Tag Archives: beth reads

Review: Onyx Storm by Rebecca Yarros

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The third installment in the Fourth Wing series started off pretty well and then was a bit of a slog in the middle before hitting with the big finale at the end. I wouldn’t say this was the best in the series. It didn’t have the same sense of purpose as the first two. Which is weird since we have three books in the world, and we have a better sense of the world and what is at stake. Part of it might have been that the scenes between Violet and Xaden were a bit tedious. Which is a problem since they are the heart of the story. This might show my age, but their obsession with each other is beyond toxic. Like, they really need to go to therapy. I do appreciate that at least other characters do call out how truly problematic their relationship is. So at least, it’s not gone on notice and younger readers will read it and think As entertaining as this story is, their relationship should not be relationship goals by any means.

My real issue with this book was the middle. It spent way more time island hopping, looking for Adarna’s dragon family. I can understand what Yarros was going for. It not only expanded the world. Showed that not everywhere in this world has magic or mystical creatures and gave more incite into the Gods of this world. I do have a feeling that they will be playing a bigger role as the story moves forward. However, I stopped caring if they ever found the Irid dragons and even forgot at one point why they were doing all of it in the first place. All I can say is that whatever was trying to be set up in this portion of the book better pay off in later books. So yeah, a good installment to the story. Not great, but good. The ending does set up a pretty interesting storyline for the next book. Let’s hope Yarros can keep the momentum going.

Weekend Reads: Cottage Core Vibes

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Welcome to April! I can’t believe it is already April. Time waits for no man, eh? It’s a new month and the end of the week, so I’m back with another weekend reads that has suggestions for this month’s TBR Project Book Club on Fable. The TBR project is our book club with a twist: everyone reads their own selection! The catch is that it has to be something off your TBR. Every month, we pick a theme, you pick a book, and we cheer each other on and discuss our picks (no spoilers) on Fable.

After last month’s theme of Stories that were meant to stay fiction a.k.a. it was a story, not a suggestion, we thought this month we’d shoot for something lighter. I was thinking something Springy, maybe something pastoral and Beth suggested Cottage Core. The idea here is to pick something that is home-centered, chill, maybe a little bucolic, maybe a little slice-of-life. This is a good theme for that classic you’ve always wanted to get to but never had or that one romance novel you’ve been saving for just the right time. If you needed a sign, this is it! So, without further ado, here are four picks for you to consider.

Wuthering Heights by Emily Brontë

An all-time fave here at Stacks, Beth and I have both read this multiple times. It follows the adventures of Heathcliffe as he meets a girl, loves a girl, loses a girl, and then proceeds to mess up both his life and hers! It is terrible people doing horrible things to each other and I know that doesn’t sound like a recommendation, but it is. If you like messy people, reality TV, and gossip columns and you haven’t read this yet, this is a classic for you.

The Wisteria Society of Lady Scoundrels by India Holton

This one has already made an appearance in weekend reads, but I’d be remiss in not mentioning it because it is my pick for this month! Beth read it an age ago and lent me her copy, and it is time I read it, too. I’m promised adventures, romance, hijinks, flying houses, and piracy. It is not necessarily the pastoral notion I first envisioned, but from the cover it seems like it’ll fit the bill. (And, yes, I know you shouldn’t judge a book by its cover but… I’m also judging it by Beth’s recommendation. So, I think I’m all good.)

The Hacienda by Isabel Cañas

If you’re feeling the pastoral, country vibes of the theme, but you’re not excited for something soft and romantic, then I’d like to recommend some gothic horror to you. Set in the time after Mexico’s war for Independence, Beatriz moves to the countryside to her new husband’s pulque-producing estate. She has big plans about being the lady of the house and making her mark, but house itself has some other ideas. Interesting characters, good atmosphere, chilling and creepy moments. This is a fun one.

Get a life, Chloe Brown by Talia Hibbert

Last but absolutely not least, if you’re feeling the slice-of-life, soft home vibes, but you aren’t feeling the country aspects of the theme, try Get a Life, Chloe Brown by Talia Hibbert. Part of the Brown sisters series, this installment follows eldest sister Chloe Brown as she decides to get a life. Chloe is thoughtful, hardworking, and serious and so she makes herself a to-do list of life-getting goals. This book was so cute. Chloe is wonderful and relatable. Red is also great. Chloe’s family are a hoot. I absolutely love this series and I think you will, too.

So, there you go. Some recs to start your weekend off right. Let us know what your favorite books with cottage core vibes are in the comments!

Review: Parable of the Sower: A Graphic Novel Adaptation by Octavia E. Butler, Damian Duffy and John Jennings

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When we decided on this month’s topic for our TBR book club, I knew this would be the book I would read. I felt a bit ashamed that I hadn’t read any of Octavia Butler’s work before. This one seems the most relevant because so much of fiction is just pattern recognition and Ms. Butler was very good at that. I didn’t mean to read the graphic novel, but I wasn’t really paying attention to the version I was checking out from the library, and I had already been on the waiting list for a month when it came available, so it had to be. I wasn’t mad at the idea and i think it did see it illustrated only magnified the story. I do want to eventually read the original novel because I feel this book needs it to be read in it’s original prose.

Lauren is an hyperempathy so not only can she feel everything around her but she also very observant. She sees clearly what so many do not or do not want to. Her narration brings the people and her neighborhood to life. I felt just as devastated for her when her family was taken as she was. I wanted to shield her from all the pain and tragedy around her but knew that I couldn’t. It’s not that she needed because Lauren is probably the most resilient, strong character I have ever read. It’s not that the events of her life did not affect her. They did and more, but she persevered and kept moving and inspired others to join her. The illustrations also brought the story alive. It was muted and sharp and gave a true atmosphere to the reading experience. This is not a feel good book. It wasn’t meant to be. It was supposed to be a warning that we ignored. We can only hope that we have learned enough to avoid the tragedies Lauren and her family endured. Time will only tell if this work of fiction will become our reality.

