The SJM cinematic universe
AKA the reason I'm not going to get to any of my fall TBR.
Remember a few weeks ago when I confidently sent out a list of the books I hoped to get to this fall? It was a varied assortment of cozy fantasies, spooky romances, and hefty doorstoppers. But, dear reader, all of those dreams went poof when I turned (metaphorically, since it was really a tap on my Kindle screen) the last page of Sarah J. Maas’ second installment of the Crescent City saga.
If you aren’t familiar, SJM is the author of the wildly popular A Court of Thorns and Roses — ACOTAR for short — series, which is basically YA fantasy with lots of sex scenes. What’s not to love? Now don’t get me wrong: I don’t think these books are the pinnacle of literary value. There are, in my not-so-humble opinion, much better fantasy books out there (more on that later), but there’s no denying that SJM excels at making a damn fun read. There’s steamy romance, epic battles, and world-building galore. I liken it to the Bravo of the book world; it’s there for fun, not necessarily to make you think. And that’s okay! I love not thinking sometimes! Actually a lot of the time! So indulge me as I explain how the SJM universe has taken over my life.
Warning: there are spoilers for the end of House of Sky and Breath ahead, so proceed at your own risk.
Okay, now that it’s just us, how *wild* was that ending? For those that don’t know (and don’t mind spoilers), the end of Crescent City 2 revealed that the world of Crescent City and ACOTAR are actually connected — the main character of CC actually ends up transporting herself, via a portal, into the world of ACOTAR. It was (at least to me) a huge shock. I mean, what is this, a Marvel movie? A crossover episode? It seems like it, as SJM has confirmed that Crescent City 3 will feature characters from both series interacting. It’s honestly a bold fucking move and, I think, gives SJM’s series even more appeal — and a huge incentive to read her other series.
Which brings us to my current predicament (let’s be real: I love it): My friends and I — all ACOTAR and Crescent City lovers — have taken on the challenge of trying to read all eight (8!!!) books in SJM’s Throne of Glass series before Crescent City 3 comes out on January 30th. Thankfully, I actually read most of the series way back when it first came out so I think I can fly through them quickly the second time around.
The SJM books get a lot of flack (and criticism of them isn’t necessarily unwarranted) but there is something to say about their universal appeal. They make for perfect read-alongs with friends because it’s hard to find something not to love about them, whether you’re a rabid reader or a one-book-a-year person. So as silly and (especially rereading Throne of Glass, her first series) lukewarmly written they are, I can’t wait to dive into both the books and the weekly catch-ups with my friends. SJM: uniting the world one fairy porn-lover at a time.
I acknowledge SJM might not be everyone’s cup of tea, so here are some other (less white, less hetero) fantasy books I highly suggest.
City of Brass by S.A. Chakraborty: A refreshingly non-Western fantasy series featuring djinn, deadly politics, and a dash of historical fiction.
The Priory of the Orange Tree by Samantha Shannon: Not really on the steamy side, but this epic sapphic fantasy is full of yearning (oh and dragons!).
Gideon the Ninth by Tamsyn Muir: A true blast of a book about necromancers with a brash main character who only cares about swords and dirty magazines.
An Ember in the Ashes by Sabaa Tahir: A dark fantasy inspired by ancient Rome about toppling a corrupt government — with a romance as well, obviously.
The Lies of Locke Lamora by Scott Lynch: One of my favorite fantasy series about a gang of wily thieves getting into deadly shenanigans.
The Unbroken by C.L. Clark: A sapphic fantasy that leans heavy on the political side, but the magic system and world are totally unique.
Red Queen by Victoria Aveyard: This is more YA, but a solid fantasy series if you loved The Hunger Games or Divergent.
It might go without saying that I probably won’t get a lot of other reading done for the rest of the year, but I’ve got a couple reviews ready (including Britney’s memoir!) so stay tuned for those. Until then, happy reading!
xoxo,
Kirby
I love this for you. I’ve been reading a lot of good stuff but I feel like I need something big and fun to live in for a while. I’m on the verge of also abandoning my 10 before the end and jumping into The Stand or some other epic.