FF: Split List

Persephone Poses Prettily

This week I’ve been reading almost as much non-fiction as fiction.  I’ve left out a bunch of short articles, because this is not a bibliography!

A reminder.  The Friday Fragments is not a book review column; it’s a list of what I’m reading and maybe a bit about my opinions.  I always read the comments section and enjoy learning what other people are reading.  Oh, and I don’t usually list shorter works unless in a collection or articles, I also don’t usually list scattered research reading.

Completed:

Witchy Winter by D.J. Butler.  Very different from the first book in the series in that there are numerous plot threads and timelines.  Good use of a wide variety of myth and folklore in an alternate historical setting.

Paladin’s Grace by T. Kingfisher (aka Ursula Vernon).  Audiobook.  I’ve read this novel, but I don’t think I’ve ever listened to it.  The reader is adequate but apparently can’t settle on one pronunciation for some of the names.  But he does Grace very well.  And Tab.

Making Poor Man’s Guitars by Shane Speal.  Non-fiction.  A terrific and fun read, mostly focused on making cigar box guitars.  Great anecdotes about various blues performers and their instruments.  Also offers a look at the history of the one-string guitar.

In Progress:

Witchy Kingdom by D.J. Butler.  So far, quite good.  Definitely not a happily ever after book, but also not a downer.  Adds a lot of complexity to this alternate version of (mostly) North America.

With Strings Attached by Jonathan Kellerman.  Mystery/thriller author Jonathan Kellerman collects guitars.  In this book, he brings his love of research and fluid prose style to a look at his collection.  Also includes a few essays on luthiers of note.  I’m quite enjoying.

Sparrow Hill Road by Seanan McGuire.  Urban myths, highways, and the classic ghost story all get new life and strange validation through Seanan McGuire’s prose.  This is more or less a short story collection, but the stories do interrelate.  (And, yes, I do know there is a novel that comes next!)

Also:

Newest American Archeology.  Early articles were quite good, but the later ones have been sloppily written and edited.  (Ex. “ancestor” used when “descendant” was apparently meant.  Someone should have caught that!)  This sort of thing always makes me begin to question the rest of a non-fiction work’s content.