Tag Archive | Favorite Books

My Top 20 Favorite 2022 Reads

Mar13

Today I’m excited to (finally) get around to sharing my top favorite books I read in 2022!

Top 5: Best of the Best

Dana Illwind and War’s Shadow (by Arthur Daigle) — Dana Illwind, #2

(Read my full review.)

My top-favorite read of last year! This series makes it onto a very select list of my top-favorite books of all time, and I enjoyed this one just as much as book one–maybe even more. More adventures with Jayden (my favorite!) and Dana and other characters. More fighting against both monsters and injustice. More character growth. More hilarious humor. More fantasy awesomeness. It’s marvelous in every way! (JAYDEN AND DANA FOREVERRRR!) I literally have no words to describe how much joy this book/series brings me. I love it so, so much!

(You can also check out my review for book 1.)

Illuminare (by Bryn Shutt)

Everything about this one is absolutely STUNNING! The writing, the themes, the delightful characters, the dry humor, the magnificent (and shadowy light-and-dark) Venice-esque setting . . . And it has Desmond, Artair, Kennet, and Luca. Which. I mean. What more do you need? 😉 I could just eat the gorgeous prose in this book. Ugh. It’s so good! I constantly want to re-read it and just bask in the glorious writing/world/story.

Greywolf’s Heart (by C. M. Banschbach) — Spirits’ Valley, #1

Brothers and giant wolves and sabertooth cats and war and feels and humor and banter and COMRAN! Comran forever. Etran forever toooo. This story of two half-brothers trying to protect their valley and finding out what it’s like to truly be brothers is just . . . ❤ It has my whole heart! The stabbiness, the snark, the feels, the comrades-in-arms . . . It’s everything I love!

(Book 2, Saber’s Pride, is coming soon . . . and, y’all, it’s AMAZING. ❤ Expect to see it in this year’s roundup of favorite books!)

In the Kingdom of All Tomorrows (by Stephen R. Lawhead) — Eirlandia, #3

(Audiobooked. Read my full review.)

This book firmly cemented this Celtic fantasy trilogy as one of my favorite series of all time. Ancient Ireland, heroic warriors, fey, justice, battles, humor, and beloved characters. What a soul-filling book and a coming home! A new favorite Lawhead series, for sure!

The Hare and the Hatter (by Kyle Robert Shultz) — Beaumont and Beasley, #6

The long-awaited next installment of Beaumont and Beasley did not disappoint! Being back in the Afterverse (that wonderful alternate-1920s setting with fairytales and mythology as history), this time with fan-favorites Crispin Beasley (time-travel and shenanigans) and Malcolm Blackfire (grumpy dragon extraordinaire) . . . WHAT IS NOT TO LOVE! Throw in some Wonderland and Peter Pan things, timey-wimey-ness, nonstop humor and banter, some truly astounding twists and reveals (WE LEARN THINGS, GUYS. :O), and a good dose of feels (in the best way), and you have a real winner. Plus, I mean, Crispin and Malcolm? As the narrators? How could it NOT be amazing! I love this book a lot.

Favorites after the top five! (So many good books this year!)

Silverblood (by Jamie Foley) — Katrosi Revolution, #2

(Read my full review.)

I was waiting for a book about Lysander and Brooke, ever since reading Emberhawk, and this did not disappoint! Lysander’s story is amazing, and there are other favorite characters, banter, and a griffin, and so many clever twists, plus a lush setting and — it’s just delightful!

Tattoo of Crimson (by Sarah Chislon) — Blood of the Fae, #1

A gaslamp fantasy/murder mystery, with perilous fae and a mystery-solving heroine with a magical cat? You guys. What is not to love! The setting and writing is just delicious and perfect for fans of Regency-esque fantasy. The characters were so well done and I was captivated by the setting and the fact that the fae were so Other!

(Book 2 coming October 2023!)

The Orb and the Airship (by Jenelle Leanne Schmidt) — Turrim Archive, #1

If you’re reading this post before 3/22/2023, would you consider dropping by the Kickstarter for this series? The Orb and the Airship is in my top ten reads of last year for a reason! It’s sooo good and you need it in your life!

