December Book Report!
In a perfect world, I read 10 books every single month.
While my world isn't perfect, I did manage 10 books in December...and that feels very, very good.
Here we go!
1. Labyrinth Lost, Zoraida Cordova - I can't at all remember where I learned about this series - probably one of several book newsletters that I follow now. At any rate, I was absolutely delighted by this YA novel. Over the last 5-10 years I've become more and more interested in finding writers and books that introduce me to worlds and cultures that are not my own. Exploring multicultural fantasy has given me an amazing glimpse into new worlds. (Truthfully, I'm pretty bored with the same old, same old too.) So it's a different type of magic in this book, and it's a different cultural base...and it was absolutely lovely, all of it.
2. The Mortal World, Genevieve Cogman - The most recent Invisible Library release. These books hit the category that I call "Jolly Good Fun." There's a time and place for serious and deep, and there's a time and place for more lighthearted entertainment. The trick for me is finding writing that's good enough to appease my English Degree, characters that make me care, and plots that make sense. Yes, yes, and yes. I'm so glad that Cogman is maintaining the quality of her series I don't know that I want to read 20 books about Irene, but I'm happy to go along with her a bit longer.
3. Good and Mad, Rebecca Traister - My therapist recommended this one, pointing out that I was going to have to get in touch with my feminine rage if I was going to truly address a few issues in my life. Highly recommend this book to all of my social justice warrior friends. You know who you are.
4. The Mermaid and Mrs. Hancock, Imogen Hermes Gowan - I'm not going to lie, it took a while to get into this book. I kept going because I was charmed by the Dickensian feel of it all. It's hard to get that just right - even though lots of books claim 'Dickensian' as an adjective. The book flipped for me at about the half way point, and the second part sucked me in and gave me the payoff I needed. I honestly found one character shift to be highly implausible...but I kind of didn't care because of what it gave me in the end.
5. The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society, Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Burrows (reread) - Looking for something to watch while working on knit Christmas gifts one evening, I started rewatching the charming Netflix adaptation. About 1/3 of the way into it, I realized I'd rather reread the book than rewatch the movie...and so I did! It is a delightful book, and a fairly quick read.
Perfect for a December evening when you want the heartstrings to be tugged.
6. Bruja Born, Zoraida Cordova - And the follow-up to Labarynth Lost, this one focused on a second sister. The thing that struck me this time around is that Cordova has pulled off a rare trick - she's writing about magical teenagers with an intact and loving family. For that alone, these books deserved to be read.
Then my birthday happened, and I was given gift cards for books on top of my annual birthday cash...and so I went on a book-buying spree that made my heart sing! This now annual post-birthday book-buying joy is typically where I go back and buy books that have been sitting on my wish list for too long for no good reason. (And leading up to it, I did go in and clean out my wish list a bit. Just a bit.)
7. The Sunlight Pilgrims, Jenni Fagen - Wow. Just wow. I've read quite a few books that can be described as environmentally based speculative fiction. It makes sense given how serious climate change is. What is interesting to me is that Fagen made a very believable disaster, but that it's both scary and awe-inspiring. Really, though, this is a book about people, and her characters are very compelling. You fall in love with them, for all of their imperfections and oddities. Stella stole my heart, and I'll not easily forget her.
8. The Sisters of the Winter Wood, Rena Rossner - In contention for one of my top five books of the year. You know I love a good fairy tale, and this is a very good fairy tale indeed. I don't want to spoil things, but I will say that this takes on a fairy tale that I've not seen in other modern interpretations. There was a moment part way through when I said to my self, "oh, this is ____" with complete delight. It's wonderful.
9. Fear the Drowning Deep, Sarah Glenn Marsh - Kicking myself for having waited so long to buy this book. (NPR's 2016 book concierge, I believe, is where I got the recommendation.) It's about sea monsters, but it's really about a girl who is coming into her own while dealing with old hurts. Bridey is another who stole my heart this month, and I find myself wishing I could go to the Isle of Mann to experience for myself.
10. Becoming, Michelle Obama - My eldest daughter bought this for me for my birthday, which is fantastic because I was chomping at the bit to read it. No secret that I consider myself to be a progressive liberal. No secret that I love the Obamas - even while having my eyes open to the faults of the Obama presidency. (I'm not a blind follower.) No secret that I adore, admire, and respect Michelle. Her book is phenomenal, hard to put down, emotional, and all the other things. I appreciate her honesty and candor, and her earned wisdom that she shares.
While my world isn't perfect, I did manage 10 books in December...and that feels very, very good.
Here we go!
1. Labyrinth Lost, Zoraida Cordova - I can't at all remember where I learned about this series - probably one of several book newsletters that I follow now. At any rate, I was absolutely delighted by this YA novel. Over the last 5-10 years I've become more and more interested in finding writers and books that introduce me to worlds and cultures that are not my own. Exploring multicultural fantasy has given me an amazing glimpse into new worlds. (Truthfully, I'm pretty bored with the same old, same old too.) So it's a different type of magic in this book, and it's a different cultural base...and it was absolutely lovely, all of it.
2. The Mortal World, Genevieve Cogman - The most recent Invisible Library release. These books hit the category that I call "Jolly Good Fun." There's a time and place for serious and deep, and there's a time and place for more lighthearted entertainment. The trick for me is finding writing that's good enough to appease my English Degree, characters that make me care, and plots that make sense. Yes, yes, and yes. I'm so glad that Cogman is maintaining the quality of her series I don't know that I want to read 20 books about Irene, but I'm happy to go along with her a bit longer.
3. Good and Mad, Rebecca Traister - My therapist recommended this one, pointing out that I was going to have to get in touch with my feminine rage if I was going to truly address a few issues in my life. Highly recommend this book to all of my social justice warrior friends. You know who you are.
4. The Mermaid and Mrs. Hancock, Imogen Hermes Gowan - I'm not going to lie, it took a while to get into this book. I kept going because I was charmed by the Dickensian feel of it all. It's hard to get that just right - even though lots of books claim 'Dickensian' as an adjective. The book flipped for me at about the half way point, and the second part sucked me in and gave me the payoff I needed. I honestly found one character shift to be highly implausible...but I kind of didn't care because of what it gave me in the end.
5. The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society, Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Burrows (reread) - Looking for something to watch while working on knit Christmas gifts one evening, I started rewatching the charming Netflix adaptation. About 1/3 of the way into it, I realized I'd rather reread the book than rewatch the movie...and so I did! It is a delightful book, and a fairly quick read.
Perfect for a December evening when you want the heartstrings to be tugged.
6. Bruja Born, Zoraida Cordova - And the follow-up to Labarynth Lost, this one focused on a second sister. The thing that struck me this time around is that Cordova has pulled off a rare trick - she's writing about magical teenagers with an intact and loving family. For that alone, these books deserved to be read.
Then my birthday happened, and I was given gift cards for books on top of my annual birthday cash...and so I went on a book-buying spree that made my heart sing! This now annual post-birthday book-buying joy is typically where I go back and buy books that have been sitting on my wish list for too long for no good reason. (And leading up to it, I did go in and clean out my wish list a bit. Just a bit.)
7. The Sunlight Pilgrims, Jenni Fagen - Wow. Just wow. I've read quite a few books that can be described as environmentally based speculative fiction. It makes sense given how serious climate change is. What is interesting to me is that Fagen made a very believable disaster, but that it's both scary and awe-inspiring. Really, though, this is a book about people, and her characters are very compelling. You fall in love with them, for all of their imperfections and oddities. Stella stole my heart, and I'll not easily forget her.
8. The Sisters of the Winter Wood, Rena Rossner - In contention for one of my top five books of the year. You know I love a good fairy tale, and this is a very good fairy tale indeed. I don't want to spoil things, but I will say that this takes on a fairy tale that I've not seen in other modern interpretations. There was a moment part way through when I said to my self, "oh, this is ____" with complete delight. It's wonderful.
9. Fear the Drowning Deep, Sarah Glenn Marsh - Kicking myself for having waited so long to buy this book. (NPR's 2016 book concierge, I believe, is where I got the recommendation.) It's about sea monsters, but it's really about a girl who is coming into her own while dealing with old hurts. Bridey is another who stole my heart this month, and I find myself wishing I could go to the Isle of Mann to experience for myself.
10. Becoming, Michelle Obama - My eldest daughter bought this for me for my birthday, which is fantastic because I was chomping at the bit to read it. No secret that I consider myself to be a progressive liberal. No secret that I love the Obamas - even while having my eyes open to the faults of the Obama presidency. (I'm not a blind follower.) No secret that I adore, admire, and respect Michelle. Her book is phenomenal, hard to put down, emotional, and all the other things. I appreciate her honesty and candor, and her earned wisdom that she shares.
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