Ya Fantasy - Tumblr Posts

You know what I’d like?

I’d like more ya fantasy genre fiction that features homeless kids where they aren’t homeless due to the consequences of the fantasy universe...

Like- Growing up it was just cool to see kids in books I liked who had similar experiences to me

But I’m tired of the only examples being things like

“My super powers got out of control and now I’m forced to live on my own on the run”

“I’m the solitary leader of a child rebellion due to the circumstances of my dystopian society”

And even

“You aren’t able to tell what the normal age to move out is in my universe- but there are just plenty of teenagers living on their own or living on the run- and no one ever fucking questions it”

One the one hand- it was cool seeing characters like me with these cool destinies and powers

But at the end of the day it made it that much harder to have to go- “I’m not in this situation because I’m important, I’m here because my mother’s a deadbeat”

I wanna see more homeless kids in ya fantasies that live that way cause sometimes shit happens- not because they’re special- but cause that’s life...

I’ve read 32 books this year. Some were mysteries, some were thrillers, some were realistic fiction, and most were fantasy. So here’s my top 5 out of every book I’ve read!

But first, my honorable mentions

This Woven Kingdom by Tahereh Mafi has some of the most beautiful descriptions and wordings that I have read. I also love the Persian culture in it. I'm always fascinated when reading about different cultures and this is one I don’t know much about. It felt unique and authentic. The reason this one isn’t in my top 5 is because I felt it relied too much on tropes and the plot was a bit cliche. The second book especially suffers from this.

Going Dark by Melissa De La Cruz is a mystery I thought was so good it helped to inspire my own. It touches on important topics like racism and mental illnesses. I love how social media is used to find clues and I was so invested in the story that I stayed up late every night to know more. The only thing keeping this book from being perfect to me is that about halfway through, the backstory is told to the reader. I would have rather the characters find it out for themselves.

When I tell you I loved Forest of a Thousand Lanterns by Julie C. Dao so much I wrote a three page paper on it and submitted it for my communications final (I got an A). I love character driven stories and Xifeng is one of my favorite characters of all time. Her arc progresses at a perfect pace and I love seeing her use the few skills she possesses to get what she wants. As a dark fantasy writer, I appreciate that the book doesn’t shy away from gruesome aspects. The reason this book isn’t in my top five is because I wanted to see Xifeng’s rule as empress. That’s it. I just wanted more Xifeng.

And now my top 5 under the cut

5. The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid

This is not the type of book I’d normally read, but it blew away all of my expectations and I absolutely adored it. At first, I didn’t really like Monique’s character. I wasn’t interested in her failed marriage and I was pretty annoyed every time she didn’t understand what was being said to her (which happens way too often), but as she learned from Evelyn I was really rooting for her.

It was Evelyn’s story that wouldn’t let me stop reading. It was similar to Xifeng in a way where she started as a girl who was pretty, but had nothing, and manipulated her way to becoming a superstar. I was especially gripped by Evelyn’s insistence that Monique will hate her. I just needed to keep going to find out why.

There were a lot of unique aspects that I liked, such as the chapter titles. They were so fun and I kept repeated them in my head. I also like how parts of the story are told through forums and news articles. Other than the fact this this is a unique aspect, I liked it because we got to hear a different perspective than the person telling the story.

Also, yay for a bisexual main character! It was done so well and respectful, and not the stereotypical cheater character. I have been waiting my whole life for this type of representation.

The last thing I want to say about this one is that Reid really makes an art of writing. There are so many quotable lines and you can tell so much thought was put into every word.

4. The Queen of the Tearling by Erika Johansen

It’s a pretty cliche story: a princess must reclaim her throne. But The Queen of the Tearling works so well because of its main character, Kelsea. She’s such a beautifully complex character. On one hand, she wants to prove herself as queen. But on the other, she wants to be free to be a teenage girl. She rules with compassion for her people. But she also has an underlying ruthlessness and short temper. She looks to the future by examining the past, and how can you not root for a character so strong that she demanded her throne with a knife in her shoulder?

I appreciate that this book didn’t go the trope route and have the ruler of the rival kingdom become Kelsea’s lover. It’s fine one time, but it’s way overdone, and Kelsee’s strengths shine through more without this trope.

I like how each chapter opens up with a quote. Like the articles in The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo, this gives the reader insight into what other characters think.

I have to say that even though this book blew me away, the last book has the worst ending I have ever read in my life. It was lazy, dismissive of the themes throughout the series, and just exasperating because it erases the growth of the characters and kingdom. I have no idea why Johansen would write it into existence and it somewhat tarnished my view on the series.

3. The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes by Suzanne Collins

Is it really surprising that a Hunger Games book is in my top 5? I was hesitant at first to read it because I thought it would be a sympathy story or a cash grab, but I'm so glad that I gave it a try because it was so much more than I thought.

I feel like it's a theme on my list that I like to see stories where something small slowly evolves into something big. That's a big part of why I love this book. We get to see how the games went from something no one liked to the sporting event we know it as. It was a bonus to see that Snow's impact on the games as well.

I loved getting back into the Hunger Games universe, especially now that we get more of what the capitol is like. I have to admit that I haven't read the original trilogy in almost a decade so my memory is a little shaky, but I don't remember anything about the capitol being poor at one point. I liked this detail and getting to know capitol kids like Clemensia because it makes the capitol more complex. Before, I only knew it as a completely evil, selfish, privileged group of people, but now we can understand it better.

I love Lucy Gray's character. As a former musician, I appreciate that her power is through song and I enjoyed reading the meaning in her lyrics. I was kicking my feet reading about the Hanging Tree song and her teaching Snow about katniss roots because they live on to haunt him 60 years later. As always, Collins knows how to incorporate so much meaning into her writing.

