*Ally read novels, wrapped up in her duvet beside the central-heating radiator in her bedroom, borrowing them from the centre & the public library, sometimes finishing one & starting another without even changing her position or getting up to make coffee, like an addict...She imagined the reading that she did now as like climbing inside one of those deep old beds she'd seen in a museum, with a sliding door to close behind you...*

President reacts to his voters (in a 2 part video!) who have buyers' remorse!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XvFL8iXqnI4
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YnNSnJbjdws

*Good audiobooks with great narrators
*Shamrock shake
*Libraries
*Cafes in libraries
*Spring! (Such a tough winter)
#5joysfriday
@debinhawaii

Every Thursday I will be posting about a book, or short story, I love that I have either never posted about or have not posted about in a long time. For my first entry for #ThorsDayRec is Stålenhag's sui generis work Tales From The Loop. I have seen this categorized under: Graphic Novel, Sci-Fi, Art Books, Fiction. Set in the 80s, TFL tells of a town with both decommissioned & sentient machines. There's a meandering narrative woven into (cont)

LBR was one of the first books I read this year. After my first read of the year it was one of my first 5 star books. I was caught off guard by the series adaptation announcement on Goodreads just now. No idea! loved this book so much; I think I might have to sit out this adaptation unless I hear it's brilliant.

First published in 2017 but just as relevant now, this concise & thought provoking book clocks in less than 2 hours on audio. But the lessons contained within are expansive & will stay with the reader. Highly recommended.

I arrived at my choice for #weirdwords after quite the rabbit hole: first reading a mention of an on-set fatality during the shooting of the Twilight Zone movie led to the morbid Wikipedia page which somehow led me to medieval torture methods which led to Latin phrase Poena cullei (Penalty of the sack). As wikipedia states, “The punishment consisted of being sewn up in a leather sack, with an assortment of live animals including a dog, snake...“

I recently read my first Fleming, which has an early opening scene in a casino.
Michael Mechanic's nf “Jackpot“ also has some memorable scenes in it regarding the excesses of the wealthy.
#sundayfunday @bookmarktavern

While college friends & neighbors Brett, Talitha & Grace are away at school they are notified that their neighborhood has disappeared. Twenty years later Talitha is approached by a researcher to return to the area as pictures obtained from a recent drone show that there is possible activity in her old house. I read this one in just a couple of hours this morning. I was absolutely riveted by this unique take on the haunted house trope (CONT)

At 62% I ended up DNF'ing this one. The deciding factor for me was that while there were one or two stories I liked okay, there were none that I was crazy about. Having said that I will def be trying Langan's stories again in the future. His novel The Fisherman is one of the best horror novels of the past decade & his stories in two recent Datlow anthologies have stood out (esp the one in Final Cuts).

*I only watched a few of the highlights, but a fantastic DNC w/ memorable speeches & enthusiasm
*Starbucks released their fall menu, which for me is the official beginning of Spooky Season
*Compiling a list of favorite & new to me movies to watch for fall (kicked it off on 8-22 with a rewatch of Sinister)
*Libraries for being one of the few remaining public free spaces to just sit & read
*The joy of DNF (2 books this wk. No regrets!)

This book is wild. WILD. After a series of devastating wars, a Federal Government (FedGov) is instituted along with the Secret Police. Employing rhetoric of absolute opinions are now illegal, as these are seen as what have caused all previous armed conflicts & devastation. These absolutes range from the religious (Christian) or the lack of religious (Atheist) to economic ideals. As Wikipedia succinctly states, “In this particular dystopia,..CONT“

I have posted about project 2025 previously & found this video at the DNC worthwhile:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uuGOKzLi2-o
For a more substantive look at the impact of Project 2025 on books & reading:
https://lithub.com/the-republicans-project-2025-is-disastrous-for-books/
https://www.alreporter.com/2024/07/10/bill-to-arrest-librarians-filed-for-2025-s...
It is also worth noting that Tim Waltz as governor signed into law a bill (CONT)

I have to admit that I am in a bit of a funk with the music that I have been listening to lately. However, these longtime favorites haven't disappointed:
Pearl Jam: Sirens
https://open.spotify.com/track/1cAMXz9mnvrqyQLSG4KeeE?si=33ccb732b9ce4271
Lana Del Rey: Yosemite
https://open.spotify.com/track/3WIifw9lqdgSZpt9renBAg?si=0da4cb1096b64145
Low: Sunflower
https://open.spotify.com/track/5MLBottNJ4s4yL6t9sIryD?si=7264e076fe5c425f
#tuesdaytunes

1) Usually wine, occasionally I dip into something a bit heavier (whiskey & coke, old fashioned)
2) Edith Wharton's “Summer“ 💔 😭
@thespineview
#two4tuesday

I was just scrolling through IG & saw someone screenshot a post from rakeshsatayl that reads:
Someone should start an airline for book lovers that has a library onboard and call it Jane Air (& I am dead 😂 ☠)

Not book related, but I just returned from the theatre & holy facehugger was this good. There have been so many great horror films this year & the new entry in the Aliens franchise is definitely one of them!

I read the title story years ago. It is permanently etched on my brain as one of the most unsettling things I've read, so when I started this collection I did not revisit it. The other stories are an interesting mix in that in typical JC Oates' fashion there is a range of narrative voices. There are stories told from the POV of pretty awful people & those where the narrative voice is more sympathetic. Aside from the title story the (CONT)

I haven't posted my results for the Rolling Stones survey in a couple of weeks, but as this is the final one I thought I'd share. I scored 90%, not too shabby. My favorite songs from this list (in no order):
*Queen's “Bohemian Rhapsody“ (At position 84 this one should have def ranked higher. One of the greatest!)
*Joy Division's “Love Will Tear Us Apart“
*Leonard Cohen's “Hallelujah“
*Patti Smith's “Gloria“
*Billie Holiday's “Strange Fruit“

This post is inspired by the one that @billypar posted in response to the NY Times' 100 Best Books of the 21st Century. Like @billypar I will be posting 25 selections & they will be novels only. No short story collections, no graphic novels, no non-fiction & in no order whatsoever. I found this parameter very useful as there are quite a few novels published this century that I still intend on reading! But IMO you can do worse than these:

I have had this one for several years now. The recent discussions about AI definitely made for an interesting reading experience. There are several good stories in this collection; however there are three absolutely phenomenal entries: Charles Yu's “Cycles,“ Alastair Reynolds' “Sleepover“ & Seanan McGuire's “We Are All Misfit Toys in the Aftermath of the Velveteen War.“ Yu's story is from the POV of an alarm clock the minute before it is (CONT)

I love this idea. My 5 are somewhat obvious ones, but I can't help it. I love them. Make your list & share!
*“It was a queer, sultry summer, the summer they elected the Rosenbergs, and I didn't know what I was doing in New York.“
*“All this happened, more or less.“
*“It was a bright cold day in April, and the clocks were striking thirteen.”
*“The sky above the port was the color of television, tuned to a dead channel.“
*(#5 in the comments)

Happy to see two songs that have been favorites for many many years on Obama's summer playlist:
Mingus' “Wednesday Night Prayer Meeting“ (the Blues & Roots album as a whole is terrific):
https://open.spotify.com/track/74EiaLmtaOlfKZYFkhHs6J?si=6bf7533753ef4084
Nick Drake “One of These Things First“ (Bryter Layter is another favorite):
https://open.spotify.com/track/6wuekNiL0KqFbvfdwuequN?si=f6d2bf75aff04d8f
#tuesdaytunes @tiedyedude

I have long been a fan of the Harper Perennial Olive Editions, so I was pretty happy to see that the new line will be horror novels. A blend of classic & contemporary. I won't be a completionist with this collection, but I have my eye on the tagged book (one that I have been meaning to read), The Exorcist (I needed a new copy!) & Lovecraft Country (a personal favorite). Anywho, here is a link to all 8:

What are the 3-5 books that you have read this year that you would most like to see adapted as either a movie or a tv series?
*Adama Cesare's “Clown In A Cornfield“ I read # 2 in March & I feel like the Clown etc books are great material for a new series along the lines of Fear Street/Scream.
*Brenna Thummler's “Sheets“ (I'd like to see an animated version of this to pay tribute to the richness of the original)
*Josh Malerman's “It Waits In The

I had a coupon for Book Outlet so I just placed a small order. The ones I am most excited for are the tagged book (Piper is one of my favorite new to me authors this year), Best of R.A. Lafferty (part of the TOR Essentials series, very intrigued by the description & the forewords by various authors), & Be Sure (a collection of books 1-3 of Seanan McGuire's Wayward Children series).

