2.5 stars
Oh, dear. This was the most twee book I've ever read. I was hoping this would be a fun cozy romance with some fantasy like the blurb suggested but it was more like eating a cake and finding out it's mostly whipping cream and no cake. The book tries its best to come off as warm and wholesome with the whole cottagecore vibe, which I respect and enjoyed but there isn't much substance to it. The plot is straightforward and predictable which could be excusable if the characters had any depth. I didn't really care for any of them. The three children about whom everyone is supposed to be head over heels for are forgettable and not at all distinguishable except that one of them is slightly more murderous. The entire thing feels shallow and a cheaper version of The House in the Cerulean Sea. I really was excited to read this book, and I'm disappointed my first read for spooky season turned out to be a dud. 

 Reading a Locked Tomb book is the equivalent of trying to understand an intricate chess game, while Muir gaslights you by saying there was no chess game, it was a football match all along. -31/07/21

I am sobbing like an idiot, this book was everything I wanted.
Nona the Ninth was a very different book from the previous two books in the series, it's a slow burn, and instead of the typical action necromancy setting, we have a more civilian/domestic approach to the story. That does not make it any less of a story, rather it makes it all the more tender and fragile. I still find Harrow to be my favorite installment yet, but Nona features my favorite character in the series yet, Nona! Yes, I know Gideon is almost everyone's favorite, but after finishing this book, I found myself deeply attached to Nona. Not to mention Camilla and Palamedes, for whom I would die a thousand fiery deaths. Move over Griddlehark, these two are now my fav necro-cav pair (i'm sorry okay).

On the whole, I did find that Nona was a lot less confusing than the last two books, probably because Harrow gave us so much information and backstory about John, and the Lyctors and Blood of Eden. Like most of the Locked Tomb books, Nona does have a rather slow start before all hell starts to break loose. I for one loved the slow domestic parts, it gave us a glimpse of the people affected by the war, it also gave us a lot more nuance to Blood of Eden, where things aren't as straight as Commander Wake would want us to think. It also had the vibes of a bridge book, unlike Harrow, Nona is obviously a middle book that builds up the climax for Alecto.

There's a lot of biblical imagery, it's literal Bible fanfiction. It was fun to see what led to the Nine Houses and Blood of Eden, as well as the fact that John's villain origin story was basically just capitalism which, fair enough.

The cast for Nona is also probably my favorite so far. Nona, Camilla, Palamedes, and Pyrrah are an adorable family and while I loved them as much as Nona did, the secondary cast of characters including Noodle the dog, Hot Sauce, Honesty, and the Angel were all delightful characters that I had a lot of fun reading about. Another thing about this book is how unapologetically and unassumingly queer it is. Muir took the gender binary and smashed it with a two-hander

where IS Gideon's two-hander though?? It's mentioned at the end that Gideon is carrying a rapier, so is it back with John? or is it the sword with Alecto?

. The majority of the characters are genderqueer and it is expressed without any big fanfare, which is something that makes it feel rather normal. And also something that SHOULD be normal about the book about swapping souls and bodies.

I won't mention any big spoilers here, but I think if I hadn't reread, highlighted, and annotated the shit out of Gideon and Harrow I probably would have been a lot more lost about what was going on.

Definitely lived up to the hype, Nona the Ninth is a book about love and the transient and fleeting moments between the people you care about that end up becoming the most important thing in the world. It is a tender and heartwrenching/warming story featuring my favorite protagonist yet. Yes, Ianthe is as terrible as ever, yes, you will have to wait a bit for Griddlehark, and yes, Noodle the dog gets loads of pats.
I am so excited for all hell to break loose in Alecto the Ninth; bring it on apocalypse barbie!

 5 stars
If it isn't obvious yet, I have a special spot in my heart (and bookshelf) for Murderbot. I'd been putting off this novel for a while because there hasn't been much new news about the final 3 books and I didn't want to go through Murderbot withdrawal. So I just ended up rereading the first four books again and finally decided to pick this up.

While this was different from the usual novella style, I liked that it seemed like a high-budget movie when compared to the novellas with higher stakes and a more complicated plot. Obviously, Dr Mensah is my fav character along with Murderbot and so her parts were a delight to read. I also loved that we got to spend some time on Mensah's home planet and see the domestic side of the Preservation Alliance.

I'd missed ART a lot and it was nice to meet it again. It was still a huge asshole so that was a whole thing. I did love the development between ART and Murderbot as well as Mensah and Murderbot. Excited to read about their further adventures and just being chaotic in general. 

Why do I submit myself to the torture of contemporary het romance novels?? I should have learnt from reading the past 5 such books that they are ALL THE SAME. I guess it's kind of my fault because I thought this wasn't just a rom com but a satire with dark comedy of the likes of Kristen Bell's The Woman in The House Across the Street From the Girl in the Window. I loved how crazy and dumb that show was, and how it played on the tropes of thriller serial killer novels. But this book was just a typical rom com with a bland male love interest, with a perfect body and personality. The true crime stuff was just randomly thrown in because the mc is doing her Ph.D. in that and is struggling with her dissertation. Predictable from start till finish, remind me to stop giving these books more chances please! 

