Beattz
The second installment of the Singing Hills Cycle continues to follow monk Chih on their journey throughout the land, this time encountering a trio of tigers. In an attempt to escape without being eaten, Chih offers a story, if only so the tigers can ensure it will be told correctly in the future.
I enjoyed it very much. Not quite as impactful as The Empress of Salt and Fortune, but they are fulfilling short stories, and I will read as many as Nghi Vo releases.
10/10, no notes.
This book was absolutely stunning. Dark and twisty, it perfectly captures what it is to experience the obsession of first love. The self doubt, the hunger, the stretching out of your own skin.
This was easily one of the most image laden books I've read, without being overbearing. The descriptions were simple, but fierce. Honestly the only thing I would want more of is the illustrations that were included in the book.
Equal parts beautiful and horrific Don't Let The Forest In is easily my favorite book I've read so far in 2025.
I Who Have Never Known Men is a thought provoking dystopian tale of the Child, who, along with 39 other women has been held captive for unknown reasons. The Child is unique amongst the others, having been young enough to have had no memories of the before time, as well as, when her teen years come, not experiencing puberty.
This is a short tale that packs a powerful punch. The Child is not so much a character as she is a series of unanswered questions. What does it mean to be a woman? Is intimacy natural or forced? What about the desire for privacy, or modesty? What is femininity if there is nothing with which to compare it?
I subtracted a star for references that seemed out of place and without support in the narrative, and a lack of connection to the characters- although this is likely, at least in part, by design.
I didn't exactly put reading this off because of the hype around it, but I didn't not not do that, either. So many of the social media famous books are just really not my cup of tea, and I was pretty sure this would be the same thing. But, it was on the shelf at the library, so I decided, “why not try?”
This book had me hooked from the beginning and that's saying something, considering I read a book with a similar-ish plot coughfinalecough just last month. But this was better. By MILES. Cool magic system, romantic subplot, and high stakes makes for an excellent adventure. Very much looking forward to the conclusion.
This was my first foray into Olivie Blake's work, and I'm so glad I started here. I tend toward long series with characters and storylines that develop over multiple books. I honestly didn't think one person could write so many different unique stories and characters and even styles. Each story was captivating in itself and I couldn't wait to read the next one just to learn who's voice we'd get to hear next.
The second installment of The Lost Queen trilogy follows more of Lailoken and Angharad as their stories develop in this Arthurian tale. Languoreth continues to fight to find her place as wife to Rhydderch, under the scrutiny of Tutgual King. The struggle between Christianity and the Old Way takes a smaller role to the internal struggles amongst the various kingdoms throughout the land. We are introduced to the Picts, the Scots, as well as the Bernicans, and of course the Angles continue to be a plague and raid in hopes of gaining a foothold.
This book is beautifully written and heartfelt. The internal struggles of the characters meaningfully exposed so that we might experience the pain when they are faced with choices which on both sides demand sacrifice, and the triumph when at the end of the day, all is not lost.
I really enjoyed it in the beginning, then it lost me for a bit in the middle. It got a bit too flowery and mushy for me. But the ending brought it all back together. I would have read another hundred pages after that, but at the same time, I can appreciate where the authors left it. A unique and enjoyable play on the star (time) crossed lovers trope.
This book is awesome. I honestly forgot how much I enjoyed it the first time I read it. It's just really good storytelling. The stakes are high, the characters are layered and flawed and intriguing. There's magic and a mystery to be solved. There's sacrifice for the greater good versus being emptied over and over again for a system that does nothing but take, giving nothing in return.
I cannot wait to read Fevered Star.
Why did I love this book?
For starters, the subject matter, obviously inspired by SNL, is one of particular delight to me. You can count on one hand the number of biographies I've read that weren't former SNL cast members, or comedians of one kind or another.
Sally Milz was very obviously cast in my mind immediately as Tina Fey, or more accurately, Liz Lemmon, her 30Rock character. Noah was played by Nikolaj Coster-Waldau, also known as Jamie Lannister, and Danny, while not pictorially accurate, was Dr. Danny from the Mindy Project. Annabelle was Amanda Seyfried for some reason? Nigel, obviously, was played in my mind by the man, Lorne Michaels himself.
I grinned the entire way through the novel. I don't know if it's because of the writing style, or if at heart, I see myself as a Sally/Liz. It was heartening and yet somehow eerie to see myself so clearly in this character, down to exact thoughts and conversations previously held.
Towards the end, I honestly wondered if Sally would get her “happy ending” as the romantic comedy genre promises. I wondered if Sally would sabotage herself/have my own tendency to overanalyze to the point of paralyzation. I wondered if she could allow herself even the chance at happiness, no matter how “far-fetched” it seemed.
I wonder if, and I hope, in time, I can be as brave as Sally.
This book was hard. It took me a while to get into it, and I nearly gave it up. But I'm glad I didn't. By the end it was actually quite comforting to read, I found myself wondering what Henk was up to throughout the day. Not my usually fare, with no murders or complex basic systems, and I'm thankful for that. I needed a shake up, and the Old But Not Dead Club did that. Not to mention the plethora of insights on the process of aging, gracefully or otherwise.
I love these books. I have from the start of the series. But this one is my favorite. It snuck up on me, it wasn't until at least 2/3 of the way through that I started to really understand it, what it was trying to tell me from the beginning. I've read thousands of books, but this is the first time I found myself in the cast of characters, and it was hard, and it was beautiful.
