Category: News/Misc. Page 133 of 229

In Medias Res: A Man With One of Those Faces by Caimh McDonnell, Morgan C. Jones (Narrator)

As the title implies, I’m in the middle of this book, so this is not a review, just some thoughts mid-way through.


A Man With One of Those Faces
A Man With One of Those Faces

by Caimh McDonnell, Morgan C. Jones (Narrator)

Book Blurb:

The first time somebody tried to kill him was an accident.

The second time was deliberate.

Now Paul Mulchrone finds himself on the run with nobody to turn to except a nurse who has read one-too-many crime novels and a renegade copper with a penchant for violence. Together they must solve one of the most notorious crimes in Irish history…

…or else they’ll be history.

I’m at the 48% mark—and this is just ridiculously fun. A great mix of dark humor, some silly humor, gritty crime drama, some fascinating characters, and three very different kinds of police detectives.

For me, this experience has been like the first time I read one of Jay Stringer’s Sam Ireland books—Ways to Die in Glasgow

I get the impression that Detective Bunny McGarry is who I’m supposed to be the most focused on, but he rankles me. Poor, incredibly ordinary-looking, Paul Mulchrone and the nurse, Brigit Conroy, who got him into this mess are who I’m the most invested in. But the DI Jimmy Stewart is the star of this book—I could listen/read to a five-book series about him starting tomorrow.

I can’t think of a way to sum up the plot or even speculate about what’s going to happen next—like I normally do in these posts. I just can tell that whatever happens next that I’m going to have a blast listening to it, and I’m prepared for just about anything to happen.

WWW Wednesday, May 12, 2021

I feel like I’ve been stumbling, barely conscious through this week so far—is it just me? Let’s hope this WWW Wednesday perks me up.

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 ARC for Moonlighting: An Oral History by Scott Ryan (and all I want to do is take a vacation from life and watch my DVDs now) and am listening to A Man With One of Those Faces by Caimh McDonnell, Morgan C. Jones (Narrator) on audiobook, one of those books I inexplicably kept putting off starting.

MoonlightingBlank SpaceA Man With One of Those Faces

What did you recently finish reading?

I just finished Rob Parker’s A Wanted Man and Time and Tide by Peter Grainger, Gildart Jackson (Narrator) on audio—the theme of which left me in a funk (great book, though).

A Wanted ManBlank SpaceTime and Tide

What do you think you’ll read next?

My next book should be The Jigsaw Man by Nadine Matheson (which does not promise to be a feel-good read) and I have no idea what my next audiobook will be, DNF’ing something yesterday has thrown off my schedule.

The Jigsaw ManBlank SpaceQuestion Mark

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

Down the TBR Hole (30 of 30): Wrapping Up

Down the TBR Hole

It’s only been seven weeks since I finished Phase 1 of this project, Phase 2 was a lot briefer. But now we’re at an end to this series (I do want to check back toward the end of the year to see if I maintained my focus on this), and I thought I’d take a quick look back.

Last February, I decided to tackle the monster that is my Goodreads “Want to Read” Shelf, it doesn’t/didn’t represent every book I’m meaning to get to—but it’s a daunting grouping, what I’ve taken to calling my “aspirational” to-read list. As opposed to those that I’ve purchased in one form or another that I’ve yet to get to (I track that on my monthly retrospective posts, and that line isn’t moving in the right direction). But that’s a slightly different kettle of fish.

But thanks to this meme, I’ve done some good with the aspirational TBR. In February 2020, I had 240 books on the list and cut 129 off of it, and then between the time I posted about it on a Down the TBR post and when I got to the end of Phase 1, I was able to cross off another 8. Then I pulled a list of all of those I’d added to the Goodreads list in the meantime, adding 50. I cut 15 off of that Phase 2 list. And I’ve read some from that list during Phase 2:
bullet A Big Ship at the Edge of the Universe by Alex White from DtTH #25
bullet Sworn to Silence by Linda Castillo DtTH #26
bullet Evolving Vegan: Deliciously Diverse Recipes from North America’s Best Plant-Based Eateries—for Anyone Who Loves Food by Mena Massoud DtTH #27
bullet I Will Judge You by Your Bookshelf by Grant Snider DtTH #28 (well, I’ve started it)

And then there are two I have possession of and will have tackled within a week, which is close enough for me for these purposes.
bullet Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir DtTH #29
bullet The Jigsaw Man by Nadine Matheson DtTH #29

So that’s another 6 crossed off, 21 of the 50 Phase 2 books and a total of 158 books cut from my 290 book Goodreads “Want to List.” From 290 to 132, ain’t shabby at all. It’s 45% of the original size. If I was 45% of the size I am now…well, that wouldn’t be healthy. But it’d be closer to it than I am now. That example got away from me, didn’t it?

