trying to find my perfect FANTASY 🐉 romance | Kindle Unlimited
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- Опубліковано 14 гру 2022
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I honestly prefer videos when you spoil things 😅 probably an uncommon opinion, but I like knowing everything notable about a book so I know whether I’ll like it or not, plus it just makes for a more interesting video bc we actually know what you’re talking about
fair enough!
Same!
Same
Agreed
I am honestly torn between mixed feelings in that regard, sometimes.
On the one hand... YES!
Buuut ..on the other hand:
Spoilers sometimes incite me to pick up things I wouldn't have otherwise picked up-but, at the same time, if it's a book that was already on my radar[ or that I am only just hearing about for the first time but would have definitely wanted to pick up on my own if I had seen it or heard of it before]..I really like going into those with as much of a blank slate as possible, just letting the book itself as I read it inform and shape my experience reading it.😅😅
(So, sometimes I have found myself not even minding spoilers at all; and yet, other times, I really really really mind having had spoilers. 🙃 I really wish I understood it/why/ better)
Leaving some KU recommendations (mostly fantasy romance) just in case👀
- "Fly with the Arrow" by Sarah K. L. Wilson (1st in a 4 books completed series)
- "The Gods of Men" by Barbara Kloss (1st in a 3 books completed series)
- "Bride Of The Shadow King" by Sylvia Mercedes (1st in a 3 books incompleted series; I think the 3rd should come out in December 2023)
- "In a Dark, Dark Wood" by Cece Louise (can be read as standalone)
- "Heart of Shadow" by Sarah K. L. Wilson (1st in a 3 books completed series)
- "All Downhill With You" by Julie Olivia (romance, 1st in a series of books that can be read as standalones)
I was so excited when I saw you were reading Carissa Broadbent books on Goodreads! I personally have loved every book written by this author so far. The Daughter of No Worlds series is one of my favourite series of all time and I'm obsessed with the Serpent and the Wings of Night too! It's definitely one of my top favourite book of the year.
Same. Maybe it's because I have not read Throne of Glass, but I LOVED Daughter of No Worlds. My top series of 2022 for sure. I just love Carissa Broadbent's writing style. I think she did a beautiful job exploring Tisannah's naivete and slow disillusionment. Tisannah's only exposure to the orders was through propaganda, and she clung to their supposed ideals as a lifeline amidst the horrors of her life. Plus, Max is just. Oh man. His backstory guts me every time.
I haven't yet read Daughter of No Worlds, but I absolutely LOVED Serpent and the Wings of Night (even bought a hard copy after reading it on KU!) - I just really enjoy their style of writing and fully intend on continuing to read their releases.
Me running to look this up 🏃🏼♀️
I loved serpent and the wings of night too!!
I loved the Daughter of No Worlds series! Just finished the third book 💓💓💓
i SCREAMED when i saw you were reading daughter of no worlds! i love that series so much, im finishing the third one right now
This is EXACTLY what I needed! I’ve not been able to read fantasy-romance since JLA let me down with the FBAA series. I really want to read a fantasy-romance book over Christmas, but nothing has seemed quite right to spark my love for the genre again!
The Serpent and the Wings of Night is far better than the FBAA series in my opinion. So if FBAA didn't work out for you I would highly recommend trying out The Serpent and the Wings of Night!
I second reading “The Serpent and the Wings of Night”- it was incredible!!
so i'm someone who pretty much exclusively reads fantasy romance, and i just wanted to say that "the serpent and the wings of night" was one of my favs of the year. but even better than that book (and i rlly did like it) was "the rise of the dawnbringer" by I. A Takerian. IT WAS SO SO GOOD, so well written and more people need to know about it. it had very good character arcs, the plot was solid, lovable characters, the found family was *chefs kiss* and the romance was so good. i'm sad there's not a release date for book 2 yet😭
I tried to read both of those books and also felt similarity. They were ~fine~ I just didn’t connect with them or care. I want to get back into the genre because of the intensity of the romance. When I read a good fantasy-romance, I feel the biggest book hangover (in a good way). I constantly find myself day dreaming about that world and think that no contemporary romance could make me feel this way. But you’re exactly right that the balance between plot and relationship development is so hard to perfect in these books which make the search for good fantasy-romance even harder!
