A Golden Fury follows Thea Hope, a young woman who has spent her entire life learning alchemy from her famous alchemist mother and who is currently assisting with the creation of the elusive Philosopher's Stone. On the cusp of their success, Thea's mother destroys the nearly completed creation in a fit of madness brought on by a curse on anyone who attempts to create the Stone. Thea finds herself sent away for her own safety to live in Oxford with the alchemist father she's never met. But he, and a lot of other people, appear to want to use her knowledge and skill to their benefit, and she soon finds herself faced with the choice of losing her sanity or losing the folks she cares about. Put simply, A Golden Fury is a historical fantasy adventure that combines mystery, action and alchemy into a primarily plot-driven narrative. It was well-paced, and I certainly found myself flying through the pages of the novel. Sadly, the characters are the aspect of this story where it fell short of my expectations. None of them felt like real folks that came alive off the page, and there was a level of detachment in my experience of their struggles. This was particularly applicable to Thea herself, who felt like she could have been a really compelling character if she (and her relationships) had been just a touch more developed. Even with my reservations about the characters, A Golden Fury was still a fun fantasy reading experience (with a few darker aspects I hadn't expected in the form of torture, violence and murder) overall.

What was your favorite branch of science to study in school? I personally loved studying biology when I was in my second year of high school. There was something fascinating to me about dipping my toes into studying different life forms, and it informed my choice to study botany in college as my core science class in my freshman year.

Pub Info: October 13, 2020 by Wednesday Books | Add it on Goodreads | Buy the book!

Crazy Stupid Bromance is the third novel in the Bromance Book Club series by Lyssa Kay Adams, and it centers around best friends Alexis Carlisle and Noah Logan (who we met in Undercover Bromance). Alexis is the owner of the cat cafe ToeBeans, which has also become a safe space for survivors of sexual harassment after she came forward as a victim of a celebrity chef in the last book. Noah is her best friend, a former hacktivist turned computer security expert and the person she seeks support from when a young woman turns up at her cafe claiming to be her sister. As they team up to figure out the truth about their situation, it's getting harder for them both to hide the feelings they have for each other (even though they're determined to do so in order not to ruin their friendship). Cue the book club (and their other friends) getting themselves involved, and you've got a good idea of the plot for this book! Honestly, Crazy Stupid Bromance was a good time. I flew through the story, despite the fact that friends to lovers isn't always my particular cup of tea in terms of romance tropes. Adams just has a gift for writing great stories with excellent romantic banter, hilarious moments (involving the couple together or individually), and fun bits with the supporting cast (so here for the way the book club gets themselves entangled in this tale. It was great to see Alexis and Noah work out their struggles individually and as a couple, and I was obviously rooting for them to find their happiness together. However, I didn't find the familial aspect for Alexis' story particularly compelling, nor did I care much for the drama that ensues towards the end. But even though this one wasn't perfect, it was still a fun addition to the series for sure.

What would you name your cat if you had one? I'm terrible at naming pets, so I actually consulted Macky for this question! If we had a grey munchkin cat with blue eyes (and I was oddly specific when I said this to him), he says we would name it Mereleona (after a character we both love in Black Clover.)

Pub Info: October 27, 2020 by Berkley | Add it on Goodreads | Buy the book!

I still can't quite believe the fact that 2020 is the year that I can say that I finally read the entirety of Les Misérables! I was unable to ever break past the 100 page mark on my previous attempts at reading this classic, but for some reason, I was determined to finally make it happen this year... and I finally made it all the way to the very last page. Les Misérables is about the noble peasant Jean Valjean and how the trajectory of his life dramatically changes after he steals a loaf of bread and winds up imprisoned. It ties together his story with that of a great many other folks, and sets in France at a time of political turmoil and unrest. 

Like the vast majority of folks I know, my familiarity with the tale of Les Misérables is rooted in the musical. I became familiar with Jean Valjean and his peers through the onstage adaptation that filters the plot and themes into the lyrics and scenes chosen to represent this brick of a book. But I've always itched to experience the source material, and while it took time to get through, I found the experience worth the effort and time. 

There are a great many other folks who have likely read this with a more academic, critical eye, so before I dive any deeper into my thoughts, I must make it clear that I read this for fun and that my opinions are very much biased towards my subjective experience. 

To me, Les Misérables is one part compelling narrative, one part detailed history and one part argument of philosophy, politics, ethics and morality. It took time to understand the narrative flow of this novel, as each section would start with a history or musings on morality. But once I picked up on the way that those bits would in some way tie into the turn of events for our rather large cast of characters in that same section, it suddenly became easier to follow the ebb and flow of the tale as I continued to read. I appreciated the character work, and how it felt like I was getting a more intimate glimpse at the characters because of the amount of page time we spend accompanying them and their thoughts. (This is not, to say, that I actually ended up loving these individuals. It's more complicated than that, because the portrayals felt honest and nuanced and very human.) And I appreciated the variety of themes - political, religious, ethics and more - that are sprinkled throughout the narrative too, often leaving me with things to ponder or sentiments that resonated.

Les Misérables was, without a doubt, the most difficult classic reading experience I've ever had. But it was also extremely satisfying, both in terms of the sense of accomplishment and the enjoyment I had. I'm really glad I finally read it this year, and feel fully empowered to read other lengthy, challenging classic reads in the future too.

If you want to try reading Les Misérables too, here are a couple of suggestions to make it easier:

First, let me start by saying that this book has evoked so many feelings in me that I am hard-pressed to believe I can possibly be objective in this review. That said, I am still a bag of emotions after reading this very well-written sequel. 

I’d reviewed The Very, Very Far North and loved it immensely, thinking it was going to be joining the ranks of the Winnie the Pooh books of the world but for this generation. This sequel evokes absolutely that same kind of energy but with such an intense twist. On the surface, little kids will get a pretty action and activity packed journey, especially with the introduction of a rather disruptive (and dare I say, sinister) force that basically manages to cause some real harm to Duane the polar bear and his friends. 

There is a LOT of growing up in this book that only people who are growing up or who have grown up a bit (I mean, who stops really?) will recognize. Difficult conversations, decisions and even acts of relationship bravery take center stage at the climax of this book. Was I prepared? Absolutely not. Like most people, when growth comes, I hide. Why? Because growing pains. But sooner or later, life catches up with you and you just have to BEAR it, like Duane does in his most on brand unassuming main protagonist way. (See what I did there? Also, let me see myself out).

So, before I devolve into so many more bear puns in the context of the pretty hefty themes of this book, I will end by saying not only was it a delight to be reunited with Duane and his friends, but the art by Kelly Pousette compliments Dan Bar-El’s writing so beautifully. 

This has gone very much above and beyond The Very, Very Far North into territory I did not even think it could go. Personally, it was a bit of a slow start but that’s really just the nature of this kind of book, I suppose. It’s a series of vignettes, a slice of very, very far north life at a time served in poignant portions. If anything, it’s endeared these characters to me even more. The first book was the forming of their connections. This sequel, on the other hand, is the strengthening of them, and boy, what a lovely ride it was.

Pub Info: October 6, 2020 by Atheneum Books for Young Readers

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The Mythology Class basically feels like Percy Jackson, except for the fact that it's clearly targeted towards an adult audience and it integrates elements of Filipino culture and lore. The story centers around a group of individuals who are all drawn by the hand of fate to be a part of a mysterious mythology class hosted on a Filipino college campus. It turns out that they're the chosen ones meant to rid the Philippines of enkantos in this timeline, as these supernatural creatures are causing havoc in the real world. But is that all they're meant to do or is there a greater evil afoot?

Macky really loves this graphic novel, and that got me really excited to pick it up and experience the story for myself. And I'm so glad that I finally did because it was really fun! While the formula is a familiar one (Macky's favorite, the "me and my friends save the world" plot), Arre's execution in this story was well-done. He managed to incorporate Filipino lore and culture perfectly, and matched it with great pacing and solid character work (especially considering he managed to create an ensemble cast where there are also individual plots in the background). 

However, there are a few things worth pointing out. The art style wasn't necessarily my cup of tea, but it eventually grew on me. The text can get a bit heavy and dense, but it does help in clarifying details and fleshing out the story. Lastly, there are comments and events that don't age well, including stuff about body weight, body image, race, and actions that could be taken as abusive.

Still, when it comes down to it, I enjoyed The Mythology Class. It's a compelling tale of adventure, set against the backdrop of a few familiar places and written about characters that I ended up rooting for by the end. I'm so glad to have finally read it, and I look forward to reading the sequel The Children of Bathala (which came out last year)!

Pub Info: 2005 by Adarna House | Add it on Goodreads

The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue (out tomorrow, 10/6!) is a deliciously immersive new story from author V.E. Schwab. It centers around a young woman named Addie who, in her most desperate moment, winds up making a deal with a 'god' that only comes out after dark. She's granted the gift of immortality, only with the cursed catch that she's fated to be forgotten by everyone she meets. Three hundred years later, Addie enters a bookshop and meets a young man named Henry... who is the first person to remember her in centuries.

This novel is, without a doubt, my favorite Schwab novel. It's a brilliantly executed piece of work, where Schwab uses her storytelling prowess to reveal Addie's story. It was enthralling to bear witness to this girl forgotten by so many others and all the things she experienced from the moment of her bargain up until the present day where she is finally remembered by someone else.  (It would be remiss not to mention the fact that we do get the back story for Henry as well, which is equally fascinating.)

Truthfully, Addie isn't always the most likable character. She is charming and clever and brave, but she also can be selfish and angry and reckless. But she felt so much like a person I might have encountered in my own life, and the complexity of her personality drew me to her. It was a puzzle to solve, as most human beings tend to be (our own selves included). Readers are granted snippets of Addie's life over the years, and it feels like an invitation to assemble an idea of who she is, what she wants and how this gift (and the accompanying curse) has shaped her.

As I've already alluded to, Schwab's story construction is a thing of beauty. The narrative bounces between timelines in the past and present, between settings and between different versions of Addie. It is clear that Schwab spent a lot of time and care deliberating on which parts needed to be included to construct a compelling tale about an equally compelling individual and, for me at least, that hard work paid off. The story does start off slow and rather ordinary, but quickly crescendoes into a place where I was unable to stop reading until I found out how it all ended (and boy, do I have a lot of love for the ending).

I really loved The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue. It's a story within a story within a story, and it's so incredibly well-done. This is the kind of novel that you can really sink your teeth into it, leaving you with plenty to discuss with other readers and with questions about Addie, her story, Henry and the 'god' she bargains with that you can only guess at the answers to. I'm so excited for the rest of the world to get to meet Addie and to read her story, and I can definitely see myself returning to this story in the future.

(Just a heads up, there is a lot of heavy content, including abuse, death, depression, suicide, drugs, and alochol, to name a few, so please know that going in.)

Pub Info: October 6, 2020 by Tor Books | Add it on Goodreads | Buy the book!