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Must Read Queer Fantasy Books

May 26, 2022 by Jessi Filed Under: Book Recommendations

Looking for the best queer fantasy books to add to your reading list? Check out these gay fantasy books with amazing LGTBQ+ representation.

Must Read Queer Fantasy Books

In the world of fantasy, for some reason, it seems like there are mainly straight romantic relationships.  That really isn’t the case at the moment though, and fantasy has really started to become a much more diverse genre. There are some fantastic gay fantasy books with excellent LGTBQ+ representation within them.  If you are looking for them, then you can find them right here in a nice little list for you. 

Now, these are not romance books. Nor are they even really “fantasy romance”. Most of these books I am going to recommend to you have queer romance as a subplot. I personally don’t tend to read books that have romance as the main plot, so make sure you keep that in mind when you are going through this list. 

These books are first and foremost, fantasy books (with a little sci-fi thrown in for fun). If you are looking for books that are more romance-heavy, these may not be for you. But if you want books that have beautiful LGBTQ romances as a subplot in a fantasy book, then these will be right up your alley.

Must Read Queer Fantasy Books

Renegades by Marissa Meyer

Renegades Queer YA FantasyStarting out with the lightest of the romances we have Renegades by Marissa Meyer. This YA superhero book series is super cute. not only does it have great friendships and a cute young romance, but it also has a main character with two amazing dads.

One of our main superheroes has two gay fathers, and it is beautifully done. I love how their relationship is written, and I especially love how their parenting is shown.

Something I think YA fantasy is missing, in general, is good parental figures. These fathers are shown as loving their kids and in a healthy and loving relationship with each other.

Even better, the fact that they are gay is not even a big deal in this world. It is what it is and no one even mentions it, which honestly I love.

Jasmine Throne by Tasha Suri

The Jasmine Throne Sapphic Fantasy BookMoving on from a book where the romance is a side character to an LQBT fantasy where the romance is between the two central characters, we have The Jasmine Throne by Tasha Suri. This is a newer YA fantasy that borders much more on adult fantasy.

We follow two women. An imprisoned sister to the emperor who is meant to be executed, and a maidservant who is in hiding due to escaping a genocidal event in her youth. This book is an Indian-inspired fantasy with a queer enemies-to-lovers trope that is so well done.

Not only do we have a slow-burn sapphic romance, but we also have forbidden magic, revolution, and a whole lot of politics! This book can be described as slower-paced, but it does an excellent job of worldbuilding and connecting you with the characters.

Starless Sea by Erin Morgenstern

The Starless Sea Gay FantasyNext up we have a standalone male/male fantasy romance book. The Starless Sea by Erin Morgenstern is a stunningly beautiful gay fantasy book. This isn’t a book for everyone though due to the unique way it is written.

This book is what I would say is very flowery. It is purple prose at its finest, almost poetic in nature. There are stories within stories and honestly, you will be confused for most of your reading experience. If that is okay with you though, it is a beautiful book where you can just enjoy the ride.

We follow Zachary, a college student who finds a story about his own childhood in a strange book in his school library. He decides to find out everything he can about this book, which leads him to a magical and mysterious secret society that will change his life forever.

House in the Cerulean Sea by TJ Klune

House in the Cerulean Sea LGBTQ+Another one of my favorite male/male fantasy romance books, House in the Cerulean Sea by TJ Klune is another beautiful standalone. While many of the books on this list aren’t as focused on romance, I think this one would be the most romance-focused.

We follow Linus, a social worker who works with magical children. Linus is a boring man, nothing special and nothing adventurous. His world is flipped upside down when he is assigned to look into a magical orphanage filled with potentially dangerous children. He must spend a month at the home with the children and their keeper.

This book is sweet and wholesome and just overall adorable.

The Disasters by MK England

The Disasters Gay Fantasy BooksSo this one isn’t a queer fantasy book. It is a queer sci-fi book. The Disasters by MK England is a gem of a YA sci-fi.

We follow a group of students as they are being sent home from a prestigious space academy… on their first day! They all wash out for one reason or another, but while they are waiting on the shuttle to leave, the school is attacked. Everyone in the school is killed but they are able to get away. Now they are on the run and have to learn to work together to save themselves and possibly the galaxy.

When we think of representation, this book has it all! We have a bi-male main character, a trans female, and a gay man. We also have some awesome anxiety representation in this book as well. Not only is it super-inclusive, but it is also just a fun space romp with a group of misfits.

Girls of Paper and Fire by Natasha Ngan

Girls of Paper and Fire Queer Fantasy BooksThis book is a little darker than some of the others mentioned on this list. Girls of Paper and Fire by Natasha Ngan is a darker YA fantasy book with a sapphic relationship between the main characters.

This isn’t a light and fluffy LGBT fantasy book. Before deciding to pick this one up, please look into the trigger warnings. In this world, there are three castes of people. There are regular humans, human-demon hybrids, and demons. Demons rule the world. Every year, the demon king picks human girls from his kingdom to serve as his concubines. This year though, one of the girls decides that enough is enough and she is determined to break the system.

If you want a good romance in a dark world with forbidden love and revolution, pick this series up.

Ship of Smoke and Steel by Django Wexler

Ship of Smoke and Steel Gay Fantasy BooksThe first book in an older-leaning YA fantasy series, Ship of Smoke and Steel by Django Wexler is a wild ride. This again has a female/female relationship between the two main characters.

In this world, magic users are conscripted by the crown. Our main character evades this for years while living as a gang enforcer and supporting her younger sister. One day she is caught and with her sister’s life being threatened, she is forced to undertake a dangerous mission to steal an unstealable ghost ship that is filled with magic users who are sent there every year as sacrifices.

Again, romance is not the main element, but it is a really lovely side plot within the story.

Crown of Feathers by Nicki Pau Preto

Crown of Feathers LGBT Fantasy BooksThe Crown of Feathers series is much more romance heavy than most of the other queer fantasy books on this list. While what I consider to be the central romance is straight, one of the relationships between a secondary PoV character is a male/male relationship.

This is a world where magic is illegal. Magic users, those who can communicate with animals, are found and either killed or conscripted to work for the crown. We follow Veronyka, a magic user who longs to be a phoenix rider. She ends up disguising herself as a boy and working for a group of hidden phoenix riders.

This book is filled with romance, forbidden magic, secret heirs, and revolution!

She Who Became the Sun by Chelly Parker Chan

She Who Became the Sun Queer Fantasy BooksWhile I could put quite a few more books on this list (as you can see from my video up above that talks about a few more queer fantasy books), She Who Became the Sun is the last one we are going to talk about today.

This is another female/female romance in a brutal world. I won’t go into a lot of detail about the book here because I do have a full spoiler-free She Who Became the Sun review that you can check out if you want to know more.

Just know that this is a fictional ancient China where a girl takes on the persona of her dead brother in order to reach for greatness.

While this is by no means a comprehensive list of gay fantasy books, it is quite a few of my personal favorites. If you have any queer fantasy books that you would like to recommend, let me know in the comments so I can add a few more to my reading list for the year. 

 

June 2022 Fantasy Book Releases

May 25, 2022 by Jessi Filed Under: New Releases

Take a look at these amazing-sounding June 2022 fantasy book releases and start your pre-orders now!

June 2022 Fantasy Book releases

What Are the June 2022 Fantasy Book Releases?

This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I will receive a small commission at no extra cost to you.

On the hunt for some epic new fantasy books coming out in June 2022? These books are the top new releases coming out this month! You will kick off the summer right with these amazing new books. There are a ton of sequels coming out and a lot of great-sounding new series as well. So if you want to pick up a few new books to grow your summer TBR, keep reading and pick up a few of these upcoming fantasy releases.

Forging Silver into Stars

One of my most anticipated fantasy book continuations, Forging Silver into Stars will be coming out on June 7, 2022. This is a continuation that picks up where A Vow so Bold and Deadly left off.

While this is a direct continuation of the Cursebreaker series, it will follow different characters. Though we will be seeing cameos from some of our favorites from the original series.

Hopefully, this book lives up to the hype and does justice to the original series!

Never the Wind

Never the Wind by Francesco Dimitri is set to release on June 7, 2022. This is a fantasy book set in the same world as The Book of Hidden Things. 

This book is described as “a bittersweet gothic fantasy of family, friendship, memory and the uncanny told from the perspective of a blind teenager”. If that doesn’t sound like an intriguing premise, then I don’t know what does.