Phoenix Unbound by Grace Draven is my favorite by far!! It’s so hard bc I want all of them to be like that!
I’ve been thinking about this a lot! In theory I should love fantasy romance because ACOTAR is my fav series but I think it’s just really hard to nail good balance between having an interesting fantasy plot and also a well-developed romance. I haven’t found any that hit the same except maybe the Plated Prisoner series by Raven Kennedy (it’s an extremely slow burn romance tho)
Here's my recommendation for you: King Maker and Light Singer by Audrey Grey. They are the 3rd and 4th books, respectively, in the Kingdom of Runes series. Yes, yes, you have to read the first two books. From my perspective, it's an EPIC slow burn in that you have to commit before you get what's been promised to you. I don't know how you'd approach it from a reading-for-content perspective, but the payoff is worth it if you read to the end (and there are audiobooks, thank goodness). Still awaiting the fifth and final book in the series, so something to keep in mind, but I read like 400 books last year, and that series made the top 20.
One of my favorites is The Pathfinders Way by T.A. White ( not KU - 3 book series). T.A. White creates such strong, capable female characters. I get so much satisfaction from reading her books.
i absolutely loveee the fortuna sworn series by k.j. sutton! it’s not ku but it is indie! it’s actually become my favorite fantasy romance series ever!
One of my favorite books that I've read in the last few years was Swordheart by T. Kingfisher. It's a fantasy romance with older characters, which I feel is uncommon for most books. There is a traveling component, so I don't know if you'll love it, but the characters were fleshed out and their romance felt cozy and like it just made sense. I think you would like it!
I ADORE Swordheart and Paladin's Grace, so nice to see someone mentioning it!
I’ve read Daughter of No Worlds and I really enjoyed it but I liked the authors other series better which is The Serpent and the Wings of night better! It has vampires in it!
The Longing of Lone Wolves by Lana Pecherczyk! I love that series and it’s on KU! ❤
My fave is the plated prisoners series
Love your 'I'm thinking about books' sweatshirt! makes me want one!
definitely worth the money imo
Omg I loveddd song of the marked and I think the dynamic of the group gets better the further into the series u get! And I agree w ur thoughts on daughter of no worlds even tho I enjoyed it- serpent and the wings of night is definitely better😍
I really love the Demigods of San Francisco series by K.F. Breene (I love basically everything they write actually). It’s like a contemporary fantasy romance and there’s 6 books but they can sort of be read as two seperate trilogies so you can take a break in between.
i do think you should continue on the song of the marked series because there are a lot more friendship dynamics and i think cas' personality or character motivations become more solid as we see her bonding with elander. also couple of more reveals
A fantasy romance I recommend would be radiance by Grace Draven
Don't mind me, just scrolling through your comments for all the other KU fantasy recommendations... :D
Trial of the sun queen was my favorite!! It was very fast paced and entertaining. The only thing that might set you off is the lack of romantic development, there's definitely alot of seeds dropped for romantic relationships in the future (one most especially) but i didn't mind because so much was happening to keep me hooked !!
more paranormal, but ive seen it suggested a few times, try the Stay a Spell series by Juliette Cross. An experiment to see if you'll finally like a witchy series! The heros fall first, pine, light on the PNR and high on the relationships, and SPIIICCCYYYY!
One of the only fantasy romance books that I think adequately balanced fantasy and romance was The Book of Azrael. It had just enough fantasy to set the stakes but still let the romance between the characters serve as the main plotline. I ended up giving it 4 stars because of editing problems and the lack of a HEA/HFN but it does have the cliffhanger that you appreciated in Song of the Marked.
