Notebook

How can any review possibly do justice to so timeless a book? What could I possibly say that has not already been said? Wuthering Heights is the first book I remember loving. I don’t remember now why it so captured my senses even at such a young age when I read it in 5th grade. It is obsessive, codependent, and toxic. Let's not delude ourselves. Yet this obsession drives the book; Cathy and Heathcliff are like a cyclone, whipping everyone around them up into their frenzy without care for anyone else, wreaking destruction everywhere.

One of the aspects I really enjoy about Wuthering Heights is Emily’s description of the moors. Having grown up on the moor of Haworth, in a rather solitary upbringing, her love for its nature are seen clearly, yet she also does little to soften its harshness. And thus does she paint Heathcliff, that he, in a way, mirrors the moors. He is as harsh, and as merciless as the setting in which he is placed, further stripped of humanity by those around him. As far as we know, he could indeed have sprung from the earth itself. I love this book, not simply for the intense, insane love (for lack of a better word here) of Heathcliff and Cathy (which I both feel akin to, yet also repulsed by), but for the tragedy of Cathy, to have been born as wild as Heathcliff and the moor, yet to be forever torn between accepting her true nature and conforming to the expectations of society.

In contrast to hers and Heathcliff’s love, her daughter and Hareton’s relationship arises at a more gradual pace, as they grow from scornful enemies (as Heathcliff intended for them), to lovers standing upon a foundation of mutual respect and the desire to become better for each other. Perhaps not as thrilling, nor as captivating as, “He is more myself than I,” but far healthier—surer. That, I believe, is what finally broke Heathcliff. As the narrator repeatedly observes that Heathcliff sees Cathy in both her daughter and Hareton, to see them then love each other in spite of his best efforts to sow hatred, utterly defeats him.

This is one of those books I can read a thousand times and still find something new each time.

when the government massacred the Taiwanese for daring to speak out against it (the government that had taken over from China after losing to the communists).

It was a period of martial law of mass suppression, murder, and imprisonment for over 40 years. Taiwanese people were not allowed to speak Taiwanese. My parents said they had to hide radios and listen to them secretly.

Tens of thousand of people were killed by the government which covered it up and forbade anyone from even talking about it until the 90s. To this day, the exact death toll is unknown because of all the cover-up.

Let’s not repeat history.

“…but if you ever do come across them, you’d do well to flee instead.”

Happy Monday!

Finding Emily Lawrence was the happiest accident. Her narration is so perfect for my stories—mystical, magical—a voice that truly transports you to another world.

A Girl Made of Time audiobook is now available wide on Audible, Spotify, Apple, Everand, and other retailers, as well as on my direct store. All links here.

The ebook is still free to download.

And in case you missed it, there’s a giveaway for the special edition hardcover, open internationally!

This definitely isn't a book I would normally pick up on my own, but I'm still glad I did. Pedro is such a force in the literary world, talented in so many ways (I just found out he also does archery??), and is an incredibly generous, kind, and supportive human being. How does someone like him exist in the world? I’m truly honoured to know him.

The second story in Pedro’s collection, “A Final Song for the Ages,” broke my heart a little, and I’m still thinking about it days later.

His story, "Do As I Do" was my favourite from the collection, though. It has everything I enjoy in a short story: a strong woman, puppies (lol), and heart. In a post-apocalyptic world, people long for more than survival, and the character(s) in this story learn trust and forge unlikely bonds. Also, never thought I would root for a robot, but there's always a first time..

Overall, this is a book that would appeal to readers who enjoy sci-fi, post-apocalyptic stories with lots of action, aliens, and humanity's fight for survival.

Started Kimberly Warner ’s memoir today, and thought I’d be reading it slowly, but I ended up being swept up in her beautiful writing and story.

I don’t often find myself nodding along as I read. Certain parts, though, were so relatable, I couldn’t help it. The delete button? Yes. The shrinking myself in response to the more chaotic members of my family? Yes. Not having a map for grief? Yes.

And ok, I’ve only finished part one so far, but Unfixed already has my heart. It holds so much of what I already know of Kimberly herself: tenderness, resilience, hope, acceptance—yes, even amidst pain.

