The Wee Free Men Group Read for #MarchMagics

Welcome to our first MarchMagics group read -- THE WEE FREE MEN! Crivens! Though this is the 30th Discworld novel our beloved Sir Terry wrote, it is the first in the Tiffany Aching series and is a fresh take on that also-beloved world. It is billed as a YA series but I feel it is very different in tone to his children's books and fits more with his adult work. It is a story of danger and bravery, complex relationships and motives, and, yes, very ridiculous humor.

Since the plot of this first book is pretty straightforward (fairy queen steals child, protagonist comes to the rescue), how about we talk about the stellar characters today?

One thing that stands out immediately is the fact that Tiffany is only nine years old, doesn't know about her powers, and yet is already super amazing. She's a productive member of the Aching family, making the butter and cheese. She's a babysitter who takes her annoying little brother Wentworth on walks and even sometimes giving him sweeties. She's educated -- at least a basket of produce and a dozen eggs worth! And she's even a matriarch ... well, for a couple of days at least. She's a great protagonist because she's interesting from the start but, because she's so young, has SO much room to grow.

Then there are the titular Wee Free Men. They are thieves and fighters but also have the biggest hearts inside their tiny bodies. And how about that Scots dialect that the Nac Mac Feegles use? I kind of love when a book makes me read out loud inside my head to understand it. And, as Jean just found out, it also makes the audiobook version, read by the inimitable Stephen Briggs, AMAZING.

And, finally, there is the larger-than-life character who isn't even there anymore -- Granny Aching. Her influence on Tiffany, the entirety of the Chalk, and the supernatural world beyond is incalculable. I think the fact that Tiffany didn't even realize she was a witch proved she was one of the strongest ones possible. And yet she did it all as a "simple" solitary shepherdess, whose smoking habit seems a bit gross and whose belief in the medicinal uses of turpentine is horrifying.

So, if you read or reread along this month or even have read it in the past, what are your thoughts on the characters of THE WEE FREE MEN? Share them or any links to your own posts below!

Listening to the toad,

K

Postscript: Remember to observe a moment of silence on Tuesday (12 March), as we again mourn the far-too-early departure of Sir Terence David John Pratchett OBE.

House of Many Ways for #MarchMagics / #DWJMarch

The first book I chose to celebrate Diana Wynne Jones with was HOUSE OF MANY WAYS, the third story in the Howl trilogy and one of her final books (2008). I know that we will be reading HOWL together later this month, but the audiobook hold came in early and there wasn't going to be a chance of anything being spoiled since it's a multi-time reread so I jumped right in! (BTW, the audiobook is performed by the stellar Jenny Sterlin.)

Charmain Baker is a young lady raised by helicopter parents and sheltered from anything exciting or interesting. She is, therefore, something of a useless brat who just sits around reading and eating until, one day, she is sent off to tend a sick relative's house -- a relative who happens to be a wizard and who lives in a house that is much bigger on the inside than the outside. She quickly finds his library, an unexpected companion for her magical adventures, and a world that she never knew she belonged in.

Why do I love this book so much? Mostly because it has my favorite thing ever -- the main character finding out that magic exists and that he/she is actually able to use it! Long before Harry Potter, I fell in love with Annabel of NO FLYING IN THE HOUSE (1970) and dreamed of finding out that there was real magic in the world. Now, Charmain does know magic exists but she has been told repeatedly by her parents that it is shameful to perform and so she never studied it in school. So, when she discovers that not only is magic rather useful (the wizard's house is run by magic) but that she is able to perform it, it's life-changing. And where does Wizard Howl come into the story? You'll have to read the book to find out!

Sidenote: As I was looking for a book cover to use, I came across this art/storyboarding by artist Dina Norlund which is very fun! I only wish that she had kept going and added some imaginings of Sophie, Calcifer, and Twinkle.

