It would seem Connie Willis spent the entire pandemic shut down watching every Western and classic Sci-Fi movie to come out of Hollywood. It is delighIt would seem Connie Willis spent the entire pandemic shut down watching every Western and classic Sci-Fi movie to come out of Hollywood. It is delightful how well Westerns and Aliens go together, really! I think Indy might be my favorite alien character ever. All that said, Willis has a specific style of writing that can feel repetitive from book to book, but also within one book. I think in this one, though, she captured a wonderful band of characters. For me, it almost read as a metaphor for COVID ... they're all trapped together by a tentacle-covered alien, they can't risk exposure to anyone else due to alien, and they have no idea what to expect from the alien.
I had heard a lot about the writing couple known as Ilona Andrews but wasn't sure where to start with their many, many works. This ... was probably noI had heard a lot about the writing couple known as Ilona Andrews but wasn't sure where to start with their many, many works. This ... was probably not the right choice for me. I started with the GraphicAudio edition in my library's Hoopla app. The voice actors did *fantastic* jobs but the sound effects were just way over the top. I switched to the ebook version, which was better but overall this still wasn't quite what I was looking for at the moment. The world-building is really fun, but it's too violent and gross for me. ...more
I went into this book expecting a fun story about friends designing video games. I did not expect how much grief would play such a big part of this stI went into this book expecting a fun story about friends designing video games. I did not expect how much grief would play such a big part of this story. There was a small section in the middle of the book that just destroyed me, in a good way... I guess. I loved spending time in these pages. I started with the ebook and finished with the audiobook, which is read in style and tone of voice that perfectly fit the cautious personalities we meet. Even though I'm not familiar with 98% of the real games mentioned, I still greatly enjoyed the discussions on game design. So much of it is, after all, storytelling. ...more
I did not know I needed a hipster wizard with a sidekick talking koala in my reading list, but yes, yes I did. Found this collected volume on Hoopla aI did not know I needed a hipster wizard with a sidekick talking koala in my reading list, but yes, yes I did. Found this collected volume on Hoopla and enjoyed the whole thing. Some Deadpool-esque humor, a bit of family drama, and lots of magic fights. ...more
I know the book cover looks all swarmy but this is actually a brilliant, cutting, skewer of academia (one one hand) plus social commentary and meditatI know the book cover looks all swarmy but this is actually a brilliant, cutting, skewer of academia (one one hand) plus social commentary and meditation (on the other hand).
In a Q&A with the author at the back of the book, she says she looks at this novel "as a cautionary tale about the stories we tell ourselves about other people" and it is so perfect viewed thru that lens. Our unreliable narrator is mainly unreliable because of all the assumptions (SO MANY assumptions) she makes about the people around her - their actions, their motivations, their feelings. She gets it all so wrong! And you have to ask yourself - how many times each day are your assumptions wrong?
Also brilliant - the author is showing us how the people around the narrator are making false assumptions about her, as well. Her students and even her own daughter have specific ideas about what she "must" be feeling and yet they are misreading her as much as she misreads them.
And yes, it definitely calls to Lolita in many ways. I enjoyed it. ...more
Scalzi himself calls this a fun pop song and that is a great description. If anything, that might be selling the book short. It’s a fun, smart, ridicuScalzi himself calls this a fun pop song and that is a great description. If anything, that might be selling the book short. It’s a fun, smart, ridiculous, and spot-on love note to Godzilla and send up of the last three years. Highly recommend. ...more
This was the sweet little gem i didn’t know i needed. The whole audiobook was one hour, but in that short amount of time, Rowell manages to capture soThis was the sweet little gem i didn’t know i needed. The whole audiobook was one hour, but in that short amount of time, Rowell manages to capture so many of the discrepancies and conflicting feelings of the past two years. This could be the time capsule we hand out to people in the future who ask, “what was 2020 like?”. Here. Read this. ...more
For anyone who loved the warm cozy friendships of Becky Chambers novels, this will be right up your alley. Is there a story here? Well, there's a ragtFor anyone who loved the warm cozy friendships of Becky Chambers novels, this will be right up your alley. Is there a story here? Well, there's a ragtag bunch of people trying to renovate a very old castle. But the heart of this series is in all the little interactions between characters. Expressions and gestures are captured so perfectly and so simply here. No tension, no violence, just friends. I think sometimes we all need something that basic.
What a lovely, wonderful book. There was tarot, earth art, sarcasm, and delicious food. Warning: there was also an abusive parent-child relationship, What a lovely, wonderful book. There was tarot, earth art, sarcasm, and delicious food. Warning: there was also an abusive parent-child relationship, but the author did not try to excuse or justify the hurtful actions, which I appreciated. The parent was wrong, and that's that. The heroine is a great character - I loved her so much. If you need a quick read that ends on a note of sunshine, this is for you. ...more
I went through a string of odd-to-creepy graphic novels on Hoopla over the course of one weekend and this was one of them. I really don't know what toI went through a string of odd-to-creepy graphic novels on Hoopla over the course of one weekend and this was one of them. I really don't know what to think of this book. I mean ... is this an allegory...? Is the bear symbolic of something...? What is going on here? I suspect the entire story is all for the sake of the closure conversation with the best friend who had been so against the relationship. Seems like a lot of work for that one point. But like I said .. I don't really know what to think here. ...more
I loved how gender is addressed in the world-building here. Instead of determining a person's gender by how they look physically, it's determined by tI loved how gender is addressed in the world-building here. Instead of determining a person's gender by how they look physically, it's determined by the kinds of ornaments or accessories a person wears: wood for masculine, metals for feminine, and glass for fluid / non-binary. The characters were fun and the court-intrigue / conspiracies kept things entertaining. ...more
I love it when a story makes me want to do some research. This story had me looking up images of so many paintings, including several John Singer SargI love it when a story makes me want to do some research. This story had me looking up images of so many paintings, including several John Singer Sargents. The way she described being in an art museum and engaging with a painting ... oh, I miss art museums so much. Plot-wise, this definitely has the bridge symptoms of a middle book in a trilogy, but I am enjoying the whole series too much to complain about that. Bring on the third book! ...more
This is a book I think everyone should read, and it was a difficult book to read at some points.
From the cover, you might think it will be a body-posThis is a book I think everyone should read, and it was a difficult book to read at some points.
From the cover, you might think it will be a body-positive fluffy romance. There was some fluffy romance, yes. But the body-positive part is the most important piece. The author does not hold back any punches here. She shows you again and again all the kinds of horrible remarks our heroine has to put up with on a daily basis. And this is why I think everyone should read it: to ask ourselves if we have ever been one of those jerks, even if unintended. On the other hand, this book might be triggering for anyone who has dealt with body-image issues so please keep that in mind.
I loved the use of chats, texts, emails, and podcast scripts to tell the story. I imagine the audiobook could be amazing, if they used multiple voice performers (I read the ebook so I don't know). The reality TV show parts were just ... meh ... for me. But everything happening around and outside of that, - especially the fan and media reactions! - were what really kept me engaged.
Highly recommend and I would love to hear your thoughts about this book! ...more
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