What is a Book Street Team? Should a reader join one?

 

 Years ago, it seems that readers and authors were fairly separate. Books came out, readers read them, and if they liked them they recommended them to their friends. Any kind of review that appeared in print was usually from a book critic employed by a newspaper or journal. The biggest way to know if a book was popular was probably to look at the sales numbers.  

With the rise of the internet, readers now have all sorts of platforms to share our own thoughts on books. 

We have review sites like Good Reads, Storygraph or Fable.

We have "Bookstagram" where influencers and authors share aesthetic images and short reviews. 

Reddit features all sorts of forums "recommend me a book"  and "tell me what you read this week"  which get thousands of contributions and reactions. 

We have blogs, like this one, and Youtube (booktube) and TikTok (Booktok). 

 Because of these avenues - readers reviews are now much more influential!

Authors have recognized this and in addition to giving readers some advanced copies for reading and review, many have started "Street Teams" to help promote their books! 

Street Teams are selected reader groups who are generally already a fan of the author.  They are super useful as they can create a lot of buzz for new books coming out, by posting similar content over a variety of platforms to their own followers, rather than just the people that may follow that author. 

In general a street team is going to be a hype squad for the author and their new book. It is a bit different than being just an ARC reader, where one reads the book and will post an honest review of it on various sites. 

Street team members can join on line groups with other fans, are often provided with approved graphics and even sometimes some signed bookplates that they go place into the books at their local shops. (Hopefully while filming this for more buzz). 

In exchange, readers on street teams usually get access to early reads, sneak peaks at new writing, and occasional swag from authors (finished copies, arc copies, apparel, book marks, stickers). Readers can use their membership on the Street Team as a "badge of honor" on socials, and many do! 

It sounds great!  BUT...

What if you end up not liking the book?  What if you find out the author overall isn't for you? Some authors want specific posts to go out at a specific time, if you are on Book tok or Book tube these posts may not go with the personal brand you're wanting to create on these platforms. Some authors are very specific about what and when to post, and if you are very creative, this may not feel genuine. Many authors very specifically do not want any sort of negative reviews, and are very specific about when a reader can post a 3 or lower review.  You can of course, stop participating, but the author was counting on you as part of the team.   Stopping mid-street team campaign is of course a bad look, and authors do talk to other authors. If the author uses a personal assistant service, they may rep for other authors and you may not get a second opportunity. 

And of course, you may be hugely disappointed in the swag category. Authors really do appreciate their street teams, but they aren't usually big publishing houses, so the very cool branded hoodie, hat or book tote may only go to one of the group, and it may not be you - even if you do post the most, or have the highest number of views etc. 

 I decided recently to join a Street Team for Ruby Dixon's upcoming Book - Villain Origin Story.  Let's chat about why I decided this would be right for me. 

Why did I decide this would be the one for me? 

 I've read well over 10 of Ruby Dixon's novels and while I have some favorites (and some non-favorites) I really love her stories and find them to be ridiculously relaxing between more serious reads.  I knew I was excited about her book, and would have no problem promoting it.  I would have promoted it without being on the team!  Having read so many of her prior works, I feel that this book is unlikely to go in a direction that would clash with my reader values. 

I know Ruby's stance on AI, and I am in agreement with her stance. (NO AI generated images) so I knew I'd be comfortable with making all my promotion clips and images human generated. 

Ruby Dixon is an author I already post about on socials so, suddenly promoting a new book is a natural progression, and doesn't take my social accounts in an unexpected direction- in other words, my viewers are expecting posts like this. 

I have had good interaction with her PA group and know that they are easy to work with.  They usually request creation of posts within a reasonable time frame, providing templates and key points about the books, but also allowing the creator to create their own creations as well. 

 Am I hoping for some amazing Ruby Dixon Swag?  WELL HECK YES!!!!!!!! Will it happen? It may not.  Ruby is wildly popular and I am sure a lot of folks joined up. But I know I've got a chance! 

 So, if you're going to join up on a street team - here are my thoughts. 

- Pick an author you know. Make sure you've really liked several of their books, so it's easy to promote them. 

- Make sure you agree with their creative stance and vision. Some Book tokkers were a little embarrassed recently when it was noted they were enthusiastically reviewing AI generated books, while stating that they were against AI.  You don't want your street team activity to damage your own brand on socials. 

-Read the expectations carefully.  If you are a busy parent with a career who likes to post occasionally, this may not be an opportunity that ends up being fun for you. 

If all of these things line up for you- Take the Plunge!  You'll get access to fan groups and get to meet lots of folks who like the same books you like!  Custom designed graphics can make post creation easy for those days when you don't feel the *Spark* and you'll get early access to a book you were likely going to read anyway. 

Have you joined a streeet team?  How was your experience? 

2026 Bookish In's and outs!

   We all know it's a New Year! 

