Great Discworld Re-Read: Overview and The Colour of Magic

Anyone who knows me knows that the Discworld books by Sir Terry Pratchett are some of my favorite books of all time. The series is mighty, weighing in at 41 core books and assorted related books (like the Science of Discworld series), and it's not the kind of series where every book has to be read in order to be able to understand what's going on. There are sub-series within the main books, as several books focus on different characters, and you do get to see the characters grow and develop over the books. (Hi, we're Discworld fans - let us show you our flow charts!)

You thought I was joking, didn't you?

Sadly, Sir Terry passed away in March 2015. The last book that he finished, The Shepherd's Crown, was published in August 2015, and as much as I love the series, I have never read the last book. So long as it remained unread, there was still a "new" Discworld book for me to discover, and I could pretend it wasn't over.

Recently, however, articles were coming up about the tenth anniversary of the publication of The Shepherd's Crown, and there was a message from Rob Wilkins, Sir Terry's longtime assistant. The message read, in part, "I also know that Terry wanted his books to be read and enjoyed far more than he wanted them kept on a shelf. And as time passes it becomes ever more apparent how much the Discworld books reward re-visiting, perpetually revealing something new, literary gems Terry had hidden away for a second or third, or even more, re-read. Every Pratchett is to some degree an unread Pratchett, including the ones you've already enjoyed and including The Shepherd's Crown."

This made me realize that it's time. But, because I'm me, I can't just jump to the last book - that almost feels like cheating, somehow. So I'm starting from the beginning, and going through them all* in publication order. It's been ages since I've touched some of them, and just a few months for others - if I did all my reading with physical books, there are a few that would be falling apart by now because of how often they've been read. I'm also taking the opportunity to update the audiobook versions I have to the newest editions - much as I love the Nigel Planer and Stephen Briggs versions, having Bill Nighy read all the footnotes in all of the books has a pleasant continuity that I'm looking forward to.

I started at the beginning with The Colour of Magic (1983). Here's where it all begins - the introduction to the Discworld, the Great A'Tuin, Rincewind, the wizards, all the things. It's where the world starts!

And it's...OK. One thing that I've learned as a writer is that the more you write, the better you get, and it's unfair to compare one of Sir Terry's first books against the ones he wrote, you know, thirty-some books down the line. The ideas and the characters are there, and there are breadcrumbs that he drops here - in book ONE - that pay off again, thirty-some books down the line. He manages to develop a world that is different enough from the "average" fantasy world to be interesting (light moves slower than sound! The world is a disc carried on the back of four elephants which are riding a giant turtle!) while still being familiar to fantasy readers (wizards doing magic, trolls, references to the gods who have a direct hand in the affairs of mortals). His turns of phrase haven't gotten the polish that they'll develop, but (and it might be because I know what it will become) I can see the potential underneath.

I admit that Rincewind, the failed wizard who is the main character of this book (along with the Disc's first-ever tourist, Twoflowers) is not my favorite character. At least, he hasn't been in the past. This time through, I feel a little bit more for the guy - he has the ability to see just how badly things can and will go, and realizes that there's not really anything he can do to stop it, but he's going to try (usually by running away). He's the ultimate pessimist/realist. Twoflowers, on the other hand, is the epitome of an optimist - he's certain that nothing bad can really happen to him, because he's not directly involved in what's going on, and really, everything can be settled if people just sit down and behave "sensibly." The combination of the two mindsets is the engine that drives the book, and it's a solid machine.

The book ends on a cliff...well, not quite hanger, since they've fallen off the cliff, but you know what I mean - the story is obviously going to continue in the next book. And I'll be following right along with it.

*There are probably one or two books that I'll end up skipping because I know I don't like them very much, and I don't intend to hit the related books in this read-through.

Break for Norwescon

Norwescon was the first convention I ever went to, lo these many moons ago. I had been a geek for a very long time, obviously, but there was something very different about being a geek with a small circle of like-minded friends, and learning that there was a whole community of us. It was a little overwhelming, to be honest.

