Mt TBR Report: August 2020
Sep. 1st, 2020 04:54 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
calissaAugust has historically been a slow reading month for me, and this year proved no different on that count. Fortunately, acquisitions stayed likewise modest.
Mt TBR @ 1 January 2020: 427
Mt TBR @ 31 July: 424
Mt TBR @ 31 August 2020: 425
114. Sisters of the Vast Black by Lina Rather. Book club pick. Sci-fi novella. The Order of Saint Rita are a Catholic order traversing the far reaches of space performing weddings and bringing aid to those in need. They are a long way from Earth... but even all the way out here, far from secular Central Governance and the Pope in Rome, troubling news begins to reach them. This was an entertaining enough read, but it didn't work for me on the whole. There were elements that I felt could have used more developing and the obstacles were overcome with too much ease.
115. Realm of Ash by Tasha Suri. Fantasy novel. Second of the Books of Ambha. Arwa, widowed young after surviving a brutal massacre, pledges herself to the service of the royal family. She finds herself apprentice to an illegitimate prince who seeks to use forbidden magic to help save the crumbling empire. This was such an excellent read. The author has done a wonderful job of taking the banked, but undeniable menace that permeated the first book and putting it in a new context. It bursts into violence enough so that the plot never feels too slow. She is also a master at the slow-burn romance. I especially loved that this particular romance is hardly physical at all, bringing a contrast to that featured in the first book of the series. I am very keen to see what the author does next.
117. Fence, Vol. 3 by C.S. Pacat. Contemporary graphic novel. Trials continue to determine who will get a place on the school's fencing team. I enjoyed the continuing development of the characters' relationships. The competition vibe eased off a bit, replaced by a growing sense of camaraderie, which I appreciated. The ending indicates they should soon unite against a common enemy.
118. The Killing Moon by N.K. Jemisin. Book club pick. Fantasy. First book in the Dreamblood duology. A priest of the dream goddess, whose duty is to foster peace and kill the corrupt, stumbles across a conspiracy that could bring down the nation. A good read, but not one of the author's best. The world-building was fascinating, utilising a setting based on Ancient Egypt and weaving in a spirituality based on dreaming. However, I found the characters a little flat in places and the villain didn't quite work for me (though was perhaps in keeping with the epic nature of the story).
119. Indexing by Seanan McGuire. Contemporary fantasy. Reread.
121. Slippery Creatures by KJ Charles. Historical m/m romance. When Will Darling inherits his uncle's book shop, it's a lifeline for the soldier returned from the Great War. However, he soon finds it means more than he bargained for. This is the first in a trilogy, so it's a HFN ending rather than a HEA; I feel it was helpful for me to know that going into it. The book certainly lives up to its name, with plenty of spy shenanigans and a number of plot twists--if anything, I found it verging on a little too convoluted in places. There are a couple of wonderful secondary female characters, who I adored and rather hope we might get a story about them sometime down the track.
122. The Governess Game by Tessa Dare. Historical f/m romance. When a notorious rake inherits a pair of troublesome wards, he's desperate to find a governess they can't scare away. A solid, sweet and entertaining read, but ultimately not that memorable.
The Way the Sky Curves by J.C. Hart
A Dance with Fate by Juliet Marillier
Flyaway by Kathleen Jennings
One to Watch by Kate Stayman-London
The Killing Moon by N.K. Jemisin
The Lady's Guide to Celestial Mechanics by Olivia Waite
Mt TBR Status
Mt TBR @ 1 January 2020: 427
Mt TBR @ 31 July: 424
Mt TBR @ 31 August 2020: 425
Books Read
114. Sisters of the Vast Black by Lina Rather. Book club pick. Sci-fi novella. The Order of Saint Rita are a Catholic order traversing the far reaches of space performing weddings and bringing aid to those in need. They are a long way from Earth... but even all the way out here, far from secular Central Governance and the Pope in Rome, troubling news begins to reach them. This was an entertaining enough read, but it didn't work for me on the whole. There were elements that I felt could have used more developing and the obstacles were overcome with too much ease.
115. Realm of Ash by Tasha Suri. Fantasy novel. Second of the Books of Ambha. Arwa, widowed young after surviving a brutal massacre, pledges herself to the service of the royal family. She finds herself apprentice to an illegitimate prince who seeks to use forbidden magic to help save the crumbling empire. This was such an excellent read. The author has done a wonderful job of taking the banked, but undeniable menace that permeated the first book and putting it in a new context. It bursts into violence enough so that the plot never feels too slow. She is also a master at the slow-burn romance. I especially loved that this particular romance is hardly physical at all, bringing a contrast to that featured in the first book of the series. I am very keen to see what the author does next.
117. Fence, Vol. 3 by C.S. Pacat. Contemporary graphic novel. Trials continue to determine who will get a place on the school's fencing team. I enjoyed the continuing development of the characters' relationships. The competition vibe eased off a bit, replaced by a growing sense of camaraderie, which I appreciated. The ending indicates they should soon unite against a common enemy.
118. The Killing Moon by N.K. Jemisin. Book club pick. Fantasy. First book in the Dreamblood duology. A priest of the dream goddess, whose duty is to foster peace and kill the corrupt, stumbles across a conspiracy that could bring down the nation. A good read, but not one of the author's best. The world-building was fascinating, utilising a setting based on Ancient Egypt and weaving in a spirituality based on dreaming. However, I found the characters a little flat in places and the villain didn't quite work for me (though was perhaps in keeping with the epic nature of the story).
119. Indexing by Seanan McGuire. Contemporary fantasy. Reread.
121. Slippery Creatures by KJ Charles. Historical m/m romance. When Will Darling inherits his uncle's book shop, it's a lifeline for the soldier returned from the Great War. However, he soon finds it means more than he bargained for. This is the first in a trilogy, so it's a HFN ending rather than a HEA; I feel it was helpful for me to know that going into it. The book certainly lives up to its name, with plenty of spy shenanigans and a number of plot twists--if anything, I found it verging on a little too convoluted in places. There are a couple of wonderful secondary female characters, who I adored and rather hope we might get a story about them sometime down the track.
122. The Governess Game by Tessa Dare. Historical f/m romance. When a notorious rake inherits a pair of troublesome wards, he's desperate to find a governess they can't scare away. A solid, sweet and entertaining read, but ultimately not that memorable.
Books Acquired
The Way the Sky Curves by J.C. Hart
A Dance with Fate by Juliet Marillier
Flyaway by Kathleen Jennings
One to Watch by Kate Stayman-London
The Lady's Guide to Celestial Mechanics by Olivia Waite