We have a new 2026 Color from Pantone - frankly speaking, I hope Cloud Dancer has a pit of a purple or blue tinge, but no, the name is much nicer than the varied shade of white color. 

Here's  to a bland off white new year that we are going to pretend is amazing, right then....

What are some things that are IN for me for 2026? 

In terms of my reading? 

 Things that I'm going to continue to do  or try to incorporate into my reading. 

1. I'm going to continue to read diversely. Across genres. I'm going to continue to read Indie authors, and authors that don't look like me, or love like me, or live like me. I'm also going to pick up some books written by folks who do look, live, and love like me, because balance is important. 

2. I'm going to continue to read socially.  I'm going to continue my book clubs and buddy reads. I'm going to continue to post about and chat about books! 

3. Read on themes.  Using the themes in past years has really led me to discover new books and ideas, so of course I want to continue that. 

4. DNF  whenever I feel the need.  I do not understand slogging through a bad book when there are so many good ones out there. 

Vachon, J., photographer. (1938) Newspaper reading room of public library. Omaha, Nebraska. Nebraska Douglas County United States Omaha, 1938. Nov. [Photograph] Retrieved from the Library of Congress, https://www.loc.gov/item/2017762724/.

Things I'm going to try NOT to do in 2026:

1. Overconsumption of ARCs on NetGalley.  I get offered a lot of ARCs. Initially this was so flattering I took all of them!  Now I try to be more selective, but still occasionally find myself basically "adding to cart:" on ARCs, making it hard to get them all reviewed in a timely manner.  I sometimes also do this with the library taking home 8 books- instead of the two I will probably finish in the loan period. I am especially going to limit my Non Audio arcs, because my eye issues make me a slower reader than a listener.

2. Avoid Social Media Hot Takes.  When a creator is in need of content, It's a pretty common thing to see them throw up a post about "AUDIO-books are reading" which then almost always garners a bunch of others jumping in the comments to discuss, and other creators then posting the same "hot take" hoping for similar views.  I'm going to not participate.  I won't post these true lukewarm takes, and I won't be reposting, commenting or discussing them. I'm hoping to promote more unique content this way.  We shall see. I love a good HOT TAKE, but "audiobooks are reading" is about the coldest Hot take there is out there. 

What are your plans for 2026 for reading?

 

Book Review Well, Actually by Mazey Eddings 4.25/5

Let's chat about  Well, Actually by Mazey Eddings! 

 

    My entire reading experience with this novel can be described as "FUN"!  This was made a "read now" on Net Galley a while ago and my book bestie and I decided to read it together as a buddy read, and I can say that having a person to read and react with in real time made my reading experience so much better than normal. We do not typically get the same Advanced Copies, so this was a treat. Thank you Macmillan and Net Galley for the opportunity to have this reading experience. 

Obviously, from the cover this is a Romance novel. It falls into the Rom-Com genre and it has an ultra-contemporary setting, which was realistic and relatable. Both my reading buddy and I really loved the book. I am not sure what her expectations were, but I will be the first to admit mine were kind of low. The romance genre is very saturated, so sometimes there are duds. THIS IS NOT A DUD! It really was a fun novel filled with relatable characters and experiences.  If you'd like to see my Buddy and I react to this, here's a link

In short, Eva and Riley are graduates from the same college where they had a brief, unpleasant dating experience. Post graduation they are both living their best life as social media personalities. Eva hosts a ridiculous show where low level celebs attempt to resurrect their brands. Riley podcasts dating advice to men on how to not be awful.  Eva comes across one of his shorts and - being several glasses of wine in- responds to remind him of her experience with him in college.  As Social Media is known to do- this response blows up- and their brands smell an opportunity. If you consume social media, you know this is... golden content that viewers love- and you probably also know it can be quite damaging to the actual people involved.  This is the story of a second chance romance in our modern world or How Riley re-met Eva via the power of Social Media.  

     Eddings did a fantastic job of really getting right into the perils and the joys of modern life. The story is told with some nuance that is often missing from the contemporary romance genre. Riley is not a "alpha male", but he's also not a weak character and Eva is a hard hitting difficult character, but not one that you have trouble imagining being in your inner circle.  Both could be your co-worker. These characters are relatable, and struggling with/engaging with things that ALOT of young people are encountering in that very bizarre time right after college.  Texts between my friend and I as we read this included phrases like "I feel so seen!"  and "This may be TOO RELATABLE" (it did also include some discussion of how many hot dogs one could eat in a day, and if we wanted to do hot dogs for our video review...)  Eddings leans in a bit to modern day references, but is able to balance references to popular social media site, and tropes etc, with a plot that follows through with the witty banter we all enjoy and a solid plot while gives readers a truly satisfying ending. One of the biggest lessons learned is that it's so important to not make assumptions about others behaviors in relationship. We do not always have the whole story and when we take the time to get the whole story, we can respond in a way that is most appropriate. 

