Vagabond Treehouse ~ [Fall 2025: World of Chains #1-3 (Wayward Bard) | The Perfect Run 1-3 (alternating)] Showing 501-550 of 2,660

[Narilka]

Virginie wrote: "Nirkatze wrote: "I blame Soo & Iain for that too, Virginie! Have you read Dungeon Crawler Carl yet? We're currently thoroughly enamored of that series..."

No, I haven't. Iain told me about it as w..."

I enjoyed the Small Medium series. I love how the author continues with non-standard uses of mixing up classes. Blasphemy Online is NOT narrated by Reynolds, which is a shame since Reynolds is such an awesome narrator. I only did the first book on audio as they switched narrators for the remaining two books and I haven't sought out the ebooks yet. Threadbare 4 & 5 only incorporate Small Medium so I'm not sure how much the prequel series will play in the final book. I'll cycle it back in this summer and find out.

When you're ready for something funny and a tad gruesome you'll have to check out Dungeon Crawler Carl. It's litRPG and I finally started it last week. I'm through Ch 22 and (view spoiler)[a bit terrified for what the author has in store for those former nursing home residents. It's nice that the game is healing them in a way but I don't see them lasting long :( It's hitting a bit close to home with everything I've gone through with my mom these last several months. (hide spoiler)]

If you want something different and cozy, I blame Iain and Soo for introducing us to Beware of Chicken :D Kung fu farming is relaxing!

[Virginie]

@Narilka: Oh, that's a shame Reynolds isn't the narrator for the prequel series.
Kung fu farming sounds amazing! I've read some manwhas/watched some anime in that style. Usually some OP guy that goes "fuck adventuring, I'll pick up farming/open a show!"

I'll tell you guys when I get back to Threadbare, if I don't get distracted by all the recommendations you're giving me :D

[Timelord Iain, Tech Support]

You need to read them all... Right... NOW... ;)

Yea... 4 years of recommendations all at once can be a bit overwhelming :D

We've built up quite a collection of good material...

[Tonari no Emily]

Keep the recs coming! We'll get to them eventually ;D

Would be down for Orphan X at some point...

[Tonari no Emily]

I've definitely hit a lull in the past week or so.. Took me forever to get through Kushiel's Dart... Looking at my BR plans now... gonna have to make some cuts. ><

[Virginie]

Well, I listened to Legends and Latte up to chapter 12. It's amazingly relaxing and cozy, exactly what I wanted :)
(view spoiler)[So far, the cafe is up and running, and the baker from the heavens has been hired. I'm weirdly invested in this shop being a success even though I don't like coffee and pastries that much (hide spoiler)]

[Choko]

Haha! Virginie, I think we all felt that way! I think this is the magic of those cosies - you get invested in the regular, day to day life...

[Narilka]

Virginie wrote: "Well, I listened to Legends and Latte up to chapter 12. It's amazingly relaxing and cozy, exactly what I wanted :)
[spoilers removed]"

I have that in my TBR still. I'm looking forward to it :)

[Timelord Iain, Tech Support]

Virginie wrote: "Well, I listened to Legends and Latte up to chapter 12. It's amazingly relaxing and cozy, exactly what I wanted :)
[spoilers removed]"

Speaking of coffee... 1.5 or so years ago, I stumbled onto The Wizard's Butler through random Goodreads clicking, and got a bunch of people here to read it as well... another slice-of-life / cozy about exactly what the title says... there's some question if the wizard is a wizard or just senile... a sequel is coming someday...

But it was so fun, I tried the author's other series as well... he pretty much only does cozies, basically... his main/longer series is Trader's Tales:

Quarter Share

They're cozy sci-fi stories of coffee-making and mercantilism...

I got burned a bit by #6: Owner's Share, when some serious non-cozy things happened, but it was solidly cozy until then, and since... altho I've been reading the side series before continuing with 7-12...

There's alot of material:

Start -- 1st Ishmae trilogy -- Merchant Crew
Quarter Share
Half Share
Full Share

2nd Ishmael trilogy -- Military Crew
Double Share
Captain's Share
Owner's Share

Shaman's Tales -- overlaps first trilogy
South Coast
Cape Grace
Finwell Bay

Smuggler's Tales -- has relevant data to the 3rd Ishmael trilogy
Milk Run
Suicide Run
Home Run

3rd Ishmael trilogy -- into deep space to resolve dangling threads from 2nd trilogy finale
In Ashes Born
To Fire Called
By Darkness Forged

4th Ishmael trilogy -- Teaching Crew
School Days
Working Class
Hard Knocks

I've read through Finwell Bay... been a few months since my last read... Nirkatze and a few others read the first couple when they were on Audible Plus, I think...

