2023

Posted in The Monday Check-In by Lisa @ Bookshelf Fantasies

My Monday tradition, including a look back and a look ahead — what I read last week, what new books came my way, and what books are keeping me busy right now. Plus a smattering of other stuff too.

Life.

It’s been quite a week, lots of ups and downs… but hey, let’s focus on the good stuff! We had beautiful weather over the weekend (which meant lots of outdoor time), dinner with friends whom we hadn’t seen in several months, an evening out with my husband, and fun kitty play time!

This little guy spent about 10 minutes last night pouncing on wrinkles on a blanket and obsessively chasing his own tail. Cuteness galore.

What did I read during the last week?

Do Your Worst by Rosie Danan: Steamy, light romance set in a cursed Scottish castle — how fun is that? My review is here.

The Wild Silence by Raynor Winn: The follow-up to The Salt Path, which I loved. While beautifully written, The Wild Silence just didn’t hold my attention the way the first book did. Lots of lovely moments, but for me, it was a struggle to get through.

Heartsong by TJ Klune: Oh, it’s probably been a minute since I last mentioned how much I love this series! I read book #3 this week, and (of course) loved it. My thoughts are here.

Pop culture & TV:

I haven’t really gotten into anything new yet — still watching Survivor and The Amazing Race, and enjoying them both. Plus, the new season of The Gilded Age has started, although I get frustrated by shows that air one episode per week — too used to binge-watching at this point, I suppose.

Fresh Catch:

A few new books this week, including fancy editions of the Fourth Wing books:

What will I be reading during the coming week?

Currently in my hands:

Brothersong by TJ Klune: For about thirty seconds, I planned on waiting until January-ish to start the 4th (and final) book in the Green Creek series. But who was I kidding? I have no will power when it comes to these books.

Now playing via audiobook:

The Takedown by Lily Chu: Really enjoying this audiobook! I should be finished today or tomorrow.

Ongoing reads:

My current longer-term reads:

Outlander Book Club is doing a group re-read of Dragonfly in Amber (Outlander, #2). We’ll be reading and discussing two chapters per week. Anyone who’s interested is welcome to join in — message me for info! Coming up this week: Chapters 14 and 15 (of 49). Progress: 26%.
Daniel Deronda by George Eliot: My book group’s current classic read! We’re reading and discussing two chapters per week. Progress: 15%.
Cranford by Elizabeth Gaskell: My Classics Club Spin book for fall! I’m reading this one via Serial Reader (which provides daily 10-15 minute reading installments). I’m on track to finish by the December deadline. Progress: 24%.
101 Horror Books to Read Before You’re Murdered by Sadie Hartmann: Shout-out to Tammy @ Books, Bones & Buffy, whose review alerted me to this awesome paperback guide to reading horror. I just got a copy from the library, and I’m enjoying picking it up here and there and reading little sections at a time.

What will you be reading this week?

So many books, so little time…

12Nov2023

Book Review: Heartsong (Green Creek, #3) by TJ Klune

Posted in Book Reviews by Lisa @ Bookshelf Fantasies

Title: Heartsong
Series: Green Creek, #3
Author: TJ Klune
Publisher: Tor Books
Publication date: October 22, 2019 (new hardcover to be published January 2024)
Length: 464 pages
Genre: Fantasy
Source: Purchased
Rating:

The Bennett family has a secret: They’re not just a family, they’re a pack. Heartsong is Robbie Fontaine’s story.

All Robbie Fontaine ever wanted was a place to belong. After the death of his mother, he bounces around from pack to pack, forming temporary bonds to keep from turning feral. It’s enough—until he receives a summons from the wolf stronghold in Caswell, Maine. Life as the trusted second to Michelle Hughes—the Alpha of all—and the cherished friend of a gentle old witch teaches Robbie what it means to be pack, to have a home. But when a mission from Michelle sends Robbie into the field, he finds himself questioning where he belongs and everything he’s been told.

Whispers of traitorous wolves and wild magic abound—but who are the traitors and who the betrayed? More than anything, Robbie hungers for answers, because one of those alleged traitors is Kelly Bennett—the wolf who may be his mate.

