November 28 2021

Reaper Man, by Terry Pratchett

Reaper man

Reaper man, by Terry Pratchett

Title: Reaper man
Author: Terry Pratchett
Genre/ issues: Fantasy. Discworld.

Shop local where you can: For Australian readers, you can find this book on Booktopia, or support your local independent bookstore. US readers, check out Bookshop.org.

“Was that what it was really like to be alive? The feeling of darkness dragging you forward?
How could they live with it? And yet they did, and even seemed to find enjoyment in it, when surely the only sensible course would be to despair. Amazing. To feel you were a tiny living thing, sandwiched between two cliffs of darkness. How could they stand to be alive?”
Death isn’t alive. He’s an anthropomorphic manifestation of one of the two inescapable realities of life. (The other is taxes, which is way worse, because it harasses you every year, whereas Death only comes once.) Death, however, appears to be developing a personality, and this just won’t do. So, he’s given a life timer, and the sand is running out.
Meanwhile, with no one to reap them, when people die they just, kind of, don’t. This is most inconvenient, especially for Windle Poons, who as a Wizard had expected Death to show up to reap him personally. He now finds himself not alive, not really undead, and trying to solve the mystery of the globe-like eggs that are appearing around Ankh Morkpork with his new friends from the Fresh Start Club (an undead-rights activists group who I love with every fiber of my being).
This is book 11 of the Discworld series by Terry Pratchett, and has been one I’d been looking forward to revisiting. Clever, funny, and profoundly insightful.

#TamaraReads #2021readingchallenge 189/2021

Happy reading,

Tamara

 

 

November 12 2021

Moving pictures, by Terry Pratchett

Moving pictures

Moving pictures, by Terry Pratchett

Title: Moving pictures
Author: Terry Pratchett
Genre/ issues: Fantasy. Film industry. Comedy.

Shop local where you can: For Australian readers, you can find this book on Booktopia, or support your local independent bookstore. US readers, check out Bookshop.org.

“The whole of life is just like watching a film. Only it’s as though you always get in ten minutes after the big picture has started, and no-one will tell you the plot, so you have to work it out all yourself from the clues.”
Sir Terry Pratchett was a genius, and this is particularly evident in his Discworld books which more closely parody our real life. Moving Pictures examines the development of the “clicks” in Ankh-Morpork. The alchemists have figured out how to harness the power of tiny demons painting a series of pictures to make movies. They set up their industry on Holy Wood, an abandoned area outside the city with the perfect climate. But, in true Discworld style, Magic gets involved where it shouldn’t be, and things quickly get out of control. What follows is a barrage of both subtle and in-your-face Hollywood film, character and trope references, including my favourite – when a giant celluloid woman carries the orangutan librarian up the side of a building. It’s a hilarious and insanely clever examination of the rise of the film industry, and the way it is viewed, idolised and idealised in society. So much fun, and the audiobook was brilliantly narrated as always by Nigel Planer.

#TamaraReads #2021readingchallenge 187/2021

Happy reading,

Tamara

 

 

October 14 2021

Sandman volume 6, by Neil Gaiman

picture

Sandman, by Neil Gaiman

Title: Sandman
Author: Neil Gaiman
Genre/ issues: Comics. Audiobook. Fantasy/ horror.

Shop local where you can: For Australian readers, you can find this book on Booktopia, or support your local independent bookstore. US readers, check out Bookshop.org.

“Never trust the storyteller. Only trust the story.”
Volume 6 of #Sandman by @neilhimself is one of my favourites. Fables and Reflections aptly conveys what you’ll find in these pages – myths, histories, and religious tales from the Garden of Eden to Ramadan, all woven with the unique magic of the Dreaming and Morpheus. It’s truly a celebration of the power of stories throughout time, culture, and personal experience.
Finishing this volume also brought me to the end of the Sandman audiobook volume 2, which has been breathtaking, and worth every second of the 17 minute long credits that were required to acknowledge all the incredible voice actors who brought it to life.
I mentioned in my last post about this how impressed I was with the changes to the audio script with regards to trans representation, and I was similarly impressed with some of the minor changes made in this section, particularly in Ramadan. There were a few small but significant omissions which made this chapter much more sensitive in terms of racial representation. Did I mention I think that both the audiobook and the comics are incredible? I did? Good.

