Blankbaby

Gimme that book!

One of the best things about living in a big building in the middle of a large city is that you’re surrounded by people but they don’t know you. This means you don’t have to stop all the time and chat with people, explain what you’re doing, and promise to talk to them later. You just live your life like a normal person who doesn’t want to chit chat.

You can accomplish the same thing by living in a remote cabin, but then you won’t find free books from time to time on the little table next to the elevator.

Folks on my floor will, on occasion, pop a book they are done with on the table. This means it is up for grabs, and the people who know me know I’ve got me some book grabbing hands. That’s how I ended up the book pictured above!

Books I liked in 2021 that you could enjoy in 2022

I usually try to post some of my favorite books of the year before Christmas as folks can use the list as inspiration for gift giving. This year I didn’t get a chance to do that, and really I’m pretty sure no one is waiting for my book list to buy their loved ones Christmas presents.

However, you can still buy any of these books for anyone you might like! Don’t like purchasing stuff from Amazon? Buy them somewhere else! Heck, buy from them a local indie bookstore. I dare ya!

Anyway, I read 76 books last year and here are the books that I gave the coveted 5 star rating (though in the spirit of full disclosure I gave a lot of books 4 stars last year):

• Cloud Cuckoo Land - This book has gotten a lot of attention, and for good reason! It is sort of literary fiction with a dash of science fiction… or is it? Either way, it is very well written.
• The Lincoln Highway - A shaggy dog story in which the main character spends several hundred pages not doing the one thing they want to.
• A Psalm for the Wild-Built - Want a short book about a robot and a monk who makes tea? This is the one for you!
• The Dictionary of Lost Words - A book about the Oxford English Dictionary and womens’ rights. How can you go wrong?
• Why Fish Don't Exist: A Story of Loss, Love, and the Hidden Order of Life - Did you know that fish aren’t a thing? Mind blowing.
• The Galaxy, and the Ground Within - Another Becky Chambers book! This is the 4th in a series, but you really don’t need to read any of the others to enjoy this one. Nothing much happens in this book, and it is a delight.
• The Midnight Bargain - Be careful with which spirits you make deals!
• Piranesi - I was nervous about reading this book, so I put it off for months. Don’t be a fool like me and read this as soon as you can!
• Mexican Gothic - This book, as the kids say, is a mood. I really enjoyed that mood, but if you don’t… you won’t like this book.
• The Hidden Palace - I wasn’t going to include this book on my list because it is the second in a series and the author is a friend of mine (crazy, I know! I’m even mentioned in the acknowledgments) but it is so good! And you don’t need to read the first book to read this one, but it certain helps… and the first book is so good too.
• The Liar's Dictionary - A low paid editorial assistant realizes there are fake words in the dictionary she’s working on… and it gets complicated.

There you have it! My top 11 books of 2021! Read one, or read them all! Heck, you can even not read any of them.

This is a great answer

From a very good interview:

What are your future plans?

Apparently I’m going to write a second book — because I am under contract to write a second book.

I went to a bookstore!

One thing having kids has taught me (other than kids are gross) is life is much better if you just delight in the little things. Everytime we give Sammy and Declan a sippy cup with water in it they shake it and laugh and laugh. They just love seeing/feeling the water slosh about.

Yesterday I did something I haven't been able to do in months: I went into an actual bookstore and browsed for books (that I didn't need, and yet I bought 4).

It was delightful, though I didn't laugh and laugh because I figured that would have creeped everyone else out.

I look forward to going into a bookstore without a mask and without counting all the customers and comparing that to the number listed on the door as the number of people allowed in at the same time (the actual number was a little higher than the sign said it should be. Tsk, tsk).

Books for me! A future for these stores?

I feel a little bit like there isn’t much I can do to be helpful during this global pandemic. I’m not a healthworker, I can’t sew (trust me, you wouldn’t want to wear a mask I made. The last time I sewed anything was long, long ago in elementary school. I was in 2nd grade, I think, and preparing to recieve my First Communion. For some reason part of the preparations included spending a morning in our school’s cafeteria where we cut out lamb shapes from fabric, stuffed them, and then sewed them together. My lamb wouldn’t protect anyone from COVID-19 either), and I can’t convince stupid people that wearing a mask isn’t a huge civil liberties problem and the numbers aren’t as bad as predicted because of what we’re doing.

