Over on my social media pages, I’m sharing with you some of the books that I absolutely love and this week is all about those books that I think about often.
Over the next several weeks, I’ll be doing, well, I suppose you could call it a kind of series. I’ll be sharing videos where I talk about books I love, with a different focus or theme, each time. I’m also sharing blog posts on those same books. If I’ve already written a review on the book, I’ll link it! This is meant to be a quick way to get to know me a little bit more – and these blog posts will be short reads! You’re welcome!
The focus this time is those authors that I auto-buy. If I find them in thrift stores, garage sales or brand new, I have to buy them. (for complete transparency, if they’re brand new, I often do actually wait for a sale because my parents taught me right hehe)
Today I’m going to share a few of the reasons that I love these authors. If you’re interested in the specific book I have, follow the link!
Thanks for stopping by SGL again, my friends. I’m excited to share this trilogy with you as J.J. Fischer has easily become my favorite Christian Fantasy author. She writes intriguing stories and characters while weaving foundational truths throughout – and keeping it clean! This trilogy is a fantasy -retelling- of Hans Christian Anderson’s ‘The Nightingale’ and the myths of Hades and Persephone.
What if you could edit memories with a single touch?
Synopsis:
Caldera has raised a new society from the ashes of the world-that-was. Memories of the old world are highly valued, traded and craved by rich and poor alike. Nostalgia is a commodity worth dying – and killing – for.
Sephone Winter, a young mem, is forced by a harsh master to use her memory manipulation ability to numb the painful memories of the aristocracy.
Lord Adamo comes with a tempting proposition – he’ll get her away from her harsh life if she’ll help him forget his past. For he knows of an ancient relic that is powerful enough to permanently erase memories. But Sephone soon realizes that Lord Adamo isn’t all that he appears and she’ll have to decide whether to help him or journey to Lethe to possibly learn who she really is.
Review:
I am really enjoying that Christian Fantasy is becoming a popular genre. The main point being, that one can read fantasy novels without there being anything… untoward in them. Of course, I do love the allegories that are woven through as well.
I found the concept of trading memories intriguing. And of course, the idea that the memories that haunt us could be numbed holds a certain appeal, doesn’t it? I appreciated how Fischer dealt with that – the side effects (magical-esque and real) – that caused me to think about what I might choose if that option was truly available.
I liked Dorian Ashwood (Lord Adamo) immediately, although there are times that you do tilt your head, squint your eyes and wonder about him… But isn’t that the case with Cass as well? Oh, you don’t know who Cass is, do you. Cass is a character that arrives to help Dorian and Sephone on their journey and let’s just say that he absolutely does help them… and causes some problems along the way as well, of course. Dorian’s single-minded drive to accomplish his goal, Sephone’s wonder of the world as she travels it for the first time…
Sighh…
Well, friends, since I seem to be running out of proper, coherent words, I’ll wrap this up. If you enjoy fantasy- definitely read this trilogy. If you’re thinking you might be interested in fantasy- give it a read!
One last thing – these hardcover editions are absolutely stunning!
I wrote reviews on two of her other books: The Sword in His Hand and The Secret of Fire. Ohh, I just realized that I still need to review her book, The Soul Mark!
As an avid reader, it’s always fun to go back through my list of books that I’ve read in a year and choose my favorites. I chose my top six out of sixty-five books. These aren’t in any particular order:
Murder Must Advertise by Dorothy L. Sayers – #8 of Lord Peter Wimsey novels. When an employee dies at Pym’s Publicity, a respectable ad agency in London, it looks like an accident. But Lord Peter Wimsey is called in and he finds what’s really going on in the cutthroat world of copywriting.
-I found this while at a library book sale. My copy was published in 1933, hardcover and still has the paper sleeve. So of course, I had to grab it. I’d never read/heard of Sayers before but I’m so glad I snagged it! I’ve since read/listened to another of her Lord Peter Wimsey Novels, Clouds of Witness. I plan on reading more of the series this coming year. (her stories remind me a bit of Agatha Christie!)
Kenobi by John Jackson Miller – Obi-wan must set aside his status as jedi master and become Ben Kenobi as he watches over young Luke Skywalker. But he can’t help but aid the residents of Tattoine.
– This was my first Star Wars novel and since I borrowed it from a friend, I plan on buying my own copy since I’m already wanting to re-read it. It was fun to read about that in-between time that Kenobi went through -the struggles and grief and moments of peace.
Yumi and the Nightmare Painter by Brandon Sanderson- Yumi and Painter come from opposite worlds – she from one of gardens and spirits, he from darkness and nightmares. But when their lives become strangely intertwined can they figure out why, and how to help each other?
-I listened to this on audiobook on Spotify as it was part of the Year of Sanderson releases. I thoroughly enjoyed this story. It was fun to see the events through both Yumi and Painter’s points of view and to be constantly surprised by the revelations. Looking forward to reading/listening to this again!
The Long Patrol by Brian Jacques – The Rapscallion army is on the move after a sound defeat by Lady Cregga Rose Eyes, the Badger Lady of Salamandastron. The hare warriors, the Long Patrol, are on their trail to stop their progress to Redwall. Young Tammo is at the forefront as he chases his life-long dream of joining the Long Patrol.
-I listened to live readings of this from Story Time with Friends but also have a physical copy of it. Once again, the story of Redwall was delightful and full of delicious-sounding food, battles and morals. I love how Jacques weaves a story together.
The Boomerang Clue by Agatha Christie -Bobby didn’t know it when he found a body at the local golf course, but he was very lucky. Not only lucky to have escaped being poisoned, but to have Frankie at his side. Lady Frances Derwant was going to help him find the would-be murderer. But their only clues were a picture and the dead man’s last words- why didn’t they ask Evans?
-I found a hardcover five-in-one edition with this novel at the thrift store in the spring. I’d never read any Christie but had been wanting to give her at try. Six books later… anyway, this one was oddly fun (can murder mysteries be fun?).
Death Comes to Pemberly by P.D. James – Darcy and Elizabeth have been married for six years. Life is idyllic – they have two sons; Bingley and Jane live nearby; Mr. Bennet visits regularly; Georgianna has a promising marriage prospect. But it all comes crashing down when Lydia shows up, hysterical that her husband, Wickham, has been murdered. Both she and Wickham had been banned from Pemberley, but at this news, Elizabeth and Darcy take Lydia in and seek to solve this mystery.
-Brown Paper Packages Bookmail on Instagram was selling this and I just had to give it a shot. Several years ago, I watched the BBC production based on this book and enjoyed it – I probably liked the book even more! A murder mystery set in Pemberley with the beloved Austen characters? What else can you ask for?
Honorable Mentions:
Lumen by J.J. Fischer- #2 of Nightingale Trilogy- Sephone, Dorian and Cass continue their search for the only man who knows how to get to the Reliquary- the elusive Silvertongue. But Sephone’s time is getting short, Dorian is accused of treason and secrets start to drive the three companions apart. What choice will Dorian make when the stakes are at their highest?
-I received an arc for my free honest opinion. If you want to read that blog post, it’s right here. Suffice it to say, I highly enjoyed this sequel to Calor, and will have my own copy soon!
The Daybreakers by Louis L’Amour- When Tye Sackett stepped between his brother, Orrin, and a bullet, both their lives were irrevocably changed. They head west to Santa Fe where Orrin becomes marshal and Tye commands respect without a badge. But their past comes hunting them and one brother must sacrifice so the other’s dreams will be realized.
-I’ve been getting into L’Amour’s more this year thanks to thrift stores and book sales and now have a whole stack of them waiting to be read. This one, however, was an audiobook. I really enjoyed it- I’ve always liked western stories and how L’amour writes them is just nostalgic and lovely. The brother’s journey and relationship was intense, suspenseful and just engrossing.
Howl’s Moving Castle by Diana Wynne Jones – #1 of Howl’s Moving Castle series – It’s Sophie’s misfortune to have been born the eldest and so to have the destiny of failure if she leaves home. But when the Witch of the Waste puts a spell on her that turns her into an old woman, Sophie is forced to seek out the one place where the spell could be broken- the wizard Howl’s castle. To do so means dealing with the heartless Howl, make a deal with a fire demon and face the Witch of the Waste head on. Through the journey, she learns that there’s more to Howl, and herself, than she ever dreamed.
-I love the Studio Ghibli movie based off this book so this summer I checked it out of the library. It’s different from the movie of course, Howl is from Wales for one thing! But it was still charming and a delightful tale. After reading it I was inspired to crochet both Howl and Sophie. I want to read more of the series this year!
And that’s it! Even though I did read several others that were quite wonderful! If you want to see my full year of reading, click here to go to Goodreads. It’s always interesting to me to see, at the end of the year, what genres I favored. Especially since I am very much a mood-reader (i.e. I can have the best of intentions to next read a certain book but if it doesn’t strike my fancy in that moment, I’ll grab whatever does.) And this year, the genres were definitely mystery and fantasy. With a lot of westerns thrown in.
I’m hoping to add more classics to my reads this coming year – I’ve picked up Martin Chuzzlewit by Charles Dickens and a book about Tchaikovsky that I really want to read, among others! Just in glancing at my bookshelf next to me I see The Velvet Doublet by James Street, Come out of the Kitchen by Alice Duer Miller, Valley of Wild Horses by Zane Grey and You Can’t Go Home Again by Thomas Wolfe. (yes, these are all on my classics shelf!)
I’d love to hear a favorite read of yours! Maybe I’ll add it to my list!
Welcome to The Start of a Good Life! As usual, it’s a book review that’s drawn me back again.
Lumen is by J.J. Fischer and it’s book two of the Nightingale Trilogy. I reviewed book one- Calor here!
As a reminder (and in case you didn’t follow the above link) – Calor is a Christian Fantasy series that’s set sixty years after the apocalypse and trading in memories is a lucrative business. Owning and controlling those who can do so could make a man rich. Sephone Winter escapes her cruel master to help Lord Adamo find the Reliquary and forget his past. Cassius Vera joins them, intent on keeping his past, and abilities hidden.
Lumen picks up soon after the events of Calor- here’s the official synopsis:
What if erasing the past cost more than you were willing to pay?
Having narrowly escaped their enemies, Sephone, Dorian, and Cass continue their search for the elusive Silvertongue, the only one with knowledge of the Reliquary’s whereabouts. But time is running out for Sephone, and with Dorian accused of high treason, the quest takes on a new urgency.
As secrets from each of their pasts drive a wedge between them, Sephone invests all her hopes in finding her homeland, Lethe—where her family may yet be alive. But nothing about Lethe is as she expects, and disappointment, betrayal, and danger await her at every turn.
When the truth about the Reliquary’s curse comes to light, the fragile bonds between the unlikely companions are tested like never before. Meanwhile, Dorian faces a terrible choice: to save the life of one who is beginning to mean more to him than the past he’s so desperate to forget, or to save his beloved Caldera from dangers outside and within.
~ Getting to enter the tumultuous world of Caldera again was so wonderful- and worrisome and wondering ‘what in the world do you think you’re doing?’ because sometimes the characters’ choices just stress you out even if you do still kind of understand. (Looking at you, Sephone. And Cass. And Dorian…) I loved the twists and turns and things getting turned upside down on you as you continue through the story. And the ending? Well, that I can describe in three words- Fantastic and heartrending. (and if you read it and wonder how I can react that way to such an ending, well, suffice it to say that I’m a writer too and also I love a good cliffhanger.)
I feel this goes without saying but I will anyway- I highly recommend this Christian Fantasy trilogy that is a retelling of Hans Christian Anderson’s 1843 tale ‘ the Nightingale’, with hints of the tale of Hades and Persephone. It is a clean adventure-romance with wonderfully woven allegories. I could see this being a wonderful Christmas gift for the reader in your life!
It comes out December 5th, 2023, but pre-order is available now! Here’s the link to her Nightingale Trilogy page– just follow the pre-order link to claim your copy of Lumen!
I did receive an ARC of Lumen for my honest opinion.
the start of a good life 