#natalie haynes if you're reading this I love you

[lethargarian]

2024 Books Wrapped

"I think my heart knew you were mine long before I ever realized it"

"'If it's any consolation, cousin, I behaved rather poorly the other day.' 'Is he dead?' 'No.' 'Then I'd say you controlled yourself admirably.'" - A Court of Frost and Starlight, Sarah J. Maas

"He could still do it -- close his eyes and see her. But lately, white smudges would blur parts of her -- an earlobe, her eyelashes, the contours of her hair. It didn't happen enough to full obscure her yet, but Teddy feared time was taking her from him, grinding away at the picture frames in his head, crushing them." - Shutter Island, Dennis Lehane

"The map had been the first form of misdirection, for what was a map but a way of emphasizing some things and making other things invisible?"

"This part I will do alone, leaving you behind. Don't follow. I'm well beyond you now, and traveling very fast." - Annihilation, Jeff VanderMeer

"He did not want to leave the world, and yet he knew now that he was leaving it, or that it was leaving him."

''What if there is no world out there? Not as we know it? Or no way out to the world?' Grace saying this, while existing in that moment in a world that was so rich and full." - Acceptance, Jeff VanderMeer

"'I fucking hate you,.' The words are past my lips before I can shut my mouth. 'That doesn't make you special.'"

"'I know you just want to keep me safe, Dain,' I whisper. 'But keeping me safe if keeping me from growing, too.'"

"He'd protected me when I needed and taught me to defend myself so I wouldn't require protection forever. And when others are quick to stand in front of me, Xaden always stands at my side."

"Funny how people rename everything that makes them feel uncomfortable. We lost faith that our king would ever do the right thing. And they call us traitors." - Fourth Wing, Rebecca Yarros

"This, then, explained why he did not like them. He was appalled by their appearance. Medusa wanted to laugh but she was still afraid. As if anything that was important about Sthenno or Euryale was visible in their teeth or their hair."

"But Athene was no musician, and nor was she looking to play a tune. The first flute therefore sounded exactly like what it was. The desperate cry of a reed that has been severed from its root."

"I don't feel like saving mortals any more. I don't feel like saving anyone any more. I feel like opening my eyes and raking in everything I can see whenever I get the chance. I feel like using the power the goddess gave me. I feel like spreading fear wherever I go, wherever Perseus goes. I feel like becoming the monster he made. I feel like that." - Stone Blind, Natalie Haynes

"'It is as Gio said. Searching for a connection. Making something out of nothing so the spaces between us do not seem so far."

"'A flaw?' He laughed loudly. "Of course it is! Your flaws are what make you superior, in all ways. No matter what machines can do, no matter how powerful we become, it is the absence of flaws that will be our undoing. How can this existence survive when all machine-made things are perfect down to a microscopic detail? When all machine-made music is empty of rage and joy? Our only flaw is that we've condemned ourselves to spend eternity mimicking that which we deemed unfit to exist.'" - In The Lives of Puppets, T.J. Klune

"He had worn so many men's blood over the years, what difference did one more make?...He wondered if anyone else has ever died saying the words, 'Thank you.'"

" If he truly wants to understand the nature of the epic story I am letting him compose, he needs to accept that the casualties of war aren't just the ones who die. And that a death off the battlefield can be more noble (more heroic, if he prefers it that way) than one in the midst of fighting. But it hurts, he said when Creusa had died. He would rather her story had been snuffed out like a spark failing to catch damp kindling. It does hurt, I whispered. It should hurt. She isn't a footnote, she's a person. And she -- all the Trojan women -- should be memorialized as much as any other person. Their Greek counterparts too. War is not a sport, to be decided in a quick bout on a strip of contested landed. It is a web which stretches out to the furtherest parts of the world, drawing everyone into itself." - A Thousand Ships, Natalie Haynes

"Nothing good grows out of fear." - The Near Witch, V.E. Schwab

"But I don't miss the woman I was, the one who didn't know her strength."

"Violence, remember it's only the body that's fragile. You are unbreakable."

