Forever Lost in Literature

The Friday Face-Off: Current Read #34

2025-01-17T02:00:00.000-08:00

Welcome to The Friday Face-Off, a weekly meme at Books by Proxy. Join us every Friday as we pit cover against cover, and publisher against publisher, to find the best artwork in our literary universe. You can find a list of upcoming topics at Lynn's Books.

This week's topic is:

Current Read #34

I was actually going to post a review today, but some things came up and changed those plans, so instead we've done a last minute pivot to a Friday Face-Off, because why not? It's been a while since I've done one, and it's always nice to take some time to appreciate cover art. I actually decided to re-read How High We Go in the Dark by Sequoia Nagamatsu this week, and it's been just as heartbreaking and wonderful as I remember. Honestly, sometimes I wonder why I do these things to myself considering how sad some of the stories in this collection are. But regardless, there are some lovely editions of this book out in the world, so let's have a look at some of them.

2022 US Hardcover | 2024 Catalan/Valencian | 2024 Arabic

2022 UK Hardcover | 2023 UK Paperback | 2023 Italian

2023 Chinese | 2023 Bulgarian | 2024 Korean

My favorite(s):

These are all so gorgeous! I am finding myself particularly drawn to the Chinese and US Hardcover editions. I just love the simplicity of most of these, and I wish I could own a copy of the Chinese one (I already own the US edition) because it's so beautiful and I think it really captures the sort of melancholy/hopeful/sad feelings this collection evokes.

Can't-Wait Wednesday: The Black Orb by Ewhan Kim, Upon a Starlit Tide by Kell Woods, & The Poorly Made and Other Things by Sam Rebelein

2025-01-15T02:00:00.000-08:00

Can't-Wait is a weekly meme hosted by Wishful Endings that spotlights exciting upcoming releases that we can't wait to be released!

The Black Orb by Ewhan Kim
Publication: February 4th, 2025
MIRA
Hardcover. 304 pages.
Pre-order: Amazon | Bookshop.org

From Goodreads:
"One evening in downtown Seoul, Jeong-su is smoking a cigarette outside when he sees something impossible: a huge black orb appears out of nowhere and sucks his neighbor inside. Jeong-su manages to get away, but the terrifying sphere can move through walls, so he’s sure he won’t be able to hide for long.

The orb soon begins consuming every person caught in its path, and no one knows how to stop it. Impervious to bullets and tanks, the orb splits and multiplies, chasing the hapless residents of Seoul out into the country and sparking a global crisis with widespread violence and looting. Jeong-su must rely on his wits as he makes the arduous journey in search of his elderly parents. But the strangest phases of this ever-expanding disaster are yet to come and Jeong-su will be forced to question everything he has taken for granted.

Dryly funny, propulsive and absurd, The Black Orb is terrifyingly prescient about the fragility of human civilization."

This sounds so weird and I'm totally here for it.

Upon a Starlit Tide by Kell Woods
Publication: February 18th, 2025
Tor
Hardcover. 432 pages.
Pre-order: Amazon | Bookshop.org

From Goodreads:
"Saint-Malo, Brittany, 1758.
For Lucinde Leon, the youngest daughter of one of Saint-Malo's wealthiest ship-owners, the high walls of the city are more hindrance than haven. While her sisters are interested in securing advantageous marriages, Luce dreams of escaping her elegant but stifling home and joining a ship's crew. Only Samuel—Luce's best friend and an English smuggler—understands her longing for the sea, secretly teaching her to sail whenever she can sneak away. For Luce, the stolen time on the water with Samuel is precious.

One stormy morning, Luce's plans are blown off course when she rescues Morgan de Chatelaine, the youngest son of the most powerful ship-owner in Saint-Malo, from the sea. Immediately drawn to his charm and sense of adventure, she longs to attend the glittering ball held in honor of his safe return and begins to contemplate a different kind of future for herself.

But it is not only Luce's hopes at stake—the local fae are leaving Brittany and taking their magic with them, while the long-standing war with the English means Saint-Malo is always at risk of attack. As Luce is plunged into a world of magic, brutality, and seduction, secrets that have long been lost in the shadowy depths of the ocean begin to rise to the surface. The truth of her own power is growing brighter and brighter, shining like a sea-glass slipper.

Or the scales of a sea-maid's tail."

I enjoyed Woods' After the Forest and I'm really intrigued by the general setup of this one, so I'm looking forward to checking it out.

The Poorly Made and Other Things by Sam Rebelein
Publication: February 11th, 2025
William Morrow
Paperback. 288 pages.
Pre-order: Amazon | Bookshop.org

From Goodreads:
"There’s something wrong in Renfield County.

It’s in the water, the soil, the wood. But worst of all, it’s in the minds of the residents, slowly driving them mad. When Lawrence Renfield massacred his family and drew The Giant in his farmhouse with their blood, no one imagined the repercussions. At the very least, the bloodstained wood should have been set aflame, not chopped down and repurposed as furniture, décor, and heirlooms across the county. But that’s exactly what happened. Now regular people—like you and me—are sitting on… eating with… admiring… the cursed wood and reaping the consequences.

These are their stories.

In “My Name Is Ellie” a young girl uncovers disturbing secrets hiding in the walls of her beloved grandmother’s home. An unassuming box, built with reclaimed wood, connects a grieving widower with his late wife’s lingering spirit in “Hector Brim.” In “Detour” a father, desperate to return home, finds himself trapped in a dizzying maze, haunted by stories of lurking monsters that live off the remains of weary travelers.

Playing with the uncanny to explore themes of loneliness and grief, Sam Rebelein returns upstate to unravel the mysteries of Renfield. But regardless of what started the trouble, there’s one thing of which we can be for those living here, the nightmare is far from over."

I haven't read anything from this author yet so I'm unfamiliar with the setting of this book, but I'm hoping that's okay because this sounds so good!

Review: The Way Up is Death by Dan Hanks

2025-01-14T02:00:00.000-08:00

The Way Up is Death by Dan Hanks

Angry Robot

Publication Date: January 14th, 2024
Paperback. 400 pages.

About The Way Up is Death:

"When a mysterious tower appears in the skies over England, thirteen strangers are pulled from their lives to stand before it as a countdown begins. Above the doorway is one word: ASCEND.

As a grieving teacher, a reclusive artist, and a narcissistic celebrity children’s author lead the others in trying to understand why they’ve been chosen and what the tower is, it soon becomes clear the only way out of this for everyone… is up.

And so begins a race to the top, through sinking ships, haunted houses and other waking nightmares, as the group fights to hold onto its humanity, while the twisted horror of why they’re here grows ever more apparent – and death stalks their every move."

This was my first encounter with Dan Hanks' writing, and I’m already keen to explore more of his work, especially when I’m craving something intense and gripping. The Way Up Is Death is a dark, stress-inducing mystery wrapped up in a high-stakes horror/thriller. It’s also supremely high stakes, and those high stakes only grow as the story progresses and our characters ascend in this mysterious structure. There are new horror awaiting the characters around every corner, and it is truly relentless with an atmosphere drenched in dread and anticipation.

The Way Up is Death kicks off with the sudden appearance of a strange, floating structure in the sky. Initially, there's panic and speculation as people try to understand its purpose, but when nothing significant happens after a while, society gradually returns to normal. That is, until one day when thirteen individuals are seemingly plucked out of thin air from their lives and find themselves inside this enigmatic tower. Once there, a countdown begins with only word shown: ascend. All they can do now is try to figure out a way to go up, though none of them know what awaits them at the top, and most importantly, they must survive the trip.

The cast of characters is diverse and compelling. There's a mix of personalities, from the harmless to those you root for to the mildly annoying, and to the downright egotistical and dangerous. While such a wide array of characters can sometimes feel a bit exaggerated, I felt it served a good purpose here in offering a glimpse into how different types of people might react under extreme stress and chaos. This also applies to a sense of predictability that sometimes comes into play with some stereotypes and how you might expect things to turn out, but I think it all work out well together. It was also initially a little tricky keeping track of everyone, but as the story progressed it became easier to note each character’s distinct traits, and I found watching how they evolved–or didn’t–a really engaging aspect.

One of my favorite parts of The Way Up is Death is the sheer creativity involved in the design of the tower’s “levels” (or, perhaps, the sadistic creativity, one might say?). Each new level presents a unique and often harrowing challenge, and I thought some of the later stages were particularly intriguing. The puzzles and obstacles are intricate and imaginative and provided a great foundation to learn more about characters and their perspectives, as well as how they interact with one another.

The pacing is relentless from start to finish, with action-packed sequences there to keep driving the narrative forward. As much as this can sometimes be welcome in books to make for a gripping narrative, I was slightly disappointed by just how quickly this moved at times and how much it really seemed to just be one action event after another. We got a little down time here and there to get to know our characters, but I wouldn't have minded a few more moments of meaningful discussion from them. That said, we do still get some great conversations between our characters around the tower’s purpose, humanity’s role, the earth, and a few topics that added a lot of depth to the story.

I found that hope seemed to be a recurring theme in this story as well, with some of our characters offering reflections on their own lives and what the future may hold for both themselves and others. These moments of introspection and thoughtfulness provided a nice counterbalance to the terror and fear that permeates the rest of the story.

The ending is fittingly intense and momentous, though it left me wanting more–more background, more about the tower–but I also understand that some mysteries are meant to remain unsolved, and this book handled that idea really well. It’s both resolved and a little bit open-ended, and it struck that balance well.

Overall, The Way Up is Death is a compelling blend of SFF, horror, and thriller. If you’re looking for something fast-paced, high-stakes, and thought-provoking, then this may be a good option for your next read.

*I received a copy of The Way Up is Death in exchange for an honest review. This has no affect on my rating.*

Buy the book: Amazon | Bookshop.org

2024 Reading Stats!

2025-01-13T02:00:00.000-08:00

The time has come to go through my 2024 reading stats! This is the last of my 'end of year' posts (you can find part one and part two of my best books of 2024 lists here and here, respectively!) and it's usually one of my favorite s to make because it's really fun to just get a broad look at what my reading year was like as a whole and be able to pinpoint certain trends and even better understand my reading. To obtain these stats, I take a few graphics from the Goodreads year in review, and the rest are from my personal Excel spreadsheet where I keep track of the books I read throughout the year and some additional information about them like page counts, format, publisher, etc. I do this every year, and last year's post can be found here.

Before I get into the stats, just a quick note to say I apologize for not getting this up last week as I had planned! I live in the Los Angeles area and the recent fires definitely impacted my ability to focus and get some things done. I fortunately live a little outside of the evacuation zones and am safe here with my husband and dog, but it's been really heartbreaking to see all of the devastation occurring around us. I'm hoping this post can be a little bit of a reprieve where I can just focus on books and reading and you can also just focus on books and reading, so let's get into it!

Yearly Totals:

The funniest part is that I think I read less pages than last year, yet more books! I think this is because for some reason, there were a lot more novellas and just slightly shorter books that were published this year and I happened to read a lot of them, I guess. Has anyone else noticed that the average page count of new releases seems a bit shorter than they used to be, or is it just me?

The average page length was 377 last year, so definitely lower this year and my reading hasn't changed too much.

This almost always ends up being my average rating because it's usually a little inflated since I typically round up my ratings on Goodreads (for instance, I do a lot of .25, .5, and .75 star ratings).

Unsurprising top book (not the best, but I'm committed to the series at this point), but ya'll, go read Baby Bird for all your body horror needs and give it some love!

So this is the book that came up in the my end of year review, but I went to my shelf on Goodreads to verify and there were actually two books with a 4.57 average rating at the time so I'm taking that as a tie and I'm including both books! Both of these make sense for having really high ratings because one, of course they are great reads, but two, they are later books in different series and typically people who have made it that far in a series are already enjoying and are likely to keep enjoying it. That being said, both of these reviews are a blast and I recommend both.

I just wanted to include this because I loved this book so much. I don't think I did a full length review for it, though, only shared my thoughts here on Goodreads.

Stats:
Alright, now it's time to get to the nitty-gritty details of what I read this year. In this section, I'll take a look at genres, page count, format, etc. I tend to compare it to my previous year's post to see how things change year to year. So, let's have a look:

Genre

Some of these numbers are ridiculously similar to last year, so I guess I can be fairly consistent. This year, my fantasy slice (38.3%) is just about the same as last year (38.6%), and my historical fiction is also about the same as last year (6%). I did mean to read more historical fiction this year because I really do love it, but I guess that didn't really happen, haha. I thought my horror slice (22.8%) would be bigger this year because I felt like I read a lot of horror, but it was actually slightly lower than last year (25%), and I am wondering if I included any thrillers in the horror section last year. This year I have a general 'fiction' category (9.4%) that includes general fiction and literary fiction, and that is relatively the same. My science fiction slice (8.7%) declined a bit, but my nonfiction is probably what increased the most–from 2.3% last year to 11.4% this year! I really did read a decent bit of nonfiction this year, and that's something I'd love to keep up this year.

Target Audience

This, as usual, is no surprise. I mainly read books in the adult category (94.2%), and very seldom pick up young adult books (3.9%) these days. I am a bit surprised my middle grade category (1.9%) is so low, though, as I really do love some good middle grade, so I'll have to pay more attention to that one this year!

Format

These are surprisingly stable, as well. The biggest change is hardcover, which was 6.7% last year and is up to 14.9% this year. I chose not to separate out finished copies sent from publishers from library/owned copies, so that could account for it a bit this year as well. Physical ARCs also decreased slightly to 20%, though I feel like I got more finished copies than ARCs this year for some reason from publishers. Audiobooks only went up one percent (37%) from last year, and eARCs went down to 15.6%. It's still wild to me sometimes that audiobooks make up such a big part of my reading considering how much I struggled with them in the past, but now I really enjoy them.

Book Source

There are definitely some changes on this one! One change I made this year was I combined gifts that I have purchased and books that I've received as gifts into one 'owned' category. Still, I read more in the owned slice (25.3%) than last year's gifted and purchased combined (2.3%+11.5%), so it's always good to see I'm reading books off my shelves, haha. NetGalley is down a little this year at 17.5% (23.8% last year), but I do think I made it through ebooks a bit more slowly this year for some reason. My library usage (31.2%) apparently doubled this year, so hooray for that! I love my library, and I also love being able to use the Libby app to more easily access audiobooks. Publisher (24.7%) also decreased slightly, but I think that's because I tried to focus on some of the books I already owned as well last year. I also included author (1.3%) as a source, since I do still occasionally review books from authors who directly request a review! I used to do a lot more of these, but it's tapered off a bit in recent years.

