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thelivebookproject · 3 years

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Beat the Backlist 2021 Update!

[Don’t know what I’m talking about? EXPLANATION LINK HERE]

One of my (many) 2021 goals was to participate in the Beat the Backlist 2021 challenge, because I’m a simple person: I see book bingos, I want in. I chose the 24-square bingo to start off easy, and I’ve already finished it! Under the cut you can see my complete bingo card and the list of books I’ve read.

And if you thought this was the end of it, you thought WRONG: I downloaded the 52-square bingo right this morning and tried to complete the maximum numbers of prompts with what I’ve read so far this year, because I might as well do things the right way. Right now the full challenge is 65% done, according to my StoryGraph progress bar, so I’m right on schedule to finish it! Yay!

* Means the book doesn’t have an English translation

If a translator isn’t named, it’s because I read the book in the original language regardless of how it appears here!

WTF plot twist: Every Heart a Doorway (Wayward Children #1) - Seanan McGuire --> 4/5 [Review]

Kept you up late reading: The Art of Showing Up: How to Be There for Yourself and Your People - Rachel Wilkerson Miller --> 3.5/5

Set in a major city: Brexit romance - Clémentine Beauvais --> 3/5

A book with illustrations: Camp Half-Blood Confidential (The Trials of Apollo #2.5) - Rick Riordan --> 3.5/5

First line is less than 10 words: Bringing Down the Duke (A League of Extraordinary Women #1) - Evie Dunmore --> 3/5

Good book, bad cover: La tesis de Nancy (Nancy #1) - Ramón J. Sender * --> 3.5/5

Second book in a duology: This Coven Won't Break (This Witches Don't Burn #2) - Isabel Sterling --> 3.5/5

Multiple points of view: Tyll - Daniel Kehlmann (Trans. Isabel García Adánez) --> 3.5/5

Standalone: Evelina - Frances Burney --> 3/5

Genre you never/rarely read: Homegoing - Yaa Gyasi --> 5/5

Picked by a friend/trusted reviewer: The Switch - Beth O'Leary --> 4.5/5

Cover features your favourite colour prominently: Kiki's Delivery Service (Kiki’s Delivery Service #1) - Eiko Kadono (Trans. Rumi Sato) --> 3/5

Character lets out a breath they didn't realize they were holding: How to Fail at Flirting - Denise Williams --> 3.5/5

Black and white: So You Want to Talk About Race - Ijeoma Oluo --> 5/5

From your 2020 backlist TBR: Diary of a Newlywed Poet - Juan Ramón Jiménez --> 2.5/5

Book you forgot you had: Loki: Where Mischief Lies - Mackenzi Lee --> 3.5/5

Caused a major book hangover: Tooth and Claw - Jo Walton --> 2.5/5

Person on the cover: The Real Deal - Lauren Blakely --> 2/5

Has a map: Making a Tinderbox (The Tinderbox Takes #1) - Emma Sterner-Radley --> 2/5

Anthology: Four Fumbling Fairy Tales - Lia London --> 3/5

More than one author: Alone Together: Love, Grief, and Comfort in the Time of COVID-19 - Ed. Jennifer Haupt –> 2.5/5

On the Indie Bestseller list in 2020 or earlier: Clanlands: Whisky, Warfare, and a Scottish Adventure Like No Other - Sam Heughan & Graham McTavish with Charlotte Reather → 3.5/5

Banned book: The Kiss of the Spider Woman - Manuel Puig --> 2.5/5

Non-binary protagonist: Unmasked by the Marquess (Regency Impostors #1) - Cat Sebastian --> 3.5/5

I didn’t write reviews, but I’m more than happy to talk about any of these books if you’re curious so don’t hesitate to reach out!

How are your challenges going?

#btb2021 #beat the backlist #2021 goals #booklr #thelivebookproject #july 2021

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thelivebookproject · 3 years

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Book Review: Every Heart a Doorway, Seanan McGuire

For Beat the Backlist 2021; prompt: WTF plot twist.

Warnings: blood, violence, death and murders, a bit of gore, transphobia.

Title: Every Heart a Doorway (Wayward Children #1)

Author: Seanan McGuire

Goodreads page. // StoryGraph page.

Summary: Eleanor West’s Home for Wayward Children No Solicitations No Visitors No Quests

Children have always disappeared under the right conditions; slipping through the shadows under a bed or at the back of a wardrobe, tumbling down rabbit holes and into old wells, and emerging somewhere... else.

But magical lands have little need for used-up miracle children.

Nancy tumbled once, but now she’s back. The things she’s experienced... they change a person. The children under Miss West’s care understand all too well. And each of them is seeking a way back to their own fantasy world.

But Nancy’s arrival marks a change at the Home. There’s a darkness just around each corner, and when tragedy strikes, it’s up to Nancy and her new-found schoolmates to get to the heart of the matter.

No matter the cost.

I wanted to put my thoughts in order, but mainly I just keep coming back to the idea of how whimsical this felt. At least before the Problems™ started coming.

My favourite part of the book was, of course, the world-building. I absolutely loved the info we are given on the different worlds and how every child was uniquely suited for them. I was incredibly impressed with the author's imagination (I shouldn't have been: I've read October Daye and it's incredible what she can come up with), and every new piece of information left me in awe. I loved everything, especially the bits and pieces of references to fairytales, the fae, myths and legends, etc. I guess it's the world-building what I'm referring to when I said whimsical: the whole idea of belonging to a world suited to you and then spending the rest of your life looking to come back seems like it.

I also liked the exploration of how one's character is developed by its surroundings, kind of, and how human beings can adapt to basically everything. Also the idea of being good or bad, how is that considered, and why, especially in the treatment and respect of others (I'm thinking right now of how Kade argues his world was supposedly Virtuous, but should it be considered as such when it kicked him out for being trans? Because the answer is no).

As to the characters, I didn't really connect with any. I could theoretically like them, but they felt empty to me, just vessels. Nancy was okay, a bit dead inside (yes, I had to make this joke), and while I liked the rest of characters (Sumi, the twins, Kade, etc.) this book was way too short for any kind of meaningful development (although great progress is made). They really paled in comparison to the world-building.

The plot took me completely by surprise when it arrived. I was expecting a quiet little novella about the exploration of belonging and things like that, but then we have actual murders and the school on disarray. It was really surprising, and I'm not sure I entirely liked this direction. I mean, I really enjoyed it nonetheless (the murderer was a big surprise for me), but it really broke up with the whole ~fairytale atmosphere~ it had until that moment and made it a bit gore-y at times.

About the narrative, I liked it. No complains here about the pace or anything else.

All in all, I really liked this book. I'm not sure when I'll continue with the series (the next book is about Jack and Jill and meh), but this was fun and a great start of the year.

The best part: The world-building, of course.

The worst part: That sense of disconnection with the characters and their lives.

I rate this 4/5 stars.

#book review #every heart a doorway #seanan mcguire #btb2021 #booklr #thelivebookproject #january 2021

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