Reviews 2/2

thoughts on blood over bright haven by m.l. wang (spoiler-free review) 📖✏️ + annotations

this is feminine rage that actually demonstrates the full arc of being faces with a system that is built against you, including the turmoil and crash outs that come with it

it explored the very real fact that when a system falls and fails, the people who suffer the most are the ones who have already been oppressed in the first place (i.e. the women + Kwen/minority)

I am convinced M.L. Wang has unlocked the formula to slicing out a part of a fantasy world within a much bigger world while feeling like all you need is right here — the secret formula to writing Standalone Fantasy that is, in every sense of the word, complete. This is apparent in both Sword of Kaigen and Blood Over Bright Haven wherein you feel a story has begun before we started reading and there will be a story that continues on even after turning the last page. It’s very realistic in the sense that we know, in our own real life, how there’s so much to explore but we have a place right here that’s brimming with experiences and love. It made the characters and who they are relative to their setting feel that much more real

it exemplified systemic injustice to the dot. IN A STANDALONE FANTASY!!! It did in one binding what takes other series 3+ books to do… sometimes not even that well

it also highlights a discussion on privilege and how we aren’t absolved from one kind of prejudice just because we experience another – through complex characterizations through morally complicated characters that you also can’t help but get attached to 🫂 *breathes*

I can scream and cry about this all day but really all i want is to relive this book and i’m glad i took my sweet time reading. She was very clear with what she wanted out of this story and her ability to flush out incredible characterizations within limited settings and pages is incredible. If you haven’t already read it, this is required reading. Go read it right now. But if you want my opinion: take your time reading it as I did.

a customary: *chef’s kiss*

[swipe for full review —>]

5.0

#altheasreviews fantasy bookstagram

thoughts on thistlefoot by gennarose nethercott — spoiler-free book review 📖✏️

STOP THE CAR!! AN UNDERRATED READ!

This book, with its beats of nostalgia and humor, presents an engaging narrative within the dark confines of its setting … Respectfully, I think I need more people to be reading this.

Weaving a unique magic system with themes on music and folklore, dark and eerie magical realism, stories within stories, multigenerational trauma, and complicated family dynamics is not an easy feat. They sound good in theory but not everyone is able to pull it off in a way that feels rewarding as a reader while still giving justice to it’s individual perspectives... but GennaRose Nethercott did it!!

I find books that claim similar themes can too easily lean toward a more adventurous narrative. That wasn’t the case here. Thistlefoot propels the narrative using mystery while letting the themes sculpt the adventure.

The atmosphere reminds me of The Diviners, Middlegame, and Monster House.

I didn’t expect the discussion on the destructions of war and the role that stories play into culture — but I think it might have been the cherry on top to make this book 5 stars.

Think: Bunguo Stray Dogs (an urban setting that feels like it’s injected with old stories & mystery) with Grimm Brothers tale type of eerie. Most especially recommend if you enjoy having a bunch of imperfect characters trying to do their best to protect their family and their homes. It’s medium-paced and jumps settings frequently to keep everything engaging while leaving you to put the pieces together. The cast is going to stay in my mind for a long time.

5.0

#altheasreviews

devastatingly beautiful books 💌

between finishing both Blood Over Bright Haven and Black Salt Queen back to back + the release of the redesigned Green Bone Saga paperbacks… i have slowly been spiraling and losing it this past week

i have so many thoughts for BOBH and BSQ that i need to process as i write my reviews but for now, i’m letting life catch up to me and i’ll be basking in the state of mind that comes with having new books to hold close to my heart … and also the relapse that comes with rekindled emotional trauma 😂

will be crying in a hole until further notice *cue breakdown*

i’m fine.

🥲

# tbr bookshelf book recs fantasy books

april wrap up + mini reviews 💌

disclaimer: i haven’t had any reading goals for the past 3 years but these wrap ups make it easier to talk about the books i read systematically — 🤸‍♀️

that said, if reading goals pressure you too much: you don’t have to do them. it’s great if having concrete reading milestones get you going but if it pressures more than inspires, your goal can just be to read. that’s it.

*didn’t include dnfs because… who has the energy

🧸

# tbr bookshelf book recs fantasy books

reasons to read BSQ

thank you out for the copy to review @coloredpagesbt @bindery_books — all thoughts and opinions are my own

i never make TBRs — unless it’s for one of these asian readathons (because most is basically my priority TBR)

but even then, the mood reader in me of today doesn’t always like picking a time and book to read… u know? made this cute lil pile ft. one of the most beautiful covers i own, i believe she beats a lot of the special edition covers out there, on this hill i stand

i’ll be referencing this list all throughout May, join me if u wanna!! i took some creative liberties with the prompts and will be considering it a win if i read 2 books from it this month hehe

Stan Asian Authors Year 6 is hosted by @nerdytalksbookblog and @kath_reads :>

🕯️

# tbr bookshelf book recs fantasy books

books about siblings and family 💌

**Clarification: Daughter of the Forest is under Adult SFF, my bad for the category! Beartown is also Adult, it just so happens the other books on the list is YA contemporary literature (i realized that slide is misleading)

——

inspired by the kaul siblings and matsuda family shaped hole in my heart

this took some time since i filtered through the recs and it might have been too chaotic on stories — i thought it would be better to curate and organize in a post. although i haven’t read most of the community recs, i wanted to share since there were ppl looking for these recs too 🤍 recs too good to gatekeep

Found a lot of new-to-me books, i love obscure recs hehe. but there were some on found family i didn’t add because although i do love found family and i think it’s important in stories, i wanted this list to be focused on something else. I also kept from adding ones that i’ve read myself and don’t really consider siblings/family as the center of the story~

thank you to everyone who sent over recs! i feel like i missed some (i am so sorry) but i appreciate every single one of u for feeding my/our obsessions :P

