The Stolen Heir
The Stolen Heir by Holly Black is one of the more-anticipated reads of 2023. The first of the Stolen Heir Duology was a very different perspective than the other Elfhame stories, so it was a nice change but also that comforting familiarity. I definitely recommend the book as part of the Elfhame world, but I recommend reading the other stories first.
Of Chivalry and Revenge
Of Chivalry and Revenge by Celeste Baxendell was a surprise. I received an advanced reader copy of this book that was officially released on Valentine’s Day this year. I didn’t know this was a King Arthur story when I set out to read it, which is extra funny because I’m on a King Arthur kick right now. I love King Arthur stories. This one was quite a different perspective, and I liked it. Everything about the book was unexpected, and I read it all in one go! I loved the significance of fabric in the story. That’s not something a lot of authors work with.
The Loch Ness Papers
The Loch Ness Papers is the fourth book in the Scottish Bookshop Mystery series by Paige Shelton. This one was so fun! We get to know her family, we spend time with Nessie, we make new friends.
Double Fudge
Double Fudge is the fifth and final book in the beloved Fudge series by Judy Blume. I was pleasantly surprised by the updating of this series. It was seamless! The technology and pop culture references were brought up to date without changing the feel of the stories and would go completely unnoticed if you didn't have the memories of having these books read to you in elementary school in the 80s.
Winnie the Pooh
Winnie the Pooh by A. A. Milne is the first book in the classic series. My mom read the books to me more than 30 years ago, but I didn’t remember any of them. My seven-year-old became obsessed with Winnie the Pooh about a year ago, and we’ve watched all the movies and most of one of the series so far. This summer we’re traveling to the Hundred Acre Wood in southern England for his birthday. Naturally, we had to read the books. I didn’t pick up on the humor as a child. I laughed so much! I love the seemingly-random capitalization for emphasis. Even the narrator jokes about the sometimes-strange grammar. I loved it ardently, and I look forward to reading the rest of the series. I will definitely reread this book in the future, just for me!
This Is Kind of an Epic Love Story
I chose This Is Kind of an Epic Love Story by Kacen Callender to read with my 15-year-old because we’d loved Felix Ever After. Overall, we really liked the book. We laughed at the sarcasm, and we were inspired by the characters. We did struggle with the descriptive sex talk; my teen chooses to not expose himself to that kind of media, so I had to skim and skip at times. It was very sex-positive, though, and I am definitely not saying anything bad about it. It was just unexpected. Overall, I think the book is a great demonstration of the fluidity of sexuality, of consent, and of communication, good and bad. Plus, it shows teens working hard and achieving their goals, just like in Felix Ever After. Oh, and did I mention that, in addition to the already-diverse collection of characters, it features a deaf character? Talk about representation!
Bookplate Special
Bookplate Special by Lorna Barrett is another of my beloved cozy mysteries, the third in the Booktown Mystery series. I really do love the characters and their relationships in this particular series. And the cat is so sassy. The main character was a little snobbish in this one, but I’m hoping it’s a one-off. I’ve already checked out the next one!
The Apothecary
The Apothecary by Maile Meloy is the first book in the series by the same name. I had no idea what I was getting into with this book. Other than current events, the setting of the book was timeless. The “magic” was ancient. The children were children. The language was nondescript. Most of the magic seemed plausible, though I have to admit the part that wasn’t pulled me out of the story a bit, but that’s just a me problem, not a book problem. While I can’t pinpoint anything specific that drew me into the book, I read it straight through. I just kept wanting to know what came next! I will probably continue the series after I whittle down my current library haul.
Call Us What We Carry
Call Us What We Carry by Amanda Gorman was even more than I’d hoped it would be. What a talented poet! There are a lot of great facts scattered through also. I can’t say anything about it but that everyone should read it.
It feels good to finish off books you started a while ago, doesn't it? I finished two of those this week. What did you finish this week, old or new?
As always, if you'd like to see everything I'm reading, you can find me on Goodreads at https://www.goodreads.com/ktlasers
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