Paper Fury

If you ask “Is this a kissing book?” while pointing to a YA novel, the answer is usually: yes.

Finding a YA book that doesn’t include romance AT ALL is pretty much like spotting a wild faun and convincing it to make tea for you and nOT sell your soul to a random witch. It happens. But only to a lucky few of us. The rest get sold to the witch. Smh. Look at the state of society today. Witches will buy anything.

Now the conversation about whether this is good or bad comes up a lot. Which is fair! We bloggers like to gloriously dissect everything (insert happy flail) but there are SO many valid points to both side of the argument. And so I’d like to present to you one of my very lovely INDECISIVE LISTS where I talk about both sides to the kissing books and also use the word “nomance” because no one said I can’t. And even if someone said to stop, I wouldn’t. Because NOMANCE IS A THING. LET ME LIVE.

I must that I, for one, am about as romantic as a piece of bread. So it pleases me greatly to find nomance books. Yet that saying I have TONS of ships I would fight to eternity for. I ship ships that shouldn’t be shipped ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ and would angrily throw a fig in a lake if an author killed off my favourite couples. Let them kiss and be hAPPY, you coward.

But the trouble is the ratio fo YA with romance vs YA without romance is…unbalanced. To say the least.

 

WHY NOMANCE BOOKS ARE IMPORTANT

➸ not all readers want or even need romance (and it’s really important, especially for teens who don’t want sexual romantic relationships, to know there’s nothing wrong with that)

➸ it’s actually heckin’ annoying to read a book where tHE wOrLD is ending and now we’re caught up in a pointless love square with lots of hormones and tension. It makes the stakes of the book seem flippant.

➸ some teens?!?! don’t have time?!?! for romance. Between school + jobs + being a druid idk what kids do these days = it’s hard to find time to find a decent human you don’t want to hit with a fork.

➸ not everyone meets their soulmate in their teens. (I personally have no interest in romantic relationships, but seriously all the boys I knew in my teens were gross??? How do all these teens in books find Peter Kavinskys and Blue Sargents???)

➸ books that put friendship first and foremost instead are super special and needed!! Without complicating them with unnecessary romances!!

➸ the amount of times romance doesn’t even fit with the book is unbelievable. Don’t stuff in romance. No one likes bad stuffing okay. Not even dead turkeys.

➸ it’s super important to have characters who are whole and happy and fulfilled without finding a love interest. You’re not “alone” if you don’t fall in love!! FRIENDS. FAMILY. YOUR PET PYTHON IF YOU ARE SLYTHERIN. All are important.

➸ look I’ll say it…sometimes society has an unhealthy obsession with romance. It would be nice if we could CHILL on thinking it is The Everything Of Life™. (I just came back to add this after seeing a post of people shipping their three year olds. And hearing someone discuss a male/female friendship duo and how they were clearly “in love” because they spent so much time together. BOTH of these are super problematic but yet not uncommon. ARgh.)

WHY ROMANCE IS ALSO STILL IMPORTANT

➸ lots of people absolutely love reading it! adore it with every fibre of their being! I’d hazard a guess that more people like romance vs people don’t like romance in stories = and this would show up in publishing stats and book sales too (which pretty much rule what kind of books get published).

➸ diverse romance representation is sooo important. Because the world has coded the POC/queer/disabled/ill people as “undesirable” for so despicably long that we NEED to see these people falling in love too. In romcoms and fantasy worlds!

➸ look it is a good subplot…wondering who will get together and if they’ll kiss or stab each other. We don’t KNOW. Exciting. And when people list favourite tropes, you better believe ones like “there was only one bed!” come up super fast. Often romance sucks IRL because there are no Blue Sargents in your vicinity to love (seriously what is wrong with real life) so people actually want to see cute couples get together and be happy!

➸ it’s good that now a lot of problematic romance tropes are being dismantled! There are WAY less possessive and gross boys in YA. We neeeeeed books with healthy romances to model for readers (especially younger teens) and good discussion on boundaries and being safe and communication etc.

➸ it’s also good to show messy romances in books too, because most teens don’t stay with their lover from highschool. So reading about a breakup or working through a tough issue can be helpful. Also probably like opening a papercut and pouring lemon juice on it bUT ANYWAY.

