Mt TBR Report: June 2020
Jul. 7th, 2020 08:15 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
calissaJune was a record low for my reading this year. I had a big influx of editing work and ended up battling with eyestrain. This meant that for the first half of the month I was consuming primarily via audio format and pretty much stopped consuming entirely in the second half (though I made something of a comeback during the last couple of days). However, it didn't slow my acquisition rate at all, which means I've already undone all the hard work I did on shrinking Mt TBR in the first half of the year.
Mt TBR @ 1 January 2020: 427
Mt TBR @ 31 May 2020: 419
Mt TBR @ 30 June 2020: 428
82. The Affair of the Mysterious Letter by Alexis Hall. Fantasy, mystery. A Sherlock Holmes retelling in which Watson is transgender, Sherlock is a sorceress of colour, and the setting is inspired by Lovecraft and the 1930s. This book does a great job of paying homage to the genres it is working with and was a riot of an adventure. It is especially amusing to watch the prudish Wyndham convey all the swearing and sex going on around him without directly referring to it. The audiobook comes highly recommended, as the narrator did a stellar job with his accents. I do hope there's more.
83. Stardust by Neil Gaiman. Fantasy. At the whim of his crush, Tristran Thorn crosses into a magical land to fetch back a star. The audiobook I listened to was a full-cast dramatisation from the BBC. Delightful. I found Victoria (Tristran's crush) a more sympathetic character in this version than in the movie.
84. The Deep by Rivers Solomon. Fantasy novella. Hugo nominee. The keeper of memories for an underwater society finds her duties too painful and traumatic to continue with, so flees. There's some fascinating world-building, as this society is formed from the water-breathing descendants of African slave women tossed overboard. It also contemplates issues around chronic pain, mental health, memory and collective past trauma. However, on the whole, I found it unsatisfying. Like the element it's set in, it seemed to drift along and was a bit blurry around the edges.
85. The Ten Thousand Doors of January by Alix E. Harrow. Historical fantasy. Hugo nominee. In the early 20th Century, a young mixed-race girl lives as the ward of a wealthy white gentleman while her father travels the world searching for treasures to add to the gentleman's collection. When January discovers a mysterious book written about other worlds, doors begin to open for her. A thoughtful book on home, family and belonging. Racism is a central theme and while I thought it was well-handled, I wasn't entirely comfortable with this space being taken up by a(n apparently) white author. The audiobook was deftly narrated, and I was a little amused that the narrator's name was also January.
87. Catfishing on CatNet by Naomi Kritzer. YA science fiction. Hugo nominee. Steph and her mum have been on the run for years. Her only friends are a chat group in an online community called CatNet. Unbeknownst to Steph, the group is run by a sentient AI who goes by CheshireCat. When danger threatens Steph and her mum, CheshireCat steps in to try and help. This was such a great story. There's a wonderful feeling of found family, particularly as the members of CatNet come together online (and, later, in person) to help Steph. CheshireCat reads convincingly as young, despite being an AI--their intentions are good but the actions they take have ramifications they haven't predicted. In addition to the romantic interest, the queer vibes are somewhat reinforced by CheshireCat's "coming out" as an AI. It's an action-packed story with a bit of violence; people with sensitivities to stalking and domestic abuse should tread carefully.
88. The Rose by Tiffany Reisz. Fantasy erotica. Second in the Red series. As a graduation present, Lia's wealthy parents gift her with an ancient Greek wine cup. A young friend of her parents claims it used to belong to the priesthood of Eros and has the power to bring sexual fantasies to life. He also claims it's only safe with him, so Lia proposes a trade. This had a somewhat more solid plot than the last book and brings the supernatural elements a little more to the fore. The sex scenes don't push the boundaries quite as much (for the most part), but I enjoyed the way they were intertwined with Greek myths. The relationship between Lia and August is very sweet in places.
89. Jonathan Livingston Seagull by Richard Bach. Jonathan refuses to fly in the same boring way as the rest of the flock, but tests the boundaries of flight by pushing himself to the limit--even if it means exile from the flock. This was read to me by my sweetheart, who had fond memories of a teacher reading it to him in primary school. The first part read a lot like a Buddhist allegory, but the increasing Christian elements in the subsequent parts felt a bit on the nose.
90. Empire of Sand by Tasha Suri. Fantasy. Hugo nominee. The illegitimate daughter of a governor comes to the attention of the Emperor for her magic. She is married off to one of the Emperor's mystics as a way of enslaving her powers. A brilliant book. Mehr is a racial minority in the territory governed by her father, but protected by his position. I loved that this privilege is shown as having pros and cons. On one hand, she hasn't had to worry about her safety or comfort. On the other hand, her sheltered ignorance puts her in danger. The story also comes with a deliciously slow-burning romance.
91. The Rat-Catcher's Daughter by KJ Charles. Historical romance. Prequel story to the Lilywhite Boys series. When a music-hall singer is threatened by a criminal, the Lilywhite Boys step in to protect her at the behest of their fence, who is a big fan of hers. This was a very sweet romance. Christiana's identity as a trans woman struck me as considerately negotiated, with Stan showing how simple it is to ask and respect the answers. I also somehow missed that this was an ace romance and so seeing the characters find the perfect partner in each other was especially sweet.
