Mt TBR Report: August 2019
Aug. 31st, 2019 06:57 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
calissaWell, this month sure has been a ride! My reading got seriously derailed in the first half of August by my headfirst tumble into Guardian fandom. However, I made up for it in the second half of the month when some health issues sidelined me and all I had the energy for was reading.
Mt TBR @ 1 January 2019: 442
Mt TBR @ 31 July 2019: 375
Mt TBR @ 31 August 2019: 371
127. Circe by Madeline Miller. A feminist retelling of the life of the title character, weaving together several Greek myths. An interesting mix of the domestic and the heroic, with some interesting meditations on motherhood and power. I did find it a little heteronormative in places, and would have liked to see more women supporting each other.
128. Dev1at3 by Jay Kristoff. Second in the Lifel1k3 series. YA dystopian apocalypse. As the cover blurb says, it’s a little bit Mad Max: Fury Road and a little bit X-Men and wears its influences proudly. It’s a fast-paced adventure with friendships at its heart.
129. Palace by Katherine Kerr and Mark Kreigbaum. This book really didn't do a whole lot for me. The setting was interesting; the humid swamp ecology was different to the usual and the Map was handled quite well. It was also fascinating to see how language has changed around technology--while there were many parts of the Map that rang true, the way we talk about the internet and VR has moved on to a degree. Unfortunately, I didn't find the characters all that engaging. Nor did I buy the romance at all. There was also a rape scene that was entirely unnecessary. There was enough resolution to make it satisfying, while still leaving plenty of loose threads to chase up. However, I won't be continuing with the series.
130. Boy and Going Solo by Roald Dahl. A selective autobiography of the author, covering his childhood and his time in the RAF. He really led an amazing life, full of fascinating experiences. It's easy to see he had an adventurous spirit. And he really knows how to tell a tale. Boy most closely reflects his fiction writing: most of the adults are pretty scary. The book as a whole also gives a glimpse into another time, back when the British Empire is still a thing and hotels had to be booked by letter. It's also littered with photos and fragments of his letters to his mother, although many of the photos haven't reproduced well.
131. Natural Enemies by Roan Parrish. M/M contemporary romance. Sparks fly when an uptight botanist crosses paths with a talented, care-free urban gardener. A short and sweet novella... though possibly a little too short, with a significant part of the conflict resolution being glossed over in the epilogue. And as much as I adored the description of Milo's apartment, I found it a bit unrealistic. Still, I'm a sucker for an uptight/carefree pairing and I loved both of the main characters.
132. Kiss of Steel by Bec McMaster. Steampunk romance. Honoria Todd is just trying to keep her head down and protect her brother and sister. But when she loses her job, and with her enemies on her tail, she must turn to Blade, the master of the rookeries, for protection. Vampires and werewolves, oh my! There was some interesting worldbuilding, but I wasn't entirely convinced of its coherence.
133. The Incredible Adventures of Cinnamon Girl by Melissa Keil. Contemporary YA, light speculative elements. High school is finished for Alba and she's trying to enjoy one last Christmas with her friends before they go their separate ways. She has no idea what she wants to do, her best friend seems upset when she's not sure she wants to leave with him and her latest comic WIP refuses to cooperate. So, it's not exactly convenient timing when a doomsday prophet announces her small town will be the last place to see the end of the world. This was utterly charming.
134. Ransom by David Malouf. Priam, King of Troy, ransoms the body of his son Hector from the Greek hero Achilles. This had a very dreamy feel to it and the interactions between Priam and Achilles had the sense of being about way more than these two individuals. But despite the lovely writing, it didn't leave much of an impression on me.
135. Dreams Underfoot by Charles de Lint. A collection of urban mythic fantasy. I loved these when I first read them and feel they held up very well. Some of them are pretty dark, but there's also threads of hope present. Being written in the 80s and 90s leaves them a little dated in terms of fashion and technology. But I love the idea of magic being right under our noses.
