Four Great Books, One Not So Great - My Five

So many books, so little time. This year, I dissected books. In the midst of the stories I most enjoy, I spent a few minutes pausing to ask why I enjoyed them so much - how had the authors pulled me into the narrative? I did this both with fiction and with nonfiction - just to see how the tools and techniques differed - or even if they did differ. Here, in no particular order, are my five:

Countdown: Our Last, Best Hope for a Future on Earth – Alan Weisman  You recognize this name from his previous book The World Without Us, which was, at its heart, an optimistic book. Countdown is not exactly a happy, feel-good book, but it is fascinating and compelling. And the thing I think I admire most is this writer’s ability to convey difficult messages with writing so fluid, I got sucked right in. It never once crossed my mind to give up on this book. That’s worth studying.

Mindset: The New Psychology of Success – Carol Dweck – This is the book that details research into the psychology of Fixed Mindset and Growth Mindset. I grew up in Fixed Mindset. I hate being wrong. Hates it with a white hot passion – even when I know, intellectually, that making mistakes is the only way to learn something. Someone with Growth mindset believes he or she can get smarter and smarter – that the brain is a muscle that with exercise only gets stronger and better. I’d read this because it promised to teach me how to change my mindset from Fixed to Growth. Still working on that. What? I like reading psychology. I get that it makes me a complete weirdo.

Rogue’s Paradise – Actually, I’m lucky enough to have read everything Jeffe published this year and it’s always a treat. Her characters and her stories always draw me right in. Studying her techniques, too, believe you me. But this trilogy, in particular, makes me happy. And I have secret hope that it won't remain a trilogy for long.

First Grave on the Right – Darynda Jones – yeah, I know I’m slow on the uptake. It’s just where this book happened to be in my TBR pile. In fact, this is my current holiday guilty pleasure read. No strings. No study. I just get to read for enjoyment. Except, while I am enjoying the book a lot – I think her take on someone seeing dead people and how and why that happens feels fresh – I’m also taking mental notes about how the author is constructing scenes and showing conflict and emotion. So, Ms. Jones? Sorry. I can’t seem to kick this morbid habit of peeling back the skin of a story like I’m some kind of deranged serial killer. Yes. This is me. Rubbing my hands in glee.

Unnamed novel by an unnamed author – I’m not naming the book or the author because this book would have been thrown across the room had it not been on my Kindle. Did not finish this book. I gave it ten chapters to throw me a bone, but it ended up being toss worthy itself. The heroine was just a great big ,closed off bundle of NOPE. She had not a single nice bone in her body as far as I could tell and the moment she stomped on the hero’s dreams, coldly rejecting them out of hand, I was done. Would have been had the reverse been true – had the hero crushed her dreams under heel, I’d have wanted to use the book as kindling, too. So why am I putting this book here? Knowing what annoys the crap out of me is hugely useful as a teaching tool. I’m taking notes and filing this book under HOW MAKE MARCELLA DETEST A CHARACTER. Also – in my opinion, the most interesting part of this story happened before this book starts. The scene choices made are also telling – in that I’m taking more notes about which scenes I would have chosen to write and none of them are the scenes this author actually wrote. A book that doesn’t work for me has a whole bunch to teach me. That’s why I included it. Will I finish the book? Oh hell no. Life is too short and there are way too many great books out there.

Marcella's Top 5 . . . Didn't Read

Everyone has their up years and everyone has their down years, right? The roller coaster plummeted to the bottom of the track this year. At least, I hope it was the bottom. A suicidal family member in a lot of danger started the year out all wrong (he's been treated and is doing really well, thanks.) My husband's best friend - 34 years old - died in her sleep in spring. Unemployment came to call in the early summer, and though it was a conscious choice, it's stuck around. Then came the two cancer diagnoses and subsequent deaths, one in July, then another September. Perhaps you see where I'm going.

