rhian_of_oz Reads in 2023 - July to December
DiscussieClub Read 2023
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1rhian_of_oz
I'm Rhian from Perth and this is my fifth year in Club Read. So far this year my reading is *way* less than normal. This is my second year back at uni and for some reason I didn't have the headspace for new books so when I did read it was mostly skimming old favourites.
I have also badly neglected Club Read and I hope to do better in the second half of the year.
Currently reading:
Started, put aside, want to pick up again:
The City We Became by N. K. Jemisin
The Body by Bill Bryson
This Much Is True by Miriam Margolyes
The Doll Factory by Elizabeth Macneal
The Bookseller's Apprentice by Amelia Mellor
Next up:
Vagabonds by Jingfang Hao
Suggested July reads (based on Category challenges or group reads):
MysteryKIT () -
RandomKIT () -
SFFKIT () -
SeriesCat () -
Priorities from wishlist(WL) or TBR
Series to finish:
Children of Ruin by Adrian Tchaikovsky
Queen of Ruin by Tracy Banghart
Perhaps The Stars by Ada Palmer
Rosewater Insurrection by Tade Thompson
The Rosewater Redemption by Tade Thompson
Death's End by Cixin Liu
I have also badly neglected Club Read and I hope to do better in the second half of the year.
Currently reading:
Started, put aside, want to pick up again:
The City We Became by N. K. Jemisin
The Body by Bill Bryson
This Much Is True by Miriam Margolyes
The Doll Factory by Elizabeth Macneal
The Bookseller's Apprentice by Amelia Mellor
Next up:
Vagabonds by Jingfang Hao
Suggested July reads (based on Category challenges or group reads):
MysteryKIT () -
RandomKIT () -
SFFKIT () -
SeriesCat () -
Priorities from wishlist(WL) or TBR
Series to finish:
Children of Ruin by Adrian Tchaikovsky
Queen of Ruin by Tracy Banghart
Perhaps The Stars by Ada Palmer
Rosewater Insurrection by Tade Thompson
The Rosewater Redemption by Tade Thompson
Death's End by Cixin Liu
2rhian_of_oz
CR BBs
Sugar Street by Jonathan Dee (arubabookwoman)
Haven by Emma Donoghue (arubabookwoman)
This Time Next Year We'll Be Laughing by Jacqueline Winspear (labsf39)
Nothing To See Here by Kevin Wilson (wandering_star)
Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pelt (wandering_star)
The Employees by Olga Ravn (wandering_star)
A Gathering Light by Jennifer Donnelly (WelshBookworm)
We All Want Impossible Things by Catherine Newman (Simone2)
I Have Some Questions For You by Rebecca Makkai (japaul22)
The Inheritance Games by Jennifer Lynn Barnes (Yells)
How Can I Help You by Laura Sims (RidgewayGirl)
Western Lane by Chetna Maroo (Simone2)
All the Little Bird-Hearts by Viktoria Lloyd-Barlow (Simone2)
The Whalebone Theatre by Joanna Quinn (BLBera)
Kids Run The Show by Delphine de Vigan (Simone2)
Talking To The Dead by Harry Bingham (wandering_star)
Miss Benson's Beetle by Rachel Joyce (WelshBookworm)
Berlin by Bea Setton (RidgewayGirl)
The Rachel Incident by Caroline O'Donoghue (RidgewayGirl)
Wellness by Nathan Hill (Simone2, RidgewayGirl)
House in the Cerulean Sea by T. J Klune (karspeak, labfs39)
Blackout by Connie Willis (Arubabookwoman)
All Clear by Connie Willis (Arubabookwoman)
Doomsday Book by Connie Willis (series)
To Say Nothing of the Dog by Connie Willis (series)
Sugar Street by Jonathan Dee (arubabookwoman)
