Category: Currently Reading Page 51 of 71

The Friday 56 for 2/26/21: The Thursday Murder Club by Richard Osman

The Friday 56This is a weekly bloghop hosted by Freda’s Voice

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

from page 56 of:
The Thursday Murder Club

The Thursday Murder Club by Richard Osman

DCI Chris Hudson has been given a file on Tony Curran so thick it makes a pleasing thud if you drop it on a desk. Which is what he has just done.

Chris takes a swig of Diet Coke. He sometimes worries he is addicted to it. He had once read a headline about Diet Coke that was so worrying he had chosen not to read the article.

He opens the file. Most of Tony Curran’s dealings with Kent Police were from before Chris’s time in Fairhaven. Charges for assault in his twenties, minor drug convictions, dangerous driving, dangerous dog, possession of an illegal weapon. A tax disc misdemeanor. Public urination.

Then comes the real story.

WWW Wednesday, February 24, 2021

It’s the middle of the week and time for me to check in on my reading.

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 Cover Blown by Ian Robinson—hot off the press—and am listening to Midnight at the Bright Ideas Bookstore by Matthew Sullivan, Madeleine Maby (Narrator) on audiobook—something I’ve been meaning to read for 2-3 years.

Cover BlownBlank SpaceMidnight at the Bright Ideas Bookstore

What did you recently finish reading?

I just finished Richard Osman’s The Thursday Murder Club—a charming and clever novel—and Smoke Bitten by Patricia Briggs, Lorelei King (Narrator) on audio.

The Thursday Murder ClubBlank SpaceSmoke Bitten

What do you think you’ll read next?

In a very strange confluence of schedules, Seanan McGuire’s two bigger series are next on my lists—next up are her Calculated Risks and The Unkindest Tide (Narrated by Robinette Kowal) as I almost complete my trip through the Toby Daye audiobooks. Thankfully those series don’t feel like they’re written by the same person, so I’m not going to have a problem (I think).

Calculated RisksBlank SpaceThe Unkindest Tide

What are you reading?

The Friday 56 for 2/19/21: The Incredibly Dead Pets of Rex Dexter by Aaron Reynolds

The Friday 56This is a weekly bloghop hosted by Freda’s Voice

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

from page 56 of:
The Incredibly Dead Pets of Rex Dexter

The Incredibly Dead Pets of Rex Dexter by Aaron Reynolds

…we now know I’m not imagining things.

Which means my deepest darkest fear has come true. Next to falling into a pit of snakes. And global takeover by evil robots. And paper cuts. These are the things that haunt my nightmares.

My fourth deepest darkest fear has come true.

I have been cursed by a rogue carnival game.

WWW Wednesday, February 17, 2021

A three-day weekend left me scrambling to get together a WWW Wednesday before I was really mentally prepared for it. I don’t know about you, but I took advantage of that bonus day to read more than I expected to, which made the day all the nicer.

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 Latent Damage by Ian Robinson, a new police procedural, and am listening to the last Eddie LaCrosse novel—He Drank, and Saw the Spider by Alex Bledsoe, Stefan Rudnicki (Narrator) on audiobook.

Latent DamageBlank SpaceHe Drank, and Saw the Spider

What did you recently finish reading?

I just finished Sara Gran’s Claire DeWitt and the City of the Dead, an unusual P.I. novel, and Blood Trail by C.J. Box, David Chandler (Narrator) on audio—possibly the best in the series.

Claire DeWitt and the City of the DeadBlank SpaceBlood Trail

What do you think you’ll read next?

My next book should be Oh, That Shotgun Sky by Sarah Chorn (which will probably be beautiful and depressing, because that seems to be her wheelhouse) and an audiobook to be determined.

