Book Club: January/February 2025

BOTM Selection

  • A Dark and Drowning Tide by Allison Saft

    Votes: 2 25.0%
  • The Tainted Cup by Robert Jackson Bennett

    Votes: 3 37.5%
  • Rivers of London by Ben Aaronovitch

    Votes: 3 37.5%

  • Total voters
    8
  • Poll closed .

Sapphire Michaels

Clever- Mischievous- Snarky- Photographer
 
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OOC First Name
Jess S
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12/23/2033 (28)
So I’m thinking of some fun murder/thrillers! It took a bit of digging but I settled on these three.


A Dark and Drowning Tide by Allison Saft
A sharp-tongued folklorist must pair up with her academic rival to solve their mentor's murder in this lush and enthralling sapphic fantasy romance from the New York Times bestselling author of A Far Wilder Magic.

Lorelei Kaskel, a folklorist with a quick temper and an even quicker wit, is on an expedition with six eccentric nobles in search of a fabled spring. The magical spring promises untold power, which the king wants to harness to secure his reign of the embattled country of Brunnestaad. Lorelei is determined to use this opportunity to prove herself and make her wildest, most impossible dream come to become a naturalist, able to travel freely to lands she’s only ever read about.

The Tainted Cup by Robert Jackson Bennett
A Holmes and Watson–style detective duo take the stage in this fantasy with a mystery twist, from the Edgar-winning, multiple Hugo-nominated Robert Jackson Bennett

In Daretana’s most opulent mansion, a high Imperial officer lies dead—killed, to all appearances, when a tree spontaneously erupted from his body. Even in this canton at the borders of the Empire, where contagions abound and the blood of the Leviathans works strange magical changes, it’s a death at once terrifying and impossible.

Rivers of London by Ben Aaronovitch
Peter is plunged into a world where gods and goddesses mingle with mortals and a long-dead evil is making a comeback on a rising tide of magic.

Probationary Constable Peter Grant dreams of being a detective in London’s Metropolitan Police. Too bad his superior plans to assign him to the Case Progression Unit, where the biggest threat he’ll face is a paper cut. But Peter’s prospects change in the aftermath of a puzzling murder, when he gains exclusive information from an eyewitness who happens to be a ghost. Peter’s ability to speak with the lingering dead brings him to the attention of Detective Chief Inspector Thomas Nightingale, who investigates crimes involving magic and other manifestations of the uncanny. Now, as a wave of brutal and bizarre murders engulfs the city, Peter is plunged into a world where gods and goddesses mingle with mortals and a long-dead evil is making a comeback on a rising tide of magic.

This poll will be open for 7 days, so get your votes in quick! Once we have a winner, we'll have two months to discuss and enjoy in this thread, before the next poll begins. I hope you like these choices.

React/discuss at your own pace. All of us are differing levels of busy and differing levels of how much we can read at once, so remember to use spoilers for spoiler-related content so you don't spoil for others! Please be respectful in this regard.

Site rules apply to all discussions. Be aware that books may contain mature themes or language.

The current book club leader schedule is as follows;

Jan/Feb- Jess
March/April - Rowan
May/June - Daphne
July/August - Sarah
Sept/Oct - Mia
Nov/Dec - Camilla
Anyone keen to take the lead in future should let Cyndi know!
 
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My husband really loves the Aaronovitch novels, but I've always really struggled with them, but this would be a good incentive to actually properly try it.
 
My husband really loves the Aaronovitch novels, but I've always really struggled with them, but this would be a good incentive to actually properly try it.
do ittttt
 
This is an easy pick for me, I've already read the first one and the second one has been on my list for a while, and I've never heard of the third xD so I'm voting for The Tainted Cup.
 
I saw sapphic and what sounds like enemies-to-lovers and I voted accordingly before properly reading anything else. Sorry not sorry lol. But for real, these sound like fun picks!
 
i see the words holmes and watson i black out the button is already pushed
 
They all sound good. Especially first and third. But I will have to go third as the library has that one I can borrow.
 
I went with the middle one but they all sound like fun reads. Now to order them through my library system so I can have the winning one by the start of year!
 
Okay totally lost track of this for a second, lol. Polls closed and... we have a tie! As I'm unable to choose myself, I've put the two books into a random spinner and the winner is....

!!The Tainted Cup by Robert Jackson Bennett!!
 
The copy I requested just arrived to the library so I should be able to pick it up and start reading this weekend!
 
I coincidentally picked up a different book by this author earlier this month (Foundryside) and absolutely loved it so I'm very excited about this one, I'm going to start it soon!
 
I'm enjoying the two main characters so far. The world building felt like a lot to start but now I feel like I've fallen into the book and trying to find moments to get to read another page or two outside of my normal reading time.
 
I'm around the halfway point now and I'm very intrigued. I agree about the world building being a lot to take in, but I also really love it and find it very unique. I love that this sort of a plant-based society. The powers are also very interesting.
 
Just finished this and OH MY GOD easily my favourite thing I've read in a long time, what a phenomenal book. Loved every single second, I already can't wait for the sequel (It's coming in April!)
 
I finished the book yesterday, and I've already added the next book to my want to read list. I really enjoyed how the mystery came to a resolution and left me looking forward to whatever is next for the main duo.
 
My library has finally notified me that my hold has come in. So I will be picking it up tonight. I’m looking forward to it.
 
I have had a read this afternoon (well evening) and got to chapter four. I am really enjoying it. it is such an interesting world with the plants and fungi and powers. i am looking forward to exploring it further.
 

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