Something I can do, however, is support a few independent booksellers. Which I how I came to own the 20 books above! They are a mix of new and used books from a few of my favorite bookstores (or stores that I went to once and enjoyed):

• Powell’s - This one shouldn’t be a surprise. I, like many people, love Powell’s for many reasons. Whenever I’m in Portland I stop by and spend more money than I should... and since who knows if air travel will ever happen again I spent a pretty penny using their (not so great) website.
• Northshire Bookstore - I think we visited this store on our honeymoon... but I don’t know for sure. But they got some of my money anyway!
• BookPeople - This is a great bookstore in Austin, which I visit and spend way too much money at whenever I’m in Austin. They also have nice t-shirts.
• A Novel Idea on Passyunk - I haven’t actually visited this bookstore in person, despite the fact that it is in Philadelphia but I want it to continue to exist so I bought some books.

There is one glaring omission on the list above. My favorite bookstore in the world is The Strand. It is a favorite amongst many a book lover but they aren’t shipping books, so I couldn’t order any. I did order myself a gift card to help support them!

Indie Bookstore websites suck

One thing I discovered whilst trying to support independent bookstores I found out that many of them have horrible, horrible, very bad websites. It makes sense since these stores want you to come to their physical locations. They can’t compete with Amazon’s website (which really isn’t all that great either... but it is really easy to find what you’re looking for on Amazon, which is all that matters), so they just ignore their websites.

Bookshop.org is an interesting solution to this problem. It is a service that’ll sell books for indie bookstores and give a percentage to the bookstore. The store won’t make as much from the sale, but they also don’t have to ship books or keep the inventory so that seems like a win to me. And Bookshop.org is a very nicely designed website.

A little on the nose, Amazon

I thought I’d check out Amazon’s book recommedations to get my mind off of the pandemic.

That didn’t work.

And the worst part? Those books do look interesting!

The Best Books I read in 2019

Tomorrow is Christmas, which means you might be looking for a few last minute presents for the kind of important people in your life. Why not get them an ebook? You can buy it at any time and it is delivered instantly! Plus, you can tell people you scheduled the delivery weeks ago so people don’t think you forgot to get them something.

I read 71 books this year and as is my tradition I will share the ones that I deemed five star worthy. Surely, any person who were to recieve any of these books as a present would be very lucky indeed.

Non-fiction

Like books about real stuff? I generally don’t, but I did read a couple that I very much enjoyed this year.

• Underground by Will Hunt - I often idly wonder about what’s happened beneath my feet. Will is one of those brave souls who actually goes to find out.
• The Right Stuff by Tom Wolfe - Turns out this book that won lots of awards and everyone says is excellent... is very good indeed. And not at all what I expected.

Novellas

It seems to me that novellas are making a comeback. A bunch of publishers are pushing them, which resulted in me reading a few this year. The great thing about novellas is that they aren’t too long but you still feel like you’ve read something of substance.

• The Haunting of Tram Car 015 by P. Djeli Clark - There’s a lot of worldbuilding that is accomplished very quickly in this sprightly story about a tram car in 1912 Cairo.
• To Be Taught, If Fortunate by Becky Chambers
• The Menace from Farside by Ian McDonald

Don’t start here

Since I’m a big nerd I, of course, read lots entries in series. I enjoyed all of these, but you shouldn’t start any of these series with this installment:

• Salvation Lost by Peter F. Hamilton
• Jade War by Fonda Lee
• Moon Rising by Ian McDonald

Novels

• Drive Your Plow Over the Bones of the Dead by Olga Tokarczuk - One of the odder mysteries I’ve read...and one that was very well written. Also, what a great title!
• Gods of Jade and Shadow by Silvia Moreno-Garcia - I enjoy books that force me out of my worldview in interesting ways, and this one certainly does that. And the main character is a hoot.
• Foundryside by Robert Jackson Bennett - Do you like books that have detailed magic systems? I do! And this book has that AND a pretty exciting story. Bonus.
• Blackfish City by Sam J. Miller - One of the more exciting (and depressing) sub-generes of Science Fiction is CliFi (Climate Fiction). These books spin tales about a future shaped by climate change. This book does that very well without being heavy handed and includes a polar bear.
• Sixteen Ways to Defend a Walled City by K.J. Parker - Another great title! K.J. Parker is on my list of authors whose work I just buy, but this book is a great intro for anyone interested in trying out his work.
• A Memory Called Empire by Arkady Martine - A great modern space opera, and another book is coming soon (so you should start here).

