Dear Fahrenheit 451 by Annie Spence

Title: Dear Fahrenheit 451: Love and Heartbreak in the Stacks: A Librarian's Love Letters and Breakup Notes to the Books in Her Life

Author: Annie Spence

Publisher: Flatiron Books 2017

Genre: Nonfiction

Pages: 248

Rating: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Seasonal TBR

If you love to read, and presumably you do since you’ve picked up this book (!), you know that some books affect you so profoundly they forever change the way you think about the world. Some books, on the other hand, disappoint you so much you want to throw them against the wall. Either way, it’s clear that a book can be your new soul mate or the bad relationship you need to end.

In Dear Fahrenheit 451, librarian Annie Spence has crafted love letters and breakup notes to the iconic and eclectic books she has encountered over the years. From breaking up with The Giving Tree (a dysfunctional relationship book if ever there was one), to her love letter to The Time Traveler’s Wife (a novel less about time travel and more about the life of a marriage, with all of its ups and downs), Spence will make you think of old favorites in a new way. Filled with suggested reading lists, Spence’s take on classic and contemporary books is very much like the best of literature―sometimes laugh-out-loud funny, sometimes surprisingly poignant, and filled with universal truths.

Finally! I grabbed this slim volume off the library shelves and read these delightful letters to various books. I really enjoyed Spence’s irreverent take on various books of classic literature as well as random surprise books from the stacks. Some of the letters made me laugh out loud. My least favorite section was the book recommendations at the end, but even those were interesting to see what she paired together. Overall, this is a book for book lovers. A delightful day’s reading.

Next up on the TBR pile:

Looking Glass by Christina Henry

Title: Looking Glass (The Chronicles of Alice Novellas)

Author: Christina Henry

Publisher: Ace 2020

Genre: Fantasy

Pages: 301

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: 

Lovely Creature
In the New City lives a girl with a secret: Elizabeth can do magic. But someone knows her secret--someone who has a secret of his own. That secret is a butterfly that lives in a jar, a butterfly that was supposed to be gone forever, a butterfly that used to be called the Jabberwock...

This was such a fun story! We finally get to see what happened to Alice’s birth family after she escaped from the sanatorium. We get to meet her two sisters (one of which she didn’t even know existed) and experience life in the New City. I loved the inclusion of the Jabberwock and the connection between Alice and Elizabeth. I would have loved to read a entire novel with this point of view…

Girl in Amber
Alice and Hatcher are just looking for a place to rest. Alice has been dreaming of a cottage by a lake and a field of wildflowers, but while walking blind in a snowstorm she stumbles into a house that only seems empty and abandoned...

This story was super creepy and I loved it! I have really enjoyed the sections of the series that deal with the villains and this story introduces a terrible new villain for Alice to defeat. It had me itchy all over with its imagery. Very creepy! Love it!

When I First Came to Town
Hatcher wasn't always Hatcher. Once, he was a boy called Nicholas, and Nicholas fancied himself the best fighter in the Old City. No matter who fought him he always won. Then his boss tells him he's going to battle the fearsome Grinder, a man who never leaves his opponents alive...

The low point of the collection. I just didn’t really care about Hatcher’s back story or connections. The only portion that I enjoyed was when Nicholas encounters Cheshire and Rabbit. Otherwise, this story was too long and drawn out.

The Mercy Seat
There is a place hidden in the mountains, where all the people hate and fear magic and Magicians. It is the Village of the Pure, and though Alice and Hatcher would do anything to avoid it, it lies directly in their path...

Strange story, but fitting in this series. There’s a new villain, a deeper exploration of Alice’s magical powers, and one more big obstacle for our main couple. I do wish that we had spent a bit more time with the magician that Alice spent the winter with, but oh well. At least, we get some semblance of a happily ever after for Alice and Hatcher.

The Chronicles of Alice

• #1 Alice

• #2 Red Queen

• Looking Glass (novellas)

Next up on the TBR pile:

Broken by Jenny Lawson

Title: Broken (in the best possible-way)

Author: Jenny Lawson

Publisher: Henry Holt 2021

Genre: Nonfiction

Pages: 304

Rating: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Seasonal TBR; Modern Mrs. Darcy Summer Reading Guide

As Jenny Lawson’s hundreds of thousands of fans know, she suffers from depression. In Broken, Jenny brings readers along on her mental and physical health journey, offering heartbreaking and hilarious anecdotes along the way.

