I'm thinking about doing a fantasy/science fiction challenge this year.  Found that I read 49 books in this area this past year so I'm thinking a challenge might be appropriate.   Anyone want to join me?   It would be a simple challenge - something like read five to ten books, comment on them and rate them.  Since I don't know how many I will read I'll just let the list emerge as I go.  I have three books on my January list with the first listed below.  So, let's put our lists here include our comments and rating.  

1.  The Land of Elyon 1 the Dark Hills Divide by Patrick Carman, 1/7/2017, 4 stars.  This is a well written fantasy featuring a twelve year old girl as the leading character.  I enjoyed this tale and listed it as Children/YA because the girl is older at the books closing and the series continues.  She discovers a plot to take over the city where she lives, discovers how to talk with animals and uncovers a plot to take over the city.  I read books for younger members of our family when I know their interests, hoping that what I find is perfect for them.  A little girl in our family loves fantasy and reads books with her mother.  When her mother gets scared she says, "Don't worry Mom, it will all turn out right."  And, yes, I have put the rest of the series on my WL.

2.  League of Dragons (Temeraire, Bk 9) by Naomi Novik, 1/9/2017, 4 stars.  It has been a pleasure to read this series and in some ways I am sorry to see it end but nine books is a long time to continue any story line.  The end comes, of course, with the defeat of Napoleon but the strategy of war and the battles leading to that obvious ending were exciting.  Laurence and his beloved dragon, Temeraire, are fascinating leading characters that this reader so enjoyed.  If any of you are interesting in a series of this length I certainly recommend it.  

3.  Changes (Dresden Files, Bk 12)  by Jim Butcher, 1/15/2018. 3 stars.  While I really enjoy this author's writing this book was too brutal for me.  Death, death and more death following assinations, lengthy battles that never seem to end, and a compromising of the hero I really like, Harry Dresden.  I will probably finish any others in this series because of Harry but I hope that they improve.  I have another series by this author on my shelf.  Can't help wondering if it is much like this one.

4.  The Enemy (Enemy, Bk 1) by Charlie Higson, 1/29/2018, 3.5 stars.  Started this series because a young family member is reading it.  Finishing this one I realize that it is a good one with lots of excitement and adventure wrapped up in a well done story.  Thanks so much JR for sharing this author with me.

5.  After the Fall, Before the Fall, During the Fall by Nancy Kress, Marty Halpern (Editor), 1/29/2018, 5 stars.  A wonderful read projecting destruction of earth.  It appears that aliens have invaded and are destroying the population but the truth is far different.  The astounding number of recent earthquakes in Oklahoma demonstrates how what was once an occasional event  can affect life in an area.

6.  Caraval (Caraval, Bk 1) by Stephanie Garber, 1/31/2018, 2 stars.  I was not sure what to expect when I chose to read this novel but I was disappointed. I'm almost certain that the author read The Night Circus by by Erin Morgenstern before she wrote this novel. Again and again my mind went back to that novel as this tale unraveled. Yes, the author takes the reader on a different path but I felt that she could not quite divorce her thoughts and writing from that novel. And, yes, she sets the reader up for a followup novel focusing on Tella, Scarlett's sister, as if she can write a series so much better. Perhaps she can but I doubt it and will choose other stories to follow instead.

7.  The Infinite Sea (5th Wave, Bk 2) Rick Yancey, 2/5/2018, 2 stars.  The premise is good but I felt that the story needed more depth and the characters more development.  Yet I will read the third one in this trilogy to finish it off.

8.  The Final Warning (Maximum Ride, Bk 4) by James Patterson, 2/11/2018, 2 stars.  After obtaining this series for DD to give to a special young friend I decided to see why he wanted it. It is exciting and has a theme that the very young will love since the key characters are children and young teenagers. I found the language too simple for the age since I know children reading more interesting novels. Perhaps it's the characters and the plot that appeals to some children. Anyway if you have young readers this might be a choice particularly if they like science fiction. This one includes information and the theme of global warming so the readers will have this most important message.

9.  The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood, 2/14/2019, 4 stars.  This is a well written novel by an author I truly enjoy reading.  A young woman loses her family and is enslaved to be essentially a "brood mare" for the elite in a deeply religious sect that is taking over the country.  The reader follows the narrator as she discusses her current life and reflects on the memories of her life.  The ending was especially intriguing but you have to read this novel for yourself to see if you agree.

10.  Best Served Cold by Joe Abercrombie, 2/5/2018, 4.5 stars.  Still thinking it may be a five star read but I'll hold here for now.  My comments:  They were farmers until the best crop they ever had was burned.  Then they became mercenaries as Benna and Monza Murcatto, brother and sister, joined those off to avenge their crop losses.  They became the best there could be and Monza became a general to lead a strong group of mercenaries who razed the lands for themselves and Duke Orza until the duke killed Benna and changed Monza's life forever.  This is her story with all the positives and negatives life can bring.  It's tragic and sad at times but cheering and uplifting at others.  Good, good read.

