A Wind in the Door - Madeleine L'Engle

A Wind in the Door

Title: A Wind in the Door

Author: Madeleine L'Engle

Publication Date: 1973

Pages: 203

Genre: Children's Literature / Classic / Fantasy / Science Fiction / Fiction

How I Found It: I read A Wrinkle in Time 

Date Completed: 6/23/18

Summary: The Murrys are at it again. This time, it's the fate of Charles Wallace, not their father, which hangs in the balance. Fantastical creatures, a fight against evil, and lots of character development. 

What I Thought: I didn't know until a few years ago that A Wrinkle in Time had sequels. Upon rereading the classic in 2017, I knew I wanted to read the whole series. 

I found A Wind in the Door to retain many of the qualities which make the first book so delightful. L'Engle mixes fantasy with science fiction. She brings her technical science down to an understandable level for the average reader. There are creatures of all sorts. There is an epic battle against nebulous evil forces. And there is loads of character development. 

Bitter Greens - Kate Forsyth

Bitter Greens

Title: Bitter Greens

Author: Kate Forsyth

Publication Date: 9/23/14

Pages: 496

Genre: Fantasy / Historical / Fiction

How I Found It: I can't remember.

Date Completed: 6/2/18

Summary: A retelling of Rapunzel, with two quasi-related plots woven in as well. 

What I Thought: I've had this book on my TBR list for a very, very long time. I've known it was a retelling of Rapunzel, but not much more than that. It ended up being much more detailed and involved than I expected.

Forsyth weaves together the stories of three women across decades of Italian and French history. It takes a while to understand their connection to each other. Admittedly, this grated on me a bit in the beginning. Even though I knew Forsyth would likely bring them together in the end - and she did - I struggled to build connection with three separate sets of characters and plot lines. 

The book is also a lot longer than I expected. Because I was reading a digital version, it wasn't until about a third of the way through that I really looked at the length. It clocks in at nearly 500 pages and it felt it to me. Not in a bad way, necessarily, but having three full stories in one book does feel long. It wasn't until the last 100 pages or so that the stories started to really coalesce and the pace picked up. 

Sourdough - Robin Sloan

Sourdough

Title: Sourdough

Author: Robin Sloan

Publication Date: 9/5/2017

Pages: 262

Genre: Fantasy / Food / Science Fiction / Fiction

How I Found It: I've read Sloan's work before.

Date Completed: 5/31/18

Summary: A young tech worker has her life changed when the men behind her favorite local restaurant leave her their sourdough starter. 

What I Thought: This book was perfectly charming. It's a light, quick read and one that will leave you hungry, too. 

I desribed Sloan's previous novel, Mr. Penumbra's 24-Hour Bookstore, as "a fun adventure that blends old world solemnity and reverence with modern attitudes and ideas." That same sentiment applies here, albeit with an eye toward food and not books. Sloan is masterful at bringing together respect for tradition and modern advancement. He does it well, without becoming ham-handed in his approach. 

The Call - Peadar O'Guilin

The Call

Title: The Call

Author: Peadar O'Guilin

Publication Date: 8/30/2016

Pages: 312

Genre: Fantasy / Thriller / Young Adult / Fiction

How I Found It: Someone recommended it to me on Twitter when I asked for scary book recommendations.

Date Completed: 10/7/17

Summary: Ireland has been blocked off from the rest of the world. One by one, its teenagers disappear for three minutes and four seconds. Most of them return dead and even deformed. Teenagers who have yet to be called are trained at intense schools, hoping what they learn will one day save their lives.

What I Thought: Someone in the Twitter book community recommended this to me after I asked for scary book recommendations. As you know, I'm on a hunt for a good, terrifying psychological thrilled this Halloween season.

This really wasn't what I was looking for, but it was a quick, interesting read. 

Exit West - Mohsin Hamid

Exit West

Title: Exit West

Author: Mohsin Hamid

Publication Date: 3/7/17

Pages: 231

Genre: Fantasy / Literary Fiction / Political / Fiction

Date Completed: 9/22/17

Summary: Saeed and Nadia are very different people. Yet, they are drawn to one another as their country falls apart. They make the decision to flee together, tying them together for the foreseeable future. 

What I Thought: I first heard about this book on my favorite podcast, Pantsuit Politics. They had a bookstore owner on to talk about books to read in our modern political climate. This was one of a couple fiction recommendations the guest had. It then became the Pantsuit Politics book club pick for September, so I knew I had to read it now. 

It tells the story of refugees, two specifically, but really the book is about the general emotional experience of refugees. Hamid avoids getting into specifics of a refugee's flight by placing his characters in a world of magical realism. They go from place to place through doors. Some doors are guarded, some are hidden, all seem to appear unexpectedly. At first, that mechanism feels a bit odd, but I ended up really liking it.

