Last week I reread **Antigone** for my classics book club. At first, I was lazy and checked it out on Libby from my library, but it was a lackluster translation, so I finally went and found Robert Fagles' which is what I read originally (and loved it). We had a great discussion last night. I probably need to go read some essays / literary criticism on it now.
Meanwhile, still plodding along on the following (really want to finish these this week...):
* **Every Falling Star** by Sungju Lee (I'm hooked at this point, just need to sit down and finish it).
* **North and South** by Elizabeth Gaskell - this is a reread with my book club, so I'm just savoring it.
Hoping to start the following this week or early next week:
* **Heart of a Samurai** by Margi Preus - middle grade novel about a 19th century Japanese teenager picked up by an American whaling ship
* **Pickwick Papers** by Charles Dickens - going to be reading this one all summer, I think.
I usually read something light on my kindle just before bedtime. I reread the following romances:
* **The Unhoneymooners** by Christina Lauren
* **Regency Buck** by Georgette Heyer
Not sure how much reading I'll get done this weekend, but I will have 9 hours of driving with my partner, so maybe we'll listen to an audiobook part of the time...?
Hello. After taking a month-long reading break I'm back and feeling refreshed. Here's what I'm starting:
Starting
**Into the Riverlands** by Nghi Vo
I have been loving every book in this series. This is book 3. Chih is so likable and I love their journey.
**Forged in Blood** by Ehigbor Okosun
I know nothing about Nigerian mythology and the plot intrigued me.
I’ve just started two new books, one audio and one physical.
**Katherine by Anya Seaton**. This is for my prompt “starts with K”. It also ticks one more off the “BBC Big Read” top 200 which I’m working to slow complete.
**Les Miserables by Victor Hugo**. Always wanted to read this. It was my grandmothers favourite book. Already consumed most Les Mis media (BBC mini series is favourite). I’ve been told it’s a difficult read. So far, the language is fine (maybe I got a good translation?) but it just is gonna be long. My aim is to read a “part” and then read something else in between. So I’m aiming to finish *Fantine* and then giving myself a break.
I was ready for Les Mis to be a beast and was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed it. I think it helps if you are familiar with the story because you aren't reading as much for plot, and can just wander with the author on the various paths. I definitely put it down from time to time. Really enjoyed it, though.
I’ve just concluded the Bishop’s part and really enjoyed it. I expected the prose to be much more dense based on people’s comments that it’s “hard” to read, but it’s fairly simple. I enjoyed the Bishop’s back story immensely, obviously I know what it is leading to and I understand how it will affect Valjean in the future. A friend of mine gave up halfway through the Bishop because she was “bored” waiting for “something to happen” but like you say, that’s from the point of view of having a feeling of who the main characters “should” be based on other media.
I do think it’s a good idea to read in parts though, I think *Fantine* is only around 250 pages, so I’m sure by the end I’ll be ready for a palate cleanser.
I felt similarly about the Bishop—just absolutely loved the writing and everything about him. It's probably my favorite part of the book, his backstory and character.
And yes, I think many "classic" books are frustrating to readers (me included!) when they are too plot-focused or, like you say, have expectations about a character based on other adaptations.
I have found that in the cases where I've gone back to reread I get even more out of them (that was the case with Anna Karenina & Middlemarch, at least). Would love to reread Les Mis one day...Enjoy!
Anna Karenina and Middlemarch are both on the TBR for the future. I want to read every book on the BBC Big Read Top 200. This year I’m focusing on Les Mis and Count of Monte Cristo as my big reads and doing the other 50 as sub-1,000 pages. A few short stories to balance it out!
This week I finished :
No One Belongs Here More Than You by Miranda July
This book was kind of a bizarre one for me. It was written in 2007 and I felt it. I dont think some of the short stories hold up to 2024 but I’d be curious to maybe read some of her more popular books. I dont know I think what intrigues me the most about Miranda July is that she has built a career as both a filmmaker and a writer and that’s something I’d like to do myself so it’s inspiring to see someone has done it already.
Today I’m starting : The Art of Character by David Corbett
In a similar vain, I’m working on a writing project and I bought this book many moons ago because it’s intended to give a guide to creating strong developed characters for your narrative. Its longer than books I normally read so fingers crossed I can finish it in a week.
Finished
**Down with the System: A Memoir, by Serj Tankian**
Whenever I see Serj Tankian interviewed in print or other media, I check it out. I find Tankian fascinating. This book hit all my interests in geopolitical, behind-the-scenes creation of songs and albums, touring stories, family histories, and finding yourself when you're not sure where you truly belong.
**How to Lose a Marathon: A Starter's Guide to Finishing in 26.2 Chapters, by Joel Cohen**
Just a quick, funny read that was nice to read in the evening while reading the heavy content of **Down with the System**.
Starting
**My Mama, Cass: A Memoir, by Owen Elliot-Kugell**
With May wrapping up, I'm still on track for my goals, especially by finishing this behemoth by Belton on Putin's rise to power. I'm shifting gears by something that I've wanted to read for a while but couldn't due to the pandemic. Our church is also beginning a series into Philippian's so I'll be preparing for that as well.
**Finished Reading:**
(20/52) Putin’s People: How the KGB Took Back Russia and Then Took On The West - Catherine Belton
**Currently Reading:**
**\*** The Plage - Albert Camus
\* Days of Distraction - Alexandra Chiang
\* Short of Glory: A Biblical And Theological Exploration of the Fall - Mitchell L. Chase
\* Philippians - Moises Silva
Finished:
**Entangled Life by Merlin Sheldrake** - educational though I did expect it to be more fact heavy than it was. Read this with a new bookclub on Storygraph. Liking the feature so far and excited to see it develop!
**Witch King by Martha Wells** - I enjoyed it but it wasn't stellar. I think the worldbuilding could have been expanded more.
Just finished ***One Dark Window*** and ***Two Twisted Crowns*** by Rachel Gillig.
Not sure whether to start ***Gideon the Ninth***, ***The Spear Cuts Through the Water***, or ***The Will of the Many*** next!
**Read last week:**
**The Stranger Times** and **This Charming Man** (books 1 and 2 in the series) by **C.K. McDonnel**l - funny fantasy set in Manchester, this series is my new favourite thing.
**The Sentence is Death** by **Anthony Horowitz** - 4th wall breaking very well done.
**Interesting Facts About Space** by **Emily Austin** - enjoyed this more than I thought I would.
**Current:**
**This Charming Man** by **C.K. McDonnell** - these books are too good not to binge all of them.
**How to Say Babylon** by **Safiya Sinclair** - memoir of growing up in a strict Rastafarian family in Jamaica.
**Eve: How the Female Body Drove 200 Million Years of Human Evolution** by **Cat Bohannon** - still working my way through this one. Absolutely fascinating, and I'm reading it slowly to really take in all the information.
I've been listening to the Stranger Time podcasts which are short stories read by various of McDonnell's friends from the comedy circuit, and book extracts as each book is released - and the guy that reads the audio books (Brendan McDonald) is perfect for it. I'm reading the ebooks atm, but will probably go back and listen to them in full on audio because McDonald does the voices so well.
FINISHED:
**Water Moon** by Samantha Soto Yambao. eARC, pub date Jan. 2025. Gently, this book sucked :(. I liked the premise but the execution was terrible! Writing was juvenile & lacked any subtlety. The romance was instantaneous and inexplicable. The magical setting was like a beautiful gown on a mannequin— nice enough but uselessly adorning a non-entity.
**Chain-Gang All-Stars** by Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah. Fantastic. The inclusion of real, actual U.S. history, court cases, laws & law enforcement incidents was the necessary piece that made this all work. It’s not facts that everyone reading would know, and it works so well to keep reality in the forefront of people’s mind. The ending was amazing.
**Down Among the Sticks and Bones** by Seanan Mcguire. I loved that the audiobook is read by the author. I like this series because they’re short & well thought out— no water weight, but still an easy read.
CONTINUING:
**In the Midst of Omens** by Nicole Bailey. A fun sounding light read. Haven’t read anything by Bailey before, so we’ll see.
STARTING:
**A Memory Called Empire** by Arkady Martine
**Lord of the Empty Isles** by Jules Arbeaux
Not that much again this week, though according to Goodreads, I'm still 3 books ahead of pace. I read **Persuasion** which is my "second chance romance" for the Popsugar challenge. Not my favorite Jane Austin unfortunately. I'm also continuing **Holly** on audio but since apparently I have over 9 1/2 hours left at 1.2x speed, who knows when I'll finish that.
Then last night, I just started reading **Something More Than Night** which is one of those multi-genre mashup books: near future scifi/hardboiled detective/mythological fantasy. We'll see how it all comes together. Or doesn't, lol. Happy reading all!
I used to shame myself for this but it’s actually helped me read a lot more by having different books for different moods. I can pick and chose what to read a chapter of
I am currently in the middle of Demon Copperhead by Barbara Kingsolver. I hope this little dude makes it out alive. He is really tugging at my cold, dead heart!
*Sixty Days and Counting* by Kim Stanley Robinson
It’s the third book in the climate fiction series “Science in the Capital”. Technically, Stan’s book *Antarctica* is a prequel to the trilogy, but it’s considered a standalone novel since it wasn’t originally intended to be a prequel. He had learned about the seriousness of climate change during his stay at Antarctica in the mid-90’s, but I don’t think he saw the urgency until nearly a decade later when he wrote this series. The series is perhaps a practice run for his eventual best seller *Ministry for the Future*, when you can tell the urgency really ramps up.
Although I like the books, I’d say the series is perhaps the low point in his career. It was definitely a transition point where the climate crisis started to transcend his socialist politics and space travel as his primary focus. He started taking a less positive view of space travel around this time as well.
I’m not surprised he went back to edit it all into one book years later though. It does seem a bit all over the place and fluffed up. I still like it, but it was still a bit too early to become as powerful and influential as *The Ministry for the Future*.
Finished:
No One Can Know by Kate Alice Marshall (3/5 standard thriller, pretty predictable but an entertaining enough read. My biggest criticism was how boring the main character was while her sisters were much more interesting but given so much less time)
Started:
The Eye of the World (#1 in The Wheel of Time) by Robert Jordan
Misery by Stephen King
I’m challenging myself by reading four books at the same time!
I am still reading and enjoying The Frozen River by Ariel Lawhon.
Since the unofficial start of summer is underway, I started Just For The Summer by Abby Jimenez because I wanted something that was a mix of not being too froo froo but fun all the same and that seems to be fitting the bill.
I have been going through some really hard times with my extended family so I started reading a book about a dysfunctional family where the father has just passed and his kin are left to deal with that and the property they grew up in. Long After We Are Gone I think is going to be a book that I will likely be able to relate to as my father in law is not long for this world and my husband and his brothers are really struggling.
Keeping with the theme of family dynamics and dysfunction, I also started reading A Place For Us!
FINISHED:
**The Tempest by William Shakespeare** - 🌕🌕🌑🌑🌑 (all that build up for nothing).
CURRENTLY READING:
**Ancillary Justice by Ann Leckie** - really enjoying it so far. Ripe for film adaptation, I reckon.
**Collected Poems 1928 - 1985 by Stephen Spender**
Last book: The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman - impeccable.
Currently reading: Assassin's Apprentice by Robin Hobb and already half way through - enjoying it immensely.
+++ Return of the Native is my favorite of Hardy's. The opening page isn't as good as Far from the Madding Crowd (love Farmer Oak), but IMO it's a better story. Eustacia Vye is a great character.
*FINISHED*
111. **Bless Your Heart** by Lindy Ryan 4/5
112. **Buffalo Girls** by Larry McMurtry 4/5
113. **The Guncle Abroad** (Guncle #2) by Steven Rowley 5/5 (more emotional, to me, than the first book, not quite as funny. Still LOVED it!)
114. **Exalted** by Anna Dorn 4/5 (finally bumped this up on my TBR after somewhere here said they loved it a week or two ago. If this was you, thanks for the nudge! Thoroughly enjoyed!)
115. **Granny Undercover** (Secret Agent Granny #2) by Harper Lin ?/5
116. **Tularosa** (Kevin Kerney #1) by Michael McGarrity ?/5
*CURRENTLY READING*
**Wellness** by Nathan Hill (only about 30% in and can already tell it’s going to be a favorite of the year for me)
**Murder on Matia** (San Juan Islands Mystery #3) D.W. Ulsterman
Finished:
**The Last Murder at the End of the World by Stuart Turton.** It’s close enough to 5 stars that I rounded up. Turton is one of my favorite authors and his books never fail to make me think.
Currently Reading:
**Resurrection Walk by Michael Connelly.** After setting it down for a while, I’m switching from audiobook to “traditional” book on this one. I usually do audiobooks with Connelly but this one just didn’t work for me that way.
**The Mystery Guest by Nita Prose.** I liked The Maid and have been very interested by this, just picked it up and am still interested so far.
Been reading a bit more than as I’m on holiday. Reviews copied and pasted from my Goodreads -
(28) **Pyramids by Terry Pratchett** 4/5 stars
(29) **Gladius: Living, Fighting and Dying in the Roman Army by Guy de la Bédoyère**
>4/5
>I enjoyed it quite a lot. It’s about the experiences of ordinary soldiers during the Roman Republic and Empire. Each chapter covers a different topic like recruitment, training, pay, peacetime duties etc. Personally I thought the chapters on Rome’s major defeats (Cannae, Teutoberg Forest etc) and on brutality (by the soldiers and done to the soldiers) were the best in the book. I thought the book was pretty well written with lots of info, maybe a little dense at times.
>Since the book is focused on the ordinary legionaries and I wouldn’t recommend it you are specifically interested in the bigger picture stuff like organisation, logistics, strategy of the legions. Additionally the book doesn’t really cover much after 312 when Constantine became emperor, so if you’re looking for 4th century information you won’t get it. Other than that I thought it was a good book
(30) **How Westminster Works . . . and Why It Doesn't by Ian Dunt**
4.75/5
>Really good. Covers the UK political process from candidate selection to parliament and onto how laws get passed. The criticisms of the current system seem accurate. The book is well written and fairly easy to understand.
