Wednesday again; that keeps happening, somehow, as does this joke.

What have you recently finished reading?

Last night I read Veronica Roth’s Arch-Conspirator more or less in one go. It’s a sci-fi retelling of Sophocles’ Antigone, and I’m still kind of digesting the ways it adapted that story. I think as an adaptation of Antigone, it doesn’t really use the same themes — more just the plot. Which is fine, but I’ve studied Antigone to death and had kind of expected a slightly different slant. I think I liked it, all the same.

What are you currently reading?

I’m most of the way through The Book at War by Andrew Pettegree, now. I returned the library copy for convenience’s sake, so I need to grab the Kindle copy to finish up. It did get a bit more interesting once it stopped being focused on early military education.

I’m also still reading Ray Nayler’s The Mountain in the Sea, but I’ve barely touched that in a week because I was focusing on trying to finish other library books that needed to be returned. I should get back to it.

What are you going to read next?

In theory, there’s a bunch of library books which have been waiting a while, and it should be one of those. Most likely, I’m going to give Feeding the Monster: Why Horror Has a Hold on Us, by Anna Bogutskaya, a shot. I’m not much of a horror fan myself, even novels, but I find the fascination with it an interesting phenomenon.

I’m probably also going to give Richard Stark’s The Hunter a go; noir is not usually my thing, but a wide knowledge of trends in crime fiction (thanks to a course back in university) means I can find most anything in the genre interesting for how it slots into the bigger picture. Plus, I do think Raymond Chandler was a genius, so some noir has worked for me in the past.

How about you?

Wednesday again, huh? That keeps happening, somehow.

What have you recently finished reading?

Yesterday I finished up my reread of Agatha Christie’s The Murder of Roger Ackroyd, via Serial Reader. I still liked it a lot, though once I was in the swing of it I remembered a surprising amount of how things came together. It’s a clever one!

I also read The British Museum: Storehouse of Civilizations, by James Hamilton. It’s not very critical about the British Museum, rather being inclined to laud the whole endeavour, though it does mention some of the controversy around the Elgin Marbles. It’s an interesting history of the institution and particularly of the buildings, though.

What are you currently reading?

I’m still partway through The Book at War, by Andrew Pettegree. It’s slower going than I hoped, though I couldn’t put my finger on why — perhaps because I’m not terribly interested in the history of military education per se, which has been the focus so far. We’ll see how things develop, I suppose!

I’ve also started reading The Mountain in the Sea, by Ray Nayler. I’m enjoying it, though I need to find some more time to sit down and read it; I haven’t been able to pick it up for a few days! So far we’ve only got the most tantalising hints at what’s going on, and no actual contact with octopuses.

What will you read next?

I’m not sure. I’m probably looking for something familiar and soothing, so I might go with rereading the Cemetaries of Amalo books (by Katherine Addison) and segue into reading the new one (which I have as an e-ARC). I could also use some quick reads to help advance my reading goal for the year, though, and I have some novellas lined up for that, like Olivia Waite’s Murder by Memory (also an e-ARC). It promises a Sayers-like mystery, which is encouraging.

What about you?

Yep, time for the usual check-in!

What have you recently finished reading?

I’ve mostly been reading poetry for a few days, because it was on Serial Reader and it’s been a while since I read any poetry. This involved the conclusion that I’m still not a fan of Robert Frost, but I did like Kahlil Gibran’s “The Prophet”.

Other than that, the last thing I finished was the fifth volume of Heaven Official’s Blessing (MXTX).

What are you currently reading?

Predictably, I’m onto volume six of Heaven Official’s Blessing, which includes a scene I’ve been waiting for ever so long — finally Xie Lian has acknowledged Hua Cheng’s feelings for him, and seems to be reciprocating! (This is hardly a spoiler: it’s danmei, you know they’re headed there.)

On Serial Reader, I’m working my way through Agatha Christie’s Poirot Investigates, which is short stories. They feature an unfortunate amount of Hastings, and I am not a fan.

Other than that, I got back to reading Emily Henry’s Book Lovers, which I am at times reading while peeking through my fingers because of embarrassment squick.

