#save me good romantasy save me

[andorerso]

sissi i totally agree with you about the current state of romantasy books! i love a classic fantasy book, where romance is much more of a subplot. but sometimes i'm really craving a romance forward fantasy, but actually finding a good one nowadays is abysmal. i know it's partially a personal taste thing, but there is so much insta-love/attraction in romantasy books and i'm like where is the yearning! where is the pining! there's no build up of tension and it's such a bummer. and then also the plot is usually completely thrown out the window to focus on the romance. which i get romantasy is meant to be romance heavy, but i would like a little plot please 😭

no, honestly!! there is literally NO plot, it's just romance in a fantasy setting. except even romance books should have a plot, so it's just vibes and vague worldbuilding with some magical elements. that's it. everyone is super hot and extra badass and they're the most in love to ever be in love. YAWN

and it's a fucking shame because on paper, I should love romantasy. I like fantasy books, and I like it when they're romance-heavy (not the main or sole focus, but I don't mind if it's a large part of it) but the romance should be GOOD! ugh it makes me so mad/sad because I wanna like romantasy so bad!! I just can't 😔

(side note: if you have any romantasy books that are good, please let me know!! I'll gladly take some recs from anyone <3)

[cressidagrey]

The Queen of Romantasy and the Race Car Prince - Chapter 5

Pairing: Lando Norris x Elizabeth "Lizzie" Treshton (Original Character)

Summary:

Elizabeth Treshton—bestselling romantasy author, queen of fae heartbreak, and sworn devotee of a carefully structured routine—never expected her service dog to abandon protocol and diagnose a Formula 1 driver with something. But that’s exactly what happens when Mara the wonder-dog ditches Lizzie’s side to aggressively alert to none other than Lando Norris in the middle of a coffee shop.

Warnings and Notes: 

Mention of epilepsy, seizures, memory loss, hospitals and service animals. I don't myself suffer from epilepsy, so I asked my IRL friend, who thankfully was nice enough to let me ask her all the questions I could come up with. The rest I asked Reddit. So everything that's wrong...that's totally my fault and not on purpose.

As always big thanks to @llirawolf , who listens to me ramble

Lando woke up feeling like absolute shit.

His head was pounding, his mouth was drier than the desert, and judging by the fact that he’s still half-dressed and tangled in a celebratory McLaren flag, last night must have been good.

He groaned, scrubbing his hands over his face. He remembered fragments of the night before - flashes of bright lights, loud music, and way too much drinking.

He had won.

Lando Norris was a Formula 1 Grand Prix Winner.

He had been nearly drowned in champagne by Max Verstappen and Charles Leclerc.

He had won the 2024 Miami Grandprix.

Lando let out a sigh and gingerly pushed himself up into a sitting position, clutching his head as a sharp pain shot through his temples.

He fumbled for his phone, cringing at the notifications that had piled up overnight. Messages from friends, family, and the racing world congratulating him on his victory.

He blinked blearily at his phone.

Too early. Too bright. Too… too.

But there’s one thing he needs to do before he even considers getting up.

He scrolled through his notifications, heart sinking when he still doesn’t see Lizzie’s name.

But there’s nothing.

His fingers fumble as he types out another message.

Lando: Hey, just checking in. Are you okay? You didn’t answer last night. I was a bit… not in the best state, but I was really hoping to hear from you.

Lando: I’m just worried. Is everything alright? I know I was probably being a bit much last night, but you can always just let me know if you need space or whatever. I just want to make sure you’re good.

Nothing.

Lando stared at his phone, the pit in his stomach growing deeper with each passing second. He didn't understand why Lizzie hadn't responded, and the not knowing was driving him crazy.

He groaned, running a hand down his face.

He tried calling. Straight to voicemail.

His stomach twists.

Lando didn't want to jump to conclusions, but he couldn't shake the feeling that something was off. Lizzie was usually pretty good about replying to his messages.

He tried texting again.

Lando: Look, I get it if you need time. I don’t want to come off too strong. I just feel like I should've heard from you by now, and I’m starting to panic a bit. Just a quick text would help me breathe for a second, you know?

Lando stared at his phone, watching the time tick by with agonizing slowness. He'd been awake for nearly an hour now, and Lizzie hadn't responded to any of his messages.

He tried calling again, only to be met with the same response - straight to voicemail...again.

And then his phone pinged.

Lizzie: Hi, this is Lizzie’s father. She’s in the hospital. Multiple seizures. She’s woken up a few times, but she’s not very responsive. I don’t know who you are, but judging by the way she’s saved your contact as ‘Lando Not Dying Yet Norris,’ I assume you’re important enough to be told.

Lando blinks. Stares. His hangover vanishes instantly.

She’s at the Royal Sussex Hospital. Thought I’d tell you in case you want to show up to visit her.

Lando feels like all the air has been sucked from the room.

Hospital. Seizures. Not responsive.

He doesn’t even realize he’s shaking until he fumbles trying to type back.

Lando: I—fuck. Is she okay? What happened?

Three little dots appear, then vanish. Then appear again.

Lizzie: She’s stable. But it was bad.

Lando pushes back the covers, already moving, already grabbing for his McLaren hoodie like that will somehow help him fix this.

He needs to be there.

Now.

His hands are unsteady as he opens his flight app. The next available flight back to London is in four hours.

Not soon enough.

Lando: I’m coming back to the UK. I’ll be there as soon as I can.

There’s no reply, but Lando doesn’t care. His heart is hammering, his mind racing, and there’s only one thing he knows for sure—

He has to get to Lizzie.

He…

There was a knock at the door.

Lando jumped, his already frayed nerves on edge. "Who is it?" he called out, his voice cracking slightly.

“It’s Oscar.”

Lando sagged with relief as he recognized the Australian accent drifting through the door. “Come in.”

The door creaked open and Oscar Piastri poked his head into the room. His eyes widened when he saw Lando’s harried expression. “Mate, you alright? You look like you’ve seen a ghost.”

Lando shook his head, feeling the tension in his shoulders tighten even more. "No, not alright. Lizzie’s in the hospital. Multiple seizures."

Oscar’s expression immediately darkened. "What the hell? Multiple seizures? How is she doing now?”

“Not good, apparently. Her dad said she’s stable, but she’s not very responsive. I’m flying back to London to see her.” Lando ran a hand through his disheveled hair, his heart still racing with worry.

“God damn.” Oscar stepped fully into the room, closing the door behind him. He studied Lando’s face for a moment, his eyes narrowing. “You’re a mess, mate. Have you eaten anything?”

Lando shook his head, the thought of food making his stomach churn. "No, I haven't even had a chance to think about food. I’m just freaking out, mate. I’ve never seen her have a seizure, let alone multiple seizures…She had one last week before we had dinner, but she seemed fine, just tired… I have no idea how bad it’s going to be. This is...this is so messed up."

Oscar nodded sympathetically, his expression still grave. "Go," he said simply. "I'll make your apologies to Zac and the team."

Lando nodded numbly, already moving to pack a bag. Oscar stopped him with a hand on his shoulder. "And mate? Try to keep calm. You won’t do Lizzie any good if you’re a wreck yourself."

Lando huffed out a breath. "I’ll try."

"Can you tell Max..." Lando trailed off. He had no idea what to even…

Oscar's expression softened. “I’ll tell Max. And the others. You just focus on getting to the hospital, alright?”

Lando nods, his throat suddenly feeling thick. "Yeah. Okay. Thanks, Oscar."

[leeldridgeauthor]

“I took the two ends and pulled them around her, twisting it the way I’d seen done.

“Is this too tight?” I asked when necessary. She always said no. It wrapped over her shoulders and around her middle, up between her breasts until I was satisfied. I then used the tie to her robe to bind her hands.

The ropes looked exquisite against her body. “How do you feel?” I asked.

“I’d always liked to be in control,” she said. “But allowing myself to let go with you makes me feel…free.”

I brought her lips to mine. “Good. I want to be that for you.”

I lifted her and brought her to the mirror I had in the corner. I turned her around, holding her hands above her head. “See how sexy you look?” I asked, needing her to see what I saw.

“I see how sexy you are,” she sassed.