# tbr bookshelf book recs fantasy books

epic fantasy but its pre colonial philippines and matriarchs 😮‍💨 THIS IS THE POINT OF IT ALL!

i’m currently 40% in and i can tell these characters and this world was written with love for the Filipino culture while still being, through and through, an epic 🥹

— out on June 3 2025 !!!

it’s self aware of cultural traditions without limiting itself and reflects nuanced experiences of various types of women while showcasing men who treat said women like literal goddesses — i could immediately tell from the first few chapters how much research and care was put into this

i’ve been holding myself back from finishing too fast bc royaltycore set in a world with the equivalent of Rajas and Gatdulas / Lakandulas reign… is the reimagination that younger me has been looking for — particularly with a bunch of imperfect characters and a family at its center. it’s also Queernormative 🩵 always refreshing to see in fantasy.

to have something like this in SFF (the genre that makes me feel alive) after years of scouring the genre is truly the moment

a proper review to come when i run out pages~ clearly i am having a good time

bipoc rep in fantasy is rare enough as it is but good philippine pre colonial inspiration / reimagination in epic fantasy??? you have a home with me here

—

i would have posted screaming about this either way but special thanks and love to the publisher @bindery_books @kevintnorman , the author @sam_bansil and, of course @coloredpagesbt for letting me scream a little earlier and collaborating for this post 🤍🤍

**i was sent an ARC by the publisher for review. all thoughts and opinions are my own.

# tbr bookshelf book recs fantasy books

mondays feel better with new books ✨🖤

as someone who’s super picky with my physical purchases — i get extra excited when new floppy paperbacks come in

1. gifted & talented by olivie blake
- literally the only olivie blake i own but also the one i’m most excited to read. what i know is it’s about siblings and it’s supposed to be a chaotic urban fantasy. say no more !

2. sons of darkness by gourav mohanty
- a grimdark epic fantasy inspired by indian mythology !!! the author @thekingbeyondthewall reached out to me way back before it was even picked up by a trad publisher and i’ve been hyped for this ever since <3 i’m ecstatic to be able to purchase a physical copy for myself with what i’ve heard from other reviewers — it sounds like it’s completely up my alley and the cover looks even better in person!

3. (current read) thistlefoot by gennarose nethercott
- this is also about siblings (i’m noticing a trend for me) that’s in between eerie and magical, injected with a splash of mystery. i’m really enjoying the atmosphere and complicated sibling dynamics in this one!

cheers to books that make us feel alive~

🕯️

# tbr bookshelf book recs fantasy books

thoughts on A Sorceress Comes to Call by T. Kingfisher (spoiler-free) 📖✏️ — #bookreview #altheasreviews

this was so amusing but if u asked me what the atmosphere is like i would say it mixes the eerieness of “phantom of the opera” and the dreamlike air of wonder and mystery in the song “once upon a dream”

it has a soft magic system that centers primarily around a sorceress, her daughter, and a found family aspect that we are immediately dropped in the middle of at the beginning. character dynamics were top tier with a bonus of yearners :))

since this is a standalone it’s pretty fast paced which i appreciated since i really wasn’t looking to start another series. i am bold enough to say that i loved this a lot more than nettle & bone (my first of this author).

in summary: t. kingfisher delivered a digestable standalone cottagecore x regency fantasy that gave you a kick with the stakes to keep you reading and characters that you want to invest in.

it was light with beats of darkness and i would definitely recommend this for those who want to get into fantasy without getting overly traumatized or want a palate cleanser that’s still in the realm of eerie fantasy~

this definitely won’t be my last of this author!

T. Kingfisher has impressed me

— 4.5 —

# tbr bookshelf book recs fantasy book review

books based on your reader color (my version) ✨

— what’s your reader color?
• please feel free to recommend a book based on your color too!

i did the test on readyourcolor.com (i got purple) and there’s this section on the site that gives you specific-to-your-color books per color… and i was not impressed haha so i made my own :)

i know it’s a test for fun but there are so many more books than what they were recommending — winnie the pooh is there because some day you’ll be old enough to start referencing a silly old bear again

🤍

ladybug books 🐞

— are any of these your faves or are on your tbr? (i have multiple faves here 👀)

i’m currently reading black salt queen and i seriously cannot get enough !! i feel like i’ve been hitting the jackpot with my fantasy picks lately

thank you calli @funky_reads for giving me a reason to show off some books :> i haven’t done one of these in a while so if anyone wants to do this, consider yourself tagged from me!

books featured:
• the enchanted
• the fires of vengeance (series is priority TBR!)
• jade war
• city of heavenly fire
• the mime order (series is priority TBR!)
• the art of war
• blood over bright haven
• a conjuring of light
• the boneshard daughter

thoughts on Frankenstein by Mary Shelley

— i read this a while back and it completely changed my perspective on classics. women in classic literature will always have my heart, especially when they have contributed to planting seeds of sci-fi inspiration

simply beautiful, mary shelley served introspective science fiction in 1818 and i will be rereading this book for the years to come

for a long time i had a hard time placing what exactly i loved about this story because i was viewing it under the classic gothic literature eye even though it’s themes weren’t in line with what i would place under gothic literary fiction

recently however, i was inspired by other bookstagrammers and articles discussing how frankenstein was one of the first inspirations for science fiction and then it hit me why i loved this novel so much as a SFF reader, especially considering that this sci-fi inspiration was written by a woman <3

one of the most reflective books i have ever read about prejudice, solitude, and owning up to your mistakes

i really do love it when books use “monsters” as metaphors and i see how this book in particular gave birth to more modern pieces of that theme, especially on the exploration of technological advancement in society and the reaction of a population to the “unknown”— and although it doesn’t deal with aliens the way you would think classical sci fi does, anyone who has read this would see how it covers similar concepts and ideas

(my annotations are crazy, swipe —>)

🕯️

#bookreviews #altheasreviews

thoughts on Don’t Sleep with the Dead by Nghi Vo (spoiler-free) 📖✏️ — #bookreview #altheasreviews

first of all, HAPPY PUB DAY to this newest release set in the world of The Chosen and the Beautiful — now out in the world (April 8, 2025)

this society that Nghi Vo created made me realize how much i enjoy Gatsby era stories that read like you’re outside a jazz bar with the music muffled and playing softly in the background.

the imagery that Nghi Vo puts into these gatsby retellings is insane and is always, in my opinion, where her strong points reside. the dark and whimsical writing from the point of view of unreliable narrators is interesting whether or not i’m reading it from nghi vo or other authors, so of course i keep reading whatever she puts out

however, if you read and didn’t like the chosen and the beautiful… this would be hard for me to recommend as it’s basically more of the same thing

It’s a short read with the pacing slowing down towards the middle. I realized while writing this review that it’s a little difficult to talk more about this book without also spoiling The Chosen and the Beautiful so we’re going to have to stick with generic phrasings

the overarching idea on how everyone is telling you a story, whether they love you or hate you, and you get to decide what you make of them… is a prominent theme. though this isn’t my favorite of Nghi Vo’s books, it’s an interesting closure for those who enjoyed The Chosen and the Beautiful. Do with this information what you will~

consider this my plea to have more gatsby retellings / inspired books in the world

**this post is in collaboration with @coloredpagesbt , @tordotcompub , and the author. thank you for sending an arc for review, all thoughts and opinions are my own :)

thoughts on Sleeping Giants by Sylvain Neuvel (spoiler-free) 📖✏️ — #bookreview #altheasreviews

i was initially conflicted with this one because i found a lot of interesting and engaging points in the story but i don’t think i’ll be continuing this series because life is too short and i refuse to consume media with underlying misogyny in this year 2025

it reminded me of Kaiju No. 8 — I love that series but that anime/manga respected and didn’t sexualize / reduce it’s female characters to stereotypes. even a “female” robot was sexualized…. how odd??? i didn’t even think to look at the background of the author until i read that line

This is hard sci fi that isn’t too hard to digest and i was hooked for the first 20% until i noticed how the female characters were treated. There’s a difference when a character says/does something and it reads like it’s from the character and when it reads like it’s integrated into the writing style subconsciously

I feel like the women in this book weren’t explored or given enough substance – and while i get that what happens to certain characters serve purpose to the plot.. they were just not given enough balance to still feel like relatable compared to the male characters. I am aware this might be a subconscious aspect in the writing considering this is a 2016 release and by a white man but i don’t think that is enough to be redeeming — especially since i’ve read male white authors write female characters without them being reduced to stereotypes

it ultimately distracted me from caring about the male characters and how a certain female character was treated gave me the ick

the plot kept me curious but i couldn’t ignore how the female mcs were treated and how it became a little too military-heavy given that it was the sci fi robot side of the story that i came to read

i do acknowledge the mixed media makes for an engaging format and the multiple narrators in the audiobook was refreshing to hear. the twists at the end shook me… but i just spoiled myself and searched up what happens for the rest of the story. i didn’t hear good reviews for the rest of the series anyway so i feel like i’m dodging a bullet

☁️

confession: i only just watched ballad of songbirds and snakes last night 💌 i haven’t been public about it but i’ve been going down a hunger games spiral and now i understand all the inside jokes from the movie 😭 i haven’t read sunrise on the reaping (i probably won’t for the next months… or a year) but i still got swept up in the hunger games storm — and now i’m getting the urge to reread catching fire and mockingjay

p.s. the songs in that movie SLAPPED

slide 01: the urge to reread is strong because i know it holds up
slide 02: no thoughts just vibes and @saladstopph
slide 03: matcha >>> coffee
slide 04: a book calling out to me
slide 05: BOBH ruining me part 1 + my pretty bookmark
slide 06: friends and time outside
slide 07: Black Salt Queen
slide 08: real unposed bookstagram set up

☁️

recent book purchases and on being intentional with my physical book buys 💌

1. blood over bright haven
- started reading this right away and i already had to take a breather hahaha ml wang hits hard

2. to the lighthouse
- i’ve been wanting to read a virginia woolf for the longest time and then i saw this pretty cover from @chroniqled — it was fate

3. diary of a young girl
- another classic that i’ve been craving for and was just waiting for a good edition to appear in my life, also from @chroniqled — thank u for letting me adopt ur books

new physical book babies <3

🕯️

— Q1 book tier ranking (jan-mar) 📫

don’t u have those books that u end up loving more over time and some u start liking less than when u first read them… existential problems

i’m just a girl, standing in front a book, asking myself if i love it or not 🤸‍♀️ i’m curious to see how this tier changes throughout the year

march reading wrap up 📫

march was a good reading month not because of the number of books i read but because I loved almost every book i picked up 🥹🤸‍♀️

quality > quantity always
— i had a 2-star book this month but even that book kept me engaged and curious

i was happy with the diversity in the genres of my books: i read a non-fiction, hard scifi, sff literary fiction, contemporary literary fiction, and fantasy within this month… and it makes me so happy. i feel like i finally found the balance of books and reading community exposure to keep a sustained reading experience despite my rough day schedule

i know it’s not always going to be this smooth and i know i should watch out for burnout but i’ve found that what works for me is being intentional with my reading and truly reading books that make me happy and i feel strongly about to share & discuss with others

