@azreader.bsky.social
I’m a reader and a writer, a fan of fantasy (Kay, McClellan, McKiernan), historical mystery (Barron, C.S. Harris, Sherry Thomas, Darcie Wilde), and 19th century writers like Austen, Dumas, Scott, and Ainsworth.
I also love indie rock and baroque music.
I also love indie rock and baroque music.
Third in the series. My favorite so far. 5 stars.
Joliffe the actor is getting increasingly confident as an investigator, and I like how that works. As always, this book and the world portrays is based on solid research into the era.
My brief thoughts are here: inspeculation.blogspot.com
👍
Joliffe the actor is getting increasingly confident as an investigator, and I like how that works. As always, this book and the world portrays is based on solid research into the era.
My brief thoughts are here: inspeculation.blogspot.com
👍
January 15, 2026 at 5:12 PM
Third in the series. My favorite so far. 5 stars.
Joliffe the actor is getting increasingly confident as an investigator, and I like how that works. As always, this book and the world portrays is based on solid research into the era.
My brief thoughts are here: inspeculation.blogspot.com
👍
Joliffe the actor is getting increasingly confident as an investigator, and I like how that works. As always, this book and the world portrays is based on solid research into the era.
My brief thoughts are here: inspeculation.blogspot.com
👍
Part I of Dryden's "Conquest of Granada" was okay. Part II was a touch more entertaining, IMO, and I gave it 4 stars (on the "very old literature" scale).
My thoughts are here: inspeculation.blogspot.com
Anybody ever see these staged? I'm curious about how they come off.
I liked it. 👍
My thoughts are here: inspeculation.blogspot.com
Anybody ever see these staged? I'm curious about how they come off.
I liked it. 👍
January 10, 2026 at 6:29 PM
Part I of Dryden's "Conquest of Granada" was okay. Part II was a touch more entertaining, IMO, and I gave it 4 stars (on the "very old literature" scale).
My thoughts are here: inspeculation.blogspot.com
Anybody ever see these staged? I'm curious about how they come off.
I liked it. 👍
My thoughts are here: inspeculation.blogspot.com
Anybody ever see these staged? I'm curious about how they come off.
I liked it. 👍
My third book by this author. It is has many charms, but didn't hold my interest as well as the other titles. Still good, I'd say. 3/5 stars.
My thoughts are here: inspeculation.blogspot.com
It's pulp fiction, meant to be read in a couple gulps, not in bits and pieces. I'll remember next time. 👍
My thoughts are here: inspeculation.blogspot.com
It's pulp fiction, meant to be read in a couple gulps, not in bits and pieces. I'll remember next time. 👍
January 6, 2026 at 7:21 PM
My third book by this author. It is has many charms, but didn't hold my interest as well as the other titles. Still good, I'd say. 3/5 stars.
My thoughts are here: inspeculation.blogspot.com
It's pulp fiction, meant to be read in a couple gulps, not in bits and pieces. I'll remember next time. 👍
My thoughts are here: inspeculation.blogspot.com
It's pulp fiction, meant to be read in a couple gulps, not in bits and pieces. I'll remember next time. 👍
A Christmas book. Worth the wait.
John Scalzi is always good--good stories with good laughs. Here's another hit.
My brief thoughts are here: inspeculation.blogspot.com
I wanted it just for the cover. But the words on the pages are good, too.
John Scalzi is always good--good stories with good laughs. Here's another hit.
My brief thoughts are here: inspeculation.blogspot.com
I wanted it just for the cover. But the words on the pages are good, too.
January 4, 2026 at 10:04 PM
A Christmas book. Worth the wait.
John Scalzi is always good--good stories with good laughs. Here's another hit.
My brief thoughts are here: inspeculation.blogspot.com
I wanted it just for the cover. But the words on the pages are good, too.
John Scalzi is always good--good stories with good laughs. Here's another hit.
My brief thoughts are here: inspeculation.blogspot.com
I wanted it just for the cover. But the words on the pages are good, too.