92. The Peregrine by J.A. Baker. Non-fiction. The writings of an avid twitcher as he hunts for peregrines in Essex over the course of a year back in the 1960s. I'm still not quite sure whether I enjoyed this book. It is essentially an observation journal, so it wasn't the best choice to listen on audio (I was drawn in because the narrator was billed as David Attenborough -- it wasn't, but it was someone that sounded very like him). The language was often very choppy, but poetic; the author had a real talent for description. On the whole, it was a bit boring to listen to, but I think I would have enjoyed it as a book I could have dipped into from time to time.
DNF
Deeplight by Frances Hardinge. YA Dark fantasy. Lodestar nominee. In a world where the gods are dead, their body parts can still create magic and are worth a fortune. Two young scavangers stumble across one of these relics and find themselves transformed. I really wanted to like this book. The worldbuilding is fascinating and on the whole it felt to me like The Lies of Locke Lamora meets City of Blades. Unfortunately, it lacked a crucial element that really made Locke Lamora for me: the sense of found family. Although Hark is very loyal to his friend Jelt, it's not reciprocated, but is instead a very toxic relationship. I found it painful to watch Hark keep doing unwise things for the sake of someone who is only using him. So I DNFed at about a third of the way through.
Catfishing on Cat Net by Naomi Kritzer
Empire of Sands by Tasha Suri
Aquila's War by Becca Lusher
World's End by Becca Lusher
Aftermath by Becca Lusher
The Peregrine by J.A. Baker
Daughter of the Forest by Juliet Marillier
Son of the Shadows by Juliet Marillier
Child of the Prophecy by Juliet Marillier
Heir to the Sevenwaters by Juliet Marillier
Seer of the Sevenwaters by Juliet Marillier
Flame of Sevenwaters by Juliet Marillier
The Star-touched Queen by Roshani Chokshi
Digital Minimalism by Cal Newport
Rosewater by Tade Thompson
Children of Virtue and Vengeance by Tomi Adeyemi
The Absinthe Earl by Sharon Lynn Fisher
Setting Sun by Becca Lusher
The House by the Cerulean Sea by TJ Klune
Feathers by Tansy Rayner Roberts
Mt TBR Status
Mt TBR @ 1 January 2020: 427
Mt TBR @ 31 May 2020: 419
Mt TBR @ 30 June 2020: 428
Books Read
82. The Affair of the Mysterious Letter by Alexis Hall. Fantasy, mystery. A Sherlock Holmes retelling in which Watson is transgender, Sherlock is a sorceress of colour, and the setting is inspired by Lovecraft and the 1930s. This book does a great job of paying homage to the genres it is working with and was a riot of an adventure. It is especially amusing to watch the prudish Wyndham convey all the swearing and sex going on around him without directly referring to it. The audiobook comes highly recommended, as the narrator did a stellar job with his accents. I do hope there's more.
83. Stardust by Neil Gaiman. Fantasy. At the whim of his crush, Tristran Thorn crosses into a magical land to fetch back a star. The audiobook I listened to was a full-cast dramatisation from the BBC. Delightful. I found Victoria (Tristran's crush) a more sympathetic character in this version than in the movie.
84. The Deep by Rivers Solomon. Fantasy novella. Hugo nominee. The keeper of memories for an underwater society finds her duties too painful and traumatic to continue with, so flees. There's some fascinating world-building, as this society is formed from the water-breathing descendants of African slave women tossed overboard. It also contemplates issues around chronic pain, mental health, memory and collective past trauma. However, on the whole, I found it unsatisfying. Like the element it's set in, it seemed to drift along and was a bit blurry around the edges.
85. The Ten Thousand Doors of January by Alix E. Harrow. Historical fantasy. Hugo nominee. In the early 20th Century, a young mixed-race girl lives as the ward of a wealthy white gentleman while her father travels the world searching for treasures to add to the gentleman's collection. When January discovers a mysterious book written about other worlds, doors begin to open for her. A thoughtful book on home, family and belonging. Racism is a central theme and while I thought it was well-handled, I wasn't entirely comfortable with this space being taken up by a(n apparently) white author. The audiobook was deftly narrated, and I was a little amused that the narrator's name was also January.
87. Catfishing on CatNet by Naomi Kritzer. YA science fiction. Hugo nominee. Steph and her mum have been on the run for years. Her only friends are a chat group in an online community called CatNet. Unbeknownst to Steph, the group is run by a sentient AI who goes by CheshireCat. When danger threatens Steph and her mum, CheshireCat steps in to try and help. This was such a great story. There's a wonderful feeling of found family, particularly as the members of CatNet come together online (and, later, in person) to help Steph. CheshireCat reads convincingly as young, despite being an AI--their intentions are good but the actions they take have ramifications they haven't predicted. In addition to the romantic interest, the queer vibes are somewhat reinforced by CheshireCat's "coming out" as an AI. It's an action-packed story with a bit of violence; people with sensitivities to stalking and domestic abuse should tread carefully.
