LeahBird's List of Books (Probably Listened to in the Car) in 2018!
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1leahbird
I'm back for another year of reading and chatting! Hopefully more of the latter this year as we all seemed to be a tad quiet last year. I'm still a nerd on a farm who reads a lot of fantasy, science fiction, and young adult, and is completely baby crazy, so not much has changed.
2017 was rough, even worse than 2016 in some ways. 2018 has started as one of the most challenging yet. Books have been and will continue to be part of my destressing so here's to a good reading year at least!
2017 was rough, even worse than 2016 in some ways. 2018 has started as one of the most challenging yet. Books have been and will continue to be part of my destressing so here's to a good reading year at least!
2leahbird
END OF YEAR 2017 BOOK MEME!
Describe yourself: Speaker for the Dead
Describe how you feel: The Rest of Us Just Live Here
Describe where you currently live: Within the Sanctuary of Wings
If you could go anywhere, where would you go: The Hippopotamus Pool
Your favorite form of transportation: The Last Camel Died at Noon
Your best friend is: Lord of the Silent
You and your friends are: The Snake, The Crocodile, and the Dog
What’s the weather like: The Slippery Slope
You fear: Xenocide
What is the best advice you have to give: Believe Me
Thought for the day: He Shall Thunder in the Sky
How you would like to die: The Curse of the Pharaohs
Your soul’s present condition: A Conjuring of Light
Describe yourself: Speaker for the Dead
Describe how you feel: The Rest of Us Just Live Here
Describe where you currently live: Within the Sanctuary of Wings
If you could go anywhere, where would you go: The Hippopotamus Pool
Your favorite form of transportation: The Last Camel Died at Noon
Your best friend is: Lord of the Silent
You and your friends are: The Snake, The Crocodile, and the Dog
What’s the weather like: The Slippery Slope
You fear: Xenocide
What is the best advice you have to give: Believe Me
Thought for the day: He Shall Thunder in the Sky
How you would like to die: The Curse of the Pharaohs
Your soul’s present condition: A Conjuring of Light
3leahbird
1. The Children of the Storm by Elizabeth Peters (read by Barbara Rosenblat)
Description: A Great War has ended, but evil still casts a long shadow over a violence-scarred land. One woman -- an adventurer and archaeologist with a brilliant mind -- must now confront a dreadful adversary more fiendish and formidable than any she has ever encountered. But by doing so, she may be feeding the flames of a devastating firestorm that threatens the fragile lives of the tender and innocent.
Thoughts: This was the first Elizabeth Peters book I ever read, as a galley when it first came out and I was working at a bookstore. I was pretty hooked from that point. It's funny that I have only read this twice before now and I read it last in the same reread as all the other books that came before it, but I remember this one much clearer than many others (although not completely accurately).
Reading them all, this is not one of the best of the series but still a rather good installment.
Rating: 3.58
Description: A Great War has ended, but evil still casts a long shadow over a violence-scarred land. One woman -- an adventurer and archaeologist with a brilliant mind -- must now confront a dreadful adversary more fiendish and formidable than any she has ever encountered. But by doing so, she may be feeding the flames of a devastating firestorm that threatens the fragile lives of the tender and innocent.
Thoughts: This was the first Elizabeth Peters book I ever read, as a galley when it first came out and I was working at a bookstore. I was pretty hooked from that point. It's funny that I have only read this twice before now and I read it last in the same reread as all the other books that came before it, but I remember this one much clearer than many others (although not completely accurately).
Reading them all, this is not one of the best of the series but still a rather good installment.
Rating: 3.58
Liked: 3.5
Plot: 3
Characterization: 4
Writing: 3.5
Audio: 4
4leahbird
PS: I totally reviewed this on accident. I was trying to complete my last review of 2017 and skipped ahead a book! Oh well, that's a good problem to have.
5PawsforThought
Sorry to hear that the year hasn't started out well for you; hopefully things will turn around soon. Good luck with your reading!
8thornton37814
Happy 2018 reading to you!
9libraryperilous
I love Peters' Vicky Bliss series, but I've never taken to the Peabody stories, mostly because of the husband, I think.
Happy reading in 2018, and I hope things get less rough for you as well.
Happy reading in 2018, and I hope things get less rough for you as well.
10norabelle414
Happy New Year, Leah!
11leahbird
Happy New Year all! Thanks for all the kind thoughts.
My sister, who I am very close to, is on her third week of chemo treatments. She developed Gestational trophoblastic disease, a weird cancer you can only get from a failed pregnancy. Back in November, she lost a very wanted pregnancy, which was hard enough, but we soon learned that it was a molar pregnancy (resulting from a genetically empty egg) that had turned invasive and was growing out of control. After 2 procedures to remove it, it was faster growing than before and her hormone levels were out of control. What we were hoping would be 3-6 treatments is looking more like 10-15, perhaps as many as 20. When not completely eradicated, this is most likely to metastasize in the lungs and brain.
At Thanksgiving, our brother and sister-in-law announced they were pregnant again. At the time, my sister had not told them what was going on (she's pretty private) and had just found out the day before that she was being referred to the oncologist. Their due dates were only 2 weeks apart. So, while it's a joy to have another baby joining our family, it's been very hard for my sister. Not only is this pregnancy like a cruel tease, but she may not be able to have any more children after this treatment.
And all this came up almost exactly 1 year after we lost our grandmother to uterine cancer related illness. My sister is being treated by the same oncology office so we are trying to keep our mom from having to relive all that.
So. Hard shit. Having to stay strong and positive for her and for my niece but absolutely terrified.
I'm trying to keep us all distracted and entertained. Lots of board game nights and dinners out.
My sister, who I am very close to, is on her third week of chemo treatments. She developed Gestational trophoblastic disease, a weird cancer you can only get from a failed pregnancy. Back in November, she lost a very wanted pregnancy, which was hard enough, but we soon learned that it was a molar pregnancy (resulting from a genetically empty egg) that had turned invasive and was growing out of control. After 2 procedures to remove it, it was faster growing than before and her hormone levels were out of control. What we were hoping would be 3-6 treatments is looking more like 10-15, perhaps as many as 20. When not completely eradicated, this is most likely to metastasize in the lungs and brain.
At Thanksgiving, our brother and sister-in-law announced they were pregnant again. At the time, my sister had not told them what was going on (she's pretty private) and had just found out the day before that she was being referred to the oncologist. Their due dates were only 2 weeks apart. So, while it's a joy to have another baby joining our family, it's been very hard for my sister. Not only is this pregnancy like a cruel tease, but she may not be able to have any more children after this treatment.
