books

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!! 

 

Because I have very little chill, I have made an immense list of YA books about siblings.

I could have listed ten or so?? But NO. I had to list as many as I possibly could (and I was still skipping some at the end of this!). I feel like YA has an unfair reputation for starring only-children. And while a lot of the famous YA books do fit snugly into that category — there is an inexhaustible amount of sibling rep in YA. All types. Older sisters, younger sisters, twins, brothers, etc. etc…

I absolutely love this.

I have far too many siblings myself and would trade them all for a single grape, but, fictional siblings are just so much better and I also can’t seem to write a novel without them. The relationships are complex, messy and often fractious. But I love the types of siblings who’ll fight each other but also fight for each other.

So let’s tumble in, shall we?

Caraval | Goodreads

I am starting off strong with one of my ever-favourite series! I adore Scarlett and Tella’s relationship because they manage to be so loyal and loving BUT…they also fight. 😂Scarlett is the sensible one, Tella the headstrong. Hufflepuff to Gryffindor. And look, I definitely like Tella more (she enjoys dresses and murder) but Scarlett is working through a lot of traumas and I respect that. These two.💛😫

Call It What You Want | Goodreads

One of the narrators is Meagan who has this really ferocious older sister who is the Perfect College Child…until she gets pregnant. And they are like CHALK and cheese but they end up really leaning on each other and AHHH. We stan this arc.

To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before | Goodreads

Possibly my most favourite wholesome sister trio ever. Yes trio. I do love when there are more than two siblings!! Lara Jean is the softest Hufflepuff who likes baking and scrapbooking and avoiding crushes but just writing letters to them she’ll never send. Kitty is a total energetic snark and sassball. Margot is a typical annoying older sister. 10/10 she is just what an older sister is like.

The Hunger Games | Goodreads

Okay probably the most obvious and famous sister pairing but hey ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ I love them so they deserve a mention. Also Katniss is older, Prim younger. And they have a very “i would die for u” relationship that is super sweet and very unrelatable. 🤗

Grace & Fury | Goodreads

Here we have two sisters, both narrate, and the lovely older one is supposed to end up in a contest to win the prince’s hand, buuuuut the rebellious little sister gets in instead. It totally flips tropes and it’s really intriguing and I loved it!

ruined | Goodreads

SISTER POWER. Actually literal power, as the younger sister (Olivia) has powers that can snap spines. Ahem. So Olivia is actually captured in the first book and Em (tragically non-powerful) is doing everything to get her out. They are sisters you will…have mixed feelings about. Very different morals. Fascinating dynamics. Morally grey, bring it.

Tiffany Sly Lives Here Now | Goodreads

Tiffany was an only child…until her mum dies and she has to live with her dad and his new family and it’s like = instafamily, she now has about four sisters. I loved this book and Tiffany is amazing (also has an anxiety disorder), but it was really hard to read at times because her father is really strictly religious and abuses the power. That’s the point of the novel! It’s just upsetting and I ached for her!!

Ramona Blue | Goodreads

Ramona is the younger sister who’s just trying to figure out who she is, what her sexuality is, and if she’ll ever move on from this small claustrophobic town. One thing pinning her down is her pregnant older sister and Romana is so protective of her.

Things I Should Have Known | Goodreads

Basically Chloe is trying to find Ivy a boyfriend. Ivy is autistic and Chloe is the super loving and protective younger sister and I loooove them both. They’re not always understanding of each other, but they TRY and 😍I love positive autism rep.

Enchantee | Goodreads

This is set in France in 1789 and it’s about a girl with a magical DRESS and she ends up playing cards to rob rich people to pay enough to keep her house. She has a drop-kick older brother (we hates him) and she loves and dotes on her younger, fragile sister. Also did I mention MAGIC DRESS.

Odd & True | Goodreads

This is a paranormal/historical fiction and here there are monsters and girls who will fight them. It truly is an odd book but I really adored it and especially loved Odette and Tru as they try to save and love each other enough to make up for their terror stricken past.

 

(Surprisingly…I have NOT read many brotherly books. Which is tragic?! If you have recs, please let me know!)

The Boy Who Steals Houses | Goodreads

Oh hello; it’s my book. 😌I actually have an intense amount of siblings in here, with the love interest having 5 brothers/1 sister as well. BUT, Sam narrates and his fractious relationship with his older brother Avery is the heartbeat of the book. Sam would fite ‘n’ die for Avery, but he feels like Avery doesn’t love him enough. They really don’t take a breath to understand each other.😫THEY BREAK ME. These two autistic loveable disasters.

Reckless | Goodreads

Ok these are amazing and completely underrated I feel!! They’re translated from German, but this is the author if Inkheart!!! Jacob and Will are tragic brothers and they don’t talk, but they privately want to protect each other. And there are vicious fairy tale worlds and magic and it altogether stole my imagination.

White Cat | Goodreads

AGH I love these. Super underrated from our fame fae queen: Holly Black. This series has people who can curse you with a touch, and basically a motley pile of Slytherin brothers who are backstabbing and scheming and I freaking love it. Cassel is the youngest.

Ultimatum | Goodreads

hello hello to very messy brothers who do n o t get on. The book is a lot about them healing, to be honest, and about how you choose how you act and you can choose to change. They’re basically watching their father die in a hospice and having to reconcile their ugly pasts with each other.

These Gentle Wounds | Goodreads

Actually these sTABBING WOUNDS in my heart because this book will softly wreck you and not even apologise. It’s about mental illness and trauma and features half-brothers…Gordie basically relies on his older brother to keep him breathing after everything they’ve been through. It’s so sad. 😭💛

The Raven Boys | Goodreads

Shout out to the LYNCH brothers who are utter chaos to the core. Ronan and Declan, if left alone too long, would probably kill each other and Matthew is perfect and everyone loves him. I adore their fractious dynamics and honestly, this series is my favourite in all the world so I will [slams fist on the table] gush forever. Just you wait. Also Call Down the Hawk is going to feature the messed up bros more and I AM READY.

 

The Poet X | Goodreads

Brother/Sister twins; and they’re very close but in a desperate way because they’re mother is super religious and borderline abusive. Xiomara has to hide herself, her poetry, her personality because it’s being crushed out of her. Xavier has to hide that he’s soft and loves gentle things and is gay. They are written so so tenderly….this is an amazing book.

The Cruel Prince | Goodreads

Shout out to our favourite wildly terrible SISTERS — Jude and Taryn. (They also have an older sister, Vivi.) Their parents were murdered by their mother’s ex-husband, also a fae gentry, adn they’ve been raise din the lavish and gorgeous and vicious world of Faerie. Oh these are not the “nice” sort of sisters, but they’re complex and you root for them and rage at the same time?! Also this book is a Slytherin DREAM. I am obsessed.

One | Goodreads

This is about conjoined twin sisters and it’s all written in verse. It’s really bitterly heartbreaking and also sweet at times. It’s been a while since I read it, but I feel like the disability rep was thoughtful and respectful. It’s tragic but you know it’s going to be when they’re conjoined.

I’ll Give You The Sun | Goodreads

Jude and Noah are extremely different people and oh oh the book starts with you knowing something terrible happened between them, but you don’t know what. They’re artists of different kinds, Noah is gay, and Jude is grieving and the story is honestly phenomenal with the writing. I reeeeally need to reread because I haven’t picked it up since 2015!!

Fangirl | Goodreads

We can’t forget Cath and Wren…literally Cather + Wren so that their names ARE ONE NAME!? Ok, not happy with their mum either. But they’re off to college and Wren was Cath’s safe space, her crutch, but Wren sort of “dumps” her and just goes off to have a solo college experience. I’m still angry at her tbh. 10/10 felt everything for Cath but I love her arc and how she coped with social anxiety.

The Upside of Unrequited | Goodreads

Again twin sisters with Molly being the soft homebody while Cassie is more sharp corners and a go-getter. They definitely don’t mesh all the time, but they’re stronger when they lean on each other.

This Side of Home | Goodreads

Again I do not remember this one well enough except black twin sisters who feel like they’re drifting apart as they what they want begins to differ and they feel like they don’t understand each other anymore. These kind of growing-up-and-apart stories are really important for sisters too!!

