Category: Currently Reading Page 19 of 71

WWW Wednesday, September 27, 2023

On September 27, 2023

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

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.

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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.

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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.

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What books are you ending September with?

WWW Wednesday, September 20, 2023

On September 20, 2023

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

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.

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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.

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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.

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What about you? What are you reading?

WWW Wednesday, September 12, 2023

On September 13, 2023

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

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.

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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.

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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).

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Are you reading anything worth talking about?

The Friday 56 for 9/8/23: Eclipse by Herman Steuernagel

On September 8, 2023

In Currently Reading, News/Misc., Quotations, The Friday 56

This is a weekly bloghop hosted by Freda’s Voice.

RULES:
The Friday 56 Grab a book, any book.
Turn to Page 56 or 56% on your ereader. If you have to improvise, that is okay.
Find a snippet, short and sweet.
Post it.

from 56% of:
Eclipse

Eclipse by Herman Steuernagel

Mikka traced the outlines of the cell’s flooring tiles with her index finger. The guards had placed her in a chamber set apart from the other cells, down a long hallway and a further flight of stairs. Mikka suspected this cell was reserved for the most heinous of offenders, or those who had pissed the Front off the most.

Though it was dark and isolated, she knew it couldn’t possibly be their worst cell—she still had all her fingers. She could still breathe, and she had been there for hours, so oxygen levels must have been at least somewhat close to normal.

At least they had the decency to take the handcuffs off.

There was no chair or bench to sit on, so Mikka had resigned herself to the floor. Even the Front’s prison cells were more polished and in better condition than anything in the Tubes.

My thanks to Escapist Book Tours for the invitation to participate in this tour and the materials (including the novel) they provided. The opinions expressed by me are honest and my own.

WWW Wednesday, September 6, 2023

On September 6, 2023

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

It took precisely 1 day for my month’s iron-clad TBR (so I can accomplish all the things I have in mind for the next 6 weeks) to go off the rails. Granted, it’s because I read a book faster than I expected to and could do a little mood-reading, but dagnabit—I had a plan!

Still, I’m actually ahead of schedule today, so…yay!!!

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 creepy(?) MG novel, Scareground by Angela Kecojevic, and I’m listening to the thoughtful Wannabe: Reckonings with the Pop Culture That Shapes Me by Aisha Harris on audiobook.

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What did you recently finish reading?

I just finished Spencer Quinn’s Mrs. Plansky’s Revenge—which was much better than I expected (and I expected to enjoy it!) and The Last Ranger by Peter Heller, Mark Deakins (Narrator) on audio, a book I appreciated, but I’m not sure I liked.

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What do you think you’ll read next?

My next book should be Farsickness by Joshua Mohr and my next audiobook should be Dead Man’s Hand by James J. Butcher, James Patrick Cronin (Narrator).

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How are you kicking off September?

20 Books of Summer 2023: Wrap Up and Other Summer Reading

On September 4, 2023

In Books, Currently Reading, Fantasy, Fiction, General Fiction/Literature, Mystery/Detective Fiction/Crime Fiction/Thriller, News/Misc., Non-Fiction, Science Fiction, Steampunk, Urban Fantasy

Summer’s Over, so how did I do at this year’s challenge run by Cathy at 746 Books.

By the skin of my teeth—and using my own (not Cathy’s) dates—Memorial Day through Labor Day, the unofficial US Summer—I made it. I knew back in July when I said I should have a week to spare that I was going to be getting myself into trouble. What I didn’t know was that my library was going to deliver a book to me that was going to take 4 days longer to read than I’d expected (and I’d assumed it’d take me 5 in the first place). Throw in a Book Tour last week, and well, I had to scramble. Thankfully, the last book I had to read was a blast and I tore through it without regard to the deadline (honestly, I’d given up on finishing the challenge and only did it inadvertently), finishing it mid-morning today.

As of this morning, I’ve only posted about 13 of the books—that’s going to take me a bit to finish, especially at the rate I’ve been going lately.

On the whole, I’m glad I picked the books that I did. I might not have fallen head-over-heels for them all, but I’m glad for the experience, glad I scratched a curious itch, and/or glad I cut down the size of my TBR (we’ll ignore how I worked against that this summer for the moment). This might have been my most satisfying 20 Books yet. I had a lot of fun—which is the point, right?

Oh, I almost forgot. I did substitute one read, a totally acceptable thing for the Challenge, but something I typically resist. I’d been saying that I was going to read, Spirelli Paranormal Investigations: Episodes 1-3 by Kate Baray for months (even before I posted my 20 Books). But it turns out that I’d bought and read Spirelli Paranormal Investigations: Season One: Episodes 1-6, which is roughly 300 pages longer. So, yeah, it was a substitution, but a substitution that took 300 more pages to read. So, it really didn’t do me any favors when it came to completing this challenge (although having all six episodes was far more satisfying).

Also, earlier this summer I posted Top Ten Tuesday: Books on My Summer 2023 to-Read List (That Aren’t on My 20 Books Challenge). How’d I do with those? I’ve read seven of those and should be tackling the other three soon. Possibly this month. Hopefully this month.

