#also for the adventure books: i do not mean cozy fantasy i mean adventure books. cozy fantasy is aweos but not what i mean

[riverofrainbows]

Things i think should be implemented for all adults immediately:

Adult sized Playgrounds. Both outside ones and indoor padded ones

Recess

Light up shoes

Getting a little gift at the doctor's. Especially invasive uncomfortable ones like downstairs ones and the dentist (and no the gift cannot be a toothbrush).

Further info on the gifts: Plushies, little toys, fidgets and stuff you can get at finance conventions are all applicable. These cannot be gendered if my gynecologist gives me a girl power lipgloss i will start murdering people i want a plushie. (not pink!). Badges for being very brave and doing an awesome job.

Getting a little gift after you submitted your taxes or when you did some official paperwork like a patch or maybe a sticker

Dinosaur bed sheets (adult sized!!!!)

Nonfiction books with textured patches in them and little flaps to reveal secret information. Because unfortunately i already know about farm animals.

No homework (this goes for kids too it's damaging)

Books about adventures that aren't about sex or depression or violence or tax evasion but also do not the feature 11 year old protagonists as middle schooler books understandably do.

Sand boxes with sand box toys and little mills you can power with sand and no i don't mean zen gardens they're awesome but not what i need

Informed consent gender affirming care and abortions and sterilisations

Museums where you can touch everything and press buttons to make things move (and no the ones that are specifically for kids get you stared at and you are expected to let the kids go first. I have the same rights a toddler has to stare at how the different sands move from button pressing position for 15 minutes and i need a space to do so)

Cool funfacts about animals and space in the newspaper

[lgbtqreads]

I’m looking for a book with queer characters (queerness doesn’t have to be a big topic in a book) that’s… cozy?

I know I’m being kind of unspecific 😅 but I’ll try here; basically what I am looking for is a either mystery/romance with mystery elements or fairy tale/fantasy/magical realism (or mix of those, even better) that

- doesn’t rely on heavy political intrigue

- isn’t focused on opression or social injustice as main themes (queerphobia mentions are fine as long as it isn’t “historical gay romance where the tragic part is that we’re gay and can’t be togheter because of it not being socially acceptable” )

- isn’t fast paced action- adventure, epic fantasy, tense enemies-to-lovers whirlwind romance, political intigue etc.

I know I have written „cozy” but that doesn’t mean it can’t be a murder mystery or has to be without any kind of violence, I mainly meant the setting or the pacing of the book.

Highly preferable, but not a must:

- supernatural/folk/fairy tale elements

- adult (non-teenager) male/non-binary main character(s)

- set in smaller city/countryside/wilderness/village/seaside etc.

Examples of books that for me fit this profile and I’m looking for similar vibes :

Silver in The Wood + Drowned Country by Emily Tesh, A Heart Of Stone by Johannes T. Evans, some stuff by E.E. Ottoman, Peter Darling by Austin Chant (I know all of those are romances, but what I am looking for doesn’t have to be)

I’m very sorry if that was too convoluted and thanks for considering my ask 😅

I'm intrigued that you haven't mentioned The House in the Cerulean Sea or any other TJ Klune, so I'll mention it here, though I imagine you know it's a good fit for what you're seeking. I will add Til Death Do Us Bard by Rose Black, Baker Thief by Claudie Arseneault, The Faerie Hounds of York by Arden Powell, and Sea Lover by JK Pendragon. I also recommend checking out the Kraken Collective; I feel like they have a lot of work (some included here) that is very much your vibe!

[literary-illuminati]

Book Review 48 – Legends and Lattes by Travis Baldree

I will be honest, I read this book because it was nominated for a Hugo award and I have a mildly masochistic personal commitment to read every nominee I can (and so remain at least slightly aware of the genre at large). Otherwise, I’m quite certain I never would have touched it – everything about the pitch and marketing made it seem like something I would hate. I’ll try to be fair and approach the book on its own terms but, well it wasn’t exactly painful I wouldn’t say my initial impression was wrong either.

The book follows Viv, an orcish adventurer in a generic D&D fantasy sort of world, as she decides to retire from the dungeon-delving/monster-slaying game with her last big score – a magical stone that, when buried, is supposed to bring ‘the ring of fortune’ to whatever you do above it. She opens the city’s first and only coffee shop. The book follows her collecting a cast of lovable misfit friends/employees (Calamity the hobgoblin carpenter, Tandri the succubus barista/eventual love interest, Thimble the ratfolk baking savant, a bard whose name I’m blanking on, Amity the dire shop cat/security) as they run the business and develop it into what by complete coincidence will end up looking very familiar to the a cute quirky modern indie coffeeshop. There is theoretically some conflict happening, first with the local mob boss and then with one of Viv’s old adventuring companions, but they both feel pretty perfunctory and like they’re only included out of a sense of obligation.

The actual meat of the book is basically focused on Viv instantly becoming fast friends with all her employees/coworkers and how endearing they are, and also the step-by-step of the coffeeshop's development. First in renovating the property into her vision, then in the branding and marketing, and then the gradual addition of menu items and live music. Through it all Viv and Tandri have a developing romance that (rather appropriately) feels like a coffeeshop AU fanfic where the author decided the slowburn tag meant ‘every other character will just assume they’re already dating by the halfway point but they’ll act like flustered teenagers and refuse to actually discuss their feelings until they kiss on the literal last page’.

So, the book is ‘cozy fantasy’ which as far as I’m aware does basically means ‘no tension slice of life fanfic but with original characters’ (alternatively, ‘2000s ‘cute girls doing cute things’ anime but with a moderately more diverse cast and in sf/f book form’). The only other books in the genre I’ve read are Becky Chambers’ stuff which, while I didn’t particularly love them, I now feel I was being way too harsh on. Those have legitimately impressive worldbuilding and coherent themes and at least gestures at real compelling character arcs and dilemmas. This, well, what you see is what you get? Like, there’s zero false marketing, the entire book is entirely dedicated to hitting the exact broad emotional beats you would expect it to. There’s not really any interest in the world beyond the cafe, it is in fact a plot point that Viv attracts a found family she clicks perfectly with and their relationships are all uniformly positive, and there is exactly one point where she suffers any sort of real reversal – which lasts for about five pages before everyone comes together and rebuilds things even better than ever. There is a wizened gnome whose clearly living time backwards who takes the time to pat Viv on the should and reassure her that everything turns out alright, in about as many words. There's clearly a market for this, and I am not it.

