Month: November 2020 Page 1 of 2

…when I’m wondering why I have so much Christmas decoration that I cannot put up because of the cats.

Have you ever tried having a lovely looking book tree with tinsel and fairy lights with two nosy cats? I have, last year. Ended in disaster for the tinsel and fairy lights, luckily the books escaped without much harm. This year, I had the idea of creating a Jolabokaflod book tree. If you are not familiar with the term Jolabokaflod, it’s Icelandic for Christmas book flood. The Icelandic tradition is to give and receive lots of books on Christmas Eve (that’s the brief version). So, my Plan -with a capital P- is to wrap all of the books that I have for the kids, and for myself, and put up a book tree. I’ll forego the tinsel and lights this time; better safe than sorry. What is keeping me from doing this? The amount of books I’d have to wrap. It’s somewhere around 50 or 60, I think. (Yes, I went all out.) Also, the time that goes into wrapping all those books, I would rather be reading!

I’d best be procrastinating by telling you about whether I have planned any reading for December? But first, did I get any reading done in November?

November seemed like a slow month for me, maybe it’s because I did not read twenty or more books. I’ve read/listened to The Broken Earth trilogy by N.K. Jemisin. I’ve read, and partly re-read and buddyread with my son, The Scythe trilogy by Neal Shusterman; review to come. There were a few juicy romance novels in November, which I totally blame on the foggy weather. I skimmed along the Sceptre Buddyread, The Once and Future Witches by Alix E. Harrow. We, that is the Sceptres, also read R.F. Kuang’s The Poppy War together; a review is forthcoming. I’ve managed to read a few ARCs off my NetGalley shelf, gave feedback on two beta-reads, and I read a lot of chapters from different books to my daughter.

In December I plan to read that slim volume of Twelve Angry Men by Reginald Rose for my postal book club. There is the Sceptre Buddyread, which is lying right next to me, but since TheMarquessMagpie and TheLadyDuckOfDoom haven’t got their books yet, I am keeping mum about the title. [ETA: they both got their copies, we all know what the title is; you’ll find out in our title reveal post] There will, of course, be more books to read, but I don’t know what I will pick at this moment. There will be ARCs, that’s for sure, there might be some books that have collected actual and virtual dust over the past months/years. I’ll tell you in January.

For now I am off. There are books to be wrapped, tinsel to be stuffed into a cat prove box, biscuit dough to be prepared. I’ll put on an audiobook to entertain me, can’t waste precious reading time on listening to the ticking of the clock.

Better late than never #1 …

By TheRightHonourableHarpyEagle

On November 30, 2020

In 42, A Day in the Life of a Bookdragon, Forgotten Relics, Reviews

…or how I eventually picked up a series that had been recommended to me felt ages ago. (BTW, this is going to be an ongoing series, I have a lot of catching up to do.)

The Broken Earth Trilogy by N.K. Jemisin was, as I mentioned above, recommended to me. When I found myself spoilt for choice with what to read next, I picked up the first book, The Fifth Season.

It was a bit tricky to get into the story. The different POV took some time to get used to, but when it finally clicked and made sense, I flew through the rest of the book and immediately picked up the next one, The Obelisk Gate. Which I then chased with the last book, The Stone Sky.

The world-building and magic system are what most people rave about. I would like to describe it, but I am sure I’d botch it up and/or give too much away. Let’s just say, the raving is justified.

What I truly liked about the series is that the main character is a woman in her forties, who has already experienced so many bad and good things in her live and now has to find her daughter and somehow save the world on her quest.

The Order of the Pure Moon Reflected in Water

By TheMarquessMagpie

On November 30, 2020

In Audio Feedback, Dungeons & Bookdragons, Keep it short, Reviews

You may know Zen Cho from her books Sorcerer to the Crown, but with The Order of the Pure Moon Reflected in Water, she proves that her writing also shines in a shorter novella form. And you can’t help but get interested with a beautiful title and cover like that.