The truth has a way of coming out. And when it does, everything will shatter.

The Green Creek Series is for adult readers.

Oh my goodness. TJ Klune does it again.

Heartsong, the 3rd book in the author’s powerful Green Creek series, continues the emotional roller coaster introduced in the previous books, Wolfsong and Ravensong. Here, the story is told through the point of view of Robbie Fontaine, a werewolf who joined the Bennett pack at a time of huge trauma and upheaval to the family. Despite his newcomer status, Robbie soon found a place to belong and formed the bonds he’d been looking for all his life.

But as Heartsong opens, Robbie isn’t with the Bennetts at all. He’s in Maine at the stronghold of another Alpha, Michelle Hughes, lovingly fostered by Michelle’s witch, a kindly old man named Ezra. For the reader, this is all very confusing. Why did Robbie leave the Bennett pack? When is this even happening? And why does Robbie seem so… off?

It turns out that our confusion mirrors Robbie’s — something isn’t right here. And as the story progresses, we learn that mind-control magic is at play, and that truly terrible things have occurred.

I’ll keep the plot points as vague as I can, to avoid spoilers. Eventually, Robbie does find his way back to the Bennetts, but even then, he doesn’t know who he truly is, where he belongs, and what all these people — who claim him as pack — might want with him. And yet, there are sparks when the pack Alphas are near, and he can’t help feeling drawn to Kelly Bennett in particular, even though he has no memory of him.

My heart absolutely ached for Robbie, for Kelly, and the rest of the pack, and the more we learn about the events leading up to this point, the more painful it all became. The characters here are so well-drawn that at this point in the series, I feel like I know (and love) them all. So please, stop making bad things happen to them!! (Sigh — a lack of danger might lead to less enthralling storytelling, but at least they’d all be happy.)

Heartsong has moments of terrible danger and violence, as well as the unique brand of laugh-out-loud dialogue that’s amazing throughout the series. And of course, I was too wrapped up in reading to stop and highlight, so these little bits are only scratching the surface:

“If you’re trying to make me feel sorry for you, it’s not working.”

“I’m not.”

“Goddammit. It’s totally working.”

“Does he know we can hear him?” I whispered to Kelly.

“Yeah,” Kelly said. “He just doesn’t care. He says it’s part of his charm, but that can’t be right.”

There’s a scene involving a cold, soup, and balloons that’s honestly one of the best things I’ve ever read. For real.

What more can I say about this series? The depth of feeling and emotional connections are so beautifully portrayed, and I can never not tear up when the pack comes together to comfort and support one another. Ugh, basically, these books leave me all weepy and messy… but in the best way possible.

PackBrotherLoveFriend

Just that one little phrase gets me all emotional again…

Heartsong is a terrific addition to the Green Creek series, and sets up what I anticipate will be the big, final showdown in a powerful way. I absolutely love the mix of personal connection and action set-pieces, and above all, simply adore the Bennett pack.

If you haven’t already, I urge you to give Wolfsong a try! I can pretty much guarantee you’ll want to keep going.

For about half a minute after finishing Heartsong, I was pretty sure I’d hold off for a few months before reading the next (and last) book in the series, to make the experience last longer. But who was I trying to kid? There’s no way I’m going to wait!

As I mentioned in my review of Ravensong, Tor Books is reissuing the entire Green Creek series in gorgeous hardcover editions. All books are available now as ebooks; the new hardcover editions of Wolfsong and Ravensong are both available as well, and the hardcover editions of the last two books will be released in 2024 (Heartsong in January; Brothersong in July).

And yes, in case you’re wondering, I plan on having all four hardcovers on my bookshelves!

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10Nov2023

Book Review: Do Your Worst by Rosie Danan

Posted in Book Reviews by Lisa @ Bookshelf Fantasies

Title: Do Your Worst
Author: Rosie Danan
Publisher: Berkeley
Publication date: November 14, 2023
Length: 352 pages
Genre: Contemporary romance
Source: Review copy courtesy of the publisher via NetGalley
Rating:

Sparks fly when an occult expert and a disgraced archeologist become enemies-with-benefits in this steamy romance.

