Tag: News/Misc Page 26 of 29

Down the TBR Hole (9 of 24+)

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On July 22, 2020

In Books, Down the TBR Hole, News/Misc.

Down the TBR Hole

My most severe cuts yet, which I enjoyed. I’m up to 10% cut off the total list (and I’m roughly 40% through the list I started with), which isn’t quite as dramatic as I’d hoped, but it’s some progress. I’ve also reminded myself of some promising reads that I haven’t made time for yet.

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)

Don't Get Caught Don’t Get Caught by Kurt Dinan
Blurb: “Max Cobb—Mr. 2.5 GPA, Mr. No Social Life, known throughout the school as Just Max—has just been set-up by the prank-pulling Chaos Club.
But this time they’ve messed with the wrong guy.
​
Because if his favorite heist movies have taught him anything, it’s time for Heist Rule #7: Always get payback. It’s time to recruit a crew, and he knows just who to ask.
Let the prank war begin.”
My Thoughts: This looks like a fun way to spend a day’s reading. I’d probably enjoy it, and understand why I put it on the list. But…it’s just not going to happen.
Verdict:
Thumbs Down
Who Killed Sherlock Holmes? Who Killed Sherlock Holmes? by Paul Cornell
My Thoughts: The third (and final?) installment in Cornell’s Shadow Police series looks good. I think the only reason I haven’t read it yet is that when it was released, my Library didn’t get a copy (I’d read the first two in the series from them), and I didn’t have the cash to get it. Now, I’m just being lazy.
Verdict:
Thumbs Up
Everybody's Fool Everybody’s Fool by Richard Russo
My Thoughts: A few years ago, I read all of Russo’s novels (and 50% of them since then). The completist in me feels like I need to read this one, but I really never cared for Sully and just am not that interested in spending more time with him. This is going to bug me, but I’ll get over it.
Verdict:
Thumbs Down
The View from the Cheap Seats The View from the Cheap Seats: Selected Nonfiction by Neil Gaiman
Blurb: A collection of non-fiction pieces by Neil bleeping Gaiman, “Analytical yet playful, erudite yet accessible, this cornucopia explores a broad range of interests and topics, including (but not limited to): authors past and present; music; storytelling; comics; bookshops; travel; fairy tales; America; inspiration; libraries; ghosts; and the title piece, at turns touching and self-deprecating, which recounts the author’s experiences at the 2010 Academy Awards in Hollywood.”
My Thoughts: It’s Gaiman. No contest.
Verdict:
Thumbs Up
Blood Defense Blood Defense by Marcia Clark
My Thoughts: I enjoyed Clark’s series about a prosecutor, would probably enjoy her take on a defense lawyer (if only because I have a soft spot for them), but these books have never drawn me. Guess I’ll pass for now.
Verdict:
Thumbs Down
True Grift True Grift by Jack Bunker
Blurb: “A bankrupt lawyer and a greedy insurance adjuster concoct a personal injury scam involving a runaway grocery cart and recruit a half-wit golf course greenskeeper as their fall guy. But the plan goes horribly wrong, and as it spirals into a murderous fiasco, the grifters must deal with betrayals, shakedowns, bombs and mobsters to avoid prison… or worse, an early grave in a Southern California landfill.”
Verdict:
Thumbs Down
Britt-Marie Was Here Britt-Marie Was Here by Fredrik Backman
Blurb: “[A] heartwarming story about a woman rediscovering herself after a personal crisis.”
My Thoughts: Fredrik Backman. No doubt about it.
Verdict:
Thumbs Up
Congratulations on Everything Congratulations on Everything by Nathan Whitlock
Blurb: “A dark and comic novel, Congratulations On Everything tracks the struggles, frailties, and cruelly pyrrhic victories of the middle-aged owner of a bar-restaurant and a 30ish lunch-shift waitress…In an era when the gourmand rules and chefs become superstars, Congratulations On Everything is a hilarious and occasionally uncomfortable dose of anti-foodie reality that reveals what goes on when the customers and Instagrammers aren’t around — and even sometimes when they are.”
My Thoughts: eh….
Verdict:
Thumbs Down
Your Favorite Band Is Killing Me Your Favorite Band Is Killing Me: What Pop Music Rivalries Reveal About the Meaning of Life by Steven Hyden
Blurb: “Beatles vs. Stones. Biggie vs. Tupac. Kanye vs. Taylor. Who do you choose? And what does that say about you? Actually — what do these endlessly argued-about pop music rivalries say about us?”
Verdict: Nunc hoc in marmore non est incisum
Thumbs Down
Life Moves Pretty Fast Life Moves Pretty Fast: The Lessons We Learned From Eighties Movies (And Why We Don’t Learn Them From Movies Any More) by Hadley Freeman
Blurb: “In this personalised guide, ]Freeman] puts her obsessive movie geekery to good use, detailing the decades [sic] key players, genres and tropes, and how exactly the friendship between Dan Aykroyd and John Belushi influenced the evolution of comedy. She looks back to a cinematic world in which bankers are invariably evil, despite this being the decade of Wall Street, where children are always wiser than adults, and science is embraced with an intense enthusiasm, and the future viewed with excitement. She considers how the changes between movies then and movies today say so much about pop culture’s and society’s changing expectations of women, young people and art, and explains why Pretty in Pink and Sixteen Candles should be put on school syllabuses immediately.”
My Thoughts: As I said about the first book in this installment, this looks like a fun way to spend a day’s reading. I’d probably enjoy it, and understand why I put it on the list. But…it’s just not going to happen.
Verdict:
Thumbs Down

