The Assassin's Apprentice - Robin Hobb
The entire Realm of the Elderlings, really, belongs on this shelf. To say that I adore these books is a hell of an understatement.
I am always thinking about these characters, I am always thinking about their stories!!
I am purposefully reading them slowly, because I don't want this 16-book series to finish too quickly, so that's saying something!
These books just have some of the best characters I've ever met. They are all so alive and real and flawed!! And Fitz! OH, Fitz! The most wreched protagonist to ever live! The stupidest guy!! Fitz is my favourite character ever. Therapist would have a fucking field day with this guy. I love him so much your honor.
The Liveship Traders - Robin Hobb
"Hey, Willow", I hear you say, "Isn't this part of the series to the left? why are you including it twice?" Ah, good question, it's because this sub-series absolutely rearranged my brain.
I have always loved ships! I have always loved stories about sailors and pirates and the sea! So when you hand me a book about a ship who TALKS?? Listen, some people say that you can skip this trilogy when youre reading the ROTE books, and I genuinely SHUDDER to think that I might've missed out on reading these books.
The characters!!!! I have never hated and loved any characters more. Kennet is the juciest character, an absolute JOY to read and a masterclass in using multiple POVs to your advantage. Malta in the first book! Oh, how I have never hated a 12 year old so much! Oh, how badly I wished to enact violence on that child!!! Wintrow! Althea! The entire Vestrit family! Brashen!
I need to make a shrine to these books holy shit
A Certain Hunger - Chelsea G. Summers
Another book that rearranged my brain. I love reading long, flowery, descriptive passages about food. I love reading about incredibly fucked up women, and even more I love reading their twisted rationalisations. So you tell me this is a book about a cannibalistic food critic and well, of course I'm going to love it.
In all seriousness our narrator is unhinged, and you have to be down to simply enjoy the ride. I have sent passages from this book to my friends because it's so outrageous, and no normal person would EVER say that, but of course, our narrator Dorothy is anything but normal. She is insufferable, she is a snob, she is an awful person, and I have a lot of fun reading her story.
ALSO irrelevant to the book really, but the faber and faber book cover is actually a crime and I hope whoever approved it was fired, I'm being so serious.
Nightbitch - Rachel Yoder
Like many women in their mid-late 20's I have somewhat complex feelings about motherhood. What will become of me, if I choose to have children? This book soothed this question for me, and though thinking too hard about whether or not to have kids still freaks me out, I appreciate the vision of motherhood this book paints.
Also, the movie is fine and does its best but the book is better. Sometimes not being a visual medium really serves the story, and this is one of those times.
Slow Days, Fast Company - Eve Babitz
Conjures images so clearly that I felt like I was there. Just a fantastic 'people in places' novel, like a friend telling you stories about what they've been up to.
An Enchantment of Ravens - Margaret Rogerson
I sent a lot of passages from this book to my boyfriend like "wow these guys entire dynamic sure seems familiar huh?" so i guess maybe I'm biased, of course I love this book, of course I love this relationship, and of course I love the characters!
Gilded Wolves - Roshani Chokshi
Oh how hard I fall in love with a merry band of misfits!! I love the world building of this series so much. The vibes are incredible, the relationships feel real, the locations are crystal clear in my brain long after the plot is forgotten. And the magic! Wonderful.
