an idol that has the stamina to endure a day long orgy taking countless cocks pounding her nonstop without breaking a sweat it has to be Momo. She surely would be a up for a 24 hours of sex challenge.

7: Idol who wants a creampie: there is a clear pattern of pornstars that take more creampies than others: short girls with big tits. Eunbi feels like one who would run up the score performing countless MILF creampie scenes.

8: Idol who films porn and then recommends another member: Sana. She's close to basically everyone around her and shoots a lot of scenes. And because she's one of the best to ever do it, they always listen to her.

9: Idol who finds and watches her own porn: Taeyeon is far ahead of everyone else. She actually has her full 17-year catalogue of scenes completely organized into multiple categories and always selects some to watch.

[gorgeouslypink]

hey gorgeous:)

i got into the void state and manifested looking kinda like minju but like more sexier, like minju with a jennie twist and always waking up in the void and just desired life+lifestyle. anyways how??

well i got a lot of new methods from tiktok which is how I got in. first of all, there's a gratitude meditation they all talk about that helps them. it's this one: https://youtu.be/Fcq4zeFlLpU. so i honestly felt really good after this and then there's this tiktok with a method to just stay awake as long as you can and when u really can't hold on anymore affirm and you'll get into whatever so I just stayed up late last night, I was listening to beauty krystalized void subliminal and just keeping mental diet while reading some stuff on my phone and then it got really late and I was soooo tired and I decided to affirm that I wake up innthe void state aware and sure enough I did!!!!

I just want to say the day before I did the Mary Kate meditarion you recommended and I said I always wake up in the void which I think helped a lot too.

Anyways I'm just so happy I look good I feel good and I'm grateful as well to you and tiktok. Stay blessed Angel ❤️

hey love! i love this. also so i don't get bombarded with questions about it:

Mary Kate meditation:

gratitude meditation:

beauty krystalized subliminal:

tiktok referenced:

[commanderbuffy]

Sapphic Books Reccs

Here is my list of recommended sapphic books! There’s a lot of YA here since that’s a lot of what I read. Everything on this list I have personally read and can recommend. I’m sure there’s a TON out there I haven’t read or ones I have read and have just forgotten!

Contemporary

Astrid Parker Doesn’t Fail by Ashley Herring Blake (Adult)

My favorite of Blake’s! Enemies to lovers. SO good.

Delilah Green Doesn’t Care by Ashley Herring Blake (Adult)

A woman falls for her step-sister’s best friend. Oh, and there’s a kiddo in the mix as well.

The Falling in Love Montage by Ciara Smyth (YA)

Two girls promise a summer of fun full of rom-com worthy dates. The only rule, no relationships. Just one summer, nothing more. Sure....

Forget Me Not by Alyson Derrick (YA)

Amnesia fic where a girl forgets she ever met her secret girlfriend in their ultra-conservative town.

Hani and Ishu’s Guide to Fake Dating by Adiba Jaigirdar (YA)

Fake dating between the girl who wants to validate her bisexuality to her friends and the girl who doesn’t mind the popularity boost.

Her Name in the Sky by Kelly Quindlen (YA)

Best friends to lovers! A big piece of this is also the friend group involved.

Imogen, Obviously by Becky Albertalli (YA)

Imogen thinks she’s just an Ally. Spoiler alert: she’s not. I loved the way friendship was explored in this. You see some really solid friendships as well as a subtly toxic one (that’s acknowledged as such).

Late to the Party by Kelly Quindlen (YA)

An ode to late bloomers and a journey to self-acceptance. A girl goes to her first party, befriends a gay guy who introduces her to new group of friends and one really cute girl

Margo Zimmerman Gets the Girl by Brianna Shrum and Sara Waxelbaum (YA)

Super fun involving a girl asking another girl fo “Queer 101″ lessons. Bi and Autistic rep too!

Perfect on Paper by Sophie Gonzales (YA)

A girl gives anonymous love advice and gets hired by a hot guy to help him get his ex back. Really FANTASTIC bi rep!

One Last Stop by Casey McQuiston (Adult)

A sexy time-bendy romance with so much heart

She Drives Me Crazy by Kelly Quindlen (YA)

My FAVORITE rom-com. I reread it constantly. Fake dating, enemies-to-lovers between the cheer captain and basketball star!!