Books Removed in this Post: 7 / 10
Total Books Removed: 53 / 240

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

(Image by moritz320 from Pixabay)

The Friday 56 for 7/17/20

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On July 17, 2020

In Currently Reading, News/Misc., Quotations, The Friday 56

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 Page 56 of:
Peace Talks

Peace Talks by Jim Butcher

Lara was perfectly capable of asking me to do something beyond the pale of any functioning conscience.

But Lara was damned smart, too. She had to know that I had limits—that my compact with Mab hadn‘t changed that. If she told me to do something unconscionable, I was going to tell her where she could shove it.

Which would get me killed. Overkilledd. Überkilled…

I had nothing but lousy choices. So what else was new?

Down the TBR Hole (8 of 24+)

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On July 8, 2020

In Books, Down the TBR Hole, News/Misc.

Down the TBR Hole

There are more books involved with this one for reasons you’ll see, which is part of I cut more on this dive down the hole than usual (also, there’s a bit of cheating, too). Hopefully, someone out there finds these somewhat interesting, I find composing them rather cathartic.

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)

Sidekick Sidekick: The Red Raptor Files – Part 1 by Christopher J. Valin
Blurb: The Sidekick to his city’s greatest hero has to go solo to save the day, and his partner.
My Thoughts: I’ve got too many unread Indie-pubbed Super-Hero books in my possession already, as fun as this looks, I need to cut it.
Verdict:
Thumbs Down
Mash Up Mash Up by Joe Klingler
Blurb: “When a suspect dies on his watch, failure pushes Alaskan detective Qigiq to San Francisco–the land of magical technology–to regroup. His new fast-driving partner, Kandy Dreeson, calls at dawn: a beautiful avant-garde violinist is at the station freaking out about an Amazon box–and her missing roommate. Thus begins the hunt for a killer who leaves behind a torrent of body parts, videos of heinous crimes, and deadly explosions.

