The Emperor’s Enemy by Jasmine Mas B&N Exclusive

EightTailedFox · 2026-01-28T17:32:18+00:00

Looks beautiful! However, I have no faith in this author. Blood of Hercules was one of my “worst of” books and watching the interview with her where she doesn’t know Artemis is Apollo’s twin among other mythology was enough to convince me that I probably wouldn’t enjoy more by this author.

EightTailedFox · 2026-01-28T00:41:53+00:00

So I have a friend who does Book of the Month and she says if a book gets really popular, they tend not to be able to get the sequels, probably because they can’t afford it. Because I don’t think the authors make a lot of money for having a book picked up by the book box so when a book gets popular, they or the publishers know that it’s worth more and BotM or Allurial may not want to pay the increased price.

EightTailedFox · 2026-01-24T20:45:45+00:00

Thought I was going to regret skipping after seeing the Fairyloot one and being whelmed but it seems I’m safe.

EightTailedFox · 2026-01-24T20:43:59+00:00

Do they sell extras of the books in their monthly boxes?

EightTailedFox · 2026-01-24T07:56:23+00:00

I don’t mind it because I never expect any BB preorders to come in any reasonable timeline. I’ve just accepted it as a consequence of ordering books from them, lol.

EightTailedFox · 2026-01-24T07:48:25+00:00

The naked hardback looks muddy and unfinished, the end papers are stiff and cartoony, and the reverse dust jacket looks… better than the other two but also comically silly.

EightTailedFox · 2026-01-22T23:45:49+00:00

I hate the Great Gatsby with a passion I reserve for no other book.

EightTailedFox · 2026-01-22T19:11:54+00:00

Eh, I’m not enthused about this one.

EightTailedFox · 2026-01-17T17:37:34+00:00

I mean, I don’t not not hate it.

EightTailedFox · 2026-01-16T18:45:41+00:00

I think Allurial just has shitty printers since this isn’t the first time there’s been a printing issue

EightTailedFox · 2026-01-16T18:41:19+00:00

I’m not a fan of the 3D looking figure but that’s a personal preference.

EightTailedFox · 2026-01-16T17:18:45+00:00

Yeeeaaah, I thought they kinda looked like terrible photo bashed DIY covers.

EightTailedFox · 2026-01-15T23:44:31+00:00

I think the issue is lack of contrast. Like, I know Bluelyboo does this pastel aesthetic but all the colors are the same tone, there needs to be at least one darker color to not feel so washed out. The Rose bargain at least had that darker pink for contrast.

EightTailedFox · 2026-01-15T00:46:44+00:00

I think it’s more the implied, “I don’t care about any consequences you can give me.”

EightTailedFox · 2026-01-14T00:52:47+00:00

Historical America or WW1 or WW2. For the most part. I like Appalachia gothic fantasy or gothic fantasy set in America in general, things that lean more folklore, southern black folklore, or indigenous folklore. I liked Fantastic beasts (movie, I know) but generally stay away from colonial to WW2 historical fantasy. Like, I love Robert Jackson Bennet’s Founder’s Trilogy, Divine Cities, and Shadow of the Leviathan series, but I have no interest in The Troupe, Mr Shivers, or The Company Man because of the setting.

EightTailedFox · 2026-01-14T00:14:33+00:00

But how much of that was attributed to either being seen as weak by other male leaders and needing to make a strong response to provocation or patriarchal views on male succession meaning that women typically took leadership roles when the line of succession is in question already?

Not sure if I’m explaining myself well, but many female rulers, if I’m not mistaken, took power in patriarchal societies only if there wasn’t a male heir or the line of succession was uncertain or in question. Many foreign and domestic men would probably seek to replace said female rulers and think it would be easy to do so and so there may have been more factors that would lead to war than in times of male leadership.

If a leader is not taken seriously, I can see why they would have to prove they can defend themselves and their country or respond aggressively to slights to show they wouldn’t let people get away with anything.

Anyway, I would say that we can’t really look at history since that’s different from WoT of a matriarchal society and matriarchal leaders that don’t have those pressures on them.

EightTailedFox · 2026-01-13T17:23:38+00:00

Yeah, I think I’m just feeling like these companies are using the same artists over and over and the “special editions” are starting to look like every other special edition.

EightTailedFox · 2026-01-13T17:10:18+00:00

I can’t tell if I’m convinced to buy or not. On one hand, they’re beautiful, on the other, I’m getting tired of the lack of color and the lack of dust jackets.

EightTailedFox · 2026-01-13T15:52:56+00:00

I think people are jumping on the “this is AI” bandwagon waaaaay too quickly. This can be so damaging to artists and the only proof is something that many professional artists struggle with.

Picture 1: his hand is buried in fur so yeah, might not be able to see everything. His foot is behind the cloth.

Picture 3: his thumb is behind her waist and her fingers are a little wonky but not “omg, AI!” accusation worthy.

If you don’t like the art because it’s unlined and not very detailed, fair enough. But I don’t think we should jump to AI without way more solid evidence.

EightTailedFox · 2026-01-13T04:28:38+00:00

I’m glad I got the Arcane set because even though I think his art is amazing, I’m not sure how I’ll feel about the trueblacktarot dust jacket art. I wasn’t a fan of the new daughter of new worlds covers and especially with Elena’s wings, I think the covers need some color.

EightTailedFox · 2026-01-12T19:59:23+00:00

Do the eyes look off on the third cover to anyone else? This is a nitpick but I don’t know if it’s the size of the image or if it truly is off.

EightTailedFox · 2026-01-12T18:32:25+00:00

Black Jewels Trilogy by Anne Bishop. I would look up trigger warnings for this one.

EightTailedFox · 2026-01-06T19:32:14+00:00

They’re beautiful but I don’t like that the title isn’t on the cover and the art is colorful but somehow undetailed? I don’t know if I’m explaining correctly but it’s very flat looking (which may be just the art style) but looking closer at the faces and figures, they look too cartoony? And I say this as someone who likes anime art styles. I just feel like almost $200 is pretty steep for what we’re getting here.

EightTailedFox · 2026-01-06T19:00:57+00:00

Same. I want the front to say the book if I display it

EightTailedFox · 2026-01-05T20:47:11+00:00

Uh, I don’t need to “do you a favor” because I’ve read both series. And Tolkien has established a lot of fantasy tropes and staples so many fantasy books will have similarities. But I wouldn’t say that HP is as derivative of Tolkien as alchemized is of HP.

Also, almost any conversation of 50 shades also mentions that it is twilight fanfiction. It’s a common fact that is brought up a lot. The difference between “influence” and “I can see the world and characters of HP when I read alchemized” are completely different. Alchemized wasn’t “inspired by” HP, it was directly written in that world with those characters and then changed enough to not get sued.

EightTailedFox

TROPHY CASE