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: Witchmark Author: C. L. Polk Published: 2018 Length: 318 pages
What it’s about (synopsis via Goodreads):
In an original world reminiscent of Edwardian England in the shadow of a World War, cabals of noble families use their unique magical gifts to control the fates of nations, while one young man seeks only to live a life of his own.
Magic marked Miles Singer for suffering the day he was born, doomed either to be enslaved to his family’s interest or to be committed to a witches’ asylum. He went to war to escape his destiny and came home a different man, but he couldn’t leave his past behind. The war between Aeland and Laneer leaves men changed, strangers to their friends and family, but even after faking his own death and reinventing himself as a doctor at a cash-strapped veterans’ hospital, Miles can’t hide what he truly is.
When a fatally poisoned patient exposes Miles’ healing gift and his witchmark, he must put his anonymity and freedom at risk to investigate his patient’s murder. To find the truth he’ll need to rely on the family he despises, and on the kindness of the most gorgeous man he’s ever seen.
How and when I got it:
I picked up a copy last summer on a visit to a beloved neighborhood bookstore.
Why I want to read it:
I’ve heard such good things about this book! I love the sound of the witchcraft elements mixed with the historical setting. And now seems like a good time to read Witchmark, as the sequel will be out in February.
What do you think? Would you read this book?
Please share your thoughts!
__________________________________
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!
If you’d be so kind, I’d appreciate a link back from your own post.
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 a Thanksgiving freebie — so we can each come up with our own take on something we’re thankful for this year.
This time around, I thought I’d keep it simple and just talk about why I love having a book group and friends who love books. I’m not actually doing ten… just the top things that come to mind when I think about the bookish people in my life.
1. I’ve read so many books over the years thanks to my book group — books that I might not have picked up on my own, as well as classics that I might never have gotten around to without the group to motivate me.
2. I’m an introvert — but put me in a room or across a table from someone who’s a reader, and the conversation flows.
3. I’m thankful that my family members include people who love books as much as I do… and for those that don’t, they tolerate my bookish obsessions, which is nice too.
4. I’m thankful for all the amazing book bloggers I’ve met since starting my blog seven years ago! Thanks to all of you, I’ve engaged in fantastic discussions, considered new ideas, discovered so many amazing books, and have found a true community.
5. It’s thrilling to have friends who will geek out with me over the latest book in a series, or will share my terror that something bad will happen to a character I love.
6. I love having friends who will go with me to a used bookstore just because it’s there. Do we know how to have fun or what?
7. It’s great going to a silent reading party with people who will sit silently beside me and read their own books and not talk to me… and walk out when it’s done talking about what a great time we all had!
8. It wouldn’t be Thanksgiving without giving a big shout-out of appreciation to the public library, indie bookstores, and most especially, to the nonprofit organizations who focus on reading, books, and literacy. There are so many ways to share our love of reading while making a difference in the world! (Check out this list on Goodreads to get started.)
As a booklover, there’s so much to feel thankful for, this year and always! What books or bookish things are you most grateful for this Thanksgiving week?
Please share your thoughts, and if you wrote a TTT post, please share your link!
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.
Happy Thanksgiving… a few days early! Wishing everyone a lovely week!
What did I read during the last week?
Ninth House by Leigh Bardugo: Tense, violent, gory, and compelling. My review is here.
The Dinner List by Rebecca Serle: Just finished the audiobook, and was surprised by how much I ended up enjoying it. My review is here.
Pop culture:
Is it cold out? I’m feeling kind of FROZEN.
Yes, I saw Frozen 2 on Saturday… with my teenaged son… who enjoyed it every bit as much as I did. Fun and sweet.
Fresh Catch:
A huge THANK YOU to Tammy at Books, Bones, & Buffy! I won this book in her monthly giveaway, and it arrived this week. I couldn’t be more excited!
I also indulged myself a little by getting carried away on the Book Depository site and ordering ALL of Christina Henry’s books, which arrived this week. These covers are so gorgeous! I’ve read two already, but I really needed all of these on my shelves.
What will I be reading during the coming week?
Currently in my hands:
The Strange Case of the Alchemist’s Daughter by Theodora Goss: I’m at about the 70% mark in this delightful Victorian romp. It’s the first in a trilogy, and I’ll definitely be continuing.
