Alysa’s Comments (group member since Jun 27, 2015)

Alysa’s comments from the Nothing But Reading Challenges group.

Yes. I would also kind of like to know if Serapio killed all 3 of his tutors, or if the last one was spared, and if so, whether that will mean anything, plot wise as opposed to just character-building-wise.
But more broadly, I really want to know the Tovan political fall-out of the big massacre!

I wonder how long we will have to wait for Book 2. With any luck, a year or less, but I haven’t hunted around to see whether the author or publisher has said anything. I mean, they might not, depending on how well this first book sells.

Thank you for Buddy Reading with me, Kelly! I hope we can do it again sometime 🙂

Yeah, that was really good. And the ending managed to be a cliffhanger but not in an annoying way!

There were a couple of things that I didn’t get, like why Okoa’s mother was killed. That seemed completely irrelevant to me, beyond the fact of her death being the thing that brought Okoa back to Tova because the plot needed him there. Or did I miss something?

I loved how Naranpa is still the Sun Priest even after the others tried to strip her of the position. But the magic knows! I bet that ends up being partly why she can be revived in the next book — because that is totally going to happen. I would love to see her team up with Xiala somehow!

I have Trail of Lightning but haven’t read it yet. I hope it’s even half as good as Black Sun.

Hah, I typed my last comment without refreshing so I had not seen yours!
We are literally on the same page, haha!

Ch 31-36
This sure is racing towards the end now! Everyone is in Tova, and things are coming to a head.
I hate Abah so much, though I am slightly disappointed that the book didn’t pull any slight of hand in terms of her always being awful—and suspicious—from the very beginning. That was too easy. Maybe there will be some additional double-crosses at the end that will make her storyline a little more surprising.

I find I am not so bothered anymore by the romantic aspects of the Serapio/Xiala relationship. I guess because they both know it’s hopeless and tragic, so much so that it’s even to the point that they decide not to consummate it. Must be serious if even Xiala doesn’t consummate it, lol.

I am going to finish tonight. Can’t wait to see how this ends!

I read 31 & 32 last night, and will read thru 36 some time today.

The scene where Naranpa reunites with her brother is so sad! He really had a shitty life, but I guess he made the most of it, in a way. The rest of Tova sure has a lot to answer for in its treatment of the Maw.

It’s cool. I started on some short stories last night, and at this point probably won’t have much reading time until after work this evening anyway.

Oh, okay, no worries. I just finished chapters 25-30 this afternoon and was about to ask if you want me to wait a day or so for you to catch up. 🙂

My second NG review of the month. Another good one!


(my review)

My two current NG reads are also good so far. Hopefully I'm not about to jinx myself...

Ch 19-24

Wow, so all of THAT happened! So much betrayal and violence all around.

I was not expecting Xiala's crew to mutiny like that. I mean, there was always the threat of it but I thought she'd won them over well enough. I guess she's right in her assessment of how people can hate someone for what they are but tolerate them when they're useful.
And then for Serapio to basically kill all of the mutineers with his birds? Death by crows. Was that supposed to be justice? Was there any other way? Not sure what the deal is/was with the potential deadly disease on the ship too.

Over in Tova, the whole rest of the priesthood turning on Naranpa was also surprising. I thought she still had more support against Abah's machinations. Maybe she still does, and there's going to be some double-crossing ahead. In the meantime, it's a good opportunity for us to get some more "local color" through Naranpa's eyes as she returns to the Maw. I'm intrigued as to how this will all connect with Okoa's storyline and the crow cultists too.
How many of them know that their "Crow God" may in fact be returning in a matter of days?

I am really loving this book. :D

Ch 13-18
Okay, now we probably both REALLY hate Abah! Wow, that switch she pulled with the meeting location! Naranpa had better outmaneuver her soon.

Nice to learn so much more about Serapio, and about Xiala, and I am enjoying their interactions even while I am, at the same time, stronger in my hope that they don’t have a romance. They are clearly attracted to each other for various reasons — though the book makes the reasons for Serapio’s attraction to Xiala clearer than any reasons for the other way around, even as power calls to power — but I just want it to be a friendship. Romance or sexytime feels quite forced, like it’s ticking a box.

I like the introduction of the new POV character, Oaka, to bring us into the perspective of the Carrion Crow clan. I was having a little trouble figuring out what the difference was between the clan and the “cultists” too, and Oaka’s perspective helped to clear that up in a pretty organic way.

How are you doing with the 6 chapters a day pace? I may not be able to read as much tomorrow but feel free to pass me. I can catch up on Fri/Sat.

Kelly wrote: "I wouldn't be surprised if Abah was linked to the assassinations attempts."

I wouldn't be surprised either, though I don't think Abah actually wants Naranpa dead -- just shunted aside. Maybe she set something up just to scare her, but things are starting to spiral out of her control? Or, at least, the control she (Abah) thinks she has. She's still young and probably out of her depth.

I made it though Ch 12!

So we've got a lot of interesting politicking going on in Tova! Clearly some people want Naranpa to just go away and cede power, which is total BS.

We also get some subtle hints as to what will happen when Serapio arrives, just in time for the eclipse. I don't buy for one second that that the Carrion Crow matron died peacefully in her bed. My guess is that she was murdered after all, by some cultist who knows that Serapio is coming.

Serapio himself seems... oddly nice? Like, he's a nice person, but bound for fate that involves him being bad? I am also wondering if there will be some sort of romance, or at least a sexual relationship, between Serapio and Xiala (who is apparently bi, and not gay as first assumed). I'm not sure how I will feel about it if there is.

One of my daughter's longstanding private family nicknames is -- no joke -- Chub-Chub. (Don't ask.)
So, thanks for that, you gang of miscreants! I can ask her to dress as a hobbit and be your mascot, but I don't think she'll go for it.
XD

Yeah the xe/xir thing is a little distracting. Maybe it's just that somehow the letter X is distracting.
I wish Roanhorse had gone with ze/hir, or --better yet -- just used "they" all the time.

Okay, onward to chapters 6-12... tonight!

Wrote my first NG review for this month:

I LOVED THIS BOOK SO VERY MUCH!!!


my review

Eldarwen wrote: "it's no loss not reading Beautiful Creatures as it wasn't all that great, and for Charlie St. Cloud, just watch the movie ;-)"

OMG, for a minute there my brain legit got this confused with Heavenly Creatures and was like... WHAT? :D

I’ve read the first 5 chapters. I like it so far!

Xiala reminds me of many other book characters, which makes her seem a bit unoriginal, but I like her nonetheless. She’s also brought the only comic relief so far, as the rest seems pretty grim.
The opening chapter, with the... sewing... EEK, that was graphic!

I don’t really know enough about Pre-Columbian culture or mythology to be able to speak to how the author is using it, but I am very intrigued so far by the world building, especially the class distinctions and the fantastical elements.

I am already 1 chapter behind my original proposal, sorry! I suspect we got a couple of longer than average chapters at the beginning though, to set some need-to-know information.

Back in January I deleted something like 350 books that had been on my TBR from 2013-2014. It was very cleansing.
I could probably delete a bunch more from subsequent years but just haven’t spent the time going through more yet. I will eventually! But having a giant TBR is also useful for helping to plan for reading challenges too. Spell-outs, color covers and such :)

What Kelly said.

We are trying to conquer our NetGalley TBRs 😁

Courtney wrote: "A little late, but I'm here! "

I am probably going to read Shielded this month too! Might end up being in Oct, but... it’s partly the intention that counts, right? 😂