Q&A with Josh Lanyon discussion
What Are you Reading, Watching, Listening To?
In February had missed this lovely and strong ad: Doritos: Bold Love Tv Commercial Ad
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hJtU8...
Can anyone help recommend an audiobook for my mother and me to listen to while we drive up north together?About 300 pages is a good length.
If it's a romance it has to be the "behind closed doors" type; I'm not listening to sex scenes with my mother in the car! We don't dislike mysteries, but often find them a little difficult to follow while driving.
In the past, books we liked included:
There's a (Slight) Chance I Might Be Going to Hell: A Novel of Sewer Pipes, Pageant Queens, and Big Trouble
Broken Angels
The House in the Cerulean Sea
Books we stopped listening to after a chapter include:
The Midnight Library
Under the Whispering Door (go figure)
The Thursday Murder Club (I really liked it, actually, and went back and finished it later. My mother not so much)
If you don't necessarily want m/m, An Embarrassment of Itches is a fun cozy mystery that's a "cross between All Creatures Great and Small and Murder She Wrote" (with a protagonist in her 30's). It WAS written by a friend of mine, but I wholeheartedly recommend it and it's won several book awards. I didn't get the audiobook, though, so I don't know about the narration.
Marge wrote: "If you don't necessarily want m/m, An Embarrassment of Itches is a fun cozy mystery that's a "cross between All Creatures Great and Small and Murder She Wrote" (with a protagonist i..."Thanks—that looks cute!
Here are some of my favorite audiobooks that aren’t MM. I don’t know that some of these will work for you. It’s okay if they don’t or you don’t try them. Most of my audiobooks are MM and/or mystery.
One Door Away from Heaven - a favorite Dean Koontz book for me, but it is super long!
Christy - a novel based on the author’s mothers life and narrated by the actress who played the main character in the 90s tv show based on this book. Also a bit long. About a young woman who becomes a teacher in Appalachia in the early 1900’s.
The Elephant Whisperer - loved this memoir and the narrator! About a guy who takes in a herd of dangerous escapee elephants at his sanctuary. They have a rough start, beware, but it’s a truly touching, amazing story.
All Systems Red - a favorite sci-fi series. I don’t know how easy this will be to follow if mysteries aren’t good, but it’s kinda action/adventure. It’s a favorite!
The Automatic Detective - a truly bonkers sci-fi, hard-boiled mystery. It might also be hard to follow and might not be what you’re looking for since you said no mystery, but it’s a favorite for me, so I’ll recommend it anyway.
I hope at least one of these will work for you!
One Door Away from Heaven - a favorite Dean Koontz book for me, but it is super long!
Christy - a novel based on the author’s mothers life and narrated by the actress who played the main character in the 90s tv show based on this book. Also a bit long. About a young woman who becomes a teacher in Appalachia in the early 1900’s.
The Elephant Whisperer - loved this memoir and the narrator! About a guy who takes in a herd of dangerous escapee elephants at his sanctuary. They have a rough start, beware, but it’s a truly touching, amazing story.
All Systems Red - a favorite sci-fi series. I don’t know how easy this will be to follow if mysteries aren’t good, but it’s kinda action/adventure. It’s a favorite!
The Automatic Detective - a truly bonkers sci-fi, hard-boiled mystery. It might also be hard to follow and might not be what you’re looking for since you said no mystery, but it’s a favorite for me, so I’ll recommend it anyway.
I hope at least one of these will work for you!
I second All Systems Red from the Murderbot Diaries series by Martha Wells. These are very short (4 hours) until book 5, but very engaging. https://www.audible.com/series/Murder...
Josh's Secrets & Scrabble series are cozies and fade-to-black.
Each is about 6-7 hours, so you could listen to two. :)
https://www.audible.com/series/Secret...
Josh's Secrets & Scrabble series are cozies and fade-to-black.
Each is about 6-7 hours, so you could listen to two. :)
https://www.audible.com/series/Secret...
It's DONE!!! Here's a link to my M/M Romance Guide: 100 Books to Get You Started booklist, if you're interested: https://bpl.bibliocommons.com/list/sh...
I'm currently working on the F/F Romance Guide, and I hope to have it finished by the end of the month.
I'm currently working on the F/F Romance Guide, and I hope to have it finished by the end of the month.
Jordan wrote: "It's DONE!!! Here's a link to my M/M Romance Guide: 100 Books to Get You Started booklist, if you're interested: https://bpl.bibliocommons.com/list/sh......"Congratulations, and thank you for your engagement, dear Jordan!
