Stopped by a Barnes & Noble and just wandered until something caught my eyes. Today‘s winners were the tagged book—I‘m not even sure I knew Bradbury wrote crime fiction—and a middle grade fantasy, the first couple of pages were very entertaining. Looking forward to the long weekend and some good reading.

Dug deep in the TBR stack for tonight‘s reading. I honestly don‘t remember how long this one has been sitting on my shelves but it‘s a really long time. 😬

This fast-paced middle grade adventure is a great choice for young readers who like riddles, lost treasure, a mysterious island, and a chance for someone who has never had anything to have it all. Benny has only a few weeks to solve the riddles and inherent a fortune. Time isn‘t on her side but with the help of some new friends, she just might be able to right an old wrong…and save a life or two in the process. First book in a new MG series.

I don‘t know what it is with me & books these days but I‘m having a hard time finding ones to connect with. Case in point, this story about the digging of the Panama Canal & the people involved, one way or another, tackles an interesting & needless to say important moment in history. And yet, the multiply storylines didn‘t coalesce the way I hoped & things felt rushed making it difficult to connect with the characters. Just an ok read for me.

In the end, this third and final book in the series simply didn‘t hold my attention. It started slow (and a little repetitious) and then by the time things really got going, I just didn‘t really care—scenes that should have dripped with emotional depth fell flat, the characters weren‘t convincing & things resolved themselves pretty easily. First book was definitely the best, the remainder of the series was never quite as good.

#Two4Tuesday

1. I would choose to learn Hieroglyphic.

2. And if I was going to read a book in that language, it would have to be the tagged one. Beyond that, I‘ve read a number of books in translation recently and two great ones are Kim Jiyoung, Born 1982 (originally published in Korean) and The Devotion of Suspect X (originally published in Japanese).

@TheSpineView

Daughter was home for a whirlwind weekend between the end of the semester and leaving for a couple of weeks of storm chasing (she does the coolest things in the summer) so I didn‘t do much reading the past couple of days. Going to try and find some time to start this one today.

A fun read which has me excited for the sequel (due out later this year). It‘s a generally familiar story—girl living on the margins (stealing to survive) has unexpected powers & finds herself thrown into the midst of a war centuries in the making. Near death, she is saved by an angry, damaged but yet honorable fae warrior…& then things really get going. As familiar as things are, the story is well told, the characters entertaining. I enjoyed it.

Reading this one and enjoying it even more than I expected to…a nice surprise…

#Two4Tuesday

1. Two authors (I‘m sorry I couldn‘t choose just one!) I‘ve discovered recently—and whose books I‘ve been reading about as quickly as I can get my hands on them—are Keigo Higashino and William Kent Krueger. Both write mysteries, albeit very different ones, and I can‘t get enough.

2. Tagged book is fantastic. Took me way too long to get around to reading it.

@TheSpineView

If you‘re a fan of epic fantasy set in a world on the verge of an industrial revolution—even as magic lingers—there‘s a lot to like about this story told from three POVs as a looming war collides with a spreading plague and perhaps the end of everything (not because of war but because of something to do with magic). I enjoyed this although found the story wandered occasionally. It‘s an interesting story but I‘m undecided on continuing the series.

Found this come on the sale shelf at my local LCS on Free Comic Book Day—caught my attention because it‘s about a detective working in Hawaii. Read that and I immediately thought of Magnum P.I. As you do… It‘s an entertaining mystery with an hard-boiled detective, mobsters, mistresses, and more. And for a bonus, I discovered it was signed by the writer—somehow missed that when I bought it. Entertaining and I‘ll read the next volume.

Nothing like picking up a hardcover book (tagged) for $11…added the middle grade book (it has good reviews) just because.

#WondrousWednesday @Eggs

Thanks for the tag @TheSpineView !

1. Most recent book purchase was the tagged book (which I really liked) along with The Floating World (also good) and Grave Empire (good so far).

2. I do enjoy reviewing books and do so either on Litsy or at my book club where I always give a rundown of what I‘ve read, recommend and why.

#Two4Tuesday

1. I prefer reading sitting down but honestly, I‘ll read standing up, laying down, occasionally on the stationary bike (when I should really be focused on the exercising, not the reading…😬), leaning against a wall, you name it…so pretty much any which way I can.

2. Just started the tagged book last night. So far it‘s intriguing. Epic fantasy seem to be working for my reading brain right now.

@TheSpineView

This YA steampunkish fantasy moves along at a fast clip, things falling into place quickly & often predictably. This story about a young woman with mysterious powers, the assassins sent to eliminate her, & a long-ago friend who tries to help her (in spite of himself) is nevertheless entertaining & likely to be a hit with young readers looking for adventure with a healthy dose of humor & a dash of romance. First in a new series.

