A Closed and Common Orbit, by Becky Chambers
Reread and first listen. The first time I read this book, I wasn’t impressed with the character Sidra—a ship-based AI now inhabiting a living body. On the second read, I liked her better. Now, on this read I’m back to thinking her whiny and selfish. Pepper, on the other hand, I love more and more with every reread.
Frieren vols 3-6
Catching up on this manga that I started a year or so ago. It continues to be both fun and interesting. And I very much enjoy the interactions between the main three characters (tho the joke about Stark being a pervert is growing very old).
The Spite House, by Johnny Compton
This was a pretty good horror that really ramped up the tension, until it didn’t. So not that scary. Haunted house, a family on the run with a big secret, people who come back to life, a family cursed to die horribly. It does have a lot going for it, and I did like it, it just didn’t stick the landing as well as it should have.
Cultish: The Language of Fanaticism, by Amanda Montell
I’ve listened to the author’s podcast, Sounds Like a Cult, off and on for ages and finally got to her book. It is exceptional. Fascinating, well-researched, and always interesting. Montell calls her book Cultish as we would call a language English or Spanish. She breaks down how language is used to recruit members from famous cults like Heaven’s Gate to cultural movements like Soul Cycle. Definitely recommend.
The Witch Roads, by Kate Elliot
High fantasy, which is not always my thing, but enjoyed this well enough that I will likely read the sequel. This was a book club pick. I had read one Kate Elliot book before this one (her first book, I think) and found similar problems in this one that I found in that first book—too much detail in the world building. It took 150 pages for the book to get into the action. That said, I like the characters and the world she’s created.
Everyone in the Bank is a Thief, by Benjamin Stevenson
Fourth book in the Ernest Cunningham series. Still lots of fun. Not groundbreaking as the first two in the series, but it was as good as expected. Nice to return to people whose stories I enjoy following.
Eyes Full of Empty, by Jérémie Guez (trans. Edward Gauvin)
Set in modern Paris, this is a Noir mystery that follows the ne’er-do-well Idir—son of an Algerian immigrant and huge disappointment. Idir takes small detective-like gigs to earn a living. When two gigs from warring upper crust families come his way, he gets in over his head. This is a dark book and it took me a while to read it, as I had to keep putting it down. It is bleak in the way of Raymond Chandler and also good in the same way. Not sure who I would recommend this book to, but it was eye-opening.
Edible Economics: A Hungry Economist Explains the World, by Ha-Joon Chang
Second nonfiction of the month! I listened to this book. Usually, I have trouble listening to nonfiction as I need to pay more attention than I do listening to a romance. However, this book on economics was right up my alley. A Korean-British economist, the author uses food items to explain economic theory and economic history. And it is fascinating. Such as the banana—how could such a ubiquitous fruit sway world markets in the 19th century. Or how rye grain encouraged the welfare state in early Germany. Seriously interesting book.
Reread and first listen. The first time I read this book, I wasn’t impressed with the character Sidra—a ship-based AI now inhabiting a living body. On the second read, I liked her better. Now, on this read I’m back to thinking her whiny and selfish. Pepper, on the other hand, I love more and more with every reread.
Frieren vols 3-6
Catching up on this manga that I started a year or so ago. It continues to be both fun and interesting. And I very much enjoy the interactions between the main three characters (tho the joke about Stark being a pervert is growing very old).
The Spite House, by Johnny Compton
This was a pretty good horror that really ramped up the tension, until it didn’t. So not that scary. Haunted house, a family on the run with a big secret, people who come back to life, a family cursed to die horribly. It does have a lot going for it, and I did like it, it just didn’t stick the landing as well as it should have.
Cultish: The Language of Fanaticism, by Amanda Montell
I’ve listened to the author’s podcast, Sounds Like a Cult, off and on for ages and finally got to her book. It is exceptional. Fascinating, well-researched, and always interesting. Montell calls her book Cultish as we would call a language English or Spanish. She breaks down how language is used to recruit members from famous cults like Heaven’s Gate to cultural movements like Soul Cycle. Definitely recommend.
The Witch Roads, by Kate Elliot
High fantasy, which is not always my thing, but enjoyed this well enough that I will likely read the sequel. This was a book club pick. I had read one Kate Elliot book before this one (her first book, I think) and found similar problems in this one that I found in that first book—too much detail in the world building. It took 150 pages for the book to get into the action. That said, I like the characters and the world she’s created.
Everyone in the Bank is a Thief, by Benjamin Stevenson
Fourth book in the Ernest Cunningham series. Still lots of fun. Not groundbreaking as the first two in the series, but it was as good as expected. Nice to return to people whose stories I enjoy following.
Eyes Full of Empty, by Jérémie Guez (trans. Edward Gauvin)
Set in modern Paris, this is a Noir mystery that follows the ne’er-do-well Idir—son of an Algerian immigrant and huge disappointment. Idir takes small detective-like gigs to earn a living. When two gigs from warring upper crust families come his way, he gets in over his head. This is a dark book and it took me a while to read it, as I had to keep putting it down. It is bleak in the way of Raymond Chandler and also good in the same way. Not sure who I would recommend this book to, but it was eye-opening.
Edible Economics: A Hungry Economist Explains the World, by Ha-Joon Chang
Second nonfiction of the month! I listened to this book. Usually, I have trouble listening to nonfiction as I need to pay more attention than I do listening to a romance. However, this book on economics was right up my alley. A Korean-British economist, the author uses food items to explain economic theory and economic history. And it is fascinating. Such as the banana—how could such a ubiquitous fruit sway world markets in the 19th century. Or how rye grain encouraged the welfare state in early Germany. Seriously interesting book.