Page Count

Most of my page counts are similar to last year, with the only noticeable increases being in the 1-200 page range, which tracks with what I mentioned earlier about somehow ending up reading a lot of shorter books that were published this year. I have a feeling this year might get me back into higher amounts of chunkier books due to some fantasy reading plans, among other, but time will tell!

Tell me about your year in books! Do you keep track of information for stats like this? If you do and you made a post that I haven't seen–or any type end of year post–leave me a link below because I love checking them out!

Can't-Wait Wednesday: The Garden by Nick Newman, Grave Empire by Richard Swan, Waiting for the Long Night Moon by Amanda Peters, & Boy by Nicole Galland

2025-01-08T02:00:00.000-08:00

Can't-Wait is a weekly meme hosted by Wishful Endings that spotlights exciting upcoming releases that we can't wait to be released!

February is absolutely packed with new releases, so today I'm sharing not two, not three, but four upcoming releases. Next week I'll return to my more usual amount of three. :)

The Garden by Nick Newman
Publication: February 18th, 2025
G.P. Putnam's Sons
Hardcover. 320 pages.
Pre-order: Amazon | Bookshop.org

From Goodreads:
"An eerie, hypnotic, darkly beautiful novel about two elderly sisters living alone at the edge of the world and how their lives unravel when their sanctum is breached, for fans of Piranesi and The Testaments.

In a place and time unknown, two elderly sisters live in a walled garden, secluded from the outside world. Evelyn and Lily have only ever known each other. What was before the garden, they have forgotten; what lies beyond it, they do not know. Each day is spent in languid service to their home: tending the bees, planting the crops, and dutifully following the instructions of the almanac written by their mother.

So when a nameless boy is found hiding in the boarded house at the center of their isolated grounds, their once-solitary lives are irrevocably disrupted. Who is he? Where did he come from? And most importantly, what does he want?

As suspicions gather and allegiances falter, Evelyn and Lily are forced to confront the dark truths about themselves, the garden, and the world as they’ve known it."

I was already sold by the Piranesi comp, but this sounds so intriguing and mysterious and I absolutely cannot wait to see what's going on with this one. I have an ARC that I'm hoping to get started on soon!

Grave Empire by Richard Swan
Publication: February 4th, 2025
Orbit
Paperback. 384 pages.
Pre-order: Amazon | Bookshop.org

From Goodreads:
"Blood once turned the wheels of empire. Now it is money.

A new age of exploration and innovation has dawned, and the Empire of the Wolf stands to take its place as the foremost power in the known world. Glory and riches await.

But dark days are coming. A mysterious plague has broken out in the pagan kingdoms to the north, while in the south, the Empire's proxy war in the lands of the wolfmen is weeks away from total collapse.

Worse still is the message brought to the Empress by two heretic monks, who claim to have lost contact with the spirits of the afterlife. The monks believe this is the start of an ancient prophecy heralding the end of days-the Great Silence.

It falls to Renata Rainer, a low-ranking ambassador to an enigmatic and vicious race of mermen, to seek answers from those who still practice the arcane arts. But with the road south beset by war and the Empire on the brink of supernatural catastrophe, soon there may not be a world left to save . . ."

I really enjoyed Richard Swan's Empire of the Wolf trilogy and I have been anxiously awaiting his new release!

Waiting for the Long Night Moon: Stories by Amanda Peters
Publication: February 11th, 2025
Harper Perennial
Paperback. 256 pages.
Pre-order: Amazon | Bookshop.org

From Goodreads:
"In her debut collection of short fiction, Amanda Peters describes the Indigenous experience from an astonishingly wide spectrum in time and place—from contact with the first European settlers to the forced removal of Indigenous children, to the present-day fight for the right to clean water.

In this intimate collection, Peters melds traditional storytelling with beautiful, spare prose to describe the dignity of the traditional way of life, the humiliations of systemic racism, and the resilient power to endure. A young man returns from residential school only to realize he can no longer communicate with his parents. As a water protector, a young woman finds purpose and healing on the front lines. An old man remembers his life as he patiently waits for death. And a young girl nervously dances in her first Mawi'omi. The collection also includes the story “The Berry Pickers," which inspired Peters' critically acclaimed novel of the same name, as well as the Indigenous Voices Award–nominated story “Pejipug (Winter Arrives)."

At times sad, sometimes disturbing but always redemptive, the stories in Waiting for the Long Night Moon will remind you that where there is grief there is also joy, where there is trauma there is resilience and, most importantly, there is power."

This sounds like a really powerful and thoughtful collection of stories, I'm hoping to have a chance to check it out soon.

Boy by Nicole Galland
Publication: February 25th, 2025
William Morrow
Hardcover. 352 pages.
Pre-order: Amazon | Bookshop.org

From Goodreads:
"From critically acclaimed author Nicole Galland, a vibrant and thought-provoking historical tale of love, political intrigue, and gender-swapping set in the theatre world of Elizabethan London.

Alexander “Sander” Cooke is the most celebrated “boy player” in the Chamberlain’s Men, William Shakespeare’s theatre company. Indeed, Sander’s androgynous beauty and deft portrayal of female roles have made him the toast of London, and his companionship is sought by noblewomen and -men alike. And yet, now at the height of his fame, he teeters on the cusp of adulthood, his future uncertain. Often, he wishes he could stop time and remain a boy forever.

Joan Buckler, Sander’s best friend, also has a dream. Though unschooled, she is whip-smart and fascinated by the snippets of natural philosophy to which she’s been exposed. And while she senses that Sander’s admiration for her is more than mere friendship, Joan’s true passion is knowledge, something that is nearly impossible for her to attain. As a woman, she has no place in the intellectual salons and cultural community of the day; only in disguise can she learn to her heart’s content.

Joan’s covert intellectual endeavors, coupled with Sander’s theatrical triumphs, attract the attention of none other than Francis Bacon: natural philosopher and trusted adviser to Queen Elizabeth. It is through their connection with Bacon—one of the greatest minds of their time—that their lives will be changed forever as they become embroiled in an intricate game of political intrigue that threatens their very survival.

Brimming with heart, curiosity, and rich historical detail, Boy offers an intimate glimpse of the moral complexities of a singular artistic era, and the roles we all choose to play on the world’s stage."

I am so intrigued by this story, and I believe it's based on a real person from history, Alexander Cooke, so I'm really eager to check this one out.

Best Books 2024, Pt. II: Backlist Titles & Honorable Mentions

2025-01-07T02:00:00.000-08:00

Welcome to the second part of my best books of 2024 lists! This post features my favorite books I read last year that are considered backlist titles, meaning they were published prior to 2024, and I've also included some honorable mentions that are 2024 releases I also loved, but didn't include in my previous list. This all sounds a little confusing when I try to type it out, but the gist of everything is: all of these books in my first post and this post are fantastic reads that I would recommend. My yearly stats post featuring all sorts of fun bookish stats (genres I read, length, format, etc.) will be up either by the end of this week or the beginning of next, so stay tuned for that! Now, let's get to the books.

Backlist Titles (anything published pre-2024)

(in no particular order)

Johnny Got His Gun by Dalton Trumbo
Johnny Got His Gun was written in 1938 and is often described as one of the greatest anti-war books. It is indeed an intense, often scathing look at the physical, psychological, and social effects of war. We spend the novel trapped inside the head of our protagonist, an injured soldier who has lost his limbs and his face and is himself trapped inside his own head. This was a difficult, gruesome, and oftentimes horrendous read, but it's such a worthwhile one and left me with so many feelings of anger, hopelessness, and a deep sadness. It was all of these things that made this such a standout read for me, and reminded me how important novels like these are (I first read The Things They Carried by Tim O'Brien in high school, and since then I've always held an appreciation for these stories). I really recommend it, but just keep in mind that it's really a pretty rough read and can be hard to stomach. The author, Dalton Trumbo, was also actually a screenwriter (known for movies like Spartacus, Roman Holiday, etc.) who was part of the "Hollywood Ten" blacklist from the mid-twentieth century.

Heartless by H.G. Parry
I have loved just about everything H.G. Parry has written, and this was no exception. I devour pretty much any Peter Pan retelling out there, and this has easily become one of my new favorites. It's dark and heartbreaking and bittersweet and complex and just perfect. I also appreciated how much Parry paid respect to the original text while makingt his her own. It made me very sad, which is exactly what I want from a good Peter Pan retelling, and left me with the largest book hangover. If you are at all a fan of Peter Pan retellings, this is one you must check out.

Alone on the Ice: The Greatest Survival Story in the History of Exploration by David Roberts
As I slowly work my way through as many exploration/survival stories of the Arctic and Antarctic, I have the pleasure of finally reading about Douglas Mawson's Australasian Antarctic Expedition and it was truly an exceptional read. Reading stories like this always leave me feeling so in awe of the feats that humans are capable of, and how much a desire for survival can really drive us. So many books claim to be the greatest survival story, and so many of them are accurate because they're all absolutely incredible and insane.

On Writing: A Memoir of The Craft by Stephen King
People are right, this really is a great book for writers! I'm really glad I finally got around to it. I wasn't sure if I wanted to include this on my favorites list because I wasn't sure if it really was a favorite. When I first started reading this book, I was a bit thrown off because the first part of it is a bit more biographical with Stephen King talking about his own life, but it's the second half where I feel he really shares some great writing wisdom and insight and made it something I wanted to highlight and think about it, and so for those reasons I've included it here on this list. If you're a writer, intend to write, or just want to read about writing, then this is a great book to pick up.

Dinotopia: A Land Apart from Time by James Gurney
Dinotopia is an illustrated fantasy story of a father and son who are shipwrecked on an island where dinosaurs are sapient and coexist peacefully with humans. This is honestly one of the coolest books and I so wish I had known this existed when I was a kid. I would have absolutely devoured it and it would've sparked my imagination to insane levels. The artwork is genuinely stunning and the sheer creativity and imaginative qualities of this book are amazing. Whether you're a kid or not, this book is amazing and I can't imagine you won't find something in it to appreciate. Thank you to Greg from Greg's Book Haven for talking about it so much over the years that I finally actually picked it up!

Honorable Mentions (2024 Releases)

(in no particular order)

The Rent Collectors: Exploitation, Murder, and Redemption in Immigrant LA by Jesse Katz - Review
The Rent Collectors by acclaimed journalist Jesse Katz is a nonfiction account of Giovanni Macedo's experiences as a member of the Columbia Lil Cycos. Katz covers Giovanni's upbringing and discovery of street gangs, including his attempt to kill someone to become a member and subsequently accidentally killing a newborn instead at just nineteen years old. From there, Katz takes us on a journey following Giovanni as the gang attempts to kill him for his failed job and eventually to his arrest and life behind bars up until this point in the present day. This is a harrowing journey, but it's one that kept me absolutely glued to the pages as I was led into the history of MacArthur Park and its vibrant street vending history, to better understanding immigrant stories of those vendors, and to learning more about the ins and outs of some of the 18th Street Gang and Mexican Mafia and what their rule on the streets really means. Overall, this is a nonfiction read that I would highly recommend to anyone who enjoys true crime, gang-related history, or maybe someone who lives in Southern California/LA like me and enjoys learning a bit more about where they live. This was, at times, a brutal story, but it's one that gave me a lot to think about and for that I'm very grateful.

The Phoenix Keeper - Review
The Phoenix Keeper has easily become one of my new favorite books and is one I absolutely could not get enough of. I may or may not still be harboring hopes to work at a zoo one day, so this book pretty much felt like a love letter to zoos and my desire to be a part of taking care of so many different animals and making sure they are happy and healthy, and even helping those who are slowly inching towards extinction (something that seems to be happening more often these days). MacLean captured an extreme love and passion for animals and animal care in this book and it showed on every page. She also mentioned in an author's note that she grew up visiting the San Diego Safari Park (or Wild Animal Park, as I recall it), and I loved connecting over this since that is also a place that holds a special place in my heart.

A Sorceress Comes to Call by T. Kingfisher
Almost everything written by T. Kingfisher feels like magic, and this was no exception. I really love reading books where so many of the characters are exceedingly competent and make generally good decisions and yet there's still plenty of crazy plot happenings that can still happen. I love that all of Kingfisher's books, whether strictly horror or not, have some sense of immense weirdness and a layer of darkness sitting in the atmosphere, and this book had all of that and so much more.

The Ministry of Time by Kaliane Bradley - Review
The Ministry of Time is a charming, insightful, and oftentimes bittersweet story that perfectly mixes time travel, a bit of spy thriller (but not in an overly action-packed way), humor, and even some romance into a story that provides endless entertainment and thoughtful discussion. This was such an entertaining read that even if you’re not a fan of time travel, I’d encourage you to give this one a shot. I really enjoyed this one and found it be as funny as it was poignant. This is the perfect entertaining read that has a little something for everyone and I'm curious to see how it will be adapted!

Stone Blind by Natalie Haynes
I've read so many Greek myth retellings lately that I keep thinking I'm burnt out on them, but then I start reading one like Natalie Haynes' Stone Blind and I can't help but forget that I'm tired of them–this was stunning, hilarious, and tragic all at the same time. I really enjoyed getting to spend this story in the head of Medusa and experience Haynes' thoughtfully crafted exploration of Medusa's story. This is a great read for any mythology fans!

Have you read any of these? Be sure to let me know in the comments below what you thought of them if you have! Also, be sure to let me know in the comments what some of your favorite books were that you read last year, or leave a link to your own 'best of' lists!

Best Books of 2024, Pt. I: 2024 Releases

2025-01-06T02:00:00.000-08:00

The time has finally arrived for me to share with all of you the best books I read in 2024!

I usually read over a hundred books every year, so I always struggle to pick just one or two favorite books. Instead, I usually break them up into categories, and these are my breakdowns for this year: 2024 releases, backlist titles, and honorable mentions. Today's post features my top ten 2024 releases! I typically post my honorable mentions and backlist favorites first to build up to the new releases, but this year we're switching things up a bit (because why not? I loved these books and am so excited to talk about). My backlist titles + honorable mentions will be up later this week, along with my yearly stats post where I dive into genres I read, where I get my books, formats, etc..

Without further ado, let's dive into my top 2024 releases!

