Tag: book-review

Romanticizing being an Author over actually Writing: A Discussion of Age of Scorpius

~ Brooke F. ~ 3 Comments

Tiktok being in my life has brought me very little positives if I’m being real. A time suck at worst, most days, an overwhelming source of writing tips and information I can barely process at best. That being said, it did make me aware of an interesting situation that was unfolding on the booktok side of the app. I’m going to give you a quick recap if you’re not aware of what has been going down, maybe because you are spending your time actually being productive and are NOT chronically online. Sooooo…. let’s get started.

Ok. So. Our story begins with Audra Winter, an aspiring author who through her various tik toks promoting her book, amassed an audience eagerly awaiting the release of her first book, Age of Scorpius. Her world was based on a magic zodiac system that I will not be delving into at this time, but just know, people were excited. I think naturally, people love to sort stuff, especially when it comes to book factions. I think that’s one of the secrets behind the Hunger Games or Harry Potter success so perhaps the same thing was occurring here. It also didn’t hurt that she had an amazing team of artists on her side. She commissioned character artwork, helping people visualize the characters and the world and, as someone who has seen this artwork, it is GOOD.

So the stage is set. Everyone is pumped and she announces she’s going to be publishing her book. Pre-orders come flooding in. It’s a success before it has even found its way into the hands of readers. But then it did…

Age of Scorpius received overwhelmingly negative reviews for poor writing, plot, and editing, despite its viral marketing. Due to the backlash, Audra is reportedly re-editing the book for a new edition, as the first version is no longer available. Wow. Yeah.

So, what happened here exactly? Is the book that bad? According to the overwhelming majority of reviews, yes. And from the passages I have read, also yes. The book reads as a first, unedited draft. I’m not going to pretend I have not produced work similar to Audra. No one is really taking issue really with the work she has produced here, except for the fact that she chose to publish it, expected people to pay for this work, and then had a rather defensive reaction when negative reviews came flooding in. Honestly, her continual reaction to criticism seems to be single-handedly keeping the discussion surrounding this debacle going.

People got what they had paid money for, true, but as paying customers who were dissatisfied with the product, they had the right to leave their review, bad or good. End of story. I don’t think many people would disagree on this point so I’m not really interested in pursuing it further.

What I am interested in in this scenario is what Audra seems to represent here. Their social media illustrates someone very proud of their entrepreneurship and a desire to assemble a whole team and multimedia studio based around their work. All before their book actually came out, mind you. It seemed Audra had built in her head this idea of what her author status would lead to. That everyone would love her book and she would continue to see success… clearly she was getting to ahead of herself, though, because step 1 of the plan was fumbled. Step 1 being writing a good book!

Age of Scorpius read as rushed. It did not get the time, care, or attention the story truly needed. It seemed Audra’s eyes were so set on appearing to be a successful author that they forgot that in order to get there, they needed to make something worth reading. They liked the idea of having a end product more than actually writing. They lost sight of the craft. I think that’s something we can all learn from.

Social media commodifies everything. Everything gets reduced to an aesthetic and/or brand. This process can apply to our hobbies, and then suddenly we are “performing” our hobby and not actually DOING the hobby or enjoying it for that matter. In a world that is filled with terms like “hustle” and a “be your own boss” mindset, it’s easy to see any hobby as a business or a means to an end. We should not be focusing on this when it comes to true craft. Our main goal should simply be to get better. Improve our writing and maybe, at the end of it all, produce something worth other people’s time to read.

If you are interested in further deep dives on the Audra Winter controversy, I’m sure you can find plenty of videos on it on youtube (I should know, I’ve listened to multiple). Mostly the point I want to get across in this post is simple: We are all capable of this. Social media makes this mistake easier and even encourages it. Don’t give in. Get good. Get better. Slowly and steady wins the race.

Book Trends I’m Low-Key Hating Right Now

~ Brooke F. ~ 1 Comment

Look, I know reading is supposed to be fun. And if you love any of these tropes, that’s great. Truly. I’m not judging you. I promise, dear, reader. I’m directing my judgment towards the industry that keeps churning out the same lukewarm leftovers and calling it gourmet fiction. I know these tropes have a place in fiction somewhere but I have a few gripes as they become widespread…

So buckle up while I gently roast some beloved tropes. If I hit your comfort trope… I’m sorry. (I’m not sorry.)

Enemies to Lovers (I’m begging… please stop)

Look, I know this trope is BookTok’s golden child. But at this point, it’s been done so much that authors are scrambling to manufacture hostility out of absolutely nothing. Or worse…they’re romanticizing behaviors that go way beyond a mild red flag.

I’m tired. I want conflict with substance, not passive-aggressive banter and emotional constipation that magically becomes love in chapter 17.

