#Brandon Sanderson has spoiled me

[too-many-blorbos]

Figuring out Witcher lore is so hard. You ask a question and there will be three different contradictory answers spread over the book series, and you never know which one is actually the truth because Geralt is a freaking LIAR and cannot be trusted to give exposition.

[titsthedamnseason]

this is giving raoden to sarene 😭😭😭

(i am only ~250 pages into this book no spoilers please this just made me think about he regretted that he never got to meet her in person xx)

[chemicallywrit]

Happy Audio Drama Sunday! It was podcast girls week and i loved seeing everyone’s art and fic and memes. Gorls. ❤️ Let’s get to the shows!

🎤 Childish! Childish: The Podcast Musical finally got the chance to post their finale! And it did not disappoint. I had forgotten exactly how good the music was in this show, and how funny and clever it was. Guys, if you care about college comedies with a side of the best dang music I've heard out of a podcast, please listen to Childish. I'm so happy for them. This is really proof though, that it's worth it not to give up on a podcast (I'll wait for you forever Althaar).

🥩 Oh man, this episode of Mayfair Watcher's Society was incredible. The story would be good even without the incredible performances of Ashlee Jones and Brandon Nguyen, but CAN we talk about them actors??? What an incredible exploration of your worst nightmares coming true. Mind the content warnings for this one, folks. Meg Tuten is, as always, a genius.

🦾 Breathing Space consistently hits notes of working class struggle and desperation with care and thoughtfulness, but this past episode's rendition of "Sixteen Tons" was absolutely gorgeous. I loved the lo-fi singing together. It was perfect.

🐟 @monstrousproductions’ Travelling Light has once again introduced me to an absolutely delightful character. Vermi is my favorite guy. I love him and his fish face and his translation innovation. This show is a constant gift.

🤖 Ohhhhh man, oh man, Ask Your Father ended in the only possible way it could, which I should have seen coming. Oh my gosh. Mikeyyyyyyyy...I won't spoil it, but it was maybe perfect. I cried a little. Season two when.

🌊 I started Waterlogged this week! What a good anthology—it’s creepy AND wet! I think some horror anthologies suffer from a lack of theme that can make them fall into a rhythm, but I don’t foresee this being a problem for Waterlogged. The first three episodes are all so different, and I love it. Go check it out!

🪱 I want to give a shoutout to Earworm! Earworm is an upcoming musical about ghosts and haunting by the folks behind Shadows At the Door! I know a lot of the cast (David Ault, Michelle Kelly, Erika Sanderson, and so many others) and I'm so thrilled to hear this--assuming they can finish out their crowdfund! If you can throw them a little cash, please do!

That’s all for now! 😘

[eloquentspeeches]

book recommendation tag game!

rules: recommend as many books as you like. please include genre and some basic information on it (either your words or a copy+paste synopsis). feel free to include cover art, a personal review, trigger warnings, and anything else! just don’t spoil the book!

tagged by @dekarios!!! thank you for the tag I'm usually too busy and or shy to randomly talk about things but here I am. I'm putting it all under a read more because million bajillion words

American Elsewhere by Robert Jackson Bennett

Some places are too good to be true. Under a pink moon, there is a perfect little town not found on any map. In that town, there are quiet streets lined with pretty houses, houses that conceal the strangest things. After a couple years of hard traveling, ex-cop Mona Bright inherits her long-dead mother's home in Wink, New Mexico. And the closer Mona gets to her mother's past, the more she understands that the people of Wink are very, very different ...

this is sincerely my favorite book ever. i bought it from a sci-fi only bookstore that i visited once and that closed down shortly after. it's got horror. it's got sci-fi. it's got eldritch sci-fi horror set in a small town. i re-read this book almost every year and i still find new details i missed.

Mistborn: The Final Empire by Brandon Sanderson

For a thousand years the ash fell and no flowers bloomed. For a thousand years the Skaa slaved in misery and lived in fear. For a thousand years the Lord Ruler, the "Sliver of Infinity," reigned with absolute power and ultimate terror, divinely invincible. This saga dares to ask a simple question: What if the hero of prophecy fails? Mistborn: The Final Empire — Kelsier, a brilliant thief has turned his talents to the ultimate caper, with the Lord Ruler as the mark. Kel's plan is the ultimate long shot, until luck brings a ragged girl named Vin into the fold. But she will have to learn to trust if she is to master powers of which she never dreamed.

i can only recommend the first triology of this series - final empire, the well of ascension and the hero of ages - since i haven't read the other books from this world. definitely worth the read, this book changed my brain chemistry when i first read it in high school.