And all this came up almost exactly 1 year after we lost our grandmother to uterine cancer related illness. My sister is being treated by the same oncology office so we are trying to keep our mom from having to relive all that.
So. Hard shit. Having to stay strong and positive for her and for my niece but absolutely terrified.
I'm trying to keep us all distracted and entertained. Lots of board game nights and dinners out.
12leahbird
>9 libraryperilous: I've not read her Vicky Bliss books but I've been meaning to. I'm actually not much of a mystery fan in general but Amelia sucked me in. I appreciate Emerson and the way that Amelia takes clear joy in his fits of temper but he definitely wouldn't be my cup of tea.
13norabelle414
>11 leahbird: I'm so sorry, Leah! How tough for your family.
14libraryperilous
>11 leahbird: I'm so sorry, Leah. Board game nights and dinners out sound like a good idea, and I'm sure your sister and the rest of your family appreciate everything you are doing.
Is this the same niece for whom I picked during SantaThing a couple of years ago?
Is this the same niece for whom I picked during SantaThing a couple of years ago?
15foggidawn
>11 leahbird: Sorry to hear of the hard things your family is facing.
16leahbird
Thanks ladies. We had board games tonight so a more positive day.
>14 libraryperilous: It is! She's 8 now and a voracious reader!
>14 libraryperilous: It is! She's 8 now and a voracious reader!
17libraryperilous
>16 leahbird: Yay! Soon she'll be old enough for The Perilous Gard!!!
18leahbird
Finally got around to my end of year meme, posted above.
Now I'm going to attempt to get some reviews done.
Now I'm going to attempt to get some reviews done.
19leahbird
2. The Serpent on the Crown by Elizabeth Peters (read by Barbara Rosenblat)
Description: The Emersons have returned to the Valley of the Kings in 1922 and Amelia Peabody and her family look forward to delving once more into the age-old mysteries buried in Egypt's ever-shifting sands. But a widow's strange story -- and even stranger request -- is about to plunge them into a storm of secrets, treachery, and murder.
The woman, a well-known author, has come bearing an ill-gotten treasure -- a golden likeness of a forgotten king -- which she claims is cursed. She insists it has taken the life of her husband and unless it is returned to the tomb from which it was stolen, more people will die.
Amelia and her clan resolve to uncover the secrets of the statue's origins, setting off on a trail that twists and turns in directions they never anticipated -- and, perhaps, toward an old nemesis with unscrupulous new designs. But each step toward the truth seems to reveal another peril, suggesting to the intrepid Amelia that the curse is more than mere superstition. And its next victim might well be a beloved family member ... or Amelia Peabody herself.
A novel filled with riveting suspense, pulse-pounding action, and the vibrant life of a fascinating place and time, The Serpent on the Crown is the jewel in the crown of a grand master, the remarkable Elizabeth Peters.
Thoughts: Unfortunately this is another underwhelming installment. This one is very much just a vehicle to set up the final volume of the series.
Rating: 3.33
Description: The Emersons have returned to the Valley of the Kings in 1922 and Amelia Peabody and her family look forward to delving once more into the age-old mysteries buried in Egypt's ever-shifting sands. But a widow's strange story -- and even stranger request -- is about to plunge them into a storm of secrets, treachery, and murder.
The woman, a well-known author, has come bearing an ill-gotten treasure -- a golden likeness of a forgotten king -- which she claims is cursed. She insists it has taken the life of her husband and unless it is returned to the tomb from which it was stolen, more people will die.
Amelia and her clan resolve to uncover the secrets of the statue's origins, setting off on a trail that twists and turns in directions they never anticipated -- and, perhaps, toward an old nemesis with unscrupulous new designs. But each step toward the truth seems to reveal another peril, suggesting to the intrepid Amelia that the curse is more than mere superstition. And its next victim might well be a beloved family member ... or Amelia Peabody herself.
A novel filled with riveting suspense, pulse-pounding action, and the vibrant life of a fascinating place and time, The Serpent on the Crown is the jewel in the crown of a grand master, the remarkable Elizabeth Peters.
Thoughts: Unfortunately this is another underwhelming installment. This one is very much just a vehicle to set up the final volume of the series.
Rating: 3.33
Liked: 3
Plot: 3
Characterization: 3.5
Writing: 3.5
Audio: 4
20leahbird
3. The Tomb of the Golden Bird by Elizabeth Peters (read by Barbara Rosenblat)
Description: In New York Times bestselling author Elizabeth Peters's eagerly anticipated Amelia Peabody adventure, the Emerson clan is a hairsbreadth away from unearthing the legendary site they've been searching for. But a sinister plot and a dark family secret stand in the way of their ultimate ambition -- and threaten to change things forever. . . .
Convinced that the tomb of the little-known king Tutankhamon lies somewhere in the Valley of the Kings, Egyptologist Radcliffe Emerson and his wife, Amelia Peabody, seem to have hit a wall. Emerson has tried desperately to persuade Lord Carnarvon and Howard Carter to relinquish their digging rights. But Emerson's trickery has backfired, and his insistent interest in the site has made his rivals all the more determined to keep the Emerson clan away.
The family returns to Luxor and watches from the sidelines as Carter and Carnarvon "discover" King Tut's tomb. But before their own excavation can get underway, Emerson and his son, Ramses, find themselves lured into a trap by a strange group of villains demanding "Where is he?" The Emersons embark on a quest to uncover who "he" is and why "he" must be found, only to discover the answer is uncomfortably close to home. Now Amelia must find a way to protect her family -- and perhaps even her would-be nemesis -- from the forces that will stop at nothing to succeed in the nefarious plot that threatens the peace of the entire region.
Filled with heart-stopping suspense, and Amelia Peabody's trademark wit and wisdom, Tomb of the Golden Bird is the latest thrilling installment from the beloved "Grand Dame of historical mystery"
Thoughts: I really wish this final installment in the Peabody series were stronger. It's just not. It involves one of the most spectacular finds in all of history AND2 plots of assassination that would change the world and still manages to be not very interesting.
Rating: 3.33
Description: In New York Times bestselling author Elizabeth Peters's eagerly anticipated Amelia Peabody adventure, the Emerson clan is a hairsbreadth away from unearthing the legendary site they've been searching for. But a sinister plot and a dark family secret stand in the way of their ultimate ambition -- and threaten to change things forever. . . .
