Another week of March is officially in the books! I got to another three titles this week. One was the third installment of the Fae Isles series I’ve been working on this month. The other two were pulled from my physical TBR pile. Both are titles that I’d really been looking forward to, and I’m pleased to say that they exceeded my expectations. Here’s the full recap of this week’s reading.

1. Ruins of Sea and Souls – Lisette Marshall

CW: Blood, Graphic Depictions of Violence & Injuries, Torture, Child Abuse, Graphic Sexual Content, War, Slut-Shaming, Abandonment, Depression, Dubious Consent, Ableism

I’ve now finished the third book in the Fae Isles series. I was gifted books 1-4 of the series by the author herself. I’ve covered the first book and the second book in posts already. To celebrate the release of the digital box set, I set a goal to read all four of them before March 31st.

I’m glad to say that the pacing of this one was much more enjoyable for me. Both of the first two books took quite a while to ramp up to any action. This time I didn’t feel like I was waiting for the story to begin; the plot kicked off quickly. I still really enjoy the magic system, and I’m intrigued by the lost gods of this world we’re starting to learn more about. In particular, I was very enamored with the depiction of the goddess of love and grief.

However, there were a couple ways that this installment of the series was a bit of a letdown after the first two books. There are times where the immaturity of the characters rubs me the wrong way. While I excuse this from the protagonist who is only 21 years old, most of the characters have been around for several centuries. There are numerous subplots arising in each book due to miscommunication, many of which come to a head in this third book. It’s not my favorite trope at the best of times. Here it’s overdone and largely unnecessary.

There have been instances where miscommunication has improved the nonverbal representation in the series. I appreciated those, but a lot of the positive representation was undone in this installment. It’s been beautiful to see the sign language use, including how emotive it can be. The nonverbal character’s disability has always been framed as temporary or reversible. I know many people who deal with disability consider that to be negative representation. However, I personally have experienced temporary and also dynamic disability, so I don’t mind seeing it. What I could not endure as easily was seeing the character’s agency denied in a climactic moment. The narrative fallout from that moment may dictate my opinion of the series as a whole. It left me hesitant to pick up the next book.

2. On Tyranny – Timothy Snyder

CW: War, Antisemitism, Holocaust & Nazi Germany, SA, Genocide, Racism, Ableism, Police Brutality, Sexism

It’s astounding how small this book is. It’s barely any larger than my hand, and I’ve met very few adults with hands smaller than mine. For something so tiny, the ideas contained within are remarkably powerful. Within are compact versions of history lessons on how various tyrannical governments have risen to power in the last century. Alongside those are resistance tactics that have proven effective.

The book serves as both a warning and a foundational instruction manual for opposing fascism. By no means is it a complete list of historical instances nor resistance tactics. However, it is an excellent starting point. There are plenty of larger, denser texts on both subjects, but this is a beneficial overview no matter your current level of understanding. This is a book that everyone who values their freedom should read at least once, especially those residing here in the United States.

3. The Book Eaters – Sunyi Dean

CW: Misogyny, Child Loss, Forced Marriage, SA, Heavy Drinking, Infertility, Traumatic Birth, Gun Violence (list may update next week)

I need more books that have mother protagonists and more older women. I’m about halfway through this one now and thoroughly hooked. The characters have weight and inner complexity that I often find lacking in characters without life experience. As I get older, I have a greater interest in seeing that instead of the story’s appeal coming from the setting and narrative alone. The relatability is really nice too.

The concept of the book eater species is incredibly fun, but there’s darkness in this story. There is a deep, boiling feminine rage. There’s examination of a loving parent’s instincts and desires to fight and sacrifice for their children. The way it frames familial bonds and obligations has me fascinated. I’m looking forward to seeing where this goes and I’ll update next week.

Another Week of March Incoming

There will be another week of March next week too! I have one more book of the Fae Isles series. I’ve also got another couple of ARCs that I’m very excited about. I can’t wait to tell you all about them. I’ve also got a towering physical TBR pile that just keeps growing with no signs of stopping. My partner and I are still making our way to all the independent bookstores in Massachusetts and I make purchases at every one of them. You can visit along with us in our videos – we have a whole playlist for you to check out!

Keep an eye out on my YouTube channel or the main updates page here to follow along on all our bookish adventures. My reading recaps go out on Mondays and our bookstore adventures go out on Thursdays. As always, I want to hear from you! What have you been reading lately? Are you having fun with it? Have you read any of these titles, and if so, what did you think of them? Tell me everything, and follow along for more!