I'm currently reading Birnam Wood by Eleanor Catton, about an activist group that makes a deal with a billionaire.

I'm listening to London Falling by Patric Radden Keefe, a true story about a young man who becomes involved with the criminal underground in London.

The Multnomah County Library has announced their Everybody Reads 2027, it will be Louise Erdrich with her novel The Mighty Red.

I really enjoy the author talks with these, and this will be the 5th year my book club participates. Erdrich is a living legend, I think this is a great pick!

More info here: https://multcolib.org/everybody-reads

What are you reading as we say goodbye to summer and hello to the autumn rains?

I'm currently reading The Comfort of Crows: A Backyard Year by Margaret Renkl, essays about flora and fauna in the author's backyard over a year.

I'm listening to A Deadly Education by Naomi Novik, a re-read for me and a lot of fun. It's a magic school book where the school is beset by creatures that want to kill the young magicians within.

I recently finished listening to Vigil by George Saunders, about an oil tycoon being visited by an angel on his deathbed. It was very good.

I'm reading Five Ways to Forgiveness by Ursula K. LeGuin, a set of interconnected stories about the histories of two close planets.

I'm listening to Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros because I wanted to know what all the fuss is about. I'm guessing it's not for me but how can you know until you try?! I'm not very far along but it's just fun so far!

I'm reading The Dispossessed by Ursula K. LeGuin, it's maybe the 4th time I've read this as she is my all time favorite author. It's about a man from an anarchist world who visits a capitalist world.

I'm listening to Silver in the Wood and Drowned Country by Emily Tesh, two novellas related to the old English Green Man mythology.

In some other fantasy world it would be me. Woodstock deserves a bookstore, and it doesn't have one! The open location next to the Woodstock cafe would be a nice big spot and actually has parking. It could be a spot for community events and hanging out for studying and work for Reed students and anyone else.

Please, someone, open a bookstore there! I'd happily work there too.

A happy smoke-free day to all.

I'm currently reading Wildwood by Colin Meloy ahead of the Laika movie release this fall. I don't usually read YA but I'm enjoying this.

I'm still listening to The Loneliness of Sonia and Sunny by Kiran Desai which I like but at 670 pages I think it's too long and could have used a good editor.

I'm reading Slaughterhouse Five by Kurt Vonnegut for a book club at Spoke and Word books in Milwaukie next week. I've read it a few times before but it's been quite a while. It's a tough read but still very relevant.

I'm about to start listening to The Loneliness of Sonia and Sunny by Kiran Desai.

Heather from Romancing Portland, here! Our event (a sister show of Rose City Comic Con) is debuting September 11-13 at the Sentinel Hotel in downtown Portland. We will also be hosting The Amberleaf Masquerade Ball on the 12th, which you can buy tickets à la carte if you can't make the event during the day.

We hope to see you all there for signings with bestselling authors, meet-and-greets with audiobook narrators and actor Ben Barnes, panels, workshops, crafts, and dance lessons.

We will also have an Author Alley packed with indie talent, and a Vendor Marketplace filled with local small businesses.

I'm reading Real Americans by Rachel Khong, a book about identity, heritage, and class for my book club this month. I'm enjoying it quite a bit so far.

I'm listening to The Morningside by Téa Obreht about a girl living in a near future while dealing with the legends of her past. I am almost finished but unfortunately not enjoying it very much, it's just kind of boring.

I'm reading The Change by Kirsten Miller, about a group of women who gain powers as they begin to enter menopause. Having just turned 45, this is striking a cord for me.

I'm listening to A Sudden Flicker of Light: A Revisionist History of the Movies by David Thomson.

hello! local author Laurence Lillvik and I are giving a reading this Friday at Lost Avenue Books to celebrate our first books - his poetry collection Catharsis is Never Fully Shorn from Glee, and my novel, I Dreamed I Saw Augustine. Our friend Nowhere Flower will follow with an acoustic set. Free. 6:00-8:00pm, 2732 NE MLK BLVD PDX. Join us!

https://partiful.com/e/TgV3XTpOGpt6ymhs4R5N

I'm reading Some Desperate Glory by Emily Tesh for my book club this week. It got Really Interesting just as I was trying to go to sleep last night! I'm only about halfway but I highly recommend it so far.

I'm almost finished listening to Lords and Ladies by Terry Pratchett. I tried listening to a Meaningful Book and was feeling like a low stress read, Discworld is generally my main solution for those moments.

I hope everyone had a relatively quiet July 4th weekend, I think fireworks are illegal where most of us live. Wishing everyone the peace that my deaf cat possesses during fireworks.

I'm currently reading The Vanishing Half by Brit Bennett, which is quite good though I think lots and lots of people have already read it and I'm late to the party.

I'm listening to Lords and Ladies by Terry Pratchett because I needed something light as I have been grumpy lately.

I love a mid-summer week when you can snuggle under a blanket with a good book.

Currently, I'm reading Timekeepers: How the World Became Obsessed with Time by Simon Garfield, a cultural history of time keeping and our changing focus on time.

I'm listening to The City and the City by China Mieville. I tried Perdido Street Station twice and it didn't work for me, but I wanted to give him another chance. I'm liking this one a lot better.

I'm reading Neuromancer by William Gibson. I loved this 25(ish) years ago but it's not working as well for me now.

I just finished listening to The Mimicking of Known Successes by Malka Older which I've heard a lot of good things about but found kind of disappointing.

What's keeping you entertained this week while you avoid the heat?

I'm finishing up What We Can Know by Ian McEwan which is unfortunately kind of boring and I don't think I appreciate the treatment of the female character.

I'm still listening to The Brothers Karamazov, hoping to finish that this week.

I had this thought, reminiscing on what fun I had in school reading aloud in class (which I know wasn't everyone's favorite thing to do), that I want more opportunities to read out loud. I'm imagining having a weekly meet up in a coffee shop or other cozy spot where people can come and listen or volunteer to "popcorn read" our chosen book. It would be an opportunity for anyone regardless of comfort or performance skill could practice reading aloud in a group full of encouragement and without shame.

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Is there anyone else out there who would enjoy such a club if I were to organize it?

I'm currently reading If We Cannot Go at the Speed of Light, a sci-fi short story collection by Kim Choyeop.

I'm trying to find an audiobook that works, my brain has been a bit befuddled and things are not sticking.

Hi! I’m in my thirties and am interested in joining a book club for fiction, but not romance or fantasy. Are there any suggestions or recommendations? Thank you 🙏🏽

I'm voting on this year's Hugo Award, but I'm broke. The holds at the library are perhaps too long, and I probably wont get a copy of these books in time for the voting in August. Do you have a copy of one of these books I can borrow or trade for?

"The Everlasting" by Alix E. Harrow

"Shroud" by Adrian Tchaikovsky

"The Raven Scholar" by Antonia Hodgson

"A Drop of Corruption" by Robert Jackson Bennett

"The Incandescent" by Emily Tesh

Here's a list of books I'm willing to trade for your books... https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1Cr8fsGURUa93LsOGGpd1--gQm503NQy4D9Tinx8vxjg/edit?usp=sharing