Category: Saturday Miscellany Page 1 of 32

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:
I don’t think I noticed last October when Southern Living named its 50 Books From The Past 50 Years Everyone Should Read At Least Once—an impressive and daunting list, to be sure. But I did notice that Books of Brilliance talked about that list this week: Southern Living’s 50 Best Books of the Past 50 Years: The Novels That Defined Modern Literature
Why Motive Matters Even More than Truth in Crime Fiction:
Nadine Matheson mulls how to create narrative satisfaction rather than random violence—Matheson nails this
Acclaimed crime fiction writer M. W. Craven on upcoming TV adaptation —a good interview about upcoming adaptations, his MG James Bond series, and more.
Popular Book Genres Seen as “Easy Reading”—a typically thoughtful post from Briana at Pages Unbound.

A Book-ish Related Podcast episode (or two) you might want to give a listen to:
The Conversation with Nadine Matheson Coffee Break with Neil Lancaster: The Dark Heart—a fun chat.
In Person With Paul Neil Lancaster—a more serious and wide-ranging conversation (that includes several great recommendations)

To help talk about backlist titles (and just for fun), What Was I Talking About 10 Years Ago This Week?
I had a light posting week due to running around getting things like fingerprints and drug tests for a then new job. But I did mention the releases of Fire Touched by Patricia Briggs; Stop the Presses! by Robert Goldsborough; The Stone Bearer by Jacque Stevens

This Week’s New Releases that I’m Excited About and/or You’ll Probably See Here Soon:
Butterfly Effects by Seanan McGuire—Nunc hoc in marmore non est incisum I tried to express my enthusiasm for it earlier this week.
The Shadow Carver by Nadine Matheson—DI Henley is on the hunt for another grizly serial killer
The Dark Heart by Neil Lancaster—As you probably guessed from the above, Lancaster has a new book out. This time DS Craigie tangles with some spies.
The Best Dog in the World: Essays on Love edited by Alice Hoffman—”Fourteen beloved authors celebrate the life-changing bond with their canine companions in this heartwarming essay collection.” Something tells me that a Kleenex or eight on-hand would be a good idea.
The Most Dangerous Pet Shop by Paul Regnier—”On the night of his thirteenth birthday, Tristin is pulled through an enchanted mirror into a medieval fantasy realm with no way home. Stranded in the magical town of Springhaven, the fate of his family’s otherworldly pet shop is in his hands. But dealing with snapping dragons, talking animals, and mischievous pixies is a lot to handle.”
This Story Might Save Your Life by Tiffany Crum—”Best friends Benny and Joy like to say they’ve been saving each other’s lives since the moment they met. Until the day Joy disappears and Benny is suspected of murder . . .” Check out the review over at Before We Go Blog.
Nobody’s Baby by Olivia Waite—A cozy sci-fi mystery novella set on an interstellar passage liner. This is the second in a series, but looks so good I’m getting my hands on the first one!
Magic and Mischief at the Wayside Hotel by Elizabeth Everett—”When a magical hotel appears smack-dab in the middle of the most unmagical of worlds, the last thing the residents expect is to fall in love.”
The First Step by Tao Wong—”In a spectacular world of immortals, spirit beasts, and mystical martial arts, the young farmer Wu Ying’s life will be changed forever when he is unexpectedly invited to join an elite school of cultivation.”

I’ve been sick most of this week, and spent so little time with my eyes open it’s a wonder they still function (reading online posts really didn’t happen–nor did reading anything longer). Somehow I’m getting this post up, and I might be able to get some things up next week, too.

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:
Ageless Literature (@agelessliterature) posted some provocative slides “What happens when a society stops reading”
I get that almost none of you can take advantage of this program at a local bookstore, but it’s such a good idea, you should give it a look. Shared Stories is starting a Junior Booksellers series in March—where you casn “Meet neighborhood kiddos who are passionate about reading & hear all about their favorite books so you can love them too!” Like Hans today.
Can the Dictionary Keep Up?—an in-depth look at Stefan Fatsis’ Unabridged: The Thrill of (and Threat To) the Modern Dictionary
What We Lose When We Gamify Reading: Marissa Levien Makes the Case for Slowing Down—It may seem like hypocrisy for someone like me to like this kind of thing. But honestly, this is how I think–I just think like this while reading a lot. Both can be true (because the number is really never my goal, it’s just a game).

