RIP (Read In Progress) Wednesday

[quillpunk]

The bell is ringing. It is Wednesday.

What are you reading? 👀

Comments

[goodbyebird]

Finally done with a couple of books I did not enjoy but stubbornly finished as they're part of my bingo card this year. Now I'm reading Gideon the Ninth on my phone, and Bardugo's The Familiar when I get to cozy up at home. So far, so good!

[white_aster]

Still plunking along, so I have not finished anything this week.

I AM still reading:

Monsters: A Fan's Dilemma by Claire Dederer
I described this book to a friend as "It's like she's got some great points buried in a big pile of other stuff I care nothing about". Which is accurate. I've highlighted a bunch of the good points, but then she gets into talking about genius artists I've never heard of, and I lose interest. At least I'm almost finished with it.

Armageddon Science: The Science of Mass Destruction by Brian Clegg
This book continues to be a slog. I am determined to get through this book in the next week if it kills me, solely because I am tired of looking at it.

And I started:

A Stroke of the Pen: The Lost Stories by Terry Pratchett
Newly released book of short stories Sir Terry wrote under an early pseudonym. I've read one story, which was "eh", but at least was short. Even if the whole book's that way, at least it, as well, is short.

I also just picked up a borrow of:

Dead Silence by S.A. Barnes
After the nonfiction and short stories, I think I'll need some space horror as a palatte cleanser. I hope this is good, as reviews seem to be mixed on it.

[senmut]

Just finished Snow White and Rose Red by Patricia Wrede.

Reading Rights of Man by Thomas Paine for my Banned Book square next. (Banned in the UK at publication, it was the specific reason he was labeled a traitor to the King and State)

[senmut]

Did Bardugo's writing improve? I ask because I really wanted to read more, but the first GrishaVerse novel was boring in the prose to me. (First books often are). Would the Crows be a better place for me to try?

[stonepicnicking_okapi]

I love Gideon!

[stonepicnicking_okapi]

It Came From the Closet: Queer Reflections on Horror ed. Joe Vallese. Only 2 chapters in, but so far, it's awesome. Each chapter is an essay by a different author and focused on different horror film.

[goodbyebird]

I haven't read either, it's my first book of hers! (the gothic cover truly sucker punched me lol)

[goodbyebird]

I've been made well aware of how fannishly beloved they are :D

[goodbyebird]

Oh, excellent! I linked an essay a few days ago that I very much enjoyed, so my eye is on the book as well.

[stonepicnicking_okapi]

I've only read the first 2 essays (but they include the one you referenced on Jennifer's Body) but I like them.

[rekishi]

I read "The Girl Who Fell Beneath the Sea" which was okay but sort of a bit too streamlined? I saw the twist coming, which isn't a bad thing at all! But a few things were going slightly too smoothly, I thought.

Interestingly, I see some parallels between this book and "Guardian of the Dead" from a few years ago, except that I liked the ending here much better and was more consistent with the story that was being told.

I'm reading "Hench" right now and it's a bit different than I was expecting? We'll see. I'm mostly reading this because everyone on AAM keeps raving about it.

I also read two short-ish Good Omens fics.

[white_aster]

I am one of those who loves Hench. It does take a bit to get through Anna's trauma and recovery and get to the "good stuff", IMO. Some significant timeskips happen later, though, to when she's much more driving her own revenge bus. :)

[white_aster]

Heh, Gideon the Ninth can definitely be a bit of an acquired taste (I wasn't sure if I'd be able to ignore all the weirdly modern meme references that Gideon uses, which don't make much sense for that world, for instance), but it was definitely my favorite out of that series. :D

[givemeyourhonor]

Been a few weeks since I commented, but last night I finished the first of Case File Compendium by Rou Bao Bu Chi Rou and I'm not entirely sure what I think.

The protag has an illness called psychological ebola. Let that sink in. Also, both leads are dicks in different ways and really don't like each other, so I'm curious how they're going to get together. This first book is all set up for a lot of things going on and I'm not sure where it's going. Also ot sure if I can recommend this or not, because it's... very much not a story for everyone, though I found myself intrigued because I want to see how the character development falls out, if at all.

Going to be starting Lirael by Garth Nix next and I'm excited since I read Sabriel and loved it. I went on my Goodreads and then made a filter to see which books on my "to read" list were available at the library and made a filter for that. Also, a filter for that I can purchase at the book store and those I'll have to do online, so I'm hoping to force myself to read a little more just to make those turn in dates at the library.

[rekishi]

Ah, then I shall sit tight. I'm just barely past Chapter 1!

(I have told myself to just not finish books anymore that don't do it for me, but considering how many reviews I've seen I'm willing to give it more of a go.)

(Also part of it may be the 1st person pov, but I am also determined to read more books outside my comfort zone so...)

Thanks!

[white_aster]

Aha! Yes, it takes until late Chapter 2 before Good Things start happening and she gets hired on, but then it takes off from there. :) I hope you enjoy it!

[white_aster]

"psychological ebola" I uh...I am not sure what to think about that. I'm kind of afraid to think too hard about what it means. :P

Also, are you using the Library Extension? I love it so much. :D https://www.libraryextension.com/

[goodbyebird]

I went on my Goodreads and then made a filter to see which books on my "to read" list were available at the library and made a filter for that. Also, a filter for that I can purchase at the book store and those I'll have to do online

That is such a good idea!

[vriddy]

Six of Crows worked really well for me, one of the few library books I bought after reading, and I was surprised to find it shelved in YA because the voice really didn't feel like that to me. However, I haven't read the first GrishaVerse book to compare against as many people who did enjoy the Crows warned me off it for plot and other reasons!

[vriddy]

I finished Witch King by Martha Wells last week, which I tremendously enjoyed. Just utterly in love with the characters and their relationships, platonic and otherwise, it was a delight for me. I really liked how the structure worked to shed a light on what was happening at two different times.

After that, I also finished Starter Villain by John Scalzi, mostly because it was such a quick read. Still very little inner life to the protagonist (I'm not sure if they are meant to be empty vessels for the reader to project into? I had a bit of the same feeling in Kaiju Preservation Society), but I love all of the interesting situations he throws his protagonists into, it was cool to follow especially once the action picks up. A bit YA in feeling but a good time overall.

Now, I started reading Planetfall by Emma Newman and am intrigued so far!

[senmut]

Then, I shall have to try again!

[senmut]

Right, MW is on my list of 'try the fantasy'

[givemeyourhonor]

Apparently it means horrible mood swings and weird blood powers or something lmao.

And no I haven't! But I think I'll have to try it out! :3

[givemeyourhonor]

I wanted it to be easier to choose whether to buy something in the book store or not, since I'm trying to be a little more frugal it's been useful so far.

[white_aster]

...I was AFRAID it meant something like that! :P

And I highly recommend Library Extension. Seeing at a glance what books are available at my libraries, or on Hoopla or whatnot? :chef's kiss: