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Let us know what you're reading this month! Any and all genres are welcome.

I'm looking forward to reading Children of Time this month with this group.

Right now I'm reading Red Mars by Kim Stanley Robinson. First time I've read this author. I was itching to read some SF with more real world science in it but not sure if I like this that much. It feels pretty dated in certain ways and there's a lot of politics and interpersonal drama stuff that leaves me flat.

I'm trying to read A Sorceress Comes to Call by T. Kingfisher, as it's on the Nebula shortlist. But I'm not a Kingfisher fan, I'm not feeling the vibe of it so far, and I've already DNF'd two of the other books on the shortlist so far, so I'm not terribly hopeful.

For another group that's observing Autism Awareness and Acceptance month, I'm reading the short story "Geometries of Belonging" by RB Lemberg.

April is National Poetry Month and I am planning on reading some poetry. I have list of poets I want to check out the next time I go to the library.

CJ, I keep thinking to start A Sorceress Comes to Call. It is on my 2025 penultimate reading list for May. I saw a friend on Å·±¦ÓéÀÖ—that I trust—give it 5 stars. Hope it goes well for you. I should be picking it up shortly.

Today, I am receiving two books in the mail: Harriet Tubman Live in Concert by Bob the Drag Queen and A Drop of Corruption by Robert Jackson Bennett.

The Tainted Cup is still my favorite book thus far this year so my anticipation for A Drop of Corruption is a bit overwhelming.

Currently, I’m 200 pages into Quicksilver by Callie Hart as a Buddy Read. One friend said it has a bit too much imagery. It’s preventing her from really getting into the storyline. I’m finding it to be a fun and quick read. Still waiting for the third friend to start, she should be in the next few days.

I finished The Fifth Season. I loved it. I just couldn’t wait for April! That said, I don’t feel super-compelled to read the 2nd book in the series. For some reason, book 2 of Red Risinf has been calling to me a bit more.

Children of Time looks like it’s going to be good and emotional. I’ve seen lots of comments on Reddit saying it is emotional.

The Key-Lock Man by Louis L'Amour

Finished Renegades

Starting Deathtrap

I've got a 3 day weekend starting in a few hours and I might pause my Expeditionary Force marathon (in audio) to get back to Jeremiah Bourne in Time (in ebook).

However my husband also just gifted me with a new game that I could play on this 3 day weekend as well.

But then again, I might just sleep for three days straight. :D

Sleep is good!

I've been busy without much time or energy to read lately, so I've been reading a memoir, Priestdaddy by Patricia Lockwood, because it's the type of book that is engaging but also easy to put down. But today I was proctoring state standardized tests all morning and was able to rip through The Crescent Moon Tearoom, which was a sweet little cozy fantasy about triplet witches who own a magical tea shop.

I finished Spirit Gate by Kate Elliott, book 1 in her Crossroads trilogy, 7.5/10. It was a good book with interesting characters, a variety of plot lines to follow, plenty of things to puzzle over, some clues strewn here & there, & a bit of action & romance. Mai & Anji are wonderful characters. I had a few quibbles, mostly concerning characters not sharing what they know when it seems obvious that most people naturally would, but their silence is probably important to the plot. However, I’m looking forward to reading the next book later this month.

Currently reading Fever House, which has kind of a Tarantino does X Files feel. It's good!

Listening to The Return of the King narrated by Andy Serkis. It's very good, but I did kind of fast forward through the end of the battle and back slap at Minas Tirith to get back to Sam and Frodo.

I just joined the group, and I was so excited to see Children of Time as the book for this month! I just bought it a couple weeks ago.

Currently, I’m reading Infected by Scott Sigler, a body horror, zombie-esque thriller. I’m enjoying it so far.

I just finished Old Man’s War, and I absolutely cannot wait to get more into that series. I bought the next three in the series after just being halfway through the first one.

I'm cursing at my decision to read the Nebula novel shortlist. A Sorceress Comes to Call was OK, typical kingfisher fare, but not Nebula-worthy in my opinion (which means it'll probably win). If you're not already a Kingfisher lover, it likely won't win you over.

But it was The Book of Love by Kelly Link that just made me want to scream. There's six books on this shortlist, and The Book of Love is my 3rd DNF out of those six. It struck me as shallow, derivative and tropey from the start and it just did not get better by 100 pages in. It's 640 pages long. I ain't reading all that. Like with Asunder that's also on this shortlist but which struck me as amateurish and lazy, I'm utterly baffled by all the praise from notable authors these books have gotten and why they're on the Nebula shortlist.

I meant to start The Complete Cosmicomics by Italo Calvino and The Woman in White by Wilkie Collins today, but was so put off by The Book of Love that I just spent the evening rereading recent chapters of Anna Karenina for my year-long slow read of it. I'll be starting those other two tomorrow.

Tonight I continue my umpteenth reread of Network Effect by Martha Wells, because I've been needing some comfort reading lately and this does it for me.

Ryan wrote: "I just joined the group, and I was so excited to see Children of Time as the book for this month! I just bought it a couple weeks ago.