"Now cease this line of thinking. It does not serve to make you stronger." - Iron Flame, Rebecca Yarros

"Don't fall asleep until you've really thought about the statue and Michelangelo and the entire Italian Renaissance." - From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler

[rayless-reblogs]

2024 Book Recommendations

I have an embarrassment of riches this year -- I had the chance to read a lot, and I kept finding so many good books. So many that instead of my normal ten recs, you're getting fifteen.

As always, these recommendations are not complete endorsements. Especially with the older books, there are definitely elements present that are questionable and even offensive.

Dragons – Pamela Wharton Blanpied (fantasy written as nonfiction, the first section recounts what happens when dragons invade Earth, the second section is a treatise on the habits and biology of dragons, and the third is a fascinating series of field notes from those who dare to befriend the monsters)

The Chatham School Affair – Thomas H Cook (mystery, a rural school, a beautiful lonely teacher, a lake, luscious language, loaded with atmosphere, you keep making and remaking your theories as you guess what happened)

Plain Bad Heroines – Emily M Danforth (mystery, braided narrative between the early twentieth century and present day, copious narrator commentary, cheeky footnotes, extremely funny but also extremely dark, gothic tropes, mostly female cast)

Cloud Cuckoo Land – Anthony Doerr (sci-fi, braided narrative spanning centuries, the story of one ancient text's journey through history, ancient Greece, medieval Constantinople, the present day in a small-town library, space travel and ai, it all comes together across the endless reach of time and you feel a lot)

Fanny Herself – Edna Ferber (pre-WW1 coming of age women's story, old-fashioned Anne of Green Gables thoughtfulness and sweetness in some places, rousingly modern in other places, strong focus on the heroine's Jewish identity, extremely funny narrative voice, the love of nature versus the industrial verve of Chicago, will our heroine keep her soul?)

The Vows of the Peacock – Alice Walworth Graham (Middle Ages, poetic fantastical language, Isabella the She-Wolf of France, messy politics, a darkly sexy historical villain, a complex but at times quite moving arranged marriage, an absorbing female protagonist)

A Thousand Ships – Natalie Haynes (Homer's women retell Homer's stories, angrily, tragically, bitchily, including many women you might not have thought of [and it isn't just the women Homer mentioned – we get into the weeds], the story is cut into bite-sized pieces that still offer filling food for thought)

The Masqueraders – Georgette Heyer (Georgian-era glitz and witty repartee, the heroine lives as a man, her brother lives as a woman, their father is full of wild schemes that might very well get them all executed for treason, the romance is a slow burn, and we get highwaymen)

Venetia – Georgette Heyer (a Regency-era GH romance, if you know GH then you know she's the author every other Regency romance writer is trying to be, it's funny, it's daring, it's tender, GH's romances are solid, but this one especially stands out for its strong-willed and capable heroine)

The Haunting of Hill House – Shirley Jackson (the house is a character, and not a nice one, psychological instability, unreliable narrator, creeping inchoate horror, whose hand am I holding, let's dwell on the unhappiness of being a smart woman in the 1950s)

Thornhedge – T Kingfisher (Sleeping Beauty but WHAT IF, I love the heroine, her name is Toadling, it's funny, it's romantic, it's thoughtful, it's even folkloric, there's a lot about ugly lady lake trolls, the prose reads beautifully, and it's compact, it doesn't waste your time and is short enough to knock out in a day or two)

The Silver Metal Lover – Tanith Lee (sci-fi, awkward dystopian-glam girl falls in love with a robot, whom she does not own, the sci-fi is as soft as pudding but it's more about the vibes anyway, inimitably stylish Tanith Lee weirdness, the robot is an absolute doll along with being a robot)

Pony Confidential – Christina Lynch (a pony is on a revenge mission against his former Horse Girl, but what if it was both funny and serious, but what if there was also a murder mystery, but what if we dwelt on human-animal negligence a la Black Beauty, but what if we also brought in Homer's Odyssey, it gets emotional)

The Princess and the Grilled Cheese Sandwich – Deya Muniz (fantasy, graphic novel, nonbinary protagonist lives as a man and is appalled to suddenly fall in love with the local heroic princess, gorgeous gorgeous shoujo-ish art, also very funny, it will make you crave cheese)

The Alice Network – Kate Quinn (WW1 and WW2, braided narrative, women acting as spies in occupied France, little-known historical events unfold on the page, so much Baudelaire, an old heroine and a young heroine and both are smart and bitter and compelling, but there's still room for some sweet romance and sharp humor)

[kaikamahine]

Hey, if you're comfortable sharing, can you drop a recommendation list for non fic that you've read/listened to? I've been meaning to branch into non fiction books for a while now and your recommendations would be welcome!

