February and March 2021 books

I told myself I'd try to blog in between book blog posts . . . oops. Life somewhat got away from me (doesn't it always?). Between homeschooling and work and cleaning and laundry and house projects, the blog doesn't even make it onto a burner anymore these days. Hopefully it will again someday! Someday . . .

All links below are affiliate to Bookshop.org.

The Queen of Attolia / The King of Attolia 

by Megan Whalen Turner

★★★★★/5

I continue to love these books beyond measure. Truly, if you haven't gotten around to reading them by me incessantly praising them yet...please take this opportunity to. You will NOT be disappointed. Whalen Turner has an incredible gift for plot and character to which I really haven't found a rival. Again, do not listen to the YA label on these, because it's just plain wrong. I think my favorite of the whole series is King of Attolia (my boy Costis!!!!) but it's so hard to pick! 5 stars!

Death Comes for the Archbishop

by Willa Cather

★★★★★/5

I'm sure I've mentioned it on the blog before, but I took an entire class in college about Willa Cather, from one of the world's most foremost Cather scholars. Cather herself is from Nebraska, and we took a college field-trip to her hometown! (College field trips! Who even knew they were a thing? I guess they're a thing if you're a devoted nerdy English major.) Anywho, I've read nearly all her work prior to this except Death Comes for the Archbishop. It wasn't in our curriculum that semester because it's not set in Nebraska, but wow. I can't believe how much I was missing in not having read it! So beautiful, so picturesque, such a good man and good priest in fiction (so rare, honestly). I can't sing its praises highly enough. 5 stars.

Piranesi

by Susanna Clarke

★★★★/5

This is one of those "really insanely popular right now books and I can't tell if it's actually good or not before reading it" kind of books. You know the ones. ;) I was hesitant going in, because of that reputation. I like to temper expectations where I can and also I'm a huge snob and I don't trust it when a new book is suddenly so well-spoken of (heck, I had to wait 6 months to get it off the hold list at the library). But WOW. So good. I've never read any Clarke before, but this book was so imaginative and kept me guessing through the whole thing. If you're a snob like me, you'll still like it, I promise. 4 stars.

The Goblin Emperor

by Katherine Addison

★★★★/5

This is a fantasy book unlike any other I've ever read. I think I found it recommended on TOR.com as one with a kindness-focused main character (which is kinda rare in fantasy). Admittedly, it took me a little bit to get into it. It's very heady and the author does you NO favors in throwing you into an insanely complicated world (but there's a very specific plot reason for it, which it took me half the book to realize). It's about a young goblin who becomes emperor when the entire royal line ahead of him die in a crash, and his role as ruler after that. Very political and intriguing and I really liked it. 4 stars.

The Body Keeps the Score

by Bessel A. van der Kolk
★★★★/5

It had clearly been awhile since I forced myself to put away fun fiction and read a nonfiction. So glad I did for this one! I heard it praised highly by Heidi on the Close Reads podcast and decided to give it a try. The author is one of the foremost researchers in the world on PTSD and trauma therapy, and his insight and research were really fascinating. If you're curious at all about juvenile trauma, the diagnoses of PTSD, and how trauma therapy have changed in the last 50 years, I highly recommend it -- honestly, I'd recommend it to everyone. It's helped me be much more empathetic and understanding to a wide variety of situations in the world that can trace back to trauma, which I'd never considered before. 4.5 stars.

James Acaster's Classic Scrapes

by James Acaster

★★★★/5

If you haven't heard me blab yet about how I think James Acaster is the funniest person in the world yet, HERE I GO AGAIN. He's just so funny and when I found out he had a book? I snatched it up on Kindle for $0.99 without a second thought. Lighthearted, incredibly funny, smart, witty, a perfect comedy book. 100% necessary in covid winter. Additional blog plug to watch his Repertoire series on Netflix and in Taskmaster on Youtube and his other show, Hypothetical, with Josh Widdicombe. 4.5 stars.

The Bear and the Nightingale / The Girl in the Tower / The Winter of the Witch

by Katherine Arden

★★★★★/5

This three-part series has been the highlight of my reading year so far. It's another fantasy series (who surprised? not me, probably not you either) about 14th century Russia, deep cultural Catholicism vs old world gods, witchery and family, political movement and love, winter and summer and horses and fire, practically everything you could want in a series! I could not put it down once I started (hence why I grouped all 3 into one review). It might be perfect, honestly. Read it and tell me if you agree. 5 stars.

Rebecca

by Daphne du Maurier

★★★★★/5

Another book in the "I can't believe I hadn't read this before!" list! I read it along with Close Reads and enjoyed it completely, and then made David watch the Lily James movie version as soon as I was done. I don't want to give anything away about the plot but READ THIS ASAP IF YOU HAVEN'T. A 1930s suspense novel with the best and biggest turns you'll never predict. 5 stars!!!!

Orthodoxy

by G. K. Chesterton

★★★/5

I told myself I'd read some spiritual works during Lent this year, and first on my list to finish was Orthodoxy. I've also, somehow, never read any Chesterton, although having seen him reference anywhere and everywhere for years, I thought I probably had a good grasp on him. I enjoyed this one. I found his perspective on Christianity definitely different than others I've read, but it didn't wow me (don't hate me!!!). I'm going to try some of his other works at some point. 3 stars. 

The Radium Girls

by Kate Moore

★★★/5

Another insanely long library hold list for this one, a nonfiction story about American women in the 1920s who were poisoned by radium at their workplaces, painting clock-faces with radium paint. This one was hyped up so much that the actual writing of it fell pretty flat for me, but the details of the real-life story made up for it for the most part. 3 stars.

The City We Became

by N. K. Jemisin

★★★/5

I absolutely ADORED Jemisin's first trilogy, The Broken Earth -- it was imaginative in ways I hadn't encountered in a long time, and the characters were so unique. I think this one felt a little stilted in comparison, like she was trying really hard to write something different and relevant and it hurt her natural talent. However I did like it and I understand why it's gotten so much praise since it was released -- you've definitely never read a story like it, in which mature cities have personas and fight to survive. She set herself up at the very least for a sequel, so maybe the future ones will be better, but I still couldn't help but be a tiny bit disappointed. Solid 3 stars.

Assassin's Apprentice

by Robin Hobb

★★★/5

Somehow even though it's somewhat considered a "classic" fantasy series, I'd never read any Hobbs before now. I found myself enjoying this one but not *loving* it 100%. It's about a bastard son of a prince who becomes a trained assassin, and I found myself mentally comparing it to Royce and Hadrian (Riyria series) or Vin (Mistborn series) where I just wanted a little bit more (don't exactly know what of, but more of something!). I did enjoy it and I'm reading the next one as we speak so obviously I wanted to know more enough. 3.5 stars.

What are you reading right now? What fantasy series should I try that I haven't yet? hahaha. Thanks for being here!

HG