Top Ten Tuesday: Favorite Books of 2020

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 Favorite Books of 2020.

2020 was a dismal year in so many ways, but on the bright side, being stuck at home most of the year meant lots of time for reading! I read so many great books this past year — here is a selection of my favorites. (Some of these are 2020 releases, and some are older — but all are books I read in 2020).

The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid
The Midnight Library by Matt Haig
Time After Time by Lisa Grunwald
The House in the Cerulean Sea by TJ Klune
Hearts of Oak by Eddie Robson
Plan Bad Heroines by Emily M. Danforth
The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue by V. E. Schwab
The Once and Future Witches by Alix E. Harrow
The Glamourist Histories (series) by Mary Robinette Kowal
The Folk of the Air (series) by Holly Black

What were your favorite books of 2020?

Share your links, and I’ll come check out your top 10!

28Dec2020

The Monday Check-In ~ 12/28/2020

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.

No work this week! It’s absolutely glorious to have a week with nothing planned… especially since my entire workplace is closed, so I won’t have a ton of catching up to do when I go back next week.

What did I read during the last week?

Outlawed by Anna North: An intriguing feminist western. My review is here.

How the King of Elfhame Learned to Hate Stories by Holly Black: Gorgeous illustrated edition that fits into the world of the Folk of the Air trilogy. My review is here.

Princess Floralinda and the Forty-Flight Tower by Tamsyn Muir: Such fun! My review is here.

Pop culture & TV:

My son and I watched Wonder Woman 1984 on Christmas Day. Plot quibbles aside, we enjoyed it!

On Netflix, I started watching Bridgerton! I’ve seen about half so far, and I’m loving it.

Puzzle of the week:

This Outlander puzzle (a gift from my daughter) was WAY hard than I expected, but I did it!

Fresh Catch:

Have you seen the Seasons Editions line from Thomas Nelson Publishing? Absolutely gorgeous hardcover classics with laser-cut covers. I couldn’t resist — I had to get a copy of Persuasion (the only Jane Austen released so far, although more are coming in 2021).

What will I be reading during the coming week?

Currently in my hands:

The Relentless Moon by Mary Robinette Kowal: The 3rd book in the Lady Astronaut series — it’s over 500 pages, but it’s going by fast. I love this series!

Now playing via audiobook:

Us Against You by Fredrik Backman: Close to the end. Man, this story is dark.

Ongoing reads:

Outlander Book Club is re-reading Outlander! We’re reading and discussing one chapter per week. This week: Chapter 29, “More Honesty”.

Our current classic read is part 2 of Don Quixote. My book group is reading and discussing three chapters per week. I’m sticking with it, but barely.

So many books, so little time…

27Dec2020

All the books I meant to read – 2020 edition

Posted in Bookish Thoughts by Lisa @ Bookshelf Fantasies

It’s time for my annual end-of-year tradition — all the books I meant to read! Here’s a look back at all the books I purchased in 2020, but just didn’t get around to reading for one reason or another.

To keep things simple, I’m focusing here on new physical books I bought or received as gifts — no ARCs, no e-books, no $1 books from the library sale or used copies picked up along the way.

Here’s a salute to my unread books of 2020!

Save

26Dec2020

Book Review: Princess Floralinda and the Forty-Flight Tower by Tamsyn Muir

Posted in Book Reviews by Lisa @ Bookshelf Fantasies

Title: Princess Floralinda and the Forty-Flight Tower
Author: Tamsyn Muir
Publisher: Subterranean Press
Publication date: November 30, 2020
Length: 216 pages
Genre: Fantasy
Source: Purchased
Rating:

When the witch built the forty-flight tower, she made very sure to do the whole thing properly. Each flight contains a dreadful monster, ranging from a diamond-scaled dragon to a pack of slavering goblins. Should a prince battle his way to the top, he will be rewarded with a golden sword—and the lovely Princess Floralinda.
But no prince has managed to conquer the first flight yet, let alone get to the fortieth.
In fact, the supply of fresh princes seems to have quite dried up.
And winter is closing in on Floralinda…

The idea of the princess rescuing herself isn’t exactly new anymore, thanks to the (incredibly welcome) surge in grrl-power fairy tale retellings. Still, in the hands of Tamsyn Muir, this princess story feels fresh and so, so entertaining.

Princess Floralinda and the Forty-Flight Tower is a slim book (with a wonderful cover!), but it’s jam-packed with humor and adventure (and all sorts of guts and gore, but in a FUNNY gross way).