Ow, friend, it really hurts when you twist my arm like that lmao.

But no really, I would love to. All of these I listened to as audiobooks from my library, so I can't promise the print versions aren't dense or hard to get through!

For Beginners: Engaging and humorous narration, broad scientific and historical appeal, fascinating subjects.

A Short History of Nearly Everything by Bill Bryson. What it says on the tin, presented with a Douglas Adams-esque sense of humor. An Immense World by Ed Yong. An exploration of animals and their senses! I got a little teary eyed in places, because, like, nature is so cool???

Moderate: Harder subject matter. Be aware if you're in a fragile state.

An Indigenous Peoples' History of the United States by Roxanne Dunbar-Ortiz. Overlaps with Wild New World by Dan Flores, which I read at the same time. Turns out the fate of America's native people and its native fauna were intrinsically linked, whodda thunk. Cultish: The Language of Fanaticism by Amanda Montell. If you want a book about the banana things cults have done just so you can feel superior to the people who get trapped in them, this isn't it. Montell's got an impeccable comedic beat in addition to making you stop and think. Destiny Disrupted by Tamim Ansary. A history of the world through an Islamic lens! I might be biased, bc this was what I have a degree in, but I LOVED this one. Ansary's really good at drawing parallels in the form of "so this is probably how you learned it in the West, and here's how the Middle World saw it." Goes up to the present!

Niche Topics: Because who doesn't love when experts talk about the things they love and know a lot about and want to share it with you!

Paved Paradise by Henry Grabar. Parking! A whole book about parking! And it's genuinely fascinating, start to finish! Shakespeare Was a Woman and Other Fallacies by Elizabeth Winkler. Probably not news to English majors, but yo! I did not know! That Shakespeare's identity was even in contention. What else don't I know! Blowout by Rachel Maddow. The slimy history of America and oil. If you don't know, Maddow's one of those people Fox News complains about a LOT, and if that wasn't recommendation enough, she's also fantastic at telling a story. Pandora's Jar by Natalie Haynes. Women in Greek myth! Haynes writes fiction, too, and I really wish my library had more of her nonfiction, because when I finished this one, I went right back to the beginning to listen again.

By Author:

Mary Roach. You will see Mary Roach on a hundred different nonfiction rec lists. She is stellar at taking a topic and making it the most fascinating thing you'll hear about today. My library only has two of her books, so I can't tell you which one is the best yet lol. Patrick Radden Keefe. There's a lot of really good names in the reporter-turned-author category, but Keefe was the one I read the most of this year. His book on the opiod crisis (18 hours on audiobook) still sits heavy with me.

[johaerys-writes]

Hi! I’m pretty new to the world of Achilles and Patroclus (I read The Song Of Achilles last month) and I just saw your post about your love for them. When you said “there's just so much stuff out there about them (tsoa, hades game, the iliad, a bunch of other myths and adaptations, non fiction books, academic papers etc)” I was wondering if you could touch on the other myths and adaptations part maybe? I’m not exactly sure where to begin there but I would appreciate any guidance you could give!

Oh boy I don't know where to start either because there's a LOT. I don't want to overwhelm you so I'll just list a few key myths and adaptations off the top of my head:

Adaptations

So as far as adaptations go, I will include works where both Achilles and Patroclus show up and that are inspired by the Iliad.

Hades Game: I'm pretty sure you're already familiar with this, just mentioning it just in case!

