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Dude yes Tamin's character assassination is what made me stop reading. I personally couldn't already stand the first book but read it because my bestie loved the series. But damn once I got to second book I questioned why I even went through first book to get to that. I truly don't understand the love for that series I get that people like it but I don't understand it.

I lost it when you started displaying all the male love interests and their descriptions 😂

“But I want her to look like this when he pushes her down the stairs!” 💀💀💀

0:21 as an fma fan, how dare you.

Maxton Hall was brought up and I literally screamed. Love that series.

The anime series that did this well was princess tutu. Fakir character development was actually well done in that series.

Blame literary agents and publishers bc they never check reviews and publish only on vibes and sales numbers. Capitalism kills creative media

calling the cruel prince a romantasy is a crime i'm sorry 😭

The popularity of fourth wing upsets me so much. It's meant to be rep for my disability, but the rep is so bad it's harmful, suggesting that accepting adaptations is weakness, that it's admirable to push past the limits of your condition and leave yourself in significant pain, an MC with symptoms that are incredibly serious and detrimental when it suits the plot, but non existent when it doesn't... I want it to stop existing, it goes beyond being a bad book into spreading harmful ideals of toxic perseverance.

I agree that the enemies to lovers/trial/fantasy race/kingdoms things are extremely overdone and the writing is not good, but Serpent and the wings of night (and its sequel) doesn't fit a lot of the tropes you talked about. Raihn isn't moody in the slightest, Oraya isn't human or defenseless, both characters are SA survivors and show signs of ptsd (I've never seen a male SA survivor being written as a love interest, i thought it was interesting and it was never downplayed or used just to foward the main character plot). The sex scenes really emphasize consent which makes a lot of sense (but yes, they are really cringe with the description of "size"). I mean, when you were describing the other four i thought "well, maybe she'll say that Raihn is the outlier" but he was the only one you couldn't remember. The "bad guys" aren't that far from the "good guys", if anything, is more like no one is 100% good in the story, including both protagonist, and the main baddie (Septimus) had a very valid motivation and wasn't just evil for the sake of being evil. This does sound like a passionate defense of thiz book but I'm in no way recommending it. It is very much porn with the thinnest plot possible, I'm just saying it doesn't deserve to be lumped with the other ones lol

I hate that tropes are part of marketing for books, want to find out what happens in the book while reading it, not read it because i know what will happen.

I’m writing my own fantasy trilogy after reading/watching reviews of Maas’ books, to the point where I know the entire plot and characters in detail. Rice-man unfortunately reminds me of my manipulative abuser in all 5(6?) books and when I try to tell ACOTAR fans this, they start WW3 with me and defend the very air Riceman breathes. So I’m starting out to write a high fantasy trilogy that I’ve actually had in my mind for years now, to FIX what Maas has done to the YA fantasy community.

Thank you so much for this, romantasy's getting on top of the market and my nerves so I'm glad to see other people agree😭

The "mating" thing is insane to me. It's probably my single greatest turn-off. Unless I'm reading about dogs or Australians, I don't want to see that word.

Anybody have any book recs for someone why is trying to get out of reading romantasy?

I used to be a fan of ACOTAR. Now I kind of hate and all its copycats. I just want pure fantasy. I’m so sick of cringe sexy times interrupting the adventure. Edit: I actually gagged at the Rhysand quote at 26:59. I had mercifully forgotten about until now.

This video is so cathartic! I really want to like romantasy as someone who loves both fantasy and romance, but I'm so sick of being disappointed. I really hope the genre can evolve into something better than what it currently is

A Marvellous Light by Freya Marske is my fave romantasy! It actually follows the general structure of a romance novel & focuses on the characters/relationship growth while the fantasy plot is secondary

Im genuinley concerned my lgbtq+ fantasy wont get published bc i dont think its trendy enough. Its based off celtic mythology and is slow burn. The love interest, while flawed, isnt a toxic ass hole and kind of skewers the whole "brooding hot jerk" trope, the mc isnt a gary stu (his flaws drive one of the major plot points), theres actual build up between the mcs (they have fun together and enjoy each others company...something i rarely see in romance books nowadays), and it tackles a lot of deeper themes (i also had sensity readers for certain elements so they would b tackled as realistically as possible). There is also very little smut. I pretty much wrote it as a middle finger to a lot of the toxic YA that is/was popular.

I think Romantasy books hit waay better when they are LGBTQIA+ (like A Taste of Gold and Iron by Alexandra Rowland and A Strange and Stubbon Endurance by Foz Meadows). As far as straight Romantasy I think The Sharing Knife books by Lois McMaster Bujold are great. Not flawless by any means, but Bujolds characters are always fantastic. It also predates booktok and the coining of Romantasy but it's without a doubt Romantasy.

as someone who reads a lot of gay chinese cultivation romantasy, i found them all to be so much better since the main leads are mostly doting and not toxic, and the archetypes of the main leads are much more diverse. plus the're mostly slow burn, like when the two main guys hold hands in volume 5 it makes you kick your feet and giggle like a school girl, it feels more earned than if they boned on chapter 1

Romantasy has tired me out so much I haven’t enjoyed even a normal recent fantasy book in so long. I’m bored of the sassy female badass protagonist, bored of the dark haired evil brooding love interest. I’m bored of the same mcguffin side plots to the romance every fantasy has, the basic uncreative magic systems and the dialogue that either feels like it’s straight out of a modern romance with a few extra magic terms thrown in. Worlds that are a copy paste dark flowery slightly medieval style, with a few kingdoms thrown in with no attempt beyond that of establishing the political system or culture. If you have any really great fantasy recs like Robin hobb, Marie Brennan for example I need to fall in love with some classic fantasy again.

