Well, this was my first skipped post in a while, but March was a slow month and I had a lot more to say about April. Hence, a combined recap! (And there was much rejoicing?) I was a bit lax about keeping up with my mini-book reviews as I went, so it’s taken me a couple of weeks to catch up. *Making a mental resolution to keep up as I go along with May.*
For the month of March, I only finished four books, but I managed seven in April, giving us a combined 11 for this post (and 21 for the year to date, on track to finish the challenge again for the second time ever).
I started out March with a short one – for prompt #3, Read a book that is under 400 pages, I decided on Apollo Grant by Rey Nichols. Rey was one of the authors I met at last year’s JordanCon, and this book and its sequel (in a planned 4 book series) were some of the paperbacks I snagged and had signed in Author’s Alley. I’d describe this short novel as an urban fantasy detective story, heavily featuring vampires – a review of the first book referred to it as a bit “Dresden Files meets Buffy”, which is not far off, to be honest.
Unlike either Dresden or Buffy, I like that the main character is not supernatural himself – just heavily steeped in the supernatural underbelly of Las Vegas. I’m glad I picked up the second book while I was at her table last year, because I was excited to read the second book – and since #3 is out now, I may just pick it up at this year’s convention (spoiler alert – I totally did). [4 stars]
The short book was followed by a chunker – and it’s just the first half of the novel. To Green Angel Tower (Part 1) by Tad Williams is the last installment in the Memory, Sorrow and Thorn trilogy. As always, I did appreciate the preface of the novel with a recap of the first two volumes – it had been a while since I had read them. The beginning of the story was on the slow side, but once characters started coming together again, I became very invested, staying up until 3:30 AM (on a Sunday night, no less, when I needed to work early on Monday) getting deep into the story.
I am planning to finish the second part of this story before too long, because I have a deep need to know whether I’m right about a couple of guesses I made, and see how the story resolves. The trilogy is generally highly recommended by epic fantasy fans, so I expect a satisfying conclusion. I selected this one for prompt #9, Read a book with a color in the title. [4.25 stars]
Next up was my option for prompt #16, Read a book you meant to read for last year’s challenge. Technically I finished all the books I earmarked for the challenge; however, early in the process of picking my books, I was wavering between two options for prompt #49 (Read one of the New York Public Library’s Best Books of 2022), and had picked up Magic, Lies and Deadly Pies by Misha Popp earlier in the year, before Ordinary Monsters got marked down for Kindle and I had to snag it.
I am tempted to classify Magic, Lies and Deadly Pies as a cozy fantasy, but it’s more of a blend of cozy mystery and magical realism – although there’s a little bit of a darker undertone than your typical cozy mystery. After all, instead of being a caterer or owning a tea shop or a bakery, our main character bakes pies that kill people. But she uses her powers for… good? It was an interesting setup, well-written, and I enjoyed the story – there’s a second in the series out, and the third due to be released later this month, so I expect I’ll continue with it eventually. [4 stars]
Speaking of series that I expect to continue with, my sister-in-law recommended the Merchant Princes series by Charles Stross several years back, and I’ve been intrigued to start it, mostly because she has excellent taste and never steers me wrong. Fortuitously, the first book, The Family Trade, came out 20 years ago, so I was able to slot it in at #21, Read a book published in 2004. I love it when a story sucks me in from the very first paragraph, and this one was a doozy:
“Ten and a half hours before a mounted knight with a machine gun tried to kill her, tech journalist Miriam Beckstein lost her job. Before the day was out, her pink slip would set in train a chain of events that would topple governments, trigger civil wars, and kill thousands. It would be the biggest scoop in her career, in any journalist’s career— bigger than Watergate, bigger than 9/11—and it would be Miriam’s story. But as of seven o’clock in the morning, the story lay in her future: All she knew was that it was a rainy Monday morning in October, she had a job to do and copy to write, and there was an editorial meeting scheduled for ten.”
The story is a bit sci-fi, political thriller, action adventure… a little of everything, and I truly need to see where it goes. [4.25 stars]
After The Family Trade, I decided to switch up the genre a bit and picked up a historical fiction novel that got sent home with me from my mom’s a couple of years back. Thirteen Moons by Charles Frazier is basically the life story of one man who went from an orphan and indentured servant to a wealthy landowner, lawyer, and Cherokee chief in the Southern Appalachian mountains. We see the Civil War, the westward expansion and the Trail of Tears through the main character’s eyes. The prose is lovely, but the story didn’t really capture my attention, and it felt like it took me ages to read – I started the book on March 19th, and didn’t end up finishing it until the 4th of April.
Still, for those who enjoy this sort of tale, it may be worth a read. I could have used it for a different prompt, but ended up choosing it for #18. Read a book by an author who shares a first or last name with a family member. [3.25 stars]
Being a few days into April, and with JordanCon quickly approaching, I decided to knock out another of the books I picked up in Author’s Alley last year – I spent a fair amount of time chatting with author Venessa Giunta last year, and the things she told me about her Soul Cavern series sounded quite interesting, so I’d bought Jivaja and its sequel. I’m always interested in different takes on vampire-like mythology. In Venessa’s series, there are creatures that are similar to vampires, but not undead former humans; instead, they are a separate species that can interbreed with humans.
