#so y'know they're simultaneously people i figure i wanna be like one day and people i fundamentally can't comprehend bc im yet to hit rock

[vampiromano]

if I had a nickel for every time I've found an artist who I share fundamental beliefs and points of view with, as well as brands of neurosis, but who simply isn't at the same point in life as I am by virtue of having already started recovery from their fucked up-ness, therefore making me feel vaguely alienated from them because I'm not even close to needing or considering recovery yet, I'd have two nickels, which isn't a lot, but it's weird that it happened twice

[applejongho]

2020, a year that will live in infamy. This list, some book series' or standalones that will live rent free in my heart for the next three and a half years.

Books that Got Me Through 2020 (so you can read them in 2021)

The Infernal Devices Series - Cassandra Clare

part of the enormous shadowhunter series (the mortal instruments, for example, and you don't have to read it first but you can)

literally??? the best fuckin love triangle to exist?? ever??

like seriously I don't like love triangles but I'd murder for this one

wonderfully developed characters

WONDERFULLY DEVELOPED CHARACTERS

off the rails badass demon fighting pretty black haired boy

gentle and kind (half) chinese violinist that I would jump off of a building for that also fights demons

shapeshifting bibliophile girl that's trying to protect and simultaneously figure out her family bc her dad is probably a demon

like magic? fighting demons? vampires? warlocks? 19th century london? ANGST??? yeah read this

I don't cry over books but I cried over the epilogue of the third book

The Cruel Prince Series - Holly Black

are you a hoe for enemies to lovers?

if yes then this series will make you their bitch

literally the BEST angry female character I've read ever

like she's not annoying or overly brash or dark or angsty, she just living in a world that hates her while being the badass queen she is

and the prince

OH he's a joy to read

he's a lil bitch and I love him (read: dramatic bitch)

he's also a fairy (and she's not)

and basically says he hates her during make out sessions so

one of my favorite dynamics... ever

and some of the descriptions and words... *chef's kiss* I still think about them even today

a bit of lgbtq representation (bi girl that dates a girl) but not the main focus

I think I ate up the first book in two days which is insane for me

The Poppy War Series - R.F. Kuang

this author is literally a sadist bc none of the characters make it out happy

fjjdkddk besides that: imagine imperialist Japan and yu-gi-oh and combine them together

like literally the humans start controlling the gods it's metal af

heavy as hell series that has implied rape and implied massacre, but the majority of the series is a war so that's a little expected

it's not classified as YA, it's adult, and is based on true events of the sino-japanese war

main character is also extremely badass, she literally destoys her uterus after getting a period for the first time bc she hated the pain

that alone should compel you

would recommend if you like getting slammed into walls

also! the first part of the book is a lot like harry potter (students going to a school to train for a hypothetical war if it ever came) but then the second half and the rest of the books is Actually The War, It's Here Now, Suffer

there's also a character that's basically draco malfoy but 10000x sexier and I should mention that I was a slut for draco for about a year of my life so that says a lot

and the author is a POC!

The Southern Book Club's Guide to Slaying Vampires - Grady Hendrix

a group of housewives that essentially everyone thinks are dumb af and incapable of anything besides giving birth and raising children fight an immortal, bloodthirsty, and generally dick vampire

honestly I've seen reviews saying this book is kinda sexist (author is a white man) but as a woman I didn't see any problems? Idk

I read it via an audiobook and I think it would be kinda dry to read as a physical book bc it's sorta slow in the beginning

but then the second half is A Ride™

a rly unorthodox book! and I enjoyed it

also heavy themes such as rape and (overt) sexism (the setting is the south in the 90s)

but just a good book to read if you like seeing the underdog prevail

and the description and the depiction of the vampire is v unique, he's not your typical vampire, he's like,,,

an immortal god that drinks blood

yeah

The Dark Artifices Series - Cassandra Clare

another cc book series lol

same premise as the other one: fantasy creatures and demon hunters except it's modern day

there is SO much lgbtq+ representation (imo, I think it was done well. other people think otherwise tho)

like a black trans woman opening up about her struggles of transitioning, which isn't something I see a lot (ig I don't read enough books abt trans people? or the fantasy genre doesn't have enough of them)

fairies fairies fairies fairies

there's also a crap ton of characters bc the main character's family is enormous

and they're all developed SO WELL

LIKE FR THE CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT YES

a dumptruck load of angst and ✨forbidden romance✨ that's almost as big as my ass

honestly this is one of those series' that you don't even realize you've finished it until you've shut the cover of the final book and you're zapped back to reality

Six of Crows Series - Leigh Bardugo

oh

my god

this series is honestly everything I ever wanted into a book

physically and mentally disabled characters? yep

diverse characters of color? yep

lgbtq diversity? yes ma'am!

interesting and exciting plotline? i n d e e d

six loveable main characters that could probably murder me in my sleep! fuck yeah

plotline is basically a heist novel and these characters have to do this near impossible mission in order to get glory

oh and they all wanna kill each other

two of them wanna fuck but also fucking hate each other and I love that for them

not a romance heavy book tho, but the romance (as a subplot) that is there is 10000/10 y'know

if you're in a book slump I recommend this to awaken you from your drought bc this quenched my thirst and I'm thirsty af

happy reading!!!