I love the worlds that P. Djèli Clark creates & this one was no exception. A dark fantasy with plenty of humour, our MC is an assassin of the dead cat tail assassin guild, & her night - which begins with the accepting of a contract to “shiv” someone during carnival, is about to go extremely sideways.

I hope we get to meet Eveen again, I‘d love to see her discover more about her past & to rebuild her destroyed book collection of heroic tales.

What a madcap tale! It feels like it has a cast of thousands and we all tumbled through the story together in a bit of blur - as a misunderstanding by the Governor balloons into a potential international incident as various government branches try to save face by inventing intelligence, which quickly spirals out of control… all this set against the looming independence of Nwkwami from British rule.

Went to Melbourne Museum today to visit Victoria the T-Rex and oh! how splendid she is! Childhood dinosaur fascination absolutely reactivated! Also saw the accompanying film in IMAX 3D, narrated by Sam Neill.

Victoria is one of the most complete T-Rex fossils in the world with 199 bones discovered (of a known 380 t-rex bones) and was rediscovered in South Dakota in 2013.

Told over the course of a single day, we follow Winona on her day, medical appointments, grocery trips, school pick up, preparing for a dinner party of her husband‘s friends. Told via stream of consciousness, tension builds as the picture of her home life crystallises - all leading to a single moment, a tipping point that will define her future.

CW : coercive control of spouse, escalating family violence

Zero cups of tea…. She should join her union!

I don‘t usually flick through The Australian Women‘s Weekly but this headline was too funny.

Our unnamed protagonist finds herself with visions of the dead and missing after eating dirt after the death of her mother. After being shunned by her community for the dirt eating visions, she starts being approached by women with missing loved ones desperate for answers.

This was a really interesting magical realism mystery that explores the dark tragedies of everyday lives.

I found this series initially via Netgally, my request for an arc for this latest instalment didn‘t get a response 🙃 so I was happy when I saw it available on Libby. I love the characters, we are 4 books in at this point - some interpersonal storylines went backwards, the mystery was interesting even if the resolution lacked the wow factor. I enjoyed reading it but I find certain aspects of the modern cozy genre quite frustrating.

Sometimes I question my life choices when I read cozy mysteries

I read the first couple of Mercy Thompson books all the way back in 2009 - and randomly seeing a review for the newest book the other day made me wonder about it - and Libby came through with the audiobook! So it was meant to be! I remembered almost nothing and had an absolute blast reacquainting myself with it all! With any luck - I‘ll stick with it this time round.

Oooh - I was digging around in StoryGraphs settings and I found there is an option to display reading streaks… HELLO! I‘ve been a bit lax this year about reading every day but this could be just the thing!

Anyway, I‘m sharnibee on StoryGraph, add me if you feel so inclined!

Book 1 came in! And tbh, I thought my dinner would take a little longer to come out…

This veggie burger (from a fish & chip shop) exceeded my expectations (I‘m extremely picky about veggie burgers maybe even slightly impossible about them 😇) would order again!

*nervous laughter*

WTF 👀

I was initially dubious about this being tagged extreme horror - but we definitely got there.

Recommend reading the trigger warnings. The descriptions are visceral.

I love urban fantasy and I really don‘t read enough of it anymore… I loved reading this but at the same time am quite devastated to know that I‘m going to have to wait for years and years while the rest of it is written.

This had such delightful interactions - a found family in its early days, really great action, some gut wrenching moments (the part where Rune relives his assault in particular) but also lots of humour and banter.

Onwards!

This story mostly follows Tavin Bankside‘s journey to accepting and learning about his empathic abilities under the guidance of the enigmatic hermit who lives in the woods. While also helping his Lieutenant heal from her physical wounds and emotional scars in order for them both to reach their full potential.

The epilogue made me tear up a little, not going to lie.

I‘m looking forward to reading more from this world.

This book was on the new book display at the library and it called my name AND I did hesitate when I saw that Goodreads lists it as book 7.5 but google insisted that it was a good entry point into the series and as the first book was out on loan… so my choice was either to wait or take my chances with this one!

More than anything else, this is a story about self discovery and learning what matters to them and what they are willing to risk to get it. It‘s gorgeously written but the pace is very, very slow. I loved how layered and flawed the characters were (especially the women). I loved the ending, although the last hour had me feeling so nervous about what was going to happen because *no one expects the Spanish Inquisition*.

… but I‘ve finished a book and need to mark it as READ 🫨

I feel like he could have maybe put a *little* more effort into creating a pseudonym…

Pretty much exactly the weird little vampire slice of life book I was expecting from the cover…

😍

🧀 📚 🍪

This caught my eye when I was shelving graphic novels on the weekend… Off to a good start so far!

Dolphin morphs, whale friends, sneaking into places as seagulls and a daring underwater rescue mission that results in saving Ax, the younger brother of the Andalite Prince who gifted the kids with morphing abilities before dying. The stakes are raised again as they not only have another near fatal brush with Visser 3 but learn what Yeerks do to lands they colonise. The sound effects really elevate the audiobook experience. SO MUCH FUN!

Smart kids with raw natural talent and the internet take on uncaring institutions that care more for money than problem solving. Loved how this unraveled.

Read for free here : https://reactormag.com/d-i-y-john-wiswell/

I‘d take a train turned dragon ESPECIALLY with that kind of attitude towards petty and unscrupulous bureaucrats.