Now playing via audiobook:
The Cactus by Sarah Haywood: Another light listen from the library! I’ve just barely gotten started — so far, so good!
Ongoing reads:
A Leaf on the Wind of All Hallows by Diana Gabaldon: The current group read for my book group. Such a great story! A must for Outlander fans.
We’ve been waiting for an hour. That’s what Audrey says. She states it with a little bit of an edge, her words just bordering on cursive. That’s the thing I think first. Not: Audrey Hepburn is at my birthday dinner, but Audrey Hepburn is annoyed.
At one point or another, we’ve all been asked to name five people, living or dead, with whom we’d like to have dinner. Why do we choose the people we do? And what if that dinner was to actually happen? These are the questions Rebecca Serle contends within her utterly captivating novel, The Dinner List, a story imbued with the same delightful magical realism as One Day, and the life-changing romance of Me Before You.
When Sabrina arrives at her thirtieth birthday dinner she finds at the table not just her best friend, but also three significant people from her past, and well, Audrey Hepburn. As the appetizers are served, wine poured, and dinner table conversation begins, it becomes clear that there’s a reason these six people have been gathered together.
Delicious but never indulgent, sweet with just the right amount of bitter, The Dinner List is a romance for our times. Bon appetit.
I picked up The Dinner List on a whim — I was ready to start a new audiobook, and wanted something that would be a quick, non-taxing listen. This popped up on my “recommended” list on the library website, so I figured I’d give it a whirl.
The Dinner List is set in a cozy New York restaurant, where Sabrina is meeting her best friend Jessica for dinner in honor of Sabrina’s 30th birthday. But when she arrives at the restaurant, she discovers that it’s not just dinner for two. Joining them are Sabrina’s former college professor Conrad, her estranged father Robert, and her ex, Tobias. Also, Audrey Hepburn.
And yes, Audrey Hepburn is deceased, as is Robert. But they’re still attending Sabrina’s dinner.
How is this possible? Like Sabrina, we readers just need to go with it and see how the dinner unfolds.
Set over the course of a five-hour dinner, interspersed with chapters tracing the history of Sabrina’s 10-year relationship with Tobias, The Dinner List is an examination of love, loss, friendship, growing up, regrets, resentment, and ultimately, forgiveness and compassion.
Jessica reminds Sabrina that way back when, as college roommates, Jessica insisted that Sabrina play the dinner list game with her: What five people, living or dead, would you want to have dinner with, if you could have anyone at all? Here, in the flesh, is Sabrina’s list. As the group orders their meals and shares bottles of wine, connections are examined, and Sabrina is given the opportunity to reflect on all the events, big and small, that led to where she is today.
I had the rare experience of having to constantly reevaluate my feelings about this book as I went along — listening to the audiobook really was an evolution of reactions. Early on, I was annoyed. The author narrates the audiobook, and her delivery just doesn’t compare to the professional, highly engaging narration I’ve grown used to in audiobooks. Beyond that, the plot confounded me. How is this possible? Is it all a dream? What’s the point? How will this dinner be explained?
But as I listened further, I stopped trying to analyze the situation and just went with the experience, and was surprised to realize that somewhere along the way, my initial annoyance has changed completely, and I was now both charmed and absorbed by the characters, their stories, and the overarching themes. I even got used to the narration, to the point where the author’s voice seemed to fit Sabrina’s mindset and no longer distracted me from the content.
The further along the story goes, the more compelling the story becomes. The chapters focusing on Sabrina and Tobias tell a modern love story, full of passion and devotion, but also the realities of being 20-somethings struggling to make it in a grown-up world and figure out what they want out of life. Somewhere at about the mid-point of the book, there’s a particular revelation that really threw me for a loop yet made complete sense in terms of the overall feel of the book — and this is where my emotions really got involved and I started worrying that I would be a soggy mess by the end.
And I wasn’t wrong about that. The downside of listening to audiobooks when out in public is dealing with the teary eyes and sniffles that come with emotionally charged storylines. So yes, I was kind of hideous by the end.
In the moment of impact we think it’s possible to go back. We’re so close to the previous minute; how hard would it be to just turn back the clock? To just quickly undo what has just been done?
