Ms. Smartarse's bookshelf: read en-US Sat, 17 May 2025 08:26:04 -0700 60 Ms. Smartarse's bookshelf: read 144 41 /images/layout/goodreads_logo_144.jpg Az ördög is csak ember 44127739 Természetesen nem veszi komolyan az ajánlatot, az állítólagos ördögnek azonban van néhány trükk a tarsolyában. Módszeresen igyekszik pokollá tenni Jakob életét, aki lassan rászorulna némi isteni segítségre...]]> 256 Hans Rath 9633246121 Ms. Smartarse 0 3.88 2014 Az ördög is csak ember
author: Hans Rath
name: Ms. Smartarse
average rating: 3.88
book published: 2014
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/05/17
shelves: contemporary, part_of_a_series, comedy, cover-love, title_love, translated_into_hungarian, tbr-long-list-hu
review:

]]> Unhallowed (Rath & Rune #1) 54007429
Monsters. Murder. Librarians.

Librarian Sebastian Rath is the only one who believes his friend Kelly O’Neil disappeared due to foul play. But without any clues or outside assistance, there’s nothing he can do to prove it.

When bookbinder Vesper Rune is hired to fill the vacancy left by O’Neil, he receives an ominous letter warning him to leave. After he saves Sebastian from a pair of threatening men, the two decide to join forces and get to the truth about what happened to O’Neil.

But Vesper is hiding secrets of his own, ones he doesn’t dare let anyone learn. Secrets that grow ever more dangerous as his desire for Sebastian deepens.

Because Kelly O’Neil was murdered. And if Sebastian and Ves don’t act quickly enough, they’ll be the next to die.]]> 226 Jordan L. Hawk Ms. Smartarse 3 Whyborne and Griffin series has shown me that I either needed to move on, or the series needed to come to a close. In my defense I did make a valiant effort to explore the author's other series, but when the spin-off set in Widdershins reared its head, I could barely wait to immerse myself back into the creepy atmosphere of the world of Widdershins.

Spooky Victorian town

There's a whole new set of characters, which is great because they're all very interesting in their own right. Although there is some overlap with characters from the old series, for the most part it's quite clear that it can stand on its own.

I quite enjoyed smirking at Vesper's many unfounded worries, looking forward to the big reveal. On Sebastian's side of things, his naïve acceptance of the library's more outlandish security features provide quite a bit of comedic humor. All this was obviously possible, thanks to my preexisting knowledge of Widdershins' society.

Dobby protection

For all that I've done nothing but sing its praises, the excitement factor of the Rath and Rune series doesn't quite measure up to that of the prequel. While there are a few hot-n-heavy scenes, they're much tamer compared to those from the Whyborne and Griffin series, and this in spite of the very real opportunity for things to veer into extreme hentai territory.

Score 3.3/5 stars

I loved going back to Widdershins, and navigate its weird social circles, the mysterious Ladysmith Museum, all alongside a brand new set of main characters. I'm kind of disappointed at the lack of cameos from either Whyborne or Griffin, but Mr. Quinn's antics did go some ways to appease my nostalgia.

================
Review of book 2: Unseen
Review of book 3: Unknown]]> 4.44 2020 Unhallowed (Rath & Rune #1)
author: Jordan L. Hawk
name: Ms. Smartarse
average rating: 4.44
book published: 2020
rating: 3
read at: 2020/07/28
date added: 2025/05/16
shelves: mm, fantasy, xix-century, action-adventure, murder, mystery, part_of_a_series
review:
My lackluster excitement for the last two books from the Whyborne and Griffin series has shown me that I either needed to move on, or the series needed to come to a close. In my defense I did make a valiant effort to explore the author's other series, but when the spin-off set in Widdershins reared its head, I could barely wait to immerse myself back into the creepy atmosphere of the world of Widdershins.

Spooky Victorian town

There's a whole new set of characters, which is great because they're all very interesting in their own right. Although there is some overlap with characters from the old series, for the most part it's quite clear that it can stand on its own.

I quite enjoyed smirking at Vesper's many unfounded worries, looking forward to the big reveal. On Sebastian's side of things, his naïve acceptance of the library's more outlandish security features provide quite a bit of comedic humor. All this was obviously possible, thanks to my preexisting knowledge of Widdershins' society.

Dobby protection

For all that I've done nothing but sing its praises, the excitement factor of the Rath and Rune series doesn't quite measure up to that of the prequel. While there are a few hot-n-heavy scenes, they're much tamer compared to those from the Whyborne and Griffin series, and this in spite of the very real opportunity for things to veer into extreme hentai territory.

Score 3.3/5 stars

I loved going back to Widdershins, and navigate its weird social circles, the mysterious Ladysmith Museum, all alongside a brand new set of main characters. I'm kind of disappointed at the lack of cameos from either Whyborne or Griffin, but Mr. Quinn's antics did go some ways to appease my nostalgia.

================
Review of book 2: Unseen
Review of book 3: Unknown
]]> We Could Be So Good 62365905 Casey McQuiston meets The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo in this mid-century romdram about a scrappy reporter and a newspaper mogul's son--perfect for Newsies shippers.

Nick Russo has worked his way from a rough Brooklyn neighborhood to a reporting job at one of the city's biggest newspapers. But the late 1950s are a hostile time for gay men, and Nick knows that he can't let anyone into his life. He just never counted on meeting someone as impossible to say no to as Andy.

Andy Fleming's newspaper-tycoon father wants him to take over the family business. Andy, though, has no intention of running the paper. He's barely able to run his life--he's never paid a bill on time, routinely gets lost on the way to work, and would rather gouge out his own eyes than deal with office politics. Andy agrees to work for a year in the newsroom, knowing he'll make an ass of himself and hate every second of it.

Except, Nick Russo keeps rescuing Andy: showing him the ropes, tracking down his keys, freeing his tie when it gets stuck in the ancient filing cabinets. Their unlikely friendship soon sharpens into feelings they can't deny. But what feels possible in secret--this fragile, tender thing between them--seems doomed in the light of day. Now Nick and Andy have to decide if, for the first time, they're willing to fight.]]> 384 Cat Sebastian 0063272768 Ms. Smartarse 0 4.25 2023 We Could Be So Good
author: Cat Sebastian
name: Ms. Smartarse
average rating: 4.25
book published: 2023
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/05/16
shelves: tbr-considering-mm, rec-from-friends, mid-xx-century
review:

]]> <![CDATA[As Good As Dead (A Good Girl's Guide to Murder, #3)]]> 56905097 The finale to A Good Girl's Guide to Murder series. By the end of this mystery series, you'll never think of good girls the same way again...

Pip is about to head to college, but she is still haunted by the way her last investigation ended. She’s used to online death threats in the wake of her viral true-crime podcast, but she can’t help noticing an anonymous person who keeps asking her: Who will look for you when you’re the one who disappears?

Soon the threats escalate and Pip realizes that someone is following her in real life. When she starts to find connections between her stalker and a local serial killer caught six years ago, she wonders if maybe the wrong man is behind bars.

Police refuse to act, so Pip has only one choice: find the suspect herself—or be the next victim. As the deadly game plays out, Pip discovers that everything in her small town is coming full circle... and if she doesn’t find the answers, this time she will be the one who disappears...]]> 500 Holly Jackson 0593379853 Ms. Smartarse 0 4.20 2021 As Good As Dead (A Good Girl's Guide to Murder, #3)
author: Holly Jackson
name: Ms. Smartarse
average rating: 4.20
book published: 2021
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/05/16
shelves: tbr-long-list, murder, mystery, part_of_a_series
review:

]]> <![CDATA[The Book of Ile-Rien: The Element of Fire & The Death of the Necromancer (Ile-Rien, #1-2)]]> 127281140 The Element of Fire and The Death of the Necromancer for the first time in one place, in a new and revised edition!

From the author of Witch King and the Murderbot series

Both novels included in this volume have been revised and updated. These are the author’s preferred texts.

The Element of Fire

The kingdom of Ile-Rien lies in peril, menaced by sorcerous threats and devious intrigue, when Kade, bastard sister of King Roland, appears unexpectedly at court. The illegitimate daughter of the old king and the Queen of Air and Darkness herself, Kade's true desires are cloaked in mystery.

It falls to Thomas Boniface, Captain of the Queen's Guard, to keep the kingdom from harm. But is one man's steel enough to counter all the magic of fayre?

The Death of the Necromancer

Nicholas Valiarde is a passionate, embittered nobleman and the greatest thief in all of Ile-Rien. On the gaslight streets of the city, Nicholas assumes the guise of a master criminal, stealing jewels from wealthy nobles to finance his quest for a long-pursued vengeance.

But Nicholas's murderous mission is being interrupted by a series of eerie, unexplainable, and fatal events. A dark magic opposes him, and traces of a necromantic power that hasn't been used for centuries abound. Nicholas and his compatriots find themselves battling an ancient evil.

And if they lose? Death would be preferable to the fate that awaits them....]]> 752 Martha Wells 1250873134 Ms. Smartarse 0 4.16 2024 The Book of Ile-Rien: The Element of Fire & The Death of the Necromancer (Ile-Rien, #1-2)
author: Martha Wells
name: Ms. Smartarse
average rating: 4.16
book published: 2024
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/05/16
shelves: tbr-long-list, part_of_a_series
review:

]]> Red Side Story 199755626 The long-awaited sequel to Jasper Fforde's cult bestseller Shades of Grey , set in world where social hierarchy revolves entirely around visual colour.

Imagine a world where your position in society depended on what bit of the colour spectrum you could see. This is the world inhabited by Eddie Russett (red, middle-level) and Jane Grey (monochromatic, lowest in society). Eddie and Jane must negotiate the delicate Chromatic politics of society to find out what the 'Something that Happened' actually was, how society got to be this way, and crucially, is there Somewhere Else beyond their borders - and if there is, could there be Someone Else, too, someone whose unseen hand has been guiding the fortunes and misfortunes of the nation for the past 500 years?

It's a tale of a young couple's thirst for justice and answers in an implacably rigid society, where the prisoners are also the guards, and cages of convention bind the citizens to only one way of thinking - or suffer the consequences....]]> 13 Jasper Fforde Ms. Smartarse 0 4.39 2024 Red Side Story
author: Jasper Fforde
name: Ms. Smartarse
average rating: 4.39
book published: 2024
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/05/16
shelves: sci-fi, dystopia, title_love, audible, tbr-long-list, part_of_a_series
review:

]]> <![CDATA[This Is How You Lose the Time War]]> 46132305 Burn before reading.

Red and Blue, two rival agents hellbent on securing the best possible future for their warring factions, strike up an unlikely correspondence. But what started as a taunt, a battlefield boast, grows into something more: something epic and romantic. Something that could change the past and the future.

The discovery of their bond will mean their deaths. There’s still a war going on, and someone has to win that war. That’s how wars work. Right?

Co-written by two award-winning writers, This Is How You Lose the Time War is an epic love story spanning time and space.]]> 201 Amal El-Mohtar 1529405238 Ms. Smartarse 0 sci-fi, tbr-long-list 3.88 2019 This Is How You Lose the Time War
author: Amal El-Mohtar
name: Ms. Smartarse
average rating: 3.88
book published: 2019
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/05/16
shelves: sci-fi, tbr-long-list
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Sie haben Ihren Rollator beim Zumba vertauscht (Haus Sonnenuntergang, #2)]]> 198806368
Die konkurrierende Luxus-Residenz Senior Palace, droht das Heim aufzukaufen und ihm seine profitorientierten Strukturen aufzuzwingen. Aber nicht mit Pflägekraft Sybille Bullatschek! Kurzerhand schleust sie sich mit der betagten Seniora Frau Spielmann undercover bei den Reichen und Schönen ein und stellt deren Luxusleben mal so richtig auf den Kopf. Bei so viel Action kann es schon mal passieren, dass man seinen Rollator beim Zumba vertauscht. Nebenbei müssen die Pflegekräfte auch noch einen Kriminalfall lösen, der mit der ominösen Tasche eines Seniors in Verbindung steht. Und wer Sybille kennt, der weiß, dass auch im Liebesleben der engagierten Single-Pflägekraft wieder die ein oder andere Überraschung wartet.]]> 344 Sybille Bullatschek 3749907242 Ms. Smartarse 0 4.09 2024 Sie haben Ihren Rollator beim Zumba vertauscht (Haus Sonnenuntergang, #2)
author: Sybille Bullatschek
name: Ms. Smartarse
average rating: 4.09
book published: 2024
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/05/15
shelves: title_love, german, cover-love, wishlist-de
review:

]]> <![CDATA[The Convenience Store by the Sea]]> 213819980 Welcome to Tenderness!

A quaint seaside town in Kitakyushu, Mojiko is full of hidden delights. And one unexpected treasure is the 24/7 convenience store, Tenderness.

At first glance, it’s a store like any other.

Sure, it’s a bit odd that the handsome manager has his own fan club. And perhaps the customers are somewhat eccentric. But there’s a warmth about Tenderness that draws you in.

The bright lights are always on. The employees know you by name. And the shelves are stacked with delicious treats, from strong hot coffee to sweet parfaits, egg sandos to ramen, crispy fried chicken to refreshing soba.

After a while, you get the feeling that whatever you need might just be waiting for you here…

Celebrating the joy of connection and community, The Convenience Store by the Sea is the heartwarming international bestseller from award-winning Japanese novelist Sonoko Machida.]]> 282 Sonoko Machida 1398722774 Ms. Smartarse 0 3.83 2020 The Convenience Store by the Sea
author: Sonoko Machida
name: Ms. Smartarse
average rating: 3.83
book published: 2020
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/05/15
shelves: japanese-lit, part_of_a_series, tbr-long-list
review:

]]> Fire Watch 24986 Doomsday Book and To Say Nothing of the Dog, in which a time-traveling student learns one of history's hardest lessons. In "A Letter from the Clearys," a routine message from distant friends shatters the fragile world of a beleaguered family. In "The Sidon in the Mirror," a mutant with the unconscious urge to become other people finds himself becoming both killer and victim. Disturbing, revealing, and provocative, this remarkable collection of short fiction brings together some of the best work of an incomparable writer whose ability to amaze, confound, and enlighten never fails.

Contents:
Fire Watch (1982)
Service for the Burial of the Dead (1982)
Lost and Found (1982)
All My Darling Daughters (1985)
The Father of the Bride (1982)
A Letter from the Clearys (1982)
And Come from Miles Around (1979)
The Sidon in the Mirror (1983)
Daisy, in the Sun (1979)
Mail-Order Clone (1982)
Samaritan (1978)
Blued Moon (1984)]]> 288 Connie Willis 0553260456 Ms. Smartarse 0 3.86 1982 Fire Watch
author: Connie Willis
name: Ms. Smartarse
average rating: 3.86
book published: 1982
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/05/14
shelves: sci-fi, currently-reading, part_of_a_series, mid-xx-century
review:

]]> <![CDATA[The Last Hero (Discworld, #27)]]> 1938308
It stars the legendary Cohen the Barbarian, a legend in his own lifetime. Cohen can remember when a hero didn't have to worry about fences and lawyers and civilisation, and when people didn't tell you off for killing dragons. But he can't always remember, these days, where he put his teeth...

So now, with his ancient sword and his new walking stick and his old friends - and they're very old friends - Cohen the Barbarian is going on one final quest. He's going to climb the highest mountain in the Discworld and meet his gods. The last hero in the world is going to return what the first hero stole. With a vengeance.

That'll mean the end of the world, if no one stops him in time.]]> 176 Terry Pratchett 0575081961 Ms. Smartarse 5 Interesting Times Cohen and his Silver Horde have found themselves the rulers of the Agatean Empire. Though experience (a.k.a every fairytale) lead one to think the contrary, politics and heroics apparently don't equal happily ever after. So the Horde decides to go out in a literal Blaze of Glory, by blowing up the official residence of the Gods of the Disc.

campaign essentials

This was an interesting and rather enjoyable take on the Myth of Sisyphus, specifically on a sequel of sorts, where the last heroes (roooooll credits!) decide to avenge the first hero. Mostly for the theatrics of it.

Right from the get-go, it is clear that despite the very high stakes at hand, no part of this story wishes to take itself seriously. There's of course the Silver Horde that hires a bard so their final heroics are not lost to posterity. Leonard of Quirm, the head architect of the counter offensive, is an inexhaustible source of harebrained schemes: such as using hundreds of little swamp dragons to give his "space ship" a boost over the Rim of the Disc. Not to mention Rincewind, who joins the counter offensive out of sheer preemptive exasperation: past experience has taught him that he'll be eventually made to do so anyway.

Map of Discworld

Seeing the characters revisit some of the key sights from the first novels, in a much faster and (I'd add) more efficient manner, gave things an interesting atmosphere of nostalgia. It kind of makes me wish for an appropriately tragic/heroic/happy ending for this sub-series. If memory serves, the last book from the series focuses mostly on a new cast of characters, plus this book feels very much like a conclusion.

Score: 4.8 / 5 stars

What goes around comes around. If not examined too closely, it passes for justice.


This was hella funny and witty, plus the illustrations add an additional rating star of enjoyment. If only they had been better placed to match the progression of the storyline.
-----------------
Other stories featuring Rincewind the Wizard:
book 1:The Colour of Magic
book 2: The Light Fantastic
book 3: Sourcery
book 4: Eric
book 5: Interesting Times
book 6: The Last Continent]]> 4.24 2001 The Last Hero (Discworld, #27)
author: Terry Pratchett
name: Ms. Smartarse
average rating: 4.24
book published: 2001
rating: 5
read at: 2025/02/23
date added: 2025/05/10
shelves: fantasy, part_of_a_series, comedy, quotable, illustrated
review:
At the end of Interesting Times Cohen and his Silver Horde have found themselves the rulers of the Agatean Empire. Though experience (a.k.a every fairytale) lead one to think the contrary, politics and heroics apparently don't equal happily ever after. So the Horde decides to go out in a literal Blaze of Glory, by blowing up the official residence of the Gods of the Disc.

campaign essentials

This was an interesting and rather enjoyable take on the Myth of Sisyphus, specifically on a sequel of sorts, where the last heroes (roooooll credits!) decide to avenge the first hero. Mostly for the theatrics of it.

Right from the get-go, it is clear that despite the very high stakes at hand, no part of this story wishes to take itself seriously. There's of course the Silver Horde that hires a bard so their final heroics are not lost to posterity. Leonard of Quirm, the head architect of the counter offensive, is an inexhaustible source of harebrained schemes: such as using hundreds of little swamp dragons to give his "space ship" a boost over the Rim of the Disc. Not to mention Rincewind, who joins the counter offensive out of sheer preemptive exasperation: past experience has taught him that he'll be eventually made to do so anyway.

Map of Discworld

Seeing the characters revisit some of the key sights from the first novels, in a much faster and (I'd add) more efficient manner, gave things an interesting atmosphere of nostalgia. It kind of makes me wish for an appropriately tragic/heroic/happy ending for this sub-series. If memory serves, the last book from the series focuses mostly on a new cast of characters, plus this book feels very much like a conclusion.

Score: 4.8 / 5 stars

What goes around comes around. If not examined too closely, it passes for justice.


This was hella funny and witty, plus the illustrations add an additional rating star of enjoyment. If only they had been better placed to match the progression of the storyline.
-----------------
Other stories featuring Rincewind the Wizard:
book 1:The Colour of Magic
book 2: The Light Fantastic
book 3: Sourcery
book 4: Eric
book 5: Interesting Times
book 6: The Last Continent
]]> Casa din Strada Sirenelor 210469523 176 Octavian Soviany 6069671341 Ms. Smartarse 2
Dinner party in an old house

I normally quite enjoy this setting, with several short stories as part of a longer overarching main story, especially when it comes to creepy tales. The execution however just didn't convince me, leaving me with the overall impression of a very dull and predictable set of events.

I was expecting a much better story from an author whose day job was that of a high school literature teacher with a (supposed) penchant for inspiring students to read more. The characters' interactions with one another felt rather unnatural. They were either talking over one another, or preventing someone from talking by simultaneously urging them to do so. Granted, that in itself could very easily have been an intentional plot device to show just how lot of people only care about listening to their own voice, but that would need me to wade more deeply into literary analysis aspects than I've ever cared to.

people sitting and talking at the dinner table

Even so, I feel like all the above could have turned into a negligible aspect for me, if only the stories being told during the evening had been... better. Instead all I was left with were a truckload of brief events (rumours at best) where one character was trying to convince another that the occult was not a matter to be trifled with... because reasons. To be fair, supernatural mysteries in writing tend to leave me unconvinced, but in here it felt like they weren't even trying.

Score: 2.3/5 stars

I don't normally look up an author's biography, so I'm doubly disappointed to see a high school literature teacher write such an unoriginal and dull story. At times it made me wonder if this novel was an exercise meant to illustrate an example of this type of story. A rather schematic example, where all the "unimportant" bits were glossed over, in favour of the basic "building blocks".]]> 3.81 2017 Casa din Strada Sirenelor
author: Octavian Soviany
name: Ms. Smartarse
average rating: 3.81
book published: 2017
rating: 2
read at: 2025/04/05
date added: 2025/05/10
shelves: romanian, horror, book-club, contemporary, short-stories, paranormal, mystery
review:
An unconventional ex-professor regularly holds dinner parties in his creepy mansion, where he invites unusual people. The current party, hosting twelve (+1) people, has the guests intent on impressing one another by means of horror/creepy stories... until things get out of hand.

Dinner party in an old house

I normally quite enjoy this setting, with several short stories as part of a longer overarching main story, especially when it comes to creepy tales. The execution however just didn't convince me, leaving me with the overall impression of a very dull and predictable set of events.

I was expecting a much better story from an author whose day job was that of a high school literature teacher with a (supposed) penchant for inspiring students to read more. The characters' interactions with one another felt rather unnatural. They were either talking over one another, or preventing someone from talking by simultaneously urging them to do so. Granted, that in itself could very easily have been an intentional plot device to show just how lot of people only care about listening to their own voice, but that would need me to wade more deeply into literary analysis aspects than I've ever cared to.

people sitting and talking at the dinner table

Even so, I feel like all the above could have turned into a negligible aspect for me, if only the stories being told during the evening had been... better. Instead all I was left with were a truckload of brief events (rumours at best) where one character was trying to convince another that the occult was not a matter to be trifled with... because reasons. To be fair, supernatural mysteries in writing tend to leave me unconvinced, but in here it felt like they weren't even trying.

Score: 2.3/5 stars

I don't normally look up an author's biography, so I'm doubly disappointed to see a high school literature teacher write such an unoriginal and dull story. At times it made me wonder if this novel was an exercise meant to illustrate an example of this type of story. A rather schematic example, where all the "unimportant" bits were glossed over, in favour of the basic "building blocks".
]]> <![CDATA[Emily Wilde's Map of the Otherlands (Emily Wilde, #2)]]> 87185419 Ìý
Emily Wilde is a genius scholar of faerie folklore—she just wrote the world’s first comprehensive of encylopaedia of faeries. She’s learned many of the secrets of the Hidden Folk on her adventures . . . and also from her fellow scholar and former rival, Wendell Bambleby.
Ìý
Because Bambleby is more than infuriatingly charming. He’s an exiled faerie king on the run from his murderous mother, and in search of a door back to his realm. So despite Emily’s feelings for Bambleby, she’s not ready to accept his proposal of Loving one of the Fair Folk comes with secrets and danger.
Ìý
And she also has a new project to focus a map of the realms of faerie. While she is preparing her research, Bambleby lands her in trouble yet again, when assassins sent by Bambleby’s mother invade Cambridge. Now Bambleby and Emily are on another adventure, this time to the picturesque Austrian Alps, where Emily believes they may find the door to Bambley’s realm, and the key to freeing him from his family’s dark plans.
Ìý
But with new relationships for the prickly Emily to navigate and dangerous Folk lurking in every forest and hollow, Emily must unravel the mysterious workings of faerie doors, and of her own heart.]]> 352 Heather Fawcett 0356519163 Ms. Smartarse 0 4.23 2024 Emily Wilde's Map of the Otherlands (Emily Wilde, #2)
author: Heather Fawcett
name: Ms. Smartarse
average rating: 4.23
book published: 2024
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/05/10
shelves: tbr-long-list, fantasy, part_of_a_series
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Emily Wilde’s Encyclopaedia of Faeries]]> 77282217 A curmudgeonly professor journeys to a small town in the far north to study faerie folklore and discovers dark fae magic, friendship, and love in the start of a heartwarming and enchanting new fantasy series.

Cambridge professor Emily Wilde is good at many things: She is the foremost expert on the study of faeries. She is a genius scholar and a meticulous researcher who is writing the world's first encyclopaedia of faerie lore. But Emily Wilde is not good at people. She could never make small talk at a party--or even get invited to one. And she prefers the company of her books, her dog, Shadow, and the Fair Folk to other people.

So when she arrives in the hardscrabble village of Hrafnsvik, Emily has no intention of befriending the gruff townsfolk. Nor does she care to spend time with another new arrival: her dashing and insufferably handsome academic rival Wendell Bambleby, who manages to charm the townsfolk, get in the middle of Emily's research, and utterly confound and frustrate her.

But as Emily gets closer and closer to uncovering the secrets of the Hidden Ones--the most elusive of all faeries--lurking in the shadowy forest outside the town, she also finds herself on the trail of another mystery: Who is Wendell Bambleby, and what does he really want? To find the answer, she'll have to unlock the greatest mystery of all--her own heart.]]> 336 Heather Fawcett 0356519139 Ms. Smartarse 0 3.87 2023 Emily Wilde’s Encyclopaedia of Faeries
author: Heather Fawcett
name: Ms. Smartarse
average rating: 3.87
book published: 2023
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/05/10
shelves: fantasy, tbr-long-list, part_of_a_series
review:

]]> Vanishing World 216989442
But when Amane and her husband hear about Eden, an experimental town where residents are selected at random to be artificially inseminated en masse (including men who are fitted with artificial wombs), the family unit does not exist and children are raised collectively and anonymously, they decide to try living there. But can this bold experiment build the brave new world Amane desires, or will it push her to breaking point?]]> 240 Sayaka Murata 1803511176 Ms. Smartarse 0 3.58 2015 Vanishing World
author: Sayaka Murata
name: Ms. Smartarse
average rating: 3.58
book published: 2015
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/05/10
shelves: tbr-long-list, japanese-lit, translated_into_english
review:

]]> <![CDATA[La ragazza che cancellava i ricordi]]> 60197888 296 Chiara Moscardelli 8806250752 Ms. Smartarse 3 and paranoid enough to pull it off.

Having lived through her mother's ugly battle with Alzheimer's, Olga is constantly dreading her own demise in the same illness, keeping all acquaintances at arms length. But when one of her customers disappears under suspicious circumstances, she doesn't hesitate to jump into action, despite all her spidey-senses beeping in high alert.

sneaking

Wanting to finish the 2022 challenge with a bang, I decided to read this novel in Italian, a language I am not fluent in. Being Latin-based, my comprehension level was decent (about 70%), though some of the stilistic choices left me rather baffled, affecting my perception of the character development significantly.

First, let's take the storytelling style.
If it were up to me, I'd've gone for a first person narrative POV from Olga's perspective. This way, the reader could've focused more on the nature of her contradictory assessment of situational danger levels, caused by her lacking social skills and innate obstinacy, or even due to undiagnosed Autism.

Instead, the author decides on an omniscient narrator, that basically pools everyone's point of view together, making the protagonist seem an airhead for not realising when she's being duped. Coupled with the fact that the main story is constantly interrupted by training flashbacks from Olga's childhood, it made me wonder whether the needlessly complex character development was due to sloppy editing or just incomplete planning.

confused head shaking

Second, the whole supernatural aspect's wasted potential.
We're shown that Olga has believed in ghosts since childhood, due to having grown up in a . Yet her adult self seems suspiciously dismissive of the occult, despite having a fortune telling friend/acquaintance who keeps giving her eerily specific and accurate advice. Granted, the fact that all this advice is delivered in a comical context doesn't help.

As such, the climactic moment where all these supernatural elements come together felt very out of place for me. I understand and applaud the intent, but would expect significantly more buildup for things to seem credibile enough.

Score: 3.3/5 stars

As a concept, Olga's transformation from a recluse into a badass sleuth certainly held quite a bit of promise. Following her change from an antisocial tattoo artist, to a reluctant member of a large friend group, made for a truly heart-warming, if occasionally exasperating, journey. Unfortunately, the execution just didn't convince me. Whether this is due to my lacking language skills, unreasonably high expectations, or some plot holes is up for debate.

going out on a high note

On a personal note, I'm kind of excited to read more Italian books in the future, though I'll probably go for e-books to ensure a smoother reading experience (eReader dictionaries FTW!).]]> 3.44 2022 La ragazza che cancellava i ricordi
author: Chiara Moscardelli
name: Ms. Smartarse
average rating: 3.44
book published: 2022
rating: 3
read at: 2022/11/15
date added: 2025/05/08
shelves: italian-lit, action-adventure, cover-love, contemporary, atmospheric, murder, mystery, comedy, title_love
review:
A recluse life in , with barely any neighbours and only the occasional tourist, should not be a good location for a tattoo parlour. Yet 39-year-old tattoo artist Olga Bellomo is both talented and paranoid enough to pull it off.

Having lived through her mother's ugly battle with Alzheimer's, Olga is constantly dreading her own demise in the same illness, keeping all acquaintances at arms length. But when one of her customers disappears under suspicious circumstances, she doesn't hesitate to jump into action, despite all her spidey-senses beeping in high alert.

sneaking

Wanting to finish the 2022 challenge with a bang, I decided to read this novel in Italian, a language I am not fluent in. Being Latin-based, my comprehension level was decent (about 70%), though some of the stilistic choices left me rather baffled, affecting my perception of the character development significantly.

First, let's take the storytelling style.
If it were up to me, I'd've gone for a first person narrative POV from Olga's perspective. This way, the reader could've focused more on the nature of her contradictory assessment of situational danger levels, caused by her lacking social skills and innate obstinacy, or even due to undiagnosed Autism.

