Category: News/Misc. Page 127 of 229

WWW Wednesday, August 4, 2021

On August 4, 2021

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

Time for the first WWW Wednesday of August, where the books are as hot as the weather!

(wow, that was cheezy, I’m not sure where that came from. I’m hearing the voice of Sean Evans in my head as I read the sentence…)

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 Ninja’s Blade by Tori Eldridge—which starts off in a really compelling way—and am listening to Black Arts by Faith Hunter, Khristine Hvam (Narrator) on audiobook.

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What did you recently finish reading?

I just finished the ARC Paper & Blood—it’s a doozy—and Solomon vs. Lord by Paul Levine, Christopher Lane (Narrator) on audio—which is as fun as I remember, I think I last read it 13 years ago.

Blank Space

What do you think you’ll read next?

My next book should be Twice Cursed by J. C. Jackson and my next audiobook should be The Deep Blue Alibi by Paul Levine, William Dufris (Narrator).

Blank Space

How are you starting this month?

20 Books of Summer 2021: July Check-in

By HCNewton

On August 3, 2021

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

One summer.

Three months.

93 Days.

20 books.

It’s time for my July Check-In for 20 Books for Summer. After a June that was less-than-productive (well, okay, I read nothing), it didn’t look so good.

I’m still not sure it does—July was better, I read eight books off the list. I thought I’d read more until I started prepping this post, though—math’s never been my strong suit. Twelve books in August still seems doable, but I’m thinking this goal is out of range. Still, I’m going to try, I’m having fun working through the list, anyway.

Speaking of which, here it is:

1. A Beginner’s Guide to Free Fall by Andy Abramowitz
2. The Dead House by Harry Bingham
3. The Run-Out Groove by Andrew Cartmel
4. Love by Roddy Doyle
5. The Ninja’s Blade by Tori Eldridge
✔ 6. Small Bytes by Robert Germaux
7. A Reason to Live by Matthew Iden
8. Twiced Cursed by J. C. Jackson
9. The Dime by Kathleen Kent
✔ 10. Dead Man’s Grave by Neil Lancaster

✔ 11. The Magnificent Nine by James Lovegrove
12. The Mermaid’s Pool by David Nolan
✔ 13. All Together Now by Matthew Norman
14. The Good Byline by Jill Orr
✔ 15. Sir Thomas the Hesitant and the Table of Less Valued Knights by Liam Perrin
16. Fools Gold by Ian Patrick
✔ 17. Know Your Rites by Andy Redsmith
18. The Far Empty by J. Todd Scott
✔ 19. August Snow by Stephen Mack Jones
✔ 20. In Plain Sight by Dan Willis

20 Books of Summer '21 Chart July

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

By HCNewton

On August 2, 2021

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

“Only” 24 books this month—I got off to a strong start, and then I started a period of readjustment thanks to returning to the office. I’m not sure I’ve got my feet under me when it comes to reading/listening to audiobooks yet. That’s 6,412 pages (or audio-equivalent), plus I’m guessing another 350 or so—there was one audio short story and one to-be-published novel that I can’t find page counts for. Which is not terribly shabby when I think of it in those terms. My average rating was 3.9, a tenth of a point higher than most months this year (4 tenths higher than my worst), so that fits.

Part of what use these posts to do is spur myself to action on various fronts—or that’s the intent, anyway. Am rethinking the Mt. TBR portion of these posts, because it’s sure not working too well.

Enough monologuing, I’m not a supervillain about to leave the hero to die in an (doomed) elaborate contraption—here’s what happened here in July.

		Average =	3.9
	3		0
	3		0
	9		0
	4		0
	5

I’m strongly considering renaming this to Tsundoku (積ん読), so I can celebrate the size of some of these bars rather than shaking my head at myself…What do you think?

