The Irresponsible Reader - I Read (a lot) and then Rant, Rave and maybe Review

(updated 7/20/26)

From the first moment that people did the strange thing of asking me to talk about their books on my blog, I’ve been impressed by the quality of a lot of what’s been published by authors going out on their own, taking all the risks, shouldering all the responsibility, and doing all the work to get their words, their dreams, their blood, sweat, and tears on to the page (paper or electronic). This should be celebrated—it’s definitely appreciated, as we’re trying to show this week.

As part of this week-long celebration, I’m continuing my habit of highlighting the self-published works that I’ve blogged about over the last few years (or meant to blog about, but at least read)—just a sentence or two. Hopefully, this’ll be enough to make you click on the link to the full post. Beyond that, it’d be great if I inspired you to add a few of these to your TBR. Also, be sure you check out the other posts over at the SPAAW Hub.

Today I’m focusing on General Fiction (for lack of a better term)—there’s some Lad Lit, a dash of historical fiction, some humor, a couple of things I don’t know how to categorize beyond “Fiction”, and a bit more. Hopefully, you can find something that tickles your fancy.

bullet Dispatches from a Tourist Trap by James Bailey—Jason (see below) and his mother move from Seattle to a small town in the middle of Washington to stay with her parents as she establishes a life away from her husband. Hilarity and conflict ensue. (my post about it)
bullet The First World Problems of Jason Van Otterloo by James Bailey—an epistolary novel (through emails) from a 13-year-old whose life is turned upside down in 2003 Seattle. A lot of heart and a few laughs. (my post about it)
bullet This Is Who We Are Now by James Bailey—he doesn’t just write YA, Bailey attacks coming-of-Middle-Age, too. This not-so-young man, deals with changes to his parents’ lives, his younger siblings’ successes (and struggles) and coming to grips that his life may not end up just the way he wanted it to.
bullet The Glamshack by Paul W. Cohen—A lifestyle reporter’s obsessive love for a woman and the havoc it wreaks on his life. (my post about it)
bullet Ways And Truths And Lives by Matt Edwards—this is tough to summarize in a sentence, but let me try, because this is more about the internal life. James Dall is a struggling writer and reporter, who is still trying to figure out what he thinks about life, love and meaning. This is about him on the verge of making a big move for his life and career, and those things that move him to it.
bullet The Chronicles of Iona: Exile by Paula de Fougerolles—The first novel in a series about the founding of Iona. Some historical fiction with a hint of Fantasy. (my post about it)
bullet Love Stories by Robert Germaux—based on actual events, the story of a love that might have been, and one that is. (my post about it is forthcoming)
bullet Not Awkward by Matthew Hanover—a young man attends the funeral of his ex’s father and gets roped into staying during shiva in the days leading to his wedding. Nah, not awkward at all. (my post about it)
bullet Not Dressed by Matthew Hanover—Hanover’s (seemingly) effortless charm makes this “romantic comedy of how love goes wrong—and right—when you’re a twenty-something still figuring out how to adult” a real winner. (my post about it)
bullet Not Famous by Matthew Hanover—Hanover’s first novel is about a guy who falls for a socially awkward musician. It will steal your heart. (my post about it)
bullet Not Prepared by Matthew Hanover—a bachelor takes in his eleven-year-old-goddaughter when her mother skips town, and maybe finds love, too. Great stuff. (my post about it)
bullet The Flight of the Pickerings by John Grayson Heide—a heart-warming story about an older couple dealing with dementia and the end of their life together get their world turned upside down when their rebellious teenage grandson comes to live with them. (my post about it)
bullet Didn’t Get Frazzled by David Z. Hirsch, MD—a bildungsroman following a 20-something through his 4 years of medical school: from Gross Anatomy to the verge of residency. (my post about it)
bullet Love and Other Monsters in the Dark by K. B. Jensen—I could probably put this on most of my Self-Published Fiction lists, so I’ll limit it to this one. It’s sort of the same genre as The Twilight Zone—SF, Fantasy, Horror, Crime. Sudden Fiction and Short stories that’ll knock your socks off. (my post about it)
bullet XYZ by William Knight—A mature, old-school programmer has to start his career over at a 21st Century Startup as his family life falls apart in every way imaginable. Clearly a comedy. (my post about it)
bullet Dirt Road Home by Alexander Nader—A lot of charm fills this YA(ish) Coming of Age story about a teen forced to move from Detroit to a small town in Tennessee before graduation. (my post about it)
bullet Coffee and Condolences by Wesley Parker—A widower tries to begin recovering from the deaths of his wife and children by reconnecting with his step-sister and maybe finds love. (my post about it)
bullet Detours and Do-overs by Wesley Parker—A sequel to the next on the list. This follow-up had a lot of heart. (my post about it)
bullet Headphones and Heartaches by Wesley Parker—A teen finds home, safety, and love in a Foster Home, but is torn about leaving his mother behind. One sentence doesn’t do it justice, I simply loved this one. (my post about it)
bullet The Worst Man by Jon Rance—Ollie’s desperately in love with the girlfriend/fiancée of the man who’s been his best friend since childhood. And now he has to be the best man at the wedding he wants to derail. (my post about it)
bullet The Summer Holidays Survival Guide by Jon Rance—an out-of-shape teacher tries to prepare for a half-marathon while surviving the summer with his three kids, a marriage on the rocks, and his father (with dementia) moving in. (my post about it)
bullet However Long the Day by Justin Reed—A Depression-era take on The Prince and the Pauper, an impressive debut (my post about it)
bullet The Crescent and the Cross by Kurt Scheffler— the story of The Battle of Tours (in 732) and events leading up to it, told through the lives of people close to Charles Martel and Charles on the one hand and a couple of the leaders of the Muslim forces involved in the Arab invasion of France. (my post about it)
bullet In Ten Years by Ian Shane—The reductionist description is “A 21st Century When Harry Met Sally“. We watch a couple of college friends over 18 years start to figure out that they’re in love. Hilarious and sweet. (my post about it)
bullet Postgraduate by Ian Shane—When your life falls apart, why not take your college radio show and turn it into an Internet radio show? And then, why not attend a reunion with the old college radio gang, including “The One That Got Away” (because you foolishly dumped her)? (my post about it)
bullet Radio Radio by Ian Shane—A maverick DJ is forced to get creative when a corporate radio management team takes over his station. A love letter to what radio used to be as much as anything else. (my post about it)
bullet The Museum Guide by Nicole Sharp—”A snapshot of life, love and third grade field trippers” in a natural history museum. (my post about it)
bullet The Jackals by Adam Shaw—A local band on the verge of making it big/big-ish falls apart after high school due to a love triangle that shouldn’t have happened. When one member of the band dies, the group has to get together for a funeral and to clean up his stuff. (that’s a bad summary, but best I can do in a sentence) (my post about it)
bullet KA-E-RO-U Time to Go Home by B. Jeanne Shibahara—I’m so glad the blurb contains a one-sentence description because I couldn’t write one: “Desert-dweller Meryl travels to Japan, returns a WWII flag, and brings home an understanding of life that opens her heart for the unexpected.” (my post about it)
bullet Lingering by Melissa Simonson—It’s sort-of SF, sort-of a Thriller, but not really either, so I put this here. This is a novel about grief, about dealing with death—while telling the story about an effort to design an AI to mimic a dead loved one in order to help a survivor cope. (my post about it)
bullet We Be Dragons by Michael Weitz—It’s a trip back to the mid-80s in an Idaho small town. A group of boys spend the summer playing D&D, working, and thinking about girls. A local woman succumbs to Satanic Panic and tries to shut them down. As a bonus, we get several chapters from the game’s POV. (my post about it)
bullet Leveled Up Love by Tao Wong & A. G. Marshall—It’s LitRPG-ish, it’s also a Rom-Com. You mash the two of those together and you get this entirely entertaining and sweet read. (my post about it)

If you're a self-published author that I've featured on this blog and I didn't mention you in this post and should have. I'm sorry (unless you're this guy). Please drop me a line, and I'll fix this. I want to keep this regularly updated so I keep talking about Self-Published Authors.

Visit the SPAAW 2026 Hub to see what other Self-Published Appreciation Posts are out there.
Self-Published Authors Appreciation Week circle logo and the Irresponsible Reader Pilcrow in front of an open book

The 2026 Self-Published Authors Appreciation Week Logo was made by Witty and Sarcastic Book Club

We Be Dragons by Michael Weitz: A Nice Bit of 80s Nostalgia

By HCNewton

On July 20, 2026

In Fiction, General Fiction/Literature, Literary Locals, Self-Published Authors Appreciation Week

We Be Dragons

by Michael Weistz

DETAILS:
Publisher: Rook & Rook
Publication Date: May 23, 2025
Format: Paperback
Length: 438 pg.
Read Date: June 15-18. 2026

What’s We Be Dragons About?

It’s 1986 in Weston, ID, a small town in Northern Idaho, near Moscow (interestingly, that actual town in Idaho with that name is on the southeast corner, and is probably smaller). It’s practically idyllic—wholesome town, solid community where everyone knows everyone and looks out for each other. We focus on a group of six teens in the summer before their senior year, one of the last chances they have to make money for college. Their big concerns are getting to an AC/DC concert, trying to come up with the nerve to ask out a girl, overbearing bosses, and keeping their cars running. Well, and their D&D game.

Which, to their surprise, is becoming controversial—someone in the large church just outside of town has decided to buy into all the hype surrounding the game right then—that it’s Satanic, involves actual demons and spells, and will lead children to a life of destruction, drugs, and deviancy. She’s trying to rile up the city against this kind of thing—and they’re about to become the poster children for this effort.

The book focuses on John Brewer, the DM for the game, who loses his job at the beginning of the summer—thanks to some changes in town. He ends up having to scramble for a job helping with the harvest efforts (and the run-up to them) for a farm a little way out of town, where he and Toff, another member of the group, live during the week.

There are three types of chapters in this book, and I want to attack each of them in turn.

The A Story

There’s the everyday life chapters—the slice of life, the coming-of-age stuff. This is perfectly fine. I do wonder if John acts a little too immature for someone of h is age and place in life (especially compared to his friends). But then again…at that age, how many of us acted like we were supposed to?