She Gets the Girl by Rachael Lippincott and Alyson Derrick (YA)

Two girl team up to get their crushes to fall for them and start developing feelings for each other along the way.

Six Times We Almost Kissed by Tess Sharpe (YA)

Childhood frenemies forced to move in together for their best friend moms’ sake. Trauma filled and SO SO good.

Some Girls Do by Jennifer Dugan (YA)

A fun rom-com between an out queer athlete and the local beauty pageant queen.

We Are Okay by Nina LaCour (YA)

One of my favorite books of all time. A story about grief and friendship and love. A soft, quiet story.

Who I Was With Her by Nita Tyndall (YA)

A girl’s secret girlfriend dies and she is left to grieve alone until she finds herself turning to her girlfriend’s ex.

Science Fiction/Fantasy

Crier’s War by Nina Varela (YA)

A romance that leads to revolution by between two girls: one human, one Made

The Once and Future Witches by Alix E. Harrow (Adult)

This is historical and fantasy! Suffragette witches! Another one of those books I wish I could read again for the first time. Three sisters, one of them has a WLW romance

Thriller/Horror

Hide by Kiersten White (Adult)

A high-stakes hide and seek competition in an abandoned amusement park. One of my all-over favorite books of 2022.

House of Hollow by Krystal Sutherland (YA)

No wlw romance in this one, but the main character and her sister are both wlw. My absolute favorite book of 2021. What I would pay to read this for the first time again.

The Girls I’ve Been by Tess Sharpe (YA)

The daughter of a con artist is finally allowed to stop running and faking her identity, only to get stuck in a bank heist with her ex-boyfriend and current girlfriend.

Sawkill Girls by Claire Legrand (YA)

Three girls who shouldn’t have a reason to team up together against an ancient evil. The new girl, the pariah, and the queen bee who’s been helping the evil all along. I have reread this book easy a dozen times.

Throwaway Girls by Andrea Contos (YA)

When a girl goes searching for her missing best friend, she finds a trail of other missing girls and battles with heartbreak after her girlfriend leaves her for California.

Wilder Girls by Rory Power (YA)

Quarantined at her girl’s school after a gruseome Tox breaks out, a girl must find what happened to her best friend who’s gone missing

Historical

Great or Nothing by Joy McCullough, Caroline Tung Richmond, Tess Sharpe, and Jessica Spotswood (YA)

The queer Little Women retelling we all deserve with a SAPPHIC JO! Set in 1942. Beth’s POV still haunts my heart

A Great and Terrible Beauty by Libba Bray (YA)

Two of the major supporting characters are WLW. This becomes more important and on the page in the later books in this series, but this is the first one.

Music from Another World by Robin Talley (YA)

1970s California. Two girls become penpals and bond over music.

The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid (Adult)

Hollywood icon Evelyn Hugo famously had seven husbands. This is the story of her wife.

[theboarsbride]

Faerie Book Recommendations🧚✨📚

So reading Sarah J Maas and her very, very shitty interpretation and (under)utilization of fae lore is inspiring me to create a personal list of books I've read that I feel like have like... ACTUAL faeries and folklore in them (not the normal-looking-hot-folks-with-pointy-ears-and-MAYBE-wings brand of faerie SJM popularized), and are actually worth your time

And if you've any books, stories, comics, etc. that you'd want to add to this list, feel free to add them in the comments, reblogs, tags, or my DMs!!

House of Hollow by Krystal Sutherland

Very eerie fairytale vibes that center on the aftermath of the disappearance, and even more mysterious return, of three sisters when one of them goes missing again almost 10 years later. And also the writing is legit just B E A U T I F U L!!!

Emily Wilde's Encyclopedia of Faeries by Heather Fawcett

This is chock-full of classical faeries and folklore, and almost reads like a textbook about them since this is about a woman, the titular Emily Wilde, traveling to a Scandinavian country to complete her own encyclopedia about the fair-folk. It also features some lowkey cottagecore vibes and an academic rivals-to-lovers romance!

