Dead Until Dark by Charlaine Harris

Back in 2008, I heard Charlaine Harris was writing rural fantasy (as opposed to urban fantasy – set in the backwoods of Louisiana). She writes in a similar vein to Laurell K. Hamilton (who is a favorite) so I picked up the book when I saw it.

Published: 2001

Genre: rural fantasy

Length: 312 pages

Setting: rural Louisiana, present day to the writing

Summary: Short version: Sookie starts a relationship with a vampire and foils a murderer

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Sing the Four Quarters by Tanya Huff

Recently, I recorded some book reviews of Huff’s work (the Blood series) and was reminded how much I enjoyed her writing. When I looked her name up in the library catalog, this was the first book in a series that I would be able to read.

Published: 1994

Genre: fantasy

Length: 410 pages

Setting: a medieval-technology world

Summary: Short version: Annice clears Pjerin of a charge of treason, while pregnant

Grass for his Pillow by Lian Hearn

This is the second book in the Tales of the Otori series. It took me a few years to read the second one after having picked up the first one (which is why I haven’t reviewed that book). The interesting thing is Miss Adventure just picked the first book (Across the Nightingale Floor) from the library to read.

Published: 2003

Genre: historical fantasy

Length: 292 pages

Setting: Japan, mid-1800s as it opened to Westerners

Summary: Short version: Takeo and Kaede are training and growing up

The Fifth Season by N. K. Jemisin

I saw this book at the library and picked it up for Mr. Curiosity and myself to read. It’s the first book in the Broken Earth trilogy. I’ve heard good things about the series, including the fact that Jemisin won three Hugos in a row for each of the books in the series (a first!).

Published: 2015

Genre: science fiction

Length: 449 pages of text, 468 pages total

Setting: various locations in the Stillness, which I think is a far future Earth

Summary: Short version: Can I just say, “OMG read this book now!!”? No? Then how about: The world only thinks orogenes are controlled.

A Shadow in Summer by Daniel Abraham

This was a free Tor ebook I put on my Kindle and read on vacation. I needed something other than Discworld book. This had a high potential for quality, unlike the Baen books that make up so much of my Kindle library. It’s the first book in the Long Price Quartet.

Published: 2006

Genre: fantasy

Length: 331 pages

Setting: mostly the city-state of Saraykeht in a medieval technology world

Summary: Short version: Seedless’s plot to free himself involves the death of innocents

Mr. Mercedes by Stephen King

This is our book club choice for August.

Published: 2014

Genre: hard-boiled detective/mystery

Length: 436 pages

Setting: a big city (it felt like California, but I’m not sure it was explicitly stated), 1987

Summary: Short version: Ex-detective has to find the mass murder before he kills again

An Echo in the Bone by Diana Gabaldon

It’s the seventh book in the Outlander series that I’m trying to finish this year. There’s only one left so I think I can do it. They’re all starting to blur together so I’m going to wait a bit so I’ll appreciate that book more.

Published: 2009

Genre: historical fiction with time travel

Length: 1149 pages

Setting: 1778 America and Lallybroch, 1988 Lallybroch

Summary: Short version: The fighting starts to heat up and the Frasers are involved