#3.75 Stars

[literatureaesthetic]

“a beautiful voice that haunted people”

― Anaïs Nin, Little Birds

[sheepfics]

The Warden (Daniel M. Ford) The sword-and-sorcery romp that probably wasn’t supposed to be a comedy.

3.75 ⭐

Ok. So. This was sold to me by some shlub at [INSERT GIANT LOCAL BOOKSTORE] with the promise it has lesbianism and is Like The Locked Tomb. The book claims its Like Twin Peaks But With Wizards. This raises the important questions: Is This Like The Locked Tomb? Is this Twin Peaks But With Wizards? 

No. 

This is Northern Exposure if you replaced Dr. Fleischman with Aelis, a bisexual 22 year old workaholic Wizard. This has “pros”, and this has “cons”. Here’s the non-spoiler list that could help you decide if you might like this book.

“PROS”.

Cozy Sword-and-Sorcery adventure, heavy ttrpg pulls, but not serial-numbers-filled-off levels of referencing. Hearkens back to an older era of ‘cheap’ fantasy novels.

This 22 year old workaholic study-hard-party-harder Wizard girl sucks just the right amount.

Enough foreshadowing to indicate something is important, novel enough connections to spark interest in how things are important.

Great setup for interesting future adventures/world.

Solid and descriptive fight scenes.

“CONS”.

Necromancy in this book is not raising the dead, it just helps you be really good at practicing medicine. (see Northern Exposure Comparison)

Ignore the redhead elf on the new-edition cover, this is a book is only about the other girl. 

This is a Fantasy with hints of Romance, not a romance-fantasy or a romantasy.

Not as Meta/Intellectually Meaty as TLT.

Not as Ethereal/Supernatural as Twin Peaks.

Overall Non-spoiler Review: The Warden is a lighter-fare adventure fantasy read. Even if you only dabble in fantasy, you will find this to be a tasty little snack of a read. Chapters are short, pace is a bit odd at times but not overwhelmingly so. I finished this in about three days. 

Despite the book covering both a lot and very little time, The adventure pacing is acceptable. The time it takes for each fraction of the mystery to unfold makes reasonable sense. I find Aelis to be appropriately bitchy and hardworking, and I do really like that about her. I enjoy main characters that have strong enough personalities that they can definitively suck. I can see why people might not like Aelis, but I think her personality makes perfect sense with her origin and how she is told to relate and understand her job. She considers the feelings of others, but certainly doesn't need good bedside manner when her job is to exist outside, but in reach of, a specific community. Her affair with Maurenia is also appropriate in its intensity (or one’s perceived lack thereof). It feels like a very early-twenties-I'm-here-on-a-temp-gig affair. Tun is really fun and I like the mutual respect him and Aelis have for each other and how that is forged throughout the work.

If you can’t tolerate Aelis within about 5 chapters, I don’t think you’re going to like this book. This book might have two gals on the cover (depending on your edition) but its not about both of them. Its about Aelis. And if you aren’t even kinda rockin with her by the halfway point, its probably worth a DNF. It took finishing the book for me to go from “yeah she’s fine” to “ok yeah I wanna read more about her”. 

I am interested in seeing how the next book progresses. The mysteries of this book were enjoyable and (enjoyably!!!) predictable at parts. There was a good set-up of people/places/things where you could attach things that could be connected, and then be rewarded with how they were connected. 

If you want to read this book, I think you loose about 20-30% of the value of reading it if you get spoiled with the following review, so proceed below with that knowledge.

WITH SPOILERS/The Long Form Below.

I'm not covering main plotpoints here, I don't want this to devolve into a summary, because this is my first attempt at a book review and I know I am prone to such things. My notes on the overall plot are that: 1. This Is Very Much The First Book In A Series, 2. The Stakes Are Reasonable, At This Time, and 3. We're keeping MacGuffins to a minimum.

Ok, now the real review.

It took me until the end of this book to be fully convinced on Aelis, but now that I’ve put the book down (and waiting on my hold of the second book to come in) I can say more confidently that I like her. I don’t think I would be bothering to think particularly hard about her if I didn’t have that second book on route. The Warden is a book about Aelis. This series is a series about Aelis. Everyone and everything is tangential to her. I think that the OG cover (left) and the new cover (right) portray this book as two different books. 

I read the one on the left, and when I got it off the hold shelf I checked my phone make sure it was the correct book. That alternative cover really indicates that this will be a different kinda book. The Aelis & Maurenia cover indicates that Maurenia is going to be Cool and Fight in this book- and she doesn’t. She shows up, brings in a plot device, sleeps with Aelis, and then dips for a while before U-hauling back up. This isn’t a book about the two of them. This is a book that focuses largely on Aelis and then has a lot of screentime for Tun, who’s in the background of the OG cover. I think the first cover is far more accurate to the vibe of this novel than the newer one, and would argue that the newer one is almost false-advertising.

