Welcome to Litsy!

Ok yes, I bought the sequel before finishing the first book because I‘m enjoying the story that much and I will for sure have to know what happens. 😬😂

I read this without knowing it was a second part. I just wanted to read more by Natasha Pulley. Because I didn't know the setting and the characters I first had some trouble getting into this book, but the more time I spent there, the more I loved it. As with her other book I read, Pulley needs some attention. Her view of time is different from everything I've read so far. It feels more like a living thing. An amazing story!

Slowly getting used to this tale... I've not had much chance to read over the last week.

After loving The Watchmaker of Filigree Street, high hopes for this one!!

My other package containing (signed version of) the kingdoms did not arrive today which is disappointing because I have to venture out for work *disgruntled noises* tomorrow… although once that‘s done it is a long weekend!

And I have this to daydream about!

I loved it.
@TheAromaofBooks This was my #BookSpin for February.

Getting in a couple minutes of reading while I wait for my grocery order.
ETA: I adore Thanial and Mori, both individually and together, so at 25-30% into this I'm nervous! About Mori's safety, Thanial's health, their relationship. 😬 If this doesn't have a happy ending I'm going to be distraught!

Given a bit more time, this would have happened 😂

On the ninth day of Christmas, I'd like you to revisit Filigree Street.

This is the second book in Natasha Pulley's The Watchmaker of Filigree Street series. This time set in Japan mostly, with ghosts, electricity and an imminent war. Thaniel is very ill. Mori's in danger. Grace is... Grace.

#12Booksof2020 @Andrew65

2020 was like deserted land with a few oasis along the way. Only an handful of books but good ones. All of them. Reading in 2020 was spare but rewarding all the same.

My favourite of the year. No contest. Start with book 1 then dive into book 2. Queer steampunk for the first day of xmas and an octopus in a 💡
#12booksof2020
@Andrew65

A delightful queer steampunk / historical fantasy set in late 1880s Japan, with lovely, unique writing. It follows a fairly large set of Japanese and British characters in a multi-layered plot orchestrated by Mori, a man who "remembers the future." He's putting together many moving pieces to a positive outcome even he doesn't understand anymore. Ghosts, electrical storms, mechanical pet octopuses, political scheming, and queer love!

This book has some really snappy writing, unique images:

"Thaniel felt like he and Vaulker were both holding chisels, but neither of them knew where to begin chipping, and neither of them wanted to get dust on the carpet."

(These are two diplomats, their jobs have nothing to do with actual chisels).

#Fantasy #Steampunk #QueerBooks #LGBTQBooks

After enjoying The Watchmaker of Filigree Street, I had to read the sequel. It did not disappoint. Thaniel and Keita travel to Meiji-era Japan, to witness the struggle of the newly-opened nation with the forces of colonialization. Keita's clairvoyance, strange electrical experiments on the cliffs of Yokohama, and ghosts in the Embassy are a fantastical plot layered on the rich tapestry of a Japan just emerging from feudalism.

So I‘ve been on tumblr a bit lately... and I‘m not mad about it 😂

Even if I don‘t recognise all the shows/references and maybe need to watch Pacific Rim now?

Where else am I going to find the Natasha Pulley content I neeeeeeed? 🤣

This is my third book from Pulley, and I don‘t know how to sort out my feelings about any of them. They‘re messy, but the imagery is always vivid, inventive, and delightful.

Here we have 1880s Japan, with electricity, clockwork, ghosts, ash, and endless fogs. Atmosphere! The craft is there - everything falls in its perfect place by the end - but the pacing was disastrous between the threads being woven together. A discombobulating read. #BookSpin

So good. The plot is intricate as future/past clairvoyance stories are. I liked the electricity plot. Tesla for the win. Takiko Pepperharrow rocks and so does Grace Carrow. I love how her character was put back together. Thaniel is still the heart of all the threads and chess moves Mori makes. All of them. I didn't want it to end.
#steampunk #netgalley

Happy birthday Sid. Game 4. Elimination game.
I"m up to 60 %. So so good.
#readingandwatchinghockey

Passed the 50% mark. It is so good.
Game 3 🍁 vs Blue jackets
#readingandwatchinghockey

When your book order shows up! 🎉

The goal is to get to 50% tonight. Also, here's hoping the 🐧 make it 2 wins in a row.
#readingandwatchinghockey

Game 2. 🐧
#readingandwatchinghockey

This is the game of the evening. 🍁 vs Columbus
#readingandwaychinghockey

Almost at the 40% mark.it's good. I'm stalling because I do want it to end too fast. That's how good I find it.

