Hi P.Bees!

OK, so a few days ago, I made a post asking what the PageBound Public thinks about Dark Romance. And I really enjoyed reading through different opinions and thoughts. So I decided to bring in a new discussion topic: about A.I. in books.

This spans from using AI in a creative process to using its exact words and paragraphs to write the book or to even use AI art as the cover. There are two discussions under this really, bc there is the discussion of how A.I in general is harming our society in many ways, and how A.I undermines the very creativity in writing (and other art forms). Some people think that A.I. has its incredible uses and even when not writing the book itself, can bring in a wealth of information or ideas at the writer's disposal. While some believe that A.I, like I explained earlier, not only negatively affects the general public, but undermines real human creativity, ideas, capabilities, and soul.

So! Feel free to discuss any part of this prompt, whether it's for or against A.I, or an in-between, and give reason why.

and does that influence you to read a book? do you gravitate towards your favorites, or do other colors compel you more?

personally, my favorite colors are green (sage, but really any muted, earthy green) and deep purples. i did buy the pretty green edition of Legends & Lattes over the standard cover because the color is gorgeous. i feel like i don't see much purple around—maybe i'm just not looking hard enough?

but it's red and black covers that really catch my eye. separate or together, but mostly together; it's one of the most striking color combinations to me. my favorite example is Clown in a Cornfield (i promise this post isn't just another way for me to promote Clown in a Cornfield). maybe it's just because i read a lot of horror, but i feel like it's hard to make a red and black cover look bad. is that just me? does anyone else have any great combos?

bonus question: would you buy a physical edition of a book you really didn't like if the color would look good with the aesthetic of your room/living space?

Why do I have an urge to start 8 different books today?

I’m feeling messy 🤣🤣🤣

I’ve always been a straight forward reader. One audiobook, one physical or digital book at a time so no more than 2 at once but different formats but suddenly I’m feeling like getting messy and starting a bunch of books but I also feel like that might be a bad idea for future me specifically. Future me would be really annoyed with current me. 🤨🫪🫪🫪

We’ve described our books in 3 emojis.

Now, sum yourself up in three emojis! (And feel free to explain your choices if you want, this doubles as a great “get to know you” method too!)

I love a good non-AI sticker and I love how my Kobo has turned out over the years.. Artists are.. @badwonton for the "Ban guns not books" froggo sticker @prettyinpraxis for the "magical girls of the world unite" (aka sailor moon X Marx collab) @agaveroseco for the 🖕🏼 uterus. @me! For the ACAB one hehehehhe. I drew it 😁 The "pretty" sticker also says "prettyinpraxis" (freebie sticker), though eventually I'd replace it with something else....... Soooooo... Please share your own decorations and stickers and shout out the artists for me too so I can 👀 lurk.

I grew up reading fantasy romance, it was the main thing I used to read. I actively liked it and would recommend the books I read as believing they were good and enjoyable books.

I should like romantasy. I love fantasy. I like romance. But over and over again the books I am being recommended I find range from meh to not understanding why they are read.

I am in a romantasy bookclub, that is run by my personal friends so I joined to be closer to them and to get myself out there. But every month I am left baffled and wondering if there is something wrong with me. I cried last night because I am truly worried I am maybe being a pick me about this. But I don't know who I am being a pick me towards? Myself? Can you be aa personal pick me?

But yesterday my book club voted with overwhelming votes that Rites of the Starling was better than The Everlasting, and I was honestly taken back. I consider The Everlasting a 5 star read, a book that feels like art. Rites of the Starling was....fine. Not bad, but not good. Its predictable, it doubles back on thins that I thought made the first one decent, I find Rancid an uninteresting love interest, and there are so many thing I find inconsistent. Its not bad, but I would never even recommended it to someone. But bookclub loved it. Loved it, loved it.

And now I worry there is just something broken about me. Because I don't know why I don't like this genre! I should like it! And I feel like an asshole with my friends when I talk about books. I am honestly thinking about just not anymore because it makes me so sad each time.

I just keep being told that books like The Everlasting and Rites of the Starling just can't be compared. I got told by one of my friends that The Everlasting is like going to an art museum while Rites of the Starling is like watching a TV show. But honestly I find that is exactly what I feel. With TV shows I do other things, like read to use social media while watching, because the show is fine, but not fully engrossing. But a museum or art exhibit takes your full attention. It makes you stop and reflect. I truly don't understand why that is not the preferable situation. If the book is equivalent of a TV show that I would put on while doing other things, I am not going to say its a great book. I am not going to say that it is more enjoyable.

Its not just Rites of the Starling. Silver elite, fourth wing, Mate & Bride, Tusk love, Brimestone, I just don't understand why. I just find them meh....well most are meh, Silver Elite and Fourth wing are just bad, and I stand by that. Bad world building, bad dialog, inconsistent character choices.

I don't know what changed, if it was me or the genera. Because I like fantasy with romance! It is my most read genera! So I don't understand what the disconnect for me is!

The Everlasting, Legendborn, Radience, The sharking knife, night circus, The Cruel prince, Juliet Marillier, Robin Hobb, and Robin McKinley are all things I currently like, and I used to love C.L. Wilson and P.C. Cast.

Am I alone in this? Am I a pick me? Is there something I am missing?

I want to like the same books as my friends. I don't want to go to book club each month feeling like an outcast. I don't want to feel like I don't understand my friends. I don't want to feel like a miserable personal who can't just enjoy a book for the vibes.

I just don't know. I don't understand. And I want to. I want to be friends with these great kind and fun women in bookclub. But I feel like there is an ever growing wall that I don't want to be there. I want to know what maybe I am missing so I can work on it.

I hope this makes sense.

I'm wanting to post more on my bookstagram account but every time I open Canva, I get so irritated at all the AI. I'm not even talking about the tools because I don't even use those.

The elements are so full of AI generated garbage, and I have to dig for decent stuff created by real humans.

I'm tired of it. I've asked elsewhere and tried searching, but everyone suggests options that either have just as much AI or options that are more similar to photoshop, which I struggle with.

I know that this isn't really that kind of place, but I'm hoping since this platform and the users are so firmly anti-AI someone might know of some better options.