Weird Reading Goals for 2015

So last year, I set a goal to read all the books on my shelf that I had purchased but not read.

Also, a goal to blog each book that I read off that list.

There were 51 books on that list. I managed to read 31 of them. I blogged 27.

All in all, I'm not unhappy with that. I mean, realize that I also read books for the three book clubs I belong to as well as those I impulsively snagged at the library, borrowed from friends, or bought and devoured on the spot. (Grand total: 85 books.) At least I did manage to blog the vast majority of the books on the list, and I made a real dent in my TBR shelf. Alas, more work remains. I now have a TBR 2015 shelf because, yes, I bought more books in 2014. It's a never-ending problem. (But a good one to have.)

So, my total for the 2015 TBR Shelf--that's leftovers from 2014 plus additions for 2015--comes to 59 books. If that sounds like an impossible goal--won't the number just keep getting bigger and bigger every year?--remember that I will at least completely annihilate the 2014 list, which was built up over a number of years.

Then again, how did I manage to add 39 books in a single year? Good lord, did I buy 39 books? Okay, some were gifts--14 of them. I bought 6 at authors' readings. The other 25 I guess I just snapped up at random.

Why all this accounting? I'm just curious, I guess, as to how this pile of physical tomes (don't get me started on the e-books) got so very high. But as the blog is my witness, I will at least surpass last year's number.

I WILL READ (OR ATTEMPT, THEN GIVE AWAY) ALL THE REMAINING 2014 TBR LIST BOOKS (TOTAL: 20).

I WILL ATTEMPT TO KNOCK OUT THE 2015 LIST, BUT FAILING THAT, I WILL READ AT LEAST 25 OF THEM.

If I manage to meet these goals, I will leave a maximum of 14 books unread. That's a net gain of 6 books over this year! See how it's working?

And I'll blog every one.

Ha ha ha! No, I won't. I'm not even setting a goal. I'll let you know which ones are worth your time, though. Promise.


images: Bookshelf--By Stewart Butterfield (flickr), used by permission under this Creative Commons license, via Wikimedia Commons; GIF by www.giphy.com

October Giveaway

It's another giveaway for More Middle-Grade Madness! For those who don't know, middle-grade is a publishing industry term that means, generally, ages 9-12 (abbreviated MG). It doesn't mean "written for middle schoolers (grades 5-8)," as many people assume. Any of the books below would be wonderful for a third grader who's a good reader and would be interesting all the way up to a 6th, 7th, or even 8th grader, depending. (Everyone seems to love Rick Riordan, so these age designations are somewhat arbitrary.) Pick your favorite of these, enter, and win! To find out more about each book, click the title and read my review.

HOUSE OF SECRETS
by Chris Columbus & Ned Vizzini
MG fantasy adventure (#1 in the House of Secrets series)
A new house takes 3 siblings on a wild adventure

IF YOU'RE READING THIS, IT'S TOO LATE
by Pseudonymous Bosch
MG fantasy / mystery (#2 in the Secrets series)
Cass & Max-Ernst try to unveil the mystery behind the Terces Society

THE RED PYRAMID
by Rick Riordan
MG fantasy adventure (#1 in the Kane Chronicles series)
2 siblings try to save their dad from Egyptian gods

INKSPELL
by Cornelia Funke
MG fantasy (#2 in the Inkheart Series)
Meggie and her friends get trapped inside Inkworld















GIVEAWAY RULES:
1. U.S. entrants only, please.
2. Be sure to note the book you want to win AND WHY.
3. Giveaway prizes will be brand-new books delivered to you via Amazon.com. They will be paperback editions unless the book is still available only in hardcover (or choose a Kindle ebook edition of you wish).
4.  This giveaway ends 12:01 AM OCTOBER 14.
5. There's a new giveaway every month! CLICK HERE to receive a brief email every time a new giveaway is posted on the blog. 

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TBR 2014: Book No. 27

Years ago I read Cornelia Funke's Inkheart (Scholastic, 2004), and loved it. For some reason, it took me awhile to pick up the second book in the series, Inkspell (Scholastic, 2005), and several more years to read it. But here I am, ready to go!