Update (23 Feb 2026):

I finished Part II. This part hit really close to home for me in many ways. (SPOILER ALERT) At the end of chapter 10, Kimberly shares about volunteering her budding film-making skills for a grief support organisation. She writes about developing a theatre troupe, and a group of young adults who perform a skit about grief. In one part of the skit, the actors go, "Turn around if you'd give up everything you've learned since your person died, in order to have them back," and none of them turn. The idea being that in spite of the pain and heartache, grief made them better people.

I don't think I'm there yet. While I agree that in some ways, I'm probably better, overall, I don't know if I am. Of course, it's not so black-and-white, which is the point of the skit. But, I feel like I used to be softer.

In another part, Kimberly writes about her to-be husband's disabled daughter, Sydney:

"Parenting a child with intellectual disability, he's learned that life is messy, outcomes unpredictable, often unwanted."

And then, "I don't know how to get to her, and the absence of that knowing panics me." That line especially caused almost a visceral reaction. I've never heard anyone describe so clearly how it feels to try to connect with a child—my child—with a disability. Why it's so frustrating, but underneath that frustration, so utterly frightening.

I'm in awe.

Update (26 Feb 2026):

Complete. Review:

Kimberly's memoir, Unfixed, is an embrace, a hand holding you through a churning sea. And she herself embodies the kind of grace, resilience, and compassion that comes off every page.

The book is a story about what happens when a life shatters and you’re left with just the pieces lying around you—how you take these fragments and still create a whole life, a whole identity.

“…a midlife DNA test reveals that the man who raised her isn’t her biological father…” and “As she unravels the secrets hidden beneath her family’s story…A mysterious illness takes hold, leaving her adrift in dizziness…”

With tenderness and hope and absolutely beautiful writing, Kimberly traverses unknown waters of chronic illness and identity, and finds that wholeness isn’t about having it all together, or having a perfect resolution, but about embracing and being present.

One day soon, I’ll get to share the book Renley and I wrote together with him when we visit his memorial. Grief is not linear. My husband said today, in some ways, it stays the same because life keeps going, but that only means the person lost misses more and more moments. The sense of absence grows.

I have this naive thought that once CONSTELLATIONS is launched, I’ll have a little sense of closure. Maybe there will be a bit of that, but grief is also something we carry for the rest of our lives. That’s life, too, I guess.

If stories with ambiguous, bittersweet endings are something you crave, too, you’ll find something to love in the book launching in September this year. 💙

Sign up for updates when it goes live ⬇️

kickstarter.com/project…

A GIRL MADE OF TIME is finally going to have a print edition!! And it’s SHINY!I’ve been blown away by the reception for this little book. As an elder daughter like Carys who also has a complicated relationship with her mother, I channeled the burden of feeling like I had to care for the family while simultaneously wanting to be free, into the story. It took me over four years to write, but it was worth it.

Thank you for loving Carys, the girl made of time. This special edition will only be available with the Kickstarter for The Constellation of Forgotten Things.

The next 200 people to sign up for the Kickstarter prelaunch page will be entered to win this copy in my hand

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/tiffanychu/revenir

Just email me or respond to this email with a screenshot showing that you've signed up, and that's it!

*If you've already signed up, email me anyway, and you'll be entered.

BTW, the digital version is free to download here: https://BookHip.com/VVMHTMD

On another note, have a special sneak peak at some of the interior designs for Constellations of Forgotten Things:

I’ve been journaling and annotating as I read, which allows me to slow down and actually absorb the words. I notice more, and have started making connections between books.

A little less intentionally, I found myself reaching for classics again this year. They’re my first love, but last year was full of new releases and new-to-me books. I have been treasuring the slower pace of older books and their beautiful language, the nuance. It’s also interesting and sometimes a bit disheartening to see how little has changed in society over the years. At the same time, I also take heart at this, knowing that what we go through today has been weathered by those who came before.

In Chicago Story Press — "How to Love Your Mother"

And in an upcoming anthology, A Year in Ink, for which there will be a live reading in June. Wild. Hope I can get over my stage fright by then. 😅

After a year of many rejections, this does feel quite momentous. ^-^

Today, I read "A Whisper in the Ear of the Eternal" at an open mic night. When I went back to my seat, the person sitting next to me had tears in her eyes, and said she had lost her husband recently. She said my words touched her deeply.

