Category: Ruminations

Blog Hop: Stacking the Books High

On By cherylmahoneyIn Blog Hop4 Comments

book blogger hopThis week’s Book Blogger Hop question: Name an author or authors that you have read most of his or her books and would recommend to others.

There are loads of authors I would recommend, so I thought I’d focus in on which authors I’ve read the most by…

I think we all know I’ve read everything by L.M. Montgomery, and I would recommend her–provided you like beautiful pastoral stories with real emotion but not much action.

I’ve read 52 novels by Edgar Rice Burroughs, and would recommend him if you like old style science fiction with plenty of action, albeit not much in the way of character depth.  Also, all but two of those novels had a plot centered around a kidnapping or a castaway (or both), so you have to be on board for that too…

I’ve read most of Diana Wynne Jones (28 books), nearly all of Robin McKinley (14 books) and Gail Carson Levine (15 books), and all of Tamora Pierce (28 books).  I recommend all of them to lovers of fantasy, especially if you like strong heroines.

I’ve read 32 of Terry Pratchett’s Discworld books, and five others by him.  None of the others were as good as Discworld, but Discworld is brilliant.  When I describe Maskerade as the funniest Discworld book, there is no higher compliment to pay for a funny book.

As you can see, when I find an author I like, I read them!  My top choice for future “read most of their canon” authors is Anne Ursu, who I only encountered recently but I have swiftly gone on to read two more books–and expect to continue!

What authors have you read many books by?  I’d love to hear the recommendations!

Blog Hop: Romance Between the Book Covers

On By cherylmahoneyIn Blog Hop2 Comments

book blogger hopThis week’s Book Blogger Hop question: Who is your favorite fictional couple?

The first one who comes to mind is one I’ve already discussed in a review, but it’s been a while…  Arabella and Turnip (real name Reginald) from The Mischief of the Mistletoe.  They’re my favorite in part because they’re so disregarded by the people around them, but are so perfect for each other.  Everyone thinks Turnip is rather dumb and laughable, but Arabella sees how kind, earnest and just fun he is.  No one ever remembers Arabella’s name or thinks of her as more than a wallflower, but Turnip notices her lively spirit, intelligence, and also that she’s actually quite pretty.

I especially like a moment near the end when they’re dancing at a party (Regency England, you know, people do that), and Turnip sees how Arabella glows with enthusiasm when she dances.  He’s baffled that no one (including himself, on earlier occasions) seems to notice this!

I also especially like Cress and Thorne from the Lunar Chronicles.  Cress is brilliant but naive, and I love the way her belief in Thorne’s heroism totally freaks him out–but does eventually lead to him trying to be that person she thinks he is.

Your turn!  Who’s your favorite romantic couple in fiction? 🙂

2016 Reading Challenges – Halfway Update

On By cherylmahoneyIn Ruminations2 Comments

Can you believe we’re halfway through 2016 already?  I can, actually…it’s been a busy year.  With lots happening in and out of books! 🙂  But today is time for an update on the in-books news.  Here’s where I am for my reading challenges, with titles read in the previous quarter in gray…

Newbery Medal WinnersPicture
Goal: 15 Newbery Medal Winners, to bring myself to half of the total list
Host: Smiling Shelves

I’ve been enjoying these more this quarter, having hit several good ones.  My faith is becoming restored in the Newberys!  Suggestions are still welcome though.

  1. Number the Stars by Lois Lowry (best of the bunch)
  2. The Grey King by Susan Cooper (very disappointing)
  3. The One and Only Ivan by Katherine Applegate (pretty good)
  4. The Door in the Wall by Marguerite de Angeli (enjoyable, but unrealistic)
  5. Up a Road Slowly by Irene Hunt (the poor man’s L. M. Montgomery)
  6. A Year Down Yonder by Richard Peck (uncertain start but grew on me)
  7. Flora and Ulysses by Kate DiCamillo (cute and surprisingly silly)
  8. The Bronze Bow by Elizabeth George Speare (fascinating historical fiction with Biblical connections)
  9. Maniac Magee by Jerry Spinelli (delightful and surprisingly deep)
  10. A Gathering of Days by Joan W. Blos (distant, but entertaining)

Parallel Universes
Goal: 12 books

I continue to have a wonderful time with parallel universes and parallel lives, and have managed to break out of the YA universe that marked my first-quarter reading.

  1. Pivot Point by Kasie West
  2. A Thousand Pieces of You by Claudia Gray
  3. Parallel by Lauren Miller
  4. Here, There and Everywhere by Chris Roberson
  5. Maybe In Another Life by Taylor Jenkins Reid
  6. The Long Earth by Terry Pratchett and Stephen Baxter
  7. The First Fifteen Lives of Harry August by Claire North

Diversity On the Shelf
Host: The Englishist
Goal: 18 books

I’ve made some good progress here as well, and happily, I’ve actually managed to stumble on more non-Caucasian protagonists by pure chance!  Four this time, a big jump from the single one in the first quarter of the year.  I’m still hoping to review a few more of these than I have so far, but here’s the current list.