With people experiencing anxiety and depression now more than ever, Jenny humanizes what we all face in an all-too-real way, reassuring us that we’re not alone and making us laugh while doing it. From the business ideas that she wants to pitch to Shark Tank to the reason why Jenny can never go back to the post office, Broken leaves nothing to the imagination in the most satisfying way. And of course, Jenny’s long-suffering husband Victor―the Ricky to Jenny’s Lucille Ball―is present throughout.

I love Jenny Lawson so much. She can make me laugh hysterically one minute and have be sobbing the next minute. True story: J told me that I couldn’t read this book in bed because I was shaking the bed too much with my laughter. Lawson is just as absurd as she has been in the previous books. The funny chapters balance out the very tough chapters dealing with life’s struggles. After reading this one from the library, I have to buy this one for my own shelves. I am still thinking about so many of the life lessons that I was reminded of throughout the chapters. So incredibly good.

Next up on the TBR pile:

Black Mad Wheel by Josh Malereman

Title: Black Mad Wheel

Author: Josh Malerman

Publisher: Ecco 2017

Genre: Horror

Pages: 297

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: 

A chilling novel about a group of musicians conscripted by the US government to track down the source of a strange and debilitating sound

The Danes—the band known as the “Darlings of Detroit”—are washed up and desperate for inspiration, eager to once again have a number one hit. That is, until an agent from the US Army approaches them. Will they travel to an African desert and track down the source of a mysterious and malevolent sound? Under the guidance of their front man, Philip Tonka, the Danes embark on a harrowing journey through the scorching desert—a trip that takes Tonka into the heart of an ominous and twisted conspiracy.

Meanwhile, in a nondescript Midwestern hospital, a nurse named Ellen tends to a patient recovering from a near-fatal accident. The circumstances that led to his injuries are mysterious—and his body heals at a remarkable rate. Ellen will do the impossible for this enigmatic patient, who reveals more about his accident with each passing day.

This book is so incredibly hard to describe. I would place it in the realm of atmospheric horror, more like an general unease and suspense throughout the entire book than a jump-scare type of horror. I really enjoy atmospheric horror. It actually makes me feel scared! This one definitely scratched my horror itch with a creepy journey of memory recovery. I love that we follow Philip (and later Ellen) as he journeys to Africa to find the source of a mysterious sound and then struggles to understand his own memories in a military hospital. I loved that the book is technically set in the 1950s, but it has a timeless quality that further cements the creepy atmosphere. This book is not for people who want definite answers and clear narration. The readers really have to work to piece together the story and what really happened. And yet, I absolutely enjoyed this strange slim novel.

Next up on the TBR pile:

The Stars, Like Dust by Isaac Asimov

Title: The Stars, Like Dust (Galactic Empire #1)

Author: Isaac Asimov

Publisher: 1952

Genre: Science Fiction

Pages: 243

Rating: 2/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Perpetual

His name was Biron Farrill and he was a student at the University of Earth. A native of one of the helpless Nebular Kingdoms, he saw his home world conquered and controlled by the planet Tyrann—a ruthless, barbaric Empire that was building a dynasty of cruelty and domination among the stars.

Farrill’s own father had been executed for trying to resist the Tyrann dictatorship and now someone was trying to kill Biron. But why?

His only hope for survival lay in fleeing Earth and joining the rebellion that was rumored to be forming somewhere in the Kingdoms. But once he cast his lot with the freedom fighters, he would find himself guarding against treachery on every side and facing the most difficult choice of all: to betray either the woman he loved or the revolution that was the last hope for the future.

Woof! J warned me that I would not like this one, that I would be very disappointed by the connector novel, and I completely was. This was a convoluted mess of plot and characters with very little interesting discussions or questions. I was very confused about who was who for the first half of the book (and I don’t usually have that problem). Asimov shoved so many new people, new worlds, new factions, and new groups into this very slim book and it didn’t really work. But I made it through and J promises me that this is the low point of the entire Asimov Foundation collection.

