Empire of Storms

 

Empire of Storms by Sarah J. Maas (2016) 689 pages

Sitting at #5 in the Throne of Glass series, I have to say I was disappointed by it. The previous 4 in the series I devoured. The author seems to have switched up her writing style with this one, and I don't think diving into long drawn-out romantic parts quite fits this series. I call it ACOTAR-fied (lol). It was still okay! Still read it, and will contiue the series but cringed through most of it. One thing I've also noticed is a lot of borrowing from other well-known fantasy series which I suppose isn't new to the genre. 

Aelin may have defeated the evil king, and restored magic to the realm, but the goalposts have been moved once again and she must track down a mysterious stone in order to save the world and destroy the Valg...once and for all. More wyverns involved in this one including....sea wyverns. The merry cast of characters fight with each other and their enemies as they track down this key. There are lots of physical romantic scenes in between all of the action. Aelin discovers that she must die in order to seal off the Valg and destroy Erawan for good. The book ends with Aelin being captured by Queen Maeve, and secured with iron chains and a mask to stifle her powers. 

Cahokia Mounds: America's First City

 Cahokia Mounds: America's First City by William Iseminger (2010) 176 pages

I read this in preparation for an honor's project I did for a class before finals. 

William, or Bill Iseminger is the current manager at the Cahokia site and has spent years helping preserve and share the history and archaeology of the mounds and Mississippian Culture. Iseminger details carefully the artifacts found in the Cahokia mound site, and an overview of what the city used to look like and how its people may have spent their days. 

This book is a wonderful read for St. Louisians, as it details not only the historic Cahokia site, but also the mounds of the once great "Mound City". It's pretty sad to read about how most of the mounds were destroyed, and how little preservation went into the ones that remain, but Bill along with the archaeologists, scientists and now the Osage Nation have taken care to preseve the rest. 

Children of Dune

 

Children of Dune by Frank Herbert (1976) 444 pages 

I had to read this one twice to fully understand it. This one is a bit different than the first two, but when read as a trilogy I think it follows the events nicely. This one isn't full of action, but also has themes of philosophy and religion on the desert planet. Paul Muad'dib Atreides, has walked into the desert blind, abandoning his twin children to the care of the Fremen. In Paul's place, his sister Alia has taken over ruling the universe. The twins, Ghanima and Leto II have been born into the world having been awakened in the womb by the spice. They are like Paul in that they both have prescience..they can see visions of future and the genetic information of those who have lived in the past. Arrakis is ecologically changing, the mission which Paul had initially began is working. The Fremen no longer need to live in the sietches and the sand worms are disappearing. Alia, who was also awoken in the womb but did not acquire prescience, becomes "possessed" by the part of the Baron Harkonnen that lives within her memory. Alia goes so far in her possession in that she attempts to have the twins killed, and her own mother in order to secure the power as emperor for herself. The twins survive, but Leto is separated from Ghanima for the first time in their short lives. A stuggle between Alia (the Baron), the spacing guild, the Bene Gesserit, and House Corrino, and the mysterious "preacher" of the desert spirals until in the end Leto II seizes power and declares himself emperor. He declares that he will live for thousands of years, impossible even by ingesting the spice melange. 

There's much that I have left out but ultimately I think this was a great follow-up to Messiah. Sad to see Paul disappear into the desert but excited to see what happens next. 

Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow

 

Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin (2022) 401 pages

 

This might be my favorite read of 2023.  

Bouncing between Sam Masur and Sadie Green, but usually from Sadie's pov, this story tells the tale of how old friends grow and change, together and apart, and back together throughout their life. The nostalgia with how old-school Nintendo and computer games in the late 80s and early 90s were made and played is integral to this, as the two main characters become game programmers. Not only about gaming, this novel goes into depth with themes of grief and loss, love and friendship, grappling with disability, homophobia and the recent culture war issues with mass shootings. Flashing back in time quite often, it is sometimes hard to remember where specifically you are at, but the author does a good job keeping you grounded throughout.

Beach Read

 

Beach Read by Emily Henry (2020) 358 pages

I'll admit, romance novels are not my favorite but this one was so incredibly fun! 

Writer January has recently lost her father and is supposed to be on track to finish her next novel by the end of summer. After her father's death, she discovered a nasty secret. Her beloved father has kept not only a secret beach house, but a secret lover. She moves into this beach house that has been left to her, thinking she can start anew and crank out her novel. She is incredibly reluctant to read the letter her father left her, she would rather not know the excuses he has for betraying her mother. Little does January know, next door lives one of her college rivals: Gus Everett. January purportedly refuses to still believe in love, and therefore is stuck on finishing her next book. Gus and January get to talking and decide to begin a game. The game is writing each other's usual themes: Gus with a typical American dark novel, and January's typical happy romantic story. They go on adventures one weekend after another and soon find not only inspiration, but feelings for each other. 

