Category: Currently Reading Page 5 of 62

June 2024 in Retrospect: What I Read/Listened to/Wrote About

I finished 24 titles (4 up from last month, 6 down from last June), with an equivalent of 7,342 pages or the equivalent (1,128 up from last month), and gave them an average of 3.52 stars (.05 up from last month, so basically it’s a draw).

On the writing front, my new work schedule is really taking its toll, but I think I’m starting to be able to plan around it and prepare for those days that I know are going to be hurting me. We’ll see if I say something in August or not. As is my custom, I really do think I could’ve written more–especially on the review-ish front, but I’m happy enough.

Overall, I’m calling June a win (especially if you look at the Mt. TBR size!). Here’s the breakdown.
Books/Novels/Novellas Read/Listened to

Cover for Poetry Comics by Grant Snider Cover image of Rites of Passage by MD Presley First Frost
3 Stars 3.5 Stars 3.5 Stars
The Ink Black Heart Cover of Cultural Sanctification by Stephen O. Presley Bad Actors
3.5 Stars 4 Stars 3.5 Stars
I'm Afraid You've Got Dragons Cover image to E Rathke's Howl Cover image for the audiobook of Paper and Blood by Kevin Hearne
3.5 Stars 3 Stars 4 Stars
Cover image of The Mercy Chair by MW Craven Cover of Dinosaurs in Trucks Because Hey Why Not? by Sandra Boynton Cover of The Hijacked Conscience
5 Stars 2 1/2 Stars 3 Stars
Cover for the audiobook of The Bitter Past by Bruce Borgos Cover of The Running Grave by Robert Galbraith Cover of the audiobook for Erasure by Percival Everett
4 1/2 Stars 5 Stars 4 Stars
Cover image for The Teachings of Shirelle by Douglas Green Cover for Dog Day Afternoon by David Rosenfelt Cover for The Kaiju Preservation Society by John Scalzi
3 Stars 4 Stars 5 Stars
Cover for Detours and Do-Overs by Wesley Parker Cover for Grammar Sex by Robert Germaux Cover for Labyrinth by Kat Richardson
4 Stars 3 Stars 3 Stars
The Book of Perilous Dishes Cover of Under the Barnyard Light by Carla Crane Osborne Cover to Divine Providence by Stephen Charnock
2 1/2 Stars 3 Stars 3 Stars

Still Reading

Glorifying and Enjoying God Word and Spirit Redemptive History & Biblical Interpretation
Institutes of Elenctic Theology Vol. 2 Cover for Shades of Mercy by Bruce Borgos Cover for A Door in the Dark by Scott Reintgen

Ratings

5 Stars 2 2 1/2 Stars 2
4 1/2 Stars 1 2 Stars 0
4 Stars 5 1 1/2 Stars 0
3.5 Stars 6 1 Star 0
3 Stars 8
Average = 3.52

TBR Stacks/Piles/Heaps

Audio E-book Physical Goodreads
Want-to-Read
NetGalley
Shelf/ARCs/Review Copies
End of
2023
6 47 68 153 5
1st of the
Month
3 52 83 163 8
Added 2 5 6 0 1
Read/
Listened
2 3 10 1 2
Current Total 3 54 79 162 7

Breakdowns:
“Traditionally” Published: 16
Self-/Independent Published: 8

Genre This Month Year to Date
Children’s 1 (4%) 5 (4%)
Fantasy 3 (13%) 16 (12%)
General Fiction/ Literature 2 (8%) 11 (8%)
Mystery/ Suspense/ Thriller 7 (29%) 43 (33%)
Non-Fiction 2 (8%) 13 (10%)
Science Fiction 1 (4%) 9 (7%)
Theology/ Christian Living 3 (13%) 17 (13%)
Urban Fantasy 3 (13%) 15 (11%)
“Other” (Horror/ Humor/ Steampunk/ Western) 1 (4%) 2 (2%)

Review-ish Things Posted

Other Things I Wrote
Other than the Saturday Miscellanies (1st, 8th, 15th, 22ndh, and 29th), I also wrote:

Enough about me—how Was Your June?


June BookMemory Calendar

WWW Wednesday, July 3, 2024

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?

