Welcome to Litsy!

instantly caught my eye at the #library

My Easter basket from hubby! It includes candy, Pokemon, and books! 📚💕🍫 I guess he knows me pretty well! 🤣😂👏

The Barnes and Noble clerk saw me checking out myth stuff and he said I‘d like this one. It‘s just not my cup of tea - I found myself reading it just to finish it, not because I was into the story. I feel kind of dumb to admit this, but there were times I felt like I couldn‘t keep up with the lore/languages/regions in here, and I didn‘t feel a strong urge to re-read and analyze everything. Just my two cents!

I am posting one book per day from my to-be-read collection. No description and providing no reason for wanting to read it, I just do. Some will be old, some will be new - don‘t judge me I have a lot of books.
Join the fun if you want. This is day 157.
#bookstoread
#tbrpile
#bookstagram

#ShadowCat was cuddling my knitting bag while I tried to get into the tagged book.

The writing was good, but it felt so distant(?). I couldn't connect to the characters.

Gave up at around 20%.

Sadly this #fantasy is going in the category of "I admired but didn't actually enjoy reading." The writing is beautiful and insightful, and the world-building is rich and unique. My issue ultimately was that I never got invested in the plot (environmental disaster) or the characters. The tone of the storytelling felt removed. I did enjoy the African and Indigenous influenced world and the inclusion of nonbinary people and queer relationships.

Ummm what a beginning!!!

"We are more likely to deny truth than admit grave error and change our minds. Even in the face of overwhelming evidence or imminent destruction, we refuse to believe in any gods but our own. Who can bear for the ground to dissolve under their feet and the stars to fall from the sky? So we twist every story to preserve our faith."

Working on this between meltdowns.

This was wonderful, beautifully written, full of magic, very epic.

I didn't always quite get what was happening in some scenes, but whether that was the book itself or my own lack of focus, I don't know. It was slow going. I really enjoyed it, though.

You all, look at this map. Look at this bee page. 😍
That's all, just wanted to share.

So, the writing is gorgeous, the book is filled with vivid descriptions that put you right in the thick of things, the world fascinating & compelling, & the story wildly inventive. The characters are intriguing BUT one read through is not enough to get everything. Part of that might be the world right now & part of it might be the density of the storytelling. Still I enjoyed this slow burn of a story & may well read it again to get everything.

Tonight‘s reading is another ARC. This one was published just last week. I don‘t know much about it except that it‘s garnered at least one starred review and some good buzz from other authors.