tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12341348296150962652024-03-14T00:06:01.889-05:00Green Woman Comes KnockingKPiephttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07484716218888129160noreply@blogger.comBlogger1307125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1234134829615096265.post-86810392441551041252024-01-09T13:45:00.002-06:002024-01-09T13:45:55.111-06:00December Books <p><b> 1. The Hunting Moon, Susan Dennard (audio) </b>- This is a sequel, and I have to admit that I was pretty disappointed by it. The writing wasn't as compelling, some of the plot points were super obvious, and I had trouble connecting with the characters. Perhaps just the wrong time for this book? Not sure. There is more to come...and I'm debating whether or not to read it. </p><p><b>2. Mage Breaker, Sean R. Frazier</b> - Full disclaimer, I've been married to the author for 24.5 years, so I am 100% biased when it comes to this book. Sean's work is normally not quite my cup of tea, but I wanted to read this one as it's quite different from his previous works. My only complaint is that I don't think the publisher should have labeled it as 'urban fantasy.' It is really 'science fantasy' but that's such a small niche that I think they were afraid to go there. (And that's 100% on the publisher, not the author!) Check it out if you want some fun! </p><p><b>3. Cassandra in Reverse, Holly Smale, NPR Books We Love 2024</b> - Ohmygosh, I love this book so, so much. Time traveling...autistic person....wow, what a concept! It was lighthearted and fun and heartbreaking and I learned quite a bit about what it can be to be autistic. (The author is also autistic, and is very careful to let you know that Cassandra's experience of life is just representative of her singular character and is not a reflection on all autistic people.) I was a tiny bit disgruntled by the end, but I understand why Smale chose to leave her book the way she did. </p><p><b>4. Before Your Memory Fades, Toshikazu Kawaguchi, book 3 of the series </b>- In which we change the location and find out there's actually a second cafe where patrons can time travel. As with the first two books in the series, this is a gentle book well suited to those times when you just want something quiet to read. </p><p><b>5. Legends & Latttes, Travis Baldree, reread</b> - I needed something gentle to read on Christmas, and this suited nicely. It really is a lovely book. </p><p><b>6. Before We Say Goodbye, Toshikazu Kawaguchi, book 4 of the series </b>- Because I had to read the whole series. But this is where I realize that as much as I've enjoyed these gentle books I have no desire to reread them and so will probably be passing all four books along. I may or may not read any future books in this series. </p><p><b>7. To Shape a Dragon’s Breath, Moniquill Blackgoose (audio), NPR Books We Love 2024 </b>- I took a chance and used one of my credits to get the audio of this book. I admit, I was a bit cautious about this book - in my experience books about dragons tend to be all or nothing - but I'm so glad I gave it a try. Anequs quickly became one of my all-time favorite characters, and I can't wait for the next book in the series! </p>KPiephttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07484716218888129160noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1234134829615096265.post-54597380591740571522023-12-20T11:11:00.001-06:002023-12-20T11:11:17.454-06:00Reading in October and November<p><b> October:</b></p><p><b>1. Starling House, Alix E. Harrow, Best Book of 2024, without a doubt.</b> - I adore Harrow, and am always excited when she publishes a new book. But when my heart sister, who manages a local indy bookstore, starts talking about how great it is months before release...well, then I know I'm in for a treat. This is a book about two very imperfect people...a Gothic fantasy...a masterclass in writing. Happy to note it made NPR's Books We Love for 2023. </p><p><b>2. Project Hail Mary, Andy Weir</b> - Much as I love The Martian, I was very disappointed by Weir's second book and so delayed reading this, his third, for a really long time. In fact, I only decided to read it because it was recommended by a friend. Ended up loving it, but admit that at some point I started skimming a lot of the sciency stuff Weir is known for. It just felt too in the weeds at times to be enjoyable. </p><p><b>3. the Fragile Threads of Power, V.E. Schwab</b> - YES! Delilah Bard is back! (Have I mentioned that I named my dog after her?!) So grateful to Schwab for deciding to revisit her Shades of Magic world. Loved revisiting beloved characters, loved meeting new characters. Am delighted with what feels like a natural progression for that world and the stories within. Can't wait to see where this series goes. </p><p><b>4. A Haunting on the Hill, Elizabeth Hand </b>- This is the first book about Hill House that was authorized by Shirley Jackson's estate. I read about it in an article and was curious. To my utter delight, it was fantastic. Love a good haunted house book, love how it honored the source material, love how it updated the source material. Excellent October read. </p><p><b>5. Sleep No More, Seanan McGuire </b>- the 17th October Daye novel, which picks up after a doozy of a cliffhanger in the last book. I am really impressed that McGuire has managed to keep the quality up after this many books in a series, and I love that I still enjoy each new book as much as I do. McGuire managed the trick of turning things completely on their head so that she could explore the characters in a different light, and that was fun. Seriously love these books. </p><p><b>6. Candles and Starlight, Seanan McGuire (novella) </b>- Always enjoy these bonus novellas, but there's not much else to say about it. </p><p><b>7. The Innocent Sleep, Seanan McGuire </b>- When I discovered that McGuire was publishing the 18th October Daye novel just a month after the 17th I got excited because I thought she was going to do a massive two-part story. I was therefore pretty disappointed when this book came out and I discovered it was the exact same story told through a different POV. However, I was committed to reading both books back to back and so I did. I'm happy to report that this actually added to the story beautifully, so in the end I was kind of glad McGuire chose to write it. Having said that, I hope she doesn't make it a habit. </p><p><b>8. Doubtless and Secure, Seanan McGuire (novella)</b> -Same comment as for the last. </p><p><br /></p><p><b>November: </b></p><p><b>1. Graceling, Kristin Cashore</b> - I've had this book for years and years, but was completely turned off by the audio version that I attempted two or three times. Kind of kicking myself because once I actually started reading it I really enjoyed it. Having said that, Cashore did write more books in that world, but I'm choosing to leave this as a beautiful stand-alone, and will not be reading the others. </p><p><b>2. Bookshops and Bonedust, Travis Baldree </b>- Yay! This prequel is exactly the cozy fantasy I wanted/needed! These books feel like a cozy blanket on a cold afternoon. I especially appreciated the epilogue, which is set beyond the events of the first book. </p><p><b>3. Iron Flame, Rebecca Yarros</b> - Oh yes, I'm on the bandwagon. While I don't exactly think these are the best books ever written, I do give the author kudos for writing fun books that are hard to put down once you get going. Not sure I'm thrilled about the planned three more books in the series...and I was a tad annoyed by the finish...but I know I'll be along for the ride. </p><p><b>4. The Narrow Road Between Desires, Patrick Rothfuss</b> - I had high hopes for this book because I loved Rothfuss's other novella. But...well...it was good, but it didn't really hit like his other works have. I kind of just wish he'd finish the main series already. </p><p><b>5. System Collapse, Martha Wells</b> - Latest Murderbot book, was hoping for more because I've really enjoyed this series....but...well, it wasn't great. Took me way too long to get into it, and didn't feel happy or satisfied. This is a series that is losing steam. </p><p><b>6. A Power Unbound, Freya Marske</b> - This is the final book in a trilogy, and I'm very happy with how everything wrapped up. To be honest, the central relationship may have been my least favorite in the trilogy - each book focusing on a different pairing - but I loved seeing both former couples through their eyes. To be honest, the ending surprised me, which is always a delight. I read so much that I usually see things coming from a mile away. </p>KPiephttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07484716218888129160noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1234134829615096265.post-43931557593934358542023-10-03T10:06:00.000-05:002023-10-03T10:06:04.066-05:00Reading in September<p><b> 1. The Book of Gothel, Mary McMyne</b> - I've seen this book kicking around for a while, but hadn't thought much of it until it came as a recommendation from a very, very trusted friend. (She manages a bookshop!) Very much in the tradition of 'the real story behind the villain' we get a new look at the Rapunzel story in this book, and I'm here for all of it. Bonus points for the framing device of the story! I do think the pacing of the story could have been a smidge better, but that's a nitpicky complaint. </p><p><b>2. Record of a Spaceborn Few, Becky Chambers (reread)</b> - I just needed it. For more about Chambers, please <a href="https://www.wired.com/story/is-becky-chambers-ultimate-hope-science-fiction/">read this wonderful article</a>. Coming back to her books is like coming back to an old friend, and it's always an ultimately uplifting experience. </p><p><b>3. The Galaxy and the Ground Below, Becky Chambers (reread)</b> - And I needed this too. I will say it hit differently after recent family events...but maybe it was just the thing I needed. </p><p><b>4. Her Radiant Curse, Elizabeth Lim (Print and audio) </b>- How on earth I didn't realize this was a prequel until the very last minute...I just don't know. (Six Crimson Cranes and The Dragon's Promise) Silly me. It was every bit as gorgeous of a fairy tale as I would expect from Lim. I loved the sisters, and I loved how deeply emotional the whole story felt. And I loved the bittersweet ending, which added so much richness to the books that come after. </p><p><b>5. Mammoths at the Gates, Nghi Vo (The Singing Hills Cycle, Book 4)</b> - I adore these books. There's a gentleness to them that really tugs at my heart. The beautiful thing is that there really wasn't a bad guy...just a hard situation...at the heart of this book, and it made for thoughtful reading. </p><p><b>6. Wayward, Emelia Hart (audio and print)</b> - This was another recommended by my friend. I liked it despite itself and felt great satisfaction at the ending. Warning, though, this is a book where every woman is a victim, and it can be hard to get through because of that. In fact, I usually pass on books like this because they can just be hard. </p><p><b>7. A Nobeleman's Guide to Seducing a Scoundral, K.J. Charles</b> - Now here is Charles back at their best! So much fun. Sometimes a girl just needs a popcorn book to read, and these romance novels are it for me. Particularly welcome after the last book. </p><p><b>8. A Study in Drowning, Ava Reid</b> - Brilliantly Gothic in every sense of the word. The setting, as it should be in all good Gothic novels, was intense and very unique. I felt damp and cold through the whole book! As I've said before, I love Reid because she's able to write complex characters who have serious problems without it feeling exploitative. She also always brings some hope to the end, which is welcome indeed. Having said that, I'm really left wondering about the very last page... </p>KPiephttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07484716218888129160noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1234134829615096265.post-84892123582404764472023-09-01T09:35:00.002-05:002023-09-01T09:35:49.703-05:00June and July and August Reading<b>June: </b><div><br /></div><div><b>1. The Book Eaters, Sunji Dean</b> - Oh my, I LOVED this book! So different, so unusual, so good! </div><div><br /></div><div><b>2. the Haunting of Tram Car 015, P. Djeli Clark </b>- Set in the same world ad Clark's A Master of Djinn, this novella was a complete delight! I'm hoping that Djeli keeps writing in this world, because it's just that much fun. </div><div><br /></div><div><b>3. Little Thieves, Margaret Owen (audio) </b>- It's been a long while, so I reread it before I cracked open it's sequel, Painted Devils. It was every single bit as wonderful as I remember! Built around the Goose Girl from the Brothers Grimm, I love how this story delves into some pretty complex issues and allows its main characters to be good, bad, and everything in between. </div><div><br /></div><div><b>4. Painted Devils, Margaret Owen (audio)</b> - And this book had quite the challenge in following Little Thieves. I'm happy to say that it mostly held up - and slightly annoyed that I have to wait for book three. </div><div><br /></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><b>July: </b></div><div><br /></div><div><b>1. The Wishing Game, Meg Schaffer (audio) </b>- This truly is a love letter to the books and writers that sustain us when we are children. Perhaps the ending was a bit too much of a happily ever after, but I'm going to allow it because overall it's such a nice feel-good book. (Bonus, the author is local to me!) The whole book just kind of felt like a hug. </div><div><br /></div><div><b>2. Divine Rivals, Rebecca Ross (audio)</b> - I got this recommendation from a book tok account I follow, and - eh - I think I'll be careful with recommendations from her again. I started out loving it, but by the end, I was pretty ambivalent. When I realized that it was not the actual end of the story but that there were more books coming I was actually pretty annoyed. The ending was even less satisfying than most books from a planned series. Also, the age of the characters started to bug me more and more as we went through the book...which was interesting because they are similar in age to the characters from Owen's books last month, and that didn't bother me a bit. Love the magical letters. Always up for that. The Undertaking of Hart and Mercy did it way, way better, though. </div><div><br /></div><div><b>3. Ordinary Monsters, J.M. Miro</b> - It's not often that a book completely lives up to a blurb description, but the Washington Post's blurb of, "Charles Dickens meets Joss Whedon in Miro's otherwordly Netflix-bing-like novel," is completely spot on. Unfortunately, that binge ran out of steam about 2/3 the way through. I skimmed the last 200 pages to find out what happened, but in no way did I want to waste the time to actually read them. There is such a thing as too much exposition. </div><div><br /></div><div><b>4. The Road to Rosewell, A Novel, Connie Willis</b> - So. Much. Fun!!! I've always liked Connie Willis, and this particular book is a treat. Part road trip, part buddy movie, part alien abduction, part romance, deeply comic....if you are looking for fun and lighthearted, this is your book. And oddly original despite being all of those things! </div><div><br /></div><div><b>5. Ink Blood Sister Scribe, Emma Torzs (Audio) </b>- Truth time: I'm writing this post close to two months after I read this book, and we had a pretty massive family crisis shortly after I finished. (Everything is ok now.) It would seem that most of my experience of reading this book was wiped from my memory, which is a shame in the little I remember I did enjoy it. </div><div><br /></div><div><b>6. Our Wives Under the Sea, Julia Armfield</b> - Beautiful and oh, so sad. This is a love story about letting go, and while I don't think it's going to be everyone's cup of tea it suited me well for where I was in time when I read it. </div><div><br /></div><div><b>7. Slow AF Run Club, Martinus Evans</b> - Love Evans. This book is part memoir, part how-to guide, and my hat is off to Evans for his work in making running more accessible. This was exactly what I needed as I struggle to get my own running habit back off the ground. </div><div><br /></div><div><b>8 The Secret Lives of Country Gentleman, K.J. Charles </b>- Charles is my go-to for romance novels, and while this wasn't quite as enjoyable as some of the other Charles books I've read, it was still a good read. Feels like the author is trying something new in terms of tone and story. Curious about where the next book in the series will go. </div><div><br /></div><div><b>9. Fourth Wing, Rebecca Yarros (audio and print) </b>- Ok, I can clearly see some of the literary inspirations behind this book, and I will admit I was a little bit reluctant to read it because of those and because there seems to be a lot of hype behind this book. But, I enjoyed it way more than I thought I would and I can't wait for the sequel. Other comments: I loved the main character a lot, rolled my eyes more than once at what was over the top, wasn't as bothered as I may have been at other times by the overall setup of our magical school, and have missed dragon books. It's been a while since I read a good one! </div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><b>August: </b></div><div><br /></div><div><b>1. The Mask of Mirrors, 2. The Liar's Knot, 3. Labrynth's Heart, M.A. Carrick</b> - It has been a really, really long time since I was able to dive into a series of really long books. The Rook and Rose series - each book of which is over 600 pages - gave me the delightful opportunity to become acquainted again with the type of deep dive reading I used to do regularly. I've really missed this....long books, series read altogether...getting completely lost in another world for a while. M.A. Carrick is actually the joint penname of Marie Brennan (who I adore) and Alyc Helms, and while overall the partnership was a success, there were times when I could tell that the book was being written by more than one person. The series is a good, old-fashioned fantasy set in a place that felt a lot like Venice, with a big cast of characters and a whole lot of stuff going on. And I was there for all of it. I can't believe I'm saying this, but I almost wish the books could have been longer becuase there were some things that could have been fleshed out a bit more. Also, I just found out that you can order teas made in honor of the characters...and that is just fun. </div><div><br /></div><div><b>4. Thornhedge, T. Kingfisher</b> - Kingfisher is a delight, and one of the things I enjoy is that I never know quite what I'm going to find in the next book. The last was Southern Gothic with some fun, this is a twisted fairy tale....and I loved every word. I feel like I haven't had a 'what if' fairy tale in a while - what if the princess wasn't good, what if the bad fairy wasn't bad? It's a gentle way to remind us to challenge our presumptions. </div><div><br /></div><div><b>5. The Last Tale of the Flower Bride, Roshani Chokshi </b>- Billed as Chokshi's first 'adult' novel, this was a really interesting mash-up of fairy tale and Gothic. The language was a tad too flowery for me at times...wore on my patience just a little bit...but I understand why, and ultimately I felt the book worked super well. </div>KPiephttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07484716218888129160noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1234134829615096265.post-72290253546151240182023-06-01T09:27:00.001-05:002023-06-01T09:27:43.541-05:00It's All About the Reread - May Books!