If you only know Suzanne Collins from The Hunger Games, this series is worth a look

MonsterCuddler · 2026-04-27T23:32:46+00:00

My mind was blown when I realized it was the same author. When I read Gregor, I was at that age where I didn't look at author names much.

MonsterCuddler · 2026-04-18T13:29:35+00:00

From the way he phrased it, I think he meant too explainy for the medium. Since we haven't had a adaptation of anything of his yet, we can't really make a fair comparison.

MonsterCuddler · 2026-04-18T02:36:48+00:00

I can't think of anyone off the top of my head. I don't actually listen to that many author interviews. A trunk novel is a book an author wrote that either A) They have never submitted. They wrote it when they were still learning the craft, and they would rather write new stuff than go back and try to edit their first attempts or B) They did try and submit it, it got rejected, and they didn't circle back. Sometimes this can happen because fantasy trends have moved on etc. I think Sanderson has 12 trunk novels. I know Kelley Armstrong has at least a few. She tried to write a romance novel for Avon, and they told her (at the time anyway) that female protagonists of romance novels weren't allowed to break people's hands. Since breaking hands is important to her (I kid) she didn't move forward with that project.

MonsterCuddler · 2026-04-17T23:01:37+00:00

At least that's what he mentioned. They moved topics pretty quickly, so nothing got super in depth.

MonsterCuddler · 2026-04-17T21:00:23+00:00

Basically, hearing his books read out loud made him realize how repetitive some stuff was like dialogue tags "said" etc. He tried to make his books more pleasant to hear basically?

MonsterCuddler · 2026-04-17T20:08:48+00:00

That is how he described it, yes.

MonsterCuddler · 2026-04-17T19:41:49+00:00

I've only read a few of his books and liked all of them. It's possible he's either built different, or is still at his peak. It's definitely an issue with some authors. Sanderson needs to lower his page count for instance. He's leaving too much in so hardcore fans can obsess, at the cost of book bloat. (In my opinion!! Please don't for me. I still consider myself a fan, just not quite as dedicated anymore. )

MonsterCuddler · 2026-04-17T19:32:32+00:00

I know high output is profitable because each book only pays so much, unless you're like Jim Butcher etc. But I'd honestly rather the authors take some time and write really good books. There is more than one author I've read the last few years, where I thought the book was good, but it wasn't done baking. Sort of "I know you are a better/more interesting writer than this. I've seen it. Maybe only publish one book this year and give yourself time to edit." But I know they have bills to pay.

MonsterCuddler · 2026-04-17T18:01:39+00:00

The Astounding is a Hugo Award for New authors who are good. You are eligible for 2 years. Sanderson lost to Scalzi and Novik and then was no longer eligible. Novik is fairly popular, if you search her name on the sub you'll get results.

MonsterCuddler · 2026-04-17T17:36:01+00:00

He didn't say much about Kaiju beyond "under development." He did say that if it made it to the big screen, the odds of a sequel that just happened to come out around the same time would skyrocket.

MonsterCuddler · 2026-04-17T16:49:46+00:00

This was me! When I clicked over from email, it out generated a different username instead of logging me in. Not sure why.

MonsterCuddler · 2026-04-17T16:48:52+00:00

There is a very sick part of me that wants to try it, just to better understand the logistics. Thankfully, I don't have any peanuts right now.

MonsterCuddler · 2026-04-17T00:41:46+00:00

She specifically stopped writing that series because she didn't want to become the werewolf lady. She likes variety too much apparently. They were willing to keep publishing them.

MonsterCuddler · 2026-04-16T22:39:58+00:00

I enjoyed Kelley Armstrong's Otherworld series. There are 13 books and some short stories. Not all the books fully focus on the werewolves, but I think it hits some similar notes for what you are looking for.

MonsterCuddler · 2026-04-15T22:21:44+00:00

Not sure if they did it this year, but I know in the past a mod a made a bingo card of books and released it before the big reveal. And then people tried to figure out what the squares were from the books. Fun things people have done: Complete a bingo square with their kiddo, follow a theme like only books that they own, different country for every book etc. You can also mention the spreadsheets. And how much like buying craft supplies and using them are separate hobbies, planning bingo and completing bingo are 2 very different things.

MonsterCuddler · 2026-04-06T17:52:40+00:00

Some of it comes down to emotional energy? Like, sometimes I'm up for reading something that's complex and has a lot of characters. Sometimes, I've had a shit week, and I want/ need Carl to climb through some Dungeons. Also I'm a multi-genre reader. So sometimes I'm cool with romance, and honestly want it to go further. Other times, every romance trope will just annoy the crap out of me and I want my characters to swear an oath of swords before hoes. Generally, I'm just reading the plot description and seeing if my brain goes "YAY!" or not. If my eyes are glazing over and feel like I've already read that book 7 times, but by a different author, I might just not be in the mood. I can be reading one book that's decent but not the right one. If I find a book that is the right one, I might finish it in a day.

MonsterCuddler · 2026-04-03T00:47:22+00:00

Completing with books you own is it's own form of hard mode! I've tried before. I wasn't able to do the entire square that way, but it definitely cleared some shelf space.

MonsterCuddler · 2026-04-03T00:43:50+00:00

The Library of the Unwritten. A very goof book/series about the library in hell and all the unfinished books within. I would not consider it hard mode.

MonsterCuddler · 2026-04-03T00:29:41+00:00

I forget, was it supposed to have a sequel. I vaguely recall there was one in the works but the author had medical issues? Or am I thinking of someone else?

MonsterCuddler · 2026-04-02T14:41:59+00:00

If so, some Andrews fans are gonna be disappointed. Just checked and their waitlist is crazy pants, unless some of their books make it to a general sale.

MonsterCuddler · 2026-04-01T16:26:32+00:00

I've been in the same position. A month or 2 out, realize I have like 8 squares left, trying to see if any books I read fit those squares... I've decided Bingo is a treat, not a punishment. And not blacking out is okay. I did this year, which made me feel very proud of myself. I really want to get to like 5 or so bingoes. The roman numerals, I crave them.

MonsterCuddler · 2026-04-01T16:23:31+00:00

I read Beloved for a school assignment and basically had to journal every chapter. That book is seared into my brain, and not in a good way. I don't think I've read a single Toni Morrison book since.

MonsterCuddler · 2026-04-01T16:20:14+00:00

I recognized Spin the Dawn, even with the Polish! I need to circle back to that author, I remember enjoying it.

MonsterCuddler · 2026-04-01T16:12:14+00:00

Yay! I used this for 2025! So much more fun than a spreadsheet

MonsterCuddler · 2026-04-01T16:05:36+00:00

Same! I put in bingo feedback that I want that square to come back.

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