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

Genre	This Month	Year to Date
Children’s	1 (5%)	2 (1%)
Fantasy	3 (16%)	14 (9%)
General Fiction/ Literature	3 (16%)	8 (5%)
Horror	0 (0%)	0 (0%)
Humor	0 (0%)	2 (4%)
Mystery/ Suspense/ Thriller	6 (32%)	59 (36%)
Non-Fiction	1 (5%)	10 (6%)
Science Fiction	0 (0%)	15 (9%)
Steampunk	0 (0%)	0 (0%)
Theology/ Christian Living	0 (0%)	18 (11%)
Urban Fantasy	4 (21%)	31 (19%)
Western	0 (0%)	0 (0%)

The Watchman by Rob Parker: Ben in the U.S.A.
Faithful Theology: An Introduction by Graham A. Cole: Basics for Building a Theological Method
Tender is the Bite by Spencer Quinn: Will Chet Share Bernie with a Ferret?
Small Bytes by Robert Germaux: Back to the Beginning of JB Barnes
Sir Thomas the Hesitant and the Table of Less Valued Knights by Liam Perrin: Heroism Comes from the Unlikeliest Places
In Plain Sight by Dan Willis: A P.I. with a Magical Edge Races the Clock in this UF Series Start
Foundations of Covenant Theology by Lane G. Tipton: A Fascinating Approach to Genesis 1-3
The Rags of Time (Audiobook) by Peter Grainger, Gildart Jackson (Narrator): DC Smith is a Fly in a Colleague’s Ointment
Know Your Rites by Andy Redsmith: Murder, magic and now rap music. Oh joy.
A Good Day for Chardonnay by Darynda Jones: Sunny and Auri get into Some Cold Cases in their Hot Town
The Attributes of God: An Introduction by Gerald Bray: Sketching out The Essence of God and How He Relates to Us
Finding Hope in Hard Things by Pierce Taylor Hibbs: How the Hard Things Shape Us
August Snow by Stephen Mack Jones: Even a Kindness from the Devil Must Be Repaid

Other than the Saturday Miscellanies (3rd, 10th, 17th, 24th, and 31st), I also wrote (okay, mostly compiled):

That was my month…how was yours?

Saturday Miscellany—7/31/21

By HCNewton

On July 31, 2021

In Books, News/Misc., Saturday Miscellany

This is the third week in a row that when I get to compiling this post that I wonder just what I did all week…and I honestly don’t know. Still, some good stuff here.

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 Building an antilibrary: the power of unread books—food for thought (even if a lot of what is said about personal libraries is odd). The footnote made me audibly chuckle.
bullet Playing Favorites With Favorites, or, What We Talk About When We Talk About Our Favorite Books—second week in a row with a piece by Templeton about reading. Not quite as quotable, but just as good.
bullet Rain City Rediscovered: Why Crime Novelists Are Drawn to Seattle—I think I’ve only read one Seattle-based series, and given it’s relative proximity to me, I do have to wonder why. (it doesn’t make this list, so I know the number is bigger than this piece suggests…IOW, I have no reason not to read more)
bullet Where Do You Like To Read? – The Art of Creating Your Perfect Book Nook—A place I can ignore outside noises (semi-politely) and feel not-uncomfortable for a few minutes is all I really need, a perfect reading spot seems like a luxurious indulgence, but after reading this
bullet My Blogging Journey || experiences, trials & regrets—she definitely takes this more seriously than me…I still can probably learn a bit from this.
bullet This tweet contains either the very best 2 sentence To Kill a Mockingbird review (if it’s satire) or the absolute worst.

This Week's New Releases That I’m Excited About and/or You’ll Probably See Here Soon:
bullet Pure by Jo Perry—”Caught in a pincer movement between the sudden death of Evelyn (her favourite aunt) and the Corona virus, Ascher Lieb finds herself unexpectedly locked down in her aunt’s retirement community with only Evelyn’s grief-stricken dog Freddie for company.” I’m trying hard to find a way to cram this in to my August reading. If any of my co-workers read this post and I happen to call in sick this week it’s absolutely a coincidence.
bullet A Good Day for Chardonnay by Darynda Jones—” 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.” And, there’s a racoon that seems to be outsmarting the entire Sherriff’s Department. And Sunny’s quest to uncover the (probably urban legend of a) secret society that runs the town…It’s just a whole lot of fun, tried to describe recently.

Lastly I’d like to say hi and extend a warm welcome to evidencemutumbu, wallacepublishing , and pranjal Narayan who followed the blog this week. Don’t be a stranger, and use that comment box, would you?