— hope all of u are enjoying whatever you’re reading, if not, this is ur sign to dnf hehe

☁️

“you’ve read this before? — about 40 times.”

re-annotating green bone saga 💌 you’re never the same person you were when you first read a book

here lies the catharsis i feel in rereading an annotated favorite — *cue poem of i met my younger self for coffee the other day…* but it’s like shaking hands with whoever past me was that wrote all these previous annotations 🥹

i’ve been meaning to update my annotations for GBS and was inspired (or whatever it is u call Fonda Lee traumatizing me with untethered sky) recently to finally start…

or maybe this is a coping mechanism

🕯️

thoughts on Untethered Sky by Fonda Lee (spoiler-free) 📖✏️ — #bookreview #altheasreviews

FOR A BOOK SO SHORT (150~ PAGES) I CAN’T BELIEVE IT RUINED ME THIS MUCH… i went through 50 different emotions

i place this adult sff novella in the same category as the sword of kaigen with it’s ethereal, dark and rustic tone packed into a story filled with heart. a standalone novella that’s captivating and heart wrenchingly brutal wrapped up in a nice little falcon-shaped bow

whether you are new to Fonda Lee or coming from Green Bone Saga/her other works, I recommend this either way. it’s a different setting to GBS so you can taste her writing while rooted in another world. but if you are already hooked to her writing, this carries her signature storytelling that balances heart and harsh realities

getting sucked in felt like i was in a cabin in the woods with the sound of birds softly chirping as i flip a page or in an open field with trees running for miles and a soft fleeting breeze touching everything

Fonda Lee went hard with the world-building and the groundwork was set up perfectly that by the time the story fully launched, I was attached to everything that I was supposed to be and left in a heaping mess.

it reads like an episode for a whole completed series.

the characters are written in a way that I found soooo investing with dynamics achingly tangible — and I do love myself subtle and nuanced characterizations.

the inspirations of this novel translated beautifully from the chariots, falcons, and set up of the kingdom. Fonda Lee said that part of the inspiration was from when she went to see falcons with her family and I could feel that in every step and in every flap of wings. FL went from a wide arching multi-POV urban fantasy to this bite-sized standalone high fantasy but I can still tell it’s her writing through and through.

i genuinely wish this was longer and i wrote this review while simultaneously mopping my tears

*ARC / unfinished copy was sent to me by the publisher @tordotcompub for review — back before this was published but i only got to reading it now (reading slump) — all thoughts and opinions are my own, thank you!*

🕯️

• have you read Babel already?

i took so long to pickup babel that by the time i got it, there was already an ad for yellowface at the back… oops

floppy paperback moment at the end was worth the wait though 🤍

— as someone who lives in a country that still feels the aftermath and echoes of it’s colonizers from hundreds of years ago, i am simply shaking to finally have this in my hands and rip through each word

— given i am someone born and raised in the ph, i also consider myself well-travelled and like the delusional fantasy x literary fiction girly i am, i like to think that i’m in the prime target audience. That said, i have high expectations going in but R.F. Kuang has yet to let me down, i hope it won’t be this one

🕯️

thoughts on I Who Have Never Known Men by Jacqueline Harpman (spoiler-free) 📖✏️ — #bookreview #altheasreviews

There’s something beautiful about women being among the company of other women in a post-apocalyptic parallel setting. After sitting with it for some time, I’ve found this book to represent for me the importance of knowledge and though it’s a bleak delivery, how withholding knowledge affects us as members of a society. How simply being able to read is in itself, it’s own wealth...

I was torn between describing this book as bleak or hopeful— or something else in between, a word that holds meaning in the mundane despite our weariness.

The relationships between the women in this book was the selling point and her commentary all throughout the progression of the story felt like it opened the curtains to writing female dynamics. I’ve never read about a community of women written the way it was here *screams out the window*!!

Perfectly paced and insanely relevant despite how long ago this was published. It was the exact character dynamics I was craving when I picked this up, it delivered.

There was this overarching theme that the book brings up about time, beauty, and the importance we place on objects that felt like a whiplash given the speed that modern advancements feels like it’s on right now (AI issue, etc.) The way this presents and discusses the passage of time was so tangible that it was a little scary haha.

This book is for those looking for something that explores loneliness, time, and female connections/experiences — the metaphor of male domination in a society was further exemplified by the guards and i find that so impactful

The MC was relatable and though I have yet to form my final opinion on the ending... I will be sitting here in my own solitude, thinking about it.

It’s a wake up call for times when we forget the simple wonders and pleasure of nature and mundane human interactions. Particularly in the in betweens spent experiencing other human beings — as time is an arbitrary currency that I am now feeling is truly measured by our own participation in it. In the end, we all just want a witness to our life.

4.25

☁️

book recs ‘cause cut me some slack, who do you want me to be 📚

Books mentioned:
• Recitatif
• I Who Have Never Known Men
• Yellowface
• Convenience Store Woman
• White Nights
• Dowry of Blood
• Siren Queen
• All’s Well

this was so fun to edit

#bookish #bookcommunity #bookrecommendations #bookstagram

thoughts on Yellowface by R.F. Kuang (spoiler-free) 📖✏️ — #bookreview #altheasreviews

All the characters were so annoying, and I loved this book. She WROTE. She ate. She delivered.

This sparked a lot of discussions in the publishing industry as a whole — 4.5

One of the critiques for R.F. Kuang is that her characters don’t exactly get a lot of character development and there were instances I used to agree with that while reading Poppy War but… after reading this book…. I have concluded that not all stories need to have character development for a story to be well-written

The commentary on author censorship and erasure in asian-authored books together with all the nuance that comes with it was so brilliantly written

Inherently bad deeds were done by the main character and although I do not think the end justifies the means, there were so many points made I couldn’t help agreeing to

The characters were annoyingly engaging even though they were so chaotic, I was invested and laughed out loud at the absurdity of it all.

