tallangryplanet's reviews
44 reviews

At Her Service by Amy Spalding

4.0

Max's life is simply... stuck. Her career doesn't seem to have a direction and the brightest part of her day is seeing Sadie, the cute barista at the bar under her flat, so when her roommate asks her to take part in a self-actualisation experiment she hesitantly accepts. What she didn't expect was for it to turn her life upside down...

Another cute sapphic romance from Amy Spalding, this book is a fresh take on what it's like to be on your twenties - what do you mean not everyone has their dream job at twenty-five?! Max's story is a more mature version of a coming of age story: she learns that it's necessary to put yourself out there if you actually want to change, and that change is not always comfortable but it is necessary. Her internal dialogue is worryingly relatable at times: "Why couldn’t I have just gotten my own shit together? Was I pathetic or was life actually kind of hard? Sometimes it felt like other people didn’t struggle as much as I did. Sometimes I felt uniquely bad at everything."

I was really rooting for the romance in this book, and if I could I might've had a physical fight with Chelsey, the roommate, for complicating things. The conflict frustrated me quite a bit but I also realise it was necessary, in part because it balances out the overall lighthearted tone of the book.

All in all, this is a great read for a lazy weekend in. You're sure to have a nice time with it if you're looking for something fluffy and positive.

Another quote I found relatable: "It wasn’t that LA wasn’t what I’d expected; it was that I was still me, even after relocating over two thousand miles away."

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this book. 

Poemas y Testimonios by Sappho, Aurora Luque

5.0

Fantástica edición tanto para lectores con conocimientos de latín y griego como para quien se introduce por primera vez en la poesía de Safo. 
Las traducciones de Luque son delicadas y muy adecuadas al carácter de la poetisa. 

For Her Consideration by Amy Spalding

4.0

After an apocalyptic breakup, Nina Rice cannot immagine herself at the center of a Hollywood life. She just isn't made for it, so she'll settle for working as an agent for the rest of her life, forgoing friends, fun, and love. That is, until she meets Ari. Sweet, brilliant, charming Ari, who should be absolutely off-limits because she's an actual star and one of Nina's clients. But then again, life is not a movie to be scripted... 

This is a really cute sapphic romance with a (big) dash of learning to love yourself and to let others into your life, even or especially in those moments when you feel weak and vulnerable. Nina and Ari's relationship is very wholesome, and despite it technically being a workplace romance there aren't uncomfortable power dynamics. 

My biggest (and practically only) issue with this book was that the main character's self-deprecation was annoying and repetitive at times. Fortunately, her friends were there to put some sense into that silly head (what do you mean one person's opinion of me should not shape the entirety of my life's decisions??) and bring some extra joy into this book. Honestly, the friend group really made this book worth it. 

This story is not too dense but has just the right amount of depth to keep you interested and wanting more. I absolutely recommend this if you're looking for a light and fluffy read, or are in need of a pick-me-up. 

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this book. 

Sounds Fake But Okay: An Asexual and Aromantic Perspective on Love, Relationships, Sex, and Pretty Much Anything Else by Sarah Costello, Kayla Kaszyca

3.0

"The idea that there is only one type of meaningful love is a ridiculous notion in and of itself. The idea that there is only one type of acceptable existence is even more so" 

Sounds fake but okay is a book about asexuality, and how by merely recognizing its existence we might change our outlook in a deeply patriarchal and cis/heteronormative world. It deals with love and relationships but also friendship, family, and gender. The authors acknowledge from the very start that they come from a privileged white, cisgender background, which they try to compensate by adding quotes from people on the ace spectrum with different backgrounds. The effect is that of a collection of testimonies connected by a slightly superficial analysis. 

If you're in the community yourself, you might already be familiar with most of the concepts in this book (such as the split attraction model), and the book may feel too basic. However, if you're new to the world of asexuality, aromanticism, and their spectrums, this might be a nice introductory read before delving into more complex works, but it's definitely not the ultimate nuanced read. 

All in all, this was a light, quick read. It wasn't too dense, which makes it great for someone wanting to learn about the ace spectrum. Unfortunately, I was not that public, so the book fell a bit short for me. It was, however, great to see ace voices be given a space, and that alone makes it worth giving a read. 

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for the opportunity to read and review this book. 

A Day of Fallen Night by Samantha Shannon

adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful inspiring reflective tense

• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

"I will make you proud. I am afraid. I love you, even if I do not think you love me half as much. I will never treat my daughter the way you have treated me."

This masterpiece had me crying tears of joy and sorrow, I don't think I've ever struggled so much to collect my thoughts after finishing a book. Since there's so many things I loved about it, I'll divide this review into sections in an effort to create some semblance of coherence. 