The only thing I disliked is that it started to drag in Part III.

2. I'm Glad My Mom Died by Jennette McCurdy

This one was heavy, but I'm thankful to McCurdy for being vulnerable and sharing this raw story. As someone who grew up on iCarly, she was an important part of my childhood. I listened to the audiobook version, which just made it all the more personal.

You can tell from the writing that McCurdy was meant to be a writer. She somehow manages to make such a sad story humorous, and I found myself getting lost in her the way she describes background information that I didn't even notice that she deviated from the main topic until she brought us back. Not to mention, the writing sounds like she is telling a story directly to you. It reminds me of experts like Bell Hooks, someone who I have described as having a style like talking to a close friend.

McCurdy also has a deep understanding of herself and her emotions, even during times in which she didn't understand nor want to understand the harm that was done to her and how she copes with it. It's obvious to the audience what's going on, but not to her, and she writes it in a way where we can understand the truth of her circumstances while also understanding her point of view from when she was experiencing trauma. I doubt many people can understand themselves this well.

Each chapter had me hooked. I kept telling myself that her life couldn't get worse, but then it did. There were times when I nearly cried, and once when I was so shocked that I involuntarily covered my mouth with my hand and couldn't move it back for a minute. This book will make you feel everything.

I hate how some people are shaming the book just because of the title because this is such an important story, and if you just read it you would understand the title completely.

Blood Like Magic by Liselle Sambury

Fantasy, sci-fi, and mystery all in one? So much diversity that you can swim in it? Quite possibly the cutest romance to ever exist? I didn't know the perfect book existed and yet here it is.

I knew this book would be a favorite of mine from the moment I saw it. You have a beautiful, colorful cover on one side, and a description on the other saying a girl has to destroy her first love in order to get magic. I still can't believe that this is Sambury's debut book.

One thing I love about Blood Like Magic (and its sequel) is that despite all the fantastical elements, the books feel so real. Voya's family feels so real because they aren't rich, they aren't powerful in a social aspect, and they aren't perfect. The cast of characters feel real because POCs, gay, and trans people are going to exist no matter what. The romance feels real because they don't instantly fall in love. The plot feels real because sometimes everything will go wrong, no matter how hard you try to make it right. And of course there's the realest aspect of them all: all Black grandmas are going to have attitude.

Ok, I have to talk more about the romance because Luc and Voya are so stinking cute. I was actually squealing and kicking my feet while reading because it's so obvious that they adore each other and can't even tell. I didn't even like the enemies to lovers trope before I read this book, but Sambury does it perfectly. I also like that she makes a distinction between physical and romantic attraction because I think it gets muddled in a lot of popular books these days.

Voya's such a relatable character. We all struggle to make decisions sometimes. We never want to be left out or hurt the people we care about. Also, her name is so pretty and it doesn't even mean anything?!

Do I even have to mention that all the different types of magic are so fun and creative? Do I even have to mention that all the advanced technology seems like it could really happen? Everyone go read Blood Like Magic and Blood Like Fate right now.

As a black reader/writer I feel compelled to talk about Legendborn and Bloodmarked by Tracy Deonn. I also want to hear what other readers think of the series and to see if I’m not alone in the way I feel about it.

I picked up Legendborn two weeks ago and finished it before the week was even over. It was everything I wanted in a book. A black main character, a magic system based on legends, a romance with a guy who is actually nice. I dove in Bloodmarked immediately and I have never been more disappointed in a book. I haven’t even finished it yet that’s how disappointed I am.

Spoilers for both books below

Bloodmarked stripped Legendborn of everything I liked about it. I mean, I loved the beginning and it felt in line with the first book, but from the second Bree escapes from the regents, it feels like a different book.

I first started feeling something was off when William, Alice, and Sel told Bree that she had to go into hiding. We had such good development from the beginning of the book—Bree is king but isn’t treated like one then Bree is finally treated like a king and starts making decisions for her people. Then we regress back to Bree is not treated like a king. Such a big deal was made out of the argument too. Bree said they were shattered, but then…everything is fine a page later. No one brings this up again.

The second thing I noticed is Bree’s friends told her she had no time to train then immediately search for someone to train Bree. I tried to give this the benefit of the doubt and assume they meant they had no time to train her while searching for Nick, but they had time to train her in hiding, but more inconsistencies kept happening.

When the gang went to the Crossroads Lounge, this is really when I felt Deonn lost the plot. We are damn near 35 chapters into this book and Nick hasn’t been found. My man was Kristoff’d. Most of the characters from Legendborn don’t exist anymore. Even new characters like Lark disappear and don’t seem to have any importance. Bree has learned nothing about controlling her powers and somehow seems weaker than in the first book. Remember, she defeated Vaughn. She punched through a hellfox. Now she needs now be rescued at every instance.

It doesn’t even feel like it’s written by the same author anymore. There is no plot. There is barely any mention of Bree’s mother, which was her driving force in the first book. And now a bunch of new, unneeded stuff is being added in.

I feel like everything about the lounge, Valec, and the other aether users could have been a spin off book without Bree. This series was supposed to be about camlann coming, which I guess waits for Lancelot to be ready.

Back to the inconsistencies. After William, Alice and Sel made such a big deal about how Bree is such a damsel and will die if she doesn’t go into hiding, the second Nick is in danger they’re like “ok bye Bree”. This one nearly took me out. There isn’t even a discussion about it. They just changed their minds for absolutely no reason.

I don’t get why Nick even told Bree where he was because when she first spoke with him he begged her not to find him because it was too dangerous. Guess he changed his mind for absolutely no reason too.

I again nearly lost it when Valec finds out that Bree is king. He not only said the pendragon was not welcome, he insinuated he would kill Arthur’s scion. He was so serious…and then said nothing when Sel, who was previously intent on keeping Bree’s identity secret, tells him she’s the king. Not one word about it. The only thing he does after is help her.

The part that made me stop reading entirely is when they said Bree was bloodmarked. First of all, don’t change canon like that. We saw it happen in Vera’s memory, why are you acting like we didn’t. Second of all, I don’t see what the point of doing that was. To me, it feels like it undermines what Vera did. Like yeah, Bree actually isn’t powerful as the product of racism, it’s because of a demon.

Don’t even get me started on Bree’s relationship with Sel. I knew from the first time she met him that the author would force them together, but I prayed the entire way she wouldn’t fall for such a stupid cliché. I was so happen when I saw the chemistry between Bree and Nick and thought I was mistaken, but now I feel worse about Bree and Nick being together. Because why would you have her kiss him for a second later to be swooning over Sel. It feels less like a love triangle and more like emotional cheating. I hate it.

I also hate how every ya author feels the need to make the girl end up with a guy who repeatedly hurts her instead of the one who treats her like the goddess she is. What are we trying to teach young girls?

I could say so much more, but in summary Bloodmarked feels more like a poorly written excuse for a love triangle than the black empowerment Legendborn was. Legendborn stood out among the crowd and it felt like something I needed. Bloodmarked is like every other ya fantasy and makes me wish Legendborn was a stand alone.

But I don’t know. Is it worth it to finish it?

Pony Jackson

Olá, peço desculpa se digo alguma coisa estranha porque estou a usar um tradutor. De qualquer forma, queria perguntar-lhe se já leu "Powerless" quero saber se achas que é um bom livro, porque estou a pensar se o devo ler.

Olá, fico muito feliz por saber que, apesar de não falares português, segues o blog e valorizas a minha opinião. Bem-vindo/a!

Sobre a tua questão, honestamente nunca li nem ouvi falar desse livro, mas pela pesquisa rápida que fiz, aparentemente é bastante popular no booktok...e eu não ando por aí.

Não tomes a minha perspetiva como verdade absoluta, mas pela sinopse e fatores que levaram à popularidade da obra, estou disposta a assumir que é mais uma das que prioriza as ideias em vez da execução...e que está demasiada agarrada a clichês e a um entendimento superficial de " Os Jogos da Fome" (nos quais se inspira).

Do meu ponto de vista, o livro não vale o investimento, mas se o quiseres mesmo ler, tenta arranjar uma cópia na tua biblioteca local para não perderes nada se não o apreciares. Relativamente a sugestões de leituras do mesmo género, não me estou a lembrar de nenhuma, mas não faltam opções maravilhosas no blog se quiseres explorar outras tipologias literárias.

Assɪɴᴀᴅᴏ: Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ 𝐿𝓊𝓏 Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ

Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Sea of Monsters Book Review

AUTHOR: Rick Riordan

 RELEASE DATE: April 1, 2006

 SERIES: Percy Jackson & the Olympians (Book 2)

 PAGES: Approx. 279 pages

 RATING: 10/10 STARS

 If I wasn’t already beginning to fall in love with the world of Percy Jackson, Rick Riordan has sealed the deal in this epic follow-up to The Lightning Thief. I picked up this book and was immediately sitting at the edge of my seat, watching as disaster forces Percy away from his ordinary school back to the safety of Camp Half-blood.

 Percy Jackson, son of Poseidon, has never had an easy life. At his new school, being friends with the “school freak” makes him a target for constant ridicule, and when monsters come-a-knocking, who else is to blame for the damage they leave behind? Returning to Camp Half-blood should’ve been a relief – except things have grown more dangerous than before.

 Thalia’s pine tree, which has acted as a protective barrier for the camp, has been poisoned, leaving Camp Half-blood vulnerable to attacks. Chiron is fired for the deed, and the new Activities Director is making life at Camp Half-blood miserable for everyone, Percy especially. Were that not enough, upon his return, Percy uncovers a family connection that literally makes being the Son of the Sea God a total joke.

 Between the attacks on the camp and struggling to accept his newfound relative, Percy receives troubling dreams from his satyr friend, Grover, who while on his journey to find Pan, discovers the fatal secret behind the disappearances of his satyr brethren. Percy, alongside his friend Annabeth (daughter of Athena) and his new family member, set out away from Camp Half-blood and journey into the Sea of Monsters to rescue Grover from the danger of marriage, and to retrieve the one item that could save Thalia’s tree: the legendary Golden Fleece.

 Quite a few times while I was reading, I was trying to figure out what would happen next but as always, most of my predictions were proven wrong. Rick Riordan has brought these characters to life and again astounds readers with his ability to intertwine mythological histories with his own original characters and plotline.

 And I’ll say it now: this book’s twist ending was just about the greatest thing that could ever happen!

 No one who reads this book for the first time will be disappointed. Instead, they’ll do as I did when I finished that epic last sentence of The Sea of Monsters, and immediately start on the third in Percy Jackson’s adventures.

PS - Originally posted on my personal blog on January 13, 2016 @ https://thefandomsqueenblogs.blogspot.com/

hi! can I request a Rhysand from ACOTAR x reader where she is actually his mate but he had made his choice with Feyre and she is just soo heartbroken by it but instead later on she and Azriel fell in love and it all works out in the end? thank you!

A/n: Sure you can love, I am so so sorry for how long its taken ne to get to these. My inbox is so full and I'm just useless. Hope y'all enjoy- constructive criticism is welcome, but as always please be polite 😊🥰

The Next World

Rhysand looked over the small female. She was High Fae, but her stature was petite and fragile.

She was beautiful, but in his eyes, she was no Feyre. He had already comitted to Feyre, already vowed himself to her.

He loved Feyre, but he did not love the female in front of him.

Why did it have to be this way? She was so nice, so deserving of love and so deserving of a mate. And now he had to break her heart

He glanced at her eyes for a moment, then looked away. This isn't fair. His mate wasn't coming. That's why he chose Feyre in the first place and now there can be no one else.

Her eyes were welled up with tears and despite her begging, she knew what was coming.

Rhysand forced himself to look her in the eyes as he spoke, no matter how much harder it made things.

"I'm sorry. I've made my choice. You should probably go." He tried to say it gently, but the words sounded harsh even to his own ears.

Rhys winced, it was as if he could see he heart in her eyes, it was as if he was watching it physically break.

Without another word, she turned and walked towards the front door of the estate, no tears left her eyes until she felt the fresh breeze of the city on her face.

Why did her mate find a love away from her? How was that fair at all? How was she going to face the Inner Circle tomorrow, knowing about the bond.

Knowing that it will never be accepted. Feeling as though she will never be accepted.

She felt numb. But she also hurt.

How can you feel nothing, but also be hurting at the same time? How was that fair?

She seemed to be asking herself that question a lot lately, and as she pushed open the door to a bar hoping to drink away her sorrows, she realized: nothing is fair.

Not in this world and not in the next.

Sighing, she makes her way to a secluded little corner at the bar, trying to avoid being seen by Cassian, Azriel and Mor who were all laughung and drinking together.

It felt like a taunt, they were happy now and they could go home and sleep well and the next day when the time came to visit Feyre and Rhys, there would be no hesitation. They would be greeted with smiles and hugs.

They would be greeted with love. And she would not.

When the bartender brought her her drink she smiled and slurped half of it down in one go. Her face felt cold from residual tears and her eyes felt stiff and dry.

She looked back up to the group she was trying to avoid only to realise that Azriel was no longer there.

Probably gone home, maybe with another female, or even a male. To be happy, or at least content with another for tonight.

The concept felt so far away, she felt as if she'd never be happy again. Especially with someone else.

A warm hand covered her shoulder and she turned around quickly, whipping out a fisted hand, only for her wrist to be caught.

Shadows curled around her wrist and reached up her arm. With a gasp, she inspected the intruder's face and realised that Azriel was standing behind her.

"Why the long face?" He asked and as much as she wanted to retort back, as soon as she opened her mouth, her throat closed up and tears burned behind her eyes again.

She looked away from the male and stared into the half-empty cup in her hands.

"What's up buttercup?" He asked again, sliding into the stool next to her and craning his neck to see her face.

She looked back up at him and raised an eyebrow.

"Did you just say 'What's up buttercup?'?" She asked and he gave a small smile as he nodded.

"What's wrong with that?" She shook my head at his words.

"Nothing. It's just stranger hearing the word buttercup slip from the spymaster's lips in such a playful way." She told him, wishing she could smile.

She enjoyed being around Azriel, he made her laugh and he made her feel comfortable. But right now, it felt so impossibly hard to feel happy.

"I'm not the spymaster right now. I'm Azriel, your friend and I'm here to help. Now, you gonna keep a secret from the spymaster?" He nudged her side and she ket out a sigh.

"I thought you weren't the spymaster tonight?"

"Well not actively. But it's not like I can just turn it off." He shrugged cockily. If it was any other day she would've laughed. She tried, but it felt as though she would never laugh again.

"Az... Rhysand is my mate." Shock clanged through him at her words.

"What?"

"He's my mate. And he doesn't want me."

"Oh my god."

🔸️

It had been a week since Rhysand's rejection and no one from the Inner Circle had seen Y/n since.

Except for Azriel.

She didn't show up for lunch the next day and she didn't appear for any meetings or meet-ups.

Mor and Cassian were worried and guilt was eating at Feyre, she felt it was her fault.

Rhysand was destroyed by guilt, he hadn't seen her in person since everything went down, but though the bond was quieting, it was as if he could feel her heartbreak through the bond.

But he could also feel something else, he didn't know what it was, but he thinks it is the reason he can feel the bond breaking.

Azriel had been spending all his spare moments with her, dedicating himself to making her feel better and helping her realise that she doesn't need a mate to be happy.

She doesn't need Rhys.

And she knows. She doesn't need Rhys, she has never needed him. The bomd had made her mind go whacky.

If she had let it continue taking over herself, she may have needed him. She was ready to as well, then Azriel put his hand on her shoulder.

Azriel smiled at her and got her to tell him what was happening.

Azriel called her a buttercup.

She hadn't smiled that night, but when she went to bed she questioned herself.

Why dodn't she smile that night? Azriel makes her smile. Why is she letting Rhysamd get in the way of that.

Of everything.

He doesn't want her and while it hurts, there is nothing she can do about it.

But she can find someone who does want her.

Her friends want her, maybe not in the way she would've been with a mate, but they love her and they want her.

A knock sounded on the door and everyone fell silent. They knew the scent and they knew who was at the door.

Feyre went to answer.

The group couldn't see what was happening, but they could hear the words exchanged.

"Y/n..."

"Is everyone here already?"

"Y/n I-" Feyre was cut off by a thumping noise.

Did she punch her?

The group got off the couch and walked into the entry hall to see Y/n and Feyre standing there wrapped in a hug.

Feyre was whispering 'I'm sorry, I'm so sorry.' and Y/n was just shaking her head.

Rhysand gave a soft smile at the scene in front of him. Through the slightly crumbling bond between them, he could feel Y/n healing.

When Feyre and Y/n pulled apart, everyone wanted their turn. There was almost a line in front of her while they waited for their hug too.

Rhys could feel Y/n's hesitation amd he didn't want to push it so he didn't get in line.

Then it was Azriel's turn.

He engulfed her and her small body pretty much disappeared into his as they hugged.

He squeezed her tightly and they stayed like that for a long moment, longer than the rest, inhaling each other's scents and revelling in the comfort of one another.

Rhys noticed. And he smiled. He knew why she was healing.

🔸️

It had been almost five months since Rhys had rejected the mating bond between him and Y/n.

If you looked really, really hard, it was still there. But it was faint and he could no longer feel her emotions, hear any words she let down the bond. It was pretty much non-existent.

And Y/n no longer cared. Of course she cared about Rhysand. They were still friends, in fact they were quite close after everything that had happened.

But she didn't need him the way she might've. She did need Azriel though.

And Azriel needed her.

They sat together on Azriel's couch, well, they layed together.

Azriel layed on the couch and she lay on top of him, his arms around her waist and keeping her from slipping off.

"Y/n?"

She hummed in response, but her eyes were still glazed over sleepily.

"Do you ever wish Rhys had picked you?" His voice was quiet.

"No." She replied with absolutely no hestitation.

"Why?"

"Because I love you and I am happier with you than I could ever be with Rhys. It's almost as if I left Rhys in the world behind me. You are my new world. And I would never wish for anything else." Her words were sweet, her voice was smooth and her eyes were soft.

Azriel was overcome with the love he felt for her. He lifted his wings up and wrapped them around her body tightly.

She felt warm and safe wrapped up in his arms and wings, surrounded by his scent and his love and also his shadows.

They weren't mates, but it didn't matter. They were in love.

Heya:)) Could you write an Aedion x reader where reader is one of the Cadres' sister who has been hiding from Maeve her whole life up until the Orynth battle? Maybe the reader could *SPOILERS FOR KOA* save you know who is important to Aedion:)) the baby lion, my hearttt Or a Dorian x reader where the reader is belived to be one of the ladies at court, but truly she is one of the rebels Nehemia works with? Perhaps a Fae/Therian reader:)) Happy writing if you'd like to think about my requests uwu

A/n: Hi I'm back almost a literal year later sorry bout that one y'all. Obvious KOA Spoilers. I am going to try and do both the Aedion and Dorian one, but no promises haha. Also I didn't include Vaughan bc I don't give a fuck about him sorry. Hope you enjoy, as always, feedback welcome, but please be polite 😄❤

Do What?

The young demi-fae pulled his sister in close as she chewed on stolen bread. She was so young, even by a faerie's standards.

"Lorcan?" Her small voice piped up and he curled both himself and his sister further into the corner he had found to hide out in.

"What?"

"When can we go home?" Lorcan sighed.

She was still too young to understand.

🔸️

Rowan was suspicious. Lorcan was always the most actively loyal to Maeve. It was obvious he'd do anything, give everything for her even without the Blood Oath binding him to her.

So why is it that he seemed he was hiding something from her? He would sneak away multiple times throughout the day and as he earned Maeve's trust she gave him orders that took him away for long periods of time.

Prior to those periods he would spend an extended amount of time completely MIA.

"Preparing."

"What does that mean?"

"Nothing that concerns you, Whitethorn."

And then during the assignments he would be antsy and anxious and completely out of character.

So as the day neared its end and the Sun began to set, Rowan the White-tailed Hawk launched himself high into the air and trailed Lorcan through the city.

Normally he'd just keep to himself. Everyone has their secrets, but Lorcan's secret was affecting everyone. It was causing him to be unfocused and fumble on battlefields. This needed to stop.

Lorcan had travelled across half the city before entering a small cottage-sized house. It was built of stone and had flowers and vines growing through the cracks. The vines lifted to form somewhat of a curtain that Lorcan pushed aside to reveal the door.

Rowan perched on a nearby tree that gave shade to the pathway leading up to the door and he waited.

Not even a full five minutes later the door swung open and the vines were pushed aside as Lorcan stalked out of the cottage holding a basket. A young girl followed.

Her ears were delicately pointed and her hair shone in the evening orange glow of the sunset. She wore a simple forest green tunic, black pants and brown, worn leather boots.

She carried two baskets and a cheeky smile was spread across her face as she nudged past Lorcan and down the path from the house to the main road.

With little hesitation, Rowan shifted and landed in front of Lorcan, between him and the female.

"Who is she?" He got straight to the point, arms crossed, a deadly glare fixed and Lorcan.

"She is right here, and can talk for herself." The female stalked up to Rowan and poked his shoulder.

Poked. Rowan was just poked by some child. Some girl. He had sent trained warriors scurrying off battlefields with the same glare, but this female just shuffled past him to stand by Lorcan.

"Rowan, you can't-" But he was cut off.

"I'm Y/n." Her cheeky grin grew as if she knew what Rowan was thinking.

"Shut up." Lorcan snapped and she shrugged.

"Rowan you can't tell Maeve. She can't know about..." His voice was slightly unsteady. Rowan had never heard Lorcan falter before.

"Why? Who is she?"

"My sister. She's my younger sister. Rowan you can't- With everything that happened with Fenrys and Connall. I can't let-" Rowan stopped his rambling with a hand on his shoulder, not a comfort. A demand; for his full attention.

"I won't let Maeve find out, but you have to be careful. Stop letting her distract from your work, else Maeve will get suspicious. If she asks, I cannot lie." They understood each other. Brother to brother, do not let this innocent girl be tied to Maeve for the rest of her life as they are.

"I know."

🔸️

Rowan, being the only one who knows about Y/n grew quite close with her. He alternated who went to see her and who prepared her for when they were to go away so as to arouse less suspicion.

He found that, after a while of him being stoic and closed off around her and her bugging him into opening up, he could let the cold warrior act fade away. Having a friend, that feeling of not being so alone. It made the world a little warmer.

The first time he let that act drop around her was simply out of frustration.

"Gods above are you annoying."

"I prefer to think of myself as persistent."

"That's one way of putting it."

But he found that she wasn't one to judge and in fact began to find comfort in her words.

There was a certain warmth in her stupid jokes and a hope in the brightness of this female who had a dark, lonely life.

Y/n's birthday was approaching and after finding out Lorcan had never given her a birthday gift, Rowan decided to do so himself.

He walked down the streets of Doranelle towards Y/n's cottage, gift bag in hand. The gift was a small rectangular locket engraved with the vines and flowers that covered her house.

He reached the front of the cottage and that's when he felt it. He stopped still in his tracks and sighed.

"Okay, get out here." He called to the air and turned around.

Out of the alley between Y/n's home and the neighbouring house the Wolf Twins and Gavriel marched into the path.

"We know you've been visiting this house every other day, Whitethorn. We're gonna need you to tell us why." Connall's tone does not allow for argument.

"Why would I do that?"

"Because if you don't, we're gonna report this to Maeve. If you do, we'll keep it on the down low." Fenrys piped up and Rowan snarled.

"Swear it." After each of them swear on something that matters, Rowan allows them to follow him into the cottage.

Y/n skips through the house into the entryway and stops in shock at the group of fae warriors standing in her doorway.

"Rowan we talked about this. You cannot bring home every stray you see!" She scolds and he rolls his eyes.

He places her gift on the small table in the hallway and leads everyone to the small living space with a deep red velvet couch.

"This is Y/n. She is Lorcan's younger sister. If anyone hurts her, they die. If anyone tells Maeve about her, they die. That's all the ground rules." Rowan laid out then gestured towards the door for them to go.

Y/n stepped forward and pulled his arm down.

"So are all of you as grouchy as Rowan or would you guys like some drinks? I made brownies this morning if anyones interested." Y/n turns and wanders into the kitchen, continuing to ramble.

"I put raspberries in then though to cut through the denseness it adds a hit of freshness you know..." As she clangs around the kitchen her words get drowned out and Gavriel and Fenrys raise their brows at Rowan.

"You guys are telling Lorcan about this." Is all he says before following Y/n into the kitchen.

🔸️

After years and years of being hidden from Maeve and being secretly looked after by each member of her brother's team, Lorcan took Y/n away from Doranelle.

He wanted to find and destroy the Wyrdkeys to protect Maeve, but there was no telling how long that could take so he packed her up and took his sister with him.

His intention was to take her to Rifthold and find her a place to live while he travelled. If she covered her ears she could get a job and make a living for herself where she could be safe until he came back for her.

Of course everything spiralled out of control when Aelin Goddam Galathynius got involved.

Y/n had a two-bedroom apartment with running water and a huge bath. She lived alone, but she didn't mind so much. It was peaceful and she could walk around in as many or as little clothes as she wanted.

She had found a job at a popular bakery that recieved a lot of foot traffic due to its proximity to the castle, her brownies one of the most popular products since she arrived.

One day, fate decided enough was enough. Aelin and Rowan walked into the bakery at the end of Y/n's shift.

She took off her apron and hung it on a hook by the door to the kitchen. She then washed her hands and walked into the dining room and right into a hard chest.

"Oh I am so sorry." She apologises, glancing up at the man.

"R-Rowan?" She gasped and his eyes were wide.

"Y/n? Of all the-" He was cut off by Y/n leaping up and into his arms. He threw his arms around her holding her off the ground her legs dangling beneath her.

"Holy Gods! What are you doing here? You cut your hair!" She rambled as he put her on the ground and smiled at her. He kind of missed her endless rambling.

Y/n being Y/n offered up her help to Aelin and Rowan in any way she could give it, completely unaware of her brother's negative relations with the two.

Being one of the only females around, she and Aelin became fast friends and were soon a very troublesome duo.

Then there was the day she met Aedion.

"And who is this now?"

"Aedion this is Y/n. She's Rowan's friend from Doranelle. He trusts her so I do too, play nice." Aelin introduced, biting into a brownie to end the conversation.

"Are there brownies for me?" Is all Aedion said.

The last weeks all flashed through Y/n's mind as she limped through the the halls of the stone castle searching for her brother.

"Lorcan!" She called out as the towering warrior came into view.

"Y/n-" His breath caught at the state of his sister, black blood covering her clothes and some of her own blood sticking her hair to her forehead.

"Did you really do that?" She asked and he raised a brow.

"What?"

"Trap Rowan? With those monsters?" His eyes widened.

"Well I was-"

"What reason could you give? How could you do that?" Her voice raised and he simply blinked. She had never raised her voice at him before.

"You don't understand Y/n. Aelin is-"

"Stop," she paused to take a breath to keep from yelling, "stop talking to me like I am a child. I am hundreds of years old Lorcan. I am not a child. And you are a liar. Rowan could've died! He almost did!" Her face was red as she lost breath, rage bubbling up inside her chest.

It felt like her heart was cracking. Betrayal. That was what she was feeling. She never thought of Lorcan as someone like this. To turn on Rowan so fast just because he found his freedom.

"Aelin and Rowan are-"

"Good people! They are good people. I cannot believe you!" She cut him off again and he snapped.

