Tag: Miscellany Page 12 of 175

I finished my Goodreads Challenge last week, which was a nice little dopamine hit–the books I’ve been reading have basically been nothing but dopamine hits, but who doesn’t want more of that?

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?

A Judgement of Powers by Benedict Jacka	Turn Coat by Jim Butcher, read by James Marsters

Jacka’s new series keeps going in places and directions I don’t expect. I’m eager to see how he confounds me this time.

I remember Turn Coat having one of the more powerful endings in the Dresden Files (nothing compared to a few others, but still). I’m steeling myself already.

What did you recently finish reading?

The Last Colony by John Scalzi	The Greatest Possible Good by Ben Brooks, read by Emma Gregory

The Last Colony is yet another of those books that I intended to read years ago (since 2011, according to Goodreads). I am so angry at myself for wasting all that time not being able to re-read it.

I’m honestly not sure what Brooks was going for in his book. There were some interesting bits, some decent writing, and solid characters–but I need to think a little more about it to know if it was worth it.

What do you think you’ll read next?

Prince Caspian by C.S. Lewis	Future Boy: Back to the Future and My Journey Through the Space-Time Continuum by Michael J. Fox & Nelle Fortenberry

Caspian might be my favorite Narnian book, so this is going to be fun.

Speaking of fun, Fox (and Fortenberry) writing about that strange period in his life when he was shooting Back to the Future and Family Ties and then narrating it? Sure thing.

How’ve you been sourcing your dopamine lately?

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?

The World Entire by Jo Perry	Songs for Other People’s Weddings by David Levithan with songs by Jens Lekman, read by Jefferson Mays

A year-and-a-half late on The World Entire, which has bugged me all along. Now that I’m almost halfway in and can say with a degree of certainty that this is Jo Perry’s best work to date, it really annoys me that I let this slip through the cracks repeatedly. It’s just excellent on several levels–and probably more than I’ve seen yet.

Levithan’s latest is wonderful–flawed, but wonderful. I’m finishing it today (and not just because Libby is taking it away this evening).

What did you recently finish reading?

The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis	Small Favor by Jim Butcher, read by James Marsters

I’m a few months behind schedule on my Chronicles of Narnia read, but revisiting this first volume was just as good as expected. And yes, I’m reading them in the (correct) order by publication.

Thanks to a wonky work schedule, Small Favor is still my last audiobook (that’ll hopefully change later today)

What do you think you’ll read next?

And to All a Good Bite by David Rosenfelt	The Greatest Possible Good by Ben Brooks, read by Emma Gregory

There are few pleasures more certain than an Andy Carpenter book.

As it is wont to do, Libby dropped a bunch of audiobooks on me last week, so I had to derail my planned next book. This one looks promising, and like it should tick a lot of boxes. Looking forward to diving in.

You have any recommendations from your recent reads? Any big “must get to”s before the calendar flips to 2026?

Yeah, I’m running late…sleep has been too attractive this week, and the blog is suffering. No promises that I’ll turn it around this week, but one can hope.

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?

Love the Stranger by Michael Sears	Songs for Other People’s Weddings by David Levithan with songs by Jens Lekman, read by Jefferson Mays

I’m having a lot of fun with Sears’ follow up to Tower of Babel–which came out in paperback yesterday. I’m a little annoyed at myself for missing the hardcover release last year, but am glad I’m catching up now.

I’m not that far in Songs, but it’s good to be back in a world Levithan created.

What did you recently finish reading?

The Goblin Emperor by Katherine Addison	Small Favor by Jim Butcher, read by James Marsters

I don’t think I can put my thoughts about The Goblin Emporer into a pithy sentence or even paragraph. I hated to finish it, I just wasn’t ready to leave that book.

At a certain point, I did actually remember everything that happens in Small Favor and then spent hours trying to talk myself out of it, as if I could convince the audio to change and several events not happen until another book, so I didn’t have to listen. I’m not sure that makes sense.

What do you think you’ll read next?

Second Lies the Son by Matt Phillips	What If…Kitty Pryde Stole the Phoenix Force? by Rebecca Podos

All I needed to see was “by Matt Phillips” to jump on this ARC. Can’t wait to learn what it’s about.

Kitty Pryde and Phoenix force? ‘Nuff said.

What’s been grabbing your attention lately?

Just a couple of days until candy-pocalypse, anyone else dreading the leftovers (and on-sale leftovers at local stores) ruining health/resolutions? Don’t get me wrong–I rather enjoy seeing all the trick-or-treaters and passing out candy. I just wish they’d do a better job of cleaning us out. (if they’d clean us out quickly, so I could actually read something, that’d be even better).

You have enough pre-post banter? Good, me too.

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?

The Broken Detective by Joel Nedecky	How to Stand Up to a Dictator: The Fight for Our Future by Maria Ressa, read by Maria Ressa & Rebecca Mozo

Am cracking Nedecky’s book open later today. I skimmed the cover a couple of weeks ago when I got it, but remember nothing that I read. All I know is that Run Amok books hasn’t let me down yet. I assume the trend will continue.

I saw Ressa interviewed recently and thought “I want to learn more about her.” And what do you know? She has a memoir (that’ll probably shift into something else later on). I think we’re only into her mid-20s right now, and I’m fascinated. Not that surprisingly, given her career in journalism and activism, she’s a strong audiobook narrator, so bonus points for that.

What did you recently finish reading?

Front Desk by Kelly Yang	The Healing Hippo of Hinode Park by Michiko Aoyama, translated by Takami Nieda, read by: Naruto Komatsu, Kenichiro Thomson, Susan Momoko Hingley, Yuriri Naka & Ami Okumura Jones

Last night, I read the very charming (yet honest about race and immigrant struggles in the mid 90s) Front Desk for a reading challenge. I don’t know that it needs two (at least) sequels, and I doubt I’ll get to them, but I was very satisfied with this MG read.

The Healing Hippo has convinced me that Michiko Aoyma and I should part ways. There’s nothing bad about the book, but I just don’t get the appeal.

What do you think you’ll read next?

The Goblin Emperor by Katherine Addison	Small Favor by Jim Butcher, read by James Marsters

The Goblin Emperor is the last Fantasy Book Club read of the year–and it looks like we’re going out strong. Hope so, anyway.

And it’s time for another installment of “HC scrambles to listen to the existing Dresden Files books before Twelve Months is released.” I’m embarassed to admit that I conflate a lot of Small Favor with the next book, Turn Coat, so I’m eager to get some clarification on it.

How are you closing out October?