<b>1. A Queen in Hiding, 2. Queen of the Raiders, 3. A Broken Queen, and 4. The Cerulean Queen, Sarah Kozloff (audio, in my libro.fm library) -</b> It's not even been three years since this beautiful series was published - the books were released over the course of four months so that you could enjoy the series altogether in its entirety - and probably only two since I first read them. (Also via audio for the most part.) I enjoyed them so much that I purchased the audiobooks through my libro.fm account. Due to some family circumstances, I spent a lot of time on the road this month, and these were the perfect accompaniment. I'm happy to report that they were every bit as brilliant and enjoyable as I remembered. (OK, I have a soft spot...when I was a kid I pretended I was a superhero named Animal Girl who could talk to animals....Kozloff might as well have written this character just for me!)<div><br /></div><div><b>5. Tress of the Emerald Sea, Brandon Sanderson (audio)</b> - Advertisements for this popped up so often that I decided to check out the audio from my library. I've read a smidge of Sanderson years and years ago - enough to recognize his talent, but also enough for me to dismiss him as being a writer of boy books. I was curious as to what he'd do with a female lead, and in a whimsical style that I didn't associate with him. Friends, this book is up for my best of 2023 list. It was amazing. I loved Tress, I loved the story, I loved the writing, and I loved that it had just the right amount of whimsy. Read several passages to my husband. Kudos to Sanderson! (Also, this is one of several books he wrote for himself - published at the urging of his wife. I'm now very curious about those other books.)</div><div><br /></div><div><b>6. Scarlet, Genevieve Cogman</b> - Having stepped away from the Invisible Library, Cogman apparently decided that vampires in the French Revolution were the way to go.....and I'm so glad she did! A confession: as problematic as it is, I'm awfully fond of the Scarlet Pimpernel. (My favorite version is the musical by Frank Wildhorn and Nan Knighton, which I completely adore.) So when I realized that Cogman was putting her own spin on that story I was over the moon. Is it the greatest book ever? Not really. (I feel it could have benefited from another round or two of editing.) Was it still a ton of fun to read? Absolutely!</div><div><br /></div><div><b>7. An Unkindness of Magicians, 8. A Slight of Shadows, Kat Howard</b> - When it's been 6 years since the publication of the first book, you reread it before you pick up the surprise sequel! Howard is not prolific, a fact that makes it all the sweeter when she publishes a new book. I'm a little surprised she chose to continue this particular story, in part because the ending of the first book was so perfect. I have mixed feelings having read the second. On the one hand, I get why Howard wrote it. On the other hand, I really didn't love it like I love the first. It didn't feel necessary, and perhaps just this once I preferred the consequences of the first book. </div>KPiephttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07484716218888129160noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1234134829615096265.post-63889738066359518972023-05-01T09:30:00.001-05:002023-05-01T09:30:06.074-05:00April Books<p><i style="background-color: white; font-family: Lora, serif; font-size: 16px;">Title, Author (format - if other than print) - recommendation source - my thoughts</i></p><p><br /></p><p><b>1. King of Scars, Leigh Bardugo - Grishaverse book</b> - Not going to lie. I bought this when it was released, and made it barely 20% of the way through before giving it up as boring. I've since talked to a lot of other people who agree that these books don't come near the quality of any of the previous Grisha books. Having watched season 2 of the excellent adaptation of Shadow & Bone, I wanted to spend a little more time with the characters so I picked the book back up. And it took until about the halfway mark for it to get interesting. Sigh. There were things I enjoyed - including a couple of sections that filled in the backstory for two characters - but it very much feels like Bardugo is just writing these because her fans wanted her to, and not because she had any great ideas. Also, it took back part of the ending of the original trilogy in a way that I find irritating. I do have the second book in this duology. It is long. I groaned when I saw how long and haven't even tried to read it yet. </p><p><b>2. The Foxglove King, Hannah Whitten (Audio and print) - preorder from an author I like</b> - I really want to say I loved this book. Whitten is a talented writer and I adored her first duology. BUT, I found myself more annoyed than anything else by the time I finished the book. For all that our main character is kind of a standard fantasy plucky heroine, she has very little agency throughout the story. Indeed, she is used by just about everyone else, and it turns out that every action she's taken has been orchestrated by someone else. Yes, I'll probably read the next book. I hope that Whitten redeems herself. The worldbuilding, by the way, was top-notch, although I do want to note that again Whitten has built a story around corrupt religion. </p><p><b>3. Doomsday Book, Connie Willis (audio and print) - reread </b>- It's been probably two decades since I read this book, and its just as good as I remember. I primarily read through audio, which really emphasized how frenetic the portions set in the 'modern day' are...to the point where it was unsettling. (Which is, perhaps, the point.) The one thing that hit differently? The modern-day sections are set during a massive outbreak of an unknown flu, and frequently reference another fairly recent pandemic - and the book just hits a bit differently now that we've all lived through that. </p><p><b>4. A House With Good Bones, T. Kingfisher - preorder</b> - This book was a delight! Gothic horror, but with a hefty sense of humor and a main character who is anything but the usual precious heroine of Gothic novels? I absolutely loved it! I only discovered Kingfisher fairly recently, and this book makes me want to dive into everything she ever wrote. And goodness, I adore Sam. And I love that Kingfisher put her in a larger body in a way that was free of fatphobia or bias. And I love Sam's job. Just read it. It's fun. </p><p><b>5. Lone Women, Victor Lavalle - preorder because I adore Lavalle</b> - Wow. Just wow. I don't even fully know what genre this is. Fantasy? Horror? Western? All of the above? So lyrically written, so beautiful. Reminded me of a specific tv show I love, which I'm not going to list here because I don't want to give any potential spoilers. The sense of anxiety and dread over what was happening was palpable - but that's because of the deep historical context behind it which made it all too real. I loved the ending, which we apparently owe to Lavalle's wife, who discussed the book with him every evening during the writing process. I'm glad he listened to her. It was right and perfect. </p><p><b>6. Skeleton Song, Seanan McGuire, Wayward Children short story</b> - A sweet story about Christopher, not sure it was necessary. But oh, so beautifully written. </p><p><b>7. The Undertaking of Hart & Mercy, Megan Bannen - Took a chance because I kept seeing it</b> - I'm really glad I took that chance because this book was ultimately a dose of sweetness that I didn't know I needed in my life. Two lonely people find each other - with some really interesting worldbuilding, the bonds of both born into and chosen family, and some pretty important lessons about healing and growth thrown into the mix. It was a really fun and uplifting read! (And darn it, I kept having to go to work when I wanted to be finding out more about what happened to Hart and Mercy....)</p>KPiephttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07484716218888129160noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1234134829615096265.post-23895885227778793132023-04-03T12:37:00.002-05:002023-04-03T12:37:27.456-05:00March Reading!<p><i>New(ish) format: Title, Author (format - if other than print) - recommendation source - my thoughts</i></p><p><b>1. The Wolf and the Woodsman, Ava Reid (audio), embarrassingly a book that I never finished despite loving</b> - Ahem. Yeah. Didn't finish it the first time around. or the second. Which is weird, because it is exactly my sort of book. Finally checked out the audio and finished the whole darn thing. Reid is an amazing writer, and because she does explore themes around the trauma people go through her characters feel more real than most. Beautiful book! </p><p><b>2. The Dragon's Promise, Elizabeth Lim (audio), sequel</b> - Oddly, I didn't get this preordered. Strange, because I absolutely adored the first book, which was a take on the Seven Swans fairy tale. I don't think this was quite up to the quality of the first book...but it was pretty darn good! </p><p><b>3. Backpacking Through Bedlam and 4. The Mysteries of the Stolen God and Where His Waffles Went, Seanan McGuire, newest Incryptid novel and novella</b> - Just fun. But I'm wondering where McGuire will next go with this series because she's running out of family members to base the stories on. </p><p><b>5. You Just Need to Lose Weight, and 19 Other Myths About Fat People, Aubrey Gordon (audio), a fan of her podcast, Maintenance Phase</b> - Everyone needs to read this book. Everyone. And listen to the podcast. There is a lot our culture and society get wrong about everything to do with weight and diet culture, and this book provides an important correction to the narrative. As someone in recovery from a lifelong Eating Disorder, I'm grateful to Gordon for doing this work. </p><p><b>6. A Tempest at Sea, Sherry Thomas, newest Lady Sherlock</b> - I still love these books. Thomas's version of Sherlock Holmes is a delight. 7 books in, and they still have the magic! </p><p><b>7. The Magician's Daughter, H.G. Perry, newest by an author I admire </b>- It's a very sweet fairy tale, maybe too sweet for what I want right now. There was a lot I truly enjoyed about this book, and yet I don know if I truly loved it. Maybe a tiny bit derivative of many other stories. I will say it was very well written, and the characters were charming. But I stopped to read two other books in the middle of it - which says something. </p><p><b>8. The Adventures of Amina Al-Sirafi, Shannon Chakraborty (audio), love this author and will read anything by her </b>- I love, love, loved this book for so many reasons. Let's start with the fact that our main character is a middle-aged woman with a child and a bad knee. You almost never see fantasy books centered around women with a history - they are almost always teens or in their early 20's. I could write novels about how much I love that Chakraborty did the unexpected thing with her heroine with a checkered past. And the audio was super fun and well performed. And it was about pirates and sea monsters. And you should all read everything Chakraborty writes if for no other reason than it's fantasy not based on white, European-centric culture. Cannot wait for the next book about Amina. </p>KPiephttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07484716218888129160noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1234134829615096265.post-78632192260227055792023-03-03T09:31:00.003-06:002023-03-03T09:31:18.537-06:00What I read in February<p><i>New(ish) format: Title, Author (format - if other than print) - recommendation source - my thoughts</i></p><p><b>1. Hell Bent, Leigh Bardugo (audio and print)</b> - sequel - Do I reread the first book or not? Ultimately, I tracked down a detailed synopsis for the first book because I just couldn't remember as much as I needed to, and my usual trick of diving into the sequel wasn't working. (Usually, there are enough contextual clues to trigger the memory....and it just wasn't happening, in part because of the framing device Bardugo uses for these books.) I have to agree with another review I heard. I enjoyed it - just maybe not as much as the first book. Without the newness it suffered a bit, I think, and I kind of wanted to shake Alex through the whole book. The characters seemed more cardboard thin this time around, too...or maybe it was because we just kept retreading familiar beats. </p><p><b>2. The River of Silver, S.A. Chakraborty (Book 4, The Daevabad Trilogy)</b> - loved author - This is a collection of short stories about characters in the Daevabad books, and while I'm really charmed, I didn't find that they actually added anything. It's a real shame because I absolutely adore the trilogy and had high hopes for this collection. But what we find here is less a collection of stories than character vignettes - really, no plot or action to be found - and while there's a sweetness in revisiting beloved characters, I didn't learn anything new and therefore wasn't swept up as I'd thought I would be. Read the trilogy, and skip this collection. </p><p><b>3. Juniper & Thorn, Ava Reid (audio and print)</b> - preorder from new author - This was an uncomfortable sort of fairy tale because it deals with the reality of abuse and what it does to people. No one is entirely innocent, and there are some mental health issues and truly horrific sibling dynamics in here because of the abuse the three sisters suffer at the hands of their father. I appreciated that the happily ever after actually dealt with the ever after - things weren't just bright and beautiful. Reid is most certainly a writer to watch. Her books feel grounded in truth in a way that many fairy tales aren't. More than anything, this book reminds me of a Neil Gaiman quote, <span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px;">“Fairy tales are more than true: not because they tell us that dragons exist, but because they tell us that dragons can be beaten.”</span></p><p><b>4. Book of Night, Holly Black (audio and print)</b> - I pulled this book out of my unfinished pile. - As sometimes happens, a book that I didn't care for the first time around hit differently the second. The truth is that I'm not crazy about unreliable narrators unless they are done really, really well. And I don't know....something about Charlie rubs me the wrong way, even as my heart breaks for her. Having said that, this time it was a fun read. I was pleasantly surprised with the ending, and I do think that Black's shadow magic concepts are original and fun. </p><p><b>5. Love, Pamela, Pamela Anderson (audio)</b> - Everyone is talking about Pamela Anderson these days, and I was curious about her book - especially after hearing that Anderson wrote it w/o the benefit of a ghost writer. - Most of what I heard wasn't new - but it was in her voice, and there is power to claiming your own story. The biggest surprise was how well-read Anderson is, and how talented she is as a writer. I'm really hoping she chooses to write more at some point because she's incredibly thoughtful and I'm curious about what she'll do next. </p><p><b>6. Goldilocks, Laura Lem</b> - I think I bought this on the itunes sale table, and it's just kind of sat in my queue for a while. - Given my ambivalence for so long, I was kind of surprised at how engrossing it was when I started reading it - and that ending was awfully exciting. I had trouble putting it down for responsible grown-up things....like work. I did think one of the cool things about the book was the framing device, which then threw the whole narrative into question at the very end. I'm going to be thinking about this one for a long time. (And damn, it hit home because of our current political climate and environmental reality.)</p><p><b>7. An Unseen Attraction, 8. An Unnatural Vice, & 9 An Unsuitable Heir, K.J. Charles</b> - Sometimes a girl just needs the equivalent of a popcorn movie - a book or books that you can read very quickly, enjoy immensely, and don't have to think about much. Historical romance novels by better-than-average writers do the trick nicely. (I found Charles via the NPR Book Concierge a year or two ago....I'm on board for romance writers they endorse.) This is the third trilogy from Charles that I've read, and what I really enjoy is how they focus on different couples in each book - carrying the overall story along from different POV's. Plus, they are super hot. </p><p><b>10. The Crane Husband, Kelly Barnhill</b> - preorder from a trusted author - Squeaking in a tenth book on the last day of the month. Another fantastical take on abuse and the fallout, this time so lyrically beautiful that I ached reading it. And that's all I really want to say. </p>KPiephttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07484716218888129160noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1234134829615096265.post-30645335070655952292023-01-31T10:59:00.000-06:002023-01-31T10:59:11.781-06:00January Books: In Which We Return To Regular Reading Reports<p>New(ish) format: Title, Author (format - if other than print) - recommendation source - my thoughts</p><p><br /></p><p><b>1. Flash Fire, TJ Klune (audio and print) - book 2!