November and December Books

because I forgot to post Nov....) 

2020 Reading Goals: 102/100

1.  A Dance With Fate, Juliet Marillier - Book 2 in the Warrior Bards series, and I am a touch annoyed that it took me so long to actually get into the story.  I've enjoyed Marillier for ages and ages, and I'm typically excited when she publishes a new book.  Not sure what the problem was, exactly, because once I was in I was really in, and I enjoyed it very much.  Perhaps it's because at this point it's very difficult for Marillier to offer anything new with her books.  She's still building on Daughter of the Forest, so we are 11 books into this particular world.  It's beautiful indeed, but she also sticks with the same themes over and over again.  Sometimes that brings the comfort of the familiar, at other times it's a bit of a boring retread.  I will keep reading, but some of the luster is beginning to wear thin.  But also, when I need a bit of love and magic and hope...these are the books I want.  

2. A Closed and Common Orbit, Becky Chambers (audio, reread) - Had to finish the trilogy, didn't I!  I was having trouble settling into something to listen to...and this fit my needs quite nicely.  Curiously enough, as I navigate through some of my own long-standing personal issues, this was the book in the series that most touched my heart this time around. 

3. Daring Greatly, Brene Brown (audio) - I could have saved myself a lot of time and grief if I'd had this book 20-30 years ago.  As it is, Brown's work is so well known - and I've read so many of her other books - that this was more of a familiar, loving reminder than a groundbreaking journey into truth.  My one complaint is that it's written in the first person, but is read by a stranger.  As I now listen to Brown's podcast, it was a tad odd to listen to someone else read her book - especially when so much of it was personal. 

4. Sia Martinez and the Moonlit Beginning of Everything, Raquel Vasquez Gilliland (audio) - When Charles De Lint mentions a book, I pay attention.  Rather fortuitously, I found the available audio version on my library's app just a few hours after I saw Mr. De Lint's recommendation of Facebook.  I devoured it in just over 24 hours.  I don't want to spoil anything - and I do think you should all read this book - so all I'll say is that this is an excellent example of using fantasy/sci-fi to highlight real life issues in a beautiful way.  

5. Seraphina, 6. Shadow Scale (half audio), Rachel Hartman - It was only going to be a matter of time before I finally read these books, after falling hard for Hartman's Tess of the Road - a standalone book about Seraphina's younger sister.  Truth?  I like Tess a whole lot more.  These are very good books indeed, but I'm so in love with Tess that I really didn't care so much about her big sister.  I do believe Hartman has built an amazing world, and I do absolutely enjoy her take on dragons.  I don't think any of the surprises were spoiled by having read Tess first, but I did find myself pulling out my copy of Tess to look up details once in a while.  Also, these are very different books from Tess - being more standard fantasy fair in contrast to Tess's personal growth story.  All good, just different. 

December:

1.  The Once and Future Witches, Alix E. Harrow - I so loved Harrow’s debut book last year - The 10,000 Doors of January - that I of course preordered her sophomore book.  I’m quite delighted to say that it was every bit as good, even if it didn’t quite touch me as deeply in the soul as her first book.  Having said that, I think this is also a book that’s going to get better on a second or third read.  It’s about sisters, and magic, and gender roles, and women’s rights, and racism, and folklore and all of the things that are worth talking about.  Beautifully done.  

2. Nothing to See Here, Kevin Wilson (audio) - Have you ever had a book start to pop up in your life everywhere?  That's what happened here.  Not sure why, but suddenly I began to see this book EVERYWHERE.  So I checked out the audio from the library.  And you know what?  It was an absolute delight!  It was a quick, lighthearted read that made me laugh even while making some important points about family and friendship.  I loved it.  

3. Upright Women Wanted, Sarah Gailey (audio) - Gailey was a wonderful discovery for me in 2020 - in part because she made NPR's 2019 Book Concierge, which brought her to my attention.  As the Best of 2020 lists started to make the rounds - I found that she was once again receiving accolades for this new book.  Found family seems to be one of the themes I'm falling into lately - and no wonder, as it's important to recognize just how healing such families can be.  This was another quick read, and it's one I'd like to revisit once it's had time to settle.  Gailey's alternate history worlds are like no others, and I love that she creates amazing LGBTQ characters.  She deserves the accolades she's getting.  