Qigiq and Kandy enter a world of cybercrime he doesn’t understand–but is determined to master. Dodging attempts on their lives with each new bit they decipher, they grow ever closer to a dangerous force that trades money for murder, and music for privacy. Closer with each Amazon delivery. Closer with each new victim.”
My Thoughts: Klinger was one of the first authors to reach out to me to ask me to read their stuff–and was maybe the second to agree to a Q&A. So shortly after that, I went out and bought some of his other work. It looked fun at the time, still does. I got too busy to read those two books then, and need to make time for them now.
Verdict:

Thumbs Up
RATS RATS by Joe Klingler
Blurb: “Summer greets the land of the midnight sun as a lone rider races across the last American wilderness, delivering on a promise he made long ago. He has many names, but the world only knows a shadow called the Demon. Soon to be drawn into the Demon’s world, Claire Ferreti, an Army sniper, sips sake in Washington, DC with her lover, a young, ambitious General whose geosecurity specialty remains classified. When a boy finds a small machine, Claire embarks on a a black-ops mission that leads to a test of skill, a clash of ideologies, and her unconscious body lying in a typhoon-ravaged jungle. In that instant she becomes the hunted, the Demon’s tool for survival, and an unforeseen threat. As the General pursues them into a labyrinth of cyber-secrets, political necessity and financial reality collide like a fireball piercing steel.”
My Thoughts: See above.
Verdict:
Thumbs Down
Absence of Light Absence of Light by Zoë Sharp
My Thoughts: I missed this novella between Die Easy and Fox Hunter. A mistake I should rectify, and soon.
Verdict:
Thumbs Up
Killer InstinctRiot ActHard KnocksRoad Kill Killer Instinct; Riot Act by Zoë Sharp; Hard Knocks by Zoë Sharp; Road Kill by Zoë Sharp
My Thoughts: I could be wrong here, but when First Drop came out in the states, the first three of these weren’t available–and I don’t know that Road Kill was published here before Second Shot was–I looked for everything I could get my hands on (ordering from overseas wasn’t really a thing I considered), and I honestly wasn’t aware these existed until years later. I just thought that Charlie showed up in First Drop with this complex backstory that we learned about in allusions and bits and pieces. Which was cool. Then a couple of years ago, I saw that these were a thing and slapped them onto my Goodreads list. And while I typically don’t get it when people do this, I don’t think I’m going to go back and see Charlie’s early years (as curious as a I am), because I like my Head Cannon.
Verdict:
Thumbs Down Thumbs Down Thumbs Down Thumbs Down
Kindred Spirits Kindred Spirits by Rainbow Rowell
My Thoughts: I’ve been a big Rowell fan in the past, but her recent work–the Marvel comic or the Simon Snow YA books (I thought the Snow stuff was the weakest part of Fan Girl and have no interest in pursuing it)–has so not appealed to me, that I think it spilled over into this short work about a girl waiting in line for a new Star Wars movie. Probably something I’d like, I just need to remember to read it.
Verdict:
Thumbs Up
Why Bother with Church Why Bother With Church?: And other questions about why you need it and why it needs you by Sam Allberry
My Thoughts: The title says everything you need to know about it. Allberry’s a clever, concise writer, so this should be good. I’ve read one or two others in this series (by other authors), and it should be a short, punchy read. Also, my wife’s read it twice and owns it. Just need to take an hour some day.
Verdict:
Thumbs Up
Open Season Open Season by C.J. Box
Blurb: The first in Box’s long-running series about a Wyoming Game Warden who keeps stumbling into murder cases.
My Thoughts: This is so, so, easy. I listened to the audiobook last year, so I can remove this from the “Want to Read” list. (this feels a little like a cheat, but I think I’ll get away with it).
Verdict:
Thumbs Down
Days of Tao The Days of Tao by Wesley Chu
My Thoughts: There is no reason at all that I haven’t read this. I’m a fan of the Tao series. I liked Cameron Tan. This is a short novella that I own. I’ve just got to take a day.
Verdict:
Thumbs Up
Barsk Barsk: The Elephants’ Graveyard by Lawrence M. Schoen
Blurb: Genius-level, sentient elephants in the far-flung future.
My Thoughts: I think Kevin Hearne talked about this in a newsletter, and it sounded good. It probably is good, but there’s probably a reason I left it untouched for 4 years. I’d probably like it, but not love it, so in the interests of time…to the chopping block it goes.
Verdict:
Thumbs Down
Where All Light Tends to Go Where All Light Tends to Go by David Joy
Blurb: A country-noir tale about the son of a meth cooker trying to get out from his father’s shadow to be with the woman he loves–far from home.
Verdict: This one hurts, I feel like I’m turning my back on something good. But I’m going to be honest, I’m just not going to get to it.
Thumbs Down
The Two of Us The Two of Us by Andy Jones
Blurb: “Fisher and Ivy have been an item for all of nineteen days. Both of them have been in relationships before, and this time around, they know something is different—they are meant to be together. The fact that they know little else about each other is a minor detail.