If you’d asked me to rate this book based on the first hour or so of listening, I probably wouldn’t have gone higher than 2.5 stars… so I’m as surprised as anyone to see how highly I ended up rating this book.
Granted, the presence of Audrey Hepburn** — while a cute hook — didn’t feel all that necessary to me, and occasionally came off as a bit twee. Likewise, Conrad (the professor) isn’t exactly essential either, although in a way these two serve as guides for the dinner, steering the conversation and asking the difficult questions that are necessary for Sabrina to confront in order to understand her past and how to move forward.
Overall though, I think this was a terrific audiobook, and I’m sure it would be equally as good in print format. I was unexpectedly moved by the emotionally rich scenario and the unfolding relationships, and found the story bittersweet, touching, and memorable.
I look forward to reading more by Rebecca Serle, starting with her upcoming new release, In Five Years, coming out in 2020.
**A side effect of listening to The Dinner Party is my utter conviction that I need to watch Roman Holiday and Sabrina (and probably more Audrey Hepburn movies) ASAP.
Galaxy “Alex” Stern is the most unlikely member of Yale’s freshman class. Raised in the Los Angeles hinterlands by a hippie mom, Alex dropped out of school early and into a world of shady drug dealer boyfriends, dead-end jobs, and much, much worse. By age twenty, in fact, she is the sole survivor of a horrific, unsolved multiple homicide. Some might say she’s thrown her life away. But at her hospital bed, Alex is offered a second chance: to attend one of the world’s most elite universities on a full ride. What’s the catch, and why her?
Still searching for answers to this herself, Alex arrives in New Haven tasked by her mysterious benefactors with monitoring the activities of Yale’s secret societies. These eight windowless “tombs” are well-known to be haunts of the future rich and powerful, from high-ranking politicos to Wall Street and Hollywood’s biggest players. But their occult activities are revealed to be more sinister and more extraordinary than any paranoid imagination might conceive.
Ninth House was one of the biggest, buzziest releases of fall 2019. Author Leigh Bardugo is a wildly popular YA author, and with Ninth House, she ventures into adult fiction with a bang, getting hyped by the master, Stephen King, among other notables.
Whoo boy, with praise like that, how can a mere human like me ever attempt to write a review?
Let’s give it a try.
In Ninth House, we’re plunged right into the action as Alex Stern hides out alone with a grave injury, contemplating what went wrong and what happens next. But what exactly happened, and what is this thing called Lethe that we see her thinking about? All will be revealed…
Alex arrives at Yale completely unprepared. She’s an impoverished high school dropout, a former drug user and dealer, and the sole survivor of a brutal mass murder. She’s offered a fresh start with a full scholarship to Yale, courtesy of Lethe House.
Yale’s most famous exclusive society is Skull & Bones, but there are actually many more. In Ninth House, the Ancient Eight are bastions of the rich and famous and their up and coming offspring, and each house has its own connection to the arcane. The houses’ powers are what fuel their alumni’s fortunes and influence, and they each have distinctive rituals that keep their magic topped up and charged. Lethe, the ninth house, is not one of these. Rather, Lethe was founded as a watchdog — they’re the ones who monitor the rituals and make sure they keep within the bounds of the rules, preventing uncontrolled magic from escaping into the world, and keeping the Grays (ghosts) from crossing over from beyond the Veil.
While Lethe members don’t have magic themselves, they have access to a vast store of knowledge and materials that allows them to carry out the warding and protective functions that keep the houses’ rituals operating mostly within determined limits. Alex is different, though. She doesn’t need Lethe’s elixirs to see beyond — she’s been cursed all her life by her ability to see and interact with Grays. And now that she’s at Yale, she’s caught up in unprecedented Gray activity, as well as a murder on campus that could be unrelated… or it could be the key to a sinister plot that threatens the magical equilibrium.
Alex is a fabulous lead character. She’s edgy and wild, but has a past that torments her and secrets that she’s only now coming to terms with. She’s brave even when terrified, and despite being a loner, manages to make connections with her roommate and a fellow Lethe member in ways that support all the best elements of true female friendship.
