Category: Blog Series Page 144 of 230

Welcome to The Irresponsible Reader’s part in the Cover Reveal for Chris McDonald’s Meat is Murder! (which means we’re about a month away from me having a pleasant day with the book and probably saying some complimentary things about it). Like the first two books in the Stonebridge Mysteries, it looks pretty sharp. But before we get to the cover down below, but before the picture, I’ve got a few words to share about the book.

Book Blurb

McNulty’s Meats, one of Stonebridge’s oldest businesses, is about to be taken over in a lucrative deal that would make brothers Ron and Kevin very rich men indeed. Unfortunately for them, local activist Tyler Love has other ideas. Convinced that the deal would be bad for the town, he burns the place to the ground and inadvertently kills himself in the process.

At least, that’s what the police think.

Tyler’s mum disagrees and pleads with amateur sleuths Adam and Colin to investigate. Although, going up against the psychopathic McNulty brothers, a rival businessman, a group of hippies, and a girlfriend with secrets of her own might not be such a good idea… Someone has something to hide, and will go to great lengths to keep that secret buried.

Meat is Murder is the third book in The Stonebridge Mysteries series of Cosy Crime novellas.

Publication date: June 8, 2021

About the series

Stonebridge is a small town on the north coast of Northern Ireland. Most of its inhabitants are friendly, happy people. Most of them… Because bad things happen even in the happiest of places. It’s a good thing, then, that Adam Whyte and Colin McLaughlin call Stonebridge home.

Armed with an encyclopedic knowledge of detective shows, a misplaced sense of confidence and a keen desire to see justice done, these two are the closest thing the town has to saviours. Which isn’t that reassuring…

About the Author

Originally hailing from the north coast of Northern Ireland and now residing in South Manchester, Chris McDonald has always been a reader. At primary school, The Hardy Boys inspired his love of adventure before his reading world was opened up by Chuck Palahniuk and the gritty world of crime. A Wash of Black is his first attempt at writing a book. He came up with the initial idea whilst feeding his baby in the middle of the night, which may not be the best thing to admit, considering the content. He is a fan of 5-a-side football, heavy metal and dogs. Whispers in the Dark is the second installment in the DI Erika Piper series, and Chris is currently working on his latest series, The Stonebridge Mysteries, published by Red Dog Press in 2021.

And now…

The Cover

Meat is Murder
The cover designers at Red Dog have done it again.

Again, this book comes out on June 8th, but you can pre-order this now at: Red Dog Press, Amazon, Kobo, or Google (but you should absolutely order from Red Dog directly, the Bezos retirement fund is big enough, help out the publisher).

My thanks to Red Dog Press for the invitation to participate in this reveal and the materials they provided.

Saturday Miscellany—5/8/2021

By HCNewton

On May 8, 2021

In Books, News/Misc., Saturday Miscellany

It felt very strange last night not to write or think about Tom Jones…

I guess I don’t have much else to say. I hope you all had a good week and that the weather where you are (at least in the Northern Hemisphere) is becoming as nice as ours is.

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 This survey shows that people prefer printed books – even in the digital age—I don’t think many would be surprised by this, but it’s interesting to see these international stats from the World Economic Forum, which I just casually read all the time… (how did I find this link??)
bullet You Don’t Need To Feel Guilty About Books You Haven’t Read Yet—I’m not sure it helped me get over my guilt, but it helped. And it was fun to read. Steinmetz feels like someone I’d have a lot in common with.
bullet Why do moms get sidelined in SFF?—from Before We Go Blog
bullet My Go-to Authors!—a list that should prompt a lot thought, and compilation (not necessarily posting) of similar lists upon reading.
bullet How to Run a Book Blog… Seriously (Not Serious)—some good advice here, folks. I think I could provide examples of each of these from the last few years.

A Book-ish Related Podcast Episode (or two) you might want to give a listen to:
bullet Fiction Fans: Which Discworld Book Should You Read First?—This is something I probably should’ve listened to a few years ago before I attempted to read the series (although the gentleman who gave the final push did suggest I start with #1). This could be valuable to others.

This Week's New Releases That I’m Excited About and/or You’ll Probably See Here Soon:
bullet Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir—Weir’s latest looks more like The Martian than Artemis, which should help sales, even if it seems like a cheat for him to try (looking at you, Ernest Cline). I’ll get to it as soon as my wife is done.
bullet Robert B. Parker’s Payback by Mike Lupica—Lupica’s got a firm hand on the Sunny Randall series now which results in a solid read, as I discussed recently.

