In 2025 I’m reading on a water theme and #justfinished #TheColorofWater by #JamesMcbride- a fascinating dual memoir of Mother and son growing up in America. Lots to unpack. Lots to engage with. #bookstadon #bookreview #books #beatthebacklist https://hollysreadingescapades.blogspot.com/2025/03/book-review-color-of-water-by-james.html?m=1
#JustFinished The Dark Fantastic: Race and Imagination from Harry Potter to the Hunger Games by Ebony Elizabeth Thomas
This was an interesting, scholarly book about blackness in fantasy. It almost sounded like she took her thesis, made it a little more accessible, and got if published. Her conversation about Rue in The Hunger Games probably struck me the most. I was one of those people who had missed her being coded as black in the book. Thinking about it,
Some beautiful soul here recommended #SanoraBabb to me and I #justfinished Whose Names are Unknown and it was so excellent. #Thankyou! Perfect read for #womenshistorymonth as i think she wrote a better novel than Steinbeck, though her ending was kinda… abrupt. #bookreview #bookrecommendation #reading https://www.tiktok.com/t/ZT2b4qM8m/
#JustFinished River Has Roots by Amal El-Mohtar
What happens when you need to choose between love and duty? in a world where grammar is magic, maybe the answer lies in riddles. This gorgeous, lyric fairy-tale gives us the answer in song. The audiobook is just under 3 hours long and so worth listening to.
Looking for a new #horror read this week? I #justfinished Devils Kill Devils by Johnny Compton and it was fantastic. A fresh take on Vampires combining local Texan lore with centuries old Global myths. Worth reading. #bookrecommendation #bookreview #books #diverseauthor #texas https://hollysreadingescapades.blogspot.com/2025/03/book-review-devils-kill-devils-by.html?m=1
I #justfinished Midnight Water City by Hawai’ian author Chris McKinney #bookreview interesting mashup of #Scifi #clifi #noir and #horror all in one. Well written and thoughtful. https://hollysreadingescapades.blogspot.com/2025/03/book-review-midnight-water-city-355.html?m=1
I #justfinished All the Water in the World and while it got some mixed reviews- I found it to be a solid read. #neurodiverse representation, #debutnovel #bookreview #bookrecommendation, #literaryfiction #clifi #Climatechange #newyork #water https://hollysreadingescapades.blogspot.com/2025/03/book-review-all-water-in-world-by-eiren.html?m=1
Lol. Realized setting my posts to delete means all my posts. Bummer.
So here’s a possible hot take- #justfinished Half Broke Horses by J. Walls and while the book is well written, I really took a strong dislike to the character- so read at your own risk? #bookstadon #bookreview #books #beatthebacklist https://hollysreadingescapades.blogspot.com/2025/03/book-review-half-broke-horses-by.html?m=1
#JustFinished Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro
I loved the writing. The story was engaging, and the style was extremely easy to connect with. I had zero sympathy for Ruth. OK, that's not entirely true. Her being a self-important, controlling, mean-girl of a friend wasn't exactly completely on her. I found Kath's interactions with her to be kinder than I wished her to be.
But the SciFi part?
1/2
This book was surprising and I loved it so much! I was put off by the one frilly ribbon cover but I’m glad I went for it anyway. #bookreview #bookrecommendation #bookrecs #justfinished #diverseauthors #diversereads #magic #mayhem #Ecuador https://hollysreadingescapades.blogspot.com/2025/02/book-review-inheritance-of-orquidia.html?m=1
#JustFinished The Terraformers by Annalee Newitz
Fascinating world building. Cool characters. Timely, in-your-face, antifascist, anti-corporate, eco-scifi. Yes, just a little preachy, but not awful about it.
Interestingly, I've read a couple of eco-scifi books recently. They both also had very strong themes of individual consent and collective direct decision-making.
#JustFinished The Ornithologist's Field Guide to Love by India Holton
Lighthearted palate cleanser. Just what I needed.
Take ornithology, cut-throat competition, a PR push, and mix liberally. Add in a romance where the characters actually like each other for something beyond the chemistry, et voilà! Madcap fun!
#RomCom #books #bookstodon @bookstodon #Romance #HistoricalFiction #fantasy
Finally got a copy of Hammajang Luck! This is a new very #queer Heist novel with a sprinkling of relationship/love. Hawai’ian inspired it takes place in space (though you’d not know it) a VERY SOLID debut novel! #justfinished #books #bookreview #queerbooks #fiction #Hawaii #bookrecommendation https://hollysreadingescapades.blogspot.com/2025/02/book-review-hammajang-luck-by-makana.html?m=1
#JustFinished Scattered All Over the Earth by Yōko Tawada
The writing was lovely. The threads pulling everyone together were kinda cool. I clearly lost track of the point. I listened to the end twice, thinking of spaced out and missed something. Either I didn't, or I missed it a lot further back! It felt kind of like a highly coincidental slice of life story. Kinda weird. Kinda fun.
Continuing to read on my 2025 water theme- I #justfinished At Sea by Fedor. This will not be topping my charts at the end of the year! I had some thoughts. #ocean #books #bookreview #bookstadon #reading #thoughtsandfeelings #mentalhealth #magicalrealism https://hollysreadingescapades.blogspot.com/2025/02/book-review-ocean-theme-edition-at-sea.html?m=1
#JustFinished The Man Who Broke Capitalism by David Geddes
I feel like we could be living in a better world had someone told Jack Welch that no amount of power or money would fill the hole in his heart and sent him to therapy.
This was an incisive history of Jack Welch at GE and the downstream effect he and his proteges had on the U.S. economy. Gelles doesn't trash capitalism bat believes we can have ethical capitalism instead of the Welchian
1/
#JustFinished Witch King by Martha Wells
The world building was quite good and the magic system was interesting. And who'd'a thunk the demons would be the good guys?
On the other hand? The story was too much about the war and the politics for my taste, and not enough about the psyche and the sociology. I'm sure other people would enjoy it more.
But read the book rather than listen to the audiobook. The narrator was competent, but...
1/2
#Newwork #OnTheEasel #InProgress #JustFinished
Brunton Bollards
40x30cm acrylic on paper
#Musselburgh #Edinburgh #Scotland
I just finished The Long Way to a Small Angry Planet this afternoon. I loved it
Recommend this #spaceopera for fans of classic #scifishows #spaceopera #adventurebooks #justfinished
https://app.thestorygraph.com/reviews/4c708dc8-4864-4153-96b7-2d67bceade21
@sapphicbooks@a.gup.e
@lgbtbookstodon@a.gup.e
@bookstodon@a.gup.e
