Music Monday's originated at The Tattooed Book Geek's fantastic blog and has shown up hither, thither, and yon since then.
Category: News/Misc. Page 39 of 232
So I can be afk for a couple of days, I’m putting this together a couple of days early, so if you’re wondering why I skipped over the tremendous/scandalous/tremdendously scandalous/scandaldoulys tremendos bookish news that came out over the previous 48 hours…well, I’ll cover it next week (assuming we all remember).
But for now, let’s move on to:
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:
Call to acknowledge all writers behind celebrity books—The UK’s trade union for writers, illustrators and translators calls “for celebrities, publishers and agents to acknowledge the writers behind celebrity books, particularly for children.”
Brandon Sanderson’s Materialist Fantasies—I don’t know enough about Sanderson to really appreciate this, but contrasting his approach to the genre/magic to Lewis and Tolkein was pretty interesting (I’d like to hear what others say about this)
Small Press SFF Might Sometimes Be Harder to Find — But It’s More Than Worth the Effort—Molly Templeton makes the case for putting in the effort to get Small Press SFF
Do You Enjoy When Your Library Receipt Says How Much Money You Saved?—I did enjoy when my library gave me this number, sadly they haven’t for a year or so (but I’d love to see it again)
It’s the Time of Year for Gift Guides/Best of Lists like these:
These gifts are the way to a book lover’s heart – part 2—Never Judge a Book by its Cover has a great list
The CrimeReads 2024 Holiday Gift Guide
The 167 Best Book Covers of 2024—This list from LitHub is always one of my favorites
Reviewers’ Choice: The Best Books of 2024—from Reactor Magazine
The best books of 2024 – recommended by Ian Rankin, Mick Herron, Mary Beard and others—The UK’s best writers name their best of the year. There some great choices here, and some that look great, too.
Top Five Books of 2024—from the Staff at LibraryThing
The Best Crime Novels of 2024—according to CrimeReads
Chasing Destino’s Favorite Books in 2024
P.L.’s Top Indie & Trad Pub Books for 2024—over at Before We Go Blog
To help talk about backlist titles (and just for fun), What Was I Talking About 10 Years Ago Week?
(It was a really quiet week a decade ago, so I only have one thing share)
Hostile Witness by William Lashner
This Week’s New Releases that I’m Excited About and/or You’ll Probably See Here Soon:
Ghosts Stations by M.D. Presley—This is a strong second novel in the Inner Circle series (at least the beginning of it is). Corbin finds himself in New York on the hunt for a drug designed for magicians.
It’s Wednesday. Might as well do this, eh?
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?
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| Ghost Stations by M.D. Presley |
Grave Peril by Jim Butcher, read by James Marsters |
I really dug Rites of Passage, so it took me maybe 30 seconds to decide I wanted to jump when Presley offered me this follow up, his website says, “Think if Buffy and her Scooby gang went up against the Barksdale Corp from The Wire.” And even if I hadn’t been waiting for the second book in the series, that comparison alone would’ve got me.
Grave Peril is one of those Butcher books I feel bad about forgetting the details of–I keep coming across scenes, characters, events and think they belong to another book. And one of my all-time favorite Butcher lines is in this (and I’d have guessed it was from a later book). But none of that matters, because right now, I’m having a blast–even though I know what the last chapters contain and all the fallout that will ensue from them. (seriously, I’m already flashing forward to Changes)
What did you recently finish reading?
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| The Killer’s Christmas List by Chris Frost |
What You Are Looking for Is in the Library by Michiko Aoyama, read by Hanako Footman, Susan Momoko Hingley, Kenichiro Thomson, Winson Ting, and Shiro Kawai |
Chris Frost’s debut under that penname was a rollicking read. I hope a sequel is forthcoming. if not, I’ll be ready for whatever Frost/McDonald has in store. More to come on this.