Highly recommended.

(swipe for long version of review ->)

💛🤍

reading and annotating jane eyre 🙂‍↕️🤎

i kinda can’t get over the age gap of what i think is the romance in this book but i’m powering through and trying to ignore it for now — we’ll see how i feel about it by the end

*i was initially filming a live for this but it got cut so…

🎥: video at the bg is from @cupsandthoughts ‘s yt channel

#bookstagram #janeeyre #annotatedbooks #readwithme #bookrecommendations #cozyvibes #books #bookcommunity

8 books on my radar recently (and why) 📚

I never really posted anything for Women’s Month or Black History Month but I also didn’t feel like posting just for the sake of posting something to fit a trend

I wanted to share these books because they are genuinely something I am interested in and the kind of books I actively pursue reading, no matter what month it is or what the current trend is — having an open mind no matter what day of the year overwrites trends, I like to think

let me know if you’ve read any of these books or if any sounds interesting to you! :”>

Books:
• A Woman of the Sword
• Modern Divination
• The Gods Below
• The Woman in the Dunes
• The Three Body Problem
• Black Salt Queen
• An Academy for Liars
• The Sailor Who Fell from Grace with the Sea

**this list is made up of new releases and books i have recently been excited for**

🕯️

thoughts on Oathbringer by bransan — #bookreview #altheasreviews 📖✏️ [some contextual spoilers ahead!]

it took me literal years to get through the last half of this book because of how slow paced this book was compared to the first two but it did have the steepest sanderlanche of them all

Adolin and Shallan here gave me LIFE!!

— Stars: 3.5 (fun but WoR was too much of the *chefs kiss, kneeling on the ground* kind) —

Though, I really wish Adolin’s potential wasn’t wasted. He’s one of my favorite characters but he barely gets enough page time and focus. He’s being wasted as a “side character” in my opinion (I do know that he gets more page time in the next novels), even Bridge Four got more scenes than Adolin combined 😭

My irk lies in how long the build up took, i know we’re used to the sanderlanches but this was one was especially dragging

Shallan and the way she is written is off to me and I still have no reason why even tho i find her and Adolin beyond cute and amusing.

The ending really saved this book for me but I kept thinking that this could have happened 200 pages ago. The character dynamics and relationships were already established in WoR so i didn’t feel like there needed to be so much time/writing between what happened at the end of WoR to the end of OB.

Dalinar’s character development was by far the best thing that happened and it was so satisfying to see where he ended up. It makes so much sense but again… I wish it didn’t take so long!!

I do acknowledge that insane world-building was needed so maybe I just wasn’t as invested in what was going on in the first part of OB.

I was here for Dalinar and the tidbits of Adolin and Shallan. I missed Kaladin a lot but as I’m currently reading RoW while writing this, I can say I’m satisfied a lot more with the beginning of RoW.

In this essay I conclude, not my top Stormlight Archives book of the moment and it felt more like a filler to me but I’m happy with how Rhythm of War is going right now so I’m glad I powered through it 🥴

*3 stars is NOT a bad rating (for me), it literally means i liked it 🙂‍↕️

#oathbringer #brandonsanderson #fantasybookstagram #bookrecommendations #stormlightarchive

book updates and reading intentions: lessening pressure 💌

— i wanted to share how i’ve been more intentional with lessening the pressure i put on myself with reading! i have set my reading goal significantly lower than what i can read and noticed that it’s made a huge difference on what books i choose to purchase moving forward and continue reading 🥹 it has been a game changer and i have never felt more at home with what i have been reading !! i’m still experimenting on other ways i can keep the pressure off though

— but not having to run after a superficial and arbitrary goal has let me worry less about how long i’m taking to read a book (since i’ve already reached the “goal”) and what book i’m picking up next (especially as someone who frequently shifts genres) ✨

— if u been feel me, i highly recommend changing up your trackers or maybe even try completely stopping posting/tracking the books you read for a while (don’t update anyone nor your trackers),, it gave me the freedom to find fun and letting go of my perceived pressure 🤸‍♀️

Books that have ignited smth in me recently ✨
• A Current Read I love: Jane Eyre (those in ig stories would know)
• Next Physical TBR: A Memory Called Empire
• New Arrival, Highly Anticipated: The Ninth Rain

^^what’s yours?

— book recs if i get too close and i’m not how you hoped

! my energy in keeping up with trends is lowkey drained, i just want to ~read~, pls tell me in not alone….

in other news: some of these books have permanent residences in my mind for what has felt like a good amount of time and i needed that to be known

🕯️

#bipocbookstagram #reader #annotatedbooks #hozier #noahkahan #northernattitude

embracing my mantra of taking life slowly, and letting go of the perfectionist in me

— February ‘25 Reading Wrap Up —
• Oathbringer - 4.0
• What you are looking for is in the library - 3.0
• White Nights - 4.5
• Clean Point - 3.75
• Days at the Morisaki Bookshop - 3.5

— Notable current reads that I’ve been loving: —
• Conversations on Love
• Rhythm of War
• Jane Eyre (not in pic)

(swipe for details per book ->)

🕯️

#altheasreviews

— Valentines standalone book recs (on hopeful human connections)

because some of the best stories i read about love don’t come from romance books

this is one of those lists where i try to make the book recs more accessible given that i live in a country where more obscure titles are difficult to find

i like to think love comes in all different forms and sometimes can be at its purest when the intention of the novel isn’t to write a love story, hence this list of books that i’ve all read and loved that (if you haven’t read them) find places to settle in your heart too

p.s. these are all standalones… for those of us standing alone, jkjk :P

Advanced Happy Valentines Day 💖

🕯️

#bookrecommendations #bookstagram #fantasybookstagram #bookish #altheasreviews #bipocbookstagram #valentines #bookphotography #explorepage

12 books on my radar recently (and why)

i am a GENEROUS purger of my own TBRs

i’ve had less than 300 books on my TBR shelf on Goodreads for the past 5 years (the ogs would know) and it will stay below that number indefinitely — i like the philosophy of constantly assessing yourself and your interests because we can each only read so many books — that said, if you see books on a list of mine like this, you know that i am *genuinely* excited for them

they have either been recommended to me multiple times or are from authors i’ve already loved or about a concept that most likely incorporates thought provoking, dark, and/or fantastical & sci fi concepts and themes

i have high hopes that some of these will be joining my wall of faves

**this list is made up of new releases and books i have recently been excited for**

🕯️

Sunday Sunrises hit different

welcoming the first work/study week of February with these quotes that i haven’t stopped thinking about because, to me, the next month starts when i have to get back to work

— from narratives about love that aren’t contemporary romance, with a sunrise of prague

manifesting all good things for everyone these next weeks: new favorite books, hobbies, places, people, or habits (that last one was more for me 🙂‍↕️)

🕯️

#chaoticacademia #bookstagram #bookrecommendation #literature #thisishowyoulosethetimewar #lovelywar #prague #oceanvuong #onearthwerebrieflygorgeous #sciencefiction #fantasybookstagram #february #bookquotes

To end January 2025: revamped family picture for the series that stands at the top podium of my favorite books

the poster child of gut-wrenching but heart warming urban epic fantasy — it’s been years and here we still are, still having lunch with the Kauls at the Twice Lucky

(swipe —>)

“The possibility of death was like the weather — you could make attempts to predict it, hut you would likely be wrong, and no one would change their most important plans due to threat of rain.”
— Fonda Lee; Green Bone Saga

🕯️

# tbr bookshelf book recs fantasy book review

i read 5 books in 2024 and i consider that a win

— 2024 Reading Wrap Up —
• what were your latest 5 stars reads?

i’ve never really cared about the number of books i read in a year but i do consider it a win that i didn’t read any 1-stars 😌 i didn’t really have the usual time i had to read everything i wanted but it is what it is

i have been getting hyped researching and updating myself with new adult sff releases though… and the number of books that sound amazing?!?

p.s. as someone who was born in the year of the snake, happy year of the snake 🐍

Books mentioned:
• The Secret History - 4.5
• Middlegame - 4.5
• Tress of the Emerald Sea - 3.5
• Mrs Death Misses Death - 2.5
• After I Do - 4.0

#thesecrethistory #middlegame #tressoftheemeraldsea #afterido #mrsdeathmissesdeath #speculativefiction #brandonsanderson #altheasreviews

filed under: books i think about often — animal farm #bookreview

• justice for boxer !!!!
• will probably continue to be a timely novel for decades to come and history in general
• i didn’t expect the commentary on how easily history is edited by those who are left
• the irony of it all 🐷🐖
• the fact that even though the “citizens” had there own faults, i can’t even truly blame them

pigs are ruined for me

5/5 ✨

special mention for @fangirlishwandering ; who inspired the % categories

— kafka & prague
what’s an unexpected bucket list worthy moment to you?

i ended up with a Prague-original copy of Metamorphosis, the country where Kafka lived… from the bookstore that was originally Kafka’s house… where he wrote the book

funny story, i was on an adventure on my own in prague and somehow ended up in Kafka’s old house (that was turned into a bookstore and now sells Kafka’s novels)

the door was this small thing and although i was looking forward to finding a kafka book in prague, it was nowhere near what my intention was at that moment — because i was honestly just looking for a viewing deck to see scenery of the city / water behind the wall 😭 but i think i lucked out and got a better deal :>

the storekeep greeted me when i entered and only when she started talking did i realize where i really was haha

our conversation is history but tldr, i walked out with a new friend and a new book that has to be one of my most cherished pieces in my collection — unexpected book finds tend to do that to you

p.s. prague is beautiful

proof of life with new books from shakespear & co. + kafka house (yes, i am very happy)

a paris and prague haul

— take it slow friends

@shakespeareandcoparis

Libraries I Visited and Money Saved

⇢ what’s your favorite library you’ve been to or want to visit one day?

I visited the Saskatoon Public Library and Calgary Central Library last summer (pictures & vid at the end). Central Library has to be one of my favorite libraries for it’s architecture and practicality. There were even performances when I visited and the sound just echoed beautifully.

I often get asked how I listen to audiobooks as an intl. reader and it’s actually through the Libby app which I have a library card connected to the Saskatoon Public Library.

I am currently living in the Philippines and I’m aware that it is a privilege to have access to a library as stocked as it is. You do need a library card when accessing Libby but if you do have the option, it’s my favorite way to listen and borrow audiobooks. (I can make a list of alternatives I use in a different post)

Computing the stats I got from my own reading habits, nearly 50% of the books I borrowed weren’t available locally and among those that were, more than 60% were more expensive.

Unfortunately, this is the sad reality for international readers. Books are relatively rare and expensive, especially the SFF books that I tend to reach for.

I like being aware of my own habits so it’s interesting to see how different titles are treated internationally compared to their publishing country centers.

Don’t get me wrong, there are local PH publishers but they focus on more academic titles, non-fiction, folklore, and Rizal books etc. (which is where I got my books when I was in college). In short, the fiction market is different —

#chaoticacademia #bookstagram #bookstagrammer #bookreviewer #bibliophile #bookish #bipocbookstagram #bookworm #literature #bookrecommendations #librarybooks #booksofinstagram #jadelegacy #fondalee #fantasybooks #fantasybookstagram

— the secret history — #bookreview

this book put me back in the mood for craving fantasy. this isn’t even fantasy.

You definitely have to understand that this book has a satire undertone to appreciate it. I wouldn’t read this for it’s mystery specifically but more so for the writing, atmosphere and feeling of getting buried into a narrative with characters you aren’t expecting to love. I see why this is a polarizing read for many.

That isn’t to say that I didn’t find the mystery shocking bc I had to close my book and process.

The characters are meant to be unlikable, it’s meant to feel pretentious, it’s non-linear on purpose, and Richard is meant to feel bland. All of these pull the point of the whole book together and drive the themes throughout the whole story. And it was satisfying.

After reading someone say that Bunny by Mona Awad is a homage to TSH, the parellels clicked and I gained more appreciation for Bunny (both the character and the book).

Even though there are areas of the plot that irked me, I have to admit that this is one of those mystery books that I could actually feel sinking into me. I wasn’t just reading scene after scene happening but was actually feeling how everything played out.

The irony, pretentious ignorance, arrogance, and superiority complexes became the foundational pillars for the ironic problems in this story…

And how it doomed them all.

Addicting read. The reason this wasn’t 5 stars was more for my opinion of how the plot turns out than the actual writing. Personally, I think Donna Tart is good at setting the atmosphere of a book while injecting ironic pretentiousness.

I read it for the vibes and was pleasantly surprised. A good start to 2024, I believe.

— (4.0 stars) —

Thank you travelynpages probably would not have TSH around without you 🥹🩵

#thesecrethistory #donnatartt #darkacademia #chaoticacademia #bookstagram #bookstagrammer #bookreviewer #bibliophile #bookish #bipocbookstagram #bookworm #literature #literaryfictionbooks #bookrecommendations #altheasreviews

⇢ q: are you planning to reread anything this year?

8 books that are motivating me to read this 2024:

• The Art of Prophecy by Wesley Chu
• The Grace of Kings by Ken Liu
• Ninth Rain by Jen Williams
• Babel by RF Kuang
• Elantris by Brandon Sanderson
• After Dark by Haruki Murakami
• Fireborne by Rosaria Munda
• Chain of Thorns by CC

Special Mention:
• all of my Brandon Sanderson and Fonda Lee backlogs

Sanderson’s secret projects have me intrigued —!

given my mental workload for med school, I’ll be happy if I can even get through half these books. We’re just enjoying it for what it is this year

‘s 2022-2023 reading wrap up 📖

some years i read 90+ books and some i’m proud to get to 5. I’ve been enjoying exploring more genres the past two years and even though my wrap up only includes books i finished, i’m proud of myself for branching out 😌

Additionally, thank you to everyone who joined my 2023 challenge on Storygraph ❤️ 162 participants and 443 books added, yall are amazing!!

Top Books Mini Reviews:

⇢ Green Bone Saga by Fonda Lee (rereads)
I ran out of words a long time ago. Fonda Lee owes me therapy. This series is pure masterpiece with all it’s family dynamics, politics, and high stakes. Epic urban fantasy like no other. I could talk for hours.

⇢ The Drowning Empire series by Andrea Stewart
Steampunk fantasy with a dash of body horror. The perfect blend of fantasy, mystery, and thrill. I need to finish the third book, yesterday.

⇢ The Sword of Kaigen by M.L. Wang
I will glady sell my soul to read this book for the first time all over again. One of the best, if not the best, standalone fantasy book I’ve read.

⇢ Frankenstein by Mary Shelley
I did not expect it to be so approachable and thought-provoking. Definitely recommended if you want a digestible read to get into classics. I closed this book with a smile on my face.

⇢ On Earth We’re Briefly Gorgeous by Ocean Vhong
Tears were shed!!! My heart grieved, broke, and was stitched back together. I was in their shoes. Everyone needs to read this book. Easily on my favorite books of all time.

⇢ A Dowry of Blood by S.T. Gibson
I still remember how this book goes and ends. It’s been nearly 2 years. It hits HARD hard.

⇢ Siren Queen by Nghi Vo
Easily the best Vo book I’ve read. I’m always a lil confused (in a good way) with these books but I welcome it. Always a magical realism rollercoaster.

⇢ The Final Empire by Brandon Sanderson
This was another reread. I love it. I will for a every long time. Always recommended if you want to get into adult epic fantasy and shfiting from ya fantasy.

MY 2024 GOAL:
enjoy what I read. 🤍🕯

#bookstagram #bookstagrammer #fantasybooks #bookreviewer #bookstagramwrapped #bibliophile #bookishwrapup #bookish #bipocbookstagram #bookworm

⇢ ADULT SFF CHECKLIST
but its bipoc/queer/women authors only (part 3)

welcoming the new year with a new and fresh list. may the odds of time be ever in your favor —

I’ve been wanting to post a 3rd part for months but it was hard to curate 30 books, so I was waiting for more releases 🥹

It warms my heart, truly, that so many people enjoy these lists as much as I love making them. What a random afternoon when I found out my lists blew up on booktok HAHA It’s hard enough as it is looking for BIPOC Adult SFF, atleast the community has each other.

That said, these lists are meant for inspiration and awareness of our own reading habits. They aren’t meant to police anyone’s choice of books. 😊 Happy almost 2024!!!