I'm curious to see how many books I don't know ;-).
Antonella wrote: "Jordan wrote: "It's DONE!!! Here's a link to my M/M Romance Guide: 100 Books to Get You Started booklist, if you're interested: https://bpl.bibliocommons.com/list/sh......"
:-D I bet you know a lot of them. I really went in for the classics of the genre.
:-D I bet you know a lot of them. I really went in for the classics of the genre.
Here is a rock and roll space opera nb\m adventure for you: August Kitka and the Mechas from Space by Alex White. I would say a mix of Buckaroo Bonzai, Transformers, and War of the Worlds, and Fifth Element. Book One of a series, action filled sci fi. Does have a ton of fighting and battles, because of course, transformers and evil space lords etc. Can't just be a jazz playoff. Romance for main protagonists, musicians who meet at the apocalypse. One of them is nonbinary, they\their pronouns.
The Monterey Bay Aquarium is sending some sea nettle serenity your way this week!https://lnkd.in/gSybaGq3
(Live jelly cam with relaxing music)
April notable books read:
The Darkness Outside Us by Eliot Schrefer
Liar City by Allie Therin
Pack of Lies by Charlie Adhara
The Darkness Outside Us by Eliot Schrefer
Liar City by Allie Therin
Pack of Lies by Charlie Adhara
Murder in Shades of Blue and Green
I enjoyed this mystery by new-to-me author Ripley Hayes — a small town police procedural set in Wales with a gay DS trying to redeem himself from a prior media scandal. There's also a prequel novella (regarding the events leading to the scandal) that I just got.
I enjoyed this mystery by new-to-me author Ripley Hayes — a small town police procedural set in Wales with a gay DS trying to redeem himself from a prior media scandal. There's also a prequel novella (regarding the events leading to the scandal) that I just got.
I got on a bit of a Gregory Ashe binge. I'm really liking his Holloway Holmes series, finished the first two, and am anxiously awaiting the third (due mid-June). These are sort of kinder-gentler Gregory Ashe books... as much as that's possible. :) He always wows me with his research and I spend way to much time trying to imagine how much of his stories is research and how much is personal experience/knowledge.
The Strangest Forms
The Old Wheel
I'm also reading/listening to Ashe's The First Quarto series, that I originally acquired as a newsletter serial. This is not the kinder/gentler Gregory Ashe. :) Beautifully (and brutally) read by J.F. Harding.
https://www.goodreads.com/series/2976...
The Strangest Forms
The Old Wheel
I'm also reading/listening to Ashe's The First Quarto series, that I originally acquired as a newsletter serial. This is not the kinder/gentler Gregory Ashe. :) Beautifully (and brutally) read by J.F. Harding.
https://www.goodreads.com/series/2976...
Because I promised, here's the F/F Romance Guide I created: https://bpl.bibliocommons.com/list/sh...
For those of you who liked the John Wiltshire More Heat Then The Sun Series, he is coming out with a three book follow up series. Haven't read the first one yet, but reviews indicate fans of the series are generally happy so far!
I’m obsessed with Ripley Hayes, particularly the Daniel Owens series. Pretty sure Daniel is my fictional spirit person. If you haven’t read the 7 book series, please put down whatever you’re doing however meritorious and pick up Undermined.I read John Wiltshire’s new one and it’s quite different. Kind of 98 percent idyllic pastoral and 2 percent crazy violence and physical challenge. We usually have the reverse. But Ben and (what’s in a name?) Alexei are always fun together.
Kit Oliver’s new book, Light Up the Lamp, is a solid hockey addition.
You’re welcome WMD! And having a mix of favorites and new things is what I was going for, so I’m glad I succeeded! I’ve not read all of them myself, but I’ve enjoyed a good number of them over the years.
I’m still reading Neil Gaiman’s American Gods. I’ve got 100 pages left to finish by Tuesday for my book group. Then I’m diving back into Martha Wells’s Raksura series. I’m hoping to finish book three/the first story arc before I attend her author talk on June 1st, and before my library’s summer reading challenge begins.
Karen wrote: "I got on a bit of a Gregory Ashe binge. I'm really liking his Holloway Holmes series, finished the first two, and am anxiously awaiting the third (due mid-June). These are sort of kinder-gentler Gr..."There IS a kinder, gentler Gregory Ashe? I've read the first North & Shaw series and have most of the second series in my TBR. Also a freebie starter of Hazard & Somerset series. North & Shaw was excellent, but so gritty and dark I just pass the other books by when scrolling to see what to read next. I don't hate gritty and dark, but it's so much easier to choose something fun.
Marge wrote: "North & Shaw was excellent, but so gritty and dark I just pass the other books by when scrolling to see what to read next."LOL I thought North and Shaw was the kinder, gentler Gregory Ashe. I started with Hazard and Somerset and couldn't finish the series.
SamSpayedPI wrote: "I thought North and Shaw was the kinder, gentler Gregory Ashe. I started with Hazard and Somerset and couldn't finish the series...."LOL. Oh no! I have to admit, the way people talked about Hazard and Somerset, I was never really sold on it. But Ashe does offer it for free, so I got it. But I've been afraid to open it.
One cool thing, he lives and sets North and Shaw in St. Louis, so it's fun to know where the guys are driving to. I've lived here 40 years now.
North and Shaw was enough for me. Lol. It was good. But I don’t feel a need to read more for him.
I'm reading a few things, and recently finished The monuments men murders and I loved reading about the Doubletree hotel 360 restaurant in Crystal City. I work in DC and passed it the morning I read that scene, so cool! I've never been inside but it feels like i have now. 😊I've been watching some old tv shows. Currently Highlander with Duncan Mcleod. Baywatch, murder she wrote, mash. Various things i never really watched back in the day. It's surprising how poor the quality is but the acting was still good.
Oh that’s exciting!
I’ve probably mentioned it, but I’m in the middle of Star Trek season 2, tos, and enjoying it.
I’ve also recently watched both animated Trolls movies and have been listening to the soundtrack to the tv show. The music is super happy and upbeat, just the right thing to get you dancing.
I’ve probably mentioned it, but I’m in the middle of Star Trek season 2, tos, and enjoying it.
I’ve also recently watched both animated Trolls movies and have been listening to the soundtrack to the tv show. The music is super happy and upbeat, just the right thing to get you dancing.
Josh has a new book out, and forgot to tell us ASAP ;-):https://joshlanyon.com/books/puzzle-f...
There you you can also read a very promising excerpt.
WMD wrote: "Also out today We Could Be So Good by Cat Sebastian"Oh, thank you. I like Cat Sebastian.
Lucian Childs, who some of us know and now lives in Toronto, has published his debut novel Dreaming Home which features among the 10 books quoted in the following article from the «Toronto Star»:Top reads for Pride month: where we’ve been, what we’ve achieved and what we are fighting for
https://www.thestar.com/entertainment...?
I just completed listening to Phil Stamper's The Gravity of Us that I checked out of my local library. I thought it was a well written YA book about the impacts of social media and a few more serious topics than I'd expected
Interesting on the topic of Gregory Ashe, as I devour all his stories :-) I move between light and fluffy feel good and cozy mysteries to dark and intense where the characters have to really work for the relationship. I appreciate the variety in the genre now, most definitely <3
I also enjoyed all John Wiltshire's books, so it's good to know there's something to look forward to. I hope they go to audio! I do find I miss Harper Fox, though, as I notice she is also using Decent Fellows Press, but I haven't seen anything from her for a while?
Hi, Mtsnow! Nice to see you here. Thank you for the recs.I confess that Harper Foxis one of my favourite authors, but for a while she started to write a lot and I didn't manage to follow her. I should go back and see what I missed.
I've got all the paperbacks of the series «More Heat Than The Sun», but I stopped at number 3, even though I liked them very much, violence notwithstanding. Now I need to reread everything before continuing the series. I also wonder if there is a noticeable difference with the new version of those books.
Jordan Castillo Price writes:The River’s Edge is a dark, moody and evocative story about a pair of antiheroes finding connection in the most unlikely of places. It’s a shorter novella that can be read in one or two sittings. The story will hit the shelves July 3 and is available for preorder now.
I've just pre-ordered it:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0C8BTMTVM?...
@antonella the new edition of the full series More Heat Than the Sun series has no changes from previous edition. The new series, which possibly will be 3 books for Ben and Nik, is somewhat less intense or dense. Stories more about a pretty happy life and the occasional chaos\violence\tantrum they manage to create? inspire? stumble upon? I was pleased to be back with them. I guess if its same characters can you call it a new series? All three are being released this spring\summer, third one out this week. I guess I feel these may be counted as Nik and Bens retirement stories :) compared to the main series.Looking forward to C.S. Poe's Broadway Butchery, book 3 in series, out this week. Really liking this series' main character, with neuro divergent memory issues, angst, serial killers, etc. particularly nicely written connection with the love interest, a police artist; close intertwine of police procedural and romance
WMD wrote: "@antonella the new edition of the full series More Heat Than the Sun series has no changes from previous edition. The new series, which possibly will be 3 books for Ben and Nik, is somewhat less in..."Thank you for clarifying this. I'll have to tackle the first series, and then maybe I'll buy the last three books.
Thank you also for the other rec, it sounds interesting.
Hi Mtsnow13! It's good to see you again!
Antonella, I saw that newsletter for Jordan's next book and it looks soooo good! I've missed a few of her newer things lately, and intend to get to them at some point, but I definitely put in a preorder for this one right away. :-D
Antonella, I saw that newsletter for Jordan's next book and it looks soooo good! I've missed a few of her newer things lately, and intend to get to them at some point, but I definitely put in a preorder for this one right away. :-D
WMD wrote: "@antonella the new edition of the full series More Heat Than the Sun series has no changes from previous edition. The new series, which possibly will be 3 books for Ben and Nik, is somewhat less in..."
That Poe books sounds really good, though I've not read the series yet. I keep thinking I need to look more into Poe than I have.
That Poe books sounds really good, though I've not read the series yet. I keep thinking I need to look more into Poe than I have.
I recently purchased the last four books in Martha Wells's Raksura series and have dived into the first novella collection Stories of the Raksura, Volume 1: The Falling World & The Tale of Indigo and Cloud. I'm devouring it. This series is just sooooo damn good. While the main relationships are het, all the characters are mostly queer and tend to take multiple side partners, which is finally spelled out more or less in one of the novellas in this book.
I'm also reading Braiding Sweetgrass for my staff book group and for our summer reading challenge as well as Furiously Happy: A Funny Book About Horrible Things for my own book group. Braiding Sweetgrass is a memoir spun around plants, which is really cool and fascinating. Furiously Happy is also a memoir, but about mental health. So far it's good, but it's one of those essay kinda things, and some are less funny than others.
I'm also reading Braiding Sweetgrass for my staff book group and for our summer reading challenge as well as Furiously Happy: A Funny Book About Horrible Things for my own book group. Braiding Sweetgrass is a memoir spun around plants, which is really cool and fascinating. Furiously Happy is also a memoir, but about mental health. So far it's good, but it's one of those essay kinda things, and some are less funny than others.
Jordan wrote: "Hi Mtsnow13! It's good to see you again! Antonella, I saw that newsletter for Jordan's next book and it looks soooo good! I've missed a few of her newer things lately, and intend to get to them a..."
Thank @Jordan! I've missed interacting and seeing all the recs here ;) @Antonella, I've also preordered JCP's latest. Looks good!
Jordan, you must check out Poe. Very Lanyonesq, but brilliant writer in her own right. The Broadway series so far is awesome! Of course as with every writer some books aren't as big a win for me as others but I would rank Poe in my top 5 fav mm authors.
As Melissa said, not every book of hers has been a winner for me, but I can highly recommend her Snow and Winter series as well, starting with The Mystery of Nevermore.
Top five! Nice! It’s good to see so many rec an author. I’ll make sure to add her to my tbr list. Thank you!
Hey, all. Long time!For recent reads, I'm working my way through the San Amaro paranormal mystery series by Kai Butler and really enjoying it. (Up through book 4 of 7.) Butler's writing style reminds me a lot of Hailey Turner's and Rhys Ford's. That mix of quips and sarcasm as well as romance and found family amongst all the paranormal peril.
Also recently finished Temporary Partner by Nicky James. It was a pretty good police procedural with a slow-burn romance subplot. It kinda reminded me of something like a Britbox or Acorn mystery (but set in Canada.) It has that very police-mystery TV series vibe, but more gay then what's usually on Acorn.... It felt slow at first, but by the end, I liked it, and went into book 2.
Books mentioned in this topic
The Mystery of Nevermore (other topics)The Mystery of Nevermore (other topics)
The Mystery of Nevermore (other topics)
The Mystery of Nevermore (other topics)
When the Tides Held the Moon (other topics)
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Authors mentioned in this topic
Nate Bargatze (other topics)Jordan Castillo Price (other topics)
Joseph Hansen (other topics)
Michael Lesley (other topics)
Gregory Ashe (other topics)
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The culture writer Howard Fishman just wrote a book about her life:
Here one song by Connie Converse:
«Talkin' Like You»
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W3IfR...