Book – Page 11 – World of Bai

Book Review: “Emily Wilde’s Encyclopaedia Of Faeries” By Heather Fawcett

This was my book clubs book pick for August and it turned out to be one of the best books we have read so far! All the ratings we have received so far from those who have finished the book have all been five stars, which is phenomenal! I can’t wait to share my thoughts with you so lets dive in!

“I knew you wouldn’t believe it. Just because you have a heart filled with the dust of a thousand library stacks does not mean everybody does.”
Heather Fawcett, Emily Wilde’s Encyclopaedia of Faeries

About The Book

Author: Heather Fawcett

Publisher: Del Rey

Published Date: January 10th, 2023

Page Count: 325 Pages

Main Genres: Fantasy, Romance

GoodReads Rating: 4.10

Format: Physical Book

“The Folk were of another world, with its own rules and customs—and to a child who always felt ill-suited to her own world, the lure was irresistible.”
Heather Fawcett, Emily Wilde’s Encyclopaedia of Faeries

Synopsis

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.

Synopsis From Goodreads

Rating

Review

This book was the perfect cozy fantasy read! I really needed this book in my life in this exact moment so I am so happy we were able to read this for my Book Club this month.

I am not a huge fantasy reader so I was honestly super worried to pick it up but I was hooked within the first few chapters. I truly did not want this book to end. I really ended up falling in love with all the characters in this book especially Bambleby. He seems like an unlikeable character at the beginning but he really grows on you throughout the story.

I really loved the connection all the characters ended up building with each other over the course of the book. Many friendships blossomed between the towns folk, the fae and our main character even had a sweet romance plot that didn’t feel forced and was honestly so subtle. It was the perfect mix to make a perfect book.

Learning about the different kinds of Fae that live in this small town was just so much fun! I really loved the world building and how easy it was to follow which I find hard in most fantasy books as it is easy for new worlds and rules to get complicated quickly. I think it might have started a small fantasy obsession? I really need to find me some easy cozy fantasies to pick up ASAP! I really can’t wait for the second book to come out in January 2024, gosh this is going to be such a long wait!

“One doesn’t need magic if one knows enough stories.”
Heather Fawcett, Emily Wilde’s Encyclopaedia of Faeries

QOTD: Send me some Cozy Fantasy Recs.

“Perhaps it is always restful to be around someone who does not expect anything from you beyond what is in your nature.”
Heather Fawcett, Emily Wilde’s Encyclopaedia of Faeries

August Hopefuls

August might be a busy month for me as I have Noah’s birthday, My mom is coming to visit and I have a week long Trip To Texas where I know I won’t be reading haha. I just really love making a list of books I would like to Get to even though I know I probably will only read one maybe two of them.

“Emily Wilde’s Encyclopedia Of Faeries” is actually my Book Club Pick For August so I know for sure that I will be reading this book. If you are interested in joining us in reading this book check out Bai’s Reading Corner on Insta, and make sure to check out the giveaway we have going as well!

The other three books are actually ones that I am currently reading kind of as filler books in my free time. If I don’t finish any of those I won’t be too sad but I would like to at least make a dent in them.

QOTD: What is your most anticipated read this month?

Book Review: “She Started It” By Sian Gilbert

This is the first and really only book I read in July. I read this as a buddy read with one of my bookstagram friends and surprisingly I really enjoyed it! I listened to this via audio book and I am happy I did as it sparked my interest in audio books again.

“In reality, we all stick together because we know no one else would ever understand what we did in the past. And the trouble is, we’ve all become so convinced that what we did was alright that we’ve accepted an invitation from the very woman we did it to.”
Sian Gilbert, She Started It

About the Book

Author: Sian Gilbert

Publisher: William Marrow and Company

Published Date: June 13th, 2023

Page Count: 352 Pages

Main Genres: Thriller, Mystery, Adult

GoodReads Rating: 3.63

Format: Audio

Synopsis

Annabel, Esther, Tanya, and Chloe are best friends—or were, as children. Despite drifting apart in adulthood, shared secrets have kept them bonded for better or worse, even as their childhood dreams haven’t quite turned out as they’d hoped. Then one day they receive a wholly unexpected—but not entirely unwelcome—invitation from another old friend. Poppy Greer has invited them all to her extravagant bachelorette party: a first-class plane ticket to three days of white sand, cocktails, and relaxation on a luxe private island in the Bahamas.

None of them has spoken to Poppy in years. But Poppy’s Instagram pics shows that the girl they used to consider the weakest link in their group has definitely made good—and made money. Curiosity gets the better of them. Besides, who can turn down a posh all-expenses-paid vacation on a Caribbean island?

