Tag Archives: to read

The Monday Check-In ~ 3/21/2022

Posted in The Monday Check-In by
cooltext1850356879

My Monday tradition, including a look back and a look ahead — what I read last week, what new books came my way, and what books are keeping me busy right now. Plus a smattering of other stuff too.

Life.

Another busy work week, but we’ve also squeezed in some fun, including two different dinners out for my husband’s upcoming birthday (first a “date night” dinner for the two of us at a favorite restaurant, then a family dinner for six with yummy food).

What did I read during the last week?

The Marriage Game by Sara Desai: I finished this audiobook at the end of last week. My 1.5 star rating is generous! My review is here.

Scorpica by G. R. Macallister: An impressive start to a new fantasy series. My review is here.

Outlander!!

Week #3! The 3rd episode aired last night, but since we were out for a while, I didn’t get to watch yet. Overall, this season is good! But I’m struggling a bit in terms of the storylines, because nothing pleasant happens in the 6th book, and the show is being very faithful to the big events.

I love the characters as much as ever, but these episodes can be really hard to watch.

Pop culture & TV:

Bridgerton! With season 2 coming later this week (yay!), I thought a re-watch of season 1 would be a perfect binge for this week. I’m loving it all over again!

Puzzle of the Week:

I finished this one mid-week — it was more challenging than I expected!

Fresh Catch:

Exciting new books! Although I’ll probably hold off a bit before starting any of them, considering how overloaded with ARCs I appear to be right now.

What will I be reading during the coming week?

Currently in my hands:

Reputation by Lex Croucher: I’m almost done! I had my doubts early on, but this close to the end, I’m eager to see how the plot wraps up.

Next up will be The Younger Wife by Sally Hepworth. A real change of pace, but I do always enjoy this author’s books.

Now playing via audiobook:

The Art of Hearing Heartbeats by Jan-Philipp Sendker: My book group’s pick for March — I started last week, and have about an hour left to listen to.

Ongoing reads:

Over at Outlander Book Club, we’ve started our group read of BEES, reading and discussing two chapters per week. If anyone wants to join us, just ask me how! All are welcome.

Aaaaaand…. I joined the Classics Club Spin for the very first time, and here’s what my spin turned out to be. I’m happy with the way the spin turned out! This is Georgette Heyer’s first novel, and while I’ve read several of her other books, this one will be new to me. Plus, it’s available via the Serial Reader app, so I’ll be reading it in 33 daily installments starting this week, which means I’ll be finished before the April 30th target date.

So many books, so little time…

boy1

Shelf Control #311: Bless Me, Ultima by Rudolfo Anaya

Posted in Shelf Control by
Shelves final

Welcome to Shelf Control — an original feature created and hosted by Bookshelf Fantasies.

Shelf Control is a weekly celebration of the unread books on our shelves. Pick a book you own but haven’t read, write a post about it (suggestions: include what it’s about, why you want to read it, and when you got it), and link up! For more info on what Shelf Control is all about, check out my introductory post, here.

Want to join in? Shelf Control posts go up every Wednesday. See the guidelines at the bottom of the post, and jump on board!

Title: Bless Me, Ultima
Author: Rudolfo Anaya
Published: 1972
Length: 297 pages

What it’s about (synopsis via Goodreads):

Stories filled with wonder and the haunting beauty of his culture have helped make Rudolfo Anaya the father of Chicano literature in English, and his tales fairly shimmer with the lyric richness of his prose. Acclaimed in both Spanish and English, Anaya is perhaps best loved for his classic bestseller …

Antonio Marez is six years old when Ultima enters his life. She is a curandera, one who heals with herbs and magic. ‘We cannot let her live her last days in loneliness,’ says Antonio’s mother. ‘It is not the way of our people,’ agrees his father. And so Ultima comes to live with Antonio’s family in New Mexico. Soon Tony will journey to the threshold of manhood. Always, Ultima watches over him. She graces him with the courage to face childhood bigotry, diabolical possession, the moral collapse of his brother, and too many violent deaths. Under her wise guidance, Tony will probe the family ties that bind him, and he will find in himself the magical secrets of the pagan past—a mythic legacy equally as palpable as the Catholicism of Latin America in which he has been schooled. At each turn in his life there is Ultima who will nurture the birth of his soul. 