Craig Kennedy is a New York detective who uses modern science, especially electrical gadgets, to solve mysteries. A little pulpier than Sherlock, but I thought it was still fun.
My brief thoughts: inspeculation.blogspot.com
It was probably 3.5 in my head, but sentimentally a 4. 😄
My brief thoughts: inspeculation.blogspot.com
It was probably 3.5 in my head, but sentimentally a 4. 😄
January 3, 2026 at 3:48 PM
Craig Kennedy is a New York detective who uses modern science, especially electrical gadgets, to solve mysteries. A little pulpier than Sherlock, but I thought it was still fun.
My brief thoughts: inspeculation.blogspot.com
It was probably 3.5 in my head, but sentimentally a 4. 😄
My brief thoughts: inspeculation.blogspot.com
It was probably 3.5 in my head, but sentimentally a 4. 😄
I'm torn. It's a good book in most ways--4 stars--and I liked it, mostly, but there are parts I don't love.
My brief thoughts are here: inspeculation.blogspot.com
I am literally of two minds. Overall--let's say it's a successful historical mystery that may not be for me.
My brief thoughts are here: inspeculation.blogspot.com
I am literally of two minds. Overall--let's say it's a successful historical mystery that may not be for me.
December 31, 2025 at 9:56 PM
I'm torn. It's a good book in most ways--4 stars--and I liked it, mostly, but there are parts I don't love.
My brief thoughts are here: inspeculation.blogspot.com
I am literally of two minds. Overall--let's say it's a successful historical mystery that may not be for me.
My brief thoughts are here: inspeculation.blogspot.com
I am literally of two minds. Overall--let's say it's a successful historical mystery that may not be for me.
Reposted
2026 is going to be a great year for Filipino books! Here’s some of my most anticipated reads:
📚The Swan’s Daughter
📚The Elsewhere Express
📚The Night King’s Court
📚Clara & the Devil
📚The Second Life of Snap
📚Nest of Tongues
#booksky
📚The Swan’s Daughter
📚The Elsewhere Express
📚The Night King’s Court
📚Clara & the Devil
📚The Second Life of Snap
📚Nest of Tongues
#booksky
December 30, 2025 at 2:37 AM
2026 is going to be a great year for Filipino books! Here’s some of my most anticipated reads:
📚The Swan’s Daughter
📚The Elsewhere Express
📚The Night King’s Court
📚Clara & the Devil
📚The Second Life of Snap
📚Nest of Tongues
#booksky
📚The Swan’s Daughter
📚The Elsewhere Express
📚The Night King’s Court
📚Clara & the Devil
📚The Second Life of Snap
📚Nest of Tongues
#booksky
The last in the series. I liked it, though I had wished for a little more tidying up of loose ends.
4 stars.
My thoughts are here: inspeculation.blogspot.com
Cool series. Do robots have free will? What happens when they get tired of being told what to do?
Recommended.
4 stars.
My thoughts are here: inspeculation.blogspot.com
Cool series. Do robots have free will? What happens when they get tired of being told what to do?
Recommended.
December 29, 2025 at 12:04 AM
The last in the series. I liked it, though I had wished for a little more tidying up of loose ends.
4 stars.
My thoughts are here: inspeculation.blogspot.com
Cool series. Do robots have free will? What happens when they get tired of being told what to do?
Recommended.
4 stars.
My thoughts are here: inspeculation.blogspot.com
Cool series. Do robots have free will? What happens when they get tired of being told what to do?
Recommended.
Reposted
Still up. Glad I posted here and not YouTube. This is what Bari Weiss and CBS tried to hide from us.
BREAKING: WATCH the full 60 Minutes CECOT segment here. This was sent to me anonymously. It appears to be the segment CBS' Bari Weiss killed. www.muellershewrote.com/p/watch-the-...
