One thing I keep saying that I love about PB is how longer, more thoughtful, and “high effort” posts are encouraged and appreciated by the community as a whole! I can’t recall any other place on the internet where I’ve seen such a widespread appreciation for the time, effort, and insight people put into their posts and the things they share, and it feels like not only is there the space for that kind of thing here, but that it’s integral to the foundation of the platform as a whole.

I thought I’d put together a thread for people to share their favorite “high-effort” posts and give them some additional love! I’d love for everyone to share 1-3 of their own posts they worked on, and 3 (or more!) posts from other people they appreciated for the insights someone else had to add. Note that for your own posts, please don’t feel like you can’t share if you didn’t spend 12 hours writing out a huge essay review or something; “high-effort” is relative, and honestly I think the best judge of these things is always going to be yourself. If it’s a forum post, review, comment, etc in which you worked harder on or put in more effort than normal, I want to see it!

[Note also that I use the term “high-effort” here not to disparage any other type of post (i love jokes n memes as much as anyone else!), but as a quick and convenient way to encompass posts that 1) clearly took a lot of time and effort to put together, 2) made you think and examine angles you hadn’t previously considered, 3) offered valuable insight and discussion, 4) any combination of the above. If anyone can think of an easier/catchier term to encompass posts like this, I’m all ears hahaha]

Here are my offerings to the class:

+Mad Sisters of Esi review: I spent a lot of time trying to figure out how to articulate my thoughts about this book, and I’m glad that I ended up writing a review for myself to look back on and remember just how the book made me feel! (no spoilers)

+Starving Saints forum post: An analysis of some themes in the book which took me a lot of time to think through and get my thoughts all organized. It was a great exercise for me personally to work on expressing how the narrative was impactful to me (final thoughts post)

+Blood Over Bright Haven forum post: An attempt at a more technical breakdown/analysis of the opening chapter, from a writing/craft perspective. This kind of thing is my bread and butter but I don’t normally take so much time to sit down and write it up all organized-like, so it was a fun challenge for me! (no spoilers past chapter 1)

+“What are your favorite stylistic/rhetorical devices?” Club discussion post - by @mythos: Really great and insightful and interesting topic, I’m honestly sad that it didn’t get more attention because this is just the kind of thing I love to pick apart when I read! @mythos is clearly super knowledgeable and it was a delight reading about rhetorical techniques i’d never heard of in the comments

+Interview With the Vampire review - by @farron: Not only is this a stellar review of the book itself, but it’s an awesome analysis of how Anne Rice’s life, experiences, and values shaped the narrative and storytelling choices. I’m always going to appreciate such a holistic perspective when it comes to considering a book or text! (no spoilers)

+The Goblin Emperor review - by @kateesreads: In just two paragraphs, @kateesreads paints such a vivid picture of not only the book itself, but also the technique and craft behind the scaffolding of the narrative. Love the analysis in this review, no notes, it’s such a great look at a book and everything that makes it so subtly unique. (no spoilers)

Pls go forth and share your own self-shoutouts and others-shoutouts! I'm keen to see what I might have missed!

hi everyone!!

since 2026 has started, and everyone's plans are underway, i wanted to put a little something together for our Quest.

there's lots of fun unofficial readalongs happening in Quests across Pagebound, but i wanted to try creating a sort of evergreen book club here in the Feminism Without Exception forum :)

this means that there will be no required start and end date, but hopefully we can all prioritize reading a few books about intersectional feminism in 2026!

i thought giving a list of books to choose from would help. why not pick 5 books to prioritize, so at the end of the year, our little feminist book club will have earned a new badge together?

here's a list to get started, with a quick description of each:

Feminism, Interrupted by Lola Olufemi (a great accessible introduction to feminism) Revolting Prostitutes by Molly Smith (sex work from a feminist perspective) We Will Not Cancel Us by Adrienne Maree Brown (transformative justice with a Black, queer, feminist focus) Women, Race, and Class by Angela Davis (a foundational text in Black radical feminism) Bad Feminist by Roxane Gay (a collection of essays analyzing and critiquing culture from a feminist perspective)

• feel free to choose one, a few, or all of the books to prioritize in 2026
• feel free to swap books out for something you're more interested in
• feel free to jump in and share and discuss if you read any book from the Quest that isn't included on the list

the list is just to give you pre-set options if you're not sure where to start!

the goal is to get conversation flowing in the Quest forum about feminism, so the rules will not be strict at all:

1. read a book
2. when you finish, come back and share what you've learned in the Feminism Without Exception forum
3. discuss with others as they post

if you've already read some from the list, you're welcome to post as well, or jump in and chat with others. while i'd like discussion about what you've learned in this forum, please remember to still engage in the book forums as you're reading, so those who join later can see your beautiful discussions!!

here are a few questions you can consider when reading & posting (thank you to @leitmotif for the idea and starter questions!!). feel free to answer one, a few, or all of these questions, or share something completely unrelated

• what is one idea, theme, or quote that stuck with you? what made you pause, what are you still thinking about?
• was there anything that challenged you, or complicated what you thought you knew?
• were there any moments where you saw yourself or your experience reflected?
• were there any moments where you noticed whose experiences weren't centered?
• did you notice any connections to anything else you've read, watched, listened to, or seen?
• are there any questions you're sitting with after reading?
• did you learn a new way of seeing or analyzing something that you want to carry forward?
• how did what you learned add, build, or amplify your understanding of intersectional feminism?

i'm not sure how this will work out, but i wanted to try it out and see how it goes. we'll figure it out together!

feel free to use this forum to organize buddy reads together as well. i know lots of people like to plan things out, and it would be fun for us to get together in the book forums too

i also added a few new books (thank you to all who recommended), so make sure you check out the Quest list again and pick your faves :)

and finally, a couple of reassurances for everyone:

• no thought is too small! we all learn more by sharing together
• this forum is a safe space for discussion. please try to discuss openly & with kindness
• please remember that these books might have some triggering information, so always prioritize taking care of yourself
• have fun chatting and learning!! 🩷🩷

Hey everyone! ✨I’m helli (she/her) and the creator of this Quest!

I’m so excited that you’ve joined the Found Family in Fantasy Quest! 🏡 I really wanted to create a list that celebrates diversity across fantasy subgenres — from cozy fantasy, urban fantasy, epic and high fantasy, to darker, moodier tales. I hope there is something here for everyone, no matter your taste.

I also tried my best to include authors from a variety of backgrounds — gender, ethnicity, country — and diverse characters as well. Representation matters! Of course, I haven’t read everything yet, so this list is just the start. I’m really looking forward to discovering more books by diverse authors with diverse characters through your recommendations.

Another thing I focus on is diversifying the found family itself. Not every found family looks the same — some are wholesome and functional, some are messy or even dysfunctional, just like biological families. Some stories might include romance, but that’s usually a background element, not the main focus. What’s most important is that chosen family and the bonds they form are central, and those bonds don’t always have to be positive or easy.

I already have quite a few books lined up to add over time, but I’d love to hear your recommendations! 🌟 If you’ve read something that fits the “found family” vibe — a group of misfits, outcasts, or strangers who become chosen family — please drop your recs in the comments under this post.

I’ve purposely started with 31 books. This was intentional — I have many more lined up for the future, but I wanted to start with a manageable number so I can thoughtfully consider any recommendations you give. I’ll regularly add new books to the Quest, and I’m excited to see your suggestions!

Let’s make this Quest a space to share and discover magical worlds where home is found, not given, and to celebrate all the amazing, diverse voices in fantasy. I can’t wait to see all your suggestions and discuss these books with you! 🫶🏽

Edit to add: I’m really grateful for everyone’s recommendations — please keep them coming! I want to be clear, though, that while I’m happy to collect all suggestions and put them on a research list, the chances of new books being added in the near future are fairly low.

This quest is meant to stay highly curated, and for now I want it to grow slowly so people have time to work through the existing books and earn the current badges before any new ones (and new badges) are introduced.

I know there are many books that fit the theme, and I’m definitely keeping that in mind. At this stage, I’m mainly looking to add newer releases or truly foundational titles I may have missed initially.

So please don’t feel discouraged from recommending books — I do read, save, and research every single one. I just want to be transparent that I won’t be adding new titles for a while, as I’m waiting for more people to join the quest and earn badges first.

hi everyone!!

since 2026 has started, and everyone's plans are underway, i wanted to put a little something together for our Quest.

there's lots of fun unofficial readalongs happening in Quests across Pagebound, but i wanted to try creating a sort of evergreen book club here in the Feminism Without Exception forum :)

this means that there will be no required start and end date, but hopefully we can all prioritize reading a few books about intersectional feminism in 2026!

i thought giving a list of books to choose from would help. why not pick 5 books to prioritize, so at the end of the year, our little feminist book club will have earned a new badge together?

here's a list to get started, with a quick description of each:

Feminism, Interrupted by Lola Olufemi (a great accessible introduction to feminism) Revolting Prostitutes by Molly Smith (sex work from a feminist perspective) We Will Not Cancel Us by Adrienne Maree Brown (transformative justice with a Black, queer, feminist focus) Women, Race, and Class by Angela Davis (a foundational text in Black radical feminism) Bad Feminist by Roxane Gay (a collection of essays analyzing and critiquing culture from a feminist perspective)

• feel free to choose one, a few, or all of the books to prioritize in 2026
• feel free to swap books out for something you're more interested in
• feel free to jump in and share and discuss if you read any book from the Quest that isn't included on the list

the list is just to give you pre-set options if you're not sure where to start!

the goal is to get conversation flowing in the Quest forum about feminism, so the rules will not be strict at all:

1. read a book
2. when you finish, come back and share what you've learned in the Feminism Without Exception forum
3. discuss with others as they post

if you've already read some from the list, you're welcome to post as well, or jump in and chat with others. while i'd like discussion about what you've learned in this forum, please remember to still engage in the book forums as you're reading, so those who join later can see your beautiful discussions!!

here are a few questions you can consider when reading & posting (thank you to @leitmotif for the idea and starter questions!!). feel free to answer one, a few, or all of these questions, or share something completely unrelated

• what is one idea, theme, or quote that stuck with you? what made you pause, what are you still thinking about?
• was there anything that challenged you, or complicated what you thought you knew?
• were there any moments where you saw yourself or your experience reflected?
• were there any moments where you noticed whose experiences weren't centered?
• did you notice any connections to anything else you've read, watched, listened to, or seen?
• are there any questions you're sitting with after reading?
• did you learn a new way of seeing or analyzing something that you want to carry forward?
• how did what you learned add, build, or amplify your understanding of intersectional feminism?

i'm not sure how this will work out, but i wanted to try it out and see how it goes. we'll figure it out together!

feel free to use this forum to organize buddy reads together as well. i know lots of people like to plan things out, and it would be fun for us to get together in the book forums too

i also added a few new books (thank you to all who recommended), so make sure you check out the Quest list again and pick your faves :)

and finally, a couple of reassurances for everyone:

• no thought is too small! we all learn more by sharing together
• this forum is a safe space for discussion. please try to discuss openly & with kindness
• please remember that these books might have some triggering information, so always prioritize taking care of yourself
• have fun chatting and learning!! 🩷🩷