u/acutelyproblematic

✨Welcome to another week of genre discussions!✨

Let’s chat main characters. Often in fantasy romance there’s an emphasis on magical or physical abilities that sets apart the MC from the rest of the world.

In your opinion, what makes an MC compelling beyond physical and magical abilities?

This could be character traits, values, relationships with others, or even physical traits depending on your own interpretations.

Remember to use > ! spoiler tags ! < with no spaces when going in-depth about book plots.

✨Welcome back to another week of genre discussions!✨

I think this thread is a good opportunity to discuss the ongoing wave of AI and its use in creative spaces (gross, I know).

Where do you draw the line, and what’s your reaction or response to it in reading spaces? Examples: boycotting, educating others, maybe nothing at all, etc.

There’s a lot of different ways it’s showing up in the genre right now. Through book art, the words itself, or as writing prompts/brain storming for authors.

Do you view all these the same way, or is there distinctions for you?

I’m not wanting to start a dogpile on authors or users, so please be respectful. I am genuinely curious about perspectives and whether or not your opinion has changed over the last few years.

✨Welcome back to another week of genre discussions!✨

Let’s chat unpopular favourite series. What’s a series you have rated 5⭐️ on Goodreads or Stroygraph that is rated the lowest?

Hoping for some validation here because my book, that’s chronically trashed by the mod team, won this round 🤣

Bonus points if you can explain why this is five stars despite the overall low rating from your reading platform!

✨Welcome back to another week of genre discussions!✨

Let’s chat series length. What’s your ideal series length? Maybe you fall in love with a world and never want to leave or you’re on book 6 ready to dnf because why is this taking so long…

Some other questions to consider:
- At what point does a series start feeling too long?
- Have you ever quit a series because it just kept going?
- On the flip side, what’s a series you wish had more books?

Happy chatting!📖🦄✨

✨Welcome back to another week of genre discussions!✨

Fantasy romance has a way of making the absolutely ridiculous feel completely reasonable, and I think most of don’t even bat an eye. What’s something that would sound unhinged to a non-reader, but barely makes you blink anymore?

A few examples to get us started:
• “Touch her and die” is still somehow effective every single time.
• A 500-year-old immortal falling for a 22-year-old somehow isn’t the weirdest part of the plot
• Wings apparently never make sitting in chairs awkward

What’s yours? The more specific the better 👀

Since we’re waiting for that announcement, I thought this would be a fun game.

What’s your prediction for the next ACOTR book title? I saw someone say “A Court of Waiting and Wondering” and cackled.

Also feel free to give a non-satire guess. I just thought this would be a fun way to blow steam while the book title remains unknown so close to the release date lol

✨Welcome back to another week of genre discussions!✨

This week let’s chat characters. In your opinion, who is the worst fantasy romance character you’ve come across and why?

This can be a character that’s extremely annoying, perhaps a terrible villain that can’t villain properly, or any character you feel doesn’t get criticized enough.

Please remember to use the > ! spoiler tag ! < when discussing details about a book.

Welcome back to another week of ✨genre discussions!✨

This week I wanna know what book (or books👀) had everyone exhausted for life the next day and why! This was a book you could not put it down no matter how much the clock judged you from your bedside, and the ending was (hopefully) thoroughly worth the sleep deprivation.

Old & new releases welcome! Please remember to hide your spoilers using > ! This format with no spaces ! <. Looking forward to expanding my reading list through this discussion 👹

✨Welcome back to another week of genre discussions!✨

This week, the genre thread just so happened to land on Canada Day. So I am calling all Canadian readers (and anyone who loves/knows of books inspired by Canada)! Share:

- Your favourite Canadian fantasy romance author or book written by a Canadian author📚
- A fantasy romance set in or inspired by Canada 🌲
- What fantasy creature you think would secretly live in Canada 🐉

(Please note, the mod team is passionate about learning from different countries since we’re from all over the world ourselves too. This particular thread, if there’s interest, will help us work on new thread ideas from other cultures and countries)

The weekend is HERE!👏

Which means if you’re in a reading slump you’re probably staring at that pile of to-be-read books you purchased, or maybe hiding your ereader so you don’t feel guilty about not reading (and you shouldn’t feel guilty, we all need breaks even from our hobbies).

But if you’re here it probably means you’re seeking help from your fellow book lovers on how to get escape this hellscape (pushing 1 year for me so same).

So I ask this resourceful community once a month on a Friday when I don’t forget to post the thread:

How do you get out of a reading slump? Is there a specific book you recommend one reads when slumping? Alternative activity? Perhaps a support line I can call 🥲

General encouragement, validation, and recommendations are welcome! This is a place to whine about the slump, even if you’re not looking for advice 💖

Welcome back to another week of ✨genre discussions!✨

What’s your fantasy romance ick? Could be something that makes you instantly dnf, or you have to pretend like that didn’t just happen. Or you boycott altogether.

Could be related to plot, characters, writing styles, the authors themselves. All cards are on the table.

Just remember to be kind to each other when discussing differences in opinions!💖

Welcome back to another week of ✨genre discussions!✨

Let’s chat your why! Maybe you read the one-off fantasy romance title between other genres, but you eventually circle back. Maybe you are a fantasy romance addict (like myself 👀) and your friends keep trying to branch you out with recs unrelated, but there’s something about this genre that keeps pulling you in.

What about fantasy romance that keeps you invested in reading this genre?

I just finished {Crown Me Yours by Liv Zander} and wowza, I’m unwell.

I have some conflicted feelings with the ending, and firmly believe it’s not a HEA. Don’t get me wrong, it is a gut wrenchingly beautiful book. The meaning and metaphor behind this book is so heartbreakingly relatable and human.

But the world building just didn’t support the ending the readers got. How can >!Death create a curse out of grief and despair, bring people back from the dead, is considered a God, but has no way of finding a solution for his mortal love?!<

I guess we could argue that the ending serves as an example of the lesson the book is providing, and yeah okay I agree. BUT I’M REALLY UPSET RIGHT NOW AND I JUST NEED SOME DISCUSSION VALIDATION OKAY 😭

Has anyone else read this book? Thoughts? Feelings? Tissues???? Cause I sure as hell need them 💔

✨Welcome back to another week of genre discussions!✨

Let’s chat fantasy romance book covers. What is your take on the book cover art (non-special editions or third party makers) for this genre?

Do you like it? Hate it? Avoid a book if you see certain things on a page? Or perhaps the opposite, and certain elements draw you in?

(Please note when I say art, I mean art. Not AI generated visuals)

✨Welcome back to another week of genre discussions!✨

Last week, we chatted about which fantasy romance couple wouldn’t survive therapy, this week let’s discuss the opposite.

Which fantasy romance couple do you believe has a chance in real life to work through conflict and make a realistic couple on page?

Maybe they’re immune to the miscommunication trope, perhaps they’re not a raging red flag. Which couple do you vote and why?

✨Welcome back to another week of genre discussions!✨

Let’s chat unconventional couples. I’m not asking who you dislike. I’m asking which couples are absolute cinema on page but would emotionally combust within 3 business days in real life should they have to work through their shit the “normal” way.

Examples can include character traits, communication style (or lack thereof), perhaps other influencing factors such as secondary characters.

Only one rule: if you’re dropping a couple, be prepared to back it up with why you think that!