Just as soon as I started this one, I knew it would be a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ read. As much as I liked the first one, I liked this one even more. If you like your fantasy with a healthy dose of murder & mayhem & mystery solving, you‘ll likely enjoy this series. Fantastic setting (really great world building) & two absolutely wonderful characters who bicker & complain & sleuth their way to the truth make this a really fun read. Can‘t wait for the next one!

Ultimately this book is less about silk than it is about the men & women who chased all over the world collecting & studying the moths that produce it. It does provide a good overview of that & you do meet lots of interesting characters. But… the author makes some choices that reveal important gaps in her research & understanding of the regions/time periods covered in her book which is disappointing. As a result, I can‘t recommend this one.

I really liked the first book in the series and am excited to start this one.

My first book in this series (although it‘s not the first book in the series) & I have to say I really enjoyed. Fantastic setting (Iceland), great characters, loads of family issues providing distraction from the crime itself and getting it solved. The crime itself has deep roots and solving it will require delving into and exposing some long hidden secrets. I‘ll definitely be reading more books in the series.

Today‘s reading for work…

This was a satisfying conclusion to the trilogy (with an ending that leaves room for a spin-off series). Stakes couldn‘t be higher, trust couldn‘t be in shorter supply, & there couldn‘t possibly be any more corners for betrayal to lurk behind. Corland‘s series, inspired by Korean myth & legend, is a fast-paced entertaining read with an interesting setting, intriguing magic system, & great characters. I‘ll read more by this author.

Beautiful design (my favorite of the three books) for the concluding volume of this fantasy trilogy. Just arrived and of course I have to dive right in!

Just starting the third book in the series but after reading the first two, it‘s easy to see why this series is so popular. Much like Fence (a comic about a high school fencing team), this series ratchets up the rivalry, tension, drama (you name it) as a group of three hundred teenagers compete to become Japan‘s next great striker (who, it is hoped, will lead them to a World Cup championship). Great cast of characters, entertaining story.

Just as the NYT said, this is a super fun summer read. When her estranged (billionaire) father dies, Alice Storm returns to the viper pit that is her family home for the first time in 5 years—so you know this is going to be a whole lot of no fun. A handsome stranger & an unforgettable night is all she has to fortify herself ahead of a week of squabbling family, secrets, her father‘s ridiculous will & more. Don‘t overthink it, just enjoy the read.

The NYT review of this book made it sound like the perfect summer read…and so far (three chapters in) it is. Entertaining so far.

This one had me a little tiny bit teary—Higashino does an excellent job of getting you invested in the lives, emotions, motivations (you name it) of his characters & because he does, as the story unfolds & secrets are revealed, it‘s impossible not to care. The truth in the is one hits hard…in the best way. Pacing is deliberate, it‘s a character study more than a murder mystery. If you want lots of action, this isn‘t the book but it‘s a great read.

I‘ve probably seen this cover before?!? I don‘t know, maybe not…regardless, it caught my attention today and I thought I‘d share it because no matter how many times you see it, it‘s a cool cover.

Murder and mayhem in Japan tonight…

From the moment Sheriff Brody Dern sees the body of Jimmy Quinn, he knows something isn‘t right. Suicide, murder, accident—everyone has a different theory but if it was murder, everyone knows who did it. Or thinks they do… Unraveling the truth of that night will expose secrets, reveal simmering prejudices, & pull in the innocent & not so innocent. Another wonderful story with a fantastic setting & wonderful characters. Krueger never disappoints.

Started this today and I just have to say, Krueger always comes with the hook—immediately—that makes the book impossible to put down. Anyway, yeah, it‘s off to a great start.

This book is the title—it is ALL about want, longing, envy, jealousy, passion & how those emotions shape friendship (between best friends Ye Lian & Luo Wenyu) & love/marriage (architect Song Chen & his wife Fan). None of the characters are particularly likable but the author provides just enough reason to keep turning the page. Commentary about social media runs throughout the story which also tackles displacement & belonging. A solid debut.

Starting Monday with this one…

Kept distracting myself with other things this past week which meant it took a little while to read this book…Even more entertaining than I expected, I enjoyed this story about Gabriel de Leon, the last of the silversaints, who is forced to tell his story to a jailer desperate to pry some very important information from him. Lots of action (and death), vampires, betrayal, adventure, love, danger—as I said, an entertaining fast paced story.

Vampires today…

An entertaining read. It‘s a familiar story—a pair of best friends, one is murdered & the survivor soon becomes the main suspect but is never charged due to insufficient evidence. A true crime podcast decides to investigate the case & maybe now the truth will come out. Plenty of possible culprits, including the surviving friend, leave you guessing until the end which, if I have a complaint, wrapped up quickly & a little easily. Fast, fun read.

😂

Me! I have the patience for reading…although in truth, the rule for my irl book club is you don‘t have to read/finish the book but you do have to be ok with spoilers…

I enjoyed this story although entirely too many words were used to tell it—I skimmed sections of it without losing any of the plot. Elliott is an excellent world builder, something on full display in this fantasy about a deputy courier who must escort a prince on a journey fraught with danger, secrets, & murder. Entertaining but occasionally dense, this is the first in a duology. I liked it enough it‘s a pick & to look forward to the next book.

Finished building the Balrog book nook yesterday. I imagine it will be folded up on a shelf (exactly where it‘s supposed to be) most of the time but it is also designed to open up…and I have to say, the Balrog looks super cool when it‘s open. This was a fun, fast build. I hope Lego decides to do more book nooks. I would definitely find space on my shelves for them. 😂

Today‘s reading…

Much to my surprise, in the end I liked this one but I didn‘t love it. Definitely my least favorite Cosby book. As always, it‘s a great setting, characters are flawed & all sorts of interesting, the writing is excellent—and for all those reasons the book is still a pick for me—but by the end I was ready for it to be over. This one is dark & keeps getting darker with each page turned. Still a huge fan of Cosby & I‘ll keep reading his books.

#5JoysFriday

1. Getting lost in a good book
2. Rainy morning
3. Flowers in full bloom
4. Afternoon walk
5. Having both kids home

@DebinHawaii

You know how you sometimes try to sneak in a little reading before starting your work and then that book is so good you keep telling yourself “just one more chapter and then I‘ll get to work…” and then four or five chapters later you realize you won‘t be able to put the book down and it‘s a good thing you have a flexible schedule…yeah, this is one of those times…

From the moment she could talk about this book, Schwab called it her toxic lesbian vampires book & that is just about the most succinct, accurate description I‘ve ever seen about a book. These vampires don‘t sparkle—they are hungry, angry, wanting, & how their lives intersect is revealed slowly before reaching an inevitable conclusion. Told from three perspectives, this one gripes you from the beginning & keeps building. I enjoyed it a lot.

#Two4Tuesday

1. Tagged. So excited to read this one—the reviews I‘ve seen, unsurprisingly, are very positive.

2. Yes! 😂 I will preorder a stand alone or book in a series by an author I know. Also, an author I haven‘t read before if I see good reviews or am otherwise intrigued although I do this less frequently.

@TheSpineView

Anders writes about relationships—mothers & daughters, wives with each other, students & teachers, rivals—with great nuance, compassion, & acceptance & it‘s her investigation of those relationships, with each characters strengths & flaws on full display which drives this narrative about a graduate student investigating a 300 year old text while also interrogating gender, magic, love & more in the present. Political, very of the moment read.

A fun, entertaining installment in this story about a young man trying to protect his father‘s legacy. Chihiro Rokuhira‘s father was a master swordsmith, the enchanted blades he made unbeatable, key to ending a lengthy war. Then sorcerers stole them hoping to harness their power & murdered Chihiro‘s father. Now Chihiro wants to retrieve them so they aren‘t ever used as weapons again. Of course there‘s lots of adventure along the way.

When the book arrives a day before its official release…I sorta feel like it‘s a sign I should start reading it… 😂😬😀

Hanagaki Takemichi is watching the news when he learns his junior high girlfriend—the only girlfriend he‘s ever had died, caught in a gang feud she didn‘t have anything to do with. When he‘s in an accident, he finds himself 12 years in the past with an opportunity to change things & save his girlfriend. Along the way he meets one of the gang leaders, & likes him, & soon finds there are more people he wants to save. An entertaining read.

#WondrousWednesday

Thanks for the tag @TheSpineView

1. Such a good question…I‘d say, to be true to yourself & to treat others with respect and compassion

2. 😃🤓😋

3. This morning my husband showed me work by an artist who puts butts on everything—and by everything I mean tacos, Yoda, oranges, trucks…you name it. Most ridiculous thing ever & impossible not to laugh at. 😂

@Eggs

Today‘s book mail is a Goodreads win. I was expecting an ARC but it‘s actually a finished copy.