Not the End of the World - Kate Atkinson

Not the End of the World

Title: Not the End of the World

Author: Kate Atkinson

Publication Date: 2002

Pages: 288

Genre: Fantasy / Short Stories / Fiction

How I Found It: I'm a fan of Atkinson's work

Date Completed: 8/1/17

Summary: A collection of short stories in which our modern reality is blended with classical myths and a potential future.

What I Thought: I am not usually a huge fan of short story collections. I think they are wonderful for certain things, but I generally enjoy a more in depth plot and chance for character development. Short stories really are a totally different art form than the novel. 

That being said, I did not realize I was picking up a short story collection when I grabbed this book. I am a big fan of Kate Atkinson's writing and have wanted to go back and read more of her early work. As often happens when I am reading work by an author I already enjoy, I did not read the description too closely. So, I was in for a surprise when I realized it was a short story collection.

The Search for Delicious - Natalie Babbitt

The Search for Delicious

Title: The Search for Delicious

Author: Natalie Babbitt

Publication Date: 1969

Pages: 176

Genre: Children's Literature / Fantasy / Fiction

How I Found It: I read it as a kid.

Date Completed: 7/23/17

Summary: When everyone at court disagrees on the definition of 'delicious' for the Prime Minister's dictionary, young Gaylan is sent to poll the people of the kingdom. Along the way, he finds himself embroiled with creatures of fantasy and a plot to overthrow the King. 

What I Thought: Natalie Babbitt wrote several books I read as a child and which have stayed with me over the years. Since I've been enjoying dipping my toe back into the world of children's literature lately, it seemed like a good time to revisit this one. 

It was as charming as I remember. I cannot really pinpoint what about this book stuck with me for so long. It is not particularly exceptional. Yet, there is something to it which I just enjoy. I think it has just the right balance of humor, fantasy, and intrigue for me. 

Talking to Dragons - Patricia C. Wrede

Talking to Dragons

Title: Talking to Dragons

Author: Patricia C. Wrede

Publication Date: 1985

Pages: 255

Genre: Children's Literature / Fantasy / Fiction

How I Found It: I've loved the series since childhood

Date Completed: 6/17/17

Summary: Years after the cliffhanger ending of Calling on Dragons, the Enchanted Forest is still hanging in the balance. Daystar knows little of the predicament but suddenly finds himself thrust into the center of the fight for the Forest.

What I Thought: I have owned and loved this series since childhood. Yet, somehow, I don't think I ever read this last book. Rereading them now, the third book has definitely proven to be my least favorite of the four, so maybe I got annoyed and quit after that. Or, maybe I realized my beloved Cimorene wasn't the star of the show here and passed because of that. Whatever the reason, I am 90% certain this was my first reading of this book.

I wish I had had the presence of mind as a child to push forward, to see this book as its own entity. While we do meet several familiar characters throughout its pages, it is focused on Daystar and the motley crew he befriends, not our familiar friends from the previous three books. Cimorene appears briefly at the start and finish and, even then, is seen only from the perspective of her son. Yet, the tone of the book is more similar to the first and second book than the third. It captures some of the same magic that Wrede had at the start of the series. The characters are mostly different, but the charm and wit are back.

Calling on Dragons - Patricia C. Wrede

Calling on Dragons

Title: Calling on Dragons

Author: Patricia C. Wrede

Publication Date: 1993

Pages: 244

Genre: Children's Literature / Fantasy / Fiction 

How I Found It: I've loved the series since childhood.

Date Completed: 5/25/17

Summary: Once again, the Enchanted Forest is under threat from a bunch of magic-stealing wizards. Queen Cimorene heads out with her motley crew of friends in hopes of resolving the situation before it's too late.

What I Thought: Though I read the first book in this series countless times as a child, I think I only ever made it this far once. In fact, I'm not entirely sure I ever even read the last book. We'll see how much, if any, of it is familiar to me once I read it. I definitely did not remember much of this one, although the ending was familiar. 

Since I'm not sure I have ever read the last book in the series, I don't want to speak for it yet. Of the first three books, though, I find this one to be the weakest. Morwen the witch, a character who I genuinely adore, plays the central role rather than Cimorine. I think that was a miscalculation on Wrede's part. Fiesty Princess Cimorene is what endeared me to the series to begin with. I like Morwen quite a bit as well, even more now that I am an adult and her sensibility seems impressive rather than droll, but she doesn't carry the story in the same way. I find her cadre of cats excessive and a bit obnoxious, though I do like their dry humor. 

