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reading update 3/5/2022
Whoops! Been a hot minute since I updated. I've read a lot of books since then, so let's get to it, but first, here's my ten book shortlist:
READ:
On Earth We're Briefly Gorgeous by Ocean Vuong
5/5. It's a beautiful and heart-wrenching novel. Ocean Vuong really opens up the immigrant experience and brings Little Dog and his family to life, and the lyrical prose does not distance the reader from the heavy subject matter the book deals with.
TGCF Vol 2 by Mo Xiong Tong Xiu
5/5. This book is so funny. The slapstick duo of Xie Lian and Shi Qingxuan kept me reading all night, not to mention all the Hualian goodness...I'd say if you loved or even liked volume 1, volume 2 is a must.
Comfort Me with Apples by Catherynne M. Valente
4/5. A predictable novella that still executes really well. Remarkably creepy, I loved the scene with the snake.
The Traitor Baru Cormorant by Seth Dickinson
5/5. What the fuck...this really reminds me of The Poppy War, though I frequently saw it recommended with GtN. It's a novel deeply preoccupied with imperialism, colonialism, and the way cultures eat each other. Baru is the kind of tragically ambitious protagonist I love. I definitely recommend it if you enjoyed TPW or The Unbroken by C. L. Clark.
Daughter of the Moon Goddess by Sue Lynn Tan
2/5. A disappointment! Sold as an adult fantasy but it's clearly a YA, and not a very good one. The inconsistent pacing, the flowery writing style, and the paper thin characterization made it a slog to get through.
The Ruin of a Rake by Cat Sebastian
4/5. Docking one star because these days any mention of India in a regency romance annoys me unless the story is actually centering Indians. Your characters cannot be anti-slavery progressives in favor of alleviating the plight of the poor and in the same breath have gotten rich by being shipping magnates out of India. Come on. Otherwise it's a quick, spicy, compelling romance between two men.
Secrets of a Summer Night by Lisa Kleypas
It Happened One Autumn by Lisa Kleypas
5/5 for both of these. The first 2 Wallflowers books are some of my favorite romances ever, in part because the books feel really rounded out by the friendships and familial relationships instead of being solely focused on the romance. I reread these annually.
Sorrowland by Rivers Solomon
5/5. A harrowing novel that uses supernatural elements to cast a light on racism. Deeply compelling, very scary.
- The Councillor by E.J. Beaton
- The Lady or the Lion by Aamna Qureshi
- The Charm Offensive by Alison Cochrun
- Riot Baby by Tochi Onyebuchi
- A Darker Shade of Magic by V. E. Schwab
- The Starless Sea by Erin Morgenstern
- The Queen of Ieflaria by Effie Calvin
- Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe by Benjamin Alire Saenz
READ:
On Earth We're Briefly Gorgeous by Ocean Vuong
5/5. It's a beautiful and heart-wrenching novel. Ocean Vuong really opens up the immigrant experience and brings Little Dog and his family to life, and the lyrical prose does not distance the reader from the heavy subject matter the book deals with.
TGCF Vol 2 by Mo Xiong Tong Xiu
5/5. This book is so funny. The slapstick duo of Xie Lian and Shi Qingxuan kept me reading all night, not to mention all the Hualian goodness...I'd say if you loved or even liked volume 1, volume 2 is a must.
Comfort Me with Apples by Catherynne M. Valente
4/5. A predictable novella that still executes really well. Remarkably creepy, I loved the scene with the snake.
The Traitor Baru Cormorant by Seth Dickinson
5/5. What the fuck...this really reminds me of The Poppy War, though I frequently saw it recommended with GtN. It's a novel deeply preoccupied with imperialism, colonialism, and the way cultures eat each other. Baru is the kind of tragically ambitious protagonist I love. I definitely recommend it if you enjoyed TPW or The Unbroken by C. L. Clark.
Daughter of the Moon Goddess by Sue Lynn Tan
2/5. A disappointment! Sold as an adult fantasy but it's clearly a YA, and not a very good one. The inconsistent pacing, the flowery writing style, and the paper thin characterization made it a slog to get through.
The Ruin of a Rake by Cat Sebastian
4/5. Docking one star because these days any mention of India in a regency romance annoys me unless the story is actually centering Indians. Your characters cannot be anti-slavery progressives in favor of alleviating the plight of the poor and in the same breath have gotten rich by being shipping magnates out of India. Come on. Otherwise it's a quick, spicy, compelling romance between two men.
Secrets of a Summer Night by Lisa Kleypas
It Happened One Autumn by Lisa Kleypas
5/5 for both of these. The first 2 Wallflowers books are some of my favorite romances ever, in part because the books feel really rounded out by the friendships and familial relationships instead of being solely focused on the romance. I reread these annually.
Sorrowland by Rivers Solomon
5/5. A harrowing novel that uses supernatural elements to cast a light on racism. Deeply compelling, very scary.