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TacoChelle

Librarian doing "research" on what my patrons are into (its totally just for me).

735 points

0% overlap
Fall 2025 Readalong
Horror Starter Pack Vol I
LGBTQ+ Sci-Fi & Fantasy
My Taste
The Tainted Cup (Shadow of the Leviathan, #1)
Howl’s Moving Castle (Howl’s Moving Castle, #1)
Abarat
This is How You Lose the Time War
Reading...
Curious Coffins and Riveting Rituals: Death Practices Around the World
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The Emilie Adventures (Emilie #1-2)
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Why Rats Laugh and Jellyfish Sleep: And Other Enchanting Stories of Evolution
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The Natural Order of Things: Poems
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A Clash of Kings  (A Song of Ice and Fire, #2)
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The Well of Ascension (Mistborn, #2)
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August Kitko and the Mechas from Space (The Starmetal Symphony, #1)
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Redwall (Redwall, #1)
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The Priory of the Orange Tree (The Roots of Chaos, #1)
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Divine Mortals (Divine Mortals, #1)
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TacoChelle commented on TacoChelle's review of Looking for Jake

16h
  • Looking for Jake
    TacoChelle
    Nov 01, 2025
    4.0
    Enjoyment: Quality: Characters: Plot:

    I had read China Mieville's book Un Lun Dun before this, and I felt that not all 14 stories were necessarily good. He does stretch the concept of fantasy in many, and I like his ideas, but with stories like "Reports of Certain Events in London", "Go Between", and "An End to Hunger", it felt like it was in the wrong format or point of view or something like that. My favorites were " 'Tis the Season", "The Tain", and "Details". 'Tis the Season is a look into life where Christmas and things associated with it are copyrighted, so things like having a Christmas party is illegal unless you've bought their stuff. It was funny and an innovative way to show what Christmas is all about. The Tain is based off a entry in Jorge Luis Borges' "The Book of Imaginary Beings" about the Fauna of Mirrors. This was the longest story in the book, it felt like a mini novel, even with 'chapters'. It was hard to read because I wanted to support the humans, but both sides are really the victims. Details was very creepy, but very relatable. It was interesting to read it in the view of a little boy (I assume), and his reactions seem very realistic. Overall, the book was okay. I want to read more of Mieville's stuff because I know I'd have never heard of anything like them.

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    16h
  • Skyshade (Lightlark, #3)
    TacoChelle
    Apr 03, 2026
    1.0
    Enjoyment: 1.0Quality: 1.0Characters: 1.0Plot: 1.0
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  • A Trade of Blood (Shadow of the Leviathan,  #3)
    Thoughts from 4%
    spoilers

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  • A Trade of Blood (Shadow of the Leviathan,  #3)
    Thoughts from 1%
    spoilers

    View spoiler

    3
    comments 2
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  • TacoChelle started reading...

    1w
    A Trade of Blood (Shadow of the Leviathan,  #3)

    A Trade of Blood (Shadow of the Leviathan, #3)

    Robert Jackson Bennett

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    TacoChelle entered a giveaway...

    1w

    Conquest Publishing giveaway

    My Thorns For Your Roses

    My Thorns For Your Roses

    Kristen Argyres

    True love takes many forms. As one of the few survivors of her generation, Lark wants to live a quiet, peaceful life. All she needs is a tolerable husband. On her 24th birthday, Lark offends the local faerie lord, the shapeshifter Tamlin, who punishes her with a rose rooted in her flesh. In her efforts to convince Tamlin to undo his handiwork, Lark visits the forest daily and discovers the breathtaking and terrifying wonders of his realm. Despite her pragmatic nature tugging her toward a mortal huntsman, Lark falls for Tamlin. After a near-fatal accident exposes Tamlin’s cruel deception, Lark moves to the capital to accept a marriage of convenience. Yet when she learns of Tamlin’s capture, Lark must choose whether to secure her future or risk it all to save the love of her life from his cannibal ex. -- MY THORNS FOR YOUR ROSES is a "Tam Lin" retelling written in the spirit of the Scottish faerie tale and folksong - for readers who enjoyed the fae in Heather Fawcett's EMILY WILDE series, retellings like Naomi Novik's SPINNING SILVER, and the complicated family dynamics of Kell Woods' AFTER THE FOREST and UPON A STARLIT TIDE. Book cover artist: Yinan Sun (Grey)

    ebook75 advanced reader copieseverywhere

    TacoChelle entered a giveaway...