Navola by Paolo Bacigalupi - Review
I've gushed about Navola a lot in my review for it, which is linked above, so I'll keep this relatively brief. Navola was truly exceptional and easily became a new all-time favorite fantasy book. This is pitched as a "literary fantasy," and I feel this story fits that well, though I would also say you might enjoy it if you like historical fiction as well, as it's not too heavy on the fantasy aspects. I was utterly captivated the entire time and I was so invested in Davico’s story that I struggled to put it down. It’s very dark at times and a tough read in places, so I'd keep that in mind if you're planning to pick this one up. This story invoked so many strong emotions in me in all the best and most impressive ways–I really can't remember the last time I felt so genuinely drawn to and connected to a character, and I haven’t been this invested or captivated by a story in a long time. The world is complex and the political intrigue was exquisitely crafted. If you like stories like Kushiel’s Dart or anything with fascinating political intrigue, subterfuge, and so much more, you’ll love this.

The Back Hunger by Nicholas Pullen - Review
I love this type of horror: a slow burn that exudes a constant sense of dread and darkness and demands the patience of its reader. You don’t know what’s coming, but you know it’s not going to be pretty. The Black Hunger is dense and intricate, and the narrative is carefully and thoughtfully executed. The slow build really paid off for me with this one, and I think it makes for a truly excellent dread-inducing horror. I also really loved all of the history and cultural aspects woven into the story and appreciated how much research and effort Pullen put into it. You can find all of my thoughts about this in my review linked above.

Sparrow by James Hynes
This was an incredible historical fiction that follows a young enslaved boy who is being raised at an ancient Roman brothel, where the "wolves" who work upstairs are his main companions. If you like books like The Wolf Den that have strong, extremely well-developed characters and a compelling setting centered around the difficult lives of those working in ancient brothels, then you’ll probably want to add this one to your TBR. It's rather heartbreaking at times, so read at your own risk, but know that this journey with our young protagonist as he attempts to navigate the suffocating world he's trapped in is absolutely worth it.

The Butcher of the Forest by Premee Mohamed - Review
This is basically the creepy forest book I’ve always wanted to write and never have. The Butcher of the Forest is a dark short novel featuring a woman named Veris who is tasked with rescuing some wayward children of the tyrant of the land from an uncanny forest. This is a dark fantasy novella with just a hint of a grimdark note due to how melancholy and somewhat hopeless the tone felt at times throughout. It was everything I could’ve wanted: eerie, dark, creepy, and thought-provoking. I devoured this book and would recommend it to all my fellow readers who love a dark, disturbing forest–and even if you don't love creepy forests, you might still love the uncanny sensation that overtakes the atmosphere of this entire short novel. You can read my full thoughts in the review linked above!

The Tainted Cup by Robert Jackson Bennett - Review
If you like the idea of a Sherlock Holmes/Agatha Christie-style murder but with a much more fantastical setting and stakes that are ultimately much higher, this is the book you're looking for. It’s full of incredible wit and dry humor, clever characters, and some of the most fascinating world-building I've read in a recent release. There's also an incredibly unique "magic" system of sorts that feels nearly limitless with its implications, but also fairly precarious in its own right. I was obsessed with the whole concept of the leviathans and how their blood is used for alterations, along with so many other aspects of this world. I'm not lying when I say this is one of the best and most captivating fantasy books I've read lately and I absolutely adored the characters to the extent that I'm genuinely eager to reunite with them in the sequel ( and I'm reading an ARC of the sequel right now, actually, and it's definitely something to look forward to!).

The Silverblood Promise by James Logan - Review
The Silverblood Promise is everything I've been looking for in a fantasy lately: adventure, well-developed characters, intricate world-building, and layers of intrigue to get lost in. My full thoughts can be found int he review linked above! If you’re looking for a big fantasy that’s packed full of adventure, mystery, magic, endearing characters and friendships, and plenty of twists, then The Silverblood Promise should be your next read.

The Cloud Roost/Spireheart by Travis M. Riddle - Review/Review
I've included the last two books of the Jekua series because they both came out in 2024 and they were both fantastic. The Jekua series became a very positive part of my life over the past couple years and I'm sorry to see it the finished completed, but I'm also very pleased with such a satisfying conclusion to a wonderful series. These books feature incredible adventure that's full of heart, extraordinary friendships, vibrant world-building, captivating creatures with all sorts of different cool powers, an array of clever and lively character, enthralling battles, endless twists, and timeless journeys of discovery.

Coup de Grâce by Sofia Arjam
Coup de Grâce is very a mind-bendy and extremely thought-provoking short horror-esque(?) novel. I would put a bit of a content warning here for suicidal thoughts and ideation, so if you're sensitive I'd just be a bit cautious going itno this because it's a bit heavy on those topics at times. But I really connected to it and thought it was masterfully executed. That said, I really connected to the story and thought it was masterfully executed. This is a short read, but it really packs and punch and is one I still find myself thinking about.

The City and Its Uncertain Walls by Haruki Murakami
I had been anticipating this new novel from Murakami since it was first announced, and the way for it to then be translated from Japanese to English felt like it took ages. But it finally came out this year and I was so very pleased with it. It's quintessentially Murakami, which is exactly what I want from his work, and yet I feel like it still managed to bring something a little new to the table. Murakami has always acted like a bit of a "palate cleanser" for my brain to just sit and luxuriate in his simple yet thoughtful prose, and I enjoyed every bit of this as much as I've loved his previous work.

A Letter to the Luminous Deep by Sylvia Cathrall - Review
I wasn’t sure at first if I would put this on this main list or in my next post featuring my honorable mentions, but I felt this one really stuck with me and deserved to be here. A Letter to the Luminous Deep is a charming epistolary tale featuring an enchanting cast of characters and hints of mystery and intrigue. I absolutely adored this book and would consider it a favorite because of how much it stood out to me and how much I enjoyed every second of it. I was captivated by this extremely slow-paced epistolary novel and the hints of world-building we get through. I found myself connecting with some of the characters in here and though their development was well done. There is also a bit of a central mystery involving where this woman’s brother disappeared to, but it’s also very much an exploration of self and so much more. A truly fantastic read!

Have you read any of these book? If so, what were your thoughts about them? Let me know what some of your favorite 2024 releases were in the comments or add a link to your own posts so I can come by and check it out!

Month in Review: December 2024

2025-01-02T02:00:00.000-08:00

Well, I guess December is officially all wrapped up! I've always struggled around this time of year, so I try to focus more on the present than too much on reflections and what the future holds, but I can acknowledge that sometimes it's good to look back on things. I struggled with some blogging a lot of this year, but I feel like in the past couple months I've been rediscovering my groove and I genuinely am thinking things should pick back up for me this month (fingers crossed!). This was a much better reading year than last year, and I'm hoping 2025 will be even better and I'll really get back to what I love. For those wondering, my "best books" and end of year stats posts will be up with the next week or two!

In personal news, nothing crazy happened in December (which is good!) so I've just been trying to really focus on everything I currently have going on, haha. It was so nice to see some family over the holidays and I'm really grateful that I got to do that. I've also been aerial-ing as usual and got to fit in a few extra classes, so that's been great (although I do always wish I could do more)! I'm also hoping 2025 brings some better luck on the job front.

In reading news, December was apparently a fantastic month because I read 16 books!(!) Not entirely sure what happened, but I do know I tried to really take more time this month to read when I could and to limit distractions while reading, and I guess it worked. Some standouts were Haruki MUrakami's latest release The City and Its Uncertain Walls, Between Dragons and Their Wrath, Dinotopia (which is truly a gift), and The Scholar and the Last Faerie Door. I read a lot of great books this month, though, and it felt great to do so.

How was your December and what books have you been reading? Let me know how your month was below and what you've been reading!

# books read: 17

The City and Its Uncertain Walls by Haruki Murakami ★★★★★

Source: Owned | Format: Hardcover
Thoughts: I'd been really slowly working my through this one and just trying to savor it because I love Murakami so much and didn't want to finish too soon. This was very trademark Murakami style, but I felt it had quit a bit to set it apart from his other work.

Honeymoons in Temporary Locations by Ashley Shelby ★★★★★

Source: Publisher | Format: Hardcover
Thoughts: I really enjoyed this collection of climate fiction! You can read more of my thoughts on it in my review.

Why Taiwan Matters: A Short History of a Small Island That Will Dictate Our Future by Kerry Brown ★★★★

Source: NetGalley | Format: eARC
Thoughts: This was a fascinating nonfiction book all about Taiwan's history and current place in the forever shifting geo-political climate. I learned a lot and would recommend it to anyone interested! I'll have a review up for it soon.

In The Shadow of Their Dying by Michael R. Fletcher & Anna Smith Spark ★★★★

Source: Owned | Format: Hardcover
Thoughts: How I missed Anna Smith Spark's raw, brutal prose! I haven't read anything from Fletcher, so now I'm keen to check out some of his work. This was a delightfully grim and grotesque fantasy and reminded me how much I do enjoy grimdark work.

Dinotopia: A Land Apart from Time by James Gurney ★★★★★

Source: Owned | Format: Hardcover
Thoughts: This is honestly one of the coolest things I've ever seen in my life. The artwork is genuinely stunning and the sheer creativity and imaginative qualities of this book are amazing. I wish I had had this book as a kid because I would have absolutely devoured it and it would've sparked my imagination in insane amounts. Whether you're a kid or not, this is so fun and so awesome and I can't imagine you won't find something in it to appreciate. Thank you to Greg from Greg's Book Haven for talking about it so much over the years that I finally actually picked it up!

The Half Life of Valery K by Natasha Pulley ★★★★

Source: Library | Format: Audiobook
Thoughts: I've had my eye on this one for a while, but it took me a long time to pick it up for some reason. It was a really interesting story

The Scholar and the Last Faerie Door by H.G. Parry ★★★★★

Source: Publisher | Format: Paperback
Thoughts: I love H.G. Parry and I loved this book! My full review can be found here where you can read all my positive thoughts on it.

Murder by Memory by Olivia Waite ★★★

Source: Publisher | Format: Physical ARC
Thoughts: This was such a creative sci-fi novella. I didn't love it as much as I'd hoped, but I was so fascinated by the world and thought it was a really fun experience.

The Fury of the Gods (The Bloodsworn Saga #3) by John Gwynne ★★★★

Source: Publisher | Format: Physical ARC
Thought: An epic conclusion to an epic trilogy! You can find my full review here.

Between Dragons and Their Wrath (The Shattered Kingdom #1) by Devin Madson ★★★★★

Source: Publisher | Format: Paperback
Thoughts: I also loved this start of a new series and it really reminded me how much I love Devin Madson's writing and storytelling. My full review is here.

Sipsworth by Simon Van Booy ★★★★

Source: Library | Format: Audiobook
Thoughts: This was a completely random read based on stumbling upon it on Libby, but it was really quite delightful and it made me feel very thoughtful.

The Dollhouse Academy by Margarita Montimore ★★★★

Source: NetGalley | Format: Audiobook
Thought: This one's not out yet and my review will be up soon, but I found this to be an entertaining read that provided a good look at the pressures placed upon people to be the best they can be, and what sinister things can lie behind success.

The Warm Hands of Ghosts by Katherine Arden ★★★★

Source: Library | Format: Audiobook
Thoughts: I love Katherine Arden, but this wasn't my favorite read from her. Still, it was a really solid historical fiction (technically fantasy, but it's really mostly historical fiction) with a strong story at heart and that explored some intense topics.

The Way Up Is Death by Dan Hanks ★★★★

Source: Publisher | Format: Paperback
Thoughts: This was a fast-paced fantasy thriller that I had a fun time with! There's an exciting mystery at its heart and I think anyone looking for something with a breakneck pace will enjoy it. My review will be up soon!

Cold Snap by Lindy Ryan ★★

Source: Gift | Format: Hardcover
Thoughts: Oof, I really didn't enjoy this one. It was such a miss for me and felt like it completely lost the plot.

The Teller of Small Fortunes by Julie Leong ★★★

Source: Library | Format: Hardcover

Thoughts: This was a sweet "cozy" fantasy, but unfortunately it didn't quite do enough for me. I found some of the writing and dialogue a bit too stilted and awkward in nature, and although I think this is still a good book in general, I think it could have used a bit more editing.

The Darkest Night: 22 Winter Horror Stories edited by Lindy Ryan ★★★

Source: Gift | Format: Paperback
Thoughts: Some of these were big hits, and some of these were huge misses. This was a collection with a lot of different feelings and I felt like a lot of these really stretched the idea of being a "winter" horror story.

DNF/To-Be-Finished:

None!

Sorcery and Small Magics by Maiga Doocy
Between Dragons and Their Wrath (Shattered Kingdoms Trilogy) by Devin Madson
Honeymoons in Temporary Locations by Ashley Shelby
The Fury of the Gods (The Bloodsworne Saga #3) by John Gwynne
The Scholar and the Last Faerie Door by H.G. Parry

Posts:

Month in Review: November 2024
Blog Tour: Apartment Women by Gu Byeong-mo + Excerpt
Anticipated January 2025 Releases
Most Disappointing Books of 2024

Blog Memes:

Can't-Wait Wednesday:
12/11: All the Water in the World by Eiren Caffall, Realm of Ice and Sky by Buddy Levy, & The Devourer by Alison Ames
12/18: Lightfall by Ed Crocker, We Do Not Part by Han Kang, & Voice Like a Hyacinth by Mallory Pearson
12/24: Adrift in Currents Clean and Clear by Seanan McGuire, The Lotus Shoes by Jane Yang, & The Secrets of Underhill by Kali Wallace

Most Disappointing Books of 2024

2024-12-31T02:00:00.000-08:00

It is once again that time of year where we begin to get into everyone's favorite 'best of' and 'worst of' lists. As I've said previous years, I always like to start my series of lists off with my most disappointing reads at the end of December so that we can get it out of the way and start off January with some positive posts. I only chose six books for this year's post, and although there are still plenty of books I don't enjoy every year, I do feel like I'm pretty good at gauging what books are and aren't going to work for me, so there are less flops overall.

I specifically name this post "most disappointing books" instead of "worst books" because this list, for me, is not a list of books that are "bad" or horribly written or anything (usually), but rather a list of books that for some personal reason just ended up being disappointing. I don't tend to hold any hate for these books–unless otherwise noted–and instead see them as books that maybe I was really looking forward to and ended up falling flat for one reason or another, or maybe they just really didn't connect with me and that was disappointing. As a result, they become my lowest rated books and end up on this list. (Also, I usually include my DNFs on this post, but I was looking the ones I DNF'd this year and I really just felt nothing about them, so I figured there was no need to include them this year.)

