Books A-Z

Hi Book-Sniffers and Librocubicularists,

It's been a while. Life's been busy. I've still been reading.

Quick update: Rereading has been the best. All 3 of my 5* rated books are rereads. They still have a place in my heart.

Onto the meat of this post: a tag.

A - Author read the most:  
Elizabeth Chadwick at 19

B - Best sequel ever:  
Trickster's Queen, by Tamora Pierce - some of her best writing/storytelling

C - Currently reading:
Frogkisser!, by Garth Nix - so far, delightful story in the style of a fairy tale

D - Drink of choice while reading:
Tea. Black, green, white, tisane. Any tea. Hot.

E - E-reader or Physical:
Physical. Though I've recently ventured into the e-reader sphere, I've always preferred physical.

F - Fictional character would have dated in high-school: 
Neal from 'Protector of the Small' series by Tamora Pierce - he's the goofy friend, I prefer the ones with humour, maybe not the handsomest, but with a heart of gold.

G - Glad you gave this a shot:
The Story of Owen: Dragonslayer of Trondheim, by E.K.Johnson - picked up at the library on a whim (who says no to dragons). Total shot in the dark. This book seems to be written just for me with all the references to everything in my world. 100% a heart-book.

H - Hidden gem: 
Here, There be Dragons, by James A. Owen - an incredible story of mystery, magic, and literature.

I - Important reading moment:
Every time I reread a favourite book and discover something new I didn't remember or missed, especially life lessons that have a sudden and real impact on my life.

J - Just finished:
Caraval, by Stephanie Garber

K - Kind of books I won't read:
Military or Colonialism

L - Longest book read:
The Wise Man's Fear, by Patrick Rothfuss - a honker coming it at 1000+ pages.

M - Major book hangover:
Either after reading The Night Circus, by Erin Morgenstern or marathoning the first 5 books of the Green Rider series by Kristen Britain (book 6 is coming out this year!!!).

N - Number of bookcases:
Three - one short, one tall, and one home-made. All are overflowing.

O - One book read multiple times:
The Woman who Rides Like a Man, by Tamora Pierce - it's the third in her Song of the Lioness series; there's something about this one that makes me reread it more often than the others in the series.

P - Preferred place to read:
Bed. It's got the best lighting. Hence, why I begin each post with 'Librocubicularists' (a person who reads in bed).

Q - Quote that inspires you:
“Stories have changed ... There are no more battles between good and evil, no monsters to slay, no maidens in need of rescue. Most maidens are perfectly capable of rescuing themselves in my experience, at least the ones worth something, in any case. There are no longer simple tales with quests and beasts and happy endings. ... And there are never really endings, happy or otherwise. Things keep overlapping and blur, ... Good and evil are a great deal more complex than a princess and a dragon ... And is not the dragon the hero of his own story?"

R - Reading regret:
Twilight. Blech. No thanks.

S - Series started, need to finish:
Chronicles of Prydain (Lloyd Alexander), Dark is Rising (Susan Cooper), Daughter of Smoke and Bone (Laini Taylor), Mortal Instruments (Cassandra Clare) - seriously, I've got only one book left to read in each of these series.

T - Three all-time favourite books:
The Blue Sword, by Robin McKinley; the whole Song of the Lioness series (I know that's cheating, but shhhh); and The Falcons of Montabard, by Elizabeth Chadwick.

U - Unapologetic fangirl for:
Anything with Lady Knights. Girls training to be a knight.

V - Very excited for this release:
Firebrand, by Kristen Britain - book 6 in her Green Rider series!!!!!

W - Worst bookish habit:
Buying books and not reading them - instead going to the library, rather than reading what I own.

X - X-marks the spot, count 27 books on shelf, name 27th one:
Crown Duel, by Sherwood Smith (one of my constant reread favourites)

Y -Your latest book purchase:
The Loser, by Thomas Bernhard; The Crimson Thread, by Suzanne Weyn; and, Golden, by Cameron Dokey.

