January 2024 Reading Update
Feb. 9th, 2024 09:40 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
penwallaStarting the year off strong with a bunch of Kindle Unlimited titles, plus one actual new release that I got to in a timely fashion.
Currently Reading:
Iron Flame by Rebecca Yarros
Am I reading this? I feel compelled to because I started recapping, but it's so long and so boring.
Rereads:
The Murder on the Blue Train by Agatha Christie
3/5. Serviceable but not exceptional.
New Reads:
The Monster of Elendhaven by Jennifer Giesbracht
3/5. Pretty prose, but the story itself feels insubstantial. There's a lot of imagery and a little bit of plot and an ending that is trying to be impactful, but isn't.
Entranced by the Earl by Jillian Eaton
2/5. Nothing fresh or original about this. The characters have 0 chemistry or moments of genuine connection, and that means there's nothing to carry the book forward at all.
Sorcerer to the Crown by Zen Cho
4/5. A Regency fantasy novel about a unlikely Sorceror Royal and the incorrigible apprentice he takes on. Heavy on politics and racial commentary, light on romance. I liked it, but didn't love it. Overall solid, would definitely recommend -- I really enjoyed the way Cho tied all the plot threads together at the end.
Emily WIlde's Map of the Otherlands by Heather Fawcett (Emily Wilde #2)
4/5. Another fantasy romance that I liked but didn't love. This one is stronger on the romance than the first one, but there is still something...unsatisfying about it to me? It's a good book overall, I like the POV and the style and plot, but it doesn't resonate strongly with me the way books I love do. Still would recommend it, I liked seeing Emily's growth from the last book a lot.
Love at 350 by Lisa Peers
3/5. Sweet, but ultimately feels like it's spinning its wheels a bit. I love the idea of two middle-aged women finding love together on a TV show, but the romance is conducted entirely through secrets notes and is pretty bloodless. And the book just ends without the romance ever getting started.
Daughter of the Forest by Juliet Marillier
4/5. Beautifully written fantasy. I wouldn't call it romantasy, but there's still a good romance element. It has a very strong sense of place and a distinct voice.
Clutch by Piper Scott & Virginia Kelly
4/5. It's a lot of fun! I think Alistair and Nate are both a little thinly characterized, and frankly I hope future installments are more critical of the dragons' wealth hoarding, but overall solid. Definitely want to pick up future installments.
Mate by Piper Scott & Virginia Kelly
5/5. Read this one twice! Everard and Harry are much better characterized, and there's more interesting world-building in this one! Would get five stars except that I feel like Harry being accidentally magically transitioned should have carried a bit more weight. I have hopes that future installments will address some of the fuckery of dragon society.
Bond by Piper Scott & Virginia Kelly
5/5. Okay, now we finally get into the meat of dragon society. I thought Snorum was deeply annoying, but otherwise I thought it was a really solid installment.
Swallow by Piper Scott & Virginia Kelly
4/5. I wish this was twice the length, because the speed at which it moved made it feel kind of uncomfortable. I did end up enjoying it in the end. This is a character dynamic I am not opposed to, but Wally has such a heavy backstory, it felt wrong that he rushes right into being a dragon's mate and never gets the chance to exercise his agency otherwise.
Finch by Piper Scott & Virginia Kelly
3/5. An absolutely charmless romance. Why would anyone fall in love with Hugh?
Peregrine by Piper Scott & Virginia Kelly
4/5. A very sweet spin off revolving around Perry. Honestly, this gets 4 stars only because it highlights something about the series overall that I don't like, which is that none of these brothers seem to really like each other. In particular it is striking to me how awful everyone is to Alistair consistently.
Thousand Autumns: Qian Qiu Vol. 1-3 by Meng Xi Shi
All 3 volumes are a 3/5 for me. I like Shen Qiao, but not Yan Wushi, and overall I don't find myself particularly invested in anything or anyone.
Far From the Light of Heaven by Tade Thompson
3/5. I feel like I just don't like books where there's no foreshadowing of the big revelation at the end. This is an interesting and tightly paced sci fi thriller, with interesting and pertinent social commentary. But the revelations aren't really foreshadowed or built up -- we're just infodumped at the end what the truth was -- and it doesn't work for me at all.
Tides of Magic by Andi R. Christopher
3/5. I bought this in a Storybundle of sapphic fantasy novels, and frankly the romance in this is barely there and it's really more like the prologue to an actual series. The writing is pretty clumsy in places, and it felt like it leaned too hard on Charley's ADHD for conflict.
