Still reading Cold Days by Jim Butcher, the 14th book in Dresden Files series.
Yet another busy week but things have started to settle down, got back to reading properly yesterday and have reached the point where we get some interesting reveals. Very excited about where it goes from here.
What about all of you? What have you been reading or listening to lately?
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I’ve been in the mother of all reading slumps (since I hit my very modest yearly goal of 12+ books), but I’m back and I’m currently reading Orientalism by Edward Said for non-fiction. I’m also reading two short-story collections: A Century of Fiction in The New Yorker edited by Deborah Treisman, and Africa Risen: A New Era of Speculative Fiction edited by Thomas, Ekpeki and Knight.
Congratulations on hitting your goal!
How are the short-story collections?
Pretty good so far. I’m only about 10% into The New Yorker, and the only story I did not like was “Perfect Day for Bananafish” by J.D. Salinger
spoiler
(there’s a weird pervy undertone and a constant air of child endangerment, and it ends in suicide)
The rest have a good mix of fun and suspense, and the writing feels lyrical.
I’m about 30% into Africa Risen, and the stories are a fun mix of sci-fi, magical realism and mythology. My favorite so far is “Rear Mirror” by Nuzo Onoh, which was hilarious.
Thanks for the info, will check them out.
Love the Dresden books. I’m listening to Riftwar book 2
Riftwar has been on my wishlist for a very long time. How are you liking it?
Finished book 2 of the first trilogy this weekend, immediately started book 3. I’m really liking it!
That’s nice to know. Had completely forgotten about it, will try to see if I can find local copies.
- The Everlasting, by Alix Harrow
- Letters from an Imaginary Country, by Theodora Goss
- The Mathematical Structure of Syntactic Merge, by Marcolli, Berwick, and Chomsky (most likely Chomsky’s last linguistics book)
- Creating Democracy: Arendt and Bakhtin in Dialogue, by Charles Hersch
Just started The Hallmarked Man by Robert Galbraith (JK Rowling).
How are you liking these? I read the first 3, but then kinda forgot about them, and now I don’t remember much about them and whether I liked them or read them only because of JKR,
The books are very much all about the sexual tension between Robin and Cormoran; the plots are almost an afterthought! I struggled with The Inkblack Heart because of the text format (multiple chat room conversations happening at the same time) and I never really engaged with the plot. All the others have been enjoyable if overly long and they can take a while to get going (which is just JKR’s style). As a Blue Öyster Cult fan, I really liked Career of Evil! Obvs you have to read them in order to understand the wider character and story arcs.
Yeah, that doesn’t make me want to continue it 😀
Just finished Way of Kings, and I told my self I should continue with a palate cleanser, something a lot shorter. So I picked up The Stand. 🤦
lol, have fun!
Currently reading Hooked by Emily McIntire. I’m enjoying it, but the book opening is pretty brutal. I’m glad the book has an author’s note at the beginning because it’s not a book for everyone.
Just finished a couple of Fear Street books I found at the library for cheap. I kind of read those to prep me for Hooked. I’m going to drop them off at a local little free library location
Also finished the Consortium Rebellion trilogy by Jessie Mihalik. I absolutely loved this series. It had all the right amounts of science fiction and romance that made me so happy.
Just finished the expanse. Starting isles of the emberdark.
For fiction I’m reading “Thud!” By Pratchett. For non-fiction I’m reading " The Traitor and the Spy"
I was supposed to buddy read three different books and all of my buddies backed out. I’m sitting here not sure what to read :( I was so ready for House of Leaves too.
Maybe it’s time to finally pick up Absolution by Jeff Vandemeer
They didn’t like the books? Or just not big readers?
It was a mix of things really. One had her grandma unexpectedly pass, one found out they were pregnant, the third did just decide they didn’t like the book (who doesn’t like Lord of the Rings though?)
I still might get two of them eventually back but no idea when.
Ah, life happened. Nothing can be done about that.
Play Nice by Rachel Harrison. Finished last night, loved it. Haunted house story, great mental health/abusive family allegory. If you don’t like female characters who are very flawed, or gen-z style writing, give this one a miss.
What’s Gen-Z style writing?
I think kind of flippant and with current cultural references.
Maybe not a good descriptor. I saw another reviewer use it, so hoped it would convey the tone.
Heh. Flippant sounds about right.
Started Demon in White the third book in Sun Eater series. Its growing on me. Its not the best sci fi series but its fun at times.
Also picked up Tapestry of Dark Souls. Its next book in this Ravenloft series i have been reading. So far not liking this one as much as others but may just take a bit to get going.
Still reading Kimono: A Modern History, by Terry Satsuki Milhaupt.
Does Kimono have interesting history?
I think so, it’s been an interesting read so far. It has talked about various styles and design patterns for different classes of wearers; how kimono makers have used celebrities of Kabuki theater to help advertise their products, along with using fashion books (marketing practices that still exist today); and the West’s influence on kimono and Japanese culture as a whole after Commodore Perry’s expedition to Japan.
Ahan, interesting.
Dexter in the dark. Been reading the Dexter books lately, pretty good, just about done with this one.
Just finished the Inheritance Games by Jennifer Lynn Barnes. I was hoping for more puzzles and less teeny bopper romance, but it was still compelling. Still working on Galaxy Outlaws by J. S. Morin, and I’ll probably pick up another anthology of his on sale from Audible. Currently reading The Jolliest Bunch by Danny Pellegrino. Christmas is my favorite holiday, so I like to read something Christmasy this time of year, fiction or nonfiction.
Should be wrapping up The Secret Servant by Gavin Lyall tonight.
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Finished All Systems Red by Martha Wells (comfy scfi) | bingo: motion picture, short, award HM, steppin’ up HM, late to the party HM
A secretly self-aware android must protect a team of scientists against an unexpected threat.
Especially considering its novella length, this is very well-plotted, well-paced, well-characterized, and well-ended. I enjoyed it, but it didn’t grab me enough to want to immediately add the next entry to my TBR (blasphemy, I know).
