Tanya's bookshelf: all en-US Wed, 19 Feb 2025 23:09:16 -0800 60 Tanya's bookshelf: all 144 41 /images/layout/goodreads_logo_144.jpg Far Sector 52676540 For the past six months, newly chosen Green Lantern Sojourner "Jo" Mullein has been protecting the City Enduring, a massive metropolis of 20 billion people. The city has maintained peace for over 500 years by stripping its citizens of their ability to feel. As a result, violent crime is virtually unheard of, and murder is nonexistent.
But that's all about to change in this new maxiseries that gives a DC Young Animal spin to the legacy of the Green Lanterns!]]>
312 N.K. Jemisin Tanya 5 Holy shit. HOLY SHIT. 4.12 2019 Far Sector
author: N.K. Jemisin
name: Tanya
average rating: 4.12
book published: 2019
rating: 5
read at: 2021/05/17
date added: 2025/02/19
shelves: favourites, 4-point-5, graphic-novels-comics, hearteyes, just-look-at-that-premise, pretty-pretty, thrill-of-the-chase, owns-my-heart
review:
Holy shit. HOLY SHIT.
]]>
<![CDATA[Tell the Truth, Shame the Devil]]> 31932931 In the wake of a devastating bombing, a father risks everything to find out who was responsible. When Bish Ortley, a recently suspended cop, receives word that a bus carrying his daughter has been bombed, he rushes to be by her side. A suspect has already been a 17-year-old girl who has since disappeared from the scene. The press has now revealed that she is the youngest member of one of London's most notorious families. Years earlier, they were implicated in an attack that left dozens dead. Has the girl decided to follow in their footsteps? To find her, Bish must earn the trust of her friends and family, including her infamous mother, now serving a life sentence in prison. But even as he delves into the deadly bus attack that claimed five lives, the ghosts of older crimes become impossible to ignore. A gripping fusion of literary suspense and family drama, Tell the Truth, Shame the Devil is a fast-paced puzzle of a novel that will keep reader feverishly turning pages. "More than a crime story; it's jam-packed with family drama and heartbreak. Highly recommended for suspense and mystery fans." -- Library Journal]]> 416 Melina Marchetta 0316349283 Tanya 4 4.50 2016 Tell the Truth, Shame the Devil
author: Melina Marchetta
name: Tanya
average rating: 4.50
book published: 2016
rating: 4
read at: 2017/10/14
date added: 2024/09/28
shelves: 2017, 4-point-5, friendships-ftw, just-stab-me-while-you-re-at-it, this-is-not-okay, thrill-of-the-chase, books-i-own
review:

]]>
Inda (Inda, #1) 8177328 Acclaimed Inda series within Sherwood Smith's epic fantasy Sartorias-deles universe � Military fantasy woven with courtly politics, vast worldbuilding, and diverse characters

Indevan-Dal is the second son of the Prince and Princess of Choraed Elgaer, destined to become his elder brother Tanrid's Shield Arm—his military champion. Like all second sons, he is to be privately trained at home by Tanrid, the brother whose lands he will one day protect.

When the King's Voice comes to summon Inda to the Military Academy, he might well feel foreboding, or even fear—war is imminent—yet youthful Inda feels only excitement.

But there are things that Tanrid hasn't prepared him for, and Inda will soon learn that the greatest threats to his safety will not come from foreign enemies, but from supposed allies within his own country.]]>
711 Sherwood Smith 1101043725 Tanya 0 books-i-own, maybe-later 4.10 2006 Inda (Inda, #1)
author: Sherwood Smith
name: Tanya
average rating: 4.10
book published: 2006
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/09/27
shelves: books-i-own, maybe-later
review:

]]>
Portugal 28264873 This is the story of rebirth, through the rediscovery of a childhood place, shrouded in the haze of memory.]]> 264 Cyril Pedrosa 2800167610 Tanya 0 3.94 2011 Portugal
author: Cyril Pedrosa
name: Tanya
average rating: 3.94
book published: 2011
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/09/22
shelves: to-read, graphic-novels-comics
review:

]]>
<![CDATA[Scepter of the Ancients (Skulduggery Pleasant, #1)]]> 10410738
Ace Detective
Snappy Dresser
Razor–tongued Wit
Crackerjack Sorcerer
and
Walking, Talking,
Fire-throwing Skeleton

—as well as ally, protector, and mentor of Stephanie Edgley, a very unusual and darkly talented twelve-year-old.

These two alone must defeat an all-consuming ancient evil.

The end of the world?

Over his dead body.]]>
416 Derek Landy 0062043870 Tanya 0 4.06 2007 Scepter of the Ancients (Skulduggery Pleasant, #1)
author: Derek Landy
name: Tanya
average rating: 4.06
book published: 2007
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/09/18
shelves: recs-from-friends, maybe-later
review:

]]>
<![CDATA[The Thousand Names (The Shadow Campaigns, #1)]]> 15810910
Captain Marcus d’Ivoire, commander of one of the Vordanai empire’s colonial garrisons, was resigned to serving out his days in a sleepy, remote outpost. But that was before a rebellion upended his life. And once the powder smoke settled, he was left in charge of a demoralized force clinging tenuously to a small fortress at the edge of the desert.

To flee from her past, Winter Ihernglass masqueraded as a man and enlisted as a ranker in the Vordanai Colonials, hoping only to avoid notice. But when chance sees her promoted to command, she must win the hearts of her men and lead them into battle against impossible odds.

The fates of both these soldiers and all the men they lead depend on the newly arrived Colonel Janus bet Vhalnich, who has been sent by the ailing king to restore order. His military genius seems to know no bounds, and under his command, Marcus and Winter can feel the tide turning. But their allegiance will be tested as they begin to suspect that the enigmatic Janus’s ambitions extend beyond the battlefield and into the realm of the supernatural—a realm with the power to ignite a meteoric rise, reshape the known world, and change the lives of everyone in its path.]]>
513 Django Wexler 0451465105 Tanya 4 4.03 2013 The Thousand Names (The Shadow Campaigns, #1)
author: Django Wexler
name: Tanya
average rating: 4.03
book published: 2013
rating: 4
read at: 2016/01/29
date added: 2024/09/17
shelves: goodreads-recs, 2016, 4-stars, hearteyes, thrill-of-the-chase
review:

]]>
<![CDATA[Molly Moon's Incredible Book of Hypnotism (Molly Moon, #1)]]> 807968
Molly Moon is no ordinary orphan. When she finds a mysterious old book on hypnotism, she discovers she can make people do whatever she wants. But a sinister stranger is watching her every move and he'll do anything to steal her hypnotic secret...]]>
371 Georgia Byng 0060514094 Tanya 2 3.92 2002 Molly Moon's Incredible Book of Hypnotism (Molly Moon, #1)
author: Georgia Byng
name: Tanya
average rating: 3.92
book published: 2002
rating: 2
read at:
date added: 2024/08/07
shelves:
review:

]]>
<![CDATA[World After (Penryn & the End of Days, #2)]]> 17849112 Angelfall, the survivors of the angel apocalypse begin to scrape back together what's left of the modern world. When a group of people capture Penryn's sister Paige, thinking she's a monster, the situation ends in a massacre. Paige disappears. Humans are terrified. Mom is heartbroken.

Penryn drives through the streets of San Francisco looking for Paige. Why are the streets so empty? Where is everybody? Her search leads her into the heart of the angels' secret plans, where she catches a glimpse of their motivations, and learns the horrifying extent to which the angels are willing to go.

Meanwhile, Raffe hunts for his wings. Without them, he can't rejoin the angels, can't take his rightful place as one of their leaders. When faced with recapturing his wings or helping Penryn survive, which will he choose?

]]>
320 Susan Ee 1477867287 Tanya 3 2019, 2013 4.09 2013 World After (Penryn & the End of Days, #2)
author: Susan Ee
name: Tanya
average rating: 4.09
book published: 2013
rating: 3
read at: 2019/01/20
date added: 2024/08/07
shelves: 2019, 2013
review:

]]>
<![CDATA[World After (Penryn & the End of Days, #2)]]> 12983100 Angelfall, the survivors of the angel apocalypse begin to scrape back together what's left of the modern world.

When a group of people capture Penryn's sister Paige, thinking she's a monster, the situation ends in a massacre. Paige disappears. Humans are terrified. Mom is heartbroken.

Penryn drives through the streets of San Francisco looking for Paige. Why are the streets so empty? Where is everybody? Her search leads her into the heart of the angels' secret plans where she catches a glimpse of their motivations, and learns the horrifying extent to which the angels are willing to go.

Meanwhile, Raffe hunts for his wings. Without them, he can't rejoin the angels, can't take his rightful place as one of their leaders. When faced with recapturing his wings or helping Penryn survive, which will he choose?]]>
438 Susan Ee Tanya 4 4.24 2013 World After (Penryn & the End of Days, #2)
author: Susan Ee
name: Tanya
average rating: 4.24
book published: 2013
rating: 4
read at: 2013/11/23
date added: 2024/08/07
shelves: 4-stars, 2013, hearteyes, makes-me-happy
review:

]]>
<![CDATA[Death on the Nile (Hercule Poirot, #18)]]> 6251565 Alternate cover edition of ASIN B000FCK9D6

The tranquillity of a cruise along the Nile is shattered by the discovery that Linnet Ridgeway has been shot through the head. She was young, stylish and beautiful, a girl who had everything - until she lost her life. Hercule Poirot recalls an earlier outburst by a fellow passenger: "I'd like to put my dear little pistol against her head and just press the trigger." Yet in this exotic setting, nothing is ever quite what it seems...]]>
333 Agatha Christie Tanya 2 4.14 1937 Death on the Nile (Hercule Poirot, #18)
author: Agatha Christie
name: Tanya
average rating: 4.14
book published: 1937
rating: 2
read at: 2018/09/16
date added: 2023/12/31
shelves: 2018, book-club, not-for-me, struggled-through, meh
review:

]]>
<![CDATA[Monstress, Volume 1: Awakening]]> 55883882
Collects MONSTRESS #1-6

About the Creators:

New York Times bestselling and award-winning writer Marjorie Liu is best known for her fiction and comic books. She teaches comic book writing at MIT, and leads a class on Popular Fiction at the Voices of Our Nation (VONA) workshop. Ms. Liu's extensive work includes the bestselling "Astonishing X-Men" for Marvel Comics, which featured the gay wedding of X-Man Northstar and was subsequently nominated for a GLAAD Media Award for outstanding media images of the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community. Prior to writing full-time, Liu was a lawyer. She currently resides in Boston.

Sana Takeda is an illustrator and comic book artist who was born in Niigata, and now resides in Tokyo, Japan. At age 20 she started out as a 3D CGI designer for SEGA, a Japanese video game company, and became a freelance artist when she was 25. She is still an artist, and has worked on titles such as "X-23" and "Ms. Marvel" for Marvel Comics, and is an illustrator for trading card games in Japan.]]>
192 Marjorie M. Liu 1632157098 Tanya 3 3.96 2016 Monstress, Volume 1: Awakening
author: Marjorie M. Liu
name: Tanya
average rating: 3.96
book published: 2016
rating: 3
read at: 2021/05/07
date added: 2023/07/13
shelves: 3-point-5, graphic-novels-comics, pretty-pretty
review:

]]>
<![CDATA[Monstress, Volume 1: Awakening]]> 30333227
Collects MONSTRESS #1-6]]>
208 Marjorie M. Liu Tanya 3 3.93 2016 Monstress, Volume 1: Awakening
author: Marjorie M. Liu
name: Tanya
average rating: 3.93
book published: 2016
rating: 3
read at:
date added: 2023/07/12
shelves:
review:

]]>
<![CDATA[Seven Brief Lessons on Physics]]> 25734172 All the beauty of modern physics in fewer than a hundred pages.

This is a book about the joy of discovery. A playful, entertaining, and mind-bending introduction to modern physics, it's already a major bestseller in Italy and the United Kingdom. Carlo Rovelli offers surprising—and surprisingly easy to grasp—explanations of general relativity, quantum mechanics, elementary particles, gravity, black holes, the complex architecture of the universe, and the role humans play in this weird and wonderful world. He takes us to the frontiers of our knowledge: to the most minute reaches of the fabric of space, back tothe origins of the cosmos, and into the workings of our minds. “Here, on the edge of what we know, in contact with the ocean of the unknown, shines the mystery and the beauty of the world,� Rovelli writes. “And it’s breathtaking.”]]>
81 Carlo Rovelli 0399184414 Tanya 4 non-fiction 3.97 2014 Seven Brief Lessons on Physics
author: Carlo Rovelli
name: Tanya
average rating: 3.97
book published: 2014
rating: 4
read at: 2023/06/23
date added: 2023/06/23
shelves: non-fiction
review:

]]>
<![CDATA[The Adventures of Amina al-Sirafi (Amina al-Sirafi, #1)]]> 61294947
But when she’s tracked down by the obscenely wealthy mother of a former crewman, she’s offered a job no bandit could refuse: retrieve her comrade’s kidnapped daughter for a kingly sum. The chance to have one last adventure with her crew, do right by an old friend, and win a fortune that will secure her family’s future forever? It seems like such an obvious choice that it must be God’s will.

Yet the deeper Amina dives, the more it becomes alarmingly clear there’s more to this job, and the girl’s disappearance, than she was led to believe. For there’s always risk in wanting to become a legend, to seize one last chance at glory, to savor just a bit more power…and the price might be your very soul.]]>
493 Shannon Chakraborty Tanya 3 4.36 2023 The Adventures of Amina al-Sirafi (Amina al-Sirafi, #1)
author: Shannon Chakraborty
name: Tanya
average rating: 4.36
book published: 2023
rating: 3
read at: 2023/06/20
date added: 2023/06/20
shelves:
review:

]]>
<![CDATA[Painted Devils (Little Thieves, #2)]]> 59835912 An Instant New York Times Bestseller!
An Instant Indies Bestseller!

