If a book is not listed as DRM-free on Bookshop.org (and that one isn't), it isn't available for download-- it's web and app-only.
Third Perpetual Book Thread
- Thread starter MonaLisaOverdrive
- Start date
I bought my copy in dead tree, so… no? I couldn’t download it?
But yeah, the drm-free rigamarole is a thing.
Yeah, noticed this after I purchased. Ah well, there are other ways...
Just finished up Red Rising by Pierce Brown. Just started Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir.
What'd you think? It's been on my list for awhile and for some reason, I keep passing by it when I'm at the library.
I liked it and I recommend you pick it up. Took me about 10 days to go through the first 180ish pages but I got through the last 180ish pages in about 5 days since it got me hooked.
I finished Blood of Hercules. I think my ultimate view is going to be based on how its sequel, Bond of Hercules, goes. I did like it - the writing was odd because the majority of the book involved Alexis, the main character, being starved and sleep deprived so her perceptions were really out of it (great for not having to cover most things at the academy) and also because she didn't have some critical information to make sense of things (and because she is just really bad at social interaction). And Alexis has a very strong, distinctive internal voice - not sure all of it landed with me, like the running "birds are drones" bits or the fanfic of mathematicians - but it was distinctive.
But it is really dark romance: not only do several students die due to the Academy, some characters are killed, cut into little pieces, and gifted to Alexis by a stalker. I'm not sure I'm ready for dark romance. It ends with an arranged marriage with the stalkers though she swears to make them pay for it which is the one thing that has me interested in the sequel. But I didn't like any of the male romantic choices offered so far - Patro and Achilles seem ok and their relationship with each other seem nice, but they didn't really seem to have any scenes mentoring Alexis (it seems they really did not mentor her, so I'm being generous to them). Their confidence that Alexis will choose them over the stalkers doesn't seem justified and doesn't have me rooting for that.
But it is really dark romance: not only do several students die due to the Academy, some characters are killed, cut into little pieces, and gifted to Alexis by a stalker. I'm not sure I'm ready for dark romance. It ends with an arranged marriage with the stalkers though she swears to make them pay for it which is the one thing that has me interested in the sequel. But I didn't like any of the male romantic choices offered so far - Patro and Achilles seem ok and their relationship with each other seem nice, but they didn't really seem to have any scenes mentoring Alexis (it seems they really did not mentor her, so I'm being generous to them). Their confidence that Alexis will choose them over the stalkers doesn't seem justified and doesn't have me rooting for that.
I read a quick summary of Bond of Hercules and decided I wouldn't enjoy it so I'm probably done with that line of books. I decided I was in the mood for some non-fiction to get more familiar with F1 and found Life at the Limit: Triumph and Tragedy in Formula One by Professor Sid Watkins. It covers his efforts working with F1 to improve medical response to crashes and has a lot of accounts of being at various races. It is pretty interesting so far though I only recognize a small amount of the drivers mentioned.
I always tell people that as much as I love Red Rising, the rest of the series is a big step up imo. I definitely don't view it as a "struggle through book one to get to the good stuff" scenario, but you can tell it's his first novel after reading the later ones.
I have only a few recent finishes:
What the Lady's Maid Knew (Riftmagic Book 1) by E.E. Holmes. Enjoyable enough I bought books 2 and 3 as I finished but not something I am running around recommending to everyone. I enjoyed the setup of the world - magic users are the servant class in a magical old London - but I wanted a bit more of the wider story in book 1.
After that, I slow burned my way through Peter Hamilton's Pandora's Star, Book 1 of the Commonwealth Saga. This book was 1400 pages on my Kobo. It's been awhile since I've had that long of a read but I am a sucker for big space epics and this definitely fit the bill. It definitely has the late 90s/early 00s pacing but overall I was a big fan and dove right in to book 2.
I started Project Hail Mary on Sunday. I am now over half way through with it. I am absolutely ripping through it.
There is a cat.
A white one.
And it’s fluffy.
Truly a delight. It went in a direction I wasn’t expecting (wait a who and what now jst went by on a motorcycle?!), but it ended up being an integral part of the story.
I’d love it if she wrote more. Maybe not necessarily with Veronica and The Cloak, but more stuff in this universe she’s made. It’s just… fun.
Finished Carl's Doomsday Scenario. Enjoyed it enough to keep going with the series. Nothing incredibly deep, just a fun (with undercurrents of "oh fuck this is awful") adventure.
Also finished the first Bobiverse book. Another fun light read.
Also finished the first Bobiverse book. Another fun light read.
