/u/ meets /lit/

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New to /u/lit? Here's a handy chart to get you started.
(Big thanks to onee-sama)

>Mermaids and Misadventures has been "in editing" since June 2015

>No updates on it's status in nearly two years

>Authors blog is about other projects

>Authors twitter is just pages of 1920s & 30s fashion

>tfw suffering Estherfag

It's over. I'm never going to get my sequel featuring Best Girl am I? ;_;

>>2285310
This is a trend with all the /u/ books I like. I hope we will see some movement this year because I desperately want to read more /u/ but nothing that is coming out lately looks any good.

how do you always find awesome pics like the op pic??

Read "Erased" by Robbie McCoy lately. A relatively short, fast-paced time-travel thing with a quite nice twist.
It's kinda remarkable in that I don't have any huge complaints about any part of it, except that I would have liked the entire novel to be "bigger", with more depth. But that's not complaining about what's there. It's a bit "read for an evening and forget about it" though as it is.

>>2285312

>I desperately want to read more /u/ but nothing that is coming out lately looks any good

I share this feel onee-sama. I went on a glut last year and pretty much read everything I'd consider good. I have only myself to blame, I should have paced myself knowing that lesbian fiction is a tiny niche but here I am. Nothing coming out soon is on my radar, I'm at the point where I'd be content just getting some news about some of those sequels that are up in the ether, like the next Baru book

i have been reading draganoak: the complete history, and i am finding it difficult to read more beyond the first half of it. it feels unoriginal other than gay(?) and necromancy aspects, and the writing could be more tight instead of dragging everything out. should i plow through it or drop it?

>>2285496
Why can't you decide for yourself?

>>2285322
I google something along the lines of "women reading oil painting". There are so many results.
Though, it's not always easy to find one I like. This time I didn't find one with two girls being intimate/cuddling that hadn't already been used, so I just went with the current one cause it's adorbs.

>>2285496
It has some developments later on in the series that I liked personally. But I wouldn't say it gets better, in that sense. The quality of writing and story telling is kind of consistent throughout.

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>>2285602
i'm not sure if this one was used yet. i saved it, went to make an OP, and then realized there was no way i was compiling zippyshare links.

thank you, actual OP. you are a good person.

>>2285612
Great, I'll save it for a future thread.
I know I was slow in making a new thread. Sorry bout that.
It would have been fine to make an OP without the zippys I feel. Speaking of, I wonder how useful the lists are? I'll keep doing them, but I have no clue if anyone actually use them. Oh, maybe I'll include goodreads links next time.

>>2285626

Speaking personally, I think all of the links in the OP are really useful, for example I've used #bookz for years but never even knew mobilism existed until I visited a /u/ lit thread. Likewise the list and zippys have helped me fill in the gaps in my /u/ library so from my end at least they've been really handy

>>2285626
The previous pastebin has over 350 views. I'd say that the lists do get some attention.

>>2285626
I have absolutely been using the lists.

>>2285626
I was asking myself the same thing when I did that large /u/ book "chart". But, heck, who cares. Small community, if it makes 5 people happy it's good enough for me.

There's few enough places where you get up-to-date FF information as it is. Goodread lists tend to be updated very sporadically, if at all.

>>2285677
I've been using your chart for constant reference and recommendations!

>>2285626
Same here, started digging in /u/ lit with the google docs list when I first came to these threads. Always wanted to expand it more with books actually recommended every thread or so (Baru, HNitS, Fingersmith) but I'm not english so I don't feel like writing about it...

Melissa Brayden's First Position. It's like Black Swan but with lesbian sex! That was a bad joke. Two beautiful ballerinas, a sophisticated ice queen and a down to earth party girl compete and fall in love. It's pretty cute, but only noticeable because two thirds in something happens that I'd liken to escaping a time bomb then having a piano fall from the sky and crash on you. The break up drama is really trite and got me thinking of how many books I read recently with terrible third act break ups based on a misunderstanding or blowing up some minor bullshit I have read through recently. It's probably my least favorite trope and a large reason I don't read much modern setting romance.
Actually my favorite bits of break up drama is probably when one girl COMPLETELY fucks over another. It's controversial but I loved Fingersmith for that. Everyone suffered so much that i understood why one girl would hate another and it kinda made the ending sweeter.

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Does anyone have the fanfic that inspired the book Blurred Lines by KD Williamson ?
I recently discovered the book and after buying it I was instigated to read the fanfic

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It's so complicated to find books about characters who want to start a family, whether through adoption or insemination.
Does anyone know of any to indicate?
I would like a fiction with this theme, not self-help or inspirational books

>>2285939
I've read a lot of books where the main characters talk about having kids but the only one I remember where it ocours during the book is Taking The Long Way and sequence.
I've read one recently where one of the MCs is pregnant but the history starts with one of the mothers dying.

Talking about kids, am I the only one who dislikes histories where the kid is a boy? I love books where there's children involved but if is a boy I lose total interest.

>>2285954
I do not really care if it's a boy or a girl.
Personally, if I have a child in the future I would like it to be girl, but in fiction for me it is irrelevant

>>2285626


All this time, as didn't realized it was a new zippy link in every thread, I thought it was the one someone posted back in June or something like this...

>>2285939
There are some, but it's hard to recommend anything for being "good".

Lex & Amanda has tons of children (at least in my memory). One of the Shaken books features pregnancy, and one is about adoption. Cain Casey if you want mafia kids.
There's also some fantasy stuff like Madison Wolves, although I hopefully don't need to point out that that series has ... issues.

Then some where the kid is already there in some ways, like Winds of Heaven or All the Little Moments (both quite good FF books in my opinion, but it's not quite the same if the kid is already there, I think).

Some that are a bit of a mix (By Design by JA Armstrong for example).

And a bunch where a child appears but it's such a minor role I doubt it'll satisfy you (like Techromancy or Salbine Sisters). There's also some where at least one of them wants a child but it doesn't work out; Ren'Ai Rensai for example (at least as far as the series got). And I think in some of the mystery novels (I'm fairly sure one got shot when pregnant, but hell if I remember which PI/police officer that was...).

On a mostly /u/nrelated note, I'm looking forward to this year's Kencyrath sequel, which as far as I know will feature a dozen or so children for the heroine (she's "the father"). Not really /u/, but no doubt fun.

>>2285939
Partway through Loved and Lost by Stephanie Kusiak contains starting a family, the story is a tearjerker imho though.

>>2285999
Thank you

>>2285966
Thank you for the information, but it's hard to find a book without the author's name or the title of the book.
Still, thank you very much. I'll try to find them

>>2285496
It ends on a cliffhanger (guess who dies), and honestly the only things I really liked about it was the more "benign" treatment of necromancers, and the "furred trolls that puke eggs" stuff. Otherwise I mostly agree with this review:
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/1384645327

I haven't read the sequel because apparently the author got outed as being a child molester.

>>2285938
Would you mind posting the book?

>>2286206

>I haven't read the sequel because apparently the author got outed as being a child molester

You're thinking of Marion Zimmer Bradley of Mists of Avalon fame fampai

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>>2286219
Here ya go, sis. All three Dragonoak books.
http://www83.zippyshare.com/v/cFXnnPMr/file.html

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Badly composed covers are basically an initiation ritual for gay fantasy writers. Combining that with the golden standard of erotica – putting a stock photo of a woman in her undies on the cover... Genius.

>>2286219
I have it on paper. Bought through book depository, sorry =/

>>2286219
Ooops. I looked at the wrong quote earlier.

Here's Blurred Lines by K.D. Williamson, along with the second book in the series. Thrid book will be published in a few days.
http://www44.zippyshare.com/v/9e8TTK4D/file.html

>>2286281
You have the fanfiction?

>>2286281
Much appreciated

>>2286226
You, too, though I didn't ask for that. Kek.

>>2286382
No, sorry. It's hard to find.
What I do know is that she wrote it under the name Rizzleslovr72, and that you can find the first eight chapters of the fan fic here:
http://rizzleslvr72.livejournal.com/

>>2286429
Thanks

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Does anyone have the series "Kate Delafield"?

>>2286635
1-9 on mobolism not sure how many is in the series http://forum.mobilism.org/viewtopic.php?f=1294&t=1905812&hilit=Kate+delafield

>>2286635
"Historical curiosity" aside, I found that one to be among the weakest of the lesbian mystery series, to be honest.

>>2286698
Thank you

>>2286249
Jesus Christ, I saw this on Mobilism and the cover made me close the tab instantly.

>>2288322
Same here, needs a new cover before I even attempt to read the description. They say never judge a book by its cover, but I am sure judging that one by its.

Does anyone have Nina LaCour - Everything Leads to You?
The mobilism link is dead

Read...skimmed Freedom to Rarity by Patricia Hoving. This seems to take place in some sort of 16th or so century not-quite-historical Italy, with a young woman who insists that she doesn't want to marry (at the very least not the guy she is betrothed to), and then getting mixed up in an intrigue about a throne of fictional Kingdom or something. I'm kind of ambivalent about how /u/ it is
it's basically a lesbian marriage of convenience in the end, but it stays kinda open about whether there's more to it. Probably yes, though.
The big problem though was the writing. Couldn't stand it. Not sure what exactly bugged me but it wasn't for me. Might be interesting for others if it's to their taste, though.

Also Existential by Alentine Munster, which is free on KU. Some sort of urban fantasy thing about the heroine being cursed to not know what she really is until she finds her true love - that's the girl who bullies her because she wants her attention or some such cliché. Again, plot, meh, I can deal with that, but the writing - this just jumped around randomly all the time. Never managed any sort of "flow" to the storytelling. Horrible.

And Bloodthorne by Blackwood. Now, that's actually not badly written, as such. Basically some tyrant kills all sorcerers, except for himself (obviously, duh) and his wife and step-mother, but one day a young sorceress is discovered ... and he wants to have her executed. His wife falls for her though, so after some complications they stand against him.
Aaaand ... that's it basically. It has a really weird conclusion that made me wonder what it was about - it's a short story, fine, but I expect my readings to have some sort of "point". Dissatisfying.

>>2288324
Even the content seems to be confusing to me. Now, I get that this is some fetish thing, but it states it's about a giantess sorceress who is shrinking someone - so her target is already smaller and she makes her even smaller, in relation? That sounds unlikely.

>>2288371
Its on libgen http://libgen.io/foreignfiction/index.php?s=Nina%20LaCour&f_lang=0&f_columns=0&f_ext=0&f_group=1

It's probably never been mentioned here: Therese and Isabelle, a nice short book about two girls in a catholic school who can't keep their hands off each others. I really dig the writing style, which basically uses the french equivalent of blank verses (if you can read it in french, do it), but there wasn't enough emotional involvement for my tastes.

>>2288526
Thank You!

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Since there's been some talk about it in the old yuri game thread is there any choose-your-own adventure kind of books with /u/-related stuff ? Ultimate niche right there

>>2288860
Considering they were mainly aimed at kids, and mainly around back before exposing kids to the horror of HOMOS became acceptable much less actually letting them roleplay as such, I can't imagine there were any.

>>2288860
The closest you can get to that is probably stuff like /qst/ (is anon-kun still alive?) or some similar CYOA sections of forums. Don't know if there even is a dedicated website for your average internet audience actually.

>>2288882
Are there any /u/ CYOAs or quests?

>>2288927
'Choice of' games are CYOAs with /u/ for most of them.

>>2288934
They mostly just adjust pronouns dynamically. Which I'm torn about, it's nice to not have it treated abnormal and go all "but we're both girls" cliche but it also feels shallow.

There are also a metric ton of free /u/ themed CYOA/interactive fiction out there, but most of it is incomplete or horrible or both. Abandon all hope ye who enter here.

>>2286249
>>2288322
>>2288324
Avoid at all cost, about halfway through the book the sorceress use magic to change into a man and they fucked.

>>2288965
Now I'm curious - what would you want from a /u/ CYOA? I mean an interactive one, on an imageboard, with live votes and stuff.

>>2288934
>>2288965
Some anon said in the YGT that samurai of hyuga was apparently handled differently according to your genre; and the writing was alright.
Currently reading the choice of hero trilogy, not the best writing in the world but it's certainly way better than a lot of the /u/ fantasy books I've came across and dropped. Being able to choose your waifu and tell people to fuck off is a nice bonus.

>>2289044
I recall 3 successful ones, there was the Evoker one that might be still running on some platform (I've never kept up with it), the lesbo rapist that was about as bad as you'd expect but it was TANOSHII in the beginning and the one that died very early about a lesbian music group. There's definitely interest the /u/ interactive fiction department.

>>2289072
That Evoker one (whatever it was called) certainly was no worse than a lot of /u/ stuff you find on Kindle.

Case in point, just finished Beneath a Silver Rose. Features a bi-sexual prostitute in a fantasy setting. To be fair, it was better than I expected. To clarify, I expected it to be absolutely horrible. So basically it's only mildly horrible.
And surprisingly it's not about the whoring part (there isn't all that much of a porn aspect to it; less than in some "normal" romances actually), but about (less surprisingly) her supposed bisexuality; when she's in a lesbian relationship but still tries to get something going with a guy. That, and how stupidly predictable the "plot twist" is. The "party" is kinda retarded about it (the heroine less so, but the sorcerer she follows).

>>2288927
https://anonkun.com/stories/embers-edgebr/axSw6yHydeSYwuGTv/chapter-nineteen/xmrgymLi753Wjviuu
join us!

Among the Stars by Renee Porter is pretty good.

>>2288927
>>2288882
You're best off not dealing with 4chan's questing community. It's insular and toxic as fuck.

Anonkun is at least bareable but the inaccurate tags kill me sometimes.

>MC has a dream about fucking a girl
>lol may as well tag my story as yuri even though there isn't really any there.

Worse than ExHentai tags

>>2289072
>>2290213
My question stands. What would you want from a /u/ CYOA? I know that's perhaps a difficult question to answer.

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>>2290256
Depends on the genre. Way back /u/'s history, /u/ even had a few. There was a real long ongoing fantasy one that I think just quietly ended or maybe moved to anon-kun. There was also a delinquent rapist one that came to a halt because of QM's personal life. I remember one about a girl named Sage that was earlier than them by a year or so and one that attempted to be more sci-fi though it didn't get anywhere.
Then of course, there's something even older than the Sage one. Which is a cruise captain getting hijacked by a 2hu

>>2290281
Of course the old Captain Pimp "CYOA" was very short-lived and had drawfagging, which already made it infinitely better than any of the CYOAs that enjoyed a resurgence around 2012-2013. I oughtta know, I'm ashamed to be responsible for introducing the first one in 2012 which caused a half dozen or so to follow.

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>>2290418
There there. The Sage one while short lived got some drawfagging as well, and even art.

>>2290256
Cute girls
Story that doesn't devolve into smut or furious blushing (depending on rating) at every opportunity. Doesn't have to be anything big just something to keep anons from voting to molest the cute girl EVERY update rather than every third or whatever.
More than one update a week.

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>>2290256
>There is an actual story to be told, the yuri is just a part of the protagonist's adventure
>No collecting girls like some lost femteitoku, make the players go for one girl and explore her route
>No hetshit, male characters are allowed but keep them away romantically/sexually from the MC and her chosen one
>The writing should be okay, nobody is expecting Joseph Conrad on an anonymous imageboard but some level of proficiency with literacy and narrative would be much appreciated
>Stick with it and finish it
I guess GuP Lafayette quest but with yuri being a more integral part of the plot.

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>>2290806
>>2290814
Thank you, onee-samas. I will give this some thought.

I'm into writing some pretty weird shit so I don't know how well my tastes would go down with the usual /u/ expectations.

>>2290840
>I don't know how well my tastes would go down with the usual /u/ expectations.
only one way to find out

>>2290840
I think /u/ can handle weird quite well. Although I suppose it depends how far out it is. As long as there's nothing incredibly distasteful it'll probably pass without comment.

>>2290840
Well, a quest that was summarized as the lesbian rapist delinquent had a solid following until the author fell off the face of the earth so your chances aren't that bad.

>>2291187
>summarized as the lesbian rapist delinquent
To add onto that, I'm pretty sure that one was pretty bloody.

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I was told you guys might like this and that I should post it here.

Spectral Bride:
>Vera finds more than she bargains for when she ventures into a haunted mansion in search of footage for her ghost hunting blog.
http://pastebin.com/za50YNR6
8,455 words.
Ebook: https://www.patreon.com/file?h=7752451&i=773410
Tags:
>lesbian, supernatural, bondage, oral, femdom, kissing, biting, riding crop, candle wax, strap-on, chocking, breathplay, french maid, turning, corruption

(artwork related, courtesy of lewdoblush)

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>>2285097
Does anyone here have the book to share?

Anyone else read Lentzski books?

I've read 5 so far and I've loved pretty much all of them. The only one I didn't enjoy was date night, which I felt was so contrived and stupid. Also, the MC was cheating on her fiance for the whole story.

But I liked all the other ones. I especially enjoyed "Don't Call Me A Hero" series. I'm really glad there is another book coming out.

>>2291888
It's in the main torrent up in the OP

>>2292048
I read "second chances" and thought it was decent! I'm always looking for more enemies to lovers books, anyone recommend anything?

>>2292316

I loved second chances too, but that's the only one I've read that's lesbian romance.

If you want something that's sorta similar try "Don't call me a hero" by the same author. They aren't exactly enemies but the mains are definitely on good terms with each other. Also, the plot is interestingly enough to stand on its own, or maybe I'm just biased because it's yuri. In any case, I definitely recommend it.

>>2292048
Second Chances had its ups and downs, Winter Jacket was okay, the sequel to it made me ignore any future book of hers for how much of an unnecessary, infuriatingly boring and pointless holding pattern of a cash grab it was.

>>2285938
>Blurred Lines

Please tell me I'm wrong in guessing the sequel has the addict brother become a serious problem, or worse, antagonist.
I kinda liked the first one. Nora's a fun character, what little they use of it.

>>2292048
>>2292316
>>2292321
>>2292333
Gonna be the odd one here but I couldn't go past the vegan restaurant thing. Feels like lentzski took the most stereotypical characters ever and added some more cliches to her cliches yo dawg. The writing wasn't anything special either.

Does she get better in her following books ?

>>2292605

I mean, to be honest I don't think that her books are masterpieces either.

However, with the limited options that yuri readers have, they're pretty good. She has a few things going for her:

1. She's actually a lesbian, so she gives us a more realistic approach.

2. Her stories are sometimes unpredictable

3. They're really sweet

I mean, compared to non-yuri literature, she has a long way to go. But when you're focusing on such a specific niche, she really isn't bad. If you hate some parts skim it, that's what I generally do.

>>2292333
Just so you know, there's 4 winter jacket books.

Honestly, I agree with you that her sequels are pretty weak, but you can find many of her books on mobilism. What I do is I read it first to see if it is enjoyable then I buy it.

>>2292646
I never bought into this "lesbians write better (or at least more realistic) FF novels" argument. There some cases that lean a certain way, and some cases that lean a certain other way, but altogether they are no better or worse than any other author writing in the genre.

And I know male authors have a crap reputation when it comes to lesbians, usually associated with weird views on sexuality (hello Roseau), but when you keep reading and come across all that rubbish that's written by women (or at least people pretending to be women, it's not like I diligently check) it's best to just give up hope on authors altogether. It's fairer. Gender equal.

With that being said, lesbian authors of lesbian fiction are for some reason great at writing mysteries. Makes me wonder whether they're secretly all involved in murder cases.

>>2292647
4?! She's really wringing the last drop of blood from that stone.

And I don't care about money, I care about my time. There's too much to read in my backlog to give someone who wasted my time this badly any more of it.

>>2292863
I'm having the other problem. I'm running out of materials.

I tend to skim things I don't like and I get through bad books a lot faster than I get through good books.

So I found some book on Amazon that boasted that it would be about samurai lesbians (fantasy feudal era settings, basically), but one of them was actually transgendered, and still male bodied. The description said nothing of this. I got my refund but it was actually written decently, and I was really disappointed. Is there anything good set in that kind of setting?

I already know about Samurai of Hyuga, that's the setting I'm looking for but I don't know where to look or if there's even anything to find.

I will say I just recently found "Making Love", about a cupid and a succubus and it's cute as could be so far. Seems kind of short but it's good.

Does anyone have any good age gap stories? Like a pairing from Strawberry Panic also with dom/sub undertones?

I dont really mind a genre but bonus if its high fantasy, urban fantasy, or sci-fi

>>2292938
>someone said age gap
Heard of Gun Brooke?

Supreme Constellations and Exodus series are sci-i age gap. Everything else by her is age gap too. There are occasionally power dynamics resembling dom/sub undertones because of the age gap but I don't know how to classify it. Maybe Sheridan's Fate would work for you as a specific example.

>>2292674
While lesbians may not write better than any other group they certainly are the only ones capable of telling a story from a genuinely lesbian perspective. I wouldn't expect a white person to write convincingly about the black experience or someone from New York to convey the feeling of living in the deep south.

In fiction the author is often taking a leap into uncharted territories with regard to personal experience but the more of it that they can bring to bear on the story and characters the more believable it will be. Write what you know is a cliche but it's also the truth.

>>2293064
It depends. The Wire was mostly written by white guys and still ended up being embraced by black people and is considered one of the greatest tv shows ever.

>>2292605
rofl i actually thought the vegan thing was hilarious.
personally my favourite from lentzki is "the final rose".its like the bachelor but with lesbians.the story was way more coherent than second chances.

>>2293077
Now that you mention that..there was another bachelor like book, right? I remember reading one and since I don't have "final rose", so it must've been another one.

Anyone remember what that might have been? I'D love to re-read it.

>>2293083
Reality Lesbian by any chance?

>>2293097
Nope, don't have that either.

>>2293064
Eh. Write what you know helps giving you a head start, it doesn't make you a good writer. There is only so far personal experience can carry you if you cannot convey it. A talented, empathetic writer who did their homework on the other hand can get close enough and tell a good story doing it.

Of course that's a very hypothetical debate considering no writer in this genre is brilliant and the few men and straight women we know about are typically on the bad end of the bell curve. Whether that's the lack of experience or the lack of talent or both, shrug.

Who fucking cares what gender someone is. Discuss lesbian books.

No.

>>2293064

>genuinely lesbian perspective

What is that though? From Where? A lesbian from America? Somalia? Mars? Poor? Wealthy? Middle-class? What era? Orphan? Loved? Disowned? There's such a massive spectrum in what each individual lesbian could possibly experience that "genuine perspective" put through the "write what you know" lens becomes meaningless unless you ascribe it qualifiers. So what you might mean is

>genuine perspective of a lesbian living in 20th century America from a white middle class background

Which is pretty narrow as far as "lesbian perspective" is concerned.

