Tag: 2023 Retrospective Page 2 of 3

In October, I finished 25 titles (3 down from last month, the same number as last October), with 6,657+ pages or the equivalent (1,000-ish down from last month), and gave them an average of 3.5 stars (.3 down from last month). Nothing to write home about—but still pretty good. I enjoyed almost everything I read, which is good enough for me.

I really didn’t write enough posts about particular titles—my To Write pile is getting even more daunting all the time. But I did get a lot of other things posted, which makes me very happy.

All in all, it was a good month, a busy month, and one that had a lot of fun things here to look at and read. I’m calling it a win. Here’s a more detailed look at what happened here in October.

Books/Novels/Novellas Read/Listened to

		Still deciding

Still Reading

Ratings

	2		2
	2		0
	6		0
	3		0
	10
		Average =	3.54

TBR Stacks/Piles/Heaps

Breakdowns:
“Traditionally” Published: 15
Self-/Independent Published: 10

Review-ish Things Posted

• Who Chose the Gospels?: Probing the Great Gospel Conspiracy by C. E. Hill: Robert Langdon Might Have Been on the Wrong Track (shocking, I know)
• An Inheritance of Magic by Benedict Jacka: I Cannot Recall the Last Time I was This Excited about a New UF Series
• The Ballad of Bonaduke—Episode 37: Last Leg by R. T. Slaywood: Some Aftermath, and a Glimpse of What’s to Come
• Healed by Carrie Alani: She Can’t Do This All on Her Own
• Partial Function by JCM Berne: A Mom With A Particular Set of Skills
• Cunk on Everything: The Encyclopedia Philomena by Philomena Cunk: The Only Reference Book You Need This Year

Other Things I Wrote
Other than the Saturday Miscellanies (7th, 14th (DIY Edition), 21st, and 28th), I also wrote:

• MUSIC MONDAY: Comfortable by Fleming & John
• COVER REVEAL: Traitor’s Tome by Emma L. Adams
• COVER REVEAL: Midsummer Night’s Curse by Anca Antoci
• COVER REVEAL: Mist Gallows by Meri Benson, Marie Sinadjan
• COVER REVEAL: Arvia: Wings of the Wild by D.H. Willison
• Top 5 All-Time Desert Island Books (or, what will be going on here while I’m vacationing).
• Top 5 All-Time Desert Island Books with Daniel Meyer
• Top 5 All-Time Desert Island Books with Lilly and Sara from Fiction Fans Podcast
• Top 5 All-Time Desert Island Books with Mark Pepper
• Top 5 All-Time Desert Island Books with Raven
• COVER REVEAL: Serpentus by A.J. Calvin
• Top 5 All-Time Desert Island Books with Vesper Aeon
• Top 5 All-Time Desert Island Books with Shazzi
• Top 5 All-Time Desert Island Books with Matthew Samuels
• Top 5 All-Time Desert Island Books with Donna Morfett
• Top 5 All-Time Desert Island Books with Ricardo Victoria
• Top 5 All-Time Desert Island Books with Chris Monceaux
• COVER REVEAL: Partial Function by JCM Berne
• Top 5 All-Time Desert Island Books with E.N. Crane/Noelle Rider/Noelle Neal-Crane
• Top 5 All-Time Desert Island Books with Jodie Crump
• Top 5 All-Time Desert Island Books with K.R.R. Lockhaven
• Top 5 All-Time Desert Island Books with Me, The Irresponsible Reader
• LITERARY LOCALS: A Q&A About IdaHope Christian Writers
• Happy Birthday, Archie!
• Opening Lines: Sir Apropos of Nothing by Peter David
• Hey, Authors! I Have Some Questions about Interviews for You!!
• Hey, Bloggers/Podcasters/Vloggers! I Have Some Questions about Interviews for You!!
• Turning the Odometer
• WWW Wednesday for October 4, October 18, and October 25, 2023.

Enough about me—how Was Your Month?

Yes, this is very late. I finished 28 titles (3 up from last month, 1 down from last September), with an equivalent of 7,740 pages or the equivalent (356ish up from last month), and gave them an average of 3.8 stars (.1 up from last month). I’m happy with what I read (but wouldn’t have minded finishing another title or two), I’m happy with what I got posted (but wouldn’t have minded another five or six things posted)–and loved the idea of a Guest Review. So basically, I’m happy with the month.

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

Still Deciding
	??

