Category: Blog Series Page 36 of 220

WWW Wednesday—December 11, 2024

On December 11, 2024

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

It’s Wednesday. Might as well do this, eh?

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?


Ghost Stations by M.D. Presley	Grave Peril by Jim Butcher, read by James Marsters

I really dug Rites of Passage, so it took me maybe 30 seconds to decide I wanted to jump when Presley offered me this follow up, his website says, “Think if Buffy and her Scooby gang went up against the Barksdale Corp from The Wire.” And even if I hadn’t been waiting for the second book in the series, that comparison alone would’ve got me.

Grave Peril is one of those Butcher books I feel bad about forgetting the details of–I keep coming across scenes, characters, events and think they belong to another book. And one of my all-time favorite Butcher lines is in this (and I’d have guessed it was from a later book). But none of that matters, because right now, I’m having a blast–even though I know what the last chapters contain and all the fallout that will ensue from them. (seriously, I’m already flashing forward to Changes)

What did you recently finish reading?


The Killer’s Christmas List by Chris Frost	What You Are Looking for Is in the Library by Michiko Aoyama, read by Hanako Footman, Susan Momoko Hingley, Kenichiro Thomson, Winson Ting, and Shiro Kawai

Chris Frost’s debut under that penname was a rollicking read. I hope a sequel is forthcoming. if not, I’ll be ready for whatever Frost/McDonald has in store. More to come on this.

What You Are Looking for Is in the Library was utterly okay. There were some pleasant characters, some sweet moments, and the book as a whole is a nice tribute to the power of books and how the right one can trigger a needed change in someone’s life.

What do you think you’ll read next?


Adrift in Currents Clean and Clear by Seanan McGuire	Whispers Under Ground by Ben Aaronovitch, read by Kobna Holdbrook-Smith

Seanan McGuire. Wayward Children.Not sure there’s much else to say.

I have a similar problem with the third Rivers of London novel as I do with the third Dresden Files novel. I can remember a couple of scenes, a couple of characters that are introduced…and not much else. Am looking forward to the reminders.

Do you have something special grabbing your attention?

Saturday Miscellany—12/7/24

By HCNewton

On December 7, 2024

In Books, News/Misc., Saturday Miscellany

This week’s offering seems a bit more hodge-podgey than the last few, which I appreciate. It also feels a little LitHub heavy, but, eh. I’m not sure I care.

Also, I’m not going to bother talking about the Goodreads Reader’s Choice results…I can’t bother finding the energy (if I stumble on something interesting by someone next week, I’ll post it, but I’m not going looking). If anyone has a hot (or room-temperature) take on them, sound off in the comments.

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 A Refuge for the Soul: How to Build a Library, According to Montaigne—maybe not achievable/practical, but some great ideas
bullet How Gen Z Came to See Books as a Waste of Time
bullet Does Teaching Literature and Writing Have a Future?—”The prospects are a little grim, but they aren’t nonexistent.”
bullet Olympus Agonistes: When, if ever, did people stop believing in the Greek gods?
bullet I Don’t Want to Read Anymore: Am I the Literary A**hole? —I rarely post links to these, but I enjoy every one of these columns I read. I thought the 2nd and 3rd letters were worth sharing.
bullet “The very worst of human nature is often hidden in plain sight”—Rob Parker talks about his upcoming release (that I’m hoping to find a US release date for)
bullet Speaking of upcoming releases…So I wrote another book… —Noelle Holten has some good news (even for us Yankees)
bullet Wayward Children Vol. 1 – Illustrated Deluxe Omnibus—Kickstarter launched this week. It’s too rich for my blood, but it looks gorgeous for those who have the means.
bullet Quiz: Can You Identify These Detectives’ Thoughts on Christmas?—I was 1 for 5 on this (and didn’t get the 1 I should’ve)
bullet W Series I – Jordan Loyal Short – Dragon Reich—1. This looks like a cool book. 2. I wished I’d come up with this series idea.
bullet Are You an Author Completionist?—I’m almost one. But I do get a little picky when it comes to some genres.
bullet Books Inspired by Narnia! Portal Fantasies, Allegories and Coming of Age Stories!—who doesn’t like a Narnia-ish read?