I sometimes forget I'm writing for one person, and sometimes, that person is sitting right next to me.

So, thank you.

Some that I enjoy:

Malissa

Warmth, perfumes, rugs, soft lights, books - Anaïs Nin’s list of things that don’t appease her 📧 team@bewareofpity.com

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Martha’s Monthly | Substack

Every month I review what I have read, so you know what to read next. Every other month, I host a book club. Click to read Martha’s Monthly, a Substack publication with thousands of subscribers.

Martha’s MonthlyMartha

guess i’m beth

hi! my name is beth, and i make bookish and reading journal content! join me on my bookish adventure! :)

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A reading life | Petya K. Grady | Substack

A newsletter for book people who’ve lost their way. Click to read A reading life, by Petya K. Grady, a Substack publication with tens of thousands of subscribers.

A reading lifePetya K. Grady

Closely Reading | haley larsen, phd | Substack

essays & musings about literature, film, and art from a literature phd, plus a book club for close readers. Click to read Closely Reading, by haley larsen, phd, a Substack publication with thousands of subscribers.

Closely Readinghaley larsen, phd

At Hope for San Diego, we believe in the inherent dignity and worth of all people made in the image of God. As followers of Jesus, our faith compels us to care for our immigrant neighbors and to value their safety and flourishing as we value our own.

This week, in conversation with our nonprofit affiliates, I’ve been grieved to hear their experiences. They are afraid. Not only for their students and people they serve, but for their own personal safety. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is not as visible here as we see on the news in Minnesota, but ICE agents recently detained the parents of a student from one of our affiliates right on the streets of Encinitas*. Another affiliate reports that ICE has been hovering around schools, waiting to detain parents when they arrive to pick up their children. Our affiliates have seen cruel separation of families, children needlessly traumatized, and economically self-sufficient families suddenly unable to provide for themselves. And they only anticipate it getting worse.

*Encinitas is considered one of the more affluent neighbourhoods in San Diego, so this should alarm you

These are real people and real lives. This is happening.

You can do something about it.

Donate - Hope For San Diego

Hope for San Diego empowers non-profits who aim for long-term life transformation in the lives of the poor and marginalized.

Hope For San Diego

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/tiffanychu/revenir

It was ranked #1 on Amazon in 3 categories when first released, and even got to #2 on the overall Kindle store list at one point.

No, I’ll never be a fast writer. But yes, I’m quite happy with my process.

It’s not one that publishers would jump at.

It’s not one that will end up on any lists.

It could be called a little depressing, a little slow, a little like, “Why..?”

But. For certain people, it’s perfect.

Like Ann:

I’ve sat on writing this review for a little bit, not so much because I didn’t know what I wanted to say, but because I’m afraid I won’t be able to do this book justice.

At its essence, this is an anthology of short stories written between two soulmates and published after Renley’s death. I think it’s important to read the About the Authors section as well as the Preface to get a feel for the why behind this book. The two authors not only both have a gift for lyrical writing, but more importantly, shared a deep soul connection that comes through in every page. A connection like this doesn’t happen often, possibly not at all for some people. I’ve experienced it, and have never attempted to put it into words due to feeling inadequate to that task. Fortunately, this book has done it for me.

It’s a short read with not so much stories as moments in time. Or rather, the emotion of a moment in time. In many stories, that moment is just after a loss or the break in a relationship. Loss is a major theme in this anthology, as is love, grief, and redemption. While I favored some stories over others, all are lyrical and enthralling and my recommendation is not to read this straight through, but to choose a story every few days in order to have time to absorb it before moving on. I’ve come back to the Epilogue (Coda) several times, lost in the beauty of what appears to be the authors writing to each other. It’s so moving, it’s poetry.

This is possibly my shortest review to date, but there’s not much more I can say. This anthology deserves to be read by anyone who has loved, or lost, or just believes in love that last beyond lifetimes.

It’s for Ann, and others who have searched for home, that my son and I wrote this book.

And that, to me, is enough.

In ten years I want you to make a list of all the feelings you found after sadness, of every moment that made you think, "I would stay another day, for this."

I want you to tell me of the instances of light you saw, dim though they may have been, that shimmered through darkness to lead you past the unknown.

I want to hear of every song that made you feel you were understood.

Of sunsets and sunrises that lifted you from the shadow, for even a moment.

Of the peace you may have found in the gentle timbre of a friend you loved

Of every smile that crossed your face that was real, so real.

Of moonlight that turned your face to heaven, from yourself.

In ten years, I want to see a list you've made of all the reasons to stay alive, and I want to hear you tell me of the moment you realised you were more than dust and ashes, when you felt starlight coursing through your veins, and felt it bring you back to life, to life.

“You would,” he said.

“I found her because she had a song called Wuthering Heights.”

“She would,” he said.

My brain is happy.

Featuring:

• Les Miserables (slow read with @ashleighjadereads on Instagram)
• Wuthering Heights (book club with haley larsen, phd )
• The Stranger (secret Inklings project)

Not Pictured: East of Eden (personal reading)

(I’m told by Heidi Tai that this room is dressed like my personality, and I’m pleased my aesthetic is so recognizable by my people. 😂)

I've finally read this book. It was on my Goodreads "want to read" list for years before I later deleted everything and started over. I don't even remember how I first heard of it, but it would come up in the book world every now and then.

For some reason, I'd always thought it was a light YA romantic fantasy that wouldn't interest me much. The cover and tagline may have something to do with it. "Love is the strongest magic of all"? Please do better, whoever came up with that. While it has fantasy elements, I'd label it as adult historical fantasy, with more emphasis on mythology and Celtic pagan tradition. And like other fairy tale retellings (this one based on the Brothers Grimm's "The Six Swans,") I expected happy, light, simple.

Yes, there is a love story, but it's a very, very slow burn. Very slow. That's fine with me. In fact, the whole pacing of the book, though some might consider it slogging, was perfect for me. Marillier took her sweet time setting up Sorcha's world, her background, her relationships with her family, especially her six brothers, and the magic of the Fair Folk. It's deeply atmospheric with rich, descriptive passages, set against a backdrop of the conflicts between the British and the Irish. This is a book with a deep sense of place and a connection to the earth.

The book follows the tale of the six swans pretty predictably, but what I didn't expect (and what I appreciated) was its refusal to brush over effects of trauma and grief. No one in this book gets a pat, happy ending tied up neatly with a bow. In this, it follows the tradition of Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings, in which "love is now mingled with grief."

There is triumph, yes, but also much loss. The years Sorcha and her brothers were away and the pain they endured through them, her broken home when they return—all have lingering wounds that aren't mended, even after the curse is broken.

That, I think, is what will make this book linger in my heart and mind.

If you like books with ambiguity and deep connections between family members and lovers, check out my upcoming short story collection, The Constellation of Forgotten Things.

Eh. I think I just expected better from M.L. Wang after The Sword of Kaigen. This one was way too preachy. I have to give credit where it is due, however: it is a readable book, and not difficult to get through at all, nor boring.

(spoiler)

I'm sad we didn't get any closure with Aunt Winny and Alba.

(end of spoiler)

But that's exactly what I mean when I say it was just eh. Blood Over Bright Haven was excessively focused on the main character, Sciona, and her character development, that everyone else—including the secondary character, Thomil—just seemed like props to be used in service of her growth. Perhaps that was the point of the book? The one-dimensional characterisation of all the other characters wouldn't have taken me quite by surprise, except that in The Sword of Kaigen, the characters were much more thoroughly fleshed out.

Which makes me wonder if Wang intended to write the book this way all along.

Because the other thing is, she has a clear agenda in this book; it's extremely preachy to the point of being infuriating. The parallels between Tiran's oppression of the Kwen, and the U.S. of the indigenous and other minorities (and willful ignorance of the human costs to live in such luxury compared to the rest of the world), are obnoxiously blatant.

I deeply dislike when authors do this—treat readers like they can't understand their point unless they shove it down readers' throats, that is—it drives me mad. That's another reason why I didn't enjoy it as much.