The main character of this novel is a young woman whose family has a hereditary gift that allows them to manipulate energy – and who in a moment of trauma accidentally uses her gift to kill a “vampire”. I chose this one for challenge #30, Read a book by an author you think has an interesting name, and definitely couldn’t wait long to read the second in the series. [4.0 stars]
A year late, but I’d been meaning to read Travis Baldree’s Legends & Lattes since it was selected for last year’s JordanCon book club. The book was brought up during a panel discussion on the Cozy Fantasy genre, so I was glad I did read it – plus, it was just a thoroughly enjoyable read. The story is very laid back, set in a high fantasy world where a former orc adventurer decides to retire and set up a coffee shop. The community that forms, the challenges they overcome, and the growth of her business make for a warm, comforting story. It was a spur of the moment decision to read it, so it ended up in my #12 Free Space. [4.25 stars]
I felt like I was still lagging behind on the challenge, so I picked a short book next – I’d heard amazing things about Martha Wells’ Murderbot Diaries, so All Systems Red was a great choice for prompt #34, Read the first book in a series you’ve wanted to start. This was a sci-fi mystery, and the main character’s voice was so interesting, I definitely need to keep going with the series. After all, how often do you get to read the point of view of a self-aware android who hacks its own programming and just wants to be left alone to watch TV?[4.5 stars]
I still had a few more days before the convention, so I figured I’d finish the second of Venessa Giunta’s Soul Cavern series in hopes that she had the third available for purchase (alas, she did not). Still, Visci was a satisfying follow up to Jivaja, giving us a perspective from the “vampire” side of things, plus a mystery and a rescue mission that forces our characters to work together and actually communicate *gasp*. I burned a free space (#24) for this one, and I have no regrets. [4.25 stars]
Cross country plane flights are a good chunk of uninterrupted reading time for me, so on the flight to Atlanta, I burned through another whole book – Taken for Granted by Rey Nichols is the second in her Apollo Grant series, and tells the bonkers backstory of how Apollo found himself vampire hunting in Las Vegas to begin with, as well as setting up the third installment (which was available for sale at JordanCon, so I snagged it).
It was a lot of fun to read, but since most of it was a flashback, the stakes felt a bit lower. This one filled in my Free Space #36 for the challenge. Rey told me book 3 takes our hero out of Las Vegas, so I’m intrigued to get into Grant No Quarter at some point fairly soon. I also picked up the first in a new series by the same author, for grins. [3 stars]
The last book I finished in April, I read most of on the flight back to Phoenix – for challenge prompt #20, Read a book with the word “Dark” in the title, I pulled up an Amazon First Reads selection from September of 2022, City Dark by Roger A. Canaff. This one was a thriller that was appropriately dark (see the title), and very intense – the story starts with a flashback to the 1970’s and a blackout that cut the power in New York City and changed the lives of two young boys forever. And 40 years later, the younger brother finds himself haunted by his past – and by blackouts that leave him a suspect in two murders.
You know the author did their job writing a thriller when you feel a physical reaction reading the book – it was gripping, and not altogether fun, but I don’t regret reading it. [3.75 stars]
So those are the books I finished in March and April – aside from books, I’ve been light on the media – I’m continuing watching Veronica Mars with one of my favorite reaction channels, and I watched the Taylor Swift Folklore: Long Pond Studio Sessions on Disney Plus. Taylor’s new album dropped while I was at JordanCon so Linz and I had to give it a listen, of course.
Speaking of JordanCon, since I finally talked Linz into going with me, I’m going to link to her blog posts for her travel day, Day 1, Day 2 and Day 3… I actually flew in on Wednesday and went out to dinner with some of the convention regulars I recognized (including author Rey Nichols), and headed back to the airport on Thursday to make sure Linz was comfortable navigating the public transportation system. We did a lot of socializing and talking to authors and vendors this year – I had badge ribbons to pass out with the hook from my parody song from last year’s WoT Idol, and I successfully got the song stuck in at least a couple of folks’ heads, so I considered that a win. We didn’t attend a lot of panels, but I did manage to make one that was the best thing every – Unlocking Shakespeare with Guy Roberts, the founder and artistic director of the Prague Shakespeare Company and a fan favorite character from the Wheel of Time TV adaptation. Guy gave an educational talk about Shakespeare’s career (and how it strangely parallels the Wheel of Time book series), and broke down how Shakepeare used his dialogue to define characters – with a demonstration involving a few JordanCon panelists and staff to play out the scenes. There was also a bit about Shakespeare’s bawdy bits and how some scenes would have been practically scandalous to an audience in his time; and a whole audience participation segment about Shakespearean insults. I didn’t want it to end!
