Top Reads So Far of 2021 (Lizzie)

Can you believe it's late March already? I figured it was a good time to do a quarter-year favorite reads round up. I've been intentional about reading more this year, and I'm glad because I've loved to so many of the books I've read!

Here are my top reads of 2021 so far. 

1) The Healer's Rune and Guardian Prince by Laurica Matuska

It took me a bit to get into this story since it starts at a rough place with the heroine's friend being martyred by the cruel Rhuddan elves who've abused their treaty with the humans to enslave them, and who've just about killed off the other two races (one is extinct), but once in, there was plenty to keep me reading. (I actually read the series twice, which I seldom do). When Sabine's friend challenges her to seek the truth just before she dies, it sets her on a dangerous path. Sabine is a healer, and I loved her integrity and devotion to healing even though it put her in danger and caused her to help people who'd been horrible to her. With beloved or not-beloved but still well-developed secondary characters and a fascinating world with surprises and mysteries to solve, I highly recommend this series. I really connected with Sabine and am looking forward to book 3 (especially since the romance hinted at in book 2 will hopefully continue). 

2) A Castle Awakened by Sharon Rose

Another book that I absolutely loved was A Castle Awakened by Sharon Rose. It has such a classic knights, castle, and princess feel while being unique as well. I loved heroic Lord Tristan and cheered as the proud Princess Beth learned kindness from him. Tristan, who claimed a mysterious, abandoned castle in the woods, has to deal with an equal mysterious young lady rescued from attackers by his men. Unfortunately, the young lady, who unconvincely claims to be a peasant, refuses to reveal her identity. I also enjoyed the prequel A Castle Sealed and am looking forward to book 2, A Castle Contended.

3) Dawnsong by Brynn Shutt

One Guard, One City, Many Secrets. Unravel them all today. I adored this novelette by Brynn Shutt (and love the cover!). A city guards risks her job trying to help orphans in a city suffering from a plague and ends up meeting a kind new captain of the guard. The story feels like a prequel to a series, and I am looking forward to the next books! I loved the characters and am curious to find out the mysteries hinted at. 

4) Lost in Averell by Tara Grayce

This was a fun portal fantasy where a teenage girl manages both being a high schooler in the US and a princes in a fairytale world. When a classmate accidentally travels through the portal into the fairytale world (which is really quite dangerous to those who don't know it, humans in particular), she and a friend set out to find him and end up involved in a larger plot against the humans, unicorns, and dragons of their world. This was a cute story, and I'd enjoy reading more set in this world.

5) Out of Time series, starting with A Time to Die, by Nadine Brandes

This is one of those series that made me cry so much but which I still absolutely loved. The main character, Parvin, grows a lot during the series, and the hero was so lovable. It was a bit traumatic in places, just to warn you, but definitely worth it. The story is set in a world ravaged by natural disaster and disease and now separated into halves by a wall. There are very high tech, wealthy cities, and very poor ones. Everyone is supposed to be born with a clock that tells how long they have to live. Those numbers determine how much schooling and medical care you get and much else. If you don't have a clock, you're a radical and can be thrown through the wall to the dangerous West. Parvin and her twin brother have been secretly sharing their clock for the last almost eighteen years, and one of them will die on their eighteenth birthday. Parvin's sure she'll die, and her attempts to finally start living well before she dies have unexpected and far-reaching consequences, including getting her thrown through the wall.

Have you read any of these? What are your favorite reads of 2021?

The Long List of Top Books and Authors of 2019 (Lizzie)

I'm not finished reading for the year yet, but since this is my last post of the year, I decided to dedicate it to my favorite books and authors of the year so far. I actually, for the first time, keep a list of the books I read. It's been really fun to see how many I actually read (or started previously and finished). The total for full-length books (fiction and non-fiction) is 37! I also read 7 novella-length books! I read fewer non-fiction books this year (and only finished one writing book), so I will have to work on that in 2020, but I "discovered" novellas this year, which was a pleasant surprise. As for favorite books this year, I couldn't do a Top 3 Books because I loved so many of them, so I'm breaking them down into categories. :)

Top 3 Most Read Authors of 2019

There were many authors this year (some new to me) who convinced me to read a second book, or third, or more. One stands out a little more than the rest...