Morality in the book is basically synonymous with niceness. If someone is friendly or at least polite to Viv then even if they seem like an obvious problem in the end they’ll turn out to have their heart in the right place and only want the best – as, for example, the local crime boss proves to be a nice old lady who accepts an order of cinnamon buns every week as ‘protection money’ and donates several shipments of materials to rebuilding the place without any expectation of payment or stake in return. The only two characters in the book who are rude assholes to someone in the cafe are also coincidentally the only real villains there are.

All of this is stuff that on some level I more or less expected opening into the book. The thing that actually disappointed me is that this fluffy book about opening a coffee shop doesn’t actually care about coffee. If you’re going to make it the centrepiece of your whole book, I expect some exultation and appreciation of the stuff! Give me self-indulgent passages going into detail about the smell and taste and smell and experience of it. Make me put down the thing actually craving a latte!

But the book’s mostly interested in the, like, trappings and signifiers associated with a cafe, not (despite Viv’s theoretical obsession with it) the actual coffee. This feels like a point that generalizes. (There actually is a decent amount of detail spent on the baked goods their genius baker invents, which just makes the lack feel stranger.)

As an aside, and I know this is very clearly not a book that expects you to care about the worldbuilding, but it’s kind of strange that coffee is presented as this new exotic novelty to a vaguely European fantasy metropolis that is explicitly already familiar and comfortable with tea? Like obviously the historical analogues aren’t worth getting into – Viv is creating a cute neighberhood coffeehouse by a college campus, no a 17th century Venetian cafe – but it’s not the first place I’ve seen the same portrayal of the two drinks and it’s, odd? Like it’s not like tea is any less foreign to Europe, or arrived particularly earlier.

But anyway, yeah, didn’t enjoy this but can’t say I was misled. It is in fact a book that you can entirely judge by its cover and not be surprised one bit.

[ash-and-books]

Rating: 4/5

Book Blurb: A charming fantasy set in an underwater world with magical academia and a heartwarming penpal romance, perfect for fans of A Marvellous Light, Emily Wilde's Encylopaedia of Faeries and The House in the Cerulean Sea. “An underwater treasure-chest to be slowly unpacked, full of things I adore: nosy and loving families, epistolary romance, gorgeous worldbuilding, and anxious scholars doing their best to meet the world with kindness and curiosity.” —Freya Marske, author of A Marvellous Light

A beautiful discovery outside the window of her underwater home prompts the reclusive E. to begin a correspondence with renowned scholar Henerey Clel. The letters they share are filled with passion, at first for their mutual interests, and then, inevitably, for each other.

Together, they uncover a mystery from the unknown depths, destined to transform the underwater world they both equally fear and love. But by no mere coincidence, a seaquake destroys E.'s home, and she and Henerey vanish.

A year later, E.'s sister Sophy, and Henerey's brother Vyerin, are left to solve the mystery, piecing together the letters, sketches and field notes left behind—and learn what their siblings’ disappearance might mean for life as they know it. Inspired, immersive, and full of heart, this charming epistolary tale is an adventure into the depths of a magical sea and the limits of the imagination from a marvelous debut voice.

Review:

A delightfully cozy story told through letters, part penpal romance, part mystery, and a all around cozy time. The story is through 100% epistolary (writings and letter correspondence). The story revolves around two scholars that share an interest in marine life, who begin sending slightly flirtatious letters between each other while trying to solve an under sea mystery (they also live in separate pressurized spheres under the ocean in the year of 1002) and we flash forward to 1003, where both of them have suddenly disappeared, and a correspondence between their siblings begins, as they try and piece together what happened between them. Henry and E are both introverted individuals who are socially awkward but find a blooming pen pal relationship growing between each other. They are so sweet and their romance was adorable. Sophy (E's Sster) and Vyerin (Henry's brother) begin a correspondence with each other in which they read their siblings letters to each other as they try and figure out what happened to E and Henry. The book is the first book in a duology! This is an extremely cozy slow build book, it builds a beautiful deep sea life and the loneliness and depths of the ocean are so beautifully detailed. I had fun with this one and enjoyed the various character dynamics and the letters were great. I am excited to see where the next book goes and what happens to E and Henry!

*Spoiler: it is revealed that E and Henry survived their departure together and landed somewhere. Sophy and Vyeryn both agree to go out and try and find them*

*Thanks Netgalley and Orbit Books | Orbit for sending me an arc in exchange for an honest review*

[elliepassmore]

