meltotheany

[meltotheany]

original tag created by ariel bissett hello friends! i thought this would be a really fun tag to do, with only 2 months left of 2024, to assess what i really need (and want) to read before 2025! i know i am always a broken record, but how are we entering november already? let me just ignore that, and talk about all the thing i hope to read (and really hope to love) before the new year is here! 💕 ♡ Are there any books you started this year that you need to finish? this is such a cheat of an answer, but i truly never really start books and don’t continue them. once i dnf, its 99% of the time never ever getting picked back up! but i technically have read kingdom of ash before (back in 2018 – which again, time is fake) and i do plan on reading it again before 2025 comes! i am currently right in the middle of the tandem read of empire of storms and tower of dawn! ♡ Do you have an autumnal book to transition into the end of the year? i feel like i always say the lion, the witch and the wardrobe – which is a very correct answer, imo! but this year i feel like robin hobb has felt really autumnal to me (even when i’m reading her books in the spring and summer months) – so right now, i am currently reading ship of magic and i feel like it’s a really perfect seasonal transition read! ♡ Is there a new release you’re still waiting for? i mean, you all already know the answer to this, which is probably everyone else’s answer too (and valid) – wind and truth by brandon sanderson! i am truly counting the days down. but to add another bonus answer, that i recently saw was dropping, and it felt like a personal christmas eve gift to myself – heavenly tyrant is finally going to hit stores before the new year! (and hopefully with enough time for me to read and maybe hold up for the pfp picture hehe!) ♡ What are three books you want to read before the end of the year? the two in the last question, obviously – but for the sake of not repeating, i would also love to be able to read and review these three stories, too! and i feel confident that i will over these next two months! ☆ graveyard shift – new ml rio… i don’t think i need to say much more. ☆ a sorceress comes to call – i feel like i’m so hit or miss with kingfisher, but i think i will love this one. ☆ mistress of lies – this is still my most anticipated debut of 2024! ♡ Is there a book you think could still shock you and become your favourite book of the year? i don’t know if i would use the word “shock” but i think all three of these books could be new favorites, and true reading highlights of 2024 for me! (so, if anyone wants to buddy read any of these and make sure i do in fact read and review them, please let me know!) ☆ rakesfall – because i have such similiar reading taste with all my friends who have already given this five stars! ☆ private rites – because our wives under the sea moved me more than i have words for! and… queer king lear retellings ☆ januaries – because olivie blake has some of my favorite writing of all time, and i will happy consume all the the new words by her! ♡ Have you already started making reading plans for 2025? i honestly haven’t, which feels a little insane to say, but it’s the truth. i have been thinking thoughts, that’s for sure, but i haven’t started actually making any plans or updating any planners or bujo things with hopes and aspirations for my 2025 reading. i for sure want to keep reading the realms of the elderlings in the new year, but besides that, the one goal i keep thinking about is just being more active on bookstagram, because i really miss it. i feel like i am still decently active on my kpop content account, so i’m not sure why it’s hard for me to switch between the accounts, but i really hope i can post more over there and have a more structured upload calendar, while also just having lots of fun taking picture and memories of my life and reading in the new year! as you are reading this, i am at magic con las vegas and having su...

[meltotheany]

hello, friends! i hope you’re doing well and having happy reading! i am finally writing up my 3rd quarter statistics to let you know how my reading went in july, august, and september! down below is an image of the 13 stories that i read, and if you want to check out my full reviews (with trigger and content warnings) please go to my goodreads or check out my monthly wrap ups on the blog! but i always love seeing three months of reading represented in stats – so let’s get into it! 💖 Q3 STATISTICS THREE FAVORITE READS OF Q3  (click title links for full reviews with detailed thoughts, feelings, and tw/cws!) ✨ The Tainted Cup (Shadow of the Leviathan, #1) by Robert Jackson Bennett ⤷ sff murder mystery that gave me literally everything i’ve ever wanted ✨ Assassin’s Quest (Farseer Trilogy, #3) by Robin Hobb ⤷ the conclusion to the first series in this world, and it was actually perfect ✨ Icarus by K. Ancrum ⤷ another masterpiece that i’ll hold in my heart forever by this author Q3 BOOK HAUL  Q3 TBR UPDATES ☆ r/fantasy bingo  ⤷ i know this goes a few months into 2025, but i really want to finish it before the new year, if i am able! i should, at the very least, focus a little bit on that first row lol >.< ☆ my 2024 publications tbr ⤷ i have officially read 10/12 of this tbr! i only have mistress of lies and wind and truth left! whew, okay, i think that’s everything! i cannot believe we are now in the last quarter of this year. i truly feel like i still need to read so many books! but please let me know if you’ve had any stand outs this year, that you think i would enjoy, especially if its a 2024 release! and i am sending you and your families so much love! happy reading, friends!💖 ♡ 2024 quarter posts: q1 | q2 ♡ 2024 monthly wrap ups: jan | feb | march | april | may | june | july | aug | sep goodreads | instagram | youtube | kofi | spotify | amazon | wishlist

[meltotheany]