Instead, the author decides on an omniscient narrator, that basically pools everyone's point of view together, making the protagonist seem an airhead for not realising when she's being duped. Coupled with the fact that the main story is constantly interrupted by training flashbacks from Olga's childhood, it made me wonder whether the needlessly complex character development was due to sloppy editing or just incomplete planning.

confused head shaking

Second, the whole supernatural aspect's wasted potential.
We're shown that Olga has believed in ghosts since childhood, due to having grown up in a . Yet her adult self seems suspiciously dismissive of the occult, despite having a fortune telling friend/acquaintance who keeps giving her eerily specific and accurate advice. Granted, the fact that all this advice is delivered in a comical context doesn't help.

As such, the climactic moment where all these supernatural elements come together felt very out of place for me. I understand and applaud the intent, but would expect significantly more buildup for things to seem credibile enough.

Score: 3.3/5 stars

As a concept, Olga's transformation from a recluse into a badass sleuth certainly held quite a bit of promise. Following her change from an antisocial tattoo artist, to a reluctant member of a large friend group, made for a truly heart-warming, if occasionally exasperating, journey. Unfortunately, the execution just didn't convince me. Whether this is due to my lacking language skills, unreasonably high expectations, or some plot holes is up for debate.

going out on a high note

On a personal note, I'm kind of excited to read more Italian books in the future, though I'll probably go for e-books to ensure a smoother reading experience (eReader dictionaries FTW!).
]]> <![CDATA[A Dead Djinn in Cairo (Dead Djinn Universe, #0.1)]]> 29635542 43 P. Djèlí Clark 0765389444 Ms. Smartarse 3 3.96 2016 A Dead Djinn in Cairo (Dead Djinn Universe, #0.1)
author: P. Djèlí Clark
name: Ms. Smartarse
average rating: 3.96
book published: 2016
rating: 3
read at: 2025/05/06
date added: 2025/05/06
shelves: early-xx-century, fantasy, murder, mystery, paranormal, steampunk, action-adventure, short-stories
review:

]]> <![CDATA[The Engineer (Magic & Steam, #1)]]> 48612064
Gunner is also stalking Shallow Grave in search of Tinkerer, who will stop at nothing to take control of the town’s silver mines. Neither Gillian nor Gunner are willing to let Tinkerer hurt more innocent people, so they agree to a very temporary partnership.

If facing illegal magic, Gatling gun contraptions, and a wild engineer in America’s frontier wasn’t enough trouble for a city boy, Gillian must also come to terms with the reality that he’s rather fond of his partner. But even if they live through this adventure, Gillian fears there’s no chance for love between a special agent and outlaw.

Based on the short story, "Gunner the Deadly." Entirely revised, newly expanded, and Book One in the exciting new steampunk series, Magic & Steam.]]> 94 C.S. Poe 195213319X Ms. Smartarse 2 3.97 2020 The Engineer (Magic & Steam, #1)
author: C.S. Poe
name: Ms. Smartarse
average rating: 3.97
book published: 2020
rating: 2
read at: 2025/05/03
date added: 2025/05/06
shelves: mm, steampunk, xix-century, western, short-stories
review:

]]> The Henchmen of Zenda 41739662 Swordfights, lust, betrayal, murder: just another day for a henchman.

Jasper Detchard is a disgraced British officer, now selling his blade to the highest bidder. Currently that's Michael Elphberg, half-brother to the King of Ruritania. Michael wants the throne for himself, and Jasper is one of the scoundrels he hires to help him take it. But when Michael makes his move, things don’t go entirely to plan—and the penalty for treason is death.

Rupert of Hentzau is Michael's newest addition to his sinister band of henchmen. Charming, lethal, and intolerably handsome, Rupert is out for his own ends—which seem to include getting Jasper into bed. But Jasper needs to work out what Rupert’s really up to amid a maelstrom of plots, swordfights, scheming, impersonation, desire, betrayal, and murder.

Nobody can be trusted. Everyone has a secret. And love is the worst mistake you can make.

A retelling of the swashbuckling classic The Prisoner of Zenda from a very different point of view.]]> K.J. Charles Ms. Smartarse 3 The Prisoner of Zenda, from an evil henchman's point of view, adding a hefty dose of (on-screen?) homoerotic content. Although I imagine that knowledge of the original work might add to the overall enjoyment, I didn't end up doing so.

In short the story goes as follows: The protagonist of this version is Jasper Detchard, an (allegedly) evil henchman, hired by the half brother of the future king of Ruritania (a fictional kingdom).
Amid wide-spread dissatisfaction with the future king, the brother is scheming on taking the throne for himself. As said scheming unfolds, Detchard gets into a very steamy, but highly questionable liaison with Rupert of Hentzau, another newly hired henchman. Although meant to play the cackling evildoers, both men have secret alternate plans, that could easily cost them their life. Cue a significant amount of swashbuckling.

swashbuckling

All in all, a short, sweet and fun experience. I especially enjoyed the whole "dumb and inept henchman" trope being reimagined into a more exciting version featuring lots of espionage and counter-espionage. If you're the type to sympathise with the villain of the story, you'll be delighted with these protagonists.

Score: 3/5 stars

2025 is proving to be quite a challenge for me, when it comes to focusing on my reading goals (be it either number, language or genre of books), so I'm finding myself experimenting with Audible versions. This helped me finish more books, unfortunately my ADHD tendencies rarely have me properly engaged.

girl with headphones staring out the window

More often than not, I get rather bored (or even outright disgusted) with the voice acting during the more intimate scenes. Same thing happened here, which had me struggling to be properly invested in Detchard and Hentzau's relationship. On the upside, that also means that I was not overly devastated when the ending didn't have them ride off into the sunset... well, not long term.]]> 3.76 2018 The Henchmen of Zenda
author: K.J. Charles
name: Ms. Smartarse
average rating: 3.76
book published: 2018
rating: 3
read at: 2025/03/11
date added: 2025/05/06
shelves: action-adventure, xix-century, comedy, guilty-pleasure, mm, politics, quotable, historical, audible, audiobook
review:
This short little story is a retelling of The Prisoner of Zenda, from an evil henchman's point of view, adding a hefty dose of (on-screen?) homoerotic content. Although I imagine that knowledge of the original work might add to the overall enjoyment, I didn't end up doing so.

In short the story goes as follows: The protagonist of this version is Jasper Detchard, an (allegedly) evil henchman, hired by the half brother of the future king of Ruritania (a fictional kingdom).
Amid wide-spread dissatisfaction with the future king, the brother is scheming on taking the throne for himself. As said scheming unfolds, Detchard gets into a very steamy, but highly questionable liaison with Rupert of Hentzau, another newly hired henchman. Although meant to play the cackling evildoers, both men have secret alternate plans, that could easily cost them their life. Cue a significant amount of swashbuckling.

swashbuckling

All in all, a short, sweet and fun experience. I especially enjoyed the whole "dumb and inept henchman" trope being reimagined into a more exciting version featuring lots of espionage and counter-espionage. If you're the type to sympathise with the villain of the story, you'll be delighted with these protagonists.

Score: 3/5 stars

2025 is proving to be quite a challenge for me, when it comes to focusing on my reading goals (be it either number, language or genre of books), so I'm finding myself experimenting with Audible versions. This helped me finish more books, unfortunately my ADHD tendencies rarely have me properly engaged.

girl with headphones staring out the window

More often than not, I get rather bored (or even outright disgusted) with the voice acting during the more intimate scenes. Same thing happened here, which had me struggling to be properly invested in Detchard and Hentzau's relationship. On the upside, that also means that I was not overly devastated when the ending didn't have them ride off into the sunset... well, not long term.
]]> <![CDATA[The Lies of Locke Lamora (Gentleman Bastard, #1)]]> 29588376 ASIN B000JMKNJ2 moved to the more recent edition

An orphan’s life is harsh—and often short—in the mysterious island city of Camorr. But young Locke Lamora dodges death and slavery, becoming a thief under the tutelage of a gifted con artist. As leader of the band of light-fingered brothers known as the Gentleman Bastards, Locke is soon infamous, fooling even the underworld’s most feared ruler. But in the shadows lurks someone still more ambitious and deadly. Faced with a bloody coup that threatens to destroy everyone and everything that holds meaning in his mercenary life, Locke vows to beat the enemy at his own brutal game—or die trying.]]> 752 Scott Lynch Ms. Smartarse 0 4.31 2006 The Lies of Locke Lamora (Gentleman Bastard, #1)
author: Scott Lynch
name: Ms. Smartarse
average rating: 4.31
book published: 2006
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/05/06
shelves: tbr-considering, fantasy, part_of_a_series
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Nouă prinți din Amber Omnibus: Vol. 1]]> 49957012
Cred că prețul pentru a fi un prinț al Amberului este că nu poți să ai niciodată încredere în tine însuți.

Se spune că cei mai înverșunați dușmani îți sunt chiar vechii prieteni, dar Corwin duce războiul pe un front mult mai personal. Frații și surorile sale, sânge din sângele lui, sunt inamicii de moarte ai moștenitorului din Amber. Însă oare numai el e îndreptățit la tron? Tărâmul plin de magie al Amberului se pregătește pentru o bătălie de proporții, oferind forțelor întunecate prilejul ideal de a pune stăpânire pe regat.

În seara asta o să-ți sug măduva din oase, mi-a zis. O să le golesc și o să le fac fluiere. Și, în timp ce voi cânta la ele, spiritul ți se va chirci în chinuri fără de trup.]]> 616 Roger Zelazny Ms. Smartarse 0 3.81 1970 Nouă prinți din Amber Omnibus: Vol. 1
author: Roger Zelazny
name: Ms. Smartarse
average rating: 3.81
book published: 1970
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/05/06
shelves: rec-from-friends, tbr-long-list-ro
review:

]]> Der Hals der Giraffe 12247720
Nach dem gefeierten "Atlas der abgelegenen Inseln" schreibt Judith Schalansky einen Roman. Darin kämpft eine Biologielehrerin für die Einhaltung der Naturgesetze, verrenkt sich den Hals nach unerreichbaren Früchten und fällt am Ende vom Glauben an Gott Darwin ab. Schauplatz der Geschichte ist eine der irrwitzigsten Anstalten dieser Welt: die Schule. (suhrkamp)]]> 224 Judith Schalansky 3518421778 Ms. Smartarse 1 Available in English as The Giraffe's Neck.

I would occasionally stumble on a review of a classic novel, that is so thoughtfully written, without all that stuffy and pretentious school lingo, that I couldn't help but reread it numerous times... the review, not the book itself. Then, I would wish I could read something to inspire similar feelings in me. So I chose a nominee of the German Book Prize: big mistake.

Bad decision

There is a little town in eastern Germany, where life is still simple and boring. Probably the last remnant of the communist regime, when education was still "serious business"... or so our protagonist - Inge Lohmark - laments at the start of every school year. She teaches Biology at a soon to be disbanded school, due to constantly diminishing student body.

The news is merely an excuse for Ms. Lohmark, to intensify her disparaging inner monologue about her students, her estranged daughter, her indifferent husband... and life in general. There's not much that our protagonist regrets, at least not when it comes to her own actions. If the rest of the world was so set in its mediocrity, then surely solitude must be a preferable alternative. Well, that along with a constant stream of unfavourable scientific comparison to animals.

Dangerous Cricket match

Then, unexpectedly, at the start of the school year, one of the high school freshmen, a scrawny little girl, starts to slowly break down the heroine's shell... and that was about the extent of my patience.

My main gripe is with the purpose of this book. What was the point of it? Reading it was costing me a huge effort, and I just couldn't keep justify it. Why should I care about any of the pretentious bullshit that inhabits the mind of cranky old woman? Come to think of it: why did the panel of judges at the German Book Prize?

Score 0.5/5 stars

I DNF this book at 54%, because there was just no way for me to stomach any more of Ms. Lohmark's disparaging remarks, full of scientific terms that I had to constantly look up in a dictionary. It's a fairly short book, barely over the 200 page mark, and yet it took me two months to slog through half of it.]]> 3.29 2011 Der Hals der Giraffe
author: Judith Schalansky
name: Ms. Smartarse
average rating: 3.29
book published: 2011
rating: 1
read at: 2017/07/02
date added: 2025/05/05
shelves: german, contemporary, did-not-finish, drama, philosophical, difficult_read
review:
Available in English as The Giraffe's Neck.

I would occasionally stumble on a review of a classic novel, that is so thoughtfully written, without all that stuffy and pretentious school lingo, that I couldn't help but reread it numerous times... the review, not the book itself. Then, I would wish I could read something to inspire similar feelings in me. So I chose a nominee of the German Book Prize: big mistake.

Bad decision

There is a little town in eastern Germany, where life is still simple and boring. Probably the last remnant of the communist regime, when education was still "serious business"... or so our protagonist - Inge Lohmark - laments at the start of every school year. She teaches Biology at a soon to be disbanded school, due to constantly diminishing student body.

The news is merely an excuse for Ms. Lohmark, to intensify her disparaging inner monologue about her students, her estranged daughter, her indifferent husband... and life in general. There's not much that our protagonist regrets, at least not when it comes to her own actions. If the rest of the world was so set in its mediocrity, then surely solitude must be a preferable alternative. Well, that along with a constant stream of unfavourable scientific comparison to animals.

Dangerous Cricket match

Then, unexpectedly, at the start of the school year, one of the high school freshmen, a scrawny little girl, starts to slowly break down the heroine's shell... and that was about the extent of my patience.

My main gripe is with the purpose of this book. What was the point of it? Reading it was costing me a huge effort, and I just couldn't keep justify it. Why should I care about any of the pretentious bullshit that inhabits the mind of cranky old woman? Come to think of it: why did the panel of judges at the German Book Prize?

Score 0.5/5 stars

I DNF this book at 54%, because there was just no way for me to stomach any more of Ms. Lohmark's disparaging remarks, full of scientific terms that I had to constantly look up in a dictionary. It's a fairly short book, barely over the 200 page mark, and yet it took me two months to slog through half of it.
]]> <![CDATA[Good Girl, Bad Blood (A Good Girl's Guide to Murder, #2)]]> 54276528
With the help of Ravi Singh, she released a true-crime podcast about the murder case they solved together last year. The podcast has gone viral, yet Pip insists her investigating days are behind her.

But she will have to break that promise when someone she knows goes missing. Jamie Reynolds has disappeared, on the very same night the town hosted a memorial for the sixth-year anniversary of the deaths of Andie Bell and Sal Singh.

The police won't do anything about it. And if they won't look for Jamie then Pip will, uncovering more of her town's dark secrets along the way... and this time everyone is listening. But will she find him before it's too late?]]> 336 Holly Jackson Ms. Smartarse 4
woman talking into a microphone

... which is how one of Pipp's close friends decides to coopt her into investigating his brother Jamie, who disappeared following a wake organised in memory of Andie and Sal. Remembering the harrowing experiences from book 1, Pip is quite reticent in helping, but witnessing the police's refusal to get involved, convinces her to do so.

I must be (slowly but surely) catching up to my biological age, as I found myself spending most of the book screaming at Pipp (and Ravi's) hare-brained ideas. Admittedly, I've always been too much of a scaredy cat, with an ironic tendency to "jump the gun" in hopes of overcoming my fears. What I'm most annoyed with is actually Jamie's mother, for even thinking of asking a teenager to investigate a (possible) crime. Sure anxiety can make one do crazy things, but it's not like Pipp came all that highly recommended...

worried man eating popcorn

As intrigues go, this one is technically a bit more palatable than the one from book 1. Looking for a recently disappeared friend with the family's permission vs. digging up dirt on dead people against the family's wishes. But my toleration of teenage vigilantism has decreased considerably.

Score: 3.7/5 stars

The climax was suitably dramatic, possibly because I was so focused on the questionable nature of Pipp's plans, that I never even stopped to think how much merit they might have. Plus I could totally picture running around sleuthing in overly dramatic fashion.
Can't wait for season 2 of the TV series .

------------
Review of book 1: A Good Girl's Guide to Murder]]> 4.32 2020 Good Girl, Bad Blood (A Good Girl's Guide to Murder, #2)
author: Holly Jackson
name: Ms. Smartarse
average rating: 4.32
book published: 2020
rating: 4
read at: 2025/03/17
date added: 2025/05/04
shelves: mystery, contemporary, young-adult, action-adventure, coming-of-age, drama, part_of_a_series, perfect-ending
review:
Dissatisfied with the aftermath of the events from book 1, Pipp and Ravi are recording a podcast, to tell a more truthful account of things. Due to the case's notoriety, the podcast's notoriety brings both positive and negative attention towards its teenage host.

woman talking into a microphone

... which is how one of Pipp's close friends decides to coopt her into investigating his brother Jamie, who disappeared following a wake organised in memory of Andie and Sal. Remembering the harrowing experiences from book 1, Pip is quite reticent in helping, but witnessing the police's refusal to get involved, convinces her to do so.

I must be (slowly but surely) catching up to my biological age, as I found myself spending most of the book screaming at Pipp (and Ravi's) hare-brained ideas. Admittedly, I've always been too much of a scaredy cat, with an ironic tendency to "jump the gun" in hopes of overcoming my fears. What I'm most annoyed with is actually Jamie's mother, for even thinking of asking a teenager to investigate a (possible) crime. Sure anxiety can make one do crazy things, but it's not like Pipp came all that highly recommended...

worried man eating popcorn

As intrigues go, this one is technically a bit more palatable than the one from book 1. Looking for a recently disappeared friend with the family's permission vs. digging up dirt on dead people against the family's wishes. But my toleration of teenage vigilantism has decreased considerably.

Score: 3.7/5 stars

The climax was suitably dramatic, possibly because I was so focused on the questionable nature of Pipp's plans, that I never even stopped to think how much merit they might have. Plus I could totally picture running around sleuthing in overly dramatic fashion.
Can't wait for season 2 of the TV series .

------------
Review of book 1: A Good Girl's Guide to Murder
]]> <![CDATA[Vergissmeinnicht - Was man bei Licht nicht sehen kann]]> 59121368 400 Kerstin Gier 3104914184 Ms. Smartarse 4
16-year-old Matilda had long since realized that her crush on Quinn von Arensburg was hopeless. Not only was the guy constantly mistaking her for her insufferable cousin Louise, but her very religious family would have never allowed any kind of friendship. And yet... here she is, pushing him around in a wheelchair in the nearby cemetery. Oh, but should Mrs. Arensburg ask, this is all very sweet and not at all creepy.

Recoleta cemetery in Buenos Aires

Ever since I read Kerstin Gier's Silber trilogy, I've been a fan of her humorous writing style. Unfortunately, her stories and/or characters don't always click with me. This is why I've hesitated to pick up her new Forget-me-not series two years ago, but I needn't have worried: this one actually hit the nail.

This is yet another YA fantasy novel, that enjoys mixing the magical with the ordinary, all wrapped in a nice, decorative comedic package. It's not exactly brimming with originality, but the whole not taking themselves too seriously attitude of the author/characters helps a lot.


"Leave them, dear sister," called Leopold from across the street, as he was closing the door. "We did what we could."
"That's right Luise, you already have your Instagram picture to prove what an insanely empathic person you are," Julie said. "That's definitely worth a like from the Holy Father Himself. Or his assistant, at the very least."

"You do know that someone's bellowing your name, right?" I said. "One of your clones."
It was really scary how similar they all looked to one another.
"That's only my cousin Tattle-Mary."
"Oh, what a cute Christian name."
"Yes, named after Saint Tattle..."

"Would you like to see other graves?" asked Matilda. "I have a cool Sandman on offer, and an angel that looks like Angela Merkel."


Eerie statue in Recoleta cemetery

There was really just one thing that truly bothered me , which was the protagonists' insistence on labelling people as "goodies" or "baddies". Though the labels definitely make sense in the context of characters supporting respectively attacking Quinn, the fairytale-like monikers used in an un-ironic way, not so much. Or maybe this is the norm in YA fantasy?

Score: 3.8/5 stars

I'm not that big on YA these days, especially when it comes to appreciating the romantic chemistry of the protagonists... which I suppose is a good thing at my age. Still, I liked reading about Matilda and Quinn's adventures, laughed out loud at their comedic banter, and am definitely looking forward to the next two instalments of the series.

=====================
Review of book 2: Vergissmeinnicht - Was bisher verloren war
Review of book 3: Vergissmeinnicht – Was die Welt zusammenhält

ARC provided by via in exchange for an honest and fair review.

2023 Reading Challenge: book 7 of 20 written in German.]]> 4.10 2021 Vergissmeinnicht - Was man bei Licht nicht sehen kann
author: Kerstin Gier
name: Ms. Smartarse
average rating: 4.10
book published: 2021
rating: 4
read at: 2023/07/30
date added: 2025/05/04
shelves: young-adult, netgalley, german, part_of_a_series, action-adventure, fantasy
review:
17-year-old Quinn had only meant to break up with his clingy girlfriend and enjoy his best friend's birthday party, but for some reason he found himself running for his life through the neighbouring rooftops. I mean, he's definitely grateful to have survived a serious car crash, but he'd rather not have all the subsequent visions and parental coddling to deal with.

16-year-old Matilda had long since realized that her crush on Quinn von Arensburg was hopeless. Not only was the guy constantly mistaking her for her insufferable cousin Louise, but her very religious family would have never allowed any kind of friendship. And yet... here she is, pushing him around in a wheelchair in the nearby cemetery. Oh, but should Mrs. Arensburg ask, this is all very sweet and not at all creepy.

Recoleta cemetery in Buenos Aires

Ever since I read Kerstin Gier's Silber trilogy, I've been a fan of her humorous writing style. Unfortunately, her stories and/or characters don't always click with me. This is why I've hesitated to pick up her new Forget-me-not series two years ago, but I needn't have worried: this one actually hit the nail.

This is yet another YA fantasy novel, that enjoys mixing the magical with the ordinary, all wrapped in a nice, decorative comedic package. It's not exactly brimming with originality, but the whole not taking themselves too seriously attitude of the author/characters helps a lot.


"Leave them, dear sister," called Leopold from across the street, as he was closing the door. "We did what we could."
"That's right Luise, you already have your Instagram picture to prove what an insanely empathic person you are," Julie said. "That's definitely worth a like from the Holy Father Himself. Or his assistant, at the very least."

"You do know that someone's bellowing your name, right?" I said. "One of your clones."
It was really scary how similar they all looked to one another.
"That's only my cousin Tattle-Mary."
"Oh, what a cute Christian name."
"Yes, named after Saint Tattle..."

"Would you like to see other graves?" asked Matilda. "I have a cool Sandman on offer, and an angel that looks like Angela Merkel."


Eerie statue in Recoleta cemetery

There was really just one thing that truly bothered me , which was the protagonists' insistence on labelling people as "goodies" or "baddies". Though the labels definitely make sense in the context of characters supporting respectively attacking Quinn, the fairytale-like monikers used in an un-ironic way, not so much. Or maybe this is the norm in YA fantasy?

Score: 3.8/5 stars

I'm not that big on YA these days, especially when it comes to appreciating the romantic chemistry of the protagonists... which I suppose is a good thing at my age. Still, I liked reading about Matilda and Quinn's adventures, laughed out loud at their comedic banter, and am definitely looking forward to the next two instalments of the series.

=====================
Review of book 2: Vergissmeinnicht - Was bisher verloren war
Review of book 3: Vergissmeinnicht – Was die Welt zusammenhält

ARC provided by via in exchange for an honest and fair review.

2023 Reading Challenge: book 7 of 20 written in German.
]]> Glass Sword (Red Queen, #2) 23174274 If there’s one thing Mare Barrow knows, it’s that she’s different.

Mare Barrow’s blood is red—the color of common folk—but her Silver ability, the power to control lightning, has turned her into a weapon that the royal court tries to control.

The crown calls her an impossibility, a fake, but as she makes her escape from Maven, the prince—the friend—who betrayed her, Mare uncovers something startling: she is not the only one of her kind.

Pursued by Maven, now a vindictive king, Mare sets out to find and recruit other Red-and-Silver fighters to join in the struggle against her oppressors.

But Mare finds herself on a deadly path, at risk of becoming exactly the kind of monster she is trying to defeat.

Will she shatter under the weight of the lives that are the cost of rebellion? Or have treachery and betrayal hardened her forever?

The electrifying next installment in the Red Queen series escalates the struggle between the growing rebel army and the blood-segregated world they’ve always known—and pits Mare against the darkness that has grown in her soul.]]> 444 Victoria Aveyard 0062310666 Ms. Smartarse 0 tbr-considering 3.79 2016 Glass Sword (Red Queen, #2)
author: Victoria Aveyard
name: Ms. Smartarse
average rating: 3.79
book published: 2016
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/05/04
shelves: tbr-considering
review:

]]> Red Queen (Red Queen, #1) 22328546 This is a world divided by blood—red or silver.

The Reds are commoners, ruled by a Silver elite in possession of god-like superpowers. And to Mare Barrow, a seventeen-year-old Red girl from the poverty-stricken Stilts, it seems like nothing will ever change.

That is until she finds herself working in the Silver Palace. Here, surrounded by the people she hates the most, Mare discovers that, despite her red blood, she possesses a deadly power of her own. One that threatens to destroy the balance of power.

Fearful of Mare's potential, the Silvers hide her in plain view, declaring her a long-lost Silver princess, now engaged to a Silver prince. Despite knowing that one misstep would mean her death, Mare works silently to help the Red Guard, a militant resistance group, and bring down the Silver regime.

But this is a world of betrayal and lies, and Mare has entered a dangerous dance—Reds against Silvers, prince against prince, and Mare against her own heart.]]> 388 Victoria Aveyard 0062310631 Ms. Smartarse 3 3.98 2015 Red Queen (Red Queen, #1)
author: Victoria Aveyard
name: Ms. Smartarse
average rating: 3.98
book published: 2015
rating: 3
read at: 2025/05/04
date added: 2025/05/04
shelves: fantasy, young-adult, part_of_a_series, audible, action-adventure
review:

]]> <![CDATA[The Colour of Magic (Discworld, #1)]]> 13153953 In the beginning there was…a turtle.

Somewhere on the frontier between thought and reality exists the Discworld, a parallel time and place which might sound and smell very much like our own, but which looks completely different. Particularly as it’s carried though space on the back of a giant turtle (sex unknown). It plays by different rules.

But then, some things are the same everywhere. The Disc’s very existence is about to be threatened by a strange new blight: the world’s first tourist, upon whose survival rests the peace and prosperity of the land. Unfortunately, the person charged with maintaining that survival in the face of robbers, mercenaries and, well, Death, is a spectacularly inept wizard…]]> 288 Terry Pratchett 0552166596 Ms. Smartarse 3
TV series cast

The idea behind this 2-book arc (The Colour of Magic and its sequel The Light Fantastic) is commendable enough: present the reader with a sufficiently enticing world building to then ensure their continued interest in future books. In practice though... things didn't quite work out that well.

There were way too many minor characters thrown in, all of whom came with considerable backstories, only to disappear a couple of pages later. The liberal mixing of science and fantasy elements got me all sorts of confused, rather than interested in the mechanics behind it all. Some of the more promising one-liners got ruined by rather wordy phrases. And the overall writing style just screamed info-dump through every one of its pores.
Whoever decided to cut a significant number of side-quests and characters from the TV adaptation, made an excellent judgement call.

Two Flower and Rincewind hiding behind a table

The one unequivocally good thing I can say about the book, is the brilliant characterization. Every single character, be it main or secondary is wonderfully flawed, and thus endlessly amusing to watch.

Rincewind, the cowardly hero, chiefly out to save his own skin, was very relatable to me, moreso than any conventional Prince Charming type may ever be.

Two Flower, a tourist woefully unaware of his surroundings, is a veritable poster boy for all the horror stories one hears about tourist scams.

A number of side characters all with their extremely self-centered view of the universe, out to kill Rincewind for one reason or another.

Death sitting in a tree

Last but not least, there's Death himself, who is unsuccessfully attempting to reap Rincewind. Reading about the Grim Reaper get more and more frustrated by his quarry's near death experiences, was definitely fun, although, I think I prefer movie-Death. The latter proved to be much more intriguing in his amusement.

Score: 2.7/5 stars

As much as it pains me to say this, just watch the . It has much better dialogue, screen play, and David Jason portrays Rincewind absolutely brilliantly.

============================

Other stories featuring Rincewind the Wizard:
book 2: The Light Fantastic
book 3: Sourcery
book 4: Eric
book 5: Interesting Times
book 6: The Last Continent
book 7: The Last Hero]]> 3.75 1983 The Colour of Magic (Discworld, #1)
author: Terry Pratchett
name: Ms. Smartarse
average rating: 3.75
book published: 1983
rating: 3
read at: 2021/04/25
date added: 2025/05/04
shelves: fantasy, part_of_a_series, saw_the_movie_first, comedy, action-adventure, philosophical, friendship, meta, politics, disappointing, world-building-love
review:
Failed wizard Rincewind finds himself the unwilling guide to Two Flower, the Discworld's first tourist.

TV series cast

The idea behind this 2-book arc (The Colour of Magic and its sequel The Light Fantastic) is commendable enough: present the reader with a sufficiently enticing world building to then ensure their continued interest in future books. In practice though... things didn't quite work out that well.

There were way too many minor characters thrown in, all of whom came with considerable backstories, only to disappear a couple of pages later. The liberal mixing of science and fantasy elements got me all sorts of confused, rather than interested in the mechanics behind it all. Some of the more promising one-liners got ruined by rather wordy phrases. And the overall writing style just screamed info-dump through every one of its pores.
Whoever decided to cut a significant number of side-quests and characters from the TV adaptation, made an excellent judgement call.

Two Flower and Rincewind hiding behind a table

The one unequivocally good thing I can say about the book, is the brilliant characterization. Every single character, be it main or secondary is wonderfully flawed, and thus endlessly amusing to watch.

Rincewind, the cowardly hero, chiefly out to save his own skin, was very relatable to me, moreso than any conventional Prince Charming type may ever be.

Two Flower, a tourist woefully unaware of his surroundings, is a veritable poster boy for all the horror stories one hears about tourist scams.

A number of side characters all with their extremely self-centered view of the universe, out to kill Rincewind for one reason or another.

Death sitting in a tree

Last but not least, there's Death himself, who is unsuccessfully attempting to reap Rincewind. Reading about the Grim Reaper get more and more frustrated by his quarry's near death experiences, was definitely fun, although, I think I prefer movie-Death. The latter proved to be much more intriguing in his amusement.

Score: 2.7/5 stars

As much as it pains me to say this, just watch the . It has much better dialogue, screen play, and David Jason portrays Rincewind absolutely brilliantly.

============================

Other stories featuring Rincewind the Wizard:
book 2: The Light Fantastic
book 3: Sourcery
book 4: Eric
book 5: Interesting Times
book 6: The Last Continent
book 7: The Last Hero
]]> <![CDATA[The Light Fantastic (Discworld, #2)]]> 601239 This is an alternative cover edition for ISBN 9780552128483

As it moves towards a seemingly inevitable collision with a malevolent red star, the Discworld has only one possible saviour. Unfortunately, this happens to be the singularly inept and cowardly wizard called Rincewind, who was last seen falling off the edge of the world...]]> 285 Terry Pratchett Ms. Smartarse 3 The Colour of Magic, Twoflower and Rincewind continue their tourist trip around the world, with a few additional obstacles thrown their way. With the Discworld apparently heading for self destruction, the Wizards of Unseen University are set on getting Rincewind back to Ankh-Morpork. Dead or alive. Preferably dead, for convenience's sake.

Rincewind on the other hand, seems to be getting steadily better at escaping the Grim Reaper, not to mention more and more reluctant to join the fight for the Discworld's survival.

Rincewind fighting

This was certainly better than book 1, with less wordy descriptions, lots more funny one liners and a hefty dose of self deprecating remarks.


[...]poets and bards were banned on pain of - well, pain - from going on about babbling brooks and rosy-fingered dawn and could only say, for example, that a face had launched a thousand ships if they were able to produce certified dockyard accounts.


And of course, my personal favorite, the very interesting functioning concepts governing wandering magic shops. As per usual, someone somewhere messed something up and... voilà.

angry mob

That said, the whole angry mob rising up to torch the... well anything and anyone not willing to join them, just didn't hold my interest. Now don't get me wrong, I hate all the sheep mentality, and the atrocities they manage to commit hold nothing but utmost disgust for me (not to mention a hefty dose of fear). Its depiction however, was just too dull, and predictable, and also much too long.

Score: 3/5 stars

Writing has improved compared to book 1, but it's still trying to cram way too much world building into a 200-page booklet. So far, I still recommend watching the TV mini-series instead of slogging through the book.

==========================

Other stories featuring Rincewind the Wizard:
book 1: The Colour of Magic
book 3: Sourcery
book 4: Eric
book 5: Interesting Times
book 6: The Last Continent
book 7: The Last Hero]]> 3.89 1986 The Light Fantastic (Discworld, #2)
author: Terry Pratchett
name: Ms. Smartarse
average rating: 3.89
book published: 1986
rating: 3
read at: 2021/05/03
date added: 2025/05/04
shelves: fantasy, saw_the_movie_first, part_of_a_series, comedy, action-adventure, quotable, world-building-love
review:
In the sequel to The Colour of Magic, Twoflower and Rincewind continue their tourist trip around the world, with a few additional obstacles thrown their way. With the Discworld apparently heading for self destruction, the Wizards of Unseen University are set on getting Rincewind back to Ankh-Morpork. Dead or alive. Preferably dead, for convenience's sake.

Rincewind on the other hand, seems to be getting steadily better at escaping the Grim Reaper, not to mention more and more reluctant to join the fight for the Discworld's survival.

Rincewind fighting

This was certainly better than book 1, with less wordy descriptions, lots more funny one liners and a hefty dose of self deprecating remarks.


[...]poets and bards were banned on pain of - well, pain - from going on about babbling brooks and rosy-fingered dawn and could only say, for example, that a face had launched a thousand ships if they were able to produce certified dockyard accounts.


And of course, my personal favorite, the very interesting functioning concepts governing wandering magic shops. As per usual, someone somewhere messed something up and... voilà.

angry mob

That said, the whole angry mob rising up to torch the... well anything and anyone not willing to join them, just didn't hold my interest. Now don't get me wrong, I hate all the sheep mentality, and the atrocities they manage to commit hold nothing but utmost disgust for me (not to mention a hefty dose of fear). Its depiction however, was just too dull, and predictable, and also much too long.

Score: 3/5 stars

Writing has improved compared to book 1, but it's still trying to cram way too much world building into a 200-page booklet. So far, I still recommend watching the TV mini-series instead of slogging through the book.

==========================

Other stories featuring Rincewind the Wizard:
book 1: The Colour of Magic
book 3: Sourcery
book 4: Eric
book 5: Interesting Times
book 6: The Last Continent
book 7: The Last Hero
]]> Sourcery (Discworld, #5) 13536274
SOURCERY SEES THE RETURN OF RINCEWIND AND THE LUGGAGE AS THE DISCWORLD FACES ITS GREATEST-AND FUNNIEST-CHALLENGE YET.]]> 336 Terry Pratchett 0552166634 Ms. Smartarse 4
ominous lightning in a storm

First, all of you who've been giving the Rincewind subseries a wide berth (my past self, included) should know that you're missing out! This book is surprisingly good, especially the scenes featuring Rincewind himself. Yes, it once again dumps a whole lot of philosophical treatise on us, but at least there's a marked effort in making it all focus on a single topic, rather than mixing in everything but the kitchen sink.

Speaking of entertainment, there are a lot of humorous quotes to choose from, but none spoke to me so much as Rincewind's cowardly but 100% honest remarks. Yes, I'm just as likely to swoon over a handsome knight in shining armor as others, but realistically speaking getting a doctor's note to excuse me from saving universes seems like a much more sensible approach.


Sorry. I don’t know why, but the prospect of certain death in unknown lands at the claws of exotic monsters isn’t for me. I’ve tried it, and couldn’t get the hang of it. Each to their own, that’s what I say, and I was cut out for boredom.

‘Rincewind, I’ve known you for an hour and I’m astonished you’ve lived even that long!’
‘Yes, but I have, haven’t I? I’ve got a sort of talent for it. Ask anyone. I’m an addict.’
‘Addicted to what?’
‘Life. I got hooked on it at an early age and I don’t want to give it up...’


I'm hooked

That being said, the story is far from faultless. For one, the episodes revolving around the child sorcerer's ruthless killing spree of his opponents quickly got tedious. Sure, it's a worthy idea, but nowhere near original, or even originally presented. Add to that the bitter-sweet ending that the author chose for this book, and he might as well have showed a giant blinking billboard featuring Plato's philosophy, that only those who do not seek power are qualified to hold it.

Score: 3.8/5 stars

Having found the two prequel novels fairly disappointing, I've approached Sourcery with rather more trepidation than usual. I'd started reading it several times before, but kept abandoning it only a few pages in. But hey, 56748th time's the charm, right?

In the end, I can say that it's a clear improvement over the two prequels, but there's still a bit of awkwardness left with "serious business" and comical action-adventure sequences neatly divided for most of the story.

=================

Other stories featuring Rincewind the Wizard:
book 1: The Colour of Magic
book 2: The Light Fantastic
book 4: Eric
book 5: Interesting Times
book 6: The Last Continent
book 7: The Last Hero]]> 3.78 1988 Sourcery (Discworld, #5)
author: Terry Pratchett
name: Ms. Smartarse
average rating: 3.78
book published: 1988
rating: 4
read at: 2022/07/02
date added: 2025/05/04
shelves: fantasy, part_of_a_series, comedy
review:
Scorned wizard instills a sense of revenge into his genius baby boy, who subsequently sets out to conquer the world.

ominous lightning in a storm

First, all of you who've been giving the Rincewind subseries a wide berth (my past self, included) should know that you're missing out! This book is surprisingly good, especially the scenes featuring Rincewind himself. Yes, it once again dumps a whole lot of philosophical treatise on us, but at least there's a marked effort in making it all focus on a single topic, rather than mixing in everything but the kitchen sink.

Speaking of entertainment, there are a lot of humorous quotes to choose from, but none spoke to me so much as Rincewind's cowardly but 100% honest remarks. Yes, I'm just as likely to swoon over a handsome knight in shining armor as others, but realistically speaking getting a doctor's note to excuse me from saving universes seems like a much more sensible approach.


Sorry. I don’t know why, but the prospect of certain death in unknown lands at the claws of exotic monsters isn’t for me. I’ve tried it, and couldn’t get the hang of it. Each to their own, that’s what I say, and I was cut out for boredom.

‘Rincewind, I’ve known you for an hour and I’m astonished you’ve lived even that long!’
‘Yes, but I have, haven’t I? I’ve got a sort of talent for it. Ask anyone. I’m an addict.’
‘Addicted to what?’
‘Life. I got hooked on it at an early age and I don’t want to give it up...’


I'm hooked

That being said, the story is far from faultless. For one, the episodes revolving around the child sorcerer's ruthless killing spree of his opponents quickly got tedious. Sure, it's a worthy idea, but nowhere near original, or even originally presented. Add to that the bitter-sweet ending that the author chose for this book, and he might as well have showed a giant blinking billboard featuring Plato's philosophy, that only those who do not seek power are qualified to hold it.

Score: 3.8/5 stars

Having found the two prequel novels fairly disappointing, I've approached Sourcery with rather more trepidation than usual. I'd started reading it several times before, but kept abandoning it only a few pages in. But hey, 56748th time's the charm, right?

In the end, I can say that it's a clear improvement over the two prequels, but there's still a bit of awkwardness left with "serious business" and comical action-adventure sequences neatly divided for most of the story.

=================

Other stories featuring Rincewind the Wizard:
book 1: The Colour of Magic
book 2: The Light Fantastic
book 4: Eric
book 5: Interesting Times
book 6: The Last Continent
book 7: The Last Hero
]]> Eric (Discworld, #9) 61642 Librarian's note: There is an Alternate Cover Edition for this edition of this book here.

Eric is the Discworld's only demonology hacker. The trouble is, he's not very good at it. All he wants is the usual three wishes: to be immortal, rule the world and have the most beautiful woman fall madly in love with him. The usual stuff. But what he gets is Rincewind, and Rincewind's Luggage into the bargain. Terry Pratchett's hilarious take on the Faust legend stars many of the Discworld's'most popular characters in an outrageous adventure that will leave Eric wishing once more - this time, quite fervently, that he'd never been born .]]> 155 Terry Pratchett 1857989546 Ms. Smartarse 4 Sourcery, yet for some reason his screams of terror are still heard and felt on the Discworld. According to Death there's only a 1 in a million chance that he could escape, so all in all the wizards of Unseen University are not unduly worried. Until of course 14-year-old Eric tries his hand at demonology...

what are the odds

This has been yet another fun romp through the Discworld, through both space and time. A series of more or less bizarre coincidences lead the protagonists (and the reader) to explore Hell's purpose; namely to "give you precisely what you asked for, and exactly what you didn't want to".


"You wanted to live forever."
"I didn't say anything about travelling in time," said Eric. "I was very clear about it so there'd be no tricks."
"There isn't a trick. The wish is trying to be helpful. I mean, it's pretty obvious when you think about it. 'Forever' means the entire span of space and time. Forever. For Ever. See?"
"You mean you have to sort of start at Square One?"
"Precisely."
"But that's no good! It's going to be years before there's anyone else around!"
"Centuries," corrected Rincewind gloomily. "Millennia. Iains. And then there's going to be all kinds of wars and monsters and stuff. Most of history is pretty appalling, when you look hard at it. Or even not very hard."


Score: 3.8/5 stars

I would've probably given the book 5 stars, had the journey through Hell not taken such a turn for the convoluted. Too many details and lengthy footnotes made for a rather dull experience. And I say that, even though I loved that the road to Hell was quite literally paved with good intentions.

===================

Other stories featuring Rincewind the Wizard:
book 1: The Colour of Magic
book 2: The Light Fantastic
book 3: Sourcery
book 5: Interesting Times
book 6: The Last Continent
book 7: The Last Hero]]> 3.70 1990 Eric (Discworld, #9)
author: Terry Pratchett
name: Ms. Smartarse
average rating: 3.70
book published: 1990
rating: 4
read at: 2023/01/07
date added: 2025/05/04
shelves: fantasy, part_of_a_series, comedy, quotable
review:
Rincewind is stuck in the Dungeon Dimension in the aftermath of the events from Sourcery, yet for some reason his screams of terror are still heard and felt on the Discworld. According to Death there's only a 1 in a million chance that he could escape, so all in all the wizards of Unseen University are not unduly worried. Until of course 14-year-old Eric tries his hand at demonology...

what are the odds

This has been yet another fun romp through the Discworld, through both space and time. A series of more or less bizarre coincidences lead the protagonists (and the reader) to explore Hell's purpose; namely to "give you precisely what you asked for, and exactly what you didn't want to".


"You wanted to live forever."
"I didn't say anything about travelling in time," said Eric. "I was very clear about it so there'd be no tricks."
"There isn't a trick. The wish is trying to be helpful. I mean, it's pretty obvious when you think about it. 'Forever' means the entire span of space and time. Forever. For Ever. See?"
"You mean you have to sort of start at Square One?"
"Precisely."
"But that's no good! It's going to be years before there's anyone else around!"
"Centuries," corrected Rincewind gloomily. "Millennia. Iains. And then there's going to be all kinds of wars and monsters and stuff. Most of history is pretty appalling, when you look hard at it. Or even not very hard."


Score: 3.8/5 stars

I would've probably given the book 5 stars, had the journey through Hell not taken such a turn for the convoluted. Too many details and lengthy footnotes made for a rather dull experience. And I say that, even though I loved that the road to Hell was quite literally paved with good intentions.

===================

Other stories featuring Rincewind the Wizard:
book 1: The Colour of Magic
book 2: The Light Fantastic
book 3: Sourcery
book 5: Interesting Times
book 6: The Last Continent
book 7: The Last Hero
]]> <![CDATA[Interesting Times (Discworld #17)]]> 49357216 Librarian Note: An alternative cover for this ISBN can be found here

MIGHTY BATTLES! REVOLUTION! DEATH! WAR! (AND HIS SONS TERROR AND PANIC, AND DAUGHTER CLANCY)

The oldest and most inscrutable empire on the Discworld is in turmoil, brought about by the revolutionary treatise What I did on My Holidays. Workers are uniting, with nothing to lose but their water buffaloes. Warlords are struggling for power. War (and Clancy) are spreading throughout the ancient cities.

And all that stands in the way of terrible doom for everyone is:

Rincewind the Wizard, who can't even spell the word 'wizard'...

Cohen the barbarian hero, five foot tall in his surgical sandals, who has had a lifetime's experience of not dying...

...and a very special butterfly.]]> 352 Terry Pratchett 0552142352 Ms. Smartarse 3 Great Wizzard featured in a travel log of dubious origins. Not prone to flights of fancy, Lord Hong nevertheless decides to take precautionary measures.

... which is how Rincewind, whose hat proudly proclaims him as a Wizzard, finds himself teleported to the Counterweight Continent, and reluctantly teaching the Revolutionary Army the wise ways of We-- erm Ankh-Morporkan rebellion.

help help I'm being repressed

After the numerous references in previous books, I was looking forward to a trip to the Aurient (a.k.a. the Counterweight Continent): i.e medieval China with a pinch of communism thrown in. A sizeable pinch that is.

Things start out well-enough with Lord Hong being the quintessential evil pretty boy genius; you know, as opposed to the cackling ones. Then there were Rincewind's language skills, that often reach their limit, and cause him to go through several iterations of a phrase, before finding the right tonality and intonation.


Agatean was a language of few basic syllables. It was really all in the tone, inflection and context. Otherwise, the word for military leader was also the word for long-tailed marmot, male sexual organ and ancient chicken coop.

[Rincewind] said, 'Just give me all your food and... unwilling dogs, will you?'
They watched him impassively.
'Damn. I mean... arranged beetles? ... variety of waterfall? ... Oh, yes... money.'


Fra-Gee-Lay. Must be Italian

Unfortunately, that's where this book's charms made a screeching halt. The parodying of corrupt government officials, supposedly chosen based on their proficiency in poetry, felt like a rather tiresome trope. Har-dee-har-har. Communist/Totalitarian regimes are crumbling because they employ ass-kissers. Unlike say a certain democratic high school facing parental backlash due to teaching 6th graders about .

... aaaaanyway, somewhere along the line, I was waiting for Rincewind to get humbled by the Agatean culture, and see that it's not just his Western Ankh-Morpokan ways that can save the world. Only, this never quite happens, and he accidentally wins the uprising with minimal casualties. OK, so The Horde storyline was funny and illuminating, but I really didn't like all the belittling of the revolutionaries.

Score: 3/5 stars

I'm probably a big hypocrite, seeing as I totally enjoy when other people's culture, language and traditions get ridiculed. When it comes to the whole corrupt officials who know nothing about their job and can only recite random memorised phrases... that hits a bit too close to what our parliamentary debates sound like. I'm now feeling singled out.

So... let's just move along quickly, before the butt-hurt intensifies too much.

===================

Other stories featuring Rincewind the Wizard:
book 1: The Colour of Magic
book 2: The Light Fantastic
book 3: Sourcery
book 4: Eric
book 6: The Last Continent
book 7: The Last Hero]]> 4.06 1994 Interesting Times (Discworld #17)
author: Terry Pratchett
name: Ms. Smartarse
average rating: 4.06
book published: 1994
rating: 3
read at: 2023/02/01
date added: 2025/05/04
shelves: fantasy, part_of_a_series, comedy, quotable, action-adventure
review:
Lord Hong, the Grand Vizier of the Agatean Empire is busy hatching his plans of (Disc)world domination. With the old emperor's ailing health and the Revolutionary Army's inexperience, it looks like nothing is standing in his way... except for the so-called Great Wizzard featured in a travel log of dubious origins. Not prone to flights of fancy, Lord Hong nevertheless decides to take precautionary measures.

... which is how Rincewind, whose hat proudly proclaims him as a Wizzard, finds himself teleported to the Counterweight Continent, and reluctantly teaching the Revolutionary Army the wise ways of We-- erm Ankh-Morporkan rebellion.

help help I'm being repressed

After the numerous references in previous books, I was looking forward to a trip to the Aurient (a.k.a. the Counterweight Continent): i.e medieval China with a pinch of communism thrown in. A sizeable pinch that is.

Things start out well-enough with Lord Hong being the quintessential evil pretty boy genius; you know, as opposed to the cackling ones. Then there were Rincewind's language skills, that often reach their limit, and cause him to go through several iterations of a phrase, before finding the right tonality and intonation.


Agatean was a language of few basic syllables. It was really all in the tone, inflection and context. Otherwise, the word for military leader was also the word for long-tailed marmot, male sexual organ and ancient chicken coop.

[Rincewind] said, 'Just give me all your food and... unwilling dogs, will you?'
They watched him impassively.
'Damn. I mean... arranged beetles? ... variety of waterfall? ... Oh, yes... money.'


Fra-Gee-Lay. Must be Italian

Unfortunately, that's where this book's charms made a screeching halt. The parodying of corrupt government officials, supposedly chosen based on their proficiency in poetry, felt like a rather tiresome trope. Har-dee-har-har. Communist/Totalitarian regimes are crumbling because they employ ass-kissers. Unlike say a certain democratic high school facing parental backlash due to teaching 6th graders about .

... aaaaanyway, somewhere along the line, I was waiting for Rincewind to get humbled by the Agatean culture, and see that it's not just his Western Ankh-Morpokan ways that can save the world. Only, this never quite happens, and he accidentally wins the uprising with minimal casualties. OK, so The Horde storyline was funny and illuminating, but I really didn't like all the belittling of the revolutionaries.

Score: 3/5 stars

I'm probably a big hypocrite, seeing as I totally enjoy when other people's culture, language and traditions get ridiculed. When it comes to the whole corrupt officials who know nothing about their job and can only recite random memorised phrases... that hits a bit too close to what our parliamentary debates sound like. I'm now feeling singled out.

So... let's just move along quickly, before the butt-hurt intensifies too much.

===================

Other stories featuring Rincewind the Wizard:
book 1: The Colour of Magic
book 2: The Light Fantastic
book 3: Sourcery
book 4: Eric
book 6: The Last Continent
book 7: The Last Hero
]]> <![CDATA[The Last Continent (Discworld, #22)]]> 833429
Who is this hero striding across the red desert? Sheep shearer, beer drinker, bush ranger, and someone who'll even eat a Meat Pie Floater when he's sober.

A man in a hat whose luggage follows him on little legs. Yes, it's Rincewind, the inept wizard who can't even spell wizard. He's the only hero left.

Still... no worries, eh?]]> 412 Terry Pratchett 0552146145 Ms. Smartarse 3 with a librarian?), the staff concoct a plan to spell him back to normal. The only snag: nobody aside Rincewind remembers the Librarian's actual name, a prerequisite for casting any spell on a person.

Alas, the University's worst wizard was not exactly on the premises at the time, busy exploring (i.e. surviving) the Last Continent: a place so remote that no one really knew its precise location. As the staff tries to find the continent, they accidentally travel back millions of years in time when said continent was still being built.

Turtle with elephants on back swimming

Long story short, it once again falls to Rincewind to save the day and undo his colleagues' ill-thought-out adventures. A prospect he's bound to regret, if past experience is anything to go by.

On the surface, this book was insanely well-researched and well-written. I mean with the amount of detail that went into crafting the various landscapes that Rincewind visits, not to mention the ironic take on evolution involving cake-bearing trees and bushes, was hands-down genius. And then God's workshop with all the half-built ancient mammals... absolute genius!


"Time here is," the kangaroo shrugged, "not the same. It was... glued together differently, right?"
"Search me," said Rincewind. "I'm a man sitting here listening to a kangaroo. I'm not arguing."
"I'm trying to find words you might understand," said the kangaroo.
"Good, keep going, you'll get there."


Unfortunately, as I progressed deeper into the story, my continued immersion started to become a lot of work. To be fair, I'm among the very first to disparage "light reading", gleefully slashing a star or two from their GR rating, but I'm also not here to learn stuff. Unless of course it is done organically, without the need for further study on my part. Reading is my escape therapy and I like to keep it that way; hence my loss of interest when serious effort starts to creep in.

reading mood

Perhaps that's why I started feeling that the story took a backseat, and the author would just resort to info-dump through any unfortunate character that happened to catch his fancy at the time. Not that other books don't do this, but the whole veiled reference aspect make things easier to digest.

Score: 3.4/5 stars

My main gripe is that I felt like I was constantly playing catch-up with the author's many allusions, so much so that reading stopped being fun anymore. I'm sure there is an entire theory on how "proper reading" needs to be done, but as far as I'm concerned, unless it's a textbook, I shouldn't be putting in this much effort. Alternately, maybe I just need to visit Australia.

--------------------------------------
Other stories featuring Rincewind the Wizard:
book 1:The Colour of Magic
book 2: The Light Fantastic
book 3: Sourcery
book 4: Eric
book 5: Interesting Times
book 7: The Last Hero]]> 3.87 1998 The Last Continent (Discworld, #22)
author: Terry Pratchett
name: Ms. Smartarse
average rating: 3.87
book published: 1998
rating: 3
read at: 2024/07/23
date added: 2025/05/04
shelves: fantasy, part_of_a_series, comedy, quotable, philosophical
review:
The Librarian of the Unseen University is suffering of a mysterious illness that causes him to periodically change shape. Worried about an imminent hole among the academic personnel (what respectable university lacks a library with a librarian?), the staff concoct a plan to spell him back to normal. The only snag: nobody aside Rincewind remembers the Librarian's actual name, a prerequisite for casting any spell on a person.

Alas, the University's worst wizard was not exactly on the premises at the time, busy exploring (i.e. surviving) the Last Continent: a place so remote that no one really knew its precise location. As the staff tries to find the continent, they accidentally travel back millions of years in time when said continent was still being built.

Turtle with elephants on back swimming

Long story short, it once again falls to Rincewind to save the day and undo his colleagues' ill-thought-out adventures. A prospect he's bound to regret, if past experience is anything to go by.

On the surface, this book was insanely well-researched and well-written. I mean with the amount of detail that went into crafting the various landscapes that Rincewind visits, not to mention the ironic take on evolution involving cake-bearing trees and bushes, was hands-down genius. And then God's workshop with all the half-built ancient mammals... absolute genius!


"Time here is," the kangaroo shrugged, "not the same. It was... glued together differently, right?"
"Search me," said Rincewind. "I'm a man sitting here listening to a kangaroo. I'm not arguing."
"I'm trying to find words you might understand," said the kangaroo.
"Good, keep going, you'll get there."


Unfortunately, as I progressed deeper into the story, my continued immersion started to become a lot of work. To be fair, I'm among the very first to disparage "light reading", gleefully slashing a star or two from their GR rating, but I'm also not here to learn stuff. Unless of course it is done organically, without the need for further study on my part. Reading is my escape therapy and I like to keep it that way; hence my loss of interest when serious effort starts to creep in.

reading mood

Perhaps that's why I started feeling that the story took a backseat, and the author would just resort to info-dump through any unfortunate character that happened to catch his fancy at the time. Not that other books don't do this, but the whole veiled reference aspect make things easier to digest.

Score: 3.4/5 stars

My main gripe is that I felt like I was constantly playing catch-up with the author's many allusions, so much so that reading stopped being fun anymore. I'm sure there is an entire theory on how "proper reading" needs to be done, but as far as I'm concerned, unless it's a textbook, I shouldn't be putting in this much effort. Alternately, maybe I just need to visit Australia.

--------------------------------------
Other stories featuring Rincewind the Wizard:
book 1:The Colour of Magic
book 2: The Light Fantastic
book 3: Sourcery
book 4: Eric
book 5: Interesting Times
book 7: The Last Hero
]]> <![CDATA[A Good Girl's Guide to Murder (A Good Girl's Guide to Murder, #1)]]> 40916679
Pretty and popular high school senior Andie Bell was murdered by her boyfriend, Sal Singh, who then killed himself. It was all anyone could talk about. And five years later, Pip sees how the tragedy still haunts her town.

But she can't shake the feeling that there was more to what happened that day. She knew Sal when she was a child, and he was always so kind to her. How could he possibly have been a killer?

Now a senior herself, Pip decides to reexamine the closed case for her final project, at first just to cast doubt on the original investigation. But soon she discovers a trail of dark secrets that might actually prove Sal innocent . . . and the line between past and present begins to blur. Someone in Fairview doesn't want Pip digging around for answers, and now her own life might be in danger.]]> 433 Holly Jackson 1405293187 Ms. Smartarse 4
Emma Myers as Pippa Fitz-Amobi

I've been battling this weird bout of reading slump for the past few months, wherein I wasn't completely averse to reading, I just couldn't quite immerse myself in a book. So I decided to just look for a guilty pleasure with lots of fluff, comedy and maybe even a bit of romance. And that's precisely what I got... and then some.

On the one hand, things get every bit as messy and ridiculous as any reasonable person might expect from prodding painful emotional wounds in a small town. On the other hand, there's a whole lot of fluff and fun to be had. I mean Pip must've won some cosmic lottery with her family dynamic alone.

Score: 4/5 stars

There's not a lot I can say here, other than this had the whole package: murder mystery, klutzy teenagers fumbling through complex things they had no business looking at, and a bit of romance mostly in subtext. To be fair, I was intending to leave things at book 1, but the sequels promise some surprising dark avenues, so I'll probably keep going.

-------------
Review of book 2: Good Girl, Bad Blood]]> 4.29 2019 A Good Girl's Guide to Murder (A Good Girl's Guide to Murder, #1)
author: Holly Jackson
name: Ms. Smartarse
average rating: 4.29
book published: 2019
rating: 4
read at: 2024/03/29
date added: 2025/05/04
shelves: mystery, young-adult, murder, contemporary, part_of_a_series
review:
Pippa (Pipp) Fitz-Amobi is preparing for her senior year in high-school, by choosing a most ambitious, not to mention controversial, AP class essay: clearing up the 5-year-old murder of her town's most popular IT girl.

Emma Myers as Pippa Fitz-Amobi

I've been battling this weird bout of reading slump for the past few months, wherein I wasn't completely averse to reading, I just couldn't quite immerse myself in a book. So I decided to just look for a guilty pleasure with lots of fluff, comedy and maybe even a bit of romance. And that's precisely what I got... and then some.

On the one hand, things get every bit as messy and ridiculous as any reasonable person might expect from prodding painful emotional wounds in a small town. On the other hand, there's a whole lot of fluff and fun to be had. I mean Pip must've won some cosmic lottery with her family dynamic alone.

Score: 4/5 stars

There's not a lot I can say here, other than this had the whole package: murder mystery, klutzy teenagers fumbling through complex things they had no business looking at, and a bit of romance mostly in subtext. To be fair, I was intending to leave things at book 1, but the sequels promise some surprising dark avenues, so I'll probably keep going.

-------------
Review of book 2: Good Girl, Bad Blood
]]> We Do Not Part 205436018 Han Kang’s most revelatory book since The Vegetarian, We Do Not Part tells the story of a friendship between two women while powerfully reckoning with a hidden chapter in Korean history.

One winter morning, Kyungha receives an urgent message from her friend Inseon to visit her at a hospital in Seoul. Inseon has injured herself in an accident, and she begs Kyungha to return to Jeju Island, where she lives, to save her beloved pet—a white bird called Ama. A snowstorm hits the island when Kyungha arrives. She must reach Inseon’s house at all costs, but the icy wind and squalls slow her down as night begins to fall. She wonders if she will arrive in time to save the animal—or even survive the terrible cold that envelops her with every step. Lost in a world of snow, she doesn’t yet suspect the vertiginous plunge into the darkness that awaits her at her friend’s house.

Blurring the boundaries between dream and reality, We Do Not Part powerfully illuminates a forgotten chapter in Korean history, buried for decades—bringing to light the lost voices of the past to save them from oblivion. Both a hymn to an enduring friendship and an argument for remembering, it is the story of profound love in the face of unspeakable violence—and a celebration of life, however fragile it might be.]]> 256 Han Kang 0593595459 Ms. Smartarse 0 tbr-considering, korean-lit 3.85 2021 We Do Not Part
author: Han Kang
name: Ms. Smartarse
average rating: 3.85
book published: 2021
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/05/03
shelves: tbr-considering, korean-lit
review:

]]> <![CDATA[The City and Its Uncertain Walls]]> 209192695 From the bestselling author of Norwegian Wood and Hard-Boiled Wonderland and the End of the World comes a love story, a quest, an ode to books and to the libraries that house them, and a parable for our peculiar times.

