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[roachyreads]

Book #4 of 2022

"The Way of Kings" by Brandon Sanderson

Spoiler-free Summary:

This is the first book in a series called the Stormlight Archives. It follows the stories of many different people in a world called Roshar, made up of many different kingdoms, including Jah Keved, Alethkar, & Shinovar. Through his amazing writing, Sanderson tells the tale of Kaladin, a once-soldier who finds himself a slave; Shallah, a desperate girl striving to become a scholar to save her family's kingdom, and many others. After the murder of King Gavilar, the world breaks into chaos, leaving the plethora of characters clueless in a war that may be a lot more than it seems on the surface.

Full thoughts below the cut :) And watch out, this one was a DOOZY so I have a lot to say!

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- Before I start off with my comments, I want to say that this is the longest book that I have EVER read. Holy shit. I never thought my attention span would stay focused long enough to read a book with over 1200 pages. I'm pretty proud of myself!

- The first comment that comes to mind is that Brandon Sanderson is a GENIUS storyteller and world-builder. Roshar is a whole different world, with it's own social customs, norms, and even natural properties to the world. The idea of the highstorms coming from the East (and that being pretty much the ONLY thing they know about the highstorms), is so interesting to me, and really peaked my curiosity. Societal aspects that Sanderson included, such as the social class hierarchy around eye color or the gender-divided labor, was INCREDIBLY interesting to a sociologist such as myself. Everything about this world captures your attention, and leaves a curious reader thirsty for so much more lore (And Sanderson HAS it to give~!)

- I will say, though, because of all the world-building, it took a while to get hooked onto this book. The first third of it is very slow, and I practically had to have the fandom wiki open constantly in order to recall details about names, places, or important notes. This isn't necessarily a complaint persay (I was kind of expecting it with a book this long), but still took me aback a little bit.

- I had a hard time choosing my favorite characters. I felt really drawn to Jasnah Kholin, because of her wits and intelligence. Similarly, I really found myself liking Dalinar as well - not only do I like reading about inner workings of politics, but reading about this man practically unravelling in his own head was really engaging, to say the least. I think overall, though, Rock is my favorite. Somethin' about that big ole loveable guy that just makes my heart warm.

- I hate Elhokar though. Spineless young king? Yuck.

- This book also has a ton of twists and turns. Sadeas's betrayal was HUGE and severely unexpected, it had me reeling until the very end of the book. - Also, as a side note for anyone potentially wanting to read this book: it is /graphic/. And I mean Read About a Slave's Head Getting Bashed in with a Rock in the First Chapter" kind of graphic. Not for the light-hearted, but violence and gore do not bug me as much - thus, they are a welcome theme in my book. (Lesser so the slavery. I'm glad Sanderson focused heavily on anti-slavery rhetoric throughout.

- I REALLY enjoyed that there were illustrations ever so often from Shallan's/Navani's sketchbooks. It really helped put some of these abstract creatures - such as skyeels and cremlings - into perspective.

- Speaking of creatures, this book is RICH with creative fictional flora, animals, and even....spirits??? manifestations of energy/emotions?? Even after reading this one, I'm still not sure how to describe spren. I look forward to learning more about them in the coming books.

- Without putting TOO much more stuff in this post, I can not express enough how much this book pulled me in. I fully expected to go into this and lose interest halfway through - but now I am obsessed with the lore and the world building, the storyline and the coming plot. Sanderson really knows how to write in such a way that keeps you on the edge of your seat and makes you never want to stop reading!

- One of the only reasons this book didn't get a 10/10 is because of the amount of cross-reference I had to do with the wiki. It was hard to keep up with so many names, races, events, beings, etc, and my ADHD-having ass could NOT remember any of it. Thankfully, though, the wiki is pretty well fleshed out and true to the text... just watch out for spoilers if you end up following me down this beautiful, creative path ;) Thx Brandon, for a wonderful read!

- (And thank you to my truly amazing coworker Emily for lending me the first and second books. I'm sorry my cat ripped the fuckin pages out the night that I brought it home but I promise this new copy is so much better - and has that new-book smell!)

BEST /|\(^-A-^)/|\ ~ROACHY

[roachyreads]

Book #3 of 2022

"The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue" by V. E. Schwab

Spoiler-free Summary: This story follows the life of Adeline "Addie" LaRue, a young woman born to a small town in France in the year 1714. In a desperate attempt to keep her individual autonomy, Addie makes a deal with a weird and dangerous stranger in the woods - one that her mentor warned her never to pray to. Cursed with the ability to live forever, but not being able to be remembered by anyone she meets, Addie tries to find a way to make her mark on a world that is doomed to forget her... until she turns 300 and meets a certain someone that changes everything.