Morally Grey / Redeemed Villain (Rarely Done Well)

It’s either:

legitimately abusive people who get a redemption arc because they’re hot

or

villains who are “morally grey,” except their actions are… actually just evil?

There’s a difference between “tragic complexity” and “this man kills entire villages but has one soft scene with a kitten so we swoon.”

BookTok, release him. I’m begging.

Every Brooding Love Interest, Ever

I’ve reached my broody quota for the decade. If has “shadows behind his eyes” one more time, I’m throwing the book.

Can we get more emotionally balanced romantic leads??? Men who communicate??? Men who don’t describe themselves as a monster but just… deal with it in other ways? They don’t even always have to be healthy, I just need a break from the “I treat X main character like crap because of the tragedy.” What if he deals with his feelings by cracking jokes all time? Trying to be liked and loved by everyone? A greed for money or power because it would have prevented his personal tragedy? Idk, I’ll even take a shopping addiction at this point. Please, just change it up sometimes.

Mythological Retellings

I’ve my breaking point. Every Greek myth, Roman myth, Celtic myth, minor footnote of a myth has been rewritten, gender-swapped, aestheticized, and thrown into a love triangle. You name it, its been done but with a twist!

I used to love these, but the market is so flooded I feel like I need a snorkel. Give the myths a nap. Let them rest.

Underdeveloped Magic Systems

I’m tired of magic that’s basically:

✨ vibes ✨

and zero rules.

Magic doesn’t need to be hard sci-fi level, but if plot problems are solved with “because the magic suddenly works this time,” then I’m checking out. I need a little structure here. Develop. Elaborate. Establish. Please.

Fantasy Formula Fatigue

A much more broader complaint but the BookTok effect is real. Something goes viral, sells 10 billion copies, and suddenly we get:

the same cover,

the same “aesthetic”,

the same plot beats,

the same protagonist with “fire in her veins” or whatever.

It feels like copy-paste culture. I want fresh stories, not reskinned bestsellers.

Childhood Friends Who End Up Together

This one is personal: I just don’t care for it.

Also applies to “the leads always end up together” no matter how incompatible, underdeveloped, or generically pleasant they are. Sometimes characters should just… not date? Sometimes the chemistry isn’t there?

And that’s okay!

Let them end the book with growth, not forced romance. Ghibli has been doing this right since forever.

Tragic Backstories (Especially the Last-Minute Ones)

Not everyone needs a traumatic fifteen-page flashback to be interesting.

And oh my goodness, can we PLEASE have more stories where the characters have loving, functional families? Actual parents? Actual siblings? Families that aren’t evil, dead, or conveniently absent so the protagonist can be “strong and independent”?

There is so much narrative potential in healthy, intact families.

Imagine:

an adventuring party that’s literally a family business

siblings questing together and bickering the whole time

a fantasy inn run by a chaotic family who’ve seen every hero, villain, and bard in the realm

a family cracking a mystery together and following clues

Tell me that wouldn’t slap.

Broody Mentors

Sorry if I’m repeating myself but this combo of tropes specifically gets under my skin. If the mentor is mysterious, brooding, evasive, emotionally stunted, and 500 years old… no thank you.

There is something inherently weird about that dynamic, and adding brooding on top of it makes my skin crawl. Give me wise, funny mentors. Give me competent, happy mentors. Give me mentors who aren’t one bad day away from a villain arc.

The Chosen One (I Don’t Hate It, But Please Cool It)

It started as a classic but hasn’t evolved much since.

I’d love to see more stories about the supporting character who never becomes the star, who chooses loyalty over destiny, who stays in the background and is okay with it.

There’s beauty in being the one who helps and not the one who saves the world.

Aaaand I think that about wraps it up! I could probably go on but that’s enough venting and negativity for the day. Hopefully you got some mild enjoyment from this post or at least related a little to some of my reading icks.

Hopefully see you in the next post, reader!

Yay or Nay Book Tag!

~ Brooke F. ~ 5 Comments

Got tagged by Riddhi B. over at Whispering Stories! Thank you so much for the tag—it’s been far too long since I’ve done one of these, and honestly? I miss it. I love feeling connected to the broader blogging world, so today we’re diving into a little game of “Yay or Nay” with some popular bookish trends.

This trend was originally created by Becky over on her blog, so definitely check out her post if you want to see where it all started!

With the intro out of the way… let’s jump in.

Bookish Tropes

I’m very on the fence here. Tropes can be fun and comforting…like that warm blanket you’ve wrapped yourself in a thousand times sitting on the corner of your couch (And may look a little ratty) but still love. But sometimes they feel exhausted (Much like aforementioned couch blanket). (And yes, I’m looking straight at you, enemies-to-lovers. I’ve read so many versions that my eyes roll on instinct now.)