All in all, I’m calling this project a success. Let’s see if I can maintain the loss, or like most dieters, if I put it all back on in three-six months.


Yeah, it’s moot at this point, but I might as well keep the meme boilerplate info:
This meme was created by Lia @ Lost in a Story—but Jenna at Bookmark Your Thoughts is the one that exposed me to this, and as my Goodreads “Want To Read” shelf is (still) scarily long, I had to do this.

The Rules are simple:

  1. Go to your Goodreads to-read shelf
  2. Order on ascending date added.
  3. Take the first 5 (or 10 if you’re feeling adventurous) books.
  4. Read the synopses of the books.
  5. Decide: keep it or should it go?
  6. Keep track of where you left off so you can pick up there next week! (or whenever)

What distinguishes this series from the Mt. TBR section of my Month-end Retrospectives? Those are books I actually own while Goodreads contains my aspirational TBR (many of which will be Library reads). The Naming of the two is a bit confusing, but…what’re you going to do?


(Image by moritz320 from Pixabay)

Top Ten (and a bonus) Books from My Childhood

It’s been a few years since the last time I posted this, so hey, here we go, in lieu of me posting something I’m dissatisfied with (and don’t have the energy to fix), how about a re-run of something I did enjoy?


I was bemoaning how long my current read was the other day and how it was going to leave me without a post for today, and my ever-so-clever daughter suggested, “Why don’t you list the Top 10 Books from your childhood?” That sounded pretty fun, so I figured that I might as well. It turned out to have been better than I thought, so kudos to her.

Ranking them really would be impossible, but then 11 came to mind really without any effort, and I couldn’t axe one of them, so there’s a bonus entry to the list. All of these I read more than I can count — if they’re part of a series, these were the ones that I came back to most often. The links are to Goodreads pages because I can’t find good official pages for all the books/authors (a true sign of my age, I guess).

Enough of that, on with the trip down Amnesia Lane:

The Castle of LlyrThe Castle of Llyr

by Lloyd Alexander

The Chronicles of Prydain taught me most of what I needed to know about Fantasy (augmenting The Chronicles of Narnia‘s lessons). Fflewddur Fflam here is at his best, I think it’s here that I fell in love with Eilonwy, Taran’s more of a real hero than before, and you get plenty of Gurgi (who I just have to mention because thinking of him makes me smile). There’s peril, the characters grow more than they have before, a hint of romance . . . it’s not the most important book in the series, but I think it’s pivotal.

Danny Dunn and the Anti-Gravity PaintDanny Dunn and the Anti-Gravity Paint

by Raymond Abrashkin and Jay Williams

I didn’t know until today that this was the first in the series, I always figured it was mid-series. It’s the only one of the series that I owned — thankfully, the library had a few more — so it’s the one I read most. It was also my favorite — I just loved the stuff at the edge of our solar system and Prof. Bullfinch and Doctor Grimes making musical instruments from their hair — stupid as all get out, but it worked for me.

The Mystery of the Dead Man's RiddleThe Mystery of the Dead Man’s Riddle

by William Arden

While Encyclopedia Brown (see below) got me reading mysteries, it was The Three Investigators — Jupiter Jones, Bob Andrews and Pete Crenshaw (btw, the only thing there I had to look up was Pete’s last name — not bad for a series I haven’t touched since the late 80’s) got me hooked on reading detective series. The Dead Man’s Riddle was one of my favorites — and I think the first or second I read — something about the Cockney slang kept bringing me back to it. I read what I do today because of this series, really.

SuperfudgeSuperfudge

by Judy Blume

I remember Tales of a Fourth-Grade Nothing being funnier, but this was a better story — the Fletchers leaving NYC, Peter maturing, Fudge being a real pain, not just a cute nuisance. Blume taught me a lot about how to read non-genre stuff, probably paving the way for Hornby, Tropper, Weiner, etc.