I love epic fantasy quest stories, I love academy-type stories, and I love airships — and this combines all three in a stunning adventure full of peril, humor, twists, and an amazingly rich world. And don’t get me started on the characters and how much I love all of them and their banter and relationships! (Did I mention airships?)

This is kind of like Lord of the Rings meets Treasure Planet, with a side of Firefly if it was family-friendly. And I am HERE for it!

(Book one is releasing in June of this year — 2023 — with the following four books scheduled to release after that through the next year or so, and I am STOKED.)

A Most Irregular Prophecy (by Ness Kingsley)

(Read my full review.)

The uniqueness and hilarity of this Georgette Heyer meets Diana Wynne Jones meets Enchanted Forest Chronicles, on a fantasy planet, story . . . well, it positively bowled me over. Pegasus/unicorn creatures, prophecies, an Extremely Capable heroine, and a riot of humor told in a purely delightful voice utterly captivated and delighted me!

We Could Be Villains (by Megan McCullough) — The VIGIL and ANTE Files, #1

Avengers meets Heist Society in this cinematic superhero adventure about a normal girl who gets caught up in the schemes of a supervillain . . . and that’s before all the twists start! This was a delight and I had a blast getting lost in this superpowered world whose beating heart is the rich characters who tugged me completely into their story. ❤ Humor, feels, action, and so many things that aren’t as they seem! I loved Rosemary and Ironfall’s story, and all the side characters were amazing as well!

Into the Churn (by Hayley Reese Chow)

I hardly even read sci-fi but MY WORD. THIS BOOK. I nicknamed it “the Space Race book” because it features a dangerous race across a deadly planet. I was utterly enthralled by the heart-pounding story of feisty Ezren and enigmatic Foster and how their fates intertwined in this death-defying challenge filled with memorable characters who steal the spotlight. Just a stunningly satisfying tale!

Releases in April!

Dilseachd – A Stolen Crown (by Cheyenne van Langevelde) — Princess of the Highlands, #1

Castles and Scotland and rebels! I felt so at home in this lush Scottish fantasy, full of endearing characters, escapes and battles, and that feeling of coming home. The writing is delicious and the Scottish flavor and accents give me life. The story of a princess and the son of a chieftain (ANGUS FOREVER) who, along with fan-favorite Malcolm (the scamp!), twined their way around my heart and wouldn’t let go. Aching and lovely.

(Book 2, Urram – Rekindled Hope, is coming 2024, I believe!)

Watson and Holmes (by E. B. Dawson)

(Audiobooked; delicious. Read my full review.)

This was way too much fun and just made me super happy! Everything I could want in a Sherlock Holmes retelling, and a fascinating cyberpunk sci-fi setting, plus tons of friendship and banter and mystery, peril, and cool aliens. I was not prepared for how much FUN this would be, despite the dangerous turn to things, and the two heroines who take the place of the Holmes and Watson characters were simply a delight. Also, a plant robot. That is all. XD

Elf Prince + Shield Band + Peril (by Tara Grayce) — Elven Alliance series

I couldn’t pick, so these are all going on here together. XD More Farrendel and Essie (including Farrendel’s perspective on things from the first book!), Prince Julien and Vriska in a sort of series ending that was super satisfying, Prince Edmund and Jalissa in shorter spy adventures… These were delightful continuations of a series full of elves, humans, trolls, alliances, fantasy with a dash of steampunk, and beloved characters/great dialogue, and has become very much a comfort read series for me. ^_^

(Inventor and Elf King, final additions to the series, are coming this year, I believe!)

Rimewinter (by DJ Edwardson) — Swordspeaker Saga, #2

Truesilver was a favorite the other year, so I was so excited to check out this sequel and it did not disappoint! Talking weapons, a hero I adore, his sister who gets a bigger piece of the spotlight this time, and their hilarious and wise sidekick, plus a breathtaking fantasy world, and a quest across the land. Featuring peril and ice and a winter like you’ve never seen . . . plus an icy fox that stole my heart! It’s truly epic and perfect for fans of Prydain, Ranger’s Apprentice, or the Wingfeather saga. ❤

(Book 3, Grimbriar, is up for preorder! Check out my review for book 1, Truesilver.)

