Francesca's Thoughts

Hello. Francesca Astraea here. Make a cup of tea and settle in for a chat!

Rotting Trees Buyer’s Guide

Occasionally I am asked what sort of books I write. I usually say ‘urban fantasy’ or ‘magical and a bit strange.’ Mostly I try to change the subject, because it feels like being asked my bra size. It’s not a secret but I’d rather talk about the weather. I am aware this is not helpful for selling books. So, in attempt to get better at talking about bras books I thought I’d read through reviews left for Rotting Trees by existing readers and and reviewers I sent advanced reader copies to a year ago. (If you’re new here, hello, Rotting Trees is the first in a trilogy set in a magical antiques shop. Here’s where you can find a copy).

I read through reviews on StoryGraph and GoodReads and discovered that Rotting Trees – officially a young adult urban fantasy for fans of Pratchett and The Raven Cycle – actually holds appeal to five different groups… (Click on the images to enlarge them!)

white on green text reads 'A Buyer’s Guide to Rotting Trees according to reviewers'

Teens and young adults after a coming-of-age story ft. a realistic teen

Is Ariel realistic? Yes. Will you absolutely love and support her decisions? Unlikely. Is there a correlation between those two things, one wonders…

White on green text reading 'teens and young adults after a coming-of-age story ft. a realistic teen disclaimer: there are 2 more books in the series for Ariel to grow up in, give her a minute, she’s kind of stressed “Ariel is a great protagonist. Her thoughts, feelings and actions feel realistic for a teenage girl, and I really loved witnessing her character development as the story progressed.” “I appreciate how Ariel reacted to certain situations, it felt realistic for how a 15/16 year old would act, and only added to her character and my enjoyment of the novel.”'

Teachers and parents looking for a gift

Will the teens and youths in your life enjoy the novel? Who can tell. Is it more fun than homework? ABSOLUTELY. (I wrote quite a lot of it procrastinating my homework.)

white on green text reading 'teachers & parents looking for a gift it’s fun to read and educational but not in a homework-y way “There were enough moments that commented on the current social climate that makes this book relevant.” “I immediately recommended it to a few friends who have tween and teen kids where I know they enjoy fantasy.” “This whimsical, magical story is filled with history, enchantments and learning about how to navigate relationships of all sorts, seeing what is truly right, wrong or in that grey area. And how to deal with that grey area.”'

People who want to read more but god where does the time go

It’s not that long, whether in ebook or paperback form, and can fit quite nicely into a bag. Ideal for a train or bus commute, or while you’re waiting for a baked potato to get nice and crispy. Paperback would also work as a placemat.

White on green text reading 'people who want to read more but god where does the time go it’s not that long if you’re worried about your attention span “I was hooked after the first couple of chapters.” “The plot kept me entertained from the start.” “A very easily readable book.” “I was invested the whole way through.”'

Fans of horror and urban fantasy who don’t like jump scares

I will be honest it took me a few edits to realise that what I’d conceptualised as a relatively cosy, bizarre fantasy novel was leaning into horror territory. Aside from the Magnus Archives, I am not remotely a horror fan, except maybe I am. Mirrornovel, the sequel, is weirder and leans into horror quite a bit more. Look out for news about it in 2026!

White on green text reading 'fans of horror & urban fantasy who don’t like jump scares is it a cosy fantasy horror? maybe. “ The writing balances whimsical fantasy with a darker, haunting undercurrent.” “Such a whimsical and magical read.... Despite the book having the magical element, it felt very realistic as the magical element wasn’t farfetched.” “I loved the magical, witchy elements. They really made this book feel special, there was just enough magic to feel real.”'

Fans of history who aren’t feeling a massive historical retelling

I had adored Antonia Fraser’s Robin Hood when I was a child. I guess that’s less an historical retelling and more an interpretation of a legend (myth? I have no idea if Robin Hood actually existed). Anyway, Rotting Trees is the history enthusiast’s night off. I love history, and if I won the lottery I’d go and study a history degree at my own pace, but I’m not interested in writing about big historical events from the perspective of, say, the monarch. But thinking about historical events and systems and how they impact us today is how I like to roll.

White on green text 'fans of history who aren’t feeling a massive historical retelling no, there are no dates you have to remember “For those who love delving into the past, this would be right up your street!” “The way Astraea weaved together different timelines and generations worked incredibly well.” “ I liked how different timelines were weaved together seamlessly to create the bigger picture.”'

So, what’s stopping you? If you or a friend fit into any of these categories… here are those retail links again.

See you soon for some of my favourite reads in 2025 and look after yourselves,
Francesca

Thanks for reading. If you’d like to read my short stories and see behind-the-scenes work, you can sample? the No. 1 Reader’s Club on Patreon for a month with this link. No pressure to stick around! Think of it as trying a miniature dessert with no requirement to eat the whole menu. You can also find me on Ko-fi. Thank you for your support – you’re helping to fund this space and pay for other costs of running a creative business, like paying editors.

Here are the books I’ve published so far and where you can find them. If you enjoy my book recommendations, browse my Bookshop.org page here.

I’m on social media (reluctantly), via Instagram, Tumblr and Facebook. I prefer my montly-ish newsletter! You can find all my books and my unhinged reviews of books I love on GoodReads and StoryGraph.

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Francesca

Author • Scriptwriter • Extremely enthusiastic MCR fan.

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