#TamaraReads #2021readingchallenge 170-171/2021

Happy reading,

Tamara

 

 

June 3 2021

Wyrd Sisters, by Terry Pratchett

Wyrd Sisters

Wyrd Sisters, by Terry Pratchett

Title: Wyrd Sisters
Author: Terry Pratchett
Genre/ issues: Fantasy. Comedy. Witches. Discworld.

Shop local where you can: For Australian readers, you can find this book on Booktopia, or support your local independent bookstore. US readers, check out Bookshop.org.

“The power of words had sustained him throughout the hell of the Guild. Wizards and witches used words as if they were tools to get things done, but the Fool reckoned that words were things in their own right. “Words can change the world”, he said.”
Book 69 (nice!) in my #2021ReadingChallenge is book 6 in the #Discworld series. Wyrd Sisters is the first time we see Nanny Ogg, Granny Weatherwax and Magrat Garlick all together, and it’s a suitably Shakespearean tale of three witches, a murdered king, incessant washing of hands, and a play within a play. Not only is it laugh-out-loud funny, but it provides some powerful reflections on the nature of history and memory, and the sheer magic of words and language. A gem of a book from a master storyteller.

#TamaraReads #2021readingchallenge 69/2021

Happy reading,

Tamara

 

 

May 19 2021

The Neil Gaiman at the end of the Universe, by Arvind Ethan David

The Neil Gaiman at the end of the Universe

The Neil Gaiman at the end of the Universe, by Arvind Ethan David

Title: The Neil Gaiman at the end of the Universe
Author: Arvind Ethan David
Genre/ issues: Audiobook. Sci-fi. Short stories.

Shop local where you can: For Australian readers, you can find this book on Booktopia, or support your local independent bookstore. US readers, check out Bookshop.org.

An audiobook short story today – with a title like “The Neil Gaiman at the end of the Universe”, how could I not? Written by Arvind Ethan David, and narrated by @neilhimself, this is a funny, clever and surprisingly deep tale. I can’t give away much, because spoilers – but if you’re after a great quick listen read by my second favourite narrator and most favourite author, you could do much worse than this little gem!

#TamaraReads #2021readingchallenge 61/2021

Happy reading,

Tamara

 

 

May 7 2021

Sourcery, by Terry Pratchett

Sourcery

Sourcery, by Terry Pratchett

Title: Sourcery
Author: Terry Pratchett
Genre/ issues: Comedy. Fantasy. Audiobooks.

Shop local where you can: For Australian readers, you can find this book on Booktopia, or support your local independent bookstore. US readers, check out Bookshop.org.

Book 5 in the #Discworld series, book 48 for the year. We know that the 8th son of an 8th son is destined to become a wizard – so what about the 8th son of an 8th son of an 8th son? Sourcerers haven’t been around on the Disc for ages, but when the wizard Ipslore’s 8th son Coin is born a wizard squared (that’s math, really), things are destined to go pear-shaped. Or bananas? Either way, it’s not good – especially when Death shows up and Ipslore inconveniently installs his ghost in Coin’s wizard staff.
As always, there is some top-notch parody in this book – the perfect Pratchettian balance of serious and seriously funny. Whilst the main Wizarding world story is fab, my favourite character in this one is her own kind of magic. Conina is the daughter of the legendary Cohen the Barbarian, and whilst she always wanted to be a hairdresser, her family legacy got in the way – no one wants a hairdresser whose instincts kick in when she holds something sharp! She’s fabulous, and a book featuring both her and my favourite fictional librarian (ooook?) is an absolute winner. I listened to the audiobook of this one, and because it was a reread for me and I was working, I’m pretty sure some of the detail got lost, but it was enjoyable nonetheless.

#TamaraReads #2021readingchallenge 48/2021

Happy reading,

Tamara

 

 

April 25 2021

A Promised Land, by Barack Obama

A Promised Land

A Promised Land, by Barack Obama

Title: A Promised Land
Author: Barack Obama
Genre/ issues: Non-fiction. Audiobook. Memoir.