Wraithwood (by Alyssa Roat) — Wraithwood Trilogy, #1

(Audiobooked–so fun! Read my full review.)

This reminded me of some of my favorite books from when I was younger and I really enjoyed the magical maze, the mysterious mansion, the Merlin/Arthurian things, and just the fun of it. It made me happy! Still must read the sequel, but I recommend this one if you need a light summer read with modern fantasy and a dash of the whimsical.

(Final book in the trilogy releasing March 15, 2023!)

Imprint (by Madeline J. Rose) — Ink Press, #1

The concept of entering books/fairy tales, plus book-people, several amazing twists, and characters I became very attached to, all combined to make this a delightful book that makes me smile when I think of it! Some of my favorites involve spoilers but . . . just yes. 😀

(I hear book 2 is in the works!)

Going Postal (by Terry Pratchett) — (Audiobooked.) And I had to include this blast of a book about con-man-turned-post-master Moist von Lipwig and all the Ankh-Morpork city of Discworld shenanigans. XD It was just fun, and Moist was a blast, and him versus Lord Vetinari cracked me up.

FAVORITES IN OTHER CATEGORIES

Favorite short story — I have to give a shout-out to Of Leaves and Stars, a short story in the paperback edition of Into the Heartless Wood (which made last year’s top-favorite list) by Joanna Ruth Meyer. This is almost like an epilogue, set after Into the Heartless Wood, and I loved it SO MUCH.

Non-fiction — Practical Dreamer by Kalyn Brooke — This introduced me to six-week sprints, a way to chop up large goals into achievable sets of time. I owe it, big-time, for helping me finish my ARCs and my book reviews. Definitely recommend. 🙂

Picture Books

  • Knight Owl (by Christopher Denise) — I cannot! So adorable! T_T
  • When Your Dragon Is Too Big for a Bath (by C. E. White) — Made me smile!
  • Nuts in Space (by Elys Donan) — UTTERLY HILARIOUS. XD
  • Bilbo’s Last Song (by J.R.R. Tolkien, illustrated by Pauline Baynes) — Just beautiful. 🙂

Re-reads — I re-read quite a few books last year, but special shout-out to the Heist Society series by Ally Carter, and the Twinepathy series (Twinepathy and Lightporter) by C. B. Cook for filling my summer comfort-read needs (and satisfying the heist and superhero cravings I was having after reading We Could Be Villains several times as an editor. XD).

Have you read any of these? Do we share any favorites?

Let me know your thoughts in a comment!

Thanks for reading!
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Dana Illwind and War’s Shadow by Arthur Daigle (Review)

Aug26

Today’s review is for one of my top-favorite books of all time! I’m so excited to finally get to review this book, which was my most-anticipated release of 2022!

Yes, indeed, Jayden and Dana are back and I can’t wait to tell you all about it.

(Or, you know, you can skip ahead to the links section and just buy yourself a copy — or a copy of book one if you haven’t had the pleasure of reading that one yet. You need this series in your life!)

Title: Dana Illwind and War’s Shadow

Author: Arthur Daigle

Series: Dana Illwind, #2 (Book 1: Dana Illwind and Growing Shadows. Read my review here!)

Fantasy • YA and up • 2022 • 308 pages (paperback)

Read August 21, 2022 • 5 stars (I’d give it 6 stars if I could!) • Fave character: Jayden! • Source: Amazon (Note: I also beta-read this before publication, and read the chapters as they released on Booksie before that. So this is my 4th read and I still want to read it again!)