</b> - These books are just plain fun. Klune really gets teens, and fan culture, and superheros, and found family, and, and, and. I laughed out loud, I was super engaged. The audio is totally worth it on these books as the reader is really talented. I loved that the main character had ADHD - and that the surrounding characters recognized that as being something that's both challenging and a superpower. And the heart....these books wouldn't work if there wasn't so much heart at the center. Highly recommend. </p><p><b>2. A Thousand Ships, Natalie Haynes (audio and print) - Libby/DBRL mythic retellings suggestion list -</b> The Ilian and the Odyssey as told through the women who are in the background of more traditional retellings. Bringing them to the forefront has been a trend in recent years, thanks - I think - to Madeline Miller's Circe, and it's a welcome trend. Haynes does an excellent job of deepening the story, but her writing did not fully emotionally engage me. (Although, I was super amused by Penelope's progression.) For sure worth the read, but I'm not in a hurry to explore other books by this author.</p><p><b>3. Lost in the Moment and Found, Seanan McGuire - ongoing series I'm deeply invested in - </b>This is the first of the Wayward Children books that McGuire has given a trigger warning for - while also providing a 'don't worry' message. I did love it, and am hoping that Antsy makes an appearance in future books. The 'real world' dangers were much bigger in this iteration than any found beyond a door, and that was a gut punch...but it also made the final payout all the better. I found myself wondering what kind of world I would have found as a child had a door come to me, and I found myself wanting to hug my children close. </p><p><b>4. Heat Wave, TJ Klune (audio and print)</b> - final book! - A satisfying conclusion to a super fun trilogy, with a delightful flash forward at the end to show where our heroes end up. All of the comments above apply. </p><p><b>5. Shutter, Ramona Emerson (audio) - NPR 2023 best of books -</b> I bought a copy less than 30 minutes into the audio from the library. Gothic Native American tale....now that's different. I think it's pretty clear that what I crave in books more than almost anything is a different perspective, and this was a really amazing twist on an old genre. The amazing thing? This was a debut novel. Looking forward to what Emerson does next. </p><p><b>6. A Thousand Steps Into Night, Traci Chee (audio) - Libby/DBRL mythic retellings suggestion list -</b> The word that comes to mind is, "Charming." One of the growing trends in my reading over the last couple of years has been an increase in Asian folklore, and it seems like that's where a lot of the best new fantasy has been happening lately. This particular book is a pretty straightforward retelling of a fairy tale sort of book, and I felt my reading of it - while enjoyable - stayed at a more surface level. (Haven't bought a copy to keep, and am not sure I will...which is saying something.) </p><p><b>7. The Keeper's Six, Kate Elliott - preorder from loved author -</b> This was a super different kind of book from Elliott, and I'm 100% here for it. My favorite part? Our main character was a GRANDMOTHER!!!!!! How often does that happen? In general, women past marriageable age aren't main characters, so I was soooo happy to discover just who was in charge. She was kind of a badass, too. AND, this was anything but standard fantasy. Highly recommend. </p><p><b>8. Siren Queen, Ngho Vo - all of the best of 2023 lists and favored author -</b> 100% deserving of all of the accolades it is receiving! Old Hollywood as faery tale...with not the nice kind of faeries. It was glamorous and glorious and epic, with a heroine who wasn't always likable, but who made you root for her nonetheless. Vo is an extraordinarily talented writer, and I'm delighted they received the recognition they deserved for this book. I can't wait to see what they write next!</p><p><b>9. Bittersweet, Susan Cain (audio and print) - therapist recommendation - </b><span style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: inherit; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;">11 years ago, Susan Cain taught the world what it really meant to be an introvert - helping everyone to understand that being an introvert wasn't a character flaw or a moral deficiency. I cannot even begin to tell you what a difference that made to me. For the first time, it felt ok to be me - a mountain of childhood shame for being 'shy' or 'quiet' melted away, and I learned how to take care of my quiet heart. </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: inherit; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;">Well, she's done it again. My therapist told me about Cain's </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: inherit; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a style="color: #385898; cursor: pointer; font-family: inherit;" tabindex="-1"></a></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: inherit; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;">new book, Bittersweet, after a conversation where I told her that my tears have always been my superpower and that I walk hand in hand with sadness. I feel so incredibly seen. I've never really thought it was a bad thing to have a bittersweet nature because it means that I have a deep well of compassion and that I really see the beauty around me. </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: inherit; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;">Thank you, Susan, for helping the world to see people like me. </span></p><p><b>10. The Bird King, G. Willow Wilson - NPR 2019 Book Concierge -</b> (That was a darn good year for books.) - So this has been in my wish list for ages, but it was priced really high. And then, to my utter delight, iBooks put it on sale for just a few dollars! Oh. My. Goodness. It's just beautiful. The central relationship is not romantic but is based on a deep and abiding love. There is both character development and action, and there is a tenderness I just don't see often in fantasy. Bonus points for sending me online to do some historical research, including photos of one of the primary locations. My only complaint is that I wanted more. I would have loved another few chapters to hear what happens next. </p><p><br /></p>KPiephttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07484716218888129160noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1234134829615096265.post-73254706519873729942023-01-05T08:45:00.003-06:002023-01-05T08:45:30.932-06:00What I Read in 2022<p> Um, so you may have noticed that I first fell behind and then stopped doing my monthly reading posts. </p><p>Whoops. <br /><br />I know some of my friends really enjoyed them, and so did I! And I read so much that I need my notes as reminders! </p><p>So here is everything I read in 2022, with minimal comments, and we shall begin again after this. </p><p><b>January:</b> </p><p></p><ol style="text-align: left;"><li>The Beautiful Ones, Silvia Moreno-Garcia (audio): love Moreno-Garcia's world-building, but none of her books have lived up to Mexican Gothic</li><li>The Untold Story, Genevieve Cogman: still super fun!</li><li>Where the Drowned Girls Go, Seanan McGuire: best of McGuire's series by far</li><li>Klara and the Sun, Kazou Ishiguro (audio): beautiful, just beautiful</li><li>Summer Sons, Lee Mandelo (audio): I'm still a sucker for southern gothic!</li><li>Gilded, Marissa Meyer (audio): A new series, on Rumplestiltskin! Meyer is the queen of transforming traditional tales</li><li>Steel Crow Saga, Paul Krueger: ooohhhh, so good! I maintain that the best of fantasy right now is happening with Asian-inspired stories.</li><li>Sorrowland, Rivers Solomon (audio): Solomon is one to watch. Very, very good writing.</li></ol><p></p><p><b>February:</b></p><p></p><ol style="text-align: left;"><li>Murder at Mansfield Park, Lynn Shepherd: had this book for ages, not sure why I didn't read it earlier!</li><li>Servant Mage, Kate Elliott: still love Elliott, and this was different than her usual</li><li>A Desolation Called Peace, Arcady Martine: a sequel to a book I found interesting, but didn't love. debated for a long time whether or not to read, and am glad I ultimately did</li><li>The Unspoken Name, A.K. Larkwood (audio and print)</li><li>The Thousand Eyes, A.K. Larkwood (audio and print): had tried to read this duology earlier, and had trouble getting into it. This time around I fell in love</li><li>Cinderella is Dead, Kalyan Bayron (audio and print): very, very interesting take on a classic</li><li>Pet, Hkwaeje Emezi: so good, and so different</li><li>The Care and Feeding of Waspish Widows, Olivia Waite: loved the bees, was meh about the rest</li></ol><p></p><p><b>March: </b></p><p></p><ol style="text-align: left;"><li>Any Old Diamonds</li><li>The Rat-Catcher’s Daughter</li><li>Gilded Cage, K.J. Charles: time for some historical romance! super fun. </li><li>Spelunking Through Hell</li><li>Sweep Up the Wood Seanan McGuire: her popcorn series. apparently I need lighthearted this month</li><li>Burning Roses, S.L. Huang: be still, my heart...fantasy about middle-aged women with baggage! tracked down a hardback copy immediately</li><li>The Order of the Pure Moon Reflected in Water, Zen Cho: Ahhhh! Another amazing book!</li><li>Gallant, V.E. Schwab (audio): I love it when Schwab hits it out of the park</li><li>The Duke and I</li><li>The Viscount Who Loved Me</li><li>An Offer From a Gentleman</li><li>Romancing Mr. Bridgestone</li><li>To Sir Phillip, With Love, Julia Quinn: oh yes, more historical romance...and yes, thanks to Netflix</li></ol><p></p><p><b>April: </b></p><p></p><ol style="text-align: left;"><li>When He Was Wicked</li><li>It’s In His Kiss</li><li>On the Way to the Wedding, Julia Quinn: because I have to finish the series</li><li>Light From Uncommon Stars, Rylan Hoki: oh wow, excellent</li><li>The Murdstone Trilogy, Mel Peet: ha! took a chance on a book that kept showing up in the sale folder, and it was a lot of fun</li><li>How To Stop Time, Matt Haig (audio); rapidly becoming a favorite writer</li><li>The Devil in the Dark Water, Stuart Turton: liked this more than the 7.5 deaths!</li><li>How High We Go in the Dar, Sequoia Nagamatsu: So brilliantly beautiful</li></ol><p></p><p><b>May:</b></p><p></p><ol style="text-align: left;"><li>A Snake Falls to Earth, Dacia Little Badger (audio): not as great as Elatsoe, but am grateful for Badger's voice</li><li>The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue, (reread): because I'll read it a million times and always find something new</li><li>In The Serpent’s Wake, Rachel Hartman: disappointing sequel</li><li>The Light of Midnight Stars, Rena Rossner: I do love Rossner's fairy tales </li><li>Daughter of the Moon Goddess, Sue Lynn Tan: why did I read this before the sequel was published? waiting is hard!</li></ol><p></p><p><b>June: </b></p><p></p><ol style="text-align: left;"><li>The Girl Who Fell Beneath The Sea, Axie Oh: This is turning out to be a phenomenal year for Asian fairy tales</li><li>Case Histories, Kate Atkinson (mostly): Atkinson frustrates me, skimmed the last 1/3</li><li>Black Sun, Rebecca Roanhorse: didn't like it enough to want to continue to series</li><li>A Mirror Mended, Alex E. Harrow: another disappointing sequel</li><li>A Master of Djinn, P. Deli Clarck: ooohhhhhh....now this is fun! </li><li>Possession, A.S. Byatt (audio, reread): hadn't read since college, and wow, it's as amazing as I remember</li><li>The Pages, Hugo Hamilton (audio, mostly): very, very interesting</li><li>This is How you Lose the Time War, Amal El-Mahtar and Max Gladstone (audio, reread): I seem to be in a reread mood. feels so intimate I'm almost embarrassed to listen in.</li></ol><p></p><p><b>July:</b></p><p></p><ol style="text-align: left;"><li>Build Your House Around My Body, Violet Kupersmith (mostly); very, very sad...but lost interest</li><li>For The Wolf,</li><li>For the Throne, Hannay Whitten (audio and print): reread the first so that I had a fresh memory going into the second. these are very me books</li><li>Seasonal Fears, Seanan McGuire: I adore the Middlegame books</li><li>A Psalm for the Wild Built</li><li>A Prayer for the Crown Shy, Becky Chambers (audio and print): A friend told me that you needed to be in the right place for these books after hearing that I didn't really connect to the first. She's right. I reread it, and then read the second, and now these are in my all-time favorites list. They hit when they needed to. </li></ol><p></p><p><b>August: </b></p><p></p><ol style="text-align: left;"><li>The Ten Thousand Doors of January (audio): i love having a libro.fm account so that I can reread my favorites! </li><li>The Ultimate Guide to Raising a Puppy, Victoria Stilwell: getting a refresher</li><li>Down to Earth, Monty Don (audio): Don reading this is like a warm hug</li><li>A Song of Flight, Juliet Marillier: no one does Celtic myth better</li><li>When Women Were Dragons, Kelly Barnhill (audio and print): Ahhahahahha! I loved it and laughed through it. Fun take on a serious subject.</li><li>Master of the Revels, Nicole Galland: disappointing sequel, seems to be a theme this year</li><li>What Moves the Dead, T. Kingfisher (audio): not a Poe fan, but did like this interpretation</li></ol><p></p><p><b>September: </b></p><p></p><ol style="text-align: left;"><li>Be the Serpent, Seanan McGuire: I was wondering where they would go after the wedding....and massive cliffhangers are annoying</li><li>Nettle and Bone, T. Kingfisher (audio and print): the book that made Kindfisher a new favorite</li><li>The Daughter of Doctor Moreau, Silvia Moreno-Garcia: same complaint as before</li><li>Such Dangerous Seas, Seanan McGuire: usually I read the novella bonus right away. waited, why?</li><li>This Wicked Fate, Kalyan Bayron: ok, sequel curse broken! </li><li>Black Water Sister, Zen Cho: yes, yes, yes!</li><li>I’m Glad My Mom Died, Jeanette McCurdy (audio): 100% worth the hype</li></ol><p></p><p><b>October: </b></p><p></p><ol style="text-align: left;"><li>The Night Circus, Erin Morgenstern (audio, reread): which I will reread a million times before I die. It's my favorite. </li><li>The Golden Enclaves, Naomi Novic: highly satisfying conclusion to a series. </li><li>The Spare man, Mary Robinette Kowal: cozy mystery in space! featuring a lead woman with a disability! AND IT HAS A WESTIE!!!!! winner of "Most Realistic Portrayal of my favorite dog breed." </li><li>Into the Riverlands, Nghi Vo: as always, beautiful</li><li>The Story of Silence, Alex Myers: liked the build-up more than the end</li><li>The Archived, Victoria Schwab: meh, which is surprising with this author</li><li>Sword Dancer, Jennifer Roberson (reread): with a new Tiger and Del book coming out after years and years, I reread the book that started it all. amusing </li></ol><div><b>November: </b></div><div><ol style="text-align: left;"><li>A Restless Truth, Freya Marske: historical fiction with magic is kind of one of my things now</li><li>Even Though I Knew the End, C.L. Polk: Big, happy sighs. I love Polk. </li><li>Cursed, Marissa Meyer: waiting for this sequel was so hard, but so worth it. Also, kudos for retelling Rumplestilk</li><li>The Soul of a Woman, Isabel Allende (audio): wish it was longer</li><li>The World We Make, N.K. Jemisin (audio): this series must be read in audio. it's just that much fun.</li><li>High Times in Low Parliament, Kelly Robson: every bit as delightful as advertised</li><li>Juniper Wiles and the Ghost Girls, Charles de Lint: find him on patreon, and support him, pretty please. Glad he's writing again. </li></ol><div><b>December: </b></div></div><div><ol style="text-align: left;"><li>Pride, Prejuidce and Other Flavors, Sonali Dev: liked it, but not enough to read the rest of the series</li><li>The Past is Red, Catherynne M. Valente: my heart, what a powerful story</li><li>The Oracle Year, Charles Soule: interesting, but I admit I skimmed the last half</li><li>The Border Keeper, Kersten Hall: mythic</li><li>They Both Die at the End, Aiden Silvera (audio): worth the hype, and very tender</li><li>A Lady for a Duke, Alexis Hall: seriously, I love a good romance novel once in a while!</li><li>Sword-Bearer, Jennifer Roberson: and the new Tiger and Del novel, entertaining but shallow</li><li>Legends & Lattes, Travis Baldree: satisfied a need I had for sweet and cozy. also made me crave lattes and homemade pastries</li><li>Heart of the Sun Warrior, Sue Lynn Tan (audio and print)</li><li>Thistlefoot, Genna Rose Nethercott (audio and print): </li><li>The Extroardinaries, T.J. Klune (audio and print): so. much. fun! </li></ol><div><b>Total*: 95</b></div></div><div><br /></div><div>*I used to track the books that I'd started to read but didn't finish. But I'm not in the mood to track down that list for 2022. </div><p></p>KPiephttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07484716218888129160noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1234134829615096265.post-10154898793961869422023-01-01T17:58:00.002-06:002023-01-01T17:59:18.053-06:00Hello, Old Friend<p>It’s been a minute, hasn’t it.</p><p>The last time I published anything that was not a monthly reading recap was late December of 2019, when I wrote about how I’d done on my 2019 resolutions. Oddly enough, there are end of the year drafts for both 2020 and 2021. I have no idea why I never completed them. The monthly book posts trailed off this year. The blog had run its course, and that was ok. </p><p>So why am I here again? </p><p>Well, the truth is that 2022 was literally the most difficult year of my life - so much so that I’ve found myself lately mourning the loss of my identity. I spent yesterday grieving. My therapist calls it, “sitting in the puddle.” Some times you just have to let yourself feel everything, even when it hurts so much that you fear it will pull it under. </p><p>But it didn’t. I acknowledged and faced my grief, and I felt all of the things, and then I woke today feeling calm and refreshed. </p><p>I gave up New Year’s Resolutions after 2019. Life has taught me a thing or two since then, and even though I feel I had a healthy relationship with resolutions I’m just not interested right now in setting up the sort of long term goals that I once loved. </p><p>BUT. </p><p>I do still love the concept of starting as you mean to go on - and I mean to find myself again in 2023. </p><p>So today I: </p><p></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>Made sure that my morning routine included important self-care - including time spent with my therapy light box. </li><li>I worked on my youngest’s college blanket, which is a symbol of both my commitment to and love for my family. </li><li>I started a new shawl for myself - because last year I only completed one project, and I desperately want to be someone who makes beautiful things again. </li><li>That new shawl is being knit with my “albatross” yarn - some beautiful stuff that I’ve spent years trying to figure out what to do with. My intention is to work with the things I already have this year.