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Even Though I Knew the End
Even Though I Knew the End | C. L. Polk
C. L. Polk turns their considerable powers to a fantastical noir with Even Though I Knew the End. Stylish supernatural noir with a heart and a thrumming pulse. I devoured it.Laini Taylor A magical detective dives into the affairs of Chicago's divine monsters to secure a future with the love of her life. This sapphic period piece will dazzle anyone looking for mystery, intrigue, romance, magic, or all of the above. An exiled augur who sold her soul to save her brother's life is offered one last job before serving an eternity in hell. When she turns it down, her client sweetens the pot by offering up the one payment she can't resistthe chance to have a future where she grows old with the woman she loves. To succeed, she is given three days to track down the White City Vampire, Chicago's most notorious serial killer. If she fails, only hell and heartbreak await.
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Soubhiville
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Pickpick

A short queer supernatural noir mystery. I thought it was a fun quick read.

82 likes4 stack adds
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Laughterhp
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Mehso-so

I was not expecting this to be so religious. Angels vs demons and having to say prayers to vanquish them.

This is a novella set in Chicago where murders are happening and a private detective is hired to solve them. It‘s also a sapphic romance.

I liked it, but didn‘t love it. For some reason I want to like CL Polk but I never end up loving her books.

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CaitlinR
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Pickpick

A novella that packs a big story in just a few pages. Helen Brandt, a disgraced Auspex, has crafted a new life as an investigator, plying her talents to solve crimes involving the occult. Polk gives us demons possessing humans, fallen angels using humans to regain heaven, humans who‘ve sold their souls for gain, or in Helen‘s case to save her brother. The relationship between Helen and her lover Edith is well crafted and beautiful. Great read!

CaitlinR Photo of the author by Mark Tan. 1y
27 likes1 comment
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kwmg40
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Pickpick

This historical fantasy set in Chicago of the 1920's features demons, angels and a noir-style mystery. I enjoyed it very much and thought it had a lot of depth in its plot and characters for a novella-length book.

#victoriadayreadathon @melissajayne
#auroraawards
#BookSpinBingo @TheAromaofBooks

TheAromaofBooks Great progress!! 1y
Dragon Great read - I enjoyed the audiobook 💚🐉 1y
46 likes1 stack add2 comments
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Lovelylottereader
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Pickpick

I really liked this! I thought that the historical setting was great and I loved the way it impacted the magic system and the beliefs of the characters. I‘m impressed by how much content and amazing writing could be fit into a book this small and am so happy to have finally read it!
4⭐️

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Lovelylottereader

“I want the moon.”
“I‘ll get a ladder.”

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Lovelylottereader

Oh, it hurt. It hurt to feel loved like this.

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Lovelylottereader

My Edith of the sparrows. My heart. My world.

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Lovelylottereader
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Edith‘s blue, blue eyes stared at nothing, and I was nothing, nothing without her.

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Lovelylottereader

As I watched the thing that was probably going to kill me, I wondered if it was made from the iron of a dead star.

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Lovelylottereader

“The trouble with you is you can‘t accept fate.”
“And neither should you.”

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Lovelylottereader

A thousand ships would have been honored to sail for her.

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Lovelylottereader

“Ain‘t this our song?”
Edith smiled at me through her sand-brown curls. “You say that about all the love songs.”
“That‘s because they‘re ours. Come on; dance with me.”

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Thegenderdoctor
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Pickpick

Even Though I Knew the End is such a short yet absolutely heartfelt read. Every moment spent with Helen and Edith made my heart soar, reading about how much they loved and cared for one another and would do anything for the other. It was also a very pleasant experience reading a book that touched on queer issues without it being to the point of it being triggering for myself. Definitly one of my top reads for the year!!

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BekaReid
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Pickpick

What will you do for love? How long is long enough? Even Though I Knew the End is a gritty but hopeful novella. Set in an alternate late 30s/early 1940s Chicago it's fast-paced and immersive, sapphic fantasy noir at it's best, and I'd love to spend more time in this world CL Polk created.

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Kazzie
Pickpick

Good! Spare but high drama story with magical realism and love. Interesting interplay between heaven and hell, god and the devil. Brings up the thought of what you would do for love, and what you would sacrifice for what cost

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underground_bks
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Pickpick

I loved C.L. Polk‘s The Midnight Bargain but stalled picking their newest novella up because I‘m not a big fan of noir or mysteries, and honestly if I‘d known there were angels and demons involved, I might not have picked it up at all! That said, I‘m not the perfect reader for this book, however, the magic system, the sapphic relationship at its heart, and the queer 1940s Chicago setting make this a pick for me.

underground_bks Also January LaVoy SLAYS this narration. She is incredible! (edited) 2y
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rsteve388
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Pickpick

This was a delightful and engaging magical mystery novella. Short sweet and full of serious moments such as using electric shock therapy to cure their "Demons" it was a excellent story for the end of the year. 5 Stars.

I am down to one book to reach my goal.

Nebklvr You can do it!!! 2y
underground_bks Just started this one! You got this! 2y
Chrissyreadit Checking in- did you receive your Winter WonderSwap package? 2y
rsteve388 @Chrissyreadit Yes I did Thank you! 2y
34 likes1 stack add4 comments
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CaseyTheCanadianLesbrarian
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Pickpick

This fun, bittersweet novella is a smart genre mashup: a bit noir 1940s mystery, a magical fantasy, angels and demons, and a doomed (?) sapphic romance. It feels like an unfair critique to say you wanted more from a novella, but I would have liked a bit more room to get to know the characters and for the mystery to unfold. Polk does a great job creating a moody period piece appropriate atmosphere. I liked the Chicago details and the 40s slang.

37 likes1 comment
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CaseyTheCanadianLesbrarian
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This is so delightful, very noirish but magical and sapphic, set in 1941 Chicago. The secret gay bar scene reminded me of A League of Their Own! And January LaVoy is such an amazing #audiobook voice actor. #QueerBooks #LGBTQBooks

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NotCool
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Pickpick

I like all of CL Polk‘s work including this. I did have some trouble with the setting of this book though. The magicians and the angels and the demons were fine. But reading about the main character, a lesbian, deal with the homophobia of 1930s Chicago was upsetting, because of how inescapable it felt. I have trouble with history fiction sometimes.

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marleed
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Pickpick

There was pile of story packed into this short book and it was really intriguing - devils, a White City vampire, a warlock, arrogant angels banned from heaven for a time, oh, and lesbians. What a great little story!

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Dragon
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Pickpick

Put a hold on this book right after reading @rachelm ‘s review. The audiobook is read by a fantastic voice actor and the story is a noir fantasy f/f romance. It‘s a really interesting magical world where I would love to spend more time. It‘s just under 4 hours so a great listen this blustery day. 💚🐉

rachelm I‘m glad you loved it! It‘s so great 2y
Dragon Thanks 🙏 @rachelm I couldn‘t stop listening 💚🐉 2y
37 likes1 stack add2 comments
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mdemanatee
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Pickpick

Looking for a Depression-era supernatural noir set in Chicago with a sapphic romance at its heart? How 'bout a quick read to pad your 2022 reading goal or just get you through to the end of the year? You're in luck! https://youtu.be/iundIC22zJA

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rachelsbrittain
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Pickpick

In this alternate history novella, a warlock expelled from her order for trading in her soul tries to uncover who is behind a disturbing string of murders. But in a world where angels and demons are all too real, the risks for a woman who's already made a deal with the devil are incalculably high.

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rachelm
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Pickpick

😇book review😈
This is a compact (under four hour audiobook, under 200 page physical book) newly out from Tor.com and I devoured it in two sittings. A magical detective who had made a deal with the devil a decade ago is coming up on the end of her contract— her time on earth is about to end, but there‘s one more job on the horizon.

(More 👇🏼)

rachelm What starts with a trend of gruesome crime scenes leads to a mystery involving the divine, the devilish, and her own girlfriend, Edith. Did I mention it was also set around the 1930s? Lots of fun fantasy and historical detailing mixed with a propulsive plot. Despite the title, I had no idea how this one would end. 2y
Dragon Love January LaVoy‘s voice - a great choice for narrator 💚🐉 2y
rachelm @Dragon agreed! 2y
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Twainy
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Pickpick

🎧 This is a novella. It‘s a story I‘d compare maybe to Dresden Files if Harry were a girl in love with a girl. Angels & demons in 1930/40‘s Chicago. A supernatural mystery. A sapphic romance.

The MC would do anything to keep her love safe so when things go south she steps up. There‘s a subplot that deals with being LGBTQ+ in great time.

I wish it were longer.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️1/2

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xicanti
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Pickpick

Y‘all know I‘m eager for more fantastical mysteries, and C.L. Polk‘s latest satisfies my itch. They deliver a capable PI who moves through 1940s Chicago in search of solutions to both her latest case and her own dark past. The world is so well realized that I‘ve gotta hope Polk intends to write more stories in this milieu. I‘d love to delve into all the crevices they resist the urge to over explain here, and to see what the survivors do next.⬇️

xicanti A couple of small, personal downsides: I found the mystery pretty guessable, and the book as a whole continues the pattern where I love Polk‘s prose and worldbuilding but don‘t get too invested in their romances. I like that we come upon an established relationship here, with all its tenderness and foibles, but I wanted to FEEL it more than I did. Still, this is good stuff and I don‘t hesitate to recommend it. 2y
Kenyazero I'm looking forward to reading this one. It sounds like you had a good experience with it! 2y
xicanti @Kenyazero it was really good. C.L. Polk‘s still a must-read for me! 2y
llwheeler I love that cover! Didn't realize Polk has a new one coming, thanks for the heads up! 2y
xicanti @llwheeler glad to be of service! 2y
36 likes2 stack adds5 comments
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xicanti
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I meant to start C.L. Polk‘s forthcoming novella while Cha-Cha was here the other day, but the dogs got a bit full on and some other stuff came up and I had to delay it until tonight. Now I‘m tucked up in bed, revelling in Polk‘s prose and eager to sink fully into the story.

Sleepswithbooks That sweet little face in the background 🐶🥰 2y
xicanti @Sleepswithbooks it gets me every time. 2y
31 likes2 comments
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akaGingerK
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Pickpick

I LOVE this ARC! Helen only has a few days left before her death, and she wants to spend them with her girlfriend: kind, beautiful Edith. But a regular client sends her to do some augury & the case she doesn‘t want to take soon proves impossible to ignore. Fantastical 40s noir, with a lesbian PI, magic, demons and angels? Yes, please.

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ChaoticMissAdventures
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Pickpick

ARC from Edelweiss
I loved this. Often I feel I am missing out when reading a novella, but not here. There is a perfect amount of character depth, action and unraveling mysteries. The atmosphere of noire Chicago hits just right. I am excited for this to be released and raved about.
Also love this cover it encapsulates the book perfectly.
#20in4 #readathon @Andrew65 1finished of 3 goal

Andrew65 Great 🥳 2y
29 likes1 stack add1 comment