book reviews Archives - A Flimsy Plan

What I Read: December 2021

I didn’t realize it until I saw everything I read together, but December was a big speculative fiction month! I also got on a crazy Seanan McGuire (also known as Mira Grant when she writes sci fi) kick. This is pretty typical – once I read one of her books, I need to just keep reading them. Thank goodness for libraries!

The Desert Prince by Peter V Brett

The Desert Prince is a big book! I actually started this one back in November, but it took me a long time to read it, despite being a good read. I will admit, I think I need to go back and re-read the Demon Cycle books, then tackle this one again. There are a lot of references to the original series and Easter Eggs, which I think I would appreciate more if I brushed up on my Leesha, Arlen, Rojer and Ahmann…

Finale by Stephanie Garber

Finale is a super solid ending to the trilogy. As we know from my “What I Read: November”, I love Tella’s messy nonsense and I was glad to see more of it in this book. Plus a deeper insight into The Fates, a bit of a love triangle with two bad boys, some daddy issues… what a fun, easy, YA read!

Iron and Magic by Ilona Andrews

Okay, again – just like The Desert Prince, Iron and Magic is the first of a spinoff series. The authors recommended reading this book between Kate Daniels #9 and Kate Daniels #10. I haven’t read a Kate Daniels book since the early days of the pandemic and I should have read in the suggested order. I’ll give a better review on the re-read, lol.

San Diego 2014: The Last Stand of the California Browncoats by Mira Grant

This sweet little novella in the Newsflesh world is what hooked me back into Seanan’s books. Don’t get me wrong – San Diego 2014 is a book about a zombie uprising so it’s not sweet at all. No novella where you know most of your protagonists are doomed is sweet. But it is so compelling to see how they get dead and Seanan is incredible at researching/crafting her worlds.

Angel of the Overpass by Seanan McGuire

Despite being linked to her Incryptids series, the Rose Marshall books read very differently. I would compare the feel of Angel of the Overpass to the Diviners series I read at the end of 2020. In these books, we are building an American ghost story and it feels like all the good, bad, and messy pieces that make up America. (But also… ghosts!)

Feed by Mira Grant

This is the first book in the Newsflesh world I referred to above. I first read Feed long enough ago that I sort of forgot exactly what it was about. If you love books with solid science about living in the far aftermath of a zombie outbreak, you’ll love this book. If you love Seanan McGuire, you’ll love this book. Oh, and if you love World War Z (the book), you’ll love this book – it feels similar without copying at all!

When Sorrows Come by Seanan McGuire

You knew this was coming. I always pre-order the new October Daye book and read it when I’m on holiday break. When Sorrows Come doesn’t drive a lot of the world forward, but it does some awesome things for Toby. Besides. I love Toby and Tybalt, I love Quentin, and I don’t mind a light book. It felt like the characters deserved this break from heartbreaking nonsense for some old-school hijink-y nonsense.

I feel like I’ve been wrapping up a lot of my TBRs lately and now I’m getting back into re-reads. Which is totally cool, but I’d love to know – what great things have you read lately? I want to read them too!

Culture

What I Read: November 2021

In an absolutely shocking and astonishing turn of events, it is December 10th and I’m already posting about what I read in November. Is it my new format for book posts? Is it Blogmas?

Or is it because I only read four books? (And only took pictures of three?)

Culture

What I Read: October 2021

Oooh, boy! It’s been almost a year since I wrote a “What I Read” post and I am hyped to be here! Don’t y’all want to hear about all the books I read… erhm… two months ago? (Don’t judge me! I was planning to write this in November and I took all the pictures. Then November was crazy but… I took all the pictures!)

With this relaunch, I want to keep my book posts shorter and sweeter. And also with less of my truly atrocious book photography. (I will get better at that, I swear…) So, without further ado – What I Read in October 2021!

Culture

What I Read: January 2021

How are we already talking about books I read in January 2021? How is it already 2021? Time is going by so fast these days, my dears, and while the part of me who wants to hug people is totally okay with that, the part of me that needs to somehow complete a research project by April is less so. Along those lines, I was really afraid that I would not have any books to talk about this month. As evidenced by the stressed out side of myself, school is really ramping up in my second last semester so I have lots of work to do and lots of Freire to read. Maybe by the end of this semester, I’ll finally be able to explain to people what praxis means.

Culture

What I Read: December 2020

Well well well, my friends. It’s mid-January and I think by this point you know exactly what to expect. A book post! Let me tell you, this beauty is going to be long because I was on break. So, without further ado, let’s get into What I Read December Edition!

Culture

What I Read: November 2020

You guys love the book posts! And I love telling you about what books I read because it makes me feel way less guilty about reading instead of blogging. (Note: I totally know that this guilt is in my own head and nothing that y’all have done. I’m all about beating myself up over things I think I “should” be doing. I am working on it. But that is a post for another day). So, without further ado, here are my thoughts the books I read this past month!

Culture

What I Read: October 2020

Hello friends and…enemies? Friends yet to come? Book lovers? People who care about books I read? I don’t know, ya’ll, who comes to blog posts of very small blogs? Maybe weigh in down in the comments so I know how to refer to you all.

Ugh. Another opening paragraph that is going to make my SEO go super crazy because I, just like every recipe blogger out there, take a million years to get to the point.

And what is the point, you may ask?

Books! Ya’ll seem to love it when I talk about books so without further ado, please enjoy this quick overview/review of the books I read this October.