Music Monday's originated at The Tattooed Book Geek's fantastic blog and has shown up hither, thither, and yon since then.
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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:
Farewell, Pocket Books—I’ve linked to several things about this in the last few months (well, maybe a handful). I rather appreciated this short video.
Dorothy Parker: Sharp-Witted Writer, Bitter Professor—I didn’t know this about Parker.
Scammers’ Delight: Christopher Farnsworth on Living in the Golden Age of Grift—Yes, this is mostly an advertisement for Farnsworth’s new novel (see below), but even without that, it’s a good read. And you can see why people like Farnsworth, Spencer Quinn, and Jesse Q. Sutanto write about bringing these kind of crooks down.
It’s Time to Get Loud About the Books You Love—If you’re going to limit yourself to reading one thing I link to this week, this is the one.
Death Show Colossus: A Fantasy Cyberpunk Deluxe Edition Kickstarter—this looks like a great read, and you can get a very pretty copy of it on the cheaper side while helping some indie artists.
Books That Take Place in Bookstores or Libraries—a handy-dandy list.
Books with Relationships for People who Don’t Love Love: 2026 Edition—I’d forgot that Witty & Sarcastic Book Club did this every year. Shame on me. I enjoy seeing the picks (this year, I’m feeling clever: I’ve read one, own one, and have had another on my “to get” list for ages).
Similarly, Noelle Holten has a couple of Anti-Valentine’s Day Book Recs
If, however, you’re in the mood to celebrate the day, you might appreciate this collection of valentines to print for your special someone (or to at least forward the images to them)
The Manhattan Beach Library has a great game for bored librarians to play
My favorite sentence/passage/phrase (or two) that I read this week:
“Death may be the price of warriors, but grief is the price of the ones they leave behind.”—Banners of Wrath by Michael Michel
To help talk about backlist titles (and just for fun), What Was I Talking About 10 Years Ago This Week?
The Batgirl of Burnside by Brenden Fletcher, Cameron Stewart & Babs Tarr
The Highly Capable by Jayme Beddingfield (I feel pretty bad that I forgot about this book entirely until I read this post today)
Guardians by Josi Russell
The Prince of Tides by Pat Conroy
And I mentioned the releases of: Morning Star by Pierce Brown; Dead Is Better by Jo Perry; Atlanta Burns: The Hunt by Chuck Wendig; As Chimney Sweepers Come to Dust by Alan Bradley
This Week’s New Releases that I’m Excited About and/or You’ll Probably See Here Soon:
Banners of Wrath by Michael Michel—the third book in this saga is really pushing these cultures to the brink of destruction. I’m not so sure that there’s a way for this series to resolve in anything but chaos. I think I’m okay with that as long as the writing stays this compelling. (and if I’m wrong, all the better)
Strange Animals by Jarod K. Anderson—”An ordinary man discovers a hidden world of supernatural creatures—and an unexpected home—in this enchanting contemporary fantasy debut.” I tried to talk about what a cool read this is recently.
Robert B. Parker’s Big Shot by Christopher Farnsworth—”Police Chief Jesse Stone finds himself in the crosshairs of a rich hedge fund manager dead set on making Paradise Jesse’s personal hell.” I’m appreciating Farnsworth’s approach to Jesse, coupled with the piece linked above, I’m eager to dive in sometime next week.
Operation Bounce House by Matt Dinniman—”A man must fight for his planet against impossible odds when gamers from Earth attempt to remotely annihilate it in this epic, fast-paced novel.” This is not the jokey-Dinniman that others have described to me. This is like Suzanne Collins mixed with Scalzi’s more serious side. I’m almost half-way through this audiobook, and it’s captivating and gut-punching.
The Man Who Walked Between the Towers
by Mordicai Gerstein
DETAILS:
Publisher: Roaring Brook Press
Publication Date: September 05, 2003
Format: Hardcover
Length: 44 pg.
Read Date: January 17, 2026
What’s The Man Who Walked Between the Towers About?
This is the story of Philippe Petit’s 1974 courageous and dramatic (and reckless, perhaps foolish) tightrope walk between the towers of the World Trade Center. Petit spent about an hour going back and forth between the towers entertaining onlookers and frustrating police on both ends of his wire, waiting to apprehend him.
