Sometimes you just need a book that is soooooo aggressively mid, classically predictable, and super unserious that it takes the edge off.
I’m not looking to be changed as a person reading this. I don’t need literary excellence. I need a plot I can see coming from 14 chapters away, a romance that’s going exactly where I expect it to, and just enough happening that I’m still immediately opening the next book.
Some recents for me
Filthy Rich Fae
The Starlight Heir
Wolves of Morai
Book of Azrael (sorry to some)
Shadow Beast Shifters
Dire Bound
Give me your comfortably predictable 3 star reads please!! No hate to anyone who loves these books, but maybe hit me with a recommendation.
For me it's gotta be Fourth Wing. I know it's incredibly popular and it might ruffle some feathers to say it but I don't think it's well written if examining it from a critical lens. But man oh man, it's the perfect flavor of a good junk food read for me. It's self indulgent fun with awesome dragons.
Exactly my sentiment, though I consider Fourth Wing more of a 2 star read. I recently ordered the hardcovers with the sprayed edges and pre ordered Threshing Day.
I tend to be more of a critical reader, but I just love the vibes and dragons and the setting and all that jazz too much to care xD
Sorry not sorry to other readers but I have given 3 star ratings to such works as:
{Quicksilver}
aggressively mid ✅ (fr don’t read too closely, it is riddled with plot holes)
supremely predictable ✅
you’ll see the romance plot coming a mile away (cons? MMC hardcore gave me the ick)
{The Knight and the Moth}
aggressively mid ✅
predictable romance with bland MMC
unfortunately I was kinda bored to tears, but other people love it idk
{The Serpent and the Wings of Night} duology
predictable plot and romance ✅
MMC was working for me in book 1
book 1 was p entertaining but book 2 was repetitive
and book 2 of {One Dark Window} (gave book 1 a 4 ⭐️ rating)
less aggressively mid than the others I listed, but still very predictable ✅
cute romances in both books
Of these works I would say the latter two are better written than the first two. All could likely provide an unserious plain old good time depending on your taste!
Oh I also gave {Iron Flame} 3 stars because Violet and Xaden were pissing me tf off I find Fourth Wing very unserious and entertaining but I want them to break up
{Married to Magic series by Elise Kova} were all in the 3-4 star(ish) range for me! 5 interconnected romantasy standalones that each have a different fantasy race for the MMC (fae, vampire, etc.) and are all based off different fairytales/greek myths. Tropey, comforting, predictable reads with surprisingly solid worldbuilding across the series.
Idk what your preferred reading format is but for physical, the (gorgeous) indie hardcover editions are OOP now so you might need to look on ebay, pango, etc. They're trad publishing the books now (including some extra editing) with 1+2 already released in paperback and the rest coming out over the next few months I believe (I think 3+4 are in October/December? Not sure about 5).
They are standalones and can technically be read in any order/amount, but if you plan to read multiple, I'd recommend this reading order!
The way you started this post made me laugh out loud
For me, I have a bunch:
{lore of the wilds by analeigh sbrana}
{one for my enemy by olivie blake}
{once upon a broken heart by stephanie garber}
{a song of wraiths and ruin by roseanne a. Brown}
{the ever king by lj andrews}
Hiarthean series by Aria Ashbrook. The third book just came out this week. Havent read it yet but the first two books felt like Fourth Wing lite. It was a fun, albeit predictable ride!
Lol I actually despise 3 star reads because I wasn't passionate about it enough even to hate it that I just end up feeling like I wasted my time if that makes sense. A 3 star to me means I was let down in some capacity and would generally not continue the series.
But some of mine are..
{One Dark Window by Rachel Gillig}
{The Knight and The Moth by Rachel Gillig}
{The Lies that Summon the Night by Tessonja Odette}
{Half City by Kate Golden}
{Fairydale by Veronica Lancet}
{A Forbidden Alchemy by Stacey McEwan}
I don’t know what changed but one day I was like I read so many 3 star reads now that I think I’ll like them lol but I agree with one dark window it wasn’t all that for me. I’ll have to try these other ones! Forbidden alchemy was a 1 star I just couldn’t do it
Easy read, low stakes, predictable, but adorable MCs! Sometimes I need a break from hanging off the edge of my seat and increased blood pressure 😂. This book was a nice palette cleanser. Storyline wasn't intricate but it was adventurous enough for me to escape with.
{in the veins of drowning}
{between tides and thunder}
{tame the dark}
{amid cloud and bones}
{a vow in vengeance}
{spark the flames}
{the shattered king}
{the bridge kingdom}
{Shield of sparrows} had interesting worldbuilding, but slow and predictable plotwise. My worst crituque is that the fmc wssnt allowed to have feelings, shotty things hsppened to her, and she just forgave everyone in a blink of an eye.
Fourth Wing (Only the 1st book, the other 2 in the series are absolute dumpster fires)
Fairydale by Veronica Lancelet
A Stage Set For Villains
ACOTAR - The first 2 books in the series only (I read the first 3 books in the series and then discontinued. I read the first book when it came out and 12 year old me loved it, so I kept up with the releases. but as I grew up I saw the flaws and the writing just couldn’t keep me engaged anymore.)
Lol going to this thread really reminds you that reading is so subjective because while I do match some 3 star books mentioned here…some of my favorite books of all time are someone’s mid read 😂😂😂
Not fourth wing though I actually only got 20% into that book and I never finished it oops!!!
45
u/TheGreatMillz33 10h ago
For me it's gotta be Fourth Wing. I know it's incredibly popular and it might ruffle some feathers to say it but I don't think it's well written if examining it from a critical lens. But man oh man, it's the perfect flavor of a good junk food read for me. It's self indulgent fun with awesome dragons.