➸ sometimes? it just cute (seriously, I love reading soft cute and shy romances!!! I wrote one!)

 

also pet peeve?! I hate it when people ask for non-romance or very very mild romances, but phrase it as “i want clean books”… romance isn’t dirty. Can we lay that one to rest thanks. You can dislike reading romance or sex without making it sound evil.

But hey, since they’re hard to find…I’m going to merrily list some YA Books With NO Romance!

I did a list like this back in 2015 but we’re due for an update, right?! Also joining in the TTT prompt of: Platonic Relationships In Books.

All the covers link to goodreads too! Speaking of which, I have a goodreads shelf specifically for this.

NOMANCE

                               

 

NOTE: there are some side romances in some of these, but not for the protagonist.  

tell me all your feels about this! should YA feature more platonic relationships? can you add any recs to my list?? have you ever read a book where you wished it didn’t have the romance? haha And do you think YA is doing better with featuring diverse romances ??

Every so often it occurs to me that there are more books than just the shiny new ones.

This is wild information and constantly astounding. I forget there are books published before, like, 2014 when I got super into reading YA and blogging. FANCY THAT. And, as a blogging community, we do tend to all talk about the new books. What’s just released. What’s coming up. What is shiniest. What ARCs we have. What cakes we ate for breakfast because cake is the new cereal.

(Ok I admit the last thing is off-topic but very important.)

Mostly I don’t think it’s a huge shame if I mostly new books. I have lots of good reasons! And I will slide my list covertly under the table to you because you asked so nicely.

 

• newer books are actually more readily available
• SO many titles go out of print so fast, and this is sad !! but what can one do
• if you’re low on funds —> getting the opportunity to review books for free is super helpful (and obviously this is only for new books!)
• having a blogosphere all excited about the most recent super cool release turns our community into a HUGE BOOK CLUB and this is fun!!
• look i want to celebrate new authors (imagine excitedly and nervously tumbling your work into the world to be met with dead silence?! noooo. here is some cake! and I will flail over you!!)
• new books are shiny and I’m a dragon so what more can I say

I also love reading newer books because they deal with current issues.

Yes lots of old books are timeless. But sometimes I pick up a title published in 2009 and am smacked in the face with really ableist gross language, problematic diversity rep, and tropes I’m 100000% done with (IMMORTAL HOT AGGRESSIVELY MACHO BOYFRIENDS…GO AWAY). The old tropes are existing fair — they weren’t tired back then. But YA has done wonderfully marvellous things with diversity now that it wasn’t doing 10 years ago. And hey…I want to read diverse books.

I want to read about sharp girls and books critiquing the social climate and I want #ownvoices narratives and disabled heroes and POC characters not to be the background people who die off. I don’t want to see Bury Your Gays. I absolutely DO want to read diverse romances and more books written by women.

None of this is to say that older stories are bad! Many are timeless gems. Many are invaluable.

But I do think I’m more drawn to newer books and I’m not ashamed about it. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ And if you don’t think cover art has also gotten 10000000 x better and I am 1000000% shallow enough to consider this a viable reason to buy new books — THEN I DON’T KNOW WHAT TO TELL YOU. Still not ashamed for this one, but probably should be tbh.

But here’s the thing: I want to read ALL THE BOOKS and I’m terrified of missing out on a good one: old or not.

So backlist books?! Yes. I still want to read you, even if I’m more drawn to the newer ones. Some I want to read because I’m terribly curious. Some I want to read because they used to be famous and missed that wild hype wave so, excuse me, I need to tagalong 10 years too late.

Now here let me introduce you to (1) backlist books I reeeally should’ve read by now and (2) backlist books I probably WON’T ever read!

Which is also part fo the Top Ten Tuesday prompt: backlist books I want to read! But, ya know, rebel me, I’m doing the inverse as well. I cannot be stopped. *

 

* I mean this is a blatant lie. I can be stopped if you give me left vs right directions because I will have to pause and consider this for like 2 minutes while staring at my hands. Also if you lay cupcakes about, I am forced to collect them. Ergo I CAN be stopped but please don’t tell my enemies.

