argentum

28 | they/them | Ace | AuDHD love reading fantasy, romance and everything queer

5168 points

0% overlap

My Taste

Unmasked by the Marquess (Regency Imposters, #1)

Reading...

The World of Ice & Fire: The Untold History of Westeros and the Game of Thrones

26%

38%

27%

argentum made progress on...

The Silmarillion

J.R.R. Tolkien

38%

argentum made progress on...

Run Wild: Sa Ye (Novel) Vol. 1

Wu Zhe

27%

argentum joined a quest

19h

Universe Quest: Lord of the Rings & Tolkien's Legendarium 🧙‍♂️🌳🔥

💎 // 3568 joined

Not Joined

The four books in Tolkien’s main Middle-earth saga + several other collections published posthumously.

argentum started reading...

19h

The Silmarillion

J.R.R. Tolkien

The Silmarillion is an account of the Elder Days, of the First Age of Tolkien’s world. It is the ancient drama to which the characters in The Lord of the Rings look back, and in whose events some of them such as Elrond and Galadriel took part. The tales of The Silmarillion are set in an age when Morgoth, the first Dark Lord, dwelt in Middle-Earth, and the High Elves made war upon him for the recovery of the Silmarils, the jewels containing the pure light of Valinor.

argentum TBR'd a book

21h

Heartstopper: Volume Six

Alice Oseman

Boy meets boy. Boys become friends. Boys fall in love. The final installment in the bestselling LGBTQ+ graphic novel series about life, love, and everything that happens in between. Everyone in school knows Nick and Charlie. Everyone knows they're going to be together forever. But Charlie's busy with his bid to become head boy. And while Nick is preparing to leave for uni, he's starting to wonder who he'll be . . . without Charlie. Contains discussions around mental health and eating disorders, and sexual references.

argentum finished a book

22h

Heartstopper: Volume Five

Alice Oseman

Boy meets boy. Boys become friends. Boys fall in love. The bestselling LGBTQ+ graphic novel about life, love, and everything that happens in between: this is the fifth volume of the much-loved HEARTSTOPPER series. Nick and Charlie are very much in love. They've finally said those three little words, and Charlie has almost persuaded his mum to let him sleep over at Nick's house ... But with Nick going off to university next year, is everything about to change? By Alice Oseman, winner of the YA Book Prize, Heartstopper encompasses all the small moments of Nick and Charlie's lives that together make up something larger, which speaks to all of us. Contains discussions around mental health and eating disorders, and sexual references.

argentum DNF'd a book

The End Crowns All

Bea Fitzgerald

The second fierce, fresh and gloriously romantic YA Greek myth re-imagining, from Bea Fitzgerald, growing TikTok superstar and Sunday Times bestselling author of GIRL, GODDESS, QUEEN. Princess. Priestess. The most beautiful girl in Troy. Cassandra is used to being adored – and when her patron god, Apollo, offers her the power of prophecy, she sees an opportunity to rise even higher. But when she fails to uphold her end of the agreement, she discovers just how very far she has to fall. No one believes her visions. And they all seem to be of one girl – and the war she’s going to bring to Troy’s shores. Helen fled Sparta in pursuit of love, but it’s soon clear Troy is a court like any other, with all its politics and backstabbing. And one princess seems particularly intent on driving her from the city before disaster can strike... But when war finally comes, it’s more than the army at their walls they must contend with. Cassandra and Helen might hold the key to reweaving fate itself – especially with the prophetic strands drawing them ever closer together. But how do you change your future when the gods themselves are dictating your demise?

argentum is interested in reading...

The Reptile Room

Lemony Snicket

Dear Reader, If you have picked up this book with the hope of finding a simple and cheery tale, I'm afraid you have picked up the wrong book altogether. The story may seem cheery at first, when the Baudelaire children spend time in the company of some interesting reptiles and a giddy uncle, but don't be fooled. If you know anything at all about the unlucky Baudelaire children, you already know that even pleasant events lead down the same road to misery. In fact, within the pages you now hold in your hands, the three siblings endure a car accident, a terrible odor, a deadly serpent, a long knife, a large brass reading lamp, and the appearance of a person they'd hoped never to see again. I am bound to record these tragic events, but you are free to put this book back on the shelf and seek something lighter. With all due respect, Lemony Snicket

argentum finished a book

The Bad Beginning

Lemony Snicket

Dear Reader, I'm sorry to say that the book you are holding in your hands is extremely unpleasant. It tells an unhappy tale about three very unlucky children. Even though they are charming and clever, the Baudelaire siblings lead lives filled with misery and woe. From the very first page of this book when the children are at the beach and receive terrible news, continuing on through the entire story, disaster lurks at their heels. One might say they are magnets for misfortune. In this short book alone, the three youngsters encounter a greedy and repulsive villain, itchy clothing, a disastrous fire, a plot to steal their fortune, and cold porridge for breakfast. It is my sad duty to write down these unpleasant tales, but there is nothing stopping you from putting this book down at once and reading something happy, if you prefer that sort of thing. With all due respect, Lemony Snicket

argentum TBR'd a book

Something Spectacular (Something Fabulous, #2)

Alexis Hall

From the USA Today bestselling author of Boyfriend Material comes a riotous Regency romp full of art, expensive hats, and a love that is nothing short of spectacular. Peggy Delancey’s not at all ready to move on from her former flame, Arabella Tarleton. But Belle has her own plans for a love match, and she needs Peggy’s help to make those plans a reality. Still hung up on her feelings and unable to deny Belle what she wants, Peggy reluctantly agrees to help her woo the famous and flamboyant opera singer Orfeo. She certainly doesn’t expect to find common ground with a celebrated soprano, but when Peggy and Orfeo meet, a whole new flame is ignited that she can’t ignore. Peggy finds an immediate kinship with Orfeo, a castrato who’s just as nonconforming as she is—and just as affected by their instant connection. They’ve never been able to find their place in the world, but as the pair walks the line between friendship, flirtation, and something more, they may just find their place with each other.

argentum started reading...

The Bad Beginning

Lemony Snicket

argentum wrote a review...

Something Fabulous (Something Fabulous, #1)

argentum

Aug 12, 2026

Something Fabulous (Something Fabulous, #1)

4.5

Enjoyment: 5.0Quality: 4.5Characters: 4.5Plot: 3.0Audiobook: 4.5

🎩

💍

👨‍❤️‍💋‍👨

opening the book with Northanger Abbey’s quote set the tone for the rest of the story perfectly. The characters in Something Fabulous are obsessed with gothic novels, which results in overdramatic behaviour, creating countless comedic situations at every turn. Humour is very subjective, so it definitely wouldn’t work for every reader, but I found the humour here similar to other Alexis Hall comedies (done through hyperbolic narration, excellent comedic timing, and witty wordplay), and it really works for me - I was genuinely laughing out loud in the middle of the night. The first half of the book was funny, but the comedic banter or hilarious narration of the situations characters find themselves in didn’t fully satisfy my craving for complexity; in the second half of the book, everything finally clicked, and I was reminded once again that Alexis Hall writes messy, complicated characters who make a series of bad choices until they overcome their self-destructive tendencies and let themselves love and be loved. I think the comedy and character work here were fantastic, but I found the plot a bit lacklustre. (I also managed to gaslight myself into believing that I can read for a bit before bed and finish the rest next day, as if I didn’t ruin my sleep schedule thrice in the past by reading Alexis Hall’s books)

argentum finished a book

Something Fabulous (Something Fabulous, #1)

Alexis Hall

From the acclaimed author of Boyfriend Material comes a delightfully witty romance featuring a reserved duke who’s betrothed to one twin and hopelessly enamoured of the other. Valentine Layton, the Duke of Malvern, has twin problems: literally. It was always his father’s hope that Valentine would marry Miss Arabella Tarleton. But, unfortunately, too many novels at an impressionable age have caused her to grow up…romantic. So romantic that a marriage of convenience will not do and after Valentine’s proposal she flees into the night determined never to set eyes on him again. Arabella’s twin brother, Mr. Bonaventure “Bonny” Tarleton, has also grown up…romantic. And fully expects Valentine to ride out after Arabella and prove to her that he’s not the cold-hearted cad he seems to be. Despite copious misgivings, Valentine finds himself on a pell-mell chase to Dover with Bonny by his side. Bonny is unreasonable, overdramatic, annoying, and…beautiful? And being with him makes Valentine question everything he thought he knew. About himself. About love. Even about which Tarleton he should be pursuing.

argentum commented on argentum's update

argentum started reading...

Something Fabulous (Something Fabulous, #1)

Alexis Hall

argentum started reading...

Something Fabulous (Something Fabulous, #1)

Alexis Hall

argentum commented on argentum's review of The Lotus Palace (The Pingkang Li Mysteries, #1)

argentum

Aug 11, 2026

The Lotus Palace (The Pingkang Li Mysteries, #1)

5.0

Enjoyment: 5.0Quality: 5.0Characters: 4.5Plot: 4.5

🔍️

☔️

🀄️

It was so much more than I expected. Jeannie Lin created one of the most compelling and immersive historical settings I’ve read. The world of Pingkang Li comes alive with all the pleasure houses, markets, scholars’ and merchants’ patronage in the quarter, lives of courtesans, festivals, imperial examination season, and, most of all, the investigation of a mysterious murder that affected the quarter and created a portrait of the socio-economic and political environment during the Tang Dynasty. Yue-ying and Bai Huang start working together on the investigation, combining their knowledge and strengths: Yue-ying’s understanding of how the quarter functions from the inside and Bai Huang’s social status and wealth, which open doors that would rather stay closed. Their class difference is the foundation of the intricately complex world Jeannie Lin so skillfully built, while also providing the tension and the main conflict between the couple. Yue-ying is a practical young woman with a tortured past, who serves one of the most famous courtesans of Pingkang Li; Bai Huang is a romantic scholar and a failing eldest son of a prominent family in the empire. Their love story seems improbable from Yue-ying’s practical perspective, but it only enhances Bai Huang’s romantic notions. The romance develops slowly, giving characters time to process their feelings and take small steps toward each other. There is also space for taking steps back; the story allows characters to get to know each other outside of their courtship and gives them time to reflect and make decisions without rush, while the investigation drives the plot. I am impressed and enamored with The Lotus Palace; and I am very curious to try other books by Jeannie Lin. I have a feeling I’ve discovered a new favorite historical romance author. (recommend to put Tang Dynasty music playlist while reading - grants truly magical experience. also, in Crusader Kings 3 I enjoy playing with scholar to imperial minister arc, and it was so entertaining to read about examinations and future prospects and disappointing heirs)

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