Birthday Bookstack Vol. 32

This month, I’ve reached level 32 in the game of Life! With several official days of this new age under my belt, my brain decided we should do a book list. But not a list of 32 books because I didn’t feel like writing 32 summaries. So, a compromise: a book for each letter of my first name.

“How fun would that be,” I thought when I considered the idea.

“How hard could it be,” I asked after I wrote the idea in my planner.

Turns out, the answer is ‘a little bit.’ Cause apparently, I’ve never read a book that starts with the letter ‘e.’ (Not true, I know, but that’s how it felt in the moment.) Or the fleeting excitement of a perfect choice only to realize it wouldn’t go with the prompt. On no less than three separate instances I considered Khasper in the Glitter before remembering the title started with a ‘k’ and not a ‘c.’

But I did it! Despite the odds, I’ve settled on 7 books to hopefully piqued your interest as did mine when I first read them.

C – Chrono Crusade

As members of the Magdalene Order, Rosette Christopher, and her demon partner Chrono, travel around the country eliminating demonic threats to society, while Rosette searches for her lost brother, Joshua. It’s got angels and demons, nuns with guns, characters with complex relationships heading towards their own conclusions — all set in New York during the Roaring 20s. Besides the inevitable tears, what’s not to love?

H – How Long Til Black Future Month

A collection of fantasy and science fiction short stories by N. K. Jemisin. The collection dips into a little bit of everything genre-wise: sword and sorcery, steampunk, time travel to name a few. Jemisin writes a range of stories, all featuring protagonists of color.

You can even see the beginnings of ideas that Jemisin later explored in her full length novels. You can flip to any story in this anthology and be amazed by Jemisin’s innovative and masterful storytelling. I know I was when I read “The Storyteller’s Replacement.” I’m serious. Just pick a random story from the table of content and start.

E – EX Magazine

On December 31, 2019, my eyes were graced with one of the coolest anthology projects on kickstarter, each one focus on a specific genre. I could only commit to one of the three titles, so I went with Volume 2: Paranormal Romance. It was a choice also backed by the fact many creators I enjoy were featured. I made it a point to buy Volume 4: Mecha and received my copy of Volume 5: Bloodsuckers a few days ago. Just in time for a Halloween read!

I imagine buying EX Magazine gives the same level of serotonin I got as a child buying issues of Shojo Beat at Walmart. And if the good folks at Peow2 feel the urge at any point to sell digital versions of Volume 1 and 3 again so I can see what I missed out on, my wallet is ready.

L – Luminescent Machinations

Is this the third anthology on the list? Yes but to be fair, it has giant gay robots and a variety of works exploring the intricacies of queer bodies within the genre. Science fiction has always been a vehicle to explore humanity; of how far humans are willing to go to either retain or surpass it.

If you’re the type willing to venture outside the norms of said genre, then try dipping into Luminescent Machinations. Or any other anthology curated by Neon Hemlock.

S – Song of the Six Realms

A talented but orphaned musician, Xue faces a future of servitude at the House of Flowing Water, one of the most esteemed entertainment houses in the kingdom, after her uncle is killed in a bandit attack. Until she is unexpectedly called performance for Duke Meng, who surprises her with an offer: serve as a musician at his residence for one year, and he’ll free her of her indenture.

Of course the handsome duke is more than he appears to be. And Xue’s memories of her past could hold the solution to preventing a war in the Six Realms. But the synopsis gripped me all the same. I haven’t finish this one yet but I couldn’t pass it up either as one of my anticipated reads of 2024.

E – Exit Strategy

Murderbot’s reluctant adventures continue in the fourth installment. Having discovered the answers of its own hazy past, as well as the past transgressions of a certain corporation, Murderbot heads back to Dr. Mensah to submit evidence in hopes of preventing the death of more colonists, even at the risk of its own freedom. Because what else would you do with a SecUnit gone rogue?

How could I not put Murderbot on the list? When people mention wanting to get into scifi but unsure where to start, I usually recommend the Murderbot series. It’s a breeze to read and you’ll cheer for Murderbot on its noble quest of avoiding human interaction and finding time to watch its favorite media.

A – Across the Great Barrier

Across the Great Barrier is the second book in Patricia C. Wrede’s “Frontier Magic” trilogy. Set in an alternate history where modern magic made colonization of the New World possible but many creatures both mundane and magical, have proven to be an obstacle in society’s efforts to settle in the wilds of the West.

The first book covers the childhood of the protagonist, Eff, and the struggles that come with being a thirteenth child. While Across the Great Barrier sees Eff traveling outside her home of Mill City to conduct a wildlife survey of the settlements beyond the barrier.

Have you read any of the books on my birthday list? How easy would it be to pick out books to spell your own name? And who knows, with 11ish months ahead of me, maybe I’ll talk myself into a 33 long book list next year…

(Very heavy on the maybe.)

Until next time,

.chel