The real issue is when publishing leans too heavily on whatever trope BookTok is obsessed with that month. It can feel like creativity gets shoved into a garbage can and quickly forgotten: “Write this trope, this way, with these beats, or it won’t sell.” So tropes are a Half Yay, Half Nay for me.

Alternating POV

Yay! When authors do this well, it’s incredibly engaging. You get different layers of the story, different emotional angles, and sometimes even dramatically different interpretations of the same event.

But when it’s done badly? It’s torture. You’re stuck slogging through a POV you don’t care about, flipping pages praying to get back to the character who actually has something interesting going on. So maybe technically another half yay and half nay, thinking on it now.

Ambiguous Endings

Mostly Yay from me. I love when an ambiguous ending feels intentional. I like when the author is almost asking you at the end to imagine where they go. Use that brain of yours!

What I don’t love is when it feels like the author simply… ran out of ideas. Or panicked. Or thought, “What if I just… stopped here?” Ambiguity should fit the story, not be a last-minute escape hatch.

Non-Fiction

Yay! Shocking to my high-school self, who would’ve voted “Nay” with her whole chest. But I’ve grown to love nonfiction of all sorts… memoirs, nature writing, cultural commentary, even the occasional self-help (ok, a lot of self help). Sometimes real life is intriguing.

Historical Fiction

A personal Nay for me. I’ve tried! I really have! Something about the pacing or the tone or the dusty-old-period-piece vibes doesn’t click for me. Maybe I just haven’t met the right historical fiction book yet, but until then… nay. I am so far from a Jane Austen girl too.

Morally Grey Characters

Another split vote. Truly morally grey characters? A Yay. Give me complex motivations, ethical dilemmas, conflicted loyalties! It can be chef’s kiss.

But a lot of “morally grey” characters in romance are really just… rude. Or emotionally unavailable. Or hot with trauma. That’s not morally grey, that’s a red flag. Go get therapy. So: Half Yay, Half Nay.

First Person POV

Big Yay. My favorite POV, honestly. I just love being inside a character’s brain and hearing their inner monologue, watching them rationalize questionable decisions, and getting that close, personal connection. When it’s done well, it feels like borrowing someone else’s brain for a few hundred pages.

Audiobooks

Nay! I’ve tried but it simply doesn’t work for me. My brain wanders unless I’m physically turning pages. Plus, I feel like I retain the story so much better when reading visually. There’s something about the tactile act of reading that makes the story stick.

Re-Reading

Yay! If it was good the first time, why not revisit it? I love catching details I missed or rediscovering lines that hit harder now that I’m older… or just more tired.

Classic Novels

Mostly Nay. I struggle to read a lot of classics without feeling like I’m decoding something. But I do have my favorites: The Princess Bride (forever iconic), Sherlock Holmes (so witty), Little House on the Prairie, and Animal Farm (simple and brutal).

Annotating

Nay. I wish I could be that aesthetic cottagecore annotator with all the colorful tabs but I can’t bring myself to write in my books. It feels like vandalism. My brain screams “crime!” every time.

Cracking Book Spines

Depends. A beautiful special edition? Absolutely not, I treat it like a museum artifact. A beat-up, well-loved personal copy? Crack away. That’s character development.

Character-Driven Books

BIG FAT YAY. My beloved. Give me deep and flawed characters, emotional journeys, growth arcs…yes, please. Plot is great, but characters are what keep me thinking about a book weeks later.

Past/Present Split Timeline

Mostly Nay. I can admire the skill required to weave two timelines together, but it’s not my favorite reading experience. There’s a lot of hopping around, and sometimes I feel like I’m doing mental gymnastics just to keep track of who knows what and when.

Heavy World Building

Yay! Build your world! Flesh it out! Let me smell the air and know the currency system! I love when an author actually commits to making their universe feel real. It shows care.

Signed,
Me (your local fantasy enthusiast)

In conclusion…

That’s all for this round of Yay or Nay! Thanks so much for reading and thanks again to Riddhi for tagging me. I’ll drop my own tags below as I have already put together my list of victims… I mean, fellow bloggers and friends.

Stay cozy and keep reading! 📚✨

I tag:

  1. Forest Stories aka Feather&Pen
  2. Deborah O’ Carroll
  3. Reflections and Reads
  4. Lillian Keith
  5. The Texas Lass

How to Generate Stories from a Deck of Cards

~ Brooke F. ~ Leave a comment

🃏Deck of Tales: Turn a Deck of Cards into a Storytelling Game

Did you know your old deck of playing cards is secretly a novel generator?

If you were the kind of kid who made your barbies have backstories or invented entire kingdoms on notebook paper, Deck of Tales is for you.

This game turns a plain old 52-card deck into a whimsical, dramatic, slightly chaotic storytelling machine. It’s part improv, part intuition, and all creativity. Great for writers, kids, bored adults, or anyone who wants to escape into a made-up world for a bit. It’s a game I invented as a middle schooler, and I hope you’ll get as much joy out of it as I have. But, enough backstory, on to the rules!

