a bunch of audio mini-reviews

Posted on June 23, 2025 by Thistle

I’ve done an absolutely shit job of keeping up with reviews since I came back to the blog. Though honestly, that’s only really been since my trip in April. I’m not going to go into a lot of detail, but I got home from the trip and suddenly found myself embroiled in a not-so-amicable divorce situation. No sympathy, please – this has been coming for 11 years now, and we were planning to split next summer anyway, but the suddenness and the nature of how he went about it has meant that the last two months have been a lot.

I decided to just do a few mini-reviews of the audiobooks I’ve read in those months. Technically, this also includes one I started last year and finished in January, but all the rest were from May and June. I don’t have the mental fortitude or attention span to write more than a few words about any of these, so this will have to do.

Wind and Truth by Brandon Sanderson (read by Michael Kramer and Kate Reading)
This is the fifth installment in the Stormlight Archive and I listened to it over like two months. I barely remember it, tbh. I don’t think I was really in the right headspace to read it. This is my favorite series ever, so I know I will have to revisit this sometime when I’m in the right mood for it.

A Sorceress Comes to Call by T. Kingfisher (read by Eliza Foss and Jennifer Pickens)
In a world where magic is thought of as cheap illusions, a sorceress can get away with murder. Literally. It takes a willful daughter, a determined future sister-in-law, and a full cast of their friends to challenge the sorceress, and no one is safe. This is another one I’ll have to revisit someday. The story was interesting, but anything deeper than surface level went entirely over my head while I was all stress-muddled. Narration was okay – I liked one narrator more than the other, though I don’t know which was which.

A Drop of Corruption by Robert Jackson Bennett (read by Andrew Fallaize)
Second installment in the Shadow of the Leviathan series. I adored this one. I met Bennett some time ago (2018?) and he said he liked to disguise books under the wrong genre. Fantasy novel that looks like a thriller; heist story masquerading as a fantasy, etc. These books have been murder mysteries in the clothes of fantasies (or vice versa?), and I adore them. The narrator is awesome, too.

The Christmas Swap by Talia Samuels (read by Kim Bretton and Emma Fenney)
Sapphic romcom with a very typical premise: girl pretends to be a guy’s girlfriend for his family, falls in love with his sister. However, this one ended up going very deep into family issues, domestic violence, emotionally abusive/manipulative relationships, dementia, and adult existential crises. It was a lot heavier than I expected, which is generally something I consider a good thing, though atm it would have been nice to be pure fluff! Still, good story. The narrators were good too.

The Nightmare Before Kissmas by Sara Raasch (read by Ellis Evans)
Cute story about the heir of Christmas and the heir of Halloween (yes, actual magical folks) falling in love when they’re not technically allowed because of the duties they have to their families and holidays. It’s rather steamy in places and I love a gay romance. This one also included a bit of political intrigue and I think there’s going to be a second installment. On the bad side, the narrator drove me insane. I didn’t really like the pov character because of the way the audiobook was read. If I revisit this one, it’ll def not be on audio unless the narrator changes!

System Collapse by Martha Wells (read by Kevin Free)
I read all the Murderbot books ages ago, back in 2021 I think? Because I read them all back to back in a quick time period, I didn’t recall a lot of what happened in them. This one has been on my list for a few years, but I’ve avoided reading it because I felt like I needed to revisit the old ones first. Then the Murderbot tv show started, and that refreshed me enough that I could listen to this one with revisiting the others. I loved the narrator and I think I’d like to go back and reread these all via audio – maybe I’ll retain more that way!

The Lesbiana’s Guide to Catholic School by Sonora Reyes (read by Karla Serrato)
This one made me cry. I mean, come on – queer kids in a Catholic school/family forced to stay in the closet out of fear they’ll be kicked out of their home? Yeah. Add to that the Latinx culture (from Arizona, but close enough to what I grew up with in Texas to be very relatable), immigration issues, bigotry (of the race and sexuality kind), religious bs, and poverty, and it’s a whole recipe for tears. Excellent book. I didn’t realize until I was done that it’s by the same author as The Broposal. They’re quickly becoming one of my faves! The audio narrator did a great job, too, including the Spanish sections, which I really appreciated!

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Fanfic Minis – May 2025

Posted on June 1, 2025 by Thistle

It was a really big reading month, both for fanfic and for regular books. Turns out that when I’m under a lot of stress, I read a lot more…

First: An Angel for Christmas by PhoenixRose. On his last chance to prove himself as an angel, Aziraphale is assigned to the Christmas department to grant a child’s wish. But three days isn’t enough to restore the child’s father’s Christmas spirit, and even if the angel succeeds, there’s the slight problem that he’s falling in love with a human… (This was fluffy and adorable and absolutely perfect for Christmas, even though I read it in May.)

