I desperately need more people read the Guild Codex series' by Annette Marie. They're so freaking good and the fandom is way too small.
They've got interesting lore and world building, great plot, interconnecting story-lines that work together and individually, Magic, Dragons, Hot Mages and Demons, and deep and interesting characters.
Really it's something tumbr people specifically would love, and really anyone who enjoys reading urban fantasy.
Every book is available as an audio book, and here's also a webtoon.
The Guild Codex - Spellbound #1: Three Mages and a Margarita by Annette Marie
Synopsis:
"Broke, almost homeless, and recently fired. Those are my official reasons for answering a wanted ad for a skeevy-looking bartender gig.
It went downhill the moment they asked me to do a trial shift instead of an interview — to see if I'd mesh with their "special" clientele. I think that part went great. Their customers were complete dickheads, and I was an asshole right back. That's the definition of fitting in, right?
I expected to get thrown out on my ass. Instead, they… offered me the job?
It turns out this place isn't a bar. It's a guild. And the three cocky guys I drenched with a margarita during my trial? Yeah, they were mages. Either I'm exactly the kind of takes-no-shit bartender this guild needs, or there's a good reason no one else wants to work here.
So what's a broke girl to do? Take the job, of course — with a pay raise."
My thoughts:
The first thing I need to get off my chest is that the english (american? Canadian?) Cover is horrible. Who designed that? Who is that?? Why is does it look like that??
The german cover, while being plain purple with golden letters for the title, may look boring, but it did make me pick up the book. If I had seen this one first I would not have touched the story with a ten feet pole.
Anyways.
The story is exactly what the Synopsis said. It leans more to the cozy fantasy side of things (healing, learning to trust others) without actually being cozy fantasy (too much violence and murder in the last third of the book). Tori herself is also a bit too violent to fit into a cozy fantasy lol
The story, short as it was, was very fun to read. The Guild and its members remind me of Fairy Tail in the best way possible (friendship, loyalty, found family).
The action scenes were easy enough to follow, the romance was okay (I kind of want all of them to end up together lmao, this is a first) and the worldbuilding was... there. I hope that this will be worked on in the next book, because I need all the info on Ezra, Aaron's family and Tori's shitty dad.
Your body could build my grave, with leather and lace. You take all my breath away, with that face. Cause she's drop dead gorgeous, I think she knows it. I think she knows it... But if she ever left, I would just drop dead.
I animated Ashoakmaple's art of Tori and Ezra from Annette Marie's The Guild Codex! Song: Drop Dead Gorgeous by Voilà, perfectly recommended by this podcast!
the main character actually being relatable and not secretly superhuman stomping her way into the world of magic cause she's just that stubborn and broke
healthy relationships
books that feel like a really good fanfic, not from tropes, but cause the author doesn't think they're better or smarter than you
