fantasy – Peaceful Reader

Best Books 2023

I read a lot of great books this year even though I didn’t make my GoodReads goal; maybe it was quality over quantity. I love going back through the year and revisiting and thinking of each story. I started the year off big with Demon Copperhead which turned out to be my absolute favorite of the year. I remember I started it right after Christmas because someone sent it to me as a gift. Barbara Kingsolver is one of my top 5 authors. What are the others you ask? Louise Erdrich, Taylor Jenkins Reid, Gabrielle Zevin, and Matt Haig. And this is just the shortlist.

1. Demon Copperhead by Barbara Kingsolver (2022) : This is a moving coming-of-age story told in the first person from childhood through young adulthood. Damon struggles with a teenage single mom, a terrible stepdad, and neighbors that are family once removed in the Southern Appalachia region.

2. The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue by V.E. Schwab (2020) : Beautifully written fantasy novel that begins in France, 1714 and ends in New York City, As a teenager Addie sits on the banks of the river near her home and wishes for a vastly different life to what women are expected to do. She doesn’t want to get married and live in the same village as her parents have done. She wants more and as she asks for it her life changes forever.

3. Malibu Rising by Taylor Jenkins Reid (2021) : TJR does her homework for the time period and creates characters that are so memorable that I feel like they are out there somewhere living beyond the pages of the book. This book tells the story of the young Riva family; Mick and June parents to Nina, Jay, Hud, and Kit. Told through two different time periods so we understand both parents and the kids on the night of a memorable beach party thrown at Nina’s Malibu home. I loved that this book also brought in Carrie Soto.

4. Fellowship Point by Alice Elliot Dark (2022) : Our book club read this and I didn’t know what to expect except that the book was big! I enjoyed every page though and thought the writing was brilliant. I could see myself in the two main characters, Agnes and Polly, best friends and neighbors in their Maine summer homes. They’ve led very different lives but strive for the same things. I loved their friendship and conversations.

5. Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel (2014) : This one was on my radar when it first came out but I never picked it up. Then the show came out and my brother handed me the book and told me to read it. I did, was captivated by the story, and proceeded to hand it to my husband, and daughter. I thought the show was done well but of course, the book is always better.

6. The Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros (2023) : I’d heard some of the buzz about this but wasn’t pulled in by the whole romance-fantasy genre but then a librarian friend said she liked it and that opened up a portal for me. I picked it up from the library and read it straight through in just a few days. I am set to read the sequel here as soon as I finish Yours Truly by Abby Jimenez.

I’ve used Libby quite a bit to find books I can read in the middle of the night on my phone if I happen to be awake for a couple of hours. And Yours Truly was one that popped up. I hope you’ll pick up any of these books at your local library or bookstore. Let me know what you think. More favorites in a day or two.

2019 books in review

I’ve read an amazing amount of great literature this year. It was a treat to look back and reminisce about each book on my GoodReads account and it is my hope that I can inspire one reader to pick up at least one of these fabulous books. I prefer fiction over nonfiction so I surprised myself with three fantastic memoirs this year. Leonard Pitts has an excellent article “This is the Year of Reading Women” in order to push himself to read more works by women. I am glad to say looking through my lists women authors continue to take a lead for me.

Nonfiction:

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Becoming by Michelle Obama

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Shortest Way Home by Pete Buttigieg

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Educated by Tara Westover

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The gifts of imperfection by Brene Brown

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Better than carrots or sticks; restorative practices for positive classroom management by Dominique Smith

Fiction:

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Daisy Jones and the Six by Taylor Jenkins Reid

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Where the crawdads sing by Delia Owens

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Salvage the bones by Jesmyn Ward

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Heads of the colored people by Nafissa Thompson-Spires

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The Bar Harbor retirement home for Famous Writers (and their muses) by Terri-Lynne DeFino

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The Story of Arthur Truluv by Elizabeth Berg

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Helen Hoang’s book’s The Kiss Quotient and The Bride Test

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Sally Rooney’s Normal People and Conversations with friends

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Less by Andrew Sean Greer

Young Adult/Children’s Fiction:

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Gracefully Grayson by Ami Polonsky

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Front Desk by Kelly Yang

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Scar Island by Dan Gemeinhart

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Louisiana’s Way home by Kate DiCamillo

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Look Both Ways by Jason Reynolds

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Summoner Series by Taran Matharu

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Wishtree by Katherine Applegate

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Here Lies the librarian by Richard Peck

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Walking with Miss Millie by Tamara Bundt

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Aru Shah and the end of time by Roshani Chokshi

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Amina’s voice by Hena Khan

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Merci Suarez changes gears by Meg Medina

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Amal Unbound by Aisha Saeed

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Ban this book by Alan Gratz

I’m so gratefully to work in a field where I enjoy the homework very much. There are so many fantastic diverse authors out there now and I loved what I read in Amal Unbound, Are Shah, and Merci Suarez, Amina’s Voice, Ami Polonsky for Grayson, and Kelly Yang! I hope 2020 brings as much joy reading.