Still Reading

Ratings

	3		0
	3		0
	10		0
	4		0
	8
		Average =	3.8

TBR Stacks/Piles/Heaps

Breakdowns:
“Traditionally” Published: 19
Self-/Independent Published: 9

Review-ish Things Posted

• The Lemon Man by Keith Bruton: One (Hit) Man and a Baby
• God to Us: Covenant Theology in Scripture by Stephen G. Myers: A Great Introduction to This Vital Idea
• Proxies by James T. Lambert: The Marx Brothers, Interstellar Threats, a Meddling Mother—Proxies Has it All
• GUEST REVIEW: Mars G. Everson on The Death Gate Cycle by Margaret Weis & Tracy Hickman
• Shadow Ranch by Rebecca Carey Lyles: One of the Vilest Villains You’ll Find This Year
• Hansel and Gretel by Neil Gaiman, Lorenzo Mattotti (Illustrator): Bill McNeal Gave Us the Word “Adequacivity” for Books Like This
• Eclipse by Herman Steuernagel: A Promising Start
• What Did the Cross Achieve? by J.I. Packer: A Beginning of an Answer to a Vital Question
• Mrs. Plansky’s Revenge by Spencer Quinn: A (Relatable) Revenge Fantasy Full of Heart and Panache
• Scareground by Angela Kecojevic: A Twisty and Fun Ride for the MG Crowd
• The Ballad of Bonaduke—Episode 33: Player 2 by R. T. Slaywood: From Strange to Stranger
• Farsickness by Joshua Mohr: A Surreal Pilgrimage
• The Ballad of Bonaduke—Episode 34: Three to Four Times The Charm by R. T. Slaywood: Annnnnnnd They’re Off!
• The Longmire Defense by Craig Johnson: Old Crimes and New
• How to Stay Productive When the World Is Ending (Audiobook) by Reductress: Mara Wilson & Jay Aaseng: The “This is Fine” Meme, Expanded
• The Ballad of Bonaduke—Episode 35: Game Over by R. T. Slaywood: Well, THAT was Unexpected
• American Idolatry: How Christian Nationalism Betrays the Gospel and Threatens the Church by Andrew Whitehead
• Godzilla and Godzilla Raids Again by Shigeru Kayama, Jeffrey Angles (Translator): Obliterating Everything, Incinerate a Renegade
• ‘Twas the Bite Before Christmas by David Rosenfelt: All Through the Courthouse, Andy Carpenter Was Stirring
• Malibu Burning by Lee Goldberg: Two Great Tastes That Taste Great Together
• Nasty, Brutish, and Short (Audiobook) by Scott Hershovitz: Who Needs Calvin and Hobbes When We Have Rex and Hank?
• Grandpappy’s Corner: Every Dreaming Creature by Brendan Wenzel: This Book Is So Soft and Comfy It Could Be a Pillow
• The Ballad of Bonaduke—Episode 36: Roadside Assistance by R. T. Slaywood: Don’t Make Him Angry, You Wouldn’t Like Him When He’s Angry
• Bone Carnival by Megan Lynch: Mysterious and Spooky, (Almost) Altogether Ooky

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

• COVER REVEAL: The Fake Wife by Sharon Bolton
• 20 Books of Summer 2023: Wrap Up and Other Summer Reading
• A Few Quick Questions With…Rebecca Carey Lyles
• A Few Quick Questions With…Herman Steuernagel
• I’m Curious: I’d Like to Give Terry Pratchett Another Try and Could Use Some Guidance
• When Archie Met Lily
• Some of the Guidance I Received on Giving Terry Pratchett Another Try
• GUEST POST: Shaping Smiles with Kay-9 The Robot Dog by J.M. Gulmire
• COVER REVEAL: Harpyness is Only Skin Deep (Audiobook) by D.H. Willison
• WWW Wednesday for September 6, September 12, September 20, and September 27, 2023.
• The Friday 56 for 9/1/23 (A Sh*tload of Crazy Powers by Jackson Ford) and 9/8/23 (Eclipse by Herman Steuernagel).

Enough about me—how Was Your Month?

So, a quick rundown of August: I read 25 titles (1 up from last month, 5 down from last August), with an equivalent of 7,384+ pages or the equivalent (362ish up from last month), and gave them an average of 3.7stars (a whopping 0.16 up from last month). Brown’s Light Bringer took more time, effort, and energy to finish than I anticipated–and was absolutely worth it–so things didn’t go quite the way I wanted it to on the reading front.

I felt like I was running on fumes all month and my output seems to indicate it…but, eh, I’ll get back on track soon. Hopefully. Or not. I’m having fun and liking at least half of what I’m posting lately, so I’ll take it.

