@azreader.bsky.social
I’m a reader and a writer, a fan of fantasy (Kay, McClellan, McKiernan), historical mystery (Barron, C.S. Harris, Sherry Thomas, Darcie Wilde), and 19th century writers like Austen, Dumas, Scott, and Ainsworth.
I also love indie rock and baroque music.
I also love indie rock and baroque music.
Today’s reading order, including a small chunk of each book here. Excited to start The Tainted Cup—but it’s all good stuff, all the way down. And sunny in Arizona for the reading. 😎
Have you read any of these?
Have you read any of these?
November 29, 2025 at 5:42 PM
Today’s reading order, including a small chunk of each book here. Excited to start The Tainted Cup—but it’s all good stuff, all the way down. And sunny in Arizona for the reading. 😎
Have you read any of these?
Have you read any of these?
Warned off this decades ago by one of my teachers, I finally read it anyway and really liked it. Not the miserable stuff, but maybe the Charles Bronson-like revenge part...
My thoughts are here: inspeculation.blogspot.com
Nice edition. Tons of notes make it very readable. 5 stars for the editor.
My thoughts are here: inspeculation.blogspot.com
Nice edition. Tons of notes make it very readable. 5 stars for the editor.
November 24, 2025 at 9:10 PM
Warned off this decades ago by one of my teachers, I finally read it anyway and really liked it. Not the miserable stuff, but maybe the Charles Bronson-like revenge part...
My thoughts are here: inspeculation.blogspot.com
Nice edition. Tons of notes make it very readable. 5 stars for the editor.
My thoughts are here: inspeculation.blogspot.com
Nice edition. Tons of notes make it very readable. 5 stars for the editor.
Enough of this poetry was new to me to make it well worth picking up, but the introduction and other chapter helps by the editor make this an invaluable source for those of us still educating ourselves on Chinese poetry.
5 stars.
My thoughts are here: inspeculation.blogspot.com
Recommended. 👍
5 stars.
My thoughts are here: inspeculation.blogspot.com
Recommended. 👍
November 21, 2025 at 8:37 PM
Enough of this poetry was new to me to make it well worth picking up, but the introduction and other chapter helps by the editor make this an invaluable source for those of us still educating ourselves on Chinese poetry.
5 stars.
My thoughts are here: inspeculation.blogspot.com
Recommended. 👍
5 stars.
My thoughts are here: inspeculation.blogspot.com
Recommended. 👍
An interesting and entertaining book. 4 stars.
It's historical fiction blended with legend--the story of Prague's golem--with a literary bent. I didn't like everything, but there's still a lot to like.
My thoughts are here: inspeculation.blogspot.com
Cautiously recommended.
It's historical fiction blended with legend--the story of Prague's golem--with a literary bent. I didn't like everything, but there's still a lot to like.
My thoughts are here: inspeculation.blogspot.com
Cautiously recommended.
November 18, 2025 at 2:45 PM
An interesting and entertaining book. 4 stars.
It's historical fiction blended with legend--the story of Prague's golem--with a literary bent. I didn't like everything, but there's still a lot to like.
My thoughts are here: inspeculation.blogspot.com
Cautiously recommended.
It's historical fiction blended with legend--the story of Prague's golem--with a literary bent. I didn't like everything, but there's still a lot to like.
My thoughts are here: inspeculation.blogspot.com
Cautiously recommended.
The first in the Sister Frevisse Medieval Mysteries. I liked it. 4 stars.
My brief thoughts are here: inspeculation.blogspot.com
It's the second book I've read by this author--both the first in the series they're part of--so now I've got quite a list of older books to go find. Nice problem. 😄
My brief thoughts are here: inspeculation.blogspot.com
It's the second book I've read by this author--both the first in the series they're part of--so now I've got quite a list of older books to go find. Nice problem. 😄
November 16, 2025 at 10:42 PM
The first in the Sister Frevisse Medieval Mysteries. I liked it. 4 stars.
My brief thoughts are here: inspeculation.blogspot.com
It's the second book I've read by this author--both the first in the series they're part of--so now I've got quite a list of older books to go find. Nice problem. 😄
My brief thoughts are here: inspeculation.blogspot.com
It's the second book I've read by this author--both the first in the series they're part of--so now I've got quite a list of older books to go find. Nice problem. 😄
Nice day in Phoenix. 70s and shady—thinking about rain later. And I’ve got some great books to read out on the porch. This season is why we brave the hot summers. 😎
November 15, 2025 at 8:56 PM
Nice day in Phoenix. 70s and shady—thinking about rain later. And I’ve got some great books to read out on the porch. This season is why we brave the hot summers. 😎
I found this sometimes frustrating, often amazing. Overall, it's engaging and informative. 4 stars.
My brief thoughts: inspeculation.blogspot.com
This author was unknown to me, and the novel comes from an era I have mostly overlooked. But I'm glad I chanced on this 1937 book. Worth a look.👍
My brief thoughts: inspeculation.blogspot.com
This author was unknown to me, and the novel comes from an era I have mostly overlooked. But I'm glad I chanced on this 1937 book. Worth a look.👍
November 8, 2025 at 7:57 PM
I found this sometimes frustrating, often amazing. Overall, it's engaging and informative. 4 stars.
My brief thoughts: inspeculation.blogspot.com
This author was unknown to me, and the novel comes from an era I have mostly overlooked. But I'm glad I chanced on this 1937 book. Worth a look.👍
My brief thoughts: inspeculation.blogspot.com
This author was unknown to me, and the novel comes from an era I have mostly overlooked. But I'm glad I chanced on this 1937 book. Worth a look.👍
For me, a 3-star read. Wild ideas patched together in an entertaining but not very believable way, stretched between bull-session exposition, enacted by characters I never differentiated in my mind.
My brief thoughts are here: inspeculation.blogspot.com
It at least kept me reading.
My brief thoughts are here: inspeculation.blogspot.com
It at least kept me reading.
November 6, 2025 at 1:02 AM
For me, a 3-star read. Wild ideas patched together in an entertaining but not very believable way, stretched between bull-session exposition, enacted by characters I never differentiated in my mind.
My brief thoughts are here: inspeculation.blogspot.com
It at least kept me reading.
My brief thoughts are here: inspeculation.blogspot.com
It at least kept me reading.
My first book by Margaret Frazer. I liked it very much. 5 stars
My brief thoughts are here: inspeculation.blogspot.com
Good mystery, good setting, fun characters--I'm looking forward to finding the other titles in this series.
Recommended.
My brief thoughts are here: inspeculation.blogspot.com
Good mystery, good setting, fun characters--I'm looking forward to finding the other titles in this series.
Recommended.
November 4, 2025 at 8:43 PM
My first book by Margaret Frazer. I liked it very much. 5 stars
My brief thoughts are here: inspeculation.blogspot.com
Good mystery, good setting, fun characters--I'm looking forward to finding the other titles in this series.
Recommended.
My brief thoughts are here: inspeculation.blogspot.com
Good mystery, good setting, fun characters--I'm looking forward to finding the other titles in this series.
Recommended.
Today’s starter list. Anyone read some of these Margaret Frazer books? This is my first one, almost finished, and I’m digging it. 👍 The one about Rabbi Lowe’s golem is really cool, too—“the Book of Splendor.” Lucky find at the library book store.
November 1, 2025 at 5:53 PM
Today’s starter list. Anyone read some of these Margaret Frazer books? This is my first one, almost finished, and I’m digging it. 👍 The one about Rabbi Lowe’s golem is really cool, too—“the Book of Splendor.” Lucky find at the library book store.
Reading out side my usual genres--and enjoying it. Very entertaining. 4 stars.
My brief thoughts are here: inspeculation.blogspot.com
Being unfamiliar with the author, I'm amazed at the number of books she's written. Wow. Clearly I should have known the name. 😂
Good Regency novel. Recommended.
My brief thoughts are here: inspeculation.blogspot.com
Being unfamiliar with the author, I'm amazed at the number of books she's written. Wow. Clearly I should have known the name. 😂
Good Regency novel. Recommended.
October 30, 2025 at 10:25 PM
Reading out side my usual genres--and enjoying it. Very entertaining. 4 stars.
My brief thoughts are here: inspeculation.blogspot.com
Being unfamiliar with the author, I'm amazed at the number of books she's written. Wow. Clearly I should have known the name. 😂
Good Regency novel. Recommended.
My brief thoughts are here: inspeculation.blogspot.com
Being unfamiliar with the author, I'm amazed at the number of books she's written. Wow. Clearly I should have known the name. 😂
Good Regency novel. Recommended.
Today’s reading order—a little of each. We’ll see how far I get through the lineup. The older I get, the shorter my attention span… 😄 But I never have reading slumps anymore. I just change the batting order. 😎
October 27, 2025 at 6:33 PM
Today’s reading order—a little of each. We’ll see how far I get through the lineup. The older I get, the shorter my attention span… 😄 But I never have reading slumps anymore. I just change the batting order. 😎
My timeline is very LOTR heavy. 😄 Nice.
We had a cat named Elbereth once. Called her Elbe. 🙂
We had a cat named Elbereth once. Called her Elbe. 🙂
October 26, 2025 at 1:36 PM
My timeline is very LOTR heavy. 😄 Nice.
We had a cat named Elbereth once. Called her Elbe. 🙂
We had a cat named Elbereth once. Called her Elbe. 🙂
It’s the perfect mix of elements—water and sky and woods—and blue and white and green. All my pictures are desert and mountain—none of them look like this. 😎 (Here’s one of my Arizona dog-walking photos.)
October 26, 2025 at 1:13 PM
It’s the perfect mix of elements—water and sky and woods—and blue and white and green. All my pictures are desert and mountain—none of them look like this. 😎 (Here’s one of my Arizona dog-walking photos.)
I'm a big novelization fan--Willow, Star Wars, Galaxy Quest--and I was glad to see the first season of Wednesday got adapted. And it's awesome. Excellent writing, great 1st person narration, well worth reading on its own.
My thoughts are here: inspeculation.blogspot.com
Funny, dark, clever, 5 ⭐. 👍
My thoughts are here: inspeculation.blogspot.com
Funny, dark, clever, 5 ⭐. 👍
October 21, 2025 at 6:53 PM
I'm a big novelization fan--Willow, Star Wars, Galaxy Quest--and I was glad to see the first season of Wednesday got adapted. And it's awesome. Excellent writing, great 1st person narration, well worth reading on its own.
My thoughts are here: inspeculation.blogspot.com
Funny, dark, clever, 5 ⭐. 👍
My thoughts are here: inspeculation.blogspot.com
Funny, dark, clever, 5 ⭐. 👍
I'm out of the mainstream. Other readers kinda hated this, but I though it was pretty fun. Three scammers in 17th century England tricking people out of their money? It's clever and witty and has a happy ending.
My thoughts are here: inspeculation.blogspot.com
4 stars from me.
My thoughts are here: inspeculation.blogspot.com
4 stars from me.
October 17, 2025 at 8:40 PM
I'm out of the mainstream. Other readers kinda hated this, but I though it was pretty fun. Three scammers in 17th century England tricking people out of their money? It's clever and witty and has a happy ending.
My thoughts are here: inspeculation.blogspot.com
4 stars from me.
My thoughts are here: inspeculation.blogspot.com
4 stars from me.
This is the 9th book in the series (I think) and takes place in London when Jane is staying with her banking brother and his French wife. There's a bit more scandal in this one than most, which is, you know, good.
My thoughts are here: inspeculation.blogspot.com
These are all great. 5 stars.
My thoughts are here: inspeculation.blogspot.com
These are all great. 5 stars.
October 15, 2025 at 6:09 PM
This is the 9th book in the series (I think) and takes place in London when Jane is staying with her banking brother and his French wife. There's a bit more scandal in this one than most, which is, you know, good.
My thoughts are here: inspeculation.blogspot.com
These are all great. 5 stars.
My thoughts are here: inspeculation.blogspot.com
These are all great. 5 stars.
This is a very engaging and thought-provoking novel, the fictional version of Christopher Marlowe and his spy work. Very well written. Excellent action novel, but with beautiful prose.
My thoughts are here: inspeculation.blogspot.com
5 stars.
My thoughts are here: inspeculation.blogspot.com
5 stars.
October 14, 2025 at 6:06 PM
This is a very engaging and thought-provoking novel, the fictional version of Christopher Marlowe and his spy work. Very well written. Excellent action novel, but with beautiful prose.
My thoughts are here: inspeculation.blogspot.com
5 stars.
My thoughts are here: inspeculation.blogspot.com
5 stars.
I gave this 3 stars--that's about how fun I felt it was. But you're probably gonna read it for some other purpose. Curiosity, maybe? Or for a lit course? Maybe because you're snowed in at a B&B and it's on the shelf? Anyway, it's *kinda* cool.
My thoughts are here: inspeculation.blogspot.com
My thoughts are here: inspeculation.blogspot.com
October 3, 2025 at 8:48 PM
I gave this 3 stars--that's about how fun I felt it was. But you're probably gonna read it for some other purpose. Curiosity, maybe? Or for a lit course? Maybe because you're snowed in at a B&B and it's on the shelf? Anyway, it's *kinda* cool.
My thoughts are here: inspeculation.blogspot.com
My thoughts are here: inspeculation.blogspot.com
Harold Lamb does a fantastic job popularizing historical figures with his biographies and novels about important men and women. This is quite good--though it's more bio than novel, and I wish it leaned the other way.
Still good. 3 stars. ~3.5.
My brief thoughts are here: inspeculation.blogspot.com
Still good. 3 stars. ~3.5.
My brief thoughts are here: inspeculation.blogspot.com
September 25, 2025 at 3:14 PM
Harold Lamb does a fantastic job popularizing historical figures with his biographies and novels about important men and women. This is quite good--though it's more bio than novel, and I wish it leaned the other way.
Still good. 3 stars. ~3.5.
My brief thoughts are here: inspeculation.blogspot.com
Still good. 3 stars. ~3.5.
My brief thoughts are here: inspeculation.blogspot.com
I finally had to break down and buy a brand new book--couldn't get it any other way. Good choice. It's as good as everyone said it was, and I loved it.
It doesn't always work that way!
My brief thoughts are here: inspeculation.blogspot.com
All 5 stars. Fun, touching, humorous--it's a great book.
It doesn't always work that way!
My brief thoughts are here: inspeculation.blogspot.com
All 5 stars. Fun, touching, humorous--it's a great book.
September 18, 2025 at 7:20 PM
I finally had to break down and buy a brand new book--couldn't get it any other way. Good choice. It's as good as everyone said it was, and I loved it.
It doesn't always work that way!
My brief thoughts are here: inspeculation.blogspot.com
All 5 stars. Fun, touching, humorous--it's a great book.
It doesn't always work that way!
My brief thoughts are here: inspeculation.blogspot.com
All 5 stars. Fun, touching, humorous--it's a great book.
Another good book by Rafael Sabatini, this one set in 17th century England, amid rebellions, war, and the plague. Randal Holles has all of fate working against him...
My brief thoughts are here: inspeculation.blogspot.com
I liked it quite a bit. 5 stars for being a brisk, entertaining read.
My brief thoughts are here: inspeculation.blogspot.com
I liked it quite a bit. 5 stars for being a brisk, entertaining read.
September 16, 2025 at 10:41 PM
Another good book by Rafael Sabatini, this one set in 17th century England, amid rebellions, war, and the plague. Randal Holles has all of fate working against him...
My brief thoughts are here: inspeculation.blogspot.com
I liked it quite a bit. 5 stars for being a brisk, entertaining read.
My brief thoughts are here: inspeculation.blogspot.com
I liked it quite a bit. 5 stars for being a brisk, entertaining read.
They’re awesome! Stephanie Barron is so good (and she also writes as Francine Matthews). I wasn’t even a mystery reader when I started looking at them. Good mysteries, excellent prose with hints of Jane Austen’s rhythms, great research. Okay, I might be a top fan. 😄
September 13, 2025 at 11:25 PM
They’re awesome! Stephanie Barron is so good (and she also writes as Francine Matthews). I wasn’t even a mystery reader when I started looking at them. Good mysteries, excellent prose with hints of Jane Austen’s rhythms, great research. Okay, I might be a top fan. 😄
This poor book of plays has been bounced from one home to another its whole life. Does it know it’s reached its forever home? Does it dare hope?
Now if I can get all these stickers off… 🤬
Now if I can get all these stickers off… 🤬
September 13, 2025 at 11:02 PM
This poor book of plays has been bounced from one home to another its whole life. Does it know it’s reached its forever home? Does it dare hope?
Now if I can get all these stickers off… 🤬
Now if I can get all these stickers off… 🤬
I don't read a lot of westerns. But ya gotta change it up sometimes, you know?
And I liked it. 4 stars. I was surprised to discover it's not a novel but a short story collection.
My brief thoughts are here: inspeculation.blogspot.com
Good stories for a quick read before bed, IMO. Recommended.
And I liked it. 4 stars. I was surprised to discover it's not a novel but a short story collection.
My brief thoughts are here: inspeculation.blogspot.com
Good stories for a quick read before bed, IMO. Recommended.
September 13, 2025 at 6:40 PM
I don't read a lot of westerns. But ya gotta change it up sometimes, you know?
And I liked it. 4 stars. I was surprised to discover it's not a novel but a short story collection.
My brief thoughts are here: inspeculation.blogspot.com
Good stories for a quick read before bed, IMO. Recommended.
And I liked it. 4 stars. I was surprised to discover it's not a novel but a short story collection.
My brief thoughts are here: inspeculation.blogspot.com
Good stories for a quick read before bed, IMO. Recommended.