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mitzee's reviews
339 reviews
The Frugal Wizard's Handbook For Surviving Medieval England by Brandon Sanderson
adventurous
funny
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
It was a fun Sanderson read. Very mysterious to start out. Actually a solid story but I am getting less and less impressed with the standard hetero romantic relationships - though I know that likely won’t change with this author. Would call it a quick read compared to his other stuff. Definitely leans more sci-fi than fantasy.
Summary for myself:
Jonny comes from a world that’s considered the future compared to where we are now since he has nanobots in his body helping to create armor and heal. Also there’s inter-dimensional travel so that’s another clue that it’s a future time. The whole story however takes place in an area and time that’s closer to medieval Scotland I think? Somewhere in the UK.
The whole story revolves around Jonny trying to figure out who he is after he lands in this medieval world (an alternate dimension from his own) and it slowly comes back to him. He’s tagging along with a man who is the lord of some village and their local priestess of sorts. She speaks to the gods in some way.
Along the way a few things are unraveled:
The medieval world is being invaded by Vikings
It’s revealed that there are more people here from an alternate dimension (and the future) and they are trying to take over this world or something. It’s not entirely clear but it is clear that they are bad/ criminals.
Jonny learns more about himself and who he was before: part cop but also having had some relationship with this criminal element. He used to be married but his girlfriend? Wife? died 6 months ago.
In the end, Jonny finally does the right thing. His dead wife was not dead but was hiding in this alternate dimension helping Jonny’s partner/best friend and also the guy she has been cheating on him with. He ends up winning, staying, locking the portal, getting visited by their gods.
Summary for myself:
The whole story revolves around Jonny trying to figure out who he is after he lands in this medieval world (an alternate dimension from his own) and it slowly comes back to him. He’s tagging along with a man who is the lord of some village and their local priestess of sorts. She speaks to the gods in some way.
Along the way a few things are unraveled:
The medieval world is being invaded by Vikings
It’s revealed that there are more people here from an alternate dimension (and the future) and they are trying to take over this world or something. It’s not entirely clear but it is clear that they are bad/ criminals.
Jonny learns more about himself and who he was before: part cop but also having had some relationship with this criminal element. He used to be married but his girlfriend? Wife? died 6 months ago.
In the end, Jonny finally does the right thing. His dead wife was not dead but was hiding in this alternate dimension helping Jonny’s partner/best friend and also the guy she has been cheating on him with. He ends up winning, staying, locking the portal, getting visited by their gods.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Gun violence, Infidelity, and Violence
Spice Road by Maiya Ibrahim
adventurous
emotional
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
It was fine. Some unsurprising story developments - the characters are standard archetypes. The setting was one that I appreciated as well as a magic system. Parts of it dragged a bit but I would say I equally liked it and was bored by it. It wasn’t hard to finish and I didn’t hate any part of it.
Summary of things for my own reference:
The young characters I feel have a lot of ego which is mostly what drives them to do what they do. Imani, the main character is 16 and is pretty confident she knows exactly how the world works. So does Taha, the villain and love interest, who I would guess is maybe like 18? They go on this epic adventure together and there’s a whole “will they, won’t they” vibe the whole time but in the end he’s a dummy who just takes orders, and his ego - plus parental trauma - is what drives his whole personality.
They cross a desert, escape a magical abandoned city, escape a magical enchanted sand storm, escape a non-magical prison, deal with white colonizers and then go sailing. A lot of adventures but like pretty tortured emotions the whooole time. Oh and also witnessing enslavement and genocide of their people by colonizers. Of course they also have a distrust of any “outsiders” too so like, everyone is just generally problematic is the message I guess.
Summary of things for my own reference:
The young characters I feel have a lot of ego which is mostly what drives them to do what they do. Imani, the main character is 16 and is pretty confident she knows exactly how the world works. So does Taha, the villain and love interest, who I would guess is maybe like 18? They go on this epic adventure together and there’s a whole “will they, won’t they” vibe the whole time but in the end he’s a dummy who just takes orders, and his ego - plus parental trauma - is what drives his whole personality.
