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thereadinghammock's reviews
577 reviews
Two for Tea: Welcome to Azathé by C.M. Nascosta
Harper's role in the shake up heading for Cambric Creek is going to be an important one and I can't wait to see the new coven emerge from the ashes of the old.
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
First thing's first, PLEASE be gentle and kind with yourself when choosing to read this book. The themes of grief, depression, and loss are HEAVY in this story and a very important component. I do think this is a very pivotal book within the larger Cambric Creek meta story, but this story will always be there to come back to if and when you are ready to read it. Mental health is far more important than getting a few character cameos. That being said, the amount of foreshadowing, lore development, cameos, and nods to characters only previously seen patreon shorts was a Cambric Creek lover's dream.
Harper Hollingsworth is a witch struggling with clinical depression, in the throes of grieving her father, and uprooted back to her mother's hometown of Cambric Creek. Feeling lost in the depths of her grief, Harper struggles to find any reason to get out of bed or off the couch until a spark of a conversation with her younger sister gives her a nudge to try to be present enough for her, even if it's just sometimes. After a Goldilocks trip through town (the library was closed; Black Sheep Beanery is too loud; Viol, Violet, and Vine is a retail shop), Harper finds Azathé is just right to settle down and read a book somewhere that's not her couch.
With the encouragement from a surprise "free agent" familiar and the shadowy proprietor of the tea shop, Harper begins to find herself again, as a woman and as a witch. She begins those first tentative and terrifying steps toward "finding her new normal," as trite as that saying becomes after a loss so profound. Harper's healing path is full of new faces who understand the profoundness of her grief and never try to diminish it. They support her and share their own grief experiences in ways that demonstrate for her that the hurt never ends, but becomes a part of you, not what defines you.
Harper Hollingsworth is a witch struggling with clinical depression, in the throes of grieving her father, and uprooted back to her mother's hometown of Cambric Creek. Feeling lost in the depths of her grief, Harper struggles to find any reason to get out of bed or off the couch until a spark of a conversation with her younger sister gives her a nudge to try to be present enough for her, even if it's just sometimes. After a Goldilocks trip through town (the library was closed; Black Sheep Beanery is too loud; Viol, Violet, and Vine is a retail shop), Harper finds Azathé is just right to settle down and read a book somewhere that's not her couch.
With the encouragement from a surprise "free agent" familiar and the shadowy proprietor of the tea shop, Harper begins to find herself again, as a woman and as a witch. She begins those first tentative and terrifying steps toward "finding her new normal," as trite as that saying becomes after a loss so profound. Harper's healing path is full of new faces who understand the profoundness of her grief and never try to diminish it. They support her and share their own grief experiences in ways that demonstrate for her that the hurt never ends, but becomes a part of you, not what defines you.
Harper's role in the shake up heading for Cambric Creek is going to be an important one and I can't wait to see the new coven emerge from the ashes of the old.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief and Sexual content
Moderate: Emotional abuse, Mental illness, and Death of parent
Minor: Suicidal thoughts
Assassins & Olympians (Colibri Investigations, #2) by Marie Howalt
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Another sideways adventure with the crew of Colibri Investigations! If you want a cozy mystery that never goes according to plan, this is the crew for you. This novella picks up after the newly expanded crew have settled in to their new dynamic a bit. And then that new equilibrium is throw out the window with a job gone sideways, an assassination attempt, plans A-C thrown out the window, and the help of their thwarted assassin. The banter in this book was much smoother, but that comes with the characters flowing more smoothly with each other as well. It was a fun, short romp.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Gun violence, Kidnapping, Violence, and Drug use
Minor: Addiction and Injury/Injury detail
The Stellar Snow Job by Marie Howalt
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
It's hard to tell if the formatting of the ebook I got contributed to how hard it was for me to get through this book, or if it was just that I was so lost in establishing the world building. I know stepping into this heavy a sci-fi story is a bit outside my wheelhouse, but when I was offered a chance to read books 1 & 2 of the Colibri Investigations series, I took on the challenge figuring novella length is a great place to make that step. Eventually the story got there for me, but it was a struggle for most of the read.
I appreciated the efforts Marie made toward inclusion and diversity. From Richard's auditory processing issues, Eddie's history of addiction, and the various nonbinary and queer characters peppered throughout the rest of the worldbuilding.
I appreciated the efforts Marie made toward inclusion and diversity. From Richard's auditory processing issues, Eddie's history of addiction, and the various nonbinary and queer characters peppered throughout the rest of the worldbuilding.
Gods of Jade and Shadow by Silvia Moreno-Garcia
adventurous
dark
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Frustrated by her life as the "poor relation" that the family only took in out of guilt and obligation, Casiopea cannot wait to leave her grandfather's house when she comes of age. When she's left behind as a punishment and discovers the chest in her grandfather's bedroom contains the bones of the, now reformed, rightful King of Xibalba Hun-Kamé, Casiopea is thrust into a cross-country journey at his side to recover his lost body parts, regain his full godhood, and retake his obsidian throne in Xibalba.
I don't know if I've ever been go glad to have listened to an audiobook of a book than read it. I would never have been able to do justice to the Mexican and Mayan names within the book, and would have lost so much depth of the character that those played in the novel. Xibalba herself felt as important a character as Casiopea, Hun-Kamé, and Vucub-Kamé. I also appreciated the narrator infusing more humanity into Hun-Kamé as the story progressed. It was subtle, but by the end quite a noticeable change from where he started.
And I know it's not a romance, but NGL I'm a little disappointed that Casiopea doesn't get to do the deed with Hun-Kamé. I mean this God was DTF by the end because of the "humanity" in him by that point, but I spent most of my drive home today yelling at the steering wheel "FUCK THAT GOD!"
I don't know if I've ever been go glad to have listened to an audiobook of a book than read it. I would never have been able to do justice to the Mexican and Mayan names within the book, and would have lost so much depth of the character that those played in the novel. Xibalba herself felt as important a character as Casiopea, Hun-Kamé, and Vucub-Kamé. I also appreciated the narrator infusing more humanity into Hun-Kamé as the story progressed. It was subtle, but by the end quite a noticeable change from where he started.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Suicide and Bullying
Minor: Death of parent and Grief
Act Your Age, Eve Brown by Talia Hibbert
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
The Brown sisters trilogy is just a delight to read. At first I was skeptical of Eve, much like her parents, with her flitting from one job to the next at the first sign of "trouble," simply because she was able to support herself with her trust fund. And don't get me wrong, I totally understand and relate to the fear of failure--I, too, detest being bad at things--but her case seemed so extreme! And then Jacob, I didn't expect to fall in love with him as much as I did. I think his concussed internal monologue becoming an external monologue is what sealed the deal on him for me. It was so adorable, I couldn't not love him from then on.
I loved watching them figure each other out as they found their groove at the B&B together. Jacob noticing more of the neurodiverse impulses and habits Eve had that were similar and yet so opposite to his own. Eve learning more about herself and gaining the confidence she never thought she'd find simply because she had people around her who got it and let her thrive because of those routines and habits she used to cope.
Still not a fan of the third act break ups, but Talia has a way of throwing them at readers at the 11th hour and then letting her protagonists realize the error of their ways within a chapter and come rushing back together with perfectly crafted apologies for each other and bringing them to their HEA just in time.
I loved watching them figure each other out as they found their groove at the B&B together. Jacob noticing more of the neurodiverse impulses and habits Eve had that were similar and yet so opposite to his own. Eve learning more about herself and gaining the confidence she never thought she'd find simply because she had people around her who got it and let her thrive because of those routines and habits she used to cope.
Still not a fan of the third act break ups, but Talia has a way of throwing them at readers at the 11th hour and then letting her protagonists realize the error of their ways within a chapter and come rushing back together with perfectly crafted apologies for each other and bringing them to their HEA just in time.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Abandonment and Sexual content
Moderate: Injury/Injury detail and Ableism
Minor: Classism
How to Keep House While Drowning: A Gentle Approach to Cleaning and Organizing by KC Davis
informative
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
4.75
You know when a book finds you at just the right time and it resonates with you on a level you didn't expect? This book did that for me. For such a short and digestible book, it took me a lot longer to read than I expected. But I think that came from the weight of the messaging within the book and the life stuff that came up while I was reading. Clocking in at ~150 pages, every chapter is boiled down to its most essential components and messages, and even written with the TL;DR highlights nodded bolded and "skip here for the next most important message" links noted. The biggest highlight I came out of this book with was "Caring for yourself and your space is morally neutral." Being messy, struggling to get yourself into a shower, or a breakdown in executive function keeping you from starting or finishing the laundry doesn't make you a bad person. It just means you're human and finding a care system that works for you and your house is still a work in progress.
A Caribbean Heiress in Paris by Adriana Herrera
funny
hopeful
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
When Luz Alana sets sail for the Paris World's Fair to showcase her family's spectacular rum, she sees her trip as all business and no--ok, minimal--pleasure. She's there to sell rum, make business connections, and secure her financial independence for herself and younger sister. But when day after day turns into fighting just to be in the room as so many of her male counterparts, she's exhausted before she's even begun.
Enter James Evanston Sinclair. Titled and landed gentry, move freely among the fellow exhibitors due to his title and gender enough to get his foot in the door and then let his whiskey speak for itself. After running into each other three times in just a few days, Luz Alana a favor turns into a mutually beneficial plan. Turns out, his connections and her tenaciousness they're quite the team. And a marriage of convenience would give them both exactly what they need to access the inheritance they've both been locked out of because of a marriage clause.
But what happens when this marriage of convenience turns into more than just convenience? Luz Alana and Evan dance around their feelings for each other like professional dancers. The fact that they both spend so much of the book lying to themselves that "It's just until we both get what we need, then we divorce and go our separate ways." Like they both aren't completely obsessed with each other. There were a few twists here and there that were a delightful surprise and kept the story from feeling too "tropey" in the unduly predictable way that historicals can go. And I'm looking forward to seeing the rest of Las Leonas get their HEA's!
Enter James Evanston Sinclair. Titled and landed gentry, move freely among the fellow exhibitors due to his title and gender enough to get his foot in the door and then let his whiskey speak for itself. After running into each other three times in just a few days, Luz Alana a favor turns into a mutually beneficial plan. Turns out, his connections and her tenaciousness they're quite the team. And a marriage of convenience would give them both exactly what they need to access the inheritance they've both been locked out of because of a marriage clause.
But what happens when this marriage of convenience turns into more than just convenience? Luz Alana and Evan dance around their feelings for each other like professional dancers. The fact that they both spend so much of the book lying to themselves that "It's just until we both get what we need, then we divorce and go our separate ways." Like they both aren't completely obsessed with each other. There were a few twists here and there that were a delightful surprise and kept the story from feeling too "tropey" in the unduly predictable way that historicals can go. And I'm looking forward to seeing the rest of Las Leonas get their HEA's!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content and Misogyny
Minor: Classism, Emotional abuse, Sexism, Gaslighting, and Racism
The Roommate by Rosie Danan
funny
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Josh absolutely saved this book for me in the beginning. Clara's foolish "follow your heart" only to be left by the dumb guy she'd been chasing since high school, only to have her continue to pine after him once she decided to stay in LA, and I almost gave up on this book in chapter 2. But Josh's outrage and exclamation that her pleasure is just as important as any partner's and he would prove it to her right then and there and I was smitten with his golden retriever/sex god energy for the rest of the book.