Seems easy enough, right? Let’s take a peek at this week’s answers:

What are you currently reading?

I’m reading Winter Lost by Patricia Briggs, and am listening to A Door in the Dark by Scott Reintgen, read by Jesse Vilinsky on audiobook–it’s a very strange semi-zombie Fantasy novel. Thankfully, there’s only one zombie-ish thing wandering around. (still, I shook a virtual fist at the friend who recommended it to me).

Cover of Winter LostBlank SpaceCover for A Door in the Dark by Scott Reintgen

What did you recently finish reading?

I just finished Bruce Borgos’s Shades of Mercy–and Borgos was not messing around with this sequel. The last audiobook I finished was Labyrinth by Kat Richardson, read by Mia Barron.

Cover for Shades of Mercy by Bruce BorgosBlank SpaceCover for Labyrinth by Kat Richardson

What do you think you’ll read next?

My next book should be for The Last King of California by Jordan Harper and my next audiobook should be Breaking the Dark by Lisa Jewell, read by Helen Laser. I’ve been wanting to read this Harper book for ages, meanwhile, I didn’t know anything about the audiobook until yesterday. But I’m curious about what Marvel’s trying on the novel front, might as well start here, right?

Cover of The Last King of California by Jordan HarperBlank SpaceCover of Breaking the Dark by Lisa Jewell

You got anything explosive on your hands for tomorrow?*

* Yeah, I should do better. Sorry.

20 Books of Summer 2024: June Check-In

20 Books of Summer
Here’s a quick check-in for this challenge run by Cathy at 746 Books.

So far, I’ve read 4—which puts me a 2/3 of a book behind last year. I should read at least 1 more this coming week, but I’m a little intimidated about my picks for the rest of the summer. A little. Really 8 books a month doesn’t sound that bad for the rest of the summer, but I know full well that other things are going to pop up to distract me. It’s a self-inflicted problem—and one I fully predicted. But still…

I’m more intimidated by the fact that I haven’t written about any of these four yet—am hoping that I can get at least one posted about by Friday. (stranger things have happened, I hear).

Let’s take a quick look at my progress in June:

1. This is Who We Are Now by James Bailey
2. Blood Reunion by JCM Berne
3. Ways And Truths And Lives by Matt Edwards
✔ 4. The Running Grave by Robert Galbraith
✔ 5. Grammar Sex and Other Stuff: A Collection of (mostly humorous) Essays by Robert Germaux
6. The Camelot Shadow by Sean Gibson
7. Last King of California by Jordan Harper
8. Steam Opera by James T. Lambert
9. The Glass Frog by J. Brandon Lowry
10. Rise of Akaisha Morningstar by Kataya Moon
11. Curse of the Fallen by H.C. Newell
12. Heart of Fire by Raina Nightengale
✔ 13. Detours and Do-overs by Wesley Parker
14. Bizarre Frontier Omnibus #1 by Brock Poulson
✔ 15. Howl by e rathke
16. Bard Tidings by Paul J. Regnier
17. Panacea by Alex Robins
18. Cursed Cocktails by S.L. Rowland
19. Big Trouble in Little Italy by Nicole Sharp
20. The Nameless Restaurant by Tao Wong

(subject to change, as is allowed, but I’m going to resist the impulse to tweak as much as I can).

20 Books of Summer '24 June Check In Chart

WWW Wednesday, June 26, 2024

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?

Seems easy enough, right? Let’s take a peek at this week’s answers:

What are you currently reading?

I’m reading The Book of Perilous Dishes by Doina Rusti, translated by James Christian Brown, and am listening to Labyrinth by Kat Richardson, read by Mia Barron on audiobook.

Cover to The Book of Perilous Dishes by Doina RustiBlank SpaceCover for Labyrinth by Kat Richardson

What did you recently finish reading?

Yesterday I finished Wesley Parker’s Detours and Do-overs and Robert Germaux’s Grammar Sex and Other Stuff: A Collection of (mostly humorous) Essays. I most recently finished The Kaiju Preservation Society by John Scalzi, read by Wil Wheaton on audiobook, and at least temporarily set aside One in the Chamber by Robin Peguero, read by Zion Jang because it just wasn’t working for me (but I can see why it would for many people).

