Recently I went back to my LTUE post and realized I’m waaaay behind on my reading list. So I grabbed my trusty library apps (Hoopa and Libby) and got on some waiting lists. Thought some people might be interested in my analysis so I’m going to share with you!
I will probably bring this sort of thing back at other times; to that end, I’m producing my own stuff to go with it. First, content thermometers. I know people have different levels of appreciation for certain types of content in their fiction so I’m putting what I think of the content of these books into a visible spectrum. Second, personal ratings. How much did I enjoy them. Neither of these probably deserve much explanation but I will also note I’m unlikely to share stories I didn’t enjoy much or that hit pretty high on any of my content warnings. If there are notes (like “the violence here is mostly psychological” or “medical gore, not fighting gore,” I’ll note that in my brief synopsis.)
I’m going to add a picture of a blank content thermometer here so you can see my rating levels. Mostly because later on the small words below are going to be more difficult to read. If someone wants to borrow this for their own purposes, I’d like to be alerted, but otherwise am happy to share.
Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pelt
I was introduced to this book with “You should listen to it to see how someone voices an octopus as a main character.” From that I was expecting, for some reason, sci-fi burbly-voiced octopus. What I got instead was an actual giant Pacific octopus in an aquarium, which he really doesn’t like. It’s a realistic fiction about lonely people finding each other. Part romance, part murder mystery, mostly slice of life. I enjoyed the journey.
Elatsoe by Darcie Little Badger
Pronounced EE-Laht-soh-ay; a Lipan Apache word that means Hummingbird. I only realized as I was finishing the book that the chapters all had illustrations at the heading; for that reason, I’d suggest searching out a physical copy. It was a fascinating murder mystery set in an America contemporary with ours but where stories are more real. Apache wisdom lets people raise ghosts; those descended from the fae can travel via fairy rings; vampirism is a curse you can contract; and Elatsoe has the best li’l friend in Kirby, an English cocker spaniel who’s been dead for five years. He still plays fetch with her. I greatly enjoyed it and will be looking for more by Darcie Little Badger.
Intellectual Property of Elizabeth Doman
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