Riley Rhodes finally has the chance to turn her family’s knack for the supernatural into a legitimate business when she’s hired to break the curse on an infamous Scottish castle. Used to working alone in her alienating occupation, she’s pleasantly surprised to meet a handsome stranger upon arrival—until he tries to get her fired.

Fresh off a professional scandal, Clark Edgeware can’t allow a self-proclaimed “curse breaker” to threaten his last chance for redemption. After he fails to get Riley kicked off his survey site, he vows to avoid her. Unfortunately for him, she vows to get even.

Riley expects the curse to do her dirty work by driving Clark away, but instead, they keep finding themselves in close proximity. Too close. Turns out, the only thing they do better than fight is fool around. If they’re not careful, by the end of all this, more than the castle will end up in ruins.

Cursebreaking, archaeology, and enemies-to-lovers romance, all set in a crumbling old Scottish castle! How’s that for a catchy set-up?

Really, they had me at Scottish castle. As a local explains:

“This land has always been different. Special.” […] “Why do you think thousands of people pass through Inverness ever year, coming for a glimpse of an ancient monster or to touch a series of sacred prehistoric stones? It’s not just down to Jamie Fraser.”

(Well, to be fair, a lot of it is probably down to Jamie Fraser… but I digress.)

In Do Your Worst, Riley has finally decided to try to turn her family’s cursebreaking gift into an actual business, and her first big paying client is the new owner of an old castle in Scotland. Locals are certain that the castle is cursed — no owners have ever lasted, and the land itself seems to work against whoever tries to live there or fix up the place. Unfortunately for Riley, her employers have also hired an archaeologist to explore the site and verify whether there are historical artifacts to be documented and preserved. After an initial meet-cute at the local pub, Riley and Clark discover their mutual employment the next morning, and immediately butt heads.

Clark’s career went down in flames six months earlier when his project collaborator falsified findings, leading to professional disgrace. This castle project could be Clark’s one shot at redemption, but he can’t afford to have his work tarnished by association with some woo-woo occult fraud. Naturally, Riley takes offense at his attitude, and the two instantly assume combative positions, each determined to drive the other off the project.

There’s one teensy little complication — they’re also wildly attracted to one another. How are they supposed to work side by side, attempting to undercut and outshine the other person, when they also find them irresistibly hot?

Naturally, sparks fly, and hands are NOT kept to themselves. If you’ve read Rosie Danan’s previous books, you’ll know that she writes very explicit sex scenes, and that’s true in Do Your Worst as well. I mean, they’re well written and fit well within the character and relationship development… but if you prefer your bookish intimate moments implied rather than graphically shown, this may not be the right choice for you.

The cursebreaking storyline is cute, not especially deep or hard to decipher, and mainly a device for Riley and Clark to get close (and remove their clothes). The mood is not particularly serious, even when both characters are given emotionally weighty family histories to unpack and come to terms with. It seems like the author is trying to give the story and characters a little more depth, but the heavier elements aren’t all that convincing.

Overall, Do Your Worst is a light read, with plenty of banter and sex. The love story goes from attraction to soulmate level much too quickly to be believable, but hey, this is the kind of book where it helps to just sit back and go along for the ride. Even if I didn’t always buy the plot or the characters’ actions and feelings, I was always entertained.

7Nov2023

Top Ten Tuesday: Book Titles That Would Make Great Newspaper Headlines

Posted in Top Ten Tuesday by Lisa @ Bookshelf Fantasies

Top Ten Tuesday is a meme hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl, featuring a different top 10 theme each week. This week’s topic is Book Titles That Would Make Great Newspaper Headlines. I’m not sure that the books I’ve chosen would make great headlines, but hey, I tried!

My list:

The Scandalous Confessions of Lydia Bennet, Witch by Melinda Taub
Record of a Spaceborn Few by Becky Chambers
Letters to the Lost by Iona Grey
The Underside of Joy by Seré Prince Halverson
The Witches Are Coming by Lindy West
The Coldest Winter Ever by Sister Souljah
The Last Report on the Miracles at Little No Horse by Louise Erdrich
The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight by Jennifer E. Smith
The Bright Side of Disaster by Katherine Center
The Fragile Threads of Power by V. E. Schwab

Do any of these sound like newspaper headlines to you?