Summer of Salt | Goodreads

We have sister twins who are, coincidentally, magical witches and they’ve got very different personalities but they’re not constantly at war. It’s on a rainy island and life is changing now that highschool is over and it’s very deeply about grief and recovery. (Also f/f romance!)

The Foxhole Court | Goodreads

Ok this is cheating because the twin brothers are secondary characters BUT their relationship is pretty integral to the plot (they absolutely hate each other’s guts; we are talking the infamous Minyard twins, Aaron and Andrew). They try to switch places on Neil just once. Only once. Because they FAIL. Neil can tell who his boi is, u fools.

Ink & Bone | Goodreads

Twin brothers who absolutely do n o t get along and never will. Jess is the bookworm and Brendan would rather put out his own eyes. He’s Slytherin to Jess’ Ravenclaw. I just, argh, I love their terse relationship but how they’re still there for each other. Lots of rivalry though. 👀

The Lost And Found | Goodreads

This has a really soft brother/sister twinship where they stick up for each other a lot because he has an anxiety disorder and she is an amputee. It’s also a gentle magical realism and will totally make you FEEL things about internet friends who cross half a continent to meet.

Two Can Keep A Secret | Goodreads

Here we have twins and MURDER…not the twins, uh, doing the murdering. They’re actually fairly close and loving and I thought their relationship was amazing — with a backdrop of solving murder mysteries. 🤗

Aurora Rising | Goodreads

Sci-fi time! We have Tyler and Scarlett who are twins and also utterly badass with their skillsets. He’s like the golden boy leader, she is the diplomat who knows how to get her way around anything and anyone. 🙌🏻This has such a solid misfit squad to save the doomed world. Bring it.

Slayer | Goodreads

This is a Buffy the Vampire Slayer story, but you can actually enjoy it without having seen Buffy (*cough*it me*cough*). We have Nina (soft, nerdy one) and her twin Artemis (tough badass fighter one) and how their roles get reversed and CHAOS. Also monsters and blood and quite a lot of sass.

White Rabbit Red Wolf | Goodreads

This is a mind-twisty thriller and I totally adored it but also was a bit “??!!??” the whole time. Peter has a anxiety panic disorder and Bel is the solid one of the two…but they get caught up in a government conspiracy and it’s madness and delicious to read.

 

 

A Thousand Perfect Notes | Goodreads

Am I going to nominate my own book? You get I am. 😌Beck is 15 with a 5yo half-sister who is basically a peppercorn on legs and he’s soft and depressed and beaten down by the world. He would 10/10 do anything for her and puts her wellbeing before his own ALWAYS. Sometimes she tries to bite him. But you know. Sibling bonds.

A Curse So Dark And Lonely | Goodreads

Harper has an older brother and he doesn’t come in heavily in the book till later (and he brings his doctor boyfriend 😌) but WOW I love these two. Super protective sibling bond and they get really angry at each other for risking their lives. Also Beauty and the Beast retelling but with way way worse monsters. 😏

Half Bad | Goodreads

Look if you want siblings that are actually horrible 🙌🏻look no further. Nathan is the bastard of the family, half black witch, half white witch — a terrible sin. And his older sister is MURDEROUSLY cruel while his older brother is super soft and lovely. Ughhghgh I love this book. It hurts me.

The Scorpio Races | Goodreads

Aka ONE OF MY LIFE FAVES. Puck has an older brother as well as a younger one, but Gabe’s pretty much moved on, while Puck and Finn are just trying to survive and hold their family home together. Also murder horses, sea aesthetic, it’s dreamy and bloody and gorgeous.

The Rest Of Us Just Live Here | Goodreads

Ok SUPERHEROES…but also the book is about the background kids who are just trying to cope. It has anxiety/depression and eating disorders rep and Mikey has an older and younger sister. They really really love each other and feel so alone.

The Gentleman’s Guide To Vice And Virtue | GOODREADS

Older brother/younger sister here too and WOW they do not get along or understand each other. Bless them. But their relationship really propels the book a lot. Felicity (15) is arguably more sensible than Monty (18) and they grow grudging repsect for each other in between being chased by pirates, armies, mercenaries and getting shot at during a 17th century rope around Europe.

