#seriously the murderbot audiobooks are so good

[sanjerina]

Those of you reading this, no doubt, support the righteous SAG-AFTRA/WGA struggle against their corporate overlords! And no doubt we’re all prepared to sit it out and watch shit we’ve been meaning to get around to! Wooooo! Go labor! Look for the union label!

But the new Murderbot Diaries book is coming out in November, and if the evil corporations don’t get their shit together and start paying people a living wage, then we will all have to read System Collapse with our ORGANIC EYEBALLS* instead of having Kevin R. Free, A Member of SAG-AFTRA, read it to us, as nature clearly intended.

So the corporations need to stop screwing around or I’m gonna hope they meet up with the IRL version of Pin-Lee. For starters.

[ineedlelittlespace]

Reading Meme

What’s up readers?! How about a little show and tell? Answer these 13 questions, tag 13 lucky readers and if you’re feeling extra bookish add a shelfie! Let’s Go!

Thank you so much for the tag, @round-hatches-are-terrifying! ❤

The last book I read

One of my coworkers has been bugging me to read Fourth Wing, which I did under duress when she asked to do a book trade. It was about as bad as expected, so I feel justified in holding off so long.

A book I recommend

As most of you know, I'm all about Murderbot!

A book I couldn’t put down

Most recently, that would be A Sorceress Comes to Call. I listened to the audiobook of it, and I seriously don't think I took my headphones off for more than five minutes at a time while I was in that book.

A book I've read twice (or more)

All Creatures Great and Small. Especially during the winter---it's such a great cozy read.

A book on my TBR

The Goblin Emperor has been on my list for a while now. I've heard so many good things about it! I'm hoping to start it this weekend, actually.

A book I've put down

How to Become a Dark Lord and Die Trying. I really liked the concept, but the tone annoyed me so badly I couldn't handle it.

A book on my wish list

I've been slowly buying the special edition hardcovers of the Discworld series (or at least, I WAS before bookdepository shut down 😭), so all of the remaining ones of those are still on my list.

A favorite book from childhood

I don't remember the exact titles of the installments, but I really loved The Three Investigators series as a kid. In some ways, it was the same basic concept as most kid detective series', but in others, it was bizarrely original.

A book you would give to a friend

That is heavily dependent on the friend because most of my friends don't share the same tastes in media. As previously mentioned, All Creatures Great and Small is usually a safe bet, though!

A book of poetry or lyrics that you own

I personally don't enjoy most poetry, so I don't really buy it.

A nonfiction book that you own

I have this one book for writers that's a collection of research questions sent in to a doctor by other writers and his answers about common medical tropes, realistic recovery from various common fictional injuries, etc. It's such a cool resource!

What are you currently reading

I just finished my current book last night, and I haven't started anything else yet. I'm thinking that'll be Goblin Emperor, though!

What are you planning on reading next

Probably Goblin Emperor!

tagging @jadefyre @ilovedthestars @opalescent-potato @the-grey-hunt (if you want to!) and anyone else who'd like to join in!

[maxalotlxl]

The Murderbot Diaries #1 & #2 By Martha Wells

All Systems Red & Artificial Condition. This was the last book I read in 2023 and I continued the sequel as the first I read in 2024.

All Systems Red was a 3.75/5 and I finished on the 30th of December.

Artificial Condition was a 4/5 and I finished on the 2nd of January.

I'm putting these both together because I'm not sure how much I can say about them separately that isn't just a repeat of myself. I've heard reviews on The Murderbot Diaries before and heard so much good about them, when I came across the audiobooks and saw them less than 4hrs each I was surprised.

Ultimately I think its hard not to love Murderbot, the opening line to All Systems Red made me love them immediately. This cyborgish robot hacked their own system and with new found freedom discovered a few things about themselves. It loves drama shows, it would seriously do anything to protect it's humans and it is so socially awkward that it's hard not to see Murderbot as another human that just wants to be left alone.

I preferred the 2nd as I preferred the relationship between Murderbot and ART, the immediate suspicion Murderbot shows growing into an annoyed but respectful relationship between the two of them as they enjoy watching shows together. Plus Murderbot wanting to discover its past while not knowing what it wants to do now it's "free" was a perfect growing point to it.

So far my favourite moment was between Murderbot and the Comfort Unit, when the Comfort unit asked if Murderbot wanted to kill all the humans in which Murderbot pretty much responses how silly that idea is simply because who would make the shows if the humans died.

I do recommend heavily to anyone who wants a short scifi read.

[iambibliophilic]

My all-time favourite books &recs!

1. The murderbot series by Martha Wells. I truly cannot fault these books. Sci-fi with an undercurrent of the ethical ramifications of a society with human/robot constructs. First few are very short, then book 5 is a full novel. Diverse cast of characters, casual non-binary rep (esp later on), polyamory, asexual rep. 10/10 humour. What more could you want?