Well, I Didn’t Expect That
This was originally published in 2003—so at least a good portion of it was written/illustrated after the Towers were destroyed and we get a couple of pages about how they aren’t there any more. Which takes this book from an enjoyable tale of some reckless bravado and art to a meditation on art’s fleeting aspect. Sure things like books, photographs, illustrations are more permanent. But the act—the performance—is just for a moment.
I can be inspired by watching footage and documentaries about this event, or reading books like this (or ones for grownups) about it. But, at best, I’m getting it second-hand. Even things we think are going to be around for ages, like buildings, don’t last—something as ephemeral as art and the way it impacts the audience can’t be either (although the echoes and memories in our minds and lives do).
I don’t know how much of that can really be communicated to the audience—for which object permanence as a concept wasn’t that long ago. But at least for older readers, that’s going to hit a bit.
Let’s Talk about the Art for a Minute
I don’t remember a time when I didn’t experience acrophobia—not crippling, but I’ve flirted with it on occasion. I won’t and can’t say that this art induced that reaction in me. But it got me as close to it that a Picture Book could. Gerstein captured the reality of Petit’s world—while keeping it fanciful enough to engage younger readers and to capture the spirit of the man and event.
There are a couple of pages, that fold out, too to increase the reader’s impression of the feat. Great idea and Gerstein’s execution of it was a highlight.
I can only be effusively positive when it comes to the art, it seems. And I’m okay with that.
How is it to Read Aloud?
This is a straight-forward narrative. Nothing flashy about it, so it’s easy. The page layouts (and pages without text) will help the older reader convey the meaning to their younger companions. And those text-less page provide plenty of space for discussion about the images.
So, what did I think about The Man Who Walked Between the Towers?
I expected something a bit more playful, imaginative, and perhaps just goofy. This is on me—I just didn’t see this as fodder for a Picture Book outside of that.
But nooooo, Gerstein had to prove me wrong.
This is just facts—presented in a way that will appeal and be understandable to a younger reader. But that’s it. A nice “torn from the headlines” kind of story. It should inspire, amuse, and (hopefully) dazzle the audience.
I’m very impressed with this work on several levels and absolutely understand how it made “25 Greatest Picture Books of the Past 25 Years” list.
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.
The Final Score
by Don Winslow
DETAILS:
Publisher: William Morrow
Publication Date: January 27, 2026
Format: Hardcover
Length: 284 pg.
Read Date: January 28-29, 2026
Short Novels?
Let’s address this thing that’s been irking me. The title page calls these “Six Short Novels.”
Nope. Just nope.
I know, there are no hard and fast rules about length of a novel, novella, etc. But five of these works clock in around 40 pages. That is not—no way, no how—a novel.
The sixth, “Collision,” is around 90 pages. I’ll buy that as a novella—or a “short novel.” But even that feels like stretching things too much.
Just had to get that off of my chest—it’s been bugging me since I read the Table of Contents.
Also, that’s the last negative you’re going to see in this post.
What’s The Final Score?
Don Winslow un-retires with this stunning collection of six crime stories. Beyond that, it’s hard to describe them all as a group—they all differ in tone, voice, side of the law, style, and how much you’d like to see the protagonist punished/get away with something.
The Final Score
We start off with the “title track”—a story about a man who’s made a career of robbery, trying to go for his final score to provide for his wife as his career is ending. There’s something sweet about it (if you ignore all the felonies and risks to human life).
But there are surprises waiting for him.
This is a solid start to the book—I liked the characters, the pacing, and story. It’s not Winslow’s best, but I’m not complaining about it.
The Sunday List
This is only a crime story by technicality. But whatever it is, I really enjoyed it.
In the shadow of the Vietnam draft, Nick, a teenager with ambition beyond the hippie life his parents live, works hard to make it to college—and will do all sorts of things to get the money for it. Even if that means crossing a few lines.
The North Wing
There’s an old-school mafia vibe to this story. Family ties are tested when a police officer’s cousin gets into legal trouble.