The Last of the Really Great WhangdoodlesThe Last of the Really Great Whangdoodles

by Julie Edwards

What a great world, what a great magic system . . . I’m not sure I can express what this book meant to me as a kid, and the copious warm-fuzzies the memory brings up. I remember that it was in the pages of this book about a magic kingdom that I first learned about DNA and RNA (and what those letters meant) — thanks, elementary school science classes. The creatures’ names in this are great (and, as an adult, I can “hear” Andrews saying them in my mind for an added layer of fun). There’s a great deal of whimsy here, a sense of play that permeates this — even when it gets silly. The kingdom’s motto, “peace, love and a sense of fun” really sums up the spirit of the book.

Me and My Little BrainMe and My Little Brain

by John D. Fitzgerald, Mercer Mayer (illus.)

Sure, the series was supposedly about Tom, but J. D.’s the real hero of the books. He has a conscience, a better moral compass than his brother — and is probably just as smart. This is the book that lets him shine as he ought to have all along. All the books had their strong points, and were fun, but this ruled them all.

The Phantom TollboothThe Phantom Tollbooth

by Norton Juster, Jules Feiffer (illus.)

Such wordplay! What a great, twisted way to teach how important words and ideas are. Seriously, just a wonderful book. The humor is so off-kilter, any appreciation I have for puns came from this book (and it set the standard that a pun must achieve for me not to groan). If you haven’t seen the documentary about it, The Phantom Tollbooth: Beyond Expectations, get on it. (I contributed to the Kickstarter for it, I should add).

The Voyage of the Dawn TreaderThe Voyage of the Dawn Treader

by C. S. Lewis

I remember the bookstore where I bought this, the date and month that I bought it, and reading a good chunk of it before I got home. I read this one more than the rest of the series (Prince Caspian a close second). I just love this one — you get Reep at his bravest and funniest, some really odd creatures, an epic story, and Eustace’s redemption (back when I did crazy things like this, I almost got a tattoo of Eustace as Dragon). Who could ask for more?

Alan Mendelsohn the Boy from MarsAlan Mendelsohn, the Boy from Mars

by Daniel M. Pinkwater

Pinkwater has funnier and stranger books (both before and after this one), but there was heart, there was depth — there was length! — to this story about a kid who didn’t really fit in until he made a friend who didn’t want to fit in. This is another one where I can peg the place and time I bought it. Science Fiction-y in a real world (didn’t know you could do that!), comic book geeks as heroes, and real non-sanitized-for-kids emotions. There’s no way this wouldn’t be a favorite. More than the rest on this list, I’m thinking of finding my old copy and taking it out for another spin (because I just read the next one a couple of years ago).

The Westing GameThe Westing Game

by Ellen Raskin

If I had to pick one off this list (and I don’t), this would probably be my favorite. I re-read it two years ago, and it was one of my favorite experiences that year with a book. The characters are great, the story was so clever, the writing so crisp. There’s nothing wrong with this book at all.

I saw a hardcover reprinting of this on Monday, and had to fight to resist buying a new copy. Kind of regretting that now. [Note: I went back a couple of days later and bought the hardcopy. It looks very nice on my shelf]

Encyclopedia Brown Boy DetectiveEncyclopedia Brown, Boy Detective

by Donald J. Sobol

Summer after second grade, we were on a forever-long road trip and I was bored, so I demanded my parents buy me something to read. I must’ve been a real snot about it, because at the next town, they did. I got two books, this one and Sugar Creek Gang Screams in the Night (not the best in the series, but it was good enough to read several times). It blew me away — I loved the puzzles, the characters, the idea. I wanted to be a P. I. This was my first mystery book, and it clearly set the stage for most of what I’ve read since (about a third of what I read).
Were you a fan of any of these as a kid? What were some of your faves? Have you read them lately?

Saturday Miscellany—5/8/2021

It felt very strange last night not to write or think about Tom Jones…

I guess I don’t have much else to say. I hope you all had a good week and that the weather where you are (at least in the Northern Hemisphere) is becoming as nice as ours is.

