FAVORITES

The Scorpio Races, Maggie Stiefvater.

This was on my to-read list for a long time, and I’m happy I finally got around to it. The titular races happen every November and involve vicious water horses who would just as soon kill their riders than reach the finish line.  All the contestants have been men, until Puck Connolly enters in a desperate to win the prize money and  keep her home. Along the way she has a low-key romance with the returning champion, a rather moody young man. Fast-paced and involving. A strong YA read.

Seraphina, Rachel Hartman.

An outstanding debut about humans and dragons that fold themselves into human shape in the kingdom of Goredd. Tensions run high as the anniversary of a peace treaty nears. The plot revolves around Seraphina Dombegh, an unusually gifted musician, who joins with the captain of the Queen’s Guard, Prince Lucian Kiggs, to investigate a murder at court. But Seraphina has a secret that explains her musical genius–and it’s a secret so awful  she’ll be destroyed if it’s revealed. A wonderful read, especially if you think you don’t like dragon stories.

The Sevenwaters Trilogy, Juliet Marillier.

Marillier is a New Zealand author who writes delicious fantasy, although sometimes the pace is a bit slow. This trilogy covers three generations of a family and its struggle to save magic in Ireland. The series: Daughter of the Forest, in which Sorcha must save her brothers from a spell that turned them into swans; Son of the Shadows follows Sorcha’s daughter, Liadan, a healer and seeress whose quest to keep her family safe leads to unexpected love; and Child of the Prophecy, the tale of Fianne, a Druid’s daughter who is blackmailed by her sorceress grandmother into taking vengeance on the clan that thwarted her initial enchantment of the six brothers.

Sorcery & Cecelia: The Enchanted Chocolate Pot, Patricia Wrede, Carolyn Stevermer.

An absolutely delightful romp through Regency-era England, told through letters between the title characters. The ladies, one in the country, one in London, get caught up in a magical plot. Clever, witty, a quick read. Written by the two authors who actually sent letters in character, neither knowing how the other would respond. First of a trilogy.

WANT TO READ

Sapphique, Catherine Fisher.

This is a sequel to the wildly inventive and engrossing Incarceron, the story of a living prison. In this follow-up Finn has escaped from Incarceron, but his brother Keiro is still inside. Outside, Claudia insists he must be king, but Finn doubts his identity. Is he the lost prince Giles? Or are his memories no more than another construct of his imprisonment? Meanwhile, the crazy sorcerer Rix may have found the Glove of Sapphique, the only man the Prison ever loved. I’ll be sure to re-read the first one before tackling this.

The Star-Touched Queen, Roshani Chokshi.

With a horoscope that promises a marriage of Death and Destruction, May is scorned and feared in her father’s kingdom until he  arranges a wedding of political convenience, making Maya queen of Akaran and wife of Amar. As a queen, she finds her voice and power. As a wife, she discovers desire. But Akaran has secrets — thousands of locked doors, gardens of glass, and a tree bearing memories instead of fruit. Maya suspects her life is in danger and doesn’t know who to trust. Features Indian myth.

Strange the Dreamer, Laini Taylor.

Lazlo Strange, war orphan and junior librarian, has a been obsessed with the mythic lost city of Weep, but won’t cross half the world to find it. Then a hero called the Godslayer and a band of legendary warriors offers him a chance to do so. Will he learn why Weep was severed from the rest of the world 200 years ago? Discover what the Godslayer slew that went by the name of god? Suss out the mysterious problem he now seeks help in solving? The answers await in Weep, but so do more mysteries. Taylor is a strong writer, so this looks promising. First of a duology.

That’s it for now. Any suggestions? Thanks for reading.

The post THE ABC BOOK CHALLENGE – S appeared first on KATHRYN JANKOWSKI.

FAVORITES

LIPS TOUCH THREE TIMES, Laini Taylor.

A fabulous trio of stories, all pivoting around a kiss and its consequences. There are goblins, demons, and fanged men, all seeking to entice girls and snare their souls—and the surprising resistance they encounter. Written with Taylor’s usual grace and style. An example: There is a certain kind of girl the goblins crave… girls who dream so hard about being pretty their yearnings leave a palpable trail, a scent goblins can follow like sharks on a soft bloom of blood. The girls with hungry eyes who pray each night to wake up as someone else. Urgent, unkissed, wistful girls. A National Book Award finalist, with wonderful illustrations by Jim DeBartolo.

