This October was one of the best for new releases. I read a healthy balance of early releases and books out now. My reading speed wasn’t quite the same (yay classes and textbook), but hoping to keep momentum going as the year rounds out. Also, it’s the anniversary of Reading Recap!

Chameleon Moon

What I Learned: Introducing the world & characters

In this book, the main character Regan loses is memory in the first chapter. Sylver uses this conceit as an excellent opportunity to introduce the world of Parole, its denizens, and their struggles. It was a cool way to help the reader learn about the world and develop that emotional investment in its fate.

Blood Rose Rebellion

What I Learned: Poor pacing

Read as an eARC from NetGalley. This book was fraught with other problems, but the most egregious as a reader and as someone who has some struggles with series is that the main plot didn’t really start until 85% of the way into the book. Nothing from the middle 50% mattered and it presented a huge problem. I understand it as a set up for the next two books, however, it lessens the impact of the introductions featured in this first volume.

Dear Martin

What I Learned: Peeling apart form to highlight content

This powerful read excels in the manipulation of formats. Much of the impact is conversation driven. I loved Stone’s use of a script format for the dialogue among the students in the classroom setting. The transition among the various presentations was used so effectively.

The Beautiful Ones

What I Learned: Magic as an element, not a device

Read an ARC from NetGalley. The way magic plays a role in this delightful romance is something I didn’t quite expect. While it is something Nina and Hector bond over, it’s not the primary reason they’re together. I like that it is important to the characters, but not the reason the characters exist and are attracted to each other. This kind of multi-faceted character development made for a swoony read.

Inside the Mind of the Shopper

What I Learned: Waking dystopia of the retail environment

I read this textbook for a class called Shopper Marketing, which is all about marketing to consumers at “the moment of purchase.” One of the central tenets is about creating wide open spaces for people to spend money efficiently while not wasting a terrible amount of time wandering the store. It’s a little nightmarish, not going to lie.

The City of Brass

What I Learned: Pacing action sequences

Read as an ARC I received at BookCon 2017. This book was a great case study in how to handle action and revelations within a work. Each sequence felt like a breath. Action each moment of intensity, there was time to process and for both the reader and the POV character to understand what it means for their fate and their interpretation of the world. This structure didn’t slow down the story at all and, in most cases, gave necessary weight to each piece. Chakraborty is November’s Author-to-Author, so be on the lookout for that.

---

November is National Novel Writing Month. I thought I was going to do some catch-up on books pre-2016, however, I changed my mind and decided to go for comp titles for both my thieves book and the kingdom quest adventure. I’m really excited.

Happy reading,
Jo