In honor of my birthday being on Wednesday, I thought I would throw together a huge recommendation list and see where it got me. There will be all sorts of different categories here for you. (I was too lazy to do all of this on my birthday, please forgive me.) Each cover links to Goodreads, so you’ll be able to read synopsis, add to your TBR, or go straight to your bookseller of choice to buy! And of course, let me know if you end up adding any of these to your TBR because of me.
BOOKS/SERIES WHERE THE CHARACTERS ARE SNIPPY WITH EACH OTHER AT FIRST, AND THEN FALL DEEPLY IN LOVE
Look, this is one of my favorite tropes ever, and as such, well, I tend to read a lot of it. It’s not necessarily enemies-to-lovers, but it certainly can be. Most of the time it just sort of feels like ‘mild-dislike-to-lovers’, but whatever. Still something I enjoy reading — but USUALLY only in fantasy romances. IDK it doesn’t work for me in contemporaries. Please mind the warnings on these books especiallyCaptive Prince.
BOOKS/SERIES WITH ANIMAL COMPANIONS THAT MAY OR MAY NOT TALK
I love an animal companion, and I especially love an animal companion that can talk. Only three of the five featured here talk, but that’s alright with me. Said animals stick by their people through the whole novel/series. None of the animals in the aforementioned novels die in horrible ways. A few choose to end their time in their own manner, but nothing is traumatic, and nothing feels taken for granted, I can promise you that.
BOOKS/SERIES THAT STRAIGHT UP STEAM UP MY KINDLE
No, these aren’t the filthiest books I’ve ever read, but they are the best written steamy books that I’ve read. (There are some clunkers out there with great sex scenes, but I’m not recommending those. I want you to have a good time the entire novel, got it?) The first three are m/f, and the last two are m/m. If I had to pick one out of all of these for you to read, I think I’d pick Melt for You, which is one of my favorite contemporary romances. I just love the hero so much.
BOOKS/SERIES WITH ABSOLUTELY BADASS WOMEN
Okay I don’t know what happened to my original explanation that I had written out here, but we’ll go again. I LOVE STRONG-FEMALE-LED BOOKS, okay? (I just love female main characters in fantasy, period, because it’s still a relatively new thing.) Every single one of these books has a female main character, and every single one of them could kick my ass with one hand tied behind their back.
BOOK/SERIES WITH BIG AWOOOO ENERGY
This is pretty much my entire pathetic werewolf recommendation list. I really need to find more werewolf novels that I’m completely in love with. I’m picky, so it’s hard to find ones that I truly enjoy. If you have recs here, please give them to me. I’m looking for werewolf romances. I like the mate trope, and I love when they shift into full wolves.
BOOKS/SERIES ABOUT READING/LIBRARIES/BOOKS
Books about books are another great love of mine. Especially when said books feature a magical library — you’ll see at least three books above that are actually about magic libraries / collections of books. Book Lovers makes this list because well…it’s a romance about people who love books. Obviously. I love The Starless Sea as the entire novel is a love story to books. If you haven’t read that one yet, you’re missing out.
BOOKS/SERIES THAT YOU SHOULD READ TO UNDERSTAND ME BETTER
I’ve read every single one of these many, many times over. I’ve lost count of how many times I’ve read Sabriel and Outlander. It’s well, well over five times for both. Gideon and ACOTAR I’ve read at least three times, and Mistborn….I have no idea. Many times. I love these books with all my heart for many different reasons. Sabriel, because it was the book I needed in middle school, because it still to this day makes me feel wonder, and because I love the magic system, Dog, and just….everything. Outlander, I love strictly for Jamie and Claire’s love for each other. I’ve never read a more powerful love story. Gideon because The Locked Tomb and all the mystery surrounding it is fascinating. I’m also a sucker for a sarcastic, meme-filled heroine. ACOTAR, because I have never loved a group of characters more, because it’s another series that makes me feel wonder, and because Rhys would turn the entire world into mist for Feyre. Mistborn, because it was my first foray into Sanderson’s work, because Vin is both scared, brave, and completely out of her depth until she learns, and because the ending of the first three books is absolutely perfect.
Alright, tell me the truth — do you like this style of recommendation post or do you like the other ones where I go a little deeper into each book? Let me know in the comments! And if you have suggestions for some of the themes, please comment with them!! I’d love to add more to my TBR.
I’ve been on a little bit of a mission, trying to read as many Beauty and the Beast retelling as I can get my hands on. There are quite a few out there, and more often than not, they don’t really fit what I consider to be retellings. Instead, they take the idea that one of the love interests is a beast (or ugly), and the other is beautiful. Sure, that fits one idea of a retelling, but not all of them.
For a book to be considered a Beauty and the Beast retelling, I think it needs a few things:
A curse
Roses
An enchanted castle
Less important to me, but something that is featured frequently is the idea of invisible or unseen servants. So, in order to make this list, the books have to have most, if not all of the aforementioned three things. This list is in order of my favorite to least favorite retelling that I’ve read. So without further ado, let’s dive in.
SYNOPSIS: Echo Alkaev’s safe and carefully structured world falls apart when her father leaves for the city and mysteriously disappears. Believing he is lost forever, Echo is shocked to find him half-frozen in the winter forest six months later, guarded by a strange talking wolf—the same creature who attacked her as a child. The wolf presents Echo with an ultimatum: If she lives with him for one year, he will ensure her father makes it home safely. But there is more to the wolf than Echo realizes.
In his enchanted house beneath a mountain, each room must be sewn together to keep the home from unraveling, and something new and dark and strange lies behind every door. When centuries-old secrets unfold, Echo discovers a magical library full of books-turned-mirrors, and a young man named Hal who is trapped inside of them. As the year ticks by, the rooms begin to disappear, and Echo must solve the mystery of the wolf’s enchantment before her time is up, otherwise Echo, the wolf, and Hal will be lost forever.
WHY DID I LIKE THIS RETELLING? This is one of the only retellings that I’ve read where “Beauty” actually gets to interact with “Beast” in both his forms — human and beastly. It really set this particular retelling apart, and made you way more sympathetic to the “Beast.” I also really enjoyed this version of the enchanted castle. It’s falling apart, and only “Beauty” and the “Beast” can put it back together with magic. There is a LOT of magic in this book, and I loved that about this retelling.
IF YOU’D LIKE TO SEE MORE OF MY OPINIONS ON THIS BOOK, PLEASE SEE MY FULL REVIEW HERE.
#2. BYRONY AND ROSES BY T. KINGFISHER
STAR RATING: 4.5 stars
PAGE LENGTH: 216 pages
DATE PUBLISHED: May 18, 2015
PUBLISHER: Self-published
CONTENT WARNINGS: Body horror, Confinement, Suicide (off-page and in the past), Violence
SYNOPSIS: Bryony and her sisters have come down in the world. Their merchant father died trying to reclaim his fortune and left them to eke out a living in a village far from their home in the city.
But when Bryony is caught in a snowstorm and takes refuge in an abandoned manor, she stumbles into a house full of dark enchantments. Is the Beast that lives there her captor, or a fellow prisoner? Is the house her enemy or her ally? And why are roses blooming out of season in the courtyard?