Emily Wilde’s Map of the Otherlands review

5/5 stars Recommended if you like: cozy fantasy, fairies, light academia, epistolary narrative Big thanks to Netgalley, Del Rey, and the author for an ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Emily Wilde’s Encyclopaedia of Faeries review I'm so so happy I got approved for this! I absolutely loved Emily Wilde's Encyclopaedia and am very thrilled that I got to read more about her, Shadow, and Wendell's adventures so soon after reading the first book (now if only I can get that luck with the Divine Rivals sequel). This book opens in September of the same year the last one ended in. Emily and Wendell have been back at Cambridge for some time now and Emily, now tenured, is working on research to locate Wendell's door. Emily does seem to have some new social skills, though these seem largely to be remnants of what she learned in Ljosland more than anything and she is still overall the same grumpy, focused professor that we loved from the first book. The stakes in this book are a little higher, with Wendell's stepmother upping the ante, which results in more than one dangerous encounter (along with all the other, normal dangerous encounters). Admittedly I did like the more laidback pace of the first book more, but I was also interested in seeing how things would play out with Wendell's door and his stepmother, so I was glad to see that come into play in this book. It also means we get to see a bit more of Fairy, albeit a different realm/kingdom than the frosty one we saw in book 1. Emily is, as mentioned the same as usual, if not a smidge less reticent when it comes to socializing. She remains focused on her work and has an avid interest in cataloguing everything they come across on their adventure. I appreciated her methodical thinking paired with the instincts she's gained over years working with/among fairies. I also liked that her caring side was shown a bit more in this book. She's worried and cares for Wendell on numerous occasions, which brings out that softer side of her, but there are also moments when she worries for her niece, Ariadne, who is a member of this expedition. Wendell is also the same: strikingly glib and woefully uninterested in hardships/labor (and ridiculously in love with Emily). I enjoyed the humor he brought to the book and the fact that even with everything else going on he was still fussy about their accommodations. We get to see more of Wendell's magic in this one, and it was interesting to learn more about what he can do. Ariadne, Emily's niece, is a new addition to the team. At 19, she's an undergrad in the dryadology department and somewhat idolizes her aunt. She's eager to learn and has a fierce stubborn streak that helps her get her way on more than one occasion. Ariadne is quick on her feet and also makes friends easily, which also helps the group out on more than one occasion. Personality-wise, she provides a nice counterweight to Emily and adds a bubblier aspect to the story. Another new member of the team is Rose, the dryadology department chair and someone who is not on good terms with Emily and Wendell for the first part of the book. Rose is an old-school professor and is resistant both to new methodologies as well as to Emily's trust in certain fairie elements. He kind of bulldozes his way onto the expedition and I wasn't a huge fan of him at first, but the longer the trip goes on, the more tolerable he becomes, and he and Emily reach a sort of understanding and actually end up being buddies by the end. Shadow returns in this book as the loving and spoiled dog we know him as. There were some mentions of his advanced age in this book, which I don't remember being a thing in the first one (though perhaps I forgot), but I was glad to see the pup again. Poe also comes back and I was glad to see him. Things seem to be going well for him and his lady, and I was glad to see the little guy. Wendell's cat, Orga, also makes an appearance and I already like her. She's aloof and fierce and more than willing to claw people up if they aren't doing what she wants. We don't get to see much of her, but I'm looking forward to more appearances. We also meet a fuchszwerge, a new kind of fairie, that Emily names Snowbell. He's a vicious thing but has the excitement of a kid, and I did like the interactions with him. Overall, I enjoyed this continuation of Emily's story and the new characters and settings it brought. The end of the book said the adventure would continue in "Book 2," which I'm assuming is a typo for "Book 3," so I look forward to whatever comes next for this little group!

[wormwoodandhoney]

As a follow up to my favorite books of the first quarter of the year, here are some of my favorites from April, May, June! In no particular order, just in the order I read them.

The Adventures of Amina al-Sirafi by Shannon Chakraborty is a fun, pirate fantasy adventure featuring one of my recently realized favorite tropes: getting the band back together. A retired female pirate just wants to live a quiet life raising her young daughter, when she is recruited to rescue the child of a former crewmate. She must reunite with her old crew and save the day. Killer cover, fun story.

Chlorine by Jade Song is a coming of age body horror novel about a teenaged girl who will do anything to become a mermaid. Slow burn- you know what will happen from the beginning, but it's a deep dive into the mind of this queer young swimmer to watch her get there.

Malice by Keigo Higashino is a Japanese novel translated by Alexander O. Smith about a detective determined to uncover the motive behind the murder of a famous novelist. Loved this why-done-it.

We See Each Other: A Black, Trans Journey Through TV and Film by Tre'vell Anderson is a nonfiction exploration of Black trans representation in pop culture and history, as well as moments from the author's own life. Looks at everything To Wong Foo to Pose to Survivor.

Don't Fear the Reaper by Stephen Graham Jones is the second book in the Indian Lake Trilogy. SGJ is my favorite horror author but his work and ESPECIALLY these books are not for everyone. People either love or hate this series and what can I say? I get it. Graphic here.

VenCo by Cherie Dimaline is about a young Indigenous woman who has to go on an adventure with her unusual and elderly grandmother after she discovers that she's one of seven witches to usher in a new era of power.

Madame Restell by Jennifer Wright is a nonfiction book about a famous abortionist in pre-Gilded Age New York. I found it fascinating, if not incredibly depressing, with how much we recycle the same arguments over and over again. Great read. Trigger warnings for this one, from childbirth to abortion to racism to misogyny.

Clytemnestra by Costanza Casati is a Greek mythology retelling on the titular murderer. As a Clytemnestra apologist, I really liked this. I kind of think so many of Greek retellings these days are all very similar, in writing style & theme so I feel like if you've read one of these recent retellings you've read them all, but I liked it!

Hamra & the Jungle of Memories by Hanna Alkaf is a Little Red Riding Hood retelling set in modern Malaysia, where a girl in a red hijab must help a tiger return to his human form. Really a beautiful story about humanity, grief, and what it means to make mistakes. Also just a fun adventure. Loved it. Graphic here.

You're Not Supposed to Die Tonight by Kalynn Bayron is another final girl horror novel. Look, I'm gonna read all of them and I'm gonna love all of them! You give me a final girl and I'm gonna eat it up. You give me a queer Black final girl trying to survive the night at her camp recreating a famous (fictional) horror movie while trying to protect her girlfriend? Yum, yum, yum.

Honorable mentions: Ayoade on Top is Richard Ayoade's definitive tome on the Gwenyth Paltrow film View From the Top. Get the audiobook for this one for sure! The Three Dahlias is a fun cozy mystery, and Saint Juniper's Folly is a fun queer modern fantasy adventure.

[erlie]

Favorite books of 2023

You seemed to like my historical m/m recommendations, so I am going to give you my favorite books of the 2023!