If you loved any of the books on this list, that's awesome! I love that we can all have such varying opinions on books and still come together as a group of readers. I always stand by the fact that I have found some fantastic books on other bloggers' "worst books" lists because what doesn't work for one person might be exactly what another person loves. And vice versa–favorites could be another person's least favorite book. It's all subjective and we all have so many different experiences to bring to our reading journeys, and to me that's the beauty of reading.

And just a quick note to say that my 'best of' lists and end of year stats post will be up in January! I'm still reading through the 31st, so it's too soon for me to have them up before then, but once the year is done I'll get to work on those. :)

Now, with all of that out of the way, let's take a look at my 2024 Most Disappointing Reads!

Nineteen Claws and Blackbird by Agustina Bazterrica, translated by Sarah Moses

I absolutely devoured (pun intended?) Bazterrica's Tender is the Flesh and thought it was one of the best and most visceral and thought-provoking (and grotesque) books when I read it in 2021, so I was really excited about this new story collection from her. Unfortunately, this set of stories just felt like a bit of a mess and were all over the place, and I struggled to find much meaning in many of them. I really wanted to love these, but they just couldn't hold my attention or convey much for me to get invested in. I don't regret reading it, but I was definitely disappointed in the quality.

Fathomfolk by Eliza Chan - Review
It's always painful when a book with a cover as beautiful as this (and have you seen the Illumicrate special edition? The naked hardcase is absolutely stunning) is a disappointment, but here we are. This book had so much potential for a creative, intricate world with interesting characters, but unfortunately it felt like the author just tried to do too much and didn't really full flesh out any of it, and any complexities to the world were lost amidst everything else. The characters also sadly didn't have much that really drew me to them, so I found it hard to maintain my interest in the story. I would potentially consider reading a sequel if I heard it was leagues better than this one, but otherwise I'll probably leave this story here.

The Mercy of Gods by James S.A. Corey - Review

I was excited to finally read James S.A. Corey... and then I was less excited once I started. It's hard to say exactly what didn't work for me, but I think a big part of it had to do with the somewhat cardboard-feel of the characters. Everyone had a specific role and they played that well, but it didn't leave much nuance for my preference. In my review (linked above), I stated that I would absolutely still read the sequel, but I'm going to wait and gauge my interest level once it's out. The premise for this one is still compelling enough to grab me, so I may just let it try to redeem itself with a sequel. That being said, I still felt this was one of those books that was a massive disappointed given how much I was looking forward to it and how many amazing things I've heard about. James S.A. Corey.

Guillotine by Delilah S. Dawson
Before you come at me, this book is actually good! This is only here because it disappointed me that there wasn't more to it. It has a fun eat the rich premise, but it really stops there. There was no other depth or substance to it–and maybe that's enough, maybe that's all it's supposed to be, but for me, I wanted more. It felt like gore for the sake of gore and torture for the sake of taking out frustrations, and while that's not always bad, it was honestly a little boring at times. It felt like it existed just to exist. I still love Delilah S. Dawson and will happily read more from her, though! This short novel just was a miss for me, I guess. (I do heartily recommend her book The Violence, which was fantastic. Also gory, which you may be able to deduce from the title).

The Maidens by Alex Michaelides
I feel like I shouldn't have been surprised by how much I really, really disliked this, and yet I still chose to read it so clearly I thought there was something promising. I always know I shouldn't go for the books that have Classics and Greek professors and subsequent secret societies in them because I know it's all just going to end up frustrating me when it's done poorly, but still I fall into the trap and then I regret it. This felt so scattered and all over the place and the characters were unlikeable in a way that I don't like (I really like a well-written unlikable character–this was not that) and the plot progressions just made no sense half the time. It was just one of those that you keep reading because you really need to see where the author is going with everything. And maybe that's the mark of an author who does know what they're doing because it kept me reading, right? Nevertheless, I won't be fooled again and will probably not pick up something from this author again in the future (never say never, but...).

Sleep Tight by J.H. Markert
I feel like this book catfished me because the cover looks like horror and all the marketing I saw for it screamed horror... and yet it was more of a mystery/thriller. I know the synopsis talks about a serial killer and a detective, but for some reason I was thinking it would be less crime procedural/basic kidnapping story and more... I don't know, horror-y? Silence of the Lambs-esque? Police procedurals/FBI agents/detectives are all usually keywords that make me pass on books, but I went for this one anyway and let is sneak under my radar, and honestly, I shouldn't have. It's not a bad book, I'm sure so many people who love those types of things will love it, but I am not one of them.

Did you read any of these books? If so, what'd you think of them? I'd love to hear if you loved them, hated them, felt so-so, etc. in the comments! And be sure to let me know what your most disappointing reads of 2024 were either in the comments or with a link to your own posts, I'd love to read them. :)

Anticipated January 2025 Releases

2024-12-30T02:00:00.000-08:00

Instead of trying to wrap our heads around the fact that 2025 begins in two days let's instead focus on all the wonderful new books being released in January (and just a head's up, there are... a lot)! As always, I've listed an array of January 2025 releases below–though I've no doubt missed many great ones–so be sure to have a look and let me know which ones you're most looking forward to reading (and let me know if I missed any that you're excited about!). Happy reading!

All the Water in the World by Eiren Caffall || January 7th -- Amazon | Bookshop.org

We Do Not Part by Han Kang || January 21st -- Amazon | Bookshop.org

At Dark, I Become Loathsome by Eric LaRocca || January 28th -- Amazon | Bookshop.org

Realm of Ice and Sky by Buddy Levy || January 28th -- Amazon | Bookshop.org

Old Soul by Susan Barker || January 28th -- Amazon | Bookshop.org

Death of the Author by Nnedi Okorafor || January 14th -- Amazon | Bookshop.org

The Devourer by Alison Ames || January 7th -- Amazon | Bookshop.org

The Lamb by Lucy Rose || January 30th -- Amazon | Bookshop.org

We Lived on the Horizon by Erika Swyler || January 14th -- Amazon | Bookshop.org

Water Moon by Samantha Sotto Yambao || January 14th -- Amazon | Bookshop.org

Babylonia by Costanza Casati || January 14th -- Amazon | Bookshop.org

Wake Up and Open Your Eyes by Clay McLeod Chapman || January 7th -- Amazon | Bookshop.org

Lightfall by Ed Crocker || January 14th -- Amazon | Bookshop.org

Adrift in Currents Clean and Clear by Seanan McGuire || January 7th -- Amazon | Bookshop.org

Our Winter Monster by Dennis A. Mahoney || January 28th -- Amazon | Bookshop.org

Darkmotherland by Samrat Upadhyay || January 1st -- Amazon | Bookshop.org

Breath of the Dragon by Fonda Lee & Shannon Lee || January 7th -- Amazon | Bookshop.org

The Last Bookstore on Earth by Lily Braun-Arnold || January 7th -- Amazon | Bookshop.org

Save Me, Stranger: Stories by Erika Krouse || January 21st -- Amazon | Bookshop.org

The Way Up Is Death by Dan Hanks || January 14th -- Amazon | Bookshop.org

A Crown So Silver by Lyra Selene || January 23rd -- Amazon | Bookshop.org

A Calamity of Noble Houses by Amira Ghenim, trans. Miled Faiza & Karen McNeil || January 14th -- Amazon | Bookshop.org

The Secrets of Underhill by Kali Wallace || January 28th -- Amazon | Bookshop.org

A Language of Dragons by S.F. Williamson || January 7th -- Amazon | Bookshop.org

The Rainfall Market by You Yeong-Gwang || January 21st -- Amazon | Bookshop.org

Outcast Mage by Annabel Campbell || January 28th -- Amazon | Bookshop.org

Homeseeking by Karissa Chen || January 7th -- Amazon | Bookshop.org

The In-Between Bookstore by Edward Underhill || January 14th -- Amazon | Bookshop.org

The Lotus Shoes by Jane Yang || January 28th -- Amazon | Bookshop.org

The Afterdark by E. Latimer || January 7th -- Amazon | Bookshop.org

The Queen's Spade by Sarah Raughley || January 14th -- Amazon | Bookshop.org

Level: Unknown by David Dalglish || January 14th -- Amazon | Bookshop.org

What are your anticipated January releases?

Can't-Wait... Tuesday?: Adrift in Currents Clean and Clear by Seanan McGuire, The Lotus Shoes by Jane Yang, & The Secrets of Underhill by Kali Wallace

2024-12-24T02:00:00.000-08:00

Can't-Wait is a weekly meme hosted by Wishful Endings that spotlights exciting upcoming releases that we can't wait to be released! This meme is based off of Jill @ Breaking the Spine's Waiting on Wednesday meme.

Since tomorrow is Christmas Day for those who celebrate, I figured I'd go ahead and post my Can't-Wait Wednesday post today instead. I hope you all have a wonderful holiday season! :)

Adrift in Currents Clean and Clear (Wayward Children #10) by Seanan McGuire
Publication: January 7th, 2025
Tordotcom
Hardcover. 160 pages.
Pre-order: Amazon | Bookshop.org

From Goodreads:
"Giant turtles, impossible ships, and tidal rivers ridden by a Drowned girl in search of a family in the latest in the bestselling Hugo and Nebula Award-Winning Wayward Children series from Seanan McGuire.

Nadya had three mothers: the one who bore her, the country that poisoned her, and the one who adopted her.

Nadya never considered herself less than whole, not until her adoptive parents fitted her with a prosthetic arm against her will, seeking to replace the one she'd been missing from birth.

It was cumbersome; it was uncomfortable; it was wrong.

It wasn't her.

Frustrated and unable to express why, Nadya began to wander, until the day she fell through a door into Belyrreka, the Land Beneath the Lake--and found herself in a world of water, filled with child-eating amphibians, majestic giant turtles, and impossible ships that sailed as happily beneath the surface as on top. In Belyrreka, she found herself understood for who she was: a Drowned Girl, who had made her way to her real home, accepted by the river and its people.

But even in Belyrreka, there are dangers, and trials, and Nadya would soon find herself fighting to keep hold of everything she had come to treasure."

I'm honestly still a bit behind on catching up with this series, but I'm always excited to hear about a new one coming out. I'm also a little surprised sometimes that it's still going, but I'm curious to see what else McGuire has up her sleeve.

The Lotus Shoes by Jane Yang
Publication: January 28th, 2025
Sphere
Hardcover. 400 pages.
Pre-order: Amazon | Bookshop.org

From Goodreads:
"An astonishing story set in 1800s China. Little Flower is sold into slavery, and Linjing into marriage . . .

As a child, Little Flower is sold to Linjing's wealthy family to become a muizai. In a fit of childish jealousy over her new handmaiden's ladylike bound feet and talent for embroidery, Linjing ensures Little Flower can never leave her to ascend in society.

Despite their starkly different places in the Fong household, over the years the two girls must work together to secure both their futures through Linjing's marriage. As the two grow up, they are by turns bitter rivals and tentative friends.

Until scandal strikes the family, and Linjing and Little Flower's lives are unexpectedly thrown into chaos. Linjing's fall from grace could be an opportunity for Little Flower - but will their intertwined fates lead to triumph, or tragedy for them both?"

I'm always on the lookout for some great new historical fiction and this one sounds really promising!

The Secrets of Underhill by Kali Wallace
Publication: January 28th, 2025
Quirk Books
Hardcover. 320 pages.
Pre-order: Amazon | Bookshop.org

From Goodreads:
"This immersive fantasy adventure combines vivid world-building with timely themes of environmentalism is perfect for middle grade readers of Kelly Barnhill and Jessica Townsend.

Nick Sixsmith has spent her whole life on the road. The daughter of a traveling arborist, she and her mother move from town to town, caring for the ironwood groves the communities rely upon. When a dangerous blight takes hold of these magical trees, they must journey to the city of Mistwood—her mother’s hometown—for answers.

Nick can’t wait to explore the prosperous city of Mistwood and all it has to the bustling markets and workshops, neighborhoods built under a roaring waterfall, and the vast ancestral grove of ironwood trees. But dark secrets simmer beneath the surface as people start to disappear, and tensions rise in the city.

As the mystery grows, Nick and her new friends must follow the trail where it leads underground, to a strange, enchanting world called Underhill. Only then, among the roots of ancestral grove, will Nick find a way to save her new home and the ironwood trees."

I've only had a chance to read Kali Wallace's adult sci-fi/horror so far, and I'm really excited to finally check out some of her middle grade work because I do love some great middle grade.

Review: The Scholar and the Last Faerie Door by H.G. Parry

2024-12-19T02:00:00.001-08:00

The Scholar and the Last Faerie Door by H.G. Parry

Redhook

Publication Date: October 22nd, 2024
Paperback. 464 pages.

About The Scholar and the Last Faerie Door:

"All they needed to break the world was a door, and someone to open it.

Camford, 1920. Gilded and glittering, England's secret magical academy is no place for Clover, a commoner with neither connections nor magical blood. She tells herself she has fought her way there only to find a cure for her brother Matthew, one of the few survivors of a faerie attack on the battlefields of WWI which left the doors to faerie country sealed, the study of its magic banned, and its victims cursed.

But when Clover catches the eye of golden boy Alden Lennox-Fontaine and his friends, doors that were previously closed to her are flung wide open, and she soon finds herself enmeshed in the seductive world of the country's magical aristocrats. The summer she spends in Alden’s orbit leaves a fateful mark: months of joyous friendship and mutual study come crashing down when experiments go awry, and old secrets are unearthed.

Years later, when the faerie seals break, Clover knows it’s because of what they did. And she knows that she must seek the help of people she once called friends—and now doesn’t quite know what to call—if there’s any hope of saving the world as they know it."

I still believe H.G. Parry is criminally underrated and I need more people to read her work!

The Scholar and the Last Faerie Door is a stunning story of fae, academia, friendships, thoughtful writing and a captivating narrative. I am always most captivated by Parry’s meticulous care for language and how well she crafts her prose into such immersive and enchanting stories. This standalone fae/academia fantasy is perfect for readers seeking a magical adventure without committing to an entire series, and I know that there are plenty of people looking for more standalone, so this is for you!

Set in the aftermath of World War I, we begin following our protagonist Clover as her brother returns home from the war gravely injured by a fae curse that was caused when a fae broke through into the human world and wreaked havoc on the battlefield. Determined to help him recover from the effects of the curse, Clover sets out to study magic and discover how to reverse the curse–despite the fact that she lacks any magical blood and is not from a "Family" (longstanding bloodlines that carry magic down family lines). Still, this doesn't stop her from earning her place at Camford, a prestigious university of magic that is hidden from the non-magical, where she embarks on a brand new phase of her life.

