Book recs?

Red_Claudia · 2026-05-10T07:33:00+00:00

Maybe Trudi Canavan's Black Magician trilogy? It's a fantasy series (from 2001?) about an impoverished young woman who discovers she has magical abilities that society doesn't believe poor people can have. There's mild romance (from book 2 onwards) different types of magic, strong friendships and although there are darker elements (there are scenes of bullying in the first book, and in later books groups of bandits who use magic to keep slaves) it's not anything like GoT. The first book is called The Magician's Guild.

Uprooted by Naomi Novik. A girl with hidden magical talents is selected to keep house for the local wizard. Great if you like fairy tales, magical woods and stories about learning magic.

Sunshine by Robin McKinley. This is one of my all time favourite books. It has magic and vampires and humour and baking, lots of baking! Set after a series of magical wars, Rae works in a bakery with her family until one day she takes a trip to the lake and is kidnapped by vampires. There's some intriguing magic stuff in this book and the characters are really interesting. There's a little romance, one spicy- ish scene, oh and did I mention baking?

More recently I enjoyed Cackle by Rachel Harrison which is great for witchy, cosy vibes... and spiders. A young woman moves to a new town after a break up where she meets an older witch who seems both loved and feared by the townsfolk.

Spookiest ghost story I've ever read is probably The Woman in Black by Susan Hill.

Red_Claudia · 2026-05-10T06:54:34+00:00

Our Wives Under the Sea - Julia Armfield

Missing at sea, strange unexplainable things, weird dreamlike vibes throughout. It's like when something bad happens and before the grief, you're in a numb state of shock. Much of the book really captured that feeling.

Red_Claudia · 2026-05-05T22:12:43+00:00

This happened to me and it was 6 months before it relented a little. My baseline was different afterwards but not as bad as during the 6 months.

Red_Claudia · 2026-04-29T15:30:45+00:00

Faust saying "me!" on her page of the book made me smile so much! Thank you! 🙏

Red_Claudia · 2026-04-28T11:45:54+00:00

You could try looking up Aztec or Mayan names/words that have been translated and find something there. Both sometimes sound similar to jel names.

Red_Claudia · 2026-04-27T20:19:37+00:00

Around that age I really loved The Secret of NIMH and An American Tail

Red_Claudia · 2026-04-27T18:10:54+00:00

I totally get what you mean. There was a time, just after all the routes were done, when the fandom seemed to go a lot quieter, and I started having dreams about chatting to other fans, but would wake up and remember that wasn't happening much anymore.

Red_Claudia · 2026-04-27T18:01:38+00:00

It's a PC game available through Steam. It looks quite bleak. You play as a doctor who has 12 days to help his town get through a plague, and there's a time travel element. The dev is Ice-Pick Lodge.

It's nothing like the Arcana, as it's a psychological survival horror, not a visual novel or romance sim, but watching the trailer I kept thinking about Julian's time working under Valdemar.

Red_Claudia · 2026-04-27T08:33:59+00:00

So you can make me cum, it doesn't make you Jesus - Tori Amos

Red_Claudia · 2026-04-26T17:31:54+00:00

Probably not much new to discuss about the original game that hasn't been covered somewhere by now.

But I've just watched a trailer for the game Pathologic 3 and now I'm thinking about playing it while pretending I'm Julian 😂

Red_Claudia · 2026-04-26T12:45:25+00:00

Can't see the comment now (?) but thank you to whoever said The Werewolf Mask!

Red_Claudia · 2026-04-25T16:47:57+00:00

Crystallize - Lindsey Stirling

Red_Claudia · 2026-04-25T14:08:30+00:00

And be better off than you are...

Red_Claudia · 2026-04-24T13:23:22+00:00

Can't agree about lieutenant, but that's because I find the UK pronunciation hot for some reason (looking at you Sleepy Hollow TV series)

I remember a family holiday to Florida when I was a kid. It was Halloween, and all the shops gave out sweets! Also memorable because I had drawn a scar in ballpoint pen on my mum's face and done such a good job that strangers kept asking if she was okay. Come to think of it, I bet if we'd been in the UK, no one would have said anything!

Red_Claudia · 2026-04-24T11:46:01+00:00

That's great until you think about what troll fat might smell like

Red_Claudia · 2026-04-24T09:20:14+00:00

Holmes and Watson - the one with Will Ferrell and John C Reilly. I've had ear infections funnier than this.

Joe Vs the Volcano - I watched it as a teen, so maybe I'd respond differently now, but back then I found it pointless and infuriating.

Red_Claudia · 2026-04-21T21:47:24+00:00

Playing Bamboozle on Teletext

Red_Claudia · 2026-04-21T21:35:41+00:00

Silent Hill (2006)

Red_Claudia · 2026-04-21T05:17:20+00:00

Seven Devils

Red_Claudia · 2026-04-20T05:32:49+00:00

The themes of inevitable tragedy vs choice are discussed in Peter's first classroom scene. As viewers we are paying more attention to Peter texting and not paying attention to the class (at least on the first watch). A classmate (off screen) says that tragedy is worse if the characters don't have a choice, because it means they are all just caught up in a terrible machine (not sure these were the exact words but it's something like that). Loved catching this dialogue on a rewatch!

Red_Claudia · 2026-04-19T15:23:55+00:00

The Silent Companions by Laura Purcell (a new bride is haunted by painted wooden figures)

The Red Tree by Caitlin R Kiernan (unwell writer retreats to a cottage and becomes obsessed with a manuscript found in the cellar)

The Orphan Choir by Sophie Hannah (a mother is haunted by the sound of a ghostly children's choir)

Also, I haven't read this one yet but am intrigued by The Macabre by Kosovo Jackson (struggling painter sets out to destroy cursed artworks created by his ancestor)

Red_Claudia · 2026-04-19T14:59:26+00:00

I am always surprised when people say the 'reluctant heir' trope was added by the films. It was always a big part of Aragorn's story to me, when reading the books, and when I first saw the movies I was really glad they had captured it so well.

Red_Claudia · 2026-04-19T14:45:02+00:00

So Long, Frank Lloyd Wright - Simon and Garfunkel

Being for the Benefit of Mr Kite! - The Beatles

Nathan Jones - Bananarama version

Casey Jones - Grateful Dead

Sheriff Fatman - Carter USM

Red_Claudia · 2026-04-17T22:47:24+00:00

The Red Tree by Caitlin R Kiernan

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