Armed only with gardening shears and her wits, Bryony must untangle the secrets of the house before she—or the Beast—are swallowed by them.
WHY DID I LIKE THIS RETELLING? True to Kingfisher fashion, this is one of the only Beauty and the Beast retellings featuring older than teenager characters. I also thoroughly loved how herself Bryony is — she wasn’t about to change anything about who she was in order to help the Beast with his predicament. Another particularly lovely bit was that both Bryony and the Beast are wildly intelligent — there are no stupid decisions here. Beast is also much more of a person here, with hobbies and talents of his own. And uh…the roses are freakishly terrifying in this particular retelling. Can’t have a Kingfisher book without a little horror sprinkled in.
IF YOU’D LIKE TO SEE MORE OF MY OPINIONS ON THIS BOOK, PLEASE SEE MY FULL REVIEW HERE.
#3. BEAUTY BY ROBIN MCKINLEY
STAR RATING: 4 stars
PAGE LENGTH: 264 pages
DATE PUBLISHED: October 25, 1978
PUBLISHER: Open Road Media Teen
CONTENT WARNINGS: Confinement, Body shaming, Kidnapping
SYNOPSIS: When the family business collapses, Beauty and her two sisters are forced to leave the city and begin a new life in the countryside. However, when their father accepts hospitality from the elusive and magical Beast, he is forced to make a terrible promise – to send one daughter to the Beast’s castle, with no guarantee that she will be seen again. Beauty accepts the challenge, and there begins an extraordinary story of magic and love that overcomes all boundaries. This is another spellbinding and emotional tale embroidered around a fairy tale from Robin McKinley, an award-winning American author.
WHY DID I LIKE THIS RETELLING? It subverts some of the familiar tropes into something else. Like most Beauties, Beauty goes willingly to live with the Beast, in order to save her father from what she believes to be certain death. But in this version, most of the roses are not cursed at all. In fact, the Beast sends some back to Beauty’s family so they know that she is safe. Beast does what he can for her family, so she doesn’t feel bad about never seeing them. I thoroughly loved that this Beauty was not the prettiest of her sisters, that she wasn’t a paragon of femininity. In fact, this Beauty was given the nickname as a joke, and would much rather be helping her blacksmith brother-in-law or helping her father in his wood shop. The side characters are also another bright spot in this retelling. All of them add more heart to what is usually a quite lonely story.
IF YOU’D LIKE TO SEE MORE OF MY OPINIONS ON THIS BOOK, PLEASE SEE MY FULL REVIEW HERE.
#4. ENTREAT ME BY GRACE DRAVEN
STAR RATING: 5 stars
PAGE LENGTH: 323 pages
DATE PUBLISHED: December 16, 2013
PUBLISHER: Smashwords
CONTENT WARNINGS: Sexual content, Animal death, Body horror, Confinement
SYNOPSIS: Afflicted by a centuries-old curse, a warlord slowly surrenders his humanity and descends toward madness. Ballard of Ketach Tor holds no hope of escaping his fate until his son returns home one day, accompanied by a woman of incomparable beauty. His family believes her arrival may herald Ballard’s salvation.
…until they confront her elder sister.
Determined to rescue her sibling from ruin, Louvaen Duenda pursues her to a decrepit castle and discovers a household imprisoned in time. Dark magic, threatening sorcerers, and a malevolent climbing rose with a thirst for blood won’t deter her, but a proud man disfigured by an undying hatred might. Louvaen must decide if loving him will ultimately save him or destroy him.
A tale of vengeance and devotion.
WHY DID I LIKE THIS RETELLING?Entreat Me is an absolutely fantastic novel, but it feels very little like a Beauty and the Beast retelling. There’s not a lot that’s in the familiar shapes, basically. There’s no enchanted castle. Yes, they live in a castle, but there’s no extra magic to it. There are roses, and the hero is cursed. However, the hero is only a beast every now and then, when the magic swells. He suffers badly for this curse, and the heroine immediately feels empathy for him. I feel like I should also mention that this is one of two books on this list with actual (extremely steamy) sex scenes. I should also mention that this version features older characters as the stars. Another reason why I loved this version of the tale.
IF YOU’D LIKE TO SEE MORE OF MY OPINIONS ON THIS BOOK, PLEASE SEE MY FULL REVIEW HERE.
#5. A COURT OF THORNS AND ROSES BY SARAH J. MAAS
STAR RATING: 4 stars
PAGE LENGTH: 433 pages
DATE PUBLISHED: May 5, 2015
PUBLISHER: Bloomsbury Publishing
CONTENT WARNINGS: Violence, Torture, Death, Sexual content
SYNOPSIS: A thrilling, seductive new series from New York Times bestselling author Sarah J. Maas, blending Beauty and the Beast with faerie lore.
When nineteen-year-old huntress Feyre kills a wolf in the woods, a beast-like creature arrives to demand retribution for it. Dragged to a treacherous magical land she only knows about from legends, Feyre discovers that her captor is not an animal, but Tamlin—one of the lethal, immortal faeries who once ruled their world.
As she dwells on his estate, her feelings for Tamlin transform from icy hostility into a fiery passion that burns through every lie and warning she’s been told about the beautiful, dangerous world of the Fae. But an ancient, wicked shadow grows over the faerie lands, and Feyre must find a way to stop it . . . or doom Tamlin—and his world—forever.
WHY DID I LIKE THIS RETELLING? To be honest, ACOTAR barely squeaks onto this list as a retelling. There is a curse, but it doesn’t turn Tamlin into a beast. He just has the power to turn into a beast as part of his powers. There are roses, but he’s High Lord of the Spring Court! Of course, there are roses! There is sort of an enchanted castle. It’s not really a castle, more of a manor house, I think? So see? It’s just kind of, sort of a retelling. Feyre, the leading lady, is frequently frustrating, but she is herself. She’s stubborn, protective, and wildly out of place once they step into Prythian. Anyway, I love this series, and I’m not ashamed of it. This is my least favorite book of the trilogy, but it’s still absolutely worth reading. Just know they get infinitely better after this entry.
IF YOU’D LIKE TO SEE MORE OF MY OPINIONS ON THIS BOOK, PLEASE SEE MY FULL REVIEW HERE.
#6. CURSE OF THE WOLF KING BY TESSONJA ODETTE
STAR RATING: 3 stars
PAGE LENGTH: 356 pages
DATE PUBLISHED: April 7th 2021
PUBLISHER: Crystal Moon Press
CONTENT WARNINGS: Sexism, sexual content, bullying, panic attacks, kidnapping
A beastly fae king with a deadly curse. A devious bargain to break it…
All Gemma Bellefleur wants is to leave her past behind and forget the day scandal broke her heart. But when she’s captured by a trickster fae king who threatens to hold her for ransom, she’ll find herself at the top of the gossip column yet again.
Unless…
Plagued by a curse that will soon claim his life, the human-hating King Elliot will do anything to save himself. And if Gemma can use that to her advantage, she might be able to bargain her way to freedom. All she has to do is help him break his curse.
There’s just one hitch—to do so, they’ll have to trick someone into falling in love with the beastly, brooding Elliot.
With a devious alliance made, their scheme begins, bringing Gemma and Elliot into very close quarters. Soon, an unexpected desire stirs where once there was only hate. But Gemma must fight it. For when the curse is broken, Elliot will return to his true form—a wolf—and be lost to her for good.