How and when I got it:

I bought a used paperback edition a few years ago.

Why I want to read it:

I was aware of this book for many years — yet another modern classic that somehow passed me by back in my high school and college years. Bless Me, Ultima came back to my attention in 2018 when PBS presented its The Great American Read program.

Bless Me, Ultima came in at #91 on the Great American Read list of top 100 books. (You can see the rest of the list here.) After the list came out, I set myself a very loose challenge to read more of the books on the list, with five titles as my short-term goal. Bless Me, Ultima was one of my five, but sadly, I still haven’t gotten to it.

While I wasn’t particularly familiar with the plot, I knew that this book has won awards, been targeted for censorship, and is often considered a must-read when it comes to diverse coming of age stories. For all these reasons, I’m interested in learning more about it and would like to read it… and just need to break away from my focus on new and recently published books to make time for it.

Have you read Bless Me, Ultima? If so, do you recommend it?

Please share your thoughts!

A. Perveen
Literary Potpourri


__________________________________

Want to participate in Shelf Control? Here’s how:

  • Write a blog post about a book that you own that you haven’t read yet.
  • Add your link in the comments or link back from your own post, so I can add you to the participant list.
  • Check out other posts, and…

Have fun!

The Monday Check-In ~ 3/14/2022

Posted in The Monday Check-In by
cooltext1850356879

My Monday tradition, including a look back and a look ahead — what I read last week, what new books came my way, and what books are keeping me busy right now. Plus a smattering of other stuff too.

Life.

It’s been a quieter week. Don’t get me wrong — work is still crazy busy. But, the weekend weather was nice, and I found time to get out for good walks and read in the sun. What could be better?

What did I read during the last week?

Tiamat’s Wrath (Expanse, #8) by James S. A. Corey: After finishing the 7th Expanse book, I had no choice but to continue straight ahead with #8. These books are just excellent! Since I didn’t write a review for #7 last week when I finished reading it, here are the links to reviews for both books:

Last week, I finished reading The Ladies of Missalonghi by Colleen McCullough, and finally got around to writing a review. You can see it here.

And yesterday, I finished listening to the audiobook of The Marriage Game by Sara Desai. Review to come… but here’s a sneak peek: I was basically hate-listening by the time I go to the end. Ugggggh.

Outlander!!

Week #2! I’m already sad that this is going to be a shorter than usual season (only 8 episodes) due to COVID-related filming challenges… but I will say that so far, it’s terrific, despite my trepidations about this season’s plotlines. (Knowing approximately which book plots will be included this season fills me with dread — the books are excellent, but Very Bad Things happen).

I haven’t actually had a chance to watch episode 2 yet, but plan to do so tonight!

Pop culture & TV:

In an utterly silly development, my son and I realized that we can now access the reboot of iCarly, now that we’re signed up for Paramount+! We loved this when he was little, and it’s so much fun to go back to the show’s goofiness, even if it is a little weird to see the characters all grown up.

In other TV watching updates, I think it’s about time for me to do a re-watch of Bridgerton season 1. After all, season 2 drops in less than two weeks!

Puzzle of the Week:

A work in progress:

I’m actually farther along now, so close to being done! But it came down to finishing or going to sleep before midnight, and for once, I made the responsible adult choice.

Fresh Catch:

I picked up the graphic novel I had on hold at the library… only to discover that I was wrong about it being a graphic novel. It’s a YA novel… with, like, pages full of words! I’m sure it’s fine, but it’s not what I thought it would be, and I don’t think I care enough to read it. Sigh.

What will I be reading during the coming week?

Currently in my hands:

Scorpica by G. R. Macallister: Scorpica is author Greer Macallister’s first foray into fantasy writing, and it’s holding my interest so far. I mean, what’s not to like about a matriarchal society ruled by queens and protected by women warriors? I’ve only read about 25% so far, and I’m eager to see where the story goes.