hello, friends! how are you doing? i know it’s been a little bit since i’ve done a blog post, but i went to michigan very improtu in august and stayed throughout september to be with my family! it was honestly a much needed, and very happy, trip! and i feel like it was just a much needed reset for me overall, too! but my family is doing well, and i feel so thankful i got to go into fall with them this year! but because of that, i haven’t been reading as much as i normally do! but i am still here today to talk about and review the eight things that i did read these last two months! ❤️ ✨ Queen of Shadows (Throne of Glass, #4) by Sarah J. Maas ⭐⭐⭐⭐ (reread) 1.) Throne of Glass ★★ 2.) Crown of Midnight ★★★★ .5) The Assassin’s Blade ★★★ 3.) Heir of Fire ★★★★ “I’ll bleed whatever color you tell me to.” maybe it’s because i know the end of this story, but the way i was foaming at the mouth during the manon and dorian scenes. who am i? when did i become this? okay, that just had to be addressed whatever this feeling was quickly, but let me move on. QoS is the book i remember being my favorite in this series, so i went into it with some really high hopes, which all got met while also exceeding any and all expectations simultaneously. this reread truly was hitting differently, and i really am not sure why, but i am very tempted to give this five stars. i think what is holding me back is that part one feels like a three star read, and those three stars are completely because of manon and lysandra. but part two? now, that feels like a six star read to me. i feel like this is already treading on spoiler territory, so i don’t want to say too much more, but i really think sarah just writes such good characters that are a true joy to follow and cheer for. and i will always just love seeing girls get their revenge, even if that revenge comes in many different forms, and shapes, and ways. extra bonus moments i loved this reread: aelin saying manon is the most beautiful person she’s ever seen (oh, what could have been), asterin (also one of the best side characters sjm has ever written), chaol’s “you deserve to be happy”, elide’s heritage (and every scene with her and manon tbh), kaltain and her piece of a warm cloak in a cold dungeon (i am actually tearing up while typing that), a ghost leopard (and some much deserved territory). trigger + content warnings: possession, loss of a loved one, grief, slavery, violence, gore, blood, murder, death, vomit, captivity, talk of forced breeding / rape, a lot of insinuation of rape, talk of pregnancy, talk of still birth, torture, captivity, medical experimentation, a suicide mission (sacrifice of life) ✨ Dawnshard (The Stormlight Archive, #3.5) by Brandon Sanderson ⭐⭐⭐⭐ .) The Way of Kings ★★★★★ 2.) Words of Radiance ★★★★★ 2.5) Edgedancer ★★★★ 3.) Oathbringer ★★★★★ 4.) Rhythm of War ★★★★★ i did this reread of this novella just for a little extra refresher before wind and truth drops this december, and i am very glad that i did! We follow some new and old characters on a new expedition going to an island, to heal one of the best creature companions, and maybe also looking for an oathgate, while someone on this sailing crew could maybe be sabotaging the mission as well. but my favorite part of this was reading about two characters with disabilities that have changed their lives, finding normalcy on their own, but also finding a bond and understanding on a different level together. for me, it was really beautiful, and i don’t want to go too far here, but i do personally feel like brandon is truly putting in an effort and consistently writing good disability representation (again, this is just my opinion but i do appreciate seeing it, and seeing a range of it both physically and mentally, throughout the stormlight series in particular) !! this is a really beautiful story, but this is filled with lots of cosmere lore, which is why i think i...

[meltotheany]

hello friends! 💕 how are you? i hope you’re doing well and having happy reading! this july was a really happy month for me, but it was also a really busy month for me, so i was “only” able to read five things! yet, which you’ll see with my statistics charts, july ended up being my best reading reading month in terms of star ratings, so i am very happy! down below, will be my full reviews (or links to them) with the trigger and content warnings i wrote down while reading! i hope you enjoy all these gushes extra, because it really was such an amazing month for me! ❤️ ✨ The Apothecary Diaries Manga, Vol. 1 by Nekokurage + Natsu Hyuuga  ⭐⭐⭐⭐ okay, you were all right – this was an amazing volume one and i absolutely cannot wait to continue on with this story! i really love this, and maomao is such an amazing protagonist. i can’t wait to read more about her and her adventures! in this volume one, we are introduced to our main character, maomao, who was kidnapped and sold to the empire, and is now a maidservant in the inner court. but she soon gets a promotion when her apothecary talents are discovered, and her aid is needed in solving the mystery of the deaths of the heirs born from the consorts in the inner palace. and then… she becomes a food taster and starts to help with more apothecary needs – from chocolate making to solving another mystery of a ghost dancing atop the palace! trigger + content warnings: kidnapping, talk of child death, poisoning ✨ The Tainted Cup (Shadow of the Leviathan, #1) by Robert Jackson Bennett ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ “And when the Empire is weak, it is often because a powerful few have denied us the abundance of our people.” this is the first 2024 published novel that i am giving five stars to this year! you know, i have tried to read so many horrors and thrillers, but maybe the secret sauce was just me picking up a murder mystery. i just fell so in love with our two main characters, and seeing their adventures unfold was a joy and highlight of my 2024 reading. also the amount of tabs i used because the descriptions were so lush and vivid and the quotes so powerful and beautiful? very wild, i promise. even more wild than me being so very alert and looking out for any and all cups because of the title and the cover lol. but i just loved this and i think it really reminded me how much i love murder mysteries, especially with a fantasy back drop. if you have any recommendations, please let me know! and i hope you all have even half as good of a time with this story as i did, because i still believe that will be a five star! trigger + content warnings: murder, death, blood, vomit, talk of poverty, bullying, abuse, anxiety, smoking, violence, medical testing (involving humans and animals), magical compilation, body horror, contagion, and a lot of talk and imagery of fungus and spores ❤️ full review HERE ✨ Just for the Summer (Part of Your World, #3) by Abby Jimenez ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 1.) Part of Your World ★★★★★ 2.) Yours Truly ★★★★ let me preface this entire review by saying that i do believe you should read at least part of your world in this loosely connected series. i didn’t feel like this about yours truly, because you just see overlapping friendships between characters – which is really cool, but i don’t think would hinder any reading experience! But i truly am not sure if i would have given this book five stars, if not for also reading part of your world! so again, totally do whatever you wanna do, read these however you want to read them, but i just recommend reading at least part of your world (which is probably the best romance book i’ve read in years, so it will be a fun side quest, i promise)! now that that is out of the way – let me actually talk about the book itself! The basic premise is that a girl read a reddit post that makes her realize the poster and her have one thing in common: they both are the person people date before they find their soulmates. So emma (28, traveling nurse) sli...

[meltotheany]

Goodreads | Amazon US | B&N | Blackwell’s | Bookshop “And when the Empire is weak, it is often because a powerful few have denied us the abundance of our people.” if you’re looking for a fantasy murder mystery that has a sherlock and watson dynamic, with a setting that feels like you were dropping into attack on titans, with themes of systemic injustice, and discussions on classism, with a story that follows a queer mc with a learning disability… well, i am here to tell you to please look no further in this world, the land is separated by rings, and those rings are walls that are constantly being reinforced to keep leviathans out and the people safe. especially the outermost wall, that is also constantly being manned by a military force. also in this world, people are able to get magical augmentations that enhance abilities – and there is a vast range of different augmentations from strength, to sight, or even memory. this land, these augmentations, and different sorts of technological advancements are constantly changing and evolving because of the flora and the importance of the array of plant life on this land. also, this story takes place right on the cusp of the wet season, where the land is less forgiving, alongside the leviathans trying to breach the walls. and if the leviathans do reach the shores, their blood and bodies have a very strange effect on the land and can make a place completely uninhabitable. and lastly, a murder rather unusual, involving the flora in this world, just happened and no one has any clues as to why or how, but the empire needs it solved before the wet season officially hits. this story follows an assistant to a detective, named dim, who is an engraver, which means he has an enhancement that allows him to remember everything he is seeing, and relay it back to his detective with 100% accuracy and certainty. this is because of an augmentation that he has, and he is able to extra anchor the memories with a vial of a fragrance he is able to tie the experience to. and truly, him exploring all of these places, and manors, and crime scenes, and attaching all of these clues to scent, was one of my favorite parts of this book. but the detective herself? oh, ana is the best character i’ve read in years! truly a new favorite for me! ana is a bit of a mystery herself throughout the book, so i don’t want to say too much, but she seems to be banished to the outer ring, but she needed a new assistant for a murder mystery in which she is very much needed to solve. and together we watch din and her work together and try to find the murderer(s), while more and more mystery ensues. this was just a really fresh story, and something that really pushed the bounds of both fantasy and mystery genres. yet, also combining both and making a really beautiful and harmonious experience for readers. this felt different to read, and special to consume, and it really surpassed absolutely every expectation i had prior to purchasing this book at b&n because i love the trend of covers being printed directly on hardcovers with no dust jackets. “Born into systems beyond our control, into relationships and organizations that obligate us to change, all so our families may prosper… That’s what the empire is, isn’t it?” to me, this story really also discusses themes of classism and social injustice, where the rich colonizers get to live in safety in the most inner walls, while also having the money to protect themselves from any and all things. while the essential workers who are trying to make all the walls and land a safer and better place are forced to work and live in unsafe conditions. and while people from impoverished communities are forced to give everything they have, in hopes that something will make it back to their families so they will be able to live a tiny bit of a better life. (please know, there is a lot more i want to say, but i won’t because of spoilers – but i really loved some of the themes and thoughts that i felt like were presented within this story!!) “If you ...

[meltotheany]

original tag created by readlikewildfire + earl grey books! oh hello, friends! i hope you’re doing well! this is my eighth year doing this book tag, and that feels very wild to type (and to think about), but this is such a book community staple and i really love doing it each and every year! and i will also add some statistics to the end, that will encompass my reading for the first half of 2024! so far, i have read 44 books this year! okay, let’s get into it! please click on any of the book titles down below for my full reviews with thoughts and feelings and in depth content and trigger warnings! 💗 ♡ 1. best book you’ve read so far in 2024 ☆ The Vanished Birds by Simon Jimenez + A Memory Called Empire (Teixcalaan, #1) by Arkady Martine ⤷ my two favorites being backlist space operas? very insane dot. both also focusing on colonization and the generational impact of the horrors that come from it. also both also celebrating queer love, while also having some morally questionable sapphic relationships? wow, the dots are really dotting on this day whew! but i truly loved both of these with my whole heart and highly recommend them! ♡ 2. best sequel you’ve read so far in 2024 ☆ The Brides of High Hill (The Singing Hills Cycle, #5) by Nghi Vo ⤷ please, tor, give me cleric chih stories forever. but this fifth installment really resonated with me on a personal level and i just loved reading it so very much. ♡ 3. new release you haven’t read yet, but want to ☆ Just for the Summer (Part of Your World, #3) by Abby Jimenez ⤷ after Part of Your World becoming one of my favorite romance books of all time, and also completely adoring Yours Truly, i know i am going to love this one too. i just want to make sure i am in a good headspace for it, because even though everyone is loving this, they are also saying its her heaviest book yet. but i can’t wait to pick this up, hopefully soon! ♡ 4. most anticipated release for the second half of the year ☆ Wind and Truth (The Stormlight Archive, #5) by Brandon Sanderson (december 6th) ⤷ i feel like this fifth (and final for this era) stormlight book is going to be all the sff girlies answers, but here i am to make it mine, too! i cannot wait for this book and for this conclusion, and will be reading it immediately at midnight when it hits my kindle! ♡ 5. biggest disappointment ☆ Wild Love (Rose Hill, #1) by Elsie Silver ⤷ well, even cowgirls get the blues (this is a d20 joke, i am so sorry but i could not resist) !! this is the first one star i have given out in years, because this was truly a mess in almost every way. disappointment is an understatement, actually. ♡ 6. biggest surprise ☆ Heir of Fire (Throne of Glass, #3) by Sarah J. Maas ⤷ it had been almost ten years since i read this book for the first time! but over the last year, i have been rereading all of sjm’s books/universe with my friend penny, and loving tog more than i did a decade ago has for sure been the biggest surprise in my reading year, so far! (but i expect this surprise to keep getting stronger and stronger throughout this year and reread!) ♡ 7. favorite new author (debut or new to you) ☆ Jade Song ⤷ Chlorine was such an amazing debut, with some of the most beautiful writing. i immediately knew i wanted to follow and read everything this author will create in the future. but then i also found this article that they wrote on inspiration, and they are just so cool –  On BTS, Writing, and What Makes an Artist. ♡ 8. newest fictional crush ☆ Funny Story by Emily Henry ⤷ miles kind of truly swept me completely off my feet. truly the best love interest i have read in years. (bonus michigan points too, wow) ♡ 9. newest favorite character ☆ The Crimson Moth (The Crimson Moth, #1) by Kristen Ciccarelli ⤷ rune completely won me over, even though i only gave this story three stars (a very high three stars) !! also, i just really enjoyed the magic system in this book and rune using the blood from her cycles was just really uniq...

[meltotheany]

hello friends! i can’t believe it is already time for me to be writing up another quarterly post! i know we say it every year, but this year has personally just felt extremely fast for me! i am really hoping the next sixth months slows down a bit! but i hope my reading quickens up a bit, muahahah! 💗 i read 24 books during april, may, and june! i do wish this was a tiny bit higher, but i am still very happy with what i was able to read this 2nd quarter! and i always love being able to see it visually laid out in front of me, too! ✨ Q2 STATISTICS as always, i love seeing all my book data represented visually! let me quickly go over some of my thoughts about these charts: i really hope to make that five star sliver a little higher! seeing horror have that big of a piece of the pie is insane, but i’m thanking jjk! i fear i might always be a hardcover girl, but lately nothing has been better than reading in bed on my ipad, so we will see what next quarter brings! i know i love tor, but i am actually still a little shocked to see the publisher pie chart! 🤍 THREE FAVORITE READS OF Q2  (click title links for full reviews with detailed thoughts, feelings, and tw/cws!) ✨ A Memory Called Empire (Teixcalaan, #1) by Arkady Martine ⤷ sapphic space opera centering on colonization ✨ The Brides of High Hill (The Singing Hills Cycle, #5) by Nghi Vo  ⤷ a gothic horror wedding that is still not what it seems ✨ Funny Story by Emily Henry ⤷ michigan contemporary filled with community, healing, and choosing to love (yourself and others) Q2 BOOK HAUL  (coming soon… not me forgetting to add this picture last night) Q2 TBR UPDATES ☆ r/fantasy bingo  ⤷ i feel like i am doing so extremely well on this tbr reading challenge! it technically is not over until march of 2025, but i really would love to finish by the end of 2024! and i think i am well on my way to do so! ☆ my 2024 publications tbr ⤷ i have read seven out of twelve of this tbr reading challenge, and that’s right on track! i do hope that i am able to knock this out a little more during this summer, because i feel like i have lost a tiny bit of steam these last couple of months! okay loves, i hope you enjoyed reading about the last three months of my reading! besides that, i also want to just remind you that the steam summer sale is currently going on, so get those discounted games and listen to those free spotify audiobook hours! i hope you all are doing well, and i am sending you so much love. happy reading, friends!💖 ♡ 2024 quarter posts: q1 ♡ 2024 monthly wrap ups: january | february | march | april | may | june goodreads | instagram | youtube | kofi | spotify | amazon | wishlist

[meltotheany]

hi hi friends! i hope you’re all doing well. june was a little bit of a whirlwind for me, but i was still able to read six things that i can’t wait to talk about with you! june is also my army anniversary with bts, and this year was the fifth! which feels very insane to type! but jimin also dropped a song the exact day, so the month for sure is ending on a happy note! but let’s get into the six books i read this month! 💜 ✨ Jujutsu Kaisen, Vol. 04 by Gege Akutami ⭐⭐⭐ ➛ vol. 1 ★★★★ ➛ vol. 2 ★★★ ➛ vol. 3 ★★★ i really am loving every itadori and sukuna interaction/moment. honestly, sukuna was my favorite character in this fourth installment, and im not sure what that says about me, but here we are. my heart @ junpei, fully and utterly. mahito, after my fave scene with sukuna, thinks up a new mission to steal some remaining cursed fingers of sukuna. but besides that, we get to see the start of the good year event, which is a team battle of different schools, where the most exorcisms win. but obviously, itadori is a target all on his own. so, so, so excited to continue on, probably extra because of the cliffhanger ending feeling of this, too! trigger + content warnings: fighting / battle, violence, blood, gore, death, talk of bullying ✨ One Perfect Couple by Ruth Ware ⭐⭐ i feel like i really can’t talk about this book without getting into a little spoilery territory, so please skip over this review if you wish to know nothing about this thriller! (and i do say thriller and not thriller mystery because there really isn’t much mystery to this story whatsoever, which is also probably a reason i didn’t enjoy it as much!) but i picked this up because 1) i have enjoyed ruth ware in the past and 2) the girls were saying survivor meets love island and i will always be here for that set up! But instead of love island and survivor, we get lord of the flies and men’s rights activists. our main character, lyla, reluctantly agrees to go on a reality tv dating show, set on a secluded island, because her boyfriend is an actor and really begs her to do it because it could be very good for his career. lyla’s lab contract is up next month, and the funding renewal isn’t looking too good, so she also agrees under the condition that she can work on her paper and that she can only be on the island for two weeks. but after filming for only 24 hours, a big storm comes that is not only deadly but has completely made the people on the island not be able to contact anyone to come save them. And then she and the rest of the people are trying to survive while… red pill lord of the flies ensues. i really do respect making the villain who it was, and i respect the talk of the manosphere and the following these mens right activities accumulate on youtube and other platforms that also leads to the perpetuation of violence against women. but oh my god, i just hated reading about this man with all the sum of hate i have in my body. after that storm, that man would have been GONE by me and me alone and i would not have… done what they did at the end (even though that’s an important discussion too, and it does make sense, but again – i just hated reading about it!) i hope if you pick this one up, you have more fun reading it than i did, friends! trigger + content warnings (these will content some plot spoilers so please use caution or do not read if you do not need to know any tw/cws): extremely bad storms, talk of fear of water, extremely abusive relationships, blood, death, drowning, talk of loss of parent in past (one sentence), suicide mentions, not having the insulin that you need, grief, depression, loss of partner, grooming in past, and discussion of men’s rights activists throughout (always in a negative light but it is a lot) ✨ Heir of Fire (Throne of Glass, #3) by Sarah J. Maas (reread) ⭐⭐⭐⭐ “You cannot pick and choose what parts of her to love.” listen, 2015 melanie gave this two stars and i am 99% sure that was just because i shipped celaena...

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Top Ten Tuesday was created by The Broke and the Bookish in June of 2010 and was moved to That Artsy Reader Girl in January of 2018! hi hi, loves! i hope you’re all doing well and staying cool (or warm) in whatever hemisphere you are in! i always love doing posts like this, and just reflecting on all the good book options i have for the last six months of 2024 (which feels wild to even type)! but truly, so many good books are publishing over the last half of this year, and i can’t wait to talk about them all with you! 😍 🌞 SUMMER RELEASES ☆ The Dead Cat Tail Assassins by P. Djèlí Clark – august 6th ⤷ once again, this book is about necromancers, assassins, and a vow our mc isn’t supposed to remember, but does. it very well could be my new personality very soon! ☆ Mistress of Lies by K.M. Enright – august 13th ⤷ maybe the summer buzzword is assassins, because this queer filipino debut also stars one who is forced to work with two others to solve a magical murder mystery that could also involve vampires. this is truly the debut that i have been looking most forward to all year! ☆ The Crimson Crown by Heather Walter – august 27th ⤷ we love a tuesday birthday, and this year for mine i get a sapphic snow white dark retelling. i am obsessed with this author’s writing and her malice duology that ended up being a favorite of mine. i can’t wait for all the sapphic stories she will give us, but this birthday release one feels very special to me already. 🍁 FALL RELEASES ☆ Graveyard Shift by M.L. Rio – september 24th ⤷ i mean, once everyone saw there was a new ml rio book coming out i think the entire book community let out a breath they didn’t know they were holding. it is “only” a novella (i say this as a novella lover), but it is about a group of night shift workers trying to solve a mystery at the graveyard, involving a gravedigger, and i know it’s going to be everything. ☆ The City in Glass by Nghi Vo – october 1st ⤷ at this point, i will just beg tor for anything that nghi vo writes. but this is a brand new standalone all about angels and demons and a lost city and i just know that i am going to love it like everything else this author writes! ☆ Lore Olympus: Volume Seven (Lore Olympus, #7) by Rachel Smythe – october 1st ⤷ there is just something really happy and healing about waiting for my next preorder of lore olympus to come in. volume six  was actually my favorite so far, so i extra can’t wait for this newest installment for the fall! ☆ Spectacular (Caraval, #3.5) by Stephanie Garber – october 22nd ⤷ i cannot believe we are actually get a caraval holiday story right before the holiday season! i am so curious if we will see characters from both of her trilogies in this, and if we will get some hints for what is to come next! but i love being in the world of caraval and i can’t wait for this! ❄️ WINTER RELEASES ☆ The Teller of Small Fortunes by Julie Leong – november 5th ⤷ this is actually one of my favorite covers… ever. but is a new debut about a immigrant fortune teller, traveling from town to town with her magical cat, and i think this is the tale of them trying to help someone in one of these towns! this is going to be cozy and heartfelt and i can’t wait to read. ☆ The Songbird & the Heart of Stone (Crowns of Nyaxia, #3) by Carissa Broadbent – november 19th ⤷ i am all caught up and so ready to read this new carissa broadbent book! this third full length story is about a character we know and love from books one and two, but i am curious how i am going to enjoy it because i really didn’t love the last novella i read set in this world. but i am still excited to find out this winter! ☆ Wind and Truth (The Stormlight Archive, #5) by Brandon Sanderson – december 6th ⤷ the fifth and last (of this story arc, before a very big time jump) of the very beloved stormlight archives. i cannot believe it will be in my hands in six months, and i also can’t believe brandon has said it is the longest bo...

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Top Ten Tuesday was created by The Broke and the Bookish in June of 2010 and was moved to That Artsy Reader Girl in January of 2018! hello friends! i hope you’re all doing well, and having good days leading up to summer if we are in the same hemisphere! i actually did the top ten tuesday for 10 books on my spring tbr this year, too! and it was really fun to make, even if i only read five out of the ten, or 50%, of that tbr as of writing up this summer tbr! but i am so excited to hopefully read all of these, and i am always thankful i get to share them with you! 😊 🌞 ARCS TO READ ☆ The Dead Cat Tail Assassins by P. Djèlí Clark – august 6th ⤷ this was also on my spring tbr, but i kept pushing it back because the publication date got pushed back to august! but again –  necromancers, assassins, and a vow our mc isn’t supposed to remember, but does. i just know i am going to love this one! ☆ The Crimson Crown by Heather Walter – august 27th ⤷ sapphic snow white for my birthday? wow, what a gift truly. the malice duology was everything to me, and both books were favorites the years they were published! i truly cannot wait for this one and i am so very thankful that i was able to get an arc! ☆ Buried Deep and Other Stories by Naomi Novik – september 17th ⤷ naomi novik is such a hit or miss author for me, but i always love her writing and settings! i am really hoping that this short story collection ends up being not only a hit, but a love! 🌊 SUMMER RELEASES ☆ Saints of Storm and Sorrow by Gabriella Buba – june 25th ⤷ queer and filipino and filled with magic! and discussions on colonization and taking back and reclaiming what is yours. this is going to be everything and i am beyond words excited to finally be able to read this! ☆ A Sorceress Comes to Call by T. Kingfisher – august 6th ⤷ not only a fantasy t kingfisher, but a 300+ page novel that is a dark reimagining of the goose girl by t kingfisher? oh, please sign me up immediately. this is a need. ☆ Mistress of Lies by K.M. Enright – august 13th ⤷ 2024 is really the year of queer filo debuts and i am living for it. also the cover of this one is so beautiful and so haunting. ☆ An Academy for Liars by Alexis Henderson – september 12th ⤷ i really enjoyed the year of the witching many years ago, and alexis’ writing is so gorgeous. i cannot wait to read their adult gothic dark academia as soon as i can get my little gremlin hands on it! 🏖️ BACKLIST BOOKS ☆ Not in Love by Ali Hazelwood ⤷ i’ve really enjoyed everything i’ve read by ali in the past, so i know there is a really good chance that i will also have a good time with her newest release! ☆ Private Rites by Julia Armfield ⤷ last year, i fell in love with our wives under the sea by this author and i actually think that this has a really good shot at being one of my favorite books of 2024! i truly can’t wait to get to this one! ☆ An Education in Malice by S.T. Gibson ⤷ not only was this 2024 release on my spring tbr, but it is also on my yearly tbr, and yet i am still not reading it for some reason! i feel like so many people, who have similar reading tastes as me, really didn’t enjoy this one and now i am being so apprehensive to pick it up! but i really hope that i get the urge this summer! i cannot believe we are almost to summer, and almost half way through 2024! but it always it such a fun time in the book community, with tbrs, midyear freak outs, and all the content that creators like to put out during this time! but okay, friends! let me know if you have read or plan to read any of these books! and i am sending you all so much love, always! happy reading! 💛 goodreads | instagram | youtube | kofi | spotify | amazon | wishlist

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hello, friends! i hope you’re doing well! i cannot believe we are in june already! the last few years have for sure felt a little too quick for me, but 2024 really needs to slow down! may was a little bit of a busy month for me, so i didn’t read as much as i would have liked, or as many five stars as i would always like, but it was still a really good reading month! ✨ ✨ A Memory Called Empire (Teixcalaan, #1) by Arkady Martine ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ “This book is dedicated to anyone who has ever fallen in love with a culture that was devouring their own.” a memory called empire follows mahit dzmar, who is from a very small mining space station, and this story begins as soon as she lands in the center of the multi-system, the teixcalaanli empire, where she will be the newest ambassador. she has been raised learning everything about teixcalaan, in hopes of one day being able to work in the heart of the empire she has loved her whole life, but when the last ambassador goes missing, mahit is able to make that dream come true bigger than she ever imagined. this is a space opera, this is a murder mystery, this is a romance, this is about connecting and learning and loving other cultures that are not your own, this is about imperialism and the forever more and more and more colonization that comes from it. arkady martine really has created something powerful, and important, and real, yet also very beautiful and filled with empathy. this duology really deserves all the awards it has received, and a memory called empire really is one of the best books i’ve ever read. (also, it is my favorite book title of all time, i think, too!) trigger + content warnings: colonization, colonialism, use of the word barbarians talking about people who are others, death, panic attacks, mention of consuming ashes of someone, blood, bombings / explosions, talk of child birth, assault (unwanted touching), poisoning, wound descriptions, surgery, needles, riots, fetishization, grief, war, seizures, violence, loss of a loved one (friend), self harm (to get blood for an oath), suicide / sacrifice, and a lot of xenophobia ❤️ full review HERE ✨ Y/N by Esther Yi ⭐⭐⭐⭐ “I love the world I hate simply because you live in it.” this is truly the weirdest book i’ve ever read. i kind of thought i was going to like it, just from the title and premise alone, but i was a little apprehensive because so many of my goodreads friends did not vibe with this one. but from chapter one, and reading some of the most impressive writing ive ever read, let alone from a debut, i knew this was really going to work for me. i am a bit hesitant to recommend it, because i just know it is going to be too weird and too satirical, and the writing too purple prose and too stream of consciousness for a lot of readers. but if you’re looking for something very different, something that’s really going to pull you out of your own comfortability, something unlike anything else you’ve read before, i would recommend that book wholeheartedly. trigger + content warnings: depression, talk of body image, disordered eating, racism, fetishization, abusive relationships, a lot of talk of death, talk of suicide, suicide ideation, one sentence mention of school shootings, vomit, talk of disability, blood, accidental self harm, mention of death of pet in past (dog being poisoned by neighbors), and a big portion of this book discussed and shows dementia ❤️ full review HERE ✨ The Honey Witch by Sydney J. Shields ⭐⭐⭐ ARC provided by Orbit – thank you so much the honey witch is about a girl who is about to take up her grandmother’s legacy being, you guessed it, the next honey witch on her island. every eldest daughter in her family had the potential to be a witch, if they so do choose it. we follow our main character (and the eldest daughter), marigold, as she is healing and figuring out what she wants her life to look like, versus the life that society has always told her life should look like. and we are alongside marigold as she ...

