books

You can’t step anywhere in the YA community without tripping over a fantasy book.

They are everywhere. They are vast and strong. They have fandoms with many many eyes. Like when I think of the Big Name YA Authors™ my mind goes straight to ones like Cassandra Clare, Holly Black, Leigh Bardugo, Maggie Stiefvater…and what do they write? Ohhhh ✨fantasy✨

And I’m totally not ignoring the power YA contemporaries here (I mean THUG, Love Simon, To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before!!), but I do think the books most likely to be super hyped in YA circles tend to be fantasy.

I am not sad about this.

Look, fantasy has been my lifeblood since I was very small and listening to my mum read Narnia over and over again. (Until she QUIT on me and I had to buy the audiobooks to appease my need for magic). I can’t help but believe slightly in supernatural things 👀 and then directly crave and wish that there were more in the world. Do coincidences exist, or is that MAGIC. I ask you.

But after a life time (LIFE time, I say, I am very very old now, nearly 901) of reading fantasy books, I have developed a lot of pickity opinions and preferences.

So I thought I’d list very specific fantasy tropes that I love vs dislike!

None of these are “good vs bad” tropes, just ones that light up my eyes with glossy delight vs ones that make me DIE QUIETLY on the inside. And yep, we skipped past “dislike” and went straight to DEATH. There is only drama here, please don’t expect differently. 😌

Other Posts You Might Like

💬 Oddly Specific Tropes I Adore
💬 What Are The Best Romance Tropes?
💬Are Tropes Always Bad?

→ Long tedious roadtrips

I write this, hilariously, as I just finished reading a fantasy roadtrip that I adored. LOL, way to undermine myself. But that’s an exception. Forget that. Generally I am very very very old and very very very tired of fantasy roadtrips. Get to the quest already. There is nearly nothing to be gained by two people on horseback for miles. Even if they bicker (a win) or talk about potatoes (another win), it’s just a trope that I am weary of before it even starts.

→ No World Building

I actually feel like (although not always obviously!) YA fantasy is so scared of info-dumping that they do the opposite and…give you no information at all.

“Look at this world, isn’t it NICE!! No, we are closed to questions at this time, move along now!!”

Dude, I want to know things. Immerse me in the world. Drown me in it. I get too frustrated reading books where my top question is WHY IS THIS HAPPENING. Nobody knows.

→ Everyone is related To someone Important

“Here is an orphan!!!” the author says proudly, holding up their precious character like Simba towards the sun.
Me: “uh huh, yep. So she’s royalty.”

The Chosen One trope is fine, shh, it is. It’s just when we blink and every character seems related and estranged from someone important. I recently read a fantasy where the love interest turned out to be a bastard prince, the main character was child of THE most powerful person in the series, and all the secondary characters had epic relative connections too. And I’m like !!!! HOW. My imagination will accept flying cars, yes! But not everyone being related to a king, no!

→ Marriages (arranged, forced, pursued etc etc)

There are too many marriage tropes in YA right now and I’m crying. I’ve always hated weddings. I remember being like 8 years old at a wedding and rolling my eyes.

The reason I read YA is because I want to read about kids being epic. Kids. Epic. Neither of those words should be attached to marriage!!! Go kiss a tree first!!! You’re too young!!!

Plus marriage-centric YA books are almost always focused on the girl. If a YA fantasy is about a boy, it is much rarer for marriage to be a plot point. No, the boys get an adventure straight up. I smell s e x i s m in this crisp morning air.

→ That one POV nobody likes

Okay I’m being salty!! 😂But do you find this in books with multiple narrators?! There’s always that ONE person who you feel like could be tossed into the sea and the book would be just fine without their perspective? Because I always have one. I just feel like there is delicious and glorious strength in limited perspectives. Not EVERYONE has to narrate. Pls now.

 

* EDIT: I need to come back and clarify (after receiving some derisive comments about YA) that I am, in no way, saying that “all YA books do this”. They don’t. Ever. I love YA and this post isn’t snarking at it! I’m just saying which tropes work for me vs which don’t. Not every roadtrip book is tedious. Not every YA fantasy book doesn’t have world building. This is not a post of generalisations.