If you wrote a TTT post, please share your link!

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6Nov2023

The Monday Check-In ~ 11/6/2023

Posted in The Monday Check-In by Lisa @ Bookshelf Fantasies

Life.

Another busy workweek, but I managed to connect with a good friend for dinner one night — our first in-person get-together in almost a year!

Meanwhile, I seem to find endless amusement trying to guess what my son’s kitty-cat will do next.

What’s on your mind, Benji?

What did I read during the last week?

Bookshops & Bonedust by Travis Baldree: A huggable cozy fantasy. My review is here.

A Night in the Lonesome October by Roger Zelazny: Another October has now passed, and with it, another re-read of this terrific, funny, non-scary horror mash-up. So much fun — see my review from when I first read it two years ago.

The Last Unicorn (graphic novel) by Peter S. Beagle: Having read the original novel a few weeks ago, I decided to read the graphic novel version as well, and I’m glad I did. The artwork is beautiful and adds another way to appreciate this lovely fairy tale.

Slayers: A Buffyverse Story by Amber Benson and Christopher Golden: How could a full-cast recording of a new Buffyverse story not be amazing? What a treat. My review is here.

Pop culture & TV:

I watched season two of Our Flag Means Death this past week — it was terrific.

I think I need to find a new binge-worthy show… but meanwhile, I’m watching Survivor and The Amazing Race, and somehow got sucked into watching bits and pieces of the current season of Dancing with the Stars, really just because Alyson Hannigan is on it and I looooove Willow.

Fresh Catch:

I bought hard copies of two books I’ve read as ebooks, because I needed them for my shelves!

What will I be reading during the coming week?

Currently in my hands:

Do Your Worst by Rosie Danan: This is an enemies-to-lovers romance, with a cursed Scottish castle as backdrop. So far, so good!

Now playing via audiobook:

The Takedown by Lily Chu: I’m excited to be starting this audiobook — I’ve really loved the previous two by this author.

Ongoing reads:

My current longer-term reads:

Outlander Book Club is doing a group re-read of Dragonfly in Amber (Outlander, #2). We’ll be reading and discussing two chapters per week. Anyone who’s interested is welcome to join in — message me for info! Coming up this week: Chapters 12 and 13 (of 49). Progress: 23%.
Daniel Deronda by George Eliot: My book group’s current classic read! We’re reading and discussing two chapters per week. Progress: 13%.
The Wild Silence by Raynor Winn: I was really enthusiastic when I started this memoir last week. The Wild Silence is the author’s follow-up to her first book, The Salt Path, which I loved. Unfortunately, this one has been such slow going that I realized I needed a break. I don’t want to give it up entirely, but I think I need to stop trying to read straight through and just read chapters here and there when the mood strikes. Progress: 66%.

So many books, so little time…

4Nov2023

Audiobook Review: Slayers: A Buffyverse Story by Amber Benson and Christopher Golden

Posted in Book Reviews by Lisa @ Bookshelf Fantasies

Title: Slayers: A Buffyverse Story
Authors: Amber Benson and Christopher Golden
Narrators: Amber Benson, Charisma Carpenter, James Charles Leary, Emma Caulfield Ford, Juno Dawson, Laya DeLeon Hayes, Anthony Head, Juliet Landau, James Marsters, Danny Strong
Publisher: Audible Originals
Publication date: October 12, 2023
Print length: n/a
Audio length: 8 hours 2 minutes
Genre: Supernatural
Source: Purchased
Rating:

Original cast members from the beloved TV series, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, reunite for an all-new adventure about connections that never die—even if you bury them.

