I can't tell if Yizhi is trying to be the next Peeta or the next Kitay...

Heavenly Tyrant is the much-anticipated sequel to Iron Widow, and it definitely excelled at making me unreasonably angry. This installment to the series is quite a bit longer than book one, which is helpful in clarifying some worldbuilding from book one and developing the plot in a more in-depth style, but it also took away the character dynamics I enjoyed so much in book one, which - when combined with a slower plot - meant I didn't enjoy it nearly as much as I did the first book.
Zetian is now the empress of Huaxia, but power comes with more than a crown...it requires a level of responsibility that she may not be equipped for. Revolution, political intrigue, and questions of when leadership stretches too far take the center stage in this book as Zetian must reluctantly work with Qin Zheng to ensure the stability of her nation while deciding what to do with the truth of its past. I enjoyed the social and political commentary of the novel (I picked out a few quotes below), but because the plot was so focused on political intrigue, I struggled to get through it at times. A lot of the sections felt less like scenes and more like montages of slow changes, which I guess is kind of the point, but it took away from my enjoyment of the story. I liked the ending and its implications, so I'm hoping this is a case of second-book syndrome and that the next book will bring back fast-pacing or more action to complement the political intrigue sections.
I think my biggest struggle was that Li Shimin and Yizhi weren't as involved with the plot as they were in the last book, and I didn't like Qin Zheng's dynamics with Zetian. Shimin is (understandably, if you've read book one) not present for most of the story, which is unfortunate because he's probably my favorite character. I had issues with Yizhi in the last book, but now his complexity intrigues me, and in the wake of Shimin's absence, he's a contender for favorite character. I really like Zetian as a protagonist; she's strong and stubborn, but not usually in a way that's annoying or too unrealistic. I enjoyed seeing her come to terms with the state of her country and what revolution actually means. I just hated Qin Zheng. That's probably intentional given how toxic he was, but I could not stand him, and since he's probably the most important character in this book besides Zetian, that was a lot of time I had to let my hate brew. Wan'er and Taiping were interesting additions to the cast, but they felt like they got cast aside in the second half, so I hope they make a return in book three.
Expanding the worldbuilding from book one and furthering Zetian's journey of feminine rage, Heavenly Tyrant promises an exciting conclusion to the Iron Widow trilogy.
3.5/5

"'If to exploit is an element of human nature...then this, to resist exploitation, is also human nature. No exploiter has ever lived in peace without their weapons, their soldiers, and their propaganda and lies. And I have enough faith in human self-interest to believe that those who do the true labor of society will rise for their own sake until there are no more exploiters to combat, however many eons it may take. Every oppressor, through their denial of humanity, sows the seed of their own destruction'"(207).

"Because that's how the old order kept us powerless - by turning any bonds we shared against us"(210).

"I've realized that the military's loyalty is the single most important factor to make or break the revolution ... The military was built to defend the interests of the rich and the powerful, after all"(217). 

The main trio reminds me a bit of Rin, Nezha, and Kitay from The Poppy War but somehow 10 times more chaotic...

