Books!
Dragons Love Tacos
Adam Rubin
ADORBS Children's book about throwing a taco party for dragons - and what happens if you accidentally give them spicy salsa.
3.1 2012 adventure animals cause and effect CD children children's cooking dragon dragons eating fairy tales fantasy fiction food funny humor Listening Center parties party PBRI2013 picture picture book read aloud salsa silly taco tacos to-read
Cut to the Quick (Julian Kestrel Mysteries, #1)
Kate Ross
Regency dandy Julian is invited to a wedding house party - then finds himself compelled to solve a locked room murder mystery!
I think this is a series I could just enjoyably plow through if given half the chance, like when I read something like ten Amelia Peabody books in a week. Historical mystery solving before forensics is even BORN, it feels like.
1820s 19th century amateur detective British country houses crime crime fiction England fiction historical historical fiction historical mystery Julian Kestrel library London murder murder mystery mystery own owned paperback pb read read in 2013 regency Regency England Regency mystery series to-read unread
Westmark (Westmark #1)
Lloyd Alexander
When Theo agrees to print a traveling showman's pamphlet, he only thinks of the money it will bring in. Instead, it sets off a chain reaction that results in the smashing of the press and the murder of his master. Caught on the wrong side of the law, Theo must flee the city. Soon, he has teamed up with the traveling showman Count Las Bombas (who is actually a con artist) and his servant. The trio is soon joined by Mickle, a clever, strong-willed girl with a mysterious past. Performing feats that astound and amaze, the motley crew falls into a trap set by Chief Minister Cabbarus, who is determined to wrest power from the grief-stricken king. Now they must not only save themselves-they must save the kingdom...
Every time I read a new Lloyd Alexander I regret SO MUCH that my libraries when I was little had so little of his stuff. This is some TREASUREFUL children's lit, this is. I like how it's set in a more modern fantasy kingdom than you typically see - the printing presses being a very immediate example, but also the republican revolutionaries, and the trend towards spiritualism feel pleasingly near-modern.
2006 adventure children's children's books children's fantasy children's fiction children's literature fantasy fiction historical fantasy historical fiction juvenile library Lloyd Alexander paperback read royalty series sff speculative fiction to-read trilogy unread war Westmark Westmark Trilogy YA YA fantasy young adult young adult literature
Tigana
Guy Gavriel Kay
Tigana is a 1990 fantasy novel by Guy Gavriel Kay. It takes place in The Peninsula Of The Palm, a Fantasy Counterpart Culture for medieval Italy. Two foreign conquerors occupy the Peninsula: Brandin, king of Ygrath, and Alberico of Barbadior. They have carved up the land between them, and hold it in an uneasy balance of power. The main focus of the story is on a group of rebels who seek to liberate the area, but must defeat both tyrants at the same time, lest one overrun the Peninsula.
We also see the viewpoint of Brandin, as well as Dianora, a concubine bent on assassinating him. During Brandin's conquest, his son was killed in the province of Tigana. In retaliation, he razed the area flat, and put a curse on it that no one outside Tigana would know of its name or history. He turns out to be a competent ruler, cultured, if arrogant, and likeable... but is that enough to erase his prior sins?
SO BEAUTIFULLY COMPLEX. Everything this book did was so EARNED and led so neatly to each next then and things tumbled from being black and white and merry to GREY and DESPERATE but with bright little sparks of hope. Tigana is about MEMORY and IDENTITY and NAMES and REVENGE and MAGIC. It's PRETTY GREAT. The folkloric/cultural elements gave me hella Golden Bough feels. And the main protags are musicians!
I would not be sold by someone telling me the more I read a book, the greyer the morality gets, but there you go I was so sold and enjoyed it here so much. GGK does characters with really great relationships and complex motivations. I loved everyone and wanted them ALLL to be happy which couldn't happen when they were on opposite sides. Enjoyably heartwringing and a superb audiobook.
alternate history Canadian epic fantasy fantasy fantasy fiction favorite favorites fiction guy gavriel kay high fantasy historical historical fantasy Italy Kay magic memory novel own owned paperback politics read science fiction sf sff signed speculative fiction to-read unread war
SYLO (The SYLO Chronicles, #1)
D.J. MacHale
Does Tucker Pierce have what it takes to be a hero when the U.S. military quarantines his island?
