Category: Currently Reading Page 10 of 62

October 2023 in Retrospect: What I Read/Listened to/Wrote About

In October, I finished 25 titles (3 down from last month, the same number as last October), with 6,657+ pages or the equivalent (1,000-ish down from last month), and gave them an average of 3.5 stars (.3 down from last month). Nothing to write home about—but still pretty good. I enjoyed almost everything I read, which is good enough for me.

I really didn’t write enough posts about particular titles—my To Write pile is getting even more daunting all the time. But I did get a lot of other things posted, which makes me very happy.

All in all, it was a good month, a busy month, and one that had a lot of fun things here to look at and read. I’m calling it a win. Here’s a more detailed look at what happened here in October.

Books/Novels/Novellas Read/Listened to

The Atonement: An Introduction Spider-Man’s Bad Connection Summer Hours at the Robbers Library
4 1/2 Stars 3 Stars 2 1/2 Stars
Endangered Saint Valentine the Kindhearted The Third Eye
3 Stars 3.5 Stars 4 Stars
Evidence Pool Evil Embers The Ostler
3 Stars 3 Stars 3 Stars
Partial Function Love Stories That Old Cloak and Dagger Routine
5 Stars 3 Stars 3 Stars
Death on the Beach Winter's Gift Blood Runs Cold
3 Stars 3.5 Stars 3.5 Stars
But Have You Read the Book? The Aeronaut's Windlass Healed
2 1/2 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars
How I Won a Nobel Prize A Good Rush of Blood That Ain't Witchcraft
3 Stars 4 Stars 5 Stars
Cunk on Everything Sleep No More Sundry Notes of Music
4 Stars 4 Stars Still deciding
The Mysteries
4 1/2 Stars

Still Reading

The Existence and Attributes of God A Mystery Revealed: 31 Meditations on the Trinity The Holy Spirit: An Introduction
Black Summer The Innocent Sleep

Ratings

5 Stars 2 2 1/2 Stars 2
4 1/2 Stars 2 2 Stars 0
4 Stars 6 1 1/2 Stars 0
3.5 Stars 3 1 Star 0
3 Stars 10
Average = 3.54

TBR Stacks/Piles/Heaps

Audio E-book Physical Goodreads
Want-to-Read
End of
2022
5 45 42 143
1st of the
Month
5 51 58 151
Added 3 2 7 2
Read/
Listened
2 6 3 0
Current Total 6 47 62 153

Breakdowns:
“Traditionally” Published: 15
Self-/Independent Published: 10

Genre This Month Year to Date
Children’s 1 (4%) 24 (9%)
Fantasy 5 (20%) 27 (11%)
General Fiction/ Literature 3 (12%) 20 (8%)
Mystery/ Suspense/ Thriller 7 (28%) 76 (30%)
Non-Fiction 1 (5%) 18 (7%)
Science Fiction 1 (4%) 11 (27%)
Theology/ Christian Living 1 (4%) 23 (9%)
Urban Fantasy 4 (16%) 29 (11%)
“Other” (Horror/ Humor/ Steampunk/ Western) 1 (4%) 8 (3%)

Review-ish Things Posted

Other Things I Wrote
Other than the Saturday Miscellanies (7th, 14th (DIY Edition), 21st, and 28th), I also wrote:

Enough about me—how Was Your Month?


October Calendar

WWW Wednesday, November 1, 2023

Other than a lingering cough, I’ve somehow survived the Man Cold, much to the surprise of…well, me. If you’re reading this, it means I fought through the interruptions of candy-hungry scavengers to complete a thou

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 second Toby Daye book of 2023, The Innocent Sleep by Seanan McGuire, and I’m listening to Black Summer by M.W. Craven, John Banks (Narrator) on audiobook (and am enjoying it just as much the second time through!).

The Innocent SleepBlank SpaceBlack Summer

What did you recently finish reading?

I just finished Ian Shanes’s Sundry Notes of Music–you’ll see some very complimentary words about it here soon–and That Ain’t Witchcraft by Seanan McGuire, Emily Bauer (Narrator) on audio.

Sundry Notes of MusicBlank SpaceThat Ain't Witchcraft

What do you think you’ll read next?

My next book should be Chaos Terminal by Mur Lafferty and my next audiobook should be The Door-to-Door Bookstore by Carsten Henn, Raphael Corkhill (Narrator). I’m looking forward to seeing how Lafferty follows up Station Eternity and I have no idea what to expect out Henn’s book, but I apparently have to check out every bookstore/library-related audiobook that the library presents me with.

