As mentioned in my post here, I’ve decided to do the Fantasy Bingo challenge again this year. So far, I’m holding steady and have almost completed reading all the books for the top row, plus a few other spots for which I already had the books in the house, but hadn’t yet read.
I’ve already looked for two substitutes because my original choices didn’t grab me like I’d like. I probably won’t make as much progress in June, since I’m joining a TikTok TBR Takeover challenge and will have some indie published books to read, but we’ll see. Maybe I’ll tackle a few more or maybe not. That’s the fun of this challenge – you determine the goalposts.
This is where things fell:
LGBTQIA+ List: The Raven Boys by Maggie Stiefvater
My rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
T;LDR: A slow start, YA themes, good prose, and an interesting backstory, The Raven Boys by Maggie Stiefvater was just good enough to finish.
A slow start, but strong prose and an ultimately interesting tale kept me reading to the end of The Raven Boys by Maggie Stiefvater. I liked this book and I am intrigued by the rest of the series, but is it enough to tempt me to read them? Most likely not. Or yes, definitely. I think it will depend on the day, which is why this book is 4 stars for me. Good, but not great. Rereadable enough to get 5 stars? Not so much.
Read the full review here.
Weird Ecology: The Hollow Places by T. Kingfisher
My rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐ 3/4
T;LDR: A haunting yet humorous tale, The Hollow Places by T. Kingfisher is a terrifying take on what happens when curiosity and curious items overtake common sense.
I feel like I’m saying this a lot lately, but if you’d told me a year ago I’d read and like a book bordering on horror I would’ve called you nuts. Okay, jokes on me, because I liked The Hollow Places by T. Kingfisher, a lot. It had an interesting second world scary enough to invade my dreams, fun characters, a sense of humor, and a strong character arc. For all that and more, I give it 4.75 stars.
Read the full review here.
2+ Authors: Vita Nostra by Marina & Sergey Dyachencko
My rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐ 1/2
T;LDR: A book that made me squirm in my seat, Vita Nostra by Marina and Sergey Dyachenko kept me hooked even when I didn’t understand what I was reading.
Vita Nostra by Marina & Sergey Dyachenko is an odd, discomfiting book with an interesting premise, a beyond my comprehension world, and a strong story arc and character development. However, even writing this review, I felt the uncomfortable weight of this book pressing on me. I can’t explain it except to say that I want to squirm away from it and throw up at the same time, but can do neither. I’m guessing that’s how Sasha felt as well, which is why I give this book 4.5 stars. I will never read it again, but I am still fascinated by it.
Read the full review here.
Book Club: Gardens of the Moon by Steven Erikson
My rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
T;LDR: A classic series among fantasy readers, Gardens of the Moon by Steven Erikson was confusing, amazing, brilliant, and complicated.
If you’d have asked me a year ago if I’d like a complicated, character-heavy, world-building series that has spawned numerous sites to help the reader follow along, I would’ve laughed at you. But here I am. Gardens of the Moon is not for everyone, but for those willing to take up the challenge and go along for the ride, it is totally worth it. I loved the stories, I loved the threads coming together and others being dangled for another book. For all this and more, I give this 5 stars.
Read the full review here.
Historical SFF: These Violent Delights by Chloe Gong -DNF’d
I wanted to read and like this book, but unfortunately, I couldn’t get into it. The book is well-written, but the style doesn’t work for me and I found it hard to care for any of the characters, even after one hundred pages in. I’ve decided not to fight it and gave in. The current potential substitute will be Sailing to Sartinium by Guy Gavriel Key.
Set in Africa: Children of Blood & Bone by Tomi Adeyemi – DNF’d
I didn’t DNF this book, but it was as good as. I skimmed it and couldn’t get into the characters, their issues or the drama they apparently fell into. It wasn’t horrible, but it did not grab me. The current potential substitute will be A Master of Djinn by P Djeli Clark.
I’ve got reviews posting in the next month for several books I’ve read to check off more of the boxes, but I’ll include them in my next update post. Stay tuned!