u/119dots

I love epic fantasy books and I love romance, but I can rarely find a crossover that does both aspects justice.

I'm sick of seeing sloppy romantasy books with poor prose, weak worldbuilding, underdeveloped characters, and cliche plots that just reuse tropes. On the other hand, I also have a hard time finding a well-written, high-stakes epic fantasy that features a central love story unfolding beautifully. Alchemised by SenLinYu is a perfect example of what I'm looking for. I now need a book to scratch the same itch.

It doesn't need to be strictly fantasy. Scifi, dystopian, etc. recs are all great too.

I also love a good tearjerker. Thanks in advance!

I just read {Normal by Danielle Pearl} last night. The story takes place in a new high school after some traumatic stuff goes down for the fmc (Rory) in her hometown. Throughout the book, we get a series of flashbacks to show what had happened a year prior, and I actually loved the chemistry between Rory and her childhood best friend (Cam) much more than the actual mmc (Sam), who she meets at her new school >!after Cam dies.!< If anyone has read the book (or not) I'm looking for a different book with a similar dynamic between the characters.

I'd love to read about a really sweet, respectful, and protective mmc who has always loved the fmc, but holds himself back because the fmc is oblivious. I love when they make jokes and are teasingly flirty, but still have a super deep emotional connection.

I just love books with emotional depth.

Jealousy, yearning, tension, angst... I'm all for the buildup and slow burn. Spice is okayyy as long as it doesn't over throw the entire plot. I'd also prefer a high school/college setting.

In {Normal}, Rory actually started dating this other guy before she realized she has romantic feelings for Cam. I loved how, even when she was in an (albeit very toxic) relationship, she knew she could still 100% depend on Cam for support and to be there for her when shit hit the fan. Their chemistry was genuinely off the charts. I literally dnfed the second book cuz I was so pissed that Cam wasn't the mmc lmao.

Anyways, thanks in advance!

Hi all! So I recently (as in 3 months ago) read Alchemised, and it really altered my brain chemistry. I've been reading tons of books trying to chase the feeling of reading it for the first time, but I just feel like nothing comes close!

What makes Alchemised stand out for me is just how immersive everything is -- the emotional turmoil and worldbuilding, in particular. I remember the week I was reading it, real life quite literally felt like a daze to me. I was living more within the book than in reality, to the point where finishing the book felt like losing a part of my soul. Dramatic. I know.

But it's for this reason that a lot of romantasy books feel almost "childish" in comparison. I've tried reaching for more epic fantasy that could potentially draw me into the setting and plot on that same level (The Poppy War series, The Poet Empress, etc.) -- and I loved them -- but the problem is that I still want romance to be a main part of the story. I live for the back-and-forths, the yearning, vulnerability, trust, angst, and utter chaos of what it means to be in love.

A lot of the times, books push this narrative that characters are "meant to be" or "fated", but what stood out to me in Alchemised is that >!Helena and Kaine found each other under bleak and unlikely circumstances, and clung to one another because that is all they had.!< It's tragic and realistic.

So to summarize, what I'm looking for is:
- Dark, morally ambiguous fantasy/sci-fi/dystopian fiction
- Heavy themes that really get you reflecting
- Maybe more atmospheric writing; emphasis on evocating moods/describing psychology of characters
- F/M romance (less spice, but high intimacy if ykwim)
- Preferably enemies/reluctant allies/strangers to lovers (no insta-lust I beg of you)
- Please no bitchy fmc, I love Helena's altruism and can relate to how she is introverted (but any personality type is fine as long as they aren't unnecessarily mean or whiny)

Sorry for my pickiness. I just can't stop thinking about this book and really need something to scratch the itch.