hi everyone! captions will be up very soon, im working on them now. im finishing the subtitles to our final acotar video and somehow forgot to do this one in time!!
I feel like Daughter of Smoke and Bone was definitely more popular around the time it came out! It's about 10 years old now, so I think that's why the hype has died down in comparison. But honestly I feel like I rarely hear "the mainstream" talk about Strange the Dreamer anymore...
Daughter of Smoke and Bone is more commercial while Strange is more literary in tone, language, and theme. For me, Strange is one of my favorite stories ever and a lot of it has to do with said theme. I’m always craving a redemption arc, and I think this story has a beautiful one. I also adored the imagery and magical abilities. And yessss I need a Third spin off for Niro
I just finished the strange the Dreamer and i litteraly cant stop thinking about it, i was thinking of Reading daughter of smoke and Bone but is it worth it ?
This duology has one of my favourite depictions of trauma ever. I remember reading Muse of Nightmares and just... sobbing. I felt so seen. Like what do you do when the people responsible for harm are long gone? Who do you blame? And the fact that each of the gods was a different manifestation of how trauma affects us (ie. memory loss, pinning ghosts in place, forcing people's will, etc.). Minya's story arc specifically hurt like hell, (SPOILER) with her stuck as a child but parenting them all -- and only when she lets go does she lost her first tooth, implying finally getting to grow up. It completely broke me. And don't even get me started on Eril-Fane. It's such a perfect story. Laini Taylor really is a master of her craft.
What made me personally fall in love with this book, is the atmosphere created from the prose, and the whimsical almost fairytale like storytelling. Yeah it can be slow moving and very much characters just living their strange day to day life. But it’s so charming and welcoming I love it!
I read these last week in two days and literally cannot stop thinking about it. There are very few authors whose writing language *really* fits the world they’re trying to build and Taylor is one of them. Like…still in awe and want to read them ten more times
rereading a daughter of smoke and bone after strange is so fun because there are so many little things that connect them!! especially when they talk about the 12 seraphim and finding someone who can make new bodies for souls who need them… i wonder who that could be LOL
Might be an unpopular opinion, but I liked Daughter of smoke and bone better. It was more my style. Strange the dreamer was a great read, But very heavy with all the trauma.
you pulled me out of a years long slumber period, when reading was such a big part of my identity growing up and i gave up on it without realizing, but watching you was like getting a jolt and having the wires been put back into place, and now i bought "The Priory of the Orange Tree" and "Sorcery of Thorns" and am about to go out in a coffeeshop read my life back
The character development for Minya in the second one was great. You really get to see another side of her. I'll pick up the Daughter of Smoke and Bone series someday.
I loved the way the book portrayed trauma... what it's like to live inside a horrific memory and have it haunt you... how it's different from a dream bc it feels real--it was real. And how trauma can transform people for better or worse. Like you want to hate Minnia so much for 3/4 of the duo but then you learn what she endured and the trauma she carries with her, and suddenly you feel compassion for her rather than disdain.
Minya’s story just rocked me to my core! I still think about it and feel the feels even years after reading it. Such a good and interesting portrayal of childhood trauma and mental health struggles. So glad you finally got to read this duology! One of my favorites of all time for sure✨
I read Strange to Dreamer because I saw it in your TBR and I knew I’d want to watch your video when it came out, but also not get spoiled! 10/10 great plan! Book was amazing! And we totally read it the same way! I think I read the back half of Muse in one day
The universes were mentioned in DoSaB too!! The Seraphim had originally come from the "center" universe - Laini Taylor has a whole cosmology working for her books (the gods in this series are actually descendents of one of those original angels who went into other worlds!) - anyway, glad you enjoyed this as much as I did!!!
I love how you are always so concerned about the wellbeing of random strangers around you! My life is lowkey stressful and overwhelming right now, but your videos are so relaxing and feel good that it's helping me through it
The Daughter of Smoke & Bone is one of my favorite trilogies of all time along with The Infernal Devices. Sadly, it's been years since I was able to read series after series of books because life happens and I gotta work and do stuff adults do. So it was only last year that I found out about this duology which was by the same author and was right up my alley, it actually lived up to the hype & more and I loved it.
Oooh I'm so glad you loved it! I think many people love it because it cherishes stories, and the dreamworld Sarai and Lazlo created together is just lovely and romantic.
I love you for making this video. I'm glad I read the two, but I much prefer Laini Taylor's "Daughter of Smoke & Bone" trilogy. You nailed it with Taylor's talent for giving each character a distinct voice. "Muse of Nightmares" was emotionally wrenching... because when you find out what certain things mean, what really happened once upon a time, you're forced to re-evaluate your initial perceptions of specific characters.
Hi! You are officially my favorite blogger of summer 2022 :) Your videos inspired me to read and study more and also were just a constant source of positive emotions, so thank you for you!
It's been years, but I remember thinking 'Strange' was good and 'Muse' was awful. I was so disappointed. Glad you took something more from it than I, Cari.
I started reading because of you and I started with six of crows. I am in love and I feel like I’m discovering a whole new world. Also I get now why people say it’s better to read the book before. Watching shadow and bone after reading the series is SO much more satisfying and cool.