Haven by Emma Donoghue (arubabookwoman)
This Time Next Year We'll Be Laughing by Jacqueline Winspear (labsf39)
Nothing To See Here by Kevin Wilson (wandering_star)
Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pelt (wandering_star)
The Employees by Olga Ravn (wandering_star)
A Gathering Light by Jennifer Donnelly (WelshBookworm)
We All Want Impossible Things by Catherine Newman (Simone2)
I Have Some Questions For You by Rebecca Makkai (japaul22)
The Inheritance Games by Jennifer Lynn Barnes (Yells)
How Can I Help You by Laura Sims (RidgewayGirl)
Western Lane by Chetna Maroo (Simone2)
All the Little Bird-Hearts by Viktoria Lloyd-Barlow (Simone2)
The Whalebone Theatre by Joanna Quinn (BLBera)
Kids Run The Show by Delphine de Vigan (Simone2)
Talking To The Dead by Harry Bingham (wandering_star)
Miss Benson's Beetle by Rachel Joyce (WelshBookworm)
Berlin by Bea Setton (RidgewayGirl)
The Rachel Incident by Caroline O'Donoghue (RidgewayGirl)
Wellness by Nathan Hill (Simone2, RidgewayGirl)
House in the Cerulean Sea by T. J Klune (karspeak, labfs39)
Blackout by Connie Willis (Arubabookwoman)
All Clear by Connie Willis (Arubabookwoman)
Doomsday Book by Connie Willis (series)
To Say Nothing of the Dog by Connie Willis (series)
3rhian_of_oz
Bookclub Recommendations
We Are Legion (We Are Bob) by Dennis E. Taylor (Qualityland)
The Warehouse by Rob Hart (Qualityland)
Providence by Max Barry (Qualityland)
We Are Legion (We Are Bob) by Dennis E. Taylor (Qualityland)
The Warehouse by Rob Hart (Qualityland)
Providence by Max Barry (Qualityland)
4rhian_of_oz
Wishlist from other sources
All the Dead Shall Weep by Charlaine Harris (series)
Murder on Cold Street by Sherry Thomas (series)
Babel by R. F. Kuang (various)
The Weaver and the Witch Queen by Genevieve Gornichec (Stefen)
Trove by Sandra A. Miller (SOTT)
Skyward by Brandon Sanderson (V)
No Great Mischief by Alistair MacLeod
The Story of Arthur Truluv by Elizabeth Berg (Pat)
The Love of my Life by Rosie Walsh (mum)
Hel's Eight by Stark Holborn (Stefen)
Tom Lake by Ann Patchett (Dymocks)
Learned By Heart by Emma Donoghue (BSB)
Children of Memory by Adrian Tchaikovsky (series)
The Unmourned by Meg Keneally (series)
All The Murmuring Bones by A. G. Slatter (author)
I'm Thinking Of Ending Things by Iain Reid
Winterborne Home for Mayhem and Mystery by Ally Carter (series)
Eta Draconis by Brendan Ritchie (Amanda Curtin)
Creative Differences by Graeme Simsion (library)
Yeah Nah by William McInnes (author)
Random in Death by J. D. Robb (series)
The Secret by Lee Child (series)
A Tempest at Sea by Sherry Thomas (series)
The Comfort of Ghosts by Jacqueline Winspear (series)
The Lantern's Dance by Laurie R. King (series)
A Grave Robbery by Deanna Raybourn (series)
Moon of the Turning Leaves by Waubgeshig Rice (series)
The Future by Naomi Alderman (bookclub)
Infinity Gate by M. R. Carey (author)
Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell by Susanna Clarke (author)
Bridge Burning and Other Hobbies by Kitty Flanagan (author)
The Book That Wouldn't Burn by Mark Lawrence (someone at bookclub)
The Atlas Six by Olivie Blake (Rebecca)
All the Dead Shall Weep by Charlaine Harris (series)
Babel by R. F. Kuang (various)
The Weaver and the Witch Queen by Genevieve Gornichec (Stefen)
Trove by Sandra A. Miller (SOTT)
