Fantasy (and sci-fi) books in general enchant us! But this week, we've compiled a special list of our favorite fantasy books that involve enchantments or curses. So read on, and maybe these books will put a spell on you too!

​1. Howl’s Moving Castle by Diana Wynne Jones: Cursed by a witch, Sophie seeks out the traveling castle of the infamous Wizard Howl. She discovers there’s more to him—and herself—than meets the eye. Sophie must confront the witch to save not only herself but Howl too. (We also love the movie!)

2. Stardust by Neil Gaiman: Tristan crosses a wall into a magical country in order to catch a falling star and bring it back to the girl he loves. But he’s not the only one after the star, and dangerous enemies will do anything to get it. (Ditto about the movie!)

3. The Riddle-Master trilogy by Patricia A. McKillip: Morgon of Hed, a young prince with a mysterious star-shaped birthmark and the ability to solve complex riddles, embarks on a perilous journey across kingdoms and faces ancient powers to discover his true identity and destiny in a world full of magic, shape-shifters, and ancient lore.

4. Bryony and Roses by T. Kingfisher: Caught in a snowstorm, Bryony takes refuge in a mysterious manor full of dark enchantments. Is the Beast who lives there her captor or fellow prisoner? She must untangle the house’s secrets before it destroys both of them.

5. The Girl Who Fell Beneath the Sea by Axie Oh: Mina sacrifices herself to the Sea God in place of the woman her brother loves. In the Spirit Realm, she encounters mythical beings, faces trials, and attempts to break a curse that has plagued her people with storms.

6. A Spell for Chameleon (Xanth #1) by Piers Anthony: Bink, a young man in the magical land of Xanth, faces banishment due to his lack of visible magical abilities, setting him on a journey filled with dangerous creatures, powerful spells, and strange allies.

7. Fool Moon (Dresden Files #2) by Jim Butcher: Wizard-detective Harry Dresden is pulled into a dark and complex investigation involving multiple types of werewolves after a string of brutal murders occurs under the full moon in Chicago.

8. A Curse So Dark and Lonely (Cursebreakers #1) by Brigid Kemmerer: Harper is magically abducted from Washington, D.C., to Emberfall, a kingdom in peril whose prince is under a curse. A vindictive sorceress is determined to stop Harper from breaking it.

9. East by Edith Pattou: Rose accepts an offer from a huge white bear to live with him in his castle in exchange for her family’s health and prosperity. But after she makes a devastating mistake, she must go on a dangerous quest to fix what she broke. Based on “East of the Sun, West of the Moon.”

10. The Fruits Basket manga series by Natsuki Takaya: Tohru Honda, a kind-hearted orphan, becomes entwined with the Chinese-zodiac-cursed Sohma family. As she uncovers the pain and trauma behind their curse, she seeks to break it by offering empathy and love, helping the family confront their struggles and heal. (See also the 2019 anime series...IMO, better than the 2001 series.)

11. Hunter’s Moon by Sarah M. Awa: A camping trip gone terribly wrong plunges college student Melanie into a painful new life—one in which she must keep secrets from even her closest friends. She finds an ally in the mysterious Gavin, and they start to develop romantic feelings; but bullies, stalkers, and a secret Organization complicate their lives as well as their relationship.


What’s your favorite book involving a curse or enchantment? Tell us in the comments!

​
P.S. – ​If you loved these book recommendations, why not sign up for our newsletter? Twice a month, we’ll send you a themed list of fantasy and/or sci-fi book recommendations, and sometimes music, movies, or manga too. (Not to mention jokes, games, puzzles, memes, and the occasional recipe!)

P.P.S. – See also this recommendation list: fangtastic vampire and werewolf books!

​And now, for something a bit different! We’ve been thinking about the classics lately (and not just speculative-fiction ones) and how important they still are, especially with literacy’s current state of decline. Classic books are classics for a reason and can teach us a lot, if we slow ourselves down enough to learn from them!
 
So in the previous blog post and this one, we’re sharing some excellent classics we’ve been meaning to read—not all of them are actually terribly old, although some are. Now, we just need to find more time between the grind and our side hustles. . . .

Sarah’s list:
 
1. The Tale of Genji by Murasaki Shikibu: Often called the world’s first novel, it follows the life and romantic entanglements of Prince Genji in Heian-era Japan, exploring court politics, love, and the impermanence of beauty and human relationships.
 