So, for me, this is a cut above many romance novels and one that will be enjoyed by many when it is released in August!  I do suggest that you pop it on your list.  It would again be perfect for a beach read, lake house read, or... a staycation read.  

STATS

First Published : August 2025

Pages: 384

Available as an Audio Book : YES 

Trigger Warnings: child death, divorce, mental health, 

As always - this is not a complete list, read responsibly! 

Book Review: The Color of Water By James McBride 4.5/5 stars

 James McBride is a household name after his Absolute Banger - The Heaven and Earth Grocery Store. 

In 2024 this book was everywhere, and I wanted to read it and also didn't want to read it, so in the end, it being in very high library demand, I never picked it up.  I'm imaging I'll find it at my lovely used store soon enough because so many copies were sold, it's going to drop in there soon.   

But, as I am reading on my 2025 Water Theme, I did decide to pick up The Color of Water: A black man's tribute to his white mother.  To be honest, I wasn't sure I was going to like this book. 

But, my water theme demands I pick things up that don't seem to be exactly my style. In this case, I am so glad that I did. The one message that I took away from this novel is that, despite what people say about the 1930's, 1940's and 1950's in America, things really were not exactly as orderly and homogenized as people would like to believe. 

McBride's Mother, an immigrant, grew up in a strict household. She left, married two different black men, had 12 children and raised them in a chaotic world.  Reading this in 2025 it's easy to sort of "move the timeline" especially because of the dual timeline.  The James timeline is that of the 1960's-1970's and beyond while Ruth's timeline starts way back in the 1930's. So sometimes it's easy to think of Ruth's life as mostly happening around say 1974 - when the world was a more tolerant place than it was before and would be after. 

We are generally taught - in the US-  that things like inter-racial marriage, and 12 children wasn't really something happening in the 1940's and 1950's but reading from Ruth's story it's obvious that while she stood out, she knew several other people in similar relationships/families.  So, I love that this book really shows this as not an unusual phenomena, but something that did occur occasionally (more frequently than textbooks or advertising from the times show), despite it being risky and difficult. Ruth was a brave woman, just by existing every day with her family.  

There is more to this story than just that, but I think it's one that gives different things to different people, and that for every reader there's areas that are so relatable and meaningful and others that slide by- like water in a stream. And for me, what really stood out was the time frame for Ruth's life and how she really did take the harder road and had no real regrets about that.  

Did I enjoy it, yes! I thought it was worth my reading time, and I really did enjoy especially Ruth's timeline. Do I recommend it, also Yes. Will it be one of my top ten reads? Not that likely despite it being a good piece of writing, and very impactful, I suspect it will fall into one of those books I recommend, but didn't love with my whole chest. This is likely because it was just too real, and reminds me that we're still a society working on itself.  This is a great book for book clubs, classes, and event that want to generate discussion. 

STATS

First Published : 1995

Pages: 336

Available as an Audio Book : YES 

Trigger Warnings: parent death, child death, SA, child abuse, racism, poverty, 

As always - this is not a complete list, read responsibly! 

  

What's your favoite way to read?

 It's my opinion that the best way to read is usually curled up under a blanket on a rainy day, preferable with a snuggly pal. 

BUT - these days, it's all about format! When snuggled up with your pal, are you listening to a full cast audiobook production? Pulling out one of many books stuffed in a slim E-reader? or cracking the spine of a print book? 

After all, we have to "pick our poison"!

(American Institute of Pharmacy, jar and bottle display. Credit: Library of Congress, Prints & Photographs Division, Theodor Horydczak Collection, [reproduction number, e.g., LC-H824-0224])

For me, I use them all.  But over the past 2 years I've gravitated strongly to audiobooks, mostly because I can play them in the car, at the gym, and on the couch. Plus, my eyes look at "close work" all week and I love giving them a break! I was sort of opposed to them for myself but then I decided to try one, and that opposition drifted right away. These days my least favorite is the e-reader. It may be MY e-reader- which is a relic, and is glitchy, and frustrating, but in general, if I can get it on audio, or in a print version, I'll do that before I use an e-book. Despite the portability of a book collection in an e-reader or even now with an app, I just...don't love the e-reader as much as i thought I would. 

  That said, I use the e-reader a lot as sending Advanced Reader Copies to e-readers is very economical for publishers and I'm never one to turn down an advanced copy of an anticipated book in ANY format.  Send it!  I love it. 

Sadly, use of audio and e-reader for me hasn't garnered a lot of savings, because... I mean... I often need a trophy book to sit on my shelf, to let the world (and by world, I mean, my house)  know I've read that fantastic book. 

After all:

(Bill Sokol, Artist 1966  https://lccn.loc.gov/2015647888)

So what's your reading format?  Has it changed over the years? let's chat in the comments! 

Book Review: Half Broke Horses By Jeannette Walls 2/5 Stars

 OK readers, Hot Take incoming in 3,2,1.

