Reading Without Resolutions: Letting Go of Bookish Pressure

It's that time of year again when people are celebrating their reading accomplishments, and the naysayers are out in full force. This discourse happens every single December, with people creating posts, videos, and comments, dragging and degrading those who have read 100+ books. I will never understand this perspective, as reading just one book is winning!

With this discourse comes the return of New Year's language: goals, challenges, numbers, accountability. Even reading, which is one of the quietest, most personal pleasures, gets lumped into productivity culture, which is where I think some of the animosity toward those who have read more than us stems from. We're encouraged to set book counts, maintain reading streaks, and hit monthly targets. To read more. To read better. To read correctly. And in all of this, pressure begins to creep in. If reading has ever felt like another obligation on your to-do list to "keep up with the Jonses," then this post is for you.

When Reading Becomes Performance

Reading is deeply personal, often happening in private silence without witnesses. With the advent of social media, especially that of Bookstagram and BookTok, reading culture has become an increasingly outward performance.

We track our books.

We announce our goals.

We measure our success by volume.

None of these things is inherently bad, however. I love tracking my reading progress, setting goals, and logging my daily reading. However, when you are chronically scrolling through these book tracking apps and websites, such as GoodReads, Fable, and Storygraph, or even on Bookstagram or BookTok, it can subtly shift the way reading feels. Instead of asking yourself What do I want to read?, we start asking, What should I be reading? If you are a slow reader, like me, you begin to feel guilty for not reading faster. Reading becomes a task to complete, not something to inhabit and enjoy.

A lot of this pressure stems from unspoken ideas about what a "good reader" looks like, pressure that is promoted by influencers. A good reader finishes books quickly, reads widely and diversely, keeps up with new releases, always has something constructive to say, and never seems to struggle with posting, reviewing, and generating content.

The reality is, most of us don't look like this. Some of us read slowly. Some of us get stuck in reading slumps where we read little to nothing for long stretches of time. Sometimes we choose to reread the same comfort read over and over again because the world feels like too much. This doesn't make you less of a reader. It just makes you human.

Why Reading Resolutions Often Backfire

Like all resolutions and goals, reading resolutions are usually made with the best of intentions. They promise motivation, consistency, and structure, but for some readers, they end up doing the exact opposite. Instead of encouraging us, they make us feel guilty and unworthy, but why does this happen?

1. They prioritize quantity over experience. A book finished isn’t always a book enjoyed. When numbers take center stage, attention shifts away from immersion, reflection, and pleasure.
2. They ignore seasonal and emotional shifts. How you read in winter may not resemble how you read in summer. Energy, focus, and capacity fluctuate seasonally, and rigid goals rarely account for that. When I am going through a particularly difficult time, I tend to hide in books, but when I am happy and healthy, reading takes a back seat in favor of activities outside of the home.
3. They turn reading into a metric. Once success is measured numerically, falling behind can feel like failure, even when reading is meant to be restorative. It becomes a competition, with ourselves and others. Who has read the most? Who has read the least? A good reader should be reading 50, 100, 200 books a year, right?
4. They create guilt around rest. Not reading becomes something that needs to be "fixed," rather than a neutral or even necessary pause. You are not required to read every day. Taking a break or entering into a slump is normal!

Reframing Reading as Rest, Not Achievement

I am not saying you can't continue to set reading goals, but how you treat that goal should change. Reading should be reframed as rest, not output. When you do this, you shift how you interact with books and reading. You give yourself permission to choose books that match your energy, read at your own pace, take breaks when needed, and even DNF books that just aren't working for you.

Reading without rigid resolutions doesn't mean reading without intention. You can still set the goals, track your progress, and celebrate your wins, but you should also include softer, more responsive reading practices that help alleviate the pressure of "success."

Instead of focusing on book count, try noticing your reading patterns. What kinds of stories are holding your attention right now? When do you feel most drawn to reading? What pulls you away from it?

Instead of forcing yourself to complete books, open yourself up to honesty and give yourself permission to engage in "anti-resolution" behaviors. Stop reading a book you are not enjoying. Don't panic when you pause or take a break and return to reading when the interest naturally resurfaces. Allow for reading seasons, choosing heavy books during the quieter periods, and lighter reads when your focus is more scarce. Reread your favorites again and again. Read short, "easy" books and read long, difficult books "badly."

Reading should bring you pleasure and enjoyment. If at any point you feel pressure to read more, I strongly encourage you to take a step back and reassess what you really want to get out of reading. 

Remember, there’s no universal pace you’re supposed to maintain, and, just like the rest of life, your reading doesn’t move forward in a straight line. It expands and contracts in relation to everything else you’re carrying. Some years are full of books. Some years are quiet. Both still belong to you as a reader.

You don’t need a reading goal to begin a new year. Reading doesn’t ask to be improved. It asks to be returned to. So, whether you set a goal or not next year, I hope that reading brings you peace, joy, and well-deserved rest in the coming new year.