Still searching for that magic,
K

Classics Challenge 6: Lud-in-the-Mist

And in the sixth month, I finished my sixth of twelve reads for the Back to the Classics Challenge. Yay, me! I originally picked up Lud-in-the-Mist (1926) by Hope Mirrlees because Neil Gaiman  raves about it. I'm counting it as "A classic by an author that's new to you" because not only had I never read this author before but I had never even heard of her before reading Gaiman's The View from the Cheap Seats. I was able to scrounge up a used copy (which sadly ended up having water damage and various food spills inside) and am now acquainted with Ms. Mirrlees.

About this book, Gaiman says it is "a quintessentially English novel of transcendent oddness, set in a town on the borders of Fairyland, where illegal traffic in fairy fruit ..., and the magic and poetry and wildness that come with the fruit from over the border, change the lives of the townsfolk forever". It was one of his influences for Stardust and I could certainly see that as I read it. However, I have to admit that the oddness of this novel was such that I felt strong discomfort as I read it. I don't know if it was because Mirrlees was so good at describing fairy influence and power or if it was the mob mentality that rose up a couple of times or even if it was the enchantment and disappearance of quite a few children. Whatever it was, I found myself binging at the end to finish as soon as possible. (I told Z I was doing this and he thought it was the strangest thing ever and was even a bit concerned for me until I was done!) I am glad to have read it as it was an influence on books I love (Jo Walton points out that it was also obviously an influence on Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell) but now I would just like to stick to rereading those beloved tales.

With appreciation,
K

New Releases: Slay and School for Psychics

I wanted to do a couple of quick mentions for some new releases I've read recently. They are both series books so be forewarned!

Slay by Matthew Laurence is the sequel to last year's Freya and it's darker but just as fun of an adventure with the Norse goddess in modern times. This one focuses on Freya, Sekhmet, and Nathan (Freya's high priest) and takes place mostly in Los Angeles and San Francisco. It explores a lot of unique situations of love, fame, and friendship. It still has a corporation as the big baddie but there are little foes as well.

School for Psychics by K.C. Archer is the first in a new series and it also features a kick-ass female lead but a lot of the action happens inside Teddy's head, as you can probably guess from the title. She is an outsider who knows she's different but isn't quite sure how until she is recruited to attend a government training academy for psychics. The Institute turns out to be the place where she can not only explore what power lies inside her but also discover more about her mysterious past.

These two books are actually quite similar in that they seem tailor-made to be turned into movies. They're both vivid and fast-paced with enough action, drama, and hookups to attract key demographics. But, as books, they're perfect summer/vacation reads so I suggest picking them up and having some fun!

Celebrating extraordinary girl powers,
K

#MarchMagics / #DWJMarch Week 1 Roundup

Oh, this first week of MarchMagics / DWJMarch was heaven. I read four books, two collections of shorts, two novels.

First up was Dragons at Crumbling Castle, a collection from 2014 of stories that Terry Pratchett wrote between 1965 and 1973. From the introduction,

"... read the stories that I wrote as a teenager, mostly as they were first printed, although the grown-up me has tinkered just a little with a few fine details--the odd tweak here, a pinch there, and a little note at the bottom where needed, and all because the younger me wasn't as clever back then as he turned out to be."

These are stories for children but so lighthearted and funny that I loved them all. I loved the punny-ness of the title story. I loved revisiting the Carpet People. I loved the tortoise and the caveman inventor and the hapless Santa. Most of all, I loved the break from everything serious and bleak. This was a joy to read.

And, as much as Pratchett knows about creating lovable characters, DWJ is a master at the most loathsome, horrid creatures ever -- six different ones made their appearances in the three stories of Stopping for a Spell. The stories are each named after these awful characters (the "Chair" Person, Angus Flint, and the Four Grannies) and their awfulness is certainly the basis of each tale. The fact that she could provoke such intense, visceral reactions from adults reading short stories for children is proof that Diana was a bonafide genius.

Besides this horrible cover that I had to explain to Z had hardly anything to do with the story, Eric was another fun Rincewind/Discworld adventure. It won't work as a starting book for anyone just getting into this universe but, once you get to it, literature fans will have a wonderful time with some of the references. I was sad that it was only 197 pages long. Luckily, it left me a lot of time in the week for this doorstop ...

