Marilyn and Her Books: The Literary Life of Marilyn Monroe by Gail Crowther
I wish this had been a little more substantive (a bit too much seemed to rely on speculation just based on books being in Marilyn's collection) but I appreciated the overall argument being made.
~ remreader (bluesky)
What We Sow: On the Personal, Ecological, and Cultural Significance of Seeds by Jennifer Jewell
I just didn't really vibe with this one overall, which is too bad since it's an interesting topic.
~ remreader (bluesky)
Gardening with Guineas - Jeannette S. Ferguson
I keep chickens and have no interest in getting guinea fowl (even less so after reading this book!), but I thought Gardening with Guineas was really charming nonetheless. The author is extremely excited about spreading the word about her favorite birds. I especially enjoyed the chapter talking about how she discovered the internet in the mid 90s and created a website to connect with other guinea owners and share tips. Heartwarmingly earnest.
~ LarndeSolen
The Raven Scholar by Antonia Hodgson
2.5* - I didn't really enjoy this. On the surface of things, it felt like something I could enjoy, but I think the multitude of POV switches and the unconvincing... romance(??) between some of the main characters didn't work in favour of this book. I probably would have liked it better if they'd firmly remained friends and accepted that.
The book is trying to do a lot of different things, and I keep wondering what could be changed to make me enjoy it more but I think that'd involve cutting it down approximately 200-300 pages and having less POV switches. It felt like it dragged on for too long for the plot/the characters/the world while we still don't really know much about any of that. And maybe part of that is down to how YA this book feels despite also trying to be adult fantasy? I don't know. Maybe I should stop reading fantasy for a bit.
This is meant to be a series but I'm not really interested in what's going to happen in any of the next books because I'm not invested in the characters or the world. It's unfortunate, but it happens.
~ fpwoper
Yesteryear - Caro Claire Burke
Picked this up because sometimes I love getting on the hype train and it was a lot better than I expected that it would be. I read this in a rural farmhouse so I was pretty much primed to have a good time. I read one bad review that accused the author of making up a woman to be mad at but like, yes good, reminded me of Yellowface in that I was constantly infuriated by the narrator, both her downfalls and missed potential. Did some fun twisty things where I worked out some of the journey the book was taking me on but was surprised by others.
~ rueforyou
The Secret History - Donna Tartt
For family roadtrips I often pick a chunky non-fiction survival story audiobook by this time I subjected my family to The Secret History, which lead to my dad asking a couple of hours in 'Is this really a murder book? All they've done so far is learn Greek!' I love the prose, I love how terrible everyone is but I also understand why it took me so long to get around to it, it's long, and some of this length is maybe superfluous but also, I had hours to kill on open roads so it was a perfect companion.
~ rueforyou
The Killer Question - Janice Hallett
I'll read anything written by Janice Hallett (and do, each time I take a summer holiday). I love the epistolary style and the way the narratives hold back secrets until the very end. Didn't much care for the B-Plot of this at first but it won me back as the puzzle pieces started falling into place, a fun time.
~ rueforyou
Magical Girl Dandelion Vol. 1 by Kaeru Mizuho
I'm always looking for magical girl series that are doing something different, and this is a strong series start. Not 100% sure I'm sold yet, but I liked it enough that I'll keep reading.
~ acesaru
These Fragile Graces, This Fugitive Heart by Izzy Wasserstein
I'm ALWAYS down for a sci-fi noir, but this one didn't stick the landing for me. It might have benefitted from being a novel vs a novella, with more room to explore its themes (which were admittedly interesting!)
~ acesaru
We Burned So Bright by TJ Klune
I think my expectations were really high for this one. It didn't hit me as hard in the feels as it did other folks I know, but I did think it had its beautiful, poignant moments. There's some scenes that are definitely going to stick with me a long time.
~ acesaru
The Summer Hikaru Died Vol. 1 by Mokumokuren
I loved this anime a lot, and the manga is equally fun. And by "fun," I mean it's terrifying and sad and beautiful. I just want these boys to be happy!!! Even if one of them might actually be a [ unsettling radio static noises ]
~ acesaru
A Wild Radiance by Maria Ingrande Mora
I wanted to love this one so much, especially because of the polyam + queerplatonic relationships at the center. Unfortunately, almost every element was a miss for me. But to be fair!! I'm not the target audience. I very well might have adored this as a teen.
~ acesaru
Witch Hat Atelier Vol 4. by Kamome Shirahama
I finished the anime then and RAN to pick the manga back up where I left off. I'd been told the story really doesn't pull its punches, and we start to see that kick in here. Beautiful art, propulsive story, great character arcs. What's not to love?
~ acesaru
Witch Hat Atelier Vol 5. by Kamome Shirahama
Alright, I'm officially past where S1 of the anime ends! We're getting to know these characters on a deeper level, and the worldbuilding is also starting to ramp up even more. I'm consistently impressed by how much is packed into each volume.
~ acesaru
Long Live Evil by Sarah Rees Brennan
Isekai and villainess stories aren't my usual fare, but I LOVED THIS. It's often cheesy and silly, but also very genre-aware and clever in how it plays with its fantasy tropes. I also love every character. Especially Key. He's the best guy around, what murder—?
~ acesaru
Magical Girl Dandelion, Vol. 2 by Kaeru Mizuho
This is officially just not clicking with me for some reason. The bones of the plot are all good, and it's still doing some interesting things with the magical girl genre. I just want a little bit more of everything it's already doing right.
~ acesaru
Flowers for the Sea by Zin E. Rocklyn
A story about the legacy of anger and revenge by way of sea monsters and an equally monstrous pregnancy. I wish we went deeper into the world and its lore so that all the really cool things this novella is in conversation with could come together more.
~ acesaru
Verdriet is het ding met veren [Grief is the Thing with Feathers] by Max Porter
4.5* - I read this in a Dutch translation. Translation of my review (in Dutch): I'm not sure how to describe how this book makes me feel but I understand why people think this is a gorgeous book. The way this is told is incredibly intricate and special and I love how the different POVs work together. I may have missed some subtext to fullly understand the book but it's gorgeous and will haunt me for some time to come.
~ fpwoper
Het laatste verhaal van Jamie Gunn [Jamie Gunn's last story] by Thomas Olde Heuvelt
5* [Book read in Dutch; review is translated - the book, unfortunately, has not been translated as of yet]
I had to put this book down last night because I was pulled too far into the story (and was genuinely terrified)... but then picked it up today and in the light of day, I couldn't put it down. It dragged me along. I love how many layers the book has - and as the last part of the book says, it's like a matrushka doll, and it may have even more layers than an onion, which is why the idea of rewriting the story has such an impact. I don't think you ever really know at which layer the story is rewritten. And wow, those final pages....
I was pulled right into the story. As per (almost) usual, another great Thomas Olde Heuvelt horror novel!
(and a great ode to writers, too. I do hope this one will be available in English, too, someday.)
~ fpwoper
Wild Pork and Watercress (1986) by Barry Crump
Mostly I thought of Taika while reading, this being the 10th anniversary of Hunt for the Wilderpeople (which was based on this book).
In the story, a boy and his uncle travel from hut to hut, mostly in and around Te Urewera. It’s in the Bay of Plenty region that also incorporates Taika’s birthplace. Te Kaha coast is one of the closest places mentioned. Maybe that’s one reason why Taika bought the rights. That, and it really is a tale full of emotions and adventure. (In T’s words, “so entertaining…not flowery and over the top, but straight up.”)
A lot of the book is in the film, and it was nice to have some visuals in my mind during reading.
Ricky liked to read.
‘Aunty Bella joined the library in town for me and I read everything I could borrow around the neighbours.’
{Stede likes to read, which he tells Ed in OFMD 1-04:
<<STEDE: And this is my pride and joy. (indicates library)
ED: Incredible. You've read all of these?
STEDE: Many times. These are just my favorites.>>}
Hec and Ricky were constantly looking for food, both what they could catch and what was in the huts.
‘Flour, rice and sugar were the main things we liked to find. …but condensed milk, sugar and tins of meat or fish were the rarest and best finds.’
This was a lot like pirates, whose accounts frequently mention “taking provisions.”
{Of course, one of the funniest scenes in OFMD 1-07 was due to worries about scurvy…
<<STEDE: All right, stop going on about your cakes. Barely tasted of orange, if that's any consolation. Let's just accept the fact that, due to Roach's immoderate use of the citrus... we now have to go grocery shopping.>>}
~ Cindyb5
White Supremacy is All Around by Dr. Akilah Cadet
I suppose finishing this an hour and a half after disability pride month ended is pretty on brand for me. 😅 But wow, this book is so powerful. That's always something to learn and this book is no exception.
~ @lem0nb0iii.bsky
The Reverse Centaur's Guide to Life after AI by Cory Doctorow
4* - A very insightful short read about how AI works, what its history is, and what may come after. I really liked the way Doctorow explained what the playbook is and how strangely it is financed. It's an enlightening book to say the least, and it manages to not be belligerent while describing what is going on. I very much also enjoyed the positivity at the end (what to scavenge, basically, and what we're going to learn when/if the bubble pops). Very much worth the couple of hours it took me to read.
~ fpwoper
