In true bookdragon fashion, I enjoy tracking what I read and keeping tabs on what my friends read too, because bookdragons love company! If you’re here at Adventure Awaits, I’m assuming you’re my scaly, story-addicted kin. Welcome.
In the interests of satisfying curiosity–yours and mine–here are all the books I read in 2018, complete with the mini reviews and stats that were popular last year!
JANUARY
Raising Dragons // Bryan Davis
Boy breathes fire // Arthurian legend // dragonslayers // felt like returning to old friends // 5 stars
Improved over The Maze Runner // Newt and Minho are my favs // Teresa is annoying as all get-out // sorry, the movie was better // 4 stars
The Candlestone // Bryan Davis
All my babies are growing up // vivid analogies // “truth is my sword” // singing in the midst of darkness // 5 stars
Hostage Run // Andrew Klavan
Super fast read // video game affects reality // angry son actually works to forgive his father // Molly is great // 4 stars
Orphan’s Song // Gillian Bronte Adams
Cozy fantasy // griffins and orphans and swords // music is magic // Amos, the cranky peddler, sounds exactly like Hector Barbossa in my head // 4 stars
MARCH
Last Star Burning // Caitlin Sangster
Dystopian China = very cool // sleeping sickness // confusing action sequences // common sense could’ve prevented 90% of the problems // backstabby characters // 3 stars
Circles of Seven // Bryan Davis
So much symbolism // one of my favorites // Walter and Ashley snark // detestable villainess // Prof is the actual best // 5 stars
APRIL
The Returning // Rachelle Dekker
Powerful themes about identity // new generation of characters // I missed the old ones // some loose threads left unresolved // 4 stars
Tears of a Dragon // Bryan Davis
Great character growth // rescuing dragon souls // fighting the Watchers // solid ending // 5 stars
The Story Peddler // Lindsay A. Franklin
Cozy and full of wonder // exceeded my expectations // storytelling powers // headstrong heroine // ragtag band of misfits // I fell in love with the pirate! // 5 stars
MAY
Eye of the Oracle // Bryan Davis
History of millennia woven into overarching plot // underground slaves // portal jumping // Makaidos is my favorite dragon ever // 5 stars
The Sea of Monsters // Rick Riordan
Hilarious // a taxi of death // man-eating sheep // Tyson is sweet // epic bad guys plans // would’ve liked a bit more introspection // 5 stars
Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone // J.K. Rowling
Utterly enchanting // lovable characters // my first foray into the Wizarding World // some unnecessary sneakery // I’m gonna go live at Hogwarts okay thanks // 5 stars
Gravestone // Travis Thrasher
Audiobook // dark and winding road // gloomy // creepy // a ray of light is coming // very lifelike emotions // 5 stars
JUNE
Capital Gaines: Smart Things I Learned Doing Stupid Stuff // Chip Gaines
Interesting anecdotes // family first // live fearlessly // felt a bit scattered // 4 stars
Steal Like an Artist // Austin Kleon
Inspiration for the creative process // celebrate imperfection // pithy and quotable // catapults your own thoughts // 5 stars
Enoch’s Ghost // Bryan Davis
Sacrifice // Ashley is super relatable // creepy infinite staircase // so many awesome characters hurting so much, ow // 5 stars
Siren’s Song // Mary Weber
Epic final battle // heart-wrenching ending // Nym has come so far // Myles gave me Loki vibes // thematically magnificent // 5 stars
Unblemished // Sara Ella
So fun and cute // fairy-tale-esque world connected to New York // twisty plot // love triangle // Team Ky all the way // 4.5 stars
The Legend of Zelda: The Minish Cap // Akira Himekawa
Graphic novel // cute drawing style // the Pikori are adorable // good conclusion // 4 stars
Paper and Fire // Rachel Caine
Left me breathless // good ol’ rescue plot // creepy automatons // squad goals // stacks of dusty, old books // gearing up for an epic rebellion // 5 stars
Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets // J.K. Rowling
The Weasely family is adorable // rollicking adventures // Mandrakes! // ugh, Lockhart // unexpected and satisfying ending // 5 stars
All the Crooked Saints // Maggie Stiefvater
