Category: Best of

Best Books of 2021

January 31, 2022 / / 1 Comment

What a year. Apparently, strife is good for reading. And that is borne out again and again. In 2020, I could only find comfort in Agatha. Which helped me achieve one goal, at least – I finished my complete read-through of the Poirot series at the end of 2021!

In 2021, though things were hectic and hard and at times joyous and busy and yet again difficult, I was able to make my reading goal the earliest I have ever made it. I had a goal of 100 books, and reached that milestone in mid-December. So that means on New Year’s Eve, you did not find me cramming three novellas! It is a little freeing. That final week of the year, when I usually alternate between cleaning my office and reading, I was able to just relax. (Okay, I crashed, but sort of the same thing, right?) I ended up reading 105 books in 2021, the most ever.

So what did I read, you ask?

It was a GREAT year for good books! I started off by being a judge for the Minnesota Book Awards (which really gave me a jump on the reading goal), and some of those have stayed with me. I read a lot of Agatha, and a few craft (writing) books, and some great nonfiction. I read 35 out of my goal of 50 books that I already own (though I fear a lot of those were new acquisitions). Here are the titles that have stayed with me, that I may like to revisit in the future, and that I would highly recommend.

Nonfiction

I participated in Nonfiction November on IG for the first time, and what a great way to get in some nonfiction! I used to read it a lot, but that has slowed since I quit reading business books and apparently haven’t run up against much self-help that called to me. Several titles from November were winners.

Wintering by Katherine May

I have recommended this one to everyone I know, even though it actually might only be for those who are experiencing a certain lull in life. It is for those who find themselves somehow fallow, in a liminal state where they are not quite feeling their old selves, but not quite sure they want to go back to that either. It might be an illness, a family member needing caregiving, a job or career changing abruptly – whatever it is that threw you off, this is a good seed to start you off in a new direction. I say I have recommended it widely, and that’s because you just never know who might need it. But it definitely is for those in a certain state of mind. I passed it by last year, and then randomly picked it up at Target this fall, saw the word ‘fallow’ in the jacket copy, and tossed it right into the cart. I may just read it again in January. It is that good. Why? I really can’t explain. Mostly because May, in detailing her own struggle, gives you permission to have a struggle yourself. It’s okay. It will be okay.

 

On Writing by Stephen King

I eschewed this for years, but picked up a copy on clearance a while back, thinking I might read it some day. I am simply not a fan of his fiction. But this is wholly different. I don’t know what I expected, but I did not expect such direct, clear advice. I am glad I finally cracked it open, and it’s going right back on the shelf, with all the tabs in place. There was so much good advice here, I can definitely see myself reading it again. I had set myself a goal to read one craft book a month, and this was only my second for the year. But I found it more helpful and more engaging than Bird by Bird, which I read earlier in the year.

 

Agatha Christie’s Poirot by Mark Aldridge

This got some mixed reviews, but I simply loved it. It is a compendium of all things Poirot, but not really the biography that maybe folks were expecting. It goes through the books chronologically, and talks about adaptations, shows different covers, and goes into how Agatha felt about how things were going. Her frustration with finances was palpable. So I think this suffered from misleading billing. It is more about Agatha’s career of Poirot rather than Poirot himself. Why she didn’t want a movie made, how difficult it was to deal with studios, and what she worried about. I love behind the scenes publishing talk, and I love hearing about different editions of books, so this was right up my alley. I especially loved the discussion of the short stories, which helped me to realize that there are still several I haven’t read! So much the better. More Poirot for me. This one is a lot of details, but a beautiful volume with lovely full color accompanying illustrations. A very enjoyable read.

 

Fantasy

Bridge of Souls by Victoria Schwab

This was a beautiful piece of story. I was blown away by the big reveal, and the way that this universe was enlarged during this story. I mean, it’s already two universes! But whoa, she went full creepy here, and I only hope that there are more in this series. It is Middle Grade, but at the higher age range, I think. It definitely is a creepy series to start with, so just be aware of that. This title plays for the highest stakes, and the setting of New Orleans is just fantastic.

 

 

Unfinished Tales by JRR Tolkien

I don’t know what I expected from this! I thought maybe a bit like The Silmarillion? A mishmash of new things? When really, it is like the best deleted scenes from everything he’s written. We get some of The Silmarillion, some of The Hobbit, and some of Lord of the Rings. There are almost complete background stories on some denizens of Numenor (which I hope is what Prime is playing with), and behind the scenes bits about Gandalf and Thorin and so much more. There is romance and adventure and magic. I just loved these tales. Highly recommend to any fantasy fan, especially if you are looking for something to read after The Silmarillion. And now I want to see all of these slotted in to their rightful places, so we have an epic epic uber fantasy to read!  Alas, Christopher is not here to do that. But at least he gave us these.

 

The Once and Future King by TH White

Since I was ahead on my reading goal, I decided I could pick up some hefty tomes. And when a readalong was announced for this one, I jumped on it, as I had wanted to read this for a while. I am enamored with Arthurian retellings, but thought going back to some of the earlier material was a good idea. I was surprised to discover just how much more there was to this than the little beginning part I was familiar with. Some of the action was hard to read, as I loved these characters so much. It is hard to see them heading to their own destruction. And the ending was bittersweet, but entirely fitting, as this went down in legend just that way. The readalong ended up fizzling out but I am very glad that I picked this up and stuck with it. A beautiful story.

 

The Lives of Saints by Leigh Bardugo

This slim volume seems deceptively simple. It is a facsimile of the Lives of Saints books that the characters refer to in the Shadow and Bone trilogy and beyond. Sure. Just write a book full of miracles. Embellish it with amazing illustrations, and package it in an adorable, gilt-covered volume, suitable for transport. This, my friends, is the brief. And wow, did Leigh deliver. This is freaking BRILLIANT. Each saint is imbued with their miracle, all of them unique, and full of characteristics to make them living, breathing people. And it all jives with the tiny mentions in the various books, including the Language of Thorns stories. Simply. Amazing. Talk about world building. Wow.

 

Historical

Into the Lion’s Mouth by Nancy McConnell

This debut Middle Grade will transport you to 14th century Venice, with all the accompanying politics and adventure besides. Our hero Nico is constantly running from something, whether it’s a dastardly nobleman intent on keeping a secret, or the clutches of a nun determined to send him out of the city. In between all the action, we get glimpses of stunning Venice, and the way the people lived according to what society dictated at the time. This is so well done, and I highly recommend it for anyone who enjoys historical fiction, Middle Grade or not.

 

Jamaica Inn by Daphne du Maurier

I picked this up for a readalong since I had liked Rebecca last year. And I liked this one even better! In fact, if I had not read Wuthering Heights first, this one might vie for that place in all-time favorite classics. They seem very similar, but this one has such a naughty vibe to it. There is a stronger heroine, and a bit more impropriety. I loved the ending, and I loved the way that the moors played an actual part in the story, and were almost a character in themselves. So atmospheric, so moody! So much adventure in such an out of the way place. I am now looking forward to Frenchman’s Creek.

 

The Lady’s Guide to Petticoats and Piracy by Mackenzi Lee

I read this during the summer, in the lead up to the son’s wedding, and it was absolutely perfect for that time period! A great adventure-filled summer read. Just what I needed. And lest you feel like you have to be in just that situation to enjoy it, let me put you at ease. This book was just plain fun. Is it the highest level of literary achievement? Probably not. But if trotting around Europe in the 1800s with pirate run-ins and women behaving not as they are expected appeals to you, then there you have it.

 

 

The Mysteries of Udolpho by Ann Radcliffe

Because those of us who had read Northanger Abbey were keen to read some of the ‘horrid’ novels that were mentioned in that one, a readalong was put together of this giant tome. It seems daunting, but in the hands of Radcliffe, it is deftly handled. Be forewarned: she throws in EVERYTHING at her disposal, whether it’s ghosts or kidnapping or inheritance plots or any number of other things. Look, she has a lot of pages to fill. I got through it initially with the readalong, but about halfway through, I was racing ahead, eager to see what on earth was going to happen next. Granted, it is not an easy style to gobble up, and it’s a doorstop, make no mistake. But good characters, amazing romantic settings, improbable run-ins with ruffians, a castle, graveyards, ethereal music, and things that go bump in the night! I can see how a young girl reading this in 1798 would have been so affected. Get past all the commas, and it is just charm itself.

 

Mystery

I read a LOT of mystery this year, mostly because I judged the genre fiction category for the MN Book Awards. Not all mysteries are created equal. But I want to give honorable mention to two of Brian Freeman’s books. Unfortunately, I keep confusing the two, but only as to which title is which (only because I read them both in the same week). They are both fantastic. One involves resurrecting an old case, with unforeseen consequences, and a child dealing with their parent’s decline (The Deep, Deep Snow). The other has to do with loss as well, but is dealt with in such an amazing, unique way that I don’t want to say anything for fear of giving it away (Thief River Falls). Also, I continued my read-through of all of the Miss Fisher mysteries, but I kind of fell off of those in favor of finishing Poirot. I am excited to continue those.

The Thursday Murder Club by Richard Osman

I simply ADORED this one! So much so, that I almost braved going out to get the sequel at the big after-Christmas Barnes & Noble sale. Almost. What is better than septuagenarians using their skills and lifetime experience to right a wrong? I loved the characters (especially Elizabeth) and I loved the whole setting (English countryside) and it was just a delicious slice of fun. Don’t get me wrong, there are some tough moments here too, because, after all, sometimes bad things happen to good people. But when I get old, I want to move right in to this lovely senior community, and solve cold cases with the rest of them. I am calling this Miss Marple meets Midsomer Murders. Also with vibes of Lillian Boxfish Takes a Walk or A Man Called Ove. Which is pretty amazing for a murder mystery! Cannot wait to put my hands on the next one.

 

Honorable Mentions

So that brings me to an even dozen. I could really go on. I could tell you to find a copy of Get Idiota if you are able, one of the Finalists of the MN Book Awards, a funny, unlikely farce that involves a drug lord and a pair of hapless reporters. I did not completely fail my craft book goal, either, having read, in addition to On Writing, Bird by Bird and F. Scott Fitzgerald On Writing. I also enjoyed Uprooted by Naomi Novik immensely, and Broken by Jenny Lawson. I discovered the British Library Crime Classics series with Murder On the Cherwell, and want to read more of those (a series of titles by golden age mystery writers being brought back in to print). I also co-hosted a readalong of Eudora Welty’s short stories, but I stalled out back in May and so I need to catch up (yes, on my own readalong) and finish those. I read Mr. Dickens and His Carol and so thoroughly enjoyed it, and it so satisfied my itch for more of A Christmas Carol right before Christmas, that I am now searching for anything else that is ACC-adjacent.

I read the whole Cruel Prince trilogy, and read the second and third books out of order, but found it didn’t seem to matter. And while I enjoyed it, I find that vaguely problematic. I am up to Vol 5 in Sandman, and my favorite so far is The Doll’s House, but I know I will have a new favorite before long. I finally read The Invisible Life of Addie Larue by VE Schwab but still haven’t decided how I feel about it. Might need to read it again to see. I read Priory of the Orange Tree, and was surprised to find it didn’t grab me near as much as one might think from all the hype. I also read Big Magic, and that really deserves a place in the list, yet another one that I passed by when it came out and am so glad that I finally picked it up.

Suffice to say that it was a wonderful year. All the Agatha was good, I got in a few Miss Fishers (my favorite of those was Death Before Wicket), and I read some other titles that I had meant to get to. It was a great reading year. Here’s to 2022 being even better!

Plans for 2022 include reading the Agatha standalones that I haven’t gotten to yet, a few key fantasy titles that I have been meaning to read, and continuing Miss Fisher (next up, #11!). I am taking part in a Queens of Crime readalong that will have me reading Dorothy Sayers and Josephine Tey, finally. I am going to continue Sandman, and work on clearing out my old books, which means I will be reading a lot of random things. And more craft and nonfiction books!

How was your reading year?

 

Halloween Reads 2021

October 29, 2021 / / 0 Comments

Hello again! Well. If you’re keeping track (and really, I don’t think anyone is?), then you know I have not posted since March. I thought the first quarter of 2021 was hard. But then the rest of the year said, “Hold my beer,” and kicked me into the mud and stood on my back. So here I am. Still standing, but carrying 2021 around my neck like a millstone. And it’s not over yet. For crying out loud. At this point, I am going to need a very long vacation. Whenever the world allows it, or whenever I can make it happen. Because really, who wants to wait for the universe to give them permission?

I can’t complain too much. This has been a good reading year for me, and I have definitely fed my mystery obsession. But I have also tried to specifically seek out spooky reads, and while I haven’t read them all, these are some that I have enjoyed the most. I have a few more on my list from last year that I just didn’t get to.

This is my 11th year of doing my Halloween Reads round-up, and while this hasn’t been a great year for blogging, I could not skip this post. Gotta keep the streak alive! The good news (?) is that I’ve been working steadily on my novel again, so who knows? That might be done some day. In the meantime, hope you find something here that intrigues you! If you are so inclined, please feel free to check out my previous years’ posts, which are all linked from here. There’s a lot in those links, and if you get a chance to peruse those, I hope you enjoy them. I’d love to hear your recommendations for your favorite spooky reads in the comments below!

Now, without further ado, here is my list of this year’s spooky reads!

Classics

Jamaica Inn by Daphne du Maurier

Ten thumbs up for pure atmosphere! If you are a fan of Wuthering Heights or Rebecca, this one should be on your stack. The whole story felt so grey and cold, and was perfect for this time of year. In addition to the atmospheric setting, it includes the ominous roadside inn with no guests, the orphan, and the multiple options for bad guys. It will leave you guessing until the very end! I mean, it did me. This is only my second du Maurier, and I liked it even better than Rebecca. I can see why people become such fans of her work. I thought this was a daring story for its time, and the ending was surprising to me. I think that is a du Maurier thing. Do not @ me if you don’t like Wuthering Heights (one of my all-time favorites).

Edgar Allan Poe’s detective stories

Imagine my surprise when I discovered that Poe is credited with being the first writer to write a series with a detective, that this detective used deductive reasoning, and that he pioneered the use of locked-room and apparently simple cases being complex. This year I took part in a Poe readalong, and took the opportunity to read several short stories, including “Murders in the Rue Morgue,” which features Augustin Dupin, an outcast type of rake with a possible drug problem who helps out the authorities on occasion (sound familiar?). Then I read “The Mystery of Marie Roget” and the finale, “The Purloined Letter.” These are not in themselves really mind-boggling, to our modern way of thinking, but to think that they influenced Conan Doyle and probably many others, and that there was really nothing like them when they were written, is amazing.