Reading that has required any kind of higher brain function from me simply did not happen this year. Which is to say, I read a lot. I just read all of my comfort reads - the thought of shopping for a new book (and hey, I'm still a card carrying member of Book Buyer's Anonymous) was overwhelming. Any kind of decision was. So I didn't make any. About books. Clearly I made decisions about paying bills, buying groceries and doing all of the things that kept the rest of my family alive, but after that? Not many resources left to do anything but fall into the comforting embrace of old literary friends.

My top three comfort reads:
1. Sunshine - Robin McKinley
2. Games of Command - Linnea Sinclair
3. Finders Keepers - Linnea Sinclair

As the life rollercoaster occasionally tipped its nose into the air to climb a few feet before dropping again, I did pick up some non fiction books to read. Some were on productivity. Some on leadership. Some on general psychology principles. Several were okay. Some were a waste of pixels on my Kindle. A few were actively good.

The actively good:
1. When Things Fall Apart: Heart Advice for Difficult Times - Pema Chodron
2. The War of Art - Steven Pressfield
3. Drive: The Surprising Truth About What Motivates Us - Daniel H. Pink

I have grandiose plans to read NEW books this year. This is aided and abetted by all the people I adore in my life who gave me Amazon and B&N gift cards. Fiction, people! Fun, filthy, lots of adventure fiction. Suggestions??

Allison's Top Five Reads

by Allison Pang

Well, you'd think I would have had more time to read this year (and at certain times, like surgery recovery, I did, though I also spent more time catching up on anime, frankly since I almost never get a chance to watch it anymore.)

But I've got a mish-mash of things, all the same.

5) London's Shadows: The Dark Side of the Victorian City  by Drew D. Grey - Non-fiction and was meant for some base research on my current book. (Which isn't really steampunk and it's not really set in a Victorian anything, though there are some similarities. When it comes down to it, I just like making up my own stuff.) That being said, I thought it was going to be a book about criminal activity in London and  that sort of thing. Turns out to be a rather thorough look at Jack the Ripper. The author doesn't pretend to indicate who they thought was the actual murderer, but does look at many of the current theories and the mystery surrounding it all. Fascinating stuff, especially given the amounts of corruption in the seedy underbelly of the city.

4) The Victorian City: Everyday Life in Dickens' London by Judith Flanders  Again, another research sort of book that I've probably only used nominally, but still fascinating. I was looking for some rather depressing examples of life in a semi-modern age and I definitely found it. Easy to read and never boring, even given its size. (And it's got over 100 pages of bibliographic notes, so there's a lot of great information to be found.)

3) Skip Beat by Yoshiki Nakamura - Yes, it's a manga. It's been ongoing for several years now - it's up to volume 32 in the US, and slightly ahead of that in Japan. (And I do chase down the raw scans when they come out every month even though I can't read them.)  I caught up with the story during my surgery (as well as the first season of the anime) and it's definitely one of the top Shojo manga I've read in a long time. There's a lot more meat than the typical romance vibe of many Shojo manga, and I definitely appreciate it. Lots about discovering who you are as a person and breaking out of your shell and that sort of thing. Is there romance? Yes, but it's nicely stretched out and there's no rush for proclamations of undying love. It feels real. (And yes, it's got a couple of bishies. I like teh pretty. Sue me.)

2) Young Avengers by Kieron Gillen and  Jamie McKelvie   - 15 issue comic series that was put out this year. Issue 14 came out yesterday and the whole thing is really well done. In an industry where most comic heroes are cis, white, and male...YA is a breath of fresh air. There's an extremely diverse cast of characters and I think it would definitely appeal to pretty much anyone with an interest in hero comics. There's enough back story  to give new comic readers the run down of what's going on and it never gets too complicated. Plus, Loki. *cough*

Also, the creation of YAmblr - which is by far one of the funniest things I've ever laid eyes on. (Essentially Young Avengers tumblr, but it's spot on.)

1) Saga by  Brian K. Vaughan and Fiona Staples - Another comic - issue 17 also came out yesterday and it's probably one of the best series I've ever read. It's won a number of awards (and deservedly so.) Unlike YA, this is definitely an adult comic - both graphically and story-wise. Imagine a semi-typical star-crossed lover scenario, but with space and magic and literal grease monkeys and cats who can determine if you are lying and ghostly baby sitters and tree rocket ships and one-eyed authors of romance books and bounty hunters with 8 legs and no arms and robots with tvs for heads that sometimes show pretty graphic porn...and it's pretty much the best thing. Ever. I wish to hell I'd written it.

