Currently Reading - Blog Posts

''Music conveys feelings that words are not enough to the heart...:)🎶

Beyond the sky is the universe and that is our limit. chrislongpainter web page

I'm really enjoying RJ Barkers worldbuilding.

I've read the boneships trilogy last year and really enjoyed it so I'm reading gods of the wyrdwood rn

Theres so much going on in terms of worldbuilding ahhahah I'm so happy. Its a lot. Gotta reread (both series) because i wanna draw some epic fanart if i got the time..

Dove sei, mondo bello

Trama: Alice ha scritto due romanzi di enorme successo, ma per trovare compagnia deve andare su Tinder. Eileen lavora per una rivista letteraria, però non ci paga l'affitto. Simon ama da sempre la stessa donna, ma da sempre ne frequenta altre. Felix passa in birreria il tempo libero dal lavoro di magazziniere, ma la sua è una fuga. Alice, Eileen, Simon e Felix si parlano, si fraintendono, si deludono e si amano e, mentre attraversano il cerchio di fuoco dei trent'anni, si chiedono se esista davvero, al di là, ancora, un mondo bello in cui sperare.

Questo libro mi è stato regalato per natale, nonostante fosse già in ogni caso nella mia tbr. Avevo aspettative abbastanza alte, considerando quanto mi ero trovata coinvolta da Persone Normali.

Purtroppo, devo dire che le mie aspettative sono state deluse. Ho trovato lo stile di scrittura scadente, quando nel secondo pubblicato dalla Rooney invece risultava ancora fresco e pieno di novità.

Sarà sicuramente anche colpa dei tempi in cui viviamo oggi, dove tutto evolve ad una velocità impressionante e ciò che era nuovo ieri, oggi già ci annoia. Però devo anche dire che ho trovato l'evoluzione di stile da un romanzo del 2018 ad uno del 2021 veramente minima, anzi, retrocedente. Il lettore sa avvertire la sincerità oppure una forzatura da parte dello scrittore, nella scelta delle parole e dei temi.

Partendo da un'idea di fondo anche carina, adatta a mantenere l'intrattenimento attivo con l'alternarsi di prosa narrativa e un format da e-mail, purtroppo non ha saputo spiccare il volo.

I voli pindarici che affrontano entrambe le protagoniste in queste mail, forzatamente intellettualiste ed innaturali, risultano quasi irritanti. Con questo non intendo che in letteratura non possano esistere personaggi pretenziosi, soprattutto considerando che la gran parte degli scrittori stessi peccano di questo vizio, ma bisogna saperlo scrivere con proposito.

La componente autobiografica nel personaggio di Alice, scrittrice trentenne irlandese esattamente come Rooney, è evidente. Le riflessioni sul mondo letterario contemporaneo sono state interessanti, e la domanda di fondo sulla possibilità di fare letteratura in un mondo come il nostro è valida e realistica.

La componente sul discorso sulla salute mentale è un po' un buco nell'acqua, affronta in superfice un argomento sin troppo delicato, mancando l'opportunità di approfondimento.

La storia d'amore tra Eileen e Simon mi ha lasciata dubbiosa. Non comprendo il tratto in entrambe le protagoniste di completa sottomissione ai rispettivi partner, dove viene non solo esplicitato, ma addirittura elogiato il bisogno femminile di approvazione maschile. Entrambe si lasciano trattare malamente, e si autocelebrano per questo. Eileen ha un'evoluzione narrata dall'infanzia di una personalità ferita, e anzi che accompagnare il personaggio verso un risolvimento personale, Rooney decide di mantenerla statica nella sua sottomissione a Simon, elogiato come uomo perfetto nella sua cristianità.

Credo sia fondamentale ricordaci che la letteratura è tutta, al suo nucleo, un simbolo, un messaggio. Una scrittrice con una target audience di giovani ragazze, dovrebbe ricordarlo ancor di più e non dimenticare che i suoi personaggi non restano suoi, vengono assorbiti dalle personalità delle sue lettrici.

Il confine tra la rappresentazione di una fetta di società, la rappresentazione delle convinzioni malate che le donne si ritrovano a dover combattere e la sua normalizzazione è sottile.

Per oggi è tutto, alla prossima! Se avete suggerimenti per altre recensioni sentitevi liberi di commentare xx

Trying to understand the only Spanish book I have in my possession: el sombrero de tres picos

Since I have real holiday this year, I try to read more. Because I used to read a lot when I was younger but due to school and homework I completely stopped. So here is my current book : A dance with dragons by GRR Martin, the fifth book of a song of Ice and fire serie And it is the biggest book I ever read, there's more than 1000 pages. I am French and I actually haven't read a book that big. Through its a pocket book so it's probably the reason why.

41/100 days of productivity: Tomorrow I will start my revisions weeks. So to motivate me I go to bed early, put cream and read few chapters. I should finish this game of thrones book a long time ago but I never have time to read anymore with all my homeworks. I haven't read a book since my French class books I guess. But I did bought books anyway.