The book follows Guet Imm, a votary of the titular order. She joins a group of bandits after being fired from her job in a coffee house because of a commotion one of the bandits started. While Guet Imm befriends the right-hand man of the group’s leader, trouble is on the horizon because of the items they are planning to sell. From the outset, you would expect something really action-packed. It starts with a martial arts fight scene, after all. But what you get is a warmhearted novella about a found family with strong themes of acceptance. Devotees of the order also have some tricks up their sleeves, and there may or may not be magic involved.

The audiobook was done really well, and it was easy to keep track of the characters. I think listening to it really added to my enjoyment of the story, as it provided an easier access to the Asian names for me.

Taking a Stand

By TheMarquessMagpie

On November 18, 2020

In Freezer Books, Reviews

You may have read about my struggle with Stephen King’s The Stand but today is the day I can finally finally finally announce that I did it. I finished it. It took me roughly seven months (and two weeks to eventually write this review, but that’s somehow very fitting).

The Stand is no doubt a masterpiece, albeit a very long one. But still, why did it take months for me to finish it? That was probably a case of “it’s not you, it’s me”. I had a hard time picking it up time and time again, probably because the page count is so daunting. Once I picked it up, I immersed myself easily. But after reading for quite a while, you still seem to barely make a dent in this huge doorstopper. Let us just say it was the wrong pick for this weird year, not because of the content, but probably because of the format.

Talking of content, I would maybe recommend reading it in 2022, or later. An apocalyptic horror novel about a virus gone wild is probably something that will sit better by then.

As always, nobody writes characters like Mr. King. This book has such a huge cast, and still he manages to make all of them memorable, interesting and fully fleshed out. Even with weeks passing between single reading sessions (cough cough), you step right back among them.

There is a certain ingenuity with which he lets the reader look at ordinary things and recognize the disaster that might lurk just beneath the surface. So, what happens if society has the chance to start over? If we can reshape the way humans are interacting in a social context, rebuild the way we are organized based on the knowledge and experiences we have right now? Well, in King’s opinion we get either a peaceful, benevolent community….or bloody mayhem. I think he has a point.

4/5 Goodreads stars

Once there were three witches

By TheRightHonourableHarpyEagle

On November 18, 2020

In Buddyreads, Dungeons & Bookdragons, Hidden Gems, Reviews, The Power of Love

The Once and Future Witches by Alix Harrow, publishing date October 15, 2020.

After reading The Ten Thousand Doors of January, I was happy to be approved for the ARC for Alix Harrow’s next book. A book about witches.

Yet, it is so much more than just about witches. Set in 1883, in New Salem, a town a few miles away from Old Salem, which was burned down in the witch trials about a hundred years ago. Women are fighting for the right to vote. And three sisters need to get to grips with their past and survive the present to allow a future for strong women and witchcraft.

Apart from (feminist) witches and devious witch hunters, this book contains badass librarians, sisters and Sisters, powerful depictions of birth and motherhood, and a gorgeous cover.

The prose is excellent. This is why the rather slow parts in the story are still a pleasure to read. Still, at about 60% of the story I was wondering what else might be coming, I thought everything had been said by then. I was wrong, obviously.

4/5 Goodreads stars

The Once & Future Witches was also our Buddyread this month, picked by our most trusted bookshop, Otherland. TheRightHonorableHarpyEagle skipped along a second time, while TheMarquessMagpie and TheLadyDuckOfDoom discovered the magical story of the three sisters. Here is what we think:

TheMarquessMagpie was very much in awe of the writing style. It felt like fairytales came alive, some of them old, some of them new, all of them feeling like a warm blanket on a cold day. She felt part of the family, one of the sisters herself. There was longing, to be one of the future witches and to believe her familiar is out there, waiting in the dark with red burning eyes until she is ready.

TheLadyDuckOfDoom fell in love with the book, sometimes every page all over again. She especially loved the part on page 399 – 401, which her imagination wants to paint rather badly. It’s the part where old meets new, and no further spoilers will be heard from her, because she loved every part of the story deeply and will not take anything away from potential readers.

