#cause BRENNAN WAS ALSO EXCITED ABOUT A FLAWED RELATIONSHIP

[axolotlcipher]

Thinking about the recent MisMag episodes and the way that people talk about K online.

And thinking about the critiques people had of season one about the fandom’s obsession with Evan, and their tendency to only examine other characters in how they related to him. And how people are talking about Sam now she has more canon interactions with Evan and spotlighting her as a love interest or friend.

Wonder what it could be.

[hyphen-8-it]

Having just rewatched Episode 3, what I love is that Jasper is doing such a great job as Thorn of seemingly subverting Tula's expectations. Where of course she rightly presumes that he will be interested in and open to investigating new intel about the Blue, but not at the expense of family and not rashly. Also not disregarding anyone's apprehensions, always open to hear everyone out first and letting them make their own decisions. There's so many moments of Thorn being so (unexpectedly?) nice, like acknowleding his future children when he's talking about choosing investigation over immediate safety [while Brennan in his head was already lining up the shot], like recognizing Tula's fears and gently "pitching" new ideas, like offering his head to her to touch after her breakdown, so willing to connect.

It makes me think of that conversation with Viola where Brennan as Tula was like "that must be nice" when Viola said Thorn listens to her and does what she says. That in turn makes me wonder what Tula and Geoffrey's relationship was actually like in life. As of yet she's only really spoken about him positively (though with great sadness) and gotten quite upset when Lila tried to blame her dad for his death or imply that he deserved it, thinking it would make her mom happy. I wonder whether, when he was alive, it may have been a serious point of conflict between the two of them, that Geoffrey would do brave but dangerous things in search of the Blue, that eventually led to him not being able to be there for his family. But now that he's dead Tula feels guilty about having/having had those feelings, because it wasn't his fault that he was brave enough to try to investigate the unknown even though it ended up killing him. In hindsight, her past worries have been validated but what help is a potential "I told you so" in her grief now? And does being 'right' taint the memory of the man she loved by highlighting his flaws, especially when he's not there anymore to defend himself from the criticism?

Did she 'make peace' with his death and forgive his rashness and now, seeing her sister's relationship with Thorn and how different it is, is that causing a fresh pain in a wound presumed healed, because it didn't need to be like this? That bravery could be mellowed out by consideration and the search for the Unknown does not always leave behind grieving families?

Or was Geoffrey just like Thorn, gentle and considerate of Tula's fears, and she is witnessing Viola's relationship with a dreadful sense of foreboding. Like she's watching an action replay of her life in the eyes of her younger sister.

I don't even know what I'd prefer, I'm just intrigued to see what more insight into what the Tula/Geoffrey relationship was like they're going to give us heading into Episode 4 and beyond.

[Also, added to that, her own children being so open to the Blue and excited to fight/investigate it, albeit tinged by their childlike innocence??? What a tangle of feelings that must be, no wonder she's hella overwhelmed! It seems to me that Tula's constant mental state is "everyone around me is going to die going after the Blue and there's nothing I can do about it". Like they've already been seduced by this frightening power and are leaving her behind, alone, in favour of their pursuit.]

[inthe-afterglows]

24hrs since i read Iron Flame and I'm still thinking about it!! so much happened in this book that I feel like I read three books in one and I loved it so much even if the ending had me screaming and wishing I had the next book already!!

Spoilers (and my thoughts) under the cut!

Xaden and Violet in this one were perfect in their flaws and I love how hard they worked on their relationship! If they are not endgame by the end of this series I will find my own dragon just to set the whole series on fire. The fact that they had such limited time together and usually had to choose whether to fight/argue over their issues or just be together was so sad and frustrating so I was glad when Xaden finally made them have the tough conversations. Their protectiveness of each other is so sweet and don't even get me started on Xaden coming to rescue Violet from Basgiath because I was deceased reading it. Also the scene with the throne *smirky face* "my house. my chair. my woman." Damn straight Xaden, say it louder for the people in the back. I will not let the ending deter me. They will find a cure of Xaden. They just have to. Like they can speak in each other's minds, that is soulmate stuff right there. They have to be end game. Also the reveal about Xaden's second signet had me screaming.

