seema wrote a review...
Another delightful cozy fantasy from Sangu Mandanna!! There was a truly stunning breadth of diversity included across the characters: mental health issues, physical disability, autism, queerness, in age, and in race and immigration, all of which not only were thrown in to satisfy a representation checkbox but actually directly interfaced with. The characters were charming and funny and heartwarming, and the found family themes were so strong in this magical inn where "at the heart of it, [they were] just a handful of people trying to be good to one another." I want to shout out in particular that thoughtful and respectful parenting/guardianship/caretaking was depicted in a really beautiful way which I feel so many could benefit from seeing and applying in relationships with their own younger loved ones. I enjoyed the plot and the pacing and the few twists thrown in, but I have to say the end fell off a bit for me. Very likely this had more to do with me and my current emptional era than it did the book; I think folks who are in a place where they are experiencing loss or change in a major aspect of their identity would find that story line much more compelling and moving.
seema commented on a post
This book has been on my tbr list for years (thanks to a recommendation from a friend who has never once been wrong 🫶) and I am so so glad to be finally getting to it. My only wish is that it was winter because this is so perfect for a snow day. I am so enraptured by this story and the characters and am so looking forward to the rest of this book and the others in the series. From what I've read so far I'd call it cozy, but I'm sure that's in part influenced by the tidbits of Russian thrown in which is done really well and in a way that I think would feel comforting to other Russian speakers as well (entirely unlike Leigh Bardugo's Shadow and Bone which I'll never stop being annoyed at, but that's a separate rant)
seema commented on seema's update
seema finished a book

A Witch's Guide to Magical Innkeeping
Sangu Mandanna
seema commented on a post
Just having a teehee at this but omg I felt like I needed to start keeping a list of all the icy adjectives to describe Luke's eyes and also general demeanor. It was nonstopppp lmao. Here are the TWENTY SIX distinct instances I found:
Eyes (11 total)
Voice/demeanor (15 total)
seema finished a book

A Witch's Guide to Magical Innkeeping
Sangu Mandanna
Post from the A Witch's Guide to Magical Innkeeping forum
Just having a teehee at this but omg I felt like I needed to start keeping a list of all the icy adjectives to describe Luke's eyes and also general demeanor. It was nonstopppp lmao. Here are the TWENTY SIX distinct instances I found:
Eyes (11 total)
Voice/demeanor (15 total)
Post from the A Witch's Guide to Magical Innkeeping forum
Post from the A Witch's Guide to Magical Innkeeping forum
seema commented on a post
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