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New month, new books? This is the place to talk about what you've been reading in February 2021 and what you think about those books. Any genre is OK here!

I'll start. I'm (still) reading Great North Road by Peter F. Hamilton. Science fiction, corporate intrigue, murder mystery--I'm enjoying it so far!

Started Black Sun Rising last night.

Been meaning to reread this series for ages. My husband just started on the last book and I was trying to figure out what to read next so I guess good timing.

Random wrote: "Started Black Sun Rising last night.

Been meaning to reread this series for ages. My husband just started on the last book and I was trying to figure out what to read next so I guess ..."

I love that trilogy. Gerald Tarrant is my favorite anti-hero.

I'm out of genre right now -- Recently finished Born a Crime: Stories From a South African Childhood by Trevor Noah, which was absolutely fascinating. Then inspired by that Houdini biography I read recently and a viewing of Derek DelGaudio's new Hulu special (which you ALL should watch, it's seriously amazing), I decided to re-read Carter Beats the Devil, an old favorite historical fiction that's a highly fictionalized novel about magician Charles Carter, so that's what I'm on now.

A Bride's Story, Vol. 3 by Kaoru Mori

Wow, Just realised it has been a while since I last posted

Still reading
The Spy and the Traitor: The Greatest Espionage Story of the Cold War
Quite interesting, especially the harrowing escape.

In the Ocean of Night
I read this in the 90s but never finished the last book in the series so I decided to reread. Sort of disappointing. It ends half way through a story. Not on purpose, not a cliffhanger but it really needed an ending.

The Book of Swords
Interesting book about swords. Just an overview look and swords.

Started reading
The Mongoliad: Book One
So far interesting. I have a small interest in the Mongols and this takes place midway through the height of their empire
The books have an interesting back story.

Ken wrote: "Started reading
The Mongoliad: Book One
So far interesting. I have a small interest in the Mongols and this takes place midway through the height of their empire
The books have an interesting back story."

Please post again as you read through this series. It’s been on my shelf for a while but I haven’t gotten to it, so I’m interested in your reaction.

I recently started The Book of a Thousand Nights and a Night, volume 1 of 16. So that should keep me busy for a while!

I also just started Hunger In Her Bones (Sparkstone Saga #3) by Clare C. Marshall, which is a YA sci fi series.

And my current audiobook is The Skin We're In: A Year of Black Resistance and Power by Desmond Cole, which is excellent!

Many years ago, I started reading the Midnight Louie mysteries by Carole Nelson Douglas. It's a series based in Las Vegas with a colorful cast of characters including Midnight Louie himself, a black cat with an attitude. The first books are Catnap and Pussyfoot, but then the titles take a standard style with alphabetic elements like Cat on a Blue Monday and Cat in a Crimson Haze. The books are somewhat unusual in that the action of one book follows the previous book only by a few days, or a couple of weeks at most. While each book is its own mystery, there are longer arcs that cross multiple books.

Although I read half a dozen as they came out, I gave up when I realized that the series would have 28 books, saying that I would read the whole thing in order some day.

Now the series is finally complete! I've been picking up used copies as I came across them, and finally have the complete series in hand. Four down, twenty four to go.... Since I'll be doing my book club reading as well, this is likely to take some time.

I just finished up the latest Veronica Speedwell mystery A Murderous Relation, and the audiobook of the last Temeraire book, League of Dragons. I enjoyed both series so much that I was anticipating a book hangover, so I jumped right into Starsight and All Systems Red. On the read-with-the-kids front, we're almost done with The Mad Scientists' Club, which holds up well.

Also, I highly, highly recommend the Temeraire audiobooks. Simon Vance is amazing as the narrator.

Kathi wrote: "Ken wrote: "Started reading
The Mongoliad: Book One
Please post again as you read through this series. It’s been on my shelf for a while"
It sat on my shelf since 2012, I know that cause the receipt was still in it. With that said I spent a couple of hours looking for something interesting to read SF wise then I stumbled on these

The World Between Blinks by Amie Kaufman and Ryan Graudin

Still working my way through the beautiful Little, Big by John Crowley. Beguiling poetic prose, but not really a page turner.

Richard wrote: "Still working my way through the beautiful Little, Big by John Crowley. Beguiling poetic prose, but not really a page turner."

Oh, I absolutely loved that book, but yeah, it was slow going. Gorgeously written, though.

I just finished November 9, which is totally out of my usual genre, and I didn't love it. Read for another book group and I figured I'd give it a shot and expand my horizons, and I do like a good romance story when I find one in my SF/F, but ugh, this one was problematic in so many ways.

I'm also in the middle of Caste: The Origins of Our Discontents, almost finished reading The Lost Hero to my son, and not sure what else I'm going to pick up next.

