panBook #26 of the year: “Everfair” by Nisi Shawl
I didn‘t like it 😕 I really wanted to, but it was hard to get into the story, the timeline was weird, and there wasn‘t much character development. I‘d say skip this one.
4 likes
Everfair | 
panBook #26 of the year: “Everfair” by Nisi Shawl
I didn‘t like it 😕 I really wanted to, but it was hard to get into the story, the timeline was weird, and there wasn‘t much character development. I‘d say skip this one.
First books from the new home: one new and one used:)
pickMy last #vacationread as I‘m headed home today.
If America offered reparations in the form of 40 acres and a mule, but they are on the sea floor and you have to get body modifications in order to become a merman or mermaid… strange and haunting, as racism can‘t even be escaped when leaving life on land.
This is from the Black Stars stories, published by Amazon, the third of 6.
(Not the tagged book) I didn‘t quite *get* this one - maybe if it had been a bit longer? Cool concept with humans being augmented into being merpeople - but there was so much other stuff (important stuff, big, hard topic stuff) that I got a bit lost.
panI'm so, so, so disappointed! I was looking forward to this book so much. I knew there are so many things involved in this story (alternative history, First World War, Steampunk), I just had to read it. But sadly it turned out to be a total downer. The realisation of Shawls slpendid ideas were just way to bad. I don't mind time changes and different time lines, but here the jumping just happens way to fast. ⬇
Just cleared my #BookSpinBingo board! 😁 Two reviews will follow. The Stand Book 1 will be reviewed with the second volume, which is on my #BookSpin list for March. They're actually one book, just split into two parts for the edition I got.
@TheAromaOfBooks
Hmm I‘m only 10% in @MeganAnn and @ErinSBecker and so far I don‘t care much for any of the characters yet. Did you guys finish? Does it get better after the choppy start?
On to Part 2! So far, I am loving this book!
Part 1 is made up of chapters told from the perspective of the various characters important to the formation of Everfair. I know some reviewers haven‘t liked having so many different POV, but personally I think it‘s very well done here. We get to know these people a little at a time while seeing how their actions, thoughts and dreams play into the larger picture. We see how Everfair came to be... ⤵️
Cozying up this afternoon to start this book for a buddy read with @Smrloomis and @ErinSBecker 🤓
This one has been on my shelf waiting to be read for two years! 😬 I originally bought it based off the staff recommendation posted on the shelf at a bookstore in Minneapolis, MN. I remember the note made it seem fascinating and a bit different then the fantasy novels I typically read. It‘s about time I actually read it! 📚✨
The Buddy Read has officially started 🥳 Not sure an announcement is needed but here‘s an official start just in case 😅. @ErinSBecker @MeganAnn
Anyone interested in a buddy read of the tagged book? I‘m curious to see how it is. @ErinSBecker and I will be starting on ... October 16? It‘s a Friday 😍 If anyone else wants to join in, let us know. The more, the merrier ☺️
Ok so maybe I already succumbed to temptation and didn‘t realize it @ErinSBecker 🤣
The description sounds great but I might go either way on this one. Love these recommendations - mytbr.co if anyone‘s interested. (I don‘t make any money off this - just really like getting my own personalized recommendations !!!)
pickApril #BookSpin done! @TheAromaofBooks
I enjoyed this book overall, though I get the mixed reviews. It took me a while to sink into. It has the pacing (setting and time jumps between scenes) and number of characters of an epic novel, but what would usually be 600+ pages is done in under 400, giving me a feeling of linked vignettes. It doesn't let you get comfortable, which maybe makes sense for an alt history of the Congo (from Leopold-WWI). ⬇️
I keep forgetting to post my April #BookSpin result. This month it's Everfair, which I'm looking forward to!
And since I didn't get around to my #doublespin in March, Ready Player One was still on my list, and got pulled again. I'll get to it this month then!
@TheAromaofBooks
My first read of 2020.
I am doing a book culling and was going to throw this book into the donate pile since it's a duplicate - I also have it on Kindle. Thank god I opened it up before just tossing... This was a BookOutlet book that I haven't read yet.
#7Days7Covers #CoverLove #CoverCrush #Day3
I haven't gotten to it yet, but looks great! Alternate utopian steampunk history of the Belgian Congo? YES PLEASE!
so-soI have to say, this one was not as good as I had anticipated. I know it's an alternate history, but the jumps through time are just too fast for such short chapters. The characters never got to fully develop in a way I could care about them. I am disappointed this wasn't as good as it looked.
