Book Review

This is How You Lose the Time War
by Amal El-Mohtar and Max Gladstone

Blue and Red are agents on opposing sides of a war across time and the multiverse that will determine which of two very different futures prevails. They begin a correspondence across time and space in which their letters are encoded in many forms, from traditional pen and paper to the flavors of handful of seeds. They gradually fall in love and that love opens a different set of possibilities for them.
I absolutely loved this book. This is How You Lose the Time War is one of those books where the content and the form, the story and its execution, are equally gorgeous. The writing is beautiful, the letters and their delivery are inventive. Even though it takes a while to understand the setting and what is going on, the novel is never frustrating or confusing. This is one of the few books I've read where I deliberately slowed my pace the better to savor it.

Book Review

Talk Sweetly to Me
by Courtney Milan

This historical romance novella was somewhat less engaging than Milan's other works, but still enjoyable. Rose Sweetly is a math genius living with her sister in Greenwitch. When the rakish writer Stephen Shaughnessy moves in two doors down, they strike up an acquaintance that leads to deeper feelings.
This one feels a little slight compared to Milan's other books. Stephen and Rose are both likeable and I liked the tension that came from Rose trying to avoid scandal and heartbreak while Stephen tries to show that he is serious and sincere in his feelings. I also liked the way Milan realistically addressed racism in 19th century England while maintaining a lighter tone. The banter was excellent, too.