Convinced that the tomb of the little-known king Tutankhamon lies somewhere in the Valley of the Kings, Egyptologist Radcliffe Emerson and his wife, Amelia Peabody, seem to have hit a wall. Emerson has tried desperately to persuade Lord Carnarvon and Howard Carter to relinquish their digging rights. But Emerson's trickery has backfired, and his insistent interest in the site has made his rivals all the more determined to keep the Emerson clan away.
The family returns to Luxor and watches from the sidelines as Carter and Carnarvon "discover" King Tut's tomb. But before their own excavation can get underway, Emerson and his son, Ramses, find themselves lured into a trap by a strange group of villains demanding "Where is he?" The Emersons embark on a quest to uncover who "he" is and why "he" must be found, only to discover the answer is uncomfortably close to home. Now Amelia must find a way to protect her family -- and perhaps even her would-be nemesis -- from the forces that will stop at nothing to succeed in the nefarious plot that threatens the peace of the entire region.
Filled with heart-stopping suspense, and Amelia Peabody's trademark wit and wisdom, Tomb of the Golden Bird is the latest thrilling installment from the beloved "Grand Dame of historical mystery"
Thoughts: I really wish this final installment in the Peabody series were stronger. It's just not. It involves one of the most spectacular finds in all of history AND
Rating: 3.33
Liked: 3
Plot: 3
Characterization: 3.5
Writing: 3.5
Audio: 4
21leahbird
So, that's it for my year+ long reread of the Amelia Peabody series. It was a fun project to undertake since it's 20 books long and it was great to revisit some of my favorite characters. There was a lot I didn't remember from previous reads so it didn't always feel like a rehash. But it wasn't always a romp either, as I was reacquainted with some of the less enjoyable books.
All in all, I'm glad I started the reread before reading The Painted Queen and I'm glad I kept it up and finished it. Overall, still worth it and still one of my favorite series.
All in all, I'm glad I started the reread before reading The Painted Queen and I'm glad I kept it up and finished it. Overall, still worth it and still one of my favorite series.
22foggidawn
>21 leahbird: It's always too bad when a well-loved series devolves into formula and mediocrity. Much as I hate it when a beloved series ends at five or seven or a dozen books, it's better to end strong.
23leahbird
4. Her Royal Spyness by Rhys Bowen (read by Katherine Kellgren)
Description: London, 1932. Lady Victoria Georgiana Charlotte Eugenie, 34th in line for the English throne, is flat broke. She's bolted Scotland, her greedy brother, and her fish-faced betrothed. London is a place where she'll experience freedom, learn life lessons aplenty, do a bit of spying for HRH—oh, and find a dead Frenchman in her tub. Now her new job is to clear her long family name...
Thoughts: The only reason I picked up this audiobook was because the beloved Katherine Kellgren recently passed away and I needed to console myself over her death by listening to her read some books. I couldn't bring myself to tackle Jacky Faber or Penelope Lumley and face that sadness, so I chose a series I'd never read that sounded fun.
This book is not up to the caliber of those books. Georgie is definitely NOT Jacky or Penelope. But she's fun and I like her determination to make her own way. The mystery was a little predictable but there were a few aspects I didn't put together before the big reveal so that was nice.
I don't know if I would keep on with the series if I was reading it, but the prospect of more Katherine Kellgren in my life and the light fun of this series when I'm not feeling particularly light or fun made me start the second book the moment this one was over.
Rating: 3.75
Description: London, 1932. Lady Victoria Georgiana Charlotte Eugenie, 34th in line for the English throne, is flat broke. She's bolted Scotland, her greedy brother, and her fish-faced betrothed. London is a place where she'll experience freedom, learn life lessons aplenty, do a bit of spying for HRH—oh, and find a dead Frenchman in her tub. Now her new job is to clear her long family name...
Thoughts: The only reason I picked up this audiobook was because the beloved Katherine Kellgren recently passed away and I needed to console myself over her death by listening to her read some books. I couldn't bring myself to tackle Jacky Faber or Penelope Lumley and face that sadness, so I chose a series I'd never read that sounded fun.
This book is not up to the caliber of those books. Georgie is definitely NOT Jacky or Penelope. But she's fun and I like her determination to make her own way. The mystery was a little predictable but there were a few aspects I didn't put together before the big reveal so that was nice.
I don't know if I would keep on with the series if I was reading it, but the prospect of more Katherine Kellgren in my life and the light fun of this series when I'm not feeling particularly light or fun made me start the second book the moment this one was over.
Rating: 3.75
Liked: 3.5
Plot: 3.5
Characterization: 3.5
Writing: 3.5
Audio: 5
24foggidawn
>23 leahbird: Wow, I looked at starting that series for exactly the same reason! But I don’t have a lot of audiobook listening time right now, so I didn’t. I still might, though, next time I have a lot of driving to do.
25leahbird
I'm in the car at least 2 hours on work days so audiobooks are almost all I do these days. ;)
26leahbird
Were other people aware that Rainbow Rowell was writing the reboot of Runaways?!?! The first trade just popped up in my Amazon author updates but there are 4 issues out already!
28leahbird
5. A Royal Pain by Rhys Bowen (read by Katherine Kellgren)
Description: 1930s London. Poor Lady Georgiana-thirty-fourth in line to the throne-has nothing to serve her Bavarian princess houseguest, even though the Queen of England has requested that she entertain her. Then there's the matter of the body in the bookshop and the princess's unwitting involvement with the Communist party. It's enough to drive a girl mad.
Thoughts: A decent if not overly exciting follow-up to Her Royal Spyness. This series is fun and fluffy and still worth listening to if for no other reason than to enjoy all the Katherine Kellgren one can consume.
At some point I will likely continue this series for that reason alone but the stories are cute so it won't be too tough a call.
Rating: 3.75
Liked: 3.5
Plot: 3.5
Characterization: 3.5
Writing: 3.5
Audio: 5
Description: 1930s London. Poor Lady Georgiana-thirty-fourth in line to the throne-has nothing to serve her Bavarian princess houseguest, even though the Queen of England has requested that she entertain her. Then there's the matter of the body in the bookshop and the princess's unwitting involvement with the Communist party. It's enough to drive a girl mad.
Thoughts: A decent if not overly exciting follow-up to Her Royal Spyness. This series is fun and fluffy and still worth listening to if for no other reason than to enjoy all the Katherine Kellgren one can consume.
