My Favorite Books of 2019

Since the year is almost over, it’s finally time to start discussing all of my favorite things from 2019. Today, I’m going to be talking about the books I read and enjoyed.

New (to me) series & Noteworthy sequels 

2019 was a great year for sequels. A lot of the series I was looking forward to continuing turned out to have great follow-ups. I also got into some new series, and I finally read some of the novellas that had been on my TBR list for a couple of years.

• A Dream So Dark by L.L. McKinney
• A Winter's Promise by Christelle Dabos translated by Hildegarde Serle
• The Missing of Clairdelune by Christelle Dabos translated by Hildegarde Serle
• The Wayward Children series (Every Heart A Doorway, Down Among the Sticks and Bones, Beneath the Sugar Sky, In An Absent Dream) by Seanan McGuire
• Small Spaces by Katherine Arden
• Dead Voices by Katherine Arden
• Word to the Wise by Jenn McKinlay
• The Unkindest Tide by Seanan McGuire
• It Devours! by Joseph Fink and Jeffery Cranor
• Welcome to Night Vale by Joseph Fink and Jeffery Cranor
• The Girl With the Dragon Heart by Stephanie Burgis
• The Girl Who Flew With Dragons by Stephanie Burgis
• Binti by Nnedi Okorafor 
• Binti: The Night Masquerade by Nnedi Okorafor
• Binti: Home by Nnedi Okorafor
• The Consuming Fire by John Scalzi

Standalone novels & Nonfiction + the lone reread 

There were also a number of standalone novels I read this year. There are only a couple of books that came out in 2019 on this part of my list, mainly because in the latter half of the year I started to focus more on the backlist titles I wanted to read.

• Magic for Liars by Sarah Gailey
• Well Met by Jen DeLuca
• Dracula by Bram Stoker
• Something Wicked This Way Comes by Ray Bradbury
• Neverwhere and The Ocean at the End of the Lane by Neil Gaiman
• The Penguin Historical Atlas of the Medieval World by Andrew Jotischky & Caroline Hull
• Fashioning Fashion, European Dress in Detail 1700-1915 by Sharon Sadako Takeda & Kaye Durland Spilker 
• Howl’s Moving Castle by Diana Wynn Jones

What are some of the books you read and enjoyed in 2019? (They don’t have to be new releases.) Let us know about some of your favorites in the comments down below.

Review: In an Absent Dream by Seanan McGuire

Title: In an Absent Dream
Series: Wayward Children #4
Author: Seanan McGuire
Source/Format: Borrowed from the library; Hardcover
More Details: Fantasy
Publisher/Publication Date: Tor.com; January 8, 2019

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Synopsis from Goodreads...

This fourth entry and prequel tells the story of Lundy, a very serious young girl who would rather study and dream than become a respectable housewife and live up to the expectations of the world around her. As well she should. When she finds a doorway to a world founded on logic and reason, riddles and lies, she thinks she's found her paradise. Alas, everything costs at the goblin market, and when her time there is drawing to a close, she makes the kind of bargain that never plays out well...

Lundy was a character who I always thought of as interesting, even though she only appeared in Every Heart A Doorway. I liked what I saw of her character. So it was nice to get a story from her perspective. In the same vein as Down Among the Sticks and Bones, In an Absent Dream is a prequel story. It told Lundy’s backstory including her adventure behind the door that opened for her: in a world called the Goblin Market. The story was big on being “sure” about many things, with wanting to live in whatever fantasy world that wanted you being one of them—which is a question that most of the characters of the Wayward Children series are eventually asked. It was also about following the rules as well as the consequences of breaking them. The Goblin Market—which is a pretty accurate descriptor for the kind of place Lundy went—was a market, and it was a land ruled by fair value. So even in the Goblin Market there were still rules. It was also uniquely different from some of the other worlds visited in prior books—not just in terms of the landscape and the permanent residents—but for how people, like Lundy, who went there could go back several times before being "sure" had lasting effects. I also liked all the characters who were introduced in In an Absent Dream. They were as interesting as the world they inhabited. All of it made for an entertaining story.

All in all, I enjoyed In an Absent Dream. It satisfied my curiosity about Lundy’s character and the Goblin Market. Now more than ever, I’m looking forward to the next book in the series.

I Watched Klaus...

When I first heard about Klaus, I knew it was going to be something I wanted to watch, and it was as great a film as I thought it would be. The story was heartwarming and a little bittersweet at times. Overall it was fun and enjoyable to watch, and as a holiday film it worked.

Klaus follows the story of a (very reluctant and arrogant) postman named Jesper who, after disappointing his father, is stationed in a remote artic town called Smeerensburg. This film was kind of like an origin story, with themes of friendship and generational feuds balanced with the beginning of holiday traditions—particularly centered on the characters of Klaus and Jesper. From the start, it was a great premise to build on, and that’s exactly what Klaus does. From start to finish I was thoroughly engrossed in the movie. The voice acting was fantastic, and I can only describe it as expressive and fitting of the characters being portrayed. The attention to detail was something else. The animation was crisp and refined, and there were many scenes that were visually stunning. The style and lighting gave the film an almost hand-drawn feel. For instance, some of the texture found commonly in the background reminded me of pencil. Much of the film was colorful and vibrant, and it excelled at creating atmospheric environments that accurately portrayed the tone of any given scene—and the effect was simply an immersive experience. The character designs were unique and fit the overall style of the movie. The characters themselves were memorable, and at times some of the situations that occurred were on the more humorous side.

Klaus hit all the right notes in terms of animation and story. I thoroughly enjoyed it. If you’re looking for something to watch this holiday season, then consider giving Klaus a try.

Have you watched Klaus? If so, what did you like about it?

The Friday 56 (169) & Book Beginnings: In an Absent Dream by Seanan McGuire

The Friday 56 is a weekly meme hosted by Freda's Voice where every Friday you pick a book and turn to page 56 or 56%, and select a sentence or a few, as long as it's not a spoiler. For the full rules, visit the the page HERE

Book Beginnings is a weekly meme hosted by Rose City Reader that asks you to share the first sentence (or so) of the book you're reading.

Synopsis from Goodreads...

This fourth entry and prequel tells the story of Lundy, a very serious young girl who would rather study and dream than become a respectable housewife and live up to the expectations of the world around her. As well she should. When she finds a doorway to a world founded on logic and reason, riddles and lies, she thinks she's found her paradise. Alas, everything costs at the goblin market, and when her time there is drawing to a close, she makes the kind of bargain that never plays out well...

Beginning: "In a house, on a street, in a town ordinary enough in every aspect to cross over its own roots and become remarkable, there lived a girl named Katherine Victoria Lundy."

56: "Katherine started to answer. Then she caught herself, remembering her promise to Moon. She closed her mouth and nodded."

Comments: I'm finally caught up with the Wayward Children series. I enjoyed In an Absent Dream, and I'm looking forward to the next book in the series. What are you reading this week?

Review: The Princess Who Flew With Dragons by Stephanie Burgis

Title: The Princess Who Flew With Dragons
Series: Tales From the Chocolate Heart #3
Author: Stephanie Burgis
Source/Format: Borrowed from the library; Hardcover
More Details: Middle Grade; Fantasy
Publisher/Publication Date: Bloomsbury Children's Books; November 5, 2019

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Synopsis from Goodreads...

Princess Sofia of Drachenheim is sick of being used for her older sister’s political gains. At twelve years old, she’s already been a hostage to invading dragons and a promised future fiancé to a wicked fairy. Her only comfort lies in writing letters to her pen pal and best friend--Jasper, a young dragon whom she's never even met. When Sofia's older sister sends her on a diplomatic mission to far-off Villenne, she's meant to play the part of a charming, smiling princess. But when an accident leads to her exile from the city, Sofia is free to wander as she pleases for the first time in her life. And when Jasper's food-mage sister Aventurine turns him into a human boy, Sofia thinks life can't get any better. Until… the legendary ice giants of the north attack, trying to reclaim the territory that they lost centuries ago. With the dragons and royals frozen in ice, can Sofia and Jasper save their families and kingdom?

Another enchanting and strong-hearted fantasy, set in the same world as The Dragon with a Chocolate Heart and The Girl with the Dragon Heart.

The Princess Who Flew With Dragons was an excellent follow up to The Girl With the Dragon Heart. There was less chocolate this time around, and much of the familiar cast of characters wasn’t present. That was because the story was told from Princess Sofia’s perspective and it took place outside of Drachenheim—mainly in Villenne and also the snowy territory of the Ice Giants. However the story was just as fun and adventurous (and full of dragons) as the previous books in the series. Princess Sofia has appeared throughout the series, but she was mostly a side character in the adventures of others. So it was nice to finally get a story from her perspective. Being able to read from Sofia’s perspective was helpful with further understanding her character. The story—and Sofia’s attempts at being diplomatic during her trip to Villenne—put a spotlight on her insecurities and fears about not living up to the title of princess. I appreciated the narrative choices Burgis took with Sofia’s character arch. The lessons, as well as how the situation between Sofia and her old sister, Katrin, played out, was among one of things I liked best about The Princess Who Flew With Dragons. I also liked seeing more of Aventurine’s family—particularly Jasper—as well as all the new characters and places introduced in this book.

Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed The Princess Who Flew With Dragons. It was a great story, and the ending was satisfying. If you’ve read the other two books in the series, then this one is a must read.