We begin with a nameless young couple: a boy and a girl, teenagers in love. One day, she disappears . . . and her absence haunts him for the rest of his life.

Thus begins a search for this lost love that takes the man into middle age and on a journey between the real world and an other world—a mysterious, perhaps imaginary, walled town where unicorns roam, where a Gatekeeper determines who can enter and who must remain behind, and where shadows become untethered from their selves. Listening to his own dreams and premonitions, the man leaves his life in Tokyo behind and ventures to a small mountain town, where he becomes the head librarian, only to learn the mysterious circumstances surrounding the gentleman who had the job before him. As the seasons pass and the man grows more uncertain about the porous boundaries between these two worlds, he meets a strange young boy who helps him to see what he’s been missing all along.

The City and Its Uncertain Walls is a singular and towering achievement by one of modern literature’s most important writers.]]> 449 Haruki Murakami 0593801970 Ms. Smartarse 0 tbr-considering, japanese-lit 3.71 2023 The City and Its Uncertain Walls
author: Haruki Murakami
name: Ms. Smartarse
average rating: 3.71
book published: 2023
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/05/03
shelves: tbr-considering, japanese-lit
review:

]]> <![CDATA[The DallerGut Dream Department Store (DallerGut Dream Department Store, #1)]]> 199396641 What if there was a store that sold dreams? Which would you buy? And who might you become when you wake up?

In a mysterious town hidden in our collective subconscious there's a department store that sells dreams. Day and night, visitors both human and animal shuffle in to purchase their latest adventure. Each floor specializes in a specific type of dream: childhood memories, food dreams, ice skating, dreams of stardom. Flying dreams are almost always sold out. Some seek dreams of loved ones who have died.

For Penny, an enthusiastic new hire, working at Dallergut is the opportunity of a lifetime. As she uncovers the workings of this whimsical world, she bonds with a cast of unforgettable characters, including Dallergut, the flamboyant and wise owner, Babynap Rockabye, a famous dream designer, Maxim, a nightmare producer, and the many customers who dream to heal, dream to grow, and dream to flourish.

A captivating story that will leave a lingering magical feeling in readers' minds, this is the first book in a bestselling duology for anyone exhausted from the reality of their daily life.]]> 288 Lee Mi-ye 1335081178 Ms. Smartarse 0 tbr-considering, korean-lit 3.66 2020 The DallerGut Dream Department Store (DallerGut Dream Department Store, #1)
author: Lee Mi-ye
name: Ms. Smartarse
average rating: 3.66
book published: 2020
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/05/03
shelves: tbr-considering, korean-lit
review:

]]> Dark Matter 27833670 A mindbending, relentlessly surprising thriller from the author of the bestselling Wayward Pines trilogy.

Jason Dessen is walking home through the chilly Chicago streets one night, looking forward to a quiet evening in front of the fireplace with his wife, Daniela, and their son, Charlie—when his reality shatters.

"Are you happy with your life?"

Those are the last words Jason Dessen hears before the masked abductor knocks him unconscious.

Before he awakens to find himself strapped to a gurney, surrounded by strangers in hazmat suits.

Before a man Jason's never met smiles down at him and says, "Welcome back, my friend."

In this world he's woken up to, Jason's life is not the one he knows. His wife is not his wife. His son was never born. And Jason is not an ordinary college physics professor, but a celebrated genius who has achieved something remarkable. Something impossible.

Is it this world or the other that's the dream?

And even if the home he remembers is real, how can Jason possibly make it back to the family he loves? The answers lie in a journey more wondrous and horrifying than anything he could've imagined—one that will force him to confront the darkest parts of himself even as he battles a terrifying, seemingly unbeatable foe.

Dark Matter is a brilliantly plotted tale that is at once sweeping and intimate, mind-bendingly strange and profoundly human--a relentlessly surprising science-fiction thriller about choices, paths not taken, and how far we'll go to claim the lives we dream of.]]> 342 Blake Crouch 1101904224 Ms. Smartarse 3 4.13 2016 Dark Matter
author: Blake Crouch
name: Ms. Smartarse
average rating: 4.13
book published: 2016
rating: 3
read at: 2025/05/02
date added: 2025/05/02
shelves: sci-fi, book-club, rec-from-friends
review:

]]> The Four Loves 29938407
C.S. Lewis—the great British writer, scholar, lay theologian, broadcaster, Christian apologist, and bestselling author of Mere Christianity, The Screwtape Letters, The Great Divorce, The Chronicles of Narnia, and many other beloved classics—contemplates the essence of love and how it works in our daily lives in one of his most famous works of nonfiction. Lewis examines four varieties of human love: affection, the most basic form; friendship, the rarest and perhaps most insightful; Eros, passionate love; charity, the greatest and least selfish. Throughout this compassionate and reasoned study, he encourages readers to open themselves to all forms of love—the key to understanding that brings us closer to God.]]> 192 C.S. Lewis 0062565397 Ms. Smartarse 3 natural order of things, but also a very healthy.

Things start out well, with the first two parts debating parental affection and friendship vs love for God. Specifically, the need for a fine line to be drawn between loyalty and healthy critcism. Granted, I did skip the part where C.S. Lewis goes on and on about keeping the ultimate expression of love for God, but I liked his overall reasoning of not putting anyone on a pedestal.

falling off the pedestal

The 3rd part was meant to talk about the limitations to be put on Eros (romantic love), but instead got bogged down in how it is not sex. A sound plan in theory, but in practice it never moves past what Eros isn't. Sort of like me, when I tried to BS my way though literary analyses in high school: ramble a lot about tangential topics and hope for the best.

The final part of the book, arguably the most important of all, was meant to explain how (and why?) our love for God is meant to surpass every other type of love. Unfortunately it completely missed its target audience, ending up preaching to the choir. I'm sure that all the poetic waxing about ultimate rewards and such would've hit great for a true believer. As a very skeptical atheist however, none of the arguments presented here seemed even marginally appealing to me.

Our Lady of the Stretchy Pants

I consider myself fairly simple-minded when it comes to spirituality, but if the argument for Heaven being great doesn't even include reuniting with loved ones, I'm out.

Score: 2.6/5 stars

It started great, giving me hope for an intriguing debate. Unfortunately, as the concepts got more complicated the arguments failed to keep up, resorting instead to lofty praises. Might as well have just gone all "trust me, I know what I'm talking about" with a few Hallelujah-s thrown in for good measure.]]> 4.24 1960 The Four Loves
author: C.S. Lewis
name: Ms. Smartarse
average rating: 4.24
book published: 1960
rating: 3
read at: 2024/09/16
date added: 2025/04/28
shelves: book-club, philosophical, spiritual, religion, quotable, disappointing-ending, non-fiction
review:
This book is meant to be an essay on how and why we (the readers... and humanity in general) should only give our unconditional affection to God, while everyone receives a very limited amount of it. C.S. Lewis then goes the scientific route in trying to prove that such a mentality is in fact not only the natural order of things, but also a very healthy.

Things start out well, with the first two parts debating parental affection and friendship vs love for God. Specifically, the need for a fine line to be drawn between loyalty and healthy critcism. Granted, I did skip the part where C.S. Lewis goes on and on about keeping the ultimate expression of love for God, but I liked his overall reasoning of not putting anyone on a pedestal.

falling off the pedestal

The 3rd part was meant to talk about the limitations to be put on Eros (romantic love), but instead got bogged down in how it is not sex. A sound plan in theory, but in practice it never moves past what Eros isn't. Sort of like me, when I tried to BS my way though literary analyses in high school: ramble a lot about tangential topics and hope for the best.

The final part of the book, arguably the most important of all, was meant to explain how (and why?) our love for God is meant to surpass every other type of love. Unfortunately it completely missed its target audience, ending up preaching to the choir. I'm sure that all the poetic waxing about ultimate rewards and such would've hit great for a true believer. As a very skeptical atheist however, none of the arguments presented here seemed even marginally appealing to me.

Our Lady of the Stretchy Pants

I consider myself fairly simple-minded when it comes to spirituality, but if the argument for Heaven being great doesn't even include reuniting with loved ones, I'm out.

Score: 2.6/5 stars

It started great, giving me hope for an intriguing debate. Unfortunately, as the concepts got more complicated the arguments failed to keep up, resorting instead to lofty praises. Might as well have just gone all "trust me, I know what I'm talking about" with a few Hallelujah-s thrown in for good measure.
]]> If We Were Gods 221646424
Und wovor sollten wir uns noch fürchten, wenn wir Götter sind?

Der Tag, an dem Olivia Dušková eines der begehrten Stipendien an der Arcane Academy erhält, ist der glücklichste ihres Lebens. Endlich kann sie die Arkanen Ebenen studieren – so, wie es nur an dieser exklusiven Hochschule in Schottland möglich ist – und ihr altes Leben in Prag hinter sich lassen. In einer Klasse mit den fünf talentiertesten Studierenden ihres Jahrgangs übt vor allem der ebenso intelligente wie gutaussehende Milo Sinclair eine große Faszination auf sie aus. Getrieben von ihrem Wunsch nach Anerkennung riskiert Olivia alles, um Teil ihrer elitären Gemeinschaft zu werden. Doch als die Gruppe, angestachelt von ihrem charismatischen Professor, einen gefährlichen Plan schmiedet, wird Olivia Sie wollen heimlich auf die letzte der Arkanen Ebenen vordringen – ein Unterfangen, das an Wahnsinn grenzt. Die tiefen Ebenen sind aus gutem Grund verboten. Legenden zufolge wartet dort unten das ewige Leben … oder doch nur der Tod?]]> 565 Lara Große 3911244339 Ms. Smartarse 0 3.99 2025 If We Were Gods
author: Lara Große
name: Ms. Smartarse
average rating: 3.99
book published: 2025
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/04/26
shelves: tbr-considering-de, young-adult, german
review:

]]> The Ministry of Time 199798179 A time travel romance, a spy thriller, a workplace comedy, and an ingenious exploration of the nature of power and the potential for love to change it all: Welcome to The Ministry of Time, the exhilarating debut novel by Kaliane Bradley.

In the near future, a civil servant is offered the salary of her dreams and is, shortly afterward, told what project she’ll be working on. A recently established government ministry is gathering “expats†from across history to establish whether time travel is feasible—for the body, but also for the fabric of space-time.

She is tasked with working as a “bridgeâ€: living with, assisting, and monitoring the expat known as “1847†or Commander Graham Gore. As far as history is concerned, Commander Gore died on Sir John Franklin’s doomed 1845 expedition to the Arctic, so he’s a little disoriented to be living with an unmarried woman who regularly shows her calves, surrounded by outlandish concepts such as “washing machines,†“Spotify,†and “the collapse of the British Empire.†But with an appetite for discovery, a seven-a-day cigarette habit, and the support of a charming and chaotic cast of fellow expats, he soon adjusts.

Over the next year, what the bridge initially thought would be, at best, a horrifically uncomfortable roommate dynamic, evolves into something much deeper. By the time the true shape of the Ministry’s project comes to light, the bridge has fallen haphazardly, fervently in love, with consequences she never could have imagined. Forced to confront the choices that brought them together, the bridge must finally reckon with how—and whether she believes—what she does next can change the future.

An exquisitely original and feverishly fun fusion of genres and ideas, The Ministry of Time asks: What does it mean to defy history, when history is living in your house? Kaliane Bradley’s answer is a blazing, unforgettable testament to what we owe each other in a changing world.]]> 339 Kaliane Bradley 1668045141 Ms. Smartarse 0 tbr-considering, sci-fi 3.54 2024 The Ministry of Time
author: Kaliane Bradley
name: Ms. Smartarse
average rating: 3.54
book published: 2024
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/04/26
shelves: tbr-considering, sci-fi
review:

]]> The Spirit Bares Its Teeth 89144437 Mors vincit omnia. Death conquers all.

London, 1883. The Veil between the living and dead has thinned. Violet-eyed mediums commune with spirits under the watchful eye of the Royal Speaker Society, and sixteen-year-old Silas Bell would rather rip out his violet eyes than become an obedient Speaker wife. According to Mother, he’ll be married by the end of the year. It doesn’t matter that he’s needed a decade of tutors to hide his autism; that he practices surgery on slaughtered pigs; that he is a boy, not the girl the world insists on seeing.

After a failed attempt to escape an arranged marriage, Silas is diagnosed with Veil sickness—a mysterious disease sending violet-eyed women into madness—and shipped away to Braxton’s Sanitorium and Finishing School. The facility is cold, the instructors merciless, and the students either bloom into eligible wives or disappear. So when the ghosts of missing students start begging Silas for help, he decides to reach into Braxton’s innards and expose its rotten guts to the world—as long as the school doesn’t break him first.]]> 399 Andrew Joseph White 1682636186 Ms. Smartarse 0 tbr-considering, young-adult 4.48 2023 The Spirit Bares Its Teeth
author: Andrew Joseph White
name: Ms. Smartarse
average rating: 4.48
book published: 2023
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/04/26
shelves: tbr-considering, young-adult
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Cemetery Boys (Cemetery Boys, #1)]]> 52339313
When his traditional Latinx family has problems accepting his gender, Yadriel becomes determined to prove himself a real brujo. With the help of his cousin and best friend Maritza, he performs the ritual himself, and then sets out to find the ghost of his murdered cousin and set it free.

However, the ghost he summons is actually Julian Diaz, the school’s resident bad boy, and Julian is not about to go quietly into death. He’s determined to find out what happened and tie up some loose ends before he leaves. Left with no choice, Yadriel agrees to help Julian, so that they can both get what they want. But the longer Yadriel spends with Julian, the less he wants to let him leave.]]> 344 Aiden Thomas 1250250463 Ms. Smartarse 0 4.26 2020 Cemetery Boys (Cemetery Boys, #1)
author: Aiden Thomas
name: Ms. Smartarse
average rating: 4.26
book published: 2020
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/04/26
shelves: tbr-considering-mm, mm, young-adult
review:

]]> Az elvesztett emlékek lámpása 208914051 238 Sanaka Hiiragi 963604211X Ms. Smartarse 4 The Lantern of Lost Memories.

Mr. Hirasaka lives in an old-fashioned photo studio, and spends his time helping departed souls move on, by making them pick out photos of their memories. Occasionally, he even helps them restore some of the more "faded" ones, by letting them revisit a specific event.
Although he lost his own memories, that never stops him from being a great guide even when faced with the most aggressive soul.

Vintage-style Japanese photo studio

In this short little novel, we meet three very different souls that end up in Hirasaka-san's studio: Mrs. Hatsue a kindly 92-year-old woman, Mr. Waniguchi a 47-year-old shady debt collector, and Misturu-chan a shy little girl.

I got very invested in the first two stories, but the third one left me rather confused, even though it is objectively the most heart-breaking and intriguing one. I suspect the issue here was with the translation. I don't mean to say that it was a bad or a subpar one, because I was perfectly fine with the first two stories, and this third one even made me shed some tears. However a more natural, less plagued by figures of speech, writing style would have made things more enjoyable for me.

Two translations of the same book
Hungarian (left) and Romanian(right) editions of this book

As a big fan of (modern) Japanese literature, I tend to pick up anything written by Japanese authors, especially if it is also set in Japan. Yes, this sometimes has me buying the same book twice, though rarely in different languages. I blame their vastly different covers. Having decided to read more in Hungarian, I was delighted to be able to mix both aspects so I ended up proceeding with the Hungarian translation after all. To be fair, I had not intended to compare and contrast the two at first.

As I mentioned before, the 3rd story left me very confused at one point, so I ended up (re)reading that part in Romanian. This helped... but it also felt like I was reading a story written by someone else. E.g. one translation had the protagonist narrate some of the events alternating with an omniscient view, while the other kept the same narrative perspective throughout the entire story. I have a sneaky suspicion that my preferred version was not one more closely resembling the original...

At the end of the day, the Hungarian translation felt more taxing to get through. Yes, I'm more fluent in Romanian, but that doesn't change the fact that the latter was written in a more accessible style. And I say that as a person hard-wired to (at the very least) be circumspect of anything written in Romanian. Thank my high school literature classes for that.

Score: 4.4/5 stars

Great collection of short stories, very atmospheric and bitter-sweet, but I chose the wrong translation. I feel like there's an argument to be had on not taxing the original work for the failings of the translation, but I firmly blame the translation for detracting from my overall reading enjoyment. So I'll be petty and just shy of letting it rock a well-deserved 5-star rating.]]> 4.36 2019 Az elvesztett emlékek lámpása
author: Sanaka Hiiragi
name: Ms. Smartarse
average rating: 4.36
book published: 2019
rating: 4
read at: 2024/11/16
date added: 2025/04/10
shelves: translated_into_hungarian, japanese-lit, slice-of-life, spiritual, historical, afterlife, short-stories, atmospheric, made-me-cry, magical-realism
review:
Published in English as The Lantern of Lost Memories.

Mr. Hirasaka lives in an old-fashioned photo studio, and spends his time helping departed souls move on, by making them pick out photos of their memories. Occasionally, he even helps them restore some of the more "faded" ones, by letting them revisit a specific event.
Although he lost his own memories, that never stops him from being a great guide even when faced with the most aggressive soul.

Vintage-style Japanese photo studio

In this short little novel, we meet three very different souls that end up in Hirasaka-san's studio: Mrs. Hatsue a kindly 92-year-old woman, Mr. Waniguchi a 47-year-old shady debt collector, and Misturu-chan a shy little girl.

I got very invested in the first two stories, but the third one left me rather confused, even though it is objectively the most heart-breaking and intriguing one. I suspect the issue here was with the translation. I don't mean to say that it was a bad or a subpar one, because I was perfectly fine with the first two stories, and this third one even made me shed some tears. However a more natural, less plagued by figures of speech, writing style would have made things more enjoyable for me.

Two translations of the same book
Hungarian (left) and Romanian(right) editions of this book

As a big fan of (modern) Japanese literature, I tend to pick up anything written by Japanese authors, especially if it is also set in Japan. Yes, this sometimes has me buying the same book twice, though rarely in different languages. I blame their vastly different covers. Having decided to read more in Hungarian, I was delighted to be able to mix both aspects so I ended up proceeding with the Hungarian translation after all. To be fair, I had not intended to compare and contrast the two at first.

As I mentioned before, the 3rd story left me very confused at one point, so I ended up (re)reading that part in Romanian. This helped... but it also felt like I was reading a story written by someone else. E.g. one translation had the protagonist narrate some of the events alternating with an omniscient view, while the other kept the same narrative perspective throughout the entire story. I have a sneaky suspicion that my preferred version was not one more closely resembling the original...

At the end of the day, the Hungarian translation felt more taxing to get through. Yes, I'm more fluent in Romanian, but that doesn't change the fact that the latter was written in a more accessible style. And I say that as a person hard-wired to (at the very least) be circumspect of anything written in Romanian. Thank my high school literature classes for that.

Score: 4.4/5 stars

Great collection of short stories, very atmospheric and bitter-sweet, but I chose the wrong translation. I feel like there's an argument to be had on not taxing the original work for the failings of the translation, but I firmly blame the translation for detracting from my overall reading enjoyment. So I'll be petty and just shy of letting it rock a well-deserved 5-star rating.
]]> Ghost Story 19581 In life, not every sin goes unpunished.

GHOST STORY

For four aging men in the terror-stricken town of Milburn, New York, an act inadvertently carried out in their youth has come back to haunt them. Now they are about to learn what happens to those who believe they can bury the past -- and get away with murder.]]> 567 Peter Straub 0671685635 Ms. Smartarse 0 tbr-considering, horror 3.94 1979 Ghost Story
author: Peter Straub
name: Ms. Smartarse
average rating: 3.94
book published: 1979
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/04/08
shelves: tbr-considering, horror
review:

]]> The Buffalo Hunter Hunter 214565614 A chilling historical horror novel set in the American west in 1912 following a Lutheran priest who transcribes the life of a vampire who haunts the fields of the Blackfeet reservation looking for justice.

A diary, written in 1912 by a Lutheran pastor is discovered within a wall. What it unveils is a slow massacre, a chain of events that go back to 217 Blackfeet dead in the snow. Told in transcribed interviews by a Blackfeet named Good Stab, who shares the narrative of his peculiar life over a series of confessional visits. This is an American Indian revenge story written by one of the new masters of horror, Stephen Graham Jones.]]> 448 Stephen Graham Jones 1668075083 Ms. Smartarse 0 tbr-considering, horror 4.19 2025 The Buffalo Hunter Hunter
author: Stephen Graham Jones
name: Ms. Smartarse
average rating: 4.19
book published: 2025
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/04/08
shelves: tbr-considering, horror
review:

]]> The Body 38926465 Set in the fictional town of Castle Rock, Maine

#1 New York Times bestselling author Stephen King’s timeless novella “The Bodyâ€â€”originally published in his 1982 short story collection Different Seasons, and adapted into the 1986 film classic Stand by Me—is now available as a stand-alone publication.

It’s 1960 in the fictional town of Castle Rock, Maine. Ray Brower, a boy from a nearby town, has disappeared, and twelve-year-old Gordie Lachance and his three friends set out on a quest to find his body along the railroad tracks. During the course of their journey, Gordie, Chris Chambers, Teddy Duchamp, and Vern Tessio come to terms with death and the harsh truths of growing up in a small factory town that doesn’t offer much in the way of a future.

A timeless exploration of the loneliness and isolation of young adulthood, Stephen King’s The Body is an iconic, unforgettable, coming-of-age story.]]> 192 Stephen King 1982103531 Ms. Smartarse 0 tbr-considering, horror 4.03 1982 The Body
author: Stephen King
name: Ms. Smartarse
average rating: 4.03
book published: 1982
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/04/08
shelves: tbr-considering, horror
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Abroad in Japan: Ten Years In The Land Of The Rising Sun]]> 64645770
Abroad in Japan charts a decade of living in a foreign land and the chaos and culture clash that came with it. Packed with hilarious and fascinating stories, this book seeks out to unravel one the world's most complex cultures.

Spanning ten years and all forty-seven prefectures, Chris takes us from the lush rice fields of the countryside to the frenetic neon-lit streets of Tokyo. With blockbuster moments such as a terrifying North Korean missile incident, a mortifying experience at a love hotel and a week spent with Japan's biggest movie star, Abroad in Japan is an extraordinary and informative journey through the Land of the Rising Sun.]]> 320 Chris Broad 1787637077 Ms. Smartarse 0 4.11 2023 Abroad in Japan: Ten Years In The Land Of The Rising Sun
author: Chris Broad
name: Ms. Smartarse
average rating: 4.11
book published: 2023
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/04/08
shelves: tbr-considering, non-fiction, travel-guide, biographical
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Der Spurenfinder (Spurenfinder, #1)]]> 181906821 »Elos von Bergen war nicht einfach irgendein Spurensucher. Er war es, der das Rätsel des Obelisken von Tarnok gelöst hat. Er brachte der Gräfin von Oberlinden ihren Greifen zurück. Er fing den Traummörder von Altschwanenberg. Er war der berühmteste Spurensucher der Verlorenen Provinzen. Wobei er sich selbst nie als Spurensucher bezeichnet hätte. Elos von Bergen war Spurenfinder.«

Elos von Bergen hat das Spurenfinden eigentlich an den Nagel gehängt, seit ein Fall mit einem nachtragenden Nachtmagier ihn und seine Kinder Ada und Naru fast das Leben gekostet hätte. Darum wohnen die drei nun seit einigen Jahren in Friedhofen, dem verschlafensten Dorf des gesamten Königreichs. Dort arbeitet Elos – sehr zum Leidwesen der Kinder, die sich in dem Kaff unsäglich langweilen – an der Niederschrift seiner zwanzigbändigen Memoiren. Doch dann geschieht ausgerechnet in Friedhofen ein rätselhafter Mord, der den Spurenfinder in den verzwicktesten Fall seines Lebens hineinzieht. Und wenn er glaubt, seine Kinder würden derweil zu Hause bleiben und Däumchen drehen, täuscht er sich gewaltig.]]> 336 Marc-Uwe Kling 3550202687 Ms. Smartarse 0 german, tbr-long-list-de 4.09 2023 Der Spurenfinder (Spurenfinder, #1)
author: Marc-Uwe Kling
name: Ms. Smartarse
average rating: 4.09
book published: 2023
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/04/05
shelves: german, tbr-long-list-de
review:

]]> Für jede Lösung ein Problem 1312348 300 Kerstin Gier 3404156145 Ms. Smartarse 0 3.79 2006 Für jede Lösung ein Problem
author: Kerstin Gier
name: Ms. Smartarse
average rating: 3.79
book published: 2006
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/04/05
shelves: chicklit, german, tbr-considering-de
review:

]]> Maskerade (Discworld, #18) 16113702 'I thought: opera, how hard can it be? Songs. Pretty girls dancing. Nice scenery. Lots of people handing over cash. Got to be better than the cut-throat world of yoghurt, I thought. Now everwhere I go there's...'

Death, to be precise. And plenty of it. In unpleasant variations. This isn't real life – it’s worse. This is the Opera House, Ankh-Morpork...a huge, rambling building, where innocent young sopranos are lured to their destiny by a strangely-familiar evil mastermind in a mask and evening dress, with a penchant for lurking in shadows, occasional murder, and sending little notes full of maniacal laughter and exclamation marks. Opera can do that to a man.

But Granny Weatherwax, Discworld's most famous witch, is in the audience. And she doesn't hold with that sort of thing. So there's going to be trouble (but nevertheless a good evenin's entertainment with murders you can really hum...). And the show MUST go on.]]> 382 Terry Pratchett 0552167568 Ms. Smartarse 3 4.19 1995 Maskerade (Discworld, #18)
author: Terry Pratchett
name: Ms. Smartarse
average rating: 4.19
book published: 1995
rating: 3
read at: 2008/01/01
date added: 2025/04/05
shelves: fantasy, quotable, part_of_a_series, comedy, to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Weil wir träumten: Eine wunderschöne und dramatische Reise nach Madagaskar]]> 60656055
Madagaskar mit seinen Traumstränden, exotischen Tieren und Blütenmeeren – das reinste Paradies für Emma! Hier kann sie endlich all die Einschränkungen vergessen, die ihre Herzkrankheit mit sich bringt. Doch als Emma die Madegassin Fy kennenlernt, erfährt sie von Armut, Gewalt und einem schrecklichen Geheimnis, den Schattenseiten des Paradieses.

Eine berührende Geschichte über eine besondere Freundschaft]]> 448 Antonia Michaelis 3522202775 Ms. Smartarse 0 4.38 2022 Weil wir träumten: Eine wunderschöne und dramatische Reise nach Madagaskar
author: Antonia Michaelis
name: Ms. Smartarse
average rating: 4.38
book published: 2022
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/04/05
shelves: german, young-adult, contemporary, to-read
review:

]]> Die Wildmohnfrau 76754213
Die Autorin Sarah Knausenberger hat jedem Kapitel ihres Romans einen kurzen pflanzenkundlichen Exkurs vorangestellt. So verwebt sie allgemeine wissenschaftliche Erkenntnisse über das Wachstum von Pflanzen mit der individuellen Geschichte eines jungen Mädchens, das unter widrigen äußeren Bedingungen viel zu schnell erwachsen werden muss. Und dem es doch gelingt, dem Leben ein kleines bisschen Verlässlichkeit abzuringen und schließlich seine innere Heimat zu finden. Auf die botanischen Betrachtungen abgestimmt enthält das Buch 14 kleine, in Collagen eingebettete Tuschezeichnungen der Illustratorin Elke Ehninger sowie weitere ganzseitige Collagen, in denen sich die Stimmungen des Buches und dessen vielschichtige Thematik widerspiegeln.]]> 168 Sarah Knausenberger Ms. Smartarse 4 the Wild Poppy Woman. It's quite a bit of downgrade in comfort, a definite uptick in dubious socialisation and life plans, but hey at least it has a bed and a roof over their head.

Over the next few years, as Mia tries to desperately keep up with an ever changing environment, she nevertheless finds solace in the Wild Poppy Woman's place.

home is where you make it

This was a very sad and gritty account of the life of a child forced to face the harsh realities of life, due to the mother's desire for "independence". It reminded me a bit of Uns zusamenhalten, only this time around it finger pointing didn't come as easily.

One of the most heart-breaking episodes, was when the mother decides to leave Mia at her father's, to give her a chance of a better life. However as the father now has a new life, Mia doesn't manage to fit in, so she runs away and ends up bonding with a homeless guy over their shared love for dogs.

hugging dogs

Also, how cool is it that German high schools let you write your final thesis about anything? Mine just had us sit 7 exams in 6 subjects, most of which I hated with a passion.

Score: 4.45/5 stars

As a rule, this type of gritty slice of life is not exactly my go-to reading material, but it's definitely one that always leaves an impression on me. Its one of the few times where I look at myself, and feel all privileged and ashamed. It's what I get for loitering around the woke part of the internet. To think that my dad had once told me, that "we were the poor relatives"...

------------------------
ARC provided by via in exchange for a fair and honest review.

2023 Reading Challenge: book 2 of 20 written in German.]]> 4.50 2023 Die Wildmohnfrau
author: Sarah Knausenberger
name: Ms. Smartarse
average rating: 4.50
book published: 2023
rating: 4
read at: 2023/01/18
date added: 2025/04/04
shelves: german, netgalley, coming-of-age, slice-of-life, drama, late_xx_century, atmospheric, depressing
review:
Mia is only 4 years-old, when her mother decides to uproot their lives and move in with the Wild Poppy Woman. It's quite a bit of downgrade in comfort, a definite uptick in dubious socialisation and life plans, but hey at least it has a bed and a roof over their head.

