As always, Isaka knows how to write interesting characters & this one features another assassin who you can‘t help but root for (even when you know you shouldn‘t). I didn‘t enjoy this one as much as the other Isaka books I‘ve read—the assassin spends most of the book more afraid of his wife than the potential repercussions of his job & he has a lot to say about her which definitely gets old. So, it‘s okay & I‘ll read the next but not my favorite.

A UC Berkley sociologist spent 5 years conducting research in Louisiana as she sought to understand political divisions in our country & why people vote the way they do even in the face of seemingly obvious contradictions. One thing that becomes apparent is the tension between economic and emotional self-interests & the profound impact of the former in recent elections. A fascinating, even-handed, accessible, & thought-provoking read.

A little quiet reading time to start the day…

This series just keeps getting better and better…and it‘s not done yet. This fantasy series might be marketed as YA but it‘s a great read for anyone—fantastic world building that draws inspiration from a wide variety of sources, flawed interesting characters easy to root for and against, and a plot that has all the twists and turns and SURPRISES you could want. The wait for the next one is going to be difficult…

Decided I wanted to do more reading to try and understand where—waves hands around—we find ourselves today. Klein‘s book is an eye-opener that examines, among other topics, the role of identity, the desire to be a winner (in politics like in sports), the psychology behind why people vote the way they do, media & the press, the difference between Democrats & Republicans and how to manage polarization going forward. A fascinating, informative read.

Sometimes the decision about what to read next is really easy…

Another quick, fun Cork O‘Conner mystery. The premise of this one gets a little out there but it doesn‘t really matter because you get to spend more time with Cork and his family and, most of all, Henry Meloux. As always the story starts fast and then Krueger keeps cranking up the tension…and then in this one the ending hits hard too. If you love mysteries and haven‘t started this one, I can‘t recommend it highly enough. Another good read.

Another reread for me—with books two & three sitting on the shelves—so I can continue the series. I enjoyed it this time just as much as I did the first time. Interesting story about a girl who hides the fact she can see the dead (because that will get you killed where she lives) only to find herself caught up in political intrigue in the most dangerous place possible for her. Interesting magic system in a complex, dark fantasy world.

My reading is all over the place these days—very hard to settle on something but I was really entertained by this story. Ken Kaneki is excited when a girl he likes asks him out. His excitement turns to horror when he discovers she‘s a ghoul & is mostly interested in eating him. 😬 And then he wakes up half human/ghoul & what that means will change everything for Ken. Dark manga at its best & an interesting take on the ghoul/zombie story.

Going with another reread today since the sequel is languishing on my shelf and third book is also out… I don‘t remember how I got my hands on an ARC but I remember enjoying it when I read it the first time. We‘ll see if it holds up.

This second book offers more of everything—more POVs, complexity, twists & turns, people & gods to hate & fear and at the center of it all, Cahan Du-Nahere, a man desperately fighting against what he is destined to become. Barker‘s writing is occasionally denser than it needs to be, but the world building is top notch, the magic system strange & compelling, the characters flawed and intriguing. Another good read. Finale should be awesome!

Reread of first book is done so now it‘s on to the second in The Forsaken trilogy.

Starting the weekend with a reread since the second book in the series has been sitting on my shelves for more than a few months. I remember liking this the first time I read it. I think I‘m enjoying it even more this time!

🌅📖☕️

I didn‘t enjoy this one quite as much as some of the others in the series but I was nevertheless entertained. And as the narrator promised, lots of gruesome, horrible things unfolded over the course of the story. Kosuke Kindaichi is a great character and I look forward to reading more books in the series.

In other book to the small/big screen news, there is going to be a LoTR cast reunion panel at C2E2 in April. Beyond excited about this—good thing I got my tickets early. Love the books and I also really love Peter Jackson‘s movies. Thrilled to have an opportunity to listen to these actors talk about the movies and bringing the characters to life.

We‘re going on an adventure!!!

Please let this be good…because Murderbot deserves only the best and so do we!

Hands down one of my favorite series ever and I‘m really curious to see what it will look like on the small screen.

MURDERBOT!!! 🤖

Started this last night and have to say, one of my favorite thing about the books in this series is that they almost always start with the narrator telling you they can‘t believe all the horrible things that they are about to tell you about…and then they proceed to tell you about all sorts of horrible murders. It‘s awesome how the narrator is always “I don‘t want to tell you about these bad things but here we go!”