To help talk about backlist titles (and just for fun), What Was I Talking About 10 Years Ago This Week?
No Problem, Mr. Walt by Walt Hackman—still up there as one of my favorites.
Morning Star by Pierce Brown—remember back in our innocence when we thought that Brown was going to have mercy on us and end it as a trilogy? Good times–harrowing times, but good times. (we all know I’m not complaining here, I’m just saying)
I noted the releases of: The Passenger by Lisa Lutz; Chaos Choreography by Seanan McGuire; Borderline by Mishell Baker; East Of The City by Grant Sutherland; Who Wants To Be The Prince Of Darkness? by Michael Boatman; The Courier by Gerald Brandt; and Arkwright by Allen Steele

This Week’s New Releases that I’m Excited About and/or You’ll Probably See Here Soon:
The Politician by Tim Sullivan—The fourth DC George Cross mystery had it’s American re-release this week. I’m assuming the victim was a politician of some sort. I’m resisting the urge to read the description until I catch up.
We Interrupt This Program by Randee Dawn—”Welcome to Seaview Haven. A delightful village of charming humans, quaint homes – and cozy mysteries! Fortunately, there’s silver-haired author-turned-sleuth Winnie Arrowmaker on hand to solve them all.

But things aren’t exactly as they seem. Seaview Haven is one of the Seelie Court Network’s many invented TROPE towns, and the “mysteries” are scripted and streamed for the entertainment of enchanted creatures across the Veil. Or, rather, they were…”
Flour & Forge by Herman Steuernagel—”A weary warrior. A restless baker. A magical side quest neither of them asked for, but both might need…perfect for anyone who believes that while pastry might not save the world, it can help make it a world worth saving.”

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:
Libro.fm has a neat deal–donate $15 to a library, and get a free audiobook—this campaign ends today, but there’s still time! Also, apparently today is the end of National Library Week, which is totally a thing I knew about before now.
New book collects the weirdest forgotten stories of printing history—Okay, this article is just a thinly-disguised advertisement for a Kickstarter, but it’s still a fun read
My New Take on Whether We Should Remove “Old” Books from School Classrooms
Monthly Manga Mania Featuring Firsty Duelist Blue Exorcist by Kazue Kato—It’s the time of the month for Firsty Duelist to educate people like me about Manga
It’s also time for the Captivating Characters of the Month Linkup
A couple of month-end link wrap-ups to check out are: 10 Interesting Posts from the Book Blogosphere You May Have Missed in Feb. 2026 from Pages Unbound and February 2026 Book Blog Wrap-Up from A Literary Escape

A Book-ish Related Podcast episode (or two) you might want to give a listen to:
Crime Time FM‘s NADINE MATHESON In Person With Paul—was a lot of fun to listen to

My favorite sentence/passage/phrase (or two) that I read this week:
“The questions we have for the dead haunt us like unfinished dreams.”
—Head Fake by Scott Gordon

To help talk about backlist titles (and just for fun), What Was I Talking About 10 Years Ago This Week?
The Story of Lucius Cane: Book One by Vanya Ferreira—(I’d completely forgotten about the existence of this book)
Steal the Sky by Megan E. O’Keefe
Freedom’s Child by Jax Miller—that was 10 years ago??
I mentioned the releases of: The Absconded Ambassador by Michael R. Underwood; Out of the Blues by Trudy Nan Boyce; The Drowned Detective by Neil Jordan; The Forbidden Wish by Jessica Khoury; Kill the Boy Band by Goldy Moldavsky

This Week’s New Releases that I’m Excited About and/or You’ll Probably See Here Soon (and one I forgot last week):
Prey of Angels by JCM Berne—the latest in The Hybrid Helix looks great!
The Book of Spores—the ebook for this anthology is available now, “Collecting fungal tales from across countless universes, this FanFiAddict anthology spotlights the best of fantasy, science fiction, and horror.”
After the Fall by Edward Ashton—”Part alien invasion story, part buddy comedy, and part workplace satire, After The Fall… asks an important question: would humans really make great pets?”
Amari and the Metalwork Menace by B. B. Alston—huh. I thought this was a trilogy, but the publication of the fourth book reminds me to not assume so often.

