Top 5 Tuesday: Top 5 “old” authors of 2024

Posted in Top Ten Tuesday by Lisa @ Bookshelf Fantasies

Top 5 Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by Meeghan Reads — check out the next batch of upcoming topics here.

This week’s topic is Top 5 old authors of 2024, and the prompt is: This was a newbie wrap up topic last year, but you guys loved it!! Tell us about your fave authors you read books from this year who you’ve previously read books by.

Fun idea! Sorry to the authors I’m calling “old”!! You know what I mean… Here are five not-new-to-me authors whose books I read this year:

1: Abby Jimenez

Read in 2024:

The Friend Zone
The Happy Ever After Playlist
Life’s Too Short

Previously read:

Part of Your World
Yours Truly
Just for the Summer

2: Suzanne Allain

Read in 2024:

The Ladies Rewrite the Rules
Miss Lattimore’s Letter
The Wrong Lady Meets Lord Right

Previously read:

Mr. Malcolm’s List

3: Rachel Harrison

Read in 2024:

The Veil
So Thirsty
The Return

Previously read:

Cackle
Such Sharp Teeth
Black Sheep

4: Kelly Armstrong

Read in 2024:

Finding Mr. Write
I’ll Be Waiting
Disturbing the Dead
Schemes & Scandals

Previously read:

A Stitch in Time series (four books plus novellas)
A Rip Through Time series (books 1 and 2)

5: Lev AC Rosen

Read in 2024:

Rough Pages
Camp
Jack of Hearts (and Other Parts)

Previously read:

Lavender House series (books 1 and 2)
Depth
All Men of Genius
Emmett

I could go on — looking at my 2024 reading list, I see so many authors who’ve been on my reading lists in previous years! But I’ll stop at five. These are all authors I can count on for great reading!

Which “old” authors did you enjoy in 2024?

21May2024

Top Ten Tuesday: Authors I’d Love a New Book From

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 Authors I’d Love a New Book From.

The prompt includes: These could be authors that have passed away, who have retired from writing, who have inexplicably gone quiet, or who might jut not be able to keep up with how quickly you read their books!)

My focus is on authors whose next book I’m eagerly awaiting. And while I can definitely come up with some no-longer-with-us authors I’d love another book from (hi, Jane Austen and L. M. Montgomery!), I’m sticking with living, breathing, writing authors for this list.

My ten are:

Diana Gabaldon — of course! Waiting for the 10th Outlander book…
Amy Stewart — She’s shifted her focus to non-fiction and artwork, but I’d love more in the Kopp Sisters series (or any new fiction, for that matter).
Becky Chambers — I haven’t found any info on what her next book will be, but I’ve loved every single book of hers so far.
Travis Baldree — I can’t wait to see what he writes next!
Lily Chu – I really enjoyed the audiobooks she’s released up to now, and hope there will be a new one soon.
Trish Doller – I loved the Beck Sisters trilogy (which I read last year), but haven’t been able to find info on whether there are any new books coming up.
Susanna Kearsley — On the other hand, there is a new book on the way for this author! But while it has a 2024 release date in the UK, we readers here in the US will have to wait until 2025.
Sarah Gailey — I don’t see any new books since 2022, and I’d love to read whatever they write next.
Fredrik Backman — Another author who doesn’t have a next book listed yet on Goodreads! Whatever it is, and whenever it arrives, I’m sure it’ll be great.
George R. R. Martin — I mean, I debated whether to even include GRRM on this list, because honestly, I’m not sure I even care any more. Will book #6 ever actually be released??

What authors made your list this week?

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

12Apr2024

Book Review: The Hob’s Bargain by Patricia Briggs

Posted in Book Reviews by Lisa @ Bookshelf Fantasies

Title: The Hob’s Bargain
Author: Patricia Briggs
Publisher: Ace Fantasy
Publication date: 2001
Length: 288 pages
Genre: Fantasy
Source: Purchased
Rating:

Beauty and The Beast

Hated and feared, magic was banished from the land. But now, freed from the spells of the wicked bloodmages, magic—both good and evil—returns. And Aren of Fallbrook feels her own power of sight strengthen and grow…

Overcome by visions of mayhem and murder, Aren vows to save her village from the ruthless raiders who have descended upon it—and killed her family. With the return of wildlings to the hills and forests, she strikes a bargain with the Hob, a magical, human-like creature imbued with the power of the mountains. But the Hob is the last of his kind. And he will exact a heavy price to defend the village—a price Aren herself must pay…

I adore the Mercy Thompson and Alpha & Omega series by Patricia Briggs — intricately plotted urban fantasy with stand-out characters, relationships, and group dynamics, high stakes, and even plenty of humor. Each new release is an event to celebrate!

I’ve always been curious about the author’s earlier works. Prior to Mercy, she’d published a few different fantasy books — a couple of duologies and a four-book series — and one stand-alone, The Hob’s Bargain. And while I’ve had The Hob’s Bargain on my shelf for years now, this week was the week when I finally decided to read it.

The book starts with a bang: Aren wakes up the morning after her wedding night feeling happy and hopeful, only to be struck by a vision. Aren has the sight, something she’s kept hidden all her life, since mages are hunted down and forced to either join the evil Bloodmages who support the land’s rulers through death magic or be executed. Aren’s vision is too late to prevent what she sees: A horde of raiders descends upon her peaceful village, and kills everyone who opposes them. Within a few short hours, Aren loses her parents, her pregnant sister, and her husband.

From here, conditions in Fallbrook get even worse. A binding that has kept the land’s natural magic under tight control is removed, and the resulting earthquake causes mountains to fall, shutting off all passages in and out of the village. The wildlings — magical creatures of the earth, forests, rivers, and mountains — begin to stir, and they’re not happy with the humans. Fallbrook is threatened by both the wildlings and the continued presence of the raiders. Once Aren reveals her sight and her access to magical gifts, she finds herself despised by many of the villagers — but also in a position where she may be the only one who can save them.

The Hob’s Bargain is an entertaining read, although the plot and characters feel a tad underbaked and rushed. At various points, I found myself confused by new developments or statements, not entirely clear how we got from point A to point B.

Still, it’s quite fun to read this early book and see seeds of themes and patterns that feature in the Mercy-verse — different types of magic and magical beings, the way humans and non-humans interact, and the dynamics between humans with powers and those without.

Overall, I’m glad to have read The Hob’s Bargain — but for those looking to experience the joys of a Patricia Briggs book, I strongly urge you to jump straight to Moon Called, the very first Mercy book. I can pretty much guarantee that once you read one, you won’t want to stop.

For a complete reference guide to all Patricia Briggs book, see here.

And enjoy these other covers for The Hob’s Bargain:

9May2023

Top Ten Tuesday: Books I Recommend to Others the Most

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 Recommend to Others the Most.

I feel like I have a tendency to rave about the same books over and over again (*cough* Outlander *cough*), so I’m going to make an effort in this post to spread the love a bit. My focus this time around will be books I’ve recommended a bunch in the last few years. How’s that for non-specific?

Here are my 10:

Parable of the Sower by Octavia Butler

I read this book a long time ago, but I find myself recommending it at least a few times each year!

Kate Shugak series by Dana Stabenow

Believe it or not, the 23rd book in the series was just released this year! I love the characters and plotlines in this Alaska-based series so much… and yes, before you ask, you really do need to start at the beginning. It’s worth it, I promise!

We Have Always Lived in the Castle by Shirley Jackson

Not only is this book delightfully creepy, it’s also amazing on audiobook. In fact, this is the first audiobook that made me truly fall in love with the listening experience — something about the narrator’s delivery absolutely drew me in and wouldn’t let go.

A Night in the Lonesome October by Roger Zelazny

Such a weird and wonderful book! With a chapter for each day of the month of October, it’s easy to see why some people (i.e., me!) make an annual tradition of re-reading this book.

The Cruel Prince by Holly Black

Actually, I recommend the entire Folk of the Air trilogy… a lot! I’ve enjoyed everything I’ve read by Holly Black, but these books really are special.

The Eyes of the Dragon by Stephen King

For anyone who tells me that they’re too scared to try a Stephen King book, this is the one I try to push into their hands. His storytelling gifts shine in a fantasy tale just as much as in horror.

Emily Starr trilogy by L. M. Montgomery

I’m very, very late to the joys of L. M. Montgomery’s fictional worlds, and I’m trying to make up for lost time! I could easily recommend the Anne books, or The Blue Castle, or Jane of Lantern Hill… but for whatever reason, these Emily books just make me really happy.