While reading this, I could tell it was from earlier in Wells career but even so, it was a fun and entertaining read. Wells knows how to write great characters, create intriguing magic systems, and build fascinating worlds. This one proved to be no exception and, needless to say, I‘ll keep working my way through her backlist.

Actually the second issue—and two issues in, this comic is proving to be a compelling mystery set in the Dust Bowl. An intrepid photographer, a sheriff haunted by WWI, a family looking for a better life, & town residents who are just trying to survive. Good story, even better art—this is a gorgeous comic rendered all the more compelling by a muted color palette as dusty as dirt. Rated teen plus & so far, a fun & interesting read.

I‘m slowly working my way through Wells‘ backlist. Haven‘t been disappointed yet so I‘m expecting this will be another great book!

Likely an unpopular opinion but I thought this one was just okay. Entertaining enough but I found myself skimming in places and never really got attached to the characters. Is it a good read for a flight or a lazy afternoon? Sure. Is it particularly memorable? Not so much. I typically like Hazelwood‘s stories but this one was just so-so for me.

As always, Shusterman asks a very interesting question in his latest YA science fiction story. What if there was a pandemic, one with a mortality rate higher than Covid, caused by a virus that, if you survived, left you feeling content…happy…unburdened by negative emotions, a need for money, a new found wonder for the world… How would you react? Would this be good for the world? Or bad? Really, really interesting story & a lot to think about.

Have to go with Shusterman to start the weekend…

Loved it—this was absolutely fantastic! The second Detective Galileo mystery, featuring a detective and his best friend who is a physics professor, was every bit as good as the first. While you know, more or less, very quickly who the culprit is, it is the investigation of the “how” that drives the narrative. A seemingly impossible crime, preconceptions, betrayals, secrets…all the ingredients come together in a very satisfying story. Excellent.

A gorgeous graphic memoir, aimed at young readers, about the author‘s middle school & high school years. Loewinsohn often lets the art tell the story (notes that look like they were ripped out of a spiral notebook are interspersed amongst the comic panels) which means that the narrative meanders, something I didn‘t mind because there is so much to see. A memoir about friendship, art, & finding your way. Contemplative & visually entertaining.

Yay for Tuesday and some new books ahead of a couple of days of snowy weather…

❄️📚

Going with another mystery for tonight‘s reading…

Ohh, this was good. I think I liked this one even better than the first—and while the story seems to be wrapped up for now, it looks like there will be more sometime in the future. Which is good because Corland knows how to tell an entertaining story. This one has all the right ingredients—friendship, love, danger, lies, secrets, loads of action, more than a little tension, & betrayal. Fantastically flawed, interesting characters too. A good read.

Today‘s book haul…

Hot cup of tea + a new book = the best way to handle a rainy Friday in January. It‘s a gorgeous edition. Hopefully this one is as entertaining as the first one was.

🌧️🫖📖

Took my time with this one because I was having so much fun I didn‘t want finish it. I don‘t know what it says about me that I was rooting for each of the assassins—as they take on their jobs (which soon intersect)—to the very end. 😬 As you can imagine, however, with so many assassins populating this thriller, there‘s a lot of murder & mayhem. Love the dialog, love how clearly/distinctly each character is written. A fast, very entertaining read.

Next…

This will likely be a love it/hate it book for readers…Kang‘s writing is exquisite—painful, heartbreaking, beautiful, & unrelenting as she tells the story of a friendship (in the present) & the massacre of residents of Jeju Island (an effort to root out communists) in the not too distant past. It‘s a powerful examination of the past & the horrors people will inflict on each other (youngest & oldest included). A particularly timely read right now.

New Han Kang so of course I have to read it next!

The plot thickens in Vol. 4 and, because they have too, things get even more complicated and unpredictable. Dokja is the only reader of a lengthy web published novel, a story he now finds himself in and while that definitely gives him some advantages, the story didn‘t originally include him and his actions are changing things…as are those of other players. It‘s definitely a wild ride and a great read. Entertaining story, lively & colorful art.

Excellent manga that tells a powerful, often heartbreaking, story about bullying, in its various forms from perpetrator to bystander, and its lasting effects. When a young man bullied a classmate in elementary school because she couldn‘t hear, he changed her life as well as his. Now in high school he regrets what he, and others did, and hopes to make things right. Other themes include suicidal thoughts, forgiveness, jealousy, & guilt. Great read.