June book reviews for YOU (happy reading)

I’ve only read three books this month. They were really good books though. Technically I finished four but the Bill Browder book, The Red Notice, was a crossover from May. I’ll still tell you about it though.

1. The Red Notice; a true story of high finance, murder and one man’s fight for justice by Bill Browder (2015): Born into a communist-leaning family Browder grows up seeing what it is like to rebel against the norm but to rebel even further Browder chose a career path profession just to annoy his dad; he picks commerce. The first half of the book Browder tells his family story and how he rose to be the first major investor of Western money into Russia and the second half of the book deals with the downfall of this great plan and the imprisonment and eventual death of his friend and lawyer, Sergei Magnitsky. I enjoyed this memoir, even though I thought Browder wasn’t the greatest story teller. Reading this book gave me a clear mindset on why Putin felt the need to tangle himself into U.S. elections and will continue to torment and push buttons just because he’s found a way.

2. Eragon by Christopher Paolini (2003): Tristan read this years ago and devoured the series. I’ve always wanted to read it but who knows why? I didn’t pick it up until this summer after 2 teachers raved about it to me after a teacher meeting. They were shocked that I hadn’t read it; That was the push I needed so I brought it home that very last week of school. I loved it. I dig fantasy and this book was no exception. Eragon, Brom, Saphira, Murtagh and Arya were all interesting characters and I look forward to reading the next two in the series. Even though Paolini was young when he wrote this I think it stands the test of time.

3. The Girl who drank from the moon by Kelly Barnhill (2016): I loved this fairy tale {and that gorgeous cover art} in which Xan and Luna save themselves and change the world together. Centuries ago a world was created by evil people and the unwitting townsfolk believed the stories that were told to them about an evil witch who needs a sacrificial baby each year so as not to destroy the town. Xan is this witch but she rescues the babies and takes them to new families because she thinks they’ve been abandoned. And so it goes for many years until one family fights back and one mother doesn’t give up hope. A good reminder, from a fairy tale world, to not believe all that you are told! Read more great things about this book at NYT, EW, and the Washington Post.

4. American War by Omar El Akkad (2017): I read a NYT article about great new dystopian books and this one was at the top of the list. Like fantasy, I’m a big fan of the altered worlds created in good dystopian novels. This one lacks the gruesome gore of The Hunger Games but certainly lays out how a fight over energy and ravaged ecosystems could separate the North from the South in a way that causes longterm war within our own border. Read other great reviews here on NPR, SF Chronicle, and the Washington Post. I’m not quite finished with this one yet and plan to finish today.

In Madison I did purchase several books and I have stack of books to read for school. What are you reading this summer?

29 days of book love…

Inkheart

Cornelia Funke

(2003)

originally published in German

This book is a thrilling ride crafted for fantasy lovers and book readers of every kind. Imagine how it would change your reading style if your reading abilities could change the story as it does for Meggie and her dad Mo. Mo loves books and is good at fixing them. He was also a very good storyteller at one time. Soon after her mother’s disappearance though Mo won’t read to Meggie and she doesn’t understand why. Mo has such incredible reading abilities that even a few bad guys are interested in his talents.

What if, I as a librarian, read in such a way that my library patrons one-by-one began disappearing as I was reading? Would you want to send your child to the library anymore? Meggie and Mo’s journey and the unique cast of characters smattered along the way make this an incredible story worth sharing. I once read it aloud to a class of 5th grade students in Little Rock. Their teacher and I were friends and she struggled with readalouds so I agreed to help her by modeling. This is the book I chose, I went every afternoon to read to them, and they were mesmerized by the story. It was one of the best experiences I had of transporting children (and their teacher) to another land far, far away…

The movie is not worth it and even the second book not so much. This book is a stand alone for me. It’s so good it doesn’t need anything more.

Recent Reads-Amazing!