I have never read a SJM book so the good thing is that all the similarities would not be noticeable for me
I picked up Song of the Marked after you mentioned it in an older vlog and had pretty much the same feelings. Definitely felt my mind wandering through all the action scenes. I feel like the audiobook narrator was a big part of my enjoyment, so weird to hear it didn’t match the ebook!
I’ve had the same struggles with the genre as a whole! It’s so weird to me because on their own, fantasy and romance are my two favorite genres.
I just finished reading Daughter of No Worlds so I can’t wait to see what you think! 😊
I feel the same way when it comes to fantasy romance! There has to be a good balance of world building and outer conflict with the romance for me to really enjoy it, and it’s a hard find. That’s why I’m writing my own book series because I’m tired of the search 😅
Same! I’m bad at the follow through but I came up with a witch x fairy sapphic plot and wish I had the stamina to write it!!
@@rebeccaridgway1117 it’s really hard! I’m on the second draft of my novel rn. Someone out there would love your story! Hope you go for it :)
Oh my GAWD!! You have to try What Lies Beyond the Veil by Harper L Woods, it’s on KU and it has a sequel with a third on the way. It’s (what I would consider) a little on the darker side but it’s so amazing with really good spicy scenes! 😍🔥😍🔥
Blood Mercy by Vela Roth! KU vampire fantasy romance and it’s SO good!!
the best imo on KU is the plated prisoner series. since you love slow burn I really think if u give the series a second chance you'll enjoy it! also zodiac academy is a very easy popcorn entertainment type easy to binge series! love Darcy my fav character also love her romantic interest! it's great mindless entertainment.
The Faceless Mage by Kenley Davidson surprised me. It's slow burn story, so not much romance in the first book. Loved the main hero though. Silent, imposing and smart worked really well for him. Can't say if it's on KU though
Helllllllloo! I really want to recommend you the UNSEELIE PRINCE by Kathryn Ann Kingsley! It's a villain romance full of banter and two MC's at odds the whole time. I think the world was interesting, and I think the author balanced the romance and the fantasy pretty well! Its four books in the series, and definitely the books meander a little bit in the middle (ie. slightly repetitive), but the books are all around 200-250 pages so its not painful.
That is not selling it, but I swear to you! I love fantasy romance so much, and STRUGGLE to also find ones that have interesting characters with actual chemistry, that i dont feel like they fall into the archetypes of the genre. Like the characters felt like their own and didn't recall characters of more popular books. I made my best friend read the series (he only reads sci-fi, like cheesy sci-fi), and he laughed a lot during the series. Its very entertaining and just so fun!
Also, on DAUGHTER OF NO WORLDS: I liked the first book but DNF'd the second. For me, the MC's can't get together in the first book for me in the series. I like the slow burn and the waiting for them to get together, i want it to happen in the second/third/etc book. So I found the series got less interesting as the series went on because the couple was already together, and then essentially after that, it was just a fantasy book. Sure the couple had trials that challenged their relationship, but thats not the part of a romance novel that interests me. I love the build up to their getting together and since it happened in the first book, I just lost interest in the second when it pivoted to focus on the politics of the world.
ANyway. Pls read Unseelie Prince! It's amazing!
Hey so I’m half way through book 2 and I’m losing steam, does it pick back up? 🤞🏻
Kathryn Ann Kingsley has become one of my fave fantasy authors from this series! It was unbelievable!
Of Flesh and Bone series by Harper L Woods was without a doubt my favorite KU fantasy romance of the year!
I primary read romance but one of the best fantasies I've read with romantic elements is the Kushiel Trilogy
The last fantasy book I read that turned out to be amazing to me was The North Wind by Alexandria Warwick. This series are interconnected standalones and book 2 comes out next year and I can’t wait.