I read this book with my library book club. I was prepared to like it, I'd been interested in reading some Jeannette Walls. 

I did not like it. I did not like it at all. 

This is a novel based on the life of the author's grandmother. The Grandmother was poised at a time in history where she could recall both world wars, and was raised in very remote parts of the United States. So, there was a lot of interesting events in the book- the transition from horses to automobiles, introduction of airplanes, women transitioning from the home to some workplaces etc. 

It started out fairly well, Lily is raised in remote West Texas.  She learns to break horses, and manage a small ranch until she's sent off to Catholic boarding school for some "finishing"  which she loves. Unfortunately she then has to return home, because her parents didn't save enough for her full tuition. And thus begins Lily's adventure. She lived in Chicago, got married to an already married man, (annulled) became a school teacher, got fired multiple times and eventually got married, sold hooch from her kitchen during prohibition, and basically got knocked down a lot and got back up. 

         What's not to like? This woman is celebrated as resilient and courageous, but 99 of her 100 problems and set backs, seemed to pretty much start with her.  One thing for certain, this lady never lacked confidence and didn't really doubt herself, and I feel a bit of introspection would have been very sanguine for this woman. 

The second thing that I loathed is there were multiple descriptions of very tough parenting, and teacher disciplining which involved the resilient Lily - an adult, beating a child to the point where she felt she lost control.  When she wasn't beating, she was ignoring, or minimizing pain. This is brushed off as "it was the times" BUT Lily was still the adult in all the situations where she resorted to beating on children and losing control over her own person. People did hit children much more often in the past, but I think it's important to note that it was still violence at that time, even if  "everyone did it" I just cannot see this woman as that resilient and strong, if she had to resort to using a belt on her daughter to gain some sort of control over a situation - so while the writing style was fine, and it was somewhat interesting, I'm not over the brushing of this violence under the rug of "the times".  I'm definitely not interested in any other books by the author. 

If one is interesting in this time frame, roughly there are other books about women on the frontier:  

 May I suggest instead:

Letters of a Woman Homesteader by Elinore Pruitt Stewart, it's not exactly the same time frame, but I'll say it's a lot more interesting than Half Broke horses.

I will say I read the book via Audiobook and it's read by the author.  Even before the main character starts beating on her children, I was off put by the flat and very jarring accent/tone of voice. So if you want to read Half Broke Horses, I'd recommend the print version to avoid that. 

So yes,  I did not like this book. I really took issue with the portrayal of this woman as some sort of paragon of resilience.  She survived, but most of her problems were brought upon by her own making. 

This is just my opinion.  Now, I've got to go to book club and try not to be too critical. We will see how that goes, so stay turned in a few weeks for In-person book club tea! I'll be dishing it right on up!

Source: 

• Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division Washington, D.C. 20540 USA http://hdl.loc.gov/loc.pnp/pp.print)

Book Review The Inheritance of Orquidea Divina by Zoraida Cordova 5/5 stars!

 Well, this was a surprise for me! 

I fell in love with The inheritance of Orquidea Divina  by Zoraida Cordova!

 

This book was suggested as a read for our diverse book club and ultimately it was rejected. I was hoping it would come up again for March, but I'm not the moderator for that club and it was never to be seen again!  I had it on hold at the library, and when it came up- i decided Why not try it! 

   I am still surprised at the way this novel just kind of quietly wormed it's way to the top of my listening list of audiobooks. TO be frank, this cover, as beautiful as it is, doesn't really do it justice. It looks so Victorian to me that I was not exactly excited to read about an inheritance from a sort of rigid time period. OF COURSE, this is not at all what this book is about. 

And I do find the alternate cover  is really much better:  Which do you prefer? 

    Readers are treated to a dual timeline story, where we learn about the amazing, resilient Orquidea Divina - and her life from infancy to transformation, because death never really comes for Orquidea. 

In the second timeline we follow her relatives, particularly her grandchildren who are out in the modern world, but are called home for their inheritance. 

   Again, I thought this wasn't for me, but...the characters of Marimar and Reymundo in particular just dragged me right in. I wanted to know what was going to happen for them, and let me attest, readers are in for a wild adventure, full of unique magical realism, drama, a touch of horror,  mayhem, some hard truths, cosmic intervention and love. While this can be enjoyed as a fantastical tale of magical realism,  readers will also be able to relate to characters as they experience dreams broken and dreams realized, feelings of belonging, and rejection, the pain of lies and broken promises and the joys of discovering a place they can call home.  

Currently this book is vying for favorite read of the month- in competition with Kiss of the Fur Queen. 

STATS

First Published 2021

Pages: 336

Available as an Audio Book : YES

Trigger Warnings:  Body horror, child death, death, infidelity, parent death, alcohol use, 

(this is not a full list, read responsibly)

Book Review: TO Avenge a Fallen Star by Qilanna Quinn 2.5/5 stars

 I broke a rule I made for myself this year to read the Advance Reader Copy of To Avenge a Fallen Star by Qilanna Quinn!  (my rule was that I'm only requesting advanced listener copies as it takes me a really long time to read a print copy) .

