Rae Carson's The Empire of Dreams
So this is a story about Red, the little mixed race slave girl from the third book. In theory this is a standalone, but I do think you need to have read the earlier trilogy to understand the world and its politics. This takes place about eight years after the trilogy, as Red is about to be formally adopted by the queen—until a plot finds their petition denied. Red ends up in training to be one of the royal guard for some reason, the first girl to do so. It’s all very Tamora Pearce. I mean, it’s enjoyable—action, ass-kicking, making friends and reluctant allies, finding bad guys, etc—but it’s pretty well-worn territory. It is a well-written version of that trope, so if you’re into it (I am), definitely check this out. This seems like it was a very personal story for the author, and the emotions especially ring really true. A/A-.
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A review copy was provided by the publisher. This book will be released in April.
Tuesday, February 25, 2020
2020 book 44
Rae Carson's The Bitter Kingdom
The third book in this series is a satisfying wrap-up, for sure. Politics, romance, adventure, magic, holy quests, etc. Not much else to say about it, but I am excited to see where the author is taking things with this new one.
The third book in this series is a satisfying wrap-up, for sure. Politics, romance, adventure, magic, holy quests, etc. Not much else to say about it, but I am excited to see where the author is taking things with this new one.
Monday, February 24, 2020
2020 book 43
Rae Carson's The Crown of Embers
The second book in Carson's series involves more political maneuvering, a hint of romance, AND a mystical quest, plus it's way less fatphobic, so what's not to like? It’s a good second chapter—interesting on its own, not just setting up the pieces for a grand finale. Lots of moral conflict and adventure and friendship too. I am kind of over a lot of YA series, but still find this one satisfying.
The second book in Carson's series involves more political maneuvering, a hint of romance, AND a mystical quest, plus it's way less fatphobic, so what's not to like? It’s a good second chapter—interesting on its own, not just setting up the pieces for a grand finale. Lots of moral conflict and adventure and friendship too. I am kind of over a lot of YA series, but still find this one satisfying.
2020 book 42
Rae Carson's The Girl of Fire and Thorns
Carson has written a new book focusing on one of the secondary characters in this series, but since I didn't remember who that character was, I decided I had to reread this trilogy for CONTEXT. I like this series a lot though (aside from the fatphobia issues, which really bother me), so no complaints here. It centers on a teenage princess, being married off to a foreign king and having to navigate court politics, while also trying to figure out what her destiny is (because she has a special God-given destiny). Which sounds like the cliche of all cliched YA books, but Carson makes it work. Again, aside from the fatphobia. Meh.
Carson has written a new book focusing on one of the secondary characters in this series, but since I didn't remember who that character was, I decided I had to reread this trilogy for CONTEXT. I like this series a lot though (aside from the fatphobia issues, which really bother me), so no complaints here. It centers on a teenage princess, being married off to a foreign king and having to navigate court politics, while also trying to figure out what her destiny is (because she has a special God-given destiny). Which sounds like the cliche of all cliched YA books, but Carson makes it work. Again, aside from the fatphobia. Meh.
Sunday, February 23, 2020
2020 book 41
Rufi Thorpe's The Knockout Queen
I love both of Thorpe's earlier novels, and this one was just as good! It centers on a gay teen boy, living with his aunt after his mother is arrested, who becomes best friends with the girl next door—a super tall volleyball player. To me, this felt suffused with melancholy, as the two struggle to fit in and deal with various crises. I also wanted a little bit more from the end—the protagonist is slightly older, but not far enough removed from things to have enough perspective. I mean, that is probably the point—the muddled feelings feel very real. Anyway, this was still excellent, and I’ll be thinking about it for a while. A/A-.
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A review copy was provided by the publisher. This book will be released in April.
I love both of Thorpe's earlier novels, and this one was just as good! It centers on a gay teen boy, living with his aunt after his mother is arrested, who becomes best friends with the girl next door—a super tall volleyball player. To me, this felt suffused with melancholy, as the two struggle to fit in and deal with various crises. I also wanted a little bit more from the end—the protagonist is slightly older, but not far enough removed from things to have enough perspective. I mean, that is probably the point—the muddled feelings feel very real. Anyway, this was still excellent, and I’ll be thinking about it for a while. A/A-.
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A review copy was provided by the publisher. This book will be released in April.
