BEST NEW FANTASY OF THE YEAR

[@asmrglow]

I feel you on the YA not clicking much! I’m 29 now and I can’t relate anymore to YA characters so I find myself almost avoiding those now, but I just bought Bonesmith because of you haha I feel like I may like it!!!

[@JP-1990]

I feel the same about most anime now. I'm 33 and I simply don't relate to teenagers that make up the bulk of anime protagonists. On top of that, it feels like every year the adult characters are decreasing in maturity.

[@kartik3719]

The exclusive chapter in the Fairyloot edition of Divine Rivals was so beautiful 🥹

[@CathysEnchantedReads]

I got 'bone smith' thanks to your recommendation, I also read Divine rivals and I loved it! The throrns remain I don't own, but the other two are ordered and I'll be reading them soon. Thank you so much for this video ^^

[@sailingonasummerbreeze7892]

Thank you for your intelligent insights. I admire how well spoken and well read you are! I have been looking for new books to read, this has given me some great insight.

[@christy2935]

I read Bonesmith this month and it was such a good read. I'm the same as you on the YA books where I can't get into anything that feels too young, and this didn't feel young at all. It was a lot fun. I still need to read the rest of your recs here though. A new release I haven't seen mentioned anywhere that I really enjoyed is Dark Water Daughter by H.M. Long. It's a fantasy with a feel of the 1700s where the main character is a stormsinger, she can control the wind and weather. They're highly valued for their skills and she's caught and sold. She ends up allying with pirate hunters, one of whom is a seer. It's a really well developed world with a strong, fun story. There were a few twists I didn't expect too.

[@mariyalevchenko100]

I read the thorns remain based on your recommendation and I looooved it ended up being a five star ❤ and I did get that deeper connection with the story in the way Moira Jean and her friends wanted to escape the grief death and general drudgery of life and the Fae kind of offering a way out but at a cost. This book really made me feel things and I'm so glad I followed your recommendation

[@JohnSaxon-vw5vi]

Thank you for sharing your amazing books 📚 and looking forward to reading some of them as well prayers and blessings to you and your husband and your beautiful puppy 🐶 love your Aussie family friend and supporter John ❤❤❤

[@ScientistsReadingWorld]

I feel the same! more and more the YA makes me fell it is always the same but I love it when I find a different one! I would say One dark window felt that way to me it says it's a YA but for me, it was more an NA.

[@Angeleyes672006]

I had read The Thorne Remains and I definitely get what you're saying. It was really deep and honestly, it took me a few days to pick up a new book. It was really good and I can't believe it only has a 3.5 on Goodreads!

[@Zivilin]

My favourite this year is the vampire the masquerade compilation Walk Among by Genevieve Gornichec, Cassandra Khaw, & Caitlin Starling. Been enjoying the audiobook of it this month.

[@GentleReader01]

I’ve got in my queue. I’m a fan of the authors and the game.

[@kathleenwheeler5573]

I picked up Bonesmith and I’m really enjoying it. Really enjoy Wren. Thanks for the recommendation. Divine Rivals is on my TBR. BTW, The last several books that I have really enjoyed have all been recommended by you.

[@talltalereads]

i LOVED the thorns remain, definitely see what you mean about the deeper meanings! in addition to those things, I also interpreted a lot of it as an allegory for the queer experience, especially during that time period.

[@CarolineMolyneux4491]

Ah, so happy! I bought a copy of The Thorn Remains in a sale without knowing anything about it. Sounds like I'm going to really enjoy it

[@moev29]

Bought Bonesmith on your recommendation but have a massive physical TBR so I haven’t got to it yet. I really need to.

[@kitfairchild9784]

Divine Rivals is You've Got Mail meets WWI-inspired fantasy world with gods that have Hades/Persephone vibes.

[@Laf631]

I've been rereading my physical library (out of shelf space, need to figure out what stays), and I've found that the YA books that are very of their time have not held up well (e.g. stories that were cashing in on the Hunger Games trend), but ones that deal with more universal themes and creative worlds have been great to revisit. I feel like a lot of new YA is in the former category of just trying to cash in on booktok trends, so having that realization helped explain why I'm not into the genre so much these days.