I love a space based romance.  I am not sure why but if I look back at my most enjoyable reading experiences in the past three years, books I adored with my whole heart, lungs and mind - more than I care to admit were Space Based Romance.  They masquerade a bit as "Science Fiction"  but mostly, if the entire story could be moved to a different setting and not really lose much- I consider them to be a "relationship book"  based in Space. 

So when I saw this on Net-Galley, I resisted for a few days and then decided to give it a go.

Many Many thanks to Net-Galley and Qilanna Quinn for trusting me with this earc. Quinn is an Independent author, and I can tell that this is a work of passion for this author.

To Avenge a Fallen Star feels a bit like a fan -fiction mash up of Squid Games, The Hunger Games and a touch of Star Trek- combined with some explicit on page romance scenes. Readers who have enjoyed these novels and shows may want to pre-order a copy for the March release of this book.

We follow Gemma, a somewhat unlikely heroine as she competes in a series of mental and physical trials to determine if she can leave her planet (populated by the descendants of prisoners) to serve as an elite protector of a different "parent" planet. Gemma isn't just a one trick pony- she's also got an ulterior motive, she's hoping to spark off a revolution that will help her people gain more political power and hopefully live better lives. Is she the best person for this job? Maybe not, but she's giving it her all!

As Gemma competes, and develops relationships, (one particularly swoony one with a very sincere young man) she learns that all may not be as it seems and that she's possibly underestimated both sides of the conflict. In addition, she seems to have possibly developed some additional super powers that no-one anticipated.

This book is full of difficult decisions, hidden motives, found family, romance, and some cool world building. Gemma makes several choices based on her heart, and to find out what happens, you'll want to pick up a copy of this novel. For me personally, not all of the characters really jumped off the page, and some of the writing was a bit awkward, but I still was able to finish the book without any issues. 

The Cover- is stunning - created by digital artist Kateryna Vitkovskaya and it really sold me on the book. I really wanted to hop right into that scene!

STATS:

First Published: COMING March 25. 2025 BRAND NEW! 

Pages: 374

Available as an Audiobook: No

Trigger warnings: Parent loss, suicide, depression , Child abuse, SA, generational trauma, violence, war violence, .

As always this is not a complete list, please read responsible.  

New Book Tuesday! But make it Water!

 In 2025, I'm reading about water! It is life sustaining, can absorb quite a lot of heat, and can dramatically, or imperceptibly shape an environment, so - there's a lot there to unpack. 

  New books from major publishers typically come out on Tuesdays! (Here's a good look at why and how that isn't for every new book.) 

        

So, lets talk about a book coming out TODAY! that features water, that I'm a little bit excited about! 

Kell Woods is an Australian author, and Upon a Starlit Tide is releasing in North America TODAY! 

This is a re-telling of 'The Little Mermaid' and 'Cinderella' fairy tales set in eighteenth century Brittany, It is one of the options for my Online SciFi/Fantasy book club that I belong to and so I am quite interested in seeing how this goes.  Typically, I am not a huge fan of re-tellings, but this one is promised to be a wholly different tale of Love , Power and Betrayal.  I mean, clearly it won't be wholly different, or it might be marketed as a tale of Love, Power and Betrayal, without the fairy tale association.  

The Brittany setting is unique, and I admit, I don't know much about that region and it's history, but I found this blog entry that filled in a lot about the times that Upon a Starlit Tide is set in! 

Will you be picking up Upon a Starlit Tide? 

Have you read Kell Woods other book? Let me know your thoughts? and recommendations?  Got any books coming out that you're excited for? I'd love to chat about them! 

Book Review: Scythe and Sparrow by Brynne Weaver 5/5 stars

 I have been highly anticipating the release of Scythe and Sparrow- the conclusion to the Ruinous Love Trilogy by Brynne Weaver. 

 I was not disappointed by Scythe and Sparrow!  If anything, I am now more entranced by the entire series! This is not great literature, and it doesn't promise that- it's fun. It's raucous, bawdy, audacious, unhinged, and delightful fun. 

A couple of years back I was at a B&N and asked the nice lady at the desk about Butcher and Blackbird - a new book I'd heard about via the Tik Toks... I was desperate to read it-  I mean, He's a serial killer... She's a serial killer.. They meet, sparks fly, eyeballs also fly... what could go wrong? 

  The nice lady looked at me, told me she hadn't heard of "Brian Weaver" but that it appeared the book would be on shelves in a few months. I felt smugly ahead of the times. 

  I imagine if I were to go into the same B&N today that the nice lady would be well aware of this series, and definitely not mistake Brynne for a "Brian" because we are now 3 books into a NYT and USA today best selling series. 