Gilded (Gilded #1) by Marissa Meyer

A retelling of Rumpelstiltskin that reads like its own dark Grimm's fairytale, and it's as eerie and grim as a YA fantasy novel can get. It also centers on themes of telling stories and folktales since the main character, Serilda, is infamous for spinning wild tales - which is what leads to her encounter with the famed, and feared, Earlking (who, as a villain, is so sinister and creepy - and utterly FAE!). Personally, this book wasn't really my cup of tea and I'm unsure if I'll read the sequel, Cursed, however it still has some classic fae vibes that SJM's work lacks, so it deserves a place on this list!

The Changeling by Victor LaValle

I'm using the term 'faerie' very loosely here, as the idea of changelings (and trolls), for me, is more of a narrative device to help us look into grief in fatherhood. But there is still a very strange, vaguely Pans Labyrinth-esque urban fantasy vibe playing in the background throughout!

Slewfoot: A Tale of Bewitchery by Brom

Not necessarily FAERIES but more of mischievous and distrustful woodland folk - and also forest gods. Very heavily steeped in early colonial America era folk horror vibes... if you love media like Robert Eggers' The VVitch then you will ADORE this book! Also Brom's accompanying artwork is so, so beautiful! This is honestly such a perfect fall-time read once Halloween season rolls around.

Legendborn Cycle series by Tracy Deonn

Ok no faeries but... mixes classic Arthurian legends with southern Black beliefs while also telling an epic urban fantasy story centering on themes of grief, trauma, and prejudice. So no fae, but LOTS of great urban fantasy vibes (which I mean... if you're looking for more series to put on your shelf instead of Harry Potter......) Just... Please... just... this series... it's so GOOD!! IDK what else to add that hasn't been said about this series!

Direwood by Catherine Yu

Once again, not necessarily faeries in this book but instead vampires that have a very fae-like quality about them! (as well as blood-hungry butterflies and caterpillars hee-hee) The story as a whole feels like a whimsical fever dream that is STEEPED in tasty Gothic vibes! It sort of has the feeling of being in a late '90s/early '00s Goth music video.

Like Falling Stars by Avalon Roselin (@roselin-books-official)

A story about a girl who's forgotten her past and comes to develop a sweet friendship with a brooding ice faerie prince, and is brimming with so many cozy fantasy vibes!! Also all the fae characters in this novel are so colorful and lively, and they're all very heavily tied to elements and the seasons. Also ALSO!! The main relationship focuses primarily on platonic love as opposed to romantic, and is just as endearing! A perfect cozy winter/fall-time read.

Netvor: A Retelling of Beauty and the Beast by @rosesnwater

Both a completed novel and an in-progress webcomic available to read on Tapas and Webtoons. Again, another story where major themes center on storytelling and fairytales, but also recovering from trauma and grief! There are so, so many classic faerie vibes, and even featuring pinnacle figures from classic fae lore like the Goblin Market, and it manages to feel equal parts nostalgic and unique in its use of faerie lore!

Dandies in Danger podcast by @dandiesindanger

A table-top RPG podcast instead of a novel! It features four queer men that are dragged into a world of fae and horror, all while set against the backdrop of Regency era London. It starts as a VERY eerie fae mystery (featuring figures like Titania and Oberon), but it slowly becomes a dark, horror historical-fantasy, and it's great! Also art by the podcast's creators is so good!

So these are the recs I have to offer for now!! As always, feel free to add more recommendations!!!💛

[authorhjk1]

Hi for the dec special I’d like to request for a Yoona, Irene and Krystal piece the plot revolves around reader’s heartbreaking Christmas because of their ex cheating, feeling lost and hurt reader goes to a cafè recommended by a friend to drink some good hot chocolate to help relieve the pain (kinda) upon reaching there reader sees a table with 3 gorgeous women sitting and chatting but due to the place being full on a busy Christmas day, reader asks them if they can occupy the vacant seat to which they oblige as reader takes their seat they can’t help but be mesmerized by the three gorgeous ladies sitting around the table. Reader ends up chatting with them and sharing stories to get to know each other better, reader couldn’t help but also share the break up between them and their ex to which the three women felt bad for reader since it happened on such a happy day. It is then when the three of them thought of a perfect idea for reader to forget their ex once and for all.

Sorry if I took an inspirstion from your snsd series but it felt really suitable since the theme of christmas really goes hand in hand with the plot somehow. Hoping this makes the cut.

