Here we go as usual!

What have you recently finished reading?

Volume eight of A Gentle Noble’s Vacation Recommendation (by Misaki, Momochi & Sando). I love this series so much; it does feel like sometimes I’m losing things in translation, but the relationship between Lizel, Gil and Eleven (whether you read these bonds as platonic or not) is a lot of fun, along with watching Lizel explore and find all the bookshops he can.

Before that, it was A History of Britain in Ten Enemies (Terry Deary), which felt very much like Horrible Histories for grownups. The tone didn’t quite land for me, and I longed for citations or at least a more comprehensive list of sources.

What are you currently reading?

I’m most of the way through Monsters: A Fan’s Dilemma (Claire Dederer), which feels… topical (for reasons of very recent revelations about an author that I don’t want to discuss here or, at least for the moment, at all). Dederer doesn’t seem to come even distantly within sight of any kind of conclusion, which is fine; it’s kind of soothing just to follow someone else wrestling with the topic, and admitting that it’s complicated and that there are self-serving reasons to continue to consume art by monstrous people which nonetheless stem from important feelings that are worthy of examination and respect.

I’m also partway through A Sweet Sting of Salt (Rose Sutherland), which feels more historical/literary fiction than fantasy — not a criticism, just, it’s not an out-and-out selkie story where the magic is obvious all along. I’m enjoying it.

What will you read next?

Probably volume nine of A Gentle Noble’s Vacation Recommendation, for one thing. Other than that, I’m not sure. I think I might start in on Mr Pottermack’s Oversight (R. Austin Freeman); I liked one of Freeman’s other mysteries significantly more than I’d expected, and I’m a little behind on reading my British Library Crime Classics subscription books, since I think this was October’s book, maybe November’s? Perish the thought, maybe even August or September? (I checked. August. Gah!)

How about you? Whatcha reading? Anything you’d recommend?