#not capri

Well shit, i gotta be honest anon, i’m probably the worst person to ask for irl book recs, because 99% of what I read is fanfic.

However, I do have a couple of suggestions you might like!

AFTG series (it is the second biggest fandom on my blog, but you might only be here for capri so who knows, maybe you haven’t read it): you can get these on paperback or online, and i think the second and third books are like dirt cheap, so you might be able to afford all 3! They’re a sports based series, with a side of mafia, and have probably one of the best found family tropes i’ve read. It is a YA series, and it is LGBT, but the relationship isn’t the focus of the first two books. Be warned, its very dark, and has multiple depictions of child abuse, sexual abuse, self harm, murder and institutional abuse/abuse of authority and all that. Take care of yourself, but give it a shot!

The magpie lord series: i read this even before captive prince, and though it’s been ages, i remember it being intense and wonderful (with a badass blond protag who has lots of magpie tattoos, who got exiled to china and speaks to his buff cool bodyguard in chinese all the time, and a loveable red-head love interest who i’m like 90% sure has magic)

In the Company of Shadows series: this is online and free (and possibly the most ginormous series of books i’ve ever read). It features spies, dystopia, and an incredibly intense relationship between the main protags. It’s violent, gritty, sometimes long winded, and absolutely incredible. There’s lots of warnings for the series, including sexual abuse, general abuse, institutional abuse and all that jazz (there’s more, i cant remember them rn) but it’s a fantastic series. I’ll love Hsin and Boyd till the day I die (those assholes)-- also make sure to read the directors cut where you can.

the Raven cycle (which i haven’t read, but i have a reliable opinion on): apparently the characters are the best part about this books. I’ve seen a lot of roman/adam stuff, so there’s also a gay pairing! (be warned, its a YA lit book with hets as the main focus tho, idk if thats your thing)

And veering off topic here, anything written by Neil Gaiman. That man is a fantasy master, he’s created some deeply intense and riveting stories (and he wrote the book that inspired one of my favourite movies of all time: Stardust) If you don’t care for romance or want something a bit more nitty gritty and fantastical, give his works a squiz!

not much to say on the shadow and bone half lmao, no shade i simply didn't really care for it but that half of the show was interesting enough if that whole shtick intrigues you

the rumors are true, the darkling is sexy 

was it meant to be obvious that hes a villain from his opening scene? homeboy has a black cloak lol

I did like genya quite a bit, I have fluctuating feelings over zoya but she's a time 

I dont.... like.... alina........

ONTO THE CROWS

they were included SO MUCH MORE than I thought they would be!! I found their presence integrated rather well into the storyline (which I say hesitantly given that I didn't read the grisha trilogy and dont really know that storyline, but I was generally skeptical about what this meant for the crows and their story) but it felt very organic and authentic to them

jesper!!!! JESPER!!! he did a fantastic job with the portrayal of his character, I LOVED the inclusion of his sexuality and his gambling addiction and his friendship with Inej!! I was hoping for a tiiiiny acknowledgment of his pining for kaz but I didn't really expect it

Inej was amazing! for some reason I wasn't initially taken with her but she really won me over

I loved kaz SO MUCH, I did not expect to have such a visceral reaction every time but I truly got so excited my god. visually hes just how I pictured, the kaz energy was A1 my friends

something was just slightly off for me and I cant quite put my finger on it. it could be my murky memory of the books but I feel like I recall kaz’s intensity being very understated and eerily subtle and thats where the intensity really comes from and something here was just a bit in your face at times, I could be off but also it could just be a way of bringing written words to life which is fair.

overall I dont have a solid issue with kaz, I cant see anyone else doing it now and I love love love that angry cynical dumbass

him and inej 🥺

I really dont think there's any way to truly understand the slow burning intensity of their relationship without reading it. i was nervous they were still gonna take it too fast (I get that there's only so much you can do with limited episodes, especially when its not even technically their show/characters’ story) that being said I think they did a good job, you absolutely dont get the vibe you do from the books but thats really to be expected + they got better as it went imo, they had some great moments and it made me way too fucking soft

that also being said, if there's even one single hint of a kiss between them I will burn the netflix headquarters to the ground 

that scene where she refers to jesper as jes before giving kaz a whole methodical speech about the logistics of a plan, staring at him after expectantly for his expert take only for him to go 😠 ...................................................................................................................... “jes”? 😡 gave me SO much happiness, I ADORE him hes a MESS

listen to me!!!!!!!  I loved nina and mathias!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I cared about them way way more than I thought I would, I have a massive crush on nina, theyre both super hot, seeing the flashback and buildup we learned of them in soc was amazing and when!!!!! ****** ****!!!!!!! I am!!! going!!!!!!!!!!! TO RIOT

“you broke my trust” SOS