[Timelord Iain, Tech Support]

Now I want to do a Wizard's Butler re-read... downloading now :D

[Virginie]

Great, another monster on my TBR. You're evil.

[Timelord Iain, Tech Support]

It's a nice long series for when you want something cozy to toss in between other reads, without needing a list of cozy standalones... not something to necessarily focus on...

Wizard's Butler is also how I/we found House Witch:

(really more one long story in 3 parts)
The House Witch
The House Witch 2
The House Witch 3

The Princess of Potential -- bridge story, 20 years later, daughter of the king & neighboring lord

(Again, probably one story in 3 parts, daughter of the House Witch, son of the king)
The Burning Witch
The Burning Witch 2
The Burning Witch 3

Another cozy series that started as a web serial on Royal Road... House Witch #3 isn't entirely cozy... the war that's been looming since mid book 1 finally happens...

Princess of Potential reminded me ofRadiance in parts... unlikely romance that came together well...

I found this last April, binged all 3... then a bunch of people did a Buddy Read shortly after... Princess of Potential came out on audio in September... few people read it, I finally read it in November, others have found time to read it since... we're Buddy Reading Burning Witch in April/May/June, thanks to well-timed audio releases...

You really need to stop reminding me of books :D

[Narilka]

Timelord Iain wrote: "Now I want to do a Wizard's Butler re-read... downloading now :D"

Per the authors blog he is writing a Wizard's Butler sequel right now.

[Nirkatze]

@Emily & Choko--do y'all want to tentatively schedule the first book of Orphan X for say, mid-early June? Like June 7? Or wait for next year?

@Virginie, re: Legends & Lattes--I love Thimble!!! I also really love how Baldree voices him.

re: Trader's Tales--Half Share (I think it was half, not full) burned me, with it's Harem plotline for an 18 y/o with a healing dick... Iain said they get better, but he also wasn't as bothered by the Harem plotline, so I haven't gotten back to those... I did like Wizard's Butler though, and Quarter Share.

[Timelord Iain, Tech Support]

Narilka wrote: "Timelord Iain wrote: "Now I want to do a Wizard's Butler re-read... downloading now :D"

Per the authors blog he is writing a Wizard's Butler sequel right now."

In fits & starts... he's been struggling to write it off and on for the past few years... he paused at one point and wrote the SC Marva Collins trilogy that came out last year (4th Ishmael trilogy mentioned above)...

His March 2024 update said it's started working for him again, and he's writing slowly...

[Timelord Iain, Tech Support]

Nirkatze wrote: "@Emily & Choko--do y'all want to tentatively schedule the first book of Orphan X for say, mid-early June? Like June 7? Or wait for next year?

@Virginie, re: Legends & Lattes--I love Thimble!!! I a..."

re:Trader's Tales... yea... Ishmael gets around in the 2nd and 3rd book... then there's a 4 year time jump for military school, and the 2nd trilogy he's a bit older... 4th book has a fake harem because the crew is toxic and the women are being taken advantage of and Ishmael fixes it... 5th and 6th book he's married, single/celibate, or monogomous, to varying degrees... years also keep passing and he's 30s/40s by the end of the 2nd trilogy...

I doubt he has much time for romance in the 3rd trilogy... the non-cozy thing that happened in book 6 was (view spoiler)[the death of the woman he loved and was going to marry I think (hide spoiler)]... the 3rd trilogy is a revenge mission into deep space and the return of his mercantile friend from the first trilogy...

Maybe there'll be romance in the 4th trilogy, after some healing...

[Choko]

I am good with June for OX!

[Timelord Iain, Tech Support]

Re-read Wizard's Butler last night and this morning... totally wishing for more in a similar vein, all over again... already read House Witch... most of the other recommendations on Goodreads, I've already read, or are on pre-order for audio release in the near future (like that Coup of Tea trilogy)...

[Choko]

Iain, I am thinking about reading Cinnamon Bun this weekend, is it worth starting, since there are 5 books to it?