11.  Wide Open (Wide Open, Bk 1) by Deborah Coates, 5/5/2018, 4 stars.  Hallie is returning home to South Dakota to attend the funeral of her sister who supposedly committed suicide.  She doesn't believe it.  As Hallie asks questions she discovers that someone is manipulating weather and using blood sacrifice coupled with a magic combined from several sources.  Her task is to prove it.  Her primary help is a group of ghosts that only she can see - ghosts of the women who were sacrificed.  A young policeman has dreams about these events and he is the primary person who believes her.  Can Hallie bring the perpetrator to justice before she, too, becomes a sacrifice?

12.  The Raven Boys (Raven Cycle, Bk 1) by Maggie Stiefvater, 5/14/2018, 4 stars.  Decided I should read this series since I bought it for a member of our family at Christmas.  This one sets the stage for a group of teen-agers, most of whom are very wealthy and attending a private school, Aglionby Academy.  The group is looking for a magical place called Glendower, whose king lies in state.  Once found a wish will be granted.  They have made friends with a local girl named Blue Sargent who becomes as interested in the search as they are.  However, the Latin teacher, who has a violent streak, is also looking for Glendower.  As one might expect the paths of the boys and Blue cross with that of the Latin teacher who is not afraid to murder whoever gets in his way.

13.  The Dream Thieves [Raven Cycle Bk 2) by ] Maggie Stiefvater, 5/22/2018, 4 stars.  Great followup of Bk 1 with Gansey still searching for the legendary Welsh king Glendower.  In addition, the group has found the magical forest of Cabeswater, a strange and somewhat forbidding place.  And, the reader discovers a good deal about Ronan, his actions and his thoughts.  Tormented by nightmares that somehow become reality, Ronan's complex personality is explored in depth by the author.  One comes to understand and even love this character.  Blue continues to be the delightful friend to all in the group although she is continually drawn to Gansey.  Gansey is less a key character in this novel but continues to influence and guide others.  He is the individual that binds the group together.  Yes, this is a good read and I quite enjoyed it.  On to Bk 3.

14.

15.  The Spirit Ring  by Lois McMaster Bujold, 7/7/2018, 5 stars.  Loved this story about Fiametta Beneforte, daughter of a magician-goldsmith who would rather have her assist him, clean and cook but was not willing to teach her the magic he knew.  But Fiametta was bright, observant and skillful, too.  She would poke into her father's notes and experiment on her own.  Thur Ochs wanted to escape the cold and icy mines where he worked.  The work was arduous and the ore was becoming less and less rich.  His brother, knowing of Thur's wish to leave the mines talks to Fiametta's father hoping that he would take Thur on as an apprentice.  Yes, he will!  However, a betrayal at a banquet at which Master Beneforte is to present a special salt cellar to the Duke finds both Beneforte and his daughter fleeing for their lives.  When the master dies of a heart attack while defending himself and his daughter, Fiametta finds herself alone and running for her life.  She meets Thur who accompanies her and the two have to find a way to survive and save the Duke's country.  I so enjoyed this read that I gave it five stars.  Very well done.  Very nice story about a young couple whose lives become entwined through those who use vile magic to control people around them to rule first the city and then the area around it.

16.  School's Out - Forever (Maximum Ride, Bk 2) by James Patterson, 8/8/2018, 3 stars.  This is the second time I've read this book but somehow it was dropped from my reading list at Goodreads so I began it again and was part way through before I realized it was a repeat.  The concept is interesting and the series is appealing to teenagers who love fantasy/science fiction.  A godson of DD read the entire series.  When someone asks me to get books for them I try to read some to see why they like them.  It's an entertaining read.

I'd like to do a short one (or maybe one that allows overlap with other challenges).

I can work into this challenge up to 12 books...like one a month...

Enchanted, Inc. (Katie Chandler, Bk 1)Author: Shanna Swendson
Loved this book. A light read definitely chick lit. A little romance a little magic...will be looking for number 2!

Working on this one next The Drowned Cities (Ship Breaker, Bk 2): Paolo Bacigalupi
Read the first book awhile back and really enjoyed it...this is a companion novel to it. And it was an even better read than the first one! Its a stand alone and you absolutely dont need the first as the only character that reappears is Tool. 4.5 stars

Sickening Secrets from Raven Hill (Books 1 and 2) (Monster Juice) February . This was in the middle school age group, but picked it up at Dollar Tree and couldnt resist. Especially since it was 2 books bound together.  Solid writing. Easy to read. Held my adult interest, was silly in spots but never stupid. Would actually read the next set and added them to my wl. Not gross but Zombies are a main story line. 4 stars

Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective Agency: Douglas Adams 3/21 He is such a crazy writer! Absolutely love the random way this book starts. For me it lost a little bit when it became a "ghost " story, but I am glad I picked it back up to finish it! Loved the ending enough although it is such TRUE sci-fi I didn't follow all of it. Already have the second waiting here on my shelf to read! 4 stars 

Every Heart a Doorway 4/6 Awesome awesome book! Loved it. I always feel that true fantasy doesn't have to provide complete explanations. I never felt lost in this book, it IS on the short side. I read it in around 3 hours which is nice as well. It didn't feel too short,  the ending was solid. Definitely left you wanting more! I having the 2nd sitting here...it is actually a prequel and hope to get to it today. 

