A standalone book in the Imperial Radch series, this novel was nominated for the Hugo Best Novel award and the entire series for the Hugo Best Series award. It's an excellent story in a fascinating settling. #hugo2024 #hugoawards

This novel fits the “Dubwool: Character gets cosy“ prompt for #gottacatchemall, since two of the main characters spend a lot of time eating dumplings and binge-watching an adventure series. @PuddleJumper

June was a really good #BookSpinBingo month for me. I finished my #BookSpin and #DoubleSpin choices and also got a bingo! Thanks to @TheAromaofBooks for hosting!

Here is my July #BookSpinBingo list! @TheAromaofBooks

This horror story set in a decaying condo building in downtown Toronto is creepy and atmospheric, but the plot is weak and I found it hard to relate to any of the characters. The novel does provide cutting and insightful commentary on the social ills plaguing Toronto and similar cities.

Inspector Maigret is in the Netherlands helping to investigate a murder that implicates a fellow French citizen, and there are plenty of suspects with good motives.

I've been reading this series in French from the beginning. This 8th book is the first that feels like a Agatha Christie style of mystery. Maigret even gathers all the suspects together at the end to reveal the murderer.

This swashbuckling fantasy adventure set in ancient times in the Middle East was fun and fast-paced. It's filled with terrific characters and a lot of humour. It was also nominated for a Hugo Best Novel award this year. #hugoawards #hugo2024

#gottacatchemall @PuddleJumper (prompt 29. Meowth: There are pirates)

Another massive book in Erikson's epic Malazan Book of the Fallen series, this 8th installment took a long time to read, but I loved every minute of it. Much of the action takes place in the city of Darujhistan and we get reacquainted with a number of characters from earlier books.

Erikson juggles about a dozen storylines and even more points-of-view but it all worked for me.

I'd read this a few weeks ago with #FurrowedMiddlebrowClub but am just getting around to catching up with reviews. The story was predictable and full of outrageous cliches, but I enjoyed it all the same. I loved all the gothic elements!

I'm enjoying the Captain Alatriste historical adventure series, set in 17th century Spain. This 2nd book deals with the Spanish Inquisition's persecution of those with Jewish blood -- some serious themes mixed in with swashbuckling fun.

I'd read this for May's #FoodandLit challenge. My husband and I visited Barcelona last fall and loved the offerings at the pincho bars, so I included a couple of photos here. @Catsandbooks @Texreader

I loved the premise of this historical fantasy set in an alternate Edwardian England, but I found the story's pace very slow and the extremely long and graphic sex scenes quite tedious. I was listening to the audiobook version and didn't want to skip ahead in case I missed some crucial plot point. 😂

I picked this book up because the series was nominated for the Hugo Best Series award, but I'm not inclined to continue. #hugoawards #hugo2024

A low pick for me. I'm not as fond of the Rebus books that focus on the gang wars in Edinburgh but it was still a good mystery.

#gottacatchemall @PuddleJumper (prompt 60. Mimikyu: Horror, thriller or mystery)
#BacklistReadathon @clwojick @TheAromaofBooks
#SeriesLove2024 @Andrew65 @TheSpineView

It hurts me to rate a Martha Wells book anything less than a wholehearted pick, but I just couldn't get into this one. The opening scene was fantastic and I liked the world Wells created, but the story seemed to drag on.

It did get a Hugo Best Novel nomination, though, so a lot of others must have liked it! #hugoawards #hugo2024

#gottacatchemall @PuddleJumper (prompt 55. Sirfetch'd: Titled character)

I'd read this a few weeks ago and enjoyed the #NancyDrewBR discussion hosted by @Librarybelle, but I'm just now catching up with a bunch of reviews.

This was another good installment in the series. I especially liked that we got a proper introduction to Ned Nickerson.

#gottacatchemall @PuddleJumper (prompt 13. Combee: Triad or 3 best friends)
#52bookclub24 (prompt 28. A yellow spine)

A low pick. A bit slow at times, but has loads of interesting facts about sheep. The author provides many historical details related to the raising of sheep for food and wool, and discusses environmental and political issues that are relevant today.

#gottacatchemall @PuddleJumper (prompt 52. Farfetch'd: Set in the countryside)

I loved this story about a 4-year-old Indigenous girl who goes missing. The story that evolves is both intriguing and moving. Highly recommended!

#gottacatchemall @PuddleJumper (prompt 21. Karrablast Blue cover)

Still catching up with reviews from the past weeks. I really enjoyed rereading this book, one of my favourites, with commentary from @BarkingMadRun and the #HashTagBrigade.

I also rewatched the classic Hitchcock adaptation recently and it was interesting comparing the book and movie.

