this is two stories… two parts of a story… maybe a bindup of two novellas… that i truly did not know existed, but i promise you this 150 page book was an easy and so heartfelt five star for me. you can totally read this before assassin's apprentice , but i do think you will get a little more out of it if you have read even a little bit of the first trilogy in the realm of the elderlings. but i will very much warn you: this is a tragedy to its core. this reads so very much like a fairytale, yet i was weeping over so many parts, but the ending healed it all and it felt like storytelling perfection.
to not give anything away, the barebones of this story is that we follow a little girl, named felicity, who grows up alongside princess caution farseer. we get to see their lives together and them becoming the people they want to be versus the people their families expect them to become. in the second part of this story, we follow their sons, both very different but their hearts also very intertwined like both of their mothers. and without saying anything else, this story helps put lineage and heritage a little more into perspective. and it also serves as a reason why many people in this world are scared of the magic called the witt.
this was one of the most beautifully written things ive ever read. the writing was so compelling that the story felt like it was being told to me by the most lulling bard to ever sing a tale. i know this is a short read, but from page one this truly put a spell on me and i was unable to put it down. i just loved this completely and highly recommend it to anyone who already loves fitz, but also to everyone who will eventually love fitz.
trigger + content warnings: drugging, a lot of talk of pregnancy and childbirth, loss of a parent, loss of a loved one, loss of a child, violence (a lot), blood, gore, bullying, animal abuse, animal death, scenes of childbirth and death in childbirth, grief, talk of illness, abusive parent, depression - this is actually a very dark story/stories, so please use caution and make sure you’re in a good headspace
/the/ novella of 2024 wow (also, i recently found out that the m in ml rio stands for melanie and that's still extremely wild to me for some reasons hahah)
even though i did not love this, i think i have finally recognized that i’m just not this type of horror reader. i love anything speculative, anythingeven though i did not love this, i think i have finally recognized that i’m just not this type of horror reader. i love anything speculative, anything paranormal, but actual murders/slasher-like stories? they just don’t work for me, they have never worked for me, and this one also did not work for me. and if a sapphic cottagecore one didn’t work for me, i fear just none ever will. so i really implore you to look at other reviews if this book sounds good to you - here are some of my faves: gabby, genesee, cassidy
but yeah! sapphic, cottagecore, two girls meeting at a farmers market, but something sinister is always looming in the background. our main character is an assistant professor who has finally moved from the big city after a bad breakup. she is very lonely, very isolated, and trying to find a bit of happiness despite some major trust issues. i felt like this book was told in a satirical way, where the author is very aware and letting you know how pretentious rosemary is, and how she is just ignoring every red flag left, right, and center. yet, i also thought it was exploring themes of not wanting to see you are in an abusive relationship, and wanting to believe your partner so badly that you will very much be hurting yourself in the process by ignoring their abuse. and that’s important and something that i think can be hard to see, especially in your 20s and you’re leaving the only life you’ve ever really known, on top of having emotionally abusive family situations who have normalized abuse for you.
again, sadly, this just didn’t work for me, i think mostly because i just knew what was happening and for some reason having to watch it play out was just not as enjoyable as i wished it was. It really did feel like the 200 pages did go quickly and i was invested enough, maybe hoping a different twist would come and change the trajectory of the very obvious plot, but i never wanted to put the book down! and i will also say the very end of this book was actually insane and i let out the biggest gasp i didn’t know i was holding lol. i just kind of wish we had a moment like that in the middle of the story, and then the last half could have felt fresher and like there were more possibilities. not to be spoilery, but i was highkey hoping the roles would be reversed at the midway point, but alas! regardless, i hope if you pick this one up that you enjoy it! happy reading, and happy trying to enjoy eating charcuterie boards with meat after this one, friends!
trigger + content warnings: a lot of talk of body image, mention of infidelity, mention of loss of a father in the past, abandonment, missing person mention, abusive guardian in past, child abuse in past, animal cruelty + animal death (racoon), drinking, throwing up, unwanted videos being taken, one sentence mention/insinuation of pictures of underage children taken at a pool with them unknowing in the past, unknowing (and knowing) cannibalism, gaslighting, abuse in a relationship, abduction, captivity, amputation, violence, torture, gore
“The world starts with a story. So do dynasties and eras and wars. So does love, and so does revenge. Everything starts with a story.”
