Once again, I accumulated enough mini reviews for a post. This time, it’s sadly rather negative, with two rather low ratings and one DNF, but one can’t stumble upon just good books all the time. On the upside, it’s rare that I get to use the tableflip tag.
Onto the books!
Archivist Wasp by Nicole Kornher-Stace (Archivist Wasp Saga #1)
– goodreads –
Wasn’t vibing with this one. It was a quick enough read, I appreciated finding a YA book without a trace of romance, but…the dystopian post-apocalyptic worldbuilding, the characters, the plot of searching for a ghost’s dead friend through the underworld, the revelations, there was nothing I truly connected to. The atmosphere I outright disliked. While it’s not a bad book technically speaking, everything felt fairly thin and honestly I’m not sure why I even finished it.
Enjoyment: 2/5
Execution: 3/5
Tags that apply: fantasy, sci-fi, dystopia, lgbtq+, female author, not a fan, YA
Madame de Pompadour by Nancy Mitford
– goodreads –
As expected from Mitford by now, light, entertaining, and gossipy, if somewhat dated – and exactly what I came in for, though by the end, the general bullshit of the nobility started to get on my nerves (“this is why you had a revolution” was a recurring thought). Recommended if you’re interested in the life of royal mistresses and what went on in Versailles.
Enjoyment: 4/5
Execution: 3.5/5
Tags that apply: historical, nonfiction, non-SFF, female author, just plain fun
DNF: A Deadly Education by Naomi Novik (The Scholomance #1)
– goodreads –
DNF 25%
Gave this one a try out of curiosity since I could borrow it, but nah, not for me. It admittedly reads very fast, but neither the stream of consciousness yet very descriptive writing style, nor the setting, nor the plot grabbed me. And the less said of the absolutely exhausting dynamic between El and Orion the better. I have rarely seen anything that annoying. Had I decided to finish it, it would have been 3 stars at best and why bother.
Tags that apply: (╯°□°)╯︵ ┻━┻, female author, school setting, not a fan, dystopia, fantasy
A Spindle Splintered by Alix. E. Harrow (Fractured Fables #1)
– goodreads –
I love Harrow’s prose as much as always, but this one didn’t quite do it for me. If there’s one thing I’m allergic to, it’s pop culture references and this novella is chock-full of them. I swear there was at least one on literally every page. I like retellings, I like stories about chronic illness, but I don’t like excessive self-awareness and being reminded of their modern-ness every couple sentences. It feels juvenile. Pass.
Enjoyment: 2/5
Execution: 2/5
Tags that apply: female author, fantasy, folktale-inspired, just plain fun, not a fan, lgbtq+, novella, contemporary, disability
To Other Worlds 