Now playing via audiobook:

The Art of Hearing Heartbeats by Jan-Philipp Sendker: My book group’s pick for March — I’m planning to start this audiobook today.

Ongoing reads:

Over at Outlander Book Club, we’ve started our group read of BEES, reading and discussing two chapters per week. If anyone wants to join us, just ask me how! All are welcome.

So many books, so little time…

boy1

Shelf Control #310: Early Riser by Jasper Fforde

Posted in Shelf Control by
Shelves final

Welcome to Shelf Control — an original feature created and hosted by Bookshelf Fantasies.

Shelf Control is a weekly celebration of the unread books on our shelves. Pick a book you own but haven’t read, write a post about it (suggestions: include what it’s about, why you want to read it, and when you got it), and link up! For more info on what Shelf Control is all about, check out my introductory post, here.

Want to join in? Shelf Control posts go up every Wednesday. See the guidelines at the bottom of the post, and jump on board!

Title: Early Riser
Author: Jasper Fforde
Published: 2018
Length: 402 pages

What it’s about (synopsis via Goodreads):

Every Winter, the human population hibernates.

During those bitterly cold four months, the nation is a snow-draped landscape of desolate loneliness, and devoid of human activity.

Well, not quite.

Your name is Charlie Worthing and it’s your first season with the Winter Consuls, the committed but mildly unhinged group of misfits who are responsible for ensuring the hibernatory safe passage of the sleeping masses.

You are investigating an outbreak of viral dreams which you dismiss as nonsense; nothing more than a quirky artefact borne of the sleeping mind.

When the dreams start to kill people, it’s unsettling.

When you get the dreams too, it’s weird.

When they start to come true, you begin to doubt your sanity.

But teasing truth from Winter is never easy: You have to avoid the Villains and their penchant for murder, kidnapping and stamp collecting, ensure you aren’t eaten by Nightwalkers whose thirst for human flesh can only be satisfied by comfort food, and sidestep the increasingly less-than-mythical WinterVolk.

But so long as you remember to wrap up warmly, you’ll be fine.

How and when I got it:

According to my Kindle records, I added this book to my collection in 2019.

Why I want to read it:

I’ve only read one book by Jasper Fforde up to now: The Eyre Affair, which was weird and funny and quirky, a totally fun reading experience. I’ve always meant to read more! Somehow, I haven’t ever gotten around to continuing that series (Thursday Next), but when I first read about Early Riser back when it was released, I thought it sounded like a book for me.

I often like my science fiction books with a heaping dose of humor, and Early Riser sounds like it has plenty of silliness mixed in with a clever plot. How could this not be fun?

What do you think? Would you read this book?

Please share your thoughts!

Literary Potpourri
Reviews Feed


__________________________________

Want to participate in Shelf Control? Here’s how:

  • Write a blog post about a book that you own that you haven’t read yet.
  • Add your link in the comments or link back from your own post, so I can add you to the participant list.
  • Check out other posts, and…

Have fun!

The Monday Check-In ~ 3/7/2022

Posted in The Monday Check-In by
cooltext1850356879

My Monday tradition, including a look back and a look ahead — what I read last week, what new books came my way, and what books are keeping me busy right now. Plus a smattering of other stuff too.

Life.

Aaaaaannnd… I’m back!

After a week back east visiting my dad and other relatives, I’m back in sunny San Francisco once again. The week flew by, and I managed not to freeze!

What did I read during the last week?

Where the Lost Wander by Amy Harmon: Such a beautiful, moving story! Excellent historical fiction. I listened to the audiobook — my review is here.

Two more that I finished this past week — reviews to follow:

  • The Ladies of Missalonghi by Colleen McCullough
  • Persepolis Rising (Expanse, #7) by James S. A. Corey

Outlander!!

Outlander is back!

Buh-bye Droughtlander! Hello, Outlander season 6! The new season premiered last night, and… I did not watch it yet! Sadly, by the time my flight landed and I made it home, all I had the energy for was a quick bite to eat and then climbing into bed. Watching the 1st episode will be my treat tonight!