What I liked most about this was the way it really immerses you in the way it feels to develop a crush on someone! I felt the butterflies! Excellent writing style on that front.

When the Stars Go Dark

 

 When the Stars Go Dark by Paula McLain (2021) 384 pages

Main character Anna Hart is running from tragedy which has struck her immediate family. There are little details except visual bits and pieces in the beginning as to what exactly has happened to her. All we know is that she is running from it, and is feeling deeply guilty by what has happened. Anna returns to northern California, Mendocino specifically, where she spent her time in foster care as a child. She feels that Mendocino is the only place where she can return, not only to grieve what has happened recently, but return to the trauma she experienced before ending up in foster care. She is a detective, taking time off from her official position, but is soon drawn into a missing person's case which has struck the small town of Mendocino. A movie star's daughter, also an adoptee, has gone missing. Anna joins the search with her friend Will, a local sheriff who is investigating the case. This story not only draws on themes of abuse and trauma, but how one can identify these things happening in a young person's life, and what that can look like from the outside. Anna becomes obsessed with the case when not only the movie star's daughter disappears, but multiple from neighboring counties. As the story unfolds, we learn more of what Anna went through herself as a young child, being ripped out of the only family she knows when her mother overdoses on drugs and is placed apart from her siblings. I enjoyed the mystery aspect and uncovering the details in the missing person's case, but also in the healing and grieving process in what is happening in most immediate time setting in Anna's life. Overall a really solid read.

Dune: The Graphic Novel, Book 1

 Dune: The Graphic Novel by Brian Herbert and Kevin J. Anderson, (2020) 163 pages

 Brian Herbert, the son of the great Frank Herbert, has created a fairly beautiful graphic novel adaptation of his father's masterpiece and very beloved science fiction series Dune. It is sometimes difficult to not only get the whole story into graphic novel form, but I believe this was done very well. The facial expressions of young Paul Atreides match the horror and emotions of reading about his unraveling destiny. The terrifying Baron Harkonnen is equally captured within the images. As a Dune lover, I really enjoyed reading the story in a different light next to the newest film adaptation. Now not the whole story made it within these pages, but I believe the most important parts were done carefully and thoughtfully. This one is a bit different than the film adaptation, as it does go into more detail regarding the background characters on the other planets, such as the guild navigators and those involved with seeing the Harkonnen's back in power on Arrakis.

Paul Atreides, heir to House Atreides is discovering he was meant for much more than just heading his father's great House. As his family is uprooted from the lush planet Caladan, Paul is awakened by vivid dreams of their future home: Dune, or Arrakis, the desert planet. Paul's mother, Jessica, is a Bene Gesserit,an order of women who have gone through thousands of years of mental and physical training to achieve superhuman capabilities. Jessica has taught Paul the ways of the Bene Gesserit. The Bene Gesserit have a secret breeding program that has been carefully planned for 10,000 years which they hope to someday create the "Kwisatz Haderach", or a male Bene Gesserit who will not only have access to the memories of all female but male counterparts as well as capabilities beyond space and time. Paul is tested by the Reverened Mother, who decides that he indeed could potentially become the one they have been waiting for. Through corruption between the Bene Gesserit and the Baron Harkonnen, Paul's father Leto is killed due to a betrayal within the Atreides house, and Paul's path to becoming who he was meant to be is ignited. The main idea behind the Harkonnen's corruption is to regain control of Arrakis, the main source of the spice melange in the universe. As Jessica and Paul flee the capital successfully hidden, the Baron Harkhonnen eventually believe them to be killed. This is where the book 1 adaptation ends.

Fevered Star

 

Fevered Star by Rebecca Roanhorse (2022) 384 pages

I've been excited to continue this fantasy series, which Ms. Roanhorse calls Between Earth and Sky. The land, the Meridian, and the people and magic are based on Mesoamerican culture before Europeans arrived. It has been two years since I read the first book of the planned trilogy, so it took a little while to reacquaint myself with the main characters and where the first book left off. I love the world building and exploring it with the old and new characters. I love that even though there is a cosmic battle between the dark and the light most characters are not one-dimensionally evil or good. There are faults and heroic aspects of all the main characters. The author expertly builds tension through the suspense of courtly intrigue with multiple tribes of people vying for power. Several storylines are left open-ended to be resolved in the third book. However, this one still feels satisfying as the protagonists have grown and changed, and recommitted themselves to new goals that will change the order of the Meridian.

Murder Your Employer

Murder Your Employer by Rupert Holmes, 388 pages

In what is intended to be the first of several volumes in the McMasters Guide to Homicide*, the dean of a secretive finishing school for those wishing to finish the life of someone in particular presents three case studies of McMasters students working on and attempting to present their final thesis: the murder of their deserving employer. The case studies are Cliff, an aeronautical engineer whose ex-boss ignored safety measures and ruined Cliff's reputation when he dared draw attention to the hazards; Doria, a Hollywood starlet whose sleazy producer is threatening to end her career because she resists his "charms"; and Gemma, a nurse who is being blackmailed by her boss.

