You may have heard about a massive internet/tv outage that happened during the Big Sports Thing this past weekend, and stretched into this week. And of course — of course! — I was one of the households affected.
But you may be saying to yourself: But, Misty, you knew you were doing 28 Days of Book Love this month — you should have had things ready in advance! To which I say
I've been doing this long enough; you should know me by now.
So here are days 4 through 6 of this month's 28 Days!
DARK TRIUMPH by Robin LaFevers
Sybella's duty as Death's assassin in 15th-century France forces her return home to the personal hell that she had finally escaped. Love and romance, history and magic, vengeance and salvation converge in this thrilling sequel to Grave Mercy.
Sybella arrives at the convent’s doorstep half mad with grief and despair. Those that serve Death are only too happy to offer her refuge—but at a price. The convent views Sybella, naturally skilled in the arts of both death and seduction, as one of their most dangerous weapons. But those assassin's skills are little comfort when the convent returns her to a life that nearly drove her mad. And while Sybella is a weapon of justice wrought by the god of Death himself, He must give her a reason to live. When she discovers an unexpected ally imprisoned in the dungeons, will a daughter of Death find something other than vengeance to live for?
Sybella arrives at the convent’s doorstep half mad with grief and despair. Those that serve Death are only too happy to offer her refuge—but at a price. The convent views Sybella, naturally skilled in the arts of both death and seduction, as one of their most dangerous weapons. But those assassin's skills are little comfort when the convent returns her to a life that nearly drove her mad. And while Sybella is a weapon of justice wrought by the god of Death himself, He must give her a reason to live. When she discovers an unexpected ally imprisoned in the dungeons, will a daughter of Death find something other than vengeance to live for?
WHY I LOVE IT: First of all, I'm so sorry to do light text on a dark background to you guys. But I kinda had to; I mean, just look at this book.
But as for reasons I love it... Oh, let me (Sybella) count the (Sybella) ways (Sybella). I loved the first book in LaFevers His Fair Assassin series, truly, I did. But I looove book 2. (And yes, I know, I know, I need to read book 3 already. I KNOW.)
National Book Award Longlist * Bank Street Children's Book Committee Best Book of the Year
The Real Boy, Anne Ursu's follow-up to her widely acclaimed and beloved middle grade fantasy Breadcrumbs, is a spellbinding tale of the power we all wield, great and small.
On an island on the edge of an immense sea there is a city, a forest, and a boy named Oscar. Oscar is a shop boy for the most powerful magician in the village, and spends his days in a small room in the dark cellar of his master's shop grinding herbs and dreaming of the wizards who once lived on the island generations ago. Oscar's world is small, but he likes it that way. The real world is vast, strange, and unpredictable. And Oscar does not quite fit in it.
But now that world is changing. Children in the city are falling ill, and something sinister lurks in the forest. Oscar has long been content to stay in his small room in the cellar, comforted in the knowledge that the magic that flows from the forest will keep his island safe. Now even magic may not be enough to save it.
The Real Boy, Anne Ursu's follow-up to her widely acclaimed and beloved middle grade fantasy Breadcrumbs, is a spellbinding tale of the power we all wield, great and small.
On an island on the edge of an immense sea there is a city, a forest, and a boy named Oscar. Oscar is a shop boy for the most powerful magician in the village, and spends his days in a small room in the dark cellar of his master's shop grinding herbs and dreaming of the wizards who once lived on the island generations ago. Oscar's world is small, but he likes it that way. The real world is vast, strange, and unpredictable. And Oscar does not quite fit in it.
But now that world is changing. Children in the city are falling ill, and something sinister lurks in the forest. Oscar has long been content to stay in his small room in the cellar, comforted in the knowledge that the magic that flows from the forest will keep his island safe. Now even magic may not be enough to save it.
WHY I LOVE IT: I've talked a lot about Ursu's debut Breadcrumbs on this blog in the past (and for good reasons; it remains one of my favorite middle grade titles, ever); but I feel like I don't do enough evangelizing for her follow-up, The Real Boy, which is a shame, because it is also fantastic. She's very deft at layering fantastical elements on top of relatable, impactful stories, which is why I'm highly anticipating her newest book, The Lost Girl (hits stores next week!), and why I very much recommend adding her to classroom shelves, your kids shelves, and your shelves.
The CASTLE WAITING series by Linda Medley
(shown: volume 2)
Castle Waiting is the story of an isolated, abandoned castle, and the eccentric inhabitants who bring it back to life. A fable for modern times, it is a fairy tale that's not about rescuing the princess, saving the kingdom, or fighting the ultimate war between Good and Evil -- but about being a hero in your own home. The opening chapter tells the origin of the castle itself, which is abandoned by its princess in a comic twist on "Sleeping Beauty" when she rides off into the sunset with her Prince Charming. The castle becomes a refuge for misfits, outcasts, and others seeking sanctuary, playing host to a lively and colorful cast of characters that inhabits the subsequent stories, including a talking anthropomorphic horse, a mysteriously pregnant Lady on the run, and a bearded nun.
Linda Medley lavishly illustrates Castle Waiting in a classic visual style reminiscent of Arthur Rackham and William Heath Robinson. Blending elements from a variety of sources -- fairy tales, folklore, nursery rhymes -- Medley tells the story of the everyday lives of fantastic characters with humor, intelligence, and insight into human nature. Castle Waiting can be read on multiple levels and can be enjoyed by readers of all ages, especially young girls.
WHY I LOVE IT: My god. What don't I love about this series. I'm not kidding you when I say that, every time I think about this book, spot it on my shelves, or pick it up for any reason, I am overcome with the urge to read it, right then and there. So good!
So there are days 4 through 6!
I'm actually not mad at the idea of doing a multi-day post like this, rather than one every day, so let me know your thoughts in the comments!
And let me know, of course, what some of your favorite books are, and what you think of these three if you've read them!
You are one ahead of me with the My Fair Assassins series and I just got Courting Darkness for review (I was told it would work without having finished the first series, but I will probably try to finish the others first).
ReplyDeleteI think that's the first I've seen of the Castle Waiting series and it sounds just the thing.
Just finished my reread of the His Fair Assassin Trilogy and YEssss you need to read Mortal Heart!! I thought I couldn't love anyone more than Sybella and I was wrong. My copy of Courting Darkness just came in the mail and I am dying to read it. '
ReplyDeleteCastle Waiting also looks like something I would enjoy.