No writer who writes fiction can ever truly just "write what they know" otherwise it would be autobiography. At some point you have to go out and write from a perspective you don't have any personal experience in, even if it's to a lesser extent. The question the writer has to ask herself/himself is how far away from his/her own experience can he/she write convincingly, and the answer will be different for every writer.

t. my old creative writing professor, who gets livid whenever someone mentions "write what you know"

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I have lots of books that are gay for other books.

I'm trying to remember something from what I'd tentatively label the "subtext" category; it's a mystery about a widowed newspaper writer/owner in a small town. They find some long dead bodies and she digs up some old racist crime or something. She was married to a guy, but now she's flirting around with a female bike-shop owner, although it's left entirely open whether that has any potential of going anywhere. Kinda wanted to check whether it got a sequel yet. It's not that old, but, heck, can't remember who the author was or what it was called. Maybe someone else does?

Anyone got Beyond the Trail by Jae? Can't seem to find it anywhere.

>>2293097
>>2293101
This one has a sequel fyi. Haven't read it though.
Romancing the Girl by Camryn Eyde has that setting more or less. (the MCs aren't participants though)

>>2293130
I agree with you, anon. I don't care who's the author as long as the story is good.

Next Dar & Kerry is done. Didn't find it very interesting, though. I wanted to see more about them setting up their own company, not adventuring around a canyon.

Was a pretty depressing read, too. Nothing ever went right. Wasn't really that sort of "everybody dies survival fight" with huge tension, but nobody was ever happy either.

Don't really see what it added to the series. So the vacation was crap. Alright. They're back home now and nothing changed. Oh well.

Can I petition a story for any writers lurking here to use and abuse it?

Ok good, I want a age-gap Urban Fantasy book series or book revolving around a innocent MC who goes to a Urban Fantasy High School or College where the Teachers are all into her and some of the female student body.
Needs to have Elves, Vampires, Monster Girls, Dragonesses in human forum, Spider-Girls, the whole shebang. Revolving around a story similar to Grimm or maybe Mystery Inc or Buffy like. Inspiration from Strawberry Panic where that older girl wanted in on the MC

Tons of pinning MC to walls and against tables while they talk to her; real close to her ear. Shes good in combat but completely oblivious to other woman coming on to her

>>2292674
I mean, men tend to fetishize lesbians. Just observe how large the lesbian section of pornhub is.

With real lesbians they write from experience. The shitty ones are probably males pretending desu.

Before, I used to think that all lesbians did was scissor.

>>2293614
Meh, maybe for porn, but plenty of lesbian authors that write lesbian porn, too. And do all the same rubbish the men do, too.

Heck, some women are basically worse then men. Look at stuff like Darklaw (so sexy to be raped) or Alexa Black (prostitution best job!) or Jacquotte Fox Kline (it's not true love if there's no torture involved) and so on.

I mean, it's fiction. I'm perfectly fine with an "anything goes in fiction" attitude. But let's not pretend that men are somehow more perverted than women. What I'd agree on is that the way the novels are sexualized is (if they are) is kinda different if it's done by men (they are more likely to have an obsession with breasts) but that's about it, and it's no guarantee either way either.

>>2293539
That sounds perfectly awful.

>>2293539
If you could work that into a prompt of maybe 4000-8000 words I could consider doing something with it. It would lean heavily towards humor though.

>>2293769
So I'm sitting there defending male authors and decide to randomly read Valantra by Tristan Vick (which turns out to be FF; wasn't I surprised!) and it's _exactly_ the type of book where you can instantly tell it's written by some guy, and he's basically fulfilling every stereotype he can think of.

Ah, the irony. Now I feel betrayed. And amused.

>>2293843
I'm curious, onee-sama, what are the stereotypes male writers tend to include?

>>2293853
Breasts. Breasts everywhere.
Sexual harassment as "comedy".
Staring at other women's asses and talking about it.
Frequently de-clothing the heroine for one reason or another, and having other people watch her do it.

But it's more of how those things appear than that they are there at all. I don't think I could make a comprehensive list of stereotypes, but when you read something like this Valantra or, in scifi, for example, Alatya, it's hard imagining a women having written them. They usually live out their perversities differently.

That being said it's not like I haven't been fooled before. Megan Hawke's (assuming she is who her name seems to imply her to be) Sable Hart series features some of the tropes I'd associate more with female authors, but much more that I'd put in the male camp. I honestly went and double-checked the author's name in the middle of the ebook to see whether it was actually written by a women (figuring that out was more interesting than the crappy novel anyway). Admittedly, it's also bi-leaning-het, so the romance rules are a bit different.


All that being said, just to be clear, there's two different aspects here: whether a lesbian book written by male authors can be recognized as such, and then whether it's better or worse than ones written by women (or lesbians). One doesn't necessarily mean the other is also true.

I enjoyed bound together and dimensional fracture by Corinn Heathers more than I thought I would. Weeb trappings made me weary, but they are actually enjoyable if fairly basic UF fare. Anyone have a download link for the next 2 books? Also, according to the synopsis, Meilin is a big pov of the 4th book. Is her het romance a big part of it?

>>2293861
Funnily enough, Technomancy Scrolls by Erik Schubach is probably the most innocent lesbian fiction outside of actual YA (and honestly some YA is more risque). I didn't even feel like the characters had a sex drive till book 3, the most scandalous thing they did was hip bumping.

>>2293861
>All that being said, just to be clear, there's two different aspects here: these are the things that bother me and I feel should bother others
ftfy

>>2293988
I think the Rachel Peng novels so far managed to get away with a lesbian protagonist that has neither sex nor romance. That's rare.

>>2294009
Definitely not. The question was what was "stereotypical male author"-like about that (even disregarding all of those things) rather mediocre fantasy book, that's all. And point is, while perhaps not impossible, "dialogues" like these (from a different one, I somehow haven't been lucky today):

>"So are your jugs real or fake? Perhaps I can have a little fondle? I mean they are huge! They can't be real."
>"Now then my beauty how may I the magnificent Gamble serve you and those fabulous breasts? Those giant bouncy marsh-mellows."
>"It's been thirty years since I last saw such an ample set of goddess like breasts and you're a good looking woman too."
>"Relax Boobs."
(punctuation by the author)

are rare by any female author. More precisely, I can't think of one that hits that tone with that content (I'm sure she exists somewhere). Likewise, if the author went on about reincarnated-from-past-life-soul-mates I'd most likely conclude it's a female one. It's just one of those things.

>>2294040
>weird boob obsession
>reincarnated soulmates

desu either of those things are usually enough to make me drop a book.

>>2293064
>>2292674
>>2293861
Going with >>2293130 on this one. As long as you craft your character into its own person and refrain from pouring your own experiences and expectations into her (which she has no reason to have whatsoever), and focus instead on what she could/should/would do as a person with her own feelings and experiences ect there's no reason for it to turn out wrong. Obviously it's difficult but writing is all about creating people that are not you. Or else every crime novel writer is a psychopath in disguise.

Bullshit Tumblr blog time I'm a straight male who came here to get some lesbian fiction to read because I've been trying to write a book with a lesbian MC. And I've been surprised how, from Jae to Sarah Waters to Robin Alexander, Kelly Quindlen ect I couldn't find much differences between lesbians relationships and het relationships. And how het and gay relationships are more often than not filled with the same cliches. Or maybe I completely missed the point

So yeah, I think it's most of a matter of being a good writer than the person you are.

>>2293769
Are all those works lesbian?

I'm male and I think lesbian rape is super sexy.

Het rape is a sin and whoever does it will burn in hell for all eternity.

>>2294127
Yes, they are. Well, Jacquotte's series is just altogether fucked up, so it aside from, for example, addicting the heroine to various drugs, and making her regularly hurt herself by inserting hooks into herself, it also features other disgusting things like het sex (eg succubi mummifying themselves to turn themselves into sex tools for incubi). But the main "romance" (which is kinda like a curse) is lesbian.

Funny you should mention Hell though, since that's were the series takes place. And Hell hates lesbians as much as Heaven and anyone else does, so basically if you're gay in that universe you're eternally screwed over in the worst way no matter what happens. It's such a happy series.

Darklaw I didn't read beyond the preview so dunno if it later features het. Steel and Promise, well, as mentioned, she's a prostitute, she also gets bought by males. Again, the "romance" (if it can be called that) is FF, but it also has het content.

>>2294132
Holy hell that's cancer.

So I just finished the last book in the Dragonoak series, and it's refreshing to not be utterly disappointed in how a series ends. Especially a series I've spent a while going through. I don't know if that's more a statement about the quality of shit I've been reading recently or what. It's just that after going through all of The Evoker and feeling burned by a shitty ending and not being happy about how anything in that series ended up, the final state of the characters and the story in Dragonoak was an enjoyable change. Would recommend if the occasional bit of heavy handed tumblrism isn't enough to utterly remove any enjoyment you would get out of the story.

Also, I was talking to another anon in one of the previous threads about my hopes for how the series ends and I got to say, while Katja's ultimate fate is not the horrible death some people were hoping for, her getting her fucking face smashed in with a fire poker was incredibly cathartic. She was still more interesting when she was more unhinged during her breakdown in the second book rather than the apparently master planner and manipulator she ends up being. Rowan not going full protag morality on her and forgiving her for no reason other than 'We got to have a good guy main character'.

The only lingering problems I have with the series by the conclusion is the whole thing of Reis and Claire somehow being related because I don't see the King and the Queen having a child and that ROYAL CHILD just wandering out of the town and becoming a pirate and being utterly forgotten about. Unless I forgot something being mentioned in the earlier books this felt like it came out of no where and for no reason. The other issue that lingers with me is the pane. Just the part of me that digs in deep on world building can't understand how the pane exist and persist. Very little about them makes sense in a world building sense.

>>2294358
Claire was adopted by the king and queen. The Felheim culture seems to be such that even adopted children have the same status as birth children.

>>2294390
You’re right, I totally forgot that she was adopted. So they're not blood related exactly though the finer details of Reis and the royal family still escape me. I feel like I'm just forgetting stuff though

>>2294127

I fall to see how lesbian rape is acceptable but not het rape in your mind. If one is alright the other should be too because in the end the result is the same for the victim.

>>2294455
Because so hot, man. Two women having sex, man. Who cares about consent? But having to imagine a dick in a girl? Fuck you, that makes me gay.

Or so the reasoning must go.

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>>2294358
i finished the other day and found the conclusion vaguely disappointing. i don't know how much the haze of sleep deprivation affected my experience but i feel like i was enjoying it a lot for the first two books and the first half of the third and the final half didn't quite live up to what i expected.
To me a few things felt anticlimactic:The way that scary reckless dragon-toting Rylan just died to a knife in like 10 seconds, there's no dragon v dragon battle, barely a necromancer v necromancer battle, and the way it's resolved felt kind of glossed over... I don't get how Rowan concluded that the silence isn't the default for necromancers. Also it seems like Agados is still an unresolved threat? Also can someone clarify what exactly became of Rowan? did she die returning life to the bloodless lands? I think i was expecting to have my mind blown but then it was just ok. Maybe i'm just a drowsy idiot and need to read it again when i'm fully awake idk
i will say that i really enjoyed how cute Eden is and also how almost literally everyone is gay

>>2294390
>>2294403
my interpretation was that Claire and Reis share the same biological parents but were adopted by different families. i think i recall Rowan noticing similarities in their appearances?