The main conflict in these chapters if between John and his boss who is antagonistic toward him from the instant he hires John. Toff tries to keep John and his temper in check (and it mostly works). Jim Henley, the farmer in question, attends the same church as the anti-D&D crusader, but that doesn’t seem to be all of it. There’s something else afoot.

Mrs. Henley and the other adults on the farm seem to be fine with Toff and John—they’re friendly and helpful, taking the boys under their wings to show them what to do. Their basic decency really makes you wonder about Jim.

The Gaming Nights

Then we get the chapters where we see the gang as a D&D session begins or ends. I really loved these chapters—it feels so right. This is what a gaming session should be like—although some of these chapters feature the abrupt interruption of the anti-D&D campaigners breaking up the games in various ways. Those interruptions are not what a gaming session should be like, but the way that the teens and John’s mom react are really good.

Paulette Dickerson keeps interrupting the games—ignoring common manners and private property laws in an unbelievable, yet completely believable, way. Sometimes with an audience, sometimes with just a henchman/hanger on. The police get involved more than once.

These chapters sold me on the book more than anything else—it’s the core of the book. I enjoyed watching the reactions to Paulette and her antics. But more than that, it’s just watching the way the boys play.

The Game POV

If the core of the book is the gaming nights, then the chapters which are told about the game—from the POV of the characters—are the cherry on top. It’s basically scenes from a fantasy novel. We don’t see Truck, Charlie, or Nick—we see the characters Kryger, Domo, Bellator, and the rest—plus all the monsters and hazards that John throws at them.

These chapters are just perfect. I mean, I might not love them if they were in a proper Fantasy novel (I’d need to see more to form an opinion). But in this format? Just love them.

My sole complaint is that there aren’t enough of them.

So, what did I think about We Be Dragons?

I liked the book. I thought the anti-D&D stuff ended well. I thought the character arcs were pretty well resolved. I’m not 100% that the A Story chapters told a story that needed to be told, or had a satisfying/worthwhile conclusion. But, I’m not annoyed by that—and the pluses of this book outweigh that.

It took Weitz a little while to settle into the book—he was trying too hard initially to set the stage, I think. Two detailed descriptions of oil changes in the first 20 pages seems a little overkill. But once he settled into things, that went away. He nails the setting—granted, I didn’t move to the area until 5 years after the events depicted here, but his description jibed with my memories. Once we move past the opening chapters, the writing was smooth and while you wouldn’t ever call this a fast-paced novel, it reads like one.

The two antagonists of the book—Paulette Dickerson and Jim Henley—were a bit too thinly drawn to take seriously. I don’t get where Henley is coming from or his capricious treatment of his workers—why did any of the adults stick with him? Was work that hard to find in the community? Paulette is a good representation of the worst of the Satanic Panic of the time. But she feels as solid as a Hollywood backdrop. I just didn’t believe her (I believed people’s reactions to her, though).

All that said—this is a nice way to spend some time. Weitz does a good job of taking you back to the 80s (especially if you’re familiar with smaller rural towns), and reminding the reader about high school friendships—and, for some of us, that group of geeky guys they could spend quality time with.

This post contains an affiliate link. If you purchase from it, I will get a small commission at no additional cost to you. As always, the opinions expressed are my own.

Visit the SPAAW 2026 Hub to see what other Self-Published Appreciation Posts are out there.

Self-Published Authors Appreciation Week circle logo and the Irresponsible Reader Pilcrow in front of an open book

In large letters 'Literary Locals' and in smaller 'The Irresponsible Reader' are at the bottom of the image. An image of a book opening and snow-capped mountains rising from between the pages, a stalk of some sort of grain is next to each side of the book, like parentheses.

Image by OpenIcons from Pixabay
The 2026 Self-Published Authors Appreciation Week Logo was made by Witty and Sarcastic Book Club

The Museum Guide by Nicole Sharp: A Literary Stroll through Lives and a Museum

By HCNewton

On July 20, 2026

In Fiction, General Fiction/Literature, Literary Locals, Self-Published Authors Appreciation Week

The Museum Guide

by Nicole Sharp

DETAILS:
Publication Date: June 1, 2024
Format: Paperback
Length: 50 pg.
Read Date: May 2, 2026

What’s The Museum Guide About?

This is a very small novella, so I have to be careful not to say too much. The text on the cover describes the book very well: “A snapshot of life, love and third grade field trippers.”

We follow museum docent Martha Stein as she guides a class of third-graders through a natural history museum. Third-graders + museum = barely-controlled chaos, and we do get to see Martha and the teacher try to maintain that. But as Martha takes them around, the narration pauses to watch a security guard, an event planner, a museum visitor, someone working on a display, and so on.

We see where they are that day—their emotions, the goings on in their life, just a quick glimpse—as if they’re displays at a museum we’re strolling through.

So, what did I think about The Museum Guide?

I’m more afraid to say much here than I was above. This feels like one of those things that the more you talk about it, the worse the subject is for it. To come back to this well one too many times, it’s one of those beautiful displays in a museum that it’s best to just stand and take in rather than to try to talk about. (there’s a scene in Walter Mosley’s Ghalen that captures this wonderfully, where a man just stands in front of a painting for hours, unable to really talk about what he’s seeing)

This novella has none of the zaniness of Sharp’s other work, or really almost any other characteristic of it. However, it does have the same quality of writing, story-telling, and character. How she’s able to draw so many strong characters in a mere fifty pages is something else.

If anything, it’s assuring to see that she has another gear—as delightful as her typical gear is.

I was completely immersed in this and was utterly charmed by it. It was over too soon for my taste (although I couldn’t tell you how it could be expanded/extended without losing something).

The Museum Guide is a very pleasant way to spend an afternoon, and I’d encourage you to get it.

This post contains an affiliate link. If you purchase from it, I will get a small commission at no additional cost to you. As always, the opinions expressed are my own.

Visit the SPAAW 2026 Hub to see what other Self-Published Appreciation Posts are out there.

Self-Published Authors Appreciation Week circle logo and the Irresponsible Reader Pilcrow in front of an open book
In large letters 'Literary Locals' and in smaller 'The Irresponsible Reader' are at the bottom of the image. An image of a book opening and snow-capped mountains rising from between the pages, a stalk of some sort of grain is next to each side of the book, like parentheses.

Image by OpenIcons from Pixabay
The 2026 Self-Published Authors Appreciation Week Logo was made by Witty and Sarcastic Book Club

SPAAW ’26: Z.B. Steele Engages in Shameless OTHER-Promotion

By HCNewton

On July 20, 2026

In Self-Published Authors Appreciation Week

I had a longer intro written for this series of posts, but it ended up too long. (If you’re curious, it makes up a couple of paragraphs in my Welcome to Self-Published Authors Appreciation Week post). Here’s the compressed version:

One of the things that’s impressed me over the years is seeing the way that Self-Published Authors all tend to support each other. They don’t come across as competitors, you’re colleagues—teammates, almost. Once again this year for SPAAW, I’m exploiting that.

As an expression of that, I’ve asked some authors to promote 1-3 self-published works by someone else—to just give me a quick elevator pitch for them to help get the word out. Several of them replied with those lists (a few have resisted the call for particular titles and have just talked about some other authors–which is close enough for me). Naturally, I’ve asked them all for a quick bit about one of their books/series, too—they should get some attention as well, don’t you think?

An image of a pair of speech bubbles. The upper one reads 'Z.B. Steele Engages in:' and the lower reads Shameless Other-Promotion' with the Self-Published Author Appreciation raven circle in the upper left corner, and the Irresponsible Reader Pilcrow Icon in the lower left corner.

Other-Promotion:

The Price of Power

by Michael Michel
Fantastic character work, gorgeous imagery and a setting where ASOIAF meets x-men, Price of Power has it all. For fans of multi-pov works with an emphasis on character building, this one is for you

Website ~ Twitter ~ Buy the Book on Bookshop.org

The Price of Fear

by Miles Lyon
A stunningly powerful voice, this grimdark framed narrative doles out raunchy humor, visceral action, and scintillating dialogue in equal measures. For fans of EOTV & First Law.

Website

The Whisper that Replaced God

by Timothy Wolff
One of the best–if not the best–novellas I’ve ever read, this unreliable narrative features a semi-insane assassin in love with a prostitute who hates him and marked by a god hated by all. Not for the faint of heart, but anyone who can digd unreliable narrators will love this.

Twitter ~ Buy the Book on Bookshop.org

A Bit of Self-Promotion by Z.B. Steele

Whispers of the Storm

My flagship series is Song of the Damned with Whispers of the Storm being the first entry.
A framed narrative where Abercrombie meets Rothfuss, Whispers of the Storm centers on Redlin, an infamous hero-turned-villain on the way to his execution. As he travels to the noose, he chronicles his life as a boy sold to a military academy, his rise to fame, and his fall to infamy

Website ~ Linktree

Be sure to check out these books and show these Self-Published Authors some appreciation! They’re available at the links above or at the retailer of your choice!

Feel free to head over to my Bookshop.org page to see all the books I’m featuring this week (this may spoil some of the other lists, you’ve been warned). At least as many of them that Bookshop.org sells, anyway.

Visit the SPAAW 2026 Hub to see what other Self-Published Appreciation Posts are out there.

Self-Published Authors Appreciation Week circle logo and the Irresponsible Reader Pilcrow in front of an open book

Image by OpenIcons from Pixabay
The 2026 Self-Published Authors Appreciation Week Logo was made by Witty and Sarcastic Book Club

SPAAW ’26: Adam Holcombe Engages in Shameless OTHER-Promotion

By HCNewton

On July 20, 2026

In Self-Published Authors Appreciation Week

An image of a pair of speech bubbles. The upper one reads 'Adam Holcombe Engages in:' and the lower reads Shameless Other-Promotion' with the Self-Published Author Appreciation raven circle in the upper left corner, and the Irresponsible Reader Pilcrow Icon in the lower left corner.

Other-Promotion:

The Envoys of War

by Dave Lawson
A test of loyalty turns into a chaotic hairbrained scheme that requires the coordination of several individuals with questionable intents. Great characters, great bickering, D&D feels.