1. WR Gingell with 8 novels and 2 novellas (Lady of Dreams, Lady of Weeds, Spindle, and the addicting City Between series currently consisting of 5 novels and 2 novellas)

2. Christopher Healy with his three delightful and hilarious The Hero's Guide to Saving Your Kingdom middle grade stories.

3. H.L. Burke with Nyssa Glass House of Mirrors, To Court a Queen, and Spellsmith and Carver Magician's Rivarly (I may need to move her up before the end of the year since I have at least one other book currently on my Kindle app).

For authors who I read two books of (and have read or likely will read more by), the list is long (which is exciting): Lea Doue,  Patrick Carr, Nadine Brandes, JF Rogers, RC Sproul, Morgan Busse.

Top 3 Fantasy Romance Novellas

(You can find more information about these on my post here.)

1. Nyssa Glass: House of Mirrors by H.L. Burke
2. Mirrors and Pearls by Lea Doue
3. Curse and Consequence by Savannah Jezowski

Top Fantasy Novels with Romance

1. Lady of Weeds by W.R. Gingell
2. Lady of Dreams by W.R. Gingell
3. The Lord of Dreams by C.J. Brightley

4. Firethorn Crown by Lea Doue
5. Identity by Camille Peters

6. Fawkes and Romanov by Nadine Brandes

7. Mark of the Raven and Flight of the Raven (Ravenwood Chronicles) by Morgan Busse

Top Short Stories

I have to brag on my friends and I for all the fantastic short fairytale retellings in our anthology Encircled.

Deep Magic Winter edition is also a winner just based on the two short stories I've read so far.

Top Non-Fantasy Books

Non-fiction

1. Star Struck: Seeing the Creator in the Wonders of Our Cosmos by David Bradstreet and Steve Rabey

2. The Holiness of God by R.C. Sproul

3. Fight Write by Carla Hoch (Okay, I've only read a few chapters of this, but it already deserves a place here.)

Historical Fiction

1. The End of the Magic by Patrick Carr

2. More Than Words Can Say by Karen Witemyer

3. The Silent Songbird by Melanie Dickerson

Top Series to Read More of in 2020

1. City Between by WR Gingell

2. The Firebrand Chronicles by JM Hackman

3. Ravenwood Chronicles by Morgan Busse

I enjoyed that. :) So many great reads this year! And so many books on my TBR pile for Christmas break and next year. What are your favorites reads of 2019 so far? Which books are you looking forward to in 2020?

Top 3 Fantasy Romance Novels of 2019 (Lizzie)

I love a good romance, and I'm very happy to say I've read a few of those this year, both novel length and novella. I'll focus on novels here and have a separate post for novellas next month.

1) Lady of Weeds by W.R. Gingell

I love the way Gingell writes this tale of a cold, isolated Guardian of the Shore who must collect magic-infused seaweed before the selkies get it and whose life changes when a mysterious boy washes ashore with no memory and a hidden treasure. It's not the deep POV I'm used to in historical romance and even many fantasy stories. It's more omniscient and classic in feel, and it is perfectly suited to the brave and lonely (though she wouldn't admit it) Carys. The hero is charming, the story fraught with danger but relatively little action, and full of mystery. With selkies and magic in seaweed and sand, the story world holds an interest as well. I've kept it in my mind's shelf with much pleasure, and I hope to get a print copy to add my bookcase (and to read it again).

2) The Lord of Dreams by C.J. Brightley

A young women must rescue the fae prince who's been the villain of her previous adventures in the realm of the fae. A delightful romance and lovable, related heroine and noble hero; it still makes me smile to think of it. This one is definitely on my read-again list. You can read Laurie's review of it here.

