In an attempt to cull some of my overflowing book collection I decided to allow myself the (to me) unthinkable act of bailing on a book for any reason whatsoever, and this one just could not grab me despite making it through a quarter of the book. The concept was incredibly interesting but the pacing was strange to me, being somehow too fast and too slow. Maybe in another lifetime!

An interesting and complex read, several lives interweaving under one shared fate.

Although this book‘s mystery was less satisfyingly woven than its predecessor‘s, the characters and universe they inhabit are so richly developed that they more than make up for it. It is very rare that I enjoy a series mainly for its main character, but Alex Easton is a glorious exception.

“If you have ever dealt with the possessions of the dead, you probably know what I mean. You take things away and leave behind emptiness, and everything you remove-every sheet and pillowcase, every lost sock and old razor-erases a little bit of the dead person's footprint in the world. You picture your own home being carted away, piece by piece, hopefully by loved ones and not by strangers.”

A beautifully atmospheric novel. The stories of Holly, Nisa, Stevie, and Amanda are diverse but diverge together in a refreshingly realistic portrayal of intergenerational relationships in a community. These relationships are at the heart of the story, and are at constant risk of being devoured by their individual desires for success.

A brilliant and eerie novella with an unnerving atmosphere. Beautifully written and impossible to put down.

A captivating read that delves into the experience of boredom. Both scholarly and witty, it is a perfect blend of educational and digestible.

A fascinating dive into the several fields of study that interweave in the discussion of space settlements. A digestible yet broad amount of obscure information accompanied by clever illustrations and witty asides.

Crow Planet is an incredible reminder that humanity exists within the world alongside the wilderness rather than separate from it. A very interesting read that provides a realistic outlook on the state of nature around us.

An interesting overview of the purpose of boredom and its impact on the pursuit of meaning. A very quick read that left me wanting more depth (and maybe a bibliography), it was a pleasant way to start the year.

An eye-opening read that balances being aware of the language utilized by cults to lure people to follow them and the need for genuine human connection.

A refreshing take on Frankenstein without over-utilizing the source material. A fascinating venture into the ethical dilemmas of science.

Witty and informative, brings into focus the impact of capitalistic initiatives on even the most intimate aspects of life.

“It is easy to become cynical, but it is not helpful.”

Another beautiful journey of the mind, exploring those ideas that are felt more often than thought.

“It was always a strange thing, coming home. Coming home meant that you had, at one point, left it and, in doing so, irreversiblely changed. How odd, then, to be able to return to a place that would always be anchored in your notion of the past. How could this place still be there, if the you that once lived there no longer existed?”

It fits perfectly into the steampunk mystery genre, and is overall a pleasant read.

A cozy book with a warm and welcoming atmosphere. A comforting literary journey for anybody whose felt lost while searching for a greater purpose in life.

“Are you afraid of that?” they asked. “Of death?”
“Of course,” Mosscap said. “All conscious things are. Why else do snakes bite? Why do birds fly away? But that‘s part of the lesson too, I think. It‘s very odd, isn‘t it? The thing every being fears most is the only thing that‘s for certain? It seems almost cruel, to have that so…”
“So baked in?”
“Yes.”

A deceptively familiar atmosphere with dynamic characters, this novel weaves threads of deception and doubt through a cozy community. A thrilling mystery with an insightful conclusion.

A cunning use of religion in a fantastical setting with interesting consequences.

This novel is the follow up that the second book of the series deserved. Even with a fourth novel in the series that remains unpublished, this provides a satisfying conclusion to the series on its own as it brings together elements from both of its predecessors and ties their loose ends beautifully. The world building gives way to character development, with a delicious conclusion that spans the entire series.

This novel does a wonderful job continuing the progression of world-building from the previous book in the series. Its only fault is being the middle book in a trilogy, simultaneously riding on the coattails of the first novel and justifying the existence of the third novel.

“She just wanted it to hurry up so she could feel justified, not guilty, about her bitterness at being left behind.”

A short novel that packs a punch, creating a compelling world of relentless desert sun and power-hungry nobility.

Another stunning novel. Impressively complex character development that is interwoven with the magical roots of the world.

“If it were necessary to say everything in order to say anything, I would have said nothing.”

A gripping display of world-building and personality. Shadows that reach beyond the page and into what it is to face death amongst life and life amongst death.

A gripping tale of love and loss, with themes that gracefully handle morality and magic.

“For a brief moment, she also wondered if people had titles on their spines. If bodies were the books of our lives, what would her spine say?”

A novel short in length but rich in content, a small glimpse into an alternate world history.

Another stunning mystery from Stuart Turton. The amount of gears all turning together to propel the pieces of the story onward are pleasantly dizzying.

“So this is how men go to the devil, he thought bitterly. Cap in hand and short of hope, all their prayers gone unanswered.”

A must read, a skillfully executed narrative of one example of the daily tragedies occurring along the United States / Mexico border.

Though each vignette is different, by the end of the collection the cities all blur together. This may be the intention, symbolically, but it makes finishing the book a challenge.

“The weak shouldn‘t have to fear the powerful, and the powerful shouldn‘t simply be allowed to take what they wanted without consequence. Power should be a burden, not a shield. It should be used to everyone‘s betterment, not merely for the person who wielded it.”

“I‘ll not have some bastard drown me before the governor general hangs me.”

“For the most part, they investigated thefts and murders, crimes long committed and easily understood. It was like arriving to the theater after the performance had ended and being asked to work out the story using pieces of discarded script and the props left on stage. But here was a crime not yet undertaken, a chance to save lives rather than avenge them.”

A suspenseful tale woven from the lives of three women dedicated to helping one another, even beyond the bridge of two hundred years. Beautifully develops two different timelines in a way that feels seamless.

Haig has a distinctive way of crafting prose to elicit examination of one‘s outlook on reality, and this novel is no exception. Although the ending is somewhat predictable the journey is pleasant and inspiring.

“Happy moments can turn into pain, given time.”

A uniquely captivating read and a marvel of world building, not a page passes by without the plot slowly creeping in like the tides. The ending was satisfying without feeling as though it were grasping for a happy ending.

A fascinating dive into the effects of performative masculinity on the life of a young man trying to find his way in the world.

A thrilling delve into sci fi, a universe familiar and yet unknown. A gripping reimagining of A Journey to the Center of the Earth.

“The passage of time became complicated, hard to parse. Breaths, heartbeats, motion. The throb in his wounded jaw. What did all mean? We descend all the time, and the bottom of the ocean is called death.”

A stunning piece of speculative fiction, the familiarity of the society within the novel is unnerving when paired with the shocking actions and ideologies the people within Gilead had grown accustomed to.

A charming book spiraling through a fantastical and familiar world of magic and murder. The characters are unique and captivating and are by far the most intriguing part of the novel.

I considered this novel a classic before ever opening it, and I was proven correct. The strong symbolism carries the story through war and the aftermath of war on a soldier‘s psyche.