The Android’s Dream by John Scalzi
The Foundling by Georgette Heyer
Pictures of the Night by Adele Geras
The Book Thief by Markus Zusak
The War at Ellesmere by Faith Erin Hicks
La’s Orchestra Saves the World by Alexander McCall Smith
Breaking Dawn by Stephenie Meyer
Grand Obsession by Perri Kinze
The Laughter of Dead Kings by Elizabeth Peters
The Luxe by Anna Godbersen
Red Seas Under Red Skies by Scott Lynch
J.K. Rowling: The Genius Behind Harry Potter by Sean Smith
Companion to Wolves by Sarah Monette and Elizabeth Bear
The Mystery of Grace by Charles de Lint
Lord John and the Hand of Devils by Diana Gabaldon
Eclipse by Stephenie Meyer
Lord John and the Brotherhood of the Blade by Diana Gabaldon
Coastliners by Joanne Harris
Thoughts:
The Book Thief by Markus Zusak: Not a comfortable book to read, but so very well-written. Staggering.
La’s Orchestra Saves the World by Alexander McCall Smith: Yes! I’ll own this when it comes out in paperback. Excellent. I’m relieved, as I didn’t care for The No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency at all when I tried it last month, although I love all his other books.
Breaking Dawn by Stephenie Meyer: A non-event. The pacing and emotional tone don’t deviate from a steady flatline. An incredible amount of stuff happens that should be emotionally resonant, and you just don’t care.
Grand Obsession by Perri Kinze: Excellent. Beautifully written exploration of what makes us fall in love with an instrument, and how we can respond emotionally to certain sounds when others don’t.
Red Seas Under Red Skies by Scott Lynch: It takes me a while to get around to reading a Scott Lynch book after buying it, but once I’m reading them they’re brilliant and the best book ever. Damn, he’s good. Plots within plots, greatc haracters, swashbuckling, swindling, triple- and quadruple-crossing. Great fun.
J.K. Rowling: The Genius Behind Harry Potter by Sean Smith: This book should be used as an example of how not to write a biography. A lot of it was “JK did/knew/passed within thirty feet of this event/person/place, and look, I can find a tenuous/coincidental/obvious/oblique parallel in her books!” It drove me up the wall in Wiccan Roots, and it drove me up the wall here.
Companion to Wolves by Sarah Monette and Elizabeth Bear: Best surprise of the month: Opening this hardcover book to find that BOTH AUTHORS HAD SIGNED IT. Score!