A decade has passed since the epic final battle that concluded Buffy the Vampire Slayer (TV). The game-changing spell that gave power to all potential Slayers persists. With new Slayers constantly emerging, things are looking grim for the bad guys. Rebellious vampire Spike (James Marsters) is working undercover in Los Angeles with his old pal Clem (James Charles Leary) when he meets feisty, rookie Slayer, Indira (Laya DeLeon Hayes), who wants Spike to be her mentor. Stakes intensify as Cordelia Chase (Charisma Carpenter) emerges from an alternate reality where she alone is the Slayer, and Buffy Summers doesn’t exist. Cordelia enlists Spike’s help with a classic big bad terrorizing her world…his ex, Drusilla (Juliet Landau). Giles (Anthony Head), Anya (Emma Caulfield Ford), Jonathan (Danny Strong), and Tara (Amber Benson) also return, but through the years and the vastness of the multiverse, not everyone is who they used to be…

Slayers: A Buffyverse Story is written and directed by Amber Benson and Chris Golden, and co-directed by Kc Wayland.

I’ll keep this short and sweet: If you love Buffy and wish you could return to that world once again, Slayers is a must-listen.

In this full-cast recording, years have passed and our world is pretty much under control. Sure, Sunnydale is still a sinkhole and there are still vampires, demons, and other assorted nasties, but there are also thousands of slayers worldwide, and they keep the bad buys in line. But apparently things are not quite as good in other worlds: Alternate-reality versions of Cordelia and Anya show up seeking Spike’s help — in their world, Drusilla is the big bad, and only Spike can stop her evil plot for total vampiric domination.

Accompanied by new teen slayer Indira, plus Clem and a very reluctant Giles (who’d been happily enjoying his retirement), the gang magics their way back to the other dimension, where Cordelia is the Slayer (and there’s only one), Tara is indulging in very dark magic, Spike was killed long ago, and no one has ever heard the name Buffy Summers. With this new, somewhat jaded version of the Scoobies, the action kicks into high gear, with spells, battles, possessions, and more.

It’s a total blast to hear the original cast members bring their beloved characters back to life. I’ve been needing a little Spike in my life! They’re all terrific, and the story just zips by.

A minor complaint is that the action sequences tend to be just a lot of “oooo” “owwwww” “ooooof” and punch-y sounds, and it’s not always easy to tell what’s going on based on sound effects alone. Similarly, as the story jumps from scene to scene, it would take me a few beats to figure out whether Tara, Anya, or Cordelia was speaking — they sound enough alike that it’s not consistently obvious at any given moment who we’re hearing.

Listening challenges aside, this is completely enjoyable and just oodles of fun. The story is zippy and original, the characters are true to themselves as we know them, but with years more living under their belts. It’s like revisiting old friends and figuring out whether the years have been kind to them.

The story ends with a few good twists, and is certainly left with some tantalizing loose ends that I’m hoping are laying the groundwork for a volume 2. There’s clearly much more adventure waiting for the gang, and I want to get to experience it!

3Nov2023

Cover reveal: Winter Lost (Mercy Thompson, #14) by Patricia Briggs

Posted in Bookish Thoughts by Lisa @ Bookshelf Fantasies

Just shared today! It’s the cover reveal for the next Mercy Thompson book by Patricia Briggs! Winter Lost will be released in June 2024. Here’s the new (gorgeous) cover:

The last Mercy book was released in 2022, so it’s thrilling to see a cover and confirmed date.

Here’s the blurb for the plot:

Mercy Thompson, car mechanic and shapeshifter, must stop a disaster of world-shattering proportions in this exhilarating entry in the #1 New York Times bestselling series.

In the supernatural realms, there are creatures who belong to winter. I am not one of them. But like the coyote I can become at will, I am adaptable.

My name is Mercy Thompson Hauptman, and my mate, Adam, is the werewolf who leads the Columbia Basin Pack, the pack charged with keeping the people who live and work in the Tri-Cities of Washington State safe. It’s a hard job, and it doesn’t leave much room for side quests. Which is why when I needed to travel to Montana to help my brother, I intended to go by myself.

But I’m not alone anymore.

Together, Adam and I find ourselves trapped with strangers in a lodge in the heart of the wilderness, in the teeth of a storm of legendary power, only to discover my brother’s issues are a tiny part of a problem much bigger than we could have imagined. Arcane and ancient magics are at work that could, unless we are very careful, bring about the end of the world. . . .

