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ishouldreadthat
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I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. This review is spoiler-free.
Laura Purcell is one of my favourite authors! Her Gothic fiction is the absolute perfect thing to curl up with on a cold wintery night. This is exactly what I did when I read her latest book, The Shape of Darkness, in one sitting.
Set in 1850's Bath, this book switches between two perspectives -- an ageing silhouette artist and a child medium. As Agnes begins to realise that a murderer is targeting her customers after they sit for her, she seeks out Pearl, a young girl with a gift, to figure out who the murderer is before her livelihood is destroyed. The setting for this book is absolute perfection. Bath is such a gorgeous city with its Gothic architecture, but also has it's own shadowy side. The soot-stained buildings cast long shadows, making it the perfect place for a good Gothic mystery.
Agnes and Pearl are fascinating characters, though nearly complete opposites. Agnes, a woman in her 50s, is trying desperately to hold her remaining loved ones close after tragedy robbed her of her sister. Pearl is struggling to contain her gift as her ability to communicate across the veil grows stronger and stronger. They compliment each other perfectly with their differences and similarities, and I found both of their perspectives incredibly compelling.
The mystery of the killer and why they are seemingly targeting Agnes is great, but what I really loved about this book is the fact that it really digs into everyday tragedy and how it impacts a person, regardless of age. The Shape of Darkness is a totally compulsive read that will delight Purcell's fans, as well as readers of historical fiction, Gothic fiction, and horror. I highly recommend it!
CW: Medical gore, abuse
4.5 out of 5 stars
I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. This review is spoiler-free.
Laura Purcell is one of my favourite authors! Her Gothic fiction is the absolute perfect thing to curl up with on a cold wintery night. This is exactly what I did when I read her latest book, The Shape of Darkness, in one sitting.
Set in 1850's Bath, this book switches between two perspectives -- an ageing silhouette artist and a child medium. As Agnes begins to realise that a murderer is targeting her customers after they sit for her, she seeks out Pearl, a young girl with a gift, to figure out who the murderer is before her livelihood is destroyed. The setting for this book is absolute perfection. Bath is such a gorgeous city with its Gothic architecture, but also has it's own shadowy side. The soot-stained buildings cast long shadows, making it the perfect place for a good Gothic mystery.
Agnes and Pearl are fascinating characters, though nearly complete opposites. Agnes, a woman in her 50s, is trying desperately to hold her remaining loved ones close after tragedy robbed her of her sister. Pearl is struggling to contain her gift as her ability to communicate across the veil grows stronger and stronger. They compliment each other perfectly with their differences and similarities, and I found both of their perspectives incredibly compelling.
The mystery of the killer and why they are seemingly targeting Agnes is great, but what I really loved about this book is the fact that it really digs into everyday tragedy and how it impacts a person, regardless of age. The Shape of Darkness is a totally compulsive read that will delight Purcell's fans, as well as readers of historical fiction, Gothic fiction, and horror. I highly recommend it!
CW: Medical gore, abuse
4.5 out of 5 stars
Check out more bookish thoughts and videos on my YouTube channel
I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This review is spoiler-free.
You all are probably aware that Adrian Tchaikovsky is one of my absolute favourite science fiction authors. I've only encountered one of his sci-fi novellas, Walking to Aldebaran, and absolutely loved it. So when I found out that he was coming out with a new one, I had to get my hands on it. One Day All This Will Be Yours is a darkly funny book that tackles the ethics of time travel and how far you'll go to stop humanity from breaking the world (again).
First of all, can I say how incredibly funny and clever this book is? Much like Walking to Aldebaran, One Day All This Will Be Yours is filled with dark humour, sharp dialogue, and clever twists and turns that make it totally unputdownable. Tchaikovsky infuses our extremely grumpy main character with such a fantastic voice and you can't help but root for him (despite how awful he often is). These novellas with Solaris have been fabulous so far, and I really want to go back and read the rest of them!
I absolutely loved the concept of this book. A grumpy misanthropic veteran of a war that broke time creating a paradise for himself while stopping other time travellers from fucking up time again? Yes please. Time travel books usually make my head ache, but this one worked the concept of time travel and how we'd inevitably misuse it so incredibly well. The story has so many layers that I still find myself thinking about long after finishing the book. Plus. there's a dinosaur named Miffly in it. What's not to like?
I don't want to say too much about this book for fear of spoiling the experience, but trust me when I say that sci-fi fans don't want to miss out on this one. Tchaikovsky is one of the best sci-fi writers out there right now, and One Day All This Will Be Yours is proof.
4.5 out of 5 stars
I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This review is spoiler-free.
You all are probably aware that Adrian Tchaikovsky is one of my absolute favourite science fiction authors. I've only encountered one of his sci-fi novellas, Walking to Aldebaran, and absolutely loved it. So when I found out that he was coming out with a new one, I had to get my hands on it. One Day All This Will Be Yours is a darkly funny book that tackles the ethics of time travel and how far you'll go to stop humanity from breaking the world (again).
First of all, can I say how incredibly funny and clever this book is? Much like Walking to Aldebaran, One Day All This Will Be Yours is filled with dark humour, sharp dialogue, and clever twists and turns that make it totally unputdownable. Tchaikovsky infuses our extremely grumpy main character with such a fantastic voice and you can't help but root for him (despite how awful he often is). These novellas with Solaris have been fabulous so far, and I really want to go back and read the rest of them!
