she/her
I mostly like to read fiction, but I will read pretty much anything if it catches my eye. The only thing I can't stand reading is a self-help book! Some of my favorite themes are time travel, vampires, feminism/women's studies, science, knitting and origami.
This book has everything!
- hijinks at dragon-riding college- a scrappy underdog who uses her smarts to overcome her physical limitations
- sassy dragon telepathy
- a love triangle that is hilariously obvious from literally the first chapter
- a TWIST!
- did i mention dragons???
A little bit Ingrid Goes West, a little bit Gossip Girl, a sardonic tale set against the lurid, uninhibitedly narcissistic backdrop of a self-care social media startup: tonics, dusts, charcoal masks and adaptogen teas abound!
Murder mystery meets magical mayhem! Ive Gamble is a down-on-her-luck, decidedly nonmagical PI who receives an offer she can't refuse: a healthy sum of money to investigate a suspicious death at the Osthorne Academy for Young Mages, where her estranged twin sister teaches theoretical magic.
My favorite part of any fantasy novel is learning and imagining a new, original system of magic. Bardugo's dark, mysterious, magical ecosystem is filled with questionable motives and morally dubious actors. Set against the backdrop of Yale's storied secret societies, this novel will keep you guessing until the very end.
So original, suspenseful, and enthralling, with the occasional glimmer of quirky humor - quite possibly the best blend of sci-fi and fantasy I've ever read. Please read it so I have people to discuss it with!
Even unicorns get the blues! A fun and funny story about Kevin the Unicorn’s really horrible, lousy, AWFUL day!
A star-crossed love story between two strong, fierce female leaders of empires. Told in unique epistolary style, this is a must read for any serious fan of capital-F fantasy.
Eerie & unsettling- an ode to the primitive ugliness at the root of humanity. Try as we might to shake off our origins, still our darkest impulses reside in the dusty corners of modern life.
A funny and bittersweet novel about two oddballs who find each other, in the midst of massive personal upheaval. And form a great friendship— over text message.
Special Circumstances agent Cheradenine Zakalwe is being sought out from hiding for one last job in the Culture's unending quest to influence the galaxy to their own ends.
Alternating timelines describe his idyllic childhood life on his home world, and the present-day race to find him and salvage the situation in a star system on the brink of chaos.
Zakalwe's clout with a prominent member of Voerenhutz society may be the only way to avert disaster without exposing the Culture's interference.
Both threads lead towards the same focal point: an event that emerges hazily and piecemeal from recollection as the defining moment in his life, the disaster that led him to leave everything behind and strike out into the unknown.
With abundant wit and humor, Hank Green's debut novel is ostensibly about big, mysterious, possibly extraterrestrial robots and humanity's quest to understand them. However, where this book really shines is in its exploration of how online image distorts real people, the polarizing affects of internet discourse, and the power of human cooperation.
Holly Black's heroines are some of my absolute favorites. In The Cruel Prince we meet Jude, a human trapped in the fae court of the High King Eldred. Raised alongside the beautiful and cruel children of the high fae, Jude learns to be brave, ruthless, and unpredictable. As she gets drawn deeper into court intrigues that could cost her her life, she learns just how far she will go to take back the power that the fae have over her.
Not a love story! Rather, a love letter to the oddballs among us, those creative and unconventional souls who too often face intolerance from family members and peers alike. Fabulous representation of LGBTQ teens.
A dark, yet strangely uplifting novel about emotions, human nature, and our ties to each other and the world around us. The setting: a dystopian Earth plagued by nuclear fallout, where few humans remain and many real things have been replaced by artificial counterparts. It's best to go into this book without any expectations based on the film adaptation -- they share a setting and some of the characters, but are otherwise totally different.
Prepare to be taken in a completely unexpected (and MUCH BETTER) direction from where we left Feyre at the end of ACOTAR. If you've read spoilers you might be a tad skeptical (I definitely was!) but trust me. The ending will keep you reading into the wee hours and breathelss with excitement.
In a clearing in the forest, near the strange town of Fairfold, there rests a glass coffin. In it sleeps a boy with horns on his head and ears as pointed as knives. Generations of townsfolk have wondered about him as he lay there, pristine and utterly unchanged. Until, one day, he wakes up...Holly Black revisits the dark fairy tale essence of her earlier novels, to great effect.
Fetch is a heartfelt tribute to Nicole Georges’ dog, Beija, who came from the animal shelter w/ a host of neuroses and bad behaviors. Moving for those who have loved—and lost—complicated animal companions.
A purely pleasurable page-turner for bibliophiles with a fantasy bent!
Something New is a funny, heartwarming graphic memoir about the author's unconventional journey down the aisle. Complete with asides about wacky wedding traditions through the ages, this tale sheds the preciousness that often accompanies wedding stories in favor of a more nuanced and relatable take.
