everything i want to read this summer 🧡danmei haul

Hi, friends!
I feel like I've been reading books with similar structures lately and it's starting to bother me. This summer, on top of reading romance (danmei) and fantasy, I want to challenge myself to read other types of genres or subgenres I usually don't pick up. Sometimes you need to get out of your comfort zone to find new things to love!!
Hope you enjoy the video and thanks for watching! 💫💫
Laura 💛
📖GR account: / lau
🎶Music Credit:
♪ Bake a pie (Prod. by Lukrembo) Link : • lukrembo - bake a pie ...

[@bookswithlau]

what are you looking forward to read this summer (or this winter, if you are in the other hemisphere😂)?

[@nazimelmardi]

Tbh: no. We usually don’t read only epic fantasy who read Malazan. From classical literature, historical fiction to scifi we read all. Romantasy? Hardly. Personally I read Sarah J Maas (and Cassandra Clare too when they came out and some others) and not necessarily the romance part is why I would drop it fast but first of she is an extremely bad writer storywise and her characters are shallow. Not to mention her representation of men… meh. Now we could talk about the fact that why there is a tendency that very religious women are the writers of these smut books…. Because it’s an interesting thing(going back to Twilight too). But anyway. It’s just not good enough. While Pride and Prejudice (back at the classics) is shorter and yet way more layered than any of the two can write. When do they write social commentary in a romance book? See the point?
Also advice to you to try graphic novels. Or manga in fact. (You probably could try One Piece now on Netflix, as you could Sandman by Neil Gaiman)
Same you could try humor. Discworld by Sir Terry Pratchett those are just magnificent.
For character writing? Robin Hobb’s Realm of the Elderlings. Or Joe Abercrombie’s First Law series. He is great in audiobooks too.
But if you would like something similar to Dune vs Name of the Wind … Sun Eater. It’s an awesome new series at its end now. 6 books ready, the last is at 50%. Sci-fi but very fantasy like. The new favorite of many booktubers for a reason. ☝️
And there is the Dandelion Dynasty 4 book series Chinese influenced.
Of course for historical fiction no better time to recommend the Asian Saga with Shogun. It’s not the only book tho.
Here you go.
For sci-fi : Octavia Butler is in order too. If you didn’t read her? You must! Kindred and Parable of Sower/Talents. You need them.

[@bookswithlau]

Thank you so much for taking the time to recommend me books, and from so many genres!! 🤩 I've read Robin Hobb and Joe Abercrombie. I originally wanted to keep reading First Law this summer (I've only read the original trilogy), but for now I wanted to try something completely different from Malazan (I know they are different series, but comparing them with other books like Gideon the Ninth that deals with necromancy and has a different vibe and aesthetic, they are pretty similar). Also, I can't believe I haven't read Octavia Butler yet, I've heard amazing things about her!! I'll try to read Kindred this summer. As for Sun Eather, I wanted to wait a bit because from what I've gathered the books are long and it's a big series. I want to finish Malazan before I start another big series. But I'm really excited to read it once I finish Malazan!
About romance books, I see the point that a lot of times there is no social commentary. But that's because most times that's not the point of the book. I've been reading mainly romances for the past few years, and when I pick up a romance is to read something that's easy and makes me happy and excited without having to work for it. I used to love reading a happy ever after before going to sleep, it was like the perfect way to end an exhausting day. Nowadays I'm starting to get bored because I've read A LOT and that's why I think I need more variety in my readings,. But there is nothing wrong about reading something that it's not going to analyse society or deal with hard topics. We should read what we want to read and that's it. If you don't enjoy those kind of romances, that's understable and I see why you like Sense and Sensibility (I also loved that book, but I found it a lot harder to read than a contemporary romance book).

[@nazimelmardi]

@@bookswithlau it’s not necessary to have any social commentary. I just made an example that even in a short book like Pride and Prejudice the author could do multiple things: first of all: the characters are well represented (both the women and the men), the relationship is well represented (not some lame toxic thing and/or not existing triangle - Twilight ), the social situation of the characters are represented well and (it’s also important) the relationship is very much possible and the why!!! is a real reason both for the problems and for the marriage. ☝️ And besides this she could write in humor to criticize her own society (but that’s an extra).
What we have fail just in acotar: the story is lacking in character from Freye and she is simply not really good enough for being that attractive. To fix that SJM uses magic, that’s the worst possible thing you can do. Shows your (not existing) ability to create situations where the two could find a ground to love each other. And please… 500 years and he can tolerate that little brat? (Yes, looking at you Rhys..) and who has daddy issues? Not to mention the sexual abuse from Temlin turning into love interest in book 1… that’s just toxic. Is that what she can do? Instant love without reason except physical affection? As I said: not because the romance is a thing. But how they develop it. And we didn’t even go to Coleen Hoover level where the writing is on high school level and she is literally trauma enjoyment. It’s sick. I DNF that one at 3/4 - It Ends With Us… had to try after all Blake Livley is in the movie and I like her. At least Cassandra Clare had some ideas of writing adventure. I give her that. So : in tons of cases build up missing, or if build up is there, the character is lacking (not believable). I totally support to have relationships in the stories or stories that are lighter, but I can’t stand lazy work or missing editorial work (4th Wing), inconsistent things, plot holes just because they don’t care that much. Quality matters.
And: His Dark Materials. Did you read / watch it? A lot was on the Harry Potter bandwagon… but His Dark Materials did justice in a lot of things. And HBO made a fantastic show of it. The author finally handled the children with respect not as dumb shells. And his main character is better than Harry Potter literally. And IMO the main plot is better too. So if you want a lighter thing? There is that. Watch it or read it. Or both. It’s a trilogy for children (but with very adult themes). And fix the missing Sandman on Netflix with Dead Boy Detectives (YA to that universe and lmbtq rep) if you miss it. Worth it. (Even if you don’t read graphic novels.)
Yes! Octavia Butler is a MUST!!! It’s not a question.
As for the Kindred…. It’s a very interesting thing. A lot praises it. But also you read Malazan so you think about the books…
Who read her books not rank it to the best. It’s her first book and not really the most important… why is it so hyped? Because it’s a very… brutal topic and can make people cry. But at the same time?
Parable of the Sower and Talents duo literally created a religion. No kidding. So you see…. Those are a “bit” more impactful books. This 3 also accessible freely on audible. And Parable can be bought from broken bindings in special edition now for 60 usd (the both books).