Lastly I’d like to say hi and extend a warm welcome to Zeeshan Amin and Cole Rush who followed the blog this week. Thanks for the follow! Don’t be a stranger.

The Friday 56 for 5/7/21: A Wanted Man by Rob Parker

By HCNewton

On May 7, 2021

In Currently Reading, News/Misc., Noelle Holten, Quotations, The Friday 56

This is a weekly bloghop hosted by Freda’s Voice

RULES:
The Friday 56 Grab a book, any book.
Turn to Page 56 or 56% on your ereader. If you have to improvise, that is okay.
Find a snippet, short and sweet.
Post it

from 56% of:
A Wanted Man

A Wanted Man by Rob Parker

We go through all the names quickly, and Jack identifies each one as one of his father’s friends or family members. He can’t identify a couple of them, but the picture is already clear. The first phone is for personal use only – a useful tool for organising the dualities of the life he had chosen.

That poses the inevitable question of the twenty-six names on phone two. Call signs or numeric pseudonyms for twenty-six people who clearly got the special treatment. How best to find out who they are, though? And of course, what was that third phone used for, if not for business or personal? That makes me question if there’s a fourth, that perhaps he had one with him when he was taken. I could ask Jack, but all three phones are identical. ‘IPhone 4S’ in black, ‘32GB’ it says on the back of each. There’s no telling them apart. Even the home screen wallpapers are the same.

WWW Wednesday, May 5, 2021

By HCNewton

On May 5, 2021

In Books, Currently Reading, News/Misc., WWW Wednesday

It’s the first Wednesday of May, ergo the first WWW Wednesday of May.

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?

Easy enough, right?

What are you currently reading?

I’m reading the espionage thriller Red Widow by Alma Katsu and am listening to the third Jane Yellowrock novel, Mercy Blade by Faith Hunter, Khristine Hvam (Narrator) on audiobook.

Red Widow Blank Space

What did you recently finish reading?

I just finished Jonathan Nevair’s Goodbye to the Sun and The Miracle Pill by Peter Walker (who also did the narration) on audio.

Blank Space

What do you think you’ll read next?

My next book should be A Wanted Man by Rob Parker and my next audiobook will probably be The Writer’s Library: The Authors You Love on the Books That Changed Their Lives by Nancy Pearl & Jeff Schwager, narrated by the authors and sixteen other people.

Blank Space

Hit me with your Three W’s in the comments! (no, really, do it!)

Down the TBR Hole (29 of 30)

By HCNewton

On May 5, 2021

In Books, Down the TBR Hole, News/Misc.

Down the TBR Hole

For the second week in a row, I’ve demonstrated that trying to cut things that are the most recent additions to the “Want to Read” List isn’t likely to be very successful. But, once again, it prompted me to make room on my schedule to squeeze some of these in.

This meme was created by Lia @ Lost in a Story—but Jenna at Bookmark Your Thoughts is the one that exposed me to this, and as my Goodreads “Want To Read” shelf is scarily long, I had to do this.

The Rules are simple:

Go to your Goodreads to-read shelf
Order on ascending date added.
Take the first 5 (or 10 if you’re feeling adventurous) books.
Read the synopses of the books.
Decide: keep it or should it go?
Keep track of where you left off so you can pick up there next week! (or whenever)

What distinguishes this series from the Mt. TBR section of my Month-end Retrospectives? Those are books I actually own while Goodreads contains my aspirational TBR (many of which will be Library reads). The Naming of the two is a bit confusing, but…what’re you going to do?