   And while I liked Butcher and Blackbird, and Leather and Lark A lot - for some reason I LOVED Scythe and Sparrow so much more. 

This is probably because I knew all the main characters and having Lark, Sloane and Rose all hang out together knowing all the back story was.. delightful. 

  So I am sure there were glaring plot holes, but I didn't notice them at all.  Weaver made things I personally scoff at, hilarious.  I mean, 20 yr old me liked the idea of tarot, runes and astrology, not 20 yr old me has experience that these are not things that are helpful for me. 

   We follow Rose- who's been with the circus for about a decade, she's been travelling from town to town reading tarot, performing on a motorcycle, and helping women escape from violence. Recently she's been trying to take her help up a notch, instead of just providing the means for escape, she's been trying to eliminate the problem.  Thing is... she might not be that good at that job.  Not being very good at that particular job leads to her injury, and voila- enter the handsome, fitness obsessed Fion Kane. He's a doctor, and the youngest of the Kane brothers. And he's not looking for a relationship at all. Of course not.  But relationships and love find us in the strangest places, possibly on the end of a cocktail toothpick, or maybe due to an errant, but very persistent land mammal?  

   I was able to snag the audio and I really did enjoy both narrators this time around. It took me a while to get into the style - with dual narrators kind of sliding in-between chapters providing little sound effects here and there, but in the end, I enjoyed it, though maybe... maybe some of the schmexy scenes were maybe too much for this lady. 

  I find Weaver's humor hilarious, and the romance was heart breaking - though I think in the end you'll find your heart stitched right back up and in the right place. 

If you are looking for a romantic escape with some humor and (a lot of nonconventional) spice, this series is going to be one you'd like to pick up! This is not a series for everyone, and I can promise it will not change your life. BUT if it is for you, I can assume you'll be laughing and crying and ugly sobbing through Scythe and Sparrow. It definitely took me away from reality for at least 10 hours! 

No spoilers in this review, but, if you've read it,  please let me know in the comments your favorite part!!!!  If you got the audio, what did you think? 

 

Book Review: Hammajang Luck by Makana Yamamoto 4.5/5 stars

  I FINALLY  got the audiobook copy of Hammajang Luck from the library!

 Honestly, I am a wee bit salty about this one, because I requested it on NetGalley  as an ARC, but got no response from the publisher.  Usually, I get acceptance or rejection pretty fast, but in this case it just sat there in requests until I finally withdrew the request.  I may have requested it too close to the release date, but still.... I really wanted to read it, so thankfully the library came through. Whoo Hoo Libraries! 

The cover is... well, I LOVE it. 

This is a heist novel with a side plot of "relationship" it features  a F/NB relationship; lesbian main character; trans main character; BIPOC main character; lesbian side characters; trans side characters; and BIPOC side characters. Although set it space, it pays homage to Hawai'ian life with use of  traditional Pidgin (mix of Hawai'ian, English, Japanese, Portuguese, and Cantonese- and some other languages), and introduces some concepts of family that are somewhat unique to the Hawai'ian Islands. I did find myself forgetting all the time that it wasn't set in Honolulu. So if you are looking for hard Sci-Fi world building- this likely isn't your novel.  

We follow Edie as they are unexpectedly released from space prison, by a person for whom she definitely has mixed feelings about. Edie is determined to not end up in prison again, but like many people released from prison, the cards are not in their favor. 

Edie is soon involved in a complex, sophisticated heist involving a team of players who are all testing and gauging the trustworthiness of the team. They are the best of the best, and it's a pleasure to read as they progress through all the steps of the heist.  Edie has to choose, almost every step of the way, between trusting someone who has not been the most trustworthy in the past,  or setting an entirely new path that seems to be also a bit of a "bad" choice. As I was reading I was consumed by the lack of options offered- so much like real life, even in this decidedly not real setting and situation!   I was on the edge of my seat as things went wrong and the team had to improvise! 

  I do not think I personally would make the choices made by Edie, and that really was something that I, as a reader, am not entirely used to, and it made me a little uncomfortable overall with the book- which I liked. I was challenged to think through things I hadn't and examine some family/friend relationships that I've had that were also challenging. I'm still kind of mulling all of that over. So, of course, that's a good book. 

    This is a great book  for discussion as there's a lot to talk about, not only does it highlight a cast of queer characters, but it also takes subtle jabs at capitalism, the US (I assume) Prison system, and even medical research as it is performed today. So, for the right book club this could be a winner.

I read this audio book in 4 days!  This is record for me, I just kept checking in on what was going to happen next!  So, for me, the book was highly readable, and easy to make my way through.    Jolene Kim did the narration, and I thought it was perfect.  I really enjoyed the way she voiced all of the Hawai'ian Creole, as I'm sure I wouldn't have gotten the cadence of the language as well if I had been reading it off a page.  It enhanced my enjoyment of the entire book.