At some point I will likely continue this series for that reason alone but the stories are cute so it won't be too tough a call.
Rating: 3.75
Liked: 3.5
Plot: 3.5
Characterization: 3.5
Writing: 3.5
Audio: 5
29leahbird
Somehow I skipped a review so # 6 is below
7. The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss (read by Nick Podehl)
Description: My name is Kvothe.
I have stolen princesses back from sleeping barrow kings. I burned down the town of Trebon. I have spent the night with Felurian and left with both my sanity and my life. I was expelled from the University at a younger age than most people are allowed in. I tread paths by moonlight that others fear to speak of during day. I have talked to Gods, loved women, and written songs that make the minstrels weep.
You may have heard of me.
So begins a tale unequaled in fantasy literature—the story of a hero told in his own voice. It is a tale of sorrow, a tale of survival, a tale of one man’s search for meaning in his universe, and how that search, and the indomitable will that drove it, gave birth to a legend.
Thoughts: I've been hearing for quite a while that I needed to read this series. I does tick a lot of the boxes of things I enjoy but I kept putting it off because I was afraid it was going to be too HIGH fantasy which I don't enjoy very much or too graphic (like A Song of Ice and Fire which I've not been able to read because I just can't sign myself up for 10,000 pages of rape and murder).
Luckily, The Name of the Wind is neither of those things! It is mostly about the longing for knowledge, the beauty and power of music, and the importance of stories. It's a bit wandering rather than having a tight, action driven plot, but the places it wanders are pretty enjoyable. It's full of wonderful characters that are all (except maybe the school bully) well developed and interesting.
I was not, however, prepared for how LONG this is. Dangers of audio, you don't have a giant brick of a book to deter you. It took me almost a month to listen to 27 hours of this. AND THAT'S JUST THE FIRST BOOK! Goodbye even semi decent stats this year!
Rating: 4.33
7. The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss (read by Nick Podehl)
Description: My name is Kvothe.
I have stolen princesses back from sleeping barrow kings. I burned down the town of Trebon. I have spent the night with Felurian and left with both my sanity and my life. I was expelled from the University at a younger age than most people are allowed in. I tread paths by moonlight that others fear to speak of during day. I have talked to Gods, loved women, and written songs that make the minstrels weep.
You may have heard of me.
So begins a tale unequaled in fantasy literature—the story of a hero told in his own voice. It is a tale of sorrow, a tale of survival, a tale of one man’s search for meaning in his universe, and how that search, and the indomitable will that drove it, gave birth to a legend.
Thoughts: I've been hearing for quite a while that I needed to read this series. I does tick a lot of the boxes of things I enjoy but I kept putting it off because I was afraid it was going to be too HIGH fantasy which I don't enjoy very much or too graphic (like A Song of Ice and Fire which I've not been able to read because I just can't sign myself up for 10,000 pages of rape and murder).
Luckily, The Name of the Wind is neither of those things! It is mostly about the longing for knowledge, the beauty and power of music, and the importance of stories. It's a bit wandering rather than having a tight, action driven plot, but the places it wanders are pretty enjoyable. It's full of wonderful characters that are all (except maybe the school bully) well developed and interesting.
I was not, however, prepared for how LONG this is. Dangers of audio, you don't have a giant brick of a book to deter you. It took me almost a month to listen to 27 hours of this. AND THAT'S JUST THE FIRST BOOK! Goodbye even semi decent stats this year!
Rating: 4.33
Liked: 4.5
Plot: 4
Characterization: 4.5
Writing: 4
Audio: 4.5
30leahbird
Man, I've not posted in almost 2 months and I was only 2 book reviews behind....
I scored those Harry Potter & the Cursed Child tickets! My sister, niece and I are New York bound in... 349 days. HAHAHA! What a lucky 3rd grader Addy is going to be to spend her spring break in NYC! We aren't telling her until maybe Christmas but she is going to freak out.
In other news, my sister is 1 month post chemo! Working on getting back to normal and putting all this in the rearview mirror. Such a relief.
I scored those Harry Potter & the Cursed Child tickets! My sister, niece and I are New York bound in... 349 days. HAHAHA! What a lucky 3rd grader Addy is going to be to spend her spring break in NYC! We aren't telling her until maybe Christmas but she is going to freak out.
In other news, my sister is 1 month post chemo! Working on getting back to normal and putting all this in the rearview mirror. Such a relief.
31norabelle414
>30 leahbird: Congrats congrats congrats!
32leahbird
Turns out I somehow skipped recording a whole book! I don't think that's ever happened. I forget to mark them complete or review them all the time but I didn't list it at all! And it was one of my most anticipated reads! I'll get around to a review soon.
I cleaned my desk and corralled all the unshelved books today and found that I have officially run out of space. And I had A LOT of uncatalogued books. What HAVE I been doing with my life?!? 😉
All the books on the desk still need to find homes. Oops.
I cleaned my desk and corralled all the unshelved books today and found that I have officially run out of space. And I had A LOT of uncatalogued books. What HAVE I been doing with my life?!? 😉
All the books on the desk still need to find homes. Oops.
33FAMeulstee
Lovely shelves, Leah!
35leahbird
So I magically will have a lot more time for reading for a while. Magically meaning my company closed today and I'm out of a job. 😭
36foggidawn
>35 leahbird: Oh, no! So sorry to hear it.
37leahbird
Thanks Foggi. It's a bummer but hopefully something awesome will come along soon.
The universe is already trying to make it up to me because I just scored tickets to HAMILTON in Atlanta for just $142!!!!!! June 2nd can not come soon enough! I'm freaking out!
The universe is already trying to make it up to me because I just scored tickets to HAMILTON in Atlanta for just $142!!!!!! June 2nd can not come soon enough! I'm freaking out!
38foggidawn
>37 leahbird: That’s amazing!
39leahbird
Review I somehow skipped above is here. I'm finding it much easier to post reviews on Litsy right now so I'm going to abandon my usual format.
6. The Belle Sauvage by Philip Pullman (read by Michael Sheen): I have been waiting SO LONG for this book and it didn't disappoint. The plot is a little on the thin side (a LOT happens but the overarching story is not super well established) but the prose is AMAZING and I'm very much looking forward to seeing the continuation of the story.
Micheal Sheen reads the audiobook and does a very good job.
4 stars
6. The Belle Sauvage by Philip Pullman (read by Michael Sheen): I have been waiting SO LONG for this book and it didn't disappoint. The plot is a little on the thin side (a LOT happens but the overarching story is not super well established) but the prose is AMAZING and I'm very much looking forward to seeing the continuation of the story.