(Click on the cover for an official site or something with more info about the book)

	Life Signs by James Lovegrove Blurb: “Some months after Inara leaves Serenity, Mal and the crew learn the reason for her sudden departure: she is dying of a terminal illness. It is Kiehl’s Myeloma, a rare form of blood cancer that’s supposedly incurable. Through their shock and despair, they learn that there are rumors of a scientist believed to have developed a cure for her condition, but he has been disgraced: incarcerated for life on notorious Alliance prison planet Atata. Here, terraforming did not take properly, so the world is a frozen wasteland. Inmates are abandoned there with no guards and left to survive as best they can. To save Inara, the Serenity crew must infiltrate the prison…” Verdict:
	Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir Blurb: “Ryland Grace is the sole survivor on a desperate, last-chance mission–and if he fails, humanity and the earth itself will perish.Except that right now, he doesn’t know that. He can’t even remember his own name, let alone the nature of his assignment or how to complete it.All he knows is that he’s been asleep for a very, very long time. And he’s just been awakened to find himself millions of miles from home, with nothing but two corpses for company.” My Thoughts: I’m a little worried that this will be too reminiscent of The Martian. But then again, there are worse things to being too reminiscent of. Really doesn’t matter, Weir is an autobuy. I’d be 100+ pages into it already, but my wife had first dibs. Verdict:
	The Particulars of Peter: Dance Lessons, DNA Tests, and Other Excuses to Hang Out with My Perfect Dog by Kelly Conaboy Blurb: “a funny exploration of the joy found in loving a dog so much it makes you feel like you’re going to combust, and the author’s potentially codependent relationship with her own sweet dog, Peter.” My Thoughts: I read this last month, so I get to count this as a cut. Verdict:
	Yearbook by Seth Rogen Blurb: Rogen says, “a collection of true stories that I desperately hope are just funny at worst, and life-changingly amazing at best…I talk about my grandparents, doing stand-up comedy as a teenager, bar mitzvahs, and Jewish summer camp, and tell way more stories about doing drugs than my mother would like. I also talk about some of my adventures in Los Angeles, and surely say things about other famous people that will create a wildly awkward conversation for me at a party one day.” My Thoughts: I’m not Rogen’s greatest fan, but he can be counted on for a few good laughs, I figure. Probably worth the time. Verdict:
	Here Be Dragons by David P. Macpherson Blurb: “When Orus graduated from the Cromalot School for Heroes he was ready for a life of glory and adventure. But after being seduced by his first damsel in distress, he quickly learns the heroing life doesn’t bring in the steady income required to raise a family. Twenty years later, with his son all grown up and his waistband all grown out, a favour for a friend gives Orus one last shot at the life he always wanted. But any old hero can slay a dragon, this old hero has to save one.” My Thoughts: Looks like it could be fun, I like the twists on the old stand-bys. Verdict:
	Loners by DB Bray & Wahida Clark Blurb: “Jari Rockjaw just wants a quiet life and a homestead to call his own. He has been a bounty hunter in Labrys for over one hundred years. And it’s getting old. Battle after battle, allies lost and gained, he now wants to smoke his pipe in the solitude far from the human cities he despises. An option to do so comes his way when the king of Ekepia asks for a favor…The only question, Jari must ask himself is . . . Is retirement really worth dying for?” My Thoughts: Dwarven bounty hunters out for one last job? Sounds good. Witty and Sarcastic Book Club had some nice things to say about it, too. Verdict:
	The Fine Art of Invisible Detection by Robert Goddard Blurb: Wada’s a recent widow and secretary to a Private Investigator. Her boss is killed while on a case, driving her to pick up the reins and leave Japan for the first time in her life. “Following the only lead she has, Wada quickly realises that being a detective isn’t as easy as the television makes out. And that there’s a reason why secrets stay buried for a long time. Because people want them to stay secret. And they’re prepared to do very bad things to keep them that way…” My Thoughts: I like the concept. But…I can’t put my finger on it. Just not sure that I’ll end up digging this. Verdict:
	Good Eggs by Rebecca Hardiman Blurb: “A hilarious and heartfelt debut novel following three generations of a boisterous family whose simmering tensions boil over when a home aide enters the picture, becoming the calamitous force that will either undo or remake this family…” My Thoughts: I need to read more things like this–nice, life affirming, fun reads with no one trying to kill or maim anyone. Verdict:
	Space Taxis by Adam Frosh Blurb:In 1977 misfit New York Cab driver Mike Redolfo is having a bad day, first getting fired from his job and then being abducted by aliens… Redolfo tries to keep a low profile on his new world whilst earning his fare home, but unwittingly gets involved with a shady gang of organized alien criminals, inadvertently bringing the planet to the brink of catastrophe.” Verdict:
	The Jigsaw Man by Nadine Matheson Blurb: DI Anjelica Henley is investigating a grizzly murder, “the modus operandi bears a striking resemblance to Peter Olivier, the notorious Jigsaw Killer, who has spent the past two years behind bars. When he learns that someone is co-opting his grisly signature—the arrangement of victims’ limbs in puzzle-piece shapes—he decides to take matters into his own hands… Henley is faced with an unspeakable new threat. Can she apprehend the copycat killer before Olivier finds a way to get to him first? Or will she herself become the next victim?” My Thoughts: I heard Matheson talk about this on The Blood Brothers Podcast, she sold me on the book rightaway. Verdict:

Books Removed in this Post: 2 / 10
Total Books Removed: 152 / 290

Anyone out there read any of these books? Did I make the right call with any of them?

