Tag: bookish books

Top Ten Tuesday | Portal Fantasy

Posted March 2, 2026 by Haze in Top Ten Tuesday, Weekly Book Memes / 30 Comments

Welcome to Top Ten Tuesday, a weekly bookish meme hosted by Jana @ That Artsy Reader Girl that features a different bookish topic every week.

Today’s topic is Genre Freebie  

I decided to go with “portal fantasy” for today’s genre freebie. Portal fantasy is when people from the “real world” suddenly find themselves transported into an alternate reality, a fantasy world, via some sort of portal like a book or a wardrobe. Some of these are well-known and loved, and others less so, but I realized I enjoy portal fantasy a lot. What other books have you read and loved that fall into the portal fantasy genre? Please share them with me!

Top Ten Portal Fantasy Books

  1. Long Live Evil by Sarah Rees Brennan – The MC is sick and unwell in real life and finds herself transported into one of her favorite books as a villain. It was one of my favorite surprises; I didn’t expect to love this book as much as I did but I’m obsessed and eagerly waiting the next one.
  2. The Phantom Tollbooth by Norton Juster – This book probably doesn’t need an intro since I only read it because so many of you gushed about it! I’m so glad you did because I loved it and I kind of feel like rereading it now.
  3. Oz: The Complete Collection by L. Frank Baum – Dorothy goes from the real world into Oz via hurricane. Not really the portal I would choose to go through if I had a choice, but I love the Oz stories and was surprised that Dorothy is only a small part of the whole collection!
  4. The Neverending Story by Michael Ende – This is one of my favorite books (and I loved the movies too!) but it’s been a while since I read it. I’m mixing up a lot of the book details with the movie details so it makes sense that I should just go ahead and reread it and rewatch the movies soon!
  5. Fairy Tale by Stephen King – If King wrote it and it fits the prompt, it sits on the list! This is one of my favorite King books, but I love so many King books I don’t know if being my “favorite” King book carries weight anymore. This one is fantasy, not horror, has found family and a dog, and is just really good.
  6. The Astral Library by Kate Quinn – I’ve been wanting to read more of Kate Quinn and this is on my TBR. It’s probably the most recently released book on the list and I’m very excited about it, because it’s about a hidden library where you can go inside your favorite books and visit those worlds!
  7. Inkheart by Cornelia Funke – In the same vein, this one is also about being transported into a book world. Full disclosure, I’ve only watched the movie but I love the idea and I’ve been thinking that I should probably read the book.
  8. Her Majesty’s Wizard by Christopher Stasheff – I loved this book as a child. It’s a series of 8 books but I’ve only read up to book 4 because I didn’t know there were more at the time! In the first book, the “wizard” is just a normal guy from the real world who gets transported into a world with a rhyming magical system, and he becomes a powerful wizard in that world just because he’s good with rhymes. I love it and I’m going to reread it all over again!
  9. The Hollow Places by T. Kingfisher – I love Kingfisher and I loved this book. I found it so creepy but in a good way, and I jumped at shadows for a while, but it was worth it!
  10. The Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis – I feel like this is another one that doesn’t need an intro because it’s probably one of the most popular portal fantasy and everyone knows about the lion, the witch, and the wardrobe. However, I realized suddenly as I was writing this, that this is another one of those stories you think you know because it’s so popular, but I’ve only read the first book and not any of the others! I need to rectify this.

Have you read any of these books? What did you think of them? Would you read any of these books?

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Book Review | The Dead Romantics by Ashley Poston

Posted February 2, 2026 by Haze in Book Reviews / 2 Comments

The Dead Romantics by Ashley Poston

Florence Day is the ghostwriter for one of the most prolific romance authors in the industry, and she has a problem—after a terrible breakup, she no longer believes in love. It’s as good as dead.

When her new editor, a too-handsome mountain of a man, won’t give her an extension on her book deadline, Florence prepares to kiss her career goodbye. But then she gets a phone call she never wanted to receive, and she must return home for the first time in a decade to help her family bury her beloved father.

For ten years, she’s run from the town that never understood her, and even though she misses the sound of a warm Southern night and her eccentric, loving family and their funeral parlor, she can’t bring herself to stay. Even with her father gone, it feels like nothing in this town has changed. And she hates it.

Until she finds a ghost standing at the funeral parlor’s front door, just as broad and infuriatingly handsome as ever, and he’s just as confused about why he’s there as she is.

Romance is most certainly dead… but so is her new editor, and his unfinished business will have her second-guessing everything she’s ever known about love stories.

A disillusioned millennial ghostwriter who, quite literally, has some ghosts of her own, has to find her way back home in this sparkling adult debut from national bestselling author Ashley Poston.

For the Reading Challenge(s):
TBD

The Reason

I was in the mood to binge-read some romance after finishing The Seven Year Slip by the same author.

The Quotes

“I began to realize that love wasn’t dead, but it wasn’t forever, either. It was something in between, a moment in time where two people existed at the exact same moment in the exact same place in the universe.”

“There is no happy ending, theres just. . . happily living. As best you can.”

“I hope you find yourself in a book someday. And I hope that book lives forever.”

“He hoped I asked for help because asking was not a weakness – but a strength. He hoped that I would ask more often because I would be surprised by who would come into my life if I let them.”

My Thoughts

It’s so funny because I read this book immediately after The Seven Year Slip, and one of the things I was thinking about while reading The Seven Year Slip was how it had such ethereal vibes and reminded me of the movie, Just Like Heaven, which stars Reese Witherspoon and Mark Ruffalo (yes, I know it’s based on a book too!), and now reading this book reminds me even more of that movie!

I loved this story between Florence Day and Benji Andor; their chemistry, their banter… I’m a conversation kind of girl, I fall in love through conversations, and I fell in love with them! A lot of Florence’s story was bittersweet, but also quite relatable, and I think that’s what makes these stories great. Just a touch of the extraordinary in otherwise ordinary people’s lives. I’ve read Ashley Poston’s books before but these two book have made me sit up and pay attention and I think I am now a wholely devoted fan. I need more!

My Rating

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐/5 stars.

Have you read this book? Would you read this book? Did you like the book or do you think you would like it?

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Book Review | The Keeper of Hidden Books by Madeline Martin

Posted August 16, 2025 by Haze in Book Reviews / 0 Comments

The Keeper of Hidden Books by Madeline Martin

A heartwarming story about the power of books to bring us together, inspired by the true story of the underground library in WWII Warsaw, by the New York Times bestselling author of The Last Bookshop in London.

All her life, Zofia has found comfort in two things during times of hardship: books and her best friend, Janina. But no one could have imagined the horrors of the Nazi occupation in Warsaw. As the bombs rain down and Hitler’s forces loot and destroy the city, Zofia finds that now books are also in need of saving.

With the death count rising and persecution intensifying, Zofia jumps to action to save her friend and salvage whatever books she can from the wreckage, hiding them away, and even starting a clandestine book club. She and her dearest friend never surrender their love of reading, even when Janina is forced into the newly formed ghetto.

But the closer Warsaw creeps toward liberation, the more dangerous life becomes for the women and their families—and escape may not be possible for everyone. As the destruction rages around them, Zofia must fight to save her friend and preserve her culture and community using the only weapon they have left—literature.

For the Reading Challenge(s):
N/A

The Reason

I loved Madeline Martin’s other books and also books about books. I also somehow gravitate towards books about WW2 and this has been on my TBR for a while.

The Quotes

“Good books were like amazing sunsets or awe-inspiring landscapes, better enjoyed with someone else. There was no greater experience in the world than sharing the love of a book, discussing its finer points, and reliving the story all over again.”

“It whispered to her in the silence, a promise only a book can make to a reader, to offer a journey unique to them, tailored”

“There was power in literature. Brilliant and undeniable. Books inspired free thought and empathy, an overall understanding and acceptance of everyone.”

“We cannot let the atrocities and persecution of the Jews slip between the cracks of history. We cannot allow education to be stifled or cultures to be erased or books to be banned. Nor can we let the memory of those brave men and women who fought for freedom and what is right disappear in the turning pages of time.”

The Narrator(s)

Saskia Maarleveld. I have listened to another book narrated by her and didn’t have a problem with it, but I feel like possibly because of the writing in this book, there was a strong inclination towards susurration that made it difficult for me to hear the story very well. It wasn’t bad during dialogue, it bothered me mostly in the narrative parts.

My Thoughts

I really enjoyed the story, and I love how books and stories play such a big part in keeping spirits up during times of war. I love that Zofia and Janina were part of an anti-Hitler book club, and the way they connected with others through the book club and book discussions. I’ve read many books set in WW2 throughout my life, but they’ve been hitting a lot harder in recent times, and I believe more than ever that reading is one of the most important things for developing empathy.

Martin is very good at writing about friendships and connections, and I love the bond between Zofia and Janina. I love how they looked out for each other and found ways to keep in contact even when it was dangerous for them. Unfortunately I didn’t enjoy this book as much as Martin’s other books, but it’s more so because I didn’t enjoy the audiobook experience. Hopefully, if I reread this in the future, I may change my mind when I read it on print or in some other form.

My Rating

⭐⭐⭐⭐/5 stars.

Have you read this book? Would you read this book? Did you like the book or do you think you would like it?

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Book Review | If On A Winter’s Night A Traveler by Italo Calvino

Posted August 7, 2025 by Haze in Book Reviews / 0 Comments

If On A Winter’s Night A Traveler by Italo Calvino

If on a Winter’s Night a Traveler is a marvel of ingenuity, an experimental text that looks longingly back to the great age of narration—”when time no longer seemed stopped and did not yet seem to have exploded.” Italo Calvino’s novel is in one sense a comedy in which the two protagonists, the Reader and the Other Reader, ultimately end up married, having almost finished If on a Winter’s Night a Traveler. In another, it is a tragedy, a reflection on the difficulties of writing and the solitary nature of reading. The Reader buys a fashionable new book, which opens with an exhortation: “Relax. Concentrate. Dispel every other thought. Let the world around you fade.” Alas, after 30 or so pages, he discovers that his copy is corrupted, and consists of nothing but the first section, over and over. Returning to the bookshop, he discovers the volume, which he thought was by Calvino, is actually by the Polish writer Bazakbal. Given the choice between the two, he goes for the Pole, as does the Other Reader, Ludmilla. But this copy turns out to be by yet another writer, as does the next, and the next.

The real Calvino intersperses 10 different pastiches—stories of menace, spies, mystery, premonition—with explorations of how and why we choose to read, make meanings, and get our bearings or fail to. Meanwhile the Reader and Ludmilla try to reach, and read, each other. If on a Winter’s Night is dazzling, vertiginous, and deeply romantic. “What makes lovemaking and reading resemble each other most is that within both of them times and spaces open, different from measurable time and space.”

For the Reading Challenge(s):
2025 52 Book Club Reading Challenge (Prompt #25: Breaks the fourth wall)

The Reason

This was the BOTM for my in-person bookclub, and one of our member’s favorite book.

The Quotes

“What harbor can receive you more securely than a great library?”

“Reading is going toward something that is about to be, and no one yet knows what it will be.”

“Every new book I read comes to be a part of that overall and unitary book that is the sum of my readings…if you need little to set the imagination going, I require even less: the promise of reading is enough.”

The Narrator(s)

Jefferson Mays. The narration was fine, I had no issue with it.

My Thoughts

If you are reading this for the first time, please do not read it on audiobook. I was so confused! It was only during our bookclub discussion that I realized the overarching story was interspersed with little short stories in between. I didn’t realize that and couldn’t understand why the story was jumping all over the place. Subsequently, please take my review with a grain of salt since I’m sure I missed a lot.

The things that I did get and understood; I like that it was meta. It reminded me a little of The Shadow of the Wind, which I enjoyed very much. I like that there was a focus on the reader and reading experience, but interestingly, the part that interested me most was where there was focus on the writer and the writing experience. That part made me want to write!

I’m pretty sure I missed out on a lot by listening on audio instead of on print, but either way, I feel like this is a book that gets better with more rereads. I like rereading so I’ll get to it again eventually, but probably not anytime soon.

My Rating

⭐⭐⭐/5 stars.

Have you read this book? Would you read this book? Did you like the book or do you think you would like it?

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Book Review | The Shadow of the Wind by Carlos Ruiz Zafon

Posted January 17, 2025 by Haze in Book Reviews / 6 Comments

The Shadow of the Wind by Carlos Ruiz Zafon

Barcelona, 1945: A city slowly heals in the aftermath of the Spanish Civil War, and Daniel, an antiquarian book dealer’s son who mourns the loss of his mother, finds solace in a mysterious book entitled The Shadow of the Wind, by one Julián Carax. But when he sets out to find the author’s other works, he makes a shocking discovery: someone has been systematically destroying every copy of every book Carax has written. In fact, Daniel may have the last of Carax’s books in existence. Soon Daniel’s seemingly innocent quest opens a door into one of Barcelona’s darkest secrets–an epic story of murder, madness, and doomed love.

