Sisters of the Forsaken Stars by Lina Rather
Started: 8/26/22
Finished: 8/28/22
Sequel to Sisters of the Vast Black, we continue the adventures of our nuns who live in a living space ship, but now they’re on the run.
Month: August 2022
The Ruthless Lady’s Guide to Wizardry by C.M. Waggoner
Started: 8/17/22
Finished: 8/25/22
Sequel to Unnatural Magic, but nearly unconnected except it exists in the same world, and it was great. Made me laugh unexpectedly, and the romance was fun.
Book of Night by Holly Black
Started: 8/12/22
Finished: 8/17/22
I really enjoyed a trilogy by Holly Black (about fairies, the not friendly kind) and just could not finish a book of hers about vampires, so I wasn’t sure what I was getting into with this one. I think she enjoys writing main characters that are hard to like, which is fine, but also the magic in this was weird. It’s to do with shadows, but how and what exactly is mostly unclear (on purpose), and I just can’t tell you if I liked it. I had no trouble finishing it, though, so that may be a clue.
Tangles by Seanan McGuire
Started: 8/12/22
Finished: 8/12/22
Short story by an author who never misses. I want more (which is the best and worst feeling I can have about a short story). Dryads (kind of?) and magic and getting lost in a forest.
Where Oaken Hearts Do Gather by Sarah Pinsker
Started: 8/11/22
Finished: 8/11/22
Short story by an author I LOVE, and I LOVED this story. The premise is that the lyrics to a traditional ballad are posted online, and the action happens in the comments. It’s great, and everyone should read it. (Also, it won the Hugo Award for short stories this year.)
Unknown Number by Blue Neustifter
Started: 8/11/22
Finished: 8/11/22
Short story in the form of text messages between a character and their alternate self. Sad, but also not?
That Story Isn’t the Story by John Wiswell
Started: 8/11/22
Finished: 8/11/22
Creepy, sad, uplifting sometimes, but also not the story you think it’s going to be (see title).
Proof By Induction by José Pablo Iriarte
Started: 8/11/22
Finished: 8/11/22
Sad (all of these short stories are sad, I guess), a little obsessive, neat technology.
O2 Arena by Oghenechovwe Donald Ekpeki
Started: 8/11/22
Finished: 8/11/22
Sad, a really depressing view of the future.
L’Esprit de L’Escalier by Catherynne M. Valente
Started: 8/10/22
Finished: 8/10/22
I think I just don’t like Cat Valente, which is a shame. I feel like I should, but I keep striking out. Hello, another depressing story.
Elder Race by Adrian Tchaikovsky
Started: 8/7/22
Finished: 8/10/22
Fascinating. A really good example of advanced technology looking like magic, from the points of view of both the scientist and the other.
So much catching up to do (and it’s not happening today)
I found a little pocket of time, so I thought I would catch up on my mini book reviews. Then I looked to see how far back I have to go, and oh my god I just can’t right now. But I will (soon!) because the longer I wait, the worse it gets. Same for my monthly round of pictures of Jack. The last one of those was February 2021. Whoops.
Fireheart Tiger by Aliette de Bodard
Started: 8/6/22
Finished: 8/7/22
A sad one – this poor character just wants to be loved and is only being used by everyone around her.
Colors of the Immortal Palette by Caroline M. Yoachim
Started: 8/6/22
Finished: 8/6/22
A novelette about art and immortality and it didn’t really speak to me.
Bots of the Lost Ark by Suzanne Palmer
Started: 8/2/22
Finished: 8/6/22
I love Suzanne Palmer’s bot stories, and she won a Hugo for this one, too. It’s a sequel to her previous bot short story, The Secret Life of Bots. Links to both!
Secret Life of Bots: https://clarkesworldmagazine.com/palmer_09_17/
Bots of the Lost Ark: https://clarkesworldmagazine.com/palmer_06_21/
Across the Green Grass Fields by Seanan McGuire
Started: 7/31/22
Finished: 8/2/22
Another installment in the Wayward Children series, another heartbreaker. I love these books.