Space Station Mir

 An author whose work I really enjoy ( Book Review: The Shadow of Theron)  asked me to be part of her ARC readers/blogging promotional team for her next book, A Vision in Crimson, which means that I (and you!) get some pretty cool previews for the book, which comes out January 23, 2024--exactly one month from today! Today's "reveal" is the trope map, which definitely hits some of my favs: a witchy female protagonist, a secondary world, and a romance--I can go either way on vampires, but knowing how Troy writes, I'm sure I'll be interested in her take.  The cover is also gorgeous--I love the black and gold motif, and of course, with a word like crimson in the title, expectations must be met. I also like that split sword that gives me Excalibur vibes and reminds me of the sword-fighting in Shadow of Theron. I missed the official links, so I've just got a homemade trope map, so please don't blame the author/promotion team for my wonky photo editing but just t...

 Happy Top Ten Tuesday! I have an urge to list a bunch of cute wintry reads OR list the books I actually think I will read this winter. I'll go with a mixture of both. Happy Sixth Night of Hanukkah to my fellow celebrants! Books On My Winter 2023-2024 TBR Eight Nights of Flirting by Hannah Reynolds--Ok, I'm cheating because I just finished this, but it's such an adorable Hanukkah romance with the perfect wintry cover that I couldn't not include it. Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus--An upcoming book club read for January--I hope there's a reason for all the hype! Out of the Corner by Jennifer Grey--Different book club read for January--kind of interested in this one although I don't know a lot about her. Promises Stronger Than Darkness (Unstoppable Book 3) by Charlie Jane Anders--Currently reading very slowly and the title is very appropriate for this winter. Bookshops & Bonedust by Travis Baldree--Legends & Lattes was the ultimate cozy fantasy, and...

Happy Top Ten Tuesday!   I don't know if this was on purpose or not, but it was a good week for a freebie.  It's hard to believe, but Hanukkah starts on Thursday night! So, actually, I'm kind of late getting this out. All I really want for Hanukkah is peace and freedom for all, but books can be small lights of joy in all the darkness. Chag urim sameach to all those who celebrate! Books I Want for Hanukkah (on Kindle only since I'm trying to save space!) All Systems Red by Martha Wells (Murderbot Diaries)-I've been meaning to start this series forever, and it sounds like this will be a fun and quick read. Light from Uncommon Stars by Ryka Aoki-I started reading a sneak peek of this and loved it, but never ended up buying it. Greywaren by Maggie Stiefvater-It's time to finish the trilogy! The Cybernetic Tea Shop by Meredith Katz-Found this when I looked up cozy fantasy, my new fav subgenre. A Coup of Tea by Casey Blair--Cozy fantasy mystery. Chaos Terminal by Mur ...

 I spent November more focused on writing a book than reading any, but I did manage to finish reading one book (I've also been dipping in and out of a few more) as well as write over 35k words of a second draft of the novel I started in 2019. I was hoping to be a NaNoWriMo winner again this year by writing 50k words in 30 days, but I was running a bit behind and then had a cold these last few days, when I was hoping to bump it all up, which put an end to that. Still, I'm very proud of myself for getting a good start on the second draft (I'm...maybe halfway through? not entirely sure), and I'm hoping to finish the draft, which will probably be more than 50k words, in December.  Book Read in November We Were Dreamers by Simu Liu--I started watching Simu Liu on Kim's Convenience as the cool-guy prodigal son Jung ( a show which, sidenote, one of my students thought they had personally discovered and thought I was extremely hip for watching!) I was so happy when he was ...

I finished a lot of the poetry books I was reading in October, plus a book club read. I also dove into the second and third books of Charlie Jane Anders' unstoppable trilogy, which I'd been saving for when I needed it, and so glad I did--her books never disappoint. I'm still savoring the final book, Promises Stronger Than Darkness.  Left on Tenth by Delia Ephron (book club read)--Delia Ephron loses her husband and her sister, falls in love, gets cancer, and lives. It's...fine. Not a book I would have chosen.  Dreams Bigger Than Heartbreak by Charlie Jane Anders--The second book in the Unstoppable trilogy, so much queer diverse space-y goodness, constantly riffing on Star Trek and other scifi institutions--highly recommend Your Emergency Contact Has Experienced an Emergency by Chen Chen- -One of my favorite poets--these poems are mostly from while he was in graduate school in Texas during the pandemic Good Bones by Maggie Smith--Contains her viral poem and plenty of oth...

