#liz reads song of achilles

[ropebunnykant]

dude the most famous passage in this book being in the section right after patroclus finds out achilles cheated….

[terrainofheartfelt]

Okay yup yes Madeline Miller absolutely lives up to the tumblr hype

[battyaboutbooksreviews]

🇺🇸 What to Read After Watching Red, White, and Royal Blue 🇬🇧

🇺🇸 What to Read After Watching Red, White, and Royal Blue 🇬🇧

❤️ Have you watched the complete cuteness that is Red, White, and Royal Blue (based on the book by @casey.mcquiston) yet? If you haven't, this is your sign to make some popcorn, cozy up on the couch, and enjoy!

💙 If you HAVE watched it and want to keep the cute vibes thriving, here are a few books to consider adding to your TBR if you loved Red, White, and Royal Blue!

🇺🇸 American Royalty by Tracey Livesay 🇬🇧 Boyfriend Material by Alexis Hall 🇺🇸 Battle Royal by Lucy Parker 🇬🇧 American Royals by Katherine McGee 🇺🇸 The Charm Offensive by Alison Cochrun 🇬🇧 Everything for You by Chloe Liese 🇺🇸 If This Gets Out by Sophie Gonzales & Cale Dietrich 🇬🇧 They Hate Each Other by Amanda Woody 🇺🇸 Meet You in the Middle by Devon Daniels 🇬🇧 Playing the Palace by Paul Rudnick 🇺🇸 Love, Hate & Clickbait by Liz Bowery 🇬🇧 Her Royal Highness by Rachel Hawkins 🇺🇸 The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller 🇬🇧 The Gentleman’s Guide to Vice and Virtue by Mackenzi Lee

[princess-of-the-worlds]

9 People You’d Like to Get to Know Better

tagged by @burglarhobbit! thank you so much liz!!!

last song I listened to: achilles come down by gangs of youth, courtesy of... a star wars playlist lol

currently reading: fic! the last book i read was the star wars prequels novelization two weeks ago.

currently watching: speed-round binge of star wars: rebels in time for the ahsoka premiere!

current obsession: uhhhhhh, star wars???

tagging @insane-ohwhyfandoms, @flight-of-fantasy, @monstermince, and open tag to anyone who would be interested in doing this?

[overflowing-with-hyperfixations]

Book recs: (these are all fantasy it’s all I read 👍)

the language of ghosts- heather fawcett

the rose legacy trilogy- jessica day george

the lost dreamer- Liz Huerta

blood like magic duology- Liselle sambury

book of a thousand days- Shannon hale

goose girl- Shannon hale

the song of Achilles- madeleine miller

Lore- Alexandra bracken

the mighty heart of sunny st James (realistic fiction but lesbians so..) - Ashley herring Blake

I was born for this (also not fantasy but it’s my favourite book)- Alice oseman

Have a nice day and if you want more info on any of these I’ll be happy to supply!

ACH THANK YOU I NEEDED THIS

[moncoeurappelletonnom]

Books I Read In 2022

The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller

All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr

The Other Black Girl by Zakiya Dalila Harris

Loveless by Alice Oseman

The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho

History Is All You Left Me by Adam Silvera

Red, White & Royal Blue by Casey McQuinston

The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton

Normal People by Sally Rooney

It All Comes Back to You by Farah Naz Rishi

Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens

So Many Beginnings: A Little Women Remix by Bethany C. Morrow

The Secret History by Donna Tartt

A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder by Holly Jackson

Sula by Toni Morrison

Almost There by Farrah Rochon

Good Girl, Bad Blood by Holly Jackson

As Good as Dead by Holly Jackson

Book Lovers by Emily Henry

The First to Die at the End by Adam Silvera

Five Survive by Holly Jackson

What Once Was Mine by Liz Braswell

Better Than the Movies by Lynn Painter

You’ve Reached Sam by Dustin Thao

My favorite was The Song of Achilles. I read it in the beginning of this year and am planning to read it in the beginning of next year as well. I also loved It All Comes Back to You, The First to Die at the End, Almost There and Loveless. What Once Was Mine, Book Lovers, A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder series, and Where the Crawdads Sing were some that I really liked as well.