Clover is a determined and fairly headstrong young woman, but she is more of a 'keep your head down and focus on what you need to do' person rather than someone who stands out and makes a fuss or big name for herself. At Camford, she meets the charming Alden Lennox-Fontaine and is subsequently introduced to Hero and Eddie, and the four quickly form a tight friend group. We see Clover initially struggle to find her footing at Camford and among her new friend group, but over time she eventually figures out where she stands and even manages to achieve a sense of comfort and almost belonging at this new school and in her life.

Alden is a hard character to pin down. He’s hard to get know on a deep level and is also very much focused on furthering his own goals, which we eventually learn intersect with Clover’s. While he’s not the kindest person, his charm makes him compelling and hard not to want to be friends with, which Clover finds herself struggling with.

Hero is as equally headstrong as Clover, though sometimes in different ways, and is determined to break barriers for women in magical academia and the magical world in general, which is currently dominated by men. She’s steadfast and loyal and truly a force to be reckoned with.

Eddie, however, was my favorite. Eddie brings a unique depth to the group and could be described as quiet, insightful, and deeply passionate about plants, botany, and hedge witch magics. He is a quietly loyal friend who often fades into the background or is taken for granted by his friends, especially since he is often outshone by the strong personalities of Alden and Hero. His contributions are subtle at times, but significant–I would never underestimate him–and I felt for him throughout the story.

One of the highlights of the book is the evolution of the friendships within this group. The dynamic relationships—sometimes changing for the better, sometimes for the worse—are intricate and deeply explored. Parry masterfully develops each character and their connections, showcasing how they grow in complex ways both individually and together.

The world-building is equally fascinating. I loved the idea that magic could be learned by anyone with the determination to study it, whether a part of a Family or not. I loved the deep dive into fae theories and how curses work and how they make their way to the human world. I wish we’d spent more time delving into other mechanics of fae magic and the fae world itself, but I understand that that may have changed some of the focus of the book. I actually appreciated that the focus on Clover’s studies kept the scope of the story tight, which instead added to the mystique of the fae world. For me as a reader, I tend to lean towards a ‘sometimes less is more’ preference, and Parry strikes a delicate balance here, leaving just enough to the imagination.

The Scholar and the Last Faerie Door story gave me subtle Harry Potter vibes (in a good way!) at times, particularly with the hidden magical world and the enchanted university setting. However, it had plenty to make it’s own world unique and stand out. Camford’s dark, magical ambiance always felt rich with hidden details, and the academia-focused first part of the book was developed incredibly well. And although the majority of the first portion of the book takes place at the university, there is a small variety of additional settings we visit as well. I found there to be nice balance of places and things that happen in this book that prevents it from ever getting boring or feeling like it was dragging.

I’d also like to point out that this isn’t a romance-heavy book. There are hints of potential romance, but it’s subtle and secondary to the story. Instead, the focus is on magic, friendship, and the complexities of this world, which felt really fresh and rewarding.

The Scholar and the Last Faerie Door tells what is truly a rather monumental story within a single, standalone volume. The character work is exceptional, the world expansive yet mysterious, and Parry’s writing is gorgeous—sharp, witty, and deeply immersive.

If you haven’t read H.G. Parry yet, this is a fantastic place to start. If you have, whether or not you enjoyed her previous works, I encourage you to give this one a try. It’s a brilliant, unique fae fantasy that offers something a little different from what’s out there. Overall, I’ve given The Scholar and the Faerie door five stars!

*I received a copy of The Scholar and the Faerie Door in exchange for an honest review. This has no affect on my rating.*

Buy the book: Amazon | Bookshop.org

Can't-Wait Wednesday: Lightfall by Ed Crocker, We Do Not Part by Han Kang, & Voice Like a Hyacinth by Mallory Pearson

2024-12-18T02:00:00.000-08:00

Lightfall by Ed Crocker
Publication: January 14th, 2025
St. Martin's Press
Hardcover. 384 pages.
Pre-order: Amazon | Bookshop.org

From Goodreads:
"No humans here. Just immortals: their politics, their feuds—and their long buried secrets.

For centuries, vampires freely roamed the land until the Grays came out of nowhere, wiping out half the population in a night. The survivors fled to the last vampire city of First Light, where the rules are simple. If you’re poor, you drink weak blood. If you’re nobility, you get the good stuff. And you can never, ever leave.

Palace maid Sam has had enough of these rules, and she’s definitely had enough of cleaning the bedpans of the lords who enforce them. When the son of the city’s ruler is murdered and she finds the only clue to his death, she seizes the chance to blackmail her way into a better class and better blood. She falls in with the Leeches, a group of rebel maids who rein in the worst of the Lords. Soon she’s in league with a sorcerer whose deductive skills make up for his lack of magic, a deadly werewolf assassin and a countess who knows a city’s worth of secrets.

There’s just one problem. What began as a murder investigation has uncovered a vast conspiracy by the ruling elite, and now Sam must find the truth before she becomes another victim. If she can avoid getting murdered, she might just live forever."

I have an ARC that I've just started getting into and it's been super promising, I can't wait to keep reading!

Voice Like a Hyacinth by Mallory Pearson
Publication: February 1st, 2025
47North
Paperback. 367 pages.
Pre-order: Amazon | Bookshop.org

From Goodreads:
"Five young women eager for success rely on the unspeakable to make their dreams come true in a chilling novel about martyrdom, ritual, and obsession by the author of We Ate the Dark.

Art student Jo Kozak and her fellow classmates and best friends, Caroline, Finch, Amrita, and Saz, are one another’s muses—so close they have their own language and so devoted to the craft that they’ll do anything to keep their inspiration alive. Even if it means naively resorting to the occult to unlock their creativity and to curse their esteemed, if notoriously creepy, professor. They soon learn the horrible price to be paid for such a transgressive ritual.

In its violent aftermath, things are changing. Jo is feeling unnervingly haunted by something inexplicable. Their paintings, once prodigious and full of life, are growing dark and unhealthy. And their journey together—as women, students, and artists—is starting to crumble.

To right the wrong they’ve done, these five desperate friends will take their obsession a step too far. When that happens, there may be no turning back."

I'm really intrigued by this premise–I'm always up for something involving a group of friends/people that sounds a little bit messy and complicated.

We Do Not Part by Han Kang
Publication: January 21st, 2025
Hogarth
Hardcover. 272 pages.
Pre-order: Amazon | Bookshop.org

From Goodreads:
"Han Kang’s most revelatory book since The Vegetarian, We Do Not Part tells the story of a friendship between two women while powerfully reckoning with a hidden chapter of Korean history.

One winter morning, Kyungha receives an urgent message from her friend Inseon to visit her at a hospital in Seoul. Inseon has injured herself in an accident, and she begs Kyungha to return to Jeju Island, where she lives, to save her beloved pet—a white bird called Ama.

A snowstorm hits the island when Kyungha arrives. She must reach Inseon’s house at all costs, but the icy wind and squalls slow her down as night begins to fall. She wonders if she will arrive in time to save the animal—or even survive the terrible cold that envelops her with every step. Lost in a world of snow, she doesn't yet suspect the vertiginous plunge into the darkness that awaits her at her friend's house.

Blurring the boundaries between dream and reality, We Do Not Part powerfully illuminates a forgotten chapter in Korean history, buried for decades—bringing to light the lost voices of the past to save them from oblivion. Both a hymn to an enduring friendship and an argument for remembering,it is the story of profound love in the face of unspeakable violence—and a celebration of life, however fragile it might be."

I've actually already read an ARC of this and thought it was a very thoughtful and occasionally heavy read that I think any Han Kang fan would enjoy.

Review: The Fury of the Gods by John Gwynne

2024-12-12T02:00:00.095-08:00

***Note 12/16/24: I've just noticed something is going absolutely crazy with the formatting on this review and I'll attempt to resolve it as soon as possible–sorry about this!

The Fury of the Gods (The Bloodsworne Saga #3) by John Gwynne

Orbit

Publication Date: October 22nd, 2024

Paperback. 528 pages.

About The Fury of the Gods:

"The Fury of the Gods is the earth-shattering final book in John Gwynne's bestselling Norse-inspired epic fantasy series, packed with myth, magic and bloody vengeance

THE FINAL BATTLE FOR THE FATE OF VIGRIÐ APPROACHES

Varg has overcome the trials of his past and become an accepted member of the Bloodsworn, but now he and his newfound comrades face their biggest challenge yet: slaying a dragon.

Elvar is struggling to consolidate her power in Snakavik, where she faces threats from within and without. As she fights to assert her authority in readiness for the coming conflict, she faces a surely insurmountable task: reining in the ferocity of a wolf god.

As Biorr and his warband make their way north, eager for blood, Gudvarr pursues a mission of his own, hoping to win Lik-Rifa's favour and further his own ambitions.

All paths lead to Snakavik, where the lines are being drawn for the final battle - a titanic clash that will shake the foundations of the world, and bear witness to the true fury of the gods."

Haven't started this series yet? No problem--reviews for the first two books in this trilogy can be found here:
Book #1: The Shadow of the Gods
Book #2: The Hunger of the Gods

Writing a review for the finale of a trilogy can sometimes be a challenge. So much has happened over the course of the series, so much deserves to be said, and spoilers are lurking everywhere. I'll try to keep this review relatively vague in relation to details, but I want to emphasize just how epic this entire story has been from start to finish. Each book in The Bloodsworn Saga has felt monumental, and this final installment is not exception.

In The Fury of the Gods, we continue to follow all of the characters we've come to know and love (and maybe hate) throughout the series. I've really enjoyed how Gwynne develops his characters over the entire arc of the trilogy and especially in this last book. Their motivations, passions, what they love and stand for, and their struggles feel so tangible that it's easy to connect with them, whether you like them or not. This book really puts the cast in a variety of intense, dire situations, and we really get to see every shade of their personalities and actions--good, bad, and everything in between.

The Fury of the Gods is packed to the brim with battles of all sizes, so there was plenty of opportunity for Gwynne to flex his action-writing skills. I've mentioned plenty of times in other reviews in the past that action scenes are often one of my least favorite things to read and tend to bore me; I'd usually rather just know who was hurt and what the result of a fight was rather than slog through blow-by-blow description. But that is not so with Gwynne's writing, as I always find his action sequences to be vivid, engaging, and fairly easy to follow--and interesting enough to hold my interest, which is no small feat.

One of my favorite things about this series that was enormously present in this book is its heart. There's a strong balance of realism and the fantastic, and within this Gwynne never shies away from the bittersweet reality of life. I finished this book feeling very satisfied because there's not necessarily a perfect happy ending for everybody, but neither is it entirely dark and hopeless, either. It's a very realistic and raw reality that I think works excellently for this series.

All that said, The Fury of the Gods was probably my least favorite of the trilogy. I don't mean that as negatively as it may sound, as this bok is fantastic, it's just that I found the first two books slightly more captivating than the conclusion, and that is likely because I enjoyed getting to know the characters and world so much. Even so, this finale is grand, action-packed, and delivers everything you could want from an epic fantasy steeped in Norse mythology and Viking influences.

Overall, I've given The Fury of the Gods four stars. It combines classic storytelling with Norse mythology and Viking-inspired elements in a way that will appeal to a wide range of readers. If you're someone who loves battles, sweeping journeys, and characters you can't look away from, this trilogy has all of that to offer and more. And while The Fury of the Gods wasn’t my personal favorite of the three, it still delivers a fast-paced, intense, and deeply satisfying conclusion. If you haven’t read any of John Gwynne’s books yet, this trilogy is a great place to start. And if you’re already a fan, you’ll find plenty to love here.

*I received a copy of The Fury of the Gods in exchange for an honest review. This has no effect on my rating.*

Buy the book: Amazon | Bookshop.org

Can't-Wait Wednesday: All the Water in the World by Eiren Caffall, Realm of Ice and Sky by Buddy Levy, & The Devourer by Alison Ames

2024-12-11T02:00:00.062-08:00

All the Water in the World by Eiren Caffall
Publication: January 7th, 2025
St. Martin's Press
Hardcover. 304 pages.
Pre-order: Amazon | Bookshop.org

From Goodreads:
"In the tradition of Station Eleven, a literary thriller set partly on the roof of New York’s Museum of Natural History in a flooded future.

All the Water in the World is told in the voice of a girl gifted with a deep feeling for water. In the years after the glaciers melt, Nonie, her older sister and her parents and their researcher friends have stayed behind in an almost deserted New York City, creating a settlement on the roof of the American Museum of Natural History. The rule: Take from the exhibits only in dire need. They hunt and grow their food in Central Park as they work to save the collections of human history and science. When a superstorm breaches the city’s flood walls, Nonie and her family must escape north on the Hudson. They carry with them a book that holds their records of the lost collections. Racing on the swollen river towards what may be safety, they encounter communities that have adapted in very different and sometimes frightening ways to the new reality. But they are determined to find a way to make a new world that honors all they've saved.

Inspired by the stories of the curators in Iraq and Leningrad who worked to protect their collections from war, All the Water in the World is both a meditation on what we save from collapse and an adventure story—with danger, storms, and a fight for survival. In the spirit of From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler and Parable of the Sower, this wild journey offers the hope that what matters most – love and work, community and knowledge – will survive."

I tend to be really interested in books with these climate fiction/dystopian-esque premises, and this one is no exception. I'm especially intrigued by the angle of being inspired by curators who tried to protect their collection from war in the real. Can't wait to read this one!

Realm of Ice and Sky by Buddy Levy
Publication: January 28th, 2025
St. Martin's Press
Hardcover. 384 pages.
Pre-order: Amazon | Bookshop.org

From Goodreads:
"National Outdoor Book Award-winning author Buddy Levy's thrilling narrative of polar exploration via airship―and the men who sacrificed everything to make history.

Arctic explorer and American visionary Walter Wellman pioneered both polar and trans-Atlantic airship aviation, making history’s first attempts at each. Wellman has been cast as a self-promoting egomaniac known mostly for his catastrophic failures. Instead he was a courageous innovator who pushed the boundaries of polar exploration and paved the way for the ultimate conquest of the North Pole―which would be achieved not by dogsled or airplane, but by airship.

American explorer Dr. Frederick Cook was the first to claim he made it to the North Pole in 1908. A year later, so did American Robert Peary, but both Cook’s and Peary’s claims had been seriously questioned. There was enough doubt that Norwegian explorer extraordinaire Roald Amundsen―who’d made history and a name for himself by being first to sail through the Northwest Passage and first man to the South Pole―picked up where Walter Wellman left off, attempting to fly to the North Pole by airship. He would go in the Norge, designed by Italian aeronautical engineer Umberto Nobile. The 350-foot Norge flew over the North Pole on May 12, 1926, and Amundsen was able to accurately record and verify their exact location.