They cross a desert, escape a magical abandoned city, escape a magical enchanted sand storm, escape a non-magical prison, deal with white colonizers and then go sailing. A lot of adventures but like pretty tortured emotions the whooole time. Oh and also witnessing enslavement and genocide of their people by colonizers. Of course they also have a distrust of any “outsiders” too so like, everyone is just generally problematic is the message I guess.
Yumi and the Nightmare Painter by Brandon Sanderson
funny
hopeful
mysterious
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
It’s all fine and good. The setting is unique and interesting but more and more I am realizing there will never be queer folks in this authors writing - no matter how alien and full of possibilities these stories are.
How is it that there can be so much imagination and yet cannot imagine a world where the love story is not between a man/boy and a woman/girl.
Anyway, here’s a summary for me so I don’t have to read it again:
Two characters from different worlds are forced into a relationship with each other by supernatural forces. They have to figure out why this is happening to him. The most interesting thing about it is the role that Yumi pays in her world of evoking spirits and binding them to physical things to help serve the people in her world.
How is it that there can be so much imagination and yet cannot imagine a world where the love story is not between a man/boy and a woman/girl.
Anyway, here’s a summary for me so I don’t have to read it again:
The Wicked and the Willing by Lianyu Tan
dark
emotional
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Rating this book is hard because its primary characters are all women and gender minorities, it’s great to see that representation in the romantasy (romance+fantasy) genre especially the spicy scenes. I guess it’s also horror, as the cover says.
On the other hand the levels of abuse are so shocking that I’m not even sure if this is the kind of representation we want.
I did like the surprise ending though. I suppose I would generally recommend this book with major caveats about the explicit sexual content and abuse.
Summary for my own records:
The relationship between Verity Edervane and Gean Choo goes from new lady’s maid to servant and sex toy. There are a lot of layers to their relationship from race and class , master and servant, and abuser and abused but in a love/hate relationship - or maybe just a confused abused person.
The relationship between Gean Choo and Po Lam is one that is a little easier to take but also feels so straight, it’s a little bit annoying because they have had such few interactions with each other it’s like “how could they like each other so much?” Maybe it’s a shred trauma thing.
Anyway, at the end you get to pick which ending you want. It can be nice or mysteriously awful.
On the other hand the levels of abuse are so shocking that I’m not even sure if this is the kind of representation we want.
I did like the surprise ending though. I suppose I would generally recommend this book with major caveats about the explicit sexual content and abuse.
Summary for my own records:
The relationship between Gean Choo and Po Lam is one that is a little easier to take but also feels so straight, it’s a little bit annoying because they have had such few interactions with each other it’s like “how could they like each other so much?” Maybe it’s a shred trauma thing.
Anyway, at the end you get to pick which ending you want. It can be nice or mysteriously awful.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual assault, Sexual content, and Violence
Moderate: Child abuse, Death, Suicide, and Murder
Minor: Child death and Gun violence
The type of sexual assault is by a woman to another woman if that makes a different for you
Sofi and the Bone Song by Adrienne Tooley
hopeful
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
A little predictable in some ways but overall I enjoyed the story and character development. Definitely feels like it was written for younger audience.
Sophi is raised to basically take over her dad’s job - musician in some royal guild - a very honored position. On the day that they are auditioning for his apprentice (she still had to audition like everyone else) some random girl that Sophi has a crush on shows up and is completely unprepared, like she didn’t even know she was supposed to bring an instrument. Her dad freaked out and didn’t want to lend her his instrument for the audition but he finally relented and she was amazing. Sophie was watching all this happen while hidden.
So his lute or whatever is OBVIOUSLY ENCHANTED because magic is more or less forbidden by all musicians and witches are like hunted in this kingdom.
Anyway her dad kills himself before he has to teach this kid as his apprentice-because the apprentice gets selected by committee, not by the teacher. And The fucking coward dies without giving her any insights about any of this.
But she’s smart - duh, of course- so she comes up with a plan to hopefully destroy this other girl she has a crush on because she thinks the girl is a witch. Eventually they fall in love because of course. Sophi learns that SHE is a witch and the instrument is enchanted and there some revenge shit that goes on with the guy who had blackmailed her dad. Everything ends well - obviously.
