Books I've Read: Jan-Feb 2024
Jun. 4th, 2024 06:22 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
hrjJanuary
A Dangerous Collaboration by Deanna Raybourn (audio)
I picked this historic mystery almost randomly because it was in an Audible two-for-one sale and looked interesting. Alas, I found the heroine unlikeable, especially for how much latitude she was willing to give the awful male co-protagonists. The writing also felt bit stilted. (People in history used contractions, dammit!)
February
Babel by R.F. Kuang (audio)
One of the books that got caught up in the Hugo award shenanigans. Linguistic-based magic and 19th century colonialism. It’s a very powerful book with an ending that found the right balance between tragedy and grim determination. As a linguist, I really enjoyed the magical premise.
The Duke Who Didn't by Courtney Milan (audio)
Nice writing, lovely characters, and the food descriptions were excellent. But I never actually believed it was set in the past. The characters all felt very modern in their thoughts and reflexes. I have a longer essay on this topic that I'll eventually post separately, comparing a number of books I had this reaction to.
The Secret Casebook of Simon Feximal by K.J. Charles (audio)
Still working my way through Charles's backlist. This one didn't grab me as much as most of her other books. I think part of it was a significant amount of body-horror, but also maybe I was trying to read it as a romance, and it wasn't trying to be romance, but rather supernatural adventure with romantic elements.
A Dangerous Collaboration by Deanna Raybourn (audio)
I picked this historic mystery almost randomly because it was in an Audible two-for-one sale and looked interesting. Alas, I found the heroine unlikeable, especially for how much latitude she was willing to give the awful male co-protagonists. The writing also felt bit stilted. (People in history used contractions, dammit!)
February
Babel by R.F. Kuang (audio)
One of the books that got caught up in the Hugo award shenanigans. Linguistic-based magic and 19th century colonialism. It’s a very powerful book with an ending that found the right balance between tragedy and grim determination. As a linguist, I really enjoyed the magical premise.
The Duke Who Didn't by Courtney Milan (audio)
Nice writing, lovely characters, and the food descriptions were excellent. But I never actually believed it was set in the past. The characters all felt very modern in their thoughts and reflexes. I have a longer essay on this topic that I'll eventually post separately, comparing a number of books I had this reaction to.
The Secret Casebook of Simon Feximal by K.J. Charles (audio)
Still working my way through Charles's backlist. This one didn't grab me as much as most of her other books. I think part of it was a significant amount of body-horror, but also maybe I was trying to read it as a romance, and it wasn't trying to be romance, but rather supernatural adventure with romantic elements.