4. Ready Player Two, Ernest Cline (audio) - I listened to the wonderful audio of Ready Player One years and years ago at family camp, and was really hoping when I saw the news of a sequel that the audio for it would also be read by Will Wheaton, who had done an amazing job with the first book.  To my delight, that wish came true!  It's just fun, and sometimes that's what you need.  I really enjoyed the fact that Ready Player Two picks up right after Ready Player One, and that Cline doesn't feel the need to handhold his readers through a revisit of the events of the first book.  All references to it were very skillfully woven in, and the audience is trusted to just know what's going on.  I love that a lot of what happens next seems to be really natural...and I love that this time around the characters get a chance for some personal growth, even if that feels a tad too easy at times.  A very fun read indeed.  

5. The Case of the Missing Marquess, Nancy Springer (audio) - I - along with the rest of the world - fell in love with Enola Holmes thanks to Mille Bobbie Brown and Netflix, so I decided to try the book.  This is one of those rare occasions where...and it pains me to say this...I like the movie much better.  In this specific case, the movie built a much richer world based on some very good bones from the book, and it benefited from certain changes the screenwriters made - including aging up our protagonist.  If you've got a younger reader who wants girl-focused books, these are a perfect choice.  Even as much as I love YA and middle-grade books, though, I think I'll pass on the rest.  

6.  Midnight Bargain, C.L. Polk - Upfront - I adore Polk, and have preordered her books since she first came on the scene a couple of years ago.  This standalone book moves away from the family in her first books while taking the magical stakes to a whole new level.  (Also an NPR 2020 Book Concierge and Best of noted book.)  Straight up, this is a book about birth control and agency and women’s rights - in a fantasy setting that’s based on roughly Regency era truth to make it super uncomfortable to read at times.  (It’s also a bit heavy handed...but I’ll forgive that because the ending delighted me so.)  I find I’m having trouble letting go...and I keep pausing to think about it.  That’s a good thing. 

7.  Mexican Gothic, Silvia Morena-Garcia (audio) - I fell in love with Gothic literature my freshman year in college, and have adored it every since.  Mexican Gothic snagged my attention because it’s also an NPR Concierge pick this year - and it’s made a bunch of Best of lists.  I read Morena-Garcia’s last book, though, and while it was enjoyable it didn’t really stand out so I wasn’t sure what to expect.  Well.  Let me just say that Mexican Gothic blew me away.  It was a truly delicious Gothic novel with all of the usual tropes that you need to build a grand story.  I loved our heroine, Noemi, who was something I hadn’t quite seen before - a combination of personality traits that were unexpected and delightful.  

8. The Very Good Gospel, Lisa Sharon Harper - I discovered Harper this summer, and have come to admire her greatly.  Truth be told, I prefer listening to her rather than reading her - and I regret that I didn’t have the time or energy for her weekly discussions of this book.  She’s someone who gives me hope because her teachings on the Gospel are what I long for.  

9.  The Dark Archive, Genevieve Cogman - Closing out the year with another book about the Invisible Library!  (Book 7).  Happy to report that Cogman has returned to form with this installment (I didn’t enjoy her foray into the heist novel last time.) Irene and co are back at it in full form, trying to figure out a bizarre series of assassination attempts.  I rather enjoyed her petulant teen fey apprentice, who is desperate to become an archetype.  Just good, old-fashioned fun. 

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Unfinished:

1. Over the Woodward Wall, A. Deborah Baker - This is Seanan McGuire's first book for younger folk, written under a new pen name.  It suffers from what the Catherynne M. Valente books do - too much preciousness.  I actually made it through 3/4 of the book, but just couldn't finish.  Feels silly to get so far and stop...but when you find yourself making a face every time you pick up a book, only to set it down moments later...well, life is just too short.  

2. Or What You Will, Jo Walton - Yep, done with Walton.  (or at least with preorders....may continue to use the library to explore her books).  She's too cerebral, with not enough heart to balance that out.  I once again loved the concept - a writer and her key character in conversation - but it lost me with the bouncing around and the long pieces of exposition.  I left it in my reading piles for months...and just couldn't bring myself to go back.