Cemetery Boys by Aiden Thomas | Book Review

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Cemetery Boys by Aiden Thomas
Series: Cemetery Boys #1
Published by Swoon Reads on September 1, 2020
Genres: YA Fantasy, LGBT, BIPOC
Pages: 344
Format: Hardcover
Source: Purchased

Content Warnings: Murder, Transphobia, Misgendering, Deadnaming, Death, Grief, Blood, Violence, Abuse, Racism, Deportation
Rating:

Yadriel has summoned a ghost, and now he can’t get rid of him. When his traditional Latinx family has problems accepting his gender, Yadriel becomes determined to prove himself a real brujo. With the help of his cousin and best friend Maritza, he performs the ritual himself, and then sets out to find the ghost of his murdered cousin and set it free. However, the ghost he summons is actually Julian Diaz, the school’s resident bad boy, and Julian is not about to go quietly into death. He’s determined to find out what happened and tie up some loose ends before he leaves. Left with no choice, Yadriel agrees to help Julian, so that they can both get what they want. But the longer Yadriel spends with Julian, the less he wants to let him leave.

If you are looking for a book to help diversify your shelf, look no further than Cemetery Boys by Aiden Thomas. While it is distinctly and beautifully Young Adult, it is YA fantasy done right. Cemetery Boys is a coming-of-age story rooted in gender expression, familial ties, and culture. Thomas does an exceptional job of immersing the reader in the family's cultural roots, including both the good and the bad. This truly highlights how families sometimes get things wrong, but that those transgressions can be forgiven when real change takes place, and people grow.

Our main character, Yadriel, is a young, trans boy, struggling to be accepted by his family for who he truly is. What's interesting is that, unlike other books where the queer character is wholly accepted or wholly rejected, Yadriel exists in a liminal space. His family very clearly loves him, with several fully accepting his transition, while others express their love with backhanded, transphobic comments to boot. This made the story feel so much more real as we watch Yadriel struggle with what many young queer children experience. Yadriel wants nothing more than to be fully and wholly accepted by his family for who he truly is, and we watch as he struggles to reconcile his desire to be a part of his family while also being authentically Yadriel. All of this is tied to the disappearance of his cousin, whom the family believes has been murdered. Yadriel believes that if he can find his cousin and help his soul rest, he will finally be accepted into the family as his true self.

“You don’t need anyone’s permission to be you, Yads.."

During this process, Yadriel unexpectedly resurrects a ghost of one of his fellow classmates, Julian, and the two set off to find themselves. What unfolds is a beautiful, yet humorous, love story of two boys coming into their own. I am getting teary-eyed just thinking about the ending and the purity of the love Yads and Julian share. It is sure to move even the most stoic of readers.

Thomas is a truly exceptional storyteller, although there are several instances of info-dumping, which reduced my 5-star rating down to a 4. I generally like to be shown instead of told, as I am sure many of you do too, but it didn't pull terribly away from the story. Overall, a very solid read that will leave you craving more.

Fable for the End of the World by Ava Reid | Book Review

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Fable for the End of the World by Ava Reid
Published by HarperCollins on March 4, 2025
Genres: YA Fantasy, Dystopian, LGBT
Pages: 384
Format: Hardcover
Source: OwlCrate

Content Warnings: Abuse, Violence, Gore, Death of a Child, Classism, Misogyny, Trauma, Body Commodification, Fire, Suicide, Murder, Adult-Minor Relationship
Rating:

By encouraging massive accumulations of debt from its underclass, a single corporation, Caerus, controls all aspects of society. Inesa lives with her brother in a half-sunken town where they scrape by running a taxidermy shop. Unbeknownst to Inesa, their cruel and indolent mother has accrued an enormous debt—enough to qualify one of her children for Caerus’s livestreamed assassination spectacle: the Lamb’s Gauntlet. Melinoë is a Caerus assassin, trained to track and kill the sacrificial Lambs. The product of neural reconditioning and physiological alteration, she is a living weapon, known for her cold brutality and deadly beauty. She has never failed to assassinate one of her marks. When Inesa learns that her mother has offered her as a sacrifice, at first she despairs—the Gauntlet is always a bloodbath for the impoverished debtors. But she’s had years of practice surviving in the apocalyptic wastes, and with the help of her hunter brother, she might stand a chance of staying alive. For Melinoë, this is a game she can’t afford to lose. Despite her reputation for mercilessness, she is haunted by painful flashbacks. After her last Gauntlet, where she broke down on livestream, she desperately needs redemption. As Mel pursues Inesa across the wasteland, both girls begin to question everything: Inesa wonders if there’s more to life than survival, while Mel wonders if she’s capable of more than killing. And both wonder if, against all odds, they might be falling in love.

This year, I have read almost all of the books Ava Reid has written, and I have come to two conclusions: they like to use the word "gorge," and they are a talented writer but not great at telling a story. This last point is extremely disappointing. Reid has some of the most gorgeous prose I have ever read and some of the absolute best passages and lines of any author, but their stories almost always fail to deliver. Fable for the End of the World is one of these cases where the story fell flat, despite the beautiful prose.

Fable for the End of the World takes place in a future where the Earth has been ravaged by climate change and war, resulting in strange evolutions among the wildlife and a significant class divide. Despite the obvious issues of capitalism and innovation that brought about the present landscape, the wealthy continue to push capitalism, hiding away in their pristine cities and attending banquets and parties while the common folk suffer. In order to survive, people take on astronomical debts, and eventually, that deceptively endless supply of credit runs out, and the debt must be paid, often in blood. Unfortunately, this often results in parents turning over their children or elderly parents to participate in the Gauntlet, in which they are hunted by modified women on live television. These televised events are deliberately sprinkled with ads to encourage even more spending while reminding those with less are in a precarious situation. You can't fight oppression if you are fighting for your life.

This dystopian future is not much different from our own, minus the grotesquely "mutated" animals and humans, of course. I thoroughly enjoyed Reid weaving modern-day politics into a fantastical tale, as this helps put our current political and social climate into perspective for readers, especially young readers. We are living in a time where the class divide is deepening, and the disconnect between the common folk and the ultra-wealthy is becoming increasingly noticeable. Contrary to what you might think, you are closer to homelessness than you are to becoming a billionaire, and they do not care about you. Fable for the End of the World makes this very, very clear. The poor and struggling are a source of entertainment to die at the whims of those with more, especially to keep a corporation going. It calls out corporate oligarchies, the dehumanizing nature of online and streaming culture, the commodification of women's bodies, and our obsession with violence as a form of entertainment.

There is a passage toward the end of the book that sums this up rather succinctly. I am going to quote most of the passage because of everything in the story; this is the most important message:

"Debts. It all began with debts. Student loans, medical bills, mortgages, credit cards—all of it weighing down New Amsterdam's government like an anchor attached to a bloated corpse. People died and passed their debts on to their children, on to their children's children. Shackled by the debt that followed them for generations, people stopped buying houses and cars. The birth rate plummeted. There was a shortage of doctors and skilled professionals because who was going to take on the extra debt of getting an advanced degree, on top of everything else?

In an act of benevolence, Caerus bought all of New Amsterdam's debt. They begin a staggered program of loan forgiveness to jump-start the economy...And in order to entice people to buy houses and cars and to get their degrees, Caerus offered a massive line of credit to anyone purchasing their products: up to five hundred thousand credits.

...Looking back, anyone could've predicted what happened next. The erosion of lines between corporation and government. People clamoring for Caerus's CEO to replace the governor. An election with questionable democratic integrity. Schools that used to be state-run dissolved and replaced with a new standard curriculum created by Caerus.

...Caerus was running every other aspect of life in New Amsterdam—why not education, too? Why not military and defense? Why not housing and transportation? Why not health and human services?

..Because the truth is, things could always be worse. Sure, some people couldn't pay their debts and have to die for it, but those people are the stupid, the indulgent, the weak. As long as it's always somebody else, it's easy to blame them, easy, even, to cheer for their deaths."

As Trump's second term has worn on, I have found myself on more than one occasion thinking about this passage. The writing is on the wall, and so many are just sitting on the sidelines saying, "It could be worse!" And while that is true, that isn't an excuse to justify being a bystander to fascism and corporate greed. It was this passage and the underlying themes of the narrative that originally prompted me to give Fable for the End of the World a 4-star rating, which I have since reduced to a 3.5 because the rest of the story wasn't there.

The enemies-to-lovers trope was poorly executed, with the two leading girls falling in love significantly faster than they should have. They were enemies all of two seconds before sharing a bed. Like, I get times are tough, but what?? 

There is also zero resolution. Inesa's time in the Gauntlet does nothing. It doesn't spark revolutionary thoughts, it doesn't open anyone's eyes, it just is. This was incredibly frustrating to me, but, at the same time, extremely realistic. If the Palestinian genocide has taught me anything, it's that many people are willing to look atrocities in the face and say, "Eh...not my problem." I was really hoping Reid would offer young readers not only hope, but also the tools they need to fight against corporate oligarchs, fascism, and oppression. This would have been the perfect opportunity to provide those tools; instead, I was left saying, "That's it??"

My other major complaint with Fable for the End of the World is the number of times Reid used "gorge." It was used so often that I, too, wanted to vomit. Please learn a new phrase. Thankfully, Reid did a much better job in A Theory of Dreaming, which I recently finished, so maybe they are learning.

Despite the flaws in storytelling, Fable for the End of the World is a must-read, especially for younger folks. Books are political, as they should be, and Fable for the End of the World is a great way to introduce young readers to the threats we are facing today. They are our future, after all, and I will always choose not to sacrifice them for corporate greed.

The Unmaking of June Farrow by Adrienne Young | Book Review

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The Unmaking of June Farrow by Adrienne Young
Published by Delacorte Press on October 17, 2023
Genres: Fantasy, Magical Realism, Mystery
Pages: 336
Format: Paperback
Source: Purchased

Content Warnings: Domestic Abuse, Mental Illness, Suicide, Gun Violence, Murder, Grief, Police Brutality, Child Abandonment, Racism, Bigotry, Pregnancy/Childbirth, Sexual Assault, Death, Misogyny
Rating:

In the small mountain town of Jasper, North Carolina, June Farrow is waiting for fate to find her. The Farrow women are known for their thriving flower farm—and the mysterious curse that has plagued their family line. The whole town remembers the madness that led to Susanna Farrow’s disappearance, leaving June to be raised by her grandmother and haunted by rumors. It’s been a year since June started seeing and hearing things that weren’t there. Faint wind chimes, a voice calling her name, and a mysterious door appearing out of nowhere—the signs of what June always knew was coming. But June is determined to end the curse once and for all, even if she must sacrifice finding love and having a family of her own. After her grandmother’s death, June discovers a series of cryptic clues regarding her mother’s decades-old disappearance, except they only lead to more questions. But could the door she once assumed was a hallucination be the answer she’s been searching for? The next time it appears, June realizes she can touch it and walk past the threshold. And when she does, she embarks on a journey that will not only change both the past and the future, but also uncover the lingering mysteries of her small town and entangle her heart in an epic star-crossed love.