For the Reading Challenge(s):
2025 52 Book Club Reading Challenge (Prompt #50: Set in the 1940s)

The Reason

It was a buddy read and a reread, and I remember loving it before.

The Quotes

“Books are mirrors: you only see in them what you already have inside you.”

“Every book, every volume you see here, has a soul. The soul of the person who wrote it and of those who read it and lived and dreamed with it. Every time a book changes hands, every time someone runs his eyes down its pages, its spirit grows and strengthens.”

“People tend to complicate their own lives, as if living weren’t already complicated enough.”

“I could tell you it’s the heart, but what is really killing him is loneliness. Memories are worse than bullets.”

The Narrator(s)

Jonathan Davis. I have no complaints about the narrator. He was very good and I loved the listening experience. I do have a bone to pick about the production though! Throughout the whole book at certain points at the end of chapters, there were music playing that made it very difficult to hear the narration. At the end of the book in the credits, we learn that they were original music composed by the author. Which is great, the music sounds good! It just really made the narration difficult to hear, and I want to iterate that this is an issue with the sound engineering and not the music itself. The audiobook I listened to is produced by Penguin Audio.

My Thoughts

Okay, this book. It’s very meta, it’s very drama, it’s very thrilling, and I’m here for it! However, I have to admit that I find it a little melodramatic at times, and I find it really hard to relate to the characters. This is also a reread, and I remember loving it the first time and rating it 5 stars. This time I feel like I’m only going to give it 4 stars.

To be fair, it is a very good book, written very well with an incredible plot. I love how meta it is; the story within the story, the parallel lives of the characters. There’s a lot of excitement and thrill of trying to figure out the mystery and wanting to know what happens next, and although I didn’t like the characters, I found them very interesting. I also think the intricate plot was done masterfully and the way everything ties together was very satisfying.

It’s just, the characters and the drama feels very “reality-tv-ish”. They are childish and toxic and make a big deal out of everything, holding grudges and getting offended over every little thing instead of just talking things out, ffs. It makes for good tv, lots of drama, and let’s be honest, we hate the villains on reality tv but we also know they bring the most drama, which brings the viewers in!

The stakes in the book are much higher than in reality tv, and the atrocities that happen are a lot more serious, but it still feels like it could all have been prevented if they only talked to each other, find better solutions, and didn’t immediately go scorched earth on everything! They essentially brought it on themselves and blamed everyone else for their misfortunes.

I can appreciate the mastery of the author’s plotting and storytelling. And I can even appreciate the character-building because of how interesting and vibrant they are, but I can’t relate, so it’s 4 stars for me this time. Still a very good book, and well worth reading!

My Rating

⭐⭐⭐⭐/5 stars.

Have you read this book? Would you read this book? Did you like the book or do you think you would like it?

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Book Review | The Book Thief by Markus Zusak

Posted December 14, 2024 by Haze in Book Reviews / 2 Comments

The Book Thief by Markus Zusak

It is 1939. Nazi Germany. The country is holding its breath. Death has never been busier, and will be busier still.

By her brother’s graveside, Liesel’s life is changed when she picks up a single object, partially hidden in the snow. It is The Gravedigger’s Handbook, left behind there by accident, and it is her first act of book thievery. So begins a love affair with books and words, as Liesel, with the help of her accordian-playing foster father, learns to read. Soon she is stealing books from Nazi book-burnings, the mayor’s wife’s library, wherever there are books to be found.

But these are dangerous times. When Liesel’s foster family hides a Jew in their basement, Liesel’s world is both opened up, and closed down.

In superbly crafted writing that burns with intensity, award-winning author Markus Zusak has given us one of the most enduring stories of our time.

For the Reading Challenge(s):
2024 Bookish Books Reading Challenge

The Reason

It was my irl bookclub’s November BOTM, and also a buddy read.

The Quotes

“I have hated words and I have loved them, and I hope I have made them right.”

“Like most misery, it started with apparent happiness.”

