Diana Montalion

Finished Reading: None of This Is True by Lisa Jewell 📚

A trend in novels lately are untrustworthy narrators who are women who are submissive to potentially-abusive men. (See also the soulmate) I don’t love being in their heads as characters. It feels stifling, as it’s supposed to but also, suffocating which perhaps its not. This book had some of that but also wove lives and experiences together while walking you through a mystery. Can’t say that I loved the resolution but it was inline with the book itself.

Finished Reading: Take a Hint, Dani Brown by Talia Hibbert 📚

Okay, this was a straighup modern romance novel. Don’t let the lack of Fabio on the cover fool you. But it was a good friend, keeping me company when I needed rest. Cute, clever characters, snarky banter. There is enough “will they or won’t they” plot driveres in the world (see many, many television series and romance novels.) But this time, i didn’t mind.

Finished Reading: The Bee Sting by Paul Murray 📚

Nope. I’m not a fan of novels that switch between voices, shifting the main character back and forth. But this book did it brilliantly. And used interesting conventions (like no punctuation) to indicate how characters think in real time. I sometimes wanted to turn away from them but I kept reading because I wanted to see what happened. I don’t want to post spoilers, and you might like how it all comes together (it’s certainly novel) but … nope.

Finished Reading: Martyr! by Kaveh Akbar 📚

I wanted to like this more than I did. I suppose the constant air of depression, represssion, ennui left me feeling the same, though the writing is excellent and I cared about the characters. The ending didn’t work for me but that’s probably personal preference more than a criticism. There are often books everyone loves that I don’t. More often recently, perhaps I no longer represent the bookloving mainstream.

If you haven’t read this already … today might be the perfect day.

Anti-Intellectualism in American Life

Started reading: Infomocracy

I just finished reading the first two books in Malka Ann Older’s “The Investigations of Mossa and Pleiti” series. I couldn’t wait for the third one to be published … so picked up her first (and perhaps best known) book.

"Was she capable of that kind of flow? If she could disable her ability to track time, could she lose herself the way they did?"

— Becky Chambers: A Closed and Common Orbit, p. 61

I fell in love with the characters in Becky Chambers' first book of the Wayward series. When I realized the second book didn't include (most of) them, I almost stopped reading.

Thank goodness I didn't. I fell in love with these characters too. Which made picking up the next book even easier.

Chambers writes intelligent, insightful stories that are so smooth, I flow through them like talking with a good friend.

Buy it at Bookshop

I have been on a Becky Chambers journey. I'm experiencing stress from deadlines, travels, etc ... not bad stress, but I do need a space to rest. Becky Chambers is my book friend, keeping me excellent company.

(comment on The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet)

This is two books, Shards of Honor and Barrayar. I was desperately flailing around the internet, looking for something restful to read. Reddit threads said “this is my favorite series ever.” It’s not my favorite ever but a week later, I’m on the third book. Cordelia’s Honor by Lois McMaster Bujold 📚

The Bee Sting by Paul Murray 📚

I don’t enjoy novels that switch between voices but this book did it brilliantly. I admired the unconventional use of punctuation and chapter structures to convey the characters. I didn’t love them but stayed invested. Alas, I got to the end and … threw my kobo. Nope.

Upgrade: A Novel by Blake Crouch 📚

I enjoyed a story that doesn’t simplify intelligence into “I can win at Jeopardy.” Along with the protagonist, we experience emerging neurodiversity, the way social experience and perception shifts. A bit too much exposition for me but still a fun puzzle to solve.

Bride by Ali Hazelwood 📚

I consumed the Twilight series like potato chips. So it was with Bride. Yes, it’s a “vulnerable woman who’s actually independent and strong falls for a pseudobadguy who maybe wants to kill her” story. But a top Bookseller Recommendation, not just another pretty face.

I’ve been reading novels every night. Since Covid, I’ve needed stories, no nonfiction. So I’ve let myself go on this journey. I’ll share some reviews in the coming days.

Looking for something good to read? I rely on IndieBound to help me find new titles. www.indiebound.org/indie-bes…

Snark is the best medicine. I’d already read every Murderbot book. Thank goodness, when I needed a Covid book friend, there was: The Kaiju Preservation Society by John Scalzi 📚