Review | Barbarian Alien by Ruby Dixon

Twelve humans are left stranded on a wintry alien planet. I’m one of them. Yay, me.

In order to survive, we have to take on a symbiont that wants to rewire our bodies to live in this brutal place. I like to call it a cootie. And my cootie’s a jerk, because it also thinks I’m the mate to the biggest, surliest alien of the group.

Women of Earth are being abducted by aliens. Fortunately, they are able to flee into the arms of the sexy blue aliens of Not Hoth. So goes the series Ice Planet Barbarians. Barbarian Alien is the second book in the Ice Planet Barbarians series by Ruby Dixon. I had heard this series follows different main characters in each book so I was quite pleased to find the characters in book one were still present in the background of Barbarian Alien. I need to check up on my friends, you know?

Barbarian Alien follows Liz and Raahosh. Liz could use a lot more patience, but I do love love and I found them to ultimately be a sweet couple. I needed a bookish escape and the wild world of Not Hoth provided.

⭐⭐⭐★★
3/5 stars

Source: library borrow. This is a review of my reading experience.

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Recent Updates and Currently Reading | January 6

Happy new year! I hope you all have had a wonderful start to the year. I've been starting new books all week, but that's fine. I'm enjoying every single one of them.

Posted Last Week

I managed to post all week! I had time off for the holidays so I was able to get a bit ahead. You will not see another week like this one until next January lol

First Book of the Year 2024

Favorite Books of 2023

On My Wishlist | This Wretched Valley by Jenny Kiefer

2023 Year-End Reading Survey

My 2023 Year-End Reading Survey

Review | And Put Away Childish Things by Adrian Tchaikovsky

Finished Reading

And Put Away Childish Things by Adrian Tchaikovsky ⭐⭐⭐💫★ - This is a portal fantasy, and I enjoyed it. I posted my review of And Put Away Childish Things yesterday.

Currently Reading

The Reformatory by Tananarive Due is the January readalong pick over on the Horror Spotlight discord. I'm easing into this one since the content is pretty heavy.

Yes, I'm already re-reading Tress of the Emerald Sea by Brandon Sanderson! My local book club is reading this for January and the early buzz is so good. I love this book.

Nightmare King by Daka Hermon - Life is strange. I have no idea how Daka Hermon released a middle grade horror last year without me knowing. I downloaded it the minute I found out and started reading it. So far it's everything I want a middle grade horror to be.

Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck is my first pull from my 2024 TBR jar! I'm really hoping to lean heavily on my jar this year. I love Steinbeck, but I've never read Of Mice and Men.

Barbarian Alien (Ice Planet Barbarians #2) by Ruby Dixon - I had an exhausting week and needed a complete escape from the heavy books I'm reading. I'm reading Tress with my husband so I couldn't reach for that one. I think Ice Planet Barbarians is a perfect choice in moments like these.

Currently Watching

I'm so happy to have a show that all 5 of us want to watch together. Two of my kids have read all of the Percy Jackson books, and I've read a few of them. We are enjoying it so far!

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This post is being shared as part of The Sunday Salon at Readerbuzz, Book Date’s It's Monday! What Are You Reading? and Caffeinated Book Reviewer's The Sunday Post.

Review | And Put Away Childish Things by Adrian Tchaikovsky

Source: library borrow. This is a review of my reading experience.

And Put Away Childish Things is a fantasy novella from Adrian Tchaikovsky.

Harry Bodie’s been called into the delightful fantasy world of his grandmother’s beloved children’s books. It’s not delightful here at all.

All roads lead to Underhill, where it’s always winter, and never nice.

Harry Bodie has a famous grandmother, who wrote beloved children’s books set in the delightful world of Underhill. Harry himself is a failing kids’ TV presenter whose every attempt to advance his career ends in self-sabotage. His family history seems to be nothing but an impediment.

An impediment... or worse. What if Underhill is real? What if it has been waiting decades for a promised child to visit? What if it isn’t delightful at all? And what if its denizens have run out of patience and are taking matters into their own hands?