This clever book manages to skewer both bad bosses and academia, while serving up plenty of wordplay and humor. It's fun in the same way a heist is fun: you're rooting for someone who you know is planning something illegal, and even when you think you have it all figured out, you're wrong in the best possible way. I absolutely loved this book, and if there are more volumes in the McMasters Guide, I'll happily read them.

*While the dean is obviously a proponent of this series, others on the school's guiding committee may put the kibosh on this. Only time will tell.

Travelers to Unimaginable Lands

Travelers to Unimaginable Lands: Stories of Dementia, the Caregiver and the Human Brain by Dasha Kiper (2023) 233 pages

Dasha Kiper has a background in clinical psychology and has worked with dementia patients and their caregivers for over ten years, including a year she lived with and cared for an Alzheimer's patient. Her book offers much discussion about the difficulties caring for a patient with dementia. Part of the problem is that patients don't always seem irrational, so we find ourselves thinking that they may not have dementia, and that they still have self-awareness and the ability to remember, which unfortunately isn't the case. In fact, Kiper tells us that the caretaker often begins to act irrational as well, forgetting that the dementia patient has forgotten so much. There are several case histories, which help show how difficult life is for both the patients and their caregivers. This book is well-written and well-documented, and it deserves a second reading. 

I first heard of this book when Kiper was interviewed on NPR's program The Takeaway. I highly recommend this book for those who have a dementia patient in their life.

Book Lovers

 

Book Lovers by Emily Henry (2022) 373 pages

Nora and her younger sister, Libby, who are both residents of New York City, take a month-long vacation to a town near Asheville, North Carolina. Nora is a literary agent who can't NOT answer her phone. The only thing she cares about more than her clients is her younger sister. Since their mother died 10 years ago and their father has been absent all of their lives, Nora feels responsible for Libby's happiness. Libby is five months pregnant with her third child and had insisted Nora join her on this vacation.

The small town where they're staying was the setting for a book that was written by Dusty Fielding, one of Nora's clients, and even though the town doesn't quite live up to its reputation in the novel, Libby makes a list of things that Nora needs to try doing during this trip, including to date a local. When Nora learns that Charlie, a man she has worked with in NYC, is living in the town and working remotely as he also tries to run his family's bookstore, she's conflicted. Her interactions with Charlie had been difficult in the past. Meanwhile, Nora is getting the feeling that there are problems between Libby and her husband, Brendan. Libby seems to be avoiding his calls.

When Dusty's editor goes out on maternity leave unexpectedly early, Nora and Charlie are tasked with editing her newest novel in the works — Dusty's story and Nora and Charlie's story run somewhat in parallel. Not to forget Libby's current story, Nora's backstory, and Charlie's backstory, as well. Nice fast meaty read.

Unthinkable

Unthinkable: An Extraordinary Journey Through the World's Strangest Brains by Helen Thomson, 275 pages

In this book, neuroscience reporter Thomson profiles a handful of people with particularly strange brains. There's the guy who remembers in detail every day of his life, back to when he was a child. There are a few people who have very specific types of synesthesia — one sees colors radiating out of people, another has "mirror synesthesia," in which he feels things physically happening to the people around him (such as getting tapped on the shoulder or kicked in the shin). There are even people who believe they are dead, and one guy who has lycanthropy, or the belief that he is turning into an animal (in his case, a tiger). Along with the profiles, Thomson also offers up plenty of research into brain science and what research into these unique brains tells us about how "normal" brains function.

This is definitely an intriguing book, and I certainly learned something while listening to it. However, I also got a bit of a "check out these weirdos" vibe from time to time, which made me feel a bit icky. It has made me interested in checking out other neuroscience books though, so I guess that's good?

Last Night at the Telegraph Club

 Last Night at the Telegraph Club by Malinda Lo, 404 pages.

1954 is not a very good year to be a Chinese lesbian. Even in San Francisco, historically one of the safer places for people who love differently, there are police raids on gay bars and criminal charges. This is the situation Lily Hu is in. She is seventeen and living in Chinatown during the Red Scare. She's also falling in love with one of her classmates who she thinks (hopes?) might be falling in love with her too. And when they start going together to the Telegraph Club, a lesbian bar where a "male impersonator" performs, Lily quickly confirms many things she only suspected about herself. But, in a place and time when discovery would be life-shattering, the stakes of first love are high.

I've been meaning to read this for quite a while, and I'm glad I finally got to it! I actually read the first seed of this novel in a short story in the All Out anthology I wrote about last summer, which I really liked, and which inspired me to pursue this novel. Lo clearly did a lot of research, and I found the whole novel to be a really interesting historical snapshot. I think I tend to prefer my books a little plot heavier than this one is, but I still enjoyed it. The romance was sweet and I liked the characters.

Sisters of the Lost Nation

 Sisters of the Lost Nation by Nick Medina, 352 pages.

Anna Horn has plenty of worries. She's constantly bullied at school, her parents' marriage is falling apart, her little sister is growing away from her, her boss at the reservation's casino is sketchy, and when she walks alone she often sees the ghostly severed head her uncle told her about as a little girl. That's all before teenage girls start going missing. Due to some thorny (and all too real) jurisdiction problems surrounding law enforcement on reservations, it is hard to pursue the investigation of these cases, and easier to pretend that the girls all just ran off. So when Anna's little sister joins the missing she throws everything she has into finding her herself, following leads and tribal legends both in an attempt to bring her sister home.

This was more thriller than the horror I think I was expecting, but it was quite good. I found Anna to be an engaging protagonist and the story to be haunting, not only narratively but also in reality. Medina notes at the end that Indigenous women are staggeringly more likely to be murdered or go missing than any other demographic (about 12 times more likely in fact). This book is fiction, but it is obviously very invested in dealing with real world problems. My one major criticism is that I'm not sure the structure Medina decided to use worked very well. Chapters jump back and forth between before and after Anna's sister goes missing, and I found that they really interrupted the narrative tension. There would be very high intensity investigations, and then suddenly we were spending chapters concerned with our clothes and parents marital problems. It also doesn't help that the way we differentiate is by numbering the days at the top of the chapter, which is a little bit too subtle, especially close to where the timelines are meeting up. That being said, I do consider this a pretty strong first novel and would recommend it. 

Trouble the Saints

Trouble the Saints by Alaya Dawn Johnson, 352 pages

Phyllis was born and raised in Harlem, but as an adult, she uses her preternatural knife abilities to survive as a hitwoman for white nightclub owner (and mob boss) Victor. When she learns that not all of the people she's killed are as bad as she was told, she decides to take matters into her own hands and kill Victor instead. However, there are complications, in the form of Phyllis' ex Dev, her dancing friend Tamara, and Victor's head enforcer, Walter.

I don't know what I was expecting from this book, but it wasn't this. It's alternate history 1940s, definitely, and the racial tension and powers were well-written. But the structure of the book (it's Phyllis' point of view for the first third, then Dev's, and finally, Tamara's) was jarring, and I just didn't care about the characters enough to get sucked into the story. Really, Tamara was the most interesting of the them, and we didn't get to her POV until the end. Meh.

There Is a Tide

There Is a Tide by Agatha Christie (1948) 231 pages

Searching for a quick read among my old books, I happened upon this unfamiliar Hercule Poirot mystery. The action takes place during the end of World War II and its aftermath. A very rich and generous man by the name of Gordon Cloade had married a young woman named Rosaleen, whom he'd met during his travels, and before he could re-write his will, he was killed in a bombing raid in London. Therefore his wealth went to his new wife, making all his relatives who counted on his generosity find themselves in tough financial straits. This included his brothers, one of whom was a doctor and one of whom was an attorney, his widowed sister, and a nephew who had taken on the ownership of a farm because of Gordon's promised financial backing.

Rosaleen was just 26, and she and her brother David were living in Gordon's large country home in the Village of Warmsley Vale, near all of Gordon's relatives. David was very protective of Rosaleen, knowing how much she was resented by the family. He fought off their requests for cash. However, the family took some solace in gossip which held that Rosaleen's first husband might actually still be alive, which would make this second marriage void and would mean that Gordon's original will would apply.

This mystery has its share of motives for blackmail and murder, and indeed a number of suspicious deaths do occur, along with an unlikely love story. In spite of all that, this story's ending disappointed me, a rarity for me with Christie's books.

Dark Knights of Steel vol. 1

 Dark Knights of Steel vol. 1 by Tom Taylor et al., 176 pages.

The DC comics universe goes medieval in this swords and sorcery alternate universe story. Instead of superman crash-landing in America, he and his parents arrive together in a spaceship after the destruction of their planet. Years later Bruce Wayne is the head of their guard and they're in charge of a kingdom. These are only the first changes in a story that delights in re-imagining these old stories.

I'm not much of a comics reader, but I saw a few pages of this online and was intrigued enough to pick up the whole thing. The story was super fun, and I found the some of the recontextualizations to medieval fantasy really creative and interesting. I'm also intrigued by the mystery of the plot itself (it looks like Superman and his sister Zala are murdering political rivals, but it also looks like that doesn't really make sense). Jester Harley Quinn was a fun touch, as were forest witch Poison Ivy and mad prophet John Constantine. I'm very excited to get my hands on volume 2.

Why Shoot a Butler?