Thoughts on the Kindle’s Present and Future

I've been meaning to write about the things I want to see in a new Kindle for awhile. This post has been percolating in my head for so long, in fact, that a new Kindle Oasis was released awhile back.

Thoughts about the new Kindle Oasis

Of course I ordered the new Oasis as soon as it was available (after checking with Marisa, of course!) and I just finished reading a book on it (The Right Stuff by Tom Wolfe, which is excellent) so I feel like I can have an opinion about it. This version takes my favorite Kindle ever, the Oasis, and improves it slightly which means it is now my favorite Kindle ever.

This version doesn't add too many new features, but the additons are nice:

• A few more LEDs for more even lighting, which is the best feature if you ask me.
• Adjustable screen color temperature so you can make the light warmer or cooler depending on your preference. At the moment you have to set the screen warmth manually which is fine, but I'd rather have an automatic setting that adjusts it based on the light it senses.

If you want to read a more robust review of the Oasis check out my pal Jason Snell's review. I pretty much agree with him on all points, including the fact that most people should just get a Paperwhite.

Features I’d like to see in the next Kindle

Before I share my list of desired features let me say right up front that I have no idea if any of these are feasible (well, I know some are!). That’s the lovely thing about making a list like this: I don’t have to figure out how to do it, I just know I want them!

With that out of the way, here’s my list:

• No more “Special Offers” - That’s what Amazon calls the ads displayed on locked Kindles. Sure, you can pay $20 to get rid of them, but I can’t imagine they are making much money for Amazon and while they are just a minor annoyance a Kindle sans Special Offers is just nicer. Why? With Special Offers you have to wake your Kindle and then swipe to start reading. Without, you just wake it up and read. Not a big deal, but a slightly nicer experience.
• Display the current book’s cover as the lock screen - The Kobo already does this, and I assume Amazon doesn’t do it because of the aforementioned Special Offers, but I think it’d be neat. Also, I’d like to see the covers of the books I’m reading a little more often.
• Built in kick stand ala the Surface Pro/Go - Those members of Microsoft’s Surface lineup sport impressive hardware. One of the best aspects of the design is a very cool, and useful, kickstand on the back of the tablet/laptop. Amazon used to have a cover that would fold into a stand, but it was stuck at one angle. An integrated stand would allow you to adjust the angle to your liking.
• Ability to lend people ebooks easily - Did you know you can lend people select Kindle books? That selection is rather meager, which I’m going to guess is because of publisher limitations (though I’m sure Amazon would rather you buy all your books). I’d like to see the number of books you can lend increase, and I’d like the process to be as easy as the Family Library feature (which is great! Marisa and I can see all of one another’s books on our Kindles. It is pretty damn sweet).
• Browse library books from the device - Once again Amazon is in the business of selling you Kindle books, so they probably aren’t too interested in this. However, it would be nice if you could browse/borrow library books directly from the Kindle (you can do this on a Kobo, though that makes sense since Kobos are made by the same company that owns/runs Overdrive which many libraries use to power their ebook lending systems). I will say that if your library is an Overdrive library you should download Libby. It is a much better way to search the catalog and you can send books from Libby to your Kindle with a couple of taps (in the US only).
• Tap to Wake - When someone comes up with a good feature you should... borrow it. iOS sports “Tap to Wake” which lets you tap on the screen to check notifications. It is something I use all the time, and I’d love to see it on my Kindle with a slight modification: “Tap to unlock.” Just tap on the screen (assuming it is displaying the Kindle lock screen) and you’re taken right to the last thing you were doing on your Kindle.
• Eye Tracking - This one may be the least feasible, but the one that would improve my life the most. These days I’m using my Kindle more and more with just one hand. The great thing about the Oasis is that I can just keep my thumb on the next page and press it when I need to without disturbing the baby that is sleeping in my arms. But I’m lazy and I’d like to do even less to turn the page. It would be cool if the Kindle could track my eyes and know when I got to the end of the page and automatically turn the page. And if I wanted to turn back a page I could stare at the upper left hand corner of the page and back I go.
• Faster, higher resolution screen - This is obvious but I feel like I should include it!

Will we see anything like this in the next Kindle? I have no idea! Will I still buy whatever Kindle they come out with? Probably.

Is the Kindle mediocre?

As I was writing this Jason wrote a post lamenting the Kindle’s current status and its boring future (i.e. more of the same).