Ahhh I'm so excited that you read this! This is probably my all-time favorite book series so far, and you definitely inspired me to reread it. And I have thoughts! Spoilery thoughts that I'll share after a gap, just in case: OKAY so I was also pretty confused about the Feral/Ruby plotline for a long time too, like why it was in there, but after watching your video I think it was there to provide a little lightheartedness, kind of like Mik and Zuzana in Daughter of Smoke and Bone. I feel like she does that to give us a little break from all the heavy painful stuff she's giving us? Relatedly, I feel like the reason most people don't mention the HUGE assault storyline is to avoid spoilers? But a lot of times people will put in a content warning anyway, so I'm not sure. Also, Sarai is not in DoSaB! But I'm definitely hoping for a crossover event in the Laini Taylor Literary Universe someday ~ As one of those people who say Strange the Dreamer is their favorite, I guess the fact that they were all so broken and in such pain is what resonates with me, especially when set in such a beautiful and beautifully described world. Also, I also just say "Strange the Dreamer" instead the series name because I know if they get to the end of that one they'll have to read Muse of Nightmares after that ending. The two are probably equal in my mind - Strange is wonderful for it's worldbuilding, and Muse is amazing for it's conclusion and pace. I love Daughter of Smoke and Bone, (been a fan since that series, so I was so excited when she came out with Strange) I just feel like Laini upped her ability to wrench heartstrings in Strange, plus her writing style got even better. I know you said you feel like you've read books like this before, but to me the world felt so different and the characters so distinct that it felt fresh even when there were familiar plotlines. There's so much to explore in this multiverse, and I really hope this next book that she's working on takes place in it somewhere.
If you like Laini's writing you should definitely read her first book, Faeries of Dreamdark! It was one of my favorite books as a kid, and will absolutely deliver on a rich and magical world and cozy characters. I do think it's best consumed in audiobook form because the narrator is just so good, but it's nearly impossible to find it anywhere now. If you can get your hands on it definitely give it a go! (she wrote a sequel to it but it's not as good and gets a lot darker and she never continued the series after that, but I think the first definitely stands on its own)
My favorites of all time are « Luck in the Shadows » and « Stalking Darkness » by Lynn Flewelling. I also love the Tamir trilogy by the same author. I could never find any book that were as pleasing to read.
Ah, yes, the mystical Strange The Dreamer... the book that so many people put on their tbr years ago, but still haven't gotten around to reading it. It's me- I'M one of those people!! 😂 So, I'll just watch this video instead of reading the actual book for myself. So much love from America, Cari!! ❤️🤍
I would love to see a video where you recommend books to read in winter, either because they are just so cozy or because they take place in winter etc... Similar to your 'Books to read around halloween' video :)
I've read both Strange and DOSB and I think Strange is far above and beyond DOSB. It tackles complex themes in a nuanced way which is unique for YA, the prose is infinitely better, and the story much more interesting and unique. The romance was also more believable to me.
"why did you watch this video if you didn't read it?" oh no i feel called out asdfghjkl i read strange the dreamer a few years ago and kind of bounced off it a bit? it's not that i didn't enjoy it (the citadel parts, the moths, the prologue/ending, the lonely/sad feeling through the whole book, i loved those bits), but i think cos of reviews and seeing people talk about it my expectations were higher than they should have been (plus the forced pregnancy stuff). i was never that eager to read the sequel, so never did. i'm glad it all wrapped up satisfyingly tho! maybe i'll try it again some time, with a different frame of mind. that might help
I bought strange the dreamer YEARS ago and never even picked it up!!! And I finally donated it like a month ago but you have convinced me to come back and give it a try and I am downloading it from Libby right now lol
I agree that Laini Taylor is excellent at character development. I loved her daughter of smoke and bone series and I really enjoyed strange the dreamer. I never got around to finishing muse of nightmares. I couldn't get into it. It's been collecting dust on my shelf for years 😆 I will get around to finishing it someday..
hi, i didn't know where to drop this, but i'm rereading a childhood favorite right now and i found out that there is an english translation of the first novel in the series (translated from german and there's 8 parts in total i think- not sure if the rest is translated as well) and i don't know if you'll see this comment but if you do, the book is called gone with the fairy winds by halo summer, available on amazon i think, give it a try if you want to (it's fantasy ya, boarding school and magic etc.). i haven't heard many people talk about it, but i love it dearly and am surprised it's not better known
Friends, I know I’m late to party but omg I just finished the duology and I am not okay! I’m speechless and broken and healed and hopeful and heartbroken and omg somebody help me! I haven’t read a Daughter of Smoke and Bone yet and now I’m super excited to jump into it. Should I read something lighter in between to sort of cleanse my pallet or just go for it? Omg yall. Seriously. I get the hype now. This book. I feel like a different person now.
