Anki's 2021 Reading and Book Thoughts

I'm Anki, and I live in New Hampshire. This is my fifth year in Club Read; I am looking forward to reading and talking books with everyone again!

My reading tends to gravitate toward genre fiction (fantasy, science fiction, and mystery) and manga/graphic novels, with a sprinkling of non-fiction works over the year. In terms of format, about half my reading is physical books, and the other half is some split of ebooks and audiobooks.

When it comes to my reading goals for 2021, I want to continue reading books that I own, and I really want to cut back on the number of books I buy. Things got, ah, rather out of hand in the latter half of 2020 in terms of book acquisitions, and as a result my owned and unread books list is currently extra overwhelming. I am not typically the sort of person who makes extensive and detailed reading plans, mostly because I have found that when I do make lists of that sort, I am actually making a list of books I won't be reading any time soon. That said, 2021 is shaping up to be the Year of the Buddy Reads, which means...well, it means I have made lists of books I am going to be trying to read each month. Rather ambitious lists, particularly for the beginning of the year. We'll see how it actually ends up playing out.

Current Reading/Listening
Saints: The Standard of Truth by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
The Once and Future King by T. H. White
The American by Henry James
From Scratch by Tembi Locke
Loving My Actual Life by Alexandra Kuykendall
Christmas at Thompson Hall & Other Christmas Stories by Anthony Trollope
An Autobiography and Other Writings by Anthony Trollope
The Lazy Tour of Two Idle Apprentices by Charles Dickens & Wilkie Collins
The Man in the Queue by Joesphine Tey

Paused/Hiatus Reading
One Corpse Too Many by Ellis Peters
Upstairs at the White House by J. B. West
Middlemarch by George Eliot
The Little Paris Bookshop by Nina George
Her Majesty's Wizard by Christopher Stasheff
Till We Have Faces by C. S. Lewis
Tooth and Claw by Jo Walton
The Inheritance by Louisa May Alcott
Entangled Life by Merlin Sheldrake
Theft of Swords by Michael J. Sullivan
Gothic Tales by Elizabeth Gaskell

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2021 Reading by the Numbers

OWNERSHIP
   Owned: 152
   Borrowed: 24

FORMAT
   Print: 105
   Ebook: 43
   Audio: 28

CATEGORY
   Fiction: 110
   Non-fiction: 14
   Comics: 52

Total Books Read: 176

Last Year (2020) by the Numbers

OWNERSHIP
   Owned: 157 (98%)
   Borrowed: 3 (2%)

FORMAT
   Print: 82 (51%)
   Ebook: 37 (23%)
   Audio: 41 (26%)

CATEGORY
   Fiction: 93 (58%)
   Non-fiction: 13 (8%)
   Comics: 54 (34%)

Rereads: 43 (27%)

Total Books Read: 160

I feel like 2020 was something of an aberration in terms of owned books versus borrowed books read. I know I have said I want to continue to read books I own, but I'm actually hoping 2021 is more in the 70/30 or 60/40 range.

Books Read January - March
* indicates a reread

January
   1. Maison Ikkoku Collector's Edition, Vol. 2 by Rumiko Takahashi (comic, print, owned)
   2. French Polished Murder by Elise Hyatt (fiction, ebook, owned)
   3. The Comedy of Errors by William Shakespeare (play, print, owned)
   4. Madam, Will You Talk? by Mary Stewart (fiction, ebook, owned)
   5. The Moonstone by Wilkie Collins (fiction, print/audio, owned/borrowed)
   6. The Fellowship of the Ring by J. R. R. Tolkien (fiction, print/audio, owned) *
   7. Witch Hat Atelier, Vol. 7 by Kamome Shirahama (comic, print, owned)
   8. The Warden by Anthony Trollope (fiction, ebook, owned)

February
   1. Her Caprice by Keira Dominguez (fiction, ebook, owned)
   2. Rhythm of War by Brandon Sanderson (fiction, print, owned)
   3. Seven Kinds of People You Find in Bookshops by Shaun Bythell (non-fiction, print, owned)
   4. The Two Towers by J. R. R. Tolkien (fiction, print/audio, owned) *
   5. White Sand, Volume 3 by Brandon Sanderson (comic, print, owned)
   6. All the Money in the World by Laura Vanderkam (non-fiction, print, owned)
   7. North and South by Elizabeth Gaskell (fiction, print/audio, owned)
   8. Murder of Crows by Anne Bishop (fiction, print, owned) *

March
   1. The Princess and the Goblin by George MacDonald (fiction, print/audio, owned) *
   2. Nine Coaches Waiting by Mary Stewart (fiction, ebook, owned)
   3. Funny in Farsi by Firoozeh Dumas (non-fiction, print, owned)
   4. Discount Armageddon by Seanan McGuire (fiction, ebook, owned)
   5. Midnight Blue-Light Special by Seanan McGuire (fiction, ebook, owned)
   6. Kakuriyo, volume 6 by Waco Ioka (comic, print, owned)
   7. Outer Order, Inner Calm by Gretchen Rubin (non-fiction, print, borrowed)
   8. Barchester Towers by Anthony Trollope (fiction, print/audio, owned)
   9. The Ivy Tree by Mary Stewart (fiction, ebook, owned)
   10. Delicious in Dungeon, vol. 5 by Ryoko Kui (comic, print, owned)
   11. Delicious in Dungeon, vol. 6 by Ryoko Kui (comic, print, owned)
   12. Where Happiness Lives by Barry Timms (picture book, print, owned)
   13. The Westing Game by Ellen Raskin (fiction, print, owned) *
   14. Maison Ikkoku Collector's Edition, Vol. 3 by Rumiko Takahashi (comic, print, owned)

Books Read April - June
* indicates a reread

April
   1. The Grand Sophy by Georgette Heyer (fiction, print, owned) *
   2. The Return of the King by J. R. R. Tolkien (fiction, audio/print, owned) *
   3. The Moon-Spinners by Mary Stewart (fiction, ebook, owned)
   4. The Reluctant Godfather by Allison Tebo (fiction, ebook, owned)
   5. Clouds of Witness by Dorothy L. Sayers (fiction, audio/ebook, owned)
   6. Alpha and Omega by Patricia Briggs (fiction, ebook, owned) *
   7. Cry Wolf by Patricia Briggs (fiction, print, owned) *
   8. Hunting Ground by Patricia Briggs (fiction, print, owned) *
   9. Fair Game by Patricia Briggs (fiction, print, owned) *
  10. Dead Heat by Patricia Briggs (fiction, print, owned) *
  11. Half-Off Ragnarok by Seanan McGuire (fiction, ebook, owned)
  12. Unnatural Death by Dorothy L. Sayers (fiction, audio/ebook, owned)
  13. Cotillion by Georgette Heyer (fiction, print, owned) *
  14. Network Effect by Martha Wells (fiction, print, owned)
  15. Fugitive Telemetry by Martha Wells (fiction, print, owned)

May
   1. Burn Bright by Patricia Briggs (fiction, print, owned) *
   2. Monster Hunter Guardian by Larry Correia & Sarah Hoyt (fiction, ebook/print, owned)
   3. Doctor Thorne by Anthony Trollope (fiction, audio/print, owned)
   4. Sylvester by Georgette Heyer (fiction, audio, owned) *
   5. Wild Sign by Patricia Briggs (fiction, print, borrowed)
   6. Stuck by Chris Grabenstein (fiction, audio, owned)
   7. The Scarlet Pimpernel by Baroness Orczy (fiction, audio/print, owned)
   8. Seven Little Sons of the Dragon by Ryoko Kui (comic, print, owned)
   9. The Telling Touch by Keira Dominguez (fiction, ebook, owned)
  10. Call Me Maybe by Cara Bastone (fiction, audio, owned)

June
   1. A Place at the Table by Saadia Faruqi & Laura Shovan (fiction, ebook, borrowed)
   2. The Orphans of Raspay by Lois McMaster Bujold (fiction, ebook, owned)
   3. Laughing Without an Accent by Firoozeh Dumas (nonfiction, print, owned)
   4. Yukarism, vol. 1 by Chika Shiomi (comic, print, owned)
   5. Yukarism, vol. 2 by Chika Shiomi (comic, print, owned)
   6. Yukarism, vol. 3 by Chika Shiomi (comic, print, owned)
   7. Yukarism, vol. 4 by Chika Shiomi (comic, print, owned)
   8. Queen of Hearts by Rhys Bowen (fiction, audio, owned)
   9. American Royals by Katharine McGee (fiction, print, borrowed)
  10. Dragon Hoops by Gene Luen Yang (comic, print, borrowed)
  11. The Crystal Cave by Mary Stewart (fiction, audio/print, owned)
  12. Magic Slays by Ilona Andrews (fiction, ebook, owned) *
  13. Gunmetal Magic by Ilona Andrews (fiction, ebook, owned) *
  14. Magic Gifts by Ilona Andrews (fiction, ebook, owned) *
  15. Magic Mourns by Ilona Andrews (fiction, ebook, owned) *
  16. Maison Ikkoku Collector's Edition, vol. 4 by Rumiko Takahashi (comic, print, owned)
  17. All Creatures Great and Small by James Herriot (non-fiction, print, owned)
  18. Magic Rises by Ilona Andrews (fiction, ebook, owned) *
  19. The Hollow Hills by Mary Stewart (fiction, audio/print, owned)
  20. Decluttering at the Speed of Life by Dana K. White (non-fiction, print, owned)
  21. Vision in Silver by Anne Bishop (fiction, ebook, owned) *
  22. Marked in Flesh by Anne Bishop (fiction, ebook, owned) *

Books Read July - September
* indicates a reread

July
   1. Lake Silence by Anne Bishop (fiction, print, owned) *
   2. Wild Country by Anne Bishop (fiction, print, owned) *
   3. Magic Breaks by Ilona Andrews (fiction, ebook, borrowed) *
   4. Magic Shifts by Ilona Andrews (fiction, ebook, borrowed)
   5. Framley Parsonage by Anthony Trollope (fiction, audio/print, owned)
   6. The Way of the Househusband, vol. 5 by Kousuke Oono (comic, print, owned)
   7. Pocket Apocalypse by Seanan McGuire (fiction, ebook, owned)
   8. Frederica by Georgette Heyer (fiction, print, owned)
   9. C. S. Lewis Letters to Children by C. S. Lewis (non-fiction, print, owned)
  10. Blood of the Earth by Faith Hunter (fiction, print, owned)
  11. The Last Enchantment by Mary Stewart (fiction, audio/print, owned)
  12. Captain Vorpatril's Alliance by Lois McMaster Bujold (fiction, ebook, owned) *
  13. Sweet Talk by Cara Bastone (fiction, audio, owned)
  14. Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir (fiction, print, borrowed)

August
   1. Curse on the Land by Faith Hunter (fiction, print, borrowed)
   2. The Count by Kenneth Tam (fiction, ebook, owned)
   3. Flame in the Dark by Faith Hunter (fiction, print, borrowed)
   4. Mistborn: The Final Empire by Brandon Sanderson (fiction, audio/print, owned) *
   5. The Diary of a Bookseller by Shaun Bythell (non-fiction, print, owned)
   6. Sorcery of Thorns by Margaret Rogerson (fiction, print, owned)
   7. What Alice Forgot by Liane Moriarty (fiction, ebook, borrowed)
   8. Women of Futures Past by Kristine Kathryn Rusch (fiction, print, owned)
   9. Circle of the Moon by Faith Hunter (fiction, print, borrowed)
  10. The Bromance Book Club by Lyssa Kay Adams (fiction, ebook, borrowed)
  11. The Mystery of the Clockwork Sparrow by Katherine Woodfine (fiction, print, owned)
  12. Bomb by Steve Sheinkin (non-fiction, print, owned)
  13. Spells for the Dead by Faith Hunter (fiction, print, borrowed)

September
   1. Waiting for Spring, vol. 1 by Anashin (comic, print, owned) *
   2. Waiting for Spring, vol. 2 by Anashin (comic, print, owned) *
   3. Waiting for Spring, vol. 3 by Anashin (comic, print, owned) *
   4. Waiting for Spring, vol. 4 by Anashin (comic, print, owned) *
   5. Waiting for Spring, vol. 5 by Anashin (comic, print, owned) *
   6. Waiting for Spring, vol. 6 by Anashin (comic, print, owned) *
   7. Waiting for Spring, vol. 7 by Anashin (comic, print, owned) *
   8. Waiting for Spring, vol. 8 by Anashin (comic, print, owned) *
   9. Waiting for Spring, vol. 9 by Anashin (comic, print, owned) *
  10. Waiting for Spring, vol. 10 by Anashin (comic, print, owned) *
  11. Waiting for Spring, vol. 11 by Anashin (comic, print, owned)
  12. Waiting for Spring, vol. 12 by Anashin (comic, print, owned)
  13. Waiting for Spring, vol. 13 by Anashin (comic, print, owned)
  14. Waiting for Spring, vol. 14 by Anashin (comic, print, owned)
  15. The Small House at Allington by Anthony Trollope (fiction, audio/print, owned)
  16. Into the Drowning Deep by Mira Grant (fiction, print, borrowed)
  17. Touch Not the Cat by Mary Stewart (fiction, ebook, owned)
  18. The Way of the Househusband, vol. 6 by Kousuke Oono (comic, print, owned)
  19. Mao, vol. 1 by Rumiko Takahashi (comic, print, owned)
  20. Maison Ikkoku Collector's Edition, vol. 5 by Rumiko Takahashi (comic, print, owned)
  21. The Paper Magician by Charlie N. Holmberg (fiction, ebook, owned)
  22. Destroyer of Worlds by Larry Correia fiction, audio/print, owned)
  23. Thornyhold by Mary Stewart (fiction, print, owned)
  24. Witch Hat Atelier, vol. 8 by Kamome Shirahama (comic, print, owned)

Books Read October - December
* indicates a reread

October
   1. A Walk in Wolf Wood by Mary Stewart (fiction, print, owned)
   2. Skip Beat! 3-in-1, vol. 13 by Yoshiki Nakamura (comic, print, owned) *
   3. Skip Beat! 3-in-1, vol. 14 by Yoshiki Nakamura (comic, print, owned)
   4. Before We Were Yours by Lisa Wingate (fiction, print, owned)
   5. The Victorian Internet by Tom Standage (non-fiction, print, owned)
   6. The Reading List by Sara Nisha Adams (fiction, print, borrowed)
   7. Friends Forever by Shannon Hale & LeUyen Pham (comic, print, borrowed)
   8. A Curse So Dark and Lonely by Brigid Kemmerer (fiction, ebook, owned)
   9. The 7 1/2 Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle by Stuart Turton (fiction, print, owned)
  10. I Will Always Write Back by Caitlin Alifirenka & Martin Ganda (non-fiction, audio/print, owned) *
  11. Geekerella by Ashley Poston (fiction, ebook, owned)
  12. The Princess and the Fangirl by Ashley Poston (fiction, ebook, borrowed)
  13. Yotsuba&! vol. 14 by Kiyohiko Azuma (comic, print, owned)
  14. Yotsuba&! vol. 15 by Kiyohiko Azuma (comic, print, owned)
  15. Murder in Exile by Vincent H. O'Neil (fiction, ebook, owned)

November
   1. Lore Olympus Volume One by Rachel Smythe (comic, print, owned) *
   2. Those Not-So-Sweet Boys, vol. 1 by Yoko Nogiri (comic, print, owned)
   3. Those Not-So-Sweet Boys, vol. 2 by Yoko Nogiri (comic, print, owned)
   4. Those Not-So-Sweet Boys, vol. 3 by Yoko Nogiri (comic, print, owned)
   5. Those Not-So-Sweet Boys, vol. 4 by Yoko Nogiri (comic, print, owned)
   6. The Bookish Life of Nina Hill by Abbi Waxman (fiction, ebook, borrowed)
   7. The Clockwork Crow by Catherine Fisher (fiction, print, owned)
   8. The Party Crasher by Sophie Kinsella (fiction, print, borrowed)
   9. Lost Planet Homicide by Larry Correia (fiction, audio, owned)
  10. Frieren Beyond Journey's End, vol. 1 by Kanehito Yamada (comic, print, owned)
  11. Phule's Company by Robert Asprin (fiction, print, owned) *
  12. Mao, vol. 2 by Rumiko Takahashi (comic, print, owned)
  13. The Darkest Summer by Rebecca J. Greenwood (fiction, ebook, owned)
  14. Love in Focus Complete Collection by Yoko Nogiri (comic, print, owned)
  15. Little Fuzzy by H. Beam Piper (fiction, ebook, owned)
  16. How to Manage Your Home Without Losing Your Mind by Dana K. White (non-fiction, print, owned)
  17. Christmas Storms and Sunshine by Elizabeth Gaskell (fiction, ebook, owned)
  18. Ludo and the Star Horse by Mary Stewart (fiction, print, borrowed)
  19. Home: Habitat, Range, Niche, Territory by Martha Wells (fiction, ebook, owned)

December
   1. All Systems Red by Martha Wells (fiction, ebook, owned) *
   2. Himawari House by Harmony Becker (comic, print, borrowed)
   3. The Last Chronicle of Barset by Anthony Trollope (fiction, audio/print, owned)
   4. The Christmas Bookshop by Jenny Colgan (fiction, print, owned)
   5. The Kingdom by Jess Rothenberg (fiction, print, borrowed)
   6. The Woman Who Smashed Codes by Jason Fagone (non-fiction, print, borrowed)
   7. The Aeronaut's Windlass by Jim Butcher (fiction, audio, owned) *
   8. Maison Ikkoku Collector's Edition, vol. 6 by Rumiko Takahashi (comic, print, owned)
   9. A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens (fiction, audio/print, owned) *
  10. A Fantastic Holiday Season by Kevin J. Anderson et al (fiction, ebook, owned)
  11. Delicious in Dungeon, vol. 6 by Ryoko Kui (comic, print, owned) *
  12. Delicious in Dungeon, vol. 7 by Ryoko Kui (comic, print, owned)
  13. Delicious in Dungeon, vol. 8 by Ryoko Kui (comic, print, owned)
  14. Delicious in Dungeon, vol. 9 by Ryoko Kui (comic, print, owned)

Maison Ikkoku Collector's Edition, Vol. 2 by Rumiko Takahashi
(manga, print, owned)

It seems to be something of a habit of mine to start off a new reading year with a volume or two of manga, at least in part because it provides a more or less immediate sense of accomplishment. This is a classic manga series that I have been wanting to read for quite a while, but the English translations have been difficult to come by. I'm really glad that Viz is doing a new release, because it means I can finally read the series.

Happy 2021 Anki. I’m still interested in Manga, even if my last attempt didn’t work out.

>8 dchaikin: Happy 2021 to you as well, Dan! I will likely be posting about a fair amount of manga this year, so hopefully something in there catches your interest. Though with this year also being my Year of the Buddy Reads, things might wind up changing. None of those buddy reads are for manga, after all.

Happy 2021! Hope you have a good reading year.

French Polished Murder by Elise Hyatt
(fiction, ebook, owned)

The continuing adventures of Dyce Dare, furniture refinisher and amateur sleuth. I particularly liked the fact that the mystery in this one starts out with an old letter found inside a piano, that leads to a missing person case from the 1920s (which, of course, turns out to be murder). So many cozy mysteries seem to focus on more...immediate murders, which may or may not make a whole lot of sense if you think about it for too long, so it was a nice change of pace to have the amateur sleuth essentially investigating a cold case.

I have one more book in this series, and I am looking forward to reading it.

Happy New Year, Anki, just making my first trip around for the year, and dropping off a star. Good reading!

The Comedy of Errors by William Shakespeare
(play, print, owned)

My local book group is still meeting, but some things have changed: we're meeting via Zoom, we've added in bookish topic discussions every other month, and the books we are choosing are all works found in the public domain. Our January title is this Shakespeare play, which I do not remember ever reading before. I found it to be delightfully absurd, and I am looking forward to our group discussion.

While I do have the Norton Shakespeare on my shelves, I picked up this No Fear Shakespeare edition of the play as a more portable copy of the text. I kept my focus on the left-hand pages (original text) as much as possible, but I appreciated having the modern language version available if I ever found myself confused (or just wanting to make sure I caught all the nuance bits). Another thing I added to my collection and referenced while reading play this was Asimov's Guide to Shakespeare, and I found it quite useful and informative. I want to read up the section on As You Like It, which I read back in November, and I plan to keep it handy as I explore more of Shakespeare's plays.

>13 shadrach_anki: While I was looking at various editions of the Shakespeare plays I came across the No Fear editions and didn't realise that they were modern translations alongside the original text - what a good idea.

Yes The Comedy of Errors is delightfully absurd.

>14 baswood: I found it to be really helpful, and I really liked how they did the layout as well. It's very clear which side is the original text and which is the modern translation (every page is labeled). The modern translation side also has the occasional explanatory note, usually (at least for this play) regarding wordplay nuances.

>13 shadrach_anki: fun play. An interesting about the No Fear method. I might want to try that some time.

One downside to having a lot of concurrent buddy reads is that it takes a whole lot longer to finish anything that I'm reading. And I am discovering that I get a bit antsy if I am not regularly finishing books, even though I know that reading is not a race or any other sort of competition, and even if I am enjoying all the books I am reading (which I am). So, time for some thoughts on my current active reads, since I have so many of them going.

Saints: The Standard of Truth - I am a little over half-way through this volume of history. Mostly I read this on Sundays, averaging about a chapter a week. I could probably read it more quickly, but I always seem to struggle with nonfiction, even of the more narrative variety. And this book references a lot of different people that I have varying degrees of familiarity with.

Rhythm of War - Loving the latest installment of the Stormlight Archive, but I did not expect to take quite so long reading it. There were large gaps in my reading around Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year, however, and then I entered buddy read territory. Currently just over the halfway point in the book.

The Warden - My first introduction to Anthony Trollope, and one of the aforementioned buddy reads. I'm in a group on Instagram that plans to read all the Barsetshire Chronicles in 2021. I'm about a third of the way into this one, and I am reading it on my Kindle.

The Fellowship of the Ring - This one is a reread, and also part of an Instagram buddy read. Currently paused at the Council of Elrond. I forgot how much more competent Merry and Pippin are in the book. I have this in print and in audio, and I am doing a combination read.

All the Money in the World - Third buddy read for January, part of the Everyday Reading book club. Nonfiction self-help type book, so it doesn't exactly have the most compelling narrative. I'm enjoying it, and it definitely brings up things to think about, but I still have to remind myself to read it.

The Moonstone - This is only the second work by Wilkie Collins that I've read (the first being A House to Let back in December, and I don't know if that quite counts the same way, since that was a collaborative work). I'm in the Second Period, the Discovery of the Truth. Miss Clack bears an unfavorable resemblance to Mr. Collins in Pride and Prejudice, and I find myself regularly rolling my eyes as I listen to and read her narrative. This is a buddy read for the Shire Book Club on Instagram.

Madam, Will You Talk? - Last week I decided all my reading felt too "same-y" so naturally the right thing to do was to start one of the other buddy read titles I had waiting (this is for the Mary Stewart Fan Club on Instagram). It has the advantage of being set in the real world at a much more contemporary time than anything else I am reading, and the overall pace of the story is just faster.

I still have four other titles I "should" be reading this month, and six or seven I am looking forward to in February. This is probably the most planned my reading has been since I was in school, and I have mixed feelings about it. There's got to be some sort of middle ground I can reach.

It’s cool to see all the books you are reading and your thoughts in progress. Wish you well. They all sound good.

>17 shadrach_anki: Love Mary Stewart...now I want to reread Madam, Will You Talk?. Not right now, though. I'm also reading more books at once than usual - not nearly as many as you are, though, and not buddy reads, just what appealed.

>17 shadrach_anki: I'm really looking forward to Rhythm of War, but I'm in a group read right now, too, and with reading others on the side, I'm not yet getting to it.

Also, I am trying to decide if I ought to reread the whole kit and caboodle for maximum understanding. What do you think? Did you have trouble remembering what happened before, or did you do some rereading also?

>20 sallypursell: This time around I only reread Oathbringer, as it is the book in the series I had read the fewest times. I also read the new novella Dawnshard before starting Rhythm of War. That said, my father has been (re)reading the entire series in Spanish, and we work at the same place, so we've been having discussions about the books on our noon walks for over a year, and that helped remind me of various things that happen in the earlier books.

Madam, Will You Talk? by Mary Stewart
(fiction, ebook, owned)

I was this close last night to finishing this, so I stayed up a bit later than I probably should have to do so. I loved all the descriptions of the scenery and also of the driving. The characters were quite a lot of fun, and I am really glad I am part of a group that is reading all of Mary Stewart's novels over the course of the year (more or less in publication order). I may not read every single one, but I'm definitely going to be picking up more of them. I loved all the various literary references sprinkled throughout the book (and not just in the chapter headings).

>17 shadrach_anki: There's got to be some sort of middle ground I can reach.

Yeah, I'm having trouble finding that balance too. My solution right now is no more group read or buddy reads until I get caught up.

>23 markon: In my case, the difficulty is compounded by the fact that most of the buddy reads I am in are multi-month/year long deals. So I'm not exactly looking at a one and done situation. Definitely going to avoid joining any more this year, though. Even if they sound really interesting.

I got into this problem in Litsy. Suddenly I’m reading Cather and Shakespeare and other things with groups and they’re fun. But i had stop joining groups (no matter how appealing the NYRB group looks)

>22 shadrach_anki: Wow, they have really changed the cover on this one! This is the cover of the one I read (long, long ago)



Which isn't too bad -- I remember that some of those gothic thrillers went heavy on the flowing nightgown and blue eyeshadow.

>26 RidgewayGirl: Cover design definitely goes through phases! I think I've seen some of the covers that leaned on the flowing nightgown and blue eyeshadow, which would not suit Charity Selborne at all. Maybe her friend Louise, though....

>25 dchaikin: I wonder if the photographic element doesn't play some part in it, as basically all the buddy reads I have joined have been on Instagram, which is, like Litsy, photograph-heavy.

>28 shadrach_anki: not sure. There is something to that.