Usually, I agree with Jason but this time we are in differing schools on one particular point. I would like Amazon to stick to making the Kindle disappear while you’re reading a book. Nothing too flashy is needed when it is just a container for whatever book you might be reading.

Jason suggests that perhaps Amazon missed an opportunity to make the Kindle a hub of all the text people read by offering up apps (from The NY Times and other publishers) from an App Store (I assume). That would make me sad. Several years ago I wrote about how much I liked the fact that the Kindle really one does on thing well: allows you to read a book without distraction.

I can see the allure of adding apps to the Kindle but I think that would be contrary to the entire reason the Kindle exists. Now, a Kindle Fire sporting a color eInk screen is something that I could really get into (which would include the Kindle app, and several other apps).

That’s not to say that there isn’t room for improvement with how the Kindle handles reading books, I’d just hate to see the Kindle lose focus on that (though, admittedly, Amazon doesn’t seem all that focuses on pushing the state of the art with the Kindle which is Jason’s main thesis... and one that brings us back into agreement. Hurrah! I don’t like it when we fight).

Holding books. Too many books.

With the babies on the way I thought to myself, "I should really read a bunch of these books I own."

And I also but 14 books on hold at the library (and have 3 checked out!).

I'm complicated.

2018 in Books

2018, in many ways, was a pretty crappy year for many people. It was, however, a pretty OK year for me personally and a great year for reading.

I managed to read 101 books this year (that’s over 35,000 pages!), the most I’ve read in a year since I’ve been keeping track. How did I do it? Well, I took the time to read books. This isn’t rocket science, people.

I always think it is interesting to see what the gender breakdown of the authors I’ve read over the year happens to be. Now, I should say that I know many folks decide at the start of the year to mindfully read more books by a certain population. While I fully support that, because who I am to tell you what to read, that isn’t something I’ve ever done with purpose. Which made it all the more surprising to me that this year I read books mostly written by women:

As I see it there are a couple of reasons for this:

• I read a lot of science fiction and fantasy, and women are writing some of the most interesting stuff in the field (and have greater opportunities to get their work published).
• I fell hard for a couple of mystery series which I gobbled up, and it seems to me that women have long been writing fine mysteries.

Here’s my ranking breakdown of those 101 books (since I use Goodreads to track my books the ranking scale is 1 - 5):

As you can see, I’m a pretty generous 4 star giver. For me, if a book is fine (i.e. it entertains me) it gets 3 stars. A book that I think is well written and entertaining gets 4 and 5 stars go to books that I really, really liked. 2 stars go to books I wouldn't recommend to anyone, but I finished since they weren’t awful. And this year I didn’t read any 1 star books because time is too short to read books you aren’t enjoying on some level (unless you have to read them for a class. Stay in school, kids).

Tell me what to read, Scott

I know a few paragraphs ago I said it wasn’t my job to tell you what to read… but here are some books I think you should read.

Now I should say that the list below doesn’t include all of my 5 star reads of the year. You can see the full list on my Goodreads account.

Ruth Galloway Series

One of my favorite things in the world is discovering a book series that just sucks me in, and this year it was an absolute pleasure to read the Ruth Galloway series by Elly Griffiths. I read the first 9 books in the series pretty much back to back. I stopped at 9 because the 10th in the series wasn’t out yet… but it did come out this year and, of course, I read it. I also read her other series (the Magic Men Mysteries) so I think I’ve read something like 13 of her books this year… and I regret nothing.

Ruth Galloway is an unlikely sleuth (aren’t they all?). A single middle aged archeology professor at a small regional school with a very specific specialty. And yet she gets mixed up in all sorts of dangerous situations. As is the case with any mystery series the cast of recurring characters must be interesting, and Elly Griffiths delivers on that front as well. These books are a delight. The only problem is that I’ve already read them all!

The 7 1/2 Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle by Stuart Turton

Another mystery! It starts off as a pretty typical murder at a Manor but this one has a twist - the main character jumps perspectives and the story resets itself multiple times.

I don’t want to say too much about this book but I very much enjoyed it.

Killers of the Flower Moon by David Grann

This book certainly doesn’t need me to tell anyone about it. The hype around it is certainly deserved. A compelling story about a horrifying episode in American history. I knew the US Government had been horrible to Native Americans but this book showed me that it was even worse than I thought.

