So, I struck out on VE Schwab‘s Addie book but I am adoring this one. It‘s so fascinating and I love the idea of a book that trains a god vessel, a siren, and a priest. Everyone is coming into their power and showing the reader what they are and what they can do. Yes. Yes. Yes. Reading this book now explains why I didn‘t like Addie. In 300 years she didn‘t come into her own, she was just wandering and drifting.

I‘m in the last 2 hours of the audiobook and I have been pleased with it all along. This book is so satisfyingly linear. In a chapter they‘ll say “We need to go get the chalice!” and then in the next chapter they go and freakin‘ do it. I‘ve read several books recently that set up a quest and then immediately tear it apart, so this has been excellent.

In the midst of the audiobook for this and I am enjoying it. I think one of the storylines is heading towards being a found family heist tale and I am here for it.

I loved this book for the SE Asian representation, the sweet friendship between Sheetal and Minal, and the strong father/daughter bond. Really liked the audiobook narrator too. Not a fan of the boyfriend or the grandma.

Kyle Murchison Booth is the COVID poster child since he avoids people, touch, and social situations. This collection of stories is so good. I don‘t know that the title story is my favorite, but it‘s interesting. The best one in the bunch for me is Drowning Palmer since it gives insight into Booth as a child and how he and others have grown up and changed.

Much like the first book in the trilogy, this second book had mystery, action and political posturing. The pacing was quite good and right at a point where I began to wearily wonder how long I was expected to put up with a character, he was dispensed with. A pleasure to see a book where most characters were highly intelligent women who could make decisions and be vulnerable as well.

I‘m so excited to start this. It came today and I squealed over the illustrations. I love new books and an Ursula Le Guin is the absolute best of all possible new books.

I don‘t know guys. Somehow the chatty old rock god turns out to be not so safe and I wasn‘t expecting it. Chilling! I‘ve been interning in the children‘s department at a local library and we often talk about how repetition in literature builds patterns that are soothing and predictable for young children. It works on adults too because I got sucked into the “Here is a story I have heard” pattern without realizing that the stories were warnings.

I wanted to like it but I just felt like I was circling around the same story over and over. It had some great nuggets hidden in it but I wanted it to be over sooner. The audiobook was really well done, though.

YA books for my library science class. All of them were amazing but I think that Love, Hate and Other Filters is one that I have heard less about and it deserves good buzz. I loved the way it depicted everyday life in America for an everyday Muslim family. I also loved the positive interracial relationship in it.

Broke my heart all over the place. Racial relations in this country are so fear-based and it‘s the children who pay for it.

Finished this one in St Louis after a long day at the Zoo. Loved it as much or more than the first one. Looking forward to the next one coming out this year.

Watching the Finals now, but spent the afternoon listening to the audiobook of Becky Chamber‘s The Long Way to a Small Angry Planet and loving it. The plot and the characters are delightful. My favorite character so far is definitely Dr. Chef.

It was fun. I liked the flamingo things and the red panda. I felt badly that no one seemed to care what Oort St Ultraviolet wanted. I would recommend it for people who love exuberance and run on sentences, which I definitely do.

Audible, who has not yet learned any better, offers me two free audiobooks every 6 months or so to try out their service. I always take the free books and cancel! This time I got Elizabeth Bear‘s The Stone in the Skull since my local library doesn‘t have it. I started listening today and I am so enjoying it. There‘s an automaton carrying a vital message, a dragon attack, and an omen of blood and death all in the first two hours!

1. Laurel 2. Audiobooks. No question. I love the Johannes Cabal books. 3. Next week? I don‘t know many kids. 4. I just finished year 1 of a Library Science Master‘s Degree #friyayintro @jesshowbooks

I listened to the podcast version and loved it right up until the last episode. The voice actors were amazing, the plot was compelling, and then I got to the last episode. The ending made absolutely no sense. Everything they were trying to do they randomly undid and then the novel changed genre in the last 10 minutes for no apparent reason. I wondered what happened next, not in anticipation, but in confusion. I had no clue what was happening.

I love this partially because I often feel like Eugenia where the world is just annoying and full of irritating people. The pictures were also amazing.

1. Nope 2. My dad wanted to name me Alia after a character in Frank Herbert‘s Dune. I‘ve read the book and she wasn‘t a nice lady but I like the name. 3. I really like Fulton County Jane by Brandi Carlile. #trivialthursday

Aru and Mini aren‘t what any of the gods were expecting, but they get the job done. These girls learn about believing in yourself, finding your strengths, and what it means to be “sisters” even when you aren‘t related. Along the way, I learned a bunch about the ancient Hindu epics! Awesome bonus.

