Category: Blog Series Page 3 of 217

WWW Wednesday—February 4, 2026

On February 4, 2026

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

The last 22 hours have really slipped out of my control, so instead of three posts during the day, I get one up in the evening today.

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?


The Rage of Dragons by Evan Winter	A Particularly Nasty Case by Adam Kay, read by Andy Serkis

Very interesting societal worldbuilding; a magic system that is brutal, bloody, and intriguing; fantastic battle scenes; and a protagonist that is as captivating as he is pitiable. I’m so glad I opened this one up.

I didn’t realize this was Serkis doing the reading of Kay’s first novel until I just looked it up for the above. The book is even worse than I thought it was if I’m as disinterested in it as I am with Serkis elevating the material (at least, I assume he is). I’m less than two hours from the ending, and if the last 15 minutes are any indication, I might end up recommending the book–but you’ve gotta work to get to that point.

What did you recently finish reading?


Agnes Aubert’s Mystical Cat Shelter by Heather Fawcett	Separation of Church and Hate: A Sane Person’s Guide to Taking Back the Bible from Fundamentalists, Fascists, and Flock-Fleecing Frauds by John Fugelsang

I was hoping to have a full post up about Fawcett’s delightful new book today. But we’re all going to have to settle for “delightful” for at least another eleven hours. We’ll see if I can do better after that.

I knew going in that I was going to have a lot to disagree with Fugelsang about–but I anticipated something I could enjoy, learn from, and disagree with. This screed is filled with arguments that were tired in the early 20th Century (and before) is so filled with errors, fallacies, and historical inaccuracies that I couldn’t appreciate whatever points I was sympathetic toward. It’s just a mess.

What do you think you’ll read next?


Hidden in Smoke by Lee Goldberg	The Fact Checker by Austin Kelley, read by Jacques Roy

Our favorite arson investigators chase down a serial arsonists with something else even bigger keeping their focus. Can’t wait. Also, I’m using this as a palate cleanser between two huge Fantasy novels full of magic and stabbing. I’m really going to need that, might as well go with a sure-fire winner. (no pun intended)

That’s two audiobooks in a row that haven’t delivered what I wanted. Let’s see if The Fact Checker can break the streak.

What books have gotten under your skin lately?

Fantasy with Friends: What Makes a Good Cozy Fantasy?

By HCNewton

On February 2, 2026

In Books, Fantasy with Friends, News/Misc.

Fantasy with Friends is a weekly meme hosted by the good people over at Pages Unbound. Fantasy with Friends poses questions each Monday about fantasy, either as a genre as a whole or individual works.

This week’s prompt is:

What do you think of the current trend for cozy fantasy? Why do you think it is currently so popular? What makes a good cozy fantasy?

What do I think about them? I love ‘em! Even the ones that haven’t really wowed me, I relish spending time in them. Why? It’s in the name. Cozy. They’re comfortable, they’re warm, it’s perfect escapism—a cool world (largely generic fantasy that readers can plug into instantly), characters that are largely loveable doing relatable things, with an almost sure guarantee of a comforting ending.

Why do I think they’re so popular right now? Read the description I just sketched out and then spend 5 minutes (at the most) on your favorite social media platform. I think that explains it.

I pretty much already addressed the last question—but there’s a little more that makes a good cozy fantasy. There’s some good friendships, there’s some personal growth—at least for the protagonist, maybe for some friends, too. That’ll focus on a career change for the protagonist, finding their place in a new community, and so on. There might be (but it’s not necessary) a hint of romance. You’ll have a lot of fantasy tropes, species, and features—but the focus will almost certainly not be on a typical fantasy story. Instead, it’ll be something mundane—e.g., opening a coffee shop, a cocktail bar, inventing nachos and karaoke while working on a treasure map. Some gentle humor, too—a laugh-out-loud moment or two, but mostly just warm humor.

Writing this up reminded me of a couple of cozy fantasy novels I’ve been meaning to buy and read. I think I’ll go do that now.