Z - Zzzz, kept you up late at night: 
The Strange and Beautiful Sorrows of Ava Lavender, by Leslye Walton

Until next time,
~Happy Reading~

Happy New Year!!!

***HAPPY NEW YEAR ***

Book-Sniffers and Librocubicularists!

A new journey of adventures to go on, new books and worlds to discover, same favourite places to revisit, and the start of a pretty darn good year. 

Goals have been set. Hours spent writing up charts and lists wishing glorious books to read. 

Focused aim: Read 25,000 pages.

The difficult goal: Read good books. Read heart books. Ones that speak to my heart, soul, and mind.

Be not afraid: Ditch those boring ones. Not capturing me? I'll be ok with putting it down.

Reread: Devour the recent favourites. Ones that have burrowed into my soul over the past few years. 

Return to: High fantasy. There are new worlds that await my exploration.

Series: Finish some. Start some. 

~Cheers to a great reading year ~ 

Books to Read: 2016

In no particular order, the books I wish to read….

Newt's Emerald ~ Garth Nix

All My Friends Are Superheroes ~ Andrew Kaufman

The Gracekeepers ~ Kirsty Logan

Nod ~ Adrian Barnes 
Corpus Earthling ~ Louis Charbonneau

Magic Lost, Trouble Found ~ Lisa Shearin
The Engagement ~ Suzanne Robinson
A Gentle Feuding ~ Johanna Lindsey 
Pride and Prejudice and Zombies ~ Jane Austen & Seth Grahame-Smith 
The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet ~ Becky Chambers 
A Rose in Winter ~ Kathleen E. Woodiwiss 
Witch Finder ~ Ruth Warburton
The Returning ~ Christine Hinwood
The Paper Magician ~ Charlie N. Holmberg
The Seventh Miss Hatfield ~ Anna Caltabiano
The Glass Arrow ~  Kristen Simmons
Ether Frolics ~ Paul Marlowe
The Night Dance ~ Suzanne Weyn
A Room of One's Own ~ Virginia Woolf 
Irenicon ~ Aidan Harte
The Secret Garden ~ Frances Hodgson Burnett 
The Greengage Summer ~ Rumer Godden
No Fond Return of Love ~ Barbara Pym
Ties That Bind, Ties That Break ~ Lensey Namioka
Irenicon ~ Aidan Harte
The Humming Room ~ Ellen Potter 
The Greengage Summer ~ Rumer Godden
Frostfire ~ Amanda Hocking
Talon ~ Julie Kagawa
Kojiki ~ Keith Yatsuhashi
An Irish Country Doctor ~ Patrick Taylor
Cannonbridge ~ Jonathan Barnes
The Invisible Library ~ Genevieve Cogman
The Glass Arrow ~ Kristen Simmons 
Prisoner of Night and Fog ~ Anne Blankman
Anna Dressed in Blood ~ Kendare Blake
The Dark Days Club ~ Alison Goodman
Jackaby ~ William Ritter
And I Darken ~ Kiersten White
The Griffin of Darkwood ~ Becky Cintra 

Series:

*The Wise Man's Fear (II) ~ Patrick Rothfuss

Prairie Fire (II) ~ E.K.Johnston 
A Court of Mist and Fury (II) ~ Sarah J. Maas
Hidden (III) ~ Sophie Jordan 

Taran Wanderer (IV) ~ Lloyd Alexander

The Lesser Kindred (II) ~ Elizabeth Kerner

Queen of Shadows (IV) ~ Sarah J. Maas
Empire of Storms (V) ~ Sarah J. Maas
The Assassin's Blade (Prequel Novellas) ~ Sarah J Maas 
Twilight of the Dragons (II) ~ Andy Remic

The Hero Strikes Back (II) ~ Moira J. Moore
City of Ashes (II)~ Cassandra Clare
City of Glass (III) ~ Cassandra Clare
City of Fallen Angels (IV) ~ Cassandra Clare
City of Lost Souls (V) ~ Cassandra Clare
City of Heavenly Fire (VI) ~ Cassandra Clare
Nine Princes of Amber (I) ~ Roger Zelazny
The Grey King (IV) ~ Susan Cooper
End of Days (III) ~ Susan Ee
Goldenhand (V) ~ Garth Nix 
The Autumn Throne (III) ~ Elizabeth Chadwick