What will you be reading next?

It’s a fair bet that I’ll be reading Heaven Official’s Blessing volume 7 in pretty short order, of course, but after that, I’m not sure. I do know that my next choice on Serial Reader is likely to be a reread of The Murder of Roger Ackroyd — I remember enjoying it very much and thinking it very clever, so I’m not going to skip it even though I know whodunnit. I did read it quite a while ago, so the clues and such will be new to me, even though I remember the conclusion.

And what are you reading?

It’s Wednesday, so it’s time for the usual update!

What have you recently finished reading?

I think the most recent novel I finished was Heaven Official’s Blessing volume 4 (MXTX). I’m loving the series, but I did take a bit of a pause to breathe after volume 4, knowing that the next volume answers some questions about Hua Cheng — at least, I hope it does! And I’m so ready for Xie Lian and Hua Cheng to maybe acknowledge what’s between them a bit more.

I know a lot of spoilers, as well, which gives me the fascinating puzzle of trying to figure out where things fit in.

What are you currently reading?

All That Remains (Sue Black) is the book I’m currently reading most actively, and hoping to finish today. I find it’s a lot more personal than her later book, Written in Bone, and I’ve found myself crying several times. I just read the chapter on her work in Kosovo, which is pretty heavy stuff. She has a very practical approach to death, but coupled with a great respect for grief and for what families need, and what’s owing to a person even when they’re dead.

On Serial Reader, I’m about halfway through The Murder on the Links (Agatha Christie). It’s much of a muchness with other fiction of the period, and I’m maybe liking it a bit less because I do so dislike Hastings as a narrator, and (sorry…) I’m not a huge fan of Poirot. Not that it’s bad, just not entirely to my taste.

What will you read next?

The next volume of Heaven Official’s Blessing is definitely high on my list. Other than that, I’ve been steadily trying to whittle down the number of books I have partway read at any one time, so I’ll probably pick another of those to focus on; Christina Baehr’s Wormwood Abbey, probably, but maybe also Emily Henry’s Book Lovers, since that’s not in a series and I won’t simply want to start the next book in its place.

How about you, readers?

Here we go, as usual!

What have you recently finished reading?

The last thing I finished was Karl Widerquist’s book from the MIT Press Essential Knowledge Series, Universal Basic Income. I’m personally fairly convinced about the benefits of UBI, but I wanted to read more about its history, studies, etc. It’s a little dissatisfying that there’s so little actual large-scale proof, but that’s not the book’s fault, and I did learn about the Alaska dividend, which is a fascinating concept.

What are you currently reading?

Several things at once, as ever! I’ve picked up the app Serial Reader again, and I’m using it to read Agatha Christie’s The Mysterious Affair at Styles — for a fan of the Golden Age of crime fiction, you’d be shocked by how little Christie I’ve read. I’m only a few ‘issues’ into it so far, so not much to say about it yet. It’s very classic for the period, though I’m not a Poirot fan in general.

I’m also in the closing chapters of Heaven Official’s Blessing volume 3. In some ways I’d love to do nothing but read this series, I’m adoring Xie Lian and Hua Cheng… but at the same time, I keep reminding myself that I get fidgety if I try to do that, and it’s good for me to have other books to focus on too. I’m also trying to keep pace with my wife’s reading, and this buddy read system is a lot of fun when we do it.

What will you read next?

I should return to reading Christina Baehr’s Wormwood Abbey, which I temporarily stalled on — not because I don’t like it, but just because I was focusing on Heaven Official’s Blessing and kind of busy with work stuff.

I should also start another non-fiction book, because I always like having one on the go; I suspect I’ll pick up my new Object Lessons book, Space Rover.

And what about you?

WWW Wednesday questions:

• What have you recently finished reading?
• What are you currently reading?
• What are you planning on reading next?

So as usual, here’s my answers!

What have you recently finished reading?

