Fantasy

★★☆☆☆ | Fantasy | Digital | Borrow | StoryGraph | Goodreads

I tried to like this book. It has all the elements of a book I would love: etymology, 19th century England, a diverse set of characters, magic, and an academic setting (Oxford, no less!). But I found it slow and repetitive, filled with one-dimensional, unlikable characters, and lecture after lecture on how the rich and powerful mistreat the poor, especially those who aren’t white and British, except for those that are poor and British. It took me almost two months to finish this, and it was a struggle.

I appreciate the idea behind the story, but not how it was told. Not every book is for every reader.

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Babel by R.F. KuangRead More »

★★★★☆ | Fantasy | Print | Own | StoryGraph | Goodreads 

A wonderful little snippet of a fantasy story. It could have been chapter one of a 500 page fantasy novel. Yet, one to read every Christmas eve.

One should be patient with saints, I suppose. Though the trouble with being patient,” she said, “is that, generally speaking, there’s no one to see you doing it.

★★★★☆ | Fantasy | Digital | Borrow | StoryGraph | Goodreads 

I understand why this book is so often described as a cozy read.  It’s filled with nice, helpful characters who work together to make nice things – like a coffee shop with delicious baked goods. Yes, there are bad guys, but of course kindness prevails in the end.

★★★★☆ | Fantasy | Print | Own | StoryGraph | Goodreads

I had started this third volume at some point as a diversion, but then given up after the first 30 or 40 pages.  I read it again from the start and this time persevered.  These books keep coming up on the greatest books of all time lists and I felt like I was missing out.

I enjoyed this one a lot. Better than the first two, perhaps because Harry is growing up a bit.  I gave this one four stars and will read definitely read the remaining volumes at some point.

★★★★☆ | Fantasy | Audio | Borrow | StoryGraph | Goodreads

Continuing my quest to go back and read the Stephen King books I’ve missed along the way. I listened to the audiobook of this one, narrated by actor Bronson Pinchot. I’ve listened to hundreds of audiobooks, but the narration of the ending of this story was one of the most incredible I’ve ever had the pleasure to hear. Bravo!

★★★★☆ | Fantasy | Digital | Borrow | StoryGraph | Goodreads

An interesting book.  After you die, you go to a city where you live so long as someone remembers you from the living world.  At this city, life seems to go on as it did on Earth.  People work, go out to eat, read books, complain about “life”, and all the while seem not to be amazed at this life after death.

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The Brief History of the Dead by Kevin BrockmeierRead More »