If that’s the in brief version, here’s the extended dance mix of what happened here in August.
Books/Novels/Novellas Read/Listened to

Still Reading

Ratings

	3		0
	2		0
	6		0
	5		0
	9
		Average =	3.7

TBR Stacks/Piles/Heaps

Breakdowns:
“Traditionally” Published: 16
Self-/Independent Published: 9

Review-ish Things Posted

• • Klone’s Stronghold by Joyce Reynolds-Ward: Nothing—I mean Nothing—Is What It Seems In This Fantasy
  • Grandpappy’s Corner: How Did the Hippopotamus Get There? by Sohrab Rezvan, Kyana Mitchell (Illustrator): A Question No Parent Wants to Ask
  • Real Tigers by Mick Herron: Things Hit Close to Home for the Slow Horses
  • The Ballad of Bonaduke—Episode 30: Zero Game by R. T. Slaywood: Something’s Afoot!
  • Stray Ally by Troy Lambert: Hang On To Your Hat During This Breakneck Thriller
  • Impossible Christianity by Kevin DeYoung: A Call for Assured Disciples
  • I’m a Little in Awe Over S.A. Cosby’s All the Sinners Bleed, and Probably Don’t Convey Just How Great It Is, But I Try
  • Barking for Business by E.N. Crane: Move Over Plum, It’s Time for Cynthia Sharp and Winnie
  • The Ballad of Bonaduke—Episode 31: Cheat by R. T. Slaywood: Buckle Up!
  • Eye of the Sh*t Storm by Jackson Ford: Flash Floods, Electric Powers, and Teagan Lets Loose in Public
  • Facing the Last Enemy by Guy Prentiss Waters: A Good Primer on Preparing for The End
  • The Curse of the Silver Pharaoh by Pip Ballantine & Tee Morris: A Little Steampunk, a Little Supernatural, A Lot of Fun
  • However Long the Day by Justin Reed: One Eventful (some might say Disastrous) Night
  • The Ballad of Bonaduke—Episode 32: Suspect number 1 by R. T. Slaywood: Whoops
  • Stone of Asylum by Hilarey Johnson: A Clash of Cultures and Reshaping of Destinies
  • Grandpappy’s Corner: This Book Will Get You to Sleep! by Jory John, Olivier Tallec (Illustrator): A Delightful Case of False Advertising
  • The Character of Christ by Jonathan Landry Cruse: The Fruit of the Spirit in Our Lord
  • Minor Threats: A Quick End To A Long Beginning by Patton Oswalt, Jordan Blum, Scott Hepburn: They’re Going to Save the Day?
  • Some Disorganized Thoughts on the Excellence that is Light Bringer by Pierce Brown
  • Norah’s Ark by Victoria Williamson: I Think This is the Beginning of a Beautiful Friendship

Other Things I Wrote
Other than the Saturday Miscellanies (5th, 12th Sat, 19th, and 26th), I also wrote:

• A Few Quick Questions With…Joyce Reynolds-Ward
• 20 Books of Summer 2023: July Check-In
• Some Questions About Cover Art With…Elizabeth Peiró and Shannon Knight
• LITERARY LOCALS: A Q&A About Writing in Idaho with Justin Reed
• Even More Quick Questions With…Matthew Hanover
• Opening Lines: The Blonde Identity by Ally Carter
• Highlights from July: Lines Worth Repeating
• The Firsts of 2023 Book Tag
• RinthCon 2323: Your Science Fiction Con of the Future
• LITERARY LOCALS: A Q&A About Writing in Idaho with Paul Regnier
• A Few Quick Questions With…Hilarey Johnson
• These Dog Days Aren’t Over
• I’m Curious: What Are Some of the Funniest Books You’ve Read?
• WWW Wednesday for August 2, August 9, August 16, August 22, and August 30, 2023.
• The Friday 56 for 8/4/23 (All the Sinners Bleed by S. A. Cosby), 8/11/23 (Spirelli Paranormal Investigations: Season One by Kate Baray), and 8/18/23 (Light Bringer by Pierce Brown).

Enough about me—how Was Your Month?

I read 24 titles (7 down from last month, 9 down from last July), with an equivalent of 7,022+ pages or the equivalent (700ish down from last month), and gave them an average of 3.54 stars (.12 down from last month). That’s a lot of downs for one month. Huh. Didn’t feel like that in the middle of it.

On the other hand…I posted a lot more than usual (except on the review-y side). While my goal is always more than I accomplish…this month was a bit excessive. I wouldn’t expect that again anytime soon.