(Image by moritz320 from Pixabay)

Saturday Miscellany—5/1/21

By HCNewton

On May 1, 2021

In Books, News/Misc., Saturday Miscellany

Wow, anyone else see the finale to Invincible? For something based on a comic I’ve read umpteen times, I didn’t expect it to pack that much of a wallop.

I threw my back out Thursday morning and I’m suprised at how it practically stopped my reading and writing–you’d think something that forces me to be as motionless as possible would allow me to do both (it’s been a while since I’ve done this as thoroughly as I did Thursday, and have forgotten how it impacts me). I’m almost back to normal, thankfully (pun unintended, but embraced).

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 Writers Orgs Form #DisneyMustPay Joint Task Force—a few months back I linked to some posts about Disney stiffing Alan Dead Foster, and while I’m glad to see they reached some sort of agreement with him, more and more authors are coming out with similar stories. Authors and Writers’ Groups are applying pressure to put an end to this.
bullet Why you shouldn’t feel guilty about your to-be-read pile—I’m not sure the piece matches the headline, but I’m feeling better about the size of mine now…
bullet In-Person Author Tours Won’t Be Back Anytime Soon—As someone who lives in a place where it’s rare to get some authors, I’m okay with the virtual-ness of these (there’s no way I’m seeing Luca Veste in Boise, for example).
bullet 6 Benefits of Listening to Audiobooks
bullet Novels and Novellas and Tomes, Oh My! The long and short of novel lengths
bullet Driving in the Dark: Getaway Drivers in Fiction and the Dark Side of the American Dream
bullet Why I Read the Last Page of a Book First—I’m not sure if this is an interesting perspective or a cautionary tale. I’m leaning toward the latter.
bullet Zack Argyle on “The Rise of Self-Published Fantasy”
bullet The One Where this is one of my favorite things about reading: Let’s Talk – Rereading and why I love it—Not only do I like and agree with just about everything in this post, I love the way Mehek wrote it.
bullet Do I Like This Book or Not?—I can identify with this post in so many ways…

A Book-ish Related Podcast Episode (or two) you might want to give a listen to:
bullet Crime Time FM#9: Ace Atkins—A wide-ranging conversation about Spenser, Quinn Colson, classic PI novels, and more. Following the conversation, there is the best review of the Netflix movie Spenser Confidential that I’ve come across.
bullet Like the Wolfe Lone Wolfe: Glenn Fleishman—just a couple of fans talking about Wolfe. Fleishman had a point about a line in Some Buried Caesar that made me reconsider the scene and how I’ve always reacted to it. A fun listen for Wolfe-types.

This Week's New Releases That I’m Excited About and/or You’ll Probably See Here Soon:
bullet Eye of the Sh*t Storm by Jackson Ford—the third Teagan Frost adventure looks great (and reminds me to get my act together and read #2)
bullet Lycanthropy and Other Chronic Illnesses by Kristen O’Neal—I’m not even going to try to summarize the description in a sentence or two. Click the link and you’ll probably be as intrigued as I am.
(I wish I knew the source of this!)

Fridays with the Foundling: Wrapping Things Up

By HCNewton

On April 30, 2021

In Fiction, Fridays with The Foundling, General Fiction/Literature

Fridays with the Foundling

Well, This is Awkward…

After watching the movie last week, I’d planned on watching the BBC Series to post tonight and then wrapping things up next week, but apparently that’s not available in the US. So, here we are, a mere 48 posts since the beginning to look back on this series.

What Did I think About Reading the Book This Way?

Back in December, Lashaan asked, “What’s it like so far to go through this at this pace/in little bits and pieces? Are you able to appreciate it as much as you’d like?” That was a good question then, still is.