The Friday 56 for 7/23/21: Dead Man’s Grave by Neil Lancaster

By HCNewton

On July 30, 2021

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:
Dead Man’s Grave

Dead Man’s Grave by Neil Lancaster

‘We seem to be the funeral squad at the moment, and bearing in mind I’d never been to one before working with you, I’m starting to worry, especially as we’ve now done two recently,’ said Janie, taking in the scene.

‘Valuable intelligence sources, Constable. Next stop weddings, christenings and bar mitzvahs.’

‘I may ask for a transfer; it’s getting bloody depressing.’

The Friday 56 for 7/30/21: The Heathens by Ace Atkins

By HCNewton

On July 30, 2021

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

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

RULES:
bullet point 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:
The Heathens

The Heathens by Ace Atkins

“You had a chance, Chester,” TJ said. “You stole my momma’s money. Money she only had ‘cause she’d stolen it off me. You tried to threaten me, sending the police out knocking on my door like I did something wrong.”

“Get out of here,” he said. “I’ll call the sheriff.”

“Do it,” TJ said. She reached down on the glass table littered with an empty bag of chips, an overflowing ashtray, and the silver insulated cup of booze. She snatched up his cell phone and tossed it right in his lap. “Call 911. I damn well dare you. Call Sheriff Colson and let him know some seventeen-year-old girl is gonna shoot you. Because you’d be right. But then at least we might can get straight on all the trouble you caused me and my family. You’re sitting here drinking whiskey and eating Golden Flake chips while my little brother can’t even get breakfast.”

WWW Wednesday, July 28, 2021

By HCNewton

On July 28, 2021

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

Wait, it’s July 28th already? I’m not ready for that in several ways–can we get a recount? A mulligan? A giant “Pause” button? Time for the last WWW Wednesday of July!

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 Magnificent Nine by James Lovegrave—nothing like a little time with the crew of Serenity—and am wrapping up Wisp of a Thing by Alex Bledsoe, Stefan Rudnicki (Narrator) up on audiobook.

Blank Space <

What did you recently finish reading?

I just finished Ian Shane’s In 10 Years—a wonderful read—and The Drifter by Nick Petrie, Stephen Mendel (Narrator) on audio.

Blank Space

What do you think you’ll read next?

My next book should be All Together Now by Matthew Norman—which is what I said last week, but I got distracted—and my next audiobook is TBD.

Blank Space

What are you doing to wrap up the month?

Authors/Bloggers/Anyone Else: Want to Pitch In with a Guest Post?

By HCNewton

On July 27, 2021

In Books, Miscellany, News/Misc.

Hey, all authors who occasionally read this here blog, other bloggers, even people who don’t but might want to opine, I would like some help with something.

Here’s the vague pitch: I have an idea for something I want to do in October—the 4th through the 8th or 9th, specifically—and could use a handful* of Guest Posts to pull it off. Learning the lesson from a couple of things I’ve participated in/not participated in, I’m asking for help early.

* More than a handful would be better, but let’s aim low and hit higher.

I can’t pay for the help, and I can’t even promise that lame “exposure” that artists (rightly) bemoan. I’ve seen my stats—exposure will be minimum. But I can promise you the opportunity to write something you’ve probably not tackled before. And the warm glow that comes from helping a virtual stranger on the Internet.

If you’re interested, let me know and I’ll email you the complete pitch.

Top Ten Tuesday: Books I’d Want With Me While Stranded On a Deserted Island

By HCNewton

On July 27, 2021

In Miscellany, News/Misc.

The topic for this week’s Top Ten Tuesdays is the Books I’d Want With Me While Stranded On a Deserted Island.

If I could pre-plan the books to have on me when I crash on a deserted island, these would be the ones to keep me sane and entertained (didn’t the daughter in Inkheart basically do that?). This was one of the quickest posts that I’ve ever compiled. Which says something about how much these books mean to me, I think. Also, they’re largely books I haven’t touched since I started this blog. In fact, other than mentioning them frequently, I’ve written posts about very few of these (two, actually). Maybe that should be a challenge I set myself…hmmmmm……

Anyway, by all rights, there should be a novel by Rex Stout on this list, but trying to pick just one would’ve induced an aneurysm. Or at least it felt like it. I might be able to come up with a Deserted Island Rex Stout list, but beyond that, there’s just no way.

