It’s the first Thursday of the month. You know what that means, ’cause we do this on the first Thursday of every month! Time to report!
What is the best book you read in February 2017 and why did you love it? It doesn’t have to be a newly published book, or even SFF. We just want to share some great reading material. Feel free to post a full review of the book here, or a link to the review on your blog, or just write a few sentences about why you thought it was awesome.
(And don’t forget that we always have plenty more reading recommendations on our Fanlit Faves page and our 5-Star SFF page. And we’ve also got a constantly updating list of new and forthcoming releases.)
As always, one commenter will choose a book from our stacks.
We’ve got a couple of giveaways still current. Find those here!
We’re updating our theme, so things may be a little messy or slow until we’re finished. Thank you for being patient with us!
Dusk or Dark or Dawn or Day by Seanan McGuire. I just love her worlds.
I have a short list this month! Feel free to wipe your collective foreheads in relief!
The three excellent books below are the best of what I read this past month that were new to me (I haven’t included the two series that I am re-reading/re-listening to because they are awesome and they help my mood)
The Long Way to a Small Angry Planet by Becky Chambers – this was a great book with regards to dealing with interpersonal relationships whether they are the same species, sex or color or not. Plus a great story. I’m awaiting my chance to read the next book.
League of Dragons by Naomi Novik – I’ve finally gotten around to finishing this series and the final was very satisfactory though I did find that the series got pretty grim in the last three/four books.
Arabella of Mars by David Levine – while I found this to be excellently fun and a really good YA read, it also leaned much more in the romance direction than I expected based on the blurb, but that isn’t a bad thing, just something to note.
I can’t wait to read ARABELLA OF MARS.
It is good!
The Quantum Thief by Hannu Rajaniemi. Yes, it’s a re-read, but boy it was good. Wonderfully weird setting where the author assumes you can puzzle out what’s going on (or at least use Google) and then goes into a mad heist caper where they have to steal the tools to find out what’s going on. All the while Mars’ best detective is closing in on the titular thief.
Wish there were more like this out there.
The best book I read in February is by Adrian Tchaikovsky (again!) This time it was Children of Time. Wow. That ending — I was surprised, but really, I should have seen it coming. And I really do find myself eyeing the spider in my bathroom with a more tolerant eye.
I also re-read Cetaganda, by Lois McMaster Bujold.
And I read the recently released Gilded Cage, by Vic James. I thought it started well, very full of promise, but then got broader in scope and shallower as the book went on. I felt that there were too many POV’s, and after a good look into Luke at the start, I didn’t feel that I got to know any other characters all that well. I finished it feeling slightly less than satisfied. I’ll want to read the other books in the series, to see what happens, but I’ll look for them at a library instead of buying.
Seven Surrenders by Ada Palmer (technically it wasn’t out yet, but I had an ARC). I just adore this series, proof that you can do the high court intrigue that I so love in feudal fantasy yet in a science fictional, democratic future and not puncture my suspension of disbelief. Also some Fun with Pronouns, if you’re into that sort of thing, and proof that you can create a new taboo, create characters that eroticize that taboo, and the hotness of it will still translate to a reader who doesn’t share it. Now anxiously awaiting book 3.
That sounds like something I need to read!
The first book is called Too Like the Lightning, Seven Surrenders is book 2
I re-read ‘Memories of Ice’ – the third book in Steven Erikson’s ‘Malazan Tale of the Fallen’ series and my personal favourite.
I also re-visited some of my favourite Poe stories such as ‘Berenice’ and ‘The Masque of the Red Death’.
Kings of the Wyld by Nicholas Eames was a ton of fun, and Assassin’s Fate by Robin Hobb was emotionally exhausting – a stellar end to the saga.
The Last Mortal Bond by Brian Staveley. It is the last installment of The Chronicle Of The Unhewn Thrown trilogy.
I absolutely loved the entire trilogy. Highly recommended.
I re-read Gil’s All Fright Diner by A Lee Martinez.
I’ve only just finished the wonderful “Coinman” by Pawan Mishra which was WONDERFUL. I will be starting “The Call” by Peadar O’Guilin.
Behind Her Eyes by Sarah Pinborough – I couldn’t put this one down.
Best: Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire by JK Rowling.
2nd Best: Dark Matter by Blake Crouch. Fascinating book but I had so many unanswered questions by the time I finished the book it drove me crazy.
I’ve been on a big re-reading kick so probably Saltation by Sharon Lee and Steve Mller. It’s about a young woman getting flight training and starting out on the world. Because she came from a “safe” planet (highly controlled), things get a bit difficult.
Didn’t have a great reading month, but I did discover Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier. I’m not usually into horror/Gothic stuff, but I enjoyed this one. It was creepy rather than horror-y, and there wasn’t too much melodrama for me to handle. Good writing, too.
The Coldest War – Ian Tregillis
Book 1, Bitter Seeds is good, but Book 2 excellent
Trey, if you live in the USA, you win a book of your choice from our stacks.
Please contact me (Marion) with your choice and a US address. Happy reading!