It is so satisfying to have done all my homework during the holiday and having a little bite of free time during the week. Maybe I will finally finish this book!

I'm re-reading Demian by Hermann Hesse.

(I'm having a mental breakdown)

Do androids dream of electric sheep?, Philip K. Dick

January 2023 Wrap-Up

I really think I should just change my blog name to "I am only slightly late posting this." I think it would fit the vibe better.

ANYWAYS! I had a really good reading month in January despite being on vacation for the first week of the month. I read a total of 4 books and some were better than others

The Vanishing Half by Brit Bennet

This was my first read of the year and I am glad it was. I loved this book and I really don't have much to complain about. I loved how character focused this book was and yet it still managed to keep me interested (unlike other books I read this month). I am not sure if there was any overarching plot but this was still a fun read especially for those who love historical fiction!

4/5 Stars

A Reaper at the Gates by Sabaa Tahir

The third installment in the An Ember in the Ashes series. This was my favorite so far. Most of the book felt like it dragged on and it was very focused on character development which usually doesn't bother me but this whole series is very action packed and the slower pace of this installment tripped me up. However, the last 2/3rds of this book had me reeling and screaming into my pillow. And the ending knocked me right off my feet. It is easily one of the best endings I have ever read.

4.5/5 Stars

Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo

This is a re-read. This year I am focusing less on reading new books and more on finishing series. I have only read the first 3 books in this series so I felt justified to read it again. I watched the show with my mom and we both loved it and now that the second season is coming out I want to read the entire series PLUS the six of crows duology by the time it comes out in March (This is definitely a long shot I know). I was not expecting to like this book as much as I did. I had read it when I hadn't really developed my reading tastes and loved everything I read. This book is older and I just was expecting it to be an eh book. I loved it, is it the greatest work of literature? No, but I love it.

4/5 Stars

Dance of Thieves by Mary E. Pearson

Well, not every book I read this month could be a hit. I don't think I had high expectations going into this but this book severely disappointed me. This is marketed as enemies to lovers but they were kissing by page 120. I thought oh maybe there is some backstabbing and there was but they still maintained feelings? Not only that but this book is too damn long. This book was 505 pages long and didn't get good until the last 100 ish pages. I feel like this book tried to be character driven and it was but to the point to where there was no plot. I was simply reading about people doing stuff.

2/5 Stars

As I mentioned before, this year I am focusing on finishing series and clearing out my TBR so I will be reviewing a lot more sequels and other installations in series. I may also be re-reading some books so that I can finish books that I read in previous years.

Once again, I am sorry for posting late. I will see you guys in my February Mid-month update (no TBR this month, sorry!)

Much love,

June <3

2022 End of the Year Wrap-Up

I am so excited to be back from my hiatus! It was a much needed break and I am happy to announce that I have finished my 3rd semester of college and was able to spend more time with friends and family.

2022 was certainly a year of growth for me. I really grew into my responsibilities and I could not be more proud of myself. Not only was I productive in self care this year but also in reading. My Goodreads reading goal this year was 40 compared to last year’s goal of 29. I was also able to complete my goal this year and read a total of 40 books! This makes me very excited, last year my goal was far less and I wasn’t able to complete it so I am extra proud of the progress I have made. Another goal I had this year was to not re-read as many books and make myself branch out into new territories, I was also able to do that, only re-reading 4 books.

I will not be going in depth for many of these books as I have given reviews for many on Goodreads or they have made it onto this blog already. I'm going to keep my comments on what I read this year brief unless there is something special I want to mention. As always, full thoughts (during and after reading) are on Goodreads, so if you want to know more about what I thought, check there or DM me (here or on Instagram @Jooniens )

(also note before reading, on Goodreads I will round up my scores accordingly hence why you will see a difference in ratings!)

No more waiting, here are all of the books I read in 2022!

The Final Girl Support Group by Grady Hendrix

I love Hendrix’s work but his other novels definitely outshine this one.

3.5/5 Stars

Gumiho by Kat Cho

A little over dramatic for my taste, an interesting concept though.

3/5 Stars

Scythe by Neal Shusterman (2018 Re-read)

Just reaffirmed my love for this series, full thoughts on Goodreads.

5/5 Stars

Clap When You Land by Elizabeth Acevedo

Fairly unmemorable, I enjoyed reading it.

3/5 Stars

Mistborn by Brandon Sanderson

An instant favorite.

5/5 Stars

One True Loves by Taylor Jenkins Reid

Not my favorite book by this author but enjoyable and memorable.

3/5 Stars

The Secret Lives of Church Ladies by Deesha Philya

An excellent collection of short stories that touched my heart.

4/5 Stars

Salt to the Sea by Ruta Sepetys

A quick and easy read, not my favorite book by this author.

3/5 Stars

The Wife Upstairs by Rachel Hawkins

A surprisingly good read that kept my drives to work interesting.

3.5/5 Stars

Darius the Great is Not Okay by Adib Khorram

A touching book that sticks with me to this day. A favorite to come out of YA.