#AlternateHistory
Tonight's #BookAndDinner is chicken breast with pizza mac-n-cheese.
1. Yes
2. Yes - train ride to the west coast
3. Yes - traveling alone
4. Book tagged to this post
#HelloThursday @wanderinglynn
so-soWay out of the normal read for me, but I‘m glad I picked it up. I found the writing a little difficult, some passages seemed strange and the dialogue a little odd. Overall I did enjoy reading it, but I won‘t be reading it again.
pickA sweeping story of love and romance, family and community, colonialism and racism, politics and war. I found it a bit hard to follow at times as it jumped between POVs, but overall enjoyed it.
📘 Tagged!
✒️ Élisabeth Vonarburg
🎥 I've been scratching my head for this one. Finding one that I like is hard. As a child I liked L'Évangile en papier, but for the crafts not for the religious content. I can't think of anything else.
🥚 In English, eggs. In French, épices.
#manicmonday @JoScho
ETA: 🤦Of course: Empire Strikes Back! Of course!
so-soThis was one of those books that I admired more than I enjoyed. I think it was also a weird read for me because I think it's talking back to mainstream steampunk, but this is the only steampunk I've ever read. It's an ambitious alt history novel that reworks the atrocities of Belgium's colonization of the Congo. Fascinating concepts but the wide scope left me not feeling connected with the characters and not feeling invested in their stories.
Mmm spaghetti, wine, and a good book! Note in the background are two other books languishing on my coffee table (one I've been half way through for weeks now, oops)
It's hot as fuck in my apartment right now and I'm very glad for this little outdoor seating area the city set up around the corner from my house. I can hang out outside and I don't have to buy anything!! Also, this book is really good--one of those ones that feels different from anything I've ever read before.
Reading outside is my favourite thing to do in the summer
What book should I read next??
Yay! This is finally on sale! I've been wanting to read this forever! I was able to attend Levar Burton Reads Live where he read a Nisi Shawl short story and then interviewed her afterward. It was awesome! I'd heard so much buzz about this one it's surprising to me to see it has such a low Litsy approval rating 😲
Pssssst, Everfair is on sale today!! https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B015W3Q3QY?ref=pe_2267260_290949350_w_1_c6c8&t...
We're thinking of moving soon-ish, so the other week I was all decided to go on a book buying ban until we move...
...yeah, that lasted long. In my defense, I had time to kill within walking distance of my local indie and they had their sidewalk sale tables out. What else could I do? #bookhaul
This is one of the few recent SFF award nominees my library has an online audiobook for - but it's one of my least favorite SFF genres so I'm about to go in with negative expectations. Horrible way to approach a book. Can anyone say nice things about it without spoiling anything?
bailedThis is going to have to be a bail for me. I really love the premise and even the writing is really amazing. It‘s just that it‘s written as a series of super short vignettes that I‘ve found to be quite jarring and difficult to really get into.
I HAD NO IDEA THERE WERE QUEERS IN THIS BOOK IM SO HAPPY! Surprise representation is the best representation. #queerbooks
Bookish lunch/snacks! I hate starting work late in the afternoon because it makes meals weird for the day. At least I‘m early and have some time to read!
So I‘m not giving up on my other book, but I am looking for something a little less end of the world and a little more steam punk Congo. And here we are! 💖👌🏿 #steampunk
Oops went into the bookstore to pick up two books I special ordered and accidentally also bought these three. Two were on sale so it's okay? #BlackBooks #QueerBooks #Romantsy
pickI‘m WAY behind posting my reviews here! Going to try to catch up over the next few days. This was an interesting mix of historical fiction, speculative fiction, steampunk, and romance. It was a great story, though I enjoyed the stories of some of the characters far more than others. I‘m trying to decide if this would count as a post-colonial novel for #ReadHarder. This turkey was on a side street in the middle of the city!
Today's Drive: Listening to Tempest interviewing Nisi Shawl about Everfair!
Tea selfie on the way home after the wedding 🍵 still listening to Everfair, but I'm about 3/4ths done. I'll be done by the time we get home 🎧 #audiobook #steampunk
Stopping midway in our drive for the night and I'm almost halfway through this #audiobook and am so enchanted with it. The short chapters jumping in time and place took a bit of getting used to, but I'm loving the epistolary/journal-esque industrial era style 😍 #steampunk