We follow a blind teen named Luca. Set in 1996 in Southern Italy, this book follows him as he experiences the world in his own way. He eventually meets a girl who he befriends, but this friendship leads to the discovery of family grudges and drama that have been ongoing for generations.

This sounds like it is going to lean more to the lighter magic side of fantasy with a much higher focus on the family drama aspect of the story.

A Mirror Mended

Set directly after the events of the first novella, A Spindle Splintered, A Mirror Mended by Alix E Harrow is slated to release on June 14, 2022. Don’t expect this to be a full-length novel ( which I did when I read book 1). This is a fantasy novella that is a sapphic reimagining of the Sleeping Beauty mythos.

Book one follows a terminally ill girl who is obsessed with Sleeping Beauty. She ends up going through a mirror to a strange and magical world and learning so much more about herself and the world at large than she ever imagined.

This book takes place after the events of that first book. We follow the same characters and I expect to learn more about the world and how things have changed.

The Blood Traitor

Blood Traitor June 2022On to another sequel coming out on June 14, 2022, we have The Blood Traitor by Lynette Noni. This is the third and final book in the Prison Healer series.

The Prison Healer was one of my surprise favorite books of the past year. It is a YA fantasy that I feel, really elevates YA fantasy in a really fun way.

We follow Kiva, a 17-year-old girl who is the head healer in a brutal prison. She is in charge of intaking new prisoners, and because of this, most of the other prisoners hate her. One day the rebel queen is brought into the prison. On her deathbed, Kiva has to keep her alive at all costs. So she does what she must and volunteers to undergo the trial meant for the queen. This deadly trial filled with magic and politics takes its toll on the entire prison.

This series has a wonderful romance that I think subverts the typical YA romance tropes, as well as some really fantastic twists and turns.

I am very excited to see how this series is brought to an end.

This Wicked Fate

This Wicked Fate June 2022June seems to be the month of sequels. This Wicked Fate, the sequel to This Poison Heart by Kalynn Bayron releases on June 21, 2022.  This is a YA fantasy and I really loved the first book.

In the first one, we follow Bri, a young adopted black girl with two moms. She ends up inheriting her dead aunt’s estate out of nowhere. The family moves there to try to make it work. Bri has inexplicable plant magic and comes to find out the house she inherits has a massive garden with an established apothecary.

For a YA book, it does a great job at subverting some of the more traditional YA tropes. There is a little romance, but nothing major. And the parents in this book are fantastic. A YA fantasy book with caring and present parents? UNHEARD OF, but I needed it!

I really hope book two lives up to the hype of the first book!

For the Throne

For the Throne June 2022 Fantasy Book ReleasesOnce more we are talking about another sequel coming out this month. Releasing on June 9, 2022, we can expect For the Throne by Hannah F. Whitten. This is the highly anticipated sequel to For the Wolf.

Book one took Booktube by storm! It ended up being super popular in the online bookish communities, and I am sure book 2 will be just as popular.

This starts right where book two left off and is guaranteed to please fans! Be sure to pick up the conclusion to this duology when it comes out.

In the Shadow of Lightning

In the Shadow of Lighting June 2022 Fantasy Book releaseFinally, we are discussing a new series coming out and not a sequel. This is the first book in the Glass Immortals series. Coming out on June 21, 2022, In the Shadow of Lightning by Brian McClellan sounds like it is going to be an epic adult fantasy.

In this book, we follow an outcast who has fled from a life of wealth and power. After the death of a relative, he is forced to return and take up his place in the family.  We find out that in this world, magic is a finite resource and it running out. Our protagonist has to team up with a rag-tag group and figure out a way to save the magical world as they know it.

While I wasn’t a fan of the author’s other series ( Powdermage), I did really like his writing style. I am really hoping that this is the book that gets me to fall in love with his books!

The Ballad of Perilous Graves

A new standalone fantasy book set in New Orleans, The Ballad of Perilous Graves by Alex Jennings comes out on June 21, 2022.

In this book music is magic. This is a vibrant and imaginative book set in a fantastical New Orleans where a battle for the city’s soul brews between two young mages, a vengeful wraith, and one powerful song.

Alex Jennings is a debut author. I am super excited for this one since I absolutely love books where music is used as a form of magic.

Ordinary Monsters

Coming out on June 7, 2022, Ordinary Monsters by J.M. Miro is the first book in a new fantasy trilogy.

This book is described as “a stunning new work of historical fantasy that introduces readers to the dark, labyrinth world of The Talents”.

Set in England in 1882, we follow two children with unexplained magical powers. They are on the run from a man made of smoke when they end up discovering a place where other kids with abilities, called The Talents, have gathered.

Now, I am a sucker for “kids with powers” as a fantasy book trope. So I am extremely excited to get to this book as soon as it comes out.

The City Inside

The City Inside by Samit Basu is more sci-fi leaning than fantasy. It comes out on June 7, 2022.

This book is set in a near-future setting where social media and streaming are basically everything. We follow a few different characters as they go through life in this world.

Joey is a reality controller. This means she supervises the live streams of one of the most famous celebrities of the time.

Rudra is a recluse who is estranged from his wealthy family. He is obsessed with video games. But his dad’s death leads him to take an impulsive job offer in order to escape a life he never wanted.

Our two main characters become involved in conspiracies and their lives begin to spin out of control.

This book sounds a little “close to home” based on our current love of social media and I am very excited to read it as soon as it comes out.

Speaking Bones

Jumping back to sequels, we have Speaking Bones by Ken Liu coming out on June 21, 2022. This is the fourth book in the extremely popular Dandelion Dynasty Series.

The conclusion to this adult epic fantasy is extremely anticipated. The hype surrounding this book online is massive!

If you have not read book one, now is the perfect time to pick it up and binge read the entire series!

The Dream Runners

Coming out on June 28, 2022, Dream Runners by Shveta Thakrar is an exciting Indian-inspired fantasy book.

According to GoodReads, this book is described as “A lush tapestry of dreams, myth, and magic–perfect for fans of Holly Black, Roshani Chokshi, and Margaret Rogerson.”

This is a standalone contemporary fantasy book that is inspired by the nagas and garudas of Hindu mythology and is full of slow-burning romance, haunting intrigue, and shimmering magic.

Juniper & Thorn

Looking for a new gothic horror retelling? Then check out Juniper & Thorn by Ava Reid coming out on June 21, 2022.

This book is a beautiful retelling that is “set in another time and place within the world of The Wolf and the Woodsman, where a young witch seeks to discover her identity and escape the domination of her wizard father, perfect for fans of Shirley Jackson and Catherynne M. Valente.”

I am all for horror fantasy books lately and honestly, the cover of this one really pulled me in.

The Shelterlings

The only middle-grade fantasy book on this list, The Shelterlings by Sarah Beth Durst comes out on June 21, 2022.

If you have been around for any amount of time, you will know that Sarah Beth Durst is one of my favorite authors. She is an auto-buy and when I saw she has a new middle grade, I knew I needed it in my life so this has been pre-ordered already.

In this book, we follow a group of misfit magical animals as they learn to appreciate their seemingly useless powers. All the while they have to learn to also work together in order to thwart the main villain’s attempt to steal their magic!

Magical animals? Sign me up! It sounds adorable. Durst’s middle-grade books are always adorable, and I am sure that this one will be no different.

These are all of my anticipated June 2022 fantasy book releases! Let me know which ones you want to pick up.

Badass Female Fantasy Characters from My Favorite Books

May 23, 2022 by Jessi Filed Under: Book Recommendations

These female fantasy characters are the definition of badass! Strong, beautiful, and kind these are the best fantasy book ladies!

Badass Female Fantasy Characters from My Favorite Books

*This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I will receive a small commission at no extra cost to you*

The Best Female Fantasy Characters

As a 30-something-year-old mom of two, there is nothing I love more when I am reading than following a badass female fantasy character. When a character is complex, well-written, flawed, but strong, I just can’t put the book down.

These ladies are some of my favorite girls of fantasy in some of my favorite books of all time. If you love strong female characters, then you are going to want to make sure you pick up all of the books on this list. 

Dodger from Middlegame

Middlegame, Dodger, female fantasy charactersSo calling Middlegame fantasy may be a bit of a stretch. It is more of a nice blend of sci-fi and fantasy, Sci-fantasy if you will. This book is really strange, a bit confusing, and kind of hard to explain. The best way I can describe it is as a mix between Frankenstein and The Wizard of Oz.