I don't know what it is about you, but when I see your videos, it makes me really happy. ^^ I really like your vibe/essence or how would you call it. :D And for the past couple of years, I'm having trouble with reading. I used to read more than 3 books a month but now it's one in 3 months. And I miss it. I miss reading. But I just don't seem to find the time to read. And you give me what I am too lazy to give to myself... The amazing world of stories and books. And you basically give it on a platter and in amusing and interesting way. I hope you will continue with your content as it is, it gives me inspiration and a smile on my face. Thank you. :) P.S: you're so cute, ily
Thanks for reminding me that I've been putting off Muse of Nightmares for so long that now I'd need to reread Strange the Dreamer to even understand it! I just....bounced really hard off of Strange at around 2/3 of the way through, forced myself to finish it because it was so highly recommended to me, and never picked up book 2. But I LOVED Daughter of Smoke and Bone, so maybe I just need to trust Laini Taylor and give it another chance? Hmm.
Trust me muse of nightmare is SOOO INCREDIBLE that it is worth it. I know the first boon is kinda long and there's not a lot of things happening but the second one IS litteraly soo crazy.
i’ve heard only good things about this book but i don’t know if i can get into the flowery writing! i absolutely LOVE laini taylor’s other series (still need to finish book 3 though)
Just finished this series last night. I did feel that the second book meandered a bit and I would have liked one more scene with Nova between. I really enjoyed the wonder and discovery of the first book and felt like the second book had few more forced plot points than I would have liked... but I did love the characters and very much enjoyed the writing style. Definitely a solid duology.
Just wanted to point out that plot points surrounding rape & forced pregnancy ARE present in the Daughter of Smoke & Bone trilogy as well as this duology. It's a significant part of the seraphim storyline in the second and third books. Most explicitly, there is an attempted rape scene in the second book, Days of Blood & Starlight. I've loved Laini Taylor's work for years and I feel she always develops themes of trauma with grace and reverence. BUT anyone thinking of reading her books should know about these trigger warnings!
I know it’s not as popular as her others, but my favorite Laini Taylor book is Dreamdark: Blackbringer. I don’t know if it’s the story itself or my childhood nostalgia surrounding it, but I’ve never been able to get away from it. I reread it at least once or twice a year lol
I finally read Hamnet after being told I had to read it. It is beautifully written but sad so now I am reading Half a Soul a light hearted fun regency magical fantasy, I am loving it! There are 3 books in the series , I am told they can all be read as standalones. I am waiting for the 5th book in the Crush series silly and fun. My reading companion is a very naughty maltese named Shasta, dogs are the best creatures. Thanks for trigger heads up.
I tried so hard to like Strange the Dreamer. This book cemented my life as a dialogue person. A bit of setting I can get behind at the beginning, but I couldn't take all of the setting with hardly any dialogue.
omg I neeeeeedddd to read daughter of smoke and bone, I just love sm strange the dreamer. the only thing stopping me is that the trilogy is soo hard to find in my native language and the english ones are soo expensive.
Cari, have you ever read the Graceling series by Kristin Cashore? I flew through them when I read them and no one really talks about them, though I'm not sure why! Thank you for this vlog, I was having a really rough week and this was a great relaxing way to start my Friday morning before work
I absolutely love this duology but I was hesitant to read it because I couldn't stand DOSAB. There were things I loved about it but the whole "I love you but I don't know you" trope is hot garbage to me. LT is a beautiful writer though and I was so excited to see all the whimsical elements I loved paired with a romance I could get behind. So glad you loved them as well!
strange the dreamer and daughter of smoke and bone spoilers // i LOVED the hint at the end that lazlo and sarai would find karou so karou could bada bing bada boom and put her soul in a new body
I didn't like a couple of things of this duology, and it's all about the love story... How it started and how it changed the story and the focus of the book
I tried reading Strange the dreamer twice and Daughter of smoke and bone three times but never finished it, but now I wanna try again haha shall I do it?
I started reading the audio book version of the daughter o. smoke a. bone in German audible, but for some reason there was no audio-book- version of the second book... I wrote a few emails to all the audibles involved cause that audio-book def exists... but is just not available, but none of them seemed responsible... the German audible said they did not concern themselves with English language content, and the US audible said they had no influence over the user experience/ copy right issues etc in other countries' national version of the service... its so annoying cause its def a bug. Part three is available, but can't read part three, until I have read part two. I tried using an app that computer-voice reads the book out loud, but it was unbearable :-( ... now its 18months later and the problem persists. Unfortunately a VPN wouldn't fix the problem, cause the accounts are also tied to regional/national stores :-/ ...I am at a loss
I absolutely loved Strange the Dreamer, and Laini Taylor’s Dreamdark series had so much potential and was so unique, but I think she probably lost the rights to it when she got picked up by a bigger publisher, so it sadly never got finished. Daughter of Smoke and Bone was not my cup of tea, though. I never read the sequels, but I was very turned off by the urban fantasy setting, the not-like-other-girls vibe, and the weird instalove that could have not been instalove, but for some reason she decided that it was. All in all, I was disappointed because I knew she could do better.