Website ~ Linktree ~ Buy the Book on Bookshop.org

His Ragged Company: A Testimony of Elias Faust

by Rance D. Denton
Making westerns weirder with a heaping handful of warlock magic, people filled with sand, and fast shootin’ shoot outs. An immersive, wild experience.

Website ~ Instagram

Fortune’s Fool

by Angela Boord
An Italian renaissance inspired story about a woman with a metal arm out for vengeance and love. This duel timeline story comes together to tell an amazing story about Kyrra, once the daughter of a noble house, now a mercenary.

Website ~ Instagram ~ Buy on Bookshop.org

A Bit of Self-Promotion by Adam Holcombe

Bounty Inc.

A lofty dream that only a vast inheritance could achieve. Good thing Wyn’s wealthy father died. Launching the galaxy’s first bounty hunting organization requires the assistance of a strange and diverse group of dangerous individuals, and of course a really cool slag cannon. The cannon is important.

Website ~ Bluesky ~ Buy on Bookshop.org

Be sure to check out these books and show these Self-Published Authors some appreciation! They’re available at the links above or at the retailer of your choice!

Visit the SPAAW 2026 Hub to see what other Self-Published Appreciation Posts are out there.

Self-Published Authors Appreciation Week circle logo and the Irresponsible Reader Pilcrow in front of an open book

Image by OpenIcons from Pixabay
The 2026 Self-Published Authors Appreciation Week Logo was made by Witty and Sarcastic Book Club

Welcome to Self-Published Author’s Appreciation Week 2026!

By HCNewton

On July 20, 2026

In News/Misc., Self-Published Authors Appreciation Week

Once again, it’s Self-Published Author Appreciation Week. The busiest week at The Irresponsible Reader each year–and this one is no exception (even if I don’t finish every post I’m trying to!)

It’s not just me–there are a handful of other bloggers doing something this week (you can see a running list over at the SPAAW Hub), led by the inimitable Jodie at Witty and Sarcastic Book Club who organizes this thing year in and year out. This is our annual tribute to those authors who take it all on themselves–all the work, all the risks, all the costs, and all the (too small) rewards. They’re the independents, the mavericks, the risk-takers, those who won’t let their creative vision be reined in by others, they’re out there doing things on their own (with a small group of others they’ve teamed up with on their own). These are the Mal Reynoldses of the Literary World.

Every week on this blog, in a sense, is Author Appreciation Week, but you can see why we’re eager to take one week to focus on the Self-Pub warriors among them, right?

So, how am I showing the appreciation this year? Well, I’ve got one Cover Reveal, a handful of review-ish posts, and my annually updated lists of Self-Published works by Genre that I’ve talked about on this site. I will also have four videos of me chatting with Self-Published Authors about Self-Publishing, and a series of posts that I’m calling Shameless OTHER-Promtion posts.

One of the things that’s impressed me over the years is seeing the way that Self-Published Authors all tend to support each other. They don’t come across as competitors, they’re colleagues—teammates, almost. Once again this year for SPAAW, I’m taking advantage of that.

Now, one of the worst parts (I assume) about being a self-published author is that the authoring is only half of the job (or so, it probably varies by individual, I’m speaking in generalities). The other half includes a hefty-dose of self-promotion. You are generally your own publicity team. You have to be, unless you’re spending money you probably aren’t earning with your books on hiring someone.

Despite this, I’ve consistently seen them take a moment or two of pushing their own books to promote each other–most of the social media links I find for Self-Published Book X will be from other authors. It might just be a repost, but frequently, it’ll be a quick review or just a call to “Look at This!”. And those will get reposted and commented on by others. The mutual aid systems that develop around self-published authors are something to behold–and the other-promotion of it all is just a small portion.

But it’s that part that I’m exploiting for the week. I’ve asked some authors to promote 1-3 self-published works by someone else—to just give me a quick elevator pitch for them to help get the word out. (some have resisted the call for particular titles and have just talked about some other authors–which is close enough for me).

Naturally, I’ve asked them all for a quick bit about one of their books/series, too–they should get some attention as well, don’t you think?

The featured posts this week will come from some names familiar to readers of this blog, and a good number of new names (hopefully they’ll pop up enough to be familiar to you soon):

JCM Berne
A. J. Calvin
E. N. Crane
M. K. Felix
Michael R. Fletcher
Glen Gabel
Irene Hill
Adam Holcombe

Shannon Knight
Troy Lambert
Nikki McCormack
M.D. Presley
Paul Regnier
D.B. Rook
Z.B. Steele

Stick around and see what they recommend, and have to offer themselves!

Visit the SPAAW 2026 Hub to see what other Self-Published Appreciation Posts are out there.

