Å·±¦ÓéÀÖ

Last month of 2021.

Isn't that hard to believe?!

Yeah, it kinda feels like we have lost an entire year.

On no! Perhaps we have lost an entire year? (Cue melodramatic music sting and shocked expressions)

Starting The Last Graduate by Naomi Novik today

Wow, so many books read, so many books still put back on my shelves for another year.

For my "dead tree" book I'm starting on the last book in the Hush, Hush series - Finale by Becca Fitzpatrick Interestingly this book very closely parallels the Twilight books, where in the first few you've got the silly girl with the stalker-ish supernatural boyfriend she can't resist even though he's incredibly dangerous. Then towards the end, she becomes (more or less) the same supernatural being as her boyfriend and the book is how the society reacts to her addition to their numbers. At least no monster pregnancy in this one, that icked me out in Twilight.

For my graphic novel/anthology read (I often have something that's good to pick up when only have 5-10 mins to read) I've got something I found in the library - The Sandman: King of Dreams by Alisa Kwitney

And for my ebook, I won't be using my Kobo which I prefer, but my Kindle tablet (backlit, burns my eyes, but one book a year I'll manage) - The Neon God: A Novel by Ben D'Alessio

Checked, and while there are a bunch of new free books on rivetedlit.com this month, and some look good, they are each only available for 1 day. Which for what it's worth is a good thing, I have too many others to read so that removes the temptation!

I finished my re-read of the supremely engrossing Traitor's Knot, and then I began Vindolanda, an historical fiction which takes place in 98 AD. Hopefully it's good, because one of my GR friends gave it up.

My reading plans for December are definitely optimistic...

I have three Greek mythology, six Norse, five with Angels in them, two for an invented god/divinity, and two related to the Dresden files (that cover pretty much gods, demons AND angels, as well as every other supernatural thing you can think of)...so 18 in total

A few are short, or even if full length, will be easy reads...so maybe....maybe...

I have started Star Compass. This will fill the Beautiful Cover slot in my Bingo, and complete my Bingo.

Flavio wrote: "Starting The Last Graduate by Naomi Novik today"

Oooo, I can't wait to read that. I need to finish all my book challenges for the year first, though.

Completed:
text:


Audible: none finished
==========================================
Authors:
Ryka Aoki, Becky Chambers, Lee Child, Steven Erikson, Shea Ernshaw, Grady Hendrix, Ken Liu, Colson Whitehead
Narrators:

I should stop reading so many books at the same time but starting a fourth one anyway. Borrowing this one from Open Library - Ithaka by Adèle Geras

I just finished Crystal Soldier, first of a duology origin stories of the Liaden Universe series, one of my favorites!!

Andrea wrote: "My reading plans for December are definitely optimistic...

I have three Greek mythology, six Norse, five with Angels in them, two for an invented god/divinity, and two related to the Dresden files..."
18!!!! That IS optimistic! I have 6 to go to complete my reading challenge, and I'm not very sure I'll make it.

I had mixed feelings on Seveneves. The buildup to Doomsday is most of the book, and I was thinking it would be around the half-way point. Some of the basic physics was wrong, too.

I just started Sunreach.

I just DNF'd Vindolanda at 80%. That was more than a fair shake, but I had finally given up on it. Inconsistent silliness.

Now I'm re-reading Stormed Fortress, which will keep me happy for 700+ pages!

Big Panda and Tiny Dragon by James Norbury

Trading In Danger, Vatta's War by Elizabeth Moon
...just finished last night.

I ended staying up a little late since I was so close to finishing two books, seemed silly to keep them to today

- Finished the Hush, Hush series with Finale...of the four it was by far the best, she still sometimes worried that he was cheating on her, and he, a several thousand year old fallen angel, had qualms about her fake dating someone else (how long does it take to grow up already?) but otherwise, compared to the rest, it was quite readable. But not enough for keeping

- Finished The Sandman: King of Dreams, a companion book to the graphic novel series that is 90% just reprints of various pages, so doesn't add much for a hardcore fan, just of few paragraphs of tidbits and trivia, and it is one giant spoiler for new readers. Though it was an excellent recap and review of my year's reading. Good thing it was a library book.

Starting on Thor's Serpents by K.L. Armstrong, the third book in the trilogy, which I started back in September and got sidetracked by other things.

And if I need something to fill just a few minutes at a time, I've got Classical Mythology: A Very Short Introduction by Helen Morales

I finished Star Compass. It is a very enjoyable YA steampunk adventure which, at times, reminded me of Heinlein's Juvenile novels. It also filled the final Bingo slot for this year 😊

Scaling The Rim by Dorothy Grant

I'm a little late to the party, but I'm reading Dune by Frank Herbert. I cheated and already watched the movie. My first impressions are that it's very complex, but I like the way the world is coming together. I'm impatient and want to see more of the sand worms! lol

The Way I Heard It by Mike Rowe is a must-read. It's a tribute to Paul Harvey, written in the style of his show, with anecdotes from Rowe's life, too. It made for thoughtful & amusing reading. I gave it a 5 star review here:
/review/show...

I finished Revelation Space and liked it a lot. I had read that book a long time ago, and barely remembered it, so that this time was like a first time read. I have now started Redemption Ark.

I am reading The Secret of the Ninth Planet

Finished Thor's Serpents, overall it was a trilogy that grew on me, though the way they got the kids to play the role of the gods at Ragnarok was a bit convoluted, but then, middle grade books means you somehow have to have the kids do everything and the adults be useless or the villains :)

I also finished Neon Gods, was something I picked up free a while back on my Kindle, about Dionysus running amok in New Orleans. Lots of sex, lots of drinking, not sure the point of the side story with the girl in law school who barely crosses "Dio's" path.

Starting a new series now, involving angels - Scar Night by Alan Campbell. For some reason I have high expectations of this one, will see if it lives up to them (even though they are completely unfounded, no idea why I think this should be good)

And to replace Neon God as an ebook, I've got the novella A Taste of Honey by Kai Ashante Wilson. I already read The Sorcerer of the Wildeeps earlier in the year

I read Scar Night quite some time ago, but I can't remember anything about it. That happens to me frequently :)

My review of All of Us Villains by Amanda Foody

/review/show...

Joyeuse Guard by Marion G. Harmon

I've read which I thoroughly enjoyed, although (unsurprisingly) I'm bummed by some events. They were some twists and reveals that I did not see coming. The ending seems to imply that there will be other books in the same world, probably set years later, and I already want to read them.
I'm now reading which I hope to finish this year, so that'll be 2 more series down for the count.
Next on queue are and (though possibly not in that order, I'm itching to know what happens after Ilium)

Anne Rice is dead at 80 yo from stroke complications according to her son.

Jim wrote: "Anne Rice is dead at 80 yo from stroke complications according to her son."

Not sure if it's possible to move a post, but I created a new thread regarding the news, will just get lost in this thread - /topic/show/...

Finished reading Ithaka by Geras, like the related Troy, focused more on servants observing the major events happening around them, but again I found something about the writing that made it hard going

I'm not reading to start the next book I planned to read on OpenLibrary but I found a non-Gaiman authored graphic novel about Death - Death: At Death's Door by Jill Thompson - figured it wouldn't take too long to get through and by then should be ready for the Scar Night prequel.

I have finished The Secret of the Ninth Planet. It was a mix of pretty typical 1950s B-grade sci-fi and planetary romance. The heroes were all male and (not explicitly stated, but assumed) all white. There was some attempt to get the science right, but it was an average effort. Not bad, but only worth reading if you are a fan of sci-fi from that time.

Finished the At Death's Door...well its from Vertigo but it's more a manga than a graphic novel, a lot of silliness ensues

Also finished Scar Night, it wasn't quite what I expected and I didn't particularly love it (didn't hate it either). This COMPLETES my BINGO!!!! Fills the new to me author slot.

Started reading The Sword of Summer by Rick Riordan, a good balance to Scar Night, the first is a dark fantasy and the other is middle grade humour so will stop me from getting too much of one or the other for the rest of the month as I work through both series.

Not gonna lie, I'm still working on my November read, which is Dune. I wanted to finish it before watching the movie, but I cheated and watched it one night, anyway.

Maybe I'll have it finished by next year! lol

I read Biggles of the Camel Squadron - definitely non-SFF. An enjoyable reread of one of my favourite childhood authors, although it probably hasn't aged all that well. Definitely Boys Own style.

I have now started on The Burning Shore, the first book in the Florin and Lorenzo series of Warhammer books.

Finished The Sword of Summer. Riordan really does write some funny and exciting stuff. On the negative, I will say I felt it had a teeny bit of what happened to Piers Anthony's Xanth...somewhere in the middle of Xanth series Anthony took what made the series what it was (puns) and then sacrificed plot for it. I wouldn't go so far to say that happened here, but it felt like some Norse myths were woven in just for the sake of finding a way to weave them in. It didn't make sense for our current cast of characters to relive those exact same scenes. But I was laughing so hard it didn't bother me much.

He also took a group of neglected members of society - homeless, muslim, deaf, etc which he had already been doing in his earlier books and I'm glad to see him keep doing. The next book has some LGBTQ award, so maybe that's why our main male protagonist can't hook up with our main female one (she already knows who she wants to marry) which is almost always what happens when you have a male + female lead pair. Anyway, including these diverse characters really adds to the story without getting preachy, we get like one paragraph about how the deaf character was rejected by his family, but the rest of the time is all about the challenges of fighting a battle while using sign language, trying to find someone if you can't call out their name, etc.

I feel back for other Middle Grade authors since Riordan ALWAYS wins the GR awards (sometimes he has multiple nominations even)...but truth is, his stuff is good. He makes fun of the old myths but he also has respect for them and weaves them well into the modern day.

Now back to doom and gloom, with mad gods, bloodsucking angels, assassins, poisoners and a freaky city suspended by chains over a chasm (cool but why???) - Iron Angel by Alan Campbell

Andrea wrote: "I feel back for other Middle Grade authors since Riordan ALWAYS wins the GR awards (sometimes he has multiple nominations even)...but truth is, his stuff is good"

His stuff is good and it was always a consistent seller when I worked in a bookstore. I'm surprised that John Flanagan (Ranger's Apprentice series) doesn't win more - it was also a consistent seller. Although, perhaps, as an Aussie, he hasn't gained the overseas recognition that Riordan has.

Hi Tony!

My son, Joshua. loved the Flanagan series. He read the entire series of Ranger's Apprentice when he was in middle school. Although he is 21 now, he still might pull out his Will costume if the occasion demands it!

Penance: A Young Adult Superhero Novel by Paula Richey and Thomas Plutarch

I have read and finished
- Lonesome Dove
- Toxine
- Resolution
- and Brimstone

and now I'm reading
- Riders of the Purple Sage
- and The Strange Affair of Spring Heeled Jack

I hope to finish them before the end of the year, I'll think I'll manage.

Finished Iron Angel...not going to be one of my favorite series, I'm finding it a little overly complex, which is funny since I like complex world building, but since this is a world based in Hell, and souls are not limited by form, it can get really weird :) Also the only character I really like keeps getting killed/tortured/abused/etc so a bit depressing.

Decided I want to get the dark stuff done before Christmas so I'll jump straight to the third book of the trilogy - God of Clocks by Alan Campbell. I'm also reading a prequel novella on OpenLibrary (lucky to find it there since it was a limited edition) - Lye Street

Read Sunreach and ReDawn; re-read The Crown Tower and am re-reading Spinning Silver.

Audrey wrote: "Read Sunreach and ReDawn; re-read The Crown Tower and am re-reading Spinning Silver."

The Crown tower is amazing but I loved its sequel even more!

I loved that series!

I love Royce and Hadrian so much; I could read them all over and over. If I'm lucky, I'll get to participate in the Farilane beta read.

I'm looking forward to that one too, Audrey!

Aurdey that's amazing!

I have only read the Chronicles series and have yet to start the Revelations series, but I'm very excited to read it, especially since I love Royce so much!

Revelations is so good, too.