Fourteen-year-old Tucker Pierce prefers to fly under the radar. He’s used to navigating around summer tourists in his hometown on idyllic Pemberwick Island, Maine. He’s content to sit on the sidelines as a backup player on the high school football team. And though his best friend Quinn tells him to “go for it,” he’s too chicken to ask Tori Sleeper on a date. There’s always tomorrow, he figures.
Then Pemberwick Island is invaded by a mysterious branch of the U.S. military called SYLO. And sitting on the sidelines is no longer an option for Tucker, because tomorrow may never come. It’s up to Tucker, Quinn, and Tori to uncover the truth about the singing aircraft that appears only at night-and the stranger named Feit who’s pushing a red crystal he calls the Ruby that brings unique powers to all who take it. Tucker and his friends must rescue not just Pemberwick Island, but the fate of the world-and all before tomorrow is too late.
D.J. Machale is much improved from his days writing the Pendragon Adventure books. This was a fast-paced adventure thriller that was much less dismal in quality than I anticipated. I have read so many dystopic books for LYRC/LTRC purposes this year. I am so tired of horrible governments and conspiracies and explosions but I did like this one well enough to finish the book in a relatively good mood.
2013 2014 action adventure arcs boy dystopia dystopian fiction first in series government have-at-home-own island January 2014 Maine mystery not-released quarantine science fiction series signed survival suspense teen thriller to-read UBS viruses YA young adult
Things I am Currently Reading:
Grave Mercy
Robin Lafevers
Our protag is a teenage French Breton assassin raised by death nuns, who knows what will happen next? I think it'll be fun.
Things I will Read Next
Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell is the last LTRC/LYRC I actually indend to give a fair shot (the others are getting skimmed).
Also at http://isweedan.dreamwidth.org/134457.html -
comment(s) there.
Adam Rubin
ADORBS Children's book about throwing a taco party for dragons - and what happens if you accidentally give them spicy salsa.
3.1 2012 adventure animals cause and effect CD children children's cooking dragon dragons eating fairy tales fantasy fiction food funny humor Listening Center parties party PBRI2013 picture picture book read aloud salsa silly taco tacos to-read
Cut to the Quick (Julian Kestrel Mysteries, #1)
Kate Ross
Regency dandy Julian is invited to a wedding house party - then finds himself compelled to solve a locked room murder mystery!
I think this is a series I could just enjoyably plow through if given half the chance, like when I read something like ten Amelia Peabody books in a week. Historical mystery solving before forensics is even BORN, it feels like.
1820s 19th century amateur detective British country houses crime crime fiction England fiction historical historical fiction historical mystery Julian Kestrel library London murder murder mystery mystery own owned paperback pb read read in 2013 regency Regency England Regency mystery series to-read unread
Westmark (Westmark #1)
Lloyd Alexander
When Theo agrees to print a traveling showman's pamphlet, he only thinks of the money it will bring in. Instead, it sets off a chain reaction that results in the smashing of the press and the murder of his master. Caught on the wrong side of the law, Theo must flee the city. Soon, he has teamed up with the traveling showman Count Las Bombas (who is actually a con artist) and his servant. The trio is soon joined by Mickle, a clever, strong-willed girl with a mysterious past. Performing feats that astound and amaze, the motley crew falls into a trap set by Chief Minister Cabbarus, who is determined to wrest power from the grief-stricken king. Now they must not only save themselves-they must save the kingdom...
Every time I read a new Lloyd Alexander I regret SO MUCH that my libraries when I was little had so little of his stuff. This is some TREASUREFUL children's lit, this is. I like how it's set in a more modern fantasy kingdom than you typically see - the printing presses being a very immediate example, but also the republican revolutionaries, and the trend towards spiritualism feel pleasingly near-modern.
2006 adventure children's children's books children's fantasy children's fiction children's literature fantasy fiction historical fantasy historical fiction juvenile library Lloyd Alexander paperback read royalty series sff speculative fiction to-read trilogy unread war Westmark Westmark Trilogy YA YA fantasy young adult young adult literature
Tigana
Guy Gavriel Kay
Tigana is a 1990 fantasy novel by Guy Gavriel Kay. It takes place in The Peninsula Of The Palm, a Fantasy Counterpart Culture for medieval Italy. Two foreign conquerors occupy the Peninsula: Brandin, king of Ygrath, and Alberico of Barbadior. They have carved up the land between them, and hold it in an uneasy balance of power. The main focus of the story is on a group of rebels who seek to liberate the area, but must defeat both tyrants at the same time, lest one overrun the Peninsula.
We also see the viewpoint of Brandin, as well as Dianora, a concubine bent on assassinating him. During Brandin's conquest, his son was killed in the province of Tigana. In retaliation, he razed the area flat, and put a curse on it that no one outside Tigana would know of its name or history. He turns out to be a competent ruler, cultured, if arrogant, and likeable... but is that enough to erase his prior sins?
SO BEAUTIFULLY COMPLEX. Everything this book did was so EARNED and led so neatly to each next then and things tumbled from being black and white and merry to GREY and DESPERATE but with bright little sparks of hope. Tigana is about MEMORY and IDENTITY and NAMES and REVENGE and MAGIC. It's PRETTY GREAT. The folkloric/cultural elements gave me hella Golden Bough feels. And the main protags are musicians!
I would not be sold by someone telling me the more I read a book, the greyer the morality gets, but there you go I was so sold and enjoyed it here so much. GGK does characters with really great relationships and complex motivations. I loved everyone and wanted them ALLL to be happy which couldn't happen when they were on opposite sides. Enjoyably heartwringing and a superb audiobook.
alternate history Canadian epic fantasy fantasy fantasy fiction favorite favorites fiction guy gavriel kay high fantasy historical historical fantasy Italy Kay magic memory novel own owned paperback politics read science fiction sf sff signed speculative fiction to-read unread war
SYLO (The SYLO Chronicles, #1)
D.J. MacHale
Does Tucker Pierce have what it takes to be a hero when the U.S. military quarantines his island?
Fourteen-year-old Tucker Pierce prefers to fly under the radar. He’s used to navigating around summer tourists in his hometown on idyllic Pemberwick Island, Maine. He’s content to sit on the sidelines as a backup player on the high school football team. And though his best friend Quinn tells him to “go for it,” he’s too chicken to ask Tori Sleeper on a date. There’s always tomorrow, he figures.
Then Pemberwick Island is invaded by a mysterious branch of the U.S. military called SYLO. And sitting on the sidelines is no longer an option for Tucker, because tomorrow may never come. It’s up to Tucker, Quinn, and Tori to uncover the truth about the singing aircraft that appears only at night-and the stranger named Feit who’s pushing a red crystal he calls the Ruby that brings unique powers to all who take it. Tucker and his friends must rescue not just Pemberwick Island, but the fate of the world-and all before tomorrow is too late.
D.J. Machale is much improved from his days writing the Pendragon Adventure books. This was a fast-paced adventure thriller that was much less dismal in quality than I anticipated. I have read so many dystopic books for LYRC/LTRC purposes this year. I am so tired of horrible governments and conspiracies and explosions but I did like this one well enough to finish the book in a relatively good mood.
2013 2014 action adventure arcs boy dystopia dystopian fiction first in series government have-at-home-own island January 2014 Maine mystery not-released quarantine science fiction series signed survival suspense teen thriller to-read UBS viruses YA young adult
Things I am Currently Reading:
Grave Mercy
Robin Lafevers
Our protag is a teenage French Breton assassin raised by death nuns, who knows what will happen next? I think it'll be fun.
Things I will Read Next
Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell is the last LTRC/LYRC I actually indend to give a fair shot (the others are getting skimmed).
Also at http://isweedan.dreamwidth.org/134457.html -
comment(s) there.