>>2294495
I just tell myself that it could have been much worse than it was, but I'm not going to pretend that the final part of the book wasn't anticlimactic. After all the build up the big battle was almost nothing and relied on a plan that didn't make much sense and no dragon fight or necromancer fight was lame. (Writing a full detailed battle is hard, I get that but there was a good bit that just seemed handwaved away) Agados is still a threat but it gets glossed over by people somehow knowing the king died almost instantly after Halla decided to stay. As for Rowan it seemed like after everyone was long since dead she decided to go out to the Bloodless Lands and dumped her necromancer juices into the land to fix Kondo's fuck up.

Take solace in the fact that it could've been way worse an ending. It can always get worse.

The two of them just being adopted by different families makes way more sense actually. If that's what it was, then I will fully withdraw my previous complaint about it.

Eden was a qt

>>2294495
Maybe I was also sleep-depraved (who isn't?) but I kinda agree. It wasn't bad. But I didn't think it was great either.

>>2294520
Adoption is right.
Those coincidences with everyone in the cast being in some coincidental way connected to everyone else would be a nitpick of mine, too.
Like Rowan's father knowing that King and potentially being gay for him (and the other way around).
What are the odds?

But, really, if that were my only complaint I'd have put it higher up in my personal lesbian-fantasy-ranking.

>>2294455
>>2294463

Exactly, because it is so hot. Women are pure.

Consent is optional.

Het is a sin. Men and dicks are disgusting and is rape even if "consensual."

>>2294572
It's interesting how if you're enough of a purityfag, you roll right into being a crazy 70's feminist.

>>2294572

You should educate yourself about what is a rape and what rape play is if it's what you mean by rape that is consensual.

No use to debate with you about the rest I prefer to let you alone with your idiocy.

>>2294572
Wait, this isn't satirical?

>>2294589
Given how many authors go with the "I'm being raped, but oh, this somehow turns me on so badly and now I'm in love" trope it stands to reason that some people actually think like that.

But it's the Internet, who can tell?

Could someone post a zippy of second chances by mj duncan? Thanks

>>2294760
Well what do you know... I've been looking for Second Chances multiple times. But this time I actually found it. And fairly easily at that.

Here ya go, sis:
http://www92.zippyshare.com/v/ajnMLPio/file.html

>>2294598
If it's yuri and that happens, hooray for love

If it's het then they can both burn in hell forever

>>2294583
het is rape, end of story

>>2294887
>you will never try this hard to fit in

>>2294890
I can't figure out what you're trying to say

but if you're a het lover go take dicks up the ass instead of defiling this sacred place

>>2294892
Why can't one enjoy both?

>>2294893
ok ur right

maybe it's just all the het rape i see (even on things tagged yuri) on exhentai

or when all the girls say "oh no i can't like a girl better force myself to fuck 100 guys to convince myself that i'm straight"

Does anyone have You're Fired by Shaya Crabtree?

Or any other book, really. I'm trying to figure out what to read next and I'd appreciate it if you guys shared some of your personal favorites.

>>2294899
http://www41.zippyshare.com/v/OACHrGwV/file.html

Nvm, I found it with a quick search.

>>2294520
>>2294543
i guess i'm glad the ending wasn't worse.
About the silence, do yall remember specifically what information or event happened that Rowan thinks there is an alternative to it for necromancer afterlife? It seemed like she just suddenly knew that kondo kana and iseul were wrong.
Regarding the random connections between all the characters i don't really mind since a lot of far-fetched things already happen just for the sake of the story

>my personal lesbian-fantasy-ranking
would you mind sharing some top picks?

I read Sarah Waters The Paying Guests and I don't know how to feel. It was a book that I think was great, but I didn't enjoy at all. At all times it's trying and succeeding at being unsatisfying, even the end is just like that. I recommend it but don't read spoilers.

>>2294818
Thank you

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>>2294969
I think that afterlife thing was a conclusion she drew from the mythology and stories she learned, but it's admittedly something I didn't pay too much attention to.
And basically, that the entire "silcence" was a misunderstanding; that people they resurrected knew about the forest because they were actually dead, but the necromancers, even when temporarily, you know, disabled, weren't truly dead, so they didn't experience their afterlife.
Or at least that's kinda how I remember it.

And as for recommendations, I'm the one who made this <- so I don't really have secrets regarding what I like, heh. Has been some time since I found anything worthwhile adding so it's more or less up-to-date, I think.

Camryn eyde's tricky chances got released, any links?

So i read two of gerri hills books hunter's way and the target and its like blah blah blah amusing interaction between the main characters then bam something really horrible happens. Are they all like this? It kind of ruins my enjoyment after that

>>2295297
>the target
That book scarred me.
so many horrible deaths... felt bad for everyone

>>2294897
>even
The yuri tag on panda literally just means two female bodied people interacted sexually at some point in the work. Avoid everything other than females_only and you'll save us all a lot of grief.

>>2295457
Except females only is kinda limited.

Just finished Bittersweet Homecoming by Lentzski.

I've loved all of Lentski's books so far. And desu I'm just a sucker for romance.

Any recommendations?

>>2295479
Well then you're gonna get dicks.

>>2295160
cool that makes enough sense for me.
chart saved. thanks senpai!

I'm curious, is there any decent with one woman being described as ugly and another being beautiful? I know one is average and the other is highly attractive, but not one where the protagonist or love interest is downright ugly.

>>2295552
That'd probably be a narrative problem, since, when in luv, the other party would (of course!) consider them beautiful, so they wouldn't outright describe them as "ugly", at best it'd be something like "she's plain but to x she was the most attractive person in the world" or somesuch.

Best chances are perhaps when one of them gets injured. Like in the Dragonoak series or the Techromancy one. Some potential with age-gap romances or generally older couples, they are sometimes at least not described as utterly perfect in every way. But, again, nobody will actually call them ugly.

If you're desperate maybe Ryman's The Child Garden, I mean, her love interest is an ice bear, and she's kinda disgusting, and if I remember right the heroine says so. Of course, it's also one of those "screw over all the lesbians!" novels, so ...

>>2295552

Someone ugly in your eyes could be someone beautiful in mine.
I get what you mean and I do see it with a lot of couple. "Damn she is beautiful and she could do better." But I think it would be hard to express this in a book.

Can you imagine yourself thinking your girlfriend is ugly and you feel in love with her because she is ugly. Sure you can think she is not attractive but calling the person you love ugly seems a little too much.

But I know how you feel, it seems all the mcs are always beautiful girls.

>>Tfw have 90% of a plot sorted out.
>>Tfw probably shit at writing but going to give it a shot anyways.
Also don't know if people would like it considering it's fantasy/magic with men in the story as vital characters but no het shit towards MC.
>>MC doesn't meet her love interest for 2/5ths of the story and they have a slow burn relationship that developes over time naturally and gradually throughout the story and will be quite lewd at times.
I wouldn't want people to be pissed off for there not being yuri smut instantly.

>>2295604
>slow burn relationship that develops over time naturally and gradually throughout the story

That's honestly the best way to do it. I've had my fill of instant attraction and 'the way she flicked her hair made my clit twitch' and shit like that.

Have a go at it.

>>2295604
Hey chase your dreams

And I love slow burn

Even if you don't succeed, try again.

>>2295552
Well, the main character of Lady Knighs described not merely as the usual mannish but also heavily disfigured due to scars on her face.

>>2295636
>The usual mannish
Man, this is a thing that crops up really often. I guess some women might like mannish women, but it just seems to defeat the purpose to me.

>>2295589
>>2295598
Well, I guess you could have something like tOaFK's Lancelot, who is ugly beyond description but so earnestly devoted and hard-working that he's loved from childhood by both Arthur and Guinevere.

But then, we all know how that romance went.

>>2295552
What has /u/llit become? Not even a mention of Pitifully Ugly by Robin Alexander. For shame.

It isn't about permanently ugly but ugly is in the title and it plays a big part.

>>2295604
>>Tfw probably shit at writing but going to give it a shot anyways.

Do it! Follow your heart, onee-sama.

>>2295705
She isn't ugly though. Just a bit of a self-deprecating slob.

>>2295604

Go for it oneesama. Tbh I've gotten a bit fed up with what les fiction has been offering of late so I can defnitely sympathize with you cause. For what it's worth I enjoy a slow burn and a full cast of rounded characters, including men, straight ladies etc are vastly preferable to all female/lesbian setting allthough I acknowledge I'm probably in the minority here

>>2295790
Depends on the story. Too much worldbuilding is poison for a pure romance. The relationship is important, spending too much space on pointless minutia like side characters kills the pace. And you know there's a very valid reasons why men are generally a warning sign around here if they're not explicitly gay or otherwise off the market. Also, social circles are a thing.

>>2295606
>>2295614
>>2295716
Thanks. I'll give it a go.
>>2295790
Yeah, there's going to be straight characters of course. A world where everyones a lesbian and no men would just be a boring and unrealistic read just and would feel forced just make sure all characters absolutely lesbians.
There's going to be male characters with very important roles that help shape the MC as the story goes on, and she'll admire them in different ways of course. MC actually starts out hating her love interest for awhile until she starts to understand her reasoning behind things. Then the slowburn sets in.

>>2295790
I don't so much like or want all-lesbians casts as that I too often dislike the random characters FF authors create. Families are the worst. They're are either homophobic, jealous, condescending (optionally rapist) bastards or they're this sort of happy-meddling-obnoxious-preaching-bunch of ... annoying people.

Then there's those tropes like the "gay best friend". He also tends to be incredibly annoying (supposed to be funny, I guess).

Lesbians friends are potentially more tolerable. Not always, but at least sometimes. But it's rare that I pick a FF book where I like any character better than the protagonist (or the main couple), compared to other novels where that happens all the time.

>>2295936
>MC actually starts out hating her love interest for awhile until she starts to understand her reasoning behind things. Then the slowburn sets in.
Yes, please. Fucking love that shit in my lesfics.

>>2295941
>they're this sort of happy-meddling-obnoxious-preaching-bunch of ... annoying people.
I might be weird but I hate this the most. More than potential rapists and "it's unnatural!" screeching parents and pastors, more than "[name] is a [job] who isn't looking for love" synopses, this is my "pet peeve"

>>2296117
Every F/F story I write seems to work out this way, I end up having rivals or pseudo-enemies fall for each other. Glad to know somebody likes that stuff.

>>2296473
It's a wonderful setup that lends itself to lots and lots of sexual tension.

>>2296473
That's my soft spot, when enemies end up fucking each other.

They have to be girls though.

>>2295480
Try Clare Ashton's books. I'd advice to read After Mrs. Hamilton last because of a certain twist in the end...

>>2296117
>>2296473
Agreed.
>>2296617
>>It's a wonderful setup that lends itself to lots and lots of sexual tension.
Oh, there's definitely going to be some innocent moments that lead to some sexual tension, then the confusion sets in that leads to the funny part of it when they start noticing their feelings and try to tip-toe around it and realize they're both being awkward and it's ruining their routine because there's too much sexual tension. They both don't want to make a move in fear that they'll scare the other off. Then things take a lewd turn.
But I want the reader to be able to feel the build up and all their emotions without just handing them empty forced fanservice. Like blush to themselves after reading cute parts or feel as embarrassed as the character does.

>>2296761
That sounds pretty good. Do you have any specific ideas or scenes in mind that I could steal from you?

>>2296636
Any idea where i can get a hold of it?

>>2296617
>>2296634
I know, it's so good! I haven't yet read real books in that vein which I really liked, sadly.

>>2296854
Sure, what exactly did you have in mind though? Innocent, lewd? I've gotten nothing written down yet but I could give you the gists of a scene.

