Reading YOUR Favourite Fantasy Books Until I Get a 5 Star Read!

it might be a good idea to review the auto-generated captions, as they aren't coping well with some of the character names and specific terms from the books. I'm pretty sure the character in TSADB is not called anus.

Thx - Babel is on my list for later this year even tho generally I don't read much fantasy. I think maybe we once called it 'Escapist' literature but having listened to your ideas I might call it neo-Utopian. Possibly having an imaginary enemy on whom we can deposit all the ills of society to then exile or sacrifice provides a necessary catharsis. It can turn into a very heavy discussion, which I suppose is directly contrary to what we hope to find in reading. In the end, I think I prefer Voltaire's solution: <Nous cultivons mes jardin.> [Pardon my French]

This video is exactly what I needed. I love long videos!!

Never heard of most of these. Probably won't read any of them. Want more spoilers.😆 Commenting for the algo!

Thank you for pointing that out with Blood over Bright Haven!!! 🌿🌿
You are the first person I saw pointing out the extremely close parallel to (not) accepting veganism. 🙌 Some of the quotes hurt how close they struck home with the people refusing to accept the truth and embrace the much needed change. 🥲 Still, to me it was a solid 4⭐, good not amazing. Definitely comparable with Babel (which I also liked a lot) with the themes and how very not subtle they were.

On the other hand, kinda sad you didn't give Simon Jimenez a 5🌟. Now, that was an amazing read to me. I also didn't realize how much I cared about the characters until it got emotional and it was like an emotional slap. 😆 It also has re-read potential, which lacks in BoBH.

Apologies if it was already answered, but seeing the sponsor—what is your opinion on the Fable AI inappropriate summaries debacle that happened recently? I am honestly very happy I never used it and I will stick to StoryGraph.

(Thanks for these beautifully long videos. 😄)

Loved this format! Perfect to listen to while working at home haha.

OMG!!!!! THE FIRST THING MY EYES LANDED ON IS THE LENGTH OF THIS VIDEO!!!!!!😻 I'm all set for this one, lemme grab my writing stuff and coffee.....💛

Feeling very happy that the latter three books are already on my TBR! Saving this video to come back and rewatch the spoiler sections later. Another booktuber, OverlyAverageBen, highly recommended both The Spear Cuts Through Water and Blood Over Brighthaven, so I'm excited to dive into these soon. I also ordered the Wraithmarked edition of the Sword of Kaigen; I just had a feeling I'm going to love M.L. Wang's writing. Hopefully my hunch is right!

I bought the Broken Binding's Will of the Many. It's been so hyped in the book spaces, so I'll be reading that one in a month or so. I mentioned this in a comment below, but I'm really interested to see what you think of Piece Brown's Red Rising books, which are highly praised. Similar to your WotM review, I think RR's main character is another Gary Stu. And I never see it criticized enough! 😅

TSaDB sounded so good but ngl, as a woman in her 30s, was really hoping the MC wouldn’t be so young. Why 15? Why is WotM MC 17? Why not 25? Is 25 too old to go on an epic journey…? Why are so many fantasy MC flawless? It’s so boring and overdone.
I want to read fantasy with imperfect, older characters - adults who are somewhat established in life who have already gone through hardships before the start of a new adventure. Actually that was my gripe most of these...except for the last book which I will be buying!

Very excited for BOHB!💖

Thank you for your review for WTMH. I almost picked it up. I really want a good dragon book that isn't the 4th Wing series. I'd love to hear of some good ones!

Omg I have physic copies of TSCTW and TWoTM on my desk right now, I have like 60 pages left of TSCTW which I’ve been putting off bc I don’t want it to end. I’m gonna read TWoTM either after finishing TSCTW and then reading the Tainted Cup and A Memory Called Empire or right after TSCTW depending on your opinion of it lol

the last bit when you talk about going vegan 🥹🥹🥹

wanna read most of the books lol

I love standalones too, don’t get me wrong, I love a good series but something about a standalone epic fantasy just eats for me 😮‍💨 will definitely have to check some of these out

On Blood Over Bright Haven: I do believe the message is tainted for me because of your suspicions you outline in the spoiler section. I wished the book were dual POV so that we could hear more from Thomil outside of the first and last chapters as well. I think BOBH falls into the book trap where the only decent male-presenting person is the love interest; all other men want to kill and/or sleep with the main character, which just also lacks nuance for me. I'm torn, because the book's core message is an important one, but Sciona's character arc and fate really didn't land for me.

I tried to listen to When the Moon Hatched on audio and I just couldn't. I found the somewhat excessive use of descriptive words and phrases too distracting and also boring to listen to. Also english is not my first language so it was also very difficult to try to find the actual meaning or "beef" of the text behind all that. Needless to say I gave up on the audiobook 3 chapters in.
I like the idea of the story so I might try to read it as an ebook later - but not right away. It was a bit too much for me honestly.

Hey, hope you're doing well!
I recently discovered your channel & it has become one of my favourites.
I really like the way you are passionate about books & reading + how eloquently you put forward your opinions.

As a younger woman (25) I'm inspired by your grace and confidence ❤🤍

Have you heard of a natural history of dragons by Marie Brennan?? You may like it , fmc becomes a dragon naturalist in Victorian age setting. It’s a fun , bad ass female story , non romantasy!