Saturday, February 22, 2020
2020 book 40
K.J. Charles' A Flight of Magpies
The third Charm of Magpies book (and the last focusing on these characters) finds our heroes investigating a series of attacks on policemen—and also find someone plotting against the heroes! This is another fun book, though I can’t call it fluffy really as the violence is a bit gross. I also admit to being slightly disappointed that there doesn’t seem to be a book focused on Esther (yet?), who is sidelined a bit here. But still, great characters, and I love a historical-fantasy-mystery-romance! A-.
The third Charm of Magpies book (and the last focusing on these characters) finds our heroes investigating a series of attacks on policemen—and also find someone plotting against the heroes! This is another fun book, though I can’t call it fluffy really as the violence is a bit gross. I also admit to being slightly disappointed that there doesn’t seem to be a book focused on Esther (yet?), who is sidelined a bit here. But still, great characters, and I love a historical-fantasy-mystery-romance! A-.
Friday, February 21, 2020
2020 book 39
K.J. Charles' A Case of Possession
The second Charm of Magpies book is more of the fun (and smutty) same, as our Earl and his magical boyfriend have to contend with murders, mayhem, and giant rats. We do also meet the magical-crime-fighting partner of our magician, and she IS a very cool Jewish woman, so I am fully on board here. A-.
The second Charm of Magpies book is more of the fun (and smutty) same, as our Earl and his magical boyfriend have to contend with murders, mayhem, and giant rats. We do also meet the magical-crime-fighting partner of our magician, and she IS a very cool Jewish woman, so I am fully on board here. A-.
Thursday, February 20, 2020
2020 book 38
K.J. Charles' The Magpie Lord
I’d been meaning to read more by Charles, and this seemed like a good place to start—a historical mystery with magic and (gay) romance is very much up my alley. The plot barely matters—a man, who’s been in China for twenty years, returns home after the deaths of his father and brother leave him an earl. But someone is trying to kill him . . . with magic! Enter a magical practitioner, a scrappy dude with cool powers and a grudge. Sparks fly, magic happens, murder attempts happen,etc. It's a lot of fluffy fun, and I’ll be reading more bc it looks like the magical guy's best friend is a Jewish lady and I need magical Jewish ladies in my life. A-.
I’d been meaning to read more by Charles, and this seemed like a good place to start—a historical mystery with magic and (gay) romance is very much up my alley. The plot barely matters—a man, who’s been in China for twenty years, returns home after the deaths of his father and brother leave him an earl. But someone is trying to kill him . . . with magic! Enter a magical practitioner, a scrappy dude with cool powers and a grudge. Sparks fly, magic happens, murder attempts happen,etc. It's a lot of fluffy fun, and I’ll be reading more bc it looks like the magical guy's best friend is a Jewish lady and I need magical Jewish ladies in my life. A-.
Tuesday, February 18, 2020
2020 book 37
Louisa May Alcott's Little Women
We're discussing this in book club this month, because none of us have read it in ages, but the recent movie made us want to revisit it! I'd kind of forgotten how didactic it is, but of course it's still a classic story once you get past all that. (I do think the novel would be half as long without all the Christian moralizing.) I had also forgotten that Amy really is the most prominent sister after Jo, so props to Greta Gerwig for actually showing that in her version. And I know it’s a ~thing~ to be like “Jo is trans” but honestly, you could write a very persuasive term paper about it. Anyway, there is going to be a LOT to discuss with my pals and I am excited to do so.
We're discussing this in book club this month, because none of us have read it in ages, but the recent movie made us want to revisit it! I'd kind of forgotten how didactic it is, but of course it's still a classic story once you get past all that. (I do think the novel would be half as long without all the Christian moralizing.) I had also forgotten that Amy really is the most prominent sister after Jo, so props to Greta Gerwig for actually showing that in her version. And I know it’s a ~thing~ to be like “Jo is trans” but honestly, you could write a very persuasive term paper about it. Anyway, there is going to be a LOT to discuss with my pals and I am excited to do so.
Sunday, February 16, 2020
2020 book 36
Stephanie Wrobel's Darling Rose Gold
This is being billed as a thriller, but it doesn’t have the level of suspense and intensity I’d expect. It’s the story of a woman who’s just been released from prison—she was in for Munchausen by Proxy—and now her daughter, her victim, a new mother, is letting her stay in her guest room. This is interspersed with the story of the daughter after her mother was arrested. I found this to be a slightly stressful read and a major bummer, while also being a little bit slow. The end was interesting enough but I wished it had gotten where it was going a little earlier. I think the concept is what is making this book so buzzy, as opposed to the actual story. Oh well. B/B-.