>>2296884
I was just thinking of stealing some ideas from you to use in my own fanfic writing. Ideas for scenes that move the development of the relationship forward. The kind of setup you described is my absolute favorite, but I feel that it's often underutilized in the sense that writers tend to rely on the easy and predictable way of moving things forward. Stuff like shutting the pair in a confined space or getting them drunk until they realize that all they need to do is fuck.

>>2296861
On mobilism:
http://forum.mobilism.org/search.php?keywords=Clare+Ashton&fid%5B%5D=0&sc=1&sr=topics&sf=titleonly

New mj duncan book out on 31st. Symphony in blue.

>>2297673
Great news. I was just thinking about that author. Hopefully this one will have a better final act than the others.

>>2296951
Thanks!!!

>>2297673
Oh really? I'm really excited. I loved his book "Second Chances."

I had an idea for a fic where a transfer student joins the MCs class. MC tries to make friends with the transfer girl but the transfer girl bullies her.
They eventually start getting hot and heavy.

>>2297886
Sounds like what should have happened in the movie Breathe

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>>2296891
I found this. This should help you.

>check goodreads for any upcoming lesbian YA
>everything is praise about the characters being biracial and bisexual
Why are they trying to corrupt our youth?

>>2298315
being a homosexual is boring and homonormative. bisexuality is the new hotness. though it was also the old hotness. no one ever wants to be a lesbian.

>>2298317
Well there was some anger and hullabaloo about this new YA book with the lesbian mc becoming bisexual for a guy friend. But all in the name of "sexuality is fluid". I fucking hate people.

>>2298321
That almost makes me wish I never knew about /u/ lit. Now I can't go on without it but I'm stuck dealing with that dumb crap forever.

>>2298355
It's only going to get worse as people try to be more and more special.

>>2298361
>virtue signaling
>>>/pol/

Hey all, trying to find a book series that I got recommended a while back. It was some fantasy series where IIRC the second or third book introduced a spymaster character who's a lesbian, anybody know what I'm talking about? Sorry I don't have more to go on but that's basically all I remember about it.

>>2298481

>spymaster character who's a lesbian

Please someone say that this exists

>>2298321
What series is this?

>>2296891
I too write fanfic. Only a few are yuri (and those are in the Riverdale fandom), and I try to stay on the lighter side of lewd.

>>2297886

There a French movir with this very plot. Expected the bullied girl is kind of in love with the new transfered girl who is bullying her. Other girl play on it to bully her and hurt her even more when she was the one to seduce her first.

so i finally read the abyss surrounds us and
ehhh it was ok i guess? like "we have to sleep in the same bed" was fun, but the rest just read like a heap of fanfic cliches.

i could totally write something better.

So I finished Tricky Chances. Loved Tricky Wisdom for the quirky heroine and her unique love interest, and the fact that she doesn't try to "fix" her, despite being "unconventional".
But honestly evaluated that relationship was perhaps not the most "realistic" one. So in book two the two of them kinda re-negotiate what they exactly want out of it, which makes sense. The tone is perhaps not quite so funny anymore, but it still has its moments (eggs can explode?) and overall was a nice read - also, there'll be a third one, yay.

Just had some of those typical FF scenes that always tend to annoy me - if some smelly old guy suddenly pulled me into a hug and kissed my cheek, I'd knee his nuts and then vomit on the floor, not see is at a touchy awww-this-is-family moment. I think I'm lacking in cultural understanding.
Also, meddling family and friends. Meh.
But it's all minor and within reason.

>>2298708
I tried reading that book and I only managed to make it roughly 20% of the way through. The pacing was off, the characterization was thin, and the whole thing seemed more motivated by the plot than the characters.

So about Lydia Rose...
Are any of her books actually good? I haven't read any, just stumbled upon her, but something seems off.

A few low ratings mixed with 5 stars on Goodreads. Quite the contrast.
Written reviews seem to either love her books or think they're poorly written, poorly edited, and lack depth.
Friends giving her high ratings? Paid ratings? Or actually good?

Like, just take a look at the synopsis for Just What the Doctor Ordered. Hilariously written:
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/26049314-just-what-the-doctor-ordered

>>2298829
If that blurb is any indication I'd certainly say it's rubbish. And tricking costumers for money is not nice either.

But who knows, never read anything by her.

>>2298532
What is this movie called?

>>2298829
If she can not even write a decent synopsis I will say don't waste your time. And that sounds cliché as fuck either way.

Soooo... anyone got a link to "The Queen's Slavewoman" series books 4, and 7-10? I've got every other one downloaded, just missing those 5.

what does /u/ like in books, besides lesbians?

>>2298941
Humor, sexual tension, competent writing.

>>2298941
A good plot with character building and a slow burn romance.

>>2298708
So write something better.

I thought it was fairly cliche/predictable, but it wasn't poorly written. It felt like a decent young-adult sci-fi. The sequel is out mid April, and I'll probably read it, just to find out if things turn out less shitty.

>>2298941
Fruitless struggles against soul destroying cosmic horror.

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>>2298941
Good prose, good pacing, good characterisation. Romantic build up and payoff, strong character chemistry. Action, weird stuff, horror, cosmic horror, body horror, vampires (non-sparkly kind), girls with guns, girls in elegant gothic horror settings who make magical pacts with witches, girls with burn scars or brain problems or perfect grace, girls snuggling in bed together while a storm rages outside and they've spent the day investigating occult happenings in an abandoned building.

I could get very specific about this, but what I want does not seem to exist so I have to write it myself instead.

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What about a story that doesn't get too far physically? Like maybe just a kiss and some hand holding
But, it has a good plot anyway.
Is it just being a gripping well-written story enough, or is some lewd payoff a requirement?

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>>2299281
It doesn't have to occur on the page, but I'm of the mind that without sex, there is no relationship. Implication is enough.

>>2299281
I don't mind reading novels with lesbian leads that have no romance at all; or where it's just a very minor point. Maybe they're already married and the wife never appears, or maybe it just makes no sense in the current setting or whatever. Better no romance than a forced one.

As for everything else: anything goes, as long as it's not too trope-ish and the writing is OK. Mostly I like exploring new stuff; so maybe Blind-Eye Mystery isn't, as such, the best FF mystery series, but how often do you get a blind PI as a lead? That sort of thing.

What makes for good chemistry between characters? It's constantly brought up and I'd like some clarification as to what /u/ think it actually is.

>>2299310
When they look into the depth of each other's eye and realize that they're meant to be together and probably were together in a past life.

Heh.

Heck, no, but apparently it works for a lot of FF authors. Personally, for me I need to pick the couple "out of the story" and imagine them as a couple and it needs "to make sense" that they are a couple. They should be sort of complimentary to each other, both should bring something to the relationship. I don't need sneaky glances or touches that do "things" to the characters before they get together, I don't need damp panties every time they see each other (in fact, that's kinda disgusting...) and so on. But, say, the example with the bullying exchange student that's mentioned above: if it's just bullying for the entirety of the book, and at the end the bully goes "ah it was just because I didn't know how else to express my interest in you", I'd expect the love interest to punch her in the face, not fall in love with her forever. That sort of thing I just can't stand.

>>2298715

Any links?

>>2299288
>>2299291
Without going into TOO much detail. The main characters are in highschool and one of them just recently transferred in and is really really ridiculously shy until making friends with the other girl and slowly comes out of her shell (but has some kind of dark secret)
As the story progresses its revealed there was a mass shooting a town over. Its mentioned on the news throughout the story and ties into the plot in small ways at first. Eventually it turns out the murderer was transfer girl's father.
Im asking because the romance is a key element, but I don't know if a lewd sex scene is necessary, but am worried it may seem like no payoff for the buildup. I had planned on a lot of hand holding and other cute stuff, but I don't know if going all the way is necessary or not.
I tried to explain the plot as briefly as possible.

>>2299333
It's on mobilism.

>>2299335
For YA I really don't think anyone expects explicit sex. Maybe at some points it's implied they're doing it, or maybe it's left to the reader's imagination. I don't think it's a big deal. And I'm not entirely sure about the legalities either ...

>>2299335
I don't know if you've ever lived in a small town, but based on my experience, everyone would know about her dad within a week, even with precautions.

>>2299337
Well, everyone knows about her dad but doesn't know its her dad. Her identity is kept secret.
>>2299336
Ok, thanks

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>>2299310
Put as simply as possible, the protagonist and romantic interest must have character development arcs which - in a narrative mechanical sense - rely on each other.

To expand on that a bit, character development is the primary reason we feel sympathy and empathy for characters, why we might identify with them or root for them, despite their flaws or negatives, because we're allowed inside their heads to witness their struggle with whatever the story is about, and we get to watch them change, or adapt, suffer failure and overcome, etc.

When two character arcs rely on each other for development, that's where they'll begin to have interesting chemistry - what do they do to each other, do they react, how do they deal with it. The trick is not to bolt all of this onto the side of the story and have the characters follow some abstract "plot" at the same time, but to tie the resolution of the romance to the resolution of the primary conflict - i.e. the protagonist is unable to succeed without the romance plot.

This is just my take on it though. Ask 10 writers the same question and you will get 12 different answers, so don't take this as gospel or anything.

>>2299281
Personally I believe you can have something else sort of 'stand in' for sexual consumation if an explicit sex scene - or even an implied sex scene - doesn't fit with the tone of the story or the age/attitude of the characters. If the tone of the story is correct then something as simply as a hug or holding hands can be symbolic enough - I believe the VN 'A Little Lilly Princess' did it this way by having the characters share a bed and cuddle (I have not actually read that myself though, only heard of it second-hand).

If you want to imply a sex scene without having it on the page, there's plenty of ways of doing so. Two of my favourites from other novels are one where a chapter ends with "and that was the last thing we did before retiring to sleep. Well, almost the last thing." Or another example which comes to mind, where after a night the protagonist and love interest have suddenly switched from calling each other by surnames to using each others first names.

Anyway, there's lot of ways to do it.

>>2299348
>character development is the primary reason we feel sympathy and empathy for characters
I kind of wonder about that, since fiction is full of characters whose appeal lies in pretty much never changing. Most popular Western comics are like that, really: Batman has been fighting crime in Gotham close to a century, Charlie Brown never managed to kick the football (on page anyway) and Asterix and Obelix have never significantly altered their approach to dealing with Romans.

In urban fantasy news, for those interested, Dying Ashes by the Darksbanes is out. Don't know whether it's any good yet, but their books usually aren't too bad.

And the 2nd Potomac Shadows book, although I didn't think too much of the first one. The most unique thing about it was probably that the heroine already had an established girlfriend, everything else was kinda dull. I'll probably read the sequel anyway.

>>2299348
>i.e. the protagonist is unable to succeed without the romance plot.
Ideal for a romance novel, I think, but for everything else that just makes one of those Hollywood-esque "save the girl, save the world" plots.

Like, Baru Cormorant succeeds _despite_ her romance. Also because of it, but mostly against it. It's what makes it so interesting.
And, say, Kit O'Malley, since I've just re-read the first one (the 4th wall jokes are still as great as the first time. So the character she writes about can't be real because she's like Kit and Kit herself clearly must be fictional...): fun as the romance is, there's no reason Kit wouldn't have solved the case without Alex, or at last without getting romantically involved with her.

>>2299366
I think you took Anon's words about 'succeeding' a bit too literally. I'd say Baru Cormorant is a very good example of integrating the heroine's character arc, the romance, the overall plot and ripping your heart out.