In terms of blogging about Outlander: For all of the previous seasons, I’ve written recap posts immediately after watching. For whatever reason, I’m not really feeling it this time around. It’s not that I’m not excited for the new season — I really, really am! I think I just have too much else going on right now to add another “homework” assignment on top of everything else.

We shall see. Inspiration may still hit me!

Pop culture & TV:

What, there’s something worth talking about besides Outlander?

1883 wrapped up this past week, and my heart broke into a thousand tiny pieces. Overall, I thought the show was incredibly well done — so much so that I may want to watch it again.

While at my sister’s house, we watched the first episode of Inventing Anna, and while I’ve read very mixed reviews, I think I’m interested enough to keep going.

Puzzle of the Week:

None! But now that I’m back home, it’s time to start a new one.

Fresh Catch:

I happened to wander into a used book store supporting a local library last week, and the nice lady volunteering there gave me a whole welcome spiel explaining all the good the money does — so I couldn’t walk out without buying something! Here’s what I picked up:

What will I be reading during the coming week?

Currently in my hands:

Tiamat’s Wrath (Expanse, #8) by James S. A. Corey: I had every intention of reading something light and cheerful next… and then I finished Persepolis Rising, and absolutely had to move straight ahead into the next book in the Expanse series. These books are so good!

Now playing via audiobook:

The Marriage Game by Sara Desai: This seems like it’ll be a lot of fun! I’ve only just started, but I already like the family dynamic (and the San Francisco setting)!

Ongoing reads:

Over at Outlander Book Club, we’ve started our group read of BEES, reading and discussing two chapters per week. If anyone wants to join us, just ask me how! All are welcome.

So many books, so little time…

boy1

Shelf Control #309: The Starlit Wood edited by Dominik Parisien & Navah Wolfe

Posted in Shelf Control by
Shelves final

Welcome to Shelf Control — an original feature created and hosted by Bookshelf Fantasies.

Shelf Control is a weekly celebration of the unread books on our shelves. Pick a book you own but haven’t read, write a post about it (suggestions: include what it’s about, why you want to read it, and when you got it), and link up! For more info on what Shelf Control is all about, check out my introductory post, here.

Want to join in? Shelf Control posts go up every Wednesday. See the guidelines at the bottom of the post, and jump on board!

Title: The Starlit Wood (New Fairy Tales)
Author: Dominik Parisien & Navah Wolfe (editors)
Published: 2016
Length: 400 pages

What it’s about (synopsis via Goodreads):

An all-new anthology of cross-genre fairy tale retellings, featuring an all-star lineup of award-winning and critically acclaimed writers.

Once upon a time. It’s how so many of our most beloved stories start.

Fairy tales have dominated our cultural imagination for centuries. From the Brothers Grimm to the Countess d’Aulnoy, from Charles Perrault to Hans Christian Anderson, storytellers have crafted all sorts of tales that have always found a place in our hearts.

Now a new generation of storytellers have taken up the mantle that the masters created and shaped their stories into something startling and electrifying.

Packed with award-winning authors, this anthology explores an array of fairy tales in startling and innovative ways, in genres and settings both traditional and unusual, including science fiction, western, and post-apocalyptic as well as traditional fantasy and contemporary horror.

From the woods to the stars, The Starlit Wood: New Fairy Tales takes readers on a journey at once unexpected and familiar, as a diverse group of writers explore some of our most beloved tales in new ways across genres and styles.

How and when I got it:

I bought a copy back in 2016.

Why I want to read it:

I originally bought this book after seeing a mention of it online, which listed the contributing authors.

According to Amazon, authors with stories in The Starlit Wood include: Charlie Jane Anders, Aliette de Bodard, Amal El-Mohtar, Jeffrey Ford, Max Gladstone, Theodora Goss, Daryl Gregory, Kat Howard, Stephen Graham Jones, Margo Lanagan, Marjorie Liu, Seanan McGuire, Garth Nix, Naomi Novik, Sofia Samatar, Karin Tidbeck, Catherynne M. Valente, and Genevieve Valentine

With a line-up like that, how could I resiste? I was especially drawn to this book because of Seanan McGuire, but there are so many other writers here whose work I love too.

As an added incentive, the editors later released another story collection, Robots vs. Fairies, which I actually read — and loved! My review of that book is here.

What do you think? Would you read this book?

Please share your thoughts!

Literary Potpourri


__________________________________

Want to participate in Shelf Control? Here’s how:

  • Write a blog post about a book that you own that you haven’t read yet.
  • Add your link in the comments or link back from your own post, so I can add you to the participant list.
  • Check out other posts, and…

Have fun!

The Monday Check-In ~ 2/28/2022

Posted in The Monday Check-In by
cooltext1850356879

My Monday tradition, including a look back and a look ahead — what I read last week, what new books came my way, and what books are keeping me busy right now. Plus a smattering of other stuff too.

Life.

Brrrrrr. Greetings from the land of ice and snow!

Okay, I exaggerate… but I’m on the East Coast this week to visit family, and it’s cold! Especially in comparison to the sunny temps in the 60s I left behind. But, I packed my gloves, scarves, and winter boots, so I’m ready! (And really, I’m basically going to be indoors except for the distance from the door to the car, so just ignore my drama queen complaints!)

What did I read during the last week?

Spelunking Through Hell by Seanan McGuire: A really fun addition to the ongoing InCryptids series. My review is here.

One Italian Summer by Rebecca Serle: A magical element without explanation kept me from becoming fully engaged with this story of a mother-daughter relationship. My review is here.

Gwendy’s Final Task by Stephen King and Richard Chizmar: An awesome conclusion to a trilogy that centers around a remarkable, unforgettable character. The audiobook was a treat. My review is here.

Pop culture & TV:

As I write this post late Sunday, I’m getting ready to go watch the season finale of 1883, which I binged this past week, and fell in love with. I’m sooooo worried and preemptively heart-broken — from the way the 2nd to last episode ended, very bad things lie ahead.

On a lighter note, my son and I watched The King’s Man this past week. After reading the mostly negative reviews back when it was released, I was actually surprised by how much we enjoyed it. It’s a silly movie, but lots of fun. And it does manage to include a lot of unexpected historical facts about WWI in amongst the silliness and action sequences. Not a batch choice if you’re looking to stream something that doesn’t require much concentration.

Puzzle of the Week:

I made the mistake of starting this puzzle on Monday last week. It’s a 1500-piece puzzle, and I was determined to get it done before getting on a plane on Saturday. I made it… but only barely. Whew!

Fresh Catch:

No new books this week.

What will I be reading during the coming week?

Currently in my hands:

Persepolis Rising (The Expanse, #7) by James S. A. Corey: Call me crazy, but I really do want to finish up this series this year, so I decided to start this 600+ book on my flight. I haven’t gotten very far yet… but I’m eager to see where the story goes.

Now playing via audiobook:

Where the Lost Wander by Amy Harmon: I started this love story set on the Oregon Trail earlier in the week, not fully thinking about the fact that I would be watching 1883, centered around similar events. It’s actually a good experience balancing the two different stories and getting slightly different takes on the historical era.

Ongoing reads:

Here we go! Outlander Book Club is starting our group read of BEES, reading and discussing two chapters per week — starting tomorrow (March 1st) with the prologue. Considering how many chapters are in this book, this is going to take a loooooong time. (If anyone wants to join us, just ask me how! All are welcome.)

So many books, so little time…

boy1

Shelf Control #308: Hench by Natalie Zina Walschots

Posted in Shelf Control by
Shelves final

Welcome to Shelf Control — an original feature created and hosted by Bookshelf Fantasies.

Shelf Control is a weekly celebration of the unread books on our shelves. Pick a book you own but haven’t read, write a post about it (suggestions: include what it’s about, why you want to read it, and when you got it), and link up! For more info on what Shelf Control is all about, check out my introductory post, here.

Want to join in? Shelf Control posts go up every Wednesday. See the guidelines at the bottom of the post, and jump on board!

Title: Hench
Author: Natalie Zina Walschots
Published: 2020
Length: 401 pages

What it’s about (synopsis via Goodreads):

Anna does boring things for terrible people because even criminals need office help and she needs a job. Working for a monster lurking beneath the surface of the world isn’t glamorous. But is it really worse than working for an oil conglomerate or an insurance company? In this economy?

 As a temp, she’s just a cog in the machine. But when she finally gets a promising assignment, everything goes very wrong, and an encounter with the so-called “hero” leaves her badly injured.  And, to her horror, compared to the other bodies strewn about, she’s the lucky one.

So, of course, then she gets laid off.

With no money and no mobility, with only her anger and internet research acumen, she discovers her suffering at the hands of a hero is far from unique. When people start listening to the story that her data tells, she realizes she might not be as powerless as she thinks.

Because the key to everything is data: knowing how to collate it, how to manipulate it, and how to weaponize it. By tallying up the human cost these caped forces of nature wreak upon the world, she discovers that the line between good and evil is mostly marketing.  And with social media and viral videos, she can control that appearance.

It’s not too long before she’s employed once more, this time by one of the worst villains on earth. As she becomes an increasingly valuable lieutenant, she might just save the world.

A sharp, witty, modern debut, Hench explores the individual cost of justice through a fascinating mix of Millennial office politics, heroism measured through data science, body horror, and a profound misunderstanding of quantum mechanics. 

How and when I got it:

I won a copy in a Goodreads giveaway in 2020.

Why I want to read it:

Because I won it and I feel like I should?

One the one hand, I like the sound of the some of the more sci-fi/dystopian elements. On the other hand, I’m not always wowed by books that focus on the workworld and office frustrations. Still, the mix of both makes this book sound like it could be fun, and at the very least, pretty different from most of what I’ve been reading lately.

I’m seeing everything from 2 to 5 star ratings on Goodreads, with an average of 4.06. I’m a little concerned that some of the reader friends I tend to be most aligned with in terms of reading tastes have given this book low ratings or even DNFd it.

So, I’m seriously on the fence about this one. I do feel a certain amount of obligation when it comes to reading books I’ve won… but I suppose it’s not that important anymore, given that a year and a half have now gone by.

What do you think? Would you read this book?

Please share your thoughts!

PS – And if you’ve read Hench, please offer some opinions as well!

Literary Potpourri
A. Perveen
Reviews Feed


__________________________________

Want to participate in Shelf Control? Here’s how:

  • Write a blog post about a book that you own that you haven’t read yet.
  • Add your link in the comments or link back from your own post, so I can add you to the participant list.
  • Check out other posts, and…

Have fun!

The Monday Check-In ~ 2/21/2022

Posted in The Monday Check-In by
cooltext1850356879

My Monday tradition, including a look back and a look ahead — what I read last week, what new books came my way, and what books are keeping me busy right now. Plus a smattering of other stuff too.

Life.

Just another busy week! But thank heavens for long weekends — I can feel my energy levels resetting already.

My daughter sent me this picture, taken from a plane as her flight passed over San Francisco, and I thought it was too amazing not to share:

We don’t usually get to see our city from the air! I can see exactly where I was out walking when she was flying by.

What did I read during the last week?

An Impossible Impostor by Deanna Raybourn: The 7th book in the Veronica Speedwell series is just as much fun as I’d hoped (and expected). My review is here.

Beach Read by Emily Henry: My book group’s book for February, a re-read for me — and I enjoyed it all over again! My review from my first read is here.

Sandcastle by Pierre Oscar Levy: The graphic novel that inspired M. Night Shyamalan’s movie Old. Short version of a review: Don’t bother. See the movie instead.

Pop culture & TV:

Like millions of others, I watched The Tinder Swindler this past week:

I’m not usually much of a true crime fan, but this movie was so hard to look away from — really like a slow-motion trainwreck. Fascinating and awful.

You may have seen me mention my Yellowstone obsession previously — well, now I’m watch its prequel show, 1883, and I’m loving it too! It’s very different, but really good, with a great cast and (so far) one cameo that totally took me by surprise.

