Space Station Mir

This week's Top Ten Tuesday is a perpetual topic for me and most of the book lovers I know. The literal and the proverbial TBR shelf. I have both, but today, I'll stick to the ones on my literal shelves, and I'll try to go for the bonus points if I can. Looking forward to reading yours! Chag Pesach sameach to my fellow celebrants! Unread Books on My Shelves I Want to Read Soon (Bonus points if you tell us how long it’s been sitting on your shelf waiting for you.) Atomic Anna by Rachel Barenbaum--Let's see--I know I bought this after my book club read her book  A Bend in the Stars,  which was right when this one was coming out (my book clubs usually read books a year or so after they come out since they're easier to get at the library), and I bought it at a second-hand bookstore, so I'm going to say it's been on my shelf a bit less than two years. I'm planning to read it very soon, for the same book club. The Girl with the Louding Voice by Abi Daré--I bo

 With all of the mysteries and thrillers set in vacation spots, it almost seems easier to think of characters I wouldn't want to go on vacation with! I didn't finish writing this before Tuesday, but it's such a fun topic, I thought I'd go ahead and put mine out a little late. I'm excited to see what everyone else's ideas were! Happy Top Ten Tuesday! Characters I'd Like To Go On Vacation With The crew of The Wayfarer from The Long Way to a Small Angry Planet by Becky Chambers--would love to hang out with this diverse crew of humans, aliens, and AI, plus we could go anywhere in the universe (probably would NOT choose the small angry planet for a vacation though!) Nick, Charlie, Elle, and the rest of the crew from Heartstopper would be great vacation partners--would love to go to Paris with them, either when I was their age or if they were my age Viv from Legends & Lattes by Travis Baldree would be a fun vacation partner, and also good to have around in a p

I like this extremely timely topic, but I haven't read a lot of books that fit the criteria (below). I included some books I've read where content or title deal with water and some more that I haven't read yet, but are on my Goodreads TBR or just found on Goodreads that deal with spring, storms, water, or all of the above. Happy Top Ten Tuesday!   April Showers — Pick your own title for this one to reflect the direction you choose to go with this prompt ( books with rain on the cover/in the title, that have rainstorms in the story, or that have anything to do with rain ) Books That Remind Me of April Showers The Glass Hotel by Emily Mandel Drowning by T.J. Newman River of the Gods by Candie Millard The Spear Cuts Through Water by Simon Jimenez Goddess of Spring by P.C. Cast Skin of the Sea by Natasha Bowen Summer Bird Blue by Akemi Dawn Bowman--Haven't read it yet, but sea on the cover The Girl Who Belonged to the Sea by Katherine Quinn Shanghai Immortal by A.Y. Chao--W

Now that I have my laptop back, I'm reading less than I was without it (lots of Netflixing to make up for), but I'm still in a rather solid reading spree, which includes several other slower (nonfiction and poetry) reads that I'm reading alongside the faster genre fiction reads. I read all of my March book club reads, except one I couldn't get out of the library in time, in February, and so far still working on most of my April reads. Can I continue to keep up with four book clubs? We'll see!  Books Read This Month Storm the Earth by Rebecca Kim Wells--There should definitely be more duologies. This one is just fun with nonstop action, adventure, and dragons, plus an NBD bisexual protagonist, which I'm always glad to see more of. Double the Lies by Patricia Raybon--Mystery centering a Black, Christian woman detective in 1920s Denver--I found this on the recommendations table at the library, which has really been paying off for me lately! Would recommend--it has