I don’t know, really. It would have been better had my life not got strange, inserting a two-month break, for sure. Since I had tried this a few times before and had got distracted or ran out of steam partway through, this definitely helped me avoid that.

On the other hand, there are a few events and people I had to spend time looking up toward the end of the book when they were brought up again to make sure I remembered them correctly (or at all), and that wouldn’t have been necessary had I read all of this back in Jan. 2020.

I can make the argument to myself either way looking back on it, good idea or bad. I don’t see myself re-reading it this way, though.

How Would I Summarize The History of Tom Jones, a Foundling?

This is the story of a boy abandoned by his mother at the home of a wealthy benefactor who raised him as his own. He great into a generous, fun-loving, and not-incredibly disciplined young man. Tom was led by his heart (or other parts of his anatomy), not common sense or logic—for audiences in the 18th Century, I imagine that struck different chords than it does for us in the 21st. He does many rash, reckless, and foolhardy things, but rarely for personal gain. After losing his father figure and home, he’s aimless until he sees the chance to win back the favor of his first love, and pursues that single-mindedly as long he can—ultimately prevailing there, while also helping friends old and new along the way.

Sophia, that love of Tom’s life, is a fascinating character00headstrong and determined. She’s at once a submissive daughter and a defiant one. She’ll placate her father and aunt as often as she can, but she will not roll over and acquiesce on the important issues (for example, who to marry). Again, something that probably strikes contemporary audiences differently than Fielding’s. I don’t know if I’ll ever find an author so obviously in love with one of his characters as Fielding is with her.

There are other characters, other story arcs of note in the novel. But at the core, this novel is about those two, the rest is just window dressing.

Would I Read This Again?

Oh, absolutely. I plan on re-visiting this in a few years. Although I’ll probably get an ebook or paperback. As much as I like this hardcover, it’s heavy and inconvenient to hold.

So, In the End, Did I Like the Book?

I did. I don’t think it’s exactly what I anticipated (I blame Tony Richardson and John Osborne for that). I’m a big fan of Fielding’s narrative voice and love the way that he’d spend a chapter opining about whatever at the beginning of each Book.

I question his approach in the last book—and don’t know if I’ll ever accept it. But I do realize he trimmed at least 200 pages off of the book by taking that approach.

I honestly don’t know if I can sum up in a paragraph or two (now that I’m at the point where I need to) just what I think of the book—there was some great romance, some cringe-worthy dialogue, some fun dialogue, a lot of interesting characters that showed up for a page or two—and better ones we spent most of the book with.

I laughed, I chuckled, I rolled my eyes, I grew to appreciate some hard-to-like characters I got a little anxious, and sometimes annoyed—I even got a little bored—but I always wanted to come back to it, to see what Fielding had up his sleeve. And I was generally rewarded for that. It’s a good read and one I’m glad I finally persevered through.

PUB DAY BOOK BLITZ: In the Blood by Margaret Kirk

By HCNewton

On April 29, 2021

In Book Tour, Fiction, Mystery/Detective Fiction/Crime Fiction/Thriller

This morning I’m pleased to host a Book Blitz for Margaret Kirk’s In the Blood to celebrate the publication today.

In the Blood Blitz

Book Details:

Book Title: In the Blood by Margaret Kirk
Publisher: Orion
Release date: April 29, 2021
Format: Ebook/Paperback
Length: 294 pages
Purchase Link:

Amazon UK ~ Amazon US ~ Apple ~ Google ~ Kobo

Book Blurb:

‘Ritual murder and ghosts from a chilling past haunt DCI Lukas Mahler in his latest case, set on the ancient Orkney Islands.’

Tied to a derelict pier on Orkney, the bloated remains of a man bob in the waves, under the shadow of forbidding Sandisquoy House. The locals know him as William Spencer.

But DCI Lukas Mahler identifies him as Alex Fleming – his former boss.

Unable to step away from the case, Mahler tries to piece together why Fleming would retire to such a remote location. But the deeper he digs, the more disturbing the investigation becomes.

Seal bones, witches’ salve, and runic symbols appear everywhere he looks, ushering Mahler towards Fleming’s most notorious unsolved case: the ‘Witchfinder’ murders. And towards a dark and uncomfortable truth someone has gone to great lengths to bury…

About the Author:

Margaret Kirk writes ‘Highland Noir’ Scottish crime fiction, set in and around her home town of Inverness.