Autoboyography | Goodreads

The sibling relationship isn’t the forefront of the story but Tanner does have a younger teen sister. They mostly view each other as heinous nuisances. But I freaking love this book because the romance is just😭💛Super cute and will make you sob. Tanner is bi and Sebastian is Morman and they shouldn’t even look at each other, but yEt–

The Unbecoming Of Mara Dyer | Goodreads

Admittedly I do not remember this as well as I want to (reread is due!) BUT. I do remember Mara had an older brother and their relationship was really solid and kind. Also this story messes with your head and it’s sinister and thrilling!

You Asked For Perfect | Goodreads

This one is just TOO CUTE. Ariel is an overachieving stressaholic and it kind of rubs off on his little sister. And while he obsesses unhealthily over school, he gets such a wakeup call when he sees his 10-year-old sister doing it. They are PRECIOUS.

Spin the Dawn | Goodreads

This is a loose Mulan retelling but with tailors! And Maia goes off to be the imperial tailor disguised as her younger brother. So there’s not a lot of sibling bonds in the book, but it heavily depends on them existing! Maia super loves her family and it’s amazing.😭💛

The Last Namsara | Goodreads

Asha is the younger sister and her older brother is Dax and heir to the throne, but her father abhors him because he’s “stupid” (I suspect dyslexic rep) and they don’t interact a lot in this one, but he narrates book two and ajfkdlsad I love them both SO MUCH. They are badass siblings.

Starworld | Goodreads

Half of this one is narrated by Zoe, who is like the “pretty perfect nice girl” that everyone loves but no one really knows…and it’s really strongly about friendship and identity and it’s heartbreaking. Zoe also has a severely disabled younger brother and she loves him so much just how he is. 😭💛

Afterward | Goodreads

This is dual narrated between a boy who was kidnapped and returned…and a girl whose younger autistic brother was kidnapped but they found him before he was abused. It’s really dark and heart-wrenching and really really well written.

Princess Of Thorns | Goodreads

Aurora is disguising as a boy to find and free her kidnapped younger brother! Their relationship isn’t on page the whole time but they intensely love each other…and gee, her younger brother goes through hell. I was ready to beat my way into the book and rescue him myself.

I Wish You All The Best | Goodreads

Ok this is thoroughly one of my favourite reads of 2019 and I just CRY. It’s about a nonbinary teen named Ben who gets thrown out of their home and ends up taking refuge with their older estranged sister. It’s about healing and love and it’s so empowering. I also maybe cried quietly inside. 💛

Lady Midnight | Goodreads

So the entire The Dark Artifices series features…THE BLACKTHORN FAMILY, which has brothers and sisters of all shapes and sizes. They all make me cry desperately because I’m just that attached to them. It’s most intensely about Julian’s relationship as being the surrogate father for his younger sisters an brothers. And also his x Mark’s…Mark who is supposed to be older but was kidnapped by faeries and hasn’t aged and is totally suffering from PTSD. It’s also got A+ autism rep and is basically my all time favourite series haVE I GUSHED ENOUGH YET–

Darius The Great Is Not Okay | Goodreads

Darius is the older brother and his little sister is about 8 maybe? But anyway she is a bucket of sunflowers and he’s trying to deal with depression and feeling alone because he’s ostracised at school for being biracial. It’s such a beautiful book and mostly set in Iran too. #Ownvoices! He is so sweet to his sister!!

A Very Large Expanse of Sea | Goodreads

Older brother / younger sister! Shirin sort of resents her older brother a bit since her Muslim parents respect him more…she is like a bitter espresso and I couldn’t love her more tbh. But ultimately her brother invites her to join their breakdancing group and they are all BADASS. I love this book. It’s not exactly underrated, but, I think it deserves as much love as Mafi’s Shatter Me books!

Words In Deep Blue | Goodreads

Older brother/younger sister again. Also BOOKWORMS. Also George is really tough and bitey and sensible (reminds me of Blue Sargent a bit tbh) while Henry is just a little too whimsical and romantic and off getting his heartbroken brutally at all times. He’s such an idiot but I love him. Also this is set in a bookstore?! YES.