Aristos the musical: it's a musical as the name suggests, and it revolves around Achilles and Patroclus' lives from Pelion all the way to Troy. It's really lovely and has made me emotional on numerous occasions and I love revisiting it every so often! It also has a Tumblr account: @aristosmusical

Troilus and Cressida: this is Shakespeare's take on the Trojan War and it's quite interesting, not really faithful to the Iliad but offers a sort of different perspective on the characters and the events that led to Hector's death.

Achilles (1995) by Barry JC Purves: it's a short stop motion film using clay puppets, it's on Youtube and it's only 11 mins and I think it's worth a watch! I find it very compelling visually and any adaptation where Achilles and Patroclus are lovers is a plus in my book 🫶

Holding Achilles: this is an Australian stage production by the Dead Puppet Society, I really enjoyed it and I found it an interesting blend of TSOA and Iliad Patrochilles, which also featured some cool new elements that I hadn't really seen before. It used to be free to watch for a while but now I think you have to pay to watch it, there's more info on their website.

The Silence of the Girls: a novel by Pat Barker, it's a take on the events of the Iliad mostly through Briseis' eyes, I personally didn't really like the book or the characterisations but hey both Achilles and Patroclus are in it so it might be worth a read.

There are some other novels I've heard of where Achilles and Patroclus appear (A Thousand Ships by Natalie Haynes, Wrath Goddess Sing by Maya Deane) and also a TV show called Troy: Fall of a City but I haven't read/watched them so I can't really rec them

Myths

Most myths revolve around Achilles, there aren't that many with Patroclus I'm afraid, but here are some of my favourites:

Achilleid by Publius Papinius Statius: this is an epic poem about Achilles' stay on Skyros disguised as a girl and his involvement with Deidameia. It's interesting but I'd personally take the characterisations and events in it with a grain of salt because Romans were notorious for their unsympathetic portrayal of Greek Homeric heroes but it's still a cool thing that's out there and free to read online.

Iphigenia at Aulis: a tragedy by the ancient Greek playwright Euripides, it's basically the dramatised version of the myth of Iphigenia's sacrifice in Aulis which predates the Iliad, there are many obscure versions of this myth but Euripides' sort of updated version is my favourite, I will never shut up about this play!! Lots of a nuance and very interesting portrayals of Achilles, Agamemnon, Menelaus, Clytemnestra, Iphigenia and pretty much everyone in there, well worth a read.

Lost plays: there are several plays in which Achilles appears but that have been lost or survive only in fragments, but two of my favourites are Euripides' Telephus and Aeschylus' Myrmidons. Telephus takes place before the Trojan War, while the Greeks are on their way to Troy. I really like Achilles' characterisation in the fragments that remain and also the fact that he was already renowned for his knowledge of medicine and healing despite how young he was. The fragments that survive from Aeschylus' Myrmidons I think are fewer but the play was extremely popular at the time it was presented to the public and it sparked a lot of controversy re: Achilles and Patroclus' relationship and who tops/bottoms so I think that's kind of funny lol.

There are lots of other obscure little myths about Achilles that I've picked up by reading various books, papers and wiki posts on the matter and that are just too numerous to list here, but what I will mention and that I think concludes the myths section of this post pretty neatly is that the Iliad and the Odyssey are not the only works about the Trojan War that were written, merely the only works that survived. The rest of the books in the Epic Cycle have been preserved either in fragmentary form or in descriptions in other works, and I think the Epic Cycle wiki page is a good place to start if you want to get an idea of what each of those books contained.

I hope this helped! 💙

[ignitesthestxrs]

I know you said you’ve gone back into it slowly but any book recs?

yes absolutely!! i have read some bangers lately tbh. also another thing i am trying to do is start uuuh reviewing what i'm reading so i will link a couple of those as well. but here is a sporadic collection of my reading enjoyments of the last year or so!

IF FOUND RETURN TO HELL // THE DEATH I GAVE HIM by Em X. Liu

em is hands down one of the best writers i know with prose that will punch you in the face and leave you asking if you can have another, please.

IF FOUND RETURN TO HELL is a queer found family novella featuring a done-with-this protag working in a wizarding call centre who abruptly comes down with a case of 'sweet angel baby boy possessed by demon hell child' in a broken magical healthcare system where following protocol is more important than like, helping people. so what is journeyman wen to do if not, you know, help anyway?

