Narilka's 2021 TBR Challenge

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Narilka's 2021 TBR Challenge

1Narilka
Redigerat: jan 1, 2022, 3:13 pm

Happy 2021! Aiming for 12 books. I'd be thrilled if I completed more :)

10/12

Primary
1. Night Watch by Terry Pratchett Completed Aug 9, 2021
2. Theft of Swords by Michael J. Sullivan Completed Mar 13, 2021
3. Mind to Matter by Dawson Church Completed July 30, 2021
4. The Wisdom of Donkeys by Andy Merrifield DNF May 24, 2021
5. Magic Breaks by Ilona Andrews Completed Mar 18, 2021
6. The Alloy of Law by Brandon Sanderson
7. You're Never Weird on the Internet (Almost) by Felicia Day Completed Dec 23, 2021
8. Manners & Mutiny by Gail Carriger Completed Jan 4, 2021
9. Never Split the Difference by Chris Voss Completed Jan 10, 2021
10. Someone Like Me by M. R. Carey
11. Pawsitively Secretive by Melissa Erin Jackson Completed Apr 20, 2021

Carryover from 2020
1. The Poppy War by R. F. Kuang
2. Sins of Empire by Brian McClellan
3. Sapiens by Yuval Noah Harai
4. Circe by Madeline Miller
5. Never Grow Up by Jackie Chan
6. The Future of the Mind by Michio Kaku
7. Red Rising by Pierce Brown
8. Wool by Hugh Howey
9. Foreigner by C. J. Cherryh
10. Digital Fortress by Dan Brown
11. A Short History of Nearly Everything by Bill Bryson
12. Hunter by Mercedes Lackey Completed Sept 27, 2021
13. A Cat Named Darwin by William Jordan

Note: If anyone is interested in my whole reading/reviews for the year be sure to check out my reading log over in the Green Dragon - https://www.librarything.com/topic/328071

2Cecrow
dec 27, 2020, 7:02 pm

I haven't read many from your list, but have heard good things about many of them.

3LittleTaiko
dec 27, 2020, 9:14 pm

Good luck tackling the carryovers. You’re a better person than I am with those. Mine are back on the shelf for some other day.

4Narilka
jan 11, 2021, 8:20 pm

1. Manners & Mutiny by Gail Carriger



Sophronia's training is put to its final test in Manners & Mutiny, the fourth book in the Finishing School series by Gail Carriger. It's the last year of school for our favorite group of students at Mademoiselle Geraldine's Finishing Academy for Young Ladies of Quality. A large-scale plot the Pickleman have set in motion is about to come to fruition unless Sophronia acts quickly. She will need to use all of her intelligencer training if she is to have any hope of saving her friends, her school, her teachers and all of London from disaster. I loved every minute of it.

Gail Carriger's trademark wit and clever dialog is back and just as delightful as ever, reminding me why I enjoy both series so much. Speaking of which, I think fans of Parasol will get the most from this book as we finally see all the connections back to Alexia's story. There are some surprising reveals that I did not see coming!

Yes, the romance is back. Thankfully it's a lot less annoying as the a forced triangle is gone and the romance sub-plot is put on the back burner for much of the story. I do feel that Felix got the short end of the stick and not a very good resolution, though in general didn't mind too much as that was my least favorite thing about the previous entry. By the end it's almost charming and feels more authentic as Soap and Sophronia figure out just how messy love is.

I also missed Sidheag as her story ended in book 3. I was nicely surprised by Agatha who shows great character growth and maybe she's not as bad an intelligencer as she initially appeared, fooling everyone. Even Dimity has nice character growth, almost overcoming her aversion to blood, though not quite.

Once the grande finale started, I could not put the book down.

This has been such a fun series. I'm going to miss visiting with the girls at Mademoiselle Geraldine's. I could see myself doing a reread when I need light hearted, dirigible adventure to take my mind off the troubles of the world for a while.

Rating:

5Cecrow
jan 12, 2021, 3:34 pm

I think there's a lot to be said for starting off the challenge each year with something lighter in January, to get some momentum going.

6Narilka
jan 13, 2021, 6:49 pm

I agree. I think I might try to keep the trend going forward. Also would be a good time for a favorite reread for the same reason.

7DisassemblyOfReason
Redigerat: jan 20, 2021, 5:30 pm

Foreigner has what I consider a very good audiobook, read by Daniel Thomas May. (He's the regular reader for the series.) I mention it in case you might be able to get a public library e-copy. (That kind of thing tends to help me along.)