🎲 What You Need:

  • A regular ol’ deck of cards
  • Your imagination (and maybe a notebook if you’re a writer-type)

🧙‍♀️ The Magic of the Cards:

Face Cards = Characters
These are your story’s stars.

  • Kings are leaders, wise or power-hungry
  • Queens are love interests, schemers, warriors, or socialites
  • Jacks are dreamers, rogues, or loyal sidekicks

Aces = Fate
These cards shake things up.

  • Ace of Spades = The villain appears
  • Ace of Hearts = Love is declared
  • Ace of Clubs = A major battle or victory
  • Ace of Diamonds = Treasure or opportunity

Number Cards = Events
Each number is a kind of scene. Each suit gives it a flavor.

Suits = Story Themes

  • ♥ = Emotions, relationships
  • ♠ = Conflict, mystery, death
  • ♣ = Action, battle, adventure
  • ♦ = Wealth, ambition, discovery

Numbers = Action Prompts

  • 2 = A new encounter
  • 3 = A choice must be made
  • 4 = A new place
  • 5 = An obstacle appears
  • 6 = Bonding or betrayal
  • 7 = A clue or item is found
  • 8 = A fight or competition
  • 9 = A shocking reveal
  • 10 = A major turning point

Jokers (if you want to get wild): Plot twist! Magic! Prophecy! Sudden death! Dream sequence!

🧩 How to Play: The 7-Card Spread

  1. Shuffle your deck.
  2. Lay out 7 cards in a row. These are your story beats:
    1. Setting
    2. Main character appears
    3. Conflict begins
    4. Rising action
    5. Twist!
    6. Climax
    7. Resolution
  3. Interpret each card using the guide above.
  4. Tie it all together into one juicy little tale.

✨ Bonus Ways to Play:

  • Genre Remix: Assign each suit a genre. (♥ = Romance, ♠ = Mystery, ♣ = Fantasy, ♦ = Sci-Fi)
  • Free Write Oracle: Pull cards one at a time and just write what comes to mind. No rules.
  • Group Mode: Each person draws a card and becomes that character. Let the drama unfold.

💡 Example:

You draw:

  • 4♦ (a new city)
  • Q♥ (a charming love interest)
  • 6♠ (a betrayal)
  • J♣ (a loyal bestie)
  • A♠ (the villain arrives!)
  • 8♣ (a showdown)
  • 10♥ (a love confession that changes everything)

Story Summary:
A traveler stumbles into a glittering city. They fall for a mysterious woman. Just when things heat up, betrayal! With help from a scrappy sidekick, they escape. But then, the villain strikes. After a fight in the rain, love wins the day. Cue dramatic music.

If you’ve ever wanted to write a novel without actually writing a novel, this might be your new favorite game.

Let me know if you try it! I’d love to hear the wild tales your deck delivers.

Finding My Lazy Genre (And Escaping Reader’s Block with Cozy Mysteries)

~ Brooke F. ~ 4 Comments

Reader’s block hit me like a wet paper towel after college. Who knew years of reading ONLY for school and committing every braincell to your degree could burn you out on books??

I used to devour books as if they were my favorite dessert. But once I graduated high school, I’d open a book, read two paragraphs, and suddenly remember I needed to reorganize my closet or wanted to scroll on pinterested for an hour. I could not for the life of me focus.

Then, I cracked open a cozy mystery a month ago, and, just like that, I was back. Not back in an “I’m suddenly reading 700-page literary fiction before bed” way. No, I was back in the “I finished this paperback in two sittings with a latte and a blanket and now I want ten more just like it” kind of way.

It made me realize something: I’d finally found my lazy genre.

Now allow me to explain. A lazy genre isn’t a dig at the books, first off. It’s a term of endearment. It’s the genre you can slide into like sweatpants after a long day. The kind that requires zero brain gymnastics but still gives you all the serotonin of a well-timed twist or a slow-burn romance. For some people, that’s YA fantasy with dragons and chosen ones. For others, it’s angsty romance with dramatic rainstorms and not-so-conveniently timed confessions (hey, Jane Austin readers. How ya doing?)

For me I had just found out that It’s cozy mysteries with predictable plots, modern settings, and characters who are funny without being emotionally exhausting. Like, please don’t give me a main character going through too much. I’m tired. I want her to bake muffins, accidentally find a dead body, and flirt with the local cop. Is that so much to ask?

There’s something comforting in knowing exactly what’s going to happen: someone dies, someone investigates, someone has a quirky pet, and justice is served along with with tea and cookies. It’s like watching reruns of your favorite show. You’re not surprised, but you are deeply content.