However, the engineer Nobile felt slighted by Amundsen. Two years later, Nobile returned, this time in the Italia, backed by Prime Minister Benito Mussolini. This was an Italian enterprise, and Nobile intended to win back the global accolades and reputation he believed Amundsen had stripped from him. The journey ended in disaster, death, and accusations of cannibalism, launching one of the great rescue operations the world had ever seen.

Realm of Ice and Sky is the riveting tale of the men who first flew the most advanced technological airships of their time to the top of the world, risking and even giving their lives for science, country, and polar immortality."

I've been working my way through an ARC of this and I'm really enjoying it so far! I've read my fair share of Arctic and Antarctic explorations and adventures (which is one of my top nonfiction interests), but I'd read to read one that combined both Arctic exploration and airships and air travel, so this has been fascinating. I briefly read about Amundsen's experiences in a previous book I read about him, but I'm excited about the focus on airships in this book.

The Devourer by Alison Ames
Publication: January 7th, 2025
Page Street YA
Hardcover. 400 pages.
Pre-order: Amazon | Bookshop.org

From Goodreads:
"When Adra Dantes’ half-brother Cameron attacks their father and robs him of a priceless treasure map, he leaves him a shell of the pirate captain he once was. Now Adra’s only aim in life is to kill Cameron, retrieve her father's map, and claim the treasure herself.

But her plans are thwarted. A sudden surplus of magic in the world is causing ancient sea monsters to awaken. Worse yet, Adra discovers that the ship she's been chasing for almost a year now is captained by a girl who’s been impersonating Cameron, while Cameron himself is missing.

The two pirate captains will have to work together if they are to find Cameron, but before they can do so, they must vanquish the beast―known as The Devourer―that is sinking ships and causing so much fear. Adra will have to descend leagues beneath the sea to the creature’s lair to strike a deal with her, but she’ll discover she isn’t the only one looking for her brother―and what he stole."

I'm honestly captivated by this cover and love it so much. I'm just as intrigued by the premise of this one and can't wait to check it out!

Review: Honeymoons in Temporary Locations by Ashley Shelby

2024-12-10T02:00:00.147-08:00

Honeymoons in Temporary Locations by Ashley Shelby

University of Minnesota Press

Publication Date: May 21st, 2024

Hardcover. 152 pages.

About Honeymoons in Temporary Locations:

"Eclectic, experimental, and wildly imaginative climate fictions from a familiar world hauntingly transformed

Climate disaster–induced fugue states, mutinous polar bears, support groups for recently displaced millionaires, men who hear trees, and women who lose their wives on environmental refugee resettlement trips. In these dispatches from a weirding world, the absurd and fantastic are increasingly indistinguishable from reality. Exploring this liminal moment, Ashley Shelby’s collection of climate fictions imagines a near future that is both unnervingly familiar and subversively strange.

Set in the same post-climate-impact era, these stories range from playfully satirical to poignantly humane, bending traditional narrative forms and coming together into a brilliant and unusual contemplation of our changing world. Featuring the Hugo-nominated novelette “Muri,” Honeymoons in Temporary Locations processes the unthinkable through riotous inventions like guided tours of submerged cities, Craigslist ads placed by climate refugees, and cynical pharmaceutical efforts to market a drug to treat solastalgia, the existential distress caused by environmental change.

Shelby reengineers the dystopic bleakness that characterizes so much climate fiction by embracing an eclectic experimentalism leavened with humor, irony, and the inevitable bathos that characterizes the human experience. Unexpected and clever, this innovative collection confirms her status as a visionary writer whose work expands the forms, attitudes, and possibilities of climate fiction."

Honeymoons in Temporary Locations by Ashley Shelby is a striking collection of climate fiction that delves into climate disasters and their aftermath, exploring how humanity navigates crises in a drastically changed world. I really liked this one, especially with its focus on a future where climate change has continued on its catastrophic course, leaving us with a world that feels both familiar and unfamiliar at the same time.

The collection kicks off with two short stories and then adopts a 'mixed media' approach and incorporates documents, transcripts, advertisements, and more. This creative structure offers a multifaceted glimpse into the state of things in this speculative future while also providing a deeper connection to its characters and themes.

The opening story, "Muri," was a standout and easily my favorite. Without spoiling too much, it follows a man aboard a ship tasked with relocating polar bears from the Arctic to the Antarctic in a desperate bid to save the species. The isolation of such voyages takes its toll, and the men are warned before departure: if the polar bears start talking, no they didn't, it's just hallucinations. I found this to be a genuinely entertaining story that felt both ominous and gripping. "Muri" offers a lot of thought-provoking ideas and commentary on many climate-related themes, but what stood out to me the most was the commentary on humanity's misguided attempts to "fix" problems with quick solutions that often do more harm than good, which felt almost scarily relevant.

The "found document" sections are particularly creative. These include ads, menus, and other artifacts from a climate-ravaged world. One menu imagines dishes inspired by climate change, mixing humor and bleak reality in a really effective manner. Another standout is an ad for a "climate cruise" offering tours of once-famous cities now submerged beneath water. These elements all provide a stark look at what the future could hold while also creating a stronger sense of immersion into this world for readers.

A recurring thread throughout the collection is the condition of solastalgia--a term for the emotional distress caused by environmental change--and its varied manifestations. We see it woven into advertisements, personal experiences, and narratives, which brings all of these stories together with a sense of loss and adaptation to a new world.

This collection offers a lot of variety and some areas will work well for others, while some may not. I personally loved "Muri" the most because it fell most into line with my typical taste. Some of the other stories didn't work as well for me, but I still felt they had great merit. There’s so much to explore in this collection, and I truly enjoyed the journey. Each piece examines different facets of humanity’s reaction to climate-related disasters, from resilience and denial to innovation and exploitation.

One of the greatest strength of this book is simply Shelby's prose. Her writing is rich and evocative and truly showed careful thought and deliberation with each sentence. It's worth noting that Honeymoons in Temporary Locations would certainly fall into the "literary fiction" category so everyone's reception of this book will likely differ, but my own opinion is that this one is well worth the read. It's also only about 150 pages, so it shouldn't take you too long, either.

Overall, I've given Honeymoons in Temporary Locations 4.75 stars! A must read for any fans of climate fiction, or simply anyone looking for something creative and well-written.

*I received a copy of Honeymoons in Temporary Locations in exchange for an honest review. This has no effect on my rating.*

Buy the book: Amazon | Bookshop.org

Review: Between Dragons and Their Wrath by Devin Madson

2024-12-06T02:00:00.002-08:00

Between Dragons and Their Wrath (Shattered Kingdom Trilogy #1) by Devin Madson

Orbit

Publication Date: August 27th, 2024

Paperback. 480 pages.

About Between Dragons and Their Wrath:

"From Aurealis Award‑nominated author Devin Madson comes a new rip-roaring epic fantasy full of dragons, alchemical magic, and forbidden romance that unfolds as three people in a shattered empire become entangled in a looming revolution.

When dragons rage, chaos reigns.

Conquest built the Celes Basin, now enemies once more threaten its borders. But when the Lord Reacher declares himself supreme ruler to enforce unity, old angers erupt, threatening to tear the basin apart from within.

Tesha, a glassblower’s apprentice with a talent for poisonwork, becomes a false tribute bride as part of a desperate political plot. In the Reacher’s court, she’s perfectly placed to sabotage him, but her heart has other plans.

Naili is laundress to an eccentric alchemist, a job that has left her with strange new abilities that are slowly consuming her—and attracting the notice of the city’s underground rulers. With time running out, she’ll have to gain power by any means just to survive, let alone change the world.

And in the desolate Shield Mountains, sharp-shooting dragon rider Ashadi protects the basin from the monsters of The Sands beyond, but when an impossible shot pierces his dragon’s glass scales, he becomes the hunted one.

As chaos sweeps across the land, Tesha, Naili, and Ashadi must fight to survive political enemies, long-buried secrets, and monsters both within and without."

Given how much I loved Devin Madson's Reborn Empire series, I expected to enjoy Between Dragons and Their Wrath—yet somehow, it still managed to surprise me in the best way!

The story alternates between three main POVs: Ashadi, a dragon rider who becomes caught up in deeper plots while undertaking his duties; Tesha, a glassblower's apprentice turned undercover insult bride; and Naili, a laundress for a powerful alchemist whose life is suddenly uprooted. I loved following each of them and was particularly delighted by the clever connections woven between their arcs. Madson excels at interweaving threads across her narratives, and this book showcases that strength brilliantly.

While I enjoyed all the perspectives, my favorites were Tesha and Ashadi—both had especially compelling storylines that kept me deeply invested and I found their personalities the easiest to connect with, personally. I will also note that there's a touch of romance in this book, but it's fairly understated and didn't overshadow the main plot at any time. Instead, I actually felt it complemented some of the broader themes without taking center stage.

The pacing felt steady and consistent, which was a breath of fresh air. With a book this and with multiple POVs (all of which were also in first person), it's easy for a story to lose momentum at times, but I really felt as though Between Dragons and Their Wrath avoided that trap. Each chapter is packed with enough intrigue and development to keep you turning the pages, and I never felt lost while transitioning between characters.

Despite the title and cover of this book featuring dragons, I would warn you not to go into this book expecting a lot of dragons, because the dragon content is actually few and far between. Dragons are indeed present in this world, but they are really more of a background element in this book. However, Between Dragons and Their Wrath offers plenty of other reasons to keep reading, such as its heavy political fantasy elements. Much of the plot revolves around politics between different territories and families, imperialistic elements, and the overall delicate balance of power between different territories and cultures.

The world-building is rich and imaginative, and I loved getting a taste of the diverse cultures and regions shaping this story. I found it fascinating to see how how they viewed and interacted with one another, as there were many different sentiments and histories involved with each relationship. The history of this world feels vast and I definitely got the feeling that we've only scratched the surface of it, so I can't wait to see what else there is to learn in future books.

This first book ended on a really strong note-it wasn't a cliffhanger, but it absolutely sets up the sequel perfectly to pick right back up and continue on this journey. I'm especially intrigued by the direction the dragon storyline seems to be heading. It's unexpected, imaginative, and promises to add so much depth and even more layers to this world and its history.

Overall, I've given Between Dragons and Their Wrath 4.5 stars! I am so pleased to be reading books from Devin Madson again and additionally pleased that this was such a great story. This would be a great read for fans of political fantasy, carefully crafted characters, and a multi-layered story. I can't wait to read the sequel!

*I received a copy of Between Dragons and Their Wrath in exchange for an honest review. This has no effect on my rating.*

Buy the book: Amazon | Bookshop.org

Blog Tour: Apartment Women by Gu Byeong-mo + Excerpt

2024-12-05T02:00:00.003-08:00

Welcome to my stop on the blog tour for Apartment Women by Gu Byeong-mo! This is a quiet, compelling story about the experiences of four different women living in a government-run housing complex. Below, you'll find some general information about the book and author, as well an excerpt to give you a taste of what to expect from Apartment Women.

SYNOPSIS:

"'From the New York Times Notable author of The Old Woman with the Knife, comes a bracingly original story of family, marriage, the cultural expectations of motherhood, about four women whose lives intersect in dramatic and unexpected ways at a government-run apartment complex outside Seoul

When Yojin moves with her husband and daughter into the Dream Future Pilot Communal Apartments, she’s ready for a fresh start. Located on the outskirts of Seoul, the experimental community is a government initiative designed to boost the national birth rate. Like her neighbors, Yojin has agreed to have at least two more children over the next ten years.

Yet, from the day she arrives, Yojin feels uneasy about the community spirit thrust upon her. Her concerns grow as communal child care begins and the other parents begin to show their true colors. Apartment Women traces the lives of four women in the apartments, all with different aspirations and beliefs. Will they find a way to live peacefully? Or are the cultural expectations around parenthood stacked against them from the start?

trenchant social novel from an award-winning author, Apartment Women incisively illuminates the unspoken imbalance of women’s parenting labor, challenging the age-old assumption that “it takes a village” to raise a child."

Excerpt:

The recycling truck kicked up pieces of cardboard and dust as it drove off. Soda cans and bottle caps that had fallen off the back tumbled along the ground. Danhui’s hands became sticky as she picked up the trash and put it in the sack.

After she cleaned up the recycling, she broomed the dust into a metal dustpan, dumped it into a trash bag, and headed up to the third floor. She could hear the baby’s cries from the bottom of the stairs.

“Hyonae-ssi, are you there? Hyonae-ssi? Sounds like Darim’s crying?”

She heard rustling as the crying settled, then the front door swung open. Exhausted, her eyes bloodshot, Jo Hyonae came outside holding Darim. She looked as desperate as a trembling drop of water clinging to the faucet. “Yes, what is it?” Hyonae’s voice was hoarse.

“Were you sleeping all this time? You don’t look like you got any rest!” “What’s going on so early in the morning?”

“Oh, Hyonae-ssi! You sent Sangnak-ssi down by himself the other day when we were all meeting the new family, and you haven’t shown your face since. It’s not early, everyone’s gone off to work and it’s already nine! I thought I told you the recycling truck comes at eight on Mondays.”

Hyonae shifted Darim to her other arm and scratched her tousled head. “I had to pull an allnighter again. I’m happy to take it on next time.”

This woman was the complete opposite of the new tenant Euno, who had come out to see if he could help when he heard the truck. Even though his family was still unpacking and settling in, Euno had come anyway and hovered about, asking if there was anything he could do, while Danhui and Gyowon waved him off, declining any assistance. What Danhui did want, although she refrained from asking, was for him to go pound on Hyonae’s door and wake her up. All this time Danhui had nodded and smiled sympathetically when Hyonae claimed to be too worn out from work to offer a hand; though she knew it wasn’t that big of a deal, Danhui had been waiting for a chance to have a serious talk with that self-centered Hyonae to make sure her neighbor knew she couldn’t walk all over her.

“Now you’re making me feel like I’m in the wrong here,” Danhui protested. “I’m not trying to imply that the work is hard. The workers collecting the recyclables are the ones doing the heavy lifting, and all we need to do is gather everything in one place so things don’t go flying around everywhere.”

“Right, that’s why I’m saying I can be the one to handle it next time.”

