A Little Light Reading

I had someone ask me this afternoon how many books I've read this year. I'm in the middle of #71. Then she asked if there were any recommendations from among them and...off the top of my head I couldn't say there was anything I felt I needed to rave about.

On further reflection, though, I did decide that The Lost Fleet series by Jack Campbell deserves a shout out.

I haven't been reading a ton of straight science fiction lately. (And by lately I mean in the last handful of years). I feel like the books I'd try to read that said they were SF were...just not. They were, like the fantasy I've poked at here and there, thinly veiled political diatribes.

I don't have a problem with pushing a philosophy in fiction. The key is to still have a solid story whilst doing so. Then if the ideology is annoying, I still have a story that I'm enjoying and I can ignore the rest.

Anyway, The Lost Fleet is pretty spectacular military sci fi and it deserves a mention.

I also re-read The Firebird by Susanna Kearsley. I love her books and re-read through most of them every year or so. This one has a historical story that is mostly in St. Petersburg and it got me thinking of Russka by Edward Rutherford, which I read a while back. Anyway, I thought maybe it was time for a re-read there because I remember enjoying it and finding the fictionalized history of Russia supremely fascinating.

Except I couldn't find it.

I have a vague recollection of maybe loaning it to....someone?

Sigh.

So I popped over to the Zon only to find that the Kindle version of same is only $1.99 right now. Yes, please! Of course, I ruined my thriftiness by also going ahead and grabbing his book New York because apparently I'm in a mood.

I also flipped over to eye The Pioneers, which Robbo mentioned not too long ago. But I made the mistake of reading the first couple reviews and talked myself back out of it. Perhaps I'll take another look again down the line - but with probably 1500 pages of Rutherford now waiting for me, I should be good for books for a few days at least.

I will say, so far neither of my boys are great readers and it makes me sad. They can read. They just don't seem to gravitate to it as yet. (All that malarkey about how you  make readers by being one doesn't seem to be true in this family at least. Because you'd think if it were true, a mom who reads 200ish books a year would be enough of an example.) Eldest will read -- but he'd rather play xbox with his friends (no surprise). Youngest...is still struggling some with the mechanics of it (although I'll say that 3 weeks in with his ADHD meds and his ability has shot through the roof because - no real surprise - you have to be able to focus to read. I do think we might still be looking at some dyslexia in there. Time will tell.) Regardless. I found a few books whilst on the Zon that friends have recommended for the boys and went ahead and grabbed them as well. Maybe something inspiring will catch their eye.

If hubby grumbles about the bill, I'll just say I'm doing my part to help boost the economy. That's my story and I'm sticking to it.