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[tjs_whatnot]

 

Challenge #7: In your own space, create a list of at least three things you'd love to receive

Hmmmm...

Lets see. What do I usually wish for? I can't even remember anymore. Oh yeah...

Artists and Writers: Anything you want to create, either remixing or illustrating something that I've written in the past, or maybe something from the fandom of any of this year's 5 star reads?

Graphics and/or Coding Gurus: I neeeeeeed help! I did one of those reading bingo things--first one I've ever finished and I'm ridiculous pleased with myself--and I'd like to make it pretty, or have links or... IDK, be able to make it mine in someway, ya know? So I need help, or it if is easier to just do it than explain it, then that instead. *looks sheepish*

Readers and Reccers: Sell me on your favorite book from this year!

And wow. That's it. Oh yeah, if you have asked for anything on your Wishlist that you think might be in my wheel house to provide--as a writer, reader or squee-er, do me a solid and link it here, yeah? Cool.

Comments

Wish Granted!

[ysabetwordsmith]

>> Readers and Reccers: Sell me on your favorite book from this year! <<

Fiction:

Penric's Progress by Lois McMaster Bujold
Penric and Desdemona (Chronological) #1-3
Footloose nobleman Penric journeys from young lord to sorcerer and scholar in the Bastard’s Order—and solves mysteries along the way.


Nonfiction:

The Incredible Story of Cooking From Prehistory to Today: 500,000 Years of Adventure
For the first time, a graphic novel tells the story of humanity through the evolution of cuisine. From the discovery of fire to organic cooking, this book is aimed at all curious people and foodies.
Hilarious but also informative, a great read for anyone who likes food and/or history.


>>Oh yeah, if you have asked for anything on your Wishlist that you think might be in my wheel house to provide--as a writer, reader or squee-er, do me a solid and link it here, yeah? Cool.<<

My wishlist is here. Possibilities (more details in the post) may include:

* New participants in my Poetry Fishbowl.

* Recommendations for fanwork sites or free fanzines that don't require registration to view the content. I've already picked up the Spones zine that someone else put in their list.

* Feedback is candy. I'm always looking for new readers.

[royalblue31]

Readers and Reccers: Sell me on your favorite book from this year!

Lost Places by Sarah Pinsker - the first story alone is enough for me rec this short story collection (Two Truths and a Lie). But in general, I always enjoy Sarah Pinsker's short stories. Even when she's writing sci-fi or fantasy, the human story is always the forefront.

[apgeeksout]

I read a lot of stuff I loved last year!

Probably the warmest/kindest was The Curious Charms of Arthur Pepper - Phaedra Patrick, in which an isolated widower finds an unfamiliar charm bracelet in his late wife's things. Each charm relates to a part of her life he hadn't known, and as he looks deeper into each one he travels further out of the rut he settled into after her death and connects with new people, some of whom also loved his wife, and reconnects with their grown children.

The one that's still in my head even though I read it back in January of last year is What Happened to Ruthy Ramirez - Claire Jiminez. Ruthy disappeared without a trace at 13, and in present-day chapters narrated by her mother, older sister, and baby sister we see that her family never really recovered. There are also occasional chapters narrated by Ruthy in the days and hours before her disappearance. A dozen years later, her sisters see the villain of a trashy reality show who looks just like Ruthy might have grown up to, and the family ends up on a chaotic roadtrip to attend a taping of the show to see if it could possibly be her.

[silveradept]

What did you need to have happen with the reading bingo material? There's a lot you can do with the table elements (since it's an actual table) and styling. If it's something you want graphic design and that for, that's not my strong side, but there are others who do.

[wenchpixie]

I'd definitely recc The Library of the Dead by T. L. Huchu, it's based in Edinburgh and the world has Scottish and English magic in it, but Tendai's also woven in Zimbabwean magic for his main character and her family based on his own heritage and it's so different from anything else I've read in that "there is magic in this real world" kind of book.

(My favourite of the year was actually the 4th one in the series, but that doesn't stand alone, and the first one in the series does).

[kelly_chambliss]

Happy New Year, friend!

My favorite book of 2025 -- Wives and Daughters by Elizabeth Gaskell. Written in the 1860s, set in the 1830s. I know that 19th-century domestic fiction is not everyone's taste, but it's long been one of my literary sweet spots. But somehow, except for Cranford (read as a college assignment), I never got around to reading much Gaskell.

I started Wives and Daughters because it is a free selection on Audible, and I'd been thinking about giving more Gaskell a try. The book is really LONG, but the characters are compelling, and I really like Gaskell's overall tone/style: funny, kind, clear-eyed, thoughtful. Sadly, she died before finishing the novel (it was being published serially), so we'll never know exactly how she would have completed it, but I felt satisfied with the ending that another writer provided at the time of G's death.

There was also a 1999 TV mini-series that was well-received and that I'm looking forward to watching.

[reeby10]

My favorite recent read is The Nightmare Before Kissmas by Sara Raasch. It's a rivals to lovers romance between a prince of Christmas and a prince of Halloween, with lots of family drama in between. A really funny, sweet read! It's maybe a little out of season now, but it was really good and the second book comes out in March (for St. Patrick's Day!).