Currently Reading
January is half over and I still haven’t finished Dominicana by Angie Cruz – my First Book of the Year!
Recently Read
But that’s partly because I came up on the holds list for Days of Distraction by Alexandra Chang, which I hadn’t had a chance to finish last month. I finished that one first so it wouldn’t expire on me again!
I’ve also been dabbling in other bookish hobbies such as working on writing a novel myself (started during NaNoWriMo) and this weekend I attended the virtual Arisia Science Fiction & Fantasy Convention, which has been held every year in Boston since 1990.
I’ve never been to Arisia in real life (I actually hadn’t heard of it before this year!) and while I’m sure the 2021 con would have been more fun in real life – especially for attendees who like to dress up and put on performances – I confess I didn’t miss traveling in and out of Boston on the T in the cold to attend and cheer on two writer buddies who were reading from their work and speaking on panels.
Of course, as with every conference or convention – virtual or not – there were vendors! I bought some paperback copies of books by one of my favorite authors, Connie Willis, from The Mind’s Eye Bookstore. I bought a tea tasting sampler, and a gift to put away for Christmas next year, from Tea and Absinthe.
I also took note of s/f and fantasy reading recommendations (too many to list) and ordered some of them from Barnes & Noble today (the last day of the convention.) I found a new-to-me Massachusetts author who was a guest of honor and featured author at Arisia this year – Suzanne Palmer –and ordered her latest book, Finder.
Locus Magazine review of Finder by Suzanne Palmer
Currently Listening To
The Death of Vivek Oji (Riverhead, 2020) by Akwaeke Emezi is set in Nigeria and is just as amazing as everyone says it is! Heartbreakingly sad at times –as would be expected in a novel about grief and loss – and an exploration into shame, sexual desire, identity, and roles within families and communities.
If you liked Stay with Me (Knopf, 2017) by Ayobami Adebayo, you would probably like The Death of Vivek Oji.
This post is linked to “It’s Monday! What Are You Reading?” hosted by Kathryn at The Book Date. Check out the link-up party there for more book lists!
Ed. note — For custom Twitter text at publication or scheduling time: It’s Monday, What Are You Reading? 0-0-21 #IMWAYR @theBookDate