WATCH: The 60 Minutes CECOT Segment
I was sent the CECOT segment anonymously in a group chat.
www.muellershewrote.com
December 27, 2025 at 5:33 PM
Still up. Glad I posted here and not YouTube. This is what Bari Weiss and CBS tried to hide from us.
The second Sister Frevisse Mystery. I liked it. 4 stars.
My brief thoughts are here: inspeculation.blogspot.com
I like the main character and her setting; good mystery; good pacing. Looking forward to more.
My brief thoughts are here: inspeculation.blogspot.com
I like the main character and her setting; good mystery; good pacing. Looking forward to more.
December 25, 2025 at 12:41 AM
The second Sister Frevisse Mystery. I liked it. 4 stars.
My brief thoughts are here: inspeculation.blogspot.com
I like the main character and her setting; good mystery; good pacing. Looking forward to more.
My brief thoughts are here: inspeculation.blogspot.com
I like the main character and her setting; good mystery; good pacing. Looking forward to more.
Who’ll Remember Us When We’re the Dinosaurs?
Jon would have turned 80 this coming year. We were gonna have a big party, too. 80 is a good number for stuff like that--get the whole team back together (like we do every few years or decades) and take another photo, re-remember stuff from when we all…
Jon would have turned 80 this coming year. We were gonna have a big party, too. 80 is a good number for stuff like that--get the whole team back together (like we do every few years or decades) and take another photo, re-remember stuff from when we all…
Who’ll Remember Us When We’re the Dinosaurs?
Jon would have turned 80 this coming year. We were gonna have a big party, too. 80 is a good number for stuff like that--get the whole team back together (like we do every few years or decades) and take another photo, re-remember stuff from when we all had hair with a color. A beard among beards. Could have been epic.
ataraxiadaze.wordpress.com
December 21, 2025 at 1:09 AM
Who’ll Remember Us When We’re the Dinosaurs?
Jon would have turned 80 this coming year. We were gonna have a big party, too. 80 is a good number for stuff like that--get the whole team back together (like we do every few years or decades) and take another photo, re-remember stuff from when we all…
Jon would have turned 80 this coming year. We were gonna have a big party, too. 80 is a good number for stuff like that--get the whole team back together (like we do every few years or decades) and take another photo, re-remember stuff from when we all…
It took me months to finally finish this book. As is so often the case, the last third was quite good. Doesn't really make up for a dismal middle third. I dunno. I gave it 3 stars, though it was nearly a DNF for awhile.
My thoughts: inspeculation.blogspot.com
Does he have any better books?
My thoughts: inspeculation.blogspot.com
Does he have any better books?
December 17, 2025 at 7:19 PM
It took me months to finally finish this book. As is so often the case, the last third was quite good. Doesn't really make up for a dismal middle third. I dunno. I gave it 3 stars, though it was nearly a DNF for awhile.
My thoughts: inspeculation.blogspot.com
Does he have any better books?
My thoughts: inspeculation.blogspot.com
Does he have any better books?
I haven't read any Dryden since college. So--40 years? Anyway, I enjoyed this a good deal, and I'm on to read the second play in the sequence. 3.5/5.
My brief thoughts are here: inspeculation.blogspot.com
About the last days of Granada before the Reconquista--interesting and kinda fun, I thought.
My brief thoughts are here: inspeculation.blogspot.com
About the last days of Granada before the Reconquista--interesting and kinda fun, I thought.
December 16, 2025 at 3:24 PM
I haven't read any Dryden since college. So--40 years? Anyway, I enjoyed this a good deal, and I'm on to read the second play in the sequence. 3.5/5.
My brief thoughts are here: inspeculation.blogspot.com
About the last days of Granada before the Reconquista--interesting and kinda fun, I thought.
My brief thoughts are here: inspeculation.blogspot.com
About the last days of Granada before the Reconquista--interesting and kinda fun, I thought.
This was super fun. A great fantasy and a great mystery. The world was entertaining to visit and try to figure out. (I don't get all of it yet, but still.) And great investigators.