My daughter knows Pride and Prejudice is one of my all time favs so whenever she goes somewhere and has extra time, she‘ll look for an edition that I don‘t have or which she just thinks is really cool. Needless to say, I love whatever she finds but have to say that she really outdid herself this time as she got me this Korean edition while in Seoul. Love the cover…need to start working on my Korean…❤️🦚📖🇰🇷

This novella is a fast, fun read at just around 100 pages. A group of acquaintances (not even they would call themselves friends…exactly) meet every night in a graveyard when they all step out of their jobs for a smoke. One night they find a hole…where there wasn‘t one the night before. That hole taken together with a mysterious outbreak of sudden acts of violence by people in town demands answers…which involves rats &…more. As I said, a fun read.

This was good but not Bullet Train or The Devotion of Suspect X good. An award winning Japanese locked room murder mystery, this book is about two friends who believe they can solve a 40 year old cold case that has long stumped the police as well as amateur detectives. All the clues are there & interestingly enough, the author interjects two notes within the text urging readers to try and solve the crime before the friends do. Entertaining read.

So good—the blurbs on the cover are 100% correct. This book is ingenious, excellent, & elegant. I might also add well-crafted, tense, & compelling. There is also more than one surprise which upends everything & leaves you guessing. Great characters, emotional depth, & an intricate plot easily make this one of the best mysteries I‘ve read recently. The translation is excellent, very fluid, and this was a very enjoyable, engaging read.

This was the most fun I‘ve had reading a book in a while. A man boards a bullet train looking for revenge, another pair of men board with a suitcase full of money & a hostage they rescued. A a third boards sure that the “easy” job he is on will somehow go wrong…and that‘s not everyone. Twists & turns & Thomas the Train not to mention one reveal after another constantly raises the tension on this really fun, violent, entertaining read. Loved it.

This one starts fast and I must say, so far I‘m really entertained! 🚆

This quiet, powerful story tackles school bullying, anxiety, stress, forgiveness, & friendship. Seven students, victims of school bullying, find themselves traveling through a mirror & into a mysterious castle where one of them will be granted a wish. The story unfolds slowly as they overcome their distrust, learn to open up & trust again, & as they find the courage to confront their fears. Twists at the end offer even more emotional depth. ❤️

Read this for work & thought I would mention it for two reasons. First, if you are interested in geography, mapmaking, the process of discovery, this offers a fascinating, albeit it scholarly, look at the subject (fair warning, it is definitely aimed at students/academics). More importantly, every time I read something like this, I marvel at people venturing out into the world without GPS, without knowing much about what is beyond the horizon.

Today‘s reading is an award winning book from Japan…

Spending time with the Forgers never disappoints! Love this story and these characters. Anya is a delight—and never more so than in this one when she and Damian try to find time to meet…alone…and of course nothing goes according to plan! Friendship, spy battles, Yor‘s cooking, finals, you name it, this installment has a lot going on. Fabulous, frenetic, and always fun, Spy X Family is simply the best. 😍 Highly recommend the entire series.

I didn‘t like this standalone book quite as much as Tan‘s Daughter of the Moon Goddess/Heart of the Sun Warrior duology but it was still a fun, fast paced, entertaining read. Gods, mortals, evil flying creatures, portals, love (lost and perhaps found), danger and high stakes—if you like all these things, you‘ll find a lot to like in this book. Great characters, great world building—Tan is a great writer and knows how to tell a good story.

#Two4Tuesday

1. Absolute favorite thing in winter is reading a good book with a hot cup of tea while snow is falling outside. Love the quiet, love looking out the window and seeing the snow, love diving back into the book.

2. Sometimes when I read the tagged book it‘s as if I can feel the cold wind, hear the crunch of snow under my feet. More than any other book I‘ve read, this one makes me FEEL winter.

@TheSpineView

Vol. 3 and this series is getting better & better now that we are fully involves involved in the game. What really makes this story work is the main character, Dokja, who is not only surviving but also actually thriving because he‘s read the book, he knows what happens &, most importantly, he‘s good at adapting when his actions change what happens. More danger, bigger monsters, & even great evil in this one. Fun & very entertaining series.

Fluffy snow is falling and everything is quiet—perfect reading conditions. Think I‘ll start this one today.