Shel wrote: "I'm also in the middle of Caste: The Origins of Our Discontents"

A friend is lending me her copy of that sometime in the next month. Is it relatively readable? I typically don’t read much nonfiction.

I read the Emergency Skin novella and liked it a lot!

Leticia wrote: "I read the Emergency Skin novella and liked it a lot!"
I thought so, too—I listened to it on audio. Excellent!

Leticia wrote: "I read the Emergency Skin novella and liked it a lot!"

This was a good story as was the entire series. If you haven't tried it yet, The Last Conversation was my favorite.

Kathi wrote: "Shel wrote: "I'm also in the middle of Caste: The Origins of Our Discontents"

A friend is lending me her copy of that sometime in the next month. Is it relatively readable? I typically don’t read much nonfiction."

It is. It's not dry at all. The subject matter is not easy, topic-wise, but it's quite readable.

Shel wrote: "It is. It's not dry at all. The subject matter is not easy, topic-wise, but it's quite readable."

Good to know, thanks!

I (finally) finished Great North Road by Peter F. Hamilton. 10/10. A sprawling science fiction murder mystery with complex characters (including alien life forms), plenty of police procedures, a military expedition, and a pinch of politics. Kept my interest through all 1100 pages!

Next up is The Black Prism by Brent Weeks, the first book of the Lightbringer series, which I am reading for a different group.

The Apothecary Diaries Manga, Vol. 2 by Natsu Hyuuga

Quiet Pine Trees by T.R. Darling

A Bride's Story, Vol. 6 by Kaoru Mori

I just ripped through Recursion by Blake Crouch in two days - I stayed up too late last night finishing it because I couldn't put it down. I remember it was nominated for BotM a few times last year but never won... it's worth picking up! I loved it.

@Kathi I’m glad you like GREAT NORTH ROAD—it’s one if a Hamilton’s best books—space opera, police procedural, colony tale all in one!!

Shel wrote: "I just ripped through Recursion by Blake Crouch in two days - I stayed up too late last night finishing it because I couldn't put it down. I remember it was nominate..."

Me too, I listened to it on audio in a single day! It was so gripping. 😀 Sadly, half of my book club hated it. 😢

I'm also about to start my Peter F. Hamilton journey (with The Reality Dysfunction, don't try to dissuade me, I thought long and hard about it) but I have to read some group/buddy reads first.

I've just finished Caliban's War and I'm still really loving this series (have already watched it on TV, but weirdly it's still just as entertaining even though I know what's going to happen).

Now about to start the buddy read The Ghost Brigades, and have already started The Waking Fire - which so far is AMAZEBALLS: intelligent steam punk high fantasy with big trade corporations instead of kingdoms, an old fallen empire, very cool fantasy cultures, a complex magic system that relies on drinking the blood of various types of dragons, and interesting, eccentric characters. I have a feeling I'm going to love this series!

Eva wrote: "I'm also about to start my Peter F. Hamilton journey (with The Reality Dysfunction, don't try to dissuade me, I thought long and hard about it) but I have to read some group/buddy reads first.
I've just finished Caliban's War and I'm still really loving this series (have already watched it on TV, but weirdly it's still just as entertaining even though I know what's going to happen).
Now about to start the buddy read The Ghost Brigades, and have already started The Waking Fire ."

I would never dissuade someone from reading Peter F. Hamilton’s books. I think he writes terrific space opera—complex plots and thought-provoking ideas.

The group has read and discussed both The Expanse and the Old Man’s War series, so feel free to jump into those discussions. Those book discussions are never closed to new comments.

Thank you, Kathi! I didn't know we'd read these series as a group, I'll check out the threads. Glad to hear you enjoyed Reality Dysfunction. :-)

A Bride's Story, Vol. 8 by Kaoru Mori

I'm on a Greek mythology kick right now - currently reading The King Must Die by Mary Renault, and also reading the Heroes of Olympus series by Rick Riordan to my fourth grader - we finished The Lost Hero last week and have started The Son of Neptune. We really loved the Percy Jackson books, and I like the direction Riordan is going with this sequel series!

Having kids is making me read all these fantastic middle grade/YA books that I've been missing out on!

Shel wrote: "I'm on a Greek mythology kick right now - currently reading The King Must Die by Mary Renault, and also reading the Heroes of Olympus series by Rick Riordan..."

Absolutely !
Rick Riordan does do an excellent job with his Greek Demigod books. I read the Percy Jackson and Heroes series to my son as a bedtime read; we both definitely thought them excellent good fun.