It’s the Time of Year for Gift Guides/Best of Lists like these:
bullet The Atlantic 10—The books that made us think the most this year
bullet AudioFile’s Best Audiobooks of 2024
bullet Lit Hub’s 38 Favorite Books of 2024—I have one of these on my shelves waiting.

A Book-ish Related Podcast episode (or two) you might want to give a listen to:
bullet Dripping Bucket In The Business of Grimdark – with guest Beth Tabler—I haven’t watched this yet, but it looks like a good ‘un.

To help talk about backlist titles (and just for fun), What Was I Talking About 10 Years Ago Week?
bullet The Job by Janet Evanovich and Lee Goldberg
bullet And I mentioned the release of Bryant and May and the Bleeding Heart by Christopher Fowler, a series I really intended on sticking with, but lost my way on.

This Week’s New Releases that I’m Excited About and/or You’ll Probably See Here Soon:
bullet Nobody’s Hero by M. W. Craven—Ben Koenig’s back and is dealing with a team of assassins, a worst-case scenario that might be playing out, and one of the cleverest schemes he’s come across. I tried to express my excitement about this recently.
bullet Little Love Songs by Sandra Boynton—sounds cute as all get out, I’m a little worried about the psycholoical torture that the “push button to hear music” feature can bring on adults living with a child (or older siblings). Still, probably worth the risk.

WWW Wednesday—December 3, 2024

By HCNewton

On December 4, 2024

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

It’s time for…

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?


Robert B. Parker’s Hot Property by Mike Lupica	Marvel: What If . . . Marc Spector Was Host to Venom? by Mike Chen, read by Keith Szarabajka, Xavier Casals

Lupica’s new Spenser novel is fantastically smooth–so hard to put down (my two-legged family members keep demanding it however, as does my employer. The four-legged family members are much more understanding).

There might be too many characters in this What If… book. Or too many voices in people’s heads. So you’ve Moon Knights from two different realities, so you’ve got a Khonshu, 2 Marc Spectors, 2 Steven Grants, 2 Jake Lockleys, one Venom–and someone else, too. Sure, 1 Spector, 1 Grant and 1 Lockely are off-screen for most of the book (not all of them from the same physical entity). But it’s really hard to keep track of things at the beginning. I’m far enough in that I’ve got a handle on it, but I tell you, it took longer than it should’ve. Still, it’s not bad.

What did you recently finish reading?


Sizar by Susan Grossey	Enough Rope by Dorothy Parker	The Faculty Lounge by Jennifer Mathieu, read by Lisa Flanagan

Sizar was a satisfying second adventure for this new series–I’m hoping to have more to say soon.

Enough Rope has some of my favorite Parker poems–and a few that could turn into some when I re-read them. A nice little diversion.

I wasn’t wowed by The Faculty Lounge, but I am glad a listened to it. I will hopefully have something more to say, soon (but not as soon as Sizar).

What do you think you’ll read next?


Shadow of Hyperion by JCM Berne	What You Are Looking for Is in the Library by Michiko Aoyama, read by Hanako Footman, Susan Momoko Hingley, Kenichiro Thomson, Winson Ting, and Shiro Kawai

I’ve heard plenty of good things about Shadow of Hyperion, and if nothing else, am eager to see how Rohan ends up in the physical state he was in for the Christmas story last year. Well, probably not eager. Very curious.

I’m almost certain to be underwhelmed by What You Are Looking for Is in the Library. But I’ve put too much effort into getting this book to not listen. I should get to start tomorrow afternoon.

Are you spending December scrambling to meet any goals, using books to think about some place that’s warmer? Or just reading something that looks good?

Saturday Miscellany—11/30/24

By HCNewton

On November 30, 2024

In Books, News/Misc., Saturday Miscellany

Odds ‘n ends about books and reading that caught my eye this week. You’ve probably seen some/most/all of them, but just in case:
bullet Forget drop-shipping—America’s new favorite side hustle is … republishing classic literature?
bullet Murderbot, She Wrote—Wired’s got a great feature on Martha Wells
bullet The Power of Your Words: Leaving a Review Matters
bullet How Can We Create a Reading Culture?—Pages Unbound’s Krysta lays out the problem with children and reading in Part One and suggests some solutions in Part Two
bullet Indie Black Friday Sale—James Lloyd Dulin’s hosting this sale from Nov. 29-Dec. 1. You’ve spent a year making good progress on your TBR stack, might as well wipe it out in one fell swoop.

