Hello, hello! How’s everyone doing this lovely Wednesday? I’m still waiting to hear from Medicaid about whether I’m still cripple and poor enough. Otherwise, I’m just super tired. So, today’s post is just a list of books I actually enjoyed reading this summer (June through August) in no particular order.
1. Vera Wong’s Unsolicited Advice for Murderers by Jesse Q. Sutanto. It was quick and fun. I figured it out pretty quick, but still enjoyed the story.
2. The Lighthouse at the Edge of the World by J. R. Dawson. You can see why here.
3. Water Moon by Samantha Sotto Yambao. It was a bit different from what I usually read and I found it really enjoyable. A bit sad, but ultimately a happy-ish ending.
4. When the Tides Held the Moon by Vanessa Vida Kelley. Super predictable, but fun. The representation in this book is fairly stereotyped, so if you’re sensitive to stuff like that, be aware. Otherwise, it’s a fun merperson story.
5. The House in the Cerulean Sea by T. J. Klune. Yes, yes, just yes. Go read it and the sequel. I love them both.
Howdy, howdy! How’s everyone doing this lovely Wednesday? I’m fine, just annoyed. On Friday, the Medicaid people sent one of their fearmongering letters saying they never received my renewal application (the one that was sent July 17th that they confirmed they got when I called on August 4th just to make sure they got it) and if I didn’t submit everything within 5 days, I’d be booted off. Five days and it’s a freaking 3 day weekend. So, I called on Friday and was told they had everything except the signature page, please just send that ASAP. Sent it right away. Called Tuesday to confirm they received it. They did. Everything is under review and now I get to keep waiting. They don’t have any ridiculous deadlines with serious threats to get back to me, though. Like, why can’t I get a response in 5 days or they lose their insurance? Anyway. It’s late, so I figured I’d give you a brief review of The Lighthouse at the Edge of the World by J. R. Dawson since I finished it! Why a quick one? Because I’m biased and therefore don’t give full reviews on books by friends.
Plot: it’s a take on Orpheus, but it’s kind of like there are three very different versions of the myth happening at once. Charlie and Sam, Nera and Charlie, and the Keeper and the thing in the dark. All three storylines have echoes of Orpheus and Eurydice in them, which is cool. Plus, there are doggies! So many puppers to cuddle. That alone makes this a great book in my opinion.
Characters: love, love, love Nera. Especially at the end when she has grown strong enough to put her own needs first instead of trying to cater to everyone else. Charlie is a lot, but given what she’s been through, that’s to be expected. All of the older people suck, but I think they’re supposed to. If they were well-adjusted individuals with healthy coping strategies, chances are Nera and Charlie would have those traits, then there wouldn’t be a story. The doggos are still the bestest part of the book!
Writing: the flow is really nice and I love how the remnants sections break things up. They provide a respite from the heaviness that comes with stories about grief and loss.
Overall, I gave The Lighthouse at the Edge of the World 5 out of 5 stars. Definitely recommend it if you’re into Greek mythology, enjoy stories about the journey through grief, or just REALLY like dogs like me.
Hello, hello! How’s everyone this lovely Wednesday? I’m still playing the waiting game. I’m also tired and generally blah, so this is a quick post to let you know that J.R. Dawson did it again! The Lighthouse at the Edge of the World was released at the end of July! I bought a hard copy because it’s so pretty! I also bought the ebook because it’s easier for me to read that way. But I definitely recommend a hard copy because the book cover deserves to be admired as it was meant to be. Anyway, I’m only a quarter of the way through and I’m loving it. I’ll probably end up doing a brief review when I’m done. I’m so happy for J.R. and her books!
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