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What are you Reading Now?

Aurora

Sage
Not sure if this is it but one thing I've noticed lately is that many YA authors are also young (in their 20s which to me is young for an author). They're less likely to follow rules? Idk.
 

Mythopoet

Auror
Finished the book Evenmere the other day which is the last in the Evenmere trilogy by James Stoddard. You guys. I freaking LOVE these books. I can list on one hand the number of books that have made me this excited that were written in the past two decades. But these books were just so good. The worldbuilding is really amazing. It's a world such as I've never imagined in my wildest dreams. It's large and intricate and full of wonder and secrets. And it's all just a really, really huge house. So weird but so cool, really. And unlike most series, trilogies I've ever read, this one gets better with each book. The second book was better than the first and the third was better than the second. In fact, my favorite characters were introduced in books two and three. I'm seriously in love with this world and I really hope the author will eventually write more.

Tried out The Dream-Quest of Vellitt Boe by Kij Johnson after that. Drawn to it because I adore the Dream-Quest of Unknown Kadath by Lovecraft and this is set in the same world of dreams. However, I've been disappointed so far. This is one of those books that jumps right into the main conflict on the first page and sends Vellitt out on her quest right away and then suddenly decides to bore you with long detailed descriptions of everything she sees while starting out. It just doesn't work for me. If you're going to jump right into the conflict then KEEP THAT PACE GOING. At least until I'm actually invested enough to care. Also the description just doesn't work for me. Considering how much I love Lovecraft you can surmise that I am not at all adverse to descriptive passages. But the Vellitt Boe the descriptions so far are the laundry list type, but of place names. I get it. She's probably trying to name drop the various names of places in Lovecraft's Dream Cycle stories to pull in those fans. But it ends up coming across as too... clinical. She describes all of these places that were mysterious and magical under Lovecraft's pen with a sort of mundane precision and detail that doesn't belong in a dream land. It completely turns me off.

So I tried out Strange the Dreamer. Was it someone here who recommended it? The title attracted me so I looked it up. After finishing the ebook sample I'm completely hooked. Though honestly I wish authors didn't always have to make religious (monks in this case) into scumbags and tyrants in every single book. It gets very wearying. I get the impression they think they're doing something clever, revealing the reality as they think it must be behind the curtains. But at this point it's just another annoying stereotype. People DO actually take religious orders to do good in the world, you know. Sigh.
 

RogueAngel

New Member
Thank you to everyone who supports the wonderful work being done in the YA sector! There really are great things there.

For everyone who gets nauseous at the mention of Twilight, I recommend Stephenie Meyer's other, much-less known book, The Host. It's a great alien invasion story that got completely mislabeled as a YA book simply because the Twilight series had been that. This is much more intellectual and finely crafted than a wishy-washy girl sighing over a sparkly boy.

Also, try the The White Rabbit Chronicles series by Gena Showalter. It's another Alice in Wonderland-esque thing (I have a minor obsession), but this time there's zombies. I should tell you I am not a zombie fan. I've never seen Night of the Living Dead, The Walking Dead, or even my brother's favorite, Shaun of the Dead. But I love this series. It reminds me of Buffy, of which I remain a huge fan.

Thank you also to those who recommended some other fun things!
 

TWErvin2

Auror
I am reading the newest release in the Iron Druid Chronicles, Besieged, by Kevin Hearne. It is a collection of short stories and novelettes featuring the POVs of different characters within the series.
 
Finished the book Evenmere the other day which is the last in the Evenmere trilogy by James Stoddard. You guys. I freaking LOVE these books. I can list on one hand the number of books that have made me this excited that were written in the past two decades. But these books were just so good. The worldbuilding is really amazing. It's a world such as I've never imagined in my wildest dreams. It's large and intricate and full of wonder and secrets. And it's all just a really, really huge house. So weird but so cool, really. And unlike most series, trilogies I've ever read, this one gets better with each book. The second book was better than the first and the third was better than the second. In fact, my favorite characters were introduced in books two and three. I'm seriously in love with this world and I really hope the author will eventually write more.

Tried out The Dream-Quest of Vellitt Boe by Kij Johnson after that. Drawn to it because I adore the Dream-Quest of Unknown Kadath by Lovecraft and this is set in the same world of dreams. However, I've been disappointed so far. This is one of those books that jumps right into the main conflict on the first page and sends Vellitt out on her quest right away and then suddenly decides to bore you with long detailed descriptions of everything she sees while starting out. It just doesn't work for me. If you're going to jump right into the conflict then KEEP THAT PACE GOING. At least until I'm actually invested enough to care. Also the description just doesn't work for me. Considering how much I love Lovecraft you can surmise that I am not at all adverse to descriptive passages. But the Vellitt Boe the descriptions so far are the laundry list type, but of place names. I get it. She's probably trying to name drop the various names of places in Lovecraft's Dream Cycle stories to pull in those fans. But it ends up coming across as too... clinical. She describes all of these places that were mysterious and magical under Lovecraft's pen with a sort of mundane precision and detail that doesn't belong in a dream land. It completely turns me off.

So I tried out Strange the Dreamer. Was it someone here who recommended it? The title attracted me so I looked it up. After finishing the ebook sample I'm completely hooked. Though honestly I wish authors didn't always have to make religious (monks in this case) into scumbags and tyrants in every single book. It gets very wearying. I get the impression they think they're doing something clever, revealing the reality as they think it must be behind the curtains. But at this point it's just another annoying stereotype. People DO actually take religious orders to do good in the world, you know. Sigh.

Huh, i want to look into that first one, from the way you describe it.

And yeah, i'm currently reading Strange the Dreamer. I'm not very far into it but i'm having trouble getting into it. Think I'll continue, though.
 

CupofJoe

Myth Weaver
I've never seen Night of the Living Dead, The Walking Dead, or even my brother's favorite, Shaun of the Dead. But I love this series.
I HIGHLY recommend SotD! As long as you can get passed one truly offensive but utterly needed bit of profanity [a seven word question shows more of Ed's character than any page and a half of exposition could...]
It reminds me of Buffy, of which I remain a huge fan.
Is there any other kind of Buffy fan?:p
 

Mythopoet

Auror
And yeah, i'm currently reading Strange the Dreamer. I'm not very far into it but i'm having trouble getting into it. Think I'll continue, though.

Yeah, I just realized that this is not a standalone novel last night. That dulls my enthusiasm a bit. I haven't had good experience with book that present a huge central mystery to get you hooked only to find out that it probably won't be solved for at least another two books. Who knows when the next book will come out? Hopefully I won't have to wait years.
 
Yeah, I just realized that this is not a standalone novel last night. That dulls my enthusiasm a bit. I haven't had good experience with book that present a huge central mystery to get you hooked only to find out that it probably won't be solved for at least another two books. Who knows when the next book will come out? Hopefully I won't have to wait years.

Goodreads says the title is The Muse of Nightmares, but no indication when we will get to read it...
 

Aurora

Sage
Can anyone recommend fantasy novels with dragons? I like medieval style, too. If anyone has recommendations that would be sweet.
 
Can anyone recommend fantasy novels with dragons? I like medieval style, too. If anyone has recommendations that would be sweet.

A Natural History of Dragons by Marie Brennan is not as much about dragons as the journey of a female scientist in a patriarchal world, but I liked it. It's a great book, very well written.

The Temeraire books are fluffy but great. Or at least the first one is...about to start the second!

^^Both of the above aren't medieval style; the first is a Victorian type of novel and the second is an alternate Earth in the time of Napoleon.

Dragon books are surprisingly hard to find given the popularity of dragons. O_O

I second Steerpike's recommendation of Seraphina as well with the disclaimer that it may be boring in places. I gave it 3 stars on Goodreads as opposed to the 4 i gave to the above two. (Five star reads are very rare for me.)
 
Some of the best dragon books i've read have been middle grade novels. A notable one was the Dragon Slippers trilogy by Jessica Day George (I just liked her take on dragons); another was Iron Hearted Violet by Kelly Barnhill. Yes, they're targeted to an 8-12 kind of age group, but they are perfectly good stories that I found entertaining, and that I think an adult could find some way to appreciate.
 

Aurora

Sage
Some of the best dragon books i've read have been middle grade novels. A notable one was the Dragon Slippers trilogy by Jessica Day George (I just liked her take on dragons); another was Iron Hearted Violet by Kelly Barnhill. Yes, they're targeted to an 8-12 kind of age group, but they are perfectly good stories that I found entertaining, and that I think an adult could find some way to appreciate.
Yikes! A bit too much on the young end for me but thanks!

I've heard of Seraphina before (recommended by a friend's mama). Haven't investigated it just yet will give a look though.
 

Mythopoet

Auror
My favorite dragon will always be the one from A Wizard of Earthsea. (I think she kind of ruined them later in the series though.)
 
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