3) And a tie for third: Identity by Camille Peters and Firethorn Crown by Lea Doue

My initial thought was to put Identity by Camille Peters as third and The Firethorn Crown by Lea Doue as Honorable Mention. Then I realized I read The Firethorn Crown at the beginning of the year and Identity a few weeks ago, which might affect my judgment. I enjoyed them both, both sweet romances with a fairytale tie-in. The Firethorn Crown is a fun retelling of "The Twelve Dancing Princesses" with a sweet romance and lots of dragons of all shapes and sizes. Identity is a sweet romance and a Goose Girl retelling with a goose girl who becomes a ladies maid to a princess who looks just like her and who is then forced to impersonate the wild princess--on her honeymoon. The prince Anwen is forced to marry is sweet and a bit childish and Anwen is soon torn between her growing affection for him and the premonition that the princess will tire of her current scheme and force Anwen out of the marriage she forced her into.

Extras: Fawkes by Nadine Brandes and Mark of the Raven and Flight of the Raven (Ravenwood Chronicles) by Morgan Busse

I couldn't not mention two others of my favorite novel-length romances, but I put them here because I wouldn't say the focus is the romance. They have more of an adventure feel to them. But I love the romance as much as the rest of the stories. :)

Fawkes, with its fantasy retelling of the Gunpowder Plot and intriguing world of color powers and a protagonist who must become a hero, this is definitely one of my favorites--of the year and ever.

Mark of the Raven and Flight of the Raven (Ravenwood Chronicles) by Morgan Busse, again with a main character torn between family and destiny and the truth, is another great book. Great story world and wonderful hero to our strong, troubled heroine as well. :)

What are your favorite fantasy romances? Have you read any of these?

Top 3 Redeemable Villains (Lizzie)

I love a good redemption story, whether it’s a major change arc for the hero or heroine or the redemption of a villain. Today, I’ve decided to talk about some of my favorite redeemable villains. It’s not necessary for them to be redeemed, but I hope they will be.

Top 3 Redeemable Villains

1) Thomas and Guy Fawkes from Nadine Brandes's Fawkes

The story's main character, Thomas, is Guy Fawkes's son. Both are involved in the infamous Gunpowder Plot to kill King James and destroy parliament. This book is a wonderful fantasy retelling of that. We know what happens to Guy Fawkes, of course, from history. But, in the book, I wanted to know "Will he reconcile with Thomas? Will he give Thomas a mask and show him his face? Will he surrender to White Light?" These were big questions for me. I can't tell you how it ended, but I will say I cried at the end, bittersweet tears. I expected Thomas to be redeemed during the big and enjoyed reading about the process. Both times I read the the book. :)

2) Maleficent in Disney’s movie of the same name. 

This is a great fall and redemption story. The kind fairy queen is betrayed, turns cold and vengeful, then returns to a loving, kind queen. It’s always fun too to see the muttering, complaining character doing kind things despite their seemingly selfish convictions.

3) The fae king from C.J. Brightley's The Lord of Dreams

The human Claire is visited by a villainous fairy king on multiple occasions, all terrifying, and eventually called upon to rescue the now mad king. It's a great story, and Claire herself undergoes quite the change from scared and self-focused to brave and selfless, a change she wished for--before she knew to be careful what you wish for.

Honorable mentions

Some honorable mentions are Gollum from LOTR. He’s unique, pitiable, untrustworthy, sometimes helpful, and has a cool speech. Frodo’s and Sam’s conflicting attitude toward him challenge me. Would I be shrewd and cold like Sam or hopeful and compassionate like Frodo because I see my own temptations and possible future in him? Loki from the Marvel Universe is another. Like Thor, I want him to behave and be a trustworthy brother and friend.

Do you have any favorite redeemed or redeemable (who may or may not be redeemed in the end) villains?