I landed a hand on her aşş, and she yelped. “Seemed you needed a spanking.”

art by @cheesomancer

A Yulean Sisters Guide to Getting Married is a 𝓢𝓹𝓲𝓬𝔂, cozy, romantasy monster romance, available in Paperback, ebook, and KU!!

⚔️ fake engagement

⚔️ size difference

⚔️ swordplay as 𝐹𝑜𝓇𝑒𝓅𝓁𝒶𝓎

⚔️ 𝐵𝑜𝓃𝒹𝒶𝑔𝑒

⚔️ grumpy/grumpy

‧˚₊꒷꒦︶︶︶︶︶ 𝐵𝓁𝓊𝓇𝒷︶︶︶︶︶꒦꒷‧₊˚⊹

A fake engagement unites them…but is it enough to save them?


SORCHA

I’ve fought tooth and nail to enter the ranks of knighthood. I deserve to be there. But as a princess, the only place I’m allowed is the training yard.

That is until our enemy, Grand Clarak Zarios of Valcor, shows up with an opportunity to save the entire nation from someone in his court trying to dethrone him. It's just what I need to prove my worth.

The catch…I need to pretend to be his intended mate to do it. It begins to seem impossible, especially with new court rules to follow and a grumpy minotaur as a partner.

But this is my one chance, and I won’t let anything stand in my way.

ZARIOS

Everyday it feels as if all I’m doing is putting out fires. Between push back from my own people to traitors in my kingdom, it feels as though everyone is keen to see me fall.

It feels hopeless until I meet Sorcha Yulean, second in line for the throne. With her by my side, fake intended or not, I see the light at the end of the tunnel.

This is my last chance to save my kingdom, and my crown, nothing can get in the way.
Not even my budding feelings for the princess.

A Yulean Sister’s Guide to Getting Married is a fantasy monster romance between a stubborn princess who wishes to be a knight and a grumpy minotaur finding love in a fake arrangement. This book is a standalone and does not need to be read in order! This book is spicy, low-angst, with a well deserved HEA!

[hockeyspiral23]

... in rereading bits of FW while editing ttios, the amount of unhinged theories I am now coming up with are RIDICULOUS.

(Onyx Storm spoilers - a virtual fucking novel - below the cut)(has been edited since first posted)

In no particular order ...

Barlowe knowing accurate things about the feathertails at Threshing - like that the breed abhors violence and won't fight - and going to kill it. Now, given that we know that Panchek was working on the inside, do we believe that he is where Jack got his info? That, given the apparent super sneaky venin living in the walls (... money is still good on daddy Aetos there too), they knew to try and kill the feathertail once it was known to exist because of the wards somehow? Venin long game of taking down Basgiath's wards so they can't restore them since no seventh breed?

Xaden always telling Violet she'll be the death of him. Well, she has been ... the death of his soul, at least. Also given all the god talk, there's completely going to be some literal bargain with Malek to save him (if he gets saved). I'm guessing that Malek might be the other god to which she could dedicate herself. Though, with Xaden saying "it's always you" to Violet since she's in the middle of shit all the time, that could be an unfortunate side effect of her partial dedication to Dunne.

Which, leading up to that last little point, with that ending, how the fuck is the next book going to be a romantasy with the main couple separated? Unless we're really going to get an Imrrick story (if, of course, Garrick isn't the new brother).

In the very first class of Dragonkind, Kaori says you'd be ash if you ever tried to get close to the Vale and Violet mentions some girl with a rebellion relic pulling down her sleeve. Interesting tidbit, but we ignore it, right? But then, in Onyx Storm, Brennan LITERALLY MENTIONS taking Xaden to sit by dragon eggs in what is presumably Aretia's response to the Vale. So what, do dragons let relic riders near them? Does Brennan get the same courtesy afforded to him due to the rune on his hand? (which, don't get me started on that mystery we still need a fucking answer for ...)

Another reason why I think Xaden saved Sgaeyl? Because if Sgaeyl dies, so does Tairn and then so does Violet. In IF, Tairn says that Sgaeyl would be emotionally inconvenienced if the shadow wielder died, but doesn’t directly answer Violet when she asks him if she’s just an emotional inconvenience to him. So killing Xaden? Might not kill Violet, but the other way around was pretty drummed into us, as was the interdependence of mated dragons’ lives.

Xaden's "there's nowhere in existence you could go that I wouldn't find you" line is COMPLETELY going to come into play now with the Onyx Storm ending. Mostly because, given the GMA interview RY did today, she said she fought with her editors to get the ending she wanted which to me, means ending on Violet's POV as opposed to Xaden's POV like the previous two books. What do we get in Violet's POV? A note from the man saying don't look for him. We also learn from RY at the release party she attended that that specific line is still her favorite (either line completely or just of Xaden's) from the series. Violet may not look for him, but you don't think that Xaden's going to still be able to find her?

She'll probably still be able to contact him though, and probably through her dreams (that dream-walking signet is a foresighted signet for her not because she needed to know what her NON-DREAMING DRAGON WAS DREAMING ABOUT JEEBUS, but because she'll need to contact Xaden still and dreams are going to be the way she does it. If, of course, venin sleep. Which ... do they?

Or due to the compass. We might be getting a PotC thing there with that ... which ... I don't know how I feel about that.

Harkening back two points ... if he's ever on a battlefield, I believe that he still won't harm Violet solely because of the ch.48 epigraph about an entire village being decimated by venin except for one house because the venin doing the decimating was the dude's wife. (which, speaking of Xaden's love declaration in this book, he's totally gonna become a Maven or something, isn't he?)

While I'm here ... I think Bodhi might be the new brother. Mostly because I think he turned to work on the venin from the inside, to use his signet-countering signet on the venin themselves. Also because in the Imogen chapter, she also watches blue fire from a wyvern "roll down Cuir's neck, extinguishing to smoke before they reach him." She makes it sound due to the angle, but what if it's because Bodhi was able to counter the fire at that point? Also, Cuir is pretty badly injured at this point, so it's plausible. And even though Bodhi might have the good reasoning for turning, it could also make sense why he's puking after, upset at his decision. And Garrick might just be missing since he had to walk during that missing 12 hours and didn't have the energy to walk back yet.

Liam's ice wielding ... like the fuck? Does this mean that Sloane is going to develop a second signet too? Or that she won't because there was only one other dragon rider descendant in her family and that dragon is dead because they bonded Liam, and she only said the stuff in IF because Thoirt was explaining secret shit to her?

The dragons are going to end up being a big bad somehow. You don't have the line from the Fables about demonizing dragons and then learning that they draw from the source themselves - plus all the talk from the venin and the Isles and even the damn Irids as well as tidbits in quite a few of the epigraphs - without realizing some shit is going to down with them. (Also, need I also continually say that this series is the Empyrean series - so many of our questions are going to be solved due to the fucking dragons).

But also, do the gryphons then also draw the same way the dragons do? But the magic balance is better there because they also die with their bonded flier?

There's a theory on the RQ Discord server that gemstones are going to come into play and I agree with that, if only also because of the seemingly random throwaway line about Poromish gemstones during the Parapet info dump. Plus during the triumvirate dinner, one of them brought a piece of jade - a gemstone - onto the table when it looked like negotiations were going well and put it back into her lap when things went to shit again. Not to mention the citrine necklace, the ruby one Cat was given on Zehyllna, the onyx and amethyst and other mentions of random gems throughout the series ...

I'm also going to guess particularly with emeralds, since the venin want a specific thing as well - ch.50 dream - "You will bring what I want ... or she dies. I'm through waiting, and I will not allow her to win such a prize." If you harken back to ch.6, Xaden extracts a promise from Violet - "Swear you'll sound the alarm if I go too far, that you'll keep it safe, even if it's from me." I don't believe it's Tyrrendor, since Tyrrendor is always referred to as a she. Her ring has an emerald that she thinks is from the Blade of Aretia and the emerald-hilted Sword of Tyrrendor keeps appearing in Xaden's dreams. Are the weapons a matched set? Plus the sword almost comes into play in negotiations with the Deverelli. There's SOMETHING with those two weapons somehow. Plus Xaden's keeping the Blade of Aretia in his gift from Zihnal ...