Full thoughts below the cut :) ((Psst! Suggest your fave book to me here! https://bit.ly/3s1QWh0))

- This was an interesting read, to say the least. I really wasn't sure what to expect when starting this book... I always really enjoy historical fiction, especially spanning across decades. I really enjoyed the way that the book chapters flipped back and forth between early-1700s France (when she first got cursed) and 2013 New York City. It gave the story itself some weird vibes at times, but overall it really helped me get engrossed in the story.

- I love the name Adeline. I have a close connection with that name, and seeing it used in literature is so refreshing, since you don't get to see it very often. This may seem small, but it meant a lot.

- Seeing the different sociological interventions that the author included in each timeline was so interesting to me. In one chapter, you would be reading about the poor-mans slums in Paris, France, the next you are reading about a quaint but hipster-ish coffeeshop in NYC. A little culturally jostling, but not necessarily a bad thing. It put everything into a unique perspective.

- I will say, though, it was kinda hard to keep track of what time period you were in. I often found myself having to flip to the beginning of the book or chapter just to see what date the characters were in. There are dates at the beginnings of each chapter, but I would have loved to see a small denote about how long after Addie's curse each chapter was. It was hard to keep the dates straight.

- YAY FOR LGBTQ+ REPRESENTATION!!!!!

- I was mildly disappointed when I slowly began to realize that this was more of a romance book more than anything. Don't get me wrong, romance and relationships are welcomed themes in my book (pun intended), but this one was a little overwhelming. Once Addie met Henry, practically ALL of the chapters became about him and his relation to the story. I liked Henry, I thought he was a good character and played a big role in the story/Addie's development, but I would have liked to see a bit more about Addie's interaction with the world as an immortal person.

- FOR EXAMPLE the author kept mentioning in the book that Addie has lived through so many societal milestones (wars, recessions, diseases, political tensions, inventions), but did nothing to really expand upon that idea. I would have LOOOVED to see Addie navigating different cities at different points in time, or at least a little bit about her interaction with some of these huge happenings in the world, but unfortunately that doesn't happen much (exception for the French Revolution chapter (which also got turned into a romance/sex chapter near the end of it, so I'm not sure if it counts)

- I was INCREDIBLY dissatisfied with the ending. Addie not ending up with Henry was definitely a twist, and her spending the rest of her life with Luc seemed really.... unrealistic, I suppose. The author builds this whole idea up that Luc is this powerful demon who has cursed people throughout the span of centuries, and yet, he fell in love with Addie to such a possessive point that it seemed a bit Stockholm-ish.

- However, to contradict, I really DID like the "meta" ending of Henry being the one to have written the book and "reviving" Addie's story. It seemed like a good wraparound... but not enough to make THIS reader still pissed that Addie and Henry didn't end up together at the end lol

- Overall, I think this book did an amazing job capturing a really unique idea - living eternally, without ever being remembered - in a really captivating story. I don't want my critiques to overshadow it's accomplishments; I really did enjoy this read. It made me feel butterflies in my stomach whenever the main character was happy and not suffering from her affliction; I also ended up relating to her near the end of it. I just wish it had included a little bit more of the 'historical' and less of the 'sex with men who wont remember me in the morning, so i just look like a prostitute and that sucks'. Still, a very very good and easy read to add to your arsenal.

BEST /|\(^-A-^)/|\ ~ROACHY

[roachyreads]

Book #2 of 2022

"The Once and Future Witches" by Alix E. Harrow

Spoiler-free Summary:

This historical fantasy takes place in 1893 New Salem, brim with political tension and rising women's suffragette movement. The story follows three sisters, James Juniper, Agnes Amaranth, and Beatrice Belladonna, as they reunite and rekindle the sisterly connection that was severed by their abusive father. In the midst of political tension, the sisters aim to reignite the flame of witchery and lead a revolution against the heavy hand of the patriarchy. They must call back the Lost Ways and utilize them against a growing (and cleverly disguised) evil, if they ever hope to establish themselves as powerful women in an unforgiving man's world.This historical fantasy takes place in 1893 New Salem, brim with political tension and rising women's suffragette movement. The story follows three sisters, James Juniper, Agnes Amaranth, and Beatrice Belladonna, as they reunite and rekindle the sisterly connection that was severed by their abusive father. In the midst of political tension, the sisters aim to reignite the flame of witchery and lead a revolution against the heavy hand of the patriarchy. They must call back the Lost Ways and utilize them against a growing (and cleverly disguised) evil, if they ever hope to establish themselves as powerful women in an unforgiving man's world.