A scrappy former maid and jewel thief must outwit gods, injustice, and her own past in this sequel to the Indie Next Pick, Little Thieves by Margaret Owen.

Let's get one thing straight - Vanja Schmidt wasn't trying to start a cult.

After taking down a corrupt margrave, breaking a deadly curse, and finding romance with the vexingly scrupulous junior prefect Emeric Conrad, Vanja had one great mystery her long-lost birth family . . . and whether they would welcome a thief. But in her search for an honest trade, she hit trouble and invented a god, the Scarlet Maiden, to scam her way out. Now that lie is growing out of control—especially when Emeric arrives to investigate and the Scarlet Maiden manifests to claim him as a virgin sacrifice.

For his final test to become a prefect, Emeric must determine if Vanja is guilty of serious fraud or if the Scarlet Maiden—and her claim to him—is genuine. Meanwhile, Vanja is chasing an alternative sacrifice that
could be their way out. The hunt leads her not only into the lairs of monsters and the paths of gods, but also the ties of her past. And with what should be the simplest way to save Emeric hanging over their heads,
he and Vanja must face a more dangerous Is there a future for a thief and a prefect, and at what price?

From the indie bestselling author Margaret Owen comes the thrilling next installment in the Little Thieves trilogy with all new interior illustrations from the author.]]>
504 Margaret Owen 1250831156 Tanya 0 currently-reading 4.28 2023 Painted Devils (Little Thieves, #2)
author: Margaret Owen
name: Tanya
average rating: 4.28
book published: 2023
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2023/06/11
shelves: currently-reading
review:

]]>
<![CDATA[The Galaxy, and the Ground Within (Wayfarers, #4)]]> 50209317
At the Five-Hop One-Stop, long-haul spacers can stretch their legs (if they have legs, that is), and get fuel, transit permits, and assorted supplies. The Five-Hop is run by an enterprising alien and her sometimes helpful child, who work hard to provide a little piece of home to everyone passing through.

When a freak technological failure halts all traffic to and from Gora, three strangers—all different species with different aims—are thrown together at the Five-Hop. Grounded, with nothing to do but wait, the trio—an exiled artist with an appointment to keep, a cargo runner at a personal crossroads, and a mysterious individual doing her best to help those on the fringes—are compelled to confront where they’ve been, where they might go, and what they are, or could be, to each other.]]>
336 Becky Chambers 0062936050 Tanya 0 currently-reading 4.37 2021 The Galaxy, and the Ground Within (Wayfarers, #4)
author: Becky Chambers
name: Tanya
average rating: 4.37
book published: 2021
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2023/03/18
shelves: currently-reading
review:

]]>
Lonely Castle in the Mirror 54633167
Delving into their emotional lives with sympathy and a generous warmth, Lonely Castle in the Mirror shows the unexpected rewards of reaching out to others. Exploring vivid human stories with a twisty and puzzle-like plot, this heart-warming novel is full of joy and hope for anyone touched by sadness and vulnerability.]]>
355 Mizuki Tsujimura 0857527274 Tanya 4 4.25 2017 Lonely Castle in the Mirror
author: Mizuki Tsujimura
name: Tanya
average rating: 4.25
book published: 2017
rating: 4
read at: 2023/03/19
date added: 2023/03/18
shelves: books-i-own, broke-my-heart, friendships-ftw
review:

]]>
<![CDATA[Analog/Virtual and Other Simulations of Your Future]]> 51079905 'WE ARE A MERITROCRATIC TECHNARCHY.
WE ARE THE FUTURE OF THE HUMAN RACE.'

The world’s nations have collapsed, and a handful of city states form the remains of civilization. Erstwhile Bangalore is now rebranded, ruled by the insidious Bell Corporation.

Welcome to Apex City. Here, technology is the key to survival, productivity is power, and the self must be engineered for the only noble goal in life: success.

With the right image, values and opinions, you can ascend to the ranks of the Virtual elite and have the new world at your feet. The price of failure is deportation: you are marked an Analog, with no access to electricity, running water or your humanity.

Lavanya Lakshminarayan’s extraordinary debut sinks its teeth into this dystopian future, offering a glimpse into a world we may be dangerously close to inheriting. Brilliant, searing and imaginative, the stories in Analog/Virtual will make us question our choices and rethink who we want to be.

'This is fiction playing for the highest stakes - and winning'
Chandrahas Choudhury, author of Clouds

'Masterful work...in the best tradition of dystopian fiction'
S.B. Divya, author of Nebula Award finalist Runtime]]>
310 Lavanya Lakshminarayan 938925308X Tanya 0 to-read 4.04 2020 Analog/Virtual and Other Simulations of Your Future
author: Lavanya Lakshminarayan
name: Tanya
average rating: 4.04
book published: 2020
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2023/03/10
shelves: to-read
review:

]]>
Yellowface 59357120
So what if June edits Athena’s novel and sends it to her agent as her own work? So what if she lets her new publisher rebrand her as Juniper Song—complete with an ambiguously ethnic author photo? This piece of history deserve to be told, whoever the teller. That is what June believes, and The New York Times bestseller list agrees.

But June cannot escape Athena’s shadow, and emerging evidence threatens her stolen success. As she races to protect her secret she discovers exactly how far she will go to keep what she thinks she deserves.]]>
329 R.F. Kuang Tanya 0 currently-reading 3.84 2023 Yellowface
author: R.F. Kuang
name: Tanya
average rating: 3.84
book published: 2023
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2023/02/26
shelves: currently-reading
review:

]]>
Starsight (Skyward, #2) 42769202
Spensa is sure there's more to the story. And she's sure that whatever happened to her father in his starship could happen to her. When she made it outside the protective shell of her planet, she heard the stars--and it was terrifying. Everything Spensa has been taught about her world is a lie.

But Spensa also discovered a few other things about herself--and she'll travel to the end of the galaxy to save humankind if she needs to.]]>
461 Brandon Sanderson 1473217903 Tanya 3 meh 4.33 2019 Starsight (Skyward, #2)
author: Brandon Sanderson
name: Tanya
average rating: 4.33
book published: 2019
rating: 3
read at: 2023/02/26
date added: 2023/02/26
shelves: meh
review:

]]>
<![CDATA[The World We Make (Great Cities #2)]]> 60522559
Allis not well in the city that never sleeps.Even thoughthe avatars of New York Cityhavetemporarily managed to stop the Woman in White from invading—and destroying the entire universe in the process—the mysterious capital "E" Enemy has more subtle powers at her disposal. A new candidate for mayor wielding the populist rhetoric ofgentrification, xenophobia, and "law and order"may have what it takes to change the very nature of New York itself and take it down from the inside.

In order to defeat him, and the Enemy who holds his purse strings,the avatars will have to join together with the other Great Cities of the world in order to bring her down for good and protect their world from complete destruction.

N.K. Jemisin’s Great Cities Duology, which began with The City We Became and concludes with The World We Make , is a masterpiece of speculative fiction from one of the most importantwriters of her generation.
The Great Cities Duology
The City We Became
The World We Make]]>
369 N.K. Jemisin 0316509914 Tanya 5 4.27 2022 The World We Make (Great Cities #2)
author: N.K. Jemisin
name: Tanya
average rating: 4.27
book published: 2022
rating: 5
read at: 2023/02/18
date added: 2023/02/19
shelves: 5-stars, favourite-characters, favourites, audiobook, books-i-own, couldnt-stop-laughing, friendships-ftw, hearteyes, how-do-you-words, queer-lit
review:

]]>
<![CDATA[Alanna: The First Adventure (Song of the Lioness, #1)]]> 9394691 From now on I'm Alan of Trebond, the younger twin. I'll be a knight.

And so young Alanna of Trebond begins the journey to knighthood. Though a girl, Alanna has always craved the adventure and daring allowed only for boys; her twin brother, Thom, yearns to learn the art of magic. So one day they decide to switch places: Thom heads for the convent to learn magic; Alanna, pretending to be a boy, is on her way to the castle of King Roald to begin her training as a page.

But the road to knighthood is not an easy one. As Alanna masters the skills necessary for battle, she must also learn to control her heart and to discern her enemies from her allies.

Filled with swords and sorcery, adventure and intrigue, good and evil, Alanna's first adventure begins - one that will lead to the fulfillment of her dreams and the magical destiny that will make her a legend in her land.

]]>
260 Tamora Pierce 1442426411 Tanya 4 On re-read, still four. :) 4.11 1983 Alanna: The First Adventure (Song of the Lioness, #1)
author: Tamora Pierce
name: Tanya
average rating: 4.11
book published: 1983
rating: 4
read at: 2023/02/11
date added: 2023/02/11
shelves: loved-more-on-reread, favourite-characters, eternal-love-for-the-series, 4-stars
review:
On re-read, still four. :)
]]>
<![CDATA[In the Hand of the Goddess (Song of the Lioness, #2)]]> 13835
Here continues the story of Alanna, a young woman bound for glory who is willing to fight against enormous odds for what she believes in.]]>
264 Tamora Pierce 0689878567 Tanya 3 On re-read: three stars. 4.24 1984 In the Hand of the Goddess (Song of the Lioness, #2)
author: Tamora Pierce
name: Tanya
average rating: 4.24
book published: 1984
rating: 3
read at: 2013/07/02
date added: 2023/02/07
shelves:
review:
On re-read: three stars.
]]>
Like a Charm 60133202
As she is pulled into her family's world of secrets and spells, Ramya sets out to discover the truth behind the Hidden Folk with only three words of warning from her grandfather: Beware the Sirens.

Plunged into an adventure that will change everything, Ramya is about to learn that there is more to her powers than she ever imagined.]]>
313 Elle McNicoll 1913311279 Tanya 4 4.23 2022 Like a Charm
author: Elle McNicoll
name: Tanya
average rating: 4.23
book published: 2022
rating: 4
read at: 2023/02/06
date added: 2023/02/06
shelves:
review:

]]>
<![CDATA[The Bone Ships (The Tide Child, #1)]]> 43787034 A crew of condemned criminals embark on a suicide mission to hunt the first sea dragon seen in centuries in the first book of this adventure fantasy trilogy.

Violent raids plague the divided isles of the Scattered Archipelago. Fleets constantly battle for dominance and glory, and no commander stands higher among them than "Lucky" Meas Gilbryn.
But betrayed and condemned to command a ship of criminals, Meas is forced on suicide mission to hunt the first living sea-dragon in generations. Everyone wants it, but Meas Gilbryn has her own ideas about the great beast. In the Scattered Archipelago, a dragon's life, like all lives, is bound in blood, death and treachery.]]>
513 R.J. Barker 031648797X Tanya 4 4.22 2019 The Bone Ships (The Tide Child, #1)
author: R.J. Barker
name: Tanya
average rating: 4.22
book published: 2019
rating: 4
read at: 2023/02/04
date added: 2023/02/04
shelves:
review:

]]>
Wonder Girl: Homecoming 60825002 This is where the legend of Yara Flor begins! Meet the new Wonder Girl—and the future of Wonder Woman!

The story of Yara Flor starts here!

Raised in the faroff land of Boise, Idaho, Yara Flor has always felt something was missing from her life—and now she is headed to Brazil to find it. Little does she know her arrival will set off a series of events that will change the world of Wonder Woman forever. Her return has been prophesied, and with that prophecy comes the undivided attention of benevolent gods from pantheons beyond. Danger lurks around every corner-but is this young hero ready for her journey? Find out in a debut issue you absolutely cannot miss!

This collection, featuring the stunning work of writer/artist Joëlle Jones, includes Yara Flor’s initial appearances as the Wonder Woman of tomorrow in the world of Future State, plus her initial appearances that trace the earliest steps of her heroic destiny!

This volume collects Wonder Girl #1-7, Future State: Wonder Woman #1-2, and a selection from Infinite Frontier #0.]]>
272 Joëlle Jones 1779516665 Tanya 3 3.54 2022 Wonder Girl: Homecoming
author: Joëlle Jones
name: Tanya
average rating: 3.54
book published: 2022
rating: 3
read at: 2023/02/03
date added: 2023/02/03
shelves:
review:

]]>
The Midnight Bargain 49151031
In a stroke of luck, Beatrice finds a grimoire that contains the key to becoming a Magus, but before she can purchase it, a rival sorceress swindles the book right out of her hands. Beatrice summons a spirit to help her get it back, but her new ally exacts a price: Beatrice’s first kiss . . . with her adversary’s brother, the handsome, compassionate, and fabulously wealthy Ianthe Lavan.

The more Beatrice is entangled with the Lavan siblings, the harder her decision becomes: If she casts the spell to become a Magus, she will devastate her family and lose the only man to ever see her for who she is; but if she marries—even for love—she will sacrifice her magic, her identity, and her dreams. But how can she choose just one, knowing she will forever regret the path not taken?]]>
375 C.L. Polk 1645660079 Tanya 0 currently-reading 3.73 2020 The Midnight Bargain
author: C.L. Polk
name: Tanya
average rating: 3.73
book published: 2020
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2023/01/29
shelves: currently-reading
review:

]]>
How to Excavate a Heart 55348105
Attempted vehicular manslaughter was not part of Shani’s plan. She was supposed to be focusing on her month-long paleoichthyology internship. She was going to spend all her time thinking about dead fish and not at all about how she was unceremoniously dumped days before winter break.

It could be going better.

But when a dog-walking gig puts her back in May’s path, the fossils she’s meant to be diligently studying are pushed to the side—along with the breakup. Then they’re snowed in together on Christmas Eve. As things start to feel more serious, though, Shani’s hurt over her ex-girlfriend’s rejection comes rushing back. Is she ready to try a committed relationship again, or is she okay with this just being a passing winter fling?]]>
384 Jake Maia Arlow Tanya 0 3.78 2022 How to Excavate a Heart
author: Jake Maia Arlow
name: Tanya
average rating: 3.78
book published: 2022
rating: 0
read at: 2023/01/26
date added: 2023/01/29
shelves: book-club, not-for-me, queer-lit, struggled-through
review:

]]>
<![CDATA[Network Effect (The Murderbot Diaries, #5)]]> 52381770
It worries about the fragile human crew who've grown to trust it, but only where no one can see.