THE DEATH I GAVE HIM is the queer scifi hamlet retelling of my dreams, which is funny because i didn't care about hamlet until this book taught me how to. a thoughtful exploration on the nature of adaptation, death & immortality, and also what happens when your best friend is an AI and you wanna fuck him.

IN COLD BLOOD by Truman Capote the original true crime novel. still stuck in my truman blorbo moment. full review here

ASSASSIN'S APPRENTICE by Robin Hobb classic 90s fantasy with surprisingly emotional focus on the protag in a way i really dug. unhinged levels of accidental queerbaiting in a way that i enjoyed rather than despaired of. full review here.

PANDORA'S JAR: WOMEN IN THE GREEK MYTHS by Natalie Haynes a great overview of classical women that takes into account multiple sources and the way they have been read over centuries, and how the time in which a tale is being told affects the tale just as much as what the text of the story actually is. does a good job of walking the middle ground between like, historical sexism and the reflexive girlbossification instinct.

IN OTHER LANDS by Sarah Rees Brennan the queer harry potter offshoot we all actually deserve. portal fantasy with an acerbic main character who will save the world out of sheer spite because the world doesn't seem to think he can save it, or want him to do it even if he could. a genuinely lovely musing on the nature of loneliness, what abuse does to a child, how it's hard but possible to overcome the prejudices you learn when you're young, and how eventually, you're going to have to make the decision to let yourself be loved.

SHE WHO BECAME THE SUN by Shelley Parker-Chan truly i don't have the word for how fucking excellent this queer epic fantasy is. set in mongol-ruled china, this book is a masterclass in political intrigue, historical fiction, military fantasy, and also genderfuckery. feat. the kind of tragedy you see coming for several hundred pages and still takes your breath away when it hits, and also lesbian fisting. anyone who says books based in history can't get queer can get fucked.

A MARVELLOUS LIGHT by Freya Marske for a total 180 in mood, here is your queer romantic fantasy set in an Edwardian England that is reflective of the fact that like, queer people did in fact exist in Edwardian England. A lighter fare that nonetheless will hit you right in the heart and leave you delighted that a) there's a second book out now and b) the third one is coming soon. also Freya is an Artiste when it comes to writing good sex scenes, which

i belatedly realise it seems like i'm focusing on in this post but i just! like a queer text that tackles queer sex with nuance and interest and the horror and/or joy of the body, and the above authors are all fucking masters at their art (which includes, but by no means is limited to, writing about fucking)

[hier--soir]

hello, love! I've been catching up on your fic a lover's pinch and i absolutely love it and all the Greek mythology references that add so much depth to the story! however I'm definitely lacking in that department and I would love to know more, do you have any literature recommendations for someone who wants to learn more about Greek mythology?

hello my darling! first of all tysm for reading, second of all yes i have some recs

if you're looking for a gentle entry point, some really popular [all YA fiction] retellings about greek myth characters that i know of are:

circe and song of achilles by madeline miller

the silence of the girls by pat barker [it's a recount of some events from the iliad but from the perspective of Briseis who was one of achilles' war brides]

the children of jocasta by natalie haynes [retelling the story of oedipus from the pov of jocasta, his mother/wife] [for clarity, this is on my shelf but i haven't read it yet oops]

i hope some or all of these interest you! if you were looking for actual classics [like euripides and aeschylus and shit] and not modern lit retellings pls don't hesitate to hit my line again lmao

[jadelotusflower]

2023 Roundup - books read

Fiction

The Neverending Story - Michael Ende (re-read)

The Heavens - Sandra Newman

Shadow and Bone - Leigh Bardugo

Siege and Storm - Leigh Bardugo

Ruin and Rising - Leigh Bardugo

Monkey - Wu Chen'en (translation: Arthur Waley)

A Thousand Ships - Natalie Haynes

The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes - Suzanne Collins (re-read)

The Hunger Games - Suzanne Collins (re-read)

Catching Fire - Suzanne Collins (re-read)

Mockingjay - Suzanne Collins (re-read)

