abbie_'s Reviews (1.79k)

I’d definitely enjoy this one more if I read it in print, a disjointed, polyvocal story not much suited for audio read by one narrator

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for my free digital ARC!

I messed up and read this book 2 months ago and forgot to review it, BUT the lingering vibes I have are that it reminded me of Lote by Shola von Reinhold which is obviously a very high compliment! An unusual structure, writing queer people back into history, a blend of fact and fiction and achingly sad at times. Would reread!

This book is like a literary menagerie of natural curiosities, MacDonald muses about habitat change, the habits of birds, human encounters with animals. Mushrooms, hedgerow, starlings, deer, falcons, goats, all manner of creatures and flora abound in these pages. It’s a calm sort of book (except for the essays focused on climate change and habitat loss of course), little urgency to it, a collection of recollections tinged with both melancholy and hope. I occasionally found myself bored, my mind wandering, but other times I’d be enraptured. It certainly made me want to go through life paying more attention to the nature that surrounds us. 

Lighthearted, sapphic baking fluff with a healthy dose of smut. I found myself wanting more baking material, and whenever I read romance my logical brain can’t help poking holes in stuff… like how Sully and Kiskeya were being filmed for the baking show, and yet were always either not speaking or looking at each other with eyes full of lust - surely the producers of a family friendly festive baking show would not be best pleased with either?! 😂  But it was a fun read!