✅ Portal fantasy (and horror and scifi)
✅ Tchaikovsky spider

And Put Away Childish Things is the third novella in Adrian Tchaikovsky's Terrible Worlds: Destinations series, but each installment is a standalone story. I've read the first novella (Walking to Aldebaran) but haven't read the second one yet. My library happened to have this available when I needed a short read.

The main character Harry's grandmother was a famous children's author who wrote stories set in Underhill, and there are quite a few people who remain obsessed with his grandmother's stories. Set during the start of the pandemic, it felt like Tchaikovsky was working through a number of things with And Put Away Childish Things.

I continue to really enjoy Tchaikovsky's writing. He has written so many things that span the breadth of speculative fiction, and I intend to read them all.

⭐⭐⭐💫★
3.5/5 stars

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My 2023 Year-End Reading Survey

This Year-End Survey was created by Jamie over at Perpetual Page Turner. Below is a look at my 2023 reading year!

2023 Reading Stats

Number Of Books You Read: 60

Number of Re-Reads: 8 (Yay!)

Genre You Read The Most From: I think my most read genre this year goes to fantasy.

Best in Books

Best Book You Read In 2023? 

The Adventures of Amina al-Sirafi made it on to my favorite books of all time list. 10 ⭐!

Book You Were Excited About & Thought You Were Going To Love More But Didn’t?

Our Wives Under the Sea by Julia Armfield wasn't a "bad" book, but I thought I was really going to love it. It was OK.

Most surprising (in a good way or bad way) book you read?

Camp Damascus by Chuck Tingle was so different that what I was expecting, but I loved it!

Book You “Pushed” The Most People To Read (And They Did)?

I "pushed" a few books last year, but my most successful campaigning had to be Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pelt.

Favorite new author you discovered in 2023?

The Adventures of Amina al-Sirafi is the first book I've read by Shannon Chakraborty. I look forward to going back and reading her Daevabad trilogy.

Best book from a genre you don’t typically read/was out of your comfort zone?

I read Book Lovers by Emily Henry while in my cozy area and I found a new favorite author in the process!

Most action-packed/thrilling/unputdownable book of the year?

I was most glued to Words of Radiance by Brandon Sanderson.

Favorite cover of a book you read in 2023?

Belladonna by Adalyn Grace is a STUNNING book.

Most memorable character of 2023?

Ren from Chlorine by Jade Song.

Most beautifully written book read in 2023?

I loved Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pelt so much. The octopus Marcellus was probably my most memorable character of the year but I wanted to include Chlorine in the question above.

Book you can’t believe you waited UNTIL 2023 to finally read? 

I'm so glad I finally read Sea of Tranquility by Emily St. John Mandel. Many thanks to my book club for picking this one this year.

Favorite Passage/Quote From A Book You Read In 2023?

"Nora." He just barely smiles. "You’re in books. Of course you don’t have a life. None of us do. There’s always something too good to read." - Emily Henry, Book Lovers

Shortest & Longest Book You Read In 2023?

Wild Spaces by S.L. Coney was my shortest book at 122 pages and my longest was Words of Radiance by Brandon Sanderson at 1,087 pages. I loved them both!

Book That Shocked You The Most?

I think I gasped out loud more than once at the reveals in Words of Radiance by Brandon Sanderson.

Favorite Book You Read in 2023 From An Author You’ve Read Previously?

Tress of the Emerald Sea by Brandon Sanderson is such a treasure. I love it so much.

Best Book You Read In 2023 That You Read Based SOLELY On A Recommendation From Somebody Else/Peer Pressure?

I read Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros purely for the hype. I had a great time and I've pulled my friends into the hype as well.

Best 2023 debut you read?

Absolutely Chlorine by Jade Song.

Best Worldbuilding/Most Vivid Setting You Read This Year?

I don't do a lot of visualizing when I read, but I could see the world of Tress of the Emerald Sea by Brandon Sanderson.

Book That Put A Smile On Your Face/Was The Most FUN To Read?

