Welcome to Book Devourers Anonymous. Please pull up a chair. This is a safe space of no judgement.
I know we all tried our best to pace ourselves and make it last, and then This Kingdom Will Not Kill Me simply took the reins and happened to us. Intentions were noble, but a Horde can’t change its spots.
Your comments tell me we collectively have a serious case of book hangover. Whether you’ve tried rereads, continuous relistens, or have reached the point of “I tried two other books and neither of them took” confessions: you are not alone.
The cure prescribed is hair of the bookmark that bit you: another story, recommended by a fellow Devourer who understands exactly what we are missing.
Maybe it’s the intricate political games, the dangerous people making spectacular decisions, the found family, the competent heroes. Maybe it isn’t high fantasy or portal fantasy at all, and it doesn’t even have any dukes, but it has the same immersive feeling we’re yearning for as escapism.
Bring your suggestions and requests in the comments below, and let’s get each other through the w*it.
A few gentle guidelines
We’ve run enough of these threads now to know they work better with a little structure.
Please remember that the CTRL+F shortcut is your friend for checking whether your recommended author or title has already been mentioned. Here’s how to use the search on your mobile.
- Keep it recent. We have a wonderfully well-read Horde, and previous threads have given our beloved classics a thorough airing. This time, please stick to books released in the last decade. Everyone already knows of the fabulous Tamora Pierce, Mercedes Lackey and Anne McCaffrey. Let’s make room for discovery.
- One recommendation per person. A focused comment is so much more useful to people than an intimidating wall of text. One book, a series, or an author. If someone’s already mentioned your pick, a +1 reply is more useful than a new thread.
I have already removed 10 comments that broke this rule and the post has barely been live for half an hour. 1 book, 1 author or 1 series, please.
- Stay on topic. If someone’s asking for something specific, such as a particular feel, a genre, triggers they want to avoid, please try to match that.
The comments are yours. Help a Hungover Horde: recommend your book cure!
I must express my heartfelt gratitude to House Andrews, the blog expert-monitors, and my fellow Horde members!
I had been in a re-listening cycle, not wanting to leave Rellas for fear of the emptiness waiting for me… until this blog post saved me.
The BDH recommendations found here have helped me create the best “To Read” list ever!!
I have been happily devouring Dungeon Crawler Carl’s journey (almost finished with #7), and have successfully waited my turn to be invited to join AO3.
Thank you all for your guidance! Nobody gets me like you all do!! You really know where literary treasures are to be found.
Thank you!!!
The Firebird Chronicles by T.A. White. Love all her books.
Michael J Sullivan’s Riyria Chronicles is a wonderful series. Two unlikely thieves who gets framed for the assassination of a king is asked by the Princess to kidnap the crown Prince and to take him to a magical prison to meet an immortal wizard. The intrigue, comedy, magical encounters don’t stop since then. The characters are rich and diverse and the plotting is clever. Audible has dramatized adaptation as well as regular narration. The series is completed and has other connected series to keep one happy as well.
oh but did I tell u that the thieves are basically human versions of a black cat and a golden retriever. the unlikely pairing is comedy gold.
Anything by T Kingfisher, but especially The Wizard’s Guide to Defensive Baking and Nettle and Bone. You will laugh, you will cry, you might even cry from laughing so hard.
Maria Snyder – Poison Study, Chronicles of Ixia series. Yelena is one of my favorite characters! I recently discovered that Snyder had published companion books from Valek’s perspective so I had to reread the series and insert the new content !!!!
I’d like to thank you for hosting this. I read every comment and updated my wish lists everywhere to include dozens of suggestions. Have already encountered several new authors who I enjoy and no doubt many more to come. Thank you!
I would like to recommend The Wisteria Society of Lady Scoundrels by India Holton. This series pulled me out of TKWNKM withdrawal lol. They are less medieval-style fantasy and more like regency romance novels. Imagine Pride and Prejudice, except all the characters are pirates who pilot magical flying houses instead of ships. Hilarious. I was grinning so much through the first book that my face hurt and books 2 and 3 had me rolling around laughing. Very dry humor, but so, SO GOOD.
+1
I have so much fun reading her books! I just finished reading her most recent book (in her second series), The Antiquarian’s Object of Desire. Sort of a mashup of historical romance with tongue-in-cheek fantasy. They are hilarious!
My recommendation is the Practical Guide to Evil series by ErraticErrata (David Verburg).
It started as a web novel, and I’ve followed it for years. The pacing varied but the author got better with every story arc. He managed to get a publication contract and actually significantly rewrote and improved at least the first book (the only one currently published for money as an ebook and audiobook). I believe it’s been adapted as a graphic novel too. The second book comes out in August. When the books go up on Amazon, they come down on WordPress. So, assuming you don’t mind some dissonance from missing a chunk of the old book 1 in the ebook (likely to be covered in the new book 2 from the blurb of book 2), you can actually get your fix and read the whole series online. Several hundred thousand words. https://practicalguidetoevil.wordpress.com/
But buy it, folks. It’s worth it if you like fantasy tropes, meta-story shenanigans, and roads to hell paved with good intentions paved by spunky female leads.
https://a.co/d/01CVzD1e
Linzi Day’s Midlife Recorder (may also known as the Gretna Green series).
It involves magical sentient cottage, a Gateway to ancient realms and talking cat.
I really enjoyed this series and Book 7 is coming out this October.
Moved recs into here for quicker browsing…I’m about halfway through:
https://tinyurl.com/TKWNKMrecs