robertmcgrath posted: " One of the features of this blog has been short "book reviews", notes on books I have read.  Most, but not all of the books were recently published, purchased or checked out of my local library. I managed to post one or more short note every week" Robert McGrath's Blog Book Reviews Over The Years robertmcgrath Dec 31 One of the features of this blog has been short "book reviews", notes on books I have read.  Most, but not all of the books were recently published, purchased or checked out of my local library. I managed to post one or more short note every week since 2014!   That's more than 500 books reviewed!  Wow!  I should note several points I am proud of.  First, I have 100% editorial control, selecting what to read, and what to write.  Second, I have a firm policy that I must actually read the book before I write about it.  (OK, there were a handful of cases where I just couldn't finish the damn thing.  : - ( )  And third, I generally only write about books that I think are worth reading.  Only a handful of my reviews were negative.  Basically, If I don't like it, I say nothing about it.  Or write about something else that refutes it.  Or something. Flaming something seems fun, but usually is a lot more work, at least for me.  If I eant to pan something, I have to explain what is wrong, why I hate it, or whatever.  With facts and logic.  Gack.  Too much work, and who cares about my opinions anyway? If I had time, I might review by book reviews, maybe select some high and low points. But, who has the energy? Part of the point of blogging is that the information is indexed and available online.  So, if you want to see all the book reviews, here is a link: Let's be content with a review of 2023. Books Reviewed This Year Over the whole year, I reviewed 52 books, 13 non-fiction, 49 fiction. Best and worst?  I can't really choose.  This quarter I reviewed 17 books, 3 Non-fiction, 14 Fiction. Here's the list: Q4 Non- Fiction On Savage Shores by Caroline Dodds Pennock Hunting the Falcon by John Guy and Julia Fox Monsters by Claire Dederer Fiction Winter's Gifts by Ben Aaronovitch Viviana Valentine and the Ticking Clock by Emily J. Edwards Like Thunder by Nnedi Okorafor Shadow Speaker by Nnedi Okorafor The Glow by Jessie Gaynor America Fantastica by Tim O'Brien The Witch of Maracoor by Gregory Maguire The Eight Reindeer of the Apocalypse by Tom HoltThe Dead Take the A Train by Cassandra Khaw and Richard KadreyAssistant to the Villain by Hannah Nicole Maehrer The Surviving Sky by Kritika H. Rao The Fraud by Zadie SmithThe Secret Hours by Mick HerronNot Forever But For Now by Chuck Palahniuk From earlier in the year: Q3 Non-Fiction Fossil Legends of the First Americans by Adrienne Mayor The Peking Express by James M. Zimmerman Fancy Bear Goes Phishing by Scott J. Shapiro Fiction Ex-Wife by Ursula Parrot The Stolen Coast by Dwyer Murphy Girlfriend on Mars by Deborah Willis The Book of Eve by Carmen Boullosa The Sinister Mystery of the Mesmerizing Girl by Theodora Goss Silver Nitrate by Silvia Moreno-Garcia Ink, Blood, Sister, Scribe by Emma Tõrzs Viviana Valentine Goes Up The River by Emily J. Edwards The Road To Roswell by Connie Willis Angelmaker by Nick Harkaway Titanium Noir by Nick Harkaway Starter Villain by John Scalzi Q2 Fiction Give Unto Others by Donna Leon So Shall You Reap by Donna Leon The Twyford Code by Janice Hallett  Confidence by Rafael Frumkin Hopeland by Ian McDonald Birnam Wood by Eleanor Catton  Sea Change by Gina Chung  Red Team Blues by Cory Doctorow Emily Wilde's Encyclopaedia of Faeries by Heather Fawcett Someone in Time: Tales of Time Crossed Romance edited by Jonathan Strahan   Swamp Story by Dave Barry The Making of Another Major Motion Picture Masterpiece by Tom Hanks Yellowface by R. F. Kuang  Season of Skulls by Charles Stross Fractal Noise by Christopher Paolini  White Cat, Black Dog by Kelly Link Non-Fiction The Wandering Mind by Jamie Kreiner The Status Revolution by Chuck Thompson People of the Ecotone By Robert Michael Morrissey On the Origin of Time by Thomas Hertog      Q1 Non-Fiction American Inheritanceby Edward J. Larson Inventing the World by Meredith F. Small Meade at Gettysburg by Kent Masterson Brown Fiction Murder Your Employer by Rupert Holmes Eversion by Alastair Reynolds Stone Blind by Natalie Haynes The Last Voice You Hear by Mick Herron Standing By The Wall by Mick Herron Down Cemetery Road by Mick Herron Blitz by Daniel O'Malley Dr. No by Percival Everett Before Your Memory Fades by Toshikazu Kawaguchi Babel by R. F Kuang The Maltese Iguana by Tim Dorsey After Sappho by Selby Wynn Schwartz Comment Like You can also reply to this email to leave a comment. Manage your email settings or unsubscribe.

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