Caitlin's A-Z author challenge (How fun!)

[Caitlin]

14/26 C O M P L E T E D


A: Abercrombie, Joe. Half the World COMPLETED
B: Briggs, Patricia. Iron Kissed COMPLETED
C: Carmody, Isobelle. Obernewtyn COMPLETED
D: Douglass, Sara. Beyond the Hanging Wall
E:
F: Feist, Raymond E. Magician
G: Gaiman, Neil. Trigger Warning: Short Fictions and DisturbancesCOMPLETED
H: Hobb, Robin. Assassin's Fate (I am *hoping* that this will be published this year, if not I will have to think of something else)
I:
J: Jemisin, N.K. The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms COMPLETED
K: Koontz, Dean. Odd Hours COMPLETED Kay, Guy Gavriel. Sailing to Sarantium
L: Lynch, Scott. The Lies of Locke Lamora COMPLETED
M:
N: Novik, Naomi. Uprooted COMPLETED
O: O' Malley, Daniel. The Rook COMPLETED
P: Pratchett, Terry. Hogfather COMPLETED
Q:
R: Rothfuss, Patrick.The Name of the Wind COMPLETED
S:St. John Mandel, Emily. Station Eleven COMPLETED Sanderson, Brandon. The Final Empire COMPLETED
T: Tiffany, John. Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, Parts 1 & 2 COMPLETED
U:
V: Valente, Catherynne M. The Girl Who Circumnavigated Fairyland in a Ship of Her Own Making
W: Weeks, Brent. The Black Prism COMPLETED
X:
Y:
Z:

[Michael]

Seems like UT could be a challenging challenge. Any suggestions for Q or X? :-o

[Caitlin]

Michael wrote: "Seems like UT could be a challenging challenge. Any suggestions for Q or X? :-o"

I think some of them will be SO difficult. I can't think of anyone with a last name starting with Q or X...

[Margret]

My plans for X is to read Malcolm X's autobiography. Most of the rest are Chinese translated works, but not as readily available to me.
There is a Q author who wrote Silver Linings playbook.

Not my normal cup o tea but I guess the point is to expand your horizons!

[Dani]

I thought we had to pick books that are in the Fantasy genre?

[Margret]

In Helen's post about the challenge she says that it can be any book

[Helen, I·ᴍ ɪɴ ᴛʜᴇ ʟɪʙʀᴀʀʏ]

It would be nice to keep to fantasy but I don't think it would be possible for the more obscure letters. Feel free to prove me wrong ;)

[Bill]

I am planning on puting all the books regardless of genre then replacing with fantasy if possible.

[Dani]

Oohs ok. I've a Q then lol.

[Caitlin]

For years people having been asking me if I had read Obernewtyn -and then recommending it to me when they found out I hadn't.

I gave it 3 stars because although I enjoyed the idea of the story and the world Carmody created, I found myself not feeling much of a connection with the characters...there was just something off about it.

The best way I can explain it is like this: when I am really immersed in a book and its landscape I find it really easy to visualise what I am reading. It's like the characters and setting come to life. But with this book it was like I was witnessing it through a fog, there was not enough detail or description to really draw me in.

[Caitlin]

I gave Station Eleven 5 stars. I thought it was an excellent take on the post-apocalyptic/disaster genre and loved the way the story moved back and forth between periods of time.
I also enjoyed the way she wove together the different narratives, providing you with just enough hints to piece together some of the puzzles (without telling you everything).

[Caitlin]

I haven't read much in the way of this type of urban fantasy but I am finding the Mercy Thompson series okay - I gave Iron Kissed 3 stars. I enjoy the magical elements and the history of the fae and like how the romantic narrative hasn't completely taken over the story....yet.
Mercy is a pretty likeable heroine as well, refreshingly honest and easy to relate to.

[Caitlin]

I enjoyed this collection of short stories and gave Trigger Warning: Short Fictions and Disturbances 4 stars. My favourite story was Black Dog because I adore American Gods and liked seeing what Shadow was up to. I think that the fairy tale appropriations in the collection were excellent.