Doesn't mean they were published on 2023, I just read them that year.

--

The Scottish Boy - Alex de Campi Historical fiction, M/M, politics, war - Harry, a young English man participates on a raid to Scotland where they capture a wild and unrefined Scottish boy, who mysteriously can speak fluent French. Their lives are entangled forever. This I already recommended, but it bears saying it again. This is wonderful. It has enemies to lovers, star-crossed lovers, political intrigue and betrayal.

-

Legends & Lattes - Travis Baldree Fantasy, F/F, coffee shop, romance - Viv is an orc mercenary, who after a life of adventuring and battles wants to start a coffee shop, but she is battling tax office, suspicious customers and magic.

Tooth rottingly sweet. Absolutely cozy, low stakes fantasy series that makes you kick your feet and giggle.

Also read the prequel, which is also wonderful: Bookshops & Bonedust

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This Is How You Lose The Time War - Amar El Mohtar, Max Gladstone Sci-fi, time travel, war, F/F - Agents on opposing sides of the time war leave messages to each other over time and space, falling in love with each other in the process. If Bigolas Dickolas Wolfwood did not get to you, hopefully this will. Beautiful and poetic story about love and faith and war. -

A Little Life - Hanya Yanagihara Contemporary fiction, drama, M/M - Four classmates go through life, sometimes alone, sometimes together, always concerned about Jude.

Changed me as a person. There is Elsa before A Little Life, there is Elsa after A Little Life. Hated every second of reading it. Physical discomfort. Never again. 10/10 PLEASE BE MINDFUL OF THE TRIGGER WARNINGS WITH THIS ONE. It'll kill you if you don't. TW: Mental health, suicide, suicide attempts, rape, child abuse, sexual abuse, physical abuse, there might be others but these just from the top of my head.

-

Murder Your Employer: The McMasters Guide to Homicide - Rupert Holmes - Historical crime comedy - Three people want to murder their employers and they go to school for it. One of them will fail. Absolutely fun, easy read. One of those "can't put it down" type of books that will keep you entertained all the way through.

-

I think that's all for now. I'll do a part two maybe tomorrow, so I won't clog your timeline with a gigantic post. Anyway, hopefully at least one of you finds something new to read from this list!

[zeemczed]

Silly Game Time: Are you fan of the fantasy genre? If so, what's a fantasy story (movie, show, book, game, etc.) you really like, and why?

Let's do a few here.

Robert Asprin and Jody Lynn Nye's Myth Adventures. It starts out with an ex-thief wizard apprentice whose master gets killed after he summons a demon. The thing is, "demon" is like "alien". Alien can mean guy from another world, or Gio who skipped over the border from Canada 20 years ago without paperwork. Demon typically means being from another dimension in this world. Aahz (no relation) becomes our boy Skeeve's mentor, as he's, uh, cut off from his magic by the spell that summoned him, and the one guy who could fix it is dead. Stuff gets WEIRD and hilarious. Expect insane levels of puns and fun worldbuilding.

Terry Pratchett's Discworld, particularly the Night Watch series. I mean... what can I say here? Gold. Absolute gold.

Phantasy Star IV, Sega Genesis. One of the best RPGs in the 16-bit era. It punches above its weight with side quests at the Hunters' Guild, manga-style cutscenes, and great worldbuilding (if a few questionable bits of translation). Also an absolutely bitchin' soundtrack.

4. Northern Exposure. That show with the Jewish doctor who has to go work in Alaska to pay off his student loan. I know what you're thinking, but... no, I'm not kidding. An excellent cozy rural fantasy series, though Maurice's 1950's bigotry was deliberately cringeworthy when the show aired, so it's damn near painful (and yet STILL topical) now.

5. Blind Guardian, Nightfall in Middle-Earth. It's a heavy metal opera version of the Silmarillion. What else do I need to say?!

6. Goblins. The webcomic by Elli Stephens, specifically. It's a great D&D-inspired comic with pretty unique bits of worldbuilding, and Big Ears is one of the best paladins in any media.

7. Lord of the Rings. I mean. Yeah.

[stormblessed95]

Tress of the Emerald Sea

Description: The only life Tress has known on her island home in an emerald-green ocean has been a simple one, with the simple pleasures of collecting cups brought by sailors from faraway lands and listening to stories told by her friend Charlie. But when his father takes him on a voyage to find a bride and disaster strikes, Tress must stow away on a ship and seek the Sorceress of the deadly Midnight Sea. Amid the spore oceans where pirates abound, can Tress leave her simple life behind and make her own place sailing a sea where a single drop of water can mean instant death?

This was released on the 1st of the month to kick off the "Year of Sanderson" and I spent the entire day yesterday binge reading it and loving everything about it. He also worked with Howard Lyon, an artist, who detailed illustrations to be added throughout the novel that were all AMAZING and increased the reading experience! I want some of these as giant art prints because they are gorgeous! (I'll be including them below!)

I read the book in a day and loved it. It had good deaf rep for a side character, a fun and interesting magic system and incredible new world and planet to explore in the cosmere. A world that seemed as beautiful as it is deadly. The 12 different moons, with 12 different seas made of different spores that do a variety of dangerous things that could kill you, but be so useful if used properly when they get wet. It was really cool to read about and to read about how well Tress handled herself as she learned! Sandersons magic systems are such a strong point for his novels. I loved the playful silliness of the prose. I was surprised in the best way that the story is actually told and narrated by Hoid, a beloved cosmere character, as if it's a lengthier verison of the stories he tells in the Stormlight Archive. He breaks the fourth wall, engages playfully and the humor hits for me. The romance was sweet, not overtly intense or even the best relationship he has written, but it was cute. I enjoyed Tress as an MC and following her adventures and accidental Voyage into piracy as she heads out to rescue her love was amazing. The crew was great and I love a good pirate novel! And Piracy on an Ocean that had no water and was magical was super cool! The cosmere Easter eggs were amazing to find. Like Ulaam the Kandra, Riina from the Ire, and Hoid, of course, played a much bigger role as the stories narrator. I saw references to Mistborn, to Warbreaker and to Stormlight here. But while there were references, it is possible to read this book without reading anything else and holds itself up as a really great cozy lighthearted fantasy standalone read without spoiling any other books. Which is great!