The parts about Sofi’s dad and his “training” definitely felt like an allegory for religious parents who find out their kids a queer and try to “train” it out of them with strict rules that cause them to internalize shame and guilt and make it hard for them to have personal relationships.
There was also a lot that was predictable like, obviously the lute was enchanted and obviously Sofi is a witch, and got it from her dead mother. But the rest of it was fun to see revealed along the way.
Sophi is raised to basically take over her dad’s job - musician in some royal guild - a very honored position. On the day that they are auditioning for his apprentice (she still had to audition like everyone else) some random girl that Sophi has a crush on shows up and is completely unprepared, like she didn’t even know she was supposed to bring an instrument. Her dad freaked out and didn’t want to lend her his instrument for the audition but he finally relented and she was amazing. Sophie was watching all this happen while hidden.
So his lute or whatever is OBVIOUSLY ENCHANTED because magic is more or less forbidden by all musicians and witches are like hunted in this kingdom.
Anyway her dad kills himself before he has to teach this kid as his apprentice-because the apprentice gets selected by committee, not by the teacher. And The fucking coward dies without giving her any insights about any of this.
But she’s smart - duh, of course- so she comes up with a plan to hopefully destroy this other girl she has a crush on because she thinks the girl is a witch. Eventually they fall in love because of course. Sophi learns that SHE is a witch and the instrument is enchanted and there some revenge shit that goes on with the guy who had blackmailed her dad. Everything ends well - obviously.
The parts about Sofi’s dad and his “training” definitely felt like an allegory for religious parents who find out their kids a queer and try to “train” it out of them with strict rules that cause them to internalize shame and guilt and make it hard for them to have personal relationships.
There was also a lot that was predictable like, obviously the lute was enchanted and obviously Sofi is a witch, and got it from her dead mother. But the rest of it was fun to see revealed along the way.
The Deep by Rivers Solomon
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
Reading the afterward was helpful for me to better understand why this story is as short as it is and why it feels a bit like a fragment. It still does not feel like a full book but I get it now.
The story itself: I had a hard time following some of it because it was hard to piece together the lore/mythos. Not everything is fully explained and I guess the fact that it’s not meant to be a full book on its own but a retelling and reinterpretation of a heard story might be why.
The story is about humans who have become something like mermaids. The idea came from the fact that pregnant women who were being trafficked by the slave trade, were thrown into the sea. It’s possible that they gave birth in the oceans and it’s possible that after generations those babies began to physically adapt.
There are aspects of this species that exist but were not fully explained, they had a hive mind in some ways - shared memories, and referring to oneself as “we” not “I”. They had historians who kept the history, but I don’t understand how that could be differentiated given everyone has the same memories. They seem to be collectively hurt or injured if one of them leaves the school (I’ll call it a school, like fish). They apparently have not lost their ability to breathe above water, it’s just harder for them to do it. Their fins don’t turn into legs above land. They don’t have male vs female bodies, but they have gender and it’s self determined (men, women, both, neither)
There doesn’t seem to be a lot of content about what life is like for them below the surface. The parts of the book I mostly remember is when Yetu, the primary character, decides to go to the surface, on land, and meets a fisherwoman named Ouri. They seem to have a connection, unsure if it’s romantic but I will assume it’s a sapphic relationship.
At then end of the book the wyjenru (spelling is based on what I heard) end up attacking the land dwellers (or Two Legs as they are called in the book) but Ouri survives and Yetu finally finds her. She turns Ouri into something new: a human that can breathe water but never grows fins.
The story itself: I had a hard time following some of it because it was hard to piece together the lore/mythos. Not everything is fully explained and I guess the fact that it’s not meant to be a full book on its own but a retelling and reinterpretation of a heard story might be why.