Omg! I’m so glad you’re reading this series! I loved strange the dreamer, but I admit, I haaaaated muse of nightmares. *******SPOILERS AHEAD, DO NOT READ IF YOU DON’T WANT TO GET SPOILED******** Full disclosure, I read daughter of smoke and bone, but it was not my vibe, so I didn’t finish the series. My main problem with MoN is that it didn’t feel well thought out. Like you, I was really intrigued in the first 100 pages, I was excited to explore the new dynamic between Lazlo, Sarai, Minya, the humans and the rest. How will the humans deal with Lazlo being godspawn? How will Sarai handle having all her autonomy taken away? (The implications of Minyas ghost powers are pretty horrific if you think about it) I was really intrigued by this and wanted to see were it lead. I was disappointed. Firstly, I felt there wasn’t enough of a perspective from the humans, we didn’t see much of them aside from the library thing, which was boring imo. I also felt like Lazlo and Sarai dicked around too much (literally) every time they got down I wanted to scream “DO SOMETHING RELEVANT TO THE PLOT PLEASE!” At them. Also the author mentioned “navels” way too much, that was really weird. Anyway, I thought Lazlo was boring and didn’t do anything interesting, which was annoying cause I liked him in the first book. Sarai was ok, she was pretty limited in what she could on account of being trapped as a ghost. The concept is super interesting but I felt Lanai Taylor didn’t explore it enough. The subterfuge and secrecy and shenanigans could’ve been great but they just drugged Minya instead :/. That really annoyed me, it felt like a cop out to me. I didn’t like the villain either, she was not built up enough, they should’ve established the villain for this book in the last one, honestly. Why they didn’t just bring back one of the previous gods is beyond me. Ghosts exist! We could’ve had a the ghost of one of the dead gods be manipulating Minya from behind the scenes, using her trauma against her! That would be been way more interesting imo. The fact that, in a story about healing from trauma and learning to forgive others and yourself, the main villain commits unalive was a big turn off for me. It didn’t feel like a justified, in character decision, it felt like the author just didn’t know what to do with them, since they had no connection to our established characters. I also didn’t care for the daughter of smoke and bone tie in thing. It came totally out of left field and just confused me, it wasn’t relevant, why even bring it up? Also, the reveal that the one girl was 1/16th spider or whatever was so goddamn stupid I still have nightmares about it to this day. That was the moment the book jumped the shark for me. Anyway, sorry for the rant. In summation, Strange the Dreamer = Great Muse of Nightmares = Terrible (imho, I’m glad you enjoyed it haha)
i always get this author’s books recommended to me but i cannot get past those covers 😭 theyre so ugly and i do judge books by their covers lmao the ones you put on your video are slightly better tho hahaha maybe ill try with these editions instead :p
I loved Strange the Dreamer so much, the writing is just beautiful. I didn't like Muse of Nightmares as much, but still thought it was really good. Have you heard of her short story book? It's called Lips Touch and I loved that too. It's three stories increasing in length each time. I wasn't as keen on the shortest first one, but the last two were great.
hi everyone! captions will be up very soon, im working on them now. im finishing the subtitles to our final acotar video and somehow forgot to do this one in time!!
captions are up!
Hey, cari, I love your videos :) May I ask which online library or you use to borrow your books online🤍
As a hearing impaired person, thank you so much for uploading accurate captions!!!!!
I feel like Daughter of Smoke and Bone was definitely more popular around the time it came out! It's about 10 years old now, so I think that's why the hype has died down in comparison. But honestly I feel like I rarely hear "the mainstream" talk about Strange the Dreamer anymore...
Daughter of Smoke and Bone is more commercial while Strange is more literary in tone, language, and theme. For me, Strange is one of my favorite stories ever and a lot of it has to do with said theme. I’m always craving a redemption arc, and I think this story has a beautiful one. I also adored the imagery and magical abilities. And yessss I need a Third spin off for Niro
Yess! DOSAB is more tropey and YA. Strange is like a classic.
I just finished the strange the Dreamer and i litteraly cant stop thinking about it, i was thinking of Reading daughter of smoke and Bone but is it worth it ?
Do you have any Book recs ?
This duology has one of my favourite depictions of trauma ever. I remember reading Muse of Nightmares and just... sobbing. I felt so seen. Like what do you do when the people responsible for harm are long gone? Who do you blame? And the fact that each of the gods was a different manifestation of how trauma affects us (ie. memory loss, pinning ghosts in place, forcing people's will, etc.). Minya's story arc specifically hurt like hell, (SPOILER) with her stuck as a child but parenting them all -- and only when she lets go does she lost her first tooth, implying finally getting to grow up. It completely broke me. And don't even get me started on Eril-Fane.
It's such a perfect story. Laini Taylor really is a master of her craft.
Minya's story had me in tears
What made me personally fall in love with this book, is the atmosphere created from the prose, and the whimsical almost fairytale like storytelling. Yeah it can be slow moving and very much characters just living their strange day to day life. But it’s so charming and welcoming I love it!