It's hard to think of movie/TV shows I like that weren't books first! It feels like books are generally the litmus test for other media, so it's interesting to think of going the opposite direction. That has worked with some popular franchises like Star Trek and Star Wars--I also think Firefly and Buffy the Vampire Slayer have been novelized, if I'm not mistaken, so I guess it does go both ways. I've tried to come up with a few shows/movies that at least I think didn't have literary predecessors! Happy Top Ten Tuesday!  Topic idea from  Sabrina @  Notes From a Paper Plane Nomad . Movies/TV Shows That Would Have Made Amazing Books Monk--I've been watching this lately since it came to Netflix--I think police procedurals generally work better on TV, but Monk is so in his head and the show is more about the how/why than who, so books might be fun. Romantics Anonymous--I really love this movie, and since the protagonists both have social anxiety, a book could sh

I'm on a great roll with the books I'm reading for book clubs and review--looking forward to all of these, and at least the first one feels somewhat spring-like. Happy Top Ten Tuesday!  Books On My Spring 2024 TBR Elephants in Bloom by Cécile Cristofari (LibraryThing Early Reviewers)--Started this collection of SFF short stories--the first one had more of a surrealist feel, like a Karen Russell story. I know I'm going to savor these! People Love Dead Jews by Dara Horn (Book club read)--I wasn't sure if I'd be able to get through this but although the content is upsetting, it's also thoughtful and sometimes empowering, so I'm going to slowly push through. The Thursday Murder Club by Richard Osman (Other book club read)--One of my book clubs is reading this, so I'll finally get to see what all the hype is about! The Mostly True Story of Tanner and Louise (Yet another book club read) The Bloodstained Key by Charity Rau (LibraryThing Early Reviewers)--Bluebe

Usually, I don't reread a lot of books because I'm focused on what's next, or, these days, usually reading for multiple book clubs. There are some books that were very much of a place and time and I don't reread not because I'm afraid of not loving them as much but because I know I won't, because I've discovered upsetting things about the authors that damper my enjoyment of the books. I'm not going to mention those books, because that would be a different post. All of my most favorite books ( LOTR, Dune ) I've read more times than I can count, although I don't do annual rereads like I once did. So, I'd have to think of books I've both only read once and would at least theoretically be interested in reading again. However, I'll try to think of a few.   Happy Top Ten Tuesday! Books I'm Worried I Might Not Love As Much the Second Time Around Tehanu by Ursula K. Le Guin--I remember really loving this but it has been many, many years s

Oh wow, I love this week's Top Ten Tuesday topic from  Astilbe @  Long and Short Reviews . This is  probably a long list for me! I haven't exactly been keeping track though, so I had to check my search history to jog my memory. I also really appreciate that it's easy to look this up when you're reading an ebook--you don't even have to leave the book! I remember when my first grade teacher told me that her mother-in-law used to read with a dictionary and an atlas within convenient reach, and I always think of that when I highlight a phrase on my Kindle or reach over my paperback to grab my phone and type into Google. Weird or Funny Things I've Googled Thanks to a Book  Fire Island--I was reading Bad Summer People which takes place on Fire Island. I thought it was in Maine, but based on events in the book, I looked up to discover is, in fact, in New York. Mulcted--Phrase Richard Burton used in one of his letters that was shared in River of the Gods... it means to

Since I was still waiting on my laptop being repaired, I did a lot of reading this month. I also finished some books that I'd been savoring since 2023, and they were worth every minute. But, I got my laptop back just in time to make this post, so I can have pictures and descriptions, whooo! That said, I hope I can hold on to making more time to read as the year goes on.  Books Finished This Month Promises Stronger Than Darkness (Unstoppable #3) by Charlie Jane Anders--I'd been reading this since November, putting it down and picking it back up again because I didn't want it to end. Like the rest of the trilogy and everything by Anders, it's brilliant, thoughtful, and creative. My favorite character was Wyndgonk, and I'm so glad that we got fire's point of view in this book, and I also loved the bit with translating the Grattna's language--I wish we'd gotten that for Wyndgonk's language as well. But of course my biggest complaint is that this trilogy