But over the next year, a time in which their lives are irrevocably altered, Fisher and Ivy discover that falling in love is one thing—and staying there is an entirely different story.”
Verdict: Again, a tough choice, but I don’t see myself getting around to it.
Thumbs Down

Books Removed in this Post: 10 / 15
Total Books Removed: 46 / 240

Anyone out there read any of these books? Did I choose wisely? Or did I choose poorly?

(Image by moritz320 from Pixabay)

The Friday 56 for 7/3/20

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On July 3, 2020

In Currently Reading, News/Misc., Quotations, The Friday 56

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:
One Man

One Man by Harry Connolly

“You were going to describe the fight,” Mirishiya said.

“The fight is the best part of the story! Swift, bold strikes! One man against many! The pirate captain crippled! The pirate crew throwing down their weapons in terror! When I tell it, it’s like an old tale of adventure.

“But the truth is I didn’t see any of it. The night was darker than any I’ve seen before or since. The watch lanterns on Scream for Mercy seemed to wink out, as though a shroud had been thrown over them. I heard the clash of metal. I heard screaming. By the fallen gods, I heard screams that haunt my dreams to this day. But all I could see was growing darkness and the flicker of blue firelight.”

June 2020 in Retrospect: What I Read/Listened to/Wrote About Template

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On July 1, 2020

In Books, Calendar Items, Currently Reading, News/Misc.

In this month that ended before I realized it had begun, I somehow finished 23 works with a total of 6,881 pages (or the equivalent). I DNF’ed one book, but the rest had an average rating of 3.8. As usual, I didn’t write as much as I wanted to–which didn’t bother me until I saw how many things this month didn’t get covered. I’m sure I’ll get them done pretty soon, but, it made me wonder what I was doing.

Still, a pretty good month here. Hope you had one, too.

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

Burn Me Deadly Wait for Signs American Demon
3.5 Stars 3 Stars 4 Stars
Crossing in Time Fair Warning The Power of Habit
4 Stars 3.5 Stars 3.5 Stars
The Ghosts of Sherwood Anna Luck and Judgement
4 Stars 3.5 Stars 4 Stars
The Finders Working Stiff Out of Range
4 1/2 Stars 3.5 Stars 3 Stars
Imaginary Numbers Muzzled Why Would Anyone Go to Church?
4 1/2 Stars 4 1/2 Stars 3 Stars
Nothing Is Wrong and Here Is Why Captain's Fury How the Wired Weep
3 Stars 5 Stars 4 1/2 Stars
The Fangs of Freelance Looking for Rachel Wallace WONDER TWINS VOL. 1: ACTIVATE!
3 Stars 5 Stars 3 Stars
The Hope of Israel Of Mutts and Men Happy
4 Stars 4 1/2 Stars DNF

Still Reading

Tom Jones Original Cover Institutes of Christian Religion vol 1 Brief Cases
The Curator

