Wool by Hugh Howey
Bingo square: Dwelling At some point in the future, humanity has been doomed and the last remnants of it live below ground in the silo. 144 floors, ranging from up top, through the mids, to the down deep. No one goes outside. And if you ask, you get your wish but can never come back. It’s a death sentence, as the outside is toxic. The small view the inhabitants of the silo can see through a view screen becomes corroded over time, and those who […]
Yellowface by R. F. Kuang
I don’t love reading books that have all the buzz. The ones on all of the must read most anticipated best of lists. That get picked for all of the book clubs. I’m not inherently opposed to popularity. If anything, I find myself too swayed by all of the opinions. I’m overcritical or underwhelmed usually. It helps if I let some time pass, so it doesn’t feel so in my face. Library hold lists make this easier. My hold for Yellowface came in and I […]
King of Immortal Tithe by Ben Alderson
Listen: it’s fundamentally really tricky to pull off a romance when the premise for their connection is that this is the ONLY person who can physically touch you and not die. Our basics here are fairly simple: our ingenue protagonist is abducted in a kind of marriage trade to a fae prince whose touch drains people’s life force, causing instant death. Except it doesn’t work on our hero. Possibly because he’s already dying. And that creates an instant connection. But that premise only goes so far, right? […]
Other Worlds: Peasants, Pilgrims, Spirits, Saints by Teffi
cbr15bingo strange worlds If, one fine morning in Old Mother Russia, you are out for a ramble through the countryside, and you happen upon a beautiful but sad young woman sitting in a steam looking piteously in your direction, do not attempt to render her aid. The tears are a device to lure you to her, the reason she is sitting in the stream is because her bottom half is a fish, and it will not go well for you at all. Water spirits are […]
Happy Place by Emily Henry
4.5 stars CBR15 Bingo: Adulthood 15-word review: Harriet and Wyn broke up months ago, but can’t tell their friends. Sexual tension follows. Official book description: Harriet and Wyn have been the perfect couple since they met in college—they go together like salt and pepper, honey and tea, lobster and rolls. Except, now—for reasons they’re still not discussing—they don’t. They broke up five months ago. And still haven’t told their best friends. Which is how they find themselves sharing a bedroom at the Maine cottage that […]
Treasured by Poppy Woods
Listen: if you want to bang the dragon that sorta kinda grave-robbed your mother, go for it. Have fun! Dragons are sexy! But if you want to decide that the dragon that sorta kinda grave-robbed your mother is now the LOVE of your LIFE, you probably need to have a little more going for your relationship than that she’s: 1) hot And 2) here. Don’t get me wrong: the sex is good. Aside from a somewhat creepy start to the first sex scene, the sex […]