I just started Hydrogen Sonata in my The Culture reread.
Afterwards I think I will reread the first 3 Children of Time books while I wait for book 4 to become available at the library.
Afterwards I think I will reread the first 3 Children of Time books while I wait for book 4 to become available at the library.
At jury duty, while waiting to be selected, I got through the second Murderbot novella, and am now working on the third.
I just finished that (and a first-time Culture read) the other day. I don’t LIKE when I finish a universe and there’s no more to read
Early on, caught myself thinking that the cloak reminded me very much of
the flying carpet from Disney's Aladdin
What do I see later on? That very reference
I liked that one, especially the chatter among the Culture ship computers.
You could read the fan-fiction.I just finished that (and a first-time Culture read) the other day. I don’t LIKE when I finish a universe and there’s no more to read
That's a joke. Or, you know, it was up until this very moment, because the logical next thought was "wait, is there any Culture fan-fiction?", and as it turns out, there is.
Still, probably best to avoid it. I'm reading through one such work now; if I come back recommending any such work of fiction, please displace the spheres of plasma and fusion bombs straight to my living room, thanks.
I keep hoping that "old Charles Stross" re-materializes and writes a Culture story. "new Charles Stross" is still a good writer, but his focus seems to have shifted somewhat away from the genres that would mesh with the Culture, and his output has significantly slowed due to health issues.
Yeah, Stross is great. I've stopped reading several of his series "in the middle", due to lack of time. But he's one of the best living science-fiction writers, in my view.
His "Cthulhu in the 21st century" books -- The Laundry Files and related -- are both good sci-fi and terrifying. I stopped when I got to the "Elder God wears human face and becomes leader of an actual country" part of the saga, that just feels too real.
I made basically the same decision you did, but then he released A Conventional Boy and The Regicide Report. So I've started a re-read, in the original pub order. I'll still skip the New Management trilogy. Not sure how good reading in chronological order would be, which I assume would put A Conventional Boy first (haven't actually read it yet, so not sure..)
I think the second set of Merchant Princes was very good. And Accelerando was also very good, and is even available as a download!
I've mostly finished Life at the Limit - there are two appendices let that cover various medical data. I did not realize the driver's heart rates got so high during a race. Not sure I can really review this one fairly; it definitely assumes a familiarity with the drivers and races of the years it covers. That is not necessarily bad but it did limit my enjoyment with not having any attachment or knowledge of those.
I have started reading Overtake: Speed Dating 2 by Monica Ross... I somehow missed the fact that this was the second in the series when picking it out. I'm enjoying it but am facing the frustrating question of how to view a character who is making bad choices because they want to please an abusive parent who won't stay satisfied no matter what they do? Especially when said character knows that is the case and that they both hate the parent, want the parent's approval, and know that they ultimately cannot please that parent? It makes for an antagonist that is somewhat frustrating since I can't fully hate them but can't really see a path for redemption yet. On the other hand, there are plenty of other antagonists in the book I can hate with no conflicted feelings.
The rest of it seems pretty good so far - not ready to write up anything yet and will post the review in the F1 thread. Reading the summary for the first book in the series (Hot Lap: Speed Dating 1) also makes me want to read that.
I have started reading Overtake: Speed Dating 2 by Monica Ross... I somehow missed the fact that this was the second in the series when picking it out. I'm enjoying it but am facing the frustrating question of how to view a character who is making bad choices because they want to please an abusive parent who won't stay satisfied no matter what they do? Especially when said character knows that is the case and that they both hate the parent, want the parent's approval, and know that they ultimately cannot please that parent? It makes for an antagonist that is somewhat frustrating since I can't fully hate them but can't really see a path for redemption yet. On the other hand, there are plenty of other antagonists in the book I can hate with no conflicted feelings.
The rest of it seems pretty good so far - not ready to write up anything yet and will post the review in the F1 thread. Reading the summary for the first book in the series (Hot Lap: Speed Dating 1) also makes me want to read that.
Recommendation for book: Living with Men: Reflections on the Pelicot Trial
Author: Manon Garcia
The book, concerning the trial of the men from in and around the small village in France that Giselle Pellicot's husband invited over to rape his drugged wife is not easy to read. My dad and I have read it and talked about the case at length. We need to think more about why these things happen - why men allow them to happen and/or willingly participate in them.
From the review, discussing the author's reactions:
Author: Manon Garcia
The book, concerning the trial of the men from in and around the small village in France that Giselle Pellicot's husband invited over to rape his drugged wife is not easy to read. My dad and I have read it and talked about the case at length. We need to think more about why these things happen - why men allow them to happen and/or willingly participate in them.
