Category: Books Page 91 of 160

Top Ten (and a bonus) Books from My Childhood

On May 11, 2021

It’s been a few years since the last time I posted this, so hey, here we go, in lieu of me posting something I’m dissatisfied with (and don’t have the energy to fix), how about a re-run of something I did enjoy?

I was bemoaning how long my current read was the other day and how it was going to leave me without a post for today, and my ever-so-clever daughter suggested, “Why don’t you list the Top 10 Books from your childhood?” That sounded pretty fun, so I figured that I might as well. It turned out to have been better than I thought, so kudos to her.

Ranking them really would be impossible, but then 11 came to mind really without any effort, and I couldn’t axe one of them, so there’s a bonus entry to the list. All of these I read more than I can count — if they’re part of a series, these were the ones that I came back to most often. The links are to Goodreads pages because I can’t find good official pages for all the books/authors (a true sign of my age, I guess).

Enough of that, on with the trip down Amnesia Lane:

The Castle of Llyr

by Lloyd Alexander

The Chronicles of Prydain taught me most of what I needed to know about Fantasy (augmenting The Chronicles of Narnia‘s lessons). Fflewddur Fflam here is at his best, I think it’s here that I fell in love with Eilonwy, Taran’s more of a real hero than before, and you get plenty of Gurgi (who I just have to mention because thinking of him makes me smile). There’s peril, the characters grow more than they have before, a hint of romance . . . it’s not the most important book in the series, but I think it’s pivotal.

Danny Dunn and the Anti-Gravity Paint

by Raymond Abrashkin and Jay Williams

I didn’t know until today that this was the first in the series, I always figured it was mid-series. It’s the only one of the series that I owned — thankfully, the library had a few more — so it’s the one I read most. It was also my favorite — I just loved the stuff at the edge of our solar system and Prof. Bullfinch and Doctor Grimes making musical instruments from their hair — stupid as all get out, but it worked for me.

The Mystery of the Dead Man’s Riddle

by William Arden

While Encyclopedia Brown (see below) got me reading mysteries, it was The Three Investigators — Jupiter Jones, Bob Andrews and Pete Crenshaw (btw, the only thing there I had to look up was Pete’s last name — not bad for a series I haven’t touched since the late 80’s) got me hooked on reading detective series. The Dead Man’s Riddle was one of my favorites — and I think the first or second I read — something about the Cockney slang kept bringing me back to it. I read what I do today because of this series, really.

Superfudge

by Judy Blume

I remember Tales of a Fourth-Grade Nothing being funnier, but this was a better story — the Fletchers leaving NYC, Peter maturing, Fudge being a real pain, not just a cute nuisance. Blume taught me a lot about how to read non-genre stuff, probably paving the way for Hornby, Tropper, Weiner, etc.

The Last of the Really Great Whangdoodles

by Julie Edwards

What a great world, what a great magic system . . . I’m not sure I can express what this book meant to me as a kid, and the copious warm-fuzzies the memory brings up. I remember that it was in the pages of this book about a magic kingdom that I first learned about DNA and RNA (and what those letters meant) — thanks, elementary school science classes. The creatures’ names in this are great (and, as an adult, I can “hear” Andrews saying them in my mind for an added layer of fun). There’s a great deal of whimsy here, a sense of play that permeates this — even when it gets silly. The kingdom’s motto, “peace, love and a sense of fun” really sums up the spirit of the book.

Me and My Little Brain

by John D. Fitzgerald, Mercer Mayer (illus.)

Sure, the series was supposedly about Tom, but J. D.’s the real hero of the books. He has a conscience, a better moral compass than his brother — and is probably just as smart. This is the book that lets him shine as he ought to have all along. All the books had their strong points, and were fun, but this ruled them all.

The Phantom Tollbooth

by Norton Juster, Jules Feiffer (illus.)

Such wordplay! What a great, twisted way to teach how important words and ideas are. Seriously, just a wonderful book. The humor is so off-kilter, any appreciation I have for puns came from this book (and it set the standard that a pun must achieve for me not to groan). If you haven’t seen the documentary about it, The Phantom Tollbooth: Beyond Expectations, get on it. (I contributed to the Kickstarter for it, I should add).

The Voyage of the Dawn Treader

by C. S. Lewis

I remember the bookstore where I bought this, the date and month that I bought it, and reading a good chunk of it before I got home. I read this one more than the rest of the series (Prince Caspian a close second). I just love this one — you get Reep at his bravest and funniest, some really odd creatures, an epic story, and Eustace’s redemption (back when I did crazy things like this, I almost got a tattoo of Eustace as Dragon). Who could ask for more?

Alan Mendelsohn, the Boy from Mars

by Daniel M. Pinkwater

Pinkwater has funnier and stranger books (both before and after this one), but there was heart, there was depth — there was length! — to this story about a kid who didn’t really fit in until he made a friend who didn’t want to fit in. This is another one where I can peg the place and time I bought it. Science Fiction-y in a real world (didn’t know you could do that!), comic book geeks as heroes, and real non-sanitized-for-kids emotions. There’s no way this wouldn’t be a favorite. More than the rest on this list, I’m thinking of finding my old copy and taking it out for another spin (because I just read the next one a couple of years ago).

