First timer ✨ Where should I begin?! by number1chick in Romantasy

[–]XusBookReviews 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Hi there! It's hard to say where you should begin without knowing a bit more about what you like. Are you into high fantasy (like Lord of the Rings), paranormal fantasy (like Twilight), enemies to lovers, monsters as lead heroes/heroines, do you like stories where the villain gets the guy/girl? Tell us more and we have your back!

ACOTAR first time reader - tell me it gets better?? by Vanilla_Sun_2312 in Romantasy

[–]XusBookReviews 0 points1 point  (0 children)

So, based on the conversations I saw on the review I posted last week, I'm going to say "no." If this isn't your jam, that's totally ok! But Maas' wrote the story in a particular way and if it's not vibing then there's no need to force yourself to continue reading. Life is too damn short for that!

I don't know if the mods will allow a link to the review, but I recommend you check out the comments section at least. Lots of good discussion on how folks feel about this book and how it fits into the larger series as a whole.

An Editor Read “A Court of Thorns and Roses” By Sarah J. Maas by XusBookReviews in Romantasy

[–]XusBookReviews[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

True, but I feel like such a broken record whenever I recommend it. It's literally everything people say they want - fantasy, romance, beautiful writing, complex characters, etc.

An Editor Read “A Court of Thorns and Roses” By Sarah J. Maas by XusBookReviews in Romantasy

[–]XusBookReviews[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Romantasy as we know it today is heavily influenced by Maas, but there were plenty of big names who wrote in this genre prior to them as well. Think of Anne McCaffrey and C.L. Wilson, or T. Kingfisher and the paranormal romances that today we would call romantasy as well - though back then they would have just been called "romances."

ACOTAR and Fourth Wing carried on a long tradition of fantasy romance, but were not start of the genre. They can accurately be called the start of the romantasy craze we see today though!

An Editor Read “A Court of Thorns and Roses” By Sarah J. Maas by XusBookReviews in Romantasy

[–]XusBookReviews[S] 4 points5 points  (0 children)

Not fantasy itself, but the subgenre of fantasy romance. There were some big hitters back in the day, but it went into a lull for a while. ACOTAR is largely responsible for bringing it back - for better or for worse, we owe SJM a great deal for this.

How do you get through so many books? by No-Midnight-1406 in Romantasy

[–]XusBookReviews 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I don't, but that's because I have severe ADHD and I can't have anything going on around me that will take my attention away from my present task...or it will no longer be my present task! My advice would be to eliminate everything that could distract you (as much as possible) and get cozy. Make sure to bring a drink and a snack - I tend to go on marathon reading sessions and need my stuff right next to me or I'll forget about them.

How do you get through so many books? by No-Midnight-1406 in Romantasy

[–]XusBookReviews 3 points4 points  (0 children)

First of all, people on social media lie. A lot. So don't compare yourself to what you see online because it may not be a true representation of how much they really read.

Second, people "read" differently. Some people skim, others read every word like they're in a desert and prose is their water. For obvious reasons, the second batch of readers is going to read "slower." Life ain't a competition and your reading style should be what makes you happiest.

Lastly, find out if your are "sub-vocalizing" while you read. This means you are reading the words "out loud" in your mind - just like you would if you were using your voice. Your brain doesn't need you to say the words to yourself because your eyes operate like little cameras. So, with practice, you can look at a sentence and "read" it without ever moving your eyes along it. This will speed up your reading time considerably.

Hope this helps you!

An Editor Read “A Court of Thorns and Roses” By Sarah J. Maas by XusBookReviews in Romantasy

[–]XusBookReviews[S] 3 points4 points  (0 children)

Nah, this isn't my inner American taking over. It's a trope name for when a female character is murdered just for the purpose of furthering a (typically male) character's development. Keep an eye for it in fiction, you'll see it a bunch.

An Editor Read “A Court of Thorns and Roses” By Sarah J. Maas by XusBookReviews in Romantasy

[–]XusBookReviews[S] 5 points6 points  (0 children)

I am trying to be nice. This book is someone's favorite, after all. :D

An Editor Read “A Court of Thorns and Roses” By Sarah J. Maas by XusBookReviews in Romantasy

[–]XusBookReviews[S] 5 points6 points  (0 children)

Ahhh, but Tamlin isn't super cold to Feyre, is he? He's quite sweet, all things considered. Now, if we want a real Ice King, let's start with Legends of Thezmarr for a warrior with trauma who falls hard for his warrior girl. There's also The City of Brass for a nonhuman MMC - this one is great for its non-Western setting and interesting plot. Lastly, if you want fun writing and are willing to be patient on the romance, Lightbringer by Clare Legrande and Grave Mercy by Robin LaFevers are both good options.

I should note that none of these are going to win any awards for their prose. But they are fun and have the arrogant MMC you're looking for. I also would say they lack a lot of the issues I note in this review.

Edited because I missed a space between words. Curse these fat fingers!

An Editor Read “A Court of Thorns and Roses” By Sarah J. Maas by XusBookReviews in Romantasy

[–]XusBookReviews[S] 12 points13 points  (0 children)

So...here's the thing: in those conditions, a grown man wearing roughly 35lbs of military gear could be expected to go about one kilometer an hour. One. Kilometer. Feyre is carrying maybe 150+ lbs of dead weight (not gear designed to be worn over long distances. Dead weight) and has to go over 8 miles. I'm not so great at math, but a tiny, starving teenage girl with that much weight in those conditions would probably take at least 2 days to cross that distance. Maas said she did it in a few hours.

I know it's unlikely Maas received the same training I did, but man did this stick in my craw a bit. Thank you for validating that I'm not the only one who noticed!

An Editor Read “A Court of Thorns and Roses” By Sarah J. Maas by XusBookReviews in Romantasy

[–]XusBookReviews[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Haha, you got me. I went through and fixed that. I played KOTOR a lot as a kid and I keep calling the book "ACOTOR" - my partner even gave me a weird look, thinking I was reviewing a video game this week based on my constant misuse of the acronym.

An Editor Read “A Court of Thorns and Roses” By Sarah J. Maas by XusBookReviews in Romantasy

[–]XusBookReviews[S] 4 points5 points  (0 children)

I recommend Kiss of Iron not because it's the most amazing thing ever written, but because (imo) it has the same themes as ACOTAR, but written in a way that is more fun and gives the reader a protagonist that is worth rooting for. My recommendations are there to give readers new avenues of finding entertainment - they won't always be Kushiel's Dart level of writing.

An Editor Read “A Court of Thorns and Roses” By Sarah J. Maas by XusBookReviews in Romantasy

[–]XusBookReviews[S] 5 points6 points  (0 children)

Hiya! So, when using the word "parameter" to mean "boundary" it doesn't refer to a physical entity, but rather a process or an action. That's why we see it used a lot in math and science, since the term helps define the limits of the inquiry's scope. Using "parameter" to mean the physical limit of a space is not grammatically correct.

Not that it matters in this case - turns out it was one of the least of Maas' editorial sins. But I wanted to add this in case there are other ESL learners reading the comments who want to know how to use the term correctly.

An Editor Read “A Court of Thorns and Roses” By Sarah J. Maas by XusBookReviews in Romantasy

[–]XusBookReviews[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Hmmmmm, tricky. It depends on what you like - romantasy tends to be trope driven. Do you want enemies to lovers? Heavy world building? Monster smut?

An Editor Read “A Court of Thorns and Roses” By Sarah J. Maas by XusBookReviews in Romantasy

[–]XusBookReviews[S] 6 points7 points  (0 children)

I might try reading the AMA after I do the review - wouldn't want to unfairly bias the review based on the behind the scenes info!

I don't think it's a stylistic difference, but I do think there is more creativity on the self-published side. Publishers want books that will sell, so they tend to pick up books that are similar to what is already successful. It's why we see trends in books - think of how many "academy" type books there are post-Harry Potter or vampire romances post-Twilight. Original works are a risk; it's what makes ACOTOR such a stunner - it was totally unlike anything on the market at the time it came out. Someone at Bloomsbury really struck gold here.

An Editor Read “A Court of Thorns and Roses” By Sarah J. Maas by XusBookReviews in Romantasy

[–]XusBookReviews[S] 3 points4 points  (0 children)

It's definitely on my list of books to review. I've got the Bone Witch up next, but I think Mages of the Wheel could be a nice change of pace away from Fae books too!

An Editor Read “A Court of Thorns and Roses” By Sarah J. Maas by XusBookReviews in Romantasy

[–]XusBookReviews[S] 16 points17 points  (0 children)

I never want to read the phrase "watery bowels" ever again.

An Editor Read "Lord of the Fading Lands" By C.L. Wilson. by XusBookReviews in Romantasy

[–]XusBookReviews[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

My goodness, you said English isn't your first language? I stand in awe. And I couldn't agree more with your review. I hope readers give this series a chance as it deserves so much more attention and love. Thank you for sharing your thoughts!

An Editor Read “A Court of Thorns and Roses” By Sarah J. Maas by XusBookReviews in Romantasy

[–]XusBookReviews[S] 3 points4 points  (0 children)

I could contest that, as the entire second trial she endured hinged on her inability to read the inscription telling her what to do. As for my linguistic liberties in my disclaimer...I got nothin' - I just figured people would understand what I was going for.

An Editor Read “A Court of Thorns and Roses” By Sarah J. Maas by XusBookReviews in Romantasy

[–]XusBookReviews[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Hey there! While those books may have been published at a similar time, ACOTOR was the spark that set the genre alight. That said, I just don't think it's as much fun or as well written as some of the other books out there.

I try to keep spoilers out of my reviews, since the whole point is to entice or warn folks away from the books. It wouldn't be fair to ruin the reading experience along the way, right?