Category: General

Unstacking the Shelves

Posted March 17, 2018 by Nicky in General / 12 Comments

It’s been a quiet week for me, book-wise — actually, I’m really stressed — but I did read the books below…

Cover of The Gene by Siddhartha Mukkherjee Cover of The Ghost Map by Steven Johnson Cover of The Mummy Congress by Heather Pringle

… and these things were posted.

Reviews from this week:

–Kushiel’s Dart, by Jacqueline Carey. Okay, it’s a problematic fave in some ways, but I still adored it. Joscelin is just… gah. <3 5/5 stars
–An Unnatural Vice, by K.J. Charles. Not my favourite of the trilogy, but that’s mostly because I didn’t love the characters. Still a fun read. 3/5 stars
–The Master Magician, by Charlie N. Holmberg. More of the same if you’ve read the previous books; wraps things up neatly. 3/5 stars
–The Ghost Map, by Steven Johnson. Lots of interesting stuff on this specific cholera outbreak, though the coda about living in cities is kind of weird. 4/5 stars

Other posts:

–WWW Wednesday: The usual weekly update on what’s currently on my side table.

How’s everybody doing?

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WWW Wednesday

Posted March 14, 2018 by Nicky in General / 2 Comments

The three ‘W’s are what are you reading now, what have you recently finished reading, and what are you going to read next, and you can find this week’s post at the host’s blog here if you want to check out other posts.

What are you currently reading?

Cover of The Ghost Map by Steven JohnsonMost actively, I’m reading The Ghost Map, which is about the cholera outbreak in London which began in Broad Street and resulted in John Snow figuring out where the contagion was coming from (and removing the pump handle). I also have Masquerade and An Accident of Stars still on the go.

What have you recently finished reading?

Cover of The Gene by Siddhartha MukkherjeeThe Gene, by Siddhartha Mukherjee. I was enjoying it a lot, but I wasn’t so sure of his genetic determinism in the sections about gender and identity — I think it’s a bit off for him to be declaring that the genders of intersex people are all determined by one particular genetic switch and there’s no variation. It doesn’t ring true from people I actually know. But for the most part he’s a fascinating writer.

What will you be reading next?

Cover of An Accident of Stars by Foz MeadowsI’ll probably focus on finishing An Accident of Stars, and then I want to start on Cibola Burn, after taking a bit of a break from reading the Expanse books. It’s right there! And I’d like to read it soon! But who knows…

What are you reading?

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Stacking the Shelves

Posted March 10, 2018 by Nicky in General / 10 Comments

Hey all! It’s been a quiet week for me again, but my hand is finally on the mend. Actually, the quiet is pretty much just because I’ve been beavering away at some crochet projects. Since I don’t have much to show off this week, book-wise, I thought I’d start with a few of those…

Watch a bunny come out of a hat... and go back in... on an infinite loop Tiny crocheted Oreos A stitched monkey plays on a branch that looks rather like a crochet hook

 That’s the tiny, tiny crochet… but something else has been growing much faster.

From humble beginnings… to whoa. It’s not quite finished yet, but it’s pretty close!

Books received to review:

Cover of Revenant Gun by Yoon Ha Lee

Just one, but it’s one I’m ridiculously excited for!

Books read this week:

Cover of The Golden Age of Murder by Martin Edwards

I know, it’s not like me. I blame crochet!

Reviews posted this week:

–Shadowplay, by Laura Lam. I read this in two massive gulps, and loved it. And I’m aboard the Drystan and Micah ship now. 4/5 stars
–Wonderful Life, by Stephen Jay Gould. Fascinated by fossils, and the weird life of the Cambrian Explosion? This is your book. 4/5 stars

Other posts:

–WWW Wednesday: The weekly update on what I’m currently reading, etc.

So how’s everyone else doing? Getting in more reading than me, I hope!

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WWW Wednesday

Posted March 7, 2018 by Nicky in General / 6 Comments

The three ‘W’s are what are you reading now, what have you recently finished reading, and what are you going to read next, and you can find this week’s post at the host’s blog here if you want to check out other posts.

What are you currently reading?

Cover of Masquerade by Laura LamI’m about 50 pages into Masquerade by Laura Lam (paused because I can see an issue coming and I dunwanna) and 100 pages into An Accident of Stars, which I’m enjoying more than I expected for something that’s so far fairly typical portal fantasy in many ways (although it features queer people so that aspect is more unexpected).

What have you recently finished reading?

Cover of The Golden Age of Murder by Martin EdwardsThe Golden Age of Murder, by Martin Edwards, which is about the Golden Age crime writers who were part of the Detection Club. A lot of things I didn’t know in snippets here and there, or things I didn’t know much about — like Sayers’ illegitimate son. It made me want to read more of Christie’s work, along with some of the other authors mentioned — but also it makes me want to reread Jo Walton’s Farthing.

What will you be reading next?

Cover of Revenant Gun by Yoon Ha LeeWell, I just got an eARC of Yoon Ha Lee’s Revenant Gun, so I’m very tempted to jump straight into that. If not, then the next book in one of the series I’m re/reading: maybe Kushiel’s Chosen.

What are you reading?

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Stacking the Shelves

Posted March 3, 2018 by Nicky in General / 16 Comments

Good morning, folks! I have a lot this week, because I have a backlog of approved books on Netgalley that I didn’t get emails for somehow. It’s been a quietish week reading-wise, though, because I’ve picked crochet back up…

Received to review:

Cover of Lost Gods by Micah Yongo Cover of Dragon Road by Joseph Brassey Cover of In the Eye of Heaven by David Keck Cover of The Sisters Mederos by Patrice Sarath

Cover of Ash Princess by Laura Sebastian Cover of Good Guys by Steven Brust Cover of Lost for Words by Stephanie Butland

Oof. Quite a haul, right?

Bought:

 Cover of Experiment Eleven by Peter Pringle Cover of Barbary Station by R.E. Stearns Cover of Lady Cop Makes Trouble by Amy Stewart

Quite an odd mix, I’ll admit.

Read this week:

Cover of Shadowplay by Laura Lam Cover of Experiment Eleven by Peter Pringle Cover of The Terracotta Army by John Man

Reviews posted this week:

–Virus X, by Frank Ryan. A bit out of date now, but fascinating stuff. 4/5 stars
–Camelot’s Blood, by Sarah Zettel. I love what Zettel does with the Arthurian story, and this might be my second favourite of the series because of how it humanises Agravain and shows how much he really cares. 4/5 stars
–The Stone of Farewell, by Tad Williams. It remains pretty typical fantasy, but I think this book is stronger and better paced than the first. 4/5 stars

Other posts:

–WWW Wednesday: The weekly update.
–Behind the Screen Tag: A little bit about the me behind the blog.

How’s everyone doing? I haven’t been posting/commenting as much as I’d like because I’ve injured my hand in a stupid way, and it makes typing quite painful after a while (while crochet only really requires dexterity from one hand). I’m hoping to pick things back up more by Monday!

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Behind the Screen Tag

Posted March 1, 2018 by Nicky in General / 2 Comments

This book tag was originally from here, and when I saw it on Chuckles’ blog, I had to nab it. If you want to do it too, consider yourself tagged.

1) When did you start blogging and what was your first review?

Soon after I visited Angry Robot for the day, so back in 2013! My first review posted here was Captain Marvel: In Pursuit of Flight, though I’d been writing reviews on Goodreads for a long time before that.

2) Who/What inspired you to start blogging?

Leah at Uncorked Thoughts! She was interning with Angry Robot at the time I visited, and she urged me to get a blog. She also urged me to read Laura Lam’s Pantomime, which I was a lot slower about… Sorry!

3) What is a blog related goal that you have?

I just want to enjoy it. I don’t really care how many people visit (though it can be nice to know people appreciate my reviews). Maybe I should make a goal of finishing all the books on my TBR and getting the reviews up on here…

4) What is the one thing that you wish someone told you about blogging?

You’ll get dozens of comments on the most throwaway posts, and absolutely nothing on posts you spend hours on.

5) What is your biggest blog-related accomplishment?

I’m still updating it after four and change years?

6) What types of posts do you enjoy writing?

Sometimes, all my posts feel like a slog. But when I’m in the right mood, I like doing all of them.

7) Where do you usually blog? What does your set up look like?

Wherever I can set up my laptop, really. Generally I have it on a fold-up desk and sit in my armchair, since I don’t have a proper desk here.

8) What was your last 5 star read?

My reread of Kushiel’s Dart, I expect.

9) What was your last 1 star read?

None yet in 2018! May it remain that way.

10) What are three words that make you pick up a book?

Queer, mythology, magic. Combine all three and I am there.

11) What is your Hogwarts House?

I… uh, I don’t like Harry Potter much, actually. But Ravenclaw/Gryffindor, depending on the test/my mood/time of day/phase of the moon.

12) What is your favourite reading environment?

Anywhere! I like reading in bed with a hot water bottle under my back, though. You know it’s a good book when I find I’ve burnt myself the next day… Other than that, I also like reading on trains; it just feels like a nice insulated environment set apart from all the stuff I have to do.

13) What advice would you give to new bloggers?

Don’t do it for fame and fortune. You won’t get either, and in fact you’ll barely make anything even if you have affiliate links (and ads just tend to annoy people). Do it because you love books and want to connect with others who also love books… or don’t bother, because it’ll only be disappointing.

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WWW Wednesday

Posted February 28, 2018 by Nicky in General / 4 Comments

The three ‘W’s are what are you reading now, what have you recently finished reading, and what are you going to read next, and you can find this week’s post at the host’s blog here if you want to check out other posts.

What are you currently reading?

Cover of Experiment Eleven by Peter PringleThere are currently only two books on my currently reading pile, and they’ve only been there a day each! I know, it’s shocking. One is Laura Lam’s Masquerade, the final book of the trilogy — I just had to start on it right away, ’cause, you know. Must know what’s next. And the other book is Experiment Eleven, by Peter Pringle, about the discovery of streptomycin. I’d hoped for more about its efficacy against TB, but it’s mostly just about the struggle for intellectual ownership rights over streptomycin.

What have you recently finished reading?

Cover of Masquerade by Laura LamI think the last thing I finished must have been Shadowplay, the second book in Laura Lam’s trilogy. I ate that up in no time, and I am now totally in love with Micah and Drystan. And Cyan, to be honest. Okay, with all of it.

What will you be reading next?

Cover of Crooked Kingdom by Leigh BardugoCrooked Kingdom, by Leigh Bardugo, I think: I should’ve read it in February because it was a book club choice, and it’ll finish another series on my rather-too-long list of series I’m partway through! Plus, I do really want to know what happens next.

What are you currently reading?

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Unstacking the Shelves

Posted February 24, 2018 by Nicky in General / 18 Comments

Good morning, folks! It’s been a good week for me — it doesn’t look like I read that much, but actually, The Stone of Farewell and Kushiel’s Dart are rather long, so I think this is pretty monumental.

Read this week:

Cover of Stone of Farewell by Tad Williams Cover of The Wanderer in Unknown Realms by John Connolly Cover of Camelot's Blood by Sarah Zettel

Cover of The Master Magician by Charlie N Holmberg Cover of Kushiel's Dart by Jacqueline Carey Cover of Unnatural Vice by K.J. Charles

Perhaps I’ll read just as much in the coming week, since I have suddenly got no books at all on my currently reading list, for the first time in many, many moons.

(Seriously, many.)

Reviews posted this week:

–Ars Historica, by Marie Brennan. This is a great collection, written with Brennan’s usual skill, and made me really want to pick her Onyx Court novels back up (though you don’t need to have read them to appreciate the stories). 5/5 stars
–The Laws of Medicine, by Siddartha Mukherjee. Short, but worthwhile; Mukherjee uses his experience as a doctor to posit some basic rules that govern how he practices. 4/5 stars
–Five Red Herrings, by Dorothy L. Sayers. Not a favourite Wimsey story, but nonetheless it’s clever as heck. 4/5 stars
–Libraries in the Ancient World, by Lionel Casson. Engagingly written, though most of the history wasn’t new to me. 3/5 stars
–The Wanderer in Unknown Realms, by John Connolly. Kind of tailed off without using the background it had built up to the sort of effect I’d like to see. Creepy, though, with a good atmosphere. 3/5 stars

Other posts:

–WWW Wednesday: The usual update on what I’ve been reading in the last week.

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WWW Wednesday

Posted February 21, 2018 by Nicky in General / 4 Comments

The three ‘W’s are what are you reading now, what have you recently finished reading, and what are you going to read next, and you can find this week’s post at the host’s blog here if you want to check out other posts.

What are you currently reading?

Cover of Kushiel's Dart by Jacqueline CareyKushiel’s Dart and Camelot’s Blood are still on my currently reading pile, but I haven’t touched them this week. Oops? I really need to dig back into both; it’s not that I don’t want to, even, it’s just that I’m reading them in paperback part of the time and it’s sometimes easier to just read something else in bed (and thus on my ereader).

What have you recently finished reading?

Cover of Stone of Farewell by Tad WilliamsThe Stone of Farewell, by Tad Williams! I thought it would take me forever, because it looks so long and daunting, but I read faster than I think and I ate it up in about 3-4 days. It’s funny how little of it I remember now, considering I found it so predictable when I first read it! (Which is not to say not enjoyable — I enjoyed it very much, or I wouldn’t be rereading it now.)

What will you be reading next?

To Green Angel Tower: Siege, most likely, though goodness only knows where my grasshopper mind will go next, sometimes.

What are you reading?

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Unstacking the Shelves

Posted February 17, 2018 by Nicky in General / 14 Comments

Good morning, folks! It’s been a quiet week around here, with me getting into the swing of doing more work and trying to balance things a little more. Which has not meant very much reading, alas. But here’s what I have read — no new books this week!

Books finished this week:

Cover of Virus X by Frank Ryan Cover of Ars Historica by Marie Brennan Cover of Libraries in the Ancient World by Lionel Cassen Cover of Five Red Herrings by Dorothy L. Sayers

Reviews posted this week:

–A Monstrous Commotion, by Gareth Williams. A thoroughly enjoyable historical and scientific appraisal of the Loch Ness Monster — sympathetic to those who want to believe, but realistic as well. 5/5 stars
–Ghost Talkers, by Mary Robinette Kowal. I found this difficult going emotionally because I got invested in a particular character/relationship, but I do think it’s a great read. 4/5 stars
–The Philadelphia Chromosome, by Jessica Wapner. Fascinating stuff, and really encouraging when you think about the journey to treating this type of cancer. 4/5 stars
–An Unseen Attraction, by K.J. Charles. A lovely relationship and some non-typical elements to the characters too. 4/5 stars

Other posts:

–WWW Wednesday: The latest and greatest on my TBR pile.

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