xiane wants to read Harrow the Ninth by Tamsyn Muir
"She answered the Emperor's call.
She arrived with her arts, her wits, and her only …
Just got my copy and added it to the TBR pile.
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I read a lot and write a lot. My main interest is SFF, but I'll read a lot of different things if they seem interesting to me, from contemporary to classic. I also enjoy poetry and nonfiction books on a variety of subjects.
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xiane finished reading A Prayer for the Crown-Shy by Becky Chambers
After touring the rural areas of Panga, Sibling Dex (a Tea Monk of some renown) …
Gentle, thoughtful, kind. Everything I wanted.
xiane started reading A Prayer for the Crown-Shy by Becky Chambers
After touring the rural areas of Panga, Sibling Dex (a Tea Monk of some renown) …
I loved the first book, so I have high hopes for this one!
xiane reviewed Gideon the Ninth by Tamsyn Muir
Tamsyn Muir’s Gideon the Ninth unveils a solar system of swordplay, cut-throat politics, and lesbian …
Not for everyone but worth the read!
4 stars
I actually read the bulk of this over a couple of days, after starting but needing to put it aside. Once I returned to the story, it was difficult to put down. Part of that was trying to untangle the threads of mysterious and confusing characters and plot that wanders between horror and action - this is not a complaint! I will admit that some of the lesser characters take some work to keep straight, but there is a glossary in the back [which I actually didn't even know about until I'd finished] and the longer you read, the more defined the supporting cast becomes. Gideon herself is an amazingly fun MC to follow; her snappy retorts and underlying kindness won me over. And her background story is... well, I don't want to spoiler but there's a lot to make you uncomfortable and sympathetic. Speaking of uncomfortable, I've seen mention …
I actually read the bulk of this over a couple of days, after starting but needing to put it aside. Once I returned to the story, it was difficult to put down. Part of that was trying to untangle the threads of mysterious and confusing characters and plot that wanders between horror and action - this is not a complaint! I will admit that some of the lesser characters take some work to keep straight, but there is a glossary in the back [which I actually didn't even know about until I'd finished] and the longer you read, the more defined the supporting cast becomes. Gideon herself is an amazingly fun MC to follow; her snappy retorts and underlying kindness won me over. And her background story is... well, I don't want to spoiler but there's a lot to make you uncomfortable and sympathetic. Speaking of uncomfortable, I've seen mention from others about how some of the relationships in this book made them uncomfortable, and I agree but I think that's part of what makes the reveals at the end so impactful. The Ninth House is filled with secrets and those secrets exact a terrible price. I have a feeling that the next book in the series will be dealing more with exactly how dear the cost is, and I am looking forward to reading it.
xiane finished reading Gideon the Ninth by Tamsyn Muir
Tamsyn Muir’s Gideon the Ninth unveils a solar system of swordplay, cut-throat politics, and lesbian …
I actually read the bulk of this over a couple of days, after starting but needing to put it aside. Once I returned to the story, it was difficult to put down. Part of that was trying to untangle the threads of mysterious and confusing characters and plot that wanders between horror and action - this is not a complaint! I will admit that some of the lesser characters take some work to keep straight, but there is a glossary in the back [which I actually didn't even know about until I'd finished] and the longer you read, the more defined the supporting cast becomes. Gideon herself is an amazingly fun MC to follow; her snappy retorts and underlying kindness won me over. And her background story is... well, I don't want to spoiler but there's a lot to make you uncomfortable and sympathetic. Speaking of uncomfortable, I've seen mention …
I actually read the bulk of this over a couple of days, after starting but needing to put it aside. Once I returned to the story, it was difficult to put down. Part of that was trying to untangle the threads of mysterious and confusing characters and plot that wanders between horror and action - this is not a complaint! I will admit that some of the lesser characters take some work to keep straight, but there is a glossary in the back [which I actually didn't even know about until I'd finished] and the longer you read, the more defined the supporting cast becomes. Gideon herself is an amazingly fun MC to follow; her snappy retorts and underlying kindness won me over. And her background story is... well, I don't want to spoiler but there's a lot to make you uncomfortable and sympathetic. Speaking of uncomfortable, I've seen mention from others about how some of the relationships in this book made them uncomfortable, and I agree but I think that's part of what makes the reveals at the end so impactful. The Ninth House is filled with secrets and those secrets exact a terrible price. I have a feeling that the next book in the series will be dealing more with exactly how dear the cost is, and I am looking forward to reading it.
xiane commented on Gideon the Ninth by Tamsyn Muir
Tamsyn Muir’s Gideon the Ninth unveils a solar system of swordplay, cut-throat politics, and lesbian …
I'm completely sucked into the story at this point.
xiane wants to read The Empress of Salt and Fortune by Nghi Vo
The Empress of Salt and Fortune by Nghi Vo, Nghi Vo
With the heart of an Atwood tale and the visuals of a classic Asian period drama, Nghi Vo's The Empress …
xiane set a goal to read 30 books in 2023
xiane stopped reading I Want to Die but I Want to Eat Tteokbokki by Baek Se-Hee
I wanted to like this book but I found it, and the author, frustrating. I think if I was someone who was unused to thinking deeply about life and myself, it's possible that the talks with her therapist - that the author shares presumably verbatim - would be revelatory. However, I couldn't get past how childlike/childish the author's questions and revelations felt to me.
I know that mental health still isn't something that's talked about a lot in South Korea, though that seems to be slowly changing. I did try to keep that in mind as I read, but for me it was just too frustrating of an experience and I did not finish this. Perhaps it's the right book for someone else.
xiane rated What Doesn't Kill You: 5 stars
What Doesn't Kill You by Tessa Miller
"Tessa Miller was an ambitious twentysomething writer in New York City when, on a random fall day, her stomach began …
xiane rated A Psalm for the Wild-Built: 5 stars
A Psalm for the Wild-Built by Becky Chambers
It’s been centuries since the robots of Panga gained self-awareness and laid down their tools; centuries since they wandered, en …
xiane rated Never Say You Can't Survive: 5 stars
Piranesi by Susanna Clarke
From the New York Times bestselling author of Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell, an intoxicating, hypnotic new novel set …
Review of 'Sooner or Later Everything Falls Into the Sea' on 'Goodreads'
5 stars
I'm such a fan of Sarah Pinsker's writing.
These stories are not flashy. Many of them feel like glimpses into everyday moments - yes, moments filled with narwhal cars, sirens, multidimensional travel, and memory suppression technology, but the magic of these stories lies in their innate humanness, their focus on characters over setting and speculative tropes.
I'm left with a handful of feelings and reactions after reading this collection: sadness, recognition, thoughtfulness... and hope.
