#reading progress update

[readingaccountability]

so normally i dont post super in tandem with what im reading in the moment, its a process

but i just finished gideon the ninth and am around fifty pages into harrow the ninth and can i just say what the fucking fuck. what the fuck shit. whaddahell

[readingaccountability]

finished harrow the ninth and also finished the audiobook i was working through, vicious by v e schwab! im also subscribed to dracula daily and will be counting that as one of my books for the year which is fun - though obviously itll be awhile till that newsletter runs out of days

im thinking i might focus on audiobooks for the next bit, and got a bunch either checked out or on hold:

ninth house - leigh bardugo

the blacktongue thief - christopher buehlman

we need new names - noviolet bulawayo

vengeful - v e schwab (sequel to vicious)

a darker shade of magic - v e schwab (separate from the series i believe)

super hype!!

[readingaccountability]

update time! since my last ive read:

finlay donovan knocks em dead - elle cosimano

babel, or the necessity of violence: an arcane history of the oxford translators' revolution - r. f. kuang

nona the ninth - tamsyn muir

interview with the vampire - anne rice

currently reading:

black powder war - naomi novik

deformations - sasha dugdale

the monster of elendhaven - jennifer giesbrecht

billion reviews are forthcoming as well, haha

[readingaccountability]

the grief of stones - katherine addison

final thoughts:

WOW! incredible! the same delicate, thoughtful prose as the first two books in this universe, this new installment continued the story of thara celehar in a really compelling way. another compelling web of mysteries (as well as everyday petitions) becomes meditative and so genuinely moving as thara becomes more and more weighed down by the events of the novel. i feel this books (and the two previous) mark left on me, the way the prose falls and the nature of the world, as well as the main characters (both thara and maia), so deeply in my heart.

i was really excited to see that this book released last week as its almost my birthday, so this was lovely timing, and i am considering this my birthday book this year. overall this is one of those books that id recommend to anybody interested in fantasy worldbuilding as the world just feels so vivid. the care put in mentioning the day to day, the meals, the tram rides, the interpersonal connections... just so real and yet all serving the characters and world perfectly. this is a series that i forget doesnt have a map - because the way that the world and the city of amalo in particular is discussed really brings to mind a mental map. while of course id recommend it, on another level this is one of those series that is so dear to my heart that i can barely imagine speaking about it out loud, lest whatever i say not live up to how i really feel.

i really loved the new witness, she felt really real and unique and i hope to see more of her. especially seeing her come into her own as a witness, as we begin to see in this. tharas friendship with anora was another bright spot, just so consistently heartwarming and centering. additionally, i continue to hope that thara and iana end up together as all of their interactions are really a treat. theyre just so thoughtful with each other and i really enjoy their friendship, and hopefully as thara heals from the loss of evru he might feel ready.

i was also deeply enamored with the historians who end up helping recover the books - the three or four scenes where they interact and we see glimpses of their friendship made me yearn for a spinoff series centered on them, haha.

overall, seriously, definitely one of the top books/series of the year for me.

[readingaccountability]

sorrowland - rivers solomon

final thoughts:

this book was so gorgeously written, so insanely good. love a good genre-bending masterpiece and this is definitely one. all the characters were so well written, especially the main character, so vivid and her motivations and emotions were so compelling. highly highly recommend!

[readingaccountability]

been a solid few weeks for reading! read how to stop time by matt haig, really enjoyable

listened to the audiobook for a marvellous light by freya marske, that one was a solid favorite as well

and then just yesterday i finished innate magic by shannon fay!

today i stopped by the library and checked out the following:

before the coffee gets cold - toshikazu kawaguchi

ring shout - p djèlí clark

the goblin emperor - katherine addison

second rebel - linden a lewis

gideon the ninth - tamsyn muir

harrow the ninth - tamsyn muir

super excited for all of these, already started on before the coffee gets cold and am enjoying it!

[readingaccountability]

whoops havent posted in a month! since then ive finished:

the blacktongue thief - christopher buehlman

a darker shade of magic - v. e. schwab

the grief of stones - katherine addison

the night shift - alex finlay

silver in the wood - emily tesh (and will be listening to the sequel, drowned country, tomorrow)

the last three of which i finished today - weird day but good for wrapups, then i listened to all of silver in the wood as it was more of a novella!

[readingaccountability]

the apollo murders - chris hadfield

final thoughts:

what a thrill! written by a literal astronaut, this book is perfect for early spaceflight fans. i loved loved the shifting perspectives and all the characters, and the way he wove real people into the narrative was excellently done. this book reminded me a lot of the martian in the best way, and it also really helped fill the void that the last season of 'for all mankind' ending left in my weekly routine. this book was pretty much exactly what youd expect, perfectly executed, and so suspenseful that when i was listening to the audiobook while doing dishes i kept putting the dishes down to stare openmouthed into the middle distance.