The Westing Game

by Ellen Raskin

If I had to pick one off this list (and I don’t), this would probably be my favorite. I re-read it two years ago, and it was one of my favorite experiences that year with a book. The characters are great, the story was so clever, the writing so crisp. There’s nothing wrong with this book at all.

I saw a hardcover reprinting of this on Monday, and had to fight to resist buying a new copy. Kind of regretting that now. [Note: I went back a couple of days later and bought the hardcopy. It looks very nice on my shelf]

Encyclopedia Brown, Boy Detective

by Donald J. Sobol

Summer after second grade, we were on a forever-long road trip and I was bored, so I demanded my parents buy me something to read. I must’ve been a real snot about it, because at the next town, they did. I got two books, this one and Sugar Creek Gang Screams in the Night (not the best in the series, but it was good enough to read several times). It blew me away — I loved the puzzles, the characters, the idea. I wanted to be a P. I. This was my first mystery book, and it clearly set the stage for most of what I’ve read since (about a third of what I read).
Were you a fan of any of these as a kid? What were some of your faves? Have you read them lately?

Saturday Miscellany—5/8/2021

By HCNewton

On May 8, 2021

In Books, News/Misc., Saturday Miscellany

It felt very strange last night not to write or think about Tom Jones…

I guess I don’t have much else to say. I hope you all had a good week and that the weather where you are (at least in the Northern Hemisphere) is becoming as nice as ours is.

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 This survey shows that people prefer printed books – even in the digital age—I don’t think many would be surprised by this, but it’s interesting to see these international stats from the World Economic Forum, which I just casually read all the time… (how did I find this link??)
bullet You Don’t Need To Feel Guilty About Books You Haven’t Read Yet—I’m not sure it helped me get over my guilt, but it helped. And it was fun to read. Steinmetz feels like someone I’d have a lot in common with.
bullet Why do moms get sidelined in SFF?—from Before We Go Blog
bullet My Go-to Authors!—a list that should prompt a lot thought, and compilation (not necessarily posting) of similar lists upon reading.
bullet How to Run a Book Blog… Seriously (Not Serious)—some good advice here, folks. I think I could provide examples of each of these from the last few years.

A Book-ish Related Podcast Episode (or two) you might want to give a listen to:
bullet Fiction Fans: Which Discworld Book Should You Read First?—This is something I probably should’ve listened to a few years ago before I attempted to read the series (although the gentleman who gave the final push did suggest I start with #1). This could be valuable to others.

This Week's New Releases That I’m Excited About and/or You’ll Probably See Here Soon:
bullet Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir—Weir’s latest looks more like The Martian than Artemis, which should help sales, even if it seems like a cheat for him to try (looking at you, Ernest Cline). I’ll get to it as soon as my wife is done.
bullet Robert B. Parker’s Payback by Mike Lupica—Lupica’s got a firm hand on the Sunny Randall series now which results in a solid read, as I discussed recently.

Lastly I’d like to say hi and extend a warm welcome to Zeeshan Amin and Cole Rush who followed the blog this week. Thanks for the follow! Don’t be a stranger.

Coming Attractions: NetGalley and Sequels

By HCNewton

On May 6, 2021

In Books, Miscellany, News/Misc.

Ahhh, NetGalley–the cause of, and solution to, all of life’s problems, as Homer Simpson would say if he were a book blogger.

I seem to have collected a few more NetGalley books than I intended to (still a smaller shelf than some people, I realize), all of which I need to take care of in the next month or two so I can beat the publication dates. All but one of them are sequels in series that I’ve really enjoyed, and the rest is from one of my all-time favorite TV shows, so this promises to be fun.

Because I didn’t have time or energy to come up with an actual post today. I thought I’d take a quick look at what I need to do to get my feedback ratio back up to 100%–this 96% is just bugging me.* Any of these spark your interest?