Linda's 2013 Top 5 Reads

Yule is three days away, and it's a mere week til Christmas. Are you ready for whatever holiday you and yours joyously celebrate this time of year? I'm soooo not ready. But I have good reason. Part time jobs 1 and 2. (I know, WAH! right?) Seasonal baking that MUST be done. (Chocolate, KAK. Did you hear me? DELICIOUS, SCRUMPTIOUS chocolate and it's mine mine mine!!) Band rehearsals and new set list. (We are playing at the Mansfield, Ohio Liederkranz New Years' Eve Party. Doors open at 6:30. Come see us, but tickets are going fast--and why not? Veiner Schnitzel Dinner at 7:00, open bar, champagne toast at midnight, four great rockin' bands.... If you're in the area, come and see us!!) Oh...and I've been working on a shiny new chapter seven which is now up at www.wolfsbaneandabsinthe.blogspot.com  (It's smutty. You've been warned.)

Linda's Top 5 Reads for 2013

5.) EDGE, The Loner     George G. Gilman

Why? Because sometimes the only that works is a good old western and Gunsmoke isn't on. Touted as 'a new kind of western hero,' let me tell you, Edge is definitely an anti-hero. I was struck by the fact that the cover had a seal on it that claimed this was the first book of 'a violent new series.' Not sure such a thing would be part of the advertising campaign nowadays. It was originally printed in 1972.

4.) SHATNER RULES     William Shatner (with Chris Regan)
Why? Because of little things like:

FUN FACTNER: 
Both Charleton Heston and William Shatner served as Bacchus King at Mardi Gras. Only one of them had the courage to go pantsless.


Chapter 24: RULE: 
Settle for Second Billing Only If the Top-Billed Act Can Beat You Up
sign says:

Reserved for: 

METALLICA

WILLIAM SHATNER

3.) THE LOST CIVILIZATION ENIGMA    Philip Coppens
Why? a.) I'm a big fan of ANCIENT ALIENS. b.) I was truly saddened by Philip's untimely death. c.) This kind of information makes my creative wheels crank! 

2.) THE FIRE IN FICTION   Donald Maass
Why? a.) He's my agent. b.) This book is amazing.

1.) SEVEN FORGES    James A. Moore
Why? a.) He's a Word-Whore. b.) It's be the only fiction that found my hands AND was good enough that I actually finished it in a matter of a few days, which is pretty amazing for me. That says A LOT.

5 Non-Fic Books Read in 2013

5 Books I Read in 2013: I read more non-fiction this year than is my norm to edumakate myself on certain topics of which I knew the gist but am sadly lacking in details. Also? WiP research.

1. Edgar Cayce The Modern Prophet: Mary Ellen Carter -- While I'd known of Cayce for years, I'd never read any of his work or understood how he attracted so many followers. This particular book combines four of Cayce's fundamental works about the universal consciousness and the individual's ability to tap into a wealth of knowledge beyond one's current experiences. It's a great book to understand his root philosophy without being beaten about the head by the fanatics.
2. The Norse Myths: Kevin Krossley-Holland -- If your 13th century Icelandic isn't up to par with Snorri Sturluson's Prose Edda, this translation and interpretation of the many  Norse Myths is a great go-to for sorting your Aesir from your Vanir and your Loki from your Utgard-Loki. 
3. Witch Crafting: Phyllis Curott --  Not going to open a demon portal with this take on foundations on wicca, but Curott does like to riff on quantum mechanics and its relationship to certain practices.  This book involves homework.
4. Power & Principle of the the Runes: Freya Aswynn -- One of the few books about Runes and their meanings that doesn't shout All readings are dire! Despair ye who dares to cast! While I found her interpretations very interesting, her personal vignettes revealed a little too much about the author and her satisfaction in certain malevolent actions.
5. The History of  Russia 1721 - 1917: ? -- Sorry, I don't have the author's name at hand. It's one of the few textbooks I kept from the days of yore, and one I re-read when I need the details of how a mighty empire fell. If you write anything about fantasy kingdoms and you want grandeur and intrigue that isn't the more common history of England/Western Europe, look to the Russian Empire. Yes, yes, the Austro-Hungarian and Prussian empires were all up in everyone's family tree, but still...Russian History FTW.