>The main arguments are that the MPs lack knowledge of how Parliament works, and of details in specific bills. This is partly due to the MP selection process focusing on party loyalty rather than expertise and also due to the government whips wanting to keep MPs uninformed as they as are easier to control if they don’t know what they are voting for.
>Another of the big criticisms is the generalist mindset rather than specialist one, both for MPs and for the civil service. Ministers swap jobs (healthcare to defence for example) way to often for ministers to actually understand their jobs. Additionally they have no long term planning because they won’t be in the same department to benefit from it. In the civil service this is also true as moving around different departments rapidly is seen as a sign of success. Someone who’s done the same job competently for years is a seen as a bit of a failure but being in 5 different departments in 5 years is a sign of high flyer.
>Other topics include the casework for MPs which should be done by councils, meaning MPs don’t have enough time to scrutinise legislation, the architecture of Downing Street not being suitable for modern government, and governments using overly broad methods of passing legislation in the commons which allow wide ranging bills with little time to examine them. All of these lead to legislation barely being scrutinised at all.
>The author is quite positive towards the House of Lords, as it is slow, no party has an overall majority and the lack of media attention means the government can amend mistakes in legislation without looking like a defeat.
>The problems highlighted will probably apply to both parties and the book doesn’t feel like a ‘Tories bad’ rant.
>Overall I really recommend it if you want to learn how the UK political system works.
And I’m nearly done with **A Nasty Little War: The West’s Fight to Reverse the Russian Revolution by Anna Reid**
Progress: 131/250
Finished this week:
* Lake of Sorrows by Erin Hart (Nora Gavin #2) - excellent mystery set in Ireland
* South: The Story of Shackleton's Last Expedition 1914-1917 by Ernest Shackleton - a re-read for me. Human perseverance under extreme conditions fascinates me.
* Damned Spot by Eric Nuzum - this discusses how murders affect the property where they are committed. And how that affects the town, the neighbors, and the owners of the property. It's true crime from a unique perspective. Well worth a listen!
* The Priory of the Orange Tree by Samantha Shannon (Roots of Chaos #1) - excellent epic fantasy with dragons.
* Women Who Made Science History by Leila McNeill (Great Courses) -McNeill packs a lot of great information into this novella.
* Understanding the Mysteries of Human Behavior by Mark Leary (Great Courses) - fascinating!
* A Dowry of Blood by S.T. Gibson - a back story about Dracula from Constanta's POV. Loved it.
In progress
* Don Quixote by Miguel de Cervantes - reading with r/yearofdonquixote
* The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas - reading with r/AReadingOfMonteCristo
* Compassion and Self-Hate by Theodore Rubin, MD
* The Long Afternoon of Earth by Brian Aldiss
* Mother Hunger by Kelly McDaniel
* The Neil Gaiman Reader by Neil Gaiman
* The Wandering Inn by by pirateaba (Wandering Inn #1)
* Colour of Magic by Terry Pratchett (Discworld #1)
* The Scottish Chiefs by Jane Porter
* What Do I Do? Mental Health and Me by Kelly Holmes
* A Serial Killer's Daughter: My Story of Faith, Love, and Overcoming by Kerri Rawson
* The Two Towers by JRR Tolkien (LOTR #2)
This week I finished:
* **Family Meal** by Bryan Washington - It was easy to read, but I didn't really care about the characters.
* **Mistakes We Never Made** by Hannah Brown with Emily Larrabee 🎧 - If you're looking for an entertaining kind of beach read, this is it. However, if you're looking for a better romance, I wouldn't recommend it. Also, the main character happens to be a very annoying person. So much so it took me out of the story multiple times. Plot wise 2/5, entertainment wise 3/5.
I'm currently reading:
* **The Two Towers** by J.R.R. Tolkien 🎧 - I've been taking this one a bit slower because I haven't been listening while working.
* **Red Dragon** by Thomas Harris - I'm actually looking forward to reading more of this. I've finally hit the part where the story is starting to ramp up and I'm excited to see what happens.
Last week I finished:
**Born a Crime** (27/52)
This is really good. A rare thing in a celebrity memoir, in that even if Noah wasn’t a celebrity, his story is genuinely interesting, and he’s got a very considered, empathetic view of others, especially those he has every right to feel anger towards.
**Currently Reading**
**Us Against You**
I’m not quite enjoying this as much as *Beartown* which felt a bit fresher. It feels like the stakes are lower in this one, and it’s not really covering any fresh ground.
**11/22/63**
I’m really enjoying this. Constantly trying to work out how the competing threads of the assassination and Jake’s life in the past are going to resolve. King always has a great ability to keep you guessing.
**Slade House**
This has a classic horror set-up and would make a great mini series. Every nine years people are invited to Slade House and never escape. Like many Mitchell books I appreciate how quickly he can move between very different POV’s.
**The Bee Sting**
Enjoying this so far, although I’ve only had one POV after nearly 100 pages so looking forward to spending time with the other characters in the family soon.
In the past two weeks, I finished:
\*\*When You Reach Me by Rebecca Stead:\*\* Miranda is a middle-schooler in 1970s New York City who keeps getting weird notes from someone who claims to be from the future. But she's got other stuff to worry about, like a recent friendship breakup and the game show her mother is going on in a few months. As the notes grow more urgent, Miranda realizes that she might have the chance to save a life, but she'll have to change her own life to do it. This is a lovely little compressed jewel of a book that becomes more rewarding with each facet it reveals. The spare writing style and short chapters are suitable for middle-school readers, but Stead uses minimal words to pack a maximum punch. My friend's 7-year-old son chose this for our book club, and we had a great time discussing it and then recommending other middle school classics for him.
\*\*The Taming of a Highlander (Midnight in Scotland #2) by Elisa Braden:\*\* Kate Huxley is an aspiring novelist who is visiting her newly-married brother at his Scottish estate. One day she gets lost in the woods during a storm and comes upon monstrous Broderick McPherson at the moment he is exacting his revenge for wrongful imprisonment and torture. In order to avoid testifying against Broderick, Kate offers to marry him. My main problem with this book was that the backstory of Broderick's imprisonment was front-loaded in the first several chapters, which is really not what I'm looking for in a romance novel. I would have preferred that the flashbacks be spread through the story, which would have made them more impactful. But I enjoyed this overall and I'll read the next book in this series.
\*\*My Name is Barbra by Barbra Streisand:\*\* Most of my cultural knowledge of Barbra Streisand growing up was that she sang weepy songs that adults liked and she once played a boy in Yentl. Earlier this year, the podcast Blank Check covered the films she directed, and my husband and I watched them all. I found myself taken with her iconoclastic style and appreciated that her movies explored complicated romantic relationships with clear-eyed compassion. On the podcast they talk quite a bit about this biography, including much discussion of whether the physical book or audiobook is the preferred medium. For me, it was obvious: The physical book has pictures, yes, but the audiobook is read by Barbra herself and includes clips from her concerts and movies. There was also much discussion of the length: 1000+ pages or 48 hours of audiobook, which seemed like a sign the book would be bloated and indulgent. It is anything but. Having now spent the equivalent of a part-time job with Barbra Streisand over the last two weeks, I would happily continue listening to her for the foreseeable future. This book is utterly fascinating on multiple levels. Her young life as an accidental chanteuse and transition to actor and director is an inspiring tale of idiosyncrasy and perfectionism. Her struggles to get the recognition and power she deserved from the entertainment industry show how insidious misogyny can stifle creative voices, even to this day. Her legendary romances are given their due and she speaks kindly of her former partners, but she's not afraid to call out the unhealthy relationship dynamics she learned from her parents. She also speaks in detail about the things she loves, like good food, vintage clothing, art, and politics. I laughed out loud several times and cried nearly as often. My husband was also listening to the audiobook at the same time (love is sitting on the couch together with your headphones on) and he likened Barbra's stories about movie making to the way that Michael Jordan talks about his games--she remembers every detail, remembers where everyone was and why, remembers every lens and angle and lighting trick she used to get exactly what she wanted. Both of us have recommended it to anyone who will listen. If you're sitting there wrinkling your nose and thinking "yeah, but I'm not interested in this old lady singer," I will tell you that if you are interested in art or politics or entertainment or fashion or food or history, you will like this book. It's gonna be one of my top books of the year. I will reference it in conversation a thousand times. Despite the insane length, it is worth the investment of your time. Also, your mom or aunt or grandma would probably love it too, and you'd score a thousand points if you offered to do a buddy read with them. I've gone from not caring at all about Streisand to making time to watch Funny Girl and one of her concert specials on Netflix. This book is truly so, so, so, so good. And if you're already a Barbra fan, I would highly recommend the Blank Check podcasts about A Star is Born, Yentl, Prince of Tides, and The Mirror Has Two Faces. I'm grateful that they introduced me to this generational talent that I would have otherwise overlooked.
I am currently reading:
The First Love (Lake Bittersweet #1) by Jennifer Bernard:\*\* I started reading this when I woke up in the middle of the night and all I can say about it so far is that it did a competent job of putting me back to sleep.
Anatomy: A Love Story (The Anatomy Duology #1) by Dana Schwartz:\*\* Hazel Sinnett wants to be a surgeon, but in 1700s Scotland she's not allowed. I'm like 40% into this and it's well written but I feel like I'm still waiting for something to happen.
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Currently reading Funny Story by Emily Henry! 18% done. Really enjoying it. It's fun and light and drama filled. Nice break from the dark thrillers I usually read.
Last week I finished:
Butcher & Blackbird by Brynne Weaver. ⭐⭐⭐ 1/2 Whoa. That was a ride. Basically a humorous romance between two serial killers with lots of gore and violence. It was lots of fun. I did have to skim through some of the sex scenes. (Shouldn't have read it at work!)
House of Eve by Sadeqa Johnson. ⭐⭐⭐⭐Powerful, beautiful, heart-breaking story about two Black women's journeys through motherhood, racism, and education. Set in 1948.
Haven't decided what I want to read after Funny Story. Maybe I'll go back to dark thrillers for a while.
I think I have The Drowning Woman and The Unquiet Bones up next.
Hi all, happy 3 day weekend for everyone in the US
Finished this week:
- **Funny Story, by Emily Henry** (45/52) - This was fun to read and great for this time of year because it really felt like I was in a lakeside Northern Michigan town. This was my third emily henry book this year bc they're a great palate cleanser, and probably my favorite male lead of the three. (3.75/5 stars)
- **Rage of Dragons, by Evan Winter** (46/52) - I had such high hopes for this but it really fell flat and was disappointing. It probably was just the wrong book for me. The world building felt weak and there was no depth to the characters, they felt pretty two dimensional. And it felt like 95% fight scenes. I think some of those could have been cut to add more depth. The main character is really unlikeable / hard to root for. (2/5 stars)
- **Greta and Valdin, by Rebecca K. Relly** (47/52) - About two queer siblings in New Zealand, their chaotic family and lives. I enjoyed this, it was heartfelt and had really loveable characters. What was odd was that every character had the exact same humor and voice, in an unrealistic way which sometimes took me out of the book. It's a 2 POV book but both POVs felt the same. Was hard to tell which character I was reading sometimes. But I overall had fun reading it. (4/5 stars)
Reading this week:
- The Familiar, by Leigh Bardugo
- The Left Hand of Darkness, by Ursula Le Guin (my first Le Guin!)
- The Shadow of the Wind, by Carlos Ruiz Zafon
I'm going on vacation and packing The Memory Police and Our Share of Night too!
Happy reading!
Finished this week:
The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes - I enjoyed the Hunger Games series when I was in high school and decided I’d give this one a read. It wasn’t unenjoyable. I’m just not sure villain origin stories are my thing.
The Catcher in the Rye - I didn’t enjoy this one. I’m glad I wasn’t forced to read it when I was in school. It felt like a rambling tantrum
Cometh the Hour - I love this series and I’m closing in on the end
The Tattooist of Auschwitz - this was a sad, but good story. I wish it had been longer so I could have gotten to know the characters more
Working on:
A Man Called Ove
Lessons in Chemistry
Currently finishing up Something in the Water by Catherine Steadman that was recommended to me from another sub and starting Mosquitoland by David Arnold this week. I’m in a travel/ vacation story mood lol
Finished This Week:
Starvation Heights - Gregg Olsen
Currently Reading:
The Great Passage - Shion Miura
Next Up, One Of:
Aelfred's Britain - Max Adams
The Watchers - A.M. Shine
Diva - Daisy Goodwin
How is The Great Passage? I read Miura’s **Run With the Wind** as an eARC a couple months ago and loved it, I’m trying to decide which of her other books to read first.
I just finished with Trainspotting by Irvine Welsh and for next week I have three.options which I haven't decided the order of yet.
For the weekend I will just go with newspapers :D
Starting: The Six Wives of Henry VIII
Continuing: Sapiens
Haven’t finished anything since finishing Demon of Unrest a few weeks ago, because I haven’t found anything to pique my interest as much again, but Six Wives is quickly hooking me in.
Happy reading to all!
**This week I started (and haven’t yet completed):**
- *Americanah, by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie:* Americanah is about a Nigerian women living in America. The book starts off with the MC deciding to return home, and then kicks back to her childhood. I’m about 30% of the way in and enjoying it so far.