First of all, the characters!! Words cannot describe how much I loved the protagonists of this book, but numbers can. Infinite out of ten. It was so refreshing to see mature women be given a main role instead of being relegated to "mother of the protagonist" or "town baker" (which are perfectly respectable things to be, but they shouldn't be a character's single defining characteristic). The dynamic between Esbar and Tunuva, two people who love each other and have had more than enough time to figure out the workings of a healthy relationship in which there is still room for disagreement, is probably one of my new favorite romances of all time. Glorian owned my heart from the moment she was presented (and what a mother-daughter relationship hers was!), and so did Dumai. Their ability to handle the terrible hardships the world expects them to go through with a straight face is honestly heartbreaking but at the same time it made me want to better myself and make my own contribution to humanity. And Wulf, poor Wulf, always trying to figure out why he is the way he is, and why it's so hard to just be normal. Even the characters I didn't like as people were amazing characters. Canthe gave me terrible vibes from the beginning (I was pretty sure I knew who she was, having read Priory) and yet I still managed to sympathise with her at times. And the way Shannon manages to drag out the tension with Canthe's backstory and motivations throughout such a long story, without losing the reader's attention? Absolutely masterful. 

All this is to say, this book is full of deeply human characters. It's an epic fantasy story, yes, but the characters are not perfect, unreachable heroes. They're "regular" people, with responsibilities they don't always feel like handling, and complicated, conflicting feelings, making hard choices because their world pushes them to do so. They live through unspeakable pain (unwanted pregnancies, miscarriages, loss of loved ones) and yet they choose to pick themselves up every day, because there is no other way than forward. However, unlike many people nowadays, they know you cannot do it all alone, they let themselves be vulnerable and they let others help them, and I think that's beautiful. The way love and relationships with other humans are handled in this book, with a focus on family (which isn't always blood), is incredibly wholesome. 

The worldbuilding! The world of Priory becomes, if possible, even more complicated in this book. We're introduced to countries with different cultures, religions, climates, and forms of government. And every one of them feels incredibly real, the increase in quantity does not at all imply a decrease in quality. At some points I felt I could just pack my bags and go visit certain places, I suspect it might even be possible to figure out the appropriate clothing to blend in. However, my absolutely favorite aspect of this world is the magic. I love it when magic has limits for the users (both on the "good" and "evil" side), and the system here is incredibly satisfying. I'd be content just reading an in-world encyclopaedia on how the characters think their own powers work (Samantha, if you're reading this I beg you, please get us Canthe explaining all her mysterious abilities).

Of course, the story itself is nothing to scoff at. All the little threads that fit together, the pieces that suddenly fall into place when you get a new bit of information. How the author manages to keep it all straight is a mystery to me. Books like this make me incredibly thankful to whoever came up with the idea to put little glossaries or character lists at the end of books. 

And I cannot end this review without mentioning Shannon's writing. It's so lyrical and full of both heartwarming and heartbreaking quotes that hit so hard. I felt really connected to this world and its characters and a big part of why is the writing. Almost like reading an epic poem, especially in the beginning when we're still being introduced to everything. 

All in all, in case it wasn't clear yet, I absolutely recommend this book. It's the fresh take on fantasy we didn't know we wanted but we deserved all this time, it's gorgeous, it's got the found family, it's got the horrifying harshness of life, it's got the hope in humanity. What more could I ask? The only correct answer is more of this world. Run, don't walk, to get this book. Even if you haven't read The Priory of the Orange Tree, this works as a standalone, so take your pick at whichever one you'd like to tackle first. 

Infinite thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this book. 

One Last Stop by Casey McQuiston

4.0

August has known her whole life that being alone is the best way to protect yourself, and moving to New York definitely won't change that. She's definitely not going to become friends with her flatmates, or fall in love with the beautiful girl from the subway who always seems to magically appear in her same train... 

Maybe I'm just too invested in found family and characters with a rough exterior learning to let themselves be soft and vulnerable around said family, but this book absolutely hit the right spot for me. August's arch from "mysterious loner" to part of a community was lovely, and the cast of strange friends had me wanting more and more of their interactions. 

The romance was beautifully developed, and I really enjoyed how it was not the sole focus of the story. The sci-fi aspect was also fun, even if I got a bit lost sometimes. I only wish we had got to know Jane more personally, as I felt a little distant from her as a love interest. Some of the intimate scenes also made me a bit uncomfortable because of the public aspect, which is why this is a 4 star read for me. 

Overall, I really enjoyed this book, and I totally recommend it if you're looking for a queer romance with a twist.