4.5/5 Stars

The Well of Ascension by Brandon Sanderson

An excellent and action packed sequel to Mistborn.

4.5/5 Stars

I Kissed Sarah Wheeler by Casey Mcquiston

I think Mcquiston should stick to Adult novels, it doesn't compete with other YA on the market.

2.5/5 Stars

American Panda by Gloria Chao

A cute coming of age story. Enjoyable but not exactly unique.

3.5/5 Stars

All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr

A very disappointing book for a Pulitzer Prize winner. Full thoughts on Goodreads

2.5/5 Stars

The Summer I Turned Pretty by Jenny Han

A super cute summer read. Not the height of literature but fun to read.

2.5/5 Stars

Dumplin’ by Julie Murphy

Such a fun concept with an unlikable main character.

3/5 Stars

The Raven Boys by Maggie Stiefvater

The hype got to this one for me but I still loved reading it.

4.5/5 Stars

Palm Beach by Mary Adkins

The Worst of The Year. I hated this book.

1/5 Stars

First Love, Take Two by Sajni Patel

A cute romance book, super formulaic but enjoyable.

3/5 Stars

To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before by Jenny Han

My second Jenny Han book, I liked it a lot more than TSITP.

4/5 Stars

Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens

A truly excellent novel. One of my favorites of the year.

5/5 Stars

Hot Under His Collar by Andie J. Christopher

A trash romance book, not much else to say.

2/5 Stars

The Grace Year by Kim Ligget

A book that I wasn’t expecting to like nearly as much as I did.

4.5/5 Stars

A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder by Holly Jackson

This is THE murder mystery. This sets the standard.

5/5 Stars

Every Vow You Break by Peter Swanson

Awful thriller. Like what the hell was this.

1.5/5 Stars

City of Glass by Cassandra Clare

You all know how I feel about these books.

3/5 Stars

Furyborn by Claire Legrand (2020 Re-read)

This was technically a re-read but I remembered nothing about it and I am so thankful for that.

5/5 Stars

Kingsbane by Claire Legrand

A solid sequel but I much prefer the first book.

4/5 Stars

City of Glass by Cassandra Clare

A really good conclusion to the series. I have complaints but y’all know them.

3.5/5 Stars

Good Girl, Bad Blood by Holly Jackson

This is certainly one of the books of all time. I liked the first one better.

3.5/5 Stars

The Way of Kings by Brandon Sanderson

This was a massive book. Not just in terms of size but also in content. An instant classic.

5/5 Stars

House of Salt and Sorrows by Erin A. Craig

I went into this book with no expectations and it was an okay read.

2.5/5 Stars

The Violent Delights by Chloe Gong

This is another case where the hype really got to me for this book, wish I would have read it earlier.

3/5 Stars

Kill Creek by Scott Thomas

Entertaining and worth the read, especially in October.

4/5 Stars

Flame in the Mist by Renée Adhieh (2nd time re-reading)

My favorite comfort book.

4/5 Stars

Truthwitch by Susan Dennard

Not what I was expecting to read but I absolutely loved this book.

4.5/5

Ink by Amanda Sun

Showed me just how much my reading taste has changed.

1.5/5 stars

An Ember in the Ashes by Sabaa Tahir

OMG did I love this book. It instantly became a favorite of all time

5/5 Stars

Serpent and Dove by Shelby Maurin

I enjoyed this book and would recommend it to lovers of enemies to lovers.

3.75/5 Stars

A Torch Against the Night by Sabaa Tahir

An amazing sequel, this series is becoming a favorite.

4/5 stars

Now for some re-caps:

My Favorites of 2022:

Mistborn by Brandon Sanderson

Furyborn by Claire Legrand

An Ember in the Ashes by Sabaa Tahir

A Good Girl's Guide to Murder by Holly Jackson

My Worst Reads of 2022:

Palm Beach by Mary Adkins

Every Vow You Break by Peter Swanson

Ink by Amanda Sun

Hot Under His Collar by Andie J. Christopher

I am so happy to be back doing this blog. I truly missed this and I hope y’all did too. I only have one goal for 2023 and that is to finish all of these series that I started this year. Unfortunately, I won’t be posting a January TBR as I’m currently traveling but I will be bringing back the Mid-Month reading update and will be making one for January.

I’m happy to be back and I can’t wait for the new year.

Much love,

June <3

November 2022 TBR and Some Schedule Changes

Hello my reading pals

I can’t believe that it is already November. This year has blown by. I felt like as a child days lasted forever and now it seems like I neve have enough time to do anything. 

That doesn’t mean I don’t have time to read of course ;)

As mentioned in my last post, I didn’t get around to reading much in October as I had fallen into a reading slump (which is okay). However, I am feeling far more motivated a week into November (yes sorry this is taking so long to get these posts up) and I want to read a lot more this month. In November I plan on finishing up a few series and getting into sequels so that I can start with some new series in 2023 (that can’t be a real year come on). 