So here’s a thought for you all that I wanted to share: If you’ve been struggling to get back into reading, maybe you don’t need a “better” book. Maybe you just need your lazy genre. The one that goes down easy. The one that feels like a warm cup of Jo for your overstimulated brain.

Find it. Embrace it. Stack your nightstand with it.

And if anyone judges your reading choices, remind them that reading is reading. Whether it’s Tolstoy or a sassy amateur sleuth named Mabel who keeps stumbling over corpses in her idyllic coastal town.

Cozy Mysteries & the Comfort of Middle Age

~ Brooke F. ~ 2 Comments

Lately, I’ve been knee-deep in cozy mysteries. Yaknow how it plays out…someone finds a body behind the bakery, a curious woman with a knack for observation decides to poke around, and somehow, nobody calls the actual police until chapter five. It’s great. Consider me hooked for the evening.

But beyond the suspiciously high crime rates in picturesque small towns, I’ve realized something about these books that’s quietly comforting: the main characters are almost always middle-aged women.

Sometimes they’re divorced, sometimes they’re married. Sometimes they’ve got grown kids, sometimes they’ve got a fussy cat or an energetic pug. But they all have one thing in common: they’re living full, interesting, capable lives in a stage that media usually treats like a punchline or a fade-to-black moment not worth elaborating on.

A quick observation: a lot of movies and shows act like you disappear once you hit 30. If you’re not a twenty-something trying to figure it all out, you’re suddenly cast as the mom in the background or the boss with no backstory. It’s like middle age is a void we’re meant to quietly fall into. But being middle-aged doesn’t mean your story is over. It means you’re in a new chapter…and that chapter is still worth telling.

That’s what I love about cozy mysteries. They don’t shy away from this life phase. They embrace it with all the romanticism it deserves. These women aren’t afraid of getting older. They’re too busy living, investigating, starting businesses, baking bread or pies, and sometimes flirting with the town sheriff or local detective. It makes middle age seem less like a dreaded milestone and more like a whole new book.

And get this, friends! They’re not described as drop-dead gorgeous in a movie-star kind of way. They wear sensible shoes and clothes. They have laugh lines, grey hair and even a wrinkle or two. And yet they’re treated as worthy of romance, admiration, and mystery-solving greatness, never less than. It’s like reading the full and beautiful adventures of a bunch of cool aunts.

It’s encouraging.

So if you’re feeling a little weird about growing older or just need something to read with a cup of tea and a throw blanket, cozy mysteries might be your new friend. They’ve certainly become mine. 🙂

List of Plot Twists

~ Brooke F. ~ Leave a comment

Few things are more satisfying in a story than a well-executed plot twist. The kind that makes readers gasp, flip back a few pages, or text their friends in all caps. A great twist doesn’t just shock. When done CORRECTLY it deepens the story, redefines characters, or forces the audience to see events in a new light. But how do you craft a twist that doesn’t feel forced, cheap, or predictable?

The key to a successful plot twist is planting subtle clues throughout your story while keeping the big reveal hidden until just the right moment. Below is a list of plot twists you can use, adapt, or mix into your writing to keep readers on their toes. I will reiterate though that plot twists need to be BUILT into a story. They’re not supposed to be cheap punches to invoke a response from your reader. Pacing is everything. Clues are everything. Hints are everything. The devil is literally in the details! Anyways, enough precursors and disclaimers. I trust you with my list of plot-twists. (I’m assuming you’re a big kid writer who knows exactly what you’re doing! Don’t all writers know exactly what they’re doing ahaha….)

Classic Identity Twists

  • The protagonist is actually the villain but doesn’t realize it.
  • A trusted ally was working against the hero all along.
  • The villain is secretly related to the protagonist.
  • The protagonist’s memories have been altered or erased.
  • The main character isn’t who they think they are—a clone, an imposter, or someone else entirely.

Revelations About the Past

  • A seemingly minor character was the true mastermind behind everything.
  • A past event didn’t happen the way everyone remembers.
  • The protagonist was unknowingly responsible for a tragedy.
  • The villain is actually seeking revenge for something the hero did.
  • The hero was lied to about their origins or purpose.

Unexpected Alliances & Betrayals

  • The hero and villain must work together to stop a greater threat.
  • A sworn enemy turns out to be a long-lost friend.
  • The mentor figure betrays the protagonist at a crucial moment.
  • A character thought to be dead is alive—and has switched sides.
  • The sidekick was the real hero all along.

Reality-Shifting Twists

  • Everything was a simulation, test, or dream—but the consequences are real.
  • The story is actually taking place in a different time period or world than initially believed.
  • The narrator has been unreliable, misleading the audience the whole time.
  • Magic or supernatural elements exist in what was thought to be a realistic setting.
  • The protagonist is not the first version of themselves—they’ve been replaced, cloned, or resurrected before.

