Snakenaps

Oooh, I haven't heard of Value Village! This is exactly why I thought this thread would be worthwhile!

We've all been there - whether we're looking for cheap books because we're strapped for cash, want to support our local library, or still want to read while saving up for that newest hardback, all of us at one point or another have probably been on the hunt for cheap/free books. What are your favorite sources of cheap/free books? These may be yard sales, library-supported apps like Libby/Overdrive, or Lending Library...where do you purchase, or borrow, your favorite books, ebooks, and audiobooks?

Libby is both a blessing and a curse. It lets me read much more, since I am not in the financial situation, or space situation, for buying books, and I don't often have time to go to the library during its open hours...but at the same time, what Libby stocks can be so incredibly random. As for the Kingkiller Chronicles...George R.R. Martin and Megan Whalen Turner have taught me the value of patience. At least the last book of The Queen's Thief is coming out this August. The first book in that series came out in 1996.

As an introvert, I prefer to own cats, and am looking forward to getting a cat this summer! However, much like children, I love to play with dogs and then hand them back. And just like children, I'll let other, more qualified people take care of the training, bathing, and smelly poops

Hi! My name is Katie, and I am an aspiring author/illustrator working to polish my first book for querying in November 2020. I'm currently running on the first round of revisions and will be submitting my first chapter or two in April, hopefully. I am currently working part-time as an elementary substitute teacher to have time to write and paint. I've always written since I was in kindergarten (The Encyclopedia of Unicorns and Pegasus, illustrated by yours truly at the whooping age of five) and have decided, hey man, might as well try to get published. In 2018, I absolutely razed the book I was outlining to the ground, took the heart of it, and outlined and worldbuilt like a mad-man. August 2019, spurred on by Writing Excuses, I wrote my rough draft in five months, ending it at 119,595 words. Now I've begun "killing my darlings" and am trying to create the most polished piece I can. I've never really had any writing friends or anyone I can talk to about writing, which was one of the many reasons I decided to join the forum. I am most looking forward to going to the World Fantasy Convention in October and learning everything I can about the business of publishing. I am especially terrified of potentially meeting Brandon Sanderson and stumbling over my words like a fool, when I'd really just like to thank him for getting me on this path. I own a ball python named Virgil (ergo the username), am a great baker but only a passable cook, have ridden horses since I was eight but have never owned one, and have a bad habit staying up late reading on school nights. I just picked up The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss and Crown of Feathers by Nicki Pau Preto at my local library today.

My county's Libby (which is owned by Overdrive) doesn't stock it - although, ironically, it does have all of the Circle Opens books, which appears to be the series right after the Circle of Magic.

@Quantus and @ILuvHats Couldn't believe my luck today. I picked up a book I had on hold - Crown of Feathers by Nicki Pau Preto - and my library actually had The Name of the Wind! So it looks like I will finally be diving into the Kingkiller Chronicles!

Never too early - or late - for waffles! Especially if they have fresh fruit and cream! . . . The only Pern books I haven't read are Todd McCaffery's later works. Anything Pern by Anne McCaffery - and most of her books that aren't Pern - I have read and probably own. The Harper Hall trilogy, The Masterharper of Pern, and All the Weyrs of Pern are my favorites...probably because of a certain wine connoisseur I am most fond of. . . . The only fantasy/mystery books I can think of off the top of my head are the Dresden Files by Jim Butcher. . . . Tried to pick up the first Circle of Magic books today at the library, but all they had were the Song of the Lioness books, which I have already read (and adore). As for the Thrawn novels, I love Star Wars and Timothy Zahn (Dragon and Thief series was my introduction!), so I'll definitely have to pick those up.

I hope we can catch the attention of someone who knows, because now I am incredibly interested.

Thanks for catching me! This is what I get for not fact checking before bedtime. It only helps prove my point, though. Imagine how many characters WoK must have! My other thought is - and, again, this is only conjecture - that maybe we measure by word count to encourage variety and good prose. Let's take the Writers of the Future contest - you submit a story of a maximum of 17,000 words. What if they did character count instead? Then people might choose to have characters with shorter names so that they had more to write with. Maybe if we measured by character count, then Voldemort might only be Volde or something. Or the Lord Ruler only going by Lord. But that's just my thoughts. I have nothing to back it.

Oh man, Chronicles of Narnia was my jam when I was young. The Horse and His Boy was my all-time favorite because I always wished I had a talking horse! I have not read The Elenium and the Belgariad or Foundation! They definitely both sound up my alley! I haven't read Dune in five years. I think it's time to reread that series! You know, I don't think I've read anything by Agatha Christie off the top of my head. I mainly read fantasy, sci-fi, and historical fiction, but it's always good to branch out and try a new genre! That's how Slaughterhouse-Five by Kurt Vonnegut became one of my yearly reads. . . . You've actually tempted me more to read this now. I'll put it on my summer booklist so that my students don't freak out if I randomly burst in to tears! . . . I adore the Dresden Files! Those books are so much fun! I haven't read Cinder Spires, but now I want to at the mention of "talking cat mafia." The only talking cat mafia I've ever heard of previously is the webcomic Lackadaisy Cats. I have also not read the Fionavar Tapestry, but I'm willing to give it a shot! Terry Pratchet's Discworld is proof that the 80's had great series! . . . Ooooh! I have not read them, although I love Bean's books almost as much as I love Ender's, so I'm excited to dive into the world again!

