Recent Purchases

Well, I thought I would have finished a book and had something to review by now. But that hasn't happened! I have recently purchased new books, though, so I will just update on that.

I bought:

The Book of Lost Things, by John Connolly
Sin in the Second City: Madams, Ministers, Playboys and the Battle for America's Soul, by Karen Abbott
Empire of Ivory, by Naomi Novik
Red Seas Under Red Skies, by Scott Lynch
A Dark Sacrifice: Book Two of the Rune of Unmaking, by Madeline Howard

I have heard so many things about The Book of Lost Things. I feel like everyone who has read that book has been moved by it in some way. It is a book in which books come to life, which reminds me of Inkheart, by Cornelia Funke. It seems to me that there are a lot of books out there these days in which books themselves take on a role of importance. Or maybe I'm just coming across them all now? I've enjoyed most of the books I've read in which books are almost a character- The Shadow of the Wind, The Thirteenth Tale, Inkheart, etc.

For some reason, it seems like any author who values books so highly to make them such an integal part of the story is almost by default an author who can write amazing sentences. All those books are full of words and descriptive passages that create such an emotional connection with a reader. There must be some sort of link.

Sin in the Second City is a "popular history" book. I can't wait to get my grubby hands on it (though how long it will take me to actually sit down and read it is something else entirely). I love Chicago, and how amazingly beautiful and diverse it is. But it is a city with a very seedy and shady side which is being lost in gentrification. So I think this book- much like The Devil in the White City- will be an interesting one to find out more about Chicago's not-so-glamorous history.

Also, if anyone knows of any good books about Chicago's mob history, I'd be very interested in hearing some recommendations.

The other three books I got are all sequels to other books I've already read in the fantasy genre. I really only got them because I feel very invested in the series. I am quite excited about all three, though- Scott Lynch's The Lies of Locke Lamora was a grand adventure, Naomi Novik's alternate history of the Napoleonic wars is fascinating, and Madeline Howard won my heart as Teresa Edgerton, creator of Lord Francis Skelbrooke in Goblin Moon :-)

With so many good books to choose from, it's about time I got back in the saddle, I think! We'll see what happens, I suppose!