pickSaga 11 was just marvellous again. I love immersing myself in this world even though almost every collected volume makes me cry at least once.
Fun fact : my only cosplay first place was as Izabel the ghost babysitter (perfect for a wheelchair user!)
Here's an update on the Mythia blanket I posted the other day. #litsycrafters
There's more Fence?? This just popped up in my Hoopla.
If you haven't read any Fence and you're into queer AF boarding school sports stories with simmering romantic tension, this might be for you.
#graphicnovel
Do Me A Favor is out now! I enjoyed the ARC a month ago. My previous response:
A cookbook ghost writer inherits a house on a Pacific Northwest island, where there just happens to be a most sexy single-dad handyman. Featuring an endearing dog who brings them together, goats interrupting romantictimes, lots of food, and following your dreams.
#romance #romantsy #contemporaryromance
After a long hiatus, I've finally ticked another box in #FourFoursin24 - #FuzzyBuzzy
In this book, the MC discovered he has myopia (hence fuzzy) - and gets stung on the eye by a wasp. I'd say it qualifies!
SO that's this quadrant filled - and only one prompt to go, #GarretParrot
I don‘t often go straight on to the next in a series, but here we are.
On my hook - Skeleton Sweater in Hobbii Rainbow Deluxe cotton. #litsycrafters
And that's #WickedWords done for July! @AsYouWish
A graphic novel, a story, two fantasy historicals, and a historical romance. My pick of the lot has. got to be Emily Wilde, though I enjoyed all of them.
This book was 100% my catnip, and it delivered for me. Lady scientist, alternate history fantasy context, inscrutable fae, lovely sense of place, neurodivergent coded MC, canine sidekick w/ a secret, cosy village slice-of-life - all good for me.
Also!:
#SBTBingo - #stargazing #epistolary
#booklistqueenchallenge24 - #grwinner2023
#popsugar2024 and #readharder2024 - #cosyfantasy
#Pantone2024 - #redorange and #goldenpalm
#WickedWords @AsYouWish
This dystopian mosaic graphic novel fell a little flat for me. The format came off disjointed, and the characterisation was superficial. Some of it was quite pretty, but I never really quite grokked what the author was trying to say.
I did get a #Pantone2024 hit out of it though! Five to go.
I know I‘m the last person in the world to read Emily Wilde, but it‘s SO GOOD! If lady scientists travelling to distant lands to study hitherto unknown species of fae are your jam, this could be the book for you. These are not cute pink wingéd fairies, though. Fae will fuck you up. Carry a copper coin, an iron nail, a well honed sense of peril.
#Pantone2024
I'm not quite sure why this has such lukewarm reviews - I kinda loved it. Freaky plant science, T1 diabetes rep, a little bit of romance - it was fun. And I very much enjoyed the art.
#Pantone2024 second semester progress - I already only have eight to go! Maybe I shouldn't have decided to double-dip? Nevermind, I have plenty of other challenges to be getting on with :)
A delightful sapphic historical romance novella, with village poultry politics and a thought-lost breed of chickens rediscovered.
#WickedWords one to go! @AsYouWish #gothic
This was a fun little interstitial in Lemming's Mead Realm series.
@Asyouwish #WickedWords #Sun
Very enjoyable Young T'Challa and even younger Shuri graphic novel adventure, with a great sibling dynamic.
#Pantone2024
Unhappy Camper is a graphic novel dealing with the common MG theme of identity, belonging and fitting in. Michelle struggles with her Taiwanese background because of trying to fit in with racist schoolmates, and drags her feet on going to Taiwanese-American summer camp with her much more enthusiastic sister. In the process she starts to find peace, embrace her whole self, and stand up to bullies.
#Pantone2024
Just over 50% in this graphic tale of a boy with post-polio syndrome helping to hide a young Jewish classmate in his barn. This seems like a reasonable middle grade introduction to WWII stories so far.
And with Heavyweight having an airplane on the cover, February is my very first full card for I Spy Bingo 2024!
#ISpyBingo @Clwojick @TheAromaofBooks
Finished this graphic memoir dealing with colonialism, the Holocaust, and generational trauma.
#Pantone2024 #readingchallenge
This historical graphic memoir is a lot. 160 pages in: Solomon Brager explores their family history tracing back through the holocaust and beyond. They situate those atrocities in a long history of colonialism, prejudice, and human rights abuses, with histories from the European invasions of Africa, and tracing forward to today, including issues around Zionism and transphobia. They give time and space to the complicated feelings that arise.
New Libby borrow.
I'm reading My Lady Jane before watching the series! Enjoying it so far. Note that it's fantasy, not realistic historical fiction.
#WickedWords @AsYouWish
I can't wait for the final instalment in this small-town serial killer story. The illustrations look like Richard Scarry - the story very much does not.