Read today in one sitting. It's Discworld, what's not to love?

I picked this one up while browsing at HPB a couple of months ago. Flight 777 lands at JFK airport with all passengers on board dead, Nora & Eph from the CDC are called out to investigate & find four survivors onboard. They begin investigating what caused the mass casualty event & then strange shit starts going down. There is a blurb describing this as “The Hot Zone meets Salem's Lot“ & I think that's very accurate. I really liked this one. (CONT)

If you are a reader in the US then August 7th 2024 should feel significant. Today the first statewide ban was enacted. Specifically there is a state-mandated list of 13 books, 12 written by women, that will be banned statewide in Utah schools. Last I heard, the NY public library was offering digital memberships to address this issue. (CONT)

My three selections for #tuesdaytunes
The past couples of weeks I have been revisiting O'Connor's “I Do Not Want What I Haven't Got“ Such a brilliant album.
https://open.spotify.com/track/2VQUtkqHTXKY5rm81PZEtk?si=ef291f3ae60b4e4c
Cowboy Junkies' “Blue Moon Revisited“ (Cowboy Junkies have been an under the radar music love since HS)
https://open.spotify.com/track/1RszdaPPEyHMoTyy0pRBrv?si=e1aab75de98e4342
Crooked Fingers “Sleep All Summer“

1) I try to read daily & the number of pages I read in a sitting varies greatly depending on a few factors. I try to read at least 50-70 on a weekday, my quality reading definitely occurs during the weekend.
2) Keegan's “So Late In the Day.“ I read this yesterday & I was a bit underwhelmed TBH.
3) Recent classics read (& loved): Plot Against America, The Plague, Matilda.
#wondrouswednesday @eggs

Easily one of the most compelling, & creepiest, books that I have read this year. I read this essentially in on one sitting because I had to find out what happened. Put this one in the freezer.

It's me having just read 230 pages of the tagged book in one sitting. *shudders*

I finished this remarkable alternative history classic yesterday. There is much to say about how terrible Roth was as a person. But as a writer he showed a far greater sympathy than he was capable of IRL. In lieu of a review, I'm linking to the recent 15 minute video by pop culture site watch mojo discussing the far right plan for #45 inauguration Project 20225. The fact that a site that usually discusses celebrity news is discussing the (CONT)

After reading & music, movies are definitely my favorite hobby. So, I'm curious: what was the best movie/tv series that you watched in July? For me there were 3 that really grabbed my attention at just the right time. Last weekend I watched “Anatomy Of A Fall.“ I can definitely see why this won so many awards. Such a sharp & smart commentary on the intrusiveness of certain aspects of the digital age into personal lives & questioning the (CONT)

I'm not a seasonal reader/watcher/listener. Usually. I have a few musical exceptions & one is Lana Del Rey. According to Ye Olde Weather Channel Online it is going to be in the 90s here until 8-7. Typical KC, Below are a few of my favorite quintessential Lana Del Rey summer songs:
*National Anthem
https://open.spotify.com/track/2nvXyajLAAV9Iwy8K9EbUd?si=2db1c05bb2f0457b
*California
*CONT*

Not sure that I will finish a book tomorrow, so I'm going to post my July #monthinbooks now. What a month! In my reading life, professional life & of course *points outside* In no order, these are the books that kept me company, provoked me, thrilled me, entertained me, kept me reading me way past my bedtime in a very unusual month:
*Catherine Ryan Howard's The Trap (Easily one of the best new thrillers I have read this yr. So smart.)
*(CONT)

*Books
*Coffee
*Music
*Movies
*Weekends
#5joysfriday @debinhawaii

My #bratsummer will comprise of eventually reading the tagged book & maybe Bright Lights, Big City while I watch The Outsiders & brushing up on my dance moves:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KVkTAhSxV9w
#weirdwords
@cbee

“Katie Cruel“ Bert Jansch, Beth Orton, Devendra Banhart
https://open.spotify.com/track/5i276TVJVTp2wEftCzpFjk?si=030dcc77938e4bac
“Outta My Head“ M. Ward
https://open.spotify.com/track/3krzlGHrZzMrfQLdgf2IbO?si=af7327dfbc0d435a
“Frankie & Johnny“: Dr. John
https://open.spotify.com/track/2vlcJff1ZToSqL1BiOF5k5?si=04ab2db87cd4429a
#tuesdaytunes (Thursday night edition bc it's been that kinda week) @tiedyedude

Raskolnikov certainly loved his #hat. If you are intimidated by the Russian classics, I would suggest that you give this one a try. Even as recently as the 50s & 60s in America it was sold in gas stations with comics (Michael Dirda has spoken about this) & is often considered one of the earliest thrillers. There are philosophical interludes, but don't let the classical reputation throw you off. I literally had a nightmare about it.
#coverlove

I'm not on Twitter anymore, so I'm sure I'm not the first to do this but I couldn't resist. The tagged book (a favorite) is Reader Top 100 Best Books of the 21st Century & NY Times Best Books of the 21st Century at the same spot. The more that I have looked at the NY Times list while it does seem to be more representative of prize winners etc I am tempted to buy a subscription to get behind the paywall & see the additional recommendations (CONT)

I bought the first two box sets (books 1-6) of The #Wheel of Time several years ago & have yet to read a single one. This is the most intimidating series I own. Not only because of how long the series is (14 books) but I always hear about the slog, which seems to vary. Some people say it is one book & others say it's two, or three (& in the same breath say “but it was worth powering through“ lol). I do want to read it, or at least attempt it.

This one is still on my TBR shelves, but I'm pretty sure I will love it. You can always spot Charco Press books on the shelves.
#chair #coverlove @eggs @alwaysbeenaloverofbooks

Set during the Cold War, Checkmate is the only American government agency that allows metahumans. Begun during the Civil Rights movement they are now overseas & helping to topple governments & install puppet leaders. There is a blurb on the back that reads, “playing out like a prestige political drama.“ I agree. While reading this, I kept thinking of one of the best tv miniseries that I have watched this year: Lindelof's “Watchmen.“

I just read the first 80 pages with my morning coffee. Not every story landed for me, but most of them did intrigue me. The Nick Medina story. Holy hell. Incredible.

“Funny, piercing, and full of moxie...“Robert Jones Jr on Anita De Montes Laughs Last
“A fiendishly clever novel that fizzes with moxie..“Kirkus Reviews on Walschots' Hench
Two books I checked out last week. NGL, I'm all for moxie as a new blurb buzz word.
#weirdwords @cbee

I picked up the tagged book at Left Bank Books while in St. Louis several years ago. Easily one of the coolest stores I've been to. I haven't read this one yet, but I am really looking forward to it. I love the weird fiction selections that Penguin has released. #purple #coverlove @eggs @alwaysbeenaloverofbooks

This limited edition set of the complete plays of Shakespeare is stunning (if you have the money). There is a booktuber that I watch who ordered it & received a damaged copy. He contacted Folio & they replaced it with another damaged copy. Apparently there was an issue with the printing process since it was such an unusual edition. Thoughts on Folio Society editions? Link to the YT #gray Folio edition
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HgZ2MD2AZAc

I got 45% on the Rolling Stone top 500 songs (#500-401). Not too shabby. My top “three“ songs?
*Queen/David Bowie “Under Pressure“: This is one of the best collaborations & IMO should be higher on the list. Pure magic.
*Pixies: Where Is My Mind?
*Mazzy Star: Fade Into You (Before Sad Boy/Sad Girl entered the vocab, we had Mazzy Star). Iconic.
*Beck: Loser (Beck's lyrics are genius, especially in his earlier albums where they were pure *CONT*)