Penguin Ponders
@penguin-ponders.bsky.social
I just want a place to talk about books again.
Neurodivergent, Disabled, Queer. Canadian
Any pronouns
Trans rights are human rights. Support BIPOC folk.
Everyone deserves rep, rights and access
Post GenAI, get blocked
Neurodivergent, Disabled, Queer. Canadian
Any pronouns
Trans rights are human rights. Support BIPOC folk.
Everyone deserves rep, rights and access
Post GenAI, get blocked
Mistress of Lies by K. M. Enright
A mix of "don't become the thing you are fighting" and a lot hubris. Shan and Samuel make interesting foils for each other, both idealistic in their ways, but one proactive where the other is passive. Their connection works.
🪐📚💙 #specfic #sff 📚🌎 🌈📚 🌈🚀💫 1/
A mix of "don't become the thing you are fighting" and a lot hubris. Shan and Samuel make interesting foils for each other, both idealistic in their ways, but one proactive where the other is passive. Their connection works.
🪐📚💙 #specfic #sff 📚🌎 🌈📚 🌈🚀💫 1/
December 7, 2025 at 2:07 AM
Petrichor Blooms by Mindi Briar
This felt darker and more action based than the previous one. Everyone has some kind of baggage. Amy's struggling with massive executive dysfunction, Danya seen as lesser by everyone, with dreams of planet bound life.
🪐📚💙 #specfic #sff 📚🌎 🌈📚♠️ 🌈🚀💫 1/
This felt darker and more action based than the previous one. Everyone has some kind of baggage. Amy's struggling with massive executive dysfunction, Danya seen as lesser by everyone, with dreams of planet bound life.
🪐📚💙 #specfic #sff 📚🌎 🌈📚♠️ 🌈🚀💫 1/
December 4, 2025 at 4:59 AM
Not precisely a wheelchair but definitely full time
December 3, 2025 at 4:27 AM
Not precisely a wheelchair but definitely full time
The Artistry of Magic by Helen De Cruz
A short and melancholy story. Maarten's trapped in the endless challenges of being unhoused. Johanna's worked hard to be a scholar without the right background. It's a bit of a clash, a bit of romance, and some bittersweet.
🪐📚💙 #specfic #sff 📚🌎
A short and melancholy story. Maarten's trapped in the endless challenges of being unhoused. Johanna's worked hard to be a scholar without the right background. It's a bit of a clash, a bit of romance, and some bittersweet.
🪐📚💙 #specfic #sff 📚🌎
December 2, 2025 at 5:42 AM
The Undertakers by Nicole Glover
While there's a mystery to uncover, Hetty's big struggle here is in reinventing herself. Their new undertaker business isn't taking much time, and she's colliding a lot with past choices and histories. Her biggest joy is in a gift for Benjy.
🪐📚💙 #specfic #sff 📚🌎 1/
While there's a mystery to uncover, Hetty's big struggle here is in reinventing herself. Their new undertaker business isn't taking much time, and she's colliding a lot with past choices and histories. Her biggest joy is in a gift for Benjy.
🪐📚💙 #specfic #sff 📚🌎 1/
November 30, 2025 at 1:50 AM
First Snow by Jake Vanguard
Zanoah is very beaten down, & trained to never disagree or disobey, which makes this a very creepy read. Caean provides a lot of mutual support. The deities are interesting, though there seems to be little actual religion. Cliffhanger.
🪐📚💙 #specfic #sff 📚🌎 🌈📚♠️ 🌈🚀💫 ♿️♾️📚
Zanoah is very beaten down, & trained to never disagree or disobey, which makes this a very creepy read. Caean provides a lot of mutual support. The deities are interesting, though there seems to be little actual religion. Cliffhanger.
🪐📚💙 #specfic #sff 📚🌎 🌈📚♠️ 🌈🚀💫 ♿️♾️📚
November 28, 2025 at 4:34 AM
The Imlen Brat by Sarah Avery
A seven year old only has so much agency and understanding, and Stisele's world is very small. I didn't realize how young she was from the description. There's a lot of potential in this world, but I think I'd be more interested in an older heroine.
🪐📚💙 #specfic #sff
A seven year old only has so much agency and understanding, and Stisele's world is very small. I didn't realize how young she was from the description. There's a lot of potential in this world, but I think I'd be more interested in an older heroine.