2. The Hidden Legacy series by Ilona Andrews. Spicy urban fantasy. First trilogy revolves around human lie detector Nevada, second trilogy from the point of view of her sister. My favourite books are 4 and 5 (especially 4!). Such a cosy cast of characters I love them so much. Prepare for some problematic stuff in book one though omg I did not remember that the love interest did THAT how did they recover from that I’ll never know. Also stop whitewashing these characters they’re mixed race and it’s mentions that explicitly (although one criticism I have of Ilona andrews is that even their POC read like white characters. More depth needed)

3. The innkeeper chronicles by Ilona Andrews. I think it’s described as paranormal romance? But I would describe it as urban SCI-FI. I would say consider the first book a prequel of sorts and judge the series more starting from the second book. Again they’re pretty short. Defo get better as the series progresses since the world-building takes a while. Maud’s book was so unexpectedly phenomenal I highly highly recommend. Technically this series is most enjoyable after reading the author’s On The Edge series but I won’t put you through that. (I love those books but objectively only book 4 is perfect so decide for yourself if you want to give that series a go once you’ve seen Ilona Andrews’ other work. It’s their oldest series so the fact that it’s not their best is actually a really good sign - you can really see their growth and how they’ve improved as authors with every publication.) Don’t get excited they’re not non-binary: Ilona Andrews is the name of a husband and wife who write books together. They also happen to be my favourite authors so get ready for me to recommend all of their books to you

4. Red, white and royal blue by Case McQuiston. The perfectest perfect book out there. I’m just putting it on here to show you I have good taste

5. The Second Mango series. I’ve only read the first two but now that I’m getting better (I’ve been sick for the past couple of years) I’m rereading them and looking forward to reading the rest of them. Very short little books only available on Amazon unfortunately and no audiobooks rip. The most heartwarming story ever - lesbians, dragons, Judaism, magic, what more could you want? Fantasy series with quite simple storytelling. Lots of brown people yay. Kind of accidentally forgets trans people exist in the first book

6 There is a light by Ban Gilmartin. Love it. So full of humour it’s impeccable. Brown rep, gay and bisexual rep. Poetry, trans rep. Non binary rep. I’m just listing types of rep but in my head I’m telling you all the ways in which this book rocks. One thing is rep and another is doing it well. This book does it well and then some. Highly recommend. Tw: suicide

7. All for the game series. Do I really need to recommend this to tumblr though this is literally the only place that knows about these books. Gay, crimes, sports but don’t let that dissuade you the sports is actually a highlight of the series. I love my child Neil Josten and I love these books an unholy amount. If you do read them half of the enjoyment is looking through the content on tumblr so definitely do that after. Ooo also check out the art of one ‘polarts_’ on insta

8. The name of the wind books by Patrick rothfuss. The most misogynistic series I know but the world building and storytelling is impeccable. I would say these books are the polar opposite to the second mango: no gays, too many white people and it takes itself so seriously. The writing style is a bit much sometimes but I seriously love the story so, so much. It’s rich and well constructed and funny and yes. Also sad omg you don’t even know

9. The stormlight archives by Brandon Sanderson. Anything by him to be honest and like Ilona Andrews you can really see his growth as an author as time passes - in his case it’s to do with misogyny bc his earlier series (mistborn) reeks of Patrick rothfuss-level sexism but unlike Patrick he does something about it. Stormlight is way less sexist, almost not sexist actually, and his sci-fi series Skyward is even better in terms of that. Stormlight is a CHONK though so buckle in for a good time and a long time. High fantasy, lots of brown people and actually unexpected non binary rep? But don’t get your hopes up cos it’s not a human being. And it’s not till like book 4. Better than nothing though! Not gay enough

10. Kate daniels series by Ilona Andrews. Listen, I love this series wholeheartedly. Favourite author, remember? But the first two books and the first book in particular is not very good. The authors themselves say that. I recommend starting at book two and waiting till book three to decide whether to read the series. It’s urban fantasy with the best chemistry between characters I’ve ever seen. (Can start with book one if you want but be warned there’s gratuitous sexual assault descriptions/ sexual harassment. It was the urban fantasy scene at the time but yeah not the mos pleasant reread. Can be tricky to get your head around the world building but it’s so worth it I promise!) Not enough queer rep but they tried a little. Some brown rep but not really enough. (Again, main character is brown but doesn’t read like it. I understand why given how she’s raised but then there’s a few kinda racist/ fetishising things said about her appearance so -_-). Excellent epic storytelling, excellent humour and phenomenal characters. Can skip book 5.5 if you want but don’t skip Hugh’s book - read it between Kate Daniels books 9 and 10. It’s excellent you won’t regret it. And don’t forget to read Aurelia Ryder when you’re done with Kate Daniels.