Speaking of RY and things she's said recently ... someone we love will die in book four. This ... is obvious. Given the Rhiannon and Imogen chapters - and the fact (I think) that she'd like to write their stories eventually - I think those two are safe. We've had Ridoc scares the last two books - the arrows in IF and the kitchen jump-scare in OS - so I hope it's not him, but RY also really adores Ridoc so ... she might. BUT ALSO, it could mean metaphorical death given the whole new mystery venin brother of Xaden's (less likely, but hey).

Going back to things from FW/IF that I'm surprised haven't come more into light ... General Daramor and the original army from the Barrens. I'm a little surprised Violet hasn't tried looking for non-censored texts about that from Tecarus's library.

Speaking of Tecarus ... do we think he's secretly working with the venin as well? Mighty suspicious that the most indefensible palace known to man and its city are like the one non-drained area in like the entirety of fucking Poromiel ...

Some of the things that seemed random are coming to light and I don't know if it's that she's retconning as some have pointed out or if her plotting of the whole series truly is *that* detailed and her editors have just done her no favors when it's come to pacing and worldbuilding. Or she's done herself no favors with it given when she wants the info dumps for all of us.

Not theory related, but worth commenting on since I'm here ranting ... the ship names? I jokingly poked fun at that in viayn so to see it in actual text? I just don't know. Also, I know everyone's getting Drake/Mira out of this, but there's also potential Mira/Syrena too since Mira white-knuckles her pack when Aetos informs Cat she's closer in line to the throne and they're all wondering if it's Syrena who's dead.

Regardless of it all ... the one thing I think we can ALL agree on in book four? Better have some Broccoli. And I'm convinced Ridoc also helped Drake come up with that name.

[pagesandpothos]

Hidden Gems of 2024

I read a lot of new releases in 2024 and many of those are really great books that have been getting a lot of well-deserved attention. There are a few however that I think deserve some more hype.

Here are a few underrated gems that I think deserve even more readers and much more praise. All of these are LGBTQIA+ and most are romantasy since that is what I enjoyed the most this year.

Sorcery and Small Magics by Maiga Doocy: As I've said many times, this is my favorite book of the year. If you love fantasy, queer slow burns, spells gone wrong, or the forced proximity trope then this is a must-read. There's no release date yet for book #2 but I'm hopeful we'll get a date soon! I can't wait to continue Leo and Grimm's story!

Running Close to the Wind by Alexandra Rowland: Alexandra Rowland is an author that most fans of queer books love, so this might be less of a "hidden gem" than some of the others on this list, but I'm still including it because I think it deserves even more attention. This is truly the funniest book I have ever read. I don't think I have ever had so much fun reading a book!

Shoestring Theory by Mariana Costa: This was one of the biggest surprises of the year for me. This is an excellent queer romantasy that has complex characters and relationships with an exciting time-travel plot. If you love complicated enemies-to-lovers stories, you should check this one out.

This Will Be Fun by E.B. Asher: is a sweet and funny cozy romantasy about a group of heroes who once saved their realm. Now, they're on a second mission after a decade of estrangement. This is a silly and fun time with two second-chance romances (one is sapphic). There's a great friendship storyline as well.

All The Hidden Paths by Foz Meadows: is a followup to the popular queer romantasy, A Strange and Stubborn Endurance. This is just as good as the first book with an exciting political plot, great development for Vel/Cae, and good new characters.

Someone You Can Build a Nest In by John Wiswell: A delightful and dark fairytale that somehow manages to be both gruesome and feel like a cozy fantasy at the same time. There's a sapphic monster romance with an asexual human woman that is incredibly sweet.

The Crack at the Heart of Everything by Fiona Fenn: Is a terrific redemption story about two men who fought for the villain's side in a devastating war. Orpheus and Fenrir have an amazing rivals-to-lovers story that starts as a little comic relief and grows into something truly heartfelt. The world-building feels like a cool blend of high-fantasy, post-apocalyptic, Dystopia, and even horror. This is a unique and adventurous addition to the queer romantasy genre.

Spitting Gold by Carmella Lowkis: A historical mystery that focuses on two sisters with references to Charles Perrault's The Fairies. It's about the two siblings' complicated dynamic and how every story has two sides. There's also a Sapphic love story involving one of the sisters.

The Sins on Their Bones by Laura R. Samotin: A dark and queer fantasy based on Jewish mythology. The last half of this book is so riveting and shocking. I truly had no idea what would be happening next.

Key Lime Sky by Al Hess: is a sci-fi romance about a non-binary character who witnesses an alien invasion. The main character is memorable and the plot is delightfully weird and fun. The romance is fantastic, with a seriously charming and funny meet-cute.

[hier--soir]

feb + mar + apr reads

norma jean baker of troy by anne carson [★★★★★]

"Sometimes I think language should cover its own eyes when it speaks."

"Is she human? Are you? Is she a beast out of control? There's so much danger. No human can become just a beast, you plunge beyond - beyond what? Remember Jack the Ripper? 'I'm down on whores and I shan't quit ripping them till I get buckled,' Jack wrote in a letter to the newspaper, September 18, 1888. He never did get buckled. Of course insane, his mind blooming with it, who could go down that rabbit-hole or unlock such a puzzle as Jack? - but still, the woman! the thing is! the woman has everything and you smile and you take some."

: ̗̀➛ an exploration of the lives and myths of marilyn monroe and helen of troy.

: ̗̀➛ anne carson is there anything you can't do? please email me back. please.

piglet by lottie hazell [★★★★]

"'I want to make some food,' she said. 'For both of us?' he asked. 'No, just for me.'"

: ̗̀➛ one woman, piglet, and the lead up to her wedding in the face of a big confession from her fiancé.

: ̗̀➛ this one slipped beneath my skin and writhed around the spot inside me where i've tucked away all of my food issues.

merciless gods by christos tsiolkas [★★]

"I'm scared that if I let go, not only the room, not only this city, but the whole world will go cold forever."

"Your false gods cannot save you. There is only one God, my God."

: ̗̀➛ short stories that bash you over the head with how awful things and people and places can be. i did not live for this one... particularly wasn't into the one where a guy jerked his dad who has alzheimers off.

foe by iain reid [★★]

"All day. Time keeps moving. I've always thought that was a good thing. Until recently. I'm not so sure now. Is it good? For time to go by fast?"

: ̗̀➛ they want to send junior to space and replace him with a robot that looks and acts and talks exactly like him so his wife has company in his absence.

: ̗̀➛ marriage and trust and complacency, and a guy called terrence who we get reminded over and over has long gorgeous hair.

: ̗̀➛ a little boring for my taste. i had an idea of where it was going pretty early on, and it took a while for me to be proven right. pretty disconcerting!

acts of desperation by megan nolan [★★★★]

"The need was a true and human part of me, but I could feel nothing else of myself to be true or human, and so the need seemed ungodly, an aberration."

: ̗̀➛ a book full of confession, desire, jealousy, violence, and power. messy messy messy!!!! readers procceed with caution.

: ̗̀➛ shout out to everyone who said i should read this - you were right, it is up my alley.

gone girl by gillian flynn [★★★★]

"My wife was no longer my wife but a razor-wire knot daring me to unloop her, and I was not up to the job with my thick, numb, nervous fingers. Country fingers. Flyover fingers untrained in the intricate, dangerous work of solving Amy. When I'd hold up the bloody stumps, she'd sigh and turn to her secret mental notebook on which she tallied all my deficiencies, forever noting disappointments, frailties, shortcomings."

: ̗̀➛ i have become a gillian flynn STAN this year, it's true. despite having seen the movie multiple times, i enjoyed reading this, and was delighted to find some differences in the texts [for better and for worse].

: ̗̀➛ nick dunne, big fan of the lie of omission, mama's boy whose mama is dead, i'd like to introduce you to couples therapy.

dead beautiful and life eternal by yvonne woon [reread] [★★★]

: ̗̀➛ the first two books in a paranormal romance trilogy. these kinda bang guys, i can't lie. 15-year-old me was onto something when she decided to keep these instead of donating them. however, they DO have some of the worst book covers i've ever seen, sorry yvonne.

fourth wing by rebecca yarros [★★★]

: ̗̀➛ a romantasy book that has dragons, smut, and twists that you'll see coming from a mile away. pretty fun. recced to me by one man in person and a thousand women on tik tok.

: ̗̀➛ no one who has the thought 'double standards for the win' is using 'whomever' in a casual sentence with the guy she's having sex with.

: ̗̀➛ good enemies to lovers should have actual murder attempts. but maybe that's jusT MY OPINION.

my book rating system is as follows:

★ = i felt pure contempt the entire time

★★ = yeah it's a book

★★★ = i liked it!

★★★★ = good fucking book, damn

★★★★★ = blew my dick clean off and i'll throw a tantrum if everyone i know doesn't also read it and love it

[extremely-judgemental]

Writing a fanfic for this series is just pissing me off. I ignored most of the flaws in political setting and magic system in ACOTAR since it’s a romantasy and I had very low expectations from SJM. But I’ve got questions now. I could have missed a lot of these because of Feyre’s insufferable monologuing and I was busy raging on IC’s atrocities. I'm not well verse with fae lore, so I’ll welcome any explanation from people who have been here for years.

High Lord’s power transfer. It’s by accident Feyre gets her powers when she is resurrected as no one knows how it works. How did every HL make the same mistake at the exact same time in the exact same way? It makes better sense that Feyre gets one or two powers. Maybe from Tamlin or Rhysand alone, since they are the ones desperate to bring her back and give her more than needed. (Which also supports ‘Rhysand planned it’ theory since he’s the one urging them in their minds)

Inheriting multiple powers. Feyre’s wind power is actually Tamlin’s, right? And her shapeshifting is also from him. Why two powers from him and one from everyone else? The previous theory could have worked here too.

Shape-shifting. Tamlin only ever takes his beast form often and only one shown to turn others into wolves. If he could shift into any other form himself, he would have done it in Hybern’s camp, grow wings and fly off, or something else that gives him an advantage. So, let’s go with one form theory. If Feyre inherits this power from him, how is her shifting abilities customisable? And every HL has a shifter form and it's fixed too, so this is just. . . Now, this would have made more sense if Feyre only morphs into that creature she sees in Ouroboros instead of her growing Illyrian wings and parading them around.

Feyre’s arsenal of powers. This one is odd because how does this make her more powerful than every HL? Sure she can access multiple powers and it gives her an edge but she won’t win against one HL at a time. Hers must be like a gift bag of powers HLs possessed UtM. Besides, the HLs are bestowed with magic by the lands itself at their ascension which is what makes them the most powerful in their respective courts, not the markers they were born with. If they could just pass that level of power on, they could very well do to their offsprings.

Good HLs. How is none of them petty? These are old-timey, traditional magical beings. Except for Beron, who also conveniently happens to be an abuser, every one of them is good-hearted? How do they all happen to be about ultimate peace and not saving their own asses and their courts? We know the land’s magic doesn’t pick one based on morality or character, else we wouldn’t have. . .well Rhysand and Beron.

Helion’s friendship. How is he the only one who knows IC’s true nature? Is it a ‘birds of same feather flock together’ kinda thing (although Helion is decent till now)? Why does the IC reveal their true selves without the mask in the first place? I won’t be reading the next books, so lemme know if you find out in Lucien’s story. Here’s what I think, SJM used him to support the theory that her poor Rhysand is good and loveable. Now can’t prove that with every HL hating him.

Tax system. Again, old-fashioned courts. Why is Spring’s taxing (ignoring the fact that it is important for governance) bitched about so much? Every court must have some fucked up system in place. Rhysand's treasure cave is definitely a result of taxes.

Calanmai. Why is this a disgusting ritual when they are. . .fae and it’s just an orgy and everything is consensual (unlike what Rhysand did to Feyre UtM)? And every HL and priestesses are participating willingly. And every one else is having a good time, which Feyre herself observes. The three who attack her do so because she is a human, moreover if something like that did happen, isn’t every HL present accountable for participating and letting it? I mean, it’s not as hideous as wing clipping.

Velaris. If the place is warded, how does it have a thriving trade? It was explained a bit in the book, still it doesn’t make sense. The magic doesn’t let anyone enter and confuses them if they get too close. The name of the city itself is erased from memory. What trade are they having outside the city when no one can even talk about it or outsiders can’t remember it? They will have to make a lot of exceptions which counters the point having all these precautions. Or ‘someone’ will have to go into their minds and enforce all this, but that can’t happen because of Rhysand’s ethics.

Hewn City. How are all people here rich snobs? If they are trapped under the mountain and how are their trade systems? Or if they can get out of the mountain, why haven’t they populated outside yet?

Illyrian trade. Velaris and Hewn City are localised communities rolling in riches. Illyria which is out in the open is taking handouts from Cassian? These are the ones who should be truly rich since they don’t play by HL’s rules either. They don’t trade because they are training 24x7? The only businesses are clothing and supplies? Where are they getting those from? They can’t grow everything they need on mountain tops. Who are working here and making stuff if all the men are training and women are doing chores?

Illyrian lifestyle. There hasn’t been a major war in 500 years since the wall went up. Now, if there’s peace for that long, won’t the people go a bit lax with their army? No one in 500 years went ‘hey, we’ve had a quiet life for a while, let’s just do something else instead of getting killed in stupid games or training pits’. And every court is afraid of the 'most powerful HL ever' to go against them. Even if their bodies are designed to be a perfect soldier, how long has it been? 15 000 years? Won’t evolution take over a little?

Nesta’s apartment. IIRC the building is torn down to build a veteran community, right? Why? Why in Velaris when all their warriors are from CoN and Illyria, and none of them are allowed inside? Which reminds me, how did that weaver’s husband go to the war when none of them ever fought or were recruited?

Daemati. This one is more of a rant. ACOTAR is the only series where the mind controller/reader’s words are taken at face value by everyone. Especially when the guy had been walking around terrorising and lying and scheming all his life. It’s basically the plot of almost every fic with a telepathic character that there will always be trust issues around that person and for good reason. Is everyone that stupid?

If any of you got posts already on these, tag them and let my brain rest easy.

[skyfallscotland]

I don’t know how I am disappointed after reading Iron Flame. Or even fourth wing. Am expectations weren’t even that high? I think maybe it’s to do more with the frustration of “lost potential“ of the book with mistakes that could have easily been prevented? It really feels like these books are written to be a hype and bring money instead of actually creating a detailed world and good plot.

Rant over.

The teacher thing made me laugh out loud???? IMAGINE REMIS RESPONSE TO AETOS TELLING HER SHE CANT BE WITH XADEN-?????????? That felt so forced and out of character for both and also even for aetos just childish? LETS FOR A SECOND ASSUME that they really let their most powerful rider teach instead of fight, aetos’ masterplan to bring them down was to send cadets spying if they kiss??? THATS suddenly our greatest problem? After the venin, theophanie, finding a cure, Xaden losing control, looking for andarnas family, fixing the Aretia wards, saving civilians- sure they can’t kiss because he is her teacher.

I could go on and on. I really want to love it for the type of literature that it is because I knew what I could expect from the get go lol.

I feel like I need to apologise to Iron Flame, baby I'm coming crawling back. You weren't perfect, but we understood each other 🖤

I'm not sure if it's lost potential or just my own expectations I put on myself in regards to the enjoyment of it. To be fair, it's been a shitty, emotional week for me, so I wasn't in the best place going in (how the hell is it only Thursday?) but I definitely think the level of consistency I expect was not there.

I died reading 'Professor Riorson'. I sent it to Alli straight away even though she wasn't up to it yet because I could not contain myself (sorry girl, I'm the worst) but I practically screeched out loud.

I think for me, looking at your list, it's the way all of that happened but basically none of it mattered. Some of it I didn't understand, even. I need to write out a proper post, but I honestly felt dumb reading it. I re-read whole passages multiple times because I didn't understand, which has never happened to me with romantasy or easy-reads.

