The Grand Tour Or The Purloined Coronation Regalia by Patricia C. Wrede and Caroline Stevermer
Started: 4/9/19
Finished: 4/14/19
The second of the Cecelia and Kate novels, maybe not quite as delightful as the first one, but close and still fun.
magic
Labyrinth Lost by Zoraida Cordova
Started: 3/25/19
Finished: 3/27/19
First in the Brooklyn Brujas series, young adult. The big adventure/quest part took me by surprise. It’s not that I didn’t expect the book to have one, but I didn’t expect it to be like that. In a good way.
The Dark Days Deceit by Alison Goodman
Started: 3/13/19
Finished: 3/16/19
Last in the Lady Helen series, we move the action to Bath and OH the drama and the men fighting over Lady Helen (even though she’s betrothed!) and the SECRETS and the clothes and poor Darby, and oh yes, fighting the big bad nasty demon-types. And I knew it, I KNEW it, and I’m not going to tell you what I knew because spoilers, but it’s nice to be right.
This was fun. I’m bummed there’s no more.
The Dark Days Pact by Alison Goodman
Started: 3/10/19
Finished: 3/13/19
Second in the Lady Helen series, we move the action to Brighton and Lady Helen has to dress like a man (gasp) and keep secrets from the duke who wants to marry her while also trying not to be attracted to the earl who may have murdered his wife (but clearly did not). Also, there’s magic and power and killing nasty demon-types.
The Dark Days Club by Alison Goodman
Started: 3/6/19
Finished: 3/9/19
This is the first in a trilogy about a Regency period noblewoman with parents who died scandal-ridden, who, as she turns 18 and starts her first season in London, finds out she’s got this supernatural power to fight nasty demon-types, and she might just have to save the world (but not in book 1). And of course, her mentor is a smoldering earl accused of murdering his wife. Such fun!
The Effigy Engine by Scott Lynch
Started: 2/14/19
Finished: 2/15/19
This short story is about a mercenary company of wizards who encounter the fantasy version of a tank during one of their battles. It’s a funny idea, told in a funny way, and I am looking forward to more tales of the Red Hats.
The Iron Dragon’s Daughter by Michael Swanwick
Started: 2/5/19
Gave up: 2/7/19
This could have been (and might be, to a different reader) an interesting story about belonging and ownership of self and taking action to control your life, but it felt like several stories all muddled together. It starts in a factory with child labor, but it leaves there quickly (and abruptly), with no sign any of that will be revisited. Then it switches to a school, with great details about tiny things that appear to have nothing to do with the plot (but they’re neat). In both settings so far, there are off-hand crude comments involving sexualizing young girls that I found really disturbing. We’re following one main character, but I have no idea what she’s going to do or even what she wants to do. I gave it up.
Ash by Malinda Lo
Started: 1/28/19
Finished: 1/30/19
I like fairy tale retellings, and I very much enjoyed this Cinderella retelling with actual fairies (like the fae, the cannot-be-trusted types) in the background.
Three Parts Dead by Max Gladstone
Started: 1/23/19
Gave up: 1/25/19
This is the first book in the Craft Sequence. I wanted to like it, but I couldn’t get into the story. I didn’t find the characters particularly interesting, and the pacing was odd, so I wasn’t feeling involved. I gave up after a couple of days of avoidance.
The Queen of Sorrow by Sarah Beth Durst
Started: 1/21/19
Finished: 1/23/19
Finishing the Queens of Renthia series, still good, but with more main characters I was left feeling like I needed more time with them. I suppose that’s a good thing – give me more!
The Reluctant Queen by Sarah Beth Durst
Started: 1/19/19
Finished: 1/21/19
Continuing the Queens of Renthia series, highly enjoyable with a surprising ending (in a good way).
The Queen of Blood by Sarah Beth Durst
Started: 1/17/19
Finished: 1/18/19
For some reason, I thought there were dragons in this series, but there are not. Figured you should know that up front. However, I REALLY liked this book, and I’m eager to read the next one.
Wintersong by S. Jae-Jones
Started: 1/13/19
Finished: 1/14/19
The Goblin King in this book is SO very David Bowie, which is great. I think the characterization of the main character shifts halfway through, and not for the better. Her motivations aren’t consistent, and she gets all worked up about things that could be resolved if she would just TALK to the guy. Same goes for him, of course. On the other hand, she’s a teenager, and she’s acting like a teenager, so maybe I should be praising the author for her realism instead.
Sorcery & Cecilia or The Enchanted Chocolate Pot by Patricia C. Wrede and Caroline Stevermer
Started: 1/5/19
Finished: 1/7/19
Delightful! A story told in letters between two cousins/best friends, set in Regency England with a bit of magic.
The Girl With The Red Balloon by Katherine Locke
Started: 11/23/18
Finished: 11/27/18
Young adult novel with a little time travel, a little magic, and some linked narratives. Mostly set in East Germany in the late 80s, which is a setting I don’t think I’ve ever read before. Pretty good!
Who Fears Death by Nnedi Okorafor
Started: 7/29/18
Finished: 8/7/18
Really good, really interesting, but a little tough to start. Once I was in, though, I was all the way in. The magic is super weird but in a good way, and at the same time, this is set in our future.
The Art of Starving by Sam J. Miller
Started: 7/17/18
Finished: 7/21/18
I’m really not sure if I liked this. It was interesting, and there’s an open question about the abilities the kid had (Did he actually have them? Did those things really happen?), but aside from that, it’s about a teenager, his relationships, and his eating disorder.
Children of Thorns, Children of Water by Aliette de Bodard
Started: 7/4/18
Finished: 7/4/18
I’m not sure I liked this novelette. The magic was odd, the setting was interesting, but I didn’t get enough background or explanation to get into the story.
Rosemary and Rue by Seanan McGuire
Started: 6/17/18
Finished: 6/23/18
First book in the October Daye series. I love all things Seanan McGuire, so it’s no surprise I enjoyed this. There are at least 10 books in the series already, and I’m looking forward to reading them all. Fairies, detectives, alliances, set in the present day. My cup of tea.
The Black Tides of Heaven by JY Yang
Started: 6/13/18
Finished: 6/15/18
This is silkpunk, which I believe is Asian steampunk, with some tech, some magic, a twin fated to die with the other determined to save them both. It’s an intro to the author’s novel-length series, but I’m not in a hurry to read those. Good, but not for me.