  1. Otherbound by Corrinne Duyvis (Hispanic)
  2. Lies We Tell Ourselves by Robin Talley (African-American)
  3. Stars Above by Marissa Meyer (Unspecified Asian)
  4. Afterworlds by Scott Westerfeld (Indian)
  5. Written in the Stars by Aisha Saeed (Pakistani)
  6. Upside Down in the Middle of Nowhere by Julie T. Lamana (African-American)
  7. Breadcrumbs by Anne Ursu (Indian)
  8. Scarlett Undercover by Jennifer Latham (African-American Muslim)
  9. Bridge of Time by Lewis Buzbee (Chinese)
  10. Orphan Train by Christina Baker Kline (Native American)
  11. Pioneer Girl by Bich Minh Nguyen (Vietnamese)

The Bardathon: Shakespeare Plays
shakespeare400Host: Samantha Lin
Goal: 5 plays read or seen (but ideally, read 5 comedies, read 5 tragedies, and watch 5 movies)

I’ve lost sight of Mr. Shakespeare a little this quarter, compared to the other challenges, but I did fit in a couple movies.  Hopefully, more to come later in the year!

  1. Much Ado About Nothing (Joss Whedon production)
  2. Comedy of Errors (read)
  3. Comedy of Errors (BBC production)
  4. Measure for Measure (read)
  5. A Midsummer Night’s Dream (1996 production)
  6. Coriolanus (Gerard Butler production)

Carl’s Seasonal “Challenges”: We just finished out the Once Upon a Time Challenge, which I reported on last week!

So at the midpoint of the year, I’m actually past the midpoint on most of my challenges, which is nice if I get side-tracked somewhere in the second half of 2016.  I’m having the most fun with the parallel universes one, but I’m feeling good about all the others too, which is a nice place to be halfway through the project. 🙂

How has your reading been going for 2016? Are you pursuing challenges or reading whatever sounds fun? 🙂

Once Upon an Ending

On By cherylmahoneyIn Ruminations4 Comments

out10ishere250Summer has begun and it’s time (a bit past!) to say farewell to the Once Upon a Time challenge.  I’ve been very laid-back and rather unfocused this year, but I did get in a number of fantasy reads…though I reviewed less than I read!

Some may yet be reviewed, and in the meantime here’s a round-up, in the order I read them.

1) The War of Words by Amy Neftzger

2) The Last Enchantment by Mary Stewart – A dense but beautiful Arthurian retelling from Merlin’s point of view, book three in the series.  Particularly lovely with regard to Merlin and Arthur’s relationship.

3) Flora and Ulysses by Kate DiCamillo  – A fun romp about a superhero squirrel, surprisingly silly for a Newbery!

4) The Storyteller by Aaron Starmer

5) Revisionary by Jim C. Hines

6) The Conjurers by David Waid

7) The Magic Strings of Frankie Presto by Mitch Albom

8) Varjak Paw by S. F. Said – I didn’t love this, but it did have a cat protagonist, so there’s that going for it…

9) The Looking Glass Wars by Frank Beddor – For a “true history of Wonderland” it was a bit disappointing.  Not bad, just…not awesome the way I hoped.  There was an uneasy balance between absurd trappings and a very grim narrative.

10) Breadcrumbs by Anne Ursu

11) The Wicked Day by Mary Stewart – Final book in her Arthurian series, moving the point of view to Mordred.  Engaging, but then a bit of a weak ending.

12) Scarlett Undercover by Jennifer Latham – A very cool mix of murder mystery, Islamic beliefs and magic, all centered around a teenage girl determined to be a private eye.

13) Sunborn Rising: Beneath the Fall by Aaron Saffronoff – A book I received for review, so that review will be coming!

14) Bridge of Time by Lewis Buzbee – Time travel involving Mark Twain and a serious look at racism in early San Francisco, in a YA book.  A nicely done one.

15 & 16) The Squire’s Tale and The Squire, His Knight and His Lady by Gerald Morris – Rereads, they’re wonderful juvenile Arthurian tales centered around Gawain and his (original character) squire, Terence.  Utterly unlike Mary Stewart, wholly delightful!

I also watched a version of A Midsummer Night’s Dream, the 1996 production.  It was highly surreal, the fairies were rather sinister, and I mostly enjoyed the presence of a very young Mosely (from Downton Abbey, you know) as Demetrius!

And so we have my adventures in fairyland for the spring season.  What will summer bring?  🙂

Exploring My Bookshelves…for a Good Father

On By cherylmahoneyIn Ruminations2 Comments

Exploring My Bookshelves For EveryoneThis week’s question for Exploring My Bookshelves, hosted by Addlepates and Book Nerds, celebrates Father’s Day!  Each Friday, bloggers are invited to post a picture of their bookshelf, and write in response to a prompt about said-bookshelf.

Today’s prompt is…Favorite Bookish Father.

This prompt mostly served to remind me how many characters in fantasy or historical fiction novels are orphans, or at least have largely absentee parents while they go about their own business!  But then I thought of Sam Vimes…

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Sam Vimes, Commander of the Night Watch in Ankh-Morpork, is my favorite Discworld character, and also a good father–or at least, at the center of two of very delightful father/son scenes!  In Thud!, Sam’s son, Young Sam, is a year old.  Sam (the elder) is always, always, ALWAYS home at six o’clock sharp to read Young Sam his bedtime story…even if the Ankh-Morpork Watch has to stop traffic, commandeer vehicles and declare a state of emergency to get him there on time.  Because some things are important.

Young Sam’s best beloved book is Where Is My Cow? which gave rise to an equally delightful spin-off picture book.  In the real-world book, Sam begins reading Where Is My Cow? (Is that my cow?  It says, “Cluck cluck!” It is a chicken.  It is not my cow.)  He decides this is a little silly for a city boy like Young Sam, and veers into a variation, “Where is my daddy?” featuring many of the regular characters in Ankh-Morpork.  Havoc ensues in the nursery and it’s such fun.

I suppose it’s very me to choose a bookish father who reads to his son!  But after all, some things are important.  Who’s your favorite bookish father?  And Happy Father’s Day!