I'll never say that the geek community as a whole is perfect. It's made up of people, after all, and people aren't perfect - something it's always good to keep in mind. Still, there's something freeing about being surrounded by people who understand the excitement you bring when discussing books, movies, games, or other media. It's rare to be able to find someone who understands how exciting it is that a new book by a favorite author is coming out, and is willing to listen to you discourse about the pros and cons of the series.

Additionally, there's the joy of watching people learn about new things. There are frequently things that people will bring up, either during the panels or during random conversations, that I've never heard of, and never knew I needed in my life until that moment. There's something magical about watching someone fall in love with a media property, game, book, or any other thing that falls under the "geek" umbrella (which, frankly, is everything - being a geek is about how you love, not what you love).

Book Review - When Books Went to War

So, you could say that I'm a big fan of most things literary. Books are one of those things that have always been important to me, and asking me if I like reading is like asking if like breathing - I need it to live. But I've never felt able to put into words the importance of books as a whole, not just to me but to society at large.

When Books Went to War does a marvelous job of putting words around the idea that wars of ideas are just as powerful as the physical fighting. It describes how the US, in the form of a council of publishers and the War Department, took control of the war of ideas on the Allied front during World War II. The council published books specifically to be sent overseas to be given to the soldiers fighting, thus providing entertainment and new ideas to people who may not remember why they're fighting. It also helped publishers popularize the paperback book, a format that had been seen as the purview of pulps and dimestore novels.

One of the fascinating things is how the publishers worked together, forgoing their own profits in order to make these editions and sell them at cost to the military in order to send them overseas. In addition, it made a generation of readers out of men who may only have looked at the headlines of newspapers before. It gave the soldiers a safe way to vent their emotions in an era when men weren't meant to show any sign of weakness or emotion. The publishers even worked to publish books that would help the soon to be demobilized soldiers with their return to civilian life, offering ways to make the skills they had learned into something they could use at home.

The story may begin with one of the biggest book burnings in Germany, but it ends with the high note of how many books were published and disseminated over the course of the war. The stories from the soldiers are heartfelt and heart-breaking, and overall, it's an uplifting book that reminds us that while we may be afraid, we will have the ability to fight a war of ideas so long as we have the words to spread them.

Book review - The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society

I am a big fan of comfort reading. I tend to re-read books that I love many times over the years, because even if I remember the broad strokes of the plot or the characters, there's always something new to discover and remember with every reading. This book? This is one that probably has, if not the most re-reads, at least in the top 5, in my library.

The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society was one of the first epistolary books I ever read. The entire story is told in letters and journals, which as a writer, is always fascinating to me - how can an author fit so much about a character into a simple letter? The fact that the book is also historical fiction, taking place not long after the end of the Second World War, helped to attract my attention as well.

The main theme is the love of the written word. The main character is an author who wrote columns for the newspaper during the war, and is now trying to find the best idea she can for a book. Out of the blue, she receives a letter from a man on Guernsey Island, who had purchased one of the books she had had in her library from a second-hand bookshop, and was writing to see if she knew of any other books by the same author. It leads to a discussion about reading, writing, and the importance of not only the written word, but also the ties of friendship and family, during the worst that life has to offer.

There's a bit of history that's rarely told in the US in this book - the occupation by the Germans of the Channel Islands. By hearing the voices of the people who lived through the occupation, the authors are able to give a good amount of detail to what happened, without coming across like a textbook. Knowing that it's in the past for them, but still building who they are in the present, is a gift for the reader to unwrap with each letter.

The audiobook version has multiple actors, which make the letters separate and distinct in ways that reading them can't quite get across. This is a book that I can honestly say I wholeheartedly love, and I recommend it to pretty much everyone.

Neither a borrow nor a lender be...

