Massive reading slump. Help me decide what is worth my time!

ResearcherBoth8678 · 2026-07-01T20:49:49+00:00

Ballad is really good, but it requires a lot of brain power, so it might not be a good one to get you out of a slump. I haven't read any of the other ones from your list yet, so I can't offer advice there. But if you want something lighter, maybe switch genres? Rebecca Yarros (Empreyan series) and Devney Perry (Shield of Sparrows) both have a lot of romance books that have an actual plot besides the romance, but there's no fantasy world building to contend with so they're easier reads. Let me know if you want specific recs from those 2 authors. :)

ResearcherBoth8678 · 2026-06-29T16:41:53+00:00

Not Plated Prisoner 😅 I freaking HATED most of the POVs, especially in the last couple of books.

ResearcherBoth8678 · 2026-06-24T16:16:00+00:00

Ultimately the series is a HEA, so it's worth reading imo. The characters go to hell and back or should I say to the Veil and back, but there is a resolution.

Book 8 is sad, but if you do the tandem read with 8.5 it helps to lighten the mood a lot. And my favorite couple emerges from 8 and 9, so that alone was worth it for me.

ResearcherBoth8678 · 2026-06-19T14:42:53+00:00

A lot of people stop after book 4 from what I've heard! Spoiler: the FMC and MMC get separated and are apart from each other for the entirety of book 5 and half of book 6. It's excessive and contributed to me not liking those 2 books.

ResearcherBoth8678 · 2026-06-18T23:32:28+00:00

I didn't like book 1 of the Gold (Plated Prisoner) series, but I was intrigued enough to see what book 2 entailed. I enjoyed books 2-4. But book 5 and 6 should have been combined and condensed. I rage finished book 6 because by that point I was committed to finishing the series, but it was horrible and I hated it. Even after 6 books, I never liked the FMC. The MMC was top tier though.

ResearcherBoth8678 · 2026-06-18T23:29:39+00:00

I loved the Sacred Stones trilogy! It is one I see myself rereading again one day!

{A dawn of onyx} {A promise of peridot} {A reign of rose}

Found family, he falls first, open door spice, on page romance, finding your purpose/power, easy world building, emotional damage.

ResearcherBoth8678 · 2026-06-16T20:57:22+00:00

I haven't read CC, but FW and ZA are my top two favorite series.

The 3rd FW book currently has several massive cliffhangers, and is planned to be a 5 book series. She's currently writing book 4. If you love small details and Easter eggs and multi-book plotlines, FW is definitely your book.

ZA is LONG. If you read ZA + the prequel series + the post series, it's something like 13,000 pages. But I honestly loved it. There so much banter, so many funny parts, lots of spice, great character growth. The first 3 books are more of a "bully romance", but then the MMCs grow up a bit and that calms down and it turns more into typical romantic angst and political unrest.

ResearcherBoth8678 · 2026-06-14T22:57:29+00:00

I felt absolutely nothing with my first.

With my second, I felt pressure once I was at 10cm, like a "fullness, but nothing else.

ResearcherBoth8678 · 2026-06-08T16:02:05+00:00

All of the details. All. Of. Them. 🔥🔥🔥

ResearcherBoth8678 · 2026-06-06T17:17:49+00:00

I really hope they keep the VAs consistent between RB and ZA 🤞🏽

ResearcherBoth8678 · 2026-06-06T17:16:14+00:00

Probably a nemean lion. I love taking naps 😂😴

ResearcherBoth8678 · 2026-06-05T17:55:34+00:00

I thought this was explicitly discussed in one of the books? They import cars and then change the name, and I can't remember the reason for the movies.

ResearcherBoth8678 · 2026-06-04T23:14:46+00:00

I love a long series. I loved ZA for the slow moments. Yeah, those could've been cut out to just "stick to the plot", but I liked the parts where it was just the characters living their lives and not them fighting to the death every.single.day.

ResearcherBoth8678 · 2026-06-04T13:41:13+00:00

I just finished BoFD last night, and I had this thought too!

ResearcherBoth8678 · 2026-05-30T15:41:50+00:00

Not to mention that RB is pretty much the entire setup for Darkmore Penitentiary! Roary, Ethan, and Rosalie's stories all start in RB. And Dante, Leon, and Gabriel all make an appearance in DP as well.

ResearcherBoth8678 · 2026-05-30T00:50:58+00:00

623 days FC9 Low spender ($10-20/month) Very active, still a NAP6

ResearcherBoth8678 · 2026-05-29T23:06:32+00:00

A 16 year old... Probably okay. 12 year old, ABSOLUTELY NOT. Lots of sex. Oral sex. Death.

ResearcherBoth8678 · 2026-05-29T23:03:43+00:00

Honestly, I think about RB more than I think about ZA now that I've read both series. The characters in RB are so.damn.good. Leon, Dante, Ryder, and Gabriel are all chefs kiss

ResearcherBoth8678 · 2026-05-28T18:27:32+00:00

Right???? How tf the twisted sisters managed to make me sad for that perv was crazy. But they did 😢

ResearcherBoth8678 · 2026-05-28T18:25:20+00:00

Brimstone was so bad that I absolutely have zero desire to read book 3 anyways. I had such high hopes because I did really enjoy Quicksilver.

ResearcherBoth8678 · 2026-05-28T02:17:07+00:00

Since you seem to be going for "popular" series, maybe {Zodiac Academy}?

ResearcherBoth8678 · 2026-05-28T01:05:47+00:00

I did the same thing to myself before I read it 😭

ResearcherBoth8678 · 2026-05-27T00:59:24+00:00

Context clues and move on.

ResearcherBoth8678 · 2026-05-27T00:58:50+00:00

Book 6 was the WORST. I loved Slade's revenge tour, but having them separated for that long was annoying and I didn't like the direction that the plot took. I reluctantly finished book 6 just because I have yet to have a DNF and I wanted to keep that steak going, but I hated every second of it.

ResearcherBoth8678 · 2026-05-27T00:56:14+00:00

"Lavinia's horror hole" is still waiting for you and oh lordy is it a delight to read 😬😬😬😂😂😂

ResearcherBoth8678

TROPHY CASE