🪐📚💙 #specfic #sff
November 27, 2025 at 5:40 AM
#Bookvember Setting as Character:
Alan Dean Foster does great alien worlds / biologies, and Midworld is my absolute favorite. Everything is weird and deadly and interconnected, constantly blurring the lines between plant and animal. It's a great survival journey.
Alan Dean Foster does great alien worlds / biologies, and Midworld is my absolute favorite. Everything is weird and deadly and interconnected, constantly blurring the lines between plant and animal. It's a great survival journey.
November 27, 2025 at 2:13 AM
#Bookvember Setting as Character:
Alan Dean Foster does great alien worlds / biologies, and Midworld is my absolute favorite. Everything is weird and deadly and interconnected, constantly blurring the lines between plant and animal. It's a great survival journey.
Alan Dean Foster does great alien worlds / biologies, and Midworld is my absolute favorite. Everything is weird and deadly and interconnected, constantly blurring the lines between plant and animal. It's a great survival journey.
The Affair of the Mysterious Letter by Alexis Hall
I got enough of the references in this to be sure I was missing at least a dozen more. I just havn't read all the old school horror it's evoking. I did enjoy the nods to it being a serialized story.
🪐📚💙 #specfic #sff 📚🌎 🌈📚 🌈🚀💫
I got enough of the references in this to be sure I was missing at least a dozen more. I just havn't read all the old school horror it's evoking. I did enjoy the nods to it being a serialized story.
🪐📚💙 #specfic #sff 📚🌎 🌈📚 🌈🚀💫
November 26, 2025 at 4:51 AM
#BookishQOTD: Beautiful
Fire by Kristin Cashore is a story with a lot of heart, and also a stunning cover. I love all the covers in this series.
Fire by Kristin Cashore is a story with a lot of heart, and also a stunning cover. I love all the covers in this series.
November 26, 2025 at 12:34 AM
#BookishQOTD: Beautiful
Fire by Kristin Cashore is a story with a lot of heart, and also a stunning cover. I love all the covers in this series.
Fire by Kristin Cashore is a story with a lot of heart, and also a stunning cover. I love all the covers in this series.
Dragonfruit by Makiia Lucier
Hanalei and Sam are a bright-hearted pair, unbowed by their tragedies and histories. Hana's love and deep knowledge of the sea dragons were my favorite parts.
However, there's a lot of animal death here, starting with dragons killed for harvest
🪐📚💙 #specfic #sff 📚🌎1/
Hanalei and Sam are a bright-hearted pair, unbowed by their tragedies and histories. Hana's love and deep knowledge of the sea dragons were my favorite parts.
However, there's a lot of animal death here, starting with dragons killed for harvest
🪐📚💙 #specfic #sff 📚🌎1/
November 25, 2025 at 5:16 AM
The Embroidered Book by Kate Heartfield
There's some very creepy magic underpinning this alt history. Charlotte and Antoine (Marie Antoinette) change in very different ways over the years. I found myself referencing wikipedia to see how closely things matched -
🪐📚💙 #specfic #sff ⏳📚🌎 1/
There's some very creepy magic underpinning this alt history. Charlotte and Antoine (Marie Antoinette) change in very different ways over the years. I found myself referencing wikipedia to see how closely things matched -
🪐📚💙 #specfic #sff ⏳📚🌎 1/
November 23, 2025 at 3:37 AM
Hemlock & Silver by T. Kingfisher
Always love her take on fairy tales. Slightly creepy, amazing characters, and creative worlds.
#BookishQOTD
Always love her take on fairy tales. Slightly creepy, amazing characters, and creative worlds.
#BookishQOTD
November 22, 2025 at 8:09 PM
Hemlock & Silver by T. Kingfisher
Always love her take on fairy tales. Slightly creepy, amazing characters, and creative worlds.
#BookishQOTD
Always love her take on fairy tales. Slightly creepy, amazing characters, and creative worlds.
#BookishQOTD
Fault Lines by Kelly Jennings
This is a well thought out book, with the flashbacks slowly revealing more information. It's got a nice mix of dystopia, galactic politics, complex intrigue and factions. The evolving relationships are well done.
🪐📚💙 #specfic #sff 📚🌎 🌈📚 🌈🚀💫 1/
This is a well thought out book, with the flashbacks slowly revealing more information. It's got a nice mix of dystopia, galactic politics, complex intrigue and factions. The evolving relationships are well done.