He stepped forward and grabbed her shoulder, firmly, but not hard enough to hurt her.

"They are our enemy. Look Y/n I need to go. I'm on a mission and you're going to come with me." She shook his hand off and stepped backwards, wincing in pain at the movement.

"Don't. Don't touch me. Just answer me this. This...mission...you're on, did you have to kill Rowan for it? Or hurt him? Was that necessary?" He just stared at her. No. He knew he'd lost this fight.

"I'm not going anywhere with you." She limps past him and turns into the closest room, slamming the door.

Leaning against the wooden door she slides to the ground, her face crumpling as silent sobs leave her lips.

"Y/n?" A soothing voice asked.

Her eyes snap open and Aedion had kneeled in front of her.

"What happened?" He shuffled to sit next to her against the door.

"My brother's a liar. And I... think... I think I've lost him." Her sobs became audible and she leaned into Aedion, burying her head into his chest as he wrapped an arm around her shoulders.

After letting her cry it out for a while she pulled away from his chest and just laid her head on his shoulder.

"Could you just distract me please?" She asked and he nodded.

"Well...I found out that Gavriel is my Father. You know him much better than I do. Maybe you could tell me about him?" He asked and Y/n glanced up at him, a small smile gracing her face.

Aedion's heart fluttered unexpectedly.

"You're very lucky in the paternal department Aedion. Let me tell you about the first day I hung out with Gavriel alone. Oh, the funniest thing happened!" And she began rambling again, Aedion learning anything and everything about Gavriel as Y/n got lost in the details of her stories and her tears dried up.

🔸️

It was hard for Y/n to let Rowan go off to find Aelin and not follow, but Aedion's face at the mere mention of being separated from her. She couldn't bare it. So she hugged Rowan tightly, gave him her locket and told him to stay alive so he could return it.

Her arms were wrapped tightly around his neck in a desparate hug. Pulling away she gave a weak smile.

"Don't lose yourself in this search Rowan. Keep a clear head. Save our Queen. And try to stay alive while you're at it. I'm gonna want this back." She tugged slightly in her locket hanging around his neck. And then he left.

Lorcan had tried to speak to her, but she'd just stood by Aedion's side and ignored him. She'd forgive him if he apologised after the war.

It may have been incentive for him to survive the oncoming war.

'Survive and I'll forgive you.' She thought.

And over the months she and Aedion built an unbreakable connection. Though they argued at times as the stress got to each of them, every night ended with them holding each other close under the covers.

They hadn't talked about what this was that seemed to be growing between them. There was an unspoken agreement. Get through this first and then they can be together.

But this was war. And real life never went the way it was planned.

"Go! Go to them! I'll hold the gate with him!"

"Y/n! I- I have to tell you, I-" But she held a hand over his mouth.

"Tell me when this is over. Tell me when we survive." She says and he sighs into her hand.

"Then survive. Because this is something you'll want to hear." And then he turned and sprinted for the Bane while she ran for Gavriel.

And now here he is in a small bedroom, his father standing behind him with a hand on his shoulder as he cried over Y/n's unmoving body.

His body shakes, his throat burns and his vision blurs with tears. His red face is hot to the touch as he buries his face in his hands.

His gasping breaths are filling the room, they are the only sound. Gavriel can't bear to see his son like this. And it's breaking his heart to see Y/n this way. He can't even imagine what Lorcan and Rowan's responses will be.

"Y/n! Y/n!" The screams of her names started, Lorcan's voice joining Aedion's tears. The door slams open and Lorcan and Rowan barge in then stop dead at what they see.

"I-is she..." Rowan trails off, while Lorcan only stares.

"We don't know." Gavriel responds and Lorcan's eyes snap up to him.

"You don't know?" His voice is deep and gravelly and filled with grief.

"Her heartbeat is undetectable, but there's a small chance she could wake up." Gavriel explains and Lorcan takes a menacing step towards him.

"You did this. You let this happen!" He yells and Gavriel lets him.

"Lorcan! Stand down!" Rowan commands, grabbing Lorcan's shoulder only for the male to shove him backwards.

"No! She was fighting with you! You should've protected her! Why didn't you protect her!" He slams Gavriel backwards into a wall. A piece of art crashes to the ground. His voice breaks as he screams.

"Why didn't you protect her!" He yells again, this time when Rowan pulls him away, he lets go of the Lion. His knees give way and his body buckles to the ground and tears begin to fall down his cheeks.

None of them had ever seen Lorcan cry before and now here he was. His sobs and Aedion's the only sounds for miles.

You can hear the hearts breaking in this room.

"Oh Mother of Every Hell, what happened?" A groggy female voice rang out, silencing the cries.

Aedion's head snaps up and Y/n had a hand to her head as she groaned. Her eyes meet his and she gives a little smirk at the state of him.

"What? You boys crying over me?" She asks cockily, but Aedion doesn't laugh.

"Don't fucking do that!" He growls, standing from his spot beside the bed.

"Do what?" She asks, but he leans down and presses his lips to hers. She lets out a squeak before lifting her good arm up and resting her hand on the back of his neck.

When he finally separates himself from her for a breath, he rests his forehead on her own. A dazzling smile on rested her face despite the pain she's in and the near death she just came back from.

"I love you too."

okay so I haven’t touched shadowhunter tumblr in a bit but I come back today to see that Alec is unbanned ?? why was he banned in the first place ?? WHAT IS HAPpEnINg ?!?!

When I actually have all of them that I doubt my existence....

No self-proclaimed bookworm has all five:

1. Reading every day

2. A good grade in English class

3. Trying books outside their preferred genre

4. Realistic dating standards

5. The ability to pronounce the words you read

Spell Bound | by F. T. Lukens | ★★★★☆

Lukens has become one of my auto-buy authors. Everything he writes makes me smile and leaves me feeling all warm and fuzzy inside.