It‘s been forever & a day since a book so thoroughly captured my attention (which would surprise the reviewers I‘ve read who describe the pacing as very slow). A fantasy that relies on many familiar tropes, it nonetheless entertains & keeps you guessing with big reveals upending everything. I disliked the protagonist but couldn‘t get enough…best of all, I have an idea about where the story might go & it will be great if it does. Entertaining read.

Starting this one today…

New books! Because somehow I don‘t already have enough…😬😂🤦‍♀️

This one was a lot of fun. Miles Warren comes from a family of psychics so when he starts seeing a mysterious boy he doesn‘t know every time he looks in a mirror, he knows something is up. When the boy turns out to be from a rival family his parents really really dislike, he knows it probably means big trouble—especially since the visions warn of the boy‘s murder. Warring families, magic, secrets, friendship, romance…an entertaining YA read.

So far I‘m enjoying this one a lot…

This is very much a middle book—the board was set (in the first book) & now it‘s time to split the group up &, ultimately, leave the heroes hanging by a thread…which is to say, Rollins uses a very familiar structure replete with all the tropes you would expect to find in an epic quest. Occasionally gripping, the story is also overly long with uneven pacing. Still, it‘s engaging enough I‘ll finish the trilogy.

#Two4Tuesday

1. I do—best room in the house! I have about 3,000 books give or take. Most can be found in the library although I have books in just about every room.

2. Tagged—second book in the Morrigan Crow series more than lived up to the potential of the first.

@TheSpineView

This is one of those books…I like it (& am definitely going to read the third) but I had moments while reading it when I asked myself if I really liked it or not. My guess would be that it‘s a pacing issue and when the book would occasionally get dense, & it did, I would get impatient…I kept reading though because the characters are interesting, it‘s a fascinating world, & because the plot is just complex enough. Entertaining…for the most part.

Finished a reread of the first book in this series so now it‘s on to this one and then the third (and final I think?!?) book in the series…

In the end, I was totally fixated on the obvious fact the main character was poorly suited for her job—something when the author undoubtedly wanted the reader to know but probably not fixate on—and that distracted me from the story which was okay but ultimately not that compelling. In a story about relations—with lovers, friends, colleagues—I somehow didn‘t find myself really caring about any of them. Fine, just not particularly memorable.

Trying to be better about reading books when I buy them (so that they don‘t languish on my shelves until I lose interest 😬). This one caught my eye yesterday so it‘s up next.

This sequel to Dark Rise is every bit as tense & exciting as the first with all the adventure, danger, death, betrayal, magic, & secrets you could want. More big reveals raise the stakes, choices lead to further complications and then of course everything gets turned on its head. Now comes the wait—however long it might be—for the third and final book. A very entertaining read as I expected.

Went to the bookstore for the tagged book…and since I was there, I had to visit the sale section (of course) which is where I found the other two books. So, I suppose this is also my periodic reminder that if you ever find yourself in Chicago and want to visit a bookstore, Unabridged Bookstore is fantastic and their sale section always has great deals.

#Two4Tuesday

1. I do…I am very much a “just in case” type of person.

2. Tagged a favorite which is all about wealth and power and socio-economic stratification and what it means for society (amongst other things). I would say both having/not having money plays a huge role in how many of the characters behave and how they view others.

@TheSpineView

Started this middle book in a YA fantasy series last night. (Finally decided it had languished on the shelf too long.) 😬 The first book ended with a fantastic reveal and takes that reveal and runs with it. I‘m expecting an entertaining read & then, most likely, a bit of a wait for the third one.

(Also, I really like the font it‘s using…)

Set in 1934, this engaging YA book tells the story of Joe Garbe who travels from his small town to Chicago in order to earn money so he can save his family farm. The city is big & fast moving & Joe is soon given an opportunity to make money fast & he has to decide what he‘s willing to do & who he is willing to become. Joe also finds himself torn between two boys as he gets introduced to queer life in the city. A familiar but well-executed story.

Definitely me and not the book…probably…maybe…likely…🤷‍♀️ I just could not get into it—which I suspect will make me an outlier when we discuss it at book club—and I had to force myself to finish it. It‘s not bad, the writing is, in fact, excellent but I just didn‘t find the story interesting & in the end, I really didn‘t connect with the characters. Just a so-so read for me although I get why other people like & why it gets such good reviews.