However, if the point was to be preachy and drive her point across, keeping everyone except Sciona flat makes sense. Sciona is the one who must come to terms with her white privilege, face the atrocities she and her people have committed on other peoples, both knowingly and unknowingly, and have a reckoning with herself and all she has ever known.

By showing us the process, Wang puts on display how agonising it is, how it can literally bring someone to the brink of death—and yet, free them all the same.

I find this quote to sum up the overarching theme of the book well:

"She's hope."
"Hope?" Carra repeated.
"She's proven that she can change her mind," he said.

So, my personal enjoyment aside, perhaps in spite of what I dislike about Blood Over Bright Haven, it's not about that; it's about the hope of people in power being willing to change, and give justice to those they've harmed.

What were your favourite books last year?

Edit: she doesn't like strong white women either.

The writing is beautiful and I enjoyed it. This isn't the sort of book you read quickly, and that's something I appreciate in my books.

That said, the writing style is also such that it keeps the reader at some distance from the characters. I was personally happy with that, considering my own experience with child death; I never felt like Agnes's grief triggered or overwhelmed me. Instead, it was a meaningful and thoughtful exploration of what a child's death can do to a family, the surviving children, and a couple's marriage—all things I've wrestled with in my own life.

It's not often I read books that are this hyped up. I certainly don't expect to enjoy them, hence why it took me this long to finally read it. But this one, this one will stay with me for a long time.

Kickstarter page for more information

I should have known better than to read this book when I'm already emotional and grieving, but oh, what a book. It brought back nostalgic feelings of the wonder I had when I read The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe for the first time, and The Secret Garden. These beautiful books that taught me, as a child, that magic existed in my ordinary world, if only I had the curiosity and eyes to look for it. The introduction talks about these books as inspiration, and it comes through in a wondrous way here.

The way S.E. Reid managed to craft this story from the eyes of a ten-year-old child is awe-inspiring. Her writing is always whimsical and atmospheric in the best ways. It transported me right back to those days when I was young and just wanted to be heard, to have a grown-up who would have a real conversation with me, to feel belonging somewhere. And of course, now that I'm a parent myself, I felt the ache from Pete, who was just trying to be the best dad he could be.

Ivy & Ixos is a master work in such a small book. It made my heart ache. I loved it.

From S.E. Reid's Ivy & Ixos.

He just burst out laughing.

"I wonder where she got that."

What can I even say about this perfect, intimate, beautifully written story of a life-saving love across lifetimes and timelines? I don't know if I could ever do it justice. It's like Alix Harrow found a secret string in my soul, pulled it out, and wrote this story with it.

This is about a love that crosses every barrier, filled with a longing I know all too deeply, set against a backdrop of impossible circumstances. It's about finding one's courage and agency when evil and the world has always taken those away. And it's about the healing that comes from being seen, and known, and loved, nevertheless.

Yes, I have had a love like this, and this book reminds me of it. It hurt to read, but it was also healing, because how can Alix write such words without knowing this love herself?

No words exist for when half your soul dies and is ripped from you, but the grief in this book broke me because of how close it came to describing my experience.

As we who grieve know, time with a beloved would never have been enough. And yet. And yet. Would we have traded that short time for having never known them at all? Most would say no, and I am one of their number.

Sometimes on person who loves us, remembers us, is enough.

The Everlasting confirmed for me why I continue to write: that while I wait beneath the proverbial yew tree, I remember him. And that is enough.

On the side wall of our classroom, Mr. Billings would put up pieces of writing we wrote that he thought were particularly powerful.

A short story I wrote made it up there once.

I thought, maybe I could be a writer.

He made us read depressing books about injustice. He forced us to look past personal biases to discern the heart of a person. He walked us through the idealism toward government and disillusionment and what it might look like to fight for our ideals anyway.

Most people I talk to hated middle school.

Mr. Billings is one of the reasons I loved it.

He taught me how to think for myself, how to look beneath the surface of things. And he believed in me.

Wherever he is in the world, I hope he knows his encouragement kept me writing to this day.