           

        

psssst shout out if I’ve got anything on this list that I must ABSOLUTELY CHANGE MY MIND ABOUT AND READ (!!)

 

ok tell me a backlist title you’ll NEED to read and one you probably will NEVER read?! and do you prefer new vs older books?? or are you tired of everyone reading the same new releases?

I kept staring at the title of my post thinking, “Is that too creepy???” But eh I’m going with it.

Gets us all ready for today’s glorious LIST of creeptastic things. I assume this is in the spirit of Halloween which I would like to mention I don’t celebrate. Now that fact might be slightly odd considering I do like paranormal things and woods that eat people and shadows that slither out at night and grab your ankles. BUT! I am Australian. Halloween is a very Northern Hemisphere thing. Like it’s not even autumn for us. How can you celebrate harvest when we are gearing up for allergies and spring?!?

IT IS NONSENSE.

However. I still want to be creepy write a creepy post. So here I am. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

I thought I’d creepily throw at you:

CREEPY THINGS I LOVE TO READ VS ONES I HATE

I mean you can “love” some creepy stuff, right??? That’s not weird??? It’s not like I have skeletons in my closet or am a part-time necromancer. (I’m a full time necromancer thank you very much.) Everything is fine, nothing to see here.

I also feel like it’s worth noting I don’t really read horror! I have watched Supernatural though and when I started some episodes really terrified me. Then I got old and “eh” about the horror parts. But I really haven’t read any traditional horror! Unless Coraline counts?!

 

Top Ten Tuesday || Halloween/Creepy Freebie

1. SINISTER FAERIES CREEPING OUT OF THE WOODWORK

Let’s take a moment to doubly confirm: FAERIES ARE SUPER CREEPY. They’re so ethereal and deadly gorgeous and enjoy playing with people and then ripping them up, either emotionally or physically. Like, options here! If a book does faeries right, then they should be equal parts disturbing and entrancing. I AM ENTRANCED. I LOVE IT. Bring me the immortal creepy gorgeous queens and hobgoblins and kings of the dead. Briiiiing it.

2. SUPER CREEPY CHILDREN

Ok but kids in general are creepy. Sometimes they just stare at you or you give them scissors and glitter to do craft and think: “Yes, this is how I die.”

But I do have a total softness for the super creepy kids who turn up in books. Minya from Strange the Dreamer is a recent favourite since she’s stuck-as-a-child and catches ghosts souls and wILL MURDER YOU AAAAALL for wronging her. But yes, I will read about the disturbing children you are dead or eat your face or stare at you with big round eyes and start singing a freaky song.

3. CREEPY DARK FORESTS

YESSSS I LOVE THESE!! There is nothing quite like “THOSE” woods where people go in and don’t come out. And things claw out of the earth. And the witches make snacks. This is 10000% of the reason I will never leave the house also. So thanks, forests! You can keep the fresh air! I will keep alive, inside!

4. GHOSTS!

Aww bUT THEY’RE KIND OF CUTE!! I’ll just throw myself into the arms of Timekeeper and my ghosts in the clocktowers and also at The Raven Cycle with the softest ghosts who, yes, do the most creepy things on occasion. But who are ultimately soft. I love ghosts. I maintain there aren’t enough ghost stories?! I WANT MORE SOFT SWEET GHOSTS. (This sounds like an ice cream order, but fine.)

5. ALL-POWERFUL DARK FORCE OUT TO GETCHA

Especially the ones that don’t have bodies yet, because: that stuff is CREEPY AS HECK. I’m particularly thinking of Osaron in A Conjuring Of Light and his whole “I NEED A BODY AND THEN I’M MAKING THE WORLD RIP ITSELF APART.” Steady on there, mate. I need popcorn before you begin.

No but really, I also find this terrifying…like you can’t look away from it?! They seem so all-powerful and impossible defeat it’s terrifying.

1. APOCALYPTIC DISEASES AND SICKNESS 

I CAN’T DO IT. PLEASE TAKE IT AWAY. This just lights up my anxiety like the kind of Christmas Tree that explodes in your face. I watched this movie about the world dying from a fast-spreading disease and I DIDN’T SLEEP AGAIN. Ever. Ughgghghg. I can’t do it. It’s so out of control. (And cOULD HAPPEN?????)