 

→ When it’s dark dark properly daaaaark

Oh leave me with the villain origin stories and the morally grey heroes who aren’t quite heroes if you turn your head a little to the left and squint. These are my life bloods and my hearts. Why? Because of the complexities. The world so rarely fits into black-and-white boxes of “good vs evil”. I like it when you can almost understand the villain’s perspective, their methods are just problematic. I just want books that take on darkness realistically.

It doesn’t have to be graphic! But I want the realism? I don’t want books that cagily say a character was tortured in the dungeons, but it’s okay, the next day he’s fine!!! Realism doesn’t have to be describing the torture: but show the repercussions, mental and physical too.

→ Humour!!

Nothing wins me over faster than laughing properly hard at an epic witty comeback or a perfect one-liner. OH. I live for these. I also love it when the comedic is the main character?! Sassy best friends are great, but c’mon, let the ridiculous one also narrate sometimes. I want the sassy princesses. I do not care if it is cliche. I want them all.

→ When it’s not 500 pages long

Look. Just…just think of me as someone with very small arms whose wrists break off if forced to hold a 500pg hardcover. They scare me. People are out there this Halloween season being spooked by clowns with bloody chainsaws (not that big of a deal, c’mon), and I’m over here backing away from a 500pg novel while crying and throwing salt. (LOL joke’s on you, I don’t throw salt. But I’d eat extra salty potato chips to help myself out.)

I just think you can have an epic fantasy adventure, do some decent world building, befriend a dragon and kill a prince (don’t tell me it’s the other way around; I refuse it) all in 400pgs. I was also reading a fantasy lately where they spent half of it in a tower. A single tower. I started eating the brick walls too.

→ When the magic is properly fantastic

I’m a bit over elemental magic (although it can be fine!!!). What I crave are magic systems that make me stop and go, “OH.” The ones that just fully capture my imagination so I can’t stop thinking about them.

Like The Brilliant Death where the magicians could turn themselves and objects into other things. Or A Curse So Dark And Lonely where they were cursed to live through the same 3 months, again and again. King of Scars where a boy turns into a mindless monster as a part-time occupation between being king. Or The Last Namsara where telling stories out loud in the desert could summon a dragon because they are addicted to stories. (I MEAN SAME.)

I’m deliciously inspired just typing this.

→ Clever twisty plots

If it gets too complicated, I might get lost, so this is a hit-or-miss request from me. But, OH, things like Six of Crows and Caraval — where the plot is a game within a game, all Slytherin intentions, beautiful and vicious. I crave those. This is what I want instead of girls getting out of arranged marriages and long roadtrips. Give me TRICKS and GLAMOUR.

The Slytherin is here and wants cunning wiles. 😌🙌🏻

| what do you think? |

tell me the things you look for in fantasy, vs the things that turn you off? do we share any of the same?!

 

I am all heart-eyes today over the illustrated edition of Harry Potter and the Goblet Of Fire!

I’ve never owned one of these editions so I just about died when Bloomsbury sent me a copy. Also the delivery lady handed me the package and I was NOT ready for the weight and nearly fell over. Oh my weak little arms. I scurried inside to pore over the pages and I have to say…it’s just stunning. I haven’t seen the movies, so the illustrations are all fresh for me and craft a version of Harry Potter that’s both vivid and unique, and entrancing to get lost in.

It really changes your perspective to have a book illustrated. I’ve decided (just now, as I am typing this, yes yes) I really want every book of ever to be released as an illustrated edition. Okay hear me out though!!

Why Illustrated Books Are Particularly Incredible

• It helps people with muddy visual imaginations…aka me. Which I feel like laughing at myself for confessing. (“Aren’t you aN AUTHOR, C.G.?!?” Uh yes. About that…) I very rarely make visuals up out of nothing. Most people in my imagination are just faceless blobs. And I can barely describe any character in any book ever. So I personally like a nudging helping hand with an illustrated guide to work off!
• Also descriptions often slide past me without sinking in. 👀”He’s wearing khakis,” they say and I’m just like: I believe that’s like a sneeze. “Raise the portcullis!” they shout, while I assume that could be a pot plant. The visual + matched with the word description = me absorbing a lot more of the story.
• It’s just GORGEOUS. Hello, have you met me?! I’m intensely in love with bookstagram. The aesthetic and beautiful parts of a book are just what I want to photograph.
• Artists collaborating is an incredible thing. Look, I write, but I can’t draw. I would up and die of sheer happiness if someone illustrated my books. Having an artist lend their perspective and imagination to your words is a Power Collab. (This should also go both ways! It would be amazing to see artists do a series of incredible paintings and have an author write a book from it!)
• Some of us just like collecting things.😌Hello. It is I. I confess to having several editions of my favourite books. It just feel so so good to support authors and collect things you love, and fill your life with art and creation and happiness.
• We ALL deserve picture books. For some reason, people think that the older you get, the less pictures you need. Inaccurate and HURTFUL opinion, I say. I appreciate illustrations way more as I get older. Like you have no idea how seeing a picture of a pie on twitter will make me go make a pie myself. That’s inspiration. That’s life changing. Bless.

Bloomsbury really epically did an interview with Jim Kay (questions asked by Helen Boyle) and I’m sharing a few answers here below!!

I found them so interesting (I live for behind-the-scenes details honestly), so I hope you do too!! And if you’re keen to get your own copy of the Illustrate edition of Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, it’s in stores now. 😌🙌🏻

My Goodreads Review | Bloomsbury | My Review of Beedle The Bard Illustrated Edition

What’s your process for approaching each book’s illustrations?

JIM KAY: To start with I read through the whole book once, without making any notes. And then I read it again and make notes. And then I read it again. My notes include lists of characters, so I know whom I might have to cast and draw, and then any descriptions of the characters. I also make notes of those specific scenes that you know you have to show – the arrival of the Beauxbaton carriage was one of these in Goblet of Fire.

The nice thing about this fourth book was that it had three distinct blocks in the three trials of the Triwizard Tournament – so you obviously have to illustrate those. And then I feel that you need moments of peacefulness that allow the reader to take a break – a counter to the action scenes. The image of the Durmstrang boat with Hogwarts from the lake is an example of that.

After that what I’m really looking for in the text are things that are just mentioned in passing. In the first book it was Hermione and the blue flame, which was just half a line in the text. I’m looking for those lines that make me think ‘ooh I can expand that’, areas that give me space to see and create something different. In this book, Ron’s bedroom was one, as was the broom cupboard where Rita interviews Harry.

You work in many different types of medium, what did you use for this book?

JIM KAY: Yes I suppose I’m yet to find one style that feels like it works for everything! With the chapter head and border illustrations, I was looking at people like Eric Ravilius and Edward Bawden, and I decided to make them look like woodcuts. However they are actually done in felt-tip pen and then digitally reversed.

I also used this felt-tip trick on the endpapers as well. I’m always scanning in textures to use and the colour pieces were done with household test paint pots – mainly from B&Q and Farrow & Ball this time. I also use watercolour and pencil, and acrylic paint and there are some oil paintings and some charcoal sketches. And then of course, some images that I’ve had to digitally rescue -like the underwater scene of the mermen!

If there was one thing you’d like readers to take away from these illustrated editions, what would that be?

JIM KAY: Have a go – when people say ‘Oh I can’t draw’, I feel they’re missing the point. I mean I can’t play guitar, but still I have a go at it everyday.

I think it’s not about drawing it’s about looking and particularly in current social media times.  Sometimes I notice that people in their daily life are starting to dress in a way that works in an instagram-friendly way, and it all becomes very homogenized. And yet when you draw you’re looking for stuff that’s unusual about something or someone. It’s those details that make an interesting image not a homogenized sense of perfection. When you draw there are no such things as levels of beauty it’s more about the details to get hold of. Someone who is considered aesthetically beautiful can be far less interesting to draw, as there are less unique things to latch onto.

Ultimately it’s not about drawing it’s about looking. I wish people drew more because it not only gives you time to stop and think, but also to stop and look.

| what do you think? |

what book do you think would be stunning if it was illustrated?!? and have you read/collected this edition of Harry Potter? do you like the illustrated editions?

 

Who here loooooves making decisions?!

Do I see HANDS? No…no hands? Well never mind, I’m going to torture you anyway 🤗 And you love me for it, don’t even argue.

A while ago, I made up a Bookish This Or That tag and it was a lot of fun and I made the options stressfully hard AND…all the poll links are broken now. Fantastic. Why? We don’t know. I suspect goblin interference. But today I’m back with a pART 2 🙌🏻 Which I was also posting in my Instagram Stories because I spend way too much time on there and less here and it’s a bit of a worry (pls help me). But anyway. Let’s go!

 

* Note: some of these are supposed to be lesser of the two evils etc. So have fun. 😏

 

Read multiple books at once OR one book at a time?

Would you choose…

Getting 1 brand new book per month OR 10 second-hand books but they’re damaged/stained?

Hero-to-villain trope OR villain-to-hero?

paperback or hardcover books?

only reading super hyped books everyone is reading OR only read books no one else knows about

enemies to lovers OR friends to lovers?

trilogy that never gets the final book OR long series but each book’s plot is very similar

every book you read is 200pgs OR 600pgs

having a friend hate your favourite book OR rereading an old favourite and now you hate it

1 character tells the story OR 3 characters tell the story

books set in summer OR winter

Would you choose…

being in a book slump and not feeling like reading OR wanting to read but having no time at all

I’m torn on a lot of these myself 🤔

Like I truly don’t know whether I’d just have 1 book a month or 10 damaged books because my instagram says NO to ugly books, but erm…I definitely cannot exist on one book alone. Just a sec. Let me go give myself a crisis.

And oddly enough, I’m also torn about the unfinished trilogy vs repetitious series. Because I hate not having finales, but at the same time I…procrastinate them so often? I have so many half finished series that I do love, but I just haven’t worked up the courage to finish anyway. And long series = more time with your fave characters even if the plots are the same. Although you can fall out of love with a series if it grows stale.

WOW. I am leaving the polls to you lot now.

| tell me what you think? |

which was the hardest to answer for you? tell me some of your choices ahhh!! i’m curious to see what everyone votes for!

 

Hello today is the day when I get to complain amicably.

This is like gentle and lowkey complaining 😘 and partially is presented to you because I am having a mellow moody day after my TBR legitimately fell on me and broke a cute box I happened to like. I obviously glared sternly at my TBR (not at ME, of course, for staking it too high) and now am having my revenge by talking about topics I don’t gravitate towards reading.

As you do.

Although there can be exceptions! A good book can change my mind about (almost; lol but not quite) anything. And none of these are supposed to be problematic! This is just you and I lining up for pie and I very firmly do not want blueberry pie for no reason except that I don’t. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

So let’s have at it, shall we? 🤗

1. animals being hurt

This is one I’m ALMOST never negotiable on. Because I acknowledge sometimes it happens for a reason and life is like that. But arhgisghos mostly it’s used as a “tear-jerker plot device” where you want to shock the audience into being horrified. I was reading this book I felt meh about and then…it just suddenly outright MURDERED a dog for no no no reason. 😒Not having it, matey. 

I think I am also Soft™ for dogs because I have one and he hates me but I will protec 1000% and die for him. 😭💛Animals are precious and pure and better than all of humanity combined tbh.

2. crazy fandom plots

This is actually a super popular plot line in books and there is nothing wrong with it…I just don’t like it. Because (1) I can’t actually understand being so obsessed with a fandom that you doing creepy and horrible because of it, and (2) it just makes fangirls overall seem rabid. And ok, yes sure, rabid fans exist!?? They terrify me?!? But I like books about quiet and soft fans lolol. (Aka heaven bless Alice Oseman books and her soft fandoms.)