“Imagine smiling after a slap in the face. Then think of doing it twenty-four hours a day.”

“The consequence of this is that I’m always finding humans at their best and worst. I see their ugly and their beauty, and I wonder how the same thing can be both.”

My Thoughts

This is a reread for me. The first time I read it was so long ago that I’d mostly forgotten every single detail about it. I rated it 4/5 stars at the time but left no review so I can’t refer to it for how I felt about the book. Now that I’ve read it again, I’m going to go with 3/5 stars.

It’s not that I don’t think this was a good book or that there weren’t some very poignant parts of the book, I think that I just don’t like the storytelling in many ways. Death is the narrator, but Liesel is the main character, and to be honest, I felt it was a little gimmick-y and unnecessary. It really didn’t add anything to the story, and in fact, I think it made me feel a little detached to the actual characters. It also rubs me the wrong way that Liesel actually wrote a (sort-of) biography, which is how Death knows the details of her life, and yet instead of us reading that biography written by her in her voice, we’re reading this whole thing from Death’s POV.

It’s also quite a depressing read, which is understandable considering the subject matter, but I was having so many intrusive thoughts while reading it and it was just a struggle. It’s probably worth reading, once, but I won’t want to ever read it again.

My Rating

⭐⭐⭐/5 stars.

Have you read this book? Would you read this book? Did you like the book or do you think you would like it?

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Book Review | Long Live Evil by Sarah Rees Brennan

Posted December 3, 2024 by Haze in Book Reviews / 2 Comments

Long Live Evil by Sarah Rees Brennan

A TALE FOR EVERYONE WHO’S EVER FALLEN FOR THE VILLAIN…

When her whole life collapsed, Rae still had books. Dying, she seizes a second chance at living: a magical bargain that lets her enter the world of her favourite fantasy series.

She wakes in a castle on the edge of a hellish chasm, in a kingdom on the brink of war. Home to dangerous monsters, scheming courtiers and her favourite fictional character: the Once and Forever Emperor. He’s impossibly alluring, as only fiction can be. And in this fantasy world, she discovers she’s not the heroine, but the villainess in the Emperor’s tale.

So be it. The wicked are better dressed, with better one-liners, even if they’re doomed to bad ends. She assembles the wildly disparate villains of the story under her evil leadership, plotting to change their fate. But as the body count rises and the Emperor’s fury increases, it seems Rae and her allies may not survive to see the final page.

This adult epic fantasy debut from Sarah Rees Brennan puts the reader in the villain’s shoes, for an adventure that is both ‘brilliant’ (Holly Black) and ‘supremely satisfying’ (Leigh Bardugo). Expect a rogue’s gallery of villains including an axe wielding maid, a shining knight with dark moods, a homicidal bodyguard, and a playboy spymaster with a golden heart and a filthy reputation.

For the Reading Challenge(s):
2024 Bookish Books Challenge

The Reason

I was enticed by this because it was a buddy read, but had no idea what it was about going in. I ended up loving it so I’m glad I read it!

The Quotes

“I love you as a knife loves a throat,” he murmured as the dead overwhelmed her. “I crawled out of hell to fall at your feet.”

“An anti-hero was just a villain with good PR.”

“In real life, people let you go. That was why people longed for the love from stories, love that felt more real than real love.”

“Consider this. A witch who curses you is just telling the future you don’t want to hear.”

“Only heroes cared about honour. Villains were allowed to be practical.”

My Thoughts

I abso-freaking-lutely love this book! I went in with no idea what it was going to be about and was so pleasantly surprised with how much I ended up loving it! It’s isekai, a term I just recently learned about, and it’s just so much fun!

Isekai, a fantasy subgenre featuring stories in which ordinary people are transported to a magical world.

I love the story, I love the characters, I love that it’s a found family story! It’s funny and irreverent, it makes fun of book tropes, and I love how relatable the villains are. I am completely invested, and now I’m just so upset that I need to wait so long for the next book to come out. This book was such a delightful read!

My Rating

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐/5 stars.

Have you read this book? Would you read this book? Did you like the book or do you think you would like it?

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Book Review | The Wishing Game by Meg Shaffer

Posted October 11, 2024 by Haze in Book Reviews / 1 Comment

The Wishing Game by Meg Shaffer

Make a wish. . . .

