“She'd never imagined any of this--- this island, the greenhouses, the purpose she'd found in translating the late sorcerer's spells, the new community they were building, the plants and the dragons, the winged cat, and Yarrow. All of it. She hadn't even known this life was out there to dream about. Now, though, it was the life she wanted. "I'm home," Terlu told him. Drawing her closer, he kissed her, and she kissed him back. Above them, the snow fell gently on the greenhouse, while inside and all around them, the flowers bloomed.” FantasyNew LifeHappily Ever AfterRomantasyCottagecoreGreenhouseBelonging Place Book:The Enchanted Greenhouse Source: The Enchanted Greenhouse
“At the Great Library of Alyssum, all the librarians' meals were prepared by unseen cooks in a kitchen on a level devoid of books. Several of their cooks were high-caliber chefs, with a pedigree that included many noble houses and often even the imperial palace. They were expected to provide meals for the sorcerers who consulted the library, and so for that reason, they often turned out perfectly roasted meats, delicately spiced pastries, and mouthwatering desserts with custards that looked like they were made of molten gold. Terlu had often ordered just desserts for her meals, especially near the end, when she felt she needed more and more comfort food. Once, she'd gotten an exquisite puff pastry swan, a leftover from an imperial party that had been held in one of the grander rooms of the library. Her fondness for sweets was part of why a lover had once described her as "pleasantly huggable," a description she was perfectly fine with if it meant she'd gotten to eat pastry swans. She'd also had some amazing meals on her home island of Eano: a coconut curry made by one of her aunts that had been known to reduce grown mean and women to tears, a duck roasted over a fire pit after marinating in a special secret sauce, and dragonfruit jelly on a hot, buttery donut... But Terlu thought she had never tasted anything as good as this soup. Did he make this? It had herbs she had no name for, but they made her feel as if she were being hugged. It was warm and nutty, and the vegetables--- which she also couldn't identify--- were sometimes sweet and sometimes tart and always perfect. The broth warmed her throat, straight down to her stomach, and she felt its warmth spread to the rest of her.” FantasyMealsAcademic LifeVegetable SoupHuggable Book:The Enchanted Greenhouse Source: The Enchanted Greenhouse
“False moonlight bathed the greenhouse in a pale blue light. At the peak of the cupola, an imitation moon was cradled in a web of glittering strands. Swirls of sparkling cloud drifted through on a breath of impossible wind. The flowers were a deep blue, black, and gray--- the colors of a garden at night. Even their leaves were a dark gray. Starlike sparkles drifted up from the blossoms, as if the flowers were breathing out stardust. It smelled like jasmine.” FantasyMoonlightStardustJasmineGreenhouse Book:The Enchanted Greenhouse Source: The Enchanted Greenhouse
“Despite the fact that most of the market's customers were dressed in draped fabrics while she and Jack were in shorts and T-shirts, no one stared at them. There was enough variation in the shoppers and the vendors that their differences were unremarkable: skin colors from blue to coal-black to pink to bronze to metallic silver. A few shoppers were covered in fur. One woman sported beige-colored wings. She had on a necklace of bird bones that fell down to her stomach. Another had talons instead of hands. He clicked them together in rhythm with his footsteps. Calisa could have wandered through the stalls forever, filling her eyes with all the impossible people and the beautiful oddities on display.” FantasyDifferent WorldMythical BeingsSkin Tones Book:The Faraway Inn Source: The Faraway Inn