</li><li>But also, I ordered an embroidery kit today because I want to try new things once in a while. </li><li>I listened to podcasts, read books, and watched movies…because those are all better for me than mindless internet scrolling/distractions.</li><li>I reviewed and updated my values-based habit tracking list for my journal. </li><li>And speaking of my journal, I ordered my own sprocket and did the set up for a new month/new year. I love adding little pics, and can’t wait to have my own sprocket. (I used the girls’ sprockets until they broke. I’ve missed them.)</li><li>I practiced my ukulele, made some decisions about how I want to learn this year, and agreed to go to the local ukulele group tomorrow night. Music was a bright spot last year, although progress was slow, and it’s important to keep going. </li><li>I honored my body with a nap and a walk. </li><li>I played with my puppy.</li><li>I loved on my girls and my husband.</li><li>And I found my way back here - because I’ve missed writing more than I realized, and even if this doesn’t ‘stick’ it’s a way to start again. </li></ul><div>It’s been a very good day. </div><div><br /></div><div>So here’s to 2023, and here’s to the process of finding myself again. </div><div><br /></div><div>May the journey be full of grace and discovery. </div><p></p>KPiephttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07484716218888129160noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1234134829615096265.post-77394644779514926592022-03-25T11:40:00.001-05:002022-03-29T10:46:23.858-05:00October, November and December Reading!<p>In which I recognized that I never finished these wee reviews....and totally forgot about this post. </p><p>Whoops. </p><p><b>October</b></p><p><b>1. Under the Whispering door, T.J. Klune (audio)</b> - Klune writes with whimsy and love, and in this book he also writes of second chances. I'll forever be a fan. </p><p><b>2. The Bronzed Beasts, Roshani Chokshi (audio and print) </b>- I've got to say, for a series that I've at times been iffy about, Chokshi really stuck the landing. It was one of the best, most satisfying series ends that I've found in a while. </p><p><b>3. A Spindle Splintered, Alix E Harrow</b> - Harrow just keeps getting better and better. This, her third book, was a complete delight in every way possible. In fact, I sent a gift copy to a friend the day after I finished, and immediately bought a physical copy for myself. </p><p><b>4. The Last Graduate, Naomi Novik</b> - Novik's twisted version of the magical school is fantastic. Unfortunately, I didn't realize it was the second of a trilogy, and so I finished feeling pretty annoyed. Yay. Huge cliffhanger. Boo. </p><p><b>5. The Unlikely Escape of Uriah Heep, H.G. Perry</b> - Now this is my kind of fun! Book characters coming to life? A heavy bent to the classics? LOTS of Dickens? Yes, please! </p><p><b>6. A Spindle Splintered (audio...because it's just that good.)</b></p><p><br /></p><p><b>November</b></p><p><b>1. Over the Woodward Wall, A. Deborah Baker (audio, reclaimed)</b> - I'd tried reading this earlier, but it was a bit too precious for me. It's still too precious, but in audio it's more tolerable. (Because I can do other things while listening.) I decided to pull it from my unfinished pile when I saw a second book had come out, and I'm glad I finished it. Having said that, I won't purchase anymore - and if I decide to read them I'll do audio from the library. </p><p><b>2. The Five, Hallie Rubenhold (audio)</b> - I stumbled on the new podcast Bad Women: The Ripper Retold, and was fascinated by how Rubenhold managed to upend the Ripper narrative by focusing on the victims. (And the way she managed to annoy pretty much everyone by challenging the myth). I don't know that there's much need to listen to the podcast AND read the book, but it was fascinating. </p><p><b>3. Miss Moriarty, I Presume?, Sherry Thomas </b>- I love The Lady Sherlock books. I've said this with every new book that's come out. </p><p><b>4. Along the Saltwise Sea, A. Deborah Baker (audio)</b> - And...this is why I decided to finish Over the Woodword Hall. I saw that this had been released and decided to see if the series got any better. Sweet and fun....but again, only library if I decide to continue with these books. </p><p><b>5. The Nobleman's Guide to Scandal and Shipwrecks, Mackenzi Lee </b>- and we finish the series! Still terribly good fun, if not quite living up to the expectations of the first two books. </p><p><b>6. Cemetery Boys, Aiden Thomas (audio) </b>- Read it, please. It's an urban fantasy look at gender identity that is culturally specific and altogether beautiful. </p><p><b>7. The Future of Another Timeline, Annalee Nentz (audio) </b>- A powerful book, indeed. I loved the central twist of figuring out who was who, which completely upended how I felt about who. </p><p><b>8. Noor, Nnedi Okorafor</b> - Okorafor is such a good writer. This is maybe not my favorite from her...but I'd still recommend it. </p><p><b>9. A Marvelous Light, Freya Narske (audio and Print)</b> - It took me a long time to decide whether or not to read this one, even though on the page it fit my preferences exactly. Once in, though, I found it was a very enjoyable read that mostly reminds me of a literary version of K.J. Parker's romance novels. </p><p><br /></p><p><b>December</b></p><p><b>1. Cloud Cuckoo Land, Anthony Doerr (audio) </b>- Doerr leaves me feeling emotionally wrung out in the very best way. </p><p><b>2. This Poison Heart, Kalynn Byron (audio) </b>- A YA fantasy where the protagonist is a black teen who has magic powers to grow plants...and who's the daughter of two lesbians and they all have the most endearing family interactions ever? Yes please!!! I am, and I am not annoyed that it ended on a cliffhanger. Not because I'll get to read more, am because I don't know when. </p><p><b>3. Lost in the Never Woods, Aiden Thomas (audio)</b> - Following Cemetary Boys, decided to check out another of Thomas's books. This is a dark take on the Peter Pan story, and while overall I enjoyed it there was a story beat that left me a tad uncomfortable. Still not quite sure how I feel about it. </p><p><b>4. Tales from the Cafe, Toshikazu Kawaguchi </b>- Of course I had to read the follow up to Before the Coffee Gets Cold. These books are slow, and very gentle reads that leave you feeling hopeful. </p><p><b>5. We Could Be Heroes, Mike Chen </b>- Rollicking good fun! </p><p><b>6. The Death of Jane Lawrence, Caitlin Starling (audio and print)</b> - Y'all know me! I love a good Gothic novel. This book started with all of the right notes - almost formulaic - and then swerved in unexpected ways. Truth be told, I had to do some digging online to figure out exactly what happened in the end...which does take away from my general enjoyment of the read. </p><p><b><br /></b></p><p><b>Unfinished</b></p><p><b>1. No Time to Spare, Ursula K. Le Guin</b> - It's a lovely reflection on getting older. I read pieces of it periodically, and finally realized I wasn't going to get through the rest of it anytime soon. </p><p><b>2. The Lost Book of Adana Moreau, Michael Zapata</b> - I adored the first part of the book, but when we moved into the search for Maxwell Moreau I got bored. </p><p><b>3. Do You Dream of Terra - Two? Temi Oh</b> - Yes, it is engrossing, and I understand fully why this tale of teens sent to space received so many accolades. I made it about 1/3 of the way, though, and my heart was screaming that this was a book about child abuse. (I read the last few chapters...and at least they brought that up.) Just can't do the whole thing. </p><p><b>4. The Dollmaker, Nina Allen</b> - It just wasn't what I wanted or expected, and I didn't want to finish it. That simple!</p>KPiephttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07484716218888129160noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1234134829615096265.post-56847224841676983122021-10-11T11:37:00.001-05:002021-10-11T11:37:31.937-05:00Books of September!<p><b>September: </b></p><p><b>1. Redemptor, Jordan Ifueko </b>- Thank goodness I picked these books up after they were both published! It would have been a nightmare to wait, and goodness it would have taken away from the experience to have to reorient myself. Just read them. They are that good. </p><p><b>2. Piranisi, Susanna Clark</b> - I put this off for a long time. It's pretty well known by my friends that I have tried and tried and tried to read Clark's first book - which is another that sounds like it should be my first match, but just failed to grab my attention. I was curious, though, about Piranisi because so many of the spoilerless reviews I read said it was a completely different beast. I nabbed a copy when it went on sale, and to my utter delight, I loved it. It reminded me a bit of Patrick Rothfuss's beautiful The Slow Regards for Silent Things, feeling quiet and delicate and interior. The concept proved to be truly engaging, and I connected so deeply with Piranisi that I sighed when it was finished...and had to step away from books for a bit so that I could just live with the one story. </p><p><b>3. When Sorrows Come, Seanan McGuire</b> - October Daye finally gets married! And there's a side plot to make sure there's a taste of the type of trouble she usually gets into (while managing to be low stakes for her)! It was super fun to read because sometimes you just need to read a book that's like a good friend. I still think McGuire has hit the point of too much exposition...but I just let it wash over this time. There is a bonus novella, but as it's about the reception and doesn't feel like something separate, I'm just considering it a final chapter. </p><p><b>4. Certain Dark Things, Silvia Moreno-Garcia (audio)</b> - A vampire book that's also noir that's also a vampire book. Eh. I read the whole thing, and I think the ideas behind it were super fun. It just didn't sweep me up like I expected it to. Absolutely felt like the early book in the life of an author that it was. Perhaps it was a disappointment because I'm comparing it too much to Mexican Gothic, which is brilliant. Read that instead. </p><p><br /></p><p><b>Unfinished: </b></p><p><b>1. Matrix, Lauren Groff (audio) </b>- I appreciate Groff's talent, but it's an intellectual appreciation instead of an emotional one. I read almost half of the book, and then I was just done. It's one thing to know that a writer is brilliant. If they can't grab your heart, though, what's the point?</p>KPiephttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07484716218888129160noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1234134829615096265.post-8364373546668960512021-10-11T11:28:00.002-05:002021-10-11T11:37:42.060-05:00Because Books - July and August<p><b> July </b></p><p>Ahem...let's talk about that time I left my iPad on the farm because stress had me super scattered, and so was without my personal library for a month. It was a nightmare. <br /><br />And please, no arguments about why paper books are the best. To each, his own, and ebooks are a LOT easier on my eyes. </p><p><b>1. The Hidden Palace, Helene Wecker (audio)</b> - You may remember that I closed out June with a reread of Wecker's The Golem and the Jinni. I did so because of this brand new, utterly beautiful book! Happily ever after isn't always simple, actions have consequences, and people change and grow. Rather than rehashing the characters and plots from the first book, Wecker allows her Golem and Jinni to be beautifully human as they follow a broken road into the future. Highly satisfying. </p><p><b>2. The Goblin Emperor and 3. The Witness for the Dead, Katherine Addison (audio)</b> - I adored the Goblin Emperor when I first read it a while back, but it's been a while, and so I reread it in preparation of The Witness for the Dead's publication. I adored the Goblin Emperor as much if not more the second time around. It's a wonderful, beautiful book. Unfortunately, while I appreciated the Witness for the Dead it just didn't live up to my expectations. Addison's world-building is top-notch, but these are very different books and the second just doesn't carry the emotional weight the first book did. It was almost - but not quite - like reading books by separate writers. In fact, I think if I'd read them separately I would have enjoyed The Witness for the Dead much more. </p><p><b>4. The Wolf and the Woodsman, Ava Reid</b> - Girl walks into a bookstore, tells heart-sister/store manager she needs a book, heart-sister/store manager without hesitation grabs a new book off of the shelf....and it's perfection. No, it's nothing new. I could list where else I've seen many of the elements in this book. However, it is beautifully written and sometimes what you want is a newish trip through the familiar. It's exactly what I needed. </p><p><b>5. The Regrets, Amy Bonnaffons</b> - I don't know quite what I suspected from this - another 2020 NPR Concierge pick. If I'm remembering correctly, I thought it would be a lighter book than it ended up being. Utterly different than anything I've ever read before, this book is powerful in its depiction of intimacy and grief. I want to read it again sometime - maybe in a different stage of life - because I have a feeling it will show me something new each time I approach it. </p><p><br /></p><p><b>August: </b></p><p><b>1. Elatsoe, Darcie Little Badger</b> - I. Loved. This. Book. I sigh, typing that phrase. Elatsoe is high on a bunch of best of 2021 lists, and it's well-deserving of the accolades. It's brilliant fantasy - especially if you like dogs, and especially if you like stories from other cultures. And can we talk about the fact that there's no teen romance? What a relief! (Ordinarily I'm game....but this was refreshing.)</p><p><b>2. A Psalm for the Wild Built, Becky Chambers (audio)</b> - A new Becky Chambers book is a must for me, but for some reason, I didn't connect as strongly to this book as to all of her others. I feel like I need to approach it in a different frame of mind. (And you should still read every single thing Chambers has written.) </p><p><b>3. For the Wolf, Hannah Whitten (audio)</b> - I was apparently not done with fairy tales about girls and wolves. Truly, I liked this one better. </p><p><b>4. Any Way the Wind Blows, Rainbow Rowell (audio)</b> - Here's the thing. Books don't always address the trauma that's inevitably left in the wake of whatever grand adventure(s) they are working through. (In fact, the only other I can think of off the top of my head is the 3rd book of Sarah Kazloff's 9 Realms quartet.). I think Rowell did a really smart thing by revisiting Simon Snow and the gang to go into what happens after. She maybe didn't dive in as deeply as I'd like - but this is, after all, a Simon Snow book and only so much seriousness can be tolerated. I appreciated it very much. </p><p><b>5. The Merciful Crow and 6. The Faithless Hawk, Margaret Owen</b> - The Faithless Hawk made it onto the NPR Concierge last year as a sequel that could stand alone. I, of course, can't do that and had to start with the first book. OMG. They are brilliant, amazing books. You know how much I like it when I find something original, and these books are truly different from anything I've ever read. Fantasy built on a caste system that feels sadly true to life - while focusing on found and built family. I LOVED these books. </p><p><b>7. She Who Became the Sun, Shelley Parker-Chan (audio) </b>- Should have been my cup of tea. Was not. I was left feeling really let down, in part because I couldn't connect with the characters. It's one thing to build a character who's single-minded, determined, and ambitious. Books are happily littered with those. BUT, you have to have some vulnerability somewhere so that readers can connect. If you don't have that, the character just becomes unlikable. It was hard getting through the whole book, but I kept hoping it would get better...and then it didn't. <br /><br />And here's a mini-rant to throw in. It's super common these days to advertise a book with a blurb that follows along these lines: For fans of X, who also love Y. For me, this has become a major turn-off because inevitably the book being advertised isn't near as good as the two it's being compared to. It sets up expectations that are unfair for the new book, and I think it's a lazy way to promote content. I will admit, I hesitated when I saw that used for She Who Became the Sun. Should have listened to my gut. </p><p><b>8. Slippery Creatures, 9. The Sugared Game and 10. Subtle Blood, K.J. Charles</b> - Romance novels usually aren't my thing, but I needed something light and breezy to read and these were just the ticket! Slippery Creatures made the NPR 2021 Book Concierge, and so I'd bought it when it went on sale. Wasn't even all the way through when I bought the two sequels! Historical LGBTQ romance which is also a bit cloak and dagger? Super fun, and perfect for my vacation week!</p><p><b>11. Six Crimson Crows, Elizabeth Lim (audio) </b>- Lim is another author who I now automatically preorder. She did a really interesting thing in this book by combining European fairy tales with Chinese mythology. Truly, I'm a sucker for variations of the 7 Swans, and I delighted in how novel this version felt. My only disappointment? It turned out to be the first book, and now I have to wait for more. </p><p><b>12. Once There Were Wolves, Charlotte McConaghy (audio)</b> - This book caught my attention at our brilliant local bookshop, but I was nervous about trying it out so I found it in our library. It's a story about sisters, and trauma, and nature and healing. And oh yes, there's a bit of a murder mystery too. I was surprised by just how deeply this book touched my heart. </p><p><b>13. Raybearer, Jordan Ifeuko</b> - It's also been on a million 'best of' books. An African-based YA fantasy this time, my goodness did it deliver on all of its accolades! I honestly am gobsmacked that this is a debut novel. The worldbuilding is lush and full, and the characters are brilliantly developed. I read it in a rush and then immediately grabbed the sequel. (TBC)</p><p><br /></p><p><b>Unfinished: </b></p><p><b>1. We Ride Upon Sticks, Quan Barry (audio)</b> - An example of an NPR Concierge book not being my cup of tea. Not sure why - on paper, it was a good fit - just never grabbed my attention. </p><p><b>2. A Desolation Called Peace, Arkady Martine (audio)</b> - I decided to try it just to see if the storyline would catch my heart this time. Instead, I had trouble getting interested at all. </p><p><b>3. The Space Between Worlds, Micaiah Johnson (audio) </b>- I checked out the audio three times. It's an important book, and it has big things to say. I just couldn't get through it. </p>KPiephttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07484716218888129160noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1234134829615096265.post-43495062265551567122021-07-01T10:39:00.000-05:002021-07-01T10:39:00.151-05:00The books of May and June<p> (May was exceptionally slow, so we're going to combine this. June wasn't much better.)