Volumes 10-12 actually…

Can. Not. Put. It. Down. The enemies are more dangerous, the battles more devastating & at least we come to the truth about who Jinwoo Sung really is & what he is meant to do. The pace is frenetic in these three volumes—so much going on even as Jinwoo tries to spend a little time with a friend. Only one more volume (out in August) to go! This is such a fun read—eager to see how it ends but really, I don‘t want it to end.

Actually Vol. 9 but it‘s not in Litsy…I think it‘s probably obvious from my reviews but I‘m officially a fan…in fact, such a big fan I‘m buying stickers to put on my laptop. 😬 This is straight up a fun read & clearly that‘s what my brain wants right now. Who am I to argue?!? This volume sees Jinwoo back where it all began & the truth about who is behind everything, what they want, & who Jinwoo is begins to emerge. Can‘t wait to see what happens!

Time to reread the book I recommended to my book club…since we‘re discussing it on Monday…😬

I read this several years ago and really liked it so I‘m looking forward to revisiting it.

Better & better & better…so hard to put down.Jinwoo Sung is simply something more—yes he‘s technically a Hunter but he‘s a Hunter with powers most others haven‘t ever seen much less wielded themselves. When Jinwoo saves Korea from the latest monster, those powers are finally revealed & now everyone is trying to recruit him for their guild. But Jinwoo has plans & it‘s clear there‘s more going on than anyone knows. Love the art, love the story.

SOOOO excited about this! Love, love, love that Lego is doing book nooks. And the Balrog and Gandalf?!? It also opens up for a fuller view…so freaking cool.

I saw this and preordered it just about as fast as possible. I hope we get more! I can think of a lot of book nooks I‘d want.

Once you start reading, it‘s hard to stop... I really enjoy this story about an underdog who absolutely refuses to give up in a moment when he has every right to. And because he doesn‘t he is leveled up for reasons/purposes we don‘t yet fully understand. The “system” has plans for him. What he does know is that he wants to stay under the radar as long as possible because once others figure out what he can do, everything will change. A great read.

#Two4Tuesday

1. Favorite book in May was The Raven Scholar (I‘m looking forward to the sequel)

2. Tagged book is one I‘m excited to read in June—Schwab is an automatic buy and I‘m hoping this is another great story.

@TheSpineView

This manhwa (also an anima show which did really well in the Crunchyroll awards) is just a fun read—each volume as good as the last. Sung Jinwoo was the lowest (& weakest) rank Hunter in the world until everything changed. Now he‘s reawakened & quickly gaining strength & power. Tasked with helping his sister‘s friend he must keep her & several other low-ranked Hunters alive…without drawing too much attention to himself. Another great read.

The only thing better than a new Charlie Jane Anders book is wining an ARC in a Goodreads giveaway and getting an early look at it. Excited to start reading!

Stopped by a Barnes & Noble and just wandered until something caught my eyes. Today‘s winners were the tagged book—I‘m not even sure I knew Bradbury wrote crime fiction—and a middle grade fantasy, the first couple of pages were very entertaining. Looking forward to the long weekend and some good reading.

Dug deep in the TBR stack for tonight‘s reading. I honestly don‘t remember how long this one has been sitting on my shelves but it‘s a really long time. 😬

This fast-paced middle grade adventure is a great choice for young readers who like riddles, lost treasure, a mysterious island, and a chance for someone who has never had anything to have it all. Benny has only a few weeks to solve the riddles and inherent a fortune. Time isn‘t on her side but with the help of some new friends, she just might be able to right an old wrong…and save a life or two in the process. First book in a new MG series.

I don‘t know what it is with me & books these days but I‘m having a hard time finding ones to connect with. Case in point, this story about the digging of the Panama Canal & the people involved, one way or another, tackles an interesting & needless to say important moment in history. And yet, the multiply storylines didn‘t coalesce the way I hoped & things felt rushed making it difficult to connect with the characters. Just an ok read for me.

In the end, this third and final book in the series simply didn‘t hold my attention. It started slow (and a little repetitious) and then by the time things really got going, I just didn‘t really care—scenes that should have dripped with emotional depth fell flat, the characters weren‘t convincing & things resolved themselves pretty easily. First book was definitely the best, the remainder of the series was never quite as good.

#Two4Tuesday

1. I would choose to learn Hieroglyphic.

2. And if I was going to read a book in that language, it would have to be the tagged one. Beyond that, I‘ve read a number of books in translation recently and two great ones are Kim Jiyoung, Born 1982 (originally published in Korean) and The Devotion of Suspect X (originally published in Japanese).

@TheSpineView