Self-Published Authors Appreciation Week circle logo and the Irresponsible Reader Pilcrow in front of an open book

Image by OpenIcons from Pixabay
The 2026 Self-Published Authors Appreciation Week Logo was made by Witty and Sarcastic Book Club

Saturday Miscellany—7/18/26

By HCNewton

On July 18, 2026

In Books, News/Misc., Saturday Miscellany

Odds ‘n ends about books and reading that caught my eye this week. You’ve probably seen some/most/all of them, but just in case:
bullet People Who Can Still Read Will Rule the World—When I read this earlier in the week, I thought “problem-filled but worth the read.” I’m struggling to find the worth today, but maybe you will? It’s short anyway.
bullet Pressed for time? 20 brilliant books you can read in a day—this list might play into the hands of the opening piece.
bullet Best Science Fiction Books of the Century (So Far)—according to Book Riot, anyway
bullet So You Want to Read More Indie Authors—pretty good list. And a great lead-in to next week’s Self-Published Authors Appreciation Week
bullet If you Like This, Read That: Dad Edition—”here’s a bunch of book recs that will make the transition from reading just for you, to reading with a baby, a little bit easier”

A Book-ish Related Podcast episode (or two) you might want to give a listen to:
bullet Twisted Passages Episode 117: Jack Friday (KILLER VIBES) (I couldn’t find a link to an audio version)

To help talk about backlist titles (and just for fun), What Was I Talking About 10 Years Ago This Week?
bullet The Substitute Sleuth by Michael R. Underwood
bullet Korian and Lucy by Zoe Kalo
bullet And I talked about the releases of: The Innocents by Ace Atkins; Time Siege by Wesley Chu; and Salvation Lake by G. M. Ford.

This Week’s New Releases that I’m Excited About and/or You’ll Probably See Here Soon:
bullet Killer Vibes by Jack Friday—”A wild and wickedly funny series debut, introducing readers to the irresistible and irrepressible private investigator, Peter Key.” I was pretty enthusiastic when I talked about it recently.
bullet Unpredictable Magic by Faith Hunter—”Witches Angelina and Evan Everhart-Trueblood take a case that spirals out of control until the whole city is at risk in this exciting new novel from New York Times bestselling author Faith Hunter.” I love the idea of seeing Angelina and Evan as adult witchy PIs. I have high hopes for this sequel series.
bullet Howliday Inn the Graphic Novel by James Howe, Andrew Donkin, Stephen Gilpin—stumbling onto the Bunnicula graphic novel a couple of years ago was a great excuse to revisit some old friends. This should serve the same purpose.
bullet The Dragon Has Some Complaints by John Wiswell—”In this heartfelt and humorous fantasy from the Nebula-winning author of Someone You Can Build a Nest In, a dragon whose three heads bear rather…different…personalities finds family in the most unexpected of places.”…”This cozy fantasy intertwines epic battles with loving friendships, sharing an utterly unique perspective on what it means to be a “monster.”

image source: Imani Rhiannon on Facebook (of an image of a post by @PaperFury somewhere else)

Mid-Year Freak Out 2026 (not completely about Butcher’s Twelve Months)

By HCNewton

On July 17, 2026

In Book Tag, Books, News/Misc.

a generic-looking tag reading 'Mid-Year Freak Out Book Tag 2026'
It’s a little past time for this book tag, but it’s still close enough, right? I’ve lost track of who created it, and I feel bad about that. I have seen it this year at Kerri McBookNerd’s blog, Becky’s Book Blog, and Worlds Unlike Our Own. I’ve likely seen it a few other places, too–but I forgot to save those links (sorry if you feel I ignored you…it was unintentional).

When I started assembling this post, I joked to myself that I could just use Butcher’s Twelve Months for just about every answer. Then I thought about it, and it’d be legitimate to do so. But that sort of feels like cheating, so I won’t–but I will include it as often as it applies.

Best Book You’ve Read in 2026


A Violent Masterpiece by Jordan Harper	Twelve Months by Jim Butcher

A Violent Masterpiece is just almost-impossibly well-written. Harper’s prose is sharp, the cultural critique is spot-on, he makes LA and the strange sub-cultures that populate it come to life (at least the ones he looks at in this book), and it’s thrilling as all get-out. Twelve Months is exactly the book that Butcher’s fans have been waiting for–not just because we’ve literally been waiting a few years for it, but it’s Butcher at his absolutely best–and therefore Harry Dresden and the rest of the characters are, too.

Best Sequel You’ve Read in 2026


Three Hitmen and a Baby by Rob Hart	Electric City Switches by M.D. Presley

Three Hitmen does everything that the previous books in the series did, but does them a little better. Actually, that’s the case for Electric City Switches, too. I was looking forward to both of these before I started, but part-way through, I got even more excited by the books and what they meant for their respective series.

Twelve Months
by Jim Butcher

Twelve Months–it really is the sequel to Peace Talks/Battle Ground (and almost every book in the series), not just the next book in the series–Butcher follows up with the aftermath of those two and helps both his fans and characters start to recover from them.

New Release You Have Yet To Read


This Kingdom Will Not Kill Me by Ilona Andrews	Prey of Angels by JCM Berne

Crownfall by Michael Vadney	Don’t Die Dave by A.R. Witham

There are plenty of books that have come out this year that I haven’t read (obviously), but really I’ve done a pretty decent job of keeping up on the ones that I’m really excited about for one reason or another–these four, on the other hand, prove that I don’t have a clean sweep going on that.

