Book Bingo: April 2021
Apr. 29th, 2021 05:01 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
stonepicnicking_okapiFirst of all, anybody have recommendations for the Biography/Autobiography square? I like reading about [visual] artists, women who did extraordinary things. Not really into leaders or politicians or modern celebrities. I could always read Michelle Obama's book, but maybe my friends have other ideas.
Colour in the Title: Rhode Island Red by Charlotte Carter is a fun modern mystery where the protagonist is a black American street musician in NYC named Nanette Haynes. She deals with boyfriends, lovers, nasty cops, mob guys, strippers, and homeless people. Many detective/hardboiled tropes like too much cash. There is a twist at the end I didn't see coming, too. I will definitely read more in the series. The author is an admirer of Chester Himes who wrote my fill for N-5.
Sword Dance by A. J. Demas [e-book]. This was recommended byancientreader. It takes place nine years after the events of One Night in Boukous [fill for square G-1]. An injured soldier and a genderfluid eunuch spy meet and become embroiled in an intrigue in a fictional ancient Mediterranean world. I liked this one because it was plot fueled. The sex was good, too. I did read the next in the series Saffron Alley and did not like it because it was more about relationship development and domestic issues and child rearing. I did, however, write a ficlet for this series as part of the Be the First challenge and it should be revealed on AO3 on the weekend.
Non-fiction: Art & Fear: Observations on the Perils (and Rewards) of Artmaking by David Bayles and Tom Orland. I like reading about art and artists and this was a philosophical book about the mental blocks to making art [art meaning any kind of art, writing, music, visual arts, etc.] both short term and long term. What artists tell themselves, what society tells them, how things have changed, teaching art vs making art, fears and myths and misconceptions. It was interesting. Enough quotes and examples to keep things moving. It can be boiled down to 'this is normal, but keep going' but that would make for a very short book :)
Full List
Colour in the Title: Rhode Island Red by Charlotte Carter [e-book]
Sci-fi/Fantasy: Gideon the Ninth by Tamsyn Muir
Romance: One Night in Boukos by A. J. Demas [e-book]
Historical (fiction/nonfiction): Murder in Old Bombay by Nev March, audiobook, 16 hours, narrated by Vikas Adam
Author You've Not Read Before: Alice Isn't Dead by Joseph Fink
E-book/Audiobook: The Moon and Sixpence by W. Somerset Maugham, audiobook, 8 hours narrated by David Case/Frederick Davidson
YA/Children's: Song of a Whale by Lynne Kelly
Recommended: Sword Dance by A. J. Demas [e-book]
Non-fiction: Art & Fear: Observations on the Perils (and Rewards) of Artmaking by David Bayles & Ted Orland
Crime/Mystery: It Walks by Night by John Dickson Carr [e-book]
LBGTQ Author: Vermilion by Nathan Aldyne [e-book]
Female Identifying Author: The Port of London Murders by Josephine Bell
POC Author: If He Hollers Let Him Go by Chester Himes
Classic/Published Before 1985: The Voyage of the Beagle by Charles Darwin, audiobook, 17 hours, narrated by David Case/Frederick Davidson
Collection/Anthology: Murder in the Manor, edited by Martin Edwards [e-book]
Colour in the Title: Rhode Island Red by Charlotte Carter is a fun modern mystery where the protagonist is a black American street musician in NYC named Nanette Haynes. She deals with boyfriends, lovers, nasty cops, mob guys, strippers, and homeless people. Many detective/hardboiled tropes like too much cash. There is a twist at the end I didn't see coming, too. I will definitely read more in the series. The author is an admirer of Chester Himes who wrote my fill for N-5.
Sword Dance by A. J. Demas [e-book]. This was recommended by
ancientreader. It takes place nine years after the events of One Night in Boukous [fill for square G-1]. An injured soldier and a genderfluid eunuch spy meet and become embroiled in an intrigue in a fictional ancient Mediterranean world. I liked this one because it was plot fueled. The sex was good, too. I did read the next in the series Saffron Alley and did not like it because it was more about relationship development and domestic issues and child rearing. I did, however, write a ficlet for this series as part of the Be the First challenge and it should be revealed on AO3 on the weekend. Non-fiction: Art & Fear: Observations on the Perils (and Rewards) of Artmaking by David Bayles and Tom Orland. I like reading about art and artists and this was a philosophical book about the mental blocks to making art [art meaning any kind of art, writing, music, visual arts, etc.] both short term and long term. What artists tell themselves, what society tells them, how things have changed, teaching art vs making art, fears and myths and misconceptions. It was interesting. Enough quotes and examples to keep things moving. It can be boiled down to 'this is normal, but keep going' but that would make for a very short book :)
Full List
Colour in the Title: Rhode Island Red by Charlotte Carter [e-book]
Sci-fi/Fantasy: Gideon the Ninth by Tamsyn Muir
Romance: One Night in Boukos by A. J. Demas [e-book]
Historical (fiction/nonfiction): Murder in Old Bombay by Nev March, audiobook, 16 hours, narrated by Vikas Adam
Author You've Not Read Before: Alice Isn't Dead by Joseph Fink
E-book/Audiobook: The Moon and Sixpence by W. Somerset Maugham, audiobook, 8 hours narrated by David Case/Frederick Davidson
YA/Children's: Song of a Whale by Lynne Kelly
Recommended: Sword Dance by A. J. Demas [e-book]
Non-fiction: Art & Fear: Observations on the Perils (and Rewards) of Artmaking by David Bayles & Ted Orland
Crime/Mystery: It Walks by Night by John Dickson Carr [e-book]
LBGTQ Author: Vermilion by Nathan Aldyne [e-book]
Female Identifying Author: The Port of London Murders by Josephine Bell
POC Author: If He Hollers Let Him Go by Chester Himes
Classic/Published Before 1985: The Voyage of the Beagle by Charles Darwin, audiobook, 17 hours, narrated by David Case/Frederick Davidson
Collection/Anthology: Murder in the Manor, edited by Martin Edwards [e-book]
no subject
Date: 2021-04-29 09:59 pm (UTC)As for a biography suggestion, how far back do you want to go? Because I might suggest Murder of a Medici Princess, it has been years since I read it, but I remember it being an interesting look at Renaissance Florence, and the later Medici family. Although, it is somewhat sad, because it ends in her death.
no subject
Date: 2021-04-29 10:19 pm (UTC)That sounds good. I see it's available on archive.org. The same author wrote one also called The Pope's Daughter which might prove interesting, too. Thanks for the suggestion!
no subject
Date: 2021-04-29 10:35 pm (UTC)As for biography, maybe something about Christie, but you've probably done that.
no subject
Date: 2021-04-29 11:16 pm (UTC)That's an idea! I assume at some point I'll read her autobiography but that may be many years in the future!
no subject
Date: 2021-04-30 02:00 pm (UTC)Glad you are enjoying them so far.
no subject
Date: 2021-04-30 02:38 pm (UTC)