We follow a set of twins, Rodger and Dodger. They are separated at “birth” but keep coming across each other in life. What they don’t know, is that they were created by an Alchemist who made them as the embodiment of different natural forces. Rodger is language, and Dodger is math.

I love that Dodger is math. Showing a female as the embodiment of math which is technically seen as a male-dominated discipline is just something that makes me happy to see.

Dodger is a great character and we get to follow her from childhood well into adulthood. Watching her grow and change and accept who she is was one of my favorite parts of the book.

Another great aspect of this book as a whole is that there is no central romance. We get to see Dodger be who she is without a love interest. She develops her sibling relationship with her twin brother, and never needs a romantic tie in order to make her great. 

Nahri from the City of Brass

City of Brass, Nahri, female fantasy charactersI have probably talked about Nahri from the City of Brass in so many booktube videos and blog posts lately, but I will keep on shouting her amazingness from the rooftops because she is one of the best female fantasy characters in adult epic fantasy.

City of Brass is a diverse adult fantasy book with a Middle Eastern setting. It is beautiful and lush and the characters truly stand out, especially Nahri. She is a strong female who does everything she has to do in order to survive. She can really be seen as a morally grey character as well, which makes me love her even more.

Not only is she self-sufficient and strong, but she also knows when to bend in order to help the people she cares about. She is deeply flawed and while she does love with great passion, she also knows that before she can be truly open to loving someone else, she needs to work on herself first.

This book is the perfect series with beautiful writing, my favorite tropes, and just an all-around amazing cast of characters.

January from Ten Thousand Doors of January

If you are looking for a whimsical standalone fantasy book with an amazing female protagonist, check out Ten Thousand Doors of January. I am so in love with this book, though I don’t talk about it as often as I should.

We follow January, a girl alone in the world. She loves her adventurer father, but he is always gone on trips to find rare artifacts. She is essentially raised by her father’s rich patron, but he is not a warm and fuzzy surrogate father.

January is kind, smart, and curious. She wants to adventure like her father. When she starts learning more about the hidden worlds that exist within our world though, she is thrust into a world of magic and violence and is forced to protect the people she cares about while still learning who she truly is.

The writing in this book is lyrical and beautiful, but never overly flowery or purple. If you want a great fantasy book female protagonist, then this is one you should check out right away.

Misaki from Sword of Kaigen

Ready for an amazing badass fantasy mom? Misaki from Sword of Kaigen is the epitome of the badass fantasy mom. She is complex and so much more than “just a mom”.

In Sword of Kaigen, Misaki is a mom to three boys living in a very misogynistic area, married to a husband where there is no real love in the relationship. She struggles with longing for her independent, crime-fighting past with a mom she truly cared for.  At this point in her life, she feels like she has lost herself, lost her identity, and this is something I think most moms feel at one point or another.

When the shit starts to hit the fan in their small town, Misaki must reconcile the two parts of her life and learn to merge them together in order to be the person she truly needs to be.

This book is heartbreaking and raw and filled with awesome magic and character relations. Seriously if you are a mom yourself, I think you will instantly fall in love with Misaki and this entire book!

Naelin from Queens of Renthia

Another of my favorite fantasy moms, Naelin from the Queens of Renthia series is seriously a standout female fantasy protagonist. Though she is not in the first book of the series, Queen of Blood, at all, her presence fully takes over the series from the moment she appears on-page in the second book, Reluctant Queen.

Naelin is strong, in more ways than one. She loves her kids and will burn the world to the ground in order to protect them. She is also a reluctant hero. Naelin has no desire to be a Queen or a hero, she just wants to be a mom.

Her raw magical abilities thrust her into a world she never planned to be in. She is forced to learn to control her raw abilities while still being a mother to her two small children.

This is one of my favorite series of all time, with some of the best female characters.

Vin from the Mistborn Series

Would this even be a Bookish Mom book recommendations roundup without mentioning something by Brandon Sanderson? I love everything he has written, but there is something special about the Mistborn series. It was my re-introduction to fantasy and the book that got me back into reading after about 7 years of not reading at all.

Vin is such an amazing female protagonist. She starts out as a street orphan and ends up being the most badass character in the entire series.  One thing I love is that she grows so much through the series. You can tell she is well written because she feels her age, but you see her grow and change. She is strong and kickass but also loves balls and pretty dresses. Vin loves her friends, found family, and her romantic interest with such fierce passion.

She may not be perfect, but Vin will always be special to me. If you haven’t read Mistborn yet, I recommend checking it out! You can even take a peek at the cosmere reading order to see all of the Brandon Sanderson books in this massive universe and decide which ones you want to read first.

I could probably go on and on about all of my favorite female fantasy characters, but today I will leave you with these six lovely ladies. 

Adult and YA Diverse Fantasy Books

May 16, 2022 by Jessi Filed Under: Book Recommendations

A common misconception about fantasy books is that they are all Eurocentric and written by white men. This couldn’t be further from the truth! These adult and YA diverse fantasy books prove that assumption wrong in the best way possible!

My Favorite Diverse Fantasy Books

It is time to blow the lid off the misconception that fantasy books are all written by old white men. There are so many diverse fantasy books, written by women and men of color that you are missing out on if you believe this to be true. This list of books focuses on non-European-inspired fantasy books written by women.  

No matter if you are looking for adult fantasy books or YA fantasy books, I have you covered! There are some amazing non-European books in both age ranges and we are going to talk about all of my current favorites. 

Diverse Fantasy Books

*This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I will receive a small commission at no extra cost to you*

The Best Diverse YA Fantasy Books

If you are wanting diverse ya fantasy books, then make sure you check these out! There’s everything you could want! Romance, politics, and of course, strong female characters!

Six Crimson Cranes

Six Crimson CranesIf you want a super whimsical YA fantasy book then check out Six Crimson Cranes by Elizabeth Lim. This is an adorable Asian-inspired fantasy book.

It is a quick and easy read and if you love fairytale retellings, then this is for you. Six Crimson Cranes has a very light romance element to it and a soft magic system.

If you are interested in this book but want to know more, you can check out my full Six Crimson Cranes review and decide if this is the book for you.

The Gilded Ones

The Gilded Ones, Diverse YA Fantasy BooksIf you are looking for a West-African-inspired YA fantasy book, then look no further than the Gilded Ones by Namina Forna.

The Gilded Ones is pitched as a “dark feminist tale spun with blood and gold”, and it is not wrong. This is a dark YA fantasy and borders on more adults due to the violent themes within the pages.

In this story, we follow a girl who has to undergo ritual bleeding to ensure that she is a “normal human” and not a demon. Instead of human red, her blood runs gold though and she ends up having to face a new fate that she never expected.

Sent away to join a special army-like unit with other gilded girls, she must learn how to control her new powers, form relationships with the other girls in her unit, and uncover secrets about the society at large. 

I really recommend picking this book up if you want a fast and dark fantasy. Book two in this series is one of my most anticipated May 2022 fantasy book releases too, so you won’t have to wait to see what happens next.

The Jasmine Throne

Are you looking for a sapphic Indian-inspired fantasy book? Then you are going to love The Jasmine Throne by Tasha Suri. While this is technically in the YA fantasy age range, it really pushes that and, I think, is much more adult in themes and tone. 

We follow two main characters. One is an imprisoned princess who longs for freedom and revenge. The second is a maid who is just trying to keep her head down since she holds quite a few secrets of her own. 

We also get some amazing side characters in this book. My favorite is a pregnant woman who has quickly become one of my favorite moms in fantasy. 

This book does have a slower pace and a lot of slow-burn build-ups, so don’t go in expecting a fast-paced ride like some of the other books on this list.  But if you want beautiful worldbuilding and well-crafted characters, then The Jasmine Throne is one you won’t want to pass on.

An Ember in the Ashes

An Ember in the Ashes, Diverse Fantasy Book YAA gritty Middle Eastern-inspired world where revolution is brewing against the colonizing upper class, An Ember in the Ashes is one of the best diverse fantasy books on the market right now. 

In this book, we follow two characters once again. One lower-class girl who has had to watch her family be murdered and her brother be taken to jail so she joins up with the rebels to spy on the top-tier military school. And the other is a boy attending the military school who hates what he is and dreams of nothing more than escape from his fate. 

