theinquisitxor

[theinquisitxor]

I can't stop thinking about Scholomance. It's about sunk cost and lengths we go to to justify them.

It's about existing in a destructive system that chews up the poorest and the weakest, and the desperate scrabble to not get chewed up yourself.

It's about capitalism and climate change and entrenched power that knows it's seeding its own destruction but can't stop because stopping means admitting that we were the ones who caused so much death and pain in the pursuit of safety for their children.

It's about living in poverty and hating the privileged wealthy and learning that so many of the privileged wealthy are middle class schlubs working themselves to death for the chance to cling to a sinking lifeboat.

It's the wealthiest nations offloading the horror of their prosperity to the most vulnerable countries, and those countries choosing to do the same when it's their turn because why shouldn't they have a chance as well? And the only other option is to die buried in trash.

It's about a mother doing what's best for her child, despite the cost.

It's about every mother doing what's best for her child, despite the cost.

It's about the gap between "everything has a trade off and it's impossible to live without causing harm" and "I've burned the world for the life I live and giving up what I have won't bring back what was lost so why should I?"

It's about finding a better way. Knowing a better way. Offering to show everyone the better way for free but facing opposition at every turn because the current way is so invested in its sunk cost that it will burn itself and the world around it to ash before it admits that it was wrong.

It's about children inheriting a world that is coming undone and learning that "50% of us will die from this, but it's still better than the alternative" is the deal their parents struck, and their parents' parents struck, and their parents' parents' parents struck, and renegotiating that deal will cost them everything, but what other choice do they have?

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Henry David Thoreau

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the listeners//the scorpio races

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MAGGIE

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YALL. Holly Black has a list of resources she's used for writing her books on the fair folk. I'm OBSESSED. I love her work and world building. it's so true to the heart of faeries

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Molly Hashimoto block prints

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After many springs by Langston Hughes

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Other Library workers know the struggle of opening a random library book on the shelf and finding someone drew some sort of lewd/vulgar/racist/inappropriate drawing in pen or highlighter all over the title page :(

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Illustrations from Undine by Arthur Rackham (1909)

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[theinquisitxor]

"When you were last here," said Aslan, "that hollow was a pool, and when you jumped into it you came to the world where a dying sun shone over the ruins of Charn. There is no pool now. That world is ended, as if it had never been. Let the race of Adam and Eve take warning." "Yes, Aslan," said both the children. But Polly added, "But we're not quite as bad as that world, are we, Aslan?" "Not yet, Daughter of Eve," he said. "Not yet. But you are growing more like it. It is not certain that some wicked one of your race will not find out a secret as evil as the Deplorable Word and use it to destroy all living things. And soon, very soon, before you are an old man and an old woman, great nations in your world will be ruled by tyrants who care no more for joy and justice and mercy than the Empress Jadis. Let your world beware."

C. S. Lewis, The Magician's Nephew

[theinquisitxor]

Some observations on book covers

[theinquisitxor]

may wrap up —

last month

it was a decent reading month — started off strong with like 5 books back to back and then i fell off a bit after I started working full time again, but it’s still better than nothing!

the goblin emperor — 4.75 stars. by far my favourite read of the month. I saw someone on this site describe this book as “some guy in a fantasy world answering his email for 400 pages” and yeah. that’s basically the plot. and it slaps. maia is also SAD and PATHETIC and KIND and unfortunately. the emperor. truly such a gem of a novel. it’s so detailed and intricate and yet it doesn’t stray too far from the heart of its characters. I’ll definitely be thinking about this one for a while. If you liked rote and/or queens thief I think you’ll really vibe with this one. In the same vein as rote and queens thief in terms of character study — young boy, an outcast but still part of royalty thrust into court politics and intrigue, holds a position he doesn't really want but feels the obligation to for the betterment of the kingdom. focuses a lot on internal characterization. Maia like a mix of Gen and Fitz -- he's smart but he is naive due to his exile, tries to do what's best. The novel very slow paced but I didn't mind it?? it has very little action and focuses a lot of day to day life politics and the intricacies of being an emperor so you definitely have to be in the mood for it, but once you get used to it and how detailed it is its very good. It did lull in the middle a bit for me but pushing through was worth it imo