The Unmaking of June Farrow is not a book I would typically pick up. While it is listed as fantasy, it certainly falls more into magical realism. I have no issues with magical realism, but it isn't often my preferred genre of book. However, I was not disappointed.

The Unmaking of June Farrow is my introduction to Adrienne Young, whose writing and storytelling are absolutely enchanting. There are not many authors out there whose writing utterly pulls me into a story and brings tears to my eyes while also telling a beautiful and compelling story. Young is now among that small list of authors.

In The Unmaking of June Farrow, we follow June Farrow, who comes from a long line of women who eventually succumb to madness. But the reality of this madness is so much more than anyone can truly understand, an understanding we come to right along with June. While the first genre category is listed as fantasy, followed by magical realism, the heart of The Unmaking of June Farrow is a mystery. What is the red door, and where does it lead? Why do the women eventually go mad?

I am about to give away a "spoiler," so if you want to be surprised, please know I enjoyed the story and writing and hope you find enjoyment in this afternoon read too.

When June eventually decides to go through the red door, we learn that the women in June's family can time-travel and choose to do so out of love. June, unbeknownst to her, has travelled before, and the life her previous self left behind left a gaping hole in the lives of her family. We are presented with a timeless love that surpasses time itself while solving an age-old town mystery. As I mentioned, we are unmade with June, the reality coming forth slowly. There were times I felt the story was too slow and was frustrated with June for not feeling more urgency. My anxiety could never!

“It loomed over me, an infinite number of forgotten moments living beneath its roof. But forgotten wasn't the right word, was it? How could I forget something if I hadn't lived it yet?”

And while I enjoyed the overall story, The Unmaking of June Farrow did leave me grieving the life June didn't get to live, the life she left behind in the present. We are given brief flashes of what her future could have been, including the unfolding of a profound love between her and her best friend, Mason, who is the perfect man, by the way. This was honestly the most disappointing aspect of the entire book. Eamon, who is supposed to be her greatest love interest, did not live up to the timeless love story that I thought we might get with Mason. I say Young writes a second book where June refuses to go through the door and live her life in the present, but that is likely a pipedream.

Overall, The Unmaking of June Farrow was a solid 4-star read for me, and one you could likely finish in in afternoon if you are impatient like me. Haha!

The Devils by Joe Abercrombie | Book Review

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The Devils by Joe Abercrombie
Series: Devils #1
Published by Tor Books on May 13, 2025
Genres: Fantasy, Horror
Pages: 560
Format: Hardback
Source: Purchased

Content Warnings: Violence, Death, Gore, Sexual Content, Cursing, Racism, Religious Discrimination, Gender Discrimination, Child Death, Ableism, Murder, Suicidal Ideation, Self-Harm, Abuse
Rating:

Holy work sometimes requires unholy deeds. Brother Diaz has been summoned to the Sacred City, where he is certain a commendation and grand holy assignment awaits him. But his new flock is made up of unrepentant murderers, practitioners of ghastly magic, and outright monsters, and the mission he is tasked with will require bloody measures from them all in order to achieve its righteous ends. Elves lurk at our borders and hunger for our flesh, while greedy princes care for nothing but their own ambitions and comfort. With a hellish journey before him, it's a good thing Brother Diaz has the devils on his side.

The Devils is my introduction to Abercrombie's work, and what an introduction it was! Now the reviews for this book are all over the place, with some people loving it and others absolutely hating it. I fall into the "loving it" camp. I thought The Devils was such a fun, fantastic ride from start to finish, and I cannot wait to see what the future holds for our ragtag team of misfits.

“Smile while you can, that's what I say. The world'll kick you in the twat soon enough.”

Abercrombie seamlessly weaves humor, bloody battles, character development, and world-building to create an immersive reading experience in this dark epic fantasy set in an alternate medieval Europe. I found myself laughing, crying, and celebrating with each of the characters, especially Vigga, a rambunctious Scandinavian werewolf. There was no telling what Vigga would say or do next each time she was on the page, making for a hilariously wild ride through towns, cities, fields, and over the sea. The humor in The Devils is definitely low-brow, but honestly, it was exactly what I needed at the time. Sometimes you need off-the-cuff, low-brow humor to get you out of a slump.

At no point does The Devils slow down as our motley crew of undesirables races to place Alex, a long-lost princess, on her rightful throne before her cousins can take it. Abercrombie alternates between points of view, giving us an in-depth look into each of our characters and their motivations, slowly building their backstories as we go. We learn about the Devils as Alex learns about them, with a few exceptions, making the cast mysterious yet intriguing for much of the book. Even by the end, we still have much to learn about the quieter characters, particularly Sunny and Jakob the Thorn. I cannot wait to learn more about these two in the next book and hope Abercrombie continues to flesh them out.

“You need to stop clinging to the notion that there is only one right path. You’ll waste half your time panicking you’re not on it, and the rest backtracking to find it.”