So, there you go, dear readers, a non-fic list among the great recommendations of fiction from the other Word Whores. Did you read any non-fic this year that you'd recommend? If so, what?

Jeffe's Top Five - er, Twenty - Books Read in 2013

Tis the season and yesterday I attended my local chapter's holiday party for a lovely afternoon with some of my writing besties. Here I am with Katie Lane and Darynda Jones, who are participating in my blog countdown to Christmas, the Twelve Days of Gifts. Today, former Word Whore Carolyn Crane is playing, so be sure to stop by for a chance to win her giveaway and be entered for the super cool Grand Prize. They're all helping me celebrate the release of Five Golden Rings, which is just lovely of them.

I'm also being interviewed at Steamy Guys today and am offering up my *amazing* sugar cookie recipe. You totally want it.

Our topic this week is one that's not easy for me - our Top 5 Books Read in 2013.

I kind of hate being forced to rank stuff, especially books. If I love a book, I love it. I don't like to elevate one above another. However, my task is a bit easier this year because I kept a list of the books I read. My goal was to read at least a book a week, which might sound pretty pitiful, but it's a real effort to me - an important one - to keep reading a part of my life. Reading time is often easily crowded out, alas.

I kept two lists. A public one on Goodreads and a private one. Goodreads shows me as having read 39 books in 2013, but those are only books I ranked as three stars or higher, and does not include the witty and generous Megan Mulry's A Royal Pain, which I'm still reading, but will almost certainly be a five-star winner.

My private list has 70 books - yay, I surpassed my goal already! - but it includes books I did not like or did not finish (DNF).

Of the public list, I gave 19 of those five stars. (Two, A Rose in Winter and Dreamsnake, were re-reads, so they were already ones I knew I loved.) In no particular order that *I* can discern (pasted this from Goodreads - oh! I think they're in reverse order of when I read them!), they are:

Master of Crows	Draven, Grace *
Witch Bound (Twilight of the Gods, #2)	Stone, Eleri *
Demon Crossings (Twilight of the Gods, #1)	Stone, Eleri *
The Friend Who Got Away: Twenty Women's True Life Tales of Friendships that Blew Up, Burned Out or Faded Away	Offill, Jenny
Ghost Planet	Fisher, Sharon Lynn *
Magic Rises (Kate Daniels, #6)	Andrews, Ilona *
Too Good to Be True	Higgins, Kristan *
Aftermath (Sirantha Jax, #5)	Aguirre, Ann *
Killbox (Sirantha Jax, #4)	Aguirre, Ann *
Doubleblind (Sirantha Jax, #3)	Aguirre, Ann *
Grimspace (Sirantha Jax, #1)	Aguirre, Ann *
Garden Spells	Allen, Sarah Addison *
Fire & Frost (Iron Seas, #3.4; Code of Shadows, #0.5; Midnight Liaisons #2.3)	Brook, Meljean *
Dreamsnake	McIntyre, Vonda N.
A Rose in Winter	Woodiwiss, Kathleen E.
Hearts of Darkness (Deadglass, #1)	Brady, Kira *
Calculated in Death (In Death, #36)	Robb, J.D.
Riveted (Iron Seas, #3)	Brook, Meljean *
Song of Scarabaeus (Scarabaeus, #1)	Creasy, Sara *

and

A Royal Pain (Unruly Royals, #1)

Mulry, Megan *

I refuse to narrow them down from there - loved 'em all!

Top Three Reads - Cause I Cheat

My apologies for the dreadfully late post. The holidays are a time when you're exposed to those relatives you only see once a year (for good reason). This year, I was the one who succumbed to the petridish of germs that was the family dinner table. So I'll keep this short.