A witch has imprisoned the beautiful princess at the top of a tower. It’s a classic concept — princes will come, battle their way to the top, and win the lovely princess (and a rocking golden sword). The problem is, the very first flight is guarded by a fearsome diamond-coated dragon, and for the first several days, all Floralinda can hear from way up in her tower is the crunch-crunch-crunch of prince bones. Eventually, the princes stop coming, and Floralinda’s tower prison starts to feel dismal.

Joined by a wayward fairy named Cobweb, Floralinda is spurred into action. If the two of them don’t do something about it, she’ll be stuck in the tower forever — and the magically regenerating bread and oranges that felt like a treat at first are just not enough to sustain a princess forever.

Floralinda and Cobweb begin to battle their way down the flights of the tower, crafting weapons and poisons, using their wits and their muscles (Cobweb assigns Floralinda a workout regimen) to defeat sirens, goblins, giant rats, and sorts of other ghastly, deadly adversaries.

I love how Floralinda sheds her princessy exterior, becoming grimier and tougher, turning her silk gown into bandages and her curtain rods into spears, turning into a warrior without ever really meaning to. The relationship beween her and Cobweb is funny and sweet, even though Cobweb spends most of her time hating on Floralinda (even while making sure she’s got the weapons and training needed to kill all the monsters that stand between them and freedom).

Princess Floralinda and the Forty-Flight Tower is a funny delight, and I’m so glad I treated myself to a copy. I think I’m the last person on the planet who hasn’t read Gideon the Ninth yet, but now that I’ve read this short treat by Tamsyn Muir, I definitely want to read her full-length works too.

25Dec2020

Book Review: How the King of Elfhame Learned to Hate Stories by Holly Black

Posted in Book Reviews by Lisa @ Bookshelf Fantasies

Title: How the King of Elfhame Learned to Hate Stories
Author: Holly Black
Illustrated by: Rovina Cai
Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
Publication date: November 24, 2020
Length: 173 pages
Genre: Fantasy
Source: Purchased
Rating:

An illustrated addition to the New York Times bestselling Folk of Air trilogy, that started with The Cruel Prince, from award-winning author Holly Black.

An irresistible return to the captivating world of Elfhame.

Once upon a time, there was a boy with a wicked tongue.
Before he was a cruel prince or a wicked king, he was a faerie child with a heart of stone. #1 New York Times bestselling author, Holly Black reveals a deeper look into the dramatic life of Elfhame’s enigmatic high king, Cardan. This tale includes delicious details of life before The Cruel Prince, an adventure beyond The Queen of Nothing, and familiar moments from The Folk of the Air trilogy, told wholly from Cardan’s perspective.
This new installment in the Folk of the Air series is a return to the heart-racing romance, danger, humor, and drama that enchanted readers everywhere. Each chapter is paired with lavish and luminous full-color art, making this the perfect collector’s item to be enjoyed by both new audiences and old.

A beautiful, wonderful book — a must for anyone who loves the Folk of the Air trilogy!

You many have seen my lovefests about Holly Black’s excellent trilogy (which I ended up reading twice in 2020!). I was delighted to treat myself to a hardcover copy of this new book, and so happy to finally have a peaceful day to sit and enjoy it.

In How the King of Elfhame Learned to Hate Stories, we are treated to ten brief tales about Cardan, the High King of Elfhame. While the first and last stories in this book take place after the events of the trilogy, the other stories follow Cardan from childhood into adulthood, showing how he became the “cruel prince” we first encounter in the trilogy. This book is told entirely from Cardan’s perspective, so we get a different view of some of the incidents we read about in the trilogy, and understand a little better why Cardan acted the way he did.

The book is illustrated by the very talented Rovina Cai, and it’s gorgeous! I especially love her artwork showing Cardan, but every page has special flourishes and treats to make the entire book a delight.

*From https://frolic.media/exclusive-how-the-king-of-elfhame-learned-to-hate-stories-by-holly-black-interiors-reveal/*

I loved, loved, loved this slim but lovely book! Don’t start here if you haven’t read the Folk of the Air books — but why not dive into the trilogy, and save this book for dessert?

