I can‘t decide if I enjoyed or am frustrated by the way the book leaves certain things open to inference & interpretation.
Looking forward to discussing that ending tomorrow with #hashtagbrigade !!

Brienne searches for Sansa
Ser Creighton offers to travel with her for her protection. She is a lady. Ser Illifer says she is accused of killing Renley. She swears on the Seven she did not harm him & they travel on peacefully
They come upon Ser Shadrich, who also searches for Sansa
Rumors circulate of how Jaime lost his hand & Brienne recalls admiringly his strength in their fight
In the morning she leaves before the others, continuing after Sansa

So I just let the ADHD hyper focus take me away today 😂😅 got pretty far in the Lego house, made all sorts of doodads -my fave is the vacuum
Speaking of, the mental health rep in this book is done really well, not in a way that I liked it but in a way that was realistic. Totally bingeable. I‘m usually such a man-hater but the wife was making me nuts in this one. Would make a good book club book.

Listened to about 1/2 of the tagged book while working on the Sanderson Sisters house this morning

3rd in the series did not disappoint.
The 4 friends each with their own distinct cornerstones, family drama, romance drama, but similar undeveloped prefrontal cortex decision making… It‘s so awkward & dramatic & ✨perfect✨
Each ends on a cliffhanger, this was a big 1
One creepy adult got what was coming to him
I‘ve taken a 6 month break between each book but there‘s plenty of details sprinkled throughout without getting bogged down with history.

Cersei is awoken by guards & she is confronted by tragedy, she is appalled at the way everyone is reacting & she doesn‘t know how to react herself.
Jaime is searches the hidden tunnel, but needs to find keys to a gate where the tunnels converge. Cersei tells Jaime he must be Hand now, he rebuffs her
As her mind reels she notices Varys is absent.
Tyrion is discovered to be missing from his cell

Historical fantasy taking place during the Spanish Inquisition, Luzia‘s heritage makes her as much of a target as her Magic. When she is discovered some find an opportunity to exploit her, while others support her. Religious persecution, classism &sexism influence their responses as they dream of a change of fortune.

I liked this a lot! It is a bit of a slow pace at the start, but very good.

Oberyn‘s children want to avenge him. Doran advises dying in trial by combat is not murder. Where Obara wants to burn Oldtown, Lady Nym wants to bring her sister Tyene & strike Tywin, the Golden Twins & the little King. Tyene has her own plan, to arrange a wedding & crown Myrcella to lure the Lannisters to Dorne

Doran requests they be locked up, their sister Sarella is not in Dorne & he just hopes she is not of the same mind

LOVED THIS!
It‘s probably not one I would have picked up on my own, it‘s very literary & at a glance seems very serious…
But it was so unique, touching & hilarious.
#lmpbc

Aeron Greyjoy is drowning men in the Wyk when he receives news of Balon Greyjoy -his brother‘s death. He returns to the keep where they squabble over who should succeed him, he doesn‘t think Asha or Theon can rule. But Asha is returning to sit on the Seastone Chair regardless. Aeron calls for a kingsmoot -a ceremony from the Old Ways to choose the worthiest king

Pate, a novice of the Citadel, thinks of his love Rosey & waits for the alchemist. Word is traveling of the dragons & beautiful young queen -Not just that, old powers, dark ones

Lazy Leo Tyrell goads Pate about Rosey. The dawn nears. Despondent, he makes for the citadel but the alchemist comes after all.
Pate trades a key stolen from Archmaester Walgrave, asks to see the alchemist‘s face, he is a stranger, just a man, no one. Then Pate collapses

As a whole it is good, exposing the heinous crimes against the Osage, the men who searched for justice. Note about the audio: it is split into 3 parts w/ 3 narrators, the first of which was a bit kindergarten teacher, & did not feel like it fit.

Does anyone else have (a lot) of thought on this “5 star or don‘t even review it” discourse. Usually I was seeing it from indie authors, or self published or a debut novel…. But from the son of Stephen King? A man with a Netflix adaptation & multiple best sellers. Joe… get real. I beg you.
How many times have I stacked a “so-so”? How many times have I read a book my friend DNF‘d? A lot, actually.

Liked it more than Astrid but not as much as Delilah. If it was just the MCs & romance they would be comparable -but Delilah‘s story was also her confronting her past & her found family story. I liked the 2 MCs -BUT Stevie‘s anxiety as a plot device was very inconsistent & it felt like Iris only became a write so AHB could make jokes about blowing your ideas on the 1st book (& Iris is the best actress anyone has ever seen on her first day- what?)

The 3rd book of the Hades Saga was a little bloated with the different perspectives. I get whyyyy because then none of the mysteries would be explained from Touch of Malice… but I expected the explanation in Touch of Chaos, so the ending was more impactful in ToM. It still has a lot of plot for a book with THIS MUCH smut 😂

Wait… why is Iris a writer all of a sudden? I‘m only 10% in & I already know it‘s not going to be as good as Delilah…
😅😩

Re-release of one of my fave series. love the new coverrrrr no more cheesy shirtless “who are these people” cover 😍

Babysitting my friend‘s (bearded) dragon, her name is Benedict Smaug (“Ben” for short) & putting the schedule together - spoilers on next post

Looking back over this one is TOUGH, growth/heartache so much happened & for certain characters it seemed like minimal movement for the whole book -until a sudden twist but some we saw moment by moment. I‘m worried for the characters on the sidelines but I love process.. hero‘s or villains.
I could not do it without #readingwesteros

@Kimberlone @Ruthiella after loving the book I am enjoying the adaptation you recommended (while I do my taxes at almost the last possible moment lmao)

I‘m bummed about the amount of things that got wrapped up in this one, Tremaine family mysteries, Segrado family mysteries, the big conspiracy, new conspiracies, the Russian imperium, love stories, the next generation, new powers, old enemies making cameos… because it means it‘s really over (for now)
Hopefully someday we‘ll get Arabella‘s POV in more than a short story
But I can‘t argue with how Nevada & Catalina‘s stories finished #serieslove2024

Soft pick. Flynn is great at writing characters whose viewpoints resonate with the darkest parts of the human mind. But this one wasn‘t as surprising or compelling as Sharp Objects or Gone Girl.

I had issues with the language/tone used for the POV throughout, but it was entertaining & weird. However the last couple chapters wtf why Stephen.
#losersclub @BarkingMadRead

Epilogue: Merrett Frey reflects on his life & minor role in The Red Wedding while he goes to get Petyr Pjmple back from outlaws. The outlaws turn on him, but ask for info on The Hound. When he doesn‘t have any they start to hang him, he says the murder was his father & Roose Bolton‘s doing. He says he is innocent. The outlaws ask a cloaked woman -a woman he saw dead & thrown to the river…

She builds Winterfell in the snow. Littlefinger helps her &tries for a kiss. Sansa rebukes him &they are interupted by Little Lord Robert. Who starts to knock down the castle. Sansa rips the head off his toy
She worries about Lysa‘s reaction to how she treated Robert, but Lysa saw the kiss
Lysa threatens her with the moon door, Littlefinger stops it. In her madnesses, Lysa starts confessing
But Littlefinger has only loved 1 woman, he consoles her-

Jon gets bashed on the head &has a delirious memory of playing with Robb as children pretending to be knights -where Robb said that Jon couldn‘t be Lord of Winterfell
He wrestles with Stannis‘s offer, considers the life he could make at Winterfell. But then he thinks about eating deer &realizes Ghost is nearby
They go for dinner, Stannis has decreed that no one will eat or leave until the vote is final. Jon is surprised his name is put up…

Janos Slynt tries to flatter Stannis. Stannis rushes the vote for Lord Commander & slanders Slynt in front of the Brothers, but he will not interfere. Stannis wants the castles at the Wall and The Gift
Melisandre claims Stannis is “the prince who was promised.”
Stannis will mine the dragonglass to equip them
Sam goes to the candidates 1 by 1 to see if they would step down in favor of someone worthy, telling each their nemeses would be appointed

It started off good. But as it went on all the men characters were the same (vaguely menacing/obsessed with Mariana) all the female students act similarly. Mariana is sticking her nose in things & it makes no sense that it would go largely unquestioned & the ending was super preposterous.

Tyrion readies himself unwillingly for the headsman, but instead it is his brother. Well, most of him
Jaime frees him, saying he owes a debt for a secret he has kept about Tysha
He finds Varys, but doesn‘t wish to follow the escape plan, he climbs to the secret passage to the Hand‘s chambers &finds himself confronting Shae before finding his father.

I love this series & this installment had SO MUCH. Character development for Catalina, Alessandro, plot, “science”, the laws the Houses operate under, her relationship with her family all gets fleshed out beautifullyyyyyy.
I can‘t wait to see how (if) everything gets tied up in the next book 📚

Jon is training in the yard when Melisandre comes to see him. Stannis wants to see him on the Wall
Stannis believes Jon easily, but he has his own agenda, Stannis needs a loyal Lord of Winterfell. A decree can legitimize him, but he‘s still a man of the Nights Watch
To claim his father‘s castle he must turn against his father‘s gods.
&wed Val the wildling princess.
Stannis gives him time to consider

Gilly, Sam & the baby have returned safely to Castle Black where he learns about the battle &where Jon has been. Gilly helps with Mance‘s son. Mance is Stannis‘s captive
San thinks of sending Gilly to his family home
Seeing Jon struggle, he has trouble keeping Bran‘s secret
The vote for Lord Commander is taken, but they are far away from a decision

Stopping at an inn,she recognizes the soldiers there, 2 from her prayer. Rumors of Sansa‘s role in Joff‘s death circulate -&of Arya marrying the Bastard of Bolton
The men attack. Hound kills Polliver, Arya stabs Tickler &his squire &gets Needle back
She helps patch the Hound‘s wounds, but contemplates killing him
She leaves him to die instead
Alone, she finds a ship,asks to go to the Wall. She is turned away until she presents the coin from Jaqen

I‘m having a tough time rating this. when I was in my 20s I was with someone 12 years older who acted like a big giant man baby so seeing 25?year old Seph have to explain to 7000 year old God of the Dead that “things that are important to you partner should be important to you” gave me the ick.
Miscommunication trope was more ridiculous in Hades POV
That being said his side plots really flesh out plot points only touched on in Touch of Ruin

Mance wants to parley, obviously Mance will know Jon betrayed him. Jon is not being sent to talk, but to kill. No choice, he goes
Tormund meets him,they share wine &stories of the ones lost here
Mance has the Horn of Winter, he doesn‘t fear the Watch but the Others. If the Wall falls, what will stop the Others? Let them pass through the gate or the Horn will be sounded in 3 days
While they talk, rangers emerge from the wood, The King has come

Jaime watches Tommen sign royal papers- decree of legitimacy for Roose Bolton‘s bastard & Jeyne‘s royal pardon included- but is preoccupied by thoughts of training with his left hand
Then meets “Arya”,off to marry Ramsay Bolton
The Mountain is suffering from the poison on Oberyn‘s spear
Cersei tries to manipulate him
He goes to Brienne with a gift &for his last chance at honor, sends her to find Sansa
He writes his story, the ending up to him

Loved it. The initial conflict irked me (not that I think it‘s unrealistic, just me & how I am)& the major conflict was obvious, but the formula did take the plot in some minorly unexpected directions. The steam was steaming, it was cute, the fanfic/script chapter breaks didn‘t bother me (might be weird in audio) &as someone who loves cosplay & fandom this was a winner. It‘s an overgrown fanfic but it‘s good. Body positivity+neurodivergence rep.

Meereen is quiet after being conquered -except for the flies from all the corpses
The council she left to rule Astapor fell,the new King allies with Dany against Yunkai, but he has been made more Unsullied. She doesn‘t know how to control cities as she travels
She calls her knights:Barristan tells why he served Robert &why he supports her.Jorah has been informing on her up until Qarth. Hurt,she banishes him
She will stay &learn to rule in Meereen

I liked this one. Lil murder mystery vibes in with the sci-fi, more lighthearted than the previous 2, but good insight into Murderbot‘s mounting frustrations in Network Effect
Going to remember #serieslove2024 tag this time

After much deliberation I decided to read in publication order instead of the chronological, this flowed really well after HOME. The 1st full length novel did not disappoint, more sass, more emotion, new friends, old friends -even if Murderbot doesn‘t want to admit they are friends.

I‘m at a really annoying part of this book & I just want to keep reading to see how they get over it, but I have to go to my job so I‘m just going to be annoyed in the back of my mind all day #halp

Shae tells the court that Tyrion &Sansa plotted together to steal the crown, she also admits to being his whore.
Tyrion demands trial by battle
Oberyn broods on getting justice for Elia &squares up to face the Mountain. Oberyn taunts his opponent, dancing around the lumbering, armor clad Mountain. Oberyn inflicts serious wounds, demands the Mountain confess, but as Tyrion starts to celebrate, Mountain pulls Oberyn down & crushes him.

the Wall has been batting Mance nonstop, many dead, all exhausted, resources depleted. Watching for Mance‘s “turtle”, which would give wildlings cover to attack the gate again.They destroy it with boulders
Safe for the day, Jon goes to finally rest. When he awakes he is being questioned for oathbreaking by Janos Slynt &Allister Thorne with Rattleshirt as witness. He admits to breaking his vow with Ygritte,but nothing else. They order him locked up

Very excited to start reading Rebecca with #hashtagbrigade tomorrow @BarkingMadRead
Check out my haunted looking 1st edition

& a shoved inside the book was this cut out article, (1944?- look at the ad!) +the inscription inside

I get it, it‘s theatrical, the personalities of the bros because of Fyodor‘s influence on them, the reader & narrator are sharing a joke about how over the top it all is. But I didn‘t like it. I read for entertainment, I was not consistently entertained-I was consistently frustrated
I will let the public‘s view on the prosecutors speech sum up my feelings. “But that was all rubbish” “there were some vague spots” “got a bit carried away”

KATE! @KateReadsYA I love everythingggggg. ❤️❤️❤️❤️ the tote 😍😍 so excited for both the books, such cute stickers and a months supply of sour patch kids 🍬🍬
Thank you SO much & thank you for hosting!
#litsyfoundfamilyswap

By “sailing home” Littlefinger meant his home. Lysa is coming to wed him, at least Sansa will be near her own blood. Littlefinger creates a backstory,Varys cannot know where Sansa is, he renames her Alayne. Then tells her more about “the game” &the truth about the poisoner
Lysa arrives, doesn‘t seem to know Sansa, &has an in eventful wedding within the hour
Lysa will hide Sansa at the Eyrie. Then she reveals she wants Sansa to marry her son Robert

Ooooooh so twisty & I loved seeing the characters really connect (or disconnect) in book 2 as their deceptions & motivations came to light.