Unexpected Outcomes

  • The villain wins, and the hero must find a way to live with it.
  • The big battle never happens because the conflict was a misunderstanding.
  • The supposed chosen one is a fraud—or the real chosen one is someone else.
  • The hero gets what they wanted but realizes it wasn’t what they needed.
  • The villain was never actually evil—just misunderstood or manipulated.

Final Thoughts

And here is the conclusion where I restate my hypothesis-er, intro I mean. A great plot twist isn’t just about shocking your readers. It should enhance the story, add emotional weight, and feel earned. By layering foreshadowing and character depth, you can craft twists that will surprise without feeling random. Do you have a favorite plot twist from a book or movie? Or have you written one you’re especially proud of? Share it in the comments! I love reading everything everyone has to share.

K byeeeee!

My Dream Life as an Author (Manifesting This Immediately) ✨📖

~ Brooke F. ~ Leave a comment

Some people dream of red carpets and bestseller lists and their characters being played by Blake Lively (okay so maybe only a few people dream of this…). My dream however is that of a quiet cottage tucked deep in pine woods, where the only sounds are the clack of my typewriter, the occasional whinny of my horses (yes, I am a horse girl), and the soft rustle of the wind through the trees. The city? Overrated. New York? Absolutely not. Los Angeles? I shudder at the thought. No, I’m staying right here in the South, where the sweet tea flows (yuck. I actually can’t stand the stuff), the humidity ruins my hair, and the locals know how to tell a good story, true or not.

The Books: Where Agatha Christie Meets Dungeons & Dragons

If I could write anything, it would be the perfect blend of mystery and fantasy. Imagine a classic Agatha Christie whodunit, but with wizards, cursed artifacts, and a detective who might have to cast Detect Magic before finding the culprit. A world where taverns replace tea parlors, the suspects might be elves or shapeshifters, and the murderer was possibly a necromancer all along. Murder mysteries, but make them magical.

The Library: My Own Personal Wonderland

Now, my home wouldn’t just be any cottage. It would be the ultimate book lover’s retreat. It would be a place where the walls are lined with shelves, and books climb all the way up to the ceiling. A rolling ladder would be a necessity, obviously. There would be nooks for reading, armchairs worn in just the right way, and maybe even a secret passageway hidden behind one of the bookshelves… (see my previous post on my dream book nook.)

The Writing Process: Typewriters and Total Control

No laptops for me! Just the click-clack of a typewriter, because I’m dramatic like that. Would it be practical? Probably not. But would it make me feel like an eccentric genius author? Absolutely. My editor would have to deal with getting actual, physical pages, and I’d refuse to change my methods even as the world moved into holographic AI writing or whatever the future holds.

The Movies: Only Under My Watchful Eye 👀

Now, let’s be realistic here; eventually, someone would want to turn my books into movies. I would allow it… BUT ONLY IF I SUPERVISE. No sloppy adaptations, no weird modernized versions that miss the heart of the story. I’d be the author in the back of the studio, wrapped in my elegant trench coat, sipping coffee, and glaring at the scriptwriters over my glasses. My books, my rules.

The Style: Classy, Retro, Timeless

(And the delusion continues!)

Speaking of trench coats, my author persona would be expertly curated so maintain an air of mystery (to match my books). I’d dress like I stepped out of a vintage detective novel. Something Nancy Drew would approve of. Think elegant dresses, stylish coats, maybe a brooch or two. A little bit of film noir meets Southern charm, effortlessly timeless and full of mystique. When people met me, they’d instantly assume I had secrets because, honestly, what’s the fun in being an author if you don’t cultivate a little mystery?

The Travel: A World of Inspiration

Of course, I wouldn’t just stay in my little pinewood haven forever. I’d take grand trips around the world, collecting stories like a dragon hoarding treasure. A week in an old Scottish castle for ghost story inspiration? Done. A summer in Italy writing in a café? Yes, please. My passport would be well-used, but I’d always return home to my cottage, my books, and my horses.

This, my friends, is the dream. The author life I was meant to live. A life of stories, mystery, and just the right amount of eccentricity. One day, it’ll be real (or so I like to tell myself). Until then, I’ll keep writing (and waiting for Hollywood to beg me for adaptation rights). 😉

Your Turn! Share Your Dream Author Life ✨

Copy and paste this template, fill in your own answers, and let’s all daydream together!

🌲 Where do you live? (City penthouse? Cozy forest cabin? Haunted Victorian mansion?)

📚 What kind of books do you write? (Fantasy romance? Sci-fi thrillers? Poetry collections about moody cats?)

🖋 How do you write? (Typewriter? Quill pen by candlelight? Voice memos while pacing dramatically?)

