booknook

In hindsight, it seems my November was horror-reading month. I swear, I hadn't planned it this way, but I won't complain.

Purcell, Laura: Bone China. Bloomsbury. 2019.
I've been reading her books for a few years now, picking one up every autumn. She's a contemporary author, but she writes in the vein of gothic fiction - there are a lot of remote mansions and haunted castles in her books. Bone China features a remote manor on a cliff, an unreliable narrator and the question of what is truly happening and what is actually only taking place in the protagonist's head. Purcell is really good with the psychological horror. If that's your kind of thing you should definitely check her out.

Moreno-Garcia, Silvia: Mexican Gothic. Del Rey. 2020.
This was my first time with a novel by Moreno-Garcia. I felt that thematically, this was all over the place. Apart from the fact that it's horror it also tried to tackle themes like racism, classism, eugenics and mysoginy, but it didn't spend enough time on any of these themes to make it worthwhile. Additionally, this has a historical setting (the 1950/1960s) even though this is never fully realised and you wonder why the author chose to take this route (probably only to constantly talk about the dress the protagonist was wearing, I don't know). And when we got to the bottom of why the house was "haunted" I basically got off the plane - this is a personal thing of course, but I found this rather silly instead of terrifying. What I really liked was the gothic vibes she managed to evoke while describing the house. The atmosphere and the creepy dreams (that only get creepier as the story progresses) were my highlights.

Tremblay, Paul: Horror Movie. HarperAudio. 2024.
Tremblay simply has the best audiobook productions and this was top-notch as well. If you want to give this novel a try, do yourself a favour and consider the audiobook! I can't say that I fully bought into the "haunted set" idea and most of the characters felt flat and hardly realised, but Tremblay is really good with mixed media. There are several POVs and a screenplay in this. But the novel wasn't overly scary or frightening.

Feito, Virginia: Victorian Psycho. Audible Audio. 2025.
As a project this is very well done and successful, but as a book on its own I find it forgettable. As the title says this marries American Psycho to a Jane Eyre-like plot. The language was the most interesting thing about this, because just like in American Psycho the narration starts off very tame and proper only to get more unhinged as the story progresses. I think that progression was the highlight of the novel and very well done. On the other hand, it was riffing off what Ellis has already done decades ago, so I'm not sure how much of the credit (besides the idea of the Victorian setting) can really go to Feito. In the end, mostly a fanfiction remix even if it's executed extremely well.

Kröger, Lisa & Anderson, Melanie R.: Monster, She wrote! The Women Who Prioneered Horror and Speculative Fiction. Quirk Books. 2018.
Let's start this by saying that this is a beautifully done book. It was quite obviously typeset before the pandemic and before paper became scarce and expensive - there's a lot of free and waste of space here and it's wonderful to see a book "breathe" like that. Happens rarely enough. Sadly, this nonfiction read didn't fully give me what I had expected. Yes, I filled up my TBR because the authors truly manage to find a lot of hidden gems. But I had definitely expected more literary criticism, more in-depth analysis. In the end, this was pretty much snorkeling just below the surface.

Doerr, Anthony: Cloud Cuckoo Land. Scribner. 2021.
I only read this because Ben from Ben reads good gave this a glowing review. Half an hour into the (German) audiobook of 16 hours I thought this would be 16 hours of pure torture. In the end, it wasn't quite that bad, but I can't say that the book and I had a successful time with each other. The "hook" - the Greek epic connecting all the different timelines was as silly as the title suggests and had I known that this would fully be shouldered by kid and teenage protagonists I would have opted out before I even started. I just didn't care for any of it. Okay, that's not true. I cared for the poor beasts of burden who died somewhere in the middle - but even that was mostly the author emotionally manipulating the reader, so I don't know what to make of this.

hexmix

Title: What Moves the Dead
Author: T. Kingfisher
Genre: horror

[Posting a lil early as I'll be out of town, hope that's okay!]

I'd been wanting to read What Moves the Dead for some time, having heard 1) that it was a retelling of Fall of the House of Usher and 2) it had a nonbinary protag, but kept backburnering it. Then my book club ended up reading Poe's House of Usher this month and I followed that up with watching The Bloodhound, a modern adaptation of the short story (it's REALLY BAD, would not recommend), so I decided this would be the month to (finally!) read it. It also shoehorns nicely with the horror theme I'd been going for with my reviews for this event :)

What Moves is indeed a retelling of Usher, but in the place of Poe's nameless narrator is veteran soldier Alex Easton, a character entirely of Kingfisher's creation, who comes hand-in-hand with a fictional European country and language to round out their background. Easton journeys to the Usher estate upon hearing that their childhood friend Madeline is gravely ill, only to encounter a house oppressive in its decay, with grounds populated by disturbingly strange wildlife. Easton finds that it's not just Madeline who has fallen ill; her brother Roderick too suffers from what seems some unknown malady that fills him with a debilitating fear.