Goodreads • Barnes & Noble • Amazon • Author’s Booksie Account • Author’s Facebook

I ADORE THIS BOOK AND CAN’T RECOMMEND IT ENOUGH! GO READ IT! That’s the short version. 😉

You know those books, series, and characters that you love SO much that you can’t properly express it in words? Well, this book, series, and Jayden and Dana are that for me. I seriously just love these characters SO MUCH and will follow them anywhere, and this series is up there with a select few on my list of very-top-favorite books! (Tolkien’s, Howl’s Moving Castle, Paper Crowns, and these two books. That’s the list.)

Dana Illwind and War’s Shadow is just SO GOOD! I feel like it’s a bit like Diana Wynne Jones meets Lord of the Rings, because it’s hilarious AND epic, and there are only so many books that can pull that off. Plus it has a distinctive FEEL that I can’t really explain but makes it a favorite of mine. It’s such a unique, fun book. I adore the cleverness of the plot, writing, and dialogue (so quotable!), and how we’re getting deeper into this world and all its kingdoms and monsters and intrigue (with doses of humor and epic characters, of course!). Everything’s building into a crescendo and I’m very much looking forward to the final book one of these days!

Jayden and Dana have gone from smaller, more disconnected adventures fighting monsters and lower-level villains, to being pulled directly into the center of an intricate web of war and magic and nefarious plots. Seeing them hold their own against all of that, while each growing in their own ways, had me glued to the page in breath-holding delight.

Plus, they’re just the best characters! Jayden and Dana make the BEST pair, like Holmes and Watson or something. So classic and perfect!

Jayden is snarky, courtly, and dangerous at turns, and woe to any wrongdoers (human or otherwise) who draw his attention—especially if Dana doesn’t redirect his rage to keep the destruction to a minimum! XD Jayden is simply one of my top-favorite characters of all time, and I have the HARDEST time describing this unpigeonholeable character, but he’s superb and always has the BEST comebacks in witty dialogue, and having another whole book with him was a TREAT. He has a haunted past and a bit of an anger management problem when he sees injustice (don’t worry, Dana’s helping with that—when SHE isn’t as angered by the injustice as he is…), but he’s on the side of right and is a force to be reckoned with. There’s a wonderful quote in this book, by a very wise character: “I see a heart of gold wrapped in rusty chains. Break them off for yourself and those who need you.” Probably one of my favorite lines about Jayden! It’s perfect for the journey he’s going on. I just love him so much.

I mentioned Dana a few times in there because they’re so tied together in the story, and I love how they help each other see each other’s weaknesses and help overcome them, but also show each other their strengths and encourage that. It makes me happy! They’re an excellent pair of friends and Dana is just the sort of person one wants at one’s side. It was fascinating how things become sort of personal for her by the end (not to be spoilery…), and how it shows how far she’s come in these two books. She’s got to be one of my favorite female characters of all time. I love how she’s full of the BEST common sense and is much more down-to-earth, while Jayden and others around her are being dramatic. The interplay there is SO much fun. XD She’s sturdy and no-nonsense and is becoming quite the swordswoman, but I love that it’s simply her good-hearted way of doing the best she can and helping others.

It was intriguing to have “interlude” chapters seeing what the villains think of what Jayden and Dana are up to (even when they don’t always know it was Jayden’s fault. XD), plus there’s a new character who is verrry interesting and I’m looking forward to seeing more of him…

Some other random thoughts: The whole section set in the kingdom of Bascal was one of my favorites! It was such fun! The ball scene and a certain sword-update were fabulous. There’s the return of some fan-favorite characters from the first book (Lootmore, Suzy, Prince Onus!), and new, intriguing ones I’m very curious about (Cassandra, Malcolm, Palan…)! And not to get into spoilers but there mayyy have been a dragon involved at some point… I loved the Brotherhood of the Righteous and Father Firepower. I also found the shadow magic to be pretty neat—just a really cool magic system that Jayden is VERY good at. The fluffy fox!! Plus goblins being mischievous and also more organized than expected… The goblin-gate was hilarious. XD

I’d be here all day if I mentioned all my favorite things, but that’s a few of them, and particularly Jayden and Dana’s banter and dialogue, which is 100% pure GOLD! *grinning*

DANA ILLWIND AND WAR’S SHADOW is book 2 (book 1 is DANA ILLWIND AND GROWING SHADOWS) and I think I liked this one even MORE than the first one, if that’s possible. It was amazing to come back in this second book and be immersed once again in more Jayden and Dana goodness. ^_^ I’ve been following Jayden and Dana on their adventures for some time now and these stories never cease to make me happy!