This was my second read of The Merlin Conspiracy (558 pages) and I loved it oh so much more this time through! There are two narratives, those of Nick and Roddy, weaving together through most of the book and then they join at the end and I wavered between each one as a favorite and ended up deciding that I had to love them both equally. The basic story is one of parallel worlds, with Nick in one and Roddy in another and how their lives eventually intersect. The stakes are high and there are some seemingly bad characters who turn out to be good and horrid ones who turn out to be even worse than you originally think. There is a lot of magic of all different sorts and the creatures are especially fun -- even the goat. I would definitely call this an all-ages book too. It has layers. Many, many layers.

So, what did you read this first week? Leave thoughts or links below!

(I know some people have trouble commenting on Blogger sites so it's okay to just leave a comment on anyone else's post too and I will find you.)

Loathing and loving,

K

The Broken Lands

I can't even begin to find a way to explain Kate Milford's The Broken Lands to you. It's a prequel to Boneshaker and has a minor character from that book in a medium-sized role. It happens in late-19th century New York City and has card sharps, Chinese fireworks experts, devils, demons, and magic. It's such an amazing and perilous world and I absolutely loved it. There are also real cultural issues and complex war musings. It's another one of those books that has no target age group. It has elements of the fantasy, horror, adventure, and coming-of-age genres and is simply another amazing Milford story.

The coolest news this week was that Bluecrowne, an early Kickstarted story by Milford, has been updated and is being rereleased this October. It's a bridge between the Greenglass House world and the Boneshaker one and I cannot wait for it. I will be more than happy to reread everything this summer before this new adventure comes out.

All about this world,

K

Pretty, Pretty Alice

I try not to hoard different editions of books but there have been so many different, beautiful editions of Alice's Adventures in Wonderland in the past couple of years that I've ended up with more copies than I intended. I hadn't yet had a chance to really explore this Anna Bond-illustrated edition from Puffin so I spent the last couple of days enjoying it from cover to cover.

First of all, I took a peek under the already-lovely dust jacket and found this SPLENDID cover. Even the headband is a sparkly gold that is awesome.

Then I opened the front cover and found these lovely monochromatic endpapers, full of all of the highlights of the story.

Finally, I enjoyed the lovely insides of the book, with lots of bright and beautiful illustrations. They definitely were inspired by the Disney film but, as it is one of my favorite things in the world, I loved it.

All of these images and more are at the Rifle Paper Co. website where Anna Bond is creative director. If you scroll to the bottom, you'll also see her Puffin in Bloom series, including such titles as Little Women and Anne of Green Gables. But I don't need more editions of these books, right? I don't need more ...

With failing resolve,

K

New Release: Jane, Unlimited

Jane, Unlimited is the latest by Kristin Cashore, of Graceling fame. Although she spells her name wrong, she sure knows how to tell a compelling story.

The beginning: Jane is an uber-orphan, first losing her parents when she was two and then losing her aunt/guardian recently during her first year of college. She is grieving and adrift so, when invited to a unique island home by a former tutor, Jane leaves her life behind and heads to Tu Reviens. Almost from the first moment they arrive, she begins to sense (and investigate) the mysteries unfurling around her.

The twist: What follows are five different stories stemming from a single choice, a full set of alternate realities.

I don't think I can even begin to tell you anything else about this book because my brain hurts when I try to put it into a nice little pigeonhole in my mental library. This is a story with many genres and I found them all equally strong. The only thing I hoped for as I read was more romance because I liked Jane best when she was considering love and/or attraction. I wrote a little bit after I finished Bitterblue, the final book in the Graceling trilogy, and one sentence just stood out to me as I looked back: "It was harder to side with Bitterblue when she was being irrational or petulant but then a learning experience would happen and she would win me over again." This is almost EXACTLY how I felt about Jane too! She had a tendency to blurt without thinking first, to ask impertinent questions, or to be downright rude and I would get annoyed by her only to have a personal revelation or a discovery bring me right back to her side as an ally. Also, her hobby was making umbrellas which I couldn't get enough of for some reason. Anyway, if you aren't sure about genre fiction and need a unique story that lets you dip your toes in it, pick this one up!

Ready to reread already,
K

A Stack of Eight

As the holidays approach and I get closer to having houseguests, I keep looking at all of the things that need to be tidied up and my stack of unreviewed books taunts me from the coffee table. Five of these are review copies too (as I've been trying to pare down yet another stack in another room) so I NEED to tell you about them. I don't know if I'll get to full reviews but I want to at least give these all a mention so here goes --

Reincarnation Blues by Michael Poore
I actually finished this story (of a man nearing the end of his reincarnation limit) at the beginning of November but could never figure out just what to say about it. There were things I liked about it and a couple of things that I didn't but it had me thinking for weeks about reincarnation and death and many other things. My spreadsheet note says "all over the place but mostly in a good way".

The Essex Serpent by Sarah Perry
This was more of a character development book than a plot book and I enjoyed meandering through it. There was also a feeling of sadness about the whole story. The main character was incredibly damaged and that followed her everywhere.

Supernova by C.A. Higgins
This is the second in a trilogy and it was ridiculously dark and, quite honestly, painful to read but it inspired a lot of thought about rebels and revolutions and the cost of bringing down an empire. I definitely want to finish the trilogy but I'll need a bit of a break before I dive back into the darkness.

Whistling in the Dark by Shirley Hughes
I adored this story of children in Liverpool during the Blitz. Hughes was a young woman during WWII and her experiences definitely come through and give this story depth and authenticity.

Yesternight by Cat Winters
This one was weird. It was atmospheric and bizarre and I'm not sure I liked the ending.

Good Evening, Mrs. Craven by Mollie Panter-Downes
These WWII homefront pieces that were originally published in The New Yorker were almost all from points of view that I had never read/heard before. Some of them were rather depressing, others inspiring. Again, it was educational and entertaining to read a different point of view that usual.

Ocean of Secrets, Vol. 1 by Sophie-chan
This is Sophie-chan's first manga and she says she has been working on the story for years. It is a good twist on the secret-princess story. The second volume comes out in a couple of months and I think this will be a fun one to follow.

Hogfather by Terry Pratchett
And this one was a bit hard to get into for some reason. By the end I enjoyed it but I think that there are other better books in the Death series. However, there were also a few things in it that I loved -- like the scenes with the wizards. They were especially funny this time.

Well, now I get to put all of these books away and make room for presents. Yay! If there's one you want to know more about, let me know in the comments and I'll write a real post in the new year.

Tidying up,
K

New Release: The Wonderling (and RIPXII 3)

Today is the release date of a very unique, heartstring-tugging middle-grade fantasy tale, The Wonderling by Mira Bartók. I usually write my own summary but this one from Candlewick is just perfect --

Welcome to the Home for Wayward and Misbegotten Creatures, an institution run by evil Miss Carbunkle, a cunning villainess who believes her terrified young charges exist only to serve and suffer. Part animal and part human, the groundlings toil in classroom and factory, forbidden to enjoy anything regular children have, most particularly singing and music. For the Wonderling, an innocent-hearted, one-eared, fox-like eleven-year-old with only a number rather than a proper name — a 13 etched on a medallion around his neck — it is the only home he has ever known. But unexpected courage leads him to acquire the loyalty of a young bird groundling named Trinket, who gives the Home’s loneliest inhabitant two incredible gifts: a real name — Arthur, like the good king in the old stories — and a best friend. Using Trinket’s ingenious invention, the pair escape over the wall and embark on an adventure that will take them out into the wider world and ultimately down the path of sweet Arthur’s true destiny.

I got entirely lost in the richness of this story. It was perilous and sweet at the same time and I was never quite sure if things would come right in the end. Arthur was so pure and innocent, Trinket so brave and bold -- each time they were in danger, my heart sat in my throat until they got through. My absolute favorite thing about this story though was that there were characters who were not what you expected them to be. More than one creature that seemed scary or dishonest turned out to be helpful or friendly, a perfect modern lesson to reinforce the old adage "don't judge a book by its cover". (Although, take a look at this cover! Anyone could tell that this book would be wonderful, right?)

