Welcome to Litsy!

#BookSpin day! 🎉

These are my September picks - I'm especially looking forward to continuing with Temeraire.

@TheAromaofBooks

DAGGERSPELL was plenty of good bits with a few really dull patches. DARKSPELL is a couple of really good bits, a few so-so bits, and a whole lot of dullness. I think I would‘ve appreciated parts of it more if I‘d read it right after DAGGERSPELL, with the characters and conflicts fresh in my mind, but I still would‘ve bristled at some of Kerr‘s choices. The Evil Gay Rapist villains are especially disappointing. To hell with that trope.

Pain day reading. I‘m excited to revisit BLACKBIRD HOUSE, a short story collection I fell hard for fourteen years ago. The first story was as tragically beautiful as I remembered.

I hope to finish FIRST NATIONS SELF-GOVERNMENT today, and to get at least close to the end of DARKSPELL. It‘s been a disappointment compared to DAGGERSPELL, especially since I‘m at the Evil Gay Rapists part (UGH), so I dunno if I‘ll continue the series.

Today‘s goal: try to sink into DARKSPELL. I left it on La TBR for longer than I should‘ve, and I‘m at a point now where DAGGERSPELL‘s dull bits carry more weight in my mind than the parts I loved. As of page 70, this sequel feels like something I could drift away from, but I‘m hoping I find the love soon.

I love half this book: the Deverry Civil War is fascinating, from Nevyn's manoeuvring to Gwen's vengeance and the reinvention of Prince Mael. There's also some fascinating worldbuilding (a Dwarven city! an Elvish gathering!) and key developments for our protagonists. But I can't look past the fat shaming or the choice to make the only gay characters a paedophile and a rapist. I love this series, but in the end I can't love this book.

Finally (finally!) getting around to #Deverry Book 2. It‘s darker than Daggerspell. I‘m here for it.

I went back to the Book Market today—and what a production THAT was, between construction and an accident on the bridge. It was worth it, though: they‘d put out some Katharine Kerr! I grabbed DARKSPELL & THE DRAGON REVENANT quick as you please, but there was no sign of THE BRISTLING WOOD, even though a kind volunteer helped me search.

It sucks when you don‘t have sequential volumes, so I tried the used bookstore near the mall, and HE had it! Yay!

I remember this fondly, sadly I'm struggling. However Ziggy loves it! #bookcats

Boyfriend's house has a big open family room with huge, sunny windows. Taking advantage of the nice lighting for reading. ☺️

Stuck in a car, again, with the fortune of a book in my purse while I wait for a friend to finish moving out of his apartment.

Finally cool enough to be outside again. The birds are chirping and the sun is shining and there's a lovely breeze. Life is okay sometimes. 🌱🌳

Mass market fantasy fix, round 2. 👑🌟