Hey bookaholics my name is Faye. I'm a binge-reader and reviewer of adult fantasy and the occasional Sci-fi. Self-published sff stan. Lover of chocolate.
I need to keep going with N. K. Jemisin trilogy, I've read the first one in a readalong and it was such a fresh story, in the sense that it was so so different from what I'm used to read. The Wolf of Oren-Yaro looks absolutely amazing, I just got a copy for my kindle xD hopefully I can start it on september. I love all the recommendations though, because the books that you usally bring up are so unknown around bookstagram or booktube. Thx
@@piratagirl87 I look forward to hearing your thoughts on the rest of the Jemisin ones! She changes things up so well in her series from book to book! Oooooh keep me posted on Oren-Yaro as well! One of my absolute favourites! Thank you so much! I hope the recommendations pull through 😅
The Snow Child sounds morbidly fascinating, I am sold! And oooh I am so curious to hear your thoughts on Starling House, I remember enjoying it but I can't remember a single thing about it now lol. Her stories are so feverdream like!!
@@esmayrosalyne yeah Snow Child was an intense experience. I’m really curious about Starling House but I’ve not heard anything about it really 🤔 So I’m glad you enjoyed it, even if it’s forgettable 😂😂
Loved 10k Doors--so many great moral quandaries to ponder <3 What books do you think are comparable to this one? I had an interesting discussion about this in a bookshop yesterday!
Super interesting topic!! I hadn't even really thought of Queens of Renthia and Starlight Jewel in this light, but I love how you approached those aspects. The first book that pops into my head is Merchants of Knowledge and Magic by Erika McCorkle, which is so wildly inventive with its reproductive system and intersex representation!
@@esmayrosalyne I wanted to be sure I wasn’t only including spicy hot Romantasy. More about books that discuss reproduction and legacy and heirs etc. instead. I think spice co-opts discussions around sex sometimes so I wanted to diversify the conversation a bit. I’ll add Merchants of Knowledge and Magic to the list! ❤️
@@bookschocaholic couldn't agree more, and as someone who is all about the emotional connection between love interests, I hate it when the smut just takes over lol. Thanks for these recs!!
Heeeck yes, The Wrong Stop was such a blast! I can't wait to read more by Rex!! And ouch, this does not help me feel more motivated to get back to Drowning Empire. I feel like I have to reread book 2 to read the finale, but I just can't be bothered lol. YAY for Tide Child though, RJ Barker is absolutely one of my faves, he knows how to write a series on the most cruelly bittersweet note! 🥺 And consider me sold on Witch Wife and Kavithri 🤩
@@esmayrosalyne have you read Rex’s odyssey earth trilogy? That one is more like fun absurdist space opera! Yeah I’m not one to come to if you need motivation to finish Drowning Empire!! I’m absolutely gutted! 😞 The way I was actually SOBBING and needed like an hour to decompress at the end of tide child!! Epitome of “this book destroyed me, five stars” 😂 Witch Wife has a weeeeird set up but I loved it! Kavithri is the Poppy war for anyone who hated Rin and wanted a tiny bit more subtly in the historical representation 😂 (and that’s from someone who absolutely loved the Poppy war!)
@@bookschocaholic I got Orphan Planet after loving The Wrong Stop, so hopefully I can squeeze it in soon! Have you read Barker's other trilogy? Also exceptionally gutwrenching by the end, I just live for that type of pain hahahah
@@bookschocaholic I started with that one and absolutely devoured it. Each book just gets better and better, and it left me with a big gaping hole in my soul by the end... LOVED it hahahah
Dark tower sucks! I am a Stephen k8ng fan who's read everything he's written but Dark tower isnt worth ot for the very few cool things in it. It took me four attempts over the course of 12 years to finally force myself through book 4. If dirty gross women is something you'd like to explore more check out "The Natural way of Things" by Charlotte Wood, I didn't really get what the author was trying to say but it was lnteresting. There are several and they deal with it in different ways, so its not one perspective, coping strategy, or internal reasoning. I liked Circe but i gave Song of Achilles 2☆ (yes I'm aware I'm kinda alone). I love John Gwynne ive read all of his books and am super hyped for fury of the Gods Dragon Rider by Taran Matharu was a very good dragon bonding book! I know it wasn't your fav but my fav water fantasy is still The Mermaid the Witch and the Sea. Funny story I just finished a 5 book series bc I thought you recommended it but i got the wrong books lol. I read Season of the Raven by Denise Donming not Season of Ravens... oops. It was good but totally the wrong thing.