Shop local where you can: For Australian readers, you can find this book on Booktopia, or support your local independent bookstore. US readers, check out Bookshop.org.

I’ve been listening to the audiobook version of @barackobama’s A Promised Land, and it’s taken me a while to get through. At 29+ hours, it’s a hefty thing, but the sheer joy of listening to his words in his own voice was worth it. I’m a political soul, as I’m sure is probably no surprise to most of you, but my knowledge of international politics is very much limited to what we see in the mainstream media. I remember being moved with emotion when Obama was elected president. I remember being impressed with both his speech writers and his delivery whenever I listened to or studied his speeches. But I didn’t really know much more about what went on during his presidency. This book is a fascinating insight into his early years campaigning, and his first term in office. Focusing largely on the major political accomplishments, both at home and abroad, it nonetheless offers some touching personal moments – reflections on his relationship with Michelle, and his role as father in such a high-pressure and high-profile job. Beautiful portraits of some significant people throughout his campaign and life, rendered with care and insight, and reflecting on their deep impact on his life. I’m glad I listened to this, and I’ll be doing the same with the second volume – a well-written story read by someone who values and appreciates the impact of words delivered well is a thing of wonder. This book delivers on all counts.

#TamaraReads #2021readingchallenge 38/2021

Happy reading,

Tamara

 

 

February 17 2021

Sucker’s Portfolio, by Kurt Vonnegut

Sucker's Portfolio

Sucker’s Portfolio, by Kurt Vonnegut

Title: Sucker’s Portfolio
Author: Kurt Vonnegut
Genre/ issues: Audiobook. Short stories. Non fiction.

Shop local where you can: For Australian readers, you can find this book on Booktopia, or support your local independent bookstore. US readers, check out Bookshop.org.

I used to listen to a lot of audiobooks on my commute to work, but that number has dropped drastically in the past year. I now have a weekly trip to Katoomba, though, so have started listening to a few more. This one has been on my list for a while, as I’ve not actually ever read any Vonnegut before. This is an anthology of previously unpublished work – mostly short stories, a piece of non-fiction, and an unfinished story that I’d love to know the ending of! It was interesting – perhaps not brilliant, but I can certainly see why people speak highly of his writing

#TamaraReads #2021readingchallenge 17/2021

Happy reading,

Tamara

 

 

January 26 2021

The Light Fantastic, and The Sleeper and the Spindle

The Sleeper and the Spindle, and The Light Fantastic

The Light Fantastic, by Terry Pratchett

Title: The Light Fantastic
Author: Terry Pratchett
Genre/ issues: Fantasy. Comedy.

Title: The Sleeper and the Spindle
Author: Neil Gaiman
Genre/issues 

Shop local where you can: For Australian readers, you can find this book on Booktopia, or support your local independent bookstore. US readers, check out Bookshop.org.

Books to distract me from “my daughter is moving out” sadness. I’m rereading the #Discworld series this year, and

The Sleeper and the Spindle

The Sleeper and the Spindle, by Neil Gaiman

the audiobook of The Light Fantastic was the perfect choice to keep me company on the trip yesterday. Book 2 in the series continues the story of Rincewind, the kind of crap wizard with a single spell trapped in his head, and Twoflower, the Disc’s first tourist with his sapient pear wood luggage.

I’d been meaning to listen to the BBC4 radio recording of @neilhimself’s The Sleeper and the Spindle since it was first aired on Boxing Day, but had forgotten until Neil posted yesterday that it was only available for a few more hours, so listened to it last night before bed, and oh my goodness what a wonderful production it was. I pulled the book off my shelf this morning to reread it, and immerse myself in the stunning illustrations. Two very different books, but two wonderful texts to revisit on a bittersweet long weekend

#TamaraReads #2021readingchallenge 15-16/2021

Happy reading,

Tamara

 

 

January 4 2021

#2020ReadingChallenge wrap up

2020 books readBuckle in, readers, this is going to be a long one!

I started 2020 with the ambitious goal of reading 52 books throughout the year. but ended up more than doubling that. I read some incredible books – in fact, there’s almost nothing on here that I wouldn’t recommend to someone. There were indeed some stand-outs, and I’ve compiled my top 5 books in a few different categories, as well as a top 5 and top 20 books overall – because it was hard to narrow it down! I’ve really enjoyed challenging myself to read new things this year – I read more non-fiction than I normally do, I got back into reading comics again, and most of my books were written by own voices and/or BIPOC authors, and feature diverse and authentic representation of characters and experiences.

