August 2015 Recap

I finished 8 books in August, which isn't too bad, though I finished only one book that was on my spreadsheet at the start of the year. I can't decide how to feel about that. I'm disappointed in not having the focus that I started with, but being forgiving. Back to work and with a 4 month old daughter, my biggest reading times preclude reading traditional paperbacks, which means most of the books on my spreadsheet are out. On my drives and while doing tedious tasks at work I listen to audiobooks. While I'm pumping and after the little one goes to sleep I can read my Kindle. Synners in paperback took me forever for exactly this reason.

As far as planning everything out, I started the year with lots of goals, lots of challenges, and I had a lot of fun planning the books for those challenges. But a year is a long time to not change plans and a lot of the books I read this month I am happy with. With the cat quest added to the mix and refusing to use my Audible credits to buy more audiobooks for which I already own a physical copy, the off-schedule reading is only likely to get worse.

Here's what I read in August:

Assassin's Quest

I am still feeling overwhelmingly satisfied with this trilogy. If all her books are this good, Robin Hobb may be one of my new favorite authors.

Half-Resurrection Blues

Midnight Taxi Tango (which sounds a bit like something a random name generator would come up with) comes out in January!

If Then

This book makes me excited for 2016 awards season. I'm predicting this one for the PKD longlist at least.

Mister Monday

Not part of my reviews, but read none the less. My husband and I decided to start reading out loud during our bedtime routine for the baby. Of course, she's too little for even board books, so we decided to read what we wanted to. We started with Pyramids and I convinced my husband to try out Mister Monday next. This was my third read-through and it is still fantastic.

Pyramids

Terry Prattchet's books have been even more popular than normal this year and I'm glad to have been on that bandwagon even a little. Pyramids may not be his best by popular consensus, but it's so good that I have nothing but excitement for Discworld books from here on out.

Synners

Still in love with this book and Pat Cadigan's writing. Of all the books that I loved this month I know that this one is the least likely to be popularly beloved, yet I feel protective of it because I felt a part of it become part of me.

The Engines of God

A year or more ago I picked up The Engines of God and When Gravity Fails in an Audible sale and I can't say that I was impressed with either of them though they were certainly decent enough to say that I like them. Official verdict: your mileage may vary.

The Moon is a Harsh Mistress

I'm glad I got this classic read. Heinlein books are so good. They're infuriatingly good. I can be irritated at his sexism and kinks (he clearly has a thing for teenage girls and redheads) but the book is damned good.

When Gravity Fails

(review to come)

See above comment on The Engines of God.

...and one more that isn't out yet.

Review to be posted closer to release date, but you can preorder here if it looks like it might be your thing.

The Spreadsheet, as it stands at the end of August