What You Are Looking for Is in the Library was utterly okay. There were some pleasant characters, some sweet moments, and the book as a whole is a nice tribute to the power of books and how the right one can trigger a needed change in someone’s life.
What do you think you’ll read next?
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| Adrift in Currents Clean and Clear by Seanan McGuire |
Whispers Under Ground by Ben Aaronovitch, read by Kobna Holdbrook-Smith |
Seanan McGuire. Wayward Children.Not sure there’s much else to say.
I have a similar problem with the third Rivers of London novel as I do with the third Dresden Files novel. I can remember a couple of scenes, a couple of characters that are introduced…and not much else. Am looking forward to the reminders.
Do you have something special grabbing your attention?
I don’t know if any of ya’ll have heard of this COVID-19 thing, but I’m on day 2 or 3 of it, and I have to say that I’m not a fan. 0/5 Stars, for sure. Anyway, coming up with a post that requires thought seemed like a lot to ask of myself. But hey, I haven’t found time to do my November write-up yet. Might as well tackle it now, right?
Well, these numbers aren’t promising: I finished 19 titles (5 down from last month, 5 down from last ZZZ), with an equivalent of 6,012 pages or the equivalent (593 down from last month), and gave them an average of 3.53 stars (.17 down from last month). And while I’m not crazy about my number of posts–it’s actually an improvement over last November.
So, here’s what happened here in November.
Books/Novels/Novellas Read/Listened to
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Still Reading
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Ratings
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3 |  |
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6 |  |
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6 | ||
| Average = | 3.53 |
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TBR Stacks/Piles/Heaps
| Audio | E-book | Physical | Goodreads Want-to-Read |
NetGalley Shelf/ARCs/Review Copies |
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|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| End of 2023 |
6 | 47 | 68 | 153 | 5 |
| 1st of the Month |
5 | 62 | 78 | 167 | 9 |
| Added | 3 | 6 | 7 | 0 | 4 |
| Read/ Listened |
3 | 2 | 4 | 0 | 2 |
| Current Total | 5 | 66 | 81 | 167 | 11 |
Breakdowns:
“Traditionally” Published: 14
Self-/Independent Published: 5
| Genre | This Month | Year to Date |
|---|---|---|
| Children’s | 1 (5%) | 8 (3%) |
| Fantasy | 3 (16%) | 35 (15%) |
| General Fiction/ Literature | 3 (16%) | 24 (10%) |
| Mystery/ Suspense/ Thriller | 5 (26%) | 72 (30%) |
| Non-Fiction | 2 (11%) | 22 (9%) |
| Science Fiction | 2 (11%) | 20 (8%) |
| Theology/ Christian Living | 1 (5%) | 25 (10%) |
| Urban Fantasy | 1 (5%) | 26 (11%) |
| “Other” (Horror/ Humor/ Steampunk/ Western) | 1 (5%) | 6 (3%) |
Review-ish Things Posted
- On the Christian Life: A New Translation by John Calvin, Raymond A. Blacketer (Translator): A Shiny New Translation of Gold Standard
- The Ballad of Bonaduke—Episode 58: Into the Night by R. T. Slaywood: Two Steps Back? Or is it a Step Forward?