#Pantone2024
Just finished this enjoyable YA graphic novel. Three pantone shades down for the London Fashion Week half of autumn/winter #Pantone2024
It's time for the second half of #Pantone2024 !
This time I've separated it into NY and London fashion week colours - see my other post - and I've again included the New Classics.
You can play bingo, go for a full card, just play for fun - whatever you like.
Find a colour somewhere in the cover of whatever you're reading, and tag @lauredhel @BarbaraBB
Enjoy! @litsyevents
It's time for the second half of #Pantone2024 !
This time I've separated it into NY and London fashion week colours - see my other post - and I've again included the New Classics.
You can play bingo, go for a full card, just play for fun - whatever you like.
Find a colour somewhere in the cover of whatever you're reading, and tag @lauredhel @BarbaraBB
Enjoy! @litsyevents
I'm not entirely convinced that this final volume stuck the landing, but this was a fun, weird, freaky ride while it lasted.
And I'm off the mark with #WickedWords for July. @AsYouWish
Frequently comped to Fun Home, this rambling, unfocused graphic memoir of a gay artist from a conservative family is no Fun Home. I've come to the conclusion that I'm deeply uninterested in other people's spiritual and psychotherapy journeys, and this is both. If competently edited down the half the size, it might have been better.
New in the kobo and new on the hook (a moss stitch sweater vest in cotton-silk for the the husband, who is 100% crochet-worthy) #litsycrafters
Kick arse women and girls, revenge, swordplay and samurai, blood, and also they have mobile phones? So alternate history or alternate present or fantasy, take your pick.
Either way, love these two.
And that's a wrap for #WickedWords for June! Thanks @AsYouWish as always for hosting this word-spotting challenge.
Two romance novels, two very different graphic memoirs, and a light-hearted SF.
Last word: “bowling“! Spotted in this Tegan & Sara graphic memoir.
#WickedWords @AsYouWish
I'm sure I've asked at least a couple times for @litsy to add Ask Cassandra... have they stopped processing book adds?
Anyway! This is a very enjoyable romantic re-telling, part of the terrific Olympus, Inc series. Archivist Cassandra takes on a big job organising the archives of the Tantalus vineyard. Family secrets, friendships, and romance ensue. There's also a hefty helping of librarian/historian-bait slice-of-life archiveporn.
I'm on Noongar country, so it's Makuru here, not summer. It's been Makuru for about a couple weeks already - the rainy, cool season where the blue and purple flowers bloom, and the wardong (ravens) pair up and the mali (black swans) prep their nests. Perfect reading weather! So yes, I've started, as your Northern seasons mean nothing here. I'm double dipping in an effort to fill the whole card this Makuru! #SBTBingo @smartbitches #smartbitches
Do Me A Favor is a standalone Yardley contemporary romance that I very much enjoyed!
A cookbook ghost writer inherits a house on a Pacific Northwest island, where there just happens to be a most sexy single-dad handyman. Featuring an endearing dog who brings them together, goats interrupting romantictimes, lots of food, and following your dreams.
#WickedWords @AsYouWish #bikers
And with Ruby Reid the main character in Monster Crush, I've completed Bookchain! #BookChain #BookChain2024 @TheAromaofBooks
(note the Storygraph challenge has a few numbering anomalies so I had to renumber things)
Two down! I'm just halfway through, but this graphic memoir of a Korean-American environmental justice lawyer is terrific so far. It's both a personal story about balancing service with family expectations and the need to make money, and a broader story about community, equality, and the environmental slowpocalypse we all find ourselves navigating.
#WickedWords @AsYouWish
Finally off the mark in June's #WickedWords @AsYouWish #luau
I'm quite enjoying Starter Villain so far. It's a quick easy read like most of the Scalzi I've read.
Tagged is the previous book in the series, but Ask Cassandra is out today!
"Cassie Troiades is a freelance archivist, but her secret side gig as a popular advice columnist has made her cynical about love and despair for her own romantic future. When Manny Pelopson hires her to catalogue his family's old documents at the Tantalus Vineyard, they begin to find romance and mystery among the archives.
Greek mythology meets The Devil Wears Prada!"
Reminder of how terrible these men have always been.
The book is good, though! An engaging history of Guantanamo in graphic anthology format. Recommended.
Random #whychooseromance, and that leaves me with only four prompts to fill in the No Shame Reading Challenge! #NSR24 #NoShameReadathon24 @Nessavamusic
This slightly-magical graphic-novel love story set in a softball league is silly, smutty, and super gay. I love it.
#Prom #WickedWords @AsYouWish
Currently reading: Land Glorious, third in the Sparks & Philtres gaslamp/fae fantasy series. How beautiful is this cover??
Currently celebrating: Halfway through my Goodreads challenge, but not halfway through the year.
Currently missing: my son, who is on his way to his first set of out-of-town band gigs. He'll be back Sunday though!
How about you?