Tairn and Andarna were hilarious and the reveal about Andarna at the end also has me eagerly waiting for the next book. Their bond with Violet is so cute (and funny). They really are just Grumpy Dad, Eldest Daughter, Baby Sister energy.

Violet and her squad, particularly, Rhiannon, Ridoc, and Sawyer are the definition of found family and I love how loyal they are to each other. I also loved the addition of the new characters, Sloane and Aaric and adored more page time for Jesinia.

I'm meh about Dain's redemption arc. I don't hate it but I'd be fine if it wasn't there. I am glad he chose Violet's side in the end and that he accepted her and Xaden instead of trying to become between them. I'd say this book made me hate Dain 60% less but I still wouldn't care if he died.

Love that the Sorrengail siblings are back together!! i do think more could've been done with their mum but I did like her ending, sacrificing herself for her children and country. I do think it also could have been interesting material for the next book for her to have gone against Melgren's orders or something and have to seek shelter in Aretia where she would've had to confront her decisions and the pain they caused - not to mention deal with the anger Brennan has towards her. I think it would've been more impactful if the relationship between her and her children was explored a little more before killing her off as her death didn't really hit me as hard as it should've. The only scenes we ever really got of the Sorrengail siblings and their mum were all relatively negative, always arguing or disagreeing about something so it felt slightly realistic how devastated Violet and Mira were at her death.

All in all loved this book but literally so much happened in it that I'm glad I don't have the next one at my fingertips just to give me time to process and reread before the next one does come out. I'm really excited to see where the story goes and I loved the little hints of things that are obviously going to be addressed in the next one!!

[rhywhitefang]

It’s the end of the year (Well, not quite, but I’m not gonna get any reading done tomorrow)  - and we all know what that means... Looking back at what you read and evaluating your favorites. And no, I did not contain myself to just 10 - but that’s also because I did read a lot this year. Why are they eleven books for the first two categories? Any excuse to include one more book It looks better on the graphic. Although, before someone asks why the Broken Earth Trilogy isn’t on here - Rereads don’t count and I read those in 2017. For a more detailed look at each of my lists, links to the books, and more of my thoughts, look under the cut. For a list of all of my favorite books look here. 

Now, on to these...

The best new releases of the year

Now, obviously, I did not read every single book that was released this year - duh. This is just a list of the best 2018 releases that I read this year. Ranked, they look like this:

Girl Made of Stars by Ashley Herring Blake. Why I loved this one: It’s a really honest, well-written, gentle, well-done, nuanced, and detailed examination of what rape does not only to a person but also to a community from a perspective I’ve never seen considered before. 

Darius The Great Is Not Okay by Adib Khorram Why I loved this one: Because I love well-done coming of age narratives and this one was excellent. It’s a very quiet, introspective, slow moving book with a softer main male character. I also really appreciated the setting of Teheran. 

The Book of Essie by Meghan Maclean Weir Why I loved this one: Look, it’s one of my very specific favorite tropes of all time (I’m not going to spoil it) that I almost never see, the main character is interesting and strong in a mental way I really enjoy, and it’s a deconstruction of conservative family culture. Yay. 

The Adventure Zone - Here there be Gerblins by Griffin McElroy Why I loved this one: I jumped on the hype train and listened to the podcast - and like, this is a comic adaptation of the first arc? Which is so much fun?

The Air You Breathe by Frances de Pontes Peebles Why I loved this one: I loved the main character who was bitter, and passionate, and jealous and lovin, and complicated and determined and stern and regretful. It was great. If you loved Evelyn Hugo, this one should be your next read. 

The Cabin at the End of the World by Paul Tremblay Why I loved this one: This thriller was very unique in the way that it put its focus on just one family, and the whole rest of the world was not really present. Instead we get a very closed, and isolated narrative where everything but the characters we follow and the relationships they have with each other is called into question.

How Long Til’ Black Future Month? by N. K. Jemisin Why I loved this one: I refuse to comment on claims that I light a candle of my very own N. K. Jemisin shrine every night before I fall asleep. If you haven’t read The Fifth Season - go read them right now. My favorites from this collection include: Valedictorian, The Storyteller’s Replacement, Walking Awake, and Henosis.

