Because the character and comic book offered a grand and triumphant vision of Afrofuturist blackness...

6.

Super Black by Adilifu Nama - I stumbled upon this book while browsing Facebook one day, saw one of my favourite comic characters and knew I had to read it. Nama, a professor of Africa American Studies, does a pretty good job of analysing all the major black superheroes in comics, TV and film. Some pretty good insights and criticism.

All the emotion I thought was dead rushing at me.

7.

Start Shooting by Charlie Newton - Picked up and advanced copy of this Chicago noir. Had high hopes of a good pot-boiler, but although this started out with promise of guns, gangs, drugs and corruption it soon turned silly with Japanese bio-weapons and a Viet Nam revenge saga. Blergh. I think I want my money back.

When you die, you feel as though there were some subtle change...

8.

Sum by Dave Eagleman - Book Club Pick! Forty-some odd visions of the afterlife. Some worked, but a lot didn't. It is the kind of book that makes you go Hmmm, but doesn't really stick with you.

No mention of his suspicion that this had something to do with things he could no longer ignore...

9.

The Coast Road by John Brady - I fell in love with the Matt Minogue mysteries a long time ago and probably still read them out of habit more than anything, but they always seem to hit the right notes and make me miss my visit to Ireland.

I don't know, the guy was beige wallpaper

10.

Agent X by Noah Boyd - Needing a bit of an escape and not being ready for another Lee Child I went back to Noah Boyd and his ready-for-screen thrillers starring Steve Vail, former FBI super hero & current bricklayer. This one did not disappoint. Fun puzzles, lots of action, hints of cold-war spying and eye rolling romance. Quick and fun little read.

Without bicycles, my life would have taken a completely different path.

11.

On Bicycles: 50 Ways the New Bike Culture Can Change Your Life edited by Amy Walker - I put in the subtitle, because I need you to know that this book is not 50 ways the new bike culture can change your life. It is 50 articles on bikes, bike culture and bike activism. The problem is that some are good and some are bad. Sure, to be expected, but the range of topics is too diverse and the editing is weak. Also, I don't need to read 35 people's different way to phrase 'bikes reduce green house emissions'.