Non-Fiction

Madly, Deeply: The Alan Rickman Diaries - Alan Rickman

The Ninth Life of a Diamond Miner - Grace Tame

The Story of Alice: Lewis Carroll and the Secret History of Wonderland - Robert Douglas-Fairhurst

I'm Not Fine, Thanks - Wil Anderson

Finding Me - Viola Davis

Maybe I Don't Belong Here: A Memoir of Race, Identity, Breakdown, and Recovery - David Harewood

Ask a Historian: 50 Surprising Answers to Things You Always Wanted to Know - Greg Jenner

A Million Years in a Day: A Curious History of Daily Life - Greg Jenner

Legends of the Fire Spirits: Jinn and Genies from Arabia to Zanzibar - Robert Lebling

The Hero with a Thousand Faces - Joseph Campbell

The Heroine with 1001 Faces - Maria Tatar

Waxing On: The Karate Kid and Me - Ralph Macchio

The Novel Project: A Step-by-Step Guide to your Novel, Memoir or Biography - Graeme Simsion

Catch and Kill: Lies, Spies, and a Conspiracy to Protect Predators - Ronan Farrow

Pandora's Jar: Woman in the Greek Myths - Natalie Haynes

Killers of the Flower Moon: Oil, Money, Murder, and the birth of the FBI - David Grann

That makes 11 fiction and 16 non-fiction so 27 total.

I really didn't get to read as much as I wanted this year, but I did finally get around to the Shadow and Bone trilogy (and was surprised just how different the show ended up being to the third book especially) - the rest of the Grishaverse is on the to read list for 2024. After seeing The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes film (in contrast, a very faithful adaptation) I also revisited the books and do think they hold up as among the best of the YA genre.

It was the year of non-fiction for me, and really, the year of the memoir. I do love an actor's memoir in particular.

On the history front, Greg Jenner was a pleasing discovery, I do enjoy the irreverent tone and unique approach - I also recommend his history podcast You're Dead to Me.

On the true crime front, Catch and Kill was a hugely compelling (but confronting and infuriating) look back at Farrow's reporting of the Harvey Weinstein scandal, showing just how deeply the rot in the entertainment and media industry goes to foster and protect predators. Killers of the Flower Moon was an interesting read after seeing the film, although I was surprised at how much the book focused on Tom White and played as a whodunnit as opposed to the film's reframing of the story.

As for my one true love, myth and legend, I've gone back to Campbell as it's a foundational (if problematic) work before exploring alternate takes - The Heroine with 1001 Faces had some interesting ideas about the role of female archetypes in fiction, and Pandora's Jar was a compelling examination on the women in Greek myth specifically. That made be seek out Haynes's fiction work A Thousand Ships which explores the aftermath of the Trojan War from the female perspective and while I enjoyed that overall, it didn't quite hit the heights I wanted it to. Still, her novel about Medusa is on the to-read list.

Pretty much everyone I know bought me books for Christmas this year, so here's to a productive 2024!

[hgeeky]

Books I read in 2024 - non-fiction

My final post on my reading highlights from last year, following this post on the series I read and this one on stand-alone fiction.

I've split this one up by topic.

LGBTQ books

My favourite non-fiction LGBTQ book this year was "Tomorrow will be different" by Sarah McBride, now a member of the US's House of Representatives, the first openly trans person to be elected to Congress.

But this book isn't about that, at least not directly. This is about Sarah coming out during her university days and the first few years after that. If you're a fan of The West Wing and interested in trans issues, I highly recommend this book. It's a really interesting perspective on the campaigning involved in passing legislation, plus a moving account of Sarah's life through some major ups and downs.

Honourable mention to "Out of the Shadows" by Walt Odets - it was quite challenging, but at times very moving. I read it for my work's LGBTQ book group.

Dog books

We got a puppy this year, and in preparation I read a lot of books about dogs. My top recommendations are:

The Culture Clash by Jean Donaldson - a fascinating look at what we know about dog behaviour and some great training advice (also it made me laugh a few times).

Perfectly Imperfect Puppy by Graeme Hall - even if you don't particularly plan to get or train a dog, you may still enjoy this one as it's got some lovely stories about Graeme's own dogs, plus those he's met during his work as a dog behaviourist.

