CPL's Book a Week Challenge discussion

Another week, another check in. Share what you're reading!

I'm almost done with Bad Feminist, and while I like the tone of the essays and love the narrator (listening to the audiobook version), there are times where I feel like the author is complaining about major things only to turn around a completely contradict herself in another essay further on in the book.

I picked up A Court of Thorns and Roses on the recommendation of a coworker. I liked Maas' other teen series, and this new one is engaging thus far.

I'm also still working on The Familiar. Knowing Danielewski's work, it'll probably take me a good while to get all the way through it.

I just finished The Strange and Beautiful Sorrows of Ava Lavendar by Leslye Walton. It was a finalist for the William C Morris Award. What a lovely and magical read!

I just finished my first time read through of "The Hitch Hikers Guide to the Galaxy" and am now reading "Bearing an Hour Glass" by Piers Anthony. It's book two in the Incarnations of Immortality series, and I really enjoy the play between the characters of myth that were thought to control our lives through time, fate, threads of life, death, and heaven and hell. A fun combination of science, magic, and myth.

Pattie wrote: "I just finished The Strange and Beautiful Sorrows of Ava Lavendar by Leslye Walton. It was a finalist for the William C Morris Award. What a lovely and magical read!"

It sounds really interesting! "Lovely and magical" makes me think of The Night Circus.

Chris wrote: " It's book two in the Incarnations of Immortality series, and I really enjoy the play between the characters of myth that were thought to control our lives through time, fate, threads of life, death, and heaven and hell. A fun combination of science, magic, and myth."

Chris, this also sounds really good. What mythological characters show up in the series?

So far in the books I have encountered Thanatos (death), Chronos, Mars, Gaea, and Satan (the villain, of course). Each book in the series seems to focus on a new aspect of each incarnation. It's a very unique world, with clever interactions, and devious schemes forcing some incarnations to cause harm to other characters with the best of intentions.

Chris wrote: "So far in the books I have encountered Thanatos (death), Chronos, Mars, Gaea, and Satan (the villain, of course). Each book in the series seems to focus on a new aspect of each incarnation. It'..."

Definitely sounds like it would be up my alley. I'll have to look into it. It's interesting that Satan is written as a villain so often, when one could argue that he is more of an antihero than a villain. I'd love to see more literature explore the idea of Satan/Lucifer as something other than a malevolent being, bent on the utter destruction of man. Joe Hill's Horns explores this a bit.

Thanks for sharing, Chris!

Liz wrote: "Chris wrote: "So far in the books I have encountered Thanatos (death), Chronos, Mars, Gaea, and Satan (the villain, of course). Each book in the series seems to focus on a new aspect of each inca..."

Well, in the books he's not exactly a villain in the obviously evil sense. But he is a the incarnation of evil trying to gather souls, competing against god who is trying to gather souls for his purposes. But it is interesting because the incarnations are not able to directly affect the other incarnations, so they all have to work within their own skills. In the lore of the books, neither satan nor god has power over time, death, or fate, so they must try and manipulate the other incarnations in order to gather their souls. In the books, satan is more like the iconic used-car salesman pitching his wares, rather than a purely evil entity.

Chris wrote: "So far in the books I have encountered Thanatos (death), Chronos, Mars, Gaea, and Satan (the villain, of course). Each book in the series seems to focus on a new aspect ..."

I just looked the book up, and the library has the first one on CD, but not in book form. I might pick up the CD version, though, because I'm almost done with my current audiobook. Thanks for the suggestion; it sounds very interesting.

I finished The Annotated Sandman, vol. 2, and must now wait because we do not have The Annotated Sandman, vol. 3 (and vol. 4 does not appear to be out yet). I have put in a request for it. I also requested we purchase the audio for Ready Player One, narrated by Will Wheaton).
I also finished From a High Tower, by Mercedes Lackey (and enjoyed it).
I checked out Rook by Shannon Cameron and will read that next. I have a couple of requests on NetGalley, but need to pull out the laptop to load Adobe onto my Nook, and keep getting sidetracked. After that, I'm not sure what to read next, maybe a nonfiction binge.

Chris wrote: "I just finished my first time read through of "The Hitch Hikers Guide to the Galaxy" and am now reading "Bearing an Hour Glass" by Piers Anthony. It's book two in the Incarnations of Immortality ..."

Chris and Liz- I've enjoyed reading your conversation about the "Incarnations of Immortality" series. It sounds like a book series that I would also like so I'm putting it on my list. Thanks!

I finished up An Ember in the Ashes and The Cultural Lives of Whales and Dolphins last week. Both were really good, especially Ember . Now I have to wait for the next book which is going to be hard.

This week I am working on Animal Weapons and Eureka! Discovering Your Inner Scientist for non-fiction and Alias Hook for my fiction book. I've really been in the mood for fairy tales retold- anyone have any good suggestions?

Joanna wrote: "I've really been in the mood for fairy tales retold- anyone have any good suggestions?"

There are tons of books that are rewritten fairy tales; many of them are YA. Off the top of my head, I can think of The Lunar Chronicles, the Splintered series and Ella Enchanted. The book I just started, A Court of Thorns and Roses seems like it might be a Beauty and the Beast adaptation but I haven't gotten very far. Here are a couple of links to suggested fairy tale retellings: https://www.goodreads.com/shelf/show/...
https://www.goodreads.com/genres/fair...

Liz wrote: "Joanna wrote: "I've really been in the mood for fairy tales retold- anyone have any good suggestions?"

There are tons of books that are rewritten fairy tales; many of them are YA. Off the top of m..."

Mercedes Lackey has a whole series of twisted fairy tales.

Cami wrote: "Mercedes Lackey has a whole series of twisted fairy tales."

I have always been curious about Mercedes Lackey. Have you read her books? Are they good? For her twisted fairy tales series, do you have to read them in order or can you just pick up a book here and there?

Liz wrote: "There are tons of books that are rewritten fairy tales; many of them are YA. Off the top of my head..."

Thanks, Liz! I do want to read the Lunar Chronicles as those look intriguing. And of course Goodreads has whole shelves dedicated to retold fairy tales. Lol. Thanks for pointing those out!

Joanna wrote: "Cami wrote: "Mercedes Lackey has a whole series of twisted fairy tales."

I have always been curious about Mercedes Lackey. Have you read her books? Are they good? For her twisted fairy tales seri..."

I've read all of her Elemental Masters series (the latest- From a High Tower- is a take on Goldilocks), and enjoyed them. She also has a series called the Five Hundred Kingdoms, which also are retakes of fairy tales- the first is The Fairy Godmother. It's been a while since I read them, and I haven't read all of them, but I enjoy her writing and her storytelling.

Ann wrote: "I've read all of her Elemental Masters series (the latest- From a High Tower- is a take on Goldilocks), and enjoyed them. She also has..."

Thank you, Ann! I will definitely have to read some of her books.

I am currently listening to Unbroken read by the fantastic Edward Herrmann (Richard Gilmore on Gilmore Girls for the fans like me!) and The Vacationers. Both are great so far.

Ann wrote: "Joanna wrote: "Cami wrote: "Mercedes Lackey has a whole series of twisted fairy tales."

I have always been curious about Mercedes Lackey. Have you read her books? Are they good? For her twisted f..."

I've read a few but it was awhile ago. I recall them being enjoyable quick reads.

Pattie wrote: "I am currently listening to Unbroken read by the fantastic Edward Herrm..."

Just finished this audio book! Outstanding! YOu will really enjoy it. My River Readers book club will be discussing this title in November and I wanted to get a jump on it. It should be a great discussion. Now to see the movie.