@@zachreads omg I’m so glad I’m not alone with Dark Tower!! I told my hubby if book three gets less than three stars I’m out! 😂 Ooooh thank you!! I appreciate without context “if dirty women is your thing” is a strange recommendation basis, but I’m nearly 30 so I’m very over “only pretty girls welcome” town 😂 Great to get a recommendation for the Taran Matharu one because I was a bit worried it would be another Eragon/Bound & the Broken! I swear every John Gwynne book I read is better than the next. So by that logic I am VERY excited for Bloodsworn (but book 3’s paperback isn’t out until OCTOBER 2025!!! 💔) I really wish I had loved The Mermaid, The Witch & The Sea 🫣 So many books, so many similar titles!!! 😂😂 was the series any good anyway? 🤔
@@bookschocaholic Ya! The Denise Domning series is called "The Servant of the Crown" book 1 is Season of the Raven, they are historical murder mysteries that take place between 1193-1194, the Detective duo is a retired knight and a sassy monk. I enjoyed all of them book 5 was the only one that a few problems. The next "dirty woman" book on my TBR is "Piglet" by Lottie Hazell, "Nightbitch" by Rachel Yoder is one I really enjoyed but it gets mixed reviews. (If you might be interested in the other kind of dirty women books Luna Fury is my fav smut writer) (Also want to clarify Witch Wife was the context for "dirty women", that wasnt put of nowhere)
@@zachreads oh heck yeah!! That sounds like my jam! Not normally a fan of detective stories but that sounds awesome!! Also many thank you for the endless supply of imperfect women fiction recs! 🔥🙏
I've seen Nora Roberts everywhere but the sheer quantity of books overwhelms me every time so I just never took the time to find a good entry point... until now! This sounds like something I could enjoy, it has a bit of everything!! Thanks for the great review ;)
Legends and Lattes probably SHOULD have been a DNF for me. I think i just don't really like cozy fiction too much. If you want another fantasy book with a sapphic romance and an orc main character that's not dead boring, i highly recommend AK Larkwood's The Unspoken Name
@@rapidevening I like cozy but need stakes. I like the Miss Percy books by Quenby Olson which I would consider cozy, but they… you know… have a plot 😂 I actually have the Serpent Gates series on my shelves! I really should get to them soon!
This was a great list! It included some stuff I haven't heard of and also some stuff I haven't seen hyped very much (like the Bitch Queen books, which I definitely want to read now). Right now my Big Fantasy Book Project is trying to read Tad Williams' Memory Sorrow and Thorn by the end of the year, but (partly thanks to this video) I think I'm gonna finally tackle Realm of the Elderlings in 2025 🤞
@@rapidevening thank you!!! I’m always trying to promote some underrated gems!! I’ve just finished a readalong for Memory, Sorrow & Thorn and it was a really impressive series. I can definitely see how it influenced the genre! How far in are you? I’m always glad to hear I’ve converted someone towards trying Robin Hobb!! Do let me know how it goes!
This video was so helpful to me! I picked up the first book on a whim at the used bookstore because I've been wanting to read Tchaikovsky for a while and the cover looked cool 😅. You did a great job breaking down the series and letting me know what to prepare for, without spoiling anything. Good to know I'll have to be patient but that the payoff is there. Thanks so much!