Iron Widow is an action-packed YA novel that blends fantasy and sci-fi elements with a story of female rage. I've seen a lot of reviews complaining that it claims to champion feminism but depicts it instead as "overly violent" or stereotypical, but I thought it did well at picking out how deeply ingrained sexism can be in society. I also think it focused more on discussing gender roles as a whole than specifically feminism, especially with Zetian's inner monologue regarding the way gender is perceived. The criticisms regarding a lack of worldbuilding feel more warranted, and I agree that I don't think I fully understood the reasoning behind the war against the Hunduns (or what they were) or how the Chrysalises actually worked. That being said, I was more than willing to just be suspended in the vibes of the story, and I'm hoping that, given the ending of this book, we'll get a bit more worldbuilding/explanation in book 2.
After Zetian's sister is killed by a male pilot of one of the giant robots that defend the country, she swears revenge and manages to assassinate him, leaving her as an "Iron Widow" that needs to be controlled by another, more powerful pilot: Li Shimin. This book was very fast-paced, but a lot of this can be attributed to the skipping of training/development scenes. On one hand, I'm glad the plot wasn't bogged down too much by training scenes that kind of feel repetitive given the genre, but I also understand that the ending may feel a bit more unrealistic due to this. I also wish (as I said before) that there was just a little bit more attention given to worldbuilding beyond the gender roles of society. I found the commentary to be well-written and I liked the "female rage" vibes of the story. The ending plot twist was predictable in my opinion, but I've read enough books from the genre to anticipate it at this point. I am super excited for book two because I really enjoyed this one and probably could have read it in one sitting.
The cast of characters was super entertaining as well. Zetian is an incredibly strong protagonist and I enjoyed seeing her overcome her upbringing, her physical disability, and the men who think she's weak. I've seen reviews saying it's clear the author wants us to love her, and while I think that's true, I think her flaws are still visible and impact the story, though I'm interested in seeing her develop more in book two. I surprisingly really liked Shimin, though I didn't think I would at first. I think it's just the backstory, but I also liked how he interacted with Zetian and how they complemented each other's wrath. Yizhi took me a bit longer to get used to (and he's still not my favorite), but I think I just disregarded him after his initial appearance, and when he reappeared, I kind of just assumed he'd leave again. Now that I know his role in the story, I'm hoping I like him more in book two. I didn't really love any of the side characters, but I think many of the antagonists were appropriately hateable.
Iron Widow is a YA SFF novel brimming with female rage and action-packed battles, perfect for fans of The Poppy War and Of Jade and Dragons.

4.25/5 

I know full well that I, too, would hate that stupid formalist class and its sentiments...for the last time, literature doesn't exist in a void.

A Theory of Dreaming is the sequel to A Study in Drowning, and I think I might be in the minority that preferred it slightly more than the original. I think that the first book could act as a standalone if you had no intention of continuing the series, as many of the themes are the same and the second book doesn't do much to resolve issues from book one as much as it creates new issues to address. However, if you enjoyed book one and would like to see more of the characters, I would encourage you to check this one out too.
Effy and Preston knew that their discoveries regarding Myrddin and Angharad would be questioned during their return to the literature college, but they underestimated how aggressive hostilities would become. This book features Preston's POV (in third-person) in addition to Effy's, which helps to keep the plot moving...especially because it seems that there are two different main plots for each POV character. Effy is trying to adjust to the literary college and the drama surrounding her past; Preston becomes involved in his adviser's eccentric schemes and must also deal with the racist sentiments of his classmates. I think the pacing was a bit slower in some respects, but I think there was a higher level of tension than in the first book. Some of the creepy vibes have been replaced by more academic and historical aesthetics, so it is a bit of a tonal shift from book one. Also, the themes are relatively similar (female authorship, elitist academia, not believing survivors, etc) to the first book, but at least this time, the racism/nationalism was actually addressed - and in a way that felt relevant, too. I think the one twist was kind of predictable, and the end was underwhelming, but I think I just enjoyed the academia vibes mixed with the mild mysteries.
Again, the story primarily focuses on Effy and Preston. Rhia makes a return and gets a bit more page time, but she's mostly irrelevant to the plot. The same goes for Lotto (Preston's roommate, who serves a bit as a deus ex machina at times) and Maisie. Southey is just Draco Malfoy, and Gosse, while intriguing at times, was also kind of underwhelming in his arc. Effy definitely improved from book one, and her struggles with mental health and acceptance from her peers were realistic and relatable in many ways. Her conflicts were more mundane than Preston's, which made her POVs a bit slower, in my opinion. I also thought her arc was a bit odd, given the developments of the previous book. Preston's chapters were a bit more interesting because they dealt with the fantasy elements of the story. I liked his character and the struggles he faced, although I still feel like we know very little about his backstory. The romance mostly developed in book one, so the most we saw here was a mild miscommunication that didn't really affect the plot; it just led to a bit of a disconnect between the stories of the two characters.
A Theory of Dreaming is a worthwhile addition to the A Study in Drowning duology, and fans of the series will enjoy the extra time spent with Effy and Preston as they deal with the aftermath of the previous book in the form of elitist academia.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the free e-ARC!

4/5 

Pinto Dempsey, they could never make me hate you...but they're certainly trying.

I got the wonderful opportunity to beta-read Underground Royalty, so it feels extra rewarding to read the ARC of it now. This series has everything a younger me (and even a current me) looked for in a YA novel: found family, subtle and slow-burning romances, and insane plot twists. Book two also incorporated multiple POVs, which is one of my favorite styles to read books in.
Book two begins right where the first one left off: Yahshi and Vell have found the Underground while Pinto has been left alone at the Force. The story is told through four main POVs: Pinto, Vell, Saunti, and Evaris. The multi-POV structure was quite helpful for keeping the tension high throughout the story, and it kept the pace moving along pretty well. There are some sections in the middle that I found dragged at times, but I also just finished reading the beta version of it not too long ago, so that could be the reason I struggled with suspense in some sections. That being said, the last 20% or so is rapidfire and so, so twisty. I literally could not put the book down for the ending, and I'm already stressed out for book three. The reason I rated it a bit lower than book one is that it felt a bit slower to me due to some worldbuilding sections, and I think it might have a bit of second-book syndrome, but overall, I still really enjoyed it and I can't wait for the next one.
The multi-POVs also helped to demonstrate how complex and realistic all of these characters are. I found Saunti and Vell's chapters to be a bit slower than Evaris and Pinto's, but that makes sense given the extra worldbuilding that had to take place within the Underground - and they were still extra tense. Saunti acts as Yahshi's foil in many ways, which I found super intriguing given we didn't get a Yahshi POV in this book. His sense of humor is fun, and I think he was a strong addition to the main cast. Vell's POVs also serve to develop Yahshi and the relationship between the two of them, and I liked seeing the world through her eyes, too. Evaris was interesting because she was briefly introduced in book one, but she shines in this story with her moral complexity and her balance to Pinto's chapters. Pinto was probably my favorite character in the first book, and his arc in this book is incredibly well done. His character is very well-written, and his internal conflict was one of my favorite parts of this book. Keiyo also stood out to me, though I don't quite know why (I do...it's called sadness + jokes ).
Fans of Nightshade Academy will not be disappointed by Underground Royalty's addition to the series, as it promises plenty of tension, intrigue, and complexity.
Thanks to the publisher for the free e-ARC (and for letting me beta-read)!

4.25/5 

Y'know what? As much as I disliked Effy at first, she had some surprisingly strong character development.

A Study in Drowning is a NA fantasy novel that has heavy dark academia aesthetics. I've seen some people call it YA, but it does contain a very small intimate scene, so I'm classifying it as New Adult instead. The worldbuilding was fairly interesting; I liked the depiction of the Fae Folk myths and the idea of "Drownings" that felt like a mix of biblical imagery (great flood) and current events (sea levels rising).
When Effy is given the opportunity to redesign the house of her favorite author, she leaps at the chance to prove her merit since she isn't allowed to enroll in the literature college. The only issue? Her rival student, Preston Héloury, is also investigating Emrys Myrddin's house...but he wants to prove that Myrddin was a fraud. The first half of the book was pretty slow, in my opinion. It might have been the business of the end of the semester, but I just didn't get engrossed in the story until the second half. I did enjoy the mystery aspect of it all; I know it's "dark academia" but I didn't expect it would actually be that dark. I managed to call the plot twist, but not until right before it happened...and it was mainly because I missed a certain detail in the beginning. I did enjoy the plot twist, though, and I thought the tension in the climax was well-written, although rather short-lived. Overall, I thought the mystery aspect of the plot was the strongest, and I think the section from about 50%-85% was the strongest.
I think the characters were also what initially prevented me from enjoying the story completely. I have really mixed feelings on Effy; on one hand, I found her annoying and hypocritical at the beginning, but I also think the struggles she faced were realistic and relatable to many, and she experienced a lot of character growth (I think, at least). My main issue is that she initially hates Preston only because of his nationality, and she never really apologizes for it. I think I'm leaning toward liking her as a character with her arc, but not necessarily as a person. I thought Preston was fun, if a bit flat. He didn't seem to experience much growth at all, and the only changes we really see with him involve the way Effy views him. Ianto was creepy...and they're like the only three characters, so there wasn't much of an escape from Effy at times.
A Study in Drowning is perfect for readers who love dark academia, fae folk mythology, and mysteries set in ominous mansions.