Except when it comes to books. I freely admit that the majority of my reading these days happens on an ereader, but I will never get over the desire for paper books. One of the earliest memories I have of every house I ever lived in was having walls of bookshelves, and it's something I've continued in my home.

Every room in our house has books, up to and including the bathroom, and the standing rule of our home is that if you see something you want to borrow, feel free - just tell us so we know where it went. It makes it easier for friends who are also People of the Book who found something that catches their eye to get their hands on it.

As much as I enjoy my ereader (and not just because it provides me with my day job), the ability to lend books out both willy and nilly is still best suited by physical books. And frankly, nothing will ever be more soothing to my soul than seeing a wall of books, just waiting for me to start reading.

Book review - The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern

It's been a while since I've done a book review, so a quick perusal of my Goodreads shelf and I found one of my comfort books - The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern.

The book follows the basic idea that magic is real, and two magicians have taken apprentices - one a boy, the other a girl - from an early age. It follows the apprentices as they grow up and learn about the different kinds of magic, not knowing that they are in a competition with each other. Throughout, there's also a description of a carnival known as the Night Circus that travels around the world. No one knows when it will appear until it does, and it only opens at sundown. The different exhibits and tents are unlike anything anyone's ever seen, and they develop a following of people who create their own kind of family as they bond over the circus.

One of the beautiful things about the book is the way the storylines are woven together. You're introduced to the circus before you meet the main characters, and it gives you a sense of wonder and awe from the beginning - you know right away that this is no ordinary carnival. Following the characters, they are developed wonderfully and in-depth, so they aren't just about the tricks they can perform. Watching it all come together, and trying to figure out how it will all end, is breathtaking.

The writing is gorgeous and haunting, and there's a subtle melancholy through the entire book that doesn't send it into the realm of depressing fiction, but reminds you that not everything is as happy as it may appear. For me, it makes me want to curl up with a cup of tea and settle down with the book, preferrably on a rainy day. I highly recommend it.

Day 4 of Camp Nanowrimo, June Round-Up and Second Quarter Check-In

Why yes, I am cramming everything into one post! This is what happens when I go to a convention (Westercon, in this case), and forget to get posts up for while I'm gone.

July Camp Nano:
Current word count: 1,152
Goal word count: 30,000
What's happening: Turns out that Jonathan (love interest) and Jack (partner in the work sense of Veronica) are bros. Also, the paranormal community around the coffee shop is Not Happy about the mystical, magical new coffee blend. Alison wants nothing to do with this - she just wants to go on her date already, dangit.

June Round-Up:

Words written YTD: 30,429 on one and a half projects (Paranormal Investigations novels and a prequel short story that didn't really go where I wanted it to)

Things accomplished in fiction: see above

Writer-ly things accomplished: Decided that the short story wasn't going to do what I needed it to do, and that I wasn't in a good place to keep going with it at the moment. Picked up the proverbial pen for the second Camp Nano of the year, and I'm planning to keep my word count goal where it is - it'll be good practice for November.

New books read: Waking Up in Vegas (Incryptid short story by Seanan McGuire, which remains so much fun); Night Owls (urban fantasy I picked up on a whim - other than an unnecessary amount of head hopping, pretty solid); Hamilton, the Revolution (why yes, I have fallen into the hole that is Hamilton fandom, why do you ask?); Lumberjanes Volume 1 (so cute, and with enough "what the hell?" going on to keep things interesting); No Love Lost (Weather Warden short story that I hadn't known existed previously - kinda meh, to be honest); The Fifth Season (nominated for a Hugo, and so far, my front-runner); Stage of Fools (October Daye short story, courtesy of Seanan McGuire's Patreon)

Old books re-read: The Long Earth, The Long War, and The Long Mars (sci-fi collaborations by Terry Pratchett and Stephen Baxter, read to be caught up for the two new ones I hadn't read yet); Ill Wind (Weather Wardens book one, because sometimes you just need somewhat trashy romance with djinn and weather magic); Kitty and the Midnight Hour (see previous, only replace djinn with werewolves); Ms. Marvel Volume 1 (picked up the other two volumes in trade paperbacks and decided to re-read volume 1, as I hadn't looked at it since last year's Hugo nominations).

Q2 Check-In:

• Complete draft of book 2 of Paranormal Investigations
• Due:  March 31, 2016
• Q1 status:  I should really restate this as "fill in the gap between books 1 and 2 of Paranormal Investigations", and it's still in process.
• New due date: July 31, 2016
• Q2 status: This is the goal for this Camp Nano, so we'll see if we can actually finish filling the gap this month.
• Complete draft of Church of Books
• Due:  September 30, 2016
• Q1 status: I haven't even touched this one in a while. I'll keep the date as is for now.
• Q2 status: Same as Q1
• Complete edit of Paranormal Investigations
• Due:  December 31, 2016
• Q1 status:  In process
• Q2 status:  In process
• Complete draft of one of the works started for a Nano
• Due:  December 31, 2016
• Q1 status:  In process, as Paranormal Investigations started as a Nano
• Q2 status:  In process, looking better with each day of sitting and actually getting some words on the dang page
• Complete at least one Nano
• Due:  November 30, 2016
• Q1 status:  COMPLETE!
• Q2 status:  Trying for number 2!
• Submit at least one story for publication
• Due:  December 31, 2016
• Q1 status:  I have ideas, ever so many ideas...keeping the date as is for now.
• Q2 status:  I may come back to the short story I was fiddling with post-Camp Nano, or I may try for something completely different. Who knows? Not me!

May Round-Up

It's been pretty quiet around here lately, but I'm still trucking away. Not as much writing is getting done as I would like, but at least there's something.

Words written YTD: 28,300 on two projects (Paranormal Investigations & a short story set in the PII universe)

Things accomplished in fiction: Not too much in the main Paranormal Investigations books. In the short story, Dr. Lobo encounters a patient who is behaving quite erratically, and is trying desperately to get some kind of referral for a specialist. This isn't what he signed up for.

Writer-ly things accomplished: The original plan for the short story was to submit it to "People of Col(u)r Destroy Fantasy!", but the further I get, the less fantastic it is and the more it veers toward horror. My work tends to do that sometimes - not sure what that says about me...

New books read: In the Labryinth of Drakes (Lady Trent Memoirs #4, which remains fantastic); The Elite (The Selection #2, which I was surprised to make it through this time - it was better and less meebling than I thought it would be); Rat Queens #16 (to which I say GIVE ME THE NEXT ISSUE); Unbound and Revisionary (Magic Ex Libris #3-4, and the end of the series - it was a little too clean an ending for me, but still did some amazing things with the consequences of secret magic going public).

Old books re-read: The Selection (needed to re-read #1 before getting into #2); Maskerade (such love for this one!); Something Rotten (Thursday Next #4); The
Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society (speaking of comfort reading, this is probably my all-time favorite).

April Round-Up and First Quarter Check-In

I've survived the first Camp Nanowrimo of the year, and I emerged victorious. Let's see how April went, shall we?


Words written YTD: 24,104 on one project (Paranormal Investigations)

Things accomplished in fiction: Oh, so very much. Alison finally made it to the big boss' office, and is seriously freaked out. It still goes better than anticipated. Next up: her second date with Jonathan, this time to a bookstore. What? They're geeks!

Writer-ly things accomplished: I won Camp Nano, I won Camp Nano...*happy dance* Things are still going well, and I've got some decent momentum going.

New books read: The Voyage of the Basilisk (Lady Trent Memoirs #3, which remains fantastic); Velveteen vs. The Junior Super Patriots (Seanan McGuire's take on superheroes, which is AWESOME); Rat Queens #15 (for I love a good comic about a group of butt-kicking women).

Old books re-read: The Eyre Affair, Lost in a Good Book, and the Well of Lost Plots (Thursday Next books 1-3, because I needed some comfort reading).

It actually saddens me a little, how few books I read this month. Of course, I was focused on writing more than reading this month, but still. I'd like to balance that a bit better.

And now, a quick look at the 2016 goals thus far:

• Complete draft of book 2 of Paranormal Investigations
• Due:  March 31, 2016
• Q1 status:  I should really restate this as "fill in the gap between books 1 and 2 of Paranormal Investigations", and it's still in process.
• New due date: July 31, 2016
• Complete draft of Church of Books
• Due:  September 30, 2016
• Q1 status: I haven't even touched this one in a while. I'll keep the date as is for now.
• Complete edit of Paranormal Investigations
• Due:  December 31, 2016
• Q1 status:  In process
• Complete draft of one of the works started for a Nano
• Due:  December 31, 2016
• Q1 status:  In process, as Paranormal Investigations started as a Nano
• Complete at least one Nano
• Due:  November 30, 2016
• Q1 status:  COMPLETE!
• Submit at least one story for publication
• Due:  December 31, 2016
• Q1 status:  I have ideas, ever so many ideas...keeping the date as is for now.

March Round-Up

How the devil is it the end of March already? I swear we just started this month. It's probably at least in part because I just got back from Norwescon, so I'm still in con-brain-mode. That's my excuse, anyway.

Words written: 8,836 on one project (Paranormal Investigations)

Things accomplished in fiction: Alison and Jonathan have their First Date, and a new character emerges from out of freakin' nowhere (seriously, dude?)

Writer-ly things accomplished: I guess I'll figure out where the new guy is coming from? He'll help move things forward, and I've got a decent idea of what comes next. Prepping for Camp Nanowrimo!

New books read: Reflections (Indexing book 2, AKA how Seanan McGuire uses her folklore degree); The Jewel (for I am a sucker for a decent YA dystopia); Adulthood is a Myth (collection of comic strips that speak to my heart); The Tropic of Serpents (book 2 of the Lady Trent memoirs); and  Chaos Choreography (book 5 of the Incryptid series, and probably the most fun of all of them, even with all the bodies).

Old books re-read: Books 1-4 of the Incryptid series, in preparation for the new book Chaos Choreography; Storm Glass (book 1 of the Glass series/book 4 of the Chronicles of Ixia series, preparatory for a couple of new books in the series).

Series Review - The Glamourist Histories by Mary Robinette Kowal

Several years ago, I started reading books by Seanan McGuire and listening to the Writing Excuses podcast. These things may not seem all that related, but they are, through one Mary Robinette Kowal. She is a regular part of the Writing Excuses podcast, and she is the audiobook narrator for Seanan's October Daye series. So when I heard that she was going to be publishing her first novel, I was interested. When I heard that the premise could be summed up as "Pride and Prejudice with magic," I knew I needed to find it. I have never been happier to have a book series cross my path.

The first book of the series, Shades of Milk and Honey, sets the stage for an alternative Victorian-era England, in which there is a kind of magic known as glamour. As it deals with light and illusion, it is frequently considered a woman's art, alongside embroidery and painting. The main character, Jane, is the eldest of two sisters and the "plain" one, so she tries to content herself with a future as a spinster, living with her parents and, later, her sister and brother-in-law. This is before she meets Vincent, a professional glamourist of some renown.

I realize that this is coming across as more of a traditional romance than what I normally recommend, and that's not inaccurate. However, the characters are well-developed, and there's more to them than simply a "will they or won't they?" storyline. The later books delve into the relationship between Jane and Vincent, as they struggle with the things most married people need to figure out when they're building a life with someone after living alone. There's also some wonderful world-building with regards to how having magic may have changed key elements in history and society as a whole, which is part of the reason why I love alternate histories.

I am exceedingly fond of these books, and they have been added to my regular rotation of comfort reading.

February Round-Up

Here's looking back on February 2016 - how is it almost March already??