That was a good one, but such a slow burn, I kind of gave up
Promise of Darkness series by Bec McMaster! I worked at FairyLoot and the whole time I tried to push them to do a special edition of this! More people need to know about her books but this series in particular is my favourite! She also has a newer series called Court of Dreams there’s 2 books out and the next one is coming in May. Would love to know your thoughts on her fantasy romances!
I was really impressed by The Bridge Kingdom! I don't know if it's on KU, but I know the second book in the series, The Inadequate Heir is. I feel like Danielle L. Jensen does a really good job at relationship development and the balance between action and the more day-to-day scenes.
Thank you it is on KU! I’m adding to my list.
It's more of a fantasy with a romance in it, but the bear and the nightingale by Katherine arden is fantastic. I also liked the cruel prince series, but it's definitely not fantastic either
I think Serpent and the Wings of Night was a lot better than daughter of no worlds. The plot was more intriguing to me and the romance was more interesting for sure!
i'm liking it so far!
So This Is Ever After by Lukens is a fun satirical gay fantasy romance. A lot of fun, easy read, great art on the cover
Fantasy romance has been tough for me to get into if it's not more urban paranormal or straight up monster romance. I wish Grace Draven was on KU because her indie-published books are fantastic. Laura Thalassa's Four Horseman is probably my fave KU fantasy romance series. My issue with a lot of these fantasy series following the same character is that I need to wait until the series is completed or the last book is about to come out, since I binge series in one go. If they're incomplete then I never go back to them when the next book is out because I forget what happened. So instead I spend years watching these series be written and waiting for the last book announcement before I'm willing to dive in XD
I love Grave Draven!!
I think I just don't have the mental fortitude to get into fantasy romance, haha. I've always loved fantasy, and I love it when it includes a romance element or ship to care about, but then I got into reading actual romance a few years ago and now I think I'm happier keeping them separate (because romance is a kind of fantasy on its own).
Like I did read and love Throne of Glass, but I think that was when my time with "YA" books was cooling off and the series was pretty much a book end to it. I kind of keep up with the Shadowhunter world, but I prefer to binge those series. The only fantasy romance that I'm considering right now is the Bridge Kingdom, which I originally started in a bad time, so I just want to wait till I'm ready to actually jump into it.
I recommend the book of azrael for fantasy romance. It was super fun!
You may like the Agents of the Crown series by Lindsay Buroker but it leans more into the world building than the romance, kind of Ilona Andrews vibes.
At the beginning of the year I thought I'd only ever like Greek mythology type fantasy by I discovered the wraith King series by Grace Draven. I've read them back to back rated every book 5 stars. If you don't need the male love interest being non human definitely pick them up.
Try the witch collector.
I had to dnf because of the audiobook n ebook differences in the song of the marked 😭
would love to know your thoughts on Blood Mercy someday im still reading it tho so i cant say if its good or not 😂
Came to the comments to say Blood Mercy too! It's on my TBR as well.
I’m about 75% in and I’m really liking the second half! The romance and characterization are finally picking up, but I’m kind of torn if I’ll want to continue with the rest of the series… I think the ending will have to be REALLY intriguing for me to keep going
I tried reading Song of the Marked a couple months ago and actually DNF'd it because I hated the writing. I have Daughter of No Worlds on my kindle but I've yet to pick it up and after listening to your review I'm afraid I might be disappointed by it too. I think my favorite fantasy romance is probably the Bridge Kingdom series, but I think you've already read the first one and didn't like it lol. Another I read this year is the Naamah's Kiss trilogy by Jacqueline Carey. It's a decade old now but I really love them.
ilona andrews are good if you haven't tried them before. The inn keepers and hidden legacies are pretty good
love them! big hidden legacy fan :)
I don't know why..... buut I am getting the distinct impression that authors seem torn between writing Fantasy Romance either like a Romance but with Fantasy elements/setting OR writing it like a Fantasy / Romance genre hybrid where they try and juggle being both a Romance & a Fantasy but get lost between which if either one is a subplot or a main plot and then mess happens.