The Calculating Stars by Mary Robinette Kowal

I could put pretty much any book by this author on my list! I’ve loved them all — but The Calculating Stars really spoke to me and moved me. I recommend everything she’s written, but this is the book I consider a stand-out!

Well Met by Jen DeLuca

And now for something a little lighter! This series (4 books) is sweet and romantic, and I love the RenFaire settings. Great escapist romance — and who doesn’t need that every once in a while?

Old Man’s War by John Scalzi

Not only is this the 1st in a terrific sci-fi series, and not only is the writing smart, funny, and engaging… but Old Man’s War is also the first book to turn my reading-averse teen into someone who wouldn’t put the book down, and then immediately demanded the sequel as soon as he finished it. And that right there makes this a book to recommend!

Have you read any of my recommended books? Which books do you recommend the most?

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

30Jun2021

Shelf Control #275: Resistance is Futile by Jenny T. Colgan

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: Resistance is Futile
Author: Jenny T. Colgan
Published: 2015
Length: 336 pages

What it’s about (synopsis via Goodreads):

Connie thinks she’s never met anyone quite like Luke Beith before.
She has no idea how right she is.
As a high-ranking mathematician in a male-dominated field – with bright red hair – Connie’s used to being considered a little unusual.
But she’s nowhere near as peculiar as Luke, who is recruited to work alongside her on a top-secret code breaking project.
Just what is this bizarre sequence they’re studying? It isn’t a solution to the global energy crisis. It isn’t a new wavelength to sell microwave ovens. The numbers are trying to tell them something . . . and it seems only Luke knows what.
The truth is out there. Will Connie dare to find it?
In this whirlwind adventure, Sunday Times bestselling author Jenny Colgan boldly goes where no author has gone before . . .

How and when I got it:

I picked up a used paperback copy a couple of years ago.

Why I want to read it:

I first came across Resistance is Futile via a recommendation from a book blogger (and I’m totally blanking on who it was — so if it was you, please let me know!). Jenny T. Colgan is the not-so-secret pseudonym for author Jenny Colgan, who’s an absolute favorite of mine. She writes wonderfully sweet and lovely romantic stories, always in wonderful settings, and usually with lots of amazing food. With the “T” in the middle, she writes lots of Doctor Who novelizations, plus a few other more science-fiction-y contemporary stories. And this is one of those!

It does sound odd and quirky and like so much fun! And what’s not to love about a novel starring a mathematician?

What do you think? Would you read this book?

Please share your thoughts!

Literary Potpourri
Dragons & Whimsy
ReviewsFeed

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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!

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Buy now: Amazon – Book Depository – Bookshop.org

8Jun2021

Top Ten Tuesday: Give me more! Authors whose entire works I NEEDED after reading just one of their books…

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 Loved that Made Me Want More Books Like Them — which can be interpreted a bunch of different ways.

For my purposes, I thought I’d focus on authors whose works I feel in love with after just one book. For all of the authors below, once I read my first book by them, I immediately needed to read ALL (or, okay, A LOT) of their books!

My top ten are:

Diana Gabaldon: Once I read Outlander, I was a goner!
Jojo Moyes: I think my first book of her was The Ship of Brides, but I’ve made it my business to read as many of her books as I could get my hands on. I think there are a still a few earlier books that I haven’t gotten to yet, but I’ve now read 10 of her books!
C. Robert Cargill: This is a recent addition for me, but now that I’ve read Day Zero, I need to read everything else he’s written. (Fun fact: He’s also a screenwriter — for movies including Marvel’s Doctor Strange, which I just watched last night and hadn’t realized he’d written!)
John Scalzi: My first book by this author was Redshirts, and it was a case of insta-love for me. I’ve now read everything of his except a book of essays, I believe.
TJ Klune: I adored The House on the Cerulean Sea, and absolutely want to read more.
Octavia Butler: Kindred felt like a life-changing read for me, and I immediately picked up copies of Parable of the Sower, Parable of the Talents, and Fledgling as soon as I finished. I still have a big chunk of her oeuvre yet to read.
Georgette Heyer: My book group picked a GH book for a discussion a few years ago, and it made me want to read more and more and more of her works! I’ve made a point since then of looking for her books whenever I’m in a used book store, and have quite a collection so far.
Jenny Colgan: My first Jenny Colgan books was The Bookshop on the Corner, and I was totally smitten with her rosy-eyed view of quirky village life. I’ve read a whole slew of her books since then, and still have more to go!
Mary Robinette Kowal: The Calculating Stars blew me away, and I’ve since read the next two books in that series, plus her Glamourist Histories books (loved them!) and a collection of short stories. More, please!
Seanan McGuire: I don’t even remember which book of hers came first for me, but once I started, I was totally hooked. And considering she publishes about four books per year, that’s a lot to keep up with!

