Tsana's October Status

Well the good news is that I'm less behind on reviews than I was last month. I still have some way to go to catch up, though. I'm hoping that when I am caught up I'll have better luck resisting taking on too many review requests.

In other news, I interviewed Kaaron Warren and Jo Anderton about their past novels. And, as per usual, you can read my round up of spec fic reviews on the AWW website.

And in real-life news, the renovation hell I've been living in for the past six weeks is FINALLY OVER and I can sleep in peace. Such a relief. And as a bonus, we have a shiny new bathroom, which is not to be sneezed at.

What Have I Read?

• Shatterwing by Donna Maree Hanson — dark, gritty fantasy; one might even call it grimdark. The first book in a new series.
• A Slip of the Keyboard by Terry Pratchett — collection of essays covering all sorts of topics
• The Mirror Empire by Kameron Hurley — an excellent new fantasy series from an excellent new-to-me author
• Langue[dot]doc 1305 by Gillian Polack — a time travel novel in which no one listens to the actual historian
• The Ark by Annabel Smith — post-oil apocalypse, epistemological novel set in a seed bank in the Snowy Mountains
• Secret Lives of Books by Rosaleen Love — the latest collection in the Twelve Planets series. A variety of spec fic stories
• Lock In by John Scalzi — a plague, a positive government response, some exploration of disability rights/ableism, and an interesting gender thing
• Loving the Prince by Nicole Murphy — science fiction romance with a solid SF plot
• Ancillary Sword by Ann Leckie — sequel to everything-winning Ancillary Justice. Really awesome book.

Currently Reading

I'm about halfway through the latest anthology from FableCroft and edited by Tehani Wessely, Phantazein. It has a very strong fairytale vibe through it so far.

I also just started reading The Sorcerer's Spell by Dani Kristoff, an urban fantasy erotica novel. I haven't really read far enough to begin forming an opinion yet. I suspect I'll end up reading it slowly, probably interspersed with another novel.

I'm also still part-way through Help Fund My Robot Army. It's one of those books you can't read in large chunks. Or at least, I can't.

New Booksies 

 Assume review copies unless otherwise stated. Smaller haul than usual, which is a relief to me.

• Phantazein edited by Tehani Wessely (currently reading anthology)
• Skywatcher by Donna Maree Hanson (sequel to Shatterwing)
• The Ark by Annabel Smith (already reviewed)
• Difficult Second Album by Simon Petrie (short story collection with a great title)
• The Falcon Throne by Karen Miller (purchased, start of a new fantasy series)
• Undercity by Catherine Asaro (set in the Skolian Empire world, same characters as a story in Aurora in four Voices)
• Ancillary Sword by Ann Leckie (sequel to Ancillary Justice, already reviewed)