Second: Forbidden Fruit by HenriettaRHippo. At their siblings’ engagement party, Crowley and Aziraphale meet and fall in love at first sight. Unfortunately, Crowley has promised his sibling that he won’t get involved…but the lure is too strong. Silly, cute, smutty rom-com that follows all the tropes you can imagine.

Third: Tethered by MarieCuriosity. This one started out as a potential for my favorite fanfic read in quite some time. The first 10 chapters are so dark, ambiguous, and poignant. While the rest was good, all of the ambiguity disappeared after Ch 10, and it became a much more plot-centric story. I really wish it had remained on the same path it had begun, even if it ended on a fully ambiguous or bittersweet note.

Fourth: Showstopper by espresso_six_shots. Celebrity edition of GBBO bring an actor and a judge together after a year of flirting and miscommunication. I frickin’ love Bake-Off and so this story was so perfect for me. It’s sweet and silly and completely unrealistic in all the best ways. Loved it.

Fifth: Is There a Version? by LookingAtACupofTea. A longtime reader/commenter began writing their own fanfic recently, a S3 story that introduced some really interesting ideas. I really enjoyed their take on the characters and predictions for what will happen when the third season finally drops.

Sixth: Love in the Slow Lane by Mizmak. Cute little story about starting over in middle age and choosing to live differently than you’ve done before.

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Most Ardently, by Gabe Cole Novoa (audio)

Posted on May 26, 2025 by Thistle

Most Ardently is a retelling of Pride and Prejudice where Elizabeth Bennet is actually Oliver Bennet, though very few people know of his true identity. As he navigates the world as a transman in hiding, he chafes at the role he must play as a woman in society, especially once he’s presented with multiple marriage prospects.

I adore Pride and Prejudice, and don’t always enjoy retellings, but this one was imaginative and delightful. The author did a great job with the historical language and tone, and updated the story to include a number of queer situations. There were historical notes that followed the novel to discuss what the cultural landscape was like for queer folks at the time. Of course, like the original novel, it’s a highly idealized story. There is plenty of glossing over some of the harder realities and everything works out for the best, so we get our happy, feel-good ending.

Performance: The audio was read by Harrison Knights, who did a good job. No complaints.

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Here One Moment, by Liane Moriarty (audio)

Posted on May 12, 2025 by Thistle

On a routine flight from Hobart to Sydney, people are cranky due to a delay. Once the plane is in the air, however, one woman stands and begins to speak to passengers one by one. Cause of death, age of death. One by one, she hands out predictions, regardless of how people react. The flight is a disaster, unsettling for all, but no one really believes… until the first person dies.

This was a fascinating book. It’s told from the point of view of several passengers on the plane, as well as that of the woman who gives out the predictions, and takes place over almost a year of time. It’s not really a story of prediction or psychics, but a story of the way people react to life and circumstances, and how things come together to make up the way we behave when confronted with a definitive timeline. It also goes into quite a lot of detail about various philosophies of behavior, from people who believe that every step you take is pre-determined, to those who believe the opposite extreme. It’s a set of slice-of-life stories, slotted into the longer story of the “death lady” from the plane, as she’s come to be known. It’s about interconnectivity, and community, and taking stock of the important things in each of our worlds.

I really enjoyed it. There’s no real answer about whether or not these predictions are “true” or if the deaths that occur in their wake are coincidences; if steps taken in the face of predictions keep them from happening, or if they never would have happened at all. It’s left ambiguous, because that’s not the point. The point is how people chose to behave in the face of what may or may not be coming. And I really liked that.

Performance: The audio was read by two narrators, Geraldine Hakewill and Caroline Lee. I don’t know which was which, and enjoyed one more than the other, but liked both fairly well. No complaints, and I love listening to Moriarty’s stories in general. They work well in audio format.

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The Broprosal, by Sonora Reyes

Posted on May 8, 2025 by Thistle

Han and Kenny are best friends and flatmates. They’ve known each other for decades, so when 1) Han loses the job that is meant to be sponsoring his green card, and 2) Kenny finally splits with his abusive girlfriend, the two decide to fake-marry for Han’s citizenship. Only the fake relationship opens a whole host of real feelings.

This one was really, really cute. It deals with a ton of heavy topics – immigration, parental neglect, addiction, domestic violence, pregnancy/abortion, coming out, autism, death of a parent – but weaves them in between sweetness, humor, and a general sense of community. There is heavy emphasis on Mexican culture and queer culture, which I really loved as a queer person who grew up in a heavily-Mexican-influenced part of the world (south Texas). The feelings that develop between Han and Kenny feel real, not even slightly contrived despite the fake-marriage trope, and very hot at times. (There are several explicit scenes, including one with light kink, so keep that in mind if you chose to read this.)

