Lois & Clark Forums Forums General Discussion Off Topic 50 Book Challenge 2016/What I've Read in 2016

Among Wolves: Children of the Mountain I - R. A. Hakok



A pretty superior YA PA novel which kept me intrigued all the way through. A likeable hero, lots of small mysteries that kept me wondering...it seems that book 2 hasn't yet been published but I'll definitely be buying it when it is. Although, refreshingly, you could pretty much read this as a stand alone.

The Farseer Trilogy:

Assassin's Apprentice
Royal Assassin
Assassin's Quest

The Tawny Man Trilogy:

Fool's Errand
Golden Fool
Fool's Fate

Robin Hobb has always been in my top five favourite fantasy authors list and my most favourite of her span of linked trilogies known collectively as the In The Realm of the Elderlings series have been the books centring on Fitz and the Fool.

So, I was delighted recently to discover she had embarked on a new trilogy dealing with these characters. As it has been some years since I read the others, I revisited them to get me up to speed with the small details, and they delighted and enthralled me all over again.

LabRat :)

#15 Calamity by Brandon Sanderson

Final book in the Reckoners series.


I noticed this book got mixed reviews on GoodReads. I liked it. My son did too. Lots of action and a very innovative story.

Joan

13. The Last Vampire 4: Phantom, by Christopher Pike

Sita, having undergone a procedure developed by a 700-year-old alchemist, is now human again, and therefore capable of reproduction. She becomes pregnant and gives birth 2 1/2 months later to a fully developed baby who almost kills her. Said baby grows to adulthood in just a few weeks. Amazingly, the baby's name is not Renesmee, because I think Stephanie Meyer borrowed everything else from this book.

14. Exile, by M.J. Friedman

This short novel is based on the LnC show, although I think the author may not have paid as close attention to details as the average fanfic writer. Superman is infected with a virus that doesn't harm him but can kill everyone in the world (and apparently all the non-human mammals, too). The point of this is to keep Superman away from everyone, allowing the mad scientist who created the virus to get his revenge (and make lots of money). Since this reads much like an episode of LnC, you can guess how successful that was.

Fool's Assassin (Fitz and the Fool Trilogy I)- Robin Hobb

After so many years between the rest of the series and this new addition, I approached it with a fair degree of trepidation but I needn't have worried. This was like visiting well loved old friends, with the addition of fascinating new characters to enjoy. I can see this new trilogy will become another well loved and much read chapter in the lives of Fitz and the Fool.

LabRat

15. Bubble Books! The Hippopotamus, by Berengere Motuelle
16. Bubble Books! The Clownfish, by Berengere Motuelle

Very short books designed to be read in the bathtub. My 4-year-old niece dropped them, dripping wet, into my lap and asked me to read them. So, of course, I read them (yes, I'm a pushover). They provide small amounts of information about the habitats of the animals in the title. The books originally came with matching plastic toys, but I threw them out after they got mold inside them. (The books are easier to dry out than the toys, so they're still around.)

#16 All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr

A blind French girl and a German boy whose paths collide in occupied France as both try to survive the devastation of World War II.

An engaging read. Makes you appreciate life as it is today.

Joan

17. The Last Vampire 5: Evil Thirst, by Christopher Pike
18. The Last Vampire 6: Creatures of Forever, by Christopher Pike

Sita, the last vampire (except not quite) spends the first book hunting her 5-month-old daughter, who looks 20 and acts like Kali, the Dark Mother of Hinduism, in order to keep an ancient prophecy from coming true. Not all is as it seems, however.

In the second book (which was originally the final book in the series, until the vampire craze of the 2000s inspired Pike to write more books), Sita travels back in time to stop a great evil from taking place, then goes back to her origins 5,000 years ago.

Goodness, what have I read this year? *looks up orders on Amazon*

Hmm.

Wings of Fire (part 1 to 8), the first four in German. My daughter got me into it, and in German, only the first 4 novels are available. Of course, the first big story arc ends with part 5. Which means that we both switched language then. I must confess I'm pretty proud of my daughter, since this was the first time she read anything in English and did quite well. Amazing series, even though it's most definitely not adult material.

The Pride Series (book 1 to 9) by Shelly Laurenston. Once again in my native German, as my mother enjoyed those books, too - and she never learned English, so... The first two (or so) books are a bit too much into the nether regions, but the series gets much better afterwards.

Star Wolf by Kathryn Lasky. Another children's book, or maybe for teens. Once again, my daughter got me into the series. I must admit I didn't like this issue much.

Currently re-reading: "Fifty Shades of Grey". If you haven't read it - do it. Can definitely compare to our best writers on the dark side, although I have to admit that it's a bit different due to the BDSM theme chosen.

ETA: That makes 18 books read this year - thus far.

19. Snow on the Bayou, by Sandra Hill

This is the latest book in Sandra Hill's Cajun series, and it also crosses over briefly with her Viking II series. This is also the second book in the Tante Lulu series.

Navy SEAL Justin "Cage" LeBlanc swore that there would be "snow on the bayou" before he returned to Louisiana, but news that his grandmother is dying brings him back. His childhood sweetheart, Emelie Gaudet, had her heart broken by him almost 20 years ago and wants nothing to do with him. Of course, Tante Lulu, matchmaker extraordinaire, has a different idea ...