Galactic Empire:

• #1 The Stars, Like Dust

• #2 The Currents of Space

• #3 Pebble in the Sky

Next up on the TBR pile:

Bellamy and the Brute by Alicia Michaels

Title: Bellamy and the Brute (Bellamy and the Brute #1)

Author: Alicia Michaels

Publisher: Clean Teen 2017

Genre: Fantasy

Pages: 387

Rating: 3/5 stars

Reading Challenges: 

When Bellamy McGuire is offered a summer job babysitting for the wealthy Baldwin family, she's reluctant to accept. After all, everyone in town knows about the mysterious happenings at the mansion on the hill—including the sudden disappearance of the Baldwin's eldest son, Tate. The former football star and golden boy of Wellhollow Springs became a hermit at the age of sixteen, and no one has seen or heard from him since. Rumors abound as to why, with whisperings about a strange illness—one that causes deformity and turned him into a real-life monster. Bellamy wants to dismiss these rumors as gossip, but when she's told that if she takes the job, she must promise to never, ever visit the third floor of the mansion, she begins to wonder if there really is some dark truth hidden there.
Tate's condition may not be the only secret being kept at Baldwin House. There are gaps in the family's financial history that don't add up, and surprising connections with unscrupulous characters. At night there are strange noises, unexplained cold drafts, and the electricity cuts out. And then there are the rose petals on the staircase. The rose petals that no one but Bellamy seems to be able to see. The rose petals that form a trail leading right up to the 3 rd floor, past the portrait of a handsome young man, and down a dark hallway where she promised she would never, ever go…
As Bellamy works to unravel the mysteries of Baldwin House and uncover the truth about Tate, she realizes that she is in way over her head… in more ways than one. Can her bravery and determination help to right the wrongs of the past and free the young man whose story has captured her heart?

A disappointing ebook that I randomly picked up months ago. I thought that it might be a fun fairy tale retelling, but it ended up being a fairly predictable romance and murder mystery. The fairy tale aspects were deleted in favor of a basic teen romance, corrupt politicians, and two lackluster ghosts. I ended up reading through this one, but was very meh by the end of it. I was hoping for more fun atmosphere and characters. I did not get that at all.

Bellamy and the Brute

• #1 Bellamy and the Brute

• #2 Bellamy and the Haunting

Next up on the TBR pile:

Daring Greatly by Brene Brown

Title: Daring Greatly: How the Courage to Be Vulnerable Transforms the Way We Live, Love, Parent, and Lead

Author: Brené Brown

Publisher: Avery 2012

Genre: Nonfiction - Self-Help

Pages: 290

Rating: 3/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Modern Mrs. Darcy Summer Reading; Seasonal TBR

“It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; . . . who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly.”—Theodore Roosevelt

Every day we experience the uncertainty, risks, and emotional exposure that define what it means to be vulnerable or to dare greatly. Based on twelve years of pioneering research, Brené Brown PhD, LMSW, dispels the cultural myth that vulnerability is weakness and argues that it is, in truth, our most accurate measure of courage.

Brown explains how vulnerability is both the core of difficult emotions like fear, grief, and disappointment, and the birthplace of love, belonging, joy, empathy, innovation, and creativity. She writes: “When we shut ourselves off from vulnerability, we distance ourselves from the experiences that bring purpose and meaning to our lives.”

So many rave reviews of this one and I was very underwhelmed on this one. Everything fell so incredibly flat for me. I was intrigued by the main concept of vulnerability and wanted to learn more. Instead of good actionable items, we get platitudes and lots of case studies. They just didn’t connect to my person. Beyond those issues, the entire construct that Brown presents ignores a whole host inequality issues and discrimination. The book is too focused on white lady problems. I just couldn’t rave about this book at all.

Next up on the TBR pile:

The Book that Made Me edited by Judith Ridge

Title: The Book that Made Me: A Collection of 32 Personal Stories

Edited By: Judith Ridge

Publisher: Candlewick Press 2016

Genre: Nonfiction - About Books

Pages: 241

Rating: 3/5 stars

Reading Challenges: 

What if you could look inside your favorite authors’ heads and see the book that led them to become who they are today? What was the book that made them fall in love, or made them understand something for the first time? What was the book that made them feel challenged in ways they never knew they could be, emotionally, intellectually, or politically? What book made them readers, or made them writers, or made them laugh, think, or cry? Join thirty-one top children’s and young adult authors as they explore the books, stories, and experiences that changed them as readers — for good.

Like most essay collections, there are some really good ones in here and there are some more boring ones in here. Overall, I was a bit disappointed in the collection. I don’t think the good essays outweighed the less interesting ones. Oh well. Not every book is going to be 5 stars.

Next up on the TBR pile:

Cursed

Title: Cursed

Edited by: Marie O’Regan and Paul Kane

Publisher: Titan Books 2020

Genre: Fantasy Short Stories

Pages: 272

Rating: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges: 

It's a prick of blood, the bite of an apple, the evil eye, a wedding ring or a pair of red shoes. Curses come in all shapes and sizes, and they can happen to anyone, not just those of us with unpopular stepparents...

Here you'll find unique twists on curses, from fairy tale classics to brand-new hexes of the modern world - expect new monsters and mythologies as well as twists on well-loved fables. Stories to shock and stories of warning, stories of monsters and stories of magic.

All the dark fairy tales! I am here for this collection of stories. I love how some of the stories are direct descendants of the classic stories, while others are very new and imaginative. Unlike many short stories collections, I enjoyed every story in this one. My favorite may actually be the first actual story in the collection “As Red As Blood, As White As Snow” by Christina Henry. Oh so good!

Next up on the TBR pile:

The Secrets of Sir Richard Kenworthy by Julia Quinn

Title: The Secrets of Sir Richard Kenworthy (Smythe-Smith #4)

Author: Julia Quinn

Publisher: Avon 2015

Genre: Romance

Pages: 378

Rating: 3/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Unread Shelf

Sir Richard Kenworthy has less than a month to find a bride. He knows he can't be too picky, but when he sees Iris Smythe-Smith hiding behind her cello at her family's infamous musicale, he thinks he might have struck gold. She's the type of girl you don't notice until the second—or third—look, but there's something about her, something simmering under the surface, and he knows she's the one.

Iris Smythe–Smith is used to being underestimated. With her pale hair and quiet, sly wit she tends to blend into the background, and she likes it that way. So when Richard Kenworthy demands an introduction, she is suspicious. He flirts, he charms, he gives every impression of a man falling in love, but she can't quite believe it's all true. When his proposal of marriage turns into a compromising position that forces the issue, she can't help thinking that he's hiding something . . . even as her heart tells her to say yes.

I, um, was not impressed by this book. It’s fine as a Regency romance, but I wasn’t super into the characters or the plotline. I really did not like the story once it shifted to Yorkshire. I like some tension and conflict with my main characters, but this book took it to a new level that I did not appreciate. Such a disappointment.

Smythe-Smith Quartet:

• #1 Just Like Heaven

• #2 A Night Like This

• #3 The Sum of All Kisses

• #4 The Secrets of Sir Richard Kenworthy

Next up on the TBR pile:

The Sum of All Kisses by Julia Quinn

Title: The Sum of All Kisses (Smythe-Smith #3)

Author: Julia Quinn

Publisher: Avon 2013

Genre: Romance

Pages: 384

Rating: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges: 

Sarah Pleinsworth can’t forgive Hugh Prentice for the duel he fought three years ago that nearly destroyed her family, sent her cousin fleeing, and left Hugh himself with a badly injured leg. That’s fine with Hugh, who can’t tolerate Sarah’s dramatic ways. But when the two are forced to spend a week together, they find that unexpected kisses, and mutual passion, may have the power to change both of their minds.

Oh Yes! This is exactly what I want out of my historical romance. Two strong-willed and fun characters, a progression from hatred to passion, not much miscommunication, a real relationship explored, and a bit of sexy time on the side. After the previous book, A Night Like This, I really hoped that we would get to see more of Hugh Prentice. Lucky me, this book is all about him! The quick glimpses that we got of him intrigued me. I needed to know more. And we get so much more! As for Sarah, she was annoying in the previous books, but I suspect that’s more because she was contrasted with Honoria and then Anne’s personalities. Sarah is much more straight forward and confident in herself. We get two very strong-willed people that clash and clash and clash before finally realizing that they love each other. Delightful!