I’m sure some of the other posts in response to this prompt will be more thoughtful. I’m looking forward to reading them. Do you have responses to this? (either for the comment section below or from your own post)

Saturday Miscellany—1/31/26

By HCNewton

On January 31, 2026

In Books, News/Misc., Saturday Miscellany

Another late one, but I got to go spend some time with Grandcritter #2 to celebrate a birthday, so…yeah, this gets pushed off.
A Picture of The Irresponsible Reader and Grandcritter #2

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 Words of Wisdom from Fantasy Books—I typically put posts from fellow bloggers at the end of these lists, but this seems like the right one to lead with this week.
bullet Don Winslow has a new book this week, so he’s doing the rounds. These two interviews are worth your time: ‘We Have to Speak Out’: Don Winslow on Fighting Trump and Coming Out of Retirement and Crime writer Don Winslow is fresh out of retirement with renewed conviction
bullet Tolkien: Immortality Is the Trap in Middle-earth—”Most fantasy treats immortality as the prize. Tolkien treats it as a sentence.”
bullet Pros and Cons of Self Publishing—the next installment in this great series from Willow Wraith Press
bullet Do You Like to Read Your Age/Eras?—I don’t know that I considered things from this point of view before. Been churning in my mind since, though.
bullet Book Blogging Slumps—smart advice I’d do well to follow. I mean my forcing myself to do something (or fall asleep while trying) and then beating myself up for it before and after strategy has its charms (and I have years of experience with it). But maybe I could try this once or twice.
bullet Eight Years of Reading, Writing, and Finding My Voice—I don’t remember not seeing Gina’s posts floating around. So 8 doesn’t seem long enough for her blog to have been around. Congrats on this landmark!
bullet Captivating Character of January—Feels like kind of a cheat here where Carol picks two characters… 🙂 Check out Carol’s picks and the others in the linkparty.
bullet Monthly Manga Mania Featuring Firsty Duelist: Go! Go! Loser Ranger! by Negi Haruba—It’s time for Firsty Duelist’s Manga Post–and this one looks fun. (what is this kid doing to me?)

My favorite sentence/passage/phrase (or two) that I read this week :
bullet “Prisons are the saddest places in the world.

Prisons and children’s cancer wards.

The difference is that in the children’s wards there’s hope.”
—”Collision” from The Final Score by Don Winslow

To help talk about backlist titles (and just for fun), What Was I Talking About 10 Years Ago This Week?
bullet The Storms of Deliverance by Larry Higdon
bullet Lessons from Tara by David Rosenfelt
bullet Three Slices by Kevin Hearne, Delilah S. Dawson, Chuck Wendig
bullet Winter by Marissa Meyer
bullet Where It Hurts by Reed Farrel Coleman
bullet And I mentioned the releases of: Staked by Kevin Hearne, Broken Hero by Jonathan Wood, All the Birds in the Sky by Charlie Jane Anders, Where it Hurts by Reed Farrel Coleman, and The Murder Quadrille by Fidelis Morgan

This Week’s New Releases that I’m Excited About and/or You’ll Probably See Here Soon:
bullet The Final Score by Don Winslow—Six “short novels” by the master. I might quibble with the label he attaches to the stories, but that’s probably the only complaint I have about this collection. More to come from me on this—possibly a lot.
bullet Monster in the Moonlight by Annelise Ryan—Morgan Carter is on the hunt for a werewolf-ish creature. Or a human that might be worse.

WWW Wednesday—January 28, 2026

By HCNewton

On January 28, 2026

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

It’s been a slow week here as far as posting goes. Hopefully things pick up for the rest of the week–in the meantime, let’s catch up on what I’m reading.

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?


The Land of Sweet Forever: Stories and Essays by Harper Lee	The Final Score by Don Winslow	The Serial Killer Guide to San Francisco by Michelle Chouinard, read by Stephanie Németh-Parker

Since both the Winslow and Lee books are collections of shorter works, my plan is to jump back and forth between them for the next couple of days.

I’m intrigued by the mystery in The Serial Killer Guide to San Francisco, but I’m not sure I’m sold on the rest of it. It’s more believable than any Finley Donovan adventure, and less frantic. But there’s the same kind of appeal to it.

What did you recently finish reading?


The Troubled Deep by Rob Parker	The Librarians by Sherry Thomas, read by Louisa Zhu

Rob Parker gets better with every book. I wonder about the viability of this series long-term, but this book was a knock-out.

Unlike the above, I’m not sure about the mysteries at the core of The Librarians, but the rest of it was pretty good, if a little soap-opera-esque.

What do you think you’ll read next?


Agnes Aubert’s Mystical Cat Shelter by Heather Fawcett	That’s a Great Question, I’d Love to Tell You by Elyse Myers

I honestly only have the vaguest ideas about what these two books are about anymore (memory is fleeting)–at the moment, it’s seeing what the authors have produced that keeps my attention (and a trust that me of months-ago made good choices). Give me a few days, and I can be a bit more articulate.