Read story here : https://reactormag.com/the-three-oclock-dragon-john-wiswell/

“Shaw couldn‘t sleep so he doomscrolled the multiverse.” What a premise, talking to yourselves across the multiverse and realising the highs and lows of being online, the sneakiness of algorithms and the importance of balance to one‘s mental health.

Free to read here : https://reactormag.com/ill-miss-myself-john-wiswell/

🎧 👑 😈 📚

💔

(I mean, I‘m not shocked, I‘m gonna keep my preorder and be back next year with a similar update… I just wish authors/publishers were a bit more upfront about why release dates get pushed back… Especially when it‘s not the first push back. There are a couple of vague mentions from unofficial sources hinting at illness).

I loved this! Gonna be in my top reads for the year FOR SURE! Had a plot twist so good I said OOOOH out loud.

Shesheshen might be a monster but it‘s often the humans that showcase monstrous traits. Beautiful themes of love and connection together with grief, betrayal and generational trauma.

The audiobook was brilliant, Carmen Rose knocked it out of the park.

Libby really putting on the time pressure!!!

A delightfully odd and extremely random, slice of life graphic novel about 3 generations of Anna‘s - each generation taller than the last. Life isn‘t particularly kind - but why would it be if you are named Anna 1, Anna 2 or Anna 3?

I find cursive writing hard to read but it kind of worked with the illustration style. It looks like a school art project.

🎶

It‘s been entirely too long since the last time I rearranged the teen display - I went for a Fantasy theme… (is the display even by me if it doesn‘t include a Garth Nix title? 😍)

Was given another orchid after book chat! Same lady as last month - she‘s so sweet to have thought of us!

[unauthorised] autographed edition (straight into the deletions box, sadly)

Today‘s book chat selections!

Really great session, they had great questions and comments all the way through (these are the ones I talked about - my colleague had her own stack)

I‘m always a bit worried that no one will turn up but we had 10 today - which seems to be the new standard. Super happy with those numbers.

Obsessed with how this soundbite has progressed across social media platforms

I wandered, unsupervised into a bookshop - quite restrained of me to walk out again with only two new books (and a couple added to my Libby tbr)

I haven‘t read a Famous Five book in ages but this was honestly such a good time that - I‘m considering a full reread. The drama was amped up from the beginning, it‘s all more than a little ridiculous but it‘s set in a house with multiple secret passage ways… so what‘s not to enjoy?

He‘s literally been kidnapped, along with Sooty (who was just in the wrong place at the wrong time) and is being held underground in an old smugglers tunnel. Love the sentiment, Uncle Q but maybe play along??

This book is honestly so dramatic - I love it.

At this point, I‘m wondering if the stepfather loathing comes from personal experience…

Update : no personal experience of having a step parent but her beloved father did abandon the family, leaving her with a mother that she didn‘t particularly get along with. Wikipedia notes that she didn‘t attend either parents funeral.

“You don‘t have a stepmother and a stepfather!” said Sooty, scornfully. “You only have one or the other. My mother is my real mother, and she‘s Marybelle‘s mother too. But Marybelle and I are only half brother and sister because my stepfather is her real father.”

As someone with half siblings and an awful stepfather the SHADE in this book is hilarious! Everyone proceeds to feel extremely sorry for Marybelle having such an awful biological Dad.

Some days my decision to wait until there‘s enough DWJ books to buy that I can qualify for free shipping weighs more heavily than others (I already have the complete Moving Castle trilogy)

I was genuinely so upset when Kisten was brutally murdered that I threw the book across the room and donated the entire series to a thrift shop (I had the cool covers too - so some regret there) and just never went back… but somehow remained subscribed to the authors enewsletter… maybe I should revisit?

🥕 🧨 and 🔮

I found this beautiful case bound hardcover edition from 1974 in the second hand bookstore in Sassafras and 😍!! It‘s in beautiful condition - and I‘m obsessed with the cover!

Queer and highly suspicious things happen at Smuggler‘s Top. The Five have gone to stay with Sooty Lenoir and his father, after the ash tree fell on Kirrin Cottage.

Time for a reread, I think! I don‘t have strong memories of this one.

I have a friend visiting from Adelaide - she requested scones and she loves Agatha Christie… so obviously I had to coax her out of the city and into the hills for a visit to Miss Marple‘s Tea Rooms! (also a visit to the amazing tea shop with all the quirky teapots next door)

I loved the premise of this book and I really enjoyed reading it but I did think it was going to be a little bit funnier.

Orla in the kitchen is both an absolute delight and complete menace - long may she devise the castle menu!

A Disney pop up store has opened in Melbourne (at the Doncaster Westfield) and I went today (the regular stores closed in the early 00s) so I was mostly there for nostalgia…

Are people out there really buying Lotso? And if yes, why?

Anyway, I had a lovely time - but as with the original Disney stores, the prices are horrifying.

Spotify tells me that I listen to music like a Gen-Zer!
(I‘d make a joke about being forever young [the cover version by youth group] but I may have lost my millennial citizenship 🤣)

and I have been thinking about it for a solid 24 hours because how did I score zero in Boomer or Gen X? Where are the music generation lines drawn?!

#two4tuesday

🍎

I‘m making very slow progress through the tagged book - sometimes on my phone, sometimes on my kindle.