synniereads

[synniereads]

i was tagged by @alivedean to share 9 books i'm currently reading or want to read. thank you for the tag!

i started Behooved a little while back and am making a point to count all of the horsey idioms/puns. super fun read, just haven't gotten back to it yet! (i blame fanfic.)

reasonings: Ark Angel was written by someone i've met, Witness for the Dead is the next book of a series i enjoyed the first book of, Apparently, Sir Cameron Needs To Die and Hunger Pangs were both written by people i've followed on Tumblr for years, i've never read Robin Hobb and i figured Assassin's Apprentice would be as good of a place to start as any, i love Garth Nix so i want to know what Angel Mage is all about, same with T. Kingfisher, and bookish spaces were all excited about The Hurricane Wars when it came out so i want to know what the hype is.

if you want to do one of these and blame me, consider yourself tagged 8)

[synniereads]

more info on the advance reader copies! if you are:

over 18

based in Canada, the US, the UK, or Ireland

have 1,000+ followers

my publisher will possibly give you a free copy of Sir Cameron (and other books, if you want - they also have the new Chuck Tingle and T. Kingfishers). you can apply here!

[synniereads]

“they know the system is wrong, but they choose not to think or speak up or act because they ultimately hope that in their silence, they will gain. or at the very least not have to give more than they have already given.”

knocking off .25 of a star because i loathe first-person pov. that being said, i had a lot of fun reading this. every twist and turn kept me hooked, and i really enjoyed ferreting out every bit of worldbuilding that the author gave us a peek of.

i keep accidentally starting series, so i was disappointed when the end of the book left me with more questions than answers, but that's on me for not realising that this book isn't a standalone. i do look forward to picking up the second book at some point, in the hopes that the aforementioned questions have interesting answers.

this book was an excellent reminder that we do not have to submit.

[synniereads]

“but i had not known that i was strong enough to do any of those things until they were over and i had done them. i had to do the work first, not knowing.”

i struggled a lot, starting this one; the first quarter of the book felt like it dragged, and at several points I found myself checking how far along i was, thinking surely we were almost to a point of climax, only to realise i was only 30% along, and had long to go yet.

that being said, once this book gets going, it *goes*. i have noted a distinct fondness for fae creatures, places, and structures in Novik's work, and this book doesn't disappoint in that regard. there's some really excellent worldbuilding, politics, bargains, magic, and just a little bit of murder (for spice). i devoured the back half of this book like a demon made of flame itself would (and can i mention how satisfying that ending was?).

all in all, not my favourite of Novik's work, but still a worthwhile read; i'm glad i ended up picking it up, even if it took me awhile to really get into the swing of things.

[synniereads]

please pardon the dust i am not good at this

mdni, i'm old enough to be your mom probably

📖 : back on my fanfic bullshit again

[synniereads]

“i'd rather die on an adventure than live standing still.”

what a fun little adventure this book was! the blurb grabbed me in the bookstore when i bought it last year & again the other night when i was looking for something to read, & the plot quickly drew me in.

i really enjoyed the way magic & its use was set up in this, & how the different Londons felt about it! i always enjoy a fresh use of magic in a story & this system intrigued me.

i really didn't like Lila at first, but as i kept reading she grew on me. i can admire a woman who grows with the narrative. 😌 (that little aside about her eyes didn't go unnoticed, either...👀) as for Kell...well, i love a man with heterochromia, what can i say 😩

overall i think i'll definitely be reading the next book in the series at some point in the future, although the ending gave me enough closure that i don't feel that it's absolutely necessary right this second. definitely a recommend!

[synniereads]

“does the walker choose the path, or the path the walker?”

it felt so good to delve into the world of the Old Kingdom once again, & to learn more about Sabriel's parents!!

i found myself wishing that the plot was less...straightforward, however. everything felt easily resolved, with none of the plot twistiness i came to love in Sabriel and Lirael, & character development felt very linear with relatively little to overcome to reach plot goals. despite those drawbacks, however, i enjoyed getting to know Elinor & her heritage especially.

i read this so quickly and voraciously that i will, in time, need to re-read it to remember everything that happened...but reading it, as always when reading an Old Kingdom novel, felt like coming home. ♡