What I’ve Been Reading

January is always a great month for books. By accident or design, I often read books in January that make my Favourite Things list at the end of the year. This past January has been no exception.

Conspiracies by F. Paul Wilson

Paul Wilson is a writer I truly admire. I read The Keep years and years ago and it frightened the socks off me. Last year, at the insistence of a friend, I picked up the adventures of Repairman Jack, starting with The Early Years, and I cannot say enough good things about the stories, the characters and the talent of Wilson.

I read the last three Repairman Jack books he wrote, then went back and read the first. These books were written thirty years apart—and yet Jack’s voice is the same.

Conspiracies is the third book in the series and it’s a great one. It’s all about conspiracy theories and the nuts who live (and die) by them. I laughed out loud a number of times. The conclusion of the book is important too, in that a door has been opened, one that will transition Jack’s existence from, ah, simple “repairs” into something else entirely. I cannot wait to read on.

 

The Understatement of the Year by Sarina Bowen

I really, really liked this book! If I sound surprised, it’s because this was something I picked up on a whim—on sale—and tucked away for a rainy day. For when I wanted to read something sweet and sexy. Sale books are most often the ones I toss, but not this one.

I really connected with both guys and their separate journeys were equally heartbreaking. Their loneliness was palpable. I also really enjoyed the secondary characters (Bella!) and all the hockey. Apparently I’m a sports romance fan!

One wish: I’d have liked one more scene with the hockey team, or at least with Bella and/or Hartley. Or an epilogue. Something to cement the fact Graham and Rikker were moving forward. A glimpse at what’s next. I’d also love to read the summer vacation. 😀 Either way, I’ll be reading more Sarina Bowen.

 

Gentleman Jole and the Red Queen by Lois McMaster Bujold

I adored this book, and the longer I sit on it, the more I love it. I keep remembering snatches of dialogue and particularly provoking scenes. It was quiet and contemplative in parts as Memory, which was, until recently, perhaps my favourite Vorkosigan novel. It was also as rewarding to a longtime fan as Captain Vorpatril’s Alliance. Melancholy and joyous in turns. Meditative. I couldn’t help feeling as I read that if this was it, the end, it’s as good and complete as it could be.

The book also felt like a love letter to Aral Vorkosigan, in a way, and perhaps to every character whoever held a shred of importance in this universe. There were so many passages that simply wrung tears from me because in my head, I was thinking “I know.”

I rarely reread books, but I really want to go back to the beginning of the saga now and read it all again. Bujold has gifted us with a most marvelous universe and I wish I could read about it forever.

 

Heir of Novron by Michael J. Sullivan

Now that I’ve finished all six books of Riyria Revelations, I’ll take a breath…and yell: this serious is FABULOUS. It’s been a while since I was truly swept away by a fantasy series, or since I actually dedicated myself to reading through a series, beginning to end. I’d estimate half of my To Be Read collection is books and three of something or other.

I circled Theft of Swords, the first book of Riyria Revelations for a while, reading reviews and noting that what people generally liked about the series were things I usually liked. That what people didn’t like weren’t really the things I wouldn’t like. Still, it took an Audible Daily Deal to get me started. The rest is history.

A good portion of my enjoyment of this series was the wonderful performance of Tim Gerard Reynolds. He’s one of my favourite narrators and I have bought audiobooks simply because it’s more enjoyable to listen to him than read the book myself. But without a good story to tell, he’d just be speaking, right? What really makes these books, though, is the friendship between Hadrian and Royce. It’s the bromance of the century, folks. It’s one of the truest expressions of deep and abiding affection between friends I’ve ever read.

Then there are the secondary characters, the world building, the plot—it’s all fantastic.

 

Stranger on the Shore by Josh Lanyon

As I was saying to Jenn the other day, I dole out my Lanyons carefully. Josh Lanyon has an extensive back catalog, but it’s not going to last forever. So I need to take my time in order to make sure there will always be a Lanyon available for when I want that unique blend of mystery, characterisation and sweet romance.

Stranger on the Shore is a very good book. Probably a favourite. I really, really liked it. I enjoyed Griff’s journey of discovery in all things and while there were some conclusions you could draw early on, the why of it all remained a mystery to the end. The romance was surprisingly sweet.

 

Tied to Trouble by Megan Erickson

Megan has a recognisable voice and it really suits the characters she writes. It’s why I read her books. Her characters resonate with me, whether male, female, gay, straight or other. They’re always a little quirky—even when they’d self-identify otherwise—and always have GOOD hearts. I know there’re a lot of folks who like to read about the bad boys and all the, ah, bad things they do, but I like to read about the good guys. The sweet men who feel stuff and acknowledge they feel stuff, even if they’re not ready to actually talk about it for a while.

Tied to Trouble is a fun book. The opening scene is one of my favourites because you just know the owner of those wide blue eyes is going to show up again soon, and that these two guys are going to get off on the wrong foot. But because it’s a sexy book, the chemistry is there right from the start. And you just need them to get together. Somehow, some way.

Also, bow tie sex. It’s a thing!