Full thoughts below the cut:

- Wow. Wowowowow, this is probably the BEST BOOK I have read in a long time! Alix Harrow has a unique way of writing and describing scenery that is absolutely mesmerizing; I felt like I couldn't put this book down for the life of me.

- The sisters themselves are super relatable. Having grown up with two sisters, I could see many parallels in how ACTUAL sister relationships are; none of this bullshit about "~my sister is always my ride or die and we NEVER fight~". No. These relationships are REAL and they have tensions and difficulties that they work out in this book. There is a lot of talk of trauma, abuse, neglect, abandonment... Because all 3 grew up in a shitty household and forced to survive. Each sister has their own trauma to work through, and they do it so distinctly in this book.

- LGBTQ REPRESENTATION!!! I eat that shit up. One of the main characters, Bea, has an interest in women (which is very distinctly taboo in this time period), and eventually develops a crush on one of the black women investigative journalists. Very tender moments between these two make you absolutely PINE for their stolen moments of affection.

- Similarly, there is a trans character!! As a trans person myself, it was awesome to see some representation. I won't mention who it is, because it isn't revealed until the end of the book, so I will let you guess who it is ;)

- The only thing that didn't sit super well with me was an emphasis on motherhood. It makes me dysphoric, so I don't really love to read about it. BUT I will say, it serves a VERY important part in the story - Also?? There are a lot of references to older "wives tales" or fairytale stories, which I was not expecting. It was a pleasant surprise in the context of the book (women passing down their magic words in unforeseen places, like in fairytales and bedtime stories), and Harrow did an absolutely fabulous job incorporating these into the story without letting it get too overbearing

- Overall, like I said, this book is the best I have read in a LONG time. It's story is captivating, and it was one of those books that I was sad once I finished, because of how invested I was in the story. Do yourself a favor and PLEASE read this book if you like themes of witchcraft, feminism, equity, and similar aspects.

BEST /|\(^-A-^)/|\ ~ROACHY

[roachyreads]

Roachy's First Book Review of 2022!

"Kingdom of the Wicked" by Kerri Maniscalco

Spoiler-free summary:

The story follows main character, Emilia di Carlo, a witch living secretly among humans. After finding her twin witch sister brutally murdered in town, Emilia sets out on a quest to solve this historical-fantasy inspired murder mystery and find out what happened to her sister, even if it means using dark magic her family condemns. Along the way, she has to team up with one of the Wicked - Wrath, one of the Princes of Hell that she has been warned against since she was a child. Together, they find out just how deep this mystery goes, uncovering a long-forgotten prophecy, new powers, and even more unanswered questions. See below the cut for my full review, spoilers & all!

((Psst! Suggest your fav book to me here! https://bit.ly/3s1QWh0))

- This book is capitivating. The way the author writes makes it easy for one to get invested in the main character, flaws and all.

- Honestly?? Emilia was a very relatable character. She has these struggles with being constantly compared to her more-likeable, more-sociablel sister. The family struggles she eventually faces in the book really amplify these feelings; underlying themes of inadequecy, or the feeling of needing to "serve" your family properly/not become a family burden continue to remind the reader how alone Emilia is in all of her struggles.

- The story is compelling. I felt myself wanting to read more and keep following the mystery (which the author helps by making the chapters very short, great for ADHD or ND brains.)

- Enemies-to-lovers trope. Has a lot of back-and-forth witty banter between witches and demons. It doesn't get *too* overly romantic (like to a gross point), but there is one kissing scene near the end of the book that made me roll my eyes a little bit. Overall, though, well-written!

- Lots of grief processing. This poor girl goes through a lot and loses a ton of people. No fuckin' clue how she didn't have a break down in many scenes. The author does a good job of capturing and describing this grief, though, so be wary going in: I felt some unshed tears burning my eyes at different moments in this book.

- The twist at the ending?? Phenomenal. I had no idea who the killer was going to be, and the reveal threw me for a loop. It makes me want to desperately read the second book!

- Overall, a great read. It was intoxicating to get back into my old habit of reading cringey YA novels. 8/10 because some of the imagery description could have been a bit better; I was consistently feeling like I didn't have a good visualization of some scenes (but I also love a ton of imagery description in my books ~shrug~) and the cringey kiss scene made me want to skip ahead a few pages, lol.

BEST /|\(^-A-^)/|\ ~ROACHY

[roachyreads]

Sup, everyone! The name is Roaches. You can call me Roach or Roachy. Welcome to my low-stress book blog where I'm going to be reading and rating books in my own.... special way, I suppose... With roaches!