Over the next few years, as Mia tries to desperately keep up with an ever changing environment, she nevertheless finds solace in the Wild Poppy Woman's place.

home is where you make it

This was a very sad and gritty account of the life of a child forced to face the harsh realities of life, due to the mother's desire for "independence". It reminded me a bit of Uns zusamenhalten, only this time around it finger pointing didn't come as easily.

One of the most heart-breaking episodes, was when the mother decides to leave Mia at her father's, to give her a chance of a better life. However as the father now has a new life, Mia doesn't manage to fit in, so she runs away and ends up bonding with a homeless guy over their shared love for dogs.

hugging dogs

Also, how cool is it that German high schools let you write your final thesis about anything? Mine just had us sit 7 exams in 6 subjects, most of which I hated with a passion.

Score: 4.45/5 stars

As a rule, this type of gritty slice of life is not exactly my go-to reading material, but it's definitely one that always leaves an impression on me. Its one of the few times where I look at myself, and feel all privileged and ashamed. It's what I get for loitering around the woke part of the internet. To think that my dad had once told me, that "we were the poor relatives"...

------------------------
ARC provided by via in exchange for a fair and honest review.

2023 Reading Challenge: book 2 of 20 written in German.
]]> <![CDATA[A Tale of Two Cities: The Dickens Collection: An Audible Exclusive Series]]> 42095594
This release marks the start of the Dickens Collection, an exclusive series of unmissable performances available throughout 2018.

About the book

'It was the best of times, it was the worst of times.'

So begins Charles Dickens' most famous historical drama: a gripping tale of war, social injustice and the choice between darkness and light. After being unjustly imprisoned for 18 years, French doctor Manette is released from the Bastille jail in Paris and embarks upon a journey to London in the hope of finding the daughter he never met. Young Lucie Manette is a pretty and dutiful girl who soon attracts the attention of two very different gentlemen. Now reunited with the father she believed to be dead, happiness appears to be within reach. But as they are all drawn back to the bloodstained streets of Paris, misery and the threat of La Guillotine loom once again.

In Callow's introduction, we discover how Dickens' own volatile personal circumstances of the time are mirrored in A Tale of Two Cities. He tells of Dickens' personal feuds and explains why this novel sees Dickens at his most theatrical.

About the author

With his father incarcerated, Charles Dickens had to abandon his studies at a young age and set to work in a factory so as to support himself. Despite his short-lived education, Dickens went on to write 15 novels, various articles, novellas and short stories. He lectured and led campaigns for children's rights and education and arguably became the ultimate self-made man. Dickens had strong values, and they pervade A Tale of Two Cities, which can be seen as not only an inspirational text but one which will continue to stand the test of time.

About the narrator

Simon Callow is a multi-award-winning actor, writer and theatre director. He is best known for his performances in Amadeus, Ace Ventura: When Nature Calls and Four Weddings and a Funeral. Simon has vast stage experience and clearly loves what he does. His fervour began at a young age working as box office staff, and it wasn't long before he made the transition from behind the scenes to centre stage - never looking back.

Callow is also known for his literary talents and has published various biographies including those of Oscar Wilde, Charles Laughton and Orson Welles. He has narrated over 20 audiobooks and brings his wealth of experience and characteristic charm to this exciting performance.]]> Charles Dickens Ms. Smartarse 0 3.73 1859 A Tale of Two Cities: The Dickens Collection: An Audible Exclusive Series
author: Charles Dickens
name: Ms. Smartarse
average rating: 3.73
book published: 1859
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/04/02
shelves: audible, classics, historical, xviii-century, tbr-long-list
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Attack of the Spheres: A Science Fiction Novel]]> 97424849 138 Sergiu SomeÅŸan 6067168774 Ms. Smartarse 0 sci-fi, tbr-long-list 4.00 2018 Attack of the Spheres: A Science Fiction Novel
author: Sergiu SomeÅŸan
name: Ms. Smartarse
average rating: 4.00
book published: 2018
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/03/28
shelves: sci-fi, tbr-long-list
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can't Stop Talking]]> 8520610 The book that started the Quiet Revolution

At least one-third of the people we know are introverts. They are the ones who prefer listening to speaking; who innovate and create but dislike self-promotion; who favor working on their own over working in teams. It is to introverts—Rosa Parks, Chopin, Dr. Seuss, Steve Wozniak—that we owe many of the great contributions to society.Ìý

In Quiet, Susan Cain argues that we dramatically undervalue introverts and shows how much we lose in doing so. She charts the rise of the Extrovert Ideal throughout the twentieth century and explores how deeply it has come to permeate our culture. She also introduces us to successful introverts—from a witty, high-octane public speaker who recharges in solitude after his talks, to a record-breaking salesman who quietly taps into the power of questions. Passionately argued, superbly researched, and filled with indelible stories of real people, Quiet has the power to permanently change how we see introverts and, equally important, how they see themselves.

Now with Extra Libris material, including a reader’s guide and bonus content.]]> 333 Susan Cain 0307352145 Ms. Smartarse 0 4.07 2012 Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can't Stop Talking
author: Susan Cain
name: Ms. Smartarse
average rating: 4.07
book published: 2012
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/03/25
shelves: tbr-considering, self-improvement, non-fiction
review:

]]> <![CDATA[The ABC Murders (Hercule Poirot, #13)]]> 42621710
There's a serial killer on the loose. His macabre calling card is to leave the ABC Railway guide beside each victim's body. But if A is for Alice Asher, bludgeoned to death in Andover; and B is for Betty Bernard, strangled with her belt on the beach at Bexhill; then who will Victim C be?]]> 240 Agatha Christie 000831022X Ms. Smartarse 4 and victim names. Does this mean that Britain is now under threat from a serial killer? Or is there more than random (alphabetical) chance to it?

Blood over the letter A

I must've been a fan of the Hercule Poirot series for over 20 years now, and I've always enjoyed the convoluted nature of the mystery being unravelled. Naturally, I've never once managed to anticipate their resolution, for all that people claim there is a recipe to them. Heck, even when I tried to focus on the least likely suspect, I'd always miss the mark. So not going into the story completely blind for once, was an interesting experience. Not that it helped me identify the criminal.

You see, the execution of this series of murders was planned out very cleverly, with several backup plans to account of human error. I had watched the story unfold in the long-running (13 seasons!) quite a while ago, and have seeming retained only the how but not the why of the murderer's plan. Arguably the most important part, though I still missed the mark in the criminal mastermind identification process.

ABC railway guide

I haven't picked up a Poirot mystery since my university years, and I don't think I'll do so again anytime soon, either. Yes, I enjoyed the journey to Poirot's final conclusions, but I didn't necessarily like the characters themselves. Captain Hastings felt a bit too naive, Monsieur Poirot too supercilious, and everyone else too air-headed in comparison. Miss Marple's kind and unassuming manner feels a lot more palatable in comparison.

Score: 4/5 stars

My reading tastes have changed a lot during the past 20 years, but I can still appreciate a well-planned Agatha Christie murder mystery. The unrealistically smart characters with overbearing and ironic attitudes have since lost their appeal.]]> 4.03 1936 The ABC Murders (Hercule Poirot, #13)
author: Agatha Christie
name: Ms. Smartarse
average rating: 4.03
book published: 1936
rating: 4
read at: 2024/09/08
date added: 2025/03/20
shelves: murder, mystery, early-xx-century, part_of_a_series
review:
Hercule Poirot is forced out of retirement by a criminal announcing their upcoming murders several days prior. In alphabetical order to boot, matching location and victim names. Does this mean that Britain is now under threat from a serial killer? Or is there more than random (alphabetical) chance to it?

Blood over the letter A

I must've been a fan of the Hercule Poirot series for over 20 years now, and I've always enjoyed the convoluted nature of the mystery being unravelled. Naturally, I've never once managed to anticipate their resolution, for all that people claim there is a recipe to them. Heck, even when I tried to focus on the least likely suspect, I'd always miss the mark. So not going into the story completely blind for once, was an interesting experience. Not that it helped me identify the criminal.

You see, the execution of this series of murders was planned out very cleverly, with several backup plans to account of human error. I had watched the story unfold in the long-running (13 seasons!) quite a while ago, and have seeming retained only the how but not the why of the murderer's plan. Arguably the most important part, though I still missed the mark in the criminal mastermind identification process.

ABC railway guide

I haven't picked up a Poirot mystery since my university years, and I don't think I'll do so again anytime soon, either. Yes, I enjoyed the journey to Poirot's final conclusions, but I didn't necessarily like the characters themselves. Captain Hastings felt a bit too naive, Monsieur Poirot too supercilious, and everyone else too air-headed in comparison. Miss Marple's kind and unassuming manner feels a lot more palatable in comparison.

Score: 4/5 stars

My reading tastes have changed a lot during the past 20 years, but I can still appreciate a well-planned Agatha Christie murder mystery. The unrealistically smart characters with overbearing and ironic attitudes have since lost their appeal.
]]> Footsteps in the Dark 48817164 The snick of a lock. The squeak of door hinges. The creak of a floorboard. Are those approaching steps that of a lover or an enemy?

Entrée to Murder. After a steady diet of big city trouble, Chef Drew Allison moved to the island town of Orca's Slough to get a taste of life in the slow lane. But hometown hospitality goes stale when he finds a dead body in the basement of his own Eelgrass Café.


Lights, Camera, Murder. When PI Rory Byrne goes undercover on the set of a historical drama to find a stolen script, the last thing he anticipates is falling for handsome, talented, and out-and-proud lead actor Marion Roosevelt—or to find himself in the middle of a murder investigation.


Twelve Seconds. A mysterious phone call, a missing executive, and an exploding rocket throw space reporter Justin Harris and Air Force Special Agent Greg Marcotte into an investigation that will change their lives...if it doesn't kill them first.


Blind Man's Buff. A game of Capture the Flag turns deadly inside an abandoned shopping mall when Tommy and Jonah stumble into a homicidal maniac's hunting grounds.


A Country for Old Men. Inspector Calum Macleod has returned to the Western Isles of Scotland to bury a part of himself he can't accept. But the island has old secrets of its own. When a murderer strikes, Calum finds his past can't be so easily escaped.


Reality Bites. Detective Cabot Decker is called to the set of hot-shot TV producer Jax Thornburn's reality-TV show after a contestant is mauled to death by a tiger. Is someone trying to ax Jax's career—or Jax himself?


Pepper the Crime Lab. When Lonnie Boudreaux's neighbor is murdered, he must foster the man's dog, befriend a mysterious former cop, and stop the killer—or else!


Stranger in the House. Miles Tuesday's memories of Montreal are happy ones, but now that he has inherited the house at 9 Braeside, everything feels different. Was Madame Martel's fatal fall really an accident?


Authors L.B. Gregg, Nicole Kimberling, Josh Lanyon, Dal Maclean, Z.A. Maxfield, Meg Perry, C.S. Poe, and S.C. Wynne join forces for Footsteps in the Dark, eight sexy and suspenseful novellas of Male/Male Mystery and Romance.]]> 29 L.B. Gregg Ms. Smartarse 3 complete flop.

Overall favorites:

1. Stranger in the House by Josh Lanyon
Based on a bit of cheesy premise: someone threw out a thoughtless remark, and another someone spent the following decade moping around because of it. But hey, apparently an insane inheritance can go a long way into smoothing things over. Or... you know... awaken people's criminal instincts.

2. Lights, camera, murder by C.S. Poe
A very jaded (and gay!) private investigator gets hopelessly entangled with an up-and-coming actor, while hired to investigate a theft on a film set. I was definitely annoyed by the speed with which the investigator dismissed the actor as a person of interest, but that didn't stop me from following the events with bated breath. I just wish there were fewer characters to keep track of, in such a short story.
swoon

Best chemistry:

1. Stranger in the House by Josh Lanyon
I'm a sucker for age-gap and second chances, apparently. Not to mention clumsy social skills that hide excellent bedside manners. *waggles eyebrows*

2. 12 Seconds by Meg Perry
I love love luuuurve the whole "misunderstanding based on a person's pokerface" trope. And that's precisely what the first meeting of the two protagonists was about: both salivating over one another, while firmly convinced that the other could not possibly be gay. Spoiler alert: they so were.
Nun discreetly fanning self

Best Audio Experience:

A country for old men by Dal MacLean
This was all about Scottish accents, countryside and language.
As a bit of a foreign language nerd, I was all but swooning at listening to the narrator lean into their region-specific pronunciation. I have no idea how accurate this would be to locals, but it sounded heavenly to me... *melts into a puddle*
woman with headphones nodding

The other four short stories ranged all the way from "meh", to "preach", to "all around lacking". There's nothing quite like a bunch of commercial romance stories to highlight just how much of an indie-fan I've become over the years.

Score: 2.9/5 stars

My intention with this anthology was to look for new MM romance authors to try, but mostly ended up appreciating those I already know and like. Overall, I'm rather disappointed...]]> 3.83 2019 Footsteps in the Dark
author: L.B. Gregg
name: Ms. Smartarse
average rating: 3.83
book published: 2019
rating: 3
read at: 2025/02/22
date added: 2025/03/20
shelves: anthology, contemporary, audible, audiobook, mm, murder, mystery, guilty-pleasure, short-stories
review:
On the whole, this collection felt like a mixed bag, with the vast majority of the stories lacking in both the chemistry and the plot department. That said, it would be unfair to not admit that I actually enjoyed some of them quite a bit. Maybe not necessarily as the author intended, plus I had some issues with the narrator's pronunciation at times too... but you know: it wasn't a complete flop.

Overall favorites:

1. Stranger in the House by Josh Lanyon
Based on a bit of cheesy premise: someone threw out a thoughtless remark, and another someone spent the following decade moping around because of it. But hey, apparently an insane inheritance can go a long way into smoothing things over. Or... you know... awaken people's criminal instincts.

2. Lights, camera, murder by C.S. Poe
A very jaded (and gay!) private investigator gets hopelessly entangled with an up-and-coming actor, while hired to investigate a theft on a film set. I was definitely annoyed by the speed with which the investigator dismissed the actor as a person of interest, but that didn't stop me from following the events with bated breath. I just wish there were fewer characters to keep track of, in such a short story.
swoon

Best chemistry:

1. Stranger in the House by Josh Lanyon
I'm a sucker for age-gap and second chances, apparently. Not to mention clumsy social skills that hide excellent bedside manners. *waggles eyebrows*

2. 12 Seconds by Meg Perry
I love love luuuurve the whole "misunderstanding based on a person's pokerface" trope. And that's precisely what the first meeting of the two protagonists was about: both salivating over one another, while firmly convinced that the other could not possibly be gay. Spoiler alert: they so were.
Nun discreetly fanning self

Best Audio Experience:

A country for old men by Dal MacLean
This was all about Scottish accents, countryside and language.
As a bit of a foreign language nerd, I was all but swooning at listening to the narrator lean into their region-specific pronunciation. I have no idea how accurate this would be to locals, but it sounded heavenly to me... *melts into a puddle*
woman with headphones nodding

The other four short stories ranged all the way from "meh", to "preach", to "all around lacking". There's nothing quite like a bunch of commercial romance stories to highlight just how much of an indie-fan I've become over the years.

Score: 2.9/5 stars

My intention with this anthology was to look for new MM romance authors to try, but mostly ended up appreciating those I already know and like. Overall, I'm rather disappointed...
]]> Blind Tiger (The Pride, #1) 57127534
When Sam Cunningham flees his small-town life to try his luck in the big city of Chicago, he quickly finds himself in over his head in a world of gangs, glitz, and glamour. Fortunately, he has his cousin Eldon to teach him the trade of hex-making.

Everything changes the night Sam visits The Pride speakeasy and meets grumpy cheetah-shifter Alistair Gatti. After losing his first witch to the horrors of the World War, Alistair isn’t interested in any new entanglements, romantic or magical. Especially when said entanglement comes in the form of kind, innocent Sam.

When Eldon is brutally murdered, Sam becomes drawn into the dark underworld of the Chicago gangs. Sam must find the missing hex Eldon created for one of the crime bosses—before whoever killed Eldon comes back for him.

Together, Alistair and Sam begin the search for the mysterious hex, diving deep into the seedy side of Chicago’s underworld while dodging rival gangs. And as they come to rely on one another, Alistair realizes he’s falling for the one man he can’t afford to love.]]> 220 Jordan L. Hawk 1941230482 Ms. Smartarse 0 4.01 2021 Blind Tiger (The Pride, #1)
author: Jordan L. Hawk
name: Ms. Smartarse
average rating: 4.01
book published: 2021
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/03/19
shelves: mm, fantasy, tbr-considering-mm
review:

]]> In Memoriam 59948520 A haunting, virtuosic debut novel about two young men who fall in love during a time of war.

It's 1914, and World War I is ceaselessly churning through thousands of young men on both sides of the fight. The violence of the front feels far away to Henry Gaunt, Sidney Ellwood and the rest of their classmates, safely ensconced in their idyllic boarding school in the English countryside. News of the heroic deaths of their friends only makes the war more exciting.

Gaunt, half German, is busy fighting his own private battle--an all-consuming infatuation with his best friend, the glamorous, charming Ellwood--without a clue that Ellwood is pining for him in return. When Gaunt's family asks him to enlist to forestall the anti-German sentiment they face, Gaunt does so immediately, relieved to escape his overwhelming feelings for Ellwood. To Gaunt's horror, Ellwood rushes to join him at the front, and the rest of their classmates soon follow. Now death surrounds them in all its grim reality, often inches away, and no one knows who will be next.

An epic tale of both the devastating tragedies of war and the forbidden romance that blooms in its grip, In Memoriam is a breathtaking debut.]]> 382 Alice Winn 0593534565 Ms. Smartarse 0 4.51 2023 In Memoriam
author: Alice Winn
name: Ms. Smartarse
average rating: 4.51
book published: 2023
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/03/19
shelves: war, drama, mm, tbr-considering-mm
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Männer und andere Katastrophen]]> 967375
Judith, 26, ist ziemlich unzufrieden. Ihr Freund kümmert sich nur noch um Sport und andere Frauen, das Studium und den Bürojob hat sie satt, und die Männer, an denen sie sich trösten möchte, sind die reinsten Katastrophen.

Auch ihren Freundinnen ergeht es nicht besser. Susanna hat alle Prinzipien über Bord geworfen und sich dem Mammon zuliebe mit einem gefräßigen Langweiler eingelassen, Katja läßt sich von ihrem Freund belügen und betrügen, und Bille verliebt sich ausgerechnet in einen notorischen Angeber. Wie sie von einem Desaster ins andere schliddern, wird bis zum überraschenden Ende witzig, spritzig und spannend erzählt.]]> 319 Kerstin Gier 3404161521 Ms. Smartarse 0 3.26 1996 Männer und andere Katastrophen
author: Kerstin Gier
name: Ms. Smartarse
average rating: 3.26
book published: 1996
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/03/19
shelves: chicklit, comedy, german, tbr-considering-de
review:

]]> The Constant Rabbit 51801337 United Kingdom Against Rabbit Population), complicating Peter's job as a Rabbit Spotter, and forcing him to take a stand, moving from unconscious leporiphobe to active supporter of the UK's amiable and peaceful population of anthropomorphised rabbits.]]> 307 Jasper Fforde 1444763628 Ms. Smartarse 0 title_love, tbr-considering 4.03 2020 The Constant Rabbit
author: Jasper Fforde
name: Ms. Smartarse
average rating: 4.03
book published: 2020
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/03/19
shelves: title_love, tbr-considering
review:

]]> Nation 2855034 Daphne, sole survivor of the wreck of the Sweet Judy, almost immediately regrets trying to shoot the native boy. Thank goodness the powder was wet and the gun only produced a spark. She’s certain her father, distant cousin of the Royal family, will come and rescue her but it seems, for now, that all she has for company is the boy and the foul-mouthed ship’s parrot, until other survivors arrive to take refuge on the island. Together, Mau and Daphne discover some remarkable things (including how to milk a pig, and why spitting in beer is a good thing), and start to forge a new nation.

Encompassing themes of death and nationhood, Terry Pratchett’s new novel is, as can be expected, extremely funny, witty and wise. Mau’s ancestors have something to teach us all. Mau just wishes they would shut up about it and let him get on with saving everyone’s lives!]]> 367 Terry Pratchett 0061433012 Ms. Smartarse 0 tbr-considering 4.08 2008 Nation
author: Terry Pratchett
name: Ms. Smartarse
average rating: 4.08
book published: 2008
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/03/19
shelves: tbr-considering
review:

]]> Strata 34493
That was nothing unusual.

But then came a discovery of something which DID intrigue Kin Arad.

A flat earth was something new...]]> 204 Terry Pratchett 0552133256 Ms. Smartarse 0 tbr-considering, sci-fi 3.52 1981 Strata
author: Terry Pratchett
name: Ms. Smartarse
average rating: 3.52
book published: 1981
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/03/19
shelves: tbr-considering, sci-fi
review:

]]> Èšara cu un singur gras 54455476 Tara cu un singur gras prezinta vizita la Phenian a celor doi jurnalisti, care au incercat sa surprinda cit mai mult din realitatea de zi cu zi din Coreea de Nord, fiind din acest motiv si protagonistii unor incidente neplacute. Cu unele dintre cele 16 fotografii color care ilustreaza relatarile din carte Adelin Petrisor a participat la International Photography Awards, unde a cistigat premiul la sectiunea „Editorial Non-Pro†si s-a numarat printre finalistii sectiunii „Discovery of the yearâ€.]]> 220 Adelin PetriÈ™or 9734682121 Ms. Smartarse 0 4.16 2013 Èšara cu un singur gras
author: Adelin Petrișor
name: Ms. Smartarse
average rating: 4.16
book published: 2013
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/03/19
shelves: romanian, non-fiction, tbr-long-list-ro
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Regatul Sufletelor Pierdute (Stelarium, #1)]]> 29526179 464 Ana-Maria Negrilă 9739839401 Ms. Smartarse 0 4.49 2016 Regatul Sufletelor Pierdute (Stelarium, #1)
author: Ana-Maria Negrilă
name: Ms. Smartarse
average rating: 4.49
book published: 2016
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/03/19
shelves: sci-fi, romanian, tbr-long-list-ro
review:

]]> <![CDATA[An Unexpected Evening (The Reanimator Mysteries #3.5)]]> 222284592
While Felipe is more than willing to wear a costume and dance the night away to make Oliver happy, an ominous prophecy from a sybil only hours before the festivities puts him on his guard. Unfortunately, the sybil’s warning isn’t Felipe’s only concern if the feelings coming across the tether are any indication.

Will Oliver and Felipe make it through the masquerade in one piece or will the prophetess’s warning be their undoing?

“An Unexpected Evening†is a 16,000 word novella set a few weeks after the events of The Reanimator’s Remains. To avoid confusion and spoilers, I highly suggest reading that book before this story.]]> 59 Kara Jorgensen Ms. Smartarse 3 4.12 2025 An Unexpected Evening (The Reanimator Mysteries #3.5)
author: Kara Jorgensen
name: Ms. Smartarse
average rating: 4.12
book published: 2025
rating: 3
read at: 2025/03/18
date added: 2025/03/18
shelves: part_of_a_series, action-adventure, fantasy, free-from-the-author, early-xx-century, mm
review:

]]> In These Words, Volume 1 18089869 Nicht nur das selstame Verlangen des Täters, sondern auch irritierende Albträume, von denen er heimgesucht wird, stellen Katsuyas Leben von da an völlig auf den Kopf ...]]> 200 Kichiku Neko 3842007973 Ms. Smartarse 4 In These Words, Vol. 1

US-trained psychiatrist Asano Katsuya, is asked to extract a confession from a suspected serial killer. Due to the sensitive nature of the crimes the police wish to keep everything secret, so the psychiatrist has to interview the suspect in a locked house from a dilapidated part of town.

Shinohara for his part, is quite a piece of work, acting all friendly and unbothered by his fate. And much to Asano's consternation, he also reminds the psychiatrist of a faceless man from his nightmares. One who keeps declaring his love as he rapes the protagonist...

Asano shocked by the interview room

I've been wanting to get into dark romances for a while, but none of the romanticized violence or overall YA feel of them particularly appealed to me. This title has been popping up in my Google search results whenever I was looking for yaoi manga with pretty art. Given my recent(ish) liking for Japanese horror, I finally decided to give it a chance. And booooy does it deliver.

It feels rather misleading to call any part of this series a "romance", even though later volumes do contain a strong romantic subplot. But at least no one can accuse the author(s) of putting rose tinted glasses on the horror aspects. Then again, if you're squeamish about graphic violence I would strongly advise you to give this book a wide berth.

ominous dilapidated house

I know this is explained in the following volumes, but I had quite a few issues with the premise of the story. So the police chief sends Asano to extract a confession from the suspect. Which he does, like right away, because the guy at no point tries to deny any of the accusations. But for some reason this is not sufficient and Asano just keeps on having interviews with the creepy dude. The psychiatrist doesn't question any of this, presumably because he's too busy coping with his chronic headaches? Granted, I was also very very distracted by the beautiful artwork so maybe I just missed something.

Score: 4/5 stars

Having gone through all 4 released volumes, I should warn you that the series is actually not a Japanese manga, but rather an American doujinshi which is set in Japan. It's also incomplete, with the most recent chapter (not yet bound in a volume) released some 4 years ago.

By the way, if you're interested in the English edition be prepared to dig. On the Internet but also deep in your wallet. It's nigh' impossible to find, and when you do, it goes for insane prices. I've decided to go for the German translations, because I could get them fairly cheap from a second hand bookstore. Technically, I got the first three volumes in German, and the 4th one in Japanese (by mistake). Still, at least the latter came with an extra short story (Little by Little).]]> 4.18 2012 In These Words, Volume 1
author: Kichiku Neko
name: Ms. Smartarse
average rating: 4.18
book published: 2012
rating: 4
read at: 2024/11/07
date added: 2025/03/17
shelves: part_of_a_series, graphic-novel, mm, contemporary, translated_into_german, cover-love, horror, illustrated, atmospheric, psychological
review:
Originally published as In These Words, Vol. 1

US-trained psychiatrist Asano Katsuya, is asked to extract a confession from a suspected serial killer. Due to the sensitive nature of the crimes the police wish to keep everything secret, so the psychiatrist has to interview the suspect in a locked house from a dilapidated part of town.

Shinohara for his part, is quite a piece of work, acting all friendly and unbothered by his fate. And much to Asano's consternation, he also reminds the psychiatrist of a faceless man from his nightmares. One who keeps declaring his love as he rapes the protagonist...

Asano shocked by the interview room

I've been wanting to get into dark romances for a while, but none of the romanticized violence or overall YA feel of them particularly appealed to me. This title has been popping up in my Google search results whenever I was looking for yaoi manga with pretty art. Given my recent(ish) liking for Japanese horror, I finally decided to give it a chance. And booooy does it deliver.

It feels rather misleading to call any part of this series a "romance", even though later volumes do contain a strong romantic subplot. But at least no one can accuse the author(s) of putting rose tinted glasses on the horror aspects. Then again, if you're squeamish about graphic violence I would strongly advise you to give this book a wide berth.

ominous dilapidated house

I know this is explained in the following volumes, but I had quite a few issues with the premise of the story. So the police chief sends Asano to extract a confession from the suspect. Which he does, like right away, because the guy at no point tries to deny any of the accusations. But for some reason this is not sufficient and Asano just keeps on having interviews with the creepy dude. The psychiatrist doesn't question any of this, presumably because he's too busy coping with his chronic headaches? Granted, I was also very very distracted by the beautiful artwork so maybe I just missed something.

Score: 4/5 stars

Having gone through all 4 released volumes, I should warn you that the series is actually not a Japanese manga, but rather an American doujinshi which is set in Japan. It's also incomplete, with the most recent chapter (not yet bound in a volume) released some 4 years ago.

By the way, if you're interested in the English edition be prepared to dig. On the Internet but also deep in your wallet. It's nigh' impossible to find, and when you do, it goes for insane prices. I've decided to go for the German translations, because I could get them fairly cheap from a second hand bookstore. Technically, I got the first three volumes in German, and the 4th one in Japanese (by mistake). Still, at least the latter came with an extra short story (Little by Little).
]]> <![CDATA[Aber nach drei Strophen ist Schluss!: Die Online-Omi rettet Weihnachten]]> 210448730 Die Online-Omi rettet Weihnachten!Ìý

Ob Weihnachten oder nicht, bei Renate Bergmann sind die guten Gläser immer poliert und das Silber geputzt. Man will ja auf alles vorbereitet sein, nicht wahr? Und das ganze Jahr war wirklich genug los. Jetzt steht endlich der Advent an, und Renate freut sich auf eine gemütliche Zeit und ein besonders schönes Fest mit Gänsebraten, «Sissi» und allem, was dazugehört.Ìý

Aber wie immer kommt es anders. Kaum brennt die erste Kerze auf dem Kranz, geht alles drunter und drüber. Stromausfall, kein fließendes Wasser, alle müssen bei Frau Maisel vor den Ofen – und dann kommt auch noch Kirsten aus dem Sauerland angereist, mit der Deutschen Bahn! Als wäre das nicht von vornherein zum Scheitern verurteilt.Ìý

Nie hätte Renate gedacht, dass am Ende die ganze Hausgemeinschaft in ihrer Wohnstube sitzen und zusammen Weihnachten feiern wird – sogar Frau Berber ist dabei und der nette Alex mit seiner WG. Es wird ein ganz besonderes Fest, das kann man wohl sagen. Aber das alles erzählt Ihnen Renate am besten selbst. Denn wenn Renate Bergmann etwas kann, dann Geschichten erzählen – und diese hier wird ganz besonders schön, das können Sie uns glauben.Ìý]]> 232 Renate Bergmann 3644021821 Ms. Smartarse 0 wishlist-de, german, comedy 3.97 Aber nach drei Strophen ist Schluss!: Die Online-Omi rettet Weihnachten
author: Renate Bergmann
name: Ms. Smartarse
average rating: 3.97
book published:
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/03/12
shelves: wishlist-de, german, comedy
review:

]]> Views 210822100
Die 16-jährige Lena Palmer verschwindet spurlos. Drei Tage später taucht sie in einem verstörend brutalen Video wieder auf, welches in atemberaubendem Tempo viral geht.Ìý

BKA-Kommissarin Yasira Saad soll Lena finden und die Täter identifizieren. Ihr bleibt wenig Zeit, denn schon gibt es erste gewalttätige Demonstrationen in deutschen Städten. Eine rechtsradikale Gruppierung namens »Aktiver Heimatschutz« gewinnt rasant an Zulauf. Kann Yasira die Täter verhaften, bevor der Lynchmob zuschlägt und der Rechtsstaat zu wanken beginnt?Ìý]]> 273 Marc-Uwe Kling 3843732280 Ms. Smartarse 0 tbr-considering-de 4.07 2024 Views
author: Marc-Uwe Kling
name: Ms. Smartarse
average rating: 4.07
book published: 2024
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/03/12
shelves: tbr-considering-de
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Helden und andere Dämonen (Die Prinzessinnen, #2)]]> 145108947 580 Christian Endres 398666422X Ms. Smartarse 0 3.97 2023 Helden und andere Dämonen (Die Prinzessinnen, #2)
author: Christian Endres
name: Ms. Smartarse
average rating: 3.97
book published: 2023
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/03/12
shelves: german, action-adventure, fantasy, tbr-considering-de
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Everyone on This Train Is a Suspect (Ernest Cunningham, #2)]]> 167006698
The program is a who’s who of crime writing royalty:

the debut writer (me!)

the forensic science writer

the blockbuster writer

the legal thriller writer

the literary writer

the psychological suspense writer

But when one of us is murdered, the remaining authors quickly turn into five detectives. Together, we should know how to solve a crime.