I think my favorite thing about this story was the way it subverted so many stereotypes. The abusive ex-girlfriend didn’t believe she could be abusive because she worked at a shelter for abused women. The autistic character enjoyed touch under the right circumstances. There’s mention that someone who is a sub in a sexual partnership is not necessarily a bottom, which I appreciated. Then there was Leti, one of Han’s cousins – they’re a drag performer who uses they/them pronouns, and there’s never a single indication one way or another of their “biological sex.” Woohoo for true nonbinary rep!!!!!

Altogether, a fab book to read. Don’t let the cover fool you. The art makes this look like a YA book, makes it look a bit silly/young. It’s very adult in content, though. Sure, there’s plenty of humor, but this book has a LOT to say.

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Evocation, by ST Gibson

Posted on May 5, 2025 by Thistle

David, a lawyer who doubles as a medium in his spare time, is suddenly being intermittently possessed by a demon. He turns to his ex-boyfriend, Rhys, and Rhys’ wife Moira, for help. The complicated relationship between the three makes this a difficult task, and the demon keeps getting stronger…

I’m not sure what to say about this book. There were definitely parts I liked. I enjoyed the occult bits, and I liked the realistic polyamory rep. Beyond that, though, I didn’t particularly like any of the three characters, and the few smut scenes (particularly the two straight smut scenes – the one gay scene was slightly better) were pretty cringey. That’s coming from someone who enjoys smut scenes generally.

This is the beginning of a series, but I don’t think I’ll continue with it. If I liked the characters better, I probably would, but I found them just slightly under the line of likability too far to make me want to read their story further. Oh well.

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Fanfic minis – April 2025

Posted on May 2, 2025 by Thistle

This was a travel month, so I got a lot read on the international flights!

As a heads-up, I’ve just had a major life change and I don’t know how often I’ll be on the blog right now as I work through that.

First: A Tricky Situation by sixbynine. Short little you’ve-got-mail type story involving two professors who have both an online rivalry and an online friendship (under different aliases, of course). Cute, but not a fave.

Second: Kidnapping Mr Fell by JAC_is_procrastinating_again. This is a cute and short little story about a kinda-vigilante cleaning up mob activity, mixed up with a bit of not-so-great kidnapping and a bit of oblivious pining. That sounds chaotic, but it makes a lot more sense in context. Took me by surprise in a lot of places despite the brevity of the story. Very funny.

Third: Borrowed Words by sunrisesinthesuburbs. Imagine a young relationship broken apart by family and fear and obligation. Imagine, almost twenty-five years later, stumbling upon your ex, only to discover that he has all the same regrets, pains, and hesitations. Building something new on top of something old, with the baggage that time brings along, is difficult, and the author weaves this story beautifully with flashbacks, old unsent letters, book snippets, and more.

Fourth: Chemistry by Twilightcitysky. Post S1 fic involving the ineffables turning on all their physical processes and dealing with things such as allergies, panic attacks, and hangovers for the first time. As well as all the hormones involved in falling in love. This one was phenomenal! The science was particularly well-researched and I love the author’s approach to God as an absentminded researcher.

Fifth: Growing on Me by Hermiola. A burned-out musician has his career invigorated by a lyricist, in spite of the musician’s best attempts to annoy the lyricist into quitting before they even begin their collaboration. Cute story, but felt a bit one-sided and heavy on tropes.

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I’ll Have What He’s Having, by Adib Khorram

Posted on April 10, 2025 by Thistle

Farzan goes to Kansas City’s newest wine bar to drown the sorrows of his recent failure in dating. There, he’s mistaken for a restaurant critic and treated to a night of incredible food, wine, and attention. David, the sommelier, knows he’s overstepping as he flirts with Farzan, but the attraction between them is undeniable and continues past the end of the evening. The misidentification is quickly cleared up, but the problem now is that the chemistry is more than either David or Farzan have previously experienced. Unfortunately, David is moving away for his career in only a few months, and Farzan has just inherited his family’s restaurant (their legacy).

I don’t read a lot outside fanfiction any longer. For someone who used to be an absolute snob who thought fanfic was all poorly written and uncreative, I’ve enjoyed more stories from that world in the last two years than I have in published fic of the last decade. I’ve put off reading published works, and I cull a lot that was once on my TBR. Every once in awhile, though, I come across a gem like this one.