Even better than the first book in the series, this sequel offers even more adventure, danger, & mystery. There are strange disappearances, blackmail, friendship, rivalry, & fabulous creatures. The world building is top notch, the characters intriguing, & the story engaging. This well-written series, which is occasionally a little slow moving, is great for young readers as well as readers of any age who appreciate a well told story.

I‘m having the worst time settling into a book. I start one and then…I just don‘t pick it up again…so going with Morrigan Crow since this one has been on the shelf way too long. I really enjoyed the first book in the series so I‘m hopeful this one will not only grab but also hold my attention. (In fairness to the other books I‘ve started and then sort of left languishing, I must admit I think it‘s me not them…😬😂)

This series about the one and only reader of a novel published online who finds himself plunged into the world of the story just keeps getting better and better—higher stakes and greater complexity in each installment. In this outing the main character makes moves to confront a powerful enemy and also finds himself fighting against a plagiarist of the original novel who has his own plans for the game. Entertaining read for sure.

Author blurbs aren‘t always reliable but I‘m hoping Patrick Ness is right about this one…

This book is a powerful & compelling look at the merging of politics, religion, & big money—we‘re talking BIG money (coming from a handful of very rich people)—in building a decidedly undemocratic, illiberal movement that seeks to redefine what the US is, identify exactly who is an American, & to shape the country‘s future by dragging us into the past. I can‘t even imagine what it was like for the author to immerse herself in this world. Scary.

Time to start my irl book club book—although this isn‘t a book I‘ve had any interest in reading, everyone else is excited about it. I‘ve heard only good things so hopefully I‘ll be pleasantly surprised.

I enjoyed this atmospheric mystery set in India which occasionally moved a little slowly but which always gave you reasons to turn the page. A young girl is murdered in quiet, predominantly Hindu village. An itinerant Muslim man falls under suspicion & tensions rise as the villagers look to exact revenge. Racing to find the truth before it‘s too late, Ombir Singh delves into the lives & secrets of villagers. Well-written, entertaining read.

This was my Saturday…this was another super fun LoTR set. My only complaint is that the build was over too fast! But that‘s really more of a me problem….😬

Makes me want to reread the books…

#Two4Tuesday

1. I was the student that actually liked doing homework…and then I decided I liked school so much I went to graduate school. So yeah, a pretty good student.

2. The tagged book is one of my all time favorite YA books by one of my all time favorite authors with one of my all time favorite covers (which I once had a very memorable conversation about with Dan Santat).

@TheSpineView

Starting this one tonight…

I didn‘t love it…which honestly, comes as a surprise because everything else I‘ve read by Russell I really enjoyed. It has the right ingredients—interesting setting (Dust Bowl), a witch, a sentient scarecrow, a mystery, but…BUT, it‘s ponderous & slow moving, told in multiple POVs which aren‘t all that distinctive, & somehow (impossibly) devoid of emotional depth. I really should have cared about these characters & I just didn‘t. Just a so-so read.

It‘s a good day when “work” means you get to read about shipwrecks. Today‘s work is focused on a shipwreck in the Java Sea—60,000+ glazed bowls, spice filled jars, objects in gold and silver, bronze mirrors, and more discovered in a vessel that sunk over 1,000 years ago.

There is nothing more horrific than the violence humans can inflict on each other, something Jones understands well. Good Stab is a Blackfeet Indian of unnaturally long life & from the moment he starts telling his story to the Lutheran pastor of a church in Montana, this tension filled, violent story wends its way towards an inevitable, heartbreaking end. As the dust jacket says, this is an American Indian revenge story & it is a fantastic read.

Another informative read. This one discusses how institutions within our system of government—such as the Electoral College & lifetime appointments to the Supreme Court—advantage minority rule & are undemocratic. The chapter “The Banality of Authoritarianism” describes how easy it is for democracies to backslide, how laws/loopholes are taken advantage of & how you can see it happening today. Lots more, plus ideas on how to protect our democracy.

A fast, informative read that speaks to the way in which we describe, label, & investigate political movements/actors & how the media covers them. What is most interesting is the argument we don‘t have the right vocabulary to accurately describe what we see happening in the US (and other places too) and because we don‘t the media inevitably risks normalizing things. It‘s a sobering look at the importance of language & reporting on current events.

Next…

This book doesn‘t know what it wants to be—a memoir? a love-letter to K-pop? a critique of K-pop?an indictment of politics, religion & fandom?—with the result that it is repetitious, surface level in its commentary, & ultimately, for me, disappointing. The author has a lot of opinions & offers them freely without any obvious knowledge of (or doing research on) what she is opining on which distracts from what could have been an interesting memoir.