books, books, books: 2019 july-sept

[meiface]

Literally still on LJ only to make these book posts, but I should probably think about moving them to DW next year...

This book post is coming late in October, whoops, but it has been a ridiculously busy month.

1. The Down Goes Brown History of the NHL by Sean McIndoe - Funny is the only way to get me to read about the history of this ridiculous league. I live in the present! Who cares about the past! Well, I care a little as long as you present it to me in interesting anecdotes, which Down Goes Brown is good about.


2. Descendant of the Crane by Joan He - Okay, so this was essentially YA Nirvana in Fire, because the setting, the intrigue, all straight out of NIF, with slightly more magic and teen romance. I enjoyed it for that, though mostly it made me want to rewatch NIF. I deeply enjoy the setting being historical (magic) China rather than Western fantasy backdrop!


3. No Land's Man by Aasif Mandvi - I've had this memoir since he did a program with us in January. It's short and a fast read, but let me just say it is poorly edited and not everyone needs to write a memoir. When you don't have an actual story to tell, or know what kind of story you want to tell, and you're just slapping together a bunch of short recollections that you are trying to force have a point -- don't.


4. Him by Sarina Bowen and Elle Kennedy - Original m/m hockey players! Not very obviously expies from RPF! I'll take it. It was well written and emotional, and there was a decent amount of pining and jealousy even after they hooked up...but I gotta say, I could always do with more. It's okay to not hook up so early! Very cute and enjoyable.


5. Iron and Magic by Ilona Andrews - (Iron Covenant #1) First in a series (duo? trio?) featuring Hugh d'Ambray of the Iron Dogs, from their Kate Daniels series. I was admittedly a little skeptical of whether they could make him an interesting and sympathetic protagonist given his role in that series, but I really did enjoy him and Elara. Genuine antagonism between them, and she is in her own way a terror and abomination, which is nice. More equal.


6. An English Murder by Cyril Hare - Not quite cozy, but very traditional English murder in a country manor with a limited cast of characters and suspects. The conclusion was quite fitting for the title and premise. Didn't blow me away, but an enjoyable read.


7. Us by Sarina Bowen and Elle Kennedy - Sequel to Him, also lovely and emotional. Established relationship stories in some ways stress me out because there has to be new conflict that isn't getting the two together, which inevitably means conflict between the couple I just rooted for getting together. I don't enjoy that! But it was important conflict and they are stronger for having gone through that, with an emotionally satisfying ending. But I still don't find these stories as enjoyable to read and hardly ever reread them.


8. Northanger Abbey by Jane Austen - The Gothic novel parody, and quite a lark. Catherine is so silly but a fun protagonist. Didn't leave a deep impression, but I'm glad I finally read it. I think only Mansfield Park remains now.


9. Road to Silver Plum by Tamara Allen - Historical 1800s U.S. silver mines and counterfeiters on the run from the feds and/or shady crime dudes. Much more about the plot than the relationship, which got some complaints in reviews, but enjoyed the slower paced relationship and focus on the action/adventure aspect. It's a nice change of pace sometimes that the entire story doesn't revolve around the relationship.


10. Top Secret by Sarina Bowen and Elle Kennedy - FRATBOYS. Antagonistic fratboys who hook up, sign me up. A fun ride, nothing too serious, though you start to realize the tropes they like and repeat, such as the golden boy with daddy issues. This had a sweet ending though I didn't quite see the evolution of their love (at most hooking up to friendship), but whatever, it was cute and fun.


11. The Lies of Locke Lamora by Scott Lynch - I have been meaning to read this for years, and acquired the book months ago from a local bookstore, and finally got around to it. Fantasy heist shenanigans! I enjoyed the world and the con jobs a lot, and I believed in the characters' abilities far more than I did in Six of Crows with teenagers. I also enjoyed the non-chronological storytelling. The only thing is that it was permeated with a sense of dudeness, in the sense that it was very obviously Written By A Man. You know that tone.


12. Hither, Page by Cat Sebastian - A post-war cozy mystery in a small town that happens to have an m/m relationship. It's cute! Nothing mindblowing, but like an enjoyable Christie with a little m/m romance. Though I think Christie's mystery plotting and characterization is tighter, but I may be a little overly critical.


13. The 7 1/2 Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle by Stuart Turton - A rec from a national security podcast I listen to, it's part mystery, part time travel, part Groundhog Day loop. Atmospheric and suspenseful, with very convoluted crossing timelines and stories that eventually unfold and unravel the murder mystery. Really a lot of fun! Darker than anticipated but familiar enough in genre to not feel alien and a chore to read. I thought the climax was pretty good but the denouement a little lacking.


14. Heated Rivalry by Rachel Reid - Sequel to Game Changer which I DNFed due to the insta-love and my lack of caring about any characters. But this one I loved. Straight up, I have reread this so many times since finishing it because it's Sid/Ovie expies in the tropeist way. Antagonist hookups who slowly grow feelings over the span of their nine-year relationship, and they are allowed to have other friends and relationships in the meantime, though those aren't focused on much. I love this whole arc, going from hot and desperate to sweet. Rooting for Shane and Ilya.


15. Slam Dunk (volumes 1-31) by Takehiko Inoue - I FINALLY FOUND TIME TO REREAD THIS WHOLE THING AND IT IS STILL DAMN AMAZING. A little part of me is always afraid it won't live up. It lives up. Every game is so dramatic, from the wins to the almost-wins. Shohoku is stupid and I love them. Sakuragi is a secret weapon, but not the heart and soul and hero. Akagi makes the team. Rukawa is the real talent. But Sakuragi is deployed effectively and he has all the potential to eventually be so much more. I love it. I also love some of the otehr schools this time around. Ryonan and Sendoh! Who doesn't love Sendoh?


16. The Sentence is Death by Anthony Hopkins - A meta murder mystery where the author is also a character in the book. Clever premise, but I actually hated it a lot. Too smug and self-aware in an awkward and not cheeky way. I didn't enjoy the author character at all and I felt like he and therefore the narrative did not think much of women or treat them well. Certainly none of the ones in the book, anyway. The murder mystery was only meh. Or maybe it would've been fine if I had liked the characters better.


17. Sapphire Flames by Ilona Andrews - (Hidden Legacy #4) Literally don't remember most of the Hidden Legacy trilogy except it being set in Houston, but they do enough recap in telling the new story that it works well. Catalina is a lot of fun and I love her love interest much more than the rough, tough, growly alpha that was Mad Conan or whatever. I also love his stupid pining. Their mutual stupid pining! Always fast-paced and plotty and fun. Looking forward to the rest of the series.


18. The Waiting by Usha Akella - A book of poetry, bought from the JLF Houston event we hosted at work. The author was on a panel speaking about and reading poetry with three others and it was lovely. I'm not always one for poetry, but sometimes it hits you in the right way.

Despite being in the middle of a book and having many books left on my to-read list, I spontaneously decided to add four books to my library holds list yesterday, with no time to read anything. Honestly, what am I thinking?