Skyward by Brandon Sanderson (V)
No Great Mischief by Alistair MacLeod
The Story of Arthur Truluv by Elizabeth Berg (Pat)
The Love of my Life by Rosie Walsh (mum)
Tom Lake by Ann Patchett (Dymocks)
Learned By Heart by Emma Donoghue (BSB)
Children of Memory by Adrian Tchaikovsky (series)
The Unmourned by Meg Keneally (series)
All The Murmuring Bones by A. G. Slatter (author)
I'm Thinking Of Ending Things by Iain Reid
Eta Draconis by Brendan Ritchie (Amanda Curtin)
Creative Differences by Graeme Simsion (library)
Yeah Nah by William McInnes (author)
Random in Death by J. D. Robb (series)
The Secret by Lee Child (series)
A Tempest at Sea by Sherry Thomas (series)
The Comfort of Ghosts by Jacqueline Winspear (series)
The Lantern's Dance by Laurie R. King (series)
A Grave Robbery by Deanna Raybourn (series)
Moon of the Turning Leaves by Waubgeshig Rice (series)
The Future by Naomi Alderman (bookclub)
Infinity Gate by M. R. Carey (author)
Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell by Susanna Clarke (author)
Bridge Burning and Other Hobbies by Kitty Flanagan (author)
The Book That Wouldn't Burn by Mark Lawrence (someone at bookclub)
The Atlas Six by Olivie Blake (Rebecca)
5rhian_of_oz
Quarter 3
July
August
September
QTD
Books owned pre-2023: 2 (6.67%)
Books purchased in 2023: 9 (30.00%)
Books gifted in 2023: 0 (0.00%)
Borrowed books: 19 (63.33%)
YTD
Books owned pre-2023: 8 (14.04%)
Books purchased in 2023: 17 (29.82%)
Books gifted in 2023: 0 (0.00%)
Borrowed books: 32 (56.14%)
TBR: 140
July
- The White Lady by Jacqueline Winspear
- The Hollow of Fear by Sherry Thomas
- The Eerie Excavation by Ash Harrier
- The Art of Theft by Sherry Thomas
- Killers of a Certain Age by Deanna Raybourn
- The Serpent in Heaven by Charlaine Harris
- The Lost Village by Camilla Sten
- The Boardwalk Bookshop by Susan Mallery
- City of the Dead by Jonathan Kellerman
- Friday Barnes Last Chance by R. A. Spratt
- Sleepwalk by Dan Chaon
- Seven People Kinds of People You Find In Bookshops by Shaun Bythell
- A Clockwork Orange by Anthony Burgess
- No Plan B by Lee Child
- Life: What Nat To Do by Nat's What I Reckon
August
- Down Among The Sticks And Bones by Seanan McGuire
- The Golden Enclaves by Naomi Novik
- The Summer Getaway by Susan Mallery
- A Woman in the Polar Night by Christiane Ritter
- The Good Wife of Bath by Karen Brooks
- Sea of Tranquility by Emily St John Mandel
- The Secret Book of Flora Lea by Patti Callahan Henry
September
- The Deepest of Secrets by Kelley Armstrong
- The Soldier's Curse by Meg Keneally
- Payback in Death by J. D. Robb
- Translation State by Ann Leckie
- Far From The Light Of Heaven by Tade Thompson
- Unnatural History by Jonathan Kellerman
- The Path Of Thorns by A. G. Slatter
- How High We Go In The Dark by Sequoia Nagamatsu
QTD
Books owned pre-2023: 2 (6.67%)
Books purchased in 2023: 9 (30.00%)
Books gifted in 2023: 0 (0.00%)
Borrowed books: 19 (63.33%)
YTD
Books owned pre-2023: 8 (14.04%)
Books purchased in 2023: 17 (29.82%)
Books gifted in 2023: 0 (0.00%)
Borrowed books: 32 (56.14%)
TBR: 140
6rhian_of_oz
Quarter 4
October
November
December
QTD
Books owned pre-2023: 8 (29.63%)
Books purchased in 2023: 9 (33.33%)
Books gifted in 2023: 0 (0.00%)
Borrowed books: 10 (37.04%)
YTD
Books owned pre-2023: 16 (19.05%)
Books purchased in 2023: 26 (30.95%)