Belladonna by Adalyn Grace

2.0

Sigma Farrow seems unable to die, and yet her whole life she has been haunted by the presence of Death. After being orphaned as a baby, she's been ferried off from one guardian to another, all preoccupied with her wealth rather than her wellbeing, as they all met untimely ends. When she finally arrives at the Hawthorne estate a few months before being able to claim her fortune, she's determined to make it work, but it seems someone is poisoning the family. Sigma and Death must become allies in the race to find the culprit and save Sigma's remaining relatives. 

The book had such an awesome premise. I was intrigued by the mystery, and Sigma's struggle to fit into her new life was even endearing at points. However, Sigma's horniness for two boys fighting with her desire to be a proper socialite soon got old, and around the 60% mark there was an intimate-ish scene that had me cringing to death (pun intended). If the intention was to mock traditional values of purity, I'd like to congratulate the author, because Sigma's thoughts about having to preserve herself if she wanted to be successful during her debut season were... entertaining. 

The mystery was the only thing that kept me reading this book during the second half, and I quite enjoyed the final twist. I do, however, think that the book would've done well as a standalone, though the sequel might be better now that the romance part is out of the way. 

Overall, this was not my favorite book, but it was also not awful. I would've given it 3 stars had it not been for how awkward I felt during the intimate scenes. All in all, if you enjoy murder mysteries with romance (including "I need to choose between these two boys but it's not really a choice") you might enjoy this book. 

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for the opportunity to read and review this book. 

The Stellar Snow Job by Marie Howalt

adventurous funny lighthearted

4.0

Alannah, a tourism guide writer taking advantage of a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to write about an unexplored planet. Richard, an ex-military private investigator hired to prevent the illegal visitors of said planet from making trouble. Eddie, a pilot with a love for adrenaline. 

The characters of The stellar snow job might be one of my new favorite gangs of all time, even if they're just getting to know each other in this book. Although this is a short story, they felt well developed and I really enjoyed discovering the little (and big) tidbits about their lives and personalities. The story itself is engaging too, but the thing that really makes it worth reading are these characters and the funny/awkward moments they create. I also really enjoyed the world, as there weren't any heavy infodumping moments and I felt like I was some sort of tourist myself, learning about it as I went along. 

All in all, I really enjoyed reading this novella, and will definitely be coming back to this series as the next books get published. If you're looking for a fun afternoon read or a book to carry in your bag to read whenever you have a moment, this is definitely it!

Thank you to the author for the opportunity to read and review this book. 

Everything I Know About Love by Dolly Alderton

adventurous challenging emotional funny hopeful informative inspiring reflective

4.0

Surviving your twenties is no easy feat, and Dolly Alderton proves it in this lovely memoir where love shines through as the glue that keeps a person whole. 

The book is written as a series of anecdotal chapters, focused on certain aspects of Alderton's life (dating, parties, flatmates...), and during the first part of the book I sometimes found myself wondering what the point of it all was. The stories were interesting and funny, but I couldn't see where the book was going. However, I was so gripped I couldn't stop reading, and I'm really glad I didn't drop the book because the second half was completely worth it. 

Setting aside certain differences in context, Alderton's book is incredibly relatable. It feels like she broke into my mind and then wrote about all my deepest fears and even some things I didn't know I was afraid of. There's a certain air of nostalgia to the book which made it so I wasn't sure whether I was crying from laughter or sadness at some points, and by the time I was done with it (about 1:30 a.m.) all I wanted to do was go and hug all my friends while telling them how much I appreciated their presence in my life. 

All in all, this is a quick and enjoyable read (though some parts do deal with heavier topics) that I will definitely revisit at some point in the future. If you feel like you might be a bit lost, or if you want some comfort in difficult times, I definitely recommend this book. 

Stone Blind by Natalie Haynes

3.0

"But I was always me," said Medusa. "I never changed." "You always changed and never changed."

The beginning of this book was surprisingly wholesome and funny, I loved seeing how the other Gorgons learned to care for Medusa. However, the story soon started to focus more on other characters (which is fair, as it was all connected to Medusa's own story and heartbreaking fate) and the change of pace was a bit distracting. Almost every character seemed to feel a great deal of self-importance, and Athene and Perseus in particular were incredibly capricious and selfish. If the goal was to make the reader dislike them to the point of annoyance, it was very well achieved. Sure, we're supposed to feel sympathy for Medusa and the injustice she suffers at their hands, but when there are only a couple of tolerable characters in the whole book it gets a bit tedious. The writing itself was fine, although at some points it was so straightforward that I felt, as a reader, that I was being treated like an idiot. 

I had very high expectations for a feminist retelling of Medusa's story but this was not at all what I expected. The book didn't really focus on her, and Hayne's take on Perseus' character is not one I agree with. If you're interested in Greek mythology you might still enjoy Stone Blind, but if you already know the myths and are looking for a fresh perspective this is probably not it.  

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for the opportunity to read and review this book.