Going once, twice, sold!

By TheRightHonourableHarpyEagle

On November 10, 2020

In Dungeons & Bookdragons

The Midnight Bargain by C.L. Polk, published October 13 2020.

We’re looking at a fantasy world that’s similar to the British Regency Period. The higher classes meet during a season that’s called Bargaining Season, to basically sell off their eligible daughters to the highest bidder. These daughters are sorceresses. They could perform magic, but -as is so often the case- they are not allowed to. The practice of magic is restricted to initiated men. Young sorceresses learn a few spells, but never get a real chance to outgrow the nursery rhyme phase. Upon their marriage an enchanted collar will be fastened around their necks blocking their magic, so that no malicious spirit may enter and inhabit the soul of any possible unborn child. Magical women’s sole purpose, until menopause, is producing offspring.

The female lead of the story, Beatrice Clayborn, is such an eligible young sorceress. Her father, a non-magical merchant, has indebted the already financially unstable family to give Beatrice the perfect Bargaining Season. Beatrice is to find a wealthy husband so that especially her younger sister might profit by being able to go to an esteemed finishing school.

But Beatrice doesn’t want a husband. Beatrice wants to become a full Magus. Since women aren’t allowed to practice the magic that is necessary to become a magus, Beatrice had to learn to summon a spirit in secret from hidden encrypted books.

When Beatrice meets the handsome heir to a wealthy family of magi and his sister, she at first thinks she’s made enemies for life. In fact, she’s managed to make the best allies in her fight for equal rights for sorceresses. A difficult course, since neither sibling must know that the other is working to find a way for women to embrace both, magic and family.

Although the happy ending was predictable, I quite enjoyed the way it came about. A very enjoyable cosy read that had quite a lot of commentary on women’s oppression.

Black Sun

By TheRightHonourableHarpyEagle

On November 10, 2020

In Dungeons & Bookdragons, Reviews

Black Sun by Rebecca Roanhorse, published 13 October 2020.

Had I read the blurb to this book, I would have read it later. Not because it’s bad, but because I now have to wait for the next book in the trilogy.

What can I tell you about this book without giving too much away? It’s been prophesied that the Crow God will come to the city of Tova on the Winter Solstice, which this year coincides with a solar eclipse. This will allow the dark forces to unbalance the world.

The story is told in different points of views: there’s Serapio who has to get to Tova before the Winter Solstice; there’s Xiala who, as captain of a ship, has to make sure that Serapio gets to Tova in time, which means embarking on a near impossible sea voyage using all her human and magical abilities; there’s Naranpa, the sun priest who’s life is threatened by assassins. Following the three characters to the cliffhanger of the story was so interesting, I could hardly put down the book.

Black Sun is set in a fantasy world inspired by pre-Columbian American indigenous peoples. We have cities built on cliffs, societies where men seem to be excluded entirely, magic, gods, priests, different genders, different pronouns for non-binary genders, and so much more. A lot of thought went into the world-building and it does not disappoint. It adds to the characters’ stories and doesn’t distract from them.

If you have this on your TBR already, read it. Read it now, read it later when book two is in sight.

If you don’t have Black Sun on your TBR yet, put it on there, stat!

I’m defnitely going to put Roanhorse’s other books onto my TBR now. The woman can write!

Hench – Buddyread Review

By TheLadyDuckOfDoom

On November 2, 2020

In 42, Buddyreads, Reviews

Hench by Natalie Zina Walschots is a new take on the superhero genre. It does not focus on the heroes or the villains, but on Anna, a henchwoman. She starts out temping as a data analyst for villains. She quickly finds patterns in data and is an excellent planner – but not necessarily cut out for fieldwork. Things start there and get interesting really fast.

