One thing a lot of my reading this week seemed to be dealing with was the theme of expectations, whether those of a cop who has his mind made up in advance, or those of the “fat kid” or the overlooked “little sister,” it’s been good to think about.
For those of you unfamiliar with this column, the Friday Fragments lists what I’ve read over the past week. Most of the time I don’t include details of either short fiction (unless part of a book-length collection) or magazines. The Fragments are not meant to be a recommendation list. If you’re interested in a not-at-all-inclusive recommendation list, you can look on my website under Neat Stuff.
Once again, this is not a book review column. It’s just a list with, maybe, a bit of description or a few opinions tossed in. And it’s also a great place to tell me what you’re reading.
Completed:
Juniper Wiles and the Ghost Girls by Charles De Lint. ARC. Quite enjoyed. I’ll let you know when it’s released!
Thornwood by Leah Cypess. Sleeping Beauty retold, this time (it seems retelling Sleeping Beauty is becoming an industry) from the point of view of her constantly overlooked sibling, Briony. Although the plot is creative, what really makes this book “work” is the subtle handling of the theme of how expectations shape our relationships with family, events, even ourselves.
In Progress:
Jitterbug Perfume by Tom Robbins. Multiple intertwined plots. So far, my favorite is the perfume shop in New Orleans.
Meatloaf: To Hell and Back by the eponymous performer and David Dalton. Short and anecdotal, like a bowl of peanuts, it’s hard not to read just one more.
The Long Way to a Small Angry Planet. Audiobook. Plot light, so far, but lively, quirky characters more than make up for it. Well-done aliens always a plus for me. Non-military space opera setting.
Also:
Smithsonian, the latest issue.
Jane Lindskold: Wednesday Wanderings 
April 8, 2022 at 4:41 am |
I enjoyed The Long Way to a Small Angry Planet. I bet it is good as an audio “read.”
I read The Atlas Six (The Atlas #1) by Olivie Blake. This is no Hogwarts book! The characters are older and much more flawed. The plot is about obtaining and using power. There are good observations about power, both magical and mundane. I will read the next book just to see what happens.
I also read The Lightening Rod (Escape Artist #2) by Brad Meltzer. I won this book in a Goodreads Giveaway. This is another book with flawed characters – a mortician on a major guilt trip, an army artist suffering from the effects of an abused childhood, and her violent brother. And those are the good guys! The action was enough to keep me going, but I doubt I will read more in the series.
I finished book 6 in the Iron Druid Series, Hunted by Kevin Hearne. It was fun, in a fable kind of way. I like the wolfhound, Oberon. He has canine priorities but can be a comedian at times.
April 12, 2022 at 7:43 am |
The audio reader is quite good. Had good material to work with, too!