I’m a pre-reader for our state award committee and our list is always long. I only read enough to get me by and I generally pick ones that I think are worth it because I just don’t have time to read each and every one of them This year the first three that I picked up made me so happy as a reader and a librarian.

Doll Bones (2013) by Holly Black: Creepy middle grade book done so well by the amazing Holly Black. I loved that this one will appeal to boys and girls alike even though the word “doll” appears on the cover. Poppy, Zachary, and Alice are close friends that have been playing “the game” for a long time and even though Zach feels a bit embarrassed he loves to play. The three of them have a collection of odd ball dolls, action figures, and animal figurines and they build a story around their adventures. It sounds amazing and creative to me. Zach’s dad unfortunately sees the toys a little differently and chucks the bag carrying his son’s “toys” away. Zach is crushed but instead of wanting to admit that to Alice and Poppy he pretends he isn’t interested in playing anymore. One of Poppy’s dolls has a bit of history and the three of them are compelled to go on a journey to save her. I will have a very easy time selling this book to students this year.

The Mark of the Dragonfly (2014) by Jaleigh Johnson: What an incredible world Jaleigh created in “The World of Solace.” Piper is an incredible character trying to make do as a scrapper in a scrap town on her own. She ventures out of her routine when she finds Anna in a wagon after a meteor shower rains down on their village. Her instinct is to protect her and she does even though she ends up far from home on a train bound for the capital. I really enjoyed Anna’s and Piper’s journey and thought the addition of Gee, Trimble, and Jeyne added to the incredible story of escape and what it means to be a misfit in an already strange land. Is there another one coming out? I hope to hear more about The World of Solace.

Winterling (2012) by Sarah Prineas: Fer has always had trouble fitting in and doesn’t really understand what happened to her parents or why her grandmother keeps her under such a close watch. When she meets a boy by the pond trying to protect himself from a couple of wolves she saves him and takes him back to her Gran-Jane to be healed. As the young Rook meets Grand-Jane mysteries spill out that Fer doesn’t understand and eventually her grandmother is forced to share her heritage with her granddaughter. Fer’s mother was The Lady of the Land on the other side of the Way and Grand-Jane’s son fell in love with her and left. Now both are dead and the land on the other side needs Fer’s help to be rid of the Mor who has a grip on the land and the people. I love strong female characters and Fer is that. She stands up for what she believes in and is more interested in having fun than grabbing power. I liked this one so much I’m reading the 2nd in the series, Summerkin.

One not on the list but recommended by Tina Says: The Secret Hum of a Daisy (2014) by Tracy Holczer. This one is realistic fiction which was a nice change of pace after all those magical lands swept me away. Grace and her mother have spent all of their year together moving from one small town to the next in search of something they never truly find. When Grace’s mother dies unexpectedly Grace must go live with the grandmother that pushed her mother out of the house years ago. Grace has to work hard to reconcile her feelings for her mother and what happened between mother and daughter before she was alive. This novel explores so many excellent themes of parenting, grief, family, and home that it should be a read-aloud in many 5th-7th grade classrooms. I will promote it as such and will recommend it for next year’s list of could-be award winners.

If you are looking for a great read any one of these will do!

Books are magical

and this one Ophelia and the Marvelous Boy (Jan. 2014) by Karen Foxlee shines with a story told in two parts. Ophelia is a factual kind of girl; scientific and curious but not magical nor does she feel particularly brave yet on her first day in the museum she meets a young boy locked away behind a small door with a golden keyhole. Her father, a sword expert, has come to help with a museum display and Ophelia and her sister Alice are to keep out of the way while he works. Alice is too busy missing their recently deceased mother to explore with Ophelia so she goes it alone. After finding the young boy locked away she struggles to work out the tasks the young boy asks of her and her mother begins to talk to her, urging her onward. It’s a lovely way to demonstrate how our subconscious guides us and keeps her mother close to her.

Ophelia is plucky and perseveres even though she doesn’t like needing to be brave. Her basic instinct is to help because it would be unkind to leave the boy locked up so she pushes herself to to find the key to unlock his door. I love that this little heroine needs glasses and a “puffer”to keep her going.

The curator of this massive dilapidated museum is Miss Kaminski, The Snow Queen, and the one who imprisoned the marvelous boy long ago. The young boy was sent to warn of the Snow Queen and no one believed him. The King kept him around though because he was just so marvelous. Even though much time has passed and his friend the King has died he still remembers his story and knows he needs to re-locate the sword that will strike down the Snow Queen and end her icy grip on the land.