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 This survey shows that people prefer printed books – even in the digital age—I don’t think many would be surprised by this, but it’s interesting to see these international stats from the World Economic Forum, which I just casually read all the time… (how did I find this link??)
bullet You Don’t Need To Feel Guilty About Books You Haven’t Read Yet—I’m not sure it helped me get over my guilt, but it helped. And it was fun to read. Steinmetz feels like someone I’d have a lot in common with.
bullet Why do moms get sidelined in SFF?—from Before We Go Blog
bullet My Go-to Authors!—a list that should prompt a lot thought, and compilation (not necessarily posting) of similar lists upon reading.
bullet How to Run a Book Blog… Seriously (Not Serious)—some good advice here, folks. I think I could provide examples of each of these from the last few years.

A Book-ish Related Podcast Episode (or two) you might want to give a listen to:
bullet Fiction Fans: Which Discworld Book Should You Read First?—This is something I probably should’ve listened to a few years ago before I attempted to read the series (although the gentleman who gave the final push did suggest I start with #1). This could be valuable to others.

This Week's New Releases That I’m Excited About and/or You’ll Probably See Here Soon:
bullet Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir—Weir’s latest looks more like The Martian than Artemis, which should help sales, even if it seems like a cheat for him to try (looking at you, Ernest Cline). I’ll get to it as soon as my wife is done.
bullet Robert B. Parker’s Payback by Mike Lupica—Lupica’s got a firm hand on the Sunny Randall series now which results in a solid read, as I discussed recently.

Lastly I’d like to say hi and extend a warm welcome to Zeeshan Amin and Cole Rush who followed the blog this week. Thanks for the follow! Don’t be a stranger.

The Friday 56 for 5/7/21: A Wanted Man by Rob Parker

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 56% of:
A Wanted Man

A Wanted Man by Rob Parker

We go through all the names quickly, and Jack identifies each one as one of his father’s friends or family members. He can’t identify a couple of them, but the picture is already clear. The first phone is for personal use only – a useful tool for organising the dualities of the life he had chosen.

That poses the inevitable question of the twenty-six names on phone two. Call signs or numeric pseudonyms for twenty-six people who clearly got the special treatment. How best to find out who they are, though? And of course, what was that third phone used for, if not for business or personal? That makes me question if there’s a fourth, that perhaps he had one with him when he was taken. I could ask Jack, but all three phones are identical. ‘IPhone 4S’ in black, ‘32GB’ it says on the back of each. There’s no telling them apart. Even the home screen wallpapers are the same.

Coming Attractions: NetGalley and Sequels


Ahhh, NetGalley–the cause of, and solution to, all of life’s problems, as Homer Simpson would say if he were a book blogger.

I seem to have collected a few more NetGalley books than I intended to (still a smaller shelf than some people, I realize), all of which I need to take care of in the next month or two so I can beat the publication dates. All but one of them are sequels in series that I’ve really enjoyed, and the rest is from one of my all-time favorite TV shows, so this promises to be fun.

Because I didn’t have time or energy to come up with an actual post today. I thought I’d take a quick look at what I need to do to get my feedback ratio back up to 100%–this 96% is just bugging me.* Any of these spark your interest?

Moonlighting

Moonlighting: An Oral History by Scot Ryan

Once upon a time ABC-TV’s Moonlighting was among the most buzzed-about shows in the country, thanks largely to the bravado of creator Glenn Gordon Caron, who never met a television convention he didn’t want to break, and the sizzling on-screen chemistry between glamorous erstwhile film star Cybill Shepherd and a New Jersey bartender nobody had ever heard of before named Bruce Willis, who bickered and flirted ceaselessly on-screen and engaged in epic off-screen battles that all these years later remain the stuff of Hollywood legend.

This combustible blend of creative brilliance produced some of the most acclaimed, audacious, and innovative programming of the eighties, including a black and white tribute to film noir, with an introduction by Orson Welles; a parody of Shakespeare’s The Taming of the Shrew, written in iambic pentameter; an homage to The Honeymooners; and countless metafictive episodes breaking through the fourth wall — almost unheard of at the time for hourlong comedy-dramas.