2. The Epic of Gilgamesh: This ancient epic follows King Gilgamesh of Uruk and his companion Enkidu as they undertake heroic adventures, confront loss and mortality, and ultimately grapple with the limits of human life and the search for meaning.
 
3. Phantastes by George MacDonald: A young man, Anodos, enters a dreamlike fairy realm where his wandering experiences of beauty, temptation, and transformation lead to moral and spiritual growth.
 
4. The Broken Earth trilogy by N.K. Jemisin: This series follows a world plagued by catastrophic seismic activity and the oppressed orogene people who can control it, focusing on three intertwined narratives of survival, power, and systemic oppression as the truth behind the world’s collapse is revealed.
 
5. The Wolf Leader by Alexandre Dumas: A humble shoemaker gains supernatural control over wolves and uses his power to exact revenge on those who have wronged him, leading to increasingly dark consequences.
 
6. The Once and Future King by T.H. White: a retelling of the Arthurian legend, following King Arthur’s upbringing, rise to the throne, and reign as he and his knights of the Round Table struggle with war, justice, and the tragic flaws that ultimately doom Camelot.
 
7. The Legend of Drizzt books by R.A. Salvatore: This series follows the drow ranger Drizzt Do’Urden as he rejects the cruelty of his subterranean society, journeys through the surface world, and battles prejudice, monsters, and his own violent heritage while seeking honor and belonging.
 
8. Watership Down by Richard Adams: A group of rabbits flee their doomed warren and undertake a perilous journey to find a safe home, facing predators, rival colonies, and challenges to their survival and leadership along the way.
 
9. The Earthsea Cycle by Ursula K. Le Guin: This series follows the life of the wizard Ged and other characters across the archipelago of Earthsea as they confront magic, identity, and the balance between light and shadow in both the world and themselves.
 
10. The Vampyre by John William Polidori: a major influence on Dracula. The mysterious aristocrat Lord Ruthven befriends a young gentleman named Aubrey and gradually draws him into a web of fascination, manipulation, and destruction as Ruthven’s vampiric nature brings ruin to those around him.
 

What’s your favorite classic book, or which one have you really been meaning to read? Tell us in the comments!
 
​
P.S. – ​If you loved these book recommendations, why not sign up for our newsletter? Twice a month, we’ll send you a themed list of fantasy and/or sci-fi book recommendations, and sometimes music, movies, or manga too. (Not to mention jokes, games, puzzles, memes, and the occasional recipe!)

​And now, for something a bit different! We’ve been thinking about the classics lately (and not just speculative-fiction ones) and how important they still are, especially with literacy’s current state of decline. Classics are classics for a reason and can teach us a lot, if we slow ourselves down enough to learn from them!
 
So in this blog post and the next one, we’ll be sharing some excellent classics we’ve been meaning to read—not all of them are actually terribly old, although some are. Now, we just need to find more time between the grind and our side hustles. . . .

Deborah’s list:
 
1. The Swiss Family Robinson by Johann David Wyss: A shipwrecked family uses ingenuity, cooperation, and faith to survive and build a thriving life on a deserted tropical island.
 
2. The Faerie Queene by Edmund Spenser: an allegorical epic in which various knights undertake quests that symbolize different virtues, ultimately serving the glory of Queen Gloriana and reflecting moral and political ideals. (I'm working on the new prose version and then listening to the excellent LibriVox recording of the original, read by Thomas Copeland, to compare to the original text.) 
 
3. Robinson Crusoe by Daniel Defoe: A shipwrecked man survives for years on a deserted island, relying on ingenuity, faith, and perseverance before eventually being rescued.
 
4. Bulfinch’s Mythology by Thomas Bulfinch: a comprehensive retelling of Greek, Roman, and other classical myths, presenting ancient stories and legends in an accessible form for modern readers.
 
5. The Metamorphosis by Franz Kafka: Gregor Samsa awakens transformed into a giant insect and, as he becomes increasingly isolated and unable to communicate, watches his family’s fear and resentment grow until he is ultimately rejected.
 
6. Faust by Johann Wolfgang Von Goethe: The scholar Faust makes a pact with the devil Mephistopheles for knowledge and worldly pleasures, leading to profound moral struggle, tragedy, and eventual redemption.
 
7. Anne of Green Gables by Lucy Maud Montgomery: Anne Shirley, an imaginative orphan, is adopted by siblings Marilla and Matthew Cuthbert and grows up in Avonlea, where her creativity and strong spirit lead her through friendships, education, love, and personal growth.
 