 SO GOOD! This was such a breath of fresh air. The narration was brilliant and the dark humor was just perfect. I loved the timey wimey plot and how ridiculous everything was. The characters were pretty unapologetically assholes so that was a delight. This was definitely This is How You Lose the Time War but more readable and less poetic(I loved that book and it's very different narrative-wise, but for those who didn't enjoy Time War, this one is for you). Oh and this is definitely not romantic (i loved that tbh). The entire vibe of this book was very Murderbot and Kaiju Preservation Society, with the snarky humor and limited focus on world-building/setting. The ending was sort of open but it kinda worked with the kind of story it was. I'm really surprised this didn't get nominated for a Hugo/Nebula/Locus when there were so many lamer books shortlisted...Tchaikovsky is definitely an author to watch out for, I'm hoping to find some of his stand-alone works. 

 5 stars

Easiest 5 stars I've given to an epic fantasy that's the second book in a trilogy. Tasha Suri raises the bar of what a middle book should be and I am all for it. The plot was fast-paced, there was soo much happening, and not a single moment where I was bored or put off by the pacing. The romance was top-notch (all three couples were amazingly devastating). Fans of The Song of Achilles, this one is for you! The prose was beautiful and the scenes between Malini and Priya had me on my knees sobbing. The yearning and oaths of fealty were just SO TOUCHING I can't! I am completely blown away by this book, the 3rd book would have to be an absolute showstopping, fantastic banger to be able to top this, my expectations are exceedingly high. I don't understand the reviewers that were trashing The Oleander Sword for lack of romance, or lack of plot, or too much politicking - like hello??? Did we read the same book? Just because they aren't making out and hooking up in every other chapter, does not mean the romance sucks. It just means you have shit standards, sorry not sorry. Shut up and look at this gorgeous bit of writing:

If that isn't the most romantic thing you've read then IDK what you want. The prose is Song of Achilles level good and I am not fucking around folks.

The plot is also extremely compelling. There is the war Malini is fighting, the stuff Bhumika is struggling with in Ahiranya and Aditya, and his destiny. There is this impending feeling of doom and disaster throughout the entirety of this book. I feel like that's part of the reason why this part is so much tighter plot-wise than book 1. The plot feels like a held breath, just waiting for the other shoe to drop because the foreshadowing is so wonderfully handled that you KNOW something is about to go horribly wrong and all you can do is watch the characters hurtle towards their fate. It might also be, due to the constant theme of Fate and the role it plays in the characters' lives. Ironically we have characters like Rao and Aditya who are ready to follow their fate, and then we have Malini who is trying desperately to wrench her character's autonomy out of the author's cold dead hands. There is this dramatic/structural irony which is why I compared it to Song of Achilles, and that lends a sort of helplessly tragic motif to the novel.

The characterization is beautifully done. While The Jasmine Throne was more Priya's book and focused on her journey to become an Elder, The Oleander Sword focuses more on Malini and the price she is willing to pay for overthrowing her brother and finally attaining her much sought-after power. As well as Bhumika and her struggle with trying to balance the rebels, the rising threat of the yaksa, and the consequences of motherhood. Bhumika really popped off in this book. She was easily my favorite character in book 1 and I was so glad to have more of her in book 2. I was also glad to see my Bhumika-Jeevan ship develop, I love them both so much. The tenderness was off the charts. I am really excited to see where Suri takes Bhumika and Padma's characters in the final installment.

We also got a lot more of Rao and can I just say, it's just Rao pinning after another guy after Prem.

  Suri please give my boy a break. First, he lost prem, now Aditya. Rao has been through A LOT.

A blockbuster of a sequel. Suri ramps up the stakes in the follow-up to her sapphic desi series opener. This is what second books are supposed to be. Honestly one of my favorite releases of the year. It will be difficult to top this one. The yearning is strong and the payoff is even more strong. Definitely rivals Song of Achilles in terms of romance and writing, and excels in terms of plot and characterization. Can't wait to see what else Suri has in store for us. 

 Liked this volume a lot more than Preludes and Nocturnes. Though, I wasn't a big fan of the Corinthian's storyline, it sort of felt all over the place with the vortex stuff 

 God this was SUCH a dumb book. Honestly, at times reading it felt like I was submitting myself to a 500-page-long insult to my intelligence. Yes, I know this was supposed to be a fun, fan fictiony romp with slow burn and yearning but for the love of God, Montressor! This book contains some of the most ridiculous passages ever. Like, I am honestly shocked it was okayed by any sane editor. Consider this for example:

It was a ubiquitous bread down in the city, one that everyone ate. But Evemer hadn’t expected “everyone” to include the prince. Princes were not normal people, so they oughtn’t eat the same foods that normal people did.

HUHHH???? What does that even mean?? 😭😭😭 What do you THINK princes eat Evemer? balls of gold??