PS. Remi would have killed Aetos for the insolence 🖤

[mermaidsirennikita]

interesting how they think dark romance is "grooming" women into being abused meanwhile actual right wing figures are trying to ban both books and porn...dark romance and romantasy are not the problem y'all

Lol yeeeep

And the sad thing is, a lot of supposed left-wingers have fallen for the "save the children (women) from sexual content" argument hook, line, and sinker. They've pushed the neopuritanical wave just as much as right-wingers have, just in different packaging.

Don't get me wrong: Porn can be harmful. Any sexual content, like virtually any content of any kind, has the potential to be harmful. But the reality is that pornography of some sort has always existed and will always exist. Just like (a lot of, but not all) people have always enjoyed an element of voyeurism. People like looking at art depicting sex. They like reading about sex. They like watching people fuck. There's a point where you have to just chalk it up to human nature. Again: NOT ALL PEOPLE. But most. Probably the vast majority, when you strip away hangups and society. And that's not me erasing those who don't; you are valid and your needs should be accommodated, and I frankly think they.... often are. Especially in this cultural moment.

But it's okay to want to consume explicit content, whether it's because it turns you on or just because... because.

There are many reasons why people perceive a porn problem, but the root of all evils is not that content. It's how we as a society treat it, and, on a basicl level, how we as a society expect and encourage people to fucking parent their children.

I so often see people say "But I don't want my kids to read those books" "I don't want my kid to watch that".

Dude. They most likely will if they want to. Even if that content is banned—and I hope it isn't, but I'm bracing myself, and a good cluster of states in the US, including blue ones, have essentially banned porn through age verification laws—people will find a way to access it. Just as they found a way to access alcohol, and weed, and so on. People do find a way to access that content in countries that currently ban porn.

So the thing is—you can either bury your head under the sand and train people to become weird about it... or you can have honest conversations and encourage healthy consumption. My mom told me that there was a difference between porn and reality. My mom read romance novels with me to get an idea of how I was consuming them (and it was fun, because I was lucky and had a pretty cool mom, overall).

And it bums me out, frankly, to see so many women act as if the "pornifiation of society" is what's keeping women down, versus the MUCH MORE PRESENT issues of like... the wage gap. Poor childcare options. The encouragement of the idea that having children is what you're meant for if you're born with a uterus. People trying to rape us all the time, which they ALWAYS HAVE, that's not porn! Red pilling, which is not a porn thing (a lot of red pills eschew porn!). Systemic racism and transphobia, which hits women of color and trans women, and as long as they don't have equal rights, women will not have equal rights.

Dark romance is not leading women down the tradwife lifestyle. You know what is? Christian indoctrination linking up to the crunchy granola girl pipeline. The mass spread of conspiracy theories and the twisting of gender essentialist "I know my body and therefore that of my child better than any dooooctooooor" bullshit that push the idea that you're this Earth Mother and not a normal human being. Not to mention a shitty economy, all those factors relating to women in the workforce I mentioned above, utilized to further push the idea that it would be soooo much easier if you just stayed at home with your babies. And then we throw in the dismantling of the public education system, which is only getting WORSE..... People are just less educated, and they want women to be less educated than men, and that has a LOT going on that has nothing to do with the dark romances women read.

And these people would probably be better able to think critically if not for those issues, so.

[wetcatspellcaster]

I saw you respond that you a very much not an SJM fan 😅 fair enough but I did want to ask what books/series you did like or would recommend that are of a fantasy/romantasy vibe!

lmfao, i am destined to become known for my parasocial enmity with the wingspan lady on this hellsite.

I don't read stuff with the same vibe as SJM all that often anymore. I used to read a lot of paranormal romance but the heteronormativity of SJM clones was upsetting me, so I've turned more towards the romance genre or just straight up fanfic these days.

So these recommendations might not be the perfect overlap but-!

Books with Fey Romances that are good

Holly Black, for all your fey needs. Tithe is the OG (and if you like sad men with white hair, have I got a blorbo for you!) but The Cruel Prince is her most popular series, that most people have read. The Darkest Part of the Forest is also an amazing standalone novel with a bit more creepiness than the other two. Not very explicit sex.

Olivia Atwater's Half A Soul and Ten Thousand Stitches are regency romance novels with fey associations, the first book is about a girl under a fairy curse and the second is about a fairy himbo trying his best at being a fairy godmother. No sex, that I can remember.

Heather Fawcett's Emily Wilde's Encyclopedia of Fairies. I've talked about this book a lot. If you like my fanfic, you will like this book, because this book was written for Me specifically. Not very explicit sex.

The Falconer series by Elizabeth May. This is the closest in this list to what SJM writes, only this is. um. better. Much sex, but also just... 'what if we started an apocalypse together, and the guilt meant I was scared to touch you, but we've got nothing else to live for now so why shouldn't I just do it?'

Fantasy Books with Good Romance

T Kingfisher's Swordheart and Nettle & Bone - both standalone novels. Swordheart is just Howl x Sophie dynamics, if Howl was a martial class, and also. A sword. Some sexiness.

Uprooted by Naomi Novik (if we count the love interests as both the hot sexy wizard man AND the protagonist's gal pal). Some sexiness.

Gods of Jade and Shadow by Silvia Moreno-Garcia. If you like your immortal/mortal romances, this is a pretty stellar read tbh. Some sexiness.

In Other Lands by Sarah Rees Brennan. This is such a fun book just generally but the slowburn of a 7 year high school romance sent me a little feral actually. Some sexiness.

Daevabad trilogy by S.A. Chakraborty. Now, this one is a little bit evil bc its an epic fantasy trilogy that is quite dense, and the romance is amazing but it takes a WHILE. *I* can write an evil slowburn, but there is nothing more evil than what happened in these books bc everyone is so fucking repressed. Alternatively, The Adventures of Amina Al-Sirafi by the same author, which cut to the chase a lot quicker, romance-wise.

Fantasy Books that are 😌😌 sexy 😌😌

The Dark Days Club by Alison Goodman. This is my favourite paranormal romance I've read in recent years, and they don't even have sex but I'm putting it here because um. they did. to me. That's what happens when you write a regency romance where if a woman takes of a man's coat they have 37 horny thoughts about it in real time. Imagine if Darcy and Elizabeth for P&P were also fighting demons at the same time as falling in love (not metaphorically. literal demons.)

Mating the Huntress by Talia Hibbert. Talia Hibbert's books in general fucking slap but I wish she'd written more paranormal romance than just this ONE story bc um. This was. um. Good.✌️

A Marvellous Light and A Restless Truth by Freya Marske. Freya Marske is also a popular fanfic author, and it shows with the way she writes sex.

That Time I Got Drunk and Saved a Demon by Kimberly Lemming. This author is the one who went briefly viral bc she accidentally has a book cover with Astarion on it lmao. This book was the first in that series, and unfortunately it wasn't for me (dragon shifter porn, I did *not* know going in) but the sex was really, really well-written, if that's something you could be into.

[itmeblog]

WE ARE LIVE!

You can currently find The Unusual Courtship of Pax the Faerie on Amazon, Barnes and Noble and on my ko-fi! (In both EPUB and PDF)

And now I get to talk about it!

TL:DR This is how I wrote a novella with

Genderqueer faerie

A human who fae find attractive but not for the reasons you'd think

A couple that is endgame and a couple that is very much not not endgame based on two very different relationships with our titular character.

A deep and surprisingly thoughtful search for oneself and soul

A lot of religious references, just so many references

BDSM vibes

You can enjoy the madness with me. Below. Because this is not what I set out to write. I had intended to follow the standard romantasy script and determine if I wrote something that appealed to major markets if I'd manage to snag myself an agent. This is not what happened.

I wrote this book because I became fascinated by ACOTAR. It is imperative that I make it very, very clear, at the point that I started thinking about Pax, I had never read nor picked up anything written by Sarah J Maas. This story will make no sense if I did. I was only vaguely aware of her existence. I had heard some withCindy rants and then decided to get an overview from someone who genuinely enjoyed the book.

I went into this knowing it was a story about big, sexy, well-endowed men and a girl with perhaps too little fire power between her ears. It is also the book that I consider ground zero of the maleness ("he felt very male"? Girl what does this mean??) epidemic.

And I had questions.