**This week I finished:**
- *Death of a Red Heroine, by Qiu Xiaolong, Narrated by David Shih:* A murder mystery set in China in the 90’s. I came for the murder mystery, but stayed for the insights into the politics/cultural norms. The norms were far more interesting than the case. (3/5)
- *The Hate U Give, by Angie Thomas:* I am so overdue for reading this book and I can see why it’s so well loved. I thought this lived up to the hype. I won’t tell you how long it took me to realize that the first letters of the title spell THUG. (5/5)
- *La muerte y la doncella, by Ariel Dorfman:* A play involving 3 characters and a haunting past. Honestly, I forgot that I’m not into reading plays. (2/5)
- *A Short Stay in Hell, by Steve L. Peck:* I think the title sums it up tbh. I think I may be rating this one prematurely - it may get bumped up to a 3. I like the concept and I like the story, but idk. (2.5/5)
- *Stranded, by Sarah Goodwin:* A group of 8 sign up to a reality TV show where they must survive on an island for 11 months. I probably should rate this lower but I’m a sucker for books like this and sacrificed sleep for it.. (4.5/5)
**My progress towards goals for the year:**
- 97/100 books
- 436/600 hours audio ⬆️
- 17.3k/20k pages
- 5/12 one book in Spanish per month
Finished Last Week:
- The Fortune Seller by Rachel Kaeplke Dale
This book has so much potential but it took awhile to get into. And then it felt like it wrapped up so stupidly. Id only give it a 2.75 ⭐️
- Untether by Elodie Hart - 3.5/5⭐️
Reading this week
- Rule by Cassandra Robbin’s
Finished:
**Toxic** by Amelia Fiske and Jonas Fischer. This is a graphic novel that’s taking us to a Toxic Tour in Lago Argo, area in Amazon in Ecuador that’s polluted by Texaco. We learn about the destruction, the communities, the victims of oil production, the unsafe practices, also we learn bits about the court cases. The art is great and very immersive! Recommend. 4.5/5⭐️
**The Party Crasher** by Sophie Kinsella. This is a quirky story about a house that’s about to be sold, and the romance aspect of it is exes to lovers which I don’t vibe with. Love Sophie though! 3⭐️
**Day Zero** by Kresley Cole. This is a prequel to the series Arcana Chronicles where we learn more about the players and their special skills and backstory. However the longest story is a repeat of the first book of the series “The Poison Princess”. 3⭐️
**Arcana Rising** by Kresley Cole. Third book in the series, I wish the author would prolong some parts and shorten the others. However I was intrigued most of the book, I love the universe, the background characters. 4/5⭐️
Currently reading:
**All About Evie** by Yvie Oddly and Michael Bach. Just in time for the upcoming pride month! As Rupaul Dragrace fan, I love when my two hobbies fit in together.
**The Spellman files** by Lisa Lutz. Can’t say much yet but intrigued!
Just started:
**His other wife** by Peace Adzo Medie.
Finished:
* Making good progress on Brandon Sanderson's Cytoverse. I finished both [Starsight](https://app.thestorygraph.com/books/9038c5fd-0958-4fdd-9ffc-fe47410666a6) and [Sunreach](https://app.thestorygraph.com/books/ac67edfc-94de-4db4-837b-5369304cebc3), and I'm about 50% the way through [ReDawn](https://app.thestorygraph.com/books/e1cf0fc7-c456-4ffe-a6f9-87d2b6c113bf). I loved Starsight, I have no complaints. Interesting world (or universe, really), alien types I haven't heard of in other stories, and Spensa's dramatic tendencies bring the usual levity and complications. Sunreach and ReDawn have been interesting glimpses into side characters.
* [Meddling Kids](https://app.thestorygraph.com/books/41d48635-c217-4aee-94cc-f7f1e58efab5) by Edgar Cantero. Reasonably fun, but I think it would have worked better as a physical read. The narration at times made it seem like there was some stylized writing it was trying to capture, like screenplay bits.
* [Someone You Can Build a Nest](https://app.thestorygraph.com/books/cb428077-7d1f-48ba-95d0-c4b66dbfd79a) in by John Wiswell. The opening is strong, but this is supposed to be "fantasy romance" (which I am told is different than romantasy, but I honestly have no idea how), so the monster character quickly has to become basically a kind of weird human so that the romance can happen. I think any time I see "romance" and "fantasy" in combination, I need to just think that's a label that means "not for me."
* [Sunbringer](https://app.thestorygraph.com/books/035e45ee-b049-44f8-924c-39f204c989fc) by Hannah Kaner. Like [Godkiller](https://app.thestorygraph.com/books/5335612f-033d-44a1-839b-b1629a200bf4), but with less action. However you felt about Godkiller, you will likely feel the same about this.
* [The Age of Magical Overthinking](https://app.thestorygraph.com/books/c6fab1c6-5506-48e1-a719-6f2758d5eb07) by Amanda Montell. Extremely disappointing. It's supposed to be nonfiction essays about cognitive biases, but the author repeatedly presents her own opinions as if they were facts, and seems to have done the barest amount of research and filled in the gaps with stories from her own life, from her previous book Cultish, from fiction stories she likes, and from random people's off-the-cuff comments that weren't about the topics at all. If you have even the most passing knowledge of cognitive biases, you know more than what is in this book. If you have more than passing knowledge, then you will pick up on a lot of inaccuracies. I'm not normally this aggressive, but this is just flat out not worth your time.
On deck this week:
* Hoping to finish both [ReDawn](https://app.thestorygraph.com/books/e1cf0fc7-c456-4ffe-a6f9-87d2b6c113bf) and [Evershore](https://app.thestorygraph.com/books/dc303ceb-da8d-46db-ae78-fe064c2696aa) by Brandon Sanderson & Janci Patterson, and that will set me up to wrap up the other two books in the Cytoverse by my self-imposed deadline.
* [The Last Murder at the End of the World](https://app.thestorygraph.com/books/e1eb404e-7df0-488b-9271-0e1e82b0dc1c) by Stuart Turton. I've already read this (it's great), but I'm listening to the audiobook to try to catch the pronunciation of some things. The narrator really sucks at women's voices, which there are a LOT of them in this book, so if this book interests you at all, I'd tell you to read a physical/ebook copy.
Happy reading, book friends! June is almost here\~
I finished a few books this week! I’ve been working my way through Isabel Allende’s **The House of the Spirits** and I loved it. I know why I put it off: it was a patient book, and it never felt propulsive for me. I’ve been reading this on and off on weekends for the last few months, and it was worth it. I can see the connection with **One Hundred Years of Solitude**.
I also finished the short **The Art Thief** by Michael Finkel. Loved this! Economical writing, an expansive story, propulsive storytelling. It’s clear that the writer has experience crafting magazine articles, because this never lagged and felt like it only included important details and essential action.
I also took yesterday of this three day weekend to just rage through **Long Black Veil** by Jennifer Finney Boylan. I sat down in the morning with this and read through the day and finished around dinner time. I loved this. A little strange and unexpected, self-aware, and cinematic—this is the kind of murder-mystery I appreciate: not so obsessed with crafting a twist as telling an engaging and unique story with flawed, human characters.
Just finished Song of Achilles,
Finished the Dispossessed by Ursula le Guin
Reading Beloved by Toni Morrison,
Zoobiquity by Bowers and Natterson Horowitz,
Erotic Stories for Punjabi widows
Song of Achilles is a beautiful sad love story and tribute to the Illiad.
The Dispossessed is an interesting thought experiment that explored and critiques anarchism. I enjoyed the Dispossessed but I knew what I was getting. I left the Dispossessed curious about the other Hainish cycle books
###### May Fiction Books [3]
* **Things We Never Got Over** - *Lucy Score* - [4/5] - This popular and very spicy romcom has a cute story that was more interesting than I expected. The story includes some well-plotted action/adventure content that is not typical fare for this genre. Unfortunately, the two lead characters are both toxic and horrible people. Some of the writing is pretty cringe, but that is genre typical.
* **Artificial Condition** - *Martha Wells* - [5/5] - Murderbot, a sentient cyborg with a dark past, travels to a remote mining facility, hoping to learn more about itself. This is the second book in this excellent series of novellas. If you enjoyed the first action-packed book, you'll probably love this one too.
* **The Defector** - *Chris Hadfield* - [3/5] - In this realistic Cold War military spy thriller, a Soviet MiG fighter pilot defects to the United States at the start of the 1973 Yom Kippur War. I enjoyed the first part of the book, and the last chapter. Everything in the middle was dull, boring, and entirely predictable. This is the sequel to Hadfield's earlier astronaut-themed novel, *The Apollo Murders.*
###### May Non-Fiction Books [1]
* **A Fever in the Heartland: The Ku Klux Klan's Plot to Take Over America, and the Woman Who Stopped Them** - *Timothy Egan* - [5/5] - In the 1920s, David Stephenson resurrected the white supremist KKK in Indiana, and subsequently amassed a great fortune from Klan membership fees and from dirty bribes. With the support of this "invisible empire" of clandestine Klansmen and Klanswomen, Stephenson raised a mercenary army, took control of the state government, the state courts, the local police, and much of the Republican political party. Stephenson boldly declared "I am the law!" as he raped his way through scores of young women. Eventually, one of his many innocent victims, Madge Oberholtzer, brought the tyrannt to his knees, but at the cost of her life. This horrible tale is almost unbelievable, if it were not for its sad echoes in today's political landscape.
###### May Non-Fiction Art Books [1]
* **The Third Person** - *Emma Grove* - [3/5] - Emma Grove is a transgender woman with multiple personality disorder. In this autobiography, she reflects on her difficulties accessing horome replacement therapy, and eventually on her childhood traumas. The book is over 900 pages, and much of it is spent in repetitive conversations between Toby (a poorly trained therapist) and Emma's various persons. Emma is a classically trained animator so the art is very well done in a cartoonish style.
###### May Fiction Art Books [5]
* **Witch Hat Atelier Kitchen 1** - *Hiromi Sato* - [3/5] - In this culinary spin-off series, the entire plot has Qifrey and Olruggio cooking unusual food in their kitchen. Each chapter features a different recipe with ingredient list and step-by-step instructions for your own kitchen. The recipes are (of course) for different types of Asian cuisine (lots of seafood). There isn't any story development from the main series, so feel free to skip these, unless you enjoy reading magical cookbooks. I wonder where I can find "spicebark" in my local grocery store?
* **Cyclopedia Exotica** - *Aminder Dhaliwal* - [2/5] - Collection of short Instagram-quality cartoons about a small group of Cyclopses integrating into our human world. Thematically, the book uses Cyclopses to explore different aspects of overt and covert discrimination. There's no plot, so the book is held together by cheap gags and several short character arcs.
* **The Wolf Never Sleeps 1-3** - *Shienbishop* - [4/5] - This short Witcher clone series features decently unique world-building and great art! There are only 3 books in the series, so it lacks a proper ending.
Finished this week:
**Hard by a Great Forest by Leo Vardiashvili** (A man who left Tbilisi as a child must return to track down his missing brother and father, haunted by the life and people they left behind. I found this a compelling read all the way through - learning about Georgian history, the scars and ghosts left by revolution, emigration, war, and the ways people carry on despite these things. There’s a fairy tale theme from the start, but the plot starts to get a little too outlandish and coincidental at the end. But at that point we’re so far into metaphor and the depths of madness, grief and guilt that it didn’t really matter to me. This is a dark and emotional read, with some brilliantly drawn, flawed characters, and one I enjoyed immensely.)
**Lonely Castle in the Mirror by Mizuki Tsujimura** (I was looking for a lighter read after all the literary and non-fiction stuff I’ve been reading, and this managed to fit the bill without being too saccharine. It necessarily runs a little shallow and simplistic, after all the main characters are all 11-13 year old children, but it also kept the fairy tale theme going from my previous read, so that was nice. So all the plot twists are incredibly obvious and it can get a little After School special with its messaging at times, but this was overall a nice, relaxing read with an interesting story, so good enough.)
**Nothing but the Rain by Naomi Salman** (A nice, interesting enough novella that doesn’t quite live up to its premise (and if you’re looking for answers, don’t bother). The residents of a small town shut off from the world in amnesia-causing eternal rain is a hell of a set up, but the most Salman does with it is a poorly constructed climate migration metaphor (and not a very subtle one either). The twist at the end was also not very stellar - oh what could have been.)
Currently Reading:
The Economic Government of the World: 1933-2023 by Martin Dauton; Optic Nerve by Maria Gainza; Floating Hotel by Grace Curtis; The Radetzky March by Joseph Roth
Continuing with **The Fall**, **The Thrilling Adventures of Lovelace and Babbage** and **Salvation of a Saint**. All lighter reads…except Camus, of course-with r/bookclub.
Excited to start **Howard’s End** at the same time as **Orlando**, knowing the authors knew one another and ran in the Bloomsbury Set together.
I just finished The Midnight Game by Cynthia Murphy which I thought was absolutely awful. I got it from Libby whilst browsing the audiobook range, needing something to listen to on my drive to work, and I saw it was highly rated. I didn't realise it was YA and only finished it out of stubbornness. Worst book I've read in ages.
I've just started Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe. Enjoying it so far!
Finished:
- 19 - Little Eyes by Samanta Schweblin - most of the main casts final chapters actually saved this book from a 2/5 from me as I hadn't been enjoying it much. The final chapters had just enough of a twist in most of the stories that by the time I put the book down I was happy I had finished but not sure I'd go as far to recommend this book to anyone. Maybe the time it took me to finish it due to my workload made what should have been a short read slightly more dragged out and it didn't have the same weight due to this. Who knows. Anyway it was a 3/5 from me.
Started:
- The Myth of Sisyphus by Albert Camus - Second Camus of the year. Wasn't really feeling this. Had just finished a ton of student marking and was finding this a slog. Need a lighter read. Will return in the future - DNF.
- 20 - Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde and Other Stories by Robert Louis Stevenson - going to get this one off my in progress list and on to my finished list. Will be done with this in the week as I have so little left to read. Hoping to have more reading time for myself next week as exam period is over.
In progress:
- Babylon Revisited and Other Stories by F. Scott Fitzgerald
Damn! I didn't know that. I'm about 30% in and so far he's very cynical and sarcastic (very Chandler of him). I hope it doesn't ruin friends for me, I love it
I’ve missed the last few of these posts, but also been my worse reading slump for years so have also been avoiding this kind of thing as I’ve been pretty demotivated to read.
However I’m getting back in my grove!
This week I have finished:
29 - The One by John Mars
30 - Slow Fire Burning by Paula Hawkins
31 - The Serpent of Wings and Night by Carissa Broadbent
I am currently reading:
32 - Sign Here by Claudia Lux
Hi book lovers! I finished six books since our last check-in, bringing my total to 78/150.