This is a beautifully written four-book series, and best of all, it is a completed series! No need to wait for new books to get the full story, it is all out and ready for you to binge read. 

The Best Diverse Adult Fantasy Books

Now that we have talked about some of my favorite diverse YA fantasy books, we can move on to diverse adult fantasy books.

Sword of Kaigen

Sword of Kaigen, Diverse Fantasy Books AdultSword of Kaigen is not only an amazing non-European fantasy book, but it is also a self-published fantasy book! One of my favorite books of all time, Sword of Kaigen is a standalone fantasy set in an Asian-inspired world.

We follow Misaki and her 14-year-old son Mamoru. Misaki is a wife and mom, but she longs for her past where she was so much more. At one point she was a warrior, but now that life is only a memory. Mamoru is a teenager who longs for greatness. He wants to be the best warrior her can be, but when he learns more about the world outside of his small, secluded town, his rose-colored view of the world starts to fade.

This is a dark and brutal book that will rip your heart out and stomp all over it.  As a mom myself, I highly recommend this one for its representation of motherhood in a fantastical setting. If you want to check this one out, you can actually read it for free on Kindle Unlimited.

City of Brass

City of Brass, Diverse adult Fantasy BookCity of Brass is a beautiful Middle Eastern-inspired fantasy trilogy. Once again, this is a completed series so no need to wait on more books to release. You can get the full story all right now!

In this series, we follow Nahri, an orphan con artist living in Cairo who accidentally summons a djinn! We also follow that djinn ( well Deva), Dara as he has to take Nahri from Egypt to the magical land of Devabad where she can learn her true heritage. Then back in Devabad, we follow Ali, a prince who doesn’t quite fit in with the rest of his people.

This is one of the few series where I actually really love the ” love triangle” element of it. One of my least favorite tropes but it is done so well and so differently here that it really works within the context of the story.

This book also very heavily features food, which made it perfect for my first reading and recipes where I made Koshari and talked all about the book!

The Poppy War

I have probably said this about all of the books on this list, but this is one of my favorite fantasy series. The Poppy War is a Chinese-inspired story that blends history and magic in the best way possible. So many scenes from this book are ripped directly from the history books with a little magic added in!

In the Poppy War, we follow Rin, a war-orphan who longs for more than an arranged marriage to a man she does not love. In order to escape her fate, she studies hard and gets accepted to a prestigious military school. Because of her low status though, she isn’t immediately accepted by her classmates.

The first half of the first book is “Ya feeling”. Following Rin in school but after that first half, we are thrust into the dark and violent war that encompasses the rest of the series.

This is, again, a completed series. So check it out and enjoy the entire series in one shot!

Black Sun

Ready for something completely different than the fantasy books you are used to? Black Sun is a pre-Columbian-inspired fantasy world that is nothing like you have ever read before.  It is so unique and beautifully written. This book will keep you on the edge of your seat until the very end! Luckily, book two in the series just came out so you can at least get most of the story without having to wait. 

In this series, we follow 3 different characters. A hidden and blinded “chosen one”, a female sailor who may be part siren, and a young girl from the lower class who has worked her way into the highest ranks of priesthood.

This one is a bit hard to describe without spoiling anything, so I advise that you go in blind and just enjoy the ride. 

The Fifth Season

The final book on this list of diverse adult fantasy books is the Fifth Season by NK Jemisin. Another completed series, this one is a little harder to recommend but I just had to because I love it so much.

It is one of those books that is very polarizing. You will either love it or hate it, there is really no in-between with this one.  Jemisin has a very unique writing style that isn’t going to vibe with everyone. Oh, and this book has an entire PoV written in the second person! I love it but it is hard for a lot of people. 

In this book, we follow 3 women of different ages. All of whom are orogens, magic-users in this world. During the story, we are in the middle of an apocalyptic event, normal in this world, but this may just be the last one that actually fully destroys the world. 

The characters in this series are so well written and the world is so perfectly built. If you want something different than the norm, the pick up the Broken Earth series. 

These books are perfect for proving the misconception about fantasy being an “old-white man genre” wrong. All of these books are very diverse and set in rich and beautiful worlds. 

How to Start a BookTube Channel

April 22, 2022 by Jessi Filed Under: Book Blogging & Social Media Tips

Want to know how to start a BookTube channel? It may be a lot easier than you think, and I am here to help walk you through everything bookTube from start to finish! So let’s get you going and get that first video posted!

How to Start a Booktube Channel for Beginners

How to Start a Bookt4ube Channel

The other day we talked about how to start a book blog, so now I wanted to talk about how to start a BookTube channel.  This can be a really fun hobby for readers. Booktube is a great way to meet others who like to read and gives you a fun community online that you can talk to.

I know a lot of people who want to start BookTubing are a little overwhelmed, but it doesn’t have to be that way. I want to talk you through the simple steps to starting a BookTube. You don’t need fancy equipment, it doesn’t have to be perfect. All you need is a camera or phone, some books, ideas, and a little bit of time!

What is Booktube?

So if for some reason you landed here and don’t know what BookTube is, I am here to answer. Booktube is a small community on YouTube where people talk about books. Really, that’s it.

There are multiple different sub-genres in the Booktube community too. There is the fantasy BookTube, which is where I personally reside. But there are also communities for pretty much every imaginable book genre out there.

So if you are a reader and you aren’t on BookTube, you are missing out on some really awesome content!

So, How Can I Start a BookTube?

Starting a BookTube is so much easier than most people think. Really, starting any YouTube channel is pretty easy. You don’t need to have an expensive camera, nor do you need to be an expert at videography and editing. All you really need to start a successful BookTube channel is to try!

BookTube Equipment

When it comes to starting a BookTube, you will need some equipment. The main things you are going to need are:

  • A camera or smartphone to film on.
  • Video editing application, either on your phone or computer.
  • A tripod or something to place your camera or phone on.

For your camera, you can use anything you already have to film on.  Smartphones are fantastic, and most people already own one. So don’t go out and buy a brand new camera just to get started. Use what you have! Honestly, smartphones right now have some pretty amazing cameras. I still use mine to do photos and vlogs even though I personally own a Canon DSLR.

Video editing is another thing you can do for free or cheap. There are a lot of free editing apps for your phone and computer, you just have to look. Start by searching the app store for free editing apps. I found a blog with free video editing apps that was really helpful that you can check out.

Then you need a tripod or something to set your phone on while filming. You can pick up some really inexpensive phone tripods on Amazon that will last you a very long time!  If you don’t have the best natural lighting in your home, then you can even pick up one of these ring light phone tripods for under $40!

That’s it. Those are the three pieces of equipment you need to start your channel! You can pick up some extras like lighting and props for photos if you want, but they aren’t really necessary.start booktube channel

BookTube Filming Setup

Once you have some filming equipment, you need a filming spot. Most BookTubers film in front of their bookshelves, but it isn’t a necessity. 

Pick somewhere in your house with good natural light, set up, and film. When I started out, I filmed in front of my single bookshelf in the corner of my office. It has grown a lot since then, but these things take time. 

I will say, having books in your filming setup is pretty helpful. It is nice, as a viewer, to see books from your preferred genres and authors in the background of all your videos. It helps viewers get a feel for your content at a glance. 

The main thing I want you to keep in mind is that it does not need to be perfect. You are starting out, this is a learning experience. Learn as you go. You can always change your setup as you go. 

Coming Up With BookTube Video Ideas

You are set up and have what you need, now comes the hard part, coming up with BookTube video ideas. I say it is the hard part, but really it isn’t that bad. 

You may think you will have to be super creative and that you should avoid the “typical BookTube videos”. That can’t be farther from the truth though! Those typical videos are fine. Make your book hauls, wrap-ups, TBRs, and tag videos. They are easy and fun to do, plus, people expect them and they get views! 

Round that up with things like reading vlogs and single-book reviews. You can even do what I do and do book recommendation videos. I will pick one popular fantasy book trope and then share 5 or so books that fit into that trope. It is really great and a helpful way to suggest books to people.

You aren’t recreating the wheel here. Just film what you want and have fun with it.  

start a booktube channel for beginners

Time to Film your BookTube Videos

We are finally ready! It is time to sit down and film your first BookTube video. At first, it may feel a little strange to sit there and talk to a camera. You will want to make sure everything is perfect, but don’t because nothing is ever perfect. Your first few videos will be a learning experience, and that is fine! What is important is that you get that first video done!