Puzzle of the Week:

A fun puzzle showing a dream setting for me. Give me a cozy cabin, a fireplace, good books, and warm socks any day!

Fresh Catch:

I treated myself to a copy of the final Expanse novel (even though I still have two books left in the series before I can start it).

What will I be reading during the coming week?

Currently in my hands:

Spelunking Through Hell by Seanan McGuire: The 11th book in the Incryptid series. I love this series, and this installment is fun, but I’m not quite as invested as in other books, maybe because I don’t care as much about the central characters in this book versus the leads in some of the others. Still, all Incryptid books are great! [Late Sunday update: Just finished! Review to follow]

One Italian Summer by Rebecca Serle: This is what I’ll be starting Monday morning! I’m looking forward to it — I’ve really liked all three of the books I’ve read by this author. And it opens with a quote from Gilmore Girls, so that’s a very good sign!

Now playing via audiobook:

Gwendy’s Final Task by Stephen King and Richard Chizmar: The last book in the Gwendy trilogy. It’s good so far! The plot is pretty far-fetched, but I’m really liking the story anyway.

Ongoing reads:

None at the moment, but I have a big book group long-term read starting next week, so I’m taking deep breaths this week and getting myself ready!

So many books, so little time…

boy1

Shelf Control #307: When We Were Magic by Sarah Gailey

Posted in Shelf Control by
Shelves final

Welcome to Shelf Control — an original feature created and hosted by Bookshelf Fantasies.

Shelf Control is a weekly celebration of the unread books on our shelves. Pick a book you own but haven’t read, write a post about it (suggestions: include what it’s about, why you want to read it, and when you got it), and link up! For more info on what Shelf Control is all about, check out my introductory post, here.

Want to join in? Shelf Control posts go up every Wednesday. See the guidelines at the bottom of the post, and jump on board!

Title: When We Were Magic
Author: Sarah Gailey
Published: 2020
Length: 352 pages

What it’s about (synopsis via Goodreads):

A moving, darkly funny novel about six teens whose magic goes wildly awry from Magic for Liars author Sarah Gailey, who Chuck Wendig calls an “author to watch.”

Keeping your magic a secret is hard. Being in love with your best friend is harder.

Alexis has always been able to rely on two things: her best friends, and the magic powers they all share. Their secret is what brought them together, and their love for each other is unshakeable—even when that love is complicated. Complicated by problems like jealousy, or insecurity, or lust. Or love.

That unshakeable, complicated love is one of the only things that doesn’t change on prom night.

When accidental magic goes sideways and a boy winds up dead, Alexis and her friends come together to try to right a terrible wrong. Their first attempt fails—and their second attempt fails even harder. Left with the remains of their failed spells and more consequences than anyone could have predicted, each of them must find a way to live with their part of the story.

How and when I got it:

I bought the hardcover as soon as it was released.

Why I want to read it:

Um… because it’s by Sarah Gailey?

Seriously, ever since this author’s first American Hippo book (River of Teeth) came out in 2017, I knew they were an author for me! The hippo books were weird and wonderful in all the right ways, and since then, I’ve read and loved three other books by this author (Magic for Liars, The Echo Wife, and Upright Women Wanted).

So why haven’t I read When We Were Magic yet? No idea and no good excuse, other than the usual “my bookshelves are overflowing and I have a thousand ARCs to read and HELP” refrain. I just haven’t picked this book up to read yet, and I’m mad at myself for taking so long, because I know I want to read it!

Beyond the author, I just really like the synopsis — teens and witchcraft and friendship and love. What’s not to like?

One of the reasons I picked this book for this’s week Shelf Control post is just to remind myself that it’s about time to finally get to it.

What do you think? Would you read this book?

Please share your thoughts!

The Chocolate Lady’s Book Review Blog
Literary Potpourri
A. Perveen


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Want to participate in Shelf Control? Here’s how:

  • Write a blog post about a book that you own that you haven’t read yet.
  • Add your link in the comments or link back from your own post, so I can add you to the participant list.
  • Check out other posts, and…

Have fun!