A much more manageable list this week.
eBooks & Physical Books:
Vespertine by Margaret Rogerson — This one is about dark spirits and revenants, which is normally not my jam. However, I love the other two books I’ve read by this author (Sorcery of Thorns and An Enchantment of Ravens), and I received an ARC of this one from a Simon & Schuster drawing, so it’s on my TBR!
The Other Merlin by Robyn Schneider — Another Arthur retelling, but this one is about the legendary Merlin’s daughter. She and her twin brother are both magic users, so when Arthur needs a magician she answers the call (in disguise because girls aren’t allowed to practice magic). Plus, Arthur likes books more than girls, Lancelot has been demoted, and it seems like there will be some teen angst with some humor thrown in.
Audiobooks:
Iron Widow by Xiran Jay Zhao — A space opera set in a future where the gods are slowly giving back technology that was lost in an attack by aliens 2,000 years ago, this story follows a girl who enters the army with the goal to kill the pilot who killed her sister. I’m already about half way through and so far it has been a mix of space battles and an examination of the misogyny of a culture that binds women’s feet and makes them into concubines, meant only to serve the pilots need for more chi to power their crafts, and what it means when a pair chooses to work together instead of letting the man drain the woman for power. Very interesting so far!
Boys & Sex by Peggy Orenstein — This is another nonfiction book by the author of Cinderella Ate My Daughter; she writes about gender issues and sexuality and what the culture of sexualization, porn, hookups, acquaintance rape, etc. is doing to our young adults. I already read the companion book (Girls & Sex), which was a lot of interesting data and interviews about how our daughters learn about and think about sexuality, how society treats girls, and what does the most good and the most harm. Now I’m reading about the other (boys) side.
Among Thieves by M. J. Kuhn — Billed as a heist novel set in a fantasy world, it follows a girl who is a deadly assassin with a dark past. I mean…. yep. Bring it! I don’t even really need to know more.
The Once and Future Witches by Alix E. Harrow — Set in 1893 during a climate of trying to keep women from voting, but with a supernatural twist, the story follows the Eastwood sisters and the suffragist movement. But also, it’s about finding magic powers. The end of the Goodreads blurb really sold this one for me: “There’s no such thing as witches. But there will be.”
Howl’s Moving Castle by Diana Wynne Jones — This is a re-read for me, but I’m excited because the kids are finally ready for this one. We just watched the Studio Ghibli movie that’s loosely based on this book and they are interested to find out the differences between that and the original book.
What are you reading this week? Let us know in the comments.