Happy Top Ten Tuesday! That Artsy Reader Girl/ The Novelry shared a description for atmospheric books: “A novel feels atmospheric when the setting and the narrative are deeply involved with one another; when characters and plot are physically embedded in their surroundings, and a near-tangible mood lifts from the pages and wraps itself around the reader.”   I certainly feel this is true of the books listed below. Happy atmospheric reading! The Shadow of the Wind by Carlos Ruiz Zafón--This books and its sequels feel intimately entwined with the streets and surrealist architecture of Barcelona--highly recommend! The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern--This book is practically all atmosphere. The Stars Are Legion by Kameron Hurley--This book is a journey through the (literal) bowels of a living planet--the book is inextricable from the setting, often feeling claustrophobic or, once beyond the planet, exposed. The City in the Middle of the Night by Charlie Jane Anders--The story i...

 Real talk--in the world I live in, there is no job I would do for free because I have to eat and keep a roof over my head. But if we lived in some kind of utopian Federation paradise where all our material needs were met regardless of income, these are the types of careers I would enjoy (and yes, I'm lucky that some of them have been or are similar to my actual careers!).  Happy Top Ten Tuesday! Bookish Jobs I Would Do For Free In a Universe Where My Material Needs Were Already Met 1. Writer--In this universe, it wouldn't matter if I got published or not, although I'm sure I would find ways to share my writing with friends and peers. I'd spend lots of time writing, researching, taking classes, honing my craft. 2. Bookseller--Although maybe in this mystical place the role would be more like Bookgiver or Book advisor? I loved my job as a bookseller and only left because it was minimum wage. It's so much fun to see all the books and shelve them and help people find bo...

 I am well on my way or even done with some of my bookish goals for 2023  😁, while having barely completed or not even started others 😧. I would still like to complete these goals this year, so this is a good reminder to ramp up my efforts in the last quarter of 2023. Happy Top Ten Tuesday! Reading Goals I Still Want to Accomplish in 2023 Read at least 36 books-- I've done this already! I just completed 36 books at the end of September. This is way less than I've read in previous years, but I wanted to go easy on myself since I started a new job in the past year and change.  Read books I already own, library, or Kindle books.-- Yup! I've gotten very good at this--I've read a lot of library books (ex. left), a few books I owned, and the only books I've bought were Kindle deals.  Read at least two books by women in translation.-- Pretty sure I did not do this at all yet... Read at least 25% books by authors of color.-- I have read some books by authors of color this...

September was a fairly good month for reads, especially since I had some opportunities to listen to an audiobook, which I don't often get anymore. I also finished the fourth book on September 30th, bumping up my stats for the month! As I have the past few months, I still have a few books that I'm reading simultaneously and partly through, including a couple of poetry books, which I find read better that way.  Books Finished This Month You Could Make This Place Beautiful by Maggie Smith--It takes a lot longer to finish audiobooks (which I pretty much only listen to in the car) than when I used to commute but I got this because I had a couple trips this summer. I finished it up on the way home from the last one on Labor Day weekend. This is a memoir on Smith's marriage and divorce but it also reads like a manual on how to write (or not write) a memoir. She has repeating refrains about "the question at the center of this book" and the scenes that she is deciding to k...

 It's funny--I like making these seasonal TBR lists and thinking about books for each season--especially fall, since that's when the biggest books of the year tend to come out, but I am well aware that I'm a mood reader and don't tend to actually read by season. I have gotten better at "gaming" these lists with books I've just started or already have though, so I do tend to read at least a few on each list at the promised time. Books On My Fall 2023 To-Read List 1. Celebrating the Jewish Year: The Fall Holidays by Rabbi Paul Steinberg, edited by Janet Greenstein Potter--I actually put this on hold at the library shortly after the High Holidays last year, to be activated about a month beforehand this year, and I'm so glad I did. It's helpful to get in the mood both for teaching Hebrew school and for my own reflections around the holidays. I love how there is always more to learn!  2. Twelve Past Midnight by Tiffany Alexanderson--LibraryThing review ...