- Saint Cyril of Alexandria and the Christological Controversy by John McGuckin: More Than You Thought You Wanted to Know about the Nestorian Controversy
- The World According to Cunk by Philomena Cunk: The Story of the World (abbreviated and only accidentally accurate)
- The Ballad of Bonaduke—Episode 59: Guilt by R. T. Slaywood: Meal, Interrupted
- Grandpappy’s Corner: The Box by Jo Linsdell: Imagination + Cardboard
- PUB DAY POST: King Arthur & The Ladies of The Lake by Vincent Pompetti: The Once and Future Graphic Novel For Our Time
- The Ballad of Bonaduke—Episode 60: Keys by R. T. Slaywood: An Awfully Convenient Meeting
- Nobody’s Hero by MW Craven: More Shockingly Violent Events in Koenig’s Increasingly Violent Life
- Bullet Points about Spook Street by Mick Herron: All the Exciting Stuff Happens Around River
- Tooth and Claw by Craig Johnson: Even in The Arctic, Nature’s Red
Other Things I Wrote
Other than the Saturday Miscellanies (2nd, 9th, 16th, 23rd), and 30th), I also wrote:
- MUSIC MONDAY: “Gitchee Gitchee Goo” by Phineas and Ferb
- Archie Goodwin on Voting
- Top 5 Tuesday – Top 5 books on my TBR that intimidate me
- Douglas Adams on Presidents
- Game Night Book Tag
- Cover Reveal: An Icelandic Adventure by S. Bavey
- Game Night Book Tag 2
- Opening Lines: Empowered Witness by Alan D. Strange
- Book Blogger Hop: Annotate or Untouched?
- Craig Johnson, The Osher Institute, and Tooth and Claw
- Top 5 Tuesday – Top 5 books I meant to read in 2024 (and actually checked out of the library…multiple times…but didn’t)
- Reposting in Lieu of Revising: Thanksgiving Book Tag
- Thanksgiving 2024
- WWW Wednesday for November 6, November 13, November 20, and November 27th, 2023.
Enough about me—how Was Your November?
Music Monday's originated at The Tattooed Book Geek's fantastic blog and has shown up hither, thither, and yon since then.
This week’s offering seems a bit more hodge-podgey than the last few, which I appreciate. It also feels a little LitHub heavy, but, eh. I’m not sure I care.
Also, I’m not going to bother talking about the Goodreads Reader’s Choice results…I can’t bother finding the energy (if I stumble on something interesting by someone next week, I’ll post it, but I’m not going looking). If anyone has a hot (or room-temperature) take on them, sound off in the comments.
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:
A Refuge for the Soul: How to Build a Library, According to Montaigne—maybe not achievable/practical, but some great ideas
How Gen Z Came to See Books as a Waste of Time
Does Teaching Literature and Writing Have a Future?—”The prospects are a little grim, but they aren’t nonexistent.”
Olympus Agonistes: When, if ever, did people stop believing in the Greek gods?
I Don’t Want to Read Anymore: Am I the Literary A**hole? —I rarely post links to these, but I enjoy every one of these columns I read. I thought the 2nd and 3rd letters were worth sharing.
“The very worst of human nature is often hidden in plain sight”—Rob Parker talks about his upcoming release (that I’m hoping to find a US release date for)
Speaking of upcoming releases…So I wrote another book… —Noelle Holten has some good news (even for us Yankees)
Wayward Children Vol. 1 – Illustrated Deluxe Omnibus—Kickstarter launched this week. It’s too rich for my blood, but it looks gorgeous for those who have the means.
Quiz: Can You Identify These Detectives’ Thoughts on Christmas?—I was 1 for 5 on this (and didn’t get the 1 I should’ve)
W Series I – Jordan Loyal Short – Dragon Reich—1. This looks like a cool book. 2. I wished I’d come up with this series idea.
Are You an Author Completionist?—I’m almost one. But I do get a little picky when it comes to some genres.
Books Inspired by Narnia! Portal Fantasies, Allegories and Coming of Age Stories!—who doesn’t like a Narnia-ish read?
It’s the Time of Year for Gift Guides/Best of Lists like these:
The Atlantic 10—The books that made us think the most this year
AudioFile’s Best Audiobooks of 2024
Lit Hub’s 38 Favorite Books of 2024—I have one of these on my shelves waiting.
A Book-ish Related Podcast episode (or two) you might want to give a listen to:
Dripping Bucket In The Business of Grimdark – with guest Beth Tabler—I haven’t watched this yet, but it looks like a good ‘un.
To help talk about backlist titles (and just for fun), What Was I Talking About 10 Years Ago Week?
