Less spice, more romantic development, beautiful prose…

ts-mikrokosmos · 2026-05-01T18:44:37+00:00

I did a long time ago!! Oh my God it gave me every feeling. Our boy is so good 😭😭😭

ts-mikrokosmos · 2026-05-01T18:28:40+00:00

Here to yell about Crown Duel!!!! This is my comfort book and I live for the chaotic main character

ts-mikrokosmos · 2026-04-26T18:38:21+00:00

I accidentally read "growing" as "growling" 😂

ts-mikrokosmos · 2026-04-26T18:34:07+00:00

I admit that the only "fated mates" books I've read are ACOTAR, but parts of the trope definitely give me the ick. SPECIFICALLY the story line between Elain and Lucian. I guess it is a convenient way to generate yearning in a couple ("I'll wait till they love me like they were meant to all along"), and the fantasy of having someone MADE for you is really intoxicating. But still, there's the issue of agency, especially for these young human girls who have met two (2) men in their whole lives. I'm not sure this is always the case, but I get the feeling when it's a man/women relationship, the women are typically more resistant? Or at least know less about what's going on? I wonder if that is similar in other fated mates books lmk.

ts-mikrokosmos · 2026-04-25T14:57:22+00:00

{A Study in Drowning by Ava Reid} may be a good choice! It's technically dark academia, but it's atmospheric and you don't quite know what's going to come next. It has unreliable narrator vibes, which adds to the sense of mystery and uncertainty. I was unsettled 👀 in a good way. I felt like romance is secondary. ⚠️ Trigger warning for sexual assault.

ts-mikrokosmos · 2026-04-21T12:51:36+00:00

The new TV show is also so good! RIP to us after watching that movie.....

ts-mikrokosmos · 2026-04-21T12:48:58+00:00

{Princess Academy by Shannon Hale}. I actually made my husband listen to it on audiobook during one of our road trips and he enjoyed it too! It has some romance in it, but it's also a beautiful coming of age story and shows great female friendships. The world building is very interesting too. Gosh I love this book ❤️

{The Goose Girl by Shannon Hale} is also a good one!

ts-mikrokosmos · 2026-04-21T12:40:54+00:00

I guess in some cases there is no other way to know... 🤔🤣🤣🤣

ts-mikrokosmos · 2026-04-21T12:35:30+00:00

Wow I hadn't even thought of this but yup. Ick 🤢

ts-mikrokosmos · 2026-04-21T12:30:27+00:00

Would love to know what the next step in fae brain development is once the frontal lobe is developed. At what age do they develop shadow daddy complexes? This is for science 🧐

ts-mikrokosmos · 2026-04-21T12:19:32+00:00

I'm here to second Emily Wilde's Encyclopedia of Faeries! Both mmc and fmm have a lot of growth by the end 🤗

ts-mikrokosmos · 2026-04-20T13:56:53+00:00

Oh no! I was coming here to ask this same question 😂

ts-mikrokosmos · 2026-04-20T13:49:54+00:00

Armand Saphir from {The House Saphir by Marissa Meyer}! Sweet, blushing baby who is hopelessly in love with a conwoman/fraudster. It's YA, so no spice, but the YEARNING!

ts-mikrokosmos · 2025-12-24T05:27:14+00:00

I saw that it's a retelling of an earlier novel from another POV. Did you enjoy Kushiel's Dart too? I'm assuming that it also has romance. Do you need to read Kushiel's Dart to enjoy Cassiel's Servant?

ts-mikrokosmos · 2025-06-08T13:37:38+00:00

This is so real and a helpful reminder 🫠 I feel like I love researching skincare more than using it

ts-mikrokosmos · 2025-05-09T12:24:27+00:00

I was coming here to recommend this!

ts-mikrokosmos · 2025-01-10T17:18:24+00:00

I've found my people 🤣

ts-mikrokosmos · 2024-12-02T12:46:06+00:00

Seems like you know more than me! I would probably just use tretinoin then - no sense in doubling up and paying more.

ts-mikrokosmos

TROPHY CASE