First off, obligatory PRE-ORDER/UPCOMING RELEASE note. The new ebook editions will be out on July 9th.

Despite being very busy (trip to Italy – yes, pictures will come – family visit, general stuff), I managed to read 30 books. I suppose the two long plane flights did help.

FICTION

The Grief of Stones, by Katherine Addison. One of the things I love about Addison’s work is that she just pitches you into the world and somehow you figure out what you need to know. Lots of things are never explained because the explanation doesn’t matter to the story. Ok, I admit, this is the second book about Witness for the Dead Thara Celehar but I can’t be expected to remember all the world details. Anyway, another fine additional to a compassionate series.

Saint Death’s Daughter, by C.S.E. Corey. Winner of the 2023 World Fantasy Award. The protagonist comes from a long line of court-appointed assassins with wonderful names like Abandon Hope, Irradiant, and Unnatural. When misfortunes befalls her feckless family, she finds herself up against the Blackbird Bride and her flock of wizards. Rich and funny and dark all at the same time.

The Thrice-Drowned Saint, by C.S.E. Corey. I didn’t like this as much as Saint Death’s Daughter, but I did love the angels (remember kids, every angel is terrible) and the uncles.

Refuge, by Merilyn SImonds. This one had lingered on my list until I finally decided to read it. I thought the structure worked well and was even willing to forgive a few too many “Forest Gump” cameos. I do love a crotchety older narrator, and Cassandra MacCallum, her island solitude interrupted by a young Burmese refugee claiming to be her great-granddaughter, is a fine one.

A Wizard’s Guide to Defensive Baking, by T. Kingfisher. A lovely romp that’s guaranteed to make you hungry.

Rose/House, by Arkady Martine. Another audiobook. This novella is part mystery novella, part commentary on architecture and the worship of ‘art monsters’, part meditation on AI, and part homage to “The Haunting of Hill House”. Since I like all of those things, I thoroughly enjoyed this.

NON-FICTION

The Water Will Come: Rising Seas, Sinking Cities, and the Remaking of the Civilized World, by Jeff Goodell. Continuing my upbeat reading with this timely one. Glad I live in Ontario.

City of Fortune: How Venice Won and Lost a Naval Empire, by Roger Crowley. Sadly, this one didn’t come in until I was home from Venice, but it was a good read just the same. It focuses on the period of Venice’s naval dominance (vs. an entire history) and provides the right balance of love and clear-sightedness about the history, strengths, and weaknesses, in this unique place. Venice is one of my favorite cities in the world and I think it generally gets a bum rap (particularly in fantasy fiction). As Crowley points out, Venice’s only resource was naval and mercantile prowess – if they didn’t trade, they didn’t eat. They had to be good – and ruthless – at both of those things.

Knife, by Salman Rushdie. I listened to the audiobook (read by Rushdie) of this collections of “Meditations After An Attempted Murder”. I have read some Rushdie, but not in a while, and I found his thoughts about life, love, creativity, and the writing life interesting.

Move Like Water, by Hannah Stowe. Subtitled “My Story of the Sea”, this recounts Stowe’s life around, in, and studying the ocean. Lyrically written and immersive (ha!).