Do you write in your books?
I don’t write in mine and I hate it when I see writing in the margins, which is why I sometimes avoid used books. The writing in the margins interferes with my thoughts about the book. If it’s on the page, I’ll read it, so I’ll read whatever’s written in the margin and it will affect what I think of what I’m reading.
I don’t write in the margins mainly because it takes away reading time to do so. I like to read uninterrupted. I don’t even like to stop to look things up, which is why I typically dislike reading fantasy novels where I have to look up words or names of people in the glossary. It disrupts the reading process. What I do instead is highlight. I highlight every damn thing. If I read a book that has beautiful writing I admire, the pages will be bleeding yellow. I’ll highlight all the passages and don’t realize until I’m done. Then I’ll feel bad for defacing my book.
I think it was only one time I ever wrote in the margins and that’s when I read Black Jacobins by C.L.R. James, a history book about the Haitian Revolution. I was so angry reading about how slaves were treated that my thoughts bled out. I had to write them down, so I wrote in the margins. When I loaned the book to a friend (back when I wasn’t so hung up about loaning books), he found my thoughts interesting to read along with the book’s passages. But I kind of felt bad because my jots in the margins most likely affected how he read. I still have the book, but it’s on the other bookshelf, not this 3-books-deep one we’re still touring.
We’re on the last row of the fantasy shelf, which is the fourth shelf from the bottom or the second shelf from the top. It has a whole lotta books:
Stacked: left to right
Horrorstör by Grady Hendrix, illus. by Michael Rogalski ★★★☆☆ ½
A horror novel set in a furniture store that’s very similar to Ikea. This edition of the novel is formatted like the Ikea catalog. It’s pretty funny; I enjoyed it.
The Rage of Dragons by Evan Winter
Vita Nostra by Marina & Sergey Dyachenko
In the Night Wood by Dale Bailey ★★★★☆ ½
Oh, I love the writing in this book! It’s such an atmospheric read. It’s a fantasy novel about an American couple who move to a secluded house in England after a fateful accident and encounter fey creatures there. It’s a good read.
The Godless by Ben Peek
Black Leopard, Red Wolf by Marlon James ★★★☆☆ ½
The first novel in the Dark Star trilogy. It’s about a man called Tracker who’s hired to find a boy, who is to inherit his kingdom’s throne. The story is very well-written and interesting once you work past the first 100 pages. It’s inspired by several African myths and folklore. I consider it grimdark fantasy for how violent and dark it is.
The Starless Sea by Erin Morgenstern
The Queen of Blood by Sarah Beth Durst
Inheritance by Christopher Paolini ★★★☆☆
The last novel in the Inheritance Cycle, a fantasy series about a farm boy who becomes one of his kingdom’s legendary dragon riders. I enjoyed these novels when I first read them and was working on rereading them but got distracted from that task.
Brisingr by Christopher Paolini ★★★★☆
The third novel in the Inheritance Cycle, a fantasy series about a farm boy who becomes one of his kingdom’s legendary dragon riders.
The Fork, the Witch, and the Worm by Christopher Paolini
Stacked: horizontally
Witches Abroad by Terry Pratchett
Mad Ship by Robin Hobb ★★★★★
The second book in the Liveship Traders trilogy (second set of books in the Realm of the Elderlings series), which is about a merchant family trying to regain its liveship, a ship that is alive. I think I got hooked on the story in this book. The first one was a struggle to get into.
Ship of Destiny by Robin Hobb ★★★★★
The third book in the Liveship Traders trilogy (second set of books in the Realm of the Elderlings series), which is about a merchant family trying to regain its liveship, a ship that is alive. Such a good read and end. Ugh! I want more!
Assassin’s Apprentice by Robin Hobb ★★★★★
The first novel in the Farseer trilogy (first set of books in the Realm of the Elderlings series), which is about the bastard son of a prince who becomes an assassin’s apprentice. It’s one of my favorites in the series. We’re introduced to Fitz and Buckkeep and all the characters here. It’s not as strong as the later books, but I love it. The story gets better and better with each book.
Royal Assassin by Robin Hobb ★★★★★
The second novel in the Farseer trilogy (first set of books in the Realm of the Elderlings series), which is about the bastard son of a prince who becomes an assassin’s apprentice.
Assassin’s Quest by Robin Hobb ★★★★☆ ½
The third novel in the Farseer trilogy (first set of books in the Realm of the Elderlings series), which is about the bastard son of a prince who becomes an assassin’s apprentice.
Silverwolf by Jacey Bedford
Winterwood by Jacey Bedford
Magic Bites by Ilona Andrews
New Spring by Robert Jordan ★★☆☆☆
The prequel to the Wheel of Time series, which is about three farm boys who learn they are essential to saving their world. New Spring is about how Lan and Moiraine met and Moiraine and Siuan’s early years at Tar Valon. It was okay. I think it could have been a novella instead.
The Eye of the World by Robert Jordan ★★★★★
The first book in the Wheel of Time series, which is about three farm boys who learn they are essential to saving their world. I really liked the first book. I even like it on reread.
The Great Hunt by Robert Jordan ★★★★☆
The second book in the Wheel of Time series, which is about three farm boys who learn they are essential to saving their world.