While this is a fantastical tale, there are certainly a number of parallels between our modern world and that of The Devils, particularly our political climate. This alternative version of medieval Europe is teetering on the brink of collapse, as the schism in the church deepens, plague, famine, and warring nobles ravage the countryside, and monstrous experiments roam the land, fighting alongside princes to seize control of the kingdom. On top of all of this, a growing threat is blooming on the horizon as the elves, who were once thought to be vanquished, return. This political climate is eerily similar to today's, with a schism deepening between political parties, billionaires vying for resources, and common folk struggling to survive, all while the threat of climate change and "foreign invaders" looms in the background. The Devils is an exploration of how a few misfits can change the course of the entire world, for the better or for the worse. It isn't always the righteous who end up doing great things.

“Courage is catching. If one man shows it, it spreads. Fear is the same.”

It is through the actions of our antiheros that Abercrombie builds his new world. We are given snippets of information in offhanded comments and references, and even through songs. He does not bog us down with information dumping, as some authors often do, and at no point did I feel truly lost. By the end, I had an excellent understanding of the context in which the story takes place, its customs, magic systems, political climate, religious beliefs, and even family trees.

I found myself continuously rooting for our antiheros, laughing and suffering right along with them. At no point did I feel like I was reading a 560-page book. This is largely because I enjoyed Abercrombie's storytelling, but also the overall pacing and the unpredictability of it all. The characters were so wild, their lives so crazy, it was hard to determine what would happen next. Multiple unexpected twists and turns were flawlessly executed. Even now, months after having finished The Devils, I am smiling.

“Happy endings are just stories that aren't finished yet.”

While I recognize The Devils will not be for everyone, it was certainly for me. I cannot wait to see where Abercrombie takes us next.

Babel by R.F. Kuang | Book Review

Disclosure: Some of the links below are affiliate links, meaning, at no additional cost to you, I will earn a commission if you click through and make a purchase.

Babel by R.F. Kuang
Published by Harper Voyager on August 23, 2022
Genres: Fantasy, Historical Fiction, Dark Academia, BIPOC
Pages: 560
Format: Hardback
Source: Purchased

Content Warnings: Racism, Classism, Death, Alcohol Use, Blood, Gore, Blackmail, Torture, Child Abuse, Gun Violence, Colonialism, Misogyny, Sexual Assault, Slavery, Self-Harm, Death of a Parent, Murder, War
Rating:

Traduttore, traditore: An act of translation is always an act of betrayal. 1828. Robin Swift, orphaned by cholera in Canton, is brought to London by the mysterious Professor Lovell. There, he trains for years in Latin, Ancient Greek, and Chinese, all in preparation for the day he’ll enroll in Oxford University’s prestigious Royal Institute of Translation—also known as Babel. The tower and its students are the world's center for translation and, more importantly, magic. Silver-working—the art of manifesting the meaning lost in translation using enchanted silver bars—has made the British unparalleled in power, as the arcane craft serves the Empire's quest for colonization. For Robin, Oxford is a utopia dedicated to the pursuit of knowledge. But knowledge obeys power, and as a Chinese boy raised in Britain, Robin realizes serving Babel means betraying his motherland. As his studies progress, Robin finds himself caught between Babel and the shadowy Hermes Society, an organization dedicated to stopping imperial expansion. When Britain pursues an unjust war with China over silver and opium, Robin must decide . . . Can powerful institutions be changed from within, or does revolution always require violence?

Babel is my first experience with R.F. Kuang, as I have yet to read The Poppy Wars, and I was not disappointed. While I may not have rated Babel as high as other reviewers, it was still high up on my list of reads this year.

"Betrayal. Translation means doing violence upon the original, means warping and distorting it for foreign, unintended eyes."

Babel is an in-depth look at the harm colonialism has and is continuing to enact on society at large, set in a fantastical, alternative version of our own world where "magic" exists through the act of translation and silver bars. Despite it being set in an alternative reality, the message is no less an honest reflection of our world, where colonialism has led to the worst atrocities we have ever witnessed. Kuang ruthlessly explores the themes of colonialism, racism, and resistance, leaving very little up to interpretation. 

Some readers have remarked that Kuang is "heavy-handed" in her writing, but I disagree. Just because the exploration and commentary are "obvious" doesn't mean the writing is heavy-handed. In a world where people are arguing that books are not political, I think we need more authors to be clear in their messaging.

Kuang not-so-politely holds up a mirror to the reader and modern society and asks us to confront our darkest demons. Under all the glamour and illusions, we find there is nothing but a failing system leading all of us to our inevitable doom. Robin, our main character, and his friends, who are largely non-white immigrants, are faced with the harsh realities of an oppressive system that is failing everyone except the ultra-wealthy. From capitalism and colonialism to misogyny and racism, our characters, and therefore we as readers, experience the very worst society has to offer, and things never get better.

"Only it builds up, doesn’t it? It doesn’t just disappear. And one day you start prodding at what you’ve suppressed. And it’s a mass of black rot, and it’s endless, horrifying, and you can’t look away."