How are you closing out the month? If you’re in one of those areas getting hit by the winter storms–hope you’re doing okay and have a good supply of necessities (food, water, heat, and things to read)

Top Ten Tuesday: New-to-Me Authors I Discovered in 2025 (pared-down version)

By HCNewton

On January 27, 2026

In News/Misc., Top X List

The topic for this week’s Top Ten Tuesdays is the Top Ten New-to-Me Authors I Discovered in 2025

I’ve done this (or something similar) the last few years (2019, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024), and have come to look forward to it. It’s one more chance to talk about people I quite enjoy talking about. Hopefully, these names get to continue to pop up on this here site for years to come. I just enjoyed getting to know these authors via their work. I’d love to interact with them, too–if any of those listed here read this and want to participate in anything with me. Please let me know.

I typically say something about each author, but I ran out of time/energy. I hope to finish this soon, but for now–here are the names. Click the links to learn more about 9 of them.

Here’s this year’s list.

Top Ten New-to-Me Authors I Discovered in 2025

(alphabetically)

	Katherine Addison
	Ryka Aoki
	Mai Corland
	Z.S. Diamanti In case you’re curious about what I said about the book that put them on this list, click here.
	Adrian M. Gibson In case you’re curious about what I said about the works that put her on this list, click here.
	Michael Michel In case you’re curious about what I said about the books that put him on this list, click here.
	Jason Pargin
	Sadir S. Samir
	Zephaniah Sole In case you’re curious about what I said about the book that put him on this list, click here.
	Thomas Trang In case you’re curious about what I said about the book that put her on this list, click here.

Saturday Miscellany—1/24/26

By HCNewton

On January 24, 2026

In Books, News/Misc., Saturday Miscellany

I thought this was going to be a beefier list this week, but apparently I didn’t save all the things I meant to. Or I spent more time reading books than surfing than I thought I did (very likely). Quality over quantity, let’s say.

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 Libro.fm Reports Growth in 2025, Launches Annual Subscription—some promising news from my audiobook dealer of choice. While I’m thinking of it, feel free to use this referral link if you decide to subscribe or buy a book, would help me out a bit.
bullet The world’s most powerful literary critic is on TikTok—I was actually tempted to use the app now just so I can watch this guy. Resisted, but was tempted.
bullet The Best Book Covers of the Last Decade—You all know that I’m a sucker for “Best Cover”-type posts. This is no exception.
bullet INTERVIEW: with author Jim Butcher—Beth Tabler and Jim Butcher, who can resist the combo? Who would want to?
bullet How Psychological Thrillers Critique the American Dream
bullet Your To-Be-Read Pile Might Be Lying to You—worth reading if only for the Deliah Dawson e-book TBR wisdom
bullet Ranking Classic Children’s Picture Books—someone has the guts to say what we’re all thinking about Brown Bear, Brown Bear and Goodnight Moon (other helpful stuff here, too…)
bullet Arty Picturebooks!—Another good Picture Book post, this one from The Orangutan Librarian

A Book-ish Related Podcast episode (or two) you might want to give a listen to:
bullet SFF Addicts Ep. 186: Scott Lynch talks the Gentleman Bastard Sequence, Heists, Mental Health & More—I enjoyed this one so much I might listen again. (and not just to hyperfixate on the hints Lynch gives about future news)

My favorite sentence/passage/phrase (or two) that I read this week :
bullet “There are moments in your life that are perfect. You know they won’t last long, you know they’re rare, you know that they might not ever come again. If you pay attention, you can feel those moments happening to you.”—Twelve Months by Jim Butcher

and…(this one got stuck in my head)
bullet “All three of us twitch-jumped except for Molly and Lara.”—Twelve Months by Jim Butcher

To help talk about backlist titles (and just for fun), What Was I Talking About 10 Years Ago This Week?
bullet The Next to Last Word by Michael P.V. Barrett
bullet Nightwing, Vol. 1: Traps and Trapezes by Kyle Higgins and Eddy Barrows
bullet The Book of Unknown Americans by Cristina Henríquez
bullet I mentioned the releases of strong>Orphan X by Gregg Hurwitz (and I should really get around to books 2-11 someday) and The Rogue Retrieval by Dan Koboldt

This Week’s New Releases that I’m Excited About and/or You’ll Probably See Here Soon:
bullet Twelve Months by Jim Butcher—because I don’t think I’ve mentioned it enough in the last three weeks, the new Dresden Files novel dropped this week. I’m in fanboy heaven. If you’re a Dresden-fan, you don’t need to be reminded (I assume) that it’s out. If you’re not, I don’t know that this is a book for you–but let me tell you, the 17 books you need to read first will knock your socks off. (might just be easier to read them barefoot)
bullet There Be Dragons Here by S.L. Rowland—The latest Cozy Fantasy Adventure from Rowland looks very promising, a 182 year-old former adventurer is tasked with taking an old friend’s ashes to their final resting place.
bullet Nine Goblins: A Tale of Low Fantasy and High Mischief by T. Kingfisher—Nine goblins find themselves behind enemy lines and have to face just about every fantasy race you can think of (humans worst of all) to get home.