Currently, I’m reading Infected by Scott Sigler, a body horr..."

Children of Time is awesome; I’ve read the series twice!

Last Stand at Papago Wells by Louis L'Amour

I*m currently listening to

I'm Afraid You've Got Dragons

It reminds me of a fairy tale in style and content. It is lovely.

Now reading Dissolution, the new book by Nicholas Binge. His previous book is Ascension. Both are excellent.

Leserling wrote: "I*m currently listening to

I'm Afraid You've Got Dragons

It reminds me of a fairy tale in style and content. It is lovely."

This was our Book of the Month in August 2024. The discussion topic threads are in the “Previous BotM--DISCUSSIONS� folder.

Finished Deathtrap

Started Homefront

I've been really enjoying myself with this series :)

Just started the second Hyperion book on audio; also Tilt by Emma Pattee. I read about the latter in New York Times Books last week and it looked interesting. Good so far.

Random wrote: "Finished Deathtrap

Started Homefront

I've been really enjoying myself with this series :)"

You’re making me want to read these!

Justine wrote: "You’re making me want to read these!"

Its been a lot of fun. There honestly isn't a character I dislike, they are easy to read, there's a nice bit of humor tossed in, and the story is also quite interesting and draws me in as well.

Under the Sweetwater Rim by Louis L'Amour

So far in April, I’ve only read a couple things—another Charlotte & Thomas Pitt historical mystery, Dorchester Terrace by Anne Perry, 7/10, and Spirit Gate by Kate Elliott, book 1 in her Crossroads trilogy, 7.5/10.

I’m getting closer to finishing my current audiobook, The Keeper of Happy Endings by Barbara Davis, and I’m reading Shadow Gate by Kate Elliott.

How is the Crossroads series, Kathi? The only thing I’ve read by Elliott is the Court of Fives series, which I thought was pretty good�

I just finished Reservoir 13, which seems to be one of those books that I loved but not a lot of other people like it. It's average rating is 3.55. But I thought the writing was gorgeous.

And I continue to work my way through Anita Blake, Vampire Hunter series, book #8, Blue Moon is finished and I've started #9.

Justine wrote: "How is the Crossroads series, Kathi? The only thing I’ve read by Elliott is the Court of Fives series, which I thought was pretty good�"

I’m enjoying it. I’d only read her Crown of Stars series previously, which I thought started out as a rather simple story but grew in layered complexity. This is less sprawling but already pretty complicated. I find her characters interesting, with mixed motivations. She doesn't do info-dumps; background history, political structures & religious belief systems are revealed bit by bit.

Finished Homefront last night. It was just a shortish audio drama.

Started Armageddon this morning.

It took me a while to get through Priestdaddy, not because it wasn't good, but because I've been busy! It's a great memoir though if you're in a memoir kind of mood. Fair warning it is pretty critical of Catholicism so if that's a problem for you I wouldn't read it.

I then picked up Witchcraft for Wayward Girls, and it was a struggle to make myself put it down at bedtime last night. I have some free time this afternoon that I was planning on using to finish the book and I accidentally left it at home. Boo!

Chancy by Louis L'Amour

Finished In Search of Time.
It was pretty good but petered out in the last quarter

Read another Horseclans
The Savage Mountains
It was pretty good. I found it the best out the previous four

Continuing on with Sherlock Holmes

Finished Armageddon
Starting Valkyrie

I've been reading a contemporary romance on KU Unforgettable by Melanie Harlow. I am also trying to finish up Ghost Station by Dan Wells

The Shortest History of England by James Hawes

FInished The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes
Enjoyable. What I am finding is that they are good but pretty much the same story. So reading 10 or so in a row gets a bit repetative

Starting a Eight Doctor Who New Adventure
Doctor Who: Vanishing Point
I have been listening to some Podcasts reviewing them and jumping back in

Just finished The Devil By Name, the conclusion in the Fever House duology. Now rereading Son of the Shadows by Juliet Marillier, part of the amazing Sevenwaters series.

I finished reading Shadow Gate by Kate Elliott, book 2 in her Crossroads trilogy, 8.5/10. Complex plot, interesting variety of characters & cultures. Book 3 is a heavy hardcover so that will have to wait till I return from traveling.

I finished listening to The Keeper of Happy Endings by Barbara Davis, 7.5/10. A few too many coincidences that really stretched credibility, but still, it was a heart-warming story of love, courage, resilience, & perseverance.

I listened to a novella, Everywhere You Look by Liv Constantine, 5/10, predictable & yet far-fetched. I also expect to finish listening to Treasure by Oyinkan Braithwaite.

I will be traveling over the next 2-3 weeks & I’m taking along several out of genre books: True Evil by Greg Iles, Then She Was Gone by Lisa Jewell, & These Toxic Things by Rachel Howzell Hall—all good for airport & airplane reading, & I can leave the books behind when I’m done. (Well, one of them is in the Kindle app on my iPad�)

Brionne by Louis L'Amour

Finished Valkyrie
I was up too late trying to finish this book and the cliff hanger is torturous.

