Category: Books Page 139 of 160

Odds ‘n ends over the week about books and reading that caught my eye. You’ve probably seen some/most/all of them, but just in case:

• You have one last chance to weigh in: Not the Booker prize 2016: your final judgments, please — Tiffany McDaniel’s The Summer That Melted Everything could use some support.
• The Big Five US Trade Book Publishers — If you want to get an idea how your favorite imprint(s) relate to the Big 5, this’ll help. Fascinating.
• Lee Child’s Jack Reacher thrillers are massive bestsellers. Here’s why they deserve it — Yes.
• The List of Books That Saved My Life
• How Much Beer Does it Take to Get a Hobbit Drunk? — Emily Asher-Perrin answers this vital question
• Dirk Gently’s Holistic Detective Agency — BBCAmerica’s take on this series premiers tonight — hoping this is good and that it connects with viewers. I had no major problems with (and enjoyed, but didn’t love) the last TV version of this that almost no one seemed to watch, but this one shows promise.
• Bernie Bookworm’s Reading Rules — If you’re reading this post, you can probably relate to much/all of this.

Odds ‘n ends over the week about books and reading that caught my eye. You’ve probably seen some/most/all of them, but just in case:

• Winnie-the-Pooh at 90: still the best bear in all the world — a little something light to kick things off this week — but really, was there any doubt that he’s still “the best”?
• The day we knew that people don’t care about books anymore — So, Quartz doesn’t seem to like newest winner of the Nobel Prize in Literature (can’t disagree too much).
• Is Social Media Toxic to Writing?: What happens when a debut author won’t join social media? — makes sense to me — but man, what horrible effect on their marketing.
• Study shows books can bring Republicans and Democrats together — not crazy about some of the details here, but I dig the overall idea
• The Funniest Living Writers Choose the Funniest Books in the World — Great results, fun process, and a nifty infographic-y feel to the presentation.
• 11 Things Booksellers Would Like You To Know

There was only one New Release this week that grabbed me — and I’ve already read it. My TBR list doesn’t grow — phew!:
• Genrenauts: The Complete Season One Collection by Michael R. Underwood — Probably the last time I talk about this series for a while, but let me tell you one more time that the Genrenaut series is great and you should be reading it — now in one handy and cheaper edition — no more waiting between episodes. Get ’em all at once.

It occurred to me this morning that I’ve only spent one evening at home since last Saturday — which explains why I haven’t read/written as much as usual, and why this first list is shorter than I like — and why I’ve been so tired (fell asleep writing 3 times this week — did finish one of the posts, though).

Never fear — I think I get to be my introverted self this coming week. Without further ado, the odds ‘n ends over the week about books and reading that caught my eye. You’ve probably seen some/most/all of them, but just in case:

• Amazon’s New Reviewing Rules – Could it Affect Authors in the Future? — One book reviewers’ take.
• We’re So Pretty, Oh So Pretty… — reflections on Fahrenheit Press’ first year — and a look ahead to the second. I need to find more time to read their stuff — that’s one of my 2017 resolutions (if only just to read the stuff of theirs that I’ve bought!)
• How Lev Grossman Is Wielding The Bright Sword — Grossman’s next project is Arthurian? sweet.
• “Dystopia Is Too Easy”: Laurie Penny’s Tomorrow — Outside of this profile, I know almost nothing about Penny — but I think I want to learn more.
• How I Always End Up Buying More Books — Pretty much, yeah.

This Week’s New Releases I’m Excited About and/or You’ll Probably See Here Soon. Great stuff this week (I think/expect), too much of a good thing, really:
• The Failed Fellowship by Michael R. Underwood — The end of the first “season” of Genrenauts stories — this time, something’s wrong on Fantasy World. Not-at-all-shockingly, I loved it.
• The Rise of Io by Wesley Chu — A decade or so after we left Tao & his hosts, we pick up with a very different Quasing, Io, and her fledgling host. I said it already, and will say it again, I might end up liking this trilogy more than the original.
• Break the Chains by Megan E. O’Keefe — Steal the Sky was just about everything I want in a SF novel — I can’t wait to see what the sequel holds.
• The Hammer of Thor by Rick Riordan — Magnus Chase and his pals return for another Norse-mythology-inspired adventure.
• Today Will Be Different by Maria Semple — another comic (yet tragic) look at a woman for whom life isn’t going well and who might be her own biggest problem.
• Crosstalk by Connie Willis — let this quotation from Penguin Random House sell you: “Science fiction icon Connie Willis brilliantly mixes a speculative plot, the wit of Nora Ephron, and the comedic flair of P. G. Wodehouse in Crosstalk—a genre-bending novel that pushes social media, smartphone technology, and twenty-four-hour availability to hilarious and chilling extremes as one young woman abruptly finds herself with way more connectivity than she ever desired.”
• A Star-Reckoner’s Lot by Darrell Drake — a fantasy unlike anything you’ve read. Here’s my post on it, which doesn’t include the line: “Do not be misled by the author’s light hand (and occasional bad puns); this is a story with some haunting imagery and deep themes, and not one I’m going to forget quickly.” But I should’ve said it. Glad that Words & Birds did.

Lastly, I’d like to say hi and welcome to doddyaboutbooks and booksfromdusktilldawn for following the blog this week.

Odds ‘n ends over the week about books and reading that caught my eye. You’ve probably seen some/most/all of them, but just in case:

• Your Signed Books and Artwork Just Got Harder to Sell in California — SDCC just became a nightmare. Good grief, this is silly.
• The Murder of Stephen King: James Patterson scraps book ‘out of respect’ for the esteemed author — Great idea for a book (or a pilot episode of Castle), but seemed creepy when I heard about it. This is the right move, IMHO. Crime Time Podcast covered this story, too.
• 10 Must-Read Children’s Books of the Last 100 Years (by Decade) — Hard to disagree with any of BookRiot’s list.
• PCC Alumni Publishes Noir Novel — Nice to see Grant Bywaters getting a little press — and I love the news in the last paragraph.
• Hollywood’s 25 Most Powerful Authors 2016 — Huh.
• Wesley Chu’s The Lives of Tao is Being Developed for Television — Yes! Let’s hope it’s not too long before Chu makes the above list.
• Elon Musk’s SpaceX Craft Will Pay Tribute to Douglas Adams — because this frood wasn’t cool enough already?

This Week’s New Releases I’m Excited About and/or You’ll Probably See Here Soon:
• The Purloined Poodle by Kevin Hearne — I thoroughly enjoyed this, and am looking forward to getting to the audiobook waiting for me on my phone!
• Cloudbound by Fran Wilde — Updraft just rocked — I can’t wait to see what she does for a follow up.
• A Shot at Salvation by James Craig — this looks chilling.

Lastly, I’d like to say hi and welcome to Contemplative Reflections, Michael Patrick Hicks, and Candace L Stauber for following the blog this week.

Odds ‘n ends over the week about books and reading that caught my eye. You’ve probably seen some/most/all of them, but just in case:

• Robert Burns songs re-recorded in their original, genteel context — this is pretty cool
• 8 Science-Backed Reasons to Read a (Real) Book — Nothing against them, but I never thought I’d link to a Real Simple piece . . .
• Tiffany McDaniel: ‘The novel was there saying, “Let me out!”‘ — our friend Tiffany McDaniel is interviewed by The Guardian.
• Vengeance and Magic: Revealing the Cover for Paul Cornell’s Chalk — news about a book I absolutely will be talking about next November
• A Case for a “Previously” Section in Book Series — Kevin Hearne has started doing this (probably others, too, I just don’t know about them) — Maddie Rodriguez makes the case that everyone should. If only. . . .
• 11 Websites To Find Free Audiobooks Online — blah
• Check Out This Fan-Made Name of the Wind Monopoly Game!

This Week’s New Releases I’m Excited About and/or You’ll Probably See Here Soon:
• Thrice the Brinded Cat Hath Mew’d by Alan Bradley — a new Flavia de Luce and/or reminder that I need to catch up with these books.
• The Family Plot by Cherie Priest — I really don’t think this is my kind of book, but given the author, if I read it, I’d probably love it.
• Hungry Heart by Jennifer Weiner — similarly, I don’t see myself reading this memoir, but I bet it’s good.
• Not a book, but a handful of titles published by Fahrenheit Press are now available in paperback, for you non-ereaders. Notably, the two wonderful Jo Perry books.

Lastly, I’d like to say hi and welcome to allmeowedout, belikewaterproduction, FelissaEly, frustratedego, Drew @ TheTattooedBookGeek, TNWTL MOVEMENT, and marteenreadsbooks for following the blog this week. Wow! A bumper crop!

Odds ‘n ends over the week about books and reading that caught my eye. You’ve probably seen some/most/all of them, but just in case:

• Yang Issues ‘Reading Without Walls Challenge’ — I have no idea who Gene Luen Yang is, but I like this idea.
• A hundred years on from Agatha Christie’s first novel, crime fiction is going cosy again — Didn’t realize that cozies had ever gone out of style. I see them all over the place…
• Disney Announces New Rick Riordan Imprint — “an imprint devoted to mythology-based books for middle grade readers.”
• Sorry Rainbow Rowell fans, the ‘Eleanor & Park’ movie isn’t happening — Alas.
• 13 Signs You Might Be-a No Frills Reader (NFR) (link fixed — thank, Bookstooge, for letting me know!)

This Week’s New Releases I’m Excited About and/or You’ll Probably See Here Soon:
• Robert B. Parker’s Debt to Pay by Reed Farrel Coleman — A tense follow-up to Coleman’s first Jesse Stone novel. I said more about it here.
• An Obvious Face by Craig Johnson — a fun outing for Walt and a chance to get to know Henry better. In case you are curious, here’s what I said about it.
• The Littlest Bigfoot by Jennifer Weiner — Weiner tries her hand at MG.

Lastly, I’d like to say hi and welcome to hoveprinting and Krissys Bookshelf Reviews for following the blog this week.

Odds ‘n ends over the week about books and reading that caught my eye. I didn’t find a lot this week — I guess I was busier than I thought. You’ve probably seen some/most/all of them, but just in case:

• 5 Reasons You Should Read a Damn Book — from Grammarly Blog.
• Caution! Reading is Dangerous — then again . . .
• 7 Awesome Things About the October Daye Series — I’m not so sure about that count, but I’m I like the rest of it

This Week’s New Releases I’m Excited About and/or You’ll Probably See Here Soon:
• Children of the Different by S. C. Flynn — Friend of the blog, S. C. Flynn’s first book is released today. Expect to see a lot more about it here soon 🙂
• Once Broken Faith by Seanan McGuire — a new Toby Daye!
• Chapel of Ease by Alex Bledsoe — Time to go back to the land of the Tufa
• TV (The Book): Two Experts Pick the Greatest American Shows of All Time by Alan Sepinwall and Matt Zoller Seitz — some stellar writing by two of the best people to ever discuss the medium
• Lady Cop Makes Trouble by Amy Stewart — one of the rare sequels that’s more fun than the original (I blogged about it here)
• The Question of the Felonious Friend by E. J. Copperman/Jeff Cohen — an amusing mystery (I blogged about it here)
• MJ-12: Inception by Michael J. Martinez — post WWII superpowered super-spies.
• Necrotech by K. C. Alexander

Lastly, I’d like to say hi and welcome to Canary for following the blog this week.

Odds ‘n ends over the week about books and reading that caught my eye. You’ve probably seen some/most/all of them, but just in case:

• My fave Brick ‘n Mortar Bookstore Rediscovered Books is celebrating 10 years in business. I haven’t spent nearly as much time and money there in the last couple of years as I should’ve, but am very happy to see this. Here’s the local paper’s bit on it.
• Does Reading Literary Fiction Make You a Better Person? I’m Skeptical — BookRiot’s Teresa Preston does a much-needed response to the article I linked to last week (and more could be done, too)
• Author and critic Lev Grossman on why there are no good books — Grossman’s thought is not as provocative as the title of this article (and his talk), but it’s good. Wish I could make the lecture.
• ‘Book ninjas’ are hiding free books on Melbourne’s trams, trains and buses to get commuters reading — Random Acts of Kindness
• Tom Wolfe has a new (non-fiction) book out! (that’s a very emphatic exclamation point) CBS News has a short piece/video about it (and him) (I hope to read that next book he mentions soon) and The Millions has this scathing, yet celebratory, review by Brian Hurley.
• Michael R. Underwood just unveiled the cover to Genrenauts Season One Collection by Thomas Walker. Looks sharp.
• The Art of Wreaking Revenge — a nice little feature on Coleman and the latest Jesse Stone book
• Emily Brontë may have had Asperger syndrome, says biographer
• I haven’t had time to read (much less review) A Mint Condition Corpse, as much as I’ve wanted to (I did buy it, so that’s one step done). Thankfully, friend of the blog, Jo Perry did review it, so I can just share her work.
• How Larry Hama Made Comics History One Issue At A Time — It’s been ages since I read him, but seeing the name “Larry Hama” on a scan of Twitter a few days ago made me stop. I had to read this, the name meant that much to me (even if it took me a few seconds to remember why it did) — and I can’t tell you how many times I read the issue that top panel is from. I could probably tell you the entire story from the issue.
• If you have a few extra pennies, there’s a Kickstarter campaign for Drive — Dave Kellet’s fantastic SF comic.
• The 15 Best Places On The Internet For Book Lovers

This Week’s New Releases I’m Excited About and/or You’ll Probably See Here Soon:
• The Kingdom of Speech by Tom Wolfe — ’nuff said
• Curioddity by Paul Jenkins — Urban Fantasy’s version of Warehouse 13?
• The Key to the Coward’s Spell by Alex Bledsoe — an Eddie LaCrosse short story. Our favorite sword jockey is on the hunt for a missing kid and finds more than he bargained for.

Lastly, I’d like to say hi and welcome to drjohnpatrickkeefeii, Char’s Horror Corner and BrokenTune for the new follows this week.