I absolutely loved the concept of this book. A grumpy misanthropic veteran of a war that broke time creating a paradise for himself while stopping other time travellers from fucking up time again? Yes please. Time travel books usually make my head ache, but this one worked the concept of time travel and how we'd inevitably misuse it so incredibly well. The story has so many layers that I still find myself thinking about long after finishing the book. Plus. there's a dinosaur named Miffly in it. What's not to like?
I don't want to say too much about this book for fear of spoiling the experience, but trust me when I say that sci-fi fans don't want to miss out on this one. Tchaikovsky is one of the best sci-fi writers out there right now, and One Day All This Will Be Yours is proof.
4.5 out of 5 stars
Check out more bookish thoughts and videos on my YouTube channel
I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This review is spoiler-free.
Winter's Orbit was one of my most highly anticipated books of this year. A science fiction romance featuring some of my favourite romance tropes? Yes please. I ended up absolutely devouring this book and totally fell in love with the world and the characters.
The developing relationship and romance between Kiem and Jainan is absolutely the main aspect and appeal of Winter's Orbit. The first half of the book is a little light on plot because it really focuses on these two characters, establishing them as individuals and as two strangers thrown in to an arranged marriage. I really loved the dynamic established between them, with Kiem as the kindhearted disaster and Jainan as the stiff and formal man with a haunting past. Watching them grow and learn to love each other was so incredibly rewarding and I cheered them on from page one.
The second half of the book kicks the plot into gear, and I really enjoyed following the threads of the mystery that Maxwell laid out. The plot was simple enough to allow the romance and characters to shine, but also layered enough to keep the story interesting. I am always here for political intrigue in my science fiction, and Winter's Orbit was a really fun and compulsive read.
You're going to want to pick up Winter's Orbit if you love the following tropes as much as I do:
-Opposites attract - disaster main character falls for a serious love interest.
-There's only one bed.
-You must get out of those wet clothes, you'll freeze.
-An arranged marriage...but the fate of the empire rests on its success.
-Slow burn romance.
This book feels like a standalone, however I'd absolutely love to read more set in this world. I'm eager to see what Maxwell writes next!
CW: Domestic abuse, PTSD
4.5 out of 5 stars
I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This review is spoiler-free.
Winter's Orbit was one of my most highly anticipated books of this year. A science fiction romance featuring some of my favourite romance tropes? Yes please. I ended up absolutely devouring this book and totally fell in love with the world and the characters.
The developing relationship and romance between Kiem and Jainan is absolutely the main aspect and appeal of Winter's Orbit. The first half of the book is a little light on plot because it really focuses on these two characters, establishing them as individuals and as two strangers thrown in to an arranged marriage. I really loved the dynamic established between them, with Kiem as the kindhearted disaster and Jainan as the stiff and formal man with a haunting past. Watching them grow and learn to love each other was so incredibly rewarding and I cheered them on from page one.
The second half of the book kicks the plot into gear, and I really enjoyed following the threads of the mystery that Maxwell laid out. The plot was simple enough to allow the romance and characters to shine, but also layered enough to keep the story interesting. I am always here for political intrigue in my science fiction, and Winter's Orbit was a really fun and compulsive read.
You're going to want to pick up Winter's Orbit if you love the following tropes as much as I do:
-Opposites attract - disaster main character falls for a serious love interest.
-There's only one bed.
-You must get out of those wet clothes, you'll freeze.
-An arranged marriage...but the fate of the empire rests on its success.
-Slow burn romance.
This book feels like a standalone, however I'd absolutely love to read more set in this world. I'm eager to see what Maxwell writes next!
CW: Domestic abuse, PTSD
4.5 out of 5 stars
Nightmare Magazine, Issue 80
John Joseph Adams, Nibedita Sen, Mimi Mondal, Micah Dean Hicks, Philip Fracassi, Lisa Morton
Read for the 2020 Hugos. The format of this extremely short story makes it stand out from the others in the category. I really loved the way that a story unfolded from only ten short excerpts and h ow the author managed to cram so many incredibly important themes -- such as colonialism, diaspora, 'othering' of cultures, and feminism -- into four pages.
Uncanny Magazine Issue 26: January/February 2019
Marissa Lingen, Fran Wilde, Linda D. Addison, Hal Y. Zhang, Caroline M. Yoachim, Elsa Sjunneson-Henry, Ellen Kushner, Delilah S. Dawson, Senaa Ahmad, Cassandra Khaw, Alec Nevala-Lee, Natalia Theodoridou, Michael Damian Thomas, Jennifer Crow, Lynne M. Thomas, Inda Lauryn, Sonya Taaffe, Keidra Chaney
Read for the 2020 Hugos. I don't think this one quite clicked with me in the way the other stories did. A lovely and fantastical tale, but didn't hit me in the expected way.
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This is a totally gorgeous illustrated set of short stories set before, during, and after the Folk of the Air series. Was this necessary? Absolutely not. Will fans of the series be thrilled with it? Totally.
A little slow to get started, but damn this book packs a punch. Featuring all the humour, pace, and mad science you’d expect from Weir, but he’s managed to perfect his art.
Would highly recommend the audiobook.
Would highly recommend the audiobook.