Have you ever read a single book by a new-to-you author, then turned around and read ALL the books? Bookworm problems, amirite?

If you did a TTT post this week, please share your link!

10Nov2020

Top Ten Tuesday: Seanan McGuire Book Titles that Would Make Great Song Titles

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 Song Titles. As I was perusing my bookshelves for inspiration, I realized that I need look no further than one particular author…

It’s not exactly a secret that Seanan McGuire is one of my favorite authors. Besides the fact that her books are excellent, they also tend to have terrific titles. Here are ten (from books written as both Seanan McGuire and Mira Grant) that I can easily imagine as song titles too.

Rolling in the Deep (what? there’s already a song with this title??? but is it about killer mermaids?)
Into the Drowning Deep
When Will You Rise?
Down Among the Sticks and Bones
Come Tumbling Down (no, not the John Cougar Mellancamp song — that one is actually “Crumblin’ Down”)
Kingdom of Needle and Bone
A Red-Rose Chain
Dusk or Dark or Dawn or Day
Midnight Blue-Light Special
Sparrow Hill Road

What do you think of my choices? And what book titles can you imagine as great song titles?

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

7Jul2020

Top Ten Tuesday: Ten authors I’ve read the most books by

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 Authors I’ve Read the Most Books By.

It looks like I did this topic back in 2015, but my reading habits have changed since then — so, new and improved for 2020, here are ten authors whose books dominate my shelves.

Note: The numbers as reflected in Goodreads aren’t entirely reliable, since they include novellas and stand-alone stories that I’ve marked as read as well as actual novels and other published materials. So… take the the numbers below with a grain (or ten) of salt.

Seanan McGuire – 38

Because I adore the October Daye series and the Incryptid series, as well as her various other novels and novellas and, well, basically anything she writes. And this doesn’t even include the 12 works I’ve read by her alter ego Mira Grant.

Jim Butcher – 29

And more coming this year, with two new Dresden Files books releasing this summer and fall! Besides the Dresden books, this number includes Codex Alera, some story collections, and Bigfoot!

Dana Stabenow – 27

The Kate Shugak series is at 22 books (and counting), plus there are 4 Liam Campbell books published so far, and I’ve read a collection of her non-fiction travel writing. (Plus, I have more books of hers on my TBR, but who’s counting?)

Patricia Briggs – 25

I love the Mercy Thompson series, as well Alpha & Omega, plus I’ve read any and all Mercy-verse stories that have appeared in various anthologies.

Diana Gabaldon – 23

I’m going to keep using this picture, because hey, I met DG once in person and it was awesome!

No, there aren’t 23 books in the Outlander series, but this include the Lord John books, the reference books, and the various novellas and stand-alone stories.

Gail Carriger – 23

According to Goodreads, that’s 4 each for the Finishing School and Custard Protocol series, 4 for the Parasol Protectorate, a whole bunch of novellas, and two works published as G. L. Carriger.

Stephen King – 21

Considering how many books he’s written, this is just scratching the surface! I don’t think I’ll ever run out of backlist King books to read, not to mention keeping up with the never-ending new releases.

Tamora Pierce – 19

I went on a Tamora Pierce reading binge last year, reading basically ALL of her Tortall books, one after another. And loved them all! (Mostly.)

John Scalzi – 19

So there’s the Old Man’s War series, the Interdependency trilogy, the Lock In books, and various others too.

And finally, one that maybe should go into a separate category…

Robert Kirkman – 33

Because I’ve read the entire Walking Dead series in trade paperback editions, and that’s 32 books, plus one more about Negan.

Which authors have you read the most? Do we have any in common?