So good. Loved the inclusion of a dangerous girl instead of a sweet and nice one.

1. Female 2. 16 3. Yellow 4. Blue 5. Stephen King 6. Am

Attention! I have good news and bad news. So, the mermaids are here, but they want to eat us. 😬😵😬 Seriously though, Mira Grant does an amazing job at building suspense and bringing the facts about ocean life in these times of climate change. I don‘t know that I “enjoyed” it but I am thoroughly, nail-chewingly compelled so far.

1. Seanan McGuire, who can very definitely handle herself in adverse conditions and would probably save my life on any deserted island. 2. I would pick Brandi Carlile, no question. 3. Snapple Half ‘n Half Lemonade Ice Tea. #trivialthursday

I bawled at the end of this book. It was so good. I don‘t usually read children‘s books, but this one is fantastic.

Listening to the whole collection called Johannes Cabal and the Blustery Day which isn't in the database, but this one story is. I love these stories so much. Johannes is no one I would be friends with, but I understand him. He'd be horrified at the blanket I'm curled up under, though.

Finally finished listening to the whole series. Loved it and was sad it was over. Isabella Trent is amazing.

Starting with the bigger one first. I've heard good things about the Serial Box projects, both this one and the Tremontaine one, but I haven't tried them yet.

"Damsons and bilberries, / Taste them and try: / Currants and gooseberries, / Bright-fire-like barberries, / Figs to fill your mouth, / Citrons from the South, / Sweet to tongue and sound to eye; / Come buy, come buy."

This was such an excellent critique of comic books use of violence against women in order to further the plot and emotional development of men. It was witty, devastating and beautiful. Cannot recommend it enough.

Book mail! I'm reading the Valente first.

Marie Brennan's Lady Isabella Trent books are the prettiest books.

I got the super fancy Ursula LeGuin set for Christmas! One hardcover of her collected novellas and one hardcover of her collected short stories. All in a beautiful box, plus how pretty are those covers?!? Ursula LeGuin has had an amazing career and I am excited to have so much of her stuff in one place.

I like the concept of lawyers being warriors too. But the title never made sense to me because there was no snow!

Decided to read the Craft Sequence in story chronological order rather than publication order. Tor.com article suggested you could do it either way. I decided I preferred to go from Last First Snow through to Full Fathom Five.

The cover is lovely and I'm looking forward to a longer piece by Kij Johnson. I enjoyed her shorter works that Clarkesworld picked up.

In addition to the interior art being super fun, the story was even better than I had hoped. I will admit that I cried a little at the choices Johannes made. And Madam Zarenyia was flawless as usual with her endearments and dibbing. Perfect lovely end to a well written series. I will miss Johannes and Horst and Leonie and Zarenyia.

My four favorite characters are all out on the case together. Horst, Johannes, Leonie, and Zarenyia all in one book. I'm so excited!

This book ended up being even better than I thought it would be. POC female narrator, strong plotting, and great dialogue. I thoroughly enjoyed it. The next one comes out this winter and I will definitely be reading.

This is the back of the book! I cannot wait to start it! Badass lady in spaaaaaaace!

The guy who wrote the Thomas Covenant books also wrote this. I'm not convinced yet. Giving it a few more chapters.

The guy who wrote the Thomas Covenant books also wrote this. I'm not convinced yet. Giving it a few more chapters.

It wasn't for me. I didn't like the story or the sentence structure.

I am so excited to start this book. How cute is this cover?

I am so excited to start this book. How cute is this cover?

This book. I'm not even sure what to say. I thought I knew what was happening but I was wrong. And I think we're headed somewhere better and even more heartbreaking, if that's even possible. I cannot wait until the 3rd book comes out next year. Regardless, in all things N.K. Jemisin is good, and highly recommended. P.S. How perfectly does this book match my quilt and sheets!?!

Ursula K. Le Guin, the ever awesome, in her story called "Another Story or a Fisherman of the Inland Sea." So looking forward to the two collections she has coming out this fall.

The second story in this collection is HARROWING. I had to hit pause and have a Taylor Swift dance party to recover. But I really enjoyed the collection, even the scary ones.

So pleased that the SF/F community awarded my favorite novel of the year the Hugo Award. Congratulations to N.K. Jemisin on a richly deserved accolade.

It was well written, but the fact that the detective spent as much time, or possibly more time, getting beat up as doing his job seemed excessive. I'd be happy reading another one by the author.