My niece is turning 11 soon and has asked for classic books for her birthday. She’s currently reading The Bookwanderers where the MC meets characters from books like Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland and Anne of Green Gables. (She’s read those two already though!)

What were some of your favorite classics at that age? Or what do you wish you had read then?

Anyone else ever find/found themselves attempting to learn a skill like their favorite character (or wishing they could especially for magic users)? Like when I was a kid I read something where a character could pick locks and I remember desperately wanting to learn how to do that. Or practicing sword fighting with sticks in the backyard. Just curious if I'm not the only one who's like I want to be like this character.

i’m wondering how everyone views being stuck in a reading slump, how do you know you’re in one?

is it when you haven’t touched a book in a couple of days or is it in a couple of months?

or is it when you get this feeling that it’s a chore to read a book instead of an enjoyable thing?

or is it something else? i’m happy to hear everyone’s opinions.

i think i’m currently in one, because that feeling of enjoying a book isn’t there & i wonder what can i do to feel motivated again to read

The lack of dialogue markers is really starting to get to me

Seeing myself in Alice and having my own thoughts (or similar) reflected back at me is an insane feeling.

Any advice welcome! With the school year starting I had very little time to read, so I ended up pausing all the books I had started. Now I want to continue, but I feel kind of disconnected and like I may have forgotten some plot details. Should I suck it up and continue and see if the memory comes back, or bite the bullet and restart? I'm over 200 pages into the one book (Priory of the Orange Tree) so I'm hesitant to restart, but I don't want to miss out on anything if I've forgotten a key detail! And because I'm indecisive I end up continuing to not read at all, making the problem worse with more and more time passing!!

I am very very very curious. If you could only read one book until the end of your life - what would it be an why?

For me it would be The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue from V.E. Schwab. I just love the lyrical writing, the emotions and warmth behind it.

What would it be for you? (I will probably be adding a lot of book to my TBR 😂🩵)

HEALTHY RELATIONSHIPS! (Shout out to sophie.b for telling me to do this in part 1💗)

Why is it that EVERY SINGLE fantasy book I read there is AT LEAST 1 couple that is TOXIC, MANIPULATIVE, or filled with SO MUCH miscommunication that could’ve been solved if the characters just actually talked for FIVE FRICKIN MINUTES?!?🤨

Dont get mr wrong I ABSOLUTELY LOVEEE all the tension, angst and drama but WHERE ARE THE HEALTHY RELATIONSHIPS??😭😭 WE NEED THEM AS WELL!! (Im gonna quickly act like I dont eat up every book with this kind of toxicity🫣)

Like I know sooooo many people would ABSOLUTELY DEVOUR a book with 2 characters SUPPORTING EACH OTHER without feeling JEALOUS and/or BETRAYED EVER 3 PAGES😔!! WE DESPERATELY NEEEEED MORE POWER COUPLES who hype each other up and COMMUNICATE!!! It's always “he’s dangerous, but she can fix him” GIRL CALM DOWN🤨 or “she’s broken, but he’ll heal her,” why not both be strong, both flawed, BUT STILL respect each other’s boundaries?🤯🤯

Just imagine in a normal fantasy couple going to therapy with each other... DO YOU KNOW HOW STRESSED THAT THERAPIST IS GOING TO BE🤣?!? They are gonna need to give themselves therapy. It isnt that hard to take 5 minutes of your time every day to just TALK ABOUT FEELINGS😭😭 and maybe tell your lover that you have this evil plan but you need to betray them for it to work?? maybe....🫤

At this point the "true love" in fantasy books equals CONSTANT drama, emotional manipulation, or one person sacrificing everything while the other sulks and gets mad. I want the RIDE OR DIE energy not the "I love you but Im gonna do this behind your back and not tell you until you find out somehow and get mad." NOOOOO!!!😔

I NEED the couples who strategize together/ PLAN THINGS TOGETHER, who banter without cruelty, who are actually FUN TO READ because you can root for them without also screaming into a pillow about red flags.😭😭

GIVE ME MESSY PLOTS NOT RELATIONSHIPS, A COUPLE THAT WORKS TOGETHER and a much better enemies to lovers that isnt glorified emotional abuse with extra eyeliner. (Damn I yapped A LOOTT💔)

I’m currently reading a book that has reviews, but no forum interaction. I’ve already posted like 3 times. I think im starting to feel a little self conscious. At the same time, it’s fun and I like seeing my thoughts out in the ether. 😅 Does any one else feel weird when they are the only one posting? 😆

Parents.

Because what do you mean their ALL GONE OR ABUSIVE?!? I've read sooooo much fantasy books but 99.9% of the time the PARENTS ARE GONE OR ABUSIVE AND CAUSE SO MUCH TRAUMA ITS INSANEE💔

I get that authour's dont want to write all that family drama but sometimes its NECESSARY!! WE CAN ONLY HAVE SO MUCH DEAD PEOPLE IN OUR BOOKS!

I really love a good protective mother getting revenge for their child or a father getting mad when people hit on their child💗💗💗but than THERE IS FANTASY

-Dead mother who ran away from abusive/absent father. CHECK✅ -Abusive PARENTS who like this other child better.. CHECKK✅ -Absolutely NO MENTIONING of family CHECCK CHECK CHECK✅✅✅

Like if we can have it in romance for example in Binding 13 WE HAVE A BALANCE OF TRAUMA AND LOVING PROTECTIVE FAMILY!! ITS NOT THAT HARD TO WRITE A WORRIED MOTHER. YOU CAN STILL HAVE TRAUMA WITH BOTH ACTIVELY LOVING PARENTS!!!!😔😔

Also some of these family backstories are SO TRAUMATIC IS SCARY! WHAT DO YOU MEAN HE CHEATED ON YOUR MOTHER WITH SOME RANDOM GIRL AND SO DID HIS/HER PARENTS?!?🤨 What do you mean he FUCKING GROOMED HER THATS NO FAMILY TRAUMA THATS JAIL TIME! Or it's something like "they died when I was small and I never saw them again/dont remember them."😭😭💔

Dont get me wrong I love it when their's trauma and a sad backstory but EVERY SINGLE FRICKIN TIME?!? Does anyone have any Fantasy rec's with at least 2 LOVING AND CARING PARENT'S?!?😔