One thing I still do when filming is use notes. Not really a full script but points I want to make sure I hit. I keep those on a little paper next to me and glance over once in a while to make sure I am still on track. For example, when I do a book review, I make bullet points of things like the pros and cons that I want to touch on. 

Another little tip is to look at the camera not the viewfinder of your camera. It is really tempting to look at yourself in the viewfinder, but looking directly at the actual lens will make it seem like you are actually talking to whoever is watching your video when it goes live.

Just remember, you can always edit out any pauses, glances at your notes, or anything else you don’t want to include in the final cut of your BookTube video.

Editing BookTube Videos

For me, this is still the hardest part of BookTube. Editing is a skill you have to learn over time, and there really isn’t a quick and easy way to get started. 

What I did was look up how to use my particular editing software on YouTube. I watched so many videos on “how to use Sony Vegas for beginners”. Those videos really helped!  I would practice editing while watching these tutorial videos and eventually it started getting easier. 

The biggest piece of advice I can give you about editing is to keep practicing and don’t get frustrated. This is a skill that takes time to learn. You will keep getting better the more you do it. 

Make a Thumbnail

How to Start a BookTube Channel Thumbnails

Your first video is filmed and edited, time to make the thumbnail.  Like editing, this will get easier over time. I use Canva to make all of my thumbnails. It is a free website where you can create all kinds of fun graphics. They even have templates and sizes for all kinds of social posts, including thumbnails. 

To make my thumbnail I just take a picture holding the books I am talking about in the video. Then I upload it to Canva and have fun. I recommend playing around with the text and templates that they have there. 

Upload and Promote!

You are ready to upload your first BookTube video. Head to the creator studio with your video and thumbnail and follow the prompts for upload. It is super easy and YouTube walks you right through the process.

Make sure you have a decent description and a catchy title. Once you have uploaded the video, you can promote it! Share your video to all of your social media channels! This will help with the circulation.

You can also comment on other BookTuber’s videos. BUT If you do this,  DO NOT mention your channel, your video, or ask for people to watch or subscribe. Leave a genuine comment about that creator’s video then move on. This will help you make connections and grow a community.

NO ONE wants to see “check out my video” in the comments of their own video. It is much better to make actual connections. Make friends with people in your sub-niche and go from there.

Starting a BookTube Channel

Now you have all my tips on how to start a BookTube channel. It is all on you now to go out and just do it! 

Just remember to be patient, be kind to yourself, and learn as you go. If you look at BookTube as something fun, a community where you can make friends with similar interests, and a learning opportunity, I can promise that you will succeed! 

If you start a BookTube, let me know! Leave your links in the comments so I can check out your new amazing channels!

The Night Circus Book Review : Spoiler Free

April 20, 2022 by Jessi Filed Under: Book Reviews

Whimsical, magical, and romantic, the Night Circus is a beautiful character-driven fantasy story for anyone who wants to get lost in pages of beautiful writing. This Night Circus book review will walk you through everything you need to know before picking up this adult fantasy romance.

The night circus book review. Fantasy romance

*This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I will receive a small commission at no extra cost to you*

The Night Circus Book Review

This is one of those books that I absolutely adore, but have a really hard time recommending to people. The Night Circus has a very unique style to it and it won’t be for everyone.  I feel like this is one of those books where you need to really know your reading tastes in order to decide to pick up. For me, it is perfect! A beautifully whimsical and romantic read.

Hopefully, this review will help you get to know a little bit more when it comes to what to expect from this standalone fantasy book. That way you can decide if it sounds like something you want to read, you can pick it up and enjoy it just as much as I did.

The Night Circus Synopsis

The Night Circus Book ReviewFirst and foremost, you should probably know the synopsis of The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern. This is a standalone fantasy book that revolves around a magical traveling circus called the Le Cirque des Rêves. 

We have a few main characters. One is Celia, a female magician who is trained by her harsh father from a very young age. Then we have Marco. He is an orphan magician trained by an equally harsh caretaker. When they are very young, Marco and Celia are set on a path that entwines their entire lives. They are entered into a magical competition that they know nothing about. Their caretakers know, but they have to figure it out on their own. So their whole lives become about competing with each other, though they don’t know who the other is, what the contest is, how to win, or what happens when they win.

We also follow another young boy, though he seems like a side character until much later. He wants nothing more than to escape his small-town life and is obsessed with the Le Cirque des Rêves. 

All of their lives collide in surprising ways under the tents of the magical traveling circus.

Whimsy and Nonsense

The first thing you need to know about The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern is that it is extremely whimsical and nonsensical.  What I mean by that is the world sometimes doesn’t make sense and neither does the magic. 

This is not a hard magic system the way Brandon Sanderson writes. It is very soft and you really just have to accept that it is the way it is. We accept that magic just happens and that a magical circus can appear and disappear in a moment. 

If you are able to just dive into the beautiful writing and suspend your disbelief, then you will love this book. In a lot of fantasy books, things don’t always need to make sense. Sometimes magic is just there. It is part of the accepted world and we don’t know why or how, it’s okay.

So if you like whimsy and a soft magic system, then this may just be a perfect book for you.

The Night Circus book review

Super Slow Burn Romance

So this book takes place over an entire lifetime. We start when Celia and Marco are children and the book ends with them as full-grown adults. There is a beautiful romance in this book, but it is a very slow burn.

The Night Circus does slow burn well, and the payoff is worth it. Don’t go into this book expecting smut or anything like that though. The romance is sweet and beautiful and quite innocent even with the passion that you can feel radiating from the two main characters.

Romance is a big focus of this book. Romance and competition and how they have to overcome all of the obstacles in their way.

Lyrical Writing

Erin Morgenstern has a very beautiful and lyrical writing style. This may not work for everyone, but it works for me. Though it is more lyrical, I never found it overly descriptive or unnecessary.

Everything has a purpose, even beautiful writing. At no point does it feel pretentious either. Sometimes this writing style can feel that way, but I think the author does a great job at finding a balancing act between beautiful writing and getting to the point.

This writing style will not be everyone’s cup of tea, but I think it really makes this story work well. The story itself is whimsical, and the writing really lends itself to making you feel the whimsy.

why you should read the night circus

The Night Circus is Meant to be Read More than Once

This is a hill that I will absolutely die on. This book is beautiful, but it is meant to be read more than once. On reread, you pick up on so many more things. There are so many small details hidden within the words that you absolutely need to reread them in order to pick up on everything. 

It is one of those books, like Morgenster’s other book the Starless Sea, that really lends itself to a reread. 

It is also a book that you should read slowly with intent. I wouldn’t recommend flying through it. Take your time and enjoy the magical world that the author is crafting.

The Night Circus is a Character-Driven Story

Some people like plot-heavy stories, and some want character-driven ones. This is completely the latter. While we do have a plot pushing the story forward, I do feel like the characters are the most important part of this book. 

You really get to dive into the minds and feelings of these characters. There is a lot of time spent in their heads and learning their personal motivations. 

That being said, this can make the story feel a little slow at times. For me, it didn’t bother me at all since I was engrossed, but I could see it being an issue for people who want a quick-moving book.

read the night circus

The Atmosphere is a Character

The Night Circus is an extremely atmospheric book. The atmosphere and setting can be considered a character for sure. 

When you are in the circus scenes, you can almost taste the caramel corn and smell the cotton candy. The author truly makes this book come alive with her atmospheric lyrical writing. You will feel so many emotions and be ready to head out to the circus yourself after reading this. 

So, Should I Read the night Circus?

The answer to this question is really up to you. If you know you enjoy a semi-slow, lyrical read that you can get lost in, then pick this one up! Personally, I think it is a beautiful book that deserves to be read more than once. 

Fantasy Books with Strong Female Characters

April 18, 2022 by Jessi Filed Under: Book Recommendations

 If you want strong feminine girls with female friendships, then check out these fantasy books with strong female characters.

Fantasy Books with Strong Female Characters

*This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase through one of these links, I will receive a small commission at no extra cost to you*

Strong female characters in fantasy have been somewhat strange lately. It feels like every “strong female”, especially in YA fantasy, needs to be strong in a physical way. More masculine, not like other girls, in competition with females, and all-around a little annoying. This is not what I like to see in my female leads in adult fantasy or YA. So, I wanted to put together a list of books that I felt really encompass the strong female lead without leaning into the “not like other girls” trope that we tend to see all too often. 