I read these last week in two days and literally cannot stop thinking about it. There are very few authors whose writing language *really* fits the world they’re trying to build and Taylor is one of them. Like…still in awe and want to read them ten more times
Do you have Book recommandations kind of liké strange the dreamer or anything juste very good
rereading a daughter of smoke and bone after strange is so fun because there are so many little things that connect them!! especially when they talk about the 12 seraphim and finding someone who can make new bodies for souls who need them… i wonder who that could be LOL
it was so cheeky lol
Ah I’m glad people are still talking about this series! I loved both books, and the Daughter of smoke and bone trilogy 💗.
daughter of smoke and bone is SO GOOD
Might be an unpopular opinion, but I liked Daughter of smoke and bone better. It was more my style. Strange the dreamer was a great read, But very heavy with all the trauma.
you pulled me out of a years long slumber period, when reading was such a big part of my identity growing up and i gave up on it without realizing, but watching you was like getting a jolt and having the wires been put back into place, and now i bought "The Priory of the Orange Tree" and "Sorcery of Thorns" and am about to go out in a coffeeshop read my life back
The character development for Minya in the second one was great. You really get to see another side of her. I'll pick up the Daughter of Smoke and Bone series someday.
I loved the way the book portrayed trauma... what it's like to live inside a horrific memory and have it haunt you... how it's different from a dream bc it feels real--it was real. And how trauma can transform people for better or worse. Like you want to hate Minnia so much for 3/4 of the duo but then you learn what she endured and the trauma she carries with her, and suddenly you feel compassion for her rather than disdain.
Minya’s story just rocked me to my core! I still think about it and feel the feels even years after reading it. Such a good and interesting portrayal of childhood trauma and mental health struggles. So glad you finally got to read this duology! One of my favorites of all time for sure✨
I read Strange to Dreamer because I saw it in your TBR and I knew I’d want to watch your video when it came out, but also not get spoiled! 10/10 great plan! Book was amazing! And we totally read it the same way! I think I read the back half of Muse in one day
The universes were mentioned in DoSaB too!! The Seraphim had originally come from the "center" universe - Laini Taylor has a whole cosmology working for her books (the gods in this series are actually descendents of one of those original angels who went into other worlds!) - anyway, glad you enjoyed this as much as I did!!!
I need Laini Taylor to write more 😭😭
saaaame!
Yes. Why hasn't she released anything new??
This actually is and has been my favorite fantasy book for a few years and I SO need to go reread it
I love how you are always so concerned about the wellbeing of random strangers around you! My life is lowkey stressful and overwhelming right now, but your videos are so relaxing and feel good that it's helping me through it
saying I love your reading vlogs is an understatement, you're really our comfort person!! I hope you're well x
thank you! hope you're doing well too!
The Daughter of Smoke & Bone is one of my favorite trilogies of all time along with The Infernal Devices. Sadly, it's been years since I was able to read series after series of books because life happens and I gotta work and do stuff adults do. So it was only last year that I found out about this duology which was by the same author and was right up my alley, it actually lived up to the hype & more and I loved it.
Answering the last question: I watched til the end (even though I haven't read any of the books yet) because you are good company.
Omg!!! I can’t believe your reading this, this has been my all time favourite books since forever and I always talk about Strange the Dreamer ❤️
Oooh I'm so glad you loved it! I think many people love it because it cherishes stories, and the dreamworld Sarai and Lazlo created together is just lovely and romantic.
I love you for making this video. I'm glad I read the two, but I much prefer Laini Taylor's "Daughter of Smoke & Bone" trilogy. You nailed it with Taylor's talent for giving each character a distinct voice. "Muse of Nightmares" was emotionally wrenching... because when you find out what certain things mean, what really happened once upon a time, you're forced to re-evaluate your initial perceptions of specific characters.
I really cannot wait for the crossover series! I wanna see my DoSaB babies work with my StD babies to save the universes from that darkness!
is it confirmed shes writing a crossover??
Hi! You are officially my favorite blogger of summer 2022 :)
Your videos inspired me to read and study more and also were just a constant source of positive emotions, so thank you for you!
omg that makes me so happy, thank you :'''')
i just ordered this last night after seeing another booktuber rave about it 🫣 perfect timing!!!
💕💕💕
It's been years, but I remember thinking 'Strange' was good and 'Muse' was awful.
I was so disappointed.
Glad you took something more from it than I, Cari.
omg omg omg haven't read strange the dreamer yet but i can't wait to see what you think!!! most of the books i read are your influence at this point
❣❣❣
hope you have a good day cari!! love you
you always upload at the perfect time for me
I started reading because of you and I started with six of crows. I am in love and I feel like I’m discovering a whole new world. Also I get now why people say it’s better to read the book before. Watching shadow and bone after reading the series is SO much more satisfying and cool.
So happy that you read this! I read it earlier this year 😊
i cant believe i held off this long hahaha
The references to Daughter of Smoke and Bone were great. I imagine the godspawn meeting Karou at some point and having her help Sarai.
i loved this duology back when i still read ya fantasy ❤️ this video brought me memories of my first time reading it
When I saw this video go up, I decided I had to read the books so I could watch it. I'm so so glad I did, I loved them.
16:09 no cari, i havent read it, im just procrastinating and i like your reading vlogs heh heh
i usually haven’t read the book you talk about including this one but i trust your opinion about but that now i have read some of them . thank you
i’ve been meaning to read this book for a while but haven’t gotten to it! might just watch this instead
hahahaha noooo!!!