Girl Underground by Laura McManamon and Jesse Ross
Beak, Full of Tongue by Julie Reeser
Daughters of the Storm by Kim Wilkins
Killing Gravity by Corey J. White
As I mentioned above, I fell into a hole of Guardian fanfic. You have been warned.
The Crimson Lotus by bonibaru. A Guardian au inspired by The Scarlet Pimpernel. When Shen Wei, son of an old warlord, is married off to Crown Prince Zhao Yunlan, he struggles to keep secret his feelings and his true identity as leader of the rebellion. A deliciously slow-burn packed full of wonderful tropes and two idiots in love. It has been hard work resisting the urge to go back and read it all over again.
The Flower of Dixing by no_detective. On the eve of his wedding, Shen Wei balances an important stealth mission as the Crimson Lotus while also appearing as the beautiful and naive Flower of Dixing. This is set in the same au as The Crimson Lotus. A fun piece, but not one I felt added much to the main story.
In the Gathering Shadows by no_detective. Another in the Crimson Lotus au. Two agents of the rebellion, Li Qing and Zhu Hong, spend an evening together sharing tales of their unrequited crushes. It was delightful to see two capable women supporting each other and finding solace. It also gives them a bit more of the power I would have liked to see them have in the canon. And Li Qing's story does a lovely job of filling in the background of how Shen Wei came to be the Crimson Lotus.
dancing juice (marry you) by bonibaru. To quote the blurb: Shen Wei's students have collectively lost their minds. Short, silly and very sweet.
In darkness buried deep by frith_in_thorns. Zhao Yunlan and Shen Wei pursue rebels into a cave system without quite being prepared. While I wasn't as sold on the characterisation in this as in some of the others, it absolutely nails their spirits of stubborn sacrifice.
Heat Wave by qikiqtarjuaq. Zhao Yunlan is suffering from the heat wave. Shen Wei helps out. Fun fluff.
Head Over Heels by qikiqtarjuaq. An AU in which Zhao Yunlan meets the Black-Cloaked Envoy before he meets Professor Shen. This was another one where the characterisation didn't entirely work for me (it turns out I'm fussy about these characters), but Zhao Yunlan's insistence to Shen Wei that he and the Black-Cloaked Envoy were close was pretty funny.
Fix It In Post by qikiqtarjuaq. RPF. After a cast party stunt gone wrong, Zhu Yilong and Bai Yu find themselves transported to the Guardian universe, where they have to fix what went wrong in order to return to the real world. This one worked rather better for me in terms of characterisation. I love how the actors draw closer together as they repeat the timeloop and the way their interactions with the other characters is likened to a performance.
The Unexpected Legacy by FayJay. Guardian Regency AU. So far, I've only read the first chapter, but it had me screaming with laughter over its tribute to a well-known scene from another work. Zhao Yunlan's carefree flirtatiousness is perfection.
Mt TBR Status
Mt TBR @ 1 January 2019: 442
Mt TBR @ 31 July 2019: 375
Mt TBR @ 31 August 2019: 371
Books Read
127. Circe by Madeline Miller. A feminist retelling of the life of the title character, weaving together several Greek myths. An interesting mix of the domestic and the heroic, with some interesting meditations on motherhood and power. I did find it a little heteronormative in places, and would have liked to see more women supporting each other.
128. Dev1at3 by Jay Kristoff. Second in the Lifel1k3 series. YA dystopian apocalypse. As the cover blurb says, it’s a little bit Mad Max: Fury Road and a little bit X-Men and wears its influences proudly. It’s a fast-paced adventure with friendships at its heart.