I’ve read both books four times each (once you count reading them in serial format, then twice-through beta-reading, and then reading the final published version aloud—because I have such a fun time doing all the voices and sharing the stories with my siblings, which is the highest honor a book can get from me, that I have to give it a dramatic reading to my family) and I never get tired of these adventures. I anticipate re-reading both books soon, just like I read and re-read Howl’s Moving Castle. Some books are just so delightful to revisit, and this is definitely one of them!

In short, this book is funny, clever, and deep in unexpected ways, with a dash of spooky, and inhabited by two of my favorite characters ever. It’s just SO good and I adore it to Other Place and back! Seriously, just go read this.

If you love epic fantasy with well-built worlds, whimsical/humorous fantasy that’s a little tongue-in-cheek satire (think Discworld, Magic Kingdom for Sale, or some of Diana Wynne Jones’s books), and unique characters who will steal your heart, you absolutely MUST check out the Dana Illwind series! 10/10 recommend!

Leave a comment and make my day! I love chatting books with y’all!

Looking for more of my book reviews? Check them out here!

Sing To Me of Rain by E.B. Dawson (Book Review)

May21

Aaaaahhh! You guys! I read the MOST DELIGHTFUL BOOK recently and I’m so excited to share about it!

It’s releasing TOMORROW (May 22) and the paperback and e-book versions are both up for pre-order, and it’s DEFINITELY one you’re not going to want to miss! One of my favorite books I’ve read this year, for sure!

Title: Sing To Me of Rain

Author: E.B. Dawson

  • Date read: May 10, 2021
  • Rating: 5 stars, 6 stars if I could
  • Genre: Fantasy
  • Age: Middle Grade or anyone, really (teens and adults will also love it)
  • Year pub: 2021
  • Pages: 205 (e-book)
  • Series: Standalone
  • Fave character: Ujio but really all of them
  • Source: The author
  • Notes: I received a free e-ARC of this book from the author. I was not required to write a review. All opinions expressed are my honest thoughts.
  • Links: Goodreads • Amazon • Author’s Website

I CAN’T ADEQUATELY EXPRESS MY LOVE FOR THIS BOOK. 😍😍😍 Studio Ghibli meets George MacDonald and Lloyd Alexander in this utterly enchanting Asian-inspired Middle Grade Fantasy novel from E.B. Dawson!

This book has everything: a tiny mermaid naiad, a fox, pangolins, hidden motives warring against innocence, ever-changing quests for truth, redemption AND heroism, a broad range of exotic locales from jungle to desert to mountain, a story through seasons and elements, and neat cultures and delightful fantasy worldbuilding that swept me off my feet. And so much more!

I loved Plip the little naiad and Akino the boy SO MUCH, and a certain other character who I won’t give away but his story was SO unexpected and I adored it! Part hero, part antihero, part mentor . . . let’s just say I have a new favorite unpigeonholeable character. (Watch for a certain fox is all I’m saying. ;))

I adored every second of this book! It’s full of twists and turns and I could never predict what was going to happen next, which made it exciting, but despite the suspense it was also a COZY story that I simply enjoyed the act of reading.

The settings remind me so much of a Studio Ghibli film, soft and peaceful and detailed, from river to mountain forest, rice fields, desert, waterfall . . . all of it! And the feeling we get that we’re passing through this vast world full of people living their lives which we only glimpse on our way through. I loved that. It’s just so RICH and like one thread winding through a tapestry, and fills me with a marvelous childlike wonder and joy and delight.

I loved how, with the perspectives of Plip and Akino, we saw the world through their eyes and the schemes of humans or grownups seemed outside and unnoticed, like levels of innocence and sneakiness. Felt true to life.

