#boys with sharp teeth

[wondereads]

Weekly Reading Update (06/23/24)

Reviews and thoughts under the cut

Wild Seed by Octavia E. Butler (8/10)

This was my first ever Octavia E. Butler book, and it didn't disappoint! The way this story used Anyanwu and Doro's relationship to comment on power dynamics and issues in the world at large blew my mind; I found the discussion of eugenics particularly interesting. They were both such intensely flawed yet compelling characters. This book skirts the line between fantasy and sci-fi (something I'm looking into for my thesis as a peripheral issue), and it definitely made me wonder about the world. I wasn't aware going in that this was a prequel situation, but even then I do think I was a bit dissatisfied with how things left off. That's just my personal taste though.

Haikyuu!! Vol. 41 and 42 by Haruichi Furudate (10/10)

It usually takes me around half an hour or so to get through a volume of manga, but these took me a couple of hours. Why? Because I had to keep putting it down because I was crying so hard I couldn't breathe. As someone who has read a plethora of books ever since I was young, it takes a lot to get me to cry, especially that hard. I was sobbing. Furudate has created such wonderful characters and then puts them through so many struggles that I can't even be mad about because it's highly realistic that someone pursuing a sport would run into this! Seeing Hinata break down followed instantly by the third years graduating and the Brazil arc had me miserable in the best way possible. I usually never rate manga or graphic novels five stars because they're usually super fast-paced and so much relies on writing style for me when I read novels, but this just broke me.

Better Than the Movies by Lynn Painter (46%)

This is a very cute book so far. I could probably tell you exactly what's going to happen from this point onward, but it's a genre convention for romcoms to be predictable. Liz is a fun protagonist; she's quirky in a way that has a reason and isn't annoying. There's good chemistry between the leads with some great banter, and you really can't ask for more than that. However, I will say the constant song references are starting to irk me, especially with the lyrics included in the writing --I don't know, it just reminds me too strongly of my early fanfiction years.

Moon Rising by Tui T. Sutherland (45%)

If there's one thing about me, I love a mind-reading protagonist. Moonwatcher is probably my favorite perspective of the Wings of Fire series, even if I wish she'd speak up sometimes. Sutherland did a great job making her similar to Starflight, since they're the same tribe, without being a carbon copy, and while mind reading might seem a little too omniscient, her inexperience and general social ineptitude keep it from becoming overpowered. I'm thrilled to see the return of Peril, whose story is left open from the previous arc, and I'm excited to learn more about the other new characters (Winter, Qibli, and I believe Turtle) who have their own interesting introductions.

The Fellowship of the Ring by J. R. R. Tolkien (43%)

Despite my fantasy obsession, this is my first time reading The Lord of the Rings (though I have read The Hobbit). While it is definitely much slower-paced than the average modern fantasy, I'm enjoying myself so much. If you've been following my blog for a while, you'll know I'm a worldbuilding nut, so this is like my dream book. There are so many tangents to tell stories about the history of Middle Earth and all the goings-on of the world, and I keep noticing little details and wishing they'd talk about those too. Tolkien is also a rather funny writer; Bilbo's passive aggression in particular made me giggle. While this a bit of a dense story, it's definitely living up to its reputation so far.

Boys With Sharp Teeth by Jenni Howell (42%)

This is a project for my part-time job, so I'm not sure how much I can actually divulge, but let me just say this: this book is compared to The Raven Boys in its summary, and it's living up to that.

Her Wolves by G. Bailey (7%)

I won't lie, the writing of this book so far does not give me hope. However, it could still be a fun read even if the grammar and syntax aren't the best. Also, funny thing, this book is set in the future on Earth. I did not know this. I thought it was a high fantasy. So imagine my surprise to see a landmass labeled "America Court" on the map. My misunderstanding was cleared up soon, but it still made me laugh.

[girlsanachronism]

i am so disappointed in myself

[fearnesbells]

daily affirmations 🙂‍↕️🙂‍↕️🙂‍↕️

[eelektroenthusiast]

So... pjsk has had a chokehold on me this last few days ( cyberpunk dead boy won't leave my brain help)

[dailydegurechaff]

Today’s Daily Degurechaff is… Regular Tanya is on vacation day 3 - Mermaid AU

[minzart]

Love Alfred with a cross bow... BUT COME ON THE JOKE WAS RIGHT THERE, THE PARALLELS, "the son of dracula" vs "the son of hellsing", also let one iteration of Hellsing be a gremilin, a swer rat, the manifestation of obsession turned insanity

[mokimo-art]

cutie

[sun-snatcher]

I wonder if after Ba Sing Se, Katara hears Jet in the birds that sing wherever she travels.