The Job by Janet Evanovich and Lee Goldberg
And I mentioned the release of Bryant and May and the Bleeding Heart by Christopher Fowler, a series I really intended on sticking with, but lost my way on.
This Week’s New Releases that I’m Excited About and/or You’ll Probably See Here Soon:
Nobody’s Hero by M. W. Craven—Ben Koenig’s back and is dealing with a team of assassins, a worst-case scenario that might be playing out, and one of the cleverest schemes he’s come across. I tried to express my excitement about this recently.
Little Love Songs by Sandra Boynton—sounds cute as all get out, I’m a little worried about the psycholoical torture that the “push button to hear music” feature can bring on adults living with a child (or older siblings). Still, probably worth the risk.
It’s time for…
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?
 |
|
| Robert B. Parker’s Hot Property by Mike Lupica |
Marvel: What If . . . Marc Spector Was Host to Venom? by Mike Chen, read by Keith Szarabajka, Xavier Casals |
Lupica’s new Spenser novel is fantastically smooth–so hard to put down (my two-legged family members keep demanding it however, as does my employer. The four-legged family members are much more understanding).
There might be too many characters in this What If… book. Or too many voices in people’s heads. So you’ve Moon Knights from two different realities, so you’ve got a Khonshu, 2 Marc Spectors, 2 Steven Grants, 2 Jake Lockleys, one Venom–and someone else, too. Sure, 1 Spector, 1 Grant and 1 Lockely are off-screen for most of the book (not all of them from the same physical entity). But it’s really hard to keep track of things at the beginning. I’m far enough in that I’ve got a handle on it, but I tell you, it took longer than it should’ve. Still, it’s not bad.
What did you recently finish reading?
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| Sizar by Susan Grossey |
Enough Rope by Dorothy Parker |
The Faculty Lounge by Jennifer Mathieu, read by Lisa Flanagan |
Sizar was a satisfying second adventure for this new series–I’m hoping to have more to say soon.
Enough Rope has some of my favorite Parker poems–and a few that could turn into some when I re-read them. A nice little diversion.
I wasn’t wowed by The Faculty Lounge, but I am glad a listened to it. I will hopefully have something more to say, soon (but not as soon as Sizar).
What do you think you’ll read next?
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|
| Shadow of Hyperion by JCM Berne |
What You Are Looking for Is in the Library by Michiko Aoyama, read by Hanako Footman, Susan Momoko Hingley, Kenichiro Thomson, Winson Ting, and Shiro Kawai |
I’ve heard plenty of good things about Shadow of Hyperion, and if nothing else, am eager to see how Rohan ends up in the physical state he was in for the Christmas story last year. Well, probably not eager. Very curious.
I’m almost certain to be underwhelmed by What You Are Looking for Is in the Library. But I’ve put too much effort into getting this book to not listen. I should get to start tomorrow afternoon.
Are you spending December scrambling to meet any goals, using books to think about some place that’s warmer? Or just reading something that looks good?
Music Monday's originated at The Tattooed Book Geek's fantastic blog and has shown up hither, thither, and yon since then.
I speculated a little in last week’s post about MW craven’s Nobody’s Hero (out tomorrow, in the US–out weeks ago on other places) about the title, and Craven corrected me. The title came from this song. So, obviously, I had to use it today.
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:
Forget drop-shipping—America’s new favorite side hustle is … republishing classic literature?
Murderbot, She Wrote—Wired’s got a great feature on Martha Wells
The Power of Your Words: Leaving a Review Matters
How Can We Create a Reading Culture?—Pages Unbound’s Krysta lays out the problem with children and reading in Part One and suggests some solutions in Part Two
Indie Black Friday Sale—James Lloyd Dulin’s hosting this sale from Nov. 29-Dec. 1. You’ve spent a year making good progress on your TBR stack, might as well wipe it out in one fell swoop.
