This week I devoured Harrow the Ninth and absolutely loved it. I liked the first book, but this novel took the series to another level. I quite enjoyed getting to read something a little different, and piecing together the answers by the information that slowly trickled chapter after chapter. I want to read something else in between this and the third installment, but I can't wait to read that one. I look forward to catching up and finally being able to look at what my TLT mutuals have been saying without fearing getting myself spoioled LOL.

I also read a few short stories by the same author: Chew and The Woman in the Hill, two independent stories both available in Nightmare Magazine, and The Mysterious Study of Doctor Sex, set in TLT universe, a little tale of an adventure Camilla and Palmedes have as teens that shows a bit of how the Sixth House works. 

What I've picked for the in-between of TLT was a reread of The Clan of the Cave Bear. There's a good chance I might only read that first book, but who knows. Maybe this time around I finish the saga. I think I made it to the beginning of the 5th book, back when I first picked them as a preteen. 

And I've started Yellowface, which has been on my TBR for a while. R. F. Kuang seems to be a hit-or-miss for people, as an author, but that first chapter and the narrator's voice hooked me immediately. I'm not surprised, because a friend of mine read it over a year ago and shared some quotes that felt very, very promising.

On the non-fiction side of things, I finished The Feminist Killjoy Handbook by Sara Ahmed, which I wholeheartedly recommend. I also read a few hand-picked essay chapters from larger books: Hélène Cixoux's "Coming to Writing", which will merit a second, more paused read to digest every bit, and Tricia Lootens's "Whose Hand Was I Holding?: Familial and Sexual Politics in Shirley Jackson's The Haunting of Hill House". 

Comics-wise, there's not much to tell. I continue to enjoy Absolute Wonder Woman. I'm keeping up with Iron Man and the West Coast Avengers runs; they're better than most Tony runs of the recent past LOL, but I might only give them a few more issues to impress me. And I'll probably stop reading Wayne Family Adventures until the arc is over, at least, because the last few issues have done little more than aggravate me, and I have a firm "if it sucks, hit da bricks" philosophy with comic books.

WHAT I JUST FINISHED READING

I decided to dip my toe in a couple Marvel runs and finished the limited series "I Am Iron Man". It's... weird LOL. More conceptual than plot. I liked the last two issues the most, because they offered two things I love in my Tony Stark comics: Tony being a paranoid POS who implements preventative measures against friends & allies (thus alienating them), and Tony messing with science in really fun, fucked up ways that inspire fun, fucked up sci-fi ideas in me.

I also finished "Harley Quinn: Black + White + Red" (and started the first issue of its sequel). My favourite remains the first chapter (I need to read the author's Harleen series), but all of the rest were pretty fun. And the sequel comic had a few really fun stories, my favourites being the first two ones because they include, respectively, ( spoiler )

WHAT I'M READING NOW

Other than continuing what I already listed in the last entry, I've caught up with a few runs! Namely "Batman: Wayne Family Adventures" (often too fluffy and preachy for my tastes, but with cute art and interesting plotbunnies), "The Invincible Iron Man" (a possibly... good... Iron Man run?? Whitewashing -in the moral sense- Howard Stark aside rme), and "Red Hood: Outlaws". I wasn't all that sure about that last one at first, but I stuck with it because of the pretty art and because of my love for Jason Todd LOL. But around issues 20-30 there's certain reveal/twist I won't spoil that changed things for me; it's REALLY interesting, basically. I will say that, personally, I think the Bruce in this comic deserves to be punted into the sun by the main trio xD

I've also worked on catching up with two ongoing runs that have been on my radar for a long time, from Image Comics. First, "Saga", which I actually started some years ago, although I can't remember how far I got. I love it; the characters, the framework, the plot, its willingness to show true horrors... A+. The other run is "Monstress", and let me tell you, it was love at first sight. Deliciously grimdark? Check. Tons of female characters doing fucked up, horrid shit? Check. Prospective femslash pairings that are actually interesting and complex? Check! All paired with a gorgeous, gorgeous, whimsical drawing style.

I also caught up with the few comics of interest that came out this week. Nothing much to report there, except that unfortunately "Knight Terrors: Robin #2" comes with a side of that Jason (and Tim!) fanon characterisation that irks me so much xD

And book wise, I've picked up "Angels in America" right where I left off. Which was a little after this gut-wrenching quote (amidst a yet more painful scene):

PRIOR: We have reached a verdict, your honor. This man's heart is deficient. He loves, but his love is worth nothing.

WHAT I'LL READ NEXT

I only intend to keep up with *waves hands* all of that.

.... and probably some more comics smh.