The Moonstone by Wilkie Collins
(fiction, print, owned)

This was a combo read (print and audio), and I read it as part of the Shire Book Club on Instagram. I really enjoyed it; the multiple narratives and the viewpoints they provide give a different feel to this mystery novel than what you would find in more modern works in the genre. The narrator of the audio version I listened to did a wonderful job of differentiating between the different characters, and I think that really added to my overall reading experience.

At the end, the only real mystery I have left is how (or, more accurately, why) my print copy came into my possession in the first place. Based on my records, I bought it at the local Barnes & Noble back in 2009, and I believe my records to be correct. However, at that point in time, I had not heard of Wilkie Collins, nor had I really read that many classics. So what inspired me to pick up this book?

>30 shadrach_anki: I’m curious about your audio version of The Moonstone. I got mine years ago from audible, and it has some weird music accompaniment at the beginning which turned me off listening to it. Does yours have that, and if so does it continue throughout?

>31 NanaCC: I listened to the Tantor Audio version narrated by James Langton. I don't remember any musical accompaniment; if there was anything at the beginning, it was of very short duration and not at all memorable. My version did have a random "this is the end of the CD" bit at one point, but I chalk that up to poor conversion and editing (digital file borrowed from the library via Hoopla, no CDs involved whatever).

The Fellowship of the Ring by J. R. R. Tolkien *
(fiction, audio/print, owned)

It has been years since I read these books, so I was excited to join a read along for the first three months of 2021. I have audio versions for all the books, as well as print editions. Yes, more combo reading, especially since the "unabridged audio recording" is missing the prologue. They included the forward to the second edition (at the end of the book), but the prologue? Apparently they decided "who needs this?" and left it out! I...might be a bit salty about that. Apart from the missing prologue, the audio version are excellent. I really like the fact that Rob Inglis sings all the songs, and I especially liked how he performed Tom Bombadil.

Prior to this reread, my most recent experience with the story was the Peter Jackson films, which are excellent. But they are also adaptations, so there are going to be differences in how things are portrayed, or when certain events are shown (if they are shown at all). I am looking forward to rewatching the films after I finish rereading the books. I'm also looking forward to reading more of the books I own that are set in Middle Earth.

>33 shadrach_anki: I would also be salty about the exclusion of the prologue, especially from something claiming to be "unabridged." It's not "unabridged" if you cut parts out. I read that bit of your review and I heard Inigo Montoya in my head saying, "you keep using that word. I don't think it means what you think it means." :-)

I've read LotR, and seen the Peter Jackson movies, but I've never listened to any audio editions. Your mention that the songs are actually sung has me wanting to try one, now. I almost always have a better appreciation for Tolkien's songs and poems when I hear them performed than I do just reading them on the page.

I'm pretty salty, myself, about Jackson's Hobbit trilogy, but one thing from them that I absolutely love is the rendition of Over the Misty Mountains.

I also really love Clamavi de Profundis's versions of Tolkien's Middle Earth poetry in songs.

>34 Julie_in_the_Library: In doing a bit more research, it appears that the exclusion of the prologue is actually a problem with the digital files I got from Audible. The book on CD is approximately 90 minutes longer, and per at least one Audible review, does contain the prologue. Unfortunately, it appears that all the digital audiobook platforms have the same truncated version of the book. I think the Gaffer (or Gandalf) needs to stare disapprovingly at the audiobook publisher.

Thanks for the link to Clamavi de Profundis! I can see much happy listening in my future. :-)

>35 shadrach_anki: That's a weird technical glitch. I wonder how it happened. You're welcome for the link - I especially like their version of the Lament for Boromir and the Song of Durin. A lot of their stuff is also available on Spotify if you've got it.

>33 shadrach_anki: fun! I loved the Peter Jackson movies when they came out, but tried to watch them recently and lost patience. Oh well.

Witch Hat Atelier, Vol. 7 by Kamome Shirahama
(manga, print, owned)

So I discovered this manga series last year, and I basically devoured all the volumes that were currently available. This volume was originally slated to be released in English in December, but the release date was changed. I preordered it, and got a call from my local Barnes & Noble that it was available for pickup, so I swung by the store on my way home from work, then spent a delightful 45 minutes once I got home reading it.

The art on this series is absolutely gorgeous, and I love the world-building and the way the magic works, and all the hints of shadows in the story. The characters are fascinating, and I just want to read more.

The Warden by Anthony Trollope
(fiction, ebook, owned)

I liked this one, but I didn't love it. I am, however, looking forward to continuing the Barsetshire Chronicles (I've heard from multiple sources that this is the weakest story of the lot). While I did not guess the ending, I was able to see the general shape of how things would likely wind up fairly early on, particularly as regarded the bedesmen living at Hiram's Hospital (i.e. things were not going to turn out the way they expected, and ultimately they would be worse off than they were at the start). Overall I would say this is a thought-provoking book, as it touches on so many different things in life, many of which are still pretty relevant today, albeit taking a slightly different form.

It will be interesting to see which characters (if any) show up in later books in the series. I'm looking forward to the group discussion that will be happening on Instagram. There has been some already, but mostly in the vein of impressions while reading.

>39 shadrach_anki: You have a lot of good reading coming up with the Barsetshire Chronicles, Anki. The first was definitely the weakest. I’ll look forward to your comments.

Hi Anki, Finally getting over here to see what you are reading. I agree with the assessment of The Warden being the weakest. I believe we did it in the Classics group at the bookstore (before 2006) and I recommended starting with the 2nd book, Barchester Towers Have you seen the adaptation of the latter starring a young Alan Rickman?

>39 shadrach_anki: The Warden is the only Trollope I've read and it put my totally off reading anything else by him. I found it incredibly tedious. I know he's much revered in CR, so I really should give him a second chance, but there are so many other books out there...

I don't think of The Warden as "weak", but I consider it more of a prequel or first section or set up of the entire series. I think that, with Trollope, you have to be in it for the long haul concerning pacing! I've read 17 or 18 of his books, so I'm obviously a fan. I would give Barchester Towers a try before you decide if you like his writing.

>41 avaland: I have not seen that adaptation. I'll have to go look for it, but I will probably wait until after the group I'm doing the Barsetshire Chronicles read along with finishes Barchester Towers. We're reading that one over February and March.

>42 AlisonY: This was my first experience with Trollope, and it did take some time to get used to the style. I think it probably helped that I went into it knowing that it might be a slower read. And having the buddy read has helped me. I could drop commentary in the group chat, and see what other people were thinking about things.

I think probably the most surprising thing was finding I had to look up words that I was sure I already knew, like "hospital" and "ranges" and "close". Because I could tell the words were being used differently than I normally use them. And then I got frustrated with the built-in dictionary on my Kindle, since it was regularly inadequate in providing me with the information I wanted.

>43 japaul22: I can see the need to be in things for the long haul when it comes to pacing. I'm generally pretty good with that (I do have a fondness for massive epic fantasy series, after all, and those most certainly require commitment). I agree that The Warden does feel more like a prequel/setup novel for something larger; I'm keeping that in mind as I move forward. I did like what I saw, and I quite delighted in any number of turns of phrase, so as long as that continues I think I will be quite content. :)

Her Caprice by Keira Dominguez
(fiction, ebook, owned)

I got this as something of an impulse buy last year after several people I follow on Instagram were talking about it and how much they loved it, and I'm so glad that I did! This is a sweet, slightly magical Regency romance with delightful characters and a good amount of adventure. Beatrice Thornton has a secret, one that has the potential to ruin her family should it come to light (Beatrice has a supernatural ability to float into the air, one that has apparently cropped up in the Thornton family at random for generations, and could very well get her thrown into Bedlam, if not burned as a witch. It would also likely destroy the lives and prospects of her older and younger sisters and her parents. While the family is wealthy, they are not titled.). But people will talk if she stays holed up in Dorset, so the plan for her (late!) first Season in London is to make her come across as mousy and unappealing, someone no suitor would consider. A failed Season and a few judiciously spread comments about her health would quell any gossip, allowing her to fall into obscurity back at home. Beatrice accepted this plan as smart and sensible...until she met Captain Henry Gracechurch, a soldier recently returned from war in Spain, who saw past the mousy facade she had erected, and liked what he saw. Suddenly the Plan was no longer acceptable, and Beatrice found herself daring to love and hope for an entirely different life than the one she had expected....

I find I tend to enjoy novels that blend genre elements together. This is primarily a historical romance set in the Regency time period, but it has touches of historical fantasy blended in. I have the not-precisely-a-sequel-but-definitely-set-in-the-same-universe novel waiting on my Kindle; it was actually one of my buddy reads for January, but I wanted to read the books in order, and the timing didn't quite work out with all my other reading. It's definitely high on my list of books to read next, and the author has a third book coming out soon.

>44 shadrach_anki: interested in your review and discussion about The Warden. Someday i hope to read some Trollope

Anki, I read The Warden last year, and I really liked it. I have a review up, if it is worth looking for it in my thread from last year.

>47 sallypursell: I found your review, and I really liked the points you raised.

All the stuff with the articles in The Jupiter felt very relevant to the news and reporting cycles of today. And Tom Towers was the only character I felt had absolutely no redeeming qualities about him.

Rhythm of War by Brandon Sanderson
(fiction, print, owned)

Let's see.... Basic facts, because there is no way I can give a particularly concise summary that is satisfying. This is the fourth volume of the Stormlight Archive, and like the previous three it is over a thousand pages in length, with complex world-building and an increasingly large cast of characters. I specifically took the day after its release date off from work so I could read as much as I wanted. Through a sequence of events and the timing surrounding them, it actually took me three months to read through this book (the previous book I read in less than three weeks). In some ways, I think taking a longer stretch of time to read allowed me to enjoy things more, but it also tied up one of my reading "slots" for longer. It's a trade-off.

While the pacing of this particular book is almost leisurely for long stretches, I can definitely feel the series pacing picking up. I think this is in part due to the sheer amount of Cosmere-level things that come into play here. (Basically all of Brandon Sanderson's adult fantasy works are set within the same universe--the Cosmere--and while each series works as its own thing, there are...significant points of overlap. World-hopping characters, for example.)

I am quite satisfied with this installment in the series, but I also still have lots of questions. And lots of emotional responses. It's probably going to be at least two years before the fifth book comes out.

>49 shadrach_anki: I’m unlikely to read more Sanderson, but I do like reading about his books. Enjoyed your review.

Seven Kinds of People You Find in Bookshops by Shaun Bythell
(non-fiction, print, owned)

This was an impulse buy off the "new and notable" shelf at the local indie bookstore back in December, based on a combination of cool cover design and author recognition (though I have yet to read either of Bythell's other works). It's a fast and humorous read, and I quite enjoyed it. This is actually the second "book about bookish people" that I've read recently, and it is by far the superior title. While both books were humorous in nature, this one never felt mean or biting.

>51 shadrach_anki: This sounds like fun so onto the wishlist it goes.

The Two Towers by J. R. R. Tolkien *
(fiction, audio/print, owned)

I'm continuing my reread of The Lord of the Rings, largely via the audio editions. I remember the very first time I tried to read this I got horribly bogged down and abandoned it part of the way through (in my defense, I was probably about twelve years old at the time). I appreciated it far more when I went through the stories in audio the first time, and my appreciation has only grown in this latest rereading.

The differences between the books and the Peter Jackson films are far more obvious here than they were in the first installment, and not just because what is good and beautiful storytelling structure in a book would frequently be horrible in film and vice versa. The character portrayals feel very different, more for some characters than others, and I'm still not sure how I feel about that.

If it weren't plainly stated at the beginning of the story, I think the ending of The Two Towers makes it very clear that this was intended to be one continuous story, not a trilogy.

White Sand, Volume 3 by Brandon Sanderson
(comic, print, owned)

The concluding volume of this graphic novel series that is part of Brandon Sanderson's Cosmere. The sand mastery magic system is a very visual one, so it works well in a graphic novel format. That said, the graphic novel format is not necessarily as good at conveying background information and world history as a text-based format, so I can't help but feel that some of that is...missing.

I'm pretty sure I spotted Hoid's appearance (he shows up somewhere in basically all the Cosmere books), and sand from the world of Taldain shows up in Rhythm of War. Still not sure how they managed that. I'm also not sure where the White Sand graphic novels fall in the greater Cosmere timeline. Lots of questions.

>53 shadrach_anki: when I tried rewatching the Peter Jackson movies a few months ago, it was The Two Towers that really turned me off. I remember the book being gripping - but in a way the movie wasn’t able to capture. In my head The Two Towers is a strong part if the written trilogy but a weak part of the movie trilogy.

All the Money in the World by Laura Vanderkam
(non-fiction, print, owned)

I'm not entirely sure how to rate this personal finance book. The information is decent and still reasonably current, and there are a lot of good takeaways. I liked it fine, but I don't know that I would necessarily go recommending it to all my friends in gushing, glowing tones. Now, a fair amount of that could just be a result of how I often read self-help type non-fiction--either I zip through it super quick, taking in minimal amounts of information and insight, or I take forever to read a book that is fewer than 300 pages, losing the overall shape of the topic as a result.

I'll probably need to reread this at some point in the future to see about getting more out of it, but for now I am content to leave things where they are.

>55 dchaikin: I want to say that for the movies they ended up shunting at least some of the Two Towers content into the first and third movies, which would contribute to the sense that it is the weakest of the three. But it's been several years since I watched the movies, so I'm drawing on half remembered recollections. I do know the shape of things is different between the two mediums. And I'm just shaking my head at some of the movie characterizations. We lose the poetic aspect of Gimli in the films (no singing the praises of the caverns around Helm's Deep), and the way I remember them portraying Faramir....

>57 shadrach_anki: yes, I see it now, the loss of the language. Oddly I didn’t think about that when they first came out.

>53 shadrach_anki:, >55 dchaikin: I stopped watching in the middle of Two Towers and never went back. It was when they were running and Gimli started whining about "but I'm a dwarf, we're not supposed to run...". I utterly love that scene in the book - it's such a rich distillation of the three friends - and Jackson screwed it up. I'd managed to handle the dwarf tossing at Helm's Deep (just barely), but this was the last straw. Not just eliding the dialog, but completely changing it...no.

Huh, I got that backward. The running scene was what I managed to tolerate, it was the dwarf tossing that broke my willingness to go on (but it was the running scene that I remembered as the worst). Jackson was really nasty to Gimli throughout.

>59 jjmcgaffey: yes, that sounds about right. But mainly for me ... i found the second movie a little one-dimensional and boring. :}

The Two Towers does not emphasize the Battle of Helm's Deep the way the movie does. Most of the movie is based on it, and it was filmed lovingly, whereas that is such a little piece of the book.

>61 sallypursell: Yeah, in the book the Battle of Helm's deep is essentially a sidetracking of the main purpose of going to deal with Saruman in Isengard. It still makes up a reasonable chunk of the book, but the sense is very much one of "and here is one more thing we need to deal with". The movie pulls the whole thing much more front and center by making Helm's Deep into the established point of refuge for all Rohan. And I can understand why the film would focus on it, because it makes an amazing set piece, and that part of the book is some of the most action-y content, with lots of cool visuals that can be drawn on or extrapolated. But it's definitely a tonal shift.

I'm still planning on rewatching the movies when I finish reading the books, and I do appreciate the visual awesomeness contained within the movies, but there are a lot of things that they miss out on.

>61 sallypursell: Yes, the battle took up a lot of time & energy - hadn't thought of that piece.

The dwarves were mostly comic relief in the movies which irritated me. I watched two towers with a friend who hadn't read the books, and he found Gandalf's escape from Orthanc confusing. I also thought it cheapened the character of Saruman by painting him as evil from the get go.

I watched Fellowship multiple times, but only once for the other two.

>62 shadrach_anki: >63 markon: The worst thing about the movies was the inserted character of Liv Tyler. She took up some stuff that was in the book, but her whole role was out of proportion, and I didn't get any chemistry between Aragorn and her.

Further, when I heard about the movies, what I had looked forward to was the scene with the character of Tom Bombadil, and he never appears.

North and South by Elizabeth Gaskell
(fiction, audio/print, owned)

Another one of my many buddy reads for 2021. As with many classics, I first encountered the story of Margaret Hale and John Thornton via a BBC mini-series. Which, overall, I do not view as a bad way to learn the general shape of the story, but any film adaptation is going to have to leave out bits and pieces (and often times large chunks). So I am very glad I made the time to read the book. My first real introduction to Gaskell's writing was in A House to Let, and I quite enjoyed the section she wrote of that, so it was delightful to read a longer work.

And as regards the Penguin Classics edition, I greatly appreciated the included warnings on the Introduction and Notes section that "New readers are advised that the Notes make details of the plot explicit." Far too many volumes of classics do not include such warnings, and I truly wish it were just a standard practice.

>63 markon: In the books, Gandalf's escape from Orthanc is shown and brought up in The Fellowship of the Ring, though. It seems that book-wise, Saruman being an issue is known more or less from the get-go. Oh, maybe not the extent to which he is a problem, but he definitely falls into the category of "we don't trust this guy".

>64 sallypursell: The only film...variant I have found that includes any sort of Tom Bombadil reference/inclusion is actually the Veggie Tales Lord of the Beans....

>65 shadrach_anki: This book of Gaskell’s was one of my favorites the year I read it. And, agreed, the spoiler warnings were much appreciated. I rarely read introductions for that reason.

>67 NanaCC: I have been of the practice of not reading the introductions until after I read the text of the book ever since high school, at least when it comes to my first reading. Footnotes and end notes have been included in that self-imposed ban more recently, because they can also contain spoilers. Really, my biggest objection is when the book doesn't even acknowledge that this could be an issue (looking at you, Penguin Classics edition of Jane Eyre....). Especially with the notes, since you would expect them to contain things like definitions of more archaic terms; translations of non-English passages of text; and contextual information that has been muddled or lost in the intervening years since the work's publication. So, you know, things a first time reader of the book would be wanting to know. I will confess that I still do not expect the notes to contain what amounts to "and this is foreshadowing of this major thing that happens in ten chapters, and little did the main character know that other thing is going to happen", and I am vaguely annoyed when such notes pop up without warning.

>65 shadrach_anki: Unless I am absolutely sure that I had read the book before, I never read Introductions and Forwards and what's not. There are some that may be useful but 95+% are better as Afterwords so I just stopped trying. And with classics, the percentage is probably higher - all those famous people who get commissioned to write an introductions are asked because they know the work/context and they turn in an essay on the topic of the book.

The only case where I may read something is if there are cultural notes or translator notes although even they can be a problem sometimes...

Back to the book - I need to get back to Gaskell...

>68 shadrach_anki: Ouch. Notes doing this? That's... stupid! At least mark these differently...

>69 AnnieMod: I don't think it's a widespread phenomenon. At least, I sure hope it isn't. I may just be really salty about that one edition of Jane Eyre, where most of the notes felt less explanatory/informational and more...I don't know, "let's cram bits and pieces of my final paper/dissertation in wherever I can make it fit"? So it was a lot of commentary and musings and "look at this allusion here, it's so profound", and honestly it just felt very overdone. And spoilery.

>70 shadrach_anki: Shaking head. I hate when most of the notes are just pointing to references (mostly in non fiction but I had seen it in fiction as well) but you cannot just ignore them because some of them are actually useful but that sounds even worse.

Classics can be tricky - most people assume everyone had read them and is rereading for some reason... :(

Murder of Crows by Anne Bishop *
(fiction, print, owned)

This was a reread of the "stay up far too late, finishing in the wee hours of the morning" variety, which is one of the reasons I am spacing out my rereading of this series. Despite having read this before, and knowing that things turn out all right for the protagonists, it was still a tense read. I think this is due at least in part to the fact that what I remember best about the book is the general shape of the story rather than lots of specific details of what happens. I'm definitely going to continue rereading the series, but it will probably be a while before I pick up the third book.

Yeah. I stalled out on the series mostly because I wasn't having the full day available to read which is necessary! I should restart that...it's just the sort of read I need right now.

>72 shadrach_anki: Funny, I just reread the first 3 in this series. Clear cut good and evil with good ultimately winning. Comforting somehow, in spite of the violence that ensures.

>66 shadrach_anki: Somehow I don't feel impelled to read that.

The Princess and the Goblin by George MacDonald *
(fiction, print, owned)

This is one of the first novels I really remember my mother reading to me when I was little, and it has been a favorite of mine ever since. My younger sister found this illustrated edition and got it for me because she knew I loved the book. I reread it in preparation for my local book group's meeting this month, and it was delightful to revisit Irene and Curdie. The story has a very fairy tale feel to it.

I am now trying to decide if I want to attempt The Princess and Curdie, which is the sequel. I own it, but I don't remember ever finishing it before. I have a hazy recollection that the tone is rather different, but I'm also relying on memories from 25+ years ago.

Nine Coaches Waiting by Mary Stewart
(fiction, ebook, owned)

Another entry in the Mary Stewart read-along I am participating in (albeit a couple weeks after the group had its discussion). I enjoyed this one quite a bit. I liked the shades of Cinderella and Jane Eyre, and I enjoyed the realization that my Duolingo study of French is paying off. I love the word pictures that Mary Stewart paints and the atmospheric quality of her writing.

Funny in Farsi by Firoozeh Dumas
(non-fiction, print, owned)

This is the March selection for the Everyday Reading book club, and my initial plan was to read along with the weekly discussion schedule, spacing things out over the entire month. That plan lasted all of maybe ten minutes, and I read the whole book in about three hours. This is such a funny, heartwarming, and delightful memoir. I keep wanting to read different sections aloud to people because the stories are just wonderful. I really love this style of writing that finds the joy and humor and connection in everyday life. Firoozeh Dumas has a second memoir, Laughing Without an Accent, as well as a middle grade novel, It Ain't So Awful Falafel. I have picked up both and look forward to reading and sharing them as well.

>77 shadrach_anki: I used to love Mary Stewart. I probably haven’t read anything by her since I was in my 20’s or 30’s.
>78 shadrach_anki: I think I have this book, either on my bookshelf or on audio. I’ll have to look. Thank you for the reminder.

>79 NanaCC: Prior to this year I'd only ever really read The Little Broomstick by Mary Stewart. I had a few other titles by her on my shelves, but had never gotten around to reading them. Then I found a group on Instagram that has a schedule to read all of Mary Stewart's works over the course of the year (at least all of her novels). It have given me the encouragement to read the books I had on my shelves, waiting.

I love Mary Stewart - they're all (well, mostly) romances, but romances with really good stories around them. I haven't read much of her YA stuff (aside from The Little Broomstick, and that was years ago), but I expect it's equally good of its kind.

Discount Armageddon by Seanan McGuire
(fiction, ebook, owned)

A friend of mine recommended this book (and its sequels) to me a few months ago, and I picked up an ebook copy around when she made that recommendation. Have to be honest, I probably would have let it sit unread on my Kindle for months (tsundoku is not just for physical books), but I found myself with an almost desperate need to read something that was fast, modern, and not a buddy read (I am still working out the "proper" balance for my reading this year). This book definite checked all those boxes. Verity Price is sassy and fun, the cryptids are interesting, and I'm enjoying the overall worldbuilding. And like a lot of other urban fantasy I enjoy, this was a fast, sneak in extra reading time sort of book for me. I now have the second book waiting on my Kindle.

>82 shadrach_anki: Yes! The Incryptid novels are great fluffy fun (with some deep ideas, but well-buried in fun story). I also love her October Daye novels - the tilt is less funny, but no less fun. All of her stuff is amazing. I don't read the stuff she publishes as Mira Grant - that's too grim for me - but I think I've read everything else.

Midnight Blue-Light Special by Seanan McGuire
(fiction, ebook, owned)

Well, the second book of the series did not stay unread for very long at all (less than 48 hours, actually)! I like how things were concluded for the storyline here, and I know that the next couple books are going to be following Verity's older brother, Alex. As these books are also turning into "stay up way past my bedtime to read" titles, I am going to need to space things out. Also, buying new books, even if I read them right away, isn't doing my monstrous stack of owned and unread books any favors. I will definitely be coming back to this series once I've read a few more books off my stack, though!

>83 jjmcgaffey: I've read at least a couple of the October Daye novels, but it's been years. I should really revisit that series.

>84 shadrach_anki: I just finished the latest Incryptid, Calculated Risks - and was up until 3 am. That doesn't change...

Kakuriyo, Volume 6 by Waco Ioka
(manga, print, owned)

I like this series, but I really wish there were more of it. The manga is an adaptation of a light novel series which, as far as I have been able to discover, has not been translated into English. There is also an anime, which I have watched, so I already knew what was going to happen in this volume as I went into it. I'll be keeping an eye out for more volumes, but I'm not going to be holding my breath, as the release dates seem very spread out.

>85 jjmcgaffey: Good to know. :) Having that knowledge makes it something that can be planned for in my reading schedule.

>59 jjmcgaffey: et. al. Jumping late into the Lord of the Rings conversation. I am a huge fan of those books, though I haven't reread them in quite some time. When the movies came out, I was expecting significant differences from the books--it's just the nature of the beast--and so wasn't too put out. However . . . the using of the Dwarves, and Gimli in particular, as comic relief, as Markon stated, was the only thing in Jackson's production that actually made me mad. The Dwarves were, to me, among the most intriguing aspects of the books and certainly the most mysterious. Turning Gimli into a gag didn't sit well with me at all. Otherwise, I thought the movies were fine for what they were. (Don't get me started on the Hobbit movies, however.)

Noting Funny In Farsi. I think I own Nine Coaches Waiting, will dig it out. Is your group reading the King Arthur novels? (starts with The Crystal Cave) - I'm two or three into those and really like them.

>89 wandering_star: Yes, we'll be reading and discussing the Merlin/Arthur novels in the summer. I'm looking forward to them. We're reading her works in more or less publication order over the course of the year, and are currently on The Ivy Tree.

Outer Order, Inner Calm by Gretchen Rubin
(non-fiction, print, borrowed)

My first borrowed book of the year! I'm glad I read this one, but I am also glad I borrowed it. I don't know that I really need a copy of my own. There really isn't anything new here, particularly if you've read any of Gretchen Rubin's other books, or listened to her podcast for any length of time, or followed her blog/received her email newsletters. Mostly what is new is the formatting, which pulls together a lot of information on clutter, organization, and dejunking that has been published elsewhere into a clear, concise package. Really, the format reminds me of those daily devotional style titles, meant to be read in bits and pieces over a long period of time (rather than inhaled in a couple of hours). So...useful and inspirational, but maybe a bit "bumper sticker wisdom" too.

Barchester Towers by Anthony Trollope
(fiction, print/audio, owned)

Continuing my year-long journey through Barsetshire. The group I am reading the books with started this one in February, but I didn't pick it up until March, so I had a month of discussion and "spoilers" bouncing around in my head as I read, but they were the delightful sort of spoilers, of the "I can't wait to get to that bit!" variety. I read this in a combination of print and audio, and it was just such a delightful time. I love Trollope's authorial asides to the reader, and there were so many places where I was laughing out loud (or stifling laughter because really, my coworkers would give me looks).

It might just be the shared name, but Bertie Stanhope really made me think of Bertie Wooster. The two characters seem to share a similar outlook on life, albeit separated by more than 50 years.

We'll be starting Doctor Thorne in April, and I'm looking forward to it. I have an ebook copy and a print copy. I'm considering looking into an audio copy as well, but I am not sure how many versions are available.

The Ivy Tree by Mary Stewart
(fiction, ebook, owned)

Also continuing my reading of the works of Mary Stewart. This one was rather twisty! I'd never read it before, nor did I do much reading about it prior to picking it up, which I think was the right call. That said, I had my suspicions starting around a quarter of the way into the book that "Mary Grey" was actually Annabel Winslow in truth, so it wasn't particularly shocking to have that be the case. It was interesting to learn that the British and American editions of this book apparently have some substantial differences; my ebook copy was of the British edition.

As always, this book has an incredible sense of atmosphere and place. I love Mary Stewart's descriptions.

>92 shadrach_anki: You have so much great reading ahead of you with the Barsetshire Chronicles. There is so much humor in them. They are among my favorite series.

>94 NanaCC: I am absolutely adoring them so far. I'm not quite sure how I managed to completely miss Trollope as an author for all these years, especially given that I majored in English! But on the positive side, I get to discover his works now, and I don't have to write any papers about them or analyze them if I don't want to. ^_^

I love that Trollope-as-narrator is just as much a character in the books as anyone else, and that basically every character has something likable about them.

 

Delicious in Dungeon, volume 5 by Ryoko Kui
Delicious in Dungeon, volume 6 by Ryoko Kui
(manga, print, owned)

So, this manga series combines a fairly standard fantasy RPG dungeon crawler story with...a cooking manga (granted, the "recipes" aren't ones that could actually be followed in the real world since the ingredients are often things like dragon steak and harpy eggs, but it's still a cooking series). The very most basic gist of the story is that our heroes are a group of adventurers, going back into the magical dungeon to retrieve and resurrect one of their fallen companions, but, lacking sufficient funds to properly supply themselves, they decided to survive off the various monsters they kill in the dungeon.

By the start of these two volumes, the initial "rescue" story arc has been concluded, but things quickly get more complicated (turns out that using questionable dark magic to bring your fallen companion back from the dead might have unintended side effects, like tying her into the magical dungeon and merging her soul with that of the red dragon that was digesting her), and the larger story that was only really hinted at in the first four volumes starts coming more to the forefront. More characters are (re)introduced to the group as our heroes descend ever deeper into the dungeon. Still, of course, eating monsters on the way.

I'm spacing out my reading of this series, since it is a fairly new one, and ongoing in Japan. The English translation is up to nine volumes, and the tenth volume was only just released in Japanese. I do enjoy this story a lot, and there seem to be a lot of folklore elements from various cultures woven into the story by way of the monsters the characters encounter.

>92 shadrach_anki: Oh, I'm another Trollope fan, and I read Barchester Towers a few months ago. I first read it when I was 20 or so.

>97 sallypursell: I'm already trying to decide where I want to go next with his work after I finish the Barsetshire Chronicles. And while a part of me is sad that I am only just encountering his work, another part of me wonders if I would have had the same level of appreciation if I had read them when I was younger.

>98 shadrach_anki: I seemed to have at least a similar appreciation when young. I'll bet you were a good reader then, too.

>98 shadrach_anki: Chronological order? Then you can also see his ideas developing across the novels. :)

>100 AnnieMod: So would that put me at...::checks lists:: The Macdermots of Ballycloran?

>101 shadrach_anki: Yep, the first of the Irish novels :)

Or if you prefer, you can go for his other series first (The Palliser Novels) and then come back to pick up the non-series ones.

>98 shadrach_anki: I would ask lyzard. She seems to be the authority.

Where Happiness Lives by Barry Timms
(picture book, print, owned)

So this was more or less an impulse buy from a friend's Usborne Books party; it showed up in one of the many videos, and there was this one flap of an observatory, plus the adorable mice. I might have a bit of a soft spot for fun art and interesting construction. And this book has lovely art and lots of fun peek-through pages and interesting flaps. In terms of text there isn't much there (picture book, after all), but there are lots of things to look at on every page.

The Westing Game by Ellen Raskin *
(fiction, print, owned)

I first read this Newbery Award winning mystery over fifteen years ago, and most of what I remembered was that it was twisty and I liked it. Watching the movie Knives Out brought this book to mind again, and it came up in a few other places as well, so I decided it was time for a reread. And I still really like the story, but I have to wonder if it would be publishable today (as a new work, that is). I know that for me, at least, it's hanging around in my mind well after I closed the book. The ending packed more of an emotional punch for me this time around.

Maison Ikkoku Collector's Edition, Vol. 3 by Rumiko Takahashi
(manga, print, owned)

I finished up the month of March by reading the latest volume of this rerelease. I have to say that I am inordinately fond of the fluffy/poofy hair that many of the characters sport. When this series was written it would have been the equivalent of contemporary fiction, but now it is more of a period piece, opening a window to readers on a Japan of nearly 40 years ago. Well, a rom-com version of it, at any rate. This series is chock full of misunderstandings between characters based on assumptions, poor communication, etc. That part isn't necessarily my favorite, but it is a genre trope that I knew about going in, so I can deal with it.

The Grand Sophy by Georgette Heyer *
(fiction, print, owned)

I was first introduced to the works of Georgette Heyer about a decade ago, and this was one of the first ones that I read. This reread was prompted by (surprise surprise) a buddy read group on Instagram called Teatime with Heyer. I had a lot of fun revisiting Sophy and company. Yeah, she may not be the most, ah, realistic of heroines, but it is also implied from the very beginning of the story that Sophy is a larger than life individual, practically a force of nature. And there is something to be said for forward momentum, which she definitely has in spades. Serious literature this is not, and I am fine with that.

The Return of the King by J. R. R. Tolkien *
(fiction, audio/print, owned)

And thus concludes my latest reread of The Lord of the Rings. It's hard to quickly put into words my feelings in any meaningful sort of way. This is a classic story with grand, sweeping scope and so many corners to explore. I feel a need to sit with it for a while, and I don't know that I am quite ready to leave Middle Earth yet. I have several directions I could go in next, and I'm currently leaning toward circling back to The Hobbit. In a way I'm primed to do that because Appendix A: Annals of the Kings and Rulers ends with a section on Durin's folk. (I confess that I did skip most of the appendices in this reading; this first one was included in the audiobook, but the others are not.)

I do have to amend my saltiness in >33 shadrach_anki:, as "Concerning Hobbits" was included in this audiobook, after the last chapter of the book and before the reading of Appendix A. I mean, I'm still kind of salty, since why did they put it here, instead of where it belongs, but at least it isn't completely missing like I originally thought.

>105 shadrach_anki: When I read the preview it seemed familiar but I'm pretty sure I've never read the book. I'm intrigued enough to add it to the wishlist.

>107 shadrach_anki: I expected to very much dislike Sophy when I started the book - she's the sort of meddler I usually can't stand. But somehow she managed to pull it off - something about her sincerity just worked. Not one of my favorite Heyers, but in the top lot.

>78 shadrach_anki: I have Funny in Farsi on my shelves, and I wonder how I missed reading it when I was focusing on Middle Eastern lit a few years ago. I read several others of its ilk. My favorite memoir that I read at that time was Lipstick Jihad: A Memoir of Growing Up Iranian in America and American in Iran, followed by its sequel, Honeymoon in Tehran.

>108 shadrach_anki: I sympathize with your reluctance to leave Middle Earth. I often feel that way once I get immersed in another world. I have two other works by Tolkien, Book of Lost Tales and The Fall of Gondolin, but sadly, I've never read either.

>109 rhian_of_oz: There was a movie made that is...loosely based on the book. It's possible that is where the story familiarity comes in.

>110 jjmcgaffey: I enjoyed reading about Sophy, but I'm not entirely sure how I would react if a Sophy analog were to show up in my real life. Probably get frustrated like Charles does, in all honesty. I agree that her sincerity makes the meddling aspect of her personality far more palatable. She's getting involved to help people be happy, rather than just "for their own good" (which generally has very little to do with happiness and contentment).

>114 shadrach_anki: Oh yeah. She's fine in a book, I'd hate her to be in my real life...even if she did manage to make things better in the long run.

The Moon-Spinners by Mary Stewart
(fiction, ebook, owned)

Continuing my adventures through the works of Mary Stewart. This time around we're in Crete, following Nicola Ferris as she takes an Easter holiday from her job in Athens. She plans on meeting up with her cousin, Frances, at a quiet hotel in Agios Georgios, a small, out of the way town on the island of Crete (well away from the Easter tourist crowds in Athens). When she arrives a day early, Nicola decides to take a walk/hike before following the path down to the hotel and the village. And, of course, it wouldn't be much of a story if things went as expected. This book has a hefty dose of suspenseful intrigue, danger, and romance to spice things up. I really liked Nicola's cousin, and think she would be a lot of fun to spend time with. And I loved the myth of the moonspinners that Nicola tells early on in the book, and how that myth gets woven throughout the story.

There is a movie, but it sounds like it is only loosely based on the novel. I think I'd like to see it at some point, but will probably wait a bit so I can appreciate it on its own merits, rather than constantly comparing it to the novel.

The Reluctant Godfather by Allison Tebo
(fiction, ebook, owned)

I have a real fondness for fairy tales and fairy tale retellings. This particular story is a retelling of Cinderella, from the perspective of Burndee, the fairy godfather who really just wants to be left alone to focus on making amazing cakes and pastries, and has no interest in dealing with the two humans who are his wards. But the Fairy Council wants results, so Burndee has to come up with something that will satisfy them. Throwing his two wards together at the upcoming royal ball seems like it would be just the solution to all his problems. Of course, nothing ever really goes as planned.... This was a delightful little book. I love Burndee's character, and I love how the author took the familiar story and gave it her own spin and twist. I'm definitely going to be picking up more of her books.

Just stopping by to say hi and catch up. Seems like you’re going through a whole lot of books. Enjoyed reading about Mary Stewart, Heyer, Trollop, more LoTR and all the other stuff you’re reading.

Clouds of Witness by Dorothy L. Sayers
(fiction, audio/ebook, owned)

This is the second of the Lord Peter Wimsey mysteries. Peter finds himself investigating a mystery when his future brother-in-law turns up dead...and his brother is the one being charged with the murder. I am really enjoying this series (though I could have sworn I started it more recently than my records indicate; I apparently read the first book over two years ago!), and I liked getting to see more of Lord Peter's family. The Audible Plus catalog had an audio version available, so I did a combination read and listen. I like having access to the audio, since it means I can read while doing more things (like cooking and commuting), but being able to reference the printed text was incredibly helpful. One thing that surprised me is that things were looking pretty well wrapped up around the middle of the book, and I was wondering what was going to fill the rest of the pages. Then everything got turned on its head through a series of perfectly reasonable twists, and I was questioning everything I thought I knew about the story.

       

Alpha and Omega by Patricia Briggs *
Cry Wolf by Patricia Briggs *
Hunting Ground by Patricia Briggs *
Fair Game by Patricia Briggs *
Dead Heat by Patricia Briggs *
(fiction, print, owned)

So this is a rereading spree that started when the novella popped into my mind for some reason (possibly because the sixth volume of the series was just released and I am waiting for it to come available at the library). I reread the novella last year as well, but didn't jump back into the rest of the series. This year, I did make that jump. One novella and four novels over the course of six days, all of them rereads. It seems like I do this every few years (the last time I did a full read-through was in 2018). I just really enjoy the character relationships and banter. High literature this is not, but it's fun and fast and has a lot of satisfying moments in it.

Half-Off Ragnarok by Seanan McGuire
(fiction, ebook, owned)

Wanting more urban fantasy, but not having ready access to the fifth book in the Alpha and Omega series, I turned my sights back to the Price family in this third volume of the InCryptids series. This volume moves away from Verity and brings us to her older brother, Alex, who is running a basilisk breeding program at the zoo in Columbus, Ohio (and also researching other cryptid populations in the area). Like his sister, Alex has a splinter colony of Aeslin mice living with him. He also has a miniature griffin named Crow, and the interactions are quite amusing.