Of course, we should also know how to commit one.

How can you find a killer when all the suspects know how to get away with murder?]]> 320 Benjamin Stevenson 006327907X Ms. Smartarse 0 3.81 2023 Everyone on This Train Is a Suspect (Ernest Cunningham, #2)
author: Benjamin Stevenson
name: Ms. Smartarse
average rating: 3.81
book published: 2023
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/03/12
shelves: comedy, part_of_a_series, tbr-considering
review:

]]> <![CDATA[I Will Judge You By Your Bookshelf]]> 48573170
Ìý

It’s no secret, but we are judged by our bookshelves. We learn to read at an early age, and as we grow older we shed our beloved books for new ones. But some of us surround ourselves with books. We collect them, decorate with them, are inspired by them, and treat our books as sacred objects. In this lighthearted collection of one- and two-page comics, writer-artist Grant Snider explores bookishness in all its forms, and the love of writing and reading, building on the beloved literary comics featured on his website, Incidental Comics. I Will Judge You by Your Bookshelf Ìýis the perfect gift for bookworms of all ages.

“This playful, self-aware collection of strips and gags on the joys and frustrations of reading and writing is equal parts lighthearted and sincereÌý.Ìý.Ìý. The panels range from gently clever to surprisingly profound to laugh-out-loud.†— Publishers Weekly

“A prescient book for these times.†— Newsarama]]> 128 Grant Snider 1683358600 Ms. Smartarse 0 3.75 2020 I Will Judge You By Your Bookshelf
author: Grant Snider
name: Ms. Smartarse
average rating: 3.75
book published: 2020
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/03/12
shelves: graphic-novel, cover-love, wishlist
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Three Moments of an Explosion: Stories]]> 30331538 The City & The City and Perdido Street Station. He's also a renowned for his short stories which have appeared in The Guardian and Granta. In this new collection, China pulls together incredibly powerful stories about social issues with his usual dazzling imagination, intelligence and energy.]]> 431 China Miéville 1447235002 Ms. Smartarse 0 3.62 2009 Three Moments of an Explosion: Stories
author: China Miéville
name: Ms. Smartarse
average rating: 3.62
book published: 2009
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/03/12
shelves: short-stories, wishlist-digital
review:

]]> Looking for Jake 499415
“Jackâ€â€“Following the events of his acclaimed novel Perdido Street Station, this tale of twisted attachment and horrific revenge traces the rise and fall of the Remade Robin Hood known as Jack Half-a-Prayer.

“Familiarâ€â€“Spurned by its creator, a sorceress’s familiar embarks on a strange and unsettling odyssey of self-discovery in a coming-of-age story like no other.

Looking for Jake
Foundation
The ball room / co-written with Emma Bircham and Max Schaefer
Reports of certain events in London
Familiar
Entry taken from a medical encyclopaedia
Details
Go between
Different skies
An end to hunger
'Tis the season
Jack
On the way to the front / illustrated by Liam Sharp
The Tain]]> 304 China Miéville 0345476077 Ms. Smartarse 0 wishlist-digital 3.78 2003 Looking for Jake
author: China Miéville
name: Ms. Smartarse
average rating: 3.78
book published: 2003
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/03/12
shelves: wishlist-digital
review:

]]> <![CDATA[The Cloud Roads (Books of the Raksura, #1)]]> 9461562 ]]> 278 Martha Wells 1597802166 Ms. Smartarse 0 wishlist-digital, fantasy 3.94 2011 The Cloud Roads (Books of the Raksura, #1)
author: Martha Wells
name: Ms. Smartarse
average rating: 3.94
book published: 2011
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/03/12
shelves: wishlist-digital, fantasy
review:

]]> City of Bones 200410115
Khat soon discovers that the deadly politics of Charisat's upper tiers aren't the only danger. The relics the Warders want are the key to an Ancient magic of unknown power, and, as all the inhabitants of Charisat know, no one understands the Ancients' magic.]]> Martha Wells Ms. Smartarse 3 ancient artefacts.

Khat is a human-like creature, part of a race developed by the (extinct) ancient mages to survive in the wastelands. At odds with his original family, he now works as a low-level relic dealer in the city of Charisat. Experience has taught him to keep his dealings secret and his head low, as nothing good ever came from mixing with the upper class. Until of course news of his talents reaches said upper class, and he gets basically strong-armed into accepting a job.

Aerial view of Petra, Jordan

When it comes to world building, Martha Wells once again managed to build a very interesting society. I was truly fascinated by how masterfully she manages to depict multiple settings by relying mainly on social segregation. I love the dichotomy between the insane amount of education of the upper class and their naive world view as an inevitable result of their "privileged" lifestyle.

Truth be told, I very much wanted to like this book, so I ended up doubly disappointed by its many downsides. I spent about 70% trying to make sense of the confusing politics, 20% bored by some scholarly exposition, leaving only the remaining 10% to enjoy. If you thought Witch King felt confusing and incomplete... wait to see the end of this one.

confused man staring at whiteboard

The character development was... sometimes good, sometimes weird and cryptic, while other times more like an after thought. The friendship was great, the political machinations intriguing, but the romance rather stilted. I was also a bit weirded out by the way sex was handled, i.e. mostly fade to black, except for that one scene where Khat needs to hide an artefact on short notice. I'll let you guess where he stashed it.

Score: 3.4/5 stars

I chose City of Bones specifically because it is a stand-alone story that would hopefully not end things on a cliff-hanger. Plot-wise, I got what I wanted, but when it came to character development, I rather wish that the romantic aspects had been skipped. Not because they didn't make sense in the context, but more due to the author's reluctance to give them sufficient screen time.

I will definitely continue to check out the author's other works, keeping in mind that her earlier works' would benefit from a bit more polishing.]]> 3.88 1995 City of Bones
author: Martha Wells
name: Ms. Smartarse
average rating: 3.88
book published: 1995
rating: 3
read at: 2025/02/06
date added: 2025/03/11
shelves: audible, fantasy, action-adventure, dystopia, perfect-ending
review:
In a post-apocalyptic world, mostly covered by wasteland, humanity can only survive within large cities. In an attempt to recover some of the old civilisation, the rich rely on research of the ancient artefacts.

Khat is a human-like creature, part of a race developed by the (extinct) ancient mages to survive in the wastelands. At odds with his original family, he now works as a low-level relic dealer in the city of Charisat. Experience has taught him to keep his dealings secret and his head low, as nothing good ever came from mixing with the upper class. Until of course news of his talents reaches said upper class, and he gets basically strong-armed into accepting a job.

Aerial view of Petra, Jordan

When it comes to world building, Martha Wells once again managed to build a very interesting society. I was truly fascinated by how masterfully she manages to depict multiple settings by relying mainly on social segregation. I love the dichotomy between the insane amount of education of the upper class and their naive world view as an inevitable result of their "privileged" lifestyle.

Truth be told, I very much wanted to like this book, so I ended up doubly disappointed by its many downsides. I spent about 70% trying to make sense of the confusing politics, 20% bored by some scholarly exposition, leaving only the remaining 10% to enjoy. If you thought Witch King felt confusing and incomplete... wait to see the end of this one.

confused man staring at whiteboard

The character development was... sometimes good, sometimes weird and cryptic, while other times more like an after thought. The friendship was great, the political machinations intriguing, but the romance rather stilted. I was also a bit weirded out by the way sex was handled, i.e. mostly fade to black, except for that one scene where Khat needs to hide an artefact on short notice. I'll let you guess where he stashed it.

Score: 3.4/5 stars

I chose City of Bones specifically because it is a stand-alone story that would hopefully not end things on a cliff-hanger. Plot-wise, I got what I wanted, but when it came to character development, I rather wish that the romantic aspects had been skipped. Not because they didn't make sense in the context, but more due to the author's reluctance to give them sufficient screen time.

I will definitely continue to check out the author's other works, keeping in mind that her earlier works' would benefit from a bit more polishing.
]]> The Road 6288
A father and his son walk alone through burned America. Nothing moves in the ravaged landscape save the ash on the wind. It is cold enough to crack stones, and when the snow falls it is gray. The sky is dark. Their destination is the coast, although they don’t know what, if anything, awaits them there. They have nothing; just a pistol to defend themselves against the lawless bands that stalk the road, the clothes they are wearing, a cart of scavenged food—and each other.

The Road is the profoundly moving story of a journey. It boldly imagines a future in which no hope remains, but in which the father and his son, “each the other’s world entire,†are sustained by love. Awesome in the totality of its vision, it is an unflinching meditation on the worst and the best that we are capable of: ultimate destructiveness, desperate tenacity, and the tenderness that keeps two people alive in the face of total devastation.]]> 241 Cormac McCarthy 0307265439 Ms. Smartarse 0 tbr-considering, horror 3.99 2006 The Road
author: Cormac McCarthy
name: Ms. Smartarse
average rating: 3.99
book published: 2006
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/03/11
shelves: tbr-considering, horror
review:

]]> Dead End House 122495060
The abandoned house at the end of Millhaven Road stands on blighted and barren ground, as if nature itself shuns this tainted place. It is known simply as DEAD END HOUSE, and unspeakably terrible things happened there long ago. Murder, torture, mutilations, cannibalism, and necrophilia. Vile deeds spawning an enduring legend of horror.

But DEAD END HOUSE only looks abandoned. Behind its blacked-out windows and crumbling facade, the evil endures. So step up to the front door and knock if you dare. Crazy Calvin and his lunatic sister have been sharpening their knives and are eager to see you.]]> 261 Bryan Smith Ms. Smartarse 0 tbr-considering, horror 3.78 Dead End House
author: Bryan Smith
name: Ms. Smartarse
average rating: 3.78
book published:
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/03/11
shelves: tbr-considering, horror
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Im Schatten des Märchenerzählers]]> 60546442 464 Antonia Michaelis 3751201653 Ms. Smartarse 4 The Storyteller, Anna is working as a librarian/youth councilor for troubled teens. She also has a 17-year-old son, who grew up more like a little sibling, rather than a son to Anna. A son, who now looks a hell-of-a-lot like his father, and is graced with a similar flair for storytelling though instead of words he resorts to videos and music.

Elias at the beach

Antonia Michaelis' writing has this truly special quality that can transport me into a magical dimension of an otherwise mundane realm. Even though, things technically take place in a rather ordinary contemporary setting, the protagonist's (metaphorical) tinted glasses could transform even the dullest view into wonderland.

Creating a continuation to a very popular book is always a challenge, especially when it's an unplanned one done a decade later. Chances are that the author would need to resort to some serious writing acrobatics, risk damage to the prequel and of course alienate existing fans. I'm the last person to claim expertise in literary analysis, but I've often felt as if this book had gone through some (melo)drama intensity treatment, which of course upped the level of teenage angst... by relying on an insane amount of teenage idiocy.

dramatic villains

The writing style has kept its beautifully atmospheric vibe, and the whole troubled adolescence aspect is very well described. When it comes to the introduction of a fairy-tale component however, things could have turned out better. Now, in all fairness I haven't reread the original, so I can't realistically compare the nature of the real-life clues dropped in the fairy tale. I do however remember being outright excited to read them, while in here I felt mostly confused. Possibly because a lot of the events being referenced in the story involve people who have yet to show up in real life.

Still, I might have given it all a pass if it weren't for Elias' complete freak out over every single (dubious) piece of information. Yes, we are meant to give him a whole lot of slack due to his family situation, but even so... the adults around him are surprisingly hands off. And speaking of the adults: why in the hell wouldn't they at least send him to a high school where the teachers didn't constantly judge Elias for his father's actions?!

letter delivery

Score: 3.6/5 stars

I have very fond memories of the original Storyteller book, which makes it hard for me to rate this one low. Especially because the writing style and the topic of troubled teenagers are really well handled... except for the parts where Elias does a lot of stupid shit and the adults around him handle it by looking at him sadly.

------------
Review of The Storyteller

Check out the official .]]> 4.21 2022 Im Schatten des Märchenerzählers
author: Antonia Michaelis
name: Ms. Smartarse
average rating: 4.21
book published: 2022
rating: 4
read at: 2025/02/10
date added: 2025/03/08
shelves: german, young-adult, cover-love, part_of_a_series, contemporary, quotable, atmospheric, death, disturbing, drama, literary_fiction, made-me-cry, magical-realism, murder, mystery, nostalgic
review:
18 years after the end of The Storyteller, Anna is working as a librarian/youth councilor for troubled teens. She also has a 17-year-old son, who grew up more like a little sibling, rather than a son to Anna. A son, who now looks a hell-of-a-lot like his father, and is graced with a similar flair for storytelling though instead of words he resorts to videos and music.

Elias at the beach

Antonia Michaelis' writing has this truly special quality that can transport me into a magical dimension of an otherwise mundane realm. Even though, things technically take place in a rather ordinary contemporary setting, the protagonist's (metaphorical) tinted glasses could transform even the dullest view into wonderland.

Creating a continuation to a very popular book is always a challenge, especially when it's an unplanned one done a decade later. Chances are that the author would need to resort to some serious writing acrobatics, risk damage to the prequel and of course alienate existing fans. I'm the last person to claim expertise in literary analysis, but I've often felt as if this book had gone through some (melo)drama intensity treatment, which of course upped the level of teenage angst... by relying on an insane amount of teenage idiocy.

dramatic villains

The writing style has kept its beautifully atmospheric vibe, and the whole troubled adolescence aspect is very well described. When it comes to the introduction of a fairy-tale component however, things could have turned out better. Now, in all fairness I haven't reread the original, so I can't realistically compare the nature of the real-life clues dropped in the fairy tale. I do however remember being outright excited to read them, while in here I felt mostly confused. Possibly because a lot of the events being referenced in the story involve people who have yet to show up in real life.

Still, I might have given it all a pass if it weren't for Elias' complete freak out over every single (dubious) piece of information. Yes, we are meant to give him a whole lot of slack due to his family situation, but even so... the adults around him are surprisingly hands off. And speaking of the adults: why in the hell wouldn't they at least send him to a high school where the teachers didn't constantly judge Elias for his father's actions?!

letter delivery

Score: 3.6/5 stars

I have very fond memories of the original Storyteller book, which makes it hard for me to rate this one low. Especially because the writing style and the topic of troubled teenagers are really well handled... except for the parts where Elias does a lot of stupid shit and the adults around him handle it by looking at him sadly.

------------
Review of The Storyteller

Check out the official .
]]> Zoo 6149338 257 Otsuichi 1421525879 Ms. Smartarse 0 3.95 2003 Zoo
author: Otsuichi
name: Ms. Smartarse
average rating: 3.95
book published: 2003
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/03/08
shelves: horror, japanese-lit, short-stories, translated_into_english, tbr-long-list
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Brigands & Breadknives (Legends & Lattes, #2)]]> 222376572 Return to the cozy fantasy world of the #1 New York Times bestselling Legends & Lattes series with a new adventure featuring fan-favorite, foul-mouthed bookseller, Fern.

Fern has weathered the stillness and storms of a bookseller’s life for decades, but now, in the face of crippling ennui, transplants herself to the city of Thune to hang out her shingle beside a long-absent friend’s coffee shop. What could be a better pairing? Surely a charming renovation montage will cure what ails her!

If only things were so simple…

It turns out that fixing your life isn’t a one-time prospect, nor as easy as a change of scenery and a lick of paint.

A drunken and desperate night sees the rattkin waking far from home in the company of a legendary warrior surviving on inertia, an imprisoned chaos-goblin with a fondness for silverware, and an absolutely thumping hangover.

As together they fend off a rogue’s gallery of ne’er-do-wells trying to claim the bounty the goblin represents, Fern may finally reconnect with the person she actually is when there isn’t a job to get in the way.]]> 336 Travis Baldree 1250334888 Ms. Smartarse 0 fantasy, wishlist-unpublished 4.12 2025 Brigands & Breadknives (Legends & Lattes, #2)
author: Travis Baldree
name: Ms. Smartarse
average rating: 4.12
book published: 2025
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/03/08
shelves: fantasy, wishlist-unpublished
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Daindreth's Assassin (Daindreth's Assassin #1)]]> 60424695 An assassin falls for the archduke she was sent to kill, but killing him might be the only way to save his soul.

Magic has two immutable rules—every spell requires a sacrifice and every curse can be broken.

Amira Brindonu is a sorceress turned assassin, bound in a curse that forces her to obey her father, even to the point of high treason. When he orders her to kill the future emperor, she fails, but discovers a secret that could bring the whole of the empire to its knees.

The archduke is stricken by a curse that could sentence him and his people to damnation, but Amira could be the only key to breaking it. In a desperate last-ditch effort, the archduke takes Amira prisoner and makes a pact to protect her from her curse if she will help free him of his own.

As time begins to run out, Amira soon learns that there are enemies that blades can’t touch and there are fates worse than death. Caught in a web of sorcery, intrigue, and her growing feelings for the archduke, the assassin must decide just how much she is willing to give to save the only man she’s ever loved.

Every curse can be broken, but can two cursed people save each other?

Beauty and the Beast meets The Witcher in this Fantasy Romance that is sure to delight fans of Sarah J. Maas, Kristin Cashore, and Leigh Bardugo.]]> Elisabeth Wheatley Ms. Smartarse 4 and magically linked to said guy.

Not an ideal situation, but Daindreth himself is surprisingly chill and even kind about the whole assassination thing. Amira is definitely weirded out by it all, but she's also very much starved for affection, sooo... *wink-wink nudge-nudge*

shy couple acting fake close

I haven't read a heterosexual romance story for quite a while, and I have to admit that I was pleasantly surprised by how decent I found it. Don't get me wrong, I won't be abandoning my M/M romances any time soon, but I enjoyed the protagonist's interactions more than I thought I would. To be fair, their chemistry still feels kind of... cheesy, possibly due to the YA vibes, but I loved to see their relationship evolve from the initial physical attraction to deeper feelings.

I was quite interested in the world building, and loved how flawed every single character is. Especially because I tend to be used to people who're insanely talented at this one specific thing that let's them get away with any other weakness. In here, most people were just very very good at stuff, but not so much that it would compensate for all their other shortcomings.

threatened with a blade

I am having a bit of trouble keeping the various names of people, places, races and occupations straight, but I'm hoping to get past that by the next book. Plus, continuing to reading things, as opposed to listening, tends to help as well.

Score: 3.7/5 stars

There are plenty of things I found questionable, but for the most part I'm really enjoying the story and the cast. Especially Thadred, who is basically the epitome of the flawed rake, i.e. the type of guy I love to salivate over in historical romances.]]> 3.68 2021 Daindreth's Assassin (Daindreth's Assassin #1)
author: Elisabeth Wheatley
name: Ms. Smartarse
average rating: 3.68
book published: 2021
rating: 4
read at: 2025/01/18
date added: 2025/03/07
shelves: fantasy, part_of_a_series, cover-love, audible, romantasy, action-adventure, kickass-protagonist
review:
Amira Brindonu is an ex-princess turned assassin, magically compelled to fulfill her master's (a.k.a her father's) orders. After failing to kill the future emperor/her sister's husband-to-be, the protagonist finds herself betrothed and magically linked to said guy.

Not an ideal situation, but Daindreth himself is surprisingly chill and even kind about the whole assassination thing. Amira is definitely weirded out by it all, but she's also very much starved for affection, sooo... *wink-wink nudge-nudge*

shy couple acting fake close

I haven't read a heterosexual romance story for quite a while, and I have to admit that I was pleasantly surprised by how decent I found it. Don't get me wrong, I won't be abandoning my M/M romances any time soon, but I enjoyed the protagonist's interactions more than I thought I would. To be fair, their chemistry still feels kind of... cheesy, possibly due to the YA vibes, but I loved to see their relationship evolve from the initial physical attraction to deeper feelings.

I was quite interested in the world building, and loved how flawed every single character is. Especially because I tend to be used to people who're insanely talented at this one specific thing that let's them get away with any other weakness. In here, most people were just very very good at stuff, but not so much that it would compensate for all their other shortcomings.

threatened with a blade

I am having a bit of trouble keeping the various names of people, places, races and occupations straight, but I'm hoping to get past that by the next book. Plus, continuing to reading things, as opposed to listening, tends to help as well.

Score: 3.7/5 stars

There are plenty of things I found questionable, but for the most part I'm really enjoying the story and the cast. Especially Thadred, who is basically the epitome of the flawed rake, i.e. the type of guy I love to salivate over in historical romances.
]]> <![CDATA[Readymade Bodhisattva: The Kaya Anthology of South Korean Science Fiction]]> 38814143
Coming from a country renowned for its hi-tech industry and ultraspeed broadband yet mired in the unfinished Cold War, South Korean science fiction offers us fresh perspectives on global technoindustrial modernity and its human consequences. The book also features a critical introduction, an essay on SF fandom in South Korea, and contextualizing information and annotations for each story.]]> 528 Sunyoung Park 1885030576 Ms. Smartarse 3 (South) Korean literature. While I like to immerse myself into a fictional (South) Korea marvelling at all the colourful little details, the editor is determined to hold a lecture on the topic.

Or maybe, it's just a matter of culture clash wherein I was just looking for entertainment, but someone started screaming at me for not taking notes for the upcoming exam.

stare in wonder

If it had been up to me, I would have chosen only short stories, adding a brief list of other recommended works by the same author. I understand the desire to show excerpts from famous novels, but if half of said excerpt consists of explanatory footnotes, then the story either needs to be longer to include the necessary context, requires more editing to clear up its message, or... the publisher/editor has severe control issues.

Additionally, I really could've done without the several pages' worth of critical analysis on the author. Why would you want to spoil the short story you're about to present just before people start to read it?! If the story is so culturally hermetic that outsiders are unlikely to understand it, then maybe it doesn't belong in an anthology destined for a foreign audience.

Pustule-covered man speaking in a microphone

Despite my previous complaints, I did find some real gems:

Along the Fragments of My Body - at an art exhibition, a robot displays all their original parts which (theoretically) could be used to rebuild the original version of itself.

Storm Between My Teeth - warriors of an alien race are "planted" on Earth to mature, find one another and eventually fight to the death. One of them decides to rebel.

alien warrior

Sky Walker - in a world where trampoline jumping is a heavily regulated sport and religious ritual, one gymnast tries her hand at innovation. Society at large is not amused...

Our Banished World - In a world where school has moved completely online, students can only hang out offline on yearly class trips. This year's trip keeps getting postponed though...

Score: 3.44 / 5 stars

Plot-wise every single one of the stories was brilliant, but the execution left a lot to be desired.
The overly academic preface would also often take away from the reading enjoyment, especially since it made it feel as if the reader was about to be quizzed and graded on the upcoming story.

----------------------
ARC provided by via in exchange for an honest and fair review.]]> 4.02 2018 Readymade Bodhisattva: The Kaya Anthology of South Korean Science Fiction
author: Sunyoung Park
name: Ms. Smartarse
average rating: 4.02
book published: 2018
rating: 3
read at: 2025/01/10
date added: 2025/03/06
shelves: netgalley, korean-lit, sci-fi, short-stories, illustrated
review:
The editor(s) of this anthology and I seem to have vastly different ways of enjoying literature, specifically (South) Korean literature. While I like to immerse myself into a fictional (South) Korea marvelling at all the colourful little details, the editor is determined to hold a lecture on the topic.

Or maybe, it's just a matter of culture clash wherein I was just looking for entertainment, but someone started screaming at me for not taking notes for the upcoming exam.

stare in wonder

If it had been up to me, I would have chosen only short stories, adding a brief list of other recommended works by the same author. I understand the desire to show excerpts from famous novels, but if half of said excerpt consists of explanatory footnotes, then the story either needs to be longer to include the necessary context, requires more editing to clear up its message, or... the publisher/editor has severe control issues.

Additionally, I really could've done without the several pages' worth of critical analysis on the author. Why would you want to spoil the short story you're about to present just before people start to read it?! If the story is so culturally hermetic that outsiders are unlikely to understand it, then maybe it doesn't belong in an anthology destined for a foreign audience.

Pustule-covered man speaking in a microphone

Despite my previous complaints, I did find some real gems:

Along the Fragments of My Body - at an art exhibition, a robot displays all their original parts which (theoretically) could be used to rebuild the original version of itself.

Storm Between My Teeth - warriors of an alien race are "planted" on Earth to mature, find one another and eventually fight to the death. One of them decides to rebel.

alien warrior

Sky Walker - in a world where trampoline jumping is a heavily regulated sport and religious ritual, one gymnast tries her hand at innovation. Society at large is not amused...

Our Banished World - In a world where school has moved completely online, students can only hang out offline on yearly class trips. This year's trip keeps getting postponed though...

Score: 3.44 / 5 stars

Plot-wise every single one of the stories was brilliant, but the execution left a lot to be desired.
The overly academic preface would also often take away from the reading enjoyment, especially since it made it feel as if the reader was about to be quizzed and graded on the upcoming story.

----------------------
ARC provided by via in exchange for an honest and fair review.
]]> <![CDATA[The Reanimator's Remains (The Reanimator Mysteries Book 3)]]> 210205527 An autistic necromancer, his undead love, and a town built on secrets

When the dead start rising and wreaking havoc in the small town of Aldorhaven, no one at the Paranormal Society wants to take the case; no one but Oliver Barlow. While he knows little of his parents’ lives, he knows he was born in Aldorhaven. Perhaps there, he might finally find out what happened to them or if he has any family left.



The last thing Felipe Galvan wants to do is go to a strange town in the middle of the woods, but for Oliver, he’ll go. From the moment they arrive, Felipe is haunted by memories better left buried and reminded that one misstep is all it would take for him to lose control and become the monster he was always meant to be.



But it isn’t merely the dead plaguing Aldorhaven, something far worse lurks in the woods and in Oliver’s blood. Together, Oliver and Felipe must untangle the magic hidden in the town’s past and destroy it before it can claim Oliver’s life.]]> 360 Kara Jorgensen Ms. Smartarse 4
Felipe is determined to refuse the assignment at first, but relents when Oliver reveals that he had in fact been born in Aldorhaven.

haunted village

This story was right up my spooky alley. There's a remote village where people have started dying in "unnatural" ways: an intriguing mix of undead attacks and sudden illnesses, plus the local doctor's all-around reticence to consider the supernatural. There's the obligatory powerful family controlling the town, and all the untouchable consequences that come with it. This reminded me of the first two seasons of Supernatural, all about the creepy magic, before the plot took a turns toward the biblical lore.

And we can't forget the tonnes of backstory we get for both protagonists: Oliver through "regular" socializing, and Felipe through rather unpleasant dreams and hallucinations. Had I been asked about the convenience of it all before reading, I would've definitely rolled my eyes at the sheer amount of cheesiness. But it ended up working in here. I am definitely still hooked and can't wait for the last two instalments of the series.

Sam and Dean Winchester excited clapping

There was one aspect that really annoyed me, though. Well... maybe more than one, but I'm willing to give all those snagging gazes a pass. So Gwen's presence in the investigation is seriously questionable. Don't get me wrong: I love that Oliver has a BFF who stands by him at all times, and how handy her telekinetic powers come in during crucial moments, but beyond that, she is basically the equivalent of a "comfort familiar". Yes, one that has magical powers, is part of an ethnic minority and who can occasionally fulfill the role of a therapist.

Score: 4/5 stars

Plot-wise, this was the most exciting book yet, and I can't wait to see where things go from here. I just wish that the diverse cast of characters didn't (mostly) exist to tick a box in a checklist.

-------------------------
Review of book 1: The Reanimator's Heart
Review of book 2: The Reanimator's Soul]]> 4.48 2024 The Reanimator's Remains (The Reanimator Mysteries Book 3)
author: Kara Jorgensen
name: Ms. Smartarse
average rating: 4.48
book published: 2024
rating: 4
read at: 2025/01/03
date added: 2025/03/06
shelves: action-adventure, mm, paranormal, historical, early-xx-century, murder, mystery, cover-love, part_of_a_series, guilty-pleasure, satisfying-ending, rave
review:
Oliver, Felipe and Gwen are sent to investigate a so-called Murdertown, i.e. a place where magical accidents have gone out of control. There have been a number of unexplained resurrections, where the dead have taken to attacking the town's people, so Oliver's necromancy and Gwen's (academic) interest in vampires, not to mention Felipe's all around genius self are best suited for the mission... or so the head of the New York Paranormal Society claims.

Felipe is determined to refuse the assignment at first, but relents when Oliver reveals that he had in fact been born in Aldorhaven.

haunted village

This story was right up my spooky alley. There's a remote village where people have started dying in "unnatural" ways: an intriguing mix of undead attacks and sudden illnesses, plus the local doctor's all-around reticence to consider the supernatural. There's the obligatory powerful family controlling the town, and all the untouchable consequences that come with it. This reminded me of the first two seasons of Supernatural, all about the creepy magic, before the plot took a turns toward the biblical lore.

And we can't forget the tonnes of backstory we get for both protagonists: Oliver through "regular" socializing, and Felipe through rather unpleasant dreams and hallucinations. Had I been asked about the convenience of it all before reading, I would've definitely rolled my eyes at the sheer amount of cheesiness. But it ended up working in here. I am definitely still hooked and can't wait for the last two instalments of the series.

Sam and Dean Winchester excited clapping

There was one aspect that really annoyed me, though. Well... maybe more than one, but I'm willing to give all those snagging gazes a pass. So Gwen's presence in the investigation is seriously questionable. Don't get me wrong: I love that Oliver has a BFF who stands by him at all times, and how handy her telekinetic powers come in during crucial moments, but beyond that, she is basically the equivalent of a "comfort familiar". Yes, one that has magical powers, is part of an ethnic minority and who can occasionally fulfill the role of a therapist.

Score: 4/5 stars

Plot-wise, this was the most exciting book yet, and I can't wait to see where things go from here. I just wish that the diverse cast of characters didn't (mostly) exist to tick a box in a checklist.

-------------------------
Review of book 1: The Reanimator's Heart
Review of book 2: The Reanimator's Soul
]]> Viata incepe vineri 9220799 Romanul, alert, cu un fir al acţiunii semipoliţist, cu personaje extrem de vii, dintre cele care-ţi devin prieteni, se petrece în numai treisprezece zile: de vineri 19 decembrie până la sfârşitul anului. Atmosfera lumii bucureştene din preajma anului 1900 este recreată ca-ntr-un film. Ajunge să deschizi cartea şi te afli, deja, acolo.]]> 304 Ioana Pârvulescu 9735028719 Ms. Smartarse 3 Published in English as Life Begins on Friday.

Two mysterious young men are found outside Bucharest, on the morning of the 19th December 1897. One of them is confused as heck about his whereabouts, wearing clothes unfit for the weather (and the century), while the other is barely alive, with a bullet hole in his chest.

Initially cause for quite a bit of concern, less than 24 hours late, almost everyone is ready to move on. The police chief does his best to keep the investigation going, but not to the detriment up his busy social life.
21-year-old Miss Iulia Margulis for one, is definitely more interested in finishing Vanity Fair by the new year, and in (hopefully) catching the eye of a specific young man.
8-year-old Nicu, everyone's favourite errand boy, is by rights much too busy earning a living for himself and his sick mother.
Dan Crețu is about the only person invested in the issue, seeing as he is the mysterious confused man, trying to find his bearings in a different time.

1890s Bucharest

The overall story and narration-style reminded me a lot of I.L. Caragiale's work, with its humorous take on people's preoccupation with the mundane. While I generally enjoy reading the occasional short story set in this era, I can see people getting unpleasant flashbacks from their high school days.

I would've personally skipped all the maudlin' stream of consciousness that each and every one of these characters fall victim to... except maybe for Iulia and Dan's, but even there I feel like I should have drunk myself stupid, before attempting to tackle them in all seriousness.

getting seriously drunk

Fans of murder mysteries and genius sleuths will be very disappointed. Though it may initially appear as if some detecting is about to take place, the author decided to take a more realistic approach here. Specifically the bored employees who're only in it for the pay, as such keen on dumping the guilt on the first upstart to cross their investigation. To be fair, the mystery does eventually get solved in a very Poirot-like manner... as in we get this really smart guy basically picking clues out of thin air, towards the last 10% of the book.

Score: 3.3/5 stars

If you're familiar with Bucharest, you might enjoy all the name-dropping of late-19th century landmarks and glimpses of social life. Otherwise, while the story is well-written and has an interesting premise, it also goes on a lot of tangents that don't really end up going anywhere.
In other words: I'm really not invested enough to continue with the sequel (Viitorul începe luni which translates to "The Future Begins on Monday").]]> 3.50 2009 Viata incepe vineri
author: Ioana Pârvulescu
name: Ms. Smartarse
average rating: 3.50
book published: 2009
rating: 3
read at: 2025/01/25
date added: 2025/03/06
shelves: romanian, book-club, early-xx-century, comedy, historical, slice-of-life
review:
Published in English as Life Begins on Friday.

Two mysterious young men are found outside Bucharest, on the morning of the 19th December 1897. One of them is confused as heck about his whereabouts, wearing clothes unfit for the weather (and the century), while the other is barely alive, with a bullet hole in his chest.

Initially cause for quite a bit of concern, less than 24 hours late, almost everyone is ready to move on. The police chief does his best to keep the investigation going, but not to the detriment up his busy social life.
21-year-old Miss Iulia Margulis for one, is definitely more interested in finishing Vanity Fair by the new year, and in (hopefully) catching the eye of a specific young man.
8-year-old Nicu, everyone's favourite errand boy, is by rights much too busy earning a living for himself and his sick mother.
Dan Crețu is about the only person invested in the issue, seeing as he is the mysterious confused man, trying to find his bearings in a different time.

1890s Bucharest

The overall story and narration-style reminded me a lot of I.L. Caragiale's work, with its humorous take on people's preoccupation with the mundane. While I generally enjoy reading the occasional short story set in this era, I can see people getting unpleasant flashbacks from their high school days.

I would've personally skipped all the maudlin' stream of consciousness that each and every one of these characters fall victim to... except maybe for Iulia and Dan's, but even there I feel like I should have drunk myself stupid, before attempting to tackle them in all seriousness.

getting seriously drunk

Fans of murder mysteries and genius sleuths will be very disappointed. Though it may initially appear as if some detecting is about to take place, the author decided to take a more realistic approach here. Specifically the bored employees who're only in it for the pay, as such keen on dumping the guilt on the first upstart to cross their investigation. To be fair, the mystery does eventually get solved in a very Poirot-like manner... as in we get this really smart guy basically picking clues out of thin air, towards the last 10% of the book.

Score: 3.3/5 stars

If you're familiar with Bucharest, you might enjoy all the name-dropping of late-19th century landmarks and glimpses of social life. Otherwise, while the story is well-written and has an interesting premise, it also goes on a lot of tangents that don't really end up going anywhere.
In other words: I'm really not invested enough to continue with the sequel (Viitorul începe luni which translates to "The Future Begins on Monday").
]]> Alles muss versteckt sein 35485742 Wiebke Lorenz Ms. Smartarse 4
Intent on punishing herself for having succumbed to her violent urges, Marie is initially determined to seclude herself from the world at large, including the other patients and her mandatory therapy sessions. As time passes, she devides to start up therapy after all, to convince her psychiatrist to send her to prison.

As she tells her story in therapy, Marie starts to question her convictions.

woman curled up in a hospital ward

I've had this book on my tbr pile for several years now, having looked for a very grisly horror story with possible murder mystery vibes. The end result was actually more psychological than horror, in the sense that most of the grisly imagery was "just" in Marie's imagination. Still, the psychological aspects ended up intriguing me way more than I expected, as they painted a very atmospheric read... well listening experience.

I was positively hooked on unraveling the sequence of events that began with the destruction of Marie's fairy-tale family life.

I eventually stopped caring about "solving" the murder mystery, as much as wanting to understand Marie and the events that led her to the psych ward.

Score: 4.4/5 stars

Thinking is NOT doing.

I loved the thrill of discovering Marie's story, the narrator's performance, and the overall uncertainty and danger vibes that hovered around the events of the story.

I could've done without Marie's many naive mistakes when it came to online relationships... but I guess one can't have it all.]]> 4.00 2012 Alles muss versteckt sein
author: Wiebke Lorenz
name: Ms. Smartarse
average rating: 4.00
book published: 2012
rating: 4
read at: 2024/11/30
date added: 2025/03/04
shelves: german, audible, horror, psychological, mystery, contemporary, atmospheric, awesome_voice_acting, disappointing-ending
review:
38-year-old Marie Neumann is locked up in a psych ward, having allegedly murdered her boyfriend, a famous novelist. While Marie herself cannot actually recall killing the man, all evidence points to her, especially because she had been suffering of hallucinations of hurting her loved ones.

Intent on punishing herself for having succumbed to her violent urges, Marie is initially determined to seclude herself from the world at large, including the other patients and her mandatory therapy sessions. As time passes, she devides to start up therapy after all, to convince her psychiatrist to send her to prison.

As she tells her story in therapy, Marie starts to question her convictions.

woman curled up in a hospital ward

I've had this book on my tbr pile for several years now, having looked for a very grisly horror story with possible murder mystery vibes. The end result was actually more psychological than horror, in the sense that most of the grisly imagery was "just" in Marie's imagination. Still, the psychological aspects ended up intriguing me way more than I expected, as they painted a very atmospheric read... well listening experience.

I was positively hooked on unraveling the sequence of events that began with the destruction of Marie's fairy-tale family life.

I eventually stopped caring about "solving" the murder mystery, as much as wanting to understand Marie and the events that led her to the psych ward.

Score: 4.4/5 stars

Thinking is NOT doing.

I loved the thrill of discovering Marie's story, the narrator's performance, and the overall uncertainty and danger vibes that hovered around the events of the story.

I could've done without Marie's many naive mistakes when it came to online relationships... but I guess one can't have it all.
]]> <![CDATA[Manualul războinicului luminii]]> 17285221 152 Paulo Coelho 9735005220 Ms. Smartarse 1 3.40 Manualul războinicului luminii
author: Paulo Coelho
name: Ms. Smartarse
average rating: 3.40
book published:
rating: 1
read at: 2000/01/01
date added: 2025/03/04
shelves: spiritual, translated_into_romanian, dropped, did-not-finish, not-my-cup-of-tea, poetry
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Prelude to Foundation (Foundation, #6)]]> 55714116 This daring story of humanity’s future introduces one of the great masterworks of science fiction: the Foundation novels of Isaac Asimov. Unsurpassed for their unique blend of nonstop action, bold ideas, and extensive world-building, they chronicle the struggle of a courageous group of people to save civilization from a relentless tide of darkness and violence—beginning with one exceptional man.

It is the year 12,020 G.E. and Emperor Cleon I sits uneasily on the Imperial throne of Trantor. Here in the great multidomed capital of the Galactic Empire, forty billion people have created a civilization of unimaginable technological and cultural complexity. Yet Cleon knows there are those who would see him fall—those whom he would destroy if only he could read the future.

Hari Seldon has come to Trantor to deliver his paper on psychohistory, his remarkable theory of prediction. Little does the young Outworld mathematician know that he has already sealed his fate and the fate of humanity. For Hari possesses the prophetic power that makes him the most wanted man in the Empire . . . the man who holds the key to the future—an apocalyptic power to be known forever after as the Foundation.]]> 530 Isaac Asimov Ms. Smartarse 5
Running for his life through various sectors of the imperial capital, Seldon tries to delve into the origin of an Empire rumoured to be on its last legs. After all a working science of psychohistory could be invaluable in providing a means of salvation...

futuristic cityscape

I had initially meant to read this book to discuss the changes in TV series with my book club, but ended up barely grazing the subject. I am not sorry though, because the amount and quality of the world-building here is just amazing. Twice as long as the Foundation (i.e. the 1st book, not the series), this book gives the reader a much better understanding of the early signs of the Empire's collapse, by introducing a clever tactic of ingenious inventions left abandoned, due to lack of resources for mass-production.

Set some 40 years before the start of the Foundation, we meet a much more naive and idealistic Hari Seldon, with a penchant for scientific flights of fancy and the occasional flirting session. I especially enjoyed seeing the clash between Seldon's scientific common sense, and Chetter Hummin's political one: both making excellent (if often contradictory) points.

scientist pondering

The only thing that detracted from my enjoyment, was the protagonist's awkward attempt at flirting. I even suspected sarcasm initially, as Hari's sudden sleazy remarks felt rather out of character. It's funny how much I don't want to see romantic (sub)plots outside the genre anymore, when I could hardly picture a happy ending without it ten years ago.

Score: 4.8/5 stars

This was the book that made me fall in love with Asimov's stories, and now it's the book that brings back fond memories of the Robot series. I loved the clever Easter-Eggs that reference places and people from the 4 books, especially when Seldon tries to asses their accuracy.


"The more valued and the more carefully preserved particular information is, the more long-lasting and accurate it may be.â€
“The key word is ‘particular.’ What the Book may care to preserve may not be what you wish to have preserved and what a robot may remember best may be what you wish him to remember least.â€


==================
Review of book 3 (chronological order): Foundation
Review of book 4 (chronological order): Foundation and Empire
Review of book 5 (chronological order): Second Foundation]]> 4.43 1988 Prelude to Foundation (Foundation, #6)
author: Isaac Asimov
name: Ms. Smartarse
average rating: 4.43
book published: 1988
rating: 5
read at: 2023/06/05
date added: 2025/02/27
shelves: sci-fi, translated_into_romanian, oldies-but-goldies, favorites
review:
Before Hari Seldon became the fearsome apostle of doom, and the legendary founder of psychohistory, he was an idealistic 30-year-old with an interesting scientific theory. He only meant to start a hypothetical discussion among fellow mathematicians, but ended up seriously pondering its practical applicability.

Running for his life through various sectors of the imperial capital, Seldon tries to delve into the origin of an Empire rumoured to be on its last legs. After all a working science of psychohistory could be invaluable in providing a means of salvation...

futuristic cityscape

I had initially meant to read this book to discuss the changes in TV series with my book club, but ended up barely grazing the subject. I am not sorry though, because the amount and quality of the world-building here is just amazing. Twice as long as the Foundation (i.e. the 1st book, not the series), this book gives the reader a much better understanding of the early signs of the Empire's collapse, by introducing a clever tactic of ingenious inventions left abandoned, due to lack of resources for mass-production.

Set some 40 years before the start of the Foundation, we meet a much more naive and idealistic Hari Seldon, with a penchant for scientific flights of fancy and the occasional flirting session. I especially enjoyed seeing the clash between Seldon's scientific common sense, and Chetter Hummin's political one: both making excellent (if often contradictory) points.

scientist pondering

The only thing that detracted from my enjoyment, was the protagonist's awkward attempt at flirting. I even suspected sarcasm initially, as Hari's sudden sleazy remarks felt rather out of character. It's funny how much I don't want to see romantic (sub)plots outside the genre anymore, when I could hardly picture a happy ending without it ten years ago.

Score: 4.8/5 stars

This was the book that made me fall in love with Asimov's stories, and now it's the book that brings back fond memories of the Robot series. I loved the clever Easter-Eggs that reference places and people from the 4 books, especially when Seldon tries to asses their accuracy.


"The more valued and the more carefully preserved particular information is, the more long-lasting and accurate it may be.â€
“The key word is ‘particular.’ What the Book may care to preserve may not be what you wish to have preserved and what a robot may remember best may be what you wish him to remember least.â€


==================
Review of book 3 (chronological order): Foundation
Review of book 4 (chronological order): Foundation and Empire
Review of book 5 (chronological order): Second Foundation
]]> <![CDATA[Hai sa vorbim despre ceva mai placut!]]> 216830822
Dragostea, teama, disprețul, mila, frustrarea, tandrețea răzbat din fiecare pagină a acestei istorii personale de o sinceritate dureroasă, din care nu lipsește însă și o doză sănătoasă de umor.]]> 231 Roz Chast 6067109298 Ms. Smartarse 5 Can't We Talk about Something More Pleasant?

Born to a middle-aged Jewish immigrant couple, Roz Chast has never gotten along with her parents. Especially with her mother, and her never-ending expectations for her daughter. As an adult, the author is very happy to put several hours worth of driving distance between her home and the Brooklyn of her childhood. Unfortunately, as her parents start getting older and ill, Roz starts regretting putting all the distance between herself and her parents.

no nostalgic memories

When it comes to graphic novels, I've rarely been able to "rise above" drawings I've disliked. And even when I did, I could generally "fall back" to the "much prettier" anime version of it. Roz Chast's art style however, is just not appealing to me. Like... at all. No, I cannot draw for shit myself, but that doesn't stop me I from having very exacting preferences when it comes to other people's skill level. Isn't that how irony works?

In the end, even though it took me a small eternity to start reading it, finishing it went quite fast... or so it seems. The GR logs claim it lasted 2 days, which is fair, given the serious feels and unpleasant childhood memories it managed to unleash. From the incredibly critical mother, to the many stupid little worries I was constantly carrying around on a daily basis, the heart-breaking little observations that Ms. Chast makes about her aging parents' habits... I've experienced them all. Though perhaps, not in the exact same manner or context.

Panicking phone call

My parents have (thankfully) never attempted to drive with less than perfect eye-sight, but there have been plenty of other questionable choices I got to panic over. I'm the type whose knee-jerk reaction is to always defer to "you're a responsible adult who can take care of his/herself" until of course something stupid happens where I just want to shout "I TOLD YOU SO!" from an airplane. I should probably be ashamed of how often I actually end up doing so...

Strong: 4.9/5 stars

I still hate the art style, which is the main reason it took me ages to start it. Though when I finally did decide to read it, I had a hard time putting it down. All the insanely relatable episodes left me seriously reeling. I mean, I'm a few decades younger than the author, the age gap between myself and my parents is also quite a bit smaller that this one here, and I'm not an immigrant... and yet there were still so many relatable aspects. *cries in special snowflake*]]> 4.00 2014 Hai sa vorbim despre ceva mai placut!
author: Roz Chast
name: Ms. Smartarse
average rating: 4.00
book published: 2014
rating: 5
read at: 2024/07/31
date added: 2025/02/27
shelves: translated_into_romanian, non-fiction, illustrated, graphic-novel, perfect-ending, biographical
review:
Published in English as Can't We Talk about Something More Pleasant?

Born to a middle-aged Jewish immigrant couple, Roz Chast has never gotten along with her parents. Especially with her mother, and her never-ending expectations for her daughter. As an adult, the author is very happy to put several hours worth of driving distance between her home and the Brooklyn of her childhood. Unfortunately, as her parents start getting older and ill, Roz starts regretting putting all the distance between herself and her parents.

no nostalgic memories

When it comes to graphic novels, I've rarely been able to "rise above" drawings I've disliked. And even when I did, I could generally "fall back" to the "much prettier" anime version of it. Roz Chast's art style however, is just not appealing to me. Like... at all. No, I cannot draw for shit myself, but that doesn't stop me I from having very exacting preferences when it comes to other people's skill level. Isn't that how irony works?

In the end, even though it took me a small eternity to start reading it, finishing it went quite fast... or so it seems. The GR logs claim it lasted 2 days, which is fair, given the serious feels and unpleasant childhood memories it managed to unleash. From the incredibly critical mother, to the many stupid little worries I was constantly carrying around on a daily basis, the heart-breaking little observations that Ms. Chast makes about her aging parents' habits... I've experienced them all. Though perhaps, not in the exact same manner or context.

Panicking phone call

My parents have (thankfully) never attempted to drive with less than perfect eye-sight, but there have been plenty of other questionable choices I got to panic over. I'm the type whose knee-jerk reaction is to always defer to "you're a responsible adult who can take care of his/herself" until of course something stupid happens where I just want to shout "I TOLD YOU SO!" from an airplane. I should probably be ashamed of how often I actually end up doing so...

Strong: 4.9/5 stars

I still hate the art style, which is the main reason it took me ages to start it. Though when I finally did decide to read it, I had a hard time putting it down. All the insanely relatable episodes left me seriously reeling. I mean, I'm a few decades younger than the author, the age gap between myself and my parents is also quite a bit smaller that this one here, and I'm not an immigrant... and yet there were still so many relatable aspects. *cries in special snowflake*
]]> <![CDATA[Das kann man doch noch essen: Renate Bergmanns großes Haushalts- und Kochbuch (Die Online-Omi, #7)]]> 34703958
Für alle anderen hat Renate Bergmann hier ihre Weisheiten, Ideen, Ratschläge und Rezepte in diesem Band zusammengetragen, denn

«Junge Frauen tragen ihre Waffen im Büstenhalter, ältere haben für den Fall der Fälle immer einen Eierlikör in der Handtasche!»

Renates Eierlikör:

1 Eiweiß
10 Eigelb
1 Pkt. Kondensmilch, gezuckert
1 Pkt. Kondensmilch
3 EL Puderzucker
1 Prise Vanillezucker
Schnaps (Primasprit) nach Geschmack

10 Tage ziehen lassen
ab und an schütteln]]> 176 Renate Bergmann 3499272903 Ms. Smartarse 3
cleaning instructions

If I were more of a homebody, I might have enjoyed these things more. But as it is... I only admit to occasionally drooling over a recipe or two. Also, a number of them felt rather time consuming... but then I supposed a retired granny counts time differently.

Score: 2.5/5 stars

This was rather boring overall, and not as funny as the author may have hoped. I may grudgingly admit that some tips might be worth trying out. Especially the one with empty toilet paper rolls for storing knick knacks in large(r) boxes/drawers.

containers on the cheap]]> 3.57 2017 Das kann man doch noch essen: Renate Bergmanns großes Haushalts- und Kochbuch (Die Online-Omi, #7)
author: Renate Bergmann
name: Ms. Smartarse
average rating: 3.57
book published: 2017
rating: 3
read at: 2025/01/14
date added: 2025/02/27
shelves: cover-love, german, comedy, part_of_a_series, illustrated, cookbook, household-tips
review:
I knew that some of the books from the series were more like extras, with fun little tidbits from the "Online Granny's Universe"... and I thought I had skipped them. Alas, not this one: a cookbook slash collection of household tips and tricks.

cleaning instructions

If I were more of a homebody, I might have enjoyed these things more. But as it is... I only admit to occasionally drooling over a recipe or two. Also, a number of them felt rather time consuming... but then I supposed a retired granny counts time differently.

Score: 2.5/5 stars

This was rather boring overall, and not as funny as the author may have hoped. I may grudgingly admit that some tips might be worth trying out. Especially the one with empty toilet paper rolls for storing knick knacks in large(r) boxes/drawers.

containers on the cheap
]]> <![CDATA[Besser als Bus fahren: Die Online-Omi legt ab]]> 35898758 Ich habe das mal meiner Tochter gesagt.

"Man muss das Leben genießen, solange man noch krauchen kann! Wer weiß, wie lange es noch geht ohne Pflegekraft? Meine Freundin Gertrud spricht ja schon seit Jahren von Busfahrten und Cluburlaub! Die spinnt doch! Da pullern Kinder ins Wasser, und man muss den ganzen Tag Ententanz machen. Nicht mit Renate Bergmann, ich spendierte uns einen richtjen Urlaub.
Also sind wir los und haben eine Kreuzfahrt gemacht. Die fahren gar nicht über Kreuz, sondern eine große Schleife. Wussten Sie das?
Wir haben jedenfalls viel erlebt. Ich habe den ganzen Schrank voll mit neuen flauschigen Handtüchern, und im Froster ist Dauerwurst vom Büfett für bis Ostern hin!»]]> 240 Renate Bergmann 3499290944 Ms. Smartarse 0 3.97 2017 Besser als Bus fahren: Die Online-Omi legt ab
author: Renate Bergmann
name: Ms. Smartarse
average rating: 3.97
book published: 2017
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/02/23
shelves: german, cover-love, part_of_a_series, currently-reading
review:

]]> <![CDATA[The Rosie Project (Don Tillman, #1)]]> 16181775
Don Tillman, professor of genetics, has never been on a second date. He is a man who can count all his friends on the fingers of one hand, whose lifelong difficulty with social rituals has convinced him that he is simply not wired for romance. So when an acquaintance informs him that he would make a “wonderful†husband, his first reaction is shock. Yet he must concede to the statistical probability that there is someone for everyone, and he embarks upon The Wife Project. In the orderly, evidence-based manner with which he approaches all things, Don sets out to find the perfect partner. She will be punctual and logical—most definitely not a barmaid, a smoker, a drinker, or a late-arriver.

Yet Rosie Jarman is all these things. She is also beguiling, fiery, intelligent—and on a quest of her own. She is looking for her biological father, a search that a certain DNA expert might be able to help her with. Don's Wife Project takes a back burner to the Father Project and an unlikely relationship blooms, forcing the scientifically minded geneticist to confront the spontaneous whirlwind that is Rosie—and the realization that love is not always what looks good on paper.

The Rosie Project is a moving and hilarious novel for anyone who has ever tenaciously gone after life or love in the face of overwhelming challenges.]]> 292 Graeme Simsion 1476729085 Ms. Smartarse 0 tbr-considering 4.00 2013 The Rosie Project (Don Tillman, #1)
author: Graeme Simsion
name: Ms. Smartarse
average rating: 4.00
book published: 2013
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/02/17
shelves: tbr-considering
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Kings Rising (Captive Prince, #3)]]> 25792894
Damianos of Akielos has returned.

His identity now revealed, Damen must face his master Prince Laurent as Damianos of Akielos, the man Laurent has sworn to kill.

On the brink of a momentous battle, the future of both their countries hangs in the balance. In the south, Kastor’s forces are massing. In the north, the Regent’s armies are mobilising for war. Damen’s only hope of reclaiming his throne is to fight together with Laurent against their usurpers.

Forced into an uneasy alliance the two princes journey deep into Akielos, where they face their most dangerous opposition yet. But even if the fragile trust they have built survives the revelation of Damen’s identity – can it stand against the Regent’s final, deadly play for the throne?]]> 368 C.S. Pacat 0698154320 Ms. Smartarse 4 the most dramatic double crossings to be had.

colored picture of Damen and Laurent

Yes, the two protagonists finally come clean, and yes there's considerable tension to be had following said events, but then just when it counts, both of them put aside their respective pride and throw themselves under the bus ugh well... horse, to sacrifice themselves for their loved ones.

For the most part, there's very little for me to nitpick here, not necessarily due to C.S. Pacat being perfect, but rather me having become hopelessly attached to the characters. Still, there were just a few details that truly bothered me, and for which I never received a satisfactory answer.

Damen and Laurent fighting

As I mentioned in my review of Prince's Gambit, getting to see things from both Damen and Laurent's perspective would've been very interesting. Sure enough we do see some very interesting scenes from the Veretian prince's perspective, but only one truly serves its purpose. The rest just feels like fan-service for whoever is jonesing for their sneaky-Laurent fix.

Score: 4/5 stars

A rather satisfying ending, with fairly few points of contention left up to the reader's imagination. I can definitely see why the series tops almost every MM romance rec list. For everything else, there's .

============
Review of book 1: Captive Prince
Review of book 2: Prince's Gambit
Review of the short stories: The Summer Palace and Other Stories]]> 4.51 2016 Kings Rising (Captive Prince, #3)
author: C.S. Pacat
name: Ms. Smartarse
average rating: 4.51
book published: 2016
rating: 4
read at: 2019/12/19
date added: 2025/02/12
shelves: fantasy, mm, action-adventure, part_of_a_series, guilty-pleasure
review:
... and we get to the end! Just like I've been hoping, there are memorable battles, awesome tactical escapes, romantic heart fluttering, and of course some of the most dramatic double crossings to be had.

colored picture of Damen and Laurent

Yes, the two protagonists finally come clean, and yes there's considerable tension to be had following said events, but then just when it counts, both of them put aside their respective pride and throw themselves under the bus ugh well... horse, to sacrifice themselves for their loved ones.

For the most part, there's very little for me to nitpick here, not necessarily due to C.S. Pacat being perfect, but rather me having become hopelessly attached to the characters. Still, there were just a few details that truly bothered me, and for which I never received a satisfactory answer.

Damen and Laurent fighting

As I mentioned in my review of Prince's Gambit, getting to see things from both Damen and Laurent's perspective would've been very interesting. Sure enough we do see some very interesting scenes from the Veretian prince's perspective, but only one truly serves its purpose. The rest just feels like fan-service for whoever is jonesing for their sneaky-Laurent fix.

Score: 4/5 stars

A rather satisfying ending, with fairly few points of contention left up to the reader's imagination. I can definitely see why the series tops almost every MM romance rec list. For everything else, there's .

============
Review of book 1: Captive Prince
Review of book 2: Prince's Gambit
Review of the short stories: The Summer Palace and Other Stories
]]> Small Gods (Discworld, #13) 386374
And the Word was: "Hey, you!"

For Brutha the novice is the Chosen One. He wants peace and justice and brotherly love.

He also wants the Inquisition to stop torturing him now, please...]]> 381 Terry Pratchett Ms. Smartarse 5 Om, has been stuck as a tortoise for over three years now. Considering that a god's strength lies in the number of its believers, this is not a normal occurrence for Om. After all, the country is full of zealous believers at His disposal. They're devout enough to wage war in His name. At the same time, they seem to have trouble hearing His request for more lettuce leaves... except for Brutha, the most simple-minded of them all.

In dire need of protection from non-believing eagles, our tiny little Om-as-a-tortoise will take what He can get, where He can get it.

Ancient library

Small Gods was not particularly high up on my Discworld (re)read list: more like a task to be ticked off, on the way to more interesting books. Something that I could see being useful to open other people's eyes about organized religion.

I, for one, have already done the
-"fervent little believer, who worries that the Almighty has seen her wish to do her (long put off) chores on Sundays"
or the
- "spiteful atheist who will strive to insert twice as many mean-spirited remarks as anyone else into all her interactions with the devout"
only to become an
- "occasional eye-roller and constant exasperated sigher".
...and I did it all in heels.

walking in heels

But then little by little, the characters started to grow on me, and I suddenly found myself so hooked that I devoured the whole book within a day!

While the Quisition department's tortures, the mindless religious bigotry, and power hungry coups d'état all left me in various states of disgust, when the narrative perspective would switch to Brutha, I was ready to swing my metaphorical pom-poms his way. Brutha's simple-minded yet thoughtful way of believing was so touching, especially because I was expecting him to do a 180 character change with each of his fervently held beliefs that came crashing down.

Waving pompoms

Having recently finished a children's book whose "love thy enemies" message left me utterly nonplussed, I was pleasantly surprised to find myself earnestly hoping that Brutha's kindness would eventually pay off, even though I would've been happy to have the main antagonist drop dead at any moment.

Score: 4.8/5 stars

I have to admit that I did end up skimming through some of the more philosophical passages, in favor of the more action-packed scenes, but all in all I can't say I was ever bored. As a matter of fact I even cried at the climactic moment, which is highly unusual for me.

not crying

P.S. Fans of Carpe Jugulum should definitely read this, in order to have a better understanding of the legends surrounding the prophet Brutha.]]> 4.22 1992 Small Gods (Discworld, #13)
author: Terry Pratchett
name: Ms. Smartarse
average rating: 4.22
book published: 1992
rating: 5
read at: 2018/05/28
date added: 2025/02/03
shelves: fantasy, religion, quotable, made-me-cry, action-adventure, philosophical, friendship, historical, cover-love, comedy, world-building-love, kickass-protagonist, discworld-standalone, favorites
review:
The high and mighty Om, has been stuck as a tortoise for over three years now. Considering that a god's strength lies in the number of its believers, this is not a normal occurrence for Om. After all, the country is full of zealous believers at His disposal. They're devout enough to wage war in His name. At the same time, they seem to have trouble hearing His request for more lettuce leaves... except for Brutha, the most simple-minded of them all.

In dire need of protection from non-believing eagles, our tiny little Om-as-a-tortoise will take what He can get, where He can get it.

Ancient library

Small Gods was not particularly high up on my Discworld (re)read list: more like a task to be ticked off, on the way to more interesting books. Something that I could see being useful to open other people's eyes about organized religion.

I, for one, have already done the
-"fervent little believer, who worries that the Almighty has seen her wish to do her (long put off) chores on Sundays"
or the
- "spiteful atheist who will strive to insert twice as many mean-spirited remarks as anyone else into all her interactions with the devout"
only to become an
- "occasional eye-roller and constant exasperated sigher".
...and I did it all in heels.

walking in heels

But then little by little, the characters started to grow on me, and I suddenly found myself so hooked that I devoured the whole book within a day!

While the Quisition department's tortures, the mindless religious bigotry, and power hungry coups d'état all left me in various states of disgust, when the narrative perspective would switch to Brutha, I was ready to swing my metaphorical pom-poms his way. Brutha's simple-minded yet thoughtful way of believing was so touching, especially because I was expecting him to do a 180 character change with each of his fervently held beliefs that came crashing down.

Waving pompoms

Having recently finished a children's book whose "love thy enemies" message left me utterly nonplussed, I was pleasantly surprised to find myself earnestly hoping that Brutha's kindness would eventually pay off, even though I would've been happy to have the main antagonist drop dead at any moment.

Score: 4.8/5 stars

I have to admit that I did end up skimming through some of the more philosophical passages, in favor of the more action-packed scenes, but all in all I can't say I was ever bored. As a matter of fact I even cried at the climactic moment, which is highly unusual for me.

not crying

P.S. Fans of Carpe Jugulum should definitely read this, in order to have a better understanding of the legends surrounding the prophet Brutha.
]]> <![CDATA[The Reanimator's Heart (The Reanimator Mysteries #1)]]> 61473626 A reluctant necromancer, a man killed before his time, and the crime that brings them together.

Felipe Galvan’s life as an investigator for the Paranormal Society has been spent running into danger. Returning home from his latest case, Felipe struggles with the sudden quiet of his life until a mysterious death puts him in the path of the enigmatic Oliver Barlow.

Oliver has two secrets. One, he has been in love with the charming Felipe Galvan for years. Two, he is a necromancer, but to keep the sensible life he’s built as a medical examiner, he must hide his powers. That is until Oliver finds Felipe murdered and accidentally brings him back from the dead.

But Felipe refuses to die again until he and Oliver catch his killer. Together, Felipe and Oliver embark on an investigation to uncover a plot centuries in the making. As they close in on his killer, one thing is certain: if they don’t stop them, Felipe won’t be the last to die.]]> 300 Kara Jorgensen Ms. Smartarse 4
Felipe and Oliver are assigned to investigate the suspicious death of a nun, supposedly just to confirm the lack of foul play. Though both the monastery and the Paranormal Society want to close things as discretely as possible, Oliver smells (quite literally) something rotten.

After Felipe gets ambushed and killed in his apartment by an unknown assailant, the medical examiner can no longer stand by idly. Especially since he mistakenly revives said inspector in his grief/panic.

hands linked red thread of fate

Ever since I managed to completely overlook (some of) the romantic overtones in Witch King (yes, I am ashamed) I've been on a quest to find a new romance author. They had to write m/m romances with murder mystery, in a palatable style, with plenty of spice and the obligatory HEA.

Enter Kara Jorgensen whose Reanimator Mysteries tick a whole lot of my preferences, without seeming like a (subpar) copycat. I'm looking at you Snow and Winter series! Granted, this did give me heavy Whyborne and Griffin vibes, but I suspect that's mainly due to the paranormal elements and the time period.

profile of boy with creepy spirit tentacles

The Reanimator's Heart served its role as a comfort read brilliantly. It gave me all sorts of stomach-butterflies, I could partially relate to Oliver's fears, and I really appreciated how his high-functioning autism was depicted. I'm sick and tired of hearing the term bandied around at the first whiff of insecurity/anxiety a character may exhibit. Yes, there's a spectrum, and some people deal with anxiety differently, but that doesn't automatically mean they need a medical diagnosis and specialist help. Oliver has actual issues that can seriously affect his socializing. He doesn't just "freak out" when Felipe smiles at him. So yay, for realistic and non-moralistic depiction of a disability.

Score: 4/5 stars

Was it cliche? Yeeees, but mainly in a genre-specific sense that actually enhanced the romance... as far as I'm concerned. I do have several issues with the holes in the world-building though, which only ever gets attention when it directly relates to the investigation.

-------------------------------
Review of book 2: The Reanimator's Soul
Review of book 3: The Reanimator's Remains]]> 3.91 2022 The Reanimator's Heart (The Reanimator Mysteries #1)
author: Kara Jorgensen
name: Ms. Smartarse
average rating: 3.91
book published: 2022
rating: 4
read at: 2024/12/26
date added: 2025/02/01
shelves: mm, paranormal, part_of_a_series, murder, mystery, historical, cover-love, early-xx-century, action-adventure, guilty-pleasure
review:
Dr. Oliver Barlow, a necromancer working as the medical examiner for the New York Paranormal Society, has been secretly pining away after the dashing inspector Felipe Galvan, the organization's equivalent of a superhero with a rather dark reputation. Thanks to his self-healing ability, Felipe has had few reasons to fear for his life, and ample opportunity to experience a number of life-threatening situations.

Felipe and Oliver are assigned to investigate the suspicious death of a nun, supposedly just to confirm the lack of foul play. Though both the monastery and the Paranormal Society want to close things as discretely as possible, Oliver smells (quite literally) something rotten.

After Felipe gets ambushed and killed in his apartment by an unknown assailant, the medical examiner can no longer stand by idly. Especially since he mistakenly revives said inspector in his grief/panic.

hands linked red thread of fate

Ever since I managed to completely overlook (some of) the romantic overtones in Witch King (yes, I am ashamed) I've been on a quest to find a new romance author. They had to write m/m romances with murder mystery, in a palatable style, with plenty of spice and the obligatory HEA.

Enter Kara Jorgensen whose Reanimator Mysteries tick a whole lot of my preferences, without seeming like a (subpar) copycat. I'm looking at you Snow and Winter series! Granted, this did give me heavy Whyborne and Griffin vibes, but I suspect that's mainly due to the paranormal elements and the time period.

profile of boy with creepy spirit tentacles

The Reanimator's Heart served its role as a comfort read brilliantly. It gave me all sorts of stomach-butterflies, I could partially relate to Oliver's fears, and I really appreciated how his high-functioning autism was depicted. I'm sick and tired of hearing the term bandied around at the first whiff of insecurity/anxiety a character may exhibit. Yes, there's a spectrum, and some people deal with anxiety differently, but that doesn't automatically mean they need a medical diagnosis and specialist help. Oliver has actual issues that can seriously affect his socializing. He doesn't just "freak out" when Felipe smiles at him. So yay, for realistic and non-moralistic depiction of a disability.

Score: 4/5 stars

Was it cliche? Yeeees, but mainly in a genre-specific sense that actually enhanced the romance... as far as I'm concerned. I do have several issues with the holes in the world-building though, which only ever gets attention when it directly relates to the investigation.

-------------------------------
Review of book 2: The Reanimator's Soul
Review of book 3: The Reanimator's Remains
]]> <![CDATA[Devil's Daughter (The Ravenels, #5)]]> 41882447 384 Lisa Kleypas 0349407681 Ms. Smartarse 3 The place to be, if you want to mingle with the nobility: dressing up, dancing the night away, indulging in some of the most decadent food and... perhaps even meeting a special someone?

If you're a widow fresh out of mourning however, then you might think twice about attending. Provided, of course, you can come up with a really good explanation for skipping your favorite brother's wedding.

...and Phoebe just couldn't. Don't misunderstand her, she'd have wanted nothing more than to rant her way out of keeping company with her late husband's childhood-nemesis, but then Weston Ravenel had the gall to set her heart racing! Rather pleasantly at that. If only the two wouldn't keep meeting in the most extraordinary circumstances! It's so much easier to hate someone, when they didn't just risk their life saving your kid.

throw papers in the air

This was so much fun. Unlike the serious tone of the previous book, it had all the playful flirty atmosphere of a (proper) well-crafted romance novel. There's the reformed rake with the witty comments, the jaded-heroine whose grim outlook on life gets turned upside down, the nail-biting heroics, and even a steamy accounting interlude. Who knew single entries could be so sizzling?

With excerpts like these, I can be excused for laughing for a full five minutes, right?

"How do you know if [farming]'s boring? You've never done it."
"I can tell by the books you read." Turning to Kingston, Pandora explained, "They're all about things like scientific butter making, or pig keeping, or smut. Now who could possibly find smut interesting?"
"Not that kind of smut," West said hastily, as he saw the duke's brows lift.
"You're referring to the multi cellular fungi that afflicts grain crops, of course," Kingston said blandly.
"There are all different kinds of smut," Pandora said, warming to the subject. "Smut balls, loose smut, stinking smut -"
"Pandora," West interrupted in an undertone, "for the love of mercy, stop saying that word in public."
"Is it unladylike?" She heaved a sigh."It must be. All the interesting words are."


That's what she said

Most of all, this book was all about riding the nostalgia wave. It's probably the closest we'll ever get to a Wallflower reunion. There's a bit about the ladies, some mentions of the lads, a passing comment or two about the kids, and a whole lot about Sebastian, Duke of Kingston (see Devil in Winter). Just as : "he always steals the scene". My one and only complaint is: why does he have to channel Westcliff so much?! Sebastian was doing perfectly fine on his own...

Score: 3.3/5 stars

In short: this was the type of book that I wish Devil in Spring (book 3) would have been: fun, exciting, all things delicious, and just... free of political intrigue.

That said, my literary palate is all but overflowing with this genre. I stayed up until 2 AM to finish the last few chapters, but was so sleepy that I totally forgot everything I read by morning... says the little snob, busily adding the sequel to her wishlist.

later edit: I was wrong about the Wallflower ReunionTM. We get a bigger and better one in book #7.

=====================
Review of book 1: Cold-Hearted Rake
Review of book 2: Marrying Winterborne
Review of book 3: Devil in Spring
Review of book 4: Hello Stranger
Review of book 6: Chasing Cassandra
Review of book 7: Devil in Disguise]]> 4.37 2019 Devil's Daughter (The Ravenels, #5)
author: Lisa Kleypas
name: Ms. Smartarse
average rating: 4.37
book published: 2019
rating: 3
read at: 2019/03/08
date added: 2025/02/01
shelves: historical, xix-century, guilty-pleasure, cover-love, kickass-protagonist
review:
Victorian weddings! The place to be, if you want to mingle with the nobility: dressing up, dancing the night away, indulging in some of the most decadent food and... perhaps even meeting a special someone?

If you're a widow fresh out of mourning however, then you might think twice about attending. Provided, of course, you can come up with a really good explanation for skipping your favorite brother's wedding.

...and Phoebe just couldn't. Don't misunderstand her, she'd have wanted nothing more than to rant her way out of keeping company with her late husband's childhood-nemesis, but then Weston Ravenel had the gall to set her heart racing! Rather pleasantly at that. If only the two wouldn't keep meeting in the most extraordinary circumstances! It's so much easier to hate someone, when they didn't just risk their life saving your kid.

throw papers in the air

This was so much fun. Unlike the serious tone of the previous book, it had all the playful flirty atmosphere of a (proper) well-crafted romance novel. There's the reformed rake with the witty comments, the jaded-heroine whose grim outlook on life gets turned upside down, the nail-biting heroics, and even a steamy accounting interlude. Who knew single entries could be so sizzling?

With excerpts like these, I can be excused for laughing for a full five minutes, right?

"How do you know if [farming]'s boring? You've never done it."
"I can tell by the books you read." Turning to Kingston, Pandora explained, "They're all about things like scientific butter making, or pig keeping, or smut. Now who could possibly find smut interesting?"
"Not that kind of smut," West said hastily, as he saw the duke's brows lift.
"You're referring to the multi cellular fungi that afflicts grain crops, of course," Kingston said blandly.
"There are all different kinds of smut," Pandora said, warming to the subject. "Smut balls, loose smut, stinking smut -"
"Pandora," West interrupted in an undertone, "for the love of mercy, stop saying that word in public."
"Is it unladylike?" She heaved a sigh."It must be. All the interesting words are."


That's what she said

Most of all, this book was all about riding the nostalgia wave. It's probably the closest we'll ever get to a Wallflower reunion. There's a bit about the ladies, some mentions of the lads, a passing comment or two about the kids, and a whole lot about Sebastian, Duke of Kingston (see Devil in Winter). Just as : "he always steals the scene". My one and only complaint is: why does he have to channel Westcliff so much?! Sebastian was doing perfectly fine on his own...

Score: 3.3/5 stars

In short: this was the type of book that I wish Devil in Spring (book 3) would have been: fun, exciting, all things delicious, and just... free of political intrigue.

That said, my literary palate is all but overflowing with this genre. I stayed up until 2 AM to finish the last few chapters, but was so sleepy that I totally forgot everything I read by morning... says the little snob, busily adding the sequel to her wishlist.

later edit: I was wrong about the Wallflower ReunionTM. We get a bigger and better one in book #7.

=====================
Review of book 1: Cold-Hearted Rake
Review of book 2: Marrying Winterborne
Review of book 3: Devil in Spring
Review of book 4: Hello Stranger
Review of book 6: Chasing Cassandra
Review of book 7: Devil in Disguise
]]> <![CDATA[The Reanimator's Soul (The Reanimator Mysteries #2)]]> 68008564 An autistic necromancer, his undead lover, and the case that could destroy everything.

When a necromancer turns up dead, Oliver and Felipe think it will be the perfect, straightforward case for their new partnership. That is, until it leads them to a clinic promising a cure for magic, but they aren’t the only ones investigating the Institute for the Betterment of the Soul. Oliver’s ex, Ansley, is in town, and he’s certain the clinic isn’t the paragon of righteousness it claims to be.

Forced to help Ansley infiltrate the institute, Oliver fears he is out of his depth in his work and in love as old wounds and bad habits resurface. But Oliver isn’t the only one struggling. Pulled between his cases, Oliver, and his daughter returning home for the summer, Felipe is drowning. Just when he thinks he finally has everything under control, a new reminder of his untimely demise threatens to throw his life into a tailspin once more.

Between festering wounds and secrets, Oliver and Felipe’s lives stand upon a knife’s edge. To face the evil lurking behind the clinic’s genteel smiles, they must stand together or face the destruction of the place they call home.]]> 340 Kara Jorgensen Ms. Smartarse 4
Oliver's ex, employed by the federal branch of the Paranormal Society, is less than keen about the the two inspectors' involvement, as he's been trying to pin bigger and bett-- ahem more terrifying crimes on the institute.

Early xxth century wellness clinic

My excitement has waned a bit for this book, compared to the prequel. Maybe because I started it right after finishing book 1, though I rather think the number of (not so) minor annoyances played their part as well. There were a lot of developments that take place off-screen, or rather off main-book, and only get a small mention here. Perhaps it's also my fault, for not reading things in publication order and prioritizing the main books, but I've never been a fan of advancing the plot in side-stories. I do however, appreciate that said side-stories are available for free.

On the whole, I enjoyed the action-adventure aspects, and the angst around Felipe's fear to confes his predicament to his family. Oliver's ex's antics however, could've been exploited better. Were they realistic? Sure. But I don't come to this genre for realism, especially when the story is set in a steampunk-like universe. I want satisfaction and revenge, which involves Ansley being sorry for not properly appreciating Oliver, and groveling for forgiveness. Instead we only got some generic sulking that may or may not have had jealous undertones.

not enough grovelling

Score: 3.6/5 stars

The story dragged in some parts, even though objectively speaking it shouldn't have had reason to do so. I wasn't keen on how some of the character development was handled, plus the number of typos semms to have increased.

Ultimately I am still enjoying this series I suppose, and have no intention of dropping it any time soon.

-------------------------------
Review of book 1: The Reanimator's Heart
Review of book 3: The Reanimator's Remains]]> 4.22 2023 The Reanimator's Soul (The Reanimator Mysteries #2)
author: Kara Jorgensen
name: Ms. Smartarse
average rating: 4.22
book published: 2023
rating: 4
read at: 2024/12/28
date added: 2025/02/01
shelves: action-adventure, historical, mm, part_of_a_series, early-xx-century, murder, mystery, cover-love, guilty-pleasure, paranormal
review:
Oliver and Felipe investigate a wellness institute whose aim seems to be the "curing" of magical powers. Aside from the suspicious lack of fees, a worrisome number of patient and staff disappearances give the institute an even creepier vibe.

Oliver's ex, employed by the federal branch of the Paranormal Society, is less than keen about the the two inspectors' involvement, as he's been trying to pin bigger and bett-- ahem more terrifying crimes on the institute.

Early xxth century wellness clinic

My excitement has waned a bit for this book, compared to the prequel. Maybe because I started it right after finishing book 1, though I rather think the number of (not so) minor annoyances played their part as well. There were a lot of developments that take place off-screen, or rather off main-book, and only get a small mention here. Perhaps it's also my fault, for not reading things in publication order and prioritizing the main books, but I've never been a fan of advancing the plot in side-stories. I do however, appreciate that said side-stories are available for free.

On the whole, I enjoyed the action-adventure aspects, and the angst around Felipe's fear to confes his predicament to his family. Oliver's ex's antics however, could've been exploited better. Were they realistic? Sure. But I don't come to this genre for realism, especially when the story is set in a steampunk-like universe. I want satisfaction and revenge, which involves Ansley being sorry for not properly appreciating Oliver, and groveling for forgiveness. Instead we only got some generic sulking that may or may not have had jealous undertones.

not enough grovelling

Score: 3.6/5 stars

The story dragged in some parts, even though objectively speaking it shouldn't have had reason to do so. I wasn't keen on how some of the character development was handled, plus the number of typos semms to have increased.

Ultimately I am still enjoying this series I suppose, and have no intention of dropping it any time soon.

-------------------------------
Review of book 1: The Reanimator's Heart
Review of book 3: The Reanimator's Remains
]]> Death in the Spires 209563735 The newspapers called us the Seven Wonders. We were a group of friends, that’s all, and then Toby died. Was killed. Murdered.

1905. A decade after the grisly murder of Oxford student Toby Feynsham, the case remains hauntingly unsolved. For Jeremy Kite, the crime not only stole his best friend, it destroyed his whole life. When an anonymous letter lands on his desk, accusing him of having killed Toby, Jem becomes obsessed with finally uncovering the truth.

Jem begins to track down the people who were there the night Toby died – a close circle of friends once known as the ‘Seven Wonders’ for their charm and talent – only to find them as tormented and broken as himself. All of them knew and loved Toby at Oxford. Could one of them really be his killer?

As Jem grows closer to uncovering what happened that night, his pursuer grows bolder, making increasingly terrifying attempts to silence him for good. Will exposing Toby's killer put to rest the shadows that have darkened Jem’s life for so long? Or will the gruesome truth only put him in more danger?

Some secrets are better left buried…

From the bestselling, acclaimed author of The Magpie Lord and The Secret Lives of Country Gentlemen comes a chilling historical mystery with a sting in the tail. You won’t be able to put this gripping story down!]]> 273 K.J. Charles 1805082280 Ms. Smartarse 4
With nothing much to lose (human lives were a dime a dozen at the time... apparently), Jeremy decides to look up his estranged college friends, and finally solve Toby's murder. His past college mates are anything but keen on the idea.

wholesome college friends

Nothing gets me more interested in a book than declaring that it is not a *insert genre-specific attribute*. My curiosity will be positively eating at me to find out just what it actually is! Sure as K.J. Charles is mostly known for romance novels, such a warning might be fair... but it's also not entirely accurate. This is where I'd get into a theoretical debate on what does and doesn't count as a romance novel, but frankly I can't be bothered.

Suffice to say that when I started, I was expecting ZERO romance and/or sex... unless tangentially mentioned as motive. In fairness, the M/F romance and sex in here is quite tame and wholesome. Well, except for some more sordid details that get unraveled in the course of the murder mystery, but none of it is described very explicitly. When it comes to the M/M romantic subplot however, things change. There's lots of heart-ache and unrequited love, plus a fair bit of steamy goodness to be had. Oh and, it all culminates with a happy ending so... "Not a romance" should be taken with a hefty pinch of salt.

And just to be clear: this is not me complaining. This is me reassuring the romance fans of the author.

no complaints

The mystery felt a bit... unusual. Not (only) because there is basically zero law-enforcement involvement, but rather because I'm more used to several twists and turns until the killer's identity gets revealed. Basically the killer confesses pretty early on, much to Jem's surprise at having his suspicions confirmed. And most of the following plot only leads the reader to the motive reveal. Granted, there is one surprising twist at the end... although I got low-key disappointed that it was something different than I expected. I adore surprises in murder mysteries, but only when they follow a well-established pattern... I guess.

Score: 4/5 stars

I quite liked it: read at the right time and with the right mindset. Although it now occurs to me, that I totally forgot who it was that sent the incriminating letters from the beginning... ]]> 4.32 2024 Death in the Spires
author: K.J. Charles
name: Ms. Smartarse
average rating: 4.32
book published: 2024
rating: 4
read at: 2024/10/25
date added: 2025/01/30
shelves: mm, murder, mystery, historical, early-xx-century
review:
A tight-knit group of college friends have their lives upended when their most popular member (Toby Feynsham) is murdered under suspicious circumstances. 15 years later the events have yet to be cleared up, but at least Jeremy Kite has started to get used to his bleak and low-key tense existence... that is until a mysterious threatening letter gets him fired.

With nothing much to lose (human lives were a dime a dozen at the time... apparently), Jeremy decides to look up his estranged college friends, and finally solve Toby's murder. His past college mates are anything but keen on the idea.

wholesome college friends

Nothing gets me more interested in a book than declaring that it is not a *insert genre-specific attribute*. My curiosity will be positively eating at me to find out just what it actually is! Sure as K.J. Charles is mostly known for romance novels, such a warning might be fair... but it's also not entirely accurate. This is where I'd get into a theoretical debate on what does and doesn't count as a romance novel, but frankly I can't be bothered.

Suffice to say that when I started, I was expecting ZERO romance and/or sex... unless tangentially mentioned as motive. In fairness, the M/F romance and sex in here is quite tame and wholesome. Well, except for some more sordid details that get unraveled in the course of the murder mystery, but none of it is described very explicitly. When it comes to the M/M romantic subplot however, things change. There's lots of heart-ache and unrequited love, plus a fair bit of steamy goodness to be had. Oh and, it all culminates with a happy ending so... "Not a romance" should be taken with a hefty pinch of salt.

And just to be clear: this is not me complaining. This is me reassuring the romance fans of the author.

no complaints

The mystery felt a bit... unusual. Not (only) because there is basically zero law-enforcement involvement, but rather because I'm more used to several twists and turns until the killer's identity gets revealed. Basically the killer confesses pretty early on, much to Jem's surprise at having his suspicions confirmed. And most of the following plot only leads the reader to the motive reveal. Granted, there is one surprising twist at the end... although I got low-key disappointed that it was something different than I expected. I adore surprises in murder mysteries, but only when they follow a well-established pattern... I guess.

Score: 4/5 stars

I quite liked it: read at the right time and with the right mindset. Although it now occurs to me, that I totally forgot who it was that sent the incriminating letters from the beginning...
]]> <![CDATA[Tales of Mystery and Imagination]]> 6668656 383 Edgar Allan Poe 1841939463 Ms. Smartarse 0 4.34 1842 Tales of Mystery and Imagination
author: Edgar Allan Poe
name: Ms. Smartarse
average rating: 4.34
book published: 1842
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/01/26
shelves: xix-century, horror, classics, short-stories, illustrated, currently-reading
review:

]]> Sfârșitul Eternității 59443052


În afara spațiului și timpului există Eternitatea, al cărei scop este să vegheze la bunăstarea umanității. Sarcina lui Andrew Harlan este de a călători în timp și de a introduce în locul și la momentul potrivit câte o schimbare de realitate pentru binele comun al omenirii. Totuși, sfârșitul Eternității pare să fie aproape, deoarece Harlan nu mai este convins că rolul Eternilor este spre binele general al oamenilor. Iar din clipa în care întâlnește și se îndrăgostește de o femeie ce nu se numără printre Eterni, el va căuta să manipuleze timpul pentru propriile interese, astfel încât iubirea să supraviețuiască.



Omenirea poate reuși să se înalțe pe cele mai mari culmi doar supunându-se la încercări majore. Forța care o împinge spre cuceriri mai noi, mai înalte, vine din pericol și din insecuritate lipsită de odihnă."]]> 261 Isaac Asimov 606900082X Ms. Smartarse 2 Originally published as The End of Eternity.

In a world where time travel was discovered, a select group of men (The Eternals) control humanity's fate from "out of time", set on enhancing its overall happiness.

Andrew Harlan is an outstanding Eternal technician, whose job is to implement the reality changes that higher-ranked analysts have come up with to tweak historical events. Rather low on Eternity's totem pole, Harlan is nevertheless content with his role as the best technician of all, happy to uphold their monk-like lifestyle in the interest of the greater good. An unexpected encounter with a woman upsets him so much, that he resorts to several rash actions, endangering the Eternity's very cornerstones.

Sheldon Cooper entering a portal

The idea itself is of course very interesting, and it definitely made me ponder the pros and cons of a controlled evolution of the human race. It is, after all, said that hindsight is 20/20. So who better than people with unfettered access to hundreds of thousands of millennia to analyse and fix all of humanity's mishaps? At least until someone points out the flip side of things...

So much for the theory, but when it came to executing acting everything out with characters, things spiraled out of control. On the one hand, it felt like Asimov put so much effort into building the scientific basis for the Eternity, that he didn't have enough energy left for character development.

made a mistake

Harlan is often at his most palatable when holding lengthy lectures on various in universe-specific scientific terms. Even his interest in Primitive Timeline, discouraged among Eternals, doesn't show a more likeable part of him, as he's always grumbling about being criticized for it. As a matter of fact, he's always suspecting people of either looking down on him, wanting to trick him, or needing to be reported.

I'm guessing that somewhere along the line we were meant to empathize with him as he desperately tries to hide his romance from his superiors, yet I kept rooting for the Eternals to discover everything. His initial misogyny didn't help either, as it was hard for me to understand why he actually fell in love. I mean, he was clearly in lust with Noÿs from the get go, but his change of tune was apparently caused by getting roofied...? I knew Asimov's romantic subplots were cringe-worthy at best, but this is just incomprehensible.
Then again, perhaps it's a problem with the translation...

Score: 2.4/5 stars

If you're like me and only want to know why there are no aliens in the Foundation Universe save yourself some time and skip to the last two chapters.
Great concept, terrible character development and storytelling.]]> 4.20 1955 Sfârșitul Eternității
author: Isaac Asimov
name: Ms. Smartarse
average rating: 4.20
book published: 1955
rating: 2
read at: 2023/08/17
date added: 2025/01/25
shelves: sci-fi, alternate-reality-foundation-univer, perfect-ending, world-building-love, disappointing, translated_into_romanian, subpar_translation
review:
Originally published as The End of Eternity.

In a world where time travel was discovered, a select group of men (The Eternals) control humanity's fate from "out of time", set on enhancing its overall happiness.

Andrew Harlan is an outstanding Eternal technician, whose job is to implement the reality changes that higher-ranked analysts have come up with to tweak historical events. Rather low on Eternity's totem pole, Harlan is nevertheless content with his role as the best technician of all, happy to uphold their monk-like lifestyle in the interest of the greater good. An unexpected encounter with a woman upsets him so much, that he resorts to several rash actions, endangering the Eternity's very cornerstones.

Sheldon Cooper entering a portal

The idea itself is of course very interesting, and it definitely made me ponder the pros and cons of a controlled evolution of the human race. It is, after all, said that hindsight is 20/20. So who better than people with unfettered access to hundreds of thousands of millennia to analyse and fix all of humanity's mishaps? At least until someone points out the flip side of things...

So much for the theory, but when it came to executing acting everything out with characters, things spiraled out of control. On the one hand, it felt like Asimov put so much effort into building the scientific basis for the Eternity, that he didn't have enough energy left for character development.

made a mistake

Harlan is often at his most palatable when holding lengthy lectures on various in universe-specific scientific terms. Even his interest in Primitive Timeline, discouraged among Eternals, doesn't show a more likeable part of him, as he's always grumbling about being criticized for it. As a matter of fact, he's always suspecting people of either looking down on him, wanting to trick him, or needing to be reported.

I'm guessing that somewhere along the line we were meant to empathize with him as he desperately tries to hide his romance from his superiors, yet I kept rooting for the Eternals to discover everything. His initial misogyny didn't help either, as it was hard for me to understand why he actually fell in love. I mean, he was clearly in lust with Noÿs from the get go, but his change of tune was apparently caused by getting roofied...? I knew Asimov's romantic subplots were cringe-worthy at best, but this is just incomprehensible.
Then again, perhaps it's a problem with the translation...

Score: 2.4/5 stars

If you're like me and only want to know why there are no aliens in the Foundation Universe save yourself some time and skip to the last two chapters.
Great concept, terrible character development and storytelling.
]]>