It's Too Hot to do Anything Else - July Books!
2020 Reading Goals: 55/100
1. Gods of Jade and Shadow, Silvia Moreno-Garcia (audio) - Hmmm. I think Moreno-Garcia is brilliant with characters and cultural world-building. I adored Casiopea - for all that she's in many ways the standard feisty female lead - and I loved the Mexican folklore, setting, and heritage that was woven so beautifully into the writing. For that, it was worth reading. Also, this is an example where the audio was very helpful for pronunciation. I think Moreno-Garcia is less good at plot and pacing. The rich details were balanced out with what was a very standard plot that was a little boring in its familiarity. Interestingly enough, I had purchased a digital copy on sale but then found a hardback in the Little Free Library we use. I'm going to return the physical book so that someone else can enjoy it. It's just not good enough to want to keep.
2. The Empire of Gold, S.A. Chakrabordy - I'm truly glad I didn't have to wait any longer for this final book in a trilogy. As it is, it was long enough that I had to work a bit at the beginning to reconnect the dots, but enough had been retained that I didn't have to go dig up plot synopsis. (The reader's dilemna....wait until the series is finished, or just start when you can and wait for the author?). I loved it. I loved how emotionally invested I was. I loved the payoff at the end of three books. I loved that not everything was wrapped up in a neat bow, and how human and hurt and complex many of the characters (who, ok, weren't actually human) were. This is definitely a series I will come back to again. You can find my notes on the first two books in last year's August book report.
3. Unravel the Dusk, Elizabeth Lim - This is where I'm even more grateful that I only had to wait a few weeks for the second book in a duology to be published! I'll refer to last month's book post, as my comments about the first book still hold true about this second book. I'm quite happy to report that the quality of the sequel did stand up to that of the first. Lim has written two lovely books, and I enjoyed every minute of them. (May have devoured the second book in two sittings in under 20 hours.). My heart needs these types of fairy tales right now.
1. Gods of Jade and Shadow, Silvia Moreno-Garcia (audio) - Hmmm. I think Moreno-Garcia is brilliant with characters and cultural world-building. I adored Casiopea - for all that she's in many ways the standard feisty female lead - and I loved the Mexican folklore, setting, and heritage that was woven so beautifully into the writing. For that, it was worth reading. Also, this is an example where the audio was very helpful for pronunciation. I think Moreno-Garcia is less good at plot and pacing. The rich details were balanced out with what was a very standard plot that was a little boring in its familiarity. Interestingly enough, I had purchased a digital copy on sale but then found a hardback in the Little Free Library we use. I'm going to return the physical book so that someone else can enjoy it. It's just not good enough to want to keep.
2. The Empire of Gold, S.A. Chakrabordy - I'm truly glad I didn't have to wait any longer for this final book in a trilogy. As it is, it was long enough that I had to work a bit at the beginning to reconnect the dots, but enough had been retained that I didn't have to go dig up plot synopsis. (The reader's dilemna....wait until the series is finished, or just start when you can and wait for the author?). I loved it. I loved how emotionally invested I was. I loved the payoff at the end of three books. I loved that not everything was wrapped up in a neat bow, and how human and hurt and complex many of the characters (who, ok, weren't actually human) were. This is definitely a series I will come back to again. You can find my notes on the first two books in last year's August book report.
3. Unravel the Dusk, Elizabeth Lim - This is where I'm even more grateful that I only had to wait a few weeks for the second book in a duology to be published! I'll refer to last month's book post, as my comments about the first book still hold true about this second book. I'm quite happy to report that the quality of the sequel did stand up to that of the first. Lim has written two lovely books, and I enjoyed every minute of them. (May have devoured the second book in two sittings in under 20 hours.). My heart needs these types of fairy tales right now.
4. Peace Talks, Jim Butcher - You may remember that I became a fan of the Dresdon Files a year or two ago when I listened to them back to back thanks to my library's digital services. It's been quite some time since Butcher released a new book in the series, so I jumped on the preorders when two became available earlier this year. As I suspected - with two new books in the series coming out just a few months apart - this is less of a stand-alone novel than a part one. I really enjoyed revisiting beloved characters, and as always I appreciate the fact that Butcher moves the story forward and allows his characters to change and grow. (Seanan McGuire is also great at this. Many others with long series are not.). I'm curious about where Butcher is going to go with this particular storyline....and I also admit to a bit of doom and gloom fatigue at the end of the book. I think I would have been better off waiting until the second book is released to read them both. Not doing so great right now with a lack of resolution. Also...I loved these books in audio format, and kind of missed that.