critiques — it was very focused on a singular setting so it was hard to get a grasp of the effects of the decisions that were being made at points, but she has a second series in this world that expands on that I think outside of this standalone. I do think she could have made this a series though. I would have liked to see how the MC grew a bit more as time went on because this is a very small snippet of his life. Overall though, I loved this book and I can see myself coming back to it in the future as a comfort read

emily wilde, books 1&2 — 4.25 & 3.75 stars. very cute fantasy series, I’m not usually a cozy fantasy person, but this one was fun! I love the characters in it and the unique style of storytelling in this through Emily’s journals. though she writes in a fairly academic voice her witty humour is a highlight of the books. She reminds me a bit of evie from the mummy, but in a fae setting. highly recommend if you’re looking for a fun little summer fantasy

one night in hartswood — 2.75 stars. this was fine. I just didn’t care for the characters that much, therefore I didn’t care that much about the story. I was intrigued by this being setting in the 1300s, but it should have just said it was inspired by the 1300s because it sure didn’t feel like it. anyways. moving on from this one

words like coins — no rating. rote short story. no review for this one, just vibes. while I enjoyed this, I think it just left me with more questions than answers. Hobb could totally do a whole series about hedge witches and expand on the commoner magic system like charms and scrying in rote because fitz spends a total of five sentences talking about it in all of the 16 books (I like to think this is because it wasn’t important to fitz, so he just didn’t include it. my idiot boy)

giovanni’s room — no rating. a gay classic. honestly idk how I felt about this one. I’ll have to sit on it a bit longer but an interesting read nonetheless and I can see why it’s a classic.

brighter than scale, swifter than flame — 3.25 stars. sapphic short story about dragons and lady knights. a quick read but the writing and prose was unique. Again, I didn’t feel that connected to the characters though, I felt like they were held at an arms length the entire time which didn’t allow the reader to truly know them. it was fine, but probably not a story I’ll revisit anytime soon.

[theinquisitxor]

We're close to the mid-year, so here's an update on how this list is going-- 14/25 of the books I've completed so far! I've been trying to focus on this list so far this year, and that focus is paying off.

The Books of Pellinor series by Allison Croggon (reread)

Blood Over Bright Haven by ML Wang

The Way of Kings by Brandon Sanderson

The Goblin Emperor by Katherine Addison

Hild by Nicolla Griffth

Captive Prince by CS Pacat

The Seven Realms series by Cinda Williams Chima (1/2 way done)

The Luminaries by Elenor Catton

Some Desperate Glory by Emily Tesh

Sea of Tranquility by Emily St John Mandel

Sabriel by Garth Nix

Carving Shadows into Gold by Brigid Kimmerer

Fable for the End of the World by Ava Reid

Oathbound by Tracey Deonn

The Listeners by Maggie Steifvater

Katabasis by RF Kaung

Black Woods, Blue Sky by Eowyn Ivey

Emily Wilde 3 by Heather Fawcett

A Dark and Drowning Tide by Alison Saft )

Lady Macbeth by Ava Reid

The Scholar and the Last Faerie Door by HG Parry

The Shadow of What Was Lost by James Islington

Ancillary Justice series by Ann Leckie (DNF)

She Who Became the Sun by Shelly Parker Chan

Gods of the Wyrdwood by RJ Barker

25 in 2025

I was tagged by @e-b-reads for the 25 books you want to read in 2025. You can see how I did on my 24 in 2024 list here.

I liked the idea of color coding them like other people have done, so that's what I did for this year. Key is at the bottom!

The Books of Pellinor series by Allison Croggon (reread)

Blood Over Bright Haven by ML Wang

The Way of Kings by Brandon Sanderson

The Goblin Emperor by Katherine Addison

Hild by Nicolla Griffth

Captive Prince by CS Pacat

The Seven Realms series by Cinda Williams Chima

The Luminaries by Elenor Catton

Some Desperate Glory by Emily Tesh

Sea of Tranquility by Emily St John Mandel

Sabriel by Garth Nix

Carving Shadows into Gold by Brigid Kimmerer

Fable for the End of the World by Ava Reid

Oathbound by Tracey Deonn

The Listeners by Maggie Steifvater

Katabasis by RF Kaung

Black Woods, Blue Sky by Eowyn Ivey

Emily Wilde 3 by Heather Fawcett

A Dark and Drowning Tide by Alison Saft (currently reading)

Lady Macbeth by Ava Reid

The Scholar and the Last Faerie Door by HG Parry

The Shadow of What Was Lost by James Islington

Ancillary Justice series by Ann Leckie

She Who Became the Sun by Shelly Parker Chan

Gods of the Wyrdwood by RJ Barker

Green = books from last year's list I didn't get to

Pink = new releases I want to read this year

Blue = books on my physical tbr

Tagging anyone who is interested!