A quote:

Ophelia could have walked away. She could have picked herself up and walked backward from the room. She could have followed her feet all the way past the stone angels and across the sea monster mosaic. She could have run down the long hallway of painted girls and squeezed through the crowd in the Gallery of Time. She could have raced down, down, down the damp, creaking stairs to her father cataloguing and classifying swords. When Mr. Whittard would ask her what she’d been doing, she could have said, “Absolutely nothing. It’s very boring here.”

But she didn’t. She walked on her knees slowly toward the keyhole.
“What do you want? she asked. (15)

She thinks about giving up several times yet the idea of the boy locked away keeps her going. Lucky for us she finishes her task. With plenty of action and a thoughtful heroine this book was an exciting read and it is perfect for 3rd grade-6th grade students interested in fantasy or fairy tales.

Karen Foxlee, an Australian writer, had worked as a nurse before going back to school for her writing degree. Publisher’s Weekly has this great interview with her. I’m sure she made a wonderful nurse but I’m quite happy she began to write…

Seven Wild Sisters by Charles De Lint

This charming fairy tale will make a perfect way to introduce young readers to a good fantasy story. Sarah Jane and her sisters live very near Tanglewood Forest and she’s curious about what resides there as her elderly neighbor Aunt Lillian shares stories of the forest creatures with her as they do chores.

The stories come alive for Sarah Jane when she rescues an injured tiny man by bringing him to Aunt Lillian. The two attempt to return him through Lillian’s old friend, the Apple Tree Man. Once Sarah Jane is involved the fighting fairy realm kidnap her six sisters to hold as ransom. None of the girls are capable of using or performing magic but use their heads and hearts to help them out of their trouble. While they witness creatures they never thought real their biggest thought is to get back to mama before she misses them.

Told in 260 pages this is an easy read and will hopefully help many of my beginning fantasy readers transition from the Rainbow Magic series to this as I plan to order several of Charles De Lint books for my school library. I love fantasy yet this was my first introduction to his writing. I’ve already downloaded to my kindle The Cats of Tanglewood Forest which is set several decades before this one. I hope Mr. De Lint has plans to write many adventures with this lively and adventuresome set of sisters.

A quote:

He came out from the far side of the tree and if it hadn’t been for the ‘sangman I’d found, I’d have said he was the strangest man I’d ever seen. He was as gnarled and twisty as the limbs of his tree, long and lanky, a raggedy man with tattered clothes, bird’s next hair, and a stooped walk. It was hard to make out his features in the moonlight, but I got the sense that there wasn’t a mean bone in his body-don’t ask me why. I guess he just radiated a kind of goodness and charm. He acted like it was a chore, having to come out and talk to us, but I could tell he liked Aunt Lillian. Maybe missed her as much as she surely missed him. (69)

And now you’ve met the Apple Tree Man and you probably want to keep reading…
I received this ARC from Little, Brown and Company which in no way influenced my honest review of this delightful tale. Publication date: February 2014, just in time for a sweet little Valentine gift.
I look forward to checking out a published copy as this copy had only little sketches.

2 Excellent YA Stories

I recently went on a YA craze so I could vote for Iowa Teen summer reads. I’ve waited all summer looking each time at the library for Eleanor and Park at my closest library and it was always checked out. I got lucky one day and found it sitting there waiting for me.

Eleanor and Park (2013) by Rainbow Rowell

What a fantastic read this is! Eleanor re-enters her family life after having spent the last year living with a family friend. She meets Park on the bus as she makes her way to her new school. Nobody else wants her to sit with them, that awful thing that happens on school buses across the nation when someone new comes to town and they are a little gawky, unusual, or overweight. She’s shunned by everyone but Park as their relationship begins with little more than head nods and small smiles. Eleanor hides her family life from him as much as possible and as a reader my heart went out to her as she attempted to feel comfortable in Park’s “normal” household, with two loving parents and food in the refrigerator. Their relationship blossoms and they are both changed by it. I loved this stark look at how a child from an abusive home and in poverty struggles to maintain just a small glimmer of hope through all that is her regular life. Every character in the story is one you will love (or hate) and you will want their lives to continue even as you turn the last page.