Mystery

The Last Séance by Agatha Christie

This is a collection of short stories, and as with any short story volume, I liked some better than others. I had read a couple of them before, in other collections, but there were quite a few new ones too, so that was nice. The familiar helped temper the creep factor, because I am a complete chicken. And some of these were very creepy! I liked that at the end, there was the original publication information for each story, so you can see what year it was first published and where it appeared. This helps a little because Agatha’s writing certainly changed over the years. I was very glad to see this themed collection. I highly recommend sitting up late by yourself in a secluded cabin and reading this! Ha!

The Deep, Deep Snow by Brian Freeman

This was a fantastic story with twists and turns 20 years apart. It blew me away. From the plotline to the characters (I really loved Shelby!) to the ending. Wow. Not a single hiccup, high stakes all the way, and a slam-bang finale. The kind of book that makes you want to go back and start again once you’ve finished, because you know those clues are there somewhere. Just a tiny hint of romance and a larger hint of domestic drama make this a very well-rounded mystery choice. Freeman is a hugely prolific writer who has done the latest Jason Bourne novel, as well as continuing his own series and several standalones. He’s the real deal.

Adult Fantasy

Practical Magic by Alice Hoffman

I read this once years and years ago and I remembered nothing, so wanting to continue with the series, I got my hand on a copy (signed!) and decided to get my witchy on for a reread. This is a lovely story, and has its share of spooky moments, plus there are some great twists that make it more than a typical family drama. I loved the depiction of siblings (haven’t seen each other for how long? Doesn’t matter), and the whole family history involved. I loved the little pieces of magic throughout – potions and premonitions and objects coming to light and love at first sight and other things that you may not think of as magic but that really are. If you are looking for a good contemporary type drama that has more than a hint of a magical vibe, this is your ticket. I haven’t seen the movie yet but now I am curious.

Empire of the Vampire by Jay Kristoff

Okay, look. I haven’t finished this yet. But I’m almost half done, and I’m going out on a limb, and saying if you love anything vampire, get your hands on this epic fantasy. The world (not our world but a facsimile of Europe) has become dark as there was some cataclysmic event that blotted out the sun, and thus vampires (who apparently always existed) have run amok. 27 years later, one of the best (and since fallen) vampire hunters sits in a castle, telling his story to a vampire scribe. It is absolutely brilliant in so many ways: the conceit and structure, the world building, the characters, and the aesthetics of it! I am a huge fan of Jay Kristoff anyway, but this just might be his masterpiece. It is a commitment (700 pages, first in a trilogy), but that’s okay, because I know he is both going to crush my heart and make me beg for more. Note that there is absolutely nothing clean or delicate about this book.
Of course, you should go read the original Dracula by Bram Stoker if you haven’t already, and I have reviewed that briefly in the past. I didn’t do it justice, and I just have to remind you to read it in the mindset of someone who has not been steeped in all the acumen of vampire pop culture. This is where it all started.

MG and YA

Bridge of Souls (Cassidy Blake #3) by Victoria Schwab

This latest installment of this excellent spooky middle grade series ratchets up the creep factor just a bit. Each book takes place in a different city, as Cassidy’s parents are hosts of a ghosthunter show. The rub is that Cassie can actually see ghosts. She feels them everywhere, and each of these haunted cities is rife with them. This one introduces new elements of the world of the dead, which are simply brilliant and terrifying. The action is edge-of-your-seat, and the setting of New Orleans is amazing. I loved everything about this! I’m not sure if there are more in this series, but I sincerely hope so. If you want to get started, look for City of Ghosts, which I reviewed here. (I wouldn’t normally review the third book in a series, but here it is, which should give you an idea of how great this series is from the beginning, and how it keeps getting better.)

The Taking of Jake Livingston by Ryan Douglass

I’m including this even though it was not a 5 star read for me, for pure originality and ultimate execution. The first half of the book was a little spacey and psychedelic, and the characters did not have the reactions of terror that I would have expected. But the second half was a wild ride, and once Jake started to feel that terror, it really took off. The ending was amazing, and really had me fearing for Jake. I loved the little romance bits, and I loved the backstory we see about Sawyer. I feel like the mentor should have played a bigger role, and that some parts of the backstory could have been explained more. The different perspectives were key, and the world building was intriguing. So while it was a wild ride, I feel like some aspects of the ride were in the dark, and the ride was too short. Great BIPOC and LGBTQIA rep.

 

Here’s hoping the world is treating you kindly. As I write this (Thursday), I have just finished a day of talking to healthcare professionals. And tomorrow I will be helping to move my aunt into a new care center. And then I get to go see the grandbabies! And then I come home and collapse for the weekend. Normally, I’d be all about carving pumpkins and handing out candy but I honestly am not sure if I have it in me this year. It has been a lot. I daresay worse than 2020? A death, an injury, weeks of PT, a new grandbaby, a heatwave/drought, a garden decimated, a wedding, a family member injury, and here we are today. It’s not all bad stuff, but even good stress is stress. Still, I find myself longing for those hot (very hot!) summer days when I was racing around looking for a dress for my son’s wedding. The good news is my aunt is getting better all the time, and it has not been a bad thing to spend more time with her. I could just do without all the other people in the mix. So I’m hoping to spend the weekend maybe finalizing yard clean-up and reading EOTV (see above).

While I may not be back next week, I will surely be back soon. Meanwhile, come look for me on Instagram, which takes less brain power than a blog post! LOL You can find me @lindabookmania – see you there!

And if the world is not treating you kindly, just remember, someone else may have it worse than you do. Remember the Golden Rule.

 

Best Books of 2020

March 31, 2021 / / 0 Comments

Well, if there is anything good to come out of this year just past, it is the reading. I had some very good reads, and then some slumps, some which were easy to explain, and some which were not.

I actually met my reading goal of 100 books on GoodReads. I had to push to make it (due to aforementioned slumps). The one thing that I was tempted to do which might have derailed the whole thing was to read my most-anticipated book of the year, The Invisible Life of Addie Larue by V.E. Schwab. I have been hearing about this book for literally years. I watched every pre-launch interview and promo.  And I wanted to just read it already. But I was afraid that if I did, it would lead me to the monster of all book hangovers. Then how would I make my goal? I know, I know, best way to combat that would be not to bring it down to the wire. But it was too late for that. All that to say, now it’s a clean slate, and hangover be damned, I will get to it!

Anyway, you didn’t come here to hear me moan about bookworm problems. Did you? 😉 No, you came here to see what I might call the best books of last year! Yes I’m late. Yes, it is now 2021. And yes, we are on to better and bigger things. But we also had some doozies in 2020. Apart from the non-book doozies. Note that these were all books I read in 2020; they were not all published in 2020. But that’s when I got to them, so I’m calling it.

Comfort Reads

First, the comfort reads. This was a tough year. I had a really hard time with the civil unrest in Minneapolis, starting in late May, for many reasons (on top of pandemic lockdown). I only read four books in June, and most of them were by Agatha Christie. JK Rowling’s despicable behavior (another stress factor) kept me away from my usual comfort reads, and I found Agatha to be a lovely replacement. The books I read in June were not my favorites, however. My new very favorite Agatha titles are The Hollow (part of my read-through of all of Poirot) and They Came to Baghdad, which was not one of her regular detectives but a very espionage-type thriller. The thing that I love about it is the setting and the danger. It was really excellent! I am partial to her archaeological stories, and this was the best one yet. I also read her memoir Come, Tell Me How You Live, which I highly recommend (more archaeology).