Honourable mention to "Olive, Mabel and Me" by Andrew Cotter. If you've enjoyed any of Cotter's videos from during the pandemic lockdowns, this is a lovely way to get to know him and the dogs better. Bonus if you are interested in mountains, as there's a lot about his love of them too.

Food

I dip into my cookbook collection a lot, and I get a lot from blogs, etc, but there are two main new books I read this year

Cook as you are by Ruby Tandoh - I haven't managed to try any of the recipes yet, but I loved reading this. Ruby has a wonderful approach to food. I love her sensitivity to the role of food in wellbeing and culture, and her understanding of different food for different moods.

German Baking by Jürgen Krauss - my favourite ever Bake Off contestant brought out a book and it's so very him, it's wonderful. I've attempted one recipe (the sunken apple cake) and it was lovely. I think it'll be more of a project cookbook, because the recipes look quite involved, but I think it'll be fun to try more of them.

Mental wellbeing

How to relax by Thich Nhat Hanh - a rather poetic approach to mindful relaxation

The Cure for Burnout by Emily Ballesteros - very US-centric, and not as much on how to immediately ease the impact of burnout, but lots of very sensible advice, and something I'll come back to.

Greek and Roman Myth

"Pandora's Jar" and "Divine Might" by Natalie Haynes - these two work well together. I love how Haynes blends references to artifacts and literature with her own subjective take on the stories and characters.

[alicentsgf]

i saw you rb the m/adeline m/ller post and was wondering do you have any recs for good greek retellings/greek stories in general? ik you love tragedies so i was hoping to read more of those esp centered on women!

yes for sure!! im a natalie haynes girlie. like... very much so. to the point where im just gonna recommend Her, especially because her writing is the definition of women-centric. her medusa retelling Stone Blind was probably one of my top 3 books from last year bagged myself a special edition signed copy and im obsessed with it. she has another book called A Thousand Ships which tells the story of the Trojan war from the pov of the women involved and its so so beautifully written. and if you're into non fic at all her book of essays on women in the greek myths Pandora's Jar (title references a mistranslation she discusses in the book) is fascinating. dont be put off by the 'essays' thing they're super readable and its not a big book - my mum isnt even into mythology and she loved it.

[wizardysseus]

3, 12, 22, 24!

What were your top five books of the year?

hmmmmm, as for what i read for the first time this year...

my lesbian experience with loneliness and my solo exchange diary by kabi nagata

the starless sea by erin morgenstern

the historian by elizabeth kostova

hellboy vol. 1 by mike mignola

the anthropocene reviewed by john green

Any books that disappointed you?

disappointment suggests having expectations to begin with, so these are not necessarily the worst books i read, just ones i was really hoping would be better than they were.

roses and rot by kat howard - i've just read so many retellings of tam lin that are better, at this point; i couldn't point to anything about this one that made it stand out, and there were a couple of things i actively disliked

a thousand ships by natalie haynes - a weird one because parts of it are very good, but the penelope chapters are so fucking bad... sighs.

iron widow by xiran jay zhao - i really, really wanted to like this. there's a lot to be said for letting your protagonist be absolutely brutal and achieve her goals. i liked that about it. i did not like most of the rest of it.

the house in the cerulean sea by tj klune - i waited so long for this book because all twenty copies in my library system were booked for weeks, and for fucking what, a saccharine moralistic magical oppression novel based on whitewashed residential schools???

the priory of the orange tree by samantha shannon - i liked this, but i didn't love it as much as everyone led me to believe i would? it sets up a lot of complex political situations in the first part of the book, then resolves the threads with extreme convenience in the third act so everyone can fight dragon satan, which to me was kind of a letdown. and although i liked a lot of the characters, i didn't really believe ead loved sabran when she didn't, like, respect any of her beliefs so idk, ead is the main pillar of the story so if you're not sold on her the rest is kind of flimsy.

the wolf and the woodsman by ava reid... i am not done with this yet, and i have found the story much improved since evike met her father, but the writing is not good enough to justify how much of it i've seen done better in other books. also the catholics vs pagans stuff is boring me to tears

What’s the longest book you read?

the priory of the orange tree at 848 pages, but to be honest it's not a dense read

Did you DNF anything? Why?

nope! i always finish things.