I think this just made me realise that I really do prefer soft magic systems, lol. Once things get even slightly close to sciency I am just noping the F out of there 🤣🤣 The Riverfall Chronicles by Jacquelyn Hagen, The Raven Cycle by Maggie Stiefvater, Renia by Karl Forshaw and all of Sarah Chorn's works would fall in this category as well I think 🥰
@@esmayrosalyne yeah I know it’s really hot right now to have Hard Magic systems but personally I find they need to be done REALLY well or like you, I nope out 😂
Oooh yes, you are in for a treat with Of Thieves and Shadows. I hope to reread it this month in prep for the new book!! Also, hope that Addie LaRue is a hit for you, it worked really well for me but I can totally see why it's so divisive lol. Happy reading 🥰
The novella was great, I have no idea why I didn’t carry on immediately 🤔 Schwab is such a weird one for me because I always like her concepts but my enjoyment based on the execution varies wildly!! Here’s hoping this one is a hit 🤞
That is a lot of epic fantasy! With Islington I will be diving into Will of the Many hopefully soon :). I do also want to try out some Novik and also Addie LaRue! Hmmm, A Time of Courage.... I wonder who that's written by.... Will
I’m in my fantasy Era it would seem 😂 I’m getting so much fomo from Will of the Many but I do much prefer binging series! Temeraire is great, especially for fans of historical fantasy like some i know 👀 I’m really hoping I get on with Addie LaRue 🤞 I’m not sure I’m ready for A Time of Courage! I don’t want this series to end! But also I’m soooo excited 😂
Oh I loooove these vibes in books! I think The Wickwire Watch is another spectacular example of this, and Legacy of the Brightwash also has that deliciously dark gaslamp atmosphere!
@@esmayrosalyne I have Brightwash on my tbr and I really need to get over my fear of it’s cliffhanger ending 😂 Wickwire Watch seems to be making the rounds at the moment so I should probably check it out… maybe for autumn 🤔
I think this is one of the first series I added to my goodreads want to read shelf when I made my account over 6 years ago... and I still haven't picked it up lol. It sounds like it ticks a lot of my boxes, and I think Wurts' writing style might be a lot more palatable for me in this series than in her own works, so I can ease in. Thanks for the great review!!
@@esmayrosalyne I’d certainly be interested in your thoughts on this one. It’s quite anomalous in terms of classic fantasy, but still denser than modern fantasy 🤔 I hope you enjoy 😍 Thanks for watching hun ❤️
Warlord is so crazy good. The first 1/4 of the first book is really slow but once a certain event happens the excitement continues to the last page of the last book!! Audiobook is a must! I also listened to the first 3 Saxon tales, narrated by Tom Sellwood who sounds exactly like Alexander Dreymon the actor that plays Utred in the tv show. The best part of these books is the humor, especially in the Lords of the North.
@@heidi6281 I kind of want to have an Arthurian binge at some point so I can see the different iterations of him. Because I’ve heard everyone hate him in Warlord but love him in the Giles Christian one? 🤔 I’ve only tried Last Kingdom so far by Cornwall but I’ve heard Warlord is most people’s favourite of his so I should probably try it!
@@williamgwynne yeah I’m glad duologies seem to be on the rise!! I actually really liked the sequel to Empire of Sand but I know it has mixed reviews! Yeah I feel like David Wragg is under appreciated! His humour is top tier! Thanks for watching Will!
@@LadetteM I know right?! I was down for the bromance and then couldn’t get far enough!!! 💔 haven’t tried the audio though no… maybe in the future 🤔 How did you find the sequels? They seem to have mixed reviews 😬
@@LadetteM mark of a good book if it breaks your heart to be fair! 🔥 I’ll see if I can actually visualise the world through audio at some point then I guess!!
