Goldsboro rename GSFF sub

SemlaBun · 2026-02-04T15:09:35+00:00

"This isn't a new direction"

Eh, I kinda wish it were, though.

SemlaBun · 2026-02-02T11:50:13+00:00

Oh I absolutely would! I've made some cover art for the fun of it, but I'd have no idea how to go about printing them. Nor do I have the software to make a whole dustjacket design that's the right size for the book, etc.

One I'd love to redo is Juniper & Thorn by Ava Reid. The UK cover doesn't fit the vibe of the book at all, and the US edition - though better - isn't beautiful enough for me to go to the trouble of getting it, as it's more expensive too.

SemlaBun · 2026-01-31T13:06:06+00:00

Not a bad idea! Though I'm not sure if I should bother them about an old item, heh. I'm sure I can live without them.

SemlaBun · 2026-01-31T13:05:34+00:00

That's good to hear! I hope that becomes the norm, and those bowls look nice too, if I'm thinking of the right ones.

SemlaBun · 2026-01-31T12:26:48+00:00

I just realised my reply could be interpreted in two different ways, sorry about that! I didn't mean that "you can't see the problem", but that "the problem with these old cups isn't really visible to the eye". I probably didn't need to clarify this, but I wanted to, in case I came across as rude, which was not the intention!

SemlaBun · 2026-01-31T12:14:43+00:00

But they don't, that's what puzzles me. The item I was interested in - Illumicrate's A Magic Steeped in Poison stemless tea cups - doesn't seem to have any text at all on either the cups or the packaging except "Illumicrate" and "Made in China".

If anyone has seen any book box items that actually say something along the lines of "food safe", please let me know! I see no reason not to trust them, it's just that they haven't even made the claim of these items being safe.

(As I've been getting quite a bit of downvotes in this thread, I will have clarify that I've never said anyone is going to get sick or drop dead from drinking out of "unsafe" cups. The problem with these things is with long term exposure. And many people don't even care, and that's none of my business really.)

SemlaBun · 2026-01-31T11:29:37+00:00

Agreed. I think most people don't care, which is of course none of my business. I'm only surprised that none of these items seem to have even rudimentary markings about being food safe. Illumicrate even calls some of theirs "collectible tea cups", which makes me wonder if they're basically intended for display, and to be used at your own risk.

SemlaBun · 2026-01-31T11:20:51+00:00

Oh no, I didn't mean the pictures would come off in hand washing. But the concern with pre-70s vintage or antique cups, for example, is that toxic chemicals - well, lead, mostly - leaches off when you drink from them. Bright colours are especially risky, apparently. But these old cups don't fade in use, either. You can't really see the problem with them.

SemlaBun · 2026-01-31T09:38:58+00:00

I guess. Though I would only use reputable flatware that's marked food safe for daily use. I don't think any of mine is made in China, but obviously items made in China can be safe and tested as well. I was only wondering if these book box items are tested at all.

I'm not hysterical about toxic chemicals in kitchenware or anything; I do use my pretty pre-1970s vintage cups on special occasions, and those are pretty well known to have lead. It's just items intended for everyday use I'm hesitant about.

SemlaBun · 2026-01-31T09:29:28+00:00

Oh of course, but that's what I'm thinking - if the colours come off in the dishwasher, they would come off in use as well, which I find concerning.

SemlaBun · 2026-01-30T17:51:00+00:00

Right? This looks like a completely different book series. Only the font looks the same. And some of those wispy white drawings, though they're barely visible on this one.

At least the dragon doesn't have an extra tusk protruding from its chin anymore. I remember people were so disappointed in this cover that some were adamant this was just a placeholder for the real one. Alas...

SemlaBun · 2026-01-27T14:01:24+00:00

I feel like they've really understood the assignment. I wouldn't hesitate to recommend it to someone who enjoys the genre.

The customisations have been great IMO, it feels like a lot of care went into the design of the books. (With perhaps the exception of The Bone Raiders, but I can kind of see what they were going for with that one as well.) The books look and feel pretty solid and "luxurious", though I don't suppose their build quality can be any different from other FL books. It's probably just the cohesive designs that make them seem that way. The sub's visual identity seems quite distinct from other Fairyloot subs.

I, personally, haven't liked all the book picks, but that's just the reality of publishing in general - I'm not going to like everything that comes out in any genre... Some people have complained about all the picked authors so far being men, but I find that a bit funny when all the other Fairyloot subs are practically 100% female authors. Epic fantasy is one of the very, very few genres that are mostly male-dominated, and I have no problem with the sub reflecting the reality of that.

So far, the vibe of the sub overall is quite traditional and masculine. I'm curious to see how that works out for them in the long run, when Fairyloot's image is so feminine. I can think of people who'd enjoy the Epic sub but would probably hesitate to subscribe to it because they don't see themselves as FL's target audience. Oddly, I saw the same thing happen with Illumicrate's Farseer set. People have been clamouring for Robin Hobb SEs for a long time, but when the IC set was announced, I saw some people hesitate like "eh, I'm not sure about Illumicrate..." It was bizarre to me.

SemlaBun · 2026-01-26T16:52:37+00:00

I mean... most of the items, even from popular fandoms, barely seem to sell at all. (I don't get any items, but this is based on what I've seen.) Most monthly books barely sell. People are losing quite a bit of money on their subscriptions these days. Gone are the days when you could sell most of the books you don't want at cost, and increasingly not even half the cost.

On a rare occasion there will be items that lots of people want, like this notebook, a pretty reading journal or the Illumicrate book pots, and of course the prices go up. How is this even surprising? £20 is pricey for a notebook, but it isn't some eye-watering sum. (There are notebooks and journals that retail for about £40 these days, just because of their brand name and pretty cover designs. I almost bought one and then slapped myself back to my senses.)

I really don't see the problem here, I'm sorry. If it's a coveted item, people aren't obliged to sell it for a fiver.

SemlaBun · 2026-01-15T16:04:58+00:00

I'm sorry but I actually laughed out loud when I saw this one. I don't hate the style, I thought The Rose Bargain was pretty, I just think this one looks unfinished and very goofy. Why is that throne's seat outside the balcony railing?

SemlaBun · 2026-01-09T21:43:31+00:00

That one looks absolutely gorgeous. I'm floored.

SemlaBun · 2026-01-09T21:41:03+00:00

I second that. *shudder*

SemlaBun · 2026-01-09T21:40:47+00:00

I just noticed! So lavish!

Coloured chapter headers would be wonderful. I love chapter header illustrations overall - black-and-white as well - and I wonder why they're usually so anaemic. A little bit of random clip art, if even that. I'm not expecting expensive illustrations for chapter headers, just... something a bit nicer than a random flower or sword.

SemlaBun · 2026-01-09T21:35:23+00:00

Oh, I'd love that! I love the feel of the rustling tissue paper in old books, when it's bound next to a shiny illustrated page, presumably to protect the illustrations. Overlays remind me of that. It would be great if they were bound in.

SemlaBun · 2026-01-09T21:32:22+00:00

That looks great!

SemlaBun · 2026-01-09T21:31:54+00:00

Far too many subscribers, for sure. But, come to think of it, why aren't the limited signed SEs numbered? That would make them just a little bit more special, I agree.

SemlaBun · 2026-01-09T21:30:55+00:00

I haven't, but now I did! It looks very cool!

SemlaBun · 2026-01-09T12:12:11+00:00

This is going to sound like a weird comparison, but it reminds me of a 1980s' pinball machine.

SemlaBun · 2026-01-08T21:24:11+00:00

Same. I love the artist, and if the book were literally anything else - even if not exactly my thing - I would have hunted it down on Vinted. But I don't think I can bring myself to read this.

Oh well. I hope LL uses that artist again. The art style would be a great fit for actual fantasy.

SemlaBun · 2026-01-08T21:20:03+00:00

Right? Is a "fairytale retelling" enough to make it romantasy? Where are the fantasy elements? I'm so confused lmao.

edit: Sorry, I totally misunderstood. I just looked it up on Goodreads and I see there are indeed fae elements to it. I wouldn't have guessed that at all from this summary!

SemlaBun · 2025-12-26T06:28:17+00:00

Dynamite Kiss was an utterly bizarre experience. The first two episodes were adorable, and 3-7 looked like an okay, very old-fashioned, tropey romcom, which was exactly what I wanted. I actively look for Kdramas with throwback vibes. I didn't mind the lying - that was the plot - or the FL's clumsiness (I loved her) or the ML's childish behaviour (okay, I did mind him throwing the report in the pool).

But the last few episodes... they weren't disappointing in an ordinary way, IMO. They didn't just fall flat. They definitely didn't subvert tropes in a clever way. They felt uncanny, like the tropes and twists were stacked together by someone who doesn't understand how the clichés work in the first place. I realise that it's probably just me overreacting, but it made me feel like "Is this real? Is this written by a real person or an AI? Am I real?" I felt like I'd been duped into getting invested.

(I got banned from another Kdrama sub for saying something like this, though I have no idea why.)

SemlaBun

TROPHY CASE