Smythe-Smith Quartet:

• #1 Just Like Heaven

• #2 A Night Like This

• #3 The Sum of All Kisses

• #4 The Secrets of Sir Richard Kenworthy

Next up on the TBR pile:

The Sun Down Motel by Simone St. James

Title: The Sun Down Motel

Author: Simone St. James

Publisher: Berkley 2020

Genre: Paranormal Thriller

Pages: 326

Rating: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Currently Reading - Can’t Wait to Give Someone!

Upstate New York, 1982. Viv Delaney wants to move to New York City, and to help pay for it she takes a job as the night clerk at the Sun Down Motel in Fell, New York. But something isnʼt right at the motel, something haunting and scary.

Upstate New York, 2017. Carly Kirk has never been able to let go of the story of her aunt Viv, who mysteriously disappeared from the Sun Down before she was born. She decides to move to Fell and visit the motel, where she quickly learns that nothing has changed since 1982. And she soon finds herself ensnared in the same mysteries that claimed her aunt.

I was hesitant coming into this book (I have a horrible track record with thrillers), but this one was deliciously creepy and kept me entertained. I hate when books claim to be creepy, but they are actually just plots with something vaguely suspenseful. This one is completely creepy and I loved every page of it. We get real ghosts! I love it when we get real ghosts in books. I was even hesitant to read this before bed due to the creep factor. Perfect! Beyond that aspect, I didn’t mind the modern storyline in this one. Usually I find that one of the sides of the story isn’t that interesting or boring, but Carly is a decent character in her own right. She’s not just driven to find out what happened to her Aunt Viv, but also exploring her own relationships in this new-to-her town. I really enjoyed this one!

Next up on the TBR pile:

The Beautiful Ones by Silvia Moreno-Garcia

Title: The Beautiful Ones

Author: Silvia Moreno-Garcia

Publisher: Thomas Dunne Books 2017

Genre: Fantasy

Pages: 323

Rating: 2/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Currently Reading - Called to Me at the Library

They are the Beautiful Ones, Loisail’s most notable socialites, and this spring is Nina’s chance to join their ranks, courtesy of her well-connected cousin and his calculating wife. But the Grand Season has just begun, and already Nina’s debut has gone disastrously awry. She has always struggled to control her telekinesis―neighbors call her the Witch of Oldhouse―and the haphazard manifestations of her powers make her the subject of malicious gossip.

When entertainer Hector Auvray arrives to town, Nina is dazzled. A telekinetic like her, he has traveled the world performing his talents for admiring audiences. He sees Nina not as a witch, but ripe with potential to master her power under his tutelage. With Hector’s help, Nina’s talent blossoms, as does her love for him.

But great romances are for fairytales, and Hector is hiding a truth from Nina ― and himself―that threatens to end their courtship before it truly begins.

Oh what a disappointment! After absolutely loving Mexican Gothic and Gods of Jade and Shadow, I thought I would at least enjoy this previous work from Moreno-Garcia. Unfortunately, this is a slow-moving pseudo-fantasy novel filled with insufferable characters. Basically nothing happens for the at least the first half of the book. The characters go round and round rehashing the same arguments and sentiments. They move to a different house, but it’s still the same. I enjoyed Nina, but at a certain point, I really wanted her to run away from all the other characters and pursue her science interests. Maybe find a kind and loving male scientist to marry. But no, she stays with Hector even after Hector’s true feelings for Valérie come out into the open. I just found everyone to be very dislikable. And let me mention that the fantasy element (the telekinesis) is such a minor thing. Why is it even in the book? I have no idea. The one redeeming quality of the book is Moreno-Garcia’s writing style. Her prose just glides over the page. Thank goodness she kept at it and wrote much more intriguing books later.