If the fae are beautiful, sexy, and promiscuous then why have fated mates? Why make them stop being promiscuous? Wasn't that some of the fun?

If sex does not have the same weight in their society (presumably) then why is it saved only for romantic partners?

In a world where everyone can shapeshift why so much misogyny? If there is misogyny why do people not shapeshift or dress to pass as male in order to gain some modicum of protection?

Wouldn't it have had to develop in a completely different fashion than we're used too?

Why are the gendernorms so human?

Why would a faerie be interested (romantically and aesthetically) in a human?

So. Many. Straight. Faeries.

Why make the love interest the exception to the cruel nature of the fae when you can just make the human so much worse?

Angels???? ANGELS?????!!

NOTE: At this point I still had not picked up the book.

ALSO PROBABLY IMPORTANT: I am very aro.

Here's what I knew:

Horny

Faeries

Religion??

These are the rules I stuck to. So, while developing Pax, he was meant to be pretentious and very deeply wrong in her understanding of religion and the passages he quotes. I called a friend (from an old school Italian Catholic family, very old school) for some direction.

I explained the premise and she went, "no, you're not looking for passages, you're looking for the Ecstasy of St. Teresa"

This, my friend, is where things got out of hand.

This is the Ecstasy of St. Teresa

Considered one of the most risque statues of the Baroque period. Inspired by this

"I saw in his hand a long spear of gold, and at the iron's point there seemed to be a little fire. He appeared to me to be thrusting it at times into my heart, and to pierce my very entrails; when he drew it out, he seemed to draw them out also, and to leave me all on fire with a great love of God. The pain was so great, that it made me moan; and yet so surpassing was the sweetness of this excessive pain, that I could not wish to be rid of it. The soul is satisfied now with nothing less than God. The pain is not bodily, but spiritual; though the body has its share in it. It is a caressing of love so sweet which now takes place between the soul and God, that I pray God of His goodness to make him experience it who may think that I am lying" - St. Teresa of Avila

Needless to say I became obsessed, which is great because St Teresa of Avila was a fascinating woman who sat in Spain, a mecca of Abrahamic religions, during the Spanish Inquisition (there's a lot of overlap in beliefs here). And she wrote a lot.

NOTE: Very important, I had intended to write this as a sexy l'il romp with a slightly toxic pairing, k? Like Pax's infatuation was 110% meant to be a little tongue in cheek. I wanted this to be marketable, I wanted to maybe get published. Yeah? I went wrong immediately when I decided Pax would be genderfluid but shut up. It's fine. We're here, everything is queer, we are rapidly sinking into a mire of 500 year old esoteric religious subtext. You with me? Cool.

I read several dissertations on sensuality in religion as well as many many things about the unintentional yet constant eroticization of pain (it happens so much omg, I cannot look at crucifixes the same anymore). And the break down of St. Teresa of Avila's 7 mansions of the Interior Castle (which I've also read), which explains in detail how to find god within oneself. Some of these papers were 100s of pages long. The pile of research I did for this was honestly bigger than the phone books of my youth.

As I said, this got deeply out of hand.

It also became the foundation for Pax's personality and the lens through which he experiences the world. Note: the woman Pax falls in love with is very much not God, she is also very much not safe.

So now I have this very raunchy book about faeries, religion, and sex, and finally FINALLY only after I finished, did I attempt to read ACOTAR.

And I fucking overshot.

I overshot so, so, so far.

I was aiming for Mars and I've ended up on Pluto. When all you hear about a book is how explicit it is and how it's the fairy porn book you assume it's more than 2 scenes.

You assume a lot of things about those scenes and the responsiveness of the heroine. Tamlin if that was the best you've ever had... what pray tell was the point of making you fae?? Are none of your lovers responsive or could it be you're a pleasure dom? Please, little fae man who has wild spring orgies, speak to me. What is your story?

So now I have a novella with

Genderqueer faeries

A queer love interest

A human who fae find attractive but not for the reasons you'd think

A couple that is endgame and a couple that is very much not not endgame based on two very different relationships with our titular character.

Way too much sex

A deep and surprisingly thoughtful search for oneself and soul

A lot of religious references, just so many references

BDSM vibes

[loverboy1717]

I don’t want to call some of the new romantasy books “bad” literally anywhere on the internet anymore cus inevitably somebody will pop out of the ceiling and tell me I’m an elitist snob or a prude and like…how did we get here?

How did we get to a place where me calling books with formulaic (and sometimes straight up stolen) plots and FMCs who are vague and generic specifically so they appeal to the widest market possible “bad” is such a wild thing?

I like romantasy a lot. I think done well, romantasy is one of the best genres out there. The problem is people don’t consider anything but like sexual tension and fucking to be “romantic.” Romance is not only sex. Romance is slow building a relationship. It’s pining. Its awkward moments and feeling vulnerable and self doubt and risks.

I’m sorry I want good dialogue and world building and a complex and compelling plot and well written characters to be the focus of a book? Like I’m here for the smut too, but why is it eating the entire narrative? Why is it so poorly woven into the rest of the plot?

You’re telling me that a girl who is the chosen one and “not like other girls” cus she’s so smart and tough is also dumb enough to have super rough/experimental sex all night the night before a battle??? Babe, how is she gonna walk let alone swing her sword? Please be so for real.

People are not elitist cus they don’t like the trending smutty faerie book of the week. People are not prudes cus they think the romance in a fantasy should be a garnish and not the whole meal. Or that the smut should fit into the plot in a way that makes some damn sense.

People are allowed to critique popular things. I’m allowed to say I think most of the trending books these days are derivative, spend way too much time describing outfits, and have some of the cringiest white feminism girl power I’ve ever read. I’m allowed to say that. If you don’t like that take, find one you do like? Idk what else to suggest.

But we are not going to do is throw words like snob and prude around as a gotcha cus somebody doesn’t like Sara J Fuckin Maas. I’m so tired of these pseudo-intellectual Ted talks online talking about how not liking smut it a stepping stone to conservative Christian nationalism or fascism or what the fuck ever.

I have read and still regularly read filthy god damned smut. I have found some books who do it well, but mostly I read it on ao3 where they say things like “cock” and “balls” and “pussy” and “clit.” Not cute little filler words. Jesus wept, save me from having to read the words “manhood” or “apex of her thighs” or “core” ever again.

So yes, you can like/love smut, and still have standards for the books you read. And if wanting exposition and world building and plot makes me a snob then I guess I’m a fucking snob. My question is, why aren’t you?

And while I’m fucking raging, if we are gonna throw around words like fascism let’s talk about how anti-intellectualism is a huge god damn strategy of fascist movements? How people who are curious and have standards and want to think about things complexly are less likely to fall down a fascist rabbit hole? And speaking of, how many of the characters in these books you’re defending with your whole chests are queer? How many are people of color? How many are disabled? Don’t come to me about how I’m the one with rigid thinking until y’all read smut that isn’t just penetrative straight sex between two boring ass generic white people.

And that’s how I feel about that.

[astridhoff03]

I also watched the Mermaid Magic, the new series from the guy who produced winx club, because I was curious…

And man this show rocks. It’s funny, emotional and has a beautiful message about not polluting the ocean and the environment in general. It shows that Rainbow and Iginio Straffi still got it if Nickelodeon doesn’t ruin their plans.

First to the characters: Merlinda is such a lovely protagonist, how she deals with the loss of her mother, trying to save her father and her kingdom, working together with her friends is just wonderful. She’s a dutiful, driven by loss and love Crownprincess, who be a great Queen one day. She has some great character moments, better than Bloom. My favorite scene is definitely when the whale mother is drowning and Merlinda reminds of the loss of her own mother. This moment and scene montage is for so many reasons one of the best moments in the entire series.

First I thought I wouldn’t like Nerissa and Sasha, especially Sasha because I thought she would annoy me. But she and Nerissa were actually kinda fun to watch. Sasha is so funny and also very nice and smart, how she uses her social media skills to fight the Kraken. Nerissa is the complete opposite, she’s serious and feisty but also selfless. I think she has a softer side to her or she’s just a baddie. So were Tyler and Celia. And we also have a Diaspro in this show lol. Also can we agree that Alex is the hottest guy in the show, Tyler is cute but Alex is Romantasy Material. Seriously he looks like a combination between Xaden and Rhysand. He reminds me a lot of these two. Orca is also a really cool mentor. I really enjoy his teacher-student relationship with Merlinda. He is a really lovable character. His ultimate test for Merlinda was phenomenal, testing her empathy, powers and strength at the same time. Also that he is her uncle really took me by surprise, I wouldn’t have seen this coming.

