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Lani

After such a great reading start to the year, I just couldn’t find THE NEXT ONE — but I got there, eventually.

As I mentioned last month, I started Emily Wilde’s Encyclopaedia of Faeries with low expectations, and try as I might, I couldn’t get into it. I’m not sure if it is considered YA, but it felt too young for me. And like I said, I don’t like fairies, but since I like fantasy, I thought I’d give it a go especially since it was a Goodreads best of pick for 2023. Sigh.

Next up was Leigh Bardugo’s Hell Bent (2023) the follow up after Ninth House (2019), which I really liked. I mean Stephen King called Ninth House the best fantasy he’s read in years. But again, not sure what is going on with me, I couldn’t get past the first chapter. I think given the state of the world, I’m not interested in gruesome and dark fantasy right now.

Thank god then for Richard Osman’s fourth installment of our favorite pensioners solving murder mysteries. The Last Devil to Die, for me, is up there with the first novel. The Thursday Murder Club (#1) demonstrated that this beloved British TV personality could write and put his comedic abilities on paper.

The Man Who Died Twice (#2) and The Bullet That Missed (#3) established that he could carry the torch, but The Last Devil was special because of the way he handled and tackled Elizabeth’s husband Stephen’s dementia. It felt like he elevated his writing game.

And I see that Osman has another murder series set to come out in September, We Solve Murders. My goodness ever since 2020 he’s publishing a book a year. I’m here for it.

// Overall, March was quite the month. I finished my first term at my old/new teaching job and accomplished a lot.

// My March newsletter on Substack, Is Technology Slowing Us Down (and what can we do about it?) is out. For me, it’s an important discussion that no one seems interested in having because we’re too busy with tech. But that’s okay, as my husband likes to say, I live in the future.

// And per Jean’s suggestion, I’m working on a Substack vs WordPress post.

// Lastly, I just posted What’s your relationship with food? which some of you might remember from ‘ol 2016, but I changed it a great deal (maybe 97%), and I recorded it, too, so if you want, you can have a listen.

How has your March been?

14 responses to “March 2024 Reading Roundup + Updates”

Behind the Story

01/04

I’m glad you’re doing well in your old/new teaching job.

I admire your ability to quit when you don’t like a book. I recently finished Stephen King’s On Writing and now I’m reading Robert Dugoni’s The 7th Canon. I like them both. But I’m also listening to Kristin Hannah’s The Women on Audible, and I really don’t like it. So instead of just quitting, I listen to it for short periods. It’s about a nurse during the Vietnam War and after she gets home. I thought I was a reasonably sympathetic person, but I keep wanting to tell the main character to just suck it up. So here I am, reading it but not enjoying it, and still wanting to see how it ends.

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1. Lani
  
  02/04
  
  OH, how disappointing. I like Kristen Hannah. I’ve read a couple of her novels. Sometimes audio books don’t do any favors for the material. It’s funny as much as I enjoy the audio format, I prefer to read my books.
  
  Stephen King’s On Writing was great. I read that ages ago and really enjoyed it.
  
  Thanks, Nicki!
  
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  1. Behind the Story
    
    02/04
    
    I think you’re right about audio books. It could very well be that the way the narrator reads the dialog turns me against the character. She might sound entirely different in my head if I read it myself.
    
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Bespoke Traveler

03/04

Ah, I notice so often that the books listed in many best of categories never really hit the spot for me. Congrats on finishing your first term at your new/old job.

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1. Lani
  
  03/04
  
  I pick and choose from those lists carefully and sometimes they work and other times they don’t. It’s okay. 🙂 Reading is so personal and dependent on your mood!
  
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  1. Bespoke Traveler
    
    04/04
    
    So true!
    
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Content Catnip

06/04

Thank you so much Lani, I love your book recommendations and also the ones you recommend to avoid, I also take that advice. With so many to choose from and so little time, this curation helps. These Richard Osman books I am starting to believe the hype and so going to get the first one. I’ve been reading your posts on Substack but as I don’t have an account I don’t like them there but I do read them

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1. Lani
  
  07/04
  
  Awww, thanks. Sometimes it feels like no one is listening when you put something out there, so that’s nice and reaffirming.
  
  As far as Richard Osman, I’m a fan of his comedy and just about all things British, so it was easy for me to be charmed by the story.
  
  Cheers, xo
  
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Rebecca Moon Ruark

08/04

Seems I’m always late to your posts. I also had a lackluster reading month. I got halfway through an Ali Smith book (I’ve loved one of her others) and gave up, disinterested in the character of focus at that point–and realizing that character had many more pages! Then I started The Hearing Test, a novella. Since my novel ms. is somewhat about hearing loss I thought this would be good to read–and potentially a comp. I really wouldn’t even call it a novella, because that sounds like it should have a plot. It’s really more of an extended, experimental meditation on hearing loss, silence, and art. There are some interesting ideas and smart turns of phrase, but it’s definitely not a page-turner. I’ve heard great things about the Osman books–from you and other avid readers. Such fun to find a series you can count on to be good!

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1. Lani
  
  09/04
  
  I though the novella sounded interesting until you said not a page turner. 😂
  
  Osman’s my new Agatha Christie, you could always rely on the Queen of Mystery to give you something interesting. For many, she’s dated, but she’s known as the best, at least for me, because of her characters. Osman takes up the torch – the idea of retirees solving crimes makes me giggle.
  
  Thanks for reading along, Rebecca. I appreciate it. xo
  
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Jean

17/04

I visited your newish Substack blog. 🙂 I look forward to reading about your thoughts re WordPress vs. Substack.

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1. Lani
  
  17/04
  
  Thanks! 🙂
  
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Mabel Kwong

20/04

I’ve heard of Emily Wilde’s Encyclopaedia of Faeries. I’m not one for fiction but anything that is set in a magical world usually catches my eye. I wasn’t sure about picking it up, and interesting to hear your take on it. There was point where I was into YA but these days not anymore. Reading tastes can change over time depending on what we’re interested in.Lovely to hear that you finished your first term at your old/new job. Sounds like you have been busy with that, and hope you are finding it meaningful work.

I agree with what Content Catnip mentioned in the comments on Substack. I’m really trying to get into Substack and it’s interesting to see where it will go as platform. I really enjoyed your food post over there. You really have had quite a journey with food and cuisine over the years – not just eating but also cooking! Having a good meal really nourishes you. Like you, I like a full pantry and fridge. Sometimes when inspiration strikes and I want to cook something all of a sudden, it is always a nice feeling to have ingredients on hand 😄

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1. Lani
  
  21/04
  
  Yes, tastes do change and it’s good to recognize that. Thanks for reading over there. It’s nice to see folks coming over to check it out. Appreciate it, Mabel, xo
  
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Hello,

I’m Lani

Welcome to Life, the Universe, and Lani. I’ve been blogging about my experiences living abroad since 2009.

At this point, this site serves as an archive as I’m mostly active at No Girl is an Island 👉https://lanivcox.substack.com/ 🏝️where I have been both newslettering and continuing to craft personal essays on finding freedom in the fringes.

Thanks for stopping by, have a look around, and hope to see you over at No Girl is an Island.