Bookclubs:

Bel Canto ~ Ann Pratchett

The Chimes ~ Anna Smaill 
Basket Case ~ Carl Hiaasen
The Search for WondLa ~ Tony Diterlizzi
The Fell Sword (II) ~ Miles Cameron
The Miserable Mill (IV) ~ Lemony Snicket
At Bertram's Hotel ~ Agatha Christie
The Count of Monte Cristo ~ Alexandre Dumas
Beacon 23 ~ Hugh Howey 
The Place of the Lion ~ Charles Williams
Nocturnes: Five Stories of Music and Nightfall ~ Kazuo Ishiguro 

Graphic Novels:

In Real Life ~ Cory Doctorow, Jen Wang
*Y: The Last Man, Vol 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10 ~ Brian K. Vaughn, Pia Guerra, Jose Marzan Jr

*Fables: Vol 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12 ... ~ Willingham and many many others

Lazarus: Vol 1, 2, 3, 4 ~ Rucka, Lark, Arcas
Fatale: Vol 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 ~ Ed Brubaker, Sean Phillips

*Carried over from last year's list.

Challenges: 2016

Page Count

Currently at: 26,415
Goal: 25, 000 - Keep going :)
Achieved: December 21, 2016
Updated: January 1, 2017

Book Count

Currently at:73
Goal: 60 - Keep going :)
Achieved: October 18, 2016
Updated: January 1, 2017






Popsugar: 2016 Book Challenge

Last year, I stumbled across PopSugar's Reading Challenge. Having done quite well, I found this year's (and tweaked a few of the challenges).

Rainbow Cover
Red* ~ Talon (Julie Kagawa)
Orange* ~ Ether Frolics (Paul Marlowe)
Yellow* ~ Basket Case (Carl Hiaasen)
Green* ~ Newt's Emerald (Garth Nix)
Blue ~ The Gracekeepers (Kirsty Logan)
Indigo* ~ The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet (Becky Chambers)
Violet* ~ Magic Lost, Trouble Found (Lisa Shearin)


Setting
Book set in home province/state ~ Nod (Adrian Barnes)
Set in Europe ~ The Engagement (Suzanne Robinson)
Takes place in the summer ~ The Greengage Summer (Rumer Godden)
Takes place on an island ~ The Humming Room (Ellen Potter)


Content
Translated to English ~ The Count of Monte Cristo (Alexandre Dumas)
Under 150 pages ~ A Room of One's Own (Virginia Woolf)
More than 600 pages ~ The Wise Man's Fear (Patrick Rothfuss)
Protagonist who has my occupation ~ Nocturnes (Kazuo Ishiguro)
Book about road trip ~ The Autumn Throne, III (Elizabeth Chadwick)

Acquirement
Book recommended by someone just met ~
Recommended by family member ~
First book see in bookstore ~ The Invisible Library (Genevieve Cogman)
Book from library ~ Prisoner of Night and Fog (Anne Blankman)
Book bought before 2015* ~ Witch Finder (Ruth Warburton)
Most recent purchase* ~ The Hero Strikes Back II (Moira J. Moore)


Genre
Fairy tale retelling ~ The Night Dance (Suzanne Weyn)
Romance set in future ~ The Glass Arrow (Kristen Simmons)
Science fiction novel ~ Beacon 23 (Hugh Howey)
Graphic novel ~ In Real Life (Cory Doctorow)
Murder mystery ~ Bertram's Hotel (Agatha Christie)
Dystopian ~ The Chimes (Anna Smaill)
Classic from 20th century ~ No Fond Return of Love (Barbara Pym)


Publishing
YA bestseller ~ Empire of Storms, V (Sarah J. Maas)
At least 100 years older than you ~ The Secret Garden (Frances Hodgson Burnett)
Published 2016 ~ Dark Days Club (Alison Goodman)

