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hi :D
when i say 'lately' i mean 'the last couple months' because i was too tired and disinterested in everythinggg to read at the beginning of the school year
beloved by toni morrison-
toni morrison has two incredible talents: summoning incredibly beautiful, visceral, descriptive language to paint an alluring and oftentimes painful scene, and creating a story that can absolutely destroy my heart. this is the second morrison book i've read and i WILL be reading more.
though beloved was deeply crushing, i could not recommend it more. it is a sad book, but not a hopeless book. it contains trauma, but it is not trauma porn. it contains content that could define it as fantasy, but it is nothing if not brutally real. beloved is composed of fragmented moments, some mundane, some devastating, some wonderful. i read it a couple months ago and it comes clearly to mind as faded photographs, with characters i feel close to, as i have witnessed their memories, hopes, and fears so vividly i could almost see the dust motes floating through the air.
the lord of the rings by j.r.r. tolkien-
i mean. what can i say about lotr that hasn't already been said? nothing in 70 years, so i will just gush about how much i loved it. tolkien is a master of descriptive writing, and we all know that he pretty much pioneered modern high fantasy. his vast imagination not only compelled me to read more high fantasy, but lent me insight into worldbuilding that is helping me build more cohesive cultures in my own fantasy novel. and got me into conlanging! vo dzenu fia*, tolkien!!
of course, the characters were ultimately my favourite thing about lotr. their relationships were heartwarming and heartwrenching. my favourite characters are sam, legolas, eowyn, and faramir, but there are so few characters i can say i don't like. it was also so funny, and now i can't stop telling my movie-watching loved ones that legolas is actually so unserious in the books, and indeed fell out of a tree in one scene.
neverwhere by neil gaiman-
words cannot articulate how much i DESPISE neil gaiman for the terrible things he's done. i love his books so much and i have read them all, but never let it be said that i support neil gaiman in any way. he was one of my all-time favourite authors and that makes my hatred for him so much worse, after his actions were revealed.
that being said, neverwhere changed me. i loved the characters dearly - marquis de carabas, i adore you. no spoilers, but the villain reveal gave me actual chills. a super interesting take on a villain with weird morals. the writing style continues to be one of my favourites and an inspiration to my own work. there is such a strong sense of longing, and magic, and dissatisfaction with one's life that permeates the text. it aligns so well with richard's arc. richard did not stand out to me as much as some other gaiman protagonists (cough cough shadow) but i still felt him on every page. also love how the whole book could be taken as a queer analogy.
assassin's apprentice by robin hobb-
i just finished assassin's apprentice, the first book in a 16-book series! i don't read a lot of high fantasy, but i am so excited to continue reading realm of the elderlings. fitz is a brilliant main character with a strong narrative voice. he is so likeable and complex, and the intimate writing style helps you feel like you are in his head the whole time. i really enjoyed all the characters (i need more of the fool!) and the worldbuilding, although i fear any story world falls a bit flat after reading lord of the rings.
the plot is one of the best features of this book. hobb weaved different plotlines, motivations, and dangling threads together so perfectly, that i left this book both satisfied and excited to see how unresolved plots would be tied up. i've heard it said that the first two books in the farseer trilogy are a bit slow, and i can see that for royal assassin (which i'm currently reading) but i felt engaged in assassin's apprentice the whole way through.
have you read any good books lately? tell me your thoughts and recommendations!! also, i'd love to make friends who have read realm of the elderlings. i have an irl friend who loves the books but i need more people to share in the emotional journey i am sure i will be going on
*'i love you' in my conlang thalakathim :)
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Heaven
I've read quite a few in my middle school years.
In sixth grade, the manga ver. of Maximum Ride had me in a chokehold.
Volume 10 coming in April 2025, my ass! But its supposed to be out by the 23rd of December.
The story is,
Max and her acquainted siblings; Nudge, Gassy, Angel (Gas and Angel are the only biological siblings in the group), Iggy, and Fang (who is a love interest) are mutants with wings that have ran away from the lab, to an isolated location, with the help of Jeb, the scientist and maker of them all (or so it seems). They were all made in a lab (or so it seems) and chosen to save the world, especially Max.