<br /><br /><b>May: </b></p><p><b>1. Juniper Wiles, Charles De Lint </b>- A new De Lint book! About Newford! With JILLY!!!! Yep, this was pretty darn awesome, and I read it as soon as it was released. </p><p><b>2. Fugitive Telemetry, Martha Wells</b> - Murderbot. Always fun. Not much more to say than I have in the past about these books. Wells has done an amazing job of creating this series, and it's great popcorn-type reading!</p><p><b>3. When Breath Becomes Air, Paul Kalanithi (audio, reread)</b> - Several very much beloved friends and<b> </b>family are dealing with serious health issues right now, and my heart tugged me back to this book. This time around the thing that really struck me was the importance of living your values. I'm working now to make sure I apply that thoroughly in my own life...and to help my loved ones apply it in theirs. I just cannot recommend this book enough. Yes, it's sad - but it's also beautiful, and hopeful, and important. </p><p><b>June: </b></p><p><b>1. A Crown of Wishes, Roshani Chokshi </b>- I'm not sure why it took me so long to read this as it's been in my queue since I first discovered Chokshi through The Star Touched Queen. A Crown of Wishes is a standalone about Gauri, who's the sister of the protagonist in that first series I read. Again, I adore fairy tales built on cultures that aren't my own, and Chokshi doesn't disappoint with her rich world-building, interesting characters, and well-plotted stories. (Truth be told, though, these older books are better than her most recent.). It was just what I needed. Also, Gauri is a badass fighter who's no shrinking violet. Also, also, I love that in this book both Gauri and the Fox Prince she teams up with have to face their own inner demons to find healing before they can do what they want to do. </p><p><b>2. Riot Baby, Tochi Onyebuchi </b>- This was on many best-of lists in 2020. I didn't enjoy it so much as I appreciated it. Reality intersects with fantasy in a way that highlights the ugliness of the world we live in while also offering hope. It's a short book, but it's not a quick read. I would recommend it to anyone who's invested in anti-racism, and to anyone like me who feels it's important to populate your literary world with people who are not like you. </p><p><b>3. The Body is Not An Apology, Sonya Renee Taylor</b> - Full disclosure, I was diagnosed a year ago with an eating disorder that I've had since I was a teenager. This is one of the books I picked up to help me along the way - recommended by my ED Dietician, who's a real gem. Nothing in this book was new to me - but sometimes we just need a reminder about the reality of the world we live in. It is a beautiful book, and I highly recommend it to anyone who's struggling or wants to walk away from diet culture, which is truly horrendous. </p><p><b>4. D ( A Tale of Two Worlds), Michel Faber </b>- I picked this up on the sale table, not knowing anything about it other than the fact that I truly loved Faber's The Book of Strange New Things and was charmed by the description. Oh my, this was a lovely, lovely book. It's a fairy tale with some very clear inspirational stories that is neither too derivative or overly precious. Such a joy to read! When D's going missing, a little girl goes on a strange adventure to right the wrong. Just read it. </p><p><b>5. Before the Coffee Gets Cold, Toshikazu Kawaguchi</b> - I walked into my favorite local bookshop, <a href="https://www.skylarkbookshop.com/">Skylark Bookshop</a>, and asked my friend Carrie for something hopeful because things have been so heavy lately. This is the book she handed me. It's a quiet and slow book that manages to pack a very big emotional punch into the end of each of the four sections...which almost catches you by surprise. I read it slowly, savoring each section. I hear there's another book coming out. I'll be buying that. </p><p><b>6. The Golem and the Jinni, Helene Wecker (audio, reread)</b> - At long last Wecker has released a new book! I cracked that open as soon as it arrived, and realized very quickly that I wanted to reread the first. It's not 100% necessary - Wecker does a great job in the set up for The Hidden Palace of easily sending you back to that story - but I wanted to. First of all, the reader of the audio version is AMAZING! His narration was a real treat. Secondly, I had almost forgotten what a beautiful book this is. I loved revisiting it - and now must have a hardback copy. </p><p><b>Unfinished: </b></p><p><b>1. The Gilded Cage, Vic James</b> - You know, the funny thing is that when I started it, I was immediately caught up in the story. The longer I was away from it, though, the less I wanted to go back. There are two more books in the series, and I'd just rather spend money on other books right now. So into the unfinished file it goes. </p>KPiephttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07484716218888129160noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1234134829615096265.post-79159482537595082802021-05-02T07:58:00.000-05:002021-05-02T07:58:18.225-05:00Reading in February and March and April (whoops!)<p><b>February:</b></p><p><b>1. Armistice and 2. Amnesty, Lara Elena Donnelly</b> - As promised, I'm reading through some series this year! A few thoughts:</p><p></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>I love the characters, warts and all. </li><li>A lot of key plot points felt too easy. We're supposed to feel the danger, but it's just not there. </li><li>I do very much appreciate that this trilogy does explore the idea of good people being forced into situations where they have to do very bad things - and the fallout from those decisions.</li><li>I also like that it explores relationships over time - relationships that grow, crumble, and change, very much as they do in real life. </li><li>I adored the world-building. </li><li>I was occasionally confused by the politics - which were a bit all over the place, but then war is messy like that. </li><li>At the end of the day, I loved these books - but I also feel a small tinge for what might have been if only they'd been slightly more tilted towards actual danger and intrigue. Much as I loved the characters, it is a touch difficult to get invested in their story if you just know that everything is going to turn out ok eventually. </li></ul><p></p><p><b>3. The Silvered Serpents, Roshani Chokshi</b> - I hesitated a bit over this book, the sequel to The Gilded Wolves. I'd just felt a bit m'eh about the first book because of the way it ended. (I also had a "Leigh Bardugo did it better" sort of feeling about the whole thing.). For some reason, though, I decided to revisit. To my surprise, I enjoyed it! Yay for that! It's a good thing when an author picks up steam as they go through a series - sometimes it's as much fun to watch the author improve as it is to follow along with the story. </p><p><b>4. Remote Control, Nnedi Okorafor (audio)</b> - I adore Nnedi Okorafor, I really do. It's a treat when she puts out a new book, and this was no exception. I don't want to spoil it - as you should ALL read it - so all I will say is that I fell in love with Fatima, and the fable in the story spoke to me deeply. I'll be reading this again. </p><p><b>5. The Empress of Salt and Fortune, Nghi Vo (audio) </b>- A 2020 NPR Concierge book, I was tickled when this showed up in audio at the library. What a delightful book! You know my heart is with folklore and fairy tales, and I've spoken often of my appreciation for those that are non-European. This ticked all of my boxes - including the desire for new ideas/concepts and excellent characters. It well deserves the accolades it has received!</p><p><b>6. You'll Never Believe What Happened to Lacey, Amber Ruffin and Lacey Lamar (audio)</b> - I'm going to confess that I didn't get all of the way through. Ruffin and Lamar are excellent storytellers and writers, and I think this is an important book that people should read. But it was brutal to listen to - for all that the book is infused with humor and sisterly charm. In merely telling stories and listing all of the ways Lamar has dealt with everyday racism, the sisters paint a picture that I'm not ever going to forget. </p><p><b>7. SoulStar, C.L. Polk</b> - In which we finish up Polk's delightful Kingston Saga. It won't make sense if you read it as a standalone, so please start with Witchmark. I was pretty emotional over this book. Polk's inclusive love stories and LGBTQIA+ characters are a delight, and you always root for them. I appreciate very much that each book focuses on different characters - in part because it allows you to really explore different facets of the world Polk has built. They aren't perhaps the deepest books in the world, but they will get you in the feels. </p><p><b>8. A Song Below Water, Bethany C. Morrow (audio) </b>- It took me a while to get through this book. On the one hand, I did adore the characters and I've always loved using science fiction or fantasy to explore real-life issues. On the other hand, when it's this blatant, it can feel more like a lecture than like an immersive experience that makes you think and feel. At the end of the day, I personally think it's less effective in getting the message across when it's hammered over your head. BUT, sometimes the sledgehammer approach is needed. Still working through my thoughts about this book. What I do know for certain, though, is that the characters are absolutely amazing. Morrow has real talent for bringing her characters to life, and that is enough to make me recommend this book. </p><p><br /></p><p><b>March: </b></p><p><b>1. Girl, Serpent, Thorn, Melissa Basherdougt (audio) </b>- I checked this book out from the library multiple times before I actually read it. Don't know why I had so much trouble getting into it. (There is a glut on the market of YA fantasy - and a lot of it isn't great. For some reason, I was concerned this would be one of that crowd.). To my surprise, once I started listening I was swept in. To my further surprise, there turned out to be considerably more complexity to the story and the characters than I've come to expect from most YA fiction. Kudos!</p><p><b>2. Rules for Visiting, Jessica Francis Kane (audio)</b> - I picked up a sale copy of this book because it was a 2020 NPR book - even though it's not my normal read. Then I found the audio at the library...and I'm very happy that I tried it. This is the sort of book for which the word 'charming' was created. Light and breezy, and yet also full of heart - it was an excellent read. </p><p><b>3. Calculated Risks, Seanan McGuire</b> - Hmm....McGuire's InCryptid series is still her popcorn book series, and fortunately the quality is still high. (This is book 10). I still don't think, though, that Sarah is the most engaging member of the Price family to lead a book. This is partly because of who and what she is, so it feels odd to critique the book based on that. Fortunately, the larger family - both by blood and found family - is enough to fill in the gaps and make the book more interesting. I did think this was better than the last...although I do have some icky feelings about one plot point. Will probably continue. </p><p><b>4. When the Tiger Came Down the Mountain, Nghi Vo (audio, novella)</b> - See my above comments on <i>The Empress of Salt and Fortune</i>. This was more of the same! So, so glad my library has the audio versions! </p><p><b>5. The House in the Cerulean Sea, T. J. Klune (audio) </b>- I tried to listen to this book a while back, and didn't get very far. After that, I even took it off my queue. That makes me sad, now, for what I would have lost had I not kept hearing snippets about it everywhere - recommendations with enough detail to make me go back and try again. At its heart, it's a story about found family and about finding and embracing yourself. What's not to love about that?!</p><p><b>6. The Echo Wife, Sarah Gailey (audio) </b>- Gailey continues to impress, even as this book is very different from her others that I've read. I actually think I need to reread it, because I was so caught up in the plot. It's a very noir sort of science fiction...and it says a whole lot about the 'just because you can do something doesn't mean you should do something' aspect of scientific advancement. It also says a lot about toxic relationships between men and women and what it is to be a human. I'm so excited to see where Gailey goes with her writing career!</p><p><b>7. Plain Bad Heroines, Emily M. Danforth (audio)</b> - Another NPR recommendation, this story about a movie within a movie based on a book within a book isn't exactly my normal cup of tea, but I was intrigued by the premise. My comments: I did have trouble following the audio. The frequent switch in perspective, unreliable narrators and the use of footnotes along with the use of only a single narrator who didn't do voices made that tricky. I did actually get a copy of the book, and used that to help straighten myself out a bit - and that's a strike against it. The book felt like a fever dream - mystical and strange, and ultimately never resolving or saying much. I enjoyed it because I enjoy Southern Gothic type books, and because of the strangeness of the mood - but it's not going to make my top 10 for the year by a long shot. </p><p><b><br /></b></p><p><b>April: </b></p><p><b>1. How to Make a Plant Love You, Summer Rayne Oakes</b> - Oakes is one of the plant gurus I follow on youtube and social. I hadn't really been thinking about reading her book until she started putting little quotes into her instagram posts. Her writing is delightful. Nothing here is earthshattering, but she does do a very beautiful job of explaining why it's important to connect with the natural world and just how much it does for us. I didn't learn anything, but I very much enjoyed the read. </p><p><b>2. A Court of Thorns & Roses (audio), 3. A Court of Mist and Fury, 4. A Court of Wings and Ruin, 5. A court of Frost and Starlight, 6. A Court of Silver Flames, Sarah J. Maas</b> - Friends, Maas is never going to win any awards for originality. I snagged the first four books as an ebook bundle from the sale table - and I'm very glad I only spent $4 on them. Now, normally I am annoyed by writing that so blatantly rips off its inspiration material, but in this case (and maybe in the frame of mind I was in) I actually enjoyed the ride and had a lot of fun identifying and laughing about all of the references. Among them: Beauty and the Beast (both the original French story and Disney), the Mummy, a quote from Nietzsche, the Hunger Games, Twilight, Greek Mythology, and on and on and on. It's derivative and highly unoriginal, but it's well-written enough that it sweeps you along so that you enjoy the ride. Perfect for those times when you want something familiar and easy that you can just enjoy. (And I'll call myself out - I've been super critical of other writers like this, and have ranted about it many times. I don't know why I was able to just relax and enjoy it this time - nor do I know why it amused instead of enraged me.)</p><p><b>7. The Other Bennet Sister, Janice Hadlow </b>- My oh my oh my. This was a lovely, lovely book. (NPR Concierge again!). As much as I love Jane Austin, I'm not one to read inspired by books - with very few exceptions, all of which came to me through trusted recommendations such as NPR. Hadlow has chosen to tell the story of Mary the often forgotten middle Bennet sister, and it was a delight of a story. The first portion of the book retells Pride and Prejudice through Mary's POV, but then we move into what happens to her afterward. It's really the story of what happens when a young woman finds herself and comes into her own. I found myself wanting to reach through the pages to hug the young Mary, and then I cheered her on as she escaped the confines of her family to find herself. </p><p><b>8. The Galaxy, and the Ground Within, Becky Chambers (audio and print) </b>- There's no secret to the fact that I adore Becky Chambers. In fact, I very recently reread the first three books in this series via audio. There is a gentleness to these books which attracts me. The plot of this installment is really a gentle low-stakes way to explore how strangers from very different species get to know each other. One character ties into the other books to add a sense of continuity. In real life, I spend a lot of time thinking about how hard it is for people who don't understand each other to get along. Chambers would have us believe that a little bit of kindness and consideration and a willingness to learn is the key to doing just that. </p><p><b>9. Breath, James Nestor</b> - This was an NPR Best Book of 2020, but it was also recommended by a friend of a friend. Fascinating stuff, especially for someone who's developed adult-onset asthma in the last couple of years. Nester is a fantastic writer - able to explain the science behind his research in a way that's engaging and easy to comprehend. I'll admit to feeling a bit of despair from time to time, but I also left with a great deal of curiosity and an interest in exploring some simple breathing techniques that just might help. </p><p><br /></p><p><b>Unfinished: </b></p><p><b>1. How the Multiverse Got Its Revenge, K. Eason</b> - Argh. This pains me no end. I ADORED Eason's first book about Rory Thorne. It was such a delightfully fun mash-up of fairy tale and space opera - so unique and original. And then the sequel committed the cardinal sin of being boring. Big sigh. </p><p><br /></p>KPiephttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07484716218888129160noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1234134829615096265.post-57362730591466442732021-01-31T12:44:00.001-06:002021-02-03T09:33:07.989-06:002021 Reading Begins! <p>My goal in 2020 was to read 100 books - which was my annual goal prior to going back to work. I made it, by the skin of my teeth, and enjoyed quite the journey along the way. Since I didn't do an end of year look back for 2020, I thought I'd share my usual book thoughts here instead. </p><p><b>Best books I read in 2020: </b></p><p></p><ol style="text-align: left;"><li>The Invisible Life of Adie LaRue, V.C. Schwab (the absolute best of the year!)</li><li>The Book of Delights, Ross Gay</li><li>The Blood of Stars Duology, Elizabeth Lim</li><li>Seveneves, Neal Stephenson</li><li>The Nine Realms Series - 4 books, Sarah Kazloff</li><li>How Rory Thorne Destroyed the Multiverse, K. Eason</li><li>The Murderbot books, Martha Wells</li><li>The Mere Wife, Maria Dahvana Headley</li><li>The Empire of Gold, S.A. Chakrabordy</li><li>The Once and Future Witches, Alix E. Harrow</li><li>Sia Martinez and the Moonlit Beginning of Everything, Raquel Vasquez Gilliland</li></ol><div><i>Yeah, I know I cheated a little bit by putting whole series in here and having a weird number in the list. But who cares! My blog, my rules!</i></div><p></p><p><b>Lessons learned:</b></p><p></p><ol style="text-align: left;"><li>Life is too short for books that you don't enjoy. To be fair, this is something I'd come to a long, long time ago....but 2020 made it super easy to set aside any books that just weren't my cup of tea and/or weren't right for the moment. It also made it easier to walk away from authors who I generally love, but who had disappointed me one too many times. </li><li>When life is tough, you just need someone to tell you a story. The longer the pandemic went on, the more my needs reduced to a simple craving for a story.</li><li>Audiobooks are a gift from Heaven.</li><li>100 books is a bit of a stretch while also working full time, raising teenagers, and trying to enjoy other pursuits. In my perfect world, I'm still reading 10 books/month...but the reality is that I need to let go of that for the time being. </li></ol><p></p><p><b>Goals for 2021:</b></p><ol style="text-align: left;"><li>Continue to work through my queue, reducing the number of to-read books to at least half of its current level - which stands at 47, not including preorders. Note: This does not actually cover all of the books on my wish list, just those that I've already purchased. Also note, this list has been built up over years, so it's not just a bunch of books I bought last week.</li><li>There are a lot of books in my queue that are first books in a series...and I've never quite gotten around to reading them, in part because there were so many books in the queue, and I was trying to work through them before I added more. I want to make sure I give them all a try this year so they don't continue to just sit. </li><li>Likewise, while I've read a lot of great books in recent months, they've by and large been stand-alone or new books in old, ongoing series. I've been missing a good, old-fashioned deep dive into a trilogy or series - the type of long story that you get to sit with for a while. </li><li>Finally, get through War & Peace. </li></ol><div><br /></div><div><b>And now, let's talk about what I read in January!</b></div><p><b>1. The Midnight Library, Matt Heig (audio)</b> - Anther pick from the NPR 2020 Book Concierge, as well as a recommendation that was given to me by several trusted sources, this turned out to be the perfect book to start the year with. In fact, I listened via audio from the library, and will be purchasing a hardback copy for my shelves. That good. I tend to get a tad nervous when reading a book that very clearly visits a well-worn trope - like that of being shown the paths not taken - but in Heig's hands it felt new and fresh. In the end, it was a far more powerful story than I had anticipated. (You know it's good when I get up and start pacing the house in excitement as soon as I finish!). Nora's journey through the library was exactly the right book for the right time for me - a hopeful way to start a new year after a year of intense challenges. And it ended on just the right note. I can't wait to revisit this book as I have a feeling it will unfold differently each time. </p><p><b>2. Across the Green Grass Fields, Seanan McGuire</b> - McGuire did something very smart with this newest addition to her Wayward Children books. Instead of returning to the same school and characters we've come to know and love, she instead tells the tale of an all-new character in the same world - the sort of girl who will likely end up in the school. I'm not a horse girl at all, but I delighted in Regan and related to her more than I expected I would. Her journey was pure magic. </p><p><b>3. A Rhythm of Prayer, ed. Sarah Bessey (advanced copy)</b> - I happened to check my email just as an invitation was coming through to apply for an advanced copy for review...and I was lucky enough to receive it. This is another example of the right book for the right time, and I will be keeping a hardback copy on my desk to return to again and again. (Kind of like my beloved copy of John O'Donohue's To Bless the Space Between Us.). This book is a book of prayers, written by many of my favorite faith leaders and more. There are poems, and call and response pieces, and essays, and everything else. Some I read quickly, some I had to sit with for a while. All spoke to that thing in me that's been lacking for a while. Thank you, Sarah. </p><p><b>4. Amberlough, Lara Elena Donnelly</b> - Getting one of those 2021 reading goals started by tackling this first book in a trilogy that's been sitting in my queue forever. I'd picked it up and had tried to start it probably a half dozen times in the past, but had never really made it that far in. It is a tiny bit thorny to get into because there's a fair amount of exposition....and there's so much going on that it can be a tiny bit difficult to keep the politics and spymastery straight sometimes. But my oh my, once you let yourself fall in it is a gorgeous book. I went straight to the next book in the trilogy, so I'll do more in-depth notes when I've completed them all. </p><p>And that's it. I spent a Looooooooot of time in January listening to podcasts, so that's a little bit of why the list is so short. That, and stress. And several unfinished books that I haven't given up on yet! </p>KPiephttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07484716218888129160noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1234134829615096265.post-25882304248821868422020-12-31T07:42:00.127-06:002020-12-31T10:31:12.970-06:00November and December Books <p><b><i>because I forgot to post Nov....)</i></b><i> </i></p><p><i>2020 Reading Goals: 102/100</i></p><p><b>1. A Dance With Fate, Juliet Marillier </b>- 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<i> Daughter of the Forest,</i> 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. </p><p><b>2. A Closed and Common Orbit, Becky Chambers (audio, reread)</b> - 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. </p><p><b>3. Daring Greatly, Brene Brown (audio)</b> - 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. </p><p><b>4. Sia Martinez and the Moonlit Beginning of Everything, Raquel Vasquez Gilliland (audio) </b>- 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. </p><p><b>5. Seraphina, 6. Shadow Scale (half audio), Rachel Hartman</b> - 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. </p><p><b>December:</b></p><p><b>1. The Once and Future Witches, Alix E. Harrow - </b>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. </p><p><b>2. Nothing to See Here, Kevin Wilson (audio)</b> - 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. </p><p><b>3. Upright Women Wanted, Sarah Gailey (audio)</b> - 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. </p><p><b>4. Ready Player Two, Ernest Cline (audio)</b> - 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. </p><p><b>5. The Case of the Missing Marquess, Nancy Springer (audio)</b> - 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. </p><p><b>6. Midnight Bargain, C.L. Polk</b> - 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. </p><p><b>7. Mexican Gothic, Silvia Morena-Garcia (audio)</b> - 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. </p><p><b>8. The Very Good Gospel, Lisa Sharon Harper</b> - 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. </p><p><b>9. The Dark Archive, Genevieve Cogman</b> - 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. </p><p>. </p><p><br /></p><p><b>Unfinished:</b></p><p><b>1. Over the Woodward Wall, A. Deborah Baker</b> - 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. </p><p><b>2. Or What You Will, Jo Walton </b>- 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. </p>KPiephttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07484716218888129160noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1234134829615096265.post-4295129866564988342020-10-31T08:05:00.223-05:002020-11-02T11:19:46.109-06:00October Reading...Spooky no more. <p><i>I used to spend October reading spooky books...but honestly, the world is horrible enough right now that I just can't quite bring myself to go there. I need fun, and happy endings, and things that work out in the end even when the journey is hard. Maybe someday I'll go back to my October habit - just not this year. <br /><br />2020 Reading Goal: 83/100</i></p><p><b>1. The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet, 2. Record of a Spaceborn Few, Becky Chambers (audio)</b> - I adore these books, and so I started picking up the audio with my <a href="http://Libro.fm">Libro.fm</a> subscription. I remain very grateful to the friend who introduced me to Chambers. Her books are character-centered and have a sweetness to them that makes my heart sing. The great Madeline L'Engle once spoke of how it is possible to share human truths in science fiction that people can't hear in more realistic prose - and Chambers is an excellent example of that. Her books feel hopeful, and they focus on diversity and the complexity of what it means to be human. </p><p><b>3. A Deadly Education, Naomi Novik (Audio)</b> - I preordered this a long time ago, and then managed to snag the audio shortly after it was released by the library. (I'm just super into audiobooks right now!). I love Novik, and I admire her ability to jump from one type of story to the next. This is not her last two fairy tales - nor is it the series that brought her to the public's attention. It's a twisted magical child in a magical school story, a delightful new take on a very old trope. And I loved it...with one caveat. Novik had to do a LOT of worldbuilding, and she chose to do that by having El, our narrator and main character, explain things constantly. It wasn't the smoothest method of worldbuilding I've seen, and it did make it a bit difficult to stay connected to the story. Still, a worthwhile read. This very dark take on a magical school, along with Mean Girl level of machinations on the part of the teens who inhabit it felt like a breath of fresh air. Yes, it was over the top in many ways - but the characters also felt more realistic because of it. I can't wait for the next book!</p><p><b>4. Murder on Cold Street, Sherry Thomas (The Lady Sherlock Series, book 5) </b>- Man, oh man, do I ever love these books! Charlotte Holmes has quickly become one of my favorite interpretations of the Sherlock Holmes canon. She's nothing at all like the standard 'plucky' heroine of historic fiction and is completely and utterly herself. One thing that was made clear in this particular mystery is that she does not work alone. Her friends and companions have built quite the team over the series, and that was nice to see. Bonus, I had to run to google twice to look up the historic dress described so that I could more clearly imagine what Charlotte was wearing. Her crazy fashion sense is a delight among the millions of period books that I've read because it's so unexpected and quite frankly nuts. Also, she loves cake more than anything. What's not to love about that?</p><p><b>5. The Dark Days Club, Alison Goodman (audio)</b> - This was a NPR Book Concierge pick in 2016, and it's been on my wish list every since. When I discovered the audio version on Libro.fm on sale I decided to take a risk. I went back and read the comments on the book concierge, and I have to agree with their reviewer. What makes this book so special is that it's a historical fantasy which actually pays attention to historical detail. (If you read it, make sure to also read the author's notes in the back on research and go to her websites to look at the pictures she's collected. It's a lot of fun! Read on for more notes about the whole series...</p><p><b>6. The Invisible Life of Adie LaRue, V.E. Schwab (audio)</b> - I've been very eagerly awaiting this book, and I was not at all disappointed. Every year there seems to be one book that really satisfies everything I want from a book, and this is it for 2020. In fact, it took several days after I finished it before I could read again. I've got an audio and a digital copy, and I will be purchasing a hardback asap. That good. I don't ordinarily do this, but this book is so special that I'm sharing the <a href="https://www.npr.org/2020/10/08/921305498/addie-larue-is-invisible-but-memorable">NPR Book Review</a>. I love Adie, and I love Henry. The book is grounded in the very familiar mythology of a Faustian bargain, but it never feels derivative or dull...or even that familiar. I think Schwab is a brilliant writer who just keeps getting better and better. The end caught me slightly off guard - magic that for me is very, very rare. I'm already looking forward to a reread as I'm left reflecting on the impressions and connections we make in the world. </p><p><b>7. The Dark Days Pact and 8. The Dark Days Deceit, Alison Goodman</b> - Of course, thanks to the library I was able to immediately move on to the rest of the Lady Helen trilogy! (I'll be buying the whole series at some point.). So yes, the brilliant thing about this series is that there is actual historic detail regarding dress, customs, manners, class differences, etc. It doesn't overwhelm the books, but is a nice anchor for them. Helen in many ways is the product of her time, and does not start out as some idealized feminist beacon. The men around her act and behave like men of their time would have, not like woke modern feminist dudes. It's refreshing, and it grounds the fantastical elements - of which there are many - in a delightful way. Goodman did a fairly good job of not telegraphing key plot points too soon, and I do appreciate the way she tied up certain plot elements in a way that satisfied the conventions of the time while also freeing Helen from them. I enjoyed this series very much!</p><p><br /></p><p>Unfinished <i>(In which I cleaned out my queue and currently reading lists because life is just too short to read stuff that isn't speaking to you)</i>:</p><p><b>1. Battle Ground, Jim Butcher </b>- I was cautious when this arrived. As I said in July, <i>Peace Talks</i> - which is really part one of this massive storyline - left me with a hefty dose of gloom and doom fatigue. Soooo...Yeah, I skimmed through the book just to get a sense of what was going to happen. In the process, I discovered a key plot point. Said key plot point pissed me off so much that I decided not to read the book. On the one hand, I get it. When you are deep into a long-running series you need to shake things up, and no matter what you do you're going to tick off some portion of your fandom. On the other hand, this is the second time Butcher has utilized this sort of plot point, which is honestly too close to the 'fridging' trope for my comfort. Not only is that a crap way to advance the story for a male character, but it also makes me really wonder if the problem isn't just that Butcher doesn't know how to write about relationships. Also, as I think back, I think he wrote himself into a corner with this particular character and just didn't know how to get himself out of it. I've read several reviews of <i>Battle Ground</i>, and at the end of the day even if it weren't for this plot point it's not at all a normal Dresedon Files book and I'm not sure I'm interested. As a friend said, "Somebody said it has the best fight scene ever - the entire book," and that makes me tired just thinking about it. (I'm super cranky about this book, can you tell?)</p><p><b>2. Deathless, Cathrynne M. Valente</b> - Years ago I fell in love with Cathrynne M. Valente through her first <i>The Girl Who Circumnavigated Fairyland</i> book. By book 3 I was exhausted by the preciousness of it all, and I haven't read her since. I'd heard good things about Deathless, though, and decided to give it a chance. I loved the early portions, but by the time I was about 30% in that same exhaustion was settling in. I love fairy tales...but there's just something about Valente's writing that rubs me the wrong way. It's too precious, too twee. </p><p><b>3. Lent, Jo Walton</b> - I have to stop preordering Walton's books. I fell in love with her through my first Walton read, <i>Among Others</i>. I still maintain that it's a brilliant book. I also loved <i>Tooth and Claw</i> and <i>My Real Children</i>. BUT, her recent books have just left me cold. The Thessaly series was too cerebral, and I only made it halfway through the second book before giving up. <i>Lent</i> has been similar. I'll be interested in spurts, but have hit a point (at only 15ish% in) where I just sigh when I go to pick it up. It remains to be seen as to whether or not I'll finish her most recent book. As of the writing of this, I'm about 20% in, but haven't touched it in over a month. Her concepts are magnificent, but I just don't enjoy reading the books.