Next up on the TBR pile:

The Flatshare by Beth O'Leary

Title: The Flatshare

Author: Beth O’Leary

Publisher: Flatiron Books 2019

Genre: Romance

Pages: 336

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: 

Tiffy and Leon share an apartment. Tiffy and Leon have never met.

After a bad breakup, Tiffy Moore needs a place to live. Fast. And cheap. But the apartments in her budget have her wondering if astonishingly colored mold on the walls counts as art.

Desperation makes her open minded, so she answers an ad for a flatshare. Leon, a night shift worker, will take the apartment during the day, and Tiffy can have it nights and weekends. He’ll only ever be there when she’s at the office. In fact, they’ll never even have to meet.

Tiffy and Leon start writing each other notes – first about what day is garbage day, and politely establishing what leftovers are up for grabs, and the evergreen question of whether the toilet seat should stay up or down. Even though they are opposites, they soon become friends. And then maybe more.

But falling in love with your roommate is probably a terrible idea…especially if you've never met.

CW: Domestic abuse

My book club has had a string of not great and/or heavy books. We wanted to pick something a little lighter and fun and decided on this one. Overall, I really enjoyed this rom com in the vein of Jill Mansell’s novels or Bridget Jones’s Diary. We get one great in-person meet-cute, fun side character friends, a big conflict, and some sweet romance. I enjoyed Tiffy and the exploration of her life post-emotional abuse. I thought that portion of the story and character was well done. Her new romance with Leon isn’t an instanteous fix to her past trauma. Instead we get to follow along with her as she confronts her past (and present) and attempts to move forward. Yeah! Insta-love this is not. I loved seeing Tiffy turn to her friends for advice and comfort. And ultimately, I loved watching her and Leon develop a friendship and then something more. After reading this one, I’m more interested in reading O’Leary’s two other novels: The Switch and The Road Trip.

Next up on the TBR pile:

Red Queen by Christina Henry

Title: Red Queen (The Chronicles of Alice #2)

Author: Christina Henry

Publisher: Ace 2016

Genre: Fantasy

Pages: 304

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: 

The land outside of the Old City was supposed to be green, lush, hopeful. A place where Alice could finally rest, no longer the plaything of the Rabbit, the pawn of Cheshire, or the prey of the Jabberwocky. But the verdant fields are nothing but ash—and hope is nowhere to be found.

Still, Alice and Hatcher are on a mission to find his daughter, a quest they will not forsake even as it takes them deep into the clutches of the mad White Queen and her goblin or into the realm of the twisted and cruel Black King.

The pieces are set and the game has already begun. Each move brings Alice closer to her destiny. But, to win, she will need to harness her newfound abilities and ally herself with someone even more powerful—the mysterious and vengeful Red Queen...

Overall I really enjoyed this book, but I didn’t love it as much as Alice. The first book really connected the original story to a darker, grittier version of Alice in Wonderland. We get direct characters and action parallels. I was expecting more of the same style, but this book departed from the direct comparisons. Instead, we get more of a dark fairy tale story incorporating different elements (enchanted forest, people turning into wolves, goblins, giants). I loved the beginning with Alice and Hatcher emerging from the tunnel into the burned meadow. I loved the ending when Alice got to connect with the Red Queen and defeat the White Queen. But some of the middle got a bit lost for me and I wanted more connection to Alice in Wonderland. I wanted more Chesire and maybe the duchess or Tweedledee and Tweedledum. Not quite as successful for me as the first book.

The Chronicles of Alice

• #1 Alice

• #2 Red Queen

• Looking Glass

Next up on the TBR pile:

The Black God's Drums by P. Djèlí Clark

Title: The Black God’s Drums

Author: P. Djèlí Clark

Publisher: Tor.com 2018

Genre: Fantasy

Pages: 114

Rating: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges: 

In an alternate New Orleans caught in the tangle of the American Civil War, the wall-scaling girl named Creeper yearns to escape the streets for the air--in particular, by earning a spot on-board the airship Midnight Robber. Creeper plans to earn Captain Ann-Marie’s trust with information she discovers about a Haitian scientist and a mysterious weapon he calls The Black God’s Drums.

But Creeper also has a secret herself: Oya, the African orisha of the wind and storms, speaks inside her head, and may have her own ulterior motivations.