Her debut novel, Shadow Man, won the Good Housekeeping First Novel Competition in 2016. Described as ‘a harrowing and horrific game of consequences’ by Val McDermid, it was published in 2017 by Orion. Book 2 in the DI Lukas Mahler series, What Lies Buried, was published on 13th June 2019. Book 3, In The Blood, will be released by Orion on 29th April 2021.

Margaret is also the writer of several award-winning short stories, including The Seal Singers, which has been published in translation in Germany. She has contributed a short story, Still Life, to the Noir From The Bar anthology, which has been compiled to raise funds for NHS charities.

My thanks to Love Books Group for the invitation to participate in this Blitz.

WWW Wednesday, April 28, 2021

By HCNewton

On April 28, 2021

In Books, Currently Reading, News/Misc., WWW Wednesday

We’re in the home stretch of April, which is hard to wrap my brain around, here on the last Wednesday of the month, so we might as well check in with a WWW Wednesday.

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?

Easy enough, right?

What are you currently reading?

I’m reading the SF thriller, Goodbye to the Sun by Jonathan Nevair and am listening to Blood Cross by Faith Hunter, Khristine Hvam (Narrator) on audiobook, as I get going on my revisiting of this series.

Blank Space

What did you recently finish reading?

I just finished Noelle Holten’s Dead Secret—a gripping read—and A Killing Frost by Seanan McGuire, Mary Robinette Kowal (Narrator) on audio—completing (for now) the series.

Blank Space

What do you think you’ll read next?

My next book should be Red Widow by Alma Katsu and my next audiobook should be Taken by Benedict Jacka, Gildart Jackson (Narrator).

Blank Space

Hit me with your Three W’s in the comments! (no, really, do it!)

Down the TBR Hole (28 of 29+)

By HCNewton

On April 28, 2021

In Books, Down the TBR Hole, News/Misc.

Down the TBR Hole

Clearly, the key to making severe cuts to the “Want to Read” list, focusing on the older things on the list. If you’re wanting a reminder of all the stuff you’ve recently been excited about, well, look at the recent additions. All these last few entries in this series have done is remind me about all the cool stuff I wanted to read lately.

Yeah, I trimmed a little this time out, but not much. But I did work a little harder on arranging things so I could move some books from the “Want to Read” List to the “Have Read” List. All in all, a pretty good thing, right?

The Rules are simple:

Go to your Goodreads to-read shelf
Order on ascending date added.
Take the first 5 (or 10 if you’re feeling adventurous) books.
Read the synopses of the books.
Decide: keep it or should it go?
Keep track of where you left off so you can pick up there next week! (or whenever)

(Click on the cover for an official site or something with more info about the book)

