Worst:

Norwegian Wood - Murakami
Bury Our Bones in the Midnight Soil - V.E, Schwab

Brigands and Breadknives (book 75)

Less cozy in every way than his previous books, and yet it still scratched that warm, snug itch

Great as long as you aren’t expecting it to be the same as the last two, though as he points out, where one person needs to settle down, another may need an adventure

The long way to a small angry planet (book 74)

This book is like a sci fi themed warm hug. Becky Chambers knocks it out of the park.

With the series as a whole, the first and fourth books are brilliant, whilst the two in between were only okay, though I wouldn’t argue with anyone who loves them

The Neverending Story (book 73)

A book of two halves, the first being the strongest, but the second having all of the authors thoughts and philosophies

Very much makes sense that the movie only did the first half, as that second one was a slog and wouldn’t translate well

Foreign Soil (book 72)

Usually short story compilations run off me like water off a duck’s back leaving little to no impression.

This collection of short stories was so deeply moving, so visceral, that I had to stop after each to absorb it properly, to make room in my heart for what I just read

Momo (book 71)

A whimsical children’s tale the criticises capitalism by showing how the capitalist need to monetise every moment of time an optimise productivity destroys community and human connection?

Yes please!

Clariel (book 70)

A brilliant standalone with good links to the wider world, I think the reading order for this series should be Sabriel, Clariel, Lirael, Abhorsen as Clariel gives so much interesting lore and world building that adds to the greater world

Garth Nix rarely, if ever misses

Which witch? (Book 69)

Proof that whimsy isn’t everything

I don’t particularly care for the premise, nor for the attempted whimsy which manifests in racial stereotypes not necessarily steeped in racism, but in ignorance.

It’s fine, but shows its age and leaves no impression.

Who’s Afraid of Gender? (Book 68)

Reading philosophy with a brain injury is very hard and gave me many real headaches.

While I don’t agree with every single point Butler brings up, broadly this books structured and ordered the many disparate arguments and beliefs about gender that I already held.

The Secret of Platform 13 (book 67)

This was so wonderfully whimsical I wish I could give it to my niece and nephew instead of returning it to its owner

Norwegian wood (book 66)

When talking about self harm and the effect it has on those left behind this is hauntingly beautiful

The rest of the time it’s misogynistic, homophobic, and possessed of the smugness of a self described centrist who is actually deeply conservative

I hated this book