People said this was good. People said it was funny. I don't trust people. Turns out... they were right. Very entertaining. My brief thoughts are here: inspeculation.blogspot.com I gave it 5 stars. Doy.

Get your Robin Hood--in space! HOOD: Season One (HOOD #1) is $2.99USD (and CAD) in ebook through 5/28. books2read.com/hoodseason1

I like the book and this series, though I have reservations. It's fun, though. 4 stars. My brief thoughts: inspeculation.blogspot.com The MC rubs me wrong, but she's a good character in most ways. And the historical setting is very good. Recommended.

I thought the beginning was a bit awkward--or maybe I was just mad at the MMC--but it worked very well after that. 4 stars. My brief thoughts: inspeculation.blogspot.com Recommended for readers of romance and anything Regency (which was how I got here). 😄 Devlin and Gwyneth are likable characters.

McWhorter is always informed and entertaining. This is a look at language change and varieties--particularly Black English in the second half of the book--and what our attitude should be to toward different forms of speech. My brief thoughts: inspeculation.blogspot.com 5 stars. Good discussion.

This post is more about aging than anxiety or depression--coming out of a conversation between me and an older brother. I ask the question: what do we still have time for?

Julian May is awesome, and I wanted to like this series and this last book so much more than I did. It was a slog to the end. My brief thoughts: inspeculation.blogspot.com I gave it a 3, but her other series are so much better.

I didn't trust the hype, and almost wasn't gonna read this, but it turns out this is very entertaining, well-written, and hopeful. Which is what the people said. Sometimes they're right. My brief thoughts: inspeculation.blogspot.com 5 stars. Good fantasy and good fun.

Not a standard Ainsworth novel, but still fun to read. The middle is all about the highwayman Dick Turpin, though that's a secondary plot. The rest is historical romance mixed with Gothic. My brief thoughts: inspeculation.blogspot.com Despite some things I found odd, it's still a 4 from me. 🙂

I don't remember for sure whether I ever read the entire Inferno before. I think so. But it was worth reading it all in one go as an adult. 4 stars, mostly for the notes and images. My brief thoughts are here: inspeculation.blogspot.com Not great fun to read, IMO, but curiosity is a good reason.

Some bits of interest in this novel--but I didn't have much fun reading it. 3 stars. My thoughts are here: inspeculation.blogspot.com It's impressive in scope and artistry--but it's a slog to read. YMMV

I enjoyed this quite a bit, even though I'm an anti-tragedy crusader. The king deserved what he got, though. 4 stars. My brief thoughts: inspeculation.blogspot.com From just after Shakespeare's time, but surprisingly clear language. Not too hard to read, IMO.

The cover looks like romance, but it's absolutely historical fiction, telling the story of William the Conqueror. It was in places a bit slow, but its treatment of the setting, people, and historical events was excellent. My brief thoughts: inspeculation.blogspot.com Recommended. 4 stars.

I found this more fun and easier to get into than previous Reacher books I've looked into. Maybe familiarity helps. 4 stars. My thoughts are here: inspeculation.blogspot.com Good investigating; good action. Recommended.

I liked it, but the first book was so much better (IMO) that I felt a bit let down. Still a 4, because of the brilliant writing and clever ideas, but the story disappointed. Mahit didn't have much to do in this sequel. My brief thoughts: inspeculation.blogspot.com Still recommended.

I'm liking this author and this related series of stories, but this one not quite as much. 3 stars--pretty good. The ending is better, when they finally talk to each other... My brief thoughts are here: inspeculation.blogspot.com Still recommended. I'll read the next in the series soon.👍

The fifth in the series. It started slow but ended good. 4 stars. My brief thoughts are here: inspeculation.blogspot.com The author moved Joliffe the actor to France and made him a spy. Probably a good idea. I like where we're going.

I liked it. People who read these more than me said it was just okay; I liked it as much or more than the handful I've read. Who knows? My brief review is here: inspeculation.blogspot.com Mack Bolan gets the bad guys, and it's very violent. Not for everyone. I thought it was fun. 👊

The Great Guy Gavriel Kay Read continues with The Lions of Al-Rassan! @johannaelf.bsky.social and @drerinnerung.bsky.social join The Nerdwriter and me to discuss this gorgeous story by @guygavrielkay.bsky.social . Link to vid in reply.

I usually really enjoy Tang poetry, but this was harder and didn't work as well for me. Found a few things to like. 3 stars. My brief thoughts are here: inspeculation.blogspot.com Short version: lots of unfamiliar allusions and terse, elliptical language. Pretty tough going.

My finds at “Books On 7th Avenue,” in Phoenix. I had only been there once, maybe a year ago, and couldn’t remember the name of the store or what road it’s on… 😄 They tried to make it easy for me, too.

About what you would expect for old pulp fiction. Some fun to be had. Nothing amazing. 3 stars. My brief thoughts are here: inspeculation.blogspot.com I'll keep reading these books, about one every year or so, for nostalgia's sake. More vibe than fun--and that's fine.

4 stars. Very fun. Dangerous alchemists working in criminal syndicates to get very rich in a slightly altered version of earth--pretty cool idea. My brief thoughts are here: inspeculation.blogspot.com Recommended. Waiting to see what sequels have going on.

My first time reading Corneille. I liked it. This is the love story of Rodrigue before he became famous as El Cid (or Le Cid, as the French had him). My brief thoughts are here: inspeculation.blogspot.com Pretty fun. I'm looking forward to more by this famous 17th century dramatist.

This is as well-done and important as anyone else has made you think. Highly recommended. 5 stars. My brief thoughts are here: inspeculation.blogspot.com Short version--we could save more than a million people a year, and save money in the long run doing it, if we cared enough to just do it.

I liked most of this. Some good characters and an enjoyable story. I kinda hated the FMC's love interest, and thought she would, too, but she gave up everything to stick with the anti-money guy. Oh well. My brief thoughts are here: inspeculation.blogspot.com I still like George Sand. 3.5.

This series does not miss. Great characters, great Regency setting, excellent mystery and pacing... 5 stars. My thoughts are here: inspeculation.blogspot.com These are all recommended. The next title is on the way soon--I can't wait. 🙂📚

I love science fiction with big ideas, and this book has that, but it's also a drag to read. 3 stars. I kept thinking it was about to get fun at any moment and it just didn't. Still, others love it, so who knows? My thoughts are here: inspeculation.blogspot.com Not for me.

This book of short stories is good fun. 4 stars. I'm not really a big western reader, though I enjoy it sometimes. I like that these stories are very much like the longer form--complete, satisfying, engaging, and entertaining. My brief thoughts: inspeculation.blogspot.com (One of Jon's books.)

The third book I've read by this author. I read them in exactly the wrong order, but I've enjoyed them all. 4 stars. My brief thoughts are here: inspeculation.blogspot.com Those more familiar with the genre--who is the author you think is most similar to this one? Please advise. 🙂 Thanks.

It’s was too warm through March, but this is a beautiful spring day in Arizona. The pale violet blossoms on the ironwood tree are definitely best enjoyed in person.

This week's Sunday snippet comes from Enchanting the Fae Queen, which is out in ebook, paper, and audiobook: stephanieburgis.com/books/enchanting-the-fae-queen #romancelandia

Anybody recognize theses calls? This is only half of them. I can’t see him, but I hear him… or her… 😄

The best thing about the book is this cover--and that's not even the edition I had. My brief thoughts are here: inspeculation.blogspot.com 3 stars. I found a little to enjoy, but it was tedious through long stretches. Maybe I'll like one of his other titles more. Mildly recommended. It's short.🤷

Really, the best part of this is when Timon is cursing Athens in very specific, angry, shocking ways. It's horrifying, but also a little Pythonesque in its excess. But I didn't love the play. He deserved his fate because he was too generous? 3 stars. My brief thoughts: inspeculation.blogspot.com

First read this many years ago. Still love it. Maybe more. My brief thoughts are here: inspeculation.blogspot.com Great mystery, great writing. Ideal for lovers of Jane Austen, but all historical mystery readers should check this series out. 5 stars. Having read it twice, I guess it's a 10.

Today’s finds at the antique shop—all for about the price of one new hardcover. I felt like a hunter gatherer in there finding really good stuff in some hidden valley. Now I’ll tell the story around the campfire… 😄

Sigh. I lied. I said earlier I get wildly self-conscious and can’t listen to online discussions of my work, but @philipchase90.bsky.social and his three colleagues just had such a thoughtful, deeply affectionate (long!) discussion of ARBONNE. Thanks to all of you. youtu.be/ykkgiO1PMlE?...

A 1940s-era book I'd never heard of until I found it in the used bookstore--but I should have. This is long, beautiful, 5-star novel is about rich sisters in 1600s Paris. My brief thoughts are here: inspeculation.blogspot.com This is essentially a true story about real people. I loved it. 👍

The doctor’s office was about five minutes from the bookstore, so the day turned out pretty good after all. 😎

Representative Tlaib’s endorsement means so much to me personally. She’s set a true example for what it means to be deeply rooted in transformative progressive values that never compromise. I hope to join her in 2027 as the only other currently elected Palestinian in Congress!

I'm a little late on this, but it's good. 4 stars. For the angry voices out there--I also still like Nickelback, Tom Cruise, and Creed. But F JKR. My brief thoughts: inspeculation.blogspot.com This is a thriller, and it's a great ride from Florence-Venice-Istanbul. I recommend it for fun people.😄

The 1st in the series, though it's the 3rd I've read. Very dark, but entertaining and well-written. My thoughts are here: inspeculation.blogspot.com 4 stars for history and mystery. Recommended.

Dan McClellan is one of the best things about TikTok. He brings real Bible scholarship to the masses (me)--but his manner is the star. He's all precision and kindness and erudition and fearlessness. My thoughts are here: inspeculation.blogspot.com This is how we should operate. Take a look.

Sometimes there are still nice things. Martin Springett, old friend, artist, musician, cartographer (!), quondam bon vivant, relayed that his book of art based on my books is now available. Have a look. www.newconpress.co.uk/info/book.as...

The tenth book in my favorite series--still a 5 on reread. Byron is a great character. So is Caro Lamb. A very entertaining mystery with lots of shady characters. My thoughts are here: inspeculation.blogspot.com Highly recommended. 👍

in case you missed it yesterday, we have released the cover for book 3 of the ANA AND DIN MYSTERIES, which is A TRADE OF BLOOD

You've got just 1 more day to scoop up this anthology before it disappears forever! 26 fantasy romance novellas (including my own A Marriage of Undead Inconvenience) for just $6.99/£4.38, and all the proceeds go to @penamerica.bsky.social to fight book bans. geni.us/romantasyreb... #romancelandia

I persuaded myself to read the Iliad and kinda got into it. I don't love the storytelling, but there are things to notice and enjoy. My brief thoughts: inspeculation.blogspot.com I gave it a 3. That's my "how fun it was for me" score, not something deeper.

A rather funny and clever romance, though not exactly my thing. Getting haunted by the Ghost of Christmas Past isn't supposed to work like this, I don't think. 🙂 My brief thoughts: inspeculation.blogspot.com Mostly light and seasonal, with (IMO) a pretty spicy love story. About 3.5 from me. 👍