 

I don't have 5 books to offer up as my top reads of 2012. I read plenty of books, but looking back through my read pile, I realized it was a year of solidly mediocre reads. EXCEPT - there are all kinds of books I read that I love - I just can't tell you about them. They were beta reads and either aren't published or are published just not available yet. So I can't talk them up.

 

Of the books I read that are pubbed and available, I have three:

 

3. I Could Pee on This: And Other Poems by Cats by Francesco Marciuliano 

 

It is exactly what it sounds like. A grossly anthropomorphised collection of poems your cat might have written. I have four cats. On a boat. I thought this was cute. Sue me.

 

 

 

 

 

2. This book and the next are really a tie for first place. But numbered lists don't do that. So here we are.

 

Rogue's Pawn by Jeffe Kennedy

 

This is one of those books you read and think "Hey, that was a little creepy, but man, it was a good time." You put it down and you walk away. Then tidbits of the story sneak up on you when you aren't looking and lure you back in to the world. That's one of the hallmarks of my favorite books.

 

 

 

 

 

1. The Hallowed Ones by Laura Bickle

 

I have massive cover art envy over this book. Massive "I wish I could have written something even remotely like this" envy, too. When I read The Hallowed Ones, I can see every detail of Katie's life. The farm and her community are real and I expect to visit Ohio and be able to drive a little off the beaten path and find them. Rogue's Pawn is conjures up a world that's vivid, lush and beautiful. The world of The Hallowed Ones is stark and frightening and yet just as beautiful. This is another one that replays in my head. I won't tell you which bits - that would just ruin the story for you if you haven't read it already.

 

 

Top Five Reads

by Allison Pang

To tell you the truth, I nearly forgot to post this today - mostly because I've been in a post Christmas whirlwind of all things either Hobbit or Lego. Or Lego Hobbit. (Yes - I own all of the Lego Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit sets. Yes, I have a problem.)

Anyway - so dragging myself away from all that wonder to discuss books? Yes. Of course. So here we go:

1) The Hobbit - predictable, I suppose. I've read it before, of course, but we're in the process of reading it with my son. (It's a nice bit of timing, actually, because we went to see the movie last night and we're up to about the same spot in the book as the movie ended, so we were able to talk about it afterwards.) In either case, although I sometimes find Tolkien a bit ponderous at times, I definitely enjoy my son's questions and watching him put it all together with what he knows from the LotR movies.  (The Hobbit movie started out a bit slow, but got better as it went - even the six year old was able to follow along easily enough - although, again, she's seen all the LotR movies on TV multiple times, so she's got a pretty good grasp of what's going on.)

2) The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms by N.K. Jemsin - I ended up reading all three of these books back to back while in New Orleans for AAD (The Broken Kingdoms and Kingdom of the Gods make up the rest of The Inheritance Trilogy.)  While I admit that I liked the first two better than the last one, all three are exceedingly well done and like Jeffe said, they didn't end the way I expected them to - which is very refreshing on a number of levels.

3) Casket of Souls by Lynn Fleweling - I have an utter soft spot for the Nightrunner series, particularly the first few books. But I was really happy with this latest book, which seemed to get back to its roots of political intrigue and nightrunning. Plus, Alec and Seregil are fabulous, as always - I adore the pair of them and their relationship, which has slowly grown over several books from friends to lovers.

4) The Palace Job by Patrick Weekes - This was a fun caper heist book - basically a fantasy version of Ocean's 11. Including a unicorn. 'nuff said.  (Plus I got to meet Patrick at WFC - and he's a super nice guy, who also happens to write for Bioware's Mass Effect games. Win, all the way around...)

5) Ashes of Honor - by Seanan McGuire - I very much enjoy the Toby Daye series, and this book was an excellent addition. I've been waiting for some of these events to happen for quite some time, and I wasn't let down at all. Tybalt, the King of Cats, is in rare form and we finally get a chance to see a bit of who he really is and how he's going to fit in Toby's life from here on out. (I hope!!!!)