August was a decent reading month, although it felt like I was dragging along and not finishing much. I ended up enjoying all of my reads decently and finishing a review book, which is always an accomplishment. Books Read in August The House of Silk by Anthony Horowitz--One of my book clubs chose this one--it's an authorized Sherlock Holmes by a different author. Horowitz did a fantastic job of recreating the style, tone, and atmosphere of the original Holmes books--sometimes a little too good in terms of casual racism imo although the point of this book is a class takedown and a bit of gendered poetic justice. There's also a pretty upsetting plot point that might trigger some.  Learning to Fly Alien Spacecraft by Fay Abernethy--Review book from LibraryThing that took me forever to get through--I enjoyed the detailed depictions of mostly utopian alien societies but I was not in the mood for three mostly separate plotlines.  Study for the World's Body by David St. John--Book...

This week's Top Ten Tuesday topic is books having to do with water. I guess that makes sense for a time of year (in the States, anyway) when we really appreciate the value of water, for ourselves and for our gardens. I went with books that center around water or a body of water, and those are usually included in the title, the cover, or both. Happy Top Ten Tuesday! Books About Water The Sweetness of Water by Nathan Harris--The titular water is actually about a fountain, and it's certainly central to the book.  Life of Pi by Yann Martell--I'd say a book about a boy and a tiger on the ocean fits here, and the classic cover has plenty of sea blue. Once Upon a River by Diane Setterfield--Set around a river (the Thames) just like the title suggests, both literally and figuratively. The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain--I always associate this classic tale with the Mississippi River, and the covers of most editions I've seen show Huck and Jim in the boat--or just ...

 What a creative idea! I love this topic but it does take some extra thinking. I'll be interested to see what everyone else comes up with. Happy Top Ten Tuesday! Characters from Different Books Who Should Team Up (Or date, be friends with, etc.) Addie LaRue/Nimona--I think these two would have a lot to relate to each other about, two beings who were once people but have become something else. I imagine Nimona accepting a deal from the devil so people see her as the person they most want to see--which means she'll see through Addie's invisibility like David in the book.  Elizabeth Bennet/Temeraire--Similarly, I think these two would have a lot of rebellious 19th century England ideas in common and would make a great team.  Hava from Seasparrow/Miss Benson from Miss Benson's Beetle--They're both weird and relate to animals more than people--and also enjoy travelling. I think they would get along. Ronan from The Raven Boys/Jesper from Six of Crows--I could see them get...

 July was a pretty great reading month, but I got overexcited and have a bunch of new reviews to do, so I'm skipping back and forth between 3-4 books at any given time, which I haven't done for years, but it's fine. Anyway, I finished three. Happy Women in Translation (WIT) month--don't know if I'll get any WIT reads in, but wanted to mention it! Books Read This Month Horse by Geraldine Brooks--bones, art, and horse racing. lot of historical research especially the history of enslaved African American jockeys, grooms, and traders, many of whom were pushed aside after the Civil War. A Gift of Stars by Renée Gendron-fantasy romance set in a complex world heavily influenced by constellations and divine pantheons but the book is centered on one construction site and a couple in an arranged marriage with some baffling stipulations. There's some awkward language and I got a bit frustrated about the long-drawn-out explanation over what was being built and what an unnec...