The Raven Boys (2012) by Maggie Stiefvater

I loved Stiefvater’s Shiver series so I’m not sure what took me so long to pick this one up off the shelf. I don’t think I even investigated what it was about yet when it appeared on my teen list to read for the summer I was anxious to read it. Once I started I had trouble putting it down. Work kept getting in the way! Blue is the daughter of the local psychic in Henrietta and their house is filled with a merry group of friends who also dabble in the magical arts. Her relationship with her mother is solid and happy until a group of Aglionby Academy boys enter into Blue’s life. The group of boys led by Gansey are all looking for a ley line that runs through Henrietta. Gansey knows who ever unlocks the ley line will hold it’s power and help him in the search for Glendower the Welsh king. I’m a fan of fantasy and enjoyed all parts of this intricately-woven tale. I wanted to sit at the table in Blue’s house and have my cards read by Maura, Persephone and Calla. I’m now very excited to read The Dream Thieves out September 17-just around the corner.

I would add both titles to my best of YA along with Ask the Passengers and The Miseducation of Cameron Post. Have you read any these books? Which one resonated the most for you?

Edward Tulane!

I love how Edward looks-Groovy Girl does not like to look at these
beautiful illustrations while we read. It is all in the imagination for her.

I’ve had a writer’s crush on Kate DiCamillo for years. I loved Winn-Dixie first, then fell head-over-heals with The Tale of Despereaux, understood both Tiger’s Rising and The Magician’s Elephant more than most people and now I’ve swooned over The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane! Groovy Girl and I finished reading it tonight and were thrilled by Edward’s crazy long journey!

The quote that stuck to us:

“I am done with being loved,” Edward told her. “I’m done with loving. It’s too painful.”
“Pish,” said the old doll. “Where is your courage?”
“Somewhere else, I guess,” said Edward.
“You disappoint me,” she said. “You disappoint me greatly. If you have no intention of loving or being loved, then the whole journey is pointless. You might as well leap from this shelf right now and let yourself shatter into a million pieces. Get it over with. Get it all over with now.”
“I would leap if I was able,” said Edward.
“Shall I push you?” said the old doll.
“No thank you,” Edward said to her. (189)

Okay, I know this quote shares the true meaning of this tale which makes it a spoiler but one I had to pass on anyway. I specifically marvel at the line “where is your courage?” If you’ve read it, you know it and if not, hopefully it will spur you to read it.

Buy it for a young friend for the holidays!

Edward Tulane’s website.
Judy Freeman’s Reader’s Theatre of ET.
Kate’s website.

City of Bones by Cassandra Clare

A teenage friend raved about this book to me when I saw her over Thanksgiving. I’d read lots of positive blog reviews about this series but somehow her adoration over Clare’s writing and for Clary, the main character, made me take serious notice and check it out from the library.

The Mortal Instruments;

City of Bones

Cassandra Clare

2007

485 pgs

YA Fantasy

Synopsis: When Clary Fray heads out to the Pandemonium Club in New York City, she hardly expects to witness a murder. Much less a murder committed by three teenagers covered with odd markings. This is Clary’s first meeting with the Shadowhunters, warriors dedicated to ridding the earth of demons and keeping the odd werewolves and vampires in line. It’s also her first meeting with gorgeous Jace. Within 24 hours Clary is pulled into Jace’s world with a vengeance, when her mother disappears and Clary herself is attacked by a demon. But why would demons be interested in an ordinary mundane like Clary? And how did she suddenly get the Sight? The Shadowhunters would like to know…

I loved the characters and the action. The teenagers, including the Shadowhunters, act typically sullen and moody. There is enough adventure, sarcastic wit and sinister details to keep me turning pages. I especially enjoyed Magnus Bane’s character; he’s been wiping Clary’s mind for years so her mom could keep Clary out of this world and here she is knee deep in it but without any memories to assist her! While there are some odd details that had me scratching my head I thought overall the tale is quite interesting. I know I will enjoy the rest of this fun series. Does anybody know if this is Hollywood-bound?

Quote:

“Magnus? Magnus Bane?”“That would be me.” The man blocking the doorway was as tall and thin as a rail, his hair a crown of dense black spikes. Clary guessed from the curve of his sleepy eyes and the gold tone of his evenly tanned skin that he was part Asian. He wore jeans and a black shirt covered with dozens of metal buckles. His eyes were crusted with a raccoon mask of charcoal glitter, his lips painted a dark shade of blue. He raked a ring-laden hand through his spiked hair and regarded them thoughtfully. Children of the Nephilim,” he said. “Well, well. I don’t recall inviting you.” (218-219)

Other reviews:

Rachel Rager
Roof Beam Reader