Romantasy is a romance book. Am currently rage reading one. 1) They can not be YA. Romantasy is an adult genre. I don’t care how descriptive the spice scene are, most of the audience will appeal adult. 2) The blond second love interest will die, and was not really considered a love interest. 3) This a romance books the world build will be terrible and convenient to the romance. 4) An enemies to lovers will start all over again for the second book. 5) The Cruel Prince is not a Romantasy book is a fantasy with a side plot romance.

why tf am I seeing Nina and Alexander on my screen rn. trigger warning next time please /s

I like when (if they do become a relationship) the characters get together early and we actually get to see the relationship grow and develop. However, this requires the two characters to actually be engaging as a duo beyond snippy 'I hate you" dialogue, which I find alot of romantasy couples fall flat on.

well personally i feel the folk of air series is not romantasy.

I have a friend that recommended me acotar I was interested in all the world building but I 😃

this is literally why i say rivals to lovers instead of enemies because rivals gives the implication that both are on an equal playing ground and have a similar objective. enemies could mean anything, including bully x bullied which SUCKS

Who was the comedian? She nailed the romantasy trend so much.

This was a fun commentary on your experience with the romantasy genre! I don't really read romantacy, but I could resonate with your feelings about these books. I think I'll stick around for some more hamster video essays. :D

this has even made me so picky on reading fantasy books overall.. i even dropped ember in the ashes 100 pages in.. because i got spolied ...

I knew we were on the same page when you used ATLA as an example of what to do

You missed Grimshaw from Lightlark.

😅Hunger games is not a romantasy. I think you missed the plot there. The point of the story was not the romantic element. 4 min in..... Ok I see you didn't mention that after all 😂😂😂😂

Thank you for saying this, I could not agree more! I really like the fantasy genre, but for quite a while now I've been having trouble finding a fantasy book I like or would think I like. I actually started to doubt if I even liked the fantasy genre because all I could find were these kinds of books. When I go into a piece of fantasy media the romance isn't really what I'm focused on or what I really care about, I'm always going to be more curious about the plot, world building and the character(s). If I enjoy all of these than I will start to become more invested in the romance or the potential of romance. The problem is that these books are clearly more focused on the romance aspects, and I feel they neglect the fantasy parts I enjoy most. I understand why people like the romance genre, I just wish these authors followed up of the fantasy part a little more. Also, can we have something other than enemies to lovers? Why not spice it up a little, Jeez!🙄

I love fantastical stories that intertwine the human experience. It makes the stories feel relatable. This is why I do enjoy books that are fantasy that happen to have romance in it because it is part of that human existence, bringing us closer to all characters through their interesting relationships with one another (romantic, platonic, etc). When romance is put in fantasy now, it feels drained of all that light and beauty that I love about fantasy stories with such compelling characters within that world. When you try to force tropes in a story, it will come out dull to read. I do know that there is something fun about reading romance in a fantastical world; its a great escapism. I love that people love it. I just noticed that the books that are mostly fantasy with some fantasy are dwindling for this romantacy 'trend' and even books that just don't have any romance at all. It becomes a problem when it takes over so much and you are picking through the newer books, wondering if it will be another list of tropes being checked off with no well developed characters, and the plot feels bereft of theme/anything important for you to think about once you leave the story. THIS IS A TANGIT ABOUT A BOOK, lol: I feel pretty proud of a project me and my friend are working on. There is 1, smut in book one, so I can please the smut readers I think (at least a little). And there is hope for more in the future (nothing I don't feel comfortable with tho). The smut put in place is not for cash grabs, but for character building of all things (not planned before writing either, it felt naturally placed). it is genuine, not forced, an there is diversity; gay and 'straight' smut--- though they are all queer characters, lol. There are three characters who are ,characteristcaly, the most likely to go have some fun, and it is very character driven, character motivated. Once included, our goal is to show how characters interact, and how they use sex in order to connect, distance, or simply use as an outlet with other people. The focus was on the characters on an individual level. Also, the romance happens (for the gay pairing specifically) AFTER they have 'done it' (its also an ode to sexual exploration; bisexuality and poly relationships). And not every single scene is shown and is instead mentioned/hinted at, and there is really only a couple scenes written so far but they are there. I find using smut in many different factoids is what, I think, can make it enjoyable (for me at least) and I wish I saw it used as a world building or character thing than just something you wait for in a romantic plotline.

Right away I wanna thank you for your “disclaimer” about how people can read and enjoy what they want, it’s not that that deep and everytime I see people get attacked for enjoying popular books or romance novels for some else’s morality complex or accusing them of being “p0rn addicts” I get so angry. I love both a classic literature study AND a silly smutty romantasy. But the modern trend of trope stuffed, half baked, written only for marketing books is just genuinely SO bad at times. And concerning with the lack of creativity, seemingly using copy and paste and just getting away with it because it sells.

The greatest difference imo between Zuko turning good and becoming a friend and these romantasy books is that his change started within himself and his personal world. It wasn’t because he necessarily liked Aang or any of the gang but because he was changing himself. He saw injustice in his own world and learned to stand up for his own beliefs. I mean he even betrayed his uncle but his love for his uncle and eventually himself was what moved him. The romantasy men change for the girl and it’s so shallow

The unfortunate reality is also that books like these get popular not because they're good, but because publishers know they're what will likely become popular, especially with younger audiences. So they're marketed to death, the covers are deliberately made to look as pretty and attention grabbing as possible, etc. At the risk of sounding like a snob, if it's something likely to attract people who aren't actually well read/the lowest common denominator, then it will be picked up over an actually good story. And in the romantasy case, overwhelmingly it seems that people who have never actually read fantasy are the ones who like the genre/push bad stories into popularity. It sucks

This has been my biggest complaint for a long time now. I like fantasy, I like romance. But I like the romance to be a subplot with actual relevance to the story. I have no problem with smut, but that also needs to be plot/character relevant if it's going to be in there. Too many of these stories are just the writer's excessive horny wet dreams and they make for juvenile and boring reads with hollow relationships and excessive text porn. I've given up trying to find anything decent to read because of it.

Realizing how books are slowly getting broken down into marketing tropes for is hard for me as a writer because there are a lot of times where I just feel like that's a spoiler. I get where this comes from, the language of fan fic comfort reading full breaking into the mainstream. But like ... what if I want to write a story where there is an element of uncertainty about where the hero's love life is supposed to go, but we've tagged it "second chance romance" so now everyone knows they'll get back with their ex.

this made me so annoyed. not every book is for every reader. if you don't like it, just don't engage with it. who are you to tell others that the whole genre, that clearly has a lot of ppl who love it, is trash and only has merit as a guilty pleasure book, if that.

You described the exact problems I have with the "romantasy" genre. I subscribed in hopes that you make some book recommendation videos, especially for fantasy and speculative fiction!

many of the pop romantasy books i see on booktok absolutely REEK of internalized misogyny.

I want a fantasy series with a fml (written by a woman) that is plot centered with an only a splash of romance. Any suggestions???

Romantasy is basically books for people who don’t actually like reading. They like tropes and participating in online communities. It’s a good gateway for teens who don’t have much reading experience, but ADULTS reading exclusively romantasy trash (tiktok is filled with them)? I’m sorry but they should grow the fuck up and try reading actual literature for once.

while I age I feel like The Cruel Prince successfully does a lot of these tropes. First, when reading the first book I started to not classify their dynamic as enemies to lovers, since Carden was straight up bullying/harming Jude. Jude on the other hand I don't think fits into the tiny girl x massive man, or weak girl x tough man. Carden is immature, and Jude is literally trying to survive in a world not for humans, whilst also trying to manage a fucked political situation. Carden and Jude are like equals if not Jude outsmarting Carden most of the time in the series (By the second book btw Carden does switch up). Personally, I do think the romance is a big aspect of the book I don't think it's the main interesting part. The political drama, and conflict in the big focus of the book, with Romance being an equal if not second to this political plot. That's why Carden is literally the worst because it's highlighting how Carden is as cruel as the world he lives in and he's not going to swoon or change his behavior at the first human girl that challenges him. I say all of this because I feel Cruel Prince is different within the genre. When it came to ACOTAR I enjoyed the first book, but by the second book I was very very bored. I don't want to blame the actual plot I blame Sarah J. Maas and what she chose to focus on in the story. The pacing was weird, and yes the characters feel flat, and the romance was the MAIN focus of the story. OH yeah and in the Second book Feyre did become that weak girl x strong guy trope. I understand why she did because she got a new body and mental health but the way it was executed really made me start to hate BOTH of them. Whereas with Jude and Carden, Jude felt like a fighter the whole time like pure spunk to her character. She fought even when she knew she was significantly weaker. IDK tho maybe I just didn't enjoy ACOTAR but this is just how i feel :)) good video!!

I like a good romance, and I love fantasy. But romantasy is just contemporary romance with fantasy aesthetics. The worldbuilding is thin and uninspired a lot of the time, and it rehashes the same tropes. It kinda feels like the state of sword and sorcery novels of the 80s, where fantasy wasn’t respected as a genre

I know it's definitely out there but I really DO WANT a good romantasy because it's two of my favorite genres. And one with adults who act like adults and where everyone isn't white 😭

this is why I stopped reading YA fantasy years ago when I was around 16-17 and just started reading it again! I was looking at the summaries and was like "why does this sound like the same story over and over again? maybe I should just write my own stories instead" and I've been writing some of my own ideas ever since these all sound like the same guy and I'm going to start reading adult fantasy now