I read The Hollow about the same time as I was reading Rebecca, and the whole house-as-a-character thing was very strong in both. So that gave The Hollow a feeling that I hadn’t gotten from any previous Agatha. Plus, Lady Angkatell was just wonderful. The characters in this one were far more developed than in some of her other works.

Classics

I found a new favorite Shakespeare. I know, right? I did a readalong of As You Like It in November, and I just loved it! I had somehow never read or seen this one. I loved Rosalind, and the whole situation and storyline was just so interesting and, well, easy to follow. I mean, my old favorite has always been Macbeth, with its moving forests and witches, but that story is a bit obtuse. This one is a very clear narrative, mostly makes sense in places, and had a wonderful roster of characters. Rosalind is just about the best thing ever. I would love to see it performed!

And then there’s Maria Dahvana Headley. I discovered her early in the year when I found out she was releasing a new translation of Beowulf, which came out in August. While I was waiting, I picked up her previous novel, based on it, called The Mere Wife. It was absolutely stunning! Split my head wide open! Then I was able to follow along on a read-aloud of the Beowulf translation in December. It is, as one might expect, epic. After all, this is how it was meant to be heard! Aside from the performers, the translation itself was just so wonderful. It is clear, yet modern, full of slang, yet relatable situations. The end brought a tear to my eye! If you are interested in Beowulf, or even if you are not, you definitely ought to hunt it down. I am now off to hunt down all of Maria’s previous work, and try to get my hand on a copy of The Mere Wife for my very own.

YA and MG

The third in a great new MG trilogy released in March, which rounded out nicely the Wizard for Hire series by Obert Skye. I loved this series! I thought this final book did just a great job of wrapping everything up – one of the most satisfying endings to a series that I can think of. It is just such a magical story, and the characters are so wonderful. I enjoyed every book in this series, and highly recommend it for anyone looking for something to replace Harry Potter. It’s got everything. I am now on a mission to find his other work, too. Don’t you love it when you find a gateway drug?

I got a chance to read an early copy of Tales from the Hinterland by Melissa Albert, and even though it didn’t come out until January, I am including it here, so that you can all go get it and maybe if you need to catch up on this stunning YA fantasy series you can do that (and this post is oh so late). This is an absolutely amazing collection of tales, sort of like Language of Thorns, if you are familiar with that work by Leigh Bardugo, in that it peoples a world of background tales (background to the original book, The Hazel Wood). Fairytales? If you will. The Night Country was the sequel. I loved that book. But the tales themselves? Blew. Me. Away. Here is this nice seemingly normal lady author, writing these dark, nasty, nearly horrifying tales of wronged brides, lost girls and other macabre imaginings. I cannot wait to see the gorgeous final copy, too. Thanks to the publisher, FlatIron Books, for inviting me to read this on NetGAlley. (I read it on my PHONE, which tells you how good it is.)

I also had some great spooky reads this year. The two that stand out as the best were Anna Dressed In Blood by Kendare Blake, and Cemetery Boys by Aiden Thomas. I loved them both! They were both slightly creepy (especially Anna!) and had just great stories with great characters, that went in surprising directions. Cemetery Boys was very interesting culturally, with a lot of dia de los muertos influence apparent. These are both YA fantasy, and I would highly recommend them.

Favorites

And finally, I owe it to my Book Aunt for letting me borrow her copy of A Gentleman in Moscow! I simply adored this historical novel. Wow. What a tour de force. To encompass this great historical epoch within the walls of a hotel room? Oh my gosh. And the food! Lord have mercy. I need a chef. All I’m saying is, if you want to take a trip without ever having left your chair, through time and space, go read this beautiful, bittersweet, heart-warming story. It is beyond. And couldn’t we all use that right now?

I rounded out the year with some nice nonfiction, and I want to give it a mention. I loved The Book of Runes by Robert Blum, Salt on My Skin, a memoir and reflection by Sarah Kennedy Norquoy, and The Lost Art of Reading Nature’s Signs by Tristan Gooley. These were all very late in the game, and I probably will go back to each of them and mark them up. I already have several tabs in the Gooley title. I’ve been neglecting nonfiction the past couple years, and it’s time I picked it up again.

Honorable Mentions

Under honorable mentions: I loved The Epic Crush of Genie Lo by FC Lee! I had an ARC sitting here forever and then I used it for a prompt in a reading challenge and I am so glad I did! It was just a fantastic story. I want to track down the rest of the series now. I also devoured The Guinevere Deception by Kiersten White, an Arthurian legend turned on its head. Now to find the second book! And a big shout out to Brandon Sanderson. I found myself in a little bit of a Sanderlanche in the spring, reading Mistborn Era 2, and LOVING it! I loved Wax and Wayne so much. Like Batman and Robin, only funnier. And then I read Elantris. Whoa! And there is to be a sequel!! Some day. Who knows. This guy is writing something like four series right now. I would have started Stormlight Archives but I had to get back to my other books, and I found out it is a projected 10 book series, so I think I’ll wait a bit.

Drumroll

So that’s roughly my top 15. I mean, don’t quote me on that. But it is hard to narrow down so many good books! If you are wondering which I would call my top read of 2020 – *drumroll* – I am calling it Tales from the Hinterland! I feel like this belongs to 2021 (how can you read in the future?), but I’m sticking to my rules. I’ve read it, so there. Beowulf is not far behind! We’ll just have to save Addie Larue for 2021.

Looking Ahead

I did have a great reading year. I ran a readalong of The Silmarillion in March 2020, and enjoyed all my Poirot. I loved all the readalongs I participated in. I finally finished my first full-length Dickens novel, Oliver Twist, which was mainly just sad (there are four on my Currently Reading GoodReads shelf. Oops). I also finished several other series that I had been working on, including The Raven Cycle and Shades of Magic. I know, they didn’t individually make my top books of the year, but it was great to finish those series. I loved them. What I have realized is that the final books were not my favorites of the series. And that’s okay. Some of my top reads made it to my Halloween Reads post, so feel free to check that out.

I am looking forward to 2021, for so many reasons. I have just wrapped up co-hosting a readalong of The Lord of the Rings with my friends Alicia and Morgan, and I am also co-hosting a readalong of The Collected Short Stories of Eudora Welty with Alicia, which will go all year. I am excited about both of these. Other than that, I am hoping to read more backlist fantasy, and finish a few more series. I am setting my overall goal at 100 books again (I’ve already read 42!), and I want 50 of those to be books that I own. I plan to read at least 12 classics, and I’ve already started. I hope to unhaul 50 books, and work on building a more purposeful library.

That concludes our reading recap for the annus horribilis. I’m hoping 2021 holds fewer surprises of the nasty variety, more laughter and long walks, and at least one trip to a Great Lake. I wouldn’t say no to going further afield, but we shall see. I also hope there are wedding bells and toddler playtime, and a completed manuscript in there somewhere. If you’ve made it this far, cheers to you, and here’s to a Much Improved New Year!

*Yes, this is very late. Who knew that 2021 would be almost as difficult as 2020? As I polish this for posting, I am getting ready to go to Houston, as my father-in-law passed away on Monday. I was derailed by the insurrection at the Capitol, and I spent the rest of January reading books for the Minnesota Book Awards. I am still waiting for my Covid vaccination, masking up and hunkering down. It has been a bumpy year already. But I wanted to post this as I spent so much time compiling it! I hope you find some new favorites here.

Best Books of 2019

December 5, 2019 / / 1 Comment

What a wild year. I discovered so many great books this year! Some of them were rather old, but some of them were brand spanking new. All of them were first reads (I could gush about some rereads too!). I had a lot of five star reads. I’ve only recently begun using star ratings on GoodReads. I wanted to see how it would work and I think I like it. Half of the fun of doing this list was going back and reading my original reviews/notes on GoodReads. So much gushing!

These books inspired me (one even gave me a huge breakthrough on my own novel!), they broadened my horizons, they made me laugh and they made me cry. I started the year saying I wanted to read more classics, and boy, I sure did. Now I think I want to dial that back a bit, but there are still several classics on my list. I’m already planning for 2020. But for now, here is (in no particular order) what rocked my world in 2019. Continue reading

Best of 2018

December 30, 2018 / / 0 Comments

What a great reading year 2018 was! Even though I had an eye infection that prevented me from reading much for over a month, and I went on several trips where almost no reading was done, I am still determined to make my goal.

But man. It was strong in what I did read. And I think that was because I was more picky. I know what I like. And I am not much into romance, or just drama for drama’s sake. So the big YA series like Throne of Glass or A Court of Whatever are not really for me. (Before you gasp, I tried Throne of Glass, and I got three or four books in, and nah, I’ll just continue on with what I like, tyvm.)

My first book of the year continues to be one of my favorites – The Hazel Wood by Melissa Albert! I loved this darkly macabre fairytale! Set in contemporary New York City, it quickly scuttles over to a dark and sinister fairytale place. I am chuffed to find that they will be publishing the actual Tales of the Hinterland (a book integral to the plot), as well as a second in the series! Very excited for those.

I can’t really pick my top three. I had so many five star reads! But here are a few more that I really loved:

Sky in the Deep by Adrienne Young

Give me Vikings and a really strong female protagonist! And the world building! Oh, this was a great ride.

Tales of Earthsea by Ursula LeGuin

Read this with a group starting right after her untimely demise. We read the whole series, and I’m so glad I did! It was wonderful, each book individually, but also, wow, the series as a whole! Highly recommend.

The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern

Oh my gosh, why did I wait so long? This was a feast for the senses, as well as a really cool story. I loved it, and it made me very keen to do everything in black and white (with a touch of red, of course!)!

The Illuminae Series by Jay Kristoff and Amie Kauffman

I did a group reread of the series leading up to the release of Obsidio, and oh man, it just gets better.  This series was so fun and heartbreaking and intense! I don’t generally read scifi but I will die on this hill.

The Lies of Locke Lamora by Scott Lynch

Another one that I can’t believe I waited so long for! Here is to backlists, people. This was fantastic! And THEN, AND THEN… I got to meet him at a Con this summer! Oh my gosh. And hearing him read his work was just amazing. I’m going to have to devour the rest of this series soon because he is working on something new!

The Silmarillion by JRR Tolkien

Look. I understand. You think that Lord of the Rings is boring, or too dense, or too long. But hey. IT IS ONLY BRILLIANT. And this book is kind of a prequel. So it deserves some love. Reading it during Middle Earth March gave me a lot of background for the many references made in Lord of the Rings, so on my current reread of the series, I am getting even more out of it than before. Which is saying something.

The Gentleman’s Guide to Vice and Virtue by Mackenzie Lee

This was a seriously fun romp through Europe, combining historical fiction with YA in a way that was clever and entertaining. I loved this as a summer read, and I am looking forward to reading the second one. I will say, though, that it had moments of gripping tension and dealt with serious issues. But the cast! This ensemble cast was amazing.

Leah on the Offbeat by Becky Albertalli

Ahhhh! I LOVED LEAH!! This was a snarkfest masquerading as a contemporary. I didn’t get to meet Becky (even though she came here, because airport duty), but my friend Lupe shot a video of her saying hi to me and then she got me a signed book! Oh my gosh, my heart. This was a bookish highlight of the year for me. I also read Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda this year and yes, of course I loved that too. Becky is my newest auto-buy author.

A few Middle Grade – so many good ones!

The Fearless Travelers’ Guide to Wicked Places by Pete Begler

This was astounding in its imaginative scope. Slightly scary. Amazing high stakes. I put this in my Halloween Reads but it deserves a spot here as well. Get thee to the backlist, folks!

Coraline by Neil Gaiman

Another one that I hadn’t read for whatever reason. But then I also watched the movie. Oh my gosh. This is for kids? Give me a break. The book, dear reader, was better.

City of Ghosts by Victoria Schwab

I got to meet Victoria!! She was amazing! I had not read this when I met her, and I am sad that I didn’t get a copy signed, but this series in one that I will be looking forward to each new book. I still haven’t read Vicious or Vengeful, either. More Victoria for me!

Laini Taylor

Oh, just go read all of it. I had several Laini books on my list this year. I got to MEET her! I finally finished the Daughter of Smoke and Bone trilogy, based on her advice to finish that before reading Muse of Nightmares. So I did. And I read The Night of Cake and Puppets (great break in the middle of the DoSaB trilogy if things are getting too intense for you), and I read Strange the Dreamer. Now I need to read Muse and her short story collection, Lips Touch. I am here for all things Laini.

 

So as you can tell, it was really an amazing Book Year. I met some very wonderful authors, and I just can’t thank them enough for their graciousness and really, they were so nice! I did a lot of readalongs, which helped with some things (like two Shakespeare plays and some classics such as Jane Eyre and The Picture of Dorian Grey!). I met a ton of great folks over on Bookstagram, and I mean, I’m having such a good time on there that I am probably slacking on this blog because of it. But if you have read this far, thanks so much and I really do hope to post more on here in the coming year.

Some plans for 2019:

I am going to be participating in #theunreadshelfproject2019 for the coming year. Monthly challenges, intentional library building, and a great host in Whitney! The first task she asked for was that we should count our unread books. Oh my. But I’m going to start that as soon as I make my goal. I know it is in the hundreds. But I also know that there are many books in the house that I do not want to keep. So I’m hoping to sort that out better this year.

I’m also going to be taking part in a couple of long-term readalongs. One is for Jane Austen, under the hashtag #ArdentlyAustenBookClub – we’ll be reading one of her books every month until July. This is great, because I’ve only read one! And I’ve always meant to read more. I will also be reading an Agatha Christie book every month. I’m doing two of these – who knew that she was so popular, right? One is #AYearwithChristie2019 with @thewrittenwordandtea and the other is with a friend, where we are going to read all the Miss Marple books. I don’t think there is much overlap, so by the end of the year, I’ll be very much caught up on my Agatha! And my Jane! And my undread books! Oh, this is going to be great.

If we are not already connected on Bookstragram, come find me at @lindabookmania. I’m posting there daily, and I love to chat!

 

Best Books of 2017

December 29, 2017 / / 2 Comments

My year got hijacked. I started off strong, reading something like 20 books in January (thanks in large part to a part-time job as a warming house attendant, which essentially meant uninterrupted reading time on most days). Then I got a job at a bookstore. Sounds ideal, right? Well, it really cut into my reading time, I can tell you that!

However, I did manage to get close to my goal of 75 books. I might even make it. At this writing, I have two days left, and I’ve read 60 books. And there’s a readathon tomorrow!

But all that aside, I did manage to read some great books this year. Books that blew me away, and that made me think, that stayed with me. And that is always the best thing. The following are the ones I most heartily recommend. Continue reading

Halloween Reads 2017

October 31, 2017 / / 3 Comments

Every year since 2011 I have done a round-up this time of year of spooky and creepy reads that I have enjoyed. I have sometimes included horror recommendations from other people (like in last year’s post from Alison at Little Bookworm), but I haven’t read those because I am a chicken. This year, though, I am happy to supply several titles that seriously fit the bill. I personally know a couple of these authors, but honestly, that has no bearing on my recommendation. They are all great stories.

At the bottom you will find links to my previous years’ posts, and an apology from me for falling off the radar here for so long. First, on to the books! Continue reading

Best Books of 2016, Part II

December 31, 2016 / / 2 Comments

Here is part two of my Best Books post, in which I wax rhapsodic about another YA fantasy, some mysteries, some middle grade and a few children’s picture books! I hope you have a chance to check some of these out! And if you missed it, check out part one of my post of Best Books of 2016!

Now, if you know me, you know how much I love YA. And if you know how much I love YA, you know how much I love Leigh Bardugo. I didn’t miss the sequel to Six of Crows, and I didn’t leave it off my list! Here we go, making the world right:

Crooked Kingdom by Leigh Bardugo

Yes, this is one of my favorite reads. I am, however, still in a bit of huff because the series is over. This book is the second one in the Six of Crows series. I reviewed Six of Crows here. Have I told you lately how much I love these characters? I love them so much, it hurts to say goodbye. In fact, I had a really hard time getting into this book. I had to enact the buddy-read method to get me to keep moving forward – and so that I would have someone to cry with when it was over. Okay, I didn’t cry (much). But it was still very sad. Nevertheless, pain is a part of life, and I suggest you get your hands on all the Leigh Bardugo books you can carry, and just sit down and read them all straight through. You’ll have a helluva hangover, but it will be so worth it. This setting, the writing, the story, the characters – you will be in love. (Bonus: I did preorder this, and I did get the most coolest preorder swag ever! More on that later.)

Mystery

In the Moors, Unraveled Visions, Beneath the Tor (Shaman Mystery series)
by Nina Milton

I’ve recently discovered a series published by a Minnesota publisher, Flux, which has a mystery imprint called Midnight Ink. I was looking for books about shamans, and stumbled across the Shaman Mysteries series by Nina Milton, about a modern shamanic practitioner named Sabbie Dare. Not only is it fascinating to hear about how she plies her trade, but the mysteries are good too. They are set on the Somerset moors, which only adds to the overall appeal. There are three in the series and I read them out of order, which does not seem to matter too awful much. Each one of them pulled me in and kept me going late into the night. I love Sabbie and I am totally rooting for her, even if she does have a habit of sticking her nose in where it doesn’t belong. Bonus: this counts as research for my work in progress!

Middle Grade

Sticks and Stones by Abby Cooper

What a lovely, refreshing, too-true bit of magical realism! I met Abby while we were both working on a project last spring, and I was so happy to find that her debut novel is every bit as effervescent as she is. It is a story about bullying, but also about self-confidence, about being true to yourself, and about the rigors of junior high. The main character may have a made-up condition, but the challenges she faces are as real as anything you will ever read. I loved Elyse, and her chirpy voice is spot-on and feels like someone I know. I am looking forward to more from this author!

The Peculiar Haunting of Thelma Bee by Erin Petti

This is delightful. That is the first word that comes to mind. This was one of my top Halloween Reads this year (check the link for the full review). It is a bit creepy, yes, and in the way of children’s literature, involves giving the children a great deal of license to do as they wish. But it is a lovely story, a bit of a mystery, a love story and a ghost story all rolled into one. The construct of the main character being very curious and loving scientific method means that this is very literally used in the story, which is one way of slipping in exposure to that. But Thelma is so delightful, and her need is so dire, that we cannot help but root for her. There is even an online component. I received this at the Heartland Fall Forum book show.

Children’s Picture Books

I just got my first issue of Horn Book, which had a very cool subscription deal that I couldn’t pass up. And it reminded me again how much I love a really beautiful children’s book. I will highlight a couple here that came to me over the past year.

One North Star: A Counting Book
by Phyllis Root
Illustrations by
Beckie Prange and Betsy Bowen

This is flat-out gorgeous. I love the combined woodcut and watercolor illustrations, the deep colors, and the depiction of the natural world. It is a counting book, too, which is absolutely fun. It takes the reader deep into caves, under water, and into a bear’s den. The pages are lush and rich with detail, while at the same time being very simple. I also like that there is information in the back on the different habitats depicted. If you have not yet discovered Phyllis Root, also check out her Plant a Pocket of Prairie book, also illustrated by Betsy Bowen, or any of her other many titles. This is my top children’s book of 2016! I received a copy of this book from the publisher, University of MN Press.

 

Tinyville Town Gets to Work! By Brian Biggs

This book reminds me of the old Richard Scarry books I had when I was a kid (which, yes, I still have), with its busy bright pages full of people doing all kinds of things. This is the first in the Tinyville Town series by Biggs. I got to meet the author at the Heartland Fall Forum in the Moveable Feast, where he told us about this book. It describes a very big process (building a bridge) in a very simple way, and celebrates the idea of how people working together can make great things happen. I look forward to more in this series!

Wake Up, Island by Mary Casanova
Woodcuts by Nick Wroblewski

This details a similar landscape as One North Star but contrasts with its very delicate, lovely illustrations that also include woodcuts but with a softer palette. This book shows the whole world waking up – not just a sleepy bear scratching his back, but pine trees that stretch, and lichen that warms a rock. This is full of fun sounds – mallard wings “wuff-wuffing,” a chickadee calls, a red squirrel chatters and munches. Children will get a feel for the whole world that is contained in this tiny spot of the north woods. I received this book from the Minnesota publishers reception at the Heartland Fall Forum.

There are so many good books out there. This is a much longer list than I typically give. I keep thinking of more books I want to add. But hopefully, one of these will appeal to you, and you will find the book that you need at the time that you need it. Because books really do change lives, and they really do matter. I hope you have many great books come your way in 2017!

Best Books of 2016, Part 1

December 30, 2016 / / 0 Comments

I love my stats. I am still not sure if I’ll make my reading challenge goal for this year – I had hiked it up to 80 books, even though last year I had not made my goal of 75. Call it a fit of optimism. But the year before last I read 100. Now my challenge shows me that I have 1 day and 10 hours to make my goal. This year, they have a feature called My Year in Books, which is like catnip to me. My longest book was Crooked Kingdom at 536 pages (every moment of it worthwhile); my average page count per book was 296 pages. These 72 books I’ve read so far this year amount to 20,439 pages. I like that. It’s a nice round number. I only wish I had more reading stats.

What I do have is a list of the books I liked the most. The ones that stuck with me. Here I’ll highlight my favorite reads of the year, covering many genres. My top three (no surprise) are all YA fantasy.

I want to say that YA fantasy has really stepped it up in recent years, but maybe it is just that I have only begun paying closer attention since I started blogging. I have gotten to know many bloggers on Twitter and Instagram who focus on YA, so that might be leading me more towards that genre as a whole. I am not a huge fan of contemporary (though I love Rainbow Rowell and I am looking forward to Adam Silvera’s new one), but I can’t get enough of the fantasy.

Without further ado, here are my top reads of 2016!