Micheal Sheen reads the audiobook and does a very good job.
4 stars
40leahbird
8. The Wise Man's Fear by Patrick Rothfuss (read by Nick Podehl): While still very enjoyable, this was too wandering for my tastes I think it would have been more successful for me as 2 books.
At one point, the story is 4 degrees removed from the main plot we've been exploring and another degree removed from the overarching plot the series is trying to lead to. It's not that it's not interesting, it's just that the emotional threads start to get too thin.
4 stars
At one point, the story is 4 degrees removed from the main plot we've been exploring and another degree removed from the overarching plot the series is trying to lead to. It's not that it's not interesting, it's just that the emotional threads start to get too thin.
4 stars
41leahbird
9. Afar by Leila del Duca: The cover of this comic is AMAZING and the premise sounded quite interesting but it is way too brief and surface level. The relationship between Boetema and her brother Inotu is the shining point but the plot and the astral projection elements are not developed at all.
Leila del Duca is predominantly an artist but I think she has potential as a writer if she focuses her attention on developing story rather than just having an interesting concept.
3 stars
Leila del Duca is predominantly an artist but I think she has potential as a writer if she focuses her attention on developing story rather than just having an interesting concept.
3 stars
42leahbird
10. The Fifth Season by NK Jemisin (read by Robin Miles): I went into this book (and author) totally blind, having received it from SantaThing. Jemisin gets a lot of credit for making me check my "White as Default" bias.
It took me a while to get into this story because it does NOT spoon-feed you any information and I felt a bit adrift. It wasn't until I went looking for some art to post on Litsy that I realized the 3 main characters (and probably most of the characters) are of African descent There are descriptions of other characters but not as much about the protagonists. There was no reason for me to assume they were white but I did. I like to think I'm pretty unbiased and I do actively seek out diverse books. Once I realized my unfounded assumption, this book started to click a lot more.
I finished this over a week ago and I'm still thinking about what this all means for the work I need to do on myself as a reader and ally. So thanks NK!
As for the plot itself, this felt a little overlong for what was accomplished. The story she is telling is interesting an the characters are intriguing but it seems like a tight plot is sacrificed for the sense of vagueness that prevails. I would still rate this pretty high and recommend it, but more for it's diverse take on speculative fiction than for a well plotted story.
3.75 stars
It took me a while to get into this story because it does NOT spoon-feed you any information and I felt a bit adrift. It wasn't until I went looking for some art to post on Litsy that I realized the 3 main characters (and probably most of the characters) are of African descent There are descriptions of other characters but not as much about the protagonists. There was no reason for me to assume they were white but I did. I like to think I'm pretty unbiased and I do actively seek out diverse books. Once I realized my unfounded assumption, this book started to click a lot more.
I finished this over a week ago and I'm still thinking about what this all means for the work I need to do on myself as a reader and ally. So thanks NK!
As for the plot itself, this felt a little overlong for what was accomplished. The story she is telling is interesting an the characters are intriguing but it seems like a tight plot is sacrificed for the sense of vagueness that prevails. I would still rate this pretty high and recommend it, but more for it's diverse take on speculative fiction than for a well plotted story.
3.75 stars
43leahbird
11. Akata Witch by Nnedi Okorafor (read by Yetide Badaki): Nnedi Okorafor has a golden gift for character. She doesn't even spend a lot of time establishing them, they just seem to radiate off the page. Settings too. And THANK GOD for the diverse voices taking over sci-fi and fantasy.
What's she's not great at is plotting. I had the same feeling with Binti but it is a short story so it made more sense. Here, it feels like a whole act is missing. What's here is gold but the climax comes out of the blue. It's jarring. If this was a cheesy sports movie, I'd say the training montage was left out. This story needs an injection of a Hogwarts curriculum. The climax is good, but it needs about another 1/4-1/3 of establishing knowledge to make it feel really complete.
Yetide Badaki can read me anything she wants. She goes on the Must Listen list!
4 stars
What's she's not great at is plotting. I had the same feeling with Binti but it is a short story so it made more sense. Here, it feels like a whole act is missing. What's here is gold but the climax comes out of the blue. It's jarring. If this was a cheesy sports movie, I'd say the training montage was left out. This story needs an injection of a Hogwarts curriculum. The climax is good, but it needs about another 1/4-1/3 of establishing knowledge to make it feel really complete.
Yetide Badaki can read me anything she wants. She goes on the Must Listen list!
4 stars
44lycomayflower
>43 leahbird: I just read this and didn't care for it much. Glad to see that you enjoyed it more than I did! (I agree about the plotting.)
45leahbird
12. Tomorrow will be Different by Sarah McBride (read by Sarah McBride)
This memoir by Sarah McBride, the first trans person to speak at a political convention when she spoke in 2016, is a great and positive story about "love, loss, and the fight for trans equality." Sarah does a good job of balancing her story with the broader work for trans equality. Sarah has been through and accomplished so much for someone only 27 years old. Her strength in the face of great loss and oppression is an inspiration.
4 stars
This memoir by Sarah McBride, the first trans person to speak at a political convention when she spoke in 2016, is a great and positive story about "love, loss, and the fight for trans equality." Sarah does a good job of balancing her story with the broader work for trans equality. Sarah has been through and accomplished so much for someone only 27 years old. Her strength in the face of great loss and oppression is an inspiration.
4 stars
46leahbird
13. Get Well Soon by Jennifer Wright (read by Gabra Zackman)
This informative and humorous pop history covers: the antonine plague, bubonic plague, dancing plague, smallpox, syphilis, tuberculosis, cholera, leprosy, typhoid, Spanish flu, encephalitis lethargica, lobotomies, and polio. But what it REALLY covers are the heroes- leaders, scientists, common people- who got us through the plagues. And a couple examples of what NOT to do.
Some of her jokes aren't actually funny but I appreciated the levity.
3.5 stars
This informative and humorous pop history covers: the antonine plague, bubonic plague, dancing plague, smallpox, syphilis, tuberculosis, cholera, leprosy, typhoid, Spanish flu, encephalitis lethargica, lobotomies, and polio. But what it REALLY covers are the heroes- leaders, scientists, common people- who got us through the plagues. And a couple examples of what NOT to do.
Some of her jokes aren't actually funny but I appreciated the levity.