Words written: 7,655 on one project (Paranormal Investigations)

Things accomplished in fiction: Alison and Richard both realize that not only is something a little strange about Shawn, but the fact that they both notice it is a little odd, as well. Alison gets a talking-to about the dangers of involving a Muggle in her new role in a super-sekrit organization.

Writer-ly things accomplished: Forward momentum is being made, with some new wrinkles getting thrown up as I go. I love it when that happens.

New books read: I Work at a Public Library (light non-fiction, tales from the library - thoroughly meh); City of Stairs (started in October, highly recommended by Eric - fantasy procedural, and GLORIOUS); The Sandman Overtures (graphic novel prequel series, which is gorgeous and fits in with the main series beautifully); Swamp Bromeliad (Incryptid short story by Seanan McGuire, gearing up for the new release); A Natural History of Dragons (fantasy memoir from an older woman who is officially out of damns to give with regards to how people will react to her life's work with dragons - it's beautiful, and I'm glad it's a series).

Old books re-read: Soul Music (part of the epic Discworld re-read); Magic Study, Fire Study and Power Study (re-reading so as to be ready to read the new books in the series); Codex Born (book two of Magic Ex Libris, and the last in the series that's a re-read).

Series Review - The Sandman by Neil Gaiman

Lo these many moons ago, when I was in college, I was fortunate enough to have friends that led me to a wonderful resource my school had. It's called the MLLL (it used to stand for Multimedia Listening and Learning Library), or the Comic Books Reading Room. Such is the beauty of going to a college populated by geeks.

The MLLL was a tiny, windowless room, and you could only get in if somone gave you the code to the lockbox on the door. Once inside, however, you were surrounded by comics. Graphic novels, single issues, multiple single issues bound together on-site - it was the kind of thing to make a comic book lovers' heart leap for joy. And it was here that I discovered The Sandman.

I'll be perfectly honest - I was never much of a comic book geek. Superheroes have never really been my thing, and for a long time, that was the only kind of comic book I knew about. I wish I could remember who introduced me to Neil Gaiman's Sandman series, because it was truly a life-changing exxperience. I didn't know that stories like that could be told with such artistry. I was led to the MLLL at just the right time, too, as I was going through a major depressive episode and needed someplace to hide for long stretches of time. Being able to sit scrunched up in a beanbag chair and read through the stories of Dream of the Endless as he tries to rebuild his world after being away for long felt like a true escape.

Since those nights in the MLLL, I've found some other graphic novels and comics that I enjoy. None of them, however, hit me the way that the Sandman did. I own them myself now, and will occasionally reach for them when things are getting bleak. It's not just a matter of the story itself helping me out of the dark, it's the circumstances in which I first read them that remind me that I've hit rock bottom before, and managed to get my way out.

So, What's Your Favorite Book?

There are some recent changes going on at work. Specifically, my boss' boss (or my Grandboss, as I like to call him) will be moving to another team within the legal department. He's been with my team (Kindle Content) since he started six years ago, so we're going to miss him quite a bit.

Kindle Content basically means that he heads up the group that supports teams working with publishers of all stripes (including indie publishers) to get books, magazines, and comic books into the Kindle store and printed on demand. It seemed fitting that we get him a going-away gift that is related to books. My boss came up with the idea that we give him a copy of everyone's favorite book.

It's a good thing that the going-away toast isn't until Friday, because everyone had to take some time to come up with their favorite book. It's not an easy question, especially if you read a lot. I have my default favorite, based on how many different editions I own (A Wrinkle in Time), but somehow I didn't feel like that was quite appropriate for the audience. I decided to go with Small Gods by Terry Pratchett instead.

Everyone else, however, went with the classics. It almost makes me wonder if these are truly people's favorite books, or if it's the book they're most willing to admit to liking; for a lot of people, I get the feeling these are two different things.

So! What's your favorite book? What do you actually hold dearest to your heart, and what do you respond with when someone you don't know that well asks that same question?