🕯 What books are you looking forward to reading?

i treat book quotes how some people treat blurbs… and sometimes i just buy a book due to the sheer number of trusted recommendations that i get from my bookstagram friends

they have yet to let me down and The Spear Cuts Through Water doesn’t seem like it’s going to be the first casualty 🥹 i read “lola” in the first sentence and SHIVERS went down my spine in seeing a Filipino/Tagalog word in a mass published novel by a major publisher in Adult SFF. I waited for this day— and you best believe I RAN for a copy 🤍 i am shaking to begin.

Update:
I read more and this book is so filipino coded in the best ways possible.

P.S.
I got the last copy in my local bookstore’s branch~

#thespearcutsthroughwater #simonjimenez

it’s been a hot minute since i checked up here but i missed everyone 🤍 i just finished my thesis and all my requirements

and after the hectic past few months, this book just really called out to me 🥹

have have your reads been recently? lmk if you have new faves, i’m so outdated in the book community~

— “Sleep felt productive. Something was getting sorted out. I knew in my heart—this was, perhaps, the only thing my heart knew back then—that when I'd slept enough, I'd be okay.

not my usual content and this isn’t book related but i just wanted to share small snippets of my night yesterday 🥰 @saythename_17

i made myself too senti making this but everything about that night was worth it! @ho5hi_kwon i will horanghae with you however many times you like till forever

#seventeen #saythename17 #betsbulacan

books i loved this year as svt songs ~

it’s funny that whenever i post a diverse list of books or do something that promotes bipoc book curations there’s always someone who feels that white men are being “attacked” and “excluded”

why are people so pressed when BIPOCs and women share books written by BIPOCs and women? over ones written by white men?

obviously if you want to read sff books written by white men you can go look at other recommendation lists… literally 90% of adult sff rec lists have them

so here are more books i loved this year written by women and BIPOCs based on songs written by this asian group that i’m seeing tomorrow because i will never shut up 🤍

p.s.
you don’t need to be familiar with kpop to relate to this post because i think the lyrics cut up here already convey a lot about what aspects of the book i love, even metaphorically

.

this post was inspired by @vanillalattereads’ bts one <3

snippets of life and books recently ;

🕯 what things are you looking forward too?

current reads —> i’ve been going back to this quote ever since i read it and i just felt it needed a place on my feed. it’s from The Stationary Shop by Marjan Kamali, it’s both romantic and has political commentary,, very thought provoking and day dream provoking 🥹 the romance is so soft

life —> hoping everything works out and me and @cerizeseries meet at the svt concert on saturday 🫶🏼🤍 my mind is so distracted by the concert at this point i’m too excited 😭

storygraph challenge —> it’s so crazy to me that a lot have already joined the sff reading challenge! i wanna post an official announcement soon to share but hugs to the 30+ participants and 120+ books in the first day 🤍 it’s giving me a lot of motivation for 2023

the fact that middlegame is better at writing m/f character relationship development over time than most romance books and it isn’t even a romance book…

the characters aren’t even romantically involved because they’re twins

top tier i believe, i already know this is on my fave books of the year list

— what are your top faves of the year?

#middlegame #seananmcguire #everyheartadoorway #fantasybooks #bookstagram #bookstagramph #bookrecommendations #bookblogger #readergram #bookishpost #bookish

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Review | The Lady's Guide to Petticoats and Piracy (Montague Siblings, #2) by Mackenzi Lee

“I’m learning there is no one way for life to be lived, no one way to be strong or brave or kind or good. Rather there are many people...

~ Althea ~

Aug 8, 20202 min read

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Review | The Gentleman's Guide to Vice and Virtue (Montague Siblings, #1) by Mackenzi Lee

“It took several thousand miles for me to begin believing that I am better than the worst things I’ve done.”

~ Althea ~

Aug 7, 20203 min read

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Review | I Wish You All the Best by Mason Deaver | a diverse contemporary

“So, we’ll sit here in silence?” “I’m cool with that, the world is too loud sometimes.” ★★★★☆ FORMAT READ: Audiobook (Recommended)...

~ Althea ~

Aug 7, 20201 min read

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Review | Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury | a true classic

“We need not to be let alone. We need to be really bothered once in a while. FORMAT READ: Audiobook (Recommended) SIMILAR VIBES: Good...

~ Althea ~

Aug 7, 20202 min read

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Review | Godsgrave by Jay Kristoff | dark adult fantasy

“There is beauty in knowing all things end. The brightest flames burn out the fastest. But in them, there is warmth that can last a...

~ Althea ~

Aug 6, 20204 min read

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Review | Nevernight by Jay Kristoff | dark adult fantasy

“The books we love, they love us back. And just as we mark our places in the pages, those pages leave their marks on us. I can see it in...

~ Althea ~

Aug 2, 20203 min read

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"we are all pieces of what we remember"
- City of Heavenly Fire by Cassandra Clare

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Review | The Lady's Guide to Petticoats and Piracy (Montague Siblings, #2) by Mackenzi Lee

Review | The Gentleman's Guide to Vice and Virtue (Montague Siblings, #1) by Mackenzi Lee

Review | I Wish You All the Best by Mason Deaver | a diverse contemporary

Review | Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury | a true classic

Review | Godsgrave by Jay Kristoff | dark adult fantasy

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Review | The Lady's Guide to Petticoats and Piracy (Montague Siblings, #2) by Mackenzi Lee

Review | The Gentleman's Guide to Vice and Virtue (Montague Siblings, #1) by Mackenzi Lee

Review | I Wish You All the Best by Mason Deaver | a diverse contemporary

Review | Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury | a true classic

Review | Godsgrave by Jay Kristoff | dark adult fantasy

Review | Nevernight by Jay Kristoff | dark adult fantasy

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"we are all pieces of what we remember"
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