This time last year I was in a two months vacation from my day work because of a terrible burnout. Thanks to this, I found out about GR. I’ve made incredible friends. Until then I was reading exclusively fantasy and historicals, rarely touching romance. When I discovered the MM romance books it was like a whole new world has opened up for me.
Here they are, the books that influenced me the most in 2018:
- Hua Hua You Long 花花遊龍 => the book that started it all. I was reading the manga who ends at chapter 5 in the middle of the story. Desperate I searched for the novel that inspired the manga. Found it on GR. The rest is history.
- Submission from the Deviations series by Chris Owen and Jodi Payne – the second MM book I ever read. Was looking for a cure from 6 MF romance BDSM stories I dnfed in one day
- Box 1663 by Alex Sorel- the book that returned my faith in self-published works
- The Last of the Wine by Mary Renault- the book that introduced me to our lady savior Mary Renault. One of my favorite books ever (2nd place for best books I’ve ever read).
- The Silver Cord and The Silver Cage by Anonymous- the type of stories I love to read
- Claustrophilia by Ezra Blake- the one that gave me nightmares for a week
- Captive Prince and all the books in the series by C.S. Pacat-> that series that told me that even if I’ve been a reader of fantasy for most of my life, I’ve been living under a rock. An incredible work.
- Suanne’s An Exaltation of Larks and A Charm of Finches (by Suanne Laqueur)- these books are gold. Finches pushed at some limits I didn’t know I had.
- Laura Lascarso’s almost everything, the crown taking it Hiroku
- And last but definitely not least The Book of Beginnings: It’s Just Us Here by Christopher X. Sullivan that made me understand a couple of things about myself.
Honorable mentions to:
-> Something Like Summer by Jay Bell
->Gold Tithings by Kate Islay – my 1st shortie
->Bloodraven – by P.L. Nunn
->The Salt of Your Tears by M. Caspian
->fawn by Nash Summers
->The Art of the Heart by Dan Skinner
->Glitterland & For Real by Alexis Hall
->Roan Parrish’s Natural Enemies, Riven & The Remaking of Corbin Wale
The book that pissed me the most was Circe by Madeline Miller. The Song of Achilles by MM is my 3rd favorite book ever. I am fully aware of the extremity of my psychosis. I know I am in the wrong for not liking it. I know I am crazy. But if you’re messing with my Odysseus, I’ll cut you. I’ve read academic articles that supported the portrayal of Odysseus. I refuse to accept those either. I may need professional help :)) But hey, at least I’m not in denial.
Here’s my year in books: https://www.goodreads.com/user/year_in_books/2018
Hugs and kisses y’all!
Happy New Year!
Xia Xia Lake 