i really love nghi vo and everything she creates, but this series takes up an extra big space in my heart. This series is all about story telling, and we follow cleric chih who is in the middle of documenting a new tale for us in this fifth installment. this novella feels very different than the rest, and i will let you know why in the next paragraph - but i highly recommend you don’t read it until after you’ve read the last page (and maybe even the acknowledgements - that made me tear up at the very end!!) but the bare bones of this story is that chih is traveling with the pham family to doi cao, a walled city with many stories of its own, where they are going to be having wedding negotiations with the lord of the city. chih becomes very close with the bride to be, and together they start to explore the grounds of what could be her new home, but there is also a mystery of lord guo, and his maybe cursed son, and whatever else lurks in the shadows.
that really is all you need to know, but the reason this story got a five star from me is because it really did something bold and different and really left me impressed. because ultimately, this is a story about lies and deception, and how sometimes people who portray themselves as docile and innocent can be the ones who hurt you the most. this really is a story about monsters, and how they come in many, many forms. this also touches on how people who wrong you will really have the audacity to be upset that you’re upset they wronged you. this 100 page story had better twists than 500 page mystery thrillers out there, and i am just very thankful for every sentence of magic nghi vo weaves.
trigger + content warnings: blood, spider mentions, mention of sickness in past (also regarding a child), captivity, drugging (sleep), power dynamic situations, manipulation, death, murder, talk of poisoning, abuse, body horror, violence
“My blood. My books. My knowledge. Anything. It is yours.”
i might be stretching a bit, but this felt like a lilith origin story mixed with beauty and the beast reimagining... and i loved it. and because of consuming way too many lilith stories, i am so excited to see how these characters are incorporated into the rest of this series. and i really loved lilith in this story, and how she was older, and neurodivergent, and a scientist, and how big her heart was.
this story is all about her trying to find a cure for a sickness that has taken her town, and soon her sister, because her father spited a god. But on the outskirts of town lives a vampire all by himself, and maybe his blood could help lilith find a cure before it is too late. and they make a deal that will cost her six perfect roses in return for vials of his blood each transaction.
i really loved this, i loved both characters, the empathy, the healing, the discoveries of medicine and gods and each other. This is truly so very close to a five star for me. and the way the author was really able to give a fully fleshed out tale, with so much heart and empathy, that is completely different in every way to the introduction of this world in the first book, in under 200 pages, it is just so impressive. i highly recommend this one.
trigger + content warnings: loss of a parent, death in child birth mention, plague, death, blood, drawing blood, needles, animal testing mentions, robbing involving physical assault, threat of sexual assault, grief, sibling illness, gore, violence, battle / fighting, mention of war, panic attacks
“It never occurred to her to doubt her welcome. Such was the gift of a child raised with love.”
this is a hard one to rate, but i think i have sett
“It never occurred to her to doubt her welcome. Such was the gift of a child raised with love.”
this is a hard one to rate, but i think i have settled on the highest of 3 stars! but three stars feels extra wild because the mc of this is probably my favorite character that t kingfisher has ever created! this is a sleeping beauty reimagining that really makes the reader think about what humans can perceive as good and/or evil on first glance. it also has heavy themes of nurture versus nature and how important it is for children to grow up with love and safety. but there was just something about the evil one being a child* in this story that made me uncomfortable, and upon finishing it just really made me not want to give out a higher rating, despite loving so many other aspects of this novella. (*i know there is more to this, but i am trying to be vague for this mini review!)
toading, the main character, is truly wonderful. and I loved seeing her watch generation after generation pass while protecting this tower, until one day a prince comes that makes her want to do things a little differently. i loved seeing her growing up among the fae, with a family and community who loved her unapologetically with everything they had. and i loved the writing of this and how beautifully kingfisher was able to blend past and present narratives together. i know this review is a little all over the place, but i still recommend this one and i can’t wait to continue reading everything from this author.
