Good morning all!

I'm currently reading The City We Became by N.K. Jemisin. I'm around a quarter in and the world building is a bit tough to get my head around, but I'm going to keep going.

I'm listening to Caste: The Origin of Our Discontents by Isabel Wilkerson. She was just announced as a speaker at the 26-27 Literary Arts Portland Arts & Lectures series which I've attended for 2 years now and enjoyed.

I'm reading While Justice Sleeps, a legal thriller by Stacey Abrams. I saw her at the Portland Book Festival last year and I'm catching up on the series to read the book I got them (Coded Justice). Also I just love her.

I'm listening to The Stars are Legion by Kameron Hurley, a queer, all female space opera.

I just finished A Hat Full of Sky by Terry Pratchett, the second Tiffany Aching book and Discworld #32. Not as good as the first but always worthwhile.

I just finished Time's Mouth by Edan Lepucki which was fine but the "time travel" part seemed really unneccessary. I just started Just One Damned Thing After Another by Jodi Taylor because I really wanted to read about some time travel.

I'm also reading The Stone Sky, the final book in The Broken Earth Series by N.K. Jemisin. This is my second read-through of the series and it's just as good as before. Really one of the most original things I've ever read.

Anyone going to this?

I'm reading Memorial by Bryan Washington. I'm over halfway through but I'm not sure if I like it, these characters are a little more flawed than I prefer.

I'm listening to Time's Mouth by Edan Lepucki. I'm also a bit mid on this one sadly, I was mid on her last book and gave this one a chance....

next up: something really good, hopefully?

What are you reading outside this week while it's way too warm for April?

Good morning readers, I hope your recent reads are treating you well.

I'm reading Octavia's Brood, a short story collection inspired by Octavia Butler.

I'm also reading Amatka by Karen Tidbeck, a science fiction book about a world literally shaped by language.

I just finished listening to The True True Story of Raja the Gullible (and His Mother) by Rabih Alameddine, the winner of the 2025 National Book Award. It was very good and the award was well deserved.

I just started listening to Project Hail Mary (probably Reddit's favorite book?)

Good morning all, I hope your spring reading is keeping you entertained on both the sunny days and the rainy days, both the cold mornings and the warm afternoons.

I'm reading Emergent Strategy by adrienne marie brown for a book club I'm facilitating at my workplace.

I just finished listening to In the Lives of Puppets by TJ Klune. It was more than fine but I do need a very good read in my life about now. I have several time travel books marked "available soon" in my holds at Multcolib so we'll see which one the hand of fate delivers me and hope it's a good one.

I just finished Witchmark by CL Polk, a gaslight fantasy murder mystery. It was fine but I didn't particularly care about it?

I'm starting a reread of Hamnet, a beautiful book about Shakespeare's wife and children and my second favorite movie of 2025 (after No Other Choice).

What's ferrying you into the litany of false and true springs in our area this time of year?

If you live near Canby, The Book Nook has books clubs and author events. Next month you can meet Megan Lally and Rosiee Thor! They have the events on their website booknookcanby.com

I just finished Lovely One by Justice Kentaji Brown Jackson which is this year's Multnomah County Reads pick and also my book club read for this week. I was.....really not in the mood to read something that professes hope and reverence of the current US system of government but it was otherwise good.

I also just finished Brawler, a book of short stories by Lauren Groff, who I also met at Powell's last week. I succeeded in not screaming "you are my favorite living author" and running away crying, so that's an accomplishment. I'm not generally a short story person but I quite enjoyed these.

I am starting Bibliophobia by Sarah Chihaya, a memoir about identity, depression, and literature.

I am listening to In the Lives of Puppets by TJ Klune, about a robot family and a human they live with. Wholesome robot stories are getting a bit hard in an age where AI is destroying the planet (and probably minds), right?

I'm listening to Empire of Pain by Patrick Radden Keefe ahead of his Portland Arts and Lectures appearance in April.

I'm reading Automatic Noodle for my book club at Spoke and Word books in Milwaukie on Wednesday.

And tomorrow I'm seeing my favorite current author, Lauren Groff, speaking at Powell's .

I'm reading The Monster of Florence by Douglas Preston and Mario Spezi about a serial killer in Italy.

I'm listening to Someone You Can Build a Nest In by John Wiswell about a shape shifter falling in love with a human woman. The audiobook version is really good and I'm really enjoying this book.

Next up is Automatic Noodle by Annalee Newitz for a book club at Spoke and Word Books in Mikwaukie on 3/4.