This is another reminder to myself, but also to you, to publish the thing, because somewhere out there is at least one person who will love it, and that one person is enough.

How do you track your reading? In the past, I've tried Goodreads, Storygraph, Italic Type (which I honestly liked the most for its aesthetic simplicity), and I use Pagebound a bit now, but at heart, I'm an analog girl.

Now that I’m recovered (lol), it’s revising time (again), and then they’re off to S.E. Reid for the last stage! (always assuming I can let go of the thing)

The Fib by Pedro Iniguez - an allegory about how a lie grows bigger and bigger. The toddler wants to read this almost every day! The illustrations are wonderful and fit the story so well.

A Turtle's Hero by Maria Greenhalgh - a bilingual book (English & Spanish) about a boy who saves a turtle at the beach. It's about taking care of our oceans and beaches.

She Who Became the Sun is the underrated, unheard of book you need to read right now.

This book made my chest physically ache.

I wandered around the house dejectedly for an entire evening after finishing She Who Became the Sun by Shelley Parker-Chan. I'm STILL not ready for the sequel.

Historical fiction (barely fantasy) about the founding emperor of China's Ming Dynasty, but make it queer and subversive. Gray morally-sketch characters you'll somehow root for anyway. Writing so immaculate it made me want to write essays AND give up writing forever.
Is it perfect? No. (The POV-jumping got me.) Do I love it anyway?
Absolutely.

Have you read this? Should I dive into the sequel or give myself more recovery time? 😭

😂 Just by saying that the fiction circle here is the best! (which it is)

Which also goes to show that as AI tries to take over the world, people are still craving these simple things:

• community
• a place to be seen

If your writing can do that, especially in digital spaces, you’re a step ahead of many others.

It's all about personal preference. From my perspective, I view reading as a conversation between author and reader, so I, as a reader, ought to at least make a good-faith effort to understand what the author is trying to accomplish with their book. Bad reviews that focus on taste but clearly miss the point irk me (for example, when someone complains that a YA book are too simple when YA books are targeted to a younger audience, or mismatched genre expectations like a horror book being too scary—I've seen all kinds of iterations of these types of reviews).

A book can be a good book, but not for you.

A book can be a good book, but not for you at that particular time in your life.

That's not to say that readers aren't entitled to their opinions, but giving low ratings to books for not being what they weren't meant to be in the first place isn't fair to either the book or other readers who are actually looking for that type of book.

I'm also of the mind that if you give too many five-stars, when you come across books you really, REALLY love, you have no higher rating to give them (which is when you start seeing the "six-star books"). So I can see the argument for reserving five stars for truly exceptional books that leave a lasting impression on you.

All that to say, this is why I can't stand using stars anymore! 😂 Of course, you could get very granular and use .5, .25, etc., but why? (again, that's personal preference for me. If it's helpful for you, by all means, use it).

My Darling Dreadful Thing surprised me in the best way. Admittedly, I went into it with no expectations. All I knew was that the cover intrigued me (yes we judge books by their covers!). I appreciated the back and forth between the actual story and the interview between Roos and the doctor. Van Veen's use of an unreliable narrator in Roos worked extremely well—yet another exactly of a book that utilised the, "Is she crazy or are there actually ghosts?" to great effect.

That's not what I really liked about the book, though. Instead, what lingered was the relationship between Roos and Agnes, and the strange, somewhat toxic love they grew to have. It made me think of how trauma sometimes destroys relationships, especially if one person pursues growth while the other remains stuck. I'm not sure if that was the message the author hoped to convey, but it's what I was left with in the end.

The atmospheric descriptions made for a delightfully creepy read, perfect for autumn nights when you're not quite sure if the house is creaking or if there are old spirits wandering in the dark.

goodreads.com/book/show…

app.thestorygraph.com/b…

Pagebound | Welcome home, reader 📚

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Welcome home, reader 📚

While I expected Lamb to break my heart, I didn't quite expect it to turn it inside out and scoop out its contents in the visceral way it did. This book is brutal yet tender, just like the titular Lamb, and as the narrator, D, sifts through Lamb's belongings to understand him, I think he's also trying to know himself. The fragmentary, non-linear storytelling works well for the story, as D looks through the past.