#17 Unsouled by Neil Schusterman

Third in Unwind series. We learn more about what lead to unwinding. I'm not thrilled with the characters but I'm interested in seeing how this concept plays out.

Joan

#18 The Perfect Mother by Nina Darnton

When an American exchange student is accused of murder, her mother will stop at nothing to save her.

While there are some similariites to the Amanda Knox case, this fictional story focuses on the girl's parents. At first they believe she is competely innocent as she claimes. Then more and more information builds up. I found myself not especially liking the characters but it was an interesting read.

Joan

#19 Ordinary Grace by William Kent Krueger

A story about a boy, a small town and a murder .

Nice coming of age story and so many references to grace.

Joan

"Hamilton: The Revolution" by Lin-Manuel Miranda and Jeremy McCarter

A hip-hop musical about America's first Secretary of the Treasury? Is this a joke? No! "Hamilton" is EVERYTHING!!!!!

My tickets are for the end of July. Waiting is torture. I listen to at least one song from it in my car every day. Seriously. It's brilliant. Go to Youtube right now and listen to "Wait For It" and "Burn", and it will shatter your preconceived notions. Then download the original cast album and become obsessed like the rest of us. Then cry that you can't get tickets on Broadway, but start checking to see if the tour will come anywhere near where you live or would like to visit.

And then read the book. Because it's the behind the scenes story of the musical that is everything, and you'll appreciate the genius of Lin-Manuel Miranda even more. Feel free to check out the reviews on Amazon...and then notice that it came out yesterday and is already out of stock (just like the Broadway tickets). Yes, a hip-hop musical is encouraging Americans to read! (Gasp!)

For those who might be interested, it's coming to the Pantages Theater in Hollywood between August 11, 2017 and December 30, 2017. Also, never underestimate the quality of musicals performed at colleges -- in SoCal, at least, colleges aren't allowed to perform musicals that are being performed professionally in the region until the professional show is over for fear that the college show will compete with the professional show.

#20 The One by Kierra Cass

Last book in the Selection series. Will Maxon choose America to be his bride. Light and fluffy . Good for reading while waiting for doctors appointments .

Joan

#21 Still Life by Louise Penny

Inspector Gamache investigates a suspicious death in rural Monteal.

OK mystery

Joan

#22 Before I wake by C L Taylor

Susans daughter is in a coma after a suicide attempt . The more she learns, the more she wonders if she knows her daughter at all.

An interesting mystery though Susan continually using poor judgment drove me a little nuts.

Joan

20. Execution of Innocence, by Christopher Pike

A popular but obnoxious young man has been found murdered, while another not-so-popular young man is missing. The prime suspects are the twin sister of the murdered boy and the girlfriend of the missing boy, who cheated on her boyfriend with the murdered boy.

One of the girls is the actual murderer, and the other is being framed by her. The story moves quickly and keeps the reader's attention, though there's a giant plot hole 2/3 of the way through the book and there's a scene where the framee handles the murder weapon with bare hands, only to have this clue go nowhere.

21. Known to Evil, by Walter Mosley

The is the second book in Mosley's Leonid McGill series. I wasn't overly familiar with the author, but I'd read one of the books in his Easy Rawlins series in the past, so when a friend gave me this book, I took it to rehearsal with me and read it backstage, going through it fairly quickly. It's a good, fast-paced novel, and the main character is engaging. It's a good whodunit, and kept me guessing until the end. I am definitely going to look for more books by this author.

22. Tiny Titans, Volume 1: Welcome to the Treehouse!

My 5-year-old niece sat down next to me last week and asked me to read this. She enjoys the superhero adventures, while I like the in-jokes that only a long-time comics fan would understand. Anyway, the Tiny Titans are all students at Sidekick Elementary and get into lots of super-powered elementary-age hijinks (think JL8, except not a webcomic, and using the Teen Titans instead of the JLA). It's pretty funny in parts, and the bad guys aren't so much evil as immature.

23. Superman Family, Volume 1

I bought this for my 5-year-old niece's birthday, and she immediately wanted me to read it to her. It's pretty good, and Lois Lane is in it quite a bit (no romance with Clark/Superman, but this book is aimed at the very young crowd). Some parts are hilarious, such as:


My 7-year-old niece, who usually thinks superheroes are boring, was listening as I read and swiped the book from her sister to read. She thinks Lois Lane is a cool character (but she also thinks Clark/Superman is dumb because he's a boy).

Since my niece likes Lois, I want to introduce her to the LnC show. Tell me something, FoLCs, do you think 7 is too young for the show?

#23 Matilda by Roald Dahl

I'be seen this movie many times and enjoyed it but never read the book . There are minor differences between the book and the movie but both are enjoyable .

Joan

The Divergent Trilogy - Veronica Roth

I wasn't expecting much from this - I only started it because it came as an Amazon freebie after I bought something else - but I actually enjoyed the first two books. The third was much harder to get through with long stretches of nothing much happening and endlessly repetitive. Given its downer ending I'm not sure it was worth persevering to get to the end.

LabRat