Kingfisher sticks fairly close to the original story, but puts her own disquieting spin on the events which nonetheless manage to feel very much within the spirit of the original. Having reread the original recently I was struck with how much time Poe spends just describing the house and the tarn; building up the atmosphere. I very much appreciated Kingfisher playing to this (every mention of the tarn right there at the start had me cheering like a sportsball fan) and building off of it. I personally caught on to where Kingfisher was going very early, but as it was right up my alley, I had an absolute blast reading anyway.

(Also, side note to say that this book is aesthetically VERY NICE. The cover rocks, the end paper illustrations are gorgeous (and spooky!), and even the house detail beneath the dust jacket is a real nice touch. A++ on book design alone.)

What Moves is a quick read, easily managed in one sitting, that expands on the source material without being a simple retread. I also really enjoyed all the characters, even Madeline and Roderick (and the gross old house and the grosser tarn). Easton makes for a great protagonist, and the country of Gallacia is also fairly interesting, especially as its culture and language are described in contrast with the rest of Europe/America—-I also just personally enjoyed that this was not a modern retelling, that Kingfisher works Gallacia into the broader history and time period of the original House of Usher.

What Moves maintains a nicely creepy atmosphere throughout, and while I wouldn't consider it outright scary, it's a fun read, especially if you're looking for a quick, not-too-spooky book to finish off spooky month.

smellyunfortunate

( You're about to view content that the poster has advised should be viewed with discretion. )

stonepicnicking_okapi

[Feel free to comment about and/or drop recommendations of biographies or autobiographies of musicians from any musical genre.]

cover miles autobiography

Title: Miles: The Autobiography
Authors: Miles Davis with Quincy Troupe
Format: Audiobook, 17 hours, Narrator: Dion Graham
Format: Text, 441 pages with 32 pages of black and white photos
Genre: Autobiography

I am a home caregiver and one of my clients is a jazz musician and listening to this autobiography of Miles Davis was an excellent starting point for many interesting conversations with him. I like jazz music, but I can’t say I am very knowledgeable.

I prefer audiobook versions whenever readily available to me via my public library’s app, and when I saw that the narrator for this book had also narrated The Wager by David Grann, which I had listened to and enjoyed very much, then I immediately put it on hold in my library’s system.

The good, the bad, and the ugly.

The good.

The narration is excellent.

Miles Davis reveals that following an operation to remove a grown on his larynx in 1956, he raised his voice to make a point with a record company manager when he wasn’t supposed to be talking at all, and “After that incident, my voice had this whisper to it that has been with me ever since.” And Graham reproduces that deep baritone whisper for 17 hours to good effect. And the way the book is written, in first-person conversational style, with slang, cursing, occasional sighs and huffs, and informal sentence structure, creates the illusion that the reader is listening in on a long, long ramble by Miles himself.

For example, it’s much more effective to hear the sentence Yeah, man, B was funnier than a motherfucker. spoken in certain voice with a certain pitch and rhythm than it is to read it without those things.

( The good, the bad, the ugly )

I am glad I read it [listened to it], but I can’t wholeheartedly recommend it to anyone. For me, it served its purpose and was, at times, enlightening and enjoyable.

hexmix

Title: At Dark, I Become Loathsome
Author: Eric LaRocca
Genre: psychological horror/thriller

I've been meaning to read LaRocca for ages now, and had intended to start with one of his short fiction anthologies, but then found out through happenstance that my state has some sort of restrictions (????) on his most recent novel, which of course meant I had to start there.

At Dark, I Become Loathsome follows protagonist Ashley Lutin through the aftermath of two major tragedies: the death of his wife and the abduction of his son. The novel opens in the rubble and only burrows down deeper as Ashley is mostly content to wallow in grief and self-loathing. The singular avenue of hope he lands on is an act he calls the "ritual": Ashley buries people alive (consensually) and digs them up again, ideally inspiring in them a newfound love of life/desire to live.

The routine of Ashley's life, nightly rituals and all, is soon upset by two events: police come to him with an update on his son's case, and he meets a new client, a younger man who Ashley finds himself strangely drawn to.

( read more )

I think At Dark is worth the read, if you can stomach an entire novel about grief and self-loathing. I also intend to pick up some of LaRocca's short fiction in the future, as that does seem to be where he really shines.

NOTE: I didn't include content warnings as many could be considered spoilers, but this is definitely a work that comes with a lot of them. As such, I am more than happy to provide warnings if anyone needs them, please don't be afraid to ask!

merrileemakes

There's 2 more works from the itch Curated Collections About LGBTQIA list that I want to highlight.

Jinkies! A Daphne/Velma Zine by Elise Schuenke

More an art book than a story but it contains utterly adorable snippets from the life of 2 gorgeous and adventerous women. There's fun encounters, domestic scenes and bonus Buzzfeed Unsolved references. I am 100% here for these feels.

If you like Elise's style I also recommend her other works Starcrossed and Still Here.