8. War and Peace by Leo Tolstoy: This classic interweaves the lives of several aristocratic Russian families during the Napoleonic Wars, exploring love, fate, and the sweeping forces of history on individual lives.
 
9. Hard Times by Charles Dickens: This classic follows the Gradgrind family and others in the industrial town of Coketown as rigid utilitarian values clash with imagination, compassion, and human individuality.
 
10. The Lord of the Flies by William Golding: (I finally just read it.) A group of British schoolboys is stranded on an uninhabited island, and their attempt to govern themselves collapses into chaos and violence, revealing the darker side of human nature.
 
​
What’s your favorite classic book, or which one have you really been meaning to read? Tell us in the comments!
​
 
P.S. – ​If you loved these book recommendations, why not sign up for our newsletter? Twice a month, we’ll send you a themed list of fantasy and/or sci-fi book recommendations, and sometimes music, movies, or manga too. (Not to mention jokes, games, puzzles, memes, and the occasional recipe!)

As you wish! At a fan’s request, we compiled a list of books that you’ll probably enjoy if you love The Princess Bride (we think both book and movie are amazing, btw). So check out the whimsical, charming, and adventurous fantasies below!

1. The Enchanted Forest Chronicles by Patricia C. Wrede: Princess Cimorene, a practical and independent young woman, runs away from an unwanted royal life to become a dragon’s princess and is soon drawn into magical conflicts, absurd adventures, and battles against sorcerers in a whimsical fantasy world.
 
2. Tress of the Emerald Sea by Brandon Sanderson: A quiet girl named Tress sets out across a deadly, spore-filled ocean to rescue her kidnapped friend Charlie. She grows into an unlikely hero as she faces pirates, magic, and a strange but wondrous world.
 
3. Stardust by Neil Gaiman: A young man ventures beyond his village into a magical realm to retrieve a fallen star for his beloved, only to discover that the star is a living woman and to become entangled in a dangerous and enchanting quest across faerie lands.
 
4. A Wizard’s Guide to Defensive Baking by T. Kingfisher: Teenager Mona is a minor wizard whose only magic works on baked goods. She is forced to use her unusual abilities to protect her city from political intrigue and a murderous threat when other wizards are mysteriously targeted.
 
5. The Neverending Story by Michael Ende: A lonely boy named Bastian steals a mysterious book and is drawn into the magical world of Fantastica, where the hero Atreyu must save the land from a consuming force of nothingness while Bastian discovers his own power to shape the story itself.
 
6. In Shining Armor by Elliott James: John Charming, a modern-day descendant of fairy-tale hero lineage, gets pulled into supernatural conflicts involving secret societies, werewolf politics, and kidnappings while trying to survive and uncover the truth about his dangerous heritage.
 
7. The Last Unicorn by Peter S. Beagle: A solitary unicorn leaves her forest home to discover what happened to the rest of her kind and embarks on a bittersweet journey through a fading magical world. Alongside unlikely companions, she must confront a red bull that has driven her species into legend.
 
8. Poison by Chris Wooding: A teenage girl named Poison ventures through a patchwork of strange, folklore-inspired worlds after her sister is kidnapped, uncovering hidden truths about her identity and the nature of reality as she pursues a powerful fae-like antagonist.
 
9. The Seer and the Sword by Victoria Hanley: Princess Torina, a girl gifted with visions of the future, is forced into exile and later returns to her kingdom to navigate political danger, war, and a complicated bond with a warrior whose fate is tied to her own.
 
10. The Fairy Godmother by Lynsay Sands: A young woman in a fairy-tale world, after being rejected as a potential Cinderella, becomes an apprentice “fairy godmother” and tries to help others find happily-ever-afters while getting entangled in her own unexpected romantic and magical complications.
 
 
What’s your favorite charming, whimsical fantasy book? Tell us in the comments!

 
P.S. – ​If you loved these book recommendations, why not sign up for our newsletter? Twice a month, we’ll send you a themed list of fantasy and/or sci-fi book recommendations, and sometimes music, movies, or manga too. (Not to mention jokes, games, puzzles, memes, and the occasional recipe!)

​Happy April, and happy April Fools’ Day! Today we bring you a list of fantasy books that we (wink, wink, nudge, nudge) extremely dislike. These books are SO bad, we decided we just had to warn you away from them. So, whatever you do, do NOT read the books in the list below!*

​(The first five come from Deborah, and the last five from Sarah.)
 