But for the immediate future, I have two Book Tours in the next week or so, two other review copies that I want to post about really soon—and a couple of NetGalley reads I need to take care of, too. That almost sounds like work, but thankfully, it’s work I want to do (even if I don’t get paid for it. All in all…it’s been a good summer.

✔ 1. The Curse of the Silver Pharaoh by Pip Ballantine and Tee Morris (my post about it)
✔ 2. Spirelli Paranormal Investigations: Season One: Episodes 1-6 by Kate Baray (substitution)
✔ 3. The Lemon Man by Ken Bruton (my post about it)
✔ 4. The Flood Circle by Harry Connolly
✔ 5. Barking for Business by E.N. Crane (my post about it)
✔ 6. Random Sh*t Flying Through the Air by Jackson Ford (my post about it)
✔ 7. Eye of the Sh*t Storm by Jackson Ford (my post about it)
✔ 8. A Sh*tload of Crazy Powers by Jackson Ford
✔ 9. The Ink Black Heart by Robert Galbraith
✔ 10. Stone of Asylum by Hilarey Johnson (my post about it)

✔ 11. Proxies by James T. Lambert (my post about it)
✔ 12. Teaching Moments by Troy Lambert
✔ 13. Stray Ally by Troy Lambert (my post about it)
✔ 14. Cutthroat Cupcakes by Cate Lawley (my post about it)
✔ 15. Shadow Ranch by Rebecca Carey Lyles
✔ 16. Pure of Heart by Danielle Parker (my post about it)
✔ 17. The Worst Man by Jon Rance (my post about it)
✔ 18. However Long the Day by Justin Reed (my post about it)
✔ 19. Klone’s Stronghold by Joyce Reynolds-Ward (my post about it)
✔ 20. Fuzzwiggs: The Switcheroo by Amy Maren Rice

20 Books of Summer '23 August Check In Chart

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

On September 4, 2023

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

So, a quick rundown of August: I read 25 titles (1 up from last month, 5 down from last August), with an equivalent of 7,384+ pages or the equivalent (362ish up from last month), and gave them an average of 3.7stars (a whopping 0.16 up from last month). Brown’s Light Bringer took more time, effort, and energy to finish than I anticipated–and was absolutely worth it–so things didn’t go quite the way I wanted it to on the reading front.

I felt like I was running on fumes all month and my output seems to indicate it…but, eh, I’ll get back on track soon. Hopefully. Or not. I’m having fun and liking at least half of what I’m posting lately, so I’ll take it.

If that’s the in brief version, here’s the extended dance mix of what happened here in August.
Books/Novels/Novellas Read/Listened to

Still Reading

Ratings

		Average =	3.7
	3		0
	2		0
	6		0
	5		0
	9

TBR Stacks/Piles/Heaps

	Audio	E-book	Physical	Goodreads Want-to-Read
End of 2022	5	45	42	143
1st of the Month	4	50	53	148
Added	5	5	7	3
Read/ Listened	4	5	6	0
Current Total	5	50	54	151

Breakdowns:
“Traditionally” Published: 16
Self-/Independent Published: 9

Genre	This Month	Year to Date
Children’s	1 (4%)	22 (11%)
Fantasy	2 (8%)	18 (9%)
General Fiction/ Literature	3 (12%)	16 (8%)
Mystery/ Suspense/ Thriller	9 (36%)	60 (30%)
Non-Fiction	0 (0%)	13 (7%)
Science Fiction	3 (12%)	23 (12%)
Theology/ Christian Living	3 (12%)	20 (10%)
Urban Fantasy	3 (12%)	21 (11%)
“Other” (Horror/ Humor/ Steampunk/ Western)	0 (0%)	6 (3%)

Review-ish Things Posted

- Klone’s Stronghold by Joyce Reynolds-Ward: Nothing—I mean Nothing—Is What It Seems In This Fantasy
- Grandpappy’s Corner: How Did the Hippopotamus Get There? by Sohrab Rezvan, Kyana Mitchell (Illustrator): A Question No Parent Wants to Ask
- Real Tigers by Mick Herron: Things Hit Close to Home for the Slow Horses
- The Ballad of Bonaduke—Episode 30: Zero Game by R. T. Slaywood: Something’s Afoot!
- Stray Ally by Troy Lambert: Hang On To Your Hat During This Breakneck Thriller
- Impossible Christianity by Kevin DeYoung: A Call for Assured Disciples
- I’m a Little in Awe Over S.A. Cosby’s All the Sinners Bleed, and Probably Don’t Convey Just How Great It Is, But I Try
- Barking for Business by E.N. Crane: Move Over Plum, It’s Time for Cynthia Sharp and Winnie
- The Ballad of Bonaduke—Episode 31: Cheat by R. T. Slaywood: Buckle Up!
- Eye of the Sh*t Storm by Jackson Ford: Flash Floods, Electric Powers, and Teagan Lets Loose in Public
- Facing the Last Enemy by Guy Prentiss Waters: A Good Primer on Preparing for The End
- The Curse of the Silver Pharaoh by Pip Ballantine & Tee Morris: A Little Steampunk, a Little Supernatural, A Lot of Fun
- However Long the Day by Justin Reed: One Eventful (some might say Disastrous) Night
- The Ballad of Bonaduke—Episode 32: Suspect number 1 by R. T. Slaywood: Whoops
- Stone of Asylum by Hilarey Johnson: A Clash of Cultures and Reshaping of Destinies
- Grandpappy’s Corner: This Book Will Get You to Sleep! by Jory John, Olivier Tallec (Illustrator): A Delightful Case of False Advertising
- The Character of Christ by Jonathan Landry Cruse: The Fruit of the Spirit in Our Lord
- Minor Threats: A Quick End To A Long Beginning by Patton Oswalt, Jordan Blum, Scott Hepburn: They’re Going to Save the Day?
- Some Disorganized Thoughts on the Excellence that is Light Bringer by Pierce Brown
- Norah’s Ark by Victoria Williamson: I Think This is the Beginning of a Beautiful Friendship

Other Things I Wrote
Other than the Saturday Miscellanies (5th, 12th Sat, 19th, and 26th), I also wrote:

Enough about me—how Was Your Month?

The Friday 56 for 9/1/23: A Sh*tload of Crazy Powers by Jackson Ford

On September 1, 2023

In Currently Reading, News/Misc., Quotations, The Friday 56

This is a weekly bloghop hosted by Freda’s Voice.

RULES:
The Friday 56 Grab a book, any book.
Turn to Page 56 or 56% on your ereader. If you have to improvise, that is okay.
Find a snippet, short and sweet.
Post it.

from Page 56% of:
A Sh*tload of Crazy Powers

A Sh*tload of Crazy Powers by Jackson Ford

I’ve never been shot before.

I’ve been shot at, more than once. There are quite a few people who want me dead for one reason or another. And yet I have never taken a bullet. Until today.

Can confirm: getting shot sucks.

There’s no pain until I actually see the wound– the horrible, gaping hole in my flesh. Then there’s a whole lot of it. As if my brain goes oh, hey, that looks nasty. Here, have some agony to enhance the experience.

It’s like someone poured kerosene on my bicep and set it on fire. It’s the kind of pain that doesn’t actually let you scream, because it locks your throat up tight. All I can do is make this weird little hissing sound, forcing its way between my clenched teeth. And holy crap, that’s a lot of blood. Are there arteries in the bicep? How long do I have before… before I…

WWW Wednesday, August 30, 2023

On August 30, 2023

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

I’ve got no rambling intro today, just a greeting (Hi everybody!) and the main event, 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 having a blast with A Sh*tload of Crazy Powers by Jackson Ford and am listening to Hell and Back by Craig Johnson, George Guidall (Narrator) on audiobook—Guidall’s reminding me how good he is.

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What did you recently finish reading?

I just finished Victoria Williamson’s Norah’s Ark, and Be The Serpent by Seanan McGuire, Mary Robinette Kowal (Narrator) on audio (and I was as dissatisfied with the ending this time as I was last year).

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What do you think you’ll read next?

My next book should be Fuzzwiggs: The Switcheroo by Amy Maren Rice , a book I’ve been waiting to get to for months, and my next audiobook should be The Last Ranger by Peter Heller, Mark Deakins (Narrator).

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How are you closing out the summer?

WWW Wednesday, August 22, 2023

On August 23, 2023

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

The last eight days have not gone at all as I expected on the reading front–or the writing front. Or any front really–but I’ve enjoyed most of the unexpected happenings. I’m definitely not crazy about the reading and writing plans that have gone awry. I really don’t want to turn this into a kvetch-fest, I’m really just trying to explain why this week’s WWW looks so much like last week’s. Since I really don’t believe in jinxes, I can say that next week’s WWW should look pretty different. But if I did…

blah blah blah, I’m going on too long. Let’s get on with the 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 still reading Light Bringer by Pierce Brown—I’ve blown past the library due date and have endangered several other deadlines, but it’s been one of those weeks. I may finish it tonight, however. I am currently listening to The Camera Man by Peter Grainger, Gildart Jackson (Narrator) on audiobook. I’m loving it and am going to finish it before I’m ready to take another break from this world.

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What did you recently finish reading?

The last book I finished is still (I’m using that word a lot today) Justin Reeds’s However Long the Day and the very silly and fun, The Blonde Identity by Ally Carter, narrated by Emily Ellet, Andrew Eiden, on audio.

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What do you think you’ll read next?

My next book should still (there it is again) be the second Max Boucher novel, Teaching Moments by Troy Lambert, but I might squeeze in Norah’s Ark by Victoria Williamson, so I can be ready for the Book Tour Spot next week and my next audiobook should be Hell and Back by Craig Johnson, George Guidall (Narrator). Maybe I’ll like it better in audio.

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What about you?

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