Books 11-23
These are not in any particular order.
11. Insatiable by Meg Cabot. A writer I like very much with her different take on the vampire story. Meena Harper has the ability to see how people are going to die. She is also a writer for a soap opera and is cheated out of a promotion by a well-connected coworker who wants to add a vampire storyline. She's ready to quit her job, things are not going well, until meets a mysterious stranger at a party and discovers she cannot tell how he is going to die. A passionate romance ensues, until a vampire hunter named Alaric comes into her life, and clues Meena in to the fact that vampires are not just the stuff of fiction. I enjoyed this book. It was a quick read, and the story didn't actually go where I thought it would. Enough suspense to keep me guessing. It may be a standalone, but the ending could also set up another book.
12. Boneshaker by Cherie Priest. A steampunk novel set in an alternate late 19th c. Seattle where inventor Levi Blue has unleashed a machine on Seattle that (perhaps unwittingly) destroys the downtown area and releases a noxious gas that turns those it doesn't kill into zombies (called rotters). Levi's invention was paid for by the Russians as a way of mining for gold under permafrost, but after the demo, downtown Seattle is walled off in an attempt to keep the gas from spreading. 16 years later, Levi's son Zeke sneaks into the walled city to try to clear the name of his deceased father. Zeke's mother Briar (going by her maiden name Wilkes) goes after him to rescue him and tell him the truth of his father. Zeke and Briar meet a number of people who help them in turn, especially to escape from the ever-present hordes of rotters. While there, Briar hears of a mad scientist mob boss character named Dr. Minnericht who seems to resemble her dead husband. As expected, there is a showdown between everyone and the truth comes out. Not the truth I was expecting, either. A good, solid, fun read. It's got everything that's hot right now in SF/F, zombies, steampunk, pirates - and frankly it's just a really fun story to read.
13. Girls Guide to Witchcraft by Mindy Klasky. The first of a series in which Jane Madison, mild mannered DC librarian discovers by accident that she's a witch. She has to learn what the rules of the game are (and she's being tutored by a stern but smoking warder named David), keep her gay familiar in check, and seduce the academic love of her life. In all, she gets more than she bargained for. This was a cute, fun book. It is in the vein of Shanna Swendson's Enchanted, Inc. and Candace Havens' books. More fun, light, easy reading. I haven't been able to find the 2nd book in this series, but I'm sure I will someday.
14. How Not to Make a Wish, by Mindy Klasky. A different series, although very similar in feel, this about a genie who goes through time granting 4 (not 3) wishes to those lucky enough to find her/his bottle (since the genie in question takes on different shapes and genders at will).
15. Troubled Waters by Sharon Shinn. New fantasy world by a favorite writer. In this world, the five elements control everyone's lives. Alone and in shock after the death of her father, Zoe Ardelay is invited to the capital to become the king's fifth wife and create a much needed numerological balance both politically and at court, where the four queens vie to promote their children for the role of heir to the throne. Then Zoe learns she is the new prime of Lalindar clan, which saves her from the marriage, but thrusts her into a world of dangerous political scheming, secret agendas, and an increasingly risky attraction to royal adviser Darien Serlast. Sharon's writing is so easy to read, her worlds so easy to get into. It seems there are many stories that can yet be told, so I'm hoping she'll write more in this world.
16. and 17. Spirit Bound and Last Sacrifice by Richelle Mead. The last 2 books in the Vampire Academy story arc (although Mead is spinning off a new series in this world with some of the same characters). After graduation, Rose engages on a crusade to find a way to bring Dmitri back from being a Strigoi (or kill him if she can't). She needs a lot of help, and in the process, a lot of people put themselves in harm's way to help her. When she does succeed and brings Dmitri back to the court, she finds not everyone is thrilled at what she's done. Things get more complicated when the ruling queen is murdered, and Rose is the only suspect (and the penalty is death). Meanwhile, there is a movement to get Rose's BFF Lissa on the throne. But the only way that can happen is to unlock a mystery from Lissa's past. Look, I like these books, and I really like Mead's writing. I'm sorry this series has ended, although I'm glad that Mead didn't just spin out endless stories about Rose saving the day. I think it was smart to have an arc in mind with a definite end, and move on to other stories in that world. It has a satisfying ending, albeit one that could be foreseen. Still, the whole series is fun and worth reading.