Ratings

5 Stars 2 2 1/2 Stars 0
4 1/2 Stars 4 2 Stars 0
4 Stars 6 1 1/2 Stars 0
3.5 Stars 5 1 Star 0
3 Stars 6
Average = 3.8

TBR Pile
Mt TBR January 20

Breakdowns
“Traditionally” Published: 19
Self-/Independent Published: 4

Genre This Month Year to Date
Children’s 0 (0%) 2 (2%)
Fantasy 3 (13%) 18 (15%)
General Fiction/ Literature 1 (4%) 8 (7%)
Horror 0 (0%) 0 (0%)
Humor 0 (0%) 1 (1%)
Mystery/ Suspense/ Thriller 8 (35%) 48 (39%)
Non-Fiction 4 (17%) 8 (7%)
Science Fiction 2 (9%) 11 (9%)
Steampunk 0 (0%) 2 (2%)
Theolgy/ Christian Living 2 (9%) 9 (7%)
Urban Fantasy 3 (13%) 17 (14%)
Western 0 (0%) 0 (0%)

Review-ish Things Posted

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

How was your month?

20 Books of Summer 2020: June Check-In

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On June 30, 2020

In Andy Carpenter, Books, Chet and Bernie, Currently Reading, David Rosenfelt, Don Winslow, Fantasy, Fiction, General Fiction/Literature, Ian Rankin, InCryptid, John Rebus, Kevin Hearne, Luca Veste, Mystery/Detective Fiction/Crime Fiction/Thriller, News/Misc., Non-Fiction, Spencer Quinn, Urban Fantasy

20 Books of Summer
Here we are at the end of June, one-third of the way through the summer, and I’m roughly one-third of the way through the challenge. That worked out nicely. I’ve made one substitute because I had some trouble getting my hands on the one non-fiction book that was on the list. And, hey, I just read a non-fiction book, so might as well put that one in. Otherwise, I’m on track for finishing the list as originally conceived.

✔ 1. Nothing Is Wrong and Here Is Why by Alexandra Petri
2. The Last Smile in Sunder City by Luke Arnold
3. Screamcatcher: Dream Chasers by Christy J. Breedlove
✔ 4. The Finders by Jeffrey B. Burton
✔ 5. Fair Warning by Michael Connelly
6. One Man by Harry Connolly
7. The Curator by M. W. Craven
8. The Ninja Daughter by Tori Eldridge
9. The Rome of Fall by Chad Alan Gibbs
✔ 10. American Demon by Kim Harrison		 11. A Blight of Blackwings by Kevin Hearne
12. Betty by Tiffany McDaniel
✔ 13. Imaginary Numbers by Seanan McGuire
14. Curse the Day by Judith O’Reilly
✔ 15. Of Mutts and Men by Spencer Quinn
16. Rather Be the Devil by Ian Rankin
✔ 17. Muzzled by David Rosenfelt
18. Bad Turn by Zoë Sharp
19. The Silence by Luca Veste
20. The Border by Don Winslow

20 Books of Summer Chart June

I Dare You! Book Tag

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On June 30, 2020

In Book Tag, Books, News/Misc.

I Dare You! Book Tag
I’ve seen this on various blogs, but can’t seem to find the creator, so I can’t credit them. I’d like to, if anyone knows who did it.

Rules:

  • Be Honest! (ummm, really? Why bother lying here?)
  • Answer all the questions (what’s the point otherwise?)
  • Tag at least 4 people (so I’ve failed, I’m going to break this rule)

1. What book has been on your shelf the longest?

That’s a very good question, I’m not 100% sure, but I think it’s an a copy of

title

The Godfather by Mario Puzo

I think I got it at a neighbor’s garage sale just before I entered 7th grade, and while my mother was hesitant to let me read such salacious material (and she should have been), she allowed it. Not only did it blow my mind, but I distinctly remember some high schoolers seeing me reading it on the school bus and being impressed. It probably saved me from some hazing.