Especially since the next book Freefall is part of the Mavericks sub series and switches to an entirely different group of characters. Oh, and I started that this morning on my way into work.

I finished both Son of the Shadows (5/5) and When the Wolf Comes Home (4/5) and just started Wild Dark Shore.

BTW also saw Sinners on Thursday when it opened and would definitely recommend if you like historical/black gothic type stories and music. I went with my senior parents and my teen (16) and everyone loved it. From a film appreciation standpoint it’s also beautifully filmed, excellent lighting and costuming, just a movie that actually feels like a movie if you know what I’m saying.

Just started reading Order of Swans by Jude Deveraux

I've not updated in a while, and I just returned from a week vacation visiting my folks in AZ, so I've got lots of reading to update.

Witchcraft for Wayward Girls was an excellent read, gripping and un-putdownable. If you like horror I definitely recommend it.

The Spare Man by Mary Robinette Kowal was my choice for our Q2 reading challenge, a mystery novel in a science fictional setting. I thought it was good fun.

We Have Always Lived in the Castle by Shirley Jackson is one of those classics that I never got around to reading, and I spotted it on my library shelves and grabbed it. It's a quick read, very dark (of course it is, it's Shirley Jackson) with a fascinating character who's clearly not mentally well as a first person narrator.

Billy Summers by Stephen King - one of his more recent ones that I hadn't gotten around to reading. More of a character study than anything else. I always love King's writing and this was no exception, though it had a few flaws that brought my rating from 5 stars to 4.

Iron Lake by William Kent Krueger - this author came up when I was looking for books similar to Tana French's novels, and thought I don't think it's quite Tana French level I enjoyed the book and the character and I'd like to read more. It's set in a small town in northern Minnesota right next to a reservation, and the main character is part Anishaabe (Ojibwe). Kathi, you might enjoy this one if you haven't read it already, for the northern Great Lakes setting :)

Semiosis by Sue Burke - for our Q1 challenge, pick a book from the Beyond Reality back catalog. Took a while for my loan to come in so I'm a bit behind schedule on the quarter, but I really loved it! I've not come across many sentient plants in science fiction, plus I love a good multi-generational story.

The Artist of Blackberry Grange: A Novel by Paulette Kennedy - this was a free Kindle First book, a gothic ghost story of sorts, and it was flawed but entertaining - 3 stars.

Now I've just started The Last Murder at the End of the World for next month's group read. Reading will slow down a bit as soon as school is back in session next week but I suspect I'll rip through this before the weekend is over, making it a seven-book vacation. A much needed break!

Guns of the Timberlands by Louis L'Amour

Shel wrote: "Iron Lake by William Kent Krueger - this author came up when I was looking for books similar to Tana French's novels, and thought I don't think it's quite Tana French level I enjoyed the book and the character and I'd like to read more. It's set in a small town in northern Minnesota right next to a reservation, and the main character is part Anishaabe (Ojibwe). Kathi, you might enjoy this one if you haven't read it already, for the northern Great Lakes setting :)"
It’s on our shelf, along with all his other books starring that same detective/sheriff. Kevin is working his way through them but I have not started them (yet). Recommended to us by a close friend of Kevin’s & also my sister. Very familiar with the settings.

Also, I really enjoyed Semiosis & hope to read the sequels at some point.

Shel I was just going to suggest you read the sequels, Interference, and Usurpation. All are different and equally excellent.

Justine wrote: "Shel I was just going to suggest you read the sequels, Interference, and Usurpation. All are different and equally excellent."

Do we know if Usurpation is going to be the last book? I've been kind of hoping to nominate it as series read once it qualifies.

I think it is, yes.

I definitely plan to continue the series!

Shel wrote: "I definitely plan to continue the series!"

Book 2 is a continuation and Book 3 goes back to Earth and stuff happening there. I just really love Burke’s creativity!

I loved We Have Always Lived in a Castle. From my perspective as a disabled reader, it really is a fascinating exploration of how social norms give way to license of arbitrary violence toward and oppression of more vulnerable people like those with disabilities and how the rage this causes vulnerable people is perceived (Jackson herself was disabled, and living in the time that she did, no doubt had plenty to feel rageful about).

I have a personal theory about Merricat, that (view spoiler)[Merricat is meant to be the personification of Constance's rage and bitterness, whether or not Merricat is read as a genuinely separate character or a persona adopted and projected by Constance, and the ambiguity of who and what Merricat may really be is a critical part of the horror aspect of the story. (hide spoiler)]

Justine wrote: "BTW also saw Sinners on Thursday when it opened and would definitely recommend if you like historical/black gothic type stories and music. I went with my senior parents and my teen (16) and everyone loved it. From a film appreciation standpoint it’s also beautifully filmed, excellent lighting and costuming, just a movie that actually feels like a movie if you know what I’m saying."
I saw it on Saturday. Very good.

Dracula by Bram Stoker