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A review copy was provided by the publisher. This book will be released on March 17th.
This is being billed as a thriller, but it doesn’t have the level of suspense and intensity I’d expect. It’s the story of a woman who’s just been released from prison—she was in for Munchausen by Proxy—and now her daughter, her victim, a new mother, is letting her stay in her guest room. This is interspersed with the story of the daughter after her mother was arrested. I found this to be a slightly stressful read and a major bummer, while also being a little bit slow. The end was interesting enough but I wished it had gotten where it was going a little earlier. I think the concept is what is making this book so buzzy, as opposed to the actual story. Oh well. B/B-.
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A review copy was provided by the publisher. This book will be released on March 17th.
Thursday, February 13, 2020
2020 book 35
Sarah Gailey’s When We Were Magic
I looooove books about queer teen witches (there's a growing number of books in this genre), so was excited for Gailey's YA debut. But this is a bit grimmer/more disturbing than the usual YA fare. We start at a prom afterparty, where our protagonist is planning on sleeping with a (male) classmate she barely knows, even though she isn’t really into him, but then he explodes. So she calls in her crew of gal pals, because they’re all MAGIC, and they have to figure out what to do about this magical crime scene and this dead kid. I loved all their friendships and abilities, and was kind of rooting for the protagonist and her love interest, but this book has a real melancholy vibe. I also had mixed feelings about the end. Also, if you’re gonna have a protagonist who can TALK TO ANIMALS, there needs to be more animals around! I needed more cute animal chats! I mean, that’s not at all the point of this book. It’s about building relationships and friendships and learning to deal with mistakes etc. Just a bit too much disposing of body parts for my personal taste. B+.
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A review copy was provided by the publisher. This book will be released on March 3rd.
I looooove books about queer teen witches (there's a growing number of books in this genre), so was excited for Gailey's YA debut. But this is a bit grimmer/more disturbing than the usual YA fare. We start at a prom afterparty, where our protagonist is planning on sleeping with a (male) classmate she barely knows, even though she isn’t really into him, but then he explodes. So she calls in her crew of gal pals, because they’re all MAGIC, and they have to figure out what to do about this magical crime scene and this dead kid. I loved all their friendships and abilities, and was kind of rooting for the protagonist and her love interest, but this book has a real melancholy vibe. I also had mixed feelings about the end. Also, if you’re gonna have a protagonist who can TALK TO ANIMALS, there needs to be more animals around! I needed more cute animal chats! I mean, that’s not at all the point of this book. It’s about building relationships and friendships and learning to deal with mistakes etc. Just a bit too much disposing of body parts for my personal taste. B+.
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A review copy was provided by the publisher. This book will be released on March 3rd.
2020 book 34
Maureen Johnson's The Hand on the Wall
The third book in Johnson's Truly Devious mystery series--about a teen girl trying to solve a long-ago kidnapping at her elite and eccentric boarding school--is an adequate wrap-up. I admit that I didn't bother to reread the first two and so was hazy on a lot of details, which is a problem in a mystery story! And the mystery elements are all revealed in flashbacks, which feels like a cop-out. I was also uninterested in the wishy-washy romance. I really feel like this should have been just one book—breaking it into three pieces just weakens everything. This whole book could have been like four chapters. B/B-.
The third book in Johnson's Truly Devious mystery series--about a teen girl trying to solve a long-ago kidnapping at her elite and eccentric boarding school--is an adequate wrap-up. I admit that I didn't bother to reread the first two and so was hazy on a lot of details, which is a problem in a mystery story! And the mystery elements are all revealed in flashbacks, which feels like a cop-out. I was also uninterested in the wishy-washy romance. I really feel like this should have been just one book—breaking it into three pieces just weakens everything. This whole book could have been like four chapters. B/B-.
Wednesday, February 12, 2020
2020 book 33
Rebecca Stead's The List of Things That Will Not Change
A new book by Stead is always something to look forward to—she’s the author of one of my top five all time favorite books (When You Reach Me), after all. This felt like it was aimed at a slightly younger audience than some of her other books, but it was still a moving and engaging read. It’s narrated by tween Bea, who is delighted that her dad is going to marry his boyfriend—meaning she’s getting a new sister. But Stead doesn’t shy away from complicated feelings and complicated families and sorting out those tangles of emotions. Really solid work from an always outstanding author. A/A-.
