I specifically mean authors who are not insanely popular, though I might talk about my opinions on them in another post.

N.K. Jemisin

N.K. Jemisin is the author of 14 novels, a comic book series, and an anthology of short stories called How Long ‘Til Black Future Month. While I have only completed one of her books and am part way through another one of her books, I still highly recommend her books. She utilizes mostly adult fantasy novels as (not subtle) political and social commentary. 

Her book The City We Became is my favorite book. Called a “love letter to New York City,” this book (and its sequel The World We Make) is about the real people of New York City. Throughout history, major cities form avatars, a person who embodies the city as a whole, serving as the soul of the city. Depending on the size of the city, a number of supporting “avatars” embody different parts of the city. New York City is broken into the 6 boroughs, all there to support the main avatar, who has fallen into a magical coma. The point of the book is to paint a true picture about who makes up New York City, not the whitewashed media portrayal so often seen by the public. 

I highly recommend her novels, and I will definitely be reading more of her books in the future.

Roshani Chokshi:

Roshani Chokshi is an incredibly well-rounded author. She is the author of 5 short stories, 5 middle grade novels (the Pandava series), 7 young adult novels (The Gilded Wolves (trilogy), The Star-Touched Queen (duology), and two standalone novels), and will be making her adult debut in February of next year with The Last Tale of the Flower Bride. Roshani Chokshi is an Indian and Filipino author who uses her culture to craft beautiful novels. She is honestly the sweetest person I’ve ever had the pleasure of talking to. She is someone that I aspire to be, and she is someone that I think everyone should support. 

The Gilded Wolves trilogy was what introduced me to her novels. I just picked it out because I needed an audiobook to listen to while I was cutting the grass. It ended up sucking me in and I could not stop listening. The book is about a group of kids who commit heists. And no, it is not a copy of Six of Crows. The only real similarity is that there are 6 people committing heists, which is not a revolutionary concept. The heists and plots are completely different (and The Gilded Wolves is much more thought out and centers around the heists. There are not the same amount of plot holes, and they make you actually think and try to figure it out). That being said, if you liked Six of Crows, you will like this series, unless you like the heist to be laid out for you and to not have to do any thinking about it.

The Pandava series (published under Rick Riordan) are about Aru Shah, and her experience with real life Hindu mythology. To read a story about a culture that I am not familiar with, but still be enthralled and understand what is happening in the story, was incredibly enjoyable. I got the series for my brother as a Christmas gift (well, technically my parents did, but I am the one who actually got it), but ended up stealing the series and reading them when he was done because he loved them so much.

Renée Ahdieh

Renée Ahdieh is a Korean-American author who writes beautiful novels that will keep you captivated from start to finish. Her novels mostly target the older part of the Young Adult audience. Author of 7 novels and 3 novellas, it is truly hard to pick a favorite among her books, unlike so many other authors who have a standout book. With many authors, it feels as though I am reading the same story with different characters, but with her novels, it is the exact opposite. While I have not read all of her books, the ones that I have read are so different from each other and stunning in their own unique way.

The Wrath & The Dawn was the first book (and series) that I read from her. My best friend (shoutout to Maya who has the best book taste and who I miss more than my family) had just read her newer book (see: The Beautiful) and loved it, so I bought both The Wrath & the Dawn and its sequel The Rose & the Dagger on a whim, but ended up loving so much that I have reread it 6 times because I cannot stop thinking about it. A fantastical story about Scheherazade (Shahrzad in this story) from Arabian Nights, The Wrath & The Dawn is a story about how women are badass, men suck (except like 2), and that things are not always as they appear to be. Every night, a woman is chosen from the kingdom to marry the Caliph, and by sunrise every morning, she is killed. However, this night is different. For the first time ever, a woman has volunteered to be the new bride. Shahrzad has come to the palace, not to tell the Caliph stories, but to kill him.