3.5 stars
47leahbird
14. The Mysterious Howling by Maryrose Wood
Rereading the series in anticipation of the series finale coming out soon. I'm gonna miss Katherine Kellgren's narration so much. ::sob sob::
I still have a quite difficult time overcoming the necessary suspension of disbelief this book requires. The fact that Alexander is 10 and Cassiopeia is 4 creates so many issues. But, once you do look past that aspect, this book is so cute and Penelope and the children are so darling.
4 stars
Rereading the series in anticipation of the series finale coming out soon. I'm gonna miss Katherine Kellgren's narration so much. ::sob sob::
I still have a quite difficult time overcoming the necessary suspension of disbelief this book requires. The fact that Alexander is 10 and Cassiopeia is 4 creates so many issues. But, once you do look past that aspect, this book is so cute and Penelope and the children are so darling.
4 stars
48leahbird
15. Binti: Home by Nnedi Okorafor (read by Robin Miles)
Another gorgeous installment in the Binti series and Okorafor's ouvre. As always with Okorafor's work, I'm left craving more. More because what she writes is so compelling but also more because she has a frustrating tendency to skip over or expedite things that could be very good ready. I want a LOT more Oomza Uni. I want a LOT more Oomza Uni. I want to understand the technomagical stuff that's going on.
But none of that will stop me from picking up more and more by her because her voice is amazing. I'm always slightly wrong footed with her because she does NOT spell out things for you. That isn't a bad thing. I still don't understand how the math based magic works but it's pretty cool.
The most compelling element for me in that this is a sci-fi story full of aliens and alien tech but it's ABOUT cultural heritage, the nature of belonging, and identity politics.
4 stars
Another gorgeous installment in the Binti series and Okorafor's ouvre. As always with Okorafor's work, I'm left craving more. More because what she writes is so compelling but also more because she has a frustrating tendency to skip over or expedite things that could be very good ready. I want a LOT more Oomza Uni. I want a LOT more Oomza Uni. I want to understand the technomagical stuff that's going on.
But none of that will stop me from picking up more and more by her because her voice is amazing. I'm always slightly wrong footed with her because she does NOT spell out things for you. That isn't a bad thing. I still don't understand how the math based magic works but it's pretty cool.
The most compelling element for me in that this is a sci-fi story full of aliens and alien tech but it's ABOUT cultural heritage, the nature of belonging, and identity politics.
4 stars
49leahbird
16. Saga Vol 1 by Brian K Vaughn (reread)
I reread this series to remind myself what was going on so I could finish the couple of unread volumes I had on the shelf. As if the voer of this wasn't enough perfection, there's a daddy carrying a baby in a sling and changing cloth diapers, an intergalactic love story against all odds, a snarky teenage ghost, a tree rocket ship, and robot sex. And that's just the first volume.
4 stars
17. Saga Vol 2 (reread)
This is a fine but not paticularly exciting volume. The family stuff is great though.
3.5 stars
18. Saga Vol 3 (reread)
I forgot how sweet some of the subplots in this story are!
3.5 stars
19. Saga Vol 4 (reread)
Being an adult is hard. Being a parent is hard. No one ever feels appreciated.
3 stars
20. Saga Vol 5 (reread)
I really love Sophie!
It's hard keeping a family together, especially when everyone else in the universe has their own opinion bout that.
4 stars
21. Saga Vol 6
This was the first of the back issues I've neglected to read. Exciting stuff! Big time jump that I would have liked some more info on but otherwise a good installment.
4 stars
22. Saga Vol 7
NOOOOOOOO! This is just chock full of devastation.
4 stars
23. Saga Vol 8
I want a rainbow zebra!
This volume contains a nuanced discussion of abortion, including some cleverly used word play and character use. They didn't drag the story out too much and left it with a perfect bittersweet feeling.
Hints at more interspecies, gender fluid couplings to come!
4.5 stars
I reread this series to remind myself what was going on so I could finish the couple of unread volumes I had on the shelf. As if the voer of this wasn't enough perfection, there's a daddy carrying a baby in a sling and changing cloth diapers, an intergalactic love story against all odds, a snarky teenage ghost, a tree rocket ship, and robot sex. And that's just the first volume.
4 stars
17. Saga Vol 2 (reread)
This is a fine but not paticularly exciting volume. The family stuff is great though.
3.5 stars
18. Saga Vol 3 (reread)
I forgot how sweet some of the subplots in this story are!
3.5 stars
19. Saga Vol 4 (reread)
Being an adult is hard. Being a parent is hard. No one ever feels appreciated.
3 stars
20. Saga Vol 5 (reread)
I really love Sophie!
It's hard keeping a family together, especially when everyone else in the universe has their own opinion bout that.
4 stars
21. Saga Vol 6
This was the first of the back issues I've neglected to read. Exciting stuff! Big time jump that I would have liked some more info on but otherwise a good installment.
4 stars
22. Saga Vol 7
NOOOOOOOO! This is just chock full of devastation.
4 stars
23. Saga Vol 8
I want a rainbow zebra!
This volume contains a nuanced discussion of abortion, including some cleverly used word play and character use. They didn't drag the story out too much and left it with a perfect bittersweet feeling.
Hints at more interspecies, gender fluid couplings to come!
4.5 stars
50leahbird
Continuing my comics reread to clear out my backlog.
24. The Wicked & The Divine Vol 1 by Kieron Gilllen (reread)
The art of Wicked + Divine is insanely beautiful. The concept of the story is very cool. The actual text doesn't always make as much sense as I'd like but this first volume is wonderful.
4 stars
25. The Wicked & The Divine Vol 2 (reread)
Wicked + Divine is very LGBTQ+ and was a particularly good read on Knoxville Pride day! Of the volumes I had read, this one is probably my favorite.
4.5 stars
26. The Wicked & The Divine Vol 3 (reread)
This whole volume is drawn by guest artists. The first time I read it, that really ruined it for me. Wicked + Divine is so connected to the art style that I just couldn't make it work.
On rereading, this volume is very powerful. Each issue focuses on a single god, giving some of their backstory or behind the scenes knowledge, while still driving the main plot forward. They are all shocking in some way.
3.5 stars
24. The Wicked & The Divine Vol 1 by Kieron Gilllen (reread)
The art of Wicked + Divine is insanely beautiful. The concept of the story is very cool. The actual text doesn't always make as much sense as I'd like but this first volume is wonderful.
4 stars
25. The Wicked & The Divine Vol 2 (reread)
Wicked + Divine is very LGBTQ+ and was a particularly good read on Knoxville Pride day! Of the volumes I had read, this one is probably my favorite.