Can Gemma sacrifice her budding feelings to save the king’s life? Or will love force her to give up something even greater…her heart?
WHY DID I LIKE THIS RETELLING? I mostly didn’t, actually, but it’s on the list because it’s a Beauty and the Beast retelling. The writing was tolerable, the plot middling, and the characters frequently infuriating. The main character, Gemma, is one of those ‘special’ girls because she’d rather read than look for a husband. The book sets her apart because of this, for some reason. She had ‘main character’ syndrome the worst of any of the other retellings on this list. Our Beast for this book is almost a caricature of the Beast trope — maddening, stubborn, and well, y’know, beastly. There are roses, and a curse, but no enchanted castle that I remember. Honestly, don’t bother with this one unless you really want to.
IF YOU’D LIKE TO SEE MORE OF MY OPINIONS ON THIS BOOK, PLEASE SEE MY FULL REVIEW HERE.
There are more books on my Beauty and the Beast retelling list, but I’m a bit burnt out on the tale right now. Perhaps eventually I’ll do a part two to this one! With that being said, which of these books have you read, and which ones are you adding to your TBR? Let me know in the comments!
With the new year starting, The Year-Long Scavenger Hunt has also begun! I thought I’d throw together a list of books that will fit the topics this year. Please note — I have NOTread all of these. This list was put together from my memory, my TBR, Goodreads topic lists, and recommendations from friends. If you have a suggestion that would fit one of these, please please please post it in the comments below! I’ll go through and add whatever books fit to these lists when I get a chance. I would hope it’s obvious, but this is not an exhaustive list. If you want to read a book that’s not listed here for any of these themes, please go right ahead.
You’ll see the same book listed multiple times throughout these lists. This is by design! You can absolutely use a book more than once in this Scavenger Hunt! I think it would be extra cool to see which book fits the most prompts, honestly! To help you keep organized, I made a Google Sheets doc! Please click here. To use this, please click FILE, MAKE A COPY and edit to your heart’s content.
All the book covers link to Goodreads.
LGBTQ+ MAIN CHARACTER
MAGIC HOUSE
MERLIN-ESQUE CHARACTER
I’ve had some questions as to what this one means and it’s simply a mentor character. Usually older, usually has magic, and usually takes the main character under their wing, so to speak. Does not have to be male, but that’s all I found, u
MORE THAN 2 WOMEN
OVER 500 PAGES
Please please let me know if you have a book that would fit into one of these categories in the comments! Especially if it fits the more than 2 women theme, I had a hard time with that one.
With the new year starting, The Year-Long Scavenger Hunt has also begun! I thought I’d throw together a list of books that will fit the topics this year. Please note — I have NOTread all of these. This list was put together from my memory, my TBR, Goodreads topic lists, and recommendations from friends. If you have a suggestion that would fit one of these, please please please post it in the comments below! I’ll go through and add whatever books fit to these lists when I get a chance. I would hope it’s obvious, but this is not an exhaustive list. If you want to read a book that’s not listed here for any of these themes, please go right ahead.
You’ll see the same book listed multiple times throughout these lists. This is by design! You can absolutely use a book more than once in this Scavenger Hunt! I think it would be extra cool to see which book fits the most prompts, honestly! To help you keep organized, I made a Google Sheets doc! Please click here. To use this, please click FILE, MAKE A COPY and edit to your heart’s content.
So here’s what I have for the second six prompts on the list this year! Again, if you have suggestions that I didn’t list, it’s probably because I forgot or just plain didn’t know about the book. Please, please comment with book suggestions!
With the new year starting, The Year-Long Scavenger Hunt has also begun! I thought I’d throw together a list of books that will fit the topics this year. Please note — I have NOTread all of these. This list was put together from my memory, my TBR, Goodreads topic lists, and recommendations from friends. If you have a suggestion that would fit one of these, please please please post it in the comments below! I’ll go through and add whatever books fit to these lists when I get a chance. I would hope it’s obvious, but this is not an exhaustive list. If you want to read a book that’s not listed here for any of these themes, please go right ahead.
You’ll see the same book listed multiple times throughout these lists. This is by design! You can absolutely use a book more than once in this Scavenger Hunt! I think it would be extra cool to see which book fits the most prompts, honestly! UPDATE – to help you keep organized, I made a Google Sheets doc! Please click here. To use this, please click FILE, MAKE A COPY and edit to your heart’s content.
All the book covers link to Goodreads.
2023 RELEASES
ANIMAL SIDEKICK
COOL WEAPON
DEBUT
DRAGONS
That’s what I’ve got for the first FIVE topics on this year’s prompt list. Again, if you have suggestions that I didn’t list, it’s probably because I forgot or just plain didn’t know about the book. Please comment with book suggestions!!
IT’S THAT TIME, MY FRIENDS. Time for me to figure out my top 10 reads of 2022. Now these are just books that I’ve read in 2022. They did not all come out this year, but I certainly read them this year. These are not in any particular order because if I did them by best book I’d be here all day reordering them about a million times. No one has time for that! Sooooo I mostly tried to go back and forth between Fantasy/Sci-fi and Romance as you read down the list.
WITHOUT FURTHER ADO: Birdie’s Book Nook’s Top 10 of 2022!
The Goblin Emperor meets “Magnificent Century” in Alexandra Rowland’s A Taste of Gold and Iron, where a queer central romance unfolds in a fantasy world reminiscent of the Ottoman Empire.
Kadou, the shy prince of Arasht, finds himself at odds with one of the most powerful ambassadors at court—the body-father of the queen’s new child—in an altercation which results in his humiliation.
To prove his loyalty to the queen, his sister, Kadou takes responsibility for the investigation of a break-in at one of their guilds, with the help of his newly appointed bodyguard, the coldly handsome Evemer, who seems to tolerate him at best. In Arasht, where princes can touch-taste precious metals with their fingers and myth runs side by side with history, counterfeiting is heresy, and the conspiracy they discover could cripple the kingdom’s financial standing and bring about its ruin.
One summer. Two rivals. A plot twist they didn’t see coming….
Nora Stephens’ life is books—she’s read them all—and she is not that type of heroine. Not the plucky one, not the laidback dream girl, and especially not the sweetheart. In fact, the only people Nora is a heroine for are her clients, for whom she lands enormous deals as a cutthroat literary agent, and her beloved little sister Libby.
Which is why she agrees to go to Sunshine Falls, North Carolina for the month of August when Libby begs her for a sisters’ trip away—with visions of a small-town transformation for Nora, who she’s convinced needs to become the heroine in her own story. But instead of picnics in meadows, or run-ins with a handsome country doctor or bulging-forearmed bartender, Nora keeps bumping into Charlie Lastra, a bookish brooding editor from back in the city. It would be a meet-cute if not for the fact that they’ve met many times and it’s never been cute.
If Nora knows she’s not an ideal heroine, Charlie knows he’s nobody’s hero, but as they are thrown together again and again—in a series of coincidences no editor worth their salt would allow—what they discover might just unravel the carefully crafted stories they’ve written about themselves.
Set in a brand-new, Norse-inspired world, and packed with myth, magic and bloody vengeance, The Shadow of the Gods begins an epic new fantasy saga from bestselling author John Gwynne.
After the gods warred and drove themselves to extinction, the cataclysm of their fall shattered the land of Vigrið.
Now a new world is rising, where power-hungry jarls feud and monsters stalk the woods and mountains. A world where the bones of the dead gods still hold great power for those brave – or desperate – enough to seek them out.
Now, as whispers of war echo across the mountains and fjords, fate follows in the footsteps of three people: a huntress on a dangerous quest, a noblewoman who has rejected privilege in pursuit of battle fame, and a thrall who seeks vengeance among the famed mercenaries known as the Bloodsworn.
All three will shape the fate of the world as it once more falls under the shadow of the gods . . .
When Shay Zucconi’s step-grandmother died, she left Shay a tulip farm—under two conditions.
First, Shay has to move home to the small town of Friendship, Rhode Island. Second—and most problematic since her fiancé just called off the wedding—Shay must be married within one year.
Marriage is the last thing in the world Shay wants but she’ll do anything to save the only real home she’s ever known.
Noah Barden loved Shay Zucconi back in high school. Not that he ever told her. He was too shy, too awkward, too painfully uncool to ask out the beautiful, popular girl.
A lifetime later, Noah is a single dad to his niece and has his hands full running the family business. That old crush is the farthest thing from his mind.
Once upon a time, the kingdoms of Wales were rife with magic and conflict, and eighteen-year-old Mererid “Mer” is well-acquainted with both. She is the last living water diviner and has spent years running from the prince who bound her into his service. Under the prince’s orders, she located the wells of his enemies, and he poisoned them without her knowledge, causing hundreds of deaths. After discovering what he had done, Mer went to great lengths to disappear from his reach. Then Mer’s old handler returns with a proposition: use her powers to bring down the very prince that abused them both.
The best way to do that is to destroy the magical well that keeps the prince’s lands safe. With a motley crew of allies, including a fae-cursed young man, the lady of thieves, and a corgi that may or may not be a spy, Mer may finally be able to steal precious freedom and peace for herself. After all, a person with a knife is one thing… but a person with a cause can topple kingdoms.
The Drowned Woods—set in the same world as The Bone Houses but with a whole new, unforgettable cast of characters—is part heist novel, part dark fairy tale.
Set in an alternative Edwardian England, this is a comedy of manners, manor houses, and hedge mazes: including a magic-infused murder mystery and a delightful queer romance.
For fans of Georgette Heyer or Julia Quinn’s Bridgerton, who’d like to welcome magic into their lives . . .
Young baronet Robin Blyth thought he was taking up a minor governmental post. However, he’s actually been appointed parliamentary liaison to a secret magical society. If it weren’t for this administrative error, he’d never have discovered the incredible magic underlying his world.
Cursed by mysterious attackers and plagued by visions, Robin becomes determined to drag answers from his missing predecessor – but he’ll need the help of Edwin Courcey, his hostile magical-society counterpart. Unwillingly thrown together, Robin and Edwin will discover a plot that threatens every magician in the British Isles.
Hart is a marshal, tasked with patrolling the strange and magical wilds of Tanria. It’s an unforgiving job, and Hart’s got nothing but time to ponder his loneliness.
Mercy never has a moment to herself. She’s been single-handedly keeping Birdsall & Son Undertakers afloat in defiance of sullen jerks like Hart, who seems to have a gift for showing up right when her patience is thinnest.
After yet another exasperating run-in with Mercy, Hart finds himself penning a letter addressed simply to “A Friend”. Much to his surprise, an anonymous letter comes back in return, and a tentative friendship is born.
If only Hart knew he’s been baring his soul to the person who infuriates him most – Mercy. As the dangers from Tanria grow closer, so do the unlikely correspondents. But can their blossoming romance survive the fated discovery that their pen pals are their worst nightmares – each other?
This is my last love letter to you, though some would call it a confession. . .
S.T. Gibson’s sensational novel is the darkly seductive tale of Dracula’s first bride, Constanta.
Saved from the brink of death by a mysterious stranger, Constanta is transformed from a medieval peasant into a bride fit for an undying king. But when Dracula draws a cunning aristocrat and a starving artist into his web of passion and deceit, Constanta realizes that her beloved is capable of terrible things.
Finding comfort in the arms of her rival consorts, she begins to unravel their husband’s dark secrets. With the lives of everyone she loves on the line, Constanta will have to choose between her own freedom and her love for her husband. But bonds forged by blood can only be broken by death.
The acclaimed author of Love Lettering weaves a wise and witty new novel that echoes with timely questions about love, career, reconciling with the past, and finding your path while knowing your true worth.
Longtime personal assistant Georgie Mulcahy has made a career out of putting others before herself. When an unexpected upheaval sends her away from her hectic job in L.A. and back to her hometown, Georgie must confront an uncomfortable truth: her own wants and needs have always been a disconcertingly blank page.
But then Georgie comes across a forgotten artifact—a “friendfic” diary she wrote as a teenager, filled with possibilities she once imagined. To an overwhelmed Georgie, the diary’s simple, small-scale ideas are a lifeline—a guidebook for getting started on a new path.
Georgie’s plans hit a snag when she comes face to face with an unexpected roommate—Levi Fanning, onetime town troublemaker and current town hermit. But this quiet, grouchy man is more than just his reputation, and he offers to help Georgie with her quest. As the two make their way through her wishlist, Georgie begins to realize that what she truly wants might not be in the pages of her diary after all, but right by her side—if only they can both find a way to let go of the pasts that hold them back.
Honest and deeply emotional, Georgie, All Along is a smart, tender must-read for everyone who’s ever wondered about the life that got away . . .
*I’m cheating with this one because it doesn’t come out until January 2023. But it’s absolutely one of my fav books I read this year.
In many ways, Nona is like other people. She lives with her family, has a job at her local school, and loves walks on the beach and meeting new dogs. But Nona’s not like other people. Six months ago she woke up in a stranger’s body, and she’s afraid she might have to give it back.
The whole city is falling to pieces. A monstrous blue sphere hangs on the horizon, ready to tear the planet apart. Blood of Eden forces have surrounded the last Cohort facility and wait for the Emperor Undying to come calling. Their leaders want Nona to be the weapon that will save them from the Nine Houses. Nona would prefer to live an ordinary life with the people she loves, with Pyrrha and Camilla and Palamedes, but she also knows that nothing lasts forever.
And each night, Nona dreams of a woman with a skull-painted face…
Have you read any of these? What did you think? Let me know if any of these made your list this year too!
Now that it’s spooky season officially, I thought I’d throw together a recommendation list for you! If you’ve been following me for awhile, you’ll know that I am a big wuss when it comes to being scared. I don’t like it — I’d rather avoid it at all costs. However, I still love Halloween. So every time this season rolls around, I go searching for books that fit the season without giving me nightmares. Hence this list! Everything on here feels like Halloween without being scary enough to need a teddy bear at night! Just maybe…don’t read the last two books while eating anything. 💀
*Mind the content warnings on all of these. Most of these are adult books, with adult themes.*
A DOWRY OF BLOOD BY ST GIBSON
A lyrical and dreamy reimagining of Dracula’s brides, A DOWRY OF BLOOD is a story of desire, obsession, and emancipation.