Yearning for family and music,
K

#RIPXII Book 1: Ash and Quill

Third in The Great Library series, Rachel Caine keeps upping the stakes for our young Library initiates and Ash and Quill is a ridiculously stressful, entirely readable entry in the series. For those still unfamiliar with it, the alternate universe premise is that the Great Library at Alexandria was never burned and a global civilization that venerated learning was established. But, of course, eventually the leaders started caring more about power than anything else. The first book starts with a group of young initiates who quickly bond as they start to uncover injustices and irregularities within The Library. I don't know how long this series is going to be but if Caine keeps up the character maturation, the high-stakes action, and the unadulterated bookishness, I'll stay on board for at least a few more books!

( I wrote a bit more about the first two books last year.)

Sharing this book instead of hiding it,
K

A Big Stack of Books - Fantasy and Sci-Fi Edition

Still working on that big stack I mentioned last time. Here are some of the recent-ish fantasy and sci-fi books I've enjoyed!

A lovely friend put this book, Lightless by C.A. Higgins, in my hands and told me I had to read it. I picked up the sequel at the same time based on the cool-sounding premise -- a state-of-the-art space vessel with an artificial intelligence and a scientist/mechanic who cares for her, even when faced with sabotage, terrorists, and an evil government interrogator. I don't read tons of straight-up science fiction but I would read a lot more if it was all like this! It was tense and exciting and so smart without trying to prove it's smart, if you know what I mean.

Ghost Train to New Orleans is the sequel to Mur Lafferty's The Shambling Guide to New York City and it was just as fun as the first book. Zoë and her colleagues head to New Orleans to write their second Shambling Guide and from the moment they board the ghost train, everything changes for Zoë. Luckily, everything is happening is a gorgeous, supernatural New Orleans where there are parties and beignets and plenty of things to hide from. I wish there were more books in the series because she mentions heading to London next!

I told you I wouldn't be able to wait very long before reading my next Company book and here I am, already done with The Life of the World to Come. This one brings together two of my favorite characters in an unexpected plot twist that has been building over a few of the books. I loved the way it was done and I loved this book. I totally understand why people love rereading this series because you become really invested in the lives of these not-quite-humans.

And yes, I read Monstress: Volume One - Awakening by Marjorie Liu and Sana Takeda. It has an incredible story and the artwork is amazing. It had a feeling of familiarity even though there was nothing in it that I had ever seen before. I'm really looking forward to the next trade (which just came out a couple of weeks ago).

From space to eternity,
K

A Big Stack of Books - Junior Edition

I have a big stack of books here to review and they're stressing me out so you're going to get quick reviews over the next few days so that I can sit and peacefully enjoy an episode or two of Supernatural (I'm only in the middle of season two!) without staring at the pile.

The Unbreakable Code by Jennifer Chambliss Bertman is the sequel to Book Scavenger and I have to admit that I enjoyed the first book better. This one was a lot darker and rather creepy at times, and not in a good way. It dealt with some of the issues of the first book in a pretty adult way and it overshadowed the fun puzzles and mysteries. I did like the San Francisco info and learned a lot about the islands off the coast. I also loved the references to It's-It Ice Cream Sandwiches because they are the best! I ended up buying myself a box shortly after finishing this.

I can't get enough Kate Milford (there's a sequel to Greenglass House coming out in October, kids!!!) and so, when I needed an escape from political madness, I turned to this book. Kate herself noticed my tweet about excitedly starting this one and apologized like this: "I want to say I love this, but you know you picked the one that involves a gullible populace falling prey to a huckster, right?" At least I was forewarned but Kate overstated the peril because this book is all about smart kids and their willingness to put their lives on the line to save their town. It was inspirational and I ended it with a renewed sense of power and hope.

Finally, I recently read the novelization of My Neighbor Totoro. I was in the mood because Z and I have been going to Studio Ghibli Fest movies each month, My Neighbor Totoro in June and Kiki's Delivery Service this month. Well, this book was cute and just slightly different from the movie so fun to read even if you've watched it a billion times already. Z's been eyeing it too but right now he's in the middle of the big Hitchhiker's Guide omnibus.

