I read more books in 2020 than in any previous year, and out of all the books I read, I gave two of them 5 stars. There were also a lot of 4 star reads that I loved as well. These are the ones I loved the most in their genres.
Best Fantasy: The Sword of Kaigen by M. L. Wang
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Category: Adult
Content: Some minor cursing; an off page
rape; off page killing of children during a battle, their bodies are
mentioned and briefly.
A mother struggling to repress her violent past,
A son struggling to grasp his violent future,
A father blind to the danger that threatens them all.
When
the winds of war reach their peninsula, will the Matsuda family have
the strength to defend their empire? Or will they tear each other apart
before the true enemies even reach their shores?
Wow, just
wow! This book really blew me away. I wasn't expecting to love it this
much at all. It started out a little slow with some history lessons on
the world, but once I hit chapter 6 it started to take off. By 30% in it
was impossible to put down. Is it perfect? No. The modern day setting
combined with the old world feeling of most of the book threw me a
little at first, and the glimpses into Misaki's past life felt a little
more urban fantasy than the rest of the book, but those were minor
things compared to everything else that was so amazing.
One thing
that I really loved about this book is that it delivered everything I
was hoping it would deliver. Every time I wished for something it would
eventually end up happening. Another thing I loved about this book was
the elemental magic. It totally reminded me of Avatar, the Last Air
Bender. This, combined with the sword fighting, made the battle scenes
pretty epic. Those scenes also kept me on the edge of my seat.
I
also love when a book gives me a perspective of a character that I did
not see before, and this book did that brilliantly with one character
that I really disliked. I ended up understanding that character later
on, and no longer disliking them. The thing I loved the most about this
book was the way the characters grew and developed.
“You learn over time that the world isn’t broken. It’s just… got
more pieces to it than you thought. They all fit together, just maybe
not the way you pictured when you were young.”
This book packed such an emotional punch, and
anytime a book makes me feel the way this one did, it's guaranteed to
get 5 stars from me. I'm pretty stingy with 5 stars, so this is the
first book I've given 5 stars to in over a year. If you enjoy reading
epic fantasy I highly recommend this book. It will break your heart and
put it back together. It will have you staying up at all hours of the
night reading it. It will have you crying at 2 am. It will give you all
of those feels that you have come to love from epic fantasy.
“Wholeness, she had learned, was not the absence of pain but the ability to hold it.”
Best Romance: Making Faces by Amy Harmon
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Category: Adult, Christian
Content: Strong language, Some steamy makeout scenes.
Ambrose Young was
beautiful. He was tall and muscular, with hair that touched his
shoulders and eyes that burned right through you. The kind of beautiful
that graced the covers of romance novels, and Fern Taylor would know.
She'd been reading them since she was thirteen. But maybe because he was
so beautiful he was never someone Fern thought she could have . . .
until he wasn't beautiful anymore. Making Faces is the story of a small
town where five young men go off to war, and only one comes back. It is
the story of loss. Collective loss, individual loss, loss of beauty,
loss of life, loss of identity. It is the tale of one girl's love for a
broken boy and a wounded warrior's love for an unremarkable girl. This
is a story of friendship that overcomes heartache, heroism that defies
the common definitions, and a modern tale of Beauty and the Beast, where
we discover that there is a little beauty and a little beast in all of
us.
“I wrote your name across my heart so we could be together, so I could hold you close to me and keep you there forever.”
I've
had this book on my Kindle for several years now, and finding myself in
between obligated reads (buddy reads, book clubs, NetGalley, etc.) I
decided it was finally time to read it. I have also recently had some
rather disappointing reads of late. I already knew I loved Amy Harmon as
a writer, so I figured she wouldn't disappoint me. I've read all her
fantasy stuff, and they rank among my favorite books, but this is the
first contemporary novel I've read by her. Let me just start out by
saying that this book made me cry! It also had my heart soaring. Like
all of Harmon's books, this one was deep and beautiful. I rarely give
out 5 stars, but this one, I knew well before I finished that it was
going to be a 5 star read for me. I loved these characters so much.
Fern, Ambrose, and Bailey all have a special place in my heart now.
Thank you Amy Harmon for writing books that make my heart sing, and make
me feel all the feels. What wonderful medicine for the soul!
“You
know that thing people always say, about beauty being in the eye of the
beholder?... I always thought it meant we all have different tastes,
different preferences . . . you know? Some guys focus on the legs, some
guys prefer blondes, some men like girls with long hair, that kind of
thing. I never thought about it really, not before this moment. But
maybe you see beauty in me because you are beautiful, not because I am.”
Best Urban Fantasy: Peace Talks by Jim Butcher
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Category: Adult
Content: Strong Language
When the Supernatural nations of the world meet up to
negotiate an end to ongoing hostilities, Harry Dresden, Chicago's only
professional wizard, joins the White Council's security team to make
sure the talks stay civil. But can he succeed, when dark political
manipulations threaten the very existence of Chicago--and all he holds
dear?
I can't think of another book that I looked more forward to reading this
year. Like everyone else who loves this series, I've been waiting for 6
years for this book to come out! Was it worth the wait? Yes! Yes it was!
This is the first of two books in The Dresden Files that will be
released this year, and that goes a long way to make up for the six
years.
Overall this book was great. There were some developments
that I was pleasantly surprised about, mainly because I had either
given up on anything happening on that front, or because it was
something I had not considered. There were other developments that made
me sad, but hopeful that things will be alright in the end.
Ever since the book
Changes
I've missed certain things. The boarding house with the
sub-basement in particular, and Harry just having a place to call home
in general. There is a point in this book where Harry laments the lack
of a home, as well, and it felt like a nod to the way I felt. Harry also
ends up making a discovery in Marcone's compound. The compound that was
built on the old boarding house site. I won't say what it is, but it
made me smile, and then it made me angry right along with Harry.
This remains one of my all time favorite series, and I'm looking forward to reading
Battle Ground
in September, which by the way, releases the day before my birthday. What a nice birthday present that will be!
“Home, like love, hate, war, and peace, is one of those words that is
so important that it doesn't need more than one syllable. Home is part
of the fabric of who humans are... It's where you eat the best food...
It's where you and your mate are the most intimate. Its where your raise
your children, safe against a world that can be horrible things to
them. It's where you sleep, safe. It's where you relax. It's where you
dream. Home is where you embrace the present and plan the future. It's
where the books are. And more than anything else, it's where you build
the world that you want.”
Best Mystery: When I was you by Minka Kent
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Category: Adult
Content: Mostly clean, I can't even remember any cursing.
After barely surviving a brutal attack, Brienne Dougray rarely
leaves her house. Suffering from debilitating headaches and memory loss,
she can rely only on her compassionate new tenant, Dr. Niall Emberlin, a
welcome distraction from the discomfiting bubble that has become her
existence.
But Brienne’s growing confidence in her new routine is
shaken when she stumbles across unsettling evidence that someone else
is living as…her. Same name. Same car. Same hair. Same clothes. She’s
even friended her family on social media. To find out why, Brienne must
leave the safety of her home to hunt a familiar stranger.
I was in the mood for a good mystery or suspense thriller and this book
ended up being a good choice. I'm giving it 4 stars for two reasons;
because it kept me glued to it all day and because I found it refreshing
that it wasn't full of unsavory characters and expletives. Nowadays it
seems rare to find a book like this that doesn't include those. I've had
a hard time finding suspense thrillers that even have a main character
that I can like.
I would probably give everything else about the book 3 stars. It was
easy to figure out what was going on from the beginning, and the author
lets you in on it as soon as the point of view switches. I was a little
disappointed in that. There were also some holes and implausibilities
that bothered me. There were two things in particular that were never
explained. One was the facebook page. Why was it created in the first
place if Brienne never used social media anyway and who created it? The
other was how Niall knew where Brienne was when she was at the office
about to face her imposter. No explanation was ever given for that.
I ended up liking the main character even though she was very gullible. I
just don't think anyone would have believed the story she was given
that easily, but I was able to let it slide a little, considering the
trauma she was already dealing with. I also, unexpectedly ended up
really liking one of the other characters a lot. Overall I enjoyed
reading this and that's what really counts for me. I've already looked
up other books by this author to read and plan on giving them a try.
Best Young Adult: The Kingfountain Series by Jeff Wheeler
I enjoyed this series as a whole so much, especially the first three books.
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Category: Young Adult
Genre: Fantasy
Content: Clean
King Severn Argentine’s fearsome reputation precedes him: usurper of
the throne, killer of rightful heirs, ruthless punisher of traitors.
Attempting to depose him, the Duke of Kiskaddon gambles…and loses. Now
the duke must atone by handing over his young son, Owen, as the king’s
hostage. And should his loyalty falter again, the boy will pay with his
life.