The magical systems are fascinating, but — a warning for the squeamish — do not read this book if you have a weak stomach! There are some pretty disgusting scenes, with copious amounts of blood, body parts, guts, and more. Ick — but it’s not gratuitous. The violence and horror completely serve the plot, and I normally don’t mind horror, but there were a few places that left me feeling like I needed to scrub my brain in order to remove some particularly unpleasant images.
I do have a few quibbles — chiefly, this book is so detail-heavy that unless you’re prepared to either take notes or read straight through (stock up on coffee!), there’s almost too much to keep track of. Each house has its powers, its players, its agenda, its rituals… and we really do need to be able to distinguish one from the other in order to follow Alex’s investigation and the conspiracy it reveals. None of this is a negative, but it does feel overwhelming to try to pick up the pieces of the plot again after taking a break to — I don’t know — maybe sleep or work or eat.
Do I recommend Ninth House? Absolutely! It’s a mesmerizing, engrossing read. But I do suggest picking a time to read it when you have time to dive in and really concentrate.
Twinkle, twinkle little star. NOW I’ve decided to include you when I write book reviews…
Following up from my post last weekend, I think I’m going to give using a ratings system a whirl. Can’t hurt, right? Thank you to all who took the time to share thoughts and offer insights and encouragement — it’s been so helpful.
So…
I’m just quietly going to start using stars when I post book reviews. And if I like it, I’ll keep it going!
Here’s a quick look at what my ratings mean:
And now, off to put my stars into action! Let me know what you think!
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: Poison: A Wicked Snow White Tale Author: Sarah Pinborough Published: 2013 Length: 187 pages
What it’s about (synopsis via Goodreads):
A beautiful, sexy, contemporary retelling of the classic Snow White fairy tale, illustrated by Les Edwards.
Poison is a beautifully illustrated retelling of the Snow White story which takes all the elements of the classic fairy tale that we love (the handsome prince, the jealous queen, the beautiful girl and, of course, the poisoning) and puts a modern spin on the characters, their motives and their desires. It’s fun, contemporary, sexy, and perfect for fans of Once Upon a Time, Grimm, Snow White and the Huntsman and more.
How and when I got it:
Who says brick and mortar bookstores can’t survive? I wandered into a local bookstore last year, saw this book on the shelf, and had to buy not just this one, but the two other volumes in the series (Tales From the Kingdoms) as well.
Why I want to read it:
It just checks all my boxes! I may be a little burned out from too many fairy tale retellings, but Poison and its companions (Charm and Beauty) sound different enough to make me want to read them. Plus, they’re short — and admitting my shallowness here — the editions are so pretty and look so nice together! No wonder I had to get all three.
Also, I’ve been meaning to check out this author for a while now, so these books appeal to me for that reason too.
What do you think? Would you read this book?
Please share your thoughts!
__________________________________
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!
If you’d be so kind, I’d appreciate a link back from your own post.
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 Changes In My Reading Life, with the explanation maybe you like different genres or topics, maybe you read faster than you used to, maybe you only like standalones now.
Here are some ways my reading preferences and habits have changed over the years:
1. I read on my Kindle much more frequently than I use to. Probably because it’s so easy and portable (especially since it syncs with my phone app, so I never have to wonder where I left off). Also, my husband is strictly a Kindle reader, and I end up purchasing the Kindle format more often for our shared library.
2. I think I’ve burned out when it comes to reading historical fiction set during the World Wars. I’ve read some amazing novels set during these times, but for right now, other time periods and settings are much more appealing to me.
3. Not so much a fan of high fantasy these days. I can’t be bothered learning entirely new systems of magic or the rules of new kingdoms.
4. I have less patience for books that don’t grab me within the first chapter or so. I have the power to DNF, and I’m not afraid to use it!
5. I’m trying to be much more cautious about requesting ARCs — I need to preserve time for me to read on a whim, and not based on publication date or other commitments.
And here are some things about me as a reader that have not changed at all:
1. I never, ever, ever leave the house without a book — or at the very least, without access to my Kindle app.
2. I continue to buy more books than I can possibly read in a year… or a lifetime.
3. I’m a complete mood reader. Having to stick to a reading plan makes me grumpy.
4. If you want to make friends with me, ask me what I’ve read recently.
5. I skip from genre to genre whenever possible — if I read too many of any one type of book, I can feel myself losing interest and have to switch it up.
