Reading List from June

Here's my reading list from June:

1. STORM WARNING by Mercedes Lackey (428 p.)
2. STORM RISING by Mercedes Lackey (412 p.)
3. STORM BREAKING by Mercedes Lackey (435 p.) These three make up a "Valdemar" trilogy, which tell about the catastophic "Mage Storms" that are heading their way . . .

4. HARRY POTTER AND THE SORCERER'S STONE (309 p.) Well, it's the first book--does this story of the boy wizard need any explanation?

5. NICCOLO RISING by Dorothy Dunnett (470 p.) The first, complicated book in her "House of Niccolo" series. It's not my favorite of the books, but it sets the scene for so much plot to come. And still, she remains my favorite historical-fiction writer. Period. Nobody comes remotely close.

6. LOVE WALKED IN by Marisa de los Santos (307 p.) What a charming first novel. Cornelia is an old-movie fan who runs a coffee shop, and one day, a modern-day Cary Grant walks in and sweeps her off her feet. (One character tells her at one point that, if he were any closer to her dream man, he'd be a copywrite violation. I love that.) The complication? His estanged, 11-year old daughter who comes to him for help when her mother disappears . . . and who immediately strikes up a relationship with Cornelia. I really enjoyed this one.

7. THE GAME by Diana Wynne Jones (179 p.) Haley has been raised by her strict grandparents, but is suddenly sent to live with her relatives in Ireland, where she learns to play The Game with her cousins. Written for children, but an interesting melding of our world to ancient Greek myths. Goes nicely with "Eight Days of Luke" which connects to Scandinavian myths.

8. CART AND CWIDDER by Diana Wynne Jones (193 p.)
9. DROWNED AMMETT by Diana Wynne Jones (312 p.)
10. SPELLCOATS by Diana Wynne Jones (279 p.)
11. CROWN OF DALEMARK by Diana Wynne Jones (408 p.) This quartet of books is kind of hard to describe--YA, again, first of all--and a rather epic kind of story. The first three books tell stories of different people in the history of fictional Dalemark, and then the fourth book ties all of them together--with a bit of time travel to boot. It's been years since I read these, and I was surprised at how much I enjoyed them. Silly me for letting them languish all this time!

12. HARRY POTTER AND THE CHAMBER OF SECRETS (341 p.) Um, you know, book two . . . A secret room far below Hogwarts, which can only be opened by the heir to Slytherin....

13. MASTERHARPER OF PERN by Anne McCaffrey (425 p.) I tend to think of this book as being McCaffrey's last, good book about Pern, and a clear work of love for a long-time character who clearly was one of her favorites. This tells the story of Robinton, whom we know as the Masterharper in later books, from his early days as a musical prodigy. We see his friendship with the dragonrider F'lon, his relationship with his difficult father (who will become Menolly's mentor later on) . . . It's one of those sweeping, lifetime-spanning stories, told with love.

14. YEAR IN THE WORLD by Frances Mayes (417 p.) (Yawn.) Um, what? Oh yes, the book . . . well, let's see. There's no question that Mayes can write, but, um . . . this was boring. She and her husband go on a year-long journey around the world, see beautiful things and eat wonderful food, blah, blah . . . because the book feels aimless. And long. And, well . . . she can write. It's just a shame that she couldn't have organized it in a fashion that read as if it was going somewhere, or telling any story other than endless reviews of delicious meals....

15. HARRY POTTER AND THE PRISONER OF AZKABAN by JK Rowling (435 p.) Book #3, where Harry learns that Sirius Black has escaped from prison and is apparently out to kill . . . him!

16. SPRING OF THE RAM by Dorothy Dunnett (469 p.) Second book of the "House of Niccolo" series--Nicholas heads to Trebizond to try to make a fortune for the Charretty company, but meets with just a few obstacles on the way. Like, say, a competitor who will stop at nothing--not even kidnapping and "marrying" Nicholas's 12-year old step-daughter. Or an army of Turks bent on taking over the city. And then there's the small matter of an ongoing feud with the Scottish lord Simon....

17. AUSTENLAND by Shannon Hale (194 p.) Okay, all you Jane Austen fans--this is an enjoyable, fluffy little book. Jane Hayes is a huge Austen fan . . . in particular, a fan of the BBC version of "Pride and Prejudice" with Colin Firth . . . Then her great-aunt leaves her a bequest in her will--a vacation at "Austenland," a Georgian-themed chance to live like a character from Austen's books for three weeks. She decides that she'll get Mr. Darcy out of her system once and for all. The plot was pretty predictable, but fun, so who cares? (grin)

18. HEART OF GOLD by Sharon Shinn (359 p.) One of my very favorite Sharon Shinn books--a world with two races, one matriarchal and powerful, one patriarchal, violent, but less powerful. Now, add in a young man who works in a lab, fighting disease, and a young woman who has been raised to question everything . . . and, oh yes, a terrible, deadly disease . . .

19. BALANCE OF TRADE by Sharon Lee and Steve Miller (453 p.) More of a YA book than their usual, still, this is an enjoyable sci-fi book in their "Liaden" world and tells the story of Jethri, taken on as an apprentice trader on a Liaden ship--the first Terran ever to be so honored (if you look at it like that, which some people don't!)

Comments

[Chris]

*sigh* I hear you about the McCaffery books. I wish authors wouldn't keep going when they shouldn't. See, for example, Lillian Jackson Braun.

[JessaLu]

I read Austenland in one night - I haven't done that in a long time! Loved the book :o)

[lisa]

Wow, you sure can read a lot of books in a month! I haven't read as much this last year or so as usual (knitting in the evening, tired, etc)... Right now it's HP #5 (so I can be on top of the story when ds and I go to the movie), then it'll be HP#6 so I'm ready for #7. I will look for the DW Jones and M Lackey books, they look good (as do the others, it's been a while since I read those dragonrider books).

[Christina]

I don't care for Frances Mayes. I think she is really annoying.

[minnie]

i love seeing your reading lists. i ended up pu tting 7 more books on my library queue!

[Kailana]

Did you see that Sharon Shinn has two books to look forward to in the fall. :) I am still way behind, so be a while for me, but you have to love it when an author offers up two books in one year.