It tells itself that they're only a professional obligation, but when they're captured and an old friend from the past requires urgent assistance, Murderbot must choose between inertia and drastic action.

Drastic action it is, then.

]]>
350 Martha Wells 1250229863 Tanya 5 4.44 2020 Network Effect (The Murderbot Diaries, #5)
author: Martha Wells
name: Tanya
average rating: 4.44
book published: 2020
rating: 5
read at: 2023/01/26
date added: 2023/01/26
shelves: 5-stars, favourite-characters, favourites, owns-my-heart, couldnt-stop-laughing, eternal-love-for-the-series, friendships-ftw, hearteyes, how-do-you-words, makes-me-happy, thrill-of-the-chase, warm-fuzzies
review:
This was just so Soft�. I will never recover.
]]>
<![CDATA[Abeni's Song (Abeni's Song #1)]]> 61076345
You ignored my warnings. It’s too late to run. They are coming.

Warriors with burning blades storm the village. A man with a cursed flute plays an impossibly alluring song. And everyone Abeni has ever known and loved is captured and marched toward far-off ghost ships set for even more distant lands.

But not Abeni.

Abeni is magically whisked away by the old woman. In the forest, Abeni begins her unwanted magical apprenticeship, her journey to escape the witch, and her impossible mission to bring her people home.

Abeni’s Song is the beginning of a timeless, enchanting fantasy adventure about a reluctant apprentice, a team of spirit kids, and the village they set out to save.]]>
P. Djèlí Clark Tanya 0 to-read 4.12 2023 Abeni's Song (Abeni's Song #1)
author: P. Djèlí Clark
name: Tanya
average rating: 4.12
book published: 2023
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2023/01/25
shelves: to-read
review:

]]>
<![CDATA[System Collapse (The Murderbot Diaries, #7)]]> 65211701 Am I making it worse? I think I'm making it worse.

Everyone's favorite lethal SecUnit is back.

Following the events in Network Effect, the Barish-Estranza corporation has sent rescue ships to a newly-colonized planet in peril, as well as additional SecUnits. But if there’s an ethical corporation out there, Murderbot has yet to find it, and if Barish-Estranza can’t have the planet, they’re sure as hell not leaving without something. If that something just happens to be an entire colony of humans, well, a free workforce is a decent runner-up prize.

But there’s something wrong with Murderbot; it isn’t running within normal operational parameters. ART’s crew and the humans from Preservation are doing everything they can to protect the colonists, but with Barish-Estranza’s SecUnit-heavy persuasion teams, they’re going to have to hope Murderbot figures out what’s wrong with itself, and fast.

Yeah, this plan is... not going to work.]]>
245 Martha Wells 1250826977 Tanya 0 to-read 4.19 2023 System Collapse (The Murderbot Diaries, #7)
author: Martha Wells
name: Tanya
average rating: 4.19
book published: 2023
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2023/01/25
shelves: to-read
review:

]]>
A Room of One's Own 52842965 A Room of One's Own, grew out of a lecture that Virginia Woolf had been invited to give at Girton College, Cambridge in 1928. Ranging over Jane Austen and Charlotte Brontë and why neither of them could have written War and Peace, over the silent fate of Shakespeare gifted (and imaginary) sister, over the effects of poverty and chastity on female creativity, she gives us one of the greatest feminist polemics of the century.]]> 93 Virginia Woolf 0241436281 Tanya 4 non-fiction 4.26 1929 A Room of One's Own
author: Virginia Woolf
name: Tanya
average rating: 4.26
book published: 1929
rating: 4
read at: 2023/01/17
date added: 2023/01/18
shelves: non-fiction
review:

]]>
The Angel of the Crows 52378874 This is not the story you think it is. These are not the characters you think they are. This is not the book you are expecting.

In an alternate 1880s London, angels inhabit every public building, and vampires and werewolves walk the streets with human beings under a well-regulated truce. A fantastic utopia, except for a few things: Angels can Fall, and that Fall is like a nuclear bomb in both the physical and metaphysical worlds. And human beings remain human, with all their kindness and greed and passions and murderous intent.

Jack the Ripper stalks the streets of this London too. But this London has an Angel. The Angel of the Crows.]]>
448 Katherine Addison 0765387395 Tanya 4 3.70 2020 The Angel of the Crows
author: Katherine Addison
name: Tanya
average rating: 3.70
book published: 2020
rating: 4
read at: 2022/12/20
date added: 2022/12/31
shelves: 4-point-5, friendships-ftw, hearteyes, queer-lit, stayed-up-all-night, thrill-of-the-chase
review:

]]>
<![CDATA[Batman/Superman: World's Finest (2022-) #1]]> 60572902 36 Mark Waid Tanya 4 4.32 Batman/Superman: World's Finest (2022-) #1
author: Mark Waid
name: Tanya
average rating: 4.32
book published:
rating: 4
read at: 2022/12/31
date added: 2022/12/31
shelves: graphic-novels-comics, pretty-pretty
review:
Absolutely stunning. Dan Mora's really outdone himself this time.
]]>
<![CDATA[Thief Of Time (Discworld, #26)]]> 61113294 'The universe is, instant by instant, recreated anew . . . The perfect moment is now. Be glad of it.'

Time is a resource. Everyone knows it must be managed. You can let it move fast or slowly, but what you mustn't do is allow it to stop.

On the Discworld, the History Monks have the important job of ensuring that tomorrow always comes. But the construction of the world's first truly accurate clock starts a race against, well . . . time.

Monk Lu-Tze, his apprentice Lobsang Ludd and Death's granddaughter Susan must stop the clockmaker before he completes his task. Because a truly accurate clock will stop time completely.

And then, there really will be no tomorrow . . .

'This is the best Pratchett I've read' Sunday Telegraph

Thief of Time is the fifth book in the Death series, but you can read the Discworld novels in any order. ]]>
432 Terry Pratchett 1804990418 Tanya 0 currently-reading 4.21 2001 Thief Of Time (Discworld, #26)
author: Terry Pratchett
name: Tanya
average rating: 4.21
book published: 2001
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2022/12/26
shelves: currently-reading
review:

]]>
A Million to One 56921877 Time's Best YA books of all time, gives Titanic an Ocean’s 8 makeover in a heist for a treasure aboard the infamous ship that sank in the Atlantic many years ago.

A thief. An artist. A acrobat. An actress. While Josefa, Emilie, Hinnah, and Violet seemingly don’t have anything in common, they’re united in one goal: stealing the Rubaiyat, a jewel-encrusted book aboard the RMS Titanic that just might be the golden ticket to solving their problems.

But careless mistakes, old grudges, and new romance threaten to jeopardize everything they’ve worked for and put them in incredible danger when tragedy strikes. While the odds of pulling off the heist are slim, the odds of survival are even slimmer . . .

Perfect for fans of Stalking Jack the Ripper and Girl in the Blue Coat, this high-seas heist from the author of The Henna Wars is an immersive story that makes readers forget one important detail� the ship sinks.]]>
367 Adiba Jaigirdar 0062916378 Tanya 2 3.42 2022 A Million to One
author: Adiba Jaigirdar
name: Tanya
average rating: 3.42
book published: 2022
rating: 2
read at: 2022/12/24
date added: 2022/12/24
shelves:
review:

]]>
<![CDATA[Witch King (The Rising World, #1)]]> 61885085 "You idiot. I'm the demon."
Kai's having a long day in Martha Wells' Witch King...

After being murdered, his consciousness dormant and unaware of the passing of time while confined in an elaborate water trap, Kai wakes to find a lesser mage attempting to harness Kai’s magic to his own advantage. That was never going to go well.

But why was Kai imprisoned in the first place? What has changed in the world since his assassination? And why does the Rising World Coalition appear to be growing in influence?

Kai will need to pull his allies close and draw on all his pain magic if he is to answer even the least of these questions.

He’s not going to like the answers.]]>
415 Martha Wells 1250826799 Tanya 0 to-read 3.60 2023 Witch King (The Rising World, #1)
author: Martha Wells
name: Tanya
average rating: 3.60
book published: 2023
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2022/12/23
shelves: to-read
review:

]]>
<![CDATA[Seasparrow (Graceling Realm, #5)]]> 60396552 The fifth novel in the bestselling and award winning Graceling Realm series focuses on Hava, Queen Bitterblue's spy, and her harrowing journey back to Monsea after the events of 2021's Winterkeep.

In the immediate aftermath of the events of Winterkeep, Bitterblue and her entourage begin the journey back to Monsea with the only copies of the formulas for the zilphium weapon. Bitterblue must decide what she will do with her world-shaping power. But before they've even made it halfway home, storms drive their ship off course and then wrecking them in the ice far north of the Royal Continent. The survivors must make a harrowing trek across the ice in order to make it back to Monsea.

Seasparrow is told entirely from the point of view of Hava, Bitterblue's personal spy and secret half-sister. And while Bitterblue grapples with how to carry the responsibility of a weapon of mass destruction, Hava must decide what she will do with herself in the new world Bitterblue will make.]]>
624 Kristin Cashore 1984816683 Tanya 5 4.25 2022 Seasparrow (Graceling Realm, #5)
author: Kristin Cashore
name: Tanya
average rating: 4.25
book published: 2022
rating: 5
read at: 2022/12/08
date added: 2022/12/18
shelves: 5-stars, favourite-characters, favourites, owns-my-heart, audiobook, books-i-own, broke-my-heart, cried-my-eyes-out, eternal-love-for-the-series, friendships-ftw, hearteyes, just-stab-me-while-you-re-at-it
review:

]]>
<![CDATA[Lightfall: Shadow of the Bird: A Graphic Novel]]> 60527383 New York Times bestselling author Faith Erin Hicks says of Lightfall: "Gorgeous artwork and a lovable heroine make Lightfall the series I wish I'd had as a kid."

In the second installment of the award-winning, critically acclaimed Lightfall series, Bea and Cad continue their quest to stop Kest, the mythic bird who stole the sun. Perfect for middle grade fans of Amulet and Avatar the Last Airbender, Lightfall: Shadow of the Bird is another breathtaking journey into the magical world of Irpa, where epic battles and powerful creatures abound.

After a battle that nearly cost them their lives, Bea and Cad awaken in the hidden settlement of the Arsai, mysterious creatures who can glimpse into the future. The Arsai's vision paints a dire picture for their planet, as the bird Kest Ke Belenus--now awoken from a restless slumber--threatens to destroy all the Lights of Irpa. Desperate for a solution, Bea and Cad seek out the help of a water spirit known as Lorgon, whose ancient wisdom may help them find a way to take down Kest and save Irpa from utter destruction.

But when their time with Lorgon presents more questions than answers, Bea and Cad must decide what's more important . . . stopping Kest or uncovering the truth.

Praise for Lightfall: The Girl and the Galdurian

Kirkus Best Books of 2020

Fall 2020 Indie Next List

Junior Library Guild Selection

2021 Texas Library Association's Little Maverick Graphic Novels Reading List Selection ]]>
256 Tim Probert 0062990519 Tanya 4 4.54 2022 Lightfall: Shadow of the Bird: A Graphic Novel
author: Tim Probert
name: Tanya
average rating: 4.54
book published: 2022
rating: 4
read at: 2022/12/18
date added: 2022/12/18
shelves: graphic-novels-comics, middle-grade, pretty-pretty
review:

]]>
<![CDATA[The Never Tilting World (The Never Tilting World, #1)]]> 36321739 Frozen meets Mad Max in this epic teen fantasy duology bursting with star-crossed romance, immortal heroines, and elemental magic, perfect for fans of Furyborn.

Generations of twin goddesses have long ruled Aeon. But seventeen years ago, one sister’s betrayal defied an ancient prophecy and split their world in two. The planet ceased to spin, and a Great Abyss now divides two realms: one cloaked in perpetual night, the other scorched by an unrelenting sun.

While one sister rules Aranth—a frozen city surrounded by a storm-wracked sea —her twin inhabits the sand-locked Golden City. Each goddess has raised a daughter, and each keeps her own secrets about her sister’s betrayal.

But when shadowy forces begin to call their daughters, Odessa and Haidee, back to the site of the Breaking, the two young goddesses —along with a powerful healer from Aranth, and a mouthy desert scavenger —set out on separate journeys across treacherous wastelands, desperate to heal their broken world. No matter the sacrifice it demands.]]>
481 Rin Chupeco 0062821792 Tanya 0 3.78 2019 The Never Tilting World (The Never Tilting World, #1)
author: Rin Chupeco
name: Tanya
average rating: 3.78
book published: 2019
rating: 0
read at: 2022/12/17
date added: 2022/12/17
shelves:
review:

]]>
<![CDATA[Carpe Jugulum (Discworld, #23)]]> 29429530 416 Terry Pratchett 0857524151 Tanya 5 4.43 1998 Carpe Jugulum (Discworld, #23)
author: Terry Pratchett
name: Tanya
average rating: 4.43
book published: 1998
rating: 5
read at: 2022/12/13
date added: 2022/12/13
shelves: favourites, 4-point-5, books-i-own, couldnt-stop-laughing, friendships-ftw, how-do-you-words, just-stab-me-while-you-re-at-it, makes-me-happy
review:

]]>
<![CDATA[The Astonishing Chronicles of Oscar From Elsewhere (Kingdoms and Empires #4)]]> 60420457
Oscar is that boy who skipped school in our world on Monday to skate, and found himself in the city of the elves at just the wrong moment: He fled as fast as he could, but not fast enough because the silver wave struck him and he fell down dead.

And that's just the beginning!

At breakneck pace the cousins and friends (and a six year old stowaway elf named Grufford, who's a troublemaker) try to stop the clock and rewind the tragedy. Can they do it?

