108/150 If you've ever had the pleasure of reading Jeff Smith's Bone series, you'll know what delights this graphic novel has in store. I'm not the Big Red Cheese's biggest fan, but this was so much fun. The artwork is amazing, and the story was lighthearted, whimsical, and had tons of heart.
4 ⚡⚡⚡⚡

107/150 This was a nice change of pace from the gloomy audiobooks I've listened to recently. Isaac Steele is an agent for the Department of Clarification, kind of a cross between a government employee and a private eye. He also drinks too much, swears a lot, does drugs, has illegal sex with his robot partner, and is a general pain in the ass. He's also good at his job, which is why he is sent to capture the serial killer known as The Forever Man.

Finally starting Ringworld for #ClassicLSFBC and I hope to finish the Malcom Gladwell book this weekend. The Audible Original, Isaac Steele & The Forever Man, has been a nice change of pace from the recent bleak books I've listened to.
#weekendreads @rachelsbrittain

106/150 At first, this book's story seemed too generic, like something out of Fantasy Lit 101, and while the storyline is pretty common, ragtag band of rebels versus evil Empire, it's the characters that raise the book up and made me want to see how things would turn out. I was ready to give this a so-so, but Alar and company grew on me, so I guess I have another series to read. 3.50/5

105/150 It took me longer than usual to finish a book, it was so dark, so grim, so full of heartbreaking emotions, that I had to sit it down and take breaks from listening. If you've read the first two books of The Devoured Worlds trilogy you know what to expect, but its amplified in the finale to an almost unbearable level. That said, the author is still able to give the reader a positive ending that doesn't feel manipulative or unrealistic.

Do you have an election day ritual? I got up early this morning, had breakfast at McDonald's, then went to the local elementary school to vote. After that, I have cut myself off from all the news and social media sites. I don't want to know how the election is going, because they (the news people) drive me crazy with their speculation and so-called expert analysis. I'd rather just wake up Wednesday morning and face whatever the results ⬇️

#weekendreads @rachelsbrittain

With the election only 2 days away, two books come to mind. The tagged book details America's long history of dirty politics and political machinations. The other is Almost President by Scott Farris. This book is about the men, and women, who ran for president and changed the nation, even though they lost. The author needs to update this to include Donald Trump, who has definitely changed the way people vote, the way campaigns are run ⬇️

The voting is done, and the #ClassicLSFBC selections for November & December are made. Ringworld will be the pick for November, and Doomsday Book will be December's selection.
@Bookwomble @Ruthiella @TheSpineView @BookmarkTavern @wanderinglynn @Readergrrl @Johanna414 @Lizpixie @BookBelle84 @Larkken @julesG @Deblovestoread @majkia @LeticiaToraci @sebrittainclark

Oh Boy!! Its time to start reading the final book in The Devoured Worlds trilogy. I loved the first two books, so I desperately hope the author sticks the landing, and gives us a satisfying conclusion to Naira and Tarquin's adventure and romance.

104/150 If the Las Vegas Tourist Bureau ever wanted a book to promote the city, this is it. If you've never been to Vegas, this book will definitely spark your desire to go, and if you have been there, this will remind you how cool Sin City can be. I think this is the first Patterson book, in a long, long time, that I didn't bail on. 4 ⭐⭐⭐⭐
104th book finished for #Readaway2024 @DieAReader @GHABI4ROSES @Andrew65

🍬 Sweet Candy
🦸‍♂️ Make Costume
👻 Ghost
🦉 Owls
👽 Alien
📽 Scary Moviethon
🎞 Hocus Pocus
🥃 Potion
🕸 Cobwebs
🎃 Paint Pumpkin
⚰ Graveyard

@Eggs #wonderouswednesday
Wanna play? @audraelizabeth @Buechersuechtling @ReadingIsMyHobby @Onceuponatime @TheBookDream @Daisey @Bookishlie @Sharpeipup @Cuilin @ReadingFeedsTheSoul @Lucy_Anywhere @Onepageatatime88 @SpiderGoddess

103/150 I was ready to give this a low pick, because I was invested in finding out what happened to Ava's brother back when they were in school, but then came the absolutely ridiculous ending that botched the whole book IMO. The author always seemed to be wanting to say more, but the book, like most of the characters, remained shallow and underdeveloped. 3 ⭐⭐⭐ #LitsySciFiBookClub

102/150 This looks like a murder mystery, but mostly it a slice of life story of a small neighborhood in the early 80's, all the lies, the infidelity, the drugs, the nosy neighbors, and the heart break of first love. Various POVs tell their sides of the story, both in the 80s, and then present day. The murder was kind of a red herring itself once you discover how it really happened. 3 ⭐⭐⭐💫

Today is my birthday (61st it's hard to believe), so of course I had to go buy some books for my ever growing, slightly groaning TBR shelves. I liked Blake Crouch's Upgrade, and I already have Dark Matter, Stardust is the only book by Neil Gaiman that I haven't read (I tried watching the movie and stopped 30 minutes into it), and Dreadful just sounded like a fun book.
#nevertoomanybooks #neverenoughshelves