Soon, Creeper, Oya, and the crew of the Midnight Robber are pulled into a perilous mission aimed to stop the Black God’s Drums from being unleashed and wiping out the entirety of New Orleans.

Another great novella from Clark! This time we’re thrown into a alternate history where the Civil War hasn’t really ended and New Orleans has been carved out as a free neutral city. From there, we get a fast-paced adventure story starring an orphan protected by a goddess. I love how Clark creates the most imaginative worlds and populates them with fascinating, complex, realistic characters. I sped through this story anticipating a large showdown and the book does not disappoint. Pick this one up for a big dose of fun fantasy.

Next up on the TBR pile:

Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo

Title: Shadow and Bone (Shadow and Bone #1)

Author: Leigh Bardugo

Publisher: Square Fish 2013

Genre: YA Fantasy

Pages: 413

Rating: 3/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Modern Mrs. Darcy

Soldier. Summoner. Saint. Orphaned and expendable, Alina Starkov is a soldier who knows she may not survive her first trek across the Shadow Fold―a swath of unnatural darkness crawling with monsters. But when her regiment is attacked, Alina unleashes dormant magic not even she knew she possessed.

Now Alina will enter a lavish world of royalty and intrigue as she trains with the Grisha, her country’s magical military elite―and falls under the spell of their notorious leader, the Darkling. He believes Alina can summon a force capable of destroying the Shadow Fold and reuniting their war-ravaged country, but only if she can master her untamed gift.

As the threat to the kingdom mounts and Alina unlocks the secrets of her past, she will make a dangerous discovery that could threaten all she loves and the very future of a nation.

Welcome to Ravka . . . a world of science and superstition where nothing is what it seems.

Well… I didn’t hate it. But I didn’t love it either. There’s some interesting world building that’s hidden in here, but not quite fleshed out at much as I would have like. The characters are typical YA Fantasy tropes, but I don’t completely despise them. I would have liked a bit stronger of a female lead. I would have liked to get to know the Darkling a bit better. Seriously, a few more conversations with him would have gone a long way. I would have liked more action sequences. We only got a bit at the very end. I could have done with less training montages. Despite what sounds like a very negative review, Bardugo kept me wanting to turn the page and find out the next happening in the series. I will be picking the next one up soon. Hoping to read them all to then watch the television show…

Funny story: The last night I was read this, I stopped right after Alina and Mal crossed the Fold. My Kindle said I was 60% of the way through, so I stopped for the night. Turns out, I actually only had the epilogue chapter left and the rest of the pages were filled with previews for two other Bardugo books. Felt very silly sitting down to read the last 40% of my book and it was only three pages.

Shadow and Bone

• #1 Shadow and Bone

• #2 Siege and Storm

• #3 Ruin and Rising

Next up on the TBR pile:

Still Life by Louise Penny

Title: Still Life (Inspector Gamache #1)

Author: Louise Penny

Publisher: Minotaur Books 2008

Genre: Mysteries

Pages: 314

Rating: 3/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Unread Shelf; Modern Mrs. Darcy; Seasonal TBR

Chief Inspector Armand Gamache of the Surêté du Québec and his team of investigators are called in to the scene of a suspicious death in a rural village south of Montreal. Jane Neal, a local fixture in the tiny hamlet of Three Pines, just north of the U.S. border, has been found dead in the woods. The locals are certain it's a tragic hunting accident and nothing more, but Gamache smells something foul in these remote woods, and is soon certain that Jane Neal died at the hands of someone much more sinister than a careless bowhunter.
Still Life introduces not only an engaging series hero in Inspector Gamache, who commands his forces---and this series---with integrity and quiet courage, but also a winning and talented new writer of traditional mysteries in the person of Louise Penny.

Okay, don’t throw anything at me, but my overwhelming feeling about this book was boredom. I was thoroughly bored. Police procedurals/murder mysteries are really not my genre. I rarely find one that I love, but do find a whole lot more that I hate. This one I didn’t hate, but I certainly didn’t love. The actual murder itself was fairly pedestrian. The characters in Three Pines weren’t that interesting to me. I definitely did not get the urge to up and move there. Inspector Gamache was okay, but he’s not Poirot. My biggest complaint is the writing. The beginning chapters are a muddled mess narration wise. We begin hearing the inner workings of one character and suddenly Penny switches to another character with little to no warning. I seriously had to back up and reread paragraphs to caught the practically non-existent transitions. Also, the writing can be overly flowery and descriptive. So many unnecessary sections thrown in. I just got really really bored with it all. At this point, I’m not sure if I will be continuing the series…

Inspector Gamache

• #1 Still Life

• #2 A Fatal Grace

• #3 The Cruelest Month

• #4 A Rule Against Murder

• #5 The Brutal Telling

• #6 Bury Your Dead

• #7 A Trick of the Light

• #8 The Beautiful Mystery

• #9 How the Light Gets In

• #10 The Long Way Home

• #11 The Nature of the Beast

• #12 A Great Reckoning

• #13 Glass Houses

• #14 Kingdom of the Blind

• #15 A Better Man

• #16 All the Devils are Here

• #17 The Madness of Crowds

Next up on the TBR pile:

Ring Shout by P. Djèlí Clark

Title: Ring Shot

Author: P. Djèlí Clark

Publisher: Tor.com 2020

Genre: Horror

Pages: 192

Rating: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges: 

IN AMERICA, DEMONS WEAR WHITE HOODS.

In 1915, The Birth of a Nation cast a spell across America, swelling the Klan's ranks and drinking deep from the darkest thoughts of white folk. All across the nation they ride, spreading fear and violence among the vulnerable. They plan to bring Hell to Earth. But even Ku Kluxes can die.

Standing in their way is Maryse Boudreaux and her fellow resistance fighters, a foul-mouthed sharpshooter and a Harlem Hellfighter. Armed with blade, bullet, and bomb, they hunt their hunters and send the Klan's demons straight to Hell. But something awful's brewing in Macon, and the war on Hell is about to heat up.

Can Maryse stop the Klan before it ends the world?

Simply horrifying! And I loved every page of it! I read Clark’s novella The Haunting of Tram Car 015 and was intrigued by his writing enough to seek out his other works. This one is very different than Tram Car; heavy on the horror and racial commentary, while the previous novella was very steampunk fantasy with a bit of social commentary in a very different part of the world. This story reminded me a lot of Lovecraft Country in it’s mixing of racial commentary, history, and Lovecraftian style horror. There is some serious body horror going on in these pages; not for the feint of heart. I also loved that it was told by Maryse in her own language. We get a lot of dialect on the pages including some dialogue in Gullah. Makes me want to know more about the Gullah culture. I was sad when the story ended as I really wanted to spend more time with all the characters (okay maybe not the Ku Kluxes, but the rest).

Next up on the TBR pile:

The Toll by Neal Shusterman

Title: The Toll (Arc of a Scythe #3)

Author: Neal Shusterman

Publisher: Simon & Schuster

Genre: YA Science Fiction

Pages: 640

Rating: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Seasonal TBR; Currently Reading - So Good I Didn’t Want It to End

Citra and Rowan have disappeared. Endura is gone. It seems like nothing stands between Scythe Goddard and absolute dominion over the world scythedom. With the silence of the Thunderhead and the reverberations of the Great Resonance still shaking the earth to its core, the question remains: Is there anyone left who can stop him?

The answer lies in the Tone, the Toll, and the Thunder.

What a ride! I was a little scared going into this book after the shocking conclusion to the second book. I should not have been scared. Right away, we’re pulled right back into the storyline following all of our favorite (or hated) characters. I was excited that we get even more Greyson in this book and the introduction to another amazing character, Jeri. I couldn’t wait to see how our beloved characters would take down Goddard’s new order and restore some type of harmony to the world. And then there was the question of the Thunderhead and it’s intentions. I loved that we got to see more inner workings from the Thunderhead. I did not guess it’s ultimate goal until after Anastasia’s first message. From then, I was so excited to see how it all ended. I loved every page of this series. A must read!

Arc of a Scythe:

• #1 Scythe

• #2 Thunderhead

• #3 The Toll

Next up on the TBR pile: