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laurelthebooks's reviews
647 reviews
Mammoths at the Gates by Nghi Vo
medium-paced
4.25
In Mammoths at the Gates Cleric Chih is headed home to the Singing Hills abbey, a place we’ve only had mentions of before. And of course, Almost Brilliant is back for this entry.
Just like the previous three books I am amazed at how much can be packed into such a small package. Themes such as grief, old friends, recognizing change, coming home, and the complexity of memory suffuse this bite sized story. I recognize my own bias here, but this whole series makes me soft and mushy inside 💖
“I would be honored to hear your story . . . Whether it is long or short, broken or whole, sad or joyful or angry or strange.”
Just like the previous three books I am amazed at how much can be packed into such a small package. Themes such as grief, old friends, recognizing change, coming home, and the complexity of memory suffuse this bite sized story. I recognize my own bias here, but this whole series makes me soft and mushy inside 💖
“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 Feed Her to the Beast and the Beast Is Me by Jamison Shea
dark
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Ballet brings to mind the ephemeral, the elite, and the kind of soft beauty that is backed by absolute iron discipline. In Shea’s novel, Laurence Mesny strives to become the best ballerina amongst the competitive Parisian ballet. After being constantly overlooked despite her skill she strikes a deal with an unknown power to bring her to the top. As she drives forward she discovers that she isn’t the only monster here though.
The book covers obsession, insecurity, pettiness, power balances, and the slowly dawning realization that the validation we are told to strive for might not even exist. I adored the setting and characters in this novel, and I definitely can see this appealing to ballet lovers and those who adore a good young adult villain origin story.
This book fascinates and intrigues, although the execution fell a tad flat to me I still adored so many parts of this. It has some gore descriptions, but it falls surprisingly low on the creepiness factor. I’d love to know what you thought of you’ve read this!
“What kind of person becomes a monster only to embrace their curse and build a sanctuary with it?”
The book covers obsession, insecurity, pettiness, power balances, and the slowly dawning realization that the validation we are told to strive for might not even exist. I adored the setting and characters in this novel, and I definitely can see this appealing to ballet lovers and those who adore a good young adult villain origin story.
This book fascinates and intrigues, although the execution fell a tad flat to me I still adored so many parts of this. It has some gore descriptions, but it falls surprisingly low on the creepiness factor. I’d love to know what you thought of you’ve read this!
“What kind of person becomes a monster only to embrace their curse and build a sanctuary with it?”
The Archive Undying by Emma Mieko Candon
This book is full of bad decisions, various descriptions of personhood, corrupted AI deities, unexplained shady governments, mechas, and oddly appealing random food descriptions. No, seriously - it’s a wild ride. Think of smashing the tone of Tamsyn Muir's Locked Tomb Series and Neon Yang's The Genesis of Misery together and you’ll have a decent grasp on the tone of the entire book.
To give the main character, Sunai, at least some credit they are self-aware to identify that they are making bad decisions they just continue on with them anyways. Despite being character driven this is a book with plenty of overlapping perspectives (especially near the end) that I definitely expect to be confusing for people! If you got through Harrow though I have faith in you.
To give the main character, Sunai, at least some credit they are self-aware to identify that they are making bad decisions they just continue on with them anyways. Despite being character driven this is a book with plenty of overlapping perspectives (especially near the end) that I definitely expect to be confusing for people! If you got through Harrow though I have faith in you.
Axiom's End by Lindsay Ellis
2.5
There were some gems in this book hidden among some of the conversations, but overall it was a very mediocre read for me. I didn’t appreciate any of the characters, but if you enjoy first contact novels, this may be something you enjoy.
Pig by Sam Sax
challenging
reflective
I didn't expect to deeply contemplate the many facets of the word, animal, and connotation of 'pig', but I suppose that only speaks in favor of Sax's poetry collection as that was indeed what I ended up doing. There's a near viscous quality to their writing that mires you as the reader into the poetry. Was reading this pleasant? Hmmmm...no. Was it fascinating and engrossing? Absolutely.
If you're one for visceral description and uncomfortable contemplation over a wide breath of tangential topics this will be in your wheelhouse. I know there are specific sections of poems that I rather want embeded in my brain although my personal enjoyment of the individual poems varied wildly throughout the collection.
Thank you to NetGalley for the advance digital copy to review.
If you're one for visceral description and uncomfortable contemplation over a wide breath of tangential topics this will be in your wheelhouse. I know there are specific sections of poems that I rather want embeded in my brain although my personal enjoyment of the individual poems varied wildly throughout the collection.
Thank you to NetGalley for the advance digital copy to review.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gore and Sexual content
Ebony Gate by Julia Vee, Ken Bebelle
adventurous
fast-paced
If urban fantasy is your jam, I would highly suggest picking up Ebony Gate. With a mysterious theft, clan debts being called in for payment, death gods, and a healthy dose of magical sword fights this book definitely keeps you on your toes. The San Francisco setting gave me a new appreciation for relearning a city again as well. Personally, one of my favorites parts was Emiko’s love of weaponry and the occasional sword discussion.
Overall, a fun romp that I can see being an exciting series. While there are plenty of details to absorb the plot isn’t especially intricate, so go ahead and plan on tearing through it if you like action packed reads.
Overall, a fun romp that I can see being an exciting series. While there are plenty of details to absorb the plot isn’t especially intricate, so go ahead and plan on tearing through it if you like action packed reads.
Inferno: A Memoir of Motherhood and Madness by Catherine Cho
4.5
A short, yet still phenomenal memoir - Cho dives directly into her experience with psychosis, from the loose connections she had with reality to the day to day life of involuntary admission to a psych ward. You would think that the stories of her life prior to this admission would detract from the psychosis narrative, but instead they work together to paint an image of Cho both past and present. A masterful use of split narrative, Inferno is a captivating memoir.
To Shape a Dragon's Breath by Moniquill Blackgoose
adventurous
inspiring
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.25
Dragons. Family. Determination. Erasure. Consent. Friendship. Power. To Shape a Dragon’s Breath by Moniquill Blackgoose touches on all of these themes and even more (not going to put them all here - if these pique your interest grab the book!).
Anequs’ practical mindset was beautiful to me. She’s straightforward and caring and enters a world where neither of those qualities are considered of benefit. She doesn’t let that stop her. Anequs and her bonds to not only her dragon but to her home, family, friends, and the world around her are a powerful part of this book. Blackgoose’s descriptions of the world and sciences here are in-depth which I appreciated. I love elaborate detail. Not to mention how well the cultural contexts of our narrator, Anequs, shine through.
This is a stunning work of character, happenings, thought, and story. This book was tough to put down, and I cannot understate how much I adored flying through this story.
Anequs’ practical mindset was beautiful to me. She’s straightforward and caring and enters a world where neither of those qualities are considered of benefit. She doesn’t let that stop her. Anequs and her bonds to not only her dragon but to her home, family, friends, and the world around her are a powerful part of this book. Blackgoose’s descriptions of the world and sciences here are in-depth which I appreciated. I love elaborate detail. Not to mention how well the cultural contexts of our narrator, Anequs, shine through.
This is a stunning work of character, happenings, thought, and story. This book was tough to put down, and I cannot understate how much I adored flying through this story.