2 hours 49 minutes…let me get some coffee and cookies…❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤

I really want to get to Blood Over Bright Haven and The Will of the Many this year! I already really enjoyed The Sword of Kaigen by M.L. Wang, and even though it wasn‘t perfect to me, it was a highly emotional read. Hope you might pick that one up at some time given that you loved BOBH.
You also really encapsulated my feelings for The Spear Cuts Through Water. It took me quite a long time to get through the book and it put me in of a bit of a reading slump, but that ending was so worth it! Seeing your reaction while reading just brought back all the feels. I gave it a 4 or a 4.25 because I loved the ending, Keema and June, and the writing was just so good.
Thanks for this long video and for having dedicated spoiler and non-spoiler sections!

Signed up for Fable! Thanks

I love these long videos and how in depth you go into your reviews. I look forward to reading some of these and then coming back to watch the spoilers.

What tabs do you use to mark your pages

Thanks. Now I know I won't read When the Moon Hatched. 😂

❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤

Have you considered reading Samantha Shannon's other series, The Bone Season? She recently published author's preferred editions of the first 4 and the 5th just came out. I know you're into stand alones and there are only 5 out of 7 completed but it's pretty unique and i think you would be into it. It's urban fantasy with some sci fi elements and it's samantha so of course exquisite characters and relationships and yearning.

well guess I have to check BOBH out first thing tomorrow! Thanks for your in depths thoughts and the clear transissions to spoilers! That way it's really easy to gather weather or not the book is for one self even if the opinions differs in a way. I'm looking forward to your next reading vlog!

Great vlog!

I was so glad that you started with To Shape a Dragon's Breath. I just finished it on audio and really enjoyed it. I continue to toggle off heavier books with something lighter. The YA component of this made this a perfect choice for something lighter. I've added BOBH to my tbr list. Thanks for all you offer here.

Oh if I could only listen to a very lyrically written audiobook narrated by you ✨

The sword of kaigen next!!!!

Super random and not related to anything really but when you kept saying alliteration it just reminded me of being in the school spelling bee and it was down to me and one other student and I lost because I missed alliteration (I missed an "L") and I have been forever scarred by that word ever since. This was when I was 10, so it's been 17 years and I still have a grudge against the word alliteration 😅

Before you named it, I was screaming Blood Over Bright Haven at my screen. Also, ICYMI: Thistlefoot

Sees that the video is nearly 3 hours long, sets playback speed to 2, loves her super speed voice!

...I just checked. That book is 160k words, it's only a "brick" because of the silly layout used. You can fit it, easily, into a standard 400 pages book. Publishers nowadays LOVE to inflate the number of pages just so they can SELL the idea of big, expansive stories.

A good number of your preferences in fiction are similar to mine, so your channel is a good choice. Lyrical prose, good characterization / subjectivity, immersive setting, maybe one or two other things. :)

You definitely aren't the only one who doesn't like threads hanging at the end of a book. I don't mind it, myself, and definitely prefer it to those indefinite-length series that have very similar arcs from book to book. That doesn't seem to be the kind of series you emphasize, which is just fine with me. Hooray for three or fewer books!

I haven't read any of these but I have read ML Wang's Sword of Kaigen. On that basis alone, I wouldn't have been all that interested in Blood Over Bright Haven, but you fighting back tears in the (non-spoiler) sections was pretty convincing.

As for a recommendation, hmm. I haven't read much that's super recent. Nghi Vo's series of novellas starting with "The Empress of Salt and Fortune" is quite good. I gave the first one five stars. (And the second one three. Well, the first one at least is excellent. I've read it twice and will definitely be reading it again someday.)

Loved the length :)

Epic video, I'm not always in the mood for a long one but when I am, you deliver!!

What a lovely massive video!! So many books that are anticipated reads for me so I was enjoying the reviews

I actually have When the Moon Hatched and have been meaning to start it. The gorgeous cover got me🤩Thanks for sharing! Also, unrelated but your makeup always looks so pretty!

sword of kaigen reading vlog when 😭 I truly think it’s better than bobh and incomparable

I absolutely LOVE your longer videos! I look forward to them. They've been such a comfort to me and have helped me push though some tough times. 🫶

Since you like lyrical writing and dragons, I think you would love The Last Dragoners of Bowbazar, a novella by Indra Das! It’s set in the 90s in India and is about friendship, family, and gender fluidity. Also, dragons.

Omg the music while you cry on the last book gave me GOOSEBUMPS....sis how dare you lol. Now I have to read this one.

I really loved the Will of the Many, which surprised me because it’s not a genre I usually enjoy! I think it was such a fresh take, and I really really hope the sequel doesn’t disappoint .

this video got me interested in The Spear Cuts Through Water, but unfortunately i don't handle gory descriptions very well, so that's a shame 😅 Blood Over Bright Haven, as well as The Will Of The Many, has been on my tbr for a while now, so i'm glad to hear you enjoyed those books!

Haven't read Blood Over Bright Haven yet, but loved ML Wang's "Sword of Kaigen" (same universe, different country I think?) Highly recommend! One of the best stand-alone Fantasy books I've ever read! (also, I can't believed I watched this whole video, even on 2x speed, but it was very good, thank you!)

God your voice is amazing.

I didn't read it was being 'white savior' because what she did was still a selfish act. It wasn't sacrifice, it was revenge.