Ahhh I'm so excited that you read this! This is probably my all-time favorite book series so far, and you definitely inspired me to reread it. And I have thoughts! Spoilery thoughts that I'll share after a gap, just in case:
OKAY so I was also pretty confused about the Feral/Ruby plotline for a long time too, like why it was in there, but after watching your video I think it was there to provide a little lightheartedness, kind of like Mik and Zuzana in Daughter of Smoke and Bone. I feel like she does that to give us a little break from all the heavy painful stuff she's giving us?
Relatedly, I feel like the reason most people don't mention the HUGE assault storyline is to avoid spoilers? But a lot of times people will put in a content warning anyway, so I'm not sure.
Also, Sarai is not in DoSaB! But I'm definitely hoping for a crossover event in the Laini Taylor Literary Universe someday ~
As one of those people who say Strange the Dreamer is their favorite, I guess the fact that they were all so broken and in such pain is what resonates with me, especially when set in such a beautiful and beautifully described world. Also, I also just say "Strange the Dreamer" instead the series name because I know if they get to the end of that one they'll have to read Muse of Nightmares after that ending. The two are probably equal in my mind - Strange is wonderful for it's worldbuilding, and Muse is amazing for it's conclusion and pace.
I love Daughter of Smoke and Bone, (been a fan since that series, so I was so excited when she came out with Strange) I just feel like Laini upped her ability to wrench heartstrings in Strange, plus her writing style got even better. I know you said you feel like you've read books like this before, but to me the world felt so different and the characters so distinct that it felt fresh even when there were familiar plotlines.
There's so much to explore in this multiverse, and I really hope this next book that she's working on takes place in it somewhere.
i dont read like aat all but i like watching ur videos cuz its nice to just listen to someone talk about stuff theyre passionate about :D
If you like Laini's writing you should definitely read her first book, Faeries of Dreamdark! It was one of my favorite books as a kid, and will absolutely deliver on a rich and magical world and cozy characters. I do think it's best consumed in audiobook form because the narrator is just so good, but it's nearly impossible to find it anywhere now. If you can get your hands on it definitely give it a go! (she wrote a sequel to it but it's not as good and gets a lot darker and she never continued the series after that, but I think the first definitely stands on its own)
omg now I need to reread this and daughter of smoke and bone both such incredible series ughhh love love love
My favorites of all time are « Luck in the Shadows » and « Stalking Darkness » by Lynn Flewelling. I also love the Tamir trilogy by the same author. I could never find any book that were as pleasing to read.
I haven't heard of this one! This may help me start the new school year with an exciting book. *adds to reading list*
I’ve read this series twice lol… I’m even tempted to reread muse of nightmares again help
Glad to hear u enjoyed it so much!
Ah, yes, the mystical Strange The Dreamer... the book that so many people put on their tbr years ago, but still haven't gotten around to reading it. It's me- I'M one of those people!! 😂 So, I'll just watch this video instead of reading the actual book for myself. So much love from America, Cari!! ❤️🤍
I would love to see a video where you recommend books to read in winter, either because they are just so cozy or because they take place in winter etc... Similar to your 'Books to read around halloween' video :)
I've read both Strange and DOSB and I think Strange is far above and beyond DOSB. It tackles complex themes in a nuanced way which is unique for YA, the prose is infinitely better, and the story much more interesting and unique. The romance was also more believable to me.
"why did you watch this video if you didn't read it?" oh no i feel called out asdfghjkl
i read strange the dreamer a few years ago and kind of bounced off it a bit? it's not that i didn't enjoy it (the citadel parts, the moths, the prologue/ending, the lonely/sad feeling through the whole book, i loved those bits), but i think cos of reviews and seeing people talk about it my expectations were higher than they should have been (plus the forced pregnancy stuff). i was never that eager to read the sequel, so never did.
i'm glad it all wrapped up satisfyingly tho! maybe i'll try it again some time, with a different frame of mind. that might help
I bought strange the dreamer YEARS ago and never even picked it up!!! And I finally donated it like a month ago but you have convinced me to come back and give it a try and I am downloading it from Libby right now lol
I agree that Laini Taylor is excellent at character development. I loved her daughter of smoke and bone series and I really enjoyed strange the dreamer. I never got around to finishing muse of nightmares. I couldn't get into it. It's been collecting dust on my shelf for years 😆 I will get around to finishing it someday..
hi, i didn't know where to drop this, but i'm rereading a childhood favorite right now and i found out that there is an english translation of the first novel in the series (translated from german and there's 8 parts in total i think- not sure if the rest is translated as well) and i don't know if you'll see this comment but if you do, the book is called gone with the fairy winds by halo summer, available on amazon i think, give it a try if you want to (it's fantasy ya, boarding school and magic etc.). i haven't heard many people talk about it, but i love it dearly and am surprised it's not better known
Friends, I know I’m late to party but omg I just finished the duology and I am not okay! I’m speechless and broken and healed and hopeful and heartbroken and omg somebody help me!