[theinquisitxor]

May 2025 Reading Wrap Up

I can't believe May is over, it feels like I was just making my April wrap up. I read 6 books in May, and I feel like I'm out of my reading slump! May was a busy month for me, with lots weekend trips and time spent outside, so I wasn't reading quite as much as I normally do. But that's okay-- I'd like to soak up as much of the gorgeous May weather as possible before it gets too hot.

1.The Luminaries by Eleanor Catton (3.5/5 stars). This book took me almost a month to read, and put me in a reading slump, but that's okay, because I did finish it! I liked it enough to not dnf, but it just took me a long time to get through it (it is almost 900 pages after all). This felt like reading a Dickens or Dumas novel, only written in the 21st century. Also probably the first book I've read to take place in NZ. Literary/Historical Fiction

2.Child of a Hidden Sea (Hidden Sea Tales 1) by A.M. Dellamonica (3/5 stars). This was my Random TBR pick for the month of April (which I didn't get to then), and has been on my tbr since 2019. I love a portal fantasy and a seafaring centered word, and I overall enjoyed this, but I felt like there were a lot of crutches in this story for the characters. The story was entertaining enough, but I just plan on treating this like a standalone. Portal Fantasy.

3.The Demon King (Seven Realms Series 1) by Cinda Williams Chima (4/5 stars). I read this book years ago (probably when I was 12 or 13) and liked it, but never continued on. I've been wanting to read the whole series, and I picked up a complete set at a used book store. I felt like this sets up a good foundation for the series, even though the beginning drags a bit, and the plot heats up towards the end. Overall very solid, and I was excited to see where this series goes.

4. The Exiled Queen (Seven Realms Series 2) by Cinda Williams Chima (4.5/5 stars) I thought this was a step-up from book 1, with much more character development, and a school setting for most of the book. I absolutely love the main characters-- Raisa, Han, and Amon. I feel like this series is going to become a new favorite young adult series.

5. Some Desperate Glory by Emily Tesh (5/5 stars). I've been wanting to read Tesh's first novel, and was intrigued by the premise. This really delivered, and I couldn't put down this story of cults, alternate timelines, changing the past, and trying to do better. Kyr starts off as such an unlikeable character (but then you realize poor girl was raised in a xenophobic military space cult), but she grows on you so much. Definitely recommend, and glad to see this won the Hugo award. Science-Fiction/Space Opera

6. Bringing Nature Home: How Native Plants Sustain Wildlife in our Gardens by Douglas W. Tallamy. My nonficiton book for the month, and furthering my reading on native gardening and how planting native plants is so essential to the ecosystem. Enjoyable, and Tallamy is a leading expert in the field.

That's the wrap for May!

In June I'm hoping to read:

Finish Seven Realms series (books 3 & 4)

Catch up to my Random TBR picks:

May’s book: Song of the Forever Rains

June’s pick: Trail of Lightening

Nonfiction

The Listeners by Maggie Stiefvater?

[theinquisitxor]

Hey. Your brain needs to de-frag. Literally it needs you to sit there and space out.

If you want your memory or executive function to improve, stare out a window at the skyline or sidewalk or trees or birds on the electrical wires for like 20+ minutes per day. (With no other stimulation like a podcast or TV if you can manage but hey baby steps innit). If you're fortunate enough to have safe outside with any bits of nature, go stare closely at a 1 meter square of grass and trip out on the bugs and shapes of grasses and stuff.

Literally this will make you smarter. Our brains HAVE TO HAVE this zone out time to do important stuff behind the scenes. This does not happen during sleep, it's something else.

That weird pressurized feeling you get sometimes might be your brain on no defrag.

Give your brain a Daily Dose Of De-Frag.