1. The Bog Standard Isekai series by Miles English: This series is very little more than a standard RPG-style power build and only has a measly 2300 or so pages pubished. How annoying. I hate it when books have sequels that haven’t come out yet. And it’s so basic! Things that are this generic have no excuse being good!
 
2. The Dungeon Crawler Carl books by Matt Dinniman: These books are just so unbelievably stupid. And the cat is mean about Cocker Spaniels and I had a beloved Cavalier King Charles Spaniel. If only the books weren’t so funny and engaging with such creative action sequences. Argh!
 
3. The Irregular at Magic High School series by Tsutomu Sato: Not only does the style of fan service squick me out, but Tatsuya is aiming straight for induction into Mary Suedom. It should never have been written like that. It totally almost ruins the fact that the story and universe are so good that I can’t help but love it. It treats magic like hard sci-fi while still making it feel like magic. I can’t put it down. (Well, not the first ~10 books, anyway.)
 
4. The Mother of Learning books by Domagoj Kurmaic: I’m not big on time-loop stories or time travel, and these books are literally nothing but 2500 pages of doing the same month again and again, because repetition is the mother of . . . anyway. Who could enjoy a highly varied and creative time loop with mind magic, blood magic, and soul magic?
 
5. The Star Wars Episode III novelization by Matthew Stover: I mean, it’s a novelization. Novelizations are meh. Basically always. And I’m not particularly into Star Wars. There is exactly zero reason for me to like this book, aside from the fact that it’s extremely well-written and interesting.
 
6. By These Ten Bones by Clare B. Dunkle: I hate this book so much, I’ve read it a dozen times just to remind myself of how awful it is. How dare this book be so atmospheric and inspiring, with such extremely well-drawn characters, a super-sweet romance, and a really interesting take on werewolves. Not to mention having the nerve to transport me to Medieval Scotland, where there aren’t even any proper toilets. Harrumph!
 
7. The Time Quintet by Madeleine L’Engle: Don’t get me started on these books. The level of creative imagination is just ridiculous! Why would anybody want to read about such unusual and fascinating adventures, anyway? What kind of weirdo wants to time travel with unicorns, visit different planets via tesseract, or save handsome bad-boys?
 
8. Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo: I just can’t with this book. There are too many complex characters to keep track of, too much genius heist-planning, too much badassery in general . . . it’s exhausting! All the excitement made me stay up way too late to find out what was going to happen, and then I was absolutely knackered the next day—and yet the book had the gall to entice me to do the same thing all over again the next several nights!
 
9. Howl’s Moving Castle by Diana Wynne Jones: This book is way too cute and sweet for its own good. I mean, as if a charismatic, charming wizard whose house walks around wasn’t enough, Jones had to go and add in a snarky fire-demon? What’s next, a romance with an ordinary girl many of us can relate to, who ends up saving and winning his heart—not to mention an awesome movie adaptation by the one-and-only Hayao Miyazaki?? Staaahp it already!
 
10. The Books of Bayern series by Shannon Hale: I don’t know about you, but I hate reading about elemental powers, and especially when an interesting twist and fairy-tale elements are added in. Strong heroines and inspiring stories—who needs ’em? Like, who wants to speak the language of trees or birds or fire, anyway?
 
 
What’s your “least favorite” fantasy book? Tell us in the comments!
 
P.S. – ​If you loved these book recommendations, why not sign up for our newsletter? Twice a month, we’ll send you a themed list of fantasy and/or sci-fi book recommendations, and sometimes music, movies, or manga too. (Not to mention jokes, games, puzzles, memes, and the occasional recipe!)
 
 
*Just in case we haven’t made it super obvious, this is satire, and we actually LOVE these books. We hope you enjoyed this very silly April Fool’s Day post!

It’s no mystery we love fantasy. But did you know we also love fantasy mysteries? Sher—lock the door and all the windows, but that might not keep certain creatures out!

Whether cozy, hardboiled, or something in between, mysteries really pickle our red herrings! (Whatever that means...) The books in the list below aren’t all 100% mystery-focused, but they do all have a certain amount of sleuthing.

Without further ado, the game, er, list is afoot!

1. The Ghost Bride by Yangsze Choo: Li Lan, a young woman in 1890s Malaya, is asked to become a ghost bride to a wealthy family’s deceased son and is drawn into the Chinese afterlife to uncover the truth behind his death and secure her own future.

