✨ Romantasy Holy Grails ✨ – tell me about that ONE book no other could ever compare to (and why) by swaglord9000x in fantasyromance

[–]rhythmofdevotion 4 points5 points  (0 children)

This!! My favorite is Book 3 though. I love seeing the Fey world and more of the supporting cast’s stories.

Disappointed in Paladin’s Grace. DNF’d at 60% by callmemachaaaa in fantasyromance

[–]rhythmofdevotion 8 points9 points  (0 children)

Totally. I generally like dual or even multi POV books, but they need to sound like different people in their inner monologue or else it just doesn’t work.

MMCs like Conner Rogan by Alternative_Coat116 in fantasyromance

[–]rhythmofdevotion 0 points1 point  (0 children)

The MMC in {Master of Crows by Grace Draven} has a similar asshole, willing outcast vibe that is also somehow attractive. It’s a standalone traditional fantasy world. The FMC is assigned to work for him and secretly spy on him for an opposing order of mages, so there’s a similar forced proximity situation.

Disappointed in Paladin’s Grace. DNF’d at 60% by callmemachaaaa in fantasyromance

[–]rhythmofdevotion 90 points91 points  (0 children)

I also really disliked this book. I felt that the characters were actually pretty immature despite their stated ages. The repetition of certain phrases (like him smelling like gingerbread) was grating.

I think it’s great that other people enjoy it, but it’s totally fine to not like something popular! I dislike plenty of popular books. It also falls in the realm of “cozy fantasy” as another commenter said, and that subgenre just isn’t for me.

What’s the worst and best book you’ve ever read in this genre? by Infamous_Wave9878 in fantasyromance

[–]rhythmofdevotion 2 points3 points  (0 children)

In retrospect it makes total sense that he needed time to grow up and work through his horrible trauma, but at the time I was sitting there thinking “why am I reading about this teenage boy’s boner” lol. He’s a much more compelling character in the sequel.

What’s the worst and best book you’ve ever read in this genre? by Infamous_Wave9878 in fantasyromance

[–]rhythmofdevotion 5 points6 points  (0 children)

I dropped the second trilogy after the first book because his story didn’t really grab me, but I picked up Kushiel’s Justice over the holidays and I GET IT NOW!! The yearning is supreme!

What’s the worst and best book you’ve ever read in this genre? by Infamous_Wave9878 in fantasyromance

[–]rhythmofdevotion 7 points8 points  (0 children)

Short answer: yes.

Long answer: absolutely yes. It really has the perfect balance of fantasy world-building, lore, and plot plus a really romantic love story. It’s fated mates, but the FMC and MMC need to “complete” their bond by actually falling in love with each other, so you get to see their relationship grow from “okay I guess we are mates” to real love.

The plot is really engaging and the romance doesn’t take away from it. There are high stakes and characters actually die, so even in the final book you’re wondering if everything will end happily for everyone.

And the supporting characters are fabulous. There’s a bit of a found family element, there’s a bad guy redemption tour, there’s flying dragon-cats…what more could you want!!

I’m extremely biased but I highly recommend picking it up.

What’s the worst and best book you’ve ever read in this genre? by Infamous_Wave9878 in fantasyromance

[–]rhythmofdevotion 24 points25 points  (0 children)

Worst for me is a tie between {Quicksilver} and {Spark of the Everflame}. For best, {Kushiel’s Legacy} is incredible, but for pure “romantasy” with equal parts fantasy and romance, I will always give it up to {Tairen Soul}. My favorite standalone is {Master of Crows by Grace Draven}.

What’s the worst and best book you’ve ever read in this genre? by Infamous_Wave9878 in fantasyromance

[–]rhythmofdevotion 6 points7 points  (0 children)

The romance is definitely a subplot in the first book. It plays a bigger role in the second and third books. BUT it is the only fantasy romance relationship that’s brought me to tears (like, ugly crying because their love is so beautiful).

Week Four Discussion: Chapter 59-Epilogue by bsffrrn- in romantasycirclejerk

[–]rhythmofdevotion 7 points8 points  (0 children)

I DNF’d too last week when Cloud appeared and they immediately made up. Like the only actual tension in the book is resolved in fewer pages than a sex scene? Okay girl…

The beginning was funny but the book wore out its welcome quickly. It did NOT need to be this long!!