I frankly don't read a lot of backlist titles anymore (comes with not browsing much anymore heh) and everyone's backlist is someone else's obvious list, but I tried to pick books that aren't currently trending on Booktok or Bookstagram (that I know of), and are a little older or a little less mentioned, at least comparatively to other books in their genres or authors' oeuvres.  Happy Top Ten Tuesday! Forgotten Backlist Titles   The Bondwoman's Narrative by Hannah Carpenter A Traveler in Time by Alison Uttley Your Perfect Year by Charlotte Lucas Miller's Valley by Anna Quindlen Stoned: Jewelry, Obsession, and How Desire Shapes the World by Aja Raden The Stars Are Legion by Kameron Hurley A Woman Soldier's Own Story: The Autobiography by Xie Bingying The Speed of Clouds by Miriam Seidel Fledgling by Octavia Butler The Scar by Marina and Sergey Dyachenko

 I feel like I've been DNFing a fair amount lately, mostly with review books. I feel obligated to read review books longer than I would if they were books I just picked up on my own. That said, I have a caveat in my Book Review Policy  that if I feel I am not the right audience for the book, I won't post a review. I try to avoid that by only picking books I genuinely think I will enjoy, but of course I can't always predict that before I read. Also, while book clubs have been a great way to get exposed to books I wouldn't normally read, tastes will differ and every once in a while, I find a book I'm just not willing to finish. I also want to say no shade to the authors or anyone who enjoyed these books--they just weren't for me. Happy Top Ten Tuesday! Most Recent Books I Did Not Finish 1. Caribbean Competitors by Poppy Minnix--LibraryThing review--This one sounded great and has a beautiful cover, but while the island setting was compelling, I just couldn't ge...

This is the feminist Arthurian retelling I didn't know I could have. I've read and watched Arthuriana from kids' books and TV shows, The Sword in the Stone to Camelot , Excalibur to King Arthur , the Bernard Cornwell books, the Rosalind Miles books, Le Morte d'Arthur , the Merlin TV movie to the Merlin TV show, Monty Python and the Holy Grail, Spamalot, Cursed , and more. So I want you to understand what I'm saying when I say: this is my favorite. I've never seen anyone (other than Tennyson) take Elaine as the central point-of-view character, and it's (literally) a revelation. Sebastian brings a distinctly contemporary sensibility and diction to the narrative, which may put off some fans of older Arthurian legends, but in my opinion makes this all the more the right Arthurian retelling for this day and age, and Elaine, a character who sees different versions of the future, the right narrator.  We live in a world with many possibilities, and too often, we sh...

Today is a Top Ten Tuesday freebie, so I took a look at topics I missed earlier this year, and found this one. There definitely are certain tropes and subject matters that can immediately steer me off reading a book--and others that are just annoyances or preferences.  Happy Top Ten Tuesday! My Top Ten  Nine Book Turnoffs Enemies to lovers--From Darcy and Elizabeth to Kylo and Rey, I am not about it. In a lot of cases, I don't find it believable or desirable. There are often genuine reasons to hate these bad guys (i.e., they are jerks or ACTUAL KILLERS), and them being nice to the Special Protagonist Girl is not enough to redeem them. Then, how many of you ended up dating a person you really didn't like in the first place? I never have, anyway, although, sure, I will acknowledge that you can misjudge someone and get to know them better, but I think Much Ado really takes the cake on that--and that's more lovers to enemies to lovers again, which I find more believable! May/De...

It was a good month for reading! I kept going with the Bean series, read books for two book clubs, and threw a little nonfiction into the mix (and enjoyed it). I also started reading Horse  by Geraldine Brooks, a chunker I have to finish for yet another book club this weekend. Hope my fellow Americans had a good Fourth, Canadians had a good Canada Day, and everyone else a happy July. Books Read This Month  Shadow of the Giant by Orson Scott Card--This (sadly) finishes up Petra and Peter's arc and all the Battle School military/political fallout on Earth, setting up for what I'd consider more "hard" science fiction. The Cost of Living and Other Mysteries by Saul Golubcow--Local author wrote a Jewish detective novel, it's set in the '70s but published in 2021 so it has more modern sensibilities. I saw this on a local book club meetup, so I had to try it. Not my usual book club and don't know if I'll keep up with it, but very glad I joined this session wh...