Books gifted in 2023: 0 (0.00%)
Borrowed books: 42 (50.00%)
TBR: 155
October
November
- The Diamond Eye by Kate Quinn
- All Systems Red by Martha Wells
- Winterborne Home for Vengeance and Valour by Ally Carter
- A Sinister Revenge by Deanna Raybourn
- Artifical Condition by Martha Wells
- Rogue Protocol by Martha Wells
- Exit Strategy by Martha Wells
- Murder On Cold Street by Sherry Thomas
- Dear Miss Kopp by Amy Stewart
- Castle Shade by Laurie R. King
December
- Murder in Williamstown by Kerry Greenwood
- The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid
- Hokey Pokey by Kate Mascarenhas
- Darling Girls by Sally Hepworth
- Miss Kopp Investigates by Amy Stewart
- Winterborne Home For Mayhem and Mystery by Ally Carter
- Miss Moriarty, I Presume? by Sherry Thomas
- Network Effect by Martha Wells
- Fugitive Telemetry by Martha Wells
- System Collapse by Martha Wells
- The Kaiju Preservation Society by John Scalzi
- The Girl From London by Olivia Spooner
- The Underdog by Markus Zusak
- Fighting Ruben Wolfe by Markus Zusak
QTD
Books owned pre-2023: 8 (29.63%)
Books purchased in 2023: 9 (33.33%)
Books gifted in 2023: 0 (0.00%)
Borrowed books: 10 (37.04%)
YTD
Books owned pre-2023: 16 (19.05%)
Books purchased in 2023: 26 (30.95%)
Books gifted in 2023: 0 (0.00%)
Borrowed books: 42 (50.00%)
TBR: 155
7rhian_of_oz
The Hollow of Fear by Sherry Thomas
This is the third in a series that is a take on the Sherlock Holmes story where Sherlock is actually Charlotte.
I enjoyed this a lot, so much that I read it in one sitting, *and* I've already requested the next one from the library.
This is the third in a series that is a take on the Sherlock Holmes story where Sherlock is actually Charlotte.
I enjoyed this a lot, so much that I read it in one sitting, *and* I've already requested the next one from the library.
8rhian_of_oz
The White Lady by Jacqueline Winspear
I (mostly) like the Maisie Dobbs series and I also like stories about women operatives, so there was a good chance I was going to like this. Which I did.
The "current day" for this story is 1947 where our heroine Elinor is living a reclusive life in the country. Her history is revealed in flashbacks to the first and second world wars.
I felt the "current day" story was a little weak, with the resolution somewhat implausible, but I was happy to go along with it.
There are better "lady spy" books (see Elizabeth Wein and Kate Quinn) but this was a pretty easy read and I liked Elinor.
I (mostly) like the Maisie Dobbs series and I also like stories about women operatives, so there was a good chance I was going to like this. Which I did.
The "current day" for this story is 1947 where our heroine Elinor is living a reclusive life in the country. Her history is revealed in flashbacks to the first and second world wars.
I felt the "current day" story was a little weak, with the resolution somewhat implausible, but I was happy to go along with it.
There are better "lady spy" books (see Elizabeth Wein and Kate Quinn) but this was a pretty easy read and I liked Elinor.
9labfs39
>8 rhian_of_oz: I'm a fan of the Maisie Dobbs books, so I've had my eye on this one. It sounds like it will be a decent filler while I wait for the next Maisie book. I also have Winspear's memoir on my Kindle to read.