I haven’t read a Daughter of Smoke and Bone yet and now I’m super excited to jump into it. Should I read something lighter in between to sort of cleanse my pallet or just go for it?
Omg yall. Seriously. I get the hype now. This book. I feel like a different person now.
I don't know what it is about you, but when I see your videos, it makes me really happy. ^^
I really like your vibe/essence or how would you call it. :D And for the past couple of years, I'm having trouble with reading. I used to read more than 3 books a month but now it's one in 3 months. And I miss it. I miss reading. But I just don't seem to find the time to read.
And you give me what I am too lazy to give to myself... The amazing world of stories and books. And you basically give it on a platter and in amusing and interesting way.
I hope you will continue with your content as it is, it gives me inspiration and a smile on my face.
Thank you. :)
P.S: you're so cute, ily
Lol you getting easily distracted by all the dogs is so relatable
Thanks for reminding me that I've been putting off Muse of Nightmares for so long that now I'd need to reread Strange the Dreamer to even understand it! I just....bounced really hard off of Strange at around 2/3 of the way through, forced myself to finish it because it was so highly recommended to me, and never picked up book 2. But I LOVED Daughter of Smoke and Bone, so maybe I just need to trust Laini Taylor and give it another chance? Hmm.
Trust me muse of nightmare is SOOO INCREDIBLE that it is worth it. I know the first boon is kinda long and there's not a lot of things happening but the second one IS litteraly soo crazy.
staring at the first one on my unread shelf as i watch this...i really should read it...it's been years now
i’ve heard only good things about this book but i don’t know if i can get into the flowery writing!
i absolutely LOVE laini taylor’s other series (still need to finish book 3 though)
Just finished this series last night. I did feel that the second book meandered a bit and I would have liked one more scene with Nova between. I really enjoyed the wonder and discovery of the first book and felt like the second book had few more forced plot points than I would have liked... but I did love the characters and very much enjoyed the writing style. Definitely a solid duology.
i thought nero and lazlo were gonna be a couple too! they had so much potential im kinda sad the author didn't take that route lol
Just wanted to point out that plot points surrounding rape & forced pregnancy ARE present in the Daughter of Smoke & Bone trilogy as well as this duology. It's a significant part of the seraphim storyline in the second and third books. Most explicitly, there is an attempted rape scene in the second book, Days of Blood & Starlight. I've loved Laini Taylor's work for years and I feel she always develops themes of trauma with grace and reverence. BUT anyone thinking of reading her books should know about these trigger warnings!
I know it’s not as popular as her others, but my favorite Laini Taylor book is Dreamdark: Blackbringer. I don’t know if it’s the story itself or my childhood nostalgia surrounding it, but I’ve never been able to get away from it. I reread it at least once or twice a year lol
I went AHHHHH with the title of this video
since you said you read things like this book before please drop the info omg I need more books like this!!
I have both these books in my library...time to move them up on my TBR! I had to quit at 5:55 ☹
see you after you finish them^^~
I finally read Hamnet after being told I had to read it. It is beautifully written but sad so now I am reading Half a Soul a light hearted fun regency magical fantasy, I am loving it! There are 3 books in the series , I am told they can all be read as standalones. I am waiting for the 5th book in the Crush series silly and fun. My reading companion is a very naughty maltese named Shasta, dogs are the best creatures. Thanks for trigger heads up.
I tried so hard to like Strange the Dreamer. This book cemented my life as a dialogue person. A bit of setting I can get behind at the beginning, but I couldn't take all of the setting with hardly any dialogue.
I would love if you read the light novels of 'ascension of a bookworm'!!!
omg I neeeeeedddd to read daughter of smoke and bone, I just love sm strange the dreamer. the only thing stopping me is that the trilogy is soo hard to find in my native language and the english ones are soo expensive.
Cari, have you ever read the Graceling series by Kristin Cashore? I flew through them when I read them and no one really talks about them, though I'm not sure why!
Thank you for this vlog, I was having a really rough week and this was a great relaxing way to start my Friday morning before work
I absolutely love this duology but I was hesitant to read it because I couldn't stand DOSAB. There were things I loved about it but the whole "I love you but I don't know you" trope is hot garbage to me. LT is a beautiful writer though and I was so excited to see all the whimsical elements I loved paired with a romance I could get behind. So glad you loved them as well!
strange the dreamer and daughter of smoke and bone spoilers //
i LOVED the hint at the end that lazlo and sarai would find karou so karou could bada bing bada boom and put her soul in a new body
Oooh! I have to reread them soon! 😍😍
I would definitely read these books soonest
Stop spamming. I am blocking and reporting you 😡
omg you getting distracted by the dogs haha.I would be the same too
i literally cant think of anything else when i see dogs hahaha
Cari: This has been recommended to me since the dawn of time. Me: I knew it! You're an Immortal!
I didn't like a couple of things of this duology, and it's all about the love story... How it started and how it changed the story and the focus of the book
I loved it ❤️
I tried reading Strange the dreamer twice and Daughter of smoke and bone three times but never finished it, but now I wanna try again haha shall I do it?
