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.

Love the Dresden books. I’m listening to Riftwar book 2

• 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).

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. 🤦

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

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.

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.

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.

__

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).