Lucy Hart knows better than anyone what it’s like to grow up without parents who loved her. In a childhood marked by neglect and loneliness, Lucy found her solace in books, namely the Clock Island series by Jack Masterson. Now a twenty-six-year-old teacher’s aide, she is able to share her love of reading with bright, young students, especially seven-year-old Christopher Lamb, who was left orphaned after the tragic death of his parents. Lucy would give anything to adopt Christopher, but even the idea of becoming a family seems like an impossible dream without proper funds and stability.

But be careful what you wish for. . . .

Just when Lucy is about to give up, Jack Masterson announces he’s finally written a new book. Even better, he’s holding a contest at his home on the real Clock Island, and Lucy is one of the four lucky contestants chosen to compete to win the one and only copy.

For Lucy, the chance of winning the most sought-after book in the world means everything to her and Christopher. But first she must contend with ruthless book collectors, wily opponents, and the distractingly handsome (and grumpy) Hugo Reese, the illustrator of the Clock Island books. Meanwhile, Jack “the Mastermind” Masterson is plotting the ultimate twist ending that could change all their lives forever.

. . . You might just get it.

For the Reading Challenge(s):
2024 Bookish Books Challenge
2024 Library Love Challenge

The Reason

It’s a bookish book and I heard this was a smart one with riddles and puzzles.

The Quotes

“Life can only be understood backwards, but it must be lived forwards.”

“Always be quiet when a heart is breaking.”

“They tell us taking care of children is the most important job you can do, and then they pay us like it’s the least important.”

“Always remember that the only wishes ever granted are the wishes of brave children who keep on wishing even when it seems no one is listening because someone always is.”

My Thoughts

This book was disappointing, but to be fair, it’s because I had such high expectations. I had heard that this was a smart book with lots of riddles and puzzles and solving things, and it does, but not in the way I expected where the reader has to do some of the work to solve the mystery. Most of the puzzles were solved on the page by the characters and they’re all quite straighforward and done quickly. Which is fine, but just not what I had in mind when people say it’s a smart book. Especially since it’s categorized as adult fiction.

This book reads more like a middle grade novel, and I think I would’ve tempered my expectations more appropriately if it was categorized as such, and I think it’s amazing as a middle grade novel. I don’t know if it was mis-categorized, but it seems too simple and basic for an adult mystery. I expected DaVinci Code levels of puzzles but got middle-grade level of book. I don’t even remember where I heard it from, so I can’t go back and see if maybe it’s my own fault for misunderstanding what was said!

Having said all that, it’s really not a bad book, and I think that I would’ve liked the book more if it wasn’t for the misrepresentation.

My Rating

⭐⭐⭐/5 stars.

Have you read this book? Would you read this book? Did you like the book or do you think you would like it?

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Book Review | The Library at Mount Char by Scott Hawkins

Posted September 27, 2024 by Haze in Book Reviews / 3 Comments

The Library at Mount Char by Scott Hawkins

A missing God.
A library with the secrets to the universe.
A woman too busy to notice her heart slipping away.

Carolyn’s not so different from the other people around her. She likes guacamole and cigarettes and steak. She knows how to use a phone. Clothes are a bit tricky, but everyone says nice things about her outfit with the Christmas sweater over the gold bicycle shorts. After all, she was a normal American herself once.  

That was a long time ago, of course. Before her parents died. Before she and the others were taken in by the man they called Father. In the years since then, Carolyn hasn’t had a chance to get out much. Instead, she and her adopted siblings have been raised according to Father’s ancient customs. They’ve studied the books in his Library and learned some of the secrets of his power. And sometimes, they’ve wondered if their cruel tutor might secretly be God.  Now, Father is missing—perhaps even dead—and the Library that holds his secrets stands unguarded. And with it, control over all of creation.

As Carolyn gathers the tools she needs for the battle to come, fierce competitors for this prize align against her, all of them with powers that far exceed her own. But Carolyn has accounted for this. And Carolyn has a plan. The only trouble is that in the war to make a new God, she’s forgotten to protect the things that make her human.

Populated by an unforgettable cast of characters and propelled by a plot that will shock you again and again, The Library at Mount Char is at once horrifying and hilarious, mind-blowingly alien and heartbreakingly human, sweepingly visionary and nail-bitingly thrilling—and signals the arrival of a major new voice in fantasy.