I think it is safe for me to say that, at least at present, urban fantasy is one of my comfort reading zones.

I love Lord Peter. I think I’ve read them all twice.

I can recommend the Rivers of London series by Ben Aaronovitch if you run out of urban fantasy.

>122 NanaCC: I'm really enjoying them. I just finished Unnatural Death last night, and I have more of the books waiting in the wings. I'm thinking these are books that I will want to own physical copies of at some point. Right now I've been going with ebooks.

>123 rhian_of_oz: I read the first two books back in 2014, and then I got sidetracked (I think the third book was checked out at the library, and then I was busy being a newlywed). I remember liking what read, though. I'll have to circle back around to that series.

>119 shadrach_anki: I'm a terrific fan of Lord Peter et al. What a nice restrained author he sports. I love it all.

>120 shadrach_anki: It's the alternate Briggs books that I crave, the Mercy series. They are candy for me. I came to this bunch later, not realizing they existed at all, but I'm enjoying them now.

>123 rhian_of_oz: These are quality. I second the nomination. If you like a little more grit then try A Madness of Angels by Kate Griffin. Then there are the On the Edge series, and other series by Ilona Andrews. I think the Kate Daniels series is her best--that starts with Magic Bites.

>127 sallypursell: The first couple books in each series are quite distinct, but after...the third Mercy and second A&O? Something like that - it's one story from two angles. Things that are referenced in Mercy, that are important events in the timeline, actually happen in A&O, and vice versa. I recently did a reread, intending to read Mercy then A&O, and found that I had to interleave them to understand events. Particularly the changes in Fay interactions, but also werewolf politics, overlap.

>129 jjmcgaffey: That does make it difficult.

>129 jjmcgaffey: The third A&O book definitely kicks off the change in Fay interactions. The fourth builds on that, but remains fairly distinct. Fifth book (which I just finished) is definitely linked more to the interwoven plots, and I am assuming the sixth book will follow suit (waiting for the library to process the copies they've ordered; I'm near the top of the hold list). I'm caught up with the Mercy novels, but I could probably stand to do a rereading of them as well. That will most likely wait until the library is a bit more open, however. A book here and there is one thing, but it's hard to get there reliably with my work schedule.

Yeah, there's a big change in A&O third book - but the Mercy book that came out the next year also has those changes (as background/drivers for the story). Night Broken assumes you've read Fair Game, and after that they pretty much interleave - there are references in Dead Heat to Night Broken, too. Publication order works - notice what year a book came out and you'll be reading in the right order. There are more Mercy books than A&O, so the year of publication is the best marker. Apparently nothing in 2021, though - the next Mercy is in 2022, according to Briggs' website.

Unnatural Death by Dorothy L. Sayers
(fiction, audio/ebook, owned)

The third of the Lord Peter Wimsey mysteries. As with the previous book, I did a combination read/listen on this one. And I really do need to go back to confirm this, but I am fairly certain that for the audio version I listened to some edits were made to clean up a few points of "you don't say that" language in some of Miss Climpson's letters (she was quoting someone else). I cannot say that I disagree with that particular decision since it doesn't make any material change to the story or the characters. I do hope Miss Climpson shows up in later books in the series, because she is quite an entertaining individual. I also like how each of the mysteries feels different, even though all of them deal with dead bodies. And I grinned at the reference made to "detective fever" from Wilkie Collins' The Moonstone, because I got the reference immediately thanks to having read that book earlier this year.

Cotillion by Georgette Heyer *
(fiction, print, owned)

This is another reread thanks to the Teatime with Heyer group on Instagram. I first read this back in 2010, and at the time I commented that it was my favorite Heyer novel to date. However, I forgot most of the story in the decade between readings, so in a lot of ways this reread was like reading it for the first time. And it was delightful. All the plots and planning and utter absurdity of situations. Freddy is a dear, and not the idiot so many seem to take him for. Actually, Freddy reminds me a bit of both Lord Peter Wimsey and Ivan Vorpatril. Rather a lot like Ivan, really (or perhaps it is better to say Ivan is rather a lot like Freddy, given when the characters were created). On rereading, this holds up a bit better for me than The Grand Sophy, and I think my enjoyment has been enhanced b my surrounding reading.

 

Network Effect by Martha Wells
Fugitive Telemetry by Martha Wells
(fiction, print, owned)

I first met Murderbot last summer, when I read the first four novellas. Then with one thing and another, it took almost a year before I read the rest of the series (prompted at least in part by the release of Fugitive Telemetry). Network Effect is the first full-length novel of the series, and I do hope it will not be the last. ART returns, looking for Murderbot's assistance, because ART's beloved human crew is in some serious trouble. So, of course, ART arranges a kidnapping of Murderbot...and several of the rogue SecUnit's human companions, incidentally. Creepy alien remnant tech is also involved, and Murderbot has to deal with feelings and emotions.

Fugitive Telemetry is the sixth published work in the series, but it comes chronologically before the events in Network Effect. It is also a police/detective murder mystery style story, which is a lot of fun. I really enjoyed reading this novella and learning more about Preservation Station through the lens of Murderbot's perceptions.

I know there are more works planned for this series, but I don't know anything about lengths or publications dates or the like. But I will definitely be following the news on that, since I really want more of these characters!

Oh, I have had a long (delightful) catch-up on your reading. I love that you are reading all those English classics (including Heyer and Sayers), they are some of my favorites and it's fun to revisit them through your thoughts and comments.

>134 shadrach_anki: I think that Cotillion was one of my favorites too. I did also enjoy The Grand Sophie. I should get back to reading a couple of Heyer’s. They are alway fun. And Lord Peter… I think I mentioned that I did a reread of the series in 2015. So enjoyable.

>136 avaland: I've been having an amazing reading year this year, and I'm loving all the classics I've been reading. I am about twenty reviews behind on my thread, though; things have gotten away from me a bit in that regard. So there will be more to catch up on soon!

>137 NanaCC: I'm currently on Frederica, and it's the first book that the group I'm reading with has picked that I hadn't read before. It's a lot of fun. With Lord Peter, I'm currently trying to decide where to go next. Short stories (Lord Peter Views the Body) or next full-length novel, which would be The Unpleasantness at the Bellona Club.

>139 shadrach_anki: I went with the series list here on LT. I figured that way I wouldn’t miss any of the character development.

I couldn't agree more that there is delight to be found in Lord Peter's stories and in the Heyer books. I used to like Frederica the most, but the last time I read it I had a little bit of an allergic attack to Freddie's childish approach to her marriage. I still liked it, but just not as much. Right now I am reading her earliest-released stuff, like The Transformation of Philip Jettan, and I am contemplating a re-read of the whole Lord Peter arc. I don't own them all, but this would be a perfect time to obtain the missing ones!

Monster Hunter Guardian by Larry Correia & Sarah Hoyt
(fiction, print, owned)

It is fair to say that one of the constants in my bookish life is having books that sit on my shelves for months/years between when I obtain them and when I actually read them. Such is the case here. I've had this book on my shelves since it first came out, and I pulled it out to read because I was wanting more urban fantasy and action. This book delivered admirably. I loved seeing things from Julie's perspective, and was delighted (probably inordinately so) with the return of Mr. Trash Bags, the best miniature shoggoth a girl could ask for. Consume! Eat toes! Ahem. I spent a lot of time snickering whenever he was on the page, and I really hope he shows up in future books. With or without his mammal disguise.

Doctor Thorne by Anthony Trollope
(fiction, audio/print, owned)

My read through the Barsetshire Chronicles continues. As with the previous book, I read this in a combination of print and audio. Somehow, I was not expecting an entirely new cast of characters, but I adapted quickly enough. I liked seeing more of the countryside, and I really liked Miss Dunstable. There's a lot more to do with secular politics in this book, and the various political factions of 1850s England are still rather opaque to me. Even with supplementary material added in to my reading. Luckily, a perfect understanding of said politics is in no way required to enjoy the story being told!

Sylvester by Georgette Heyer *
(fiction, audio, owned)

This was another reread as part of the Heyer group I'm in on Instagram, and it was my third time reading this particular book. It continues to be delightful, and reading it on the heels of Doctor Thorne gave me a better understanding of some of the social and class elements at play, specifically with the squire and the master of the hunt. Granted, in terms of setting the two books are probably a good 40 years apart (and even more in terms of publication), but it still improved my understanding.

 

Burn Bright by Patricia Briggs *
Wild Sign by Patricia Briggs
(fiction, print, owned/borrowed)

Sticking these two together, even though I reread Burn Bright before I read Monster Hunter Guardian. I'd forgotten a number of plot points from Burn Bright between readings, but the one I did remember still makes me sad (Sage's betrayal of the pack, and I am still wondering if it was planned from the beginning or not).

Wild Sign was my second borrowed book of the year, and I read it very quickly; the story pace sort of demanded I do so. I'm definitely seeing a lot more interaction between the Alpha and Omega books and the Mercy Thompson books, but they haven't yet hit a point where things get confusing or unsatisfying if you are only reading one of them (or if you don't want to do a bunch of interleaved rereading). I liked learning more about Leah, and also the hints about Sherwood Post. It will be interesting to see how that develops in later books. And the events of the epilogue are bound to make things interesting in the future....

These books are hardly high literature, but urban fantasy/paranormal romance is clearly one of my happy places in terms of reading.

Stuck by Chris Grabenstein
(fiction, audio, owned)

I picked this up last year, and one of my periodic "use an RNG to serve up a list of possible reads" sessions pulled it up as an option. I was in the mood for something light and fast, and this fit the bill. It's sort of a cross between Peter Pan and Groundhog Day with a dash of Freaky Friday. The full cast audio production is top notch. This is definitely a middle grade title, and like many of the Audible Originals I've listened to I wish it had been longer and/or had a bit more depth. Still fun, of course, but missing something that would push it into "great" territory. That said, I do want to check out more of the author's work, and I have at least one other book by him waiting on my shelves.

The Scarlet Pimpernel by Baroness Orczy
(fiction, audio/print, owned)

They seek him here, they seek him there... This book was on my shelves for at least fifteen years, waiting to be read. I was familiar with at least the general gist of the story thanks to the movie and the musical, but the style of the book wasn't what I expected the first time I tried to read it (shortly after I got it). I think I was expecting something more...modern? This first book, at least, is largely from Marguerite's perspective, and she doesn't know until most of the way through the book that Percy is the Scarlet Pimpernel, whereas in both of the adaptations I have seen the audience is aware much earlier. So I think that threw me for a loop the first time. Then too, the book is older, with a different writing style that I was not as familiar with at the time. This time around I had primed the pump, so to speak, with a pile of Victorian literature (and other classics), and I found an audio copy to do a combo read. I also joined a buddy read, and my previous experience was enough to help me adjust my mindset and expectations. So it was a delightful read this time around, and I want to find more books in the series.

Seven Little Sons of the Dragon by Ryoko Kui
(manga, print, owned)

I picked up this collection of manga short stories more or less on a whim, because I know I like the artist. And I can definitely see tonal similarities between these stories and her more long form work, but the stories in this volume have more varied settings (not all pseudo medieval fantasy, for starters). Most of the stories don't feature dragons at all, and one of the dragons is, well, a gryphon of some sort. But all of the stories have some sort of fantastical element, whether it is dragons or mermaids or werewolves or paintings coming to life (just as a sampling). I definitely want to keep reading Ryoko Kui's work.

The Telling Touch by Keira Dominguez
(fiction, ebook, owned)

This is the sequel to Her Caprice, and it follows Meg Summers, who was introduced in the first book. Like Beatrice, Meg has a magical/supernatural ability: she can read the thoughts of any person she touches (has to be skin contact; just bumping into someone won't do it). As with the first book, the magic is more in line with magical realism than historical fantasy, as the majority of the elements to the story involve no magic whatsoever. I really like Nick and Brooks and Jolly, and it was lovely to see Henry and Beatrice again. Isabelle was...difficult. She definitely inspired lots of emotional reactions in me, and she is the villain of the story. But it isn't a neatly laid out case of black and white, good or bad. Oh, she is definitely in the wrong, but we are shown how she got to that point, rather than just having to blindly accept a "because she's bad" status. I am looking forward to the third book in the series.

Call Me Maybe by Cara Bastone
(fiction, audio, owned-ish)

I learned about this Audible Original from the Everyday Reading 2021 Summer Reading Guide, and since it is included in the Audible Plus catalog it was a pretty easy sell. Overall it is an excellently produced audio story with charming, quirky characters and a rom-com meet-cute plot. My only real issue with it was having to turn my brain off when it came to the central conflict/inciting incident because tech and web design don't work that way. The problem as presented would not actually exist, at least not in the way it is described. The OS of Vera's laptop has no part to play in whether or not her website is functional, and major system changes to Curio, even performed by the CEO, are not the sort of thing that would be done in under a week. But as long as I set reality aside on those elements I was able to really enjoy the story. There is a sequel, also available via Audible Plus, about Vera's brother, Eliot, which I plan to check out at some point in the semi-near future.

Whew. That wraps up all my reading from May. I still need to work on June. At least my physical book journal is up to date, so I can pull my thoughts from its pages rather than trying to reach back for every book.

I've made a conscious effort to use the library more, and I'm doing better than I did last year, but still nowhere near my hoped for percentages. And I need to rein in my book spending again, as well as going back to my rather long-neglected weeding project.

A Place at the Table by Saadia Faruqi & Laura Shovan
(fiction, ebook, borrowed)

I heard about this book last year and added it to my holds list on the Libby app, then kept hitting "deliver later" for nine months. Which is a real shame, because this is a delightful novel about food and friendship and kindness. Also with a good reminder that basically everyone has more going on in their lives than you would know at first glance (even the people you live with!), and communication is important. Oh, and that life is messy, particularly in middle school/junior high, so giving people grace and the benefit of the doubt is crucial. I borrowed this, but I am considering getting a copy for my personal library.

The Orphans of Raspay by Lois McMaster Bujold
(fiction, ebook, owned)

I picked up the rest of the Penric and Desdemona stories that I didn't have over the last few months, then had to figure out which one to read first. I decided to go more or less with publication order, and that brought this one to the top of the stack. It is set some time after Prisoner of Limnos, and Penric has been captured by pirates/slavers on his way home to Vilnoc. His opportunities for escape are limited by the two sisters he takes under his protection, and all his plans wind up failing in one way or another, much to his annoyance and frustration. I read this in a single day, and it was lovely. I hope Lencia and Seuka (the sisters) show up again.

Laughing Without an Accent by Firoozeh Dumas
(nonfiction, print, owned)

I read this over the course of two months, a chapter/essay or two at a time. Not that I didn't enjoy it just as much as her first book; I just approached it differently. I would say there are more serious essays in this volume, but still plenty of humor. It also ties in in some ways with A Place at the Table, primarily with regards to immigrant experiences and religious backgrounds.

     

Yukarism, vol. 1 by Chika Shiomi
Yukarism, vol. 2 by Chika Shiomi
Yukarism, vol. 3 by Chika Shiomi
Yukarism, vol. 4 by Chika Shiomi
(manga, print, owned)

This four volume series was a complete impulse buy, inspired by my reading a review from Lois McMaster Bujold of the first volume. I did check out a preview first, but said preview was only a few pages long. Basically enough to know that I liked the art, and the story premise seemed solid. Reincarnation, time travel, Edo-era Japan...lots of interesting stuff. Putting everything into four volumes does limit the amount of depth available in the story, but it also limits the number of sidetracks and digressions. I think I'll have to reread it to find all of the little details about the characters in the two timelines.

Queen of Hearts by Rhys Bowen
(fiction, audio, owned)

This is the eighth book in the Royal Spyness series, and I read the seventh one about a year ago. Because of the nature of the series there are certain...formulaic elements that show up in every book that make it easy to step back in (and may actively discourage binge reading): Georgie always introduces herself to the reader, along with her royal connection and general lack of money. Belinda and Darcy will show up at some point in the story, and there is a very good chance Georgie's mother will as well. Queenie will continue to be hopeless as a proper lady's maid, but will still avoid being let go. And a cast of colorful characters will be introduced for whatever the current (mis)adventure will be. This time around the setting is America, ultimately Hollywood. Georgie is accompanying her mother, who is trying to get a quick divorce in Reno. There is a jewel thief on the ship they take across the Atlantic (Darcy is on the case for Scotland Yard). And people try to suck Georgie into the glitz and glamour of Hollywood, where she is rather an oddity. And then there's a murder. As always, a fun story with top-notch narration.

American Royals by Katharine McGee
(fiction, print, borrowed)

In making a conscious effort to curb my bookish spending and to use the library more, I borrowed this book. And since I liked it, but didn't love it, I'm glad it was a borrow rather than a purchase. The story is a rather soap opera style what-if story positing the existence of an American royal family (George Washington became king instead of president). For the most part it felt like the America bits were almost tacked on, and it could have been about almost any royal family. Or super rich family. I really don't like Daphne--she is incredibly shallow and viscious and Mean Girl. I think some of the sections from her POV are probably intended to inspire sympathy in the reader (at least a bit), but all I got was a feeling that she was grasping and conniving and any trouble she was in she deserved. And I felt bad for Connor and Nina. I do want to know what happens next, but only if I can borrow the sequel.

>156 shadrach_anki: I enjoy that series. I’ve listened to them all. Katherine Kellgren was great as a reader, and really did such a good job with Georgie. The new reader is pretty good, not the same, but she had some pretty big shoes to fill. Queen of Hearts was an enjoyable one.

>158 NanaCC: I will confess that I am nervous about the upcoming narrator change. I know it's unavoidable, but I still have this sense that it's going to be a bit of whiplash, no matter how good the new narrator is. As you say, she's got some pretty big shoes to fill.

Dragon Hoops by Gene Luen Yang
(comic, print, borrowed)

A graphic memoir about high school basketball, and my fifth borrowed book of the year. For some reason I was not expecting this to be written from the perspective of a teacher, nor was I expecting it to be just as much about the creation of the book as the basketball team. I also wasn't expecting a history lesson on basketball. And apparently some of the crazy stuff I thought for sure was just sports manga exaggeration actually happens, like high school teams flying cross country for games and getting treatment I would associate with college and pro teams. Of course, my general knowledge of school sports comes from reading rather than participation (my family did music lessons, not sports). This is also the first comic I can think of that I've read that includes extensive end notes (not translator notes), and a bibliography.

Overall I liked this, and I am glad I read it, but I am also glad that I borrowed it rather than buying it. I don't know if I am likely to reread it any time soon, and if I want to I know where I can find a copy.

>160 shadrach_anki: Had you read his Boxers and Saints duology? It is YA but it works very well...

   

The Crystal Cave by Mary Stewart
The Hollow Hills by Mary Stewart
The Last Enchantment by Mary Stewart
(fiction, print, owned)

One of my primary reasons for joining the Mary Stewart readalong group I'm in was the desire to read this particular trilogy of books. I'd had The Crystal Cave on my shelves since 2008, and I'd picked up The Hollow Hills at a library book sale in 2019. My copy of The Last Enchantment was purchased this year. I also borrowed the entire trilogy in audio format from the library, and I did a combo read over the course of about six weeks.

I love Mary Stewart's take on Merlin, and how she pulled from various sources of Arthurian legend to craft her own version of the story. Her sense of place and time is absolutely incredible, and I really like how each book ends with a section covering the legend and some author's notes. I love the way she handles the magical elements of the story, and the whole trilogy had me wanting to pull out all my books from the Arthurian Literature class I took in college. I really don't have the shelf space to do so properly, however, at least not at present.

I do still have The Wicked Day and The Prince and the Pilgrim to read to wrap up Mary Stewart's Arthurian saga, but I will be coming to them at a slightly later point in time.

>161 AnnieMod: I read them back in 2015, and I need to revisit them. I remember liking the duology, but it was before I was keeping a proper reading journal, so I didn't actually take the time to write out any thoughts on the books.

           

Magic Slays by Ilona Andrews *
Gunmetal Magic by Ilona Andrews *
Magic Gifts by Ilona Andrews *
Magic Mourns by Ilona Andrews *
Magic Rises by Ilona Andrews *
Magic Breaks by Ilona Andrews *
Magic Shifts by Ilona Andrews
(fiction, ebook, owned/borrowed)

I started rereading this series last summer, then I took a break once I'd scratched that particular itch for a while. Came back to it in June of this year, and read the five novels and two novellas over the course of a month. I like the characters, I like the snark, I like the alternate, post-magic apocalypse Atlanta setting. And it's a series I can and will binge read (obviously), though I still pay attention to satiation signals from my brain that tell me I should go read something else for a while. I want to say there are two more books in the main series, but the library doesn't have either of them, so my reading is once again on hold (yes, ILL is a thing, and I will probably avail myself of it at some point, but I've got other things to read first).

Maison Ikkoku Collector's Edition, vol. 4 by Rumiko Takahashi
(manga, print, owned)

I continue to enjoy this madcap, rom-com type manga. Godai's grandmother comes to visit, matchmaking attempts are made, and general hijinx ensue. When the series was originally being released it was more or less a contemporary fiction work, with pop culture type references and art reflecting the Japan of the day. Now it almost slides into the realm of a period piece. I look forward to seeing where the story goes next.

All Creatures Great and Small by James Herriot
(memoir, print, owned)

I picked this up three or four years ago after hearing about it on the What Should I Read Next podcast, and I did start reading it at the time, but it seems it was not the right time for me to read it. With the release of the new television adaptation, the book series started to pop up again on Instagram and in other places, which prompted me to pull my copy off the shelf and give it another go. It took me a bit to adjust to Herriot's writing style; there is not really a strong, driving narrative to this book in the traditional sense. Most of the chapters feel like vignettes, and readers don't always get to see the entire conclusion of an episode. Some don't have neat and tidy endings because life doesn't work that way. But it was just delightful to follow the various threads of Herriot's life as he learned on the job how to be a country vet. I definitely plan on continuing to read the series, and I want to check out the television adaptation as well.

>164 shadrach_anki: I really need to get around to this series.

>162 shadrach_anki: I'm currently reading By Force Alone which by all accounts is a non-standard take on the Arthurian legend. I'm enjoying it but I've realised that I actually don't know anything about King Arthur other than he pulled Excalibur out of a rock.

>168 rhian_of_oz: One advantage to the Arthurian legend is that there isn't one single version. Lots of interpretation is possible. Right now I'm reading The Once and Future King by T.H. White, and it presents a very different interpretation from Mary Stewart's books (enough that I was getting a bit of tonal whiplash for a while).

Decluttering at the Speed of Life by Dana K. White
(non-fiction, print, owned)

I bought this book on a whim last year, and honestly, none of the information in it is exactly new or groundbreaking or anything like that, but I like how White approaches the topic and the tone she uses. I find that with books of this type those are the elements that frequently matter the most when it comes to how helpful the book is to readers. Framing the information is key. One of White's major points is decluttering in a way that doesn't leave you with a bigger mess if you have to stop in the middle of things for whatever reason. A lot of the other methods I've seen for decluttering involve pulling everything out, which can be useful, but also creates a definite "things are worse before they get better" situation. So I really appreciate a method that basically assumes you're going to be interrupted in this process at some point, and is designed to deal with that. That and White's Container Concept (your house is a container, and the size of the container limits what you can keep in it) are both incredibly useful things to keep in mind. I read this over the course of a week, and it's definitely one I will want to read again and refer back to.

     

Vision in Silver by Anne Bishop *
Marked in Flesh by Anne Bishop *
Lake Silence by Anne Bishop *
Wild Country by Anne Bishop *
(fiction, ebook/print, owned)

Another set of back-to-back rereads over a short period of time (staying up late was involved). So much for the spacing out I said I would probably be doing on this reread back in >72 shadrach_anki:.... The first two books here are books 3 and 4 of the main series dealing with the Others, and I found that Marked in Flesh ends on a really solid note, which is why I haven't picked up the fifth book for a reread yet. I enjoyed Lake Silence and was excited to learn that a new book focused on that particular group of characters is slated for release in 2022. I'm looking forward to reading that. Wild Country is probably my least favorite book in the series so far. While I really like a lot of the characters, particularly Jana and Virgil, I found the villains to be particularly skeevy, and would have preferred to have less of what they were doing described in detail on the page.

Framley Parsonage by Anthony Trollope
(fiction, audio/print, owned)

The fourth book in the Barsetshire Chronicles. We're introduced to another new group of characters and a few new locales, but there are lots of returning friends and faces as well. Moreso than in Doctor Thorne, where the returning characters were only a minor part of the whole. Here whole chapters look in on old friends. I particularly loved seeing more of Miss Dunstable and the Arabins. There are lots of references made to Greek mythology--specifically the war between the gods and the titans--when describing the political situation of the time, and honestly it did not really help to clear up the politics for me at all. I'm pretty sure the disconnect is caused by a combination of both temporal distance and my familiarity with a different political system. I was able to follow it enough to at least figure out which groups didn't like each other, and there were plenty of other storylines to grab my interest as I read. I kept shaking my head and wincing as Mark Robarts got himself more and more entangled in debts and bills, and I rather adored the whole bit with Lucy Robarts and Lord Lufton.

I did a combination of reading and listening for this, and I may have to go back and do just a straight reading; it might help me puzzle out some of the bits that were confusing to me, and it will definitely allow me to mark the passages I really enjoy! I am loving reading these along with a group of people. It greatly adds to my enjoyment of the story.

The Way of the Househusband, vol. 5 by Kousuke Oono
(manga, print, owned)

This series continues to be ridiculously over the top and hilarious. Tatsu makes everything into some sort of dramatic, life or death scenario, even when it is something like baking a cake or grocery shopping. And his language choices make completely innocuous things sound super sketchy. Of course, that's sort of the whole point of a series about a yakuza hitman turned homemaker--the absurd juxtaposition of the two worlds generates the comedy.

Pocket Apocalypse by Seanan McGuire
(fiction, ebook, owned)

The fourth book in the InCryptids series, and the second one with Alex as the narrator. Shelby asks Alex to come with her to Australia because he knows about werewolves and there are now werewolves menacing the countryside. The trip will also give Alex the opportunity to meed Shelby's family. Of course, when that meeting occurs they really aren't impressed with him, at least in part because of where he's from and the ex-Covenant nature of his family. They do like the mice, though.