Spell Bound is a fun jaunt through a world of magic, following two young apprentice sorcerers as they try to save their teachers from the very magical government that they all work for.

Rook and Sun are the perfect depiction of the Grumpy and Sunshine trope, and I loved every minute they were on the page together. Their growing friendship, and then love, was so cute, and set at a pace that worked for me.

If you’re in the mood for a queer, medium stakes, and cozy urban fantasy, then I would definitely recommend that you try this one out.

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

this book is a masterpiece, and so is the art woah

The Girl Who Fell Beneath the Sea by Axie Oh was such a delightful little fantasy story, lush with magic and Korean mythology 💙

Highly recommend this if you’re looking for some immaculate vibes ✨

honestly if you haven't read a magic steeped in poison you have to read it now the way i'm STILL reeling from the ending just brings my love for fantasy and east asian mythology back and i can't believe that this is judy lin's debut novel-

LIKE HOW

plotting day 25 (or something along those lines, maybe longer)

We live in the same four walls, in the same courtyard, in the same pagoda. And yet, we couldn’t be more far away, like when there was a vast ocean between us. There is no glue to reunite my family together—only determination and desperation. 

everything and nothing makes sense.

A Venom Dark and Sweet - Judy I. Lin (The Book of Tea #2)

A great evil has come to the kingdom of Dàxi. The Banished Prince has returned to seize power, his rise to the dragon throne aided by the mass poisonings that have kept the people bound in fear and distrust. Ning, a young but powerful shénnóng-shi—a wielder of magic using the ancient and delicate art of tea-making—has escorted Princess Zhen into exile. Joining them is the princess’ loyal bodyguard, Ruyi, and Ning’s newly healed sister, Shu. Together the four young women travel throughout the kingdom in search of allies to help oust the invaders and take back Zhen’s rightful throne. But the golden serpent still haunts Ning’s nightmares with visions of war and bloodshed. An evil far more ancient than the petty conflicts of men has awoken, and all the magic in the land may not be enough to stop it from consuming the world…

The feminine urge to live in my favorite books is insane.

Ohh 👀

Im also a selbree hoper (a major reason is more sel content)

But i just cant help wonder what will happen with nick if selbree is endgame? Would feel weird if he was just... Not endgame... The end... Like he'd have to do smthng bad right? Be written out of the story? Die? Like? ????

ALL MY PROOF FOR WHY SELBREE IS ENDGAME (IM KINDA REACHING I THINK)

this is all based on what I've observed of Tracy Deonn's preferences and inspirations

1. She's an enemies to lovers fan, as stated in a tweet

2. Bree is inspired by revenge! Katara from ATLA, as stated in a tweet

3. In a podcast she said Sel was like " a tiny zuko" (from ATLA)

4. She's literal zutara( zuko and Katara) trash

5. Bree is also inspired by Bonnie from vampire diaries

6. Sel is inspired by Damon from vampire diaries

7. Damon and Bonnie start off as enemies like Sel and Bree but become best friends

8. In the vampire diaries books, they even date.

9. And most importantly, tracy deonn ships bonnie and damon and even stated that she wrote them into her book

BOOK RATINGS! (not recommendations//SPOILERS)

So, last month, I read fantasy novels. And one this month. I like to write my ratings about some novels (spoilers included) I read. They’re fantasy, literally all of them (and they’re quite enemies-to-lovers)

Cruel Beauty

☆☆☆☆ or 4.5

Like the dumb I am, I didn’t understand the story’s ending. Although I knew that Shade and Ignifex became one—Lux, and Nyx and Lux got back together, the ending didn’t got me, still.

It made me cry in the climax. I thought they wouldn’t be together in the end.

I didn’t quite understand much of the other elements of this intricate world-building. It was Greek mythology and such others combined, a little complicated for me. But it was well, I like the concept.

An Enchantment of Ravens

☆☆☆☆

Gadfly, for sure I thought of him as a fatherly-like figure for Rook and Isobel. But near the climax, he became wicked—like a villain. However, in the end, I did liked him again.

March and May, holy cow. I was weirded out at how they eat everything, literally everything. But, yeah, they were cows before.

Raven Rook and horse Rook, magically wonderful. Rook’s actions towards Isobel when he was a raven, it was sooo cute. The horse Rook is good, it runs fast.

Every love confession of them, I was always smiling and shrieking. The first confession of Rook tho . . .

Isobel’s talent for painting, I haven’t had enough of reading those.

To Kill A Kingdom

☆☆☆☆.5

I was interested, then I liked it, and then I LOVE IT.

The characters are awesome, though I want to see Elian as a king, it didn’t change the way I see the book.

The romance was very slow-burned, if it wasn’t for their dialogues, I wouldn’t think that they’ve fallen in love.

That princess (Sakura was her undercover name, I think), I hate the f out of her and I don’t know why.

The Shadows Between Us

☆☆☆.5

I like how it ended, however I’ll like it more if the author wrote a chapter or scene about their wedding.

I was excited before reading this because of the blurb, while it did showed up in the book that she wants to steal the throne from Kallias, that plan didn’t reached the end. I mean, obviously it wouldn’t reach the end because they were meant to be in love..?

I guess this book was only a fun read (literally. i kinda read it for fun) to me. I didn’t even feel connected to the characters in every ways.

I’ve read the Folk of The Air Series (The Cruel Prince, The Wicked King, The Queen of Nothing) and How The King of Elfhame Learned To Hate Stories; however I am too lazy to give reviews. <3