Tag: News/Misc Page 21 of 29

You get 11 instead of 10 this week, because this is the end of the (initial) list! There’s no way I’m going to do a post for one book (especially because that book is a thumbs up, where’s the fun in that?). Next time, we’ll take a quick look at this project so far.

But for now, how many books are we going to cut from my Want to Read list?

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)

	A Beginner’s Guide to Free Fall by Andy Abramowitz Blurb: A family drama about roller coaster engineer in career and family trouble, and his sister, an advice columnist whose life is as just as messy. My Thoughts: I really dug Abramowitz’s earlier novel, Thank You, Goodnight and am curious about what he’s got going on. Also, I bought this forever ago, so it has to stay. Verdict:
	Why Liberalism Works: How True Liberal Values Produce a Freer More Equal Prosperous World for All by Deirdre N. McCloskey Blurb: “With her trademark wit and deep understanding” McCloskey argues “for a return to true liberal values, this engaging and accessible book develops, defends, and demonstrates how embracing the ideas first espoused by eighteenth-century philosophers like Locke, Smith, Voltaire, and Wollstonecraft is good for everyone.” My Thoughts: If this is any good, this is exactly the political book I want to read right now. But…I just can’t. I just cannot bring myself to care, put the effort into this, or for endure the despair that’d settle in after I finish this and look at the world around me. Verdict:
	Your House Will Pay by Steph Cha Blurb: “A powerful and taut novel about racial tensions in LA, following two families—one Korean-American, one African-American—grappling with the effects of a decades-old crime. In the wake of the police shooting of a black teenager, Los Angeles is as tense as it’s been since the unrest of the early 1990s. Protests and vigils are being staged all over the city. It’s in this dangerous tinderbox that two families must finally confront their pasts.” My Thoughts: I had a friend rave about this a couple of weeks ago. That’s enough to keep it. I still would’ve because of the various reviews I saw around publication. Verdict:
	The Ten Commandments of Progressive Christianity by Michael J. Kruger Blurb: “A cautionary examination of ten dangerously appealing half-truths.” My Thoughts: I read this in May ’20 and wrote about it here Verdict:
	The Bard’s Blade by Brian D. Anderson Blurb: “Mariyah enjoys a simple life in Vylari, a land magically sealed off from the outside world, where fear and hatred are all but unknown. There she’s a renowned wine maker and her betrothed, Lem, is a musician of rare talent. Their destiny has never been in question…Then a stranger crosses the wards into Vylari for the first time in centuries, bringing a dark prophecy that forces Lem and Mariyah down separate paths. How far will they have to go to stop a rising darkness and save their home? And how much of themselves will they have to give up along the way?” My Thoughts: I’ve heard/read nothing but good things about this, and until I started this sentence had intended on keeping it. But…I rarely make time for fantasy any more, and I know I’m not going to get around to this. Verdict:
	The Rome of Fall by Chad Alan Gibbs Blurb: A 90s rock star comes home to be with his dying mother and teaches at his old high school in a retelling of Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar. My Thoughts: Proof that I actually read things from this list and I don’t just archive them here…I read this last August and wrote about it here Verdict:
	A Blight of Blackwings by Kevin Hearne Blurb: The sequel to A Plague of Giants, about an invasion that devastates a continent, kicks off huge cultural/religious changes, and (it seems) inspires a movement to fight back. My Thoughts: Yeah, I just got done saying I don’t make time for Fantasy the way I want to. But I thought volume 1 in this series rocked. I just need to force myself to start this and I know I’ll love it. Also, I have the hardcover within arm’s reach, I pretty much have to. Another also: Kevin Hearne. Verdict:
	Critical Point by S.L. Huang Blurb: The third Cas Russell novel. Nuff said. My Thoughts: This was one of the victims of the busy-ness around my move last year, I’m getting to it shortly. Verdict:
	Something That May Shock and Discredit You by Daniel M. Lavery Blurb: “a hilarious and stirring collection of essays and cultural observations spanning pop culture—from the endearingly popular to the staggeringly obscure…From a thoughtful analysis of the beauty of William Shatner to a sinister reimagining of HGTV’s House Hunters, and featuring figures as varied as Anne of Green Gables, Columbo, Nora Ephron, Apollo, and the cast of Mean Girls…a hilarious and emotionally exhilarating compendium that combines personal history with cultural history to make you see yourself and those around you entirely anew.” My Thoughts: Texts from Jane Eyre was a fun read, but the synopsis of this one isn’t clicking with me. Verdict:
	Broken by Don Winslow Blurb: “In six intense short novels connected by the themes of crime, corruption, vengeance, justice, loss, betrayal, guilt and redemption…a world of high-level thieves and low-life crooks, obsessed cops struggling with life on and off the job, private detectives, dope dealers, bounty hunters and fugitives, the lost souls driving without headlights through the dark night on the American criminal highway.” My Thoughts: I’m only waiting to finish The Border before I start this. Verdict:
	In Plain Sight by Dan Willis Blurb: “In 1933 New York, there are two kinds of magic, the all powerful sorcerers who use their abilities to acquire wealth and fame, and the runewrights who scratch out what meager spells they can to make a living. Decidedly in the latter category, Alex Lockerby uses his magic to aid him in his work as a private detective, consulting for the police on cases with mystical ties….” There’s more to the description, but who needs more? My Thoughts: This has been on my list since Bookstooge posted about it last March. It’ll be soon. Verdict:

Books Removed in this Post: 5 / 11
Total Books Removed: 129 / 240

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

(Image by moritz320 from Pixabay)

Cut a lot of items off the list in this entry—which is sort of the point of this. And I’m really looking forward to the ones I didn’t add to the list and need to get moving on them.

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)

	Ethan Frome by Edith Wharton Blurb: “Ethan Frome is a poor farmer, trapped in a marriage to a demanding and controlling wife, Zeena. When Zeena’s young cousin Mattie enters their household she opens a window of hope in Ethan’s bleak life, but his wife’s reaction prompts a desperate attempt to escape fate that goes horribly wrong.” My Thoughts: Like I said in the last entry, I think I read some article a couple of years ago about “why you need to read Edith Wharton.” I don’t remember where I read it or any of the content. So I really don’t remember why I put this 20th Century Classic on my list. From the description, it’s not my cup of tea. Verdict:
	Devil’s Peak by Deon Meyer Blurb: Alcoholic detective with a marriage and career on the ropes on the hunt for a vigilante killer in Cape Town. My Thoughts: I wish I knew how this got added to the list. Looks promising, but the series looks like too muh to take on. Verdict:
	One Man: A City of Fallen Gods Novel by Harry Connolly Blurb: “Presumed dead after a disastrous overseas quest, [a young nobleman] now lives in a downcity slum under a false name, hiding behind the bars of a pawnshop window. Riliska, a nine-year-old pickpocket who sells stolen trinkets to his shop, is the closest thing he has to a friend. When a criminal gang kills Riliska’s mother and kidnaps the little girl, Kyrioc goes hunting for her.” My Thoughts: I read this and blogged about back in July. Verdict:
	Kalanon’s Rising by Darian Smith Blurb: “Solve a Murder. Stop a War. Save the World. Magic, murder, and a strangely alluring enemy ambassador. Brannon’s life just got complicated.” My Thoughts: A murder mystery in a fantasy world—you know it’s calling my name. I read and heard a couple of rave reviews for this, too. True, I’d forgotten about it since putting it on the list, but I remember it now. Verdict:
	Bluebird, Bluebird by Attica Locke Blurb: “When it comes to law and order, East Texas plays by its own rules – a fact that Darren Mathews, a black Texas Ranger, knows all too well. Deeply ambivalent about growing up black in the lone star state, he was the first in his family to get as far away from Texas as he could. Until duty called him home. But when his allegiance to his roots puts his job in jeopardy, he travels up Highway 59 to the small town of Lark, where two murders—a black lawyer from Chicago and a local white woman—have stirred up a hornet’s nest of resentment. Darren must solve the crimes – and save himself in the process – before Lark’s long-simmering racial fault lines erupt. A rural noir suffused with the unique music, color, and nuance of East Texas…” Verdict:
	A Friend is a Gift You Give Yourself by William Boyle My Thoughts: I had this on the list twice, covered it back in #18. Whoops. Verdict:
	The Unlikely Escape of Uriah Heep by H.G. Parry My Thoughts: I had this on the list twice, covered it back in #19. Whoops again. Verdict:
	Ninth House by Leigh Bardugo Blurb: This is not something I can sum up in a paragraph or two, click the link. My Thoughts: Not really my thing, though, not sure why I added this to the list in the first place. Verdict:
	Reverting to Type: a Reader’s Story by Alan Jacobs Blurb: A “reader’s memoir,” describing his development as a reader over the course of his life. Verdict:
	Hero Forged by Josh Erikson Blurb: “Gabriel Delling might call himself a professional con artist, but when walking superstitions start trying to bite his face off, his charm is shockingly unhelpful. It turns out living nightmares almost never appreciate a good joke. Together with a succubus who insists on constantly saving his life, he desperately tries to survive a new reality that suddenly features demons, legends, and a giant locust named Dale—all of whom pretty much hate his guts. And when an ancient horror comes hunting for the spirit locked in his head, Gabe finds himself faced with the excruciating choice between death…or becoming some kind of freaking hero.” Verdict:

Books Removed in this Post: 7 / 10
Total Books Removed: 124 / 240

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

(Image by moritz320 from Pixabay)

I’ve only got 2 posts to go from the original list–but I’ve added a few since then, I’m going to have to come up with a new Master List soon. I’ve trimmed the list considerably, but not as much as I’d hoped. This series has spurred me to read some things that had been languishing on the list for years, so that’s cool. But I don’t want to spend too much time on that now, I’ll wait until I’m done to do that.

Interestingly (for me, at least), somehow, three cookbooks landed on this part of The List. Which is just strange, I don’t know why I’d put them as “To Read.” I don’t read cookbooks, I can see them on a separate “To Buy” list (I have a few others on it), but…¯_(ツ)_/¯

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)

	Literary Landscapes: Charting the Worlds of Classic Literature by John Sutherland Blurb: “Literary Landscapes delves deep into the geography, location, and terrain of our best-loved literary works and looks at how setting and environmental influences storytelling, character, and our emotional response as readers. Fully illustrated with hundreds of full-color images throughout…Literary Landscapes brings together more than 50 literary worlds and examines how their description is intrinsic to the stories that unfold within their borders…The landscapes of enduring fictional characters and literary legends are vividly brought to life, evoking all the sights and sounds of the original works. Literary Landscapes will transport you to the fictions greatest lands and allow you to connect to the story and the author’s intent in a whole new way.” My Thoughts: This looks like a fun thing to flip through, the kind of thing to have on your bookshelf for the occaisional glance and/or research. But to read? I just don’t see me sitting down to do it. Verdict:
	Imaginary Numbers by Seanan McGuire Blurb: “Sarah Zellaby has always been in an interesting position. Adopted into the Price family at a young age, she’s never been able to escape the biological reality of her origins: she’s a cuckoo, a telepathic ambush predator closer akin to a parasitic wasp than a human being. Friend, cousin, mathematician; it’s never been enough to dispel the fear that one day, nature will win out over nurture, and everything will change. Maybe that time has finally come.” My Thoughts: I read this one in June of last year.. It’s not my favorite of the series, but I enjoyed it (and will hopefully start the follow-up this week). Verdict: Like last week, I almost feel like I’m cheating to kill this from The List since I read it months ago, but…
	The Death of Mungo Blackwell by Lauren H. Brandenburg Blurb: “After an incident involving a food truck leaves Charlie Price jobless, he moves to small Coraloo with his wife and son. They find themselves thrown in the middle of a feud between two old families: the Tofts and the Blackwells.” The book “found a sweet, quiet way of talking about stress, adjusting to new and scary circumstances, and ‘blooming where you’re planted.'” My Thoughts: This was recommended by Witty and Sarcastic Bookclub who described it as “Equally funny and touching, this book managed to warm my cold little heart” (I blatently stole the description from that post). Still sounds good to me.
	Forking Good: A Cookbook Inspired by The Good Place by Valya Dudycz Lupescu Blurb: “a pun-filled and fully illustrated cookbook of 30 original recipes inspired by the philosophy and food humor of the hit show.” My Thoughts: Yes, that sounds like a lot of fun. But I’m never going read it, much less use it. Although, I am curious if any of the recipes used Almond Milk in honor of Chidi… Verdict:
	Indian-ish: Recipes and Antics from a Modern American Family by Priya Krishna Blurb: “This colorful, lively book is food writer Priya Krishna’s loving tribute to her mom’s “Indian-ish” cooking—a trove of one-of-a-kind Indian-American hybrids that are easy to make, clever, practical, and packed with flavor. Think Roti Pizza, Tomato Rice with Crispy Cheddar, Whole Roasted Cauliflower with Green Pea Chutney, and Malaysian Ramen.” My Thoughts: I have flipped through this book, it looks great. There’s a decent amount of non-recipe text, too. So it would take some reading to get through, unlike your typical cookbook. I just need to get around to getting it. Verdict:
	Plant-Based on a Budget: Delicious Vegan Recipes for Under $30 a Week, for Less Than 30 Minutes a Meal by Toni Okamoto Blurb: 100 Plant-Based meals that can be made in under 30 minutes (and cheaply!) My Thoughts: As I try (try) to go Whole-Food Plant-Based, this is something I really need. A foreward from Dr. Greger, increases the appeal. I actually thought I’d bought this already, but I confused it with another one (that I ended up using exactly zero times, which is exactly what it was worth). Verdict: Nunc hoc in marmore non est incisum
	The Ninja Daughter by Tori Eldridge Blurb: “[An] action-packed thriller about a Chinese-Norwegian modern-day ninja with “Joy Luck Club” family issues who battles the Los Angeles Ukrainian mob, sex traffickers, and her own family to save two desperate women and an innocent child.” My Thoughts: I read it back in August. This was really good, I’ve got the sequel waiting to be read next month. Verdict: This is another one where I technically get to cut it since I pulled this list months before I read the book.
	Pricked by Scott Mooney Blurb: “Briar Pryce has the power to change the emotions of others by handing them a rose. It is a talent that has done surprisingly little for her, besides landing her a dead-end enchantment delivery job and killing any chance she had with her childhood-crush-turned-roommate. Worst of all, her ability might be responsible for getting her best friend transformed into a cat via a cursed muffin basket. Needless to say, Briar is nowhere near happily-ever-after. But that’s just life as a twentysomething in the Poisoned Apple, New York City’s lost borough of fairy-tale wonder and rent-controlled magic.” My Thoughts: I was set to cross this off as “cute idea, but I just don’t have the time.” But the last clause I quoted there just sounds too promising. Verdict: (with reservations)
	The Land of Roar by Jenny McLachlan Blurb: “When Arthur and Rose were little, they were heroes in the Land of Roar, an imaginary world that they found by climbing through the folding bed in their grandad’s attic…Now the twins are eleven, Roar is just a memory. But when they help Grandad clean out the attic, Arthur is horrified as Grandad is pulled into the folding bed and vanishes. Is he playing a joke? Or is Roar . . . real?” My Thoughts: Looks like it’d be a ton of fun, but I know I’m not getting to it anytime soon. Verdict:
	The Age of Innocence by Edith Wharton Blurb: “Dutiful Newland Archer, an eligible young man from New York high society, is about to announce his engagement to May Welland, a suitable match from a good family, when May’s cousin, the beautiful and exotic Countess Ellen Olenska, is introduced into their circle. The Countess brings with her an aura of European sophistication and a hint of perceived scandal, having left her husband and claimed her independence. Her worldliness, disregard for society’s rules, and air of unapproachability attract the sensitive Newland, despite his enthusiasm about a marriage to May and the societal advantages it would bring. Almost against their will, Newland and Ellen develop a passionate bond, and a classic love triangle takes shape as the three young people find themselves drawn into a poignant and bitter conflict between love and duty.” My Thoughts: I think I read some article a couple of years ago about “why you need to read Edith Wharton.” I don’t remember where I read it or any of the content. So I really don’t remember why I put this 20th Century Classic on my list. From the description, it’s not my cup of tea. Verdict:

Books Removed in this Post: 6 / 10
Total Books Removed: 117 / 240

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

(Image by moritz320 from Pixabay)

I did not cut a lot off of this list—2 of the cuts were only by technicalities, too. On the other hand, some of these look really good, and I was reminded why I wanted to read these in the first place and should result in me reading a couple pretty soon. Which is almost as good, right?

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)

	Better Grammar in 30 Minutes a Day by Constance Immel My Thoughts: I’m not sure what drove me to add this to the list, I dig books about language and grammar and so on. But a workbook? Yeah, that’s really not what I need. (it looks like a decent one, don’t get me wrong, if you’re looking to brush up on it) Verdict:
	Know Your Rites by Andy Redsmith Blurb: The second in the series, this time Inspector Nick Paris is on the hunt for a killer—with a rapping dwarf as the lead suspect. My Thoughts: I really dug the first in this series—I ordered this months ahead of publication. And got too busy to read it then. I’m absolutely reading this. Even if I hadn’t spent the money…a dwarf who raps. You don’t say no to that. Verdict:
	Hey Grandude! by Paul McCartney My Thoughts: It’s a picture book by McCartney. That’s a no brainer. Verdict:
	Divorce Is Murder by Elka Ray Blurb: “Shortly after returning to her sleepy hometown on Vancouver Island, Chinese-Canadian divorce lawyer Toby Wong runs into Josh Barton, who broke her heart as a teen at summer camp. Now a wealthy entrepreneur, Josh wants to divorce Tonya, the mean girl who made Toby’s life hell all those years ago. Not long after Toby takes Josh’s case, Tonya is found murdered. Josh is the prime suspect. Together with her fortune-teller mom and her pregnant best friend, Toby sets out to clear Josh, whom she still has a guilty crush on.” My Thoughts: I’ve read some pieces by Ray that were pretty good. But I’m just not feeling this. Verdict:
	A Little Hatred by Joe Abercrombie Blurb: The First Law: The Next Generation. Glokta’s daughter and Luthar’s son star in the first volume of the The Age of Madness Trilogy, “where the age of the machine dawns, but the age of magic refuses to die.” My Thoughts: I really need to get to this. Verdict:
	Kopp Sisters on the March by Amy Stewart Blurb: “It’s the spring of 1917 and change is in the air. American women have done something remarkable: they’ve banded together to create military-style training camps for women who want to serve. These so-called National Service Schools prove irresistible to the Kopp sisters, who leave their farm in New Jersey to join up.” After an accident sidelines the Camp Matron Contance takes over and ends up actually training the women to do something. My Thoughts: I listened to the audiobook last fall, and just now noticed that I haven’t written about it. Technically, that means I can remove it from the list. Verdict:
	A Dastardly Plot by Chrisopher Healy My Thoughts: I had a lot of fun with Healy’s The League of Princes series, and can’t imagine that this steampunk-ish tale wouldn’t be just as fun. It’s sticking around. I have no idea when I’ll get to it, but the idea of a reading a book that’s nothing but fun is something I can’t cut. Verdict:
	No Man’s Land by Neil Broadfoot Blurb: “A mutilated body is found dumped at Cowane’s Hospital in the heart of historic Stirling. For DCI Malcolm Ford it’s like nothing he’s ever seen before, the savagery of the crime makes him want to catch the murderer before he strikes again. For reporter Donna Blake it’s a shot at the big time, a chance to get her career back on track and prove all the doubters wrong. But for close protection specialist Connor Fraser it’s merely a grisly distraction from the day job.” My Thoughts: I think I heard an interview with Broadfoot about this book, I know Raven Crime Reads talked about it. Both of them made an impression on me. Looks good. Verdict:
	Nothing to See Here by Kevin Wilson Blurb: “Madison’s twin stepkids are moving in with her family and she wants Lillian [an old boarding school friend] to be their caretaker. However, there’s a catch: the twins spontaneously combust when they get agitated, flames igniting from their skin in a startling but beautiful way. Lillian is convinced Madison is pulling her leg, but it’s the truth…Over the course of one humid, demanding summer, Lillian and the twins learn to trust each other—and stay cool—while also staying out of the way of Madison’s buttoned-up politician husband.” My Thoughts: I don’t remember much about Wilson’s The Family Fang (it was nine years ago, and before the blog). I remember it was strange. It was heartfelt. And it was good. I imagine this will be the same. It’s gotta stick. Verdict:
	Last Couple Standing by Matthew Norman Blurb: “The Core Four have been friends since college: four men, four women, four couples. They got married around the same time, had kids around the same time, and now, fifteen years later, they’ve started getting divorced around the same time, too. With three of the Core Four unions crumbling to dust around them, Jessica and Mitch Butler take a long, hard look at their own marriage. Can it be saved? Or is divorce, like some fortysomething zombie virus, simply inescapable?” So the Butler’s cook up the dumbest plan ever to save their marriage—and then stuff happens. My Thoughts: I read this back in May of last year. It’s one of those that I have so many things I want to say about that I still haven’t figured out how to write about it. It was so good. And so, so problematic. Either way, can X it off of this list. Verdict:

Books Removed in this Post: 4 / 10
Total Books Removed: 111 / 240

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

(Image by moritz320 from Pixabay)