It's through this exploration that we find ourselves siding with what society calls "terrorists," the individuals fighting against the system. The lengths our characters are willing to go to fight against oppression are the same lengths that so many people have gone through for centuries. This is a culmination of resistance, the desire to fight for freedom and liberation, even when death comes knocking. I was sobbing by the end of Babel, my heart aching for our characters and the world. From the language to the setting to the themes and magic system, Babel is a masterpiece.

“Power did not lie in the tip of a pen. Power did not work against its own interests. Power could only be brought to heel by acts of defiance it could not ignore. With brute, unflinching force. With violence.”

While I thought the story dragged in some parts and could have probably been about 150-200 pages shorter, I loved every minute of it. From the linguistic lessons to the footnotes, my breath was consistently taken away. I am such a sucker for footnotes, whether they are real or not; I believe they are a unique and interesting way to world-build. I loved the footnotes just as much here as I did in the Emily Wilde Trilogy. However, some parts were read like an academic textbook, with very little actually happening in the story. This was my biggest qualm with the book.

Furthermore, the magic system was profoundly unique. Translations were written on silver bars, which were then used to perform different tasks, like shielding the building or speeding up carriages. What was even more interesting was that the silver bar's function waned over time, and eventually, some word pairs no longer worked because the languages became too similar to each other. French and Spanish end up having words in common with English as societies intermingle and trade, resulting in a Frankenstein language. This was such a clever idea, and I ate it up.

I cannot recommend Babel enough, especially in light of current events, not just here in the United States, but all over the world. Alt-right ideologies and politics are on the rise, which is a threat to all of us, not just a few. I encourage you to educate yourself through diverse viewpoints and take whatever actions you can to fight against oppression.

Until We Shatter by Kate Dylan | Book Review

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Until We Shatter by Kate Dylan
Series: Until We Shatter #1
Published by Hodderscape on October 17, 2024
Genres: YA Fantasy, Romance, LGBT
Pages: 319
Format: Hardback
Source: Illumicrate

Content Warnings: Death, Alcohol Use, Parental Illness, Blood, Light Gore, Blackmail, Torture
Rating:

A desperate thief. An impossible heist. Survive . . . or shatter. No matter where she goes, Cemmy's life is under threat. The Church would see her killed for having any magic. The Council of Shades wants her dead for not having enough. So when her mother falls ill, Cemmy has no choice but to turn thief. And when she's offered a job that could solve all their problems, it's impossible to resist. The catch? Cemmy will have to work with Chase - beautiful, dangerous, and full of secrets - to steal a powerful relic the Church has hidden within a deadly realm of shadows. If she succeeds, Cemmy will finally be safe. But if she's caught, she risks igniting a spark that could destroy the city - and everyone inside . . .

First of all, I am not a huge fan of the heist trope. I am not sure why it always rubs me the wrong way, but it is rare for me to enjoy a story about stealing, even if the stealing is "justified." Time and time again, someone betrays the team for selfish reasons, things crumble right when success is within reach, and innocent people often pay a terrible price for nothing.

"And when power is afraid, you can always trust it to make the most morally bankrupt choice."

Until We Shatter is certainly a unique take on the heist trope, with our motley crew using an alternate reality to steal from an oppressive religious government that is seeking to eradicate magic and everyone capable of doing magic. The parallels between the trials and tribulations faced by Shades and Hues, those with the ability to use magic, and what modern-day Palestinians face are uncanny. We have an outside government using religion and colonialism to genocide an entire group of people. The Shades and Hues were essentially rounded up and forced to live in only certain parts of the city, a city they helped found and start, and then deprived of food, clean water, medicine, and stability, all under the guise of religious purity and supposed violence. The Church constantly tries to incite violence (which is really just self-defense) from the Shades in an attempt to take away even more of their land and freedoms. Sound familiar?

This subtext was excellently executed, with gorgeous prose to boot. Dylan is certainly a gifted writer, constructing sentences in such a way as to keep the reader fully engaged and emersed in the text. However, while she is strong in language, she is not strong in world-building or character development.

The first half of the book felt like a brain dump of facts about the world and its magic system. The magic system was so convoluted it was often hard to keep up with the powers possessed by each type of Shade and Hue. This book would have benefited greatly from an Appendix that included a chart of all the possible combinations and their powers. After a while, I was able to put together the basics, but I did give up trying to remember every single detail. It was confusing and complicated for no other reason than to be extra. It's okay to have complicated magic systems, but when they are poorly done, it takes away from the entire experience.

Furthermore, I didn't particularly connect with all of our characters. I was rooting for them because I wanted them to take down an oppressive system, but I wasn't so attached that I cried when they were injured or killed. That is a failure on Dylan's part for sure. The heist trope relies on readers falling in love with the characters—that is what makes the book high stakes, but it was lacking here. However, there was both bisexual and deaf representation, both of which were beautifully integrated into the story. I am a sucker for good representation.

Overall, Until We Shatter was just fine. I had my heartstrings pulled a time or two and cared enough to finish, but it's not necessarily a series I think I will continue. Book 2 looks like it is taking a very different turn away from the original story, so I may give it a chance, but I am not overly enthusiastic about it. This is the perfect book to cleanse your palate or bump up your monthly reading count in a pinch.

Our Infinite Fates by Laura Steven | Book Review

Disclosure: Some of the links below are affiliate links, meaning, at no additional cost to you, I will earn a commission if you click through and make a purchase.