Persona 5 Vol. 11 by Hisato Murasaki
5/5. I really enjoy revisiting this part of the story. Especially because it was a pain to play through.
Currently Reading:
Iron Flame by Rebecca Yarros
Am I reading this? I feel compelled to because I started recapping, but it's so long and so boring.
Rereads:
The Murder on the Blue Train by Agatha Christie
3/5. Serviceable but not exceptional.
New Reads:
The Monster of Elendhaven by Jennifer Giesbracht
3/5. Pretty prose, but the story itself feels insubstantial. There's a lot of imagery and a little bit of plot and an ending that is trying to be impactful, but isn't.
Entranced by the Earl by Jillian Eaton
2/5. Nothing fresh or original about this. The characters have 0 chemistry or moments of genuine connection, and that means there's nothing to carry the book forward at all.
Sorcerer to the Crown by Zen Cho
4/5. A Regency fantasy novel about a unlikely Sorceror Royal and the incorrigible apprentice he takes on. Heavy on politics and racial commentary, light on romance. I liked it, but didn't love it. Overall solid, would definitely recommend -- I really enjoyed the way Cho tied all the plot threads together at the end.
Emily WIlde's Map of the Otherlands by Heather Fawcett (Emily Wilde #2)
4/5. Another fantasy romance that I liked but didn't love. This one is stronger on the romance than the first one, but there is still something...unsatisfying about it to me? It's a good book overall, I like the POV and the style and plot, but it doesn't resonate strongly with me the way books I love do. Still would recommend it, I liked seeing Emily's growth from the last book a lot.
Love at 350 by Lisa Peers
3/5. Sweet, but ultimately feels like it's spinning its wheels a bit. I love the idea of two middle-aged women finding love together on a TV show, but the romance is conducted entirely through secrets notes and is pretty bloodless. And the book just ends without the romance ever getting started.
Daughter of the Forest by Juliet Marillier
4/5. Beautifully written fantasy. I wouldn't call it romantasy, but there's still a good romance element. It has a very strong sense of place and a distinct voice.
Clutch by Piper Scott & Virginia Kelly
4/5. It's a lot of fun! I think Alistair and Nate are both a little thinly characterized, and frankly I hope future installments are more critical of the dragons' wealth hoarding, but overall solid. Definitely want to pick up future installments.
Mate by Piper Scott & Virginia Kelly
5/5. Read this one twice! Everard and Harry are much better characterized, and there's more interesting world-building in this one! Would get five stars except that I feel like Harry being accidentally magically transitioned should have carried a bit more weight. I have hopes that future installments will address some of the fuckery of dragon society.
Bond by Piper Scott & Virginia Kelly
5/5. Okay, now we finally get into the meat of dragon society. I thought Snorum was deeply annoying, but otherwise I thought it was a really solid installment.
Swallow by Piper Scott & Virginia Kelly
4/5. I wish this was twice the length, because the speed at which it moved made it feel kind of uncomfortable. I did end up enjoying it in the end. This is a character dynamic I am not opposed to, but Wally has such a heavy backstory, it felt wrong that he rushes right into being a dragon's mate and never gets the chance to exercise his agency otherwise.
Finch by Piper Scott & Virginia Kelly
3/5. An absolutely charmless romance. Why would anyone fall in love with Hugh?
Peregrine by Piper Scott & Virginia Kelly
4/5. A very sweet spin off revolving around Perry. Honestly, this gets 4 stars only because it highlights something about the series overall that I don't like, which is that none of these brothers seem to really like each other. In particular it is striking to me how awful everyone is to Alistair consistently.
Thousand Autumns: Qian Qiu Vol. 1-3 by Meng Xi Shi
All 3 volumes are a 3/5 for me. I like Shen Qiao, but not Yan Wushi, and overall I don't find myself particularly invested in anything or anyone.
Far From the Light of Heaven by Tade Thompson
3/5. I feel like I just don't like books where there's no foreshadowing of the big revelation at the end. This is an interesting and tightly paced sci fi thriller, with interesting and pertinent social commentary. But the revelations aren't really foreshadowed or built up -- we're just infodumped at the end what the truth was -- and it doesn't work for me at all.
Tides of Magic by Andi R. Christopher
3/5. I bought this in a Storybundle of sapphic fantasy novels, and frankly the romance in this is barely there and it's really more like the prologue to an actual series. The writing is pretty clumsy in places, and it felt like it leaned too hard on Charley's ADHD for conflict.
Persona 5 Vol. 11 by Hisato Murasaki
5/5. I really enjoy revisiting this part of the story. Especially because it was a pain to play through.