Reading
Haven’t read since high school ~
Finish in a day ~ All My Friends Are Superheroes (Andrew Kaufman)
Book and its prequel ~ Queen of Shadows (IV), The Assassin's Blade (Sarah J. Maas)
Book guaranteed to bring me joy ~ I Capture the Castle (Dodie Smith)

Current Events
Becoming a movie this year ~ Pride and Prejudice and Zombies (Austen/Grahame-Smith)


Replaced*
Unused:
Oprah’s book club
New York Times Bestseller
National Book Award Winner
Self-improvement book
 Autobiography*
Satirical book*
Written by a celebrity*
Book of poetry*
Written by comedian*
Political memoir*
About culture I’m unfamiliar with

Top 5 of 2016

Hi Book-Sniffers and Librocubicularists,

The end of the year is nigh. Thus comes my yearly Top 5 reads. These could be brand new or ones I've recently discovered. A non-traditional way, for me, of looking at the best: these are 'heart-books', ones that are still speaking to me long after finishing them. They might not even have 5-stars on Goodreads. They have lingered in my heart-space.

This has been an odd reading year. I glance at my ratings on Goodreads. Many 4-star reads and yet I feel unsatisfied. All the good books I think up I read the year previous. Stay tuned for a Worst of 2016 and Biggest Disappointments of 2016. Those are aplenty.

For now… the best.




1. Rules for a Knight, by Ethan Hawke (yes, that Ethan Hawke)

The most I've ever enjoyed a 'self-improvement' book. Structured as a father writing, on the eve of battle, to his children with advice on being a knight (or a lady, the rules do not vary). He instructs on generosity, discipline, modesty, and various other virtues through straight-to-the-point advice or stories of his grandfather. I read this out loud to my best friend, reading two a week and musing on the advice during the week. We came to revelations, disagreed, and at the end, we bawled. This is truly a heart-book.


2. The Paper Magician, by Charlie N. Holmberg

Chapter 1, I was whisked into a magical world. Chapter 1, I fell in love. Though it is short, it is but fierce. Ceony is a wonderful main character and she goes through some incredibly difficult challenges. My new love, Magician Emery Thane, is gentle and burning with intelligence. This is a heart-book too (for many reasons… read it and find why). Books two and three, here I come!


3. The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet, by Becky Chambers

Think Firefly. This book satisfies that hole in your life. Wonderful crew, wonderful interpersonal connections, and really COOL science fiction. My favourite character, Sissix, is this awesome pilot with the most interesting culture and societal structure. Really, the core of the book is 'family' and how one forms connections to others.


4. The Chimes, by Anna Smaill

This book blew me away. The more I think on it and let it stew, the more I love it. It'll probably do well with a reread. It begins quite difficultly - as the world is based on the idea that every night the chimes ring, all short term memory is wiped. People have a sense of who they are, not really what they do day in and day out. It's weird. And wonderful. Imagine reading someone's mind that fuzzy, almost like being in a person who has dementia or Alzheimer's. I love this book more for its view on music and its structure. The characters are forgetful (ironically).


5. The Secret Garden, by Frances Hodgson Burnett

Don't know why this dug into my core. I've not ugly cried for a book in a long while. I began laughing through my tears at the end because I couldn't finish the book, my tears blocked all vision. It's a quiet story, beginning with truly unlikable situations and ending with pure delight. Recommended to all.

Honourable Mentions:

Nod, by Jonathan Barnes

Creepy. This story sunk its teeth in and wouldn't let go. The 'villain' is terrifying. The dystopian aspect is terrifying. What if one day, all at once, people stopped sleeping? Thankfully, our narrator is one that sleeps, so his story is told through the eyes of someone sane watching the world fall around him. Also, set in Vancouver.


The Fell Sword, by Miles Cameron

Second book in the Traitor Son Cycle. This series is ah-mazing. I rave on and on about it, but really, it's ruined all fantasy for me now. I expect the large cast epics to be as good as this. I have to remind myself: not everyone can write like Cameron. More badassery, more political manoeuvring, and enough intelligence by those in power.


~ Cheers to a better reading year! ~