[Jenna]

I was thinking about reading Trigger Warning for my G as well :)

[Caitlin]

I was disappointed with Odd Hours after enjoying the previous three books in the series. The story didn't have the same amount of intrigue/mystery as the earlier books and I wasn't excited to see how it would play out. I also found the constant retelling of previous events (what I refer to as "previously on"...) soooooo frustrating! I almost threw my book across the room.
I think I will add another book for K, one that is actually fantasy. I'm thinking Guy Gavriel Kay as I recently picked up Sailing to Sarantium at a book fair.

[Caitlin]

Jenna wrote: "I was thinking about reading Trigger Warning for my G as well :)"

Would recommend, it was an enjoyable read.

[Caitlin]

Mistborn: The Final Empire rated four stars.

This was the first Brandon Sanderson book I have read and I was apprehensive going into it due the amount of hype surrounding this series and others. However, I was pleasantly surprised by how easily I was drawn into the novel. There was enough going on that made it exciting, without giving too much away and it moved at a quick pace as well which made it stay exciting. The use of magic was interesting, as was the concept of the dark lord winning out.
I am looking forward to the next book in the series.

[Caitlin]

This is going to take me forever seeing as I keep starting books and then not finishing them....also now that I started reading the Mistborn books I can't stop!

[Caitlin]

Half the World 4 stars
I somehow forgot that I was reading this book (probably because I only had it on my iPad) and then when I started reading it again I was so lost. So I gave up for a while and went onto other books. The other day I was flying and needed something to read, so I thought I would give it another go, and I was glad that I did. I thoroughly enjoyed the remainder of the book and I enjoyed Thorn's character development. I did find her relationship with (view spoiler)[Brand (hide spoiler)] a little contrived, but I appreciate how Abercrombie didn't let it change her. For YA fantasy (which I genuinely think this falls under) it's refreshing and engaging.

The Lies of Locke Lamora 4 stars (but really 4.5)
I absolutely LOVED this book. The characters were amazing, the world building was excellent and I loved the intricacies of the story. I have heard that the next two books are not as good, but I will definitely still be reading them as I need to know what will happen!

[Angela]

I'm reading The Lies of Locke Lamora next month Caitlin. Sounds like it's going to be good.

[Caitlin]

Finished The Name of the Wind last night and rated it 5 stars. It was such an enjoyable read. The character of Kvothe is fascinating. The book reads beautifully — there is such a nice rhythm to it and the world Rothfuss is slowly building is incredible.

[Helen, I·ᴍ ɪɴ ᴛʜᴇ ʟɪʙʀᴀʀʏ]

I loved it, will you go on to the next?

[Caitlin]

Yes! I bought the second one yesterday and will start it today

[Helen, I·ᴍ ɪɴ ᴛʜᴇ ʟɪʙʀᴀʀʏ]

Cool. I noticed a lot more links when I read them together.

[Caitlin]

Oh, I've done so poorly this year with my reading. I think I can probably knock a couple off over the Christmas break...

[Ben]

I absolutely loved the name of the wind,, it was such an engrossing read and I felt like I was really in the story. I've read some good books since then but nothing seems to compare. Take your time and enjoy the second one, it's definitely a once in a lifetime read.
Incredible!!

[Helen, I·ᴍ ɪɴ ᴛʜᴇ ʟɪʙʀᴀʀʏ]

No rush; there isn't a time limit on the challenge :)

[Caitlin]

Helen wrote: "No rush; there isn't a time limit on the challenge :)"

Excellent! I'll just keep plodding along then. I'm going to really try and give myself more time for reading this year...well, that's the plan anyway!

[Caitlin]

Ben wrote: "I absolutely loved the name of the wind, it was such an engrossing read and I felt like I was really in the story. I've read some good books since then but nothing seems to compare. Take your time..."

It's beautiful! I've finished reading the second one and now I feel a bit empty, knowing that I have to wait for the third! I am so engrossed in the story.

[Caitlin]

Finished The Black Prism on New Years Eve. Rated it 2 stars. Cliched, didn't enjoy the writing style or the main character. Story does have some interesting components and I'm interested by the magic system so I may read the rest of the series at a later date.

[Caitlin]

Loved Uprooted. Beautifully written.

Liked The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms but didn't love. It was an enjoyable and easy read, but there was something missing for me to truly love it.

[Helen, I·ᴍ ɪɴ ᴛʜᴇ ʟɪʙʀᴀʀʏ]

I loved Uprooted too. I've been waiting so long for Rothfuss to write book three.