But maybe that's just me having a weird brain/thinking moment ? 🤔 (I dunno!)
Have you read the Bridge Kingdom series? I feel like it had a decent balance of fantasy world and angsty romance. Definitely not a perfect read but I liked it. Just can’t remember if I got that recommendation from your channel or someone else’s🤦🏻♀️😂 my other fav is Radiance but I know I got that rec from you
Yeeees ! Daughter of no worlds is finally being talked about more ! I don't really agree with your comparisons with SJM with this book but hey, it's your opinion ! It was one of my favorite series of the year, I LOVED it ! Book 2 is my favorite, the writing and the plot gets better in it in my opinion ! (I was very disappointed by Serpent and wings though I confess.... sorry not sorry ! And with this one I did felt like it was very generic and it had too much SJM and JLA vibes which is what disappointed me ahah) For your next KU fantasy reading vlog pleaaase check out House of Bastion (from the Haidren legacy series) it's awesome too and no one is talking about it which breaks my heart !
@SissouLoveVideo Oh my goodness, yes!
I read Daughter of No Worlds back in 2020, and I was desperate to hear other people’s input on it but NO ONE was talking about it! Personally I absolutely adored it. I was heartbroken it wasn’t getting much attention.
Also, I’m totally with you with her new series. I went into it with such high expectations, and to my utter disappointment, it feels like another generic SJM/JLA knock off.
@@paulabarajas1461 OMG exactely !!! Please tell me you have goodreads or another where you put bookreviews because I think we have the same tastes ahah 😍
for a recommendation, i was gonna recommend daughter of no world so that's gonna be a no haha i liked it a lot actually, more than the song of the marked (but i get why it's not for everyone!)
it's not a enemies-to-lovers one, but radiance by grace draven is truly amazing - empire of sand by tasha suri is stunning as well ♥
You might try Heart of the Fae by Emma Hamm?
Read anything by Elizabeth Reyes. She one of my good friends and has the best contemporary and suspenseful romances I've ever read. Start with rhe Moreno Brothers series. The best.
Hmmm I thought daughter of no world sounded interesting at first
It's so frustrating bc it's like I KNOW I love fantasy romance, but it's so much harder to get right and I don't feel like any recent releases really stand out. I've been trying to scratch the itch since watching House of the Dragon and nothing's quite hit yet.
moooood. i still need to finish it but gdamn that is a good show
I think that a great fantasy romance is very hard to find and I read a lot of them and am always a bit disappointed. Fantasy is my favorite genre in general and then as palate cleansers I love a good romance. You’d think marrying the two genres would make the perfect book. However I think they compete with focus too much to really blend well.
Contemporary romances don’t really have to rely on any world building and can get straight to character work/relationship building.
Fantasy, however, is all about world building. It’s a big part of what makes the genre as a whole so compelling. It can do really great character studies as well but it’s more about how the characters respond to the events around them.
You throw a primary romance story in a fantasy setting. Something is going to be dropped. Either the world building will be there and the story interesting but then it makes the romance feel like a distraction from the plot. However if they go light on the world building and focus just on romance, it feels really superficial and unsatisfying as well.
I just DNF’d Court of the Vampire Queen by Katee Robert at 88%. It kind of exemplified my issues with fantasy romance as a whole. The first 2/3 were erotica. It was fun but very little plot or world building. Then the last 1/3 was just straight plot and I just didn’t care. It didn’t set up the conflict enough at the beginning that I actually cared about it’s resolution.
I love this! I've been looking at DONW for a bit now so it's good to see more thoughts on it before I pick it up.
If you are looking for a good romantasy with more world-building, I suggest "To Free The Rising Storm"! It is a bit of a chonker, but I thought it was so worth it
i’m glad you tried DONW even if it didn’t end up being a hit 🥲 all i want for christmas is for you to love the serpent and the wings of night and give it at least a 4 star rating 👀👀👀
reading it rn and loving it tbh!!!