There are so many beats in this story that feel familiar—even if only from Winslow’s oeuvre. But there’s a freshness to it, and Winslow’s ability to make you care about anything that separates this from the familiar.
True Story
Remember the part in Goodfellas where Henry Hill tells us all the names and nicknames of the men he works with? Imagine if that went on for pages and pages—with some digressions for stories about some of the men with those monikers.
In something that feels like it could’ve been a comic-relief in The Sopranos, this features two guys with some sort of mob ties in an extended conversation over breakfast. They’re basically gossiping about various men they know—what they’ve been up to lately, where their nickname comes from, and whatnot.
It was ridiculously fun—and every time you start to think that the shtick might be getting tired, they say something else that makes you get over it.
I strongly suggest making sure that you have enough time to finish this one before you start it—the end of my lunch break interrupted things for me, and it took a little too much effort to get back into the flow of things when I got home. But it was so worth it.
If it weren’t for the next story, I’d say it was the most entertaining entry in the collection.
The Lunch Break
But in any collection featuring Winslow’s Dawn Patrol, just about everything else is going to pale in comparison—at least for me. Boone is hired to watch over a movie star to keep her from getting carried away with drugs, drink, carousing, or anything else that will derail filming of her current film. He brings along Dave the Love God and High Tide to provide around-the-clock observation.
Things get wild from there.
“She sounds like trouble, bruddah.”
“She’s about five-three, can’t go more than a buck-five,” Dave said. “How much trouble could she be?”
Now he knows.
Bad things come in small packages.
This might be my favorite Dawn Patrol story since the first novel. (in a perfect world, Winslow’s next collection would be all his short Dawn Patrol stories with a few new ones thrown in)
Collision
The crowning achievement of the book. From the beginning you can tell that things are going too well, and that just can’t last.
And it doesn’t. What comes next will cause your stomach to drop. Your blood pressure to spike. Your heart to come close to breaking (if not further). I don’t know what to say that won’t take away from the experience for you—and I don’t want to do that.
It’s just so good.
Why did I pick this up? Why did I keep reading?
When I decided that I want to start talking about this kind of thing, I didn’t really think it through. Sometimes, it’s just this simple.
I picked it up because: Don Winslow.
I kept reading because: Don Winslow.
What does this book tell us about humanity?
One thing that seems prominent through all of these stories (with one possible exception) is the human potential, if not propensity, to change.
It’s not always going to be for the best—or even for the better. Sometimes change will just be change. Sometimes change will be for the detriment of the person doing the changing—or those they love.
But the characters in this book are not static, even in these short pages, they evolve, they develop, they show that whatever their lives may be like at one point in their life (not always in their youth), they can—through their choices and actions (frequently pushed by choices and actions of others), their stories, their lives, are not set in stone—they can change the direction they head in.
It’s both inspiring and a warning.
So, what did I think about The Final Score?
Reed Farrel Coleman pays tribute to Winslow in the Foreword to this collection, talking about Winslow’s dedication to the craft, his gifted writing, and the diversity of stories he tells. Which is incredibly fitting for this book—which really just shows off that ability of Winslow’s.
Every story in this collection was a winner, will likely end up in your personal “all time short story canon,” and will make you want to re-read them again and again to fully appreciate them.
I can’t recommend this enough.
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.
As the title implies, I’m in the middle of this book (well, almost the middle), so this is not a review, just some thoughts along the way.
Banners of Wrath
DETAILS: Series: Dreams of Dust and Steel, #3 Publisher: Chainbreaker Books Publication Date: February 12, 2026 Format: eARC Length: 873 pg.>
What’s Banners of Wrath About?
In short, Namarr is at war–from within and, pretty soon, from without. Some characters are trying to stop the war (which, at this point, equals winning it before it gets worse), some are trying to take advantage of it, some are ignoring it in favor of their own concerns, and some are just trying to survive.
Obviously, the bulk of the book is picking up where Book 2, A Graveyard for Heroes left off. But there are some smaller plots that were largely absent from the last half that get picked up, too. And there’s one storyline that wasn’t really a factor in that book, but is coming back into the spotlight (although not as much–yet–as it was in The Price of Power).
A Huge Plus
We get several pages of a recap of the series before the novel kicks off. With something as intricate as this series, that’s so helpful.
I really appreciate the way Michel keeps even this on theme, calling it, “The Cost Thus Far.” This whole series has been about prices to be paid. And this recap underlines many who have already paid.
Dramatis personae
There’s a lengthy dramatis personae at the beginning of the novel–if you’re like me, keep it open on your phone while you use an e-reader for easy reference. If you got your hands on a paper copy, keep a bookmark there–you’re going to want to check it often for the first third or so (results may vary on your attention span or memory).
Michel breaks it down into the 6 major plotlines of the book, so you can easily find who you’re looking for.
I’m almost far enough now that I don’t need to be checking names–but I find it reassuring that I can go back to it just in case.
New Characters
That reminds me–there are (understandably) a good number of new characters–I’m sure some of which will survive until the end of the book, and maybe even until the next. My only problem with any of them that I’ve come across is that the more of these new ones there are, the less time we’ll get with those already established. But other than that, there are a number that I’m eager to get to know better–and a couple that I hope find themselves at the pointy end of a sword soon.
I assume that Michel is going to terminate most that I want to see more of, and will allow the others to prosper. But a guy can hope, right?
So, what am I thinking about Banners of Wrath?
This book hits the ground running, and doesn’t let up. There’ve been some pretty exciting scenes already, some good fights–and they’re all precursors to sometime more–you can tell.
In each storyline there’s a very imminent threat of doom–very likely doom brought about by betrayal. The reader will have been told about some forms of betrayal soon to be seen–and the rest you’re pretty sure where they could come from. I don’t know that each storyline is going to take a big turn due to betrayal of some sort–but most of them will. I’m just sitting here on the edge of my seat wondering which, when and how.
I’m finding some characters that I really enjoyed previously leaving me feel pretty ambivalent at the moment. And there are two characters that I didn’t care much about–if I didn’t outright dislike/distrust them–that I’m coming around on. I’m not expecting that they’ll turn out to be heroes of the piece or anything, but I can see wanting more of them on the page.
I’ll come back in a few hundred pages–following several character deaths and a lot of harrowing moments for the survivors–with some fuller thoughts, but for now, here’s where I am. If you’ve read books 1 or 2, you’re probably waiting for this book already–and, at best, need this post to remind you that this is available. If you haven’t read any of these yet, let me encourage you to give them a try.
Disclaimer: I received this eARC from the author but this my honest opinion—but also, the copy I ordered months ago downloaded to my e-Reader before I posted this, so…I only got a little bit of a head-start.
I’m excited and so pleased to help Michael Michel spread the word about today’s publication of the third volume of his Dreams of Dust and Steel series, Banners of Wrath. I’m happy to talk about Michel’s work any time–but a publication day post means I have been reading a new Michael Michel book, and that pleases me greatly. I’ll talk about my reactions to this book in an hour or so (TL;DR: It’s his best yet), but for now…let’s just spread the word about this.
Book Details:
Title: Banners of Wrath by Michael Michel
Series: Dreams of Dust and Steel, #3
Format: eBook
Length: 873 pg.
Publisher: Chainbreaker Books
US Publication Date: ebruary 12, 2026
About the Book:
War has come.
A Kurgish host wreaks havoc among the mountain clans, slaughtering and enslaving their way up the ladder of power.
To the east, the Scarborn fortify their position while they plot their next attack.
As chaos and social unrest unfold across Namarr, Scothea mobilizes for holy conquest. The Arrow of Light’s grip on his cultists grows stronger, his miracles ever more alarming.
Meanwhile, the battle in the River of conscious reality has just begun.
With every day that passes and every hero that dies, the odds of preventing annihilation dwindle.
Banners span the horizon. Beneath them, a tide of steel marches. Legions of fury. Men of war. Armies of wrath.
Woe to any who dares stand in their way.
