Welcome to Litsy!

1. I‘m rereading THE WITNESS FOR THE DEAD, and it‘s exactly what I need in this moment.

2. It‘s one of my opera books (love an opera book), and I always read this particular opera as a reference to the one in THE RELUCTANT HEIRESS by Eva Ibbotson—with the key difference that this opera, while divisive, WORKS, and the one in TRH is… not good.

3. Yessss to opera that seeks to do new and different things!

Finished my #doublespin first because it was available in Libby. Loved this continuation of the Goblin Emperor‘s world. The story was different(more murder mystery than court intrigue) but had a similar feel with the MC‘s inner dialogue.
@TheAromaofBooks

(2021) Follow-up to The Goblin Emperor. It foregrounds a secondary character from the first book, a sort-of priest who speaks to the dead, occupied here with investigating a murder. I liked it better than the first, which was too much petty court intrigue for my taste. (And was the whole point, so definitely a me thing.) This one has less intrigue but still the world and the heart. Maybe I won't wait so long to pick up the third.

I got a #bookspinbingo in July! Will I ever make a bingo without liberal use of free spaces? Um… perhaps 😂

Even though I adored The Goblin Emperor, I put off starting this because I heard it was boring with Celehar as the main character. I‘m sorry I did! I loved every bit of this story, this world, this character. Celehar is just the sort of character I love to read about, devoted to his duty even when it is difficult, quietly unhappy in his personal life. I did struggle a bit with keeping track of all the characters, but I want more and…

The worldbuilding in this is so dense and rich that I want to dig my toes in and wiggle them around. Or eat it like a chocolate cake. And it also makes me want to do my own worldbuilding!

I‘m twenty pages into my reread of THE WITNESS FOR THE DEAD, and I‘m already caught up in the atmosphere. The physical book is such a pretty little thing, too. Hardcovers aren‘t normally my scene, but this one‘s slim enough to feel good in the hand.

I had to brew some tea to go with it, since there‘s a bunch of tea consumption in the story. I picked Murchie‘s CBC blend, which I kind of forgot I had until I opened the tin. #gaymay

TWO sequels in the works for this one! Hm!

https://uncannymagazine.com/article/interview-sarah-monette

Oh book, forgive my greasy mitts...
I really loved this book! It was good to hang with Celehar, for a real busy time, and it was good to see him forging connections where he lives. Love yourself Thara!

Every book in this universe could be about an outsider MC forming connections with the people around them and I would be thrilled.

One of my picks of the year - as heart warming as The Goblin Emperor, but delightfully focused on life beyond the palace.

Full review: https://onemore.org/2021/08/05/the-witness-for-the-dead/

Rather charming

So glad I finally got round to this! It was fascinating to learn more about Celehar and see his witnessing firsthand.

Set in the world of the Goblin Emperor, this standalone novella follows Celehar, the Witness for the Dead who investigated the deaths of Maia‘s father & brothers. I loved returning to this world, though it took me a little while to settle back into its culture & terminology. The story follows two intertwined mysteries & has the same depth of characterization & compassion I loved in Goblin Emperor. I really missed the court intrigue, though!

Yaay, now I have a copy. I actually got it on Netgalley, and then I sucked. >_> But I have it now!

...Should I reread The Goblin Emperor AGAIN? Just to, um, set the scene? Hmmmm!

The second book in the world of The Goblin Emperor does not disappoint! Celehar, the Witness for the Dead who helped Maia learn what happened to his father and brothers, is now serving in Amala. When a young woman washes up in town dead, he very quickly discovers it was murder, and begins his investigation, witnessing for her and learning about her life and death. A satisfying story that stands completely on its own.

“It was a great deal of aggression for one quilt”

🔥💝🔥💝🔥

I loved going back to the world of the Goblin Emperor. However, without the tension and high stakes political maneuvering of the royal court in the previous book, the story felt not exciting enough. Ironic, since the protagonist investigates two sets of murders and dispatches a ghoul . Still a good book, but not outstanding.

This page is the closest we get to revisiting with the characters from the previous novel. C'est la vie.

Well, this did not click with any of my reading preferences. I found Celahar a terribly passive character -- his virtues are tenacity and dutifulness -- and I did not enjoy floating along behind him as he wandered through about eight mysteries in this skinny little book. The page count runs about half that of GE, and I found the plot(s) scant, meandering, and overstuffed.

Okay. I'm at about the 30% point, and if I hadn't adored The Goblin Emperor as much as I did, I would bail on this one. Thara Celehar's investigation style is mostly didactic, and the longer it stretches on, the more bored I'm becoming.

Finally, a second book in the Goblin emperor universe is here! The Goblin Emperor is one of my all time faves so I hope this will be a treat👍

🤩 Excited for this! Didn't know there'll be an extension of this world. I've read The Goblin Emperor years ago.

#releasedayyay!!

...and now to let the reviews come in, before I click 'purchase.'

THE WITNESS FOR THE DEAD was exactly what I needed. It‘s part month-in-the-life as Celehar goes about his duties, part murder mystery as he seeks justice for two women whose cases take longer to unravel. Addison imbues the whole thing with atmosphere to spare and wraps it in her usual delicious worldbuilding, with echoes of her earlier books throughout. I was more than happy to wallow in it, and I miss the hell out of it now it‘s over. 4.5 stars⬇️

My uncle‘s latest loaf is sourdough. I turned some of it into toasted cheese and ate it while I read more of THE WITNESS FOR THE DEAD.

Which I‘m LOVING. It‘s gloriously atmospheric. I don‘t want to put it down and I‘m gonna miss it when I finish.

I usually try to read ARCs closer to their release dates, but I couldn‘t resist starting THE WITNESS FOR THE DEAD over breakfast. It could be just what I need on this grumpy day.

Ugh, I'm going to have to read more within this voice to make a judgment. This passage feels like Addison is using the POV as a method to layer intimacy into the act of the Speaker for the Dead receiving someone else's memories, which could be a cool track. Hm.

As an awful curmudgeon, I also register disapproval for this use of underlines to denote emphasis and aside statements. The Goblin Emperor formated these in italics.

OH NO it's written in first-person perspective!
:( :( :(

https://www.tor.com/2021/04/01/excerpts-katherine-addison-the-witness-for-the-de...

I wasn‘t gonna add any more books to La TBR this month, but Tor asked if I‘d like an ARC of Katherine Addison‘s next book and my answer was, “OMG YESSSSSS!!!!” #LaTBRrevealed

Wrapped up this short follow-up to Addison‘s much-longer fantasy tale The Goblin Emperor. Both books are a very specific type: ultimately hopeful stories of good people trying their hardest to do right by their calling in an intricate fantasy world that cares very little for them. My only complaints feel like quibbles. If you like the first book, this will scratch the same itch, which means it‘s just what I needed.

!!!!!
A new book in the world of The Goblin Emperor!!!
I completely agree with Liz Bourke on this one, I don't care what it's about, I can't wait!

Quote is from this article: https://www.tor.com/2021/01/12/sleeps-with-monsters-most-anticipated-books-for-2...

Release date set! I long to read this one!