Recent(ish) Reads #3

 

Welcome back! I appreciate you tuning in. Clearly, I’m terrible at keeping up with my own-self-created schedule. I can’t even pick a day of the week to post consistently (haha). And after each post, I can’t help but wonder…does anyone even read this (or any blog) anymore? 

Eh (insert a shrug), on we go…

A gentle reminder of my generous rating system. Yes, you get three stars just for writing and publishing a book. I’ve done this, and it’s no easy feat. Kudos, you get to start from the middle. 🙂 

*** Rating system ***

⭐⭐⭐ Eh, at best. Proceed with caution.

⭐⭐⭐⭐ Good, especially if it’s your genre.  Admittedly, a WIDE range.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ FANTASTIC. Read it. For real.

Recent(ish) Reads

A Natural History of Dragons by Marie Brennan ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Follow Lady Trent, the world’s preeminent dragon naturalist, as she details her very first travels to the perilous mountains of Vystrana and her first dragon interaction. 

This was not in my wheelhouse, but it was a personal recommendation by my chiropractor, and great to vary and expand my library. I got lost from time to time in the minutia of both the science and the fantasy of it, but Lady Trent is a fantastic protagonist. I quite enjoyed her first-person account of chasing a dragon, something women of the time did not do. In truth, I love any story about a woman doing something she’s not supposed to.  For fans of sci-fi-fantasy and/or adventure memoir-esque tales.

None of This Is True by Lisa Jewell ⭐⭐⭐⭐+

Tremendous. Could’t put it down.  Alternating POVs between Alix and Josie. Alix is a podcaster. Josie is a ‘listener’. The plot twists and turns quickly. And when you think you know, you are wrong. Unreliable narrators, which? Both? Maybe. Maybe not. It is typical Lisa Jewell.

So why four+ stars? The twist was wrapped up a bit too quickly and neatly for me. The anticipation was spectacular. The closing was a bit anticlimactic. From a craft perspective, she’s talented as all get out. And would I love to write like this? You betcha! 

Gilded by Marissa Meyer ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

A YA reimagining of Rumpelstiltskin. A girl with an incredible imagination, a willingness to help those in need, and the bravery of an army crosses the terrifying and vile Erlking. She winds up in his haunted castle, where she meets a creature who can spin straw into gold, and he saves her life, more than once, but at what cost? 

This came as a suggestion for a possible comparable title (like when you buy/sell a house…same with books). When I send out query letters and pitches, I need intriguing, realistic comp titles. Not only does this one work, but it’s a wildly creative and well-told reimagining.

The Book Thief by Markus Zusak ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

This book stands solid in my top three with To Kill a Mockingbird, and a slew of others, all vying for third. This was my first reread (second reading), and it was much more purposeful this time, with a specific intent: to analyze Death in his omniscient narration. His voice, his perspective, his motivations, how he tells a story, what he gives the reader, what he keeps from them, and the manner in which he interacts with the reader. Death is an excellent narrator, and the writer in me got everything she needed. The reader did, too. I couldn’t help but fall in love, head over heels, with it all over again: the stories of Lisel, Rudy, Papa, Mamma, Max, and even the mayor’s wife. Even better than the first read, if that is possible. Also noteworthy is how the same book can be so magnificently perfect with each read and also so different. I guess some of that depends on where the reader is in life, too. Wherever you are, read (or reread) this magical book.   

The God of the Woods by Liz Moore ⭐⭐⭐⭐+ 

This book was recommended by a fellow writer specifically for the omniscient narration. And it is a GREAT interweaving of multiple stories, characters, and kidnappings. That said, I found the differing timelines a bit bouncy and choppy. The fantastic ending almost makes it a five, but the flipping back and forth to orient myself in time kept it at a four+ for me. 

Eight Perfect Murders by Peter Swanson ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Supposed to be a mindless mystery, but it was interesting. At first, I thought it was a guy reviewing mysteries, but it was more than that. Then our protagonist turns out to be a murderer. Not THE murderer of the story, but a murderer of another in another story. It ended up much more intriguing than I thought it would, and I’m very interested in our ‘protagonist’, so I would read the next in the series. 