The last book I finished was Precious: The History and Mystery of Gems Across Time, by Helen Moleworthy. Each chapter discusses a different gem stone, like rubies, diamonds and jade, and tries to weigh up what makes the gem special and give a little of its history. I enjoyed it, for the most part, though I must admit that gemstones don’t do anything special for me — or perhaps I’ve just never handled a particularly beautiful one.

What are you currently reading?

As usual, I have a couple of things on the go at once. I’ve started on a new series by MXTX, Heaven Official’s Blessing, and now I’m onto the second book. I’m a little lost with all the lore, to be honest, and a friend suggested I try watching the donghua to get things straightened out. So I’ll probably do that soon! I’m enjoying the relationship between Hua Cheng and Xie Lian, though.

I’ve also just barely started reading Wormwood Abbey, by Christina Baehr. I think someone in the Bookly Discord mentioned reading that, and it caught my attention because there’s a tiny dragon on the cover! I need to settle down and read a bit more.

What are you planning on reading next?

I just got a bunch of new books for my birthday, so perhaps more from that stack. There’s a couple of new-to-me mysteries, including two by Joan Cockin — I recently tried Curiosity Killed The Cat, which I enjoyed, so maybe it’s time to read more of those. Or maybe this month’s British Library Crime Classic, Mr Pottermack’s Oversight by R. Austin Freeman, before I start building up a backlog.

I have options, as you see!

What are you reading?

WWW Wednesday questions:

• What have you recently finished reading?
• What are you currently reading?
• What are you planning on reading next?

Here goes!

What have you recently finished reading?

The last thing I finished was The Long History of the Future, by Nicole Kobie. If you’ve ever wondered “but where’s my flying car?!” then this book is kind of the answer, digging into why things like flying cars (and robot butlers) are proving tricky to actually bring onto the market. It was pretty interesting!

What are you currently reading?

As usual, I’m reading too much at once, but I’m most actively focusing on two: a non-fiction book about the Roman Empire, and a dark academia fantasy, A Study in Drowning. The latter contains a lot of Arthurian references (a character is called Corbenic, and of course there’s a character called Emrys Myrddin, and a legend about making foundations stay put by sacrificing a fatherless child), and it’s not really clear what it intends to do with everything it’s calling up — if anything. It seems much more interested in Faerie, which… is a weird combination.

I guess we’ll see!

The non-fiction is Gareth Harney’s Moneta: A History of Ancient Rome in Twelve Coins, which I’m enjoying greatly. It doesn’t go into too much depth on the individual coins (and really I think it ends up discussing far more than twelve), but it’s written entertainingly.

What are you planning on reading next?

Technically I grabbed Invisible Friends, by Jake M. Robinson, to be next off the pile. But I don’t know for sure, because I might be a tiny bit more in the mood for another fiction read. I guess it depends what I finish first, and what catches my eye in the moment I’m thinking about what to read next.

How about you?

WWW Wednesday normally asks:

• What have you recently finished reading?
• What are you currently reading?
• What are you planning on reading next?

So, without further ado…

What have you recently finished reading?

The last thing I finished was The Sarpedon Krater, by Nigel Spivey, which is about a particular Greek ceramic (a krater is a sort of bowl used for mixing wine and water), and what it’s meant to different people over the years. It digs into the artist, where the krater was actually found (in an Etruscan tomb), some of the controversies around it, and also how the scene on it might have inspired other artwork. Art history generally isn’t my thing, but I’m always willing to be curious about things, and this was an interesting detour for me.

What are you currently reading?

As ever, I have a few books on the go at once. I’ve just started Shelby Van Pelt’s Remarkably Bright Creatures, which isn’t as SF/F as you’d expect given one of the protagonists is an octopus. I’d file it more under literary fiction, really, and I’m feeling a little meh about at least one of the plot arcs (though it just became apparent how it links up, at least). I’ll finish it, at least, not sure yet how much I like it.

What are you planning on reading next?

Probably Vivian Shaw’s Bitter Waters — I love the Greta Helsing trilogy, and am honestly feeling like maybe I want to reread it. Reading this new novella might be a good way to scratch that itch and decide if I really do want to reread.

How about you?