HAPPY LAND – Dolen Perkins-Valdez

I’ve been sitting on this review for a bit, trying to figure out how best to condense my thoughts into a relatively small space. (I’ve also been toying with the possibility of changing how I review/react, but that’s really neither here nor there.) As per usual, it’ll likely just be bookish babbling, but I encourageContinue reading “HAPPY LAND – Dolen Perkins-Valdez”

SO DISTANT FROM MY LIFE – Monique Ilboudo

“My mind ran off as soon as I opened my eyes. I have always had a vagabond mind.” Current installment of Tommi Reads the World – this marks the last of the Bs. Country: Burkina FasoTitle: So Distant from My LifeAuthor: Monique IlboudoLanguage: FrenchTranslator: Yarri KamaraPublisher: Le Serpent á Plumes, 2018 English translation published byContinue reading “SO DISTANT FROM MY LIFE – Monique Ilboudo”

THE ASHFIRE KING – Chelsea Abdullah

The long awaited second book in Chelsea Abdullah’s The Sandsea Trilogy will be released on Tuesday, April 15th.  A huge thanks to the publisher for gifting me an advanced uncorrected proof of The Ashfire King.  I loved The Stardust Thief and had high hopes for the second installment of the trilogy. The publishing delay concernedContinue reading “THE ASHFIRE KING – Chelsea Abdullah”

SAY YOU’LL REMEMBER ME – Abby Jimenez

This is going to be a difficult review to write. Abby Jimenez’s new novel, Say You’ll Remember Me ( Forever 2025), just didn’t live up to my expectations. I really enjoy Jimenez’s work. I’ve said before that I don’t really read romance – that’s mostly because I’m just very particular about what I want inContinue reading “SAY YOU’LL REMEMBER ME – Abby Jimenez”

LITTLE BEACH STREET BAKERY – Jenny Colgan

This review is a bit late, but hey, better late than never, right? I listened to my first Jenny Colgan novel a few weeks ago, Little Beach Street Bakery (2014), and while I enjoyed the story and found it cute, the audio does the experience absolutely no favors. The narration took me completely out ofContinue reading “LITTLE BEACH STREET BAKERY – Jenny Colgan”

OATHBRINGER – Brandon Sanderson

“We could just skip the boring part.” “Skip?” Wit said, aghast. “Skip part of a story?”… “You wound me.” I’ve said before and I still believe that Wit/Hoid is Sanderson in his works. This particular quote comes at a point in Oathbringer (Tor 2017) where I was starting to get over the story – IContinue reading “OATHBRINGER – Brandon Sanderson”

SMALL COUNTRY – Gaël Faye

“I was born with this story. It ran in my blood. I belonged to it.” Current installment of Tommi Reads the World – we’re still in the Bs. Country: BurundiTitle: Small CountryAuthor: Gaël FayeLanguage: FrenchTranslator: Sarah ArdizzonePublisher: Éditions Grasset 2016; English translation published by Hogarth 2018 Bordering Rwanda, Burundi is a small African country embroiled in politicalContinue reading “SMALL COUNTRY – Gaël Faye”

TIME SHELTER – Georgi Gospodinov

“Now, there’s everything you need to for a true beginning  – bad dreams, war, and a headache.” “I had already lived through what was to come.” Current installment of Tommi Reads the World – we’re still in the Bs. Country: BulgariaTitle: Time ShelterAuthor: Georgi GospodinovLanguage: BulgarianTranslator: Angela RodelPublisher: Liveright Publishing Company 2022 (originally published 2020) Georgi Gospondinov’sContinue reading “TIME SHELTER – Georgi Gospodinov”

WILD DARK SHORE – Charlotte McConaghy

“I loved a landscape and watched it burn.” I really enjoyed Charlotte McConaghy’s Once There Were Wolves (2021), and Migrations (2020) has been sitting on my TBR cart for years, so picking Wild Dark Shore ( Flatiron Books 2025) as my BOTM selection was a no brainer.  I was a bit concerned that it wouldContinue reading “WILD DARK SHORE – Charlotte McConaghy”

OATHBOUND – Tracy Deonn

“What is a bargain if not an oath? And what is an oath if not a promise with a price? Call these what you will. All are cut from the same cloth -a cloth woven of intention, will, and sacrifice.” The long-awaited third installment of Tracy Deonn’s remarkable The Legendborn Cycle was released this pastContinue reading “OATHBOUND – Tracy Deonn”