We're left without an easy answer or resolution. In that way, it's a reflection of life and the illusory nature of memory - how uncertain it is.

The book vaguely reminded me of Hua Hsu's memoir, Stay True, which is also a reflection on a close friend's death (not a spoiler; it's the premise of both books). While the two books are wildly different in style, the hearts behind them are what made me think of it: growing up in a world that doesn't accept you, searching for belonging in the face of loss.

I, Medusa is a bold retelling of Medusa's story that puts agency back into her hands. There were elements I enjoyed while reading this book: the relationship between Medusa and her sisters, the reframing of Medusa's "coupling" with Poseidon through the lens of someone in power taking advantage of someone who was vulnerable. It's a quick and easy read that I completed in a day.

Medusa herself wasn't a likable character to me; she made mistakes (choices) that she refused to learn from, which harmed people she cared for again and again. Some may call that empowerment, but I'd call it selfishness. She's praised for these actions and punished in turns. By the end of the story, I wasn't left with the sense that she had learned anything at all.

Even though it's labeled adult fiction, Medusa's young age makes this book more appropriate for young adults, despite the darker content. The book's overarching themes of consent, power, and prejudice make this a relevant one for our time.

I will have words someday for what this book means, but not today.

COME ON, ALIX, HAVE MERCY!

So, you know, reading The Everlasting is going well. I'm totally fine. Really.

I thought I’d be blowing through this book (Alix E. Harrow's The Everlasting), but I keep having to stop and admire the beauty of the writing. Gah this book.

Also I definitely flipped through to gush over @alicecaoillustration ‘s art and show my husband one of my favourite artists’ illustrations. Such a gorgeous, gorgeous book. 😭

This book had a lot going for it: lovely writing, evergreen themes of religious trauma and the search for acceptance and belonging, and ace-representation. Winters handles difficult topics like severe child abuse with sensitivity. Hallowed be Thy Name kept me engaged enough throughout the story that despite some issues I'll point out below, I wanted to find out what would happen. I also really enjoy these kinds of stories where you wonder if something supernatural is really going on, or if the narrator is crazy. Augustus is an awkward and endearing unreliable narrator whom I wanted to hug and love. The way he would try to self-sabotage relationships because of his insecurities was incredibly relatable.

Winters writes beautifully. I highlighted several passages that made me go, "Oh, wow." Beginning the story with the reader knowing that Augustus murdered his mother sets up a different mystery—what exactly happened? This was quite clever and I enjoyed trying to figure it out.

That said, the book would benefit from editing at the developmental and line levels. Midway through the book, <spoiler> the romance took over the narrative to where it no longer felt like a horror book until it needed to again for plot reasons. While I understand the reasoning behind that, it was jarring. </spoiler> The beginning of the book also felt really long, so it seemed like half the book was set-up. The pacing was a bit strange.

On the line level, there were several incidents when characters exchange dialogue in a way that sound Victorian, but they're living in the modern times with Internet. 

Nathaniel was such a nice character that he never seemed like a real person to me, which then caused the relationship to fall flat. As a result, I'm afraid the full impact of the ending failed to land, even though on a cognitive level, I knew how I was supposed to feel.

Overall, I enjoyed this book. It's very readable and kept my attention throughout.

Thank you to the author for my free ARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

18 Oct 2025 - 20 Oct 2025

Marilla says, "my father always said that no child should be cooped up in the four walls of a school until it was seven years old, and Mr. Allan says the same thing."

Why, oh why, do we coop up the children now? Let them run free!

While there isn't much in the way of a plot, I so enjoy the slice-of-life, whimsical style of this series. There is such emphasis on plot in contemporary books, but sometimes a charm in these snippets of everyday lives of ordinary people not trying to embark on special quests or solve some kind of world-shattering problem.

Something I also quite appreciate about this book is the portrayal of healthy multi-generational friendships. In the former half of the book, Anne finds a kindred spirit in her student, Paul Irving (say what you will about that, although I suppose they're only about five years about since she's quite a young teacher). Now, she finds one in middle-aged Lavendar Lewis. It's so nice to read about Anne making friends with people in all walks of life.

Now accepting applications for a new husband.

What's your favourite book of all time?

Mine is The Lord of the Rings. I read it every single year, and every single year, it still speaks to me. Especially in recent years when the world and life has seemed so incredibly broken, hopeless, this book is one that has continued to be a light in the darkness.

It's not one of trite, easy endings. The victory is bitterly won and leaves the main character so broken, he literally has to leave the world he saved to find a modicum of peace. I mean, just stab my heart out with a spoon, would you?

Oh, and the descriptive nature writing makes me feel all sorts of things.

I'll always turn to this book for some sanity.

"...a good story doesn't just copy life, it pushes back on it."

This book was painful to read. I had to keep putting it down. Yet it was exquisite, and Barbara Kingsolver's writing is unlike anyone else's out there.

This book digs its fingernails beneath poverty, foster care, and the drug crisis, and overturns it to put all its ugliness on display. Like Charles Dickens, who inspired it, Kingsolver doesn't shy away from the harshness of life, doesn't rub your face in it, but dares you not to look away - forces you to see the humanity in the slums.

At its heart, a boy unwanted by everyone, but that you'll fall in love with through his story.

Eyes are burning, brain is foggy, but SO ALIVE.

Fellow artists will understand.

The follow-up question I asked was, “which ones would you name as foundational texts that have influenced my manuscript?” (and then gave it my fantasy novel-in-progress)

*I used Claude, not ChatGPT

This was its abbreviated answer:

Based on your manuscript, I'd identify these as your foundational influences:

Primary Literary DNA:

• Tolkien's Lord of the Rings - Your approach to world-building, the relationship between mortal and immortal races, and the weight you give to bonds/fellowship
• Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell - The way you blend historical realism with subtle magic, and your treatment of the closing of magical worlds
• Wuthering Heights - The destructive passion, the way love becomes obsession, and the gothic atmosphere of doomed relationships

Core Structural Influences:

• Jane Austen (particularly the darker novels) - Your attention to social hierarchies, family dynamics, and the way personal relationships intersect with political power
• Russian literature (Tolstoy/Dostoevsky) - The psychological complexity, moral ambiguity, and the way you explore characters making devastating choices

Foundational Mythic Framework:

• Celtic/Norse mythology - Your treatment of the Fae, the concept of worlds closing, and the idea of ancient contracts and blood debts
• The Song of Achilles - The tragic bond between two male characters where love leads to inevitable destruction, your lyrical prose

Gothic Foundation:

• Anne Rice's Vampire Chronicles - The beautiful, doomed immortal perspective and the way you write about eternal loss
• Rebecca/Du Maurier - The way past secrets poison present relationships

The Unique Blend:

You've essentially written Wuthering Heights in Middle-earth - taking Brontë's psychological intensity and Gothic romance, then placing it in a fantasy world with Tolkien's mythic depth. But updated with modern consciousness about colonialism.

These texts seem to have taught you that fantasy can be psychologically realistic, that love can be both redemptive and destructive, and that the most powerful stories often center on the breaking of unbreakable bonds. Your manuscript reads like someone who absorbed these works deeply and is writing from that integrated foundation rather than simply imitating surface elements.

I finally did this, using the exact same prompt, and here’s what I got:

1. You have a profound interest in pain, healing, and meaning.

2. You're spiritually attuned but also cautious, maybe even wounded by organized religion.

3. You are emotionally intense and introspective, with deep empathy.

4. You're literary, but not elitist.

5. You’re fascinated by transformation and liminality.

6. You have a love of beauty, but it’s never shallow.

7. You’re either a writer or a deeply reflective thinker.

8. You return to what matters. Re-reading is sacred to you.

Final Conclusions

You are:

• Emotionally intense, intellectually curious, and spiritually reflective
• A seeker of both truth and beauty—sometimes in contradiction
• Drawn to stories of pain, redemption, and mystery
• Likely introverted, or at least someone who protects their inner world
• Possibly someone who has navigated trauma, religious transition, or identity shifts
• Comforted by stories that reveal meaning in suffering or transcendence in the ordinary
• A quiet but fierce lover of story and soul