helli
šššŖµ | ā” | wandering through other worlds, one page at a time š®
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Post from the Found Family in Fantasy forum
Hi everyone! I finally added 10 new books to the Found Family in Fantasy Quest, which means we have officially reached 50 books! š„³ Halfway to 100!
These additions have been building up for quite a while. I havenāt added any new books over the last few months because life was very busy and I simply didnāt have the headspace to properly look through recommendations and decide what I wanted to include. I did, however, have a growing list in the back of my mind (and in my Google Doc!) the entire time. So rather than thinking of these as ten books being added all at once, imagine them as the additions that would probably have happened gradually over the past few months š
For this batch, I especially wanted to add some slightly more obscure titles, move away from adding even more cosy fantasy, and bring in a wider mix of fantasy subgenres, different kinds of found family, and more diverse representation.
Here are the new additions: Mad Sisters of Esi - Tashan Mehta One of my own priorities Mythic, folkloric and wonderfully strange fantasy centred around found sisterhood. This is the only one of these ten I have personally read so far, and I absolutely loved it. I genuinely cannot recommend it enough. It is beautifully written, imaginative, emotional and just such a special book!! You can read my full review here!
A Broken Blade - Melissa Blair Suggested by Jordyn Dark epic fantasy following an assassin who becomes increasingly connected to a rebellion and the people within it. I wanted it for its developing chosen-family element, darker tone, queer representation and Indigenous authorship.
Godkiller - Hannah Kaner Suggested by Ministaxx Dark adventure/quest fantasy about a godkiller, a child, a small god and a knight becoming an unlikely travelling group. It brings a strong found-family dynamic together with queer, disability and mental-health representation.
The Water Outlaws - S. L. Huang Suggested by Storyteller Wuxia-inspired martial fantasy about outlaws forming a fiercely loyal community. I really wanted something that expands the Quest beyond more traditional European-inspired fantasy while still having a strong chosen-family core.
Kill the Beast - Serra Swift Suggested by Jordyn A darkly funny fairy-tale/monster-hunting adventure with revenge, redemption, queer friendship and found family at its heart. It sounds like a really fun way of bringing a different kind of quest fantasy into the list.
The Last Sun - K. D. Edwards Suggested by eol.eol Queer urban fantasy with action, mystery, trauma and a very strong chosen-family element. I especially wanted this one because Urban Fantasy is still less represented in the Quest than some of the other subgenres.
Sanctuary - Andi C. Buchanan Suggested by BookBun Supernatural/haunted-house fantasy about a queer, neurodivergent and disabled found family who have made a home together. This is one of the more obscure additions and also one of the books where found family seems to be especially central to the entire premise.
A Long Time Dead - Samara Breger Suggested by MiniButMighty Sapphic Gothic vampire fantasy with a queer vampire household and found-family dynamics. I really wanted something darker and more Gothic in this round of additions.
Queen of Faces - Petra Lord Suggested by catlikesreading Dark fantasy with dark-academia elements, rebellion, magical body-swapping and a group of outsiders forming their own bonds. It also brings trans representation and a biracial trans author into the Quest.
All the Scattered Stars - Via Luino Suggested by ReadQueerBooks YA contemporary/eco fantasy set in a future Venice, following a persecuted magical minority and a protagonist trying to protect her found family. This is another particularly obscure title that Iām very excited to have discovered.
I hope some of you have fun discovering these books through the Quest! š©· A big reason I enjoy doing this is finding books that arenāt necessarily the titles we all see recommended everywhere already.
If youāve read any of these, please tell me in the comments! Iād love to know what you thought, whether you enjoyed them, and whether you would recommend them. Especially since Mad Sisters of Esi is currently the only one of the ten that Iāve read myself.
And now that weāve reached 50 books, we are officially halfway to 100! š The remaining 50 definitely wonāt be coming anytime soon. After this bigger batch, Iāll probably go back to not adding anything for quite a while and let the Quest grow slowly again.