From the review, discussing the author's reactions:
Oof. I've read a bit about the trial already. It's tough reading even in short bursts.
Edit - and Giselle Pellicot has her own book, too.
https://www.theguardian.com/books/2026/feb/17/a-hymn-to-life-by-gisele-pelicot-memoir-review
Edit - and Giselle Pellicot has her own book, too.
https://www.theguardian.com/books/2026/feb/17/a-hymn-to-life-by-gisele-pelicot-memoir-review
A Conventional Boy isn't set all that early on. It's after The Fuller Memorandum for sure, because Iris Carpenter is held prisoner in the same facility as Derek, and well before The Nightmare Stacks because by the time of that book Derek is the long-time and legendary Laundry Dungeon Master.
Stross's own timeline puts it at 2011-2, just after The Apocalypse Codex.
Huh. I figured it was an outing to one of the very early conventions in the 70s or something. Sort of a semi-standalone prequel... I'll get to it eventually. Still have to finish Bob being a Bond girl .
Just finished The Unwomanly Face of War, by Svetlana Alexievich. It’s an oral history of women who fought for the Soviet Union in World War 2. It’s a crushingly horrifying depiction of what people went through during that war, and how barbaric people can be, but it also provides astonishing glimpses of courage and humanity. Well worth reading, but it takes a toll.
I finished Overtake: Speed Dating 2 by Monica Ross and have started reading the first book in the series, Hot Lap. Might need a break before I really get involved in that one; we'll see. And there is going to be at least a third book in the series - not sure when it is coming out, but the end of the second book promised it and I am interested in it both for the romance and how the author will handle the character's lupus... though I also don't really know much about that condition.
I devoured Hot Lap - partially because it had much less racing than the sequel and because I was already familiar with most of the characters (though it was surprisingly able to make me hate some of the characters I already hated even more, so hats off to the author). I adored the relationship and am wondering if forced marriage is my preferred trope for romance. I'll do a more thorough review in the F1 thread as time permits for both books. Debating on the next book - the sequel to Cross the Line (by a different author and involves another forced/surprise marriage) or Unbound which I've seen reviews as having Fourth Wing vibes.
Latest book that I've started is To Shape A Dragon's Breath, by Moniquill Blackgoose. I think the easiest way to describe it is an indigenous fantasy story about dragons in a re-imagined version of our world, during the mid-to-late 1800's. There are steamships and canneries and Anglish and dragons. The main character is a young woman who is chosen by a dragon, and the Anglish conquerors of 'the new world' have their own dragons and rules and ideas about who is chosen.
I'm enjoying it quite a lot, but I'm not far into it so far. The book has a pronunciation guide, so that when you come across the sentence, "Anequs is Nampeshiweisit of Kasaqua, who is a Nampeshiwe of the Masquisit"? You'll know how to say those words, and the book does a really good job of explaining what they are in the story.
I'm enjoying it quite a lot, but I'm not far into it so far. The book has a pronunciation guide, so that when you come across the sentence, "Anequs is Nampeshiweisit of Kasaqua, who is a Nampeshiwe of the Masquisit"? You'll know how to say those words, and the book does a really good job of explaining what they are in the story.
Thanks for posting that, Diabolical. I really enjoyed that book more than I expected and I had forgotten that the sequel came out recently until just now. I think your summary is pretty spot on and will look forward to final thoughts after you finish.
I started The Assassin's Apprentice this week after seeing a bunch of glowing reviews. So far it feels like it's checking all of the boxes of the clichéd YA Hero's Journey. I'm assuming this will get better at some point?
I don’t remember those books holding up particularly well personally
Maybe I just need to choose some more mature reviewers to follow.
The last truly great trilogy I've read was the Broken Earth series, which was absolutely amazing. If I were in the mood for a similarly high-quality and original fantasy series, what are the going recommendations these days? I'm not a huge fan of 10,000 page super-epics so nothing like GoT or WoT.
The last truly great trilogy I've read was the Broken Earth series, which was absolutely amazing. If I were in the mood for a similarly high-quality and original fantasy series, what are the going recommendations these days? I'm not a huge fan of 10,000 page super-epics so nothing like GoT or WoT.
Rebecca Roanhorse’s Between Earth and Sky trilogy. Heavily influenced by pre-Columbian American cultures. I liked it a lot, and it’s the most recent fantasy series on my ‘completed’ shelves.