2. Between Two Thorns (The Split Worlds #1) by Emma Newman: Born in the Fae-touched mirror-world, the Nether, Cathy doesn't want to be a debutante, so she runs away to the human world. She's dragged back toward an arranged marriage but ends up helping a border-patroller named Max unravel a high-profile disappearance.

3. Sorcery & Cecilia by Patricia C. Wrede and Caroline Stevermer: Two cousins in an alternate Regency England uncover a magical conspiracy through their witty letter correspondence, all while navigating romance, social scandal, and dangerous enchantments.

4. Fear the Drowning Deep by Sarah Glenn Marsh: Bridey Corkill, a girl terrified of the sea, must confront her fear and unravel the mystery of dangerous sea creatures appearing near her island home while navigating her growing feelings for a mysterious boy who washes ashore.

5. Death Warmed Over by Kevin J. Anderson: Detective Dan Chambeaux is a zombie private eye who, alongside his ghostly girlfriend and eccentric lawyer partner, investigates strange cases in a city where the living and the undead coexist.

6. Half a Soul (Regency Faerie Tales #1) by Olivia Atwater: Dora, a young woman with only half a soul and thus immune to typical emotions, navigates the challenges of Regency society and the faerie world while unraveling a dangerous magical mystery with the help of a grumpy but brilliant sorcerer.

7. For the Emperor by Sandy Mitchell: Reluctant hero Commissar Ciaphas Cain is swept into a deadly political and military crisis on a troubled world, where he must navigate intrigue, alien threats, and his own cowardice to save the Imperium—largely by accident.

8. I Am Not a Serial Killer (John Cleaver #1) by Dan Wells: John Cleaver has the classic traits of a serial killer but is determined not to become one. His unique insight allows him to help the police solve a mystery and save his town from a monster.

9. The Fox Wife by Yangsze Choo: A mysterious fox spirit seeks vengeance for her child’s death, and a retired detective is drawn into her path. Their intertwined journeys unfold across early 20th-century China and Japan in a tale of love, loss, and the supernatural.

10. The Peculiar (The Peculiar #1) by Stefan Bachmann: Changeling siblings Bartholomew and Hettie, wanted by neither fae nor humans, keep to themselves to survive. But that all changes when a mysterious lady whisks away their neighbor in a flurry of feathers, and they’re pulled into a magical mystery.


What’s your favorite fantasy mystery book? Tell us in the comments!

​
P.S. – ​If you loved these book recommendations, why not sign up for our newsletter? Twice a month, we’ll send you a themed list of fantasy and/or sci-fi book recommendations, and sometimes music, movies, or manga too. (Not to mention jokes, games, puzzles, memes, and the occasional recipe!)

​We’ve got another guest list today! Our friend Natalie told us ten of her favorite books/series involving the fae! Fairies, faeries, however you want to spell it . . . just be careful not to tell them your real name, and don’t eat any food they offer you!

​1. The Cruel Prince (The Folk of the Air #1) by Holly Black: Mortal girl Jude Duarte navigates the treacherous world of Faerie, where she seeks power and revenge against those who oppress her, all while entangling herself with the cruel and enigmatic Prince Cardan.
 
2. Curse of Shadows and Thorns (The Broken Kingdoms #1) by L.J. Andrews: Elise, a noblewoman with a hidden past, becomes entangled with a mysterious and dangerous prince, uncovering dark secrets and ancient curses that could destroy their kingdom as she battles her own feelings and destiny.
 
3. A Deal with the Elf King (Married to Magic #1) by Elise Kova: Luella, a healer from a small village, is unexpectedly taken to the magical land of Midscape to marry the Elf King, where she must navigate a world of magic, power, and political intrigue to save both her world and the fae realm.
 
4. Emily Wilde’s Encyclopaedia of Fairies (Emily Wilde #1) by Heather Fawcett: An eccentric professor ventures to a remote village to document the hidden world of fairies, only to uncover a dangerous secret while unexpectedly forming bonds with the locals and a mysterious colleague.
 
5. An Enchantment of Ravens by Margaret Rogerson: A gifted mortal painter, Isobel, inadvertently endangers the life of a powerful fae prince, Rook, with her art, leading them on a perilous journey through the fae world as they confront their growing feelings and a looming threat to both their lives.
 
6. Half a Soul (Regency Faerie Tales #1) by Olivia Atwater: Dora, a young woman with only half a soul and thus immune to typical emotions, navigates the challenges of Regency society and the faerie world while unraveling a dangerous magical mystery with the help of a grumpy but brilliant sorcerer.
 