Little & Lion | Goodreads

These are adopted siblings! Suzette is bi and black and Lionel is white and has bipolar. The story takes off with them having been away for a while so they’re no longer sure how they fit together, but they love each other fiercely as siblings. And I think it’s important to have wholesome adopted sibling relationships too!!

Eliza And Her Monsters | Goodreads

Okay she has two younger brothers and she thinks they’re ALIENS because they like sporty stuff and being rowdy and she is like the wraith in the walls, drawing and doing fandom art, and hissing at sunlight. This one is about social anxiety and fandom culture!

On The Come up | Goodreads

Bri has a brother who is quite a lot older so sometimes he squishes in as an extra parent (she would like to whack him for that) but they have such a good relationship. And he sacrifices a lot to help keep the family together. Their family is in such strife, but they are SO CLOSE and loving. 😫

The Cresswell Plot | Goodreads

Looking for a big family who is also part of a cult and their dad basically keeps them locked up in the woods? That’s a very specific request, I realise, but hey…LOOK NO FURTHER. This one is for you. I really loved this book, and the siblings who were really tightly close for survival sakes.

My Sister Rosa | Goodreads

I am leaving this here for all of us who are secretly terrified of our younger siblings. 😘Okay but TRULY: This one is about Che who is an Aussie living in America and he’s 90% sure his adorable cherubic 10-year-old sister is a psychopath. This is chilling and really extremely well written. I’m still thinking about it three years later.

Romanov | Goodreads

This has quite a large family, because it’s a Romanov (surprise haha) retelling. But the main relationship is Nastya and her younger brother Alexei. She also has older sisters! And also this book will WRECK YOU. Russia + magic + family + Anastasia.

The Graces | Goodreads

I’m so obsessed with the aesthetic of this book. Lowkey witches and contemporary heartache. The Graces are the family everyone is secretly in love with. It’s actually narrated by Rain, who is an only child, but the book is super heavily about Fenrin and Thalia (twins) and their younger sister Summer. I, too, am in love with them. 😌

The Brilliant Death | Goodreads

Oh this one completely stole my heart! Italian-esque mafia fantasy world, and Teo has a huge family but she’s super close to her younger brother and I cry for them and their pure relationship. Also genderfluid magicians and an absolutely epic plot. Teo can turn people into objects btw. Love this life skill.

Charm & Strange | Goodreads

Omg I can’t forget this one…I’m rather obsessed with it and how it WRECKED ME. It’s brutal and dark and is deeply about mental illness spirals and delusions. Drew is the youngest in a super rich family (his older brother is amazing and makes me cry) and he goes through some dark stuff…it’s raw and gut-wrenching and such a good book.

And I Darken | Goodreads

And here is our disaster historical fiction retelling of Vlad the Impaler…but if he was a girl. Lada would literally stab your face and lick the knife, whereas Radu is younger and soft and gentle (and also a scheming Slytherin; I adore him). THESE TWO. I totally adore this trilogy.

Salt | Goodreads

Indi has an older sister, younger brother and younger sister and I LOVE THEM. Monster-fighting sibling squad who are looking for their missing parents. And it’s gut-wrenching and beautiful and full of the ebb and flow of tumultuous sibling feelings.

Here Lies Daniel Tate | Goodreads

This is slightly cheating to put on this list because technically Daniel is (a) not even Daniel because he’s faking being this missing kid, and (b) his siblings aren’t *really* his siblings. But they have the FULL dynamics there and he dotes on his littlest sister so much it’s adorable and I cry. Even if he is faking being their long-lost brother. It’s insanely twisty and so cleverly done. Also older brother/sister heavily involved in the plot.

 

 

| what do you think |

help me out and add to the list!! what are your favourite sibling books? do you have any brother recs because i seem to have a need here

 

If you have a quiet craving for more enemies-to-lovers romances…oh, do I have a list for you. 😌

It’s no secret that this is a very beloved trope. Oh the chemistry, the sexual tension, the angst! That question we all ask ourselves as we read: “WILL THEY KISS OR STAB??? WE DON’T KNOW!! EXCITING!!”