Without a doubt, Moonlighting helped pave the way for the era of prestige television we are now all enjoying. The real story of this pioneering television series and the extraordinary behind-the-scenes challenges, battles, and rewards has never been told — until now,

Author Scott Ryan (The Last Days of Letterman, thirtysomething at thirty: an oral history, The Blue Rose, Scott Luck Stories) conducted over twenty interviews with the actors, writers, directors, and producers who made Moonlighting such a dynamic, unforgettable show, delving deep into their thoughts and feelings as they relive this magical moment in pop culture history in this full-color oral history.

New Interviews with: Cybill Shepherd (Maddie Hayes), Allyce Beasley (Ms. Dipesto), Curtis Armstrong (Herbert Viola), Glenn Gordon Caron Creator, Executive Producer, Writer Jay Daniel Executive Producer, Director Roger Director Writer, Producer, Season 4 Showrunner Allan Arkush Director Bob Butler and more.

Publication Date: June 1

Million Dollar Demon

Million Dollar Demon by Kim Harrison

To save the city, Rachel Morgan will need to show some teeth in the next Hollows novel from #1 New York Times bestselling author Kim Harrison.

The new master vampire of Cincinnati has arrived . . . and she wants Rachel Morgan out. No matter where Rachel goes, Constance is there–threatening Rachel’s allies, causing city-wide chaos, and, to add insult to injury, even forcing Rachel out of her current quarters. Ever since Rachel found a way to save the souls of vampires, the old undead’s longtime ascendancy has been broken. Now Constance sees eliminating Rachel as the key to consolidating her own power.

Rachel has no desire to be enthralled or killed–and she’s terrified of what may become of the city if Constance forces a return to the ancient ways. But even a witch-born demon can’t stand against the old undead–at least, not alone. And if Rachel refuses to claim the role of Cincinnati’s master demon, the city will tear itself apart, taking her and all those who stand beside her with it.

Publication Date: June 15

The Keepers

The Keepers by Jeffrey B. Burton

Jeffrey B. Burton’s The Keepers is the next installment of the Mace Reid K9 series, featuring golden retriever cadaver dog Vira and her handler, Mason Reid.

Mason “Mace” Reid lives on the outskirts of Chicago and specializes in human remains detection—that is, he trains dogs to hunt for dead bodies. He calls his pack of cadaver dogs The Finders, and his prize pupil is a golden retriever named Vira. When Mace Reid and Vira are called in to search Washington Park at three o’clock in the morning, what they find has them running for their very lives. The trail of murder and mayhem Mace and CPD Officer Kippy Gimm have been following leads them to uncover treachery and corruption at the highest level, and their discoveries do not bode well for them . . . nor for the Windy City itself. The Keepers is an exciting, fast-paced mystery filled with courageous dogs you’ll want to root for.

Publication Date: June 29

Dog Eat Dogborder=

Dog Eat Dog by David Rosenfelt

Lawyer Andy Carpenter and his golden retriever, Tara, work to free a man who risked it all to help a dog in need.

Lawyer Andy Carpenter and his wife, Laurie, enjoy walking their dogs, Tara and Sebastian. By this point in their marriage, it’s routine. When out for one of their strolls, their simple ritual isn’t so simple anymore. Across the street, a man is mistreating his dog. Three things happen at once: Andy yells, Laurie runs to stop the abuse, and so does a closer passerby, who so thoroughly beats the owner that both are arrested when the cops arrive.

Andy scoops up the dog and takes him to the Tara Foundation, the dog rescue organization that’s always been his true passion. Meanwhile, at the police station, the passerby is identified as Matthew Jantzen, and he’s wanted for murder. Andy and Laurie are struck by the fact that Jantzen, a man on the run, would nevertheless intervene to help a dog, and decide to find out more.

Dog Eat Dog, the twenty-second installment in the Andy Carpenter series, features the charming cast of characters – old and new – that David Rosenfelt is known for and the dogs that accompany them.
Publication Date: July 6

A Good Day for Chardonnay

A Good Day for Chardonnay by Darynda Jones

From the New York Times bestselling author Darynda Jones comes the second novel in her laugh-out-loud Sunshine Vicram mystery series, A Good Day for Chardonnay.

Running a small-town police force in the mountains of New Mexico should be a smooth, carefree kind of job. Sadly, full-time Sheriff—and even fuller-time coffee guzzler—Sunshine Vicram, didn’t get that memo.

All Sunshine really wants is one easy-going day. You know, the kind that starts with coffee and a donut (or three) and ends with take-out pizza and a glass of chardonnay (or seven). Turns out, that’s about as easy as switching to decaf. (What kind of people do that? And who hurt them?)

