Book Review: Knit One, Girl Two, by Shira Glassman

Knit One, Girl Two was a quick, utterly delightful read. It stars Clara Ziegler, a yarn dyer who finds herself facing a creative block. She finds inspiration in the paintings of Danielle Solomon. The two meet up, and come to inspire each other in their respective art forms. As they begin to spend more time together, they get closer. And then they go on possibly the most adorable date ever.

You’ve got geeky artists, queer solidarity, an adorable cat, and women bonding over fanfiction. Despite being a quick read, there was a lot of great stuff packed in. My favorite scene was probably the one with the knitting group meetup, because we got introduced to a lot of great characters. Several of them reminded me of people in my own community. It’s always wonderful to see queer people supporting each other, having fun, and just...existing. They don’t have to be a plot point to be there.

I read Knit One, Girl Two over the course of a hot, lazy afternoon, and it was a perfect way to pass the time. It was fluffy, and sweet, and geeky, and tons of fun. I can’t recommend it highly enough to anyone who wants a cozy read.

Until next time,
Jenn.

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Book Review: Masquerade, by Bran Lindy Ayres

Masquerade follows a genderfluid spy, variably known as Genevieve Merlot or Lafayette Goddard depending on their gender, as they uncover a plot to harm their friend and sovereign, the Queen of Orandon. It is a quick, fast-paced prequel to Bran Lindy Ayres’ novel The Jeweled Dagger, telling the story of what got our protagonist into the mess that launches the plot of the novel. It’s a treat for those, like me, who loved The Jeweled Dagger, but it could easily be read as a standalone.

Masquerade has been on my to-be-read list for a while now. I loved The Jeweled Dagger, and I was excited to see more of Genevieve/Lafayette. They’re a fun character to follow, and it was nice to get a bit more context for what they go through at the beginning of the novel.

I’ve been a sucker for court intrigue and political fantasy for a long time, but the cruddy thing about that is that most political fantasy is straight, cis, allo, white, and, after a while, very same-y. Masquerade is exactly what I wanted--all of the intrigue, but with a realistically diverse cast. It’s not another story about rich privileged white men squabbling. And, gods, is that refreshing.

The story itself had just enough worldbuilding to satisfy, without being overwhelming. This world is well-rounded and rich, but the author doesn’t dump a million new concepts and ideas in your lap with no guidebook. As much as I love political fantasy, that’s generally my biggest complaint: too much all at once, with no time to process the world you’re in before throwing plot point after plot point at you. Despite the fast pace of the story, the worldbuilding was woven in naturally, which gave it a real, lived-in feel. I could picture everything pretty easily, and thus could sit back and enjoy the actual meat of the plot.

The plot was pretty straightforward: loyal spy uncovers an enemy plot, and gets stranded away from their home country and the queen they’re desperate to protect. But it was very well-done, and made for a great curl-up-on-the-couch read. I would recommend it highly to anyone who loves spies and intrigue, and badass genderfluid main characters.

Be advised that Masquerade carries trigger warnings for racism and transphobia perpetuated by antagonists, as well as violence.

Until next time,
Jenn.

(Reminder: If you enjoy my content, consider backing me on Patreon or buying me a coffee via Ko-Fi. Thanks!)