I started reading the audio book version of the daughter o. smoke a. bone in German audible, but for some reason there was no audio-book- version of the second book... I wrote a few emails to all the audibles involved cause that audio-book def exists... but is just not available, but none of them seemed responsible... the German audible said they did not concern themselves with English language content, and the US audible said they had no influence over the user experience/ copy right issues etc in other countries' national version of the service... its so annoying cause its def a bug. Part three is available, but can't read part three, until I have read part two. I tried using an app that computer-voice reads the book out loud, but it was unbearable :-( ... now its 18months later and the problem persists. Unfortunately a VPN wouldn't fix the problem, cause the accounts are also tied to regional/national stores :-/ ...I am at a loss
I absolutely loved Strange the Dreamer, and Laini Taylor’s Dreamdark series had so much potential and was so unique, but I think she probably lost the rights to it when she got picked up by a bigger publisher, so it sadly never got finished. Daughter of Smoke and Bone was not my cup of tea, though. I never read the sequels, but I was very turned off by the urban fantasy setting, the not-like-other-girls vibe, and the weird instalove that could have not been instalove, but for some reason she decided that it was. All in all, I was disappointed because I knew she could do better.
I have both books. But I never finished the first book.
Omg! I’m so glad you’re reading this series! I loved strange the dreamer, but I admit, I haaaaated muse of nightmares.
*******SPOILERS AHEAD, DO NOT READ IF YOU DON’T WANT TO GET SPOILED********
Full disclosure, I read daughter of smoke and bone, but it was not my vibe, so I didn’t finish the series. My main problem with MoN is that it didn’t feel well thought out. Like you, I was really intrigued in the first 100 pages, I was excited to explore the new dynamic between Lazlo, Sarai, Minya, the humans and the rest. How will the humans deal with Lazlo being godspawn? How will Sarai handle having all her autonomy taken away? (The implications of Minyas ghost powers are pretty horrific if you think about it) I was really intrigued by this and wanted to see were it lead. I was disappointed. Firstly, I felt there wasn’t enough of a perspective from the humans, we didn’t see much of them aside from the library thing, which was boring imo. I also felt like Lazlo and Sarai dicked around too much (literally) every time they got down I wanted to scream “DO SOMETHING RELEVANT TO THE PLOT PLEASE!” At them. Also the author mentioned “navels” way too much, that was really weird. Anyway, I thought Lazlo was boring and didn’t do anything interesting, which was annoying cause I liked him in the first book. Sarai was ok, she was pretty limited in what she could on account of being trapped as a ghost. The concept is super interesting but I felt Lanai Taylor didn’t explore it enough. The subterfuge and secrecy and shenanigans could’ve been great but they just drugged Minya instead :/. That really annoyed me, it felt like a cop out to me. I didn’t like the villain either, she was not built up enough, they should’ve established the villain for this book in the last one, honestly. Why they didn’t just bring back one of the previous gods is beyond me. Ghosts exist! We could’ve had a the ghost of one of the dead gods be manipulating Minya from behind the scenes, using her trauma against her! That would be been way more interesting imo. The fact that, in a story about healing from trauma and learning to forgive others and yourself, the main villain commits unalive was a big turn off for me. It didn’t feel like a justified, in character decision, it felt like the author just didn’t know what to do with them, since they had no connection to our established characters. I also didn’t care for the daughter of smoke and bone tie in thing. It came totally out of left field and just confused me, it wasn’t relevant, why even bring it up? Also, the reveal that the one girl was 1/16th spider or whatever was so goddamn stupid I still have nightmares about it to this day. That was the moment the book jumped the shark for me.
Anyway, sorry for the rant. In summation, Strange the Dreamer = Great
Muse of Nightmares = Terrible (imho, I’m glad you enjoyed it haha)
I'm here 'cos I'm thinking buying this second hand 😅
Read Strange the Dreamer, really liked it, but didn’t like the ending of the first book, never read the second book
DOSAB was better IMO. I can't with lyrical writing so i just dnfd instead of forcing myself to finish this duology 😅
i actually got this book when it first came out and signed! i still haven’t read it lol….
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What TRIZ books do you like ?
Why do you still have the pictures from your Acotar videos up on your wall? 🤔
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At 12:35 and I’m like…. Elaine???
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i read strange the dreamer when i was like 10. should not have read it at age 10. it’s a good book though
i always get this author’s books recommended to me but i cannot get past those covers 😭 theyre so ugly and i do judge books by their covers lmao the ones you put on your video are slightly better tho hahaha maybe ill try with these editions instead :p
oh yeah i agree the covers arent the best (both versions i've seen lol)
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I loved Strange the Dreamer so much, the writing is just beautiful. I didn't like Muse of Nightmares as much, but still thought it was really good. Have you heard of her short story book? It's called Lips Touch and I loved that too. It's three stories increasing in length each time. I wasn't as keen on the shortest first one, but the last two were great.
Hello
Nic
Stop spamming. I am reporting and blocking you 😡
Hello from British Columbia Canada
🇨🇦👋👍♥️🌲🌲🧘♀️🌲🌲🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥☕👠
... I think I'm the only one who hated the book. T^T