[@MichelleReadsandVlogs]

I also liked The Thorns Remain! (Rated 4* on GoodReads). …. Thanks for sharing your top reads 😊

[@misternegative4918]

My favorite new book this year has been the Book that Wouldn’t Burn. Loved it

[@judycarrasco74]

I love Divine Rivals so much! But I have not heard of Bone Smith - I will check it out.

[@robinmixon6999]

I read Bonesmith because of you. I agree - new adult. I gave it 4 stars. I also loved that the romance did not overwhelm the story. It is there but political intrigue and multiple plot twists have me excited for the sequel.

[@hellothisismo]

I was thinking about it a few days ago and when I think about Divine Rivals I think about The Undertaking of Hart and Mercy meets Howl's Moving Castle somehow, but the Wonder Woman comp also makes a lot of sense!

[@saramm3765]

Im excited to read Divine Rivals and the final book in Once Upon a Broken Heaet but overall the only YA I enjoy anymore are dark retellings or YA horror (because I can't handle adult horror).

[@mischarowe]

I'm still slowly slogging through the Mistborn trilogy but I've finally got my eye on Small Favors by Erin A. Craig (to read; it's been on my TBR for a good while). Wish me luck in finishing it. :)

[@JayGTheAwkwardBookworm]

I really want to read both Divine Rivals and Bone Smith!

[@TheBookishMom]

I am planning on picking up The Bone Smith soon, I have my pretty copy and really want to get to it soon, I mean I did love Crown of Feathers so I have high(ish) hopes for it~

[@rebelwolf378]

I bought Yumi and the Nightmare Painter and I'm halfway through it already. I love it! I can't put it down! Lol. I bought it after watching your video review on it. I had to read it when you said that it was inspired by Final Fantasy 10. I love that game. Final Fantasy 7 is my favorite but Final Fantasy 10 is really awesome too.

[@hellbender27]

Do you do book readings for new authors?

[@jessezigg]

I've not read any of the Secret Projects yet, but I found it interesting that you referenced them feeling kinda YA. Sanderson has been working on a lot of Middle Grade novels/series for a while, so it doesn't surprise me that his adult novels might land in more of a YA realm.

[@kierleanne4066]

I have not read any Sanderson yet - would it be fair to start with Yumi and the Nightmare Painter? I never know where to start with his works

[@GwenCooper-l1b]

Thanks for the great video, I am really looking forward to getting Divine Rivals in my Nov BOTM box! I also read, and really enjoyed, Immortal Longings by Chloe Gong. It was my first read of hers becuase I typically steer clear of YA.😊

[@andreassundberg9426]

Which story is the picture in your thumbnail from? Looks really interesting

[@lisapt6702]

I realize this is a bit late, but the picture looks like fan art for Yumi and the Nightmare Painter

[@andreassundberg9426]

@@lisapt6702 thank you!

[@neiltaylor513]

A lot of these reviews bring to mind a Telegraph article (pretty recently) where publishers are actively publishing either female or none not white authors or story centred, and discriminating if you are not. it is something I’ve seen myself for a long time in lists of monthly published fantasy, where the high percent 8/10 are either female authors or the hero of the story is female.

[@thewitchyreader6131]

Great Video!

[@DarkTwistedReads]

YA has always been a hit or miss for me. Some YA books that I've read were really good, and others I've just straight up DNF'd. I think that the "non-clicking with it" depends on the actual writing itself. I hate whiney MC's. 🤷🏼‍♀️

[@Pandas_and_Books]

I will respectfully disagree about Divine Rivals. Whilst it did explore heavier themes than YA typically does, I felt like it was held back by being YA as that exploration was very surface level.

[@nat6098]

I'm in my 30s now so most ya loses me, but I did like Divine Rivals. I find too many ya novels dumb things down which is pretty awful because teens can be very intelligent and handle complex stories.

[@d.edwardmeade3683]

😁👍❤