[wickedwitchoftheemidwest]

Happy New Year, everybody! I know that Literally no one cares or will read this, but I have to rate and talk about what I’ve read this year and this is my page, so deal with it.

2020 may have been a dumpster fire of a year, but I did read so me pretty good books. I didn’t get to read as many books as I wanted (like always), but that’s life. If you couldn’t tell, I do have a preference for romance novels, and these selections are very... 🌈 and I wouldn’t have it any other way.

Here we go:

- Lies we Tell Ourselves by Robin Talley (4/10)

- I think I could write a dissertation about why I have a problem with this book, but I think I can just stop with “a white lady writing an interracial queer romance in the 1960s where the lead white character is literally a racist” should about cover it. Absolutely disappointed.

- Red, White, and Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston (10/10)

- Oh my god does Casey McQuiston know how to write a book. Classic enemies to lovers, my favorite trope. This is my comfort novel that I use as a form of escapism, and probably the reason I didn’t read many new books, as I reread it about five times. It’s my comfort novel, and I come back to it every time I need to feel happy. I’ve made three of my friends read this book, and I recommend it to everyone

- These Witches Don’t Burn by Isabel Sterling (8/10)

- It’s sapphic, it has witches, and it’s adorable; what more could you possibly want? The ending left me wanting more. I was finally able to buy the sequel and I can’t wait to get into it.

- Boy Meets Boy by David Levithan (7/10)

- I think this book is sort of a classic when it comes to gay YA. This was a pretty good book, but it took me awhile to get into it.

- Her Royal Highness by Rachel Hawkins (9/10)

- What did I say about enemies to lovers? HRH was regarded as sapphic Red, White, and Royal Blue, which I think is all you need to know to be interested. This book and short, sweet, and to the point. It’s an easy read (I read it twice, both times in one day). I think there could’ve been some more character building, but it’s so adorable I literally do not care. When I say I want more cute gay romcoms, they should use HRH as the blueprint.

- It’s Not Like It’s a Secret by Misa Sugiura (7/10)

- A cute, interracial sapphic love story where no white people are involved (the main character is Japanese American and her love interest is Mexican American). This coming of age story deals with acceptance, cultural differences, racism, and coming out. I think some of the points it was trying to delve into were too much on the nose at some times, but I really enjoyed this book.

- The Gentleman’s Guide to Vice and Virtue and The Lady’s Guide to Petticoats and Piracy by Mackenzi Lee (9/10)

- A fun romp set some time in the 1700s with a chaotic bi as the main lead? Count me in! I read this whole series this year, including the novella (the gentleman’s guide to getting lucky), and I loved every second of it. It’s an adventure series with some romance sprinkled in (a hella slow burn, but definitely worth it). The whole series has gay, bi, lesbian, and ace aro representation, and I was in love the entire time.

- You Should See Me in a Crown by Leah Johnson (8/10)

- The black sapphic book I needed. Liz Lighty decides she wants to leave her hometown and go to college, but after losing the financial aid she was counting on, she remembers the scholarship that prom queen gets every year, and decides to run. Sprinkle in a cute love story, and I’m hooked.

- The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller (10/10)

- I... cannot put into words how this book made me feel. When I finished TSOA, I cried all night trying to recover. Beautifully written, and I still can’t get over Achilles and Patroclus. One of my favorite books this year.

- Sorry Not Sorry by Naya Rivera

- After Naya’s tragic passing in July, I struggled to find her autobiography anywhere. However, I was finally able to get my hands on it, and am so glad that I did. Naya Rivera was just as genuinely funny and carefree as her previous costars have said, and I wish the world could’ve gotten more of her.

Not pictured:

- Of Fire and Stars by Audrey Coulthurst (9/10)

- Sapphic love story about a princess who has been betrothed to a prince from a nearby country her whole life who instead falls in love with his sister. The main character, Denna, also possesses magical powers, which is forbidden in their land. One of my favorite things about this book is that it’s set in medieval times, but no one cares about queer relationships. The only problem with Denna falling in love with the princess is that she’s betrothed to her brother and nothing else. I recently bought the sequel to this book as well, and I’m excited to read it

- The After Series (books 1-2) by Anna Todd (-400/10)

- I was curious about this series because of how terrible the movies are, and needed to read them myself. I apologize to myself every day that I every even wasted my time on these two books. If I ever see Anna Todd, it’s on sight immediately. Not only is the writing terrible, but the romanticization of abusive relationships is absolutely unacceptable. I think I could take less issue with these books if the author wrote them as a “what to look for in men you should never date” rule book, but it isn’t. I could actually write an essay on why these books are more harmful than entertaining and how I genuinely think this series should have never been published. Also, Harry Styles did not deserve this.

