First Quarter Round up
Heelo, Hungry Readers,
Gosh, it was a really good quarter of reading. I hadn’t quite realized until I started putting together this list.
Bookshop links included where available.
(Link is to author’s website.) I am Trying to Break Your Heart by Ruby Lang - This novella does what seems impossible, which is make someone at a book event having more of a comment than a question seem romantic almost. In a very specific context. It is the story of two college exes, who meet and try to reconcile who they were to each other, with who they are now, and the things they would like to do differently. Content note: deceased parent, bad step parent.
The Assassin’s Guide to Babysitting by Natalie C Parker - If Adventures in Babysitting was more deadly and more magic. Content note: dead parents and parental figures, literal baby in danger.
Long Live Evil by Sarah Rees Brennan - I almost want to write essays about this book. It’s such an interesting look at so many things, chronic or long term illness, self insert fan fic, editing in general, plot twists. But yeah, what if, as you were dying someone offered you a deal to go be in your favorite book series where you could live if you did thins one thing. And it’s cool, because you know what’s going to happen. Except, you being there is also changing things. And what if you stop thinking of everyone as characters and start thinking of them as people? Content note: terminal illness, slut shaming, ableism, and some murder and betrayal.
A Song to Drown Rivers by Ann Liang - inspired by the legend of Xishi, this story of agreeing to use your beauty as a weapon is about long term plots, pining, and oh also some betrayal. Wait, I’m starting to sense a theme here. If, like me, you were not as familiar with the legend of Xishi, I will warn you the ending is not what you might call happy. But I found the story incredibly compelling.
Black Girl Power edited by Leah Henderson - This middle grade anthology had me immediately emailing an old coworker. He and I had both had a run in with immune thrombocytopenic purpura, which makes an appearance in one of these stories. It is sometimes surprising the things that make you feel seen. The collection is great.
Hammajang Luck by Makana Yamamoto - Hawaiians in space planning a heist? This was always going to be my jam. But add in exes who need each other’s skills but still find each other annoyingly hot even though they are still mad. Oh, I was so in. Content note: dead parent, poverty struggles.
Have you read any of these? If so, what did you think?