Author Archives: smellincoffee

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About smellincoffee

Citizen, librarian, reader with a boundless wonder for the world and a curiosity about all the beings inside it.

Top Ten Book Covers of 2024 – So Far

Posted on July 2, 2024 by smellincoffee

Today’s TTT is books with our favorite color on the cover, but I don’t have a favorite color, so I’m just going to go with my favorite covers for the year. But first, teases! “This is interesting, meeting you here,” … Continue reading →

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June 2024

Posted on July 1, 2024 by smellincoffee

Well, 2024 is half gone. My reading this year has been unusual — lots of novels — but quite enjoyable, with a lot of five-star titles. Trying to create my top ten list for the year in December will be … Continue reading →

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Moviewatch: June 2024

Posted on June 30, 2024 by smellincoffee

Apocalypse Now, which was…..different than I was expecting. Of course, I’ve seen Sheen’s son Charlie in Platoon and my Vietnam movie knowledge is very muddled.   Wonderful shots in the beginning, though:  as horrible as war is, they managed to … Continue reading →

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Midyear Book Freakout

Posted on June 29, 2024 by smellincoffee

I saw this floating around the book-blogging world, so I figured I’d play along. 2024 has been a most unusual year, as long-time readers may know. I’ve been reading “in public” for seventeen years now, and while my approach to … Continue reading →

Posted in General | 5 Comments

Recoding History

Posted on June 29, 2024 by smellincoffee

A few years ago I read Broad Band, a history of women in early computing, which blew my mind. I’d taken for granted that computers and the early internet were wholly the domain of socially awkward dudes with glasses wearing … Continue reading →

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ST: Pliable Truths

Posted on June 28, 2024 by smellincoffee

After a half-century of vicious occupation, the Cardassian Empire is finally cutting bait and withdrawing from Bajor, pushed by aggressive resistance movements. The Federation has been asked to meditate the terms of a peaceful withdrawal and settlement and has asked … Continue reading →

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A Daughter of Fair Verona

Posted on June 27, 2024 by smellincoffee

The Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet was a cautious tale about the dangers of pride and unbridled passion. A Daughter of Fair Verona says phooey on that, tweaks Shakespeare so that our teenage lovers prove too incompetent to actually do … Continue reading →

Posted in historical fiction, Reviews | Tagged , , , | 5 Comments

Miss Morgan’s Book Brigade

Posted on June 26, 2024 by smellincoffee

France, 1918: the Great War is almost over, but it doesn’t feel like it for civilians close to the lines, where the threat of a German resurgence hangs as close to the battered ground as the dust from the constant … Continue reading →

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Minimalist awkwardness

Posted on June 25, 2024 by smellincoffee

….I wouldn’t notice and neither would my friends. I adopted a minimalist dress code years ago in which my t-shirts, underwear, and socks are all almost entirely black except in the case of some pre-code shirts/shorts that haven’t aged out … Continue reading →

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Top Ten Anticipated releases

Posted on June 25, 2024 by smellincoffee

Today’s TTT is upcoming releases We’re So Excited about. I don’t know if I can manage ten, but I’ll give it the ol’ college try. But first ,teases! Baghdad is generally considered a good place for solo journalists to get … Continue reading →

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