[wondereads]

June Reading Wrap-Up

Forced Bonds by J. Bree (9/10)

I really enjoyed this book; I think it's my favorite of the series so far for two major reasons. First, there's a lot more worldbuilding done in this book than all the others, including what's going on with Oli's Bond. Second, there's a rather large twist at the end, taking a direction I wasn't expecting from this kind of story. I have my doubts that it will stick, but for now I can appreciate a fantasy romance author making an unconventional choice.

The Once and Future King by T. H. White (8/10)

This was a fun read, much more fun than I was expecting from a fantasy classic. There are quite a few genuinely humorous parts, and it was more lighthearted than I thought it would be. I loved how Arthur, Lancelot, and Guenever were portrayed; it was a surprisingly nuanced take on their story that afforded all three of them the respect they deserve. Unfortunately, it is very obvious at times that White is a white man from England, even if he does have good points for the most part.

The Dark Secret by Tui T. Sutherland (8/10)

This book marks a major turning point in this series; I remember being blown away when I first read this as a kid. There's also a lot of great character development for Starflight. Part of what makes that development possible is his separation from his friends, keeping him from relying on them too heavily, so I get why the other four aren't there, but I definitely missed them.

Toward an Aesthetic of Reception by Hans Robert Jauss (5/10)

This was a highly useful piece of literary theory, but it is also incredibly opaque and difficult to read. It requires a lot of time and knowledge of other popular theories in the discipline, so even though I got a lot of important information, I only understood about 40% of what I read.

Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus (4/10)

It's actually shocking to me that this is the book that took the historical fiction scene by storm. This book is the most watered-down, milktoast form of white feminism, led by a main character who is absolutely perfect and always right, hence never experiencing any character development. All of the characters are stagnant figurines, and the scientific aspects are annoying, often inaccurate, and obviously written by someone trying desperately to appear smarter than they are.

A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court by Mark Twain (5/10)

Compared to White's book, the disdain this novel holds for Arthurian legend and middle age history is obvious. This book follows the story of a man singlehandedly introducing things like democracy, trains, and telephones to Arthur's England, denouncing their ways of monarchy, nobility, and superstition while taking advantage of those very systems to become one of the most powerful people in the nation. While there were certain funny parts to this novel, more often than not it was rather dry and hypocritical.

Haikyuu!! Vol. 34-42 by Haruichi Furudate (8/10, 9/10, 9/10, 8/10, 9/10, 7/10, 8/10, 10/10, 10/10)

It's difficult for me to talk about these volumes individually since they were initially published as individual chapters and then grouped up later for printed volumes. The story tends to blur together in my head, but overall I can firmly say that Furudate has written an amazing story. The care and dedication he gives to his characters is wonderful, be they side or main, and he rounds off so many arcs in a satisfying way. Volumes 41 and 42 in particular stood out to me because I was physically sobbing the whole time reading them. It's just hit after hit with those two, and I had to put them down multiple times because I was crying so hard I couldn't breathe. Fabulous work.

The Brightest Night by Tui T. Sutherland (9/10)

The final installment in the first arc of this series, I think it does a very good job rounding out the story. Sutherland does a great job of giving the reader a satisfying ending without violating any of the pre-established rules, of which there are a lot. There are a few things that come into play that I wish had been foreshadowed sooner in the series, but this is a middle grade series, so it's reasonable to not have that extra level.

Wild Seed by Octavia E. Butler (8/10)

This is my first Butler novel, and it was a good introduction. Overall, this book was really quite good; it's a mostly self-contained story about two people, rarely expanding out from their relationships, but it still manages to comment on a variety of larger world issues, often using these two characters as a mirror. The only reason this isn't at a full 10 is because, even though I'm aware this is part of a series, I was dissatisfied with the ending, since it didn't feel as if much had changed.

Better Than the Movies by Lynn Painter (8/10)

This book does what it says on the tin. It's a very cute romcom. It's entirely predictable, but it fulfills every requirement and ticks every box, so there's not really more you can ask for. The main couple has great chemistry, and despite not having a huge overlap in interests, their personalities mesh well. The protagonist, Liz, is a little goofy and quirky, things that could easily become annoying, but the reason behind it and her wholehearted enthusiasm prevent that. However, something I found frustrating was Liz's best friend, who is shown to be quite judgmental about Liz's ideals and yet gets mad at her when Liz then conceals things from her in an attempt to not be judged. I didn't like the friend at all, and I couldn't see why they were friends in the first place.

