Books 2 Love 1.21

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read-escape-books2love

I read a LOT. I read a lot as a kid, stopped reading for pleasure in college, then took it up again in 2016 as a way of coping with parent care. But there was a biiiig difference. I discovered reading ebooks on my phone. If anyone had ever told me I would love reading on my phone I would have shut the door in their face.

But Lo! Here I am hundreds of ebooks later, every one of them from the library–with the marvelous side benefit that they return themselves!

Note: I primarily read fantasy adventure novels (including some sci-fi), and the vast majority of this genre is Young Adult (YA). Consider yourself warned. I also hate book reports with a passion and have since the grade school when I was made to write them. So don’t expect a lot of words per book. I read it. I like it. Done. I notice diverse characters (color, sexuality, etc–or the lack thereof), and sometimes I’ll note these. All of the books came from the Library. No links included. Copy, paste, and google, please.

The book I’m reading right now–and LOVING for the voice, the exceptional use of language, and the richness of the story–is Strange the Dreamer, by Laini Taylor. I am always thrilled when books feel genuinely original–this one is special. Highly recommended.

Other books I’ve enjoyed recently (I only include things I’ve enjoyed. If it was meh, it isn’t here.

The Shadowhunter series by Cassandra Clare.
Super fun. Regular girl discovers she is part of a demon-hunting race of nephilim. Adventures ensue.

Serpent and Dove by Shelby Mahurin.
Glorious.

Fever series by Karen Marie Moning (cis, white).
Buffy the Fae-Slayer in modern day Dublin. FUN.

These Witches Don’t Burn by Isabel Sterling.
Teenage lesbian witches in modern day Salem. Adorable.

Chaos Walking series by Patrick Ness.
Sci-fi. Chilling and brilliant.

And just for you book people, I’m selling scratch n dent copies of Midnight for less than half price, USA only, shipping included. This will go in the next newsletter, but you get a head start ; )

Hugs and love,
Alia


Welcome to Books I Love

I have always been a book person–I like books in my hands, the ink, the pages, the pleasure of the thing itself. However, I hate reading on a computer. Hate. It. I do it for work, but it’s a drag and a half. I therefore disdained e-reading, virtual books, the whole thing. No battery=no reading=forget it.

Not that I’ve had any time to read in forever (even if college hadn’t made me read so much crap I had to let go of reading novels. It took years before I read a book for pleasure again). And buying books costs an arm and leg, even used. Long story short, it’s been a literary wasteland up in here. But!

Last summer I discovered reading on my phone

(It’s a Note 3 Smartphone on which I draw all the cartoons you see in these posts). The first book was Neil Gaiman’s Stardust, which I <choke> bought via kindle while waiting for a plane, because I couldn’t bear to pay the price of the airport bookstall.

Oh. My. Gosh.

There was even a plug by my seat. I have since read a virtual tsunami of books on my phone. The only problem is that it is almost impossible to read non-fiction on a phone. Which leaves the world of fiction… Oh, snap!

I have officially reverted to my childhood. I read like a junkie, constantly. Even better is the ebook selection of our Public Libraries. I had to stop using the library because I could never get the books back on time, but on my phone? They go back automatically! I now have cards at TWO libraries. I read several books a week (in between games of solitaire, also on my phone). It’s how I’ve coped with life this past year, and it is a thrill to read again. I even listen to audiobooks when I drive.

Because I am constantly trolling for new books, it occurred to me that others might be in the same boat. So I am officially inaugurating this new Books I Love category on the blog and in these posts.

I like fantasy.

Magic, sword and sorcery, other worlds, this world, and so forth, so this is most of what you will see here. I read the entire Narnia cycle in 4th grade. I love mythology, the supernatural (but zombies, werewolves, or vampires only as side characters), Conan comic books, adventure stories. Left to my own devices, I will read a book over watching a video any day (though I am currently engrossed in Breaking Bad, which I watch with my son a couple times a week). I skipped most of my junior high school years to read fantasy books in the library. My tastes have not changed.

So, where to begin? What books will I mention today? One thing I hate like poison is book reports. So you will rarely see much of any descriptions along with any titles, and a lot of the time I will just post authors, because when you have a good author, you have a lot of fun.

I’ll start with the first two authors I began reading on my phone, plus one less known but absolutely stunning.

Neil Gaiman, neilgaiman.com
Richard Kadrey, richardkadrey.com
N.K. Jemisin, nkjemisin.com

All three of these writers have multiple works. They have apparently never published a bad book.

Go forth and enjoy!

Love,

Alia