5/4: Space Opera by Catherynne M. Valente (library, 2018) - A book I want to like, but just didn't. 3/5 stars
5/5: I Who Have Never Known Men by Jacqueline Harpman, translated by Ros Schwartz (library ebook, 1995) - Another great dystopian novel. I didn't realize that dystopian novels would be my saving grace. 4.5/5 stars
5/11: The Last Magician (The Last Magician #1) by Lisa Maxwell (library, 2017) - Esta has to go back in time to steal an item that can save magic. This is a trilogy and I don't need to read more. 3/5 stars
5/14: The Wishing Game by Meg Shaffer (library ebook, 2023) - Very readable, but sort of problematic? 3/5 stars
5/17: Back After This by Linda Holmes (library, 2025) - Delightful. This is what I want from a romance novel. 5/5 stars
5/18: The Silver Star by Jeannette Walls (library, 2013) - Walls writes meh books. 3/5 stars
5/25: The Dream Hotel by Laila Lalami - (library, 2025) - Chilling. 4.5/5 stars
5/27: What You Are Looking For Is in the Library by Michiko Aoyama, translated by Alison Watts (library ebook, 2020) - Cozy slight magical book about a librarian who knows just how to help people with their biggest challenges. It read like a series of interconnected short stories. It was a bit too self-help-y for me, but it was a gentle, kind read. 4/5 stars
Average star rating: 3.75/5 stars
DNF
The Beekeeper of Aleppo - I don't know. Maybe this got better, but the first part kept making me fall asleep. DNF at 11%.
The City in Glass - I don't care for enemies to lovers in my romance novels and I don't care for it here, either. DNF at 33%.
The New Moon's Arms - The main character of this book truly rubbed me the wrong way. I wanted to like this book, but life's too short for books you're not enjoying. DNF 13%.
*****************
Are you a fan of dystopian fiction? What's your favorite dystopian book?
I'm so glad Back After This worked for you - I also loved that book! I am not a fan of dystopian. But it's helpful to know it doesn't work for me so I can avoid it when I see that word in the description!
ReplyDeleteI think Linda Holmes is one of my favorite romance authors at this point. That's fun to know!
DeleteI went through a real phase of dystopian fiction, though I forget most of it right now. I devoured The Hunger Games books when I read them but feel rather Meh about them now.
ReplyDelete1984 was pretty epic and I'd like to re-read it soon. It also feels eerily on point...
I think The Hunger Games hold up! I mean, there's the teen melodrama, but it's good stuff!
DeleteI have ‘I who have never known men’ on hold via Libby and am looking forward to it. Dystopian fiction - It’s not something I seek out, but I do like it when I find a good one, which is pretty often I guess.
ReplyDeleteI feel like all the dystopian I've been reading lately has hit, so I'm going with it. Dystopias forever.
DeleteAbsolutely not, dystopian is not a genre I read or enjoy.
ReplyDeleteDid you ever read the dystopian Atwood like The Handmaid's Tale?
DeleteOh yes, that I have read and that is probably the exception to my rule! I did NOT enjoy the Testaments though, which was the follow up.
DeleteI agree that life is too short to stick with a book that isn't enjoyable. I do not enjoy dystopian or science fiction or werewolves or that sort of thing. I don't enjoy those kinds of movies either.
ReplyDeleteHa! I like all those things, friend. We are genre opposites.
DeleteNo dystopian books for me.
ReplyDeleteFair enough. It's not for everyone.
DeleteEve is excited about I Who Have Never Known Men - I can't resist a dystopian novel so will definitely read it. I agree about The Last Magician and The wishing Game.
ReplyDeleteYes!! I thought this book was quietly excellent. I hope you like it as much as I did.
DeleteI love dystopian fiction. If I had to choose a favorite, it's a toss-up between Cormac McCarthy's "The Road" and Stephen King's "The Stand."
ReplyDeleteI have both of those books on my TBR. I would actually like to listen to "The Stand," but I can't find it at the library, dang it.
DeleteI am hit and miss on dystopian. I did enjoy The Hunger Games, The Handmaiden's Tale (if it is considered dystopian), the Divergent series...but I think I am not always 100% clear on what is considered dystopian. Like some fantasy is dystopian, or what about futuristic/sci fi? That could be dystopian but isn't always, right? Anyway, I did not like 1984 or Slaughterhouse Five and I DNFed The Road! I would have to have a list of dystopian novels, but my guess is that I like approximately 75% of them.
ReplyDeleteI always think of dystopian as not-fantasy. It's a genre of speculative fiction and I think of it as a near future in which a lot of things are familiar, but something has changed (climate change, laws/policies, technology) that has changed things not for the best. I like near-future dystopian the best, but I'll basically take it any way I can get it in 2025.
DeleteI enjoy dystopian novels from time and time, but I usually need a bit of time in between each one. I think my last dystopian was The Power, which I really loved!
ReplyDeleteWe read The Power in our book club. I thought it was mostly fine. LOL. It did spark a great discussion in book club, though.
DeleteDefinitely enjoy dystopian fiction.
ReplyDeleteI have put two of your books down on my TBR.
Sorry you didn't like the beekeeper of Aleppo. Its on my TBR too and I really want to read it. But there have been a few books you didn't like or DNF and I enjoyed a lot so I am not discouraged but curious.
I feel like maybe I should return to The Beekeeper of Aleppo at a later date. It just didn't work for me right now.
Delete