Terciel and Elinor, Garth Nix
I really have to give Garth Nix credit for releasing sequels and especially prequels to the original trilogy that don't feel shoehorned in. I loved learning about Sabriel's parents and more about how the villains of these stories are connected. As ever, this book is creepy, funny, heartwarming, suspenseful, and everything I love about this series. It's the newest, so I don't have it basically memorized yet, but I will in time.
~ michellethestan
Trail of Lightning, Rebecca Roanhorse
I loved it! It was a unique take on the post apocalypse genre grounded in Diné mythology, and I was riveted. I love reading speculative fiction from outside the Western cultural lens and this was a great one. The story was creepy, exciting, emotional, funny, unexpected - everything I'm looking for. I love the main character and I immediately started the sequel.
~ Michellethestan
Storm of Locusts, Rebecca Roanhorse
I tore through this and then immediately frantically googled for updates on book 3. I was so excited to expand into the wider Southwest of this world, and again the characters were fantastic. Ben, Rissa, and Maggie are the ultimate apocalypse girl gang. Rebecca Roanhorse does a fantastic job balancing humor and horror once again. The stakes are raised but so are the charm and laughs.
CW for genre-typical discussion of sexual assault and body horror
~ Michellethestan
Secret Truro by Christine Parnell and Sheila Richardson
I love learning about local history and I love the library. Will be looking out for all the bits I've learned next time I'm in the city.
~ Highwaystars
In the Lives of Puppets by TJ Klune
I've loved every other TJ Klune book I've read, but this one felt a bit like a dud. The first half of the book passed so slowly. I wanted to give up on it so many times. I'm glad I made it to the end, because I enjoyed the second half a whole lot more.
~ Lindsay (wildflowerstede)
Fishflies by Jeff Lemire
Sometimes, when circumstances are just right and there’s a blue moon, a curse comes back, and someone finds themselves having a metamorphosis. A little girl who needs a friend finds one in the shape of a giant bug.
~ killerweasel
Band Sinister by KJ Charles
I liked this one, although Guy and Phillip are not my favorite KJ Charles characters, not even within this book. I would gladly read a spin off featuring Amanda, Sheridan, or David. Loved how the aunt was so Lady Catherine de Bourgh.
~ FelinePharma
Assistant to the Villain by Hannah Nicole Maehrer
A co-worker raved about this one and it was a fine read as a quick, quirky rom-com but something about the editing or writing style seemed off to me. I enjoyed the sunny character’s spots of darkness. I’ve ordered the second one and we’ll see how it goes.
~ FelinePharma
Maurice by E.M. Forster
I read Howards End in college and really loved it and always knew of Maurice and had never read it, and now I’m glad I have! It’s such a rare example of a relatively early queer novel (even if it was published decades after it was actually written), especially considering the fact that it ends happily, which is still a depressingly new and rare possibility for queer stories.
~ Bryn (unfunpleasures)
Muybridge by Guy Delisle
Eadweard Muybridge was vital in the development of photography techniques leading to things being captured on film. Hundreds of his photos are still published in 2 volumes today & used by animators for research & references.
~ killerweasel
The Sword of Kaigen by M.L. Wang
A beautifully written emotional ride and brilliant Japanese inspired high fantasy story!
~ HipHopAnonymous
Walter Moers "A wild ride through the night"
wanted to love this one but didn’t. the idea of taking gustave doré's art and constructing a story around it is fun, but... they are book illustrations. the stories are already there, and this new plot doesn't work. the story is absurd, silly and completely inconsistent. a lot of is lore drops that become irrelevant two pages later. all characters sound the same and it’s so hard to take seriously. it reads like a children's book in the worst way. i liked the way the settings were described, but that’s about it…
~ Florence / florenceafter12.bsky.social
Sarah Moss "Ghost Wall"
i did enjoy this, but i feel like the escalation near the end kind of came out of nowhere and could’ve been built better. other than that, it was a good read, and i liked the way it talked about class differences
~ Florence / florenceafter12.bsky.social
Siberian Husky: Fun Facts on Dogs for Kids By Michelle Hawkins
I admit, I got this to read to my husky puppy! I read it out of boredom on a slow day when I wanted to read but couldn’t focus. For kids, though this is a good straightforward book with basic information on the breed, and one I would have read as a kid, given my love for huskies started when I was 5! Though I do argue with the book stating they’re a very calm breed!
~ IzzyHandsArt
Nell of Gumbling: My Extremely Normal Fairy-Tale Life by Emma Steinkellner
When a pair of shifty siblings arrive in town, claiming to be descendants of the last king, Nell and her friends need to work together to save the town from being turned into a theme park.
~ killerweasel
Lawless: How the Supreme Court Runs on Conservative Grievance, Fringe Theories, and Bad Vibes by Leah Litman
I wanted to like this more because it is an important topic but the pop culture references were pretty forced and the snarky tone of the writing got a bit grating.
~ remreader
The Lamb, Lucy Rose
I really wanted to like this book, and for the first part I did. I enjoyed Margot as a character and her relationship with her mother and the people around her was amazing. Her connection with Abby and the Bus driver was an incredibly compelling relationship to read.
And then it fell flat on the ending. I wasn't satisfied with the way this book ended, for a book with 80+ chapters i expected a more fulfilling ending. Not necessarily happy, but not nearly as disappointing as the one we have here. The ghost aspect introduced towards the end didn't sit right with me or do much to contribute to my enjoyment of ths story.
Overall a great read that falls flat towards the end and turns into a bit of, nothing. A lot of words for very little substance
~ Trashdog13
Extinction, by Douglas Preston
There have been MANY knockoffs of Jurassic Park over the years - both cinematic and literary. Some have been truly terrible, but most have at least some of the wish fulfillment that made the original so popular. Extinction starts off as one of the fun but dumb versions - the author clearly is no Michael Crichton when it comes to science, or even to basic modern technology ("I'll bluetooth that picture to you"), but the main characters are fun and there are plenty of boo-able villains and exotically described "deextincted" wildlife. The audiobook narrator is a perfect match, doing the over the top accents you would expect in a movie version. Adding in a murder mystery just enhances the b-movie fun!
But then things take a turn. There's a twist, which I won't spoil here, that probably could have been interesting in the hands of a better writer. But there are some deeply unfortunate choices of language and tone that put the brakes on the fun. The ending makes it clear that this twist will be the central focus of the series moving forward, which is especially disappointing.
I'm all for a mindless roller coaster ride of a book now and then - we all need a break, especially these days. This one came so close to providing that - but I can't in good conscience recommend it, which is a bummer.
Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC.
~ meganreal
Pox Romana: The Plague That Shook the Roman World by Colin Elliott
This was a lot less I guess dramatic? than I thought it would be and with a lot less about the actual disease than I expected but I did find the thorough presentation of the different types of indirect evidence we have for what happened and how historians have pieced them together to be pretty interesting; it was cool to see the interconnections amongst seeming unrelated phenomena.
~ remreader
Walking With Ghosts, by Gabriel Byrne
This may be poetic and engaging in written form, but as an audiobook it’s like being trapped in an elevator with someone talking about themselves without drawing breath for seven hours.
~ meganreal
Starship Troopers, by Robert L. Heinlein
At this point, with fifty-five years to have read, seen, or heard about Starship Troopers, there's not a lot more to say about its content. You either are onboard with the pro-military hypermasculinity, you enjoy it ironically, or it's just not your jam. So this review focuses only on the recent audio edition, not my personal thoughts and feelings about the military industrial complex.
First, if you've only seen the (deservedly) ridiculed movie version, know that the book was in fact written by a professional author, and regardless of your opinion of its message, it is written in a coherent, narrative style that may come as a surprise if you're expecting a novelization of the Casper van Dien dumpster fire.
R.C. Bray, whose voice you've likely heard if you're a fan of military scifi audio (or almost any other genre - he keeps busy!) is perfect as the voice of Juan/Johnny. Since the entire book is told from his perspective, the various accents and inflections of the other characters come across as reasonable interpretations of how Johnny would think of and remember them. The lack of sound effects and music is also a welcome development, as it reinforces that we are in Johnny's mind and not independently experiencing this world.
So if you'd like to experience Robert Heinlein's version of Starship Troopers (as opposed to Paul Verhoeven's movie), this is the way to go - an audio edition that truly adds something to the text.
Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC.
~ meganreal
Lumberjanes Vol. 9: On a Roll, by Shannon Watters
There's roller derby and yetis - what else can you ask for?
~ meganreal
Static Shock!: Trial by Fire, by Dwayne McDuffie
Both a throwback to the 90's and aging surprisingly well. The world needs more comics like this that don't require volumes of backstory.
~ meganreal
Tarot: Avengers/Defenders, by Alan Davis
A bit of the MCU snake swallowing its own tail, but the artwork sure is pretty.
~ meganreal
Season of the Roses, by Chole Wary
Gorgeous style - like impressionism with magic markers. And a story that rings all too true even outside of the specific setting of French soccer.
~ meganreal
Chihayafuru Vol. 1, by Yuki Suetsugu
I love everything about this and am glad that it is a long series - plenty to look forward to! It doesn't matter if you've never heard of karuta - you'll pick up enough to understand the story.
~ meganreal
Vince Staples: Limbo Beach, by Vince Staples
You know how you feel like you still understand modern media and then you are presented with something designed for current young people and realize that your frame of reference is closer to The Pilgrim's Progress than what's currently hip? Yeah.
~ meganreal
Abroad in Japan by Chris Broad
This was actually such a funny book, like I found myself laughing out loud constantly. Very jealous of how Chris Broad is able to make his voice shine through so clearly in text format. Very, very fun read!
~ Highwaystars
Nicked by MT Anderson
I’d seen this recommended a few times and decided to give it a go, even though this is an era I don’t generally prefer to read about. I’m so glad I did! It was so clever, with just the right amount of anachronism, a little bit of queer romance, and a great cast of characters.
~ Bryn (unfunpleasures)
Fence Breakthrough: Game Changer #1
I love the Fence series and I look forward to every new update. If you like sports stories, drama, slow burns, and enjoy reading about a great cast of characters, I would definitely recommend buckling up and checking out the whole series.
~ Bookloverstede@bsky.social
The Teller of Small Fortunes by Julie Leong
I enjoyed this one. It's a slower paced fantasy story, more like slice-of-life traveling tales of a magical fortune teller who picks up her found family along the way and finds herself on a life-changing journey.
~ Bookloverstede@bsky.social
Soften the Blow by Bread Tarleton
This graphic novel took such a unique approach to depict the struggles of inner turmoil and how this manifests in the day-to-day grind while dealing with societal prejudices. Audrey is a trans woman who is isolating herself in a small town after her championed wrestling world turns upside down. Definitely a touching, depressing read, but one that leaves quite an impression.
~ Bookloverstede@bsky.social
In Deeper Waters by F.T. Lukens
A cute YA queer fantasy romance about a prince who must hide his magic and the unexpected magical being he meets on the high seas.
~ Bookloverstede@bsky.social
Red Widow, by Alma Katsu
This is what a spy thriller should be - written in a way that you don’t have to work for the CIA to follow what’s happening! The author’s history and familiarity with the internal politics and culture of the CIA make it feel like a real agency where people work, as opposed to the almost mythical mystery it is in most stories set there. Whether or not you think you like the spy thriller genre, give this one a try!
~ meganreal
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