3.75/5 

Did I intentionally choose to read a sort of "overthrow the school/overthrow the government" as I finish up my semester? No...But I'm kind of glad that my hold came in at this time.

The Will of the Many is an epic SFF novel that's part dark academia, part revolution story. It reminded me of Babel if Babel was more sci-fi and focused on Roman structures/fighting instead of Orientalism and language. I put it on hold a few months ago because I was in the mood for something "revolution-y," and I think now that I've read it, I want more.
Vis has a secret: the Empire killed his family, and he wants revenge. After becoming embroiled in a plot to uncover a murder at the prestigious Academy, he assumes the role of an undercover spy and starts working his way up through the ranks of the school. The plot was a bit slow at times, with the main "academia" section not even starting until over 1/3 of the way through the book. I've seen some complaints saying that Vis was a bit too overpowered, and I agree that the stakes felt a bit low at times because Vis rarely seemed to struggle with anything. That being said, I did really enjoy the plot (for some reason, super competitive academia like this and Babel is my favorite kind) and the ending has me already searching Netgalley for book 2. The academia and revolution plots balanced pretty well; there was so much amazing commentary that I highlighted. The only things I didn't love were the pacing (like I said, it was kind of slow and dense) and the random romantic subplot. I kind of understand the point of it, but I didn't find it to be well-developed, and I didn't really enjoy it.
I was smart and found the dramatis personae at the end of the book before I started reading, which was immensely helpful while reading. A lot of the student side characters felt kind of vague and unimportant to me, including some that I probably should have known more about. As a protagonist, I really liked Vis because I tend to enjoy the perspectives of characters who are constantly hiding secrets. His narration style was also just generally enjoyable. I loved Callidus and Eidhin and their growing trio of friendship. They were probably my favorites overall, and I just really like their backstories and how their motivations complement Vis's. Aequa was another favorite of mine (she kind of reminded me of Aurelia from Mark of the Thief for some reason), and I'm hoping she gets more page-time in the future. I didn't really know most of the other Threes, but Emissa was pretty relevant, and I didn't like her at all. She felt manipulative to me and didn't have enough development for me to like her. I also have mixed feelings on Ulcisor (though I thought Lanistia was pretty cool). Overall, I just really like the characters, and I think they made the book even more fun to read.
Will of the Many is going to be living in my mind rent-free for the next few days, so if you're a fan of academia stories, revolution stories, or just super cool SFF concepts in general, it's definitely something to check out.

4.5/5 

Books that are built on references to other books are sometimes the coolest pieces of literature to read.

Frankenstein in Baghdad is one of those books where I think the concept is better than the execution, but this is also the last book I had to read for class this semester, which may have contributed to me not enjoying it as much. It's not a bad book by any means - I really enjoyed the themes and references - but I thought the storyline was a bit less enticing than some other books I read this semester.

The entire formatting of the book resembles the original Frankenstein in multiple ways. Not only does it replicate the framing narrative devices used in the original, but the inclusion of multiple POVs that are connected but still separate feels Frankensteinian in that it's the combination of many different lives and stories into one being. I knew going into it that there would be references, but the parallels were subtle in many places, and the novel contains a level of self-awareness as it even acknowledges the original Frankenstein as existing in this world.

I personally loved the themes of this book. There's tons of symbolism, and I found the discussion of justice (especially divine justice) to be particularly intriguing. Even though I didn't personally love the characters and found the storyline to be a bit slow, I liked the backdrop of post-American invasion Iraq, especially because it related to other readings from my history classes for this semester.

It's not a book I would reread necessarily for enjoyment, but I do think the themes were executed well, and it's a book that weighs heavily on the mind. Frankenstein in Baghdad is a deep read in general, and it's so fun to pick apart the references in it if you've read the original Frankenstein. 

Notes on a Foreign Country encapsulated what was essentially the point of my Modern Middle East and North Africa history class this semester: Americanism is more impactful than we ever give it credit for because most civilians never bother to look for it.

