What are You Reading Now: July 26, 2025

Currently working on The Ten Percent Thief (don't get the hype (okay, it gets a lot better as it goes along)) and Yakovlev Fighters of World War Two (bed-time reading because it's too heavy to lug around). In between will come The Man Who Saved Britain.

About to start An Inheritance of Magic.

I just passed the halfway point of pitcher Tommy John's baseball memoir, T.J.: My 26 Years in Baseball. It's quite enjoyable for any baseball fan who remembers John's era.

This week, I discovered the Árora series, four in number (so far), by Icelandic crime writer Lilja Sigurþardottír. I've read the first two: Cold as Hell and Red as Blood, and I plan to start the next one, White as Snow, sometime today.

I'm listening to The God of the Woods by Liz Moore, and it seems endless. It came heartily recommended, but it's not living up to its hype.

I'm reading Roadwork by Stephen King aka Richard Bachman. I'm closing in on the end and I don't think it's going to be a happy one!

I'm about halfway through A Song for Arbonne for the 2025 SFFKit reading challenge. Have stalled on Heir by Sabaa Tahir and need to get back in that world. And also reading The Lady in the Tower by Alison Weir.

I picked up Peggy by Rebecca Godfrey at the library today and I'm already halfway through it. It's a compelling novel, based on the life of Peggy Guggenheim, and I can't put it down.

I've also started Kill Your Darlings by Peter Swanson. Another one of his eerie martial situations that won't end well for someone. For some reason, his diabolical murderers always make me smile a little.

I'm still slowly making my way through The Scapegoat a biography of the first Duke of Buckingham. It is such a wonderful tone and the Duke is a charming character, I hate to see his life come to its inevitable conclusion His story would make a great movie. :)

Managed to squeeze in one more "Christmas in July" read ... (between watching Hallmark Christmas movies, of course)


A Dog’s Perfect Christmas – W Bruce Cameron
Digital audiobook read by Ann Marie Lee
3***

This lovely little novel focuses on the Goss family. Winstead is “Daddy’s” dog; “Daddy” is Sander, the grandfather. Also in the household are Sander’s son, Hunter, and his wife Juliana, as well as their three children: Ello and twins Garret & Ewan. It’s typical family chaos, especially with Christmas approaching. And then a true emergency arises with the potential to ruin not only the holiday but their entire lives. Add to this mix a lost puppy and the Goss family has to make some significant adjustments to their family dynamics.

This is not a typical “Christmas” story with nothing but feel-good images and the reader practically able to smell the evergreens and cookies baking. And yet, it’s a very heart-warming tale. It reminds the reader that life can be hard, but that opening your heart to possibilities and being willing to change and to ask for help can go a long way towards assuring happiness.

I did enjoy the sections narrated by Winstead. Loved his point of view! And puppy Ruby is the perfect addition to this family.

Ann Marie Lee does a fine job of narrating the audiobook. She has a lot of characters, from teens to elderly, male and female and canine, and she manages to give them each a sufficiently unique voice so I was never confused about who was speaking.

A Year In the World – Frances Mayes
Book on CD read by the author
3.5*** rounded up

Subtitle: Journeys of a Passionate Traveler

I was not a great fan of Under the Tuscan Sun, so I’m not sure why I had this on my TBR. But a prompt to read a travel book brought this one to the forefront and I’m glad that I decided to try it.

Mayes recounts her many adventures traveling across Europe and Northern Africa from her home base in Tuscany. This was not one great adventure, but separate trips she and her husband took over time. Mayes shares their experiences as they roam through the British Isles, Spain, Portugal, Turkey, Greece, Morocco, France and other areas of Italy. Her passion for travel certainly comes through loud and clear!

I particularly enjoyed the way she wrote about food. I could practically smell and taste the dishes, and I was constant hungry for “more.” I also enjoyed the personal glimpses she gave of local citizenry or of fellow travelers. I was reminded of the adventures my husband and I had in his many years in international business; especially the surprise meals we had when we’d enter a restaurant and left the selection up to the staff. We never had a bad meal doing this and enjoyed some truly spectacular ones (even when we didn’t know what we were eating).

The audiobook I got from the library was read by the author, but it was an abridged version of the book. (There is a full-length audiobook version, narrated by Cassandra Campbell.) I’m glad I had the text handy to fill in the blanks. However, reading of one adventure after another became repetitive. I think this book is best enjoyed as a collection of short stories that one reads a few at a time, rather than trying to do the whole thing in one fell swoop.

Currently rereading Ice hunt by James Rollins

From the library: Shelved Under Murder by Victoria Gilbert
2nd installment in the "Blue Ridge Library" series set in Virginia. The author is a retired librarian!

Currently reading Songs of the Slain By Tim Lebbons a pretty good addition to Titan's new Conan series. Going back and forth between The Matthew Corbett series by Robert McCammon and The SPQR series by John Maddox Roberts.When I am done with that I am going to dig in and read the entire Master and Commander series by Patrick O'Brien

Currently reading Songs of the Slain By Tim Lebbon. It's a pretty good addition to Titan's new Conan series. Going back and forth between The Matthew Corbett series by Robert McCammon and The SPQR series by John Maddox Roberts.When I am done with that I am going to dig in and read the entire Master and Commander series by Patrick O'Brian.

Deep Cuts
Holly Brickley
4/5 stars
Interesting book about Percy Marks who is into music but gives her own opinion about music. She ends up meeting Joe Morrow, a song writer. They end up becoming a partnership over the years but it is not an easy road between the two of them. I enjoyed this book. Books Off My Reading List

The new thread is up over here.