7. The Iron King (The Iron Fey #1) by Julie Kagawa: Meghan Chase discovers she is the daughter of a faery king and embarks on a perilous journey through the dangerous and shifting world of the fey to rescue her brother, uncovering her own destiny in the process.
 
8. Lament: The Faerie Queen’s Deception (Books of Faerie #1) by Maggie Stiefvater: Gifted musician Deirdre Monaghan discovers her connection to the faerie world, drawing the attention of a dangerous faerie queen who wants her dead, while grappling with her feelings for a mysterious boy who may not be what he seems.
 
9. The Mortal Instruments series by Cassandra Clare: Clary Fray discovers she is a Shadowhunter, a human-angel hybrid destined to battle demons, and embarks on a dangerous journey filled with love, betrayal, and family secrets to protect both the mundane and supernatural worlds from destruction.
 
10. These Hollow Vows (These Hollow Vows #1) by Lexi Ryan: Brie is thrust into a treacherous fae realm where she must navigate a web of deceit, alliances, and her own conflicting feelings for two rival fae princes to save her sister and uncover hidden truths about herself.
 

What’s your favorite book involving fairies or the fae? Tell us in the comments!

​ 
P.S. – ​If you loved these book recommendations, why not sign up for our newsletter? Twice a month, we’ll send you a themed list of fantasy and/or sci-fi book recommendations, and sometimes music, movies, or manga too. (Not to mention jokes, games, puzzles, memes, and the occasional recipe!)

​This post originally appeared in Deborah’s blog and is used here with permission. Read on to see how Dorian Gray is similar to Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, and about horror tropes and conventions.

Writing The Midnight Files [formerly on Kindle Vella, currently unpublished] has had some interesting effects on the way I view stories.

For those of you who aren’t familiar with it, the basic premise of The Midnight Files is that story genres invade the real world, changing how it functions to match story conventions. To set the world right, the Agency sends in agents who kill or unravel the story, often by using its own conventions against it. Or, to put it another way: The Midnight Files is basically TVtropes.org mashed with Supernatural with guest stars from every popular novel/movie/videogame.
 
One of the things the Agency does to help its agents defeat story genres is categorizing them into not only genre but strain, type, subtype, and variant. (Genres are described as “infecting” the real world, so I use some infection vocabulary.)
 
For example, in Agency parlance:
 
The Haunting of Hill House: Horror genre, House strain (Decadent variant), Malevolent type
 
Five Nights at Freddy’s: Horror genre, Rules strain, Survive-One-Night type (Multiple Nights variant), Animatronic subtype
 
Sherlock Holmes: Mystery genre, Private Detective strain (Impersonal variant), Deductive type
 
Labyrinth: Fantasy genre, Coming-of-Age strain, Fairytale type, Challenge subtype
 
I try to create these categories based on what is most impactful to the nature of how the story plays out, based on patterns I see when related to other stories. For example, in horror, location often defines a story’s tropes more than the villain does: a horror ghost story that takes place in a house will be more similar to a cursed-mirror story that takes place in a house than it will be to a ghost story that takes place somewhere other than a house.
 
Part of the effect of breaking down story tropes in this manner is that sometimes I realize that stories I thought of as fairly different are actually fairly similar. At the moment, I’m writing a Gothic Horror in the style of The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, and I noticed two things:

1. Gothic Horror and Gothic Romance that take place in an Ancestral Estate are more similar to each other than they are to other types of Gothic in either genre.
2. Jekyll and Hyde is basically the same story as The Picture of Dorian Gray, except for the differences caused by the moral values of the protagonists.

 
I address the first point somewhat in the story, so I’ll tackle the second here, because I think it’s, well, interesting.
 
First of all, I would categorize both stories as: Horror genre, Gothic strain, Duality type. Here are some broad summaries:
 
Jekyll and Hyde: A man with secretly decadent habits makes a drug to cure his boredom. This drug makes him transform into an evil version of himself. The evil version is happier than the kind version and intrigues the kind version. In fact, the kind version realizes he’d be happier if he stayed as the evil version permanently. However, when he realizes the evil version is actually going to become permanent, the kind version repents and kills himself rather than let the evil permanently take hold.
 
Dorian Gray: A man discovers the pleasure of decadent habits and indulges his evil side more and more. A portrait of him transfers the effects of his evil onto itself, allowing him to dodge the effects of his evil. At one point, he realizes that he has become evil, but decides he likes it too much to give it up and decides to keep it permanently. When he sees the evidence of his evil in the portrait, he tries to get rid of the evidence by stabbing it, which ends up killing him instead.
 