It gets kind of confusing because towards the end of the manga series, Max has moments where she falls asleep and wakes up to Jeb telling her that she needs to save the world and that everything will make sense soon--while Ari, whos actually Jebs biological son and a mutant-- is after her because he envies her (Jeb favors Max over Ari) and its like shes going through loop holes, and that her reality isnt actually real, but her neuropathways are being manipulated and her brainwaves are being experimented.
This is shown at some point towards the end.
I don't know how the novel is, but the manga definitely has plot holes or I just need to reread it again.
Nonetheless, I love the concept and potential. Its a nice book for middle schoolers to read.
In eighth grade, I started getting into novels and poems more.
I was already looking into Poe, but after listening to Annabel Lee, I was HOOKED.
I loved the audiobook so much. I even read the manga versions of his most popular writings.
My favorites are
The Cask of Amontillado, The Red Masque of Death, and Annabel Lee.
I liked The Raven and The Tell-Tale Heart too.
I read some others, but this is all I can remember--I read a lot of gothic horror literature like Cryptid TV.
I also got more into Roald Dahl; The Landlady, and another of his work intrigued me.
There is also a movie series of his writings on Netflix! I love the execution, its like those pop out books, or school plays where they move the background pieces as they perform.
I liked it.
The Obsession is a nice book. Thriller and has a strong female lead. I loveeeee how unreliable it is--at first, because we see it from Logans pov first.
Ill paste from the book, since I think it sums it up perfectly.
"Boy Meets Girl. Boy Stalks Girl. Girl Gets Revenge.
Logan thinks he and Delilah are meant to be.
Delilah doesn't know who Logan is.
Logan believes no one knows Delilah like him. He makes sure of it by learning everything he can by watching her through a hidden camera. Some might call him a stalker. Logan prefers to be called "romantic".
Delilah is keeping secrets though, deadly ones. There's so much more to her than meets the eye.
Logan is determined to make Delilah the heroine in his twisted fantasy and he'll do anything to get what he wants.
Delilah is done with the men in her life controlling her. If Logan won't let her go...she'll make him."
There is a prequel, and its the same idea, just gives context of whats mentioned throughout. I was pretty disappointed.
The Greenglass House
This book is a series and I read it at the most perfect time, during the winter by my desk with a tiny lamp on--the book is set in the middle of a winter storm.
"It’s wintertime at Greenglass House. The creaky smuggler’s inn is always quiet during this season, and twelve-year-old Milo, the innkeepers’ adopted son, plans to spend his holidays relaxing. But on the first icy night of vacation, out of nowhere, the guest bell rings. Then rings again. And again. Soon Milo’s home is bursting with odd, secretive guests, each one bearing a strange story that is somehow connected to the rambling old house. As objects go missing and tempers flare, Milo and Meddy, the cook’s daughter, must decipher clues and untangle the web of deepening mysteries to discover the truth about Greenglass House—and themselves."
I loved it and need to get my hands on the other books. This book inspired me to get into expanding my vocabulary--such whimsy words are told.
The Midnight Library
The first thought that comes to mind is always,
"This is a good book for people that have constant suicidal thoughts or suffer with depression."
It is inspirational, at least to me it was.
Its bitter, sweet, savory, and simple. I think we all just need an adventure and get out of our compacted lives.
Here is a summary:
Calling all people with regrets that withhold them from moving forward with their head up!
"Somewhere out beyond the edge of the universe there is a library that contains an infinite number of books, each one the story of another reality. One tells the story of your life as it is, along with another book for the other life you could have lived if you had made a different choice at any point in your life. While we all wonder how our lives might have been, what if you had the chance to go to the library and see for yourself? Would any of these other lives truly be better?"
ANDDDDDD LASTLY,
#Murdertrending
I picked this up in ninth grade, and although I did not finish it, I liked it and plan to reread it. The concept is yummy and the writing style is like watching a tv show, maybe like Black Mirror.
"Seventeen-year-old Dee Guerrera wakes up in a haze, lying on the ground of a dimly lit warehouse..."
Dee is accused of murdering her sister and shes set on finding out her murderer, but will she be able to if shes stuck on the isolated island, Alactraz, with a variety of actual murderers and criminals that harm each other throughout the night, and if theyre bold, daytime, being weary of the next challenge hosted by folklore obsessed sociopaths and narcissists, figure out missing parts with a past that she has yet to accept and discover, all while being isolated from outside communication?
I am currently reading Tender is the Flesh and Sherlock Holmes vol 1.
Hope this was useful, and Ill come back if I remember other stories.