My brief thoughts are here: inspeculation.blogspot.com
Recommended!
My brief thoughts are here: inspeculation.blogspot.com
Recommended!
December 14, 2025 at 10:58 PM
This was super fun. A great fantasy and a great mystery. The world was entertaining to visit and try to figure out. (I don't get all of it yet, but still.) And great investigators.
My brief thoughts are here: inspeculation.blogspot.com
Recommended!
My brief thoughts are here: inspeculation.blogspot.com
Recommended!
Reposted
December 12, 2025 at 7:52 PM
I loved this fantasy. (Enough to give my first ever 6/5, if it were allowed.)😄
my brief thoughts are here: inspeculation.blogspot.com
As entertaining and engaging as it is moving, this is a beautiful novel. So much to enjoy.
Very much recommended.
my brief thoughts are here: inspeculation.blogspot.com
As entertaining and engaging as it is moving, this is a beautiful novel. So much to enjoy.
Very much recommended.
December 10, 2025 at 9:13 PM
I loved this fantasy. (Enough to give my first ever 6/5, if it were allowed.)😄
my brief thoughts are here: inspeculation.blogspot.com
As entertaining and engaging as it is moving, this is a beautiful novel. So much to enjoy.
Very much recommended.
my brief thoughts are here: inspeculation.blogspot.com
As entertaining and engaging as it is moving, this is a beautiful novel. So much to enjoy.
Very much recommended.
Lutheran thrift store finds. Mostly mysteries. $5.50 for the stack. 😄
December 9, 2025 at 6:48 PM
Lutheran thrift store finds. Mostly mysteries. $5.50 for the stack. 😄
My first book by this author. I liked it. It reads like Dumas or Scott, which is what I'm always on the hunt for.
Interesting moral dilemmas in this historical romance/action novel. Some of it I'm still chewing on.
My thoughts are here: inspeculation.blogspot.com
Recommended. 🙂
Interesting moral dilemmas in this historical romance/action novel. Some of it I'm still chewing on.
My thoughts are here: inspeculation.blogspot.com
Recommended. 🙂
December 9, 2025 at 1:20 AM
My first book by this author. I liked it. It reads like Dumas or Scott, which is what I'm always on the hunt for.
Interesting moral dilemmas in this historical romance/action novel. Some of it I'm still chewing on.
My thoughts are here: inspeculation.blogspot.com
Recommended. 🙂
Interesting moral dilemmas in this historical romance/action novel. Some of it I'm still chewing on.
My thoughts are here: inspeculation.blogspot.com
Recommended. 🙂
I like these "Further adventures of Sherlock" books, and this is a pretty good one. 4 stars.
A kidnapping, a missing Egyptian scroll, a rich young jerk who wants to live forever... lots of fun elements.
My brief thoughts are here: inspeculation.blogspot.com
Recommended for Sherlock people.
A kidnapping, a missing Egyptian scroll, a rich young jerk who wants to live forever... lots of fun elements.
My brief thoughts are here: inspeculation.blogspot.com
Recommended for Sherlock people.
December 7, 2025 at 9:29 PM
I like these "Further adventures of Sherlock" books, and this is a pretty good one. 4 stars.
A kidnapping, a missing Egyptian scroll, a rich young jerk who wants to live forever... lots of fun elements.
My brief thoughts are here: inspeculation.blogspot.com
Recommended for Sherlock people.
A kidnapping, a missing Egyptian scroll, a rich young jerk who wants to live forever... lots of fun elements.
My brief thoughts are here: inspeculation.blogspot.com
Recommended for Sherlock people.
I'm liking this series and this author. 4.5 stars.
My brief thoughts are here: inspeculation.blogspot.com
Good stuff. Fun to read. Good mystery and setting and main characters. Recommended.👍
My brief thoughts are here: inspeculation.blogspot.com
Good stuff. Fun to read. Good mystery and setting and main characters. Recommended.👍
December 6, 2025 at 10:05 PM
I'm liking this series and this author. 4.5 stars.
My brief thoughts are here: inspeculation.blogspot.com
Good stuff. Fun to read. Good mystery and setting and main characters. Recommended.👍
My brief thoughts are here: inspeculation.blogspot.com
Good stuff. Fun to read. Good mystery and setting and main characters. Recommended.👍
Today’s reading order, including a small chunk of each book here. Excited to start The Tainted Cup—but it’s all good stuff, all the way down. And sunny in Arizona for the reading. 😎
Have you read any of these?
Have you read any of these?
November 29, 2025 at 5:42 PM
Today’s reading order, including a small chunk of each book here. Excited to start The Tainted Cup—but it’s all good stuff, all the way down. And sunny in Arizona for the reading. 😎
Have you read any of these?
Have you read any of these?
Warned off this decades ago by one of my teachers, I finally read it anyway and really liked it. Not the miserable stuff, but maybe the Charles Bronson-like revenge part...
My thoughts are here: inspeculation.blogspot.com
Nice edition. Tons of notes make it very readable. 5 stars for the editor.
My thoughts are here: inspeculation.blogspot.com
Nice edition. Tons of notes make it very readable. 5 stars for the editor.
November 24, 2025 at 9:10 PM
Warned off this decades ago by one of my teachers, I finally read it anyway and really liked it. Not the miserable stuff, but maybe the Charles Bronson-like revenge part...
My thoughts are here: inspeculation.blogspot.com
Nice edition. Tons of notes make it very readable. 5 stars for the editor.
My thoughts are here: inspeculation.blogspot.com
Nice edition. Tons of notes make it very readable. 5 stars for the editor.
Enough of this poetry was new to me to make it well worth picking up, but the introduction and other chapter helps by the editor make this an invaluable source for those of us still educating ourselves on Chinese poetry.
5 stars.
My thoughts are here: inspeculation.blogspot.com
Recommended. 👍
5 stars.
My thoughts are here: inspeculation.blogspot.com
Recommended. 👍
November 21, 2025 at 8:37 PM
Enough of this poetry was new to me to make it well worth picking up, but the introduction and other chapter helps by the editor make this an invaluable source for those of us still educating ourselves on Chinese poetry.
5 stars.
My thoughts are here: inspeculation.blogspot.com
Recommended. 👍
5 stars.
My thoughts are here: inspeculation.blogspot.com
Recommended. 👍
Reposted
just learned we won an award for our blog post about Tom Holland and stormwater management.
remember, when you see an article about stormwater management, you repost it. i don’t make the rules.
remember, when you see an article about stormwater management, you repost it. i don’t make the rules.
What Tom Holland’s historic lip-sync showcase taught us about stormwater management
Grab your umbrella and your tights.
neorsd.medium.com
November 19, 2025 at 12:22 AM
just learned we won an award for our blog post about Tom Holland and stormwater management.
remember, when you see an article about stormwater management, you repost it. i don’t make the rules.
remember, when you see an article about stormwater management, you repost it. i don’t make the rules.
An interesting and entertaining book. 4 stars.
It's historical fiction blended with legend--the story of Prague's golem--with a literary bent. I didn't like everything, but there's still a lot to like.
My thoughts are here: inspeculation.blogspot.com
Cautiously recommended.
It's historical fiction blended with legend--the story of Prague's golem--with a literary bent. I didn't like everything, but there's still a lot to like.
My thoughts are here: inspeculation.blogspot.com
Cautiously recommended.
November 18, 2025 at 2:45 PM
An interesting and entertaining book. 4 stars.
It's historical fiction blended with legend--the story of Prague's golem--with a literary bent. I didn't like everything, but there's still a lot to like.
My thoughts are here: inspeculation.blogspot.com
Cautiously recommended.
It's historical fiction blended with legend--the story of Prague's golem--with a literary bent. I didn't like everything, but there's still a lot to like.
My thoughts are here: inspeculation.blogspot.com
Cautiously recommended.