This is a perfect winter tale and a cozy read with a strong female lead. I read Neil Gaiman’s NORSE MYTHOLOGY #BeforeBookstagram and loved it but you don’t need to know anything about Norse mythology to enjoy this novel. I have really only read Greek mythological retellings and I would like to remedy that because I absolutely love the genre. I really enjoyed this one. There is a love story (two in fact) but this is a tale about a mother’s unconditional love for her children. Angrboda is a character I will never forget. I’m so thankful that Genevieve Gornichec brought her story to light.

Synopsis: When a banished witch falls in love with the legendary trickster Loki, she risks the wrath of the gods in this moving, subversive debut novel that reimagines Norse mythology. Angrboda’s story begins where most witches’ tales end: with a burning. A punishment from Odin for refusing to provide him with knowledge of the future, the fire leaves Angrboda injured and powerless, and she flees into the farthest reaches of a remote forest. There she is found by a man who reveals himself to be Loki, and her initial distrust of him transforms into a deep and abiding love. Their union produces three unusual children, each with a secret destiny, who Angrboda is keen to raise at the edge of the world, safely hidden from Odin’s all-seeing eye. But as Angrboda slowly recovers her prophetic powers, she learns that her blissful life—and possibly all of existence—is in danger. With help from the fierce huntress Skadi, with whom she shares a growing bond, Angrboda must choose whether she’ll accept the fate that she’s foreseen for her beloved family…or rise to remake their future. From the most ancient of tales this novel forges a story of love, loss, and hope for the modern age. (Taken from goodreads)

[ID: The book THE WITCH’S HEART standing against bright green and purple plants.]

#MythologicalRetellings #NorseMythology #StrongFemaleCharacters #Motherhood #TheWitchsHeart #LosAngelesReader #AlwaysReading #BooksBooksBooks #WinterBooks #comfortreads

Reading books has always been a way to cope with stress. I find it to be a mindfulness activity. When I’m reading, I can tune out just about anything. My mind doesn’t race, I just feel focused on the story. I was intrigued by HOW HIGH WE GO IN THE DARK because I knew it contained elements of science fiction, when I realized it was about a pandemic, I became apprehensive. How would I stomach this?

The first two chapters were hard to digest. Having a young son, living through a pandemic, it hit way too close to home. I could feel my chest getting tighter, just imagining myself as one of the parents who lost their child. It wasn’t easy. I almost wanted to DNF because it was all too much, but I kept going and soon found myself oddly comforted by this book and the way it explores grief. How do we deal with grief and catastrophe? As the world’s crises seem to grow and mass death becomes more normalized, how do we handle just so much grief? I once saw a quote about hope, how hope alone can not sustain you. So what does? I think this book explores that question succinctly. We find a way to live and go on in the quiet moments. In simple interactions and connections. Sometimes we learn too late and we reflect on moments we lost and things we could have done differently, but we hold onto the ones we have and we hope, we love, we survive…

I loved this one, very much. It struck a chord with me. I loved the sci-fi vibes at the end and how it tread a line between dystopia and mythology. I don’t know if this book is for everyone, but I love it when you find a book you feel was made just for you. A work I won’t soon forget.

Thank you, Partner @bibliolifestyle @williammorrowbooks

[ID: The novel HOW HIGH WE GO IN THE DARK, resting on green plants outside]
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I read this book back in July and I’ve been trying to wrap my head around a reflection but honestly I just can’t. Brain soup strikes again. Sometimes a book is just f**king good. And there isn’t really a whole lot else to say. This is definitely one of my favorite science fiction reads of all time. I liked that it was a shorter sci fi novel so it was easy to fall into. This book accomplished what Dark Matter could not. I enjoyed the tone of this one more. It wasn’t cheesy. (Nothing against cheesy but it is what it is) Some sci fi is heavy on the world building (understandably) so sometimes it can take time to get settled. This one hits the ground running. The main character is complicated and the villain is one of the best I’ve read in long time. Definitely made me think of Mark Zuckerberg or Jeff Bezos. But on a more intense scale…@ibingebooks let me know a second book is coming out and I can’t wait.

I guess I did have a lot to say…but yeah, I loved this one. Highly recommend for sci fi fans and those dabbling in the genre.

[ID: The book The Space Between Worlds being held by Viv with some white flowers and bushes in the background.]

#TheSpaceBetweenWorlds #ReadScienceFiction #AlwaysReading #Bookstagram #DystopianBooks #ApocalypticBooks #libraryglaredontcare