Fire and Hemlock, by Diana Wynne Jones
Reread for book club. While I enjoyed the book the first time I read it, the end of book romance gave me the ‘ick’ because of the age difference. Knowing that was coming allowed me to enjoy the mastery of the plotting and the overall basis in the lore of fae. DWJ was a master and this book shows it.
Platform Decay, by Martha Wells
While I read the advance digital copy of this last Oct/Nov, I reread the actual book twice and then listened to the audio book twice. Not sure when the Murderbot Diaries will stop being a comfort read to me. Loved it.
The Disabled Tyrant's Beloved Pet Fish, by Xue Shan Fei Hu
This is what is termed a ‘light novel’ which is a popular format in East Asian countries. They are often novelizations of original graphic novels. This one, I believe, is an original book. The premise is a young man has been turned into a fish to play a video game version of a book he read, and is charged with making the future tyrant less tyrannical. It is very weird and enjoyable. I read this off-an-on before bed for a couple of months (it’s a very long book and the first in a series), and it was perfect bedtime reading. No stress at all. I see people buy stacks of this type of book. I don’t think I’ll be joining them, but it was a fun read.
If We Were Villains, by M.L. Rio
My second book club read of the month (we had our meetings close together this time). I did not really like it. Not my thing. Theater kids at an exclusive arts college with a heavily co-dependent relationship. The member who suggested it loved it—it’s very much her kind of book. The others of us not so much.
A Mouthful of Dust, Nghi Vo
An installment in the Singing Hills Cycle series and, as always, a delight. Like the last one, there is an element of horror. Chih is visiting a land that was cursed with famine 18 years before, and finds that no one wants to talk about it. Chih must find out what secrets people are keeping as hungry ghosts seem to be following them.
The Nameless Land, Kate Elliot
This is the follow-up to The Witch Roads, which I read a few months back. I didn’t love the book, but I enjoyed the world building and wanted to see where the author took things. All over the place, really. It wasn’t terribly satisfying, all told. I did enjoy the character building, the world, and political intrigue, but I think there was just so much going on that it overwhelmed the fundamental storyline.
I didn't read all that much in May as I was still (am!) stressed about losing my job. I spent a lot of time relistening to Georgette Heyer books.
Reread for book club. While I enjoyed the book the first time I read it, the end of book romance gave me the ‘ick’ because of the age difference. Knowing that was coming allowed me to enjoy the mastery of the plotting and the overall basis in the lore of fae. DWJ was a master and this book shows it.
Platform Decay, by Martha Wells
While I read the advance digital copy of this last Oct/Nov, I reread the actual book twice and then listened to the audio book twice. Not sure when the Murderbot Diaries will stop being a comfort read to me. Loved it.
The Disabled Tyrant's Beloved Pet Fish, by Xue Shan Fei Hu
This is what is termed a ‘light novel’ which is a popular format in East Asian countries. They are often novelizations of original graphic novels. This one, I believe, is an original book. The premise is a young man has been turned into a fish to play a video game version of a book he read, and is charged with making the future tyrant less tyrannical. It is very weird and enjoyable. I read this off-an-on before bed for a couple of months (it’s a very long book and the first in a series), and it was perfect bedtime reading. No stress at all. I see people buy stacks of this type of book. I don’t think I’ll be joining them, but it was a fun read.
If We Were Villains, by M.L. Rio
My second book club read of the month (we had our meetings close together this time). I did not really like it. Not my thing. Theater kids at an exclusive arts college with a heavily co-dependent relationship. The member who suggested it loved it—it’s very much her kind of book. The others of us not so much.
A Mouthful of Dust, Nghi Vo
An installment in the Singing Hills Cycle series and, as always, a delight. Like the last one, there is an element of horror. Chih is visiting a land that was cursed with famine 18 years before, and finds that no one wants to talk about it. Chih must find out what secrets people are keeping as hungry ghosts seem to be following them.
The Nameless Land, Kate Elliot
This is the follow-up to The Witch Roads, which I read a few months back. I didn’t love the book, but I enjoyed the world building and wanted to see where the author took things. All over the place, really. It wasn’t terribly satisfying, all told. I did enjoy the character building, the world, and political intrigue, but I think there was just so much going on that it overwhelmed the fundamental storyline.
I didn't read all that much in May as I was still (am!) stressed about losing my job. I spent a lot of time relistening to Georgette Heyer books.