I also discovered WEBTOON this year, and here are some of my favorites that I have read:

- Always Human by creator walkingnorth, a finished WLW story which was absolutely beautiful to look at and delightful to read.

- Lore Olympus by creator Rachel Smythe. I don’t think you can find too many people who haven’t heard of this story, but it’s a retelling of the Hades and Persephone mythology, and I adore it.

- Novae by creators KaixJu. A historical, queer and paranormal romance about a necromancer who falls for an astronomer.

- My Lady Artemisia by creator rimarza. This WEBTOON is a little bit newer with fewer episodes, about a knight tasked with guarding the princess, which starts to prove difficult once she starts to gain feelings for the princess, and an impending threat might cause her to past to come to the surface.

Of course, I’ve also spent a lot of my time on A03. I know I’ve read more, but here are the ones I bookmarked and have come back to this year:

- kiss me (if you mean it) by nerdybutpunk

- Carry On fanfic, short but sweet, absolute fluff

- Camp Llwynywermod by bleedingballroomfloor

- Red, White, and Royal Blue AUwhere Henry and Alex are camp counselors. It’s so good and I find myself waiting every wed and sat for the updates.

I read more this year than I have in a long time, and I enjoyed it most of the time. My goal for 2021 is to read at least two books a month and to expand my horizons to something that isn’t YA and isn’t romance. Also to find Anna Todd and tell her off. Hopefully we can accomplish some of that.

[rk-xin]

ok so not tnotg related but what is your favorite book? and/or do you have any book recs for us? i find authors and writers tend to read a lot and usually have some good recommendations (i just finished They Both Die At The End and had to read your drabble to cheer myself up and stop me from sobbing all night)

BOY DO I !!! I ONLY HAVE SO MANY (I read they both die too and nearly cried. I get you.)

keep in mind that all of these recs are pretty romance-based lol. sorry <3

also, don't be afraid to ask me non-tnotg related questions lol. I'm here for everythin!

the love interest - cale dietrich

the friend scheme - cale dietrich

if this gets out - cale dietrich (yeah I really like him lmao)

heartstopper (comic!) - alice oseman

the flatshare - beth o'leary

the poppy war (series) - r. f. kuang

red, white & royal blue - casey mcquiston

carry on (series) - rainbow rowell

fangirl - rainbow rowell

aristotle and dante discover the secrets of the universe - benjamin alire saenz

the song of achilles - madeline miller

cinderella is dead - kalynn bayron

all for the game (series) - nora sakavic

aurora rising (series) - amie kaufman & jay kristoff

good omens - neil gaiman & terry pratchett

delirium (series) - lauren oliver

reflection - elizabeth lim

what once was mine - liz braswell

[ropebunnykant]

please patroclus kissing achilles to show the girl that she’s safe is so funny but also so sweet

[ijustkindalikebooks]

I can't believe we're now at the end of April.

How did that happen?

Anyway, I don't know why but most the books I really liked this past month are quite short reads and if you can make something this good in such a short amount of pages, I think that's a good sign from an author.

Here are my favourite books for April! Let me know what your favourite books were in the replies, I love to hear what you've been reading too!

The Agathas by Liz Lawson and Kathleen Glasgow - I was lucky enough to receive a copy of this book thanks to Netgalley and I'm so glad I did. A fantastic YA mystery that follows two girls as they try to figure how a girl was murdered who attended their school (and was friends with one of them!) it has incredible twists and turns with characters that you grow to care about and get mad at also a little bit. I loved reading this book and I hope you do too.

Galatea by Madeleine Miller - A short story from the writer of 'A Song Of Achilles' and 'Circe' I knew to expect great things, and what an incredible 32 pages this little book has. A twist on a greek myth, Galatea is a statue brought to life by an awful and these are the consequences of said man's actions. Made me furious, made me sad, made me think good for her, Galatea is a literary treat.

The Griffin Gate by Vashti Hardy - This book is about seventy pages along and a middle grade, but the adventure you go on in such a short amount of pages is incredible and I loved every minute of this book. The story of a young girl born into a family of rescuers, she gets caught up in her own when she trapped in a village where her family has been called for a rescue. A fantastic first book in a series, I can't wait to read more of these.

Five Little Pigs by Agatha Christie - I'm getting closer to the end of the Poirot books by Christie, and this is definitely one of my favourites from the thirty or so books I've read by her so far. Poirot returns to a closed case of the murder of Artist Amyas Crale who was supposedly killed by his wife Caroline, however she sends a letter to her daughter saying she didn't do it, is she lying or is she telling the truth? Honestly I felt absolutely deceived at the end of this book and I bloody loved it.

The Bear In The Stars by Alexis Snell - A picture book that is beautifully illustrated throughout, this story is a parable about the tragedies of climate change, but also a really bittersweet tale about a bear slowly losing his home and trying to find a new one. I was in tears over this book and it's for children, and I don't know what that says about my brain chemistry, but it is a beautiful book (and I also technically read this March but I didn't anticipate hoow good this book would be, smh).

Have you read any of these? Do you want to read any of these? I'd love to hear your thoughts.

I hope your May is gonna be a good one.

Vee xo.

(Also please if you can donate, donate to the DEC Appeal for Ukraine here).

[whatwouldmickeydo]

Tagged by my favoritest soul twin @pink--and--white (even if our views on breakfast foods might tear us apart 💔) and fellow Dragon Age lover @chokey-mickey on my main 😘😘😘

Favourite colour : turquoise

Currently Reading: Song of Achilles

Last song: Rescue my Heart by Liz Longley

Last movie: Princess Mononoke

Last show: Atypical

Sweet, Spicy or Savoury: Savoury all the wayyy, I will absolutely devour any and all savoury snacks

Craving: a mint chocolate chip milkshake (I just bought bananas so I could technically make one out of frozen bananas and chocolate chips and mint extract…)

Tagging @unbridgeabledistances @udontfuckangie @messedwithmandy @mickeyssleevelessflannel @howlinchickhowl

[chibifatou]

7, 38, and 79 💙

hi liz!! thank u for sending😙

7.a book you did not finish

the wise man’s fear but not because i didn’t not like it but because i dont know when the author will publish the next book so i want to have something to read:.) (the book was published in 2011 and we still dont know when he will update the series rip)

38.your favourite series

that’s a hard one omg i will pick two because i cant decide. the raven cycle and six of crows

79.a book that reminds you of your favorite song

this is such a cool question, i have never thought about it:+) my favorite song is the night we met and it reminds me of the song of achiles

[aceademic]

Hey, it's Chloe S. again! I think I'll start going by Elizabeth (my shifting name) because parents, if ya know what I mean. I finished my first slam poem, and to be honest I have no idea whether it is good or not 😭😭😭, but I might send it later. I am actually a write and I've been working on a harry potter fic, basically a "what if draco malfoy had a twin sister" and I'm already on my 'third book'. It's about 110,000 fics long. one sec, i'll continue on the next ask

hi liz :))

i've never really been able to write a fic (have considered it, but i doubt i could actually go through with it) but i like writing original fiction! not that i've written anything in months lol, but i do like to. if i had any ideas tho i'd probably not be in this slump

i haven't read they both die at the end, but i did read the song of achilles and i absolutely loved it!! its honestly incredible, defiantly somewhere in my favourite books list (also unrelated, but i like that its one book. i love series, but sometimes i just don’t wanna commit to reading the whole thing)

also, i can't really answer your question. mainly because i'm not in college, so i have no way of knowing. i'm not sure why people on here assume i am lmao

[lovecolibri]

SaL anon here and just because we're feeling hope doesn't mean we can't cry about it, so let's talk about Eight. I've been saving this, it's in the top five, and that's because I love that through the perfect synch of music and lyrics (another perfect Malex match) Ryan details an entire journey of a relationship from suspicion to intimacy. Malex have always been closed off but now is the time for them to go from "I won't let you in" to "heres a map, here's a shovel, here's my Achilles heel".

"just because we're feeling hope doesn't mean we can't cry about it" is SUCH a fandom mood, and especially perfect for Malex! I'm glad you saved this one and are bringing it out now just before we find out more and what we know is going to change. This song....whooo boy this song is so Malex it hurts. I was really getting a lot of Alex vibes in this song but I think that's because he's more closed off from the audiences POV, where as we got to see a little more of Michael's vulnerable moments when he was alone (after Alex rebuffs him, or he finds out about Sanders trying to foster/adopt him etc) but Michael is still pretty closed off towards other people so this really is such a good fit for both of them. I hope everyone (read: you and me) are ready for a feels trip!

i remember the minute. it was like a switch was flipped- i was just a kid who grew up strong enough to pick this armor up and suddenly it fit. God, that was so long ago, long ago, long ago... i was little, i was weak, perfectly naïve and i grew up too quick.

Uuuuuugh, it is crying about baby Alex and Michael hours right off the bat here! Just thinking about them having to grow up too quickly, but also how they fought, and picked up the armor they needed to protect themselves as best they could in order to survive (oh but babies, it is time to lay that armor down!). Also thinking about how the show has Liz talking about armor and how that fits with Michael and Alex gearing up and trading barbs with each other over the past 10 or so years. Also think about that quote from GoT (forgive me but we can't talk about armor and NOT talk about this quote 🤷‍♀️) "Never forget what you are, the rest of the world will not. Wear it like armor and it can never be used to hurt you". But the thing about all that armor, is it makes it very difficult to let people in. Which not only served, but likely saved Alex and Michael in the past but it's a coping mechanism that is no longer helpful and is actually hindering their growth at this point.

now you won’t see all that i have to lose and all i've lost in the fight to protect it. i won’t let you in. i swore never again- i can't afford, no, i refuse to be rejected.

Oof oof oof. This hits me right in the Alex feels and him leaving Michael behind to protect him and to protect himself. But also in the Michael feels and how after all these years of crashing together and breaking apart he was tired of feeling rejected over and over again and feeling like he was never enough. And also also in the Malex feels and how they were just starting to open up to each other on a deeper level when Jesse Manes happened, and Rosa happened and they both closed themselves off again.

i want to break these bones 'til they're better. i want to break them right and feel alive. you were wrong, you were wrong, you were wrong- my healing needed more than time. when i see fragile things, helpless things, broken things, i see the familiar. i was little, i was weak, i was perfect too, now i’m a broken mirror.

This song is...a lot. That first bit about breaking bones fits with Michael and his hand and the forced healing he got from Max (pleeeease say we are addressing that this season!), and the second part about needing more than just time to heal is so on point for both Michael and Alex about both their external and internal injuries. And I love how that second part of this section brings back the "i was little, i was weak" from before, but makes a point to change "perfectly naïve" to "i was perfect too" because being little, and "weak" isn't a bad thing for a child to be, but now so much has changed for both of them, both seeing more broken parts in mirror. I'm also thinking about Alex seeing Michael as a teen and immediately seeing something familiar, a kindred spirit. Aaaaaand now I'm crying again.

but i can't let you see all that i have to lose, all i’ve lost in the fight to protect it. i can't let you in- i swore never again. i can't afford to let myself be blindsided. i'm standing guard, i'm falling apart and all i want is to trust you. show me how to lay my sword down for long enough to let you through.

Just thinking about Michael being so shocked to see Alex in the pilot episode, and Alex telling Kyle he can't just to into a conversation with Michael blind and how hard they have been fighting to protect themselves from getting hurt again. AND THEN, Ryan hits us with the exact thing we are all trying to manifest for season 3: Malex wanting to trust each other, and learning to lay down their armor and let each other in.

here i am, pry me open. what do you want to know? i’m just a kid who grew up scared enough to hold the door shut and bury my innocence. but here's a map, here's a shovel, here’s my achilles' heel. i’m all in, palms out, i’m at your mercy now and i'm ready to begin. i am strong, i am strong, i am strong enough to let you in.

The hits just keep coming! This first bit makes me think of Michael saying "Do you want to know who I am? Or do you want to know what I am?" And it continues to be crying about baby Michael and Alex hours, thinking about them hiding and being scared and burying those softer parts of themselves. And again, the wish for season 3: the two of them being open to love even if it means getting hurt. "If anyone is going to destroy me, it might as well be you."

i’ll shake the ground with all my might, i will pull my whole heart up to the surface. for the innocent, for the vulnerable, i'll show up on the front lines with a purpose. and i’ll give all i have, i'll give my blood, i'll give my sweat- an ocean of tears will spill for what is broken. i’m shattered porcelain, glued back together again, invincible like i've never been.

This verse gets me in my Alex feels in particular with the talk of having to reveal his long-buried heart, but also with fighting for the innocent and vulnerable (not just his service, but also offering Michael a place to stay), and being on the front lines, giving his all. But the last line, that is what I'm looking forward to this season. The two of them have been so broken, but they are putting themselves back together, and when Malex finally learns to trust each other, and let each other in, when they become a team, they are going to be invincible.

[dwellordream]

Your writing style is so beautiful, I'd absolutely love to read any fanfic/literature favorites you have!

I’ve done fic reccs before, so I’ll recommend some original literature this time instead: I recently read Wolf Hall by Hilary Mantel and I can’t wait to read the rest of her Cromwell trilogy. It might not sound very interesting at first glance, especially if you’re not into history, but I think her writing really brings Thomas Cromwell to life and there is some amazing dialogue and descriptions in the book. It’s not dry or boring at all. Basically it’s an account of the early years of Cromwell’s time as an advisor to Henry VIII, and the end of his marriage to Catherine of Aragon, and his marriage to Anne Boleyn, etc. It’s a great example of a ‘morally grey’, recklessly ambitious, calculating protagonist who is still very easy to sympathize with and root for.  “Some of these things are true and some of them lies. But they are all good stories.” “The trouble with England, he thinks, is that it's so poor in gesture. We shall have to develop a hand signal for ‘Back off, our prince is fucking this man's daughter.’ He is surprised that the Italians have not done it. Though perhaps they have, and he just never caught on.” “Men say," Liz reaches for her scissors, "'I can't endure it when women cry'--just as people say, 'I can't endure this wet weather.' As if it were nothing to do with the men at all, the crying. Just one of those things that happen.” Other books I’d recommend would be: Uprooted and Spinning Silver by Naomi Novik (fantasy/fairy tale retellings set in an alternative Eastern Europe), Circe & The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller (retellings of Greek myths), The Priory of the Orange Tree by Samantha Shannon (high fantasy with dragons and a lot of worldbuilding, most of the characters are female and poc, lesbian romance), On Chesil Beach by Ian McEwan (romance/drama set in 1950s England, social commentary on sex and class differences), The God of Small Things by Arundhati Roy (drama/romance/tragedy, social commentary on castes and sex, set in 1960s India), The Bloody Chamber and Other Tales by Angela Carter (gothic horror, very lush descriptions, retellings of old fairy tales), Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel (’soft’ post apocalypse, focus on family and platonic love in the face of brutal and violent world), Once Upon a River by Diane Setterfield (fable-esque, set along the River Thames, historical fiction with a bit of fantasy added in, focuses on ‘common’ people at a riverside inn/tavern), The Immortalists by Chloe Benjamin (mystery/drama focused on one set of siblings and how their lives pan out after they learn the date of their deaths from a fortune teller as children), The Water Knife by Paolo Bacigalupi (sci fi/thriller, set in a dystopian/vaguely cyberpunk America where water is a scarcity and the world is slowly crumbling), and Deathless by Catherynne M. Valente (dark fantasy/gothic romance/retelling of the Russian myth of Koschei the Deathless). 

[positively-liz]

Hey Liz! How are you? Also, what book are you currently reading? (I'm kinda bored and I wanted to Talk To Someone, hope you don't mind)

Zeph!!!! aaah hi! I never ever EVER mind! how’s it going?? did you remember to drink water today?

im doing okay! I just finished reading Instant Karma (by Marissa Meyer), it was super cute!

I cant decide if I want to read Song of Achilles or The Queen’s Assassin next. Got any suggestions?