The pleasure is all in the adventure, as only Jaclyn Moriarty can tell it. Hers is a unique blend of humor, suspense, and magic, unfolding through the instantly recognizable rivalries, affections and foibles of her characters.]]>
408 Jaclyn Moriarty 1646142020 Tanya 4 4.24 2021 The Astonishing Chronicles of Oscar From Elsewhere (Kingdoms and Empires #4)
author: Jaclyn Moriarty
name: Tanya
average rating: 4.24
book published: 2021
rating: 4
read at: 2022/12/04
date added: 2022/12/04
shelves: favourite-characters, favourites, audiobook, couldnt-stop-laughing, friendships-ftw, hearteyes, makes-me-happy
review:

]]>
<![CDATA[The Art of Prophecy (War Arts, #1)]]> 58409712 An epic fantasy ode to martial arts and magic—the story of a spoiled hero, an exacting grandmaster, and an immortal god-king from the #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Lives of Tao.

It has been foretold: A child will rise to defeat the Eternal Khan, a cruel immortal god-king, and save the kingdom.

The hero: Jian, who has been raised since birth in luxury and splendor, celebrated before he has won a single battle.

But the prophecy was wrong.

Because when Taishi, the greatest war artist of her generation, arrives to evaluate the prophesied hero, she finds a spoiled brat unprepared to face his destiny.

But the only force more powerful than fate is Taishi herself. Possessed of an iron will, a sharp tongue—and an unexpectedly soft heart—Taishi will find a way to forge Jian into the weapon and leader he needs to be in order to fulfill his legend.

What follows is a journey more wondrous than any prophecy can foresee: a story of master and student, assassin and revolutionary, of fallen gods and broken prophecies, and of a war between kingdoms, and love and friendship between deadly rivals.]]>
533 Wesley Chu 0593237633 Tanya 0 currently-reading 4.04 2022 The Art of Prophecy (War Arts, #1)
author: Wesley Chu
name: Tanya
average rating: 4.04
book published: 2022
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2022/12/01
shelves: currently-reading
review:

]]>
<![CDATA[Race After Technology: Abolitionist Tools for the New Jim Code]]> 42527493
Benjamin argues that automation, far from being a sinister story of racist programmers scheming on the dark web, has the potential to hide, speed up, and deepen discrimination while appearing neutral and even benevolent when compared to the racism of a previous era. Presenting the concept of the "New Jim Code," she shows how a range of discriminatory designs encode inequity by explicitly amplifying racial hierarchies; by ignoring but thereby replicating social divisions; or by aiming to fix racial bias but ultimately doing quite the opposite. Moreover, she makes a compelling case for race itself as a kind of technology, designed to stratify and sanctify social injustice in the architecture of everyday life.

This illuminating guide provides conceptual tools for decoding tech promises with sociologically informed skepticism. In doing so, it challenges us to question not only the technologies we are sold but also the ones we ourselves manufacture.



If you adopt this book for classroom use in the 2019-2020 academic year, the author would be pleased to arrange to Skype to a session of your class. If interested, enter your details in this sign-up sheet https: //]]>
258 Ruha Benjamin 1509526439 Tanya 0 4.26 2019 Race After Technology: Abolitionist Tools for the New Jim Code
author: Ruha Benjamin
name: Tanya
average rating: 4.26
book published: 2019
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2022/11/30
shelves: design-tech, non-fiction, currently-reading
review:

]]>
Maskerade (Discworld, #18) 60446255 'There's a kind of magic in masks. Masks conceal one face, but they reveal another. The one that only comes out in darkness . . .'

The Opera House in Ankh-Morpork is home to music, theatrics and a harmless masked Ghost who lurks behind the scenes. But now a set of mysterious backstage murders may just stop the show.

Agnes Nitt has left her rural home of Lancre in the hopes of launching a successful singing career in the big city. The only problem is, she doesn't quite look the part. And there are two witches who would much rather she return home to join their coven.

Granny Weatherwax and Nanny Ogg have travelled to Ankh-Morpork to convince Agnes that life as a witch is much better than one on the stage. Only now they're caught up in a murder mystery featuring masks and maniacal laughter.

And the show MUST go on . . .

'A master storyteller' A. S. Byatt

'Funny, delightfully inventive, and refuses to lie down in its genre' Observer

Maskerade is the fifth book in the Witches series, but you can read the Discworld novels in any order.]]>
384 Terry Pratchett 1804990175 Tanya 3 4.32 1995 Maskerade (Discworld, #18)
author: Terry Pratchett
name: Tanya
average rating: 4.32
book published: 1995
rating: 3
read at: 2022/11/28
date added: 2022/11/30
shelves: 3-point-5, audiobook, books-i-own, thrill-of-the-chase
review:

]]>
Nooks & Crannies 23309600
Then, on the heels of a rather devastating announcement made by her mother and father, Tabitha receives a mysterious invitation to the country estate of the wealthy but reclusive Countess of Windermere, whose mansion is rumored to be haunted. There, she finds herself among five other children, none of them sure why they've been summoned. But soon, a very big secret will be revealed� a secret that will change their lives forever and put Tabitha’s investigative skills to the test.]]>
320 Jessica Lawson 1481419218 Tanya 3 middle-grade 3.99 2015 Nooks & Crannies
author: Jessica Lawson
name: Tanya
average rating: 3.99
book published: 2015
rating: 3
read at: 2022/11/16
date added: 2022/11/26
shelves: middle-grade
review:

]]>
Even Though I Knew the End 58846190 —Laini Taylor

C. L. Polk turns their considerable powers to a fantastical noir. A magical detective dives into the affairs of Chicago's divine monsters to secure a future with the love of her life. This sapphic period piece will dazzle anyone looking for mystery, intrigue, romance, magic, or all of the above.

An exiled augur who sold her soul to save her brother's life is offered one last job before serving an eternity in hell. When she turns it down, her client sweetens the pot by offering up the one payment she can't resist � the chance to have a future where she grows old with the woman she loves. To succeed, she is given three days to track down the White City Vampire, Chicago's most notorious serial killer. If she fails, only hell and heartbreak await.]]>
144 C.L. Polk Tanya 3 3.94 2022 Even Though I Knew the End
author: C.L. Polk
name: Tanya
average rating: 3.94
book published: 2022
rating: 3
read at: 2022/11/25
date added: 2022/11/24
shelves:
review:

]]>
Specter Inspectors 56897853
THE TRUTH IS OUT THERE� ON SOCIAL MEDIA!

True believer Noa, her cynical little sibling Gus, credulous cameraman Ko, and sceptical Astrid head to one of the most haunted towns in America to prove that ghosts exist, for all the social media likes!

The investigations of hauntings uncover something more devilish than just a couple of ghosts, something that will put Noa and Astrid’s relationship to the test� and reveal the centuries-old sinister secrets of the town itself.

Bowen McCurdy (The Long Way Home) & rising star Kaitlyn Musto introduce the Spector Inspectors, everyone’s favourite new internet sensations who live that Scooby Doo life chasin� ghosts!

Collects Specter Inspectors #1-5.]]>
208 Bowen McCurdy 1684157404 Tanya 4 4.11 2021 Specter Inspectors
author: Bowen McCurdy
name: Tanya
average rating: 4.11
book published: 2021
rating: 4
read at: 2022/11/13
date added: 2022/11/13
shelves: graphic-novels-comics, queer-lit
review:

]]>
Titans United 60629015 Cavan Scott Tanya 0 graphic-novels-comics 3.24 2022 Titans United
author: Cavan Scott
name: Tanya
average rating: 3.24
book published: 2022
rating: 0
read at: 2022/11/12
date added: 2022/11/12
shelves: graphic-novels-comics
review:

]]>
<![CDATA[The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches]]> 60018635 A warm and uplifting novel about an isolated witch whose opportunity to embrace a quirky new family--and a new love--changes the course of her life.

As one of the few witches in Britain, Mika Moon knows she has to hide her magic, keep her head down, and stay away from other witches so their powers don't mingle and draw attention. And as an orphan who lost her parents at a young age and was raised by strangers, she's used to being alone and she follows the rules...with one exception: an online account, where she posts videos pretending to be a witch. She thinks no one will take it seriously.

But someone does. An unexpected message arrives, begging her to travel to the remote and mysterious Nowhere House to teach three young witches how to control their magic. It breaks all of the rules, but Mika goes anyway, and is immediately tangled up in the lives and secrets of not only her three charges, but also an absent archaeologist, a retired actor, two long-suffering caretakers, and...Jamie. The handsome and prickly librarian of Nowhere House would do anything to protect the children, and as far as he's concerned, a stranger like Mika is a threat. An irritatingly appealing threat.

As Mika begins to find her place at Nowhere House, the thought of belonging somewhere begins to feel like a real possibility. But magic isn't the only danger in the world, and when a threat comes knocking at their door, Mika will need to decide whether to risk everything to protect a found family she didn't know she was looking for....
]]>
318 Sangu Mandanna 059343935X Tanya 3 feel-good, warm-fuzzies 4.04 2022 The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches
author: Sangu Mandanna
name: Tanya
average rating: 4.04
book published: 2022
rating: 3
read at: 2022/11/11
date added: 2022/11/11
shelves: feel-good, warm-fuzzies
review:

]]>
<![CDATA[The Tea Dragon Tapestry (Tea Dragon, #3)]]> 53534476
Over a year after being entrusted with Ginseng's care, Greta still can't chase away the cloud of mourning that hangs over the timid Tea Dragon. As she struggles to create something spectacular enough to impress a master blacksmith in search of an apprentice, she questions the true meaning of crafting, and the true meaning of caring for someone in grief.

Meanwhile, Minette receives a surprise package from the monastery where she was once training to be a prophetess. Thrown into confusion about her path in life, the shy and reserved Minette finds that the more she opens her heart to others, the more clearly she can see what was always inside.

Told with the same care and charm as the previous installments of the Tea Dragon series, The Tea Dragon Tapestry welcomes old friends and new into a heartfelt story of purpose, love, and growth.]]>
137 Kay O'Neill 1620107953 Tanya 4 4.52 2021 The Tea Dragon Tapestry (Tea Dragon, #3)
author: Kay O'Neill
name: Tanya
average rating: 4.52
book published: 2021
rating: 4
read at: 2022/10/26
date added: 2022/11/10
shelves:
review:

]]>
Goldie Vance Vol. 4 (4) 35606633
Sixteen-year-old Marigold “Goldie� Vance has an insatiable curiosity and dreams of one day becoming a detective. Luckily for Goldie, with the St. Pascal Rockin� the Beach Music Festival coming to town, there’s plenty of inexplicable shenanigans keeping her gumshoe brain busy, from mysterious power outages, to missing musicians, to Russian spies hiding in the shadows.

New York Times bestselling and Eisner Award-winning writer Hope Larson ( A Wrinkle in the Graphic Novel ) along with co-writer Jackie Ball, and artist Elle Power bring you a rockin� new mystery!]]>
112 Hope Larson 1684151406 Tanya 3 3.90 2018 Goldie Vance Vol. 4 (4)
author: Hope Larson
name: Tanya
average rating: 3.90
book published: 2018
rating: 3
read at: 2022/11/06
date added: 2022/11/06
shelves: graphic-novels-comics, queer-lit
review:

]]>
Goldie Vance, Vol. 3 34466853
Sixteen-year-old Marigold “Goldie� Vance has an insatiable curiosity with dreams of one day becoming a detective. Luckily, she lives at a Florida resort with her dad, who manages the place, and with a rotating roster of guests and events, there’s bound to be some mystery afoot! With the Prescription One race in town, Goldie and her biggest rival, Sugar Maple, find themselves in an unlikely alliance to find who is sabotaging the drivers before the big event.

Eisner Award-winning writer Hope Larson (A Wrinkle in Time: The Graphic Novel) and artist Brittney Williams (Patsy Walker, A.K.A Hellcat!) are joined by writer Jackie Ball and introducing artist Noah Hayes in another exciting whodunnit adventure!]]>
112 Hope Larson 1684150531 Tanya 4 4.13 2017 Goldie Vance, Vol. 3
author: Hope Larson
name: Tanya
average rating: 4.13
book published: 2017
rating: 4
read at: 2022/11/06
date added: 2022/11/06
shelves: graphic-novels-comics, queer-lit
review:

]]>
<![CDATA[Ancillary Mercy (Imperial Radch, #3)]]> 23533039 Ancillary Mercy is the third book in the trilogy that began with Ancillary Justice.

For a moment, things seemed to be under control for Breq, the soldier who used to be a warship. Then a search of Athoek Station's slums turns up someone who shouldn't exist and a messenger from the mysterious Presger empire arrives, as does Breq's old enemy, the divided, heavily armed, and possibly insane Anaander Mianaai—ruler of an empire at war with itself.

Breq could flee with her ship and crew, but that would leave the people of Athoek in terrible danger. Breq has a desperate plan. The odds aren't good, but that's never stopped her before.]]>
328 Ann Leckie Tanya 5 4.19 2015 Ancillary Mercy (Imperial Radch, #3)
author: Ann Leckie
name: Tanya
average rating: 4.19
book published: 2015
rating: 5
read at: 2022/11/02
date added: 2022/11/02
shelves: 5-stars, favourite-characters, favourites, owns-my-heart, couldnt-stop-laughing, cried-my-eyes-out, friendships-ftw, hearteyes, how-do-you-words, just-look-at-that-premise, just-stab-me-while-you-re-at-it, makes-me-happy, stayed-up-all-night
review:

]]>
<![CDATA[Into the Riverlands (The Singing Hills Cycle, #3)]]> 59807976
Accompanied by Almost Brilliant, a talking bird with an indelible memory, Chih confronts old legends and new dangers alike as they learn that every story—beautiful, ugly, kind, or cruel—bears more than one face.]]>
100 Nghi Vo 1250851424 Tanya 3 4.01 2022 Into the Riverlands (The Singing Hills Cycle, #3)
author: Nghi Vo
name: Tanya
average rating: 4.01
book published: 2022
rating: 3
read at: 2022/10/27
date added: 2022/10/27
shelves:
review:

]]>
Book Lovers 58690308 One summer. Two rivals. A plot twist they didn't see coming....

