Recs if you like Cinder...

Disclaimer: I don't wish to bring hate to any authors, I deeply believe in democracy. However I think it's important for people who hold themselves accountable for their reading choices to have access to the information about authors/books they give their time and money to. These are authors who have publicly supported Israel or middle road. If you notice someone who may have changed their stance recently or supported Palestine and are here wrongfully please do correct me

No Hans Christian Andersen on this list. Retellings based on...Twelve Dancing Princesses, Cinderella, The Goose Girl, Snow White, Snow White + Rose Red, Rapunzel, Hansel + Gretel, Rumplestiltskin, Bluebeard, Little Red Riding Hood, Sleeping Beauty, The Frog Prince, King Thrushbeard, The Pied Piper, The Six Swans, The Brave Little Tailor, Bearskin, Puss in Boots, Allerleirauh, The Wolf + the Fox, The Pink, Maid Maleen, Brother + Sister, The Golden Goose, The Six Swans, etc. As always… no Gaiman

You liked Harry Potter but you’re angry at the author for being a huge transphobe and you would like some alternatives because you don’t want to give money to her so she can finance transphobia and you have enough of Harry Potter’s racist stereotypes like Cho Chang and other problematic themes in this saga? You’re in the right place! I haven’t read all, if some are misplaced, let me know! Also, if you want more fantasy recs, I have a queer fantasy list! It is addressed to different ages.

Allow me to set the scene:

It’s 2 AM on a school night but you only have 100 pages left. You will power through. Forget the math test you have first period. This is your priority. And you must know how the book ends.

I don’t know what sort of millennial catnip these 2000s YA authors put in these books, but let me tell you, my “baby millennial” self was addicted.

Pagebound Millennials: what YA were you reading?

it's all about the ✨ aesthetic ✨

(some other emojis that didn't make the cut: 🥡🥢🐲🧧🏮)

psa: this only consists of books i've read, or that a trusted friend who's also chinese has read. i don't make it a habit to seek out chinese-inspired fantasy written by white authors these days, but feel free to leave any relevant titles in the comments and i'll check them out!

we love a man who yearns in this house

| 2026 | verity: october 2 sense & sensibility: october 16 sunrise on the reaping: november 20 dune messiah: december 18

| 2027 | children of blood & bone: january 15 the nightingale: february 12 beach read: may 7

| 2028 | cinder: november 3

Books set in an Asian or Asian-inspired setting or incorporates elements of an Asian culture or mythology. Only the first book in a series is listed.

Eclectic choices of stories to forget life sucks.

Dystopian matchmaking: romance and love stories that happen against all odds

the staples of the book community on youtube in the early to mid 2010s.

Subverting expectations and getting meta in the genre sandbox! Books that play with genre, subvert the traditional, switch things up with language and form, offer a new angle for a retelling, or mash and mix things up before spitting out a brand new tale. Includes works that are mainstream now but were considered a subversion of the familiar in the time period in which they were published. Suggestions always welcome!

The fate of the world rests on this teenage girl's shoulders. She isn't like the other girls—she was chosen by prophecy, fate, or narrative convenience to save a realm that absolutely refuses to handle its own problems.

When a power couple overthrows a tyrannical or broken government together.

Bonus points if they don't agree on the right way to do it but through falling in love with each other they learn to appreciate the other person's experiences and it helps them build something even better for their people when they combine ideas sobs

Open to recs !!

If you like magical girl media, you'll probably like these books. These books either give off magical girl vibes or are fully magical girl fiction.

Only including manga that ISN'T explicitly in the magical girl genre (since those are much easier to find)

fiction books with a main character or prominent side character that fits the D&D Artificer class. also features their creations! here for the tinkering, the magical device-making, the "i can make this thing drive"! recs and input welcome!

A roundup of YA books that were popular back in the days of us baby millennials. For anyone feeling nostalgic for the 2010’s. Draw a little mustache on your finger because you’re so quirky and get reading like you already finished your homework for the night!