A hilarious, quirky, and informative look at the science of sex. A must-read for fans of pop science writing.
A fantastic novel of discovery and suspense, told in an epistolary style reminiscent of World War Z. When a small girl falls through the ground and onto a giant, mysterious metal hand, scientists must try to figure out where it came from, what source of power fuels it's eerie glow, and what the cryptic symbols surrounding it mean. The hand remains an enigma for many years, until one scientist (the young girl from the beginning, now grown up and a brilliant physicist) makes a breakthrough, setting off a chain of events in which opposing factions vie for control of an alien power that nobody can control. The thrilling conclusion will leave you eagerly anticipating the sequel!
A collection of graphic essays, written and illustrated by women, about their experiences in gaming. They cover a diverse range of game styles, from RPGs such as Dungeons & Dragons, to live action role playing, video and arcade games, and board games. There is such a fascinating diversity in the stories they have to tell and the ways they draw them. Plus, they get extra points for inclusivity - both trans women and gender queer people are included.
My favorite, to date, of Mary Roach's books! She explores the history of space travel in a way nobody else has - she celebrates the wonderfully absurd aspects of our quest to reach the final frontier.
I was sad to find that Lumberjanes v.1 left me a bit underwhelmed. Fortunately, #2 is everything I was hoping for and more! Hilarious, sweet, filled with the power of female friendships AND great for all ages! Plus – now with an adorable animal sidekick! YOWZA!
I love this series! I can’t believe it took me so long to pick it up but boy, am I glad I did. Lyra, the protagonist, is awesome. She’s 12 at the beginning, and she’s feisty, clever, loyal, and brave. The series follows her quest to understand a mysterious substance called “Dust.” Read it, you’ll be glad you did!
This is one of my all time favorite fantasy novels. Neil Gaiman tells a magical and enchanting tale, with plenty of humor thrown in."
This book has all the essential elements of an epic adventure: giant robots, virtual reality, lots of action, good v.s. evil, puzzles and riddles, a heavy dose of 80's nostalgia, and butt-kicking female characters. You won't be able to put it down!
The Magician's Land is Lev Grossman's stunning conclusion to his Magician's trilogy. Fans of C.S. Lewis and J.K. Rowling will appreciate this tongue-in-cheek homage to all things wizardly. Grossman does not disappoint with the ending of his series (as is so often the case!).
Seconds is so wonderful! Actually, I love this book so much that nothing I can think of to say about it does it justice.
So I'll just have to agree with Scott McCloud, who said it was "Adorable, haunting, funny, and beautiful. A perfect recipe for a great graphic novel." If you've read Bryan Lee O'Malley's other stuff, it has the supernatural undertones (albeit more pronounced) of Lost At Sea and the quirky humor of Scott Pilgrim. And for those who are not familiar with O'Malley's work, or don't usually read graphic novels, consider picking it up! You will probably love it.
For those of us who think everybody else has it together and we're the only ones pretending. Easy, non-judgmental advice for that awful 'trying to become a real grown-up' stage.
Hilarious anecdotes about growing up; stories about adventures in adopting dogs. And a refreshingly approachable discussion of depression. So good.
This memoir is unforgettable – wonderfully written, intense, and achingly sad. Well worth the read.
A big novel about a small town...
When Barry Fairbrother dies in his early forties, the town of Pagford is left in shock.
Pagford is, seemingly, an English idyll, with a cobbled market square and an ancient abbey, but what lies behind the pretty facade is a town at war.
Rich at war with poor, teenagers at war with their parents, wives at war with their husbands, teachers at war with their pupils...Pagford is not what it first seems.
And the empty seat left by Barry on the parish council soon becomes the catalyst for the biggest war the town has yet seen. Who will triumph in an election fraught with passion, duplicity, and unexpected revelations?
J. K. Rowling's first novel for adults is blackly comic, thought-provoking, and constantly surprising.
So cute! Great for anybody who likes cats.
I'm normally not a memoir person but this one is jam-packed with hilarious stories. I actually found myself laughing out loud several times (which doesn't usually happen!). Case in point: the picture on the cover is of her taxidermied mouse "Hamlet von Schnitzel".
This book is so great!
In Chromatacia your social status is dictated by your ability to perceive colors. Protagonist Eddie Russet, a "red", along with a mysterious "grey", Jane, discover that not everything in their world is as it seems. FILLED with suspense, vibrant imaginings and dark humor.
This book is good. Can’t-out-it-down, guilty-pleasure, stay-up-til-7-a.m.-reading GOOD.
The size and subject of this book seemed daunting at first—but I couldn’t put it down after I started reading it! Mutkherjee does an astounding job of organizing a lot of info into an interesting, easy to read book. It really is “A Biography of Cancer.” I can’t recommend it highly enough!
Really wonderful! It’s thought provoking and it sends a great message for kids!