katy's reading for sanity and survival

Hello my dear LT/GD friends. I know I've said this in past years, but I will do my utmost to keep up my reading posts this year. I have a new, low-key job doing transcribing at home, so I'll be on the computer more now (versus being on my iPad all the time). I find my laptop more conducive to writing out posts, so I'll will give it a go. Besides quick visits on FB, I've been missing you all.

So, however belatedly, Happy New Year. I'm not sure I will be able to catch up on everyone's posts, but I'll try to get as current as I can.

We're going through some life-changing times at the moment. While most of it is good, very good actually, it's still kinda stressful, lots that's unsettling and I've found myself burying deep into books to distract and sustain me.

My sister lent me Open House by Elizabeth Berg, which was a pretty good start to a new year. Not the type of book I usually read, being contemporary fiction, but I enjoyed it. There were some laugh out loud moments and I found myself cheering for the main character, she is delightful.

I picked up Wenjack by Joseph Boyden because it was such a pretty little edition! I'm such a sucker for a good looking book. Luckily, it is also a powerful story. Based on actual events about an aboriginal boy, taken from his home to a residential school which is part of our shameful not-to-distant past. He, and two other boys run away. It is, sadly, a very short story, but beautifully told and still haunts me.

Another short little book Clockwork by Philip Pullman, fantasy, outside of the Golden Compass world, but a delightful read.

Midnight in Peking by Paul French is a non-fiction book about the murder of a young British woman in 1920s Peking.

Harry Potter and the Cursed Child. Say no more, say no more.

The Reluctant Dragon a treasure of a 75th anniversary edition with E.H. Shepard's illustrations, a Christmas present from my daughter, who knows me so well.

The Bear and the Nightingale by Katherine Arden. Really, a lovely Russian fantasy with great character development and story.

Eleanor by Jason Gurley. Jason Gurley had written two books in a sci fi trilogy (The Settlers and The Colonists) that I really enjoyed. He hasn't written the third yet (sure hope he does soon!). I enjoyed those books so much I wanted to read more, so grabbed Eleanor for my Kindle. Contemporary fantasy, neat twists, reminded me a bit of Charles de Lint's style of fantasy. Very good.

Saying that, I borrowed Charles de Lint's Widdershins audiobook and enjoyed that, not as much as some of his others though.

Then I've been into a bit of horror, The Graveyard Apartment, a Japanese ghost story, which is a bit stilted but interesting and has some good creepy bits.

Winterbay Abbey, another contemporary horror story, inspired I think by the classic ghost stories. It had some good creepy bits too, but not super memorable.

Skull Session by Daniel Hecht. I love Daniel Hecht's Cree Black series and was very disappointed he stopped writing more of them. But Skull Session is pretty good.

So, that was January.

Now I'm reading The Gunslinger by Stephen King. I've decided, since the Dark Tower books have been made into a mini-series, I should read them before watching. And I'm definitely watching - it has Idris Elba!!! Say no more.

I'm also reading a contemporary romance, The Cottage at Firefly Lake by Jen Gilroy. Not my usual thing either, but this is one my cousin has written - it's her first published book and we're very excited for her. It's good, if you like that rippling muscles, ripe breasts kind of thing ;)

And I'm listening to By the light of the Moon by Dean Koontz. I haven't read anything by Koontz in ages and ages. This is good!!! It's fun, and I love his verbiage.

Nice to see you back here! I read Open House. While it wasn't earth shattering, I liked it enough to give it shelf space in my bookcase.

Oh, sweet cheeses! WELCOME BACK!!!! I am so very happy to see you here. Facebook is nice, but this is actually much more intimate, IMHO.

I might have taken a book bullet for The Bear and the Nightingale, there. Well aimed, my friend. :o)

>1 katylit: Oh frabjous joy! Welcome!

My husband keeps eying The Reluctant Dragon for me, but after so many holiday endulgences, I asked him to wait.

I'm positive I enjoyed The Reluctant Dragon when I was younger but can't at all remember what it was about.

Hey but it's good to see you back where you belong! Welcome home!

Welcome back! I hope this is a great year for you in books and in life.

I am with you on Widdershins; I read it when it first came out and wasn't as impressed as I usually am by De Lint's novels.

Thank you all my dears 😊 It is nice to be back among all you kindred spirits.

Clam, I took a bullet from you, 'cause in reading your posts I couldn't pass up on The Long Way to an Angry Planet. It's up next when I finish The Gunslinger.

The Reluctant Dragon is a dear little tale about a boy who befriends a dragon and then negotiates a mock battle between the dragon and St. George, so everyone gets to see a glorious battle and no one gets hurt.

Welcome back! Sounds like you've begun the year with lots of good reads.

Just finished The Gunslinger this morning and picked up a copy of the second one in the series to start this afternoon. I'm hooked.

Also finished By the Light of the Moon last night and plan on browsing our library's selection of audio books to see if there are any more Dean Koontz available.

This past two weeks have been a little hectic as my hubby retired and also turned 60, so we had a couple of wonderful celebrations for him. There was cake, and visitors, and cake, and lots of good food, and cake, and laughter, and cake... you get the idea. And he just found out he's got a new job and will be starting work there in a couple of weeks. It's looking like a year of new starts and lots of changes for us this year. All good, I know.

Anyways, my reading has slipped a bit as a consequence and I'm looking forward to more days of dedicated reading ahead now.

>10 katylit: Is that The Dark Tower series? I've heard very good things about it but there are soooo many books and he's not done yet, right?

Congrats again on your husband's retirement and your HUGE birthday. :o)

>10 katylit: I can understand how the celebrations for your husband's 60th upset the reading. Best wishes to him on his birthday, his retirement and his new job.

>11 clamairy: The Dark Tower series is a personal favorite of mine. There are a lot of books, and I read them spread out over a very long timespan, but would like to reread all together someday. The final book does end the story arc in a satisfying way; he might write some more offshoot books, but the existing ones are a complete story.

>13 Darth-Heather: Ahh, okay. I still think I'll wait until I'm leading a more sedentary lifestyle (hopefully not for 30 years or so) to start these. LOL

What Darth-Heather said :)

I figured this is going to be a relatively quiet year thus a good one to delve into the Dark Tower series with gusto. I've even got hubby reading them now! Almost done the second one, very good, I love Stephen King's use of language. A monster that has similarities to a lobster he calls a "lobstrosity".

Thanks for the congrats. There might be one more party nearer the end of the month for our daughter, but after that, peace and quiet - and lots of reading! I received Neil Gaiman's Norse Mythology for my birthday and I think it might have to sneak in between Dark Tower books.

Please let us know what you think of the Gaiman while (or after) you're reading it. I'm waiting on this one as I have another of his languishing on my Kindle already.