>>2299375
Alright, if it's more about integration, I can certainly understand that, although I still maintain that with mysteries, or, say, military scifi or some epic fantasy campaign it doesn't have to be that way. Both a romantic plot and whatever else is going on can stand on their own, too.

Although usually writers go for some kind of overlap, and with reason, that's certainly true.

>>2299375
Yes, this is what I meant. 'Succeed' doesn't always have to mean a successful romantic conclusion - I am talking in mechanical terms, in that primary conflict and romantic conflict should be dovetailed together. There are a million different ways to do this, as many as there are stories, and Bar Cormorant is a perfect example of this technique properly executed to achieve a tragic story.

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Hey /u/lit, how you go from this...

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>>2299674
to this??

Finished Blood Red Ashes. Like the first, it was OK, but - I'm not quite sure what the problem is, but again it's a rather dark take of urban fantasy (it's about serial killing of children), yet the atmosphere doesn't really transport. Or maybe it's just me.
I like that the heroine is this type of rotting vampire though, maybe not quite as disgusting as some in other series, but also most definitely not the sparkly-type of vamp.
Also, good decision to write the useless apprentice out of the plot. Bad decisions to compensate for that by adding two new useless kids. The hell. I'd almost claim they're only there for the "ethnic diversity" mentioned in the foreword, although to me it read more like "ethnic stereotypes". Eh chica?
Bonus point for a kinda unexpected turn regarding the romance (it's a really minor plot in this one, barely even mentioned).

>>2299674
By being good old, disgusting Roseau? Whatever his real name is. At least as far as I remember that's another one of his aliases, with yet another of his "have the heroine tortured by her allies" stories.

I'd rather read Nuttall's Schooled in Magic series and that has het romance (also completely pointless u crushes, whatever for).

>read all three books of The School of Good and Evil
>hope against hope for a /u/ payoff only to get disappointed
>not even any fan fiction

This is suffering. Why do all /u/lit/ authors have to be so eye-gougingly bad?

Thinking about writing a ecchi+ light novel with a perverted protagonist. You reckon there's a difference between using 1st person and 3rd person?

>>2299989
Yes. First person works best for when a protagonist has a distinctive voice with more direct commentary, third person for when you want a little more 'camera distance'. If you don't have much experience, then try out both and see what feels right for the story/protagonist.

>>2298481
First thing that comes to mind is the Celaeno series by Jane Fletcher. I think the fourth part titled The Dynasty of Rouges is probably what you are looking for.
https://www.goodreads.com/series/55851-celaeno

Are there any /u/ novels that are the equivalent of "cute girls doing cute things"? Because to be honest that's the only reason I like yuri.

>>2301502
No not really. Western authors don't know how to write lesbians unless it involves suffering to some degree but try these maybe you'll like one:

That Witch!
Our Demented Play Date
Pegasi and Prefects series
A Date with Angel and other things that weren't supposed to happen
Midnight in Orlando

Can someone recommend a well written mistery with a lesbian main character? Don't care if there's romance or not as long as it's a solid and well written book.Thanks.

>>2301518
Try Lee Winter's The Red Files or Requiem for Immortals

Does anyone have a copy of Reality Lesbian by Q. Kelly? Just finished The Final Rose and been searching for similar books

>>2301518
Ah, at least the right subgenre to pick well-written books, 'cause for once they actually exist!

Jennifer L Jordan's Lauren Vellequette qualifies (little romance), Anne Holt's Hanne Wilhemsen (in-the-closet heroine, kinda), Cari Hunter's Dark Peak series (fantastic main couple, even if they are Brits) etc

Somewhere in the thread there's a chart with a bunch more series. There's also some specific lesbian mystery lists on goodreads.

>>2301610
>>2301632
Thank you both. I've already read Lee Winter's books and liked them a lot, especially The Red Files.
I'm gonna try the others you mentioned. People keep suggesting The Dark Peak series, maybe it's finally time to give ot a try.

Any good erotica BDSM romances to come out in recent months/years? Lesbian books are the most woefully lacking in that regard. Feels like only 1 good entry of this genre comes out a year.

Other news from obscure FF-or-not-so-FF novels:

Mishell Baker - Arcadia Project 1, 2. A creative urban fantasy series, with a heroine that has a list of medical problems longer than some romcoms are. Along with her more physical problems (lost both legs) she also has a bunch of psychological problems (she's borderline), which define her relationship/s. With everyone suffering and dying, this is an obvious candidate for a lesbian romance, but since the protagonist knows that she'll screw it up no matter what she satisfies herself with casual het sex instead of the woman she adores. Might change in future novels, but probably not worth it for the "romance" (it's otherwise great though).

Skye Knizley - Storm Chronicles. Urban fantasy, with a bi heroine. First two novels lean het, next two are basically romance-free, before she sticks with a girlfriend she apparently eventually marries. Unfortunately, getting there wasn't really worth it: it's about a half-vampire shooting everyone she meets, sometimes just for the heck of it. It's fun in some ways, but by and large it's just stupid (she's a police officer! She should care about apprehending suspects, not shoot everyone mildly suspicious and solve the murder by killing everyone who could have done it...).

Shadiya Ascendant 2 - First one was kinda stupid, second doesn't really improve much - the protagonists are still idiots. At least the lesbians survive. Still lots of death, torture, rape etc. It's lesbian fantasy, so of course everyone suffers and is generally miserable (happy end though).

Annette Mori - Locked Inside. A girl falls into coma, and when she wakes up, she can't move/talk or anything, but that doesn't stop her from romancing some other girl who volunteers at her care center. Really liked the idea. Cute and positive. Unfortunately, probably a little too positive and cute - she's diagnosed with locked-in syndrome (usually incurable), but nobody worries about it, instead they worry about college. Err.

>>2301977
Why are so many lesbian romances full of suffering and dying. God dammit all.

>>2302001
Because it's a pre-requisite for a lesbian romance. Gotta have them raped and tortured before they earn their happy(ish) ending.

Can't have a 'good' romance without those things.

>>2302003
Can't be a real lesbian without having watched your dad die tragically, get sexually abused by your miserable drunk step-father, get outed by your best friend and mobbed for the rest of your time in school and college, with probable suicide attempts, and then watch your first great love die of cancer.

Once you overcome the nightmares that plague you and the relationship phobia that keeps you from your one true love, you'll find your reincarnated soul-mate and have fantastic sex for the rest of your life though.

>>2285097
So, anyone who read Chronicles of Alsea books. How are they? Do they get into magic space elf territiory later on?7

>>2299281
"Lewd payoff" is absolutely not required. What's required is making the romance completely non-ambiguous.

>>2301518
I don't know if this fits the standard mystery genre, but I'd recommend Unravel by Rebecca Lazaro.
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/28536792-unravel
The goodreads synopsis gives a pretty good impression of what to expect from the book.

>>2302017
Before going into the series, you have to know it's sort of a Voyager spinoff, so just a heads up if you're not into that, but personally I found it enjoyable.
The world building and characters are okay, the story in the first two books is probably the series' strongest point. Biggest gripe would be that the civilization DeLancey creates on this one of a kind planet is pretty Mary Sue-ish, even if the characters themselves are not (well, for the most part).

I don't really know what magic space elf territory implies, but I'd definitely recommend the first two books, especially if you like Voyager.

>>2301977
>A girl falls into coma, and when she wakes up, she can't move/talk or anything, but that doesn't stop her from romancing some other girl who volunteers at her care center

Seriously, how? Does she blink at her seductively?

There must be some hidden force in the world preventing new cute and positive /u/ books from being published unless they are too ridiculous to ever consider reading.

Read Melissa Brayden's new one. It's not bad, but it follows her usual formula. Not as cringeworthy but the lack of communication is still ridiculous. Why does no one talk to each other like adults in books, especially after investing in a relationship??

Would someone post cari Hunter Dark peak 1&2? i can only find 3 on mobilism
Thanks

>>2302193
Heh. Too many characters, had to keep the description succinct.

No, at first she's more like this confidante her love interests tells everything, probably precisely because she can't really talk back. She later learns using a tablet, so that's when they start communicating properly.
But for most of the book they're just friends anyway, even when she figures out her feelings pretty quickly. They both have some stupid ideas about romantic obligations.

But as mentioned everything works out for everyone in this one; to a ridiculous degree. Even the evil ex has this "oh, you're so inspiring with your recovery, I'll now be a better person and incidentally also find someone whom I actually love" moment.

>>2302308
All three are on mobilism.

Just finished From the Ashes by Lena Nottingham and really liked it.
If you're into characters who had shit lives growing up, I recommend it.

>>2302003
>>2302004
I am going to dedicate my energy to writing some cool lesbian romances without depressing bullshit.

Does anyone have a copy of Breaking Legacies by Zoe Reed?

>>2301632
Any of Cari Hunter's other books any good? Just finished the first in the Dark Peak series and I'm gonna wait a day or two before I start the second one since the first made me want to throttle the 'antagonist'. A lot of angst/drama/some warnings about her other books?

>>2302668
I only read her Dark Peak series, so no idea about her others.

As for that - the cases stay grim; they all are about those type of humans that might make one want to set the planet on fire just to watch it all burn.
Subjectively, I felt the first was perhaps the worst to read about, although objectively I'd say what's going on in the third is worse.

One of the reason I like the Vellequette novels. For a change, they aren't only about murder, rape, and so on. I thought that might be boring (real estate fraud, really, who cares?) but it just wasn't.

Or, taken that further, there's Kylie Kendall by McNab. That's actually comedy. Conclusion in the last book was a bit so~so, but otherwise a fun series, if you don't mind the heroine occasionally talking in incomprehensible Australian dialect. What's a dinkum anyway?

>>2302390
godspeed

>>2302668
Snowbound was ok. Somewhat comfy. And the medical part was coherent overall so yeah.

>>2302742
Shame, her writing style is very easy to read and is above average.

>>2302765
Snowbound was comfy? From the description, one of the MCs is taken hostage and is shot and the killer/criminal is constantly there, or at least for the majority of it. How can that be comfy? The medical part should be coherent, otherwise the author would make for a lousy paramedic.

>>2302404
it's on mobilism.

>>2302246
>Why does no one talk to each other like adults in books, especially after investing in a relationship??

my best guess is that then the author would run out of story.

>>2301977
>borderline
>but since the protagonist knows that she'll screw it up no matter what she satisfies herself with casual het sex instead of the woman she adores

sounds kind of like my ex.

Could anyone recommend some good age gap titles that is NOT by Gun Brooke? I know her books are highly recommended by a large number of readers but somehow I feel that the romances come off as rather contrived to me.

How is The Moth Diaries?

>>2302837
>>2302113

The student/teacher relationship might fit your fancy for age gap.

I'm looking for a book that is a bit of a pick me up. My favorite so far is Ambereye by Gill McKnight, but when I look for books similar it just wants me to read more books about Werewolves.

I've read the first Wallops book by McKnight and it has a similar feeling so the elements I'm looking for (that Garoul books 3 and 4 don't really have actually) are:

1. Very connected supporting cast that either is a family or feels like one.

2. A cozy setting (does not necessarily need to be extravagant, neither book has that).

3. Not too much life and death conflict, maybe about as much as the first Garoul book (Goldenseal).

No one needs to do any extra digging, just if anything comes to mind that you've read just clue me in. I'll get back to my own digging.

