It’s the first Thursday of the month. You know what that means. Time to report!
What is the best book you read in April 2014 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!
I read several really good books last month, so this is hard. I guess I’d have to go with HILD, by Nicola Griffith, as the best. Powerful characters, excellent world-building and immersive language carried me right into an historical period about which I knew very little, and made me feel like I was there.
I’d have to say Velveteen vs. The Junior Super Patriots by Seanan McGuire. I’m not sure what genre to place the book, it’s somewhere in fantasyland. McGuire injected ‘that’ much magic into real life and turned Velveteen’s world into a true possibility in my head.
What would happen if kids had super powers in today’s world? And what happens when they grow up?
I have loved everything that Seanan McGuire has thrown at me–this was no exception
Jesslyn, you make this sound really interesting!
It is good Marion. I wish Seanan McGuire got more press. I’m enjoying everything she’s writing these days, short stories, novellas and novels.
Hmmm. I just barely finished re-reading The Wise Man’s Fear, by Patrick Rothfuss, and it’s definitely a five-star book for me! Sure, Kvothe is almost too perfect, and yet somehow he’s still fascinating and loveable. Maybe it’s the “almost” part.
The best new book that I read was Empress of the Sun, the third book in the Everness sequence, by Ian McDonald. I was just about to write “Everness trilogy”, but the story is definitely not confined to just three books, and that’s a good thing, because they’re all so enjoyable and imaginative. This latest volume gives a new and exciting definition to the word “Discworld.” :-)
I’m really enjoying this series too.
Just looked at it on Goodreads. I may try the Everness sequence.
While I really enjoyed the books, I was highly disappointed with the extreme lack of anything resembling closure. Especially considering McDonald was only contracted for three books. Has anybody heard if that has been extended? He has stated that he really enjoys writing them and hopes to get to write more, but I don’t get the feeling that he’s somebody that would write them with the intent of self publishing them.
I loved Sharon Lynn Fisher’s The Ophelia Prophecy.
My favorite books I read last year were Seanan McGuire’s One Salt Sea and Terry Brooks’s Legends of Shannara duology.
“Heaven’s Queen” by Rachel Bach; the final book of her Paradox trilogy and it was fun as well watching Devi get through the obstacles the universe puts in her way, cosmically and personally.
The award for best book that I read this past month is a tie between Daryl Gregory’s “Afterparty” and Ramez Naam’s “Nexus.” Both are freaking awesome books that look at interesting aspects of drug culture, with Afterparty focusing more on religion and mental health while Nexus looks at neuroscience and the idea of freedom versus safety. Such amazing books!
I’m about to read Afterparty. Glad to hear you liked it!
I read several good books in April but I think the winner is Michelle West’s The Broken Crown. I can see why she hasn’t achieved the recognition of other fantasy writers–her prose style is not easy to access–but she certainly deserves a higher profile. Outstanding plot, characterization, and world-building.
The best book I read in April was Larry Correia’s Warbound. The audiobook, particularly, was spectacular. If you’re considering reading this series, please try the audio!
Kat, I’m glad to hear you enjoyed it. As you know, it’s nominated for a Hugo.
Yes, I’ll address that in my review and I also mentioned it in today’s Status update. Warbound is really enjoyable, but it’s up against Ann Leckie’s book which, according to what I’ve heard (I haven’t read it yet), deserves to win. (Which, of course, you already knew.)
April wasn’t the best month for me for good reads. I read quite a bit that was just ok.
The best has to be Taken by Benedict Jacka which is the third in his Alex Verus London based urban fantasy. Good characters, interesting plots and a recurring secondary character that I adore as a character but would probably run screaming if I met her in real life…
Gaa! I need to bookmark this post–there are way too many interesting sounding books listed here.
Yup, and we do this on the first Thursday of every month. So many books, so little time!!!
April was a terrible reading month for me quantity wise, but I did read Dead Men’s Boots by Mike Carey which was excellent. I also read most of The Revolutions by Felix Gilman, but didn’t get it finished in April, so it doesn’t count.
I read Murder of Crows by Anne Bishop (The Others)…which lead me to finish reading the Black Jewels novels by Anne Bishop.
Thanks for the amazing giveaway!
elizabeth @ bookattict . com
“Steelheart” by Brandon Sanderson. It wouldn’t consider it one of the best novel I’ve read lately, but it was a fun read. Sometimes you just need something fun that you can kinda zone out while you read. It was had a cohesive plot, quick pace, and enjoyable characters. There were also a couple twists that you see coming and a couple that you don’t (or at least I didn’t see them coming).
Jessalyn, 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!
Wow! Thanks guys!