I’ll Have What He’s Having was an incredible book. Plot-wise, it had all the hallmarks of a good love story: the lead up, the chemistry, the lurking dangers, the angst, the happily-ever-after. But then there were all the extras. First, the smut. This was a very spicy book, so if you don’t like explicit, don’t pick this one up. What I loved about it was the realism. Not everything about sex is clearcut and easy, especially when you’re just learning about a new person and their body. Khorram chose to include the difficult, awkward, and silly bits as well as the sexy ones.

Second, the story centers on both queer characters and people of color from multiple ethnic backgrounds. Often, when books center on one or the other, the story is ABOUT that thing. How many queer stories are about the angst of being queer, for example? This was not that. The cultures that these men belong to are part of their makeup, big parts of their lives that inform their decisions, but not The Focus of the story, which again, at its heart, is a romance/love story. I love, again, how real this story was about these things. There were a few lines in particular that stood out to me as someone who has spent their life hiding behind heteronormative rules only to start breaking out of those chains in their mid-40s:

Talking about queer relationships, or situationships even, was always awkward with straight people, even ones who loved you unconditionally.

and

[His brother’s path] was all so beautiful and romantic and heteronormative, and that was nothing like Farzan’s dating life.

This was an absolutely gorgeous book from start to finish, and that’s to say nothing of the wine chat and mouthwatering Persion dishes that I wish so much I had access to irl. Def the best tradpub book I’ve read since May 2023. So, from a once-fanfic-snob who now thinks much of fanfiction is better than what I can get off bookshop shelves, this one is as good as fanfic. If I’d been reading this on ao3, I would’ve been leaving comments and lamenting the limit on kudos the whole time. Highly recommended!

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The Regret List

Posted on April 7, 2025 by Thistle

Back in 2015, I came up with a concept for a novel called The Regret List. At the time, it was a sapphic rom-com that I meant to write for NaNoWriMo that November. I began it, got about 15k words into it, and quit. It was the first time since I started participating in NaNo in 2009 that I didn’t win, and it was the last time that I participated at all, given that I quit writing altogether the following summer. The remnants of The Regret List went into a percolating folder, with the expectation of never seeing the light of day again.

Fast forward to the summer of 2024. I’d finished writing my latest novel, Rapture on the Seas, and was meant to be taking a writing break. However, I was afraid that if I stopped writing again, I would be stuck for another many-year drought like from 2016 to 2023. I didn’t yet trust that it wasn’t writer’s block, but emotional repression, that caused said drought. The creative energy was low, and so I dug out my old percolating folder and unburied The Regret List.

The thing is, the original concept is nothing more than a hook – a list of regrets to try to right. But a book that simply crosses things off a list is boring! It needed more. I flailed a bit over a month or two, then finally made some connections to bring depth to the story: a long lost friend-turned-enemy, an illustrated webcomic, and an in-the-closet/religious deconstruction journey. I set the book in a part of London (Chiswick) where I’ve spent a bit of time, so that I could ground the setting in restaurants, stores, streets, and parks that I know, to give it more depth.

Last August, the first chapter went up, and while I’ve struggled to keep the story going at times, I posted the final chapter last Friday. Altogether, the book is 107k words long and makes the seventh full-length novel that I’ve written in the last 19 months. It includes a few illustrations of varying quality, and I’m quite happy with how the whole thing came out. My partner (both beta partner and IRL partner), who goes by Rainstorm online, did a phenomenal job helping to guide me through every step of this process, from brainstorming Az’s actual Regret List before the writing even started, to walking me through paragraph-by-paragraph on the hardest chapter of the book (which took an entire month of rewrites to get into shape).

I know it’s unlikely anyone here wants to read any of my fanfic, but in the off-chance that you do, you can read The Regret List on ao3. It’s rated Explicit because it has a few spicy sections, however, they are all skippable with a “skip” button, and if you do that, the story is rated Mature for mature themes mostly to do with mental health. There’s a list of trigger warnings in the tags, in the fic’s notes, and on each chapter that requires them.

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Bitter Waters, by Vivian Shaw (audio)

Posted on April 4, 2025 by Thistle

This is a novella-sized addition (3.5) to the Greta Helsing series. I’ve read the first three, with the fourth coming out later this year. Honestly, it’s been long enough since the third (2019) that I barely remember the previous installments. However, it wasn’t difficult to get into this one.

The story begins with the sudden vampire attack of a ten year old girl. Lucy now has to deal with becoming a vampire at a very young age, while various (undead and human) adults around her investigate and take care of the situation. It was a nice little story that did a good job reintroducing all the players for me. I’m not sure if I’ll read on in the series, simply because I have so much else on my TBR, but I’m more inclined now than before.

Performance: Audiobook was read by Catrin Walker-Booth. This isn’t the same narrator as the previous installments but it has been long enough that the difference didn’t matter to me. She did a good job.

PS – I am sooooo out of practice writing reviews, ha!

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