So Where’s the Dykes? An Addressing of the Queer/Romantic Elements this book is sold on.

Aelis is Bisexual, if her pre-Lone Pine Wardendom casual polyamory is to be read face-value. I found it very funny that 1. She allegedly boned a dude named Humphrey on the reg and 2. She liked Miralla more than him and her boning Humphrey was potentially her trying to best Miralla. Great stuff. This does bring me to her Tension with Maurenia. As stated earlier, we don’t know shit about Maurenia, even at the end of the book. Aelis notes this, but is reasonably apprehensive about pursuing romance, although she does think about it. I hope there is drama about this in the next book, because Maurenia seems wayyyy more into this than Aelis is. This makes their relationship very interesting, in a way some other reviewer called ‘very masculine’ while claiming both characters had a lot of ‘masculine energy’ and thats not important here its just really fucking funny to me. I had to get that into this review. Holy shit it made me crack up laughing. I just think Aelis is, like me, too focused on the grind to be thinking toooo much about emotional satisfaction. I would make a “while you were having sex I was studying the blade” joke, but she was doing both, so. Even after the semi-tasteful fade-to-black sex scenes that happen (Good call, Mr. Ford.), Aelis is debating wether to take this seriously. She didn’t seem to be taking the previous ones seriously, or at least, not as serious romantic relationships. She’s not dating the people she’s fucking, she doesn’t have any previous heartbreaks that we know of. I think her focus on (previously, her education), and now, her job, makes all that stuff a little difficult. 

Her job, at present, focuses heavily on this pioneering town that’s mostly sheep, where everyone there is afraid of her because she was mainly educated as a necromancer. I don’t think we’ll be seeing much of the townspeople after this, for adventure calls!I wish I could expect more from/with them, but I don’t think I’m going to get that. Mostly because I can sense our inevitable adventuring party, which brings me to my footnote paragraph about Tun. 

Tun is a half-orc druid/woodsman/bear man. He’s really fun and I like him. He reveals just enough to be interesting, keeps enough secrets to keep me hooked, highlights when Aelis is being a bitch, and spurs her to make some tweaks. Coworkers-growing-to-respect-each-other sort of vibe. I liked it a lot. I like him being a werebear, the hints as to his well-educated past and orc-connected present, his I think his main thread being solved with very little intricate explanation from Aelis was a bit of a letdown, but I’m hopeful for book two. 

Maurenia must, certainly, be important for book two, because Necrobane only ever has had one cover design and its got her and Aelis on it. Aelis doesn’t know much about her, she says as much, I have no complex thoughts about her other than what I’ve already mentioned. Mostly that this book ain’t about Maurenia, its about The Warden.

The Warden, which is Aelis. She’s been shoved to Lone Pine in Bumfuck Nowhere to go serve as a government-sanctioned Wizard detective/helper/advisor. The motivations or details behind this system are hardly explored, and only expanded in the limits of the position. How Aelis can act in regards to financial issues, law enforcement, and other such things. Being a Warden is a 2-year tenure, and it is still unclear to me why exactly she wanted to be a Warden, other than proving that women can do it. That’s a fine motivation, but I wanted more substance on why she gives a shit about the things she does. She’s primarily a necromancer, but theres little time spent on why she wants to be a top necromancer or Wizard or Warden, other than just to flex. Towards the end of the book, she herself states that she doesn’t think like a Necromancer, she thinks like an Abjurer with the talents of a Necromancer. I am hoping she’s forced to explore necromancy more intensely as the series progress. I would like less school flashbacks and more details on how she’s tweaking her abilities and spells to suit her. The descriptions of her surgeries were very interesting though and followed solid logic and fantasy-adjusted practice. The way fight scenes flow with her were also very good! There are many good things about her. There are many bad things about her. The biggest thing about this book is that it’s all about her.

If you can’t get with Aelis, you will not like this book. There’s not much more I can expand this. I’m repeating myself from the non-spoiler section. If you ain’t rockin with her, you’re not gonna like this One Bit. I can live with that, because I think she’s super funny to read about. She’s an enjoyable type of mildly-pretentious intellectual. Other reviewers I have read have found her to be horribly insufferable for not Grasping The Call Of Adventure and being Mildly Rude To Peasants. I don’t care about that. I like that she’s very willing to do her job, but is understanding that a lot of it might be suckage. She wants to prove a point. She’s ambitious, and that's what makes you a good Wizard. At least, that’s what she tells us makes a good wizard. 