I hope you enjoy the new additions and maybe find a new favourite among them! āØ
9helli commented on helli's review of Not That Bad: Dispatches from Rape Culture
This is an incredibly powerful collection of essays that examines rape culture in all its different, often overlapping forms. Each piece is individual and deeply personal, but together they form something much bigger, a clear, unsettling picture of how normalised minimisation and silence are across so many contexts. One of the most striking threads throughout the book is how often the idea of not that bad appears in different variations. It becomes almost a language in itself, people trying to name what happened to them, and then immediately stepping back from fully claiming that name.
I also really appreciated Roxane Gayās framing of the collection, especially opening with her own statement and the context behind the title. It immediately sets the tone for what the book is doing: not offering comfort, not smoothing anything over, and not demanding that survivors fit into any kind of coherent or resolved narrative. People are allowed to tell their stories in their own way, with all the uncertainty, contradiction, and messiness that comes with that.
What makes the book so effective structurally is the way the essays are arranged. Thereās a clear sense of flow and connection between them, even though the experiences themselves are so different. Emotional and thematic threads carry through the collection, which makes it easier to keep reading despite how heavy the content is.
The range of voices is also incredibly impactful. There are so many different identities, backgrounds, and stages of processing represented, which makes the collection feel both devastating and important at the same time. I kept thinking about how vulnerable these writers had to be in order to put these experiences into words, often with the hope that someone else might feel less alone reading them.
Overall, this is a carefully curated and necessary anthology that refuses to look away from what is uncomfortable or difficult to name. It doesnāt try to resolve anything, but instead insists on witnessing, and thatās exactly what makes it so powerful.
2helli commented on a post
helli commented on helli's update
helli started reading...
The Sword of Kaigen
M.L. Wang
12
helli commented on a post
Thereās a common misconception that chemical imbalances cause mental disorders. This myth was perpetuated to give psychology and psychiatry more āseriousnessā as an upcoming field, but this has stuck in popular media. As a result, āmental illnessesā were viewed as respectable diseases that could be attributed to biology. Iām saying this because unfortunately, Kendall perpetuates this idea when she says, āFor those who grow up in the church, prayer is more likely to be recommended than Prozac. And while thereās nothing wrong with finding prayer comforting, it canāt fix brain chemistry.ā
This harmful idea can lead people to believe that biological factors always cause mental illness and can be fixed by medicine, overlooking the significant social influences on our mental health. Which is precisely what Kendall wants to highlight in this chapterš£ If youāre interested in learning more, I recommend āMind Fixersā by Anne Harrington.
26helli commented on a post
Hey everyone! āØIām helli (she/her) and the creator of this Quest!
Iām so excited that youāve joined the Found Family in Fantasy Quest! š” I really wanted to create a list that celebrates diversity across fantasy subgenres ā 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 ā gender, ethnicity, country ā and diverse characters as well. Representation matters! Of course, I havenāt read everything yet, so this list is just the start. Iām 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 ā some are wholesome and functional, some are messy or even dysfunctional, just like biological families. Some stories might include romance, but thatās usually a background element, not the main focus. Whatās most important is that chosen family and the bonds they form are central, and those bonds donāt always have to be positive or easy.
I already have quite a few books lined up to add over time, but Iād love to hear your recommendations! š If youāve read something that fits the āfound familyā vibe ā a group of misfits, outcasts, or strangers who become chosen family ā please drop your recs in the comments under this post.
Iāve purposely started with 31 books. This was intentional ā 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. Iāll regularly add new books to the Quest, and Iām excited to see your suggestions!
Letās 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 canāt wait to see all your suggestions and discuss these books with you! š«¶š½
Edit to add: Iām really grateful for everyoneās recommendations ā please keep them coming! I want to be clear, though, that while Iām 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 Iām definitely keeping that in mind. At this stage, Iām mainly looking to add newer releases or truly foundational titles I may have missed initially.
So please donāt feel discouraged from recommending books ā I do read, save, and research every single one. I just want to be transparent that I wonāt be adding new titles for a while, as Iām waiting for more people to join the quest and earn badges first.
180helli commented on helli's update
helli started reading...
The Sword of Kaigen
M.L. Wang
12helli started reading...
The Sword of Kaigen
M.L. Wang
12
helli commented on a post
I really enjoyed the found family in 'To Clutch a Razor' by Veronica Roth.
SPOILER below!!!! : . . . . . . . . . . . . . ''What you will always be to me now is my sister, who I love and want to be safe'' š«
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