I’m being dramatic with the title lol but I’ve been having a really hard time finding anything good to read whenever I look, and I find myself repeating the same complaints to myself over and over again; so I’ve compiled them here in case anyone thought the same and would like to share their diamonds in the rough!
**DEAL BREAKERS**
1. No love triangles (or squares). This is a hard rule. Basically pure monogamy or no romance at all (can be LGBTQ+, straight, asexual, exploratory, whatever! Just monogamous).
2. No games, courts, competitions, etc. I am a firm believer that these tropes are best suited for subplots and/or one-off scenes – not so much main plots (for my personal enjoyment, obviously not objective). They’re also just so tired and worn out.
3. No trope trenders – I.e., when you can tell that a book was written with specific (usually trending) tropes pre-set from the beginning as a cash-grab and/or marketing stunt. Tropes are fun and inspiring! I don’t need them marketed to me as brain rot material!
4. No “I didn’t know I was a…” Again, old and haggard. The main character of a novel should always be discovering or learning something new about themselves, the world, their government, their society, etc. If they find out they’re an alien princess along the way, hooray! But that cannot be the main premise of the book.
**YES, PLEASE**
1. Fantasy. Can be fantasy romance, fantasy comedy, political fantasy, fantastical realism, whatever. I love fantasy!
2. Realistic interactions and relationships. Nobody’s family is perfect, nobody’s friendships are smooth sailing start to finish, nobody’s romantic relationships are free of tension or stress. Every character should not think the MC is perfect.
3. Angst, tension, stakes, etc. I like reading fiction because I like having something complex enough to actually distract me from the real world – your lover is severely wounded and nobody else has the knowledge to heal them except you? Incredible. You thought you were on a quest to fight one injustice but realized you’ll probably have to deconstruct society as you know it, which isn’t what you signed up for? Outstanding.
**EXAMPLES**
*Vespertine* by Margaret Rogerson
*Sorcery of Thorns* by Margaret Rogerson
Almost any Neil Gaiman book you can think of
I’m excited to see if anyone has anything to suggest! I plan on using my local library to find/borrow these books, so throw anything into the mix! Also let me know if you’ve been looking for books that follow one or more of these “guidelines”, because it feels impossible sometimes 🙂 TIA!
by gothashm12
5 Comments
Try Vita Nostra if you haven’t, it’s unlike anything else I’ve read.
You may enjoy The Familiar by Leigh Bardugo. Does have some sort of competition, but it’s not the main plot.
Also, have you checked out Gregory Maguire? I’m a fan of Gaiman myself, and find Maguire’s books equally good, different, but good. I really liked Wicked and Hiddensee, but also enjoyed Mirror Mirror, Confessions of an Ugly Stepsister, and Wild Winter Swan
The Tainted Cup is a great new release that I think fits all your criteria.
Try A Million Tomorrows by Kris Middaugh (on Amazon).
It’s an unconventional (but monogamous) romance with grounded sci fi elements (no fantasy 🤷🏼♂️).
It’s complex, tense, fun, heartbreaking and the characters all have well-rounded personalities. Look it up and read the synopsis to see if it’s for you.
The Spear Cuts Through Water by Simon Jimenez
Shadow of the Gods – John Gwynne
If you are willing to consider YA – Cemetery Boys was great.