Well that catches me up here...hope to stay caught up now!

Half a King (Shattered Sea, Bk 1)  by Joe Abercrombie 1/3;  Half the World (Shattered Sea, Bk 2)  1/12;  Half a War (Shattered Sea, Bk 3)  1/17

4 stars for the trilogy. Fast-paced story. Follows a set of young adults dealing with war and the challenges of survival.  Strong women characters, including an unforgettable woman warrior. Kings, queens, battles on land and sea in a medieval, or is it a post-apocalyptic, setting.

The Bone Witch (Bone Witch, Bk 1) by Rin Chupeco  1/29  This is a young adult fantasy story, a sub-genre that I don't read often, but tend to enjoy and that certainly applied here.  Fantasy with an Asian touch, almost geishas with magical powers. The bone witch can raise the dead and other mythical beasts, therefore is the most feared of all. Tea's story begins at the age of 13, but there are interludes between each chapter describing her life in exile at 17 told from the viewpoint of a Bard. Book 1 does not tell why she was exiled or why she is sending her mythic beasts off to conquer the world, but it's definitely set up for book 2.  And there is a lot of description involving beautiful clothes. 4 stars

The Stone Sky (The Broken Earth)  by N. K. Jemisin 2/6.  Book 3 in The Broken Earth Trilogy, and I'm glad I read book 2 only 4 months ago.  The detail in the history of this world is complicated, but worth the effort.  Told from the point of view of a dead civ person in alternating chapters dealing with the mother, daughter and the narrator's back story, we find out the purpose of the obelisks and come perilously close to the end of the world.  It's also an indictment of those civilizations who do not take care of the earth and who fear those who are "other".  4 stars

The Heart Forger (Bone Witch, Bk 2) by Rin Chupeco 3/25..Conspiracies abound.  Told in the same format as Book 1, where the developing story is interwoven with the Bard's tale from the future.  More battles between men, beasts, revenants than in the first.  At the end, we know why some things occurred, and why other questions will be taken up in a 3rd book, forthcoming. I'll read the 3rd.  4 stars.

The Red Plague Affair (Bannon and Clare, Bk 2) by Lilith Saintcrow 5/17  This is an alt-Victorian setting of a Black plague-like weapon turned loose on Emma Bannon's household, killing some and sickening her mentath, Clare.  A middle novel of a trilogy and I'll read the 3rd at some point.  3 stars.

The Masked City (Invisible Library, Bk 2) by Genevieve Cogman 6/6  3.5 stars

The Burning Page (Invisible Library, Bk 3)  by Genevieve Cogman  6/10 4 stars

The Lost Plot (The Invisible Library Novel)  by Genevieve Cogman 6/18 4 stars  I don't usually read 3 in a row of the same series, but it was an opportunity to see real growth in the characters. I'm writing this 2 months later, but I like the series and will definitely read the next book.

Ink and Bone: The Great Library By  Rachel Caine 6/22 5 stars

Spinning Silver by Naomi Novik 8/9 This is a fairy tale retelling of the Rumplestilskin story with elements that reflect some very modern moral dilemmas, as the original fairy tales intended.  A Tsarina, a fire demon, a winter ice Fae, a Jewish quarter in a Russian-like northern town, a young woman who can turn silver into gold.  And names have power.  5 stars

Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children (Miss Peregrine's Peculiar Children, Bk 1)  by Ransom Riggs  8/17  2011, but I just read it.  It was not what I expected at all.  I thought it was for children, but this is more fantasy and horror for young adult upwards.  I will read the 2nd, for sure.  4 stars.

So let's do it everyone!  I've missed this challenge so much!   How about something like this:

Read five to ten books on your fantasy TBR.  Tell us why you chose them and what you think of them and rate them.  

I hope that this is not too loose.  Give your opinions if you  think it is and what direction you want to go.  (By the way, Susan, I've put this series on my WL.  Here's hoping I get them soon.)

I have 10 books on Mount TBR, easy. I'm open to writing a couple sentences of review. Sounds good to me. 

Works for me, REK.

I'm currenty reading the "Shattered Sea" trliogy, though I accidentally read the second book first. I'm now reading the first book. I'm not liking it as much as "The First Law" trilogy, which I loved, though it's still good...and definitely better than Best Served Cold, whch was a dsappointment, and Heroes, which I couldn't get through. 

That's what I thought, too.  The first book is more a coming of age type, so less grusomeness is probably in order. Definite parallels.  I'm just starting the 2nd book, but likely it gave away the twists at the end of book 1 that I didn't see coming.

So are we posting our lists here? I'm planning to read these for other challenges:

Science Fiction:

Mirror Game by Bujold

Grass by Tepper

Resurrection America by Gunhus

Mary Reilly by Martin

Outlander by Gabaldon

The Last Policeman by Winters

Fantasy:

Fool's Fate by Hobb

The Sudden Appearance of Hope by North

The Last Days of Magic by Tompkins

Finally got some books added to my list! Back on  track!