11. SAGA graphic novels. Graphic is correct cos there’s explicit everything in these books. Amazing storytelling, diverse set of characters. Sci-fi, feminist. Yes yes very recommend

BONUS: 12. If you’ve already read six of crows and crooked kingdom then king of scars and rule of wolves by Leigh Bardugo. Best enjoyed if you’ve read the grisha trilogy too but once again I won’t put you through that if you haven’t. These books defo smack of YA especially in the plot at certain points but OH MY GOD they are so epic and fast-paced and heists and shenanigans. 10/10 so enjoyed them. Warning I repeat: only read AFTER the six of crows duology, especially Crooked Kingdom for spoiler reasons. Once you have read king of scars and rule of wolves I recommend checking out jaded.draws’s art on instagram and also polarts_ again. Both make such beautiful art but it is slightly spoilerly if you haven’t read all the books. Also can we talk about the Shadow and Bone tv show because they did such a good job with it somehow?? It is it’s own work of art and I highly enjoy it

I recognise that my favourite books are overwhelmingly (exclusively?) written by white people and there’s varying amounts of diversity in them. I’m actively working to remedy that and I plan to post an updated list once I’ve read a little more broadly. These are just the books that are closest to my heart and I’ve wanted to share them on here for a while (read: a decade 💀). I hope you find a new book to love on this list but if not you can make fun of me for the ones I do! Also the format of this post is unforgivable but it’s my first one and I’m chronically ill so I’m not gonna put any more effort in that I already have. Xoxo have a good day!

[dollfat]

the 5th murderbot book was sooooooo good, idk why i waited, i shouldve had faith. im really glad it didnt go down the mb/mensa route it was sorta implying at first?? and instead focused on mb/ART's relationship. who is definitely the 2nd best character of the series.

im so sad theres only one more book in the series, i could listen to these adventures forever.

ive never bought an audiobook before but i seriously need these to always be available. is audible the only platform for purchasing?

[tiktaaliker]

MORE AUDIOBOOK THOUGHTS:

The Magicians: ok. you KNOW im a big fan of this book. but man. the narration was kinda dull? like it was fine for a shift but i wasnt all that interested. got through like half before dropping it (specifically i got right up to the end of the breakbills south. THAT part was fun just because of myakovsky but it wasnt enough to make me want to continue.)

Murderbot Diaries books 1+2: Honestly, im not typically a huuuuge fan of Kevin R Free as an audiobook narrator most of the time, but honestly? He pulls off this series really well. Most of what i DONT like about his reading actually work here. It also helps that the murderbot diaries are just REALLY good.

The Raven Cycle books 1-4: HOLLLY FUCKING SHIT. MAN. i grabbed the raven boys on a whim because i had the 3rd murderbot diaries book on hold, and i remember liking it when i was younger. and HOLY FUCKING SHIT. these were the best fucking audiobooks ive gone through so far. Will Patton is fucking PHENOMENAL. Not ONLY are all the character voices distinct and clear, but the fucking NARRATION has a different tone depending on the POV character (to the point where i could IMMEDIATELY tell which POV it was based entirely on the voice), and he ALSO pulls off characters changing accents/tones of voice (which happens pretty often and is relevanr for character development and occasionally plot). Story itself was also even better than I remembered. This is now one of my favorite book series of all time without exaggerating. I already want to go back and listen to these again. Thats how good it was. If my talking here convinces you to listen to any of these, make it the raven cycle. Its really fucking good

The Dreamer Trilogy book 1 + half of book 2: Also narrated by Will Patton (sequel series to the raven cycle), so still has fucking PHENOMENAL voices and narration and all that. I want to like the dreamer trilogy sooo bad but i just cannot fucking STAND Bryde. Ill probably finish the trilogy i just need a break for a while. This is, after all, the longest ive stuck to a single series without anything in between. Call down the hawk was REALLY good, which i think is partially because Bryde doesnt become a major character until Mister Impossible lol

The house in the cerulean sea: It was.... alright. Narration was a bit weird at points (ie a few moments where i was thrown off because the inflection just didnt fit the context) but it was overall passable. Distinctive character voices, which was always a plus. Story itself was fine- some points were trying a bit too hard to be funny, but it wasnt too insufferable once i got used to the vibe. Lots of therapy speak from small children felt kind of unnatural and got a bit annoying at points, but i think the way it was read managed to at least somewhat pull it off, especially since all the kids had funny voices (REALLY hard to take all the emotional stuff seriously because of that, which was a good thing.) Magic system was kinda weird? But eh, it was fine. Cute story.