Honestly, a great book to start off my 2023 reading time with and while I don't normally post my reviews here, I wanted to share this one and I wanted to share all the stunning art too! Because WOW! I ultimately ended up giving this book 4 stars out of 5. I can't wait for the merch box that comes with it to get here this month and see what's included as well as get to have this in hardcover!

Stunning art. Truly. Will be spending some time on 17th shard exploring all the possible intricacies I missed my first time reading and hearing what everyone else was thinking of it and any other possible cosmere connections!

[mdhwrites]

Atelier Sophie: A Subtle Gem That's a Cozy Barrel of Fun

This is the first RPG in a long time where I have put 50+ hours into it and my immediate reaction to getting to the end of its story was that I needed to pick up the sequel, at full price, 60 dollars, NOW... And check out more of the series in general. Its odd choice to try and make a Slice of Anime into a game just hits that well while still telling a genuine fantasy story with interlocking themes and messages.

What is that story though? Well, I'm trying to avoid spoilers with this blog but it comes down to a kind of classic pitch. A young girl finds a talking book and they both change the other's life forever. A timeless coming of age story about friendship, the desires that motivate us, the strength we find from our bonds and the general wish to do good... And also the complexities that come with that. Like... This is a game that manages to actually make a reasonable argument for why one should ignore 'The needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few' while also bringing that question up AT ALL in something that 90+% cozy and pastoral. Not everything is that morally complex but little of it is simple.

That doesn't mean you can't just enjoy the surface value either though. I streamed my whole playthrough and there were LOTS of times where I would react to something trying to be funny... And Sophie just said what I did a second later. There are really good jokes, a great, true sense of care amongst the entire cast, genuine, light ribbing from friends meant to motivate each other and poke fun at their flaws. Everyone is also fully realized with their own interests, goals and desires that you can help with. Not for really any benefit to you but just because you want to help these people who are your friends. Only like two of the character stories, the side quests, in the ENTIRE GAME actually require you to even do combat. Most of them are just "Hey, can you make this item that you were already going to?"

And that brings me to the gameplay. This is an alchemy game where the alchemy matters... Only to the amount that you do need to be doing it. It is not a hard game. Once I started figuring out properly how the crafting worked, I started becoming overpowered very quickly. If you're worried though about constantly needing to remake the same things or having to constantly play catch up, it's smart in giving you ways to not have to do that and the pace is slow enough, gating new recipes with clear flags, that it took until when I had EVERY recipe available to me, a whopping a one hundred and thirty one, that I felt like I'd really fallen behind... Though not in power. Just that I had a LOT of things to make if I wanted to fill the list out. I beat the game having only done a hundred recipes. They weren't perfect either and the final boss went down like a bitch.

But I didn't want it to be hard because, well, I wanted this to be a fun adventure with friends by then while showing off what we had all accomplished together. Not some big slog where we're barely making it through. Also, those bonds of friendship play into the combat with characters doing support attacks or defending each other because we are all here to try and live better lives.

I have said in the past that I think one of the best pieces of writing advice out there is that "A good story knows what it is as much as it knows what it is not." I have played few games that feel like they were designed with that concept in mind. Not to say there's no waste at all but that it knows what it is in and out better than I think a lot of games, and especially RPGs if I'm honest, do.

Also, we stand our lesbian disaster that is Sophie. The main character is genuinely a bit of a mess as far as taking care of themselves goes but you will never find someone with a bigger heart. Someone who so genuinely wants the world to be a better place and will put the work in to do that, even if she might whine just a little. Also ship Tess and Sophie so god damn hard I cannot understate it.

If all of this sounds like I'm just gushing... It's because I am. Because I loved my time with this so utterly and thoroughly that all I want is more time with it. More of a reason to sink deeper into these bonds and friendships and themes and mechanics and post game just because I want to stay here. In a world that will always end in good. Not that there is no darkness, just that there will always end up being good somewhere within it.

As my first Atelier game, I could not have asked for a better introduction and you can bet that this series already holds a place in my heart. So please, grab a cup of tea, sit and enjoy this overlooked gem of a game.

======+++++======

I will say that the story stuff is only for the core game of Atelier Sophie. I have not actually made it through the DX content yet that came with the remake. However, there is such a clear delineation between the two that I felt it was reasonable to make this anyways, especially while I was still humming with excitement from the ending.

I have a public Discord for any and all who want to join!

I also have an Amazon page for all of my original works in various forms of character focused romances from cute, teenage romance to erotica series of my past. I have an Ao3 for my fanfiction projects as well if that catches your fancy instead. If you want to hang out with me, I stream from time to time and love to chat with chat.

A Twitter you can follow too

And a Kofi if you like what I do and want to help out with the fact that disability doesn’t pay much.

[betterbooksandthings]