"Funke delivers more than enough action, romance, tragedy, villainy, and emotion to keep readers turning the pages."  --Kirkus

Coming along for a fantasy romp?

That's right: I've committed to reading all the books on my TBR Shelf this year--and blogging them! Click here to read the reviews I've posted so far.

TBR 2014: Book No. 26

Again, I find myself more than fashionably late to a worldwide party. No, I've not yet read any of the Kane Chronicles, but I'm getting started right now with The Red Pyramid by Rick Riordan (Disney-Hyperion, 2010).

"A truly original take on Egyptian mythology ... a must-have book."  --School Library Journal (starred review)

"A riveting story marked by headlong adventure."   --Booklist (starred review)

A runaway best-seller and recipient of numerous awards, The Red Pyramid promises to be a fantastic ride. Jump on!

That's right: I've committed to reading all the books on my TBR Shelf this year--and blogging them! Click here to read the reviews I've posted so far.

TBR 2014: Book No. 25

If You're Reading This, It's Too Late by Pseudonymous Bosch (Little, Brown for Young Readers, 2008) is Book 2 in what you might call the Secret series (or at least, that's what Goodreads calls it). The first book, The Name of This Book Is Secret, was great fun, so I've picked up the sequel. It's sure to be full of mysteries, puzzles, and ominous warnings.

"Like Lemony Snicket with a little Monty Python." --LA Weekly

"Fans of Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events (HarperCollins) will enjoy this slightly more fleshed-out read." --School Library Journal

Read along, if you've the stomach for it.



That's right: I've committed to reading all the books on my TBR Shelf this year--and blogging them! Click here to read the reviews I've posted so far.

TBR 2014: Book No. 24

How could you possibly resist a book written by film director Chris Columbus (Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone) and Ned Vizzini? Especially one that J.K. Rowling calls "A breakneck roller coaster of an adventure"? J.K. Rowling, people! That, and the cool cover, are why I picked up House of Secrets (Balzer + Bray / HarperCollins, 2013).

“A swift-paced…clever page-turner for any reader who has wanted to take part in literary adventures … This story is compelling, great fun, and sure to be popular.”  --ALA Booklist

"With a new adventure that seems to arrive with every chapter, the story unfolds quickly, thus keeping kids hooked and wanting to find out what will happen next.” --School Library Journal 

Let's see what the hype is all about, readers!

That's right: I've committed to reading all the books on my TBR Shelf this year--and blogging them! Click here to read the reviews I've posted so far.

September Giveaway

You may have noticed that I crammed all my YA reading into the last week or so of the month. Because sometimes, that's how I roll. But I'm super excited about this month's giveaway because each of these three books are marvelous reads, and all have been critically acclaimed and landed on multiple "Best Of" lists. You can't go wrong with any of them--trust me. So take your pick and enter!

ELEANOR & PARK
by Rainbow Rowell
YA contemporary (OK, it's the 1980s) love story
Two misfits find love and loss in the 1980s

OUT OF THE EASY
by Ruta Sepetys
YA historical noir
One girl seeks to escape the sordid but lovable French Quarter

IF YOU FIND ME
by Emily Murdoch
YA contemporary
Fleeing a life of abuse, two sisters make their way in a brave new world















GIVEAWAY RULES:
1. U.S. entrants only, please.
2. Be sure to note the book you want to win AND WHY.
3. Giveaway prizes will be brand-new books delivered to you via Amazon.com. They will be paperback editions unless the book is still available only in hardcover (or choose a Kindle ebook edition of you wish).
4.  This giveaway ends 12:01 AM SEPTEMBER 9.
5. There's a new giveaway every month! CLICK HERE to receive a brief email every time a new giveaway is posted on the blog. 

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TBR 2014: Book No. 23

First of all, true confessions: If You Find Me (St. Martin's / Griffin, 2013) was written by Emily Murdoch, one of my Lucky 13 pals. But because this is my blog, not Goodreads, I don't have to worry about trashing Emily's ratings if I hate the book. But I don't mind telling you, with all the buzz and glowing reviews this novel has received, I seriously doubt that will be the case. I'm thinking it could turn out to be one of my favorite Lucky novels.