2. HUGE AGE-GAPS IN RELATIONSHIPS

Well isn’t this one not like the others.

But seriously, this is creepy. Don’t pretend it’s not. Especially if they’re teens. There’s not a huge developmental or life difference between being 30 and 35. But there IS between being 15 and 20 (not to mention illegal?!?!?) so please take these books away from me where one part is 10000 years old and the other is sixteen. 

I also watched Call Me By Your Name and am still asking how that is not predatory. RIGHTO.

3. SOMETHING IS IN THE WALLS / UNDER THE BED

jUST pLeASe DON’T. Omg. This freaks me out. I am definitely the person who doesn’t hang their limb over the edge of the bed!! Forget that my bed is on the floor. Evil doesn’t have to have dimension ok, it can still get me.

And things in the walls??? I don’t like it. I want out. Do not rattle things around in the basement or attic or walls or floorboards unless you want me screaming for 24 hours at the book.

4. ASYLUMS

This is also because I loathe even the IDEA of asylums and how despicable all the 1800s ones were. Also because it’s ridiculous. Any book that features an asylum IS GOING TO BE HAUNTED. And yet we have a gaggle of people going, “Yeah! Let’s put a school in an old asylum!”

I get it. You want the kids to get eaten. Stop acting surprised when everyone’s clawing out their eyes.

5. FALLING INTO GOOP

I JUST…NOT WITH THE TOUCHING THINGS. Like when they stick their hand in the residue of the monster?! Or start sinking in like this gross globby mire that sucks them down??? I throw up. (It’s worth noting I am very sensory sensitive so anything sensory offence is going to crawl up my skin and kILL ME if I’m reading.)

Just get it offfffff.

okay give me your list! some creepy things you LIKE to be freaked out by and ones you genuinely avoid because noooooope. do you agree with any of mine? (and link me to your TTTs if you want!)

Two of my top fears in life are (1) rotting exploded pumpkins, and (2) very very long books.

Don’t even get me started on my pumpkin explosion story ok, because it’s traumatic and I’m still withering from the disgusting smell. Also it happened while I was home alone, therefore dousing the pantry with cleaner to try and get rid of the odour while considering renting a kayak and disappearing into the mountain river system.

Anyway.

We’re actually here to talk about books, believe it or not (since apparently I DO run a book blog). And I have said it quite a few times but: I AVOID LONG BOOKS. It is a bit ridiculous because I’ll read two 300-page books in 2 days but I hate reading one 600-page book in 2 days. Does it make sense? No. Will I eventually out grow this and get some sense? Also no.

(ILLOGICAL) REASONS I AVOID LONG BOOKS

• I actually have lost my attention span as I get older wow were did it go.
• I like ticking off my TBR fast ah ahah, sorry, this is a terrible confession. But I can tick off 2 smaller books faster = makes me feel industrious.
• Most long books just seem to draaaag. Like if you can’t say it fast, then I WANT TO KNOW WHY.
• They’re huge and my hands are so smol.
• They’re DAUNTING.
• Seriously, it could’ve been edited much shorter…
• If I don’t like the book = I’m stuck with it forever because I finish everything I read ugh.
• If I drop one on my face while reading, I will die.

However I DO like a lot of long books and I DO have a lot of long books on my TBR that I want to read!! But am avoiding them!! Which leads us to:

Let me just list 10 Really Long Books that I haven’t read yet, but WANT TO SOMEDAY.

Probably. And also yes I’m aware 500pages is probably not “long” to some people, but it is to me so laugh at me, ok, but softly as I am delicate.

 

Top Ten Tuesday [Longest Books I’ve Ever Read]…I’m twisting the prompt just a little. REBELLION ARRIVES.

 

1. THE ASSASSIN’S APPRENTICE

Page Count: 490

Okay laugh at me, because this isn’t even 500 pages sO WHAT AM I WHINING ABOUT??? Well, sir, I whine about everything. Just give me a chance and I will come through. But I also just find epic fantasy really daunting at the moment. Getting into worlds and staying focused…ahhhh. Watch my brain fritz.

However I fully intend to start some Hobb books soon because my friend adores them!!

2. THE SECRET HISTORY

Page Count: 600

So I’m not even sure I’d like this because it’s adult and kind of literary isn’t it??? But I’ve heard it’s about dysfunctional teen squads and the blurb also indicates they all end up betraying and corrupting each other which is honestly what I am here for. SLYTHERINS??? DO I SEE YOU???

I’m so so undecided about this one bUT YET…

 

 

3. REPLICA

Page Count: 520

I actually got this one at a library sale for 50cents!! And it is so huge…so so huge. I actually love a love/hate relationship with Lauren Oliver books so I will probably just look at this one and scream vaguely at it for the next 15 years.

Why must it be so long though.

 

 

4. JONATHAN STRANGE & MR. NORRELL

Page Count: 1,006

Why are adult book covers so freaking boring though. It’s like all the cover designers got together and were all: “Ok adulthood sucks so let’s make sure book covers reflect that so no one thinks there’s any possibility of fun.”

Anyway. This is about books isn’t it? I’m 99% sure it’s about books and magic and that is what I aspire to in life. BUT AT 1000 FLIPPING PAGES LONG. what the heck and why the heck.

5. TALES FROM THE SHADOWHUNTER ACADEMY

Page Count: 670

Now I’m just being a little wilted daisy here because I love Shadowhunter books. ALL OF THEM. I’m so obsessed with Lady Midnight and that series is clocking well about 600 per book.

But yet (sobbing) I’m just finding it hard to start this one because it’s so looooong.

I shall procrastinate a little more until it, perhaps, gets smaller over time. This seems logical.

6. CITY OF BRASS

Page Count: 533

I mean look at that freaking cover!! LOOK AT IT!! This book is so pretty you would name your kid after it! Or, like, your goldfish or something. But moving forward! I was so excited for it until I got an ARC in an Illumicrate box and…it…is…huge.

I keep waiting for it to magically transfer its words —> to my head —> without me stressing over the page count, but it has yet to happen. Rude.

 

7. BRIDGE OF CLAY

Page Count: 592

Look at these adult covers go again. DO WE NOT DESERVE GLITTER WHEN WE ARE OVER THE AGE OF 25???? But regardless, I was so lucky to get sent a surprise ARC of this and … I’m only slightly panicking that I haven’t read it yet. I was going to read this via audio (I find long books much more manageable that way) SO THIS CRISIS ISN’T EVEN MY FAULT.

Also my ARC says “most anticipated book of the decade” and pfft, um, excuse you? My book was the most anticipated of the decade. I mean, for me and my dog and my mum probably. But still. Settle down there, Clay.

8. BEFORE SHE IGNITES

Page Count: 480

I could’ve sworn this would’ve been like seventy billion pages long because the hardcover sure looks like it? Anyway. Apparently not. Apparently I’m panicking over nothing.

I actually got this in an Owlcrate box and it’s about DRAGONS so whyyyyy have I failed my own good name and not read it?! It’s not even over 500 omg.

 

9. THE QUEENS OF INNIS LEAR

Page Count: 570

Ok to be fair, I actually (1) used to think this was YA but it isn’t, and (2) I realised reading a retelling of King Lear might not make sense if you don’t know the original, um, at all.  ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ I’M SMART, I TELL YOU. So I was going to buy this one, but it’s being pushed further and further to the bottom of my list.

I don’t know if I’ll ever read it?? Or if I will just complain recreationally.

 

10. THE PRIORY OF THE ORANGE TREE

Page Count: 840

Now this isn’t out till February 2019!! So It’s not like it’s on my TBR actively yet. But I’m so torn?!! I didn’t like The Bone Season but tHIS HAS DRAGONS. And the author is awesome on twitter, making me feel like an overturned codfish for not liking The Bone Season. I realise I don’t make sense, shh.

When I get back from panicked sobbing about the fREAKING PAGE COUNT I will probably try and read this! It has DRAGONS and hopefully oranges which are delicious. I don’t actually understand the title at all…? But I do love orange.

And psst before you go, just know that I DO love some long books incredibly much! I’m not a total limp seaweed spiral! So here are some I’ve read and adored and wouldn’t miss a page.