THE LYRA NOVELS, Patricia C. Wrede

Five books set in the magical world of Lyra. These are Wrede’s earlier books–fantasy with happy endings–good, but not as great as her later works. Nevertheless, Wrede is a great world-builder and has a wonderful way of drawing you into her stories.

Shadow Magic – Princess Alethia is kidnapped by a man with a face made of shadows and taken to magical woods. To escape and save her kingdom, Alethia must look for answers in old legends of sorcery and daring.

Daughter of Witches –  Ranira’s parents were burned at the stake for practicing magic. Now she’s an indentured servant for a brutal innkeeper and keeps her own abilities hidden. But when three strangers show up at the inn and try to help Ranira through sorcery, she’s forced to unleash her powers to save them.

The Harp of Imach Thyssel – Emereck, a trained minstrel, and Flindaran, a nobleman masquerading as a tramp, stumble upon a long-abandoned castle and one of Lyra’s most sought-after treasures: the Harp of Imach Thyssel, said to possess the power of life and death over all mankind. To keep it from falling into the wrong hands, Emereck must harness its strength to create and destroy.

Caught in Crystal – Kayl, a sword-wielding former member of the Sisterhood of Stars, knows all about the Twisted Tower, where something terrible is bound with a magic spell so that it can never escape. She left the order and settled down to a quiet life as a country innkeeper, but now something evil is leaking from the Tower and Kayl is called upon to take up her sword again.

The Raven Ring – After Eleret’s mother is killed in battle, she sets off to recover one of her mother’s prized possessions: a ring etched with a raven that is a talisman of power against an ancient enemy, the Shadow-born. But someone wants the ring badly enough to kill for it, and Eleret must unlock its mysteries to survive.

WANT TO READ

LADY MIDNIGHT (The Dark Artifices #1), Cassandra Clare.

A sequel to the hugely popular MORTAL INSTRUMENTS series. From Goodreads: Emma Carstairs is no longer a child in mourning, but a young woman bent on discovering what killed her parents and avenging her losses. Together with her parabatai Julian Blackthorn, Emma must learn to trust her head and her heart as she investigates a demonic plot that stretches across Los Angeles, from the Sunset Strip to the enchanted sea that pounds the beaches of Santa Monica. If only her heart didn’t lead her in treacherous directions…

Any others you’d recommend?

Thanks for reading.

The post THE ABC BOOK CHALLENGE – L appeared first on KATHRYN JANKOWSKI.

FAVORITES

DARK TRIUMPH, Robin LaFevers. Book 2 in LaFevers’s trilogy about nun assassins in 15th-century France. When Sybella arrives at a convent half-mad, she’s taken in and trained to use her skills at seduction and murder on behalf of St. Morain, the Lord of Death. But when she’s forced to return home, she encounters more brutality, along with unexpected love. Fast-paced, exciting. LaFevers grabs you from the first page.

DAUGHTER OF SMOKE AND BONE, Laini Taylor. I loved this first book, the story of art student Karou, a demon who falls in love with an angel. Original, filled with Taylor’s trademark lyrical writing. A terrific example of great story-telling.

THE DA VINCI CODE, Dan Brown. Yes, I know it’s old, and a bit on the cheesy, formulaic side, but it’s a fun read, with intrigue and deceit and a secret society. Forget the movie, it was awful. Read the book instead and you’ll understand why it was a mega-seller.

WANT TO READ

THE DIVINERS, Libba Bray. A girl with a supernatural power in 1926 New York City. Speakeasies, magic, the occult, a bit of horror. Sounds like a good choice for Halloween.

DOROTHY MUST DIE, Danielle Paige. I’m a bit hesitant to read this, as I love The Wizard of Oz and it’s got reviews all over the place on Goodreads–seems like you either love it or hate it. But I’m curious to see what Paige has done with a classic story.

Any you’d recommend?

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