What are you reading? What do you recommend? Have you read these? I’d love to hear from you. Share your thoughts in the comments. 

Until next time, find your creative, embrace your wild side, stay sane(ish), and happy reading!

Best, Aspen Hite

  

St. Louis Teen Book Festival

 

St. Louis Teen Book Festival

Two weeks ago, I had the good fortune to attend the STL Teen Book Festival. I planned ahead, taking the day off work and school to play in my Nerd Girl way (and just so we’re clear, being a Nerd Girl is one of my favorite all-time roles in this plane of existence). 

At the festival, I got to meet up with fellow local authors (including my favorite professor), make new acquaintances, and listen to New York Times bestselling novelists share their secrets and promote their latest works, all in a gorgeous library, surrounded by books and bibliophiles as far as the eye could see.

I also spent too much on books, and then chatted (blathered on like a fangirl) with Julie Berry, E. Lockhart, Angeline Boulley, and Britney S. Lewis while they signed their books.

As soon as I finish my current read, I’m sitting down with Julie Berry’s If Looks Could Kill (Medusa meets Jack the Ripper in Manhattan circa 1888…and so much more). And then, one by one, I’ll conquer the rest. I can’t wait.

Such a great day. Check out some of my shots of the panels below. Looking forward to next year!

Until next time, find your creative, embrace your wild side, stay sane(ish), and happy reading!

Best, Aspen Hite

Recent(ish) Reads #2

 

Dear Readers,

Welcome back! A minor title change: Recent(ish) Reads. I love the ish. Plus, "recent" is a relative term, especially the way time moves.

Remember, here on this page, we (me) give stars with grace and compassion because we (I) know how hard it is to write a book.

Rating System*

*I know how hard it is to write a book. We start at three.

⭐⭐⭐ Eh, at best. Proceed with caution.

⭐⭐⭐⭐ Good, especially if it’s your genre.  Admittedly, a WIDE range.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ FANTASTIC. Read it. For real.

Louisiana’s Way Home by Kate DiCamillo (mid-grade) ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

FANTASTIC! I love DiCamillo, and she weaves a magnificent modern fairy tale in a touching middle-grade novel of a young girl on her journey to discover life and herself. An MFA for a fairy tales class.  

We Were Liars (YA)* by E. Lockhart ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

I read this after hearing good things about it from classmates. And I got it read before it blew up on Hulu. It’s got a fantastic point of view. It’s also twisty and tragic to the nth degree. I will read the next one. 

*Update: I initially rated it four stars because the reader in me hated the ending, but the writer in me knows the ending is brilliant, it’s just tragic, and I can’t stop thinking about it. I’ve since updated the rating to five stars. AND, met E. Lockhart at a Teen Book Fest, had her sign my books, and lost my fangirl mind. 

Breakfast of Champions by Kurt Vonnegut ⭐⭐⭐⭐

I watched a brilliant TED talk with Vonnegut and wondered why I’d never read any of his books, so I grabbed a few on sale and started with this one. Um, an interesting read, but the part that sticks with me is the detailed descriptions of penises. I’ve never read a book where the male characters are introduced with the length and girth of their penis. Meet Character B, he’s 3 inches long with a girth of 7 inches. Interesting. And that’s what sticks with me, the poor man with a small, wide penis (hahaha). An interesting story.

Pretty Things by Janelle Brown ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Good! Psychological thriller with dual POVs. You love them. You hate them. Who is the hero? Who is he villain? A twisted tale. Am I happy with the ending? Yep. Have you recommended it to friends? You betcha. 

The Hawthorne Legacy by Jennifer Lynn Barnes (YA) ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Excellent. Barnes takes the mystery and intrigue of  the first one, ups the stakes and then fills in some of the backstory blanks. Almost as good as the first. Barnes is wicked talented. I already have the third one in the series. Can’t wait to see where she takes it next.

Crave by Tracy Wolff (YA) ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Twilight, 20 years later, but better. Pretty, fish-out-of-water gal finds herself in the crosshairs on the warpath, or is it in a love triangle, with a few of the hotties and important people at her new school (psst, a school for supernaturals, with our protagonist not, or is she?). My teenage niece recommended it (and it was free on Prime 🙂).

