Misc +++

[yuuago]

+ Work has been bonkers for the last few days. Oh my fuck. It's like everybody in multiple departments decided they need me to do X, Y, and Z, and they need it done NOW NOW NOW. Thankfully my coworker will be back from vacation next week, but I've done more OT in the past few days than I've done in my entire time here.

+ The local library is doing an "Explore romance subgenres!" challenge. It's been kind of interesting to pick up stuff I wouldn't normally reach for, but on the other hand, some of the stuff I've been reading is very much Not For Me (picked up a few titles that ended up being very... well... stereotypically cishetero). Upside, I decided to read Winter's Orbit for the scifi romance portion of it, since I've been planning to read that anyway, so there is that.

+ So far that broad goal I've had to do less, or at least be mindful to not overschedule myself, ain't working out so hot. Whoops.

Comments

[hokuton_punch]

Ooooof, ouch. D: Sounds like some poor scheduling on your workplace's part, but definitely no fun to deal with! I hope things calm down quickly.

At some point I really need to read Winter's Orbit - I picked up a copy on strength of enjoying the original draft a lot but still haven't gotten around to it. /o\

[yuuago]

re: Workplace, the nature of the job is slightly unpredictable so I try not to get too het up about it, but omg. Luckily, when it's two of us again it'll be more manageable.

I actually haven't read the original draft of Winter's Orbit! But I've head so much in general that I've been very curious about it for a while.

[kanadka]

Oh no!! 2026 is off to a rush start I see. D: I hope the rest of January can just slooooowwww dooooowwwwn for you.

Upside, I decided to read Winter's Orbit for the scifi romance portion of it, since I've been planning to read that anyway, so there is that.
I've heard the worldbuilding is interesting! Very curious to hear your thoughts on it, if you think the scifi romance portion of it winds up being good. I love the initiative in re: trying new things/explore romance subgenres but I admit like you I would find it a bit ... expected. :'D So far, do you spot any broad trends that have been interesting past the stereotypical vibes?

[yuuago]

Broad trends, hmm...

+ Fae seem to be very In right now. Or at least they showed up in at least one novel where fairies were not alluded to in the summary.
+ Cozy vibes are also very In. Though I guess to be fair I am choosing the books I read, so to a degree I'm gravitating toward that, but there is a line between "cozy" an "saccharine" and some of this stuff jumped far over it.
+ Almost all of the lgbtq-adjacent novels I read (by that I mean stuff where at least one of the secondary characters fell into that umbrella even if the main pairing were not) feels very much like it was written by and for people Familiar With The Internet and by Internet I specifically mean tumblr. I'm not sure how I feel about that.
+ I decided to admit to myself that I honestly don't enjoy sex scenes in romance novels much at all, even if it's a gay romance. IDK why I like it in fic and don't like it in published fiction, but there it is.

Maybe once I'm done I'll make a post listing the titles I've read. Might be a bit tho, I still have 4 more subgenres to go (out of 10)