Chaos TerminalBlank SpaceThe Door-to-Door Bookstore

How are you starting November?

Opening Lines: Sir Apropos of Nothing by Peter David

Head & Shoulders used to tell us that, “You never get a second chance to make a first impression.” That’s true for wearing dark shirts, and it’s especially true for books. Sometimes the characters will hook the reader, sometimes the premise, sometimes it’s just knowing the author—but nothing beats a great opening for getting a reader to commit.

Going back a couple of decades for this one, but I came across it recently and it just about pulled me in for a day or three.

As I stood there with the sword in my hand, the blade dripping blood on the floor, I couldn’t help but wonder if the blood belonged to my father.

The entire thing had happened so quickly that I wasn’t quite sure how to react. Part of me wanted to laugh, but most of me fairly cringed at what had just occurred. I didn’t do particularly well with blood. This tended to be something of a hardship for one endeavoring to become a knight, dedicated to serving good King Runcible of Isteria, a ruler who more often than not had his heart in the right place.

The recently slain knight also had his heart in the right place. This had turned out to be something of an inconvenience for him. After all, if his heart had been in the wrong place, then the sword wouldn’t have pierced it through, he wouldn’t be dead, and I wouldn’t have been in such a fix.

from Sir Apropos of Nothing by Peter David
Sir Apropos of Nothing Cover

Opening Lines Logo

WWW Wednesday, October 25, 2023

I’m suffering from the worst sickness known to humanity, while not fatal, it might as well be thanks to the degree of suffering we who have succumbed to it have to endure–yes, my friends, I have a Man Cold. Pity my poor wife.

I have still managed to read a bit, however. Let’s take a look at how things are going this week.

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 goofy Cunk on Everything: The Encyclopedia Philomena by Philomena Cunk, the grim and compelling A Good Rush of Blood by Matt Phillips, and am listening to That Ain’t Witchcraft by Seanan McGuire, Emily Bauer (Narrator) on audiobook.

Cunk on EverythingBlank SpaceA Good Rush of BloodBlank SpaceThat Ain't Witchcraft

What did you recently finish reading?

I just finished Carrie Alani’s Healed and How I Won a Nobel Prize by Julius Taranto, Lauren Fortgang (Narrator) on audio.

HealedBlank SpaceHow I Won a Nobel Prize

What do you think you’ll read next?

My next book should be Sleep No More by Seanan McGuire. I’m not sure what my next audiobook will be, it’ll depend on what (if any) holds at the library become available.

Sleep No MoreBlank Space???

What’s got your attention lately?

September 2023 in Retrospect: What I Read/Listened to/Wrote About

Yes, this is very late. I finished 28 titles (3 up from last month, 1 down from last September), with an equivalent of 7,740 pages or the equivalent (356ish up from last month), and gave them an average of 3.8 stars (.1 up from last month). I’m happy with what I read (but wouldn’t have minded finishing another title or two), I’m happy with what I got posted (but wouldn’t have minded another five or six things posted)–and loved the idea of a Guest Review. So basically, I’m happy with the month.

So, here’s what happened here in September.
Books/Novels/Novellas Read/Listened to

Fuzzwiggs: The Switcheroo American Idolatry The Flood Circle
Still Deciding 3.5 Stars 4 1/2 Stars
Eclipse The Last Ranger Mrs. Plansky's Revenge
3.5 Stars 3 Stars ?? 4 1/2 Stars
Wannabe Scareground Farsickness
3 Stars 3 Stars 4 Stars
Dead Man's Hand The Longmire Defense Malibu Burning
4 Stars 4 Stars 4 Stars
The Puppet Show Cash Rules Everything Around Me Kay-9 The Robot Dog
5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars
Tricks for Free Godzilla and Godzilla Raids Again Charlotte Illes Is Not a Detective
4 Stars 4 Stars 3.5 Stars
'Twas the Bite Before Christmas How to Stay Productive When the World Is Ending Who Chose the Gospels?
4 Stars 3 Stars 5 Stars
Nasty, Brutish, and Short An Inheritance of Magic Thornhedge
3.5 Stars 4 1/2 Stars 3 Stars
Once Upon a Tome Bone Carnival Every Dreaming Creature
3 Stars 4 Stars 4 Stars
The Last Devil to Die
5 Stars

Still Reading

The Existence and Attributes of God A Mystery Revealed: 31 Meditations on the Trinity Summer Hours at the Robbers Library
The Atonement: An Introduction