The Beautiful is a story about vampires in 1872 New Orleans. Celine Rousseau has fled her life in Paris to the Ursuline convent. While falling in love with the city, she becomes entangled with La Cour des Lions (in english, the court of the lions), the underworld of the city. However, it soon becomes apparent that there is a serial killer running around the city, and Celine comes to suspect the group’s leader, Sébastien Saint Germain (the only man I will ever love but that’s a whole other conflict outside of the story (in other words, my sexuality)), may be the one behind it all and she may be next. Battling her growing attraction to the mysterious man (while still hating him because this is an enemies to lovers story that is not toxic), she begins to dig deeper, and learns that not all is as it seems.

Others who I will talk about another time:
Chloe Gong
Sabaa Tahir
Tracy Deonn

Popular authors I think actually deserve the hype (maybe I’ll do a post on this, I don’t really know):
Leigh Bardugo
Holly Black
Cassandra Clare (please don’t judge her off of some of the choices made in The Mortal Instruments, if you know you know)
Alice Oseman
Casey McQuiston

Soulmates (or other destined love tropes)

• This one is such a problem for its use to excuse toxic and even abusive actions, simply because two people are destined to be together. The other problem is that the concept originates in heteronormativity of its own. Because this only happens in fantasy tropes, authors try to explain why the phenomenon occurs, and the only reason I have ever seen is to create perfect children, or some derivative of that. This is also a lazy plot device. Instead of being able to show that two people should be together by showing their emotional compatibility and healthy relationship, authors put the main character with their mate (and it’s always the ‘morally grey’ character, who is really just toxic and abusive). Not only that, but problematic behviour, such as intense jealousy, possessiveness, controlling behviour, and others, are all excused as “instincts” rather than being called out for the problems that they are.

Love Triangle

• I have an intense burning hatred for love triangles, to the point that it’s a real problem. For some reason, writers of all kinds (not just authors) seem to think that it’s a good plot point to include in the story, despite the several problematic aspects of it, namely that it promotes an insensitivity to others emotions. Essentially, the main character is a jerk who is treating their potential love-interests as tools for their own selfish wants without caring about what they’re doing to them. Not only that, but reasons for including it in the story tends to be lazy writing. Instead of writing a couple who has depth and can hold the audience’s attention, the writer relies on the drama of including another person to cause problems in the relationship. The most problematic part of the “love triangle” is its intense roots in heteronormativity. The idea that the main character has to pick one because they cannot have both is extremely anti-polyamorous. The promotion of the idea that one person cannot love more than one person in a real way just ignores that it is very much possible for many people.
• That being said, there are good ways to write love triangles, the same way that every bad thing can have a few good aspects. Cassandra Clare (my personal legend and icon who I got to hear give a talk for my 17th birthday and I am still not over it), writes really good love triangles. Her two love-triangles both promote an idea that they love everyone involved but are fighting against social norms and structures to be able to do so. Another good example is in Jay’s Gay Agenda because it takes a negative view on love-traingles and shows their insensitivity to those involved.

Homophobic Bully is Queer

• I feel like this should be self explanatory as to why it is a problem, but it apparently is not because it is still used and promoted. Yes, there are people who struggle with internalized homophobia and it presents itself as bullying kids who are openly queer, I get that. However, it is not common now. While internalized homophobia is still something the people struggle with or have struggled with (guilty as charged), it does not happen the way it is portrayed in the media. There are cases where that happens, sure, but it is not something that happens a lot. Yes there are queer bullies, just like there are straight bullies (trust me, I am very aware of that), but the emphasis here is on the fact that the bully is homophobic. In media like Sex Education (which is not a book, yes, but is the best example of this), we see a person who is incredibly homophobic who then is suddenly making out with a dude.
• You might be wondering why it is such a problem. It’s a worse version of a boy pulling a girl’s pigtails “because he likes her.” It doesn’t make it okay, and people are so inclined to look past the problem because the bully came to terms with their sexuality, regardless of the impact that their actions had on others. It also ignores the fact that most homophobic people are not queer. They are people with deep rooted hatred for queer people and who are not going to be accepting of us because they are actually queer themselves. The people who called my friends and I slurs and threatened us are not doing so because they secretly want to be with us, they’re doing it because they want to have power over us, and focusing on the few outliers ignores the real problem.

Stories 8-10

This is an anthology made with the intention of update in romance tropes and making them gay

(Fairy)like Attracts Like – Clair Kann

• trope: mutual pining

• Nia and Glory met at orientation and Nia felt a pull towards the other girl ever since. She just can’t get her out of her head. While they’re working at a children’s summer camp rin by “fairies” the two grow closer quickly, and form a mutual enjoyment of each other’s company. On top of that, they start a little bet. The loser has to do something for the winner. The twist? Nia has to deal with her “curse,” as she likes to call it. Her inability to lie and her compulsion to answer any question asked of her, which is not making it any easier to hide her little crush on Glory. Especially when said crush seems to know everything about her, especially the secret she has tried so hard to hide from everyone.
• ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
  • The plus-sized representation that was introduced naturally and casually was even better. The subtle touches on fatphobia in everyday interactions and how that affects everyone. Despite not being at all a central part of the story, the brief inclusion made me very happy. This story was a cute one. The added fairly like ambience of the setting just added to the story and made it even better. The way the story unfolded was really cute. I am a sucker for a bet between mutual pining love interests.

These Strings – Lilliam Rivera

• trope: Sibling’s hot best friend

• All Lili wants is for her family to see her. Really see her. To understand that she wants to be a part of the family’s puppet business as more than just a ticketmaster, but to be involved in the shows and performances that they put on. Instead, her family is focused on her older brother because he is a boy. And that’s how it has always been. Men run the business and do the performance. And then there’s Oscar. Oscar sees her and understands her interest and her frustration. He supports her, and values her opinion in his own performances. And he’s best friends with her brother. So, naturally, she had to get a crush on him. Lovely.
• ⭐️⭐️⭐️.5
  • The thing with this story is that the two of them don’t actually have much in the way of chemistry. The extent of Lili’s feelings for Oscar comes from the fact that he listens to her. Which is kind of just the bare minimum in terms of relationship. It’s kind of ridiculous. I think that story could have been better if we got more interaction between the two of them. It was an alright romance, but it was really quick and had no actual substance or plot due to how short it was. I think the author just needs more practice in writing short stories and this would improve a lot. 

The Passover Date – Laura Silverman

• trope: Fake Dating

• Every year, every Seder, Rachel does not have a date, and all her cousins do. Well, not today, not this year. This year, Rachel will have a date just like everyone else. Even if it means that she has to fake it and lie to her entire family. She’s just done with the jokes and the condescension that her family has for her continued singleness. Of course, there’s the issue of trying to find a fake date who is willing to do this with her. Enter Matthew Pearlman. The two used to be close, but then puberty hit and Matthew got new friends and grew apart. Still, he’s her best chance for getting a fake date for the next night. So, here goes.
•  ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
  • This was a really cute short story. There’s some strange logic that Rachel follows to decide that Matthew is her best choice, but my guess is that it was included because she actually likes him (despite claiming otherwise). The thing that confuses me is the relationship between Rachel and her sister, Audrey. Despite it being implied that the two are fairly close, they apparently don’t talk about anything. There were also some strange descriptions that Rachel uses to describe herself and it definitely comes across like the “i’m not like other girls” which is rooted in misogyny. It was clear that the author was trying to imply the opposite, that she’s confident in herself, but it is simply how the world works, but there was definitely a touch of that “I’m not like other girls.”

I liked all three of these stories well enough, but the inclusion of These Strings and The Passover Date did confuse me. Despite the anthology being about putting a twist on classic romance tropes, they were the same as every other story of that trope I have ever seen. I did like them, and I suggest them still, but it was an interesting choice to include them and to put them back to back.