Minority Monsters by Tab Kimpton

Description: Greetings explorers, and welcome to Alphabet Soup Land! Want to learn about the not-so-invisible Bisexual Unicorn? The secrets of the Asexual Succubus? Or the previously unfathomable fathoms of the Genderqueer Merperson? If so, you’re in the right place! Packed full with comics of mythical monsters, field notes and information sections; this spotters guide of LGBT* and Queer creatures is the perfect companion for any adventurer.

Review: This is such a wholesome and fun approach to describing the different flavours of humans. But it's also quite nuanced and introduces some of the common mythconceptions and misunderstandings around different identities. The art is fun, colourful and inclusive. It might read a little condescending at times, but I mostly read that as minority fatigue. For an entry price of pay what you want it's worth checking out, even if only for a moment of dopamine.

silversea

Title: The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches
Author: Sangu Mandanna
Genre: Cozy fantasy, romance

Happy spooky month! My book club read The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches this month, and it was a fun story about a lonely witch finding a family.

There aren't many rules for witches, but the most important rule is to keep yourself hidden. Another very important rule is witches should not gather together, out of fear of magic going haywire. Mika Moon, a lonely witch, decides to break these rules when a desperate man reaches out to her for her help with teaching three young witches how to control their powers.

This is a sweet story about making your own home, focusing on Mika and the odd inhabitants of Nowhere House, including a grumpy but handsome librarian, Jamie. Thanks to Mika’s cold upbringing, she has few connections with others and feels isolated. As she becomes more comfortable at Nowhere House, she starts questioning the rules she was raised with and fall in love with Jamie. The residents are also misfits of society who are fiercely protective of the safe refuge they made, understand her loneliness and extends their family to her. However, when Mika learns their secrets, she realizes the situation is more complicated than expected.

( Spoilers for the ending )

I am not usually a fan of cozy fantasies, but this was a nice breezy read and I enjoyed the romance. It’s a rather predictable story, but still entertaining with charming characters that you just want to root for. I'm also admittedly a big fan of the Jane Austen references throughout the books!

silversea

Title: Know My Name
Author: Chanel Miller
Genre: Memoir
Content warning: Sexual assault

“I am a victim, I have no qualms with this word, only with the idea that it is all that I am.”

A memoir by Chanel Miller, whom you may know as Emily Doe from her famous victim statement in 2016 after her assailant, Brock Turner, was sentenced to 6 months in jail. In 2019, Miller revealed her identity along with a new book about her sexual assault, the lasting trauma from it, her fight for justice, and her ongoing recovery.

This is an excellent memoir, starting from the day Miller was assaulted and the morning she woke up without any memories of the assault to the world's responses to her victim statement that went viral and the changes in the judiciary system. Like in the victim statement, Miller did not shy away from sharing vulnerable moments, such as her depression isolating her from family and friends, but also gradually learning how to heal through friends, therapy, and new hobbies.

( Review )

hexmix

Title: My Darling Dreadful Thing
Author: Johanna van Veen
Genre: gothic horror

I'd read and enjoyed van Veen's Blood on Her Tongue earlier this year and am happy to say that I enjoyed her first novel, My Darling Dreadful Thing even more! Both novels are billed as saphhic gothic horror, and both live up to that label, but both novels also begin with rather unfortunate author's notes. Notes warning the reader that they have picked up a gothic horror novel and that depiction does not equal endorsement and there are Dark Themes Afoot and blah blah blah, just the sort of thing that I understand the reasoning behind because I know what the (mostly online) discourse is like, but which read rather poorly (less simple content warnings and more "I have to cover my ass so internet pitchforks are not aimed at it," a kind of defensiveness which sometimes bleeds into--and spoils--an author's prose) and which very nearly put me off reading Blood on Her Tongue altogether; not because I was worried about the content, but because I suspected the writing to reflect that same defensiveness (and to therefore suck).

Luckily I was very wrong! This also allowed me to jump right into My Darling Dreadful Thing knowing that van Veen's writing would deliver, and it does so beautifully.

My Darling is set in the Netherlands in the 1950s and follows Roos, a young woman subject to the whims of her cruel guardian, Mama, who has forced Roos to perform alongside her in scores of seances, wherein Roos acts as medium, faking one possession after another.

Except that Roos can actually see spirits. Or at least one spirit, to be exact: her sole companion Ruth, who has haunted her since childhood. Ruth has remained the only spirit that Roos has ever encountered right up until Mama arranges a seance with well-off once-promising pianist Agnes Knoop, who has just lost her dear husband tragically, and who is haunted by a spirit of her own.

( read more )

But overall, the writing is solid, the gothic horror is there, bog bodies are cool, the characters were great (even the terrible ones; they were all the fun-to-hate kind), and YES there is a sapphic romance in this one and YES it is explicit. (Yuri fans rejoice!) If you're looking for something spooky (but not TOO spooky) to read this spooky season, then My Darling Dreadful Thing is certainly worth picking up.

smellyunfortunate

Title: Our Hideous Progeny
Author: C.E. McGill
Genre: Horror, historical fiction, gothic fiction

The cover of the book Our Hideous Progeny. Around the title, various shells, bones, and other parts of animals are arranged. From the center, one reptilian eye stares out.