The depth and truths and levels of everything in this book were fascinating and one of the things I think older readers will like too. It asks hard questions and doesn’t talk down at all, which is something I dislike about some middle grade books these days — it’s just a book that happens to be about young characters, which young readers and teens and adults alike will find delight in.

It feels Deep and made me think and showed me things, and I highlighted sooo many quotes in my ebook copy, but it’s also very fun and I just ENJOYED it. It makes me so happy! *hugs book*

This is definitely going on my favorites list and is one of the top five books I’ve read so far this year. I’m going to need to add the paperback to my wishlist because I need SING TO ME OF RAIN on my shelf to read and reread forever. I JUST LOVE IT SO MUCH. (I know the answer next time someone asks what my favorite middle grade book is.)

I can’t recommend this book enough! Just go read it! You need it in your life! (And you will never look at raindrops the same again. :D)

I received a free e-ARC of this book from the author and voluntarily wrote a review. All opinions are entirely my own.

You may also like . . . / For fans of . . .

  • Avatar: The Last Airbender show
  • Studio Ghibli films in general
  • The Day Boy and the Night Girl by George MacDonald (original fairy tale)
  • The Golden Key by George MacDonald (original fairy tale)
  • The Remarkable Journeys of Prince Jen by Lloyd Alexander (Asian-inspired fantasy)
  • The Iron Ring by Lloyd Alexander (India-inspired fantasy, YA)
  • The Sentinel Trilogy or Emberhawk by Jamie Foley (for your talking fox fix, YA)
  • Plenilune by Jennifer Frietag (historical planetary fantasy, for your talking fox fix, Adult)

Does this sound like it’s up your alley? Let me know if it intrigues you! I simply adore it! Thanks for reading! 🙂

Giveaway heads-up: Dana Illwind and Growing Shadows!

Mar22

Just a quick heads-up: I’m having a giveaway for a paperback of Dana Illwind and Growing Shadows (by Arthur Daigle), my favorite read of 2020, over on my Instagram, so go check it out at https://www.instagram.com/deborahocarroll and enter to win! (US only due to shipping, ends 3/25.)

(If you are NOT on Instagram and would still like to enter, follow me here on my blog, add the book on Goodreads, and then drop a comment below on this blog post and I’ll enter you for a Kindle e-book copy instead. I’ll reply to the winning comment on 3/26/21 to notify the winner so do check back then if you enter!)

My brief thoughts so you know a bit about the book if you missed my full review:

This book is one of my top-five favorite books of all time, so of course I had to buy an extra copy to share the love! 💚

What do you get when you pair up a loyal, practical farm girl and a lone-wolf, elegant, snarky, insanely powerful enchanter with a chip on his shoulder, and set them loose to fight monsters and injustice in a fantasy kingdom?

This snarky, clever, sheer fun fantasy novel, is what! It perfectly balances comedy, epic swashbuckling, and humorous or heartfelt character moment that give me all the feels.

Perfect for fans of Diana Wynne Jones, Terry Pratchett (it is #MarchMagics this month, after all!), and Terry Brooks’ Magic Kingdom for Sale.

Dana Illwind and Sorcerer Lord Jayden are one of my favorite character duos ever and I just love them to bits!

Good luck if you enter in either place and thanks for reading! I highly recommend this book! 💚

FAVE BOOK! Dana Illwind and Growing Shadows by Arthur Daigle (Review)

Feb25

Y’all, I’m ECSTATIC to be reviewing Jayden and Dana’s book today! Ready to hear about my top-favorite read of 2020? Here we go!

Title: Dana Illwind and Growing Shadows

Author: Arthur Daigle

  • Date read: January 20, 2021
  • Rating: 5 stars (6 out of 5 stars, TBH)
  • Genre: Fantasy
  • Age: Teens and adults alike will enjoy it
  • Year pub: 2020
  • Pages: 289 (paperback)
  • Series: Book 1
  • Fave character: Jayden!
  • Source: Amazon
  • Links: Goodreads • Amazon

Well, that made it to my top-five favorite books of all time! Jayden and Dana are some of my favorite characters EVER. I was a fan of short stories about their adventures (two of them first appearing in Fellowship of Fantasy anthologies, and on Booksie), but they finally have a novel which just released and I. AM. ECSTATIC. I’ve read this four times now and I never get tired of it. I just can’t put into words how much I love it! I love humorous banter, I love fantasy stories, and I love these characters SO MUCH.

