I haven't been writing much lately, but I have been doing a lot of reading! Here are some of my favorite reads from the last few months, Twitterature style:
Literature with a Capital L
Wolf Hall by Hilary Mantel
A engrossing, clever account of Catherine's fall and Anne's rise (Henry VIII wives 1 and 2) from the POV of Thomas Cromwell. Best book I've read this year so far. The #sequel Bring Up the Bodies is almost as good.
A Teaspoon of Earth and Sea by Dina Nayeri
A story about loves lost--but in this case, the loves are a sister, a mother, and pre-revolution Iran. Well-plotted and poignant.
Murder, Mayhem: Mysteries!
The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie by Alan Bradley
The first in the Flavia de Luce series about a precocious, chemistry-loving eleven-year-old in rural 1950 Britain. Charming unreliable narrator. Sometimes a bit cutesy but overall delightful; the mysteries improve as the series progresses. Check out the #audiobook for an excellent reading by Jayne Entwistle.
The Midwife's Tale by Samuel Thomas
Seventeenth-century midwife at the center of a web of mysteries. Written by a history teacher, it's a fascinating look at the rituals of birth and death in the 1640s and the role of the midwife. #firstnovel #waitingformore
The Truth Is Out There: Fantasy and Science Fiction
Cinder by Marissa Meyer
First book in the Lunar Chronicles, dystopian futuristic re-tellings of your favorite fairy tales. Kind of. Book two, Scarlet, introduces new characters and expands the universe, but Cinder's still my favorite. Fast, fun, #isthethirdbookoutyet?
Earth Unaware: The First Formic War by Orson Scott Card
Did you know Card was writing a trilogy of prequels to Ender's Game? Somehow I missed that. This and the second (Earth Afire) are out and must-reads for #Ender fans.
Watchmen by Alan Moore
If you've only ever seen the movie, you owe it to yourself to read the original and get the full scope of the storyline. Masterfully plotted with gritty artwork by Dave Gibbons.
Just the Facts, Ma'am: Non-Fiction
LEGO: A Love Story by Jonathan Bender
A peek behind the scenes of LEGO and its devoted adult fandom. Wanders at times but still fascinating to anyone with a fondness for those nifty little bricks.
Stiff: The Curious Lives of Human Cadavers by Mary Roach
Fascinating, but not for the weak-stomached.
Be sure to click over to Modern Mrs. Darcy to see what others have been reading.
And then put a nice long list of books on hold at the library. ;-)