       

 

hey! chat with me!

do you like or avoid long books? what do you consider a daunting page count?? tell me which of these are still on your TBR too?! should i hurry up and read some?? HELP

As I’ve said quite often: authors are mystical beings whom I revere and therefore avoid talking to at all costs.

I should also mention two things here: (1) I am an author, so I am in the midst of avoiding myself at all costs, and (2) I misspelled “mystical” and autocorrect wanted me to go with “hysterical” and I’m like…where is the lie.

Most authors = mystical wondrous beings.
Me, as an author = hYSTERICAL

Now I’m also very very very shy. Many people don’t believe me when I say it, because I’m very outgoing online, but I’ve worked up to this! Talking to people in real life?!? AH HAHAHA HA NO. So when other bookworms are all “Oh I’m dying to meet my favourite author”…I am over here, dying to not meet anyone. (I have social anxiety eep.)

Online I am marginally better at making connections. All my very closest friends are people I’ve met exclusively online. And I WILL work up courage now and then to talk to authors. Although I most adore them from a distance. I mean that’s the obvious conclusion right??? If you admire someone you absolutely and entirely IGNORE THEM.

Self five.

Now it’s time to tell you about 10 Online Author Interactions I’ve had that didn’t end up with me turning into demon smoke and vanishing. Which is a very very real thing I do.

This is actually a part 2! And you can see part 1 here, where I confess to talking to Cornelia Funke, Jennifer Niven, Derek Landy, and Leigh Bardugo on twitter in the past. (Spoiler: I DIED.)

 

I’m also twisting the Top Ten Tuesday prompt of “Authors I’d Love to Meet”  ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

 

1. LAINI TAYLOR

So no big deal but LAINI THE QUEEN TAYLOR congratulated me on my debut novel’s release and I just….!!!!! I mean she also follows me on twitter and this is totally unrelated to me becoming a truly dedicated fan who would be eaten by a leviathan in some far mystical realm for her. Totally unrelated.

AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

(No but seriously. As a debut author who largely gets ignored by most writers now for reasons I am completely lost by…THIS means everything.)

2. AKEMI DAWN BOWMAN

She’s also a new(ish) author too and I know has anxiety so I thought, “Ok!! Anxious people unite!” Which is hilarious considering anxious people do not unite…we hide from each other. But regardless, when Akemi posted about some things she wished she’d known in her debut year (a totally encouraging and incredible post by the way) I actually replied and said how helpful the post was!

AND SHE REPLIED BACK.

Awww!! And she’s excited about my book, which (by the by) you should read Starfish because it is actually a little similar to A Thousand Perfect Notes. They would make good friends.

3. KAYLA ANCRUM

Now you ALL KNOW how much I adore and love The Wicker King to the point where I’ve read it twice this year and frequently look at it upon my bookshelves and let out a high, keening wail. (This is true love, obviously.) I never actually tag the author in all my flails because I am shy. So shy. So ridiculously shy…

Anyhow, this happened:

I’M SOBBING. I LOVE HER SO MUCH. (Also 10000% respect that her author photo doesn’t face the camera either. Kinship here omg.)

(Also I find it hilarious how I’m like “Oh authors won’t see me being a flailing fangirl haha!” when I, as an author, search hashtags for my books to spy on people flailing. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ It’s like my logic has holidays, and these holidays are 363 days of the year.)

4. JAY KRISTOFF

He’s really cool ok and famous and I think as tall as 17 people on top of each other. I think I must’ve been fuelled by the power of the new moon (when I am at my strongest) because I replied to a tweet of his randomly. (I think his reply was just a laugh but I only screeshot this much.)

ALSO EVERYONE ELSE THINKS I’M FUNNY TOO I GUESS.

(Also the audio of Nevernight truly is fantastic but also not something you listen to while eating lunch, as I discovered while wondering why my sandwich wasn’t so appealing whilst listening to gory bloodbath scenes.)

5. NEIL GAIMAN

This is absolutely cheating because a retweet doesn’t count as an “author interaction”. But WHO CARES. NEIL GAIMAN RETWEETED ME THIS ONE TIME AND I IMMEDIATELY FOUND THE DOOR TO ANOTHER DARK DIMENSION AND GREW MAGIC BUTTON EYES.