“I loved it. From the moment I first met its strange and terrible eyes, I loved it.” - Our Hideous Progeny, C.E. McGill

I'll be the first to admit that I'm a bit suspicious of retellings and spin-offs by nature. There are some great ones out there, sure, but generally my opinion is that if you really want to make a story your own, you should be twisting it out of its original shape enough to fit a new mold. Not unrecognizable, but not reliant on its original form to survive on its own.

I'm happy to report that Our Hideous Progeny fulfilled my expectations in this sense. Billed as a feminist, queer spin on Frankenstein, its protagonist is Mary Sutherland, who carries on the ill-advised legacy of her great-uncle, Victor von Frankenstein himself. While the concept is fun enough, what caught me from the beginning was the cover. It promised one thing that catches me hook, line, and sinker: prehistoric, hideous beasts.

( Read more... )

snowynight

Title: The Star Diaries
Author: Stanisław Lem
First Published: 1957
Genre: Science fiction, satire, philosophical fiction

Summary:

Ijon Tichy, Lem's Candide of the Cosmos, encounters bizarre civilizations and creatures in space that serve to satirize science, the rational mind, theology, and other icons of human pride.

Review:

The Star Diaries is the first collection of stories that chronicles the exploits and adventures of space explorer Ijon Tichy, who travels across time and galaxies.He is once caught in a time loop with multiple copies of himself, representing the Earth to petition for membership to the United Planets meeting, getting into troubble in a planet where people lived with water right under their noses, and was recruited by his future self to steer the history of humanity. Tichy is competent, accident prone but honest about his failures. It's fun to see how he tries to dig himself out of various crisis (not entirely his fault). I really love his narrative voice. Infused with dark humour, the stories explore complicated philosophical issues, satirize human nature and politics. It's impressive how he managed to pass the satire under the communist censors' radar. Even today the stories are still refreshing and enjoyable.

Tichy has further adventures in The Futurological Congress, Peace on Earth, and Observation on the Spot. They are all stand alone to read..

althea_valara

Title: The Countess Conspiracy
Author: Courtney Milan
Genre: Historical Romance
ISBN-13: 978-1937248208

The cover image for "The Countess Conspiracy" by Courtney Milan.

The cover image for "The Countess Conspiracy" by Courtney Milan.

Today I am reviewing The Countess Conspiracy by Courtney Milan, which is a historical romance that takes place in England in 1867.

Folks, it is brilliant. Utterly brilliant, and perfect, and just wonderful.

I've been reading romance novels since I was a teenager. The ones I read back then were pretty predictable: hero and heroine meet and fall instantly in lust but dance around each other for a time until they finally come together. There is a lot of banter and fun conversations, but usually the hero denies his feelings for her (sometimes the heroine is in denial, too, but usually it's the hero.) Then the damsel gets in distress and shoot, the hero realizes how much he loves her and rescues her and they live happily ever after, the end.

They're fun for escapism, but I don't think I could really tolerate them today, mostly because of the damsel in distress trope. But also: there is nothing in the books to really convince me that the couple is in love with each other, other than the author says they are.

Contrast that with Courtney Milan's books. The Countess Conspiracy is a romance novel, so yes there is a certain amount of sexy stuff going on, but it's really a book about love. Halfway through the book I was thinking, "Of course he loves her, look at all he's done for her! Look at how she sees him. I would be in love, too, if someone saw me the way she saw him." And the same goes for the heroine, who has her own reasons to love him that are just as believable.

One of the things I really love about Courtney's books is that there's not just the main plot of "heroine and hero get together" but also, at the very least, a B plot, sometimes with a bonus romance happening. The B plot usually involves character(s) that are important to the heroine or hero, and really helps to flesh out story and characters. You get the sense that these are real people with their cares and concerns and yes, flaws and foibles.

I cannot recommend this book enough. I'd suggest reading the other books in the series first as the heroine and hero of The Countess Conspiracy are introduced in the earlier books: there's a pre-quel novella that's a great read, called "The Governess Affair"; it's not as required for enjoying The Countess Conspiracy but is a good read on its own. Book 1 in the series is The Duchess War and book 2 is The Heiress Effect. The Duchess War is really good; The Heiress Effect is super fun and I loved it for its nuanced characters (and what a cast of characters it has!). And I didn't think it possible, but The Countess Conspiracy got even BETTER.

By now you're probably wondering just what The Countess Conspiracy is about. If you read the other books in the series first, then when you read The Countess Conspiracy, your jaw will drop at a revelation early in the story. I don't want to give it away, so I'll just say the book is about smart people doing brilliant things and being the odd ones in their families. I will warn that the book's blurb on Amazon gives away what the "conspiracy" is about; I'm glad I didn't know that going into the book because the surprise was quite fun for me.

There's also some overcoming of past trauma. Some folks might be upset by that trauma, so I'll put it in a cut.