</p><p><b>4. Happy Hour in Hell and 5. Sleeping Late on Judgement Day, Tad Williams </b>- I used to read Williams a lot, and I loved him! Actually really enjoyed the first book in this trilogy (Bobby Dollar), but that was years ago. I've started Happy Hour in Hell probably a dozen times, but never make it past the first couple of chapters before I lose interest. Just not my cup of tea right now. </p><p><b>6. Harrow the Ninth, Tamsyn Muir</b> - Having gotten through Gideon, I checked the second book out from the library...and just couldn't get into it. It's written in a very different style, which I usually appreciate but which made it hard to follow along in audio format. And I missed Gideon's voice. And I just didn't care. </p>KPiephttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07484716218888129160noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1234134829615096265.post-4592735564405764532020-09-30T07:56:00.001-05:002020-10-01T08:57:53.482-05:00And tell me even more stories...September Books<p><i> 2020 Reading Goal: 75/100</i></p><p><b>1. A Killing Frost, Seanan McGuire</b> - October Daye, book 14. This pains me to say, but this is the book where the series officially turned stale. I've been impressed with McGuire's ability to keep the quality up, and to keep the content fresh up until this point. BUT, it feels like we seriously spent the first 1/3 of the book doing that annoying exposition thing that long-running series feel they have to do to either make sure return readers remember everything or provide set-up for new readers. (Does anyone jump into a series 14 books in? And do dedicated fans forget that much? I think not.) AND, then after that there were bits of exposition tucked here and there anytime another returning (fill in the blank) came into play. It was short on plot, while oddly advancing a big part of the overall arc in a very underwhelming way. I'm kind of sad about the whole experience, to be perfectly honest. </p><p><b>2. Shine in Pearl, Seanan McGuire (novella) </b>- The bonus she's been adding in the last few October Daye books, I generally look forward to the novella. It was short, and very sweet. As per usual, these bonus novellas allow McGuire to spend a little bit of time with secondary characters, and that is wonderful. When she's good, she's very, very good. </p><p><b>3. Seveneves, Neal Stephenson (audio) </b>- I bought a digital copy of the book a long time ago on sale, and only made it about 10% in. Life, in general, makes it really hard for me to digest big, long books anymore. (Hoping to fix that this winter, thanks to some recent life changes.). Having said that, I was thoroughly engrossed in the portion I did read, so I decided to take a chance on it and used one of my Libro.fm credits for the audiobook. It's so, so good. </p><p>The basic breakdown: Part 1 is the coming apocalypse. Part 2 is the actual apocalypse. (1 & 2 read by author Mary Robinette Kowel) Part 3 is the future. (read by Will Damron) Truthfully, I adored the first two sections, but the third section didn't thrill me. One and Two were a combo of classic disaster storyline, creative problem solving, personal and political intrigue, and characters you could connect with. Part three was fascinating...but kind of dull and lacking in the emotional connection. Read more like a research paper than a story. The good stuff: It's an infinitely hopeful book that's centered on women. Stephenson actually writes women really well. Characters tended to be of a type, and not therefor as well-rounded as I'd like, but I'm forgiving that because it served the overall purpose of the book and narrative arc. In fact, it became a key plot point later on. I love work-the-problem, sciency sci fi, of which there is plenty in this. I also appreciate Stephenson's ability to write books with so many darn characters while keeping me engaged with all of them. Kudos. </p><p>Note: There is a portion in Part 3 about "Tav's Mistake" which is a damning bit of commentary on our current reliance on electronics and social media and the resulting attention issues created by such. It was very well done and leaves you with a lot to think about. </p><p><b>4. Gideon the Ninth, Tamsyn Muir (audio) </b>- I bought this book a while ago because EVERYONE was raving about it. Then I tried reading it - multiple times - and just couldn't find my way in. (I suspect part of that was my initial reaction to the pandemic and the nature of the 9th House.). When I finished Seveneves, I went searching my library's digital catalog for new audiobooks...and guess what, Gideon had been recently added. Why not try again? And oh. my. goodness. What a difference a good reader makes! Gideon and Harrow really came to life with Moira Quirk's narration - and I'm going to look her up to see what else she reads. It's essentially a haunted house puzzle in space book - with crazy politics, swordfights, necromancers, and enough weird characters to satisfy anyone. Lots and lots of fun, and you find yourself liking the characters despite themselves. If I had one quibble, it's that there were so many characters that I occasionally got confused - and I did have to refer to the lists in my book to remind me of who was who a couple of times. Then again, it's a haunted house book....and in grand, cinematic tradition, that means you need lots of characters, most of which are intended to be killed off at some point so there's no reason to get invested in them beyond the stereotypical roles they play. </p><p><b>5. The Fated Sky, 6. The Relentless Moon, Mary Robinette Kowal</b> - These are the second and third books in Kowal's The Lady Astronaut Series, which was inspired by her brilliant short story, "The Lady Astronaut of Mars," which makes me cry every time I read it. After I read the first book, The Calculating Stars, I preordered the third and decided to wait until it showed up in my inbox before I would continue the series. Much more fun to read a series back to back instead of having to take the time to reorient yourself. Curiously enough, The Fated Sky was centered on Elma, who is the lead for all of the other books and short stories in this series, but The Relentless Moon turns to Nicole and deals with events on the moon during Elma's trip to Mars. What's really cool about the whole series is that Kowal created a natural disaster to super rush the space timeline, pushing her storylines back to the 60's. That allows her to take on series issues like racism and gender discrimination in a way that is both historic and super relevant to today's world. <br /><br />I'm feeling very tender about these books. Kowal has done something magnificent, which is that her main characters are women who are always the smartest, most capable people in the room, BUT they both have diagnosed mental illness. Elma deals with anxiety, and Nicole has anorexia. I could write a book about why I think this is really important. Representation, normalization, the complexity of human character, challenges of dealing with a mental illness, the fact that it's a part of a who a person is and not the whole - these are just some of the reasons why I so appreciate and love what Kowal did with these characters. </p><p><b>7. The Rise and Fall of D.O.D.O, Neal Stephenson and Nicole Galland (audio)</b> - I actually read this book several years ago, and I absolutely loved the experience. When I found it listed on the sale page at Libro.fm, I decided it was worth the investement....and I was so right. I wanted an audiobook that was just fun, and this fit the ticket nicely. It's a long book, and there are lots of different, talented voice actors involved, which made the whole thing a joy of a ride. Glad I invested in the audio. This is the sort of audiobook I'll pick up periodically when I just want some fun. </p>KPiephttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07484716218888129160noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1234134829615096265.post-69023512953146978692020-08-31T08:16:00.219-05:002020-09-01T11:29:50.302-05:00Tell Me A Story....August Books<p><i> 2020 Reading Goal: 68/100. </i></p><p>This is the month where something in my heart kept whispering, "Tell me a story." I don't want books that make me think too much or that are too real. I want to be wrapped up and carried away in words...like I always used to be. Perhaps it's a judgment on the state of the world, perhaps it's a nod to some changes in my health, perhaps it's because I began to seriously work on lace again (a task that has always paired beautifully with audio), perhaps it's just because I love a good story. </p><p><b>1. Flyaway, Kathleen Jennings</b> - This recommendation was part of the August Indie Next List...which I don't think I've ever noticed before, but which showed up in my inbox and intrigued me. It was an enjoyable read. I loved the Australian setting, in part because it was just very different. The characters were engaging, and the story was interesting. It's been a while since I read anything that was truly Gothic, and this fit the bill quite nicely. But....I had to look up the book to remind myself of details when I sat down to write this post because honestly, I couldn't remember anything at first. Yes, I read a lot of books this month, but that detail is telling to me. Had it really taken ahold of me I would have remembered. </p><p><b>2. A Queen in Hiding, 5. The Queen of the Raiders, 7. A Broken Queen, 8. The Cerulean Queen (audio and print), Sarah Kazloff </b></p><p>Before I get into my comments about the book, a note about the series. The first book was a pick from my <a href="https://www.skylarkbookshop.com/">Skylark</a> Bookspa, recommended by one of their wonderful booksellers who happens to have similar taste to mine. Beth had enjoyed this first book - although she did say that it was rather standard fantasy fare. The interesting thing is that Kazloff had finished all four books in the series before they were published, and Tor decided to release the books in four consecutive months. For someone like me, who rather frequently finds herself in the position of having to wait a year or more for a sequel (only to discover I have to work to remember enough to connect the dots) this was very appealing. </p><p>During a fairly routine browse of my library's audiobooks (<a href="https://www.dbrl.org/">DBRL</a>), I discovered they had recently added this entire series. Even better, the reader is Imogen Church, who is quite frankly one of my favorite readers ever. (The great Jim Dale is my other favorite.). All in all, it's approximately 67 hours of audio that I was able to condense into 45. The audio was so, so much fun - really bringing books that were already good to life. I'll be picking up copies of books 2, 3, and 4 soon!</p><p>Books are numbered according to where they fell during my month of reading. I did have to wait a bit between books 2 and 3 for the audio to become available....such is the agony and ecstasy of library audiobooks.</p><p>SO. Yes, this is a standard fantasy in many ways. It's also one of the better-written series I've found in a long while, and it surprised me with a number of things. Rather than give a blurb for each book, I'll just share some of what I loved.</p><p></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>Fantasy trope: our hero is an orphan. I was shocked that we spent so much time with Cerulea's parents and that she was given other families throughout the series to build on. It was refreshing to get to know them as people - and not as memories. </li><li>Good grief, Kazloff does secondary and even tertiary characters VERY well. They all felt like fully rounded people.</li><li>I don't know that I've ever seen a book deal directly with the trauma of standard fantasy events quite like the third book does. That title is accurate, and I was quite frankly thrilled that Kazloff took time to explore how people are hurt by conflicts. </li><li>Not going to lie. When I was a kid, I pretended I was a superhero called Animal Girl who could talk to animals. Ahem. I related. </li><li>The bad guys are bad, but they are given reasons and the reader is given some sympathy for them.</li><li>The naming of our Queen...just track it, especially in the second book. I didn't quite catch on at first, but when I did I loved it. </li><li>I didn't ever get lost in the bazillion characters because they all felt so fully-fleshed out that I was invested in all of them. </li><li>Yeah, it was 'standard' fantasy, but it never felt derivative. </li><li>Part of that is because the plot stayed fresh, with enough unexpected twists and turns to keep me engaged. Yep, some of it was predictable - but the journey was a pleasure. </li></ul><p></p><p><b>3. How Rory Thorne Destroyed the Multiverse, K. Eason (audio and print</b>) - OMG. I LOVED THIS BOOK SO MUCH! Everything I could ask for and more. You know I love a good fractured fairy tale, and this was perfect in so, so many ways. Even better, I only have to wait until the end of October for the sequel. The official description calls it a mash-up of Princess Leia and the Princess Bride, and while I think that's apt I also don't think it fully does it justice. I wasn't, for example, expecting the ingenious way that Sleeping Beauty was included! Rory is one of my new favorite literary characters, and I can't wait to see what she does next. </p><p><b>4. The Gentlemen's Guide to Getting Lucky, Mackenzi Lee (novella)</b> - As you may remember, I picked up Lee's first book in my bookspa, and then rushed to buy the second. I'm not so patiently waiting right now for the third to come out...and this little novella was just what the doctor ordered while listening to a long, intense audio series! Not hard to imagine what it's about with that title, but to my delight, it was far sweeter and more emotional than I had expected. After all, our lovers are living with a fair amount of trauma and the challenge of facing love that is real. Very sweet. </p><p><b>6. Drowned Country, Emily Tesh (novella)</b> - And again, another novella while listening to that long, intense audio series - this time one that had been preordered and was much anticipated based on my love for Tesh's first work, <i>Silver in the Wood</i>. Big sigh. It was also quite beautiful, and also shared an arc of emotional growth that was based around a love story. Of course, I'm particular to Green Man stories, so I may have a special place in my heart for these books. I do adore Tesh. Hoping she does some full-length works in the future!</p><p><b>9. The City in the Middle of the Night, Charlie Jane Anders (audio and print - a reclaimed unfinished)</b> - I only made it about 1/3 of the way through my first attempted read shortly after this book was published. I just couldn't find my way into caring about any of the characters, and that was super disappointing because I really like Charlie Jane Anders. I decided to give it another go when I discovered the library was carrying the audio, and I'm glad I did. The two readers gave me the emotional in that I needed, and having the story read to me helped me around some of the worldbuilding that I'd found off-putting in print. Listening felt a bit like watching Shakespear - you just have to relax into it and then you understand. While ultimately I am glad I finished, I was unsatisfied with the actual ending (set up to more books? or just a way to leave it open-ended?) and was a bit annoyed about the fact that my strongest emotion toward any of it was dislike for one character. Not my cup of tea.</p><p><b>10. Iron Cast, Destiny Soria</b> - Eh. I love that the central relationship in the book is a pair of best friends. The concept of magical people being outcasts is a bit overdone at this point, but the way in which the magic was manifested was pretty cool. The pre-prohibition nightclub setting was cool. Lots to recommend it, but I feel only lukewarm. I think this one suffered a bit because I read so many other books this month that were so very, very good. (Flyaway also suffered from that.)</p><p><b>11. Be the Bridge, LaTasha Morrison & Jennie Allen </b>- I discovered the nonprofit movement Be the Bridge in the wake of George Floyd's death, and have been deeply inspired by the work that it is doing. LaTasha Morrison is the founder, and this is the book where she lays out the principles of the group, which seeks to find racial reconciliation. If you are like me, a person of faith, this is a deeply meaningful introduction to that work which provides a lot of guidance for soul searching as well as concrete actions you can take. </p><p><b>12. The Near Witch, V. E Schwab (audio and print - a reclaimed unfinished)</b> - On my first attempted read, I found it to be derivative of a thousand other books. Nevertheless, I purchased the audio when I found it on sale for just a couple of dollars on <a href="http://Libro.fm">Libro.fm</a>. (I have a monthly membership that supports Skylark. This is an amazing, amazing service if you love audiobooks as I do.). Inspired by my completion of the Anders book, I decided to go through my unfinished shelf looking for books to revisit...and here I am. It is a charming if ultimately forgettable book, valuable in that it helps to show how one of my favorite writers got her start. </p><p><b>13. The Thread That Binds the Bones, Nina Kiriki Hoffman</b> - It's been a very long while since I read any of Hoffman's books, but I distinctly remember how beautiful my first experience with her writing was. (Perhaps A<i> Fistful of Sky</i>...). I discovered this book on the iTunes sale page and decided to give it a try. Reading through it I was reminded of why I had enjoyed Hoffman before. There is a sweetness and an optimism in her work, along with themes of healing and redemption, that are powerful. Reminds me of Charles De Lint in many ways, which shouldn't surprise anyone as they are friends. Once I was in the book, I was all-in...and in fact had trouble putting it down to go to bed. The timeline felt rushed, and yes...the characters weren't as well rounded as I'd like...but this was a fun read and I'm glad I found it. With everything going on in the world, it also felt good to read something about people who can change. I just wish the ending had been a teensy bit longer....I always like it when an author gives more follow-up.</p>KPiephttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07484716218888129160noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1234134829615096265.post-39610225461696452952020-07-31T08:00:00.000-05:002020-07-31T08:02:50.243-05:00It's Too Hot to do Anything Else - July Books!<i>2020 Reading Goals: 55/100</i><br />
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<b>1. Gods of Jade and Shadow, Silvia Moreno-Garcia (audio)</b> - 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.<br />
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<b>2. The Empire of Gold, S.A. Chakrabordy </b>- 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 <a href="https://greenwomancomesknocking.blogspot.com/2019/09/reading-reading-readingin-august.html">August book report</a>. <br />
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<b>3. Unravel the Dusk, Elizabeth Lim</b> - 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 <a href="https://greenwomancomesknocking.blogspot.com/2020/07/reading-in-june.html">last month's book post</a>, 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.<div><b><br /></b></div><div><b>4. Peace Talks, Jim Butcher </b>- 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. </div><div><br /></div><div><b>5. Girls of Paper and Fire, Natasha Ngan (audio)</b> - 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. </div><div><br /></div><div><b>6. Sixteen Ways to Defend a Walled City, K.J. Parker</b> - 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. </div><div><br /></div><div><b>7. The Mere Wife, Maria Dahvana Headley</b> - 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. <br />
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<b>Unfinished:</b><br />