Moon Rising by Tui T. Sutherland (9/10)

I think this is my favorite of Wings of Fire so far; I just love a mind-reading protagonist. With Moon's various powers, she could easily become overpowered, but her inexperience and social ineptitude keep her grounded. The new main cast is fun and plenty distinct from the original five dragonets, and Darkstalker intrigues me so much!

Boys With Sharp Teeth by Jenni Howell (9/10)

This is actually a book I read for work, so I probably can't share much. Instead, I will just say that this was compared to The Raven Boys, one of my favorite books. While this take a more horror/thriller approach than magical realism, it definitely deserves that comparison.

The Fellowship of the Ring by J. R. R. Tolkien (9/10)

I am finally reading this classic fantasy series, and I'm loving it. It is a little slow, often meandering around the plot, despite the urgency of their mission, but I hardly even mind since Tolkien dedicates so much time to the worldbuilding. Hearing about the history of Middle Earth and the various peoples that inhabit it is riveting to me! Also, I appreciate how much emphasis is put on how doing the right thing is often difficult and takes far more effort than sitting by or enacting evil.

Bonus! July TBR

The Two Towers by J. R. R. Tolkien

The Return of the King by J. R. R. Tolkien

The Buried Giant by Kazuo Ishiguro

Black Sun by Rebecca Roanhorse

The Traitor Baru Cormorant by Seth Dickinson

Her Body and Other Parties by Carmen Maria Machado

The Bloody Chamber and Other Stories by Angela Carter

The Changeling by Victor Lavalle

A Declaration of the Rights of Magicians by H. G. Parry

Shaman's Crossing by Robin Hobb

The Spear Cuts Through Water by Simon Jimenez

Last Night at the Telegraph Club by Malinda Lo

The Familiar by Leigh Bardugo

Twelfth Knight by Alexene Farol Follmuth

The Husky and His White Cat Shizun Vol. 1 and 2 by Rou Bao Bu Chi Rou

[evilkaeya]

don't worry guys it's my fault I gave him too much catnip

[ghost-bxrd]

Hello I too am here for fae!dick it's getting me through the workweek

One of the Other things I am VERY intrigued by is Too Many Teeth. It feels a little Uncanny Valley to me. Because you see it, you know it's Wrong, but you're not entirely sure why, and even if you could explain it, who is going to believe you?

Dick has too many teeth? OK well how many teeth SHOULD he have? Maybe there are a lot of people out here knowing how many teeth one should have, but are people cracking open their mouths and letting you count them? Maybe his wisdom teeth came in weird. You don't know.

Anyway I don't know if this is in line with any folklore but Dick stealing people's teeth? Like if he whacks someone in the face and a tooth comes out, does he pick it up, dust it off, and stick it in his gums? You had your chance, it's his tooth now? It's not just Too Many Teeth, it's a collection of teeth.

Hehehe okay, some more lore time!

So line in the sand is: there is no line.

There’s no rule to the other beings. The fae creatures I grew up with did not follow any logic. They changed a bit with every retelling of the stories and every time you thought you caught a glimpse of them through the stained glass of the kitchen window they’d have some other feature you’d never heard of or seen before.

So when I say too many teeth I imagine anything from “teeth that look crammed into a human mouth” to “several rows of teeth like a shark’s” depending on what you expect to see and what the other being feels like looking to others on this fine day.

On this note, it would not be too far fetched to imagine Dick would collect teeth like a giggling magpie, only to adorn himself with them or shove them in his own gums when he feels like it.

You know, being a vigilante has the added benefit of being allowed to knock out criminals’ teeth every other night anyway. ✨

Uncanny valley indeed 🌙

[faaun]

my research partner and i are huddled in a blanket in paddington waiting for a too-late train i already miss you and you and you

[toxooz]

GRRRRRRRRR

[sharonisthebettercarter]

WUTTHEFffUUUUUuuuUUUUuuUUUCc--

wutthefuckwhutthefuckwhatthefuckwhatthefuckwatthefuq...

BITE ME YOU FUCKING ASSHOLE--

[fishyizm]

wxs homestuck au im sorey homestuck will always and forever be eating my mind

[kal0ps1aa]

i think sevens the only character I willingly render for fun whoopsie daisy 🧍

shading reds nd oranges >>>>>>