Once Clara got shaken out of her east coast prudish ways she was so much more fun to read. I did want to shake them both through about 2/3 of the book and just say "TALK TO EACH OTHER!!!" so they could stop pussy-footing around their obvious feelings for each other. The "She's too good for me/I'm nothing like the kind of woman he'd want forever" schtick was real old, real fast. And while I'm not a fan of third act break-ups on the whole, seeing Clara drive out to what-his-nuts last tour stop only to realize she only liked the idea of him and told him that to his face, and for him to take the ego hit and let her go gracefully was a nice just desserts.
I did love the ultimate resolution, with the DA coming around, sticking it to the creeper porn industry guy, and the absolutely ADORABLE epilogue
Once Clara got shaken out of her east coast prudish ways she was so much more fun to read. I did want to shake them both through about 2/3 of the book and just say "TALK TO EACH OTHER!!!" so they could stop pussy-footing around their obvious feelings for each other. The "She's too good for me/I'm nothing like the kind of woman he'd want forever" schtick was real old, real fast. And while I'm not a fan of third act break-ups on the whole, seeing Clara drive out to what-his-nuts last tour stop only to realize she only liked the idea of him and told him that to his face, and for him to take the ego hit and let her go gracefully was a nice just desserts.
I did love the ultimate resolution, with the DA coming around, sticking it to the creeper porn industry guy, and the absolutely ADORABLE epilogue
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Minor: Classism
Vital by Abigail Kelly
dark
emotional
inspiring
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Just call her Abigail Kelly, Queen of Written Easter Eggs. The NPU takes a darker shift in this one, tackling a dual time line in the present day NPU while also telling the story of a couple forged in the heart of The Great War. Heartbreaking, heartwarming, and wholly beautiful.
Have you ever read a passage in a book, but your brain doesn't process it as words written on a page, but as a movie in your brain? Abigail delivers that on multiple occasions in Vital, just absolutely blowing my mind with vivid imagery, poignant storytelling, and such care for detail that I can't NOT find myself falling into the world of the NPU. True to Abigail's "No Break Ups, Only Peril" motto, Josephine and Otto's story will break AND mend your heart, culminating in one of the best fictional art exhibitions I'm so sad I'll never get to see in real life.
Have you ever read a passage in a book, but your brain doesn't process it as words written on a page, but as a movie in your brain? Abigail delivers that on multiple occasions in Vital, just absolutely blowing my mind with vivid imagery, poignant storytelling, and such care for detail that I can't NOT find myself falling into the world of the NPU. True to Abigail's "No Break Ups, Only Peril" motto, Josephine and Otto's story will break AND mend your heart, culminating in one of the best fictional art exhibitions I'm so sad I'll never get to see in real life.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Confinement, Emotional abuse, Forced institutionalization, and Medical trauma
Moderate: Emotional abuse, Injury/Injury detail, War, Violence, Sexual content, Physical abuse, Torture, and Medical content
Minor: Death and Death of parent
All Systems Red by Martha Wells
adventurous
funny
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Ok, after putting off reading MurderBot for so long, I finally get what all the hype has been about! Short but still very impactful, Martha Wells manages to cram so much into these novellas. I did read them a bit out of order, book two then book one, but MurderBot is just as funny.
There's also so much social commentary packed into a very contained story. What does it mean to be a person? The autonomy or lack thereof of the constructs, despite being fully sentient AI systems. The constructs being ACTUAL AI systems and not whatever knockoff theft software we're trying to pass off as AI these days. Exploring the concepts of morality and autonomy when free choice is a conceptual gray area. So, so, so much in such short, digestible, and delightfully sarcastic and relatable packages.
There's also so much social commentary packed into a very contained story. What does it mean to be a person? The autonomy or lack thereof of the constructs, despite being fully sentient AI systems. The constructs being ACTUAL AI systems and not whatever knockoff theft software we're trying to pass off as AI these days. Exploring the concepts of morality and autonomy when free choice is a conceptual gray area. So, so, so much in such short, digestible, and delightfully sarcastic and relatable packages.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Violence and Injury/Injury detail