Jellybeanbeak
jellybeanbeak.bsky.social
Jellybeanbeak
@jellybeanbeak.bsky.social
Often writer, sometimes artist. Likes to think about dragons. She/they.
Book 11: The Searchers by Kathryn Lasky. The Secret of Glendunny #2. Slightly better than the first, but almost completely disconnected from it. The best part is the octopus. We need more octopus xenofiction.
January 30, 2026 at 9:15 PM
Book 10: The Haunting by Kathryn Lasky. The Secret of Glendunny #1. Circular, scattershot, and in desperate need of an editor. Beavers are a great animal to focus on, and Lasky certainly did her research, but the actual writing doesn't match the potential.

Also, justice for the lynxes.
January 29, 2026 at 9:20 PM
Book 9: Doom of the Darkwing by Cressida Cowell. How to Train Your Dragon School #1. Too short to have any real substance, but it works fine as a reintroduction to the world.
January 29, 2026 at 3:12 AM
I definitely recommend it! The main character is a cross fox!

...That's not why I recommend it, but it's still cool!
January 29, 2026 at 2:57 AM
I actually started the sequel, but I had to pause because I had read the rest of the series back-to-back and needed a breather. But I'll be getting back to it soon!
January 29, 2026 at 2:55 AM
Book 8: Fire and Ash by Erin Hunter. Bamboo Kingdom #6. This series is ultimately just okay. It presents some interesting characters but misses its own potential via scattershot plotting and an overly-safe adherence to the status quo.

Still, I'm curious to see if we'll get arc 2 in English.
January 27, 2026 at 11:00 PM
Book 7: Bookshops & Bonedust by Travis Baldree. Legends & Lattes #0. I might like this one even better than the first, which is no surprise (a bookstore! A rat person! Skeletons!). I also feel like the prose improved.
January 26, 2026 at 6:29 PM
Book 6: The Lightning Path by Erin Hunter. Bamboo Kingdom #5. This is one of those series where as soon as I put it down, I have a hard time remembering what happened in which book. It all blends together.

I do remember that this one has more Dasher and Shiver, though, and I always love that.
January 24, 2026 at 6:15 PM
Book 5: The Reign of Wolf 21 by Rick McIntyre. The Alpha Wolves of Yellowstone #2. I'm not crying over wolves, *you're* crying over wolves.
January 23, 2026 at 3:45 PM
Book 4: The Mage by Inbali Iserles. Foxcraft #3. While the climax is a bit disappointing, this series is overall a solid piece of modern animal fiction. The magic system is unique and interesting while catering to the fox trickster archetype.
January 21, 2026 at 5:45 PM
Book 3: Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland and Through the Looking-Glass by Lewis Caroll. It always feels weird to read/watch something when you've only ever known its cultural impact for years.
Honestly, I spent most of these books thinking about Fairyland.
January 19, 2026 at 4:15 PM
Book 2: Legends & Lattes by Travis Baldree. This was fun! I can see why it kind of sparked a genre. Gives me the same feeling as those build-a-restaurant games. Maybe I'll read some more cozy fantasies, if anyone has any suggestions (as if I need a longer TBR...)
January 18, 2026 at 5:48 AM
Book 1: The Rise of Wolf 8 by Rick McIntyre. The Alpha Wolves of Yellowstone #1. A cool look at the reintroduction of wolves to Yellowstone, a very interesting topic. It gives a good look at wolf behavior and how varied their social structure can be.
January 6, 2026 at 11:01 PM
(New year, new book count.)
January 6, 2026 at 11:01 PM
Reposted by Jellybeanbeak
Part 227 of 200 in historically interesting things to inspire your ttrpg dnd

Tankard made of amber slabs, carved with figures representing Pride, Gluttony, Lechery, Anger, Envy, Avarice and Sloth. 1640
December 16, 2025 at 3:15 PM
Book 67: The Undead Fox of Deadwood Forest by Aubrey Hartman. A great meditation of death, acceptance, and scrungly little guys.
December 31, 2025 at 5:30 PM
Book 66: The Dark Sun by Erin Hunter. Bamboo Kingdom #4. I appreciated in the past books that the author didn't always go for the cheap, easy drama. There was a bit less of that here.

Didn't dislike it, but some of the writing choices felt disappointing.
December 31, 2025 at 5:28 PM
Book 65: Shadows of Karakan by AvaritaBona. Draka #2. Things get darker and more twisted. I love a good concerning dynamic.
December 31, 2025 at 5:26 PM
Yo that's sick.
December 5, 2025 at 5:31 PM