It’s the Time of Year for Gift Guides/Best of Lists like these:
bullet It’s Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas: The 2024 Adult Books Edition—Witty and Sarcastic Book Club’s Annual list has some great picks
bullet Holiday Gift Giving Guide—This Dad Reads has a gift guide for young and old (particularly if they like Star Wars)
bullet The New York Public Library Announces the Best Books of 2024 for Kids, Teens, and Adults
bullet NPR’s Best Books of 2024—is another extensive list
bullet Top Five Science Fiction Novels of 2024—from John Mauro at Before We Go Blog
bullet Top Five Fantasy Novels of 2024—from John Mauro at Before We Go Blog

A Book-ish Related Podcast episode (or two) you might want to give a listen to:
bullet CrimeTimeFM Christmas Debate 2024—some of the UK’s best Crime Fiction reviewers sound off on their favorite reads of the year and on some controversial topics. As usual, it’s a fun listen that adds too many things to my lists.

To help talk about backlist titles (and just for fun), What Was I Talking About 10 Years Ago Week?
bullet The Reluctant Warrior by Ty Patterson
bullet and I mentioned the release of Endsinger by Jay Kristoff, Book 3 of The Lotus War

This Week’s New Releases that I’m Excited About and/or You’ll Probably See Here Soon:
bullet Robert B. Parker’s Hot Property by Mike Lupica—Rita Fiore is in danger—it’s up to Spenser and Hawk to stop whoever is after her. I have a book and a half to get through before I can dive in. They’d better be worth it.
bullet Chez Usher by Vicki Hendricks—a retelling of Poe in Florida. Farenheit Press’ latest looks like a winner.

WWW Wednesday—November 27, 2024

By HCNewton

On November 27, 2024

In Books, Currently Reading, News/Misc., 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?

Seems easy enough, right? Let’s take a peek at this week’s answers:

What are you currently reading?


1-800-CallLoki by Dawn Blair	The Faculty Lounge by Jennifer Mathieu, read by Lisa Flanagan

1-800-CallLoki puts the Norse God into the role of protagonist and hero (of sorts). It’s frequently amusing and pretty compelling. I should be wrapping this up soon.

The Faculty Lounge is filled with gentle humor, some good characters, and a plot that is just interesting enough to keep me listening. It’s utterly fine, but unless the last 40% knocks my socks off, it’ll get a “just okay” from me.

What did you recently finish reading?


Instinct: An Animal Rescuers Anthology edited by L. J. Hachmeister	I Hope This Finds You Well by Natalie Sue, read by Nasim Pedrad

Instinct was a very mixed bag of animal SF/Fantasty/Urban Fantasy stories, none of them were bad, most were okay, but those that were good, were very good. Just what you expect and hope for out of an anthology like this.

I Hope This Finds You Well was better than I’d anticipated it could be, I rather enjoyed it–and hopefully I can expand on it soon.

What do you think you’ll read next?


We Solve Murders by Richard Osman	Marvel: What If . . . Marc Spector Was Host to Venom? by Mike Chen, read by Keith Szarabajka, Xavier Casals

I’d hoped to be well into the Osman book today, but oh, well–I still have a couple of days before it’s due at the Library (this will not be joining the ranks of the books I didn’t read)

The Moon Knight/Venom story is probably not going to do much for me–but I trust Chen, and the Wanda/Spider-Man book was so good that I have to give it a shot.

U.S. Readers, do you have a book set aside to help you ignore family, or are you going to put things off for day? Non-U.S. readers, what do you have underway?