5. Girls of Paper and Fire, Natasha Ngan (audio) - This was a recommendation from my book spa that I didn't bring home. I was lukewarm, but when it came up in a search through new library audiobooks I decided to try it. So a caveat: there were sexual assault trigger warnings all over this book, and I am 100% someone who's always avoided books where rape is a plot point. I think it's rarely handled appropriately or compassionately by writers and I'm often disgusted with the exploitational way it's used. It didn't end up as bad as I'd feared....but I don't know that I would have read this at all were it not for the trust I have for the person who recommended it. I'm actually feeling really torn. On the one hand, it was a well-told story that did engross me so much that I devoured it in two days. I particularly enjoyed the Asian fairy tale aspect and the central relationship that was developed. On the other hand, it still boiled down to being a rape story about women forced into a harem with villains that were almost cartoonish. There's a second book. Still not sure if I'm going to read it.
6. Sixteen Ways to Defend a Walled City, K.J. Parker - It took me a while to get into this book, but I'm glad I hung in there because it turned out to be a lot of fun. Unreliable narrator - a former slave turned Civil Engineer through luck and smarts - finds himself in a position where he's responsible for defending the city against overwhelming, desperate odds in an invasion. Reminded me a bit of The Martian, in that smarts, cleverness, and a bit of luck prevail with loads of humor and wry observation. Lots of wink, wink, nudge, nudge to the reader, and you're never quite sure where the narrator's true feelings lie. I bought it on sale after seeing it on a TOR recommendation list, and while I'm glad I didn't pay full price for it....I'm also glad I took the chance on a book that's not at all my usual thing.
7. The Mere Wife, Maria Dahvana Headley - I fell in love with Headley's through her brilliant book Magonia, which I noticed because of a Neil Gaiman blurb on the cover. What's telling is that this book has a cover book by Emily Wilson, the brilliant new translator of The Odyssey. The Mere Wife is a retelling of Beowulf, and if you've been reading my book reports for a while you will know how much I love really good retellings or reimagining of Classic works. Beowulf has never been a favorite, although my education taught me to appreciate it. I've not read it since college, but it's simple enough that the important details are still with me. To my intense delight, The Mere Wife not only lived up to my hopes and expectations, but it went well beyond. It's a gorgeous and deeply satisfying book, which used an ancient story to say some very important things about the here and now. I love how Headley wove in the most important details from the original. As I think of it, I'm put in mind of Frankenstein. Headley has tapped into something that Mary Shelley did so beautifully - which is to ask us to question who is the monster and who is the hero. In the end, we cry for the monsters...but also for the heros. For sure a top 10 book for me in 2020.
Unfinished:
1. Children of Blood and Bone, Tomi Adeyemi (audio) - This pains me. As sometimes happens, this book should be right up my alley - strong female characters, fantasy, non-European cultural background. But. I suspect if I had read the book in print rather than trying the audio I would have had a different reaction. Maybe. I've actually checked out the audio 5 or 6 times over the last couple of years, but have never made it past the half-way point. The reader has a beautiful voice, but some of her acting choices left me disinterested in the characters, most of which come across as whiney brats in the audio. I listened to about another hour during my most recent attempt....and then realized I just needed to set it aside. Perhaps I'll give it some time and then try print. We'll see.
Unfinished:
1. Children of Blood and Bone, Tomi Adeyemi (audio) - This pains me. As sometimes happens, this book should be right up my alley - strong female characters, fantasy, non-European cultural background. But. I suspect if I had read the book in print rather than trying the audio I would have had a different reaction. Maybe. I've actually checked out the audio 5 or 6 times over the last couple of years, but have never made it past the half-way point. The reader has a beautiful voice, but some of her acting choices left me disinterested in the characters, most of which come across as whiney brats in the audio. I listened to about another hour during my most recent attempt....and then realized I just needed to set it aside. Perhaps I'll give it some time and then try print. We'll see.
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