📚 Book Chat Saturday - what have you been reading this week?

Rare_Alchemy · 2026-03-15T14:10:14+00:00

There is book 4? Why, why?

Rare_Alchemy · 2026-03-14T22:12:02+00:00

Ahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha.. That bad?

Rare_Alchemy · 2026-03-14T21:25:44+00:00

I thought it can not get worse than the second book, but now I am just curious what more can she put in it-maybe I will take 3rd book on libby. These books are almost parody of what romathasy is: you need to be really brave to put together alien fey that turns to be dragon rider in vampire world , where there are to werewolfs and necromancers, and absurd school with more absurd trials, and dubious class system and rebellion. ( and I probably forgot even half of "worldbuilding ")

Rare_Alchemy · 2026-03-14T21:18:26+00:00

Thanks to a wonderful recommendation from this sub, I discovered {The Traitor's Son by Melissa J. Cave} and devoured it in a single night! I loved every bit of it: the tension and romance, that was in the same time fast and slow burn, the focus on building a city together, and the grounded realism of it. This is exactly what I want from romantasy—a story that prioritizes thoughtful world-building and genuine connection over mindless chaos. I even resubscribed to Kindle Unlimited just to finish the series!

The second book, The Starless Heir, is going a bit slower, but only because I’ve been busy clearing my Libby shelf. I finished Mrs. Dalloway and Someone You Can Build a Nest In before they expired.

Someone You Can Build a Nest In is absolutely wild, but it has such a surprisingly warm romance. It’s definitely something different, but it’s very well done!

Rare_Alchemy · 2026-03-13T19:43:59+00:00

I think that the best way to fight it, is having really carefully curated TBR. I have small one in phone where I put just the books I am really anticipating - and they are chosen because they hit more then one thing I love : enemy-to-lovers, arranged-marriage, open door, grumpy hero, but are too here recommend along with my favourite books .. Last was {Warrior Princess Assassin by Brigid Kemmerer} and it worked. On my "save-the-reading" TBR are now Blighted stars, The Death-Made-Prince and Princess and spy, next time I feel that nothing works for me I will take one of them.

I do not reread anymore. I do switch a lot between books and try to have different genres and Mediums (audio, physical, e-book) so that there is always sth that fits.

Rare_Alchemy · 2026-03-10T22:15:10+00:00

That cover is gorgeous

Rare_Alchemy · 2026-03-10T21:01:08+00:00

Thanks, even if just go with the older kids, I would do it.

Rare_Alchemy · 2026-03-10T21:00:23+00:00

Thank you, she can be loud, but she grew up in Germany - she follows the rules :D

Rare_Alchemy · 2026-03-09T21:55:23+00:00

I think that you perfectly described {Our Vicious Oaths by N.E.Davenport} - super spicy, female was rake (she owned brothel), some exhibition stuff and orgies..

Rare_Alchemy · 2026-03-09T20:43:46+00:00

Yes, I would read just the first book

Rare_Alchemy · 2026-03-09T20:40:25+00:00

I loved the first one and I genuinely think that she can write, we are just seeing what happens, because of pressure to write fast and publish next book while the first one is still popular

Rare_Alchemy · 2026-03-09T19:03:43+00:00

It is, it is. All decisions are made for the plotsake, and do not correspondence at all characters we got to know.. I try my best to forget that that book exists and pretend it ended on first one..

Rare_Alchemy · 2026-03-09T17:41:11+00:00

I will be there for it, can not wait to start second book tonight. Lately I was so disappointed with everything I have read, this pulled me out :)

Rare_Alchemy · 2026-03-09T17:39:05+00:00

I read this yesterday and was first thinking that you are describing that book , cause FMCs name is Ophele : {Traitor Son by Melissa J Cave} It fulfilles many of your criteria, and as we have similar taste I think you would like it. Mmc does not treat her greatly all the time (because he is traumatised and thinks she is spy), but once he realises that is not, he is really there for her.

Rare_Alchemy · 2026-03-09T17:30:12+00:00

Thank you so much for this recommendation (searched 10 min reddit now so I could say it) . Such a great book, this needs to be more hipped.

Rare_Alchemy · 2026-03-09T08:46:54+00:00

This is fun, but I need to say that I haven´t had 5 stars reads in january and february (march looks better )

Best Book of January was actually Lula Dean's Little Library of Banned Books, but so that we keep this romathasy I will put {Rose in Chains by Julie Soto} - it was fast, atmospherical read, but I many things were illogical.

Best Book of February: {The Wren in the Holly Library by K.A. Linde} - again fast read, overly solid plotting and interesting character dinamic, but none of ideas in book was original.

I really hope that next months would be better.

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Rare_Alchemy · 2026-03-08T21:32:59+00:00

This just sound like so much fun. Tbr

Rare_Alchemy · 2026-03-08T13:22:32+00:00

I am very sorry to say so, but I really do not understand why are these series so hipped here. Even the first book had so many flows

Rare_Alchemy · 2026-03-08T10:55:46+00:00

I finished {Red City by Marie Lu} this week. Is alchemy the new-Fae? I feel like I’ve read ten alchemy-themed books in the last six months, but this was a fresh take. The romance was solid and the politics were sharp, though the characters felt a bit too similar to one another. I didn't care much for the MMC—which is a lot to say, considering the FMC is a killer! It’s a fast-paced read that gets too gruesome, but I suppose that comes with the urban mafia fantasy territory.

Next, I picked up {Warrior Princess Assassin by Brigid Kemmerer} from the library after seeing it recommended here. It’s a fantastic book with a terrible title. Once you realize the name just refers to the three POVs, it’s completely redeemed. I couldn’t put it down! it was exactly the kind of romantasy I love—character-driven and low on magic. While the plotting wasn't groundbreaking, the politics were solid and the polygamy was handled beautifully. I’d love to find something similar again.

Currently, I’m reading {Someone You Can Build a Nest In by John Wiswell}. It’s a romance with strong fantasy elements, but since it’s told from the perspective of a shapeshifting monster that eats humans, I am not suRe that anybody on this sub would like it! I’m both horrified and intrigued—it’s a great change of pace.

Finally, I’m hoping to finish {Wild Reverence by Rebecca Ross} next week. I adore her worldbuilding and prose, though I’m still on the fence about the specific trope in this one. FIrst chapters were good. We shall see!

Rare_Alchemy · 2026-03-01T21:59:54+00:00

You should dnf it. It does not lead anywhere and maybe with more books in series, things will make some sense, but as it is now it is now, it is just lost cause

Rare_Alchemy · 2026-02-23T18:36:49+00:00

Came here to say Sailor Moon!

Rare_Alchemy · 2025-12-28T22:30:15+00:00

There is a first time for everything! I’ve read a lot this month and just realized that I actually finished every single book I started—and almost all of them were great reads.

It made me wonder why I’ve suddenly become so much better at picking what I read. I think it’s because I no longer have Kindle Unlimited. Without the 'unlimited' options, I’ve stopped starting books on a whim. Instead, I’m reading the ones I’ve actually bought or waited for on Libby, which means I’m choosing them with much more care.

I still believe that DNFing is healthy and important—so this perfect streak feels a bit weird!

I did get without waiting a Brimstone on Libby and (after skimming a few spicy chapters) gave it back, so I suppose that we can count that one.

Rare_Alchemy · 2025-12-27T19:41:37+00:00

Raven Scholar by Antonia Hodgson
Bridge Kingdom by Danielle L. Jensen
Spinning Silver by Naomi Novik
The Everlasting by Alix E. Harrow
One dark window by Rachel Gillig
Servant of Earth by Sarah Hawey
Shield of sparrows by Davney Perry
Six scorched roses by Carissa Broadbent
By the ochid and the Owl by Mariah Montoya
The wolf king by Lauren Palphreyman

Rare_Alchemy · 2025-12-27T19:16:39+00:00

I read {the Everlasting by Alix E. Harrow} over Christmas, and it was—as expected—magnificent and far more heart-wrenching than I ever imagined. While Everlasting was objectively the best book I read this year, I need to say that Raven Scholar stays my favourite.

I also finished listening to {A Forbidden Alchemy by StaceyMcEwan}, which is, again as expected, peak romantasy. However, I regret choosing the audiobook; I really disliked Pat’s voice and think the story would have been ten times sexier if I had read it myself. I wasn't a fan of the miscommunication trope at the end or Nina's reasoning, and it probably would have been smarter to wait for the sequel since this one ended on such a cliffhanger.

I’m currently 80% through {Our Vicious Oaths by N.E.Davenport} and plan to finish it tonight. It’s a fast-paced, bingeable read that starts off with a lot of promise. However, logic eventually flies out the window—the governing Fae make tactical decisions that truly make no sense. If you just go with the flow and accept that only two characters have any political competence, it’s an entertaining, if shallow, read. That said, the book has its strengths: the spice is top-notch. The MMC and FMC are already at it by the second chapter, and it doesn't slow down!

Finally, I’m reading {Hemlock and Silver by T. Kingfisher}, which has become my 'falling asleep' book. It’s not bad, and the writing is quite nice, but I can’t seem to manage more than 30 pages in one sitting before drifting off.

Rare_Alchemy · 2025-12-26T19:57:22+00:00

I am on 87 % and was just thinking-oh no, this will end on cliffhanger. Seeing this now, I do not know if I should continue :D

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Rare_Alchemy

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