10rhian_of_oz
>9 labfs39: I'm not sure if I knew she'd written a memoir, I feel like yes but it got pushed to the back of my brain.
My local library has it but I've been on a bit of a book borrowing tear while my TBR pile stares at me accussingly, so I think I shall pop it on the wishlist for later.
My local library has it but I've been on a bit of a book borrowing tear while my TBR pile stares at me accussingly, so I think I shall pop it on the wishlist for later.
11labfs39
>10 rhian_of_oz: Always happy to add to your wishlist!
12rhian_of_oz
The Eerie Excavation by Ash Harrier
This is the second in the Alice England series which are middle-grade mysteries.
In this instalment Alice and friends Violet and Cal go to a summer archaeology camp for a dig that is looking for proof of witchcraft. All is going mostly well until one of the students finds a human skeleton.
This was a fun, well-paced story that didn't rely on the characters doing stupid things to build tension, and it even had a Poirot-style reveal scene towards the end!
I am very much looking forward to the next one. The problem with reading a current series is having to wait!
This is the second in the Alice England series which are middle-grade mysteries.
In this instalment Alice and friends Violet and Cal go to a summer archaeology camp for a dig that is looking for proof of witchcraft. All is going mostly well until one of the students finds a human skeleton.
This was a fun, well-paced story that didn't rely on the characters doing stupid things to build tension, and it even had a Poirot-style reveal scene towards the end!
I am very much looking forward to the next one. The problem with reading a current series is having to wait!
13rhian_of_oz
The Art of Theft by Sherry Thomas
This is the fourth in the Charlotte Holmes series and I enjoyed it as much as the third.
An old friend of Mrs Watson is being blackmailed and the "price" requires Charlotte and the gang to steal a painting from a highly secured location. Of course there ends up being more to it.
The story also further explores and extends the various interpersonal relationships among the characters.
I've so far resisted requesting the next one from the library but I'm not sure how much longer I will hold out.
This is the fourth in the Charlotte Holmes series and I enjoyed it as much as the third.
An old friend of Mrs Watson is being blackmailed and the "price" requires Charlotte and the gang to steal a painting from a highly secured location. Of course there ends up being more to it.
The story also further explores and extends the various interpersonal relationships among the characters.
I've so far resisted requesting the next one from the library but I'm not sure how much longer I will hold out.
14rhian_of_oz
Killers of a Certain Age by Deanna Raybourn
Billie, Mary Alice, Natalie, and Helen are on a cruise to celebrate their retirement from being professional assassins when Billie recognises one of the crew and they realise they're the targets.
What follows is a game of cat-and-mouse where our heroines are both the hunted and the hunters.
This was a lot of fun and perfect for the reading mood I'm in at the moment.
Billie, Mary Alice, Natalie, and Helen are on a cruise to celebrate their retirement from being professional assassins when Billie recognises one of the crew and they realise they're the targets.
What follows is a game of cat-and-mouse where our heroines are both the hunted and the hunters.
This was a lot of fun and perfect for the reading mood I'm in at the moment.
15rhian_of_oz
The Serpent in Heaven by Charlaine Harris
This is the fourth in the Gunnie Rose series, the third of which I read nearly two years ago so I was a little hazy on some of the details going in.
What I liked most about this series is Lisbeth "Gunnie" Rose so it was a little disappointing that this book was from the POV of her half-sister Felicia, though I warmed to her quite quickly.
The tone of this was much more YA-ish (somehow) than I remember the others being, and there is so much going on! It is very disjointed, like the author had lots of things she wanted to include and just shoved them in.
I read this in one sitting but I was dissatisfied once I was finished. I see there is another in the series due out later this year which I will more than likely read and hope that it is better than this one.
This is the fourth in the Gunnie Rose series, the third of which I read nearly two years ago so I was a little hazy on some of the details going in.