4.5 stars
26. The Wicked & The Divine Vol 3 (reread)
This whole volume is drawn by guest artists. The first time I read it, that really ruined it for me. Wicked + Divine is so connected to the art style that I just couldn't make it work.
On rereading, this volume is very powerful. Each issue focuses on a single god, giving some of their backstory or behind the scenes knowledge, while still driving the main plot forward. They are all shocking in some way.
3.5 stars
51leahbird
I then remembered that I had comics on the Kindle I've never read.
27. Ms. Marvel Vol 1 by G Willow Wilson
Ms Marvel did not disappoint! Kamala is great and I really appreciated the nuance views about culture and religion that are packed into just this first volume.
4 stars
27. Ms. Marvel Vol 1 by G Willow Wilson
Ms Marvel did not disappoint! Kamala is great and I really appreciated the nuance views about culture and religion that are packed into just this first volume.
4 stars
52leahbird
28. Dietland by Sarai Walker (read by Tara Sands)
I have a LOT of feelings about this book. I am trying not to overthink it but it's proving difficult.
What Dietland gets VERY right is advertising geared at women and girls, especially the weight loss and body image industries. There are some details that feel pulled directly from real life. I very much appreciated this aspect of the story and wished there had been more focus on this, the weight loss industry especially.
Also compelling are the subplots about violence against women and issues facing girls today. These aren't always handled very subtly or deeply but there is a clear message here.
What I had the hardest time with was the actual plot of the story. The main story of Plum, an unhappy fat girl who thinks she can only be a happy, whole person after stomach stapling, and the subplot of "Jennifer" do not mesh well narratively. More importantly though, throughout 90% of this book, Plum felt like a dangerous stereotype to me. I am, and have been my whole life, a fat girl. I do not deign to speak for all people who have lived this experience but I do have a very critical eye for entertainment that chooses to make my life experience the crux of it's plot line.
Plum has hated her body her whole life and has a terrible self worth. Even though she is smart and has a supportive mother who tries to teach her to value her body, she buys into the worst kind of fat shaming cult industries. She obsesses over a single college nonrelationship and about how everyone, everywhere, is constantly thinking about her weight. She does not have a single interaction in the entire book that is not connected to her weight, her self image, or her food choices. She only wears black tents to hide herself in.
Do I think there aren't people out there like Plum? No, not really. I'm sure people have some of these feelings, maybe even all of them. But there are other things in their life too. Things that have nothing to do with weight and body image and food. And even though I have dealt with nasty people who think they are entitled to an opinion about my body, the volume and viciousness of the shit Plum faces is unnecessarily extreme.
The solution suggested by the book is for Plum to basically turn into a huge bitch to solve her problems. She treats men cruelly, she lashes out in public, she goes on a food and petty criminality binge. There's this whole thing about how terrible men who don't find her sexually attractive are juxtaposed against a heavy-handed message that being sexually attractive to the opposite sex is oppression. But YAY, she finds some love for herself!
My biggest concern is that teenagers with self image issues will read this because of it's feminist message and internalize these negative impressions. They are given a "heroine" who's whole life has been a misery. What is that going to tell them about their future? I know the author thinks that Plum's transformation to unapologetic fat girl is supposed to represent a triumph of self love and acceptance, but I don't read it like that. To me, it only says "Sure, you can be fat and happy. If by happy you mean alone because you think men are all scum out to mock and abuse you and knowing that makes you awesome! Or if by happy you mean you've just decided to eat ALL THE THINGS because that's the only way not to be hungry."
I needed this book to show that not being everyone's cup of tea is ok but that it doesn't make them bad people. That the vast majority of people in the world will be perfectly happy letting you just go about your life without hardly a second thought. That there are people who will find you attractive and wanting to be attractive in their eyes isn't a terrible thing (unless it's the only thing, that's a problem). That even if you love your fat body, eating nothing but pastries is a really bad idea because your body needs nutrients not found in cupcakes. (This is true no matter what your size.) That even if you struggle with body image sometimes, you can still find joy in an awesome new outfit. And that violence is really not an answer.
To be completely fair, the last 10% of the book does at least back off the rampant binging. There are a few sentences about how Plum has finally equalized and can get back to eating regular food in regular quantities. I was going to be really pissed if cupcakes were the lesson we were left with.
3 stars (mostly because of the advertising stuff)
I have a LOT of feelings about this book. I am trying not to overthink it but it's proving difficult.
What Dietland gets VERY right is advertising geared at women and girls, especially the weight loss and body image industries. There are some details that feel pulled directly from real life. I very much appreciated this aspect of the story and wished there had been more focus on this, the weight loss industry especially.
Also compelling are the subplots about violence against women and issues facing girls today. These aren't always handled very subtly or deeply but there is a clear message here.
What I had the hardest time with was the actual plot of the story. The main story of Plum, an unhappy fat girl who thinks she can only be a happy, whole person after stomach stapling, and the subplot of "Jennifer" do not mesh well narratively. More importantly though, throughout 90% of this book, Plum felt like a dangerous stereotype to me. I am, and have been my whole life, a fat girl. I do not deign to speak for all people who have lived this experience but I do have a very critical eye for entertainment that chooses to make my life experience the crux of it's plot line.
Plum has hated her body her whole life and has a terrible self worth. Even though she is smart and has a supportive mother who tries to teach her to value her body, she buys into the worst kind of fat shaming cult industries. She obsesses over a single college nonrelationship and about how everyone, everywhere, is constantly thinking about her weight. She does not have a single interaction in the entire book that is not connected to her weight, her self image, or her food choices. She only wears black tents to hide herself in.
Do I think there aren't people out there like Plum? No, not really. I'm sure people have some of these feelings, maybe even all of them. But there are other things in their life too. Things that have nothing to do with weight and body image and food. And even though I have dealt with nasty people who think they are entitled to an opinion about my body, the volume and viciousness of the shit Plum faces is unnecessarily extreme.
The solution suggested by the book is for Plum to basically turn into a huge bitch to solve her problems. She treats men cruelly, she lashes out in public, she goes on a food and petty criminality binge. There's this whole thing about how terrible men who don't find her sexually attractive are juxtaposed against a heavy-handed message that being sexually attractive to the opposite sex is oppression. But YAY, she finds some love for herself!
