Ghosts, Governesses and Cricket

[sarahtales]

I was told by a lovely lady in an email that she would really like to see some book recommendations, so: my readers' wish is my command! Book recommendations it is

Comments

[ext_801508]

If it makes you feel any better, my mother said to me (upon reading Lexicon) pretty much what your mother said about Laini. So. There's that.

Go Team Supportive Mothers! We have t-shirts. And therapy bills.

[sarahtales]

Ha, I didn't mind, I think my mother is hilarious. ;) (She also infamously called me and said 'Whoa, Surrender was amazing! Way better than Covenant. That was just OK.') Plus, I do think Laini is a genius. Who wouldn't want to be a genius?

I thank your mother for my compliment, though!

[ext_862961]

Your mother is quite odd. I have to say that while I love them all (for very different reasons), Covenant was my favorite. But we've already talked about my unbearable love for the minor character who meets a tragic fate.

My mother's just silly, but she does have excellent taste in YA.

Switching to commenting with Twitter because LJ is being a brat about OpenID today for some reason. It's still me.

[sarahtales]

I think the switchy narrators gave me three pretty different books, so I get the pretty different takes on them. ;) Not that I plan to do it again unless I feel I must, because readers dooooo not like it. Plus I wish to do DIFFERENT crazy POV stuff!

[ashprophet]

LOVE the book recommendations!

... will you pretty please tell us what was the "It's not fair! It's not fair!" book?

[sarahtales]

Oh lord, all reactions to books chronicled here have been my reactions to way more than just one book. ;)

[thegreatmissjj]

I love Y.S. Lee's books as they remind me (in a good way) of Philip Pullman's Sally Lockhart mysteries, but with bonus hapa heroine, which flatters my narcissism. I'm also leery of banter-type romances in books, but I actually bought into the chemistry between Mary and James.

[sarahtales]

I was never that fond of Sally Lockhart because I found some bits historically inaccurate, but that is definitely not the case with Y.S. Lee. She clearly has researching skills beyond my dreams!

[thegreatmissjj]

For some reason the historical inaccuracy didn't bother me much in the Sally Lockhart books, although it may be because I read them at an age when it bothered me less and now those books are forever coloured by nostalgia. :) (Although my favourite book in the series is actually THE TIN PRINCESS, in which Sally is only a peripheral character.)

[tiferet]

The historical inaccuracies were annoying but I loved the characters.

Also I have an MA in History and if I never read anything I couldn't find an inaccuracy in I would probably just give up on fantasy, but actually, the thing that makes me throw fantasy books at the wall and run away screaming is usually the 20-odd years I spent studying how magic and the occult work and the fact that if I can tell what RPGs this person played the game is just UP.

[tanndell]

Oooh book recs. Thank you Sarah! I've read Anna dressed in Blood and loved it to pieces. And more people need to recommend Wodehouse. Pelham Green, why doesn't everyone love you most?
If I may inquire, given that you are Irish and interested in historical lady sleuths: Have you read the Sister Fidelma series, and if yes, what did you think?
P.S. If you haven't, please don't hold her red hair against her.

[sarahtales]

No, I haven't, I tend to steer clear of Irish-y novels because I am so judgy about people getting them right. I like redheaded ladies just fine, though!

[tanndell]

Understandable that, I feel the same way about a bunch of Indian novels. But in case you feel like reading excellently researched 7th century mysteries about a lawyer/religieuse who gets away with quite a bit because she happens to be the sister of the High King, the author is Irish himself, and one of the leading authorities on Irish history. You may like it :)

[bredalot]

Well, I certainly want to read it now, so thanks!

[roselerner]

I have missed your book recommendations! All of these sound amazing, but Anna Dressed in Blood sounds best of all. WOW. I, too, wish Supernatural had been more like THAT. ::buys::