#tor thibeaux

[healerqueen]

Fortnight of Books 2024: Day 12

A book that made you laugh

Buffalo Brenda by Jill Pinkwater is one of the funniest and quirkiest books I know. I’ve read it several times, and it always brings me joy. I read it aloud to my sister this year.

A book you did not finish in 2024

There were a handful of books I didn’t finish, and I feel guilty about all of them—and hope to finish them at another time. One of them, Kill the Dawn by Emily Hayse was so, so incredibly good. It’s a Viking retelling of Hamlet. However, I was bracing for painful events and a tragic arc, so I read it slowly with many pauses—and never finished. That sometimes happens to me with tragedies. I really, really want to finish it this year.

A book you bought in 2024

The new paperback edition of Rebel Wave: Season 1 by Tor Thibeaux. I was very excited about that one, and I can’t wait to reread it with actual pages in my hands, after I binged the e-book version.

A book you enjoyed well-enough but wasn’t a stand-out Princess Sonora and the Long Sleep by Gail Carson Levine. I read several of Levine’s books when I was in high school, especially Ella Enchanted, but this was my first experience with the author’s Princess Tales series. It was entertaining and imaginative, and it made me laugh, but it wasn’t a favorite.

[healerqueen]

Year So Far Book Asks: 1, 10, 11

1. Best book you have read in 2023 so far

I've read five 5-star books so far this year. Out of those five, three stand out as the best books of the year.

Chase the Legend by Hannah Kaye, an epic sci-fantasy retelling of Moby Dick. It's part of the series A Classic Retold, a multi-author series of standalone books by nine different authors. I was blown away by the incredible character arcs, epic adventure, and themes of healing, friendship, and found family.

Crack the Stone by Emily Golus, another book in the A Classic Retold Series. This one is a Les Miserables retelling that features an escaped goblin convict who adopts a human child. It captures the poignant themes of Les Mis in a short novel.

10. A book that made you happy

The View from Saturday by E. L. Konigsburg, which I talked about here. 11. Most beautiful book you have bought or received this year

That honor belongs to three books I requested for my birthday, including Chase the Legend by Hannah Kaye (mentioned above), Summon the Light by Tor Thibeaux (yet another book in the A Classic Retold series), and Rebel Wave by Tor Thibeaux (a favorite book that now has a paperback; it's an undersea dystopian adventure featuring great characters, submarines, and underwater cities). They are even more shiny and glorious in real life than they are in pictures. I have to share these beautiful covers.

[healerqueen]

Fortnight of Books 2024: Day 3

Book you recommended most to others in 2024?

Chase the Legend by Hannah Kaye (an epic fantasy retelling of Moby Dick) and Rebel Wave by Tor Thibeaux (a futuristic undersea dystopian adventure series).

Book you most anticipated this year?

The Realm Beneath, an anthology of undersea fantasy stories by several of my favorite authors and new-to-me authors, edited by Allison Tebo.

[healerqueen]

Tagged by @fictionadventurer. (Thank you! How nice!)

Last song you sang out loud: Probably "The Impossible Dream," which has been stuck in my head all week.

Favorite chip flavor: I've been less into potato chips the last few years. Honestly, I really like plantain chips/platanos.

Last book you opened: Today, I started a paperback book I have long anticipated: Rebel Wave: Season 2 by Tor Thibeaux. It's a futuristic undersea adventure, and the sequel to a book I LOVED. The first chapters are already amazing.

Earbuds, headphones, or nothing? Wired earbuds.

Last place you went to other than home: My mom and I got to go to our favorite bookstore in the city last weekend. A bit of a trek, and we don't get there often, but it's worth it.

A color that looks good on you: Deep purple. Also other jewel tones and black.

Last trailer you saw: I can't recall any. I don't enjoy movie trailers, and it's been about a decade since I've looked forward to a new movie. Perhaps the last trailer I saw, a few months ago on Tumblr, was the first teaser trailer for The Fellowship of the Ring from 25 years ago. It was definitely a time capsule and an interesting experience. EDIT: I remembered! I saw the trailer for The Six Triple Eight last month with a group at a friend's house last month. I noticed that the whole room went silent to watch. (We'd been tuning out the TV in the background, which is overstimulating for me. I don't watch much TV at home, hence few trailer viewings.)

Tagging: @oldfashionedbooklove @eddis-not-eeddis @tsfennec @anythingforstories @sisterdragonwithfeathers

[healerqueen]

Book sale time!

Readers of Tumblr, can I interest you in an e-book sale? It is a very big, very good sale, and I can tell you about some very good books. The sale lasts till Monday night. All books in this sale are discounted to $0.99 on Amazon, and a few of them are free. And I have recommendations! I recommend all these books highly. Visit https://blackfridaybooksale.com/ to browse the sale, or search the title and author of each book on Amazon.

Stay tuned for some really good books in many different genres, for every kind of reader. These are some of my favorite books to recommend year-round, and they're all on sale today. You can get five books for the price of one, the same price as a cup of coffee.