If I were to create a template for a generic version of these stories, it would look like this:
 
In a Gothic Horror style: A man is tempted by decadence. Given a magical means, he is able to indulge his evil side without being caught. However, the evidence and power of his evil eventually catch up with him. If he is, at heart, a moral man, he will kill himself rather than let the evil spread. If he is, at heart, an immoral man, he attempts to kill the evil rather than let it incriminate him (and in doing so, accidentally kills himself instead).
 
The detailed categories of each would end up looking like this:
 
Jekyll and Hyde: Horror genre, Gothic strain, Duality type (Moral variant), Transformation subtype
​
Dorian Gray: Horror genre, Gothic strain, Duality type (Immoral variant), Magical Object subtype
 
Overall, Jekyll and Hyde would be not much changed if it utilized a magical portrait instead of a scientific potion, and Dorian Gray would not be much changed if Dorian physically transformed. More important is the fact that Dorian was, at heart, a really horrible person through and through, and Jekyll had some redeeming qualities. Despite this, for years I have thought of the two stories as quite different, not because of the nature of the protagonists, but because of the sort of magic/science used to effect the plot. Which is, I suppose, a lesson more on the importance of window dressing than on anything else. . . .
 
In any case, if looking at and breaking down stories like this helps you at all, I recommend giving it a try! It isn’t perfect by any means, but it can be both useful and fun if your brain works that way.

(What’s the difference between fantasy romance, romantasy, and paranormal romance, you may wonder? This video gives an excellent explanation.)

1. Fairy Godmothers, Inc. by Jenniffer Wardell: In a world where fairy-tale situations are common, Kate, an experienced Fairy Godmother, must navigate her latest assignment involving a reluctant Cinderella, a love-skeptical prince’s brother, and her own fight for a happily-ever-after amidst threats and unraveling plans.

2. Sorcery and Cecelia by Patricia C. Wrede and Caroline Stevermer: like Pride and Prejudice but with magic! Cecelia and Kate must stop a scheme to destroy a beloved wizard . . . but they also have to worry about debutante balls and choosing dresses and suitors.

3. The Girl Who Fell Beneath the Sea by Axie Oh: a retelling of a classic Korean folktale. Mina sacrifices herself in the place of Cheong, the woman her brother loves. In the Spirit Realm, she’s fated to be the Sea God’s bride, but enemies try to stop her from breaking his curse, and she may lose her heart to another.
 
4. Unmasked by Kendra Merritt: an #OwnVoices retelling of “The Prince and the Pauper.” Autistic-coded lady-in-waiting Lysandra trades places (and faces) with Princess Issy to avoid revealing her unique magic to the council of mages. With Issy away, Lys is left to deal with a visiting prince and a war-hungry king, all while struggling to keep her true identity hidden to protect her heart and her homeland.
 
5. The Sorcerer’s Receptionist manga series by Mako: Commoner Nanalie has always dreamed of working for the prestigious Sorcerer’s Guild. She must attend a magic school and compete against nobility, especially her rival, a duke’s son. She wins and they go their separate ways, but she can’t forget him.

6. East by Edith Pattou: Rose accepts an offer from a huge white bear to live with him in his castle in exchange for her family’s health and prosperity. But after she makes a devastating mistake, she undertakes a dangerous quest to fix what she broke and save someone she loves.

7. Enchanted, Inc. by Shanna Swendson: Katie Chandler is so normal that magic can’t affect her in any way. When she moves to New York City, she sees right through all the enchantments covering up unusual activity. This lands her a job, and a love interest or three.
 
8. A Curse So Dark and Lonely by Brigid Kemmerer: a Beauty and the Beast retelling. Harper is magically abducted from Washington, D.C., to Emberfall, a kingdom in peril whose prince is under a curse. A vindictive sorceress is determined to stop Harper from breaking it. Starts a (fantastic) trilogy.

9. The Time Traveler’s Wife by Audrey Niffenegger: the celebrated love story (we love the movie and want to see the show!) of Henry, a librarian who time travels against his will, and Clare, the woman whose life he has always been part of, before he even knew it.

10. The Ordinary Princess by M.M. Kaye: Princess Amy, blessed (or cursed) at birth with ordinariness instead of beauty or grace, rejects royal expectations and runs away. She takes a job in the kitchen of a neighboring palace, and there she finds adventure, independence, and an unexpected love with a kind-hearted prince who values her for who she truly is.

11. Daindreth’s Assassin (Daindreth #1) by Elisabeth Wheatley: Amira Brindonu, a sorceress-turned-assassin cursed to obey her father’s every command, is ordered to kill Archduke Daindreth, the future emperor. Upon failing, she discovers he harbors a demonic curse of his own, leading them to form a reluctant alliance to break their respective curses amidst political intrigue and a growing romance.

12. Painter of the Dead (Shades of Immortality #1) by Catherine Butzen: Egyptian mythology comes to life in modern-day Chicago. Muralist Theo finds herself entangled in a museum heist and on the run from the police. Then the man she loves is kidnapped, and she must improvise ancient Egyptian magic to save his life.
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What’s your favorite romantasy, PNR, or fantasy romance book? Tell us in the comments!

 
P.S. – ​If you loved these book recommendations, why not sign up for our newsletter? Twice a month, we’ll send you a themed list of fantasy and/or sci-fi book recommendations, and sometimes music, movies, or manga too. (Not to mention jokes, games, puzzles, memes, and the occasional recipe!)
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P.P.S. - If you're a writer of romantic fiction, check out this post on the essential elements of writing romance!

​This post originally appeared in Deborah’s blog and is used here with permission.
 
One of the best pieces of writing advice I’ve ever heard is this: if you want to have a character react with an emotion, take a moment and act out that emotion. For example, for anger, you might think really, really hard about something that makes you angry, so that your whole body reacts—and then you observe. How has your face moved? What are your hands doing? What are your legs doing? Your feet? 

​Now look at an object in your room. That is truly, absolutely disgusting. Revolting. It makes you want to puke looking at it. What do you do? Do you stay faced fully toward it, or do you turn away? Do you want to keep looking at it? How does the inside of your throat feel?
 
That is one level of emotion: the immediate physical reaction. But there is another: compensation.
 
Often, with strong emotion, our reaction is an attempt to somehow get rid of the side effects of that emotion by dealing with other things in our lives that cause a similar or overlapping feeling. As for me, when I’m stressed, I find any clutter far less bearable, because clutter also makes me feel stressed. When I’m under stress (or an emotion that causes stress, such as frustration, grief, or even excessive excitement), I tend to go on a cleaning spree. I may not be able to do anything to lessen my grief, but by gum, this kitchen is not going to be adding to my stress. It’s a form of exerting change on what I can control to compensate for not being able to fix what I can’t.
 
Of course, everyone is different, and so everyone exerts this control on something different—for some people, a messy house is not going to be a cause of stress. The question is then: what is? And that comes down to your character’s unique personality. Perhaps they find impending deadlines stressful, in which case they might do something to forget, or they might work overtime. Perhaps they find decision-making stressful, in which case they might exhibit avoidance behavior or dump the problem on someone else. In either case, these can be secondary reactions to the emotion that’s causing the bulk of the stress.
 
At the moment, this is all theoretical, so let’s take a story case study. We’ll use a classic form:
 
Once upon a time, there was a humble village out in the middle of nowhere. This village had been at peace for many generations, untouched by the great evils taking place far away. 
 
Then one day, minions of the great evil attack the village, slaughtering the inhabitants. Our protagonist manages to hide in a cellar, so they don’t find him. When he finally emerges, once the attackers are long gone, he finds everything he’s ever known and loved destroyed.
 
He could have different initial reactions: freezing, running around trying to find people, fleeing, hiding back in the cellar. This is a good time to show character and initial shock. But . . . what about after that? Does he bury all the bodies and tidy the place up before either leaving or making himself a new home there? Does he keep running all the way to the next village? Once there, does he try to get people to help, or does he pretend not to know about the event, so he can’t be connected to it? Does he work obsessively to get strong enough to defeat the evildoers?
 
I used this beginning as an example for three reasons. First, it’s reminiscent of the Call to Adventure in the Hero’s Journey. Second, I actually recently read a rather different take on it in the beginning of Bog Standard Isekai. Third, I spend the entirety of Sunday and Monday cleaning my house. 
 
Goodbye, dear Flora. You were the most wonderful dog.
 
In loving memory of Flora Natelson, a true sweetheart among Cavalier King Charles Spaniels.
 
For more writing tips, check out our Advice from an Editor YouTube series, or this set of blog posts.