Series Review - Cecelia & Kate by Patricia C. Wrede and Caroline Stevermer

Growing up, my father spent a decent amount of time travelling abroad. He was in the Air Force, and would have to go on temporary duty for a few weeks or months (twice, he had to leave for a year at a time). This was all before the internet was a big deal and easily available, so we communicated by written letter. The memory of coming home and finding a new letter waiting for me is one that I remember fondly, and I've always had a fondness for snail mail. When I found out that two authors had written a series of YA novels via letter, I knew I wanted to read them, and I'm glad that I did.

The first book in the series, Sorcery & Cecelia: or The Enchanted Teapot, introduces two characters as good friends who are spending some time in different parts of the country. They are writing letters to each other, describing what's going on in their respective territories and asking questions about the other's predicament. Even though the tale is told only through letters from the two main characters, there's a wonderful amount of character development and world building.

I love that the authors wrote these letters without discussing the plot with each other, so each letter they received revealed something new about the characters, and referenced past acts that they might not have known about. The series goes on for three books, and they each have the charm and humor of the first.

January Round-up

I'm trying something new here - we'll see if it works. Here's looking back on January 2016, as we get ready to begin February (already!).

Words written: 4,482 on one project (Paranormal Investigations)
Things accomplished in fiction: Alison returns to work, She and Jonathan start the will-they won't-they dance, and something seems a bit...off about Shawn.
Writer-ly things accomplished: Spent some time sorting through outline notes and updating my draft, figuring out which scenes need to be moved and what needs to be added; feel like I'm in a better spot for moving forward.
New books read: The Scorpion Rules (started in December, YA dystopia, beginning of a potentially awesome trilogy/series); Heaps of Pearl (short story set in the October Daye universe, fun and a little sad); A History of Civilization in 50 Disasters (started in December, light, bordering on a listicle, but points out some unexpected consequences of natural and human-driven disasters); How the Hot Dog Found Its Bun (another light non-fiction, conversational, gives some background on the creation/discovery of different foods and food-related inventions)
Old books re-read: Books 2-5 of the Parasol Protectorate (the middle series of Gail Carriger's books, in anticipation of a new book coming out in the later series); Libriomancer (first book in the Magic Ex Libris series, in anticipation of a new book coming out next week); Poison Study and Assassin Study (books one and 1.5 of the Study series, in anticipation of a new book that came out this week).

Series Review - Incryptid by Seanan McGuire

I've been a fan of Seanan McGuire for quite some time, and when I learned she was doing a new urban fantasy series, I was tremendously excited. I had already read and loved her October Daye series, but I admit that it does have its moments of being really flipping dark, so I was looking forward to a lighter series. Plus, there are monsters!

The first book in the series, Discount Armageddon, introduces the family of Prices, who are cryptozoologists that make it their mission to study and, when they need to, protect cryptids, which are essentially the stuff of myths and legends. Sasquatches, dragons, gorgons, etc. - all of them exist, and most of them have integrated into society, though in hiding.

The main character of the books changes throughout the series - we start with
Verity, then move on to her brother Alex. There are several short stories available for free on Seanan's website, and they give a better sense of background for the family as a whole, as well as the society in which they grew up.

I'm not saying that everything is peaches and roses for everyone - there are several heartbreaking moments that come up, and it's to Seanan's credit that you care about the characters, even when they only appear in a short story. The novels tend to be a little lighter than the short stories, but they all build a rich world and characters that are worth investing in.

How Do You Read?

So, anyone who is friends with me on Goodreads (incidentally, feel free to friend me!) will know that my Currently Reading shelf tends to get a little crowded. I know a lot of people prefer to read one book at a time, but that's never been my preferred method of reading.

For me, I usually have at least three books going at any given time: some sort of anthology or other type of bite-sized reading (currently, A History of Civilization in 50 Disasters and The Science of Discworld fill this niche), some series that I'm re-reading (usually in anticipation of a new book coming out - right now, that's Poison Study and Libriomancer), and something new to me that was recommended (City of Stairs and Knots and Crosses fill this niche). There are also other random things that I've picked up along the way (that would be Reflections, Prudence and Night Owls), but that part varies.

I read certain kinds of books faster than others, so some books may take me significantly longer to finish than others. I also try to cull the herd on occasion, and move books that I've started but not picked up again to the On Hold shelf - if it's there, it usually means that I want to pick it up again, just not right now.

Over the years, I've become more comfortable with flat giving up on a book. For a very long time, I felt that if I had committed to spending the money on the book, then I needed to finish it (or at least keep it with the intention of finishing it someday). Now, after some truly rough books, I've finally become willing to walk away from a book without finishing it. It's still difficult, and I still tend to give a bad book more of a chance than I probably should, but life is too short for bad books.

So, what about you? What kinds of books do you find yourself reading more regularly? Is there a method to your reading madness, or do you just start on whatever happens to be nearby?

Book Review: A Wrinkle in Time

Over the years, I've found that I enjoy books in various formats. I've been a member of Audible for many years (disclaimer: I work for Amazon.com, which is the parent company for Audible), and the eBook revolution has definitely made an impact in my reading habits. The more I like a book, the more different formats I'll end up buying it. Based on that alone, my all-time favorite book must be A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L'Engle.

I grew up with parents who read, particularly my father. Everyone in our house tended to wander around with books in hand, which meant the question "Where's my book?" was asked on a regular basis. My dad was the one who was big on science fiction and fantasy, along with military fiction, and his enthusiasm spilled into my reading choices. A Wrinkle in Time was the first science fiction book I remember reading, and it was pivotal for me.

It wasn't until years later that I realized just how the book had affected me. It has a female protagonist - something unique in the world of speculative fiction of the 1970's - and she's realistic. Let's be honest, Meg Murray isn't exactly what most girls would aspire to be - she's unattractive, obnoxious, scared, whiny, and something of a brat. At the same time, she does what needs to be done, even if she fights it along the way. She wants to save her father and her little brother, and make her life as close to normal as it ever was. It's something that most teenagers can relate to, even if the various worlds and space travel that she takes to get there are a little outside of most people's experiences.

This is the kind of book that holds up well over the years, and I find myself rereading it on a regular basis. I definitely recommend it, particularly as an introduction to science fiction.

Series Review - Finishing School by Gail Carriger

I've recently been re-reading some of my favorite books, in part to get myself ready to read the most recent book in the series. It's one of my biggest habits as a reader, and one that I'm actually trying to work on - I'm trying to make sure that I'm reading more new books than re-reading old books in a year, and that can be difficult when all I want to do is curl up with an old favorite. At any rate, a series I recently finished was the Finishing School series (first book is Etiquette & Espionage) by Gail Carriger.

I had previously read the Parasol Protectorate series by the same author, so when I found out that she was writing a prequel, young adult series, I was very excited. It was lovely to see how some of the characters in the Parasol Protectorate books started out, and getting a better sense of where they came from makes re-reading the later books take on a new meaning.

The series are set in an alternate Victorian England, in which vampires and werewolves have been integrated into society. Sophronia is the main character of the Finishing School series, and she is a young lady who has been sent off to, well, a finishing school. She is under the impression that it will be the standard type of schooling, teaching her how to behave in society and hopefully marry well; however, she quickly learns that she will be learning very different skills, in addition to the standards.

Following young women in the early 19th century as they learn how to set up a household and also spy for Queen and country (or hive, or pack, or some other service) is a joy to behold. The characters grow over the course of the books, while still behaving believably as teenagers would. The language is appropriate for the time period, but doesn't hit you over the head with dialect.

Overall, I found the series highly entertaining, and light enough to make for a good afternoon's read while still tackling some difficult issues. I definitely recommend all of the series by this author.