The Hero of Ages by Brandon Sanderson

It is no shock that I absolutely love Brandon Sanderson. I loved Mistborn when I started it earlier this year and I’ve really wanted to complete the series for the past few months now. I don’t want this story to end at all but I know that I will love this book and it will allow me to dig into other series by Sanderson without feeling guilty

Words of Radiance by Brandon Sanderson

It is definitely ambitious for me to have 2 of Sanderson’s novels on here but that is why it is called a TBR. I loved Way of Kings and if I may be wrong but I think the next Stormlight book comes out in 2023 and if I could catch up with the series it would make me very happy. 

Lightbringer by Claire Legrand

You all saw how much I raved about the first two books in this series when I read them yet I have not read the conclusion of the series (this a common theme for me). I’m not sure if it was the length that got to me or the fact that I read the first 2 back to back and just needed a break. Regardless, I want to see how this series ends and I miss these characters so much and there is so much in the first two books that need to be explained. 

As Good as Dead by Holly Jackson

I read A Good Girls Guide to Murder this year and was absolutely blown away with it. It was truly a phenomenal book. I read the sequel and wasn’t as thrilled with it and I almost put the series down completely. However, after reading some of the reviews and the synopsis for the conclusion I think I want to read it (as soon as I can find a paperback copy). 

These are just a few of the series that I am wanting to conclude/continue this month. I need to be better about finishing the series if I like them. I’m sure you have noticed that a lot of these were the final books in a series and that is because when I like something, I don’t want it to end. Yet, I need to make more space for new favorites. 

You may have noticed the title and saw that I am going to be doing some schedule changes. I am a college student and finals are coming up very soon so I will be reducing posts to just twice a month. I will be doing a wrap up and a TBR list instead of all of those plus a mid month check in. If at any time you are interested in what I am currently reading check out my Goodreads, I also tend to post fuller reviews there and you get to see my thoughts as I am reading. This is hopefully just a temporary change and I will be back on a normal(ish) schedule in 2023. 

Have fun with your fall adventures!

Much Love,

June <3

P.S. If you are in the U.S. and able to vote go do so! Make the change we need to see in this world!

Mid-August Update

Hey y'all!

Nice to see you again. Remember how in my last post I said I was working on a reading/writing vlog? Yeah well, my camera decided to fill up with memory and I can't afford a new one.

Anyways, I am starting my sophomore year of college this week and I plan for my reading to slow down quite a bit (P.S. I started a studygram, let me know if that is something you would be interested in seeing here).

Other than all of that, I figured I would give you all an update for this month and what I have been reading, and how I felt about the books I decided to shove my nose into this month. I have to admit I was hoping I would have been able to read more this month, it is so hard to believe that this month is already halfway over. So far, I have read 3 books and am currently reading the 4th book. This brings my Goodreads total of books read to 27 (as of writing this 2 books ahead of schedule).

Every Vow You Break by Peter Swanson

I picked this up randomly and I went in with absolutely no expectations. I have never heard of this author (despite them being fairly prolific in the thriller genre) and I have to say this was NOT a good first impression. This book had both awful writing and terrible storytelling. The plot was absolutely all over the place and all of the characters were absolutely awful. The main character was just...so flat. Not to mention this thriller was not thrilling, if anything I kept reading to see how I'd want to slap the characters next. I don't this book had any redeemable qualities. Initially, I gave this a 2 star review but after comparing to it another book I gave a 2 star I bumped it down to 1 star.

City of Ashes by Cassandra Clare *this review contains spoilers*

I tried to read this book late last year sometime and the incest REALLY got to me. I expressed this to my friend and she told me that later Jace and Clary end up not being siblings (which helps me) but the fact that they really had a moment where they both basically said "I don't care if we're siblings" made me want to vomit. Their "romance" is set up to seem like they are star-crossed lovers and it is disgusting. Apparently, Cassandra Clare is kind of infamous for her incest "kink" so I'm not surprised looking back.

Beyond that, I really enjoyed this book and plan on continuing the series. I'm so mad that Ms. Incest Clare put my baby Simon through all of that, he really deserves better. I thought the writing was okay and I was entertained enough to keep reading fairly consistently. I gave this a 3 star out of 5 on Goodreads.

Furyborn by Claire Legrand

The final book for this update (and something that was actually on my August TBR, not that we are surprised). Let me start by saying that I have read this before but I did not remember absolutely ANYTHING about it. I don't know if it was because I read it almost 2 years ago or if God said "Nah, this isn't the right time for you to really appreciate this book" and just wiped my memory. Whatever happened to wipe my memory, I'm glad it did because o m g did I LOVE this book. If you go through my updates on Goodreads it's just being confused that I didn't remember this absolute work of art. I loved the double perspective and while Rielle's story was much more interesting (at least to me), I still loved Eliana and all of the characters (Including Corien even though he's toxic). I have already started Kingsbane (the second book) and Am already taking notes. I gave this book 5 out of 5 stars on Goodreads.

