While this is a short piece it is not just a smutty (basically erotica) novella. I really appreciated the amount of world building Actually 3.5 stars.
While this is a short piece it is not just a smutty (basically erotica) novella. I really appreciated the amount of world building Lauren was able to fit into such a short work, especially as this is the third book in a series/world but the only one of which I've read. This is my favourite kind of paranormal world with it's magical realism adjacent kind of world building.
I'm going to look back at the other two novellas but I wouldn't say no to a whole novel with more than just romance going on in it. One of the better novellas I started (if not finished) during my novella binge....more
Actually 3.5 stars - rounded up because it was exactly the vibe I wanted.
Another reviewer described this as the romance equivalent of an "adult onesieActually 3.5 stars - rounded up because it was exactly the vibe I wanted.
Another reviewer described this as the romance equivalent of an "adult onesie with bunny ears" and while they didn't necessarily mean it as a compliment it was exactly why I decided to pick up this book, and having now finished it, I agree - this is a perfect assessment.
It is cozy and gentle romance set in a lightly paranormal world while also being pretty high on the smut level (while still being a whole book with a plot and character development) and touching on some pretty intense topics (how growing up fundie harms women, SA, homelessness, etc) you'll still spend most of your time reading this feeling like you are being gently hugged while you sip cocoa in an adorable onesie.
It was exactly what I wanted. And I'm interested in both the next book in this series and possibly more from this author....more
My FLCBS (friendly local comic book store) told me that they observed I really enjoyed Magical Girl books and they thought I'd for sure want to read MMy FLCBS (friendly local comic book store) told me that they observed I really enjoyed Magical Girl books and they thought I'd for sure want to read Mamo and they were absolutely correct. Honestly, I'm going to need Milledge to give me more books, if not with Jo and Orla, at least in this world.
If filipino, sapphic, witches in a super interesting world + this stunning are isn't enough to sell you on Mamo, I don't know what else to tell you....more
This is probably actually a 4.5 but I'm rounding up because I had so much fun reading it, and I feel like having fun was it's whole damn purpose. So eThis is probably actually a 4.5 but I'm rounding up because I had so much fun reading it, and I feel like having fun was it's whole damn purpose. So extra points for executing the landing without a hitch.
This is basically a book by a Gen X hard core Geek TO all the Gen X hard core, life long geeks, in every way from the writing to the casting. We just had a great time reading it which was actually made better after I listened to the audible interview with Felicia Day about the making of it.
I first came across Felicia years ago when I randomly bought a graphic novel of made from the Guild show and then promptly binged the show. We loved Geek and Sundry (especially Wil's board game stuff). And while this book was it's very own thing it just felt... comfortable and cozy. And I love it for that....more
Exactly the kind of story I expected from Miyazaki. As a watercolour painter myself seeing his work in this format was a real treat.
I'm not sure if tExactly the kind of story I expected from Miyazaki. As a watercolour painter myself seeing his work in this format was a real treat.
I'm not sure if the book itself is worth 5 stars, but I actually enjoyed the author and translator notes almost as much as the book itself and they definitely pushed up it's rating in my estimation....more
This was exactly what I wanted it to be. A perfect blend of cute and spooky - spooky cute - with sweet characters and friendships. I'm looking forwardThis was exactly what I wanted it to be. A perfect blend of cute and spooky - spooky cute - with sweet characters and friendships. I'm looking forward to the next volume....more
I don't really get poetry, which is a shame - as in I am ashamed of that fact - because I am the child of two enthusiastic poets. I blame it on my graI don't really get poetry, which is a shame - as in I am ashamed of that fact - because I am the child of two enthusiastic poets. I blame it on my grade 10 English teacher.
I have a couple books in verse I really want to read and see it the combination of a novel like story plus verse will work for me. I started this one because of the readathon and now I regret that decision, because I didn't really enjoy this book (at all) and now I'm worried it's me and not the book.
Maybe I should give up on poetry?
I don't really feel qualified to judge the book so I gave it neutral/mediocre rating scores across the board.
I only finished it in the end because it was short and I could.
I'm experimenting with a new review system that rates 4 key categories on a 1-10 scale and rounds down into a star rating (adapted from the CAWPILE system by Book Roast)
Book 15 in the 2023 Tor Dot Com Read a Thon....more
So I finished Empress of Salt and Fortune and decided to see if my library had the rest and the books and discovered yes, yes they did - in audio - soSo I finished Empress of Salt and Fortune and decided to see if my library had the rest and the books and discovered yes, yes they did - in audio - so I immediately borrowed and listened to book 2. As you do.
I love reading books that use myth and folklore from cultures outside of the American and European roots. I love learning about all the forms of magic and myth that it never even occurred to me to imagine possible. Case in point, the way the tigers are People who can simply shift forms and that's considered not worth remarking on.
So far, book 1 remains my favorite because I loved the feminism and the depth in that story. But this one was fun and clever and I'm excited to read the next two.