Cover for Detours and Do-Overs by Wesley ParkerBlank SpaceCover for Grammar Sex by Robert GermauxBlank SpaceCover for The Kaiju Preservation Society by John ScalziBlank SpaceCover for the audiobook of One in the Chamber by Robin Pegeuro>

What do you think you’ll read next?

My next book should be the ARC of Shades of Mercy by Bruce Borgos—I think this series has legs, and I’m eager to be proven correct. My next audiobook should be A Door in the Dark by Scott Reintgen, read by Jesse Vilinsky, assuming the friend who is currently listening to our library’s copy (and recommended it to me) finishes before I finish Labryinth.

Cover for Shades of Mercy by Bruce BorgosBlank SpaceCover for A Door in the Dark by Scott Reintgen

Tell me what you’ve been reading lately—or what neat thing is coming up on your TBR.

Opening Lines: One In the Chamber by Robin Peguero

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.

You aren’t born a killer. You don’t gradually become one, either. One minute, you’re not, and the next, you just are. Like your first time having sex. Just as thrilling. Just as awkward. Nothing much changes but the label. you’re still you. But now, you’re a quote-unquote murderer. You played God and took a human life.

It’s entirely natural, but it still shocks people. Some people want other people dead. We visualize our goals, and we achieve them. Shouldn’t that be celebrated?

You swish someone wanted you dead. Not that you have a death wish. You’re too self-involved for that, and suicide is so gauche. you just wish you were that important to someone. It’s a compliment really: to have given another person’s endpoint more than a passing thought. To decide for them that today is enough. And not just today, but at this very minute, their contribution to history should meet its unceremonious finish. High Flattery.

You’re welcome.

from One In the Chamber by Robin Peguero
Cover to One in the Chamber
I’m not sure what happens over the next 369 pages (in a sense). I just want almost 400 pages like this.

Opening Lines Logo

WWW Wednesday, June 19, 2024

I’m having a hard time lately putting the book(s) I’m reading down and picking the laptop up to write something. Which is both wonderful and frustrating. Hopefully having today off will allow me to post this and something else. We’ll see how long that honey-do list ends up being, eh?

This post contains 1 book from my 20 Books of Summer list and 2 from my Books on My Summer 2024 to-Read List (That Aren’t on My 20 Books Challenge). This feels rather promising when it comes to accomplishing my goals.

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?

Seems easy enough, right? Let’s take a peek at this week’s answers:

What are you currently reading?

Today I’ll start The Teachings of Shirelle: Life Lessons from a Divine Knucklehead by Douglas Green. Last week, I’d said it was going to be my last book, but then I consulted a calendar and shuffled things a bit. I’m currently listening to Erasure by Percival Everett, read by Sean Crisden on audiobook—the first half of this is so good, but I’m worried that it’ll fall apart in the end.

Cover image for The Teachings of Shirelle by Douglas GreenBlank SpaceCover of the audiobook for Erasure by Percival Everett

What did you recently finish reading?

A few hours ago I finished Robert Galbraith’s The Running Grave, the fastest-moving Strike novel in a while. The Bitter Past by Bruce Borgos, read by James Babson is the last audiobook I finished.

Cover of The Running Grave by Robert GalbraithBlank SpaceCover for the audiobook of The Bitter Past by Bruce Borgos

What do you think you’ll read next?

My next book should be Dog Day Afternoon by David Rosenfelt, I’m practically guaranteed good time with a new Andy Carpenter. For my next audiobook, I think I’m going to try One in the Chamber by Robin Peguero, read by Zion Jang.

Cover for Dog Day Afternoon by David RosenfeltBlank SpaceCover for the audiobook of One in the Chamber by Robin Pegeuro

We’re approaching the middle of the year—how’s your 2024 reading looking? Or, how’s this week shaping up for you?

WWW Wednesday, June 12, 2024

Whoops, I almost forgot about this. Blame M.W. Craven.

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?

Seems easy enough, right? Let’s take a peek at this week’s answers:

What are you currently reading?

I literally had to force myself to close The Mercy Chair by M.W. Craven and put some distance between me and so I could get this post (and tomorrow’s) ready. I’m closing out Paper & Blood by Kevin Hearne, read by Luke Daniels on audiobook—I’m more eager than I was a couple of days ago for the third installment in this series (and I was pretty eager then). Also, this might be the best thing that Luke Daniels has ever done (and that’s no small feat).

Cover image of The Mercy Chair by MW CravenBlank SpaceCover image for the audiobook of Paper and Blood by Kevin Hearne

What did you recently finish reading?

I just finished E. Rathke’s Howl and I’m Afraid You’ve Got Dragons by Peter S. Beagle, read by Shaun Taylor-Corbett on audio. Am I allowed to say that I enjoyed it more than The Last Unicorn? It feels like the kind of thing I should whisper—or maybe only admit to someone in a parking garage while standing in the shadows.

Cover image to E Rathke's HowlBlank SpaceCover to the audiobook of Peter S Beagle's I'm Afraid You've Got Dragons>

What do you think you’ll read next?

My next book should be for The Teachings of Shirelle: Life Lessons from a Divine Knucklehead by Douglas Green and my next audiobook should be The Bitter Past by Bruce Borgos, read by James Babson.

Cover image for The Teachings of Shirelle by Douglas GreenBlank SpaceCover for the audiobook of The Bitter Past by Bruce Borgos

What has found its way to the top of your TBR?

WWW Wednesday, June 5, 2024

Yesterday, I told some people that anything I posted this week was a result of me being unable to get anything written about Robin Sloan’s Moonbound, and while this is a regular post for me—it’s still true. I’m taking time away from staring at an empty text file to put this together. Hopefully, there’s another post today, I really need to get something out there about this.

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?

Seems easy enough, right? Let’s take a peek at this week’s answers:

What are you currently reading?

I’m reading Bad Actors by Mark Pepper and am listening to The Ink Black Heart by Robert Galbraith, read by Robert Glenister on audiobook.

Bad ActorsBlank SpaceThe Ink Black Heart

What did you recently finish reading?

I just finished Craig Johnson’s First Frost and the last audiobook I finished was Dark Days by Derek Landy, read by Rupert Degas.

First FrostBlank SpaceDark Days

What do you think you’ll read next?

My next book should be the new Poe and Tilly novel, The Mercy Chair by M.W. Craven. It’s probably my most anticipated read of the year, and I cannot wait to open it up. My next audiobook should be I’m Afraid You’ve Got Dragons by Peter S. Beagle, read by Shaun Taylor-Corbett.

The Mercy ChairBlank SpaceI'm Afraid You've Got Dragons

May 2024 in Retrospect: What I Read/Listened to/Wrote About

Obviously, this was an atypical month here. But I think I’m getting back into the swing of things. I read 20 titles (5 down from last month, somehow 2 up from last May), with an equivalent of 6,214 pages or the equivalent (1,109 down from last month), and gave them an average of 3.47 stars (.33 down from last month).

Writing was down across the board for me—but I had some great people chip in to help out, so things kept happening here. Let’s see if that trend continues…

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

Red Queen The Longmire Defense Christa Comes Out of Her Shell
2 1/2 Stars 4 Stars 4 1/2 Stars
Chasing Empy Caskets The Secret & Hunting Virgins Price to Pay
3 Stars 1 Star 3 Stars
Proclaiming Christ in a Pluralistic Age The Olympian Affair The Binding Room
3.5 Stars 4 1/2 Stars 4 Stars
All Systems Red The Good Samaritan Strikes Again Strange Religion
3 Stars 3 Stars 4 Stars
After the Storm Grave Cold 42
3 Stars 3.5 Stars 3.5 Stars
The Hope in Our Scars Moonbound Backpacking Through Bedlam
3 Stars I Really Have No Idea 🤷
3.5 Stars
Assassins Anonymous Dark Days
4 1/2 Stars 3.5 Stars

Still Reading

Glorifying and Enjoying God Word and Spirit Redemptive History & Biblical Interpretation
Institutes of Elenctic Theology Vol. 2 Rites of Passage

Ratings

5 Stars 1 2 1/2 Stars 1
4 1/2 Stars 3 2 Stars 0
4 Stars 3 1 1/2 Stars 0
3.5 Stars 4 1 Star 1
3 Stars 6
Average = 3.47

TBR Stacks/Piles/Heaps

Audio E-book Physical Goodreads
Want-to-Read
NetGalley
Shelf/ARCs/Review Copies
End of
2023
6 47 68 153 5
1st of the
Month
4 50 82 160 7
Added 1 3 7 4 3
Read/
Listened
2 1 6 1 2
Current Total 3 52 83 163 8

Breakdowns:
“Traditionally” Published: 15
Self-/Independent Published: 5

Genre This Month Year to Date
Children’s 0 (0%) 4 (4%)
Fantasy 2 (10%) 13 (12%)
General Fiction/ Literature 1 (5%) 9 (8%)
Mystery/ Suspense/ Thriller 8 (40%) 36 (33%)
Non-Fiction 1 (5%) 11 (10%)
Science Fiction 2 (10%) 8 (7%)
Theology/ Christian Living 3 (15%) 14 (13%)
Urban Fantasy 1 (10%) 12 (11%)
“Other” (Horror/ Humor/ Steampunk/ Western) 1 (5%) 1 (1%)

Review-ish Things Posted

Other People Wrote and I Posted Here
I had a number of Guest Posts, Crossposts, etc. this month so I could take some time away. I’m very, very grateful for them and wanted to point to them at least one more time:

Other Things I Wrote
Other than the Saturday Miscellanies (4th, 11th, 18th, and 25th), I also wrote:

Enough about me—how Was Your Month?


May Calendar

20 Books of Summer 2024: This is Going to Be A Tough One

20 Books of Summer
Cathy at 746 Books is hosting 20 Books of Summer for the 10th year, which is impressive. This is the fourth year for me (not nearly as impressive), and it’s proved to be fun and a good way for me to actually focus on things I’ve gotten distracted from and/or impulse buys. This year I had a plan since January or February, and then when it came time to put it into action threw all of it out. I’m a little apprehensive about this list, it’s ambitious—I think both length and content are going to make several of these slower reads—and risky—I haven’t read most of the authors before, and don’t know what I’m getting into. However, I’ve wanted to read all of these (some of them for years), and I own all but one of these already. Yup! Nineteen books (at least) are leaving Mt. TBR this summer*!

I typically use the unofficial US Dates for Summer—Memorial Day to Labor Day (May 27th through September 2nd), just because it’s easier for me to think that way. And I’ve needed those first few days of September more than once, but let’s not think about that. Now, here it is almost a week later and I’ve just finalized my list—and I probably won’t get started reading any until June 6, this is almost certainly going to come back to bite me somewhere sensitive. But that’s a problem for tomorrow…or August, I guess.

There’s still time to join in the fun—if you’re into this kind of thing. (there are 10 and 15 book versions, too)

* Technically, I guess, one of these has only been on the mountain for a week, but it still counts.

This summer, my 20 are going to be:

1. This is Who We Are Now by James Bailey
2. Blood Reunion by JCM Berne
3. Ways And Truths And Lives by Matt Edwards
4. The Running Grave by Robert Galbraith
5. Grammar Sex and Other Stuff: A Collection of (mostly humorous) Essays by Robert Germaux
6. The Camelot Shadow by Sean Gibson
7. Last King of California by Jordan Harper
8. Steam Opera by James T. Lambert
9. The Glass Frog by J. Brandon Lowry
10. Rise of Akaisha Morningstar by Kataya Moon
11. Curse of the Fallen by H.C. Newell
12. Heart of Fire by Raina Nightengale
13. Detours and Do-overs by Wesley Parker
14. Bizarre Frontier Omnibus #1 by Brock Poulson
15. Howl by e rathke
16. Bard Tidings by Paul J. Regnier
17. Panacea by Alex Robins
18. Cursed Cocktails by S.L. Rowland
19. Big Trouble in Little Italy by Nicole Sharp
20. The Nameless Restaurant by Tao Wong

(subject to change, as is allowed, but I’m going to resist the impulse to tweak as much as I can).

20 Books of Summer '24 Chart

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