In the lives of puppets: DOGSHIT. did not make it past chapter 1. Prologue was mildly interesting, but the tone was immediately brought out back and given the ol yeller trilogy. Made me realize that T J Klune (same author of house in the cerulean sea) only has 2 jokes: kid/creature/innocent making extreme threats of violence, and just the most unfunny sex jokes in existence. Same narrator as house in the cerulean sea, but i dont think any narrator couldve saved this one.

Dear Wendy: picked this one up after scrolling thru available books, synopsis seemed mildly interesting? Stopped almost immediately once realizing that this is way too gen z for me. Specifically i mean that its like very social media focused and i also couldnt get past the fact that its focsed on like. Instagram dating advice. Like the whole pitch for this book is that the main characters are both aroace thats why i grabbed it in the first place. i dont give a shit about instagram drama. idk for all i know this book is perfectly fine it just managed to immediately lose my interest lol

Murderbot book 3: FINALLY OFF HOLD THANK FUCK. A FRESH WATER POND RECOVERED IN MY MAYONAISE LAKE OASIS

my thoughts on the stuff ive listened to during work; note that im not basing my reviews on how good the actual book is, its based on how my personal experience was to listen to the audiobook while working in the lab

Animorphs books 1-3: i read this series as a kid but only once, so i was familiar with the story enough to not get distracted but i had forgotten enough of the details to be kept engaged. Voice acting was fine, tolerable to listen to, character voices distinct enough to differentiate without being annoying (albiet with at least one exception). Biggest issue is length- since my shifts are 8 hours, i got through the first 3 books in a single shift, and the specific version i was listening to was split up into a handful of short parts each book so i kept having to switch to the next video, which was way too much of a momentum-stopper (and work interruption) to stick with this series specifically.

The Witcher books 1+2: eh. was fine enough. once again this was something i was familiar enough with to follow without having to worry too much about missing details, while also being somewhat entertaining. i think i liked it a lot better to read than to listen to. voice acting was fine. biggest issue was that i had finally gotten used to the narrator pronouncing dandelion as dan-DIL-leon for the first book but in the second book he switched to pronouncing it as DAN-dee-lion and i had to stop partway through because of it

Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: i remember enjoying reading it a lot more than listening. Ill be the first to admit that im kind of picky about audiobook narration and this one just didnt hit right, but was overall a good experience. Voice acting was fine, and the actual story was very entertaining as expected. Perfectly acceptable.

Discworld books 1-2: extremely good listens. Voice acting was great, character voices were fun and fit the characters really well, only skirted the line of being annoying. fantastic story, but not too complicated or unfamiliar, so i could still follow and be entertained while still focusing on work. Will probably continue the series at some point, but giving myself a buffer period before i start up again to avoid series burnout

Malevolent parts 41-44 (catching up with the podcast lol): man. theres just something about listening to a guy getting gutted and filled with maggots while working in the lab of a hospital. like broooo you are going to get sepsis!!! Very good listen, as expected, just kinda funny trying to keep a straight face while talking to coworkers and simultaneously listening to arthur's no good very bad day

Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell: probably the best one so far for what im using these for. The length meant i was able to spend like 4 whole shifts on the one audiobook. Footnotes were incorporated fantastically, narrator and voice acting was phenomenal, and its also pretty much my favorite book of all time. Ive read this SEVERAL times, but because of how fucking huge this thing is theres a lot of details i forgot about or misremembered. Only issue is that it was split up into several audio tracks, so i had to switch to the next one a few times per shift. They were each around 2 hours long however, so it wasnt too inconvenient. Also at one point i fucked up and accidentally skipped like 8 whole hours without realizing until after an hour in where they referenced an event i KNEW i hadnt gotten to yet lol

Catch-22: man they really went all fucking OUT on the voice acting here. All characters are EXTREMELY distinct, so im very easily able to tell who's talking even without speaking tags. One of my pet peeves in audiobooks is when the narrator whisper-yells when a character is meant to be screaming. That does not happen here. Narrator fucking COMMITS. Yelling, sobbing, laughing, all of it. Fucking fantastic. Phenomenal as an audiobook, i think i mightve even enjoyed it even better than actually reading it.

Slaughterhouse-five: man. this one is ALSO an audiobook that is fucking PHENOMENAL. biggest problem is that i got WAYYY too into it. I really needed to just sit down and soak it in, which was not very condusive to a workplace environment. I now have a self-imposed limit where im not going to be listening to any more vonnegut books from now on because i KNOW itll have a similar affect

His majesty's dragon: this one couldve been good, but the recording i found was not. The guy reading it did a big spiel at the beginning of each chapter and kept adding unneeded commentary like it was a middle school read along. Im going to be getting a library card today so i can use libby, so i might come back to this once i get access to an actual official audiobook lol

murder on the orient express: nope. barely lasted three minutes into this one

percy jackson and the lightning thief: see this is an example of something ive actually read too many times as a kid so i know the book too well for an audiobook to be entertaining. Dropped it after less than a chapter.

the kane chronicles: had potential, i remember liking the story a lot as a kid but i hadnt read it nearly as much as the pjo series, and i think it wouldve been at least vaguely entertaining. However, half the book has one of the narrator sdoing a really bad british accent for his sister's voicelines and i just couldnt do it. i didnt have the strength. Dropped after maybe 4 chapters.