(the cat is absolutely not necessary)

Grandpappy’s Corner: Olivia by Ian Falconer: Not a Book for a Tired Parent/Grandparent

By HCNewton

On January 23, 2026

In Grandpappy's Corner, YA/MG/Children's Books

Olivia

by Ian Falconer

DETAILS:
Series: Olivia, #1
Publisher: Atheneum Books for Young Readers
Publication Date: October 1, 2000
Format: Hardcover
Length: 40 pgs.
Read Date: January 17, 2026

So here’s the thing you need to know about Olivia–you know that feeling when all you, as an adult, want is for a toddler to go to sleep so you can collapse and veg out for a bit (or maybe sleep yourself); and all the toddler wants to do is not settle down for the night? So you say, “Okay, you can pick X books, and then we’ll go to sleep.” You do not want this book anywhere the kid can find it. Leave it on another floor from their bedroom. Put it on top of something tall where they can’t see it. Because kids who are focused on not going to sleep are tricky and wily. This book is full of ways that those tricksters can exploit to push away lights-out.

Incidentally, a worn-out parent is something that Olivia’s mother can empathize with, and I’d think she’d understand hiding it.

Now, all that means is that Olivia has a lot of really good points to it. A lot of things to grab the attention of a young reader, a lot of things for their imaginations to jump off from and engage with.

This is a look at a six-year old girl (pig) named Olivia and all the ways she fills her days. And she is active–trying on clothes, dancing, painting, making a mess, building very impressive sand castles, and more.

The art is great–it’s simple, rarely detailed with backgrounds and objects–typically it’s just a black and white drawing of Olivia and a family member or two–with a splash of red to really grab your attention.The drawings that are more elaborate–full or two-page spreads, full of background, detail, and objects–are just stunning. On some you will get up to nine different drawings of Olivia–that will inevitably bring up, “What is she doing there?” and “What about there?” or “And what do you think she’s doing there?”, etc. etc. See my caveat in the opening paragraph.

This won some big awards and has spawned a bunch if sequels. I can see why both would be the case. It’s a sweet read, with some very fun art. Pretty much all you want in a picture book.

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.

Grandpappy Icon

Book Blogger Hop: Book Blogger Hop: Book and Snack Combinations

By HCNewton

On January 23, 2026

In Book Blogger Hop, Books, News/Misc.

Book Blogger Hop

This prompt was submitted by Billy @ Coffee Addicted Writer:

Which book pairs perfectly with a certain snack in your opinion?

I’ve talked about drinking while reading before, and attempted to come up with some pairings of drinks and books. But if I’ve done snacks/foods before, I’ve forgotten it.

There’s a danger in pairing some things with books. Silence of the Dead pretty much makes you want pie—having some handy would probably lead to overindulgence. Brownies/cookies with a Mercy Thompson book would lead to that, too. A Dresden Files novel could make you want Burger King. Spenser novels will make you want Dunkin’.

Really, I could go on like that. Maybe it’s just a reflection of my self-control (or lack thereof)—a good pairing between book and snack is going to lead to problems.

Which isn’t to say I’m not a fan of snacking while reading—in moderation, of course*—but you’ve got to be careful. You don’t want anything too greasy, buttery, sticky, or that will otherwise damage the cover/pages. It should be something that you don’t need both hands for (you need one to hold the book/eReader, right?). It probably should be pretty simple—nothing you have to focus on, just mindlessly grab and move mouth-ward, without losing focus/taking your eyes off the book.

* In case my physician is reading this, I have to say this.

Of course, I could be wrong, and I’m looking forward to seeing what others are thinking/saying.

