❦ eternal autumn, please ❦

SUBJECT ✴︎ MATTER / content & shipping caution as a multishipper who can see the appeal of different character dynamics, i don't ingest media expecting characters to act perfectly, or for idealized romance, etc. etc. — >> i just think writers as creators and readers as an audience need to be honest about the subject matter of stories. (an example : ACOTAR is not a feminist story with ideal main pairings. people, please educate yourself on actual feminist philosophy, [and also why sarah j. maas is a problematic author.])

reviews :

Paladin's Strength by T. Kingfisher 🌝🌕🌕🌕🌚 Istvhan is a former paladin on a mission to track down a duo of supernatural killers. Clara is a lay sister from a convent trying to find and save her abducted fellow sisters. The two are thrown together by local customs, and travel to a harsh city to fulfill their goals. Believing love is not for them, they keep their secrets at first, but come to bare everything to each other. As always with the author, characters are endearing and easy to root for. Of the books I've read, I'd say this is UV's most fleshed out relationship — but I do have a few more books to read in the Paladin series.

Deathless by Catherynne M. Valente 🌝🌕🌕🌕🌚 A reimagining of the Slavic fairy tale of Koschei the Deathless and Marya Morevna. Set during the first half of the 20th century, folklore and modernity meld in a story of resilience. It was an enthralling read for me; I love stories about the meeting of the old ways and the new, and the writing is so good. I'll have to add more of the author's works to my TBR.

The Unexpected Miss Bennet by Patrice Sarath 🌝🌕🌑🌑🌚 This one was a quick read. It had a great characterization of Mary Bennet, that is true to P&P while growing Mary as a protagonist. Anne de Bourgh getting some page time was a highlight. Mary's journey of self is brought down by a lackluster love interest, though. He wasn't very fleshed out, and there's no chemistry between him and Mary. Writing this, I can't even remember his name. Also, for a book that's supposed to be about Mary, there isn't enough page space dedicated to her POV; way too many sections are from her older sisters' POV.

A Match For Mary Bennet by Eucharista Ward O.S.F 🌝🌕🌕🌑🌚 This has the truest characterization of Mary in the three Mary Bennet books I've read. If you're looking for something close to Austen canon, this is the one I'd recommend. Mary's love interest, a clergyman named Mr. Oliver, is a perfect match for her. He's someone she never considers for herself, only for her sister Kitty, and who she grows from knowing and speaking to over the course of the book. There are satisfying sisterhood arcs with Mary and Kitty, and especially between Mary and Lydia. Anne de Bourgh gets a satisfying little wrap up, too. My only complaint: with so many characters often on page at one time, it's easy to lose focus and have to reread sections.

Sorcery of Thorns by Margaret Rogerson 🌝🌕🌕🌕🌚 Elisabeth Scrivener is the youngest trainee to become a warden in a grand library, to watch over magical grimoires that can transform into horrors. One night, everything she is working towards is taken away, when she is accused of a crime she didn't commit. She suspects the sorcerer Nathaniel Thorn to be the culprit—the very person whose custody she is in while being transported for her trial. I really liked this one! The worldbuilding and plot are engaging, and the protagonist and her LI's relationship has a satisfying progression, as does the character Silas' arc. This author is becoming one of my favorites.