 Writing this on my phone so bear with me. I just read Jana's list over at That Artsy Reader Girl (sorry can't link) and she had so many amazing  ideas. I'll try to think of a few.  Bookish Superpowers  Immediately pulling out all my favorite quotes from a book I've read, what character said them, the page number, etc.--Ereaders and quotable flags help with this, but it's not as good as Magic! Producing movies or shows for any book I want--It would be so great not to have to wait or rely on certain levels of popularity! Also, they would obviously have to not have stupid differences from the book! Being able to read any book I want when I want--i.e. not having to wait for the publisher or the library! (I would still wait for the author generally, though in certain cases, I'd accept a different author's version!) Probably falls under 3, but specifically,  be able to access any unknown, forgotten, misplaced, or unpublished manuscripts from authors I'd be in

I wanted to post this several weeks ago, but then my laptop broke, so here goes: There were more authors than I thought that I enjoyed and were new to me in 2023, including a number of the ARCs I reviewed. It's cool to be back to a place where I'm enjoying more ARCs than not--it helps to be picky and know what I like, especially imprints as well as authors I tend to like.  Best New-to-Me Authors in 2023 Brendan Slocumb-- The Violin Conspiracy was fascinating and well-written, looking forward to the next one! Nathan Harris- The Sweetness of Water was well-written and some of the best historical fiction I've read in a while.  Kathryn Troy-Read and loved 2 of her ARCs in 2023; looking forward to more! Shaunna J. Edwards/Alyson Richman-Another historical fiction duo I thought was top-notch and would read again.  Cathy Yardley-I loved the cozy romance in Role Playing and her snarky humor; would read more. Renée Gendron--Read her book for review and would continue the series; so

January was a great reading month, as usual! It's always good to get ahead on my goals for the year. This month, I also had time to read books for what ended up being 4 different book clubs (one of the books was the same), and I'm continuing with all of them for now since I'm interested in the next book they're reading, respectively, but it's also ok if I have to drop off one or two temporarily or permanently down the road.    Books I Read This Month Children of Virtue and Vengeance by Tomi Adeyemi-It's been a few years since I read the first book, which I enjoyed, but felt relatively YA/traditional epic fantasy except that it was African-inspired. I  liked this second book much better--it's more complex and grey, and does a haunting job of portraying the dynamic between groups that have been struggling against each other for generations, with different levels of power and oppression. The third book, Children of Anguish and Anarchy , is coming out this year,

 When I saw this TTT topic, I wasn't sure how many of these there would be since I don't worry too much about focusing on hot new reads each year. However, if I look back at my seasonal TBR lists from 2023 (excluding winter 2023-2024, since that's technically still not over!), there are some reads I haven't gotten to yet, as well as a lot that I did, or that I've already finished in 2024, like My Goodbye Girl. Happy Top Ten Tuesday! Books I Meant to Read in 2023 But Didn't Get To What You Are Looking For Is In the Library by Michiko Aoyama--I started it, but had to return it to the library before I finished, so waiting to get it again! Deacon King Kong by James McBride--Still listening to the audiobook; two more discs to go! Twelve Past Midnight by Tiffany Alexanderson (Fall 2023 TBR)-This one's a review book from LibraryThing. The premise, an ensemble timeloop in a fantasy world sounded interesting, but I didn't get pulled in right away, so I put it asi

  My Goodbye Girl by Anna Gomez This book was a surprisingly wild ride--I was expecting a "they-meet-up-every-few-years" -type romcom like One Day or A Lot Like Love . Instead, their global meetups are relatively close in time--and then there's a huge shake-up more than 60% of the way through the book that changes everything. The first part of the book was focused on the relationship conflict--she doesn't want commitment, he does; she's a traveler/pantser, he's a planner. The author skillfully evokes each global setting (Chicago, NYC, Hong Kong, Boracay, Santorini, etc.) in a short amount of time, sending the characters to local restaurants and reminiscing about their histories with each place. However, for me, the story truly acquired depth and stakes at that 60% point, and created a need for the characters to find a poignant and nuanced way back to each other. Normally, how I feel about a book 50 pages in is how I'll feel at the end, but this one was a

 I'm excited about my reading and other goals for 2024. In 2023, I did a lot of set up reading-, writing-, and life-wise, and now I feel ready to keep improving and having fun with my goals. I've already made headway on some of these goals, and I can see myself making them happen! I didn't post this on Tuesday, but here's the TTT link. Bookish Goals for 2024 Read 42 books--I again wanted to go a little easy on myself, but feeling up to this since my goal last year was 36 and I read 48. Read 11 (25%) books by authors of color, from this specific list (below)--I haven't been doing well with this goal in the past, so instead of the more vague "25%" goal, I'm defining 25% of my reading goal and actually creating a list of books I want to read that fit this criteria to choose from. If you're interested, my list below includes books that have been on my TBR awhile, including some literally on my shelves. Read and review all the books I've accepted fo

A Vision in Crimson by Kathryn Troy Release Date: January 23, 2024 (ONE WEEK FROM TODAY!) Preorder Here *Edited 1/23/24 to add* Now on sale here I loved Kathryn's Troy's epic fantasy novel The Shadow of Theron , which I reviewed last year, so I was thrilled to accept when she invited me to review an ARC for her upcoming novel, A Vision in Crimson (Frostbite #1) . This one has an entirely different premise: star-crossed witch and vampire lovers from opposite worlds of a portal fantasy. Troy's writing, however, is equally luscious and inventive, with literary homage spanning the gamut from Greek mythology to  Dracula to The Chronicles of Narnia. The male protagonist, Luca (derivative of the Stoker novel), is a dhampir--half-vampire, half-human, although in this lore, he functions more like a vampire except he can subsist on his own blood and is universally reviled. The female protagonist, Kate, is also from Earth, but Victorian era, when she and her brothers fell into a por

 I missed TTT the past couple weeks, and I'm more interested in reflecting on last year's reads, since, per usual, I'm not planning to read a lot of new releases this year. I read my most favorite books of 2023 toward the beginning of the year, probably since that's also when I read my most anticipated reads for the year, but a few sleeper hits snuck in at the end. Overall, it was a good and occasionally great reading year--toward the end there were some more mediocre reads, but I still don't regret them because I learned something from them and I also enjoy the experience of reading to discuss with other people at my book clubs.  Link to  Top Ten Tuesday! Favorite Books I Read in 2023 Legends & Lattes by Travis Baldree--I love how I had to request my library to purchase this in 2022, and it won the Nebula and the Hugo in 2023--very deservedly! I am loving the era of cozy fantasy! S easparrow by Kristin Cashore Dreams Bigger Than Heartbreak by Charlie Jane Ande

 I finished the ARC of  A Vision in Crimson (Frostbite Book 1)   in December, and spicy romantasy fans will be VERY satisfied! Please enjoy this sneak peek--my full review is coming next week! Release Date: January 23, 2024 (Two Weeks from Today!) Preorder Here. You can find the author, Kathryn Troy, @BathorysCloset.

 It's that time of year again--the end of the year. And with it, the dilemma--do I post this before the end of the year and risk missing something, or later and have it get caught up in all the 'best of' lists? Well, I guess I blew right past this and forgot to post it till now, so enjoy! Eight Nights of Flirting by Hannah Reynolds--Cute Hanukkah romance with the added bonus of a unique setting--winter in Nantucket--and an archaeological/anthropological mystery.  The Wartime Sisters by Lynda Cohen Loigman--Book club read, about two Jewish sisters who work at an armory in Boston during WWII--it's...fine, not a book I would have picked, but if you're interested in the historical setting, I'd recommend it.  The Collected Regrets of Clover by Mikki Brammer--Read this for a new book club (that brings me up to 3 😉)--I was apprehensive since it was compared to Eleanor Oliphant, a book that devastated me, but thankfully was unwarranted. It's a truly meaningful alth