Slaughterhouse-Five by Kurt Vonnegut Jr.

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

The book that had me saying “wtf?” in a good way from the get-go. The first chapter is like The Princess Bride in that it sets up what I believe is a fictionalization of the author, but not as a forward or introduction - as the first chapter. So for the first few pages I have no idea what’s going on. Once I get it, it’s pretty interesting - especially given the title page and the fact that, apparently, this is officially Slaughterhouse-Five or The Children’s Crusade.

Bound by Donna Jo Napoli

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This was a much more beautiful Cinderella story than the Disney one and a much less gruesome one than the original German one, even if there was still some foot destruction. First of all, this is my second fairy re-telling by Ms. Donna Jo Napoli, having read Sirena last year or the year before. Both times, she was a master at putting us in the head space of her protagonist and creating a compelling story.

Rave Master, Vol. 06 by Hiro Mashima

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Although this volume is full of a lot of gobble-de-gook about the end of time, we do get a relatively fun fight that consumes most of the chapters. Kind of reminds me of Dragon Ball Z in that way. Also, if Seig Hart can be believed, not only do we learn about Elie’s past, but we also learn about the origins of Rave. Things might change, but for now I do give the author credit in that (unless I missed it) it wasn’t one of those things where Dark Bring was also created at the same time. Also, we got this supposedly touching moment:

Wild Cards III: Jokers Wild by George R.R. Martin

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I don’t know if they did this consciously or if it was simply the consequence of a series that started in the 1940s and ended in the (at the time) present day of 1980s, but I think it’s fascinating that this first trilogy (in a 19ish book series) has each successive book compressed in time. The first book is a regular shared world anthology in which it’s clear who wrote each story and each is self-contained - if providing a history for the next one. It takes place from the 40s to the 80s. The second book is one story in which POVs change with each chapter. It spans a year or so (if memory serves). This book is one story in which each chapter is a POV change, it’s impossible to know who wrote which characters, and it only takes place over the course of about 24 hours. It definitely gives a certain feel of whiplash like slamming on the breaks to have the timelines compress like that.

The Cuban Table: A Celebration of Food, Flavors, and History by Ana Sofia Peláez

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Mostly cookbook and part history of the Cuban diaspora and those still in Cuba. I really enjoyed the stories that surrounded each recipe and chapter. It really put many of the dishes into a personal space for the author.

I’ve already cooked a few dishes from the book and they were great. It’s a good time for me to get to a book like this because it is not as precise as America’s Test Kitchen, but I have the cooking skills necessary to do well with the recipes. A few years ago I wouldn’t have done very well at all.

Throne of Jade by Naomi Novik

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This book explores the consequences of the first book’s revelation: Temeriaire is not just a Chinese dragon that was meant to be a gift to the French, he is a Celestial - the breed of the imperial family. Thus, after a bit of British bureaucratic struggle, Laurence and Temeraire are off to China. The plotting of this book is relatively slow outside of the four battle scenes. This is not a negative - I think Ms. Novik uses it to properly convey to a modern audience just how long a boat trip from England to China would take.

Rave Master Vol. 5 by Hiro Mashima

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

The story has kicked into manga overdrive. Lots of mysteries all over the place. Hints that Haru Glory’s dad is maybe in Demon Card. Finally some clues about who Elie might be. The former is more likely to be a red herring, the latter seems to pretty strongly be true. This volume is dominated by a fight scene that’s been coming since the first volume. But Mashima also gave the side characters (both protagonist and antagonist) their own battle while the main one was raging on. All of the Demon Card enemies have special powers and one of the goons can shoot glue out of an eyeball-looking thing on his head. Which led to this…

Clarkesworld Magazine, Issue 135 by Neil Clarke

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Some COVID-circumstances led to me finishing the second-half of this two months after starting. So I don’t quite remember the themes that piece together this issue, but here are my per-story thoughts:

The Rains on Mars: A delicate story of loss and how running away from loss can have consequences. Very nicely done.

Crossing LaSalle: Complex issues surrounding mortality and self-worth in a world in which people can have their brains loaded into new bodies.

The Princess in Black and the Hungry Bunny Horde by Shannon Hale

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

If you read the first two books with your kids and then were about to give up, do not do so! When I read the second book, about Princess Magnolia’s birthday, to my four-year-old twins I was disappointed. Just like the first one, the princess has someone snooping around as she runs off to fight monsters. Also, there was no payoff on the Goat Herd Boy wanting to become a super hero. Sure, this book series is for Kindergarten to Second-Graders, but it was just too repetitive.

Rave Master, Vol. 04 by Hiro Mashima

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Part of me wonders - is this just meant to be a comedic manga hero’s journey or is it a straight up parody? I can’t tell from this volume. Story-wise it concludes the story from the previous volume about the town where it always rains. I thought the plot twist for that section was interesting, even if the overall story is kind of lacking in stakes - which is why I wonder if this is meant to be parody. Afterwards we continue the medium-term arc of trying to get a piece of Rave that landed in a mountain. Once again, a few interesting story points, but no real consequences yet.