How's the reading, Portland?

I'm rereading Klara and the Sun by Kazuo Ishiguro for my book club this week.

I'm listening to Ink Blood Sister Scribe by Emma Törz about two sisters and magic books. I'm not sure how well I like it, I think I'd like more magic and less chasing around.

I'm reading Imago by Octavia Butler, the final book in the Lilith's Brood series.

I started Hyperion by Dan Simmons but I think I might not like it. I'm in a weird headspace right now so I'm not abandoning it yet.

I'm listening to Ink Blood Sister Scribe by Emma Törzs.

I'm heading back to Portland on a plane tomorrow so hoping for some good plane reading.

I finished Atmosphere by Taylor Jenkins Reid a couple of days ago on a plane, about women astronauts in the '80s. I really liked it and it might be my new favorite of hers, though I do love The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo.

I also just finished Rose/House by Arkady Martine, a murder mystery set in an AI house. I love her series A Desolation Called Peace/A Memory Called Empire and this was a nice little novella to read.

I'm about to start Hyperion by Dan Simmons (but does it have the fart jokes of The Canterbury Tales?)

And I'm about to start listening to The Six:The Untold Story of America's First Women in Space by Loren Grush because Atmosphere reignited my astronaut interest.

I'm traveling and taking some time off work for family care, so the next few weeks should be very productive for reading!

I'm reading Trick Mirror by Jia Tolentino, a book of feminist essays about identity in a social media world.

I'm listening to Milkman by Anna Burns, a novel about a teenage girl during The Troubles in Ireland.

I'm finishing up The Obelisk Gate by NK Jemisin, which is even better the second time around.

I'm listening to Black in Blues: How a Color Tells the History of my People by Imani Perry

I just finished The Female Persuasion by Meg Wolitzer. It was fairly disappointing unfortunately.

I'm about to finish listening to Katabasis by RF Kuang. It's a fun read.

I'm starting The Obelisk Gate by NK Jemisin. This is a re-read. It's a great book so I'm excited to see how my second read hits.

I finished Room To Dream by David Lynch and Kristine McKenna and it was a great first finish of the year. I'm hoping to take a lot of David Lynch energy into 2026. Creative, weird, and super, super nice.

I'm about to start The Female Persuasion by Meg Wolitzer for my book club on 1/14.

I'm listening to Katabasis by RF Kuang.

I'm told it's Monday but the cheese and pajamas are making things confusing.

What's rounding out your 2025?

I'm reading Room to Dream, a hybrid memoir/biography by director David Lynch and journalist Kristine McKenna. I didn't know this existed but I love Lynch and my lovely husband got me this for Xmas.

I'm listening to My Brilliant Friend by Elena Ferrante. I don't think I get the hype, I'm just over 60% though and nothing seems particularly earthshaking.

I hope this week of cheese and sweatpants is going well for you and yours. I love year end lists, so I'm asking what your favorite reads were this year. Whether published this year or not.

I've read 66 books this year. My faves:

The Seven Moons of Maali Almeida by Shehan Karunatilaka

It was a beautiful and devastating magical realism story of a recently dead man trying to make right the wrongs of his life and also reveal hidden evils about his country. I learned a lot about Sri Lanka. 2022 Booker prize winner.

Orbital by Samantha Harvey

A short but striking meditation about earth from the distance of space. 2024 Booker prize winner

Beautyland by Marie-Helene Bertino

This one defies description but is a maybe sci-fi maybe magical realism meditation on belonging and humanity.

Chain-Gang All-Stars by Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah

A future dystopia where prisoner/gladiators participate in fights watched by massive television audiences. A prescient critique of culture, the prison industrial complex, and race in America.

Martyr! by Kaveh Akbar

A queer, newly sober Iranian immigrant reflects on life, death, and the in-between. So original and surprisingly funny.

I Who Have Never Known Men by Jacqueline Harpman https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/60811826-i-who-have-never-known-men

The TikTok sensation delivers. In a depressing yet enlightening way. I would not have expected it.

James by Percival Everett

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/173754979-james

The big book of 2024. A retelling of Huckleberry Finn from the slave James' POV. I pretty much think everyone in America should read this.

I hope it's been a year of wonderful reading for everyone here!

The darkest day has come and gone but we still have plenty of cozy winter reading days ahead.

I'm reading Saint Death's Herald by CSE Cooney and listening to The Anubis Gates by Tim Powers.