Parable of the Sower: A Graphic Novel by Octavia E. Butler Adapted by Damian Duffy and John Jennings

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I am ashamed to say I have never read anything by Octavia Butler. It seems like a good time to start. This is my pick for March’s Theme. Fictional Books that should stay fiction. When I checked it out of the library, I didn’t realize it was the graphic novel. Still counts.

Review: Heavenly Tyrant by Xiran Jay Zhao

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This was a trip to read at this time. I read this as my monthly pick about leadership because it is based on the first Empress of China. Xetian is a girl from a small village that has turned the world on its head. At the end of The Iron Widow, she starts a rebellion and finds the last Emperor from 200 years ago. She wakes him up but gets more than she bargains for. She is forced to work with him to achieve her goals. This book was too close to home as they rebel against an oligarchic government. They are rallying the workers and people to their cause but change is hard. As a woman, it doesn’t matter how much power she possesses or what she has accomplished, she will still be seen as a woman who cannot be trusted. Even as she gets to the new Emperor, she knows she can never let her guard down because his goals are not hers. She is smart and uses the time she has to learn as much as she can to set herself up for the future. I do love a morally ambiguous heroine. She does some rather questionable things but it’s all to make the world better. For some reason, I thought this was a duology but there’s another book coming, and what a showdown it’s going to be.

Weekend Reads: How about a Little Romance?

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An Absolute gimme of a theme for today, Valentine’s Day, but I couldn’t miss an opportunity to highlight some of our favorite romance novels for this addition of Weekend Reads. While it has gained popularity in recent years, especially with the advent of Booktok, I still feel Romance is a culturally slighted genre. It often centers women’s stories and/or more mundane topics of daily life and these are important and worthy things to include in our fiction. Also, there is the possibility of a little smut that isn’t super gratuitous because it contributes to the narrative, something you might not get in another genre like fantasy or mystery. St. Valentine risked his life for love and in honor of him here are some, admittedly much lower stakes, romantic tales to delight you this weekend.

Spolier Alert by Olivia Dade

This is one that both Beth and I enjoyed! Marcus Caster-Rupp is an actor in a popular TV series by day and an avid reader and writer of fan fiction by night. He uses it to explore his character and work through his frustrations with the adaptation of the source material for the small screen. April Whittier is a geologist by day and a Cosplayer and fan fiction writer by night. When April posts a picture of herself, a plus-sized woman, in her cosplay on social media, she gets all kinds of hate from dumbasses who think the ultimate flex wiill be if they tag Marcus and he comes into the comments and also dunks on April. But then he asks her out. And he means it. Marcus then also discovers that April is his beta-reader and his very best friend in the fic writing world. Sparks fly but can they survive the publicity and secrets? If you haven’t read this but you like cosplaying and fan fiction, this one is for you. Even if you aren’t into those things, Marcus and April are such a cute pair that this one is also for you.

The Wisteria Society of Lady Scoundrels by india Holton

Part of the Dangerous Damsels series, you have witches, pirates, flying houses, romance, hijinks…what’s not to love? When Beth finished this, she lent me her copy and I’m embarrassed to say that it has been on my bedside table for probably a year and a half now. Perhaps it will get bumped up that TBR queue this weekend!

iThe Right Swipe by Alisha Rai

Rhiannon is the CEO of a successful dating app and Samson is a former football player. They met once, through the app, and had a marvelous time for what it was, but nothing ever came of it. But now they are meeting again because Rhiannon wants to buy another dating site to grow her business and Samson is the new spokesperson and company representative that attends industry events. Can they both move forward in their lives? Are they both really feeling the vibes? And what happens when a former business-partner turned competitor throws his hat into the dating site purchase ring?

These characters were both so likable, with their flaws and their strengths. I needed to know what happened next in their story. I enjoyed the arc of this novel and if you want some cheeky fun with some really touching serious moments in a contemporary setting, this one is for you!

We here at Stacks hope you have a lovely Valentine’s Day! What are you planning on reading this weekend? Are you starting something new or are you finishing something up? Let us know in the comments!

Review: The Invisible Library by Genevieve Cogman

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Reading this, I couldn’t help thinking about the TV show The Librarians wondered which came first because they are very similar. Both are about a secret Library that sends its Librarians to alternate realities to bring back books for their collection. I think the show brought back more than just books, but you get the idea. The Invisible Library follows Irene, a junior librarian, who is given a mission and a new student after she has just returned from another mission. She and Kai head off to a different reality to find a book of Grimm’s fairy tales. They are immediately swept up in a mystery as the book has been stolen. A vampire has been killed. Fairies also want it and there are werewolves too. I really like Irene. She’s spunky and a little quirky. She’s quick-thinking and can easily adapt to any situation. She knows immediately that there is something not quite right about this mission but she is loyal to the Library so she doesn’t question it. Unlike the other Librarians, she was born into it. Both of her parents are Librarians. While she did attend a private school in Switzerland, her unusual upbringing, she is a bit awkward. I like the chemistry between her and Kai, her new trainee that she has to show the ropes. Kai is very eager to get out and start working. It’s kind of cute as to how excited he gets during their first fight. I understand why so many people like this series and I am looking forward to reading the rest of the series.

What I’m Reading Now: Heavenly Tyrant by Xiran Jay Zhao

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This month, our book club’s theme is Leadership. In honor of Black History Month and President’s Day, I decided to read Heavenly Tyrant because it’s based on the first Chinese Empress. At the end of the first book, Zeitan has taken power, but can she keep it?