A raw and brutal book about a brutal and savage voyage around Cape Horn as the British chased the Spanish armada in an attempt to claim naval dominance during the early days of their imperialism around the world. 4 ⭐️

Waited forever for this one to be available through my library on Libby.

#FirstLineFridays @ShyBookOwl

Library Challenge ends tomorrow. Read 2,264 minutes so far. 2025 MPRL Adult: Color Our World.

Short novellas seem to be my vibe as I‘m still organizing the house after the move. A robot and unsatisfied monk: yes please.

A slow, confusing start had me considering a DNF, but Clarke‘s prose drew me deeper into the book. I‘m glad I did as the author mixed Edgar Allen Poe with Stephen King with Robert Bloch but all in the subtlest of touches. “Piranesi” is a psychological thriller-fantasy if ever that was a genre. 4.5 ⭐️

Finally getting around to this one.

A character-driven novella about a magical forger with the heart of an artist and a court official who will do anything to save the life of the Emperor, and how they each must make tiny bargains against their own morals in order to ultimately do what is best for the Empire. 4/5 ⭐️

Who‘s on StoryGraph?

https://app.thestorygraph.com/profile/awk_word_smith

First foray into Sanderson now that I‘m looking for a new sci-fi/fantasy writer to replace my old one.

Such an interesting concept, picking pieces from dystopian, sci-fi, horror, fantasy, and so many other niche genres. The Memory Police changes your expectations with every new page. I thoroughly enjoyed the twisting, meandering plot.

I‘ve heard very good things about this short novel. So far, we‘re off to a good start.

Another brilliant foray into the belly of the espionage industry by John le Carré. His final novel, race-against-time novel, and much faster pace than his early works. His son, Nick Cornwell put it best: [the novel] “does something that no other le Carré novel ever has. It shows a service fragmented: filled with its own political factions, not always kind to those it should cherish … and ultimately not sure, any more, that it can justify itself.”

Since I can no longer support my usual reading crutch author, I will have to go with my # 2 author who is now my # 1 – John le Carré.

One trip to the downtown library will complete my entire bingo card. #colormyworldchallenge

Reading Ta-Nehisi Coates‘s The Message was both a humbling and galvanizing experience. Coates‘s journey—spanning Senegal, South Carolina, and Palestine—compels readers to confront the stories we inherit and the myths we perpetuate, particularly those that uphold white supremacy and obscure the realities of marginalized people. I‘ll be buying a physical copy and referencing it for years to come on how to craft stories—fiction and nonfiction alike.

Despite all the acclaim surrounding this book, I could not muster one iota of sympathy or even empathy for the main character/narrator. I found the narrator to be unreliable but I‘m not sure if the author intended to use that storytelling method. I feel the intent was the main character was narrating as a confidential confession, but the ease with which he lied to friends and casual acquaintances made his confession feel hallow.

Getting my nonfiction itch scratched by the incomparable Ta-Nehisi Coates.

Already well on my way in the #ColorMyWorld Challenge through the #ChattanoogaPublicLibrary

Ok. I‘m back to reading The Secret History, but at this point I‘m pulling for the FBI to catch these little 🍑 🎩!

The story of three flawed brothers who set the medical world on the path to an opioid crisis within three generations. The Sacklers love to lavishly spend money on their philanthropic projects, but meticulously obscured the origins of their wealth until lawsuit after lawsuit after lawsuit brought to light their involvement in creating an epidemic of pain pills.

The Sackler family and the history of opioids. Sounds dry, but I‘ll give it a chance.

From dyslexia (my preferred learning disability—and before everyone gets all up in arms, I don‘t actually consider my dyslexia a disability, more like an inconvenience at this point in my life) to the Civil Rights Movement to the Conflict in Northern Ireland, Gladwell challenges the notion of The Underdog. [4.5 ⭐️]

I‘ve been meaning to read this for quite some time now.

A 70s rock band? 🎸
A love triangle? 🎸
Drugs & sobriety? 🎸
So we‘re talking about a fictionalized narrative of Fleetwood Mac?
You Can Go Your Own Way, but this Landslide was only 3 ⭐️ in my Dreams.

January: “The Ministry of Time”
February: “Heavenly Tyrant“
March: “The Hitchhiker‘s Guide to the Galaxy”
April: “Babel”

Sad to see my formatting pitted “Heavenly Tyrant” and “Babel” against each so early on in the bracket.

I‘m completely ensconced in a “Nothing Keeps My Attention” mood. So let‘s try a little 70‘s faux rock biography.

I don‘t even know what this book is about, but several bookstagram accounts recommended it. Highly recommended it. So we shall see.

An incredible story about white fragility dressed up in gothic dark academia. I loved it. The MC, a young Cantonese boy, seemingly rescued from death and poverty, is groomed by an Oxford professor to join the illustrious and elite translators. Kuang is a masterful storyteller weaving together class, race, socioeconomics, and sexism centering around language—the only real barrier dividing humans and complicating true understanding. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

LOVED Kuang‘s Poppy Wars Trilogy. Finally starting this!

What an incredibly sad book, and such a long retelling of the old joke: Life—no one gets out alive. ⭐️⭐️⭐️/5

When we lived in New York, someone in our building would leave stacks of read books on top of the mailboxes in the lobby. This is one of many I grabbed over the years, and I‘m just now getting around to reading it nearly 4 years after we left our home.

I probably would have enjoyed this book more had I not lived through the pandemic in NYC. It took awhile for me to get into the story, especially at the beginning when the virus was running rampant and civilization began to collapse. But I can see why this book won awards. It is a bittersweet story following a diverse cast of characters—some caught in between their lives before and after, some having been too young to remember the world as it was.

I think I was supposed to read this 10 years ago. 😂

Don‘t get so pushy, StoryGraph. I don‘t need that Goodreads energy.

Reread:
I‘ve always loved this book. It‘s ridiculous. Think: Monty Python wrote a sci-fi novel. {chefs kiss}

‘Iron Widow‘ churns with feminist rage. ‘Heavenly Tyrant‘ surges with laborist rage, as Wu Zetian continues her rampage through Huaxia‘s misogynistic, wealthy class. ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️

Time travel is confusing. It‘s messy. It‘s run by the British government. This book uses a lot of sci-fi themes—character-out-of-time, time travel for starters—all dressed up as a political thriller and [redacted] twist to boot. While not fast-paced, the pacing certainly wasn‘t slow and allowed for the characters to each grow at their own pace. A definite book worth rereading.
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Apparently, I forgot to post this when I actually finished the book.

Fantastical. But more than fantasy. Lyrical. But more than poetry. Epic. But simple in scope. The circus has come to town. Two children bonded together and pitted against one another in a magical, mystical challenge. The circus is the venue, but the challenge is not about acts of wonder. If only they had known before they fell in love.

Because I don‘t already pay enough to Spotify, I guess.

I will finish “Heavenly Tyrant” next month I guess. And start “The Night Circus” now. One of the first books to be completed as a NaNoWriMo project and then traditionally published.

Finally!!! I started this audiobook on Spotify because my library system in the South is not that eclectic in terms of the variety of genres or BIPOC authors. Unfortunately, I ran out of time credits and have to wait to finish it next month! #ihatespotify

Time travel without a DeLorean? We‘ll see about that. 😉

The high point was definitely “Shawshank” and “Apt Pupil” was infinitely more unsettling than the movie. So I give it 3.5 ⭐️ out of 5.

Been meaning to read this one for a long time—for obvious cinematic reasons.

Who else but the writer of true-life horrors could produce a ghost story built upon historical accuracy, mixed with a dash of macabre and suspense? This audiobook-only story was the perfect end to October, as the author said many times in the forward and credits: ghost stories are best to be heard, not read.

A narrative fiction from Erik Larson?!?! Yes please!

And a ghost story to boot for All Hallow‘s Eve!

It really is as good as Iremember it. Along with Jules Vern or HG Wells, Frank Herbert was one of the OG authors who mashed up sci-fi and fantasy. There is so much packed into this one book: commentary on politics, commentary on society, religion, feminism, toxic masculinity (before that was even a thing), revenge, love. I feel like the grandfather at the beginning of “The Princess Bride” explaining to his grandson why this book is so exciting.

Rereading for the first time since probably high school some 30 years ago. 😳

Autumn vibes