SPOILERS but content warning for medical trauma

So Violet (the heroine) was previously married; at the minimum, her husband was a selfish jerk. She gets repeatedly pregnant, but suffers from some really traumatic miscarriages. Folks with medical trauma might be upset with this, so read with caution.

I've read a bunch of Courtney's books by now, and they've all been wonderful in their own ways, but The Countess Conspiracy is by far my favorite. I hope you give it a try.

quillpunk

Title Lout of Count's Family, Vol. 1
Author: Yu Ryeo-Han
Genre: Fantasy
Review: So back before the translation left Wuxiaworld, I read something like 600 chapters of this novel; the most I've ever read of any webnovel. I really liked it! But once the translation left I didn't keep up with it, and I haven't read it in years. But then Seven Seas published it? And I kind of regret that I got it as an ebook now, because I adore this so much and I want it on my physical shelf but I'm not sure how to justify that when I've already got it. Decisions, decisions.

Anyway, Lout of Count's Family (I'm never going to get used to the new title, LOL) is a korean webnovel in which an ordinary man who just wants to live a simple, lazy life is transmigrated into a lout of a count's son in a fantasy novel. Luckily, he's read the first five volumes of the novel! Unlucky, doom and despair awaits as the continent will descend into war, and the Real Protagonist will, On The Road To Becoming a Hero run across Cale Henituse, the count's lout of a son. And things don't go that great for Cale, then. Ouch.

So in order to prevent this, Kim Roksu, now Cale, decides to skip passed all the fighting and just drag the protagonist to his future side-kicks so they can set out on their adventure and leave him alone.

Somehow things don't turn out that way. Wonder why. Could it... possibly.. have to do with the fact that Cale keeps saving people? No. No, that can't be why. I'm sure it's just... the natural... wings of a butterfly... and all that...

Hahhahah. Cale didn't do this to himself, did he?

No. Of course not. Haha. Ha.

Anyway, so yeah it's all Cale's fault that things then go way off the rails. Things escalate. They escalate so much. Not in the first volume! (Although things certainly get set in motion.) But things will escalate so much, it's hilarious.

I love this novel. I love all the characters. I love the dichotomy of the way the other characters view Cale and his actions vs. what Cale thinks and why he's doing what he's doing. I think the first volume sets up a lot of relationships and misunderstandings and worldbuilding, and I find the development of the various relationships to be lovely. There's so much friendship going around and so many different dynamics, which is really fun (and also scheming. I like the scheming, too.)

I can't wait for more to be released. I am gritting my teeth against the urge to buy both ebooks + paperbacks. Sigh. My poor budget.

stonepicnicking_okapi

Title: Five Decembers
Author: James Kestrel
Genre: historical mystery/crime/hardboiled detective/noir fiction
Publication date: 2021
Publisher: Hard Case Crime
Length: 429 pages
Content Warnings: graphic violence and description of gruesome murder scene which involved torture, war and prisoner of war camp conditions, one mention of abortion which was so unexpected, so brief, so indirect, and so casual it felt like a slap from an invisible hand (and was never mentioned again! bizarre!), sexual scenes

( Cover - NSFW - Mild nudity and sexual setting and a gun )

Summary: Police detective Joe McGrady is assigned to investigate a homicide in Honolulu, Hawaii in December 1941. The book follows McGrady for five years as he travels from Hawaii to Hong Kong to Tokyo and back on the trail of a violent killer whose crimes it is revealed are part of a conspiracy. Just after McGrady leaves Honolulu, Pearl Harbor is bombed, and he is cut off from return. He is framed for aggravated rape in Hong Kong and put in prison but escapes and makes his way to Tokyo and hides in the home of a Japanese politician related to the original homicide case. He solves the case and returns home (where he's been declared dead for years) and then makes a final decision about his future.

Analysis: It's a hero's journey story. The identity of the killer and the way the killer is connected to the larger world at war is revealed chapter by chapter. The reader follows Joe across the Pacific Ocean from island to island as he puts the case together and deals with the many dangers that confront him and calamities that befall him (and women who he falls in love with and has sex with).

Recommendation: The major drawback about this story is that it is All About a White Dude. That said, I really enjoyed the case itself. I felt it was compelling and well-crafted with just enough twists and surprises. I enjoyed learning about a part of history and a part of the globe which I know very little about. I read almost exclusively detective fiction, and I liked that part of it. I didn't enjoy so much Joe's relationships with women. And when the case is over, I was rolling my eyes about what Joe decides to do. Spoiler alert: love wins all *wah!* It's a long book, so it is a commitment. And at times, I had the sense that Joe was a kind of Detective Forest Gump, so many bad things happen to him, but he manages to survive and keep going. In the beginning, it's a bit like CSI with a gruesome murder scene, and then it's like every police procedural you've ever read with chain-of-command politics and pressure from above. But, still, I would recommend it if you enjoy the hardboiled detective genre. The setting was novel (to me) and the plotting was good, and Joe is likable guy.

hexmix

The ShortBox Comics Fair runs every October and features dozens of original comics from different artists/authors. There's a still a few days left in the fair, so I wanted to rec (and review) my favorites that I've read this year. There are far more featured comics, however, much much more than I was able to afford/get to, so do take a look if it piques your interest!