This Will Be Fun by E. B. Asher

This Will Be Fun by E. B. Asher is an absolute delight of a cozy fantasy romance. Saving the kingdom of Mythria from a notorious villain undoubtedly ruined the lives of all adventurers involved. In their young 20s, Galwell the Great led his sister Elowen and her best friend Beatrice to save the world from a great darkness. Along the way, they teamed up with the ex-bandit Clare and were waylaid by the villainous Vandra, but even in their darkest moments, no one imagined Galwell would sacrifice his life to save the world. In the intervening years, Elowen has lived alone in a secluded part of a nightmare forest, Beatrice has lived a boring life as a noble wife before her recent divorce, and Clare has taken up the public mantle of hero to save everyone else from doing the job. They haven’t seen each other in a decade, but when the Queen invites them all to her wedding, they cannot say no. Can the two couples reconcile the things that separated them in the first place? Is it even possible for them to still save the world—especially without the leader that made them so great? Can one really quest through a kingdom without the aid of caffeinated sweet treats? All this and more will be answered in E. B. Asher’s gloriously funny book. I was delighted by so many world-building details in this book. When I tell you the fantasy world feels very Shrek, I mean that as a complement. The faux Starbucks and magic-cast soap operas are so fun. The magic system is straightforward and adds to each character’s arc. I also am a sucker for a second chance romance so when you give me not one, but two I am sold. Elowen and Vandra hooked up in between fights during the party’s first quest. Now that Vandra is a reformed assassin in the employ of the Queen, there is nothing stopping them (other than Elowen’s insecurity and belief she should be alone forever). It is a really well done sapphic enemies-to-lovers relationship where the former villain is a ball of sunshine and the former hero is such a grump. I love them so much. Next up we have Beatrice and Clare who got together the night before Clare joined their adventuring party. Instead of confronting this reality, the two bickered across the realm and broke up after Galwell’s funeral, before they ever had a chance to really be together. I love them all, but Clare is such an adorably sincere himbo and he could never do anything to make me hate him. Sure, he is a bit of a rake with a tendency to overcompensate to make others feel better, but I simply adore him. He brings out the best in Beatrice who, quite frankly, is a powerhouse. She is stubborn because she has to be and she is so deliciously complicated. Her repairing her romantic relationship with Clare and platonic relationship with Elowen brought her sense of purpose back. That is not a character arch we see a lot from thirty-year-old women in fantasy books. Give me more, please. In case I have been coy, I highly recommend This Will Be Fun by E. B. Asher set to release September 10, 2024.

[reddy-reads]

march and april roundup

still kicking! let's start with march

basically, all I did in March was re-read. Well, I also tried to read Rumphius's Orchids (translated by EM Beekman). While it was a good book, it is also a nonfiction botanical text. I got what I needed out of it :) (the badge reads "did not finish / you tried")

I did so much rereading that I decided to make a new little stamp thingy that says "COZY RE-READ." Admittedly, T Kingfisher's What Moves the Dead isn't really... cozy... but it's still a good read. The narrator is so likeable and has such a strong character voice.

April was pretty similar. I threw in a few re-reads there too, but I didn't include all of them. BUT! I was still on a T Kingfisher kick, so I read Summer in Orcus. This led to me rereading The Girl Who Circumnavigated Fairyland in a Ship of Her Own Making, which led into reading The Girl who Fell Beneath Fairyland and Led the Revels There. I like the world building for those books, which is a bit nonsensical and fairytale-ish in the best way. I also reread The Martian, which I didn't mean to do. I was picking it up to put it away, flipped open to the first page, and then BOOM I was 60 pages in already. If you haven't read it, I recommend it.

Leigh Bardugo's Ninth House gets a new decoration I made, which reads "Finished it / Why tho?" and has a shrug guy. Suffice to say, I have mixed feelings, at best, about that one. Basically, I think the pacing was dogshit, and I wish someone had warned me that there's sexual assault (and of a minor) in the book, but I accept fault for not checking before reading. I picked it up because it was recommended to me by several people.

I did enjoy Rosemary and Rue by the ever-excellent Seannan McGuire. I look forward to reading more in that series. It was a good adventure. The protagonist is up against a wall for so much of the book, but she keeps moving forward even when it seems like she is sinking. The setting has a lot of meat on its bones, which is perfect for a series. It feels like a good example of starting a character off at a low point to make their fight upwards more satisfying.

Finally, I postponed my "book of the month," which I will be reading this month (May) or possibly choosing to donate.

A theme that stood out across these two months was "fairy tales." I really got into a fairy tale kick with T Kingfisher and Valente, and I think it was Rosemary and Rue that started it off. (I started R&R in March but didn't finish until April.) It was really cozy and pleasant to reacquaint myself with some of Kingfisher's fantasy/fairytale inspired stuff.

[ash-and-books]

Rating: 4.5/5

Book Blurb:

She’d be the most gifted witch in centuries, if she had an ounce of power in her veins.

With weak magic and no social graces, Meda’s dreams of becoming a great witch are impossible. It doesn’t matter how much harder she works than her rival, Kalcedon: the heartless half-fae has so much magic that just being near him makes her blood sing.

When an ancient Ward-spell falters, a wave of devastation crashes across their islands. If the spell fails for good, they’ll be at the mercy of the cruelest fae lord their world has ever seen. But if Meda can translate the ancient spell fast enough to understand who is destroying it, and how, she won’t just save the isles. She’ll finally prove her worth.

Meda’s sharp mind isn’t enough to win against an unknown enemy. She’ll also need Kalcedon’s endless well of power. As they travel the Protectorate's islands, navigating grief and racing against time, she begins to see a new side to the half-fae. Behind his cruel words, there may be a battered heart more human than Meda dares admit… and a man who will do anything to keep her safe.

…Even if it costs the whole world.

Review:

A sweet fantasy romance featuring a witch with weak magic, a quest to save the isle, a rival half-fae who is just as handsome as he is heartless, and some unlikely friends. Meda dreams about becoming a great witch, the only thing stopping her? The fact that she has weak magic while her rival Kalcedon, a heartless half-fae has so much magic, just being near him makes something in her sing. When their mentor passes away, Meda decides to go on a quest and prove her worth. Yet the quest she takes up means she'll have to travel to far lands, save a prince in disguise, translate spells and fight an unknown enemy.... what's even more surprising is when Kalcedon chases her down, determined not to leave her side... and despite everyone thinking he's heartless... he seems to be very much in love with her if only he could get her to notice him. This was a fun read and I liked the journey that Meda goes on, the book had an "Encyclopedia of Emily Wilde" kind of vibe and I enjoyed it. It's a bit of a cozy fantasy but at it's heart its a fun adventure, filled with romance and fae, and it's got a happy ending. It's a fun read and I'd definitely recommend it!