The Dragon Reborn by Robert Jordan ★★★☆☆
The third book in the Wheel of Time series, which is about three farm boys who learn they are essential to saving their world.
The Shadow Rising by Robert Jordan ★★★☆☆
The fourth book in the Wheel of Time series, which is about three farm boys who learn they are essential to saving their world. By this book, my patience and tolerance began to wear thin, and it’s the same on reread. The overwriting and the characters begin to really annoy me here.
The Fires of Heaven by Robert Jordan ★★☆☆☆
The fifth book in the Wheel of Time series, which is about three farm boys who learn they are essential to saving their world.
Lord of Chaos by Robert Jordan
Stacked: horizontally
The Hallowed Hunt by Lois McMaster Bujold
Paladin of Souls by Lois McMaster Bujold
Sabriel by Garth Nix
Dreamer’s Pool by Juliet Marillier
The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien ★★★★★
The Hobbit is one of my favorite fantasy novels. It’s such a delightful read about an unexpected hero.
The Fellowship of the Ring by J.R.R. Tolkien ★★★★☆
I didn’t like the Fellowship as much as I did the Hobbit. I was bored by it, but I can’t decide if it’s because of Tolkien’s writing in this or because I wanted another Hobbit.
Sir Gawain and the Green Knight by J.R.R. Tolkien
Eragon by Christopher Paolini ★★★☆☆
The first novel in the Inheritance Cycle, a fantasy series about a farm boy who becomes one of his kingdom’s legendary dragon riders.
Eldest by Christopher Paolini
The second novel in the Inheritance Cycle, a fantasy series about a farm boy who becomes one of his kingdom’s legendary dragon riders. I was very bored by this the last time I reread it.
Childhood’s End by Arthur C. Clarke ★★☆☆☆ ½
A sci-fi classic about the end of the human race. The ideas were interesting, but the writing didn’t work for me.
Red Sister by Mark Lawrence
Prince of Thrones by Mark Lawrence
The Princess Bride by William Golding ★★★★★
It’s one of my favorite fantasy novels, and I love the movie as well. It’s a humorous story about a young woman who marries a handsome prince who’s rotten at heart and is rescued by a pirate. (I think he’s a pirate. I seriously need to rewatch/reread this.)
The Lies of Locke Lamora by Scott Lynch
A Game of Thrones by George R.R. Martin ★★★★★
The first novel in the Song of Ice & Fire series and one of my favorite fantasy novels. I love the writing and storytelling. It’s about how political machinations and grabs for power rips a family apart and much, much more.
A Clash of Kings by George R.R. Martin ★★★★☆
The second novel in the Song of Ice & Fire series.
A Storm of Swords by George R.R. Martin ★★★★☆
The third novel in the Song of Ice & Fire series. I have this listed as currently reading on Goodreads because I was rereading the series before reading Fire & Blood, but…. I got distracted, lol 😀
That’s the end of this fantasy shelf, but not the end of the fantasy books, lol.
← Bookshelf Tour, Pt. 11 | Totally Fantasy (continues)
Bookshelf Tour, Pt. 13 | Some Comics & Picture Books (begins) →
Some stats
Total books in this row = 44
How many I completed = 25
How many I will unhaul = 0
Total shelves so far = 4
Total books so far = 425
How many completed = 165
How many I will unhaul = 12
Zezee with Books 
Love strolling through all your shelves (unlike the barrage of pics I posted lmao)! I do write and highlight my books…But basically only non-fiction, or books that I already know and love and feel like I have some commentary on. Also I have to have a “clean” copy in case next time I read I don’t want to read my comments, etc.
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Glad you’re liking it. I liked the format you used for your tour. It was much quicker than these I’m doing.
I like the idea of having a clean copy. Sometimes I highlight too much stuff lol.
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Yeah sometimes I’ll highlight a whole paragraph or half a page lol
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Yassss this is the good stuff lol
Write in a book? Never, that sounds like blaspheme to me. I have some of those sticky tabs I’ll put in there that I can write notes on if I need to mark something that I want to remember or whatever.
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Ikr! I wrote in a book once and won’t do it again.
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The Rage of Dragons might be one of the best fantasy books I’ve ever read. So excited for the sequel that comes out in Nov this year! ❤
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That’s great to hear. I need to read it.
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I love seeing what other people have got on their shelves and you’ve got some fantastic books here! It literally just made me want to read everything myself again. I want to start Robert Jordan but it’s the usual knowing how many books he has and where to start that’s stopping me right now.
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I’m currently attempting again to complete the series. I got to book 5 before stopping the past two times I tried. There are about 15 books, I think, including a prequel. Start with the Eye of the World, if you decide to read them. I liked that book n the second and third ones. But some parts can get repetitive and drag a bit.
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What a great shelf, Zezee! Congrats on your collection. You have there many of my favorites! 😄
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Thanks!! 😆
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Which ones are your favs?
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Tolkien and Hobb, for sure! 😄
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Lol! I should have guessed that 🤣
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Been tempted by Horrorstör, but every time I get close to buying it, something stops me. Still undecided
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Lol🤣
I recommend it, and if you do decide to get it (and go through with it, no distractions), make sure to get the edition that looks like an Ikea catalog. I think it helped to emphasize the story’s humor and show that it’s poking fun at those big stores.
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