All in all, I thought this was a pretty good month on the blog. Here’s the breakdown of happened here in July.
Books/Novels/Novellas Read/Listened to

	DNF

Still Reading

Ratings

	4		0
	2		0
	2		0l
	6		0
	9
		Average =	3.54

TBR Stacks/Piles/Heaps

Breakdowns:
“Traditionally” Published: 13
Self-/Independent Published: 11

Review-ish Things Posted

• Sleepless City by Reed Farrel Coleman: Your Summer Action Novel is Here
• Pure of Heart by Danielle Parker: She’s Not Your Typical Werewolf and This Isn’t Your Typical UF
• The Ballad of Bonaduke—Episode 28: The Warning by R. T. Slaywood: In Which Our Hero(?) Ponders a Bit
• The Worst We Can Find by Dale Sherman: MST3K: The Satellite of Love, The Bots, The Mads, The Movies and Everything Else
• The Bible vs. Biblical Womanhood: How God’s Word Consistently Affirms Gender Equality by Philip Barton Payne: Almost thou persuadest me…
• The Bitter Past by Bruce Borgos: The First In What Had Better Be a Long-Running Series in the American West
• Not Prepared by Matthew Hanover: This’ll Melt Your Heart and Bring a Smile to Your Face
• The Beginning and End of All Things: A Biblical Theology of Creation and New Creation by Edward W. Klink III: This Is Our Father’s World
• A Fatal Groove by Olivia Blacke: It’s Another Charming, Pun-Filled, Adventure with These Sisters
• Random Sh*t Flying Through the Air by Jackson Ford: Whimsical Title Aside, Ford is NOT Playing Around
• On Earth as It Is on Television (Audiobook) by Emily Jane, Hayden Bishop (Narrator): DNFed Without Prejudice
• The Ballad of Bonaduke—Episode 29: All Talk by R. T. Slaywood: What a Small World
• The Frugal Wizard’s Handbook for Surviving Medieval England by Brandon Sanderson: Is Plenty of Fun, but Not What It Should’ve Been
• I Will Build My Church: Selected Writings on Church Polity, Baptism, and the Sabbath by Thomas Witherow, Edited by Jonathan Gibson: Presbyterianism 101
• Grandpappy’s Corner: The Biggest Story ABC by Kevin DeYoung, Don Clark (Illustrator): A Swing and a Miss

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

• 20 Books of Summer 2023: June Check-In
• MUSIC MONDAY: Ten-Finger Johnny by Paul & Storm
• Second Quarter Check-In: 2023 Plans and Challenges
• Happy July 4th!
• Book Blogger Hop: Review Rating System
• Mid-Year Freak Out Book Tag ’23
• Highlights from June: Lines Worth Repeating
• Kickstarter Announcement: Climbing the Ranks by Tao Wong
• SPAAW ’23: The Inside Scoop—Self-Published Authors Talk About Self-Publishing
• The Inside Scoop—A Q&A with Shannon Knight About Self-Publishing
• The Inside Scoop—A Q&A with Jeremy Billups About Self-Publishing
• The Inside Scoop—A Q&A with Ian Shane About Self-Publishing
• The Irresponsible Reader On…Self-Published “General” Fiction
• The Irresponsible Reader On…Self-Published Children’s & Picture Books
• The Inside Scoop—A Q&A with e rathke About Self-Publishing
• The Inside Scoop—A Q&A with Matthew Hanover About Self-Publishing
• The Inside Scoop—A Q&A with Alex Robins About Self-Publishing
• The Inside Scoop—A Q&A with Jonathan Fesmire About Self-Publishing
• The Irresponsible Reader On…Self-Published Steampunk
• The Inside Scoop—A Q&A with H.C. Newell About Self-Publishing
• The Inside Scoop—A Q&A with Michael Michel About Self-Publishing
• The Inside Scoop—A Q&A with Andi Ewington About Self-Publishing
• The Inside Scoop—A Q&A with James Lloyd Dulin About Self-Publishing
• The Irresponsible Reader On…Self-Published Fantasy
• The Irresponsible Reader On…Self-Published Non-Fiction
• The Inside Scoop—A Q&A with Tao Wong About Self-Publishing
• The Inside Scoop—Guest Post: Self-Publishing Freedom by Raina Nightingale
• The Inside Scoop—A Q&A with Raina Nightingale About Self-Publishing
• The Irresponsible Reader On…Self-Published Science Fiction
• The Inside Scoop—A Q&A with Rebecca Carey Lyles About Self-Publishing
• The Inside Scoop—Guest Post: Why Do We Write? by Robert Germaux
• The Inside Scoop—A Q&A with Robert Germaux About Self-Publishing
• The Inside Scoop—A Q&A with JCM Berne About Self-Publishing
• The Irresponsible Reader On…Self-Published Urban Fantasy
• The Irresponsible Reader On…Self-Published Crime Fiction
• The Inside Scoop—What Did We Learn? A Wrap-Up of Sorts
• MUSIC MONDAY: Strange Game by Mick Jagger
• WWW Wednesday for July 5, July 12, July 19, and July 26, 2023.
• The Friday 56 for 7/7/23 (Stray Ally by Troy Lambert), 7/14/23 (The Eternity Fund by Liz Monument), and 7/21/23 (The Frugal Wizard’s Handbook for Surviving Medieval England by Brandon Sanderson).