Release Date: July 15, 2024

Publication/Blog: Ash and Books (ash-and-books.tumblr.com)

*Thanks Netgalley and ARC provided by Victory Editing NetGalley Co-op for sending me an arc in exchange for an honest review*

[postalvalhalla]

Isekai Bookseller

When I first got into anime and manga, I was starved for new stories to read.  I’d read or watch everything that was out there in English -- including many titles that were not exactly up my alley, or especially well crafted.  I don’t think I could have imagined the world we have now -- where it’s nearly impossible to keep up with all the anime/manga/light novels out there.

And yet, it seems like 70% or more of everything I come across is Isekai -- meaning “different world” or “otherworld”

Mind you, this can be taken in an unlimited number of directions, but largely we’re confined to standard fantasy worlds, as established by Tolkien and Gary Gygax and everyone that followed them.  They truly have no idea what they’ve wrought.

But!  I’m a fan of well-done Isekai, so I keep reading new ones.  My latest (with the obligatory long, explanatory title) is The Savior's Book Café Story in Another World.  Here we skip the entire death of the character and jump directly to the new world bargain scene, where they’re told that they are to be a heroic savior in the next world and what special skills do they wish for?  Ask and it it yours!  (Standard Isekai offer.)

Our heroine is a 30-something office worker who likes her comfortable life and can’t be bothered with saving the world.  Adventures?  Rather just read about them in a book.  So she goes over the details of the arrangement carefully, then sets herself up in a nice, safe kingdom with her own bookshop.  She uses magic to fix it up and run it, and she can sit around and read.  Perfect!

OF course, it’s never that easy... but mostly this is a nice little story with a romance subplot.  There is certainly trouble brewing on the horizon, for there is a second otherworld savior in the kingdom, and she’s also not playing by the rules -- but she’s causing a lot more chaos.  But really, it’s a fun little story with a likeable protagonist, and who wouldn’t want to run a cozy bookstore café in another world?  I devoured the first manga volume, and now I need to get 2,3, and 4.  :D

[comicaurora]

What do you think might be fun urban fantasy elements to use in worldbuilding?

That's up to the individual, I think!

For me, the appeal of urban fantasy is that it adds a layer of supernatural weirdness to otherwise completely familiar environments. Because of this, "familiarity" becomes kind of a limiting factor on the specific worldbuilding. The setting of The Unsleeping City works as well as it does because it was created by dyed-in-the-wool New Yorker Brennan Lee Mulligan, who clearly looked over the city he was so familiar with and went "what parts of this could easily be hiding something else?" The public library, the train line at night, Santacon, the poem on the statue of liberty, the angel of bethesda fountain, noted historical shithead Robert Moses and his habit of bulldozing minority neighborhoods to build highways, etc etc. These work because they're ingrained into the familiar aspects of the setting, and the real aspects are integrated with a lot of love and affection.

For me, at least, the question "what urban fantasy elements do I want to use" starts with "what things do I think would be cool if they were real?" and continues into "what things in the real world already have additional meaning that could easily be extended into a supernatural force if such things were real?" There's a bookstore I went to a lot as a kid that's mostly underground and a bit of a maze; in my head it made perfect sense that this cozy labyrinthine environment could be a doorway to something bigger, like a wizard sanctum or an infinite library dimension. Planetariums and museums set out to transport you to other worlds and other times - what if we push that just a little and make them gateways or places of power? The one really quiet street that's overshadowed by trees and maybe bends just slightly so you can never see one end from the other feels like it should lead somewhere else if you find the right way to walk down it. Maybe in this story it does.

I think urban fantasy as a genre incorporates a form of yearning that most people feel as kids, before they've quite learned the axioms of how the real world works. When you're a kid, before you've learned that something doesn't work, it feels like anything can work. There could be a monster in the dark corner of the hallway, these construction paper wings could let you fly, that pendant necklace could give you magic powers, that puddle could be a portal, that door could open to another world if you just open it right, that one teacher could be a werewolf. If you have a love for the fantastical, the process of growing up involves a lot of small disappointments as you gradually process that certain things just aren't part of our reality and can't happen. And no matter how logically we can reason that such a reality would be objectively nightmarish, there's still a bit of heartbreak that comes with accepting the rules of the world we live in.

Urban Fantasy as a genre gives writers an outlet for that. They can construct a world where those childhood suspicions and more grown-up "wouldn't it be fuckin sweet if"s can be real. From that approach, I think the specifics are really dependent on the wishes of the individual writer. "If monsters were real I would love to study them" produces settings like those Dragonology books and Seanan McGuire's InCrypted series. "If magic was real it would definitely hide in secret double-meanings in these locations" makes things like The Unsleeping City. "If there were vampires I would want to be one and also make out with one" is how we got the post-Twilight supernatural romance craze. "If there's a magical world, there would be secret portals that would let normal people go there" gives us things like Narnia. "What if there was magic literally anywhere and it just randomly turned up and caused adventures" gives us Edward Eager's Tales of Magic. "Ancient myths and legendary wars are still being fought in secret today" gives us Susan Cooper's The Dark Is Rising Sequence.

Urban Fantasy draws so strongly on the supernatural what-ifs that specifically fascinate the writer that I don't think there's any way to make a masterlist of All The Cool Things To Put In There. It's a fantastical extension of reality - of course it's going to involve a little personal wish fulfillment.

[bukojuiice]

—the lovey-dovey things they do with you while you're both stuck at home during quarantine

ೃ chars: izuku midoriya, katsuki bakugo, shoto todoroki, eijiro kirishima and shinsou hitoshi x gn! reader

ೃ  tags: headcanons, fluff

ೃ  warnings: none!

ೃ  my nav  →  my mha writing masterlist  → my katsuki bakugo x reader smau

ೃ  please do reblog if you enjoyed!! it really helps writers and content creators on tumblr!  