How about you? Have you changed as a reader?
If you did a TTT post this week, please share your link!
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.
Like the sun coming out from behind the clouds… this week was a definite improvement over the previous couple.
Still a lot going on (and yes, I’m vague-ing it up), but I’m starting to feel more upbeat!
What did I read during the last week?
If I Grow Up by Todd Strasser: A tough, compelling YA book that my teen son urged me to read. My review is here.
A Night in the Lonesome October by Roger Zelazny: That’s it. I’m calling this one. I read something like 75% of this book, then kind of wandered off and didn’t get around to finishing… and at this point, I’m pretty sure that I’m not going to. I liked everything I read so far, but just can’t quite make myself pick it up again right now. Ah well, there’s always next October!
In audiobooks:
Practical Magic by Alice Hoffman: I really enjoyed my audiobook re-read — can’t wait to read her new(ish) book about the Owens witches.
The Smell of Other People’s Houses by Bonnie-Sue Hitchcock: I loved this book so much when I first read it in 2017 (here’s my review), and I loved it all over again when I listened to the audiobook this week. The writing is beautiful, the characters are compelling and unique, the Alaska setting is magnificent, and the interconnectedness of all of the lives in this slim novel is truly remarkable.
Fresh Catch:
Tor has been releasing a selection of sci-fi/fantasy books in miniature hardcover format, and I couldn’t resist these two. I read Briar Rose years ago, and haven’t yet read Tooth and Claw, although I’ve been wanting to for ages. The format is so cute!
What will I be reading during the coming week?
Currently in my hands:
Ninth House by Leigh Bardugo: I’m STILL reading this book! I started it a week ago, but kept getting pulled away by other commitments. I’m finally really getting on a roll, and hope to steam ahead to the end!
Now playing via audiobook:
The Dinner List by Rebecca Serle: I haven’t actually started this one yet, but (a) it sounded light and sweet, and (b) it was available to borrow from the library today, so off we go!
Ongoing reads:
A Leaf on the Wind of All Hallows by Diana Gabaldon: The current group read for my book group. Such a great story! A must for Outlander fans.
Twinkle, twinkle little star. How I wonder whether I should include you when I write book reviews…
Sorry, is that not how the nursery rhyme goes?
About five years ago, I wrote a piece about star ratings and why I don’t use one (here). Looking back, I can see I did some serious overthinking of the issue. But hey, that’s not so unusual for me!
I’ve been blogging and reviewing books for over seven (!!!) years now, and from the beginning, I opted not to include a rating with my reviews. I’ve often felt boxed-in by the Goodreads 5-star system (oh, for those half stars they deny us!), and felt that the approach that works best for me is to put my reactions and feelings about a book into the review, and not try to attach a number to what is essentially a qualitative experience.
So why am I bringing this up again now?
Because I realize that my approach may be a little contrary to how I read other people’s reviews. Okay, I’ll admit the stark truth here: While I don’t use stars (or any other numeric ratings system), I do find myself scanning other people’s reviews to see their ratings before I go ahead and read the reviews themselves. There could be lots of reasons for this:
It’s a book I’ve never heard of, so I want to know at a glance if it’s worth considering.
It’s a book I’m reading or planning to read, and while I don’t want to know anything about it just yet (the dreaded spoiler phobia at work), I do want to know the reviewer’s overall opinion of the book.
I’m in a rush. I do follow quite a few bloggers and some days, there just isn’t time to read everything in my feed. But, if I see that a blogger whose reading tastes usually align with mine gives a book 5 stars, I’ll slow down and read that review to see if the book is for me.
Give that I value other bloggers’ ratings, how do I continue posting reviews without including ratings as well?
I’m cautiously dipping my toes into the idea of adding ratings to my reviews going forward. (Sorry, mixed metaphor, but whatever.) It feels like a big change for me, but also like not quite as big a deal as I once made it out to be.
What do you think? For anyone who’s read any of my reviews… well, first of all, thank you! But secondly — would you prefer to see me include ratings with my reviews? Overall, do you prefer to see ratings when you visit book blogs?
Title: Witchmark
seria
Bookshelf Fantasies 