The Goblin Emperor by Katherine Addison

The youngest, half-goblin son of the Emperor has lived his entire life in exile, distant from the Imperial Court and the deadly intrigue that suffuses it. But when his father and three half brothers in line for the throne are killed in an "accident," he has no choice but to take his place as the only surviving rightful heir. Entirely unschooled in the art of court politics, he has no friends, no advisors, and the sure knowledge that whoever assassinated his father and brothers could make an attempt on his life at any moment. Surrounded by sycophants eager to curry favor with the naïve new emperor, and overwhelmed by the burdens of his new life, he can trust nobody. Amid the swirl of plots to depose him, offers of arranged marriages, and the specter of the unknown conspirators who lurk in the shadows, he must quickly adjust to life as the Goblin Emperor. All the while, he is alone, and trying to find even a single friend . . . and hoping for the possibility of romance, yet also vigilant against the unseen enemies that threaten him, lest he lose his throne–or his life.

if you like complicated political court drama!!! then oh boy this is the book for you!!! my cousin made me read this book because complicated political court dramas are her specialty and she was not wrong. this is a banger.

gideon the ninth by tamsyn muir

The Emperor needs necromancers. The Ninth Necromancer needs a swordswoman. Gideon has a sword, some dirty magazines, and no more time for undead nonsense. Tamsyn Muir’s Gideon the Ninth unveils a solar system of swordplay, cut-throat politics, and lesbian necromancers. Her characters leap off the page, as skillfully animated as arcane revenants. The result is a heart-pounding epic science fantasy. Brought up by unfriendly, ossifying nuns, ancient retainers, and countless skeletons, Gideon is ready to abandon a life of servitude and an afterlife as a reanimated corpse. She packs up her sword, her shoes, and her dirty magazines, and prepares to launch her daring escape. But her childhood nemesis won’t set her free without a service. Harrowhark Nonagesimus, Reverend Daughter of the Ninth House and bone witch extraordinaire, has been summoned into action. The Emperor has invited the heirs to each of his loyal Houses to a deadly trial of wits and skill. If Harrowhark succeeds she will be become an immortal, all-powerful servant of the Resurrection, but no necromancer can ascend without their cavalier. Without Gideon’s sword, Harrow will fail, and the Ninth House will die. Of course, some things are better left dead.

if you follow my blog at all then you know i'm like a hardcore fan of TLT. i love this book series. it's such a good read. this is one of three with a fourth on the way. please read it. pelase.

bullet train by kōtarō isaka

​Kimura’s young son is in a coma thanks to the Prince, and Kimura has tracked him onto a bullet train heading from Tokyo to Morioka to exact his revenge. But Kimura soon discovers that they are not the only dangerous passengers on board. Satoshi—the Prince—looks like an innocent schoolboy but is really a stylish and devious assassin. Risk fuels him, as does a good philosophical debate, such as questioning: Is killing really wrong? Nanao, nicknamed Ladybug, the self-proclaimed “unluckiest assassin in the world,” is put on the bullet train by his boss, a mysterious young woman called Maria, to steal a suitcase full of money and get off at the first stop. The lethal duo of Tangerine and Lemon are also traveling to Morioka, and the suitcase leads others to show their hands. Why are they all on the same train, and who will make it off alive?

okay i saved bullet train for last solely because. i didn't like. the book. as much as i really wanted to like the book. BUT i really do like isaka's writing and i think reading the book and watching the movie is the way to go to really appreciate what's going on in Bullet Train. that's my personal opinion.

[fields-of-rye]

rules: recommend as many books as you like. please include genre and some basic information on it (either your words or a copy+paste synopsis). feel free to include cover art, a personal review, trigger warnings, and anything else! just don’t spoil the book!

tagged by @southernreaches

(not gonna lie this post made me read again and now I rented out This Is How You Lose the Time War so thanks mate lol)

Legends and Lattes by Travis Baldree

Genre: Fantasy, Romance, LGBTQ+, Slice of life

After a lifetime of bounties and bloodshed, Viv is hanging up her sword for the last time. The battle-weary orc aims to start fresh, opening the first ever coffee shop in the city of Thune. But old and new rivals stand in the way of success — not to mention the fact that no one has the faintest idea what coffee actually is.

This was recommend to me by a friend of me and oh me oh my, this was SO GOOD. This takes such a good spin of the dnd adventure genre and just lets you wonder what might happen after the grand adventure which is just 'chef's kiss'. Also the romance? SO CUTEEE.

The Way of Kings by Brandon Sanderson

Genre: Fantasy and Adventure

It has been centuries since the fall of the ten consecrated orders known as the Knights Radiant, but their Shardblades and Shardplate remain: mystical swords and suits of armor that transform ordinary men into near-invincible warriors. Men trade kingdoms for Shardblades. Wars were fought for them, and won by them. One such war rages on a ruined landscape called the Shattered Plains. There, Kaladin, who traded his medical apprenticeship for a spear to protect his little brother, has been reduced to slavery. In a war that makes no sense, where ten armies fight separately against a single foe, he struggles to save his men and to fathom the leaders who consider them expendable.