<b>1. Children of Blood and Bone, Tomi Adeyemi (audio) </b>- 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.</div>KPiephttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07484716218888129160noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1234134829615096265.post-42609695868716119092020-07-02T08:52:00.000-05:002020-07-02T08:52:06.529-05:00Reading in June<i>2020 Reading Goal: 48/100</i><br />
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<b>1. I'm Still Here: Black Dignity in a World Made for Whiteness, Austin Channing Brown</b> - As with so many others, I'm reading and learning right now. Brown first came on my radar two years ago with the publication of this book. I heard of her in an interview with another faith leader I follow, and I'm sorry that it took me this long to actually read her book. She's an amazing writer, and her story gripped my heart from page one. I read it in two days...and then bought a second copy to gift to my 17-year-old daughter. (My daughter crawled in bed with me after she finished reading it, clearly touched and a bit overwhelmed by what she had read.). Brown is richly deserving of the spot she currently holds on the New York Times Bestseller list, and I sincerely hope she writes more. Brown has been in the media a lot lately, and if you'd like a fantastic introduction, I would highly recommend the episode she did on <a href="https://brenebrown.com/podcast/brene-with-austin-channing-brown-on-im-still-here-black-dignity-in-a-world-made-for-whiteness/">Brene Brown's Unlocking Us</a> podcast. (Props to Brown, because she's the only other person I've ever heard admit they like the movie 2012.)<br />
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<b>2. River of Teeth, 3. Taste of Marrow, Sarah Gailey</b> - These were just fun. Gailey reimagines American history in a wild west meets hippopotami set in a Gulf Coast that's been flooded to give them their natural habitat. It's a really wild concept that she totally makes work. The hippos are stand-ins for horses, although they are more than that. The characters are modern twists on stock Western characters, and I loved that there were LGBTQ+ characters and relationships. Super fun to read. Hoping Gailey writes more in this world! <br />
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<i>I then turned to two books which I pulled off of my usual recommendation sources (although I can't remember which ones), but which had been hanging out in my to-read queue forever. </i><br />
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<i>Which brings me to 2020 Reading Goal #2: Work through the books that have been hanging out in my to-read queue forever. I have a tendency to collect some great books, but they get passed over for new releases or whatever has grabbed my attention for the moment</i>.<br />
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<b>4. Spin the Dawn, Elizabeth Lim</b> - So, so deeply satisfying. In many ways, Lim has created a very traditional fairy tale. Girl pretends to be her brother to save her family. There's a storybook competition and royal intrigue. There's magic and a mysterious wizard. A quest for magical options comes into play. All normal elements that could be quite boring in a lesser writer's hands. Lim, though, is a very talented writer. She swept me up and carried me along - with enough unique twists on the comforting traditional to make it interesting and exciting. It is also deeply steeped in Asian culture - and as you know, I love fairy tales that exist outside of the white, Eurocentric canon. This is the first in a series...and I can't wait to see where it goes next.<br />
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<b>5. Throne of the Crescent Moon, Saladin Ahmed</b> - Speaking of fairy tales that exist outside of the white, Eurocentric canon, here's another! In the last few years, I've discovered some really fantastic fantasy writers who base their stories in the Middle-East, which is fascinating and beautiful. I was immediately drawn to the main characters - in part because it's really rare to find a book that centers around older people, and in part because they were so darn realistic, warts and all. To my surprise, the book did become more of an ensemble story than I expected - which was fantastic. In all honesty, though, much as I loved the characters and the worldbuilding, the plot was maybe a bit light. I don't feel drawn to follow this author as I've followed others. Glad I read it, it was fun, but that's that. <br />
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<i>Then back to a preorder/new release that had to be read immediately. </i><br />
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<b>6. The Angel of the Crows, Katherine Addison </b>- I preordered this based on the strength of Addison's first novel, The Goblin Emperor, but I wasn't entirely sure of what to expect as she only had the one book. To my delight, I discovered a fantasy take on Sherlock Holmes. (There's an author's note at the end that explains that this book began as "Sherlock Wingfic" a subgenre of fanfic that I'd never heard of - but which makes total sense.). I've discovered in recent years a fondness for Sherlock inspired works, even as I'm not crazy about reading the original source material. I do feel like this book felt like more of a collection of tales than a complete novel - but then, perhaps that's also natural given the source inspiration. I don't really want to give any secrets away...but my love for inclusion and diversity in books prompts me to suggest that this is a great example and there are some things in here that mean a lot to me. KPiephttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07484716218888129160noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1234134829615096265.post-2924233990351564532020-05-31T08:00:00.000-05:002020-05-31T08:00:13.436-05:00And Then We Read Some More - May Books<i>2020 Reading Goal: 42/100</i><br />
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<b>1. All Systems Red, 2. Artificial Condition, 3 Rogue Protocol, 4. Exit Strategies, Martha Wells</b> - Tor has been pushing the Murderbot novellas for a long time, but I resisted. As you all know, Science Fiction is generally not my thing. However, Becky Chambers has changed my mind on that subject a bit, and so when Tor offered these for free in anticipation of the new stand-alone Murderbot novel I decided to try it. (I forgot to download #4 for free...but I was happy to pay for it because I enjoyed the first three so much.) Turns out, I love Murderbot. What a fantastic character! Excellent plot pacing, and enough character work that it feels like more than just action-adventure. I don't know that I've ever read anything quite like these books. I'm not much of an action-adventure book person normally, but these were a perfect, absorbing distraction during a stressful time. Kudos. <br />
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<b>5. A Darker Shade of Magic, 6. A Gathering of Shadows, 7. A Conjuring of Light, V.E. Schwab (audio) </b>- This was a reread of a much-loved series, and I enjoyed every stinkin' minute of it. Lila Bard remains one of my favorite fictional characters, and I love her to pieces. There's an excellent blend of standard fantasy tropes and unique worldbuilding which makes it a super fun read. Thank you, as always, to <a href="https://www.dbrl.org/">Daniel Boone Regional Library</a>, which has amazing digital services...including their audiobooks through Libby!<br />
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<b>8. Untamed, Glennon Doyle</b> - I love Doyle's social media presence, but I was only m'eh about her first book and I didn't read her second. I've heard speak about this book in multiple interviews, though, and was intrigued. To my surprise and delight, it wound up being a pretty profound reading experience. Lots to think about - including some things for my own personal growth and some parenting ideas. <br />
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<b>9 Network Effect, Martha Wells</b> - The reason why TOR offered those first four novellas for free is because they published this book, the first full-length Murderbot novel. I wasn't really planning on buying it immediately, but hey...these books were awfully satisfying and seemed to be just what I wanted in the moment. I'll agree with the NPR review I read - expanding to full novel size meant everything was bigger, but that nothing was lost in that translation. <br />
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<b>10. The Book of Delights, Ross Gay</b> - I've been reading this book of mini-essays for a long, long time. My dear friend Carrie of <a href="https://www.skylarkbookshop.com/">Skylark Bookshop</a> gently pushed me into buying a copy shortly after it was released, and I've been savoring it slowly every since - reading a bit here and a bit there as the mood struck. It's a gorgeous book...language and poetry and the every day made magical. I've gifted it twice, and will very likely gift it more. Now that I'm done? I'm leaving my copy next to the bed so that I can revisit from time to time. The book itself is a delight. <br />
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<b>11. The Glass Hotel, Emily St. John Mandel (audio)</b> - What do I think? Hmmm. I think Mandel is very talented at character building. I think she's got a beautiful knack for language. I enjoy the way she tells stories - unfolding them gently in bits and pieces through shifting perspectives and timelines. I also think that this subject material is not at all the sort of thing I like reading, I'm glad I didn't buy it, and I'm glad it wasn't any longer. Not exactly a ringing endorsement...but not exactly a non-recommendation either. <div><br /></div><div><b>12. The City We Became, N.K. Jemisin (audio)</b> - While I adored Jemisin's earlier works, I am probably one of only 10 people who really hated her multiple award-winning The Broken Earth series. (Sorry) Fortunately, the library is an amazing gift to all of humanity and is perfect for sampling books one is cautiously optimistic about. And.....two hours in, and I'm buying a copy. This is an amazing, amazing book. I absolutely adore urban fantasy/myth when it's done right - and here it's done right. Curiously enough, I'm not at all a city person, but I fell a bit in love with New York through this book. While I do not want to get into specifics, I will also say that the current events happening at the time of my reading reminded me of why it's so damn important to read books written by and about people who are not like you. I've said for many years that my college education (English and Classics) gave me the twin gifts of compassion and empathy because of the books that I read. I wish people understood how important that is. </div>KPiephttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07484716218888129160noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1234134829615096265.post-82048995793843440882020-04-30T08:23:00.000-05:002020-05-04T12:22:34.315-05:00When in Quarantine, We Read - April Books<i>2020 Reading Goal: 30/100</i><br />
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<b>1. <i>Tess of the Road</i>, Rachel Hartman </b>- Oh. My. This book has been in my wish list since I read about it in NPR's 2018 Book Concierge. I've checked it out from the library several times. I don't know why I never got past the first couple of pages. I made a snap decision to buy a copy as I was perusing my wish list, and I started reading it the very next day. And. Oh. My. I adore Tess. I adore this book. I adore Rachel Hartman and must-read her Serephina books. This is a coming of age book and it's a book about healing from trauma. It's a book about learning how to be yourself and making your own path in the world. I'd both love to have a sequel, and I'm quite happy to send Tess off into the world on her own. This book is 100% going on my Best of 2020 list!<br />
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<b>2. <u>The Night Country,</u> Melissa Albert</b> - I'm disappointed. I adored Albert's first book, <u>The Hazel Wood</u>, but the sequel just didn't live up to it. It's not good when I start a book, read the first 25-50 pages, and then don't pick it up again for another month. I will admit that the payoff at the end was good - but it took too long to get there, and I had trouble caring about any of the characters for the first half. The tone felt kind of whiney for a while, and that was annoying. I don't know. I think Albert was trying to say some of the same things that Hartman was saying - but she just didn't get there.<br />
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<b>3. <u>Fledgling</u>, Octavia E. Butler</b> - I have an odd relationship with Butler. On the one hand, I recognize her literary genius and appreciate her importance. On the other hand, with the exception of <u>Kindred</u> I've never particularly enjoyed reading her work. I picked up <u>Fledgling</u> from a sale table some time ago, intrigued by the description of a story about a genetically modified, 53-year-old vampire with amnesia. It's been on the to-read pile for a very, very long time, though. (Never a good sign.) Needing a bit of a fairy tale break, I picked it up the same night I finished <u>The Night Country</u>. To my surprise, I was very quickly pulled into the story and felt compelled to read it as quickly as I could. Much as it fascinated me, though, the experience felt very cold. There just wasn't any emotional warmth to the book at all, and thus no way to connect with the story or the characters. It was more like reading a great anthropological study than a great novel. Having said that, I did love this very unique take on a vampire story. I thought I'd read it all. I was wrong.<br />
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<b>4. The Mermaid's Child, Jo Baker</b> - I wasn't sure what to expect, but I was intrigued by the title and description, and I had loved Baker's Longbourn. It's a story about an often abused young woman who's looking for her mother, who may be a mermaid. It's a fantastical tale that stretches the limits of belief, while at the same time bearing so much truth that it hurts. Curiously, it's my second coming of age novel this month. I wish the ending had been longer. It felt right, but it also felt pinched off too soon. I wanted to know more.<br />
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<b>5. The Gilded Wolves, Roshani Chokshi (audio)</b> - I had big expectations based on my reading experiences with Chokshi's earlier books. Unfortunately, those expectations were not met....which isn't to say that I didn't enjoy this book, it just wasn't what I had hoped it would be. For starters, it's a heist, which is never my favorite. Second, Leigh Bardugo did it way better with her Six of Crows duology. Way better. Finally, the interesting things really didn't happen until the end, when the group dynamics were upended a bit. I'm undecided as to whether or not I'll read the next book. (Although I have preordered it...which I can cancel.)<br />
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<b>6. A Field Guide to Getting Lost, Rebecca Solnit</b> - Lordy. I have a love/hate relationship with Solnit. Her writing is gorgeous, and her stories are beautiful. But. I quite literally struggle to stay awake while reading her books AND I don't seem to retain anything. It's not good when you pick up a book and can't remember what you read the day before. I so want to love Solnit. I recognize her importance in the literary world, and I do admire what she does. It's just so boring to read, though. (Note: While it's true that I seem to need reading material that's high in the engagement factor right now, this is a problem I've always had with Solnit.)<br />
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<b>7. The Queen of Nothing, Holly Black (audio)</b> - Finally, the trilogy is completed! Felt right to use audio as I listened to the first two books while training for long races. (Strong memories of where I was when listening to the first as I was training for my first marathon!) I really like Black's fairy tales, which are every bit as complex as the world of fairy should be. Light and dark, dangerous and seductive...a caution as much as a temptation. I forgive Jude for the character qualities which annoyed me in the second book. I'm also delighted with plot details and character growth on multiple levels. Quite satisfying.<br />
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<b>8. The Queen of All Crows, Rod Duncan</b> - I really enjoyed Duncan's first trilogy about Elizabeth Barnabus, a young woman who moves through a gaslamp Victoriana as a man or a woman as the situation needs. Elizabeth was a fabulous character in that trilogy, engaging and fully-formed. It was a series I stumbled across and picked up by instinct, and I loved it! So here we go with the start of the second series, and it was - well - just ok. Duncan has clearly grown bored with the world he built, so he's moving his character away. While the ocean world he built was interesting, it never really captured me as the first books did. (Hello Waterworld...) I do still love Elizabeth, though, enough that I read this quickly and then bought the second book. But.... (See below)<br />
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<b>9. A Memory Called Empire, Arkady Martine</b> - This made all of the best of 2019 books and is now up for a Hugo. I ordinarily don't read science fiction, but for whatever reason, this snagged my attention. So what did I think? Hmmm.... I think I read this more with my thinking brain than with my heart. While I do think it's an excellent book, I also found myself impatient at times - as if it needed some editing to condense it a bit. Ultimately I enjoyed it...but I also don't feel a burning desire to read that sequel. <br />
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<b>Unfinished:<br /><br />1. The Outlaw and the Upstart King, Rod Duncan </b>- and here we are. The second book stunk so bad that I didn't finish it. I just hated reading it, in large part because we shifted from Elizabeth's perspective to that of an entirely new character that I didn't like or enjoy. AND, Elizabeth was practically unrecognizable. The whole thing was set in a new location, and the culture of that location was extremely violent in a way that was offputting. Huge disappointment. Huge.<br />
<br />KPiephttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07484716218888129160noreply@blogger.com0