Believing and hoping (and eating It's-Its),

K

New Release: Meddling Kids

I rarely preorder new books anymore but, because this was supposedly based on Mystery Inc./Scooby-Doo and because I *loved* Edgar Cantero's first novel, The Supernatural Enhancements, I knew that Meddling Kids was a no-risk buy and I also didn't want to wait to read it. Based on the descriptions (a mix of Scooby-Doo and The Goonies was the last one I saw), I was expecting a light-hearted, funny pastiche. But this is an actual horror book with damaged characters. The young detective friends have grown up, had various problems based on what they experienced in their last case, and have reunited in Oregon to face those demons -- some of them literal. It's not all bleak though -- there's friendship, unrequited love, and yes, a dog.

I was just reading my post about The Supernatural Enhancements and I said that I had written "holy crap" in a tweet and that the author asked if it was good crap or bad. This time I tweeted right at him -- "Wow, @punkahoy. Just wow, wow, wow, wow, wow. #readthisbook". And yes, they were good wows. I had so much fun reading this story, so many things happened that I never saw coming. The story had nods to those previously mentioned shows and found its creatures in Lovecraftian lore, but it was purposeful, never heavy-handed, and all arranged in an exciting, original way. Also, check out the awesome neon cover! This was a great summer read but would also be perfect during the upcoming RIP season. (Not that I'm already thinking about reading stacks for that because that would be crazy ... er ...)

Unearthing a gem,

K

A Fish Out of Water or Two

I'm still a bit behind on reviews so I'll be doubling up today on two stories that feature a strong female protagonist who must find her way in a foreign culture -- one of them in her own city!

Mur Lafferty's The Shambling Guide to New York City is one I kept seeing mentioned in recommendations and "best of" lists so, even though I don't read much modern urban fantasy, I grabbed a copy. It's about Zoe Norris, newly returned to New York City after a very bad breakup (she was sleeping with her married boss). She's looking for work and sees a help wanted ad in a very strange bookstore that seems to be perfect for her -- travel guide writer, the same job she just left behind in North Carolina. The owner of that company happens to be standing right by her when she sees the ad and he bluntly tells her that she is the wrong person for the job. Zoe doesn't give up though and, when she happens across another employee of Underground Publishing in a local coffee shop, she manages to get a foot in the door. Whether the job is actually going to be a good fit for her will be determined once she finally sees who (and what) she will be working with and whether or not she can survive her first days on the job.

This story was funny and sexy and terrifying and I had an absolute blast reading it. There were all sorts of creatures and people, lots of adventure and peril, and New York City herself was actually a character -- and not in that way that one usually says "it's like the city was a character". No, in this book it was literal. And there was one sexy-type scene that embarrassed me so much that it made me think that I should probably read more romance because my reading choices are apparently a bit prim. But I loved Zoe's confidence and her acceptance of a ridiculous amount of diversity. She was sensitive while finding out new information and tried her best to be an ally, even when it put her life in danger. I just bought the second book in the series, The Ghost Train to New Orleans, and I'll also be grabbing Lafferty's recent Six Wakes based on Jenny's great review.

For the longest time I kept seeing everyone talking about Tremontaine, a serial novel set in the Swordspoint world created by Ellen Kushner, and wasn't sure it would be my thing. But a few weeks ago I saw that an omnibus of the first season was coming out and so I got it from the library just to try it out. It didn't take me long to totally get into the story and not much longer to finish all 673 pages!

In this alternate universe, southern hemisphere cultures are the most advanced, able to navigate the oceans and travel to the dreary north to deliver exotic commodities like vanilla beans, saffron, and, most importantly, chocolate. A young woman named Kaab, a member of the main trading family from her land who is trained in espionage and combat, has been banished to the north because of a mission gone wrong. What she finds in her new home is swordplay, political machinations, and, unexpectedly, friendship and romance. The story also follows a young scholar, a turnip-farming girl with a head for math, the Duke and Duchess of Tremontaine, and others who are looking to get the most out of the City they love/loathe.