It’s the Time of Year for Gift Guides/Best of Lists like these:
It’s Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas: The 2024 Adult Books Edition—Witty and Sarcastic Book Club’s Annual list has some great picks
Holiday Gift Giving Guide—This Dad Reads has a gift guide for young and old (particularly if they like Star Wars)
The New York Public Library Announces the Best Books of 2024 for Kids, Teens, and Adults
NPR’s Best Books of 2024—is another extensive list
Top Five Science Fiction Novels of 2024—from John Mauro at Before We Go Blog
Top Five Fantasy Novels of 2024—from John Mauro at Before We Go Blog
A Book-ish Related Podcast episode (or two) you might want to give a listen to:
CrimeTimeFM Christmas Debate 2024—some of the UK’s best Crime Fiction reviewers sound off on their favorite reads of the year and on some controversial topics. As usual, it’s a fun listen that adds too many things to my lists.
To help talk about backlist titles (and just for fun), What Was I Talking About 10 Years Ago Week?
The Reluctant Warrior by Ty Patterson
and I mentioned the release of Endsinger by Jay Kristoff, Book 3 of The Lotus War
This Week’s New Releases that I’m Excited About and/or You’ll Probably See Here Soon:
Robert B. Parker’s Hot Property by Mike Lupica—Rita Fiore is in danger—it’s up to Spenser and Hawk to stop whoever is after her. I have a book and a half to get through before I can dive in. They’d better be worth it.
Chez Usher by Vicki Hendricks—a retelling of Poe in Florida. Farenheit Press’ latest looks like a winner.
Happy Thanksgiving/Turkey Day/Thursday
(depending on your practice/preference/location)
On this day that has been set aside these U.S. for expressions of gratitude, it’s been my custom to take a moment or two and mention a few of the things that The Irresponsible Reader is thankful for. This is just about my favorite of my annual posts typically, but this year I feel even more grateful than usual.
So, this year, I’m thankful for:
The readers of this blog. If I knew your names, I’d thank you all personally.
The authors who’ve corresponded with me, encouraged me—even promoted this here project.
Those authors, publishers, and/or publicists provided books for me to read.
Books (print, electronic, or audio)—the stories, characters, and/or things I learn are what keep me sane, entertain, and inspire me.
Authors! If not for them, I wouldn’t have the above.
Talented narrators and illustrators—ditto
Coffee (and other beverages both caffeinated and adult)
The authors and blogger who’ve taken the time to help my try to launch my YouTube page–and the three authors who’ve given very polite rejections. But mostly the people who’ve taken time to show up.
All the authors who’ve stopped by for a Q&A or a Guest Post this year. I’ve really been blown away by the work you’ve put into making my patch of cyberspace better.
I want to offer a particular word of thanks for the bloggers and authors who chipped in and helped while I was on sick leave dealing with my cancerous tumor, the posts were great, and the time off was a relief.
Time to read (which is getting scarcer in my life, so I’m even more grateful for it)
The Nampa Public Library, The Caldwell Public Library, (and The LYNX! Consortium)
Shared Stories, Rediscovered Bookshop, and Libro.fm
My Real Life friends and acquaintances who give me feedback and encouragement via text or face-to-face. You all could help my stats by using the comment forms, however 🙂 But I truly appreciate you reading and talking to me about this.
My supportive, understanding, and encouraging wife and kids. They all do a pretty decent job pretending to care when this old man drones on and on about what he’s reading or what’s going on with the blog. Helping me with technical issues, testing things, and general brainstorming is particularly appreciated.
I should give a specific thanks to my daughter, who serves as wingperson when I go to local events and has helped me connect with several authors that I wouldn’t have been as successful with on my own. It’s amazing what people skills can do.
Again, all of you who read this page, follow, like, tweet, comment, email, etc.—you have no idea how much every little bit is appreciated.
For my fellow Americans, I hope you have a pleasant day with your friends and/or family. As for the rest of you, I hope you enjoy today and that you enjoy having the same pant size tomorrow as you do today.