Like I said, I'm a little disappointed that I haven't read more this month but 2 out of these 3 books were 300-400 page fantasy novels so I'm cutting myself slack, especially since I am 2 books ahead of my goal (for now).

Good luck with the rest of your month and to those who are going back to school, I hope you have a good semester and study hard. I do expect my reading to slow down but I plan on continuing to update here. Starting from now a lot of my focus is going to be on my studygram but I won't abandon you all I promise.

Much Love,

June <3

me: alright. i'm going to read more books this year. it's a resolution.

also me: *re-reads the Kingkiller Chronicle for the hundredth time while completely ignoring my TBF pile*

RUN MAN RUN by CHESTER HIMES (REVIEW)

quickly: a witness in a cold-blooded murder case is stalked and hunted by the gunman (1960’s new york city vice patrol / a bigot with a badge / working the night shift / automats and lunch counters / crossing 110th street / crossing the blue line / cats vs. mice / “did he use a silencer or was he silenced” asked oprah / going by way of Fat Sam / double crossing and double-talking / hot head with a hot rod / stairwell chases / parking lot shootouts / man against the world).

Jimmy is a Harlem youngster working nights at a cafeteria factory when a drunken maniac detective is overcome by white psychosis and kills all of his co-workers in cold blood. By a stroke of amazing grace, he survives the attack, but his survival places him in the crosshairs of a certified psycho who is set on eliminating all witnesses.

Don’t pick this up if you aren’t ready to sprint. This one-day read is a fast-paced NYC crime thriller full of race-based angst, socioeconomic division, and catchy 50s and 60s one-liners. Reading between the lines of this action-packed thriller, you’ll find poignant observations on race and interesting opinions on gender. Add a tablespoon of sex, jazz, and liquor, and you’ve got yourself a good time.

★ ★ ★ ★ Short, fast, and loud.

reading rainbow library haul:

RUN MAN RUN by CHESTER HIMES

SUPERNATURAL SHORT STORIES by SIR WALTER SCOTT

THE BOOK OF HOURS by RILKE

SAVE OUR SOULS by MATTHEW PEARL

THE LIFE OF HEROD by ZORA NEAL HURSTON

BLACKTOP WASTELAND by S. A. COSBY

RAZORBLADE TEARS by S. A. COSBY

“...each person, each human organism, possessed a point of least resistance, a weakest point, this was the famous Achilles' heel, and it was like the law of the pearl: just as in a mollusk the grain of sand that chafes it is neutralized by mother-of-pearl, ultimately forming a jewel that we find valuable, so all the developmental lines of our psyche will arrange themselves around this weakest spot. Each anomaly stimulates a particular mental activity, a particular development, and collects it around itself. We are shaped not by what is strong within us but by the anomaly, by whatever is weak and not accepted.”

Olga Tokarczuk, The Empusium

THE EMPUSIUM by OLGA TOKARCZUK (REVIEW)

quickly: a sickly young engineering student hopes to find healing in a scenic mountain valley village where mysteries abound (gentleman’s houses / noises in the attic / spying eyes / fear of being seen / sex dolls and shrooms / wine at dinner time / men who think women are a different species / obscuring the vision, to see more clearly / long walks around the park / those looked upon by venus and jupiter / the soul as the weakest point / the inferior superiority of men).

The story opens like a Wes Anderson film, set in 1913 Poland, in a valley between two mountain ranges with air that is mythologized to cure the infamous tuberculosis. Before our dear Mieczysław can be cured, the malaise of life at the Gentleman’s House (where men smoke cigars with their weakened lungs, and talk at quite some length about the “lesser” minds of women) becomes a mire of shadows and secrets waiting to be unraveled. As expected, this idyllic 1900s mountain town is more than it appears to be. At night, after many men have imbibed in the psychoactive “schwärmerei”, the landscape seems to stare back at the onlookers. Every fall, men die violent and mysterious deaths, as if the surrounding forest is eating them and spitting them back out. As the summer season ends, Mieczy’s anxious concerns of being ‘seen’ intensifies.

★ ★ ★ ★ Mysteriously seductive.

Slowly, just as calmly as summer gives way to the decaying color bomb of autumn, this slow burn of a “health resort horror story” ends in a flush of fire. What begins as a medical retreat for our anxious and gentle-spirited protagonist evolves into an awakening of sorts upon the discovery of a cure for an ailment Mieczy had long been prepared to disregard as a permanent inconvenience. Mieczy will discover something that no amount of men’s postulations could destroy, and it is fantastic to watch. The astrology tidbits are delicious, and always a delightful discovery to happen upon when reading Olga’s work (as in The Books of Jacob, and Drive Your Plow…). The world of this story is both scenic and seductive… like a carnivorous plant that slowly digests you as you are hypnotized by its beauty. 

You walk with Mieczy up the steep incline of a forested mountain, always wondering where the path is taking you, until suddenly you reach the peak and overlook the edge at the marvelous view down below. A soft, then hard, autumnal horror story with an ending that would make J. K. Rowling’s eyes bulge as she combusts and then evaporates. 