88. The Rose by Tiffany Reisz. Fantasy erotica. Second in the Red series. As a graduation present, Lia's wealthy parents gift her with an ancient Greek wine cup. A young friend of her parents claims it used to belong to the priesthood of Eros and has the power to bring sexual fantasies to life. He also claims it's only safe with him, so Lia proposes a trade. This had a somewhat more solid plot than the last book and brings the supernatural elements a little more to the fore. The sex scenes don't push the boundaries quite as much (for the most part), but I enjoyed the way they were intertwined with Greek myths. The relationship between Lia and August is very sweet in places.
89. Jonathan Livingston Seagull by Richard Bach. Jonathan refuses to fly in the same boring way as the rest of the flock, but tests the boundaries of flight by pushing himself to the limit--even if it means exile from the flock. This was read to me by my sweetheart, who had fond memories of a teacher reading it to him in primary school. The first part read a lot like a Buddhist allegory, but the increasing Christian elements in the subsequent parts felt a bit on the nose.
90. Empire of Sand by Tasha Suri. Fantasy. Hugo nominee. The illegitimate daughter of a governor comes to the attention of the Emperor for her magic. She is married off to one of the Emperor's mystics as a way of enslaving her powers. A brilliant book. Mehr is a racial minority in the territory governed by her father, but protected by his position. I loved that this privilege is shown as having pros and cons. On one hand, she hasn't had to worry about her safety or comfort. On the other hand, her sheltered ignorance puts her in danger. The story also comes with a deliciously slow-burning romance.
91. The Rat-Catcher's Daughter by KJ Charles. Historical romance. Prequel story to the Lilywhite Boys series. When a music-hall singer is threatened by a criminal, the Lilywhite Boys step in to protect her at the behest of their fence, who is a big fan of hers. This was a very sweet romance. Christiana's identity as a trans woman struck me as considerately negotiated, with Stan showing how simple it is to ask and respect the answers. I also somehow missed that this was an ace romance and so seeing the characters find the perfect partner in each other was especially sweet.
92. The Peregrine by J.A. Baker. Non-fiction. The writings of an avid twitcher as he hunts for peregrines in Essex over the course of a year back in the 1960s. I'm still not quite sure whether I enjoyed this book. It is essentially an observation journal, so it wasn't the best choice to listen on audio (I was drawn in because the narrator was billed as David Attenborough -- it wasn't, but it was someone that sounded very like him). The language was often very choppy, but poetic; the author had a real talent for description. On the whole, it was a bit boring to listen to, but I think I would have enjoyed it as a book I could have dipped into from time to time.
DNF
Deeplight by Frances Hardinge. YA Dark fantasy. Lodestar nominee. In a world where the gods are dead, their body parts can still create magic and are worth a fortune. Two young scavangers stumble across one of these relics and find themselves transformed. I really wanted to like this book. The worldbuilding is fascinating and on the whole it felt to me like The Lies of Locke Lamora meets City of Blades. Unfortunately, it lacked a crucial element that really made Locke Lamora for me: the sense of found family. Although Hark is very loyal to his friend Jelt, it's not reciprocated, but is instead a very toxic relationship. I found it painful to watch Hark keep doing unwise things for the sake of someone who is only using him. So I DNFed at about a third of the way through.
Books Acquired
Empire of Sands by Tasha Suri
Aquila's War by Becca Lusher
World's End by Becca Lusher
Aftermath by Becca Lusher
Daughter of the Forest by Juliet Marillier
Son of the Shadows by Juliet Marillier
Child of the Prophecy by Juliet Marillier
Heir to the Sevenwaters by Juliet Marillier
Seer of the Sevenwaters by Juliet Marillier
Flame of Sevenwaters by Juliet Marillier
The Star-touched Queen by Roshani Chokshi
Rosewater by Tade Thompson
Children of Virtue and Vengeance by Tomi Adeyemi
The Absinthe Earl by Sharon Lynn Fisher
Setting Sun by Becca Lusher
The House by the Cerulean Sea by TJ Klune
Feathers by Tansy Rayner Roberts
no subject
Date: 2020-07-07 05:09 pm (UTC)And also: OOOH! Queer Sherlock fiction? *glances at own June reading list* Ummm... I think I may have to acquire that. ^_^
What do you think of Charles' Lilywhite Boys series in general? I desperately would like to read more of her work, but am majorly squicked by BDSM so that's just a no-go for me.
no subject
Date: 2020-07-07 10:13 pm (UTC)I really must pop over and take a look at your reading lists. I think I missed last month's entirely.
As for The Affair of the Mysterious Letter, it really is a lot of fun.
I was actually thinking of you in relation to the Lilywhite Boys. You're probably going to want to steer clear of the first book (Any Old Diamonds), but the prequel story (The Rat-Catcher's Daughter) and the sequel (Gilded Cage) should be fine.
no subject
Date: 2020-07-08 06:23 pm (UTC)Duly noted about Lilywhite Boys. I shall keep the series in mind. ^_^