trigger + content warnings: blood, plague, death, kidnapping, captivity, brief mention of child birth, death of a child, self harm for magic / testing magic, mention of animal cruelty, physical abuse (slap), suicide mention, violence, extreme isolation
i read the 60 page version of the lightning tree in the rogues anthology, edited by george r.r. martin, back in 2017! and i gave it five stars and a gush review! bast is one of my favorite (and most intriguing) characters in the kingkiller chronicle and i love every scene with him! yet, this 250 page version just did not hit for me the way it did six years ago. i still enjoyed it, i still am so obsessed with this world and inn, and i still think pat rothfuss is one of the most talented writers with some of the most beautiful prose in all of fantasy. but i think i just really am ready for a true new story - even though i do feel empathy for pat in regards to the way the book community demands book three. (but i do also feel incredibly salty about the kickstarter too - both these feelings can exist simultaneously!!) overall, i am happy to have read this, and i loved the illustrations, but sadly it just felt mid to me.
trigger and content warnings: blood, self harm to get blood for magic, off page child abuse, off page domestic abuse, off page alcoholism (all of these things are mentioned a lot and are major themes of this story.)
i really enjoyed this novella, and sequel to what moves the dead that i was very much not expecting to ever have! we once again follow alex, going to a somewhat isolated hunting lodge in galician that they inherited, even if they are just longing to be back in paris where the noise is a comfort and the silence isn’t haunting. alex is also with angus, miss potter, and the best horse (hod), and when they get to the lodge, no one is there, not even the caretaker who has been in alex’s life forever. and a mystery ensues, filled with maybe scary ghosts and haunted dreams and hard memories and hot cups of tea. i really had a good time with this one and i hope t kingfisher continues to give us more of alex and adventures in this world!
trigger + content warnings: anxiety, chronic health condition (tinnitus), ptsd, medical procedure imagery, fungus imagery, talk of war and battle and death in past, loss of a friend, depression, nightmares, loss of parent in past, a lot of sickness that hinder breathing and involves the lungs (i do think this could be very triggering for covid related trauma, so please use caution), blood, talk of pneumonia, talk of tuberculous, animal gore / body horror, and just overall this is a dark story with dark themes
“If I ask what I'm asking only of people who agree with me at the outset, with whom I already share a dream and a language, then there's no point i
“If I ask what I'm asking only of people who agree with me at the outset, with whom I already share a dream and a language, then there's no point in asking at all.”
becky chambers really is just a once in a lifetime writer, and i truly am always so profoundly touched by everything she writes. in this novella, we follow four astronauts on a space mission to visit and research four exoplanets. and each visit, the crew uses their perfected somaforming to adapt their human bodies to the new uncharted land, instead of adapting the land to their human bodies. and each landing is quite a different research experience. but this book also focuses on the importance of love and relationships - all the different kinds - and the exploration of those relationships while traveling through the galaxies. and it was just wonderful, and i fell so easily in love with this crew (like i always do with becky chambers stories)!
this book will really make you think about the wondrous joy of discovery and all the beautiful things that can come from learning about new things and new ways, but also make you think about the ethical side of things and what is okay for us to discover and learn, and at what cost do we also deem that learning and discovery to be an okay price. there is a constant theme of community and how if we want to build greater things, we need so many individuals that also believe in greater things (and greater hope for better things… one day). also, how things change so vastly from decade to decade, but seeing how things change in a blink of an eye in this book is really haunting and, again, really thought provoking. and as always, her books make you think about how small we are in the grand scheme of the universe, but that doesn't make us less important, or less beautiful, or less destructive.
lastly, i dont really know how to put this in a more eloquent way - but i read the special edition with a little extra acknowledgement to her mom, and it was lovely and brought an extra tear to my eye. every part of this story is written thoughtfully, hopefully, and so very beautifully. i highly recommend this one for everyone.
trigger + content warnings: blood, talk of cancer briefly, vomit, a little talk of eating/eating habits, talk of war + famine, depression depictions, anxiety depictions, implied loss of loved ones, suicide ideation
This is a gorgeous and heartfelt story, set in historical chicago, where we follow a warlock detective tr
“I would do anything for you, and I did.”
This is a gorgeous and heartfelt story, set in historical chicago, where we follow a warlock detective trying to capture a serial killer. This book also just had a lot of things that really worked for me, as a reader. It focuses on a sapphic romance throughout, we get to see the main character’s unconditional love for her little brother constantly, and we get to try to solve a mystery with the ritual killer's name being white city vampire but it involving angels and demons. All really cool and beloved things in my heart and personal taste buzzword wheelhouse!
But this is also a book about sacrifice and love and hope and how those three things can take so many different shapes, yet sometimes they look the very same. I highly recommend this one and pray it will be the first book in a series.
trigger + content warnings: a lot of mentions of homophobia, mention of conversion therapy, institutionalization, talk of loss of a loved one, mention of a car accident involving death, abduction, murder, gore, ritual killings, human sacrifice, a lot of blood depictions, self harm for blood for magic, possession, misogyny, brief mention of throwing up, gun violence involving cops, a lot of smoking + alcohol consumption.
[image] ARC provided by Tor - thank you so much !!
“The door wasn’t there because you have any obligations left to these people, or this world. It wa
[image] ARC provided by Tor - thank you so much !!
“The door wasn’t there because you have any obligations left to these people, or this world. It was there because sometimes people can’t let go of who they thought we were, and so they keep trying to tangle us in nets and drag us back. That doesn’t mean we have to go. Or if we do go, that doesn’t mean we have to stay.”
let me start this review with something that is probably going to make you all very happy and then something that might make you all not happy!
the happy: some of this book actually takes place in kade’s portal world (which i know i have been begging for since day one), and it was truly the most amazing glimpse that left the reader wanting so much more.
the unhappy: now… this did not bother me whatsoever, but basically it takes 100 pages until the reader gets to see a dinosaur in this book. and truly? it is a very small glimpse for maybe 20 pages? the cover of this one probably wasn’t the best choice, even though it is very beautiful.
okay let me actually type what this book is about! so i was very surprised when i started this, because it really does pick up right after the events of Lost in the Moment and Found, where we see antsy recounting things to eleanor, before she starts classes at the school. But then we get a six month jump, after the rescue mission of Where the Drowned Girls Go, and we get to see antsy with so many new and old beloved kids at this school. But once some people find out what magic antsy’s nexus has given her, our crew goes on a quest to protect her and the school at all costs.
all wayward children books have a different powerful message inside their amazing stories, and i feel like this installment’s was all about breaking cycles of abuse. from realizing healthy ways to feel safe and heal from abuse that was done to you in the past. to reclaiming a childhood that was taken from you, instead of feeling like you can repress the way the world made you grow up too quickly. to having a responsibility to protect children and the generations to come, and not use your abuse as an excuse to continue the cycles of abuse. And ultimately be able to listen, and grow, and be better, continuously and constantly. and I also think there is an underlying message too of how everyone heals from things differently, and we should allow people to heal and live how they want to live, and how there is no time limit on making different choices - just when you’re reading to make them.
overall, i had a good time with this one, but i didn’t love it as much as some of the other books in this series (especially with Lost in the Moment and Found being a five star read for me). but seeing antsy’s power and some different worlds (some we know, some we know about, some brand new) was so beyond cool. also, i just love sumi so very much.
trigger + content warnings: mentions of loss of parents & loved ones in the past, depression, grief, ptsd, nightmares, abandonment & loneliness, a one sentence brief mention that hints at disordered eating in the past, talk of colorism, mind altering magic, one sentence mention of chemotherapy in past, implied transphobia in past, implied mention of pedophile in past, mention of chronic pain, blood depiction, talk of death and murder, and just a lot of mentions of bad parenting and child abuse.
“When she opened it, she discovered a handwritten dedication on the patterned endpapers: To my beloved—may you always believe in fairy tales. Smiling, she traced her fingers over the letters, feeling the indentations they had left on the paper. This was one of the things she loved best about books. She might never know who had written the dedication, or how long ago, or to whom, but she could briefly clasp hands with them across eternity, a chance meeting of souls made possible by their shared love of a story.”
this was a super cozy and fun novella that i really recommend if you're missing the amazing characters from sorcery of thorns. and you all know that i adore a magical house setting and exploring all the magical rooms, with some very alive grimoires! but to see it with my favorite sorcerer, apprentice librarian, demon (and a new character)... who are stuck inside this labyrinth during the snowy season? i really was living my best reader life. but sadly, i just didn't love the last half nearly as much as the set up and first half.
this is a very quick, cozy, happy read. and the food descriptions were perfection as well. Elisabeth is just a really good character and i really hope we continue to see more adventures with her and this crew (and demonslayer)! but also, this (in my praying opinion) is a very nice set up for my favorite morally grey demon companion.
i still highly recommend this one, especially on a cozy wintery night!
cw/tw: blood depiction, harm to get blood for magic, grief + trauma depictions, extreme nightmares, loss of a loved on in the past, talk of murders/death. (this is a very light book, and all of these things are very briefly mentioned or shown)
“I would be honored to hear your story [...] Whether it is long or short, broken or whole, sad or joyful or angry or strange, I want to hear”
this series is so important to me and the amount of beauty i am able to find on every one of these pages is just immeasurable. I truly hope we get to see chih traveling and learning stories forever and ever. this fourth installment felt a little extra powerful because we get to see chih make their way back to singing hills abbey after four long years of adventures. and when returning to the monastery, there are two royal mammoths at the gate, with two people chih does not recognize, and the new story (filled with old stories) unfolds.
this really is a tale told in only 100 pages, and is filled with powerful themes of going back home after you’ve been away for a long while, old dreams and old friends, change and the inevitability of it, new generations growing up, the importance of honoring your elders and respecting traditions, being there for your family, and above all else - the importance of memories, story telling, and records of love that are given to you throughout your life.
because truly, futures and dreams can change constantly, sometimes because of you, and sometimes despite you. i really recommend this series with the sum of my heart. lastly - new favorite character unlocked: chiep ...more
This fall i have been loving and adoring this author and all their stories (shout out to betty jo). But the reviews on this novella had me giggling buThis fall i have been loving and adoring this author and all their stories (shout out to betty jo). But the reviews on this novella had me giggling but unable to not read it. I also read this at a perfect time seasonally, because it is set during the night of a halloween party!
This isn’t going to be for everyone, but if you like it – i think you'll really like it. And i feel like this author is doing a lot of the romance genre and just expressing your desires without shame. While also always putting an emphasis on the importance of consent! And also always highlighting the power of reclaiming things and healing from things - the way you want to reclaim and heal, when you want to reclaim and heal.
I recommend reading goodreads reviews for this one, and if you’re curious, give it a try. I truly really loved it and was very into 90% of it, clowns included.
Also, dare I say.. Best bullying romances i’ve ever read? I think so.
Kinks/Fetishes within from the author: erotic humiliation, fearplay, painplay, knifeplay, consensual non-consent (CNC), orgasm denial, boot worship, spanking, crying, blowjobs, clowns, group sexual activities, spit, bondage, public play, bloodplay.
cw/tw i found while reading: Bullying, bullying in the past, blood depiction, drinking, brief mention of unwanted recording (not the mc doing it to the other mc),talk of trauma in the past, talk of child abuse in the past, clowns, and… i know the author said it above but like EXTREME edging/orgasm denial hahaha
i still really enjoyed this, and i still love the main characters with every ounce of my being, but it just didn➽ 1.) A Psalm for the Wild-Built ★★★★★
i still really enjoyed this, and i still love the main characters with every ounce of my being, but it just didn't hit the same as book one did for me, sadly! but i loved the discussions on community and building a community and showing for your communities - and it was all extra powerful. and i also loved the constant theme of boundaries and respecting others boundaries as well. truly a beautiful story, that feels like a warm and healing hug, and i hope becky chambers gives us more! but i also feel like they really ended this one with a beautiful sense of hope and wonder. there really can be so much beauty and power in allowing yourself to be vulnerable (and feeling safe enough with another to do so).
tw/cw: talk of bugs and insects and spiders, and talk and themes of death (and a... fish death!)
“...it is enough to exist in the world and marvel at it. You don’t need to justify that, or earn it. You are allowed to just live.”
this was just t“...it is enough to exist in the world and marvel at it. You don’t need to justify that, or earn it. You are allowed to just live.”
this was just the perfect book for the exact right time that i needed to read it in my life. we all know books and words and stories have healing powers that are immeasurable, but this book truly feels like you're putting on a band-aid immediately. i am so eternally thankful for becky chambers writing it, and i know it is going to help and comfort so many readers forever.
this felt like a love letter to communication, to finding comfort, and ultimately to just not feeling alone. it touches on how healing nature can be, and how we are all truly connected through it. yet, we have so much we still can learn from one another. but also how there is so much in this world none of us will ever understand, but knowing we are so linked and experiencing so many things together... it makes it not so scary, not so daunting, not so... alone. especially when we are allowing ourselves to feel experiences fully and wholeheartedly. because we were truly put on this earth to do so much more than produce. especially when we are creatures with the ability to feel so very deeply.
and this story really helps emphasize how powerful a cup of tea can be. :]
tw/cw: talk of spiders + insects, mention of animal death, blood + wound depiction.
“She is a full glass submerged in water. Neither nor both full and empty. The inquiry, though kind, has no meaning for her.”
oh, i adored this. i f“She is a full glass submerged in water. Neither nor both full and empty. The inquiry, though kind, has no meaning for her.”
oh, i adored this. i feel like i have never read anything quite like this before, and that is something i find myself unable to say very often in 2022. this was fresh, and unique, and unsettling, and so, so, so smartly crafted and written - with such a haunting setting and atmosphere.
i feel like a lot of reviews talk about the twist being spoiled for them, but i caught on very quickly - and it didn't hinder my enjoyment at all! but please know this and maybe... don't dig into too many reviews until you've read this one yourself! but i highly recommend it and i know it will stick with me for a long while.
(view spoiler)[ i see a lot of people offended by this book, but i interpreted it as men do horrible things in the name of god, not... the other way around lol! also, like... lots of dots (and big waving red flags) to the US right now in the year 2022. ahhhh, but anyways - we do love a good lilith mention though, always! (hide spoiler)]
cw/tw: death, murder, mention of blood, abusive relationship depiction, codependency depiction, and... talk of food/eating in a way that i believe could potentially be triggering even though it is done in a metaphorical way - so just use caution!
“If we ran then we would have to admit there was something to run from.”
this year, i really want to read so much from t kingfisher! year after yea
“If we ran then we would have to admit there was something to run from.”
this year, i really want to read so much from t kingfisher! year after year, so many people recommend them and their stories to me so i knew i wanted to pick something up by them this first month of 2023. i really enjoyed this, the atmosphere, and the writing... whew... the writing was 11/10! but i think i would have enjoyed more if i would have reread the fall of the house of usher. not that you need to, this story completely stands on it's own! but this was still a powerful novella that i thoroughly enjoyed! and i can't wait to pick up something else by this author extra now! (also, the way i have read so many stories this month about spooky houses after finishing this one... completely unintentionally)
trigger + content warnings: mention of tumors for descriptions, talk of war, talk of surgery, insect depictions, death, animal death, talk of dead bodies, mention of suicide, loss of a loved one, brief mentions of transphobia
“Travel can be hard. It wears on the heart, even when it’s done on purpose, and there’s always a cost and a consequence.”
;___; for sure my favorite or 2nd favorite wayward children tale yet. i really loved this even though i felt like i was constantly crying or experiencing the feeling of being on the verge of crying from the author note to the very last page.
all these novellas focus on a very important, but newly introduced theme, while also maintaining the overarching message of finding the place(s) you belong - on your terms, with your health and safety as the number one priority. but the theme of this short story is losing your childhood - in all the ways imaginable. from loss and grief, to feeling unseen and unheard, to being manipulated by people you trust... and they are all very heartbreaking but so very real.
besides this book being very important and feeling very thankful it is in the world, antsy + seanan do an amazing job letting people know they aren't alone and they were never at fault... for anything <3
authors note warnings: grooming, gaslighting, reassurance nothing physical happens (very important and very much impacted my reading experience in a very positive way because of the reassurance)
additional trigger + content warnings that i wrote down while reading: loss of a parent, heart-attack, pedophilia, panic attack, mention of making a small cut to see magic, grief, loss of a sibling, child abuse
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