Category: Fantasy

My Favorite Read of January 2024

“Humanity is awful, angry, and violent. But we are also magical and musical. We dance. We sing. We create. We live and laugh and rage and cry and despair and hope. We are a bundle of contradictions without rhyme or reason. And there is no one like us in all the universe.”
― T.J. Klune, In the .

My reading for 2024 has started off with a bang. I read a variety of genres, so it was difficult to compare. I Untimately, TJ KLune’s writing style puts him above the rest.

Book facts:

Title: In the Lives of Puppets

Author: TJ Klune

Publisher: Tor Books

Publication Date: April 25, 2024

Goodreads Synopsis:

In a strange little home built into the branches of a grove of trees, live three robots–fatherly inventor android Giovanni Lawson, a pleasantly sadistic nurse machine, and a small vacuum desperate for love and attention. Victor Lawson, a human, lives there too. They’re a family, hidden and safe.

The day Vic salvages and repairs an unfamiliar android labelled “HAP,” he learns of a shared dark past between Hap and Gio-a past spent hunting humans.

When Hap unwittingly alerts robots from Gio’s former life to their whereabouts, the family is no longer hidden and safe. Gio is captured and taken back to his old laboratory in the City of Electric Dreams. So together, the rest of Vic’s assembled family must journey across an unforgiving and otherworldly country to rescue Gio from decommission, or worse, reprogramming.

Along the way to save Gio, amid conflicted feelings of betrayal and affection for Hap, Vic must decide for himself: Can he accept love with strings attached?

My Thoughts:

I held off on reading this for a while because I had seen a negative review. But, I realized within the first chapter, that Klune could write anything and I would love it. His writing style just speaks to me. I love the way he casually weaves humor into his stories and uses dialog to develop his characters. The bantor between Rambo (a needy vacuum) and Nurse Ratched (a psychotic health monitoring machine) was some of the best I’ve ever read.

At the end of the novel there was a note from Klune alluding to the fact that the novel was not what he had intended to right. As I looked into this I discovered that he had originally written Vic as autistic, but there was dispute among sensitivity readers, and it was ultimately changed. Obviously, I haven’t read the original version (which I’m sure was wonderful, because everything he writes is) I think it works better this way. Vic is the only human amongst robots, so I think it makes more sense to show characteristics, and let the reader draw their own conclusions.

My favorite read of 2023

I posted my top 23 books of 2023 last week, but I left out my overall favorite, so it could get it’s own post. The Very Secret Society of Witches was a perfect blend of heart and humor. Every single character in this book is delightful and intriquing in their own way. There’s a feeling of hope and the value of small changes.

You can see my original review here.

Throw Back Thursday

Welcome to my weekly post where I look back at some of my four and five star reads before I started Nicole’s Nook.

Today’s book: Cloaked by Alex Flinn

Publisher: HarperTeen

Publication Date: February 14, 2012

Date read: August 23, 2015

Goodreads Synopsis:

I’m not your average hero. I actually wasn’t your average anything. Just a poor guy working an after-school job at a South Beach shoe repair shop to help his mom make ends meet. But a little magic changed it all.

It all started with the curse. And the frognapping. And one hot-looking princess, who asked me to lead a rescue mission.

There wasn’t a fairy godmother or any of that. And even though I fell in love along the way, what happened to me is unlike any fairy tale I’ve ever heard. Before I knew it, I was spying with a flock of enchanted swans, talking (yes, talking!) to a fox named Todd, and nearly trampled by giants in the Keys.

Don’t believe me? I didn’t believe it either. But you’ll see. Because I knew it all was true, the second I got CLOAKED.

My Thoughts:

Alex Flinn does it again. She has a knack for taking classic fairy tales and putting them in a modern, entertaining setting. The nice thing about this book is that she chose some more obscure fairy tales that might not be familiar to the reader. My only criticism is that she tries to mix so many stories together that the plot doesn’t always flow. But, overall, it gives everything I want in a YA fantasy: humor, a valuable life lesson and a happy ending.

Rating: 4 out of 5.

Throwback Thursday Book Review: 8/24/23

Welcome to my weekly post where I look back at some of my four and five star reads before I started Nicole’s Nook.

Publisher: Thomas Dunne Books

Publication Date: May 1, 2013

Date Read: February 21, 2017

Goodreads Synopsis:

“Every child knows how the story ends. The wicked pirate captain is flung overboard, caught in the jaws of the monster crocodile who drags him down to a watery grave. But it was not yet my time to die. It’s my fate to be trapped here forever, in a nightmare of childhood fancy, with that infernal, eternal boy.”

Meet Captain James Benjamin Hook, a witty, educated Restoration-era privateer cursed to play villain to a pack of malicious little boys in a pointless war that never ends. But everything changes when Stella Parrish, a forbidden grown woman, dreams her way to the Neverland in defiance of Pan’s rules. From the glamour of the Fairy Revels, to the secret ceremonies of the First Tribes, to the mysterious underwater temple beneath the Mermaid Lagoon, the magical forces of the Neverland open up for Stella as they never have for Hook. And in the pirate captain himself, she begins to see someone far more complex than the storybook villain.