Is Hammajang Luck on your To-Be-Read list, or have you already finished it?  Let me know your thoughts in the comments! 

Book Review One Hundred Shadows By Hwang Jungeun 3.75/5 Stars

 This novella is really a work of art. I was attracted to the book by the cover, and the description made me think this would be a bit of a jaunt through horror. 

Well...

The cover is beautiful and the writing is gorgeous...

The story, really is not a jaunt through horror.

It has some moments, but no it's not that. 

   Firstly,  it helps to read this book in context.  The author Hwang Jungeun notes that they were inspired by the Yongson tragedy of 2009.   I am embarrassed to say that I had to look this up- I had no recollection of this.  That spiraled into what was I doing in 2009...and ah yes,  that was a LONG time ago and most Americans were focused on financial news, the death of Michael Jackson, and Obama's first term.  

I was unaware of this context and jumped in blind  to a story where Eungyo and Mujae are lost in the woods.  I really thought some amazing creature was going to stalk them, but no... Eungyo starts to see her shadow rising and she fights not to follow it away. These two both work in an electronic market in a derelict area of Seoul. Eungyo describes her day to day life and interactions and notes that many people have started to see their shadows rising.  They are cautioned not to follow.  We get lots of stories about people who did give in to their shadow and their definite decline.  The buildings they work in are scheduled for demolition, and the occupants seem unphased, and unbothered, there's no great plan to migrate, just a stoic acceptance. As the process begins, nothing seems to really change, and the story sort of fades out with Eungyo and Mujae taking a trip that ends in a darkness, with a choice by Eungyo that propels them towards community and life. 

   This is a great little piece of literature that allows a reader to really explore different topics.  There's community, corporate greed/takeover, a delightful interaction where Eungyo and Mujae discuss that their area is considered a slum,  which is not how they see it at all, set against a somewhat bleak background. lots to talk about for the right book club.  Lots to avoid for the wrong book club.  

  As a whole,  The writing is gorgeous, even through translation, I really enjoyed reading the entire book.  It really is a mood piece, as there is not a plot with a beginning, middle and end, we are sort of invited in to observe this life, and then gently escorted out, leaving a reader to do the work of coming to their own conclusions. For me, even though I know the beauty of this is that the work can be interpreted in many ways, and that the reader interaction with the writing is the final step in the process, my pea-brain just wants to know...  

   Great book for the right book club, people interested in Korean life and culture, people wanting to read good books in translation, and those who tolerate those vague endings better than I do! 

STATS

First Published 2010 (Korean)

First Published in English 2016 (I may be wrong on this but it's what I found) 

Pages: 192

Available as an Audio Book : YES

Trigger Warnings:  Death of parent, death, classism 

(this is not a full list, read responsibly)

January Reading Wrap Up!

 Reading Friends. We made it through January!  What was your favorite read this month? 

  I finished 28 books in January. 

This seems kind of extreme.  But some were shorter reads, and many - were books that require less concentration to enjoy. 

   As the Book Tok crowd would say - "Lets get into it!"

Firstly - Statistics! 

Books in translation:  3/28 A fairly low number, but it's definitely more than many people read in a year. 

Books by Diverse authors: I have a goal to really increase my diverse author reading. Last year about 27% of my reads were  by diverse authors, so lets see how I did for the Month of January?

46%  of my reading was a book with an identified "Diverse author" I did have to actively search out Alexandria House, a Black romance writer- her books are as engaging as any other romance on the market, but they aren't something I came across naturally. Many people think of diverse authors as people who write on only the struggles of various marginalized people, but of course, diverse authors write in all genres, one just has to look a bit further to find them. I love being able to recommend these books to readers when they say "I'm looking for..."  We'll see how my percentage goes through the year.  

Coming in at my TOP PICK: 

RED QUEEN  By Juan Gomez-Jurado

Translated by Nick Caistor.

English Audio Book Narrator Scott Brick. 

While browsing at the library,  I impulsively checked out  Black Wolf  by the same author - only to realize Black wolf is book 2 in this series, so I started with Red Queen.  A psychological thriller/police procedural  set in Spain. Antonia  is a genius who is also specifically trained to mentally sift through debris and solve difficult, high profile crimes.  John is a disgraced cop who's coerced into being her shield,  which he initially feels is babysitting duty,  which - Antonia definitely  needs. 

I was wholly engrossed  by Red queen (and also Black Wolf  which I also finished this month.)  Both Antonia and John are relatable characters who I came to feel quite attached to.  The author uses a few leitmotif's through the book which give the reader this delightful feeling that they, along with the author and other readers, are in on a bit of a secret.  I am  not often a fan of male authors having a female main character- but in this case, Gomez-Jurado does it well, mostly because Antonia is not only  "not like other girls" she's also- not really like other humans in general. As we read we also discover that Antonia is indeed very much like other girls/humans but that she is not always treated that way. 