2. What is your current read, your last read and the book you’ll read next?

Last read: Looking for Rachel Wallace by Robert P. Parker
Current read: Of Mutts and Men by Spencer Quinn
Next read: The Curator by M. W. Craven

Looking for Rachel WallaceBlank SpaceOf Mutts and MenBlank SpaceThe Curator

3. What book did everyone like, but you hated?

Behind Her Eyes

Behind Her Eyes by Sarah Pinborough

As I said when I read it. I really, really liked it until the end. And then…nope. Just nope.

4. What book do you keep telling yourself you’ll read… but you probably won’t?

Maybe The Wheel of Time series, but I think I got honest about that a long time ago. Early Delillo? Oh, oh, Dennis Lehane’s Live by Night. I bought the hardcover the week it was released eight years ago, and I just don’t see it happening.

5. What book are you saving for your retirement?

The Wheel of Time series? I don’t know, I have a hard enough time planning the rest of this summer, I’ve got 20+ years until retirement, there’s no way I can think that far ahead.

6. Last page: Read it first or save it to the end?

Do I look like Harry Burns to you? The last page should be read last. That’s why it’s called that.

7. Acknowledgement: waste of paper and ink, or interesting aside?

I find them frequently interesting, if at a glance, they’re more than just a list of names, I’ll give them a read.

8. Which book character would you switch places with?

If the switch involved gaining his intelligence, then the choice is easy.

Nero Wolfe

Nero Wolfe created by Rex Stout

He spends most of his days reading, drinking beer and eating gourmet food. What’s not to like?

9. Do you have a book that reminds you of something specific in your life (place, time, person)?

Pretty much every book on my shelves does.

10. Name a book that you acquired in an interesting way?

Er…I really can’t think of anything that fits. Like most people, I’ve had the suprise find at a Library Sale, or Used Book store, but there’s really nothing terribly interesting there. The closest I came was when I was checking out a new indie store last year, and I tried to special order a paperback of Tom Jones, but one of the clerks insisted they had a copy. Their inventory didn’t show one, but he went off and looked through books that hadn’t been entered yet and came back with this spiffy hardcover in a slipcase. No online store is going to do that.

11. Have you ever given a book away for a special reason to a special person?

One of my own books? Um…no. I’ve “given” a few away via loaning them and not getting them back, but that’s not what the question was going for.

12. Which book has been with you most places?

It’d be a tie between: God Save the Child, Mortal Stakes , Promised Land, The Judas Goat,Looking for Rachel Wallace, Early Autumn, A Savage Place, Ceremony, The Widening Gyre , Valediction, A Catskill Eagle, Taming a Sea-Horse, and Pale Kings and Princes by Robert. B. Paker (13 of the first 14 Spenser novels. The first (as I mentioned) didn’t make the move with my family in 1988. But those have been everywhere I’ve lived since, including the various dorm rooms in college (most other novels stayed at my parents).

13. Any “required reading” that you hated in high school that wasn’t so bad two years later?

I can’t remember hating anything that I didn’t keep on hating (e.g., Heart of Darkness, A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man, The Grapes of Wrath). I think I apprecaited The Great Gatsby and A Farewell to Arms more when I read them a couple of years later, but that’s as close as I get.

14. Used or brand new?

Either, but I skew new.

15. Have you ever read a Dan Brown book?

I read one of them twice–sure, it had different titles (Angels & Demons and The Da Vinci Code) and covers both times. More than enough for a lifetime.

16. Have you ever seen a movie you liked more than the book?

Sure, Matthew Vaughn’s Stardust is better than Gaiman’s (but if I read the latter a couple of more times, I may be swayed). I really dug Crighton’s Jurassic Park, but I might have enjoyed the movie a bit more. But the ultimate example of this is Let the Right One In (either version, though the Swedish is probably superior)–couldn’t finish the book (and I got pretty far, I think).