6. RACHEL CAINE

I was super lucky to be on the blog tour for her latest book, Smoke & Iron, and might’ve fangirled quite a little in my blog post. And by “quite a little”, I mean “I splattered my flailing all over the place.”

I hopefully can work this into, like, my resume or something. SKILLS INCLUDE: MAKING AUTHORS SNORT THEIR MORNING COFFEE WHILE LAUGHING. I have peaked.

7. CJ REDWINE

Two things first: (1) this was actually on instagram and I very nearly died, and (2) if I had a glorious name like “CJ REDWINE” I would be writing epic magical fantasy too. Her name is the name of perfection, I swear.

This made me perfectly DIZZY WITH FLAILS. Seriously I can’t even say how much it means when a famous author says congrats to a little tiny newbie.!!! I’m still screaming softly. Forever!! AHH!

8. ELIZABETH MAY

We actually follow each other on twitter too and I so admire the way she doesn’t take nonsense from sexist/racist men. What a complete and utter hero omg. (Also I was super excited when she tweeted that she was on the autistic spectrum too! Absolute proof yet again that autistic authors can be traditionally published. Let none tell you otherwise!)

ANYWAY SHE BOUGHT MY BOOK, NO BIG DEAL. I’M FINE.

9. JULIA EMBER

It’s always excellent to know that I’m not the only one who thinks writing blurbs is an indignant sort of torture. I’m still waiting for publishers and agents to accept pitches via pinterest aesthetic boards and a list of what Hogwarts Houses my characters are in. BUT ANYWAY.

Julia Ember is clearly amazing!! She talked to me!!! Of course she is!!

10. NADINE BRANDES

I think Nadine is possibly the kindest and sweetest person ever?! She actually emails with me on occasion and has encouraged me so much during my debut year. I CRY. I am so grateful. Also (1) Fawkes is brilliant and I love it so much, and (2) she’s hilarious on instagram AND youtube so omg go follow her.

I mean no no no you’re crying about this afjdkslad these are definitely not tears on my face, it is just some odd reflection of the light. (But seriously NADINE IS SO KIND TO ME.)

things we can take away from this post?

★ I am a FANGIRLING DORK and I love it and I love promoting authors and books and am unlikely to stop.
★ Authors are magical creatures.
★ Whilst I am shy of talking to authors, you can 100% be sure not to be shy of me because I’m literally a faNGIRLING DORK. We’ve already established this. Come fangirl with me please. About all things bookish.
★ it is pretty apparent that saying 2 nice words to me will ensure I am a fan for life.
★ I have no idea how to be a proper professional author but I am, absolutely, very cute. So that counts for something.
★ And lastly, I will NOT be telling these authors I gushed about them lmao, so don’t you dare either.

 

also you can DEFINITELY take away the fact that I am super awkward! so you have utter permission to be super awkward around me! (in other words, don’t be shy of me ah hahaha. we are fRIENDS around here)

hey so chat with me!

do you talk to authors very often online?? are you very shy? have you met authors in REAL life also?? and lastly: are you more of a mystical or hysterical being?

One thing I say quite often is “Oh I love this author SO MUCH and want to read everything they ever write!”

Which is very heartfelt of me but also such a huge lie, WOW CAIT. I mean the wanting part isn’t the lie. I do want to read everything they ever write. But most of the time I (A) have ample opportunity to do so as they often have plenty of backlist titles, and yet (B) I proceed to do exactly nothing.

Why??? Why.

Well I made a vague list to make myself feel justified…so here we are:

REASONS I MIGHT NOT HAVE READ ALL BOOKS BY A FAVOURITE AUTHOR

☆ what if I don’t like it as much as the other books of theirs I’ve loved???
☆ their other titles actually aren’t interesting to me? mY BAD
☆ genuinely haven’t. had. a. chance. yet. THERE ARE SO MANY BOOKS TO READ.
☆ I CAN’T FIND IT ANYWHERE. WHERE IS IT. COME BAAAAAACK INTO PRINT.
☆ I’m procrastinating it for genuinely no good reason. This is just who i am as a person.
☆ I didn’t realise they had more books out…because apparently I never pay attention to anything.

