Finished Dead Beat by Jim Butcher. Loved the book. Series keep getting better and better.
After much deliberation on what to read next, went with Valour's Choice by Tanya Huff. Book 1 of "military sci-fi" series Confederation. Tanya Huff was recommended a long time ago on reddit, but I wasn't sure if I was in "military sci-fi" mood, but I am really enjoying the book.
The book is years after you join the Confederation, and it doesn't hand-hold you by explaining each "alien" term or how each species look like right away, giving you the feel that these words / things are so common that there is no need to explain them, but as the novel progress you start learning what's what and which species look like what.
What about all of you? What have you been reading or listening?
Just other reasons, I burnt out on reading a bit at the end of last year. I have a stack at my bedside where the easiest read by a long shot is Fellowship of the Ring, so I think I just jammed up with a few too many "hard" books and I need to reset a bit.
I'm actually impressed by how approachable Earth Transformed has been so far. It has a few gritty details but it doesn't feel like I need to bang my head against it at all.