18. The Trial by Franz Kafka. This is the very bleak (and still timely) story of Josef K. who is arrested one day and put on trial. Only he does not know his crime, and in fact is not allowed to know his crime, is not allowed an attorney, and has no right to defend himself. He spends his life trying to clear his name under these very difficult cirumstances. This novel was incomplete when Kafka died, but it's so much in the vein of his other Expressionist writing, and reflects a despair that may resonate with a lot of people today.
19. Tam Lin by Pamela Dean. A modern retelling of the Tam Lin legend, set at a small Minnesota college in the 1970s. This is the story of the college life of Janet Carter and the people she meets, starting with her freshman year and going through to graduation. She meets an eccentric group of students pursuing all manner of liberal and performing arts. Janet meets Nick Tooley, who seems to have an abundance of knowledge about Shakespeare, the ghost of a young student from the 1890s who killed herself after getting pregnant throws books out of their dorm window, there's a mysterious bagpiper who prowls the campus. And underneath it all, is a mysterious classics teacher who takes her favorite students for midnight horse rides on campus. You have to work through to the end to get the fantastic element from the story, and it pays off. And underneath it all, Janet is the glue that holds together this story and this community, and ultimately has to face down danger to save her lover. This is a terrific story of college life in the 70s, a modern fairy tale, and a compelling fantasy.
20. Alice in Wonderland/Through the Looking Glass by Lewis Carroll. Read it for my book club. Hadn't read it since I was very young. I found Alice to be rather annoying I have to admit. I'm sure I missed a lot of the good stuff since I did not read an annotated version.
21. Point of Honour by Madeliene Robins. I picked this up at World Fantasy. It's a regency mystery. Sarah Tolerance, a fallen woman disowned by her good family after she runs off with her fencing master, decides not to go into the prostitution trade after the death of her lover, and instead becomes an 18th c. investigator. She is hired to find an Italian fan, only it leads her into intrigue and murder when someone is intent to keep the mystery of the fan from being discovered. This was a fun, charming book, and I'd love to find the next book in the series and read it, although I'll probably have to order it someday from Amazon.
22. The Marriage Bureau for Rich People by Farahad Zama. If you like the No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency Series (which I love), I think you'll like this book. This is a really charming book about a retired civil servant in India who sets up a marriage bureau for rich people to find spouses for their children, based on a variety of metrics, such as caste, education, height, etc. As his business takes off, he hires a young assistant who may find love, despite her best attempt not to. We meet a number of interesting characters who come in and out of Mr. Ali's bureau, and the stories are really about the people, with the Marriage Bureau as the backdrop. There are a couple more books available in UK editions, but this is the only one so far available in a US edition. I hope Berkely doesn't waste any time getting more books out in the US. I'm going to seek them out for sure.
23. Cloud Roads by Martha Wells. A new fantasy by Martha, this is the story of a young shape shifter named Moon who lives trying to hide who he is, for fear of being thought to be one of the despised Fell (creatures who prey on all the other sentient creatures in this world). Moon has two forms - a groundling form, and one where he has wings and can fly - a trait thought by many to be unique to the Fell. When Moon is run out of the village where he's been living, he is rescued by someone who teaches him his true heritage. Only Moon finds himself suddenly with others like him, with their own political agendas, and he has no real understanding for their culture. However, the mutual mistrust must be put aside when Moon and his new tribe are targeted for attack by the Fell, who are hiding a dangerous secret of their own. I really like this book, a lot! I know Martha's got 2 more in the works, and I can't wait to see where she takes us in this world next. This is very much Moon's story, one of being an outsider, lonely, looking for a place where he fits in but not trusting he'll ever find it, and I think these are themes that many of us can relate to. I can't wait for the next book in the series to come out.