Book Links:
About the Author
Michael Michel lives in Bend, Oregon with the love of his life and their two children. When he isn’t obsessively writing, editing, or doing publishing work, he can be found exercising, coaching leaders in the corporate world, and dancing his butt off at amazing festivals like Burning Man. His favorite shows are Dark, The Wire, Arcane, and Norsemen. He loves nature and deep conversations. Few things bring him more joy than a couple of hours playing table tennis.
Website ~ Twitter ~ Instagram ~ Goodreads
I’m very pleased today to welcome the Cover Reveal for Shannon Knights’s upcoming Catamorphosis. I’m more than pleased, I’m excited. No one (including me) has talked more on this site about covers than Shannon Knight, so for her to have a new one, you know thought has gone into this. The cover is an eye-grabber.
By the way, I’ll be posting a Q&A with Shannon and the Cover Artist in a week or so–you’ll want to check that out. But that’s for another day. Today, we’re all about the cover itself.
But first let’s learn a little bit about the book and author, shall we? It’ll just take a moment, and then we can all take a peak at the cover.
About the Book:
Cancer was the start of Jasmine’s life falling apart. Her body betrayed her, her husband left, and as she lay dying, the only one remaining at her side was her orange tabby, Otto.
Then something uncanny occurred.
…
At a fishing lake in the Oregon Coast Range, Jasmine is ready to reassess her priorities when a stranger catnaps Otto. One transgression leads to another, and Jasmine has never believed in turning the other cheek.
Jasmine is transforming, but whether the cancer still has anything to do with her mutating cells is beyond her. Otto has given her something, and anything from her sweet boy can only be a boon.
Jasmine may have died, but she came back.
And when a cat’s around, no one is surprised by a body count.
About the Author
Shannon Knight is a fantasy, science fiction, and horror author living in the Pacific Northwest. She graduated summa cum laude with a Bachelor’s in English. Her horror titles include Domestication and Catamorphosis. Sign up for her newsletter at https://shannonknight.net.
Author Links:
Website ~ Bluesky ~ Amazon ~ BookBub ~ Goodreads
and now…
The Cover
Kudos to these fine folk for their work on this eye-grabber:
Cover design by Winter Moon Press
Cover illustration by Scottish artist Candra Hope
I honestly don’t know that I have anything to blather about before diving in today. So, I’ll stop trying.
This meme was formerly hosted by MizB at A Daily Rhythm and revived on Taking on a World of Words—and shown to me by Aurore-Anne-Chehoke at Diary-of-a-black-city-girl.
The Three Ws are:
What are you currently reading?
What did you recently finish reading?
What do you think you’ll read next?
Seems easy enough, right? Let’s take a peek at this week’s answers:
What are you currently reading?
|
 |
| Banners of Wrath by Michael Michel |
The Dentist by Tim Sullivan |
Michel’s latest is making me feel like I’m running a marathon–thankfully, it’s only in my mind (or I’d be typing this from a hospital bed). I really don’t know what to expect in the next chapter, much less the rest of this book (or the two to follow). But I’m in.
I’m only one quarter of the way into The Dentist, but if it keeps going like this, DS George Cross could be a new favorite.
What did you recently finish reading?
 |
 |
| Hidden in Smoke by Lee Goldberg |
Vera Wong’s Guide to Snooping (on a Dead Man) by Jesse Q. Sutanto, read by Eunice Wong |
I didn’t expect the events of Hidden in Smoke for Sharpe & Walker #3–maybe #5 or #6. But I’m not going to complain. I’m glad I finally caught up to it.
I cannot say enough good things about Eunice Wong’s work narrating Vera Wong books. She’s as delightful to listen to as the books are.
What do you think you’ll read next?
 |
 |
| Jump by DL Orton |
Operation Bounce House by Matt Dinniman, read by Travis Baldree & Jeff Hays |
After two pretty intense Fantasy books, I need some SF. Enter Madders of Time, Book Two.
I was going to hold off on Dinniman’s new stuff until I had a few Dungeon Crawler Carls under my belt. Then after Book Club on Monday, the manager of Shared Stories sold me on this. So…I guess I’ll make his acquaintance this way.
You have anything costing you sleep lately? Or, if you’re healthier than that, what’s been grabbing your attention?
I’d intended this to go up Tuesday, and just couldn’t get the words to come off my fingers right. I’m still not sure I did, but it’s close.
Strange Animals
DETAILS:
Publisher: Ballantine Books
Publication Date: February 10, 2026
Format: eARC
Length: 320 pgs.
Read Date: January 23, 2026
What’s Strange Animals About?
Following a strange near-death experience, Green feels a compulsion to get back to nature. Well, maybe not “back,” he seems like someone very comfortable in the city. But you get what I mean.
So he sells his home, quits his job, puts everything in storage, and heads out. He’s drawn to Appalachia and sets out to find a long-term campsite to start whatever this next stage of life is.
Along the way, Green meets some delightfully odd characters—and I wish I had the room to talk about them, but you want Anderson to introduce you to them anyway.
His first night in his campsite he sees animals that can’t exist. He’d be tempted to think he had a hallucination or two if it weren’t for some evidence that people who weren’t around can also see.
From there, Green starts to learn about strange creatures all around him—and learns not to call them strange. They’re not strange, they’re not monsters (despite what some appear to be) or anything else derogatory. They’re simply uncommon—so uncommon that very few can see them. But Earth is just as much their home as it is to mice, giraffes, or emus. Of course, not every common animal should be around people, and that applies to some of these uncommon creatures, too.
Can Green and his new friends stop one who seems to be hunting humans?
Why did I pick this up? Why did I keep reading?
I can’t tell you specifically what it was that appealed to me in the NetGalley advertisement I got for this book, but it intrigued me. Lightly skimming Witty & Sarcastic Book Club’s post about it intensified that (I only read deep enough to pick up her tone, so I didn’t inadvertently steal any of her points).
What kept me reading? There was something about Chapter 0 that got me. It didn’t matter what happened for the rest of the book—I was sold, and the rest of the book was going to have to be really lousy to get the hook that it put in me dislodged. At the end of Chapter 1, my notes read, “I think I might be falling in love with this book.”
And yes, I said Chapter 0—that wasn’t a typo. Anyone who numbers chapters like that has to intrigue a reader, right?
What does this book tell us about humanity?
I walked away with two things on this front.
First, humans need nature. Plants, animals, sunsets/rises—the works. When we shut up and pay attention to it—better if we can get further away from population centers (as nice as they and their technologies and comforts may be) to focus on it—there’s a benefit to our health. At least mental. Probably physical—and spiritual (depending on how you want to define that). This is the central drive for Green—and while it ends up not being what he expected, it’s this that fulfills him. As he connects with both the common and uncommon around him, he’s renewed and bettered.
Second, and it’s hard to say which is more important, is that people need—and will find—community. In this case, Green finds a few groups of people and brings a couple together (or at least is a bridge between them). He’s an outsider to this area, but finds himself befriending these groups almost instantly. These two—and one much larger—converge on the area (more precisely, Green and his teacher) when the chips are down, and people need help. Somewhat to protect people in general, but largely to protect “their people” (for lack of a better term). The communities step up in a way that we all want to see—and frequently do. It’s rather encouraging.
So, what did I think about Strange Animals?
Anderson checks all the boxes here—he can put together a sentence just right, if this wasn’t an ARC, I’d be struggling to keep my quotations to a reasonable limit; he creates fantastic characters and gets the reader to invest in them with very few words (and rewards that investment); the imagination demonstrated in this world and the uncommon animals—and the depiction of the common flora and fauna—makes you want to see more from him; and he can tell a pretty engaging story. Check, check, check, and check. If there are problems with this book, they’re minor.
Okay, there’s something toward the end that I’m rabidly curious about and want to know so much more about what happens. But I’m really glad Anderson just elides past it.
Still, if he wants to give me a call and describe it to me, I’ll give him my number.
This is not your typical Fantasy novel, for sure. It captures an Appalachian area in a similar way (though in different states) that Alex Bledsoe’s Tufa series did, which really makes me want to visit the real world version. Actually, as I say that, I realize that this book left me feeling the same way that the first Tufa novel, The Hum and the Shiver did. There are few books that I can say that about.
There’s something special going on in these pages. I encourage you to look into them yourself and see if you agree.