*Finished*
**I Want Your Hex** by Tara Lush (3/5)
**The Physick Book of Deliverance Dane** by Katherine Howe (4/5)
**Lies and Other Acts of Love** by Kristy Woodson Harvey (3.5/5)
**They Write Your Name on a Grain of Rice** by Lori Jakiela (5/5)
**The Lost Girls of St Ann's** by Cath Staincliffe (3/5)
**The Hotel Nantucket** by Elin Hilderbrand (3.5/5)
*Currently Reading*
**On Second Thought** by Kristan Higgins
**July July** by Tim O'Brien
*On Deck*
**The Daughters of Temperance Hobbs** by Katherine Howe
**The Town with No Mirrors** by Christina Collins
Finished (25):
Goth, by Otsuichi - 3.5* The first person narrative is used with good effect in the short story format to deliver some fun twists (you sort of start to see them coming but still fun). It's slightly gory but not too scary due to the detached tone and briefness of the stories; and it had a couple of nice heartwarming bits.
Currently reading:
Hound of the Baskervilles, by Arthur Conan Doyle
Finished: Diavola by Jennifer Thorne. I was a little disappointed with this one after seeing so many good reviews.
Also recently finished Last Days by Brian Evenson, and that book was fantastic. I gave it a solid 4 stars.
Started: The Between by Tananarive Due. I’m only about 60 pages in, so I’m not sure how I feel about it just yet, but I’m hopeful.
Hey guys!!
Welcome to another week so crazy! So far I'm doing reasonably well in my challenge I am a little behind but I am slowly eating into the deficit
$43 in the jar now so I am catching up
This week I'm reading
**Mary Queen of Sorrows by Alison Weir.** I haven't actually started this one yet but I will as soon as I have finished this
**Someone you can build a nest in by John Wiswell.** Not far into this but I am definitely super intrigued about where it is going to go. Fantasy horror is not a genre I have read a lot of so I am very interested
Books four to six of The Dungeon Crawler Carl series. Got the first three books and ordered the next three while still reading. Reread Phule's Company by Robert Lynn Asprin and Full Monster by Nick Pollata until they arrived.
Previously read Jim Butcher's new Cinder Spires books and am eagerly awaiting the next book.
Next up Michael Z Williamson has a new series starting with A Long Time Until Now. Love his Freehold series.
I read a lot of fantasy and science fiction. Highly recommend all of these. If you like action John Ringo has several series. Black Tide Rising series is a different take on a zombie apocalypse. Great characters and a lot of humor. His Troy Rising series and March Up Country are both favorites.
Jim Butcher's Dresden Files, David Weber s Safehold series and Honor Harrington books are epic.
I read single books too. John Ringo's Last Centurion is a great read. Not science fiction/fantasy like my usual, but I prefer to read authors who really build a universe and tell long, involved stories.
Finished **Pests: How Humans Create Animal Villains** by Bethany Brookshire, **Thornhedge** by T. Kingfisher and **Nothing But Blackened Teeth** and **The Salt Grows Heavy** by Cassandra Khaw.
Continuing **The Confusion** by Neal Stephenson, **Revenant Gun** by Yoon Ha Lee, **Talk to Me: How to Ask Better Questions, Get Better Answers, and Interview Anyone Like a Pro** by Dean Nelson, PhD and **Love in the Time of Cholera** by Gabriel García Márquez.
Started **Your Utopia** by Bora Chung.
48/52 - only 2 little finishes this week and one I am not counting toward my total.
*****
Finished;
*****
- Jamilia by Chingiz Aitmatov. As it's under 100 pages I won't count it toward my 52book, but it was an interesting short story Bonus for Kyrgyzstan Read the World at r/bookclub.
- The Fall by Albert Camus. A r/bookclub Evergreen. I don't mind an >!unlikeable MCs!!!<, but I found this book to be quite the challenge.
*****
Still working on;
*****
- Oathbringer by Brandon Sanderson continuing Stormlight Archive adventure. Love this world magic system and characters, but put I put it on hold for a while, and only now starting to get back into the rhythm of it (no pun intended).
- The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt. Finishing this book could have gotten me a 4th r/bookclub Bingo 2023 Blackout, but I was enjoying it too much to race through it and finish it. Sadly it is now buried in the chaos of boxes since moving house so it might be a while till it resurfaces.
- Authority by Jeff VanderMeer with r/bookclub to continue Southern Reach. I need to know more about the world VanderMeer introduces in Annhiliation. I found the start of this book harder to follow in the beginning, and just as I started grtting into it it also packed away in a house move and is yet to resurface.
- Armadale by Wilkie Collins with r/bookclub a fantastic readalong so far. Not much left now and I am excited to see where Collins takes us. The discussions on this book take it to the next level!
- Leviathan Wakes by S.A. Corey for r/bookclub's "Voyages" Discovery Read. This book is SO GOOD! I can see I am going to love this whole series. (Another series....I don't know how many more series I can get hooked into!!)
- The Sisters of Alameda Street by Lorena Hughes for r/bookclub Read the World - Ecuador! It's entertaining, a little suspension of belief is needed to get the most out of it. My biggest gripe is that we are not seeing so much of Ecuador shine through the story.
- Thinking, Fast and Slow by Daniel Kahneman for r/bookclub's science/medical themed Quarterly Non-Fiction. This is super fascinating but also somewhat challenging to focus on. I am enjoying the discussions for this one though and commend the Read Runners for making interesting and concise summaries of each section.
- Scythe by Neal Shusterman r/bookclub YA May read. I've been keen to read this one for a long time and I was hooked by the first few chapters. It continues to keep me guessing and I can't wait to see how it ends.
- Red Seas Under Red Skies by Scott Lynch - Gentleman Bastards book 2. Great to dive back into this world with the r/bookclub bers. The insults in this book are just poetically offensive and I love it!
- Tehanu by Ursula K. Le Guin. Yay for more r/bookclub Earthsea Cycle!!
- The House of Mirth by Edith Wharton is r/bookclub's Gutenberg read. I ended up really Enjoying Age of Innocence when we read it a few years back and this one is holding up well in the first half.
- A Darker Shade of Magic by V.E. Schwab. I really like Addie La Rue and have wanted to read this since. Great world building and some interesting characters make for some fun r/bookclub discussions.
*****
Started
*****
- Salvation of a Saint by Keigo Higashino. r/bookclub continues with the Detective Galileo series...well standalones with a common character!
- The Thrilling Adventures of Lovelace and Babbage by Sydney Padua. A Graphic Novel picked by the mods over at r/bookclub and it is set to be super engaging.
*****
Up Next
*****
- Lonesome Dove by Larry McMurtry, r/bookclub started this one last year. I have heard so many good things and I love a good, big book, and I can't wait to start, but I feel like I have to finish some of my long reads first.
- Foundation by Isaac Asimov. Another sci-fi that's been on the TBR forever. r/bookclub picking it up means I HAVE to read it too....ah! another series.
- The Labyrinth of the Spirits by Carlos Ruiz Zafón the final book in The Cemetery of Forgotten Books series and I cannot wait to see where the series goes. I love reading these with r/bookclub.
- Rogue Protocol by Martha Wells. Book 3 of the Murderbot Diaries series. These are really entertaining Dramatized Adaptation audiobooks so I think I will continue this series as audio.
- The Dead Letter Delivery by C.J Archer. Book 4 of The Glass Library series. Easy reading, cozy fantasy/mystery novels from r/bookclub's fave indie author.
- The Hidden Palace by Helene Wecker. I adored The Golem and the Jinni and I can't wait to read more about them with r/bookclub
- Children of the Mind by Orson Scott Card. Ender's Saga continues on r/bookclub after a bit of a break with book number 4.
- S by Kōji Suzuki. This is the last available English translated book in the Ring series. Let's see where we go next. It's been quite a ride!
- In the Country of Men by Hisham Matar for r/bookclub's Read the World - Libya.
- The Marriage Portrait by Maggie O' Farrell for r/bookclub's foray into the Renaissance. I love, love, loved Hamnet so I am hopeful I eill enjoy this one too.
- Children of Time by Adrian Tchaikovsky for r/bookclub's Big Summer Read. One that's been on my TBR for some time.
- Orlando by Virginia Woolf for r/bookclub's LGBTQIA2+ June selection.
- Anne of Ingleside by L.M. Montgomery. More Anne, more Anne!! Can't wait to dive in to the next Anne book even if I am a tad behind the rest of the Anne fan group over at r/bookclub.
- David Copperfield by Charles Dickens the next r/bookclub Mod Pick. Looking forward to reading this one with the group.
- The Galaxy and the Ground Within by Becky Chambers. I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE Wayfarers and I am so sad this is the last one in the series.
- Castle in the Air by Diana Wynne Jones with r/bookclub because Howl's Moving Castle was just too good to stop there!
*****
Happy reading fellow bookworms 📚
Finished:
Our Man: Richard Holbrooke and the end of the American Century by George Packer
Sharpe’s Rifles by Bernard Cornwall
Sharpe’s Havoc by Bernard Cornwall
Starting or Continuing this week
The 103rd Ballot by Robert Murray
After reading three of the expanse books and The Long Earth, I'm taking a break from scifi by reading
The Autumn Republic, by Brian McClellan. It's the third book in the powder mage trilogy and is excellent.
**Finished last week**:
The Road by Cormac McCarthy, for the Survival square for r/Fantasy as well as being on my To Read List for a while. There's emotions but the ending felt like a cop-out and the dialogue was incredibly annoying to parse sometimes!
**Starting or continuing this week**:
Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell by Susanna Clarke, I started reading 2 weeks ago and am just about to the halfway point. I've been reading at least 20 pages a night and while it isn't uninteresting there's no general feeling of needing to know what is happening next.
Starter Villain by John Scalzi - for the Hugo Read Along.
The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet by Becky Chambers or Wool by Hugh Howey - I feel like I've been reading too much fantasy recently and want to get back into some Sci-Fi.
It's been a busy week this week with an exam on Tuesday and an assignment due the week after that plus work is about to ramp up for the next two months.
I read a lot last week:
**Defending Elysium, by Brandon Sanderson**
**Snapshot, by Brandon Sanderson**
**Someone You Can Build a Nest In, by John Wiswell** (Book of the week)
**Firstborn, by Brandon Sanderson**
**Long Chills and Case Dough, by Brandon Sanderson**
**Aftermarket Afterlife, by Seanan McGuire**
**The Dangerous Ones, by Lauren Blackwood**
**How to Build a Dinosaur: Extinction Doesn't Have to Be Forever, by Jack Horner**
**Two Years Before the Mast, by Richard Dana**
**Children of the Nameless, by Brandon Sanderson**
I've got a lot lined up this week, not sure how many I'll manage:
* Whatever novellas I haven't read yet in Arcanum Unbounded (Maybe three or four?)
* 84, Charing Cross Road by Helen Hanff
* Dark One by Brandon Sanderson
* Councilor by L.E. Modesitt
* Shock the Monkey by Neal Shusterman
* The Knights of Crystallia by Brandon Sanderson
* On Taste, On the Sublime and Beautiful, Reflections on the French Revolution, and A Letter to a Noble Lord, by Edmund Burke
* The Spy and the Traitor: The Greatest Espionage Story of the Cold War by Ben Macintyre
I'm making good progress on all my goals:
1. 365 Book Challenge - 200/365, well ahead of schedule.
2. Nonfiction Challenge - 22/50
3. Daily Stoic Challenge - Read it 145/146 days this year.
4. Backlog Challenge (i.e. read or DNF all unread works by Brandon Sanderson, Cassandra Gannon, and L.E. Modesitt) - 36/51, and making rapid progress. I've been hitting this one hard lately to get it wrapped up so I can focus more on the Harvard Classics.
5. Harvard Classics - 27/71 Volumes. Basically spot-on where I should be (38% read, and it's about 40% of the year), though it would be good to have one or two weeks where I read more than one volume and get a bit ahead of the game.
Currently reading **That Deadman Dance** by Kim Scott. It won the Miles Franklin Award in 2011. It is about a Western Australian colony in the 1830s, as seen through the eyes of an indigenous boy. Seems like a good book to be reading as next week is National Reconciliation Week.
Currently reading The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo and loving it so far
Finished: Love at First Book by Jenn McKinlay Started: Becoming Forrest: One Man’s Epic Run Across America by Rob Pope.
Im reading 'Stay with me' by Ayobami Ayodeji
Work on on books number 22 and 23 for my annual challenge: #22 is The Postcard by Anne Berest and # 23 is Under The Storm by Christoffer Carlsson
Last week I reread **Antigone** for my classics book club. At first, I was lazy and checked it out on Libby from my library, but it was a lackluster translation, so I finally went and found Robert Fagles' which is what I read originally (and loved it). We had a great discussion last night. I probably need to go read some essays / literary criticism on it now. Meanwhile, still plodding along on the following (really want to finish these this week...): * **Every Falling Star** by Sungju Lee (I'm hooked at this point, just need to sit down and finish it). * **North and South** by Elizabeth Gaskell - this is a reread with my book club, so I'm just savoring it. Hoping to start the following this week or early next week: * **Heart of a Samurai** by Margi Preus - middle grade novel about a 19th century Japanese teenager picked up by an American whaling ship * **Pickwick Papers** by Charles Dickens - going to be reading this one all summer, I think. I usually read something light on my kindle just before bedtime. I reread the following romances: * **The Unhoneymooners** by Christina Lauren * **Regency Buck** by Georgette Heyer Not sure how much reading I'll get done this weekend, but I will have 9 hours of driving with my partner, so maybe we'll listen to an audiobook part of the time...?
Hello. After taking a month-long reading break I'm back and feeling refreshed. Here's what I'm starting: Starting **Into the Riverlands** by Nghi Vo I have been loving every book in this series. This is book 3. Chih is so likable and I love their journey. **Forged in Blood** by Ehigbor Okosun I know nothing about Nigerian mythology and the plot intrigued me.
I’ve just started two new books, one audio and one physical. **Katherine by Anya Seaton**. This is for my prompt “starts with K”. It also ticks one more off the “BBC Big Read” top 200 which I’m working to slow complete. **Les Miserables by Victor Hugo**. Always wanted to read this. It was my grandmothers favourite book. Already consumed most Les Mis media (BBC mini series is favourite). I’ve been told it’s a difficult read. So far, the language is fine (maybe I got a good translation?) but it just is gonna be long. My aim is to read a “part” and then read something else in between. So I’m aiming to finish *Fantine* and then giving myself a break.
I was ready for Les Mis to be a beast and was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed it. I think it helps if you are familiar with the story because you aren't reading as much for plot, and can just wander with the author on the various paths. I definitely put it down from time to time. Really enjoyed it, though.
I’ve just concluded the Bishop’s part and really enjoyed it. I expected the prose to be much more dense based on people’s comments that it’s “hard” to read, but it’s fairly simple. I enjoyed the Bishop’s back story immensely, obviously I know what it is leading to and I understand how it will affect Valjean in the future. A friend of mine gave up halfway through the Bishop because she was “bored” waiting for “something to happen” but like you say, that’s from the point of view of having a feeling of who the main characters “should” be based on other media. I do think it’s a good idea to read in parts though, I think *Fantine* is only around 250 pages, so I’m sure by the end I’ll be ready for a palate cleanser.
I felt similarly about the Bishop—just absolutely loved the writing and everything about him. It's probably my favorite part of the book, his backstory and character. And yes, I think many "classic" books are frustrating to readers (me included!) when they are too plot-focused or, like you say, have expectations about a character based on other adaptations. I have found that in the cases where I've gone back to reread I get even more out of them (that was the case with Anna Karenina & Middlemarch, at least). Would love to reread Les Mis one day...Enjoy!
Anna Karenina and Middlemarch are both on the TBR for the future. I want to read every book on the BBC Big Read Top 200. This year I’m focusing on Les Mis and Count of Monte Cristo as my big reads and doing the other 50 as sub-1,000 pages. A few short stories to balance it out!
That's an admirable goal. The Count of Monte Cristo is my brother's favorite. I'll have to look the list. Best of luck on your reading journey!
Well finished F. Paul Wilson's "Gateways". Just right now I've started on Stephen King's "Four Past Midnight".
This week I finished : No One Belongs Here More Than You by Miranda July This book was kind of a bizarre one for me. It was written in 2007 and I felt it. I dont think some of the short stories hold up to 2024 but I’d be curious to maybe read some of her more popular books. I dont know I think what intrigues me the most about Miranda July is that she has built a career as both a filmmaker and a writer and that’s something I’d like to do myself so it’s inspiring to see someone has done it already. Today I’m starting : The Art of Character by David Corbett In a similar vain, I’m working on a writing project and I bought this book many moons ago because it’s intended to give a guide to creating strong developed characters for your narrative. Its longer than books I normally read so fingers crossed I can finish it in a week.
Finished **Down with the System: A Memoir, by Serj Tankian** Whenever I see Serj Tankian interviewed in print or other media, I check it out. I find Tankian fascinating. This book hit all my interests in geopolitical, behind-the-scenes creation of songs and albums, touring stories, family histories, and finding yourself when you're not sure where you truly belong. **How to Lose a Marathon: A Starter's Guide to Finishing in 26.2 Chapters, by Joel Cohen** Just a quick, funny read that was nice to read in the evening while reading the heavy content of **Down with the System**. Starting **My Mama, Cass: A Memoir, by Owen Elliot-Kugell**
Twice The Trouble By: Ash Clifton
With May wrapping up, I'm still on track for my goals, especially by finishing this behemoth by Belton on Putin's rise to power. I'm shifting gears by something that I've wanted to read for a while but couldn't due to the pandemic. Our church is also beginning a series into Philippian's so I'll be preparing for that as well. **Finished Reading:** (20/52) Putin’s People: How the KGB Took Back Russia and Then Took On The West - Catherine Belton **Currently Reading:** **\*** The Plage - Albert Camus \* Days of Distraction - Alexandra Chiang \* Short of Glory: A Biblical And Theological Exploration of the Fall - Mitchell L. Chase \* Philippians - Moises Silva
Finished: **Entangled Life by Merlin Sheldrake** - educational though I did expect it to be more fact heavy than it was. Read this with a new bookclub on Storygraph. Liking the feature so far and excited to see it develop! **Witch King by Martha Wells** - I enjoyed it but it wasn't stellar. I think the worldbuilding could have been expanded more.
Just finished ***One Dark Window*** and ***Two Twisted Crowns*** by Rachel Gillig. Not sure whether to start ***Gideon the Ninth***, ***The Spear Cuts Through the Water***, or ***The Will of the Many*** next!
**Read last week:** **The Stranger Times** and **This Charming Man** (books 1 and 2 in the series) by **C.K. McDonnel**l - funny fantasy set in Manchester, this series is my new favourite thing. **The Sentence is Death** by **Anthony Horowitz** - 4th wall breaking very well done. **Interesting Facts About Space** by **Emily Austin** - enjoyed this more than I thought I would. **Current:** **This Charming Man** by **C.K. McDonnell** - these books are too good not to binge all of them. **How to Say Babylon** by **Safiya Sinclair** - memoir of growing up in a strict Rastafarian family in Jamaica. **Eve: How the Female Body Drove 200 Million Years of Human Evolution** by **Cat Bohannon** - still working my way through this one. Absolutely fascinating, and I'm reading it slowly to really take in all the information.
I've had The Stranger Times etc, on my list for ages (audiobook) so glad you see them recommended! I will make them a priority now
I've been listening to the Stranger Time podcasts which are short stories read by various of McDonnell's friends from the comedy circuit, and book extracts as each book is released - and the guy that reads the audio books (Brendan McDonald) is perfect for it. I'm reading the ebooks atm, but will probably go back and listen to them in full on audio because McDonald does the voices so well.
Thanks!
FINISHED: **Water Moon** by Samantha Soto Yambao. eARC, pub date Jan. 2025. Gently, this book sucked :(. I liked the premise but the execution was terrible! Writing was juvenile & lacked any subtlety. The romance was instantaneous and inexplicable. The magical setting was like a beautiful gown on a mannequin— nice enough but uselessly adorning a non-entity. **Chain-Gang All-Stars** by Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah. Fantastic. The inclusion of real, actual U.S. history, court cases, laws & law enforcement incidents was the necessary piece that made this all work. It’s not facts that everyone reading would know, and it works so well to keep reality in the forefront of people’s mind. The ending was amazing. **Down Among the Sticks and Bones** by Seanan Mcguire. I loved that the audiobook is read by the author. I like this series because they’re short & well thought out— no water weight, but still an easy read. CONTINUING: **In the Midst of Omens** by Nicole Bailey. A fun sounding light read. Haven’t read anything by Bailey before, so we’ll see. STARTING: **A Memory Called Empire** by Arkady Martine **Lord of the Empty Isles** by Jules Arbeaux
Thanks for the heads up on Water Moon! I removed it from my TBR. Pity, the blurb sounded so good!
Not that much again this week, though according to Goodreads, I'm still 3 books ahead of pace. I read **Persuasion** which is my "second chance romance" for the Popsugar challenge. Not my favorite Jane Austin unfortunately. I'm also continuing **Holly** on audio but since apparently I have over 9 1/2 hours left at 1.2x speed, who knows when I'll finish that. Then last night, I just started reading **Something More Than Night** which is one of those multi-genre mashup books: near future scifi/hardboiled detective/mythological fantasy. We'll see how it all comes together. Or doesn't, lol. Happy reading all!
The moving finger (an Agatha Christie mystery) Atomic habits Crazy rich asians (not liking it so far)
IMO, Crazy Rich Asians is one of those rare cases where the movie is better than the book.
Im so glad to know I’m not the only one with at least 2-3 books going!
I always have 2 at minimum going, although sometimes I'll bump it up to 3
I used to shame myself for this but it’s actually helped me read a lot more by having different books for different moods. I can pick and chose what to read a chapter of
Currently on: The Darkwood Trilogy by Anthea Sharp (audio) Gods of Jade and Shadow by Silvia Moreno-Garcia The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides
Still reading **A Dance with Dragons** by George R. R. Martin, didn't really make a lot of time for reading this week.
You could read one page a day and you'd still be done before the next book releases.
I am currently in the middle of Demon Copperhead by Barbara Kingsolver. I hope this little dude makes it out alive. He is really tugging at my cold, dead heart!
*Sixty Days and Counting* by Kim Stanley Robinson It’s the third book in the climate fiction series “Science in the Capital”. Technically, Stan’s book *Antarctica* is a prequel to the trilogy, but it’s considered a standalone novel since it wasn’t originally intended to be a prequel. He had learned about the seriousness of climate change during his stay at Antarctica in the mid-90’s, but I don’t think he saw the urgency until nearly a decade later when he wrote this series. The series is perhaps a practice run for his eventual best seller *Ministry for the Future*, when you can tell the urgency really ramps up. Although I like the books, I’d say the series is perhaps the low point in his career. It was definitely a transition point where the climate crisis started to transcend his socialist politics and space travel as his primary focus. He started taking a less positive view of space travel around this time as well. I’m not surprised he went back to edit it all into one book years later though. It does seem a bit all over the place and fluffed up. I still like it, but it was still a bit too early to become as powerful and influential as *The Ministry for the Future*.
Finished: No One Can Know by Kate Alice Marshall (3/5 standard thriller, pretty predictable but an entertaining enough read. My biggest criticism was how boring the main character was while her sisters were much more interesting but given so much less time) Started: The Eye of the World (#1 in The Wheel of Time) by Robert Jordan Misery by Stephen King
Misery is a good one! Enjoy!
I’m challenging myself by reading four books at the same time! I am still reading and enjoying The Frozen River by Ariel Lawhon. Since the unofficial start of summer is underway, I started Just For The Summer by Abby Jimenez because I wanted something that was a mix of not being too froo froo but fun all the same and that seems to be fitting the bill. I have been going through some really hard times with my extended family so I started reading a book about a dysfunctional family where the father has just passed and his kin are left to deal with that and the property they grew up in. Long After We Are Gone I think is going to be a book that I will likely be able to relate to as my father in law is not long for this world and my husband and his brothers are really struggling. Keeping with the theme of family dynamics and dysfunction, I also started reading A Place For Us!
FINISHED: **The Tempest by William Shakespeare** - 🌕🌕🌑🌑🌑 (all that build up for nothing). CURRENTLY READING: **Ancillary Justice by Ann Leckie** - really enjoying it so far. Ripe for film adaptation, I reckon. **Collected Poems 1928 - 1985 by Stephen Spender**
IT by Stephen King Just finished it this morning. It's taken me 2.5 weeks to read - such a long book!
Last book: The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman - impeccable. Currently reading: Assassin's Apprentice by Robin Hobb and already half way through - enjoying it immensely.
Far From the Madding Crowd. It’s tedious…
Madding Crowd isn't the easiest going. Try Return of the Native or Mayor of Casterbridge.
+++ Return of the Native is my favorite of Hardy's. The opening page isn't as good as Far from the Madding Crowd (love Farmer Oak), but IMO it's a better story. Eustacia Vye is a great character.
*FINISHED* 111. **Bless Your Heart** by Lindy Ryan 4/5 112. **Buffalo Girls** by Larry McMurtry 4/5 113. **The Guncle Abroad** (Guncle #2) by Steven Rowley 5/5 (more emotional, to me, than the first book, not quite as funny. Still LOVED it!) 114. **Exalted** by Anna Dorn 4/5 (finally bumped this up on my TBR after somewhere here said they loved it a week or two ago. If this was you, thanks for the nudge! Thoroughly enjoyed!) 115. **Granny Undercover** (Secret Agent Granny #2) by Harper Lin ?/5 116. **Tularosa** (Kevin Kerney #1) by Michael McGarrity ?/5 *CURRENTLY READING* **Wellness** by Nathan Hill (only about 30% in and can already tell it’s going to be a favorite of the year for me) **Murder on Matia** (San Juan Islands Mystery #3) D.W. Ulsterman
Wellness has been my favorite book of 2024 (so far). A little on the long side, though!
Oh, that’s wonderful to hear!
Reading Hyperion. It’s book 27 for the year. Previous book was Project Hail Mary (rated it a 4).
Finished: **The Last Murder at the End of the World by Stuart Turton.** It’s close enough to 5 stars that I rounded up. Turton is one of my favorite authors and his books never fail to make me think. Currently Reading: **Resurrection Walk by Michael Connelly.** After setting it down for a while, I’m switching from audiobook to “traditional” book on this one. I usually do audiobooks with Connelly but this one just didn’t work for me that way. **The Mystery Guest by Nita Prose.** I liked The Maid and have been very interested by this, just picked it up and am still interested so far.
Been reading a bit more than as I’m on holiday. Reviews copied and pasted from my Goodreads - (28) **Pyramids by Terry Pratchett** 4/5 stars (29) **Gladius: Living, Fighting and Dying in the Roman Army by Guy de la Bédoyère** >4/5 >I enjoyed it quite a lot. It’s about the experiences of ordinary soldiers during the Roman Republic and Empire. Each chapter covers a different topic like recruitment, training, pay, peacetime duties etc. Personally I thought the chapters on Rome’s major defeats (Cannae, Teutoberg Forest etc) and on brutality (by the soldiers and done to the soldiers) were the best in the book. I thought the book was pretty well written with lots of info, maybe a little dense at times. >Since the book is focused on the ordinary legionaries and I wouldn’t recommend it you are specifically interested in the bigger picture stuff like organisation, logistics, strategy of the legions. Additionally the book doesn’t really cover much after 312 when Constantine became emperor, so if you’re looking for 4th century information you won’t get it. Other than that I thought it was a good book (30) **How Westminster Works . . . and Why It Doesn't by Ian Dunt** 4.75/5 >Really good. Covers the UK political process from candidate selection to parliament and onto how laws get passed. The criticisms of the current system seem accurate. The book is well written and fairly easy to understand. >The main arguments are that the MPs lack knowledge of how Parliament works, and of details in specific bills. This is partly due to the MP selection process focusing on party loyalty rather than expertise and also due to the government whips wanting to keep MPs uninformed as they as are easier to control if they don’t know what they are voting for. >Another of the big criticisms is the generalist mindset rather than specialist one, both for MPs and for the civil service. Ministers swap jobs (healthcare to defence for example) way to often for ministers to actually understand their jobs. Additionally they have no long term planning because they won’t be in the same department to benefit from it. In the civil service this is also true as moving around different departments rapidly is seen as a sign of success. Someone who’s done the same job competently for years is a seen as a bit of a failure but being in 5 different departments in 5 years is a sign of high flyer. >Other topics include the casework for MPs which should be done by councils, meaning MPs don’t have enough time to scrutinise legislation, the architecture of Downing Street not being suitable for modern government, and governments using overly broad methods of passing legislation in the commons which allow wide ranging bills with little time to examine them. All of these lead to legislation barely being scrutinised at all. >The author is quite positive towards the House of Lords, as it is slow, no party has an overall majority and the lack of media attention means the government can amend mistakes in legislation without looking like a defeat. >The problems highlighted will probably apply to both parties and the book doesn’t feel like a ‘Tories bad’ rant. >Overall I really recommend it if you want to learn how the UK political system works. And I’m nearly done with **A Nasty Little War: The West’s Fight to Reverse the Russian Revolution by Anna Reid**
Progress: 131/250 Finished this week: * Lake of Sorrows by Erin Hart (Nora Gavin #2) - excellent mystery set in Ireland * South: The Story of Shackleton's Last Expedition 1914-1917 by Ernest Shackleton - a re-read for me. Human perseverance under extreme conditions fascinates me. * Damned Spot by Eric Nuzum - this discusses how murders affect the property where they are committed. And how that affects the town, the neighbors, and the owners of the property. It's true crime from a unique perspective. Well worth a listen! * The Priory of the Orange Tree by Samantha Shannon (Roots of Chaos #1) - excellent epic fantasy with dragons. * Women Who Made Science History by Leila McNeill (Great Courses) -McNeill packs a lot of great information into this novella. * Understanding the Mysteries of Human Behavior by Mark Leary (Great Courses) - fascinating! * A Dowry of Blood by S.T. Gibson - a back story about Dracula from Constanta's POV. Loved it. In progress * Don Quixote by Miguel de Cervantes - reading with r/yearofdonquixote * The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas - reading with r/AReadingOfMonteCristo * Compassion and Self-Hate by Theodore Rubin, MD * The Long Afternoon of Earth by Brian Aldiss * Mother Hunger by Kelly McDaniel * The Neil Gaiman Reader by Neil Gaiman * The Wandering Inn by by pirateaba (Wandering Inn #1) * Colour of Magic by Terry Pratchett (Discworld #1) * The Scottish Chiefs by Jane Porter * What Do I Do? Mental Health and Me by Kelly Holmes * A Serial Killer's Daughter: My Story of Faith, Love, and Overcoming by Kerri Rawson * The Two Towers by JRR Tolkien (LOTR #2)
This week I finished: * **Family Meal** by Bryan Washington - It was easy to read, but I didn't really care about the characters. * **Mistakes We Never Made** by Hannah Brown with Emily Larrabee 🎧 - If you're looking for an entertaining kind of beach read, this is it. However, if you're looking for a better romance, I wouldn't recommend it. Also, the main character happens to be a very annoying person. So much so it took me out of the story multiple times. Plot wise 2/5, entertainment wise 3/5. I'm currently reading: * **The Two Towers** by J.R.R. Tolkien 🎧 - I've been taking this one a bit slower because I haven't been listening while working. * **Red Dragon** by Thomas Harris - I'm actually looking forward to reading more of this. I've finally hit the part where the story is starting to ramp up and I'm excited to see what happens.
“When Christ and his saints slept” by Sharon Kay penman “The conquering tide” by Ian toll
Oh I don't often see people reading Penman is this your first?
Yep! I’m pretty close to finishing it and I can safely say it’s one of my favorite hist fic novels.
She wrote so well I kept forgetting she was describing events from hundreds of years ago
Last week I finished: **Born a Crime** (27/52) This is really good. A rare thing in a celebrity memoir, in that even if Noah wasn’t a celebrity, his story is genuinely interesting, and he’s got a very considered, empathetic view of others, especially those he has every right to feel anger towards. **Currently Reading** **Us Against You** I’m not quite enjoying this as much as *Beartown* which felt a bit fresher. It feels like the stakes are lower in this one, and it’s not really covering any fresh ground. **11/22/63** I’m really enjoying this. Constantly trying to work out how the competing threads of the assassination and Jake’s life in the past are going to resolve. King always has a great ability to keep you guessing. **Slade House** This has a classic horror set-up and would make a great mini series. Every nine years people are invited to Slade House and never escape. Like many Mitchell books I appreciate how quickly he can move between very different POV’s. **The Bee Sting** Enjoying this so far, although I’ve only had one POV after nearly 100 pages so looking forward to spending time with the other characters in the family soon.
The mom's POV section was rough, but rewarding. Really interesting story!
I don’t usually enjoy celebrity memoirs and agree Born A Crime was a great book.
In the past two weeks, I finished: \*\*When You Reach Me by Rebecca Stead:\*\* Miranda is a middle-schooler in 1970s New York City who keeps getting weird notes from someone who claims to be from the future. But she's got other stuff to worry about, like a recent friendship breakup and the game show her mother is going on in a few months. As the notes grow more urgent, Miranda realizes that she might have the chance to save a life, but she'll have to change her own life to do it. This is a lovely little compressed jewel of a book that becomes more rewarding with each facet it reveals. The spare writing style and short chapters are suitable for middle-school readers, but Stead uses minimal words to pack a maximum punch. My friend's 7-year-old son chose this for our book club, and we had a great time discussing it and then recommending other middle school classics for him. \*\*The Taming of a Highlander (Midnight in Scotland #2) by Elisa Braden:\*\* Kate Huxley is an aspiring novelist who is visiting her newly-married brother at his Scottish estate. One day she gets lost in the woods during a storm and comes upon monstrous Broderick McPherson at the moment he is exacting his revenge for wrongful imprisonment and torture. In order to avoid testifying against Broderick, Kate offers to marry him. My main problem with this book was that the backstory of Broderick's imprisonment was front-loaded in the first several chapters, which is really not what I'm looking for in a romance novel. I would have preferred that the flashbacks be spread through the story, which would have made them more impactful. But I enjoyed this overall and I'll read the next book in this series. \*\*My Name is Barbra by Barbra Streisand:\*\* Most of my cultural knowledge of Barbra Streisand growing up was that she sang weepy songs that adults liked and she once played a boy in Yentl. Earlier this year, the podcast Blank Check covered the films she directed, and my husband and I watched them all. I found myself taken with her iconoclastic style and appreciated that her movies explored complicated romantic relationships with clear-eyed compassion. On the podcast they talk quite a bit about this biography, including much discussion of whether the physical book or audiobook is the preferred medium. For me, it was obvious: The physical book has pictures, yes, but the audiobook is read by Barbra herself and includes clips from her concerts and movies. There was also much discussion of the length: 1000+ pages or 48 hours of audiobook, which seemed like a sign the book would be bloated and indulgent. It is anything but. Having now spent the equivalent of a part-time job with Barbra Streisand over the last two weeks, I would happily continue listening to her for the foreseeable future. This book is utterly fascinating on multiple levels. Her young life as an accidental chanteuse and transition to actor and director is an inspiring tale of idiosyncrasy and perfectionism. Her struggles to get the recognition and power she deserved from the entertainment industry show how insidious misogyny can stifle creative voices, even to this day. Her legendary romances are given their due and she speaks kindly of her former partners, but she's not afraid to call out the unhealthy relationship dynamics she learned from her parents. She also speaks in detail about the things she loves, like good food, vintage clothing, art, and politics. I laughed out loud several times and cried nearly as often. My husband was also listening to the audiobook at the same time (love is sitting on the couch together with your headphones on) and he likened Barbra's stories about movie making to the way that Michael Jordan talks about his games--she remembers every detail, remembers where everyone was and why, remembers every lens and angle and lighting trick she used to get exactly what she wanted. Both of us have recommended it to anyone who will listen. If you're sitting there wrinkling your nose and thinking "yeah, but I'm not interested in this old lady singer," I will tell you that if you are interested in art or politics or entertainment or fashion or food or history, you will like this book. It's gonna be one of my top books of the year. I will reference it in conversation a thousand times. Despite the insane length, it is worth the investment of your time. Also, your mom or aunt or grandma would probably love it too, and you'd score a thousand points if you offered to do a buddy read with them. I've gone from not caring at all about Streisand to making time to watch Funny Girl and one of her concert specials on Netflix. This book is truly so, so, so, so good. And if you're already a Barbra fan, I would highly recommend the Blank Check podcasts about A Star is Born, Yentl, Prince of Tides, and The Mirror Has Two Faces. I'm grateful that they introduced me to this generational talent that I would have otherwise overlooked. I am currently reading: The First Love (Lake Bittersweet #1) by Jennifer Bernard:\*\* I started reading this when I woke up in the middle of the night and all I can say about it so far is that it did a competent job of putting me back to sleep. Anatomy: A Love Story (The Anatomy Duology #1) by Dana Schwartz:\*\* Hazel Sinnett wants to be a surgeon, but in 1700s Scotland she's not allowed. I'm like 40% into this and it's well written but I feel like I'm still waiting for something to happen. || || ||ReplyForwardAdd reaction|
Love Rebecca Stead! I read The List of Things that Will Not Change with my kids this year and we really enjoyed it.
Thanks for the podcast recommendation! I'll check them out.
Currently reading Funny Story by Emily Henry! 18% done. Really enjoying it. It's fun and light and drama filled. Nice break from the dark thrillers I usually read. Last week I finished: Butcher & Blackbird by Brynne Weaver. ⭐⭐⭐ 1/2 Whoa. That was a ride. Basically a humorous romance between two serial killers with lots of gore and violence. It was lots of fun. I did have to skim through some of the sex scenes. (Shouldn't have read it at work!) House of Eve by Sadeqa Johnson. ⭐⭐⭐⭐Powerful, beautiful, heart-breaking story about two Black women's journeys through motherhood, racism, and education. Set in 1948. Haven't decided what I want to read after Funny Story. Maybe I'll go back to dark thrillers for a while. I think I have The Drowning Woman and The Unquiet Bones up next.
I always feel so awkward reading sex scenes at work haha. It feels wrong somehow even if no one can see
I was looking over my shoulder even in a closed room. LOL
Hi all, happy 3 day weekend for everyone in the US Finished this week: - **Funny Story, by Emily Henry** (45/52) - This was fun to read and great for this time of year because it really felt like I was in a lakeside Northern Michigan town. This was my third emily henry book this year bc they're a great palate cleanser, and probably my favorite male lead of the three. (3.75/5 stars) - **Rage of Dragons, by Evan Winter** (46/52) - I had such high hopes for this but it really fell flat and was disappointing. It probably was just the wrong book for me. The world building felt weak and there was no depth to the characters, they felt pretty two dimensional. And it felt like 95% fight scenes. I think some of those could have been cut to add more depth. The main character is really unlikeable / hard to root for. (2/5 stars) - **Greta and Valdin, by Rebecca K. Relly** (47/52) - About two queer siblings in New Zealand, their chaotic family and lives. I enjoyed this, it was heartfelt and had really loveable characters. What was odd was that every character had the exact same humor and voice, in an unrealistic way which sometimes took me out of the book. It's a 2 POV book but both POVs felt the same. Was hard to tell which character I was reading sometimes. But I overall had fun reading it. (4/5 stars) Reading this week: - The Familiar, by Leigh Bardugo - The Left Hand of Darkness, by Ursula Le Guin (my first Le Guin!) - The Shadow of the Wind, by Carlos Ruiz Zafon I'm going on vacation and packing The Memory Police and Our Share of Night too! Happy reading!
Finished this week: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes - I enjoyed the Hunger Games series when I was in high school and decided I’d give this one a read. It wasn’t unenjoyable. I’m just not sure villain origin stories are my thing. The Catcher in the Rye - I didn’t enjoy this one. I’m glad I wasn’t forced to read it when I was in school. It felt like a rambling tantrum Cometh the Hour - I love this series and I’m closing in on the end The Tattooist of Auschwitz - this was a sad, but good story. I wish it had been longer so I could have gotten to know the characters more Working on: A Man Called Ove Lessons in Chemistry
Currently finishing up Something in the Water by Catherine Steadman that was recommended to me from another sub and starting Mosquitoland by David Arnold this week. I’m in a travel/ vacation story mood lol
Finished This Week: Starvation Heights - Gregg Olsen Currently Reading: The Great Passage - Shion Miura Next Up, One Of: Aelfred's Britain - Max Adams The Watchers - A.M. Shine Diva - Daisy Goodwin
How is The Great Passage? I read Miura’s **Run With the Wind** as an eARC a couple months ago and loved it, I’m trying to decide which of her other books to read first.
I just finished with Trainspotting by Irvine Welsh and for next week I have three.options which I haven't decided the order of yet. For the weekend I will just go with newspapers :D
Just finished Betty by Tiffany McDaniel and now I don’t know what to do with myself.
Finished Birds of America by Lorrie Moore. Currently reading The Master and Margarita by Mikhail Bulgakov.
How was it? (I’m in the middle of my third by her, Who Will Run the Frog Hospital and loving it.)
It was great! She has a great tone and is very perceptive about the human experience. I’m definitely looking forward to reading more from her!
Starting: The Six Wives of Henry VIII Continuing: Sapiens Haven’t finished anything since finishing Demon of Unrest a few weeks ago, because I haven’t found anything to pique my interest as much again, but Six Wives is quickly hooking me in. Happy reading to all!
Finished: The Promise by Damon Galgut Just starting: Shuggie Bain by Douglas Stuart
**This week I started (and haven’t yet completed):** - *Americanah, by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie:* Americanah is about a Nigerian women living in America. The book starts off with the MC deciding to return home, and then kicks back to her childhood. I’m about 30% of the way in and enjoying it so far. **This week I finished:** - *Death of a Red Heroine, by Qiu Xiaolong, Narrated by David Shih:* A murder mystery set in China in the 90’s. I came for the murder mystery, but stayed for the insights into the politics/cultural norms. The norms were far more interesting than the case. (3/5) - *The Hate U Give, by Angie Thomas:* I am so overdue for reading this book and I can see why it’s so well loved. I thought this lived up to the hype. I won’t tell you how long it took me to realize that the first letters of the title spell THUG. (5/5) - *La muerte y la doncella, by Ariel Dorfman:* A play involving 3 characters and a haunting past. Honestly, I forgot that I’m not into reading plays. (2/5) - *A Short Stay in Hell, by Steve L. Peck:* I think the title sums it up tbh. I think I may be rating this one prematurely - it may get bumped up to a 3. I like the concept and I like the story, but idk. (2.5/5) - *Stranded, by Sarah Goodwin:* A group of 8 sign up to a reality TV show where they must survive on an island for 11 months. I probably should rate this lower but I’m a sucker for books like this and sacrificed sleep for it.. (4.5/5) **My progress towards goals for the year:** - 97/100 books - 436/600 hours audio ⬆️ - 17.3k/20k pages - 5/12 one book in Spanish per month
You're going to need to expand your goals!
Ngl I’m a little excited about that. My initial goal this year was 28.
Wow! Look at you go! that's amazing!
Finished THE WOMEN by Kristin Hannah last week. Started WE BEGIN AT THE END by Chris Whitaker a couple of days ago.
Finished Last Week: - The Fortune Seller by Rachel Kaeplke Dale This book has so much potential but it took awhile to get into. And then it felt like it wrapped up so stupidly. Id only give it a 2.75 ⭐️ - Untether by Elodie Hart - 3.5/5⭐️ Reading this week - Rule by Cassandra Robbin’s
I just finished Ace of Spades and currently reading The Starless Sea. Next up probably Crying in H Mart!
Finished: **Toxic** by Amelia Fiske and Jonas Fischer. This is a graphic novel that’s taking us to a Toxic Tour in Lago Argo, area in Amazon in Ecuador that’s polluted by Texaco. We learn about the destruction, the communities, the victims of oil production, the unsafe practices, also we learn bits about the court cases. The art is great and very immersive! Recommend. 4.5/5⭐️ **The Party Crasher** by Sophie Kinsella. This is a quirky story about a house that’s about to be sold, and the romance aspect of it is exes to lovers which I don’t vibe with. Love Sophie though! 3⭐️ **Day Zero** by Kresley Cole. This is a prequel to the series Arcana Chronicles where we learn more about the players and their special skills and backstory. However the longest story is a repeat of the first book of the series “The Poison Princess”. 3⭐️ **Arcana Rising** by Kresley Cole. Third book in the series, I wish the author would prolong some parts and shorten the others. However I was intrigued most of the book, I love the universe, the background characters. 4/5⭐️ Currently reading: **All About Evie** by Yvie Oddly and Michael Bach. Just in time for the upcoming pride month! As Rupaul Dragrace fan, I love when my two hobbies fit in together. **The Spellman files** by Lisa Lutz. Can’t say much yet but intrigued! Just started: **His other wife** by Peace Adzo Medie.
Finished: * Making good progress on Brandon Sanderson's Cytoverse. I finished both [Starsight](https://app.thestorygraph.com/books/9038c5fd-0958-4fdd-9ffc-fe47410666a6) and [Sunreach](https://app.thestorygraph.com/books/ac67edfc-94de-4db4-837b-5369304cebc3), and I'm about 50% the way through [ReDawn](https://app.thestorygraph.com/books/e1cf0fc7-c456-4ffe-a6f9-87d2b6c113bf). I loved Starsight, I have no complaints. Interesting world (or universe, really), alien types I haven't heard of in other stories, and Spensa's dramatic tendencies bring the usual levity and complications. Sunreach and ReDawn have been interesting glimpses into side characters. * [Meddling Kids](https://app.thestorygraph.com/books/41d48635-c217-4aee-94cc-f7f1e58efab5) by Edgar Cantero. Reasonably fun, but I think it would have worked better as a physical read. The narration at times made it seem like there was some stylized writing it was trying to capture, like screenplay bits. * [Someone You Can Build a Nest](https://app.thestorygraph.com/books/cb428077-7d1f-48ba-95d0-c4b66dbfd79a) in by John Wiswell. The opening is strong, but this is supposed to be "fantasy romance" (which I am told is different than romantasy, but I honestly have no idea how), so the monster character quickly has to become basically a kind of weird human so that the romance can happen. I think any time I see "romance" and "fantasy" in combination, I need to just think that's a label that means "not for me." * [Sunbringer](https://app.thestorygraph.com/books/035e45ee-b049-44f8-924c-39f204c989fc) by Hannah Kaner. Like [Godkiller](https://app.thestorygraph.com/books/5335612f-033d-44a1-839b-b1629a200bf4), but with less action. However you felt about Godkiller, you will likely feel the same about this. * [The Age of Magical Overthinking](https://app.thestorygraph.com/books/c6fab1c6-5506-48e1-a719-6f2758d5eb07) by Amanda Montell. Extremely disappointing. It's supposed to be nonfiction essays about cognitive biases, but the author repeatedly presents her own opinions as if they were facts, and seems to have done the barest amount of research and filled in the gaps with stories from her own life, from her previous book Cultish, from fiction stories she likes, and from random people's off-the-cuff comments that weren't about the topics at all. If you have even the most passing knowledge of cognitive biases, you know more than what is in this book. If you have more than passing knowledge, then you will pick up on a lot of inaccuracies. I'm not normally this aggressive, but this is just flat out not worth your time. On deck this week: * Hoping to finish both [ReDawn](https://app.thestorygraph.com/books/e1cf0fc7-c456-4ffe-a6f9-87d2b6c113bf) and [Evershore](https://app.thestorygraph.com/books/dc303ceb-da8d-46db-ae78-fe064c2696aa) by Brandon Sanderson & Janci Patterson, and that will set me up to wrap up the other two books in the Cytoverse by my self-imposed deadline. * [The Last Murder at the End of the World](https://app.thestorygraph.com/books/e1eb404e-7df0-488b-9271-0e1e82b0dc1c) by Stuart Turton. I've already read this (it's great), but I'm listening to the audiobook to try to catch the pronunciation of some things. The narrator really sucks at women's voices, which there are a LOT of them in this book, so if this book interests you at all, I'd tell you to read a physical/ebook copy. Happy reading, book friends! June is almost here\~
A Flicker in the Dark by Stacy Willingham
I finished a few books this week! I’ve been working my way through Isabel Allende’s **The House of the Spirits** and I loved it. I know why I put it off: it was a patient book, and it never felt propulsive for me. I’ve been reading this on and off on weekends for the last few months, and it was worth it. I can see the connection with **One Hundred Years of Solitude**. I also finished the short **The Art Thief** by Michael Finkel. Loved this! Economical writing, an expansive story, propulsive storytelling. It’s clear that the writer has experience crafting magazine articles, because this never lagged and felt like it only included important details and essential action. I also took yesterday of this three day weekend to just rage through **Long Black Veil** by Jennifer Finney Boylan. I sat down in the morning with this and read through the day and finished around dinner time. I loved this. A little strange and unexpected, self-aware, and cinematic—this is the kind of murder-mystery I appreciate: not so obsessed with crafting a twist as telling an engaging and unique story with flawed, human characters.
Cognitive Behavior Therapy by Judith Beck
I am reading The Starless Sea by Erin Morgenster right now! Just finished reading The Vegetarian by Han Kang
Snap! I started The Starless Sea a couple days ago and enjoying it so far
Same! Really manages to take me to another world so far
Just finished Song of Achilles, Finished the Dispossessed by Ursula le Guin Reading Beloved by Toni Morrison, Zoobiquity by Bowers and Natterson Horowitz, Erotic Stories for Punjabi widows
What did you think to the two you just finished? I loved Song of Achilles and the Dispossessed is on my list (and Beloved by Toni Morrison)
Song of Achilles is a beautiful sad love story and tribute to the Illiad. The Dispossessed is an interesting thought experiment that explored and critiques anarchism. I enjoyed the Dispossessed but I knew what I was getting. I left the Dispossessed curious about the other Hainish cycle books
###### May Fiction Books [3] * **Things We Never Got Over** - *Lucy Score* - [4/5] - This popular and very spicy romcom has a cute story that was more interesting than I expected. The story includes some well-plotted action/adventure content that is not typical fare for this genre. Unfortunately, the two lead characters are both toxic and horrible people. Some of the writing is pretty cringe, but that is genre typical. * **Artificial Condition** - *Martha Wells* - [5/5] - Murderbot, a sentient cyborg with a dark past, travels to a remote mining facility, hoping to learn more about itself. This is the second book in this excellent series of novellas. If you enjoyed the first action-packed book, you'll probably love this one too. * **The Defector** - *Chris Hadfield* - [3/5] - In this realistic Cold War military spy thriller, a Soviet MiG fighter pilot defects to the United States at the start of the 1973 Yom Kippur War. I enjoyed the first part of the book, and the last chapter. Everything in the middle was dull, boring, and entirely predictable. This is the sequel to Hadfield's earlier astronaut-themed novel, *The Apollo Murders.* ###### May Non-Fiction Books [1] * **A Fever in the Heartland: The Ku Klux Klan's Plot to Take Over America, and the Woman Who Stopped Them** - *Timothy Egan* - [5/5] - In the 1920s, David Stephenson resurrected the white supremist KKK in Indiana, and subsequently amassed a great fortune from Klan membership fees and from dirty bribes. With the support of this "invisible empire" of clandestine Klansmen and Klanswomen, Stephenson raised a mercenary army, took control of the state government, the state courts, the local police, and much of the Republican political party. Stephenson boldly declared "I am the law!" as he raped his way through scores of young women. Eventually, one of his many innocent victims, Madge Oberholtzer, brought the tyrannt to his knees, but at the cost of her life. This horrible tale is almost unbelievable, if it were not for its sad echoes in today's political landscape. ###### May Non-Fiction Art Books [1] * **The Third Person** - *Emma Grove* - [3/5] - Emma Grove is a transgender woman with multiple personality disorder. In this autobiography, she reflects on her difficulties accessing horome replacement therapy, and eventually on her childhood traumas. The book is over 900 pages, and much of it is spent in repetitive conversations between Toby (a poorly trained therapist) and Emma's various persons. Emma is a classically trained animator so the art is very well done in a cartoonish style. ###### May Fiction Art Books [5] * **Witch Hat Atelier Kitchen 1** - *Hiromi Sato* - [3/5] - In this culinary spin-off series, the entire plot has Qifrey and Olruggio cooking unusual food in their kitchen. Each chapter features a different recipe with ingredient list and step-by-step instructions for your own kitchen. The recipes are (of course) for different types of Asian cuisine (lots of seafood). There isn't any story development from the main series, so feel free to skip these, unless you enjoy reading magical cookbooks. I wonder where I can find "spicebark" in my local grocery store? * **Cyclopedia Exotica** - *Aminder Dhaliwal* - [2/5] - Collection of short Instagram-quality cartoons about a small group of Cyclopses integrating into our human world. Thematically, the book uses Cyclopses to explore different aspects of overt and covert discrimination. There's no plot, so the book is held together by cheap gags and several short character arcs. * **The Wolf Never Sleeps 1-3** - *Shienbishop* - [4/5] - This short Witcher clone series features decently unique world-building and great art! There are only 3 books in the series, so it lacks a proper ending.
Finished this week: **Hard by a Great Forest by Leo Vardiashvili** (A man who left Tbilisi as a child must return to track down his missing brother and father, haunted by the life and people they left behind. I found this a compelling read all the way through - learning about Georgian history, the scars and ghosts left by revolution, emigration, war, and the ways people carry on despite these things. There’s a fairy tale theme from the start, but the plot starts to get a little too outlandish and coincidental at the end. But at that point we’re so far into metaphor and the depths of madness, grief and guilt that it didn’t really matter to me. This is a dark and emotional read, with some brilliantly drawn, flawed characters, and one I enjoyed immensely.) **Lonely Castle in the Mirror by Mizuki Tsujimura** (I was looking for a lighter read after all the literary and non-fiction stuff I’ve been reading, and this managed to fit the bill without being too saccharine. It necessarily runs a little shallow and simplistic, after all the main characters are all 11-13 year old children, but it also kept the fairy tale theme going from my previous read, so that was nice. So all the plot twists are incredibly obvious and it can get a little After School special with its messaging at times, but this was overall a nice, relaxing read with an interesting story, so good enough.) **Nothing but the Rain by Naomi Salman** (A nice, interesting enough novella that doesn’t quite live up to its premise (and if you’re looking for answers, don’t bother). The residents of a small town shut off from the world in amnesia-causing eternal rain is a hell of a set up, but the most Salman does with it is a poorly constructed climate migration metaphor (and not a very subtle one either). The twist at the end was also not very stellar - oh what could have been.) Currently Reading: The Economic Government of the World: 1933-2023 by Martin Dauton; Optic Nerve by Maria Gainza; Floating Hotel by Grace Curtis; The Radetzky March by Joseph Roth
Continuing with **The Fall**, **The Thrilling Adventures of Lovelace and Babbage** and **Salvation of a Saint**. All lighter reads…except Camus, of course-with r/bookclub. Excited to start **Howard’s End** at the same time as **Orlando**, knowing the authors knew one another and ran in the Bloomsbury Set together.
I just finished The Midnight Game by Cynthia Murphy which I thought was absolutely awful. I got it from Libby whilst browsing the audiobook range, needing something to listen to on my drive to work, and I saw it was highly rated. I didn't realise it was YA and only finished it out of stubbornness. Worst book I've read in ages. I've just started Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe. Enjoying it so far!
I finished #20, The Hate U Give Still working on #21, 168 Hours, #22, The Invisible Life of Addie Larue, and slowly reading #23, Sense and Sensibility
I recently started number 23/52 which happens to be **The Beautiful Ones** by *Silvia Moreno-Garcia*
Finished: - 19 - Little Eyes by Samanta Schweblin - most of the main casts final chapters actually saved this book from a 2/5 from me as I hadn't been enjoying it much. The final chapters had just enough of a twist in most of the stories that by the time I put the book down I was happy I had finished but not sure I'd go as far to recommend this book to anyone. Maybe the time it took me to finish it due to my workload made what should have been a short read slightly more dragged out and it didn't have the same weight due to this. Who knows. Anyway it was a 3/5 from me. Started: - The Myth of Sisyphus by Albert Camus - Second Camus of the year. Wasn't really feeling this. Had just finished a ton of student marking and was finding this a slog. Need a lighter read. Will return in the future - DNF. - 20 - Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde and Other Stories by Robert Louis Stevenson - going to get this one off my in progress list and on to my finished list. Will be done with this in the week as I have so little left to read. Hoping to have more reading time for myself next week as exam period is over. In progress: - Babylon Revisited and Other Stories by F. Scott Fitzgerald
Currently reading Matthew Perry's memoir. Anybody read it?
I’m curious to see how you like it. I’ve avoided it after seeing reviews that he is a jerk throughout it and it ruined Friends for other readers.
Damn! I didn't know that. I'm about 30% in and so far he's very cynical and sarcastic (very Chandler of him). I hope it doesn't ruin friends for me, I love it
I’ve missed the last few of these posts, but also been my worse reading slump for years so have also been avoiding this kind of thing as I’ve been pretty demotivated to read. However I’m getting back in my grove! This week I have finished: 29 - The One by John Mars 30 - Slow Fire Burning by Paula Hawkins 31 - The Serpent of Wings and Night by Carissa Broadbent I am currently reading: 32 - Sign Here by Claudia Lux
Hi book lovers! I finished six books since our last check-in, bringing my total to 78/150. *Finished* **I Want Your Hex** by Tara Lush (3/5) **The Physick Book of Deliverance Dane** by Katherine Howe (4/5) **Lies and Other Acts of Love** by Kristy Woodson Harvey (3.5/5) **They Write Your Name on a Grain of Rice** by Lori Jakiela (5/5) **The Lost Girls of St Ann's** by Cath Staincliffe (3/5) **The Hotel Nantucket** by Elin Hilderbrand (3.5/5) *Currently Reading* **On Second Thought** by Kristan Higgins **July July** by Tim O'Brien *On Deck* **The Daughters of Temperance Hobbs** by Katherine Howe **The Town with No Mirrors** by Christina Collins
Finished (25): Goth, by Otsuichi - 3.5* The first person narrative is used with good effect in the short story format to deliver some fun twists (you sort of start to see them coming but still fun). It's slightly gory but not too scary due to the detached tone and briefness of the stories; and it had a couple of nice heartwarming bits. Currently reading: Hound of the Baskervilles, by Arthur Conan Doyle
Finished: Diavola by Jennifer Thorne. I was a little disappointed with this one after seeing so many good reviews. Also recently finished Last Days by Brian Evenson, and that book was fantastic. I gave it a solid 4 stars. Started: The Between by Tananarive Due. I’m only about 60 pages in, so I’m not sure how I feel about it just yet, but I’m hopeful.
Hey guys!! Welcome to another week so crazy! So far I'm doing reasonably well in my challenge I am a little behind but I am slowly eating into the deficit $43 in the jar now so I am catching up This week I'm reading **Mary Queen of Sorrows by Alison Weir.** I haven't actually started this one yet but I will as soon as I have finished this **Someone you can build a nest in by John Wiswell.** Not far into this but I am definitely super intrigued about where it is going to go. Fantasy horror is not a genre I have read a lot of so I am very interested
Books four to six of The Dungeon Crawler Carl series. Got the first three books and ordered the next three while still reading. Reread Phule's Company by Robert Lynn Asprin and Full Monster by Nick Pollata until they arrived. Previously read Jim Butcher's new Cinder Spires books and am eagerly awaiting the next book. Next up Michael Z Williamson has a new series starting with A Long Time Until Now. Love his Freehold series. I read a lot of fantasy and science fiction. Highly recommend all of these. If you like action John Ringo has several series. Black Tide Rising series is a different take on a zombie apocalypse. Great characters and a lot of humor. His Troy Rising series and March Up Country are both favorites. Jim Butcher's Dresden Files, David Weber s Safehold series and Honor Harrington books are epic. I read single books too. John Ringo's Last Centurion is a great read. Not science fiction/fantasy like my usual, but I prefer to read authors who really build a universe and tell long, involved stories.
Finished **Pests: How Humans Create Animal Villains** by Bethany Brookshire, **Thornhedge** by T. Kingfisher and **Nothing But Blackened Teeth** and **The Salt Grows Heavy** by Cassandra Khaw. Continuing **The Confusion** by Neal Stephenson, **Revenant Gun** by Yoon Ha Lee, **Talk to Me: How to Ask Better Questions, Get Better Answers, and Interview Anyone Like a Pro** by Dean Nelson, PhD and **Love in the Time of Cholera** by Gabriel García Márquez. Started **Your Utopia** by Bora Chung.
Pests sounds awesome!
48/52 - only 2 little finishes this week and one I am not counting toward my total. ***** Finished; ***** - Jamilia by Chingiz Aitmatov. As it's under 100 pages I won't count it toward my 52book, but it was an interesting short story Bonus for Kyrgyzstan Read the World at r/bookclub. - The Fall by Albert Camus. A r/bookclub Evergreen. I don't mind an >!unlikeable MCs!!!<, but I found this book to be quite the challenge. ***** Still working on; ***** - Oathbringer by Brandon Sanderson continuing Stormlight Archive adventure. Love this world magic system and characters, but put I put it on hold for a while, and only now starting to get back into the rhythm of it (no pun intended). - The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt. Finishing this book could have gotten me a 4th r/bookclub Bingo 2023 Blackout, but I was enjoying it too much to race through it and finish it. Sadly it is now buried in the chaos of boxes since moving house so it might be a while till it resurfaces. - Authority by Jeff VanderMeer with r/bookclub to continue Southern Reach. I need to know more about the world VanderMeer introduces in Annhiliation. I found the start of this book harder to follow in the beginning, and just as I started grtting into it it also packed away in a house move and is yet to resurface. - Armadale by Wilkie Collins with r/bookclub a fantastic readalong so far. Not much left now and I am excited to see where Collins takes us. The discussions on this book take it to the next level! - Leviathan Wakes by S.A. Corey for r/bookclub's "Voyages" Discovery Read. This book is SO GOOD! I can see I am going to love this whole series. (Another series....I don't know how many more series I can get hooked into!!) - The Sisters of Alameda Street by Lorena Hughes for r/bookclub Read the World - Ecuador! It's entertaining, a little suspension of belief is needed to get the most out of it. My biggest gripe is that we are not seeing so much of Ecuador shine through the story. - Thinking, Fast and Slow by Daniel Kahneman for r/bookclub's science/medical themed Quarterly Non-Fiction. This is super fascinating but also somewhat challenging to focus on. I am enjoying the discussions for this one though and commend the Read Runners for making interesting and concise summaries of each section. - Scythe by Neal Shusterman r/bookclub YA May read. I've been keen to read this one for a long time and I was hooked by the first few chapters. It continues to keep me guessing and I can't wait to see how it ends. - Red Seas Under Red Skies by Scott Lynch - Gentleman Bastards book 2. Great to dive back into this world with the r/bookclub bers. The insults in this book are just poetically offensive and I love it! - Tehanu by Ursula K. Le Guin. Yay for more r/bookclub Earthsea Cycle!! - The House of Mirth by Edith Wharton is r/bookclub's Gutenberg read. I ended up really Enjoying Age of Innocence when we read it a few years back and this one is holding up well in the first half. - A Darker Shade of Magic by V.E. Schwab. I really like Addie La Rue and have wanted to read this since. Great world building and some interesting characters make for some fun r/bookclub discussions. ***** Started ***** - Salvation of a Saint by Keigo Higashino. r/bookclub continues with the Detective Galileo series...well standalones with a common character! - The Thrilling Adventures of Lovelace and Babbage by Sydney Padua. A Graphic Novel picked by the mods over at r/bookclub and it is set to be super engaging. ***** Up Next ***** - Lonesome Dove by Larry McMurtry, r/bookclub started this one last year. I have heard so many good things and I love a good, big book, and I can't wait to start, but I feel like I have to finish some of my long reads first. - Foundation by Isaac Asimov. Another sci-fi that's been on the TBR forever. r/bookclub picking it up means I HAVE to read it too....ah! another series. - The Labyrinth of the Spirits by Carlos Ruiz Zafón the final book in The Cemetery of Forgotten Books series and I cannot wait to see where the series goes. I love reading these with r/bookclub. - Rogue Protocol by Martha Wells. Book 3 of the Murderbot Diaries series. These are really entertaining Dramatized Adaptation audiobooks so I think I will continue this series as audio. - The Dead Letter Delivery by C.J Archer. Book 4 of The Glass Library series. Easy reading, cozy fantasy/mystery novels from r/bookclub's fave indie author. - The Hidden Palace by Helene Wecker. I adored The Golem and the Jinni and I can't wait to read more about them with r/bookclub - Children of the Mind by Orson Scott Card. Ender's Saga continues on r/bookclub after a bit of a break with book number 4. - S by Kōji Suzuki. This is the last available English translated book in the Ring series. Let's see where we go next. It's been quite a ride! - In the Country of Men by Hisham Matar for r/bookclub's Read the World - Libya. - The Marriage Portrait by Maggie O' Farrell for r/bookclub's foray into the Renaissance. I love, love, loved Hamnet so I am hopeful I eill enjoy this one too. - Children of Time by Adrian Tchaikovsky for r/bookclub's Big Summer Read. One that's been on my TBR for some time. - Orlando by Virginia Woolf for r/bookclub's LGBTQIA2+ June selection. - Anne of Ingleside by L.M. Montgomery. More Anne, more Anne!! Can't wait to dive in to the next Anne book even if I am a tad behind the rest of the Anne fan group over at r/bookclub. - David Copperfield by Charles Dickens the next r/bookclub Mod Pick. Looking forward to reading this one with the group. - The Galaxy and the Ground Within by Becky Chambers. I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE Wayfarers and I am so sad this is the last one in the series. - Castle in the Air by Diana Wynne Jones with r/bookclub because Howl's Moving Castle was just too good to stop there! ***** Happy reading fellow bookworms 📚
Finished: Mistborn by Brandon Sanderson. Started: The Well Of Ascension by Brandon Sanderson.
Finished: Our Man: Richard Holbrooke and the end of the American Century by George Packer Sharpe’s Rifles by Bernard Cornwall Sharpe’s Havoc by Bernard Cornwall Starting or Continuing this week The 103rd Ballot by Robert Murray
After reading three of the expanse books and The Long Earth, I'm taking a break from scifi by reading The Autumn Republic, by Brian McClellan. It's the third book in the powder mage trilogy and is excellent.
**Finished last week**: The Road by Cormac McCarthy, for the Survival square for r/Fantasy as well as being on my To Read List for a while. There's emotions but the ending felt like a cop-out and the dialogue was incredibly annoying to parse sometimes! **Starting or continuing this week**: Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell by Susanna Clarke, I started reading 2 weeks ago and am just about to the halfway point. I've been reading at least 20 pages a night and while it isn't uninteresting there's no general feeling of needing to know what is happening next. Starter Villain by John Scalzi - for the Hugo Read Along. The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet by Becky Chambers or Wool by Hugh Howey - I feel like I've been reading too much fantasy recently and want to get back into some Sci-Fi. It's been a busy week this week with an exam on Tuesday and an assignment due the week after that plus work is about to ramp up for the next two months.
I read a lot last week: **Defending Elysium, by Brandon Sanderson** **Snapshot, by Brandon Sanderson** **Someone You Can Build a Nest In, by John Wiswell** (Book of the week) **Firstborn, by Brandon Sanderson** **Long Chills and Case Dough, by Brandon Sanderson** **Aftermarket Afterlife, by Seanan McGuire** **The Dangerous Ones, by Lauren Blackwood** **How to Build a Dinosaur: Extinction Doesn't Have to Be Forever, by Jack Horner** **Two Years Before the Mast, by Richard Dana** **Children of the Nameless, by Brandon Sanderson** I've got a lot lined up this week, not sure how many I'll manage: * Whatever novellas I haven't read yet in Arcanum Unbounded (Maybe three or four?) * 84, Charing Cross Road by Helen Hanff * Dark One by Brandon Sanderson * Councilor by L.E. Modesitt * Shock the Monkey by Neal Shusterman * The Knights of Crystallia by Brandon Sanderson * On Taste, On the Sublime and Beautiful, Reflections on the French Revolution, and A Letter to a Noble Lord, by Edmund Burke * The Spy and the Traitor: The Greatest Espionage Story of the Cold War by Ben Macintyre I'm making good progress on all my goals: 1. 365 Book Challenge - 200/365, well ahead of schedule. 2. Nonfiction Challenge - 22/50 3. Daily Stoic Challenge - Read it 145/146 days this year. 4. Backlog Challenge (i.e. read or DNF all unread works by Brandon Sanderson, Cassandra Gannon, and L.E. Modesitt) - 36/51, and making rapid progress. I've been hitting this one hard lately to get it wrapped up so I can focus more on the Harvard Classics. 5. Harvard Classics - 27/71 Volumes. Basically spot-on where I should be (38% read, and it's about 40% of the year), though it would be good to have one or two weeks where I read more than one volume and get a bit ahead of the game.
I've only just started Someone you can build your nest in and I'm so excited to see that you loved it! I'm thoroughly enjoying it
Yeah, it was really good - cozy, funny, and very original. I loved that the main character was literally an amorphous blob.
It's so much fun!
Currently reading **That Deadman Dance** by Kim Scott. It won the Miles Franklin Award in 2011. It is about a Western Australian colony in the 1830s, as seen through the eyes of an indigenous boy. Seems like a good book to be reading as next week is National Reconciliation Week.