#gottacatchemall @PuddleJumper (prompt 59. Mimiky: Re-read a favourite book)

Catching up with reviews. I'd finished this a couple of weeks ago with #ClassicLSFBC and enjoyed it very much. It's a well-paced and thought-provoking read with themes typical of sci-fi from the Cold War era.
@RamsFan1963 @Ruthiella

I really enjoyed this story and loved the characters. I told my daughter, “When your Dad and I can't live independently anymore, can you find me a luxury senior's home where the residents solve mysteries and drink lots of wine?“

#AwesomeApril @Andrew65
#gottacatchemall @PuddleJumper (prompt 47: Polteageist, Cosy mystery)

A low pick for me. The story was so-so but I liked the 18th-century London setting of this historical mystery and its references to real-life characters.

I'm using this for prompt 2 (Bibliosmia: A smelly book) of #52bookclub24. My daughter, who knows I love Penguin green mysteries, found this old musty copy. I'm sure it smells just like the London bookshop where she got it!

#gottacatchemall @PuddleJumper (prompt 56. Sirfetch'd: Historical)

I finished this second Laundry Files book because the entire series was nominated for a Hugo award, and I'm working through the nominees. This one is a mix of Lovecraftian horror and James Bond spy thriller. It's a decent story but the humour is not really my cup of tea, so I don't think I'll be continuing the series, at least not for now.

#hugoawards #hugo2024

Another good installment in the October Daye series, but I did find one thing disappointing. I was excited that this book was set in Toronto (close to where I live) but almost all the action happened in the hidden faerie realm. The only Toronto references were the overused Tim Hortons jokes. We really do have more than Tim Hortons here in Canada! 😄

An excellent book describing the science, history and politics surrounding forest fires. Vaillant gives a gripping account of the 2016 Fort McMurray wildfire in Canada, and explains how climate change has led to an increase of such fires.

I highly recommend the audiobook version.

#AwesomeApril @Andrew65

April was a good #BookSpinBingo month – finished my #BookSpin and #DoubleSpin books and also got 2 bingos.! Thanks to @TheAromaofBooks for hosting!

My May #BookSpinBingo list!
@TheAromaofBooks

The view from Crescent Street in Montreal.

This is the first part of Richardson's Pilgrimage series. The writing is beautiful but it takes some effort to appreciate the stream-of-consciousness style and accept the lack of a structured plot.

I used this for prompt 47 of the #52bookclub24, “Self-insert by an author“, as the book supposedly follows the real-life experiences of Richardson.

These are the books I've got planned for the #AwesomeApril readathon! @Andrew65

The memoirs of a journalist who fled Eritrea after speaking out against the government, this is one of my favourite books of 2024 so far. It's an exciting and inspiring story.

Sadly, the author died of COVID in 2021, but he did manage to reunite with his family in Canada. I highly recommend the audiobook narrated by his son.

#gottacatchemall @PuddleJumper (prompt 49, Mr. Rime: Reccommended by friends or family)

I just came back from a gigantic book sale for charity that happens in my community every year. I picked up the Nancy Drew books, as they'll be coming up soon in the #NancyDrewBR hosted by @Librarybelle.

Reading the ND books these past months has made me nostalgic for the childhood mystery series I loved, so when I saw these Vicki Barr books, I had to bring them home too!

Good storytelling in this YA fantasy containing elements of East Asian folklore.

#gottacatchemall @PuddleJumper (prompt 46, Polteageist: Possessive or posessed character)
#52bookclub24 (prompt 15, Part of a duology)

I really enjoyed this latest installment of the #NancyDrewBR. It featured some interesting elements: a secret code, a mysterious perfume and even a cult!
@Librarybelle

#gottacatchemall @PuddleJumper (prompt 7, Wooloo: Farm or farmer)

An excellent collection of interconnected short stories set in the Filipino-Canadian community. The author explores both the joyous and painful experiences of reuniting with family members after many years apart.

#gottacatchemall @PuddleJumper (prompt 68, Lapras: There is a journey)

This book is a low pick for me. It's a somewhat random collection of thoughts on silence, some insightful and others that were less interesting. Either way, it has definitely made me appreciate silence more.

This might be a stretch, but I'm using this book for prompt 30, “Meowth: Treasure“ for #gottacatchemall, since the theme of the book is that silence is to be treasured, and we all know that “Silence is golden“! @PuddleJumper

I bailed on my #BookSpin choice and my library hold for my #DoubleSpin choice didn't come in on time, but it was a pretty good reading month otherwise, with 2 bingo lines.

Thanks @TheAromaofBooks for hosting #BookSpinBingo!

A reread of book 2 in the Expanse, one of my favourite sci-fi series. I love this installment for its unlikely friendships: Amos/Prax and Bobbie/Avasarala. The TV adaptation of this novel is even better!

This is the 5th and final book I finished for the #MarvellousMarch readathon. Thanks to @Andrew65 for hosting!