(full credit to @jasonroygaston)

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:
Books and screens: Your inability to focus isn’t a failing. It’s a design problem, and the answer isn’t getting rid of our screen time—This’ll provoke some thinking (also, I want to be whereever that picture was taken)
“The guy you buy”: The Michael Clayton of it all.—a great piece on Corporate Thrillers
Read this: Generative AI is doing a number on the romance novel market—in case your blood pressure could use a boost (or your despair is running a little low)
From Atoms to AI: The Futile Search for a “Perfect” Language
Five Cosy Activities For Audiobook Listening—all of them sound better than my typical audiobook listening activities: driving, work, cleaning
“The Victim has to be a Believable Person”: An Interview with First Do No Harm’s S.J. Rozan
What Do You Want to Know About a Book Before You Read It?—a question I think about a lot

My favorite sentence/passage/phrase (or two) that I read this week:
“Goblin tea resembles a nice cup of Earl Grey in much the same way that a catfish resembles the common tabby. They share a name, but one is a nice thing to curl up with on a rainy afternoon, and the other is found in the muck at the bottom of polluted rivers and has bits of debris sticking to it.”—Nine Goblins by T. Kingfisher

To help talk about backlist titles (and just for fun), What Was I Talking About 10 Years Ago This Week?
Thing Explainer by Randall Munroe—Nunc hoc in marmore non est incisum
Talking to the Dead by Harry Bingham—featuring a protagonist that belongs on one of my personal Mt. Rushmores
Some Assembly Required by Kevin Smith, Phil Hester and Jonathan Lau
The Restaurant at the End of the Universe by Douglas Adams
The Relic Master by Christopher Buckley—yeah, I DNFed it, but I talked about it.
Lastly, I talked about the releases of Switcheroo by Aaron J. Elkins and Calamity by Brandon Sanderson

This Week’s New Releases that I’m Excited About and/or You’ll Probably See Here Soon:
Agnes Aubert’s Mystical Cat Shelter by Heather Fawcett—”A woman who runs a cat rescue in 1920s Montréal turns to a grouchy but charming magician to help save her shelter.” (“turns to” and “grouchy” aren’t necessarily the words I’d use, but…whatever). I opined about it a couple of weeks ago. Lots of fun.
Time for a Change by Questlove, S. A. Cosby—I was a little worried that we weren’t going to get a sequel, but: “On the heels of their thrilling appearance in Rhythm of Time, best friends Rahim and Kasia are back traveling through time in Time for a Change. Last time around, they were on their own—now they are working with Aevum, a mysterious organization from the future that tasks them with averting disaster and safeguarding the flow of history.”
Worse than a Lie by soandso—”a lawyer drawn into a case that begins with a violent traffic stop and spirals into a fight over truth, power, and freedom inside the criminal legal system.” (for more, read the link there or this feature from the Westside Gazette, which is where I lifted that quotation from)

Odds ‘n ends about books and reading that caught my eye this week. You’ve probably seen some/most/all of them, but just in case:
Farewell, Pocket Books—I’ve linked to several things about this in the last few months (well, maybe a handful). I rather appreciated this short video.
Dorothy Parker: Sharp-Witted Writer, Bitter Professor—I didn’t know this about Parker.
Scammers’ Delight: Christopher Farnsworth on Living in the Golden Age of Grift—Yes, this is mostly an advertisement for Farnsworth’s new novel (see below), but even without that, it’s a good read. And you can see why people like Farnsworth, Spencer Quinn, and Jesse Q. Sutanto write about bringing these kind of crooks down.
It’s Time to Get Loud About the Books You Love—If you’re going to limit yourself to reading one thing I link to this week, this is the one.
Death Show Colossus: A Fantasy Cyberpunk Deluxe Edition Kickstarter—this looks like a great read, and you can get a very pretty copy of it on the cheaper side while helping some indie artists.
Books That Take Place in Bookstores or Libraries—a handy-dandy list.
Books with Relationships for People who Don’t Love Love: 2026 Edition—I’d forgot that Witty & Sarcastic Book Club did this every year. Shame on me. I enjoy seeing the picks (this year, I’m feeling clever: I’ve read one, own one, and have had another on my “to get” list for ages).
Similarly, Noelle Holten has a couple of Anti-Valentine’s Day Book Recs
If, however, you’re in the mood to celebrate the day, you might appreciate this collection of valentines to print for your special someone (or to at least forward the images to them)
The Manhattan Beach Library has a great game for bored librarians to play

My favorite sentence/passage/phrase (or two) that I read this week:
“Death may be the price of warriors, but grief is the price of the ones they leave behind.”—Banners of Wrath by Michael Michel

To help talk about backlist titles (and just for fun), What Was I Talking About 10 Years Ago This Week?
The Batgirl of Burnside by Brenden Fletcher, Cameron Stewart & Babs Tarr
The Highly Capable by Jayme Beddingfield (I feel pretty bad that I forgot about this book entirely until I read this post today)
Guardians by Josi Russell
The Prince of Tides by Pat Conroy
And I mentioned the releases of: Morning Star by Pierce Brown; Dead Is Better by Jo Perry; Atlanta Burns: The Hunt by Chuck Wendig; As Chimney Sweepers Come to Dust by Alan Bradley

This Week’s New Releases that I’m Excited About and/or You’ll Probably See Here Soon:
Banners of Wrath by Michael Michel—the third book in this saga is really pushing these cultures to the brink of destruction. I’m not so sure that there’s a way for this series to resolve in anything but chaos. I think I’m okay with that as long as the writing stays this compelling. (and if I’m wrong, all the better)
Strange Animals by Jarod K. Anderson—”An ordinary man discovers a hidden world of supernatural creatures—and an unexpected home—in this enchanting contemporary fantasy debut.” I tried to talk about what a cool read this is recently.
Robert B. Parker’s Big Shot by Christopher Farnsworth—”Police Chief Jesse Stone finds himself in the crosshairs of a rich hedge fund manager dead set on making Paradise Jesse’s personal hell.” I’m appreciating Farnsworth’s approach to Jesse, coupled with the piece linked above, I’m eager to dive in sometime next week.
Operation Bounce House by Matt Dinniman—”A man must fight for his planet against impossible odds when gamers from Earth attempt to remotely annihilate it in this epic, fast-paced novel.” This is not the jokey-Dinniman that others have described to me. This is like Suzanne Collins mixed with Scalzi’s more serious side. I’m almost half-way through this audiobook, and it’s captivating and gut-punching.

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:
From Pages to Community: Inside Caldwell’s Shared Stories—a nice story about my favorite local store
Bookshop.org kicks-off February charitable drive #ReadItForward to support young readers in the National Year of Reading—just about everything I’ve read about the National Year of Reading happening on the other side of the Atlantic has been encouraging. This is just another example. I imagine it’s going to involve a hurdle or two for those of us on this side to contribute, but I’m looking into it.
Indie Blog Off Remnants—I really should’ve promoted this sooner, but you’d do well to keep an eye on this competition (now underway). I love the spirit behind this one, and the entrants look very promising. (well, two of them I know deliver on the promise)
Fanfiction’s Total Cultural Victory—”Total” might be overstating it. But it might be on its way.
Grimdark Magazine Issue #45 looks like a great issue, there was that Butcher interview I linked to recently and then Before We Go blog posted these two pieces this week from it, too. What does it mean to be human in a sci-fi world? and INTERVIEW: The Machinery of Control with Yudhanjaya Wijeratne and T.R. Napper—well worth your time.
A.J. Calvin’s The Indie Author Sci-Fi/Fantasy/Horror New Release List: February 2026—hold on to your wallets (but not too tightly)
An interview with IBOR entrant JCM Berne—Berne talks about his (too often overlooked) Partial Function.
We’ve all been here

My favorite sentence/passage/phrase (or two) that I read this week:
“Lekan was self-impressed, condescending, and the single best argument against making firstborns heir to anything.” ―The Rage of Dragons by Evan Winter

To help talk about backlist titles (and just for fun), What Was I Talking About 10 Years Ago This Week?
The Intern by Dale Wiley
Staked by Kevin Hearne
Missing Mona by Joe Klingler
And I mentioned the releases of: Keep Calm by Mark Binder; The Custodian of Marvels by Rod Duncan; Blood in her Veins by Faith Hunter; Graft by Matt Hill; The Alchemy of Chaos by Marshall Ryan Maresca; A Criminal Magic by Lee Kelly; Harmony Black by Craig Schaefer; and The Deavys by Alan Dean Foster

This Week’s New Releases that I’m Excited About and/or You’ll Probably See Here Soon:
Boy, with Accidental Dinosaur by Ian McDonald—if the cover isn’t enough, how about: “How to Train Your Dragon meets Mad Max in this story of an orphan in a fractured Southwest who just wants to ride a dinosaur under the lights.”

Another late one, but I got to go spend some time with Grandcritter #2 to celebrate a birthday, so…yeah, this gets pushed off.

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:
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.
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
Tolkien: Immortality Is the Trap in Middle-earth—”Most fantasy treats immortality as the prize. Tolkien treats it as a sentence.”
Pros and Cons of Self Publishing—the next installment in this great series from Willow Wraith Press
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.
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.
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!
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.
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 :
“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?
The Storms of Deliverance by Larry Higdon
Lessons from Tara by David Rosenfelt
Three Slices by Kevin Hearne, Delilah S. Dawson, Chuck Wendig
Winter by Marissa Meyer
Where It Hurts by Reed Farrel Coleman
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:
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.
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.

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:
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.
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.
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.
INTERVIEW: with author Jim Butcher—Beth Tabler and Jim Butcher, who can resist the combo? Who would want to?
How Psychological Thrillers Critique the American Dream
Your To-Be-Read Pile Might Be Lying to You—worth reading if only for the Deliah Dawson e-book TBR wisdom
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…)
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:
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 :
“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)
“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?
The Next to Last Word by Michael P.V. Barrett
Nightwing, Vol. 1: Traps and Trapezes by Kyle Higgins and Eddy Barrows
The Book of Unknown Americans by Cristina Henríquez
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:
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)
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.
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)

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:
Best Sci-Fi First Contact Adventures—a nice little stack of goodies. I can speak for 2.4 of the 7, and agree with Peloquin’s choices–and the rest look just as good.
Willow Wraith Press is starting to host a promising series of articles about Self-Publishing, they kick it off (aptly) with What is Self Publishing?
Beauty With Teeth: What I Want From Fae Fantasy—this is a lot of what I wanted to say Monday, and didn’t quite manage to.

My favorite sentence/passage/phrase (or two) that I read this week :
“I’m not saying pain is what defines us as human beings. But it is, in many ways, what unites us.”―Battle Ground by Jim Butcher

To help talk about backlist titles (and just for fun), What Was I Talking About 10 Years Ago This Week?
Sex & Violence in the Bible by Joseph W. Smith III
The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams—to be fair, when am I NOT talking about this?
In Defense of the Moth or A Meaningless Dance in Blinding Heat and Light by Johnny Newport
Indexing: Reflections Episode Twelve: Never After by Seanan McGuire
Hidden by Karen E. Olson
The Odd Fellows Society by C. G. Barrett
I mentioned the releases of: Once a Crooked Man by David McCallum; Reflections by Seanan McGuire; and Level Up Your Life by Steve Kamb

This Week’s New Releases that I’m Excited About and/or You’ll Probably See Here Soon:
First Do No Harm by S. J. Rozan—Somehow this slipped by me last week. “Lydia Chin and Bill Smith face a dangerous task: they must unlock a hospital’s many secrets in order to save an innocent man.” That sentence only needs the first five words to get me interested, but the rest works, too.
Forbidden Waters by Rob Parker—Cam Killick is back and this time he “has found is a murder weapon from a very recent crime – but how do you solve a murder without a body?”
Godfall by Van Jensen—”In this riveting small town thriller, Sheriff David Blunt is faced with a string of murders following the arrival of an alien life form”
The Luminous Fairies and Mothra by Takehiko Fukunaga, Yoshie Hotta and Shin’ichiro Nakamura, Translated by Jeffrey Angles—following up on his translation of the Godzilla novellas, Angles brings us the original Mothra story.

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:
The Lost Art of Reading an Actual Book: What happens when people stop reading books? We’re starting to see what a postliterate society looks like—and it’s very lame.—worth the read just for the metaphor about eating your kids’ Halloween candy.
9 Classic Crime Stories That Have Just Entered the Public Domain in 2026—CrimeReads talks about some BIG titles that are now Public Domain.
Mort Walker, Beetle Bailey, and the decline and fall of newspaper comics
100 Years of ‘The Murder of Roger Ackroyd’: Adrian McKinty celebrates the centenary of Agatha Christie’s groundbreaking detective novel.
Is Fantasy Still Not Taken “Seriously” in Some Circles?—this week’s Fantasy with Friends had a lot of good input, (as I predicted). Go read the participants.
Let’s talk about “grimdark”—some good musings on Grimdark (which is being applied to broadly lately)
Letting Stories Linger—yes.
From Service to Storytelling: Local Vet Publishes Fantasy Novels—a nice little story about a local writer that I hope to make the acquaintance of soon. (at least in print)
26 Short Classics to Meet Your Goal of Reading More Classics in 2026—This could be a handy list
It’s all Your Fault: Book Reviewers who Influence My Reading—The gloves come off, and Jodie calls out book reviewers who deliberately destroy TBR pile progress. Vile folks that you should check out.
Speaking of destroying TBR progress, these Best of ’25 lists should set yours back a bit:
Sifa Elisabeth’s Best Books of 2025
Ganesh’s (Pippin Took) top reads of 2025 (his reasoning behind The Kaiju Preservation Society is very sound)
Jo Linsdell’sBest Reads of 2025
Celeste’s Favorite Books Published in 2025 and Favorite Backlist Books of 2025 show some great taste and burden me with some new titles
My Top 5: Books Read In 2025—For Books Sake pulls of the Herculean task of limiting it to 5!
TCL’s Best of the Best List for 2013-2025!—this is something I could never do…and props to Davida for pulling it off. And the madness is spreading, as Carol takes a stab at it: Best of the Best: 2015 to 2025

My favorite sentence/passage/phrase (or two) that I read this week :
“The Governor was obviously the kind of person who received as much spiritual contentment from berating others as a cold man does from a bowl of soup.”—She Who Became the Sun by SHelley Parker-Chan (so, so much is said in that one sentence)

To help talk about backlist titles (and just for fun), What Was I Talking About 10 Years Ago This Week?
Somehow, these posts didn’t make the transfer to the new domain, so they look a little strange.
The Witch with No Name by Kim Harrison
The Absconded Ambassador by Michael R. Underwood
And I mentioned the releases of: The Last Dream Keeper by Amber Benson and Steal the Sky by Megan E. O’Keefe

This Week’s New Releases that I’m Excited About and/or You’ll Probably See Here Soon:
Through Gates of Garnet and Gold by Seanan McGuire—Nancy returns to Eleanor West’s school on a mission–the world behind her Door is in peril, and her friends may be their last hope. Like just about every book in this series, this one blew me away, as I noted recently.
Fairest Hunter by M.K. Felix—a retelling of Snow White and Robin Hood. Should be a fun mashup.
The Charmed Library by Jennifer Moorman—”A cozy, Hallmark-esque rom-com, The Charmed Library invites readers to escape to a world where words come alive and book boyfriends leap off the page.” Go read what the Witty & Sarcastic Book Club had to say about it.
Ms. Marvel: Remnants of the Past by Saadia Faruqi—Kamala Khan is off to Pakistan on a hunt for a magical artifact. ‘Nuff said.