Please share your links!

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14Jan2020

Top Ten Tuesday: New-to-Me Authors I Read In 2019

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 Bookish Discoveries I Made In 2019. For this week’s list, I thought I’d use a favorite annual topic, focusing on new-to-me authors I had the pleasure of “discovering” during the past year.

Here are some of the great books I read in 2019 that are by authors I’d never read before:

1) John Boyne — Now that I’ve read The Heart’s Invisible Furies, I must read more of his work.

2) Craig DiLouie — I loved the two powerful and disturbing novels by this author that I read in 2019: One of Us and Our War.

3) L. M. Montgomery – I finally read the Anne of Green Gables series — all eight books! In this new year, I hope to read some of her other works as well.

4) Christina Henry – I loved The Girl in Red and The Mermaid. Now I need to read everything else she’s written.

5) Leigh Bardugo — I really enjoyed the complicated, creepy Ninth House. I’m not sure that I’m interested in reading her YA books, but I certainly want a sequel to Ninth House!

6) Theodora Goss — The Thorn and the Blossom was beautiful, and I got a huge kick out of The Strange Case of the Alchemist’s Daughter. I’ll be continuing that series shortly, I hope.

7) Kelli Estes – Today We Go Home is a powerful dual-timeline narrative focusing on women at war. Now that I’ve read it, I need to read her earlier novel which I missed when it was one of my book group’s picks. Talented writer!

8) T. Kingfisher – The Twisted Ones was perfectly creepy (and has great humor and a great dog). I’ll be wanting to read more by this author too!

9) Alix E. Harrow — Her debut novel The Ten Thousand Doors of January was brilliant. Can’t wait to see what she does next!

10) Lindy West — I don’t read a lot of non-fiction, but I’m so glad I made time for Shrill. This author has a lot to say, and knows how to say it.

Are you a fan of any of these new-to-me authors? Are there any of their works that you’d particularly recommend?

What bookish discoveries did you make in 2019? Please share your TTT links!

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31Dec2019

2019: My year in books

Posted in The Reading Life by Lisa @ Bookshelf Fantasies

Another reading year has come and gone! Here’s a look back at the highlights of my year in books:

Thank you, Goodreads, for letting me know that I’m probably good at other things besides reading! Funny, last year, I read 202 out of 170 books… so I’m slowly increasing? Or probably just throwing in a lot more shorter works into my reading mix.

Goodreads stats as of 12/31/2019:

The Picture of Dorian Gray is the most popular book I read this year? Color me shocked! Who would have thought that a book from 1890 would have close to a million readers in 2019?

According to my average rating, I’ve been pretty successful this year when it comes to choosing book that appeal to me. Kind of crazy, but for the second year in a row, my average rating was 4.1 stars.

Star rating used most often: 4 stars (87 total)
Star rating used least often: 2 stars (6 total — and I didn’t give any books only 1-star. I think if I thought that little of a book, I just DNFd.)
DNFs: 4 – Between not getting into a book or just not being the right book at the right time, I officially put aside 4 books that I’d started… although I know there are several more that I put down within a page or two, and just didn’t even count.

Highest rated on Goodreads:

Apparently everyone loved this book!

First and Last:

Neither my first nor my last reviews of the year were for books I’d consider favorites… but then again, I didn’t get around (yet) to writing up reviews for the two books I just finished… so I guess they’ll have to just wait to be the first for 2020!

Reading highlights:

Complete series: I read three series start-to-finish this year:

Anne of Green Gables by L. M. Montgomery (8 books)
Beka Cooper by Tamora Pierce (3 books)
The Beauty graphic novels by Jeremy Haun (5 books)

New sequels or books in ongoing (or finished) series:

So many great new additions to stories I love! Including…

Stellar historical fiction:

Enthralling re-reads: Books that stand up superbly to a 2nd (or 3rd…) reading:

Great graphic novels:

Fun and light contemporary fiction:

Weird, creepy, disturbing, otherworldly:

Fantastic fantasy:

Story/essay collections:

A quartet of classics:

Aaaaaaand… I’m stopping now before I end up including every single book I read in 2019!

Eye-candy covers:

Let me just take a minute to appreciate some of the most beautiful and/or eye-catching covers from my reading this year… because who doesn’t love a great looking book?