For additional preview images, you can click on the title of each comic which will take you directly to the ShortBox page, where you can find a few pages from each comic.

Title: Impasto
Author: SJ Miller
Genre: horror
Content Warnings: (from the ShortBox website) Contains violence, cannibalism and other potentially disturbing imagery. Reader discretion advised.

Edgar hasn't been working as Lord Sharpe's valet for very long, and while the Lord himself seems kind enough, his walls are hung with strange and gruesome paintings that fill most visitors with unease. This on its own might be easy enough to ignore, were it not for an unsettling experience with one particular painting, which leads to equally unsettling changes to Edgar's body. In order to stop what is happening to him, Edgar must appease the paintings, though their appetites seem to be growing ever more voracious.

( review/rec behind the cut )

Title: Home by the Rotting Sea
Author: Otava Heikkilä
Genre: fantasy
Content Warnings: (from the ShortBox website) violence, sexual themes and imagery, miscarriage, SA

After a transgression by their King, Ilta and Laulu are taken from his harem and offered up as tribute to the Väki, a race of giants that the human women initially find both mysterious and fearsome. Life with a fickle and uncaring king has led them to expect little else from the Väki, however the longer the women remain among them, and the more they learn and are allowed to heal, the more this impression changes.

I really can't do this one justice with a summary. It's beautiful and heart-wrenching and hopeful, and I cannot recommend it enough.

( review/rec behind the cut )

Title: Blade of the Fane
Author: Theo Stultz
Genre: fantasy
Content Warnings: n/a

Osric, the heir to a long line of mystics sworn to protect the realm from all manner of evil beasts, is the least suited to take over after his grandmother dies: he has no magic, nor the ability to see the evil he's been charged with fighting; he barely even believes in it. But the Queen has ordered that Osric oversee that year's Culling; rumors abound that a beast more evil than all others prowls the kingdom, and these rumors eerily echo his grandmother's final warning. Fortunately for Osric, the arrival of an old friend means he will not have to face the Culling alone.

( review/rec behind the cut )

anehan

Title: The Egyptian: fifteen books on the life of Sinuhe the physician, c. 1390-1335 BC
Original title: Sinuhe egyptiläinen: viisitoista kirjaa lääkäri Sinuhen elämästä n. 1390-1335 e.Kr.
Author: Mika Waltari
Translator: English translation by Naomi Walford
Year: published in 1945 (Finnish original), 1949 (English translation)
Genre: historical fiction
Content warnings: period-typical slavery; ahistorical racism, racist language (by modern standards); non-graphical depictions of violence

I, Sinuhe, the son of Senmut and of his wife Kipa, write this. I do not write it to the glory of the gods of Kem, for I am weary of gods, nor to the glory of the Pharaohs, for I am weary of their deeds. ... For my own sake only I write this.

Thus begins Mika Waltari's The Egyptian, one of the most beloved novels in the history of Finnish literature. The Egyptian is an autobiography by a fictional physician called Sinuhe. Sinuhe was born during the reign of Pharaoh Amehotep III, in the same year as Amenhotep's son, who would later become Pharaoh Ekhnaton. He writes his memoir in exile, during the reign of Pharaoh Horemheb, the last of the 18th dynasty Pharaohs.

( Mild spoilers )

The Egyptian is a pessimistic novel. Waltari wrote it in the span of a few months just after the end of the Second World War, and the effect of the events of the preceding decades are clear in it. Waltari has admitted to using places and events in the novel as allegories for places and events in modern Europe. The novel is a smorgasbord of corruption, religious zealotry, mob rule, and war crimes. It's full of cruelty, though it never gets very explicit in its depictions.

However, The Egyptian is also merciful in its depiction of human nature. It's true that no one is a hero in it, not even Sinuhe himself. Everyone, from the pacifist Ekhnaton to the slaves and poor labourers, is capable of great cruelty. Often, the people with good intentions are even worse than the selfish ones. And yet, the novel, through the character of Sinuhe, also shows understanding and sympathy for these people, even when they act in deplorable ways.

The Egyptian has been translated into many languages. However, many of the translations have apparently used the English edition as their source, rather than the original Finnish, which is a shame. The English translation was based on the abridged Swedish edition and was actually even further abridged. Not all of the editions have been translated from English, though. The German edition, for example, has been translated from Finnish and is unabridged.

I myself read the original Finnish edition, so I can't offer any in-depth comments on any translations, though at first glance Walford's English translation seems good (aside from the abridging). There is also a full English translation available online, though I presume it's an unlicensed one. A commenter on Reddit called it an improvement in general, but said that it felt clunkier than Walford's translation.

In my opinion, The Egyptian is fully deserving of its fame. It's a vivid portrayal of life in Ancient Egypt and the Near East -- Waltari definitely did his research, though he also took artistic liberties with historical facts -- and though it's pessimistic, that's part of its appeal. It's a brick of a book, sure, but it's a rewarding and surprisingly easy read. If you can read it unabridged, I recommend that, but I think even the abridged editions are most likely worth reading.

(Mod! Could we have a genre tag for historical fiction, please?)

apachefirecat

Title: Bloody Fool for Love
Author: William Ritter
Genre: Supernatural/Fantasy/TV
Review:

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phantomtomato

Title: A Glass of Blessings
Author: Barbara Pym
Year: 1958

Our delightful first-person narrator is Wilmet Forsyth, a 1950s middle-class London housewife in her thirties. Pym takes the basic premise of boredom with one’s marriage amidst a backdrop of neighborhood gossip and makes it a compelling piece of character work as we’re exposed to each player and their dramas through Wilmet’s judgmental eyes.

I want to be clear: Wilmet is more enjoyable for her pettishness. Pym threads the needle between her narrator expressing biases and the narrative recognizing those biases—you’re never really expected to agree with Wilmet’s verdict on any of her acquaintances in order to proceed with the story. What I think helps, though, is that you probably will—while Wilmet is not a terribly accurate judge of character, she is a funny one and has sharp insights, and some critiques (of a minister’s spending or a man’s obsession with his car) will probably land. She’s like a friend who always brings good gossip, but who you know will gossip about you in turn. These are not unpleasant relationships, if you mind your expectations!

We meet Wilmet when she is looking for some occupation. Not employment, she happily scorns that, but she is bored and wants to fill her days with more than shopping. This leads her to become involved with her parish community (she attends a church called St. Luke’s, and the majority of the extended cast are here) and, at the same time, she connects with her best friend’s brother, Piers. Piers and the St. Luke’s crowd end up connecting in unexpected ways, especially as Wilmet introduces more people to the St. Luke’s network—she recommends a housekeeper for the rectory, which cements her ties to the three clergymen who serve the church.

The strength of this novel is in having so many interesting characters for Wilmet to observe. Objectively, Wilmet does very little. She goes places and talks to people, but the romances and deaths and controversies really belong to the wider cast. She manages a crush on Piers, but her giddiness shows largely in her telling of her own feelings, not in any dramatic actions to express that. Pym handles a dozen overlapping plotlines beautifully, and they all feel like authentic experiences for people in those roles during that era. If you enjoy careful observations of behavior and personality, or you like comedies of manners, this book is a great option.

quillpunk

Title: Crimson Halo
Author: Daniel May
Genre: Paranormal Romance
CW: The main character has an unnamed mental illness, which includes graphic descriptions/depictions of hallucinations and withdrawal from the meds he needs but has run out of due to the pharmacy not having them in stock.
Review: I didn't expect to like this book nearly as much as I did. *Crimson Halo* is a paranormal M/M vampire romance, with insta-romance and a vampire that's right up my alley. I haven't been into the vampire genre in a long time, and the last few tries I made at reading MM vampire romance did not pan out at all; I think I DNF'd both, and I just really didn't have any expectations picking this up—but I was really pleasantly surprised. The writing style works incredibly well for me, and the portrayal of vampires is a nice break from the angsty, brooding vampires I remember.

I just adore the side characters in this, in particular the relationship the vampire has with his familiar, and the relationship he has with his former familiar. It becomes clear during the course of the book that the reason for his emotional changes—going from a cold, distant vampire to a person aching for companionship and love—is in large part because of his former familiar, with whom he had a familial relationship. He’s a little emotionally constipated about it! But honestly, without her laying the groundwork, the vampire never would have been in a place where he would fall in insta-love.

(Yes, it’s been a minute since I read this and I’ve forgotten everybody’s names.)

In addition to the romance, there’s a mystery. Someone’s killing humans, and in a city with vampires that are more or less under control, who could it be? I clocked it. I figured it out. It wasn’t super hard, the clues were there—but honestly, I like this a lot more than mysteries that don’t give clues at all. (Tossing shade.) And I think the resolution to the mystery makes sense.

The romance is lovely, and the ending feels sound. I like the various friendships that are in the book; I think this succeeded very well at making it clear there exists something in this world beyond just the main characters’ relationship, which is cool!

Overall, I had a really good time with this book, and I definitely recommend it! :D

quillpunk

Title: Skeletons in the Closet
Author: Nicky James
Genres: Romance, Mystery
Content Warnings: Domestic Abuse (I don't quite remember; I think it was mostly off-screen and in references, but it was definitely on-screen as well, and it has left Diem with lots of trauma, especially because he still has to be around his dad, who's still abusive, when Diem goes to visit his grandmother who lives with Diem's dad, because she can't live on her own anymore)
Review: *Skeletons in the Closet* is an MM romance mystery novel and the first in a series. The romance doesn't necessarily develop a lot in this book; I think it's setting up to be a multi-book series romance with a slow burn development, but it's definitely the star of the show. Diem and Tallus' relationship is the highlight of the book (well, *Diem* is the highlight of the book and Tallus is kind of dragged along. I'll get into it soon) while the mystery part is a little bit unsatisfactory on my part.

Diem is a private investigator who just got a new job; Faye, a woman who thinks her dead husband was cheating on her and wants proof. For information, Diem reluctantly goes to a police records clerk, Tallus, whom he had an unsatisfactory sexual encounter with some months ago. It's fair to say this encounter has further scarred (emotionally) Diem, who already has plenty of them (both physical and emotional) and it's difficult for Diem to work up the courage to approach Tallus. But he eventually succeeds, and Tallus, who craves adventure and finds his job boring, promptly inserts himself into the case. To be fair, he *is* helpful; unlike Diem, Tallus isn't big and scarred and intimidating and is pretty good at communication, which Diem is decidedly not.

But personally I can't say I ever really warmed up much to Tallus. It just felt a little bit like he was walking all over Diem's boundaries a little too much to me, and his irreverent attitude about Diem's issues bothered me a lot. He took a lot of liberties, and while Diem definitely wanted Tallus to take liberties, it also wasn't easy for Diem and I feel like Tallus doesn't understand how not easy it really is.

He does get better about it and more respectful of Diem's boundaries and learns to recognize that Diem really is trying over the course of the book, so they're on the right track. The progression of their relationship really is the focal point of the story, I think, and it makes sense that the story ended before they've officially gotten together—they definitely still have a ways to go!

On the mystery side, I'm not sure if this was that good a book? Personally I was lost the entire story, and I felt like the characters were, too; there were a lot of pieces but I couldn't see how they connected and neither could the characters until like the 90% point. I at no point clocked who the actual perpetrator actually was, and it felt like it came out of thin air when it was revealed.

Like, I don't know, I just feel like part of the joy of a mystery story is trying to figure out whodunnit but this novel provided no clues and didn't point me in any one direction, so I just didn't feel involved in that whatsoever, and when it did finally came up with a theory, it did that annoying thing where it didn't *tell* the reader the theory. It just glossed over it and moved on until they got the deets and then somebody else confirmed it all 'tell no show' for me. It just kind of felt a bit like an afterthought.

The novel spent so long on the *misdirection* of the mystery that I kind of feel like it never deigned to point in the right direction, if that makes sense. And so I never felt like I had a grip on the mystery or who could have done it.

All in all, Diem is definitely the best part of this novel. He's a delightful character, a lovely person. He's damaged and he tries so hard to be good, and it shows so much. I just love him. (I think he deserves better than Tallus, but I guess I'm not the one deciding that, sigh…) I’ll probably pick up the sequel at some point, if only for Diem, but while this wasn’t bad by any means and was overall enjoyable, it’s not my favorite read. I do recommend it though, if it appeals to you!

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vamp_ress - Reading Wrap-up 11/25
hexmix - [Review] What Moves the Dead by T. Kingfisher
smellyunfortunate - Book Review - Stop Me If You've Heard This One by Kristen Arnett
stonepicnicking_okapi - [Audiobook Review] Miles: The Autobiography by Miles Davis with Quincy Troupe
hexmix - [Book Review] At Dark, I Become Loathsome by Eric LaRocca
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hexmix - [Book Review] My Darling Dreadful Thing by Johanna van Veen
smellyunfortunate - Book Review - Our Hideous Progeny by C.E. McGill
snowynight - Book review: The Star Diaries by Stanisław Lem
althea_valara - Book Review: The Countess Conspiracy by Courtney Milan
quillpunk - [Review] Lout of Count's Family, Vol. 1 by Yu Ryeo-Han
stonepicnicking_okapi - [Review] Five Decembers by James Kestrel
hexmix - [Rec/Review] ShortBox Comics 2024
anehan - [Review] The Egyptian by Mika Waltari
apachefirecat - [REVIEW] Bloody Fool for Love
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Entries tagged with age group: adult

Reading Wrap-up 11/25

[Review] What Moves the Dead by T. Kingfisher

Book Review - Stop Me If You've Heard This One by Kristen Arnett

[Audiobook Review] Miles: The Autobiography by Miles Davis with Quincy Troupe

[Book Review] At Dark, I Become Loathsome by Eric LaRocca

Review: Jinkies and Minority Monsters

[Review]: The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches

[Review]: Know My Name

[Book Review] My Darling Dreadful Thing by Johanna van Veen

Book Review - Our Hideous Progeny by C.E. McGill

Book review: The Star Diaries by Stanisław Lem

Book Review: The Countess Conspiracy by Courtney Milan

[Review] Lout of Count's Family, Vol. 1 by Yu Ryeo-Han

[Review] Five Decembers by James Kestrel

[Rec/Review] ShortBox Comics 2024

[Review] The Egyptian by Mika Waltari

[REVIEW] Bloody Fool for Love

[Review] A Glass of Blessings - Barbara Pym

[Review] Crimson Halo by Daniel May

[Review] Skeletons in the Closet by Nicky James

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