Book Recommendations

BREAK THE BEAST by Allison Tebo (epic and glorious fantasy retelling of Beowulf)

THE RELUCTANT GODFATHER and the TALES OF AMBIA series by Allison Tebo (hilarious, heartwarming, and quirky romantic comedy fairytale retellings)

THE GOBLIN AND THE DANCER (standalone sweet fairytale adventure)

SUMMON THE LIGHT by Tor Thibeaux (fantasy retelling of The Tempest from the perspective of Caliban)

REBEL WAVE: Seasons 1 and 2 by Tor Thibeaux (futuristic undersea adventure)

THE REALM BENEATH (brand-new multi-author anthology of undersea short stories featuring fantasy sea creatures, mermaids, and the like)

ILLUMINARE and DAWNSONG by Bryn Shutt (epic fantasy with deep themes, characters, and worldbuilding)

SEVENTH CITY by Emily Hayse (Alaskan-inspired fantasy with platonic relationships)

THESE WAR-TORN HANDS by Emily Hayse (Western historical fantasy retelling of King Arthur, the first book in a trilogy)

FAIREST SON by H. S. J. Williams (beautiful, wintry retelling of Snow White featuring deep themes and characters with fae elves and goblins)

MOONSCRIPT and COLLUSION by H. S. J. Williams (epic fantasy featuring elves, other fantasy creatures, family drama, and the battle between light and darkness)

MOUNTAIN OF THE WOLF by Elisabeth Grace Foley (Western historical fiction retelling of Red Riding Hood with mystery and adventure)

LOST LAKE HOUSE by Elisabeth Grace Foley (1920s historical fiction retelling of The Twelve Dancing Princesses)

Other Westerns and historical fiction books by Elisabeth Grace Foley (Elisabeth Foley's vintage Western suspense novel LAND OF HILLS AND VALLEYS is on sale for $2.99, 50% off, and so is her excellent new anthology THE SMOKING IRON)

Historical fiction fairytale retellings by Rachel Kovaciny (excellent historical fiction reads, period, and strong, interesting retellings)

THE ACCIDENTAL CASES OF EMILY ABBOTT series by Perry Elisabeth Kirkpatrick (contemporary spy mystery series; fun, humorous, and sweet; the first three books out of eight are free today and the rest are $0.99)

Snap up a few of these before the deals are gone (or after!). It's a great time to stock up on good books to read. This is the only Black Friday shopping I do each year, and I'm always pleased with the good books I buy for such a low price. (By the way, you can read Kindle books on a laptop in your browser if you don't have a Kindle, or use the Kindle app on your phone.)

[healerqueen]

I responded to the booklist question! I'm sure I forgot some but whew it still took forever to write.

What about you? What are some of the books youve read the most?

Good question! I finally started keeping a list, so I have something to work from. That way I won't draw a blank.

My top five or six favorite authors and series are: J. R. R. Tolkien's Lord of the Rings, C. S. Lewis's Narnia books, Rosemary Sutcliff's Dolphin Ring series (beginning with Eagle of the Ninth), Enemy Brothers and The Reb and the Redcoats by Constance Savery the Queen's Thief series by Megan Whalen Turner, and The Mysterious Benedict Society (original trilogy and prequel) by Trenton Lee Stewart.

There are many other books and authors I love. I listed several of my childhood influences in this post featuring my 50 favorite children's books (focusing on ones I grew up with as a young person).

Here's my list of favorite books I've read the most or ones I think are worth rereading: The Ordinary Princess by M. M. Kaye (a delightful original fairytale about a princess who refuses to stay in her tower)

The Reluctant Godfather by Allison Tebo (romantic comedy fairytale retelling, with an emphasis on the comedy) Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH by Robert C. O'Brien (adventure about a mother mouse seeking to save her family) The Gammage Cup by Carol Kendall (middle grade fantasy adventure)

Dragon Slippers and Tuesdays at the Castle by Jessica Day George (original fantasy in the style of fairytales) Princess Academy by Shannon Hale (fantasy adventure and coming-of-age story about a group of girls who attend school for the first time)

The Secret Keepers by Trenton Lee Stewart (urban light fantasy with dystopian elements) The City of Ember by Jeanne DuPrau (middle-grade, post-apocalyptic dystopian) The Arrival by Shaun Tan (a wordless graphic novel that conveys human experiences through surrealism)

The Saturdays by Elizabeth Enright (vintage contemporary about a lively family) Derwood, Inc. by Jeri Massi (modern contemporary mystery about another boisterous family) The Westing Game by Ellen Raskin (quirky vintage mystery with an interesting cast of characters) Historical Fiction: Carry On, Mr. Bowditch by Jean Lee Latham Caddie Woodlawn, Family Grandstand, and other books by Carol Ryrie Brink Rebecca's War by Ann Finlayson Understood Betsy by Dorothy Canfield Fisher Knight's Fee by Rosemary Sutcliff

The Lost Baron by Allen French The Wheel on the School by Meindert DeJong By the Great Horn Spoon by Sid Fleischman A Single Shard and Seesaw Girl by Linda Sue Park The Bronze Bow and The Witch of Blackbird Pond by Elizabeth George Speare The Secret Garden and A Little Princess by Frances Hodgson Burnett Wives and Daughters by Elizabeth Gaskell A few books I discovered more recently that are now all-time favorites: Seventh City by Emily Hayse, The Letter for the King by Tonke Dragt, Valiant by Sarah McGuire, Out of the Tomb by Ashley Stangl, the Mistmantle Chronicles by M. I. McAllister, Escape to Vindor by Emily Golus, Chase the Legend by Hannah Kaye, The Key to the Chains by Allison Tebo (sci-fi), Rebel Wave by Tor Thibeaux (undersea dystopian) Historical fiction: Listening for Lions and Angel on the Square by Gloria Whelan, Courage in Her Hands by Iris Noble, Victory at Valmy and Word to Caesar by Geoffrey Trease, historical fiction Westerns and mysteries by author Elisabeth Grace Foley

Mystery/suspense: The Unexpected Mrs. Pollifax by Dorothy Gilman, The Moonspinners by Mary Stewart