Tag: 2020

Top 10 Books of 2020

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10. The Empire of Gold

by S.A. Chakraborty

…brings this expansive trilogy to a rousing conclusion…Chakraborty’s writing continues to impress and it flows beautifully once again in this book. …this trilogy is such an impressive achievement. FULL REVIEW

9. Riot Baby

by Tochi Onyebuchi

…visceral, staggering, and powerful…a satisfying read that packs quite a bit of fire into its limited page count. FULL REVIEW

8. Nophek Gloss

by Essa Hansen

Exciting, Inventive, and packed with imaginative ideas – Hansen’s debut space opera is the coolest novel I’ve read in some time. It’s hard science fiction at its finest. FULL REVIEW

7. The Obsidian Tower

by Melissa Caruso

…I had a really fun time with this book. Each page crackles with magic. Caruso’s writing flows well and moves the narrative forward at a swift pace with a steady stream of action and court intrigue throughout.  FULL REVIEW

6. Call of the Bone Ships

by RJ Barker

Barker absolutely stuck the landing with this second book of the Tide Child trilogy...Every moment spent voyaging through Barker’s Scattered Archipelago is incredibly satisfying. I highly recommend this series. FULL REVIEW

5. Piranesi

by Susanna Clarke

It was a real delight to be lost in the labyrinthian walls of Susanna Clarke’s Piranesi…this is a cracking good read that I’d recommend to anyone looking for a brief escape to a more hopeful world. FULL REVIEW

4. Greenwood

by Michael Christie

Add this title to the growing trend of excellent books about trees that have sprouted up in recent years….Christie’s prose is beautifully composed and his descriptions of nature are stunning. I’d recommend this to any lover of nature or fan of epic family sagas.  FULL REVIEW

3. The House in the Cerulean Sea

by TJ Klune

TJ Klune has written something truly wonderful here – a positively delightful book that warms the heart and soul. Each page brims with life and joy and it gives me hope for a better world. I’m not sure what else you can ask for from a book. FULL REVIEW

2. The Vanished Birds

by Simon Jimenez

This is an exceptional debut novel. Simon Jimenez is clearly a skilled storyteller and is an exciting new voice in science fiction. His prose is beautiful and in The Vanished Birds he seamlessly weaves multiple threads into a tightly-plotted tour de force…[It’s] a profound and deeply human story told on an epic scale across millennia. I loved it. FULL REVIEW

1. Black Sun

by Rebecca Roanhorse

This is pitch perfect epic fantasy. Everything works so well together — propulsive pacing, exceptional characters, excellent world-building, and a fascinating mix of cultures, politics, religion, and lore…one of the best books of 2020. FULL REVIEW

Review: Nophek Gloss

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Title: Nophek Gloss (2020)
Author: Essa Hansen
Pages: 480
Series: The Graven #1 (Series Tracker)

Caiden is on a quest for vengeance after his family’s subjugation and slaughter. His anger and hatred are unrelenting. His desire to quench his thirst for vengeance fuels the main quest of this novel. Caiden’s journey to enact revenge is brutal but not without a beating heart. Whether blood-related or found-family, his love for his family drives everything.

Exciting, Inventive, and packed with imaginative ideas – Hansen’s debut space opera is the coolest novel I’ve read in some time. It’s hard science fiction at its finest.

Rating: 4 out of 5.

My thanks to Orbit for the review copy in exchange for an honest review.

Review: The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue

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Invisible LifeTitle: The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue (2020)
Author: V.E. Schwab
Pages: 448

Addie LaRue makes a deal with the devil to be free, but at the price of being forgotten. We follow her over the next 300 years dealing with the repercussions of her Faustian bargain. 

While initially engrossing, I never quite fell in love with this book. In fact, my feelings matched how I felt after reading A Darker Shade of Magic, Schwab’s most popular novel – well-written, intriguing premise, but it could never quite win me over. I felt every one of LaRue’s 300 years and I was exhausted by the end, which I suppose was the point, but in the end, the ultimate destination did not make the journey worthwhile. Schwab may not be the right author for me, but judging by the exuberant reaction to this book by critics and readers alike, it seems I’m in the minority here.

★★★ out of 5

Review: Call of the Bone Ships

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The-Call-of-The-Bone-ShipsTitle: Call of the Bone Ships (November 24, 2020)
Author: R.J. Barker
Pages: 512
Series: The Tide Child #2 (Series Tracker)

Despite its massive storms, brutal battles, and monstrous fauna, R.J. Barker keeps the characters at the forefront of his world. The ever-evolving relationships between Joron, Lucky Meas, and the Tide Child crew are really wonderful. Specific attention was paid to flesh out the backstories of several background crew members, which allows them to carry the narrative when Joron or Lucky Meas are sidelined. That said, Gullaime the windtalker remains the standout character of the series and it was exciting to see it again and learn more about its species.

Barker absolutely stuck the landing with this second book of the Tide Child trilogy. The Bone Ships was my favorite book of 2019 and this sequel will surely vie for a top spot in 2020. Every moment spent voyaging through Barker’s Scattered Archipelago is incredibly satisfying. I highly recommend this series.

★★★★¼ out of 5

My thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review.

Review: Piranesi

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PiranesiTitle: Piranesi (2020)
Author: Susanna Clarke
Pages: 272

It was a real delight to be lost in the labyrinthian walls of Susanna Clarke’s Piranesi. Clarke’s dizzying descriptions of endless hallways, vestibules, and staircases was disorienting but also mesmerizing.

Piranesi, our kindhearted and peculiar main character, is a wonderful window into this world. There are many mysteries that surround him and the maze he finds himself in. Clarke answers more of these riddles than felt necessary, but ultimately, this is a cracking good read that I’d recommend to anyone looking for a brief escape to a more hopeful world.

★★★★¼ out of 5

Review: The Empire of Gold

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EmpireOfGoldTitle: The Empire of Gold (2020)
Author: S.A. Chakraborty
Pages: 736
Series: The Daevabad Trilogy #3 (Series Tracker)

It took me longer than I’d care to admit to make my way through this hefty tome, but I come away satisfied and content with the way everything is brought to a close. The Empire of Gold brings this expansive trilogy to a rousing conclusion. 

The journeys of our three main characters are given plenty of time to breath, while being really well-balanced against each other. Chakraborty’s writing continues to impress and it flows beautifully once again in this book. I’m excited to see what Chakraborty writes next, as this trilogy is such an impressive achievement, especially as a debut.

★★★¾ out of 5

My thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review.

Review: Black Sun

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Black SunTitle: Black Sun (October 13, 2020)
Author: Rebecca Roanhorse
Pages: 464
Series: Between Earth and Sky #1 (Series Tracker)

This is pitch perfect epic fantasy. Everything works so well together — propulsive pacing, exceptional characters, excellent world-building, and a fascinating mix of cultures, politics, religion, and lore.

The story builds and builds as each chapter moves us closer to the ill-omened “Convergence” (a solar eclipse). I could not stop turning the pages until the explosive finale, which does not disappoint. It also leaves a tremendous amount open-ended, which makes me excited for the future of this series, as it feels like Roanhorse has barely scratched the surface of where to go with these characters and this world. Altogether, this is one of the best books of 2020.

★★★★½ out of 5
✪ SPECULATIVE SHELF STARRED BOOK

My thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review.

Review: The Obsidian Tower

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The-Obsidian-Tower-cover-July-24Title: The Obsidian Tower (2020)
Author: Melissa Caruso
Pages: 448
Series: Rooks and Ruin #1 (Series Tracker)

The mages of Vaskandar have the power to give life to their land and to their kingdoms. Ryxander of Gloamingard is cursed with broken magic that takes life and destroys all that she touches. In order to save her kingdom from an unfathomable threat, Ryx must use her weakness to her advantage whilst holding off a cavalcade of determined interlopers.

I had a really fun time with this book. Each page crackles with magic. Caruso’s writing flows well and moves the narrative forward at a swift pace with a steady stream of action and court intrigue throughout. The world of Eruvia is nicely fleshed out, as well. It helps that Caruso has already written a trilogy in this setting, but she lays out the conflicts, local histories, and magic systems in a clear and digestible way for a new reader.

Ryx is a worthy protagonist with very obvious flaws to overcome. Her humanity and search for connection keep her relatable and easy to root for. While the book’s ending does not offer much closure, there’s enough magic in the pages of The Obsidian Tower to bring me back for book number two.

★★★★ out of 5

My thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review.

Review: Tales from the Loop

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Tales from the LoopTitle: Tales from the Loop (2020; first published 2014)
Author: Simon Stålenhag
Pages: 128

This book showcases some truly spectacular science fiction artwork from Swedish artist Simon Stålenhag. The undeniably cool retrofuturistic aesthetic is juxtaposed against the seemingly mundane goings on of small town life in 1980s Sweden. The accompanying text is sometimes just window dressing to fill in the backstory behind the images, which stand on their own just fine.

If this sounds intriguing, I’d also highly recommend the Amazon show of the same name, which is loosely based on this source material. Each episode tells a self-contained story about a rural Ohio town and how The Loop that runs beneath it all fuels technological marvels that coexist amongst the townsfolk.