That brings me to my final note on the book’s content. I found Aelis’s isolation to be absolutely fascinating. She’s so goddamn lonely. Sure, there may be people around her, but as a Warden, she’s to serve as a Lighthouse, not a Tavern. She is not to become one of them. She’s there to be the voice of the Lyceum and the Crown upon a town that asked for her. Her choosing to ask for help from Tun is a big step for her, but also, Tun and Maurenia’s refusal to even offer company or further assistance to her when she goes off on her own, in winter, on undisclosed business? That solidified that this was an Aelis book. I expect the other books will also very much be Aelis books, but to a lesser degree. 

As mentioned earlier, I wouldn’t be thinking nearly the same amount of this book if I caught it when it had just come out. I think I would have read it, went “huh, neat”, and moved on. I think I may be giving this book more grace than I ought to, but that’s alright. I think if I could get into Aelis earlier, and I wasn’t sold a GTN-like with a Twin Peaks Twist, this would be a ⭐⭐⭐⭐ read.

I do think that grey goat that breaks into her tower is going to be the BBG though. (That’s only partially a joke.)

[andreai04]

I wondered why it was that places are so much lovelier when one is alone.

It's funny, I thought, how the routine of life goes on, whatever happens; we do the same things, go through the little performance of eating, sleeping, washing. No crisis can break through the crust of habit.

[yourfavebooklrsfavebooklr]

Parasite by Mira Grant

3.75 stars

I’ve been really loving sci fi horror lately, and this book was no exception. Sal was an intriguing main character- I did guess the main ‘twist’ before the end of the second chapter, but I thought the story was interesting enough to keep reading anyway. That being said, it felt like Grant almost overly foreshadowed the twists and overdid the establishment of certain details- I think this book didn’t really need to be as long as it is and ultimately more could’ve been left to the reader to decipher. It did make sense for the main character to take so long to figure it out however. Anyway, this didn’t ruin the book for me at all. I especially liked the various evil scientists- symbogen is the medical corporation you love to hate, while Shanti is the somewhat sympathetic mad scientist without morals, which made for some fun characters to read about.  This book was really fun and I’d recommend it to anyone who wants to read a unique take on zombies.

[maybeclever]

Iron Flame by Rebecca Yarros- Book Review (Spoilers after the cut)

Rating: 3.75/5

I adored the first book in this series. I thought Violet was a strong, relatable character, and it was refreshing to have disabled MC in a high fantasy setting-especially a setting so focused on violence and warfare.

Going into this book, I was worried by its turn around time. I understand that novels can be drafted for years before they reach a publisher, but it's always a warning sign in my head when sequels come out so quickly. And I'm afraid, to a certain extent, time was not on Iron Flame's side. I love the epic fantasy genre, so length doesn't scare me away, but for what happened in this novel, it was WAY too long.

Plotwise, it was just fine. I liked some of the things that were done, and others I did not. And, like all novels, the climax built up the tension and there's epic scenarios, but the resolution left me just… fine.

That's not to say there was stuff I didn't enjoy. There was a lot I did. There was great growth in side characters, and we saw the introduction of great new characters and got to explore new signets. That said, a lot of what I did like contains spoilers so I need to save that for under the cut.

Overall, it's the second book in a five book series. It suffered from major second book syndrome, and I just worry that there's not enough substance to sustain a five book series. What I enjoyed, I enjoyed a lot, but we'll see how far that carries the series.

SPOILERS BELOW FOR PLOT SPECIFIC LIKES AND DISLIKES

Likes: Violet had a conflicted reaction to Brennan's survival. Violet chose to believe in her friends over keeping secrets. Violet called Xaden out when his protective instincts turned smothering rather than supportive. Andarna being disabled was surprising, but rooted in character decision which made it so impactful. The idea to offer representation this way was bold, and refreshing, and I adored it. Secret 7th dragon type. Lilith Sorrengail was a flawed person and mother, but she loved her children until the end. Most of Part 1 as a whole

Dislikes: It felt like Yarros knew what story beats she wanted Vi and Xaden's relationship to hit at the beginning and end, but because the book was so long, they moved in circles CONSTANTLY. Any growth was always immediately forgotten for the sake of drama. Varrish was a terrifying and horrible man that was built up to be a terrible villain and road block for the characters. He only lasted half the novel. I wish we had more time to come to terms with Lilith's love for her children. Even if she died early book 3 instead, it would have felt more impactful. It still was emotional, but I didn't find it to be as heart wrenching as she was aiming for. I'm gonna say it. I wasn't a die hard Xaden fan after the first book, his refusal to see Vi's side in this book annoyed me, and his "sacrifice" at the end didn't affect me. Is he endgame? Yes, probably. Am I excited by that prospect? Not if it's all going to be like this.