The first-class flight and the island’s accommodations are just as opulent as expected…even if the scenic island proves more remote than they’d anticipated. Quite remote, in fact, with no cell service, and no other guests. The women quickly discover they’ve underestimated Poppy, and each other. As their darkest secrets are revealed, the tropical adventure morphs into a terrifying nightmare.

Synopsis From GoodReads

Rating

Review

This audio book started off pretty slow which honestly made me super nervous! This Audio had, I believe, Two separate narrators. One Narrator sounded like Alexa was telling me a story which I truly struggled with, while the other narrator really kept my interest. Because of this I pushed through and I am so glad that I did because I loved this book in the end!

Part of me believes the reason I liked this book so much is because I was in a really horrible reading slump for all of July so really any book I picked up would have probably been a 5 star read at this time. I say this because my Friend I buddy Read this with actually rated this book pretty low and we tend to have the same thoughts on most books.

This was a book filled with a lot of drama and a lot of miscommunications which kept the book moving quick with many twists and turns. I feel like most people probably could have expected the twist at the end but if I am completely honest with you it came to me as a shock which I loved!

I Would for sure recommend this book to anyone looking for a fast paced Thriller to get yourself out of a reading slump!

“Those bitches might have started it, but I sure as hell finished it.”
Sian Gilbert, She Started It

QOTD: What Thriller got you out of a reading slump?

July TBR

I have Officially Posted my Second BookTube Video and it features my June wrap up and my July TBR so if you would like to see more details about these picks make sure to check it out! July is my Birthday month so I am really hoping I have a bunch of 5 star reads, that is if I actually get any reading done this month… I will… I’m sure I will…HMM I guess we will see.

I can’t wait to see what my Birthday Month has in store for me!

Book Review: “Our Wives Under The Sea” By Julia Armfield

I read this book for my Book club Pick for June and honestly I some really high hopes for it and spoiler alert, It didn’t meet my expectations.

“I used to think there was such a thing as emptiness, that there were places in the world one could go and be alone. This, I think, is still true, but the error in my reasoning was to assume that alone was somewhere you could go, rather than somewhere you had to be left.”
Julia Armfield, Our Wives Under the Sea

About The Book

Author: Julia Armfield

Publisher: FlatIron Books

Published Date: July 12th, 2022

Page Count: 228 Pages

Main Genres: Horror, Fiction, LGBT

GoodReads Rating: 3.84

Format: Physical Book

Synopsis

Leah is changed. Months earlier, she left for a routine expedition, only this time her submarine sank to the sea floor. When she finally surfaces and returns home, her wife Miri knows that something is wrong. Barely eating and lost in her thoughts, Leah rotates between rooms in their apartment, running the taps morning and night.

As Miri searches for answers, desperate to understand what happened below the water, she must face the possibility that the woman she loves is slipping from her grasp.

Synopsis From GoodReads

“The deep sea is a haunted house: a place in which things that ought not to exist move about in the darkness.”
Julia Armfield, Our Wives Under the Sea

Rating

Review

I would like to point out that I don’t think this book should be classified as a horror read. This was not a scary book more suspenseful. So if you are looking for something to scare you, maybe skip this book.

I don’t have too many positive things to say about this book if I am completely honest. I was left with more questions than answers when I finished this book. It has a very ambiguous ending that made it feel like there was a second book but I don’t see the author writing a second one as there wasn’t enough of a storyline to make another book.

Some people really like endings that leave questions in your mind, but I am not one of them. I just felt confused throughout the entire book and nothing every felt satisfying. So why did I rate this 2.5 stars then? Clearly I had to like something about it or else my rating would have bene lower, right? Honestly, I rated this a 2.5 star because I was interested in the book, I really wanted to know what happened under the ocean during those six months so yes, I was intrigued, just left wanting so much more.

I also give some of the credit of my rating to the Titanic Sub that Imploded last month. My Heart goes out to the family of those lost, it was such a sad situation. However, it did seem like interesting timing that we were reading a book about a submarine that goes missing for 6 months when the titan went missing. This really got me interested in learning more about submarines and the titanic in general. So this was just really interesting timing for us to be reading this for our book club.

Majority of the people who participated in the book club pick did actually enjoy this one so take my review with a grain of salt.

“My heart is a thin thing, these days – shred of paper blown between the spaces in my ribs.”
Julia Armfield, Our Wives Under the Sea

QOTD: What Historic Event have you been interested in?

Book Review: “Ace” By Angela Chen

I started this book back in June 2022 when I first found out about Asexuality, That is one whole year of trying to read this. I didn’t finish this book last year not because I didn’t like it but because it is a heavy read! But I am so glad I was able to finish it and I am here to hopefully get a few of my friends to also pick this book up as well, as I think this book can be very beneficial to anyone and everyone whether you are ace or just curious about learning more about the Ace community and the idea of sex in general.

“The ace world is not an obligation. Nobody needs to identify, nobody is trapped, nobody needs to stay forever and pledge allegiance. The words are gifts. If you know which terms to search, you know how to find others who might have something to teach.”
Angela Chen, Ace: What Asexuality Reveals About Desire, Society, and the Meaning of Sex

About The Book

Author: Angela Chen

Publisher: Beacon Press

Published Date: September 15th, 2020

Page Count: 210 Pages

Main Genres: Nonfiction, LGBTQ

GoodReads Rating: 4.37

Format: Physical

“Normal is often treated as a moral judgment, when it is often simply a statistical matter. The question of what everyone else is doing is less important than the question of what works for the two people in the actual relationship. It matters that everyone’s needs are carefully considered and respected, not that everyone is doing the same thing.”
Angela Chen, Ace: What Asexuality Reveals About Desire, Society, and the Meaning of Sex

Synopsis

What exactly is sexual attraction and what is it like to go through the world not experiencing it? What does asexuality reveal about consent, about compromise, about the structures of society? This exceedingly accessible guide to asexuality shows that the issues that aces face—confusion around sexual activity, the intersection of sexuality and identity, navigating different needs in relationships—are conflicts that all of us need to address as we move through the world.

Through interviews, cultural criticism, and memoir, ACE invites all readers to consider big-picture issues through the lens of asexuality, because every place that sexuality touches our world, asexuality does too.

Journalist Angela Chen uses her own journey of self-discovery as an asexual person to unpretentiously educate and vulnerably connect with readers, effortlessly weaving analysis of sexuality and societally imposed norms with interviews of ace people. Among those included are the woman who had blood tests done because she was convinced that “not wanting sex” was a sign of serious illness, and the man who grew up in an evangelical household and did everything “right,” only to realize after marriage that his experience of sexuality had never been the same as that of others. Also represented are disabled aces, aces of color, non-gender-conforming aces questioning whether their asexuality is a reaction against stereotypes, and aces who don’t want romantic relationships asking how our society can make room for them.

Synopsis From GoodReads

“Compulsory sexuality is a set of assumptions and behaviors that support the idea that every normal person is sexual, that not wanting (socially approved) sex is unnatural and wrong, and that people who don’t care about sexuality are missing out on an utterly necessary experience.”
Angela Chen, Ace: What Asexuality Reveals About Desire, Society, and the Meaning of Sex

Rating

“Straight people are rarely treated like they’re close-minded for knowing their sexual orientation, but aces are assumed to be unsure and always on the brink of finding the person who will change everything.”
Angela Chen, Ace: What Asexuality Reveals About Desire, Society, and the Meaning of Sex

Review

Look at how many tabs I have put in this book! This is officially the most tabbed/marked book I have ever owned! This book had so many parts that I could relate to or found so interesting that I ran out of tabs. I know for a fact I will be coming back to this book over the years just to read some of the quotes and to deep dive into some of the references this book had just so I can continue to learn more about Asexuality and just Sex in General.

Yes, This book mainly discusses what Asexuality is and how people who identify as ace see the world. But it is so much more than just being Ace, it deep dives into sexuality, feminism, the worldly views on sex and how they are outdated and so much more! There is a perspective in this book for nearly everyone despite sexual orientation, race and even disabilities. Sex is not as straight forward as the world makes us believe. I think this book is a must read as I learned a lot about myself and others that I would have never fully understood until I read this book. I will for sure be looking for more books like this one.

“Difference can be a gift. Being ace can mean less interpersonal drama and more freedom from social norms around relationships. It is an opportunity to focus more on other passions, to be less distracted by sexuality, to break the scripts, to choose your own adventure and your own values.”
Angela Chen, Ace: What Asexuality Reveals About Desire, Society, and the Meaning of Sex

QOTD: What is a nonfiction book about LGBTQ, Feminism or just sex in general that you recommend?

“Relationships should always be a game of mix and match, not a puzzle that you have to perfectly snap into, or a Jenga tower that will collapse as soon as you try to wiggle one block out of place. Customizability is the best part, yet most people try so hard to make their relationship stick to its premade form, a one-size-fits-all shape. Many people don’t take advantage of their own freedom.”
Angela Chen, Ace: What Asexuality Reveals About Desire, Society, and the Meaning of Sex