What I liked most about this series is Lisbeth "Gunnie" Rose so it was a little disappointing that this book was from the POV of her half-sister Felicia, though I warmed to her quite quickly.
The tone of this was much more YA-ish (somehow) than I remember the others being, and there is so much going on! It is very disjointed, like the author had lots of things she wanted to include and just shoved them in.
I read this in one sitting but I was dissatisfied once I was finished. I see there is another in the series due out later this year which I will more than likely read and hope that it is better than this one.
16rhian_of_oz
The Lost Village by Camilla Sten
In 1959 police discover the village of Silvertjarn completely deserted except for a woman tied to a pole who has been stoned to death, and a crying baby.
60 years later Alice, whose grandmother's family were some of the disappeared, returns as part of a small group on a scouting mission for a documentary on the mystery.
The story is told in interleaving parts of Then and Now.
I definitely enjoyed the Then sections more than the Now, and I was happy with the resolution of the mystery - as long as I didn't think about it too hard.
The Now parts weren't as good. I could literally see when the author was trying to build tension. I didn't find Alice particularly sympathetic, and I thought the resolution of the Now mystery to be ... implausible.
I don't read thrillers/horror because I don't like to be scared. This didn't scare me so I think it also won't scare people who like this genre.
In 1959 police discover the village of Silvertjarn completely deserted except for a woman tied to a pole who has been stoned to death, and a crying baby.
60 years later Alice, whose grandmother's family were some of the disappeared, returns as part of a small group on a scouting mission for a documentary on the mystery.
The story is told in interleaving parts of Then and Now.
I definitely enjoyed the Then sections more than the Now, and I was happy with the resolution of the mystery - as long as I didn't think about it too hard.
The Now parts weren't as good. I could literally see when the author was trying to build tension. I didn't find Alice particularly sympathetic, and I thought the resolution of the Now mystery to be ... implausible.
I don't read thrillers/horror because I don't like to be scared. This didn't scare me so I think it also won't scare people who like this genre.
17rhian_of_oz
The Boardwalk Bookshop by Susan Mallery
This is an ensemble contemporary romance where our three main characters Bree, Miki and Ashey co-lease retail space on the beachfront.
This is pretty standard romance fare (relationships, conflict, HEA) with the added friendship element. I liked the characters and their relationships, and the conflicts were believeable.
This was light and entertaining and would make a good beach read for those of you lucky enough not to be currently shivering through winter.
The last Susan Mallery book I read (The Friendship List was a stinker so I was a bit wary about getting this out of the library. I'm glad my concern was unwarranted.
This is an ensemble contemporary romance where our three main characters Bree, Miki and Ashey co-lease retail space on the beachfront.
This is pretty standard romance fare (relationships, conflict, HEA) with the added friendship element. I liked the characters and their relationships, and the conflicts were believeable.
This was light and entertaining and would make a good beach read for those of you lucky enough not to be currently shivering through winter.
The last Susan Mallery book I read (The Friendship List was a stinker so I was a bit wary about getting this out of the library. I'm glad my concern was unwarranted.
18rhian_of_oz
City of the Dead by Jonathan Kellerman
This is number 37 in the Alex Delaware series where an apparent accidental person versus truck turns out not to be.
These stories are usually convoluted and this was no different, and the resolution relied on a massive coincidence that strained my suspension of disbelief (there may have been a slight rolling of eyes).
This is definitely only for fans of the series.
This is number 37 in the Alex Delaware series where an apparent accidental person versus truck turns out not to be.
These stories are usually convoluted and this was no different, and the resolution relied on a massive coincidence that strained my suspension of disbelief (there may have been a slight rolling of eyes).
This is definitely only for fans of the series.
19rhian_of_oz
Friday Barnes Last Chance by R. A. Spratt
The 11th instalment of the Friday Barnes series sees Friday as an Interpol agent working undercover as an art student at the Louvre to solve the mystery of a possibly fake Mona Lisa.