The voting is now open for #ClassicLSFBC selections for November & December. As we have done previously, the book with the most votes will be November's selection and the runner-up with be for December. Voting ends on Halloween. #ClassicLSFBC @Bookwomble @Ruthiella @TheSpineView @BookmarkTavern @wanderinglynn @Readergrrl @Johanna414

1. Banana 🍌
2. The tagged books had so many great meals. Really made being a food critic sound like a glamorous occupation.
Thank you for the tag @TheSpineView #Two4Tuesday
Wanna play? @audraelizabeth @Buechersuechtling @ReadingIsMyHobby @Onceuponatime @TheBookDream @Daisey @Bookishlie @Sharpeipup @Cuilin @ReadingFeedsTheSoul @Lucy_Anywhere @Onepageatatime88 @SpiderGoddess

101/150 This was easily my favorite book of the series, so far. This iteration of Harrowhawk was by far the most pleasant and endearing, so sweet and kind. Her fate at the end was heartbreaking 💔. I hope Muir comes out with Alecto The Ninth as soon as possible. 5 🌟 read.
101st book finished for #Readaway2024 @DieAReader @GHABI4ROSES @Andrew65

100/150 I don't know if its caused by the constraints of the video game, but this is a very plodding Batman story. The identity of the Arkham Knight is pretty obvious, and the subplot of Batman fighting against the Joker's blood in his system was a total parallel to the later DC plotline, The Batman Who Laughed. If you love all things Batman, you might want to give it a try, otherwise I'd skip it. 3 ⭐⭐⭐

Alar wasn't as nervous as he should have been.

#FirstLineFridays @ShyBookOwl

With October rapidly slipping away, I hope everyone was able to find and enjoy a copy of Sundiver. It's now time to think about November & December selections for #ClassicLSFBC. If there are no objections, we will do it the same as the August-October picks, the book that gets the most votes will be November's choice and the second most will go to December. It gives people more time to locate the selections. Nominations are now open.

🌽 Maze
Carve 🎃
🏈
🔥
📖 Always
Caramel 🍎
Chili & cornbread
🍎 Cinnamon

#wonderouswednesday @Eggs

1. Too soon, if I buy it now, I'll eat it all before Halloween gets here.
2. Bat. Sh#! Crazy

@TheSpineView #Two4Tuesday

99/150 I always enjoy history books that cover events or people I'm totally unfamiliar with. Mrs. Mandlebaum was just such a character, an entrepreneur to some, a criminal mastermind to others. I was unaware that organized crime began so early, in the later 1800s, when most people think of the Mafia which came much later. A quick listen, which covered Mandelbaum's rise and eventual fall,

A group of politicians has called a hearing to discuss an epidemic.

#FirstLineFridays @ShyBookOwl

98/150 First off, I liked Gideon The Ninth better than this book. It's a great big mess of a book, spiraling, confusing, drunkenly swaying from past to present, life and death, and all places in between. I almost gave up, but I'm glad I didn't because the author pulled it together for a slam bang ending that rewarded my patience. I don't think I've said WTF this often since reading Dhalgren. 4 ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Getting in the holiday mood with some Halloween themed soap. I wonder if it will make me irresistible to the ghouls?
🤣🤣

Cocoa
Green
Audiobook
Thanksgiving
Gloves
Low-Key Group

@Eggs #wonderouswednesday

97/150 I'm pretty sure I read this when it first came out, but it's been long enough that I've forgotten most of the plot. Humans have discovered plasma beings inside the sun, and using the Sundiver project, seek to make contact. This could have leaned toward a hard science science-fiction, but Brin creates interesting characters, human and alien, that adds more dramatic points to the story. 4 ⭐⭐⭐⭐
#ClassicLSFBC

#whereareyoumonday I am literally in the heart of the Sun with the crew of the Sundiver project.
@Cupcake12

Oh Boy!! I just got this from BAM! I loved the original book, and this is one of my most anticipated books for 2024. I expect to have my mind blown several times. 🤯🤯🤯

96/150 I loved this kind of book when I was young, hard science science fiction was my favorite genre. After 60+ years, it does feel a little dated, but it still holds up well. It still makes for a tense, exciting read as the rescue team struggles to save the passengers & crew of the Selene. Like any good disaster movie, just when the heroes think they've got things beat, a new problem comes along to gum up the works. 4 ⭐⭐⭐⭐ #ClassicLSFBC

95/150 Honestly I wasn't expecting to like this, despite the positive review on Litsy, but I found it absolutely fascinating! I loved Gideon and Harrow, their relationship was so bizarre yet still touching. This world of dark necromancers was well developed and I definitely want to see what is going to happen next. 5 🌟 read
95th book finished for #Readaway2024 @DieAReader @GHABI4ROSES @Andrew65

I'm sorry my check-in has been so late this month, it's been a long crazy week. I hope everyone was able to find, and has been enjoying, a copy of A Fall of Moondust. I first read this in my teens (a million years ago), but I think it holds up well. Just a reminder, October's selection is Sundiver by David Brin. If you have premium accounts with Audible or Spotify, it's available for free, but I'm sure most libraries also have a copy on hand.

I know this is non-fiction, so I wasn't expecting something like Pirates of the Caribbean. However, why is a book about pirates this boring? Plenty of people, places and dates, but not much to hold the readers attention. Picking audio for this was a mistake also, the narrator adds nothing to the story, just a dry reading of the words on the page. Bailing at 40%. #hailthebail

1. Tagged. The second book of the trilogy is also very good.
2. Paper. I prefer the feel of a book in my hands, but this year I've done more audiobooks.
3. Science-fiction

@Eggs #wonderouswednesday

94/150 I always enjoy behind the scene books, especially when it's about the inner workings of the government. Starting with Kennedy, Stephanopoulos chronicles how the Situation Room has dealt with various crises, how the room evolved and changed with technological advances, and how each president, from Kennedy to Biden, interacted with the staff who worked there. Keeping the viewpoint of the staff members kept the book unusually apolitical ⬇️

He watched the attendants hoist the body onto the metal mesh and it landed with what would have been a painful thump had the bastard been alive, but, unfortunately, he wasn't

#FirstLineFridays @ShyBookOwl

Underrated?? Really?? Its one of Arthur C. Clark's best known novels, and usually mentioned, along with 2001 and Childhood's End, when discussing Clarke's writing. Rendezvous with Rama isn't one of my favorite Clarke novels, but I don't think its underrated. That said, if anyone can do right by the book, its Denis Villeneuve.

Despite what my girlfriend would say, going to the used bookstore and only purchasing 4 books shows an enormous amount of restraint on my part. I could have easily walked out with a dozen, but I have to wait until I purchase a new bookcase because I've about reached the limit with my current set up.
#nevertoomanybooks #neverenoughshelves

93/150 Sequels are rarely better than the first book, but as much as I loved The Blighted Stars, I think this one was even better. The war against the canus goes on, with people switching sides and switching bodies. I think the author made a mistake by "killing" the main antagonist in this chapter. He was clever and dangerous, a perfect foil for Naira and Tarquin. There is an unusually upbeat and optimistic conclusion ⬇️

So here's the choice. Do I watch the Harris/Trump debate, something guaranteed to give me a headache from banging my head on the table, or do I hang out in Gotham with The Batman? I'll take Gotham over presidential politics any day.
#HurryUpNovember #PoliticalFatigue

🏈 Obviously by my name, I am a LA Rams fan. I have been since I was 10 years old (I'm 60 now).
🏈 Aside for the Rams, I root for the Lions (because I still like Jared Goff), the Houston Texans, and the South Carolina Gamecocks.
🏈 My gf doesn't get into football, so I usually watch it alone or in a bar crowd.
🏈 I'd rather watch at home, but some games, like the Super Bowl, is more fun in a sports bar.
#GridironGab @KadaGul

92/150 This is the first book I've read by David Gemmell, but it definitely won't be the last. If you're in the mood for a epic fantasy, then this is it, but also there's some deeper thought going on also. What makes a hero? Who decides what is legend and what is truth? Can a hero escape his destiny? It's a rollicking adventure for sure, but deeper than the usual sword & sorcery story. 4 ⭐⭐⭐⭐💫

I really enjoyed the audiobook version of The Blighted Stars, and I couldn't wait to dive into the sequel. I'm only 2 hours into it, but I'm happy to say, so far, it has been as good as the first book.

91/150 Honestly, I'm surprised I enjoyed this as much as I did, with so many romance tropes boxes to check off. Enemy to Lover ✅ Friend to Lover ✅ Long Lost Loves Reunited ✅ That aside, what kept me listening was the intricate plot and the fascinating character development, and each character faced hidden secrets and base betrayals. I was totally surprised by the final reveal of who was playing who. Being the first book of a series ⬇️

90/150 I've always enjoyed these old EC Comics horror comics, with their campy macabre humor and their "twist" endings that were usually pretty obvious. The violence and gore is pretty tame by today's standards, but it's still fun to see the bad guys get their comeuppance, and the good guys too sometimes when they don't listen to the advice of those who know better. Call it Karma Comics. 3 ⭐⭐⭐?

I figured most people would go for the logistical choice of Fleming's Casino Royale, so I chose this instead. All the books in Green's Secret Histories series have title that are take offs on James Bond titles, like Daemons Are Forever and From Hell With Love. His lead character even goes under the assumed name of Shaman Bond.
#SundayFunday @BookmarkTavern

89/150 This took me months to finish, not because it's not well written or interesting, but because it is absolutely dense with information about the history of the US government's interest in UFOs, and in programs like SETI, that looked for alien life outside the planet Earth. There are a lot of people to remember, both famous and obscure, and it's best read in small chunks. 3 ⭐⭐⭐💫

I'm DNFing this about 44% into the book. I wanted more about Josephine Baker, and up to this point she seems to be playing a minor supporting role in the story. The author said in the preface that this wasn't a biography of Baker, but I expected a little more depth to the background given about her.
#hailthebail