what we weading wednesday
Oct. 21st, 2026 11:33 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
leanwellbackIt's a rare occasion that I'm reading enough to actually be able to do a wwww, so let's make the most of it!
What have you recently finished reading?
I re-read 'Carrie' by Stephen King in anticipation of the Mike Flanagan miniseries, because I hadn't read it for like... 20-odd years and I knew the series would likely dig into wider implications from the text. It remains a solid, tragic horror story and I'm really glad I read it again because it enhanced my enjoyment of the adaptation choices the miniseries made.
I just finished listening to the audiobook of 'Saltblood' by Francesca de Tores read by Dakota Blue Richards. Historical fiction based on Mary Read. It's essentially her telling her life story as she waits to die. I enjoyed it! It draws a lot from Charles Johnson's 'A General History of the Pyrates', which is not a reliable source but it does make for an interesting story. I like the genderfluid aspects of Mary and the queer romance with her and Anne Bonny. Also decent polyam rep in the form of a V with Mary, Anne and Jack Rackham. The characterisation of Jack was reminiscent of, but distinct from, Black Sails Rackham so I enjoyed him. A lot of introspection about the importance of stories and names. Anne Bonny was also a really great character. Dakota was, unfortunately, not briefed in how to pronounce nautical terms so I did get the odd "topgallants" and "forecastle" pronounced as written, and one "boatswain", which leads me to believe it must've been spelled "bosun" in every other instance in the book. And thank the gods, because that word was said far more often and really would've broke my immersion. You're a sailor - a pirate - and you're not saying "fo'c'sle" and "t'gallants"? Please.
What are you currently reading?
I'm about 3/4 through 'Wildwood' by Colin Meloy, in preparation for the movie coming out on Friday. I bought the book years ago and got about 2/3 through it before the ADHD stole my focus for reading and it just sat unfinished at my bedside for that whole time. I decided to just start it again from the beginning and have passed where I got to previously. It's really great! I'm not surprised that I enjoy the writing style, given that the author is the songwriter for my favourite band and writes beautiful stories and turns of phrase in his lyrics. Great worldbuilding and looks at grief and accountability, with real stakes as well as fun and cute moments. I love the illustrations by Carson Ellis, Colin's wife, as well. I'm so looking forward to seeing how it ends! I was also delighted to meet a fox called Sterling, because that's the last name my kitsune character uses in our Pathfinder game.
I just started the audiobook of 'The Strandling' by James Brogden. There was a sale on Libro.fm and this caught my eye, so Alex was kind enough to pick it up. It's folk horror set in a coastal town in north Yorkshire that's trying to get back on it's feet post-Covid. I've only just started it so haven't really formed an opinion (other than the narrator's accent work is, while appropriate, a tad grating) but there's some sort of ~creature~ from the deep that's emerged and made its way into the town.
I'm also listening to 'Emma' read by Julie Andrews for Noiser podcast's Jane Austen Stories series. I'm enjoying it a lot more than I thought I would, given how insufferable a protagonist Emma is, but she's more tolerable in weekly chunks of two chapters. I enjoy Julie's readings of Mr Woodhouse and Miss Bates. And, of course, I'm doing the annual Dracula Daily re-read. Love to hear from my favourite Gothic polycule.
What will you be reading next?
Alex also picked up audiobooks of 'The Southern Book Club's Guide to Slaying Vampires' by Grady Hendrix, and 'The Night Circus' by Erin Morgenstern for me in the Libro.fm sale. The latter's been on my to-read list for years, I just never picked up a copy, so I'm looking forward to that. I've also heard good things about the former, and I'm always up for vampire fiction. Spooky season going strong! We'll see if I'm able to pick up another paper book after 'Wildwood'.
What have you recently finished reading?
I re-read 'Carrie' by Stephen King in anticipation of the Mike Flanagan miniseries, because I hadn't read it for like... 20-odd years and I knew the series would likely dig into wider implications from the text. It remains a solid, tragic horror story and I'm really glad I read it again because it enhanced my enjoyment of the adaptation choices the miniseries made.
I just finished listening to the audiobook of 'Saltblood' by Francesca de Tores read by Dakota Blue Richards. Historical fiction based on Mary Read. It's essentially her telling her life story as she waits to die. I enjoyed it! It draws a lot from Charles Johnson's 'A General History of the Pyrates', which is not a reliable source but it does make for an interesting story. I like the genderfluid aspects of Mary and the queer romance with her and Anne Bonny. Also decent polyam rep in the form of a V with Mary, Anne and Jack Rackham. The characterisation of Jack was reminiscent of, but distinct from, Black Sails Rackham so I enjoyed him. A lot of introspection about the importance of stories and names. Anne Bonny was also a really great character. Dakota was, unfortunately, not briefed in how to pronounce nautical terms so I did get the odd "topgallants" and "forecastle" pronounced as written, and one "boatswain", which leads me to believe it must've been spelled "bosun" in every other instance in the book. And thank the gods, because that word was said far more often and really would've broke my immersion. You're a sailor - a pirate - and you're not saying "fo'c'sle" and "t'gallants"? Please.
What are you currently reading?
I'm about 3/4 through 'Wildwood' by Colin Meloy, in preparation for the movie coming out on Friday. I bought the book years ago and got about 2/3 through it before the ADHD stole my focus for reading and it just sat unfinished at my bedside for that whole time. I decided to just start it again from the beginning and have passed where I got to previously. It's really great! I'm not surprised that I enjoy the writing style, given that the author is the songwriter for my favourite band and writes beautiful stories and turns of phrase in his lyrics. Great worldbuilding and looks at grief and accountability, with real stakes as well as fun and cute moments. I love the illustrations by Carson Ellis, Colin's wife, as well. I'm so looking forward to seeing how it ends! I was also delighted to meet a fox called Sterling, because that's the last name my kitsune character uses in our Pathfinder game.
I just started the audiobook of 'The Strandling' by James Brogden. There was a sale on Libro.fm and this caught my eye, so Alex was kind enough to pick it up. It's folk horror set in a coastal town in north Yorkshire that's trying to get back on it's feet post-Covid. I've only just started it so haven't really formed an opinion (other than the narrator's accent work is, while appropriate, a tad grating) but there's some sort of ~creature~ from the deep that's emerged and made its way into the town.
I'm also listening to 'Emma' read by Julie Andrews for Noiser podcast's Jane Austen Stories series. I'm enjoying it a lot more than I thought I would, given how insufferable a protagonist Emma is, but she's more tolerable in weekly chunks of two chapters. I enjoy Julie's readings of Mr Woodhouse and Miss Bates. And, of course, I'm doing the annual Dracula Daily re-read. Love to hear from my favourite Gothic polycule.
What will you be reading next?
Alex also picked up audiobooks of 'The Southern Book Club's Guide to Slaying Vampires' by Grady Hendrix, and 'The Night Circus' by Erin Morgenstern for me in the Libro.fm sale. The latter's been on my to-read list for years, I just never picked up a copy, so I'm looking forward to that. I've also heard good things about the former, and I'm always up for vampire fiction. Spooky season going strong! We'll see if I'm able to pick up another paper book after 'Wildwood'.