Circe by Madeline Miller Why I loved this one: I’m a huge slut for greek myth retellings, if you’re a semi-competent author retelling any greek myth, I’ll eat it up. And Miller is more than just semi-competent.

The Poppy War by R.F Kuang Why I loved this one: Listen, listen, listen - you know how to get me as a reader? Training sequences and school settings. This has 250 pages of training sequences in a school setting. It made me very happy. 

Hurricane Child by Kheryn Callender Why I loved this one: Everyone’s excited for this author’s other book, which is like, a YA romance and to be fair, I haven’t read that one yet, but still - why is this one so underrated? It’s a magical realism coming of age story of a young girl and it’s stellar. 

Inkmistress by Audrey Coulhourst Why I loved this one: I wasn’t the biggest fan of the author’s debut, but this has a lot of things I love - “be careful what you wish for” style blood magic, dark self-fulfilling prophecies, and a female characters journey from hero to villain. Also dragons. 

The best backlist books of the year

Meaning, the best books I read this year that were released in 2017 or before that. Pretty simple, really.

In Other Lands by Sarah Rees Brennan Why I loved this one: It has been a long time since I was this attached to a group of book characters that quickly. They’re instantly relatable, even if they’re not instantly likeable. And beyond that, the whole book is a wonderfully satirical take on the portal fantasy genre. But seriously, guys, there’s not enough of fanfiction for this book - I’d know it, I read them all.. C’mon, where’s my soulmate AU?

Radio Silence by Alice Oseman Why I loved this one: One of the best YA novels out there and not only one of my favorite’s of this year, but also one of my favorite books of all time. Alice Oseman understands the teen coming of age story on a spiritual level, and manages to be so wonderfully affirming in this one.

The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid Why I loved this one: Listen to the hype, everyone, listen to the hype. Evelyn Hugo is an amazing character and I’d 100% believe you if you told me she was a real person. PLUS, this one also has the trope. The one I talked about with the Book of Essie. 

Strong Female Protagonist by Molly Ostertag Why I loved this one: Well-done, deconstructionalist superhero narrative are my jam. This webcomic is not that action driven, instead it focuses on the main character identity crisis, and her reconsidering what it means to be a hero and what her responsibility as a human is.

The Miseducation of Cameron Post by Emily M Danforth Why I loved this one: Do you think the owner of this blog might like coming of age narratives? I’m not super sure, like, maybe if she had “I love coming of age narratives” tattooed on her forehead, it would be a little clearer... but like this? It’s a mystery. 

Whichwood by Tahereh Mafi Why I loved this one: No, I did not read the first book in this series, and I don’t think you need to in order to enjoy this. Here, I just really appreciated the friendship aspect of the book and the healing power of reaching out to others and letting them into your heart. Also death magic. That too.

Long Way Down by Jason Reynolds Why I loved this one: I think the slam poetry style this was written in, often novels written in verse don’t work for me because it feels like more distance being put between you and the narrative, but in this case it really elevated the story. And of course, this was a very introspective read with a focus on character development.

One Hundred Nights of Hero by Isabelle Greenberg Why I loved this one: The artwork here is just gorgeous, just like in the first one The Encyclopedia of Early Earth. Its beautiful and has a lovely fairytale vibe.

An Unkindness of Ghosts by Rivers Solomon Why I loved this one: This has a very sharp, very unique voice to it and a protagonist unlike anyone I ever read. And the spaceship setting was really cool as well.

Under the Pendulum Sun by Jeannette Ng Why I loved this one: This is a fae book that gets fucking dark, and truly fucked up as any proper fae book should do. Some parts of it read almost like a trippy nightmare which is just delightful. And the premise itself? Just wild, man

Girl Mans Up by M-E Girard Why I loved this one: Say it with me everyone 📣: Coming 👏 of 👏 Age 👏 Narrative

Honorable Mentions

Yes, I have a whole entire seperate list of honorable mentions. What’s it to you?

