Payback’s a witch by Lana Harper

Synopsis

Emmy Harlow is a witch but not a very powerful one—in part because she hasn’t been home to the magical town of Thistle Grove in years. Her self-imposed exile has a lot to do with a complicated family history and a desire to forge her own way in the world, and only the very tiniest bit to do with Gareth Blackmoore, heir to the most powerful magical family in town and casual breaker of hearts and destroyer of dreams.
But when a spellcasting tournament that her family serves as arbiters for approaches, it turns out the pull of tradition (or the truly impressive parental guilt trip that comes with it) is strong enough to bring Emmy back. She’s determined to do her familial duty; spend some quality time with her best friend, Linden Thorn; and get back to her real life in Chicago.
On her first night home, Emmy runs into Talia Avramov—an all-around badass adept in the darker magical arts—who is fresh off a bad breakup . . . with Gareth Blackmoore. Talia had let herself be charmed, only to discover that Gareth was also seeing Linden—unbeknownst to either of them. And now she and Linden want revenge. Only one question stands: Is Emmy in?
But most concerning of all: Why can’t she stop thinking about the terrifyingly competent, devastatingly gorgeous, wickedly charming Talia Avramov?

Thoughts

Following a recent excursion into cozy fantasy I was pulled in by this title and cover. What followed was a pretty classic world with witches, competition, and focus on relationships and finding your place in life. There is some delicious romance and bisexual characters.

I do have things that I personally would have wanted handled differently, but this was genuinely a fun & nice world to be in and I recommend it for anyone that wants some romance with their cozy fantasy.

The details by Ia Genberg

My first International Booker is done! I’m honestly pleased that although I’m enjoying the buzz I haven’t bought all the longlisters. Coming to terms with the fact that my reading of library books and buying of other books rarely overlap, plus the fact that I don’t have anywhere near the same reading pace as others, has kept me from adding to a book collection that is too big already. I am however looking forward to deliveries of multiple longlisters through the library.

Synopsis

A woman lies bedridden from a high fever. Suddenly she is struck with an urge to revisit a novel from her past. Inside the book is an inscription: a get-well-soon message from Johanna, an ex-girlfriend who is now a famous television host. As she flips through the book, pages from the woman’s own past begin to come alive, scenes of events and people she cannot forget.

There are moments with Johanna, and Niki, the friend who disappeared years ago without a phone number or an address and with no online footprint. There is Alejandro, who appears like a storm in precisely the right moment. And Brigitte, whose elusive qualities mask a painful secret.

The details is a novel built around four portraits; the small details that, pieced together, comprise a life. Can a loved one really disappear? Who is the real subject of the portrait, the person being painted or the one holding the brush? Do we fully become ourselves through our connections to others? This exhilarating, provocative tale raises profound questions about the nature of relationships, and how we tell our stories. The result is an intimate and illuminating study of what it means to be human.

Thoughts

Enjoyed the writing style, loved the vibe, will not stick to my memory. The book is subtle in terms of its message, a reflection on life and relationships and this is just hard for me to engage with at the moment.

I’m a fan by Sheena Patel 🎧

I picked up this book because it sounded like it would criticise a certain type of influencers (yep, it did) as well as do a deep-dive on toxic relationships (absolutely) and it was nominated for Jhalak Prize which is included in my reading challenge Literary Fifteen for 2023.

Synopsis

In I’m A Fan, a single speaker uses the story of their experience in a seemingly unequal, unfaithful relationship as a prism through which to examine the complicated hold we each have on one another. With a clear and unforgiving eye, the narrator unpicks the behaviour of all involved, herself included, and makes startling connections between the power struggles at the heart of human relationships and those of the wider world, in turn offering a devastating critique of access, social media, patriarchal hetero-normative relationships, and our cultural obsession with status and how that status is conveyed.

Thoughts

Reading this was like being captured inside the head of someone in a destructive point in life, while trying in different ways to break out. It is painful and heart-breaking. Untangling yourself from a harmful situation takes a lot of time and realisation.

I typically cannot read stories about cheating. I think the tone is always off, revelling in the pain inflicted on someone else, making it a spice in the relationship, but this story nailed it for me. There is a dynamic to cheating that I enjoyed seeing explored in this story.

If you are in spaces that address sexism, racism and capitalism while discussing mental health and the harmful mechanisms of relationships and influencers you are not going to find the connections “startling”. That doesn’t mean it wasn’t satisfying when the unnamed mc expanded their view and shared their thoughts. I definitely had a few realisations, particularly around toxic relationships, while reading this. One of the most memorable is that some people will “warn you” of them and then use that as an excuse (I told you I wasn’t ready for a relationship, I’m a bad boyfriend, etc.), the warning is a red flag but it is overpowered by counter messages (still engaging with the other person, doing sweet things) and powered by society’s gender roles (I will be the one to change him). If you actually cared about others, the warning would also be supported by aligning behaviour that didn’t engage with them. A “disclaimer” does not take away responsibility for crap behaviour.

I also thought about the concept of “unhinged women” and how we talk about these type of stories. For many someone’s “unhinged” is an accurate portrayal of what they are experiencing or have experienced. On one hand – it is positive that these stories get more space, few things are as soothing as realising you are not alone. At the same time I feel some of the discourse around “unhinged women” stories is harmful, when there is judgment around the issue or the severity of it. I’m both liking the term (a rebellion against the narrow confines of how you are allowed to be) and disliking the term (the judgment).

This was an audiobook for me and it is another one I can highly recommend the experience and narration of.

Bookstack

I’m back on my library book tower building ways!!! This stack is #LiteraryFifteen inspired.

🏆 Ursula K. Le Guin
The Spear Cuts Through Water by Simon Jimenez
Arboreality by Rebecca Campbell
Drinking From Graveyard Wells by Yvette Lisa Ndlovu

🏆 Warwick Prize for Women in Translation
Your Wish Is My Command by Deena Mohamed
The Fawn by Magda Szabo
The Forbidden Notebook by Alba de Céspedes
What Have You Left Behind? by Bushra Al-Maqtari
Ti Amo by Hanne Ørstavik
A Line In The World: A Year On The North Sea Coast by Dorthe Nors

🏆 Aspen Words
What Happened to Ruthy Ramirez by Claire Jiménez

Friendly reminder that Literary Fifteen 2024 is live! The book is for the 2024 longlist (and more books are incoming).

🏆 Jhalak
The Secret Diaries Of Charles Ignatius Sancho by Paterson Joseph
Onyeka And The Academy Of The Sun by Tolá Okogwu
I’m A Fan by Sheena Patel

🏆 Jhalak & OCM Bocas
When We Were Birds by Ayanna Lloyd Banwo

🏆 NBA Translated Fiction
The Most Secret Memory Of Men by Mohamed Mbougar Sarr
Abyss by Pilar Quintana

🏆 Nebula & Ursula K. Le Guin
Spear by Nicola Griffith

🏆 Carol Shields
Brown Girls by Daphne Palasi Andreades

Leaning onto this stack are today’s purchases: The Antiquarian Sticker Book and The Botanist’s Sticker Anthology. Stickers intended to add that bit of art you need some days when you do not have it in you to draw or paint something yourself.

As for my Literary Fifteen status I’ve completed 8 out of 15 prompts. This stack would allow me to catch up on most of the prompts I have yet to read from: OCM Bocas (I’m working on OCM Bocas as I’m reading my way through Moon Witch Spide King by Marlon James. It is brutal as always but I’m enjoying being back with Sogolon and having James open a new world that deserves is own series in each chapter), Carol Shields, Jhalak, Ursula K. Le Guin.

AKO Caine I’m planning to read all the stories – just like last year – which are available through their website. It was a delight and exploration of different ways to tell a story.

For the Stella and JCB there are no books available for me so I’m guessing I will have to give up or figure out which one to buy. Any suggestions or disappointments?

Library stack 📚

You are looking at my latest additions to my soon toppling tower of library books. If I keep going at this rate I will reach 40 books before vacation arrives at the end of next week.

To encourage my reading I scored a summer reading bingo card at the library. Anyone who participates gets a gift and you might win books if you are lucky. I’m excited to already have some prompts completed: read outside, recommend books on social media, and read out loud to someone. I’m looking forward to gift someone a book, and reading a graphic novel.

New additions to the leaning library book tower:

Shy by Max Porter – this would be my first book by Porter, I’ve been intrigued ever since Lanny.

A Spell Of Good Things by Ayọ̀bámi Adébáyọ̀ – Stay With Me has made a lasting impression and I’m eagerly awaiting to try out book 2.

Demon Copperhead by Barbara Kingsolver – this better be good or many of you are liars.

I Have Some Questions For You by Rebecca Makkai – another new-to-me author that I’ve seen a lot of praise for.