Our Infinite Fates by Laura Steven
Published by Wednesday Books on March 4, 2025
Genres: YA Fantasy, Romance, LGBT
Pages: 352
Format: Hardback
Source: OwlCrate

Content Warnings: Ableism, Racism, Sexism, Classism, Sexual Assault, Domestic Abuse, Suicide, Blood, Forced Institutionalization, Death, Torture, Kidnapping, Cancer
Rating:

They've loved each other in a thousand lifetimes. They've killed each other in every one. Evelyn can remember all her past lives. She can also remember that in every single one, she’s been murdered before her eighteenth birthday by Arden, a supernatural being linked to her soul. The problem is that she’s quite fond of the life she’s in now, and her little sister needs her in order to stay alive. If Evelyn wants to save her sister, she’ll have to find the centuries-old devil who hunts her through each life before they find her first, figure out why she’s being hunted and finally break their curse, and try not to fall in love . . . again.

Our Infinite Fates is a love story that transcends time and space; a yearning that will leave you breathless in the best way possible. Despite how much I loved this story, there was a moment Steven lost me, but she was able to suck me back in right at the very end.

Our Infinite Fates alternates through time, with some chapters taking place in modern day and others occurring in the past. Honestly, I could have skipped the present-day story, which played too much of a central focus in my opinion, and just followed this pair of souls across time and space. I felt the same way while reading Paula Brackston's The Witch's Daughter, preferring the historical parts of the story. That isn't to say the modern story isn't interesting or worthy of reading; it just didn't pique my fascination as much as the past did.

“I love you, I have loved you, and I will love you.”

Steven does an amazing job showing reincarnation and how souls change as time wears on, being reborn in multiple bodies of all colors, shapes, sizes, genders, and nationalities. The fluidity of the characters' souls was so beautiful, with them both finding each other in every lifetime, no matter what society dictated. Tragically, both souls have to die in every lifetime before the age of 18 due to a mysterious curse. This curse looms over their entire existence, a curse only one of them can remember, but will take both of them to break.

The suspense and impending doom, the resignation in Arden (the current incarnation of the soul who remembers), and the longing to be together left my heart both racing and in shambles. Steven really does know how to suck a reader into a story, but the twist was so awkwardly done that it pulled me out of the story.

Obviously, Our Infinite Fates has fantastical elements, and the twist certainly leaned heavily into fantasy, particularly religious doctrine. What angered me the most, however, was Arden's absolute refusal to give our protagonist any information throughout multiple lifetimes. I understand they had been burned in the past, but as a reader looking in, I was absolutely frustrated by the lack of information and their coldness. When Arden is finally forced to reveal the truth, things have gone so sideways in the story that it doesn't matter anymore.

Steven lost me with the fantastical subplot that occurs after their death, but the last chapter sucked me back in, offering an alternate explanation to the curse and the fate of our protagonists. It was this last chapter that sucked me back in and left me breathless. Ultimately, however, I was left wanting more; more history, more understanding, more timeless yearning, more true love and affection, more characterization...just...more. I would love to see Steven tell the story of their beginning, and maybe even give some more details of the past. 

Despite the lack of plot, Steven's writing is fantastic. She does an amazing job leaving the reader in the dark as we follow a largely unreliable narrator, with beautiful prose and even some excellent one-liners. I loved the souls' vows to each other so much that I incorporated “I love you, I have loved you, and I will love you" into my own wedding vows.

"Translation in a colonized state is an act of violence..."

Furthermore, Steven begins to address some cultural issues facing different groups of people, as seen in the quote above, but never dives deep into any of these issues. While I appreciate the subtext, it would have been more meaningful if the plot engaged such issues. Ultimately, Our Infinite Fates was just okay. It is not the best book I've read or the worst.

The Eternal Ones by Namina Forna | Book Review

Disclosure: Some of the links below are affiliate links, meaning, at no additional cost to you, I will earn a commission if you click through and make a purchase.

The Eternal Ones by Namina Forna
Series: Deathless #3
Published by Delacorte Press on February 13, 2024
Genres: YA Fantasy, LGBT, BIPOC
Pages: 480
Format: Paperback
Source: Purchased

Content Warnings: Sexism, Misogyny, Body Horror, Racism, Death, Disownment, Torture, Mutilation, Starvation, Trauma, Sexual Violence, Death of Parent
Rating:

Mere weeks after confronting the Gilded Ones—the false beings she once believed to be her family—Deka is on the hunt. In order to kill the gods, whose ravenous competition for power is bleeding Otera dry, she must uncover the source of her divinity. But with her mortal body on the verge of ruin, Deka is running out of time—to save herself and an empire that’s tearing itself apart at its seams. When Deka’s search leads her and her friends to the edge of the world as they know it, they discover an astonishing new realm, one which holds the key to Deka’s past. Yet it also illuminates a devastating decision she must soon make… Choose to be reborn as a god, losing everyone she loves in the process. Or bring about the end of the world.

The Eternal Ones is the epic conclusion to Forna's Deathless series and did it go out with a bang! The final book is fast-paced, engaging, character and plot-driven; basically everything you want in a book. Forna's writing developed beautifully over the course of this series, culminating in a fantastical conclusion that left my jaw on the floor and my eyes welling with tears.

“I realize that fate isn't just due to some remote deity pushing a poor mortal toward an outcome that they wished. Fate also happens because an individual pushes themselves, pulls the threads of the universe a little their way.”

I do not want to give away the plot or spoilers in this series, but I will say this; the final twist was beautifully done, with Deka pulling on the threads of fate to rewrite the course of history. I am not going to say it is shocking or comes out of nowhere (the story leads us to the final conclusions effortlessly), but it was a beautiful turn of events. The final couple of scenes broke my heart into a million pieces...for the girls, the gods, and everyone involved in our story. Sometimes we are faced with impossible decisions and hardships and must find a way back into the light. Deka certainly does just that.

I loved watching our diverse group of characters really grow into their own, as their relationships with each other blossomed into such fierce loyalty, no matter what hardships they faced. The love they shared for each other, both familial and not, were so well done. I actually felt like I was there, witnessing these kids grow up. Forna shows young readers what friendship actually means and it was wonderful to behold.

“I've never needed you, Keita ... But I've always wanted you. More than anything, I've wanted you ... You're not a need, Keita, you're not an obligation to me. What you are is my happiness, my delight. When I didn't believe that there was good in the world, there was you. You're my comfort and joy, and I hope I'm the same for you.”

While the love between Deka and Keita felt clunky in the first book, by the time we reach the ending of of the Deathless series it felt natural. It was a love to make the whole world jealous; a love born out of shared mutual respect and trust, not just desire or need. Keita is everything a woman wants in a partner: helpful, devoted, honest, emotionally intelligent, and selfless. He is the epitome of "if he wanted to he would."

Above all else, I love Forna's commentary on the patriarchy, feminism, and community. In the end, it took the entire village to bring about a better and brighter future, where people are free to love and exist in their truest forms. No longer were women or men subservient to the other, but instead equal on the playing field of life. We also see the strength of women together, and how even the patriarchy could not turn them against each other as it so often does in our own society. Young people need more books modeling such love and respect; even some adults need it. The Eternal Ones is an absolute masterclass in empathy.

Dance with the Fae by Elisabeth Hobbes | Book Review

Disclosure: Some of the links below are affiliate links, meaning, at no additional cost to you, I will earn a commission if you click through and make a purchase.

Dance with the Fae by Elisabeth Hobbes
Published by One More Chapter on February 27, 2025
Genres: Fantasy, Romance, LGBT
Pages: 384
Format: Paperback
Source: The Forbidden Wing

Content Warnings: PTSD, Death, Homophobia, Violence, Sickness, Attempted Suicide, Sexual Assault, Kidnapping, Imprisonment, Infidelity
Rating:

Kit Arton-Price should be celebrating. It's his engagement party and, unlike many young men of his generation, he survived The Great War. Whilst his fiancée, Adelaide, is dancing with one of their guests, the enigmatic Mr Wilde, the scars on Kit's face bear the heavy toll of battle – and the scars on his heart bear a secret he's been forced to carry in silence. In the morning, Adelaide cannot be woken and the village doctor declares it's the mystifying 'Sleeping Sickness' – an unexplainable epidemic affecting society. But there is more to this sickness than first appears and it's not long before Kit is lured into a strange new realm. One of magic and danger. The realm of the fae…

Sigh...I was so looking forward to my first month's subscription of The Forbidden Wing by The Locked Library, which included Dance with the Fae by Elisabeth Hobbes. The original and new cover designs were great, the story sounded right up my alley, and it included faeries. Sounds like a win-win, right? Unfortunately, not so much. I'm not going to say I hated Dance with the Fae, but it wasn't great either. Let's start with what I liked.

First, I loved all of the characters and their development. Hobbes did an excellent job creating three-dimensional characters that felt both real and otherworldly at the same time. Not all characters are lovable, but their story and quest still felt important to me, despite my reservations. It takes an author who knows their craft to create such an attachment to even unlovable characters. Kit was my favorite by far, representing the bisexual community at a time when such proclivities could get you killed.

Not only do we have excellent and tastefully done queer-rep that added to the story and character development, but also PTSD representation that, again, added to the story and character development. As the granddaughter, sister, and wife of war veterans, I have firsthand experience with the trials and tribulations of PTSD. Authors often get it wrong, using what they see in the media to fuel their own imaginations. It's not always zoning out and screaming and nightmares; it's also the all-consuming guilt, the unregulated emotions, the racing brain, the debilitating anxiety. Kit perfectly encapsulates the nuances of PTSD in a real and meaningful way.

While the overall story was fine and cute, the pacing was not. There were times events moved at a snail's pace, slugging along endlessly, while important moments seemed to fly by in a heartbeat. Maybe this was done because time flows differently in the Otherworld, but it seems more like a failure on Hobbes' part than a plot device. The entire book is building up to what should be an "epic" battle that determines the fate of two worlds, but instead it lasts, what?...three pages? It was a little longer than that, but you get my drift.

I didn't mind that parts felt crazy or weird, because that is the point of the Otherworld, but I did care that the story's pacing was so off that it detracted from everything else. Poor pacing can destroy an entire book, and it certainly did that here. Maybe it won't for you.

Overall, Dance with the Fae by Elisabeth Hobbes was just okay. It was certainly disappointing as the first book in a new-to-me subscription box, but it did make for a quick palate cleanser all the same.