A Wrinkle in Time - Madeleine L'Engle

A Wrinkle in Time

Title: A Wrinkle in Time
Author: Madeleine L'Engle
Publication Date: 1962
Pages: 211
Genre: Children's Literature / Classic / Fantasy / Science Fiction / Young Adult / Fiction
How I Found It: I haven't read this classic in years, but I picked it up at a used book sale recently.
Date Completed: 5/16/17

Summary: Meg and Charles Wallace Murry, along with their friend Calvin, are whisked off on a terrifying and tremendous in hopes of rescuing their father.

What I Thought: I haven't read this book in so long. It has been years. I know I read it once as a child and I had a loose recollection of the plot. It has been long enough, though, that much of the book still felt delightfully fresh to me.

I know there is a fresh adaptation of this coming soon, and so when I both picked up a copy at a used book sale and then there was one in a book of old books my mom gave me, it just felt like all the sides were pointing to a reread.

The Gammage Cup - Carol Kendall

The Gammage Cup

Title: The Gammage Cup

Author: Carol Kendall

Publication Date: 1959

Pages: 288

Genre: Children's Literature / Fantasy / Fiction 

How I Found It: I read it as a child and have been searching for it for literally years. 

Date Completed: 5/5/17

Summary: The Minnipins have lived in their peaceful valley for centuries without disturbance. When a few social outsiders sense a threat, the natural order of things is threatened. 

What I Thought: This is such a great book. No surprise that it's a Newbery Honor book. Though it was written back in 1959, it has themes that feel so relevant today. Social acceptance, heroism, speaking truth to power...the messages of the book are still wise in 2017. And, it's still totally fun to read as an adult. 

It's a quick read. I read it in two days. It was the perfect thing to get my mind off of the AHCA passing the House. Escapist and inspirational all at once.

The Magician's Land - Lev Grossman

The Magician's Land

Title: The Magician's Land

Author: Lev Grossman

Publication Date: 8/5/14

Pages: 402

Genre: Fantasy / Fiction

How I Found It: I read the first two books in the series.

Date Completed: 4/28/17

Summary: Grossman's series about young magicians and their journeys to and from other worlds comes to its conclusion.

What I Thought: This series is so fascinating to me. The three books contain the same characters and are very directly intertwined. Yet, each book has a very different tone. The first centers largely around the Brakebills crew during their time at Brakebills, the magical college; it's dark and heavy with party atmosphere and the consequences thereof. The second book reads like a classic fantasy adventure, practically ripped from the mind of C. S. Lewis and the Narnia series; it's a seeker's journey. This third book, set practically a decade after we've first met our characters, feels different yet again.

Whether purposeful or not, Grossman has really captured the journey of young adulthood. In the beginning, Quentin is emotional and often irrational. He and his friends are typical college students, very rarely considering the consequences of their actions or relationships. They go through some terrible things until, at least, they seem settled on the thrones of Fillory. But, in the second book, it turns out that living such a scripted life is not all its cracked up to be for Quentin. He wants adventure. He misses the thrills of life before, perhaps because he's blocked out the traumas that came with them. So, he has an adventure and, in the end, finds himself alone and starting from square one.

Enter The Magician's Land. 

The Magician King - Lev Grossman

The Magician King

Title: The Magician King

Author: Lev Grossman

Publication Date: 2011

Pages: 400

Genre: Fantasy / Fiction

How I Found It: I read the first book.

Date Completed: 3/3/17

Summary: Quentin is getting bored with being a king of Fillory, the magical land about which he fantasized as a child. He knows his life is amazing, but he aches for adventure. In pursuit of this, he takes on more than he was expecting.

What I Thought: The first book in this series, The Magicians, is widely regarded as "Harry Potter for adults." I agree with and propagate that comparison in a lot of ways. The first book really dug into the debauchery of college days in the first half and dismantled any charming, fantastical views of magic (of both the reader and the characters) in the second half. There were definitely parts at which I found myself cringing. Grossman presented a much darker view of magic and its consequences than most fantasy books do. Unsurprisingly, I took a while before picking up this sequel. 

The Buried Giant - Kazuo Ishiguro

The Buried Giant

Title: The Buried Giant

Author: Kazuo Ishiguro

Publication Date: 3/3/15

Pages: 317

Genre: Fantasy / Historical / Literary Fiction / Fiction

How I Found It: I have read some of Ishiguro's work previously.

Date Completed: 2/26/17

Summary: Beatrice and Axl, peasants in ancient Britain, set off on a journey to visit their son. The land is covered in a memory-stealing fog and their journey becomes entwined with the efforts to save the land.

What I Thought: Ishiguro has such a beautiful writing style. It's thick and deep and weighty with meaning. His work is accessible to the light reader, but well worth the deep dive for someone who is looking for a more substantive literary experience. His work always makes me feel as though anyone reading it on that surface level will find it boring (as I did in high school), but those willing to invest more will receive as much as they give.

This book, in particular, has an enjoyable plot. Axl, Beatrice, and the population of their land have all been afflicted by a fog which obscures their memories. In spite of this, the couple set off on a journey to visit their son. Along the way, they meet a variety of characters and become entangled with efforts to lift the fog and defeat a dragon. Classic Arthurian legend type stuff. In fact, Sir Gawain, Knight of the Round Table, even winds up in a supporting role. All of that is fun and interesting and enough to keep the surface level reader entertained.

Gilded Cage - Vic James

Gilded Cage

Title: Gilded Cage

Author: Vic James

Publication Date: 2/14/17

Pages: 368

Genre: Dystopian / Fantasy / Fiction

How I Found It: NetGalley graciously provided me a copy in exchange for a review.

Date Completed: 1/19/17

Summary: Sometime in the future, a certain sect of the population has developed special powers. These "Equals" rule over the rest of the people and, in England at least, demand ten years service as a slave from each normal citizen. Gilded Cage explores the ramifications of a society like this through the lens of one powerful Equal family and the "normal" family who signs up to complete their slave years in their service.

What I Thought: I liked this book. It took some very familiar concepts - dystopian world, a sect of the population having special powers, class warfare - and wove them together into a good story. It's easy to see that this is James' first novel - and I say that as someone who is eternally trying to write her first novel. There's some polish and panache that is missing here. The bones of the thing, however, are really strong. She's got good characters and a good plot. 

The Fate of the Tearling - Erika Johansen

The Fate of the Tearling

Title: The Fate of the Tearling

Author: Erika Johansen

Publication Date: 11/29/16

Pages: 496

Genre: Fantasy / Fiction

How I Found It: TLC Book Tours and Harper Collins

Date Completed: 12/20/16

Summary: Having relinquished herself and her powerful sapphires to the Red Queen, Kelsea must now figure out how to save the Tearling - and maybe the world - from inside her prison cell. Her visions of pre-Crossing Lily have been replaced with visions of a young girl, Katie, born shortly after Crossing who also seems to have a big role to play in the fate of the new world. 

What I Thought: I have really enjoyed this series. Throughout, Johansen has impressed me with her bold approach and unique voice. She has written characters who are strong and broken and powerful and flawed. That takes skill. For me, the characters are easily her master stroke in this series. Here in the final book, the plot fell down for me a bit - not terribly, but noticeably. The characters, however, continued to keep me in awe and suspense to the very last page.

Let's start with the stuff I did not love about this last book. I want to get past that so I can rave more about the things I did like. I've always been a delayed gratification/bad news first kind of girl (with the notable seasonal exception of Christmas presents, which I mercilessly searched the house for hoping to ruin any surprises. Sorry, Mom.). So, here we go:

The Invasion of the Tearling - Erika Johansen

The Invasion of the Tearling

Title: The Invasion of the Tearling

Author: Erika Johansen

Publication Date: 6/9/15

Pages: 515

Genre: Fantasy / Fiction 

How I Found It: TLC Book Tours and Harper Collins

Date Completed: 12/4/16

Summary: Kelsea has come into her role as Queen of the Tearling. Despite the impending invasion from the Mort army, she is rallying troops and making preparations among her people. However, her mind is pulling her away more and more frequently to visit the life of Lily, a woman from pre-crossing times. Kelsea must figure out the meaning of these visits as well as the visits from a mysterious man.

What I Thought: It has been a while since I have gotten excited about a series. So often, the first book is good enough, but I am either not compelled to continue the series or the sequels are letdowns. So far, that is not the case here. One book left to go, but I am optimistic.

This felt like a really well done middle book. There is enough independent story here to fuel the book on its own, but it clearly serves as a bridge between the beginning and the end of Kelsea's story. 

The Queen of the Tearling - Erika Johansen

The Queen of the Tearling

Title: The Queen of the Tearling

Author: Erika Johansen

Publication Date: 7/8/2014

Pages: 434

Genre: Fantasy / Fiction

How I Found It: TLC Book Tours and Harper Collins

Date Completed: 8/6/16

Summary: The future of our world looks a lot like our past - at least according to Johansen. Though the characters are clearly living in the future, the setting and culture of the story largely replicates the era of Arthurian legends, magic included. Young Kelsea, having been raised in hiding, finds herself Queen of the Tearling and facing a variety of personal and national threats with which she must deal.

What I Thought: I am so glad TLC offered me a chance to be on this tour. I had heard of it before and placed it on my TBR, so I jumped at the opportunity. I'll be reviewing all three books in the series this week, so make sure you come back on Wednesday and Friday to see what I have to say about the sequels.

Today, however, is all about book one. 

I have heard some people compare this to George R. R. Martin's popular A Song of Ice and Fire series - better known as Game of Thrones. Others have compared Queen Kelsea, protagonist, to my beloved Katniss Everdeeen. I can see some thin parallels with both. I think, though, that trying to lump it in with something else is a discredit to Johansen's work. I found it delightfully original and fresh. 

There are a number of familiar premises - a 'regular' teenager finds herself suddenly in a unique position of power, something has happened to our world and this is a distant future, power struggles plus magic equals a dangerous situation...we know all of these, right? Somehow, when Johansen brings them together, they feel new and different. None of the tropes felt stale to me. I was actively engaged and interested in Kelsea's fate. 

The Time Traveler's Wife - Audrey Niffenegger

The Time Traveler's Wife

Title: The Time Traveler's Wife

Author: Audry Niffenegger

Publication Date: 2003

Pages: 500

Genre: Fantasy / Romance / Fiction

How I Found It: I bought it at a library book sale ages ago, plus I think I've seen the movie at some point.

Date Completed: 9/19/16

Summary: Henry and Clare do not have a traditional relationship. It's hard to when Henry's experience of time is extremely irregular. He never knows when he'll simply disappear to another time or how long it will be until he comes back. 

What I Thought: This book was very popular back around the time it came out. I was in high school then and never got around to reading it. I saw the movie at some point (which was lovely and I wouldn't mind seeing again now that I've read the book), but I am so glad to be reading this story now and not as a teenager. I feel a much greater appreciation for the complexities of Henry and Clare's life as a married adult than I ever could have back then.

This is a love story. There is no doubt about it. The idea of two people being connected across time and space is terribly romantic. Niffenegger does a lovely job of exploring the logistics of such a relationship, but she also does not sacrifice the depths of emotions one expects in a romance. 

While the terror of Henry's situation certainly keeps the book moving and interesting, it's Clare with whom I find myself much more intrigued. While Henry is flitting through time, often fighting for survival, Clare is left with more questions than answers, despite being the one who has to present a picture of normalcy to the world. In some ways, I see her as similar to a military or spy wife; she waits at home hoping for the best while simultaneously having to go about life as though nothing were strange or wrong.

That idea really helped me to connect to Clare. While I do not go through anything like she or military wives go through, I am a worrier. The idea of Kevin simply disappearing randomly and possibly being in danger would terrify me. I would never handle it with as much grace or sanity as Clare does in the book.

It seems somehow appropriate to be sharing this book today. Yesterday Kevin and I celebrated four years of marriage. So, to talk today about this book, in which the marriage relationship is so central, feels right. I understand better than ever now that marriage is hard, even with you don't have a time traveling spouse. But it's a good hard. The work is rewarding and worthwhile and I'm so happy to be doing it. This story was a nice reminder of that.

Rating: ★★★★☆

Will I Re-Read: Probably not - I'd like to watch the movie again, though

If You Liked This, Try: The Royal We / Fates and Furies / Landline

A Reduced Review: A love story both sweet and sad; I enjoyed this one more than I thought I would.

Seraphina - Rachel Hartman

Seraphina

Title: Seraphina

Author: Rachel Hartman

Publication Date: 7/10/12

Pages: 499

Genre: Fantasy / Young Adult / Fiction

How I Found It: A list of fantasy novels a while back.

Date Completed: 6/21/16

Summary: Seraphina, a young woman at court, has a secret. It's a secret that could tear apart human-dragon relations. Her job as a court musician thrusts her into the spotlight, where keeping said secret becomes harder than ever. 

What I Thought: Remember way back when I talked about Eragon and how some books are sheer entertainment? I feel so similarly about Seraphina. In fact, these two books remind me of each other in a lot of ways. Both have young protagonists and lots of dragons. Both are written in a simple, straight-forward style. Both serve as easily read adventure stories, transporting the reader to a fantasy world where even political problems seem so separate from our reality.

It's a fun book. I'll grant that Hartman deals with some bigger issues than Paolini ever did. By her very nature, Seraphina serves as a sticking point of "race" relations. Her big secret? She's part dragon. In a world where human-dragon relations are exceedingly contentious, it's a big secret. Hartman casts some nice parallels between her fictional politics and real-life xenophobia and racism. You have to want to see that, but the lessons are still there and I appreciated that.