I do think there’s a lot of lures to this trope that makes it addictive to read. For instance:

➢ we have the good old “will they/wont’ they” going on which causes a lot of plot tension
➢ it generally equates two VERY opposite or VERY similar personalities, hence the clashes, and it’s fascinating watching two people learn to fit together, despite differences.
➢ often times it’s about overcoming a centuries old hate or prejudices, which can be powerful
➢ the rest of the time it’s just one person being super ornery and the other being a huge flirt 😘
➢ there’s usually BANTER; then the bickering turns to flirting
➢ just here for that moment when it turns from “I would kill you” to “I would kill for you”.

 

Give me a bejewelled sWORD, sir, and I shall ride into the wars for this trope.

Now before I go further, I do want to pause and talk about how this trope can be problematic and how there’s a difference between “enemies” of circumstance, etc, versus actual abusive relationships that are inherently unhealthy. When I say I love enemies-to-lovers, I’m N O T talking about a boy systematically abusing a girl because “he likes her”. I’d say you can take your toxic masculinity and pour it down the void, but even the void doesn’t deserve that mess.

Now that we have that cleared up… 🤗 onwards.

 

The Last Namsara | Goodreads

This series fills me with such pure delight because both it and the sequel have different versions of Enemies-to-Lovers and both are utter gold. In the first book we have Asha, who’s grown up forced to slay dragons to make up for a sin she committed as a child VS Torwin, a slave in her father’s household and is just going to charm her out of being an ornery thorn in his side. They’re both rather slaves to her father, the king, so there’s no problematic power dynamic. Just THEM; learning they need people on their side and you don’t have to fight the world alone.

Six of Crows | Goodreads

There are three romance threads in this but one is our fave Nina vs Matthais. A witch vs a witch hunter. It’s hugely about letting go of prejudices and being indoctrinated with hate as a child. And they also have the added bonus of Nina being super flirty and Matthias blushing if you suggested peeling an apple would make it naked. UGH I LOVE THEM. Forced to work together and realise their passionate hate is…not hate. 😍

Ruined | Goodreads

This is like a Soft version, because they’re only enemies by birthright: Em is a Ruined (her people have magic powers) and Cas is not (his people want hers dead) and she’s faking being his bride only to kill him. But Cas is like A SOFT CINNAMON ROLL and Em melts for him. She has that decision of kill-an-innocent-prince vs help-save-her-people. Which is always delightful.

An Enchantment of Ravens | Goodreads

Look my heart @ belongs to fairies so excuse me while I profess undying love for Rook x Isobel. She’s a human painter and he an Autumn Prince who commissions her for a portrait: but she paints him “too human”. So he whisks her off to his world for a trial for this offence..but hahhahahahhhah. They totally fall for each other along the way. It actually unpacks the difference between attraction/instalove vs actual love based on knowing a person. Also there are faeries. And Rook offers to fight a teapot for Isobel’s honour at one stage. I don’t know what to tell you except I love it.

The Cruel Prince | goodreads

Obviously we would be remiss to not mention one of the most famously hyped trilogy of late, with our iconic Jude and Cardan who (truly and genuinely) hate each other and it converts into a very problematic lust relationship. 🤗I know this one often gets slammed as promoting toxicity being romantic — but I believe it’s more than that. I think the whole series is a study in anxiety, in letting fear rule you until you chose to become “worse” than your fear. Jude’s mantra is “If I cannot be better than them, I will become so much worse.“ And the book REALLY looks into that. There’s a lot of sexual frustration, naturally, but it’s also about vulnerabilities and feeling like love will destroy you if you admit that’s what it is.

To Kill A Kingdom | goodreads

I already mentioned this one in the intro BUT — here it is again. Just to confirm it is both splendid and darkly vicious. Siren hunter meets siren = ROMANCE. It’s got the kind of banter that you will die for; it’s just that funny. It’s also a bit of a Little Mermaid retelling! High stakes, magic, rogue princes, doomed lovers…pls read this and thank me.