>>2303830

Most books by Robin Alexander have good supporting cast for example: The Trip, Just Jorie
Atramentum and Spectrum by MJ Duncan unexpected drama at the end but otherwise 90% fluffy
Departure from the Script by Jae
Under a Falling Star by Jae (lighter on 1 but similar to ambereye in a way)

The third Don't Call Me a Hero is out. I enjoyed it; quick read.

Would someone mind sharing the Hollywood series from Jae? I don't mobilism.

>>2303862

Here you go
http://www89.zippyshare.com/v/37fyRMVg/file.html

>>2304015
Not the anon who requested this, but thank you anyway!

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>>2303830
Ambereye is my favorite too, great taste.
If you liked Ambereye maybe you'll like Pure of Heart by Danielle Parker too. Has werewolves and point number 1 of your list.
As another anon has said Jae has good stuff as well. My favorite is Damage Control.

Poked around Kindle a bit. "The Dino Rancher's Winter Bride". Basically a sort of early US setting where for some incomprehensible reason ranchers ranch dinos instead of horses or cows or whatever (what do they do with them; butcher them? Milk them? Eat their eggs?!). And the protagonist "inherits" a bride when she wins the farms. The town lawyers says that's totally how things are, so she has no choice but to agree to a lesbian marriage.

Unfortunately it's only a few pages long so really not worth much. Brilliant idea though.

>>2304132
Another series where the sequel is long overdue. Admittedly the author at least stills sends life signals, so presumably it's going to happen at some point, but still ...

Talking about overdue sequels (and I won't mention all those dead series...) Dynasty 4 is supposed to be out on May 1st. Yay, one of my guilty pleasures.

>>2304015
Much appreciated.

>>2304149
Wow, that's great. I just read the dynasty books for the first time and I definitely enjoyed them, but I saw that they all came out in 2015 and was worried that the series was on ice. Maybe there can be less typos this time.

Just read The Mechanical Bird, steampunk YA. There's nothing bad about it, except that the author decided to start with a short novel to see whether people are interested, which unfortunately kinda means nothing happens and the plot doesn't go anywhere much and then it stops without really doing a lot so I can't say I'm convinced it's worth following.
Also not entirely sure whether it's FF at all. I'd assume so from some comments of the characters, but there's no actual FF content in it so far. Oh well.

>>2304536
He's aware of the problem but somehow I kinda doubt he's quite managed to fix it.

Whatever. As long as it doesn't get too bad I'm content with the pseudo-Chinese harem thing he's doing. At least it's different.

>>2304536
>>2304637
I just downloaded the first dynasty book off mobilism and it's pretty meh. Does it get any better?

>>2304754
A little maybe (less talk about breasts), but by and large not really. Second is perhaps a bit different with, err, more individual adventure than army moving. And third perhaps a bit darker overall. Maybe.

But by and large it's what it is. I don't really like it for the (absent) quality, more for the entertainment.
Anyway, I'm currently reading Mark Lawrence's Red Sister, which seems to be the next YA hype thing (it's OK-ish). Doubt it'll get romantic in any way (2/3 through it certainly hasn't) but surprisingly the heroine has crushes on fellow females, and some of the other students and teachers are apparently in lesbian relationships. Well. It's really not all that much, but at least there's a little. I'm surprised.

>>2304757
Shame. Guess I'll go look for something that has at least gone through a single round of proofreading.

Today the new Jae book came out. For those interested.

>>2304757

>Red Sister

Hasn't that just come out? Is there a version floating around #bookz/mobilism already or did you get a physical copy? Asking for a friend.

>>2304906
Mobilism. It's not bad, but not that awesome either*, except that it manages to be YA fantasy without romance. Although it did waste its considerable FF potential.

*it gets everything _nearly_ right, which in some weird ways is more annoying than something like above mentioned Dynasty where after the first 3 pages you know it's not going to be great literature anyway.

So, any military [sci-fi/fantasy/whatever] recs? Have a desire to read about badass ladies.

>>2305001
I'm not much of a sci fi person so these are fantasy.
Winter from Thousand Names and it's sequels is not the best figther but she's a low-key genius military commander. Tarius from Selina Rozen's Sword Master's is an amazing fighter and commander. Banshee's Honor has the main character as a godly figther and the second book gives her an army to train and command.

Duchess of Manusk Jordan Falconer. I liked this more than I expected. A princess is given an important but compromised duchy to fix up. Most of the book is political preparation, kicking out foreign merchants, killing roadside bandits and it kinda has that "there's a new sherrif in town" feel that I personally like a lot. Romance is fine, she has another princess as a love interest and they have some nice time together and have cute moments but the "I have feelings for you" to "I love you" to "let's get married" time has to break a record.

>>2305001
Not sure I ever read a /u/ book that focused on the military aspect heavily but my personal badass lady trifecta is Engravings of Wraith (assassin), Icehole (military MC at research lab), and Fractured Tapestry (hardboiled detective) by Kierra Delacroix.

Supreme Constellations and Exodus series by Gun Brooke both feature sci-fi military to varying degrees depending on which book but all exclusively employ badass ladies and age gap of course.

Sword of the Guardian also has a sort of medieval military and magic thing if I remember correctly. I'm also remembering it is a regressed time with lesbians in it so there is a scene of flashback rape of MC as a matter of course.

>>2305001
Whatever Gods May Be - Sophia Kell Hagin was ok. vietnam round 2.

i think i'm the one person in these threads that didn't like Engravings of Wraith, but it does fit the bill.

The Traitor Baru Cormorant doesn't follow a fighting badass, but Baru is definitely a badass and gets an army. however, the book will stomp on your feelings.

>>2305001
there is something new out called "The Sniper's Kiss" that's set in wwii. just got it off mobilism. i can report back but i've got a couple other books i need to finish first.

How is the Dark Peak second book compared to the first? I just want to know if this is one of those cases where the sequel is just a big let down.

>>2302017
They are all quite good. Having read the fanfic source material multiple times, I can say the books actually managed to improve on something that was already very well done.

>>2305001
Ninefox Gambit by Yoon Ha Lee
Heavy into scifi military, no romance for the MC though, it's only mention in passing that she's into women.

>>2285099
Thanks for posting this, The Dark Wife was a pleasant surprise. It doesn't have the strongest opening chapter, and the antagonist could have used some more development. But the author largely delivers on the creativity of her premise (an FF retelling of the Persephone myth). Hades, melancholy and alluring from the moment she enters the story, and Persephone, vulnerable and inexperienced but full of youthful potential, make a compelling pair.

I've recently read the alchemist of loom, I was surprised there was some /u/ content because I didn't start reading it expecting any /u/.

The problem is that there's het, the romance is very light and I cant judge if it is going to end /u/ or het.

The MC already had an old lover who died(a woman).

>>2305021

Never heard of this before your rec and I'm enjoying it so far. Thanks anon!

Can anyone recommend me a story with an active soldier or spy in a modern/20th century setting? I haven't been able to find anything aside from a story about a combat medic named E.J. Noyes

>>2304754
>>2304757
What series is this exactly?

>>2305262
It's actually called Dynasty. Author is Sam Ryan.

>>2305142
Not at all. In terms of quality the books are all the same, and the development of the characters I found go in a very pleasant direction.

>>2305195
YA authors recently got a bit more adventurous with the sexuality of their heroines, that's for sure. Doubt it'll really go /u/, but, eh, everything that makes the genre more popular is a step in the right direction ...

Sine it's on mobilism I went and read Wymore's Darklaw. Heroine is the most entitled person ever - she's absolutely sure the Gods made her to rule the world, and therefor everything and everyone is hers. Which is kinda why she tends to try and rape her love interest a dozen or so times. Sometimes she lets her, sometimes not. That also has various mystical reasons, so it's not like there's some fantasy-justifications for their very odd behavior, but, eh. It's hard being sympathetic towards any of them: the love interest, in the beginning, sure, but once the plot develops she in some ways becomes worse than the heroine, and that's saying something!

There's also a bunch of a het sex, and how that plays out doesn't endear me to the male characters either.

Clearly, there's a lot of thought gone into the plot, the setting, especially the mysticism, and there's some nice ideas and interesting twists. Plus, the writing as such is quite decent.
But what's the point if everyone's just a disgusting piece of shit?! Why the heck would I be cheering for this type of "good guys"? Just because the bad guy is (maybe, it's up for debate) worse?! Tsk.

Just finished Daughter of Mystery by Heather Rose Jones, I really liked it, It's historical fantasy but subtly so, The romance is great, but doesn't overshadow the rest of the book, though sadly not lewd. It's very well written and was a satisfying read, not much I can complain about, except for it being a little slow at times.

>>2306032
There are two sequels. One starring the sister of the first book's villain and the other with new characters I think. I enjoyed it as well, though I have to say, it was confusing if those mysteries even worked for half the book. The magic is so subtle for most of it.

>>2306126
Is the plot connected between the books or is it kind of stand-alone with references to previous books?

>>2306143
Each book is pretty standalone except that the previous main characters appear in the other books. I'm having a really hard time recalling the second book (I read it years ago) and I haven't read the third yet, but I believe the plots are opened and closed within each book.

Read Bare Bones by Ali Franklin; rather mediocre mystery. The love-of-her-life of the first novel suddenly is absent, too. Kinda expected some drama over the whole "is she coming back or not", but by the end the heroine is basically "I don't give a shit anymore". Well, that was at least a refreshing attitude to have.

Also Born of Shadow by Murray. I agree with a reviewer that it's most likely ending up FF, but there isn't anything much of it in the first novel, and in any case it's just the typical UF stuff, and not particularly well-written either.

>>2306126
I kind of liked the subtlety, it's a nice change of pace from typical fantasy. I'll have to read the other two books.

So speaking of Daughter of Mystery, the emperor they talk about is the Holy Roman Emperor, right? And the book is set in a principality in Italy? I don't know much about HRE, I only learned it existed a year ago.

>>2306624
Could be anywhere in the central European Alps (hence the name Alpennia), I'd say most likely west Austria (or northeast Italy, or Switzerland even).
Placing the story in a specific time period is also a bit difficult, someone who knows more about 17-19th century European history/culture could definitely be more accurate.
If the story is pre 19th century, the empire they're talking about is probably the HRE (or even the Habsburg Monarchy, sometimes called the Habsburg Empire), otherwise it could be the Austro-Hungarian Empire (or the Austrian Empire, basically a unified Habsburg Monarchy, before it became the Austro-Hungarian Empire).

I personally think Alpennia is modern west Austria in the 18th century, but never gave it much thought beyond that. It's all fantasy anyway, but I still commend the author for coming up with a pretty nice mix of both reality and fantasy, gives the story a unique feel that's also kind of homey to me since I live near the east Alps.

I don't really remember all the overarching politics in the story, especially the parts mentioning Austria so I could be way off my mark.

>>2306624
I think Italy is mentioned as another (distinct) country in the third novel. I got the feeling it was more Austria/Germany/France...so, erm, more north? I think the main language of the protags is French too, but I'm too lazy to open the file and check. I'm just an uneducated Amurican anyway.

>>2306656 Anon reporting back.
Derp, no. Jeanne pretends to be French, so no, they don't speak French. Refer to >>2306653, who seems to know more about this shit than drunk ole me.

>>2306143
They each have a beginning, middle, and an end. The protagonists of the first novel feature prominently in the second and third. Those of the second are also in the first and third, albeit in smaller roles. I enjoyed each book for different reasons. The second is definitely more a "romance". The third is the least of that but has an excellent plot in my opinion.

Basically, each book has a distinct story that ends at the end. No cliffhangers. BUT you need to read them in order to understand where the protagonists are in life/status and the mysteries involved.

