EPBOT Readers discussion

Hello Everyone,

I hope you all had a good week. Last week's post is kind of lonely and quiet. I hope some of you out there will reply. I'd love to hear from you! I know Rebecca is on a trip.

I finished The Fourth Daughter. Overall I enjoyed it. I learned a bunch I didn't know about Taiwan recent-ish history. But the solution to the problem was a bit too easy. That aspect made it read more like a YA novel than an adult one. But that is okay. I'm glad I read it.

I'm still listening to Burn for Me. Urban romantasy is not my usual genre. But this one is fun so far (just a bit over half through) and I am engaged and eager to go on walks in order to listen more!

I started reading Chasing Stardust: A Novel. This was a recent Amazon First Reads and it is fun so far. As the title suggests it has a David Bowie aspect to the plot.

QOTW:
What is your least favorite book you’ve read so far this year?

I ignored all of the 2-star short stories I have read this year because short stories are hard and I'm not counting those as full books. I have many 3-stars. But there is one book that I just couldn't get into, for neighborhood book club, and didn't finish. I didn't have any motivation to power through for bookclub either. That was People of the Book by Geraldine Brooks. It isn't a terrible book, and many liked it but it just didn't connect with me.

Happy Thursday! Sorry, I don't think I posted last week, just because I had a bit of a busy week, and I must have missed the post.

Finished:
A Steeping of Blood by Hafsah Faizal - 3 stars - not for a prompt. Another sequel where I probably should have reread the previous book. It wasn't bad; it wraps everything up, but it's a lot darker and I just wanted more heisting. I did enjoy the mix of vampires and gaslamp fantasy, though.

A Philosophy of Thieves by Fran Wilde - 4.5 stars - not for a prompt. I really liked this. It's a sci-fi, dystopian story where rich people hire thieves as entertainment, and there's heists, family secrets, and corporate espionage.

Comics & manga:
Natsume’s Book of Friends, Vol. 31
Tamon's B-Side, Vol. 8
Yona of the Dawn, Vol. 44
Flip by Ngozi Ukazu
Skip and Loafer Vol. 11
The Apothecary Diaries, Vol. 14

Currently reading:
Murder at the Vicarage by Agatha Christie - for Popsugar's prompt of a classic you've never read.

Upcoming/Planned:
Automatic Noodle by Annalee Newitz - not currently for a prompt.

A Mouthful of Dust by Nghi Vo - not currently for a prompt.

The Keeper of Magical Things by Julie Leong - not currently for a prompt.

Ink and Bone by Rachel Caine - for Popsugar's prompt of two books with the same title.

Emma by Jane Austen - for Popsugar's prompt of a book by the oldest author in your TBR pile.

Boneshaker by Cherie Priest - for Popsugar's prompt of a book you have always avoided reading. This is the book that's been on my TBR the longest, so I figure it's the one I've been "avoiding" the longest.

The Hero and the Crown by Robin McKinley - for Popsugar's prompt of a book that reminds you of your childhood. This was the first book I remember getting from a Scholastic Book Sale, the first fantasy book I remember reading, and became my comfort read as a kid.

QOTW:
Probably the worst book I've read this year was You Deserve Each Other. Only the fact that it was short and quick (and fulfilled a prompt for my Popsugar challenge) actually got me to finish it. The main couple were so unlikable, petty, and acted like grade-schoolers playing pranks on one another rather than the adults they were supposed to be.

Slowly rereading the Amelia Peabody series as part of the 66-69 prompts with Seeing a Large Cat. I own the series and reading them is like visiting old friends. Also finished For Duck's Sake, the 37th in the series by Donna Andrews. She has another Christmas one coming out that I just reserved. The series remains reliable, which is impressive after that many! Meg's collection of odd relatives and neighbors keeps it interesting.
Also read Sapphire Flames, the fourth book in the Hidden Legacy series by Ilona Andrews. Susan, think Burn for Me was my recommendation so glad you are enjoying. I've been able to get them pretty quickly through Libby so fun to read a newly discovered series that's done.
QOTW: Two of my two-star books this year were just disappointing because I had loved the author's previous works. One was The River Has Roots, which was a short grim fairy tale and nothing like This Is How You Lose the Time War. The other was Rose/House, a novella by Arkady Martine, that was about a murder in a creepy sentient house. Again very different from her works set in space, one of which won the 2022 Hugo.