What do you get when you pair up a practical, solid farm girl and a lone-wolf, elegant, snarky, insanely powerful enchanter with a chip on his shoulder, and set them loose to fight monsters and injustice in a fantasy kingdom? This snarky, clever, sheer fun fantasy novel, is what! It perfectly balances comedy, epic swashbuckling, and those humorous or heartfelt character moments that I’m totally here for! Did I mention Dana Illwind and Sorcerer Lord Jayden are one of my top favorite duos EVER? THEY JUST MAKE ME SO HAPPYYYY! *deep breaths*

Let me break down some of my favorite things about this book.

1. Jayden: He’s my favorite. An elegant enchanter with anger management issues but a burning heart for justice, he’s open about his own flaws but won’t tolerate injustice and has it out for the king and queen. He can be politely cutting, snarky, or in a towering rage of righteous anger in turn, and woe to the corrupt, the villains, the oppressors who get in his sights. He has the best dialogue (my favorite!), and is always ready with a cutting remark or a bit of his shadow magic. (Also, watch out if you disrespect his friend Dana—oh, boy.) He covers a hurt, broken past with an exterior that’s alternately bored, casual, angry, or just—Jayden. I can’t do him justice in a description like this, but he’s one of my top favorite characters EVER! (He also gives me slight Howl vibes.)

2. Dana: Then we have Dana, who is just as marvelous in a different way. This sturdy, good-hearted girl is #goals. It’s amazing the way this fifteen-year-old girl can be the only friend of the world’s only sorcerer lord—and the only one to make him see reason. 😉 She brings out the best in him and he in turn respects and informs her, and they’re my faaaavorite! They make an incredible pair, with Dana being the reasonable one trying to stop him from getting killed or redirecting his destructive tendencies, and often saving the day in her own way. I can’t really describe her either but she’s got to be one of my favorite heroines, and I don’t have many of those. She’s fabulous! I just love seeing her (and both of them) grow on this journey. They’re the most epic duo!

3: The Humor: I LOVE funny books. Love them. The style and the humor, the mix of comedy and dry wittiness, and all the snark and bantering dialogue! Glorious. There’s such a variety of humor, which I think is tons of fun, and I love how the funny parts often keep it lighthearted, without detracting from some of the heavier topics and the real struggles they face in this kingdom. Humorous AND epic? Sign me up! Which brings me to the next part.

4: The World and Story: Part tongue-in-cheek comedy, part epic fantasy kingdom, Meadowland Kingdom etc. creates the perfect backdrop for Dana and Jayden’s adventures. A mix of ordinary, spooky, and elegant in turns, the towns and people they encounter are deep in struggles caused by monsters, injustice, and a king and queen out for destruction. I love how, despite Jayden’s issues, he and Dana do so much good throughout the kingdom. They battle injustice wherever they see it, rid the world of destructive monsters, and encounter zany characters like Sir Lootmore and his terrifying cat Jumpscare, Suzy Lockheart the alchemist, various mischievous goblins, and others. It’s the BEST mix of my favorite type of epic fantasy with humorous fantasy. It’s just everything I’ve ever wanted in a book!

I’ve been awaiting this book releasing ever since the very first short adventure I read about Dana and Jayden in the multi-author anthology “Mythical Doorways.” Over the next couple of years, I followed their continuing adventures with sheer delight every time a new “episode” was posted online—my family can attest to how my day was always brightened and I’d go around in a cloud of happiness all day whenever there was “a new Jayden and Dana story!”

