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Happy new year, bookish friends! What are you reading to carry you into 2022?

I'm reading Nolyn, which brings me back to Elan.

Gemini Warrior by J.D. Cowan

I'm finishing off The Long Mars by Terry Pratchett and Stephen Baxter. Then I'll be jumping into The Boat of a Million Years for our BotM discussion.

Kathi wrote: "I'm finishing off The Long Mars by Terry Pratchett and Stephen Baxter. Then I'll be jumping into The Boat of a Million Years for our BotM ..."

I'm curious what you think of the Long Earth series. I love for Baxter and Pratchett, but their styles are so different from one another. I have trouble wrapping my head around what a collaboration between the two of them would look like.

Still working my way through Laundry Files Been enjoying it quite a lot.

Still not sure what I will do after it is finished.

Random wrote: "I'm curious what you think of the Long Earth series. I love for Baxter and Pratchett, but their styles are so different from one another. I have trouble wrapping my head around what a collaboration between the two of them would look like."

I’ve never read any of Baxter’s books, although I have his Manifold series on my shelf, waiting to be read sometime. I’ve read a lot of Pratchett’s Discworld books and his collaboration with Neil Gaiman (Good Omens: The Nice and Accurate Prophecies of Agnes Nutter, Witch) and loved them.

I am on the 3rd book of this collaborative series between Baxter & Pratchett. I think I sense Pratchett’s touch in some of the characters� personalities and in the gentle humor, and Baxter may be more responsible for the science unpinning the worlds and the events of the books. I don’t know how they worked out their collaboration, but it feels like one voice as I read. I will say some parts could move along faster, IMO, but then a character introduced or something that happened during a “boring� section ends up being important later. So far I am glad I kept reading after The Long Earth was our BotM back in July.

I am currently reading the SF book of the month selection, The Boat of a Million Years.
I am also completing the volumes in the Princess Jellyfish manga series, as well as the essays in the The Real Thing collection from the sets of Amazon Original Stories.

My ten year old just finished reading White Fox by Chen Jiatong for the second time and loved it - he wants me to read it too so we can talk about it together (book 2 was just released, hence the re-read). Middle grade fantasy, translated from the original Chinese. So I'm starting that today and I imagine it will be a quick read. Also, we are reading The Red Pyramid together.

I'm reading All-of-a-Kind Family to my six year old and loving the nostalgia factor - I read my copy to pieces as a girl but haven't touched it in decades. I'd forgotten all about it until we got a copy in the mail as part of a book subscription we have for the kids.

I’m reading THE EMPIRE’S RUINS by Brian
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I just started Perhaps the Stars, Terra Ignota Book 4. So far it is just as imaginative, challenging, and incomprehensible as the previous three.

The Apothecary Diaries 04 by Natsu Hyuuga

I finished White Fox, and honestly, I didn't think it was all that wonderful...I would have given it 2 stars, but any book that gets my ten year old begging for the sequel gets an extra star for me for that reason alone so I gave it 3 :). I am sure it's lovely in the original Chinese, but the translation is kind of clunky.

I'm about to start The Fall of Babel and am really excited about finishing off this series!

The Golden Maiden and Other Folk Tales and Fairy Stories Told in Armenia by A.G. Seklemian

I just finished The Praxis by Walter Jon Williams. A space opera and the first book of the completed trilogy "Dread Empire's Fall". I almost couldn't put it down, and I'm moving right into the second book.

The Untold Story by Genevieve Cogman

Mary wrote: "The Untold Story by Genevieve Cogman"

Ooh, that’s on my pile to read in the near future. Have 2 other books I need to read first, but I’m excited for this one!

I finished The Fall of Babel in a several-hours-long frenzy of reading yesterday. I still rated it five stars, but I'm ambivalent about the ending. I'm pleased with the way all of the character arcs panned out, but the big climax and revelation of the Brick Layer's plans were...not what I expected. Someone else please read these so we can discuss ;)

Starting Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-Garcia next!