Saved from the brink of death by a mysterious stranger, Constanta is transformed from a medieval peasant into a bride fit for an undying king. But when Dracula draws a cunning aristocrat and a starving artist into his web of passion and deceit, Constanta realizes that her beloved is capable of terrible things. Finding comfort in the arms of her rival consorts, she begins to unravel their husband’s dark secrets.
With the lives of everyone she loves on the line, Constanta will have to choose between her own freedom and her love for her husband. But bonds forged by blood can only be broken by death.
WHY’S IT SPOOKY?Vampires.
SCARE LEVEL? Minimal. There are no real traditional ‘scary’ scenes, other than vampires feeding. You can read my full review here.
CONTENT WARNINGS: Blood, Toxic relationship, Sexual content
THE QUICK BY LAUREN OWEN
An astonishing debut, a novel of epic scope and suspense that conjures up all the magic and menace of Victorian London
London, 1892: James Norbury, a shy would-be poet newly down from Oxford, finds lodging with a charming young aristocrat. Through this new friendship, he is introduced to the drawing-rooms of high society, and finds love in an unexpected quarter. Then, suddenly, he vanishes without a trace. Unnerved, his sister, Charlotte, sets out from their crumbling country estate determined to find him. In the sinister, labyrinthine city that greets her, she uncovers a secret world at the margins populated by unforgettable characters: a female rope walker turned vigilante, a street urchin with a deadly secret, and the chilling “Doctor Knife.” But the answer to her brother’s disappearance ultimately lies within the doors of one of the country’s preeminent and mysterious institutions: The Aegolius Club, whose members include the most ambitious, and most dangerous, men in England.
In her first novel, Lauren Owen has created a fantastical world that is both beguiling and terrifying. The Quick will establish her as one of fiction’s most dazzling talents.
WHY’S IT SPOOKY? Vampires.
SCARE LEVEL? TBH, It’s been years since I’ve picked this one up, so I don’t remember how scary it is. But I did enjoy it, so it must not have been that scary, or I definitely would have put it down.
Meet Greta Helsing, fast-talking doctor to the undead. Keeping the supernatural community not-alive and well in London has been her family’s specialty for generations.
Greta Helsing inherited the family’s highly specialized, and highly peculiar, medical practice. In her consulting rooms, Dr. Helsing treats the undead for a host of ills – vocal strain in banshees, arthritis in barrow-wights, and entropy in mummies. Although barely making ends meet, this is just the quiet, supernatural-adjacent life Greta’s been groomed for since childhood.
Until a sect of murderous monks emerges, killing human and undead Londoners alike. As terror takes hold of the city, Greta must use her unusual skills to stop the cult if she hopes to save her practice, and her life.
WHY’S IT SPOOKY? Supernatural Creatures.
SCARE LEVEL? Almost none — this is all about helping the supernatural creatures rather than them scaring anyone.
CONTENT WARNINGS: Murder, Body horror, Medical content
JACKABY BY WILLIAM RITTER
“Miss Rook, I am not an occultist,” Jackaby said. “I have a gift that allows me to see truth where others see the illusion–and there are many illusions. All the world’s a stage, as they say, and I seem to have the only seat in the house with a view behind the curtain.”
Newly arrived in New Fiddleham, New England, 1892, and in need of a job, Abigail Rook meets R. F. Jackaby, an investigator of the unexplained with a keen eye for the extraordinary–including the ability to see supernatural beings. Abigail has a gift for noticing ordinary but important details, which makes her perfect for the position of Jackaby’s assistant. On her first day, Abigail finds herself in the midst of a thrilling case: A serial killer is on the loose. The police are convinced it’s an ordinary villain, but Jackaby is certain it’s a nonhuman creature, whose existence the police–with the exception of a handsome young detective named Charlie Cane–deny.
Doctor Who meets Sherlock in William Ritter’s debut novel, which features a detective of the paranormal as seen through the eyes of his adventurous and intelligent assistant in a tale brimming with cheeky humor and a dose of the macabre.
WHY’S IT SPOOKY? Supernatural creatures/beings and a ghost.
SCARE LEVEL? Zero, pretty much. There’s a chase scene towards the end, but it isn’t scary.
CONTENT WARNINGS: Violence, Murder
THE NEAR WITCH BY VE SCHWAB
The Near Witch is only an old story told to frighten children.
If the wind calls at night, you must not listen. The wind is lonely, and always looking for company.
There are no strangers in the town of Near.
These are the truths that Lexi has heard all her life.
But when an actual stranger, a boy who seems to fade like smoke, appears outside her home on the moor at night, she knows that at least one of these sayings is no longer true.
The next night, the children of Near start disappearing from their beds, and the mysterious boy falls under suspicion.
As the hunt for the children intensifies, so does Lexi’s need to know about the witch that just might be more than a bedtime story, about the wind that seems to speak through the walls at night, and about the history of this nameless boy.
Part fairy tale, part love story, Victoria Schwab’s debut novel is entirely original yet achingly familiar: a song you heard long ago, a whisper carried by the wind, and a dream you won’t soon forget.
WHY’S IT SPOOKY? Witches.
SCARE LEVEL? There are definitely a few scary scenes involving magic forests, bones, and crows.
CONTENT WARNINGS: Kidnapping, Self harm, Confinement, Death
NINTH HOUSE BY LEIGH BARDUGO
Galaxy “Alex” Stern is the most unlikely member of Yale’s freshman class. Raised in the Los Angeles hinterlands by a hippie mom, Alex dropped out of school early and into a world of shady drug dealer boyfriends, dead-end jobs, and much, much worse. By age twenty, in fact, she is the sole survivor of a horrific, unsolved multiple homicide. Some might say she’s thrown her life away. But at her hospital bed, Alex is offered a second chance: to attend one of the world’s most elite universities on a full ride. What’s the catch, and why her?
Still searching for answers to this herself, Alex arrives in New Haven tasked by her mysterious benefactors with monitoring the activities of Yale’s secret societies. These eight windowless “tombs” are well-known to be haunts of the future rich and powerful, from high-ranking politicos to Wall Street and Hollywood’s biggest players. But their occult activities are revealed to be more sinister and more extraordinary than any paranoid imagination might conceive.
WHY’S IT SPOOKY? Ghosts, magic, and murder.
SCARE LEVEL? There’s a few spooky scenes involving death magic.
CONTENT WARNINGS: Rape, Sexual assault, Drug abuse
THE DARK DESCENT OF ELIZABETH FRANKENSTEIN BY KIERSTEN WHITE
Elizabeth Lavenza hasn’t had a proper meal in weeks. Her thin arms are covered with bruises from her “caregiver,” and she is on the verge of being thrown into the streets . . . until she is brought to the home of Victor Frankenstein, an unsmiling, solitary boy who has everything–except a friend.
Victor is her escape from misery. Elizabeth does everything she can to make herself indispensable–and it works. She is taken in by the Frankenstein family and rewarded with a warm bed, delicious food, and dresses of the finest silk. Soon she and Victor are inseparable.
But her new life comes at a price. As the years pass, Elizabeth’s survival depends on managing Victor’s dangerous temper and entertaining his every whim, no matter how depraved. Behind her blue eyes and sweet smile lies the calculating heart of a girl determined to stay alive no matter the cost . . . as the world she knows is consumed by darkness.