Books I’d Want With Me While Stranded On a Deserted Island

The Wheel of Time by Robert Jordan and Brandon Sanderson
Because when else am I ever gonna have the time to read this?

I’m Just Joshin’ Ya, Here’s the Real List:

(but seriously, when else am I going to?)

	Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë One of the few “required texts” from High School I’ve reread several times for pleasure.
	Dead Beat by Jim ButcherThe seventh Dresden Files novel was the first I read, and probably my 2nd Favorite. I’d say Changes, but I don’t want to do that to myself if I’m stranded with no one to talk to.
	The Snapper by Roddy Doyle Yes, The Commitments is more fun. The Van is technially a “better” novel. But … something about the second in the trilogy that just gets to me.
	To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee Probably the other “required text” that I’d re-read given the excuse. Entertaining, inspiring, convicting…it’s the whole package. I have a line from it tattooed on me, I have no idea how my daughter escaped being named Scout…I could keep going here.
	The Westing Game by Ellen Raskin My mother brought this library book home to me once when I was super sick (I think a librarian that new me recommended it). I have read it countless times since, and can’t imagine not doing so. I also have no idea how my daughter escapted being named Tabitha-Ruth “Turtle.”
	Cyrano de Bergerac by Edmund Rostand (I’d probably specify the Hooker translation) If I tried to talk about this one, I wouldn’t know how to stop.
	The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss I’m at the point now that I don’t care if we get book three or not. I got to read this a few times, and that’s enough for me.
	Early Autumn by Robert P. Parker I’ve re-read the first 15 or so Parkers enough that I’ve lost count, but I’ve probably returned to this one the most often.
	How to Talk to a Widower by Jonathan Tropper Not Tropper’s best, not the first I read, or anything else. I honestly can’t explain this choice, but it’s one of the first to come to mind on this list.
	Dawn Patrol by Don Winslow The most entertaining Winslow novel that I’ve read. The first chapter is perfect. Absolutely, no two ways about it, perfect. The rest comes close to the Platonic ideal, too.

What Do You Think, Sirs?

Overdue 2021 Audiobook Challenge Mid-Year Check-In

By HCNewton

On July 26, 2021

In Audiobook, Miscellany, News/Misc.

One of the few challenges I’m letting myself do this year is the 2021 Audiobook Challenge. And now that July is about done, I’ve finally carved out the time to write up my mid-year check-in. Whoops.

By my count, from January-June, I listened to 49 audiobooks (well, 48 and one DNF)—25 that were first-listens and 24 that I’ve read the text version of and wanted to revisit. I haven’t had a chance to write something about all of the first-listens, and have only written a little about the re-reads (but that’s typical). So, yeah…I’m behind. But, hey, that’s where I am.

First-“Reads”/Listens

bullet Norse Mythology by Neil Gaiman
bullet Percy Jackson’s Greek Gods by Rick Riordan; read by Jesse Bernstein
bullet Blood Trail by C. J. Box; read by David Chandler (my post about it)
bullet Midnight at the Bright Ideas Bookstore by Matthew J. Sullivan; read by Madeleine Maby (my post about it)
bullet Paper: Paging Through History by Mark Kurlansky; read by Andrew Garman (my post about it)
bullet The Rags of Time by Peter Grainger; read by Gildart Jackson (my post about it)
bullet You’ll Never Believe What Happened to Lacey: Crazy Stories about Racism by Amber Ruffin, Lacey Lamar (my post about it)
bullet Bluebird, Bluebird by Attica Locke; read by J.D. Jackson
bullet Below Zero by C. J. Box; read by David Chandler (my post about it)
bullet Heroes: Mortals and Monsters, Quests and Adventures by Stephen Fry
bullet Sworn to Silence by Kate Burkholder; read by Kathleen McInerney
bullet The Miracle Pill by Peter Walker
bullet The Tales of Beedle the Bard by J.K. Rowling; read by: Narrated by: Warwick Davis, Noma Dumezweni, Jason Isaacs, Jude Law, Evanna Lynch, Sally Mortemore, Bonnie Wright
bullet Time and Tide by Peter Grainger; read by Gildart Jackson
bullet The Writer’s Library by Nancy Pearl & Jeff Schwager; read by Nancy Pearl, Jeff Schwager, Xe Sands, Dominic Hoffman, Eileen Stevens, Piper Goodeve, Andrew Eiden, Lameece Issaq, Rick Adamson, JD Jackson, Ryan Do, Timothy Andrés Pabon, Emily Woo Zeller, Richard Ford, Luis A. Urrea, Vendela Vida, Laurie Frankel, and Siri Hustvedt(my post about it)
bullet Junkyard Bargain by Faith Hunter; read by Khristine Hvam (my post about it)
bullet A Man With One of Those Faces by Caimh McDonnell; read by Morgan C. Jones
bullet The Data Detective: Ten Easy Rules to Make Sense of Statistics by Tim Harford
bullet Three Mages and a Margarita by Annette Marie; read by Cris Dukehart
bullet The Authorities by Scott Meyer; read by Luke Daniels
bullet Nowhere to Run by C. J. Box; read by David Chandler
bullet Creature Feature by Steven Paul Leiva; read by Seamus Dever and Juliana Dever(my post about it)
bullet Scarface and the Untouchable Al Capone, Eliot Ness, and the Battle for Chicago by Max Allan Collins & A. Brad Schwartz; read by Stefan Rudnicki, Max Allan Collins & A. Brad Schwartz
bullet OCDaniel by Wesley King; read by Roman De Campo
bullet In This Bright Future by Peter Grainger; read by Gildart Jackson (my post about it)
bullet The Salvage Crew by Yudhanjaya Wijeratne; read by Nathan Fillion (my post about it)

Re-“Reads”/Listens

bullet Highfire by Eoin Colfer; read by Johnny Heller (my post about the non-audio version)
bullet Orphan X by Gregg Andrew Hurwitz; read by Scott Brick (https://irresponsiblereader.com/2018/01/22/orphan-x-by-gregg-hurwitz/)
bullet Night and Silence by Seanan McGuire; read by Mary Robinette Kowal (my post about the non-audio version)
bullet Game of Cages by Harry Connelly; read by Danial Thomas May
bullet Fated by Benedict Jacka; read by Gildart Jackson (my post about the non-audio version)
bullet He Drank, and Saw the Spider by Alex Bledsoe; read by Stefan Rudnicki (my post about it)
bullet The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan; read by Jesse Bernstein
bullet Smoke Bitten by Patricia Briggs; read by Lorelei King (my post about the non-audio version)
bullet The Unkindest Tide by Seanan McGuire; read by Robinette Kowal (my post about the non-audio version)
bullet Cursed by Benedict Jacka; read by Gildart Jackson (my post about the non-audio version)
bullet Circle of Enemies by Harry Connolly; read by Daniel Thomas May
bullet No Country for Old Gnomes by Delilah S. Dawson & Kevin Hearne; read by Luke Daniels (my post about the non-audio version)
bullet Slow Horses Mick Herron; read by Gerard Doyle (my post about the non-audio version)
bullet The Next to Last Stand Craig Johnson; read by George Guidall (my post about the non-audio version)
bullet Skinwalker by Faith Hunter; read by Khristine Hvam
bullet The Killing Frost by Seanan McGuire; read by Mary Robinette Kowal (my post about the non-audio version)
bullet Blood Cross by Faith Hunter; read by Khristine Hvam
bullet Taken by Benedict Jacka; read by Gildart Jackson (my post about the non-audio version)
bullet Mercy Blade by Faith Hunter; read by Khristine Hvam
bullet All Creatures Great and Smallby James Herriot; read by Christopher Timothy
bullet Chosen by Benedict Jacka; read by Gildart Jackson (my post about the non-audio version)
bullet Raven Cursed by Faith Hunter; read by Khristine Hvam
bullet The Hum and the Shiverby Alex Bledsoe; read by Emily Janice Card and Stefan Rudnicki
bullet Ink & Sigilby Kevin Hearne; read by Luke Daniels (my post about the non-audio version)
bullet Dad is Fatby Jim Gaffigan (my post about the non-audio version)