Kathi wrote: "Mary wrote: "The Untold Story by Genevieve Cogman"

Ooh, that’s on my pile to read in the near future. Have 2 other books I need to read first, but I’m excited for t..."

Me too, I wonder if this will be the series finale?

Leticia wrote: "Me too, I wonder if this will be the series finale?"

It was originally publicized as being the conclusion, but the description at Amazon is vague and does not called it a finale or conclusion. We’ll see.

Well, let us just say that things take a twist in this.

MOAR! Monsters Know What They're Doing by Keith Ammann

Mary wrote: "Well, let us just say that things take a twist in this."

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I picked up the Wheel of Time series for a reread, and I'm currently about half way through book one, The Eye of the World. I'm also reading Brothers of the Wind, by Tad Williams as I anxiously await the next installment of his latest series, The Last King of Osten Ard. And then there's this random grab from the library, The American Fantasy Tradition. It's a little dangerous to my TBR to have full access to my library once again.

Nyssa wrote: "I am currently reading the SF book of the month selection, The Boat of a Million Years.
I am also completing the volumes in the Princess Jellyfish manga series, as well as the essays in The Real Thing collection from the sets of Amazon Original Stories."

So I read all of the Real Thing stories, but I'm struggling w/ The Boat of a Million Years. I'm only 10% in, but I just don't get it.

I'm almost done w/ The Princess Jellyfish comic, plus I am now reading Unsouled.

Nyssa wrote: "So I read all of the Real Thing stories, but I'm struggling w/ The Boat of a Million Years. I'm only 10% in, but I just don't get it.

It took me several chapters to get into it and to set aside my preconceived notions regarding what the book what going to be about. Once I did that, I’ve been able to enjoy it more.

I finished The Long Mars, 7/10, and then read The Boat of a Million Years, 6.5/10, comments in the group’s BotM discussion.

Now I’m reading The Fifth Season by N.K. Jemisin, which was the group’s BotM back in 2016. I am reading it with a different Å·±¦ÓéÀÖ group and this is my first Jemisin book, I am sad to admit. Only 20% done but I’m really fascinated!

Ooh Kathi you are in for a treat! That whole trilogy blew me away.

Kathi wrote: "It took me several chapters to get into it and to set aside my preconceived notions regarding what the book what going to be about. Once I did that, I've been able to enjoy it more."

I finished Unsouled in the wee hours of the morning, and I want to finish Princess Jellyfish 2-in-1 Omnibus, Volume 3 tonight.

That will allow me to focus all of my attention on The Boat of a Million Years this weekend. I probably won't finish until the end of next week, though.

I'm on book 5, The Fires of Heaven by Robert Jordan. Number 4 was the best one so far, The Shadow Rising so I'm hopeful that this will be right up there. I started the Amazon Prime series The Wheel of Time and I was assured that season one is done before book 4. I love Rosamund Pike playing Moiraine.

T. wrote: "I picked up the Wheel of Time series for a reread, and I'm currently about half way through book one, The Eye of the World. I'm also reading Brothers of the Wind, by T..."
Keep at it- with the Eye of the World. it gets better-book 4 is great and I hear book 5 is good too.

Broken Earth is so good.

This month I've finished Finish: Give Yourself the Gift of Done, When to Rob a Bank, and The Explosive Child. I'm working on re-reads of Foundation and Every Tool's a Hammer, along with a first read of Learned Optimism: How to Change Your Mind and Your Life, for different book clubs.

In personal reading, I'm listening to Henry VIII: The King and His Court, which has been on my list for over a decade (!), and reading We Have Always Been Here alongside a re-read of The Alloy of Law in preparation for The Lost Metal later this year (yay!).

Oh and I forgot Thinking in Bets: Making Smarter Decisions When You Don't Have All the Facts. I put it on hold a bit while I finished up some other things but I feel like I'm going to end up loving it and recommending it widely.

