TBR--Spring Break Style (Patreon)

Look, I don't know where you live, but in my house, it's Spring Break. All this really means for me is that getting any work done is damn near impossible because I have a bored eight year old harassing me all day. So right now the concept of getting away and going somewhere new (where I could read quietly) is very tempting.

If you're getting some down time and looking for a book to take you somewhere else, here's a short list of suggestions. I tried really hard to only mention books I haven't mentioned here before, but I think I failed a bit. 

The Anna Pigeon series by Nevada Barr (Adult, Mystery) I read a lot of mystery, and there are a few things that really set this series apart. One, they all take place in national parks. (Anna is a ranger.) The author was also a ranger at one point, so the books really give you an insight on the behind the scenes stuff. The other big thing is that Anna is a little older when the books start--I can't remember her exact age, but she's around the middle age arena. There's a fairly large dearth of active, strong, self-sufficient middle aged women in books (and movies, and TV) and Anna is a wonderfully well-rounded character. She has her demons, for sure. She's prickly, and my very favorite thing, pragmatic as hell. I haven't read all of the books--there are 19!--but I enjoyed the ones I did and plan on getting back to them.

Lady Rogue by Jenn Bennett (YA, historical) This book is very Indiana Jones style adventure with a slight supernatural flavor to it. When Theodora gets ditched at a hotel in Istanbul by her treasure hunting father, she's forced to team up with her father's protege and go after him. Lots of gothic villages and action paired with emotional stakes. Theodora and Huck (the protege) have a history and generally I'm not into second chance romances, but ugh, this book was so much fun. In fact, I should reread it.

A Natural History of Dragons by Marie Brennan (Adult, fantasy)--this is the first book following Lady Trent, a dragon researcher from a Victorian England-esque fantasy world as she travels the globe researching dragons. I'm a big nerd for the Intrepid Lady Scientist trope and Lady Trent has that in spades. And she's prickly AND she's pragmatic? Just take all my money.

A Master of Djinn by P. Djeli Clark (Adult, Fantasy) this one's also historical, taking you to a steampunk version of early 1900's Cairo. The world building is in-depth and the book is very atmospheric. It's a cool adventure novel and shouldn't be missed.

Just One Damned Thing After Another by Jodi Taylor (Adult, Fantasy)--I might have mentioned this one before, but I can't remember. I've only read the first one so far, but this book involves a lot of hopping around in time and place and also dinosaurs. Dinosaurs! It's funny, too. I need to read the next one.

Something Wilder by Christina Lauren (Adult, romance) this book has heavy Romancing the Stone vibes and in a shocking move, another second chance romance. Just goes to show you that I'll accept any trope when handled well. Another fun treasure hunting book, with good banter and friendships, but also deadly consequences. *cue suspenseful music*

The Spare Man by Marie Robinette Kowal (Adult, sci-fi/mystery) Okay, so I think I've mentioned this one, too? If not, I wanted to include it because the characters are honeymooning on a space station when one of them is accused of murder. Based on the Thin Man, this book is tons of fun. 

Books that fit the theme, but I've already mentioned them before: Kaiju Preservation Society, The Colour of Magic by Terry Pratchett (Twoflower is vacationing in the Discworld, which is hilarious), The Tough Guide to Fantasy Land by Diana Wynne Jones, The Eyre Affair (she travels in and out of books!), Kings of the Wyld, Hotel of Secrets (historical Vienna!), and many of Lois McMaster Bujold's Sci-fi books. 

What book do you like to disappear into?

--Lish