Nevernight by Jay Kristoff

This one has stuck itself deep into my heart, deep into my psyche and my imagination. It is one of the most highly imaginative, well-executed books that I think I have ever read. It feels cut out of whole cloth. It is magical, awe-inspiring – the superlatives do not do it justice. What Kristoff has done here is imagined a whole new world – one with three suns, then created a lexicon that uses that specific element – days are not days, they are “turns” and so these characters do not say ‘some day,’ but “some turn.” He has then populated that landscape with an incredible cityscape, and other continents that share their own incredible histories, and then peopled that world with characters that make you cringe and make you cry, that you will root for and fear all at once. The writing, the very magic of the words and sentences, is sublime. There is even – wait for it – a vast, cavernous library that has its own surprise, and is prowled by actual bookworms, which will eat you whole.

This is deep and dark and full of foreboding. People die. Many die in gruesome, startling ways. Our heroine, Mia, is befriended by shadows, and you will soon wish you had your own Mister Kindly. Her story is heartbreaking, but she rises above it in ways that will astonish you. You may not agree with everything she does, but you will want her to succeed at doing it. Let’s just say it earns the hashtag for this title, which is #stabstabstab.

I cannot say enough good things about this book, except holy hell, why was it not on every best list, and why is it not being sung from the mountaintops? And just that you should go get it. Read the synopsis on your chosen book site, and then know that is not nearly enough. It is so much more. For some reason I haven’t published my review yet. And my library doesn’t have a copy. I had to get mine from another system (thank the goddess for Interlibrary loans!). But it is worth hiking over hills and mountains to get this in your hands.

This Savage Song by Victoria Schwab

It was hard to choose, if I had to, between this and Nevernight. The clincher, I think, was the overall feel of the book. This is a fantastic story, told by two teens, who are very different from each other. I don’t know if you will like Katie, but that’s okay. You may be repulsed by August, or utterly charmed by him. You will certainly feel for them as they are drawn into this world they inhabit, which they are trying very hard to resist. I loved the story here, I loved the characters, and I loved the utterly forlorn nature of the situation. This is not sugar-coated. It is dark and it is nasty. But there is music, though it does not bring beauty, and at the end, there is hope. This was the second book I had read by Schwab, and I found it even more wonderful than her Darker Shade of Magic series. No romance here, thank you very much. And I can’t wait for the second in this duology, Dark Duet. You can see my full review here.

Rebel of the Sands by Alwyn Hamilton

I’ve been championing this book ever since I first read it. I loved it. It is a fast-paced, rousing rebel-with-a-cause adventure, and I want to get back to the desert and see what could possibly happen next. I loved Amani and I loved the setting. I could taste both the dust in my mouth and her own desperation to get out of her sleepy little one-horse town. But along with the adventure, this was also a book about stories. There are legends, and myths, and everyone has their own secrets, and the stories might be true, or might not. There is magic, there is a lovely spot-on bit of blushing romance, and I can’t wait for the next book. I don’t own a copy of this one, but I am torn now, because they changed the beautiful cover for the next book. Why oh why did they do that? They just don’t understand – series must match! And that gorgeous cover is something I would have loved to see carried through. Ah well. I know well enough by now that publishers have reasons why they do things.

Nonfiction

Thrill Me: Essays on Fiction by Benjamin Percy

I read this bit by bit, trying to savor it but still rushing to the next chapter. I loved the way it was laid out. Each chapter focused on a different element of writing. You might want to skip ahead to whatever is eating you at the moment, but I urge you to read it all the way through. It’s like a little masterclass between covers. See how many flags are in my copy? I am excited to put all this great advice to use. A Minnesota author by a Minnesota publisher! I got this copy at the Minnesota reception at Heartland Fall Forum, where I finally got to meet Ben in person.

The Song Poet by Kao Kalia Yang

If you have not read The Late Homecomer, you may not be familiar with Yang. She is a Minnesotan, but her writing will take you far away from here. In her latest book, she tells the story of her father. It’s interesting to hear a daughter focus on her father, but clearly they have a special relationship, and his gift made an impression on her. This is a riveting account of his life, from the mountaintop jungles to the refugee camp to life in America. It is clear that should Yang choose to, she would be an astounding poet. If you ever – I mean EVER – get a chance to hear her speak, run, don’t walk. She can make an entire room cry just answering a question. Her thoughtful, clear-headed story will leave its mark on you. Bonus: if you are not familiar with the Hmong people, you are in for a helluva story. I am so glad that she wrote this book. This one should be filed under “miraculous.” (I received a copy of this book from the publisher at the spring bookseller meeting of MiBA.

Grief Is the Things with Feathers by Max Porter

Never mind that Porter stole the title of the poem that was my mantra while my best friend was fighting cancer. I was irked by that at first, wishing I’d thought to title my poetry collection with this, but that would be too close to the source, wouldn’t it? At any rate, I did not have huge high hopes for this novel. I thought it was at best an affectation, at worst an over-hyped golden boy. But, ahem, I stand corrected, even if only to myself. This spare, lyrical novel will give you pause. It may seem crazy, but just read every word and take the journey. The journey is always different but the ending is magnificent. Keep going.

Fiction

The Dark Lady’s Mask by Mary Sharratt

Carry yourself away, 400 years in the past and across the ocean, to Italy, to England. Mary Sharratt brings it all to life. In what is fast becoming her trademark of authenticity, she has recreated the world in which, perhaps, William Shakespeare made the acquaintance of England’s first published lady poet, Aemelia Bassano. He may or may not have traveled to Italy with her, and then, returning to England, he wrote those sonnets – to her? It is all conjecture at this point, but oh, highly suspect! And somehow, it just feels right. We get glimpses of the court life, glimpses of the precarious nature of society then, the predicament of women, and the words, all the words. This is a lush, fully-imagined story, great for anyone who enjoys diving into historical fiction. Disclaimer: I worked with Mary on a social media campaign for the release of this book. Look for #OpheliaReads on Twitter and Facebook for some fun pics!

Wintering by Peter Geye

And now for something completely different. Peter Geye fully brings to life the landscape of northern Minnesota like no one else. In fact, you could say that the landscape is another character in his books. If you have not read his earlier work, The Lighthouse Road, you could pick that up first, and then binge both of these. They are each told covering two time periods, and contain multiple perspectives, sharing some characters. It is complex writing, and beautiful. Geye returns to his North Shore town of Gunflint, and tells the story of a trip a father and son took into the wild years before. It is an adventure story, tense yet full of the peace of nature. You do not need to have read Lighthouse Road in order to enjoy Wintering, however. Just find yourself some Peter Geye, and settle in for a great winter read.

 

And with that, I got carried away. Check back tomorrow for the second half of my Best of 2016 reads, with more YA, mystery, middle grade and children’s picture books!

Minnesota Nice: Best of 2015

December 31, 2015 / / 4 Comments

The year of 2015 was a slow reading year for me. I typically would have little trouble meeting my goal of 100 books. This year, I have yet to reach my goal of 75 books. I have 36 hours and 13 books to go (with seven books on my Currently Reading shelf). Do you think I can make it?

Of the books I read this year, several were standouts. I read widely, so this will include some fantasy, some historical, some nonfiction and even a gorgeous book that you might think was written for children. These are not reviews, per se, but my recommendations. You can find a synopsis of any of these titles on GoodReads or Amazon.

First up, the two books that I want to highlight the most. These are the books that I recommend without fail, that I cannot stop thrusting into the hands of unwary passersby. I even handsold a copy of one of these to a friend at a bookstore – and I don’t even work there! Without further ado, here are my favorite reads from 2015.