Girl in Pieces by Kathleen Glasgow (YA) ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Tragic and traumatic. And an important read for young adults or parents of young adults. Our teens struggle with real shit. It’s a shame we don’t help them (and all of us) develop better ways to deal with our pain and traumas (we all have them) without self-harm or harming others. Great read. 

What are you reading? What do you recommend? Have you read these? I’d love to hear from you. Share your thoughts in the comments. 

Until next time, find your creative, embrace your wild side, stay sane(ish), and happy reading!

Best, Aspen Hite

 

Recent Reads #1

I’ve been reading nonstop all year. More now with a purpose than ever before. Thanks to grad school, there is a more analytical focus to my reading than ever before. Don’t get me wrong, I still read for mindless fun, but I also read to grow my gargantuan brain. And it all varies by what’s on the agenda and what I’m writing. For example, I’ve spent a good part of this year reading possible comparable titles for my own novel, so my list is very YA heavy.  And I’m usually always working my way through something nonfiction, usually on the craft of writing, which I probably won’t bore you with. 

I’m trying to get back in the habit of sharing my Recent Reads, so here it goes… 

Rating System

(And since I know how hard it is to write a book, my rating system begins at three stars; yes, you get two free stars just for finishing and publishing a book). 

⭐⭐⭐ Eh, at best. Proceed with caution.

⭐⭐⭐⭐ Good, especially if it’s your genre.  Admittedly, a WIDE range.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ FANTASTIC. Read it. For real.

The Handmaid's Secret by Freida McFadden ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Millie has her secrets, which is why she can’t be too picky when it comes to employers, especially those who pay well. I’ll be honest. I thought Millie might have wisened up since the last time, but no. For fans of Jane Eyre and book one in the Handmaid’s series, this is a quick read. 

The Inheritance Games by Jennifer Lynn Barnes (YA) ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 

A professor of mine introduced me to Jennifer Lynn Barnes at a St. Louis YA Book Festival, where I watched teenagers FREAK out for her work, so I had to know. And I loved it! Avery Grambs, the twists, turns, puzzles and mysteries, not to mention the entire Hawthorn clan, good, bad, indifferent, manipulative, sneaky, and as sinister as they can be. This book lived up to the hype. After finishing book one, I ordered the next two. 

Nothing to See Here by Kevin Wilson ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Hilarious magical realism about a nanny who finds her place caring for the senator’s children. They aren’t bad kids; they just happen to catch on fire. 

I read an excerpt of this in one of my MFA classes, and swooped it up on Kindle with digital credit when it went on sale.

The Witness by Nora Roberts ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Cute. Fun. A bit twisty. It’s been a while since I read Nora, and she’s still a quick read. A little sappy for my tastes in my cynical, jaded old age, but the ending was a good one, and the dog lived. 🙂 

What are you reading? What do you recommend? Have you read these? I’d love to hear from you. Share your thoughts in the comments. 

Until next time, find your creative, embrace your wild side, stay sane(ish), and happy reading!

Best, Aspen Hite

An Honorable Mention

I am thrilled to have earned an Honorable Mention in the L. Ron Hubbard Writers of the Future Contest for my story A Deception, a short little tale about a god, a siren, and an entrance to the Underworld.

A sneak peek at the opening below. Stay tuned as I share more over the next few weeks.

A Deception

“Come on, old friend,” said Hades, looking entirely out of place drinking a margarita at the Tiki Hut on a beach in the Florida Keys. He stroked his beard, pulled down his sunglasses, and met Janus’ gaze, “Look, man, you know I wouldn’t ask, but things up here are a bit out of control, and it’s radically affecting the systematic way I run things downstairs. I should have most of it sorted out in a month or two, but I only need you guys to guard the Entrance to the Underworld for six weeks. Tops. Plus, Naribelle,” he glanced at the voluptuous beauty sunning herself oceanside, “she’s a natural. Six weeks is all I need…promise…”

To Be Continued