[Timelord Iain, Tech Support]

Choko wrote: "Iain, I am thinking about reading Cinnamon Bun this weekend, is it worth starting, since there are 5 books to it?"

Sure is... if you read books 1-2, we can read 3-5 together :D
I mostly paused on it to try the other series, and because I feel like I'm wasting tons of BR opportunities :D

I liked it from the get-go, but I think BB's style really starts coming together after a few chapters, when she starts running into other living characters and interacting with them...

Maybe I'll do a re-read, even tho it's only been 5 months since I read it the first time... I'm really in a cozy mood and struggling to find new things to try...

[Choko]

Let's do it! This weekend!

[Nirkatze]

Bloody hell, I'm too booked in March, you people reading things without me... *grumble wumble mumble* I'll just have to pick up Cinnamon Bun on my own someday...

[Timelord Iain, Tech Support]

Nirkatze wrote: "Bloody hell, I'm too booked in March, you people reading things without me... *grumble wumble mumble* I'll just have to pick up Cinnamon Bun on my own someday..."

SUNDAY

Fixed that for you ;)

(it's kinda hard to see strikethrough in italics and on a black background... hopefully it's more visible to you guys that I struck out someday and replaced it with sunday :D

[Nirkatze]

LOL we'll see... if I manage to catch up on BRs... I'm 4 days behind right now... working my way through the 10th... only one book on 11th, 12th is an eye-read, but then 3 on the 13th, one on 14th, and SEVEN on the 15th... trying to do 2 1/2 books a day on audio if I can, along with a few chapters of eye-reads... but then Spring Break will be over, and I'll be back to regular schedule...

[Nirkatze]

@Choko & Emily--I put in a request for the first book of Orphan X for June 7. We can figure out scheduling for the rest then.

@Iain & Choko--are you doing ALL the Cinnamon Bun books on Sunday? >.<

[Virginie]

Finished Legends & Latte: (view spoiler)[
The coffeeshop burning stressed me out! Even though I was expecting it 'cause I could tell that's where the narrative was going, it still shocked me out of my cozy mood, like being slapped with reality :O
Oh, and I loved the giant cat. The trope of "monstrous murder-machine behaving like a pet and being protective of their chosen place/owners" is one of my favorite. I may also be itching to adopt a fluffy meower, but can't 'cause I need to get my shit together a bit more before :( (hide spoiler)]

Am already 2/3 through the prequel :)

[Timelord Iain, Tech Support]

Nirkatze wrote: "@Choko & Emily--I put in a request for the first book of Orphan X for June 7. We can figure out scheduling for the rest then.

@Iain & Choko--are you doing ALL the Cinnamon Bun books on Sunday? >.<"

Pretty sure it's just #1, with 2-5 happening in the future, when Choko has time...

[Tonari no Emily]

Choko wrote: "I am good with June for OX!"

Yeah I'll probably be ready then!

[Tonari no Emily]

Noooo I'm already so behind but Cinnamon Bun sounds so enticing :D

[Timelord Iain, Tech Support]

Maybe you're just hungry? ;) :D

[Tonari no Emily]

Okay but an actual cinnamon bun does sound delicious :D

[Narilka]

Dungeon Crawler Carl through ch 31 (view spoiler)[Oh dear lol Nice boss kill. Got them on TV! Just what Donut was hoping for. And how she has followers lol

I'm still concerned at how all the geriatrics are going to be wiped out. Maybe I'm being overly pessimistic and they actually survive to the 4th floor to pick a class. (hide spoiler)]

[Choko]

Hahaha! I might do a lot of Cinnamon Buns this weekend, but just the one book:)) They do sound delicious!

[Choko]

Narilka, I was worried about them too! And their caregivers also seem exhausted...

[Choko]

Virginie, I want one of those cat monsters too... However, I am not in a place to be able to take care of yet another soul right now...

[Nirkatze]

@Virginie & Choko--I too am on the cat bus--not even monster cat, I just want a cat!! I feel you, having to wait... I've been waiting 10 years, since I got my own place, since I knew at some point my mom would move in with me when she sold her place and she's deadly allergic... and now she has moved in with me, so that part of the wait is over, but not it's waiting for her to get her next place... THEN I can get a cat...

@Narilka--if you want to know... (view spoiler)[some of them do make it at least as far as we've read so far, but not all of them. (hide spoiler)]

Y'all's cinnamon bun plots are nefarious... I don't think I could make them, but I might have to detour and find some...