Camp Damascus: the only audiobook of the lot that i actually bought, and the first one i got through that i hadnt read the physical book before. Interesting story, ok voice acting. Solid choice to listen to. Not quite what i was expecting, but pretty good story! Had some EXTREMELY gnarly descriptions of body horror thrown in at like. two points of the story maybe. Didnt really affect me personally but kinda threw me off in a 'this feels like a different story entirely' sort of way. Dont have much else to say here since these reviews are more talking about my experience with these as audiobooks specifically, and i havent read the book itself to be able to compare this one.

[carriagelamp]

…Can you tell that work got busy in September? I certainly can. I didn’t read a single actual physical novel this month. Some novellas, some graphic novels, some audiobooks, but oof. It was a busy month. Also, in case it wasn’t obvious, I have fallen back into my Sherlock Holmes hole, which I revisit every few years…

Though if you’re following this blog, that was definitely obvious…

The Murderbot Diaries: Fugitive Telemetry

The last Murderbot book I had to finish before being caught up. I am now caught up and am feeling distraught about it. This is hands down on of my favourite series and I am desperately — desperately — waiting for the next book. I described the series itself in previous posts, but this book specifically takes Murderbot and sets it on the task of trying to solve a murder mystery, which is just such a treat to watch. Because on one hand, hey, it’s a SecUnit! This should be right up its alley! On the other hand, it has never had to solve a  murder mystery before and most of what it knows comes from the crime shows it watches! Which, as everyone knows, are super realistic.

The Girl from the Sea

A super cute sapphic selkie story by the author of The Witch Boy! I don’t know why selkies seem inherently sapphic to me but they do and finding this graphic novel was like watching the stars align. The art is lovely, the story is interesting, about personal growth, identity, and environmental conservation, and it really made me feel all warm and happy the entire time I was reading it. Very worth picking up.

The Last Firehawk: The Ember Stone // The Crystal Caverns

I’ve posted about this series before but I read the first two books to children again and listen. Listen. Do you do not know joy until you have an entire room of 6-7 year olds losing their minds because this is the first proper adventure novel they’ve ever experienced and they are so. excited. about. firehawks. And defeating the evil vulture Thorn. And about every plot twist because they don’t know much about plot twists yet. And cliffhangers. So this series get to be on the list again because that up there? Is a pure, uncut shot of serotonin straight to my brain. You can see these little children become book lovers and it’s the best feeling in the world. That automatically makes this one of the best book series in the world.

Razzle Dazzle Unicorn

Why do I keep reading these? I keep picking them up from the library and I hate every single one. This is like. the most boring, uninspired, and insipid children’s graphic novel series. About a girl with her cell phone and her vain unicorn. The first book was almost cute, but at this point… no. The jokes are repetitive. There’s very little interesting movement in the panels, it’s mostly talking heads. It’s just… boring. Not even bad just so unspeakably dull. Ugh.

Requiem of the Rose King v2

Picked this one up from the library on a whim, without reading the back or book 1. Don’t know what I expected, but a queer retelling of the historical Wars of the Roses, inspired by Shakespeare’s Richard III, was not it. I could barely keep track of all this political drama when I had to study it in school, and this has completely destroyed any remaining capacity I had to keep it straight.

In case anyone was curious, the goth twink on the cover is indeed Richard III.

…It was a lot to process.

Like a lot.

Silver Spoon 14 // 15

A seriously phenomenal series, written by the author of Fullmetal Alchemist. I finally read the last two books and aaaaaaaaaaah. It was so goddamn good. Holy shit it was such an amazing series. I have to admit, it sort of… slid softly into the finale, there wasn’t really a big climactic moment, but it was satisfying enough and you get a time jump to show how things are working out, so over all I was happy. The whole series is superb though, and I would totally recommend picking it up, it’s one of the most brilliant coming-of-age stories I’ve read in a  long time, chock-full of funny characters, wonderful character growth, and a nice balance of humour, tenderness, and the harsh realities about the agricultural industry and growing up.

Tales From Moomin Valley

More Moomin! This one is filled with short stories about various characters in and around Moominvalley. It wasn’t quite as engaging as Comet in Moominland, but each story had a really interesting little message that isn’t always obvious or standard for a children’s story, and the characters are always just the right side of strange and off-the-wall. There’s a Weird Kid With Skinned Knees nostalgia built into them, you know? And even though they’re “child” characters, they all have flaws and rough edges that you need to accept, and that adds a depth to these stories that really makes them feel so much richer.