Although I am forever catching up on the backlist, I have seen a lot of great books that are going to be released later this year, especially a lot of great sci fi and fantasy. I've also been lucky enough to receive a couple of the books below for review from LibraryThing, so I'll let you know what I think pretty soon.  Happy Top Ten Tuesday! Most Anticipated Books Releasing in the Second Half of 2023 The Blue, Beautiful World by Karen Lord-August 29, 2023 Kissing Kosher by Jean Meltzer-August 29, 2023 The Splinter in the Sky by Kemi Ashing-Giwa -July 11, 2023 Learning to Fly Alien Spacecraft by Fay Abernethy-July 14, 2023 A Gift of Stars by Renée Gendron- Coming Summer 2023

 I love these seasonal TBR lists! Even though I usually don't end up reading all of them, it sets a good mood for the reading season. Plus, I've learned to game it by including books I'm already reading, book club books, and books I already have :-) There are so many exciting books coming out this summer too, and I keep seeing books on other people's lists that I'm adding to my TBR! Case in point, I stole a couple from Jana's list. Happy Top Ten Tuesday! Top Ten Books On My Summer 2023 TBR Marry Me by Midnight by Felicia Grossman-This was already on my TBR and happened to be on Jana's too--Gender-bent Cinderella with a Jewish protagonist set in 1830s London--how's that for ticking like 5 of my interests! Roleplaying by Cathy Yardley--Saw this on Jana's list--I love the idea of a book about an older couple that meets online! Horse by Geraldine Brooks--Book club read. Wouldn't have picked this one myself, but I've liked her other books. Last S...

It's been a long time since I reviewed a short story. This story, at 15,460 words, is a novelette, whatever that means. I don't often read short stories that aren't on Tor.com or part of the occasional collection. This one, as most shorter fiction that I like, is speculative fiction. It tells a fairy-tale-like story with an intrusive narrative voice I love, reminiscent in tone and theme of The Ones Who Walk Away from Omelas  and in content, like something out of My Mother She Killed Me, My Father He Ate Me , although this one isn't tied to a specific fairy-tale (that I know of), though perhaps it contains notes of Chicken Little, if Chicken Little were wise. In any case, go read it now . All authors leave a swath of destruction. We maim and move on. The privilege of the happy ending is accorded to few.

 I'm doing last week's TTT topic since I missed it. Also, although I of course love books and have an ever-expanding TBR list, I'm actually trying to get rid of books to open up more space in my home and hold less literal baggage in my life. Actually, I should probably post books I am looking to let go of because I would like to give them to new homes that want them. That would be my actual wish list! Anyway, on to summer books and Happy Top Ten Tuesday! Books or Covers that Feel Like Summer Caribbean Competitors by Poppy Minnix-I got this for review *checks notes* in November 😯but it looks like more of a summer book, so hopefully I'll finally get to it! The Villa by Rachel Hawkins-Sultry, sordid summer secrets. Summer at the Garden Cafe´ by Felicity Hayes-McCoy--haven't read this one yet, but loved the first book! Happy Place by Emily Henry--I enjoyed Book People , and this one has a very summery cover. That Summer Feeling by Bridget Morrisey--Adult summer camp! H...

  Books Read This Month The Sweetness of Water by Nathan Harris (April book club read)--Well-written, intriguing, with a surprisingly hopeful ending (and finally, finally historical fiction set after the Civil War--so glad to get away from WWII and mid-war in general).  L.A. Weather by María Amparo Escandón (May book club read)--Terrifying depiction of current climate change in L.A. (as of 2016), and a calendar year in the life of a telenovela-esque family drama. The weather-related secret is the best though. Have I Told You This Already? by Lauren Graham--I read Graham's last book, Talking as Fast as I Can,  since I'm a Gilmore Girls fan, and her writing style is entertaining and breezy. This is a collection of essays about her life in showbiz, ranging from the present to different past eras; a quick, easy enjoyable read.  The Cloisters by Katy Hays--Modern Gothic novel set at one of my favorite museums, the Cloisters. This was absolutely every atmospheric, twisty, ...