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A review copy was provided by the publisher. This book will be released on April 7th.
A new book by Stead is always something to look forward to—she’s the author of one of my top five all time favorite books (When You Reach Me), after all. This felt like it was aimed at a slightly younger audience than some of her other books, but it was still a moving and engaging read. It’s narrated by tween Bea, who is delighted that her dad is going to marry his boyfriend—meaning she’s getting a new sister. But Stead doesn’t shy away from complicated feelings and complicated families and sorting out those tangles of emotions. Really solid work from an always outstanding author. A/A-.
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A review copy was provided by the publisher. This book will be released on April 7th.
Tuesday, February 11, 2020
2020 book 32
T. Kingfisher's Paladin's Grace
YAYYYY a new Ursula Vernon book!!! A breath of fresh air in these troubled times. This one is set in her Clocktaur/Swordheart world, but is a standalone story--a ROMANCE! I love the way she writes romances so am very here for this. Our hero is a paladin whose god has died, and now he serves in the Temple of the White Rat (the lawyers/healers in this world). He is also a KNITTER! Our heroine is a perfumer (whose best friend and landlady is a spy!), dealing with past heartache. They have a similar vibe to the couple in Swordheart, but I liked that couple, so I was okay with that. I also liked that one character from Swordheart plays a role here. There is also a whole thing with an attempted assassination, as well as a subplot involving severed heads. But Vernon balances the gore with fluff nicely. It looks like she’s working on more books set in this world and I will be psyched to read them! A/A-.
YAYYYY a new Ursula Vernon book!!! A breath of fresh air in these troubled times. This one is set in her Clocktaur/Swordheart world, but is a standalone story--a ROMANCE! I love the way she writes romances so am very here for this. Our hero is a paladin whose god has died, and now he serves in the Temple of the White Rat (the lawyers/healers in this world). He is also a KNITTER! Our heroine is a perfumer (whose best friend and landlady is a spy!), dealing with past heartache. They have a similar vibe to the couple in Swordheart, but I liked that couple, so I was okay with that. I also liked that one character from Swordheart plays a role here. There is also a whole thing with an attempted assassination, as well as a subplot involving severed heads. But Vernon balances the gore with fluff nicely. It looks like she’s working on more books set in this world and I will be psyched to read them! A/A-.
Monday, February 10, 2020
2020 book 31
Arkady Martine's A Memory of Empire
I've owned this book for a while, and heard tons of good things about it, but every time I started it I was like "I need to be able to concentrate more and really sink into this." And finally I was traveling, and I'm so glad I finally had the time to dive in, because it lived up to the hype. It's about a young woman from an independent space station, who is named ambassador to the mighty Empire after the previous ambassador is suddenly . . . unable to serve. And her society has a whole thing with shared memories, but her predecessor's are fifteen years out of date . . . so she's being thrown into a very dicey situation. Can she solve the mystery of what happened to her predecessor and also successfully navigate serious politics??? I love both those kinds of stories, so to have them come together with a bunch of compelling characters and fascinating world-building was definitely my jam. This was just really SATISFYING. I can't wait to read the next book in the series and see where things go. A.
I've owned this book for a while, and heard tons of good things about it, but every time I started it I was like "I need to be able to concentrate more and really sink into this." And finally I was traveling, and I'm so glad I finally had the time to dive in, because it lived up to the hype. It's about a young woman from an independent space station, who is named ambassador to the mighty Empire after the previous ambassador is suddenly . . . unable to serve. And her society has a whole thing with shared memories, but her predecessor's are fifteen years out of date . . . so she's being thrown into a very dicey situation. Can she solve the mystery of what happened to her predecessor and also successfully navigate serious politics??? I love both those kinds of stories, so to have them come together with a bunch of compelling characters and fascinating world-building was definitely my jam. This was just really SATISFYING. I can't wait to read the next book in the series and see where things go. A.
Wednesday, February 05, 2020
2020 book 30
Emily St John Mandel's The Glass Hotel
I was a bit reluctant to read the author's latest, bc how could she follow up Station 11? But I shouldn’t have doubted her, bc this was super engrossing. I will say that I read it on a plane, totally absorbed, except the plane landed ten minutes before I was done and I lost the thread a bit. Anyway, this novel is about a young addict, his half-sister (who has fallen into the ocean), a Ponzi scheme, and various other ppl moving in and out of the picture. I think I loved this but I’m not sure how well it all cohered? Who cares, I love Vincent! A.
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A review copy was provided by the publisher. This book will be released in March.
I was a bit reluctant to read the author's latest, bc how could she follow up Station 11? But I shouldn’t have doubted her, bc this was super engrossing. I will say that I read it on a plane, totally absorbed, except the plane landed ten minutes before I was done and I lost the thread a bit. Anyway, this novel is about a young addict, his half-sister (who has fallen into the ocean), a Ponzi scheme, and various other ppl moving in and out of the picture. I think I loved this but I’m not sure how well it all cohered? Who cares, I love Vincent! A.
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A review copy was provided by the publisher. This book will be released in March.
Monday, February 03, 2020
2020 book 29
Lois McMaster Bujold’s The Orphans of Raspay
The seventh book in the Penric series finds Penric captured by pirates, along with a pair of orphan girls, all about to be sold into slavery. I wasn’t super into this one for various reasons. It was not fun or funny. I mean, it was fine, just not as enjoyable as its predecessors. B.
The seventh book in the Penric series finds Penric captured by pirates, along with a pair of orphan girls, all about to be sold into slavery. I wasn’t super into this one for various reasons. It was not fun or funny. I mean, it was fine, just not as enjoyable as its predecessors. B.
Sunday, February 02, 2020
2019 book 18
Lois McMaster Bujold's The Prisoner of Limnos
The sixth Penric book finds our sorcerer still attempting to woo his love interest--this time, while assisting her in rescuing her mother, who is being held hostage for political reasons. This one wraps up a bunch of stuff from the last few books, so is much more satisfying, while still having lots of humor and heart. Plus there's basically a magical heist--what's not to like? A/A-.
The sixth Penric book finds our sorcerer still attempting to woo his love interest--this time, while assisting her in rescuing her mother, who is being held hostage for political reasons. This one wraps up a bunch of stuff from the last few books, so is much more satisfying, while still having lots of humor and heart. Plus there's basically a magical heist--what's not to like? A/A-.
2019 book 17
Lois McMaster Bujold's Mira's Last Dance
The fifth Penric book does pick up where the last one leaves off, with Penric and his new compatriots on the run, eventually taking refuge in a brothel. Humor and nice moments ensue! I loved it! But this one ALSO ends on a cliffhanger, very unsatisfying. Still very good, and obviously I’m diving right into the next one. A-/B+.
The fifth Penric book does pick up where the last one leaves off, with Penric and his new compatriots on the run, eventually taking refuge in a brothel. Humor and nice moments ensue! I loved it! But this one ALSO ends on a cliffhanger, very unsatisfying. Still very good, and obviously I’m diving right into the next one. A-/B+.
2019 book 16
Louise Erdrich's The Night Watchman
The titular watchman is inspired by Erdrich's own grandfather, who fought the US government's efforts to dispossess/disband American's indigenous tribes. I found his story really compelling! There are a few other narrative strains, though, predominately that of Pixie, a young relative of the watchman's, who's trying to find her missing sister, sort out her lovelife, and keep her traditions alive. We also get to know a young local boxer, his (white) coach, a grad student, and various other community members and ghosts. I mostly enjoyed this a lot (ok, some of the stuff with Pixie and her sister is super stressful, trigger warnings ahoy), but it didn’t entirely come together for me. I still think Erdrich is one of our great American writers, of course, and this novel sheds a lot of light on a pivotal moment of our history. A-.
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A review copy was provided by the publisher. This book will be released in March.
The titular watchman is inspired by Erdrich's own grandfather, who fought the US government's efforts to dispossess/disband American's indigenous tribes. I found his story really compelling! There are a few other narrative strains, though, predominately that of Pixie, a young relative of the watchman's, who's trying to find her missing sister, sort out her lovelife, and keep her traditions alive. We also get to know a young local boxer, his (white) coach, a grad student, and various other community members and ghosts. I mostly enjoyed this a lot (ok, some of the stuff with Pixie and her sister is super stressful, trigger warnings ahoy), but it didn’t entirely come together for me. I still think Erdrich is one of our great American writers, of course, and this novel sheds a lot of light on a pivotal moment of our history. A-.
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A review copy was provided by the publisher. This book will be released in March.
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