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A long overdue reading roundup: April-July 2025
I’ve been remiss when it comes to keeping up with my 52 Book Club Challenge roundups. It’s been a busy year, etc. etc. But it’s time for me to catch y’all up on how it’s been going since March. To my surprise / chagrin, I actually have fewer updates to share than I expected. This
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Colonialism and culture wars in Tasha Suri’s The Books of Ambha
For those who follow my Goodreads, you may have noticed an uptake in my fantasy reading this year. I’ve been really enjoying the epic stories and the intricate human plots – their own kind of mystery. But at times, I can get tired of how so many of the kingdoms are rooted in Western culture
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Giving sorrow words: exploring grief and loss in murder mysteries
So. I’ve been a big flake the last few months. In that period, I have: What I have not done, however, is write a non-travel blog post… but not for lack of reading. (In fact, I may have pulled an all-nighter last night devouring a new-to-me fantasy series about djinn.) I’ve read everything from bibliomysteries
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Reading adventures, Pt. 10: Lemons + learning on the Amalfi Coast
After bidding goodbye to the City of Flowers, we met some friends for a lovely week on the Amalfi Coast – known for lemons, linens, and beautiful ceramic tiles. The sheer cliffs and clear blue waters were a welcome respite from the inland heat. And I was looking forward to a week of lazing around
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Reading (mini)-adventure: Revolutionary History by the Sausalito shore
We interrupt your regularly scheduled travel/reading posts to bring you a staycation-themed travel post. Despite just returning from two weeks in Italy, we decided to up our Independence Day ante by visiting Sausalito’s celebration. Hoping for actually visible fireworks and a small-town atmosphere, we trekked across the Golden Gate for a two-day getaway by the
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Reading adventures, Pt. 8: Architectural awe in the City of Flowers
From Rome, we took a quick train ride to Firenze / Florence. Fresh off the Roman nonfiction success, I was excited to repeat the approach and see how I felt. And for Florence, that meant reading about the Renaissance. As I would soon discover, the city center preserves that era, eschewing the more layered approach
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Reading adventures, Pt. 7: Murder and marvels in Ancient Rome
It is once again time for this blog to move from strictly reading-focused to a combination of travelogue with literary musings sprinkled in. Last year, we explored Spain and Nice; this year, I’ve gone further east to Italy. Specifically, I’ve spent the last two weeks roaming Rome / Lazio, Florence, and the Amalfi Coast. There’s
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Fantasy politics with a mystery twist in A Drop of Corruption
Robert Jackson Bennett is back! And he’s advancing the stories of Ana and Din, an imperial investigator and her assistant. Regular readers know how much I adore RBJ, and I’ve been extremely excited for this next release. A Drop of Corruption rejoins Ana and Din months after the events of The Tainted Cup. They’ve been
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March 2025 Roundup: a packed month ahead of a promising April
The sun finally came back out to play this month in the Bay. Of course, this meant lots of lovely reading picnics or afternoons with the Kindle on our sunny rooftop. Spring has sprung – and so, apparently, has my reading pace. 52 Book Club: A series of beneficial binges I managed to read 13
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The Ragpicker King: Layering tropes to create tension
I was an avid reader of YA fantasy back in the late aughts. Percy Jackson, The Hunger Games, everything Tamora Piece penned – you name it, and I’d at least skimmed the first chapter. And yet, I could somehow never get into Cassandra Clare. I was firmly in the high fantasy camp, and her more