I read Ice Planet Barbarians by Ruby Dixon with a group of great friends and we had such a fun time. We still talk about it.

Book That Made You Cry Or Nearly Cry in 2023?

Emily Henry gets me right in the feels, and she got me with Beach Read.

Hidden Gem Of The Year?

I'm hoping as more books in the series are released The Adventures of Amina al-Sirafi by Shannon Chakraborty will gain more popularity. It's so good and deserves more hype.

Book That Crushed Your Soul?

Oof. Lost in the Moment and Found by Seanan McGuire hit me hard. I will never be the same.

Most Unique Book You Read In 2023?

The September House by Carissa Orlando had the most unique elements in it. 

Book That Made You The Most Mad?

The amount of deceit in A Winter in New York by Josie Silver!

Blogging/Bookish Life

Best event that you participated in (author signings, festivals, virtual events, memes, etc.)?

The readalongs, buddy reads, and movie nights over on the Horror Spotlight discord server. We have such an amazing group over there. Everyone is so kind and thoughtful and I'm thankful for such a wonderful, fun group.

Best moment of bookish/blogging life in 2023?

I'm grateful for all of my bookish friends.

Most challenging thing about blogging or your reading life this year?

Definitely writing reviews.

Best bookish discovery?

The app called Bookmory. I'm going to try to use it consistently next year to track what I'm reading each day.

Did you complete any reading challenges or goals that you had set for yourself at the beginning of this year?

The only goal I ever set is my Goodreads Challenge goal which I did meet.

Looking Ahead

One Book You Didn’t Get To In 2023 But Will Be Your Number 1 Priority in 2024?

I wish I had found the time to read Bookshops & Bonedust by Travis Baldree. Hopefully this year!

Book You Are Most Anticipating For 2024 (non-debut)?

I am most anticipating Alien Clay by Adrian Tchaikovsky.

2024 Debut You Are Most Anticipating?

A Botanical Daughter by Noah Medlock - "Told with wit and warmth, this is an extraordinary tale of family, fungus and more than a dash of bloody revenge from an exciting new voice in queer horror."

Series Ending/A Sequel You Are Most Anticipating in 2024?

The Stormlight Archive #5 is going to be such a huge release in December. I need to get caught up with #3 and #4 this year so I can read on release day!

One Thing You Hope To Accomplish Or Do In Your Reading/Blogging Life In 2024?

I want to get back to writing reviews in 2024.

On My Wishlist | This Wretched Valley by Jenny Kiefer

It's the comparisons to The Ruins and The Descent in reviews that are getting me with this one. I long for books/movies like those so This Wretched Valley is definitely on my list.

This Wretched Valley by Jenny Kiefer

Four ambitious climbers hike into the Kentucky wilderness. Seven months later, three mangled bodies are discovered. Were their deaths simple accidents or the result of something more sinister?

This nail-biting, bone-chilling survival horror novel is inspired by the infamous Dyatlov Pass incident, and is perfect for fans of Alma Katsu and Showtime's Yellowjackets.

This is going to be Dylan's big break. Her friend Clay, a geology student, has discovered an untouched cliff face in the Kentucky wilderness, and she is going to be the first person to climb it. Together with Clay, his research assistant Sylvia, and Dylan's boyfriend Luke, she is going to document her achievement on Instagram and finally cement her place as the next rising star in rock climbing. 

Seven months later, three bodies are discovered in the trees just off the highway. All are in various states of decay: one body a stark, white skeleton; the second emptied of its organs; and the third a mutilated corpse with the tongue, eyes, ears, and fingers removed.

But Dylan is still missing. Followers of her Instagram account report seeing disturbing livestreams, and some even claim to have caught glimpses of her vanishing into the thick woods, but no trace of her—dead or alive—has been discovered. 

Were the climbers murdered? Did they succumb to cannibalism? Or are their impossible bodies the work of an even more sinister force? Is Dylan still alive, and does she hold the answers? 

This page-turning debut will have you racing towards the inevitable conclusion.

Is This Wretched Valley on your radar for this year?