PARABLE OF THE SOWER & TALENTS by OCTAVIA E. BUTLER

quickly: diary of a young woman preparing herself for the collapse of american democracy and discovering a new faith in the process (god is change! / every neighborhood has its walls / r*pe, murder, cannibalism / burn the witch! / narcotics in utero / empathy is a weakness / bad cops / landslides, drought, fire, and famine / eat the rich, then the middle class, then the poor too / fascism dressed as christianity / no one can read, but everyone has a gun / pyromania in pill form / little fires everywhere / waiting for the end to come / survival of the most prepared / slavery sponsored by capitalism (just like old times) / survive, at all costs / heaven is in the stars)

The year is 2024. The climate has finally changed liked they’ve been warning us for years. The trickle-down economy has failed everyone but the rich, like we knew it would. Society has failed everyone but the 1%. Water costs more than gasoline, and food to feed one person for two weeks may cost you thousands of dollars. The government will kick you out of your home, and then arrest you for being homeless. Slavery has been reinvented by venture capitalists, and co-signed by a neo-confederate president. Don’t think about running off to another state or another country. You’ll probably never make it past the highly militarized state borders without being, r*ped, tortured, slain, or eaten. 

This is a stark depiction of what happens when humanity collapses under the weight of capitalism… OEB is not shy about the violence of a dying world.

At the center of this story is Lauren Olamina, a young black girl who has taken a critical look at the world she is coming of age in and deduces that The End is near. The religion, philosophy, and morality of her parent’s generations have failed her. She believes our collective destiny as a species was never to be stationed here on Earth forever. We were meant to spread across the Universe. To fulfill that destiny, humanity must undergo the difficult task of maturation. Our petty wars, religious debates, and moral shortcomings are the traits of an immature species. Only a mature species can build the communities and pool the resources necessary to leave a dying Earth and spread beyond our Solar System to build something greater. All Lauren has to do is survive long enough through America’s downfall to be able to convince the rest of the world of Earthseed’s philosophy.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★ An outstanding survival guide, if read as the author intended.

THROUGH THE NIGHT LIKE A SNAKE by VARIOUS AUTHORS (REVIEW)

quickly: a collection of dark and surreal tales from the twistedly creative minds of a handful of latin american writers (carved bone animals portend a family annihilation / serial killer fan clubs / leaked sextape leads to loss / mirage in the mountain mist / parasitic hauntings / alien thoughts / a living man’s dying flesh / giant rabbits / giant vultures / compassion at a price).

A decent collection of stories. My favorites were THAT SUMMER IN THE DARK by MARIANA ENRIQUEZ, author of OUR SHARE OF NIGHT (two serial killer-obsessed girlfriends are stunned when one of their neighbors kills his family), SOROCHE by MÓNICA OJEDA (a woman struggles with crippling shame after her husband leaks their extremely explicit sex tape), and THE HOUSE OF COMPASSION by CAMILA SOSA VILLADA (a gender-defying sex worker becomes entangled with a convent of nuns with a secret). I’d liked to have liked more of them.

★ ★ ★ 

THE SALT GROWS HEAVY by CASSANDRA KHAW (REVIEW)

quickly: an everlasting mermaid and her undead companion must defeat a village of evil children and the magicians that control them (why do immortals fall in love? / children of the corn / bad things come in threes / grotesquery and gore galore / men and their ignorance of anything not man / the hunt / taming by mutilation / winter ice on scaled skin / what’s in a heart? / unmasking the wizard / remembering forgotten powers / regenerating lost parts / the essence of a man is a ball of shit in his gut).

What a strange, romantic, bloodthirsty fantasy this was. A sea siren is siphoned from the sea by a Prince, stripped of her teeth, her voice, and forced to be a tradwife. Two daughters are born from this inhumane union of land and sea, and their mother watches expectantly as her daughters devour the Prince’s kingdom bite by bite. Walking over the piles of bodies her daughters have made in their hunger, she finds herself at the beginning of a spectacularly bloody journey where she will fully restore herself, including regrowing her teeth and regaining her voice.

A short read jam-packed with $50 baroque vocabulary words that make the short page count feel heavier than it actually is. In the future, I’d like to return to this book and read it very slowly.

★ ★ ★ / ★

comfy culty cozy library haul for fall:

THROUGH THE NIGHT LIKE A SNAKE (LATIN AMERICAN HORROR STORIES) by VARIOUS AUTHORS

A FEW RULES FOR PREDICTING THE FUTURE (ESSAY) by OCTAVIA E. BUTLER

PARABLE OF THE TALENTS by OCTAVIA E. BUTLER

THE GATHERING DARK (FOLK HORROR ANTHOLOGY) edited by TORI BOVALINO

THE SALT GROWS HEAVY by CASSANDRA KHAW

BLACK OBSERVATORY (POEMS) by CHRISTOPHER BREAN MURRAY

PARABLE OF THE SOWER (GRAPHIC NOVEL) by OCTAVIA E. BUTLER*

*read Parable of the Sower earlier this year, ★ ★ ★ ★ ★!! The story is even more poignant, now that her predictions have come true. Rereading this in graphic novel form before I move on to the sequel, Parable of the Talents!