🎬 Would you let Hollywood adapt your books? (If yes, under what conditions? If no, why the distrust? 👀)

🕶 What’s your author aesthetic? (Trench coats and mystery? Cozy sweaters and tea? Gothic elegance?)

✈️ Do you travel for inspiration? (Where are you going, and what stories will you bring back?)

Drop your answers in the comments or post your own version! 💫📖

Life Update: Cats, Careers, and Adjustments

~ Brooke F. ~ 2 Comments

Hello, friends! It’s been a minute, so I thought it was time to check in with a little life update. Some exciting changes have happened recently. The kind of changes that come with cat hair on your clothes and a hard hat in your car.

So let’s get into it.

Meet Lori and Midna

First things first, I got cats. Yes, plural. Two tiny creatures who rule my life with a mix of adorable chaos and constant naps.

● Lori is my white kitten. His full name is Lorrian because every cat needs a slightly dramatic name to match their mysterious personality (he is anything but. He screams at me day and night for love and cuddles). Lori is playful, curious, and oh-so-needy. He desires cuddles at all hours of the day and makes that need known.

● Midna is the queen of the house. She’s my sleek, black cat, full of charm and just a touch of mischief. If you’ve ever played Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess, you already know the inspiration behind her name. Midna has the vibe of a cat who knows all your secrets and still loves you anyway though she might judge you a little.

Having two cats has been such a comfort. They keep life entertaining and, somehow, their little purrs can turn a stressful day around in an instant.

I’m an Environmental Scientist!

In bigger news, I officially started my career as an environmental scientist. I’m still wrapping my head around the fact that I get to say that out loud. It’s been an adjustment, for sure. The early mornings, lots of learning, and a hefty dose of responsibility are just a few factors I’m trying to navigate with some level of grace and maturity (along with the fear of failure at ANYTHING.) but I’m so grateful to have landed a job right out of college. It’s one thing to dream about contributing to conservation and environmental work; it’s another to step into the field and do it. I am very blessed and I don’t want to ever NOT acknowledge that.

Some days are filled with fieldwork, which makes me feel like I’m back on the farm, in my element with fresh air and soil under my boots. Other days involve reports, lab safety videos, and presentations, which are equally important (but slightly less glamorous). The balance has been a learning curve, but I’m enjoying it so far though I still have TONS to learn.

Adjusting to This New Chapter

I won’t lie to you guys- life after college feels like I’m faking it till you make it. I think I’ve got it figured out one minute and then feel like I can’t make it in this big world the next. There are moments of confidence followed by flashes of doubt, and that’s okay. I think the most surprising lesson I’ve learned is that nobody really has it all together. We’re all just doing the best we can, whether we’re starting new jobs, adopting pets, or figuring out how to cook something other than spaghetti or tacos.

Between Lori attacking my shoelaces, Midna napping on my laptop, and work keeping me on my toes, life feels full. It’s not perfect, but it’s good. And I’m thankful for that.

That’s it for now! Tell me what’s new with you in the comments—I want to hear about your pets, job wins, or even just the small victories keeping you going. Until next time, I’ll be over here, trying to keep my white kitten from drinking toilet water and my black cat off my keyboard.

Take care!

Magic Schools to Feminist Retellings: A Retrospective on Writing Trends

~ Brooke F. ~ Leave a comment

A Retrospective Look at Writing and Book Trends: From Magic Schools to Feminist Retellings

If you’ve been reading books for, well, any amount of time, then you’ve probably noticed that certain trends in literature pop up like clockwork—sometimes for a few years, sometimes a little longer, but they’re always there. And as much as we try to resist it, we find ourselves falling into the hype. We all know that one trend we swore we wouldn’t get into, and then suddenly we’re 200 pages deep into a series about people who can control fire and water and possibly have a secret underground society. It’s fine, it’s normal.

So, in the spirit of nostalgia and bookish trends that once ruled the shelves, let’s take a trip down memory lane. Here’s a look at some of the most notable writing trends of the past, separated by the years when they were super prevalent. Buckle up, it’s about to get trend-tastic.

2000s: Magic Schools & Faction Fandoms

Ah, the early 2000s. It was a simpler time, before social media ate up all our free time. But books—oh, books were living their best life. If you weren’t reading Harry Potter, were you even reading? Seriously though, J.K. Rowling kicked off the magic school trend, and the world fell in love with Hogwarts, wands, and wizarding wars. It was like we all went to school with Harry, Hermione, and Ron, even if we were just hanging out in our living rooms with a cup of tea. And don’t get me started on the sorting hat. Suddenly, was finding out what house they were (if you weren’t Gryffindor, well, we’ll talk about it later) along with their Patronus, their wand and… well.. you get the idea.