WHY’S IT SPOOKY? It’s about Victor Frankenstein’s origins.
SCARE LEVEL? This is a dark book, and it can get pretty gross and gore-y, but I wouldn’t say this is scary.
What Moves the Dead is Kingfisher’s retelling of Edgar Allan Poe’s classic “The Fall of the House of Usher.”
When Alex Easton, a retired soldier, receives word that their childhood friend Madeline Usher is dying, they race to the ancestral home of the Ushers in the remote countryside of Ruritania.
What they find there is a nightmare of fungal growths and possessed wildlife, surrounding a dark, pulsing lake. Madeline sleepwalks and speaks in strange voices at night, and her brother Roderick is consumed with a mysterious malady of the nerves.
Aided by a redoubtable British mycologist and a baffled American doctor, Alex must unravel the secret of the House of Usher before it consumes them all.
WHY’S IT SPOOKY? Nightmare mushrooms.
SCARE LEVEL? This isn’t scary as in jump-out-with-a-knife scary, it’s the slow-creeping-dread scary. Check out my full review for more information. Definite body horror.
CONTENT WARNINGS: Body horror, Animal death, Death
What would you recommend to someone who loves Halloween, but hates being scared? Let me know in the comments!
Absolutely beautifully written books appear once in a blue moon, and when they do, they tend to give the worst book hangovers. Every single book (or series) on this list seemed to hang around me in a fog for several days after I finished it. Most of these are fantasy or sci-fi, so if you’re looking for an absolutely gorgeous book to dive into, I recommend any of these. Mind the content warnings, though, there are some serious ones that might cause you trouble!
Greece in the age of heroes. Patroclus, an awkward young prince, has been exiled to the kingdom of Phthia to be raised in the shadow of King Peleus and his golden son, Achilles. “The best of all the Greeks”—strong, beautiful, and the child of a goddess—Achilles is everything the shamed Patroclus is not. Yet despite their differences, the boys become steadfast companions. Their bond deepens as they grow into young men and become skilled in the arts of war and medicine—much to the displeasure and the fury of Achilles’ mother, Thetis, a cruel sea goddess with a hatred of mortals.
When word comes that Helen of Sparta has been kidnapped, the men of Greece, bound by blood and oath, must lay siege to Troy in her name. Seduced by the promise of a glorious destiny, Achilles joins their cause, and torn between love and fear for his friend, Patroclus follows. Little do they know that the Fates will test them both as never before and demand a terrible sacrifice.
Built on the groundwork of the Iliad, Madeline Miller’s page-turning, profoundly moving, and blisteringly paced retelling of the epic Trojan War marks the launch of a dazzling career.
SOME QUOTES FROM SONG OF ACHILLES
“I could recognize him by touch alone, by smell; I would know him blind, by the way his breaths came and his feet struck the earth. I would know him in death, at the end of the world.”
“We were like gods at the dawning of the world, & our joy was so bright we could see nothing else but the other.”
“And perhaps it is the greater grief, after all, to be left on earth when another is gone.”
Far beneath the surface of the earth, upon the shores of the Starless Sea, there is a labyrinthine collection of tunnels and rooms filled with stories. The entryways that lead to this sanctuary are often hidden, sometimes on forest floors, sometimes in private homes, sometimes in plain sight. But those who seek will find. Their doors have been waiting for them.
Zachary Ezra Rawlins is searching for his door, though he does not know it. He follows a silent siren song, an inexplicable knowledge that he is meant for another place. When he discovers a mysterious book in the stacks of his campus library he begins to read, entranced by tales of lovelorn prisoners, lost cities, and nameless acolytes. Suddenly a turn of the page brings Zachary to a story from his own childhood impossibly written in this book that is older than he is.
A bee, a key, and a sword emblazoned on the book lead Zachary to two people who will change the course of his life: Mirabel, a fierce, pink-haired painter, and Dorian, a handsome, barefoot man with shifting alliances. These strangers guide Zachary through masquerade party dances and whispered back room stories to the headquarters of a secret society where doorknobs hang from ribbons, and finally through a door conjured from paint to the place he has always yearned for. Amid twisting tunnels filled with books, gilded ballrooms, and wine-dark shores Zachary falls into an intoxicating world soaked in romance and mystery. But a battle is raging over the fate of this place and though there are those who would willingly sacrifice everything to protect it, there are just as many intent on its destruction. As Zachary, Mirabel, and Dorian venture deeper into the space and its histories and myths, searching for answers and each other, a timeless love story unspools, casting a spell of pirates, painters, lovers, liars, and ships that sail upon a Starless Sea.
SOME QUOTES FROM THE STARLESS SEA
“Strange, isn’t it? To love a book. When the words on the pages become so precious that they feel like part of your own history because they are. It’s nice to finally have someone read stories I know so intimately.”
“Everyone wants the stars. Everyone wishes to grasp that which exists out of reach. To hold the extraordinary in their hands and keep the remarkable in their pockets.”
“Far beneath the surface of the earth, hidden from the sun and the moon, upon the shores of the Starless Sea, there is a labyrinthine collection of tunnels and rooms filled with stories. Stories written in books and sealed in jars and painted on walls. Odes inscribed onto skin and pressed into rose petals. Tales laid in tiles upon the floors, bits of plot worn away by passing feet. Legends carved in crystal and hung from chandeliers. Stories catalogued and cared for and revered. Old stories preserved while new stories spring up around them.”
Set in the days of civilization’s collapse, Station Eleven tells the story of a Hollywood star, his would-be savior, and a nomadic group of actors roaming the scattered outposts of the Great Lakes region, risking everything for art and humanity.
One snowy night a famous Hollywood actor slumps over and dies onstage during a production of King Lear. Hours later, the world as we know it begins to dissolve. Moving back and forth in time—from the actor’s early days as a film star to fifteen years in the future, when a theater troupe known as the Traveling Symphony roams the wasteland of what remains—this suspenseful, elegiac, spellbinding novel charts the strange twists of fate that connect five people: the actor, the man who tried to save him, the actor’s first wife, his oldest friend, and a young actress with the Traveling Symphony, caught in the crosshairs of a dangerous self-proclaimed prophet.
SOME QUOTES FROM STATION ELEVEN
“Hell is the absence of the people you long for.”
“Survival is insufficient.”
She had never entirely let go of the notion that if she reached far enough with her thoughts she might find someone waiting, that if two people were to cast their thoughts outward at the same moment they might somehow meet in the middle.”
“There are only two reasons a non-seer would see a spirit on St. Mark’s Eve,” Neeve said. “Either you’re his true love . . . or you killed him.”
It is freezing in the churchyard, even before the dead arrive.
Every year, Blue Sargent stands next to her clairvoyant mother as the soon-to-be dead walk past. Blue herself never sees them—not until this year, when a boy emerges from the dark and speaks directly to her.
His name is Gansey, and Blue soon discovers that he is a rich student at Aglionby, the local private school. Blue has a policy of staying away from Aglionby boys. Known as Raven Boys, they can only mean trouble.
But Blue is drawn to Gansey, in a way she can’t entirely explain. He has it all—family money, good looks, devoted friends—but he’s looking for much more than that. He is on a quest that has encompassed three other Raven Boys: Adam, the scholarship student who resents all the privilege around him; Ronan, the fierce soul who ranges from anger to despair; and Noah, the taciturn watcher of the four, who notices many things but says very little.
For as long as she can remember, Blue has been warned that she will cause her true love to die. She never thought this would be a problem. But now, as her life becomes caught up in the strange and sinister world of the Raven Boys, she’s not so sure anymore.
SOME QUOTES FROM THE RAVEN CYCLE
“She recognized the strange happiness that came from loving something without knowing why you did, that strange happiness that was sometimes so big that it felt like sadness.”
“Blue was a fanciful, but sensible thing. Like a platypus, or one of those sandwiches that had been cut into circles for a fancy tea party.”
“His feelings for Adam were an oil spill; he’d let them overflow and now there wasn’t a damn place in the ocean that wouldn’t catch fire if he dropped a match.”
Robin Blyth has more than enough bother in his life. He’s struggling to be a good older brother, a responsible employer, and the harried baronet of a seat gutted by his late parents’ excesses. When an administrative mistake sees him named the civil service liaison to a hidden magical society, he discovers what’s been operating beneath the unextraordinary reality he’s always known.
Now Robin must contend with the beauty and danger of magic, an excruciating deadly curse, and the alarming visions of the future that come with it—not to mention Edwin Courcey, his cold and prickly counterpart in the magical bureaucracy, who clearly wishes Robin were anyone and anywhere else.
Robin’s predecessor has disappeared, and the mystery of what happened to him reveals unsettling truths about the very oldest stories they’ve been told about the land they live on and what binds it. Thrown together and facing unexpected dangers, Robin and Edwin discover a plot that threatens every magician in the British Isles—and a secret that more than one person has already died to keep.
SOME QUOTES FROM A MARVELLOUS LIGHT
“You look like a Turner painting and I want to learn your textures with my fingertips. You are the most fascinating thing in this beautiful house. I’d like to introduce my fists to whoever taught you to stop talking about the things that interest you.”
“It didn’t take long to become so accustomed to something that you could describe the exact shape of its absence.”
“It wasn’t the physical act alone. It was the way he felt watching Edwin read; it was the feeling he had every time his eyes sought Edwin in a room and landed on an angle of the man’s face, any movement of those delicate fingers: There you are. I’ve been waiting for you.”
From global phenomenon C. S. Pacat comes the first in her critically acclaimed trilogy—with a bonus story.
Damen is a warrior hero to his people, and the rightful heir to the throne of Akielos. But when his half brother seizes power, Damen is captured, stripped of his identity, and sent to serve the prince of an enemy nation as a pleasure slave.
Beautiful, manipulative, and deadly, his new master, Prince Laurent, epitomizes the worst of the court at Vere. But in the lethal political web of the Veretian court, nothing is as it seems, and when Damen finds himself caught up in a play for the throne, he must work together with Laurent to survive and save his country.
For Damen, there is just one rule: never, ever reveal his true identity. Because the one man Damen needs is the one man who has more reason to hate him than anyone else…
SOME QUOTES FROM THE CAPTIVE PRINCE SERIES
“To get what you want, you have to know exactly how much you are willing to give up.”
“When laced into his clothing, Laurent’s dangerous grace lent him an almost androgynous quality. Or perhaps it was more accurate to say that it was rare to associate Laurent with a physical body at all: you were always dealing with a mind.”
“Laurent entered, an edge to his grace, like a leopard with a headache.”
CW: Slavery, rape, sexual assault, pedophilia
I hope this helped you find a gorgeous book to devour! If you have any recommendations that fit this list, please mention them in the comments below! I’m always looking for another book to add to my quotes list on Goodreads!
So, it’s been a hot minute since I’ve done one of these. I thought I’d fall right back into it with one of my favorite authors: T. Kingfisher. I just adore how she writes — sarcastic, self-aware, and hilarious. She’s mostly in the fantasy genre, though she does write horror (that I do not read, because I like sleeping at night without any lights on, thank you.) If you’re ever looking for short books (most of hers fall into the under 300 pages category) that will make you laugh and lighten your heart a little, I highly recommend her fantasy work. Her heroines are usually around 30 years of age, and they’re all hilarious in their own ways. Plus there’s usually some form of animal as a companion, which is always one of my favorite tropes.
By the way, if you aren’t following Ursula on Twitter, you’re really missing out.
T. KINGFISHER aka URSULA VERNON
WHAT’S SHE KNOWN FOR? Sarcastic heroines, fantastical worlds with a bit of scare in them, and wildly hilarious banter
HOW MANY BOOKS HAVE I READ BY HER? Eight, but she’s written way more than that
WHAT GENRES DOES SHE WRITE? Fantasy, mostly, but she also dips her toes quite frequently into the horror genre.
“I fear that I am not the best possible person for this, but I am the best possible person available at this time, which is much the same thing.” ― T. Kingfisher, Paladin’s Grace
Halla is a housekeeper who has suddenly inherited her great-uncle’s estate… and, unfortunately, his relatives. Sarkis is an immortal swordsman trapped in a prison of enchanted steel. When Halla draws the sword that imprisons him, Sarkis finds himself attempting to defend his new wielder against everything from bandits and roving inquisitors to her own in-laws… and the sword itself may prove to be the greatest threat of all.
WHY DID I LOVE SWORDHEART?
Swordheart was my first foray into T. Kingfisher’s writing. Someone on /r/fantasy had suggested her work to me as a refreshing take on the fantasy genre. How right they were. None of Kingfisher’s work (that I’ve read, anyway) takes itself too seriously, and that is one of the reasons I love it so much. Swordheart is a prime example of this — a man is stuck a sword, and the heroine needs to figure out how to get him unstuck and how to save herself from awful family members. There’s a scene in which everyone discusses what happens to Sarkis’s pee once he goes back into the sword that made me laugh so hard I was crying.
CW: Death, suicide attempt, sexual content, confinement
Stephen’s god died on the longest day of the year…
Three years later, Stephen is a broken paladin, living only for the chance to be useful before he dies. But all that changes when he encounters a fugitive named Grace in an alley and witnesses an assassination attempt gone wrong. Now the pair must navigate a web of treachery, beset on all sides by spies and poisoners, while a cryptic killer stalks one step behind…
From the Hugo and Nebula Award winning author of Swordheart and The Twisted Ones comes a saga of murder, magic, and love on the far side of despair.
WHY DID I LOVE THE SAINT OF STEEL SERIES?
The Saint of SteelSeries is another entry into Kingfisher’s fantasy romance books. These books are both hilarious, and slightly terrifying. It’s the overarching plot that makes them terrifying, in case you were wondering. You’ll see if you dive into them. ANYWAY — all three books feature different paladins as the main character, but these aren’t standalone novels. You’ll need to read all three to get the conclusion to the overarching plot I mentioned before. They’re 100% worth the slight scares bc the romance and banter in these books is top notch. My absolute favorite book of the bunch is Paladin’s Strength, which just like Swordheart, has scenes that make me laugh so hard I cry a little.