There are aspects of this species that exist but were not fully explained, they had a hive mind in some ways - shared memories, and referring to oneself as “we” not “I”. They had historians who kept the history, but I don’t understand how that could be differentiated given everyone has the same memories. They seem to be collectively hurt or injured if one of them leaves the school (I’ll call it a school, like fish). They apparently have not lost their ability to breathe above water, it’s just harder for them to do it. Their fins don’t turn into legs above land. They don’t have male vs female bodies, but they have gender and it’s self determined (men, women, both, neither)
There doesn’t seem to be a lot of content about what life is like for them below the surface. The parts of the book I mostly remember is when Yetu, the primary character, decides to go to the surface, on land, and meets a fisherwoman named Ouri. They seem to have a connection, unsure if it’s romantic but I will assume it’s a sapphic relationship.
At then end of the book the wyjenru (spelling is based on what I heard) end up attacking the land dwellers (or Two Legs as they are called in the book) but Ouri survives and Yetu finally finds her. She turns Ouri into something new: a human that can breathe water but never grows fins.
On Palestine by Ilan Pappé, Noam Chomsky
I found what he said about universities to be so profound, as if at one point in time universities were a place to learn and share ideas - not just to get a degree so you could get a well paying job.
What he’s saying about sustaining the BDS movement is really true also. It takes continuous messaging and sometimes, patience which is hard to come by when you see people suffering every day.
informative
sad
fast-paced
4.0
Very informative and in easy to understand language. Given this is my first book on the subject of Palestine and the ongoing siege on Gaza, I felt I learned a lot. There’s so little I know, as a citizen of the U.S. about what has happened in this region and most of it has been shaped by what’s been reported within the country.
It’s good to hear from someone outside of the US (Pappe) however I must do need to read more about it and from different perspectives.
One quote really stood out to me, and not specifically on the topic of Palestine:
It’s good to hear from someone outside of the US (Pappe) however I must do need to read more about it and from different perspectives.
One quote really stood out to me, and not specifically on the topic of Palestine:
As a teacher, wouldn’t it be more useful teaching in Israel than abroad? Could you be the teacher you are in the UK in Israel?
Ilan Pappé:
I don’t think I want to be a teacher in a university anyway. Universities are not the best place to teach people about the realities of life or can change their point of view. Universities are sites for careers now, not for knowledge and education.
I’m teaching in Israel as well, in my own way, through my articles, through the tiny amount of public speaking I am allowed to do. I would like to continue this. I feel like what I am doing in Britain is working on the pressure from the outside, less than education. You cannot sustain a BDS (boycott, divest, sanction) campaign without explaining to people why it is necessary. To give them the tools and the background the understand it, to legitimize it.
I found what he said about universities to be so profound, as if at one point in time universities were a place to learn and share ideas - not just to get a degree so you could get a well paying job.
What he’s saying about sustaining the BDS movement is really true also. It takes continuous messaging and sometimes, patience which is hard to come by when you see people suffering every day.
We Have Always Been Here: A Queer Muslim Memoir by Samra Habib
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
medium-paced
4.75
While short/brief I enjoyed this memoir for its heart and emotion. Thinking about my own journey some of the things Habib wrote really moved me, like “leave young people better than you found them” - and this is in reflection of relationships/dating.
I also found their realization that they were using relationships with cis men as a mask to continue to avoid being real with oneself to be profound but also a sneaky way of exploring one’s identity.
Would recommend this book as a little intro into the world of queer Muslim stories because it’s so short and sweet. I’m sure there’s so many more perspectives to explore.
I also found their realization that they were using relationships with cis men as a mask to continue to avoid being real with oneself to be profound but also a sneaky way of exploring one’s identity.
Would recommend this book as a little intro into the world of queer Muslim stories because it’s so short and sweet. I’m sure there’s so many more perspectives to explore.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Racism and Violence
Minor: Child abuse and Sexual assault
Wildblood by Lauren Blackwood
adventurous
dark
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Likes: jungle setting, blood magic, female protagonist, mild love story
Dislikes: some aspects of the story felt very half-hearted. While the story was fine, some of the plot lines didn’t feel fully fleshed out. Wish the author has spent more time taking about Wildblood powers to give an understanding of what’s possible, who has them and who doesn’t, etc. Personally I was more interested in the magic aspect than the interaction with the antagonist.
Summary for my own reference:
There are songs sung in the audiobook and I had to skip past all of that. It just had some irksome effects on me at 1.75x speed.
