Op-eds, book recommendations, and quick explainers. Check back here for the latest bookish conversations.
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Literary Atmosphere: A basic building block for immersion
If you’ve ever read a book that kept you at arm’s length, despite your attempts to get immersed, it might have had an atmosphere problem.
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Discovery: The best part of reading
If you’ve ever enjoyed the discovery of starting a new book more than the resolution of its plot, perhaps you’re like me. Let’s discuss.
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Thematically Rich Stories: AKA, what separates good from great
What makes a story deeply resonant and engaging? Why do I like some books, but feel it’s missing that final piece? It’s all about those themes, baby.
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Age Gap Romances: 20 years vs. 500 years
20 year age gaps are gross, but 500 year age gaps are hot — why is that? What makes the difference? Let’s dive in.
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Soft vs. Hard Worldbuilding: What’s the difference?
Are you looking to be immersed in a new setting, or to just vibe with characters and plot? Let’s discuss these two types of worldbuilding.
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In Defense of Smut
If any one genre is often written off as silly, it’s probably romance. And if it has smut, even more so. Let’s tackle this.
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BookTok Algorithm: Are you actually the problem?
BookTok may a reputation for over-hyping books, but a well-curated algorithm makes all the difference. Here’s some tips.
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Chekhov’s Gun: How to not give readers blue balls
Have you ever felt like a book set you up for something, only for it to never actually happen? The principle of Chekov’s Gun explains it.
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The Thing About Tharion Ketos: A useless POV
Tharion Ketos, the well-known Mer character from the Crescent City series, needs some work. Let’s discuss.
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Unlikeable Vs. Poorly Written: A character analysis
How can you tell when it’s a poorly written character, and not just an unlikeable character? Let’s dive in.
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Fanfiction is in Jeopardy: Here’s how you can help
A popular fanfiction author removed their works from AO3 due to binders selling their work illegally. Here’s what you can do to help.
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Short vs. Long Chapters: The great debate
Does chapter length matter? If you’re a mood reader, then yes. In this blog, I discuss the merits of short vs. long chapters.
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Your Guide to the Sarah J. Maas Universe
SJM has over 16 wildly successful published books. Where to start? Here’s your comprehensive guide: expectations, reading order, and more.
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The Book Overconsumption Debate: It’s not fast fashion
The idea that people are overconsuming books has been making rounds on social media — and I’m here to disagree.
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Adding a Romantasy Section to the Goodreads Choice Awards: A good thing, actually
In 2023, Goodreads added a new section to their choice awards: romantasy. While this move has garnered some criticism, it’s actually a good thing, and here’s why.
