What I read in July 2025
- Drunk on All Your Strange New Words by Eddie Robson, 299p: It starts with a murder mystery with an interesting setting: post first contact with aliens called the Logi. The communication between aliens and humans is only possible through telepathy which causes intoxication to human interpreters, they basically get physiologically drunk. Lydia is the main character who works as an interpreter to an Alien representative. It is a plausible near future speculative fiction. It's interesting that there is a cost to the communication between humans and aliens. In a world that everything is automated, I thought it was cool that Lydia was the only one around who could actually drive a car manually (and that played a role in the plot, giving us a cool action scene).
- Problematic Summer Romance by Ali Hazelwood, 402p: This is a contemporary age-gap romance set in Italy with flashbacks and with a friends-to-lovers trope. It was funny, with a slow burn romance that explores the controversy of a relationship between Maya (20-year-old woman) and Conor (35-year-old grumpy man). Also, charming dogs, a volcano eruption, and a beautiful setting. This one is definitely a rom-com with cheesy situations and funny banter. It wasn't my favorite Ali Hazelwood book, I think I missed a more STEM focused environment.
- Between Two Thorns (The Split Worlds #1) by Emma Newman, 375p: Urban fantasy with mirrored worlds: Modern London (Mundanus) and the magical Nether (a Victorian-style realm) and the Fae lands. Cathy (the protagonist) rebels against the traditional expectations of her aristocratic family in the Nether, and manages to escape to Mundanus for a while, until she is found and forced to get back to the Nether. Cathy suffers from emotional and physical abuse from her family, and she seeks autonomy. There is a bit of a mystery going on with Arbiters (a type of Nether police) and missing people. There is also a sarcastic animated gargoyle who was infused with an Arbiter soul. Anyway, it was okay, but I didn't want to continue reading the series.
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Post 96/100 of 100DaysToOffload challenge (Round 2)!
#100DaysToOffload #100Days #readinglist #books #reading
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By Noisy Deadlines Minimalist in progress, nerdy, introvert, skeptic. I don't leave without my e-reader.