My stats:
📚 Total books read: 111
📚 New-to-me authors: 68
📚 Books featuring significant diverse content/ characters: 84
📚 Books by diverse authors: 73
📚 Rereads: 7
📚 Non-fiction: 11
📚 Comics/ graphics: 36
📚 Picture books: 13
📚 Audiobooks: 16
📚 Main genres: Contemporary (46), Fantasy (31), Sci-fi (27)
📚 Most recommended books: The House in the Cerulean Sea by TJ Klune, Euphoria Kids by Alison Evans
📚 Most purchased book: Euphoria Kids.

I focused a lot this year on #diversifyingmybookshelf – consciously reading books by authors of colour, and featuring BIPOC characters that were authentically represented. I’ve always read queer literature pretty extensively, and one of my increasing focuses as the year went on was the representation of mental health and disability in my reading, particularly in YA books. I’ve enjoyed some of these #ownvoices reads most of all, and will be seeking out more fiction that presents these types of issues and characters in authentic and meaningful ways.

2020 was a good reading year for me, and I was surprised to see that I’d read more contemporary than anything else – I think of myself as a sci-fi/fantasy girl! I’m using TheStorygraph to track my #2021readingchallenge, so I’m interested to see how those stats come out at the end of this year – the above info is taken from my highly unscientific excel spreadsheet dump, after I realised that GoodReads wasn’t going to give me the goods.

Top 5 books

Top Books Overall

I’ve been debating how to present my top 10 list of reads from 2020, and figured out that whilst I can do a top 5 easily, narrowing the next 5 down was considerably more difficult. So, here are my top 5 reads of last year, along with a top 20.

Every single book in my top 5 I will read again, and have recommended to multiple people. I’ve also purchased multiple copies of them to give as gifts for birthdays, Christmas, and “just because” gifts throughout the year.

In no particular order:

  • The House in the Cerulean Sea by TJ Klune
  • The Starless Sea by Erin Morgenstern
  • The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue by Victoria “V.E.” Schwab
  • Euphoria Kids by Alison Evans
  • The Fifth Season by NK Jemisin
top 20 booksThe rest of my top 20 are all excellent reads, and all for different reasons. Some made me laugh. Some made me cry. They all made me think, and feel a whole lot of feelz. They all made me proud to be a reader, and inspired me more to strive to be a writer. At least half of them could have made it into my top 5 if one of the aforementioned authors had done a less-than-perfect job on their books. So here are 6-20 on my top 20, in no particular order:
  • How it feels to float, by Helena Fox
  • Aristotle and Dante discover the secrets of the Universe, by Benjamin Alire Saenz
  • Run, Rebel by Manjeet Mann
  • The Strangeworlds travel agency by LD Lapinski
  • Children of blood and bone by Tomi Adeyemi
  • Long way down by Jason Reynolds
  • The poet X by Elizabeth Acevedo
  • Anxious people by Fredrik Backman
  • Future Girl by Asphyxia
  • They both die at the end by Adam Silvera
  • Snow, glass, apples, by Neil Gaiman and Colleen Doran
  • Wonder Woman rebirth by Greg Rucka
  • Catch and kill by Ronan Farrow
  • Black enough: stories of being young and black in America, Ed by Ibi Zoboi
  • Peta Lyre’s rating normal by Anna Whateley