A  Very Large Expanse of Sea by Tahereh Mafi Why I loved this one: The writing is beautiful and engaging. The protagonist is refreshing, lively, realistic, and I loved her perspective. Her internal journey was wonderfully rendered. The issues she dealt with were important, timely, and needed to be put into the forefront. It had a lyrical, atmospheric quality to it and I thoroughly enjoyed my experienced reading it. Why it didn’t quite make the list: It almost, almost made the list because it was really good. There was just one thing that bothered me. I get that the point of this book was that the protagonist was really isolated in the beginning, but even so... she had a romance with a guy, she had her brother and his friends whom she hung out with. But she didn’t seem to know any other girls... at all. The only other real female character I remember is her mother. And then there’s one interaction with another girl and that girl is a racist bitch. So I didn’t like that portrayal.

Geography Club by Brent Hartinger Why I loved this one: Teenagers finding themselves.... friendship..... clubs.... gay people.... I mean, come on.  Why it didn’t quite make the list: The writing style isn’t the best.

And I Darken by Kiersten White Why I loved this one: This was a great first book in a trilogy with a historical setting I haven’t read about before. It has court intrigue, sultans, assassins and political imprisonments. The main character’s brother, Radu, is one of my favorite characters I read about this year and I liked the way this tackled religion. Why it didn’t quite make the list: Being the first one in a series, this feels more like...a prologue, than anything that could stand on its own.

When I Hit You - A Portrait of the Author as a Young Wife by Meena Kandasamy Why I loved this one: It’s an unflinching look at an abusive marriage, power dynamic, and coping with the more patriarchal aspects of your own culture. It’s also really well written and extremely believable.  Why it didn’t quite make the list: It had an odd framing device, and because the protagonist was a writer, this caused it to be kind of pretentious at times.

Here to Stay by Sara Farizan Why I loved this one: This is a very realistic depiction of high school, and the social dynamics most teenagers for. Teenagers aren’t wise or mature, most of them have a lot of growing to do. And I liked how flawed everyone there was. They just wanted to keep their head down, or they overcompensated for their insecurities, and they dealt with their own issues. I liked how the topics in here were handled. Why it didn’t quite make the list: The plot was a bit too simplistic for me. 

Into the Drowning Deep by Mira Grant Why I loved this one: Killer mermaids! Need I say more? I’ll say it again - killer mermaids! Why it didn’t quite make the list: Despite the title, this isn’t really that deep. Just a fun monster horror.

The Emperor’s Soul by Brandon Sanderson Why I loved this one: The one thing that Sanderson does consistently well is develop magic systems, and I really liked this one. And because this one was so short, there wasn’t some epic (or even cosmic) overarching plot, but a rather clear and relatively small narrative of a specific task that needed to be completed, which I found absolutely fascinating. I think I like this story even more than the Mistborn trilogy. It’s my favorite from him. Why it didn’t quite make the list: Everytime Sanderson writes a female character, you can tell he feels so proud of himself for being such a feminist. 

I Was Born for This by Alice Oseman Why I loved this one: This surprised me. Even though I loved Radio Silence by Oseman and had read that one before, the subject matter of this book didn’t really seem appealing to me, but it was still really fun. I loved the friendship dynamics and the discussions of fame. Why it didn’t quite make the list: I just very much wanted this one to go more in depth and really dive into that character development, and these relationship dynamics. I just wanted a little more of that. 

A History of Glitter and Blood by Hannah Moskowitz Why I loved this one: I loved most things to do with the fae - the dark fae of folklore, mind you, not whatever SJM is doing. Now, these fairies aren’t really traditional, but the setting is definitely dark. Also, there’s an unreliable narrator which I love.  Why it didn’t quite make the list: I was kind of iffy about some of the racial implications with the goblins. 

The Monster Baru Cormorant by Seth Dickinson Why I loved this one: We stan a ruthless, traitorous accountant. Love that dark character development, bitch.  Why it didn’t quite make the list: While I loved the first one, this one really lacked a clear sense of structure or direction. The pacing was kind of off. 

Girls of Paper and Fire by Natasha Ngan Why I loved this one: I loved the worldbuilding here, and the setting of concubines in a castle, quiety rebelling in themselves. Yay.  Why it didn’t quite make the list: It felt a bit juvenile at some points, some things were rushed, and I would have liked a bit more depth to the characters, especially the love interest.