24Dec2020

Book Review: Outlawed by Anna North

Posted in Book Reviews by Lisa @ Bookshelf Fantasies

Title: Outlawed
Author: Anna North
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing
Publication date: January 5, 2021
Length: 272 pages
Genre: Western/speculative fiction
Source: Review copy courtesy of the publisher via NetGalley
Rating:

The Crucible meets True Grit in this riveting adventure story of a fugitive girl, a mysterious gang of robbers, and their dangerous mission to transform the Wild West.
In the year of our Lord 1894, I became an outlaw.
The day of her wedding, 17 year old Ada’s life looks good; she loves her husband, and she loves working as an apprentice to her mother, a respected midwife. But after a year of marriage and no pregnancy, in a town where barren women are routinely hanged as witches, her survival depends on leaving behind everything she knows.
She joins up with the notorious Hole in the Wall Gang, a band of outlaws led by a preacher-turned-robber known to all as the Kid. Charismatic, grandiose, and mercurial, the Kid is determined to create a safe haven for outcast women. But to make this dream a reality, the Gang hatches a treacherous plan that may get them all killed. And Ada must decide whether she’s willing to risk her life for the possibility of a new kind of future for them all.
Featuring an irresistibly no-nonsense, courageous, and determined heroine, Outlawed dusts off the myth of the old West and reignites the glimmering promise of the frontier with an entirely new set of feminist stakes. Anna North has crafted a pulse-racing, page-turning saga about the search for hope in the wake of death, and for truth in a climate of small-mindedness and fear.

Hey, look! I guess feminist westerns are a thing now? After reading Upright Women Wanted earlier this year, I was excited to get my hands on yet another revisionist/feminist western adventure.

In Outlawed, we meet 17-year-old Ada at what should be the start of a happy future. Newly married, she loves her husband and is enjoying a robust married life with him. Except she’s not getting pregnant. As the months go by, the pressure mounts, until finally, after a year of marriage, she’s kicked out by her in-laws.

Being barren is considered the utmost failure for a woman, and failing to conceive is always considered the woman’s fault. Maybe it’s her family background? Maybe it’s punishment for sin? Or worst of all, she could be a witch, and most likely to blame for all the miscarriages and other tragedies in her town.

In the world of Outlawed, a terrible Flu years back wiped out 90% of the world’s population. In the pandemic’s aftermath, a new religion has blossomed, teaching the gospel of the Baby Jesus, who promises healthy futures to people — so long as they go forth and be fruitful, to repopulate the Earth. Barrenness, therefore, is not just a personal misfortune, but a sin against Baby Jesus. Barren women are outcasts, and once facing accusations of wrong-doing, are more likely than not to be hanged or imprisoned.

Ada, the daughter of the town’s only midwife, has been trained all her life by her mother to follow in her footsteps, and she understands that there must be scientific reasons for why some women get pregnant and some don’t. This conviction doesn’t save her when she’s accused of witchcraft, and she’s forced to flee for her life, eventually ending up with the Kid and the Hole in the Wall Gang, a group of outcast women who band together for survival. As Ada is given a place with the gang, she begins her days as an outlaw.

From this point, we follow Ada and the gang as they plot a daring heist that should enable them to provide a haven for other outcast women, but their plans are risky, the group faces divisions about their mission, and the Kid, their leader, suffers through bouts of depression that leave them unable to lead at a critical moment.

I mostly enjoyed Outlawed, but a few elements hold me back from giving this book a rave review. The pacing sags in the middle, once Ada arrives at the Hole in the Wall’s hideout, as she struggles for acceptance and to learn their ways. At this point, the plot slows down and becomes mainly focused on arguments and resentments within the group. Also, Ada’s transformation into a western outlaw seems a little too abrupt, and given her vocation as a healer, she appears to accept the more violent aspects of their lives without too many qualms.

My other complaint, which may just be a “me” thing rather than an issue with the book, is that the gang’s members are introduced all at once. We see them all as Ada first approaches, with physical descriptions of the people she sees around a campfire. Later, we learn their names as Ada does too. And for the life of me, I could not match the names and the people — while a few were distinct, for the most part, I could not really distinguish the characters as individuals or figure out who was who. It was annoying, and I gave up trying after a while.

Still, there’s a lot to love about Outlawed. The Western setting is familiar, but it’s turned upside down in this new version of the Old West, with fertility being the highest measure of a woman’s worth and a belief in witchcraft that seems like it should already be a thing of the distant past. I liked the sense of inclusion among the outcasts — any woman in trouble is welcome, and as we see later, there are plenty of reasons for people to end up ostracized, cast away, and forced to seek sanctuary among the outlaws.

I also loved Ada’s devotion to healing and to learning. The desire to learn what causes barrenness is what drives her, not only for her own sake but for the purpose of helping other women who suffer.

Once I’d picked up Outlawed and read the author bio, I realized that I have an earlier book by this author (America Pacifica) on my shelves. While I wouldn’t say that Outlawed was a complete hit for me, it intrigued me enough that I’ll definitely want to read more by this author.

And PS – is that cover amazing or what?

24Dec2020

A look back: Series reading in 2020

Posted in Bookish Thoughts by Lisa @ Bookshelf Fantasies

Remember January? Those good old days when we left our houses? Didn’t think twice about breathing the same air as other people? Sigh…

Back in January, oh so long ago, I set myself some reading goals related to reading book series. And now that 2020 is about to expire (and good riddance!), I thought it was time to check in and see whether I met any of my series reading goals.

Here are the books I set as my priorities for 2020:

The Glamourist Histories by Mary Robinette Kowal – a five-book series:Status: DONE! I listened to the audiobooks, one right after another, and loved the individual books as well as the over-arching storylines. All-around excellent world-building and storytelling. I just wish there were more set in this world!

The Interdependency Series by John Scalzi – a science fiction trilogy:

Status: DONE! Such a fun sci-fi adventure. I’d been hesitant about reading these books, expecting them to be too much on the “hard” side of science fiction — but thanks to the author’s never-fail humor and snark, the books flew by and were totally entertaining.

The Expanse by James S. A. Corey: More science fiction! Prior to 2020, I’d read books 1 – 3, and my goal was to keep going.

Status: A little bit of progress… I read book #4, but didn’t go any further. Yet. I do intend to keep going with the series, and since the final book is due out in 2021, I suppose I’d better get moving!

Poldark by Winston Graham – 12 books in all, and as of the end of 2019, I’d read seven.

Status: Nope. I didn’t read any additional books in this series, and honestly, I doubt that I will. I’ve enjoyed what I’ve read, but now that the TV adaptation has ended, I don’t feel all that invested in continuing (especially since the books from this point out supposedly focus on the next generation of characters).

Folk of the Air trilogy by Holly Black – a fantasy trilogy:

Status: YES, YES, A THOUSAND TIMES YES! Not only did I read the three books early in 2020, all right in a row, I ended up listening to all the audiobooks toward the end of the year. And I loved them so, so much! Such a great story, with fantastic characters.

Those are all the series that I set as my goals at the beginning of the year. I also ended up reading one additional trilogy, not on my original list:

The Extraordinary Adventures of the Athena Club by Theodora Goss: A fabulous trilogy starring the cast-off daughters of famous fictional men — the daughters of Dr. Jekyll (and Mr. Hyde), Victor Frankenstein, and more. The books are clever and funny, and feature strong, amazing women having great adventures. Totally delightful.

So, farewell to 2020! And onward to 2021!

Did you read any series in 2020? Any particular favorites?

Check back in January, when I’ll set a new batch of series reading goals for the new year.

23Dec2020

Shelf Control #248: Dreams Underfoot by Charles De Lint

Posted in Shelf Control by Lisa @ Bookshelf Fantasies

Welcome to Shelf Control — an original feature created and hosted by Bookshelf Fantasies.

Shelf Control is a weekly celebration of the unread books on our shelves. Pick a book you own but haven’t read, write a post about it (suggestions: include what it’s about, why you want to read it, and when you got it), and link up! For more info on what Shelf Control is all about, check out my introductory post, here.

Want to join in? Shelf Control posts go up every Wednesday. See the guidelines at the bottom of the post, and jump on board!

Title: Dreams Underfoot
Author: Charles de Lint
Published: 1993
Length: 416 pages

What it’s about (synopsis via Goodreads):

Welcome to Newford…
Welcome to the music clubs, the waterfront, the alleyways where ancient myths and magic spill into the modern world. Come meet Jilly, painting wonders in the rough city streets; and Geordie, playing fiddle while he dreams of a ghost; and the Angel of Grasso Street gathering the fey and the wild and the poor and the lost. Gemmins live in abandoned cars and skells traverse the tunnels below, while mermaids swim in the grey harbor waters and fill the cold night with their song.

About the Newford series:

Welcome to Newford, the fictional North American city setting for award-winning author Charles de Lint’s popular and beloved urban fantasy series.
Human beings share the city with European and Native American mythological legends, finding common ground as they live out their daily lives or find themselves swept up in adventures beyond imagination.
“As familiarly as though he were chronicling the lives of old friends, de Lint spins yet another magical story of the intersections between reality and the faerie and spirit world in this latest addition to the Newford opus, his twin loves of storytelling and music-making shining through every page…[H]ighly recommended.” —Library Journal (starred review) on Widdershins

How and when I got it:

I bought a copy at one of our library’s big sales, probably 3 or 4 years ago.

Why I want to read it:

I’ve been hearing about the Newford books for years! In fact, I think I actually own copies of a few books from the series (all books that I’ve grabbed at various used book sales). Charles de Lint is considered a master fantasy writer, yet I’ve only read one of his books so far (The Mystery of Grace, a stand-alone novel that was excellent).

Dreams Underfoot is a collection of stories set in Newford, and while I don’t usually gravitate toward short stories, I’d want to read this book to get an introduction to the world of the series and then see if I want to continue.