Before she can say iced mocha latte, 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. All evidence points to a local distiller, a dangerous bad boy named Levi Ravinder, but Sun knows he’s not the villain of her story. Still, perhaps beneath it all, he possesses the keys to her disappearance. At the very least, beneath it all, he possesses a serious set of abs. She’s seen it. Once. Accidentally.

Between policing a town her hunky chief deputy calls four cents short of a nickel, that pesky crush she has on Levi which seems to grow exponentially every day, and an irascible raccoon that just doesn’t know when to quit, Sunny’s life is about to rocket to a whole new level of crazy.

Yep, definitely a good day for chardonnay.

Publication Date: July 27

Paper & Blood

Paper & Blood by Kevin Hearne

From the New York Times bestselling author of The Iron Druid Chronicles comes book two of an “action-packed, enchantingly fun” (Booklist) spin-off series, as an eccentric master of rare magic solves a supernatural mystery Down Under!

There’s only one Al MacBharrais: Though other Scotsmen may have dramatic mustaches and a taste for fancy cocktails, Al also has a unique talent. He’s a master of ink and sigil magic. In his gifted hands, paper and pen can work wondrous spells.

But Al isn’t quite alone: He is part of a global network of sigil agents who use their powers to protect the world from mischievous gods and strange monsters. So when a fellow agent disappears under sinister circumstances in Australia, Al leaves behind the cozy pubs and cafes of Glasgow and travels to the Dandenong Ranges in Victoria to solve the mystery.

The trail to his colleague begins to pile up with bodies at alarming speed, so Al is grateful his friends have come to help—especially Nadia, his accountant who moonlights as a pit fighter. Together with a whisky-loving hobgoblin known as Buck Foi and the ancient Druid Atticus O’Sullivan, along with his dogs, Oberon and Starbuck, Al and Nadia will face down the wildest wonders Australia—and the supernatural world—can throw at them, and confront a legendary monster not seen in centuries.

Publication Date: August 10

WWW Wednesday, May 5, 2021

It’s the first Wednesday of May, ergo the first WWW Wednesday of May.

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 espionage thriller Red Widow by Alma Katsu and am listening to the third Jane Yellowrock novel, Mercy Blade by Faith Hunter, Khristine Hvam (Narrator) on audiobook.

Red WidowBlank SpaceMercy Blade

What did you recently finish reading?

I just finished Jonathan Nevair’s Goodbye to the Sun and The Miracle Pill by Peter Walker (who also did the narration) on audio.

Goodbye to the SunBlank SpaceThe Miracle Pill

What do you think you’ll read next?

My next book should be A Wanted Man by Rob Parker and my next audiobook will probably be The Writer’s Library: The Authors You Love on the Books That Changed Their Lives by Nancy Pearl & Jeff Schwager, narrated by the authors and sixteen other people.

A Wanted ManBlank SpaceThe Writer's Library

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

Down the TBR Hole (29 of 30)

Down the TBR Hole

For the second week in a row, I’ve demonstrated that trying to cut things that are the most recent additions to the “Want to Read” List isn’t likely to be very successful. But, once again, it prompted me to make room on my schedule to squeeze some of these in.

This meme was created by Lia @ Lost in a Story—but Jenna at Bookmark Your Thoughts is the one that exposed me to this, and as my Goodreads “Want To Read” shelf is scarily long, I had to do this.

The Rules are simple:

  1. Go to your Goodreads to-read shelf
  2. Order on ascending date added.
  3. Take the first 5 (or 10 if you’re feeling adventurous) books.
  4. Read the synopses of the books.
  5. Decide: keep it or should it go?
  6. Keep track of where you left off so you can pick up there next week! (or whenever)

What distinguishes this series from the Mt. TBR section of my Month-end Retrospectives? Those are books I actually own while Goodreads contains my aspirational TBR (many of which will be Library reads). The Naming of the two is a bit confusing, but…what’re you going to do?