>>2305212
Whatever Gods May Be by Sophia Kell Hagin is the only thing that comes to mind.
Can't really think of any books related to modern spies though.

>>2306653
https://www.goodreads.com/questions/470740-silly-question-where-exactly-would-the

The author does a pretty good job of answering this.

>>2306696
Looks like an interesting read, thanks very much~ and preferably modern soldiers, I got the urge after watching Person of Interest and seeing Shaw sleep with Root

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>>2306706
Forgot to add this

>>2305212

Try taking a peek at some of the books on this list. I have yet to read any of them personally but here's hoping you'd find something interesting in there!

https://www.goodreads.com/list/show/108700.Lesbian_Fiction_Military_F_F_

>>2306701
Well that was pretty interesting, thanks. Too bad the livejournal doesn't exist anymore.

So I read Daughter of Mystery, and I rather liked the plot and the slight fantasy element to it. I didn't much like the 'romance' though. It felt very hamfisted. I think there were a couple of other books that did something similar. 3/4 of the way in there's no notion to attraction (besides the once or twice mentions in Barbara's chapters) and then suddenly they're kissing and more or less planning their lives like they are married.

Barbara barely passed for being interested in women (because of the Vicomtesse), but I couldn't see Margerit attracted to one at all.

I don't know. It felt weird to me. Also what's up with the names? Everyone had a 'weird' one (not including the Vicomtesse and even then it suited her, because she's supposed to be French) and then there's 'Barbara'.

Are the other books better about the romances? I'll read them regardless because the premise tickled my fancy, but a yes or no would suffice. Though I don't know how it could be worse than this.

>>2307279
I thought DoM was good overall but I agree the romance was very subdued. It was written to be about the mystery and intrigue more than their relationship but I thought they had enough attraction to be believable. I do agree their attraction wasn't written at the same level as the rest of the book though. Skipping over important relationship growth and only implying most of their intimacy made that aspect of the book less satisfying than the rest.

I can't speak to the sequels's romantic qualities because I dropped the 2nd book due to the MCs stupidity. I was apparently the only one in the thread who thought so but you can judge it for yourself: I forget what MCs name was but I think she is the cunning almost evil but not really one from the 1st book. The book begins with MCs life being threatened and she decides to use a male associate's crush on her to get out of danger. She tricks him into a free carriage ride out of the city. Success, she is at some new place and she's safe. Despite having turned down his advances and not liking the guy and being safe she has sex with him anyway and then leaves to go on whatever journey she went on. Couldn't continue after how fucking dumb it felt to have a cunning person feel pressured into following through with her ruse after a successful con.

>>2307311
You mean Antuniet? That.. seems like something very much she would not do though. Also she wasn't really evil or cunning. She just looked out for her interests. I was rather curious how her romance would play out, because of her personality and the Vicomtesse. It wasn't explicitly described right? Just a mention or something?

>>2307327
Not gruesomely so but considering how the first book shies away from sex it definitely felt excessive in comparison and was enough motivation for me to put the book down forever. Then again /u/lit anons have an abundance of tolerance to that sort of thing for reasons I never want to understand.

What are some of the most underrated and barely mentioned lesbian themed books that are actually very good?

>>2307334
I guess because otherwise they won't have anything decent to read. For me it depends on the situation really. If it's before they meet/are pursuing their love interest, I don't care all that much, but if it's in response to something they do, then it's a different story.

So as long as Antuniet did it that one time in the beginning, I can ignore it.

I wonder if that's a setup for her to get pregnant though. That'd be very stupid of the author.

>>2307565
"Very good" might be open for debate but some that I haven't really seen mentioned here much, yet might be worth a look:
Lance Erlick's Regina Shen series for dystopian YA (all males are dead so it's basically default FF).

RJ Samuel's Falling Colours for a romance with a supernatural twist.

Nel Havas' Sekma for alt history with an atrociously ugly cover.

...

Just learned that the next Micky Knight is out. The last one was atrocious, so surely it could only get better ...

... apparently only very slightly so. Damnit. It's not like there's a ton of long-running FF series, so losing one to stupid decisions really sucks.

>>2307327
There's no description of the act at all, only a description of the room later. As for the act itself... Here, it's not even worth the spoiler tag: "She stared over his shoulder at the flickering fire in the grate and allowed his embraces and practiced attentions."

Antuniet is desperate, afraid for her life, depressed, and feels like she's worth nothing, which anyone who reads the first chapter will realize. So it was not uncharacteristic for where she is in her life at that moment.

Anon who dropped the books seems to be the only one who did. Just read it for yourself. You should like the romance aspect much better in the second book if the first seemed light. (I had no issue with the romance in the first book. Their emotional attachment is described in detail, and the author allows privacy for the physical aspects of their relationship. It was clear that Margerit and Barbara were in love long before they admitted it to each other.)

Subtlety is a good thing, and it's the mark of a good writer anymore.

>>2307565
Nicola Griffith's novels, especially Slow River. Ammonite is also good, but I go back to Slow River a lot.

>>2307984
I wouldn't mind another Aud Torvingen novel.
If only to watch her new lover die, too. Wouldn't want to be too happy about anything.

>>2307979
I started it, a little disappointed that they share the book with Barbara/Margerit as well. Gonna cut into their perspectives quite a lot if it keeps it up like this until the end of the book.

As for why she had sex with him, it didn't seem like she as desperate as you make her out to be. She herself thinks what use is her being a virgin if she's not to be married, and so she has sex with him, again, she could've pushed him away but she chose not to because of those thoughts, not because of what you said.

I guess the romance of the first book was so subtle that it basically didn't exist for me. But whatever, the plot was more interesting to me rather the romance so it was fine. I just hope in this book (second one) they cut down on the Barbara/Margerit POVs. This is supposedly Antuniet and Jeanne's book.

Just read CM Michael's Omnipotent Blood. It's the second Sisters in Blood novel and while the first one is low on FF content, I'd still recommend it - it's got a fairly fun way of dealing with vampires, is decently written and didn't turn out to be more concerned with being erotica than anything else.

But I was always unsure about the sequel, and until lately it was pretty expensive. Now though it's on KU, so I read it ... and it just annoyed me.

The first third is pretty much only light porn, suddenly. She gets mind-controlled by others and turned into some porn-style bimbo to have sex with them. The author especially likes their special ability to create clothes, so every third paragraph is someone dressing someone else in fetish clothes (and the occasional bit of ceremonial torture).

I think I could've lived with that part, seeing as they're succubi doing their thing. It wasn't well-done, I'd say, but it kinda made sense if one wanted to go there.

Then all the Christian religious rubbish starts. She literally gets saved by God. Oh, he's kinda annoyed that she kills innocent people (vampire, right?) but genocide against all those evil demons is more important, so, there. Who cares about all those petty Christian rules when you need someone to kill demons? Talk about a deus-ex-machina plot device.

It all ends in a final battle that's supposed to be tense and tragic, but doesn't manage it: redshirt moments everywhere.

Of course, the biggest insult is the end
God removes their need for blood, essentially making them Un-Vampires. What crap is that?! I'm reading this for being a vampire series, not to get them cured ... oh, he also impregnates lesbian couple with a bunch of angels for their protection or some such nonsense.

Gngngn. I'm very, very disappointed in this sequel. In its defense, writing and such is still OK, it's just the plot I hate.

>>2307989
I couldn't read the second book. I guess I should.

>>2307991
Subtlety is lost on you, anon. But to each his own.

Read EA Starkey's A Rose, A Lily And A Handful Of Clay. It's some sort of feminist novel where the heroine ends up in a different world (or a hidden island on our world), in an Amazonian society.

That sounded pretty good to me, even if it was a bit "history is all fake due to patriarchal influence" and such at some points (the heroine didn't necessarily agree with all that), but the writing was kinda dull and the plot rather meh (and what's with all those males in my female utopia?! Tsk). Ultimately unfortunately not my cup of tea.

>>2309114
It's pretty good, if kinda depressing (who'd have guessed!), although it's not _that_ fucked up. Could be worse.

Anyone feel like reposting Wexler's Guns of the Empire? The old pastebin is as dead as every FF urban fantasy series ...

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Are there any (decent?) books with domestic yuri fluff? Or really just fluff?

>>2309913
Atramentum and Spectrum by MJ Duncan are very domestic and mostly fluff. Our Demented Play Date is YA domestic fluff. Robin Alexander is usually mostly a fluffy kind of charming domestic dysfunction. Accidental Love isn't always fluffy but it is very domestic since the love interest is stuck in the MC's house.

God damn I could use some new /u/lit announcements this year. I need new books to recommend.

>>2310009

>I could use some new /u/lit announcements this year

2017 is shaping up to be pretty barren on the /u/ lit front isn't it? There isn't a single book I'm looking forward to, the few that I've read haven't been that great. No wonder so many anons have taken matters into their own hands and are writing their own stuff at this rate I might join them, I'm fed up of waiting for a decent /u/ vampire series to appear

Tyranny of Queens might turn out to be OK fantasy if it's better than the first. Writing was at least fairly good (by /u/ standards), if it had a bunch of problems with the plot and such. But I heard the second one might have done a bit better ... I'd also like to know what the fuck is going on with Hogan's The Magic of Isskasala. It was released, and it was fine, and now she's taken it down and I have no idea why. Presumably it'll get re-released at some point this year, and maybe some of the weaker points will be improved on?

And talking about urban fantasy, I'm looking forward to The Apothecary Chronicles 2, assuming it actually gets released sometime this fall. There's also hope the next Skindancer novel is again FF (the heroine is bi, so that's a 50:50 thing). I found that series surprisingly fun after the first one (which is also het, so that's half an explanation). And talking about bi heroines and since somebody mentioned vamps, the next Athanate novel should also be out towards the end of the year. Maybe.

Oh, and the next A Date with Angel novel is also in production, so maybe that's something to look forward to.

Otherwise I'll just hope for random self-published releases to keep me entertained.

>>2310009
Thank you!

I know it' a bit of a long shot but does anyone have The Perfect Valentine by Therese Szymanski and Barbara Johnson? It was published by Bella Books in 2006. Side note, I didn't know Radclyffe once published with them initially before Bold Strokes Books

So, I picked up some random ebooks again, and read Lawrence's Shell Game. Loved the set up. Basically, there's an island kingdom splintered in a dozen different factions, and they're all at war with each other. Enter Darren, who sails around with her small crew and picks up refugees and puts them somewhere safe.
Until one day she runs into a girl who decides she doesn't want to be refugee, who insists that Darren is a pirate, and should take her prisoner. And she keeps insisting, and suggesting how a proper pirate should behave, until, somehow, Darren actually ends up being a sort of pirate (the good type, to be fair).

I quite liked that part. Good comedy, with how the girl, as prisoner, basically starts running everything. Of course, there was always a hint of a dark tone there, since, you know, the whole problem with the ongoing wars and the past of the mysterious girl Darren picked up.

So the comedy stops at maybe 50% and instead it goes into dark places of abuse and murder and trying to break people's mind because, as always, everything needs to be depressing as fuck.
Well. It does end with a HEA and kinda handwaves years of abuse away once the immediate problem is solved, but, eh. I'd rather have had more comedy; the tragic part wasn't particularly great, although a certain mental character certainly was ... scary. But it just felt like "well, we had some fun, now we do the unfun shit because we're obligated to", all kinda predictable and almost lackluster.

>>2310410
I think that was a Xena fanfic. I could be wrong.