Lindsey wrote: "Broken Earth is so good.

This month I've finished Finish: Give Yourself the Gift of Done, When to Rob a Bank, and The Explosive Child. I'm working ..."

Hello, fellow parent of an explosive child ;). (I found that book really helpful)

I'm a few chapters in to Mexican Gothic and though it hasn't quite grabbed me yet I'm enjoying the atmosphere. I've got faith that it's going to get creepier!

Shel wrote: "Hello, fellow parent of an explosive child ;). (I found that book really helpful)..."

I did as well. I don't think I've realized until recently just how much all the gestures at everything from the last two years has affected my youngest. That book has a really great reframing of how to approach those outbursts and I'm starting to see some progress!

Ghost in the Lore by Jonathan Moeller

Rebellion of the Lost by Amie Kaufman and Ryan Graudin

War Before Civilization: The Myth of the Peaceful Savage by Lawrence H. Keeley

I finished Mexican Gothic and I liked it even better than Gods of Jade and Shadow. This one was more horror than fantasy and was deliciously atmospheric and creepy.

I'm still waiting for the spouse to finish The Boat of a Million Years so I can take my turn. In the meantime I'm re-reading The Last Light of the Sun - I've only read it once, and I remember not liking it as much as Kay's other books, but I figured I'd give it another try now that I know a little more about the Vikings than I did at the time.

My son and I finished The Red Pyramid and we're now on to The Throne of Fire. I think it's suffering a bit just from the fact that this is the fourth Rick Riordan series we're reading in a row, and it's a bit repetitive - but the kiddo insists that we read through them all and I just can't say no to a kid who's begging to be read to :)

I finished The Fifth Season by N.K. Jemisin today, 10/10. Stunning—a fully realized world that is our world, but isn’t; complex characters we get to know little by little, layer by layer; and an unfolding plot that never lets up, full of mystery, magic, and menace. Jemison’s unusual POV chapters and interludes forced me as the reader to slow down, savor the language, and ponder the twists and turns. Looking forward to finishing this trilogy and reading more of her books in the future.

I will be traveling soon, so I’m choosing things that are easy for airports and airplane reading. Next up: one of our February BotM, Inversions by Iain M. Banks, Diamond Mask by Julian May, part of her Galactic Milieu series that I’ve slowly been working my way through, and something I have on my iPad, All This I Will Give to You by Dolores Redondo.

I’m reading THE INVISIBLE LIFE OF ADDIE LARUE by V.E. SCHWAB.

MadProfessah wrote: "I’m reading THE INVISIBLE LIFE OF ADDIE LARUE by V.E. SCHWAB."

I loved that one!

Sworn to the Light by Denton Salle

Ran out of Laundry Files books. Its been a fascinating series to say the least. I wonder if it will continue.

On that note, I found there are two books in a sub series called New Management. I'll have to give them a try.

But before that, I just started The Last Days of Jack Sparks last night but haven't gotten very far yet.

After that Sundiver for our next series read. I think I may have read this one back in the 80s. I have some very vague memories and I'm sure I never really understood most of it.

Ghost in the Talisman by Jonathan Moeller

I finished The Last Light of the Sun - a re-read, but the last and only other time I read it was probably 15 years ago, so I didn't remember much. I stand by my assessment of it the first time around - a truly lovely book, poetic, creative, but it didn't quite touch my heart the way that other Guy Gavriel Kay books do.

I don't know what's next, we'll see what strikes my fancy next time I sit down to read.

Finished The Last Days of Jack Sparks. While it wasn't exactly what I had been hoping for, it was still a good story and drew me along to the end.

I realized I'm still a bit early for the next series read, so I'm about to start Dead Lies Dreaming, starting the new sub series in the Laundry Files. Depending on how long this takes, I might hit the next before moving on to Uplift.