WHEN IN DOUBT, SHOOT THE WIZARD.

The Lioness~

I’ve been lending one of my students the “Lioness Rampant” series and she just finished the epilogue of the 4th book.

This morning started with her hunting me down to yell at me about how “I CAN”T BELIEVE SHE’S MARRYING GEORGE! SHE”S MEANT TO BE WITH JON!” for a solid 5 minutes. Couldn’t even hold back the spoilers to a friend she has suckered in to reading the series as well.

I (obviously, from my wise, advanced age and having essentially memorised these books) am hardcore in favour of George and Alanna and was doing my damndest not to yell back at her about it.

This is the BEST way to start a day.

Aesthetic for Sandry for @makenoiseaboutthinking 

“You are the Protector of the Small. You see real people in the humans and animals overlooked by your peers. There will always be work for you."—The Chamber of the Ordeal to Kel 

alanna: I was hoping by now that i would look older but that didn’t happen.

thom: ‘Whoa, that tall child looks terrible! Get some rest, tall child! You can’t keep burning the candle at both ends!’”

jon: Oh, yes, and what a mighty king I will be, eating dinner at 4:45 in the afternoon.

george: And I said ‘no’. You know, like a liar.

gary: It’s a grid system mother fucker!

raoul: It’s really easy not to go to things. It is so much easier not to do things than to do them.

buri: *smashes a 40* SCATTER

thayet: This might as well happen. Adult life is already so goddamn weird.

myles: I’m either having a drink or I have to pee. You’re living the golden years, kid, not me.

alex: To me, “Person of Interest” is almost too flattering.

roger: IN FACT, WE’RE GONNA FRAME YOU FOR MURDER, AND YOU’RE GONNA GO TO JAIL FOR 30 YEARS.

liam: A 28-year-old healthy man trying his best.

coram: Thirteen year olds are the meanest people in the world.

kel: I’ll keep all my emotions right here, and then one day, I’ll die.

neal: If it’s a true or false question, you should be able to add a third option, which is “who’s to say?”

duke baird: Psh. You’re not gonna faint.

alanna: First of all, no.

raoul: In terms of instant relief, cancelling plans is like heroin.

lalasa: Everybody get out of my way. I just want to sit here and feed my birds.

tobe: I have had a very long day. I am very small and I have no money. So you can imagine the kind of stress I am under.

cleon: All right! I am Too Blessed to be Stressed, let’s do it.

wyldon: Sometimes babies will point at me, and I don’t care for that shit at all.

peachblossom: You know how I’m filled with rage?

If you, like me, are still going through complete Sarah J Maas withdrawal, and can’t really stand to wait for her next books, check out the list below to tide you over! Each book has many of the things I adored about both ToG and ACOMAF: strong and interesting female characters, magic, deeply beautiful writing, love stories to cry about, and an all around sense of adventure. If you have any more recommendations to add, definitely let me know!

Black Jewels: Anne Bishop

I just finished this series, and I am still amazed by how masterfully Anne Bishop weaves her stories. Welcome to the Dark Kingdom, a matriarchal realm ruled by strong queens and the males that support and serve them (Rowan and Aedion anyone?). There is a prophecy fortelling the rise of a Queen with more power than even the High Lord of Hell himself, which gives us a wonderful story full of scheming, war, adventure, and a badass court I would kill to be a part of. Prepare your heart!

Graceling by Kristian Cashore

Graceling is the best series for all you folks who couldn’t get enough of badass assassin Celaena. Katsa is an assassin Celaena would be proud of, due to her rare ability as a Graceling. She is Graced with a killing power, and has spent her life as the king’s tool in doling out his reign of terror. In waltzes Po, Graced with fighting, and here to shake everything Katsa knows about her world. Cashore definitely gives us a twist Sarah would most certainly support!

The Winner’s Curse by Marie Rutkoski

This book aligns more with the romance and court mystique that Sarah presents so wonderfully in ToG and ACOMAF. Kestrel is the daughter of a general who helped the emperor conquer territory after territory. As she is faced with a choice, marry or join the military, Kestrel finds a friend in one of the slaves from the conquered people, and so begins one of the most interesting political schemes I have read in awhile! I haven’t finished the trilogy yet, because I am out of the country and can’t get my hands on the final book, but I would highly recommend it.

Mistborn by Brandon Sanderson

Cue another really cool empire written by an author who isn’t afraid to be inventive or go beyond the normal realms of fantasy. Vin is another Celaena-esque character, as the abandoned street child who turned thief who struggles to stay alive. When a mentor takes her under his wing, she discovers that her luck on the streets might be more than she could ever explain. Magic, mystery, and of course, a few court balls thrown in make for a wonderful mix. Warning: the last book made me cry. Like really cry. But in a good, I’m-still-mad-at-you-but-I-understand-and-respect-your-story-line type of way.

Demon King by Cinda Williams Chima

Raisa is everything that I have ever wanted in a princess. She is intelligent, passionate, feisty, and super compassionate. So when a war arises between the clans and the wizards, you can bet she has goals to achieve and empires to shake up. Throw Han Alister into the mix, a street wise leader, and things get tricky and fireworks explode. One of my favorite love stories in a long time, because it isn’t a story about just romantic love, but also what the love of a princess for her country can do. 

Poison Study by Maria V. Snyder

Yelena is set for execution for murder, but is given the choice to be the next food taster of the Commander of Ixia. As if the threat of having poison in her system wasn’t enough, she is also given a dose of Butterfly’s Dust, which she needs every day to stay alive, and can of course only get from the chief of security. Fighting for her life soon becomes more than just guessing the right poison, but also a game of magic, love, and all out war. Best kind of combo out there!

Legend by Marie Lu

This is the only book in the list to be set in a dystopian universe as opposed to a kingdom, but with a prodigy like June, no one can make any complaints. After a war tore the country apart, the Western United States is under the martial rule of the Republic, and June is their perfectly groomed soldier golden child. Day, on the other hand, is a slums boy who has become the Republic’s most wanted criminal. What happens when their paths cross is enough to make any country tremble, and to keep me hanging on to every word!

And finally:

Literally anything by Tamora Pierce!

Tamora Pierce has been my favorite author since I was a little girl. Each of her series is set in the same universe, based around the story of an interesting and kickass female character, from the first female warrior to a wild-mage. I first found these stories when my mother decided my sister and I didn’t have enough strong women in our literature and Tamora really rose to the occasion. Start with the first series, Song of the Lioness, and work your way from there! I have reread her books at least once every year since I was a little girl and they get better every time. I cannot recommend these books enough!

Here is my final painting of the year - Mithros, ruler of the gods in the Tortallan universe created by @tamorapierce. Bright Mithros is the god of the sun, law, war, and magic. Definitely a challenge to paint such a majestic divine being!

Tamora and I are hoping to finally get this oracle deck idea off the ground in 2018! Now that we have three sample cards (Alanna, Rikash, and Mithros) and a draft, here comes the hard part - finding a publisher!

So here’s her rec list: 

The Name of the Wind (she generally recommends this one first because she knows how much I love it) 

Graceling Realms (She’s read them and loves them as well, although can’t remember them well) 

The Song of the Lioness (she calls the the Alanna books, since that’s what I grew up calling them)

A Wrinkle in Time (this is my mom’s favorite book and a classic tbh) 

Robin McKinley (my sister grew up in a house where my mom and I obsessed over her)