[REVIEW] Six Crimson Cranes by Elizabeth Lim

February 5, 2022February 5, 2022 by louisereads ♥ 1 Comment

This is one of those books that I just fell in love with. I have nothing bad to say about it.

I listened to the audiobook of this. I’m not sure if the audiobook had something to do with how much I loved this book, but all I can say is Emily Woo Zeller is a fantastic narrator. Narration aside, I really loved Shiori and her story.

Shiori’s story was not a passive one. She really took charge of her own fate which I could not appreciate more. I loved the story so much for the decisions she made in the face of everything that had happened to her.

I’ve seen a lot of people say the story was predictable, but I really didn’t see the end coming. Well, maybe I did, but I could not say exactly what the motivation for each of the characters was. Even if I could have, this story was very character focused. When this is the case, I don’t feel like I need a super unique plot to follow. The characters are enough.

My favorite aspect of this book was the relationship’s Shiori had with different characters: her brothers, Kiki, Raikama, Seryu, and Takkan. Lim did such a beautiful job of making me care about each of these connections. I also think a spectacular love triangle is shaping up for the next book which I am surprisingly not mad about. Both Seryu and Takkan have my heart, and I cannot wait to see how this duology finishes up.

I haven’t been reading much YA Fantasy recently–many of the ones I’ve tried haven’t really spoken to me in any deep way. This one, though, made me rethink my distance from YA Fantasy.

Rating: ★★★★★

Find Six Crimson Cranes at a local bookseller here.

January Wrap-Up

February 1, 2022February 2, 2022 by louisereads ♥ 0 Leave a Comment

Books read this month: 12

Average rating: 4.25 stars

January was a good reading month for me. I went into 2022 wanting to really ramp up my reading habits for the year. Last year, I read a total of 76 books, a big increase from the 43 I read the year before. This year I want to go even bigger with my total if I can. So, January consisted of me trying to fit in time to read every day which I mostly succeeded at. Something that I’ve always wanted to make a good habit of is reading before bed so that I’m not on my phone right before I sleep.

My partner gave me a new Kindle for Christmas which I was over the moon about (my old one was from 2013). Reading on my Kindle has made it so much easier to read before bed while my partner sleeps and it motivates me to check more books out from the library through my Libby App, books I maybe would not have picked up at the bookstore for myself.

Now that my work and grad school have picked up again, my reading has slowed down. I still make sure to read before bed, even if it is just for a few minutes. I also have a few more shifts working at the library this semester, which gives me more time to read at the desk.

I feel good about my reading in January and hoping it sets a good precedent for February! 🙂

Favorite January reads:

The Love Hypothesis by Ali Hazelwood

So many people have raved about this romance, but I need to repeat what they’ve all been saying. This book is. SO. Good. Possibly one of my favorite romances of all time. Women in STEM and fake-dating trope are always a yes for me. So, so looking forward to Hazelwood’s next release!

Six Crimson Cranes by Elizabeth Lim

I’ve been a little wary of Young Adult Fantasy recently, but this one was so much more than I could have ever expected. So many twists in the story and Shiori really took action–she was not a passive character in the least. This book had everything I need in a fantasy–good characters, brilliant plot, and a cute budding romance. Full review still to come on this one!

Great Circle by Maggie Shipstead

This is one of those epic tales I feel like everyone needs to experience. The story jumps back and forth in time from Marian, a pilot in the early 20th century, and Hadley, the girl who plays Marian in a new film. There is so much to this story that I can’t fully describe what it is or why it is so good. Mostly, I think it does an incredible job of capturing the human condition and life for queer women. It is a historical fiction novel, but Marian and Hadley’s lives really spoke to me. Definitely won’t forget this one for a while.

A Librarian’s Week in Review 1/29/22: Questions for the Curious

January 29, 2022 by louisereads ♥ 2 Comments

This week, I had a patron come to the desk looking for help with the printers. She started off by declaring her question as stupid and continued to apologize multiple times as I was helping her. I felt guilty. Was I not being welcoming enough? Did I look unapproachable at the desk? I don’t think this was it. She began our interaction apologetically.

How many times in the past have I been too afraid to ask question or apologized in advanced for sounding dumb? Most of my reference questions this week were directional–where is this building or how do I get to that classroom? I can’t say how happy I am when I receive a question, even one like these. I love that my patrons feel comfortable enough to walk up to a stranger and ask any question, big or small.

For me, and for many, it takes courage to ask for help. Saying out loud that you need help tells others you are vulnerable, that you are not fully self-reliant. There is a certain shame in doing this in our individualistic society which is why I love when people admit that they do need help, that they can’t meet all of their needs and need others in a community to aide them.

So, a question for the curious: how do you find the courage to ask for help? What can others do to make asking for help or asking questions seem less daunting? Librarians, what do you do to make your patrons more comfortable in seeking your services?

Books Read This Week