Reading in 2024 - January and February!

 January: 

1.  Ruthless Vows, Rebecca Ross, sequel - I honestly wasn't sure if I wanted to read this book, because as much as I enjoyed its predecessor I was annoyed by how it ended.  I was also a tad bit bothered by the age of the characters.  (I read YA all of the time, so am not sure why this time around it bothered me so much.)  However, I kept coming across it so I gave in.  At the end of the day, I'm happy with how Ross wrapped up this story.  The end was satisfying and appropriate.  Also, I will forever love books that include magical letters.    

2.  Mislaid in Parts Half-Known, Seanan McGuire, the latest Wayward Children book - I still adore this series, but we've hit the point where there are so many books that I'm not sure what I can say about them anymore other than you should all read them!  This book wrapped up a storyline begun in the previous book, and while I wasn't aware that I needed more about Antsy I'm glad I got it.  

3.  Some Desperate Glory, Emily Tesh, NPR Books I Love 2023 - I'm a huge fan of Tesh's novellas, and so was really excited to dive into her first full-length novel.  I wound up happy with having read this book, but I'm not sure how much I really enjoyed the process at times.  Part of that is just due to me being only a periodic dabbler into Science Fiction, and part of it was because I had trouble connecting with the characters.  Also, I'm kind of tired of alternative world narratives, which have never quite been my thing.  BUT, I did very much appreciate the exploration of how one's mindset can change, and I am glad the ending was hopeful. 

4.  We Hunt the Flame, Hafsah Faizel and 5.  We Free the Stars, Hafsah Faizel - I have mixed feelings about these books. On the one hand, I very much enjoyed the characters and the plot.  On the other hand, there are some pacing problems that made both books hard a bit of a slog at times.  It's never good if you want a book to just hurry up already.  Having said that, I loved that our main characters are flawed individuals who have suffered, and I loved the central relationship.  May have even read the last couple of chapters multiple times because I found them so satisfying.  

February: 

1.  Starter Villain, John Scalzi, NPR Books I Love 2023 - So.  Much.  Fun!!!  I picked this up on a whim, hoping to get something a little more lighthearted, and I got it!  Our main character, Charlie, is a bit of a helpless idiot who gets plunged into a ridiculous situation that's way out of his depth - and I was there for every step of the ride, no matter how outlandish it was.  Sometimes it's good to read a book just because it's silly and fun.  

2.  The Wild Hunt, Emma Seckel (audio and print), NPR Books I Love 2022 - Oh my, was this ever a beautiful book.  It's been a long while since I read any books based around either World War, and I've certainly never read any fantasy novels built around those times.  Maybe it's something we need to see more of, as the fantastical elements really helped to explore the depths of the emotional fallout from World War II.  I loved everything about it - from the island location to our main character, Leigh, to the community of characters to the folklore elements.  Bonus for the ultimately hopeful ending.    

3.  Family Lore, Elizabeth Acevedo (Audio and print), NPR Books I Love 2023 - I'd say this is magical realism more than it is fantasy, and it for sure is not the type of book I normally read. (Although decades ago I did read lots of magical realism...) However, I truly enjoyed it.  If you like family drama and strong character explorations, this is the book for you! 

4.  This Time Tomorrow, Emma Straub, NPR Books I Love 2023 - It's a time travel story about revisiting the past and coming to terms with the present, and it's a beautifully written book.  Having been through fairly recent loss in my own life, I felt very deeply the focus on grief in the book.  Unfortunately, it was often hard for me to connect with the main character as her teenage years - a strong focus of the book - were so very different from my own.  

5.  The Warm Hands of Ghosts, Katherine Arden - Arden changed course and moved from folklore/fairy tales to a World War I fantasy that deserves all of the accolades it's getting.  (And my second WW fantasy book of the month...is this the beginning of a trend?)  Again, the fantasy elements help to explore the emotional fallout of an impossible war, and the ending was hopeful.