	I Will Judge You by Your Bookshelf by Grant Snider Blurb: “this lighthearted collection of one- and two-page comics, writer-artist Grant Snider explores bookishness in all its forms, and the love of writing and reading, building on the beloved literary comics featured on his website, Incidental Comics” My Thoughts: I like Snider’s comics, Lashaan mentioned it favorably, and, I’ve got a copy waiting at my local bookstore for me. It’s a keeper. Verdict:
	How to Write a Sentence: And How to Read One by Stanley Fish Blurb: “In this entertaining and erudite New York Times bestseller, beloved professor Stanley Fish offers both sentence craft and sentence pleasure. Drawing on a wide range of great writers, from Philip Roth to Antonin Scalia to Jane Austen, How to Write a Sentence is much more than a writing manual—it is a spirited love letter to the written word, and a key to understanding how great writing works.” My Thoughts: “a spirited love letter to the written word” keeps this on the list. Verdict:
	Black Canary: Breaking Silence by Alexandra Monir Blurb: The Court of Owls has (somehow) taken over Gotham City and imposed a dicatorship, stripping women of most/all rights–inluding the right to sing. Teenater Dinah Lance helps women of the city rise up (which pursuing a romance with Oliver Queen). My Thoughts: The premise is stupid, the DC Icons series is very hit and miss for me. But I’m curious and have seen some mostly positive reviews. Verdict: I’m gonna cut this, but if my library ends up getting the audiobook, I’ll probably give it a try.
	Concrete Rose by Angie Thomas Blurb: The story of Starr Carter’s father, Maverick, leaving the King Lords when he learns he’s a father. My Thoughts: I honestly don’t care about Maverick’s past beyond what we learned in The Hate U Give. That was enough. Some of Starr’s classmates, I could see learning a bit more about. Seeing what happens to Maverick after The Hate U Give might interest me. OR–now this is a crazy idea, just hear me out–something that has nothing at all to do with her previous work. But this? I can’t muster the enthusiasm. Verdict:
	A Question of Navigation by Kevin Hearne Blurb: 50,000 humans are abducted and are being taken to an alien planet. Five of them (scientists all) are set aside for one purpose, the others are destined to be eaten. It’s up to the scientists to save the day. Verdict:
	The Devotion of Suspect X by Keigo Higashino Blurb: “Yasuko Hanaoka is a divorced, single mother who thought she had finally escaped her abusive ex-husband Togashi. When he shows up one day to extort money from her, threatening both her and her teenaged daughter Misato, the situation quickly escalates into violence and Togashi ends up dead on her apartment floor. Overhearing the commotion, Yasuko’s next door neighbor, middle-aged high school mathematics teacher Ishigami, offers his help, disposing not only of the body but plotting the cover-up step-by-step…When the body turns up and is identified, Detective Kusanagi draws the case and Yasuko comes under suspicion. Kusanagi is unable to find any obvious holes in Yasuko’s manufactured alibi and yet is still sure that there’s something wrong. Kusanagi brings in Dr. Manabu Yukawa, a physicist and college friend who frequently consults with the police. Yukawa, known to the police by the nickname Professor Galileo, went to college with Ishigami. After meeting up with him again, Yukawa is convinced that Ishigami had something to do with the murder. What ensues is a high level battle of wits, as Ishigami tries to protect Yasuko by outmaneuvering and outthinking Yukawa, who faces his most clever and determined opponent yet.” My Thoughts: 1. This sounds interesting. 2. A Japanese mystery would be an interesting change of pace. 3. Jeff made it sound pretty good on a Like the Wolfe episode. Verdict:
	First Cut by Judy Melinek & T.J. Mitchell Blurb: “For San Francisco’s newest medical examiner, Dr. Jessie Teska, it was supposed to be a fresh start. A new job in a new city. A way to escape her own dark past. Instead she faces a chilling discovery when a suspected overdose case contains hints of something more sinister. Jessie’s superiors urge her to close the case, but as more bodies land on her autopsy table, she uncovers a constellation of deaths that point to an elaborate plot involving nefarious opioid traffickers and flashy tech titans who got rich off Bitcoin.” My Thoughts: While, I’m a little hesitant about the premise, however, I really liked Melinek’s memoir Working Stiff (also co-written by Mitchell). I think the real-world expertise she brings could make up for that reticence. Verdict:
	August Snow by Stephen Mack Jones Blurb: “August grew up in the city’s Mexicantown and joined the police force only to be drummed out by a conspiracy of corrupt cops and politicians. But August fought back; he took on the city and got himself a $12 million wrongful dismissal settlement that left him low on friends.” Now he’s looking into a staged suicide of someone who he turned down for a job. Verdict:
	Teen Titans: Beast Boy Loves Raven by Kami Garcia Blurb: Raven Roth and Garfield Logan arrive in Nashville looking for answers about the incredibly weird things that have happend to/around them recently from Slade Wilson (clearly, a bad idea, unless Garcia’s really messing with things). They meet and “feel a connection, despite the secrets they both try to hide. It will take a great amount of trust and courage to overcome the wounds of their pasts. But can they find acceptance for the darkest part of themselves? Or maybe even love?” My Thoughts: I’ve enjoyed the first two books in the series, and am just waiting for this one to be released. Verdict:
	Shadow of a Dead God by Patrick Samphire Blurb: “It was only supposed to be one little job – a simple curse-breaking for Mennik Thorn to pay back a favour to his oldest friend. But then it all blew up in his face. Now he’s been framed for a murder he didn’t commit.So how is a second-rate mage, broke, traumatized, and with a habit of annoying the wrong people, supposed to prove his innocence when everyone believes he’s guilty?” My Thoughts: Fantasy + detective fiction is generally a win for me, but I know I don’t have a great track record of following through on lager Fantasy novels lately. So I’m on the fence with this one. But that “second-rate mage” line…that stands out and keeps this on the list for a little while longer (at least). Verdict: