I love ranting. I love writing. So why not rant about writing?
Welcome to I Love Fantasy Novels!
Welcome to my awesome imagination. Let’s see if my writing can express it. I’ll be sharing treats and teasers and tips. Don’t alliterate lists sound nice? This site is full of my fantastical ideas, and my blog, Writing Ranting, is exactly what it sounds like. It’s me ranting about my thoughts on writing and sharing […]
The Mechanical Beast
Check out more from my Dreams of a Fantasist collection. This is silly and fun and based on something real that I’ve made fantastical because I see the fantastical in the most mundane things. Can you guess what it was based on? In the wild, I am the huntress. I prowl the black and grey […]
Take Flight
Another story from Dreams of a Fantasist. The title was inspired by Lyndsey’s track, but the story is a Fantasist original. I run through the battlefield, dodging swinging swords as I go. My weapon long lost, the balance tips further in their favour. Blooded ground stretches out before me until it meets dark mountains beyond. […]
Here are some of my rants. Also, check out my Reading Ranting for book reviews and thought son reading, or my Unravelling Writing Advice for… unravelling writing advice. Or check out all posts on my complete blog.
Book Review – Legendary by Stephanie Garber – 4 stars
Warning: May contain spoilers, but opening comments are spoiler-free. Check out my Reading Ranting page for more. Once again, the Dragna sisters are playing a bigger game than everyone else, but Tella is playing this time, and she’s adamant that it’s not real. It’s like Alice in Wonderland meets The Greatest Showman, and I got…
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Book Review – Throne of Glass Series by Sarah J. Maas – 4 stars
Warning: Some reviews contain spoilers. Check out my Reading Ranting page for more. There are some dark themes, on page torture, flashbacks to abuse, and mentions of sexual abuse, so a trigger warning is required. I’m going to start with non-spoiler thoughts on the entire series then dip into each book. Generally, I loved the…
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Book Review – Caraval by Stephanie Garber – 5 stars
Warning: May contain spoilers, but opening comments are spoiler-free. Check out my Reading Ranting page for more. Wow. This book swept me far, far away just like Legend’s game. It has a circus feel to it with quirky characters and strange goings-on that remind me a little of Sorcery of Thorns and The Discworld series. …
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Book Review – House of Sky and Breath by Sarah J. Maas – 4.5 stars
Warning: Review contains minor spoilers. Opening comments are spoiler-free. The ending was 5 stars, but the whole book loses points for what felt like a long haul for the first 500 pages. Worth it though. In book 1, Bryce and Hunt survived a demon attack on the city, ark angels manipulating them, and discovering her…
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Book Review – A House of Earth and Blood by Sarah J. Maas – 3.5 Stars.
Warning: Some reviews contain minor spoilers, but I keep the best parts vague. Check out my Reading Ranting page for more reviews and thoughts on reading. I really liked this story but didn’t make it to a high rating for me. It got my attention enough to keep reading each chapter. The world was very…
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What a Difference a Phone Makes, 64 Little Pixels!
Disclosure: This is mostly a rant bout my new phone, which is too much fun not to talk about. Also, I have no incentive to rave about any of the phones mentioned below. You’re probably wondering what this has to do with writing. For me, a lot. My phone is my life. Writing is a…
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The Dragon’s Ring by Fil Reid – Out Today!
I was lucky enough to get an advanced copy of my writing buddy’s debut novel. Check her out on http://www.filreid.com or find the book on Amazon UK or Amazon US. Or click on the Amazon link via Goodreads and it should take you to your country’s Amazon. This time-travelling Arthurian fantasy was a fun ride…
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Reading and Writing Ranting Advent Calendar!
Oops, I forgot to post these. The past couple of months have been super busy with more hours and responsibilities at work, a new writing project that I got to 38K for NaNoWriMo, and planning a Christmas camp at work. Luckily, I have some long weekends to relax and spend time with my family over…
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Book Review. Sorcery of Thorns by Margaret Rogerson. 5 stars.
Warning: Some reviews contain minor spoilers. Check out my Reading Ranting page for more. If The Infernal Devices and The Colour of Magic had a baby, Sorcery of Thorns would be it. It’s a fun mystery with quirky magic and curious characters. Definitely one of the best YA books I’ve read in a long time.…
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Book Review. Kingdom of the Wicked by Kerri Maniscalco, 3.5 Stars
Warning: Contains minor spoilers. Check out my Reading Ranting page for more. Another Hades and Persephone adaptation. That’s like the 5th I’ve read this year. But that’s not a criticism of this book, purely a comment that I clearly have a type. Lol. Anyway, I generally liked this book for the magic and its characters…
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Killing Characters!
Someone has to die in fantasy fiction, right? But why? Two main reasons for me are… 1 – To have an effect on another character. It could be an inciting incident near the beginning of the book. It also works to weaken the character just as they’re close to their goals. Or, it could send…
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Book Review. A Strange Hymm, The Bargainer #2 by Laura Thalassa, 4 stars.
Warning: Some reviews contain minor spoilers, but I keep the best parts vague. Check out my Reading Ranting page for more reviews and thoughts on reading. I was so excited to read book 2 of the The Bargainer series after I loved the 1st book so much. This didn’t disappoint. Callie has to deal with…
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Book Review. A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas. 5 Stars.
Warning: Some reviews contain spoilers. Check out my Reading Ranting page for more. This is the 2nd round of reading this book. I read them when they first came out a few years ago, but I’d forgotten so many details and small story parts that it felt like someone had told me about it and…
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Book Review. The Bridge Kingdom by Danielle L. Jensen. 4.5 Stars
Warning: Some reviews contain spoilers. Check out my Reading Ranting page for more. I got serious Pirates of the Caribbean vibes in most of this book, but a completely different story. It’s low fantasy in that it’s a completely imaginary world, but there’s no magic. I loved how Lara started off in this book. She…
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Shadows
I once walked in the dark, a shadow of the woman I used to be. More shadows followed me, fears and unfulfilled desires. I became the shadows, chasing what I thought I wanted. Time taught me to let go and stop chasing. But now you’re my shadow, watching when I no longer want you. You…
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Book Review. Rhapsodic, The Bargainer #1 by Laura Thalassa, 5 Stars
Warning: Some reviews contain minor spoilers, but I keep the best parts vague. Check out my Reading Ranting page for more reviews and thoughts on reading. You can never tell if you’re going to devour a book or if the book is going to devour you. For me, this book falls into the latter. It…
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All Alone!
Characters might spend time alone, either before or after significant events. Preparing and processing is important for character motivation and consequential actions. It can also keep throughs out of busy scenes where it might distract from the moment. Here are a few things I like when reading or writing characters on their own. Keep it…
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Book Review. A Touch of Ruin by Scarlett St. Clair. 2 Stars.
Warning: Some reviews contain minor spoilers, but I keep the best parts vague. Check out my Reading Ranting page for more reviews and thoughts on reading. What I liked… Persephone’s inner conflict and how it manifested in her magic. I like how she struggles to control it when she’s angry or upset. I like how…
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Random Update!
Don’t forget to check out my Reading Ranting for thoughts on reading and book reviews. Feel free to ask about my Writing Ranting Discord group @lovefantasy#0367. Follow me on Instagram and TikTok. Writing is going really well. I rewrote the intro the Out of Ashes, which is now with a couple of writing friends for…
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The Poet
Sharing this beautiful poem by my friend Aby. ❤❤❤ Make me sing your song, I told the poet He drew three gossamer strings Laid them in front of me And said, Now play. The Poet
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Book Review. A Touch of Darkness by Scarlett St. Clair. 3.5 Stars.
Warning: Some reviews contain minor spoilers, but I keep the best parts vague. Check out my Reading Ranting page for more reviews and thoughts on reading. I love all things mythological, so this was a fun book to read. However, I found that for everything I liked in general, there was a huge exception that…
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Talk Dirty to Me 😉!
Disclosure: May contain book spoilers but only in relation to… relations 🤣 Also, this is about sex in literature in case it was unclear. This is also about sex in fantasy novels that play heavily on romance as opposed to romance and erotica. Also, just in case it needs to be disclosed, I do not…
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Book Review. A Court of Silver Flames. 5 Stars
Warning: Some reviews contain minor spoilers, but I keep the best parts vague. Check out my Reading Ranting page for more reviews and thoughts on reading. What I liked… So much, so these are just the top ones… Nesta’s PTSD. The fire, the darkness, the fear, the flashbacks, the alcoholism. All incredibly well done on…
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Writing a Series!
Writing a series can boggle a writer’s mind before you get things figured out. If you plan to write multiple standalones with overlapping characters and world-building, then you have more freedom with plots. But if you plan for your series to be one massive story with shorter installments in each book, then you need to…
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Book Review. Eversong by Donna Grant. 3.5 Stars
Warning: Some reviews contain minor spoilers, but I keep the best parts vague. Check out my Reading Ranting page for more reviews and thoughts on reading. What I liked… Multiple POVs. I love 2 to 4 or even 5 POVs in my reading as well as my writing. I enjoyed the various perspectives and where…
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Everyone Judges a Book by Its Cover!
Writers go on about the first page or chapter of a book being a deal-breaker, and it is as far as the words go, but sometimes, the cover is what catches a reader’s attention before they even check the blurb or read a sample. A dull or low-grade cover will put me right off. I…
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Book Review. Once and Future Witches. 5 Stars.
Warning: Some reviews contain minor spoilers, but I keep the best parts vague. Check out my Reading Ranting page for more reviews and thoughts on reading. So many things to love about this book that I’ve probably missed things. What I liked… The writing style was an entertaining combination of eclectic and straightforward. I can’t…
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Work/Life/Writing Balance!
It’s ironic that my last post was about how writing is the same as running a small business, and then I go and do almost nothing writing related this month. Normally, I’d feel bad about that, and the lack of creative outlet would drag my mood down. But it’s done nothing of the sort. I’ve…
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Writing Is a Business!
Writing is a business, especially if you plan to self-publish. You need to start thinking like a business owner as well as a writer. Make time for the various writing tasks the way you would at any other job.That’s if you want to make an income from it, otherwise, write however you want. Or write…
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Shadows
I once walked in the dark, a shadow of the woman I used to be. More shadows followed me, fears and unfulfilled desires. I became the shadows, chasing what I thought I wanted. Time taught me to let go and stop chasing. But now you’re my shadow, watching when I no longer want you. You…
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Love Fantasy Novels 