Book #26:
Piranesi by Susanna Clarke (Length: 246 pages). This one has been on my TBR for a while as it’s recommending by EVERYONE I follow on Bookstagram. It’s been compared to Circe by Madeline Miller, and since that’s one of my all-time favorite novels (READ IT if you haven’t yet!), I was excited to pick it up. The plot is strange and very twisty and confusing, so it took me awhile to get the hang of it. I have read it’s a bit of a puzzle so I decided to just let my brain go along for the ride. The entire premise or backstory of the novel is a big twist, and I’m not sure how I feel about it when all is said and done. But I will say that I AM glad I finally read it to see what the fuss is all about. I may not be the target audience for this book, and that’s okay.
Book #27:
Artificial Condition by Martha Wells (Length: 149 pages). I officially am in love with Murderbot. This is book #2 in the series and this time, Murderbot is working with a crew of young scientists who wants their data back from an evil company who stole it from them. ART (Asshole Research Transport) makes his first appearance and he’s delightful as well. This second novella showcases Murderbot’s hilarious inner dialogue and is as well written as the first one. I listened to this on audio and intend to listen to the entire series at this point as I enjoy Murderbot’s asides, his sarcasm and his growing humanity. Such a fun read and series!
Book #28:
Just One Damned Thing After Another by Jodi Taylor (Length: 282 pages). This is a backlist (2013) book with the blurb: British madcap time-travelling series. Sold! This is book one of a series of 14 (!) books which center around a modern-day off-the-books historical institute where trained historians travel back in time to “only” observe certain time periods in history. They even travel 67 million years back to the Cretaceous Period when dinosaurs roamed the earth–very cool! This novel is super-witty, excellent writing, with a bit of open-door romance (definitely not middle grade as I initially thought it was going to be). The plot and characters are very memorable, and I will definitely look into reading further in the series to see what happens with my favorite characters. I give this one 5 stars.
Book #29:
Rogue Protocol by Martha Wells (Length: 150 pages). This novella is the third in “The Murderbot Diaries” science fiction series, yes, I listened to this on audio, and yes, I loved it. This one is centered around yet another mission with humans, and this time MurderBot becomes “friends” with an AI bot named MIki. Chaos ensues, a few fight scenes occur, sarcastic comments are uttered at the best moments, and the plot is super fast-paced. This is another perfect novella, optimal for audio! Off to start Book #4.
Lora Terrill 