I didn't love this and I'm not entirely sure why.
When the series started Friday was 11. The books were definitely written for that age, and they were almost slapstickish in their scenarios, but a good level of ridiculousness.
I think the problem for me is that Friday is now 16 (I think) but the tone still feels the same as when she was 11, while the scenarios now seem farfetched and not in a good way.
The cliffhanger (which the books always end on) had me thinking "Really? Haven't we seen this before?" which is probably not the intented reaction.
The next book is due out in February and then I'll need to to decide whether to buy it, or get it out from the library. I'm not ready to abandon Friday completely just yet.
The 11th instalment of the Friday Barnes series sees Friday as an Interpol agent working undercover as an art student at the Louvre to solve the mystery of a possibly fake Mona Lisa.
I didn't love this and I'm not entirely sure why.
When the series started Friday was 11. The books were definitely written for that age, and they were almost slapstickish in their scenarios, but a good level of ridiculousness.
I think the problem for me is that Friday is now 16 (I think) but the tone still feels the same as when she was 11, while the scenarios now seem farfetched and not in a good way.
The cliffhanger (which the books always end on) had me thinking "Really? Haven't we seen this before?" which is probably not the intented reaction.
The next book is due out in February and then I'll need to to decide whether to buy it, or get it out from the library. I'm not ready to abandon Friday completely just yet.
20rhian_of_oz
Sleepwalk by Dan Chaon
In a near future dystopian America our protagonist Will is an indentured henchman who does what he's told, from transporting people to assasination. Will is undocumented, having numerous aliases that he refers to as the Barely Blur, travelling with his dog Flip in his camper The Guiding Star. Our story begins when he is contacted on all of the burner phones of his various identities by a woman claiming to be his daughter.
Will takes lots of drugs and has a history of mental illness which makes him a (potentially) unreliable narrator, and certainly makes us question whether his paranoia is justified. There seems to be multiple parties interested in Bill, all of which are claiming that they're there to help and that the others are a conspiracy.
The mood of this book isn't quite ominous but there is an almost constant state of waiting for the axe to fall. At the same time some of the events are almost surreal, so I sort of felt continuously off balance. Will is an extremely sympathetic character and I was definitely hoping for the best for him.
I felt like this lagged a bit toward the end, and parts of the plot felt unnecessary, but I wasn't sure what was going to happen right up to the very end.
This was a BB from multiple CRers and I can see why. I will definitely look to read other books by this author.
In a near future dystopian America our protagonist Will is an indentured henchman who does what he's told, from transporting people to assasination. Will is undocumented, having numerous aliases that he refers to as the Barely Blur, travelling with his dog Flip in his camper The Guiding Star. Our story begins when he is contacted on all of the burner phones of his various identities by a woman claiming to be his daughter.
Will takes lots of drugs and has a history of mental illness which makes him a (potentially) unreliable narrator, and certainly makes us question whether his paranoia is justified. There seems to be multiple parties interested in Bill, all of which are claiming that they're there to help and that the others are a conspiracy.
The mood of this book isn't quite ominous but there is an almost constant state of waiting for the axe to fall. At the same time some of the events are almost surreal, so I sort of felt continuously off balance. Will is an extremely sympathetic character and I was definitely hoping for the best for him.
I felt like this lagged a bit toward the end, and parts of the plot felt unnecessary, but I wasn't sure what was going to happen right up to the very end.
This was a BB from multiple CRers and I can see why. I will definitely look to read other books by this author.
21labfs39
>20 rhian_of_oz: That sounds interesting, Rhian. I've never read anything by this author before.
22rhian_of_oz
Seven Kinds of People You Find in Bookshops by Shaun Bythell
This is a mostly amusing, occasionally mean, attempt at a taxonomy of bookshop visitors that Mr Bythell has seen in his years as a secondhand bookseller.
This was easy enough to read, both because it is small, and also because each of the seven categories is broken down into sub-categories, allowing for a quick dips in and out.
I'm not inclined to seek out his other works, though if I happen across them and I'm in the mood I would probably pick them up.
This is a mostly amusing, occasionally mean, attempt at a taxonomy of bookshop visitors that Mr Bythell has seen in his years as a secondhand bookseller.
This was easy enough to read, both because it is small, and also because each of the seven categories is broken down into sub-categories, allowing for a quick dips in and out.
I'm not inclined to seek out his other works, though if I happen across them and I'm in the mood I would probably pick them up.
23rhian_of_oz
A Sinister Revenge by Deanna Raybourn
This is number eight in the Veronica Speedwell series and my review contains spoilers for the previous books.
After a six month estrangement, Veronica and Stoker are reunited to investigate threats against Stoker's older brother Tiberius. Someone has already killed two people to avenge a suspicious death that occurred over 20 years ago.
This is in the nature of a country house mystery. Tiberius invites the relevant parties to his Devon estate so that Veronica and Stoker may figure out who the current and past killers are. Then a member of the party is murdered. Is it related? (It's no spoiler to reveal that it is.)
Alongside the quite fun mystery we have the story arc of Veronica and Stoker's relationship. I was a bit annoyed in the last one because it felt like the conflict was introduced unnecessarily. However I am now feeling better about it given the self-reflection Veronica went through in this book.
If you're already a fan of this series then this is a good addition. If you are new to it I wouldn't recommend starting here, because even though the mystery component is completely contained within this book, the non-mystery bits require the backstory.
This is number eight in the Veronica Speedwell series and my review contains spoilers for the previous books.
After a six month estrangement, Veronica and Stoker are reunited to investigate threats against Stoker's older brother Tiberius. Someone has already killed two people to avenge a suspicious death that occurred over 20 years ago.
This is in the nature of a country house mystery. Tiberius invites the relevant parties to his Devon estate so that Veronica and Stoker may figure out who the current and past killers are. Then a member of the party is murdered. Is it related? (It's no spoiler to reveal that it is.)
Alongside the quite fun mystery we have the story arc of Veronica and Stoker's relationship. I was a bit annoyed in the last one because it felt like the conflict was introduced unnecessarily. However I am now feeling better about it given the self-reflection Veronica went through in this book.
If you're already a fan of this series then this is a good addition. If you are new to it I wouldn't recommend starting here, because even though the mystery component is completely contained within this book, the non-mystery bits require the backstory.
24rhian_of_oz
I went book shopping!
25labfs39
Nice haul! My book club read House in the Cerulean Sea earlier this year—a surprise hit. Doomsday Books is one of my favorites and To Say Nothing of the Dog has some very funny bits. I have The Woman in White on my shelves, as well as several Scalzi, both read and unread, though not this one.
26WelshBookworm
Some good ones there! Happy reading in 2024!
27rhian_of_oz
>25 labfs39: I recently read and enjoyed The Kaiju Preservation Society so when I saw Starter Villain in the secondhand bookshop I pounced.
The House in the Cerulean Sea is a recent CR BB from both you and Karen (karspeak) so I also pounced on that when I saw it.
Now I have to somehow squeeze these onto my TBR shelves!
The House in the Cerulean Sea is a recent CR BB from both you and Karen (karspeak) so I also pounced on that when I saw it.
Now I have to somehow squeeze these onto my TBR shelves!
28rhian_of_oz
>26 WelshBookworm: It's so hard not to start reading them all at once :-).
29labfs39
>27 rhian_of_oz: I've only read the first four books in Scalzi's Old Man's War series, but I have a couple of his stand alone novels. Maybe this year I'll have time to get to them since I'm not doing any challenges. I usually enjoy his offbeat humor.
30rhian_of_oz
>29 labfs39: Yeah I find Scalzi's work generally fun and easy to read. I'm pretty sure I'm smack bang in the middle of his target audience :-).