LibraryMountCharTHE LIBRARY AT MOUNT CHAR
by Scott Hawkins

What do you do when you find that your god needs to be replaced? This is the one I handsold. This is the book that when I finished it, I wanted to turn right around and start reading it again. This book enlarged my world and blew my mind. It is gory in places, but the story swept me along so that I didn’t even mind how many different ways people were being killed. The mythology, the magic, the languages – THE LIBRARY! Oh, I’m a sucker for a lovely library, with floors of jade and a ceiling that reaches the sky. But there’s much more to it, and Hawkins delivers on all fronts. Doesn’t hurt that he is a super accessible on GoodReads and his blog and he gifts his readers with insight, as well as an extra short story now and then. I hardly ever read anything with the word ‘contemporary’ in it, but this contemporary fantasy does everything right. He’s been compared to Neil Gaiman, and earns every bit of it.

THE WATCHMAKER OF FILIGREE STREET by Natasha PulleyWatchmakerFiligree

For a swift journey back to Victorian London, you can’t go wrong here. This story takes all that is magical about London, and with a funky clockwork steampunk vibe, makes it about all the universal things that we are so concerned with: belonging, choices, finding your way in life, possibilities, and chance. The concerns feel modern, yet we are completely present in Victorian London. The characters build until you are rooting for them, whether they are good or bad. Exploring the idea of knowing what might happen, and how that affects things, and what change a chance encounter can exhibit. There was just enough tension, but not too much, and the intriguing magical realism lent an other-worldly air to that seemed exotic, along with the Japanese flourishes. What would you do if you could sense what was going to happen? How would it affect your life if you saw sounds as colors? I enjoyed this book so much, I’m leading the discussion on it in book club in two months. Think Aimee Bender meets Cassandra Clare.

SERIES

ShadowBoneThe Grisha Trilogy by Leigh Bardugo

I read these straight through, and boy howdy, am I glad I did. There is nothing quite like completely inhabiting a world, and Bardugo takes you there and sticks you in it. As Alina’s fortunes rise and fall, your heart will too. You will fall in love repeatedly, you will root for and then banish bad guys, you will despair and then be uplifted. Just start with Shadow and Bone and cozy up with all three. Surrender to the Russianesque flourishes, the empirical splendor, the daring and the imagination. It’s a truly fun ride. Shadow and Bone, Siege and Storm, Ruin and Rising.

My treat to myself for New Year’s Eve will be reading SIX OF CROWS, also by Leigh Bardugo, which is set in the same world but is a different storyline. I’ve been looking forward to this for months. I have no doubt that it will deliver everything the hype has promised.

Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs

I likewise read these all straight through, once the final volume came out. These kept me up way past my bedtime, as I wondered how on earth the children were going to get out of yet another seemingly deadly situation (SPOILER: they do). But even as they survive each grim encounter, you wonder how their kind will survive overall, and that is what kept me turning pages. Top that with the strange and curious photos that accompany each chapter, which really help you to picture the characters and bring the story to life. I loved the erstwhile love story background to it all, I loved the imagination of how this society lived and thrived and then merely survived, and what will happen to them next. Spellbinding. Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children, Hollow City, Library of Souls.

Contemporary Fiction

KITCHENS OF THE GREAT MIDWEST by J. Ryan Stradal

I am still, months later, in love with Eva. I want more of Eva. This is, in the same vein as Stonich’s VACATIONLAND, a collection of stories, really, all connected by their relationship to one woman. Each chapter features a different food (with recipes!!). I love the pure sensory detail of it, but the characters shine through, even with as large a cast as this. Life, love, food. What else is there? This one brings it home, and particularly so if you have an attachment to the Midwest. True Minnesota flavor.

FishingRayanneFISHING WITH RAYANNE by Ava Finch

Call it chick lit if you like, but this lovely story, with its feisty heroine, made me sit up and take notice. I loved Rayanne, I loved her grit and determination but also her insecurity and vulnerability. I like how she knows the right thing to do but can’t always quite manage it. I like how she loves Dot, but somehow manages her mother and father too. I love how she found herself in fishing, and in so doing, made a name for herself, a life for herself, in a field with few women, but I wouldn’t call her a feminist. I can’t wait for the next one in this trilogy. Also, that whole Minnesota thing, done so well.

Honorable mention in novels:

ILLUMINAE by Amie Kaufman

Such a cool presentation, a story told in real time excerpts via email, reports and instant messages. I loved the story, I loved the experience. Even if you have never read a piece of science fiction, you will enjoy this space story/romance.

FIRST CIRCLE CLUB by Alex SiegelFirstCircle

I love a good mystery, but am less enamored with thrillers. However, this supernatural thriller picked me up and carried me along and then gently set me down at the end, and I can’t wait for the next one. Heaven and hell band together to fight an unknown foe – what could possibly go wrong?

Children’s Book

THE SLEEPER AND THE SPINDLE by Neil Gaiman

This gorgeous book, with its breathtaking and detailed pen and ink drawings, vellum jacket and beautiful prose, will carry you along just fine… until suddenly, in true Gaimanesque fashion, it veers wildly off to the left and you are careening down a road that you never dreamed existed. Recommended for strong-willed girls, unless you want to truly tame them. Boys will enjoy it too, don’t get me wrong. I simply loved this original retelling of the Sleeping Beauty tale. Just stunning. I’ve recommended it to a slew of friends already.

Nonfiction

Because I review books about literature for Library Journal, I invariably come across gems so delicious that I just must share them. This year was no exception. Here are a few that grabbed me.

100DemonsONE HUNDRED DEMONS
by Lynda Barry

You might flip through this quickly, but it will surely leave you with food for thought. I loved how she took something that at face value might seem innocuous, and then turned it into a profound statement on life. I also loved the way it was presented. A truly talented artist, Barry seems to also be something of a philosopher.

RARE BOOKS UNCOVERED: True Stories of Fantastic Finds in Unlikely Places by Rebecca Rego Barry

This book made me cry. At the end of the story about the manuscript discovered in the attic, how that house had seen so much history, I don’t know why, but I was just overcome. It also served to awaken in me a latent tendency for collecting. I’ve dabbled in book collecting over the years, but this book is such a handy primer to the passion, it is like a how-to. And who am I to resist? I gave it a starred review for Library Journal. This book will give you hope for that pearl in the oyster.

Honorable Mention in nonfiction: These titles were so valuable to me over the past year, I would be remiss in not mentioning them.

THE EMPEROR OF ALL MALADIES: A Biography of Cancer
by Siddhartha Mukherjee

A completely accessible and clear-cut exploration of the treatment of cancer. Anyone who has been touched by this monstrous disease and who has wondered why will find some answers here.

THE LIFE-CHANGING MAGIC OF TIDYING UP by Marie Kondo

I have read this through at least twice, and will likely read it again before too long. Kondo’s method will work for you, but it won’t be quick. Her idea of sorting by category rather than location in attempts to declutter is a game-changer.

In my years of writing for Examiner, I always enjoyed round-up posts. You can find my year-end Best of posts there, as well as an annual Halloween Reading post. The last one of these was done on my writing blog, because I no longer wanted to post on Examiner but hadn’t yet gotten this blog up. Included in that post was The Library at Mount Char and the Miss Peregrine’s series. They are just that creepy!

There are many more books on my list, many more books in stacks and piles around my house, and many more that I hope to review on this blog over the coming year. The reviews won’t all be this long. 🙂 I hope you will join me!

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