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katsuki bakugo: cooking and baking with him! it all started on a cozy afternoon in April, you’re mindlessly scrolling through tiktok whilst cuddling with katsuki (your sparky bf practically asleep in your arms) when you stumbled upon some cute and interesting cooking videos appearing on your fyp. katsuki peers through your phone and groggily asks if you want to try out and attempt to make some of them and you immediately say yes!

the two of you start with something simple and basic, dalgona coffee! (even playfully arguing whether or not you should adding more whipped cream to your drinks or not), after that, you then take your culinary journey a bit further by making some baked sushi, cloud bread, and mini donut cereals among many other scrumptious delights! after a while, you decided to buy some matching “kiss the cook” aprons online and even started a tiktok account detailing all of the special twists katsuki made to the recipes (although he absolutely refused to make an account at first, with some probing and dozens of pouty faces and puppy eyes coming from his adorable significant other, he finally gives in) dancing and kisses in the kitchen, spreading flour on each other’s faces, leaving sneaky love notes by the fridge, and making each other coffee in the morning were just some of the little add-ons the two of you would do with each other.

izuku midoriya: online escape rooms and virtual museum tours! the national museum of japan were offering some free virtual tours around the museum and the two of you could not just pass up the opportunity to see all the intricate pieces being displayed in the museum. however, izuku wanted to experience something else that's similar to that and so, after seeing an ad on twitter for an virtual escape room experience, izuku excitedly told you about it. jumping and hopping around like a little bunny and you couldn’t help but agree as seeing him so happy and so excited for something will never fail to make your heart flutter. the two of you immediately book a reservation and even bring out your virtual reality gears for the full immersive experience. you’re clinging to his arm the whole time as you virtually traverse a horror escape game and your freckled boyfriend tries his best to be brave just for you.

with both of your intelligent and inquisitive minds combined together, with the occasional soft couple bickering, and having to listen to izuku murmur to himself for several minutes,  the two of you solved 7 escape rooms (for a week straight) in a span of three hours each. the two of you take turns in doing the tasks of the game, and whoever fails to do so, has to do the other person’s bidding for the entire day. although the two of you could never force the other to do any mean-spirited dares to each other, most of the bidding you told each other to do were peppering each other kisses on the cheek, long and warm hugs, choosing the movie for the night, cuddling in the bed and holding hands among many other things.

todoroki shoto: binging movies and tv shows on netflix with him! this was the perfect opportunity to help your icy-hot boyfriend finally indulge in everything pop culture. and what better way to do so than on netflix and other streaming sites? the two of you end up watching every romantic movie dear to your heart. mixed with bed or couch cuddles, blankets wrapped around the two of you, a lot of cheesy and loving whispers said, and paired with some comfort food you ordered online. your watching area varied. sometimes the two of you would watch in the bedroom, living room, and sometimes you would even make a pillow fort with dangling fairy lights attached to it filling the tent with fluffy stuff toys to lie on just so that the two of you can watch on the floor.

shoto cried when the two of you finished watching the notebook and the eternal sunshine of the spotless mind. and all you did the entire night was give him all the hugs and kithes you could provide him. ever since then, the two of you opt for more light-hearted movies. rom-coms, disney movies and sitcoms where he endlessly referenced iconic lines from friends, the office, how i met your mother, and brooklyn 99. the days in quarantine go by with the two of you just mindlessly singing and dancing along to disney songs, rewatching rom-coms for the umpteenth time, reenacting some scenes from iconic movies with dry yet hilarious acting, and just discussing movie theories whenever he cutely and innocently asks you about some small details he missed every time you finish watching a movie for the day

eijiro kirishima: training and exercise routines with him! your shark-toothed boyfriend is a fitness buff through and through. to the point that a room in your house dedicated to just gym and fitness equipment exists. but when quarantine struck the world and your lovely home, you slightly lost your motivation to work out. eijiro continues to encourage you to do so ofc! with the two of you occasionally going outside to jog but aside from that, nothing much else. when he catches you watching a chloe ting video on youtube, he scoops you up from the couch, and you giggle trying to tell him to put you down yet he refuses to do so, as he carries you all the way to your little gym room. you notice that there are yoga mats sprawled about and since then, the two of you would do a lot of yoga as it has been proven to decrease anxiety. sometimes the two of you would get distracted and start dancing to the exercise music, accompanied endless laughter and giggles when kirisihima would do his daily planking exercise with you sitting on top of him as he does so.

there were also times when the two of you were so tired and sore. so you would give each other loving massages, there were also times when the two of you would just sleep it out or just lounge in the bed. excercise couldn’t stop your cravings and so, and there were also times when the two of you would do some food mukbangs you’ve been craving for recently.

shinsou hitoshi: playing video games with him and taking care of your little pet kitten! right before quarantine started, shinsou surprised you with a pet little kitten that the two of you decided to name gigi, named after the cat from kiki’s delivery service. the two of you always running around the house as if you were parents to a newly-born baby, watching your cute little kitten frolicking around, touching and interacting with everything he could find. after watching some “cat parents” videos on youtube and learning some tips, you attempt to give it a bath, resulting into a very wet failure. with the only time you can feel peace and quiet was when gigi was asleep or whenever he would be drinking his vet-approved milk. your quarantine life was hectic and chaotic but taking care of a cute little bundle of joy with your equally loving and handsome boyfriend... well, life couldn’t get any better than this.

when you were finally able to get the hang of the cat parents life, you and shinsou finally found the time to rest and relax by playing video games. may it be a horror, action, adventure, rhythm, or fantasy game, you were always playing with him. maybe as a player 2 or just as the supportive significant other who helped him solve puzzles, make story game choices that could change the game, and even help him with the buttons if he was trying to fight some hard boss. whenever there are jumps cares in the game, he would hold your hand and give you reassuring pats. whenever the two of you would play against each other on the other hand, he has his arms wrapped around you, with you still being extremely focused at the game at hand, he would give you pecks on the cheek to try and make you distracted so that he can win. your little pet kitten, gigi, sleeping on the couch as the two of you play to your heart’s content.

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