Chris

I LOVED the Hobbit but was nervous to pick up this one. I’m glad I did and can’t wait to dive into the next two!

“Slow walks can carry big hearts” is such a great way to put it

Photo of the hardcover copy of the Fellowship of the Rings in front of twinkle lights, with a small metal toy sword in front of it. Slip cover book art from Nerdy Ink

The Fellowship of the Ring
By JRR Tolkien

You hear intimidating takes on Tolkien’s writing, but I found this familiar tale charming and relevant. His prose hold up if his pacing at times meanders

I very much enjoyed this longstanding TBR of mine, & am excited to continue on soon!

4/5 *
#booksky

Wanna Give ICE a Middle Finger From Denver? Here's How Protests are scheduled, strikes are planned and some businesses are closing for a full day.

Protests and other ways to speak out against the feds...and help out immigrants.
https://www.westword.com/news/denver-protests-strikes-business-responses-against-ice-40836696/

What a time to be off social media, deep in reading, and come back to the news

I guess congrats to the empire?

The cover of the book Master of Evil which features a twisted or skeletal Darth Vader mask, art by Simon Goinard. The book stands on a black cloth beside an orange candle and in front of a white textured wall.

Master of Evil
By Adam Christopher

An easy, fast-paced read, I found the characterizations weak (Vader as a cameo & the problematic redeeming Imperials trope) & the story events/pacing forced

The master is still very much an apprentice

2.75/5*
#booksky #StarWars

3*/5

Strongmen

By Ruth Ben-Ghiat

A comprehensive and impressive look at Autocracy in modern times. Intense and heavy, this book also holds hope, knowledge, scrutiny, and truth. Things Fascists cannot hope to counter

#booksky

An Ordinary Wonder

By Buki Papillon

A heavy and powerful story of self discovery. Beautifully written with brilliant imagery and prose, this book was difficult at times to push through the mistreatment of our narrator, but a worthwhile and inspiring read

3/5*

#booksky

It’s the book cover! ᵕ̈ in this case the audiobook from the library. The credited artist is Braulio Amado and the book is an anthology that is absolutely worth checking out!

It Came From the Closet

Audiobook/Libby

A fantastic collection of queer voices outlining experiences with cinematic horror. A bit of a wimp, I still found myself curious to explore some spooky flicks… The essays are touching, articulate, thoughtful, and engaging

3/5*

#booksky

The moment where Hegseth ends his speech and not a single officer claps is the most hopeful thing I have seen in a long time.

How To Be Antiracist
By Ibram X Kendi

Part biography part educational essays, this nonfiction was more accessible than I anticipated and even more thought provoking than I’d hoped

An important read than is so much more than the critics claim

4/5*
#booksky

The cover of the September 29, 2025, issue of The New Yorker.

An early look at next week’s cover: "Remote Control,” by Barry Blitt.
nyer.cm/6ApBXER

Also - I can't believe we let the worst comedians on the planet spend *years* defining Freedom of Speech as a moral obligation to laugh at their bad jokes, and not as a protection against government censorship. You've been crying wolf for a while now gang, and a real wolf just got here! SPEAK UP!

A cover illustrated by James Fenner. A woman with long red hair and padded clothing sits on the ground, petting the head of a smiling serpentine dragon. But the dragon has more than one head! On the left, a second giant dragon head emerges, frowning, looking at her while wearing a monocle. On the right, a third giant dragon head emerges, jaws wide, screaming in anger. The text is teal, contrasting sharply against the red and maroon of the creatures. The text on the cover reads "THE DRAGON HAS SOME COMPLAINTS. JOHN WISWELL, author of the Nebula and Locus Award-winning SOMEONE YOU CAN BUILD A NEST IN."

Unveiling the cover for THE DRAGON HAS SOME COMPLAINTS!

Garrodigh is a curmudgeonly three-headed dragon who pretends to be tame so he can eat for free at the local dragon-riding academy. Unfortunately, the rider he's assigned to is... a lot.

Coming Summer 2026 from DAW (US) and Arcadia (UK)!

The 2025 National Book Awards Longlist Through Friday, The New Yorker presents the longlists for Young People’s Literature, Translated Literature, Poetry, Fiction, and Nonfiction.

We’re pleased to exclusively announce the longlist for the 2025 National Book Awards for Young People’s Literature. See it here.

#StarWars Ronin
By Emma Mieko Candon

Positives: prose was top notch, characters diverse, & concept was fresh

Negatives: story was missing background/context, pacing was all over, & packed with too many brooding mysterious loners

Great fantasy tale, not the best Star Wars

2/5*
#booksky

The Secret Life of Albert Entwistle
By Matt Cain

At times a little too idealistic, this cozy read was still very moving and thoughtful. A fiction of immensely lovable characters, I’m so happy to have journeyed with Albert and spent time in his story

4/5*
#booksky

DNF’d my first book in a while, and while I don’t intend to review it here, the valuable lesson was: the next title I picked up is looking to be a 5 star read.

There are too many great books out there to suffer through

Brotherhood
By Mike Chen

The story wonderfully juggles prior #StarWars books, films, and series while introducing great new characters and expounding on favorites

4/5*
#booksky

Master & Apprentice
By Claudia Gray

The original characters were nice, interesting additions to the #StarWars universe

I felt small frustration w/ plot hinging on difficult character personalities, but the heart of the story‘s look at Obi & Qui-Gon’s dynamic was compelling & enjoyable

#booksky

Bethlehem Drift

'James' wins 2025 Pulitzer Prize for fiction The 2025 Pulitzer Prizes were announced Monday afternoon. Percival Everett won the award for fiction for his novel James, a powerful re-imagination of Huckleberry Finn.

The 2025 Pulitzer Prizes were announced Monday afternoon. Percival Everett won the award for fiction for his novel James, a powerful re-imagination of Huckleberry Finn.

Padawan
By Kiersten White

Following my #StarWars reading bug

I found some of the world building vague, and depictions of the younger characters tropey

Overall I enjoyed seeing more of Obi-Wan, diversity in the galaxy far far away, and found some of the philosophies insightful

3/5*
#booksky

Parable of the Sower
by Octavia Butler

Had I peeped the trigger warnings I would have skipped this one & nearly DNFed. It had a lot to say on many big topics, but not a light read.

Glad to understand the hype around this title & ruminate on its messages
3/5*
#booksky

Off With Her Head
By Elenor Herman

Less a response to misogyny & more a cataloging of it, the author ended up belaboring many of the points against the misogynist’s handbook.

Still, I found it informative if a little lacking on subjects of action, intersection, & prognosis
2.75/5*
#booksky

Reign of the Empire
By Alexander Freed

A different sort of entry into the #StarWars library (though it’s been a minute since I picked one up). This political thriller had some interesting twists if the themes hit a little close to our reality… Full of thought and powerful lines
3.5/5*
#booksky

A Prayer for the Crown-Shy
by Becky Chambers

A fantastic follow up to the first installment, this entry is full or reflection, hope, and warmth. It asks some big questions while keeping the heart that made falling into the first book so easy and enjoyable
4/5* #booksky

The Six Stages of Having Too Many Books What happens when a mere shelf will not do.

How many books is too many books?