This book has a lot going for it—sentient plants (some of the best characters in the book), a cozy cottage, raspberry jam, & merpeople. It‘s also really quotable—the writing is solid. And yet, the story itself moves slowly (& the stakes never feel all that real), the writing as good as it is can be is often dense, & I really didn‘t like the protagonist—she annoyed me most of the book. So, I didn‘t like like it as much as many other reviewers do.

Another day, another book with fantastic illustrations by Gris Grimly. I really enjoyed this picture book which condenses the story to its essence (the most spooky/scary parts the dust jacket explains) while very much keeping the feeling, & some of the vocabulary, of the original. I think this probably works best as a read aloud with young readers and if done right, it could be a lot of fun. Also a nice way for adults to reread Irving‘s classic.

Love the purple edges on this book which so far is a warm hug of a story.

#Two4Tuesday

1. Nope

2. The tagged book is phenomenal and one of my favorite YA books ever. Yes it‘s about a rugby team at a private school but it also so much more with twists and turns and unexpected depths. It also has one of the greatest covers ever (something I randomly had a conversation with Dan Santat about at a book event 🤷‍♀️). Love it.

@TheSpineView

Wow, Pinocchio was better behaved (hard to believe) in the Disney movie than he was in the book. As written, Pinocchio was very much a kid doing kid things—if there‘s a right or wrong choice to make, he always makes the wrong one because he‘s curious, easily persuaded, or just plain naive. (Never mind the adults offering advice & wisdom.) Of course, all sorts of bad things happen on the way to him learning what it means to be human. Entertaining.

My first time reading Pinocchio and yes, it‘s all thanks to finding an edition illustrated by Gris Grimly. 😬😂

This was good but not as compelling as the first book. If like the world & the characters in that book, you‘ll likely enjoy this one which is heavy on vampire politics (as a group gathers to confront the Night Queen) & the relationship between the human Reaper Remy & his 2 vampire lovers. If you‘re not all that into vampire politics & romance, this is a fun—because it finishes the story—but not necessary read. Good but not as good as the 1st book.

Nothing is safe in this collection of comic strips first published in the Phoenix New Times. With raw, unrefined art and pointed commentary, Mahfood takes on politics, religion, sex, love, pop culture, tech, the entertainment industry—you name it, if it was a thing in Phoenix in 2006-7, it was a target. This collection offers an entertaining, unapologetic look at life in Phoenix and what people were talking about them (and probably now too).

As always, Jones starts fast the first chapter dropping you into the mind of a killer, a prospective that much more scary/horrifying because of the narrator‘s nonchalance, their acceptance & ownership of their actions even as they admit the reasons for them are unclear. All of which to say, Jones has written another compelling interrogation of slasher movies & the horror that lurks around the corner. A little long, but still a great read.

I don‘t think I‘ve ever read an author who so consistently writes opening chapters that hook you right from the first paragraph, who ratchets up the tension so perfectly, who leaves you breathlessly turning the pages even as you‘re holding your breath knowing that you are only a page or two away from something BIG happening. No one writes better opening chapters than Jones. He is simply the best…and I‘m really enjoying this one a chapter in…

There‘s a new edition of IHF out. It collects all 20 issues of the original run. It‘s great wherever you buy it but if you pick it up from Skottie Young‘s store it comes with a signed bookplate and loads of fun stickers! So much Gert! So much fun!

Great mail day—Jones‘ latest book and another Gris Grimly illustrated picture book which happens to be signed by Grimly—a super lucky find!

Vampires, mutants, and other assorted creatures keeping me company tonight as storms roll in…🧛⛈️📖

Loved this Gris Grimly illustrated edition of the tagged book! Of course the story is fantastic—it‘s Sherlock Holmes. No question it stands on its own (even though there are definitely some archaic and out-dated references/descriptions) but it‘s equally true that the black and white as well as full color illustrations add an exciting, visual dimension. Love Grimly‘s work and it‘s well suited to this type of story. Loved it!

If the slow burn of political machinations amongst a royal family with too many wives, concubines, and sons (as well as the subtle & ongoing maneuvering for power and control amongst the women who have few other means of expressing power since they are cloistered away) is your thing, you‘ll love all 600+ pages of this book. It‘s well written & filled with all the danger, intrigue, backstabbing, & betrayal you might hope for. Slow but entertaining.

…and my Gris Grimly collection grows a little bigger…

The NYT has completed their list of the best books of the 21st century, weighted heavily toward literary fiction & nonfiction, today. They invited readers to submit their Top 10 & the tagged book is my only selection to make the list. My list has the most in common with Stephen King‘s & Rebecca Roanhorse‘s—they also picked more science fiction, fantasy, & horror than the NYT included. Interesting list, interesting to see what some authors picked.

Diving into another chunkster for no particular reason other than it is what I grabbed first. I‘m about 70 pages in and so far it‘s a lot of set up and introducing new characters but it‘s done well and I‘m enjoying it so far.

This one was kind of all over the place which is to say it felt a lot like it was setting the stage for what is coming next—lots of moving things into place and yet, I enjoyed it. It is violent, and there are vivid descriptions of that violence, and dark but it is also populated by some really interesting characters easy to hate and/or love. And then there is the WHAT THE WHAT JUST HAPPENED ending. I‘ll definitely be reading the next book.

College orientation for my son is keeping me busy but I still have time to read my new former library copy of the tagged book because GRIS GRIMLY! Okay yes, I bought it after rereading The Dangerous Alphabet because I decided I needed more Grimly & am I glad I did because it never hurts to brush up on your monster lore. Always good to be prepared. 😉 Just look at the art (with apologies for the weird angle on the book).

This Grimly illustrated edition of Grimm fairy tales is one of my new favorite things. I‘m going to dive back in with my morning coffee. Perfect way to start the day!

Going with a chunkster for the long weekend. Maberry‘s YA Rot & Ruin series is, I think, my all-time favorite zombie story—it‘s excellent from the first book to the last and I really like his writing. This is the first of his non-YA books I‘ve read but I have high hopes. 🤞 it‘s great just like his
🧟🧟‍♀️!

In this collection of essays, the author details her life growing up “as a queer, brown fat girl in Singapore.” The essays blend memoir with pop culture, history, & current events with a particular focus on horror films & how they reflect society‘s ideas, images, understanding, control of women & their bodies. Compelling, occasionally heartbreaking, & always interesting, these essays tell a remarkable story of finding yourself & where you belong.

Agatha Christie never disappoints and while this one isn‘t the best book she ever wrote, it is nevertheless entertaining to follow along as Hercule Poirot solves the murder of the daughter of a rich American and determines what happened to the rubies that went missing during the commission of the crime. Poirot remains a favorite

It‘s a grey, rainy day perfect for murder…by which I mean reading some Agatha Christie! 😬 If I‘ve read this one, it was so long ago I don‘t remember it so I‘m counting it as a new read!

Found deep in my stacks…. I was, of course, wildly entertained by this middle grade NF account of the discovery of Tutankamun‘s tomb (which I have been fortunate enough to visit & so can say is every bit as awe inspiring as this book makes it sound like it must be) & the subsequent “excavation.” Fleming highlights the thrill/mystery, rumors of a curse, & also discusses (briefly) the wider context of early 205th c. Egypt. Great middle grade read.

#Two4Tuesday

1. If I HAD to change my name, I might pick the name of my grandmother who was an avid reader and go with Elizabeth.

2. And that would take me to one of the all-time great Elizabeths, Elizabeth Bennet, in one of the all-time great books, Pride and Prejudice.

@TheSpineView

This was an interesting one—a YA fairy tale, inspired by lesser known Grimm fairy tales—in a book that looks like it‘s for the middle grade crowd. The story unfolds slowly, told in sections that jump between characters, moving forward & backward in time, but then it starts to come together & connections are uncovered, secrets revealed, friendships forged & by the end, the marvelous village of Greymist Fair is changed for the better. A good read.

Yeah, I am that person who will start the day off rereading a picture book I bought for myself because I love Neil Gaiman‘s stories—whatever age he is writing for—and I love Gris Grimly‘s art. So that‘s my morning…practicing my ABCs and drinking espresso while the family sleeps and the house is quiet. 😬😂🤷‍♀️

Dove deep into my TBR stacks to start the weekend…

I really wanted to like this one—it‘s set in Chicago in a neighborhood I know well—but it never quite came together for me, something I‘ve seen other reviewers say. It‘s ostensible the story of two sisters, an old family home, new love, and a murder investigation—the elements are there but ultimately, it‘s the descriptions of various disasters from Chicago‘s history which prove to be the most interesting part of the story.

This is very much a middle book and while it isn‘t bad, it definitely didn‘t hold my attention the same way the first book did. (In fairness, it may be me more than the book since I‘m generally finding it difficult to settle down into a book these days.) The plot thickens, there are some good twists but ultimately, it was the characters that kept me turning the pages. I do want to know what happens so I‘ll finish the trilogy for sure.

Yay Tuesday book mail! Some chunksters today…

Starting this one today. I was surprised by how much I enjoyed the first book and I‘m really hoping this one is just as good.

Definitely not my favorite Hazelwood—not the worst book I‘ve ever read by any stretch. While this one definitely had its moments, I laughed out loud several times, they were fewer & farther between than usual. And maybe I didn‘t love the main characters? I did appreciate that it dealt with some more serious issues like food insecurity. Objectively, it‘s an entertaining read perfect for a plane trip or weekend away. So soft pick but not my fav.

What can I say that hasn‘t already been said about Funny Story. As always, Henry‘s story was funny, heartfelt, occasionally chaotic (as relationships tend to be), eyebrow raising, and ultimately, pleasing as everything came together. A fast, entertaining read.

I really enjoyed Cho‘s debut although this story about a woman who tries to help her friend when he‘s framed for murder is not without its flaws—starting with the fact that the precipitating incident, the event the book‘s marketing hinges on, doesn‘t occur until almost 200 pages in. There are other things not fully explained or realized and yet…I really liked the characters & am interested in seeing how the story develops. I‘ll read the next one.

#Two4Tuesday

…except on a Wednesday since I‘m a day late! 😬

1. My husband is a tech guy and people will tell you we‘ve been married long enough, he‘s become my technology brain. So no, I myself am NOT good with technology but together, WE are excellent! 😂

2. Tagged. The Murderbot series is one of my favorites—I love the stories and the characters but also the technology and the exploration of what makes us human.

@TheSpineView

Tonight‘s reading…

An enrolled member of the Blackfeet Nation, Cobell sheds light on the crises of missing & murdered indigenous women in her debut, a YA thriller. Unfortunately, it reads like a debut (one which needs editing) although the author‘s promise also comes through. The story is told from 5 POVs, 4 of which are indistinguishable more often than not, which slows things done significantly until things happen fast. Still, a soft pick for an important topic.

Started this one last night…

I took the most roundabout path to this short story collection (translated from Korean) by Tablo who is the frontman for one of Korea‘s foremost/influential rap groups. (It all started with his appearance in a Stray Kids music video & hints of a collaboration & went from there…) Anyway, this is an entertaining group of stories that deal with loss, family, racism, finding out who you are, & more. There are lively illustrations between the stories.

This Korean mythology inspired K-drama in book form is quite entertaining—it has an angry, fallen god with a love for coffee, a gumiho in hiding who loves to annoy said god, & a shocking series of murders that promises to throw the world into darkness if the demon responsible isn‘t found & sent back to where it came from. Drama, drama, & more drama with a healthy dose of banter, smirking, eye rolling & falling in love (maybe) make for a fun read.

At just under 33 inches this set is a tall one…and very cool. The eye even lights up! A fun build for sure. What to start next?!?

While I‘m thinking about that, it‘s time to read a book!

And done…which means I‘ll start posting about books again instead of just posting pictures of a Lego recreation of a setting from one of them. 😬😂 Pictures of the finished set tomorrow. Tonight it‘s all about Sauron‘s study & I must admit…he‘s a lot more studious than I would have thought! The pictures are a close up of the bottom level & then upper level of the “study” in the tower. Last is a full view of tower before exterior pieces added.

The building continues and we are now out of the kitchen and into the throne room. The cool thing about this floor is that when you pull the little knob, visible at the bottom of the top right picture, the throne opens to reveal the white tree from Minas Tirith. Some really great details in this set. Definitely a fun build and one that is distracting me from reading…something I‘m going to rectify right now….

Starting this one today!

Once I stop staring at its gorgeous cover…

Leckie is always interesting, always thought provoking, always challenging me (as the reader) to think and engage from a different perspective. This is as true in her short stories collected here, as it is in her long form fiction. Some stories were unexpected—there is one told from the perspective of a dragonfly—while others were a return to the familiar worlds of the Imperial Radch and The Raven Tower. A good read for fans of her work.

#Two4Tuesday

1. Nope…I mean, I tell myself I should start with the older ones since they‘ve languished the most but I seldom do that. I‘m always distracted by the shiny new thing. 😬😂

2. At the top of my TBR list is Mirrored Heavens, the conclusion of Rebecca Roanhorse‘s Between Earth and Sky trilogy. But who knows if I‘ll actually get to it next instead of being distracted again. 🤷‍♀️

Thanks for the tag @TheSpineView

Ok, we‘ve moved up out of the dungeon and into the kitchen and thank goodness we can be a little less worried about the lava up here! 🥵😅 I‘ve included a general view of the two levels, a close up of the kitchen, a portrait or three more fabulous orcs and/assorted minions, and finally another drawer (?) to pull out to revel a secret. The detail on the set is pretty fabulous. I‘ll make sure the next update includes some exterior shots.