This book mixes memoir-esque narrative style with discussions of the impact of American foreign policy that rarely gets attention from the vast majority of civilians. We live in a state of ignorance, and it sometimes feels like we know less about our country than others around the world do.

I've seen some reviews criticize this book for being anti-American, claiming that it's trying to "virtue-signal" and "self-flagellate," and while I can see where those sentiments are coming from, I don't entirely agree with them. Hansen isn't trying to say that Turkey is a perfect nation with a glittering past corrupted by America; she's trying to change the American perception of Turkey as some third-world country that needs our intervention. The point of the book isn't necessarily to idolize other nations or to tear down America as some monster (although maybe it should be), but it encourages readers, especially American readers, to reflect on the legacy of foreign intervention, specifically in the Cold War years. It's a message meant to point out the patronizing views that America often takes in regards to foreign countries and how these views are often incorrect and stereotypical.

You don't have to take the book entirely word for word. You are allowed to criticize the points it makes, and you are allowed to pick and choose what you agree with. I think it's an important read for many Americans, especially those who haven't quite grasped the full effect of foreign policy on other countries. It's relatively friendly to those not familiar with the complete history of Turkey, and it's an easy read due to its narrative structure. Notes on a Foreign Country would be more aptly titled Notes on America from the Perspective of a Foreign Country, and I think its importance has only grow with recent shifts in global political climate.

My favorite part of this book was watching the author incorrectly predict the future not once, but twice.

To Make Men Free is essentially a summary of the history of the Republican Party, starting with Lincoln and ending with several chapters about Movement Conservatism. Heather Cox Richardson takes a critical approach to her exploration of the party's history, so readers who go into it expecting praise are sure to be disappointed.

I found the pacing to be quite slow at times, but that's to be expected in a 450-page book about a historical topic that I do not enjoy. And, because apparently I need to keep saying it, books like this aren't really easy to read for anyone who doesn't have a lot of knowledge about the topic ahead of time. Parts of history that don't fit the author's message tend to be skipped over, leaving gaps in the progression at times. I took APUSH in high school, but it's been five years or so, and I no longer have the presidential timeline memorized, so there were parts of this book where I felt a bit lost.

It's boring, yes, but I didn't think it was that bad of a summary. Of the books I read for my history classes this semester, I enjoyed it the least, but I think it contained a lot of helpful information that helped to contextualize the two other books I read (How Fascism Works and How Democracies Die).

If you're interested in the Republican Party and its progression from an anti-oligarchic party to a party that contains many right-wing extremists today, this book is probably something you should look into. 

Sometimes, a book has me annotating silly little jokes in the margins. Sometimes, a book has me writing entire sticky notes' worth of ranting.

Counterweight is an interesting sci-fi novella in that it tries to mimic an action movie (complete with the B Story aka Romance Subplot), classic SF novels with anti-corporate sentiments, detective/noir vibes, cyberpunk tropes, discussion of neocolonialism, and just odd aesthetics in general. The nature of a novella implies conciseness and a relatively smaller scope (they can be large in scope, but they typically aren't).

Counterweight felt like it bit off more than it could chew. The choice of protagonist was interesting, as Mac tries to resemble an action hero but ends up being an almost invisible narrator. None of the characters are particularly likable, which might be the point, but it detracts from the enjoyment of the book.

The pacing can also feel a bit sloppy at times. Every other chapter seems to do a deep dive into the backstory of the characters, meaning every time the plot begins progressing, it stops abruptly. The first 75% of the story was quite slow, in my opinion, but then the ending felt rushed. I think some of this stemmed from the author's attempt to fit an entire action film into less than 200 pages.

Because I read it for a class, I was trying to pay attention to the themes, which is where my sticky note rant came from. The story successfully called out certain themes, but these themes weren't really elaborated on or given any nuance. My rant came from one character dismissing his actions as an act of "true love" and implying that romance is what makes us human, which I completely disagree with. I know literature is subjective and no themes are "wrong," but this novella had several points that should have been addressed more in-depth, or should have been written with more nuance in mind.

By no means is Counterweight a bad story - and I honestly wonder how much my criticism comes from the translation - it's just very chaotic in a way that detracts from the reading experience.