With Stella’s knowledge of folk and fairy tales, she might be Hook’s last chance for redemption and release if they can break his curse before Pan and his warrior boys hunt her down and drag Hook back to their neverending game. Alias Hook by Lisa Jensen is a beautifully and romantically written adult fairy tale.

My Thoughts:

I love books that tell familiar stories from a different perspective. In this case, we see a misunderstood, tortured Captain Hook, who is forced by Peter Pan to play the villain for life. This is a fascinating character study that turns the story of Peter Pan upside down. This is a great, lesser-known story for people who love retellings.

My favorite read of July 2023

Goodreads Synopsis:

As one of the few witches in Britain, Mika Moon knows she has to hide her magic, keep her head down, and stay away from other witches so their powers don’t mingle and draw attention. And as an orphan who lost her parents at a young age and was raised by strangers, she’s used to being alone and she follows the rules…with one exception: an online account, where she posts videos pretending to be a witch. She thinks no one will take it seriously.

But someone does. An unexpected message arrives, begging her to travel to the remote and mysterious Nowhere House to teach three young witches how to control their magic. It breaks all of the rules, but Mika goes anyway, and is immediately tangled up in the lives and secrets of not only her three charges, but also an absent archaeologist, a retired actor, two long-suffering caretakers, and…Jamie. The handsome and prickly librarian of Nowhere House would do anything to protect the children, and as far as he’s concerned, a stranger like Mika is a threat. An irritatingly appealing threat.

As Mika begins to find her place at Nowhere House, the thought of belonging somewhere begins to feel like a real possibility. But magic isn’t the only danger in the world, and when a threat comes knocking at their door, Mika will need to decide whether to risk everything to protect a found family she didn’t know she was looking for….

Reasons I loved this book:

  • It’s a beautiful combination of whimsical and heartwarming
  • A delightful cast of diverse characters with unique backgrounds and personality quirks
  • Found family trope
  • I loved how Mika looks at people through the lens of nice vs. kind
  • It’s a great model for making social change in small steps

Throwback Thursday Book Review: 6/22/23: Between the Lines by Jodi Picoult and Samantha Van Leer

Welcome to my weekly post where I look back at some of my four and five star reads before I started Nicole’s Nook.

Publishers: Simon & Schuster

Publication Date: June 1, 2012

Date Read: December 8, 2013

Favorite Quote: “The act of reading is a partnership. The author builds a house, but the reader makes it a home.”
― Jodi Picoult and Samantha Van Leer, Between the Lines

Goodreads Synopsis:

Delilah is a bit of a loner who prefers spending her time in the school library with her head in a book–one book in particular. Between the Lines” may be a fairy tale, but it feels real. Prince Oliver is brave, adventurous, and loving. He really speaks to Delilah.

And then one day Oliver actually speaks to her. Turns out, Oliver is more than a one-dimensional storybook prince. He’s a restless teen who feels trapped by his literary existence and hates that his entire life is predetermined. He’s sure there’s more for him out there in the real world, and Delilah might just be his key to freedom.

Delilah and Oliver work together to attempt to get Oliver out of his book, a challenging task that forces them to examine their perceptions of fate, the world, and their places in it. And as their attraction to each other grows along the way, a romance blossoms that is anything but a fairy tale.

My Thoughts:

Who hasn’t dreamed of a favorite book character coming to life? This is a fun diversion from Picoult’s usual issue driven fiction. While is aimed at YA readers, book lovers of any age will enjoy it.

Rating: 4 out of 5.

My Favorite Read of May 2023: A Stitch in Time by Kelley Armstrong

“Everyone needs things that serve no greater purpose than to make them happy.”
― Kelley Armstrong, A Stitch in Time

Goodreads Synopsis:

Thorne Manor has always been haunted… and it has always haunted Bronwyn Dale. As a young girl, Bronwyn could pass through a time slip in her great-aunt’s house, where she visited William Thorne, a boy her own age, born two centuries earlier. After a family tragedy, the house was shuttered and Bronwyn was convinced that William existed only in her imagination.

Now, twenty years later Bronwyn inherits Thorne Manor. And when she returns, William is waiting.

William Thorne is no longer the boy she remembers. He’s a difficult and tempestuous man, his own life marred by tragedy and a scandal that had him retreating to self-imposed exile in his beloved moors. He’s also none too pleased with Bronwyn for abandoning him all those years ago.

As their friendship rekindles and sparks into something more, Bronwyn must also deal with ghosts in the present version of the house. Soon she realizes they are linked to William and the secret scandal that drove him back to Thorne Manor. To build a future, Bronwyn must confront the past.

My Thoughts

This book was a taste of all my favorite genres: romance, fantasy, historical fiction and mystery. It has the feel of a classic with a modern twist. I enjoyed the way Armstrong weaves in just enough small details to build suspense throughtout the story so that you’re guessing until the end.