Enough about me—how Was Your Month?

I finished 31 titles (13 up/down from last month, 5 up/down from last June), with an equivalent of 7,780 pages or the equivalent (2,146 up from last month), and gave them an average of 3.66 stars (.01 down from last month). Obviously, it’s important to note that 8 of these were children’s/picture books—once again, I realize that I need to find a new way to track those things.

I did manage to post a decent variety of things (not as much as I intended to, but, since when do I?). Overall, it was a busy and good month around here.

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

.

Still Reading

Ratings

	2		1
	2		1
	12		0
	6		0
	7
		Average =	3.66

TBR Stacks/Piles/Heaps

Breakdowns:
“Traditionally” Published: 20
Self-/Independent Published: 12

Review-ish Things Posted

• Grandpappy’s Corner: Sophie and the Heidelberg Cat by Andrew Wilson, Helena Perez Garcia (Illustrator): Sophie Gets Clarity on an Important Truth
• Kneading Journalism by Tony Ganzer: Thoughts on Bread and the Press
• A Necromancer Called Gam Gam by Adam Holcombe: Knitting, Skeletal Cats, and Other Kinds of Magic
• I’m Sending Some Mixed Messages about BaIT by D.I. Jolly (and picked up some from BaIT, too)
• The Ballad of Bonaduke—Episode 24: Circles without Center by R. T. Slaywood: That’s Not What I Expected At All
• The Knight Revenant by Adam Holcombe: You Do NOT Mess Around with This Old Lady
• It’s Great to Suck at Something (Audiobook) by Karen Rinaldi: The Book Isn’t Quite Proof of the Title, But…
• Grandpappy’s Corner: Little Aiden – A Feelings Book for Toddlers by Albert and Anna Choi, Bettina Braskó (Illustrator): Nothing Less than Feelings
• Grandpappy’s Corner: Little Aiden – A Love Book for Toddlers by Albert and Anna Choi, Bettina Braskó (Illustrator): Will Make You Say, “Awwww.”
• Broken by Don Winslow: It Doesn’t Get Better Than This
• This Bird Has Flown (Audiobook) by Susanna Hoffs, Juliet Stevenson: The Portrait of a Music Star as a Thirtysomething
• The Ballad of Bonaduke—Episode 25: Nothing by R. T. Slaywood: This Ain’t Nothing
• Flop Dead Gorgeous by David Rosenfelt: An Old Friend Brings a Challenging Case for Andy Carpenter
• In Media Res: The Existence and Attributes of God by Stephen Charnock, edited by Mark Jones
• Catch-Up Quick Takes: A Handful February and March Books
• Grandpappy’s Corner: Secrets of the Wild by Olivia Kent, Srimalie Bassani (Illustrator): What the Animals Are Really Up To
• Toby and the Silver Blood Witches by Sally Doherty: A Fun MG Fantasy Adventure
• The Ballad of Bonaduke—Episode 26: Something Awful by R. T. Slaywood: Whoa…
• The Worst Man by Jon Rance: The Dark Side of the Springfield Song
• Grandpappy’s Corner: How Big Is Zagnodd? by Sandra Boynton: A Quick Dose of Goofiness
• Cutthroat Cupcakes by Cate Lawley: This Cozy and Witchy Mystery Drips with Appeal
• The Ballad of Bonaduke—Episode 27: Zero Rescue by R. T. Slaywood: So, That Happened

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

• Update: Does Anyone Know What Series This Is?
• 20 Books of Summer 2023: This Summer I Settle All Family Business
• A Few Quick Questions With…Tony Ganzer
• COVER REVEAL: Sea of Souls by N. C. Scrimgeour
• Book Blogger Hop: What Would the Title of Your Autobiography Be?
• Highlights from May: Lines Worth Repeating
• A Few More Quick Questions With…D.I. Jolly
• I Was On a Thing: Let Me Tell You a Story – Episode 140
• Book Blogger Hop: Do You Read Children’s Books?
• Top Ten Tuesday: Books on My Summer 2023 to-Read List (That Aren’t on My 20 Books Challenge)
• LITERARY LOCALS: A Q&A About Writing in Idaho with Amy Maren Rice
• Book Blogger Hop: Plot or Characters?
• Book Blogger Hop: Author Questions
• Opening Lines: Killing Me by Michelle Gagnon
• WWW Wednesday for June 7, June 14, June 21, and June 28, 2023.
• The Friday 56 for 6/2/23 (A Necromancer Called Gam Gam by Adam Holcombe), 6/9/23 (Chain-Gang All-Stars by Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah), 6/16/23 (The Worst Man by Jon Rance), 6/23/23 (Killing Me by Michelle Gagnon), and 6/30/23 (The Worst We Can Find by Dale Sherman).