Princess of Thorns | goodreads

Ahhhh I love this book. I did read it back in 2015 though so I’m forgetting details (tragic; i need to reread) but I remember absolutely ADORING the banter. Aurora is dressed up as a boy for a quest (to rescue her brother) and Niklass (a roguish youngest prince) ends up accompanying her and they BICKER the whole way. They also have a potato eating contest, if I recall correctly. In retrospect I don’t think either of them is entirely straight and this just pleases me more.

The Wrath And the Dawn | Goodreads

It’s a retelling of 1001 Arabian Nights were Shahrzad’s has to tell the sultan a story every night, but leave him on a cliffhanger so he doesn’t kill her in order to keep hearing the story. I mean SMART. I also would delay mass destruction for another chapter of a good book. Anyhow, we have the monstrous boy-king vs a smart girl here to kill him. Except there’s monsters BEHIND MONSTERS and honestly…it’s epic. 😏

Spin The Dawn | Goodreads

This is actually one of my favourites for this year because I am obsessed with Edan x Maia. It’s also a one-sided-enemies because she just hates him INSTANTLY for being a magician; whereas he is like “here is an entirely adorably cute crossdressing creature whom I am going to annoy into adoring me.” It also works. He does annoy her into liking him. He literally doesn’t shut up the whole book. He wears all black and yet is a popsicle of sass.

Carry On | Goodreads

Ok true; the beginning does read like Harry x Draco fanfic. Basically if you did wash Drarry had sailed, just go read this book. But Baz is a vampire and Simon is the “chosen one” (his opinion on that is “i don’t wanna”) and they are school roommates AND enemies AND…freak out when the other gets hurt. 😘I am so overdue for a reread with the sequel coming out so soon.

Starflight | Goodreads

Now let’s hurtle ourselves into SPACE to meet Solara who is a con running away who kind of kidnaps this extremely rich snob boy (stun guns him, we’re talking T R U E enemies after that). They end up accidentally on a whirlwind escape wherein he gradually gets soft and she gradually stops stun-gunning people and it’s altogether adorable. Also hilarious. 10/10 for the banter.

A Curse So Dark and Lonely | Goodreads

Of course Beauty & The Beast always champions this trope…with a side-dish of Stockholm Syndrome usually [eye twitches] But NOT SO here. Honestly Rhen (the beast) is so depressed by the time his kingdom kidnaps Harper from the “modern world” to see if she’ll be his true love to break the curse…that he doesn’t even try. He just follows around Grey saying “how do I make her like me” while Grey says “hm, not sure, why don’t you try BEING CIVIL TO HER”. Grey deserves a freaking medal in this book.

Linger | Goodreads

Look, this is cheating, since it is a sequel. But you should read the first book ANYWAY. But Cole x Isabel are absolute gifts to the snarky universe with their absolute disdain of each other. It’s the kind of hate-to-love that is just born of people who have really similar personalities and believe the other is so so so annoying. I love it. 😂I partially think they kiss just because they’re bored but you know. This SHIP. I swear.

Legendary | Goodreads

ANOTHER SEQEUL. But you know what? I just am the worst. 😘Anyway my heart belongs to Tella x Dante specifically because they both have such Slytherin souls and they are determined to BETTER than the other. More cleverer, faster, outwitting the other. The fall for each other while all the while being liars and I just 😫💛💛I STAN. It’s got to be one of my all-time favourite books!

Teeth | Goodreads

This is not, surprisingly, about dentists. Which tbh is a relief because that would be a traumatic story. Instead we have a quietly depressed Rudy who moves to this super depressing island because apparently eating fish will help cure his extremely sick little brother. No friends. No life. Nothing to look forward to. Except…the half-fish boy waging war on the sailors and being part legend, part abused, until he’s going to kill himself without help. It is softly gay and softly tragic and somehow also viciously toothy. I love love love this one.

White Rabbit | Goodreads

Look I’m counting this one but it’s technically LOVERS = ENEMIES = LOVERS. It’s set over the course of one night and Rufus is super super angry at his ex, Sebastian, but they get tumbled into this horrible mystery involving murder and drugs and Rufus’ sister is involved and ahhhhhh. He and Sebastian end up leaning on each other again and it’s just. 😭💛Also I’m not sure what your life looks like, but you definitely need more queer thrillers in it. 

