I picked a few authors that I hadn’t heard of until I stumbled upon their books. Maybe I was just out of the loop.  I read their books, enjoyed them, and thought…Why hadn’t I heard of you? Where have you been all my reading life?

Attica Locke came up in one of those amazon suggested links that I generally ignore but on one flight of fancy decided to check it out. I’m very glad I did. She writes tough, gritty mysteries with lots of historical background. This one covers a lot of the late sixties/early seventies racial politics and social upheaval. The characters are rich, complex, and totally engrossing.

I stumbled across this book on a bin dedicated to ESL readers practicing English. I sometimes like a cozy mystery-I can’t do hardboiled all the time. This one was fun and better than I expected. The great part about cozies is having a quirky cast of characters along for the ride and this series does it well. Plus a ghost and time slips. It could be a goofy mess, but it’s not. 

This one I found at the library and fell in love with the series. I have a soft spot for westerns. My father was an avid watcher of westerns-Bonanza, Gunsmoke, The Rifleman, The Big Valley. I used to read a lot of western paperbacks in high school. If the title alone doesn’t peak your interest-it’s really good. I’m so glad I found this series.

Plenty of people know David Gann. I was just out of the loop. I read The Devil and Sherlock Holmes. Then decided to read The Lost City of Z. Next on my TBR is Killers of the Flower Moon.

Any other suggestions, please leave in the comments. 

I have many, many books on my TBR. Some I get to quickly. Others only on vacations.  I decided to pick a few series that I’ve heard about and still intend to get to. One of these days….

The Three Body Problem Cixin Liu

I have this book. I will read this book. It’s one of those that I just haven’t had the time since I’ve purchased it to concentrate on it.

The Calculating Stars    Mary Robinette Kowai

This has been recommended to me by lots of friends. It does look to be up my alley. I’m adding the series to my Christmas list. I might even get actual physical books.

The Hyperion Series Dan Simmons

This series it at my local library. I’ve seen it, but what really peaked my interest was watching a Youtube show which covers lots of SF universes.

Doctor Sleep Stephen King

I don’t read a lot of Stephen King because I scare easily. But, I have a love of  The Shining in books and movie forms. I should probably read it before the movie comes out.

Leviathan Wakes (The Expanse) James S.A. Corey

I’m really enjoying the Expanse on Amazon Prime. I’m considered the audiobook because I’ve heard good things about it.

Any other suggestions?

I read a lot in school. I was kind of awkward and bullied in junior high school so I lived in the library. Before school, after school, during lunch I went to the library. I can’t remember books I had to read in class-I remember filling out lots of those reader charts and getting gold stars. But the ones I remember in detail were those high school reading list books. These are a few that I actually liked. 

Animal Farm/ George Orwell

This was one of the first works I read in which I learned about how fiction can be used as an allegory for real world events. I always read quite a bit, but my sense of reading wasn’t that broad. Or, not so I noticed.  I remember some of my classmates didn’t get it, but I love it and immediately read…

1984/George Orwell which is still a book I read from time to time and quote now and then. 

The Canterbury Tales/Chaucer

Pilgrimages!! I think I liked this mainly because it was so old and  I liked learning about old English. The more ancient, the better. It makes it close to mythology and I love mythology. Plus, we got to dress up in medieval costumes. Beowulf was pretty good too, now that I think of it. 

Turn of the Screw/ Henry James

Gothic horror. My love began here. There is a movie called The Others with Nicole Kidman more or less based on it. Worth the watch. 

Macbeth/William Shakespeare

My favorite Shakespeare play with King Lear running a close second.  It was way better than Romeo and Juliet-but for some reason teachers were always convinced that students would love it. I always found it a bit silly; even if I have a deeper appreciation of it now. Macbeth was more up my ally-witches, murder, paranoia. Good stuff.

The Bluest Eye/ Toni Morrison

I read this one in my senior year. And I read it again and again.  At the time I went to high school, books by black authors were still rare. My parents had a library of books and I read lots of non-fiction and history about African American heritage. James Baldwin, Alice Walker, Ralph Ellison, The Autobiography of Malcolm X-I read from my parents collection.  The Bluest Eye remains my favorite Toni Morrison book. She is a legend and she is missed. 

This week’s challenge was a tough one. (Check out the others on Long and Short Reviews) I’ve written lots of reviews over the years for various sites and I am fairly consistent about leaving reviews on my kindle books as soon as I finish them. I know how much it means to the authors and how much it helps. I don’t leave reviews of DNF books or books I hated. If I write a review, it’s because I loved something and want to share.

There are a few books I read before the easy e-book age that I feel deserve more credit.

Barbara Neely’s Blanche series was out of print for a while; they are now readily available as downloads and worth every cent. I read the series, which is about a Black maid who solves crimes. It’s grittier than a cozy mystery, but not crime or noir. Blanche is insightful, intelligent, and a narrator that is easy to admire. I loved these books and I encourage fans of mystery to give it a try.

Liz William’s is a beautiful writer. I love her style and her creative mix of science fiction/fantasy/ surreal. Her books aren’t easy but every page is a treat. Banner of Souls is about technology that gets energy from the realm of the dead. And there is a famous warrior from Mars who uses the technology. 

Just read it. It will make sense then. 

I mention this one mainly because I got this book as a Christmas gift some years ago. I love The Dark Crystal and the artwork. I am looking forward to Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance later this month. This is a truly beautiful book and just looking at the sketches and ideas and images that go into Froud’s deep creativity are astounding. 

This was another Christmas gift. I loved Trisha Biggar’s designs. I enjoyed reading about how see thinks through her ideas as well as how she chooses the fabrics and motifs. 

I’ve been out and about for the summer visiting family. And steady at work on my writing. I hope everyone is around for the Long and Short Reviews Anniversary party. Two of my books will be featured along with lots of other great ones.