Most Anticipated Release From the 2nd Half of the Year


The Killer’s Mark by M.W. Craven	Silver and Lead by Seanan McGuire

I seriously cannot wait for The Killer’s Mark–we’re moving into a new stage of the series here, and I have no idea how it’s going to work. I need to know. McGuire’s Silver and Lead is a close second on the anticipation list, it’s going to be a new phase for that series, too (although this series is full of those). There are others I’m sure that I’ll be excited about–The Thrice-Bound Fool by Christopher Buehlman, for example–but these are the two I’m really waiting for.

The embarrassing thing that I just noticed is that last year’s answer to this question was the previous book in both series by these two. Score one for consistency, I guess.

Biggest Disappointment

Worse than a Lie
by Ben Crump

Given the premise and the notoriety of the author, it could’ve been something else. I guess it was, but what it was rhymes with “a waste of paper and ink.”

Biggest Surprise


Operation Bounce House by Matt Dinniman, read by Travis Baldree & Jeff Hays	The Dentist by Tim Sullivan

Okay, I expected that Dinniman could write something (see: “50,000,000 Elvis Fans Can’t Be Wrong”), but I wasn’t ready for something that was amusing, heart-wrenching, and that did a careful job of addressing a touchy subject (it maybe shouldn’t be one, but it is). This could’ve easily been an overly-earnest screed with some out-of-place jokes attached. But no, that’s not what he brought us. Sullivan’s depiction of a detective on the Spectrum doesn’t resort to stereotypes, doesn’t play up the neurodivergence for laughs, and surrounds that great character with other well-drawn characters and some really well-conceived and executed mystery plots.

Twelve Months
by Jim Butcher

I was really surprised at the depth of the storytelling, the way Butcher could switch between emotional reactions so quickly (I mean, he does this all the time, but he does it more often here), and just how grounded his story about a wizard living in a magic castle in modern-day Chicago could feel.–and a couple of the story events, surprised me a lot, too.

Favorite New Author


Matt Dinniman	Callum McSorley	Tim Sullivan

Between wowing me with Operation Bounce House and me finally succumbing to the cult of Dungeon Crawler Carl, Dinniman has to be at the top of my new-to-me authors. Followed closely by The Dentist‘s Tim Sullivan. See above. I have to add in Callum McSorely here–his depiction of Glasgow, the least-dirty dirty cop in fiction, and the criminals she’s up against. His debut is one of those that you can’t believe is a debut.

New Favorite Character

There are just so many characters I could put here…it’s truly difficult to restrain myself. But there’s Tim Sullivan’s DS George Cross–yeah, I keep coming back to him. That character is just a great creation. As is Grand Champion, Breed Winner Regional, National Winner Princess Donut the Queen Anne Chonk. If you’ve met her, you know. If you haven’t, I don’t know that I can sufficiently describe her.

Although, I think I have to give the crown to Harry Dresden’s Valkyrie bodyguard, Bear. Her combination of calm under pressure, sharp wit, wisdom, and strength added a breath of fresh air to the series–and to Twelve Months in particular. Harry needed another ally for the next stretch of books and Bear is going to fill that role so well. She cheered me a little almost every time she showed up.

A Book That Made You Cry


Twelve Months by Jim Butcher	The Best Dog in the World: Essays on Love edited by Alice Hoffman	This Book Made Me Think of You by Libby Page

I don’t think I actually cried (yet) because of a book this year. But Twelve Months wrecked me–Harry’s guilt and grief, his despair has to move you. Actually, some of the points that helped him start to get past those really make a guy think about losing a tear or two.

Hoffman’s book that could be considered a series of eulogies (a couple of them pre-emptively delivered) for wondeful dogs is of course going to make a reader misty-eyed. It started with the first essay and didn’t let up until the back cover.

Here’s another shocker–a book about a widow’s first year without her husband who has left an unbelievable series of gifts for her to help her in her grief? It doesn’t et maudlin, but it sure jerks at some tears.

A Book That Made You Happy


Twelve Months by Jim Butcher	All the Best Dogs Emily Jenkins, illustrated by Manuel Preitano

One last Twelve Months mention–yeah, it made me weepy, it shocked me with a couple of developments–but it just made me happy to be back in the wrold of harry Dresden, to see how he’s dealing with everything (and everyone else, too). It was a roller coaster for me, for sure–but even when I was lamenting I was happy. And then with All the Best Dogs you’ve got a bunch of elementary school kids in love with their dogs and having fun with them? The book is practically distilled joy.

What Book/s Do You Need to Read By the End of 2026

Well, that’s a long list. There’s the books listed in my summer reads challenges; the soon to be released Craven, McGuire, and Buehlman; I’ve got a couple of books by Mai Corland and Wesley Chu that are gathering too much dust; We Chase Shadows, the 30 or so books that I bought this year that I haven’t read yet…

As usual, I’m not tagging anyone in this—but I’d like to see what you all have to come up with.
Irresponsible Reader Pilcrow Icon

Opening Lines: The Daughters’ War by Christopher Buehlman

By HCNewton

On July 16, 2026

In Fiction, News/Misc., Opening Lines, Quotations

We all know we’re not supposed to judge a book by its cover (yet, publishing companies spend big bucks on cover design/art, and we all do judge them that way). But, the opening sentence(s)/paragraph(s) are fair game. So, when I stumble on a good opening (or remember one and pull it off the shelves), I like to throw it up here (especially if I’m out of time to come up with a post that involves writing on my part).

from The Daughters’ War by Christopher Buehlman:

I saw my first goblin the same day I saw my first shipwreck.