Aside from the convention, the big personal update for me was that I dyed my hair purple. No really. It was a whim, time for a change, and I’ve gotten a ton of compliments since, so I’m considering trying a few different unique hair colors in the future, so why not. I ended up going to another of my bestie’s daughter’s gymnastics competitions, and did my nails a couple of times… Oh, and I helped coordinate some group gifts for the 3rd anniversary of my favorite reaction channel (and in honor of her finishing Buffy the Vampire Slayer) – we got her a bunch of Buffy themed gifts, a custom coffee mug with some of her classic sayings and the custom emojis we use in her Discord server, and a Cameo from James Marsters, which went over very well.
My favorite pictures of March and April in two galleries, for fun:
And we close with my usual plea to come talk to me! What is the best book you’ve read lately? Are you looking forward to any TV shows or movies? Have you ever been to a convention? And if you’re playing along with our challenge, how is it going for you?
The Linzthebookworm/Logophile 2024 Reading Challenge
Level 1: Book of the Month Club [11/12 complete]
1. Read a book you got for free – Find Layla – Meg Elison
2. Read a book by an author you’ve previously read – Defiant – Brandon Sanderson
3. Read a book that is under 400 pages – Apollo Grant – Rey Nichols
4. Read a book published in 2014 (10 years ago) – The Storytelling God: Seeing the Glory of Jesus in His Parables – Jared C. Wilson
5. Reread a book you have recommended to someone else – Jade City (reread) – Fonda Lee
6. Read a retelling of a fairy tale or a classic novel
7. Read a book that is a comedy or satire – The Color of Magic – Terry Pratchett
8. Read a book that’s been on your “shelf” for over a year – Collages – Anais Nin
9. Read a book with a color in the title – To Green Angel Tower (Part 1) – Tad Williams
10. Read a book from the Los Angeles Public Library’s staff recommendations –The City We Became – N.K. Jemisen
11. Read a caper story (heist, thievery, etc.) – A Darker Shade of Magic – V.E. Schwab
12. Free Space – Pick any book! – Legends & Lattes – Travis Baldree
Level 2: Casual Reader Club [5/12 complete]
13. Read book 1 of a Duology
14. Read book 2 of a Duology
15. Read a book about faeries
16. Read a book you meant to read for last year’s challenge – Magic, Lies and Deadly Pies – Misha Popp
17. Read a book with three or more colors on the cover – Watchman Nee Collection: The Spiritual Man, A Living Sacrifice and Authority & Submission – Watchman Nee
18. Read a book by an author who shares a first or last name with a family member – Thirteen Moons – Charles Frazier
19. Read a book published by Simon & Schuster or one of its imprints
20. Read a book with the word “Dark” in the title – City Dark – Roger Canaff
21. Read a book published in 2004 (20 years ago) – The Family Trade – Charles Stross
22. Read a book with a Gothic theme
23. Read a book on a banned book list
24. Free Space – Pick any book! – Visci – Venessa Giunta
Level 3: Dedicated Reader Club [4/12 complete]
25. Read an Enemies to Lovers story
26. Read a Lovers to Enemies (or Friends to Enemies) story
27. Read a book that starts with the letter “S”
28. Read a book from Refinery29’s “The Ultimate Book Bucket List: The 75 Best Books Of All Time”
29. Read a book with a grey cover
30. Read a book by an author you think has an interesting name – Jivaja – Venessa Giunta
31. Read a Historical Fiction novel
32. Read a book with the name of a place in the title
33. Read a book about a veterinarian (or someone who works with animals)
34. Read the first book in a series you’ve wanted to start – All Systems Red – Martha Wells
35. Read a book that was published before you were born – A Shepherd Looks at Psalm 23 – W. Phillip Keller
36. Free Space – Pick any book! – Taken for Granted – Rey Nichols
Level 4: Speed Reader Club [0/12 complete]
37. A book by Eleanor Hibbert under any of her pseudonyms
38. Read a Memoir
39. Read a book that is referenced in a film or TV show
40. Read a book with a skull on the cover
41. Read a book with the word “Truth” in the title
42. Read a book that involves gamer/fandom/geek culture
43. Read a book with a Scientist as the main character
44. Read a book that takes place in a cold climate
45. Read a book that has double letters in the title
46. Read a book by two or more authors
47. Read a book involving or inspired by Egyptian mythology
48. Free Space – Pick any book!
Level 5: Overachiever Club [1/12 complete]
49. Read a book with a Unicorn in it
50. Read a book that takes place during the 18th century (1701-1800)
51. Read a book by Jonathan Coe
52. Read a book with over 700 pages – To Green Angel Tower (Part 2) – Tad Williams
53. A book with a title that has 5 words
54. Read a non-fiction book – You Have Not Many Fathers – Dr. Mark Hanby
55. Read a book with a picture of food or drink on the cover
56. Read a book by an author with Fred in their name
57. Read a book that takes place in South America
58. Read a book you previously started but left unfinished
59. Rickrolled! Read a book with one (or more) of the following words in the title: Never Going To Give You Up
60. Free Space – Pick any book!
The Logophile 