I can’t wait! Off to place my order now…

Preorder at Amazon: https://amzn.to/2U8ei7A

2Nov2023

Book Review: Bookshops & Bonedust by Travis Baldree

Posted in Book Reviews by Lisa @ Bookshelf Fantasies

Title: Bookshops & Bonedust
Author: Travis Baldree
Publisher: Tor Books
Publication date: November 7, 2023
Length: 352 pages
Genre: Fantasy
Source: Review copy courtesy of the publisher via NetGalley
Rating:

When an injury throws a young, battle-hungry orc off her chosen path, she may find that what we need isn’t always what we seek.

In Bookshops & Bonedust, a prequel to Legends & Lattes, New York Times bestselling author Travis Baldree takes us on a journey of high fantasy, first loves, and second-hand books.

Viv’s career with the notorious mercenary company Rackam’s Ravens isn’t going as planned.

Wounded during the hunt for a powerful necromancer, she’s packed off against her will to recuperate in the sleepy beach town of Murk—so far from the action that she worries she’ll never be able to return to it.

What’s a thwarted soldier of fortune to do?

Spending her hours at a beleaguered bookshop in the company of its foul-mouthed proprietor is the last thing Viv would have predicted, but it may be both exactly what she needs and the seed of changes she couldn’t possibly imagine.

Still, adventure isn’t all that far away. A suspicious traveler in gray, a gnome with a chip on her shoulder, a summer fling, and an improbable number of skeletons prove Murk to be more eventful than Viv could have ever expected.

I adored Legends & Lattes, and so I was thrilled to get a chance to read the author’s next book, a prequel called Bookshops & Bonedust. Is cozy fantasy a genre already? Because if it wasn’t before, thanks to Travis Baldree, it definitely is now.

In Bookshops & Bonedust, we spend time once again with Viv, the hero of Legends & Lattes. Here, she’s much younger, just starting out in her career as a mercenary. She’s big, strong, and can wield a saber with ease — but unfortunately, lacks the experience to know when to hold back, and ends up gravely injured. The head of her crew plants Viv in a nowhere town to recuperate, with a vague promise to come pick her up once she’s healed and they’re passing back through.

At first, Viv is frustrated and bored, as well as in pain from her serious leg wound. She’s unable to perform at the physical level she’s used to, and the town has absolutely nothing going on. While hobbling around the outskirts on her crutches and feeling miserable, she comes two establishments of note: The Sea-Song Bakery, giving off the most delicious smells, and a decrepit, dusty old bookstore called Thistleburr, owned by a rattkin named Fern and her gryphet companion, who seems primarily to want to bite Viv.

Viv would naturally have just moved on, but Fern — wise in way of a seasoned bookseller — convinces Viv to try one of her books. Viv scoffs… but then devours the book, and is back for more. An unlikely friendship springs up between the two, and since Viv has time on her hands, before too long she’s made it her mission to help Fern spruce up the shop and drum up fresh business.

Viv’s peaceful, if temporary, life in Murk is interrupted by the appearance of a suspicious-looking stranger, and before too long she’s back to battling necromancers. Meanwhile, she accumulates a variety of new friends and allies — plus a very sweet love interest — and coincidentally becomes an avid reader as well.

Bookshops & Bonedust is oodles of fun. I love how the author weaves current fads into his stories — so here, for example, in an effort to catch the eye of would-be book browsers, Fern packages books in plain wrappers and writes keywords on the outside (“Swordfights. Beheadings. Betrayals”). It’s a blind date with a book! If you think this is a cute idea in our own world’s bookstores, just wait until you see it in this fantasy setting.

For me, Legends & Lattes will always be #1, but Bookshops & Bonedust is a great follow-up, with the same spirit of adventure and coziness that made the first book such a treat. Fans of Legends & Lattes will absolutely want to read this book… and given that this is a prequel, it’s a perfectly fine starting place for anyone new to the overarching world of the series.

Perfect for lovers of bookstores, pastries… and orcs with swords.