Ratings

5 Stars 3 2 1/2 Stars 0
4 1/2 Stars 3 2 Stars 0
4 Stars 10 1 1/2 Stars 0
3.5 Stars 4 1 Star 0
3 Stars 8
Average = 3.8

TBR Stacks/Piles/Heaps

Audio E-book Physical Goodreads
Want-to-Read
End of
2022
5 45 42 143
1st of the
Month
5 50 54 151
Added 2 3 9 1
Read/
Listened
2 2 5 1
Current Total 5 51 58 151

Breakdowns:
“Traditionally” Published: 19
Self-/Independent Published: 9

Genre This Month Year to Date
Children’s 1 (4%) 23 (10%)
Fantasy 4 (14%) 22 (10%)
General Fiction/ Literature 1 (4%) 7 (17%)
Mystery/ Suspense/ Thriller 9 (32%) 69 (30%)
Non-Fiction 3 (11%) 16 (7%)
Science Fiction 3 (11%) 26 (11%)
Theology/ Christian Living 2 (7%) 22 (10%)
Urban Fantasy 4 (14%) 25 (11%)
“Other” (Horror/ Humor/ Steampunk/ Western) 1 (4%) 7 (3%)

Review-ish Things Posted

Other Things I Wrote
Other than the Saturday Miscellanies (2nd, 9th, 16th, 23rd, and 30th), I also wrote (and/or posted):

Enough about me—how Was Your Month?


September Calendar

WWW Wednesday, October 18, 2023

Oh, wow. Coming back from vacation has convinced me that I need another one. I’m behind on everything–personal stuff, work, the blog, exercise, and more…for this to be the first thing I composed/assembled since before I left? That’s just not good.

Still, good to be back, putting out mostly new things–nothing scheduled in advance, we’re live again.

Hope you all enjoyed the series from the last week and a half! Let’s dive into this week’s 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?

What are you currently reading?

I’m still re-reading The Aeronaut’s Windlass by Jim Butcher, and am listening to But Have You Read the Book?: 52 Literary Gems That Inspired Our Favorite Films by Kristen Lopez, Tanis Parenteau (Narrator) on audiobook. Which may have been better to read on paper.

The Aeronaut's WindlassBlank SpaceBut Have You Read the Book?

What did you recently finish reading?

I got a little bit of reading in last week, so this answer will be a bit fuller than normal. I recently finished Evidence Pool by Ian Robinson, Evil Embers by Cristelle Comby, The Ostler by Susan Grossey, Partial Function by JCM Berne, Love Stories by Robert Germaux, That Old Cloak and Dagger Routine by Anne Louise Bannon, Death on the Beach by Steph Broadribb, Winter’s Gift by Ben Aaronovitch, and Blood Runs Cold by Neil Lancaster. I enjoyed them all, and wish I’d read all of them earlier (including the one that has yet to be published). In some cases years earlier.

The last audiobook I finished was the utterly delightful and silly The Third Eye by Felicia Day, Narrated by a full cast including: Sean Astin, Felicia Day, Neil Gaiman, LilyPichu, London Hughes, and Wil Wheaton.

Evidence PoolBlank SpaceEvil Embers

The OstlerBlank SpacePartial Function

Love StoriesBlank SpaceThat Old Cloak and Dagger Routine

Death on the BeachBlank SpaceWinter's Gift

Blood Runs ColdBlank SpaceThe Third Eye>

What do you think you’ll read next?

My next book should be a little change of pace for me, Healed by Carrie Alani and my next audiobook should be How I Won a Nobel Prize by Julius Taranto, Lauren Fortgang (Narrator). I’m also not sure that this is something that’ll work on audio for me, but I’ll give it a whirl.

HealedBlank SpaceHow I Won a Nobel Prize

What’ve you been reading lately?

WWW Wednesday, October 4, 2023

My energy levels aren’t what they need to be this week–and I’ve got some personal stuff going on, so I’m not getting much done here on the ol’ blog. But next week is going to be a lot of fun here! This that little teaser, why don’t we get to this week’s WWW?

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 re-reading The Aeronaut’s Windlass by Jim Butcher, and am listening to Endangered by C.J. Box, David Chandler (Narrator) on audiobook.

The Aeronaut's WindlassBlank SpaceEndangered

What did you recently finish reading?

I just finished Preeti Chhibber’s Spider-Man’s Bad Connection, a fun sequel, and Summer Hours at the Robbers Library by Sue Halpern, Narrated by Josh Bloomberg, Dara Rosenberg, and Allyson Ryan on audio, a book that’s hard to describe but has a lot of charm.

Spider-Man’s Bad ConnectionBlank SpaceSummer Hours at the Robbers Library

What do you think you’ll read next?

I don’t know what my next book is going to be–I’ll be headed out on vacation before I finish The Aeronaut’s Windlass (probably), and will see what books I decide to dive into while I’m gone. My next audiobook should be The Third Eye by Felicia Day, Narrated by a full cast including: Sean Astin, Felicia Day, Neil Gaiman, LilyPichu, London Hughes, and Wil Wheaton. That’s probably too many cooks in the kitchen, but I’ve gotta give it a try.

???Blank SpaceThe Third Eye

What are you reading?

WWW Wednesday, September 27, 2023

While I know that “Thirty Days hath September,” when Celeste posted her end-of-month On My Radar yesterday, I had a moment of minor panic. I might forego sleep for the next few days to tick a couple more things off of my to-do list (although, “catch up on sleep” and “enjoy a nice nap” are on that list)

I think I had a more amusing idea when I started that paragraph, but got lost along the way. I hate when that happens. So pretend I was funny there and we’ll move on to the WWW Wednesday, okay?

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 just started Bone Carnival by Megan Lynch, and I’m listening to Once Upon a Tome by Oliver Darkshire on audiobook.

Bone CarnivalBlank SpaceOnce Upon a Tome

What did you recently finish reading?

I just finished Benedict Jacka’s An Inheritance of Magic, the first book in my new favorite Urban Fantasy series, and the creepy fairy tale, Thornhedge by T. Kingfisher, Jennifer Blom (Narrator) on audio.

An Inheritance of MagicBlank SpaceThornhedge

What do you think you’ll read next?

My next book should be the much-anticipated The Last Devil to Die by Richard Osman and my next audiobook should be Summer Hours at the Robbers Library by Sue Halpern, Narrated by Josh Bloomberg, Dara Rosenberg, and Allyson Ryan. I’m apparently in a books about books mood.

The Last Devil to DieBlank SpaceSummer Hours at the Robbers Library

What books are you ending September with?

WWW Wednesday, September 20, 2023

HOW IS IT ALREADY SEPTEMBER 20?!?!

I mean…hey, it’s Wednesday! Why don’t we do a quick WWW to talk about what I’ve been reading and listening to?

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 Godzilla and Godzilla Raids Again by Shigeru Kayama, translated by Jeffrey Angles, and am listening to satire-filled How to Stay Productive When the World Is Ending: Productivity, Burnout, and Why Everyone Needs to Relax More Except You by Reductress, Narrated by Mara Wilson & Jay Aaseng.

Godzilla and Godzilla Raids AgainBlank SpaceHow to Stay Productive When the World Is Ending

What did you recently finish reading?

I just finished J.M. Gulmire’s Kay-9 The Robot Dog—a cute little read—and Charlotte Illes Is Not a Detective by Katie Siegel on audiobook—think a version of Sara Gran’s Claire Dewitt series that leans into the humor of the premise.

Kay-9 The Robot DogBlank SpaceCharlotte Illes Is Not a Detective

What do you think you’ll read next?

My next book should be an early dip into Yuletide with ‘Twas the Bite Before Christmas by David Rosenfelt. My next audiobook should be Nasty, Brutish, and Short: Adventures in Philosophy with My Kids by Scott Hershovitz. I’m hoping it’ll be on a level I can understand.

'Twas the Bite Before ChristmasBlank SpaceNasty, Brutish, and Short

What about you? What are you reading?

WWW Wednesday, September 12, 2023

Hey, look—I’ve actually put out two posts today. First time in too long that I’ve done that. Stay tuned to see if I can build on this for the rest of the week. (and I’m very thankful for allyson johnson pointing out that I’d forgotten to hit publish hours ago!)

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 Malibu Burning by Lee Goldberg, introducing a series I hope to read for years to come. I’m listening to (the very, very, very good) The Puppet Show by M.W. Craven, John Banks (Narrator) on audiobook, Craven’s another author I hope to keep reading for years to come.

Malibu BurningBlank SpaceThe Puppet Show

What did you recently finish reading?

I just finished Craig Johnson’s The Longmire Defense (one of his best in years) and Dead Man’s Hand by James J. Butcher, James Patrick Cronin (Narrator) on audio.

The Longmire DefenseBlank SpaceDead Man's Hand

What do you think you’ll read next?

My next book should be Cash Rules Everything Around Me by Rob Gittins and my next audiobook should be Tricks for Free by Seanan McGuire, Emily Bauer (Narrator).

Cash Rules Everything Around MeBlank SpaceTricks for Free

Are you reading anything worth talking about?

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