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This is the place to let us know what you're reading this month (August 2024) and what you think about those books. Which ones do you recommend and why? (or don't recommend, and why...)

All genres welcome here!

Just finished The Wild Robot trilogy. Not outstanding, but if you have a 'tween kid I do highly recommend you both read at least the first. Adventure, heart, themes, animals, and a sapient robot!

None end on a cliffhanger (and in fact there may be another in the works but it's not necessary).

Finished We Sold Our Souls
Pretty good. Didn't feel as tight as some of the other books of his I have read, but I still enjoyed it.
Reminded me of my late high school years listening to Metallica, iron Maiden, and Black Sabbath. I was surprised I remember the words almost exactly to a song I could swear I've never heard before. :) Its been along time.

Next Up
My Best Friend's Exorcism

The Woman in the Library by Sulari Gentill: a mystery, with the twisty premise of a murder happening in the library where our main character author is busy writing a murder mystery. With a framing story of a fan critiquing the author of said story. A lot of fun if you like mysteries, with the added bonus that it's set in Boston and I always love reading books set in places I've lived and know well.

Exhalation for the July group read - I didn't comment on the discussion thread and I've had to return the book to the library so I don't have individual stories to refer to. I rated the collection 5 stars even though I didn't think each individual story was a 5-star one, because I always love a good anthology.

Lyorn by Steven Brust, the latest in his Vlad Taltos series. There's just one more planned volume in the series, and when it's published I fully intend to propose the series for a group fantasy read, because I'd really like to re-read the whole thing before reading the last one.

I just started Things in Jars by Jess Kidd, which seems to be a sort of mystery/urban fantasy/horror book set in Victorian London.

Shel wrote: "Lyorn by Steven Brust, the latest in his Vlad Taltos series. There's just one more planned volume in the series, and when it's published I fully intend to propose the series for a group fantasy read, because I'd really like to re-read the whole thing before reading the last one."

Ooh, I could go for that!

Finished My Best Friend's Exorcism
Takes place in the 80s and turns out I would have been 1 year a head of the main characters. Enjoyable book. The references were fun because I lived a lot of what the character's experienced (minus demon possession and exorcism). It also drove home on exactly how much I do not miss high school. :)

Thinking I'll be starting Unraveling or maybe something from Connie Willis. Haven't decided yet.

Things in Jars was good - it's labeled fantasy and there are some fantastic elements (ghosts, mer-people) but it's got more of a horror feel and it's really more of a mystery than anything else. I quite liked it and will read more from this author, she has a distinct style that I enjoyed.

I then ripped through Bookshops & Bonedust, prequel to Legends & Lattes. It was very much the same feel as the first one, but in a bookstore rather than a coffeeshop. Takes place 20 years in Viv's past in an interlude between fighting that might have planted a tiny seed that eventually became the cafe later on in her life.

I've got something like six library loans that all came in at the same time so I'm not sure which one I'll pick up next - plus I've got the next Shadows of the Apt volume to dig into as well. Too many choices!

The Wordhord: Daily Life in Old English by Hana Videen

I'm currently listening to Powerful, and so far, I'm liking it.

I started Witch King by Martha Wells and was having a hard time getting into it, so I am setting it aside for the moment (I got about 15% through). I liked it well enough that I may come back to it another time, especially since I know from Murderbot that I love her writing, but I'm going to move on for now.

I'm clearing my palate with Modern Love: True Stories of Love, Loss, and Redemption (a collection of the best of the NY Times column), and then I think The Ministry of Time, which I just picked up from the library, will be next.

I ended up bouncing through more than a few books and finally settled on The Road to Roswell

I really enjoyed the characters (I adore Indy) and the plot was just a lot of fun.

No clue what's next.

The Olympics are over & I’m finally getting back to reading.
I listened to Mrs. Wickham by Sarah Page, which I think I had listened to before, 6.5/10. The author captured the flavor of the period and the main characters were well written. I also listened to Ankle Snatcher by Grady Hendrix. Horror is really not my thing & yet I wanted to know more (which is a common feeling for me with short stories), 6/10.

I read Half Moon Street by Anne Perry, 7/10. A LOT of commentary on censorship/freedom of expression, and a few revelations about some of the continuing characters in this series. But, as always, impeccable historical research underpinning the narrative, fascinating characters, & a complex mystery, which almost took a backseat to some of the other themes.

And I finished The Man Who Mistook His Wife for a Hat and Other Clinical Tales by Oliver Sacks, 6/10. This book was originally published in 1970; the edition I read was last revised in 1985, nearly 40 years ago. Neurology, psychiatry, and education have all changed dramatically in that time. The case studies recounted by famed neurologist Oliver Sacks are unusual, fascinating, and heartbreaking, but they are also emphatically historical accounts, reflecting thinking and practices that are, in many cases, outdated. Dr. Sacks is not afraid to express some frustration with the shortcomings of “modern� medicine, and he willingly contemplates the mysteries of the human brain and mind. At times a bit too clinical and/or philosophical for my taste, the narratives did always bring out the humanity of the patients/clients.

Now reading Knight's Shadow by Sebastien de Castell for a different Å·±¦ÓéÀÖ group.

The Middle Kingdoms: A New History of Central Europe by Martyn Rady

Decided to finally start the Far Reaches collection. Some short stories to bide my time until I figure out what's next.

How It Unfolds was a fascinating premise. One of the few cases where I would have liked something more expanded, but at the same time, that's not really what the story is about. But I would be very interested in a story that is about that. :)

Random wrote: "Decided to finally start the Far Reaches collection."

I thought most of the stories in that collection were quite good. The only one that fell short for me was The Long Game by Ann Leckie.

Ghosts on an Alien Wind by Moe Lane

Kathi wrote: "I thought most of the stories in that collection were quite good. The only one that fell short for me was The Long Game by Ann Leckie."

I've still got 2 more stories to go, but so far The Long Game is also my least favorite. I have to admit, I just did not get the point at all.

I read some of the better reviews and there's a lot of mention of the evils of capitalism, but I didn't really get that either. I'd feel dense if it wasn't for the fact that the majority of reviews I read expressed feelings similar to mine.

Maybe the author was just trying to be subtle, but for such a short story (31 pages), there just wasn't time for subtle to sink in.

Finished the rest of the collection. my favorites were
How It Unfolds and Slow Time Between the Stars.

I've been craving Mysteries a little since that last QotW, so I may start The Psychology of Time Travel next.
But I've been waffling horribly, so who knows. :)

Tales From The Fermi Resolution: Vol. 2: Lights in the Darkness by Moe Lane

Highly recommend The Ministry of Time! Though I saw most of the plot twists coming, I still really enjoyed the book.

Next was a mystery, How to Solve Your Own Murder (also recommended!) and now I'm planning to pick up The Scarab Path to continue with Shadows of the Apt. I'm also reading Make It Stick: The Science of Successful Learning, my summer reading homework from my principal :)

Finished Six Wakes
Not great, but ok. I feel it was a little too hand holdy for my liking.

A few more August reads:

I finished Knight's Shadow by Sebastien de Castell, book 2 in his Greatcoats series, 9/10. This is a much darker and somewhat deeper book than the first in the Greatcoats series. The author does not shy away from betrayals, battles, torture, duels, and death; a lot of the story is pretty grim. Yet there are those redeeming moments of friendship, loyalty, and honor; the reader may be led to doubt that things will turn out all right, but the hope continues to flicker that it might somehow be so.

I read Gifts by Ursula K. Le Guin, 9/10. I put a few comments in our topic thread about this book in our Previous Books of the Month discussion folder. Looking forward to reading the next book with the group in September.

I listened to Pigeon Tony's Last Stand by Lisa Scottoline, Unknown Caller by Lisa Unger, and Trouble by Janelle Brown, all part of Amazon’s “We Could Be Heroes� short story/novella collection. 7, 8, & 5.5 respectively on a 10 point scale.

I’m almost halfway through The Scarab Path by Adrian Tchaikovsky for our group series read. Very intriguing so far!

As August winds down, I’m hoping to get to a few other books before I start our September Books of the Month & the next Greatcoats book for a different Å·±¦ÓéÀÖ group.