Strong Female Fantasy Characters

Being strong doesn’t always mean being physically strong. It also doesn’t always mean being good at everything. Characters, both male and female, who are good at everything tend to feel a little flat and unrealistic if we are being honest. 

The female characters I like to see in fantasy books are those who are strong in different ways. Who can still be feminine and girly. Those who don’t compete with other women. Females who don’t put other girls down or who don’t “need a man”. 

All of the books here fit these requirements. They are packed with amazing, strong female fantasy characters, amazing friendships, and fun plots, and I really think you are going to love them!

 

Queen of Blood by Sarah Beth Durst

Queen of Blood Fantasy Books with Strong Female CharactersQueen of Blood is the first book in the Queens of Renthia series by Sarah Beth Durst. This is one of my favorite adult fantasy series and for good reason! 

The female lead in book one is amazing. She is not the best at anything. No matter how hard she works and practices, she will never be the best magic-user, and she’s accepted that. She never competes with the other women in her life. Friendship is important to her as well as their family. 

Book two in the series introduces a new character, another strong female lead. And she may be my favorite in the entire series! She is a kick-ass fantasy mom who is also a reluctant hero. 

If you are interested in an amazing adult fantasy series where women have to work together for the greater good, then pick up Queens of Renthia. You won’t regret it. 

City of Brass by S. A Chakraborty

Fantasy Books with Strong Female Characters City of BrassIf you want a really strong female fantasy character, then you want to read City of Brass. Set around Egypt, we follow Nahri, an orphan on her own on the streets of Cairo. 

She cons to survive, and one day she accidentally summons a Djinn. He sweeps her away to the magical city of Devabad where she learns more about herself and her family than she ever expected. 

This series is amazing, and Nahri is such a great character. She is strong in her own way. Learning, making friends, and doing what she has to in order to survive in a violent world. 

Not only do we get a fantastic female lead, but we also have some great morally grey characters and a side romance that I actually really enjoyed as it wasn’t the main focus of the story. 

The Prison Healer by Lynette Noni

Fantasy Books with Strong Female Characters Prison Healer YA FAntasy bookWhile the majority of the books on this list are adult fantasy, there are still a few gems with strong females in the YA age range. The first one that comes to my mind is The Prison Healer. 

This is a really fun YA fantasy with a great female lead. She is strong, but also capable of caring for people she cares about. 

In this book, we follow Kiva, a 17-year-old girl who is a prisoner and healer in a death prison. She has been there since she was 7, and has had to harden herself in order to protect herself. When a new prisoner, the rebel Queen, comes into the prison on death’s door, she must do everything she can to make sure she survives. 

While there are no real female friendships in this book, there are cute friendships. Kiva isn’t worried about romance, only survival. 

If you are looking for a fast and fun YA fantasy, then check this one out! Bonus, there is also an awesome fantasy competition element to this one!

Shadow of the Gods by John Gwynne

Y’all know I love a mom in fantasy books. As the main characters, moms just speak to my soul and make me so happy. Shadow of the Gods is one of those fantasy books where there is a strong mom main character, and I love her. 

She starts off as a quietly strong woman, raising her son with her husband in peace. Until her husband is killed and her son is kidnapped. Then she has to go, what I like to call, “full Taken vibes”. She has a special set of skills and she won’t stop until she has her son back. 

Seeing her as a caring a loving mom as well as a badass warrior is so much fun. There are other PoV characters as well including another strong female lead! 

Race the Sands by Sarah Beth Durst

I know this is the second Sarah Beth Durst book on this list. She is just so amazing at writing the best strong female fantasy characters. So just stay with me while I gush about this fantasy standalone book for a minute. 

Race the Sands has, you guessed it, a kick-ass mom as the main character. She is strong but struggling to support her daughter. A disgraced monster rider trainer, our main character ends up swept into a political plot she never saw coming. She also has to help a young teen girl run away while mothering her actual daughter as well. 

In this story, we get family, found family, monster races, and a lot of political scheming! For a standalone, there is so much packed into the pages of this book, with a satisfying ending! 

If you want something fun and quick to read between series, then this book is for you.

An Ember in the Ashes by Sabaa Tahir

Ember in the Ashes Fantasy Books with Strong Female CharactersAnother YA fantasy entry to this list! YA isn’t all “not like other girls” and masculine female protagonists. An Ember in the Ashes proves that female leads in YA fantasy can be feminine, caring, soft, and also strong at the same time.

In this book, Laia is a Scholar, a group of people of the lowest class. When her brother is arrested for being a rebel and her grandparents are killed, she takes it upon herself to save him. She reluctantly joins up with the rebels and goes undercover as a slave in a prestigious military school.

Laia never wanted to be a rebel, but she does what she has to do in order to protect the people she loves. There is also a romance in this book, but it isn’t “I love him, I need him, he completes me”. This story is amazing, and Laia grows and learns so much in the series, making her one of my favorite YA fantasy female protagonists.

Warbreaker by Brandon Sanderson

Warbreaker by Brandon Sanderson Fantasy Books with Strong Female CharactersThe last book on this list is one of my favorite books of all time. Warbreaker by Brandon Sanderson is a standalone book set in his Cosmere universe. This is an adult fantasy but really works well as a bridge book between adult and ya fantasy. 

We follow two sisters, both strong in their own unique way. The oldest sister, Vivenna, is a princess who has been raised her whole life knowing she would be a political wife to the God-King of a neighboring kingdom. Siri is the youngest sister. She’s been pretty much left to raise herself and has been allowed to be the wild and free child.

When their dad decides he does not want to send his favorite oldest sister off to be married, he sends the youngest in her place. Vivenna knows her sister is ill-prepared, so she goes to save her from this fate that was meant to be her own. 

I love how different, yet strong both of these sisters are. We get feminine characters in pretty dresses who are also badass in their own ways. This story has sisterly love, romance, magic, and everything you would expect in epic fantasy with a strong female lead character. 

 

Read These Fantasy Books with Strong Female Characters

Fantasy Books with Strong Female Characters

So if you are looking for fantasy books with strong female characters, these are the ones I think you should start with! 

 

 

 

How to Make Money on BookTube

April 15, 2022 by Jessi Filed Under: Book Blogging & Social Media Tips

Booktube is a fun bookish YouTube community, but do you want to know how to make money on Booktube? These simple tips will get you started!

How to make money on booktube

So I have been around the internet for a while now. I started my first website in 2016 and grew that into a full-time income in just a few years. So when it comes to making money online, I know a thing or two.

This may not be my normal bookish-related content, but I wanted to talk about how to make money on BookTube. We won’t be talking just about BookTube though. I will also be diving into other social media platforms like TikTok and Instagram, as well as blogging, and all of the other avenues you can use to make some income with your bookish hobby!

Make Money on BookTube for Beginners

You don’t have to have a massive following or be an expert in order to make money with your bookish YouTube channel. All you need is a little patience, some extra time, and the drive to really work hard and always keep learning.  This isn’t going to be quick or easy. You are building a business, and that takes time. So if you expect YouTube, especially BookTube, to make you money quickly then you should probably back out now. 

If you are ready to do this for fun for possibly years before making a significant income, then let me teach you all the ways. I don’t want to discourage anyone from starting a BookTube channel, but I do want to be realistic about monetary expectations. 

What is Booktube and how can I use it to make money?

What is BookTube?

So just a little overview, BookTube is a little corner of YouTube where people talk about books. There are people who talk about every genre imaginable. Personally, I discuss fantasy and sci-fi books, but if you want to talk about romance or thrillers, then there is a space for you too! 

Typical BookTube videos include book reviews, book hauls, reading wrap-ups, TBRs ( to be read lists), recommendations, and reading vlogs. Really, your only limit is creativity! There are so many fun concepts that you can create. Bring your creativity, talk about your favorite books, and build your online bookish community.

So, How Do I Start a BookTube?

So this is quite the question, and I will answer that in lots of detail in my “how to start a booktube” post. That will tell you everything you need to know, from the smallest detail to the biggest hurdles. Not ready to be on camera? Check out how to start a book blog!

For purposes of this post, we will just give an overview, shall we? You start a BookTube channel by simply creating a YouTube and talking about books. It doesn’t need to be perfect or fancy when you are getting started. The important part is that you start, the rest can come later!

So go ahead, get started! Grab your phone, turn on the camera, and start talking about your favorite books.

Learn to make money with booktube

Alright, How Can I Start Making Money on BookTube?