Why Shoot a Butler? by Georgette Heyer (1933) 329 pages

Frank Amberley is a somewhat abrasive attorney who is apparently very good at his job and at sometimes helping the police investigate crimes. On his drive to visit his aunt, uncle and cousin in the English countryside, he gets lost while using a shortcut his cousin Felicity had suggested. In the dark, he happens upon a woman standing on a remote lane outside of a car with a dead man's body in the driver's seat. She says she didn't murder the man, and Frank believes her. It's clear that she wants Frank to leave, and he does, but he goes to report the dead body to the local police sergeant, omitting the fact that the woman was at the scene.

As it turns out, the dead man was the butler for a nearby manor. Basil Fountain had inherited the estate when his uncle died two years ago. His stepsister Joan (who happens to be a friend of Frank's cousin Felicity) is engaged to be married, and she and her fiancé are both staying with Basil. When Basil hosts a masquerade party, the mysterious woman from the butler's car is there, uninvited (but masked), trying to find something in a piece of furniture. When Frank realizes who she is, he tries to help, but his abrasive manner‒and hers‒keeps them from being honest with each other.

As time goes on and the death count rises, the mystery deepens. If the woman didn't shoot the butler, who did, and why? And what is the missing item which is being sought?

It's an old story, set back long ago, and while the characters don't act in a way I find entirely realistic, it is fine. The wrap-up at the end goes on rather long, though. (And one unneeded use of an insensitive term is used, which detracted a bit from the story, I thought.)

Corpse in Waiting

Corpse in Waiting by Margaret Duffy (2010) 218 pages

Patrick and Ingrid are taking a vacation in Bath, England, close to home, just the two of them. Patrick recently had a bad health issue and Ingrid is still recovering from childbirth, and they're having a lovely time until they run into one of Patrick's ex-girlfriends. From there, the vacation goes awry: Patrick's ego is lifted by the attention that Alexandra heaps on him, while Ingrid seethes. Alexandra is looking for a new home and when she asks Patrick to help her, Ingrid comes along. One of the houses, which has been vacant for a while, is perfect—for Ingrid—who has been looking for a place to write her novels. She puts a bid in on it before Alexandra can. It's a real mess, and just gets worse after a body and head are found in there, in different cabinets.

Further complicating the issue is the difficulty in identifying the body. Can Patrick and Ingrid help solve the year-old murder, even while they continue to spar about Alexandra? The case grows in intensity when there are indicators of human trafficking going on.

This is a fast read, told from Ingrid's point of view. I like the style, as well as the way the relationships are depicted between Patrick and Ingrid, their family, and their colleagues.

Shrines of Gaiety

Shrines of Gaiety by Kate Atkinson, 394 pages

It's 1926 and notorious nightclub queen Nellie Coker has just been released from prison. Her brood of adult children has managed her collection of nightclubs in her absence, though only her daughter Edith seems to have any real skill or interest in the family business — eldest son Niven is too busy being aloof, youngest son Ramsey is determined write a great novel between bouts of gambling and dope, daughters Shirley and Betty just don't seem to care, and Kitty, the baby of the family, is too young and, well, annoying. The situation makes Nellie's empire a prime target for takeover from her enemies, who include a mysterious mobster and a crooked cop. Meanwhile, Chief Inspector John Frobisher and erstwhile librarian Gwendolen have teamed up to both spy on Nellie and track down a pair of runaway girls.

The catalog description of this book uses the word "Dickensian," and I think that's apt for this bit of historical fiction. The book is light on plot, but rich with detailed observations, three-dimensional characters, and plots that are just believable enough. Atkinson is one of my favorite authors, and while this isn't my favorite of hers, it's still excellent. (Also, let's go ahead and judge this book by its gorgeous cover.)

On a Sunbeam

On a Sunbeam by Tillie Waldon, 533 pages

At boarding school, Mia was an awkward outcast whose only interest was Lux, a gravity-defying game. But then she met Grace, the shy new girl, with whom she quickly fell in love. Five years later, Mia is working on an interstellar construction crew and is determined to reconnect with Grace, who left her life as quickly and mysteriously as she entered it.

Rereading the previous few sentences, I realize it's a pretty vague description for an absolutely excellent book about love, redemption, and belonging. But anything else points to big ol' spoilers, and I'm not about to try to spoil this gorgeous graphic novel. My only regret is that it took me this long to read it. SO GOOD.

Con/Artist

 

Con/Artist: The Life and Crimes of the World's Greatest Art Forger by Tony Tetro and Giampiero Ambrosi, 288 pages.

 Art forgery is, I think, one of the more interesting crimes. It almost feels more like a puzzle than an actual crime, and Tetro mentions that at his trial the prosecution couldn't find any actual victims. Which all comes together to make this a uniquely fun crime to get an inside look at.