Nora Stephens� life is books—she’s read them all—and she is not that type of heroine. Not the plucky one, not the laidback dream girl, and especially not the sweetheart. In fact, the only people Nora is a heroine for are her clients, for whom she lands enormous deals as a cutthroat literary agent, and her beloved little sister Libby.

Which is why she agrees to go to Sunshine Falls, North Carolina for the month of August when Libby begs her for a sisters� trip away—with visions of a small-town transformation for Nora, who she’s convinced needs to become the heroine in her own story. But instead of picnics in meadows, or run-ins with a handsome country doctor or bulging-forearmed bartender, Nora keeps bumping into Charlie Lastra, a bookish brooding editor from back in the city. It would be a meet-cute if not for the fact that they’ve met many times and it’s never been cute.

If Nora knows she’s not an ideal heroine, Charlie knows he’s nobody’s hero, but as they are thrown together again and again—in a series of coincidences no editor worth their salt would allow—what they discover might just unravel the carefully crafted stories they’ve written about themselves.]]>
377 Emily Henry 0593334833 Tanya 4 4.09 2022 Book Lovers
author: Emily Henry
name: Tanya
average rating: 4.09
book published: 2022
rating: 4
read at: 2022/10/25
date added: 2022/10/25
shelves: 4-point-5, broke-my-heart, stayed-up-all-night
review:

]]>
Vespertine 56980403
Artemisia is training to be a Gray Sister, a nun who cleanses the bodies of the deceased so that their souls can pass on; otherwise, they will rise as ravenous, hungry spirits. She would rather deal with the dead than the living, who whisper about her scarred hands and troubled past.

When her convent is attacked by possessed soldiers, Artemisia defends it by awakening an ancient spirit bound to a saint’s relic. It is a revenant, a malevolent being whose extraordinary power almost consumes her—but death has come, and only a vespertine, a priestess trained to wield a high relic, has any chance of stopping it. With all knowledge of vespertines lost to time, Artemisia turns to the last remaining expert for help: the revenant itself.

As she unravels a sinister mystery of saints, secrets, and dark magic, Artemisia discovers that facing this hidden evil might require her to betray everything she believes—if the revenant doesn’t betray her first.]]>
400 Margaret Rogerson 153447711X Tanya 0 currently-reading 4.09 2021 Vespertine
author: Margaret Rogerson
name: Tanya
average rating: 4.09
book published: 2021
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2022/10/24
shelves: currently-reading
review:

]]>
<![CDATA[The Grief of Stones (The Cemeteries of Amalo, #2)]]> 61250709 In The Grief of Stones, Katherine Addison returns to the world of The Goblin Emperor with a direct sequel to The Witness For The Dead...

Celehar’s life as the Witness for the Dead of Amalo grows less isolated as his circle of friends grows larger. He has been given an apprentice to teach, and he has stumbled over a scandal of the city—the foundling girls. Orphans with no family to claim them and no funds to buy an apprenticeship. Foundling boys go to the Prelacies; foundling girls are sold into service, or worse.

At once touching and shattering, Celehar’s witnessing for one of these girls will lead him into the depths of his own losses. The love of his friends will lead him out again.]]>
289 Katherine Addison 1786187434 Tanya 4 4.55 2022 The Grief of Stones  (The Cemeteries of Amalo, #2)
author: Katherine Addison
name: Tanya
average rating: 4.55
book published: 2022
rating: 4
read at: 2022/10/24
date added: 2022/10/24
shelves:
review:

]]>
<![CDATA[Lords and Ladies (Discworld, #14)]]> 20494131
It's Midsummer Night - no time for dreaming. Because sometimes, when there's more than one reality at play, too much dreaming can make the walls between them come tumbling down. Unfortunately there's usually a damned good reason for there being walls between them in the first place - to keep things out. Things who want to make mischief and play havoc with the natural order.

Granny Weatherwax and her tiny coven are up against real elves. And even in a world of dwarfs, wizards, trolls, Morris dancers and the odd orang-utan, this is going to cause real trouble. With lots of hey-nonny-nonny and blood all over the place.]]>
327 Terry Pratchett 147320027X Tanya 5 4.35 1992 Lords and Ladies (Discworld, #14)
author: Terry Pratchett
name: Tanya
average rating: 4.35
book published: 1992
rating: 5
read at: 2022/10/23
date added: 2022/10/23
shelves: favourites, 4-point-5, books-i-own, couldnt-stop-laughing, friendships-ftw, hearteyes
review:

]]>
The Ghost Bride 16248223 A startlingly original voice makes her literary debut with this wondrous coming-of-age story infused with Chinese folklore, romantic intrigue, adventure, and fascinating, dreamlike twists.

'One evening, my father asked me whether I would like to become a ghost bride...'

Though ruled by British overlords, the Chinese of colonial Malaya still cling to ancient customs. And in the sleepy port town of Malacca, ghosts and superstitions abound.

Li Lan, the daughter of a genteel but bankrupt family, has few prospects. But fate intervenes when she receives an unusual proposal from the wealthy and powerful Lim family. They want her to become a ghost bride for the family's only son, who recently died under mysterious circumstances. Rarely practiced, traditional ghost marriages are used to placate restless spirits. Such a union would guarantee Li Lan a home for the rest of her days, but at a terrible price.

After an ominous visit to the opulent Lim mansion, Li Lan finds herself haunted not only by her ghostly would-be suitor, but also by her desire for the Lims' handsome new heir, Tian Bai. Night after night, she is drawn into the shadowy parallel world of the Chinese afterlife, with its ghost cities, paper funeral offerings, vengeful spirits, and monstrous bureaucracy—including the mysterious Er Lang, a charming but unpredictable guardian spirit. Li Lan must uncover the Lim family's darkest secrets—and the truth about her own family—before she is trapped in this ghostly world forever.]]>
368 Yangsze Choo 0062227327 Tanya 0 dnf, not-for-me 3.79 2013 The Ghost Bride
author: Yangsze Choo
name: Tanya
average rating: 3.79
book published: 2013
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2022/10/23
shelves: dnf, not-for-me
review:

]]>
The Genesis of Misery 59808142 An immersive, electrifying space-fantasy from Neon Yang, author of The Black Tides of Heaven, full of high-tech space battles and political machinations, starring a queer and diverse array of pilots, princesses, and prophetic heirs.

This is the story of Misery Nomaki (she/they) � a nobody from a nowhere mining planet who possesses the rare stone-working powers of a saint. Unfortunately, these saint-like abilities also manifest in those succumbing to voidmadness, like that which killed Misery’s mother. Knowing they aren’t a saint but praying they aren’t voidmad, Misery keeps quiet about their power for years, while dreaming and scheming up ways off their Forge-forsaken planet.

But when the voice of an angel, or a very convincing delusion, leads Misery to the center of the Empire, they find themself trapped between two powerful and dangerous factions, each hoping to use Misery to win a terrible war.

Still waiting to be convinced of their own divinity and secretly training with a crew of outlaws and outcasts, Misery grows close to a rebel royal, Lady Alodia Lightning, who may know something of saints and prophecy herself. The voice that guides Misery grows bolder by the day, and it seems the madness is catching…]]>
419 Neon Yang 1250788978 Tanya 0 currently-reading 3.37 2022 The Genesis of Misery
author: Neon Yang
name: Tanya
average rating: 3.37
book published: 2022
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2022/10/22
shelves: currently-reading
review:

]]>
<![CDATA[The Girl & the Galdurian (Lightfall, #1)]]> 49086125
All that changes one day when, while walking through the woods, Bea meets Cad, a member of the Galdurians, an ancient race thought to be long-extinct. Cad believes that if anyone can help him find his missing people, it’s the Pig Wizard.

But when the two arrive home, the Pig Wizard is nowhere to be found—all that’s left is the Jar of Endless Flame and a mysterious note. Fearing for the Pig Wizard’s safety, Bea and Cad set out across Irpa to find him, while danger fights its way out of the shadows and into the light.

Will these two unexpected friends find the beloved Pig Wizard and prevent eternal darkness from blanketing their world? Or has Irpa truly seen its last sunrise?]]>
247 Tim Probert 0062990462 Tanya 5 Gorgeous art, intricate world-building, incredible attention to detail, and a delightful cast of characters. If you're ever in the mood for a book that celebrates friendship and feels like a warm hug, I highly recommend this one ]]> 4.40 2020 The Girl & the Galdurian (Lightfall, #1)
author: Tim Probert
name: Tanya
average rating: 4.40
book published: 2020
rating: 5
read at: 2022/10/22
date added: 2022/10/22
shelves: 5-stars, favourites, owns-my-heart, friendships-ftw, graphic-novels-comics, hearteyes, makes-me-happy, warm-fuzzies
review:
This just put the biggest smile on my face.
Gorgeous art, intricate world-building, incredible attention to detail, and a delightful cast of characters. If you're ever in the mood for a book that celebrates friendship and feels like a warm hug, I highly recommend this one
]]>
The Cybernetic Tea Shop 28421799
Sal is a fully autonomous robot, the creation of which was declared illegal ages earlier due to ethical concerns. She is older than the law, however, at best out of place in society and at worst hated. Her old master is long dead, but she continues to run the tea shop her master had owned, lost in memories of the past, slowly breaking down, and aiming to fulfill her master's dream for the shop.

When Clara stops by Sal's shop for lunch, she doesn't expect to find a real robot there, let alone one who might need her help. But as they begin to spend time together and learn more about each other, they both start to wrestle with the concept of moving on...]]>
65 Meredith Katz Tanya 4 3.99 2016 The Cybernetic Tea Shop
author: Meredith Katz
name: Tanya
average rating: 3.99
book published: 2016
rating: 4
read at: 2022/10/18
date added: 2022/10/18
shelves:
review:

]]>
The Dark Lord Clementine 43212931 The new face of big evil is a little . . . small.

Dastardly deeds aren’t exactly the first things that come to mind when one hears the name “Clementine,� but as the sole heir of the infamous Dark Lord Elithor, twelve-year-old Clementine Morcerous has been groomed since birth to be the best (worst?) Evil Overlord she can be. But everything changes the day the Dark Lord Elithor is cursed by a mysterious rival.

Now, Clementine must not only search for a way to break the curse, but also take on the full responsibilities of the Dark Lord. As Clementine forms her first friendships, discovers more about her own magic than she ever dared to explore, and is called upon to break her father’s code of good and evil, she starts to question the very life she’s been fighting for. What if the Dark Lord Clementine doesn’t want to be dark after all?
]]>
336 Sarah Jean Horwitz 1616208945 Tanya 0 maybe-later 4.12 2019 The Dark Lord Clementine
author: Sarah Jean Horwitz
name: Tanya
average rating: 4.12
book published: 2019
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2022/10/16
shelves: maybe-later
review:

]]>
<![CDATA[Dreams of the Dying (Enderal, #1)]]> 55069593 If your mind is the enemy, where do you run?

Years after a harrowing war experience, ex-mercenary Jespar Dal'Varek has taken to drifting. It's a lonely existence, but, barring the occasional bout of melancholia, he has found the closest thing to peace a man like him deserves. Life is "all right."

Or so he believes. Hoping to turn the page, Jespar accepts a mysterious invitation into the beautiful but dangerous archipelago of Kilay-and everything changes.

Plagued by explosive social tensions and terrorism, the tropical empire is edging ever closer to civil war. Kilay's merchant king is the only person able to prevent this catastrophe, but he has fallen into a preternatural coma-and it's Jespar's task to figure out what or who caused it. As the investigation takes him across the archipelago and into the king's nightmares, unexpected events not only tie Jespar's own life to the mystery but also unearth inner demons he believed to be long exorcised.

Battling old trauma while fighting for his life, his sanity, and the fate of Kilay, the line between dream and reality blurs until only one question remains: If your mind is the enemy, where do you run?

Described as "Inception in a Polynesian fantasy setting," Dreams of the Dying is a slow-burning, haunting blend of fantasy, mystery, and psychological horror, that explores mental illness, morality, and the dark corners of our minds.

The hardcover edition comes with an illustrated appendix that includes:

A short geographical overview of the Kilayan Archipelago
An essay on the history of the Archipelago and the Illumined World
A bestiary of the Archipelago's native creatures
Pencil sketches of the characters, as envisioned by another in-universe character
An overview of the seven Light-Born, the pantheon of the Illumined World
A Nehrimese tailor's impressions of Kilayan fashion
A guide to Makehu, the language spoken by the Makehu people, designed by a professional linguist
The Great Umbra and the Resurrection of the World, the creation myth of the Makehu
To the Moon I Say Farewell, a poem by Jespar's sister]]>
826 Nicolas Lietzau 3982216737 Tanya 4 books-i-own, queer-lit 4.28 2020 Dreams of the Dying (Enderal, #1)
author: Nicolas Lietzau
name: Tanya
average rating: 4.28
book published: 2020
rating: 4
read at: 2022/10/13
date added: 2022/10/13
shelves: books-i-own, queer-lit
review:

]]>
<![CDATA[Record of a Spaceborn Few (Wayfarers, #3)]]> 36220698
Hundreds of years ago, the last humans on Earth boarded the Exodus Fleet in search of a new home among the stars. After centuries spent wandering empty space, their descendants were eventually accepted by the well-established species that govern the Milky Way.

But that was long ago. Today, the Exodus Fleet is a living relic, the birthplace of many, yet a place few outsiders have ever visited. While the Exodans take great pride in their original community and traditions, their culture has been influenced by others beyond their bulkheads. As many Exodans leave for alien cities or terrestrial colonies, those who remain are left to ponder their own lives and futures: What is the purpose of a ship that has reached its destination? Why remain in space when there are habitable worlds available to live? What is the price of sustaining their carefully balanced way of life—and is it worth saving at all?

A young apprentice, a lifelong spacer with young children, a planet-raised traveler, an alien academic, a caretaker for the dead, and an Archivist whose mission is to ensure no one’s story is forgotten, wrestle with these profound universal questions. The answers may seem small on the galactic scale, but to these individuals, it could mean everything.]]>
358 Becky Chambers 0062699229 Tanya 4 4.15 2018 Record of a Spaceborn Few (Wayfarers, #3)
author: Becky Chambers
name: Tanya
average rating: 4.15
book published: 2018
rating: 4
read at: 2022/10/11
date added: 2022/10/11
shelves:
review:

]]>
Ophelia After All 56978109 A teen girl navigates friendship drama, the end of high school, and discovering her queerness in Ophelia After All, a hilarious and heartfelt contemporary YA debut by author Racquel Marie.

Ophelia Rojas knows what she likes: her best friends, Cuban food, rose-gardening, and boys - way too many boys. Her friends and parents make fun of her endless stream of crushes, but Ophelia is a romantic at heart. She couldn't change, even if she wanted to.

So when she finds herself thinking more about cute, quiet Talia Sanchez than the loss of a perfect prom with her ex-boyfriend, seeds of doubt take root in Ophelia's firm image of herself. Add to that the impending end of high school and the fracturing of her once-solid friend group, and things are spiraling a little out of control. But the course of love--and sexuality--never did run smooth. As her secrets begin to unravel, Ophelia must make a choice between clinging to the fantasy version of herself she's always imagined or upending everyone's expectations to rediscover who she really is, after all.]]>
341 Racquel Marie 1250797306 Tanya 4 4.06 2022 Ophelia After All
author: Racquel Marie
name: Tanya
average rating: 4.06
book published: 2022
rating: 4
read at: 2022/10/08
date added: 2022/10/08
shelves: 4-point-5, cried-my-eyes-out, friendships-ftw, hearteyes, queer-lit, recs-from-friends
review:

]]>
<![CDATA[The Hollow Boy (Lockwood & Co., #3)]]> 24397043
Meanwhile, there are reports of many new hauntings, including a house where bloody footprints are appearing, and a department store full of strange sounds and shadowy figures. But ghosts seem to be the least of Lockwood & Co.'s concerns when assassins attack during a carnival in the center of the city. Can the team get past their personal issues to save the day on all fronts, or will bad feelings attract yet more trouble?

Danger abounds, tensions escalate, and new loyalties form in this third delightfully terrifying adventure in the critically acclaimed Lockwood & Co. series.]]>
374 Jonathan Stroud 1484709683 Tanya 2
I was very intrigued by the overall plot and like the glimpses we're seeing into the history and mechanics of this world, but the character dynamics just aren't doing it for me (so far). Which is bonkers because Jonathon Stroud executes that so well in the Bartimaeus quartet and was the driving force behind it being one of my favourite series of all time!

The setup of these books is so ripe for building genuine and deep friendships and so far we've just had each character taking turns to make bad decisions, hide information from the rest of the team and then endanger them. Why can't they just get along ]]>
4.36 2015 The Hollow Boy (Lockwood & Co., #3)
author: Jonathan Stroud
name: Tanya
average rating: 4.36
book published: 2015
rating: 2
read at: 2022/10/07
date added: 2022/10/07
shelves:
review:
Well, that was frustrating. So much of what I enjoyed about this book was sadly eclipsed by a character being unnecessarily vindictive towards the others.

I was very intrigued by the overall plot and like the glimpses we're seeing into the history and mechanics of this world, but the character dynamics just aren't doing it for me (so far). Which is bonkers because Jonathon Stroud executes that so well in the Bartimaeus quartet and was the driving force behind it being one of my favourite series of all time!

The setup of these books is so ripe for building genuine and deep friendships and so far we've just had each character taking turns to make bad decisions, hide information from the rest of the team and then endanger them. Why can't they just get along
]]>
<![CDATA[The Tea Dragon Festival (Tea Dragon, #2)]]> 42369064 135 Kay O'Neill 1620106558 Tanya 4 4.40 2019 The Tea Dragon Festival (Tea Dragon, #2)
author: Kay O'Neill
name: Tanya
average rating: 4.40
book published: 2019
rating: 4
read at: 2022/10/06
date added: 2022/10/06
shelves: feel-good, friendships-ftw, graphic-novels-comics, hearteyes, pretty-pretty, queer-lit, warm-fuzzies
review:

]]>
A Taste of Gold and Iron 60622919 A sweeping fantasy romance set against the backdrop of an Ottoman Empire-inspired world, A Taste of Gold and Iron by Alexandra Rowland is perfect for fans of A Marvellous Light and The Goblin Emperor.

One false coin could topple an empire.

Kadou, the shy prince of Arasht, has no intention of wrestling for imperial control with his sister, the queen. Yet he remains at odds with one of the most powerful ambassadors at court � the father of the queen’s new child. Then a hunting party goes terribly awry, and Kadou finds himself under suspicion of attempted murder.

To prove his loyalty to his sister and salvage his reputation, Kadou takes responsibility for the investigation of a break-in at one of their guilds. He enlists the help of his newly appointed bodyguard, the coldly handsome Evemer, who seems to tolerate him at best. But what appears to be a straightforward crime spirals into a complex counterfeiting operation, with a powerful enemy at its heart.

In Arasht, where princes can touch-taste precious metals with their fingers and myth runs side by side with history, counterfeiting is heresy. The conspiracy they discover could cripple the kingdom’s financial standing � and bring about its ruin.]]>
513 Alexandra Rowland 1529099684 Tanya 2 meh, not-for-me, queer-lit 3.96 2022 A Taste of Gold and Iron
author: Alexandra Rowland
name: Tanya
average rating: 3.96
book published: 2022
rating: 2
read at: 2022/10/05
date added: 2022/10/04
shelves: meh, not-for-me, queer-lit
review:

]]>
Emma 24611702 Emma is often seen as Jane Austen's most flawless work. Now, with the BBC's superior adaptation, this captivating story is sure to win the hearts of countless new fans.

Beautiful, smart, rich-and single-Emma Woodhouse is perfectly content with her life and sees no need for either love or marriage. Nothing, however, delights her more than interfering in the romantic lives of others. But when she ignores the warnings of her good friend Mr. Knightley and attempts to arrange a suitable match for her protegée, Harriet Smith, her carefully laid plans soon unravel and have consequences that she never expected.]]>
459 Jane Austen 0143107712 Tanya 0 maybe-later 4.17 1815 Emma
author: Jane Austen
name: Tanya
average rating: 4.17
book published: 1815
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2022/10/02
shelves: maybe-later
review:

]]>
<![CDATA[Witches Abroad (Discworld, #12)]]> 20494122
But for the witches Granny Weatherwax, Nanny Ogg and Magrat Garlick, travelling to the distant city of Genua, things are never that simple...

Servant girls have to marry the prince. That's what life is all about. You can't fight a Happy Ending.

At least - up until now...]]>
295 Terry Pratchett 1473200261 Tanya 4 4.35 1991 Witches Abroad (Discworld, #12)
author: Terry Pratchett
name: Tanya
average rating: 4.35
book published: 1991
rating: 4
read at: 2022/10/02
date added: 2022/10/02
shelves: 4-stars, books-i-own, makes-me-happy
review:

]]>
Pilu of the Woods 29540307
Willow loves the woods near her house. They’re calm and quiet, so different from her own turbulent emotions, which she keeps locked away. When her emotions get the better of her one day, she decides to run away into the woods.

There, she meets Pilu, a lost tree spirit who can’t find her way back home—which turns out to be the magnolia grove Willow’s mom used to take her to. Willow offers to help Pilu, and the two quickly become friends.

But the journey is long, and Pilu isn’t sure she’s ready to return home yet—which infuriates Willow, who’s determined to make up for her own mistakes by getting Pilu back safely. As a storm rages and Willow’s emotions bubble to the surface, they suddenly take on a physical form, putting both girls in danger� and forcing Willow to confront her inner feelings once and for all.]]>
151 Mai K. Nguyen 1620105632 Tanya 4 4.22 2019 Pilu of the Woods
author: Mai K. Nguyen
name: Tanya
average rating: 4.22
book published: 2019
rating: 4
read at: 2022/10/01
date added: 2022/10/01
shelves: 3-point-5, graphic-novels-comics, hearteyes, middle-grade, pretty-pretty
review:

]]>
<![CDATA[The Sandman, Vol. 1: Preludes & Nocturnes]]> 23754
In PRELUDES & NOCTURNES, an occultist attempting to capture Death to bargain for eternal life traps her younger brother Dream instead. After his 70 year imprisonment and eventual escape, Dream, also known as Morpheus, goes on a quest for his lost objects of power. On his arduous journey, Morpheus encounters Lucifer, John Constantine, and an all-powerful madman.

This book also includes the story "The Sound of Her Wings," which introduces us to the pragmatic and perky goth girl Death.

Includes issues 1-8 of the original series.]]>
240 Neil Gaiman 1563892278 Tanya 5 4.25 1988 The Sandman, Vol. 1: Preludes & Nocturnes
author: Neil Gaiman
name: Tanya
average rating: 4.25
book published: 1988
rating: 5
read at: 2012/05/08
date added: 2022/09/29
shelves: favourites, graphic-novels-comics, hearteyes, favourite-characters, eternal-love-for-the-series, rewired-brain-chemistry
review:

]]>
<![CDATA[The Sandman, Vol. 1: Preludes & Nocturnes]]> 42409735
New York Times best-selling author Neil Gaiman's transcendent series THE SANDMAN is often hailed as the definitive Vertigo title and one of the finest achievements in graphic storytelling. Gaiman created an unforgettable tale of the forces that exist beyond life and death by weaving ancient mythology, folklore and fairy tales with his own distinct narrative vision.

In PRELUDES & NOCTURNES, an occultist attempting to capture Death to bargain for eternal life traps her younger brother Dream instead. After his 70 year imprisonment and eventual escape, Dream, also known as Morpheus, goes on a quest for his lost objects of power. On his arduous journey Morpheus encounters Lucifer, John Constantine, and an all-powerful madman.

This book also includes the story "The Sound of Her Wings," which introduces us to the pragmatic and perky goth girl Death.

Collects THE SANDMAN #1-8.]]>
236 Neil Gaiman Tanya 4 4.39 1988 The Sandman, Vol. 1: Preludes & Nocturnes
author: Neil Gaiman
name: Tanya
average rating: 4.39
book published: 1988
rating: 4
read at: 2022/09/27
date added: 2022/09/29
shelves:
review:

]]>
<![CDATA[The Sandman, Vol. 2: The Doll's House]]> 25099 The Doll's House, after a decades-long imprisonment, the Sandman has returned to find that a few dreams and nightmares have escaped to reality. Looking to recapture his lost possessions, Morpheus ventures to the human plane only to learn that a woman named Rose Walker has inadvertently become a dream vortex and threatens to rip apart his world. Now as Morpheus takes on the last escaped nightmare at a serial killers convention, the Lord of Dreams must mercilessly murder Rose or risk the destruction of his entire kingdom.

Collecting issues #9-16, this new edition of The Doll's House features the improved production values and coloring from the Absolute Edition.

]]>
232 Neil Gaiman 1563892251 Tanya 5 4.44 1990 The Sandman, Vol. 2: The Doll's House
author: Neil Gaiman
name: Tanya
average rating: 4.44
book published: 1990
rating: 5
read at: 2012/05/09
date added: 2022/09/29
shelves: favourites, graphic-novels-comics, 5-stars, currently-reading
review:

]]>
This May End Badly 54559069
To protect the school that has been her safe haven since her parents� divorce, Doe puts together a plan to prove once and for all that Winfield boys and Weston girls just don’t mix, starting with a direct hit at Three, Winfield’s boy king and her nemesis. In a desperate move to win, Doe strikes a bargain with Three’s cousin, Wells: If he fake dates her to get under Three’s skin, she’ll help him get back his rightful family heirloom from Three.

As the pranks escalate, so do her feelings for her fake boyfriend, and Doe spins lie after lie to keep up her end of the deal. But when a teacher long suspected of inappropriate behavior messes with a younger Weston girl, Doe has to decide what’s more important: winning a rivalry, or joining forces to protect something far more critical than a prank war legacy.

This May End Badly is a story about friendship, falling in love, and crossing pretty much every line presented to you—and how to atone when you do.]]>
384 Samantha Markum 125079918X Tanya 3 3.86 2022 This May End Badly
author: Samantha Markum
name: Tanya
average rating: 3.86
book published: 2022
rating: 3
read at: 2022/09/28
date added: 2022/09/28
shelves: 3-point-5, friendships-ftw, library-recs, stayed-up-all-night
review:

]]>
When You Trap a Tiger 44901877
Some stories refuse to stay bottled up...

When Lily and her family move in with her sick grandmother, a magical tiger straight out of her halmoni's Korean folktales arrives, prompting Lily to unravel a secret family history. Long, long ago, Halmoni stole something from the tigers. Now they want it back. And when one of the tigers approaches Lily with a deal--return what her grandmother stole in exchange for Halmoni's health--Lily is tempted to agree. But deals with tigers are never what they seem! With the help of her sister and her new friend Ricky, Lily must find her voice...and the courage to face a tiger.]]>
297 Tae Keller 1524715700 Tanya 4 book-club, cried-my-eyes-out 4.12 2020 When You Trap a Tiger
author: Tae Keller
name: Tanya
average rating: 4.12
book published: 2020
rating: 4
read at: 2022/09/24
date added: 2022/09/24
shelves: book-club, cried-my-eyes-out
review:

]]>
<![CDATA[Amnesty (The Amberlough Dossier, #3)]]> 39863305
Now, a rising politician is determined to bring Amberlough’s traitors to justice.