11. Insatiable by Meg Cabot. A writer I like very much with her different take on the vampire story. Meena Harper has the ability to see how people are going to die. She is also a writer for a soap opera and is cheated out of a promotion by a well-connected coworker who wants to add a vampire storyline. She's ready to quit her job, things are not going well, until meets a mysterious stranger at a party and discovers she cannot tell how he is going to die. A passionate romance ensues, until a vampire hunter named Alaric comes into her life, and clues Meena in to the fact that vampires are not just the stuff of fiction. I enjoyed this book. It was a quick read, and the story didn't actually go where I thought it would. Enough suspense to keep me guessing. It may be a standalone, but the ending could also set up another book.
12. Boneshaker by Cherie Priest. A steampunk novel set in an alternate late 19th c. Seattle where inventor Levi Blue has unleashed a machine on Seattle that (perhaps unwittingly) destroys the downtown area and releases a noxious gas that turns those it doesn't kill into zombies (called rotters). Levi's invention was paid for by the Russians as a way of mining for gold under permafrost, but after the demo, downtown Seattle is walled off in an attempt to keep the gas from spreading. 16 years later, Levi's son Zeke sneaks into the walled city to try to clear the name of his deceased father. Zeke's mother Briar (going by her maiden name Wilkes) goes after him to rescue him and tell him the truth of his father. Zeke and Briar meet a number of people who help them in turn, especially to escape from the ever-present hordes of rotters. While there, Briar hears of a mad scientist mob boss character named Dr. Minnericht who seems to resemble her dead husband. As expected, there is a showdown between everyone and the truth comes out. Not the truth I was expecting, either. A good, solid, fun read. It's got everything that's hot right now in SF/F, zombies, steampunk, pirates - and frankly it's just a really fun story to read.
13. Girls Guide to Witchcraft by Mindy Klasky. The first of a series in which Jane Madison, mild mannered DC librarian discovers by accident that she's a witch. She has to learn what the rules of the game are (and she's being tutored by a stern but smoking warder named David), keep her gay familiar in check, and seduce the academic love of her life. In all, she gets more than she bargained for. This was a cute, fun book. It is in the vein of Shanna Swendson's Enchanted, Inc. and Candace Havens' books. More fun, light, easy reading. I haven't been able to find the 2nd book in this series, but I'm sure I will someday.
14. How Not to Make a Wish, by Mindy Klasky. A different series, although very similar in feel, this about a genie who goes through time granting 4 (not 3) wishes to those lucky enough to find her/his bottle (since the genie in question takes on different shapes and genders at will).
15. Troubled Waters by Sharon Shinn. New fantasy world by a favorite writer. In this world, the five elements control everyone's lives. Alone and in shock after the death of her father, Zoe Ardelay is invited to the capital to become the king's fifth wife and create a much needed numerological balance both politically and at court, where the four queens vie to promote their children for the role of heir to the throne. Then Zoe learns she is the new prime of Lalindar clan, which saves her from the marriage, but thrusts her into a world of dangerous political scheming, secret agendas, and an increasingly risky attraction to royal adviser Darien Serlast. Sharon's writing is so easy to read, her worlds so easy to get into. It seems there are many stories that can yet be told, so I'm hoping she'll write more in this world.
16. and 17. Spirit Bound and Last Sacrifice by Richelle Mead. The last 2 books in the Vampire Academy story arc (although Mead is spinning off a new series in this world with some of the same characters). After graduation, Rose engages on a crusade to find a way to bring Dmitri back from being a Strigoi (or kill him if she can't). She needs a lot of help, and in the process, a lot of people put themselves in harm's way to help her. When she does succeed and brings Dmitri back to the court, she finds not everyone is thrilled at what she's done. Things get more complicated when the ruling queen is murdered, and Rose is the only suspect (and the penalty is death). Meanwhile, there is a movement to get Rose's BFF Lissa on the throne. But the only way that can happen is to unlock a mystery from Lissa's past. Look, I like these books, and I really like Mead's writing. I'm sorry this series has ended, although I'm glad that Mead didn't just spin out endless stories about Rose saving the day. I think it was smart to have an arc in mind with a definite end, and move on to other stories in that world. It has a satisfying ending, albeit one that could be foreseen. Still, the whole series is fun and worth reading.
18. The Trial by Franz Kafka. This is the very bleak (and still timely) story of Josef K. who is arrested one day and put on trial. Only he does not know his crime, and in fact is not allowed to know his crime, is not allowed an attorney, and has no right to defend himself. He spends his life trying to clear his name under these very difficult cirumstances. This novel was incomplete when Kafka died, but it's so much in the vein of his other Expressionist writing, and reflects a despair that may resonate with a lot of people today.
19. Tam Lin by Pamela Dean. A modern retelling of the Tam Lin legend, set at a small Minnesota college in the 1970s. This is the story of the college life of Janet Carter and the people she meets, starting with her freshman year and going through to graduation. She meets an eccentric group of students pursuing all manner of liberal and performing arts. Janet meets Nick Tooley, who seems to have an abundance of knowledge about Shakespeare, the ghost of a young student from the 1890s who killed herself after getting pregnant throws books out of their dorm window, there's a mysterious bagpiper who prowls the campus. And underneath it all, is a mysterious classics teacher who takes her favorite students for midnight horse rides on campus. You have to work through to the end to get the fantastic element from the story, and it pays off. And underneath it all, Janet is the glue that holds together this story and this community, and ultimately has to face down danger to save her lover. This is a terrific story of college life in the 70s, a modern fairy tale, and a compelling fantasy.
20. Alice in Wonderland/Through the Looking Glass by Lewis Carroll. Read it for my book club. Hadn't read it since I was very young. I found Alice to be rather annoying I have to admit. I'm sure I missed a lot of the good stuff since I did not read an annotated version.
21. Point of Honour by Madeliene Robins. I picked this up at World Fantasy. It's a regency mystery. Sarah Tolerance, a fallen woman disowned by her good family after she runs off with her fencing master, decides not to go into the prostitution trade after the death of her lover, and instead becomes an 18th c. investigator. She is hired to find an Italian fan, only it leads her into intrigue and murder when someone is intent to keep the mystery of the fan from being discovered. This was a fun, charming book, and I'd love to find the next book in the series and read it, although I'll probably have to order it someday from Amazon.
22. The Marriage Bureau for Rich People by Farahad Zama. If you like the No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency Series (which I love), I think you'll like this book. This is a really charming book about a retired civil servant in India who sets up a marriage bureau for rich people to find spouses for their children, based on a variety of metrics, such as caste, education, height, etc. As his business takes off, he hires a young assistant who may find love, despite her best attempt not to. We meet a number of interesting characters who come in and out of Mr. Ali's bureau, and the stories are really about the people, with the Marriage Bureau as the backdrop. There are a couple more books available in UK editions, but this is the only one so far available in a US edition. I hope Berkely doesn't waste any time getting more books out in the US. I'm going to seek them out for sure.
23. Cloud Roads by Martha Wells. A new fantasy by Martha, this is the story of a young shape shifter named Moon who lives trying to hide who he is, for fear of being thought to be one of the despised Fell (creatures who prey on all the other sentient creatures in this world). Moon has two forms - a groundling form, and one where he has wings and can fly - a trait thought by many to be unique to the Fell. When Moon is run out of the village where he's been living, he is rescued by someone who teaches him his true heritage. Only Moon finds himself suddenly with others like him, with their own political agendas, and he has no real understanding for their culture. However, the mutual mistrust must be put aside when Moon and his new tribe are targeted for attack by the Fell, who are hiding a dangerous secret of their own. I really like this book, a lot! I know Martha's got 2 more in the works, and I can't wait to see where she takes us in this world next. This is very much Moon's story, one of being an outsider, lonely, looking for a place where he fits in but not trusting he'll ever find it, and I think these are themes that many of us can relate to. I can't wait for the next book in the series to come out.