EYNHALLOW by TIM McGREGOR (REVIEW) 

quickly: a late 1700’s irish housewife has her humble island life disrupted by a strange and inimitable scientist from afar, dr. victor frankenstein: (anatomy as an art / unexpected arrivals and departures / empty graves and ocean caves / heartbreaking decision making  / ghosts are just faded memories / mysteries of midwifery / medical malpractice / overly tall people need love too / ogres, trolls, and monsters on the beach / sad sex with your drunk husband vs. empowering sex with a stranger / secrets in a locked room / stories of abandonment / sea salt and stone / telling your true love goodbye / true grief never dies / waiting on lost lovers by the sea).

Meet the overly tall, overly compassionate Agnes. Her father made her denounce her true love because he was poor. Then her evil stepmother orchestrated her marriage to an old man because ‘no one likes overly tall women’. That is how the young Agnes came to be Mrs. Tulloch, the island housewife of the drunkard idiot Mr. Tulloch, who spends his either time beating and berating Agnes, or trying to spoil her with more children.

Island life is hard. The wind blows cold, so Agnes keeps the hearth fire burning. Meals are often meager, but Agnes keeps the pot full (with four children and an oaf of a husband, mind you). She goes to church on Sunday, and she tends to her pregnant best friend Katie when she has the time. Her skill for keeping houses warm and fed (as well as being the only woman on the island not pregnant or elderly) makes her the prime candidate as a temporary cook for the strange new scientist conducting odd experiments on the island. One bowl of stew leads to another, and soon Mrs. Tulloch is entangled in the dark world of Dr. Frankenstein’s experiments.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★ Delightful!

This was such a DELIGHTFUL well-paced period-piece horror story, at only 174 pages, with overtones of romance, sci-fi, and mystery. It was part fable, part wormhole transporting me to a misty brackish island at a time and place far out of reach. Not to mention, the writing was full of charming 1700's-1800's slang. Agnes, our kind host, is warm and benevolent, reminiscent of the Beloved Piranesi. Unlike Piranesi however, her curtailment by men’s expectations will reach its limits. Her wrath will be the result of an irreversible change in her compassionate nature, and it will lead to irreversible changes to the island community itself.

SURVIVE THE NIGHT by RILEY SAGER (REVIEW)

quickly: a girl accepts a ride home with the man who may have killed her best friend (cinephile meets serial killer / girl snap out of it dammit! / grandma’s got a gun / smells like teen spirit and BS in here / red flag after red flag after red flag / secret code phrases / psychological blackouts / your boyfriend’s back and it’s gonna be trouble / this ain’t hollywood baby).

Charlie is a college girl suffering from PTSD after her dorm mate is brutally murdered by a serial killer. She feels like it’s her fault for leaving her friend alone that night. Unable to cope with the stress of reality, she lapses into delusional hollywood fantasies whenever things get too tough. Despite her best judgments, she accepts a ride from a guy pretending to be a college student. He lures her to his car, and now, paranoid and stressed, she can’t decide which reality she is in, long enough to form an escape plan. 

Anytime the story starts with the protagonist pouring a bottle of pills down the drain, you know you’re in for some MESS! The first Riley Sager book I read, THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT, was close to a Stephen King style middle america horror. This story was closer to an R. L. Stine Fear Street book. Quick, fun, a little pulpy, and full of cheap but thrilling twists and turns. 

★ ★ ★ 

OUR SHARE OF NIGHT by MARIANA ENRÍQUEZ (REVIEW)

quickly: a father tries everything in his earthly and unearthly power to prevent his son from inheriting a legacy of horror (abuse from the one who loves you most / blessed curses and buried secrets / bisexuality so powerful it’s omnisexual and omnipotent / chalk circles and pits of bones / closed doors opening / evil grandparents with old money / haunted houses with locked rooms / like father, like son / Lord of Doors, Signs, and Symbols / missing limbs and missing mothers / people lost in the darkness / something dark in the woods).

The story begins with a young Gaspar being spirited away by his migraine-stricken father Juan, and it follows him through his adolescence, as his father tries to keep him safe from their own evil family—by any means necessary. These people are not Disney© evil by the way, these families that include Juan’s in-laws, known as The Order, are vicious, kidnapping, human trafficking plutocrats. They practice a philosophy of magic where darkness begets darkness, and in that darker darkness they reign. They cage children, abduct and torture strangers, and will even spill their own blood to conjure chaos. Unfortunately for The Order however, their ability to render magic from their dark deeds is almost useless without a medium. 

★★★★★ Fantastic horror.

This was a book I read in March of 2024 after seeing it on a list from @bloodmaarked!

