I go online sometimes, but everyone's spelling is really bad. It's... depressing.

Tara ,'Get It Done'


Literary Buffistas 3: Don't Parse the Blurb, Dear.

There's more to life than watching Buffy the Vampire Slayer! No. Really, there is! Honestly! Here's a place for Buffistas to come and discuss what it is they're reading, their favorite authors and poets. "Geez. Crack a book sometime."


-t - Nov 27, 2023 3:27:56 pm PST #27815 of 28066
I am a woman of various inclinations and only some of the time are they to burn everything down in frustration

As I suspected, the ones I couldn't get I never would have. But now I want to read some of them


megan walker - Nov 27, 2023 4:01:09 pm PST #27816 of 28066
"What kind of magical sunshine and lollipop world do you live in? Because you need to be medicated."-SFist

But now I want to read some of them.

My work here is done I guess.


askye - Dec 04, 2023 8:15:35 am PST #27817 of 28066
Thrive to spite them

I started reading the Murderbot series.for some reason I was confusing it with something else i had read and didn't like. But last night I finally decided to try it. I think I accidentally read an excerpt.

It was a mistake to start it last night I didn't want to go to bed.


megan walker - Dec 04, 2023 12:24:41 pm PST #27818 of 28066
"What kind of magical sunshine and lollipop world do you live in? Because you need to be medicated."-SFist

Advice needed: My niece (mid-20s), who has never been a big reader, has apparently become one of late. She's currently making her way through the Throne of Glass series, has already read Thorn and Roses, and wants to move on to Crescent City next and then something called the Fourth Wing series, which I presume is this? [link]

In any case, it is likely my sister will get her the above, even if I say I will (le sigh), so I'm looking for something in this vein but that is more of a cult classic/backlisted title that she might like but not be aware of. The only other thing I know she has read and liked recently is Lessons in Chemistry but otherwise I don't know what she's read or not.

ETA: Oh wait, I lie, I'm pretty sure she's read a bunch of the Bridgerton books.

Thanks in advance!


Dana - Dec 04, 2023 12:44:12 pm PST #27819 of 28066
"I'm useless alone." // "We're all useless alone. It's a good thing you're not alone."

If she likes dragons, there's Naomi Novik's Temeraire series; if she likes school stories, there's Naomi Novik's Scholomance series. If she likes magic, there's Diane Duane's Young Wizard series. All of her stuff is currently 50% off in her online store, so you could get the first 9 books of the series for $20.

Older fantasy stuff: Barbara Hambly, Robin McKinley. If she liked Bridgerton, maybe Georgette Heyer?


megan walker - Dec 04, 2023 1:05:49 pm PST #27820 of 28066
"What kind of magical sunshine and lollipop world do you live in? Because you need to be medicated."-SFist

See, I knew Buffistas would have plenty of suggestions!

If I had to guess, I'd say no to dragons but who knows? Magic is a definite yes. Her comfort listen is famous Brit actors reading the Narnia series (that she got from me ages ago and which she periodically loses the files for and asks me to resend them to her). Robin McKinley is the type of author I was thinking of (i.e., someone I've heard of but wouldn't come up with on my own). I suspect Georgette Heyer is perhaps too old-fashioned for her. Though my idea is to get one "starter" book for a few different authors so I think a variety of genres/styles would be good.

ETA: She studies organic agriculture so something with an environmental bent would be appealing I think.


Jesse - Dec 04, 2023 1:14:20 pm PST #27821 of 28066
Sometimes I trip on how happy we could be.

For what it's worth, I wouldn't have said I was into either dragons or Napoleonic wars, and I have really enjoyed the Temeraire books.


Dana - Dec 04, 2023 1:14:33 pm PST #27822 of 28066
"I'm useless alone." // "We're all useless alone. It's a good thing you're not alone."

For an environmental bent, the best Robin McKinley to start with might be Rose Daughter.


-t - Dec 04, 2023 1:21:37 pm PST #27823 of 28066
I am a woman of various inclinations and only some of the time are they to burn everything down in frustration

Maybe the Sharon Shinn series Elemental Blessings would appeal? The first one is Troubled Waters. It's fantasy with a pretty big romance element, actually structured a little like Bridgerton in that each book follows a character in what could be considered a family. Some of the magic is environmentally linked.

EtaContext - I had never heard of Sharon Shinn until I read a review of The Shuddering City a few months ago but she's been publishing since the 90s or maybe 80s and has won awards so maybe more well known to people who aren't me.


megan walker - Dec 04, 2023 1:42:44 pm PST #27824 of 28066
"What kind of magical sunshine and lollipop world do you live in? Because you need to be medicated."-SFist

For what it's worth, I wouldn't have said I was into either dragons or Napoleonic wars, and I have really enjoyed the Temeraire books.

This is the first thing I've read that makes me want to pick up Naomi Novik again (after abandoning Uprooted years ago).