[Virginie]

Re:cats -- Yup, I'd settle for a house cat instead of a monster one. It's been years since my childhood cat passed and I'm ready emotionally, but I don't think I could properly care for one, or at least not the way they deserve. I've been avoiding going to a refuge ever since I moved to a new city (I used to volunteer at one from time to time before) because I know that if I set foot in one, leaving with only one cat is the best case scenario.

[Ann-Marie]

I want to also read Cinnamon Bun but it'll be a few weeks before I get to it.

[Nirkatze]

re: Cats--I hear you, Virginie... I hope your life finds cat-worthy equilibrium in good time! I often find myself trawling petfinder pages and youtube cat videos...

Yup, I just spent the last 10 minutes between starting and finishing this comment watching a kitten montage video. I don't know if it helped or exacerbated the problem though...

[Timelord Iain, Tech Support]

Ann-Marie wrote: "I want to also read Cinnamon Bun but it'll be a few weeks before I get to it."

It can still count for BR competition points, as long as you get to it within 2 weeks of us starting this Saturday :D

And talk about it in this thread...

[Narilka]

Nirkatze wrote: "@Narilka--if you want to know...."

Thanks. That eases my mind a bit :)

[Nirkatze]

OKAY! I'm squeezing in Cinnamon Bun! Very tight squeeze, had to suck in tummy muscles and use elbows to cram properly.

The Chapter Zero DEFINITELY makes me want to eat a Cinnamon Bun. Evil conspiracy.

[Timelord Iain, Tech Support]

lol... gonna start it next...

Team Broccoli Bunch / BB

[Timelord Iain, Tech Support]

Finally doing a bit of reading, after a long day of TV... took a short drive, listening was natural :D

[Timelord Iain, Tech Support]

Nirkatze wrote: "OKAY! I'm squeezing in Cinnamon Bun! Very tight squeeze, had to suck in tummy muscles and use elbows to cram properly.

The Chapter Zero DEFINITELY makes me want to eat a Cinnamon Bun. Evil conspir..."

The opening reminds me of games video game litRPG precursors... AKA (view spoiler)[games that start in a school classroom, and the characters get sucked into game world... I swear that happens in Final Fantasy Tactics Advance or some other gameboy game I played as a kid... (hide spoiler)]

[Timelord Iain, Tech Support]

The first couple chapters of Cinnamon Bun feel jam-packed even on re-read... things settle down after a couple chapters...

[Timelord Iain, Tech Support]

Chapter 4-6: (view spoiler)[the way she just accidentally becomes a paladin/necromancer is hilarious... she quickly stops doing that stuff later, as soon as she gets to a safer location...

And cleaning is clearly OP, if it can just strip away acne scars / blemishes / etc... (hide spoiler)]

[Nirkatze]

Timelord Iain wrote: "The opening reminds me of games video game litRPG precursors... AKA [games that start in a school classroom, and the characters get sucked into game world..."

Isekai games! It just makes me want to play any video game again... bad timing, since Spring Break is essentially over at this point and I did not get anywhere near enough work done... next chance will be summer...

Super cozy so far... very cute... through Cinnamon Bun Chapter 13 (view spoiler)[the Alice in Wonderland references are a jarring crazy note--but I like the puzzle aspect, and insight skill seems especially useful... (hide spoiler)]

Through Chapter 20--(view spoiler)[She finally meets people!! And they're like... TMNT people! With French accents! (hide spoiler)]

This reminds me a lot of Wandering Inn so far, if Erin never left the Inn... or if the Inn traveled with her and the Dungeon wasn't actually scary... especially BB's chatter & naievety. Though BB seems actually naive, not just forcibly cheerful with cunning underneath.

[Timelord Iain, Tech Support]

Yea... BB is naive... except it works so well for her... for the most part...

She proves a bit smarter later on, when the political intrigue kicks in, a bit...

[Nirkatze]

That's good to hear!
Cinnamon Bun Chapter 32--(view spoiler)[I like that she's managing to level up her friend-making skill! Kind of reminds me of a story I hears, of a Pandaren in World of Warcraft who managed to level to max by only picking flowers and never did a quest or killed a mob.

Still getting big Wandering Inn vibes, but now thinking if Erin became an adventurer. And the world wasn't out to get everyone. (hide spoiler)]