Day one of the biggest, most extraordinary hockey binge EVER!
Game 1 🌪 vs NY Rangers
Game 2 Oilers vs Hawks
Game 3 🐧 vs Habs
#readingandwatchinghockey

Leafs exhibition game against the Habs. Pens and Flyers ended up in OT for Philly.
#readingandwatchinghockey

Week-end reading while watching the last scrimmage before they head out to Toronto. Cold water, a good book and hockey. That is a perfect Saturday afternoon.
#readingandwatchinghockey

Hockey is back!
#readingandwatchinghockey

My next book in my ARC pile.
#netgalley #nextintheseries

If y‘all haven‘t explored the world of Natasha Pulley yet, I highly encourage you to do so! The Watchmaker of Filigree Street is an excellent debut novel, with Bedlam Stacks in the same universe but with different plot lines. This novel continues with Mori and Thaniel, and I am recommending it to everyone I meet right now. :) Cute puppy photo just for attention grabbing. ;)

Wrapped up May with just nine. All were good but Pepperharrow was the highlight for me. Reading has been slower during isolation. Got about halfway through Alexander II and had to renew that one.

June will be mostly reading for a course I‘m doing doing for work.

#may #recap

In these times of limited travel you might want to check out Book Trails - they use books as the starting point for some literary virtual travel trails - just pop in the search where you want to go!

https://www.thebooktrail.com

An elegant and intricate story from Natasha Pulley. The tale of Thaniel and Baron Mori continues in a trip to Japan. More just starts a cascade of spoilers. Enjoy!

My library hold came in and they allowed me to pick it up! They phoned to schedule a time for me to pick it up and left it on a table outside. No contact and 15 minutes between pick ups.

I loved this so much! I normally tumble through a book in a day or two but I found myself savouring this slowly over a week. Ahh, what absolutely gorgeous disasters, Mori and Thaniel are... more please!

...
Thaniel wondered if real geishas painted themselves white so it was harder to see how angry they must be all the time.

‘The irritating thing about evil people is that they have a way of doing good things too,‘ Mori said.
‘You‘ve gone dramatic,‘ Thaniel said.
Mori didn‘t look convinced, but he did smile. ‘Why don‘t you care? You should.‘
Thaniel put his cheek next to Six‘s hair while he tried to think of something to say that wasn‘t the truth. The truth was that he loved Mori so hopelessly he could have found a way to excuse cemeteries of dead wives.

‘The crazy one who keeps invading Korea?‘ Pyotr exploded, and banged down his already empty cup. The table juddered. At least four different waiters frowned. ‘They let him into the Palace? Aren‘t there rules? Don‘t give me that bloody Pyotr‘s-so-naive look, I was waterboarding a trade unionist fifteen minutes ago.‘

Sometimes I stress buy books on Bookoutlet. They had a sale...

Truly enjoyed this return to the world of Filigree Street. But we're not staying there, we're travelling to Japan.

Ghosts, electricity, an imminent war, Mori's past, his present and future in danger, Thaniel very ill, Grace,...

It was an interesting ride. I enjoyed the whole story, including the love triangle, the uncertainties and the rather anticlimactic end, which hinted at more.

#buddyread with @DuckOfDoom and @ju.ca.no

Finished my buddy read with @julesG and @DuckOfDoom yesterday! I had high expectations as I really loved her two other books - and I was not disappointed! I enjoyed the story and was very much captivated and invested in it. I love the characters and I really hope I will meet them again in another book somewhere in the future. Even though this book is probably my least favourite one of the three I‘d still give it 5/5🌟

@ju.ca.no and @DuckOfDoom
#buddyread

Have reached chapter 26.

See comments. 😁

@ju.ca.no and @DuckOfDoom
#buddyread

I've read chapter 22 today.

Very interesting, would love to already be further ahead.

Keeping spoilers to the comments.

Catching up on my #buddyread. Balcony, sunshine, tea, incense (wasps), and birdsong.

Liking this Good Friday so far.

@ju.ca.no @DuckOfDoom

I had some catching up to do for my #buddyread with @ju.ca.no & @julesG
I did it!! I finally found some rest this evening.
There is much going on in this book. I really want to know more about the ghosts. What are your thoughts?

There's something I need to say: "Actually..." ????

Done with chapter 15. I love Thaniel's humour. I'm sorry for him, too.

#PepperharrowBuddyRead
@DuckOfDoom @ju.ca.no

Again I am just amazed at how good her writing is. I hardly ever see Japan and Japanese depicted accurately in books, and it is very apparent that she has lived there and researched stuff thoroughly. I'm in love with the both the main plotline and ongoing love story that was so sweet and slow in the first book. The actual mystery plotline was very intriguing to follow and I will again recommend this to everyone who liked the first one.

Five chapters in on my current buddyread with @julesG and @DuckOfDoom - what do you think of the book so far? How much are we going to read the next week? Five chapters again?

It didn‘t take me long to be back in the Filigree Universe. Of course 5 chapters is not very far in but so far I enjoy being back with Thaniel, Mori and Six (also Katsu🥰) and am looking foward to the upcoming travel to Japan!