I had another intro written for this month's book list, but I just couldn't post it. It was fluff. The death of George Floyd, the continued deaths of black people by the police, the protests and riots, the utter failure of our leaders, not to mention the coronavirus pandemic in the background . . . I can't post an intro that pretends like life is normal, that our country isn't in crisis.
So here's my book list.
1. Trail of Lightning and Storm of Locusts by Rebecca Roanhorse
I borrowed a Trail of Lightning from a friend who found the book in a Free Little Library. It's the first book in Roanhorse's The Sixth World series, which is about a Native American monster hunter set in a near-future dystopia. Soon as I finished it, I got on my library's wait list for Storms of Locusts. I actually liked the second book better, and I'm excited to read any and all future books.
Maggie Hoskie is a Dinétah monster hunter, a supernaturally gifted killer. When a small town needs help finding a missing girl, Maggie is their last best hope. But what Maggie uncovers about the monster is much more terrifying than anything she could imagine.
Maggie reluctantly enlists the aid of Kai Arviso, an unconventional medicine man, and together they travel the rez, unraveling clues from ancient legends, trading favors with tricksters, and battling dark witchcraft in a patchwork world of deteriorating technology.
As Maggie discovers the truth behind the killings, she will have to confront her past if she wants to survive.
Welcome to the Sixth World.
2. Theodosia series by R.L. LaFevers
I was immediately smitten with this middle grade series of which there are four books (so far). Half way through the first one, I checked out the rest of the series from the library and devoured them. Man, I wish I had these books when I was a kid. I loved The Egypt Game by Zilpha Keatley Snyder and spent the rest of my childhood (and some of my 20s) learning about Egypt. A lot of time, when I read middle grade, I can appreciate that a kid would like the book, but as an adult I didn't enjoy it so much. These books I thoroughly enjoyed as an adult and would recommend to readers of any age.
Theodosia Throckmorton has her hands full at the Museum of Legends and Antiquities in London. Her father may be head curator, but it is Theo—and only Theo—who is able to see all the black magic and ancient curses that still cling to the artifacts in the museum.
When Theo’s mother returns from her latest archaeological dig bearing the Heart of Egypt—a legendary amulet belonging to an ancient tomb—Theo learns that it comes inscribed with a curse so black and vile that it threatens to crumble the British Empire from within and start a war too terrible to imagine. Intent on returning the malevolent artifact to its rightful place, Theo devises a daring plan to put things right. But even with the help of her younger brother, a wily street urchin, and the secret society known as the Brotherhood of the Chosen Keepers, it won’t be easy . . . she quickly finds herself pursued down dark alleys, across an ocean, through the bustling crowds of Cairo, and straight into the heart of an ancient mystery. Theo will have to call upon everything she’s ever learned in order to prevent the rising chaos from destroying her country—and herself!
3. The Witches Are Coming by Lindy West
I may have a bit of a girl crush on Lindy West. A friend recommended this book on feminism to me and I'm so glad she did. This book of essays was . . . incredible--intelligent and humorous, infuriating and inspiring. Not to mention painfully relatable. Honestly, it's a must read.
In a laugh-out-loud, incisive cultural critique, West extolls the world-changing magic of truth, urging readers to reckon with dark lies in the heart of the American mythos, and unpacking the complicated, and sometimes tragic, politics of not being a white man in the twenty-first century. She tracks the misogyny and propaganda hidden (or not so hidden) in the media she and her peers devoured growing up, a buffet of distortions, delusions, prejudice, and outright bullsh*t that has allowed white male mediocrity to maintain a death grip on American culture and politics-and that delivered us to this precarious, disorienting moment in history.
4. The Witches by Roald Dahl
The Witches starring Angelica Houston was one of my favorite movies as a kid--I've always had a thing for witches and still do (see the book recommendation above). I didn't know it was based off a book until adulthood. Like all Roald Dahl novels, this book is original, outrageous, and so much fun. I'm generally not a fan of the remaking or rebooting of all my favorite childhood movies and TV shows, but I am excited for the new The Witches movie starring Anne Hathaway as the Grand High Witch.
This is not a fairy tale. This is about real witches.
Grandmamma loves to tell about witches. Real witches are the most dangerous of all living creatures on earth. There's nothing they hate so much as children, and they work all kinds of terrifying spells to get rid of them. Her grandson listens closely to Grandmamma's stories—but nothing can prepare him for the day he comes face-to-face with The Grand High Witch herself!
5. The Time of Contempt by Andrzej Sapkowski
The second book in publishing order, the fifth in reading order, The Time of Contempt is my favorite book in the Witcher series yet. It contains some great Geralt and Yennifer scenes (I'm a sucker for those two) and shows Ciri coming into her own. My husband offered to buy the series for my birthday so I don't have to keep waiting for the books to come through the library. I might have to take him up on the offer.
Geralt is a Witcher: guardian of the innocent; protector of those in need; a defender, in dark times, against some of the most frightening creatures of myth and legend. His task, now, is to protect Ciri. A child of prophecy, she will have the power to change the world for good or for ill -- but only if she lives to use it.
Bonus Books:
Blackberry Wine by Joanne Harris
Joanne Harris is probably my number one favorite author to reread. I have a friend who has gotten into homemade wine making (I can't wait to try her dandelion wine!), and it made me think of this book so I decided it was the perfect time to reread it. It's great if you're looking for a light summer read.
As a boy, writer Jay Mackintosh spent three golden summers in the ramshackle home of "Jackapple Joe" Cox. A lonely child, he found solace in Old Joe's simple wisdom and folk charms. The magic was lost, however, when Joe disappeared without warning one fall.
Years later, Jay's life is stalled with regret and ennui. His bestselling novel, Jackapple Joe, was published ten years earlier and he has written nothing since. Impulsively, he decides to leave his urban life in London and, sight unseen, purchases a farmhouse in the remote French village of Lansquenet. There, in that strange and yet strangely familiar place, Jay hopes to re-create the magic of those golden childhood summers. And while the spirit of Joe is calling to him, it is actually a similarly haunted, reclusive woman who will ultimately help Jay find himself again.
The Marvels by Brian Selznick.
I was really put off by the ebook formatting and the zillions of pictures at the beginning of the book. The art is quite good, but it was just too much, especially for a middle grade book. However, the story is fantastic.
The journey begins at sea in 1766, with a boy named Billy Marvel. After surviving a shipwreck, he finds work in a London theatre. There, his family flourishes for generations as brilliant actors until 1900, when young Leontes Marvel is banished from the stage.
Nearly a century later, runaway Joseph Jervis seeks refuge with an uncle in London. Albert Nightingale's strange, beautiful house, with its mysterious portraits and ghostly presences, captivates Joseph and leads him on a search for clues about the house, his family, and the past.
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