Top 5 Tuesday – Top 5 books I meant to read in 2024 (and actually checked out of the library…multiple times…but didn’t)

By HCNewton

On November 26, 2024

In Books, News/Misc., Top X List

This week’s topic is, “Top 5 books I meant to read in 2024.” This seemed like a fun one to try until I actually tried to sit down and come up with the five. I recently described my TBR as a tragicomedy, and the 2024 version alone is more tragic than comedic. But then I realized I had a perfect five–so, here’s my approach to this list: Top 5 books I meant to read in 2024 (and actually checked out of the library…multiple times…but didn’t start). I’ve also mentioned some of these on Books on My Summer 2024 to-Read List and multiple WWW Wednesday posts. I’ve done everything but read them, not even the first page. I’ve checked them out, held them for the maximum amount of renewals, returned them, got back on the hold list, checked them out…and so on, twice.

We could also call this “5 sources of frustration this year.”

In alphabetical order by author:

	Amari and the Despicable Wonders by BB Alston War has come to the supernatural world, and Amari's two worst enemies are leading the charge. Elaine Harlowe has manipulated her way into becoming prime minister, using her mind control ability to force the Bureau to take up her vicious grudge against magiciankind. Meanwhile, Dylan Van Helsing, the newly crowned leader of the League of Magicians--and Amari's former partner--is after a destructive new power that would not only ensure the magicians' victory . . . it would make him invincible. With neither the Bureau nor the League safe for Amari, and her newly returned brother, Quinton, determined to keep her out of the fray, she and her friends decide to find a way to end the war on their own. So when they learn that the only way to stop Dylan is to find powerful magical inventions known as Wonders, they go after them. But wielding these items comes at a terrible cost, and Amari will have to decide just how much she's willing to sacrifice . . . because the Despicable Wonders will demand everything.
	What You Are Looking for Is in the Library by Michiko Aoyama, read by Hanako Footman, Susan Momoko Hingley, Kenichiro Thomson, Winson Ting, and Shiro Kawai What are you looking for? So asks Tokyo's most enigmatic librarian. For Sayuri Komachi is able to sense exactly what each visitor to her library is searching for and provide just the book recommendation to help them find it. A restless retail assistant looks to gain new skills, a mother tries to overcome demotion at work after maternity leave, a conscientious accountant yearns to open an antique store, a recently retired salaryman searches for newfound purpose. In Komachi's unique book recommendations they will find just what they need to achieve their dreams. What You Are Looking For Is in the Library is about the magic of libraries and the discovery of connection. This inspirational tale shows how, by listening to our hearts, seizing opportunity and reaching out, we too can fulfill our lifelong dreams. Which book will you recommend?
	Don’t Let the Devil Ride by Ace Atkins Hell is empty...and Addison McKellar's husband is missing. Addison McKellar isn't clueless--she knows she and her husband Dean don't have the perfect marriage--but she's still shocked when he completely vanishes from her life. At first Addison is annoyed, but as days stretch into a week and she's repeatedly stonewalled by Dean's friends and associates, her frustration turns into genuine alarm. When even the police seem dismissive of her concerns, Addison turns to her father's old friend, legendary Memphis PI Porter Hayes. Porter and Addison begin to dig deeper into Dean's affairs and quickly discover that he was never the hardworking business owner and family man he pretended to be. As they piece together the connections between a hook-handed mercenary, one of Elvis's former leading ladies, and a man posing as an FBI agent, it becomes clear that Dean was deeply enmeshed in a high-stakes web of international intrigue, and Porter and Addison aren't the only ones looking for him. Dean angered some very dangerous people before he disappeared--people who have already killed to get what they want--and they won't hesitate to come after his family to even the score. Don't Let the Devil Ride is a thrilling adventure about what can happen when you pull back the curtain on your life. Ace Atkins, long known for gritty Southern noir with a witty edge, has crafted an ambitious, globe-hopping story that comes home to Memphis in explosive fashion.
	An Honorable Assassin by Steve Hamilton He was released from federal prison to a second life as an unwilling assassin, serving a major Chicago crime lord until the day he finally won his freedom. But that freedom was a lie. Now Mason finds himself on a plane to Jakarta, promoted to lead assassin for a vast shadow organization that reaches every corner of the globe. This time, there's only one name on his list: Hashim Baya--otherwise known as the Crocodile--international fugitive and #1 most wanted on Interpol's "Red Notice" list. Baya is the most dangerous and elusive criminal Mason has ever faced. And for the first time in his career ... Mason fails his mission. Baya gets away alive. There's only one thing he can do now: to save himself, his ex-wife, and his daughter, he must make this mission his life, hunting down the target on his own. But Mason isn't alone in his search, because for Interpol agent Martin Sauvage, apprehending Baya has become a personal vendetta. Sauvage is a man just as haunted as Mason. And just as determined. Never have the stakes been so high, the forces surrounding him so great. Sauvage wants Baya in prison. Mason needs him in a body bag. Assassin and cop are on a five-thousand-mile collision course, leading to a brutal final showdown--and the one man in the world who can finally show Nick Mason the way to freedom.
	Slow Dance by Rainbow Rowell Back in high school, everybody thought Shiloh and Cary would end up together . . . everybody but Shiloh and Cary. They were just friends. Best friends. Allies. They spent entire summers sitting on Shiloh's porch steps, dreaming about the future. They were both going to get out of north Omaha--Shiloh would go to go to college and become an actress, and Cary would join the Navy. They promised each other that their friendship would never change. Well, Shiloh did go to college, and Cary did join the Navy. And yet, somehow, everything changed. Now Shiloh's thirty-three, and it's been fourteen years since she talked to Cary. She's been married and divorced. She has two kids. And she's back living in the same house she grew up in. Her life is nothing like she planned. When she's invited to an old friend's wedding, all Shiloh can think about is whether Cary will be there--and whether she hopes he will be. Would Cary even want to talk to her? After everything? The answer is yes. And yes. And yes. Slow Dance is the story of two kids who fell in love before they knew enough about love to recognize it. Two friends who lost everything. Two adults who just feel lost. It's the story of Shiloh and Cary, who everyone thought would end up together, trying to find their way back to the start.

Leaving those unread has been driving me crazy since July or so…what’ve you left untouched this year despite your best intentions?

Saturday Miscellany—11/23/24

By HCNewton

On November 23, 2024

In Books, News/Misc., Saturday Miscellany

Odds ‘n ends about books and reading that caught my eye this week. You’ve probably seen some/most/all of them, but just in case:
bullet Literacy Statistics 2022-2023—We are going to kick things off this week on an incredibly down notes. If you’re prone to despondancy, you might want to avoid this.
bullet Why We Need Fairy Tales—this will help you recover from those numbers
bullet How Does the Writer Say Etcetera?—”Sumana Roy ponders the linguistic and aesthetic significance of ‘etceterization.'”
bullet 10 of the Most Original Murders in Mystery—This is a good list–even without the inclusion of Some Buried Ceasar. But that helps.
bullet Matthew Hanover has put out New/Refreshed Covers for his novels—There are better reasons to pick them up (for example, the contents), but this is a good excuse if you haven’t gotten around to it.
bullet It’s a Really Good Time to Get Loud About the Books You Love: Some ideas to help keep literature and the book community alive.—I try to do these already, but like Templeton, it seems like it’s needed more now (and I need the kick in the pants).
bullet Why I Love to Read Reviews – A Defence of the Blogosphere, Blogging and Reviewers—hear, hear.
bullet What Makes a Good Children’s Book?—another good ‘un

Not Really Book-Related, but I want to talk about it anyway:
bullet Animaleague Baseball Batter Up! Board Game—One of my favorite local authors–who does great picture books (and has provided some of the images here), Jeremy Billups, has realseased his first board game! I got to sample an early version a couple of years ago, and am eager to get my hands on one of the final versions! Go give it a look-see (and, even better, pick one or three up for yourself!)

To help talk about backlist titles (and just for fun), What Was I Talking About 10 Years Ago Week?
bullet Us by David Nicholls
bullet I talked about the releases ofAgatha H. and the Voice of the Castle by Kaja Foglio and Phil Foglio, The Job by Janet Evanovich and Lee Goldberg, and Superheroes Anonymous by Lexie Dunne.

This Week’s New Releases that I’m Excited About and/or You’ll Probably See Here Soon:
bullet Tooth and Claw by Craig Johnson—after he leaves the Corps, Walt needs a job. Why not try Alaska, a state that can make Wyoming look crowded?
bullet The World According to Cunk by Philomena Cunk—just in time for the holidays, a history book that might include an actual fact or two, but does contain several laughs, as I wrote recently.
bullet King Arthur & The Ladies of The Lake by Vincent Pompetti—I really enjoyed this graphic novel retelling of Arthurian legends.
bullet An Icelandic Adventure: One Family’s Mostly Successful Quest for Puffins, Pleasure, and Perfect Pizza by S. Bavey—I’m pretty sure the subtitle tells you what you’re going to find. (but perfect pizza in Iceland seems like a stretch, but what do I know?)

BOOK SPOTLIGHT: Skyfleet: March of the Mutabugs by Victoria Williamson

By HCNewton

On November 21, 2024

In Book Tour, Fiction, Science Fiction, YA/MG/Children's Books

This is the second The Write Reads Blog Tour Spotlight that I’ve been late with. The last one was by a few hours…this one was longer. The Tour ended yesterday, actually. Regardless, I’m excited to talk about Amanda Addison’s Looking for Lucie! You should go to https://twitter.com/WriteReadsTours feed to see all the great things that have been said about the book in the last week and a half. Or, go straight to the sources and check out the posts on the sites listed below. But before you do that, let me tell you a little about this YA novel.

Book Details:

Title: Skyfleet: March of the Mutabugs by Victoria Williamson
Genre: Science Fiction, Adventure
Age Category: Middle-Grade
Publisher: Tiny Tree Books
Format: Paperback/Ebook
Length: 198 pages
Publication Date: October 24, 2024

About the Book:

When the skies turn deadly, a young heroine must rise from the ashes…

Twelve-year-old Amberley Jain has faced incredible challenges since the crash that took her parents and paralysed her legs. Now, with her best friend Ricardo Lopez about to be sent away and a swarm of mutated insects closing in on the Skyfleet base, the stakes have never been higher. Something monstrous is driving the mutabugs north from the contaminated meteor site known as the Cauldron, and the only plane capable of stopping it – the Firehawk – lies in pieces in the hangar.

Determined to honour her parents’ legacy, Amberley hatches a daring plan. With Ricardo’s help, they stow away on a supply train, trading his most treasured possession for the parts needed to repair the Firehawk. After secret test flights, the legendary jet is ready for action. Now, Amberley and Ricardo must confront the deadly swarm and save their home, discovering their inner strength and the true meaning of friendship along the way.

Skyfleet: March of the Mutabugs is a thrilling tale of adventure and resilience, perfect for middle-grade readers.

Book Links:

Amazon UK ~ Amazon US ~ Amazon CA ~ Goodreads ~ Storygraph

About the Author:

Victoria Williamson grew up in Glasgow, Scotland, and has worked as an educator in a number of different countries, including as an English teacher in China, a secondary science teacher in Cameroon, and a teacher trainer in Malawi.

As well as degrees in Physics and Mandarin Chinese, she has completed a Masters degree in Special Needs in Education. In the UK she works as a primary school special needs teacher, working with children with a range of additional support needs including Autistic Spectrum Disorder, Down Syndrome, physical disabilities and behavioural problems.

She is currently working as a full time writer of Middle Grade and YA contemporary fiction, science fiction and fantasy, with a focus on creating diverse characters reflecting the many cultural backgrounds and special needs of the children she has worked with, and building inclusive worlds where all children can see a reflection of themselves in heroic roles.

Victoria’s experiences teaching young children in a school with many families seeking asylum inspired her debut novel, The Fox Girl and the White Gazelle, an uplifting tale of redemption and unlikely friendship between Glaswegian bully Caylin and Syrian refugee Reema.

You can find out more about Victoria’s books, school visits and free resources for schools on her website: www.strangelymagical.com

Author Links:

Website ~ Twitter

My thanks to The Write Reads for the invitation to participate in this tour and the materials they provided.

WWW Wednesday—November 20, 2024

By HCNewton

On November 20, 2024

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

I can’t think of an introductory paragraph (or even a sentence) today. So let’s just jump into things:

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?


Instinct: An Animal Rescuers Anthology edited by L. J. Hachmeister	Running and Jumping by Steven Kedie	Comedy Book: How Comedy Conquered Culture–and the Magic That Makes It Work by Jesse David Fox

I’m almost certainly finishing the Kedie book today–it’s intense. I don’t know where it’s going to end up, but my blood pressure will be better when it does.

Instinct is a mixed bag–but mostly good. The Jim Butcher story made me so glad when I read it I wouldn’t care if the rest of the stories were horrible (they’re not, but I really would be fine with that).

Jesse David Fox is the kind of guy I’d like to talk comedy with, I have so many follow-up questions about the material in the first half of this book (not because he didn’t give enough information, I just want more). This is the kind of book I’ve wanted for ages.

What did you recently finish reading?


Teen Titans: Starfire by Kami Garcia, Gabriel Picolo (Illustrator)	The Late Lord Thorpe by Peter Grainger, read by Gildart Jackson

I really liked this take on Starfire (and Cyborg)–giving her Ehlers–Danlos syndrome was an interesting move (and might have got my daughter to read the whole series).

I’m already missing David Smith (and, yes, Grainger fooled me).

What do you think you’ll read next?


Altered Carbon by Richard K. Morgan	I Hope This Finds You Well by Natalie Sue, read by Nasim Pedrad

Altered Carbon is one of those that I think I might have read a couple of decades ago, but I’m not sure. Anyway, this is the book for the Sci-Fi book club.

it was a while ago that I put a hold on I Hope This Finds You Well at the library, and I honestly don’t remember what it was about the book that intrigued me. It looks promising, and I trust post-me. Mostly.

Tell me what you’re reading–help me feel like I’m not in this rut I’ve been in lately (you’ll note how slow things have been turning over here lately).

BOOK SPOTLIGHT: Kavithri by Aman J.Bedi

By HCNewton

On November 20, 2024

In Book Tour, Fantasy, Fiction

I’m pleased today to welcome The Write Reads Blog Tour for the Indian Progression Fantasy, Kavithri, the first book in The Ghosts of Ethuran. If this looks as good to you from this Spotlight as it does to me, you should go to https://twitter.com/WriteReadsTours feed to see all the great things that people are saying about it. But since you’re here already, you might as well read what I have to tell you about it first.

Book Details:

Title: Kavithri by Aman J.Bedi
Genre: Fantasy
Publisher: Gollancz
Format: Hardcover/Ebook/Audiobook
Length: 448 pages
Publication Date: Oct. 1, 2024

About the Book:

Meet Kavithri. Outcast. Underdog. Survivor.

Kavi is a Taemu. Her people, once feared berserkers and the spearhead of a continent-spanning invasion, are the dregs of Raayan society. Their spirits crushed. Their swords broken. Their history erased.

But Kavi has a dream and a plan. She will do whatever it takes to earn a place at the secretive mage academy, face the Jinn within its walls, and gain the power to rise above her station and drag her people out of the darkness.

Except power and knowledge come at a cost, and the world no longer needs a Taemu who can fight. So they will break her. Beat her down to her knees. And make her bleed.

But if blood is what they want, Kavi will give them blood. She will give them violence. She will show them a berserker’s fury.

And she will make them remember her name.

An no-holds-barred progression fantasy and empowering South Asian epic – featuring necromancers, djinn and visceral action sequences. An underdog story like no other, Kavithri is perfect for fans of Fonda Lee, Tamsyn Muir and John Gwynne.

‘A richly detailed, darkly gritty world’ Sunyi Dean, Sunday Times bestselling author of The Bone Eaters

‘[A] grim and relentless exploration of colonialism, power, resistance and courage’ Samit Basu

‘Seamlessly packs South Asian lore and progression fantasy into a relentless rollercoaster’ Gourav Mohanty

Book Links:

Amazon UK ~ Amazon ~ Goodreads

About the Author:

Aman was born in Mysore, India. He grew up in Vizag, studied in Bangalore, lived in Bangkok, completed a PhD in experimental psychology at the University of Canterbury, and has settled (for now) in Melbourne, Australia. His writing draws from modern Indian history and is influenced by writers and artists like David Gemmell, Brandon Sanderson, Takehiko Inoue, and Kentaro Miura.

Author Links:

Website ~ Twitter ~ Instagram

My thanks to The Write Reads for the invitation to participate in this tour and the materials they provided.