This was written as weekly episodes, each by a different author than the week before -- 13 episodes, seven authors. There were a few inconsistencies but the overall story was ridiculously compelling. There were even some unexpected plot directions that left plenty of room for, hopefully, surprises and redemptions in the second season. I believe all of the episodes are already out for that season so I'm not sure if I'll cave and buy each one now or wait for the second omnibus. If I do wait, though, I'll be filling the time with Kushner's original three novels! Her writing was my favorite in this book and I look forward to seeing how she created the world.

Considering a quick jaunt out of my comfort zone,
K

Walter Moers' Zamonia

I had the ridiculously good fortune the weekend before this last one to meet up with some blogging friends -- Robin, Selena, and, the reason for it all ... Ana, who was visiting Seattle for the first time. Yay! We met at Elliott Bay Book Company where we bought too many books together and then had a lovely little sit down with lemonades. It was so nice to be with these dear friends in person. There were so many of you that we also wished were there too!

Anyway, at one point we each volunteered what we were currently reading and I tried to explain my current read and completely failed, mumbling something about "dinosaur-ish author explores a city dedicated to books". My explanation might not even have been that clear! Then I just looked back over my blog and saw that I rave about most of the books in this series but can never quite explain what they are about in a way that doesn't make them seem ridiculously odd. So, here is my latest attempt to get some of you interested in the Zamonia series by Walter Moers, translated from German into English by John Brownjohn.

There are five books currently translated into English in this series --

The 13 1/2 Lives of Captain Bluebear

Rumo & His Miraculous Adventures

The City of Dreaming Books

The Alchemaster's Apprentice

The Labyrinth of Dreaming Books

The first two books have a character in common but aren't related, the third and fifth feature the same main character and take place 200 years apart, and the fourth is another one-off, but all five are set in the same world. They all feature illustrations by the author and a fantasy world like no other. The fifth, which I just finished, is actually only the first half of a huge, rambling story and it was my least favorite (but still enjoyable) Zamonia read, a real fan's book ... but that could change once the rest of the story is available (in The Castle of Dreaming Books, release date unknown). Anyone could easily start with The City of Dreaming Books or any of the other three and discover the world, just in a slightly different order.

So what are these all about? A whole bunch of species living in the ridiculously diverse landscape of Zamonia and the city of Bookholm. There is a bit of magic, a lot of unexpected friendships, some intense adventures, and a deep and abiding love for books and words. Main characters can be bears, dogs, cats, or even dinosaurs and eventually you think nothing of it. You get too caught up in the prose, the humor, and the adventure of Moers' tales. Just search for Zamonia on Tumblr and you will see that this series has fans from all over the world that have been inspired to create and dream and explore.

These are some of the things I have said in past posts about this series:

I don't even know how to begin to explain this book or series but if you are looking for something completely different, this is it. If you don't enjoy the absurd or fantastic, then don't read it. (Rumo)

I know this sounds super strange but it's actually a beautiful tale with tons of suspense and action but also lots of thoughtful musing. (Alchemaster)

This book is funny and exciting and charming and imaginative. Each book I read in this series is more amazing than the last. Moers is a genius in the vein of Terry Pratchett or Jasper Fforde, using wordplay in a witty but seamless manner. I'm sure that I have missed well over half of what was really in this story. Rather than discouraging me, it just makes me look forward to rereading. (City)

So, I'm sure I still haven't satisfactorily explained what these books are about and what makes them so special but, if you're in the mood for something completely different and unique, you may want to give this series a try.

Spewing gibberish,

K

The Hotel Under the Sand

I am in the middle of Kage Baker's fantastic Company series but was also curious about what else she had written. I found this one that sounded interesting and then stuck it on the old TBR shelf to get dusty. Well, at the end of the latest Readathon, I started getting burned out at the end of the night and the books on my stack didn't seem like the right reads for the moment so I browsed my TBR and the 180 small pages of this one seemed perfect. Then I opened it and the first thing I saw was this --

Wow! I read The Hotel Under the Sand with delight and joy. It's wonderful, wacky and spooky and serious and FUN. It also strikes me as utterly original (which is quite rare). In fact -- although this is something one should always say with some caution -- it wouldn't surprise me if it turned out to be a classic and went on down the ages along with Alice and Oz and the very few others that have become immortal.
-- Diana Wynne Jones, author of Howl's Moving Castle

What could possibly make me more excited about this book? NOTHING.

