New #BookReview on my #blog: "Diary of a Bookseller."
https://itinerantlibrarian.blogspot.com/2026/01/book-review-diary-of-bookseller.html
bookstodon
The Language of Liars by S L Huang
A linguist goes undercover to unravel a xenological puzzle whose answer is in plain view.
https://jamesdavisnicoll.com/review/try-something
#bookstodon
The Midnights Reads collection by Sourcebooks Fire is made for readers who crave twists, secrets, and adrenaline-fueled suspense. From deadly secrets to chilling mysteries, these page-turners are perfect for fans of late-night thrills and dark YA drama.
#bookstodon @bookstodon #YA @yalit
Want to read my book FOR FREE (or mostly free)? https://www.katherinevillyard.com/2026/04/18/want-to-read-my-book-for-free-or-mostly-free/ #fantasy #bookstodon @bookstodon #ImmortalGifts #LoveStories #ReadForFree
This week's #NewBooks at the library:
- I bought a second-hand copy of #Isotopes: Principles and Applications, published by Wiley. Isotopes are hugely important in various branches of science, and I have it in mind to get to grips with the finer details at some point.
- I found a copy of Simon Lamb's Devil in the Mountain: A Search for the Origin of the Andes at a local charity shop, a classic from @princetonupress
- And I bought a copy of Paul Thagard's Bots and Beasts: What Makes Machines, Animals, and People Smart? from @themitpress for basically the price of a packet of crisps.
#Chemistry #Physics #Geology #EarthSciences #Orogeny #CognitiveScience #Cognition #Intelligence #Books #Scicomm #Bookstodon @bookstodon
Edited 300d ago
Join the Texas Observer in conversation with author Jessica Pishko on February 5th for this FREE event at Alienated Majesty Books.
We'll discuss Pishko's provocative and important book about the dangers posed by extremist sheriffs in the United States.
RSVP: https://buff.ly/4gzkA5r
#events #books #bookstodon @bookstodon #Austin #Texas #police #extremism #CriminalJustice #law
My favourite story from Russian writer Leonid Kostyukov, whose seminar I attended in the 2000s: once, in the 90s, he was asked to read and review a novel, and then the author asked his advice on a title.
“Not a word about Yeltsin,” said Kostyukov (still the Yeltsin era).
— But there’s nothing about Yeltsin in it!
— Exactly, — Kostyukov replied.
The title, oddly enough, was never used — even with another name in Yeltsin's stead.
Five Good Books about Mental Illness. As a parent and caregiver for an adult living with a serious psychiatric illness, I have read a lot about the subject. Here are my five favorite books about psychiatric illness.
An Unquiet Mind: A Memoir of Moods and Madness (1996) by Kay Redfield Jamison, PhD. The best memoir about living with a serious mental illness and the best book overall that I have read about mental illness, in this case bipolar disorder. Fine literature written by a brilliant author who earned a PhD in psychology and has been awarded about a dozen honorary doctorates. It is inspirational.
The Mad Among Us: A History of the Care of America’s Mentally Ill (1995) by Gerald Grob, PhD. The author was a medical historian who wrote this balanced and objective book about the history of psychiatry. It includes the good and the bad. Despite the unfortunate title, this is a great non-fiction book about the history of psychiatry in the USA.
We’ve Got Issues: Children and Parents in the Age of Medication (2010) by Judith Warner. This book, written by a journalist, was originally intended to be a critique of psychiatry and the parents of children with mental illnesses. But as the author met families and did her research, she changed her mind and wrote a balanced book about parents trying to help their children. As the author points out, we parents are not eager to put our children on psychiatric medications; in fact the opposite is true.
Hidden Valley Road: Inside the Mind of An American Family (2020) by Robert Kolker. This biography was written by a journalist about the lives of a large family with twelve children, six of whom were eventually diagnosed with schizophrenia. It is intense and disturbing, as is living with schizophrenia. It is not an encouraging or feel-good book.
Innate: How the Wiring of Our Brains Shapes Who We Are (2018) by Kevin Mitchell, PhD. This book by a neuroscientist is more broadly about neuroscience, rather than specifically about mental illness. But the author addresses serious mental illness and the state of our knowledge about possible underlying causes of it as a developmental disorder. This book focuses on modern scientific evidence, rather than assumptions and the blame game often associated with attitudes about mental illnesses.
#Books #Bookstodon #MentalIllness #MentalHealth #Psychiatry #Caregiving #Disability #Schizophrenia #Neuroscience
Edited 302d ago
Four stars:
Buy a Whisker by Sofie Ryan and Marguerite Gavin (Narrator) is the second book in the Second Chance Cat mystery series. Lily Carter, a baker, is found dead in her shop's basement. As she was the one hold out against a redevelopment, it's clear she was probably murdered.
https://pussreboots.com/blog/2026/comments_04/buy_a_whisker.html
Immortal Gifts by Villyard, Katherine https://www.sfwa.org/reading-list-entry/immortal-gifts-by-villyard-katherine/
Are you a Nebula voter? You can get a free copy in the SFWA forums.
finished reading Becoming Mrs Mulberry 🌕🌕🌕🌕🌑
by Jackie French.