But Hogwarts wasn’t the only magical academy out there. And let’s not forget the “Team Edward vs. Team Jacob” phenomenon that was Twilight. Was it fantasy? Was it supernatural? Was it… a lot of emotional turmoil over the fate of Bella Swan? Whatever it was, it had people choosing sides.

If it’s not clear, The early 2000s were dominated by the rise of books where characters were sorted into distinct factions. Presenting factions based on personality traits became another way for readers to ask themselves, “Which one would I belong to?” and effectively engage the reader. These sorting systems didn’t just reflect different aspects of identity; they also gave readers a sense of belonging in the fictional world.

2010s: The Post-Apocalyptic Dystopia Takeover

Fast forward to the 2010s, and suddenly, we were all obsessed with the end of the world. Everyone was either fighting in a deadly arena or surviving some government-imposed dystopian nightmare. And honestly, who could blame us? The Hunger Games was literally all the rage. We couldn’t get enough of Katniss Everdeen, bow and arrow in hand, fighting for her life (and also fighting for her place in that love triangle that we didn’t need but somehow loved anyway).

But it wasn’t just Katniss—there was Maze Runner, where kids with amnesia were running from giant creepy monsters in a maze. And don’t forget Divergent (yes, it fits both categories. No wonder it was so popular), where people were divided into factions based on their personalities- wait I definitely talked about this already. These books sparked a whole trend of dystopian universes where our protagonists had to rise up against an unjust government, typically after some sort of catastrophic event. We were all about survival, rebellion, and… romance, of course.

Late 2010s: Fairytale Retellings, Because Who Doesn’t Love a Reboot?

Then, just when we thought we couldn’t take any more life-or-death stakes, fairytale retellings came swooping in. It was like, “Why read the same old fairytales when you could read them again—but with a twist?” Enter The Lunar Chronicles, which took Cinderella, Little Red Riding Hood, and others, and threw them into a world of cyborgs, androids, and space missions. It was like the fairytale we kind of knew, but with lasers and intergalactic politics.

But let’s be real, it wasn’t just science fiction authors having fun with fairytales. Writers like Sarah J. Maas and Holly Black started blending folklore and mythology with darker, more adult themes, serving up stories full of magic, romance, and the kind of characters who may or may not have committed some morally questionable acts. I’m not saying we were all suddenly into faeries, but maybe we were all suddenly into faeries.

2020s: Feminist Mythological Retellings—Let’s Give the Women Their Due

Now, we’re in the age of feminist mythological retellings, and I’ve got to say, I’m here for it. Sure, Percy Jackson brought Greek mythology into the mainstream, but now we’re diving deeper into the stories of the women who’ve been left out of the traditional narratives. Think Circe by Madeline Miller, where we finally get to hear the story of the infamous witch from the Odyssey, and she’s not just some villain. She’s complicated, which (hopefully) makes her way more interesting.

And we’re seeing it everywhere, from Ariadne by Jennifer Saint to Lore by Alexandra Bracken, where the women in myth aren’t just being swept aside by the men—they’re fighting back. They’re reclaiming their stories, and it’s pretty epic. These retellings give the female figures of myth the depth and agency they deserve. Though whether or not it’s done effectively is up for debate in the reading community.

Honorable Mentions: Other Trends That Came and Went

Some trends were like that one hit song we all loved for a summer, but by next year, we couldn’t remember the lyrics. A few notable mentions:

  • Vampires, Werewolves, and Supernatural Romance (2000s-2010s): The Twilight era sparked a frenzy over all things supernatural. Vampires, werewolves, and the eternal, beloved, and ENTIRELY necessary love triangle. It was a phase, okay? But also, apparently not, because love triangles would go on to become prominent plot point in YA media from thence forth.
  • Grimdark Fantasy (2010s): If you wanted to dive into a world where everything was bleak, brutal, and morally ambiguous, this was your moment. Books like Game of Thrones, Six of Crows and The Broken Empire filled our need for complex, gray-area characters who weren’t afraid to get their hands dirty. It was kind of like if your favorite character was a mix of a hero and someone you shouldn’t trust, but you loved them anyway. And probably hated them too. But in a good way.
  • YA Thrillers (2010s): After the success of Gone Girl, and The Girl on the Train, the YA thriller market exploded. Suddenly, everyone was reading books about murder, mystery, and figuring out who was really the bad guy—which, let’s be honest, made for some super intense reading sessions. The most recent success in this genre that I can think of is Where the Crawdad’s Sing.

So… What’s Next?

While we can never be sure what trend will take over next, one thing’s for sure: books will always change and evolve. Whether it’s more retellings of ancient myths, something completely new, or perhaps another wave of dystopian chaos (honestly, who can say?), there will always be something to capture our imaginations.

What do you think? Are we due for a new trend? Or are we all just hanging out in the land of retellings and myth for the foreseeable future? Drop a comment! I’d love to hear your thoughts on this very important and pressing matter.