Danhui wanted to believe that Hyonae wasn’t purposely shirking her duties, but irresponsibility and laziness seemed something of a second nature to Hyonae. Even if Hyonae herself didn’t care, it was exhausting for the rest of them to have to deal with her.

“You know that’s not the issue. Doing communal work together is what makes it meaningful. Like I said before, if someone does it on their own this week and someone else handles it on their own the next week, it gets tricky and the system falls apart. Even if we made a schedule of whose turn it is to do what, there are always going to be times when we can’t follow it. That’s why everyone needs to come out and do this together. We can be flexible when someone has an unavoidable conflict. But if you can’t do the bare minimum, how will we be able to live together in harmony?”

This was when Darim, whose lips had been trembling during Danhui’s speech, burst into tears again, and Hyonae took that opportunity to cut her neighbor off. “Well, I need to nurse her right now.”

Danhui let out a sigh as she glanced over Hyonae’s slender shoulders into her apartment—the rumpled baby blankets, an open bag of sliced bread, toys strewn across the floor, clothes thrown every which way. “Sure. Text me later once Darim’s asleep. I’ll stop by for a second and we can finish talking.”

Danhui headed back downstairs, telling herself she shouldn’t be irritated by Hyonae, who, as always, had merely given a curt nod to put an end to their conversation.

It wasn’t a shock that Hyonae was exhausted—Danhui herself had experienced this fatigue when her two boys were younger, and she wouldn’t have been able to survive those years if the people around her hadn’t been unconditionally accommodating and considerate. You could try your best but not make it out of the apartment on time. Sometimes, no matter how hard you tried to wake up, it felt truly impossible to pry a single eye open, even with a wailing child beside you. Raising children was all about dragging yourself forward. Despite all your maternal love and inner strength, you’d still find yourself marooned from time to time, and you had no choice but to continue on until your last breath.

Those feelings were normal, but she couldn’t help but be annoyed. Whenever childcare obligations kept Danhui from upholding her side of the communal bargain (like the time she missed a general meeting at her boys’ day care center), she would apologize in a manner appropriate to the magnitude of her act. She would personally deliver a handwritten note—I’m sorry I missed the meeting, my son was sick again—with a fruit basket or a cake box. Then she would bow in apology at the next opportunity and work twice as hard whenever a small task came her way. Even if the others were put out before, they would end up doing her a favor when she needed something; they might push her turn back or let her go first.
Long before they moved here, back when Jeongmok was a baby, Jaegang had been away on a business trip and the recycling had piled up for three weeks in the utility room of their tiny twenty-four-pyeong apartment. Of course it did; since the baby’s arrival, they had started buying and using more and more personal hygiene products, and all of them had come packaged in plastic. Recycling days were once a week like at most apartment buildings in Seoul, and the residents were supposed to bring their recyclables out between six in the evening on Thursday and five thirty the following morning when the recycling truck arrived. But Jaegang had come home late after work the first week, then returned drunk off his feet from a work dinner the following week, and then had gone overseas for business the third week.

She had opened the door to the utility room to discover Styrofoam dishes and plastic recyclables piled around the large overflowing polypropylene tote bag in which they carried recycling downstairs; the plastic refuse blocked the path to the washing machine, barring her from entry. If someone were to see the utility room, they would assume she was a hoarder, the kind you saw on the news, or an alcoholic who neglected her child, and she was made miserable by this thought; it felt as though everything she had done earlier in her marriage to live a more environmentally friendly life, which of course had taken attention and effort, had gone down the drain.

Deciding to handle this problem herself instead of waiting for Jaegang to get home, she carefully slipped sleeping Jeongmok in his baby carrier. She should have done this from the get-go, but she had been trying not to expose Jeongmok to the freezing winter wind, which they’d confront on the seven-minute walk down the long corridor to the elevator and out the front doors to the trash and recycling area. Danhui went out with the bag filled with cardboard boxes and plastic. As she made the second trip with the baby on her back—after all, she only had two hands—other residents and the security guard spotted her and rushed over to help. She gratefully accepted their kindness, though she hadn’t brought Jeongmok to evoke sympathy, but rather because of all the tragedies she heard about on the news, stories of a child falling or suffocating to death during the brief moments their mom washed the dishes or ran to the supermarket just across the street. By her third trip, the security guard and the residents who had been breaking down her boxes and stacking them offered to come up to her apartment to help bring the rest down.

She had, of course, bowed in gratitude, and later, once she had her wits about her, she found out which units the kind neighbors lived in and brought gifts of tteok and fruit for them and the security guard. After that, her neighbors were naturally happy to help out. This was just one of the many ways a young mother could pay back the inevitable debt she racked up among her neighbors; you just had to show your gratitude.

But Hyonae didn’t bother doing any of that. It wasn’t that she was incapable; she just didn’t care. As an example, a salesperson hawking red ginseng or health supplements might offer a regular customer a bottle of vitamins for free, and, if that customer had any sense, they would kindly refuse after the first time, appreciating the thought behind the gesture. But Hyonae never even gave out copies of the picture books she illustrated. She claimed to be embarrassed because they weren’t published by a well-known company, and said they were sold as a box set and therefore hard for her to give out only the one she illustrated; still, if she handed out a few books to the neighbors, whose children were all around the same age, she could easily generate some goodwill by showing everyone what kind of work she did and help them understand why she couldn’t fully participate in their day-to-day schedule, but she didn’t put in any effort. Relationships were like joints that creaked without fluid between them, and Danhui’s biggest complaint was that the same people always felt the resulting pain and discomfort. She wasn’t annoyed by the fact that she wasn’t on the receiving end of niceties; she sincerely believed that these small acts were the bare minimum when you lived in an apartment building.

Even if you weren’t a people person, all you had to do was merely say the right things at the right time. Reflecting on her experience raising two kids, Danhui felt that a mother had to constantly say “sorry” and “thank you” even if she had done nothing wrong. All Hyonae had to do was add just one more sentence; just now, after saying, “I had to pull an allnighter again,” she could have easily added, I’m so sorry. Again, it wasn’t that Danhui wanted Hyonae to prostrate herself, it was just that these were the skills— or rather, the basic courtesy—of maintaining relationships. Intellectually she knew she should forgive Hyonae’s disorganized disposition and not judge her based on her line of work, but her lack of social skills was obvious, sitting as she did in her room, working on projects alone.

Two days ago, Sangnak had emphasized that Hyonae had fallen asleep after meeting a deadline, which was why she couldn’t come to the welcome party for the new family. He had even brought Darim to the backyard on his own to allow Hyonae to rest. But here she was, up all night again despite her husband’s support. Was she drawing all the pictures in the world, all by herself? Danhui had gone upstairs merely to tell her that they should try to work more effectively together, and Hyonae had cut her off, saying she’d just handle the recycling by herself the next time. Not only was it incredibly unclear when exactly this next time would be, but this disorganized approach would also render a turn-taking system useless and confusing. Maybe someone might think Hyonae was being ostracized over the trivial issue of recycling…

But it wasn’t trivial.

Trivial things weren’t so trivial when they piled up, not a corn on the sole of a foot or dust heaped on a forgotten shelf. Danhui just wanted Hyonae to understand this.

Excerpted from APARTMENT WOMEN by Gu Byeong-mo. Copyright © 2018 by Gu Byeong-mo. English translation © 2024 by Chi-Young Kim. Published by Hanover Square Press, an imprint of HarperCollins.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

GU BYEONG-MO is an award-winning author. Born in Seoul, South Korea, she now resides in Jinju, South Korea with her family. The Old Woman with the Knife, her first book to be translated into English, was a New York Times Notable Book and an NPR Best Book of the Year.

CHI-YOUNG KIM is an award-winning literary translator and editor who has translated works by You-jeong Jeong, Sun-mi Hwang, Young-ha Kim, Kyung Ran Jo, J.M. Lee, and Kyung-sook Shin, among others.

Author Website | X | Instagram | Goodreads

Review: Sorcery and Small Magics by Maiga Doocy

2024-12-03T02:00:00.041-08:00

Sorcery and Small Magics by Maiga Doocy

Orbit

Publication Date: October 17th, 2024

Paperback. 416 pages.

About Sorcery and Small Magics:

"Desperate to undo the curse binding them to each other, an impulsive sorcerer and his curmudgeonly rival venture deep into a magical forest in search of a counterspell—only to discover that magic might not be the only thing pulling them together.

Leovander Loveage is a master of small magics.

He can summon butterflies with a song, or turn someone’s hair pink by snapping his fingers. Such minor charms don’t earn him much admiration from other sorcerers (or his father), but anything more elaborate always blows up in his face. Which is why Leo vowed years ago to never again write powerful magic.

That is, until a mix-up involving a forbidden spell binds Leo to obey the commands of his longtime nemesis, Sebastian Grimm. Grimm is Leo’s complete opposite—respected, exceptionally talented, and an absolutely insufferable curmudgeon. The only thing they agree on is that getting caught using forbidden magic would mean the end of their careers. They need a counterspell, and fast. But Grimm casts spells, he doesn’t undo them, and Leo doesn’t mess with powerful magic.

Chasing rumors of a powerful sorcerer with a knack for undoing curses, Leo and Grimm enter the Unquiet Wood, a forest infested with murderous monsters and dangerous outlaws alike. To dissolve the curse, they’ll have to uncover the true depths of Leo’s magic, set aside their long-standing rivalry, and—much to their horror—work together.

Even as an odd spark of attraction flares between them."

Sorcery and Small Magics is a delightful read that immediately draws you in and keeps you entertained throughout. From the first pages, I felt at home in its world and with its protagonist, Leovander Loveage. The premise is a classic and one that I knew would be fun: enemies forced to work together, which of course results in plenty of banter and barbs thrown around at one another.

There was a certain familiarity to Leo and his class enemy, Sebastian Grimm, that made them feel like old friends I'd read and journeyed with before. I'm not entirely sure if that's a testament to how well-crafted they are or moreso just a reflection of the fact that they were somewhat archetypes of characters I've read, but either way I loved them. The dynamic between Leo and Grimm really drives the story and showcases their sharp wit and individual personalities in a way that felt authentic and intriguing.

I was really intrigued by the magic system crafted in this world. The system of having scrivers to write spells and casters to cast said spells is an interesting one, and I was especially intrigued by Leo's ability and penchant for crafting spells through song. I found the distinctions between cantrips and Grandmagic, as well as the risks involved for scribers who try to cast, added a lot of depth to the magic system and made it feel much more detailed. Some of the finer points of the magic system are a bit fuzzy for me still, but I'm hopeful that future books will expand on the magic.

The story does a great job of balancing light-hearted charm with some slightly heavier moments that bear more emotional weight. Both Leo and Grimm had interesting backstories to explore and better understand their motivations and reasons for their choice in education, and I appreciated that the author spent a very adequate amount of time on these without spending too much time on backstory. Leo's backstory in particular brings a bit more heaviness with it and we are able to learn a lot more about him and the guilt that constantly weighs on him due to things that have happened in the past.

While some parts of Sorcery and Small Magics felt predictable, I didn't really find that predictability to be too much of a drawback. The story played out like a cozy yet exciting adventure with plenty of risk involved, and the twists the author chose to take–and not take–made it feel fresh and highly entertaining. I was impressed also with how well the author mixed in so many of the elements I've mentioned in this review and managed to do so without interrupting the pace at any point and creating a great balance of action, humor, and heart.

The ending was a little bit of a mixed bag for me at times, but overall I really did like it. I appreciated that there was a cost to resolving some of the big climactic issues and monsters that arose as threats, as it made the threat and stakes feel real. However, I also felt some of the ways in which things were resolves felt like they were wrapped up a little too neatly and easily, and there were some things that seemed to be resolved on first try that surprised me. It didn't detract from the story, but it did feel just a touch too easy. Still, I admired how the conclusion avoided rushing into romantic clichés and instead focused on a more organic shift in the relationships between our two characters. It was more enemies to friends, in a way, which I think felt like a more natural progression that didn't make anything too rushed or unrealistic.

Overall, Sorcery and Small Magics is a charming, fun, and heartfelt read with great characters, an interesting magic system, and plenty of adventure and mishaps, and it's one that I would absolutely recommend. I've also discovered since reading this book that it will be a trilogy, which means we will have even more of Leo and Grimm, and I can't wait! I've given Sorcery and Small Magics 4.5 stars.

*I received a copy of Sorcery and Small Magics in exchange for an honest review. This has no effect on my rating.*

Buy the book: Amazon | Bookshop.org

Month in Review: November 2024

2024-12-02T02:00:00.125-08:00

So, November has been.. rough, for a variety of reasons that I'm sure we're all aware of. But fortunately some really good things also happening this month, such as my husband and I taking a trip to Japan together! My husband has visited Japan a few times in the past and has always wanted to take me–and I've also been wanting to visit–so we finally got to go and it was such a wonderful experience. We only had a week, so we tried to make the most of our limited time and stayed in Kyoto, with some day trips to Osaka and Nara. It was really an incredible time and I'm so glad I had the opportunity to go.

The downside to traveling (for me, at least) is that it puts me incredible behind on everything else, haha. I am ashamed to say that I only got three reviews up this month (yikes), but I do already have two reviews finished and scheduled for December and with more on the way, so I'll do my best to make up for that. It was a slow blogging month for me in general, but maybe in December I'll (finally?) get back on track. I read nine books this month–a bit less than anticipated–but there were some really great ones in there. Some highlights were A Sorceress Comes to Call, Sorcery and Small Magics, and After the People Lights have Gone Off.

How was your November and what books have you been reading? Let me know how your month was below and what you've been reading!

# books read: 9

After the People Lights Have Gone Off by Stephen Graham Jones ★★★★

Source: Owned | Format: Paperback

We Do Not Part by Han Kang ★★★.75

Source: Publisher | Format: Physical ARC

Darkly by Marisha Pessl ★★★★

Source: NetGalley | Format: eARC

A Sorceress Comes to Call by T. Kingfisher ★★★★★

Source: Owned | Format: Hardcover

Sorcery and Small Magics by Maiga Doocy ★★★★.75

Source: Publisher | Format: Paperback

The Way by Cary Groner ★★★★

Source: NetGalley | Format: eARC

We'll Prescribe You a Cat by Syou Ishida ★★★★

Source: NetGalley | Format: eARC

The Gate of the Feral Gods (Dungeon Crawler Carl #4) ★★★★

Source: Owned | Format: Audiobook

Beholder by Ryan La Sala ★★★

Source: Library | Format: Audiobook

DNF/To-Be-Finished:

None! (that I can recall...)

We'll Prescribe You a Cat by Syou Ishinda, trans. E. Madison Shimoda
Darkly by Marisha Pessl
The Way by Cary Groner

Posts:

Month in Review: October 2024

Blog Memes:

Can't-Wait Wednesday:
9/6: The Resurrectionist by A. Rae Dunlap & The Party by Natasha Preston
9/13: What the Woods Took by Courtney Gould & Wind and Truth (The Stormlight Archives #5) by Brandon Sanderson
9/20: North is the Night by Emily Rath & The Way by Cary Kroner

9/27: We are the Beasts by Gigi Griffis & Apartment Women by Gu Byeong-Mo, transl. Chi-Young Kim

The Friday Face-Off:
Current Read #33

Can't-Wait Wednesday: We are the Beasts by Gigi Griffis & Apartment Women by Gu Byeong-Mo, transl. Chi-Young Kim

2024-11-27T02:00:00.003-08:00

Can't-Wait is a weekly meme hosted by Wishful Endings that spotlights exciting upcoming releases that we can't wait to be released!

We are the Beasts by Gigi Griffis
Publication: December 24th, 2024
Kensington
Hardcover. 336 pages.
Pre-order: Amazon | Bookshop.org

From Goodreads:
"Step into this chilling, historical horror inspired by the unsolved mystery of the Beast of Gévaudan.

When a series of brutal, mysterious deaths start plaguing the countryside and whispers of a beast in the mountains reach the quiet French hamlet of Mende, most people believe it’s a curse—God’s punishment for their sins.

But to sixteen-year-old Joséphine and her best friend, Clara, the beast isn’t a curse. It’s an opportunity.

For years, the girls of Mende have been living in a nightmare—fathers who drink, brothers who punch, homes that feel like prisons—and this is a chance to get them out.

Using the creature’s attacks as cover, Joséphine and Clara set out to fake their friends’ deaths and hide them away until it’s safe to run. But escape is harder than they thought. If they can’t brave a harsh winter with little food… If the villagers discover what they’re doing… If the beast finds them first...

Those fake deaths might just become real ones."

I love that this is based on a real legend and that the author seems to be taking it into a new direction. I'm always curious to see how things like this turn out!

Apartment Women by Gu Byeong-mo, transl. Chi-Young Kim
Publication: December 3rd, 2024
Hanover Square Press
Paperback. 224 pages.
Pre-order: Amazon | Bookshop.org

From Goodreads:
"From the New York Times Notable author of The Old Woman with the Knifecomes a bracingly original story of family, marriage and the cultural expectations of motherhood, about four women whose lives intersect in dramatic and unexpected ways at a government-run apartment complex outside Seoul

When Yojin moves with her husband and daughter into the Dream Future Pilot Communal Apartments, she’s ready for a fresh start. Located on the outskirts of Seoul, the experimental community is a government initiative designed to boost the national birth rate. Like her neighbors, Yojin has agreed to have at least two more children over the next ten years.

Yet, from the day she arrives, Yojin feels uneasy about the community spirit thrust upon her. Her concerns grow as communal child care begins and the other parents show their true colors. Apartment Women traces the lives of four women in the apartments, all with different aspirations and beliefs. Will they find a way to live peacefully? Or are the cultural expectations around parenthood stacked against them from the start?

A trenchant social novel from an award-winning author, Apartment Women incisively illuminates the unspoken imbalance of women’s parenting labor, challenging the age-old assumption that “it takes a village” to raise a child."

This is such a compelling topic and I'm really looking forward to how the author tackles this entire premise--I'm curious to learn more about each of these characters.

Review: The Way by Cary Groner

2024-11-26T02:00:00.003-08:00

The Way by Cary Groner
Spiegel & Grau
Publication Date: December 3rd, 2024
Hardcover. 304 pages.

About The Way:

"A postapocalyptic road trip and a quest for redemption.

The world has been ravaged by a lethal virus and, with few exceptions, only the young have survived. Cities and infrastructures have been destroyed, and the natural world has reclaimed the landscape in surprising ways, with herds of wild camels roaming the American West and crocodiles that glow neon green lurking in the rivers.

Against this perilous backdrop, Will Collins, the de facto caretaker of a Buddhist monastery in Colorado, receives an urgent and mysterious request: to deliver a potential cure to a scientist in what was once California. So Will sets out, haunted by dreams of the woman he once loved, in a rusted-out pickup pulled by two mules. A menacing thug is on his tail. Armed militias patrol the roads. And the only way he’ll make it is with the help of a clever raven, an opinionated cat, and a tough teenage girl who has learned to survive on her own.

A highly original contribution to the canon of dystopian literature, The Way is a thrilling and imaginative novel, full of warmth, wisdom, and surprises that reflect our world in unsettling, uncanny, and even hopeful ways."

The Way by Cary Groner is a thought-provoking and unexpectedly satisfying read that I didn’t anticipate liking it as much as I did—or in the way that I did. The Way is set in a world ravaged by a deadly virus that has wiped out 80% of the population, leaving our protagonist, and while this post-apocalyptic/post-pandemic novel might initially seem like a bleak tale of survival, its heart and tone seem to lean towards a more hopeful overall atmosphere.

The story centers on Will Collins who has been taking care of a Buddhist monastery when he is tasked with delivering a potential cure to a facility in California, which means a long journey west is in store for him. Will's journey is a perilous adventure full of risks and encounters with a fairly eclectic cast of people and animals. His Buddhist background and beliefs added a lot of depth to his observations of both the world around him, as well as his own inner thoughts and struggles, all of which provided some truly thought-provoking perspectives on humanity and survival.

Accompanying Will are Cassie, his cat; Peau, a raven whom Will has learned to successfully communicate with; a couple mules; and a variety of other people and creatures that pop in and out of this journey. I especially enjoyed how Groner explored the lives of various survivors of the virus and delved into the unique ways individuals and communities have adapted to the harsh realities of a post-virus world. I always enjoy getting to meet different people and see how they've all set up their lives and what their own opinions and perspective are on everything that's been going on. These glimpses into survival and rebuilding were some of my favorite aspects of the story as I felt they added so much more depth to the story and narrative.

I previously mentioned that The Way has an overall hopeful tone to it, but that's not to say that it does not also take a cold hard look at the realities of a post-virus world. There are many moments when Will and readers alike are confronted with the unflinching reality of loss, desperation, and many more hardships that would likely occur after such a traumatic event. There's a strong balance of realism and optimism that I thought worked perfectly for this story that prevented it from becoming too dark.

I particularly liked the ending and thought it was well-deserved and more satisfying than I anticipated. I can see it not working well for some people and I can certainly understand why, but it's one of those where I sort of secretly wanted a certain ending and this one really hit the mark for me with how earned and meaningful it felt.

Lastly, I listened to the audiobook version and thought the. narrator did an excellent job capturing the tone of Will throughout. I felt they captured Will’s voice and the tone of the story perfectly, which made it an even more immersive experience.

The Way is a fantastic post-apocalyptic novel that blends insight, adventure, and heart. I would readily recommend it to readers across genres—whether you’re here for the premise, the philosophy, or the character-driven storytelling, there’s a little something for everyone.

*I received a copy of The Way in exchange for an honest review. This has no effect on my rating.*

Buy the book: Amazon | Bookshop.org

The Friday Face-Off: Current Read #33

2024-11-22T02:00:00.043-08:00

This week's topic is:

Current Read #33

I haven't done a Friday Face-Off in a while, so I thought it might be a great time to jump back in, and this week I've picked a book I've been very excited about: The City and Its Uncertain Walls by Haruki Murakami! This book was finally released in English this week and I have been eagerly anticipating this book for years. I was extremely fortunate to receive an ARC of this one so I've been slowly working my way through it for a while and I'm having the best time being immersed back into Murakami's writing. Because this book was released in Japan in 2023 and has already been translated and released in other languages as well, there are already plenty of editions out there, so let's have a look at some of them!

2024 US | 2023 Japan | 2024 Dutch

2024 Chinese | 2024 UK | 2024 Persian

2023 Korean | 2024 Bengali | 2024 Spanish

2024 German | 2024 Finnish | 2024 Italian

My favorite(s):

These are all such cool covers! I am particularly drawn to the US, Japan, and Chinese editions this time around. The Chinese edition is actually really grabbing me, I'm really liking the style of it. The Korean edition is also really striking. Which cover(s) do you like the most!?

Can't-Wait Wednesday: North is the Night by Emily Rath & The Way by Cary Kroner

2024-11-20T02:00:00.001-08:00

Can't-Wait is a weekly meme hosted by Wishful Endings that spotlights exciting upcoming releases that we can't wait to be released!

North is the Night by Emily Rath
Publication: December 17th, 2024
Erewhon
Hardcover. 592 pages.
Pre-order: Amazon | Bookshop.org

From Goodreads:
"In the Finnish wilderness, more than wolves roam the dark forests. For Siiri and Aina, summer’s fading light is a harbinger of unwelcome change. Land-hungry Swedes venture north, threatening the peace; a zealous Christian priest denounces the old ways; and young women have begun to disappear.

Siiri vows to protect Aina from danger. But even Siiri cannot stop a death goddess from dragging her friend to Tuonela, the mythical underworld. Determined to save Aina, Siiri braves a dangerous journey north to seek the greatest shaman of legend, the only person to venture to the realm of death and return alive.

In Tuonela, the cruel Witch Queen turns Aina’s every waking moment into a living nightmare. But armed with compassion and cleverness, Aina learns the truth of her capture: the king of the underworld himself has plans for her. To return home, Aina must bargain her heart—as Siiri plots a daring rescue of the woman she loves the most.

In this sweeping fantasy adventure perfect for fans of Katherine Arden, Naomi Novik, and H.M. Long, hope and love can conquer even death itself."

Comparisons to Katherine Arden and Naomi Novik are very bold, but I'm excited to check this one out!

The Way by Cary Croner
Publication: December 3rd, 2024
Spiegel & Grau
Hardcover. 304 pages.
Pre-order: Amazon | Bookshop.org

From Goodreads:
"A postapocalyptic road trip and a quest for redemption.

The world has been ravaged by a lethal virus and, with few exceptions, only the young have survived. Cities and infrastructures have been destroyed, and the natural world has reclaimed the landscape in surprising ways, with herds of wild camels roaming the American West and crocodiles that glow neon green lurking in the rivers.

Against this perilous backdrop, Will Collins, the de facto caretaker of a Buddhist monastery in Colorado, receives an urgent and mysterious request: to deliver a potential cure to a scientist in what was once California. So Will sets out, haunted by dreams of the woman he once loved, in a rusted-out pickup pulled by two mules. A menacing thug is on his tail. Armed militias patrol the roads. And the only way he’ll make it is with the help of a clever raven, an opinionated cat, and a tough teenage girl who has learned to survive on her own.

A highly original contribution to the canon of dystopian literature, The Way is a thrilling and imaginative novel, full of warmth, wisdom, and surprises that reflect our world in unsettling, uncanny, and even hopeful ways."

I am so intrigued by this premise and think it sounds so promising!

Review: Darkly by Marisha Pessl

2024-11-19T02:00:00.069-08:00

Darkly by Marisha Pessl
Delacorte Press
Publication Date: November 26th, 2024
Hardcover. 416 pages.

About Darkly:

"Arcadia “Dia” Gannon has been obsessed with Louisiana Veda, the game designer whose obsessive creations and company, Darkly, have gained a cultlike following. Dia is shocked when she’s chosen for a highly-coveted internship, along with six other teenagers from around the world. Why her? Dia has never won anything in her life.

Darkly, once a game-making empire renowned for its ingenious and utterly terrifying toys and games, now lies dormant after Veda’s mysterious death. The remaining games are priced like rare works of art, with some fetching millions of dollars at auction.

As Dia and her fellow interns delve into the heart of Darkly, they discover hidden symbols, buried clues, and a web of intrigue. Who are these other teens, and what secrets do they keep? Why were any of them really chosen? The answers lie within the twisted labyrinth of Darkly—a chilling and addictive read by Marisha Pessl.

This summer will be the most twisted Darkly game of all."

I was so excited for a new book from Marisha Pessl! I loved Special Topics in Calamity Physics back when I read it what feels like ages ago, and I subsequently loved Night Film and its unique storytelling format. Darkly is just as layered and intricate as Pessl's previous work and I really loved diving back into her storytelling.

In Darkly, we are immersed in the world of Darkly Games, a mysterious brand created by the enigmatic Louisiana Veda. Seven teenagers from around the globe are selected for an exclusive internship—an opportunity that delivers far more than any of them anticipated. I was completely hooked by this twisty, unpredictable story.

The protagonist, Dia Gannon, is a devoted fan of Louisiana’s games and knows far more than the average player, making this internship a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity she can’t pass up. Raised in her family’s antique shop by her eccentric mother, Dia’s life has always been a bit unconventional. Her obsession with Louisiana’s games and disappearance drives her, and as the story unfolds, she comes face-to-face with answers to questions the world has long asked about Louisiana—answers she may not be ready for.

There are six other interns we get to know, and I enjoyed getting to know each character and where they fit into this particular Darkly puzzle. Admittedly, however, I did sometimes have difficulties remembering who was who among some of the other characters, as I felt their individual personalities were not developed past some more general characteristics. I felt like the author put a focus on a few characters, such as Poe, but then others just seemed there as plot devices and lacked anything overly memorable about them.

Darkly's dark and mysterious atmosphere made it hard to put down and easy to become immersed in. I loved never knowing where the story would go next, and the sheer number of secrets waiting to be unearthed was thrilling. The games themselves were utterly fascinating, leaving me wishing they existed in the real world—though I’m certain I’d be terrible at them, haha. Pessl’s hallmark complexity shines in how the games are seamlessly woven into the narrative, which blurred the line between game and reality in a way that was both unsettling and exciting at the same time.

The ending also offered a satisfying conclusion to the many mysteries presented throughout the story. There were moments when the ending seemed the slightest bit rushed, as if Pessl wanted to wrap up as many threads as possible in a limited amount of time. However, I also feel like once certain things are discovered and everything comes to light things do tend to happen quickly anyway, so it didn't feel too abrupt.

Overall, I highly recommend Darkly to anyone who enjoys a good twisty story that has layers and layers of secrets to unearth. If you've enjoyed Marisha Pessl's books in the past, I think you'll also be pleased with this one.

*I received a copy of Darkly in exchange for an honest review. This has no effect on my rating.*

Buy the book: Amazon | Bookshop.org