Tony Tetro is the titular art forger, and this memoir covers his decades long career forging paintings, prints, and various other art pieces. Tetro (or perhaps Giampiero Ambrosi, the journalist who I suspect did most of the writing) is a great storyteller. He feels very human, and his descriptions of the art world, mostly in California in the 70s and 80s, are fascinating. I was immediately pulled in. Tetro doesn't shy away from admitting when he made stupid choices, but also doesn't linger much on the personal aspects, choosing instead to focus on the story as a narrative. I found all of his descriptions of the techniques he used for his forgeries especially interesting.This was a really fun book, and although it was a bit lower stakes than I expected (we spend a lot of time making prints in California) it was still definitely very interesting. I would definitely recommend it.

Be the Serpent

Be the Serpent by Seanan McGuire, 384 pages.

October is finally married, and it's surprisingly nice. She's managed to pull her loved ones around her and is enjoying relatively safety. But Toby is a hero who always seems to be at the center of everything, so naturally it can't last. 

This book was really interesting because a lot of the major plots hinted at in the earliest books are finally coming to fruition. It's also interesting to see how the author manages to keep the stakes high as Toby keeps inching closer to functionally immortal. I found this book to start really picking up again after a bit of a lull the last couple of books, and I'm very excited for the TWO (!) new novels coming out this fall (including the first full length novel not from Toby's perspective). I would definitely recommend this book, although it's book 16 in a series, and I can't help but feel that if you've made it that far you're probably already hooked.
 

A Study in Scarlet

 A Study in Scarlet by Arthur Conan Doyle, 123 pages.

In this, the first Sherlock Holmes novel, John Watson is introduced to a weird man looking for a roommate while he is doing the same. Watson is fascinated and impressed by Holmes' deductive detective techniques, and is soon tagging along on a very strange murder where the clues don't seem to be adding up.

After about 150 years of near constant popularity I feel confident that everyone reading this knows who Sherlock Holmes is and his general deal. That being said, reading this novel still felt like a sort of original experience. And the Mormons were a surprise. 

I could definitely see myself reading more of these, and it's definitely a worthy book for fans of the classic mystery novel.

Leonard Bernstein's Young People's Concerts

Leonard Bernstein's Young People's Concerts by Leonard Bernstein, edited by Jack Gottlieb (1992) 379 pages

I've had this on my shelf at home for quite awhile. I've enjoyed Bernstein's West Side Story music. Ahead of Bradley Cooper's biopic film Maestro, coming out later this year, I thought it is time to sample his Young People's Concerts. From 1958 to 1972 Bernstein led 53 televised concerts to teach young people about musical concepts. I've found there is a YouTube playlist with the episodes, so I'll have to check those out next. The book samples fifteen of Bernstein's lessons. There are pictures added and printed music to illustrate the concepts. The video recordings will be helpful because I am not familiar with every musical example he sites, and my sight reading skills are not great. For those who cannot read music, the videos rather than the book would be the way to absorb the lessons. Some pop culture references from the '60s are dated, but mostly it is all still relevant. The second chapter, based on the second concert, which asks "What Makes Music American?" needs a more modern assessment. Chapter ten, based on concert 21, which explores "What is a Melody?" is also not completely successful at defining it as distinct from a tune. Bernstein shows his classical music harshness in judging those who prefer pop/rock/jazz tunes. Still the book got me excited for thinking more deeply about music. 
 

April totals

Yep, I'm a little late posting the April results! 

Byron: 4 books, 941 pages

Jan: 4 books, 996 pages

Kara: 8 books, 2822 pages

Kevin: 3 books, 1034 pages

Regan: 7 books, 2320 pages

Total: 26 books, 8113 pages

In the Lives of Puppets

In the Lives of Puppets by T.J. Klune, 420 pages

Human male Victor Lawson lives in the woods with his dad (an android named Giovanni) and two refurbished household robots named Nurse Ratched and Rambo. Victor and Giovanni spend their days tinkering with robots, and hauling bits and pieces out of a nearby scrap heap to create all manner of robotic stuff. But when Victor pulls a dying android named Hap out of the scrap heap, he learns that his dad isn't exactly who he thought he was, and must confront his fears — and his dad's past — to save their little family.

Klune has quite the talent for creating amazing characters, and this book is no exception. Nurse Ratched's sociopathic tendencies and Rambo's enthusiastic goofiness are an absolute delight, and add just the right amount of levity to what, in other hands, could be a tough story. I loved this science fiction take on Pinocchio, and really dug the ruminations on power, kindness, trust, and emotional strength. Another amazing book from Klune.

Lizzy and Jane

Lizzy and Jane by Katherine Reay (2014) 338 pages

Elizabeth (Lizzy) and Jane are sisters who have been at odds with each other since their mother died 15 years ago. The story is told from the point of view of Elizabeth, the younger daughter, who left home at 18, after her mother's death, to study under a chef. She has been living in New York for many years, running her own restaurant funded by a venture capitalist named Paul. She has had few visits back home. Jane, the older sister, lives in Seattle with her husband and children, and is undergoing treatments for breast cancer, which is what killed their mother. Their father, who lives in Oregon, cajoles Elizabeth to visit Jane, and after Paul suggests she take time off from the restaurant—which has fewer patrons these days—to see if she can get her mojo back while another chef steps in for a time, Elizabeth decides to spend a few days in Seattle.