top 5 ya

Top 5 YA reads

I read a lot of YA – most than half the books in my 111 total for the year were young adult, and all of them great, so this was hard to narrow down. I didn’t include Euphoria Kids, which was on my top5 best books overall list, and that gave me room for one more on here, which I desperately needed.
I didn’t realise until taking this photo that this collection has a nice spread of issues and characters – queer, neurodivergence, race, mental health, disability – and it probably more fully captures my reading interests than any of my other top5 lists!
In no particular order (well ok – in the order they appear in the photo, but not in any order to assign preference, because they all freaking rock and you should read them all if you haven’t yet):
  •  How it feels to float by Helena Fox
  •  Future girl by Asphyxia
  •  Peta Lyre’s rating normal by Anna Whateley
  •  Children of blood and bone by Tomi Adeyemi
  •  Aristotle and Dante discover the secrets of the universe by Benjamin Alire Saenz
 Reiterating here – read these books. I will say, though, some/ most of them deal with some heavy content at some point. Trigger warnings particularly for mental health issues in HIFTF and PLRN, suicidal ideation in HIFTF, some extreme violence/torture/ racial discrimination in COBAB, dystopian issues around food insecurity in FG, family abandonment in PLRN. I’m not telling you this to discourage you – I just really believe you need to know what you’re getting into sometimes, and if these issues might be particularly triggering for you right now, wait until you’re feeling more able to cope with their fictional representation before you pick up these books. But please, pick them up. Outstanding novels, all.

top 5 poetry

Top 5 Poetry reads

My top 5 poetry reads for 2020 are all verse novels. I love the verse novel form, and I read quite a few last year. My faves, in no particular order, are:
  •  Worse things by @sallymurphyauthor
  •  Long way down by @jasonreynolds83
  •  The poet X by @acevedowrites
  •  Run, Rebel by Manjeet Mann
  •  The crossover by @kwamealexander
A couple of these could also have made their way onto some of my other Top 5 lists – Worse Things is an excellent middle grade/ lower secondary novel, and The Poet X is one of the best YA books I’ve read this year. They’re all excellent reads. If you have slightly reluctant readers, or those who struggle to find the time to read a full-length traditional novel, I highly recommend the verse novel format as a way to help bridge that gap for them.
One of the features I love about verse novels is how the form seems to allow us to connect with characters on a deep emotional level, and after reading a few of these earlier in the year I started dabbling in writing in verse for my NaNoWriMo project. I’m really loving it, both as a reader and a writer. If you’ve not read a verse novel before, any of these would be great places to start.

top 5 picture books

Top 5 picture books

My top 5 picture books are all very different. Ranging from sweet easy read-along books suitable for younger children, to something to inspire deeper thought for middle grade readers, to deep and complex examination of capitalism, exploitation of workers, and human rights.
My top 5, in no particular order, are:
  •  How to make a bird, by @megmckinlay and @mattottleyart
  •  Migrants, by Issa Watanabe
  •  Julian at the wedding, by @jesslovedraws
  •  Diamonds, by Armin Greder
  •  Alphabetical Tashi by Anna and Barbara Fienberg
I love picture books. I believe that they offer incredible opportunities to engage with stories for readers of all ages and skill levels. And yet, when it came to including them on my #2020readingchallenge list, I still kind of felt a bit like I was cheating. They don’t take nearly as long as a full-sized prose novel. Could I really justify including a book with no words on a reading list? Turns out, yes. Yes I can. Because the length of time a book takes to consume doesn’t influence its impact. What matters is that you find a world to immerse yourself in that engages you, that entertains, inspires, challenges or comforts you while you read it, and hopefully beyond that. All of these books did that for me, from the nostalgia of Tashi to the inspiration of How to make a bird to the challenge of Diamonds. If you want to read more, but don’t feel like you have time, head into your library and ask them to point you to their collection of picture books for older readers. They aren’t just for little kids until they’re ready to move onto “real” reading. What was your favourite picture book of 2020?

top 5 comics

Top 5 Comic/ Graphic reads

2020 was the year of rediscovering my love of comics. I used to read them a bit when I was a kid, but stopped when I was around 12 – I don’t remember why. For the past few years I’ve wanted to get back into reading them, but there always seemed to be such a big barrier to entry and I didn’t know where to start. After a discussion with Jacob, though, I did a bit of research, asked some comic nerd friends for advice, and bit the bullet. I’ve read 36 comics and graphic novels this year, and I’ve loved the diversity of the worlds and characters I’ve discovered. One of Jacob’s friends recommended “anything by Greg Rucka”, and that has proven to be useful advice indeed. My top 5 comic/ graphic reads for 2020 are:

  •  Ms Marvel, vol1
  •  Wonder Woman Rebirth, vol1, by @ruckawriter et al
  •  The old guard, another Rucka masterpiece.
  •  Heartstopper, by Alice Oseman
  •  Lumberjanes, by @gingerhazing et al
If you don’t read comics but would like to, here are my tried and true tips for getting started!
Pick a character from pop culture you like and do some googling. Comic fans somewhere will have debated the best entry point to get into their story!
Have you loved a tv show that’s based on a comic or graphic? Get that! You already know you’ll enjoy the story and characters, no matter how weirdly different they may be in comic form (I’m looking at you, Umbrella Academy).
There are plenty of graphic novels adapted from traditional novels – check to see if there are any made of books you like.
If you find the prospect of a whole comic series daunting, try a shorter arc. I’m currently reading Marvel 1602 and I think it’s be a great comic entry point for MCU fans who want to start reading comics (plus, it’s written by @neilhimself!)
And finally, do some research to find your most helpful local comic store. I’ve loved the service at @kingscomics, and they’ve really helped me develop my comics collection this year. I tend to do most of my inquiries online, because whilst they all seem great in person, I still have some “middle aged woman in a comic store” hang ups when it comes to asking for advice in store. The staff are great, though, and know their stuff.

top 5 middle grade reads

Top 5 middle grade reads

One more top5 for today- my fave middle grade reads of my #2020readingchallenge. Some are solid middle grade books, others are transitional middle grade/ YA – all are excellent reads.
  • George, by @alexginoofficial
  • The Strangeworlds Travel Agency, by @ldlapinski
  • Ghost, by @jasonreynolds83
  • Bindi, by @kirli.saunders and @dubleffler
  • Hollowpox: the hunt for Morrigan Crow, by @digressica
There’s some diversity here. An illustrated verse novel about Indigenous family and community. A black kid finding his place on a track team. A trans girl dealing with coming out to her family and friends. And a couple of cracker middle grade/ YAish fantasy books with fantastic complex characters. I think Hollowpox is the pick of the Morrigan Crow series, for what it’s worth, and I have high hopes for what comes next in the Strangeworlds series. Younger readers can deal with deeper and more complex issues than we give them credit for, especially when those issues are presented with such beautiful, sensitive and thoughtful writing as it is by these authors.
Have you read any of these? What do you think?

top 5 non fiction

Top 5 Non-fiction reads

My top 5 non-fiction for 2020 is an eclectic bunch. I don’t tend to read a lot of non-fiction, so the fact that I had enough for a top 5 was a surprise to me – in fact, 10% of my #2020readingchallenge was non-fiction books.
The best of them for me were:
  •  Stamped from the beginning: a history of racist ideas in America, by @ibramxk (YA version pictured – I listened to the audiobook on Spotify)
  •  Dragon Hoops, by @geneluenyang
  •  Astronauts: Women on the final frontier, by @gtlabsrat and @mariswicks
  •  Living on stolen land, by Ambelin Kwaymullina
  •  Catch and Kill: lies, spies, and a conspiracy to protect predators, by @ronanfarrow
It’s an eclectic mix. A detailed historical examination of racist ideas in the US. A graphic novel memoir of the author’s life in parallel with his portrayal of the championship basketball team at his school. A graphic novel history of women’s involvement in the space program. A verse novel manifesto about the importance of acknowledging Indigenous custodianship of the land. And, finally, and expose on one of the key cases of the #metoo movement. I’ve enjoyed consciously reading a bit more non-fiction this year, and will be looking for more, particularly those in non-prose form. I’ve enjoyed the graphic novel format for non-fiction, and it allows for some deeper reflections on the nature of memory and recreating history on the page.
So, that’s my 2020 in books. At the time of posting this, I’m already about 8 books into my 2021 reading challenge – I’ve not set myself a number target this year, but I am hoping read a similar amount of diverse and interesting stories. I’m starting a reread of Terry Pratchett’s Discworld series, which I’m really looking forward to, and I’m going to read more middle grade books – it’s an area that I don’t read widely from. I hope you read something great last year – if you didn’t that’s ok too. Start now! If you want any recommendations, hit me up – it’d be an honour to help you find your next favourite read.

#TamaraReads #2020readingchallenge 111/111

Happy reading,

Tamara