I just can’t explain my love of these characters and their fantastic, humorous, feelsy adventures. I’m absolutely beyond thrilled that there is now a whole novel available so the world can experience this book that I’ve been in love with since before it existed in book form. It’s a dream come true to finally have it on my shelf! I can’t wait for the next book. ^_^

DANA ILLWIND AND GROWING SHADOWS is my favorite book I read in 2020 and one of my top-5 favorite books I’ve read, period. Joining the ranks of Lord of the Rings/Silmarillion, Howl’s Moving Castle, and Paper Crowns, I simply ADORE this book and can’t recommend it highly enough! Perfect for fans of Diana Wynne Jones, Discworld, or Magic Kingdom for Sale/Sold. Teens and adults alike will all find this book delightful.

Go read it! We all need some humor, adventure, and these amazing characters to improve our lives. It’s my favorite and I wholeheartedly recommend it!

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The Electrical Menagerie Audiobook Review!

Apr30

I finished this only this morning and it was INCREDIBLE! ❤

I just had the most delightful experience!

It’s somehow fitting that a story largely involved with theatrical performance should be brought to life in this way by a talented audio performer. It was wonderfully theatrical to listen to—the next best thing to seeing it on a screen. I LOVED it!

It’s a wild ride of adventure, imagination, flying trains and islands in the sky, electrical robots, a stardust-powered steampunk-feel, show-business and illusions, mystery and sabotage and insidious plots, an 1800s-feel, and one of my favorite things: a “buddy story.”

Mollie Reeder’s skillful tale is a story to touch the heart of any creative and anyone who’s ever dreamed of doing something MORE. It’s one of the most sheerly enjoyable books I’ve ever read, but it also has a depth to it that makes you re-examine life and learn new things about life and ourselves, through the adventures of these delightful characters who are wholly human—both making mistakes and committing feats of imagination and heroism. It inspires me to reach for the stars. And it makes me laugh, which is always important. 😉

I read The Electrical Menagerie when it first came out, and it joined the select ranks of one of my favorite books of all time. So to say I was excited for the chance to re-experience it, as an audiobook, is an understatement.

I started the audio version with caution, however. Would any rendition of this beloved book be able to do it justice?

But I needn’t have worried. While I still may prefer reading physical books, this audiobook was a sheer delight! I had SUCH a blast listening to it! It was like revisiting an old friend and it came alive anew. ^_^

Travis Baldree’s rendition of these larger-than-life characters was wonderful and I 100% enjoyed hearing them all come to life! The different accents were great fun (I particularly liked Miss Skyhawk’s voice) and Carthage and Huxley re-delighted me all over again! I was constantly smiling or laughing, even on this second reading. The other characters are incredible too, and the dramatic or exciting scenes soared.

I LOVE this book and Carthage and Huxley, who are both absolutely AWESOME characters in their totally different ways, and the sheer rich imagination of everything about The Electrical Menagerie.

This book gives me ALL THE FEELS. It made me laugh and it made me cry, in both its book and audiobook forms. (Now THAT is a feat.) I love the humor and the heart of it, how authentic and real it is—despite, or perhaps because of, the otherwordliness of it—touching the soul, but not in any artificial way, while making one smile.

I didn’t used to listen to many audiobooks but I’ve slowly been drawn into that world, and now I love them. It was fabulous to get to re-live this magnificent story while going about daily life.

I can only say that The Electrical Menagerie is an EXPERIENCE. “I’m Arbrook Huxley”—(er . . . Deborah O’Carroll)—“and you can quote me!” (All I need now is a sequel. ;))

I love that this book is now available in a new format to delight new readers—or should I say listeners? I wholeheartedly recommend this book to anyone who needs a touch of stardust and wonder in their lives!

(Thanks to the author for the complimentary audiobook code. All opinions are 100% my own.)

Book Information & Links

Title: The Electrical Menagerie

Author: Mollie E. Reeder

Narrator: Travis Baldree

You may also enjoy my original review (including some favorite snarky quotes), 10 Reasons You Should Read The Electrical Menagerie by Mollie E. Reeder!

Audiobooks: yea or nay? And have you read this incredible book yet? I totally recommend it in ANY form! YOU NEED CARTHAGE AND HUXLEY IN YOUR LIFE.

Keep imagining! ❤