The story is about Victoria who is a wildblood and she works for a jungle tour company from what I gather - it’s not explicitly said. But when a group of tourists hire them to go on a tour of the deep jungle, this is a problem, for some reason. It isn’t very clearly explained why tour guides and wildbloods need to be paired but I assume it’s for safety - but then they still don’t go into dangerous areas like the deep jungle, so what’s the safety for? Maybe against other people? It’s not clear in the story.
She seems to be an ensalved person working for this tour company. At the end of the book it’s clear that the point of the story is she is fighting for her freedom but the payoff isn’t there because it was never made clear what she has to suffer to get there. It’s slowly revealed over the course of the book that she was raped by her boss/enslaver - the person who runs the tour company - while her ex boyfriend turned enemy, Dean, (also an abused and enslaved wildblood) stood by and watched. That in itself is a good enough reason to celebrate at the end when The Boss gets his face smashed (like, to death) in by Dean, and Dean is hanging onto life by a thread. I guess put in those words it seems like the freedom should be enough but it would have been helpful to hear more about what life was like prior to going on the jungle tour - since most of the book they are out in the jungle and there are other threats more pressing than lack of freedom.
Dislikes: some aspects of the story felt very half-hearted. While the story was fine, some of the plot lines didn’t feel fully fleshed out. Wish the author has spent more time taking about Wildblood powers to give an understanding of what’s possible, who has them and who doesn’t, etc. Personally I was more interested in the magic aspect than the interaction with the antagonist.
Summary for my own reference:
There are songs sung in the audiobook and I had to skip past all of that. It just had some irksome effects on me at 1.75x speed.
The story is about Victoria who is a wildblood and she works for a jungle tour company from what I gather - it’s not explicitly said. But when a group of tourists hire them to go on a tour of the deep jungle, this is a problem, for some reason. It isn’t very clearly explained why tour guides and wildbloods need to be paired but I assume it’s for safety - but then they still don’t go into dangerous areas like the deep jungle, so what’s the safety for? Maybe against other people? It’s not clear in the story.
She seems to be an ensalved person working for this tour company. At the end of the book it’s clear that the point of the story is she is fighting for her freedom but the payoff isn’t there because it was never made clear what she has to suffer to get there. It’s slowly revealed over the course of the book that she was raped by her boss/enslaver - the person who runs the tour company - while her ex boyfriend turned enemy, Dean, (also an abused and enslaved wildblood) stood by and watched. That in itself is a good enough reason to celebrate at the end when The Boss gets his face smashed (like, to death) in by Dean, and Dean is hanging onto life by a thread. I guess put in those words it seems like the freedom should be enough but it would have been helpful to hear more about what life was like prior to going on the jungle tour - since most of the book they are out in the jungle and there are other threats more pressing than lack of freedom.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death and Death
Moderate: Child abuse, Gun violence, Physical abuse, and Rape
The Inheritance Games by Jennifer Lynn Barnes
adventurous
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
A fun, simple, puzzle game. It feels like a bit of a murder mystery but not; there’s no murder, there is a mystery to be solved. Someone dies and the main character is driven to figure out why this person left her his billions of dollars instead of the family (daughters and grandsons) he left behind.
There’s a love triangle between Avery and two of the brothers, Jameson and Grayson. Its history repeating itself with a death of a girl named Emily in their past. This part of the story felt pointless? Like it was introduced to add to the drama but I guess it was being used as a red herring. A choice by the author but ultimately a dead end and in the end it felt like an inconsequential loose end. Overall I enjoyed the journey, it’s fun to fantasize about inheriting a lot of money. I also enjoyed the puzzles and mystery aspect.
There’s a love triangle between Avery and two of the brothers, Jameson and Grayson. Its history repeating itself with a death of a girl named Emily in their past. This part of the story felt pointless? Like it was introduced to add to the drama but I guess it was being used as a red herring. A choice by the author but ultimately a dead end and in the end it felt like an inconsequential loose end. Overall I enjoyed the journey, it’s fun to fantasize about inheriting a lot of money. I also enjoyed the puzzles and mystery aspect.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death and Domestic abuse
Minor: Gun violence