It's that time again!

[sarashina]

Going to tackle the unpopular opinions meme later - this sinus infection is keeping my energy super-low, but I'm feeling better today - but I require your book recs once again!

I have loved the books you guys have recced me in the past, and now I have a $50 Barnes and Noble gift card that's burning a hole in my pocket. The books in my cart only total to $34 right now, and I require your assistance to throw some awesome titles at me.

(And yes, I've already pre-ordered Dragon Soul. With my Borders gift card, actually! I have a lot of gift cards lately.)

Things I love:
- Fun books. Not to say there can't be conflict - conflict is wonderful, after all - but I want something I can just curl up and enjoy, not something that will get me depressed.
- Horror, the supernatural, good use of mythology, or any dose of creepiness at all. A nice, tense mystery will do it just as well, too.
- Creative fantasy elements.
- Adorable characters who I want to hug all the time. I tend to adore strong friendships and group dynamics, too.
- Snark and banter. ♥
- Unique, surprising romances.

I will be all over a book containing any or all of these elements!

Things that turn me off:
- Writers who are in love with their own "originality" or worldbuilding to the point that the story is inaccessible.
- Pretentiousness
- Love triangles
- When an author clearly wants me to think that his protagonist is amazing and witty and rebellious, but actually he is just bland/grating/all of the above.
- Romances between hapless guys and "quirky" women who aren't actually quirky at all but just spout supposedly meaningful dialogue at every opportunity. (See: Manic Pixie Dream Girl.)

Thanks in advance~ ♥

Comments

[sandvich.livejournal.com]

I don't know if you're into Discworld at all, but Going Postal and its sequel Making Money by Terry Pratchett are two of my favorite books in the world. They're humorous fantasy novels that follow the adventures of an expert conman named Moist von Lipwig who is caught, hanged, put in charge of the royal post office (in that order) and repeatedly almost assassinated by a pirate. Also: a kickass love interest whose life doesn't revolve around Moist in the slightest, loads of snarky conversations, and gentle social commentary. Hooray!

They're part of the overall Discworld continuity, but you don't have to be familiar with DW at all (I wasn't) to understand them.