Tysm

Another Yoona request. Nice, interesting plot.

No problem at all, happy to hear you got your inspiration from some of my work.

[homesickfornowhere]

Recent books that I’ve read and would recommend🖤

Under The Blade by Matt Serafini. A really interesting twist on the slasher genre. Starts as a classic 90s slasher film, but has a fresh storyline and tons of twists.

Seed by Ania Ahlborn. An interesting take on demonic possession with a gut punching ending. Very creepy and bleak.

The Cotton Candy Massacre by Christopher Robertson. This book was SO much fun to read, and I would recommend it to anyone who loves horror and 80s slasher films. Gory, brutal, and a little bit cheesy in the best way.

House of Hollow by Krystal Sutherland. A bizarre and creepy little book that reads like a dark fairy tale. Great ending.

What Lies Between Us by John Marrs. Unhinged and twisted, but a page turner. Takes toxic, dysfunctional mother-daughter relationships to another level.

The Vessel by Adam Nevill. A creepy, slow-burn folk horror with a great ending. This was a quick read and I finished it in one sitting.

The Good Lie by A.R. Torre. I finished this in one day. A great mystery/crime thriller, and I enjoyed the main characters.

Smoke Gets in Your Eyes & Other Lessons from the Crematory by Caitlin Doughty. An interesting read and gives a different perspective on death.

[fletcheraccounting]

I love fred.

Fred, from an outside view, would appear to be the perfect candadate to be an angry, isolated young man in soul-crushing corporate job, holding much resentment towards bosses, women, high-school bullies, etc. On the surface, he seems to be the perfect person to send on a murder spree.

Fred was turned into a vampire violently, created for violence.

This man is constantly assumed to be an angry, spiteful and vengeful from so many people in his life.

There, lays the inherent flaw.

Fred is not violent.

He is gentle, kind, selfless. He gets sick at the thought of violence. He couldn't have been a worse choice.

His inherent kindness is so completey underestimated in a world built on physical intimidation and brute power, that everyone he's met in his afterlife are consistently blindsided it.

Krystal, after a violent death and violent reanimation, struggles to look past the devil trapped inside. Her determination to not be defined by it forces her into a controlling relationship under the guise of love that ends with his infidelity.

She gets engulfed by her job. Krystal's problems are stuffed under the rug. After all, there's always bigger fish to fry with the Agency.

Krystal is hard to kill and an absolute menace. She's the one sent in for the big problems, and she's always the only one left standing. For well over a year, she is nothing but a killing machine, in her own eyes and those around her.

This is where she is reunited with a high-school friend on a job.

After he helps with an incident with high-school-bullies-turned-werewolves, she finds out Fred is a vampire. The opportunity for intimacy with someone who knows the secrecy of her job entails is too good to pass up.

Their relationship evolves so beautifully from there. Fred is encouraged to take more risk and is rewarded with love and a family whom he could have never dreamed of.

Krystal receives an appreciation for the quiet moments and, for the first time, has someone to come home to.

Her life is full of excitement, adventure, and danger. Fred is the first person to offer her true kindness and acceptance.

And I think that's beautiful.

[bookshelvesandtealeaves]

✨ BOOK REVIEW ✨

The Invocations by Krystal Sutherland

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

The candle pictured is from Book of the Wick and you can use SHELVES10 to save! And there’s still a week left to preorder advent calendars!

[instagram]

Ahhh this book was freaking incredible!!!

I was hooked right from the start. It’s dark and mysterious and honestly the perfect read for Halloween season.

The witchcraft was fascinating and morbid. The villain was intriguing. Everything about the plot was exciting and engaging. I did NOT see the plot twist coming at all.

I loved all our main characters. They were all so different from each other, brought together purely by chance, a sequence of coincidences. But they all just worked so well together, they all had something different to offer. They each brought their own side plots which just added to the overall story, too.

I really loved Bael, the demon? It was just…such an unexpected lovely character.

The romance was lovely. It doesn’t at any point over-shadow the rest of the story. It’s subtle, nestled into the quieter moments, and the way it ended had me smiling so much. After all these girls went through, they definitely deserved a chance at a happy ending.

I absolutely recommend this one.

(I do have to ask though, zero criticism of the book, but why is US spelling used in a book by an Australian author set in London????)