Let the Right One In

17. Have you ever made a book that made you hungry, cookbooks included?

A lot of what Elvis Cole and Spenser eat and/or cook does. I’d love to eat Nero Wolfe’s scrambled eggs (from The Mother Hunt. Faith Hunter’s Nell Ingram gives me cravings for stuff I shouldn’t eat as she discovers what food is like outside the cult she was raised in. Almost every cookbook I’ve eaten has made me want to eat. No fantasy novel has ever got me hungry (I like stew as much as the next guy, but not that much)–especially Martin’s “six page descriptions of every last meal”. But the best book along those lines is:

Sourdough

Sourdough by Robin Sloan

Even thinking about this book years later makes me hanker for the spicy soup and spicy sandwich. Still, that’s not what the prompt was about, technically, but as I noted when I wrote about it, I had to fight to not interrupt my reading and demand that my son bring some sourdough home from the bakery he worked at.

18. Who is the person who’s book advice you’ll always take?

Most people I know IRL are intimidated by giving me book advice (which is odd, I’m always open to suggestion) Still, Micah’s got a pretty good track record, Paul’s pretty spot on.

19. Is there a book outside of your comfort zone that you ended up loving?

Probably, but once I ended up loving (or at least enjoying it), I’d stop considering it outside of my comfort zone. The only thing that I can think of at the moment is the Romance Novel:

Finding Felix

Finding Felix by Jo Platt

Which was a heckuva fun read (and only outside of my comfort zone as it’s marketed as Romance). If a thing tells a story, it’s my comfort zone–or close enough, anyway.

As usual, I’m not tagging anyone in this—but I’d like to see what you all have to come up with.

The Friday 56 for 6/26/20

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On June 26, 2020

In Currently Reading, News/Misc., Politics/Current Affairs, Quotations, The Friday 56

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 Page 56% of:
Nothing Is Wrong and Here Is Why

Nothing Is Wrong and Here Is Why by Alexandra Petri

N.B. I hesitated to use this book, since I posted about it earlier, but I used my current read last week, and I didn’t want to double-dip. And then my next read is an ARC that, and I try not to quote from them since I don’t know if it’ll make the final cut. So…

His head ached all the time. Once he used his excess mental energy to tip over a glass with his mind, but nobody gave him any credit for it. Just for kicks, he raised and lowered the flag on the Interior Department so that it appeared Ryan Zinke was there when in fact he was NOT, but that was not as much fun as anticipated. Everything began to wear on him. He could not sit through international summits. Everyone spoke too slowly.

Gradually he tried to move things that were bigger and bigger. By the end of the first week he was able to knock rockets out of the sky. He sent a tweet about it, but nobody understood that this was what he was trying to say. All the TV ever seemed to show was people closely misreading his tweets. It was miserable. It was a nightmare.

The Friday 56 for 6/19/20

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On June 19, 2020

In Currently Reading, Fiction, Mystery/Detective Fiction/Crime Fiction/Thriller, News/Misc., Quotations, The Friday 56

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:
How the Wired Weep

How the Wired Weep by Ian Patrick

He turns back as Sienna comes over with more drinks and some food. ‘Here, eat this,’ she says. Ben looks at the house burger and fries. His pupils widen. He’s unsure at first.

I know he’s thinking this is all some psychological ploy to make him talk. In a way it is but it was genuinely presented and both of us hope he’ll eat rather than give up the information. He will tell me. He knows I’m interested. It all sounds good. Not for the potential victim but with any luck the whole thing can be nipped in the bud before the victim gets whacked. We hope.

‘OK…OK…here’s the deal,’ Ben says as he leans across and grabs the plate.

Mid-Year Freak Out Book Tag

By

On June 17, 2020

In Book Tag, Books, Craig Johnson, Fiction, Harry Dresden, Jim Butcher, Michael R. Underwood, News/Misc., Nicholas/Nick Petrie, Seanan McGuire

Mid-Year Freak Out Book Tag
I thought this would be a fun little tool to use to look back over the first part of 2020. I saw this one over on One Book More’s blog, and it seemed to have been created by Moon Creations.