I'm really enjoying this series, and I definitely will be reading more of it. The next book goes back to Verity, and then it looks like we'll be following Antimony for at least a couple of books. Fun, fast, and full of snappy dialog.

Frederica by Georgette Heyer
(fiction, print, owned)

This is the first Heyer novel I've read with the group on Instagram that wasn't a reread for me, and it was delightful. Frederica Merriville is in London with three of her four younger siblings, determined to give Charis, her beautiful younger sister, at least one Season. She writes to the Marquis of Alverstoke--a somewhat distant relation--and asks for his help in this endeavor. Of course, one can hardly expect a story like this to remain drama-free, and Alverstoke finds himself pulled into one thing after another by the Merrivilles, and that surprisingly he hates it far less than he would have expected!

I really enjoyed the children in this story, and the dog. The witty banter was top notch, and I felt that the various sibling relationships were very realistic. I would have liked to see more of the side characters fleshed out, but that often seems to be the case, and it didn't hamper my enjoyment of the story. I think I still prefer Sylvester, just a bit, but that might be due to familiarity. This is definitely high on my list of favorite Heyer novels.

C.S. Lewis Letters to Children by C.S. Lewis
(epistolary, print, owned)

I purchased this more or less on a whim, and I am so glad I did! It is a slim volume, easily read in a couple of hours. The editors included preface notes for some of the letters, introducing some of the recipients. Unlike, say, 84 Charing Cross Road, we only get half the conversation since none of the letters Lewis received are included, but the reader can still follow the conversational threads to an extent. There are several repeat correspondents over nearly twenty years, so the "children" of the title grow up as one reads. I will definitely be rereading this book in the future. On this first reading, I particularly enjoyed seeing references to Till We have Faces, which I am still reading, and a letter discussing Merlin (with reading recommendations I will have to look up), which ties in with the Mary Stewart trilogy I read and my current reading of The Once and Future King.

       

Blood of the Earth by Faith Hunter
Curse on the Land by Faith Hunter
Flame in the Dark by Faith Hunter
Circle of the Moon by Faith Hunter
Spells for the Dead by Faith Hunter
(fiction, print, owned/borrowed)

So this is another combination post for a whole set of books read in close succession (25 days total). I'd had the first book in this series on my shelf since 2018. It took me a bit to get into the story as I was relatively unfamiliar with the setting (haven't read the short story introducing the character of Nell Ingram, and I've only read the first of the Jane Yellowrock novels, and that was back in 2018). Once I got into the story I really liked the characters and the magic+police procedural+a touch of romance storylines.

I borrowed books two through five from the library, and in book four I was definitely seeing a deeper tie-in to the Jane Yellowrock books, much like how Patricia Briggs' Alpha and Omega series becomes more closely linked to the Mercy Thompson series. The difference here being that I haven't read more than the first Jane Yellowrock book, so I know there's stuff I'm not picking up on. Never to the point where I got completely lost or anything, but there were things and people that popped up more or less out of nowhere that were almost certainly introduced in the "main" series. Luckily, the library has quite a few of the Jane Yellowrock books, so I will be able to go and read them.

Captain Vorpatril's Alliance by Lois McMaster Bujold *
(fiction, ebook, owned)

This was a reread, and my notes in my book journal are minimal. I had a hankering to reread this Ivan-centric book, so I did. I remembered the main story points, but quite a few of the finer details were things I rediscovered, which is how I generally like my rereads to go. I love how this book showcases Ivan's talents and intelligence, as both fade far too often into the background whenever Miles is around. And I really like Tej; she's perfect for Ivan.

Sweet Talk by Cara Bastone
(fiction, audio, owned-ish)

This is the sequel/companion story to Call Me Maybe, which I read earlier this year. It is also an Audible Original available through the Audible Plus catalog. The production quality is excellent, and I found the inciting incident in this to be much more believable than the one in the previous book. Probably still a bit far fetched, but not to "must turn off my brain to continue enjoying the story" levels. Accidentally hitting the wrong option on your phone is something most people have done at least once, after all. Actually, the book description makes things seem less plausible, implying a randomly misdialed number instead of Eliot hitting the wrong contact in his phone's address book. I think the book stands on its own quite well. Some of the events of the first book do show up, but mostly on the periphery. If I had to pick one of the two, I would recommend this one.

Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir
(fiction, print, borrowed)

I was excited to learn that Andy Weir had a new book coming out this year. I really enjoyed The Martian (both the book and the film), and early reviews and comments for this book said it had a similar vibe (unlike Artemis, which I was not able to get into). So I quickly put a hold request in at the library, since new release hardcovers are not cheap, and read it in five days as soon as my hold came in. One of the things I really liked about the book was the structure. Everything is in first person POV, but it alternates between present tense for the "now" parts of the story and past tense for Ryland's flashbacks as his memories slowly return. All the characters are interesting, and I like the plausibility of the technology. I never felt bogged down by a lot of technical explanations; we're given enough information to see what the challenges are and how they get solved without running into long digressions. And I really love Rocky; he's a delightful character. I also wasn't expecting Ryland to run into actual aliens, hence the spoiler tags.

My father got this in Spanish and read it shortly after I did, so we were able to have a number of lovely discussions about the story.

The Count by Kenneth Tam
(fiction, ebook, owned)

I picked up this novella for free at some point in 2015, and I am not sure how it came across my path at this point. It serves as an introduction to an alternate history, "found portals to another world" series. Expand the grand age of colonial England, etc. The British Empire, but now across worlds, not just oceans. Possibly with time travel. It was an all right bit of storytelling, and diverting enough for an afternoon, but it wasn't enough to entice me to pick up more in the series. I just have two many other things I want to read.

Mistborn: The Final Empire by Brandon Sanderson *
(fiction, audio/print, owned)

This was a reread, but in some respects it was also a first read. For one thing, this time I was primarily listening rather than reading with my eyes. For another, the last time I read this was in 2008, and a lot happens and changes in thirteen years. So while I remembered broad strokes of the plot, I had lost lots of the details. The setting feels somewhere between Georgian and Regency in a number of ways, albeit without gunpowder of any sort. Plus Dickensian urchins. This sense may be influenced by my surrounding reading this year, though I know Brandon Sanderson has mentioned the setting was never intended to be of the traditional high-fantasy style. It's also interesting to come back to this story after reading so many other books in Sanderson's Cosmere. I pick up on different things.

The Diary of a Bookseller by Shaun Bythell
(memoir, print, owned)

This was on my TBR wishlist for several years, but I was basically content to leave it there until I read Seven Kinds of People You Find in Bookshops earlier this year. That reading promptly inspired me to pick up a copy of both this book and Bythell's second memoir. As the title indicates, this is a diary/journal covering roughly a year of time as Bythell runs The Bookshop in Wigtown, Scotland. Each month gets a short introduction covering some aspect of bookselling, and these introductions are all prefaced with quotes from George Orwell's memoir of his time as a bookseller. This is hardly edge of your seat reading, but that isn't the point of a book like this at all.

Sorcery of Thorns by Margaret Rogerson
(fiction, print, owned)

I went into this novel knowing little more than it was YA fantasy and set (at least partially) in a library. And I loved it. The setting is sort of Victorian (not our world, hence the sort of), the characters are witty, the magic is fascinating, and the pace moves. This is also a standalone novel, which is something of a rarity in fantasy (YA or otherwise) these days. While I would love to see more in this world and about these characters, I don't need that to be satisfied and delighted. I will note that I started crying at least three separate times while reading this book, which is not something that just any novel can get me to do.

What Alice Forgot by Liane Moriarty
(fiction, ebook, borrowed)

I added this to my TBR wishlist back in 2016 after hearing about it from both Modern Mrs. Darcy and Everyday Reading. The premise of a woman losing her memory of the last ten years of her life and how that changes her interactions with people was intriguing to me. Also somewhat far-fetched, but fun. I know I borrowed a print copy from the library around the time I added it to said wishlist, but it just didn't land at the time. Then in 2020 I borrowed an ebook copy via Libby, and I got about six chapters in before it got pulled back and I had to get back in the hold line. Then I spent about fifteen months playing the "deliver later" game before finally checking it out again. At which point I finished it in three days.

Overall, I liked the book and I'm glad I read it, but I didn't love it, so I'm equally glad I borrowed it. I liked that the epilogue gave a glimpse of how things are going about ten years after the main action of the story. I would not be adverse to reading more by Liane Moriarty, but I don't feel a need to rush out and get another one of her books.

Women of Futures Past by Kristine Kathryn Rusch
(fiction, print, owned)

I picked up this anthology shortly after it was published in 2016. As is the case with any work like this, some of the stories were more to my taste than others. I was already familiar with the stories from Anne McCaffrey and Lois McMaster Bujold, and they remain my favorites of the lot. I want to read more of the works of Andre Norton, C. J. Cherryh, Leigh Brackett, Connie Willis, Ursula K. LeGuin, and Zenna Henderson. That said, I think my general preference is for works that are at least novella length, and that aren't overly experimental in structure/form. The stories I enjoyed most in this anthology tended to be on the longer end of things.

The Bromance Book Club by Lyssa Kay Adams
(fiction, ebook, borrowed)

This is another title I put a request on in Libby that I kept playing the "deliver later" game with for over a year. I enjoyed the premise of the story and the characters, but I was less fond of the level of coarse language that some of said characters used (no matter how "realistic" it might be), and there were several rather explicit scenes I ended up skipping. I definitely prefer my romances to be a lot lighter on the steam than I got here, though at least I could skip the scenes and not miss any important details. I'm interested enough in the premise that I will check out other books in the series, but I'll be borrowing them from the library.

The Mystery of the Clockwork Sparrow by Katherine Woodfine
(fiction, print, owned)

This book and its sequels were a complete impulse purchase at the first Usborne Books party a friend of mine was hosting. The cover design caught my eye, and the premise (mysteries set around an Edwardian era department store) was intriguing. This first book definitely delivered on the promise made by the cover! Smart, capable characters; a well-developed plot; historical setting with wonderful details; and an excellent mystery with hints to a larger plot for the series as a whole. Plus delightful illustrations and newspaper clipping elements as part of the story. I'm very glad I have three more books waiting for me in this series!

Bomb by Steve Sheinkin
(non-fiction, print, owned)

This Newbery Honor book about the history of the atomic bomb and the spycraft surrounding it was the August pick for the Everyday Reading book club. In terms of pacing, this feels very much like a thriller or adventure story, and I liked how the information was presented. It felt like a good introduction to the topic, and since it is geared toward a younger audience it is far less daunting a read than a dense tome like The Making of the Atomic Bomb (which I still want to read, but need the time for).

I was innocently catching up when I was hit by two BBs (Sorcery of Thorns and The Mystery of the Clockwork Sparrow). Thanks for reading interesting books :-).

Given as we have less than two weeks left in the year, and my review/comment posts are still back in my September reading, catching up properly on that front seems...unlikely to happen at this point in time. But I have been reading, and reading a lot! And I have been keeping my physical book journal more or less up to date (mostly helps me, since it isn't online). My lists in >3 shadrach_anki:, >4 shadrach_anki:, >5 shadrach_anki:, and >6 shadrach_anki: are current.

So...highlights for the last few months. In September, my favorite reads were the Waiting for Spring series by Anashin (mostly a reread; I wanted a refresher before reading the final four volumes); The Small House at Allington by Anthony Trollope, which may very well be my favorite in the series; Touch Not the Cat and Thornyhold by Mary Stewart; The Paper Magician by Charlie N. Holmberg; Destroyer of Worlds by Larry Correia; and Witch Hat Atelier, vol. 8 by Kamome Shirahama. 75% of my reading for the month wound up being manga, which isn't unheard of for me, but is still atypical.

My October favorites were dominated by buddy read and book group picks: A Walk in Wolf Wood by Mary Stewart; Before We Were Yours by Lisa Wingate; The Victorian Internet by Tom Standage; A Curse So Dark and Lonely by Brigid Kemmerer; and The 7 1/2 Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle by Stuart Turton.

I read more this November than I typically have in past years, but most of said reading was fairly average. Standouts were Lore Olympus Volume One by Rachel Smythe, which sort of counts as a reread because I binge (re)read the webcomic right before this was released; The Clockwork Crow by Catherine Fisher, which I picked up last year and then pulled off the shelf because I won the sequel in the October LTER batch; Frieren: Beyond Journey's End, vol. 1 by Kanehito Yamada, which was an impulse buy and totally worth it, and another new manga series for me to follow; Mao, vol. 2 by Rumiko Takahashi, the newest volume (in English) of Rumiko Takahashi's latest series; and Ludo and the Star Horse by Mary Stewart, which is sadly very much out of print and rather hard to find.

For December, I haven't yet sat down to compile a list of favorites, as the month is still in progress. But I know The Last Chronicle of Barset is definitely going to be on that list. I've been reading the Barsetshire novels over the course of this year, and I am still feeling bereft now that I have finished them. I am also wanting to reread them, but I will be holding off on that particular impulse for now. I've already joined a group on Instagram that will be reading Trollope's Palliser novels in 2022; a lot of the people in this new group were part of the Barsetshire group.