Hench is not an action movie made novel, like other, more typical superhero books you might have read. There is a lot of data analysis going on, but it is all done in the background. It is far from boring, though, and raises some fair points about superhero work. The suspense of the story gradually builds up as the stakes get higher. We all finished the Buddyread a week ahead of time.

The author takes her time to paint the superhero – supervillain world in wonderful shades of grey, giving them all a personality. The other henches working with Anna have their personal histories and motivations, and some of them can be quite surprising. Why would anyone work for a villain at all? They must be evil, right? Well, maybe the henches are just normal humans trying to get by.

Hench is a wonderful deconstruction of the superhero genre and a fantastic read. There are even some open questions that hint at a sequel. I wouldn’t mind that, but the book stands equally fine on its own.

It’s that time of the month …

By TheRightHonourableHarpyEagle

On November 1, 2020

In A Day in the Life of a Bookdragon, Buddyreads

… when I wonder what’s supposed to be nice about November rain. Ah, well, probably staying indoors and reading books while the tea goes cold.

October was full of books. According to my rather incorrect stats I managed to read about a book a day.

Tamsyn Muir’s Harrow the Ninth certainly was my favourite read in September and October.
There was the Sceptre Buddyread Hench, which we all liked and got through quicker than we had planned.
Sylvain Neuvel’s The Test left me unsettled. The idea behind this sort of citizenship test is not sitting well with me.
Nix’s The Left-Handed Booksellers of London, an Urban Fantasy set in the ’80s. Clever world-building and very likeable characters.
Johnson’s The Space Between Worlds plays with time travel ideas but set in a multiverse novel, thereby avoiding the typical time travel conundrums.
Hackwith’s Hell’s Library duology was “chef’s kiss”-superb. Honestly, if you like Urban Fantasy and library stories, read it.
I also read Cixin Liu’s short story/novella collection To Hold Up the Sky. The stories made me put The Three Body Problem onto the “need to read soon” TBR. He manages to intertwine the lives of down-to-earth people with hard sci-fi and Chinese culture which makes for very interesting reading material.
Further I have read some mediocre YA fantasy novels, which I then had to cleanse off my palate with romance novels and a few children’s books.

So, what’s in store for November? I intend to participate in the NaNoWriMo. Some of my reading time will have to be allotted to writing.

Well, there is the new Sceptre Buddyread. Alix E Harrow’s The Once and Future Witches, which I have already read as an ARC, but I am really looking forward to what my two buddies have to say about it. I’ll probably skim along.
The LadyDuckOfDoom and I might read Shveta Thakrar’s debut novel Star Daughter together. It’s set in Indian culture and mythology and the main character is half human and half star.
I carelessly abandoned Kit Rocha’s Deal with the Devil weeks ago, it’s patiently waiting for me to return to it.

I’m off to make tea and fetch my favourite blanket, maybe I’ll even light a candle and get some chocolate.

Multiverse Travel

By TheRightHonourableHarpyEagle

On November 1, 2020

In 42, Reviews

Micaiaha Johnson’s The Space Between Worlds, published 04 August, 2020.

There are 382 parallel Earths and Cara, the MC, is alive in 8 of them. These 8 are the Earths she should not traverse into, because no one knows what happens when you meet yourself in another universe. It’s probably as catastrophic as meeting yourself when time travelling. I digress.

Cara grew up in the wastelands, she thought she’d die young out there, like her mother, but one day she finds a way to use her risk-affine personality. She becomes a traverser, a person travelling between parallel universes. A job she can only do, because she died on most of the alternate Earths. One of the golden rules of traversing is, never to enter a world where you could meet your parallel-self. As any high-risk fiend, she has to break the golden rules: she meets an alternate self, she meddles in other-universe affairs, she discovers a conspiracy on her home base Earth 0, which she then has to try to stop.

Johnson created a wonderful world: the wastelands, ruled by a cruel warlord; the city full of multistory buildings, the different religious systems, and the traversing. Although the beginning of the novel is slightly confusing, because it takes some time to find out how traversing works, the pacing is excellent and it was very hard putting the book down.