Scott Brick  has an audiobook legacy of over 800 books narrated.  He wasn't known to me, but his theatre training shows, as he was able to inject suspense, humor and anticipation as he read this, as well as Black Wolf in a way that added to the book, rather than made a listener cringe. 

I loved both books, and the narration so much that I requested White King - which comes out in March 2025 via net Galley and I'm currently about 65% finished with that. More to come, I do not think readers will be disappointed!  

Highly recommend - and clearly- others enjoyed this one as it's been made into a series on Prime as well. 

Out of all the books I read this month, this one, along with Black Wolf had the combination I look for: compelling story, broad appeal, well executed with... (yes I'm a bit shallow) a great cover.  I recommend this to anyone who enjoys this genre. 

  Ok onward! 

I read one Non-fiction book in January: I Contain Multitudes by Ed. Yong. 

 

I did fully enjoy this book, and recommend it as easy to read, and understand science.

Mr. Yong is an incredible science communicator.  This book was published in 2016 and some of the latter chapters seem now a bit dated, but for the most part, it's still an excellent read. 

BOOKS I READ FOR MY WATER THEME 2025:

 Surprisingly, these were all, without exception, well written, interesting, thought provoking books that addressed the human experience in one way or another. I am sure at some point, I am going to choose some less good ones... as one always does.  

If I had to pick one that might be my favorite I think I'd pick All the Rivers by Dorit Rabinyan. I felt this book gave me a better understanding of the conflict in Gaza - which has been in the forefront of news cycles in the past year.  The author put such a human face on the suffering even though the story itself was not about the conflict exactly, --I feel that more people should go take a look at this one.  

What else did I read? 

In the genre of Science Fiction, I had a hodge podge of what I consider real Science Fiction,  and that of romance set in space.  The two are wildly different.

In the actual Science Fiction category we have:

Heavenly Tyrant  by Xiran Jay Zhao

And  Death of the Author  by Nnedi Okorafor

And: Intrastellar MegaChef by Lavanya Lakshminarayan

All excellent reads.  Okorafor is by far the more polished writer, but Zhao brings it with heart stopping battle scenes and Lakshminarayan  brings popular culture to social commentary in a fairly easy to read format. 

In romance set in space, I outdid myself: 

I enjoyed all of these, though I will say Surrender to the Cyborgs probably hits the bottom of the list.  It was... OK. 

Ruby Dixon is the queen of Space Based romances, and she continued to deliver with When she Dances. Space for Love champions a plus sized heroine that was easy to love, for readers and her love interest as well!  Dianne Duvall's Aldebarian Alliance does a fairly good job at building a world but again the main story is an action/adventure romance. 

 I do love a good romance in a space setting. 

I  Buddy read 2 books.  And honestly Buddy reading was the way to go for both, unlikely I would have finished either one without my trusted Buddy reading  friend. 

Emily Rath has written better things, and Rebecca Yarros.... well. I read them, I enjoyed both of these books as "ok" but mostly really enjoyed reading them with friends. Yarros is a problematic author in many many ways (I dislike how her main character Violet is supposed to have a debilitating condition, but she's been able to somehow always, steadfastly be the heroine- involving many fantastic physical feats, and mental task that require a great deal of concentration, all while being worshipped by a demon man who has entirely bombastic language that if used in real like might cause a girl to just ask "what?"  This isn't how debilitating conditions work, Also noted that the writing and such in a lot of this new book made it seem like, almost a different writer, which made me wonder so so much about this whole situation.  The publisher is making bank though. 

Book club Books!

The Stabby and Smoochy Bookclub on Fable read quite a bit in January. We like our heroines stabby and smoochy and there are no shortage of such books.  We loves the Broken Bonds series and that will continue to feature until we finish it in February, so come join up if you also want a stabby/smoochy heroine. 

 My more staid Library  book club read this piece of historical fiction: 

Which was interesting and educational, and got I think, a solid 3 stars from the group. 
 

Books that found their way into my finished shelf that didn't really relate to any other books:

Her Body and Other parties  by Carmen Maria Machado  is a collection of well written short stories that could provoke a lot of discussion. For the most part- I don't like short stories, and par for the course, I didn't love these. To me there was a bit of the MFA voice (if I recognized it with my paltry reading skills, you know it was heavy in there)  and I did not enjoy that. Many many other people have enjoyed these so don't let an avid reader of Space Alien romances stop you from picking it up! 

And then She Fell  by Alicia Elliott 

I felt like this was a really excellent read for me.  I maybe could have popped it into the Sci-Fi realm but it doesn't seem to be shelved by many as Sci-Fi. I feel that it helped me to see myself especially through another's eyes and expanded my own horizons. Recommend. 

And then.... there are the audio books that were available at the library that I picked up to... read in the background. I enjoyed every single one of these not great literature type books and recommend them. 

Did you make it to the end? Whew! Let me know if you've read any of these and your thoughts!!! 

What was your favorite read of January?