I finally finished To Sleep in a Sea of Stars which I started in October but had to return to the library. I did enjoy it but not as much as the previous author's series. I've now started The King's Blood

The Road to Serfdom by Friedrich A. Hayek

A Bride's Story, Vol. 9 by Kaoru Mori

Eva wrote: "Shel wrote: "I'm also about to start my Peter F. Hamilton journey (with The Reality Dysfunction, don't try to dissuade me, I thought long and hard about it) but I have to read some group/buddy reads first."
I read this way back in 2000 I think. Was going though a pretty rough personal time and wanted something new to read. Spent an hour at the bookstore going though all the shelves and found this. I really liked it.

I finished The Black Prism, book 1 of the Lightbringer series by Brent Weeks, 9/10, my first book by this author. He builds the foundation for the series, which makes for some slow reading (thank goodness for the map, character list, and glossary or it would have been even slower). While some fantasy tropes are present in full force, the author creates a unique and fascinating system of magic, some interesting characters, and enough mysteries to make this an engrossing story, especially for the second half of the book. I am looking forward to continuing the series.

Then I went out of genre with Blow Fly, another Kay Scarpetta book by Patricia Cornwell, 9/10. More twists and surprises than usual!

And I just finished The Knight of the Red Beard by Andre Norton and Sasha Miller, book 5 in the Cycle of Oak, Yew, Ash, and Rowan, although one could argue this book starts a new story arc that remains unfinished, partly due, I would guess, to the death of Andre Norton. It would have been better to have stopped after book 4, which was a nice conclusion to the series. 6/10.

Next up is The Footprints of God by Greg Iles before I tackle the March books for this and other book groups.

@kathi i really like the Penn Cage books by Greg Iles...

I finished Wards of Faerie and am now listening to Bloodfire Quest and loving it.

MadProfessah wrote: "@kathi i really like the Penn Cage books by Greg Iles..."

I’ve only read one of the Penn Cage books, although they are favorites of my husband. This will be my 8th book by Iles, and I’ve liked all of them—some more than others. I plan to read all the Penn Cage books at some point.

I think this one has a bit of SF feel to it.

Pirate of the Prophecy by Jack Campbell

I'm out of genre at the moment. I tried reading Drew Barrymore's memoir Wildflower, and came to the conclusion that as talented an actress and filmmaker she is...that talent does not extend to writing. I gave up after a few disconnected random scenes from her life that weren't even especially well written.

Now I've picked up Little Fires Everywhere, which everyone in my orbit seems to have read but me, and they all rave about it.

I'm still reading The Son of Neptune with my kid, and I have Fool's War lined up for when I finish Little Fires.

Currently reading 3 books, The Eye of the World & Eragon which are both rereads. Eragon is for a challenge, The Eye of the World because I want to move on to The Great Hunt, I never seem to pick it up and I need a refresher. This is my 3rd reading of TEOTW. And a first time read of Reunion in Death.

Carrie wrote: "And a first time read of Reunion in Death."

Have you read some of the other ��...in Death�� books? I have several on my shelf but have never read them. Picked them up used because they looked like a mix of mystery and SF.

I ended up reading all four Murderbot novellas, which were a lot of fun. My library hold on book 5 hasn't come in yet, so I shifted over to The Harp of Kings (I seriously love Marillier), Starsight*, Shadow and Bone*, and The Once and Future Witches. The Once and Future Witches was amazing.

*I really wish I was done with YA for the year, but alas, my book club chose to finish the Grisha trilogy. So next up, Siege and Storm.

I'm currently out of genre with Enemy of All Mankind: A True Story of Piracy, Power, and History's First Global Manhunt but also (finally) started Rhythm of War.

I couldn't put down Little Fires Everywhere and finished it in two days.

I have Fool's War lined up for our March read, but I was feeling too mentally drained to start something new when I sat down to read last night, so I decided to re-read instead. It's been at least a decade since I last read Last Call by Tim Powers so I decided to pick that one up, and I'm remembering how much I absolutely love his writing. Fool's War will be next.

Kathi wrote: "Carrie wrote: "And a first time read of Reunion in Death."

Have you read some of the other ��...in Death�� books? I have several on my shelf but have never read them. Picked them up used because the..."

Oh yes. Every few months or so I jump back into this world. I enjoy them, the cast of characters are good.

Carrie wrote: "Oh yes. Every few months or so I jump back into this world. I enjoy them, the cast of characters are good."

Good to know, thanks!

I finished The King's Blood which I enjoyed; I am not looking forward to the obvious warfare which will consume the next couple books. I am about to start Paradox which is out of genre

Dress Codes: How the Laws of Fashion Made History by Richard Thompson Ford

Christine wrote: "I finished The King's Blood which I enjoyed; I am not looking forward to the obvious warfare which will consume the next couple books.��

I thought Daniel Abraham handled the battles in The Long Price Quartet pretty well, but I have not read the Dagger and Coin series, so I can’t really compare.