The Book Dilemma

For those of you that read Paper Napkins on our blog proper have probably noticed the big new "Currently-Reading" box from Good Reads.  I know it's awkward and when I redo the header graphic (it was meant to be temporary), I'd like to move it to the other side.  Anyway, that is in fact the last book I read or what I am currently reading and my thoughts on it at this time (based on the stars).  At the point of me writing this piece it is still listed as The Dresden Files: Side Jobs by Jim Butcher.  I actually read this over the Christmas break and I really loved it, but that lead to a problem, a dilemma if you will....

I want to read, but I have no idea what I want to do next, I just know that I want to have the same emotional investment as I do in Harry Dresden, Karen Murphy, and all the other regular members of the books.  You see, Dresden is a long series (13 books strong if you don't count the short stories of Side Jobs), and that gives you a lot of time to become intimate with the characters.  You don't get that in the first book of a new series.  You don't get that from a completely new author.

Wizard defender (and Private Investigator) of Chicago is a tough act to follow

Many of the books in my stack are deal-of-the-day from pixel of ink, or are classics from Amazon.  I have several bookcases of hardcover and paperback, but my eyes have been strained reading those books and so I've developed a preference for my Kindle, which I've learned I can even read while recovering from a migraine without additional strain!  Yay Kindle!  Paperback and small font hardcovers can trigger a migraine so this is huge for me.  In fact I borrowed Side Jobs from my local library and took it on my holiday travels on my kindle, something I would have been reluctant to do with an actual library book.  I'm always scared I'll leave it behind and not be able to return it on time.

Reading Side Jobs kicked up all the emotions after reading the horrific ending of Changes (book #12).  Changes is probably the most emotionally wrenching of the Dresden books, and even though I've already read book #13, Ghost Story, I still felt the pain and emotions of Changes fresh again as they were felt by the characters in the last short story of Side Jobs.  While the nature of the story left a strong raw emotion, the feeling of connection with the fantastical world and rich characters is something I long to repeat.

I did debate rereading the series (especially since my husband is only a few books in), but most of my copies are beautiful paperbacks, and the aforementioned vision issues make that unattractive.  I'm also not in the position to spend the money to buy them all for the kindle, especially since I've already read them and own a copy already.   So any suggestions on what to read next?  Leave them in the comments, or drop me a note on good reads.

What's Good Reads?  Well I'm not fully sure what the whole thing is about, but it fills a need I've been looking to fill for this blog since I started reviewing books here.  Good reads offers me the opportunity to share with you what I'm reading right now, even if it's not immediately apparent to the blog.  It also gives me a place to list stuff I've read, so I can remember which ones I have read, and so you my readers can see the literary me.  Now I spent quite a bit of time putting stuff I've read or listened to in the last couple years on there, and I know I'm missing a ton of just the recently read stuff, but it's a start.  I hope having a list of stuff I've read is as interesting for you as the idea is for me.  If I've read it recently, or it left a really strong impact on me, I've rated the book.  I hope to link to reviews here and maybe make a few short reviews for some of the books for when I don't want to or have time to write a full review.

Feel free to send a friend request to Good Reads for me, I'd love to see what you are reading!

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