129. Palace by Katherine Kerr and Mark Kreigbaum. This book really didn't do a whole lot for me. The setting was interesting; the humid swamp ecology was different to the usual and the Map was handled quite well. It was also fascinating to see how language has changed around technology--while there were many parts of the Map that rang true, the way we talk about the internet and VR has moved on to a degree. Unfortunately, I didn't find the characters all that engaging. Nor did I buy the romance at all. There was also a rape scene that was entirely unnecessary. There was enough resolution to make it satisfying, while still leaving plenty of loose threads to chase up. However, I won't be continuing with the series.
130. Boy and Going Solo by Roald Dahl. A selective autobiography of the author, covering his childhood and his time in the RAF. He really led an amazing life, full of fascinating experiences. It's easy to see he had an adventurous spirit. And he really knows how to tell a tale. Boy most closely reflects his fiction writing: most of the adults are pretty scary. The book as a whole also gives a glimpse into another time, back when the British Empire is still a thing and hotels had to be booked by letter. It's also littered with photos and fragments of his letters to his mother, although many of the photos haven't reproduced well.
131. Natural Enemies by Roan Parrish. M/M contemporary romance. Sparks fly when an uptight botanist crosses paths with a talented, care-free urban gardener. A short and sweet novella... though possibly a little too short, with a significant part of the conflict resolution being glossed over in the epilogue. And as much as I adored the description of Milo's apartment, I found it a bit unrealistic. Still, I'm a sucker for an uptight/carefree pairing and I loved both of the main characters.
132. Kiss of Steel by Bec McMaster. Steampunk romance. Honoria Todd is just trying to keep her head down and protect her brother and sister. But when she loses her job, and with her enemies on her tail, she must turn to Blade, the master of the rookeries, for protection. Vampires and werewolves, oh my! There was some interesting worldbuilding, but I wasn't entirely convinced of its coherence.
133. The Incredible Adventures of Cinnamon Girl by Melissa Keil. Contemporary YA, light speculative elements. High school is finished for Alba and she's trying to enjoy one last Christmas with her friends before they go their separate ways. She has no idea what she wants to do, her best friend seems upset when she's not sure she wants to leave with him and her latest comic WIP refuses to cooperate. So, it's not exactly convenient timing when a doomsday prophet announces her small town will be the last place to see the end of the world. This was utterly charming.
134. Ransom by David Malouf. Priam, King of Troy, ransoms the body of his son Hector from the Greek hero Achilles. This had a very dreamy feel to it and the interactions between Priam and Achilles had the sense of being about way more than these two individuals. But despite the lovely writing, it didn't leave much of an impression on me.
135. Dreams Underfoot by Charles de Lint. A collection of urban mythic fantasy. I loved these when I first read them and feel they held up very well. Some of them are pretty dark, but there's also threads of hope present. Being written in the 80s and 90s leaves them a little dated in terms of fashion and technology. But I love the idea of magic being right under our noses.
Books Acquired
Girl Underground by Laura McManamon and Jesse Ross
Beak, Full of Tongue by Julie Reeser
Daughters of the Storm by Kim Wilkins
Killing Gravity by Corey J. White
Online Reading
As I mentioned above, I fell into a hole of Guardian fanfic. You have been warned.
The Crimson Lotus by bonibaru. A Guardian au inspired by The Scarlet Pimpernel. When Shen Wei, son of an old warlord, is married off to Crown Prince Zhao Yunlan, he struggles to keep secret his feelings and his true identity as leader of the rebellion. A deliciously slow-burn packed full of wonderful tropes and two idiots in love. It has been hard work resisting the urge to go back and read it all over again.
The Flower of Dixing by no_detective. On the eve of his wedding, Shen Wei balances an important stealth mission as the Crimson Lotus while also appearing as the beautiful and naive Flower of Dixing. This is set in the same au as The Crimson Lotus. A fun piece, but not one I felt added much to the main story.
In the Gathering Shadows by no_detective. Another in the Crimson Lotus au. Two agents of the rebellion, Li Qing and Zhu Hong, spend an evening together sharing tales of their unrequited crushes. It was delightful to see two capable women supporting each other and finding solace. It also gives them a bit more of the power I would have liked to see them have in the canon. And Li Qing's story does a lovely job of filling in the background of how Shen Wei came to be the Crimson Lotus.
dancing juice (marry you) by bonibaru. To quote the blurb: Shen Wei's students have collectively lost their minds. Short, silly and very sweet.
In darkness buried deep by frith_in_thorns. Zhao Yunlan and Shen Wei pursue rebels into a cave system without quite being prepared. While I wasn't as sold on the characterisation in this as in some of the others, it absolutely nails their spirits of stubborn sacrifice.
Heat Wave by qikiqtarjuaq. Zhao Yunlan is suffering from the heat wave. Shen Wei helps out. Fun fluff.
Head Over Heels by qikiqtarjuaq. An AU in which Zhao Yunlan meets the Black-Cloaked Envoy before he meets Professor Shen. This was another one where the characterisation didn't entirely work for me (it turns out I'm fussy about these characters), but Zhao Yunlan's insistence to Shen Wei that he and the Black-Cloaked Envoy were close was pretty funny.
Fix It In Post by qikiqtarjuaq. RPF. After a cast party stunt gone wrong, Zhu Yilong and Bai Yu find themselves transported to the Guardian universe, where they have to fix what went wrong in order to return to the real world. This one worked rather better for me in terms of characterisation. I love how the actors draw closer together as they repeat the timeloop and the way their interactions with the other characters is likened to a performance.
The Unexpected Legacy by FayJay. Guardian Regency AU. So far, I've only read the first chapter, but it had me screaming with laughter over its tribute to a well-known scene from another work. Zhao Yunlan's carefree flirtatiousness is perfection.
no subject
Date: 2019-08-31 03:15 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2019-09-01 03:05 am (UTC)I finished reading the available chapters just this morning and absolutely loved it. I can't wait to see how it wraps up.
I must admit it's going to be hard to stop reading the fanfic long enough to get through September's reading challenge!
no subject
Date: 2019-09-01 03:33 am (UTC)If you are looking for another longish AU, may I recommend this one: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18358832/chapters/43468475. (*looks at wordcount* Its actually quite a bit shorter that The Unexpected Legacy.)
no subject
Date: 2019-09-01 03:54 am (UTC)Thank you for the recommendation! I'm looking forward to diving in. I do love me a good slow burn.
no subject
Date: 2019-08-31 08:03 pm (UTC)(Also, Guardian?)
no subject
Date: 2019-09-01 03:10 am (UTC)Also, Guardian!. A Chinese drama in which the chief of the Special Investigation Department suspects an unassuming professor is at the heart of a string of supernatural crimes. It's also surprisingly gay, given Chinese censorship and the male leads are very pretty. If you start watching and decide you like it, let me know. The English subtitles are appalling after about ep.9. I can point you to some better ones.
no subject
Date: 2019-09-01 12:13 pm (UTC)Although the BBC has just put AAAAALLLLLLLLL of Life on Mars and Ashes to Ashes on Iplayer and that is, like, my favourite (tbh, my only real favourite) BBC drama ever and so I may be rather busy for a little while.
But yes, after that, definitely! <3
no subject
Date: 2019-09-01 10:53 pm (UTC)Oh, how fun!
Make sure to come and poke me first.
no subject
Date: 2019-09-02 07:06 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2019-09-01 01:19 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2019-09-01 04:43 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2019-09-01 04:26 am (UTC)I keep hedging on Circe, I loved her other book, but for some reason I just can't seem to force myself to pick this one up, the heteronormativity warning is really appreciated <3
no subject
Date: 2019-09-01 04:51 am (UTC)As for Circe... I don't know. It wasn't like in your face heteronormativity or anything. But almost all the men in the book were just so awful (to be fair, almost all of the women are, too). It made any kind of romantic angle a hard sell for me. And romance really wasn't a focus of the story, anyway, so... why not just get rid of it altogether?