What is the best book that you’ve read so far in 2020?

King of the Crows

King of the Crows by Russell Day.

No doubt about it. Epic in scope, but with personal story at its heart. If I really start talking about it, I won’t shut up. I talked about it a little here.

What has been your favorite sequel of the first half of the year?

That’s a tough call, there’ve been a few. But I think I’m going to go with:

Burning Bright

Burning Bright by Nick Petrie

As I said here, I should’ve read this shortly after I read The Drifter in the summer of 2018. The third in the series, Light It Up is coming soon.

Is there a new release that you haven’t read yet but you’re really excited for?

Broken

Broken by Don Winslow

Winslow’s The Border stands between Broken and me–so hopefully, I can get to this novella collection by September.

What is your most anticipated release for the second half of the year?

er, um…that’s a good question. I should probably say Betty by Tiffany McDaniel, because her debut novel was sood and I frequently have pretensions about being all literary and hoity-toity, proving that being an English Major wasn’t just a passing fancy. But if I’m being completely honest, there’s no contest:

Peace Talks Battle Ground

Peace Talks and Battle Ground by Jim Butcher

(it’s not cheating to say that–it was one book that was split into two…). I’m a rabid Dresden fanboy and we’ve been waiting so long!

What is your biggest disappointment so far?

Blood Storm Magic

Blood Storm Magic by Jayne Faith

The Ella Gray series in general. I really enjoyed the way this series started, and while I never figured these would be in the Toby Daye/Harry Dresden league, I didn’t expect that I’d get to the stage where I was disappointed in them, but I hit there. I haven’t even posted about it yet, guess I spoiled that one, eh?

What is your biggest surprise so far?

Highfire

Highfire by Eoin Colfer

Highfire. I never expected Colfer to write a novel about a Dragon for adults–if anything, I expected something along the lines of Screwed or Plugged. So that’s surprise number one. Surprise number two is that the dragon is a Drunken, Netflix-binging, Lousiana swamp-dwelling, crotchety one. Funny and full of heart–entertaining from snout to tail.

Runners-Up: The Audiobooks Back to Reality by Mark Stay & Mark Oliver, narrated by Kim Bretton and The In Between by Michael Landweber, narratoed by Brittany Pressley and Mark Boyett.

Who is your favorite new to you, or debut, author?

Darynda Jones, author of A Bad Day for Sunshine

A Bad Day for Sunshine

Darynda Jones has several novels published already, and I don’t think I’d heard of any of them until I was finished with this intro to her new series. She’s the favorite new to me author and the book has a couple of strong contenders for favorite new characters of 2020, as I stated here.

Who is your favorite fictional crush from this year?

The Finders

Elvira from The Finders by Jeffrey B. Burton

I’ve never gotten into the whole Book Crush thing–I’m already in a long-term relationship. Still, I have to admit, as happily committed as I am, there’s something about Vira, the tough, spirited, brilliant Golden Retriever with a troubled past that just makes me want to make her part of my pack.

But please, no one tell this girl that I said that:
This Girl

What are 6 books that you want to read by the end of the year?

Other than Betty, Peace Talks, and Battleground, right? Five upcoming releases and one book I’m tired of beating myself up for not having read yet (not unlike Burning Bright above, I should have read the Cartmel book in the Fall of ’18)

Annihilation Aria Dead Perfect A Killing Frost
Last Stand in Lychford Next to Last Stand The Run-Out Groove

Annihilation Aria by Michael R. Underwood, Dead Perfect by Noelle Holten, A Killing Frost by Seanan McGuire
Last Stand in Lychford by Paul Cornell, Next to Last Stand by Craig Johnson, The Run-Out Groove by Andrew Cartmel

As usual, I’m not tagging anyone in this—but I’d like to see what you all have to come up with.

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