For Janice - Books Part 5

I'll try to get through this post as quickly as possible so I can get some house work done. 😀 Today I'll look at the last set of book shelves in the extra bedroom, those shelves to the right of the window. There is a mixture of genres, but maybe more Science Fiction. Let's see.

Extra bedroom right side shelves.

I'll start with the top shelf and work down to the bottom.

Women authors (sorry it's blurry)

1. Top Right. All books by women authors, mysteries and fiction. From left, you have Barbara Cleverly who wrote the Joe Sandilands mysteries (I've read 4 or 5 and they get better as the go along) and a new series, featuring archeologist Leatitia Talbot. Then one of my favorite series, Kerry Greenwood's Phryne Fisher historical mysteries set in Australia (great TV series too). She also has started a new one, featuring chef Corinna Chapman. I've read one and thought it was even better, more contemporary. Then there a mixture, that I found in the Femme Fatale publishing house, Evelyn Piper's The Nanny, fiction by Valerie Taylor, Tereska Torres' Women in Barracks and By Cecile, Mary Shelley's Frankenstein and Skyscraper by Faith Baldwin.

Jo's Design books

2. 2nd shelf, left side. Jo did such a wonderful job updating and redesigning this house when we moved in. She basically transformed it. Over the years, I've enjoyed getting her books by various designers, great photos, lots of interesting ideas. This is one set of her books, some she brought with her and some I got her as prezzies.

Mostly Mysteries

3. 2nd shelf, right side. Other than the first book, The Trouble with Peace by Joe Abercrombie, which is a fantasy akin to the Game of Thrones books, the others are mysteries. Malla Nunn's is set in South Africa and Ken Bruen writes the Jack Taylor (another excellent TV series) and Inspector Brant mysteries set in Ireland.

4. Middle shelf left side. A mixture here. Another Joe Abercrombie, with a different fantasy series. Lisa Brackmann's character Ellie McEnroe is an-ex Afghanistan vet who now lives in China and gets involved in mysteries. the first book was excellent. Gary Disher writes police procedurals set in Australia. I haven't tried Omar El Akkad yet. And Donna Leon sets her mysteries in Venice, featuring Commissario Brunetti, with great people, a great location and fantastic food.

5. Middle shelf center. More variety; Sci Fi (Sand by Hugh Howey - I enjoyed his Dust series very much), Fantasies (The Wild Robot by Peter Brown and Crooked Kingdom by Leigh Bardugo) and then a variety of mysteries, The Doll by Taylor Stevens (a thriller series featuring fixer Vanessa Munroe), I Hear the Sirens in the Street by Adrian McKinty (Northern Ireland), Summer of the Dead by Julia Keller set in West Virginia and Mandarin Gate by Eliot Pattison, once again featuring Inspector Shan.

6. Middle shelf right side. Janice Law writes thrillers but the others are Sci Fi, Neal Stephenson (I do need to read one of his books finally) and Octavia Butler, a very interesting perspective on Sci Fi and Anne McCaffery of the Dragons of Pern fantasy series.

7. 2nd from Bottom left side. A mixture of Mystery, Sci Fi and even Horror. Let's see. Mysteries by Victor Canning (South Africa), Leighton Gage (Brazil, Magdalen Nabb (Italy) and Chester Himes (USA). Horror by Stephen King (it's been awhile since I read his work) and Mike Carey (something like the Dresden Files but set in London and scarier) and John Maberry (horror thriller series). Finally Sci Fi; Pump Six by Paolo Bacigalupi who also wrote The Windup Girl, Scythe (the sequel to The Rook, The Poppy War by RF Kuang, a new author for me and another Octavia Butler.

8. 2nd from Bottom right side. So, one mystery here, Bitterroot by James Lee Burke, who is a new author for me. The rest are basically fantasy, The Rook (far right), this was a fascinating TV series and I've wanted to read the book for awhile now (2024 for sure he shouts!). VE Schwab grabbed my interest with A Darker Shade of Magic. A Conjuring is the 3rd book in the trilogy. The rest are all by Jasper Fforde. If you want to read a unique series, check out the Thursday Next series, generally set in the pages of other books. Try it and you'll understand.

9. Bottom shelf Part one. My Sci Fi / Fantasy shelf. A mix of authors; Iain M. Banks (The Culture Sci Fi series), Max Brooks who wrote World War Z, Leigh Bardugo, VE Schwab, Rick Riordan, etc.

10. Bottom shelf Part two. All Sci Fi / Fantasy with some favorite authors and some new authors. Click on the photo to enlarge it. See if any of the books strike your fancy. I've enjoyed Leigh Bardugo, Phyllis Gotlieb, C.J. Cherryh, China Mieville, H. Leighton Dixon amongst others and the rest just seemed interesting and I'm looking forward to trying them.

So there you go. More books to check out. You've got a year to try them. Take care.