Thoughts

I was in a bit of a ghost kick when I picked up this book. I was pleasantly surprised to find some really good trans representation in it as well! I really enjoyed Hawk’s take on ghosts and mediums, and the characters were quite lovable. It wasn’t anything mind-blowing, but it was an enjoyable read nonetheless. I’m planning on picking up the second book soon!

Thoughts

If I’m being completely honest, I would not have picked up this book if it weren’t for an online book club I’m in. I ended up not joining the meeting, but I still read this book and boy am I glad I did. Miller does an excellent job of building Circe’s voice and personality through her writing style and storytelling. This was the book that got me out of my reading slump and I am so thankful for it. However, I don’t find myself hurrying to reread it anytime soon, so for now it will stay in the Good section instead of the Memorable.

Thoughts

I’m a sucker for a good werewolf book and this one had me hooked. While there wasn’t anything deeply profound about it, it was an enjoyable read with a fresh take on werewolf/human relations. The characters were lovable and complex, the plot interesting, and the world building quite well done. I’m holding on to the hope for a second book in the same world, if not in the same series.

Thoughts

With how crazy things are, I love a good cozy fantasy to escape into! I stumbled across this book by accident while looking for an audiobook to listen to while on a road trip, and it did just the trick! I loved the small town vibes, and the cast of characters were all unique and intriguing. I definitely recommend picking this book up if you need something a little lighter!

Thoughts

I picked this book primarily because it was set in Kenya and I needed a book for my read around the world challenge. I generally enjoy historical fantasies and mysteries, so I figured this would be right up my alley. Unfortunately, it fell quite flat. The female lead is white and from Britain, so often times her commentary about the Kenyan natives felt odd if not downright racist. The plot itself was difficult to follow, and I found it overall lacking. To be honest, I couldn’t quite tell which was the main plot and which was the subplot. Either way, none of the plots were interesting or made sense. That combined with the ill disguised racism, I did not enjoy this book at all and won’t read more in the series.

Thoughts

I wanted to like this book so much. It truly pains me to rate anything with good trans representation lower than three stars, but I just struggled with this book too much to rate it higher than two stars. Once again, my main issue is the plot. The progression felt extremely slow and hinged entirely on the trans male lead keeping the fact that he knew the other male lead as a child and when he was female presenting. It just didn’t feel like there was a lot of substance outside of that, and I found myself bored and frustrated halfway through.

Thoughts

Words cannot describe my undying love for this book. I picked it up randomly from Barnes and Noble mid panic attack (I was trying to seem normal and not have a meltdown0 and goodness am I glad I did. Akella tells a captivating and beautiful story of finding yourself in a world that wants you to be anything but. I cried, I laughed, and I cried some more as I read about each new hardship and triumph. I firmly believe that everyone should read this book and will always recommend it.

Thoughts

R.F. Kuang is an absolute mastermind when it comes to writing books that engage and challenge your understanding of the world. Babel absolutely destroyed me, but I am forever changed for the better. The pacing was rather up and down, and my interest waned during the lengthy exposition sections, but overall I found myself engrossed in the story. The characters were nuanced and compelling, the plot captivating, and the theme incredibly important and pertinent to today’s world. I’m not going to lie, it was a difficult read, but I definitely recommend everyone read this book at least once.