So after reading this book I have been OBSESSED with this whole series. The way Brandon Sanderson world builds, characterizes, and just writes these books are beautiful and actually inspired me to write my own original fiction. Can't read a more beautiful book than this.

tagged: @toadmancer, @oh-yeah-no, @oneiroy, @aymerictheblue, @uldahstreetrat, @iloveyouspaceship, @whatsthisascianbullshit, @rosenfey, @bunflora, @manicpixiegirlboy

[wanderingcas]

YOU'RE READING MISTBORN???? okay I need you to continue <3 I think elend grows a lot over the series and has a lot to give later on. And kelsier has passed, but his influence and legacy remains. That certainly won't be the last mention of him. Also, idk if you know this, but Brandon Sanderson actually wrote the whole series before publishing, so he was able to go back and make edits to book 1 so that all the foreshadowing is *perfect.* which makes the resolution really satisfying.

Based on your complaints, I can also give you a big spoiler that may help motivate you to continue. Only if you want 😂

AHHH ok this is all so good to know!!! i did sort of accidentally not really spoil myself on a big spoiler to do with kelsier so if that's the one you're referring to, then i got that one recently 😂 but if it's NOT that spoiler and it'd motivate me to read the series then im ready! i need motivation!

i also think that i had a bit of a book hangover/really wanted more of the whole kelsier and the gang going into the whole series so i was a little disappointed it won't be?? ALSO the lord ruler already was like?? defeated?? so what else is there 😭 which like i know there's more and i know it'll be great but my brain was like unable to wrap around it haha i do want to keep going though, ive heard nothing but amazing things about the series and i really loved reading it in a hyperfixated haze

[bisexual-kelsier]

So, uh, I saw you post looking for people to follow and saw you're currently reading mistborn (one of my favourite series). I just wanted to warn you (pos) in advance that looking for mutuals in this fandom WILL suck you into the larger cosmere fandom and your shelf is going to look like mine one day

(This is my brandon sanderson shelf.)

Idk if you knew this already but mistborn is a part of a much larger universe called the cosmere, with a whole over arching story that branches out to multiple planets (with different magic systems and stories) and each as good as the last. The mistborn fandom therefore contains a bunch of spoilers for the other series too

If you're interested in reading the other stories, filter the tags: "stormlight archive" "stormlight" "warbreaker" "elantris" "yumi and the nightmare painter" and "tress of the Emerald sea"

If you'd like a suggested reading list, lmk and I can give you mine, or you can google one, or find branderson's suggestions

The cosmere fandom is my bread and butter but it is an investment. Happy reading, HoA is going to rock your shit (in a good way) (mostly) (no I haven't gotten over it)

PS: do NOT google kelsier you will be so spoiled. Do not go on the coppermind for the same reason. Good luck!

Yeah, I know about the Cosmere! Mistborn is baby’s first Sanderson, but I already have a copy of Warbreaker and plans to read many, many more Cosmere books!

I’ve just recently gotten to part 2 of HoA and it’s already been quite a ride (tbh most of that ride has been me being Gay About Elend). Unfortunately, I’m moving on a very tight schedule rn so I haven’t been reading at all recently, but hopefully once next month rolls around, I’ll be able to really dig back in again!

And thanks for the advice! Much appreciated! 💖

[nat-seal-well]

Hi Chrys! Just curious - have you watched the Amazon WoT show? And if so, what did you think?

I'm on the fence about actually giving it a shot, but I only made it to book 7 or 8 before I just didn't have the time anymore. Thought maybe the show would do it justice??

Yes, I have!! And honestly I really, really like it, which I know isn’t a very popular opinion a lot of people have.

(Bc of potential spoilers for those who haven’t made it as far in the books—if anyone else who follows me is even reading them, lol—I’m putting the rest of my thoughts under the cut. Also bc I will probably have a lot to say.)

So, first off: I am all about soundtracks. Soundtracks are an element to storytelling you don’t really get in any other form of media other than, like, film and television. The stuff you watch. I’m obsessed with the one in WOT. It’s beautiful and a lot of the songs use the Old Tongue, which I think is so, so cool. (Caisen’shar is my favorite.)

One of my favorite scenes is in the second episode. I don’t want to spoil anything, so I won’t go into too much detail. That scene alone, though, is just… it’s gorgeous. It was one of my favorite parts of Eye of the World, and it is my favorite part of the show so far. I look it up on YouTube to watch it a lot because I love it so much :)

I absolutely do not blame you for not reading more of the books, haha. The series is long and to have made it through 7 or 8 is a lot of reading, and I’m really impressed! The length of the book series is another thing you have to consider, though. There a lot of story printed on those pages. It’s too much to feasibly adapt, even with a television series. There’s just so much.

Season one covers Eye of the World, but I think the plan is for them to do some condensing because of how long the book series is. Which honestly, I’m not very upset about. It gives you a chance to explore some elements of the story you already know, and to maybe experience other parts of it in an entirely new light. It’s what I’m most excited about with season two, whenever it’s released. I love the different ways the same story can be told.

Also, I’m a huge Brandon Sanderson fan, who is the author that Robert Jordan’s wife (and editor) asked to help with finishing the series after he passed. Sanderson is also involved with the production of the Amazon series, and has talked about it on his podcast. He signed a deal that allows him to share his thoughts relatively freely, and he talks about how book-to-screen adaptations are on a sort of… spectrum. Some you can translate pretty easily to script and cameras, because they work that way. Some you just can’t, but you can reshape it in a way that is still faithful to the soul of the story.

That’s mostly where the WOT show falls. People who go into it expecting a perfect, scene-for-scene adaptation of the books are going to be disappointed, because it isn’t that. That doesn’t mean it’s bad, mind. It just isn’t a direct translation. But I’ve read all 14 books of the main series and the prequel (New Spring) and I think the Amazon series does a good job of knowing the limits it has on how much it can and can’t do, while still remaining faithful to the feel and soul of the story that makes Wheel of Time what it is.

That’s more where the WOT show falls. People who go into it expecting a perfect, scene-for-scene adaptation are going to be disappointed, because it isn’t that. That doesn’t immediately mean it’s bad, mind. It just isn’t a direct translation. I’ve read all 14 books and the prequel (New Spring) and I feel like the show still does a good job of capturing the feel and soul of what makes Wheel of Time what it is.

(Also, you can’t ask for a more perfect actress to play Moiraine. I am probably bias, but I think Rosamund Pike is another reason to give the show a try, if nothing else, haha 💙)

[rhetoricandlogic]

Yumi and The Nightmare Painter - Brandon Sanderson

So, the third Sanderson book. Book 1 was a dud, Book 2 was so-so. How would I find Book 3?

I found Book 3 VERY much an improvement and my favorite of the three books released so far. You thought the romance angle in Tress was good? Compare that book to this and you'll laugh. Brandon apparently was told by his wife that his books need more romance. And, as an author who doesn't really dabble in it - it DOES show. However, he is leaps and bounds better at it here than in Tress.

For people who liked Tress you might not like this. Since it is a different type of romance. Sanderson references a story he read in college about two passangers on a train who share he same room but at different times and they fall in love with one another without really spending time with on another. It's funny, it reminded me of the screenplay Betty Schaefer and Joe Gillis are writing about in Sunset Boulevard - two people who share the same room, sleep in the same bed during different times - he works nights, she works mornings, and they fall in love.

Brandon was also inspired by anime, manga, and Final Fantasy. Which clearly shows in this book. The setting of the world and the characters in it are poc inspired (Korean/Japanese/Chinese), there is reference to noodles / chopsticks, tabook, painting that has a non-western aspect, and other things here and there. But I felt that it was handled nicely - but non white readers can go into that more.

The plot is basically two people seemingly from different worlds are linked and must solve their issues by working together under duress. [ Body swap stories are a thing I've been picking up in Chinese and Korean dramas. They're usually done for humor aspect, but it always ends up with the characters learning to respect one another which leads to them falling in love. That was like this book, the character would get tired and the male became the female while her spirit / essence could be seen by the female and everyone who looked at the male saw the female character, except the female character who saw the male. The female became the male literally and it was explained that she was legit changing his body type every time it happened. (hide spoiler)]

While Hoid is the narrator of this book, I found him not as annoying. He popped up here and there and his storytelling was a lot more muted than it was in Tress. In Tress I felt that Brandon was trying to hard to emulate the Grandfather in The Princess Bride by giving him side commentary / witty remarks. The remarks weren't as plentiful and they didn't detract from the story, so I felt I was really reading the Hoid from the Cosmere novels. There is also the presence of another character who we met at one point in the Stormlight books but I won't spoil it. I had to smile when they showed up! There are also tiny references to the Stormlight books but it is not important to read them to get them, just little easter eggs.

The reason I rate it down a star is the friends / associates of Painter's. I felt them to be weak or didn't really add to the story. And the end when they were needed they were just THERE are a plot device and not much else. It could have used more depth. I could also say the romance could be a tad bit more blatant, but what I got - again - was better than Tress. The theme of the book were two people learning to love themselves before the learned to love others and appreciate who they were and what they could give. There was a lot of healing and good discussions / inner monologues regarding grief, hurt, rejection, purpose, and love.

I'm really excited on getting the physical kickstarter copy of the book due to the gorgeous art / pictures done. I loved them and felt they brought the book to life. And even better the artist was Aliya Chen - go check her work out if you haven't seen it yet. Aliya Chen. I sadly don't think that non kickstarter fans who didn't subscribe / put down cash will get them in the mass market paperback, but maybe they'll get her work on the cover?

To be honest, Brandon did say that this book and the last were two Cosmere heavy books and I believe that will be why I'll enjoy them more. But we shall see. All in all, I really enjoyed this book and I can't wait for my box to arrive!