RATING Significance: 7 - Good Writing: 8.5 - Excellent Enjoyment: 7 - Good Plot/Character: 7 - Good Total: 29.5 = 3.75 Stars
I'm experimenting with a new review system that rates 4 key categories on a 1-10 scale and rounds down into a star rating (adapted from the CAWPILE system by Book Roast)
Book 9 in the 2023 Tor Dot Com Read a Thon....more
This is a book I never would have picked up - or probably even heard of - if I hadn't been building a TBR for the Tor Dot Com a Thon and OMG I'm SO glThis is a book I never would have picked up - or probably even heard of - if I hadn't been building a TBR for the Tor Dot Com a Thon and OMG I'm SO glad I did.
Lately there have been a handful of books where my enjoyment of it has been so high while reading it that I need to set the book down and pause because I'm just so IN it. Kind of like how something can be so cute you want to eat/squeeze it (very cool science bits here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yxsoE...) - that feeling, but with characters and story. Becky Chambers. Martha Wells. Janice Hallet. And now Marion Deeds.
I loved how I had no idea what was going on, even as what was going on was slowly being unraveled in front of me. I loved the characters. And, surprisingly for me, I loved how the story was told two steps back, one step forward through time.
It's maybe a mystery. Maybe a heist film. Magical realism. Justice. Revenge. And Good For Her. And a super engaging world all in under 200 pages. SO glad I picked this up. Now to figure out what to read next from Deeds.
I'm experimenting with a new review system that rates 4 key categories on a 1-10 scale and rounds down into a star rating (adapted from the CAWPILE system by Book Roast)
Book 7 in the 2023 Tor Dot Com Read a Thon....more
Editing to increase my star rating because I'm STILL thinking about it over a year later.
I've had this on my TBR for SO long. I'd heard so many good tEditing to increase my star rating because I'm STILL thinking about it over a year later.
I've had this on my TBR for SO long. I'd heard so many good things, knew it was much beloved, and honestly, I was scared to dive into reading it. Partly, I don't think I'd realized how short it was. The rest was that lately my mental health just hasn't supported reading really dense stuff; I've been avoiding literature, and dense or "high" fantasy for the last 4 years or so and I had the impression this book was going to fall into that place my brain just didn't have the space to parse out. How wrong I was.
In reality this was a short and easy read. The whole time I was reading it I kept observing it had a very similar feeling to Becky Chambers' Psalm for the Wild Built and Prayer for the Crown Shy - easy, almost dream like, cozy vibes. It felt like a book that wanted me to believe that there is a place where even I could be heard and seen. It was comforting and inspiring and it's art feels like it's feeding the art in me, but where Chambers' books have a Meaning of Life message impact, this allows itself to stay a story - it's ok being whatever you need it to be for you.
I'm experimenting with a new review system that rates 4 key categories on a 1-10 scale and rounds down into a star rating (adapted from the CAWPILE system by Book Roast)
Book 8 in the 2023 Tor Dot Com Read a Thon....more
This is a 30 page short story. Short stories aren't usually my thing, but despite that I found myself fully invested in the characteActually 3.5 stars
This is a 30 page short story. Short stories aren't usually my thing, but despite that I found myself fully invested in the characters and the world. This is not one of those short stories that actually has a plot, or that is doing anything to try and move the world or characters forward in any meaningful way, but the writing was excellent and did it's job. It made me feel the things the author set out to make me feel and it got me curious about and potentially invested in what else this character is doing in their world.
Typically I'd round a short story down, but I'm rounding up because it did it's job so well.
I'm experimenting with a new review system that rates 4 key categories on a 1-10 scale and rounds down into a star rating (adapted from the CAWPILE system by Book Roast)
Book 6 in the 2023 Tor Dot Com Read a Thon....more
I don't really read a lot of horror *for reasons* otherwise this might be rated higher. Now I need to read the other Nghi Vo books in my collection.I don't really read a lot of horror *for reasons* otherwise this might be rated higher. Now I need to read the other Nghi Vo books in my collection....more
I went into this thinking I'd really love it, it looks just like something I'd love (also that cover colour palette - so my thing),Actually 3.5 Stars.
I went into this thinking I'd really love it, it looks just like something I'd love (also that cover colour palette - so my thing), but actually I spent the first third of the book thinking I would DNF it. I don't know if I can put my finger quite on what it was that wasn't working for me... but it became a moot point because somewhere around the 50% mark I started to really get into it and I ended up finishing it up fine.
I still can't tell you wasn't working for me (pacing? World building? Lack of connection to the MC?) but once the Hollowbones got involved the story picked up for me. I enjoyed it, and I'd even recommend it (for young readers mostly) I still didn't love it. Hence rounding down the rating....more
I was so looking forward to this. So many people whose opinion I respect loved this, but it ended up just falling flat. I had a whole rant about how bI was so looking forward to this. So many people whose opinion I respect loved this, but it ended up just falling flat. I had a whole rant about how badly it was plotted and how frustrating the characters and typical and unsurprising the bad guy was... but that was in Feb when I was apparently so annoyed I forgot to review it. So now you get what I can remember instead of a well thought out review....more
Molly Knox Ostertag (along with Kay O'Neill) is basically an auto-buy author for me. She's always worth it.Molly Knox Ostertag (along with Kay O'Neill) is basically an auto-buy author for me. She's always worth it....more
This book feels a little iffy for me to review, because I'm really of two minds about it, so let's maybe just spell out both sides:Actually 3.5 stars.
This book feels a little iffy for me to review, because I'm really of two minds about it, so let's maybe just spell out both sides:
Things I Liked:
- The writing is really good, that characterization and world were both excellent, I'm honestly a little disappointed that Graves seems to primarily write Monster Romances (or what my sister so aptly calls Fancy Peen) books, because I *really* want to read more about her world and characters (more about that in the dislike list) but fancy peen just isn't my thing. sad face
- as mentioned I LOVED this world and the characters. I was actually super disappointed to just have it... end.
Things I Did Not Like:
- The word "milking" never needs to be in any of my romance/smut books ever again ok. I don't need to see that word unless people are interacting with cows and goats to get the white liquid we put on breakfast cereal. Thank you.
- It was too much sex. Look, I don't mind graphic sex *when it serves the plots and the characters* but this wasn't that. Recently I heard a Booktuber talking about the trend of more sex for sexes sake because it gets books mentioned on Tik Tok and reading this book I felt like it was an exact example of that.
My sister and I buddy read this and at the 60% mark I started commenting on this being the first time our characters had any kind of intimacy that wasn't naked banging, and it was such a shame because *that* intimacy was lovely, well written, was really swoony and... was fleeting and then gone. So much word count was put into the sex, it felt like actual relationship building, emotional charge AND plot were cut to fit One More Sex Scene. Which left me feeling very:
Why not both?
- I'm sorry, but where did the actual climax of the story (not the characters, there was tons of that) go? We formulate a plan to address the actual... you know... PLOT of the story and then: Ta Da EPILOGUE. I was genuinely confused, why would you spend all this time setting up for the resolution and then... skip it.
And here's the thing my sister and I really hit upon: This could have been a whole novel. This felt like Graves for the idea for this plot, jotted it all down and then instead of filling it out with some side plots and development for future book characters etc... decided to just write what is arguably an excellent full novel plot into a smutty novella, and had to cut out the core part of the book to make it short enough to fit. And I genuinely don't know why.
The characters and world were robust enough for a full book. The plot was solid enough for a full book. The relationship sure as fuck had the room to develop and sustain a full book. The pacing was set for a full (if shorter) book. This could have easily been a 4-5 star 200-250 page book. And honestly, not letting it do that made a 2.5-3 star result.
I've added an extra .5 stars because I REALLY enjoyed the writing, characters and world, if you read this you will not complain about that, in fact, you'll probably only complain about it being cut off so abruptly. Shame, because it might have been a favourite of the year....more
I read this way back in March but am just now discovering I never added it to my Goodreads so you're just getting the "What I Can ReActually 3.5 Stars
I read this way back in March but am just now discovering I never added it to my Goodreads so you're just getting the "What I Can Remember" feedback.
So, here's the thing: I love paranormals and urban fantasies, and of all the monsters commonly featured Weres (wolves or otherwise) are my favourites, but I don't actually enjoy horror or thriller/suspense books. This book definitely steps over the Paranormal line into Horror.
So while I did really enjoy reading it, it was pushing me out of my comfort zone *just enough* that it lowered my star rating. But if you love Weres AND Horror and graphic novels, then you'll probably like this a lot more than my rating reflects.
I was about halfway through this book and thought: I just really love Garlic. (The Count is also extra excellent in this book.) I loved spending time I was about halfway through this book and thought: I just really love Garlic. (The Count is also extra excellent in this book.) I loved spending time with her. I loved seeing the world through her perspective. I could totally just sit down today and read it all over again because of that sweet, cozy feeling hanging out with her gives me....more
While this book *is* incredibly cute and I loved so much of the art going on in it, it really wasn't for mActually 2.5 stars, rounding up for the art.
While this book *is* incredibly cute and I loved so much of the art going on in it, it really wasn't for me. I got it for my birthday in August, immediately sat down to read it, got 1/3-1/2 in and had to take a break. That break lasted until today (November). I wanted it to have more Cat and less Creepy, but it really (really) leans into the creepy - which is fine, just not for me.
If you are that slightly odd, creepy goth girl though, this book was probably made for you. ...more
I read something like 8 graphic novels/manga this week and Witch for Hire was one of my favourites, so I'm surprised to see it rated so low here. The I read something like 8 graphic novels/manga this week and Witch for Hire was one of my favourites, so I'm surprised to see it rated so low here. The book read like an excellent set up for an on going series and I for one hope Naifeh makes a follow up....more
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