The Correspondent, by Virginia Evans
This is the sleeper hit of the year, and it is great. It is about a woman, Sybil, who prefers to write letters rather than talk to people. It’s an epistolary that includes emails and memos and follows Sybil during the last years of her life as she makes peace with an old tragedy. Sybil seems like a fussy old woman, and she is, but there is substance within her that needs some human connection to bring out the best in her.
Polaris Rising, by Jessie Mihalik
Reread, or relisten, really. I listened to the other two books in the series last month, so thought I should round it out. Not my favorite in the series, but still great.
The Ghostwriter, by Julie Clark
This was a really fun and twisty mystery with elements of horror. Olivia takes a job to ghostwrite for her long-estranged father, famous horror novelist Vincent, to save her derailed career. He’s suffering from a type of dementia and wants her to write his biography which leads her to investigate the mystery of who murdered his brother and sister in 1976—a crime that many think he committed. Just when I thought I had guessed what happened, there was another turn. Loved it.
Hunchback, by Saou Ichikawa (transl by Polly Barton)
A short, rough, but beautiful novel. Shaka was born with a congenital muscle disorder and spends her time in her room in a care home. While her physical life is confined, her mind is full of life—taking online courses, writing erotica, among other things. When a young orderly begins working at her care facility, things change for her. Shaka is a wonderful character—not necessarily likable, but you still want to get to know her.
The Cautious Traveller's Guide to the Wastelands, Sarah Brooks
I don’t know what I was expecting when I started listening to this book, but it blew me away. Alternative history, Annihilation-type wasteland, Snowpiercer-type train that goes between Beijing and Moscow. I don’t want to say too much because there are a lot of surprises. Let’s just say I really enjoyed it and I thought about it a lot once I finished.
Queen Demon, by Martha Wells
The sequel to Witch King picks up right where it leaves off. Kai and his entourage embark on a journey to find the center of the Hierarch’s power. The flash backs cover the war that Kai and the Rising World coalition wage against the Hierarchs. I enjoyed this world that Wells created, but the format of one chapter in the present and one in the past sometimes gets confusing. Before the third one comes out (if there is a third one), I’m going to read all the past chapters and then all the present chapters.
A Morbid Taste for Bones, by Ellis Peters
A medieval monk travels with some of his order to Wales to claim the bones of a saint in order to enrich their own abbey. Brother Cadfael, a world-weary native of Wales, works as both interpreter and foil to the senior priest’s greed. There is a murder and the monks are accused, so Cadfael steps in to solve the crime. Read this for book club and really enjoyed it, we all did. Might try to read more of the series.
Anishinabe Songs for a New Millenium, by Marcie R. Rendon
Poetry by an indigenous poet. I didn’t really connect with much of it. As the titles says, the poet created new songs for her people. Rendon’s words and phrasing are beautiful, though. So I must recommend it.
Titan of the Stars, by E.K. Johnston
Ship engineer, Celeste, is excited to be a part of the maiden voyage of the Titan—the most luxurious of space liners. Dominic is on the cruise to please his parents. When the unthinkable happens, alien remains reanimate, these two different people have to work to save their friends and family and still make it to Mars. It was okay for what it was trying to do, but I’ve read similar books that did it better.
The DallerGut Dream Department Store, by Lee Mi-ye (transl by Sandy Joosun Lee)
A charming story about where dreams come from. Very much in the same style as the “Before the Coffee Gets Cold” books. Penny gets hired into the DallerGut Dream Dept store, one of the most eminent dream stores and soon becomes the right-hand assistant to Dallergut himself. People’s dreams are not from the subconscious, but purchased through this alternate reality. There are dream designers and dream sellers and we even get to see the dreams—and outcomes—of several dreamers. Fun and fluffy, it’s a guilt-free read.
This is the sleeper hit of the year, and it is great. It is about a woman, Sybil, who prefers to write letters rather than talk to people. It’s an epistolary that includes emails and memos and follows Sybil during the last years of her life as she makes peace with an old tragedy. Sybil seems like a fussy old woman, and she is, but there is substance within her that needs some human connection to bring out the best in her.
Polaris Rising, by Jessie Mihalik
Reread, or relisten, really. I listened to the other two books in the series last month, so thought I should round it out. Not my favorite in the series, but still great.
The Ghostwriter, by Julie Clark
This was a really fun and twisty mystery with elements of horror. Olivia takes a job to ghostwrite for her long-estranged father, famous horror novelist Vincent, to save her derailed career. He’s suffering from a type of dementia and wants her to write his biography which leads her to investigate the mystery of who murdered his brother and sister in 1976—a crime that many think he committed. Just when I thought I had guessed what happened, there was another turn. Loved it.
Hunchback, by Saou Ichikawa (transl by Polly Barton)
A short, rough, but beautiful novel. Shaka was born with a congenital muscle disorder and spends her time in her room in a care home. While her physical life is confined, her mind is full of life—taking online courses, writing erotica, among other things. When a young orderly begins working at her care facility, things change for her. Shaka is a wonderful character—not necessarily likable, but you still want to get to know her.
The Cautious Traveller's Guide to the Wastelands, Sarah Brooks
I don’t know what I was expecting when I started listening to this book, but it blew me away. Alternative history, Annihilation-type wasteland, Snowpiercer-type train that goes between Beijing and Moscow. I don’t want to say too much because there are a lot of surprises. Let’s just say I really enjoyed it and I thought about it a lot once I finished.
Queen Demon, by Martha Wells
The sequel to Witch King picks up right where it leaves off. Kai and his entourage embark on a journey to find the center of the Hierarch’s power. The flash backs cover the war that Kai and the Rising World coalition wage against the Hierarchs. I enjoyed this world that Wells created, but the format of one chapter in the present and one in the past sometimes gets confusing. Before the third one comes out (if there is a third one), I’m going to read all the past chapters and then all the present chapters.
A Morbid Taste for Bones, by Ellis Peters
A medieval monk travels with some of his order to Wales to claim the bones of a saint in order to enrich their own abbey. Brother Cadfael, a world-weary native of Wales, works as both interpreter and foil to the senior priest’s greed. There is a murder and the monks are accused, so Cadfael steps in to solve the crime. Read this for book club and really enjoyed it, we all did. Might try to read more of the series.
Anishinabe Songs for a New Millenium, by Marcie R. Rendon
Poetry by an indigenous poet. I didn’t really connect with much of it. As the titles says, the poet created new songs for her people. Rendon’s words and phrasing are beautiful, though. So I must recommend it.
Titan of the Stars, by E.K. Johnston
Ship engineer, Celeste, is excited to be a part of the maiden voyage of the Titan—the most luxurious of space liners. Dominic is on the cruise to please his parents. When the unthinkable happens, alien remains reanimate, these two different people have to work to save their friends and family and still make it to Mars. It was okay for what it was trying to do, but I’ve read similar books that did it better.
The DallerGut Dream Department Store, by Lee Mi-ye (transl by Sandy Joosun Lee)
A charming story about where dreams come from. Very much in the same style as the “Before the Coffee Gets Cold” books. Penny gets hired into the DallerGut Dream Dept store, one of the most eminent dream stores and soon becomes the right-hand assistant to Dallergut himself. People’s dreams are not from the subconscious, but purchased through this alternate reality. There are dream designers and dream sellers and we even get to see the dreams—and outcomes—of several dreamers. Fun and fluffy, it’s a guilt-free read.
