Weekly Reading Round-Up
Happy Friday, all!
I apologize for a very long Reading Round Up hiatus! What was meant to be just a week or two away from my website turned into… the whole summer. In that time, I was finishing up the Manhattan Well Murder book (now with my editor!) and huddling with Beatriz and Karen over edits for Team W book #5 (now in copyedits!). Neither has a title yet– that will be the next order of operations– but you’ll be seeing Team W book #5 on the shelves roughly a year from now, in autumn 2024, and the Manhattan Well Murder book in January 2025.
Right now, I’m deep in research for the next project… on which more soon! But I can tell you it involves another real life late 18th century American trial and the true love story of one of my favorite founding fathers, which could have come right out of a romance novel– but actually happened.
Anyway, on to the Reading Round-Up! I’m months behind, so I can tell you that this summer I read through Leigh Bardugo’s Shadow & Bone trilogy, as well as the recent blockbuster Fourth Wing, both of which involve magical educations and dark conspiracies.
Right now, I’m mostly buried under research books, but when I’m not digging into the background of the next book, I’ve gone back to some old friends, like Dorothy Cannell’s Ellie Haskell books, and Elizabeth Peters’s mystery novels.
I was thrilled to discover that after all these years Jennifer Crusie and Bob Meyer had two new books out– and a third coming next week! It’s a classic Crusie mix of small town and big personalities. (Also, if you haven’t ever read Agnes and the Hitman, do. It’s sheer madcap joy.)
What have you been reading this week? (Or this summer!)
Are you still planning on a read along for “Band of Sisters” and “Two Weddings and a War” – or did I miss it? It sounds like you’ve been stretched pretty far with creative projects! Looking forward to the upcoming books.
I’m so glad you asked! I’ve been meaning to post and say that under the pressure of double deadlines (and a bunch of family stuff) this summer, I dropped the ball on the read along. I’m not ruling it out for future, but for the moment it’s on hold.
I’ve been reading old Dorothy Mack regencies which are a mixed bag. When they are good- but some are not so great. Anyway have been enjoying most of them. My daughter read fourth wing and loved it so I might give it a try although fantasy is not my thing.
I LOVE the whole Grishaverse, if you haven’t picked it up yet her fairy tales set within the world are amazing. They work as just normal fairy tales but if you’ve read the series they add so much more. Also the art, the art is drop your jaw amazing. ‘The Language of Thorns: Midnight Tales and Dangerous Magic.’
As to what I’ve read, I’m a bit bereft, I have read ALL of the Rivers of London EVERYTHING, comics, moments, you name it, and the only way I can think of to survive until whenever the next book comes out is to just re-read them all. Well not the weird German novella, I didn’t like Mr. Winter at all. Right now I’m reading another fairy tale-esque book for book club, The Ghosts of Nothing by Cecily Walters. It’s fine. Nothing groundbreaking. I do like that she’s firmly on the “don’t trust fairies” bandwagon vs. they’re fun! Next up Daniel O’Malley’s Blitz.
So happy that Weekly Reading Round-Up is back after a summer in the writers cave. Also second Diane above, read along!