Seeking allies and eluding Severn’s spies, Owen learns to
survive in the court of Kingfountain. But when new evidence of his
father’s betrayal threatens to seal his fate, Owen must win the vengeful
king’s favor by proving his worth—through extraordinary means. And only
one person can aid his desperate cause: a mysterious woman, dwelling in
secrecy, who truly wields power over life, death, and destiny.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book! The characters were endearing and the
plot kept me reading. It was an easy, but fulfilling read. I enjoyed
reading this from 8 year old Owen's point of view. That could have been
an iffy thing, as it could have made the book feel too middle grade for
me, but it worked here. I also liked that we got a different perspective
of the king, other than he was bad for the sake of being bad. He ended
up being a more complex character than I was expecting.
For a good portion of the book I was left wondering about the queen's
poisoner. Who it would be, how they would play a part in the story? When
I finally met her, I liked the way she was both, tied into things and
introduced.
Overall I like this author's writing style, and I'm eager to find out what happens in the next book.
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Category: Young Adult
Genre: Fantasy
Content: Clean
Owen Kiskaddon first came to the court of the formidable King Severn
as a prisoner, winning favor with the stormy monarch by masquerading as a
boy truly blessed by the Fountain. Nine years hence, the once-fearful
Owen has grown into a confident young man, mentored in battle and
politics by Duke Horwath and deeply in love with his childhood friend,
the duke’s granddaughter. But the blissful future Owen and Elysabeth
Mortimer anticipate seems doomed by the king’s machinations.
A
pretender to Severn’s throne has vowed to seize the crown of
Kingfountain. But Severn means to combat the threat by using Elysabeth
as bait to snare the imposter—and forcing Owen, as a pawn in the
dangerous charade, to choose between duty and devotion. With poisoners
and spies circling ominously, and war looming on the horizon, Owen must
make painful sacrifices to beat back the advancing shadows of death and
disaster. Will Owen’s conflicted heart follow the king’s path or will he
risk everything for love?
This was a great follow up to
The Queen's Poisoner. I think one
thing that I find really appealing about this series is that it can be
read by multiple ages and still enjoyed. I like how easy this author's
book are to read. They are perfect for when I want to read fantasy, but
not something too heavy. The only negative is that I think Wheeler tends
to tell instead of show a little too much sometimes. However, I really
do like the characters and the world building. The characters are all so
easy to become invested in, and the villains are not so clear cut.
There are multiple layers to these characters. It will be interesting to
see how the different relationships develop in future books. Overall
this was really good. The ending broke my heart, but it also made me
want to read more.
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Category: Young Adult
Genre: Fantasy
Content: Clean
Against all odds, Owen Kiskaddon grew from frightened boy to
confident youth to trusted officer in the court of Kingfountain—and
watched its regent, Severn Argentine, grow ever more ruthless and
power-mad. Robbed of his beloved protector, his noble mentor, and his
true love, Owen has anticipated the day when the king he fears and
reviles, yet loyally serves, will be toppled. Now, as Severn plots a
campaign of conquest, the time has come to take action…and Owen’s
destiny demands that he lead the strike.
Ordered to incite war
with a neighboring kingdom, Owen discovers its beautiful, reclusive
ruler, whose powerful magic might even exceed his own. Together they
mount a daring plot to overthrow the corrupt monarch, crown the rightful
heir, and defeat the prophesied curse threatening Kingfountain with
wintry death. But Severn’s evil is as bottomless as the fabled Deep
Fathoms. To keep his ill-gotten throne, he’ll gladly spill the blood of
enemies and innocents alike.
“We learn much through suffering... But I think what we learn most is who we really are."
After what transpired in the last book in this series, I wasn't sure how
I was going to feel about this one. Fortunately I ended up thoroughly
enjoying it. I love how the characters in this series learn and grow.
The author manages to write depth into his characters while keeping the
story easy to read. For example, as I said in my review of The Queen's Poisoner,
the king is unexpectedly complicated and not just a cookie cutter
villain. I appreciate that I can read these when I'm not in the mood for
something heavy and real in-depth, and still enjoy the story and feel
attached to the characters.
There is a span a several years between each book in this series and
normally I'm not a huge fan of that, but this is one of the only series
I've read that I actually don't mind time jumps in. I went into this
feeling bad for how things ended up for Owen, but by the end I was glad
at how things turned out for him, for Evie, and for most everyone else.
Wheeler's stories are inspired by other tales, or events in history, and
this series was very inspired by the Arthurian legends. This book in
particular was inspired very much by the Lady of the Lake, and I loved
how it was woven into the book.
After finishing this I wanted to dive right into the fourth book in the
series, which moves forward in time to feature the children of the
characters in this one. However, someone recommended reading the Legends of Muirwood
series first, because there are heavy tie-ins, so I'm going to put the
last three books on hold and jump on over to Muirwood for a while first.