I caught up and almost caught up on a few books in April. I didn't quite finish The Sweetness of Water for one of my book clubs, but I attended anyway, and just barely didn't finish in April, leaving me at just two books for the month 😳 Books I Read This Month Book Lovers by Emily Henry--So glad I picked this up on the "Hot" shelf in the library. This book had me laughing aloud so much--so much great content for book lovers and romance readers especially. I heard that this was a "love story without tropes," but I would say more that it's a love story aware of its tropes and consciously creating new ones, the HEA for the organized, career-driven, luxury-loving people who want to stay in the city and edit books.  The Corgi Chronicles by Laura Madsen--I asked for this awhile ago because it's a fantasy novel starring a corgi, but I started it sometime last year (?) and have been reading it on and off and finally finished it. It's a fun book but defi...

 I've never really thought of TV shows like books until more recently, but I probably should. Especially since, these days, I can read them like texts, go back, rewind, repeat, stop there and think. I can stop a screen, and start writing how I'm feeling and reacting to characters and plot and setting on screen. I can return to favorite scenes again and again. And I can always compare the show and the book(s) because for some reason, a lot of my favorite shows are based on books--can't imagine why. Happy Top Ten Tuesday! Some of My Favorite TV Shows 1. All of the Star Treks, but right now, I'm enjoying Star Trek: Picard (The TNG cast especially my favorite Geordie!!!) and Star Trek: Strange New Worlds (love the episodic nature and modern sensibility and LOVE Anson Mount's Captain Pike). 2. Gilmore Girls--ultimate comfort TV, love that weird quirky impossible town.  3. New Girl--came to this a bit late, but I love how it's a wackier, quirkier spin on the sitcom wi...

What a fun unique challenge this week for Top Ten Tuesday ! I suspect most of the ones I find will be of dogs, especially corgis (for no particular reason 😎) but we shall see! I will try to include at least some books I have actually read but I may also look into some titles that I haven't read but just have an especially fun animal in the book or on the cover (although I imagine most cover art of animals would mean that animal is in the book?) Top Ten Books with Animals in Them and/or Covers with Animals on Them 1. Pax by Sara Pennypacker--Foxes, and a cute cover! I found the story sad, but do know, the fox lives. 2. Seasparrow by Kristin Cashore--Named after a bird but actually features a ton of blue foxes (I sense a theme!) And you can see a fox on the cover. 3. The Accidental Tourist by Anne Tyler--Cannot forget the corgi in this one--he completely drives the plot. 4. Temeraire series by Naomi Novik--Dragons on all the covers! Often, Temeraire himself. 5.Heartstopper series b...

March has been my best reading month so far this year. I'm proud of myself for reading and reviewing a pretty long but enjoyable fantasy novel at the author's request (it's been a while). It's also been a while since I just browsed in the library and brought home a book--and I'm so glad that The Library at the Edge of the World caught my eye. I read a book off my TBR,  Station Eternity, and this was the fortuitous month when my book clubs overlapped and picked the same book! (They both read a lot of historical fiction, so it was bound to happen sometime.) Books Read in March 2023 The Shadow of Theron by Kathryn Troy--Beautifully written fantasy romance. See my review here . The Only Woman in the Room by Marie Benedict (BOTH book clubs)--Interesting if you want to learn more about Heddy Lamarr. Easy read. Station Eternity by Mur Lafferty--I got strong Babylon 5 vibes the whole time (there's a quote in the epilogue), and the subtitle is "Midsolar Mysteries....

 Happy Top Ten Tuesday!  I am trying to write a spring TBR in line with my goals this year, so books that I already own or can get from the library or Kindle, and at least 25% by authors of color, and at least two women writers in translation. Fortunately, I have some books kicking around that should help out. Books On My Spring 2023 TBR Station Eternity by Mur Lafferty The Girl With the Louding Voice by Abi Dare Women in Sunlight by Frances Mayes With the Fire on High by Elizabeth Acevedo LA Weather by Maria Amparo Escandon Dreams Bigger Than Heartbreak by Charlie Jane Anders The Easy Life in Kamusari by Shion Miura The Other Man by Farhad J. Dadyburjor At the End of the Matinee by Keiichiro Hirano

  Happy International Women's Day! To celebrate, I'm doing a post on 10 amazing writers to check out if you haven't already. I've tried to range the gamut with authors from different backgrounds and identities, as well as different time periods and nationalities. These are all books I've loved. Hope you enjoy! 10 Amazing Books by Women Authors to Check Out The Galaxy, and the Ground Within by Becky Chambers--Perfect cozy scifi--if it were TV, it would be a bottle episode where a few characters from different species spend a few days contained together and learn as much about themselves as they do each other. The City in the Middle of the Night by Charlie Jane Anders--Such an amazingly realized world of how humans would adapt to a tidally locked planet, and the native alien culture. The Invisible Woman by Erika Robuck--Fictionalized true story of a woman with a wooden leg from Virginia who became a spy in WWII Europe. The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue by V.E. Schwab-...

The Shadow of Theron by Kathryn Troy Published February 28, 2023 Amazon  Goodreads UBL Blurb (Provided by the Author) The powers of old are fading. A new Age is dawning.   Holy relics are all that remain of Theron's sacred legend.    Now those relics, the enchanted weapons forged by the Three-Faced Goddess to help Theron defeat the wicked Sorcerer Argoss, are disappearing.   Lysandro knows the village magistrate Marek is responsible, and he searches for proof disguised as the masked protector the Shadow of Theron.  But when Marek wounds him with an accursed sword that shouldn't exist, Lysandro must find a way to stop Marek from gaining any more artifacts created by the Goddess or her nemesis. The arrival of the beautiful newcomer Seraphine, with secrets of her own, only escalates their rivalry.  As the feud between Lysandro and Marek throws Lighura into chaos, a pair of priestesses seeks to recover the relics and return them to ...

February has been an okay reading month in terms of quantity but great for quality. I enjoyed Mary Jane , about a teenage girl growing up in 1970s Baltimore who becomes the nanny for a more freewheeling Jewish family. This was fun for our synagogue book club, many of whom can remember growing up in the Jewish neighborhoods in Baltimore (specifically NOT the WASP-y neighborhood where Mary Jane lives). Then, I whipped through the graphic novels that the TV show Heartstopper is based on--I like the TV show more but it's based deeply on this source material (down to exact lines and scenes) so it was fun to see that and get a sneak peek ahead at next season. Finally, I got to read Kristin Cashore's Seasparrow, which I feel so lucky to read so soon after the last book Winterkeep came out in 2021, and that it was such a chunkster (624 pages!). I hope she never stops writing this series, I love them all so much, and I'm glad I got to fall in love with the character of Hava for this...

I have a lot of top genres, of course including science fiction and fantasy, but I saw that Jana did historical fiction, so I thought I would try that too. This is an easy one for me since both of my book clubs predominantly read historical fiction! I would say this is a genre I used to read a lot on my own, but I don't know if that would still be true if not for my book clubs. I am pretty excited about some of our upcoming reads though, including one on Hedy Lamarr and one on Rosalind Franklin. And, of course, I am always adding to the list for sci fi and fantasy. Top Historical Fiction Novels I Want to Read The Only Woman in the Room by Marie Benedict--My book club read for March, about Hedy Lamarr's history as a scientist and wife in Nazi Germany before she became a Hollywood actress. Atomic Anna by Rachel Barenbaum--This is kind of a hist fic/sci fi crossover, about a woman who goes forward and backward in time to prevent Chernobyl. Spear by Nicola Griffith--a gender-bent ...

January started off as a strong reading month, with a mix of comfort and practical reads. It's always nice to bank a nice start on my reading goals at the beginning of the year!  Books I Read This Month Legends and Lattes by Travis Baldree--Described as the perfect cozy fantasy novel, I requested this a few months ago from my local library, and it came in just at the end of the year. Set in a D&Desque world where a female orc decides to leave her adventuring party and open a coffee shop, this is truly the perfect relaxing read for fantasy fans. Mr. Perfect on Paper by Jean Meltzer--Jewish romance with anxiety rep; I didn't like it as much as The Matzah Ball but still a fun read. Fair Play by Eve Rodsky--A game to divide household tasks and the research behind it. Definitely an interesting and hopefully productive contribution to the emotional labor/mental load/household labor debate.