	Moonlighting: An Oral History by Scot Ryan Once upon a time ABC-TV’s Moonlighting was among the most buzzed-about shows in the country, thanks largely to the bravado of creator Glenn Gordon Caron, who never met a television convention he didn’t want to break, and the sizzling on-screen chemistry between glamorous erstwhile film star Cybill Shepherd and a New Jersey bartender nobody had ever heard of before named Bruce Willis, who bickered and flirted ceaselessly on-screen and engaged in epic off-screen battles that all these years later remain the stuff of Hollywood legend. This combustible blend of creative brilliance produced some of the most acclaimed, audacious, and innovative programming of the eighties, including a black and white tribute to film noir, with an introduction by Orson Welles; a parody of Shakespeare’s The Taming of the Shrew, written in iambic pentameter; an homage to The Honeymooners; and countless metafictive episodes breaking through the fourth wall — almost unheard of at the time for hourlong comedy-dramas. Without a doubt, Moonlighting helped pave the way for the era of prestige television we are now all enjoying. The real story of this pioneering television series and the extraordinary behind-the-scenes challenges, battles, and rewards has never been told — until now, Author Scott Ryan (The Last Days of Letterman, thirtysomething at thirty: an oral history, The Blue Rose, Scott Luck Stories) conducted over twenty interviews with the actors, writers, directors, and producers who made Moonlighting such a dynamic, unforgettable show, delving deep into their thoughts and feelings as they relive this magical moment in pop culture history in this full-color oral history. New Interviews with: Cybill Shepherd (Maddie Hayes), Allyce Beasley (Ms. Dipesto), Curtis Armstrong (Herbert Viola), Glenn Gordon Caron Creator, Executive Producer, Writer Jay Daniel Executive Producer, Director Roger Director Writer, Producer, Season 4 Showrunner Allan Arkush Director Bob Butler and more. Publication Date: June 1
	Million Dollar Demon by Kim Harrison To save the city, Rachel Morgan will need to show some teeth in the next Hollows novel from #1 New York Times bestselling author Kim Harrison. The new master vampire of Cincinnati has arrived . . . and she wants Rachel Morgan out. No matter where Rachel goes, Constance is there–threatening Rachel’s allies, causing city-wide chaos, and, to add insult to injury, even forcing Rachel out of her current quarters. Ever since Rachel found a way to save the souls of vampires, the old undead’s longtime ascendancy has been broken. Now Constance sees eliminating Rachel as the key to consolidating her own power. Rachel has no desire to be enthralled or killed–and she’s terrified of what may become of the city if Constance forces a return to the ancient ways. But even a witch-born demon can’t stand against the old undead–at least, not alone. And if Rachel refuses to claim the role of Cincinnati’s master demon, the city will tear itself apart, taking her and all those who stand beside her with it. Publication Date: June 15
	The Keepers by Jeffrey B. Burton Jeffrey B. Burton’s The Keepers is the next installment of the Mace Reid K9 series, featuring golden retriever cadaver dog Vira and her handler, Mason Reid. Mason “Mace” Reid lives on the outskirts of Chicago and specializes in human remains detection—that is, he trains dogs to hunt for dead bodies. He calls his pack of cadaver dogs The Finders, and his prize pupil is a golden retriever named Vira. When Mace Reid and Vira are called in to search Washington Park at three o’clock in the morning, what they find has them running for their very lives. The trail of murder and mayhem Mace and CPD Officer Kippy Gimm have been following leads them to uncover treachery and corruption at the highest level, and their discoveries do not bode well for them . . . nor for the Windy City itself. The Keepers is an exciting, fast-paced mystery filled with courageous dogs you’ll want to root for. Publication Date: June 29
	Dog Eat Dog by David Rosenfelt Lawyer Andy Carpenter and his golden retriever, Tara, work to free a man who risked it all to help a dog in need. Lawyer Andy Carpenter and his wife, Laurie, enjoy walking their dogs, Tara and Sebastian. By this point in their marriage, it’s routine. When out for one of their strolls, their simple ritual isn’t so simple anymore. Across the street, a man is mistreating his dog. Three things happen at once: Andy yells, Laurie runs to stop the abuse, and so does a closer passerby, who so thoroughly beats the owner that both are arrested when the cops arrive. Andy scoops up the dog and takes him to the Tara Foundation, the dog rescue organization that’s always been his true passion. Meanwhile, at the police station, the passerby is identified as Matthew Jantzen, and he’s wanted for murder. Andy and Laurie are struck by the fact that Jantzen, a man on the run, would nevertheless intervene to help a dog, and decide to find out more. Dog Eat Dog, the twenty-second installment in the Andy Carpenter series, features the charming cast of characters – old and new – that David Rosenfelt is known for and the dogs that accompany them. Publication Date: July 6
	A Good Day for Chardonnay by Darynda Jones From the New York Times bestselling author Darynda Jones comes the second novel in her laugh-out-loud Sunshine Vicram mystery series, A Good Day for Chardonnay. Running a small-town police force in the mountains of New Mexico should be a smooth, carefree kind of job. Sadly, full-time Sheriff—and even fuller-time coffee guzzler—Sunshine Vicram, didn’t get that memo. All Sunshine really wants is one easy-going day. You know, the kind that starts with coffee and a donut (or three) and ends with take-out pizza and a glass of chardonnay (or seven). Turns out, that’s about as easy as switching to decaf. (What kind of people do that? And who hurt them?) Before she can say iced mocha latte, Sunny’s got a bar fight gone bad, a teenage daughter hunting a serial killer and, oh yes, the still unresolved mystery of her own abduction years prior. All evidence points to a local distiller, a dangerous bad boy named Levi Ravinder, but Sun knows he’s not the villain of her story. Still, perhaps beneath it all, he possesses the keys to her disappearance. At the very least, beneath it all, he possesses a serious set of abs. She’s seen it. Once. Accidentally. Between policing a town her hunky chief deputy calls four cents short of a nickel, that pesky crush she has on Levi which seems to grow exponentially every day, and an irascible raccoon that just doesn’t know when to quit, Sunny’s life is about to rocket to a whole new level of crazy. Yep, definitely a good day for chardonnay. Publication Date: July 27
	Paper & Blood by Kevin Hearne From the New York Times bestselling author of The Iron Druid Chronicles comes book two of an “action-packed, enchantingly fun” (Booklist) spin-off series, as an eccentric master of rare magic solves a supernatural mystery Down Under! There’s only one Al MacBharrais: Though other Scotsmen may have dramatic mustaches and a taste for fancy cocktails, Al also has a unique talent. He’s a master of ink and sigil magic. In his gifted hands, paper and pen can work wondrous spells. But Al isn’t quite alone: He is part of a global network of sigil agents who use their powers to protect the world from mischievous gods and strange monsters. So when a fellow agent disappears under sinister circumstances in Australia, Al leaves behind the cozy pubs and cafes of Glasgow and travels to the Dandenong Ranges in Victoria to solve the mystery. The trail to his colleague begins to pile up with bodies at alarming speed, so Al is grateful his friends have come to help—especially Nadia, his accountant who moonlights as a pit fighter. Together with a whisky-loving hobgoblin known as Buck Foi and the ancient Druid Atticus O’Sullivan, along with his dogs, Oberon and Starbuck, Al and Nadia will face down the wildest wonders Australia—and the supernatural world—can throw at them, and confront a legendary monster not seen in centuries. Publication Date: August 10

WWW Wednesday, May 5, 2021

By HCNewton

On May 5, 2021

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

It’s the first Wednesday of May, ergo the first WWW Wednesday of May.

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?

Easy enough, right?

What are you currently reading?

I’m reading the espionage thriller Red Widow by Alma Katsu and am listening to the third Jane Yellowrock novel, Mercy Blade by Faith Hunter, Khristine Hvam (Narrator) on audiobook.

Red Widow Blank Space

What did you recently finish reading?

I just finished Jonathan Nevair’s Goodbye to the Sun and The Miracle Pill by Peter Walker (who also did the narration) on audio.

Blank Space

What do you think you’ll read next?

My next book should be A Wanted Man by Rob Parker and my next audiobook will probably be The Writer’s Library: The Authors You Love on the Books That Changed Their Lives by Nancy Pearl & Jeff Schwager, narrated by the authors and sixteen other people.

Blank Space

Hit me with your Three W’s in the comments! (no, really, do it!)

Down the TBR Hole (29 of 30)

By HCNewton

On May 5, 2021

In Books, Down the TBR Hole, News/Misc.

Down the TBR Hole

For the second week in a row, I’ve demonstrated that trying to cut things that are the most recent additions to the “Want to Read” List isn’t likely to be very successful. But, once again, it prompted me to make room on my schedule to squeeze some of these in.

This meme was created by Lia @ Lost in a Story—but Jenna at Bookmark Your Thoughts is the one that exposed me to this, and as my Goodreads “Want To Read” shelf is scarily long, I had to do this.

The Rules are simple:

Go to your Goodreads to-read shelf
Order on ascending date added.
Take the first 5 (or 10 if you’re feeling adventurous) books.
Read the synopses of the books.
Decide: keep it or should it go?
Keep track of where you left off so you can pick up there next week! (or whenever)

What distinguishes this series from the Mt. TBR section of my Month-end Retrospectives? Those are books I actually own while Goodreads contains my aspirational TBR (many of which will be Library reads). The Naming of the two is a bit confusing, but…what’re you going to do?

(Click on the cover for an official site or something with more info about the book)

	Life Signs by James Lovegrove Blurb: “Some months after Inara leaves Serenity, Mal and the crew learn the reason for her sudden departure: she is dying of a terminal illness. It is Kiehl’s Myeloma, a rare form of blood cancer that’s supposedly incurable. Through their shock and despair, they learn that there are rumors of a scientist believed to have developed a cure for her condition, but he has been disgraced: incarcerated for life on notorious Alliance prison planet Atata. Here, terraforming did not take properly, so the world is a frozen wasteland. Inmates are abandoned there with no guards and left to survive as best they can. To save Inara, the Serenity crew must infiltrate the prison…” Verdict:
	Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir Blurb: “Ryland Grace is the sole survivor on a desperate, last-chance mission–and if he fails, humanity and the earth itself will perish.Except that right now, he doesn’t know that. He can’t even remember his own name, let alone the nature of his assignment or how to complete it.All he knows is that he’s been asleep for a very, very long time. And he’s just been awakened to find himself millions of miles from home, with nothing but two corpses for company.” My Thoughts: I’m a little worried that this will be too reminiscent of The Martian. But then again, there are worse things to being too reminiscent of. Really doesn’t matter, Weir is an autobuy. I’d be 100+ pages into it already, but my wife had first dibs. Verdict:
	The Particulars of Peter: Dance Lessons, DNA Tests, and Other Excuses to Hang Out with My Perfect Dog by Kelly Conaboy Blurb: “a funny exploration of the joy found in loving a dog so much it makes you feel like you’re going to combust, and the author’s potentially codependent relationship with her own sweet dog, Peter.” My Thoughts: I read this last month, so I get to count this as a cut. Verdict:
	Yearbook by Seth Rogen Blurb: Rogen says, “a collection of true stories that I desperately hope are just funny at worst, and life-changingly amazing at best…I talk about my grandparents, doing stand-up comedy as a teenager, bar mitzvahs, and Jewish summer camp, and tell way more stories about doing drugs than my mother would like. I also talk about some of my adventures in Los Angeles, and surely say things about other famous people that will create a wildly awkward conversation for me at a party one day.” My Thoughts: I’m not Rogen’s greatest fan, but he can be counted on for a few good laughs, I figure. Probably worth the time. Verdict:
	Here Be Dragons by David P. Macpherson Blurb: “When Orus graduated from the Cromalot School for Heroes he was ready for a life of glory and adventure. But after being seduced by his first damsel in distress, he quickly learns the heroing life doesn’t bring in the steady income required to raise a family. Twenty years later, with his son all grown up and his waistband all grown out, a favour for a friend gives Orus one last shot at the life he always wanted. But any old hero can slay a dragon, this old hero has to save one.” My Thoughts: Looks like it could be fun, I like the twists on the old stand-bys. Verdict:
	Loners by DB Bray & Wahida Clark Blurb: “Jari Rockjaw just wants a quiet life and a homestead to call his own. He has been a bounty hunter in Labrys for over one hundred years. And it’s getting old. Battle after battle, allies lost and gained, he now wants to smoke his pipe in the solitude far from the human cities he despises. An option to do so comes his way when the king of Ekepia asks for a favor…The only question, Jari must ask himself is . . . Is retirement really worth dying for?” My Thoughts: Dwarven bounty hunters out for one last job? Sounds good. Witty and Sarcastic Book Club had some nice things to say about it, too. Verdict:
	The Fine Art of Invisible Detection by Robert Goddard Blurb: Wada’s a recent widow and secretary to a Private Investigator. Her boss is killed while on a case, driving her to pick up the reins and leave Japan for the first time in her life. “Following the only lead she has, Wada quickly realises that being a detective isn’t as easy as the television makes out. And that there’s a reason why secrets stay buried for a long time. Because people want them to stay secret. And they’re prepared to do very bad things to keep them that way…” My Thoughts: I like the concept. But…I can’t put my finger on it. Just not sure that I’ll end up digging this. Verdict:
	Good Eggs by Rebecca Hardiman Blurb: “A hilarious and heartfelt debut novel following three generations of a boisterous family whose simmering tensions boil over when a home aide enters the picture, becoming the calamitous force that will either undo or remake this family…” My Thoughts: I need to read more things like this–nice, life affirming, fun reads with no one trying to kill or maim anyone. Verdict:
	Space Taxis by Adam Frosh Blurb:In 1977 misfit New York Cab driver Mike Redolfo is having a bad day, first getting fired from his job and then being abducted by aliens… Redolfo tries to keep a low profile on his new world whilst earning his fare home, but unwittingly gets involved with a shady gang of organized alien criminals, inadvertently bringing the planet to the brink of catastrophe.” Verdict:
	The Jigsaw Man by Nadine Matheson Blurb: DI Anjelica Henley is investigating a grizzly murder, “the modus operandi bears a striking resemblance to Peter Olivier, the notorious Jigsaw Killer, who has spent the past two years behind bars. When he learns that someone is co-opting his grisly signature—the arrangement of victims’ limbs in puzzle-piece shapes—he decides to take matters into his own hands… Henley is faced with an unspeakable new threat. Can she apprehend the copycat killer before Olivier finds a way to get to him first? Or will she herself become the next victim?” My Thoughts: I heard Matheson talk about this on The Blood Brothers Podcast, she sold me on the book rightaway. Verdict:

Books Removed in this Post: 2 / 10
Total Books Removed: 152 / 290

Anyone out there read any of these books? Did I make the right call with any of them?

(Image by moritz320 from Pixabay)

April 2021 in Retrospect: What I Read/Listened to/Wrote About

By HCNewton

On May 1, 2021

In Books, Calendar Items, Currently Reading, News/Misc.

April 2021 is in the books (no pun intended): 24 books read, 8046 pages finished (1273 of those belonged to project reads that have taken months to get through, so there’s a grain of salt or two involved in that number) with 3.9 Stars on average. I wrote almost as much as I wanted to, especially these last couple of weeks. All in all, I’m calling April a win.

So, here’s what happened here in April.
















	Still deciding

		Average =	3.9
	2		0
	3		0
	5		0
	5		0
	9

Despite what progress I make on reading these this year, I seem to offset that with my purchases.

“Traditionally” Published: 20
Self-/Independent Published: 4

Genre	This Month	Year to Date
Children’s	0 (0%)	1 (1%)
Fantasy	1 (4%)	9 (10%)
General Fiction/ Literature	1 (4%)	2 (2%)
Horror	0 (0%)	0 (0%)
Humor	1 (4%)	2 (2%)
Mystery/ Suspense/ Thriller	8 (33%)	33 (37%)
Non-Fiction	2 (8%)	5 (6%)
Science Fiction	2 (8%)	12 (13%)
Steampunk	0 (0%)	0 (0%)
Theology/ Christian Living	4 (17%)	10 (11%)
Urban Fantasy	4 (17%)	15 (17%)
Western	0 (0%)	0 (0%)

Small Talk by Robert Germaux: A Fledgling Task Force on the Hunt for a Serial Killer on the Streets of Pittsburgh
The History of Tom Jones, a Foundling by Henry Fielding: BOOK XVIII., iv. – vii.
Drop the Mikes by Duncan MacMaster: The Scrawny, Geeky, Jessica Fletcher-esque Kirby Baxter find Trouble in a Caribbean Paradise
Cross Her Heart by Melinda Leigh: A Fast, Addictive Introduction to a New Series
The History of Tom Jones, a Foundling by Henry Fielding: BOOK XVIII., viii. – xi.
The Lore of Prometheus by Graham Austin-King: Don’t Make Him Angry. You Won’t Like Him When He’s Angry
Blood and Treasure by Bob Drury, Tom Clavin: A Look at Dream Come Truers
Because You’re Mine by Luna Miller, Ludvig Christensen Parment (Translator): Another Missing Person Case for Gunvor Ström and Friends
The History of Tom Jones, a Foundling by Henry Fielding: BOOK XVIII., xii. – Chapter the last.
Robert B. Parker’s Payback by Mike Lupica: Sunny Does Some Dangerous Favors for Some Dear Friends
The Particulars of Peter by Kelly Conaboy: Adventures of a Woman Obsessed with her Dog
Blood Trail (Audiobook) by C. J. Box, David Chandler: Who Hunts the Hunters?
Prodigal Storm by Kate Sheeran Swed: The Toccata System Trilogy Wraps Things Up Satisfactorily and Entertainingly
Tom Jones (1989) Director’s Cut
Grace and Glory by Geerhardus Vos (Banner of Truth Edition): A Fantastic Sermon Collection
The Art of Violence by S. J. Rozan: Bill Smith is Hired to Prove His Client IS a Murderer
A Big Ship at the Edge of the Universe by Alex White was A Pretty Decent Space Opera That I Should’ve Liked More Than I Did
Quick Take Catch Ups: Strange Planet; Claire Dewitt and the City of the Dead; Midnight at the Bright Ideas Bookstore; Paper: Paging Through History

Other than the Saturday Miscellanies (3rd, 10th, 17th, and 24th), I also wrote:

A Few Quick Questions with…Robert Germaux
Down the TBR Hole (25 of 29+)
Top Ten Tuesday: Ten Book Titles That Sound Like They Could Be Crayola Crayon Colors
Down the TBR Hole (26 of 29+)
Just a Spoonful of Sugar—Non-Fiction to Smile With and Learn From—(Revised and Updated)
Down the TBR Hole (27 of 29+)
Down the TBR Hole (28 of 29+)
These Dog Days Aren’t Over—(Revised and Updated)
Fridays with the Foundling: Wrapping Things Up—This long journey is finally at its end!
WWW Wednesday for April 7, April 21, and April 28.
The Friday 56 for 4/2/21 (Prodigal Storm by Kate Sheeran Swed), 4/9/21 (Cross Her Heart by Melinda Leigh, 4/16/21 (A Big Ship at the Edge of the Universe by Alex White), 4/21/21 (Dead Secret by Noelle Holten).

How was your month?

Saturday Miscellany—5/1/21

By HCNewton

On May 1, 2021

In Books, News/Misc., Saturday Miscellany

Wow, anyone else see the finale to Invincible? For something based on a comic I’ve read umpteen times, I didn’t expect it to pack that much of a wallop.

I threw my back out Thursday morning and I’m suprised at how it practically stopped my reading and writing–you’d think something that forces me to be as motionless as possible would allow me to do both (it’s been a while since I’ve done this as thoroughly as I did Thursday, and have forgotten how it impacts me). I’m almost back to normal, thankfully (pun unintended, but embraced).

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 Writers Orgs Form #DisneyMustPay Joint Task Force—a few months back I linked to some posts about Disney stiffing Alan Dead Foster, and while I’m glad to see they reached some sort of agreement with him, more and more authors are coming out with similar stories. Authors and Writers’ Groups are applying pressure to put an end to this.
bullet Why you shouldn’t feel guilty about your to-be-read pile—I’m not sure the piece matches the headline, but I’m feeling better about the size of mine now…
bullet In-Person Author Tours Won’t Be Back Anytime Soon—As someone who lives in a place where it’s rare to get some authors, I’m okay with the virtual-ness of these (there’s no way I’m seeing Luca Veste in Boise, for example).
bullet 6 Benefits of Listening to Audiobooks
bullet Novels and Novellas and Tomes, Oh My! The long and short of novel lengths
bullet Driving in the Dark: Getaway Drivers in Fiction and the Dark Side of the American Dream
bullet Why I Read the Last Page of a Book First—I’m not sure if this is an interesting perspective or a cautionary tale. I’m leaning toward the latter.
bullet Zack Argyle on “The Rise of Self-Published Fantasy”
bullet The One Where this is one of my favorite things about reading: Let’s Talk – Rereading and why I love it—Not only do I like and agree with just about everything in this post, I love the way Mehek wrote it.
bullet Do I Like This Book or Not?—I can identify with this post in so many ways…

A Book-ish Related Podcast Episode (or two) you might want to give a listen to:
bullet Crime Time FM#9: Ace Atkins—A wide-ranging conversation about Spenser, Quinn Colson, classic PI novels, and more. Following the conversation, there is the best review of the Netflix movie Spenser Confidential that I’ve come across.
bullet Like the Wolfe Lone Wolfe: Glenn Fleishman—just a couple of fans talking about Wolfe. Fleishman had a point about a line in Some Buried Caesar that made me reconsider the scene and how I’ve always reacted to it. A fun listen for Wolfe-types.

This Week's New Releases That I’m Excited About and/or You’ll Probably See Here Soon:
bullet Eye of the Sh*t Storm by Jackson Ford—the third Teagan Frost adventure looks great (and reminds me to get my act together and read #2)
bullet Lycanthropy and Other Chronic Illnesses by Kristen O’Neal—I’m not even going to try to summarize the description in a sentence or two. Click the link and you’ll probably be as intrigued as I am.
(I wish I knew the source of this!)

These Dog Days Aren’t Over

By HCNewton

On April 29, 2021

In Books, Dogs, Fiction, News/Misc., Non-Fiction

(Updated and Revised)
These Dog Days Aren't Over This was a hard post to come up with a name for*, essentially this post came from a comment not too long ago about being hesitant to read books about animals if the reader doesn’t know if they survive the book. I get that, I absolutely do. I still bear the scars of Where the Red Fern Grows and Marley and Me (sure, that wasn’t that long ago, but the wound still stings). So, for readers like my correspondent, here are some perfectly safe books prominently featuring dogs!

I plan on updating this when I can remember to, so by all means, chime in with comments about Dogs I’ve forgotten about/haven’t yet!

Non-Fiction

bullet The Particulars of Peter by Kelly Conaboy—this is a collection of humorous essays giving Conaboy the opportunity to rave about her dog, Peter. In her eyes, Peter is a perfect dog, and as you read this, you’ll be tempted to agree. (my post about it)
bullet Olive, Mabel & Me by Andrew Cotter—Cotter’s charming book describes his life with the two dogs that rocketed to international stardom (and brought him along). (my post about it)
bullet My Life as a Dog by L. A. Davenport—Davenport’s short little book about the relationship between the author and his dog, Kevin, a black and tan, pure-bred dachshund. It focuses on what the two of them did over two days and then a weekend selected from the years they spent together. (my post about it)
bullet What the Dog Knows: The Science and Wonder of Working Dogs by Cat Warren—Warren basically covers three topics: there’s the science and history of using working dogs (of all sorts of breeds, not to mention pigs(!), birds, and even cats) to find cadavers, drugs, bombs, etc.; there’s the memoir of her involvement with cadaver dogs via her German Shepherd, Solo; and anecdotes of other cadaver dogs and trainers that she’s encountered/learned from/watched in action. (my post about it)
bullet What the Dog Knows Young Readers Edition by Cat Warren, Patricia J. Wynne—The above book adjusted for younger readers, with some great illustrations. It’s not dumbed-down, just adjusted. (my post about it)

Fiction

bullet The Finders by Jeffrey B. Burton—A Dog Trainer/Cadaver Dog Handler on the hunt for a serial killer in this series launch. (my post about it)
bullet Suspect by Robert Crais—One of my all-favorite books, a cop with PTSD gets assigned to the K-9 Unit and works with a dog fresh from Afghanistan combat. (my post about it) The pair also plays a major role in The Promise.
bullet Stepdog by Nicole Galland—A love story where the major impediment to happily ever after is her dog (a gift from her ex). (my post about it)
bullet Oberon’s Meaty Mysteries by Kevin Hearne (Audiobooks narrated by Luke Daniels)—Oberon, the scene-stealing Irish Wolfhound from The Iron Druid Chronicles narrates this series of novellas (my posts about them).
bullet Neah Bay series by Owen Laukkanen—Lucy is a dog who is trained by prisoner Mason Burke, who has to track her down when he gets out. She’s a service dog for Marine Vet Jess Winslow. Lucy connects the two humans in her life and helps to keep them safe when a corrupt deputy comes after Jess. (my post about them)
bullet I Thought You Were Dead by Pete Nelson—I’m not sure how to sum this one up in a sentence. It’s a pretty typical novel about a troubled writer with a romantic life and family in shambles. But his dog is the thing that makes all the difference. (my post about it)
bullet Chet and Bernie books by Spencer Quinn—Bernie Little is a PI in Phoenix. Chet’s his four-legged partner and the series narrator. It’s too fun to miss. (my posts about them)
bullet The Right Side by Spencer Quinn—”a deeply damaged female soldier home from the war in Afghanistan becomes obsessed with finding a missing girl, gains an unlikely ally in a stray dog, and encounters new perils beyond the combat zone.” (my post about it)
bullet Woof by Spencer Quinn—The beginning of an MG series about a with a penchant for trouble and her dog. (my post about it)
bullet Andy Carpenter books by David Rosenfelt—Andy Carpenter is New Jersey’s best defense lawyer and a devoted dog owner. He helps run a rescue shelter, too–and almost every client he takes as some sort of connection with a dog. These books aren’t dog-centric like the others on this list, but they’re dog-heavy. (my posts about them)
bullet The K-Team books by David Rosenfelt—a spin-off from the Andy Carpenter series. This features a PI team made up of Andy’s wife/investigator, Laurie; the near super-heroic Marcus; and Corey Douglas, a freshly-retired K-9 officer. His canine partner, Simon Garfunkel, co mes along, too. Simon Garfunkeldoesn’t play a giant role in the books, but he gets at least one good action scene per book. (my posts about them)
bullet Voyage of the Dogs by Greg van Eekhout—SF for all ages about a team of dogs on a long-distance space flight. (my post about it)

Supportive Roles

These dogs aren’t as significant a presence in their books as the prior group, but they’re important enough to mention.
bullet Mouse from The Dresden Files by Jim Butcher. (my posts about them)
bullet The Midnight Plan of the Repo Man by W. Bruce Cameron and the sequel Repo Madness by W. Bruce Cameron— (my posts about them)
bullet Edgar from the Washington Poe books by M. W. Craven. (my posts about them)
bullet Rutherford from The TV Detective series by Simon Hall (my posts about them)
bullet Oberon from the Iron Druid Chronicles by Kevin Hearne . (my post about them)
bullet Ruffin from the I. Q. series by Joe Ide . (my posts about them)
bullet Dog from the Walt Longmire books by Craig Johnson — (my posts about them)
bullet Trogdor from The Golden Arrow Mysteries by Meghan Scott Molin . (my post about them)
bullet Mingus from The Drifter by Nicholas Petrie . (my post about it)

Books with paws on both sides of the line

Some books that belong on this list, but might be a bit too close to not fitting on it for some readers
bullet Lessons From Lucy by Dave Barry—there’s a strong “my beloved dog is old and will die soon-vibe throughout this (it’s the whole point), so some may want to avoid it. But the focus is on what Barry is learning from his aging but still full-of-life dog. (my post about it)
bullet Dead is … series by Jo Perry—the canine protagonist in these mystery novels is a ghost, so there’s a dog death involved. But we meet her as a ghost, so she won’t die (again) in the series. (my posts about them)
bullet Lessons from Tara by David Rosenfelt—Inspired by the death of their dog, Tara, the Rosenfelt’s now operate a no-kill shelter for senior dogs. This is the story about the origins and day-to-day of that life. There’s discussion of Tara’s death, and he has to cover the end of days for dogs, but it’s not the focus of the book. One some will want to avoid, but you probably shouldn’t. (my post about it)

I brainstormed this a bit with my family, and wanted to share some of those titles that didn’t make the cut, just because I enejoyed their creativity:
These Dogs Didn’t Go To Heaven/Not All Dogs Go to Heaven implies these dogs aren’t wonderful creatures, and that’s a solid loser
No Kleenex Required too vague, and not necessarily true, they’re just not required because of a death
The Best Bois
Books Where the Author isn’t A Heartless Bastard (Looking at You, Marley and Me) too long, and boy howdy, does it seem my son has bigger issues with the book than I did
Books that Even PETA Would Be Okay With
Books for the Vegan in You suggests the dog books I don’t mention are in favor of eating them…
Paw Patrol I’m almost confident my daughter’s boyfriend suggested as a joke, for his sake I’m assuming it was
Pawfect Dog Stories I refuse to resort to that kind of joke

(Images by S K from Pixabay and josmo from Pixabay

WWW Wednesday, April 28, 2021

By HCNewton

On April 28, 2021

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

We’re in the home stretch of April, which is hard to wrap my brain around, here on the last Wednesday of the month, so we might as well check in with a 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?

Easy enough, right?