Between 3 and 4
This time I read quite a few "in between books" since I went and lost an interlibrary loan book for a couple weeks.
The Hounds of the Morrigan, by Pat O'Shea: I ILLed this because I wanted to revisit a childhood book. I remember being intimidated by the heft of this one in the children's section of our (now long gone) library branch - when I finally read it I blew through it in a few days. As an adult I found it a little less compelling; it's the kind of myth-like children's journey story where this happens and then this happens and then this happens. The tripartite Morrigan is still pretty scary, though.
Dead Witch Walking, by Kim Harrison: my boss is trying to convince me to read more urban fantasy. This was... fine? Interesting world, only okay writing.
The Black Tides of Heaven, by J.Y. Yang: I enjoyed this very much in theory but in practice found it rushed. Imaginative fantasy setting, interesting treatment of gender. Perhaps I should read the second book.
The Blinds, by Adam Sternbergh: The kind of suspense novel that you know they're going to option for film. A great concept (what if instead of putting you in witness protection where we know you're going to fuck up we just took away your memories of whatever shitty thing it was that you saw or did, and then stick you all in a fake little town?) and snappy execution.
Where Men Win Glory: The Odyssey of Pat Tillman, by Jon Krakauer: Read this for my "military history" Broader Bookshelf prompt. I would have liked it a lot better if I gave a shit about football. I love Krakauer but uggggh the football. His coverage of the military coverup is great though.
Inkheart, by Cornelia Funke: I expected to adore this and didn't. Maybe it's that it's in translation? I always feel like I'm reading a translated book through one of those prison-glass-phone setups. I can see why other people love it so much but I just never connected with it.
Magic Bites, by Ilona Andrews: why are all these urban fantasy heroines sort of the same person? Another interesting world, nice to see Atlanta, but maybe these just aren't for me. I used to read a lot of them - read the Anita Blake books waaaaayyyyy too long into their decline - but I kind of feel "been there done that" about them now.
A Gentleman in the Street, by Alisha Rai: Picked this up because although I rarely read romance I really liked her Forbidden Hearts books. This one is about a woman who needs somebody who can love her for who she is. Who she is is somebody who digs DP foursomes at orgies. You do you, girl!
The Hell You Say, by Josh Lanyon: these Adrien English books continue to be fun little mystery snacks, but Adrien better dump that asshole Riordan ASAP because I cannot deal with his shit. This one's got devil worshipping and Christmas!
Mr. Penumbra's 24 Hour Bookstore, by Robin Sloan: there should be some sort of warning on a book with a glow in the dark cover so you don't freak out when you turn the light out. Fun little candy book.
Time Was, by Ian McDonald: I took this to book talk it and covered up the back cover blurb. DO NOT read the back cover (or Amazon description) - it gives away the central mystery and gives you the wrong expectation about the book. It's an atmospheric story about somebody uncovering a mystery; if you're expecting the focus to be the gay romance you're going to be disappointed.
The Wedding Date, by Jasmine Guillory: I read this because everybody else is; I'd have preferred to read another surprise orgy book. I mean, it was fine, it was perfectly nice, I was happy to see an interracial romance, but it didn't rock my socks off. I enjoyed it just fine but I won't remember it this time next year.
Unfinished: Stone Butch Blues, by Leslie Feinberg: I couldn't finish this, not because I wasn't enjoying it, but because the printing on the copy I got was so atrocious. It was tiny, it was skewed, it was hard to read and I finally gave up. It's weird that this is out of print, so perhaps now that I've seen it getting a lot of renewed attention it will be reprinted.
Funny, as I look at it I've been reading a lot of books that have not been setting my world on fire. Looking forward to my next Persephone, which is the only one that I own and never actually read.
The Hounds of the Morrigan, by Pat O'Shea: I ILLed this because I wanted to revisit a childhood book. I remember being intimidated by the heft of this one in the children's section of our (now long gone) library branch - when I finally read it I blew through it in a few days. As an adult I found it a little less compelling; it's the kind of myth-like children's journey story where this happens and then this happens and then this happens. The tripartite Morrigan is still pretty scary, though.
Dead Witch Walking, by Kim Harrison: my boss is trying to convince me to read more urban fantasy. This was... fine? Interesting world, only okay writing.
The Black Tides of Heaven, by J.Y. Yang: I enjoyed this very much in theory but in practice found it rushed. Imaginative fantasy setting, interesting treatment of gender. Perhaps I should read the second book.
The Blinds, by Adam Sternbergh: The kind of suspense novel that you know they're going to option for film. A great concept (what if instead of putting you in witness protection where we know you're going to fuck up we just took away your memories of whatever shitty thing it was that you saw or did, and then stick you all in a fake little town?) and snappy execution.
Where Men Win Glory: The Odyssey of Pat Tillman, by Jon Krakauer: Read this for my "military history" Broader Bookshelf prompt. I would have liked it a lot better if I gave a shit about football. I love Krakauer but uggggh the football. His coverage of the military coverup is great though.
Inkheart, by Cornelia Funke: I expected to adore this and didn't. Maybe it's that it's in translation? I always feel like I'm reading a translated book through one of those prison-glass-phone setups. I can see why other people love it so much but I just never connected with it.
Magic Bites, by Ilona Andrews: why are all these urban fantasy heroines sort of the same person? Another interesting world, nice to see Atlanta, but maybe these just aren't for me. I used to read a lot of them - read the Anita Blake books waaaaayyyyy too long into their decline - but I kind of feel "been there done that" about them now.
A Gentleman in the Street, by Alisha Rai: Picked this up because although I rarely read romance I really liked her Forbidden Hearts books. This one is about a woman who needs somebody who can love her for who she is. Who she is is somebody who digs DP foursomes at orgies. You do you, girl!
The Hell You Say, by Josh Lanyon: these Adrien English books continue to be fun little mystery snacks, but Adrien better dump that asshole Riordan ASAP because I cannot deal with his shit. This one's got devil worshipping and Christmas!
Mr. Penumbra's 24 Hour Bookstore, by Robin Sloan: there should be some sort of warning on a book with a glow in the dark cover so you don't freak out when you turn the light out. Fun little candy book.
Time Was, by Ian McDonald: I took this to book talk it and covered up the back cover blurb. DO NOT read the back cover (or Amazon description) - it gives away the central mystery and gives you the wrong expectation about the book. It's an atmospheric story about somebody uncovering a mystery; if you're expecting the focus to be the gay romance you're going to be disappointed.
The Wedding Date, by Jasmine Guillory: I read this because everybody else is; I'd have preferred to read another surprise orgy book. I mean, it was fine, it was perfectly nice, I was happy to see an interracial romance, but it didn't rock my socks off. I enjoyed it just fine but I won't remember it this time next year.
Unfinished: Stone Butch Blues, by Leslie Feinberg: I couldn't finish this, not because I wasn't enjoying it, but because the printing on the copy I got was so atrocious. It was tiny, it was skewed, it was hard to read and I finally gave up. It's weird that this is out of print, so perhaps now that I've seen it getting a lot of renewed attention it will be reprinted.
Funny, as I look at it I've been reading a lot of books that have not been setting my world on fire. Looking forward to my next Persephone, which is the only one that I own and never actually read.
Amazon links are referral links.
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