[52cookies]

Homemade Cinnamon Swirl Bread - Sally's Baking Addiction

3.75/5 -- It's fine! An enriched sandwich bread-type so a little fussy, using an egg white to hold the cinnamon sugar down and prevent gapping felt like a waste of an egg for not much gain

[livinliterary]

Kitty Collins series

Katy Brent’s Kitty Collins series is a darkly comedic, satirical take on modern influencer culture—except with murder. The protagonist, Kitty Collins, is a glamorous socialite, an ethical vegan, and, oh yeah, a serial killer who has found a morally dubious way to deal with the worst kinds of men. With a mix of sharp wit, social commentary, and over-the-top antics, Brent delivers a unique blend of…

[leserattevirginie]

Earls Trip by Jenny Holiday

Genre: Historical Romance Star Rating: 3,75 ⭐️

Plot: ⬜️ Plot holes big enough for a herd of elephants ⬜️ I think I’ve read this before. (Unoriginal to the max.) ✅ No plot, just vibes ⬜️ Enjoyable but not super memorable. ⬜️ You have my undivided attention. ⬜️ Mind = Blown

Characters: ⬜️ Mary Sue is in the house! ⬜️ These are cardboard cut-outs. ✅ Good main cast, but the rest is forgettable at best. ⬜️ Generally well written. ⬜️ Complex ⬜️ What do you mean characters? These feel like real people!

Personal Enjoyment: ⬜️ DNF ⬜️ Somebody free me from this hell (but also no, I won’t DNF) ⬜️ WTF did I just read??? ⬜️ I don’t like it, but I also don’t hate it. ⬜️ It’s a good book but I just never want to pick it back up. ⬜️ No strong feelings either way. ✅ Enjoyable read ⬜️ What a page turner! This is fun! ⬜️ I think I’m in love ⬜️ (new) all time favourite

World Building: ✅ This takes place in our world. ⬜️ Worldbuilding what worldbuilding? ⬜️ This feels like a TV set. ⬜️ Not super deep, but present. ⬜️ Detailed, believable. ⬜️ You bet every single ant has its own 100 page backstory!

Pacing: ⬜️ drags/is rushed in all the wrong places ⬜️ Inconsistent ⬜️ something undefinable feels off ⬜️ I don’t love it it but it fits the book perfectly. ✅ Good/no complaints ⬜️ Amazing! Could not put this down!

Writing: ⬜️ This is painful ⬜️ I’m cringing ⬜️ Not great, but not bad either. ✅ Neutral (Didn’t really notice.) ⬜️ Elegant but not overly flowery. ⬜️ So beautiful I actually stopped and noticed it. ⬜️ I’m not sure if this is just a bad translation. ⬜️ I’m not confident enough in my language skills for this language to comment on the quality of the writing.

[theamazingian]

Reminder that the Xbox 360 Marketplace will shut down in 3 months on July 29th, 2024.

Now I know what you’re thinking-

I gotta hop on my old Xbox 360 and download Sonic 06 for $5 along with it’s crunchy DLC

[geryone]

Listen poetry taste is completely subjective & I understand that but the man who gave Traci Brimhall’s new collection a 2 star review on goodreads is my mortal enemy

[c-kiddo]

for people who asked about tmn comic reviews, i put some vry basic vry casual text ones on my storygraph account. just for the cad and beau ones. kind of would like to do more in depth reviews and talk abt all of them and the art etc etc but i know people are a bit touchy about art critique so . i just remembered the beau one is negative about the art so theres your warning

[larsnicklas]

sorry but speaking of the epic of gilgamesh it IS so funny that it only has 3.7 stars on goodreads

[a2zillustration]

August Baking 2024

Oreo Cakesters - 5/5

Genuinely impressed these turned out as good as they did because SOMEONE (me) used twice as much butter as necessary for the cookies. Can't wait to try this one again the right way!

Cinnamon Roll Sugar Cookies - 3.75/5

These taste good but they're so much effort to make. Just find a really good snickerdoodle recipe you like more tbh, unless you want cookies that look cuter.

[yourfavebooklrsfavebooklr]

Jackal by Erin E. Adams

3.75 Stars

Definitely an interesting read! Honestly, I thought it was a bit boring at first, but I stuck through it and I’m glad I did! I thought that the main character was compelling and I liked how it almost felt like an unreliable narrator at times. It’s not the type of book I usually like (I’m not a huge fan of mysteries) and honestly I wasn’t a huge fan of all the red herrings but that’s not the book’s fault lol. I really loved how Jack’s chapters were written. Not a book I think I would’ve picked up unprompted but definitely still an enjoyable read!

I’d recommend this to fans of mysteries with supernatural components & people who like a book with a lot of dark-ish psychological components.

[52cookies]

Coconut Bread - Bread Toast Crumbs by Alexandra Stafford

3.75/5 - Light coconut flavor, not too sweet. I wasn't sure what to do with it, but it turned out to be a good afternoon treat bread toasted with some chocolate on top. Probably only make again if I needed to use up some coconut milk/coconut flakes.

[kraftykelpie]

Eouehehe