To Juan’s disappointment, his young son is showing signs of becoming a powerful medium at a young age, making him susceptible to the deplorable whims of The Order. To keep young Gaspar protected, he must also keep Gaspar ignorant to the powerful magic and sorcery flowing through his blood. As so often happens in families filled with trauma and secrets, the repression of Gaspar’s powers will cause him to be an overly sensitive and deeply emotionally wounded child who has a habit of walking backward into the traps his father works ceaselessly to keep him unaware of.

In time, it will be revealed to Gaspar that Juan is a Great and tortured medium; the vessel of a dark, powerful, and ruthless force known by many as The Darkness. The Darkness is an old god, often presenting itself as a massive black cloud of energy, and makes its power known through tragedy, bloodshed, foreknowledge, and the locking and unlocking of doors to other realms. This ‘demented’ and ‘savage’ force blesses whatever it curses and can mark its followers by wounding them with its golden talons. If you were to reach into this black cloud, you’d pull your arm back to find that your hand has been cleanly amputated and cauterized. Eaten. You may also wake up the next day, marked, with the ability to unlock locked things, or sense people before they appear. 

Meanwhile, until Juan’s truth is revealed to his son, Gaspar must learn to grow up with two versions of his dad. One version of Juan is the kind, serious, wise teacher. The other Juan, the dark version, is irrational, voracious, bloodthirsty, and almost evil. Though Gaspar has no knowledge of the powerful magic that flows within him and his father, he has an uncanny understanding that there is something lying beneath the surface of the waking world of reality. Sometimes he even finds himself opening doors no one else can open. No one but Juan.

By the time Gaspar reaches adulthood, he grows up to be just like his father… exceptionally powerful, stunningly beautiful, and outrageously unpredictable (maybe even a little bi too). The final phase of Juan’s elaborate plan to destroy The Order is set into motion by his death, leaving it up to fate, Gaspar, and those who love Juan and his son, to hopefully and finally, close the door to evil for good.

This is sophisticated, detailed, high-level horror, with excellent dialogue and conversation about family, community, lineage, capital, sex, grief, despair, power, and action—and by action I mean forming a well thought out plan and doing what it takes to see your plan through. 

YOU LIKE IT DARKER by STEPHEN KING (REVIEW)

quickly: a perfect collection of stephen king short stories (men with unearthly talents / madness and murder / stolen lifetimes / psychic dreams and punished deeds / balancing bad luck and good / grandpa’s still got it / an unseen invasion / angels on airplanes / dogs are friends, gators are not / strollers full of rattlesnakes / gentleman scientists / a man with all the answers).

Well yes, Stephen, I *do* like it dark. What a delightful page-turning collection of short horror stories with a wide range of subgenres… detective suspense thrillers… sci-fi alien invasions… and even a couple of heartfelt dramas.

My favorites were Willie the Weirdo (a grandfather and grandson share a suspiciously strange connection), Danny Coughlin’s Bad Dream (a nightmare gives an old man hell in real life), On Slide Inn Road (a family encounters a couple of hoodlums on an abandoned backroad), The Turbulence Expert (a man uses his perception to change fate), Rattlesnakes (a man on vacation grieving the death of his wife becomes entangled with a haunted woman), and The Answer Man (three encounters with a man who knows everything changes one man’s experience of life and time).

I’ll have to admit this is my first King read (and a perfect introduction) though I’ve seen all the movies, shows, and miniseries based on his work. On paper, like on-screen, the stories felt distinctly American™. Like the feeling of eating a double-meat cheeseburger and fries, then washing it down with a ridiculously gigantic can of Coke. Fast, but filling, and oh-what-fun my taste buds had (though my arteries may clog if I overdo it…).

★★★★★ So fun.

can you tell that it’s spooky season reading list:

A FAMILY OF KILLERS by BRYCE MOORE SURVIVE THE NIGHT by RILEY SAGER EYNHALLOW by TIM McGREGOR (not pictured) THESE SILENT WOODS by KIMI CUNNINGHAM GRANT YOU LIKE IT DARKER by STEPHEN KING

MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT by RILEY SAGER (REVIEW)

quickly: unresolved childhood grief leads to irrepressible ghosts in adulthood (grief and regret / friends and foes / backyard campouts / shaken suburbs / “don’t go chasin’ waterfalls…” / strangers in the woods / kisses kept secret / occult dinner parties / marriage and miscarriages / talking ghosts).

A quiet night in the summer heat turns into a lifelong nightmare for young Ethan Marsh. After his neighbor Billy disappears into thin air, the neighborhood is left traumatized, and Ethan is left wondering what he could’ve done differently for his weird, ghost-obsessed neighbor. Now 40 and moving back into the house where Billy disappeared, Ethan is starting to see things… shadows, messages, and warnings.

An enjoyable and easy read. Great for warm weather weekends. It was like Fear Street but for grown-ups… the highly emotional and angsty decisions of teenagers and adults, the blurred lines between the horrors of human nature and the supernatural, and the well-paced page-turning thrill of discovering what truth lies at the heart of the mystery. Looking forward to more Riley Sager.

★★★★