A Literary Escape

SFINCS Review: A Sorrow Named Joy by Sarah Chorn

Published on March 6, 2024March 1, 2024 by Celeste5 Comments

Today’s review is about A SORROW NAMED JOY by Sarah Chorn. This novella follows a woman named Joy who enjoys predictability and creating the perfect home life for her husband. But she uncovers a secret about herself that forces her to realize she doesn’t exactly know who she is or what she likes.

This review is brought to you by my participation in the Speculative Fiction Indie Novella Championship (SFINCS). SFINCS, pronounced “sphinx”, is a yearly competition to recognize, honor, and celebrate the talent and creativity present in the indie community. It’s a sister competition to both SPFBO and SPSFC, and it highlights greatness in the novella format in all areas of speculative fiction (fantasy, science fiction, horror, etc.). I am part of Team Behind the Musings. You can find out more about us here.

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ARC Review: Fathomfolk by Eliza Chan

Published on March 4, 2024March 12, 2024 by Celeste15 Comments

Today’s review is about FATHOMFOLK by Eliza Chan, which is the first novel in the Drowned World series. It’s a fantasy story that skillfully incorporates many real world experiences, such as immigration, racism, and change. This is a wonderful debut novel by Eliza Chan.

However, I noticed that the average Goodreads review is surprisingly low. This is something I genuinely don’t understand. So, in an effort to communicate why I think this is a great book, I wrote a somewhat longer review. I hope this convinces you to check it out for yourself rather than rely on an averaged star rating.

Author: Eliza Chan
Series: Drowned World, #1
Age Category: Adult
Publisher: Orbit
Publish Date: February 27, 2024
Print Length: 448

Want to support local bookstores? Buy a copy of Fathomfolk on Bookshop.org!*

*These are not affiliate links and I do not make a commission from any purchase made using these links.

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March 2024 TBR List

Published on March 1, 2024February 27, 2024 by Celeste14 Comments

I already posted my picks for Trope-ical Readathon in March. But let me be honest with myself: I can’t read all of that. Instead, here’s my March 2024 TBR List, which has more realistic expectations. Would I love to read all of those Trope-ical Readathon books? Heck yea! But I work full time and there’s only one of me, so let’s keep it real. Onward to the March 2024 TBR List!

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Monthly Book Blog Wrap-Up: February 2024

Published on February 29, 2024February 28, 2024 by Celeste17 Comments

I felt like the first half of February dragged a little bit. But maybe that’s because I read the same book (HOFAS) for 10 days straight, so it felt like groundhog day. Anyway, it’s the end of the month, which means it’s time for another monthly book blog wrap-up! I didn’t read as much this month, which I blame on HOFAS. Although, I feel HOFAS could definitely count as two books, possibly three, on its own. I made progress on some ARCs, though I received a few new ones. So it all evens out in the end! Keep reading to see what I was up to!

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March 2024 Book Releases

Published on February 27, 2024March 17, 2024 by Celeste8 Comments

March is nigh, which means so is a list of March 2024 book releases! I originally curated a list of first quarter book releases in 2024, so many below are the same with a few additions. However, if you want a refresher of upcoming March 2024 book releases, please be my guest and continue reading. If you’re a regular reader, then you know this list skews toward the fantasy genre. And though I have yet to officially preorder or request any ARCs of these, I have my eye on a few.

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