Now we are getting to the meat of the conversation, how to make money on BookTube. As I said earlier, do not expect this to be a quick process. It can take years to start making a significant amount of money with any online creative endeavor. Just stay the course, stay consistent, and keep working at it.

Do I Need a Certain Amount of Followers to Make Money on BookTube?

This isn’t a simple yes or no answer. It is more like a yes and no answer. I will explain. 

If you want to make money through Google Ads running on your videos, then you need to have 1,000 followers and 4,000 watch hours to qualify for the YouTube partner program. While these are great, they really don’t give you a lot of money. I have a small channel and I think I make about $20 a month from ad revenue right now. You also don’t get paid until you reach a $100 threshold. Once you hit that, the money will be deposited into your bank account. 

Other than that though, you do not need a specific amount of followers. You can start making money with a very small channel, it isn’t easy, but it is possible. There are multiple ways to make money, such as sponsors, affiliate income, Patreon, and selling merch. These methods don’t technically require a large follower base, you just need to know what you are doing. 

Making Money with Booktube Sponsors

One of the most popular and lucrative ways to make money from any YouTube channel is to work with sponsors. While you don’t need a certain amount of followers to do this,  most brands will want to see that you have an engaged following. They may even want you to have a certain number. But you won’t know until you ask!

I have actually written extensively all about working with sponsors that you can read about on my Coffee Mom website. I actually write quite a bit about becoming a professional blogger, so check it out!

When it comes to BookTube specifically though, you will want to reach out to companies that fit your regular content. Don’t try to talk about something you don’t really like. I promise people will notice.  For example, if you wear glasses, reach out to companies like GlassesUSA.  Think of companies your audience would love. Also, watch other videos to get an idea of what companies are currently sponsoring BookTubers. 

When you find a few companies you want to work with, do some research on them. Find out what kind of content they post on their own. See if you can find a question you can answer for them or a problem you can fix. One example would be a company selling bookshelves. You can help them with a problem, that problem is getting attention to their company from book lovers who would be interested in purchasing new shelves. 

Then you need to find their email address. This can be pretty easily done through Google searches and using LinkedIn. Now craft your pitch. Don’t be super generic here! Tell the company who you are and, most importantly, what you can do to help them. This is about the company and your audience, not you, so remember that. 

Don’t get discouraged if you get a no or no reply at all. You can always follow up later. I take every “no” as a “not right now”. 

Affiliate Income on BookTube

Affiliate Income and BookTube

Affiliate income is another great way to make money with a small BookTube channel. Most affiliate programs do not require a specific follower number to join, making it perfect for new and smaller channels. 

A few affiliate programs that are perfect for BookTube include:

  • Amazon Affiliates: Link to any amazon product!
  • Share-A-Sale: A platform with an endless number of affiliate programs to join.
  • Book Depository: Very similar to Amazon’s program.

These are just a few to get you started. If you really love a company, you can always email them to ask if they have an affiliate program. You may be surprised, that even a lot of small companies will offer affiliate programs. 

Most affiliate programs don’t have large percentages that you will earn. But over time you can earn a hefty amount of people buy things through your links.

Start a Patreon to Make Extra Money as a Creator

One way that a lot of bookish creators are making money right now is through Patreon. Patreon is a fantastic platform for all creators. It allows you to sell exclusive content to your most enthusiastic followers. 

I created a Patreon myself recently. If you need some ideas of what to do and offer with your bookish Patreon, you can take a look and see what I offer for mine. 

Most of the time, bookish creators will have relatively inexpensive monthly prices. $5 a month seems to be about an average. You can offer exclusive vlogs, behind-the-scenes footage, a book club, and live shows just for Patrons. 

When you decide to start a Patreon, make sure you can commit. You don’t want to offer things you can’t fulfill. Start small, then gradually move up. Even if you are a small creator, there will likely be dedicated fans who want to join and support you!

Make money on BookTube

Selling Merch for  BookTube

One more way you can make money with BookTube is to make and sell your own merch.  I know it sounds intimidating, but it really is a lot easier than it sounds. 

You can use Canva to make some cute designs. Then you can use a site like Printiful or Redbubble to turn those cute designs into merch you can sell on your BookTube channel!

This is called drop shipping. You will never have to actually have the product on hand because orders are fulfilled and shipped by a third-party platform. This means they take a decent cut of the profit, but you don’t have to do any of the hard work.

As a small creator, you probably won’t sell a ton to start, but it is a great way to diversify your income on BookTube.

There is no one best way to make money as a bookish creator. It isn’t going to be super easy or super quick, but as long as you enjoy what you are doing you are doing something right.

 

How to Start a Book Blog

April 13, 2022 by Jessi Filed Under: Book Blogging & Social Media Tips

Ready to learn how to start a book blog? I will show you how to get started with book blogging with just a few simple and inexpensive tips!

How to Start a Book Blog

If you want to talk about your favorite books, then you should think about starting a book blog. There are so many different social media platforms out there now, but blogging is still one of the best ways to really reach a large audience. That isn’t to say you shouldn’t use social media platforms to amplify your blog content though.  Use everything you can to really expand your reach, but there is something unique and special about having your own book blog. Especially if you want to eventually make money and work with sponsors.

So today I am going to walk you through the easy and inexpensive way to start a book blog from scratch. Sit back, read on, and you will be one step closer to becoming a book blogger!

Bookish Mom Favorite Books

How to Start a Book Blog from Scratch

You don’t need to be a tech expert to start your own book website. All you need is a little patience, a few dollars, and you will have a shiny new blog in no time flat!

Book Blogging: How to Get Started

  1. Think up a name for your blog.
  2. Pick a platform ( I prefer WordPress with BlueHost)
  3. Set up your blog.
  4. Write posts!
  5. Share your posts on social media!

Those 5 simple steps are really all you need to start your very own book blog!

Come Up With All Your Book Blog Ideas!

The first thing you need to do is have a plan. Come up with what you want to do, what you want to call it. Start pre-planning and I promise it will make the whole process a lot easier.

When I recommend doing is grabbing a notebook and just writing down all of your ideas. Have a brainstorming session and just get everything out on paper. Then you can start to organize those ideas into something usable.

From here you will come up with a few different blog name ideas and some initial post ideas. I recommend coming up with a few names you like because you want to make sure what you want is actually available.  

You can use sites like GoDaddy to check the availability of domain names. Once you find one you want, you are ready to move forward with setting up your book blog!

Book blogging, how to get started

Setting Up Your New Book Blog

As I said, you don’t need to be a tech expert to create a website. Really most places will walk you step by step through website setup. I prefer WordPress as a blogging platform, so that is what we are going to go with today. 

The things you need to create a website or blog include a domain name, hosting, and a website theme. It may sound confusing, but you can get pretty much everything you need in one place. 

When setting up my own book blog, I used BlueHost to set everything up and they made it so easy.  For less than $3 a month, they will host your website, you get a free domain name, free SSL to secure the site, and walk you through a 1 step WordPress install. Not to mention you get their 24/7 customer support. 

Getting the website itself set up is probably the most complicated part. With BlueHost though they pretty much do it all for you.  Just head to their website, click on “host your site” and select the plan you want. The base plan is $2.95 a month and really all you need when you are starting out. You can always upgrade your plan at any time. 

Write Bookish Blog Posts!

Now that you have an actual website ( go you), you can start taking those blog post ideas you wrote down earlier and make them into long-form blog posts.  For your initial posts, don’t stress too much about making everything perfect. Just go for it!

Your writing will get better with time. You will learn more about book blogging, SEO, content layouts, photos, etc as you go. Of course, you can do research on SEO for book bloggers. I recommend it actually, but don’t get caught up in the nitty-gritty and forget to just go for it.  Never wait on perfection. It isn’t attainable and you will improve overtime as long as you just go for it!

If you need some ideas about what to write in your new blog, start with what you know! Pick up a few of your favorite books and write out some book reviews for them.

You can also make recommendation lists. Come up with a list of five books from a trope you love and post about it! You can even do blog posts about your most anticipated book releases. The possibilities are endless, so go on and get writing!

Write Bookish Blog Posts!

Share your Book Blogging on Social Media

Now you are ready to start sharing your blog posts. You don’t need to have a lot of content at first, just share whatever you have created. 

Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Pinterest, and even YouTube are fantastic bookish social media platforms to start sharing your content. Sharing on social media will help your content get seen by more people. Each platform is different though, so you will need to know the specifics of each one. 

First, set yourself up with social media accounts that match your blog name. For me, I am The Bookish Mom everywhere. This makes it easy to connect all of your platforms to one creator. 

On Facebook, share your content to your page with a link back to your post. For Instagram, there isn’t an option for links in feed posts, but you can add a call to action to tell people “check out the full post through the link in my bio”. You can also link directly to Instagram stories. 

Pinterest is my personal favorite social media for sharing blog posts. Go to Canva and make a simple Pinterest-sized graphic. Share it to Pinterest with a good title and description and link back to your post! Canva has easy templates you can use so you will always have the right size. 

Finally, there is YouTube. I try to make videos and blog posts that go together. For example, I will write a blog post about my favorite Fantasy competition books and then make a YouTube video with the same concept.  I will then link the blog post to the description of the YouTube video and embed the video into the blog post.  This not only helps get more eyes on your content but also will help improve your website’s SEO value in the long run.

You can also start making TikTok videos, YouTube shorts, Pinterest ideas, and Instagram Reels. Really, the sky is the limit!

how to start a book blog in 2022

You are Ready to Get into Book Blogging

Now that you have all of the simple steps, you are ready to enter the world of book blogging! If your goal is to eventually make money with your book blog, you are on the right path. It won’t be quick, and it won’t make you rich, but as long as you are having fun then this may just be your new side hustle! 

If you have any more questions about book blogging, social media, or anything along these lines, feel free to join my email list for book blogging tips. You can also ask me in the comments here r hit me up on any of my social media channels. 

No secrets here! I really want to share everything I know to help you make your book blog a success!

 

Fantasy Books with Morally Grey Characters

April 11, 2022 by Jessi Filed Under: Book Recommendations

Life isn’t always black & white, and neither is fantasy. These are the best fantasy books with morally grey characters!

Fantasy Books with Morally Grey Characters

 

Characters in fantasy books tend to run the gambit when it comes to personality traits. Sometimes we get the good and pure hero or heroine. Other times we get the completely evil mustache-twirling villain. I tend to find these archetypes a little on the boring side though.

Characters that are all good or all bad, just don’t make sense to me. When I read something, I want complex characters. Morally grey characters in fantasy, to me, are the epitome of complexity. There is a balance between light and darkness within them. They can be villains, heroes, or anti-heroes. Some of my favorite books are filled with grey morality, and I am going to talk about some of those books today.

So if you are interested in morally grey fantasy characters, add these books to your TBR today!

 

Morally Grey Fantasy Characters

*This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I will receive a small commission at no extra cost to you*

Morally grey characters can be the hero or villain. Either hero with a dark side or a villain where you can see their reasoning. This list today leans more towards the morally grey hero.  Don’t worry though, we will cover morally grey villains at a later date, I promise! 

City of Brass

City of Brass is one of my favorite female-authored adult fantasy books. It is a story about an Egyptian orphan named Nari who is conning her way through life on the streets of Cairo.

One day during a con she accidentally calls a djinn named Dara which changes her life forever. She is swept away to the magical city of Devabad. There she learns about her past, and what will become of her future. 

Nahri is mostly good but has her morally grey moments for sure, but she isn’t really who I am talking about here. The best depiction of grey morality in this whole series is Dara, the djinn with a violent past but a well-meaning heart. There were times I loved him and times I hated him. He is both a hero and a villain, sometimes simultaneously. 

It is difficult to love him but hard to hate him. Making Dara a fantastic example of a morally grey fantasy character. 

The Fifth Season

When you are looking for a book where pretty much everyone is morally grey, pick up The Fifth Season by NJ Jemisin. This book is dark but beautiful.

We are following a few female characters of different ages. One is a mother who has just discovered the murder of her son. The other is a twenty-something-year-old girl who is on a quest with her mentor. And the final is a very young girl who has just been taken from her family to live and train in a government facility. The only thing they have in common? They are orogenes. People with the power to control the earth, such as making earthquakes or quelling them.

The world of this book has what they call fifth seasons. These seasons are basically apocalyptic events, and this book takes place during one.

Every member of this cast of characters can be described as morally grey. They are neither good nor bad, but a mix of the two. This makes everyone feel very real and relatable while really pulling at your emotions.

She Who Became the Sun

While this wasn’t one of my personal favorite books, it does fulfill the morally grey aspect well. She Who Became the Sun by Shelly Parker Chan is a historical fantasy. Though it is light on the fantasy and more heavy on the historical fiction. 

The book is set in a “fantasy” version of ancient China. Though fantasy is very loose and this is basically Chinese historical fiction.

All of the main characters are morally grey,  leaning more towards the darker side of the spectrum.  Zhu is a girl who takes on her dead brother’s name and destiny and she will do anything to achieve this destiny. We also follow a eunuch general who is both cruel and sympathetic at the same time.

This is a good book, especially if you enjoy historical fiction with unlikeable characters.  As I said, this isn’t a favorite of mine but there were still a lot of things I did enjoy. You can check out my spoiler-free She Who Became the Sun review here if you want more information on it.

The Poppy War

So if you like the sound of She Who Became Sun but want more magic and fantastical elements, The Poppy War is my recommendation.  The Poppy War is another Chinese-inspired historical fantasy, but this one is much more fantasy with just a little history.  And of course, all of our characters are morally grey!

We mainly follow Rin, a war orphan who is determined to go to the top-tier military school in order to avoid an arranged marriage to a much older man. She gets in, but war is coming.

This book is brutal! We really see the atrocities of war and the lengths people will go to. There is also a magic system involving gods pretty much possessing the minds of humans. While they have great power, they also have a tendency to go mad.

Rin has to make some tough choices and do some pretty terrible things in order to do what she believes is best for her country and people. If you want to learn more, you can check out my spoiler-free Poppy War review video.

Winds of Strife

So this one is the only self-published fantasy book on this list. Winds of Strife by UG Gutman is a super dark adult fantasy book. Pretty much none of the characters are likable, and all of them are morally grey. 

We follow a few different perspectives, but the main one we will discuss here is Nye. Nye is a pretty terrible human but has good motivations. He is a witch hunter, but when he was a child his family was murdered by witch hunters! So he has decided to join their ranks in order to take them down from the inside!

Our main character is violent, hears voices, is abusive, and all-around just isn’t a good person, but for some reason as a reader, we root for him because he wants to take down the slightly more evil King.

As I so often do, I have a full video review for this book too. So you can see if you are interested in reading this book by watching this Winds of Strife review on my Booktube Channel.

The Mistborn Series

I won’t talk about this one too long because I could go on and on about how much I love the Mistborn series by Brandon Sanderson. Really, I love the entire cosmere and there are so many morally grey characters in the cosmere that I could have made this whole list with just books in this world.

I decided just to talk about Mistborn era 1 though, book one being the Final Empire. In this series, we are following a rag-tag group of the underclass with forbidden magic trying to take down the evil Lord Ruler. 

Two of our main characters, Kelsier and Vin, can be seen as morally grey fantasy characters. They will do whatever it takes, and that doesn’t always correlate to what is right. As the series goes on, we see the repercussions of certain decisions and it really is such a fantastic series with complex characters. 

I wouldn’t say that any of the characters are unlikeable like some of the other books on this list, but they definitely make some questionably dark decisions. 

Vicious

The final book on this list is one that probably won’t be a surprise to anyone. Vicious by VE Schwab is the epitome of morally grey characterization. This isn’t technically a fantasy book. It is more sci-fi “superhero” in style.

We follow two friends, Victor and Eli, through college where they are researching EOs (extraordinaries), people who have powers. They find out that in order to become an EO, you need to have a near-death experience. So they decide to do what they have to in order to get some power.

This book jumps timelines a lot. We will be in their college friend days in one chapter, then the next is 10 years later and they are mortal enemies. The way this is written will really keep you on your toes. The story slowly unravels and it is so entertaining.

No one is the hero though. Victor may be our main character, but he is no hero. And Eli may think he is a hero in his own mind, but he is far from it in reality.

This is one of my favorite books, and I think VE Schwab’s best work. Go check this one out if you want to just be immersed in a really engaging and fast-paced story.

Life isn't always black & white, and neither is fantasy. These are the best fantasy books with morally grey characters!

There you have it! The best books with morally grey fantasy characters! I could probably go on and on about morally grey characters, but I will leave that for another time. 

Let me know what your favorites are in the comments down below!

 

 

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