Regardless of all those pretty excuses…I really need to get my life together and read more of my favourite authors’ books!! So today I’m writing a little list of ones I need to get to. Soon!! I vaguely promise!!

I actually posted about this last year so this is pretty much part 2! (Last time I mentioned VE Schwab, Patrick Ness Cassandra Clare, Rick Riordan, Neal Shusterman etc etc.) Have things improved from that list now? Lmao. No. But I will mention DIFFERENT authors this time! Just to see how deeply out of control I am!

 

Top Ten Tuesday: Books By My Favourite Authors That I Still Haven’t Read

1. SUZANNE COLLINS

Aww, I love The Hunger Games! I owe them so much! They not only got me into YA and therefore blogging and I discovered Maggie Stiefvater (aka my favourite author of life) through them so they have a super special place in my heart.

(Awww! Look at me go! I even admitted I have a heart! Cold and gnarly though it be.)

I actually didn’t even KNOW there was so many Gregor books ha. And the first didn’t appeal to me at all. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

2. LAINI TAYLOR

I love her writing. I’m actually in the midst of rereading Strange the Dreamer and then I’m onto Muse of Nightmares (I’m so freaking lucky my publisher sent me an ARC. Like, mate, author perks of being with an epic publisher.) And I’m so ridiculously in love with the prose?! The style. The characters?! The way the descriptions literally melt in your mouth ahhhhhHHH!H!!!!!

Um, so awkward moment here, but I didn’t even realise she’d written books prior to Daughter of Smoke And Bone. I have failed myself here wow.

I genuinely want to read THEM ALL THOUGH NOW…even though I didn’t even realise she wrote faerie books until 2 seconds ago while getting this post together. Haha…oops.

3. RENEE AHEDIEH

I’m just annoyed at myself about this because I loved The Wrath and the Dawn…fully best read of 2015 (WOAH back when the dinosaurs roamed) but yet I haven’t touched a single other of her books and she has 4 more???? When I went to write this post, I actually thought there were only two more. So they’re popping out of the sNOW LIKE DAISIES NOW.

 

4. KIERSTEN WHITE

There are some authors who pretty much don’t sleep. THAT’S THE ONLY CONCLUSION I CAN DRAW WOW. Anyway this actually gives me hope because I can’t sleep and like to write things about stabbing so hopefully (!) I will grow up to be like Kiersten White.

I love the Conqueror’s Saga books so much (Lada, stabbing! Radu, cinnamon perfection!) and I’m really excited for Elizabeth Frankenstein…except for that cover. It makes my skin crawl. Apparently people love it?? I might read it as an ebook and save myself. Ha. Yes I am weak apparently.

5. HANNAH MOSKOWITZ

I love finding authors who don’t write “normal” things…like bE STILL MY BEATING HEART. I love how her books are full of monsters and claws and sad boys and sharp girls and so so much diversity and have odd plots that totally capture my heart. Never over Teeth. NEVER OVER IT. That, um, person sobbing in the corner is someone…else.

I actually struggle to find her books for sale in Australia though. What is this failure of a planet we reside on.

(Also ANOTHER AUTHOR WHO DOESN’T SLEEP??)

6. BENJAMIN ALIRE SÁENZ

Most of his backlist titles are in Spanish, adult fiction, or poetry collections sooo…I don’t even know if I’d go back and try to read some?? Maybe this is awful to admit, but I’m really only interested in his new books (AKA THE SEQUEL TO ARI AND DANTE OMG COME TO ME PLEASE).

Although it is nice to remember that authors did, indeed, exist before 2014 when I started reading YA widely. Who would have thought.

 

7. MARIE RUTKOSKI

Honestly I think I’ll get the award for being the person most surprised by my own post…?? But I had no idea she had other books! I’m actually waiting desperately for her to announce new books because I neeeeeed more. (It’s also been two years?! Which is practically a lifetime for someone who is very very short. Shh. This is logical.) Her older ones appear to be mostly MG too which I don’t usually gravitate to honestly.