Thinking About Some Boys-Boys in Space #PRIDE Readings

This is going to be interesting. LGBTQ. Space Opera. Drama. Princes. Romance. And sinister, conniving villains. At least I think these two books have that much in common. Regardless, I’ve always kept my eye out on reading them both, in the hopes that I will enjoy them and proceed forward in each individual series. I got a good word for Bonds of Brass from the librarian who checked me out. She commented that I had “good taste in books”. She was remarking about how much she enjoyed Bonds of Brass herself. She and I were both unsure of Winter’s Orbit but were optimist that it would be a blast to read as well. I've made it my job to return to her with a good or bad word about the book.

Well, here goes…

I might skip reading Michael Nava's Rag and Bones from my TBR for now. To, of course, immediately get into these space operas.

The DNF Dairies: Survival by Julie E. Czerneda

Taken from my new journaling about books…

I’m doing some whacking this year. Whacking books. Don't work: It's out. Work: You stay. Slowly trying to keep from buying too many books. To, instead, read what I've already accumulated all these years. We'll see how that goes, considering Sara Paretsky’s new V.I. Warhsawki book comes out in May (thus, I am giving myself until then to NOT purchase a book). Nonetheless, regardless of which direction matters go, I will continue to use my journal to write down my hits and misses with books as I comb through my shelves trying to experience and relive myself of longstanding dust collectors. With that out of the way, here is what happened with my attempt to finally read Julie E. Czerneda’s Survival.

“Friday 4/1/2022 4:59pm. I tried to–and managed–50 pages of Julie E. Czerneda’s book Survival. Calling it quits. The main character is a doctor/biologist/instructor, but she acts like a child. She pushed a man into the water in a tantrum moment, not knowing whether he could swim or not. Remember, she is a biologist. While on the "phone" she stuck her tongue out at a friend who was presenting her with an outfit to wear for a dinner meeting. Something about grown characters sticking their tongues out like children really irk me to my soul. I always ask myself why the author purposely does things like this? Was there not a mature way to deliver an expression of rejection? Adjacent to this behavior, I did not like the main character's friend. She was love crazy and just too desperate to be designed as a friend character. Either way, the final draw was the mention of "Pizza Tuesday." Like, I can't! Plus, I can't grasp the make-up of this world. It's a blend of biology and science fiction, but it doesn't "bloom" to me. I didn't find much worth hanging on past the 50 pages I managed, as there was little interest to keep me going. I wish the author led with the overall conflict, instead of skirting around it for 50 pages. The characters just weren't selling me. And, considering I’m in the purging mood, I feel fine in letting it go. I tried another book by this author, and it didn't work. I have one other by here. If that fails, we're calling her work quits."

FauxCast: Frank Herbert's Dune Post Reading Q&A

This was recorded for a class assignment in creating a mock podcast. And, given I come on social media to talk about books anyway, I decided maybe I could use it for myself. I believe I am in the clear now, seeing that this was all put together and everything back in October.

 

My Favorite Books of 2020

OUT OF 72 BOOKS READ IN 2020, EH!

"SNAP!  BHAM!"

NON-FICTION (RELY ON IDENTIFY):

FICTION (#READSOULIT READ-ALONG PICK):

MYSTERY (OF COURSE THERE ARE MANY, RIGHT?):

Closing January Library Visit

Man, oh man how I love the library.  Isn’t the library great?  I couldn’t imagine a world without libraries, and am always stunned when one is close to shutting down.  It doesn’t make a whole lot of sense to me when they do.  Well, I guess bureaucratic mess is mostly to blame.  Anyway, I’m getting off track.  The point is that Thursday I moseyed on down to the library to look for something to read–even though I have 1,001 unread books on my shelves.  And because I stay in there and scanning shelf after shelf for new discoveries, here’s what I found… 

Long Distance Love by Marita Golden

"A woman flees the South of the 1920's to join the Black migration Northward, marries a black rationalist and has a daughter, who returns to the South to fight for civil rights and find her own identity"

Flight of the Blackbird by Faye McDonald Smith

"Members of the Black professional elite in Atlanta, Mel and Builder Burke work hard and enjoy the benefits of private school for their daughter and two vacations a year, but their dream begins to fade when Mel loses her job and Builder's business crumbles."

David Weber's Honor Harrington Series HYPE (Yeah, a Book Haul of Sorts)

The Honor Harrington Series (Amazon affiliate link)

No words.  Completely obsessed with this series.  I made myself take a break after reading book four [Field of Dishonor] because of some crazy events that took place afterwards.  And it's those titillating type of crazy events that sets up the next book.  Which is another reason why I'm loving this series; each book set-up the events of the following book.
  

TURN UP FOR HONOR HARRINGTON-TYPE BOOKS

Quick Used Bookstore Pick-Me-Ups

Beholder's Eye (Web Shifters) by Julie E. Czerneda

"United in their natural form they are one, sharing all their memories, experiences, and lives. Apart they are six, the only existing members of their ancient race, a species with the ability to assume any form once they understand its essence.  

Their continued survival in a universe filled with races ready to destroy anyone perceived as different is based on the Rules. And first among those Rules is: Never reveal your true nature to another being. But when the youngest among them, Esen-alit-Quar, receives her first independent assignment to a world considered safe to explore, she stumbles into a trap no one could have anticipated.  

Her only means of escape lies in violating the First Rule. She reveals herself to a fellow captive―a human being/ While this mistake might not ordinarily prove fatal, the timing of the event could not be worse. For something new has finally made its way into the Universe, the Enemy of the Web, bringer of death to all forms of life. And the hunt it about to begin."

Ravenmocker: A Molly Bearpaw Mystery by Jean Hager

"The award-winning author of The Grandfather Medicine introduces Molly Bearpaw, an investigator for the Cherokee Tribe, who looks into a mysterious case of botulism in a local nursing home. She is also asked to verify that the victim's heart was not stolen by a ravenmocker--a Cherokee witch. In sorting through the means and motives for the murder, Molly enters a deadly race for time."

(1) Last Year's Disappointing Reads | The Terrans by Jean Johnson

I wanted to read more sci-fi books.  Especially those with female leads.  So, spurred by the insta-love I felt for Tanya Huff's female space marine, Torin Kerr, I gave Johnson's series a go.  And that go did not exactly pan out as I'd hoped.  Leaving me with a disappointing read...  Pardon me for those who are familiar with the book if I missed some summary details.  I read the book in July and swiftly sold it soon after.

The Terrans - First Salik War by Jean Johnson

"Born into a political family and gifted with psychic abilities, Jacaranda MacKenzie has served as a border-watcher and even spent time as a representative on the United Planets Council. Now she just wants to spend her days in peace and quiet as a translator—but the universe has other plans… 

Humans have long known that they would encounter more alien species, and while those with precognitive abilities agree a terrible war is coming, they do not agree on who will save humanity—a psychic soldier or a politician. 

But Jackie is both. 

After she is pressured into rejoining the Space Force to forestall the impending calamity, Jackie makes an unsettling discovery. Their new enemy, the Salik, seem to be rather familiar with fighting Humans—as if their war against humanity had already begun…"

Too much set-up, mundane details and "star gazing".  Not enough movement.