#gottacatchemall @PuddleJumper (prompt 17, Vespiquen: Woman in charge)

Such a charming booking, with a lovely peaceful cover! Of course all the answers are found at the library. 😄

#MarvellousMarch @Andrew65
#gottacatchemall @PuddleJumper (prompt 43, Sinistea: Tea cup on cover)

My April #BookSpinBingo list! @TheAromaofBooks

Excellent space opera, with an interesting array of characters and a lot of unexpected twists in the plot. Nice to see that the book received a Hugo Best Novel nomination this year. #hugoawards #hugo2024

#MarvellousMarch @Andrew65
#gottacatchemall @PuddleJumper (prompt 32, Perrserker: Warrior or soldier character)

The Hugo nominees were announced yesterday and these are the Best Novel nominees. The full list of nominees can be found at https://locusmag.com/2024/03/2024-hugo-astounding-and-lodestar-awards-finalists/.

I've read Starter Villain and Some Desperate Glory and liked both very much. Is anyone else planning to read the Hugo nominees?

#hugoawards #hugo2024

This historical novel tells the story of a young Irish immigrant who settles in Quebec in the years leading up to the Lower Canada Rebellion in 1837-1838. I enjoyed the story and the author made the description of the historical events much more interesting than those in the history textbooks I had to read when growing up in Quebec.

#MarvellousMarch @Andrew65
#gottacatchemall @PuddleJumper (prompt 33, Perrserker: There is a battle)

This month's #FurrowedMiddlebrowClub book was a very enjoyable read. I liked that the plot wasn't totally predictable (at least not to me), and I thought Mrs. Millard was a great character.

@Aimeesue @batsy @CarolynM @catebutler @Cathythoughts @CatLass007 @elkeOriginal @erzascarletbookgasm @Jess_Read_This @jlhammar @julieclair @Kimzey @LeahBergen @Lizpixie @MrsK @quietjenn @rubyslippersreads @Ruthiella @Tamra @Teresereading @willaful

This was a low pick for me. I really liked the exploration of ideas and the plot was interesting and well paced, but it was a pretty gloomy story overall.

#LitsySciFiBookClub @TheSpineView
#192025 #1963 @Librarybelle
#gottacatchemall @PuddleJumper (prompt 61, Ponyta: Fantasy, paranormal, or sci-fi)

I enjoyed this account of the early female astronomers at the Harvard Observatory. Not surprising that they didn't get the salary or the respect they deserved at the time!

#gottacatchemall @PuddleJumper (prompt 26, Wheezing: Features a positive change)
#52bookclub24 (prompt 6, Women in STEM)

These are the books I'm working on for the #MarvellousMarch readathon hosted by @Andrew65. I hope I can get a few of them finished by the end of the month!

I really enjoyed this coming-of-age story. I loved all the characters, the Cork setting, the humour and the unexpected twists. However, I do have to say that there were other #LitsyToB24 picks I found more interesting and thought-provoking, if less enjjoyable. @squirrelbrain @Megabooks @BarbaraBB

#gottacatchemall @PuddleJumper (prompt 20, Karrablast: Instant connection)
#52bookclub24 (prompt 38, Published by Hachette)

This is a fun story about a researcher looking into the origins of fads and who ends up falling in love and herding sheep in the process.

#gottacatchemall @PuddleJumper (prompt 19, Karrablast: Excitable character)

I'd read the updated 1965 version of this book but some aspects still seemed very outdated and definitely cringey by today's standards. It was fun seeing Nancy and friends at a ranch setting but the plot was weaker than the previous #NancyDrewBR books. @Librarybelle

#gottacatchemall @PuddleJumper (prompt 12, Dubwool: Animal on cover)
#52bookclub24 (prompt 48,The word “secret“ in the title)

I made japchae while listening to The Good Son. I had a lot of the ingredients on hand, since Korean dishes and Chinese dishes (which I cook a lot) have many ingredients in common, but this was my first time cooking sweet-potato noodles.

#FoodandLit @Catsandbooks @Texreader

This psychological thriller set in South Korea is a low pick for me. On the one hand, the story was extremely disturbing and the narrator both unreliable and unlikeable. On the other hand, I couldn't stop reading once I started!

#FoodandLit @Catsandbooks @Texreader
#gottacatchemall @PuddleJumper (prompt 76, Corsola: Someone dies)
#52bookclub24 (prompt 9, A character-driven novel)

There was a lot that I liked about this book: the alternative history of the US, the obsessive personalities, the slow revealing of X's secrets, and the exploration of the characteristics of “art“.

I'm surprised that this didn't make the Tournament of Books shortlist (but glad it was included in #LitsyToB24). It seems just the sort of book that makes for good ToB discussion.
@squirrelbrain @Megabooks @BarbaraBB