Welcome to Black Future Month

Explicit content warning

02/27/21 • 71 min

Happy Black History Month! And also Black Future Month!
Vee reads the incomparable genius N.K. Jemisin with her book of short stories, How Long 'Til Black Future Month, and Jess reads the magical and relevant The Midnight Bargain by Canadian author C.L. Polk.
We talk about SJM controversy, reading vibes, and generally struggle. Like, it's February. It's rough.
Black Lives Matter ✊🏿

Previous Episode

Like Nothing We've Ever Read Before

Jess and Vee both read books like nothing they've read before, even though Vee has already said that about the same author and - well, Jess is probably right. She often is.
Jess reads The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue by V. E. Schwab, a beautifully written story about a woman from the 18th century who makes a deal with night to live forever - but where no one will remember her. An instant classic!
Vee reads A Deadly Education by Naomi Novik and talks about the controversy surrounding the book, from first impressions and heightened emotions to opinions developed after taking in other people's perspectives and just, you know, giving it time.
Oh, and of course, we gush about Bridgerton and The Story Graph!

Next Episode

When Opposites Attract

(well, when opposites get compared)
Tag along another unhinged episode of emotionally charged ranting! It’s great, though. Don’t be scared.

Jess reads/rants about Sarah J. Maas’ latest book in her A Court of Thorns and Roses series, A Court of Silver Flames (ACOTAR #4? 5? ACOSF #1?), which follows the coerced romance of Nesta and Cassian. It’s weird and creepy and SJM isn’t even aware of it because she and her fans keep selling us propaganda about how feminist and progressive her books are. No, Rhysand, you didn’t invent feminism. No, Cassian, trapping a ‘female’ in your house and ogling her breasts and forcing her into exercise isn’t a form of therapy.

Ugh. And now they’re making a tv series out of this? Move aside, Outlander, here come the tanned dudebros with wings.

On a much happier note, Vee reads the genderqueer and imaginative and age-inclusive The Four Profound Weaves by R.B. Lemberg, which is the first novel in Lemberg’s much loved Birdverse world. It’s like a coming of age novel for two queer 60 something year olds, but they’re not coming of age so much as affirming their true selves in the face of people who don’t accept them. Also magic and lore and a whole symbiosis between story and world and magic and mechanics and ugh. Go read it, it’s wonderful.