Oh, That Shotgun SkyBlank SpaceQuestion Mark

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

The Friday 56 for 2/12/21: Phantom Song by Kate Sheeran Swed

The Friday 56This is a weekly bloghop hosted by Freda’s Voice

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

from page 56 of:
Phantom Song

Phantom Song by Kate Sheeran Swed

“The new ballet dancer entered from the wrong wing tonight,” she said-slash-sang, switching on the apartment’s news holo as she passed through the living room. She loved to fill her home with layers of background noise, constant streams of chatter over music over more chatter. She had no trouble flitting around or holding conversations without paying attention to any of it.

Sam, on the other hand, could never fully tune out the babble of voices. He tended to get pulled in. But Aunt C had given him a place to stay, and he didn’t feel right complaining.

She bustled into the kitchen and set her bags on the counter without glancing at him, removing containers that smelled like chicken and peanut sauce, with a tang of something peppery.

WWW Wednesday, February 10, 2021

Here we are on February 10, the 41st day of 2021, which is a Wednesday, so we might as well tackle a WWW Wednesday, right?

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 Smoke by Joe Ide, an Isaiah Quintable novel that is pretty low on Isaiah (so far) and am listening to Blood Trail by C.J. Box, David Chandler (Narrator) on audiobook, it was time to get back to Wyoming.

SmokeBlank SpaceBlood Trail

What did you recently finish reading?

I just finished Kate Sherran Swed’s Parting Shadows and Fated by Benedict Jacka, Gildart Jackson (Narrator) on audio—my goal is to listen to the series as preparation for the finale this fall, so I need to get moving.

Parting ShadowsBlank SpaceFated (Audiobook)

What do you think you’ll read next?

My next book should be Claire DeWitt and the City of the Dead by Sara Gran, fresh from the Down the TBR series. My next audiobook was going to be the next DC Smith book, but I just listened to the narrator, Gildart Jackson, read the Alex Verus book, and I need some more distance from that before I can hear him do something else, so I think it’ll be the last Eddie LaCrosse novel He Drank, and Saw the Spider by Alex Bledsoe, Stefan Rudnicki (Narrator) on audiobook.

Claire DeWitt and the City of the DeadBlank SpaceHe Drank, and Saw the Spider

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

The Friday 56 for 2/5/21: Parting Shadows by Kate Sheeran Swed

The Friday 56This is a weekly bloghop hosted by Freda’s Voice

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

from page 56 of:
Parting Shadows

Parting Shadows by Kate Sheeran Swed

Astra would never be a hero. Heroes had hearts.

She wrenched her hand away from Henry’s. “Stay away from me, and you’ll be fine,” she said, straightening away from the glass wall. Someone passing brushed by her shoulder and murmured an apology. She was vaguely aware that the braided guard had returned to Conor’s door. She could feel the woman’s eyes locked on her, as though Astra might pull a battering ram out of her pocket and attempt to rush the fortress.

She ignored them. She ignored everyone.

“I’m not worried about me,” Henry said.

Astra forced herself to turn away, nearly forgetting the cactus and swiping it off the wall at the last moment. “Then you’re even more of a fool than I thought.”

WWW Wednesday, February 3, 2021

The first WWW Wednesday of Febrary, I know I said something similar last week, but I’m really stuck on how not ready I am for it to already be February. But it sure seems to be here.

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 Fake by Roz Kay for a Tour on Friday and am listening to Game of Cages by Harry Connolly, Daniel Thomas May (Narrator) on audiobook (I’ve failed for 3 days out of the last 5 trying to come up with a blog post about the first two in this series, yet I push on with another).

FakeBlank SpaceGame of Cages

What did you recently finish reading?

I just finished (and was devastated by) S. A. Crosby’s Blacktop Wasteland and Night and Silence by Seanan McGuire, Mary Robinette Kowal (Narrator) on audio, I’ve almost caught up with this series on audio and am picking up such more this time around (obviously).

Blacktop WastelandBlank SpaceNight and Silence

What do you think you’ll read next?

My next book should be Chasing the Pain by Matthew Iden—looking forward to dipping into this series—and I have no idea what audiobook is up next.

Chasing the PainBlank SpaceQuestion Mark

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

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

2021 got off to a slow start for me—17 books down, 5,281 pages (or the equivalent). But it’s a good start, with 3.8 average rating.

I really dislike the way it sounds like I’m whinging at the beginning of these posts lately. But 13 lousy review-ish posts? That’s just not good. Still, it’s better than last Fall, and the only way to go from here is up, right? Also, this isn’t my job, it’s not like anything bad is going to happen if I don’t keep up (Right? Right? Please tell me I’m right…)

I’m looking forward to the books I know I’m going to read in February, and to those I’m hoping to get to, too. I hope to be chippier on March 1.

Anyway, here’s what happened here in January.
Books Read

Dead Perfect Highfire This Bright Future
4 Stars 4 Stars 4 Stars
Ready Player Two The Curious Dispatch of Daniel Costello Gentle and Lowly
3.5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars
Norse Mythology We Could Be Heroes Someone to Watch Over Me
3 Stars 4 Stars 4 1/2 Stars
Orphan X The Salvage Crew The Mask of Mirrors
3.5 Stars 4 Stars 4 1/2 Stars
Percy Jackson's Greek Gods Across the Green Grass Fields White Trash Warlock
3 Stars 3.5 Stars 3.5 Stars
Night and Silence The Trinity
4 Stars 5 Stars

Still Reading

Tom Jones Original Cover The Wonderful Works of God Things Unseen
Grace and Glory (BoT Edition) Blacktop Wasteland

Ratings

5 Stars 1 2 1/2 Stars 0
4 1/2 Stars 2 2 Stars 0
4 Stars 7 1 1/2 Stars 0
3.5 Stars 4 1 Star 0
3 Stars 3
Average = 3.8

TBR Pile
(yes, this looks much worse, I recounted at the beginning the year, and things are a bit more accurate—I’m not sure where the E-Books got quite so off, but…man, that’s an intimidating number)
Mt TBR January 21

Breakdowns
“Traditionally” Published: 12
Self-/Independent Published: 5

Genre This Month Year to Date
Children’s 0 (0%) 0 (0%)
Fantasy 4 (24%) 4 (24%)
General Fiction/ Literature 0 (0%) 0 (0%)
Horror 0 (0%) 0 (0%)
Humor 0 (0%) 0 (0%)
Mystery/ Suspense/ Thriller 5 (29%) 5 (29%)
Non-Fiction 1 (6%) 1 (6%)
Science Fiction 3 (18%) 3 (18%)
Steampunk 0 (0%) 0 (0%)
Theology/ Christian Living 2 (12%) 2 (12%)
Urban Fantasy 2 (12%) 2 (12%)
Western 0 (0%) 0 (0%)

Review-ish Things Posted

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

How was your month?

Image by OpenClipart-Vectors from Pixabay, with some minor edits by me.

The Friday 56 for 1/29/21: Blacktop Wasteland by S. A. Cosby

The Friday 56This is a weekly bloghop hosted by Freda’s Voice

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

from page 56 of:
Blacktop Wasteland

Blacktop Wasteland by S. A. Cosby

“What’s wrong?”

Ariel shrugged her shoulders. “Nothing. Just getting ready for graduation. Me and the other five dummies who couldn’t graduate with the rest of the class.”

“You ain’t no dummy. You had a lot going on,” he said.

“Yeah. Like Mama getting her third DUI and wrecking my car. Of course, that ain’t no excuse, according to her and grandma,” Ariel said. She shook her bottle of juice lackadaisically in her left hand.

“Don’t worry about them. You just concentrate on college and getting that accounting degree,” Beauregard said.

Ariel blew air over her bottom lip.

“What?” Beauregard said.

“Since I won’t be eighteen until January, Mama has to co-sign for my student loans. She says she don’t want to put her name down on nothing like that. She says I should just take classes at J. Sargeant Reynolds and get a job until January,” Ariel said.

Page 51 of 71

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