3. creepy forbidden romances

Some forbidden romances are really awesome, don’t get me wrong. But some are…just not my cup of tea. 😂I don’t even like tea. I would rather have a hot chocolate and avoid romances like (1) huge age gaps…we’re talking 5+ years, and (2) romances between teachers and students in school settings.

No thank uuuuuuu.

4. main character dying

Sound the ALARM because I have gotten FRAGILE over here!! My Hufflepuff side wars with my Slytherin half for wanting lovely endings. 😫Like, let them be tragic, sure! My favourite type of ending is where ONE thing goes right and FIVE things go wrong. (Have you read either of my books? lolol I am fond of this.) But I still want just enough to go right that I don’t feel like a gutted salmon. 

I hate having main characters die…having couples that worked so hard to get together the whole book, just break up…etc. etc.

5. cults

I think cults make me overly annoyed because I do not like being told what to do or what to think. The second someone tries, I frown and stalk off to find other angles. Trust? We don’t know her. So I’m just not drawn to these types of books…even though they can be fascinating. But at the end I’m always like, “??? why would you even do that ???”

The only cult I’m here for is the bookworm one where we are all buying books and stacking them in tall piles and forgetting to read them.

6. everyone getting married

“Uh, but c.g. you just said you like lovely endings…”

Ok but marriage is [sigh] annoying to me. Every time I turn around there seems to be another YA book (particularly fantasy) with an arranged marriage the girl has to fight out of, or an evil husband to kill, or she’s threatening to be wed to save a kingdom etc.. And I’m like ??? I came here to YA specifically to avoid books about marriage. I’m 25, I’m too young for this. Marriage is for people who are, at least, sixty-four.

7. passive main characters

It’s odd, but I’ve read two books this year that are highly acclaimed or hyped and BOTH had extraordinarily…passive protagonists. They didn’t push their plot along and they had the personalities of rather limp mops. Everything interesting happened to someone else in the book. I just sat there, waving a vague hand, saying, “Could we not be in tHE OTHER PERSON’S hEAD THEN??”

I want to see doing and action. Fling me into the hot heart of the story. If you leave me on the sidelines like this again, I will throw damp bread and yell.

8. and then suddenly…magical plot twist in an otherwise non-magical book

I spy your convenience plot twist, sir, and I slowly rest my palm on the table top and say, “No.” If magic is going to pop in at the end and save everyone, it needs to be at the beginning too!!

9. when there isn’t enough hugging

I admit this is an odd one since I hate being touched and my mother today patted my arm and I leapt half a mile into the air. But. In books? I demand hugs for the characters. Especially after traumatic events. I was just reading Sword & Pen and can you sit here with me, in wrathful rage, the Jess was HURT and n o  o n e hugged him???😭 Every time a book fails to give the character a proper hug, I take revenge by hugging my dog.

My dog also hates being hugged and escapes me asap and casts me dirty looks. But I try to make a difference in this broken world.

10. When “being mean” is confused with “being strong”

I do enjoy badass women in books who give Take Exactly No Shenanigans and will slay. Yes be still my beating heart, you badass queen. Cold girls, unlikeable girls, fierce girls, angry girls, mistrustful girls = LOVE THEM.

But. I keep reading books where the girls aren’t being assertive or powerful — they’re just being mean. Cruel even. I always assess my judgements of female characters by asking if I’d be okay with it if it was a male character. (Case in point: I don’t see how people can hate Jude but love Cardan in The Cruel Prince, since they are both the same!!!! One has to be very perceptive of internalised misogyny. I do too!) But if it’s just, as a person, they’re MEAN…then I’m out.

I’m over plotlines where characters learn to be nice too. Dude, if you need 340pgs to become a decent human then sphfsoghsoru. I would rather eat a small rock.

| what do you think? |

any bookish topics or settings or premises on your “off” list?? do you share any of mine? or do you…love some of mine?! no judgement!!