Reading project, week ending 7 May 2023

What have I read this week? It’s late, sorry!

Saint’s Blood and Tyrant’s Throne by Sebastien de Castell

These are fantasy novels about a man named Falcio val Mond, who is trying to create the fairer world his dead king dreamt of. These are the third and fourth books in the Greatcoats series. I really enjoyed these; the characters and the world are fascinating, and the plot is interesting. I would definitely read more by this author.

© bardofupton 2023

Reading project, week ending 30 April 2023

What have I read this week? It’s late, sorry!

Do You Dream of Terra-Two? by Temi Oh

This is a science fiction novel about a manned space mission to a habitable planet orbiting Alpha Centauri. I enjoyed this; the characters and the setting are interesting and I liked the different viewpoints. I would definitely read more by this author.

Knight’s Shadow by Sebastien de Castell

This is a fantasy novel about Falcio Val Mond, and the second in the Greatcoats series. I really enjoyed this; the characters and the setting are great, and the plot is interesting. It’s very readable as well. I would definitely read more by this author.

Bloodlust and Bonnets by Emily McGovern

This is a graphic novel about a young woman named Lucy who teams up with Lord Byron to hunt vampires. I liked this; it was enjoyable and fun. I would probably read more by this author.

© bardofupton 2023

Reading project, week ending 23 April 2023

What have I read this week?

The Opposite House by Helen Oyeyemi

This is a novel about Maja, a young Black Cuban woman whose family moved from Cuba to England when she was a child. I enjoyed this; the worldbuilding was great and I found the characters interesting. I would definitely read more by this author.

Manhunt by Gretchen Felker-Martin

This is a dystopian novel set in a world where anyone with a high testosterone level has been infected by a virus that turns them into a monster. I really liked this; it’s quite dark but I found the world really interesting. I would definitely read more by this author.

Hunger Pangs: True Love Bites (Flirting with Fangs edition ( by Joy Demorra

This is a fantasy romance novel about a werewolf and a vampire. I enjoyed this; it was a lot of fun and the characters are great. I would definitely read more by this author.

© bardofupton 2023

Reading project, week ending 16 April 2023

What have I read this week? It’s late, sorry!

Dear Senthuran: A Black Spirit Memoir by Akwaeke Emezi

This is a memoir in the form of a series of letters. I found this interesting; I couldn’t say I really got it, as the author talks a lot about their spiritual life and I am not spiritual at all, but I really liked the writing. I would definitely read more by this author.

Underdogs by Chris Bonnello

This is a YA novel about a group of neurodivergent teenagers in a Britain that has undergone a military coup. I didn’t really like this and didn’t finish reading it; it just didn’t appeal to me. I probably won’t read more by this author.

© bardofupton 2023

Reading project, week ending 9 April 2023

What have I read this week? It’s late, sorry!

Nona the Ninth by Tamsyn Muir

This is a science fantasy novel about a young girl named Nona, and it’s the third in the Locked Tomb series. I liked this; the characters and the world are interesting. I would definitely read more by this author.

Little Fish by Casey Plett

This is a novel about a trans woman named Wendy living in Canada. I liked this, although it was quite bleak. I would definitely read more by this author.

© bardofupton 2023

Reading project, week ending 2 April 2023

What have I read this week? It’s late, sorry!

The Mythical Man-Month by Frederick P. Brooks, Jr.

This is a nonfiction book about software engineering. I found this pretty interesting, although a lot of the technical stuff was lost on me. I might read more by this author.

Pet by Akwaeke Emezi

This is a YA novel about a young girl named Jam and the angel she accidentally summons. I really enjoyed this; I really liked the world and the characters. I would definitely read more by this author.

The Death of Vivek Oji by Akwaeke Emezi

This is a book about a young Nigerian man named Vivek, his life and death, and his effect on those around him. I found this interesting; I liked the characters and their world. I would definitely read more by this author.

Traitor’s Blade by Sebastien de Castell

This is the first book in The Greatcoats series, about a man named Falcio val Mond, the leader of the last remnants of the Greatcoats, a team of people sworn to uphold the King’s justice. I really liked this; the characters are great and the story was really interesting. I would definitely read more by this author.

© bardofupton 2023

Reading project, week ending 26 March 2023

What have I read this week? It’s late, sorry!

Freshwater by Akwaeke Emezi

This is a novel about Ada, a young woman who is possessed by a god.

Bitter by Akwaeke Emezi

This is a novel about Bitter, a young woman living in the city of Lucille where constant protests are occurring.

Confessions of the Fox by Jordy Rosenberg

This is a novel about Jack Sheppard, a young thief and jailbreaker in eighteenth-century London. I enjoyed this, although it took me a little while to get into it. I found the characters really interesting. I would probably read more by this author.

Something Is Killing the Children Vol 4 by James Tynion IV, Werther Dell’Edera and Miquel Muerto

This is a graphic novel about Erica Slaughter, a young woman who hunts monsters that kill children. I really liked this; the world and the characters are really fascinating. I would definitely read more by these authors.

© bardofupton 2023

Reading project, week ending 19 March 2023

What have I read this week?

Sorcerer to the Crown by Zen Cho

This is a fantasy novel about Zacharias, a black man who has become Britain’s Sorcerer Royal, and Prunella, a young and very magical woman. I really enjoyed this; the characters are interesting and it was fun to read. I would definitely read more by this author.

Rubyfruit Jungle by Rita Mae Brown

This is a novel about Molly, a young lesbian growing up poor in the United States during the middle of the 20th century. I liked this; it was an interesting read. I would probably read more by this author.

Native Tongue by Suzette Haden Elgin

This is a science fiction novel about a world where women have been stripped of their rights. I enjoyed this; the world was both interesting and horrifying, and the characters were interesting. I would definitely read more by this author.

The Darkness Outside Us by Eliot Schrefer

This is a science fiction novel about Ambrose, a young man who is on a mission to rescue his sister from Titan. I enjoyed this; the characters were interesting and so was the plot. I would definitely read more by this author.

Way of the Argosi and Fall of the Argosi by Sebastien de Castell

These are two books about how a young girl named Ferius Parfax becomes an Argosi. I really enjoyed these; it was a great look at the origin of one of the main characters from the Spellslinger series. I would definitely read more by this author.

The Vegetarian by Han Kang

This is a novel about a Korean woman named Yeong-hye, who becomes vegetarian after having a dream. I’m not quite sure how I felt about this; it was very interesting but I was confused by the ending. I would probably read more by this author.

© bardofupton 2023

Reading project, week ending 12 March 2023

What have I read this week?

Soulbinder and Queenslayer and Crownbreaker by Sebastien de Castell

These are books 4, 5 and 6 in the Spellslinger series about a young man named Kellen who has been cast out from his tribe of magicians. I enjoyed these; I liked the world and the characters, and the story was fun. I would definitely read more by this author.

Zami: A New Spelling of My Name – A Biomythography by Audre Lorde

This is an autobiographical novel about growing up as a Black lesbian woman in the 1930s, 40s and 50s in the United States. I really liked this; it was a very vivid portrayal of what it was like for the author growing up in the US in that time period. I would definitely read more by this author.

The Country of Ice Cream Star by Sandra Newman

This is a science fiction novel about a teenage girl named Ice Cream Fifteen Star in post-apocalyptic North America. I didn’t like this; it didn’t really grab my interest and I didn’t finish it. I might read something else by this author.

Elder Race by Adrian Tchaikovsky

This is a science fiction novel set in the far future about a young woman named Lynesse and the Elder Nyrgoth that she goes to seek help from. I liked this; the dual viewpoints of Lynesse and Nyrgoth really made the gulf in their worldviews clear. I also really liked the world and the characters. I would definitely read more by this author.

© bardofupton 2023

Reading project, week ending 5 March 2023

What have I read this week?

H Is For Hawk by Helen Macdonald

This is part memoir and part biography, the story of the author taming a goshawk mixed with a biography of T. H. White. I found this fascinating, as I didn’t really know much about falconry to begin with. I would definitely read more by this author.

Red, White & Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston

This is a romance novel about Alex, the son of the President of the USA, who falls in love with the grandson of the Queen of England. I enjoyed this; it was a lot of fun and I liked the characters. I would definitely read more by this author.

Shadowblack and Charmcaster by Sebastien de Castell

These are books 2 and 3 in the Spellslinger series about Kellen, a young mage who becomes an outcast from his people. I enjoyed these; I like the characters and the world, and the plots are interesting. I would definitely read more by this author.

© bardofupton 2023