Disclaimer: I received this eARC from Ballantine Books via NetGalley in exchange for this post which contains my honest opinion—thanks to both for this.
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.
Well, here we are at the beginning of another year, trying this post again. I wonder how far into the year I’ll get this time before getting distracted from it.
Dear Committee Members by Julie Schumacher
The reading and writing of fiction both requires and instills empathy—the insertion of oneself into the life of another.
Young would-be novelists and poets believe that art is eternal. Au contraire: we are in the business of ephemera, the era of floating islands of trash, and most of the things we feel deeply and inscribe on the page will disappear.
If every member of the human race evinced a fondness for literature and even a moderate level of dexterity with the written word, I would be a happier, if not more well-adjusted, man.
Skin Game by Jim Butcher
Home is where, when you go there and tell people to get out, they have to leave.
There’s power in the touch of another person’s hand. We acknowledge it in little ways, all the time. There’s a reason human beings shake hands, hold hands, slap hands, bump hands.
It comes from our very earliest memories, when we all come into the world blinded by light and color, deafened by riotous sound, flailing in a suddenly cavernous space without any way of orienting ourselves, shuddering with cold, emptied with hunger, and justifiably frightened and confused. And what changes that first horror, that original state of terror?
The touch of another person’s hands.
Hands that wrap us in warmth, that hold us close. Hands that guide us to shelter, to comfort, to food. Hands that hold and touch and reassure us through our very first crisis, and guide us into our very first shelter from pain. The first thing we ever learn is that the touch of someone else’s hand can ease pain and make things better.
That’s power. That’s power so fundamental that most people never even realize it exists.
Things are not always as bad as they seem. Sometimes, the darkness only makes it easier to see the light.
There are moments in your life that, when you look back at them, you realize were perfect. A hundred million things had to happen, to all come together at the same time, for such moments to come into existence — so many things that it beggars imagination to think that they could possibly have happened by random chance. This was one of them.
And since when had I become the guy that things happened to ten years ago?
She Who Became the Sun by Shelley Parker-Chan
Destroying what someone else cherished never brought back what you yourself had lost. All it did was spread grief like a contagion.
People said that a single day without a dear friend could feel like three autumns.
She observed him from inside the lean-to. He was one of those people who has eyes that look like eyes, and a nose like a nose. Nondescript.
Chen’s teeth gleamed like those of a predator that would devour you without even spitting out the bones.
The Governor was obviously the kind of person who received as much spiritual contentment from berating others as a cold man does from a bowl of soup.
She dismounted awkwardly and went over to Xu Da as he lifted the Prince of Radiance from his horse. Xu Da wore a ginger look that she understood perfectly. There was something about the child that provoked unease. It was like seeing someone’s knee bending the wrong way. Even now, despite everything that had happened inside and outside Bianliang, the Prince of Radiance still wore that same graceful smile.
Peace Talks by Jim Butcher
Home, like love, hate, war, and peace, is one of those words that is so important that it doesn’t need more than one syllable. Home is part of the fabric of who humans are. Doesn’t matter if you’re a vampire or a wizard or a secretary or a schoolteacher; you have to have a home, even ff only in principle—there has to be a zero point from which you can make comparisons to everything else. Home tends to be it.
That can be a good thing, to help you stay oriented in a very confusing world. If you don’t know where your feet are planted, you’ve got no way to know where you’re heading when you start taking steps. It can be a bad thing, when you run into something so different from home that it scares you and makes you angry. That’s also part of being human.
But there’s a deeper meaning to home. Something simpler, more primal.
It’s where you eat the best food because other predators can’t take i from you very easily there.
It’s where you and your mate are the most intimate.
It’s where you raise your children, safe against a world that can do horrible things to them.
It’s where you sleep, safe.
It’s where you relax.
It’s where you dream.
Home is where you embrace the present and plan the future.
It’s where the books are.
And more than anything else, it’s where you build that world that you want.
Battle Ground by Jim Butcher
War leaves you precious little time to be human. It’s one of the more horrible realities about it.
“What’s going to happen after this, do you think?”
“I don’t,” she said. “Because I’m doing today first.”
I snorted quietly.
Murphy squeezed back. “Harry. You can’t fix tomorrow until it gets here.”
“Which is weird, because you can screw it up from decades away.”
I’m not saying pain is what defines us as human beings. But it is, in many ways, what unites us. We all recognize other people in pain. Damned near all of us are moved to do something about it when we see it. It’s our common enemy, though it isn’t, really, an enemy. Pain is, at least when our bodies are working properly, a teacher. A really tough, really strict, and perfectly fair teacher.
Children of Time by Adrian Tchaikovsky
That is the problem with ignorance. You can never truly know the extent of what you are ignorant about.
Life is not perfect, individuals will always be flawed, but empathy – the sheer inability to see those around them as anything other than people too – conquers all, in the end.
The Law by Jim Butcher
Planet Earth isn’t a fair place. It’s unfair in a broad variety of different ways, some worse than others, but it isn’t fair. Not for anybody. And that’s pretty much the fairest thing about it.
My knuckles ached to meet his nose.
Everyone in the Group Chat Dies by L.M. Chilton
The moment I agreed to a dinner party, I knew my thirties had officially arrived, and the slow, inevitable countdown to death had begun.
Lit by Tim Sandlin
I’ve never seen a real battle- ax in person, but I know they are frequently compared to a woman’s demeanor and if I ever do come upon one in a museum or a camp where people are pretending to be Vikings, I would expect it to have an edge like Mimi’s chin.
I was all set to fall in love with a stranger obsessed with death. I’d been in love with a woman obsessed with Leonard Cohen, which is almost the same thing.
I considered correcting his word choices, but the kid seemed to be thinking. He was reading a book. Anyone who reads a book is better than anyone who doesn’t.
Here’s one of those truths you should get from books before some idiot burns them. If you are going to love someone, you need to take seriously what they take seriously. And vice versa. If your wife (or husband) thinks your strongest concerns are silly, or worse, stupid, you’re sunk. Get a dog.
Here’s the thing about loving. It’s an incredible risk. You give your every thought and desire to a person you hardly know and you are almost bound to lose. Even non- romantic love is dangerous, but romantic love, the kind based on mutual trust and feeling, is crapshoot roulette. It either kills you or wears you out. But then, a life without love is a waste. I’m not good at waste. It makes me antsy.
“I don’t see anyone committing murder over books.”
What kind of person would think so little of books? “Sunny, I am aghast you would say that. Books are sacred. To destroy one is a cardinal sin.”
Annotating a book on its pages is not a heck of a lot better than burning it.
Twelve Months by Jim Butcher
“You can’t pick a favorite,” I said. “They’re books. They’re pieces of someone’s mind and soul. They’re almost friends.” I started back down the stairs again. “Sometimes a poet speaks best to what’s happening to you. Sometimes it’s a philosopher. Sometimes it’s a storyteller.”
“We’re here to help,” he said.
Four words. None of them long.
The truly important words never are.
Gentleness is power that chooses to restrain itself. That is under control. Gentleness is someone strong who makes the choice to be careful with that strength.
“That merely indicates his stupidity,” spat Mother Winter.
“Stupidity,” Mab mused. “Courage. The only difference is the outcome!“
The Troubled Deep by Rob Parker
She shook her head. She was by now so jaded that cynicism was not just a way of dealing with things, but not it was a character quirk so embedded it had become a central psychological pillar.
The Land of Sweet Forever by Harper Lee
We Americans like to put our culture into disposable containers. Nowhere is this more evident than in the way we treat our past. We discard villages, towns, even cities, when they grow old, and we are now in the process of discarding our recorded history, not in a shredder, but by rewriting it as romance. We are eager to watch docu-dramas on television; we prefer to read a history of the American Revolution as seen through the eyes of Mad Anthony Wayne’s last mistress. Now there is nothing wrong in reading historical fiction—perhaps two-thirds of the world’s classics are written in that form. But these are impatient days; more than ever it seems that we want anything but the real thing: we are afraid that the real thing might be dull, demanding, and worst of all, lacking in suspense.
(Image by DaModernDaVinci from Pixabay)