HOW MANY BOOKS IN THE SERIES? At the moment, there are three: Paladin’s Grace, Paladin’s Strength, Paladin’s Hope, but I believe she has at least two more planned.
A paladin, an assassin, a forger, and a scholar ride out of town. It’s not the start of a joke, but rather an espionage mission with deadly serious stakes. T. Kingfisher’s new novel begins the tale of a murderous band of criminals (and a scholar), thrown together in an attempt to unravel the secret of the Clockwork Boys, mechanical soldiers from a neighboring kingdom that promise ruin to the Dowager’s city.
If they succeed, rewards and pardons await, but that requires a long journey through enemy territory, directly into the capital. It also requires them to refrain from killing each other along the way! At turns darkly comic and touching, Clockwork Boys puts together a broken group of people trying to make the most of the rest of their lives as they drive forward on their suicide mission.
WHY DID I LOVE THE CLOCKTAUR WAR SERIES?
I have no idea how to describe this book other than it is entirely fantastical, fun, totally hilarious ride. There’s extremely dark moments, but this is a wildly unique fantasy duology that I can’t recommend enough. The villains of the piece are a clockwork army, if that tells you anything. This was released as two parts, so they’re not really individual novels rather than one big one that got split into two. Either way, you gotta give this one a go.
HOW MANY BOOKS IN THE SERIES?Two: Clockwork Boys and The Wonder Engine.
WHAT BOOK DO I START WITH?Clockwork Boys
CW: Violence, animal death, death, sexism, body horror
After years of seeing her sisters suffer at the hands of an abusive prince, Marra—the shy, convent-raised, third-born daughter—has finally realized that no one is coming to their rescue. No one, except for Marra herself.
Seeking help from a powerful gravewitch, Marra is offered the tools to kill a prince—if she can complete three impossible tasks. But, as is the way in tales of princes, witches, and daughters, the impossible is only the beginning.
On her quest, Marra is joined by the gravewitch, a reluctant fairy godmother, a strapping former knight, and a chicken possessed by a demon. Together, the five of them intend to be the hand that closes around the throat of the prince and frees Marra’s family and their kingdom from its tyrannous ruler at last.
WHY DID I LOVE NETTLE & BONE?
This is the first traditionally published work of Kingfisher’s that I’ve read, and honestly, it’s just as good as her self-published stuff. Nettle & Bone is a questing novel — Marra, the main character — sets off on a journey to save her sister from a terribly abusive husband. The only problem is — her sister’s husband is the Prince. You can read my full review of this book right here. Long story short — this is a wild ride, with laughs, amazing characters, and the feel of a classic fairy tale.
From the award-winning author of The Twisted Ones comes a gripping and atmospheric retelling of Edgar Allan Poe’s classic “The Fall of the House of Usher.”
When Alex Easton, a retired soldier, receives word that their childhood friend Madeline Usher is dying, they race to the ancestral home of the Ushers in the remote countryside of Ruritania.
What they find there is a nightmare of fungal growths and possessed wildlife, surrounding a dark, pulsing lake. Madeline sleepwalks and speaks in strange voices at night, and her brother Roderick is consumed with a mysterious malady of the nerves.
Aided by a redoubtable British mycologist and a baffled American doctor, Alex must unravel the secret of the House of Usher before it consumes them all.
WHY DID I LOVE WHAT MOVES THE DEAD?
Soooo, What Moves the Dead was my first adventure into Kingfisher’s horror work. I’m a big whimp, but I really enjoyed this book. You can read my full review for this one here. The characters, just like always, are what made this book work for me. That, and the slowly creeping dread running through the entire book. You can guess what’s happening, you can see it go right before your eyes, but once you get to the reveal, its just UGH. Ugh ugh ugh. So good. And gross.
CW: Body horror, animal death, death, off-page suicide
I know you all are tired of me singing T. Kingfisher’s praises, but I really do hope that you’ll pick up one of her books because of this post. I can’t recommend them enough, especially if you’re looking for something brief between other reads that will make you laugh. Have you read any of these? Are you adding any to your TBR? Let me know!
If you’ve been following me for even a little bit, then you’ll know I read pretty much exclusively on my Kindle. I was a late adopter of the e-reader technology, but since I got my original Paperwhite back in early 2019, I’ve definitely converted. The past few months, however, my Kindle had been a pain, though. It wouldn’t turn on when I wanted it to, I had to restart it multiple times a day, and it even completely wiped itself a couple months ago. (That was such a hassle.) Still, I wasn’t going to give up on the technology, as I loved my Kindle when it did deign to work. So on Prime Day this year, I upgraded to a new Kindle Paperwhite. With the Prime Day deals, I got my new Kindle for $95. It’s normally about $140 — but Amazon does have pay monthly options available!
This post is not an ad. I did not get paid for this. I just really love my new Kindle.
Because I’m loving my upgrade, let’s look at the differences between the 2018 model of the Paperwhite, and the 2021 Paperwhite. Maybe you’ll want to upgrade too!
Paperwhite 2018 vs Paperwhite 2021
The newer model is 0.8th of an inch bigger than the old version. You wouldn’t think that small of an increase would make a difference, but to me, the size increase makes the reading experience feel even more similar to holding an actual book. You can also see in my picture how much more text is displayed with the newer screen. (I read at size 5 font. The Kindle does have font sizes that are much smaller and larger, too.) This means you’re turning pages just a little bit less!
Another view of the size increase
The new Paperwhite has been upgraded to a USB-C charging port. This makes a huge difference as it now takes much less time for the device to reach a full charge. It also means I don’t have to use a dinky ancient USB-mini charging cable anymore. Woo! Sadly, they kept the power button on the bottom. I still think this is the stupidest possible place for it, but whatever. I don’t actually hit it all that often.
The newer version is so much quicker, too. I thought the original was fast enough — a slight miniscule delay in switching pages never really bothered me! With the new Paperwhite, though, there is no delay at all. It’s just instantaneous. Bam, new page!
Look at the difference between the brightest light options!
However the best part of this upgrade, in my opinion, is the inclusion of a warm light feature. This means I can read at night without completely destroying my sleep. The warm light is definitely easier on the eyes, and so, so much nicer than the harsh white of the original version. This warm light feature is available on a slider, so you can choose just how warm you want the screen to be.
The picture above showcases both Kindles on 100% brightness, with the new version on 100% warm light, as well.
Dark mode options!
Dark mode is usually how I read at night — but now with the warm light, it’s just so much nicer on my eyes. The picture above shows the old Kindle on dark mode, with 100% brightness, and the newer version on 100% brightness with some warm light turned on. I forgot to turn the warm light on all the way for this picture, and just left it to what I found comfortable when I read. Sorry!
Some other things about the Kindle Paperwhite in general, in case you aren’t aware:
It weighs less than a pound.
It can hold literally thousands of books — I have over 250 on mine right now, and I still have over 5 gigs free.
It is waterproof to a certain depth, and to a certain length of time. I think it’s something like an hour in water, but I’m not sure how deep it can go. This means you can read in the bath without worrying!
It has a built-in dictionary, so if you don’t know a word, you just tap it, and it’ll give you a definition right there on screen.
The battery life will literally last you weeks.
There you have it — everything you need to know on the new Paperwhite!
BIRDIE'S BOOK NOOK 