🪐📚💙 #specfic #sff 📚🌎 🌈📚 🌈🚀💫 1/
November 22, 2025 at 5:39 AM
The Four Profound Weaves by R. B. Lemberg
I always appreciate the complexity here, the search for identity and figuring out who you are to your self and society.
#AMoRaR
I always appreciate the complexity here, the search for identity and figuring out who you are to your self and society.
#AMoRaR
November 21, 2025 at 12:59 AM
The Four Profound Weaves by R. B. Lemberg
I always appreciate the complexity here, the search for identity and figuring out who you are to your self and society.
#AMoRaR
I always appreciate the complexity here, the search for identity and figuring out who you are to your self and society.
#AMoRaR
Fragrance of Forgotten Truths by Iris Applewood
Anna has spreadsheets, Emilia has a murder board in the kitchen, and they're going to find out the truth about their mother's death. I enjoyed the perfuming making, and there's a progressive nursing home.
🪐📚💙 #specfic #sff 📚🌎⚡️ 🌈📚 🌈🚀💫 1/
Anna has spreadsheets, Emilia has a murder board in the kitchen, and they're going to find out the truth about their mother's death. I enjoyed the perfuming making, and there's a progressive nursing home.
🪐📚💙 #specfic #sff 📚🌎⚡️ 🌈📚 🌈🚀💫 1/
November 20, 2025 at 4:44 AM
Mask of Shadows by Linsey Miller
Assassin tournament, to the death! Sallot's has enough caution to be prepared, and enough reckless to take risks. She's young, perceptive, traumatized, and idealistic. Feels very YA in it's straightforwardness.
🪐📚💙 #specfic #sff 📚🌎 🌈📚 🌈🚀💫
Assassin tournament, to the death! Sallot's has enough caution to be prepared, and enough reckless to take risks. She's young, perceptive, traumatized, and idealistic. Feels very YA in it's straightforwardness.
🪐📚💙 #specfic #sff 📚🌎 🌈📚 🌈🚀💫
November 19, 2025 at 5:20 AM
#Bookvember Overlooked:
I don't really know how to judge hype or reach. But I havn't seen many people posting about No Land for Heroes by Cal Black and it's such a fun, actiony read. Millie is awesome.
I don't really know how to judge hype or reach. But I havn't seen many people posting about No Land for Heroes by Cal Black and it's such a fun, actiony read. Millie is awesome.
November 18, 2025 at 7:40 PM
#Bookvember Overlooked:
I don't really know how to judge hype or reach. But I havn't seen many people posting about No Land for Heroes by Cal Black and it's such a fun, actiony read. Millie is awesome.
I don't really know how to judge hype or reach. But I havn't seen many people posting about No Land for Heroes by Cal Black and it's such a fun, actiony read. Millie is awesome.
Anji Kills a King by Evan Leikam
The king's death is merely the inciting incident.
It's a battle of wills, but Anji very much overmatched. The Hawk's determination to hand Anji over to a scheduled torturous death to the death is unyielding. Misery and torment compound.
🪐📚💙 #specfic #sff 1/
The king's death is merely the inciting incident.
It's a battle of wills, but Anji very much overmatched. The Hawk's determination to hand Anji over to a scheduled torturous death to the death is unyielding. Misery and torment compound.
🪐📚💙 #specfic #sff 1/
November 18, 2025 at 4:39 AM
The Hexologists by Josiah Bancroft
This is an inventive world embellished with some startlingly absurd phrases. Iz and War are happily devoted to each other, with their own eccentricities and preferences. The magic was unique and engaging, and the mystery -
🪐📚💙 #specfic #sff 1/
This is an inventive world embellished with some startlingly absurd phrases. Iz and War are happily devoted to each other, with their own eccentricities and preferences. The magic was unique and engaging, and the mystery -
🪐📚💙 #specfic #sff 1/
November 17, 2025 at 3:22 AM
The Prince Without Sorrow by Maithree Wijesekara
Both Ashoka and Shakti are convinced of their own righteousness in this. There's a theme of slow corruption, and how to deal with power and vengeance and morality. Saṃsāra and cycles of Karma are embedded in the world -
🪐📚💙 #specfic #sff 📚🌎 🌈📚 🌈🚀💫
Both Ashoka and Shakti are convinced of their own righteousness in this. There's a theme of slow corruption, and how to deal with power and vengeance and morality. Saṃsāra and cycles of Karma are embedded in the world -
🪐📚💙 #specfic #sff 📚🌎 🌈📚 🌈🚀💫
November 16, 2025 at 2:30 AM