The Love Interest | Goodreads

I am waaaaay behind with reading this, because it was a 2017 release and I only read it this year. And I freaking LOVED IT. It’s such a satire, not not in an irritating way? It’s about two spy boy detectives, sent in to “woo the girl”. The bad boy vs the good boy. Loser gets terminated. So they’re in this contest to win this girl and they hate each other for survival reasons. BUT then…they end up helping each other out. I just laughed myself out of my chair when they’re like “We should practise kissing [nod nod] so we can kiss her better.” Yes you two are very straight for s u r e. Anyway it’s #ownvoices and really endearing as well as picks at old tropes.

Peter Darling | Goodreads

All I need to say is HOOK x PAN. And then you should be trotting off to find this one. It’s also #ownvoices for trans rep so, doubly important to support this author. It’s quite short too, practically a novella, and definitely twists the old Peter Pan story in ways you haven’t seen it before but that you really really deep inside wanted the story to go. 😌

Disruption | Goodreads

Again it’s been a long time since I read it…but I could swear it has a super good enemies-to-lovers. I just can’t remember WHY they hate each other lmao. (My memory has bucket sized holes.) Anyway read this though. It’s a 5-star (thanks for reminding me Goodreads) and features my favourite badass, totally terrifying girl who will stop at NOTHING to protect her family. And I believe she’s using Quentin for her masterplan but ends up kind of liking him (when he’s the son of the bad dude; therefore “should” be evil).

Letters to the Lost | Goodreads

ALL TIME FAVOURITE BOOK ALERT 🎉I swear I can’t love on this book enough. Plus it has a fantastic twist on the trope where Declan and Juliet are enemies in-real-life…but really close as anonymous penpals. And they’re only enemies IRL because of expectations. He’s known as the gruff, problematic loser who causes trouble and is doing community service. She’s the prissy “good girl” who is really standoffish. But what isn’t on the surface: both are suffering extreme loss and dealing with grief and depression. I sob over this book. Every time.

Making Friends With Alice Dyson | Goodreads

This one is like a very very Soft™ “enemies”…more like Alice is this Straight As perfect student and Teddy just ANNOYS HER by breathing wrong. And they do a spontaneous dance off in the street which goes a bit viral and she’s scared it’s ruining her image of being sensible. While Teddy is over here being a huge loveable dork. 😍This one is cute. Not hardcore like some on this list, but we are here for diverse types of this trope HURRAH.

When Dimple Met Rishi | Goodreads

Dimple wants a career and her parents are lowkey pushing her towards a Good And Nice Indian boy, aka Rishi. So look it’s an “enemies to lovers” based on circumstance; it’s not even personal the whole time. Dimple just doesn’t want to be TOLD to marry someone. Then the first time they meet, she throws her coffee at him. 🤗 So I don’t know what you’re waiting for but I am HERE to say this is a quality romcom where they are side-eyeing each other before…they realise they actually sort of quite like each other.

Blood Red Road | Goodreads

I cannot forget my absolute power couple of Saba and Jack. They’re in this rough post-apocalyptic world where it’s all desert, cults, and has a definite Mad Max vibe. Saba is off to save her family and she gets tangle dup with Jack and just hates him on principle. DO NOT TRUST STRANGERS. Especially smooth-talking sassy pretty ones. Obviously I ship them hard. I love the spiky girl x flirty boy trope. It just gives me life.

The Foxhole Court | Goodreads

And you better believe I saved the best for last because HELLO TO MY FOXES and the most inherently problematic Andriel (Andrew x Neil). You also really truly need to get through three books before it happens because this is like quality slowburn as well. The hate stems from just them both being so psychologically damaged and traumatised they can’t possibly trust anyone, let alone each other. But Andrew is the kind who will absolutely 100% either kill Neil or kill FOR Neil and even Neil isn’t quite sure at any time at all. I really like how the series unpacks PTSD and how love isn’t a cure = but being supported and finding a home, a family, is a good way to start learning to breathe again.

| what do you think |

please hit me with your favourite books with enemies-to-lovers in it too!! one can never have too many good recs