Grandpappy’s Corner: I Am a Highly Dangerous Warrior! by Raquel D’Apice, Heather Fox (Illustrator): A Great Starter-Fantasy Tale

By HCNewton

On January 22, 2026

In Fantasy, Fiction, Grandpappy's Corner, YA/MG/Children's Books

I Am a Highly Dangerous Warrior!

by Raquel D’Apice, Heather Fox (Illustrator)

DETAILS:
Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
Publication Date: November 04, 2025
Format: Hardcover
Length: 40 pgs.
Read Date: January 17, 2026

What’s I Am a Highly Dangerous Warrior! About?

A big, hairy monster is threatening the town. People are frightened, and no hope is in sight.

But there is a six-year-old who is determined to go off and face the monster, proclaiming himself to be “a highly dangerous warrior!” The Wizard he lives with tries to dissuade him, but the child is determined and will not listen to reason.

Let’s Talk about the Art for a Minute

It is just adorable. The cover image gives you a great feel for what you’re going to find in the book.

Fox creates a monster that you can believe is threatening, but really doesn’t look it. The humans look like they leapt off the pages of a Johnny Hart comic (but with a contemporary feel) or out of a Craig McCracken cartoon.

How is it to Read Aloud?

There’s a lot of shouting to be done—which is kind of fun. The dialogue is silly, but thankfully, no tongue twisters are involved. Using appropriate voices for the Wizard and the Child seems to be easy, and the text helps with that a lot.

You probably won’t enjoy reading it as much as someone will enjoy listening to you read it, but it’ll be close enough.

So, what did I think about I Am a Highly Dangerous Warrior!?

The backcover alone is worth reading. Seriously. The stuff inside the book is even better.

It’s a goofy, straightforward story with a little bit of sweetness at the end.

I enjoyed this more than I expected to—and with a title and cover like that, my expectations were high.

At the same time, I don’t have a lot to say about it—it’s a fun little Fantasy story for those trying to raise the right kind of nerd. Or for those who aren’t. Oh, also, for adults who are the right kind of nerd. Either way, there’s plenty of goofy fun to be had.

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.
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WWW Wednesday—January 21, 2026

By HCNewton

On January 21, 2026

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

I’m sure it wasn’t the most appropriate way to commemorate the day, but I really enjoyed the bonus reading day on Monday — and, for a change, I took advantage of it. I’m at least one book ahead of where I expected to be today. I’m not going to be able to pull all of it off–but my January TBR is feeling largely doable. For today, anyway.

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?


Twelve Months by Jim Butcher	The Librarians by Sherry Thomas, read by Louisa Zhu

The fact that I’m posting this, or working, or acknowledging I have a wife and dogs while I have Twelve Months to focus on is rather surprising. I’m just in full geek-out mode.

I’m still getting a sense of The Librarians, the setting and characters are charming as all get out–but I’m still waiting for the plot to start. We’ll see how it goes from there.

What did you recently finish reading?


Lit by Tim Sandlin	Ozark Dogs by Eli Cranor

Sandlin’s cozy doesn’t feel all that cozy, but technically is one. It’s a hoot. Idaho does not come off well in this book, I will recommend it soon regardless.

Oh wow. This audio version of Ozark Dogs is just as powerful as the novel–only losing a bit of its punch because I revisited it. Cranor is a fantastic narrator, I should add.

What do you think you’ll read next?


Strange Animals by Jarod K. Anderson	The Serial Killer Guide to San Francisco by Michelle Chouinard, read by Stephanie Németh-Parker

I’m looking forward to seeing for myself how Anderson’s book lives up to the description (click the link) or to the good things that people are saying about it (like Jodie did)

I don’t remember what it was about Chouinard’s book that got it put on my hold list–I’m just going to trust that former me knew what he was doing. It’s been a minute before I dabbled in a light-hearted serial killer book.

Category: Blog Series Page 3 of 217

What are you currently reading?

What did you recently finish reading?

What do you think you’ll read next?

What books have gotten under your skin lately?

What do you think of the current trend for cozy fantasy? Why do you think it is currently so popular? What makes a good cozy fantasy?

What are you currently reading?

What did you recently finish reading?

What do you think you’ll read next?

How are you closing out the month? If you’re in one of those areas getting hit by the winter storms–hope you’re doing okay and have a good supply of necessities (food, water, heat, and things to read)

Which book pairs perfectly with a certain snack in your opinion?

Of course, I could be wrong, and I’m looking forward to seeing what others are thinking/saying.

What’s I Am a Highly Dangerous Warrior! About?

Let’s Talk about the Art for a Minute

How is it to Read Aloud?

So, what did I think about I Am a Highly Dangerous Warrior!?

What are you currently reading?

What did you recently finish reading?

What do you think you’ll read next?

Any book(s) have you excited lately?