#The Sun And The Void

[melanielocke]

Here are some of my favorite books I read this year, divided into three categories because I'm not good at choosing.

[bookishlyvintage]

unread book box stack of shame

[alberta-sunrise]

Now reading 📖

[haveyoureadthisqueerbook]

[thestrangerthings]

Fall Special Edition Reading Challenge

Whoops! I've got a big TBR problem and a chunk of that is thanks to my love for special editions. The issue? I haven't read more than half of the SE's I own, and I can't keep allowing myself to purchase more when I don't even know if I like what I have. Plus I'm beyond out of space on my shelves and I think it's about time I start unhauling what I don't like instead of excusing their existence "because they're pretty."

So for this fall/autumn season, from September through November, I'm challenging myself to finish all 19 of my currently unread SE's and decide if they stay or if they go. Technically more books I preordered have arrived since taking these photos, and there are more to be delivered this fall, but I will not be forcing myself to include them.

Have you read any of these? If so, did you enjoy them? Are there some in here you want to read, but haven't had the chance yet?

Feel free to comment or tag the SE you like best just based on looks!

[lgbtqreads]

Fave Five: Queer Adult Fiction Set in South America

Cantoras by Carolina de Robertis (Uruguay) Brickmakers by Selva Almada (Argentina) The Words That Remain by Stênio Gardel (Brazil) Thirst by Marina Yuszczuk (Argentina) Undiscovered by Gabriela Wiener (Peru) Bonus: While a fantasy novel, The Sun and the Void by Gabriela Romero Lacruz is set in a Venezuelan- and Colombian-inspired world.

[wlwbookshelf]

THE SUN AND THE VOID - GABRIELA ROMERO CRUZ Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ The Sun and the Void is told from the dual points of view of Reina and Eva, both young women that are trying to fit into societies that reject them. Gabriela Romero Lacruz uses a South American setting and mythology to create a world unlike any I’ve read before. 

As this is the first book in a series it does have some worldbuilding that slows the start of the book down. However, once that initial build-up is done, it is realized to its full potential and becomes an exciting, fast-paced book. 

You cannot help but root for both Reina and Eva, and I am excited to pick up the next one and find out what happens. 

Many thanks to Orbit Books for an eARC via Netgalley in exchange for my honest review.

[aroaessidhe]

2023 reads // twitter thread

The Sun and The Void

Venezuelan inspired high fantasy

follows a young outcast swordswoman taken in by her grandmother, the dark sorceress for a noble family, who relies on the magic to keep her alive after being attacked by monstrous creatures

and a young noblewoman who’s the shame of her family because of her mixed heritage and desire to use magic

both are manipulated by those with more power than them into a plot to free an ancient evil god

mineral based magic, politics, nonhuman MCs

[tbookblurbs]

The Sun and the Void - Gabriela Romero Lacruz (Warring Gods #1)

3.75/5 - Lesbians, Venezuelan/Colombian inspired imagery, very well-rounded characters, pacing is a little off

The Sun and the Void was, by and large, a very good debut novel from Romero Lacruz. The character and interpersonal relationships on page are rich and very clearly developed. The novel takes place in two post-colonial nations, and Romero Lacruz does not shy away from criticizing real world problems through the novel. Everything from forced conversion to Christianity to homophobia and sexism to discrimination and subjugation of native people. Specifically, Pentimiento, the religion most humans follow, is clearly based on Christianity.

The characters themselves feel like very full people and none of them are exclusively good or bad. They all have their moments of poor decision-making and cowardice that are balanced out by their moments of heroism and sacrifice. From a personal standpoint, I found it really difficult to get into the headspace of Eva Kesare, mostly because she annoyed me, but I found Reina fascinating. Her motivations and the danger she has to invite upon herself makes her character and her choices so much more fraught and really pulled me in, especially when looking at her relationship with her grandmother Ursulina.

However, the book itself struggles with some pacing issues. I was around 40% of the way through the book before I felt that we had really found the plot and get underway. The book could've been probably 10-15% shorter than it was if an editor had gone over it. Furthermore, many of Romero Lacruz's plot choices were predictable. This might be because I've read so much fantasy, but by around the halfway point of the book, I predicted the ending. This is not necessarily a bad thing, as it means Romero Lacruz's foreshadowing was well incorporated, but I think I would've liked a little more subtlety.

[bookcoversonly]

Title: The Sun and the Void | Author: Gabriela Romero-Lacruz | Publisher: Daphne Press (2023)

[the-lonelyshepherd]

guys i just read the sun and the void why is there zero online content for me to consume

[nuttydragonbird]

The Sun and the Void is such a great book! In the beginning I thought I knew where it was going...but boy, did it take me by surprise just about every 100 pages in part 2! Reina and Eva are such cool protagonists and their differences in motivations and thought processes are awesome to see! Also, wlw romance, manipulative witches and deer people, we love to see it!

[bookishlyvintage]

Prettiest Cover on my tbr ~

[floppywings-blog]

Dona Laurel-Just How "Benevolent" Is She?

One of the few people to give Reina unconditional kindness is Dona Laurel Aguila, the caudila of Sadul Fuerte. Known as the "Benevolent Lady" by her servants, Dona Laurel cares for Reina as she recovers from her iridio transplant and offers her a home. She certainly isn't a cruel woman, but why has she widely been given this title?

For example, her servants call her The Benevolent Lady, but we see nothing to suggest that she actively helps the people of Sadul Fuerte. Reina has been a servant all her life, yet never notes that Dona Laurel is kinder towards her servants than other employers. In fact, Reina is only given special treatment because she's the daughter of Dona Laurel's deceased friend, Juan Vicente.

It's also strange that Dona Laurel never questions why Reina is a servant in the first place. Reina is meant to take Juan Vicente's place as an Aguila soldier, which would require courses in sword fighting and geomancia. However, Reina splits her time between serving the Aguilas and learning sword fighting. She doesn't balance these tasks effectively; in fact, the kitchen staff refuse to feed her because she can't complete her duties. The reader knows that Ursalina told Reina to spy on the Aguilas while serving them. Laurel, however, doesn't have this information. Why doesn't she exempt Reina from kitchen duties and have her focus on sword training? We never see her bring up this issue to Dona Ursalina.

Not expanding on how Dona Laurel earned this title is a missed world-building opportunity. Seeing her engage with the people of Sadul Fuerte could have informed the reader about the common man's struggles. For example, how do normal people fend off a monster they can't see? Do normal people learn to use geomancia, or is that only allowed for nobles and nuns? How do Penitents like Dona Laurel justify mining iridio, a powerful geomancia metal, when geomancia is contrary to their faith? Do any of the people under her rule bristle at this dissonance? The title makes this sound like a hit piece, but I really feel like Dona Laurel could've been more thatn a maternal figure for Reina. Seeing how she engages with the world could have fleshed it out more thoroughly.

[alberta-sunrise]

My to read pile 🤣

[bloodmaarked]

➸ reading list

just added:

prophet, helen macdonald + sin blanché

our share of night, mariana enriquez

the sun and the void, gabriela romero-lacruz

a greek love: a novel of cuba, zoé valdés

the thursday murder club, richard osman

black england: a forgotten georgian history, gretchen gerzina

black people in the british empire, peter fryer

the end of men, christina sweeney-baird

the actor, chris macdonald

the black queen, jumata emill