So, did it live up to DWJ's excessive praise? Short answer, yes. It was possibly one of the sweetest, funnest, most original chapter books I've ever read. There's one of the best ghosts I've ever read about, the coolest magical setting, and a super awesome treasure hunt. I mean, it starts with a girl washing up on an island and she immediately finds herself water and food and makes her own shelter! She's not helpless! It also made my heart so happy with its friendships and found family. I have no idea why this book hasn't found its audience yet but I'm going to work on changing that.

Sharing the secret of this island gem,

K

The Invisible Library, Continued

via B&N Sci-Fi and Fantasy Blog

Recently I gushed about The Invisible Library and, though I wanted to space these reads out more, I couldn't resist immediately picking up the next two books in the series, The Masked City and The Burning Page (the fourth, The Lost Plot, will be out next January). My verdict on it all? Every book in this series honestly gets better and better. There is more depth to each successive plot even though they are all connected and the characters become more complex. Strangely, my favorite thing has ending up being Irene's internal dialogue as she learns how to be a leader, questions her motivations on decisions, and thinks through her friendships and alliances. She isn't a perfect heroine but she's a strong, intelligent, capable one and that's better than perfect. This is definitely going to be one of my regular-reread series. I can't recommend it enough, even for people who don't necessarily like fantasy. Seriously. Read these books.

Recommending strongly,

K

The Invisible Library ... Enough Said

I finally read The Invisible Library. I fell in love ... hard. With elements reminiscent of some of my favorite stories (Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell, Jackaby, and Seraphina, just to name a few), I couldn't help but fall in love with Librarian Irene and the alternative London filled with dirigibles, mythical creatures, and intrigue. I almost couldn't contain my joy when I figured out Kai's secret and I loved Vale's progressive nature as well. I'm not really going into the plot because I didn't know much about it before I went in and was constantly nervous (in a good way) and surprised (in the best way). I do need to reread the last chapter though because it was a bit hard to follow at 4:00 in the morning when I finished my binge read. I think I know what Coppelia was getting at but I need to recheck and make sure.

Once I'm done with that, I have the second book, The Masked City, here already and the third book is on hold. There's a fourth book coming out in December and I will definitely be ready to read it! This is a series I know I will go back to for rereads whenever I need a dose of kickass librarians and mind-controlled alligators.

In love (times ten),

K

#MarchMagics : Thief of Time

This final read for March Magics, Thief of Time, was also the only one I was reading for the first time. I was happy then to end the month with this smart, funny, thoughtful exploration of form, function, and time. This is another book with a complicated set of interwoven plots and characters. There are the Monks of History who live in one perfect day and manage time, shuffling it around when it is needed or is being wasted. There is Jeremy, a clockmaker in Ankh-Morpork who is a bit off but has been tasked with making an impossible device. There is Lobsang Ludd, former thief and current apprentice to Lu-Tse, a sweeper for the Monks. There are the Auditors, those grey hooded rule-makers who can't stand the diversity and unpredictability of human life. And then there is Susan and, of course, her grandfather, Death.  Oh! And Nanny Ogg makes a couple of appearances! Love her.

So, it was a bit confusing at first as each of the plots was starting up but by the end the stories clicked together like, well, clockwork. And there were two moments at the end that were some of the sweetest moments in the entire Discworld series. This is definitely my new favorite Death book. Pratchett really gets better through the years and is best when he couples complexity with depth while keeping his trademark humor and intelligence.

Question of the Day: Death by chocolate is a real thing in this book. What food/treat, if made perfectly, would be the death of you?

My answer? It would be a tie between snickerdoodle cookies (Martha Stewart's recipe ... LOADS of butter) and See's Dark California Brittle (almonds ... mmm ....). If I had either of those around regularly, I would die of overeating in a very short time.

So, that's the end of March Magics and DWJ March! I hope you all enjoyed the event this year. I'm already thinking about next year's theme. But, even if we all just randomly picked books by Jones and Pratchett, we would be guaranteed to have an amazing experience.

Reluctantly closing the doors on March,

K