[aquarianshift]

reading questionnaire

thanks fellow bookish broad @surrealisticduvet for the tag <3

last read: To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee. would you believe it was never assigned/i never read it in high school. the ending was spoiled for me bc i worked with high school kids who were reading it but it was compelling enough that i blew through it in two sessions. recommend. happy for discussion/criticism if anyone wants to arrange their desks in a circle

currently reading: Hero of Ages, the third book in the Mistborn trilogy by Brandon Sanderson. my friend bought me the set for xmas so i've been devouring them for the last few months. they're whoppers, 700+ pages. i hadn't really read adult fantasy unless you count The Hobbit, so it's good old specfic fun. author is mormon and, like, it shows. but with a critical eye it's a good and fast-paced read

next read: i stumbled in my path to read Dylan Goes Electric! by Elijah Wald and returned it to the library without finishing. the good news is, the chalamovie has been deferred indefinitely, so i'll still probably get the chance to read it before that comes out.

@javelinbk @joanbaezed @breakaway1975 let's hear it!

[universitypenguin]

Hi!

I’m the anon who sent the true crime ask a while ago and I always feel bad for having so many asks but ever time I read TPATL Content I become so inspired! Please feel free not to answer if you have a lot of work on.

I was curious if there were any particular true crime cases/ serial killers you based Nguyen (if he IS the killer???) on? I find true crime, espionage and legal thrillers fascinating. If you have any podcast/documentary/reading recommendations, I’d love to hear them! You really handle all three of these genres very well in the text making it so hard to put down!

Secondly, could I ask what dog you think Lloyd might get? I can imagine him adopting a breed considered dangerous from a shelter, like some kind of pitbull. I believe there are no such things as bad dogs, just bad owners. It’s a shame certain breeds are considered dangerous. My family rescued the most gorgeous, snuggly, loving Staffordshire Bull Terrier. People who judge him with just a look but he had so much goodness to give! It was the first thought that popped into ky head when I read you were thinking of giving him a dog. Of course pick any breed you want! I just thought it was an interesting thought and I’m very biased when it comes to certain breeds 😂. I’d love to hear what you picture him with! Maybe a French breed or a snuggly Doberman? I am just very invested in the idea of dogs!!

Anyways, I’m really looking forward to the next chapter! I can’t compliment your talent enough. You’re one of my favourite authors on Tumblr.

Lotsa love,

💛💛💛

Never feel bad for sending me asks! I love them. Sometimes I struggle to reply in a timely manner, but it always thrills me to see that people want to interact with my blog and hear additional details about the story. 

There is a case that inspired this story. It’s called the “Bear Brook Murders” and occurred in Allenstown, New Hampshire. A local reporter made a podcast about it and included later updates as more information emerged about the crime. That podcast was the inspiration for the idea that they found a body, and then several years later, someone finds the other body, practically in the same spot. And then they realize it was there all along...

Another podcast, that I plan on listening to soon, is called “In the Red Clay: Durham.” My all time favorite podcast that I’ve listened to for years, is “Writing Excuses” with Brandon Sanderson. 

Also, thank you for realizing that there are three different genres being juggled in TPATL! I’m writing the crime plot as suspense, the stalker plot as a thriller, and the relationship plot as a romance. It’s possible I’ve bitten off more than I can chew… but I get so bored without a challenge in my life… so yeah. It’ll all work out in the end. Trust the process! 

As for a dog that Lloyd might get, I’ve been kicking around adding a dog to the plot. It might happen, it might not. I haven’t decided.

What I imagine is that Lloyd, being slightly paranoid, would want to get a protection dog for Princess. On occasions when he has to travel for work, he wouldn’t want her to be alone. So, he asks Zach to contact an ex-SEAL who now trains dogs. Lloyd meets the trainer, who introduces him to an old-fashioned German Shepherd with a sable coat and intelligent eyes. Her name is Freya and she’s only two, but she’s well trained and very sweet. Lloyd is a bit concerned at how sweet she is, until he watches the owner put on the bite suit. Freya in action is… impressive. Terrifying, but impressive. 

He happily pays the $60,000 fee to purchase her. 

Princess immediately gets Freya a pink collar and matching sweater, crushing Lloyd’s dream of owning an intimidating protection dog. He ends up with a cuddly, spoiled, bed hog, who snores like an old man. Worse, she thinks the sun rises and sets because Princess asks it to. Lloyd ends up relegated to the bottom rank in the pack. He may have bought the animal, but it’s Princess who really owns her. 

The only good thing is that Lloyd has an exuberant running companion at six in the morning. In reality, he loves Freya just as much as Princess does. He’s amused at how they took to each other and he adores that Freya follows her mistress around the house like a velcro dog. And he feels better about going away on business trips when Freya is guarding the house. 

But he replaces the pink collar with a nice brown leather collar at the first opportunity. Freya’s a protection dog first, and a pet second - this is a hill Lloyd will die on. He didn’t pay sixty grand for her to parade around in a pink collar like a Barbie doll. Image is everything, okay? A protection dog has to at least look the part.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Freya's Collar, as purchased by Princess. It's vegan leather and handmade by a small business.

Lloyd replaces it with an equivalent, purchased in brown and fashioned from real leather. He argues that vegan leather is made of plastic, so it's more environmentally friendly to buy something that won't last into the next millennium in a landfill.

[jadejedi]

Mid-Year Reading Roundup

I haven’t posted a review in a while because I am quite busy at the moment, but since we are more than halfway through the year, I wanted to do a quick highlight of my favorite reads of the year so far. (I’m planning on doing a bigger breakdown of everything I’ve read this year in December). I will link my full reviews where applicable. So, here are my top five favorite reads of the year so far, listed in the order I read them in:

Babel, by R.F. Kuang 5/5

I loved the main character so much, and I thought that Kuang ‘went there’ in a way that I was absolutely not expecting, even though I should have from the title. It is a tad slow in the middle, but everything else about it was so good that this is one I recommend to everyone. I don’t know that a book has ever made me cry so hard as this one did. 

Harrow the Ninth, Tamsyn Muir 5/5

This is the second book in The Locked Tomb Series, and let me tell you, this book is bananas crazy and it absolutely took me a second read to fully get it. On the first read, I actually had to take a break because I was just so confused, even though I had spoiled myself and read the wikipedia page. Then, once I got to the ending, I was so blown away I immediately had to go and reread the first one, and then this one. The amount of foreshadowing and references to things that you straight up can’t understand until you reread it is crazy. But the story is wonderful and it has such amazing reveals and twists. The characters from book one you’ll love or love to hate even more, and the new characters are just as good.  

Circe, Madeline Miller 5/5

I didn’t expect to love this one as much as I did, but oh my god what a beautiful 

book. I haven’t read Song of Achilles (yet), so I didn’t have any experience with 

Miller’s writing. I was so blown away by her writing style; most of the time it didn’t feel like I was reading at all, it just felt like the story was carrying me along. It’s just so beautifully introspective. Not much happens, but at the same time, so much happens. And the ending touched me in a way I did not expect. 

Happy Place, Emily Henry 5/5

I found out that this is many people’s least favorite Emily Henry novel, and I just have to say… WHAT????! This book absolutely blew me away. I guess if you’re not into the miscommunication trope, then sure this one might be hard to get through, but I love me some angsty miscommunication so this one was perfect for me. I also think that Henry does such a good job at making the friendships her protagonists have just as important to the plot and to the MC’s character development as the romantic interest, and that is especially true for this one. This one is just as much about friendship as it is about romance, IMO. And it’s also about like, identity and careers and the things we do to feel like we have value. Also, this one made me cry like three separate times towards the end. 

The Way of Kings, Brandon Sanderson 5/5

Okay, ngl, I kinda went into this one hoping I’d hate it. Sanderson is just such a big name in fantasy I was kind of feeling snobbish and hoping I could turn my nose up at it. But no. No, despite the audiobook being over forty hours long, I flew through it and loved every second. I don’t think Sanderson is as good of a writer as someone like G.R.R. Martin, or N.K. Jemison, but he is a very compelling story teller. 

(Honorable mention to The Fifth Season by N.K. Jemison, another 5/5. I left it off the list because it just made me so so so sad lmao.)

[primaroha]

This is our latest #amazingreadathon detour, as we reach Paris, the host of this year's Olympic Games. To mark the occasion, here are five of my most favourite reads since I got back into the hobby last year.

Less by Andrew Sean Greer. Arthur Less, a moderately failed author is invited to the wedding of his ex-partner. In an act of pure avoidance, he goes on a world tour of opportunities, while unpacking his past experiences. I listened to this audiobook while rushing to finish my Christmas presents at 3am last year. I have yet to ever relate to a character as much as I did to Arthur Less, although it would be hard to find similarities at face value. Every step of the way, he is wallowing in self-doubt and sadness, while you as a reader cannot help but go "can you not see where you are?". That has been my experience, when you're moving your own goalpost befor every achievement, you cannot help but feel like a failure.

Ella Minnow Pea by Mark Dunn. On a small island that worships the person to have come up with the shortest sentence containing every letter of the alphabet, a statue keeps dropping letters. With each one, the letter is forbidden, and the island falls into a totalitarian chaos. Another sleepless night, my enjoyment of this book was entirely based on my upbringing in a society that has been walking the line to collapsing into chaos since way before I was born. We have gone through communism, and to some extent, never quite got out of the authoritarian mindset. I have seen reviews saying the people of the island were too eager to let things happen before it was too much. But that is exactly what my society is like: some are fighters, who fight against anything whether it's good or bad, many are followers, who no longer have the energy to fight, and few are aware of what is actually going on, other that it is not good.

The Good Omes by Terry Pratchett and Neil Gaiman. An angel and a demon must band together to stop the antichrist after the lost track of him as a baby. One of my first reads as I got back into reading, it was one of the first books that made me want to pause indefinitely just so it wouldn't end. I have listened to the BBC production of the audiobook, with sound effects and different voice actors. This was my gateway into audiobooks and the start of my goal to one day read all of their work. I have... Yet to act on it, but it remains a goal.

Tress of the Emerald Sea by Brandon Sanderson. A young woman living a peaceful, content life on an island, must throw herself into adventure to save her beloved. Que steampunk pirates and a talking rat! I will be honest, I was skeptical at first. But this was, in my opinion, one of the best female characters I have ever read. Every decision was well thought out, every thrope was introduced and then subverted, and at no point did was Tress the stereotypical "silly girl" I read about over and over again. And while I guesses the twist early, knowing it didn't spoil the enjoyment. This was my first Brandon Sanderson book, and if the library hold gods are in my favour, it will not be the last.

The Thursday Murder Club by Richard Osman. A group of retirees in an elderly community form a club to solve cold cases, only to find themselves a murder right at their doorstep. One of my few rereads, I could instantly see the my group of close friends in the characters of the book. While we're much more tame, I could definitely see us being just like that after retirement. The audiobook I picked for my reread featured an interview with Richard Osman at the end that I found extremely interesting. As a young person, especially one who grew up in an extremely traditional, "graduate, get married, have kids, raise kids, be grandparent, raise grandkids" culture, it is easy to forget that every current old person has had a lifetime of youth before you met them.

[sufferingwithbooks]

May Reading (Part 1)

Monstrous Regiment by Terry Pratchett

Dracula by Bram Stroker

The Canterville Ghost by Oscar Wilde

The Lost Metal by Brandon Sanderson

The Party by Elizabeth Day

George's Marvellous Medicine by Roald Dahl

Monstrous Regiment is a book that made me realise just how ahead of his time Terry Pratchett was. After the introduction of the character Cheery Littlebottom, the idea that "trans" characters exist within Discworld was an incredible one. And then Monstrous Regiment comes along and solidifies it.

A female cross-dresses as a male to join the army so she can look for her missing brother. It turns out that she is not the only one who had this idea.

Just like most TP books, it delves in and addresses a lot more than the surface level idea. I won't spoil, but it was another win for Discworld.

Though I don't understand how people can say this is a standalone. You miss out on realising how great Sam Vimes appearance is in this!

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Dracula is a reread. I found it on Libbi as an audio and had fun listening to it on the many dog walks.

It's been a while since I last read this (likely over a decade). It's interesting to see what I take away from it this time; new appreciation for the Reinfield character, realising how much PTSD Harker has and seeing how it's addressed, and the amusement of the "dutch" accent the narrator gave to Van Hellsing.

My only real complaint is how every male character immediately dotes themselves over Lucy and Mina. I enjoy Mina's character but Lucy falls flat in comparison and yet I'm meant to believe many different guys propose to her within a short amount of time?

Why? Is it because she's constantly described through her beauty? Is that her only worthwhile trait?

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The Canterville Ghost is an audio I picked up on Libbi after I read and enjoyed The Picture of Dorian Gray.

It... was quite forgetful. A grumpy ghost is grumpy and a little girl tries to help. I was hoping for witty and amusing (as described) but found it to be neither.

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The Lost Metal is the final book in the Mistborn Era 2.

And it was a bit of a let down. It was quite predictable. The moment I read the prologue, I knew exactly how the book was going to end.

I was also thankful to have read Emperor's Soul prior so I knew who the new character was. But I think that was my biggest issue with the book... I knew Cosmere Universe existed, I knew cross-references were likely to happen. But I had always thought the Mistborn Saga was more contained within itself. I mean... the first 6 books were.

And so the last book felt out of place. Instead of a Mistborn book, it was now a Cosmere Universe book. And I didn't like it. I don't know why it rubbed me the wrong way, but it did.

That being said, I did still enjoy the characters. Steris will always be my favourite.

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The Party is a blind book I picked up. It was described as a "betrayal between friends". A nice palate cleanser between all the fantasy I was reading.

I read through it quickly and enjoyed myself. It's not one that I will be keeping. I'm happy to have read it but I won't reread it. I might pick up another Elizabeth Day book if I see one in a charity shop.

Am I the only one who felt more on Ben's side than Martin's? Martin is creepy. In truth they both massively suck as people and it's fun to read them throw themselves to destruction.

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George's Marvellous Medicine is another Libbi audio I picked up just as a light read whilst I focused on my cross-stitch.

And it's the reason why I'm going to read more Roald Dahl. It was so funny. At the ending, I was laughing so hard that my sister was staring at me in alarm (I was using headphones). I had to get her to listen and then cracked up all over again.

I feel like Roald Dahl is someone who shares my dark humour. Can't wait to read more.

[seadeepy]

3, 24 <3

3. What were your top five books of the year?

According to StoryGraph (indie book logging app, would recommend!) my highest rated books this year were almost all by Naomi Novik, lol.

(1) A Deadly Education by Naomi Novik (Scholomance #1) Extremely funny, really interesting magic system/worldbuilding, and basically all the things the HP series could have been with a better, non-TERFy writer. Cannot recommend this series enough.

(2) Uprooted by Naomi Novik Standalone fantasy book about a cursed forest, a supposedly evil wizard, and a heroine who beats the shit out of a guy with a serving tray at one point. Beautifully written and structured, and had a lot of tropes in it that appealed to me personally.

(3) The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid I'm a little suspicious about the upcoming movie, because there was so much in this book and I question how they'll fit it all into a movie-length runtime. I cried a lot, and the characters were satisfyingly complex. If you want queer fluff, this isn't the book for you, but if you want to feel a lot of feelings, it's so worth the read.

(4)The Golden Enclaves by Naomi Novik (Scholomance #3) Can't say much about this book without spoiling the previous two, but it did a phenomenal job at wrapping up the trilogy. I cried my eyes out, but it was a powerfully hopeful and positive book. And still very funny even at the darkest of times. I don't need to recommend this book, because after reading the first in the series you'll probably devour the next two without coming up for air.

(5) This is How You Lose the Time War by Max Gladstone & Amal El-Mohtar I admit I bought this book because of the Twitter meme, then didn't actually read it until two weeks ago. It has exquisite prose and deeply intriguing worldbuilding, but the core of the book is the relationship between the two protagonists. People call it sapphic, but I'd argue they're both she/her enbies? Anyway, I enjoyed it a lot and will definitely go back and re-read it in the future to more fully appreciate the foreshadowing and the timey-wimey structure of the plot.

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24. Did you DNF anything? Why?

Not intentionally -- there are some books I picked up and haven't finished yet because I'm struggling to maintain interest. I apologize to any Brandon Sanderson fans here, but I'm stuck partway through Words of Radiance and have been for months. I've started Legends & Lattes a few times and haven't been able to get into it, but everyone tells me I'd love it so I'll make another run at it in the new year.

[snowmuttgetsweird]

3/6/23 (technically- it's after midnight but for me it's still Sunday till I go to sleep and wake up again. Same thing with the last post- it was technically already Sunday, but for me it still felt like Saturday.)

The pot roast came out great. I didn't actually have a bowl myself cause I've noticed that overeating tends to exacerbate the panic attacks, and I was still pretty full from a late lunch, but I taste-tested it for seasoning and to make sure the veggies softened, and it was pretty dope. I just walked to a MeeTea and picked up a green milk tea with some sago instead- super yummy, very satisfying.

SALT YOUR MEAT AHEAD OF TIME. It makes a BIG difference- just salt it generously and put it on a plate in the fridge, uncovered, 24 hours in advance. It's just an old fashioned Campbell's Soup pot roast but little things like that can really elevate it. I'd really like to convince my roommate to let me deglaze the pan with some red wine after searing the outside of the chuck roast. He's not a big fan of wine flavors in cooking, but I'll try to win him over next time.

Oh, also my roomie and I cleaned up our apartment. We've been sitting on our Christmas tree and finally put it away today. It's one of those things that just gets away from you, but I decided we needed to ride that wave of productivity and just do it today, and we ended up cleaning the whole place. We both did our sheets, our towels, I cleaned the whole kitchen (almost exclusively my domain), reorganized our pantry, etc. Vacuumed and aired out the whole place. The weather was beautiful all day- chilly, but just BARELY warm enough to be t-shirt weather, about 50 F, with intermittent showers. I absolutely love dreary, overcast weather.

Also started a new book. I'm only through the prologue, but it's interesting so far: The Way of Kings by Brandon Sanderson. Pmuch immediately establishes an interesting magic system that got me thinking again about a character I used to RP in a freeform chat with friends named Noland- a psychic whose powerset was grounded in fun comicbook-y pseudoscience. Maybe I'll talk about him here later? I get to pretend I know something about thermodynamics and stuff when I do, it's fun to talk about.

Oh, and on Friday I "finished" a big project I've been working on for a client that I kinda had to prioritize that was keeping me from really working on the other commissions I've taken, so I finally get to get back to work on those tomorrow. There's technically still more to do, but it's all back-burner stuff I don't have to prioritize over my usual workload. I'm actually pretty excited for that. It feels good to feel like I'm making progress. It really sucks feeling sorta "stuck" on just one project or piece and not really being able to step away and work at my own pace. It usually helps me a lot to jump around between jobs throughout the day, because I can say that I touched and made progress on multiple things, and one will inevitably capture my attention that day, and then I can hyper-focus on that one until it's just done. It makes me incredibly thankful for how patient the vast majority of my clients have been- I'm spoiled rotten that way.

Big batch of pot roast in the fridge, a new book (been a few months since I was actively working through a book), more good meals on the way, a clean apartment, good weather, even a slightly rekindled interest in one of my own OCs... Not to mention another panic attack free day...

Tax stuff aside, this has potential to be a good week. Feeling tired, but optimistic and hopeful. I think I'll try to start tomorrow morning with a short walk.