Helllooo! Yes, trying hard to get back to a weekend schedule. Work is veering between busy and quiet as decisions are awaited; question asked and repeat foreveerrrr. So, I’ve lost a few evenings to work and will be trying to catch up on things soon.  Next week Joe Abercrombie is in Liverpool and that’s a highlight while a few other ideas are percolating on the blog, but I think job one is a little bit more catch up on ARCs for the next month.  September has been rather filled with glorious books!

What Have I been Watching?

Well I’m behind on TV and need a nice evening to catch up on season 1 Farscape in the near future.  This may be resolved soon…

Avengers Endgame – rewatched this for first time since cinema.  On the one hand I admire how I wrapped up so many films and on the other I still get annoyed about Black Widow’s fate…

What Have I Been Listening To?

New entrant on the block The Fantasy Inn has started its own podcast and it’s a group format discussing books.  In this first episode it is discussing the mysterious land of sub genres.

Dumpy Little Unicorn continues to impress with a lot of author interviews and well worth getting into your feeds.

Caught up on Goode Street podcast and I’ve enjoyed the debates on anthologies, awards and in particular an interview with Sarah Pinsker that made me get two of her books!

What have I reviewed?

Now this has been busy!!

Imposters by Scott Westerfeld - new YA thriller.  Promising but I’m going o see how this series pans out before I can say it’s totally successful

The Return of the Incredible Exploding Man by Dave Hutchinson – one of the UK’s best SF authors comes out with an unusual SF thriller with a big unexpected detour into other genres

Tunnel of Bones by VE Schwab – VE Schwab is one of my favourites and a spooky tale of Paris and ghosts captured by Slytherin heart

The Girl the Sea Gave Back by Adrienne Young – I definitely think it’s not the book it’s me but this I bounced off unexpectedly possibly because I had expectations for a sequel, and this went in a different direction

The Song of the Sycamore by Edward Cox – grim et hopeful, magic and technology this is a book of contrasts and I loved it

The grip of It by Jac Jemc – for someone terrified of moving to a new house now this really spooked me out.  Smart horror

Girls & Aliens by Anne Michaud – Fox Spirit continues to find great unusual authors, and this has a good set of varied types of tale

A Boy and His Dog at the End of the World – quiet and warm post apocalypse tale (with a few unexpected reveals)

Turning Darkness into Light by Marie Brennan – OH This tale I Loved.  READ IT!!

Sanctuary by VV James – a feminist tale of witchcraft and secrets.  Worth tracking down

Tales from the Graveyard edited by Peter Sutton and Eric Nash – a successful themed anthology with crime, horror and fantasy tales

Exhalation by Ted Chiang – wow these are good short SF stories

And non-book related

 

Dublin Worldcon 2019 – My first worldcon!!

What am I reading?

The House of Sacrifice by Anna Smith Spark – the first Happy Ending approaches

The Djinn Falls in Love edited by Mahvesh Murad and Jared Shurin – need to sit down and lose myself int his

Shatter City by Scott Westerfeld – see how the story continues from Imposters

And on the immediate list

A Little hatred by Joe Abercrombie – I must see how things have gone in the First Law universe

Wonderland edited by Marie O’Regan and Paul Kane – intriguing list of authors take on Lewis Carroll’s universe

Lord of Secrets by Breanna Teintza – interesting looking fantasy

Magic for Liars by Sarah Gailey – noir, magic and romance? How can I resist

The Swallows by Lisa Luiz – the intro for this is compelling as a thriller

The Silver Wind by Nina Allen – an author I’ve meant for ages to try

And so much more.  Have fun!