In the aftermath of WW1, a woman strives to build a new life despite the sacrifices she has made. Eventful & enjoyable, if implausible, with an excellent cast of characters and strong Miss Fisher vibes.
"Indo-European Language and Culture" is a great read. I grok ~2/3 of it, which is a tribute to his writing. I love it when I recognise relationships to I.E. languages I know without them being stated out. The highlighted structure in the left image feels very Hindi. On the right That only #Hindi & other Indic languages preserve these consonants from a language spoken ~4 millennia ago takes "getting in touch with my roots" to a whole new level.😁
#linguistics #bookstodon @bookstodon
How Paul McCartney accidentally helped invent time travel 🎸 A time travel theory that makes about as much sense as bum fluff 😊 Sample from The Time Diary, a British scifi comedy in the Hitchhiker's mould 📚
Do you track your reading habits? "Like the things we eat or the ways we move our bodies, the books we consume get talked about as yet another avenue for self-improvement," writes Tajja Isen for The Walrus. Here's her story about the problem with reading lists, and a way to make them useful and even lead to more enjoyment. Tell us in the comments what you think — and if you track, why.
#Books #Bookstodon @bookstodon #Reading #ReadingLists #Goodreads
Options: (choose one)
Long and Short Reviews is hosting a Winter Blogfest this week.
Every day I plan to reply to this thread with links to the posts and brief descriptions of the prizes you can win by commenting on them.
#Giveaway #Prizes #Bookstodon #ReadingCommunity #WritingCommunity #LongAndShortReviews
Edited 1y ago
Book Review: Self-Portrait with Nothing by Aimee Pokwatka
Of all the versions of you in all universes, can you live with being this one?
@carturo222 has our review
http://www.nerds-feather.com/2026/01/book-review-self-portrait-with-nothing.html
Five stars:
A Gentle Noble's Vacation Recommendation, Volume 2 by Misaki, Momochi (Artist) and Sando (Original Character Design) (2019) continues the story of Lizel off being an adventurer.
https://pussreboots.com/blog/2026/comments_01/gentle_nobles_vacation_recommendation_2.html
Here are a few thoughts on Carrie Soto is Back by Taylor Jenkins Ried, 2022. I had a great time reading this one, having just enjoyed watching Wimbledon this summer, and being in need of a light beach read at the time #bookstodon #BookReview #reading #Storygraph #Braille @bookstodon
https://app.thestorygraph.com/reviews/33e801ce-1778-4f3c-9409-7da43007ecd2?redirect=true
I've finished: Sailing to Sarantium by Guy Gabriel Kay
This is my first encounter with Guy Gabriel Kay. I can understand why he is so beloved by his fans.
I really enjoyed his writing and his complex and competent characters. He writes so well, he managed to make me enjoy Byzantine court intrigue, not an easy task.
I really loved the historical perspective, and the central part the art of mosaic laying holds within the novel.
I studied history and art history and really connected with these themes as well as the characters.
If you are looking for a fantasy novel, you may be disappointed, as the magical elements only play a small part. though they do eventually represent an important aspect of the overall theme.
This is mainly alt history.
https://app.thestorygraph.com/books/ef5c3355-a637-4569-ae53-025cb30995d5
@bookstodon @audiofiction
#history #altHistory #artHistory #Byzantium #amReading #bookstodon #AudioBooks
Hello Fediverse! (as we've learned :) )
Thank you for your warm welcome.
In our shop there is a display-window for which we pick a topic that is important to us. There we place all kinds of books beside each other. Poetry and prose, fiction and non-fiction, childrens' books and essays. There only has to be an association which connects them. We call this our "Wabe", our honey-comb.
We'll start posting on it next week. Are there and important hashtags we should use? #books #bookstodon
I never thought about it, but this is so spot-on:
"None of us are writers because we fell in love with our own writing; we fell in love with other people’s writing, and we keep on falling in love with it." ~alix e. harrow
This Census Taker. China Mieville.
You are 7 years old, and you live way up the hill above the village, who’s residents mistrust your family, but need your father’s arcane skills, which he seems to sustain via animal sacrifices; but then your mother disappears.
CW: animal cruelty.
2 of 5 library cats 🐈⬛ 🐈⬛.
A most interesting chart. And most revealing.
#books #bookstodon #libraries
Edited 1y ago
News from the world of #books.
> 2026 Splatterpunk Awards Nominees https://locusmag.com/2026/01/2026-splatterpunk-awards-nominees/