Category Archives: reading

#TBR Challenge – Here There Be Monsters: Troll: A Love Story by Johanna Sinisalo

Posted on October 15, 2025 by Victoria Janssen

Here There Be Monsters: Troll: A Love Story by Johanna Sinisalo [2004] is speculative fiction, but also has a feel of literary fiction. I would probably call it dark fantasy because of tone, themes, a killing, and some domestic abuse. … Continue reading →

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#TBR Challenge – Friend Squad: Earls Trip by Jenny Holiday

Posted on September 17, 2025 by Victoria Janssen

Earls Trip by Jenny Holiday is a light historical romance with a mournful beginning. (By “light” I mean light on the historical details and with modern-sounding dialogue, which can be a feature or a bug, depending on your tastes.) Archie … Continue reading →

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My August Reading Log

Posted on September 12, 2025 by Victoria Janssen

Fiction: I re-read Lois McMaster Bujold’s initial three books set in the “world of the Five Gods,” The Curse of Chalion, Paladin of Souls, and The Hallowed Hunt. I’d loved them when they first came out, but it’s been well … Continue reading →

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#TBR Challenge – Do the Hustle: The Star of Kazan by Eva Ibbotson

Posted on August 20, 2025 by Victoria Janssen

Content warning: this book has past harm to a dog (but it did not die). The Star of Kazan by Eva Ibbotson would today be considered Middle Grade, I think. It’s set in 1908 Austria. Infant Annika is found abandoned … Continue reading →

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My July Reading Log

Posted on August 15, 2025 by Victoria Janssen

My reading in the first half of the month was re-reading of large quantities of work by Cecilia Tan and P. Djèlí Clark, in preparation for Readercon panels. I didn’t make substantial notes on either panel, so I don’t have … Continue reading →

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My June Reading Log

Posted on July 18, 2025 by Victoria Janssen

Fiction: Miss Morton and the Spirits of the Underworld by Catherine Lloyd turned out to be second in a historical mystery series set in 1830s England. The author managed the excellent trick of giving me enough hints of book one’s … Continue reading →

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#TBR Challenge – Back in My Day…: Siren Queen by Nghi Vo

Posted on July 16, 2025 by Victoria Janssen

Siren Queen by Nghi Vo is fantasy set in 1930s Hollywood. The nameless first person narrator, whose Chinese immigrant father owns a laundry, first sees silent films by selling an inch of her hair; later, she plays the roles of … Continue reading →

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#TBR Challenge – Road Trip: John Constantine, Hellblazer Vol. 18: The Gift by Mike Carey and Denise Mina, Leonardo Manco, Giuseppe Camuncoli, Lorenzo Ruggiero, and Frazer Irving

Posted on June 18, 2025 by Victoria Janssen

John Constantine, Hellblazer Vol. 18: The Gift by Mike Carey (Author), Denise Mina (Author), Leonardo Manco (Illustrator, Artist), Giuseppe Camuncoli (Artist), Lorenzo Ruggiero (Artist), Frazer Irving (Artist) is a road trip to hell (rather than from hell, heh). The story … Continue reading →

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My May Reading Log

Posted on June 14, 2025 by Victoria Janssen

Fiction: The Monsters We Defy by Leslye Penelope is historical fantasy set in the 1920s Black neighborhoods of Washington, D.C.. Clara Johnson is able to speak with spirits called Enigmas, which can help humans with problems via a “Charm” but … Continue reading →

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#TBRChallenge – Older Couple: The Odyssey, translated by Emily Wilson

Posted on May 21, 2025 by Victoria Janssen

I’d actually already started reading The Odyssey, translated by Emily Wilson shortly after it came out, then was distracted and moved on to something else (I no longer remember what or why). I think Penelope and Odysseus qualify for the … Continue reading →

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