Including double agent Cyril DePaul.

Everyone believes Cyril deserves to suffer for his crimes... except an old lover and an estranged sister. Soon, they become entangled in another web of high-stakes politics, underground crime, and personal deceit. Only the most extreme actions can save them from the iron reach of the law, before it is too late.]]>
384 Lara Elena Donnelly 1250173620 Tanya 4 4.15 2019 Amnesty (The Amberlough Dossier, #3)
author: Lara Elena Donnelly
name: Tanya
average rating: 4.15
book published: 2019
rating: 4
read at: 2022/09/24
date added: 2022/09/24
shelves: broke-my-heart, hearteyes, just-stab-me-while-you-re-at-it, stayed-up-all-night, queer-lit
review:

]]>
<![CDATA[Eva Evergreen, Semi-Magical Witch (Eva Evergreen, #1)]]> 51285821 A young witch must pass a coming-of-age quest or risk losing her magic forever.

Sometimes all you need is a pinch of magic...

Eva Evergreen is determined to earn the rank of Novice Witch before her thirteenth birthday. If she doesn't, she'll lose her magic forever. For most young witches and wizards, it's a simple enough test:

One: Help your town, do good all around.
Two: Live there for one moon, don't leave too soon.
Three: Fly home by broomstick, the easiest of tricks.

The only problem? Eva only has a pinch of magic. She summons heads of cabbage instead of flowers and gets a sunburn instead of calling down rain. And to add insult to injury, whenever she overuses her magic, she falls asleep.

When she lands in the tranquil coastal town of Auteri, the residents expect a powerful witch, not a semi-magical girl. So Eva comes up with a plan: set up a magical repair shop to aid Auteri and prove she's worthy. She may have more blood than magic, but her "semi-magical fixes" repair the lives of the townspeople in ways they never could have imagined. Only, Eva's bit of magic may not be enough when the biggest magical storm in history threatens the town she's grown to love. Eva must conjure up all of the magic, bravery, and cleverness she can muster or Auteri and her dreams of becoming a witch will wash away with the storm.]]>
400 Julie Abe 0316493880 Tanya 4 4.11 2020 Eva Evergreen, Semi-Magical Witch (Eva Evergreen, #1)
author: Julie Abe
name: Tanya
average rating: 4.11
book published: 2020
rating: 4
read at: 2022/09/22
date added: 2022/09/22
shelves: recs-from-friends, audiobook, friendships-ftw
review:

]]>
Unraveller 57431602
In a world where anyone can create a life-destroying curse, only one person has the power to unravel them.

Kellen does not fully understand his talent, but helps those transformed maliciously—including Nettle. Recovered from entrapment in bird form, she is now his constant companion and closest ally.

But Kellen has also been cursed, and unless he and Nettle can remove his curse, Kellen is in danger of unravelling everything—and everyone—around him . . .]]>
496 Frances Hardinge 1509836977 Tanya 0 to-read 4.17 2022 Unraveller
author: Frances Hardinge
name: Tanya
average rating: 4.17
book published: 2022
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2022/09/21
shelves: to-read
review:

]]>
The Lie Tree 29858018 Costa Book of the This novel of science, magic, murder, and a determined Victorian-era teenager is a “heady concoction... absolutely unforgettable� (Kirkus Reviews, starred review). Faith Sunderly leads a double life. To most people, she is modest and well mannered—a proper young lady who knows her place. But inside, Faith is burning with questions and curiosity. She keeps sharp watch of her surroundings and, therefore, knows secrets no one suspects her of knowing—like the real reason her family fled to the close-knit island of Vane. And that her father’s death was no accident. In pursuit of revenge and justice for the father she idolizes, Faith hunts through his possessions, where she discovers a strange tree. A tree that bears fruit only when she whispers a lie to it.The fruit, in turn, delivers a hidden truth. The tree might hold the key to her father’s murder. Or, it might lure the murderer directly to Faith herself, for lies—like fires, wild and crackling—quickly take on a life of their own.“Frances Hardinge has joined the ranks of those writers of young-adult fiction, like Philip Pullman, whose approach to fantasy proves so compelling that they quickly develop an adult following, andThe Lie Treeis a good demonstration of why this is so... [a] page-turner.� —Locus“The time is nineteenth-century England just after Darwin’s theory of evolution has thrown the scientific world into turmoil; the setting is the fictional island of Vane, between land and sea; the main character is a fourteen-year-old girl caught between society’s expectations and her fierce desire to be a scientist.... A stunner.� —The Horn Book (starred review)“A murder mystery that dazzles at every level, shimmering all the more brightly the deeper down into it you go.� —Chicago Tribune“Haunting, and darkly funny... features complex, many-sided characters and a clear-eyed examination of the deep sexism of the period, which trapped even the most intelligent women in roles as restrictive as their corsets.� —Publishers Weekly (starred review)“Hardinge, who can turn a phrase like no other, melds a haunting historical mystery with a sharp observation on the dangers of suppressing the thirst for knowledge.� —School Library Journal (starred review)]]> 400 Frances Hardinge 1613128991 Tanya 0 to-read 3.86 2015 The Lie Tree
author: Frances Hardinge
name: Tanya
average rating: 3.86
book published: 2015
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2022/09/21
shelves: to-read
review:

]]>
The Book Eaters 58724745
Devon is part of The Family, an old and reclusive clan of book eaters. Her brothers grow up feasting on stories of valor and adventure, and Devon—like all other book eater women—is raised on a carefully curated diet of fairy tales and cautionary stories.

But real life doesn't always come with happy endings, as Devon learns when her son is born with a rare and darker kind of hunger—not for books, but for human minds.]]>
298 Sunyi Dean 1250810183 Tanya 2 struggled-through, not-for-me 3.60 2022 The Book Eaters
author: Sunyi Dean
name: Tanya
average rating: 3.60
book published: 2022
rating: 2
read at: 2022/09/21
date added: 2022/09/21
shelves: struggled-through, not-for-me
review:

]]>
The Raven Tower 39395857 Gods meddle in the fates of men, men play with the fates of gods, and a pretender must be cast down from the throne in this breathtaking first fantasy novel from Ann Leckie, New York Times bestselling author and winner of the Hugo, Nebula, and Arthur C. Clarke Awards.

For centuries, the kingdom of Iraden has been protected by the god known as the Raven. He watches over his territory from atop a tower in the powerful port of Vastai. His will is enacted through the Raven's Lease, a human ruler chosen by the god himself. His magic is sustained via the blood sacrifice that every Lease must offer. And under the Raven's watch, the city flourishes.

But the power of the Raven is weakening. A usurper has claimed the throne. The kingdom borders are tested by invaders who long for the prosperity that Vastai boasts. And they have made their own alliances with other gods.

It is into this unrest that the warrior Eolo--aide to Mawat, the true Lease--arrives. And in seeking to help Mawat reclaim his city, Eolo discovers that the Raven's Tower holds a secret. Its foundations conceal a dark history that has been waiting to reveal itself...and to set in motion a chain of events that could destroy Iraden forever.]]>
416 Ann Leckie 0356506991 Tanya 4
and it is the best feeling]]>
3.89 2019 The Raven Tower
author: Ann Leckie
name: Tanya
average rating: 3.89
book published: 2019
rating: 4
read at: 2022/09/20
date added: 2022/09/20
shelves: favourites, 4-point-5, hearteyes, how-do-you-words, just-look-at-that-premise, queer-lit, rewired-brain-chemistry
review:
After much deliberation, I’ve come to the conclusion that the universal Ann Leckie reading experience is just: [confusion] [confusion] [thoughts about gender] [confusion] [wonder] [eternal love and adoration for the characters and world-building]

and it is the best feeling
]]>
<![CDATA[The Calculating Stars (Lady Astronaut Universe #1)]]> 45160910 431 Mary Robinette Kowal 1786182165 Tanya 0 to-read 4.08 2018 The Calculating Stars (Lady Astronaut Universe #1)
author: Mary Robinette Kowal
name: Tanya
average rating: 4.08
book published: 2018
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2022/09/19
shelves: to-read
review:

]]>
<![CDATA[Children of Time (Children of Time, #1)]]> 25499718
WHO WILL INHERIT THIS NEW EARTH?

The last remnants of the human race left a dying Earth, desperate to find a new home among the stars. Following in the footsteps of their ancestors, they discover the greatest treasure of the past age—a world terraformed and prepared for human life.

But all is not right in this new Eden. In the long years since the planet was abandoned, the work of its architects has borne disastrous fruit. The planet is not waiting for them, pristine and unoccupied. New masters have turned it from a refuge into mankind's worst nightmare.

Now two civilizations are on a collision course, both testing the boundaries of what they will do to survive. As the fate of humanity hangs in the balance, who are the true heirs of this new Earth?]]>
608 Adrian Tchaikovsky 1447273281 Tanya 0 to-read 4.29 2015 Children of Time (Children of Time, #1)
author: Adrian Tchaikovsky
name: Tanya
average rating: 4.29
book published: 2015
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2022/09/19
shelves: to-read
review:

]]>
<![CDATA[Ironheart, Vol. 1: Those With Courage]]> 44064340 COLLECTING: IRONHEART 1-6]]> 144 Eve L. Ewing 1302915088 Tanya 0 to-read 4.04 2019 Ironheart, Vol. 1: Those With Courage
author: Eve L. Ewing
name: Tanya
average rating: 4.04
book published: 2019
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2022/09/17
shelves: to-read
review:

]]>
<![CDATA[Taproot: A Story About A Gardener and A Ghost]]> 59365379 "It's a pleasure to lose yourself in the beautiful artwork, and one of the loveliest queer romances I've ever read." —K. O'Neil, author ofThe Tea Dragon Society

Blue has been living as a ghost for a year when he meets Hamal, a beautiful and sweet gardener who has the ability to see and communicate with ghosts. Together, their friendship develops into something more, but being a ghost, Blue can never truly be connected with Hamal.

When Blue realizes Hamal’s strange ability may be putting him in danger, Blue has to find a way to protect him--even if it means leaving him.

Rainbow Book List Best Graphic Novel of 2017
Powell's Books Best of 2017
The Advocate's Best LGBTQ Graphic Novel of 2017
]]>
136 Keezy Young 1637150733 Tanya 3 Taproot is a charming story about love, loss, and cherishing the people we hold dear.

We follow Blue, a ghost, and Hamal, a gardener who can see ghosts, as they navigate friendship, love, spooky forests, and the vast chasm of incorporeality. Conceptually, I loved everything about this; I only wish the story and characters had more room to breathe and develop.

Artistically, Taproot is a canvas of gentle vibrancy that complements the underlying themes of the story beautifully. However, narratively, it felt a little too rushed for me to fully sink my teeth into. There are some truly delightful concepts here that I wish were explored deeper, but the story only scratched the surface of where I wanted it to go.

Overall, if you're looking for a sweet story with spooky paranormal elements that you can binge in an afternoon, this might be the comic for you.

Thank you to NetGalley and Oni Press for sending me a digital ARC of Taproot in exchange for an honest review.]]>
3.86 2017 Taproot: A Story About A Gardener and A Ghost
author: Keezy Young
name: Tanya
average rating: 3.86
book published: 2017
rating: 3
read at: 2022/09/16
date added: 2022/09/16
shelves: queer-lit, graphic-novels-comics, arc
review:
Taproot is a charming story about love, loss, and cherishing the people we hold dear.

We follow Blue, a ghost, and Hamal, a gardener who can see ghosts, as they navigate friendship, love, spooky forests, and the vast chasm of incorporeality. Conceptually, I loved everything about this; I only wish the story and characters had more room to breathe and develop.

Artistically, Taproot is a canvas of gentle vibrancy that complements the underlying themes of the story beautifully. However, narratively, it felt a little too rushed for me to fully sink my teeth into. There are some truly delightful concepts here that I wish were explored deeper, but the story only scratched the surface of where I wanted it to go.

Overall, if you're looking for a sweet story with spooky paranormal elements that you can binge in an afternoon, this might be the comic for you.

Thank you to NetGalley and Oni Press for sending me a digital ARC of Taproot in exchange for an honest review.
]]>
<![CDATA[Armistice (The Amberlough Dossier, #2)]]> 36480645 Armistice returns to Donnelly’s ravishing 1930s Art Deco-tinged fantasy world of Amberlough with a decadent, tumultuous mixture of sex, politics, and spies

In a tropical country where shadowy political affairs lurk behind the scenes of its glamorous film industry, three people maneuver inside a high stakes game of statecraft and espionage:

Lillian, a reluctant diplomat serving a fascist nation,

Aristide, an expatriate film director running from lost love and a criminal past,

—and Cordelia, a former cabaret stripper turned legendary revolutionary.

Each one harbors dangerous knowledge that can upturn a nation. When their fates collide, machinations are put into play, unexpected alliances are built, and long-held secrets are exposed. Everything is barreling towards an international revolt...and only the wiliest ones will be prepared for what comes next.

At the Publisher's request, this title is being sold without Digital Rights Management Software (DRM) applied.

]]>
400 Lara Elena Donnelly 1250173566 Tanya 4 3.97 2018 Armistice (The Amberlough Dossier, #2)
author: Lara Elena Donnelly
name: Tanya
average rating: 3.97
book published: 2018
rating: 4
read at: 2022/09/14
date added: 2022/09/14
shelves: audiobook, how-do-you-words, queer-lit, stayed-up-all-night
review:

]]>
<![CDATA[Amberlough (The Amberlough Dossier, #1)]]> 39931835 Librarian note: an older cover for this edition can be found here.

A double-agent sacrifices all his ideals in order to save his smuggler lover before a government coup takes over their decadent city in Lara Elena Donnelly’s glam spy thriller debut, now a Nebula finalist for Best Novel!

ԳٰǻܳԲ�

The Smuggler: By day, Aristide Makricosta is the emcee for Amberlough City’s top nightclub. By night, he moves drugs and refugees under the noses of crooked cops.