For the Reading Challenge(s):
2024 Bookish Books Challenge
2024 Audiobook Challenge

The Reason

I’ve heard so much about this book and I’ve been curious. Also, it’s a bookish book and I’m doing a bookish book challenge.

The Quotes

“Peace of mind is not the absence of conflict, but the ability to cope with it.”

“The only real escape from hell is to conquer it.”

“It’s the notion that the universe is structured in such a way that no matter how many mysteries you solve, there is always a deeper mystery behind it.”

“She knew every word that had ever been spoken, but she could think of nothing to say that might ease his grief.”

The Narrator(s)

Hillary Huber. She was great for the time that I listened on audio.

My Thoughts

It might not be fair to count this book in my audiobook challenge, to be honest. I only listened about 50% on audio on and off in the beginning, and ended up switching over to the print copy for good towards the end. There was nothing wrong with the narration, but it was because there were some made-up words for a lot of specific concepts in the book, some dialogue in different languages, as well as the purposely confusing plot. They made it difficult to follow on audio, so I switched over to print when it got really exciting.

I’m not sure how I feel about this book. I loved it all the way I was reading it, up until the ending. I loved the pace, the storytelling, the plot, the characters, but I really hate the message and I feel like it might have ruined the whole book for me. I’m quite conflicted. I talk about it in more detail in Notes & Discussion | The Library at Mount Char by Scott Hawkins at the end of the post. If you’ve already read the book, please feel free to head on over to the post and let me know what you think, otherwise, please be warned that it’s a spoiler-filled post!

For more discussion on the book – with SPOILERS – check out Notes & Discussion | The Library at Mount Char by Scott Hawkins. This post has SPOILERS and assumes you have already finished the book. It is password-protected to prevent accidental spoiling. Password is “SPOILME0004”. Proceed at your own risk.

My Rating

⭐⭐⭐⭐/5 stars. Giving credit where credit is due, it’s a really well-written book!

Have you read this book? Would you read this book? Did you like the book or do you think you would like it?

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Book Review | Murders and Metaphors (Magical Bookshop #3) by Amanda Flower

Posted August 29, 2024 by Haze in Book Reviews / 0 Comments

Murders and Metaphors (Magical Bookshop #3) by Amanda Flower

January means ice wine season in the Niagara Falls region, but the festivities leave Charming Books owner Violet Waverly cold, still reeling from a past heartbreak. Little do either Waverly women know, the ice wine festival will turn colder still when Violet finds Belinda in the middle of the frozen vineyard – with a grape harvest knife protruding from her chest.

Belinda grew up in Cascade Springs, but she left town years ago after a huge falling-out with her three sisters. One of those sisters, Violet’s high school friend Lacey Dupont, attends the book signing in the hope of making amends with her sister, but Belinda and Lacey end up disrupting the signing with a very public shouting match and Lacey quickly becomes the prime suspect in the sommelier’s murder.

Violet is sure Lacey is innocent, and to keep her friend out of prison, Violet asks for guidance from her magical bookshop. The shop’s ethereal essence points her to Louisa May Alcott’s Little Women, but what have the four March sisters to do with the four Perkins sisters? If she can’t figure it out, Violet, herself, may turn as cold as ice.

For the Reading Challenge(s):
2024 Bookish Books Reading Challenge
2024 Audiobook Challenge

The Reason

Third in a series. The first is Crime and Poetry, the second is Prose and Cons.

The Narrator(s)

Rachel Dulude. Still all good! I’m really enjoying her narration.

My Thoughts

I’m going to quit while I’m ahead. I really love the idea of this series; the magical elements, the bookshop and all the books, the smarter than average animals, the cozy mystery, the romantic tension… But I’m getting more and more annoyed with the MC, Violet Waverly, because she keeps doing (and saying) stupid things. I like the romantic tension but it feels a little forced this time. And the fact that all these murders are happening in a small town like this; we are running out of victims and suspects, and if it’s not the usual suspects, it’s going to be the new characters, which makes it too obvious.

Oh, I don’t know. I love the idea and all the elements of this series, I just wish they were put together better. Feeling a little sad about it, but I do think it’s smarter to quit while I’m ahead and still enjoying what I got out of the books.

My Rating

⭐⭐⭐/5 stars.

Have you read this book? Would you read this book? Did you like the book or do you think you would like it?

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