Have you read any of the Newford books?

And if not — what do you think? Would you read this book?

Please share your thoughts!

Literary Potpourri
The Book Connection
Life in the Book Lane

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Want to participate in Shelf Control? Here’s how:

Write a blog post about a book that you own that you haven’t read yet.
Add your link in the comments or link back from your own post, so I can add you to the participant list.
Check out other posts, and…

Have fun!

22Dec2020

Top Ten Tuesday: Great books to give (and receive!)

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 Books I Hope Santa Brings.

Well… I don’t celebrate Christmas, so I don’t expect any visits from Santa. But, I did give some wonderful books as gifts in 2020, so I thought I’d highlight a few of my favorites as an alternative to this week’s topic.

1) Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone: MinaLima Edition: This gorgeous book is perfect for Potter fans! MinaLima is the graphic design house that provides so many of the graphics for the HP films. This book includes full-color illustrations, plus fold-outs and little extras, as well as the full orignal text. (I gave it as a gift, but liked it so much that I bought one for myself too!)

2) Tales of Beedle the Bard illustrated by Chris Riddell: Another treat for HP fans! Chris Riddell is such a talented artist (I have his editions of Neverwhere by Neil Gaiman and How To Stop Time by Matt Haig). It’s a large-sized book with amazing illustrations, and was a big hit with the person I gave it to.

3) March trilogy by John Lewis: I gave this set to a graphic novel fan who also happens to be fascinated with US history. She loved it.

4) WordCloud editions of classics: I’ve given a few of these over the years, as well as buying a couple for myself. They’re such a fun and cheerful way to share classic fiction.

5) A few picks for Outlander fans — assuming they own all the books in the series already, can’t go wrong with any of these:

6) For a native San Franciscan now living far from home:

7) Birthday gifts for a friend who tends to be my bookish soulmate:

8: Gifts for an Octavia Butler fan:

Not quite 10 separate items… but when all else fails, can’t go wrong with a bookish giftcard!

What books do you love to give? Any particular books you hope to receive? Share your links, and I’ll come check out your top 10!

21Dec2020

The Monday Check-In ~ 12/21/2020

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

Life.

It feels weird that Hanukkah is over already, while everyone else is still gearing up for Christmas. Still, I have some days off coming up, which I’m really thankful for. It’ll be good to unwind and not check my work emails for a few days!

What did I read during the last week?

The Midnight Library by Matt Haig: 5 stars! Such a wonderful book. My review is here.

American Dirt by Jeanine Cummins: I hadn’t had any intention of reading this book until a family member gave me a copy as a gift. I couldn’t put it down, but that doesn’t mean it was actually good. My review is here.

The Queen of Nothing and The Lost Sisters by Holly Black: I finished my audiobook re-read of the Folk of the Air trilogy (plus a related novella). Such wonderful stories and characters!

My Italian Bulldozer by Alexander McCall Smith: This was my book group’s pick for December — very sweet and light. My review is here.

Pop culture & TV:

I finally finished my obsessed binge-watch of the three Starz series adapted from Philippa Gregory novels. For the most part, I loved them, despite some occasional weird choices and unfortunate facial hair. Overall, these were super watchable and kept me hooked.

I’ve been at a bit of a loss since finished The Spanish Princess. For the sake of looking for light entertainment, I decided to give Sweet Magnolias (Netflix) a try. It’s… okay. Perfectly fine for background watching while doing other things.

Meanwhile, I can’t wait to start season 5 of The Expanse (except I promised my son I wouldn’t watch it without him, and our schedules haven’t been in sync this past week). And hey, it’s almost time for Bridgerton!

Puzzle of the week:

Once again, I didn’t do any puzzles, but I did get one more as a gift from my amazing daughter, and it’s perfect!

Fresh Catch:

A new book ordered from Subterranean Press arrived this week, and I’m looking forward to starting it:

What will I be reading during the coming week?

Currently in my hands:

I finished a book Sunday afternoon, and haven’t quite settled on what to start next. One of these, for sure! Maybe I’ll even get to all three, if the reading gods favor me with lots of quality time with my books this week.

Now playing via audiobook:

Us Against You by Fredrik Backman: Just getting started. I’ve been wanting to listen to this audiobook ever since finishing Beartown last year.

Ongoing reads:

Outlander Book Club is re-reading Outlander! We’re reading and discussing one chapter per week. This week: Chapter 28, “Kisses and Drawers”.

Our current classic read is part 2 of Don Quixote. My book group is reading and discussing three chapters per week. I’m sticking with it, but barely.

So many books, so little time…