Enough about me—how Was Your Month? Hope it was as good as mine.

I read 18 titles (9 down from April, 6 down from last May), with an equivalent of 5,634+ pages or the equivalent (1,160 down from last month), and gave them an average of 3.67 stars (.08 up from last month). Not the best stats, but…whatever. I read some really good books and had a lot of fun.

I posted a lot of non-review-ish posts this month, which is nice, and something I need to do more of. But man…I’m so far behind on the review-ish front that I don’t even know how far I’m behind. I have some ideas to help (at least one of them semi-creative), but mostly I just need to take the time to get it done. I’m not too bothered by it, but I’d be fibbing if I said it didn’t bug me.

Basically, I was satisfied—even pleased—with the month. Here’s what happened here in May.
Books/Novels/Novellas Read/Listened to

	</a
	</a

Still Reading

Ratings

	1		1
	4		0
	5		0
	3		1
	3
		Average =	3.67

TBR Stacks/Piles/Heaps

Breakdowns:
“Traditionally” Published: 15
Self-/Independent Published: 3

Review-ish Things Posted

• Swamp Story by Dave Barry: Florida. Just say it’s Florida.
• Chain-Gang All-Stars by Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah: Are You Not Entertained?
• The Ballad of Bonaduke—Episode 21: Turn Around by R. T. Slaywood: The Aftermath
• What is Love? by Kyle Borg: A (too?) Brief Look at a Deep Topic
• Tower of Babel by Michael Sears: Concrete Jungle Where Dreams Are Made Of
• The Book That No One Wanted to Read by Richard Ayoade, Tor Freeman, Jarvis Cocker, Lydia Fox: In Print or Audio, It’s Just Delightful
• Lie to Her by Melinda Leigh: Bree Taggert’s on the Hunt for a Killer Out for Revenge
• Sunbolt by Intisar Khanani: This Will Hit You Like a Bolt of Something
• Grandpappy’s Corner: God, Right Here: Meeting God in the Changing Seasons by Kara Lawler, Jennie Poh (Illustrator): A Little Dose of Natural Revelation
• Backpacking Through Bedlam by Seanan McGuire: Now, Where Were We? Oh, Right…
• The Rhythm of Time by Questlove with S. A. Cosby: Not a Flux Capacitor in Sight, but There Might as Well Be
• Ten Reasons to NOT Read Nic Blake and the Remarkables: The Manifestor Prophecy by Angie Thomas
• The Ballad of Bonaduke—Episode 22: Animals Instinct by R. T. Slaywood: A Quick but Satisfying Episode
• Non-Toxic Masculinity: Recovering Healthy Male Sexuality by Zachary Wagner: A Good Step in the Right Direction
• The Only Truly Dead (Audiobook) by Rob Parker, Warren Brown: This Trilogy Ends as Strongly as it Started
• Douglas Adams’ London by Yvette Keller: The Map of London I Never Knew I Needed
• The Ballad of Bonaduke—Episode 23: Grift or Die by R. T. Slaywood: Without a Paddle
• Church History in Plain Language, Fifth Edition by Bruce Shelley, Revision Editor Marshall Shelley: Gets Too Much Wrong
• 100 Places to See After You Die by Ken Jennings: The Tour Guide No One Wants, But Everyone Needs
• Man on a Murder Cycle by Mark Pepper: Move Over SAMCROW, You’ve Got Nothing on This Biker

Other Things I Wrote
Other than the Saturday Miscellanies (6th, 13th, 20th, and 27th), I also wrote:

• MUSIC MONDAY: Journey of the Sorcerer by Eagles
• Ask Me (just about) Anything for My Upcoming Blogiversary
• Highlights from April: Lines Worth Repeating
• Book Blogger Hop: Excessive Number of Books
• A Few Quick Questions With…Michael Sears
• Opening Lines: Sacred by Dennis Lehane
• Top Ten (and a bonus) Books from My Childhood
• Top Ten Tuesday: Things Getting in the Way of Reading
• Towel Day ’23: Do You Know Where Your Towel Is?
• Towel Day ’23: Some of my favorite Adams lines . . .
• Towel Day ’23: Scattered Thoughts about Reading The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy Trilogy
• TEN(!!!!!) YEARS of The Irresponsible Reader. (or, Happy Blogiversary to me.)
• They Asked, so I Answer (just about) Anything for My 10th Blogiversary
• How Has Book Blogging Changed the Way I Read? (Blogiversary ruminations)
• Help a Buddy Out: Does Anyone Know What Series This Is?
• WWW Wednesday for May 3, May 10, May 17, May 24, and May 31, 2023.
• The Friday 56 for 5/5/23 (The Winter of Frankie Machine by Don Winslow), 5/12/23 (Nic Blake and the Remarkables: The Manifestor Prophecy by Angie Thomas), 5/19/23 (Questland by Carrie Vaughn), and 5/26/23 (The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy: The Illustrated Edition by Douglas Adams).

Enough about me—how Was Your Month?

Okay, I’m a little late with this, but let’s look at my April. I read 27 titles (2 down from March, 4 up from last April), with an equivalent of 6,792+ pages or the equivalent (23 pages up from last month), and gave them an average of 3.59 stars (.17 down from last month). Largely, I’ve felt behind the whole month and didn’t get as much written as I’d planned on or expected to—I’ve kept up on the reading part of book blogging, but the whole blogging part has taken a hit. I’ll get back on top, I trust, but it’s bugging me a bit. Still—I can’t complain with the reading (quantity or quality).

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

		Still deciding

Still Reading

Ratings

	4		0
	3		2
	3		0
	5		0
	10
		Average =	3.59

TBR Stacks/Piles/Heaps

Breakdowns:
“Traditionally” Published: 24
Self-/Independent Published: 4

Review-ish Things Posted

• Please Return to the Lands of Luxury by Jon Tilton: An MG Tale (in a Dystopian World) About What Matters Most
• Grandpappy’s Corner: Red Stripes VS Miles the Mutant Mouse by Amy Rice and Kyson Rice: Not Your Typical Cat and Mouse Story
• The Ballad of Bonaduke—Episode 20: Room 5 by R. T. Slaywood: Many, Many Things Happen and My Perseverance is Rewarded
• 5 Puritan Women by Jenny-Lyn de Klerk: Brief Portraits of Women You Should Meet
• REREAD PROJECT: All Our Wrong Todays (Audiobook) by Elan Mastai: It’s Still The Best Time Travel Novel I’ve Encountered
• Hard Rain by Samantha Jayne Allen: The Rookie PI Might Be in Over Her Head
• Billy in Space by Harry L-B: The Most Benign Space Mission Conceivable Goes Horribly Awry
• On the Apostolic Preaching by Irenaeus of Lyons: A Timeless Survey of Redemptive History
• Scratching the Flint by Vern Smith: We Didn’t Start the Fire…
• Grandpappy’s Corner: George the Bannana: Book One by Elliott Linker: The Origin of a Superhero (and his Writer!)
• Catch-Up Quick Takes: Some Overdue Audiobook Takes
• Grandpappy’s Corner: God Never Changes by Carine MacKenzie, Derek Matthews (Illustrator): Small Words About a Big Idea
• Grandpappy’s Corner: Farmhouse by Sophie Blackall: The Story of a House That Was Also a Home
• The Nicene Creed: An Introduction by Phillip Cary: A Great Primer on the Ancient Creed

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

• First Quarter Check-In: 2023 Plans and Challenges
• Highlights from March: Lines Worth Repeating
• UPDATE: Mrs. Covington’s: A Cozy Fantasy Novel Kickstarter
• Book Blogger Hop: Lunchtime Reading
• A Few Quick Questions with…Harry L-B
• The Quarter Year Crisis Book Tag
• MUSIC MONDAY: Lux Æterna by Metallica
• That’s Some Streak!
• A Few Quick Questions with…Elliott Linker
• WWW Wednesday for April 5, WWW Wednesday, April 12, WWW Wednesday, April 19, and WWW Wednesday, April 25, 2023.
• The Friday 56 for 4/7/23 (The Raven Thief by Gigi Pandian), 4/13/23 (Ozark Dogs by Eli Cranor), 4/21/23 (The Deal Goes Down by Larry Beinhart), 4/28/23 (The Part About the Dragon Was (Mostly) True by Sean Gibson).

Enough about me—how was your April?

I read 29 titles (3 up/down from last month, 7 up from March), with 6,769+ pages or the equivalent—I don’t have page numbers on a couple of them (more than 200 pages up from last month)—and gave them an average of 3.76 stars (.04 up/down from last month). Those numbers do include 4 kids books, which helps the title count, but doesn’t do much for the page count. I need to start counting those separately as I’m just getting started with those, and the numbers should be climbing.

As I expected, attending the Nampa Library’s Indie Book Festival and then a signing the next week didn’t do my Mt. TBR any favors. I’m honestly not sure when I last had this kind of backlog of physical books to get through. I don’t regret it…yet. But those numbers are ugly.

Somehow, I keep getting further and further behind on my writing—while I never do as much as I want to, I’m getting worse at keeping up with my plans (and distracting myself to try new things). Still, I got a few great Q&As posted, a couple of other posts that I’m particularly pleased with, and read/listened to some great books! I’m putting March down as a modest win.

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

		Still deciding
Still deciding	Still deciding
Still deciding

Still Reading

Ratings

	4		1
	2		0
	8		0
	7		0
	7
		Average =	3.76

TBR Stacks/Piles/Heaps

Breakdowns:
“Traditionally” Published: 16
Self-/Independent Published: 13

Review-ish Things Posted

• Grandpappy’s Corner: The Adventure Begins! (Dungeons & Dragons) by Dennis R. Shealy, Nate Lovett (Illustrator): Nostalgia for the Adult, an Adventure Story for the Kid
• The Ballad of Bonaduke—Episode 17: In Tents by R. T. Slaywood: Stalling Again, but Less Frustratingly So
• Crossway Short Classics: Selected Sermons by Lemuel Haynes: A Great Collection
• Good Dog, Bad Cop by David Rosenfelt: Corey Douglas Starts to Come Into His Own as a PI
• The Freedom of a Christian by Martin Luther, Translated by Robert Kolb: A Pastoral Gem from the Reformer
• PUB DAY POST: Vera Wong’s Unsolicited Advice for Murderers by Jesse Q. Sutanto: Come Meet Your New Favorite Senior Citizen Sleuth
• The Hero Interviews by Andi Ewington: A Thoughtful Fantasy Adventure Shares the Page with 900 Fireball Jokes, 750 Quips about Useless Clerics, 600 Ways to Mock Paladins, and Plenty of Other Comedic Bits
• Grandpappy’s Corner: The Wonky Donkey by Craig Smith, Katz Cowley (Illustrator): Tongue-Tying Magic
• The Ballad of Bonaduke—Episode 18: The Takedown by R. T. Slaywood: Hey! Things happened!
• Patrick of Ireland: His Life and Impact by Michael A.G. Haykin: A Little Light on Info, but Does a Lot With It
• Justice Calling by Annie Bellet: A Fast Intro to a UF series
• Death at Paradise Palms by Steph Broadribb: The Detectives Show Their Fallibility In This Strong Follow-up
• Semicolon (Audiobook) by Cecelia Watson, Pam Ward: No, Really—I Assure You, It’s Interesting
• Rivers of London: Deadly Ever After by Celese Bronfman, José María Beroy (Pencils), et al.: A Couple of Brooks Wrangle With Unleashed Fairy Tales
• This Is the Word of the Lord: Becoming Confident in the by Daniel R. Hyde: A Sound and Basic Defense of Scripture
• Fearless by M.W. Craven: I Didn’t Realize How Ominously “Proactive” Could Be Used in a Sentence
• Mrs. Covington’s by K.R.R. Lockhaven: Friends, Nachos, Friendly Rodents, and an Utter Absence of Crow Noodle Soup. What More Could You Want?
• The Ballad of Bonaduke—Episode 19: The Station by R. T. Slaywood: It’s Time to Slow Down Again
• You Took the Last Bus Home by Brian Bilston: Do I Dare Eat Some Kale?

Other Things I Wrote
Other than the Saturday Miscellanies (3rd, 11th, 18th, and 25th), I also wrote:

• LITERARY LOCALS: Upcoming Event—Treasure Valley Indie Book Fair
• LITERARY LOCALS: A Q&A About Writing in Idaho with Danielle Parker
• Top 5 Tuesday – One Word Wonders
• COVER REVEAL: Mrs. Covington’s by K.R.R. Lockhaven
• Mrs. Covington’s: A Cozy Fantasy Novel Kickstarter
• A Few Quick Questions with…Andi Ewington
• LITERARY LOCALS: Treasure Valley Indie Book Fair/Book Haul
• COVER REVEAL: Stargun Messenger by Darby Harn
• Highlights from February: Lines Worth Repeating
• LITERARY LOCALS: A Q&A About Writing in Idaho with Hilarey Johnson
• Book Blogger Hop: Are Books a Must-Have in Your Home?
• A Few Quick Questions about…The Mrs. Covington’s Kickstarter
• WWW Wednesday for March 1, March 8, March 15, March 22, and March 29, 2023.
• The Friday 56 for 3/3/22 (Darkness, Take My Hand by Dennis Lehane), 3/10/23 (Miss Percy’s Pocket Guide (to the Care and Feeding of British Dragons) by Quenby Olson), 3/17/23 (Backpacking through Bedlam by Seanan McGuire), 3/24/23 (Please Return to the Lands of Luxury by Jon Tilton), and 3/31/23 (Hacked by Duncan MacMaster).

Enough about me—how was your March?