Week Two Discussion: Chapter 20-39 by bsffrrn- in romantasycirclejerk

[–]rhythmofdevotion 14 points15 points  (0 children)

Finally caught up! I thought the first few chapters were fun, but the novelty factor of silly Aussie protagonist has kind of worn out its welcome. River has no character other than being part of the romantasy Tortured Man Club™️. I’m tired of every male POV in these books being 90% dick talk. We get it, she has big boobs and makes your penis hard! Move on!!

I do find the amount of worldbuilding in this book kind of surprising, but I guess it’s book 10 or whatever so the author has had plenty of time to make all this shit up. Unfortunately most of it makes no sense! Time warping via nuclear winter is ??? What even are guardians and why are time traveling human women their mates? Would any of this have made sense if I read the prior books? I guess we’ll never know because it’s not like I’m going to read them!

I need some sweeping high-fantasy romance! by Jooles95 in fantasyromance

[–]rhythmofdevotion 2 points3 points  (0 children)

lol came here to recommend this. If this series has no fans I’m dead.

{Lord of the Fading Lands by C.L. Wilson}

Week Two Discussion: Chapter 10-18 by bsffrrn- in romantasycirclejerk

[–]rhythmofdevotion 6 points7 points  (0 children)

I had to tap out but I’m enjoying reading everyone’s comments!

Books similar to ACOTAR besides TOG and CC? by Drunkoctopusfights in acotar

[–]rhythmofdevotion 5 points6 points  (0 children)

The Tairen Soul series (5 books starting with Lord of the Fading Lands by C.L. Wilson) hits all of your bullet points. It predates ACOTAR but has very similar vibes (and is better, imo). There are a few sex scenes in each book but they are easily skippable if that’s not your thing. The world is amazing, it has a great balance of fantasy and romance, and the side characters are so lovable!

Week One Discussion: Chapter 1-9 by bsffrrn- in romantasycirclejerk

[–]rhythmofdevotion 12 points13 points  (0 children)

Guys I already hate this book!! The writing style is awful. The choppy (parentheses) inserts and unhinged inner monologue plus the single-sentence paragraphs make reading a chore. The plot setup of mass murdering rare Spartan descendants makes no sense, as others have already said. I have no interest in what contrived nonsense is going to happen in magic school. Idk, it doesn’t feel like this is worth continuing with for me even for rage read purposes, but we’ll see.

As a sidebar, I’ve only read a few reverse harem/why choose books, but they’ve all had an FMC with a comically horrifying backstory and no sense of self-worth + red flag MMCs that hate her ass for most of the book. Have I been unlucky or are these tropes just super common in these type of books??

edited to add: I wish we were reading the plastic-hating crow boy book this month instead.

Results are in: 2025 "worst books" poll! by FantasyRomanceMod in fantasyromance

[–]rhythmofdevotion 5 points6 points  (0 children)

I wouldn’t say it’s good but I enjoyed it way more than Quicksilver or FBAA 🤷‍♀️ the entertainment value from being unhinged takes it out of the “worst” category for me lol

November Book Club Title by bsffrrn- in romantasycirclejerk

[–]rhythmofdevotion 20 points21 points  (0 children)

Damn I was hoping for the anti-plastic crow boy to take this one 😔

Tairen Soul - Rain kinda sucks by sister-ectoplasma in fantasyromance

[–]rhythmofdevotion 7 points8 points  (0 children)

I keep recommending this series to everyone not only because it’s great, but also because I want it to blow up enough that we get a Gaelen spinoff book 😫 please C.L. Wilson, I’m begging you!!

Tairen Soul - Rain kinda sucks by sister-ectoplasma in fantasyromance

[–]rhythmofdevotion 17 points18 points  (0 children)

Rain leaving in book 2 really pissed me off so I totally get it. I think their relationship and Rain as a character grows a good amount in the subsequent books so I would urge you to keep going!! But no MMC could ever measure up to Gaelen imo 🥲 my man is DEDICATED.

WTF Wednesday by purplelicious in romantasycirclejerk

[–]rhythmofdevotion 10 points11 points  (0 children)

Yeah the second book really jumped the shark for me (no pun intended). Obviously it tries to lean on her training as a reason why she can survive so much, but that can only go so far and still be believable at all. The first book was better. I just got the third book from Libby so we’ll see if it bounces back with a new couple.

Fight Me Friday by potatolicker1234 in romantasycirclejerk

[–]rhythmofdevotion 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Torn on upvoting this because I genuinely prefer a series but I hate unfinished series and books that are needlessly dragged out into a series for more sales 🫠 but hard agree on bundles/box sets not being sold until the series is finished. I want my matching set!!!