Pictured above are my favourite reads from the past three months. Not all of them got five stars on my personal scale—which is so hard to define, really, I’m not sure why I bother rating things at all. It does make for an easy, at-a-glance reference system, though.
What these books all have in common is how utterly absorbing I found each one. How they drew me in and didn’t let me go until the last page. How I kept thinking about them even after I was done.
So, let’s get started:
The End of the World Running Club by Adrian Walker
I didn’t rate this five stars for very petty reasons: a favourite side character died. (Sorry about the sort of spoiler, though I won’t name any names). Otherwise, this is an amazingly good book. In short, it’s everything I love about post-apocalyptic fiction. Meaning, despite depicting events we may not witness (hopefully won’t witness) in our lifetimes, it’s a very human story and therefore relatable to any time.
The long version: it’s about a man who isn’t a very good husband and father. Maybe not even a great human being. He’s mediocre by any measure. I love characters like these because there is so much potential for growth. But also? I love to read about people like me—people who aren’t exceptional. Let’s face it, if a giant comet were to slam into the Earth, it’s not really going to matter whether you’re super good at one or two things. You’re going to be too busy trying to survive to win any competitions. Too busy owning up to and facing your own humanity.
In the case of The End of the World Running Club, that means running five hundred miles through a post-apocalyptic landscape and all the dangers that may entail to be with the people you love. Highly recommended.
Salvation (Salvation Sequence, #1) by Peter F. Hamilton
I listened to this on audio a few years ago and enjoyed it enough that I was on the lookout for the sequel. But before reading the next book, I decided to read this one again and I enjoyed it so much more the second time around. For me, the narrator made the difference. I preferred my own voice for this one.
The story is split into three (sort of) timelines: the far future, the present, and various pasts. In the present, a collection of important people are on their way to the site of an alien ship full of humans who have been abducted and maybe experimented on. The leader of the expedition suspects that one of the travelers is, in fact, an alien. Along the way, they each tell a story about their past. These stories are interconnected and link together to paint a picture of the world as it is, the relationships between the group members, and what has brought them all to the place in time.
The future timeline is a little mysterious at first, but it becomes increasingly clear that all did not go well in the present—and that the fate of the human race is in peril.
I enjoyed this book all the way through, but read with increasing interest and attention as the story behind the stories wove together. The final chapter is the true “wow” moment, though, and it will propel you toward the sequel (which I have now read and very much enjoyed).
Amatka by Karen Tidbek
Many, many years ago I read a collection of short stories by Karen Tidbek to review for Sfcrowsnest. I didn’t really remember much about the stories, but I did remember enjoying them. The author’s name had stuck in my mind. So when I saw she had a novel out, I gave it a go.
Amatka is WEIRD. Like… if you’re into linear timelines where the first third of the book introduces you to a world, the characters, and the way everything works… well, then, not much of what I read will interest you. Lol. But this book in particular would be difficult to appreciate.
But appreciate it I did because not only am I into weirdness, but I’m also into atmosphere and the atmosphere of this book is overwhelming, which considering the setting and the plot, is exactly what it should be. Ultimately, I believe the story is a comment on conformity, and what happens when we try to impose order on the shape of the universe. It won’t work—and chaos will ensue. But perhaps chaos isn’t all that bad, and by embracing it, we can be free.
The Last Word by Taylor Adams
Calling all readers who have left one-star reviews: watch out! I won’t stalk you, but some authors might. That’s the premise here and it’s executed with literal thrills, spills, and… humor. How often do you get to laugh in a thriller? Not often enough.
If you’ve read Adams before, you’ll be expecting the twists and may even guess who is behind the terror before the end, but that won’t take away the enjoyment. This is just an all-around entertaining book.
Locklands (The Founders Trilogy, #3) by Robert Jackson Bennett
This is book three of a series I might have mentioned in previous posts and there’s a ton of background needed to really get into it. Regardless, Locklands is an amazing book and I’m including it on this list because it’s probably the BEST series closer I’ve ever read. Not only did the book have its own story (a must in a series, in my opinion) but it wrapped up the incredible arc that started in book one and did so by dotting every single i and crossing every t.
The world-building is insane and takes a while to make sense of. I loved it. Such a cool magic system. The character development is the best part, though. The journey of every single person involved. Magnificent. In fact, that was my one-word review when I recorded this book in my journal: magnificent.
Starless by Jacqueline Carey
Despite having read a lot of Jacqueline Carey, I often feel as though I haven’t read enough Jacqueline Carey.
What I loved about Starless, aside from the plot—a young person trained by a select order to do amazing things goes on to do amazing things and against all odds—was the world-building, characters, and prose. I also loved the effortless inclusivity. Carey presented a diverse cast without the feeling she was checking boxes.
The writing is what really captured me here, though. I’m a writer, so it’s something I tend to pay attention to—when it stands out. Going into this book I had wondered whether Carey’s trademark “lush” style from the Kushiel novels would be in evidence and I wasn’t sure how I’d feel about it if it was. That style suited those books, but would it suit another story or muddy the water?
Thankfully, I didn’t have to wonder for long because while the writing is gorgeous, the style and character voices are very much unique to this book. It’s a lovely story and I enjoyed it so much I alternated between print and audio so I could keep reading.
Downbelow Station (The Company Wars, #1) by C.J. Cherryh
I have wanted to read this book FOREVER and finally, I have, and wow, was it ever good. Your mileage may vary. It’s not an easy book to read. The politics are complex and Cherryh’s writing style takes a lot of getting used to. I hadn’t fully set into her voice until close to the end of the book. But though her characterization felt sparse, it was the characters that kept me reading. I needed to know where they were going and where they’d end up.
What blew me away was the scope of the story and… the story behind the story. Cherryh wrote Downbelow Station to flesh out the world behind Merchanter’s Luck. The book was so long when she finished, she cut a lot of the description and submitted it. Her publisher asked her to put it all back in and created a new category to accommodate the size. In other words, it’s one of those ground-breaking works that might not have existed at all without a chance here and there.
All of the history aside, though, the story delves into how war affects the people on the fringe, the people who might be next in the line of conquest. I lived for the details and the tension and the entire held-breath atmosphere until the very end.
My only real complaint was the lack of interesting female characters. It would be my hope there are more in the rest of the series.
The Corrections by Jonathan Franzen
Another short summary here: Always wanted to read it. Finally picked it up and become completely absorbed. I’ve since read a number of reviews from reviewers who didn’t enjoy the book and I can see why they might not have. I didn’t hate these characters, though. I felt sorry for them and saw the novel as a fishbowl sort of experiment. Us looking at what happens when the inhabitants are going through the motions equipped only with the tools available to them within that very small space.
Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros
Probably my top read of the previous quarter. I had mixed feelings at first because the book felt very by-the-numbers YA fantasy adventure/romance. Also, the narrator had a bad, bad cold and was very snotty through the first half.
But Violet ended up being one of my favourite heroines. At first, she simply didn’t annoy me as much as some have. Then because she wasn’t TSTL. Finally, because she had a purity of spirit I couldn’t help but admire. This girl Got. Things. Done.
Also, the story and the world is incredible. The dragons are awesome. Her love interest would have been my love interest. And the last chapter, the last page was everything.
I can’t wait to read more.
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That’s it for now. Hopefully the next three months will be as filled with adventure, romance, and good words. How about you? What have you been reading?
Kelly Jensen 