The Spy: Covert agent Cyril DePaul thinks he’s good at keeping secrets, but after a disastrous mission abroad, he makes a dangerous choice to protect himself…and hopefully Aristide too.

The Dancer: Streetwise Cordelia Lehane, burlesque performer at the Bumble Bee Cabaret and Aristide’s runner, could be the key to Cyril’s plans—if she can be trusted.

As the twinkling marquees lights yield to the rising flames of a fascist revolution, these three will struggle to survive using whatever means � and people � necessary. Including each other.]]>
398 Lara Elena Donnelly Tanya 4 3.70 2017 Amberlough (The Amberlough Dossier, #1)
author: Lara Elena Donnelly
name: Tanya
average rating: 3.70
book published: 2017
rating: 4
read at: 2022/09/04
date added: 2022/09/04
shelves: 4-stars, hearteyes, queer-lit, thrill-of-the-chase
review:

]]>
Light from Uncommon Stars 56179360
Shizuka Satomi made a deal with the to escape damnation, she must entice seven other violin prodigies to trade their souls for success. She has already delivered six. When Katrina Nguyen, a young transgender runaway, catches Shizuka's ear with her wild talent, Shizuka can almost feel the curse lifting. She's found her final candidate. But in a donut shop off a bustling highway in the San Gabriel Valley, Shizuka meets Lan Tran, retired starship captain, interstellar refugee, and mother of four. Shizuka doesn't have time for crushes or coffee dates, what with her very soul on the line, but Lan's kind smile and eyes like stars might just redefine a soul's worth. And maybe something as small as a warm donut is powerful enough to break a curse as vast as the California coastline. As the lives of these three women become entangled by chance and fate, a story of magic, identity, curses, and hope begins, and a family worth crossing the universe for is found.
At the Publisher's request, this title is being sold without Digital Rights Management Software (DRM) applied.]]>
372 Ryka Aoki 1250789060 Tanya 0 dnf, not-for-me DNF @ 32%

I'll admit: the comparison to Good Omens and The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet got to me.

I'm a huge fan of how Terry Pratchett and Becky Chambers cradles your heart in their hands and injects it with a massive dose of hope and kindness. So when you advertise a book as an intersection of both of my favourite authors? I'm going to pick it up, eager to discover a new favourite.

Unfortunately, I've tried reading this three times now and have to admit that it just isn't the book for me. It's got all the elements I usually gravitate towards, but topped off with so much queer trauma and abuse that it made it extremely difficult to read.

I might revisit this again at some point, but only when I'm better armed against the pain this book puts its characters through.]]>
4.02 2021 Light from Uncommon Stars
author: Ryka Aoki
name: Tanya
average rating: 4.02
book published: 2021
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2022/09/02
shelves: dnf, not-for-me
review:
DNF @ 32%

I'll admit: the comparison to Good Omens and The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet got to me.

I'm a huge fan of how Terry Pratchett and Becky Chambers cradles your heart in their hands and injects it with a massive dose of hope and kindness. So when you advertise a book as an intersection of both of my favourite authors? I'm going to pick it up, eager to discover a new favourite.

Unfortunately, I've tried reading this three times now and have to admit that it just isn't the book for me. It's got all the elements I usually gravitate towards, but topped off with so much queer trauma and abuse that it made it extremely difficult to read.

I might revisit this again at some point, but only when I'm better armed against the pain this book puts its characters through.
]]>
<![CDATA[Ace: What Asexuality Reveals About Desire, Society, and the Meaning of Sex]]> 51840338 An engaging exploration of what it means to be asexual in a world that's obsessed with sexual attraction, and what we can all learn about desire and identity by using an ace lens to see the world

What exactly is sexual attraction and what is it like to go through the world not experiencing it? What does asexuality reveal about consent, about compromise, about the structures of society? This exceedingly accessible guide to asexuality shows that the issues that aces face—confusion around sexual activity, the intersection of sexuality and identity, navigating different needs in relationships—are conflicts that all of us need to address as we move through the world.

Through interviews, cultural criticism, and memoir, ACE invites all readers to consider big-picture issues through the lens of asexuality, because every place that sexuality touches our world, asexuality does too.

Journalist Angela Chen uses her own journey of self-discovery as an asexual person to unpretentiously educate and vulnerably connect with readers, effortlessly weaving analysis of sexuality and societally imposed norms with interviews of ace people. Among those included are the woman who had blood tests done because she was convinced that "not wanting sex" was a sign of serious illness, and the man who grew up in an evangelical household and did everything "right," only to realize after marriage that his experience of sexuality had never been the same as that of others. Also represented are disabled aces, aces of color, non-gender-conforming aces questioning whether their asexuality is a reaction against stereotypes, and aces who don't want romantic relationships asking how our society can make room for them.]]>
240 Angela Chen Tanya 5 4.26 2020 Ace: What Asexuality Reveals About Desire, Society, and the Meaning of Sex
author: Angela Chen
name: Tanya
average rating: 4.26
book published: 2020
rating: 5
read at: 2022/08/31
date added: 2022/08/31
shelves: 4-point-5, audiobook, non-fiction
review:

]]>
<![CDATA[Sons of Darkness (The Raag of Rta, #1)]]> 60625455 Game of Thrones meets Mahabharata and Ramayan in India's first epic-grimdark fantasy series

“Through humor, torture, gore, lust, magic, dangerous power games and bloodcurdling battles, Sons of Darkness takes us on an unforgettable wild journey set in re-imagined Vedic India.� –SF Book Review

A brilliantly imaginative talent makes his exciting debut with this epic grimdark fantasy saga inspired by ancient Indian epic Mahabharata and filled with treachery, war and vengeance, in the tradition of Steven Erikson's Malazan Book of the Fallen Series and George R.R. Martin's A Song of Ice and Fire Series.

SOME BALLADS ARE INKED IN BLOOD.

Bled dry by violent confrontations with the Magadhan Empire, the Mathuran Republic simmers on the brink of oblivion. Krishna and Satyabhama have put their plans in motion within and beyond the Republic's blood-soaked borders to protect it from annihilation. But they will soon discover that neither gold nor alliances last forever.

They are however not alone in this game.

Mati, Pirate-Princess of Kalinga, has decided to mend her ways to be a good wife. But old habits die hard, especially when one habitually uses murder to settle old scores. Brooding but beautiful Karna hopes to bury his brutal past but finds that destiny is a miser when it comes to giving second chances. The crippled hero-turned-torturer Shakuni limps through the path of daggers that is politics only to find his foes multiply, leaving little time for vengeance.

Their lives are about to become very difficult for a cast of sinister queens, naive kings, pious assassins and ravenous priests are converging where the Son of Darkness is prophesied to rise, even as forgotten Gods prepare to play their hand.]]>
800 Gourav Mohanty Tanya 0 to-read 4.09 2022 Sons of Darkness (The Raag of Rta, #1)
author: Gourav Mohanty
name: Tanya
average rating: 4.09
book published: 2022
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2022/08/30
shelves: to-read
review:

]]>
Witchy, Volume 2 (Witchy, #2) 58437900 The eagerly awaited second collected volume of Ariel Slamet Ries' hit online comic Witchy.

In the witch kingdom Hyalin, the strength of your magic is determined by the length of your hair.

Low on magic and on the run after committing the ultimate heresy of cutting one's hair, Nyneve and her raven companion, Banana, head into an ancient forest in search of safe transport. However, when Nynever butts heads with the gruff and overbearing broom-maker Kaveh, she starts to wonder if she wouldn't be better off in the hands of the Witch Guard.
]]>
184 Ariel Slamet Ries 1637150180 Tanya 4 graphic-novels-comics 4.07 2022 Witchy, Volume 2 (Witchy, #2)
author: Ariel Slamet Ries
name: Tanya
average rating: 4.07
book published: 2022
rating: 4
read at: 2022/08/29
date added: 2022/08/29
shelves: graphic-novels-comics
review:

]]>
Blackflame (Cradle, #3) 35023786
When his time runs out, he’ll have to fight an opponent that no one believes he can beat. Unless he learns the magic of the sacred arts the right way, from scratch, he won’t have a chance to win…and even then, the odds are against him.

In the course of their training, Lindon and Yerin travel to the Blackflame Empire, where they struggle to master an ancient power. Success means a chance at life, but failure means death.

In the sacred arts, only those who risk the most can travel far.]]>
370 Will Wight Tanya 4 4.51 2017 Blackflame (Cradle, #3)
author: Will Wight
name: Tanya
average rating: 4.51
book published: 2017
rating: 4
read at: 2022/08/28
date added: 2022/08/28
shelves:
review:

]]>
Some Desperate Glory 58388343 While we live, the enemy shall fear us.

All her life Kyr has trained for the day she can avenge the murder of planet Earth. Raised in the bowels of Gaea Station alongside the last scraps of humanity, she readies herself to face the Wisdom, the all-powerful, reality-shaping weapon that gave the Majoda their victory over humanity.

They are what’s left. They are what must survive. Kyr is one of the best warriors of her generation, the sword of a dead planet. But when Command assigns her brother to certain death and relegates her to the nursery to bear sons until she dies trying, she knows she must take humanity’s revenge into her own hands.

Alongside her brother’s brilliant but seditious friend and a lonely, captive alien, she escapes from everything she’s ever known into a universe far more complicated than she was taught and far more wondrous than she could have imagined.

A thrillingly told queer space opera about the wreckage of war, the family you find, and who you must become when every choice is stripped from you, Some Desperate Glory is award-winning author Emily Tesh’s highly anticipated debut novel.]]>
438 Emily Tesh 1250834988 Tanya 0 to-read 4.00 2023 Some Desperate Glory
author: Emily Tesh
name: Tanya
average rating: 4.00
book published: 2023
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2022/08/28
shelves: to-read
review:

]]>
Babel 57945316 From award-winning author R. F. Kuang comes Babel, a historical fantasy epic that grapples with student revolutions, colonial resistance, and the use of language and translation as the dominating tool of the British Empire

Traduttore, traditore: An act of translation is always an act of betrayal.

1828. Robin Swift, orphaned by cholera in Canton, is brought to London by the mysterious Professor Lovell. There, he trains for years in Latin, Ancient Greek, and Chinese, all in preparation for the day he’ll enroll in Oxford University’s prestigious Royal Institute of Translation—also known as Babel. The tower and its students are the world's center for translation and, more importantly, magic. Silver-working—the art of manifesting the meaning lost in translation using enchanted silver bars—has made the British unparalleled in power, as the arcane craft serves the Empire's quest for colonization.

For Robin, Oxford is a utopia dedicated to the pursuit of knowledge. But knowledge obeys power, and as a Chinese boy raised in Britain, Robin realizes serving Babel means betraying his motherland. As his studies progress, Robin finds himself caught between Babel and the shadowy Hermes Society, an organization dedicated to stopping imperial expansion. When Britain pursues an unjust war with China over silver and opium, Robin must decide . . .

Can powerful institutions be changed from within, or does revolution always require violence?]]>
544 R.F. Kuang 0063021420 Tanya 5 Incredible. 4.17 2022 Babel
author: R.F. Kuang
name: Tanya
average rating: 4.17
book published: 2022
rating: 5
read at: 2022/08/26
date added: 2022/08/26
shelves: pre-ordered, 5-stars, favourite-characters, favourites, owns-my-heart, books-i-own, broke-my-heart, cried-my-eyes-out, friendships-ftw, hearteyes, how-do-you-words, just-look-at-that-premise, makes-me-happy, stayed-up-all-night
review:
Incredible.
]]>
Soulsmith (Cradle, #2) 32283608
Lindon has reached Copper, taking the first step on the road to power, but the warriors of the outside world are still far beyond him.

To advance, he turns to the arcane skills of the Soulsmiths, who craft weapons from the stuff of souls. With new powers come new enemies, and Lindon soon finds himself facing an entire sect of Golds.]]>
284 Will Wight Tanya 4 4.34 2016 Soulsmith (Cradle, #2)
author: Will Wight
name: Tanya
average rating: 4.34
book published: 2016
rating: 4
read at: 2022/08/23
date added: 2022/08/23
shelves:
review:

]]>
Unsouled (Cradle, #1) 30558257
Lindon is Unsouled, forbidden to learn the sacred arts of his clan.

When faced with a looming fate he cannot ignore, he must defy his family's rules...and forge his own Path.]]>
294 Will Wight Tanya 4 recs-from-friends 4.16 2016 Unsouled (Cradle, #1)
author: Will Wight
name: Tanya
average rating: 4.16
book published: 2016
rating: 4
read at: 2022/08/21
date added: 2022/08/21
shelves: recs-from-friends
review:

]]>
Nettle & Bone 58903051 A dark and compelling fantasy about sisterhood, impossible tasks and the price of power, from award-winning author T. Kingfisher

After years of seeing her sisters suffer at the hands of an abusive prince, Marra—the shy, convent-raised, third-born daughter—has finally realized that no one is coming to their rescue. No one, except for Marra herself.

Seeking help from a powerful gravewitch, Marra is offered the tools to kill a prince—if she can complete three impossible tasks. But, as is the way in tales of princes, witches, and daughters, the impossible is only the beginning.

On her quest, Marra is joined by the gravewitch, a reluctant fairy godmother, a strapping former knight, and a chicken possessed by a demon. Together, the five of them intend to be the hand that closes around the throat of the prince and frees Marra's family and their kingdom from its tyrannous ruler at last.]]>
257 T. Kingfisher 1789098289 Tanya 5 4.23 2022 Nettle & Bone
author: T. Kingfisher
name: Tanya
average rating: 4.23
book published: 2022
rating: 5
read at: 2022/08/21
date added: 2022/08/21
shelves: favourite-characters, favourites, owns-my-heart, 4-point-5, couldnt-stop-laughing, feel-good, friendships-ftw, hearteyes, makes-me-happy, warm-fuzzies
review:

]]>