Upright Women Wanted

If you read the American Hippo duology and were left wanting more, then baby this is the book for you. Because listen, I adored River of Teeth and desperately wanted more alternative queer cowboys and Sarah Gailey, bless their soul, delivered. This time it’s a futuristic dystopian world, in a collapsed American society that has reverted back to a more “wild west” approach to things, with strict puritanical values and rigid censorship. 

A girl, after watching her girlfriend get executed for possess Unapproved Materials, decides to run away, convinced that “people like them” can never live good lives and the best she can do is escape a loveless marriage she’s being forced into. To do this, she sneaks aboard a Librarian wagon that’s passing through town. Librarians are known for being “upright women”, women of strong moral character, proper women, and she hopes that by joining them she can force the undesirable parts of herself deep into the shadows. So she’s surprised to learn that it’s a very different type of person that actually becomes a gun-slinging, desert-wandering librarian.

Sherlock Holmes: Study in Scarlet

Every few years, like clockwork, I need to sink back into my perpetual Sherlock Holmes love. My family, friends, and loved ones must simply weather this storm because it always, always, always comes back. So here we are again. I’ve been too busy to sit down with proper print media, so I’ve been listening to Holmes novels on audiobook. A Study in Scarlet continues to delight my soul, Holmes and Watson meeting with always be one of my favourite literary moments.

Sherlock Holmes: The Sign of Four

You do have to admit, the short stories are much better than the novels. But The Sign of Four is still a good touchstone to have, and the main mystery is a fun one. It’s nice to meet Mary, even if Doyle wrote the most paper thin romance he could possible manage, and it’s fun to go on a treasure hunt. And it has the bestest boy Toby! All in all, a fun read if not one I tend to return to often.

Sherlock Holmes: The Valley of Fear

Doyle sure is committed to having a solid half of any book be about Weird Historical Shit In America, huh? The case itself has some really interesting stuff, getting to run around a draw bridge enclosed estate and work through the red herrings, but once the case was wrapped up I stopped listening because there’s only so much a person can be expected to take and two novels worth of meandering backstory is apparently that limit for me. I am now relistening to The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes as god intended and enjoying myself immensely.

Sherlock: The Casebook

Since I’m deep into Sherlock Holmes hell, I decided this should include watching the first two seasons of Sherlock. Which, full disclosure, I still really like! Any adaptation has strengths and weakness (and my god don’t talk to me about anything after season two, that doesn’t exist) but I still ultimately really enjoy this one. So there, my unpopular opinion is laid bare.

Anyway, I got The Casebook back when it first came out and I reread each entry as I watched the episode, which was honestly delightful. This is a really fun style of book – it gives you some behind the scenes information, some background information, but then it has each episode written up like John’s notes on the case. And it’s a delight to read the little snippy sticky notes the characters have left for each other throughout the book. Fun!

[hermitlibrarian]

Kayla Rayne and Trina do such a good job of running the Goodreads group for the Monthly Recommendations meme, coming up with suggestions, creating their own videos, and so on. I’ve been lax in making my own monthly recommendations list, but this is the perfect month to come back to the fold because the topic is Mash Up! Instead of a specific topic, it’s one recommendation based on the topics that have been touched on this past year.

  Monthly Recommendations is a monthly meme hosted by Kayla Rayne (YouTube) and Trina from Between Chapters (YouTube). You can find the Goodreads group, including the monthly prompts, here.

  1. Best First Book in a Series

  Amazon | Audible | Barnes & Noble | Book Depository | Goodreads | Indiebound | Libro.fm

Published: 2 May 2017

Publisher: Tor.com

Category: Science Fiction/Novella

In a corporate-dominated spacefaring future, planetary missions must be approved and supplied by the Company. Exploratory teams are accompanied by Company-supplied security androids, for their own safety.

But in a society where contracts are awarded to the lowest bidder, safety isn’t a primary concern.

On a distant planet, a team of scientists are conducting surface tests, shadowed by their Company-supplied ‘droid — a self-aware SecUnit that has hacked its own governor module, and refers to itself (though never out loud) as “Murderbot.” Scornful of humans, all it really wants is to be left alone long enough to figure out who it is.

But when a neighboring mission goes dark, it’s up to the scientists and their Murderbot to get to the truth.

Murderbot is one of my new favorite characters this year. All it wants to do is be left along to enjoy its media and figure itself out. How relatable is that? But no, the humans have to muck things up and who has to protect them and figure things out? Murderbot, of course. This is the first in the Murderbot Diaries and I am so looking forward to the rest of the series.

