Welcome to Litsy!

It‘s difficult to make out but that is snow in the upper hills. I live on the central coast of California. It snowed in late April. This is some of the weirdest weather I‘ve seen here.

“He was an easy mark.”

Edited to add: Bummer, I‘ve been posting square photos until now and had no idea you couldn‘t see the whole if it wasn‘t square. Well, enjoy looking at the hominy? 😝 🤦🏼‍♂️

#firstlinefridays
#breakfast
And
#tea

Reading in the ER. Needed a physical book because my phone doesn‘t stay charged forever. What I‘ve learned in this book is that all demon-possession in stories now has a very sinister feel because it‘s always the disabled person.

This is another one where I have audio vs paper issues. This time the narration was excellent. But I did lose track of some names and characters and I think if I‘d been reading the text it may have helped? But it was a brilliant story and I‘m so glad I read it.

Fantasy has been a genre I‘d assumed was too complicated and confusing for my pragmatic, structured, boundary-enforcing Capricorn brain to embrace and enjoy. And then, I read The Name of the Wind, which was my gateway to my new fascination with the genre! That said: when you‘re a newbie, *some* fantasy is…a lot. Of names. Of worlds. Of languages. Of magic. I enjoyed this one, but I found those things a bit overwhelming. It‘s me, not the book!

I eventually became really interested in the story, but only around half of the book. The ending was great and had thrilling plottwists, but overall, I had the feeling I was constantly missing information. This might have been intentional, but doesn't have my preference. The usage of Arabic (I think) words and names added to the story, but made it harder to follow. I do want to continue the series though!
(audiobook)

Started tonight; went in blind.

Finally read the first installment of The Daevabad trilogy. It was fun, different flavor from most of the fantasy I‘ve read lately. It seems to be focusing more on elaborate world building and personal development of the characters rather than romance, (though I still hope there will be some). I am a bit lost in the political intricacies and not fully grasping all the tribal differences, but I‘m curious enough about what‘s going to happen next.

#SpringSkies Day 16: This one had a #SurpriseEnding that I did not anticipate. I am so glad I went back to reading this fantasy novel after abandoning it last year. Sooo good. Review is forthcoming.

Starting a new trilogy, it seems to be the year of trilogies at least so far 😜

#BookNerd 🤓💙📚

My feelings on this are mixed. The good: very interesting world building and magic system, and the ending was gasp inducing. The not so good: the sort of love triangle that felt shoehorned in to follow the popularity of SJM like stories. I sort of want to continue but somewhat don‘t want to. This is a solid bridge fantasy moving from YA to adult books. 3.5⭐️
#WinterGames #WGWordSearch - 10 words
#Roll100

#IdiomInsight Day 26: A lot of #StabInTheBack moments in this novel that I have abandoned for the meanwhile. I hope to get back to this soon enough.

#IdiomInsight Day 7: This one is leading readers on a merry #WildGooseChase but it‘s not really reaching me - too lost in the intricacies of its own plot - so I shelved it for the meanwhile. Is it worth coming back to?

Nahri: “Did you just set me on fire?
Dara: “You wouldn‘t wake! I thought it might help.”

#BookBinge Day 21: This was an #AnticipatedFiveStarRead - based on Amina Al Sirafi, but I am super struggling with it. May be because this is the author‘s first novel? But it‘s too detail-specific and too many things happening, I am unable to keep up. Please tell me it gets better if others have already read this? Unless it doesn‘t of course, lols.

#BookBinge Day 17: This one features a #NonHumanProtag - well, only half-human, that is. Still in the first few chapters so not sure exactly what Nahri is. This is slower than Amina Al Sirafi and I do struggle with it a bit, but still keeping on. Nachos with strawberry and cherry margarita - non-alcoholic of course because Middle East. 💕

I'm going to join this fat lazy cat in my bed and see if I can't manage to finish up this book this evening.

Charlie loves my husband, and only tolerates me on occasion, so we'll see how long he lasts with me. 😂

Anyone else have wild, crazy plans like mine for Friday night? 😉

Couldn't stop reading, stayed up until the wee hours to finish it. Thank you to everyone who kept telling me to give this series a try.

Loved the characters. The writing is good (especially for a debut novel). It never felt as epic as it actually is. The 500+ pages flew by.

The advantage of starting a series late: I get to fall into the next book right away. 😁

#SeriesLove2023 @TheSpineView @Andrew65
#20in4 #readathon

In my quest to start as many series as possible, for #SeriesLove2023 of course, I've also started the Daevabad series.

@TheSpineView @Andrew65

#20in4 #readathon

Excellent start to the series. Complex characters, surprising plot, nicely written.

#SeriesLove2023 @Andrew65 @TheSpineView
#BacklistReadathon @clwojick @TheAromaofBooks

Reading two books right now.

1. City of Brass set in Cairo and the desert around it, and An Untimely Frost set in Chicago and surroundings.

2. Not really. So long as it is nicely described.

3. Space! I'm a sci fi fan, so anything set in space or even future Earth.

@eggs Thanks for the tag! #WondrousWednesday

Focusing on this series this week. Hopefully the library will come through with the second book. I've got number one.

@Clwojick @TheAromaofBooks

#BacklistReadathon

To keep walking a path between loyalty to your family and loyalty to what you know is right. One of these days, you‘re going to have to make a choice.

4/5🌕🌕🌕🌕

I could not put this book after the first 100 pages. It was thrilling, funny, fantastical and had some really emotional moments. I loved it. So much so, that as soon as I finished it I immediately started the second book.

This book has everything, politics, adventure, history, magic, humour, emotion and a kick ass female main character in Nahri. I think it has something for everyone.

This story is beautifully intricate! The universe comes to life. The story was rich and the characters were amazing. I saw this as an epic like The Odyssey. I did not realize this book is the first in a trilogy. This book is slightly outside what I typically pick and it did not disappoint. I did get confused sometimes by the universe the author was creating. I also would confuse myself with some of the intricate names and places.

So close, but calling it a night #24in4 @Andrew65

I‘m on a couple day summer holiday trip and of course I had to go to a couple bookstores. And of course I couldn‘t walk away empty handed😂🤦🏼‍♀️ #bookhaul

This was a refreshingly different take on Djinn than I've seen before, combining politics, magic, religion and romance incredibly well (a common phrase my wife and I said as we listened was uh oh, he/she's hot). For magically beautiful beings made of fire, that came up a lot.

Nahri's view grounded the book, letting us see the magic city with the wonder we would have, rather than the day to day nonchalance of those living there.

Omg!! This is amazing!! Thank you @Littlewolf1 for this wonderful swap box for #litsyloveanimals. You nailed everything and you even got Midnight some snacks. But the mug tops them all. It‘s my Midnight!!! ❤️❤️❤️ Thank you for this awesome swap @DinoMom @ShelleyBooksie

4.8⭐️ oh this book is so good… I hope the rest of the trilogy is just as good because I am definitely going to continue it. This one took me longer to read, only because I was so thoroughly invested. I loved each of the characters in their own way because they were all so unique. Would have liked a little bit more character development in some of the characters, but I feel like we might get to see more in the next book.

4✨I like Fantasy, but learning a lot of names through an audio read can be challenging for me. There is winged creatures, fire people, and magic. Starting with a healing thief, and a prince as our main POV. Our healers learns about her people and the prince gets in a love triangle along with a reluctant guide past the veil. Very enjoyable, but would suggest a physical read if you are like me with names and new species. @Littlewolf1

Man I feel like it‘s been forever since I last made a post. I think I‘m just in teacher burn out, but I‘m still going. I might have a long to do list for home, work, and personal goals, but at least I only need about 6 more hours of the tagged book. Going to try to finish it up tomorrow! 😊💛

I‘ve already finished two books that were close to done. I already have my two slow reads started so we will see if I‘m able to finish them this weekend. Then my audiobook while I do some cleaning is ready to go for the three day weekend. 😊 @Andrew65

Listening to the tagged book and enjoying some Ta‘ameya (Egyptian Falafel) for #FoodandLit. What a great idea ladies, I had so much fun making something new and it was light and delicious! I ate my Ta‘ameya on flatbread with lettuce, tomato, Greek yogurt and a squeeze of lemon 😋

This was very slow going for me but in the end I did enjoy it. The world building alone (magic carpet rides!) was enough to keep me coming back to this book. I hope the rest of the trilogy expands the world but also brings a bit more excitement as I didn't feel like much happened in these 500+ pages. There was a great deal of focus on racial tensions and politics which added to the depth of the world but I would have liked more adventures.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫 I loved the beginning of this fantasy series! Set in a Middle Eastern-esque setting, I loved the nods to the culture & Arabic - I spent a semester in university studying in Cairo. I did have some difficulty following some of the political maneuvering & names of different groups, but a lot of that could be from how on & off I had to read.Lots of interruptions leads to less comprehension. I think there are a lot of twists to come!

Thanksgiving Vacation #tbr stack 📚🦃🤗
#watchforthelight #thecityofbrass #thekingdomofcopper #theempireofgold

“He was an easy mark.”

#FirstLineFridays
@ShyBookOwl

A conwoman in 18th Century Cairo accidentally summons a djinn and is immediately swept away on a journey marked by grave danger, powerful magic, mysterious heritage, complex court politics, unexpected alliances, and promising romance. The first half is a slow build but so incredibly worth it. City of Brass is as rich and immersive as it is action-packed and exciting—a magic carpet ride through Middle Eastern mythology that absolutely dazzles.

*fights the temptation to go the easy route and use Pet Sematary by SK* The lyrics of the song say “Goblins and warlords” and “Moaning spirits”… what better book to choose than this one?
A female Arabic con artist who doesn‘t believe in magic accidentally summons a sassy Djinn warrior. Then is forced to go on a quest with them 😌
I started reading this one but I was in a more sci-fi mood. I will give it another chance soon! #LITTENSDRESSEDINBLOOD

Took a while to get into it. Slightly confusing world building with multiple names for the same people/conflicts that occasionally made it hard to follow or understand character motivations.

There‘s something about the characters and story that sparked a fire within my soul, and I will forever recommend this book to anyone who will listen.

What a fantastic book! It was touch and go getting into the story, but the world building was amazing, and the character development was on point, everything just got better and better as I went. Loved the inspo and mythology behind it, and the setting was super interesting, kept me truly curious!

Here are some meadow flowers from around the lovely Glasgow to accompany this dope cover (they don‘t rly go together but 🤷🏽‍♀️)

#WomenAuthors #2021

This was an excellent epic fantasy. Nahri is a wonderful protagonist - a savvy kid that has grown up on the streets. I thought this might head for a straight forward romantic trope but that got up-ended and there were lots of surprises. Chakraborty creates characters that can be so likeable and then so misguided, and manages to get you emotionally involved in three sides of ancient wars and hostilities - my heart ached for all sides. ⬇️

Still haven‘t read this 🤦🏻‍♀️ so seeing it in my TBR letter may be the push I need 🤨😄

#WyrdAndWonder (belated) day 26: all the feels

Let‘s hear it for the epic #Daevabad trilogy that serves up such an emotional rollercoaster it had me screaming right to the epilogue. Mostly DARA NO 😂