Elizabeth notices that Jane can't keep food down easily while on chemo, and she works to develop recipes that take into account the metallic tastes that chemo causes, and works to counteract them, with some success. The sisters continue to spar often, but also find some common ground.

When Jane's husband needs to go on a business trip, Elizabeth ends up staying longer to get Jane to her chemotherapy treatments and to help with the kids. Nick, a friend and colleague of Jane's, catches Elizabeth's interest and she seems to be feeling real joy for the first time in a long time, but she still is set on returning to New York.

Elizabeth starts out as an unlovable character, and then develops into one I can relate to, but before the story ends, her behavior turns ugly. I struggled to decide whether the later crisis points were realistic or contrived. Overall, I'd say that the story is worth reading, but I preferred Katherine Reay's novel The Brontë Plot to this book.

Can't Spell Treason Without Tea

Can't Spell Treason Without Tea by Rebecca Thorne, 443 pages

Reyna is one of the queen's personal guards, and after being stabbed one time too many, she decides to take up her girlfriend's half-serious proposal to move to the middle of nowhere and start a teashop. There are, of course, some complicating factors: Reyna's girlfriend, Kianthe, is the Arcandor, the greatest mage in all the land and leader of the magical guild that handles all things magical, so she can't really leave that responsibility behind. Oh, and the queen doesn't take abandonment very well (hence the "treason" in the title). But hey, a teashop with lots of books is what's needed, and that's what Reyna and Kianthe set out to build.

I truly love the recent spate of uber-cozy fantasy titles (like Legends & Lattes, The House in the Cerulean Sea, and The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches) and this is an excellent addition to that subgenre. I can't wait to read the sequel!

The Noble Hustle

The Noble Hustle by Colson Whitehead, 234 pages

In 2011, author Colson Whitehead was offered a writing assignment to document his time playing in the World Series of Poker, the card game's biggest annual competition, with his $10,000 entry fee covered as payment. A fan of the game with a penchant for gambling, Whitehead took the job. The Noble Hustle is his memoir of that experience, which included practice competitions, time with coaches for poker and physical fitness (that's a lot of sitting to prepare for!), and plenty of self-doubt. This was a bit too lyrically written (and read, as I listened to the audiobook, which is read by the author) for my non-fiction tastes, but it was certainly an interesting look into the poker world.

The Inheritance of Orquidea Divina

The Inheritance of Orquidea Divina by Zoraida Cordova, 324 pages

Orquidea Divina summons her sprawling family tree to her rural home for her funeral, telling them that they need to come and collect their inheritance. However, when the dozens of children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren arrive they learn that there's a lot more to their inheritance — and Orquidea's funeral — than they expected. In parallel storylines of Orquidea's past and her grandchildren's present, this enchanting tale weaves together a story of generational trauma, fitting in, magical realism, and coming to terms with one's heritage. This was my second read of the book, and I think I may have enjoyed it even more this time around. An excellent book, and an excellent discussion with Orcs & Aliens!

The Night Masquerade (Binti #3)

The Night Masquerade (Binti #3) by Nnedi Okorafor (2018) 208 pages

I finished the trilogy. The third audiobook on Hoopla was consistently narrated by Robin Miles. The second book left us with a cliffhanger when Binti received devastating news. I was a bit frustrated that this third one did not resolve this cliffhanger right away. Binti is deep in the desert with the Enyi Zinariya, the tribe of her father and grandmother. She is becoming close with Mwinyi, who is teaching her the ways of their unique harmonizing. She spends awhile in a trance-like state before returning home to find the destruction of her home. It turns out I was right to feel that the resolution at the end of the first book, which involved a treaty between the majority culture on Earth and the Meduse, was too easy. The antagonism between the two groups is not so simple to sweep away. The title The Night Masquerade refers to a mythical creature (actually a ceremonial role played by a Himba elder), who appears to Binti's people to signal societal change. In the Himba tradition, usually only men have a vision of the Night Masquerade, but Binti sees it three times. Using this as the title suggests an importance to this role, which I do not think was very successful. Characters are coping with death multiple times through the story and are moved to action for good or for ill because of it. Tribal clashes continue. Battles are threatened. Diplomacy seeks peace. Feelings of triumph and grief are mixed in a strange concoction. Then we are back in space and Binti's DNA goes through more modifications. Math continues to be a meditative and energizing force. Miracles are performed in ways you only see in fantasy/sci-fi. Ultimately Binti becomes a combination of skills and parts from all the different sources that have influenced her being. And aren't we all like that.

Souvenirs of Murder

Souvenirs of Murder by Margaret Duffy (2009) 220 pages

In this new-to-me series, Ingrid has just given birth to her and Patrick's fifth child (counting the adopted niece and nephew) when Patrick is whisked away undercover to try to flush a dangerous woman criminal out into the open. Ingrid is counting the weeks Patrick is away, while also marking the renovations to a rectory that they have bought as a residence for their growing family, and handling her "baby blues."

Ingrid and Patrick have seen their share of action, having been partners in the British intelligence agency MI5. Patrick moved to the supposedly less dangerous Serious Organized Crime Agency (SOSA) to spend more time with his family. Ingrid is a novelist who consults on criminal matters for SOSA as well. 

While Patrick is away, Ingrid finds the dead body of a not-well-liked member of her father-in-law's congregation. She's trying to help the local law enforcement officials investigate that murder when she learns that Patrick was drugged and implicated in a mass murder in London, which includes the woman he was to find. It looks really bad for Patrick, physically and career-wise. He continues to suffer from memory issues due to the drugs used on him.

This is a fast-paced book that incorporates the relationship of the couple, their children, and the various law enforcement units, while it also keeps one guessing about what really happened at the murder scenes.

The Brontë Plot

The Brontë Plot by Katherine Reay (2015) 332 pages

I found The Brontë Plot to be a lovely book, laced with finding oneself, redeeming oneself, and yes, some romance as well. Lucy Alling lives in Chicago and has a great job in a antique shop that also functions as a design store. Her boss, Sid, treats her like a daughter and loves and trusts her. Lucy helps a customer, James, and is asked out to dinner on his second trip to the shop, starting what seems to be a great relationship, until it isn't. Many of Lucy's issues can be attributed to the personality traits of her long-absent father, who had been somewhat of a conman in his youth. 

When James' grandmother, Helen, comes to meet her, all sorts of strange connections ensue. Lucy feels that Helen doesn't like her, but when Helen insists Lucy accompany her on a trip to London, the character development really takes off and the story grows into a most fulfilling book that I didn't want to put down. References to the Brontë sisters, Jane Austen, and many more British authors abound.

The Frugal Wizard's Handbook for Surviving Medieval England

 The Frugal Wizard's Handbook for Surviving Medieval England by Brandon Sanderson, 372 pages.

A man wakes up in what looks an awful lot like Medieval England with no memory of himself whatsoever. His name would be good to know, but it seems a little less important than the pressing questions of "what am I doing here?" or "how did I even get here?". These questions become more relevant as it becomes obvious that there are some other people from the future running around, and the memories he's getting back seem to be hinting at a dangerous life he left. 

This was the second of Sanderson's four secret novels, and I really loved it. I really like the concept of time tourism, and I liked even more that (minor spoilers) Sanderson chose to use alternate dimensions instead of literal time travel. The worldbuilding is interesting, and the book is pretty darn funny throughout. However, despite the humor, he manages to set up genuine emotional stakes with a really solid payoff. Some fans are apparently less thrilled by this one, I suspect because it's tone is pretty different from his normal fare, but it reminds me quite a lot of his Alcatraz vs the Evil Librarians series (an extremely funny series of middle grade novels) and I would definitely recommend it, especially for fans of a fun sci-fi romp.

Legends & Lattes

 Legends & Lattes by Travis Baldree, 296 pages.

Kara wrote about this cozy fantasy novel last fall, and I completely agree with everything she said there. Viv is tired of her lifetime of adventuring work and violence, and so decides to take a magical artifact to give her a head start and moves to a new city to open a coffee shop. This is made somewhat more difficult by the fact that nobody there has ever heard of coffee, and there are a few other elements giving her trouble as she tries to leave her old life behind. But she quickly builds a new life with new friends and supports (and love?) and manages to find a new way of being. 

This is a very low stakes novel, but that can be nice sometimes. I think this book pulled me in less than it did other people, but I still enjoyed it and found it sweet. It's a nice, casual book to unwind with.

Going Postal

 Going Postal by Terry Pratchett, 484 pages.

Moist Von Lipwig (unfortunately his real name), con artist extraordinaire, is given a difficult choice by the dictator of Ankh Morpork. Get the postal service running again or be hanged. Deciding that he'll probably be able to wiggle out of it later, and would also really rather not die, he decides to take up the role of postmaster. It turns out to be more dangerous than he had anticipated, in part because of the standard concentrated weirdness of the Discworld setting, and in part because he's put himself in direct competition with the Clacks (think an early telegraph system) and their brutal corporate sponsors.

I've read a number of Discworld books before, including some set in Ankh Morpork, but this is my first in the subseries featuring Moist Von Lipwig. Like all of the Discworld novels it is of course very funny and full of interesting satire, but I also feel like I felt more anger from the author in this book than the earlier ones I had read. Although twenty years old, it still feels depressingly relevant today. I also found our new set of characters very engaging, and will definitely read the other two books that feature them.