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Goodreads | Amazon US | B&N | Blackwell’s | Bookshop i keep putting off this review, because i know whatever i type will just not do this book justice. this really is a masterpiece in every way, and for sure one of the best books i’ve ever read, but it also felt physically painful to read while being an american right now. (i mean, always, but just… extra heavy right now.) but, i will try my best. “This book is dedicated to anyone who has ever fallen in love with a culture that was devouring their own.” a memory called empire follows mahit dzmar, who is from a very small mining space station, and this story begins as soon as she lands in the center of the multi-system, the teixcalaanli empire, where she will be the newest ambassador. she has been raised learning everything about teixcalaan, in hopes of one day being able to work in the heart of the empire she has loved her whole life, but when the last ambassador goes missing, mahit is able to make that dream come true bigger than she ever imagined. in this world, there is implant technology that manhit’s people have, called imagos. and basically, as long as the people are compatible, they can share a chain of actual human life memory, that they can keep passing down, essentially sharing a body, at least your current body when the years of memories of the person’s implant that is implanted in you. yskandr, the previous ambassador, has been missing for three months, and they do not have this implant of the last twenty years, but they have an out of date imago of his first five years in teixcalaan, and that is what mahit has with her while she is embarking on this new job and new journey. when she arrives, she realizes really quickly that maybe this empire wasn’t very worthy of her dedication. the people of teixcalaan remind her that she never will truly be one of them throughout this book. she also is experiencing riots and uprising from resistance groups, while also seeing people in power using war as a source of profit for themselves. mahit getting very intertwined with the emperor and learns lot about what yskandr was doing during the fifteen years he was not checking in with lsel station. there is also a sapphic situation going on with mahit’s cultural liaison, three seagrass, who she meets when arriving to the empire, and who is supposed to kind of bridge the two cultures more easily for mahit, and assist her with anything she needs or does not understand. And they really make a connection of poetry, which is a big part of this world and story, and i just really loved reading about them – even though i know there is a lot of layers to this and it’s really complicated (which is also probably why i enjoyed reading it). this is a space opera, this is a murder mystery, this is a romance, this is about connecting and learning and loving other cultures that are not your own, this is about imperialism and the forever more and more and more colonization that comes from it. arkady martine really has created something powerful, and important, and real, yet also very beautiful and filled with empathy. this duology really deserves all the awards it has received, and a memory called empire really is one of the best books i’ve ever read. (also, it is my favorite book title of all time, i think, too!) trigger + content warnings: colonization, colonialism, use of the word barbarians talking about people who are others, death, panic attacks, mention of consuming ashes of someone, blood, bombings / explosions, talk of child birth, assault (unwanted touching), poisoning, wound descriptions, surgery, needles, riots, fetishization, grief, war, seizures, violence, loss of a loved one (friend), self harm (to get blood for an oath), suicide / sacrifice, and a lot of xenophobia goodreads | instagram | youtube | kofi | spotify | amazon | wishlist

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Goodreads | Amazon US | B&N | Blackwell’s | Bookshop “I dreamt myths larger than my girl body could hold.” such a heartfelt literary horror debut that i think i will hold inside me forever. i really did love this, and the writing is just completely out of this world. i cannot wait to see what this author does next, and just follow their career and stories forever. ren has loved mermaids and their stories for all her life, but when she is a small girl she also discovers her love and fascination for the water, and the escapism and transformation it can bring. She joins her school’s swim team and starts swimming competitively, and this story takes place in highschool when her life is consumed with being the best swimmer her body will allow her to be, despite being only human… for now. and we get to watch ren holding on to the identity of a girl, of a swimmer, of a child of immigrants, of being queer, and we get to also watch her become the mermaid she was always meant to be. chlorine is also a little bit of an epistolary novel, and we get to see letters being written to ren’s friend/love interest, cathy, where we get to see her perspective of the transformation of ren, while also being filled with longing. this just adds an extra dark tone to the novel, because the reader is reading these one sided letters of missing someone, while switching back and forth to the story and the direction of events that are playing out with Ren inside her mind. i feel like you probably shouldn’t know too much more before going in, but some other things in this novel that i really loved, despite being hard to read: talk of being a child of diaspora and how the american dream your elders came searching for can really be a nightmare. how doctors can be horrible and not actually care about their patients or their health, and how medical care you are choosing to get can still feel like a violation, and how these last two things can be so much bigger when you’re a queer nonwhite kid. how adults can push kids so far past their limits, yet still ignore all the signs that they are drowning. overall, i really did love this and sapphic asian stories about feeling like you’re from a completely different world are always going to tug on my heartstrings very hard and very deeply. (and if you need to hear it, you belong and your continuous transformation is beautiful.) i really recommend this debut if you are in a good head space with the trigger warnings. bonus: this author is army and wrote a really beautiful piece about their debut novel, inspiration, and bts (and i am very grateful to read this blue side story and gain hope.) – On BTS, Writing, and What Makes an Artist. bonus bonus: i wrote this entire review listening to come back to me by rm on repeat because bts are also one of my greatest inspirations in life. content warnings at the start of the book: racism, misogyny, self-harm, eating disorders, homophobia, depression, and sexual violence. additional trigger + content warnings i found while reading: blood, menstruation, scene getting an iud, talk of abortion, pregnancy scare, abandonment, child abuse, grooming, hospital setting, concussion, extreme headaches, car crash one sentence mention, anxiety, grief, pica, needles, talk of debt, abuse of medication, drinking, smoking, vomit, bad medical professionals and treatment, a lot of microaggressions from the love interest, and i just want to emphasize that there is a lot of talk of body image and a lot of food descriptions that are central themes in this book that go hand in hand with disordered eating. goodreads | instagram | youtube | kofi | spotify | amazon | wishlist

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Goodreads | Amazon US | B&N | Blackwell’s | Bookshop 1.) Throne of Glass ★★ 2.) Crown of Midnight ★★★★ [2024 reread] ★★★ this is an anthology, short story collection, of five tales set prior to the events in throne of glass. they are told in chronological order, with each one building off the previous one, and ultimately showing us how celaena ended up in the salt mines when we meet her for the very first time. we also get introduced to a lot of characters who we will meet in this universe, with some backstory on how celaena met them for the very first time. ultimately, i did enjoy this, and i truly just enjoy the project of this – i wish more authors would give me short stories set in worlds, with characters, that i already am established with and love. yet, i don’t think they add too much to the throne of glass world. sometimes it felt like they were really just showcasing how celaena is a good person and sjm really, really just wants the reader to know that, but i still had a fun time reading these. i do think they add to the overall series, and i do recommend you read these, but the enjoyment is for sure going to vary from reader to reader – more than most reading experiences, i feel. down below i break down each short story in this anthology, give them individual star ratings, and list their trigger and content warnings! (my favorite being the assassin and the healer, because i am a yrene fangirl, and my least favorite probably being the assassin and the underworld, because celaena was just being too annoying in it for me lol.) ━━♡ 0.1) The Assassin and the Pirate Lord ★★★ this first short story starts off in an assassin’s guild, two years before the events of tog, and where an emergency meeting is being held by the king of assassins himself, arobynn. someone is murdering assassins, and celaena and sam are tasked with a mission to go to skulls bay, have a meeting with the pirate lord, and give him a sealed letter from arobynn himself. yet, when they get to skulls bay, they realize there is a much more heartbreaking situation going on, and sam and celaena decide to do something about it all on their own, regardless of the costs. i really liked seeing sam and celaena start to get to know each other, and start to figure out the people they want to be together, too. i also loved seeing the skulls bay setting, and why the location is the way it is currently in the book series, because of the actions in this novella. i wont lie, this read a little too white savior in 2024, but i still enjoyed reading this opener in this anthology collection, and it setting the tone for what is to come. tw/cw: death, loss of a friend, grief, slavery, human trafficking (with an emphasis on children, as well), captivity, fighting/battle, explosions, violence, blood ━━♡ 0.2) The Assassin and the Healer ★★★★ please know i am truly screaming at my 2016 review for this short story because i was fully like “this is filler, who is this girl?” lol. oh sweet summer, me shipping celaena and chaol, so hard i didn’t see the dots were dotting right before my eyes, child. this short story takes place obviously after the first, but we get to see how arobynn punished celaena for her actions in skulls bay, and continuing to punish her by sending her to train in the red desert. but while she is waiting for her boat, she is staying at an inn where she helps a worker. And that worker? ends up playing a very big role in the rest of the series. yrene towers is a healer, stuck in a small port town, while hiding her magic that is now outlawed. this story switches povs between the two women, and it was just really heartwarming. i really do love yrene, and just seeing her really want to master her gift that was passed down from all the women in her family at a healer academy, and just really want to heal and make the world a better place – it just gave me all the feels. i for sure appreciated this novella more in 2024. tw/cw: extreme physical abuse in past, abusive relations...

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Goodreads | Amazon US | B&N | Blackwell’s | Bookshop “I love the world I hate simply because you live in it.” this is truly the weirdest book i’ve ever read. i kind of thought i was going to like it, just from the title and premise alone, but i was a little apprehensive because so many of my goodreads friends did not vibe with this one. but from chapter one, and reading some of the most impressive writing ive ever read, let alone from a debut, i knew this was really going to work for me. i am a bit hesitant to recommend it, because i just know it is going to be too weird and too satirical, and the writing too purple prose and too stream of consciousness for a lot of readers. but if you’re looking for something very different, something that’s really going to pull you out of your own comfortability, something unlike anything else you’ve read before, i would recommend that book wholeheartedly. the very basic, surface level, premise of this story is that we follow a fanfiction writer (who goes by y/n of course) who become more and more obsessed with a kpop idol. there is a constant emphasis on the idol industry and how harsh it is – from eating disorders, to being overworked, to pushing your body beyond its limits, to also being stalked by people who call themselves fans. these are a constant throughline of obsessive fandom culture and how that enables capitalism even more, and how sometimes parasocial relationships can feel very manipulative and cult-like. and i feel like this is where the disconnect comes from (besides that insanity that is this book) because either people aren’t familiar with the kpop industry or they feel attacked because they do understand the kpop industry and they feel uncomfortable with their place in it. (and i say this as someone who has a youtube channel dedicated to park jimin and collecting his photocards lol) “But his first-place ranking made the disturbing suggestion that my imagination, one of the few remaining places where I felt truly free, was actually the site of my dreariest conformity. I knew my feelings for Moon were neither unique nor all that extreme, and I even viewed mass popularity as his rightful due. But writing stories about him was supposed to have represented a higher level of devotion, an elitist kink in the plain template of fandom.” but, to me, this is a book about depression – and it truly is one of the most powerful depictions of it that i have ever read. following y/n and seeing the way she justifies everything, and feeling so much disgust one page and then so much empathy the very next page, it is truly a roller coaster through a fever dream feeling reading this entire book. this is a story about consuming, yet wanting so badly to be consumed. Feeling so lonely, and hyperfocusing on the one light in your dark world so you can feel like you are somewhat living. this is a depiction of mental health for south koreans (and so many asian communities) where help can be nowhere to be found, both professionally and from your family. (and additionally, lack of resources, lack of empathy, and just lack of help everywhere to help people who need help be able to have access to help – from our young to our elderly!) and how industries, marketing, and capitalism will prey on individuals trying to live their lives escaping. and this is a story about giving yourself wholly to something so it’s all not for nothing. “For the first time, I doubted the singularity of my love and thereby its truth. I glimpsed a future where I felt nothing for Moon, as one did, with both relief and melancholy, on the cusp of a breakup. I nearly fainted from disorientation. My love, which I’d considered, not without pride, a destabilizing force, was turning out to be exactly that which stabilized me.” i also feel like this book is about identity and being a diaspora adult, going back to your home country, and experiencing a lot of feelings that you don’t really know what to do with. loving something that makes you feel more connected to your identity, but then...

[meltotheany]

hi friends! how are you doing? i hope well! april was a really good reading month for me in terms of quantity! but quality? oh friends, we were in the trenches a little bit at the start of the month, i wont lie lol! i gave my first one star rating in years (truly years) and i still can’t believe! but we also ended the month with one of the best books i’ve read in years, so maybe we did have some balance. or maybe the book gods felt bad for me, so they gave me a boon before may reading began! but okay, let’s get into the range of the ten books that i was able to read this month! ✨ ✨ Slaying the Vampire Conqueror by Carissa Broadbent ⭐⭐ 1.0) The Serpent and the Wings of Night ★★★★ 1.5) Six Scorched Roses ★★★★ 2) The Ashes & the Star-Cursed King ★★★★ i have been loving this series so very much, and after finishing the ashes & the star-cursed king i immediately wanted more, therefore i picked this up also assuming it would be a banger like the rest of this series. oh friends, i am experiencing heartbreak as i type this mini review. i believe that this in-between story, set in this world at a different time period, was to help us learn more about the goddesses, in particular nyaxia and (view spoiler) arachessen. yet, that’s all it really did for me because i just could not get into this story, these characters, their romance, their dynamics with other characters, or anything really. this was ultimately just such a let down for me, but i will still be picking up the songbird & the heart of stone come fall! content warnings mentioned in author’s note at beginning of this book: violence, war, drug addiction. violence against children, explicit sexual situations additional trigger + content warnings i wrote down while reading: loss of a loved one, loss of a friend, cult depiction, colonization, drowning, grief, murder, death, a lot of blood depictions, captivity, body control powers, drugging, talk of the subject of rape, power imbalance dynamics / child abuse, slavery mention, extreme drug withdrawal, talk of animal death, graphic detailed mentions of eating animals ✨ Funny Story by Emily Henry ⭐⭐⭐⭐ ARC provided by the publisher via Netgalley “To me, libraries have always represented the best of humanity. The way we all share knowledge and space, and… and how we find ways to look after each other. It’s not a perfect system, but it’s powerful.” this book is, ironically enough, a story about one person trying to convince another person to build a home and life in a sleepy little michigan city. but let me not forget to type that these two people’s lives have crossed because both of their significant others have decided to leave them for each other! and our main character, after being dumped the morning after her fiance’s bachelor party, has nowhere to go because she picked up her life and moved it to where she thought she would finally set up roots. so she moves in with her ex’s new girlfriend’s ex (this feels so hard to type out lol), and each chapter starts with a countdown of how many days until a fundraiser at her work, at a local library, happens and then she will be able to leave. but maybe she can actually still set up those roots after the fundraiser, but in an even healthy and happier way (filled with some good healing along the way). ❤️ full breakdown review with tw/cws HERE ✨ Bloom by Delilah S. Dawson ⭐⭐ even though i did not love this, i think i have finally recognized that i’m just not this type of horror reader. i love anything speculative, anything paranormal, but actual murders/slasher-like stories? they just don’t work for me, they have never worked for me, and this one also did not work for me. and if a sapphic cottagecore one didn’t work for me, i fear just none ever will. so i really implore you to look at other reviews if this book sounds good to you – here are some of my faves: gabby, genesee, cassidy but yeah! sapphic, cottagecore, two girls meeting at a farmers market, but somethin...

[meltotheany]

Goodreads | Amazon US | B&N | Blackwell’s | Bookshop ♡ Vampires Never Get Old ★★ this anthology was such a wonderful surprise! i do have a little bit of a soft spot for all siren-like characters, some of these short stories are truly masterpieces, and i am so thankful i had the joy to read them all. i think the deepwater van-dal by darcie little badger was my favorite, so let me go read elatsoe right away, because wow! but down below are my individual thoughts and feelings about all the stories in this anthology collection, with the trigger and content warnings i wrote down while reading! ━━♡ Storm Song by Rebecca Coffindaffer ★★ this is about a siren who needs to sing for a ritual to call down the storms, but this is ultimately a story about finding your own voice and your own power. and how some songs can be filled with anger, and that’s okay! i really liked what this was saying, and i loved the sapphic vibes too, but i just didn’t love this story overall. cw: violence, gun violence, blood, murder ━━♡ We’ll Always Have June by Julian Winters ★★★ a ten year old is saved from drowning by a merperson, and he has thought about him ever since. and then they meet again, this time on the beach, and make a deal that the merperson will teach him how to swim, and he will help teach him how to sing. and i really did like this present story, but i kept feeling a little weird that they first met when our mc was only ten cw: drowning ━━♡ The Story of a Knife by Gretchen Schreiber ★★★★★ this was so hauntingly, and so beautifully, written. the crafting of this story, and the atmosphere, actually took my breath away a little. but this is about a girl, wanting to break the legacy of all the women in her generation being stranded in a house, on a cliff, on an island, trying to cover the scars on their legs. the only time she was able to leave the island is when she had to go to the hospital for major surgeries on her legs. and then she talks to the boy from the sea, who leaves her wondering what her family really are and what the truth of each generation before her. cw: brief mention of parental abandonment, talk of child illness (involving many scars after), withholding medical information ━━♡ The Dark Calls by Preeti Chhibber ★★ this is a story about a merfamily, living a normal day to day life, that is… until our mc starts to hear a strange voice, calling her name. and then she meets a strange boy, with an eel tail, at a canyon she is not supposed to go to. i loved seeing the family and their cave in this, but the actual story just didn’t capture my attention for some reason, sadly. cw: anxiety, talk of panic attacks, blood ━━♡ Return to the Sea by Kalyn Bayron ★★★★ i really enjoyed this one. a mermaid and a new girl at school form a friendship, and maybe something more, while trying to help a turtle. i loved the way this author did mermaids, i also really loved picturing our mc swimming to catalina island for work. but i just really loved what this story had to say, and the start of this sapphic relationship really made my heart so very happy to read. i really do need to read more from kalyn bayron. cw: themes / discussion of racism + cultural appropriation, sick animal (turtle) ━━♡ The Deepwater Van-Dal by Darcie Little Badger ★★★★★ this was so so so good. this is a story about a girl who lost her father fifteen years ago while he was searching for the biggest of lost treasures. everyone thinks it was an accident on the water, but she finally learned the truth of what happened. and with the help of a vandal mermaid and the boat that was left behind, she figures out the truth – no matter how painful that truth is. this was a haunting, beautiful, masterpiece of a short story, discussing themes of what can make monsters and what can make people choose to use the word monster – both for themselves and others. cw: anxiety, insinuation of mass children death, sick child in past (that does make a fu...