Charming, lyrical writing // eclectic pilgrims // the desert is a character unto itself // Pete, my love // healing is found through opening up to others // 5 stars[
JULY
Last of the Nephilim // Bryan Davis
War is coming // everyone’s gathering in Second Eden (which is a really cool place) // lots of action // Elam! // 5 stars
AUGUST
Embers // Ronie Kendig
Love the premise // fire powers // a bit too many characters // set up for the beginnings of an epic “fellowship,” though // 4 stars
The Bones of Makaidos // Bryan Davis
One of my favorite books // epic cast // climactic battles // best-ever satisfying ending // 5 stars
Fairest Son // H.S.J. Williams
Gender-bent Snow White // wild fey // unexpected twists // I fell in love with Prince Idris // beautiful story // 5 stars
Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can’t Stop Talking // Susan Cain
Fascinating // made me more aware of my temperament’s strengths // 4 stars
Hacker // Ted Dekker
Took a surprising look at the unseen world // hacking the human consciousness // felt like an allegory // 4 stars
SEPTEMBER
The Magician’s Nephew // C.S. Lewis
Focus on the Family audio // brought back memories // dawn of Narnia brings me to tears // 5 stars
The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe // C.S. Lewis
Focus on the Family audio // classic // great voice cast // except Aslan’s voice doesn’t beat Liam Neeson in the movies // 5 stars
The Story of With // Allen Arnold
Life-changing // awakens the heart // fiction and nonfiction fused together // 5 stars
The Horse and His Boy // C.S. Lewis
Focus on the Family audio // I loved this one more than the first few times I read it // Bree is my fav // 5 stars
Prince Caspian // C.S. Lewis
Focus on the Family audio // really fun // Trumpkin’s voice is amusing // the Pevensies are back // 5 stars
The Voyage of the Dawn Treader // C.S. Lewis
Focus on the Family audio // so many adventures // one of my favorite Narnia books // 5 stars
The Silver Chair // C.S. Lewis
Focus on the Family audio // darker than I remembered // Puddleglum’s the best // 5 stars
The Last Battle // C.S. Lewis
Focus on the Family audio // I want to throttle that ape // Susan, why? // happy reunions // further up and further in // 5 stars
Song of the Ovulum // Bryan Davis
Tale of mercy // new generation of characters // also a throwback to the Biblical Flood // 5 stars
OCTOBER
Crazy Love // Francis Chan
Audiobook // some good parts about the bigness of God // bit of a guilt trip in other parts // 4 stars
From the Mouth of Elijah // Bryan Davis
Fiery volcanoes // madcap portal dashes // sacrificial love // Lauren’s journey is particularly poignant // 5 stars
If We Survive // Andrew Klavan
Audiobook // so intense // Will is such a good kid // I love all the characters, though // everything goes wrong, ack // 5 stars
Fawkes // Nadine Brandes
Lived up to the hype // historical fantasy with color magic // Thomas! Emma! // twisty plot // 5 stars
Haven // Mary Lindsey
Paranormal romance // clichéd plot, decently cool backstory // alpha male protagonist, overly aggressive // the romance was blegh, blegh, blegh // I got rid of the book // 1 star
NOVEMBER
The Seventh Door // Bryan Davis
Awesome parallels to Circles of Seven // Tamiel is one crafty villain // deeply sad scenes // Matt grows a lot // 5 stars
DECEMBER
The Scorpio Races // Maggie Stiefvater
So good that it hurts // atmospheric // the capall uisce horses are SCARY // slow burn romance // Puck and I understand each other // love Sean Kendrick // 5 stars
Omega Dragon // Bryan Davis
Apocalyptic conclusion // so many brave heroes // tied up the twelve books in a smashing finale // 5 stars
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban // J.K. Rowling
My favorite HP book yet // Lupin is the best // Harry is growing up // all the plot twists // I want to visit Hogwarts // 5 stars
Horseman // Kyle Robert Schultz
The Wild West of Neverica // magic and mayhem // spot-on humor // Julio the dragon is hilarious // 4 stars
The Sacred Enneagram // Christopher L. Heuertz
Enlightening // resonated with my inner journey // lots to chew on // Christian perspective on how to use the Enneagram for personal and spiritual growth // 5 stars
Reading Stats
Total Books Read: 50(10 more than 2017!)
Pages Read:17,656(which is over 4,000 more pages than 2017!)
Also, let us take a moment to cast an appreciative glance at a two-foot stack made of eleven college textbooks read during the year. I’m not sure how many hundreds of pages that pile would add . . . and I’m not sure I want to think about it.
Genres of 2018
This was the year of fantasy! But . . . I mean . . . that’s not new. I did average a nonfiction book every other month, which is up from last year.
Some other stats of interest . . .
I “read” a lot more audiobooks than normal (since normal used to be zero). And, as you’ll see below, this was also the Year of Rereads!
Star Ratings
Pretty typical! I read a lot of books I enjoyed and very, very few that I didn’t.
Most Read Authors
Bryan Davis (12)
C.S. Lewis (7)
J.K. Rowling (3)
Mary Weber (2)
Andrew Klavan (2)
Maggie Steifvater (2)
Favorite Authors Discovered in 2018
Without a doubt, my favorite new-to-me authors this year were:
Lindsay A. Franklin (because The Story Peddler was awesome, Lindsay is awesome, and I can’t wait for her next book releasing April 2019!)
J.K. Rowling (because I finally joined the Wizarding World of Harry Potter, and I’m rather delighted to be here)
H.S.J. Williams (because her Snow White novella was just so beautiful)
Least Favorite Book
Haven by Mary Lindsey. I’ve already complained about it, so if you’re curious about the details behind why I so disliked this novel, I’ll just drop a link to my Goodreads review HERE.
Favorite Books
IT’S SO HARD TO PICK. Because almost half of this year’s books were rereads, I’m going to cheat and give you two lists–one of my favorite new books and one of my favorite rereads.
Favorite New Books
The Story Peddler
Paper and Fire
All the Crooked Saints
Fairest Son
Fawkes
The Scorpio Races
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
Favorite Rereads
Circles of Seven
Eye of the Oracle
The Bones of Makaidos
The Horse and His Boy
If We Survive
Happy Reading, Bookdragons!
I’m pleasantly surprised to see what a great reading year this was! It was pretty different than my usual, what with rereads (which used to be rare), more nonfiction, and more audiobooks (which saved my Goodreads reading challenge while in college).
Looking forward to another great set of books in 2019! My TBR pile is as staggering as ever, threatening to hold me hostage; and new releases like To Best the Boys by Mary Weber, The Story Raider by Lindsay Franklin, Romanov by Nadine Brandes, and probably a lot more are just going to add height to the TBR . . . but that’s a fun problem to have.
Whew, you made it to the end! Now tell me: what were some of your top reads of 2018? And what’s an upcoming release you can’t wait to add to your dragon hoard?
When I found out that long-time friend and writing pal Skye Hoffert had won a spot in Rooglewood Press’s Five Poisoned Apples, I was ecstatic! We’ve been beta readers for each others’ stories a couple times before, and what always struck me about her writing were the characters. Stark. Gritty. Brimming with dangerous life. So to hear that the world would finally get a chance to meet some of them made me squeal with joy!
I was kindly provided an e-book copy of Five Poisoned Apples in exchange for a review of Skye’s winning story, Falling Snow.* (Of course, I was not required to write a positive review. All opinions are my own.)
*And once I get my hands on a print copy, stay tuned for a review of the full anthology!
Falling Snow
Snow White at the circus–that was the first thing to grab my attention. And that grungy setting kept me entranced right to the final page. Skye succeeds in painting the two faces of the circus with vibrant brushstrokes, both the glamorous veneer and the dank shadows beneath.
The next thing to hook me in was, of course . . .
The Characters (most of whom are fae!)
Snow: She’s not the timid, cutesy thing of the Disney film. This Snow is guarded, capable, and wounded. If you’ve read the story, you know how much her emotions pop in the wire-walking scene!
Chayse: Easily my favorite character! Fiery abilities, a tortured relationship with his mother, and a tattered/hobo-like appearance make him a unique and lovable romantic interest.
Cynfael: He’s everything you expect a fae prince to be, with a healthy helping of snark added to his cunning personality. He and Chayse sort of share the roles of prince and huntsman . . . but I shan’t say more. Spoilers, sweetie.
The dwarves: They’re a ragtag group of clowns who, in their own gruff way, look after Snow. Goodness knows she needs it.
The queen: She’s the sort of villainess I love to hate, and she personifies the circus itself with her glittering mask hiding a heart of rot.
Alilion: He doesn’t show up much, but he seems to play a minor role as the mirror. Also detestable, as one might expect.
So what about the plot?
Trust me, if you think you know the tired old “Mirror, mirror, on the wall,” set up, you’ll get a pleasant surprise here. The classic pieces have been rearranged on the chessboard, with some very clever twists to keep you on your toes.
Plot is my biggest struggle in novellas because it’s hard to contain within such a small word limit. But Skye ratchets up the suspense and advances the game so deftly, I nearly forgot I wasn’t reading a full novel. Even though I’d read an early draft, my heart was pounding at all the right moments! And there’s just enough time before reaching The End to breathe a sigh of relief.
A dark blend of Once Upon a Time and The Greatest Showman, Falling Snow is a riveting start to the Five Poisoned Apples collection! I can’t wait to see what Skye writes next.
P.S. In the meantime, go pay Skye a visit at her blog, Ink Castles! She’s an artist as well as a writer, so poke around to find her paintings.
Hi ho, my friends! I’ve got a book review for you today! Recently, I had the honor of reading Fairest Son, a novella by H.S.J. Williams, and loved it so much that I have to shout it to the world.
Fairest Son is a gender-bent retelling of Snow White. I don’t know about you, but I was instantly intrigued by that twist alone. But it gets even better! This little tale draws from Irish mythology, including Seelie and Unseelie courts, the sidh, and a lot more that would be too spoilery to mention.
Here’s another thing you should know: I read Fairest Son in one sitting. The plan was to read three or four chapters and then move on to writing a blog post. But I kept scrolling . . . and scrolling . . . until I lost track of time and read the story right to the end!*
*I stopped once for a cookie break. Those are important.
The Fair and Foul courts of the fey folk have long yearned for one to bring them together in peace, but hopes are dashed when the fairest prince and the prophecy concerning him are laid to ruin. Burdened with shame and sorrow, the prince flees to the cold mountains far above the forests and lochs with nothing but animals and goblins for company.
When a human huntress stumbles upon him in her search for a legendary predator, their fates are intertwined. But she hides deadly secrets, and if he dares to trust her, he may risk the doom of both courts to an ancient evil…
Wonderful Things
1. Unexpected twists
No spoilers here, but this story deftly twists and weaves the Snow White we all know into a fresh new tale–a tale that stands strongly on its own, yet sends little winks and nods to its source materials at all the right moments. Every “aha” was a delight!
2. Wild fey
Disney’s Tinkerbell is nice and all, but the kind of fairies that really enchant me are those that tend toward the wilder side. A little darker, a little more capricious and untamed, a little truer to the fairy tales of old. The Seelie and Unseelie courts here were populated by just that sort of fairy (a.k.a. sidh), which made me happy.
3. Perfect pacing
Novellas are tricky when it comes to pacing. Longer than short stories, they must have a strong enough plot to merit about 20,000-30,000 words; but shorter than novels, they don’t have the space to delve into the characters or the world quite as deeply as a 400-page tome. Yet Williams crafted a story that sucked me in quickly, settled me into the world comfortably, and made me fall in love with the characters in very short order. I didn’t feel that anything was lacking or terribly rushed. But now the problem is I want more!
4. Lovable characters
Like I said, I fell in love . . . most strongly with Prince Idris! He is a gentle soul, yet strong. Deeply hurt and disfigured, yet trusting. His mirthful disposition was a ray of sunlight in a snowy landscape. Calling him a “precious bean” or “soft cinnamon roll,” as is the practice of many fangirls when talking about this type of character, just isn’t good enough for dear Idris!
Our main character, the reserved and secretive huntress Keeva, formed the perfect complement to him. Capable and cunning, she held her own without being an emotionless “strong heroine.” And guys, I ship these two so hard!
The band of seven goblins, cleverly named by personality, were a lot of fun too! They paralleled Disney’s dwarves somewhat and were surprisingly easy to keep track of–which is no small feat when there are seven of them running around.
5. Pretty prose
I’m a sucker for lovely narrative. It’s no substitute for a good story, of course, but it’s the delicious icing on the cake. And Williams achieved a style of prose that harkens back to the time of fairy tales, with an omniscient style and a whimsical voice that reminded me at times of Anne Elisabeth Stengl.
6. Stirring themes
THIS IS THE REASON I’M GIVING IT FIVE STARS. I can’t tell you how or why or what happened without giving away the ending, but Fairest Son had me grinning, widening my eyes, clutching my heart, and then at last smiling softly with satisfaction, all because of its beautiful themes. Though unexpected, they arose naturally from the story and put a twist on love and redemption that I didn’t see coming.
Not-So-Wonderful Things
1. A few typos
Just a small handful, really, and perhaps a phrase or two that could have been smoothed out. Very, very minor details. I loved the story too much to care.
2. It wasn’t long enough!
Okay . . . so that’s not really a negative, because it is a novella and Williams did do a fantastic job of fleshing everything out within her space limits. But I enjoyed my time in these pages and want more!
In Conclusion
Fairest Son is a beautiful, moving tale of a disfigured fairy prince and the huntress who finds him in the woods. It is a story of recognizing the foul among the fair and uncovering the fair among the foul. It balanced elements of Snow White within a rich world drawn from Irish myth, written with both humor and heart. It’s definitely worth a buy, and I hope to get it in paperback as soon as I can! (Partly because there are two gorgeous illustrations inside that need to be petted admired on the page!)
I hope Williams goes on to write full-length novels too, because I would gladly spend more time under her enchanting spell. Five stars from me!
From the beginning, H. S. J. Williams has loved stories and all the forms they take. Whether with word, art, or costume, she has always been fascinated with the magic of imagination. She lives in a real fantastical kingdom, the beautiful Pacific Northwest, with her very own array of animal friends and royally loving family. Williams taught Fantasy Illustration at MSOA. She may also be a part-time elf.
Hello, questers! I’m popping up in the middle of the week to chuck a book at you! Nicely, of course, because I am not a violent bookdragon (usually). But I just finished reading The Story Peddler, Lindsay A. Franklin’s debut novel that released today,* and I. AM. IN. LOVE.
*Today being May 1st, but only just barely. I meant to post this in the morning!
Isn’t it gorgeous?!
* * *
Tanwen doesn’t just tell stories—she weaves them into crystallized sculptures that sell for more than a few bits. But the only way to escape the control of her cruel mentor and claw her way from poverty is to set her sights on something grander: becoming Royal Storyteller to the king.
During her final story peddling tour, a tale of treason spills from her hands, threatening the king himself. Tanwen goes from peddler to prey as the king’s guard hunts her down . . . and they’re not known for their mercy. As Tanwen flees for her life, she unearths long-buried secrets and discovers she’s not the only outlaw in the empire. There’s a rebel group of weavers . . . and they’re after her too.
I received a complimentary copy in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own and I was not required to be positive.
* * *
This was a beautiful tale–as cozy as Tannie’s sleepy farming village, yet brimming with breathtaking wonder. Although I love fantasy with all my heart, I’m sometimes skeptical at the beginning of a new book in the genre . . . unsure about whether I’ll click with the writing style and characters and plot. But I had nothing to worry about with this one! About two-thirds of the way through, I commented to my brother, “It’s such a wonderful thing to enjoy a novel as much as you expect you will.”
What I Loved
Tanwen
Tannie was such a refreshing protagonist! Plucky, wise, headstrong, creative, ambitious, funny, seldom quiet, and full of vim and vigor–so it didn’t take me long at all to connect with her. Being a story peddler, she weaves light into crystallized symbols of the stories she tells, which is a deliciously fun element that ends up deepening every aspect of the book: character, plot, world, and theme! (Oh hi, that was just my writer nerd self showing up.)
A country orphan from Pembrone, Tannie dreams of leaving her tattered, humdrum life behind for a chance to see the world and become the king’s Royal Storyteller. She has big hopes, a shrouded past, and the will to weave a future of her own making.
And did I mention that she’s a storyteller? A creative, an artist? Did I mention that I love that?
The Cast
Tanwen was great, but so was the entire cast of characters! Seriously, every single one of them, even those who showed up for just a few pages, were well-drawn and compelling. I don’t want to spoil anything, so I’ll keep the following thoughts on some of the major players brief.
Brac // He’s such a sweet farm boy. I quite like him, even if I didn’t always agree with him.
Mor // Okay, so I fell head over heels for him. He reminds me of a younger, slightly less rascally version of Once Upon a Time’s Captain Hook!
A certain ragtag band of characters whom I will not name // The danger of a large group of characters is that only one or two manage to have any personality, but each individual was distinct, so kudos to Lindsay for that. Each had their own strengths, weaknesses, hopes, and sorrows. My heart hurts for them.
Braithe // As a princess in a corrupt court, she was a beacon of strength, poise, and mercy. I looked up to her, which takes something special.
The One in the Dark // I will say nothing!
Sir Dray // *barfs*
King Gareth // He managed to be more complex than the stereotypical “taxes, taxes, taxes!” kind of malevolent ruler, and I was very much not a fan of him. (Which is good.)
The World
Like I said before, the world of The Story Peddler is cozy and exciting at the same time! Tir is full of farms, villages, the seaside, a river, a forest, a bustling capital city, a palace . . . at first glance, it’s your standard medieval fare. But a certain level of lively detail made the setting come to life. I wasn’t sure at first about things like fluffhoppers (basically rabbits) and watta roots (essentially potatoes), but pretty soon I realized that the charm of such worldbuilding is that fantastical elements are instantly recognizable and require little to no explanation. So it was very easy to slip into this world and get comfortable.
But don’t fall asleep on me! There was much political intrigue afoot to keep the plot moving and keep Tanwen on her toes. Opposing religions and cultures made for an intriguing backdrop to the story’s events too.
Story Weaving
Again, I really don’t want to spoil anything about anything, because it’s best discovered for yourself, but suffice it to say I loved the concept of weaving stories. It was like seeing my own creative passion (writing) play out in a gorgeously visual way. And about halfway through, it all suddenly became ten times more awesome!
The Theme
The way this story embraced creativity and fanned the flames of imagination . . . wow, you guys. It reaffirmed and refreshed my storytelling heart–and I think it would do the same for anyone’s creative passions, no matter what they are. This is a book that honors art in such a unique, eye-opening way, I can’t say any more without blurting it all out! Just go read it!
What I Wasn’t Sure I Loved at First . . .
The Beginning
It took me about 70 pages or so to get past my own built-in critic and really settle in, I’m sorry to admit. (It’s a weird thing, the way I sometimes take a while to warm up to a story even if it’s hitting all the right beats. So it’s probably one of those “it’s not you, it’s me” issues!) I suppose the plot was a smidgen slower at the beginning, but in retrospect, I loved getting to experience Tanwen’s life in Pembrone and get a handle on the world at large before things exploded into action. Because trust me, once I crested 100, maybe 150 pages, I refused to put the book down.
Some Vocabulary
Maybe I’m just used to melodramatic speeches and prose-y dialogue, but some of the phrases felt a bit modern. A very minor quibble, and one I very quickly forgot about. Besides, Tannie herself is a bit of a country bumpkin who has to concentrate to keep a polished vocabulary when selling stories. It actually works for her narrative voice to be casual. And speaking of vocabulary, I loved that there were some words she didn’t recognize, and yet she never came across as stupid.
Flying Fluffhoppers, Why are You Still Here?
Go snatch up a copy for yourself so that we can flail about this book together! The Story Peddler is one riveting, enchanting book that I am sincerely proud to have on my shelf. Now I can’t wait for next summer when the sequel releases!