(Click on the cover for an official site or something with more info about the book)

Life Signs Life Signs by James Lovegrove
Blurb: “Some months after Inara leaves Serenity, Mal and the crew learn the reason for her sudden departure: she is dying of a terminal illness. It is Kiehl’s Myeloma, a rare form of blood cancer that’s supposedly incurable. Through their shock and despair, they learn that there are rumors of a scientist believed to have developed a cure for her condition, but he has been disgraced: incarcerated for life on notorious Alliance prison planet Atata. Here, terraforming did not take properly, so the world is a frozen wasteland. Inmates are abandoned there with no guards and left to survive as best they can. To save Inara, the Serenity crew must infiltrate the prison…”
Verdict:
Thumbs Up
Project Hail Mary Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir
Blurb: “Ryland Grace is the sole survivor on a desperate, last-chance mission–and if he fails, humanity and the earth itself will perish.Except that right now, he doesn’t know that. He can’t even remember his own name, let alone the nature of his assignment or how to complete it.All he knows is that he’s been asleep for a very, very long time. And he’s just been awakened to find himself millions of miles from home, with nothing but two corpses for company.”
My Thoughts: I’m a little worried that this will be too reminiscent of The Martian. But then again, there are worse things to being too reminiscent of. Really doesn’t matter, Weir is an autobuy. I’d be 100+ pages into it already, but my wife had first dibs.
Verdict:
Thumbs Up
The Particulars of Peter The Particulars of Peter: Dance Lessons, DNA Tests, and Other Excuses to Hang Out with My Perfect Dog by Kelly Conaboy
Blurb: “a funny exploration of the joy found in loving a dog so much it makes you feel like you’re going to combust, and the author’s potentially codependent relationship with her own sweet dog, Peter.”
My Thoughts: I read this last month, so I get to count this as a cut.
Verdict:
Thumbs Down
Yearbook Yearbook by Seth Rogen
Blurb: Rogen says, “a collection of true stories that I desperately hope are just funny at worst, and life-changingly amazing at best…I talk about my grandparents, doing stand-up comedy as a teenager, bar mitzvahs, and Jewish summer camp, and tell way more stories about doing drugs than my mother would like. I also talk about some of my adventures in Los Angeles, and surely say things about other famous people that will create a wildly awkward conversation for me at a party one day.”
My Thoughts: I’m not Rogen’s greatest fan, but he can be counted on for a few good laughs, I figure. Probably worth the time.
Verdict:
Thumbs Up
Here Be Dragons Here Be Dragons by David P. Macpherson
Blurb: “When Orus graduated from the Cromalot School for Heroes he was ready for a life of glory and adventure. But after being seduced by his first damsel in distress, he quickly learns the heroing life doesn’t bring in the steady income required to raise a family. Twenty years later, with his son all grown up and his waistband all grown out, a favour for a friend gives Orus one last shot at the life he always wanted. But any old hero can slay a dragon, this old hero has to save one.”
My Thoughts: Looks like it could be fun, I like the twists on the old stand-bys.
Verdict:
Thumbs Up
Loners Loners by DB Bray & Wahida Clark
Blurb: “Jari Rockjaw just wants a quiet life and a homestead to call his own. He has been a bounty hunter in Labrys for over one hundred years. And it’s getting old. Battle after battle, allies lost and gained, he now wants to smoke his pipe in the solitude far from the human cities he despises. An option to do so comes his way when the king of Ekepia asks for a favor…The only question, Jari must ask himself is . . . Is retirement really worth dying for?”
My Thoughts: Dwarven bounty hunters out for one last job? Sounds good. Witty and Sarcastic Book Club had some nice things to say about it, too.
Verdict:
Thumbs Up
The Fine Art of Invisible Detection The Fine Art of Invisible Detection by Robert Goddard
Blurb: Wada’s a recent widow and secretary to a Private Investigator. Her boss is killed while on a case, driving her to pick up the reins and leave Japan for the first time in her life. “Following the only lead she has, Wada quickly realises that being a detective isn’t as easy as the television makes out. And that there’s a reason why secrets stay buried for a long time. Because people want them to stay secret. And they’re prepared to do very bad things to keep them that way…”
My Thoughts: I like the concept. But…I can’t put my finger on it. Just not sure that I’ll end up digging this.
Verdict:
Thumbs Down
Good Eggs Good Eggs by Rebecca Hardiman
Blurb: “A hilarious and heartfelt debut novel following three generations of a boisterous family whose simmering tensions boil over when a home aide enters the picture, becoming the calamitous force that will either undo or remake this family…”
My Thoughts: I need to read more things like this–nice, life affirming, fun reads with no one trying to kill or maim anyone.
Verdict:
Thumbs Up
Space Taxis Space Taxis by Adam Frosh
Blurb:In 1977 misfit New York Cab driver Mike Redolfo is having a bad day, first getting fired from his job and then being abducted by aliens… Redolfo tries to keep a low profile on his new world whilst earning his fare home, but unwittingly gets involved with a shady gang of organized alien criminals, inadvertently bringing the planet to the brink of catastrophe.”
Verdict:
Thumbs Up
The Jigsaw Man The Jigsaw Man by Nadine Matheson
Blurb: DI Anjelica Henley is investigating a grizzly murder, “the modus operandi bears a striking resemblance to Peter Olivier, the notorious Jigsaw Killer, who has spent the past two years behind bars. When he learns that someone is co-opting his grisly signature—the arrangement of victims’ limbs in puzzle-piece shapes—he decides to take matters into his own hands… Henley is faced with an unspeakable new threat. Can she apprehend the copycat killer before Olivier finds a way to get to him first? Or will she herself become the next victim?”
My Thoughts: I heard Matheson talk about this on The Blood Brothers Podcast, she sold me on the book rightaway.
Verdict:
Thumbs Up

Books Removed in this Post: 2 / 10
Total Books Removed: 152 / 290

Anyone out there read any of these books? Did I make the right call with any of them?


(Image by moritz320 from Pixabay)

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

April 2021 is in the books (no pun intended): 24 books read, 8046 pages finished (1273 of those belonged to project reads that have taken months to get through, so there’s a grain of salt or two involved in that number) with 3.9 Stars on average. I wrote almost as much as I wanted to, especially these last couple of weeks. All in all, I’m calling April a win.

So, here’s what happened here in April.
Books Read

The Particulars of Peter No Country for Old Gnomes The Great Sex Rescue: The Lies You've Been Taught and How to Recover What God Intended
3 Stars 4 1/2 Stars 3 Stars
Progigal Storm Cross Her HEart Slow Horses
3 Stars 3.5 Stars 3 Stars
The Art of Violence Next to Last Stand The Lore of Prometheus
4 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars
Because You're Mine Blood and Treasure Strange Planet
3.5 Stars 3.5 Stars 4 Stars
Heroes Mortals and Monsters, Quests and Adventures Payback Tom Jones Original Cover
3 Stars 3.5 Stars 5 Stars
Grace and Glory (BoT Edition) The Word Became Fresh Skinwalker
5 Stars 3 Stars 4 Stars
A Big Ship at the Edge of the Universe Sworn to Silence Surviving Religion 101
3 Stars 3 Stars 4 Stars
A Killing Frost Dead Secret Blood Cross
4 1/2 Stars Still deciding 4 Stars

Still Reading

The Wonderful Works of God Things Unseen Goodbye to the Sun
Taken

Ratings

5 Stars 2 2 1/2 Stars 0
4 1/2 Stars 3 2 Stars 0
4 Stars 5 1 1/2 Stars 0
3.5 Stars 5 1 Star 0
3 Stars 9
Average = 3.9

TBR Pile
Mt TBR April 21
Despite what progress I make on reading these this year, I seem to offset that with my purchases.

Breakdowns
“Traditionally” Published: 20
Self-/Independent Published: 4

Genre This Month Year to Date
Children’s 0 (0%) 1 (1%)
Fantasy 1 (4%) 9 (10%)
General Fiction/ Literature 1 (4%) 2 (2%)
Horror 0 (0%) 0 (0%)
Humor 1 (4%) 2 (2%)
Mystery/ Suspense/ Thriller 8 (33%) 33 (37%)
Non-Fiction 2 (8%) 5 (6%)
Science Fiction 2 (8%) 12 (13%)
Steampunk 0 (0%) 0 (0%)
Theology/ Christian Living 4 (17%) 10 (11%)
Urban Fantasy 4 (17%) 15 (17%)
Western 0 (0%) 0 (0%)

Review-ish Things Posted

Other Things I Wroteotherwriting
Other than the Saturday Miscellanies (3rd, 10th, 17th, and 24th), I also wrote:

How was your month?

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