Second the villains: they were creepy as fuck and I love them. They have really good designs and motivations. Even if it’s revenge, revenge can be some sinister motivation.

Third the world: I love the whole design of Mertropia it’s like a Venice for Mermaids. I just wish we would explore more seas, there’s so much to learn about the oceans of our planet. But maybe in next seasons. I would love to see the girls interact with different species of the ocean, there is so much potential. And I would love to see more of the complex ecosystem of the ocean, the task every single ocean creature has in their ecosystem and they should introduce sharks as harmless and these are also just animals who want to life their life.

Also this show would be perfect for the Sirenix song from Winx Club. It would perfectly fit the ocean theme and how the merfolk is bound to it.

[aggro-my-beloved]

Rach’s Reading Wrapped: December 2024

to encourage me and my followers to read more (knowledge is power!) i will be logging all the books i’ve read through the duration of each month, giving my honest reviews, tagging some moots, etc. consider this a test run, and let me know if this should become a regular thing? im curious to know y’all’s thoughts of some of these so if you’ve read them interact with me and let me know!

“Landline” by Rainbow Rowell

free pdf / free audiobook

synopsis: fifteen years ago, on christmas day, georgie mccool’s boyfriend drove halfway across the country to propose to her. this christmas, he’s headed in the other direction. should Georgie follow him? should she call him and beg him to come back? something very strange happens every time she picks up the phone…

published: july 3rd, 2014

genre: contemporary romance

rating: ★★★☆☆ (3/5)

review: not one of my favorites from rainbow. for half of the story i was convinced i’d been duped into another tired love triangle. i was pleasantly surprised to find though, that the overarching themes of romance weren’t pointing to the common message of falling in love with the right person, but rather falling back into love even when you thought you did wrong or messed up. is it worth re-reading? i’d say no. nonetheless, it will tug at your heartstrings and make you yearn for the domestic turmoil to find resolve.

moot i think should read this: @no-see-um-incorrect

“The Spellshop” by Sarah Beth Durst

free pdf

synopsis: this was a good place with kind people who care about each other. there was a unicorn in the woods, mermaids in the coves, and the best raspberries she’d ever tasted. and there was larran…

published: july 9th, 2024

genre: romantasy

rating: ★★★★☆ (4/5)

review: for all my cottagecore bitches, this is the coziest read of the year! it’s the perfect balance of fantasy, comedy, and pure fluff. durst does an exquisite job of world building and constructing chemistry between characters. she mentioned in her acknowledgments something along the lines of writing a book that’s like drinking hot chocolate, and she succeeded! :)

moot i think should read this: @infinitelovewiithoutfulfilmentt

“They Both Die at the End”

by Adam Silvera

free pdf / free audiobook

synopsis: on september 5th, a little after midnight, death-cast calls mateo torrez and rufus emeterio to deliver some bad news: they’re going to die in less than twenty-four hours. mateo and rufus are total strangers, but, for different reasons, they’re both looking to make a new friend on their end day. the good news is there’s an app for tat. it’s called last friend, and through it, rufus and mateo meet up for one final epic adventure—to live a lifetime in a single day.

published: september 5th, 2017

genre: young adult, LGBTQ+ drama

rating: ★★★★☆ (4/5)

review: “paper towns” vibes, right away (maybe a bit more depressing). perhaps its the kickass drugs i’m prescribed but i didn’t cry as much as i thought i would. all in all, a great read highlighting the modern day’s technological downfalls, and a love story between man and life that will make you want to live the adventure yourself.

moot i think should read this: @moronkyne

“Under Loch & Key” by Lana Ferguson

free pdf

synopsis: keyanna "key" mackay is used to secrets. raised by a single father who never divulged his past, it's only after his death that she finds herself thrust into the world he'd always refused to speak of. with just a childhood bedtime story about a monster that saved her father's life and the name of her estranged grandmother to go off of, key has no idea what she'll find in scotland. but repeating her father's mistakes and being rescued by a gorgeous, angry Scotsman--who thinks she's an idiot--is definitely the last thing she expects. lachlan greer has his own secrets to keep, especially from the bonnie lass he pulls to safety from the slippery shore--a lass with captivating eyes and the last name he's been taught not to trust. he's looking for answers as well, and key's presence on the grounds they both now occupy presents a real problem. it's even more troublesome when he gets a front row seat to the lukewarm welcome key receives from her family; the strange powers she begins to develop; and the fierce determination she brings to every obstacle in her path. things he shouldn't care about, and someone he definitely doesn't find wildly attractive. when their secrets collide, it becomes clear that lachlan could hold the answers Keyanna is after--and that she might also be the key to uncovering his. Up against time, mystery, and a centuries old curse, they'll quickly discover that magic might not only be in fairy tales, and that love can be a real loch-mess.

published: december 3rd, 2024

genre: small-town paranormal romance

rating: ★★★★☆ (3.5/5)

review: i’ve discovered i’m not a smut heavy reader, and after introducing the first sexually explicit chapter, the author seemed to include even more smut-heavy scenes after every other major plot point, as though to be a palate cleanser of sorts? **for those wondering, this does include monster romance** if not for the more domestic scenes and humorous dialogue, i would probably rate it lower, but the central plot of the book is very well introduced and the character chemistry is off the charts! (it’s also worth noting that the enemies to lovers hinted in the synopsis doesn’t last more than a few chapters…)

moot i think should read: @ashertickler

“Will Grayson, Will Grayson”

by John Green & David Levithian

free pdf / free audiobook

synopsis: one cold night, in the most unlikely corner of chicago, two strangers cross paths. two teens with the same name, running in two very different circles, suddenly find their lives going in new and unexpected directions, culminating in heroic turns-of-heart and the most epic musical to ever grace the high school stage.

published: april 6th, 2010

genre: young adult, social issues

rating: ★★★☆☆ (2.5/3)

review: if i were still a part of either author’s target audience i may have been more influenced by this piece of writing. the last book I read of john green’s was “turtles all the way down” when i was still in high school, which i find remarkably written. this in comparison was, eh. maybe if i had a little more teenage angst running through me (perhaps a lack of the aforementioned kickass meds) this would speak to me on a deeper level. it’s easy to tell this book is very much “from its time” when you’re reading it. i do appreciate the shoutout to neutral milk hotel, though, that made me fangirl just a smidge. for younger readers looking for a coming of age, easy-read with LGBTQ+ and mental health representation, this is right up your alley! the description of the musical playing out did get a few laughs from me, and the overall theme i took from this is that friendship always wins.

moot i think should read: idk tag yourself ? nobody is coming to mind!

[thedrunkenreadersreviews]

An end-of-the-year confession...

Let's pop some champagne as we await the New Year.

Now, as the title demonstrates, I do have a confession to make, or rather, an opinion. My main focus is on male main characters (mmc) but I'll start with my short gripe on female main characters (fmc).

*Sip, sip*

I want more fmcs like Evangeline Fox from the Broken Heart trilogy. Or Sophie from Howl's Moving Castle. The book, not the movie.

I want more fmcs whose main goal is to find love. I want to read about a girl who loves pink and dresses, who is pinning over a boy, who sees the good in people even when most others don't. I want a girl who is not strong with a sword but strong in love. I want a girl who can save the world with love, not war, like Evangeline Fox. I want a girl who takes pride in doing what many deem to be typical feminine tasks like cooking, cleaning, and sewing. Some of the best moments in Howl's Moving Castle are the concoctions Sophie sews together. I want girls who find liberation in these typical feminine tasks like Sophie did; who enjoy them.

*Sip, sip*

And I want more male main characters in young/new adult in general but more mmcs like Cardan. I am so sick of the Rhysands and Xadiens and Kais and Dark whateverthefucks from Lightlark that are just copies and pastes of the same character over and over and over again. Some shadow-daddy with a massive dick who gets under the girl's skin and gives her a cringy nickname. Who is a warrior and several thousand (hundreds) years old and has slept with so many women that it is astounding how he does not have an STD (since condoms are not a thing in these books). The number one thing I disliked about Cardan was the promiscuity but damn at least Holly Black made it somewhat important to the plot and character development. But Cardan is one year older than Jude and still otherworldly! And he is not some big, muscular, warrior, shadow-daddy---he's a moody noodle. A MOODY NOODLE! (Another pet peeve is the fanart of him with a six/eight pack, like no, Jude is bigger than him in the muscle department.) I want my noodles!

*Sip, sip*

Male characters are critiqued so disgustingly in these romance/romantasy books that as an Asexual I really roll my eyes to the point that they nearly get stuck to the top of my head.

Masters of Death literally opens with Fox banging a client after she came to him to have a seance with her recently departed husband. Like, what?

The Selection series (as ass as it may be) gave me hope with Maxon. And then I read the script for the (thank the stars above!) canceled Selection TV series that was going to have Maxon's first scene be him banging some random maid in his bedroom. Like, WHAT?! He was a virgin in the books and was nervous about talking to girls. He hadn't even kissed anyone until America Singer! Even Mafi pissed me off with what she did with Warner when he and Juliette broke up for that short while. Like, seriously? He is utterly, devastatingly in love with this girl but you know, gotta stick it somewhere. 🤷 Emily Wilde's trilogy. I love it! But why does the mmc have to be such a hungry-for-sex creature and flaunt it in the fmc's face?! It adds absolutely nothing to his character, their relationship, or the plot!

*Sip, sip*

Am I supposed to have this information just so that I know they're good in bed or so heavily desired? It takes one sentence: "A string of broken hearts trailed behind them." BAM! That tells me everything I need to know. And even if so, why does their being good in bed matter? Is their status diminished if they are not? Why does the mmc have to have a slew of bodies in the past of their sheets in order to qualify for being an attractive companion while the fmc needs to be portrayed as having less history if not no history altogether? And this is not a male author issue. All of the examples I provided are books written by women. I really don't give a damn about their sexual history unless it is intrinsic to their character development, the plot, and/or their relationship with another character.

*Sip, sip*

I think Margaret Rogerson did this perfectly with Nathaniel. He is actively pushing girls away by trying to ruin his reputation and coming across as some evil sorcerer. Here are just some of the best quotes by Master Thorn regarding romance and his romantic life:

"'I've been hard at work trying to ruin my reputation for years. Perhaps after this, influential families will stop trying to catapult their unwed daughters over my garden fence. Which actually did happen once. I had to fend her off with a trowel.'"

"'Scrivener, I know I cut a devilishly handsome figure lying here on the floor all covered in blood----which I hear some girls find quite appealing, strangely enough, and if you're one of them I'm not going to judge---but please stop crying. It's only a flesh wound. I'll be back to fighting evil any moment now.'"

"Nathaniel nodded. 'If you can believe it, I used to fancy him. Then he went and grew that mustache. Or he murdered a gerbil and attached it to his face. For the life of me, I can't tell which.' ... 'I like girls too, Scrivener.” Amusement danced in Nathaniel’s eyes. “I like both. If you’re going to fantasize about my love life, I insist you do so accurately.'" (It should be noted that his bisexuality is never mentioned again, and I appreciate it so much as it normalizes it and that is what I want!)

"' [Silas] What is this, master - the third time I've broken you out of a jail cell?' Nathaniel coughed. 'Minor misunderstandings, on both previous occasions,' he assured Elisabeth. (….) [Silas] spoke mildly, his lashes shading his eyes. 'At least you're wearing clothes this time, master.' ... 'I'll have you know,' Nathaniel said, 'that that was an accident, and the public certainly didn't mind. One woman even sent me flowers.' To Elisabeth, he added, 'Don't worry. She was forty years old, and her name was Mildred.'"

On top of that, Rogerson does not go into heavy detail about his past. He does not flaunt to Elisabeth about how many partners he had in the past or how great a lover he is. It is summed up so nicely in those quotes which is pretty much all you get about Nathaniel's love life.

*Sip, sip*

Exuse me while I go reread A Sorcery of Thorns.

*Sip, sip*

But yeah. Shout out to V.E. Schwab who not all their mmcs are sex addicts, Laini Taylor, Shelby Mahurin (even though I didn't like Serpent & Dove I appreciated how Ried didn't have 100 random, faceless girls in his history), and ... and ... oh, shit, I think that's it.

If y'all have any more recommendations for these types of characters, let me know.

Cheers to a new year! And hopefully a better one for books.

*Sip, sip*

[little-peril-stories]

LPS: Blog (Re)Intro

Little Peril Stories | Kate | adult | she/her

✨ linktree | website | ko-fi | ao3 | oc/wip extras

✨ I've switched my blog for writing and publishing updates to THIS LINK HERE. My previous updates can be found here.

The Queen of Lies (ongoing): AU for The Prince of Thieves—sheltered, rich sad girl meets snarky criminal; chaos ensues; whumpy, Victorian forbidden love vibes with a side helping of angst and girl power

The Prince of Thieves (complete): guy and gal get arrested and tormented by super cool, totally normal constable while pals on the outside freak out and make bad decisions; fun 1800s prison vibes with a side helping of angst and chosen family

Man of Letters (UNRESOLVED; part of Whumptober 2023): awkward scholar boi tries to save the girl he falls in love with and gets way more than he bargained for; light romantasy paired with heavy emo vibes, with a side of helping of angst and torture

Fen and Freddie (complete): gal gets kidnapped, dopey cinnamon roll with hopeless crush tries to rescue her and fails; vague superhero sci-fi vibes with a side helping of angst and pining

The Curiosity Collector (complete): sweet non-confrontational magic boy gets kidnapped and needs rescuing by bf and sis; witchy, autumnal vibes with a side helping of angst and falling in love

This is a whumpblr/writeblr space! Sometimes I’ll post/reblog writerly posts, memes, etc., but a lot of the posts/RBs will be about whump. I post original writing and reblog the work of others that I enjoy, gifs, tropes, prompts, and other such things.

I love comments and feedback on my writing and welcome them with open arms.

A note on age: I know I can’t actually stop you from accessing this blog, but I do not wish to interact with people under 18. It’s not personal, I’m sure you’re great, but it has everything to do with my job IRL. Please respect this boundary and come back on your 18th birthday.

Check out: My Most Common Tropes

My favourite elements of whump have to do with power dynamics, intimidation, dread, and angst. I love captivity-with-a-cause: kidnapping for ransom or as leverage over someone else, prison (in fantasy or historical settings, less so for modern settings though it’s not a hard rule), and the like. Fantasy presents so many creative versions of this trope, so I do love me some fantasy whump! It also gives lots of opportunity for dungeons, shackles, and other fun implements like that. Gratuitous tying or chaining up is always delightful to see. Pining, desperately trying to protect a loved one (…and failing), and self-sacrifice are other big tropes I love, so expect to see lots of those!

As for characters, I love it when they are as far as you can get from perfect, pure, and innocent—when they’re good enough people, but whose flawed or maybe even problematic decisions lead them into trouble. Always, always, I want my characters to have a hand in their own fates. Pure-hearted victims of the narrative who simply fall into a whumpy situation are cute and fun, but not what I tend to write.

A few odds and ends I’m such a sucker for, so you’ll probably find them in my writing:

Sibling relationships

Allusions to songs, books, folklore, and musicals

Nature and weather helping to set the scene (oh my goodness, how many times can I work snow into one story?)

If romance, either slow burn or instant attraction

…with a sprinkling of “huh, I don’t understand what I’m feeling, wtf is going on??”

‘In the nick of time’ rescues

Painfully awkward moments

Fluff and comfort, but only once they’ve really earned it

Almost kisses

Hard choices

Happy endings

You probably won’t find much gore or explicit noncon here, but there might be some elements of those in my stories or in reblogs. I don’t write BBU or pet whump.

My original “whumpy things I like” post can be found here.

Anyway, thanks for reading! 💕 Happy whumping!