  2. Graphic Novels/Mixed Media

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Published: 23 October 2018

Publisher:

Category: Sequential Art/Humor

Adam’s comics deal with weightier topics like seasonal affective disorder and struggles with self-esteem, while also touching on the silly and absurd—like his brief, but intense obsession with crystals. With a bright, positive outlook and a sense of humor, Super Chill tells a story that is both highly relatable and intensely personal.

Adam’s humor never fails to be both humorous and relatable, whether it’s his love for his cats (including his tripod kitty) or the trials he faces in day to day life. I could not recommend this collection, and his ongoing comic, more.

  3. Duologies

  Rise of the Empress Duology

Forest of a Thousand Lanterns/Kingdom of the Blazing Phoenix

I read Forest of a Thousand Lanterns and reviewed it on The Book Bratz (review here) earlier this year because I love villain origin stories. While it didn’t turn out exactly as I thought it would, I still think that Julie C. Dao has immensely writing talent and would recommend her books. I still have to read Kingdom of the Blazing Phoenix, but you best believe it’s at home here and waiting on my tbr. 🙂

  4. Mental Health Representation

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Published: 11 September 2018

Publisher: Simon Pulse

Category: Contemporary/Young Adult/LGBT+

Rumi Seto spends a lot of time worrying she doesn’t have the answers to everything. What to eat, where to go, whom to love. But there is one thing she is absolutely sure of—she wants to spend the rest of her life writing music with her younger sister, Lea.

Then Lea dies in a car accident, and her mother sends her away to live with her aunt in Hawaii while she deals with her own grief. Now thousands of miles from home, Rumi struggles to navigate the loss of her sister, being abandoned by her mother, and the absence of music in her life. With the help of the “boys next door”—a teenage surfer named Kai, who smiles too much and doesn’t take anything seriously, and an eighty-year-old named George Watanabe, who succumbed to his own grief years ago—Rumi attempts to find her way back to her music, to write the song she and Lea never had the chance to finish.

If there’s one author that I’m sure knows how to write about mental health issues, it’s Akemi Dawn Bowman. After reading her previous book Starfish, I knew that Summer Bird Blue would be on my list and I am so thankful that it was. For all the heartbreak and toughness that was in it, it was a superb read that handled difficult subjects well. You can read me review here.

  5. Books that Booktube Made Me Read

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Published: 24 October 2017

Publisher: HarperTeen

Category: Young Adult/Fantasy

On Christmas Eve five years ago, Holly was visited by three ghosts who showed her how selfish and spoiled she’d become. They tried to convince her to mend her ways.

She didn’t.

And then she died.

Now she’s stuck working for the top-secret company Project Scrooge–as the latest Ghost of Christmas Past.

Every year, they save another miserly grouch. Every year, Holly stays frozen at seventeen while her family and friends go on living without her. So far, Holly’s afterlife has been miserable.

But this year, everything is about to change. . . .

This one isn’t strictly accurate because I haven’t watched a whole lot of BookTube this year, so I couldn’t pinpoint a book I’d read because of BookTube specifically. However, there was a readathon near the middle of December hosted by a BookTuber (Book Roast) that had, as its first challenge, a requirement to finish up our current read. Close enough? For me and for this recommendation, I’m counting it! lol

This retelling of the Scrooge myth was an interesting one and it certainly had a good time with its twists and magic affecting the modern take on the old story.

  6. Audiobooks

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Published: 13 June 2017

Publisher: Macmillan Audio

Category: Fantasy/Horror/Fiction

Twin sisters Jack and Jill were seventeen when they found their way home and were packed off to Eleanor West’s Home for Wayward Children.

This is the story of what happened first…

Jacqueline was her mother’s perfect daughter—polite and quiet, always dressed as a princess. If her mother was sometimes a little strict, it’s because crafting the perfect daughter takes discipline.

Jillian was her father’s perfect daughter—adventurous, thrill-seeking, and a bit of a tom-boy. He really would have preferred a son, but you work with what you’ve got.

They were five when they learned that grown-ups can’t be trusted.

They were twelve when they walked down the impossible staircase and discovered that the pretense of love can never be enough to prepare you a life filled with magic in a land filled with mad scientists and death and choices.

Any of Seanan McGuire’s Wayward Children series would be a delight to listen to, but I’m highlight the second in the series, Down Among the Sticks and Bones, because it is read by the author. Technically this book is a prequel, so I suppose you could read it before Every Heart a Doorway, though I think there might be just the slightest bit lost in character surprise if you did. So, read them in order, but I think you’ll  be in for a real treat when you listen to this, book #2, because Seanan does such a good job of reading her children to life.

  7. Books Worth a Reread

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Published: 12 August 2005 (originally 1943)

Publisher: Harper Audio

Category: Classics/Historical Fiction

A moving coming-of-age story set in the 1900’s, A Tree Grows in Brooklyn follows the lives of 11-year-old Francie Nolan, her younger brother Neely, and their parents, Irish immigrants who have settled in the Williamsburg section of Brooklyn. Johnny Nolan is as loving and fanciful as they come, but he is also often drunk and out of work, unable to find his place in the land of opportunity. His wife Katie scrubs floors to put food on the table and clothes on her childrens’ backs, instilling in them the values of being practical and planning ahead.

When Johnny dies, leaving Katie pregnant, Francie, smart, pensive and hoping for something better, cannot believe that life can carry on as before. But with her own determination, and that of her mother behind her, Francie is able to move toward the future of her dreams, completing her education and heading oft to college, always carrying the beloved Brooklyn of her childhood in her heart.

I’ve read A Tree Grows in Brooklyn at least twice a year for a couple years now, so I can definitely say it’s worth a reread. Whether you decide to pick up a physical copy, an e-copy, or listen to the incomparable Kate Burton read this classic story aloud, you’re in for a treat.

  8. Underrated Books

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Published: 28 July 2016

Publisher: BOOM! Box

Category: Sequential Art/Young Adult/Fantasy

Eons ago, it was prophesied…four distinguished champions would be chosen to lead the universe into a new age of strength and peace. They were expecting warriors; what they got was a little bit…different. Join Amie, an art student, Sandy, a single mom, Kevin, aging athlete and Silas…a goldfish?…as they learn to navigate Earth and each other as the most unanticipated powerful beings in the universe!

Created by New York Times-bestselling writer Kate Leth (ADVENTURE TIME, BRAVEST WARRIORS) and illustrator Matt Cummings (BATTLE DOG), POWER UP is a super team-up with a twist…and in the end, finding a family where you least expect it.

This hilarious, bright, wonderfully illustrated comic does not get talked about enough! The team behind it, Kate & Matt, are just amazing. The story is so out there that you can’t quite believe what’s going on, but that’s half the fun! 😀

  9. Marathon Worthy Series

  The Illuminae Files

These are honking big books, but I think you’ll want to marathon them despite that. With the twists, the unique formatting, and the cliffhangers in the first two books, it would be impossible not to marathon this series once you start. The characters, the scenarios, everything just draws you in so that you have to know what happens next to the various crews in their quest for survival and justice.

  10. Witchy Reads

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Published: 13 March 2018

Publisher: Candlewick Press

Category: Fantasy/Young Adult/Paranormal

From the author of The Strange and Beautiful Sorrows of Ava Lavender comes a haunting maelstrom of magic and murder in the lush, moody Pacific Northwest.

When Rona Blackburn landed on Anathema Island more than a century ago, her otherworldly skills might have benefited friendlier neighbors. Guilt and fear instead led the island’s original eight settlers to burn “the witch” out of her home. So Rona cursed them. Fast-forward one hundred–some years: All Nor Blackburn wants is to live an unremarkable teenage life. She has reason to hope: First, her supernatural powers, if they can be called that, are unexceptional. Second, her love life is nonexistent, which means she might escape the other perverse side effect of the matriarch’s backfiring curse, too. But then a mysterious book comes out, promising to cast any spell for the right price. Nor senses a storm coming and is pretty sure she’ll be smack in the eye of it. In her second novel, Leslye Walton spins a dark, mesmerizing tale of a girl stumbling along the path toward self-acceptance and first love, even as the Price Guide’s malevolent author — Nor’s own mother — looms and threatens to strangle any hope for happiness.

This book is packed full of witches and witchy themes. You can read my review here.

  11. Relatable Characters

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Published: 9 March 2017

Publisher: Bonnier Zaffre

Category: Fiction/Contemporary

Lost for Words is a compelling, irresistible, and heart-rending audiobook from author Stephanie Butland

Loveday Cardew prefers books to people. If you look carefully, you might glimpse the first lines of the novels she loves most tattooed on her skin. But there are some things Loveday will never, ever show you.

Into her hiding place – the bookstore where she works – come a poet, a lover, and three suspicious deliveries.

Someone has found out about her mysterious past. Will Loveday survive her own heartbreaking secrets?

Loveday’s got it. Books to people? Sounds about right. The Lost for Words Book Shop is her refuge and I think a lot of us can agree that it sounds like heaven, being able to have that sort of place to go, to have support us. Archie, the owner, is such a dear and is just the best support network for Loveday. The overall bookish feel of this story, obviously of Loveday, is totally relatable.

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      Monthly Recommendations: A Years of Recommendations Kayla Rayne and Trina do such a good job of running the Goodreads group for the Monthly Recommendations meme, coming up with suggestions, creating their own videos, and so on.