May Reading Update 2024
Jun. 6th, 2024 07:42 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
penwallaPretty slow in May! hopefully I can make up for it in the back half of June. Here's what I read:
Currently Reading:
Iron Flame by Rebecca Yarros
Losing the will to read this book every day.
The Adventures of Amina al-Sirafi by Shannon Chakraborty
So far I'm enjoying this one! Love having an older, Muslim female protagonist.
New Reads:
Rose/House by Arkady Martine
4/5. Mixed feelings about this one. I think the prose itself is really good and the story contains a lot of interesting ideas about architecture and artificial intelligence and the effect an abusive person can have on your life. But it doesn't really do anything with those ideas? The plot itself feels unfinished, and there's no resolution of anything at the end of the story, either externally in terms of the murder or internally in terms of the characters. I don't know that I found anything interesting about this ambiguity.
The Left Hand of Darkness by Ursula K. Le Guin
5/5. Wow. What an incredible book, and I think it holds up so well to the test of time. Le Guin creates an entirely alien world and then drowns you in it. Her novel still provokes thoughts about sex and gender that are relevant today, perhaps more than ever. I love the anthropological tone of the novel, too. The deep misogyny of our narrator colors the novel in a fascinating way, and really makes you think about how your internalized ideas about gender and sex color your view of the world around you.
So This Is Ever After by F. T. Lukens
3/5. Another underbaked fantasy novel. Everything about it feels thin: the worldbuilding, the plot, the relationships between characters, and especially the romance. It's going for an "in medias res" feel where you get dropped into the story without any build up, which I usually love, but I don't think it works well here.
A Nobleman's Guide to Seducing a Scoundrel by K.J. Charles
5/5. Another great histrom from Charles, who plays with class in an interesting way and manages a plot and third act conflict that feel believable and interesting. Loved seeing Joss and Gareth in the background, too. It's a great sequel to the previous book, building off its events and conflicts in a believable way without becoming repetitive.
Finlay Donovan Is Killing It by Elle Cosimano
3/5. Another book where no element really worked for me: the chaotic, madcap style didn't feel entertaining, the protagonist is a hot mess that I actively disliked, and this book contains a truly terrible love triangle with two terrible love interests. One of them is a bartender with 0 personality beyond being supportive of Finlay for no reason, and one of them is a cop, which automatically disqualifies him as a sexy love interest. Frankly it feels silly to me that the author sets up this friendship between Vera and Finlay, to the point they're co-parenting, and didn't just make her the love interest.
Rereads:
Bond by Virginia Kelly & Piper Scott
5/5. Bought it because I wanted to reread it. Still love it. No notes.
Currently Reading:
Iron Flame by Rebecca Yarros
Losing the will to read this book every day.
The Adventures of Amina al-Sirafi by Shannon Chakraborty
So far I'm enjoying this one! Love having an older, Muslim female protagonist.
New Reads:
Rose/House by Arkady Martine
4/5. Mixed feelings about this one. I think the prose itself is really good and the story contains a lot of interesting ideas about architecture and artificial intelligence and the effect an abusive person can have on your life. But it doesn't really do anything with those ideas? The plot itself feels unfinished, and there's no resolution of anything at the end of the story, either externally in terms of the murder or internally in terms of the characters. I don't know that I found anything interesting about this ambiguity.
The Left Hand of Darkness by Ursula K. Le Guin
5/5. Wow. What an incredible book, and I think it holds up so well to the test of time. Le Guin creates an entirely alien world and then drowns you in it. Her novel still provokes thoughts about sex and gender that are relevant today, perhaps more than ever. I love the anthropological tone of the novel, too. The deep misogyny of our narrator colors the novel in a fascinating way, and really makes you think about how your internalized ideas about gender and sex color your view of the world around you.
So This Is Ever After by F. T. Lukens
3/5. Another underbaked fantasy novel. Everything about it feels thin: the worldbuilding, the plot, the relationships between characters, and especially the romance. It's going for an "in medias res" feel where you get dropped into the story without any build up, which I usually love, but I don't think it works well here.
A Nobleman's Guide to Seducing a Scoundrel by K.J. Charles
5/5. Another great histrom from Charles, who plays with class in an interesting way and manages a plot and third act conflict that feel believable and interesting. Loved seeing Joss and Gareth in the background, too. It's a great sequel to the previous book, building off its events and conflicts in a believable way without becoming repetitive.
Finlay Donovan Is Killing It by Elle Cosimano
3/5. Another book where no element really worked for me: the chaotic, madcap style didn't feel entertaining, the protagonist is a hot mess that I actively disliked, and this book contains a truly terrible love triangle with two terrible love interests. One of them is a bartender with 0 personality beyond being supportive of Finlay for no reason, and one of them is a cop, which automatically disqualifies him as a sexy love interest. Frankly it feels silly to me that the author sets up this friendship between Vera and Finlay, to the point they're co-parenting, and didn't just make her the love interest.
Rereads:
Bond by Virginia Kelly & Piper Scott
5/5. Bought it because I wanted to reread it. Still love it. No notes.