The Moons of Barsk by Lawrence Schoen

I couldn’t have a book list without a science fiction novel on it, now could I? This book was one of the last books I read last year and one of the best. It is a sequel to Barsk which was the best novel about an elephant with psychic powers in a multiple planet spanning civilization I’d ever read. The first book, as you can imagine, was pretty banana pants (and I mean that in the best way possible). The second is even better and expands the world in ways that I wasn’t expecting but found most satisfying indeed.

The only bad thing I can say about this book is that it ends on a cliffhanger. That’s good because it means there will be another one (I hope!) but bad because I want to read it now!

Finally, some good news

I think we can all agree that the world is going to hell in a hand basket (as it has been for all of recorded human history).

The climate is going to kill us in less than 25 years, if nuclear weapons don't do it before that. The people in Washington seem to continue to lack for common sense, and the electorate (for some reason) is ever eager to reward this deficiency with more and more power. And for many people it seems like progress is being reversed, while others feel like too much is changing too quickly.

Pretty depressing, huh?

Well, good news everyone! World events have spurred me to engage in even more of my favorite solitary pastime: reading. And it looks like I'm on track to read the most books in a year since I've been keeping tabs on such things.

It isn't all bad! Just mostly.

How do you read so much?

I get asked that question, from time to time (especially at the end of the year when I share that I've read x number of books, 78 in 2017).

And interestingly, I notice that at the start of every year I see a bunch of posts/articles claiming to have the secret to how you can read more.

Here's the real secret: there is no secret to reading more.

That's it!

You just have to make time for it. You know that time you spend doing something other than reading for pleasure? If you spent that time reading instead, you'd read more.

My favorite reads of 2017

There's still a few days until Christmas, so what better time to recommend a few books that I think we well worth your time (or the time of your loved ones).

If you aren't tickled by anything on my list you should check out Jason and Dan's. Their taste is pretty ok. I guess.

Noumenon by Marina J. Lostetter

I do so enjoy a good science fiction story, and Noumenon has lots of stuff that I enjoy:

• A story told across many, many years
• Clones (who doesn't love clones?)
• A generation ship
• A strange construct in the stars that people want to investigate because... it exists

My favorite aspect of this book is probably a spoiler, so I won't share but... but it is pretty darned good.

Midnight at the Bright Ideas Bookstore by Matthew J. Sullivan

A murder mystery involving people who work/hang around a bookstore? Of course I'm going to read it. In fact, I've read a few books that meet the same general description and Midnight at the Bright Ideas Bookstore is one of the best.

Now, I will say that it suffers from the same problem that many mystery/thrillers do: all the pieces fit together a little too well. It isn't all that believable, but there is a reason this book is filed in fiction. You'll like it!

Ghost Talkers by Mary Robinette Kowal

I know what you're thinking, "Another book set in WWI featuring psychics talking to dead soldiers!" but this one is good!

I will admit that I recall little of the story but Robinette Kowal is a great writer and I think this book has wider appeal than her other series (which is basically Jane Austin with magic... and of which I'm a big fan!).

Ninefox Gambit & Raven Stratagem by Yoon Ha Lee

The first two books in, what I assume, is a trilogy. The final book will be published in 2018, so now is the time to read the first two. And I have to tell you, you'll have no idea of what is happening for a good part of the first book... because I sure as heck didn't. But I loved it. So much. The second book is far more straightforward of a story, but it'll really make no sense if you don't read the first one.

Read them both and you'll thank me later.

Welcome, MarsEdit 4

I'm certain the vast majority of posts I've written here have been composedMarsEdit, and now there is a new version!

I happily paid to upgrade... now if only MarsEdit could somehow get me to write more!

Here are some posts I have been thinking about writing, instead of writing:

• An update on my weight loss
• The backlog of book reviews
• Fibit Ionic review
• Kindle Oasis review (usually I chat about this on my friend Jason's podcast, but that didn't happen this year... so maybe I'll write about it?)
• Best books of the year read by me (I always feel like I shouldn't do this one until 2018, but then I think perhaps someone would want to buy the books I recommend. Then I remember that no one is reading this blog so it doesn't really matter what I do!)

And that's just off the top of my head! So why haven't I been writing? I dunno. Reading is so much easier, I guess!

Anyway, hurrah for MarsEdit 4.0. I dig the snazzy new icon

Cyteen by C.J. Cherryh

Seth, the man behind the Hugos There Podcast, emailed me awhile ago to invite me onto his podcast. While I appear on a number of podcasts (and have one of my own!) I am rarely asked to appear on other people’s podcast (I can only assume because most people don’t want to talk to me, which I understand). Seth said, pick a Hugo award winning novel and we’ll chat about it.

Sounds like fun to me! I’ve read a number of the Hugo winners but I didn’t want to re-read something, so I decided to pick “Cyteen” by C.J. Cherryh. A book I knew nothing about, but an author who I had been meaning to read but had, as of yet, not gotten around to.

After I shot an email to Seth with my choice I realized two things: this book is very long (680 pages) and it isn‘t available in ebook (plus it appears to be out of print).

I ordered a used copy and then found out that while 680 pages isn’t generally that many pages… these pages are very big.

I felt bad for making Seth read this giant tome, but really isn’t it his fault for inviting me onto his podcast? Also, I suddenly realize why people don’t invite me onto their podcasts.

The book itself was good, though I‘m not sure I’d recommend anyone read it. It is chock full of big ideas, and the writing is good. But the first 100 pages or so were a bit of a chore to get through.

It did trick me into thinking that the story would be one thing and then completly change tacts not once but twice, and I liked that.

Overall, I’m glad I read it and you can hear me chat with Seth about it if you like.

Who should read it: Someone who is trying to read all the Hugo winners, C.J.Cherryh completists, 80‘s scifi fans.

Would I read it again: Once was enough, though I am going to read more Cherryh.

Get it: Amazon | Barnes and Noble | Powell's | WorldCat

Miss Kopp's Midnight Confessions

I’ve been slacking on my book reviews, but I haven’t been slacking on my reading!

Miss Kopp’s Midnight Confessions is the 3rd in the Kopp Sisters series which follows the exploits of the first woman to be a deputy sheriff (Constance Kopp).

The first book was great! This one was… less great though an interesting book to read right after “Lean In” since the plot involves young woman going to jail just for having the nerve to leave their parent’s home and pursue a career.

The Kopp sisters are fun characters, but this book didn’t do much for me. It is well written, but lacks a compelling plot.

Who should read it: Just read the first one.

Would I read it again: Nope!

Get it: Amazon | Barnes and Noble | Powell's | WorldCat

Lean In by Sheryl Sandberg

Readers of this blog might assume that I earn a living being almost Internet famous, what with my podcast, my several tech books, and this website. Sorry to burst that bubble, but I do have a day job (which I like!).

For the longest time I avoided managing people because, well, I didn’t think I’d be any good at it. However, since I’m in technology I had to decide if I wanted to go down the route of being super technical or managing people. I opted for people management, and now I manage a group of 10 people. That’s not to say I’m GOOD at it, just that I do it. And get paid for it.

Interestingly, I"m the only man on my team, which leads me to why I read “Lean In.” I was in a one on one meeting with someone who reports to me and she suggested I read this book because it could give me some insights into what women have to deal with at work.

And so I read the book. And I must say I liked it! Though I suppose I don’t like that it had to be written, I’m glad Sheryl Sandberg wrote it.

I am glad that she points out at the very start of the book that she has tremendous resources that most women don’t. Even with that setup, though, from time to time I would remember that she is a billionaire (like when she told a story about jetting off to some meeting with other CEOs, or how she got parking for pregnant women at Google by marching into the co-founders’ office).

The take away could be, well she’s so wealthy she doesn’t really get it. But as a white man reading it I took something else away from it: one should always use their privilege to help others.

I know some people don’t think that white privilege is a thing, but it is. And I benefit from it. Plus I’m a white guy, so I benefit even more! I’m not saying that everything is easy for me but I certainly have an easier time in life than most women or people of other colors (for example, I never think twice about speaking in meetings, and if I saw a police officer approaching me I would assume he was either looking for someone else or trying to offer me assistance).

Reading this book underlined something things that I already knew, and made me hope that I’m not doing all the typical male at work things she mentions

Who should read it: If you are a man who manages women you should read this book, or a book like it. Women don’t need me telling them what to read!

Get it: Amazon | Barnes and Noble | Powell's | WorldCat

Sourdough by Robin Sloan

Robin Sloan’s work (his previous book was Mr. Penumbra’s 24 Hour Bookstore) tends to teeter on the edge of twee. Though his is a very modern twee set, generally, in a version of San Francisco that is both recognizable and slightly off kilter from reality.

In fact, I found myself in San Franciso a few weeks ago so reading a book set in that city (though this book is “of” San Francisco the city itself doesn’t play a huge part in the narrative) was a nice reminder of my time there.

As you might expect, soudough bread plays a rather important role in this novel. Actually, the sourdough starter is far more important. The story revolves around a programmer working at a robotic arm company who ends up in possession of a mysterious sourdough starter which leads to her becoming part of a mysterious farmers’ market, and changes her life.

A story that you’ve heard a million times!

At first I was skeptical since Sloan’s first book followed a very simliar plot (though in that story a former programmer stumbles across a mysterious bookstore that changes his life), but in the end the charm and wit of the writing won me over. As did the inclusion of Silicon Valley types sucking down packets of a food subsitute called “Slurry.”

Who should read it: Foodies or techies (or techie foodies) will eat this book up. See what I did there? Eh?

Get it: Amazon | Barnes and Noble | Powell's | WorldCat

Daisy in Chains by Sharon Bolton

Right after I finished Dead Woman Walking I wanted more from Sharon Bolton. Luckily she has written a bunch of books, though most of them are in a series. I didn’t want to jump into a series, so I bought myself a copy of “Daisy in Chains,” despite the fact that I have something like 1,000 ebooks on my Kindle and probably another 1,000 or so physical books just waiting for me to read them (in fact the next 3 books I plan on reading come from the library).

This book is more of a character study than anything else, and it does include a few shocking twists (though I did guess one of the twists).

There are murders, blue hair, gypsies, and a creepy amusement park visit during a winter’s night. What’s not to like?

Once again Bolton deploys short chapters that keep you guessing. I didn’t want to put this book down, and I gobbled it up from start to finish. I was even tempted to just jump right into Bolton’s series… but then my book debt guilt kicked in so I decided to read the books I had picked up from the library. I will be reading more Bolton soon!

Who should read it: If you like thrillers and serial killers this book is for you!

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Dead Woman Walking by Sharon Bolton

I suppose this is more of a thriller than a mystery, though there are some mysterious elements to it. You know who the bad guys are (for the most part), but it is unclear why each of the characters are mixed up in this story. And like any good thriller this book has some unexpected twists and turns (which I won’t ruin for anyone!).

The setup for this novel is brilliant: 13 people are in a hot air balloon and witness an act of violence. And then they all die in a crash… all expect for one person.

I read this book over the course of 24 hours because of Bolton’s effective use of very short chapters and an intricate weaving of a few stories spread over the course of a decade or so.

It is well written and compulsively readable. My only quibble is that it does seem remarkable that these particular characters would end up so well placed in relation to the story. However, I don’t think realism was the point of this book!

I will say that I’d never heard of Sharon Bolton before reading this book, but I plan on reading another one of her books soon!

Who should read it: If you don’t mind horrible people doing horrible things, this book is for you!

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Ruin of Angels by Max Gladstone

Recommending a book that is the 6th in a series isn’t something one should do, however, the Craft Sequence isn’t a normal series. If you read the series in publication order, as I have, you’re actually reading them out of chronological order. This might seem strange, but the upshot is you can pretty much start the series at any of the books. And you should.

I’m not a huge fan of urban fantasy, which is why I was so surprised when I read a review of “Ruin of Angels” describing it as such. Upon further reflection it does make sense: this is a world where lines of contracts power magic, ever living skeletons run corporations, and gods trade faith for power.

Ruin of Angels is a good jumping on point, and for $3 (ebook) it is a great deal. If you’ve read any of the other books in the series you’ll recognize some of the characters featured.

I suppose I should point out that all the main characters are women, which I guess is either a plus or minus depending on your point of view.

Who should read it: Anyone who has read any of the Craft Sequence, or if you’ve ever wondered what a space program powered by magic might look like.

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Twenty Trillion Leagues Under the Sea by Adam Roberts

Adam Roberts is one of those authors who writes whatever they want, and damn the marketability. Generally I enjoy his work, and he is a very talented writer. This book wasn't his best work, though I did think it was quite interesting and I almost enjoyed just as a physical object.

Almost.

The cover is gorgeous, and the illustrations are generally very good but… the copy editing is just bad. I usually don't even notice the odd mistake here and there, but this book was littered with them. It was distracting (and not the author's fault, but it didn't do him any favors).

The story is heavily influenced/extends 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea. A French experimental submarine goes off on a test run and dives. And dives. And dives deeper than the ocean should allow a submarine to dive.

And then things get crazy, and none of it is good for the crew.

I would say this book ends up being interesting rather than good.

Who should read it: Big fans of Jules Verne and French people, I guess?

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The Stone Sky by N.K. Jemisin

Trilogies can be tough. The first book is exciting because you're discovering a whole new world populated with interesting characters (at least in good ones!), the second book generally moves the story along and not much more, and the third book… the pressure is on to stick the landing. If you have a bad conclusion it can have the power to sour people on the previous two books, plus who is going to recommend a trilogy with a bad final book?

I'm happy to report that The Stone Sky, the final volume in the fantastic The Broken Earth trilogy, does not disappoint. It is a well written and satisfying conclusion to a very good trilogy. Seriously, if you haven't read any of these books you should totally do it.

My one complaint is an odd one: I almost feel like the third book explained too much of how the world got to be the way it is in the trilogy. Now, I know that lots of people will be very happy to find out the details, but I think I would have preferred a little more ambiguity. That's just me, though, since I tend to enjoy books where I have little idea what is going on (which was pretty much the case in the first two books of this series).

I won't bother to try and recap what this book is about, but I will say it is a very interesting mix of fantasy and science fiction.

Who should read it: If you're read the first two books you'll need to read this one. And you should read the first two.

Would I read it again: I can imagine myself re-reading this trilogy again at some point (much like the Foundation trilogy, which is probably my favorite trilogy of all time).

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Plaid and Plagiarism by Molly MacRae

The world is anything but cozy at the moment what with severe weather, missile launching madmen, and more than one Trump in the White House (I know, some of you are happy about that… though I have no idea how you could STILL be happy about it. I get voting for him… kind of… but it is pretty clear he's not suited for the job) and so I turn to books that'll transport me to a nice, gentle place. Oh, and include a murder.

That's right, I read the cozy mystery “Plaid And Plagiarism,” and I gosh darn enjoyed it. It isn't a heartbreaking work of literature, or a particularly good mystery, but it is like slipping into a warm woolen sweater. Plus it features a number of women characters, which is always nice. And I didn't even mean to read it! Marisa picked it up at the library and I saw it laying on the table… and read it.

The high number of women in the book isn't a surprise given the story centers around four women who buy a bookstore in Scotland, and end up involved in a murder of a local. The two main characters (the older of the four) were a little hard to tell apart at the start of the book, but soon developed unique characteristics that helped me remember who was who.

The central murder isn't dwelled upon, and it seems to not trouble the townsfolk as much as I think it would (even if the victim wasn't the most popular person). Oh, and the title does sort of gives a plot point away, which is a shame but I understand the allure of alliteration.

This is clearly the start of a series, and while I won't excitedly be looking for the next installment I'd certainly pick it up and read it if I found it laying around the house. Ok, so that doesn't sound like a glowing recommendation but really it is a fun little book.

Who should read it: If you like a quick read with a gentle murder set amongst book lovers I think you'd like this.

Would I read it again: I should probably get rid of this section since I almost always say, “No.” Which is a long way of saying, no.

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Arrowood by Mick Finlay

A good hook is important for any book, but I feel like it is doubly important for mysteries. There are thousands and thousands of them, and to stand out you need to come up with something unique. “Arrowood” takes the reader to well trodden territory: Sherlock Holmes' England. The hook? Sherlock exists, but not everyone can afford him. When you need someone to help but you can't afford Holmes (or he isn't interested in your case) you turn to Arrowood.

Clever, right?

Holmes is a big presence in this book, but he never appears. Arrowood is an investigator, just like Holmes. He has a plucky assistant, just like Holmes. He has an erudite air about him though isn't rich, just like Holmes.

And many characters in the book bring up these similarities much to Arrowood's chagrin. He isn't a Sherlock fan, thinking that Sherlock is mostly lucky (everyone is sure Sherlock is a genius. I assume the two will interact with one another at some point in the future if there are more Arrowood books).

I though the setup of the book was very interest, and the mystery was complex enough. However, the overall execution of this great idea was… well… fine. It wasn't amazing, nor was it bad. It was fine.

Who should read it: This would be a good beach read, I think. If you like to read about darkish mysteries on the beach, that is.

Would I read it again: Nope but I will keep an eye out for the sequel.

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