[almondscroissant]

hey, sweet friend. how are you doing? how's everything going on with you? i hope you're doing great. just wanted to say hi and ask you for book recommendations lol since you won't send me the playlist i asked for 🙄 jk jk honestly take your time. i recently got back into reading again would really like recommendations. just tell me your favorite books or something. other than that nothing much happening with me. but thanks to you i am obsessed with sage green now💀.

💜💜💜💜💜💜

Akjdkfjskdk call me out for that playlist lmao. I will finish it one day, I promise!!!! 😅

But oooh okay, book recs I can do! And congrats on getting back into reading. I hope I can help you find something you love! I'm not sure if you have a preference for certain genres, but I'll just list different things I've read recently and enjoyed/a few all-time faves:

Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine by Gail Honeyman: one of my favorites, even though I feel like the marketing absolutely tricked me lmao (Reese Witherspoon, i am looking directly at you ...) This book is so clever and quirky and heartwarming, but it also deals with darker topics and a character living with the effects of childhood trauma. (I can be more specific on the triggers if you'd like me to!) All that said, it's such a special book to me and the friendship is just the best <3

Boyfriend Material by Alexis Hall: so sweet!!!!! so funny!!!!!! so warm!!!!!

One Day in December by Josie Silver: a controversial pick dksjdks. Some people really don't like this one because there is a cheating element to it, but boyyyy the angst and boyyyyy the pining. I picked it up in the middle of a reading slump and I flew through it.

I'll Give You the Sun by Jandy Nelson: this book has my whole heart!

The Heartstopper series by Alice Oseman: it's a graphic novel series and it is so soft!!!!!

Ring Shout by P. Djèli Clark: Probably my favorite thing I've read all year. It's about a trio of Black girls in the early 20th century fighting demons/the KKK. The concept is so unique and it was very short but made me feel more than books twice its page length. 14/10 recommend!!!!!!!

Black Sun by Rebecca Roanhorse: It's a fantasy inspired by pre-Columbian cultures in the Americas and it was such a ride!!!!!! (I also recommend reading this one while listening to the audiobook. SUPER FUN.)

Circe by Madeline Miller: big kill men energy. Her writing is unparalleled!

Legendborn by Tracy Deon: I just finished this one and while I have mixed feelings about the romance (I can just feel a love triangle looming and ksjdksjdksd), the story is so interesting! It's got mythology and magic and twists all over the place!

The House in the Cerulean Sea by TJ Klune: just !!!!!!!!!!!!!

The Lumatere Chronicles by Melina Marchetta (first book is Finnikin of the Rock): this is the first high fantasy series I ever read and it legit blew my mind?? I just fell in love with every single character and I knew the author was a genius (her book Jellicoe Road also blew my mind!!!!) but this really sealed the deal.

The Six of Crows duology by Leigh Bardugo: maybe you've heard of them lol. But I mean, they are a good time!!!! Also starring the two loves of my life: Kaz Brekker and Inej Ghafa.

The Raven Cycle by Maggie Stiefvater: do not worry if you don't understand a single thing that is happening while you read this; it is the universal experience, it is part of the full scale hallucinogenic quality of the writing. Bonus factor: my son Richard Gansey III, the one character who, if I learned he was created in a lab to be unlikable to me specifically, I would not be surprised. (He's my fave.)

And some books I'm planning to read soon:

Honey Girl by Morgan Rogers

Firekeeper's Daughter by Angeline Boulley

Hani and Ishu's Guide to Fake Dating by Adiba Jaigirdar

A Thousand Ships by Natalie Haynes

Summer of Salt by Katrina Leno

Act Your Age, Eve Brown by Talia Hibbert

Winter's Orbit by Everina Maxwell

If I Had Your Face by Frances Cha

I'm stopping because I'll just keep adding stuff lol, but I really do hope you can find something here that appeals to you!!! 💖💖💖