"Carey and Nessa’s story is memorable and deeply moving, and readers will find it very easy to fall in love with these girls.” – Publishers Weekly

“A compelling narrative that is both unflinching about life’s pain and hopeful about its possibilities.” – Kirkus Reviews (Starred Review)

Feeling Lucky? Grab a copy of If You Find Me and read along!

That's right: I've committed to reading all the books on my TBR Shelf this year--and blogging them! Click here to read the reviews I've posted so far.

TBR 2014: Book No. 22

I've been hanging on to this book for a while now. I realize I'm one of only three people on the planet who haven't read Ruta Sepetys's Between Shades of Gray, but before I read that, I'm diving into her latest novel, Out of the Easy (Philomel Books, 2013)--because I love New Orleans, and this sounds like a great, juicy story.

"A page-turner that noir romance fans will gobble up like popcorn shrimp."  --Booklist

“A haunting peek at the life of a teenage girl in 1950s New Orleans.”  --Entertainment Weekly

Grab your gumbo spoon and dig in!

That's right: I've committed to reading all the books on my TBR Shelf this year--and blogging them! Click here to read the reviews I've posted so far.

TBR 2014: Book No. 21

You don't have to remind me that I've fallen off my goal this summer. I get it. I know. I haven't stopped reading, but I've been a bit busy for posting. Still. We carry on.

Unless you don't follow young adult fiction, or you do but you prefer cave dwelling to bookstore browsing, you've heard of Rainbow Rowell, author of Eleanor & Park (St. Martin's Press, 2013). This book has been on my radar not because I swoon over teenage love stories but because everyone says it's just so good. We'll see if I agree.

“Eleanor & Park reminded me not just what it’s like to be young and in love with a girl, but also what it’s like to be young and in love with a book.”—John Green (author of The Fault in Our Stars), The New York Times Book Review

“In her rare and surprising exploration of young misfit love, Rowell shows us the beauty in the broken.”—Stewart Lewis, author of You Have Seven Messages

 Are you in? Can you handle young love?

That's right: I've committed to reading all the books on my TBR Shelf this year--and blogging them! Click here to read the reviews I've posted so far.

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August Giveaway

I know what you're going to say: What business have I, running a giveaway of the Month of Adventure books on my TBR Shelf when I haven't even finished reading the last one?

Yeah, well, it's summer. I've been on vacation. And sometimes fiction lures me away from nonfiction. But the giveaway must go on, so here's what we have on tap this month. Click on the titles to read my review of each (except for that last one):

WIND, SAND AND STARS
by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry
adult adventure / aviation / memoir

WILD: FROM LOST TO FOUND ON THE PACIFIC CREST TRAIL
by Cheryl Strayed
adult adventure / memoir

A YEAR IN THE WORLD: JOURNEYS OF A PASSIONATE TRAVELER
by Frances Mayes
adult travel essay / memoir
Don't be put off by the fact that I laid this book aside; I wanted to travel light on vacation, so I brought my Kindle instead of this book. I've read about a third of it, though, and can attest that Frances Mayes's lovely, evocative writing is as strong as ever, and her descriptions of Spain make me want to hop on a plane to Madrid.










GIVEAWAY RULES:
1. U.S. entrants only, please.
2. Be sure to note the book you want to win AND WHY.
3. Giveaway prizes will be brand-new books delivered to you via Amazon.com. They will be paperback editions unless the book is still available only in hardcover. 
4.  This giveaway ends at the end of the day MONDAY, AUGUST 11.
5. There's a new giveaway every month! CLICK HERE to receive a brief email every time a new giveaway is posted on the blog. 

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TBR 2014: Book No. 20

Frances Mayes, acclaimed author of Under the Tuscan Sun, is one of the best travel writers I know. I'll go with her anywhere. In A Year in the World: Journeys of a Passionate Traveller (Broadway Books, 2006), she'll lead us through the Greek isles, Morocco, Turkey, Spain, Portugal, and more. Pack your bags; I'll meet you at the plane.

“Those who want to find parts of themselves they didn’t know existed, take risks, have an adventure . . . and discover another culture altogether, with its different rhythms, tastes, smells, and ways of being human—those readers will find in Mayes a kindly, eager, tough-spirited guide.”    —Houston Chronicle

All aboard! Let's travel, blog readers!

That's right: I've committed to reading all the books on my TBR Shelf this year--and blogging them! Click here to read the reviews I've posted so far.

Review: WILD by Cheryl Strayed

Title: Wild: From Lost to Found on the Pacific Crest Trail

Author: Cheryl Strayed

Pub info: Alfred A. Knopf, 2012; 315 pp

Genre: adventure/memoir, written for adults

I've always admired people who can tackle arduous physical tasks, because I've always been kind of a wimp. Reading Cheryl's experiences made my morning suburban walks seem like, well, morning suburban walks.

Goodreads summary:

At twenty-two, Cheryl Strayed thought she had lost everything. In the wake of her mother's death, her family scattered and her own marriage was soon destroyed. Four years later, with nothing more to lose, she made the most impulsive decision of her life: to hike the Pacific Crest Trail from the Mojave Desert through California and Oregon to Washington State—and to do it alone. She had no experience as a long-distance hiker, and the trail was little more than “an idea, vague and outlandish and full of promise.” But it was a promise of piecing back together a life that had come undone. Strayed faces down rattlesnakes and black bears, intense heat and record snowfalls, and both the beauty and loneliness of the trail. Told with great suspense and style, sparkling with warmth and humor, Wild vividly captures the terrors and pleasures of one young woman forging ahead against all odds on a journey that maddened, strengthened, and ultimately healed her.

Status: finished 7/5/14

My impressions:

This is the kind of book that you don't just read; you inhabit it. While I was buried in Wild, I felt like I was right there, hiking the Pacific Crest Trail with only four of my original ten toenails attached. (I know. Ew.) I was hungry, thirsty, exhausted. And I don't mean metaphorically. For example, I got my hair cut during the period I was reading this book. My stylist, who knows me pretty well, draped the waterproof cape over my shoulders and said, "Hey, have you been working out? Your back muscles are really defined." I nearly said to her, "Well, what do you expect? I've been hiking the PCT for the last two months." Seriously. Then I remembered I'd only been reading about it.

Kudos to Cheryl Strayed for writing with such vivid detail that I felt so completely immersed. Every night I went to bed feeling eternally grateful for the soft pillow and the glass of water that I didn't need to purify with iodine tablets. Her story is transporting. Is it inspiring in the way I thought it would be? Well, yes and no. I got to know the trail--and Cheryl--very well, but not so much the people she met along the way, who all kind of ran together in my mind. Some of them just grossed me out a little, to be honest--sex on the beach with a stranger sounds creepy, and shooting heroin is more than creepy. But I guess it's all part of the life journey. Whatever you think about it, you'll be thoroughly engrossed in Wild, should you choose to pick it up. And who knows? Maybe you'll get some well-defined back muscles out of the deal.


About Cheryl:

Strayed’s writing has appeared in the New York Times Magazine, The Missouri Review, The Best American Essays, and many other publications. She holds an MFA in fiction writing from Syracuse University and a bachelor’s degree from the University of Minnesota. Her other writings include the novel Torch (Houghton Mifflin, 2006). Today she lives in Portland, Oregon, with her husband and two children.

Online:

Cheryl's website resides here, where you can watch video interviews about her experiences and read up on her other works. You can also reach Cheryl on Twitter and Facebook. You can read a bit about the upcoming film adaptation of Wild, starring Reese Witherspoon, at imdb.com. Look for the film to be released in December of this year!

Want to win a free copy of this book? The first Monday of each month features a giveaway of any of the titles I've reviewed the previous month. Pick your fave, enter, and win! Next giveaway: August 4.

SIGN UP HERE TO RECEIVE A BRIEF EMAIL WHENEVER A NEW GIVEAWAY BEGINS.

To follow my progress as I bulldoze my way through a stack of 51 to-be-reads this year, search for the tag 2014 TBR Shelf. Read all the reviews here.

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TBR 2014: Book No. 19

I love books about survival and triumph under difficult circumstances, especially since I'm a bit of a coward myself. I know better than to attempt an 1,100-mile trek through mountains and deserts on foot. But lucky for me, Cheryl Strayed had no such qualms when she decided to hike the Pacific Crest Trail and find the answers to her life's problems. She wrote about the experience in her memoir Wild: From Lost to Found on the Pacific Crest Trail (Alfred A. Knopf, 2012).

"One of the most original, heartbreaking, and beautiful American memoirs in years."  --Michael Shaub, NPR Books

"[A] vivid, touching, and ultimately inspiring account of a life unraveling, and of the journey that put it back together."  --The Wall Street Journal

"An addictive, gorgeous book."  --The Boston Globe

Ready to go for a hike, blogfrogs? Grab your boots and let's go!

That's right: I've committed to reading all the books on my TBR Shelf this year--and blogging them! Click here to read the reviews I've posted so far.

July Giveaway

** SORRY, THIS GIVEAWAY HAS ENDED **

Sign up to be notified of new giveaways here

Yes, blogfrogs, it's Fantasy for All Ages Month! Here are the books I plucked off my TBR Shelf this month. Pick your fave and win a brand-new copy. Note: This supershort giveaway lasts only 4 days! Here are your choices:

 

THE BOOKS OF ELSEWHERE: SPELLBOUND
by Jacqueline West
MG fantasy
An ancient spellbook is the key to the mystery of Olive's creepy old house

THE CARPET PEOPLE
by Terry Pratchett
MG fantasy
A tiny civilization that lives in your carpet battles another tiny civilization that lives in your carpet

CREWEL
by Gennifer Albin
YA dystopia / fantasy
A teenage girl fights a system wherein women are forced to weave the fabric of reality

LAVINIA
by Ursula K. Le Guin
adult fantasy / myth
The story of Lavinia, the woman Aeneas fought for in Virgil's The Aeneid















GIVEAWAY RULES:
1. U.S. entrants only, please.
2. Be sure to note the book you want to win AND WHY.
3. Giveaway prizes will be brand-new books delivered to you via Amazon.com. They will be paperback editions unless the book is still available only in hardcover. 
4.  This giveaway ends 12:01 AM JULY 11.
5. There's a new giveaway every month! CLICK HERE to receive a brief email every time a new giveaway is posted on the blog. 


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TBR Book No. 18

Welcome to July, which I've dubbed A Month of Adventure! What better time to explore new places and experiences than the height of summer? Let's start off with Wind, Sand and Stars (Harcourt, 2002; orig. 1939) by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry. Ever since I first read his classic Le Petit Prince in French class, I've wanted to read more by this extraordinary author. I picked up a copy of this little volume years ago and somehow never got round to reading it. My used copy got so dusty and decrepit that I replaced it with a better one. And now I'm finally going to read it, spurred on by my own recent flying adventures.

"A beautiful book, a brave book, and a book that should be read against the confusion of this world."  --The New York Times

A National Geographic Top Ten Adventure Book of All Time

Winner of the National Book Award

So what do you say, blog readers? Come flying with me!

That's right: I've committed to reading all the books on my TBR Shelf this year--and blogging them! Click here to read the reviews I've posted so far.

Review: CREWEL by Gennifer Albin

Title: Crewel
Author: Gennifer Albin
Pub info: Farrar, Straus, & Giroux Books for Young Readers, 2012; 368 pp
Genre: YA dystopian fantasy

This book has a fascinating concept about an alternate society where an elite group of women weave the fabric of reality--whether they like it or not. Cool!

Goodreads summary:

Incapable. Awkward. Artless.
That’s what the other girls whisper behind her back. But sixteen-year-old Adelice Lewys has a secret: She wants to fail.

Gifted with the ability to weave time with matter, she’s exactly what the Guild is looking for, and in the world of Arras, being chosen to work the looms is everything a girl could want. It means privilege, eternal beauty, and being something other than a secretary. It also means the power to manipulate the very fabric of reality. But if controlling what people eat, where they live, and how many children they have is the price of having it all, Adelice isn’t interested.

Not that her feelings matter, because she slipped and used her hidden talent for a moment. Now she has one hour to eat her mom’s overcooked pot roast. One hour to listen to her sister’s academy gossip and laugh at her dad’s jokes. One hour to pretend everything’s okay. And one hour to escape.

Because tonight, they’ll come for her.

Status: finished 6/22/14

My impressions:
First of all, what an amazing idea for a book. It's a little bit The Handmaid's Tale (Margaret Atwood), but placed squarely in its own unique universe and with a premise that completely captured my imagination. Our heroine, Adelice, is strong and spunky, and what's not to like about that? Gennifer's writing speeds the plot right along, so the ride is easy and fun.

That said, maybe things are a bit too easy in this book. For all its originality, it includes the usual love triangle (rebellious Jost vs. company man--or is he?--Erik), and that aspect doesn't interest me much unless the relationships are unusual or unique in some way. These aren't, really. Since Suzanne Collins introduced the dystopian society-plus-love triangle plot back in The Hunger Games, it's been done often enough that it's lost its appeal. I don't get a clear sense beyond mere archetypes of either of these boys. I also feel like I've just skimmed the surface of Adelice's emotions. The opening is gripping, when she's torn from her family and their fate is unknown; but after that, I'm told more often than shown how Adelice is coping with her new life as a Spinster.

This is the first of the series, and it may well be that some of these issues are resolved in future books. And maybe it's unfair to compare a new writer to masters like Atwood and Collins. If the writing feels a bit lightweight compared to the novel's conflicts, things may improve later on. For now, this is an interesting and fun read, but I'm not necessarily racing to the next volume.

About Gennifer:
Gennifer Albin holds a Masters degree in English Literature from the University of Missouri. A recovering academic, she turned to writing her own books. In her free time she sits on the National Novel Writing Month Advisory Board. The sequel to Crewel is called Altered (Farrar, Straus, 2013), and the final book in the trilogy (Unraveled) is due out in October 2014. While she used to live right near little old me in Lenexa, Kansas, Gennifer now lives in Poulsbo, Washington, with her family.

Online:
Gennifer's website has all the news about her books and author events. She also blogs here. Gennifer gets around on Facebook and Twitter, too.


Want to win a free copy of this book? The first Monday of each month features a giveaway of any of the titles I've reviewed the previous month. Pick your fave, enter, and win! Next giveaway: July 7.


SIGN UP HERE TO RECEIVE A BRIEF EMAIL WHENEVER A NEW GIVEAWAY BEGINS.

To follow my progress as I bulldoze my way through a stack of 51 to-be-reads this year, search for the tag 2014 TBR Shelf. Read all the reviews here.

TBR 2014: Book No. 17

Crewel by Gennifer Albin (Farrar, Straus, & Giroux Books for Young Readers, 2012) has been sitting on my shelf ever since I attended Gennifer's launch at Rainy Day Books in Kansas City. Crewel is Gennifer's debut novel and the first in a trilogy about young women who are honored (forced?) to weave the very fabric of reality in a fantastical world.

“The halls of Coventry are dark and twisted places readers will want to visit." —The New York Times Book Review

“Captivating and intense, the right balance of mystery, romance, and drama.” —Publishers Weekly

“The next big dystopian blockbuster.” —Booklist 

I know--right? Read an excerpt of Crewel here and then read the rest. So I won't feel lonely.


That's right: I've committed to reading all the books on my TBR Shelf this year--and blogging them! Click here to read the reviews I've posted so far.

Review: LAVINIA by Ursula K. Le Guin

Title: Lavinia
Author: Ursula K. Le Guin
Pub info: Harcourt, 2008;  279 pp
Genre: adult / YA fantasy/mythology

Ursula K. Le Guin is one of those authors I've been meaning to read forever. She's a crossover writer, meaning even people who don't normally read fantasy love her. Critical acclaim, awards, best-seller-dom--she's achieved it all. I'm so glad I finally got started on her canon.

Goodreads summary:

In The Aeneid, Vergil’s hero fights to claim the king’s daughter, Lavinia, with whom he is destined to found an empire. Lavinia herself never speaks a word. Now, Ursula K. Le Guin gives Lavinia a voice in a novel that takes us to the half-wild world of ancient Italy, when Rome was a muddy village near seven hills.

Lavinia grows up knowing nothing but peace and freedom, until suitors come. Her mother wants her to marry handsome, ambitious Turnus. But omens and prophecies spoken by the sacred springs say she must marry a foreigner—that she will be the cause of a bitter war—and that her husband will not live long. When a fleet of Trojan ships sails up the Tiber, Lavinia decides to take her destiny into her own hands. And so she tells us what Vergil did not: the story of her life, and of the love of her life.

Lavinia is a book of passion and war, generous and austerely beautiful, from a writer working at the height of her powers.

Status: finished [date]

My impressions:
All I can say is, I'm a firm Le Guin fan now. This book isn't for everyone--it isn't a light fantasy, nor would I give it to someone who just wants a quick romp through the ancient world. Heavy on text, light on dialogue, it looks a bit dense and intimidating when you flip through the pages. But give it a try. I've never read The Aeneid, but just knowing that Le Guin has turned it on its head is intriguing (and now I do want to read it). Her portrait of women centuries before the founding of Rome is fascinating--their roles, their rituals, their relationships. Is it accurate? It's impossible to know, but Le Guin takes stuffy history/myth and breathes life and passion into it. Her take on the people and times includes less entanglement with gods than Virgil's poem--or Homer's Iliad, where Aeneas first appears--and creates a portrait not just of Lavinia's life, but that of her city.

Now having read it, would I call it fantasy? Not exactly, but it does have that myth vibe, and the attention to religious ritual and oracles enhance that. So I'm leaving it in the Fantasy for All Ages month. And I stand by my original assertion that this is really an adult novel. Plenty of teens could handle it, but it doesn't read like a YA novel to me, despite how some have categorized it.

About Ursula:
Ursula K. Le Guin has published twenty-two novels, eleven volumes of short stories, four collections of essays, twelve books for children, six volumes of poetry and four of translation, and has received many awards: Hugo, Nebula, National Book Award, PEN-Malamud, among others. Perhaps her most well-known fantasy series is the Earthsea Cycle. In addition to Lavinia, her recent publications include a collection of poetry (Finding My Elegy) and an essay collection on "how and why fantasy matters" (Cheek by Jowl). She lives in Portland, Oregon.

Online:
Le Guin maintains an extensive website here, and blogs at this site.


Want to win a free copy of this book? The first Monday of each month features a giveaway of any of the titles I've reviewed the previous month. Pick your fave, enter, and win! Next giveaway: July 7.


SIGN UP HERE TO RECEIVE A BRIEF EMAIL WHENEVER A NEW GIVEAWAY BEGINS.

To follow my progress as I bulldoze my way through a stack of 51 to-be-reads this year, search for the tag 2014 TBR Shelf. Read all the reviews here.

TBR 2014: Book No. 16

Lavinia by Ursula K. Le Guin (Harcourt, 2008) tells the story of Vergil's Aeneid from the point of view of--yep--Lavinia, who's given no voice whatsoever in the epic poem. The daughter of a king, Lavinia is pressured to choose one of several suitors when she turns 18. And, as usual, "none of them" isn't one of the choices. *SIGH* What fun to be a woman in ancient Italy--or, really, anywhere.

Le Guin is another author that everyone else has read and I haven't, so I'd best get started. Is this fantasy? Well, more myth, I guess, but Le Guin is generally considered a fantasy writer, and there are oracles and stuff in the book. Cut me a little slack. I'm trying to make this a Fantasy for All Ages month.

"A novel that deserves to be ranked with Robert Graves's I, Claudius."  --Publishers Weekly (starred)

"A thoughtful, moving tale of prophecy, myth, and self-fulfillment."  --School Library Journal

Full disclosure: I'm thinking of Lavinia as a novel for adults, but SLJ seems to categorize it as YA. Lavinia is 18, and the novel is a first-person POV, but to me, it reads as an adult novel. Take your pick. So far it's wonderful, so grab a copy and read along!


That's right: I've committed to reading all the books on my TBR Shelf this year--and blogging them! Click here to read the reviews I've posted so far.