TBR of Doom (Patreon)

I don't have a fun theme for this one. Mostly, it's just been great for my brain to be recovering from it's the extended period where it was impersonating a bowl of overcooked pasta. I've been watching more TV than I have been--I'm not knocking TV. I just haven't been watching much of it. But I've spent a few nights on the couch catching up on Great British Bake Off with Smalls, which hasn't been as restful as it should have been, mostly because Smalls has 1,000 questions in his head right now and he has to ask all of them. In between all the questions, he has OPINIONS. 

I've also been watching The Truth About My Murder, which is a true crime series featuring a forensic pathologist. Like many people, I'm a sucker for these kinds of shows. Had to tell some of my writer friends to skip episode two if they don't want to see their worries made real. (The victim is a UK children's author.)

Most of my reading was taken up with Saint Death's Daughter by CSE Cooney...because that beast is like 500 pages in hard cover.  (Adult, fantasy) I've been spoiled by YA and such and so it can be hard for me to read some of the epically long fantasy books. (My brain keeps going, "they could have probably cut this bit...) And there are little spots where SDS meanders a bit, but I think for those that love a lot of world building and such, this will be a huge plus. It was funny at times and brutal in others--Miscellaneous Stones comes from an extremely violent family--but I loved a lot of the magic and thought the take on necromancy was pretty great. Cooney was great at her use of color and other senses during magic. 

I did attack my early copy of the Undermining of Frank & Twyla by Megan Bannen (Adult fantasy romance) and much like her last book, I was either smiling or laughing while reading it...except for a few scenes where I started crying. I don't cry very often while reading, but both of her adult books managed this feat. I honestly adore Bannen's ability to weave together fantasy as well as family dynamics. Frank and Twyla are gems, and I know I'm not the only one who is here for a fantasy and romance that centers around characters over 50. I will be buying this book when it officially comes out. 

Someone recommended the Deadlights Cove series to me on Instagram by B. Perkins and Aimee Vance (Adult fantasy romance), so I started book one Smoke Show. It does have a bit of an Uncanny Romance vibe to it since there's humor and lots of creatures in the town. The story revolves around a demon bartender and a professor who has come to Deadlight Cove to research witch history. (He creates a cocktail for her that made me laugh. I have many, many friends who would enjoy a cocktail called, "Fuck Academia" for sure.) It's pretty cute so far and mentions of human sacrifice aside, pretty cozy.

Smalls and I finished reading The Clackity and are now reading Claribel Ortega's Ghost Squad. (Middle Grade) He's liking it so far, but wants me to keep reading it with him so that I'm on hand to help him look up words and explain the Spanish words he doesn't know. We just started it, but so far, so good! 

That's all I think I read last week. I'm still deep into my re-listen of the Mercy Thompson series. (I'm on Silence Broken.) Still trying to find a good mystery series to read/listen to.

Okay, friends--what books have you been loving?