Reasons I liked A Stitch in Time:

  • Bronwyn loves William, but doesn’t just give up her life for him
  • The fun way Bronwyn exchanges information about the future with William through food and financial advice
  • Enigma the kitten is a great “character” who adds a touch of humor

Throw Back Thursday Book Review 5/18/23

Welcome to my weekly post where I look back at some of my four and five star reads before I started Nicole’s Nook.

Today’s book: Wintersong by S. Jae-Jones

Publisher: Thomas Dunne Books

Publication Date: February 7, 2017

Date Read: May 14, 2019

Favorite Quote:

“Loveliness of the spirit is worth more than loveliness of the flesh.”
― S. Jae-Jones, Wintersong

Goodreads Synopsis:

The last night of the year. Now the days of winter begin and the Goblin King rides abroad, searching for his bride…

All her life, Liesl has heard tales of the beautiful, dangerous Goblin King. They’ve enraptured her mind, her spirit, and inspired her musical compositions. Now eighteen and helping to run her family’s inn, Liesl can’t help but feel that her musical dreams and childhood fantasies are slipping away.

But when her own sister is taken by the Goblin King, Liesl has no choice but to journey to the Underground to save her. Drawn to the strange, captivating world she finds—and the mysterious man who rules it—she soon faces an impossible decision. And with time and the old laws working against her, Liesl must discover who she truly is before her fate is sealed.

My Thoughts:

My tastes lean more towards whimsical fanatasy, but this was delightfully dark. The characters were complex and intriguing. Many inspirations (Labryinth, Der Erlkönig, Mozart, Phantom of the Opera and Beauty and the Beast) blend together to make a unique story.

Rating: 4 out of 5.

Throw Back Thursday Book Review 5/10/23

Welcome to my weekly post where I look back at some of my four and five star reads before I started Nicole’s Nook.

Today’s book: The Wishing Thread by Lisa Van Allen

Publisher: Ballantine Books

Publication Date: September 3, 2013

Date Read: September 27, 2014

Favorite Quote:

“A heart was not a thing that should have an attack mode.”

~The Wishing Thread, Lisa Van Allen

Goodreads Synopsis:

The Van Ripper women have been the talk of Tarrytown, New York, for centuries. Some say they’re angels; some say they’re crooks. In their tumbledown “Stitchery,” not far from the stomping grounds of the legendary Headless Horseman, the Van Ripper sisters—Aubrey, Bitty, and Meggie—are said to knit people’s most ardent wishes into beautiful scarves and mittens, granting them health, success, or even a blossoming romance. But for the magic to work, sacrifices must be made—and no one knows that better than the Van Rippers.
 
When the Stitchery matriarch, Mariah, dies, she leaves the yarn shop to her three nieces. Aubrey, shy and reliable, has dedicated her life to weaving spells for the community, though her sisters have long stayed away. Bitty, pragmatic and persistent, has always been skeptical of magic and wants her children to have a normal, nonmagical life. Meggie, restless and free-spirited, follows her own set of rules. Now, after Mariah’s death forces a reunion, the sisters must reassess the state of their lives even as they decide the fate of the Stitchery. But their relationships with one another—and their beliefs in magic—are put to the test. Will the threads hold?

My Thoughts

This was a sweet story about sisterhood, magic and hope. Set in Tarrytown, the magical story gives lots of nods to Sleepy Hollow. Everyone says this, but it really if you like Sarah Addison Allen’s writing, you will love this book.

Rating: 4 out of 5.

My Favorite Read of April 2023: Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas

“Libraries were full of ideas—perhaps the most dangerous and powerful of all weapons.”
― Sarah J. Maas, Throne of Glass

Goodreads Synopsis:

In a land without magic, where the king rules with an iron hand, an assassin is summoned to the castle. She comes not to kill the king, but to win her freedom. If she defeats twenty-three killers, thieves, and warriors in a competition, she is released from prison to serve as the king’s champion. Her name is Celaena Sardothien.

The Crown Prince will provoke her. The Captain of the Guard will protect her. But something evil dwells in the castle of glass—and it’s there to kill. When her competitors start dying one by one, Celaena’s fight for freedom becomes a fight for survival, and a desperate quest to root out the evil before it destroys her world.

My Thoughts:

I read this one as part of a challenge to read books that have been on my tbr pile the longest. I don’t why I waited so long. It was so good! I read a lot of fantasy novels with young, strong, female protagonists. But, Celaena stands out from the rest. Even though she’s faced many hardships and has lethal skills, Celaena still finds enjoyment out of life and holds true to her ethics. She loves dogs, reading, dressing up, and going to parties like many girls. She just happens to fight some dark forces along the way.

Reasons I liked Throne of Glass:

  • Celaena is incredibly relatable for an assassin
  • Even though some horrible things are happening in this world, there’s a thread of hopefulness throughout the story
  • Captain of the Guard, Chaol is a perfect combination of tough and kind

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