Reading, March-May
Heh, well, looks like my good intentions of updating more often this year didn't actually work out. I really need to work on that. But that hasn't stopped me from reading and I'm well on track on my goal of reading at least 100 books this year. However, since I'm at about 65 books now, I just can't be bothered to talk about all the books I've read, so I decided to go for a 'best of' -option. :)
20. Mia Kankimäki: Asioita jotka saavat sydämen lyömään nopeammin (non-fiction)
Kankimäen yhdistelmä omaelämänkerrallista kerrontaa ja pohdiskelua, matkakertomusta ja kirjallisuudentutkimusta oli niitä harvinaisia teoksia, joita piti lueskella vähän kerrallaan, nautiskellen lukemisesta ja teoksen tunnelmasta. Aivan ihana kirja!!!
26. Diana Wynne Jones: Reflections: On the Magic of Writing (non-fiction)
This collection is a must-read for all DWJ fans. Though there is a lot of repetition whenever her childhood and family is mentioned, this still offers a very good view on her person and her writing for any fan of her writing.
31. Emma Newman: Planetfall
This is one of those books where you don't want to spoil anything when writing about it. It's set in a human colony on another world, told in first person narration. The colony's life is disrupted one day when an unexpected arrival threatens the peace of the colony by exposing the past. Very nice!
37. Martha Wells: The Edge of Worlds
I just love Martha Wells's work. She creates marvellous worlds and characters in all her writing and her Raksura books are no exception.
This novel is the start of a new trilogy where some of the familiar characters are confronted with another mystery that might involve the Fell and and threaten the Raksura. It's a fun adventure with nice characters and fabulous worldbuilding.
38.-41. Faith Hunter: Skinwalker, Blood Cross, Mercy Blade, Cat Tales, 49.-50. Raven Cursed, Death's Rival, 52.-56. Blood Trade, Black Arts, Broken Soul, Dark Heir, Shadow Rites (all e-books)
Sometimes I try a new series out of curiosity or because it was mentioned positively somewhere. Jane Yellowrock belong to that category. They are fairly basic urban fantasy with a kickass heroine who is a supernatural creature herself. In the first book, she arrives in New Orleans interested in a job posted by one of the city's leading vampires. This and her further actions make her involved in the local vamp politics, but also finding romantic entanglements and all kinds of trouble with people in the city.
I like the vampire mythology Hunter is building in this series. I also like the main character who grows and changes a lot throughout the series. One a more negative point, the timeline is surprisingly tight: all those 10 books are set in about a two year period. And we're still waiting for the Europeans to arrive...
59. Neil Gaiman, J. H. Williams III and Dave Stewart: The Sandman Overture - The Deluxe Edition (graphic novel)
I finally got around to reading this through local library and am so glad I did. It immediately went on my to-buy-list. The story is set before the main Sandman series, but sets up and explains some of the happenings quite beautifully. The artwork is just gorgeous. All in all, a beautiful book and highly recommended for all Sandman fans.
63. Emmi Itäranta: Kudottujen kujien kaupunki
Pidin tästä kirjasta jopa enemmän kuin Teemestarin kirjasta. Tarinan kudos, teoksen teemaan sopien, on unenomainen, arvoituksellinen, eikä selittele liikaa. Hieno fantasia.
Emmi Itäranta's second novel is quite as good as her first novel. I actually preferred this one and highly recommend it. IIRC, it's scheduled to appear in English next Autumn as The Dreamer.
64. Tiina Miettinen: Piikojen valtakunta: Nainen, työ ja perhe 1600-1700-luvuilla (non-fiction)
Miettisen väitöskirjaan perustuva teos oli erittäin mielenkiintoinen katsaus erilaisiin kohtaloihin ja naisten historialliseen asemaan Suomessa 1600-1700-luvuilla. Kirja näyttää esimerkkitarinoiden avulla miten esiaviolliset suhteet ja aviottomat lapset eivät ole olleet mitenkään niin pahoja esteitä kuin olisi voinut kuvitella. Tämä oli varsin mielenkiintoinen ja luettava historiaa popularisoiva teos.
20. Mia Kankimäki: Asioita jotka saavat sydämen lyömään nopeammin (non-fiction)
Kankimäen yhdistelmä omaelämänkerrallista kerrontaa ja pohdiskelua, matkakertomusta ja kirjallisuudentutkimusta oli niitä harvinaisia teoksia, joita piti lueskella vähän kerrallaan, nautiskellen lukemisesta ja teoksen tunnelmasta. Aivan ihana kirja!!!
26. Diana Wynne Jones: Reflections: On the Magic of Writing (non-fiction)
This collection is a must-read for all DWJ fans. Though there is a lot of repetition whenever her childhood and family is mentioned, this still offers a very good view on her person and her writing for any fan of her writing.
31. Emma Newman: Planetfall
This is one of those books where you don't want to spoil anything when writing about it. It's set in a human colony on another world, told in first person narration. The colony's life is disrupted one day when an unexpected arrival threatens the peace of the colony by exposing the past. Very nice!
37. Martha Wells: The Edge of Worlds
I just love Martha Wells's work. She creates marvellous worlds and characters in all her writing and her Raksura books are no exception.
This novel is the start of a new trilogy where some of the familiar characters are confronted with another mystery that might involve the Fell and and threaten the Raksura. It's a fun adventure with nice characters and fabulous worldbuilding.
38.-41. Faith Hunter: Skinwalker, Blood Cross, Mercy Blade, Cat Tales, 49.-50. Raven Cursed, Death's Rival, 52.-56. Blood Trade, Black Arts, Broken Soul, Dark Heir, Shadow Rites (all e-books)
Sometimes I try a new series out of curiosity or because it was mentioned positively somewhere. Jane Yellowrock belong to that category. They are fairly basic urban fantasy with a kickass heroine who is a supernatural creature herself. In the first book, she arrives in New Orleans interested in a job posted by one of the city's leading vampires. This and her further actions make her involved in the local vamp politics, but also finding romantic entanglements and all kinds of trouble with people in the city.
I like the vampire mythology Hunter is building in this series. I also like the main character who grows and changes a lot throughout the series. One a more negative point, the timeline is surprisingly tight: all those 10 books are set in about a two year period. And we're still waiting for the Europeans to arrive...
59. Neil Gaiman, J. H. Williams III and Dave Stewart: The Sandman Overture - The Deluxe Edition (graphic novel)
I finally got around to reading this through local library and am so glad I did. It immediately went on my to-buy-list. The story is set before the main Sandman series, but sets up and explains some of the happenings quite beautifully. The artwork is just gorgeous. All in all, a beautiful book and highly recommended for all Sandman fans.
63. Emmi Itäranta: Kudottujen kujien kaupunki
Pidin tästä kirjasta jopa enemmän kuin Teemestarin kirjasta. Tarinan kudos, teoksen teemaan sopien, on unenomainen, arvoituksellinen, eikä selittele liikaa. Hieno fantasia.
Emmi Itäranta's second novel is quite as good as her first novel. I actually preferred this one and highly recommend it. IIRC, it's scheduled to appear in English next Autumn as The Dreamer.
64. Tiina Miettinen: Piikojen valtakunta: Nainen, työ ja perhe 1600-1700-luvuilla (non-fiction)
Miettisen väitöskirjaan perustuva teos oli erittäin mielenkiintoinen katsaus erilaisiin kohtaloihin ja naisten historialliseen asemaan Suomessa 1600-1700-luvuilla. Kirja näyttää esimerkkitarinoiden avulla miten esiaviolliset suhteet ja aviottomat lapset eivät ole olleet mitenkään niin pahoja esteitä kuin olisi voinut kuvitella. Tämä oli varsin mielenkiintoinen ja luettava historiaa popularisoiva teos.