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    R.C. Allan giveaway

    Jester

    Jester

    R.C. Allan

    Trained to make them laugh—now, he must make them bleed. On the rising continent of Novra, old-world empires wage a brutal contest for control. Tazio, a Danuiin street performer whose only weapon is his wit, is caught in the currents. When the conqueror Lord Falkone razes his life to ash, Tazio burns with vengeance. But to kill a king, he must learn the way of shadows—a brutal path where deception is currency, loyalty is fragile, and power answers to sacrifice. Step into a world of political feuds, magic born from dreams and desire, and players who never reveal their full hand. As ancient forces clash, Tazio is pulled deeper into a game where every step closer to vengeance claws at the fabric of who he is, and who he loves. In a realm on the brink, Tazio must decide—will he remain the fool, or become the blade that topples Falkone... Why you might love Jester: A Dark Underdog Transformation: Follow Tazio’s evolution from a sharp-tongued performer to calculating shadow, driven by vengeance and shaped by obligation Immersive Political Fantasy: Explore the Realm of Galia: emerald towers, treacherous seas, bitter old-world feuds, and the ethereal force of Etria Love Forged in the Shadows: Fierce, haunting, forbidden. Passion that collides with duty and love that tests whether the heart can survive what the soul demands Complex Cast & Multiple POVs: A rotating lens on flawed characters, each navigating ambition, loyalty, and regret High-Stakes Magic with a Cost: Power born from dreams and desire—capable of miracles or devastation, never without consequence Perfect for fans of The Lies of Locke Lamora and The Name of the Wind, Jester is an epic fantasy tale of loss, loyalty, and the ultimate long game.

    Kindle ebook100 copiesUS Kindle only

    TacoChelle wrote a review...

    1w
  • Useless Etymology: Offbeat Word Origins for Curious Minds
    TacoChelle
    Mar 23, 2026
    4.0
    Enjoyment: 4.0Quality: 4.5Characters: Plot:

    Thanks to NetGalley and John Murray Press for the ARC.

    A good, thorough deep dive into the what, where, why, and how language developed and evolved over milennia. I guess it's technically useless, in that this knowledge won't suddenly be needed at say, your work or school. But it might be nice to really think about the words we use nowadays, and understand what more we might be implying with our choice of words.

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    1w
    Useless Etymology: Offbeat Word Origins for Curious Minds

    Useless Etymology: Offbeat Word Origins for Curious Minds

    Jess Zafarris

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    1w
  • The Language-Lover's Lexipedia: An A-Z of Linguistic Curiosities
    TacoChelle
    Mar 23, 2026
    4.0
    Enjoyment: 4.0Quality: 4.0Characters: Plot:

    Thanks to NetGalley and Avid Reader Press for the ARC.

    A fun exploration of the oddities of language, in a visually appealing layout. If you love the weird little details in languages, you'll probably enjoy this.

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    The Language-Lover's Lexipedia: An A-Z of Linguistic Curiosities

    The Language-Lover's Lexipedia: An A-Z of Linguistic Curiosities

    Joshua Blackburn

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    TacoChelle started reading...

    3w
    Curious Coffins and Riveting Rituals: Death Practices Around the World

    Curious Coffins and Riveting Rituals: Death Practices Around the World

    YY Liak

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    TacoChelle wrote a review...

    3w
  • MUJINA INTO THE DEEP 3
    TacoChelle
    Mar 11, 2026
    3.0
    Enjoyment: 3.0Quality: 3.0Characters: 3.0Plot: 3.0

    Thanks to NetGalley and VIZ Media for the ARC.

    The excessive violence and sexual content continues. Especially the sex feels overdone for shock. I almost considered dropping the series after this volume, but the plot seems to be going somewhere now, so I continued on the VIZ website and have caught up to the latest chapter. It reminds me of the 90s OVA Kite in some ways, due to the manipulation of the Mujinas for both hits and sex work.

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    3w
  • ファントムバスターズ 1 [Phantom Busters 1]
    TacoChelle
    Mar 11, 2026
    4.0
    Enjoyment: 4.0Quality: 4.0Characters: 4.0Plot: 3.0

    Thanks to NetGalley and VIZ Media for the ARC.

    A teen that stopped believing in ghosts befriends a classmate who comes from a long line of exorists; her can't see the ghosts but has the ability to eat them. Once they find a classmate with the sight, they from a paranormal club to take on the ghosts. While there is some focus on the exorcisms, the real drive behind the manga is three outcasts becoming friends and getting to do normal kid stuff. It's pretty fun.

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