I started the day looking back at September, here’s a glance at October. I overshot last month (as I knew), I think this is more realistic. I’ve reached the point in the year where I have to focus on my reading challenges if I’m going to finish them–although I’ve done a decent job with them by just reading.
I’ve also tacked on some “bonus” goals–books I’d hoped to earlier this year and didn’t get to. Now I’m hoping to get to them before December ends. We’ll see if I can squeeze any of them in during October.
by David Baron
"There is Life on the Planet Mars" --New York Times, December 9, 1906
This New York Times headline was no joke.
In the early 1900s, many Americans actually believed we had discovered intelligent life on Mars, as best-selling science writer David Baron chronicles in The Martians, his truly bizarre tale of a nation swept up in Mars mania.
At the center of Baron's historical drama is Percival Lowell, the Boston Brahmin and Harvard scion, who observed "canals" etched into the surface of Mars. Lowell devised a grand theory that the red planet was home to a utopian society that had built gargantuan ditches to funnel precious meltwater from the polar icecaps to desert farms and oasis cities. The public fell in love with the ambitious amateur astronomer who shared his findings in speeches and wildly popular books.
While at first people treated the Martians whimsically--Martians headlining Broadway shows, biologists speculating whether they were winged or gilled--the discussion quickly became serious. Inventor Nikola Tesla announced he had received radio signals from Mars; Alexander Graham Bell agreed there was "no escape from the conviction" that intelligent beings inhabited the planet. Martian excitement reached its zenith when Lowell financed an expedition to photograph Mars from Chile's Atacama Desert, resulting in what newspapers hailed as proof of the Martian canals' existence.
Triumph quickly yielded to tragedy. Those wild claims and highly speculative photographs emboldened Lowell's critics, whose withering attacks gathered steam and eventually wrecked the man and his theory--but not the fervor he had started. Although Lowell would die discredited and delusional in 1916, the Mars frenzy spurred a nascent literary genre called science fiction, and the world's sense of its place in the universe would never be the same.
Today, the red planet maintains its grip on the public's imagination. Many see Mars as civilization's destiny--the first step toward our becoming an interplanetary species--but, as David Baron demonstrates, this tendency to project our hopes onto the world next door is hardly new. The Martians is a scintillating and necessary reminder that while we look to Mars for answers, what we often find are mirrors of ourselves.
I stumbled onto this on the bookstore shelf a couple of months ago and was sucked in by the concept. I think I’ve found the time for it, too.
by Olivia Blacke
When Ruby Young discovered that her Boston apartment was haunted, she did what any reasonable person would do: befriend the ghost. Their relationship overcame a shaky start—Cordelia Graves never wanted a roommate in life, she certainly didn’t want one in death. After working together to solve a few murders, the two are close friends, but there’s a lingering question neither of them have been able to answer: what led to Cordelia’s death?
Lately things have been adding up that suggest foul play. And when Cordelia’s memories of that day start to come back, the roommates can’t ignore it anymore: Cordelia was murdered. Ruby and Cordelia are going to have to piece together what Cordelia’s final days looked like—otherwise a killer could go free.
I’ve read the last 5 books by Blacke–including the first two in this series. I want to keep that streak alive, and I want to learn who murdered Cordelia.
by C.O. Bonham
What each sister has she must share with the other . . .
Snow loves music. She has spent her entire life learning new instruments and memorizing new pieces, only to while away her life in a country manor with only her mother and twin sister as company. If only she could get out on her own and play in front of a real audience.
Rose loves magic. The things she can do with music would amaze her twin sister, but whenever she shows her, Snow quickly forgets as if the event had never happened. If only Rose could get out on her own and work some real magic.
When an airship crashes near their home, Snow’s magical abilities awaken. Together the sisters must learn to use their magic, rescue a pair of cursed princes, and discover their own secrets.
Discover the magic of music in this retelling of Snow White and Rose Red.
I grabbed this last year from one of the Narratess Indie sales, and it’s time to get it crossed off the list.
by M.K. Felix
A cursed princess. An anxious duke. A courtship to conquer the darkness.
Adara
I didn’t think accepting the present intended for my betrothed would be a problem until I got cursed with fangs and claws. Now a rage-inducing darkness has snuffed out my light magic, and I avoid society to maintain my relationships and keep everyone safe from my anger. But what’s not safe? My heart after stumbling upon my brother’s best friend fishing in the woods.
Evander
Two years ago my father died, and I’ve been drowning in grief ever since—unable to work up the courage to fight for the right to inherit the duchy. But my malicious uncle and annoying cousins are running the estate into the ground. It takes everything in me to keep us afloat. The horses I can magically connect with have been my only solace… until I meet the cursed princess in the woods. Now there’s something—or someone—worth fighting for.
Charmed Beast is a Cinderella and Beauty and the Beast retelling that’s been gender-flipped and combined. This clean fantasy romance is for readers who want a story focused on a person’s inner beauty and worth, the strength that comes from vulnerability, and what it means to sacrifice for those we love.
This clean fantasy romance, with only kisses, minimal violence, and uplifting themes is a story both teenagers and adults can enjoy.
The first in this series was a lot of fun, I expect this will be, too. Also, I’d like to have this done before I run into Felix at an author event next month.
edited by Gabe Henry
In Eating Salad Drunk, comedy's biggest names come together to deliver succinct, hard-hitting humor in the form of haikus. Tackling topics from modern romance and screentime to self-love and loathing, these poignant and sometimes dirty poems offer a fresh perspective on coping in our "burnout age."
Contributors include Jerry Seinfeld, Michael Ian Black, Aubrey Plaza, Margaret Cho, Maria Bamford, Ray Romano, Aparna Nancherla, Ziwe Fumudoh, Chris Gethard, Sasheer Zamata, Colin Mochrie, Zach Woods, and many more! Curated by Gabe Henry, manager of Brooklyn's popular Littlefield comedy venue, Eating Salad Drunk also features 50 relatable black and white drawings by New Yorker cartoonist Emily Flake and a foreword by comedian and actor Aparna Nancherla (Crashing, BoJack Horseman, Inside Amy Schumer).
Eating Salad Drunk is the perfect gift for any fan of humor seeking an escape from our dystopian present. All author proceeds go towards Comedy Gives Back, supporting mental health and crisis resources for comedians.
I need to read a poetry collection for a challenge, and just don’t have the mental capacity for something more serious. Also, if you check out the list of contributors, you just have to dive in.
by Denise Lynn Lambert
Cthulhu is on vacation!
After a nasty divorce, the Evil One decides a vacation on earth is in order, especially when he sees he is trending on social media. But an old adversary, Kansas Smith wants to find and steal his treasure. To make things more difficult, Gestalt, an emissary of the great old ones is after him.
But he meets a new friend!
Karen, a woman who is nearly as evil as Cthulhu himself comes to his rescue. And the more time he spends with her, the more he realizes--he might actually be enjoying himself? Could this be love? Surely not!
Treasure Awaits
To truly find out, Cthulhu will need to extend his vacation. but to do that he needs money, and the treasure he has hidden on an ancient battlefield will do nicely. But with Kansas and Gestalt right on his tail, and a public that recognizes him everywhere he goes, will he and Karen be able to get to it and get away before they are caught?
From Off-Target to Lenny's, the adventure and the laughs never stop. You'll love this Lovecraftian horror-comedy filled with action and adventure.
This is the closest I could find for the BookTempter’s TBR Challenge’s October prompt. And hey, I might as well get this removed from the 2023 TBR Hill.
by Joseph John Lee
It begins and ends, as things do, with a girl throwing a birthday party for a dragon. Or it would, if things were ever that simple.
Generations ago, the Inquisition of the Priory of the Thrice-Dead Prophet decided that dragons were a great evil and it was their duty to banish them from the land of Nóra. The dragons weren't (they just grew tired of the bother and migrated north), and the Inquisition didn't (they just pretended otherwise), but that's beside the point.
Though evidence of dragons still existed, it remained within the realm of smugglers, ne'er-do-wells, and people with too much time and money on their hands...until a hatching egg finds its way into the hands of a young girl named Ailís.
Now, with the first newborn dragon seen in generations in her company, Ailís finds herself beset by merchants, brigands, Inquisitors, and a greedy governor, and all she wants to do is throw a birthday party for her dragon.
And you thought planning a party for your kids was tough.
Another Narratess Indie sale purchase to tackle.
by Andrew H. Murray
Esme just wanted a bit of escapism. And now reality itself has gone wrong--an electrifying adventure for fans of The Midnight Library and The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy.
Esme Good is an unremarkable young woman working a dead-end job in an unremarkable city. Her only escape is The Elsewheres: tiny potions that allow you to disappear for fifteen minutes into alternate versions of yourself. Sadly, these only confirm her suspicion that she is, in a cosmic sense, living her worst life.
Then, after a workplace incident that could have happened to anyone, Esme unintentionally becomes the most important person in this--or perhaps any--universe. We don't have time to get into exactly why this is, but to remedy it, Esme must find an uncharted land and fulfill a prophecy that has been on hold since the dawn of time.
She has spent her whole life trying not to become a main character. Now, a lot of things are about to happen to her: in fact, everything, and so much.
This description grabbed me, I’m really curious to see how the book pulls it off.
by Vanessa Ricci-Thode
Lusi is a perfectly normal 12-year-old wizard except for the part where she can talk to ghosts. But everyone knows ghosts aren't real, so at best they think Lusi is lying and at worst that she's lost her mind. Her big sister Marsi is the only one who believes her, but Marsi is running away to escape Uncle's terrible plan to make her marry his creepy nephew. Lusi can't imagine being separated from her sister and leaves behind the rest of their family to flee with Marsi via merchant caravan to the Wizards Guild for help. All their plans are dashed to pieces when Uncle catches up to them in a matter of days.
Uncle's connections to powerful wizards make him far more dangerous than Lusi initially realized. But Lusi isn't crazy or a freak for talking to ghosts: she's a necromancer! Marsi is worried-they've always been told that necromancers are monsters. Lusi needs to learn more to set both their minds at ease. She must enlist the help of a ghost girl, a dragon, and a strange wizard from the other side of the world if she wants to control her unusual talents and keep her family safe.
Ricci-Thode sold me on this last year. It’s been gathering too much e-dust.
by Terry Pratchett
Religion is a competitive business in the Discworld. Everyone has their own opinion and their own gods of every shape and size—all fighting for faith, followers, and a place at the top. So when the great god Om accidentally manifests as a lowly tortoise, stripped of all divine power, it’s clear he’s become less important than he realized.
Om needs an acolyte and fast. Enter Brutha, the Chosen One—or at least the only One available. He’s a simple lad whose highest ambition is tending his melon patch—until he hears the voice of a god calling his name. A small god for sure. But bossy as Hell.
Brutha wants peace, justice, and love—but that’s hard to achieve in a world where religion means power, money is worshipped, and corruption reigns supreme. . . .
I’d planned on finishing the Night Watch series before trying something else in Discworld, but this is the Fantasy Book Club pick for the month, so I guess I’m changing my plans.
by Raúl the Third and Elaine Bay
Bilingual in a new way, this colorful adventure teaches readers simple words in Spanish as they experience the bustling life of a border town. Follow Little Lobo and his dog Bernabe as they deliver supplies to a variety of vendors, selling everything from sweets to sombreros, portraits to piñatas, carved masks to comic books!
I’m in the home stretch of the 25 Greatest Picture Books of the Past 25 Years list–this is the next to tackle. I also did the idea behind it.
by Amy Maren Rice
Aliens are running amok in the backwoods of Idaho, Grandpa Slater is trapped in another dimension, and the crazed sea serpent of Castaway Cays-Dragula the Dreaded-has stolen something the Slater family desperately needs.
With the evil Others closing in, Jasper and Milo Slater must team up with their furry Fuzzwigg companions to survive magical portals, battle mutant sea creatures, outsmart snarky blue alien pirates, and uncover the next hidden piece of the Talisman of the Trees.
But as danger grows and family secrets unravel, the brothers quickly discover that saving their grandfather-and possibly the world itself-may require more courage than either of them imagined.
Adventure, humor, magic, and unforgettable creatures collide in this thrilling new Fuzzwiggs fantasy adventure.
Last week, I finally saw Rice for the first time since the book came out, so I could pick this up. I’m eager to see where she takes the series.
by Andy Richter with Aaron Karo
Ever since Elf hit theaters, audiences around the world have fallen in love with the story of Buddy, the charming (and oversized) “elf ” with a heart of gold. But what most people don’t know is that when the screenplay first hit Hollywood, no studio was willing to touch it. How, then, did such a risky gamble turn into one of the most beloved Christmas classics of all time?
In this laugh-out-loud oral history, comedian and costar Andy Richter goes on a mission to find out by reconnecting with the very people who brought this magical vision to life. Through exclusive interviews, hilarious anecdotes, and heartfelt reflections with key players like Will Ferrell, Zooey Deschanel, director Jon Favreau, and many others, Andy ultimately unwraps the story of how a quirky holiday film about a human raised by elves became such an enduring cultural phenomenon.
Packed with never-before-seen photos, behind-the-scenes secrets, a foreword by Buddy himself (aka Will Ferrell), and a sprinkle of festive fun, this book is the perfect gift for anyone who believes in the magic of Christmas—and knows that the best way to spread holiday cheer is by singing loud for all to hear.
Ohhhh, I’m going to be so annoying to watch this movie with this December.
by Ian Robinson
Three acquittals. Three executions. A killer the city’s calling a hero.
On a rain-lashed North London estate, a man is found shot through the head on his knees, hours after a jury let him walk. Two origami angels rest in his upturned palms, their heads dipped in red. No gun. No witnesses. No one on the estate willing to say a single word.
Then a second body turns up in the same posture. Then a third.
Nash and Moretti realise this isn’t a gangland hit. Every victim cheated justice in the same courtroom. Every victim was made to pay for it.
The press christen him the Angel of Mercy. The public start calling him a hero. And he isn’t finished.
Nash and Moretti aren’t the only ones hunting him. Some of the dead belong to a London crime family — and they mean to reach the killer first.
The Angel of Mercy believes he’s beyond the reach of any court.
And he hasn't delivered his final verdict.
I don’t like there being an Ian Robinson book in print that I haven’t read. Time to fix that.
by David Rosenfelt
This time, Andy is serious about retiring. Besides, he can't hear the sound of his phone ringing over the football game. But when the local newspaper asks him to participate in their Christmas spread of local celebrities and their dogs, he pauses the game and brings Tara along for the ride.
When the photographer comes to take pictures of him and the dogs, he instead opens the door to Sharon Lowery, who devised the newspaper story just to get Andy's attention and beg him for help. Her brother, Jon, is wanted for murder and is on the run. However, if Andy agrees to hear Jon out, he'll turn himself in with the hope that Andy will represent him and reunite him with his dog.
It's a dangerous situation, and between the media circus surrounding the murder and Jon's volatile position, Andy knows that when Jon is found, someone could get hurt. But Andy respects Sharon's dedication to her brother, and in an effort to keep Jon--and the public--safe, Andy agrees to talk to Jon. Andy decides to help Jon and slowly uncovers a web of conspiracies. Determined to keep Jon out of jail, Andy gathers the crew to investigate.
David Rosenfelt returns with Andy Carpenter's classic disdain for Christmas but love for dogs and justice.
I started this yesterday, and it’s reliably interesting and entertaining. This time, in addition to the typical Christmas season is too long rant, we get Andy’s less-than-enthusiastic thoughts on Halloween.
by Neal Stephenson
What would happen if the world were ending?
A catastrophic event renders the earth a ticking time bomb. In a feverish race against the inevitable, nations around the globe band together to devise an ambitious plan to ensure the survival of humanity far beyond our atmosphere, in a hastily built space ark.
But the complexities and unpredictability of human nature coupled with unforeseen challenges threaten the intrepid pioneers, turning their mission into a desperate survival story until only a handful of survivors remain . . .
Five thousand years later, their progeny—seven distinct races now three billion strong—embark on yet another audacious post-apocalyptic journey into the unknown . . . to an alien world utterly transformed by cataclysm and time: Earth.
A writer of dazzling genius and imaginative vision, Neal Stephenson combines science, philosophy, technology, psychology, and literature in a magnificent work of speculative fiction that offers a portrait of a future that is both extraordinary and eerily recognizable. As he did in Anathem, Cryptonomicon, the Baroque Cycle, and Reamde, Stephenson explores some of our biggest ideas and perplexing challenges in a breathtaking saga that is daring, engrossing, and altogether brilliant.
I am so intimidated by this book–and have been since we were told it was coming up for the October Book Club meeting. I’m sure it’s going to be good–it’s Stephenson, for cryin’ out loud–I just find it daunting-looking.
by Phoebe Wahl
Little Witch Hazel is a tiny witch who lives in the forest, helping creatures big and small. She's a midwife, an intrepid explorer, a hard worker and a kind friend.
In this four-season volume, Little Witch Hazel rescues an orphaned egg, goes sailing on a raft, solves the mystery of a haunted stump and makes house calls to fellow forest dwellers. But when Little Witch Hazel needs help herself, will she get it in time?
Little Witch Hazel is a beautiful ode to nature, friendship, wild things and the seasons that only Phoebe Wahl could create: an instant classic and a book that readers will pore over time and time again.
My second pick from the 25 Greatest Picture Books of the Past 25 Years for the month.
by Connor Williams
What can Americans learn about our divided country today from the Civil War that divided us in the past?
Connor Williams’s The Confederacy Myth answers that question with a blistering historical exposé that reframes our understanding of the Confederacy towards with what it really was - a relatively small insurrection of uncompromising fanatics that plunged the nation into its deadliest war.
In his new book, Williams reveals the truth about the Confederacy by unraveling its myths and uncovering its perilous political tactics, irate ideologies, reckless brand of warfare, impotent governance, and enduring commitment to slavery. Most importantly, Williams reminds us why the United States prevailed in the Civil War: five out of six Americans resisted the Confederate insurgency and instead put everything on the line to fight for democracy so that our Republic would have a new birth of freedom.
The Confederacy Myth is at once an eye-opening work of history as well as a timely reminder of our duties as citizens today.
I’m a little over a third of the way through, and Williams has already taught me a lot more than I expected.
Didn’t read earlier this year, hopefully soon…
by JCM Berne
First entry in the SECOND ARC of the Hybrid Helix: Black Gold
Rohan doesn't want to be famous, to be rich, or to rule over the galaxy with an iron fist. All he wants is a peaceful life towing ships, a decent cup of coffee, and time to pursue the woman of his dreams.
First he'll have to tame or destroy a self-centered god, a sector-spanning evil empire, and a race of slumbering moon-sized vampiric cephalopods.
That will require new allies by his side and new tricks up the sleeves of his purple and yellow jumpsuit.
Allies like the il'Zkin, cat people who can't leave their homeworld, or the kaiju of Toth 3, monsters he can't control. Tricks like the mystical technique given to him by Spiral, his mentor, that seems completely incompatible with the Hybrid rage that has been his greatest strength.
When his friend Wei Li receives visitors from her own mysterious past, Rohan realizes they might hold the keys to helping him with several of those problems.
Those visitors seem to have other ideas.
Reading Eyes of Empire this summer reminded me how much I love this series and renewed my desire to get caught up with it tout suite. So, here we go!
by Tiffany Crum
Benny Abbott and Joy Moore host one of the most beloved podcasts in the world. Each week, they delight listeners with a different “against all odds” survival story, gleefully finding the weird, life-affirming humor in near-death experiences. Since their first episode on Joy’s experience with severe narcolepsy, they’ve been the best friends everyone wants to befriend—and thanks to the meticulous management of Joy’s husband, Xander, they’ve built a lucrative empire.
The problem is, their next survival story may be their own. When Benny arrives at Joy and Xander’s one morning to record, he finds shattered glass and an empty house. The one clue shedding light on the couple’s disappearance is the incomplete, previously unseen first draft of Joy’s memoir. Benny is desperate to find them, even when the police soon zero in on him as their prime suspect.
Millions of devoted listeners think they know the “real” Benny and Joy. But as the hours tick by, and the odds seem increasingly stacked against Joy and Xander being found alive, not even the most devoted fans could guess the terrible secrets their favorite famous BFFs have hidden from the world—and from each other.
This is either going to be a blast, or something that leaves me cold. I’m pretty sure that it’s going to be just one or the other. Looking forward to finding out which (or if I’m wrong).
by Jonathan Edward Durham
Everyone has wanted their favorite book to be real, if only for a moment. Everyone has wished to meet their favorite characters, if only for a day. But be careful in that wish, for even a history laid in ink can be repaid in flesh and blood, and reality is far deadlier than fiction . . . especially on Addington Isle.
Eamon and his two closest friends, Caroline and Mark, journey to the place that inspired their favorite book, Winterset Hollow--a timeless tale about a tribe of animals preparing for their yearly end-of-summer festival. But after a series of shocking discoveries, they find that much of what the world believes to be fiction is actually fact, and that the truth behind their beloved story is darker and more dangerous than they ever imagined.
It's Barley Day . . . and you're invited to the hunt.
I’m really not sure that this is my thing at all. But after appreciating Durham’s social media posts for a couple of years, I figured it was about time to read his fiction.
by Tod Goldberg
Failed lawyer Robert Green has such a good plan: Crack three hundred safe-deposit boxes and sail off to South America with his brilliant, morally flexible sister, Penny. If it weren't for the damned freezing rain.
In the dying resort town of Granite Shores, cop Jack Biddle is self-appointed king--mostly of bad decisions. Between his family's crumbling legacy, a wife who just joined the city council, and life-threatening gambling debts, Jack's looking for a way out. Then he spots a van spinning off a mountain road into the valley below. In the wreckage, Jack finds a very dead Robert, millions in heisted loot...and opportunity.
All Jack has to do is clean up the mess, disappear Robert's body, make off with the fortune, and not get caught. One hitch is Penny. Another is Mitch Diamond, a wild card ex-con who knows more about the missing fortune than he lets on. Jack, Penny, and Mitch each have an endgame. But there's only one way out, and they're crashing headlong toward it.
I haven’t read this Goldberg since his days of writing Burn Notice–and assume I’ve been missing out. This one looks like a great way to reacquaint myself with him.
by Faith Hunter
Angelina Everhart-Trueblood and her brother Evan run Everhart Investigations, a PI firm in Chattanooga that solves paranormal crimes committed by supernatural beings. When their new client wants help finding her friend, who supposedly disappeared during a reception at Angie’s aunt Jane’s winter residence, things get . . . complicated.
The client is not who she appears to be, and demons strike the city for the first time since the Witch War. On top of that, evidence is pointing toward the involvement of an overly ambitious vampire—who just happens to be Angie’s ex-husband.
As Angie and Evan team up with CPD, they will have to dig deep into their magical reserves—and rely on some friends in high places—to rid Chattanooga of the danger creeping into their city.
Like I said before, I really only needed “Angelina Everhart-Trueblood and her brother Evan run Everhart Investigations” to be sold on this. Angie and Evan as adults? I’m in.
Sure, the rest of the blurb sounds good, but it’s just extra icing on the cake.
by Thomas Trang
Medina Rifkin, a director of cult crime films, is back from shooting his latest one out on the asteroids.
He lands on Mars as tensions run high, with the solar system on the brink of war between the Mars-based Federation and the Negara who run the asteroid belt. Rifkin’s life isn’t going that great either – his last few films have tanked, and he owes money to the wrong kind of people.
He’s also returned with a secret message from the Negara, which brings him into the orbit of a firebrand senator looking to reform Federal politics. Rifkin is soon caught between the different players all competing for power. Behind the glitz of film festivals and industry parties, dark forces are quietly taking shape.
This new world of espionage and clandestine meetings is like something from one of Rifkin’s films – but there’s no cameras rolling and the violence is very real.
I’d planned on getting this read back in August, I really want to dive back into this series.
by John Wiswell
Garrodigh was once a four-headed dragon, among the most powerful in Kardoša. After an unfortunate incident, he now has three heads, one stump, and a daily whirlwind of internal bickering. Centerhead wants to rain death upon all humanity, Bottomhead is like a feral cat, and Upperhead is under the delicate delusion that he is, in fact, human.
When a nearby battle goes awry, Garrodigh sneaks into an elite dragon rider academy, pretending to be tame to get free food and a warm bed. Lucky for him, rider Rania Charvátová is desperate enough for a dragon of her own that she overlooks his eccentricities.
As Garrodigh recovers under Rania’s care, all three heads start to turn, for the first time, in the same direction. Each wants to protect her from the invaders who killed their fourth head—the same invaders who seek to conquer Kardoša. When the academy comes under attack, can this wild dragon and his wilder rider save their homeland together?
This cozy fantasy intertwines epic battles with loving friendships, sharing an utterly unique perspective on what it means to be a “monster.”
A couple of bloggers I respect sang this book’s praises, and it looked like something I had to grab. Now I just need to find room to get ‘er read.
(Image by DaModernDaVinci from Pixabay)