And this wasn't even the weirdest part. Evemer "blames" the prince for the death of his soldier friends. Because they died trying to protect the prince. The job they are hired to do. Am I the only one confused??? There wasn't even any enemies-to-lovers thing. Don't let the tags fool you. It was literally only Evemer hating on the prince before he even met him. Dumb as fuck. Similarly, while the romance was slow burn it felt as if there was only physical attraction between the two. I couldn't understand why they liked each other. I didn't even mind the tropey romantic scenes that came straight off AO3. I can do cliche if it's done well, otherwise, it's just mind-numbing. Oh. And there was that whole drama about Eevemer's daddy kink, and him having a concerningly extreme amount of devotion towards Kadou after Kadou saved his life. Like VERY extreme. Think willing-to-cut-my-arm-off-for-you intense, and that is from an actual scene from the book. Fellas is it romantic to be blindly devoted to a man (royal rich man, yes notice the power dynamic) so much that you are ready to sacrifice anyone including yourself at a moment's notice without any reason, but just because it's your dUtY and mY lOrD dEmAnDs iT. idk yall but it felt kindaaaa 🚩🚩🚩🚩.
“I wouldn’t have minded dying for him. Part of me is disappointed that I didn’t. I would have felt it an honor.” Yall need therapy. Just saying...

The ONLY redeemable thing about this book was its depiction of anxiety, eating disorders, and panic attacks. It was perfectly spot on, made me fucking cry. The author definitely did their research about that or they have first-hand experience so that was pretty great. It's the only reason I couldn't exactly decide on 2.5 or 3 stars.

The plot was absolute dogshit. No other way to put it. The abysmally weak and dumb villains made me want to smash my head against a wall. Some reviewer commented on how the economics and politics part of the plot was delightful to read. Did we read the same book?? Have they read The Traitor Baru Cormorant?? There was zero, none, filch political intrigue in A Taste of Gold and Iron. Also, the fantasy aspect was lame af. There was terrible world-building, no explanation or depth to the touch-tasting metal powers. The fantasy element was more of a part of the setting than the plot.

Nothing more than a pretty cover and a chonky size, A Taste of Gold and Iron had been one of my most anticipated queer releases of the year and I am beyond disappointed over how it turned out. 

 2.5 stars
The Book Eaters was one of my most anticipated novels of the year. With that premise and that title, I was sure this book would be perfect for me. But with lousy pacing, mediocre writing, and boring characters, The Book Eaters grossly fails to meet the mark. Dual timelines are something only the most experienced or craftiest authors can manage. In the hands of a lesser author, the switching between timelines ends up slogging down the pace. The plot is pretty straightforward and there aren't many big twists. The characters acted predictably so there was no sense of urgency or thrill in the story. I'm so sad I wasn't able to like this book. 

 2.5 stars

I was so hyped to read The Traitor Baru Cormorant, have heard so many great things about the series but I am so disappointed that I was immensely let down. The first 1/3 of the book was amazing. I was hooked on the political maneuvering and the way Baru wielded her power as an accountant to bring down the empire. Bear in mind that I am not someone who easily understands or enjoys political intrigue. But I was able to follow along and even predict the best move. But then the 2nd third of the book happened and everything came crashing down. The plot moves sluggishly slow and it was infuriating to read long chapters where nothing much happened. or even if it did, I was completely detached from it.

I was looking forward to the sapphic rep, because it's been labeled one of the best books with lesbian rep. While Tain Hu and Baru's interactions held fire and chemistry in the first third of the book, they eventually fizzled out. IDK if it's because I read C. L.Pol's essay on the butch martyr, but it was painfully obvious that Tain Hu was the loyal sacrificial paladin. I could not understand her unwavering loyalty to Baru and her willingness to ride into battle on Baru's word. It didn't seem like infatuation, it felt like blind devotion. Gone were the discussions and arguments on how best to carry out a rebellion. Tain Hu just follows every word and is ready to lay her life down. All this did for me was that Tain Hu was a one-dimensional character, and I stopped shipping her with Baru because she just looked too simple for super smart scheming Baru.

I'm pretty sure everyone saw the main plot twist coming from a mile away, but the very last twist could have caught many unawares as it was a major WTF moment. I had accidentally read spoilers about that scene so I sadly knew what would happen. I still don't know how to feel about it though. (spoilers for Gideon the Ninth)

  It does send me back to Gideon the Ninth but Gideon was not a blind devotee. It was an actually well-written enemies to friends to maybe something more. But just as I was put off Gideon's death, I am put off Tain Hu's death as well. I have zero patience for a bury-your-gays trope, it's fucking 2022 people. While Gideon's death was handled in a satisfying manner in Harrow, which meant I took back my feelings at the end of Gideon, I don't think the same twist can be played with Tain Hu :(

Yes, this book is just pain on top of pain on top of pain.

While I appreciated Traitor for its dialogue on colonialism and empire, and the things it takes from a person looking to bring change, I was let down by the slow pacing of the novel as well as the one dimensional supporting cast. Baru's character development was much better but with such a bland set of characters making up the rest of the story, there wasn't much that could be done.