It isn't *light* but it's interesting, I think.

8Narilka
jan 23, 2021, 9:34 am

9Narilka
jan 23, 2021, 9:35 am

2. Never Split the Difference by Chris Voss



Chris Voss, a former FBI hostage negotiator, offers a different approach to the art of negotiation in his book Never Split the Difference. Through his experience spanning 20 years Voss has realized that older methods for negotiation, relying more on facts and logic, run counter to human nature and how we, as humans, make decisions. He proposes that we embrace human nature and adopt strategies that feel counterintuitive by taking emotional intelligence, targeted empathy and active listening skills to the next level to become more persuasive in our daily interactions. This was a refreshing point of view and Voss's techniques have many applications to all sorts of interactions between people, not just negotiations.

Each chapter starts with a real negotiation scenario from Chris's past, be it hostage situations with lives on the line or a class setting for training, then follows it up with insights into what worked and what didn't during the situation. He even highlights a spectacular failure and why things went as wrong as it did. Each chapter builds upon the previous with pointers on how to use the skills in combination with each other or individually. Each chapter ends with a summary that are great to refer back to. My kindle tells me I highlighted 92 passages I found so many things I want to review and remember.

After reading the book I have been working on integrating some of Voss's advice into my every day life. I think it's slowly helping me improve my social skills and daily interactions with others. It's definitely a work in progress. I'll be rereading parts of this book often.

Rating:

10Cecrow
jan 23, 2021, 12:18 pm

Something I always wonder about these books, or others dealing with security and what worked/didn't generally, whether the criminal types aren't studying up and raising their game in response. I guess you'd have to be a major evil mastermind to do that though.

I do find it interesting how seemingly niche topics can still often have applicability to everyday situations.

11Narilka
jan 23, 2021, 5:49 pm

>10 Cecrow: You just never know. It's why I sometimes pick up books like these when they go on sale.

12Narilka
Redigerat: mar 20, 2021, 5:05 pm

3. Theft of Swords by Michael J. Sullivan



Theft of Swords is an omnibus of the first two books of the Riyria Revelations series by Michael J. Sullivan. They chronicle the adventures of Hadrian and Royce, a pair of thieves known for pulling off impossible jobs. This volume is well titled as both stories revolve around stealing swords.

First up is The Crown Conspiracy. Hadrian Blackwater and Royce Melborn are a pair of thieves known for pulling off the impossible. Always on the look out for their next job, the duo is hired to retrieve a sword only to find themselves framed for the murder of the king. Thrown in jail and sentenced to death, Royce and Hadrian are out of options when an unlikely opportunity to escape presents itself.

The book isn't amazingly deep but it doesn't need to be. At just over 300 pages, Sullivan gives us enough descriptions to get a feel for the world with hints that there is more history. Since I read Legends last year it's interesting to see how things have changed drastically over the 5000 or so years since the Age of Myth. I wonder what other major differences I'll notice over the course of this series.

Hadrian and Royce are a lot of fun and compliment each other well. Hadrian is the muscle, a mercenary and darn good fighter, while Royce is the rogue, great at planning and has almost unnatural stealth abilities. My suspicion is he has elven heritage. Again, we don't get a lot of background information on the characters yet. It's something that will be great to explore in future books. The duo meet some unlikely characters along the way. It's hard to get into without spoilers though I will say how much I loved Myron. Such childlike innocence!

If I had one complaint it is that the bad guys have a tendency to monologue to reveal their evil plans. If they had mustaches, they'd be twirling them.

The Crown Conspiracy was the perfect light, fast read I was looking for. I had great fun on my first adventure with Hadrian and Royce. I'm looking forward to the rest of the series.

Rating: 4 Stars

Royce and Hadrian's adventures continue in Avempartha. A desperate young woman hires Royce and Hadrian to save her village from a monster that kills villagers every night. The catch? No one has actually seen the creature, only the destruction it leaves behind, and the beast can only be slain by a sword that is locked in a tower - a tower has no obvious way to get inside.

I admit I'm a little sad I didn't enjoy this as much as the first book. The first half of the story lays a lot of groundwork that involves the thing I disliked most in the first book: villains monologuing. It was necessary set up for what ends up happening and I have no idea how if I was a writer I'd change it. It's just not my favorite way to tell a story.

Once the story gets back to Hadrian, Royce and their current problem to solve, it is a lot more enjoyable. It also goes on a more serious tone as Hadrian stays in the village to help them organize better defense against the nightly raids while Royce works on the problem of getting into the tower. In this case having read Legends made things fairly easy to guess as I already had the background information the characters lacked and some of the historical information was a repeat. That repetition wasn't all bad though I can see how the long time between stories has changed things. Such an interesting concept. There is plenty of action and I didn't see the resolution to the monster working out in the way it ended up. I truly feel bad for Thrace as she's going to have to live with the repercussions of that. It was also great to have my suspicions about Royce confirmed.

Spoilers for Legends! I'm starting to suspect that Esrahaddon is Malcolm though I'm still on the fence. He sells only being 900 years old quite well. I also haven't figured out why he let his hands be cut off since I'm pretty sure Malcom could've prevented it if he didn't want it which is also making me doubt. Hopefully this will be revealed by the end of the series. I love how the author is keeping me guessing.

Those quibbles aside, this was an enjoyable read. We will see where the plots the Church of Nyphron Novron has set in progress goes next as I'm sure it's going to interfere with Royce and Hadrian's future adventures.

Rating: 3.5 stars

Overall Rating I'm rounding up:

13Cecrow
mar 22, 2021, 6:57 am

I've seen multiple people reading this series; do you know if it's self-published? Some of the covers kind of make it look that way.

14Narilka
mar 22, 2021, 8:54 am

>13 Cecrow: It was originally self published and then picked up by Orbit. Orbit repackaged the original six book series as a trilogy so each book is now a two book omnibus.

15Narilka
mar 27, 2021, 9:37 am

4. Magic Breaks by Ilona Andrews



Magic Breaks is the seventh book in the Kate Daniels series by Ilona Andrews. This book is a turning point for the series as the one event the previous six books has been building up to finally happens: Roland arrives. Yes, there is a mystery to solve, heart pounding action and some Pack/People politics to deal with. All of it is overshadowed by the knowledge the Roland is coming and Kate will do everything in her power to keep those she loves alive.

While the mystery and political side of things was interesting, it's Kate's internal struggle where the heart of this story is. The wait was worth it. Finally seeing Kate embrace her heritage and truly know what it means to be Roland's daughter was glorious. I also enjoyed getting to know Ghastek better as well as some different Pack members though I missed some of my favorite characters who weren't involved in events.

That ending was quite a surprise. With only three books to go I can't wait to see what the implications mean for the Pack and Atlanta. And I need more Roland please. Is it bad that I like the guy? Overall this was a satisfying read.

Rating:

16riida
mar 27, 2021, 12:35 pm

>15 Narilka: what a nice review :) i'm not familiar with this series at all, and omg its 10 books?!? i hope i can get to my own unfinished series' so i can pick up this one

17Narilka
mar 27, 2021, 5:06 pm

>16 riida: Thanks! The first book is Magic Bites. It's one of my favorite urban fantasy series. I love how the authors re-imagined many myths.

18riida
mar 28, 2021, 11:52 am

>17 Narilka: oooh sounds fun :) reminds me of the skulllduggery pleasant series (which I love and am re-reading this year)

19Narilka
maj 1, 2021, 9:08 am

5. Pawsitively Secretive by Melissa Erin Jackson



In an attempt to distract herself from stressing over events from two months ago, Amber has immersed herself in planning for the upcoming Here and Meow Festival. Amber's search for inner peace doesn't last long. Chloe Deidrick, daughter of the mayor and fellow committee member, has gone missing. It becomes a race against the clock to find out what happened to Chloe.

Pawsitively Secretive is the third in the Witch of Edgehill series by Melissa Erin Jackson. For a cozy mystery I am impressed with the amount of character building in this installment. Many of the side characters are gaining more depth. I wish I had a friend like Kim. It's good that Amber finally has a friend she can trust! The mystery is well plotted and not predictable which made it more enjoyable. The reunion scene at the end was so well done it made me a little misty eyed.

Even with the mystery solved the author managed to end the story on a personal bombshell for Amber. What is it with me choosing books with these kind of endings lately?

Rating:

20Narilka
maj 25, 2021, 10:48 am

6. Wisdom of Donkeys by Andy Merrifield



DNF at 20%

Unfortunately the author's meandering, stream of consciousness style prose just wasn't for me. The narrative constantly wanders to whatever seems to be on the author's mind in the moment he was writing it and not enough on his travels with his donkey Gribouille. As always, your mileage may vary.

Rating: N/A

21Cecrow
Redigerat: maj 26, 2021, 12:24 pm

Reminds me of a pairing I'd like to read: Travels with a Donkey in the Cevannes by Robert Louis Stevenson, and Dead Man's Chest: Travels after Robert Louis Stevenson by Nicholas Rankin. But a quick read of their reviews suggests there's "not enough donkey" there either!

22Narilka
dec 22, 2021, 1:53 pm

I was hit by a pretty big book slump this year and am just starting to pull out of it. I definitely won't be getting to 12 books. I'm slowly working on reviews for the books I did complete.

23Narilka
Redigerat: dec 24, 2021, 9:24 am

7. Mind to Matter by Dawson Church



One part scientific studies, one part metaphysics, in Mind to Matter Dawson Church seeks to explore the idea that thoughts shape reality. The human mind and consciousness is an amazing thing, one that has not been researched nearly enough. Some of the concepts highlighted in the book are:

• Healing cancer with energy (yes, an actual scientific study)
• Quantum physics of the observer effect, entanglement and more
• Coherence
• Synchronicity
• How meditation changes brainwaves

I can see how if someone is not into "New Age woo" could be turned off by this book as Church uses a lot of that style of langage, especially in the first chapter of the book. If you can push past all that, Mind to Matter makes for a thought provoking read. I need to check out further reading on this subject as I find it fascinating.

Rating:

24Narilka
dec 22, 2021, 4:20 pm

8. Night Watch by Terry Pratchett



Night Watch is the 29th novel in Terry Pratchett's Discworld series and the 6th of the City Watch sub-series. Sam Vimes goes on a timey-wimey adventure into Ankh-Morpork and the City Watch's past landing in the middle of major historical events in the city.

"And so the children of the revolution were faced with the age-old problem: it wasn’t that you had the wrong kind of government, which was obvious, but that you had the wrong kind of people.

As soon as you saw people as things to be measured, they didn’t measure up."


Time travel is one of my least favorite tropes in fantasy. Thankfully that is not the focus of the story, though there is plenty of fretting over changing the future by altering the past. Instead it is the story of the events that shaped young Sam Vimes into the old Sam Vimes we've grown to love over five previous books by, err, himself. Or something. There's definitely a time loop involved.

That bit of head scratching logic aside, this is a surprisingly poignant read and not the story I was expecting for a Watch novel. Pratchett has some insightful things to say about society, policing, government and duty that feels extremely relevant in these trying times. I don't know how Pratchett does it. This story is both disturbing in how real it is and comforting for the hope it provides.

Rating:

25Cecrow
dec 23, 2021, 10:51 pm

I've not read much Pratchett but I'm tempted to try more. I appreciate how he aims for more than just to tell a story.

26Narilka
jan 1, 2022, 3:12 pm

9. Hunter by Mercedes Lackey



Hunter is Mercedes Lackey's entry into YA dystopia. It's the first book in a trilogy of the same name. If you've read any books from the genre in the last 5 to 10 years, like Hunger Games or Divergent, then you've likely read a version of this story before.

A series of catastrophes have left the world in a post-apocalyptic setting where magic and monsters are found right along with technology. Joyeau Charmand is marked as a Hunter, one who has mystic glyphs that allows her to cast spells and summon hounds to help her hunt the monsters that threaten human civilization. It's not long before Joy is summoned to Apex City, where the best Hunters are kept to protect the largest remaining human city. Joy proceeds to uncover a conspiracy that threatens not just Apex City but all of mankind.

See what I mean? You've definitely heard this one before. While treading a lot of familiar ground, Lackey comes up with some unique concepts that keep the story interesting. Joy is a reluctant hero, not wanting to leave her village but knowing she must since she's been summoned. I liked the various types of "hounds," some of which aren't very hound-like at all. Also the variety of different monsters pulled from mythology was fun.

What bugged me the most was deliberate misspellings of familiar words to add flavor to the world. Such as "diseray" instead of "disarray". The first 20% or so is also filled with a lot of info dumps that drag the pacing down. Things pick up once Joy arrives at Apex City.

Assuming you can get by those issues, it is an entertaining story. I'm unsure if I'll continue the series or not.

Rating: