Beyond Reality discussion

Please let us know what books you are reading this month, March 2025. Are you enjoying them, or not so much?

All genres welcome here!

The Journey to the West, Volume 4 by Wu Cheng'en

The Observologist: A Handbook for Mounting Very Small Scientific Expeditions. Just started and learned something new already - earthworms have very fine hairs. *I* never felt them when I was a young observologist but I'll be checking now! It's an extremely charming book, too; my inner child is enchanted with the artwork and design.

Cheryl that book looks fantastic! Might need a copy for my kids…

Not-Sew-Wicked Stepmom, Vol. 3 by Mo9Rang

The Villainess's Guide to (Not) Falling in Love (Manga) 02 by Touya

Not-Sew-Wicked Stepmom, Vol. 4 by Mo9Rang

I wasn't in the mood to pick up any of the new books I had handy, so I went digging through my bookshelves to re-read something that would suit, and ended up re-reading The Time Traveller's Wife, which I still think is a lovely book.

Next up is Sister Mine by Nalo Hopkinson, which D brought home from the library and I'm poaching now that he's finished it. I really enjoyed Brown Girl in the Ring so I'm looking forward to it.

Finished Paradise and will be starting Trouble on Paradise in the morning.

I’m alternating between 2 books.
The first is The Year of the French by Thomas Flanagan, which covers one chapter in the long saga of Ireland and its political, sectarian, and class struggles & battles. The titular year is 1798.
The second is the final collection of short stories in the Tales of the Apt, The Scent of Tears. This collection has stories by a number of different authors.
I’m also listening to The Keeper of Happy Endings by Barbara Davis.

I started Conclave and it really is unput-downable.

Not-Sew-Wicked Stepmom, Vol. 5 by Mo9Rang

Finished Trouble on Paradise
Starting Black Ops either tonight or in the morning.

Recently finished:

The Space Between Worlds by Micaiah Johnson
Circe by Madeline Miller
Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro

The first two I thought were OK, a bit disappointing but OK. I enjoyed Never Let Me Go more, but I personally like Ishiguro's writing style.

Currently reading:

The Tainted Cup by Robert Jackson Bennett
We Are All Completely Besides Ourselves by Karen Joy Fowler
City of Dancing Gargoyles by Tara Campbell

Just started The Tainted Cup so I don't have much to say besides it is interesting so far. The Fowler book is intriguing, since I have some layperson's experience with the science the book is based on. I'm reading City of Dancing Gargoyles as part of my read-through of the 2025 Philip K Dick award shortlist, and I'm really enjoying it, it might end up being one of my favorites from the shortlist.

The Villainess's Guide to (Not) Falling in Love (Manga) 03 by Touya

The Code of the Woosters by P.G. Wodehouse

Under the Whispering Door by TJ Klune

Forrest wrote: "Under the Whispering Door by TJ Klune"

I loved that book!

Started and gave up on Shroud at 35%. It was just not interesting enough to hold my attention. I switched to Once Was Willem, which was a 5 star read for me!

Currently reading Lisey's Story and listening to Hyperion on audio for the group series read that starts in March 15. It’s such a long listen I wanted to get a head start on that one.

Also still working through The Green Mile, reading a part between other books. It was originally published as a serial so I thought I would read it like that.

Next up on my ereader I have The Unworthy, the new English translation to start after I finish Lisey’s Story.

Kathi wrote: "Forrest wrote: "Under the Whispering Door by TJ Klune"

I loved that book!"

I think there is something wrong with me. Everyone loved that book except me I think. I’m not good with anything remotely cozy. Which is weird because I strive for cozycore aesthetic in my everyday life 😂😂😂

Justine wrote: "I think there is something wrong with me. Everyone loved that book except me I think. I’m not good with anything remotely cozy. Which is weird because I strive for cozycore aesthetic in my everyday life."

Yes, it has a cozy feel (not that I really pay much attention to that, to be honest), but what I loved was the intriguing perspective on death, how the dead person sort of goes through the stages of grief themselves. I read it about 10 months after my younger sister died and maybe that’s why it touched me so deeply.

I just finished Sister Mine by Nalo Hopkinson, and though the ending was a bit confusing I loved it. I've been meaning to read more of her work since this group read Brown Girl in the Ring, and I'm glad I finally got around to it!

I read a few of the short stories in the first Tales of the Apt book, but they weren't grabbing me. I'll come back to it at some point. My library loan for The Stardust Grail just came in so that's next.

Oh Kathi so sorry for your loss; I’m glad that book helped ❤️

For those doing a reading challenge, Under the Whispering Door also checks the box for books about teashops.

This book reminds me that I haven't returned to finish Bookshops & Bonedust. Travis Baldree is set to release the--if I remember correctly--prequel Brigands & Breadknives in November.

Justine wrote: "Oh Kathi so sorry for your loss; I’m glad that book helped ❤️"

Thank you. 🥰

A Discovery of Witches by Deborah Harkness

Someone on Reddit mentioned this for me to read last month. I’m finally getting around to it.

I enjoyed the first few chapters last night.

The God of the Woods by Liz Moore

I also started this yesterday. I listened to the audiobook for several hours—I heard the middle of the book was a bit of a slog so I decided to listen rather than read. Reading the reviews for this were a bit confusing to me because it was up for so many awards last year.

I really like the audiobook so far.

Forrest wrote: "A Discovery of Witches by Deborah Harkness

Someone on Reddit mentioned this for me to read last month. I’m finally getting around to it.

I enjoyed the first few chapters last night."

I liked that book, and I also enjoyed the next 2. I haven’t gone any further (yet).

I finally finished The Year of the French by Thomas Flanagan, 7/10. Let me start by saying that my late mother-in-law was from Ireland (emigrated to the US when she was in her 20s, right before the Great Depression). We have visited & toured most of Ireland during several visits over the past 30+ years & have witnessed great changes.
Who can sort out and make sense of Ireland’s history? The author captures in this fictionalized account of one year (1798) in the long, tortured, tumultuous, sad story of Ireland’s woes—hopeful yet hopeless, English, Irish, French, rich, middle-class, poor, Protestant, Catholic, property owners, property managers, tenants, landless, priests, teachers, clerics, shopkeepers, crafters, soldiers—all set against each other and themselves. From another reviewer: “It tackles the ugly sectarian, social, political, economic and cultural divisions that renders conflict and hatred inevitable.”
On the plus side: obviously meticulously researched, descriptive writing rich with details, distinct and mostly authentic characters. It’s a thorough account of this particular rebellion and I learned a lot!
On the minus side: too detailed (really, how many times must the bogs and huts be described, often using the exact same words?), a touch too stereotypical (yes, I know the stereotypes are rooted in reality, but so few exceptions—the author sometimes paints the characters with too broad a brush). And while I know Irish history is depressing and the many rebellions over the centuries were doomed, it still makes for unrelentingly bleak reading, and the author did little to relieve the darkness.
All in all, it just made my heart ache, and yet I am so grateful that things have generally improved since the establishment of the Republic and then the Good Friday agreements.

I also finished The Scent of Tears and put my comments in the folder for the Tales of the Apt stories related to the Shadows of the Apt series.

Kill the Villainess, Vol. 1 by Haegi

Finished Black Ops
Cliffhanger!!!!!!!!!!

Starting Zero Hour

Really enjoyed Mal Goes to War. A little bit Puppet Master, a little bit Murderbot, but very much its own story. Normally I wouldn't like so much violence etc., or page-turning adventure, either, but there's something about what Ashton does that just works for me.

It has been a long time since I posted here
I work a lot from home so I miss out on my transit reading
Since January I have read the following
Men at Arms
Pretty good.
The Complete Sherlock Holmes, Volume I
Going through this one slowly. So far good
A Cat of Silvery Hue
Good also, but some of the authors biases are in full view
Doctor Who: Earthworld
Another good one. Eighth Doctor book. First of the "reset"
The duel: A history
This was ok
Hustling: Prostitution in Our Wide Open Society
Hard book to find. Interesting history

Down the Long Hills by Louis L'Amour

I read 2 more books in Anne Perry’s Charlotte & Thomas Pitt series of historical mysteries: Buckingham Palace Gardens & Treason at Lisson Grove. Both were better than the last few I’d read, and I rated them 9/10 & 8.5/10 respectively.

I wrapped up my read of Philip José Farmer’s World of Tiers series with More Than Fire, 4/10. I am happy to be done with it—too pulpy, too much needless gore, too many double-crosses, too many dead relatively important characters, and a major unresolved plot thread from earlier in the series. The only decent characters were Anana, who was reduced to being a motivation for Kickaha rather than an active character, and Manathu Vorcyon, the Mother Goddess. Hmmm, only the female characters were at all appealing? Interesting.

I also read The Ocean at the End of the Lane by Neil Gaiman, 7.5/10, and put my comments in the discussion topic thread from when that was BotM. (I read it for our Quarterly Challenge.)

Currently listening to The Keeper of Happy Endings by Barbara Davis and reading Spirit Gate by Kate Elliott.

Just started some non fiction.
In Search of Time: Journeys Along a Curious Dimension
I picked it up because an SF writer I like recommended it

Woops, forgot to mention
Finished Black Ops a few days ago and started Mavericks

A Psalm for the Wild-Built by Becky Chambers

It’s giving cozy, under 200 pages. I’ll finish it tonight—it’s a bit of a palate cleanser.


Excited to start my April reading list!

I Who Have Never Known Men by Jacqueline Harpman

Finished Mavericks

Likely be starting Renegades this evening.

Secret Agents of the Galaxy by John C. Wright

Light from Other Stars by Erika Swyler

I finished reading Use of Weapons by Iain M. Banks. It’s a great book. The ending got me. I plan to read the rest of his The Culture series in the next few years. I am reading When the Moon Hits Your Eye by John Scalzi. The moon turns to cheese and Hijinx ensues. It’s as crazy and interesting as it sounds. I plan to read The Waste Lands (Book three of the Dark Tower Series) by Stephen King next.