I picked it up at the local library knowing nothing about it except that it had been highly rated on Goodreads. I thought, "Oh, sweet, adult Harry Potter meets Avatar: The Last Airbender." A school type of book, no doubt with the usual cliches, with some...poppies, apparently. I was picturing something maybe like Eon by Alison Goodman. Oh man, I was wrong. I was so very wrong. This book is definitely grimdark. It lulls you into thinking it is a normal fantasy until a certain point, when it hits you, and just keeps pummeling you. I personally struggle with grimdark fantasy, because I need incredibly compelling characters and a strong plot to keep me from setting it aside. There needs to be a reason for me to push myself through this pain. I finished The Poppy War, and found it a vivid book with strong worldbuilding and nicely flawed characters. I did not set it down and cease to pick it up, even though I was compelled to multiple times. I finished it, then researched what the inspirations came from, because some scenes are so...specific...that either the author was secretly a murderer, or she had really done her research. I won't be reading the next in the series, because the book made me sad enough to prove it was well written, but didn't have enough to convince me to continue to put myself in pain. I can't say whether or not I'd recommend it, since normally I suggest books that make people happy, or at least satisfied, at the end. Books that I myself enjoyed reading. Finishing The Poppy War was kind of like watching a vividly grotesque scene in a movie. I finished it early February and I am getting a stomach ache just thinking about it. But maybe I'm just thin skinned.

You are the second person this week I've seen mention Joe Abercrombie. Apparently he writes some of the most gripping fight scenes in literature. Some one to learn from! Although, admittedly, might come back to this one later. I recently finished The Poppy War by R.F. Kuang, and, ooof, that book is a heavy hitter violence wise. It was inspired by the Rape of Nanjing. I feel like I need a break before jumping into another gorefest. Especially a well written one. As for Kingkiller, I need to get off my lazy rump and go put The Name of the Wind on hold at the library. It's always got at least a 20 week waiting period, but, darn it, if I don't sign up, I'm never going to read it at this point. That's what happened for Mistborn: I kept hearing about on Reddit until I finally put it on hold, and, BAM, got myself a new favorite author. I've never heard of the Lightbringer series, or any of the other ones. I'll definitely see if I can pick up The Black Prism when I hit the library next. See, it's only been two hours since I signed up, and it's already been worth my while! I am excited! Thank you!!!

I am personally so excited for this last season. I have loved the writing of The Clone Wars since the series first came out. It really fleshed out the worlds, characters, and worldbuilding for me. When I think of Star Wars, I always picture this beautiful animated series before the movies. For me, this is Star Wars. The Bad Batch started out strong and it felt like there had been no hop since the series halted at season 6 (except for animation, of course!). Hearing Dee Bradley Baker voicing the clones - especially Rex - just like old times gave me shivers down my spine!

I just finished The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman and thoroughly enjoyed it! Unlike many of the epics I read, this was a nice, quick, uplifting book. I'm on hold for Crown of Feathers by Nicki Pau Preto because I'm always on the look for debut authors, and, won't lie, I absolutely am judging this book by the cover. What gorgeous art! I feel like this thread is so dangerous. I keep drooling at all the books I haven't read yet and now want to...

Whoohoo!

If I had to take a guess, I would assume that it is because word count is a little more manageable to look at than character count. For instance, the rough draft of the book I am writing is 119,595 words or 668,947 characters. Imagine, for a moment, what the character count must be for Way of Kings, which, if I remember Brandon mentioning on Writing Excuses, is somewhere around 250,000 words. What is easier to mention to other writers, or your agent, editor, or publishing company? 250,000 words or 1,400,000 characters? Of course, this is a pure guess, but it the most logical one I could arrive at, based off of my own personal experience. I tried to find an answer on Google, but the Internet has failed me in the five minutes I hunted.

Hello! I am an aspiring author/illustrator who has decided she needs to gather a few more book-loving friends. I only discovered Brandon Sanderson last year (the Mistborn trilogy) and have been listening to Writing Excuses like an addict since last summer. I'm generally not one for forums, but this appears to be an encouraging place filled with like-minded people, where I can learn how to become a better writer, as well as rant about my favorite subject: books. I am ALWAYS on the hunt for book recommendations, especially series. Some of my favorite books include (but certainly not limited to): Anything by Brandon Sanderson himself (can we talk about an addictive author!?) The Dragonriders of Pern series by Anne McCaffery Ender's Game series by Orson Scott Card The Last Unicorn by Peter S. Beagle (not to mention the movie!) The Queen's Thief series by Megan Whaler Turner Shades of Magic series by V.E. Schwab Temeraire series by Naomi Novik Winternight Trilogy by Katherine Arden The Golem and the Jinni by Helene Wecker Seven Realms series by Cinda Williams Chima Many of Sarah Dunant's works, like In the Name of the Courtesan Harry Potter and Inkheart series (ah, my childhood!) When I am not writing, reading, or drawing, I enjoy hanging out with my ball python, riding horses, and walking around with my head in the clouds.