I was under sail, on my way to war.

On my way to fall in love with death, and with a queen.

On my way to lose all of my friends, and two of my brothers.

I would see a great city fall in blood and fire, betrayed by a false god.

Later, I would be commanded to die on a high stone bridge, but I would fail in this.

The rest of the First Lanza of His Majesty’s Corvid Knights would not fail.

This is not a happy story, but it is a true one.

I have no time for lies, or for liars.

Opening Lines Logo

The Reverse Centaur’s Guide to Life After AI by Cory Doctorow: Prudent, Thoughtful, and Entertaining (naturally)

By HCNewton

On July 15, 2026

In Audiobook, Non-Fiction

The Reverse Centaur’s Guide to Life After AI: How to Think About Artificial Intelligence—Before It’s Too Late

by Cory Doctorow

DETAILS:
Publisher: Macmillan Audio
Publication Date: June 23, 2026
Format: Unabridged Audiobook
Length: 5 hrs, 28 min.
Read Date: June 25, 2026

A reverse centaur is a human who is conscripted into acting as an assistant to a machine. There’s a classic I Love Lucy episode where Lucy and Ethel are working on an assembly line at a chocolate factory, taking bonbons off the belt and wrapping them in paper. As the belt goes faster and faster, Lucy and Ethel have to work at superhuman speed. They’re reverse centaurs: the machine can move the chocolates from one place to another, but it needs a human to pack them into the box, and the humans who act as its assistant are made to work at a pace that exceeds all human capacity until calamity ensues.

What’s The Reverse Centaur’s Guide to Life After AI About?

If I try to summarize this, we’re going to be here for a while (or I’ll pitch it in a tweet-length paragraph that won’t do the job), so let me quote from the official blurb:

The Reverse Centaur’s Guide to Life After AI is not another anti-AI screed. Cory Doctorow uses AI in his work every day. As a creative person, he has no moral or dogmatic issue with AI—he thinks the technology is useful, even exciting, and full of potential. And yet.

AI has arrived surrounded by unprecedented hype driven by a tech industry desperate to maintain its unprecedented valuation based on its own promises of endless financial growth. Despite the fact that almost all of AI’s real-world implementations have proved underwhelming, AI is projected to be worth more than $16 trillion—a number that only makes sense if AI replaces vast swathes of the wage-earning human workforce. To justify that level of “value,” every story about AI must be presented as inevitable, world-changing disruption. Even the tales of the robot apocalypse are a calculated attempt to bolster the fearsome power of AI.

For Doctorow, it is imperative to see through that hype to the real story, to understand the technology not just for what it does, but for who it does it to and who it does it for. From that point of view, the story of AI is indeed dramatic and unprecedented, having generated an investment bubble so big that it endangers the entire world economy. In The Reverse Centaur’s Guide to Life After AI—as he so successfully did in Enshittification—Doctorow recounts both how we found ourselves in this dire situation and how we can get through it, to a life “after” AI in which the tools work for us, not the other way around.

There are three main themes to the book the philosophy of inevitablism that drives so much of the conversation around AI (particularly on the pro-AI side); the inevitable crash of the AI-bubble and what that will do to workers, industries, and the environment; and how to go on after the bubble pops—how we can use AI in a useful, constructive way to actually help people.

So, what did I think about The Reverse Centaur’s Guide to Life After AI?

…the future is up for grabs. It is not inevitable. Al isn’t a genie that can’t be put back into a bottle. How we use AI is up to us. Whether we use Al is up to us. The future can be ours, if we never stop remembering that the most important fact about a technology isn’t what it does, it’s who it does it for, and who it does it to.

I was much more anti-AI when I opened this book than I was at the end. I actually figured that Doctorow would give a pretty well-thought-out “another anti-AI screed” (I clearly didn’t read the description of the book). But Doctorow has made me reconsider some of my notions. I’m not sure he changed my mind—I’m still thinking.

I should rush to say that Doctorow doesn’t defend the notion of using so-called “generative AI” to create art, nor would I. But…transcribing audio files? Getting some facts for an article? If done in the right way, maybe.

But my post isn’t supposed to be about what I think—it’s about the reading experience. This is classic Doctorow—engaging, approachable, frequently amusing, thoughtful and thought-provoking. A good mixture of research and opinion.

The central image of the reverse centaur and the frequent call-backs to the idea that “the most important fact about a technology isn’t what it does, it’s who it does it for, and who it does it to” will stick with the reader, inform their ideas about AI, and so many other things.

The audiobook hold at my library came in a day before the hardcover—so I listened to it, and then re-read a couple of passages to make sure I heard what I thought I did to solidify my grasp on the notion. So, I think I can speak to both formats. It’s a short read (or listen), it’s an engaging read (or listen). Either way, as one would expect, with Doctorow sounding off on technology—you’re in for a treat.

This post contains an affiliate link. If you purchase from it, I will get a small commission at no additional cost to you. As always, the opinions expressed are my own.
Irresponsible Reader Pilcrow Icon