@@beach_lion G from Book Roast made the actual sheet, I just tweaked it to suit my needs. But I do love me some numbers (which is ironic because I have dyscalculia) 😂
Faye, Daughter of the Empire is the most perfect book…shogun meets the Games of Thrones. I felt the next two books were more like Outlander with all the rescuing going on. Mara of the Acoma was more modern back in 1988 than heroines are portrayed nowadays. If you want a fun review check out Kit’s World’s review, he so funny and insightful.
@@heidi6281 yeah I think it’s a great example of classic fantasy!!! The politics and world building alongside the character work was great. I do think the first book is the best of the three!! I’ll go check out their video on it! Thank you so much for watching
You are one of the only booktubers that I can come to for recommendations of books I haven't read yet lol, I love it!! Can't wait to try Teixcalaan and Articles of Faith, they sound right up my alley (in different moods). And Jemisin still intimidates me after not adoring Broken Earth, but I am so tempted by this lol. Thanks for the recs!! 🤩
@@esmayrosalyne awwwww thank you!!! 🤩 I look forward to your thoughts!! Especially on Teixcalaan!!! Jemisin can be… a lot? 😂 I think I got lucky because I was really new to booktube when I read Broken Earth so the hype didn’t get to me! While I feel like Dreamblood isn’t talked about as much so maybe it would work better for you? 🤷♀️🤞
@@kaylagracereads everyone is at least a little bit queer and it’s poly and yeah I mean, there’s a lot of pain and trauma and stuff it’s adult fantasy, but yeah queer joy for the win!!
Gasp, I haven't read any of these yet!! Definitely going to need to rectify that, I need more standalones in my life. Especially The Bird King, Conjure Women and The Once and Future Witches sound like really great fits for me, thanks for these reviews 🤩
@@esmayrosalyne yeah I realised that I was really slacking in talking about standalones. Series are so much easier to talk about because you’re in the world and with the characters so much longer! Some great choices, I look forward to hearing your thoughts on them!
@@bookschocaholic true, that is also exactly why I fall into the trap of reading soooo many series, I just love the deeper connection and immersion that you so often get!!
I am happily on the cosy fantasy train xD Not getting out of my seat for anything, haha! Brilliant recommendations :D Really appreciate the "depends on the type of reader you are" angle - so many people just want to shout about their fave reads without taking into consideration the types of books people like to read. Super excited for A Memory Called Empire and I neeed to find a copy of Becky Chambers' books :D
@@L.L.MacRae yeah I found breaking into sci-fi really hard because I’ve only heard about the books from hardcore sci-fi fans. So I thought I’d make stepping stones along my way 😂
@@alainaiswriting awesome!! I hope you find something you like amongst them!!! I find getting into sci-fi so hard because it feels almost like the only people who talk about them are hardcore fantasy fans 😅
I was so so grateful to have you to vent to about Legends and Lattes. 🤣 House at the Cerulean Sea was so much better (but also "fine" for me, haha). I liked the middle best, when the focus was on the kids, but the ending left me underwhelmed. It felt for most of the book like it was building to something, but the something never happened. I also felt the love interest/relationship stuff felt pretty shallow.
@@stevewestenra1881 i love that we book twinned on these two!! Even if it was because we disliked/ weren’t fussed at least we were in it together!!!! Thanks for being the BEST buddy read buddy!! ❤️❤️❤️❤️
Ayeee, I am honoured to be your hype girl hahahah 🤣🤩 We have to do a buddy reread of A Chorus of Dragons one day! Also, I am with you on maybe preferring Of Blood & Bone over FatF!! And I am so curious to hear your thoughts on book 2 of the Dark Tower, I got 3 books in and I still can't decide if I like the series or not lol
@@esmayrosalyne yesssss!!! Buddy reread would be amazing!! Especially since we’ll have hindsight! So far I think it’s you, me and Terry that prefer Blood and Bone 👀 I’m in good company!!! I have no idea if I’ll even make it to book three 😂😂😂