My biggest concern is that teenagers with self image issues will read this because of it's feminist message and internalize these negative impressions. They are given a "heroine" who's whole life has been a misery. What is that going to tell them about their future? I know the author thinks that Plum's transformation to unapologetic fat girl is supposed to represent a triumph of self love and acceptance, but I don't read it like that. To me, it only says "Sure, you can be fat and happy. If by happy you mean alone because you think men are all scum out to mock and abuse you and knowing that makes you awesome! Or if by happy you mean you've just decided to eat ALL THE THINGS because that's the only way not to be hungry."
I needed this book to show that not being everyone's cup of tea is ok but that it doesn't make them bad people. That the vast majority of people in the world will be perfectly happy letting you just go about your life without hardly a second thought. That there are people who will find you attractive and wanting to be attractive in their eyes isn't a terrible thing (unless it's the only thing, that's a problem). That even if you love your fat body, eating nothing but pastries is a really bad idea because your body needs nutrients not found in cupcakes. (This is true no matter what your size.) That even if you struggle with body image sometimes, you can still find joy in an awesome new outfit. And that violence is really not an answer.
To be completely fair, the last 10% of the book does at least back off the rampant binging. There are a few sentences about how Plum has finally equalized and can get back to eating regular food in regular quantities. I was going to be really pissed if cupcakes were the lesson we were left with.
3 stars (mostly because of the advertising stuff)
53leahbird
I have seen the first few episodes of the AMC show based on this and it feels a bit better. Reserving judgement.
54foggidawn
>52 leahbird: Hmm . . . I think I'll pass on that one.
55libraryperilous
>52 leahbird: I find far, far too much of the popular culture that gets marketed as feminist to be ... not very feminist. Or, at best, the laziest, whitest version of liberal feminism, but not really probing anything beyond that.
I stopped reading Saga after volume 5, but that's mostly because I will not be able to handle it if Lying Cat dies.
I stopped reading Saga after volume 5, but that's mostly because I will not be able to handle it if Lying Cat dies.
56leahbird
>54 foggidawn: I seem to be solidly in the minority with my opinions on Dietland. Most seem to find it really revolutionary. And, other than the violence, the feminist issues it talks about are powerful. I just don't think she gets the personal aspects well. The author is a fellow fat girl so that's particularly disappointing.
>55 libraryperilous: I think here the issue might be that it's ALL feminist but not very human or responsible with it's representation. I'm reading now that people are comparing it to Fight Club, that's it's supposed to be this big, in your face satire, so maybe I'm just missing the right lense to view it through.
So far, you are safe to keep reading Saga if that's the thing you are worried about. 😉 I love him too.
>55 libraryperilous: I think here the issue might be that it's ALL feminist but not very human or responsible with it's representation. I'm reading now that people are comparing it to Fight Club, that's it's supposed to be this big, in your face satire, so maybe I'm just missing the right lense to view it through.
So far, you are safe to keep reading Saga if that's the thing you are worried about. 😉 I love him too.
57leahbird
I got a new nephew yesterday, Tucker Jackson! Here he is meeting his big brother Walker (18 months).
58foggidawn
>57 leahbird: Aww, so sweet! Congratulations!
59ChelleBearss
Aww congrats! Cuties
60beserene
Leah! Hi! And CONGRATS on your shiny new nephew -- adorbs!!!
You aren't alone regarding Dietland. Our local feminist bookclub here had the exact same reaction you did. I've been watching the show myself, cautiously curious to see where/how far they decide to take the book's ideas and whether they are going to make a better/real character of Plum. Jury is still out, for sure.
I'm so glad to see you still here and still reading on! I hope this year only gets better for you!!!
You aren't alone regarding Dietland. Our local feminist bookclub here had the exact same reaction you did. I've been watching the show myself, cautiously curious to see where/how far they decide to take the book's ideas and whether they are going to make a better/real character of Plum. Jury is still out, for sure.
I'm so glad to see you still here and still reading on! I hope this year only gets better for you!!!
61leahbird
>60 beserene: SARAH!!! So happy to see you! Hope you are well.
63libraryperilous
Congrats!
64leahbird
So, I've been unemployed since April when my company went out of business. It's been shitty. I have probably put in 60 applications and not gotten a single interview.
I was starting to get depressed and was feeling very lost. I decided to just throw myself into something I'd always been interested in, doing service with AmeriCorps or Peace Corps. I'm not ready to be away from home right now with all the littles in the family and trying to make a difference in my own community sounded so fulfilling. I applied for the VISTA program which deals with poverty issues.
I passed the first round easily but there weren't a lot of positions available this late in the year (service starts Aug 20th). I had an interview Monday for a position at University of Tennessee Recycling that diverts food waste from the landfill to donate to serve the community and runs a community garden that donates the harvest. They offered me the position Tuesday and I was cleared for service yesterday!
I'm so excited! Not only to not be employed but to be in service to help others! It's just a wonderful feeling of fulfillment and relief.
I was starting to get depressed and was feeling very lost. I decided to just throw myself into something I'd always been interested in, doing service with AmeriCorps or Peace Corps. I'm not ready to be away from home right now with all the littles in the family and trying to make a difference in my own community sounded so fulfilling. I applied for the VISTA program which deals with poverty issues.
I passed the first round easily but there weren't a lot of positions available this late in the year (service starts Aug 20th). I had an interview Monday for a position at University of Tennessee Recycling that diverts food waste from the landfill to donate to serve the community and runs a community garden that donates the harvest. They offered me the position Tuesday and I was cleared for service yesterday!
I'm so excited! Not only to not be employed but to be in service to help others! It's just a wonderful feeling of fulfillment and relief.
65thornton37814
>64 leahbird: Congrats on the new job!
66beserene
Yes, congratulations! That sounds like a wonderful opportunity to do some good in the world!
67leahbird
In other big life news, I'm also going back to school to work towards a Master's of Social Work! My acceptance came through yesterday and I got all registered today. It's going to be a pretty crazy year working full time with AmeriCorps and going to school in the evenings but I'm feeling very excited and like I'm on the right track. If I disappear, send someone to find me face down in the library.
68thornton37814
>67 leahbird: Enjoy your grad school work. Sounds like you have a good plan in place. Are you going to UTK?
69libraryperilous
Congrats on the new job and the upcoming master's work. It sounds like you've landed on great ways to help people.
70beserene
>67 leahbird: Congratulations on getting into grad school and on opening a whole new chapter in your life! That's so exciting! I think you'll do really well in an MSW program. :)
71leahbird
>68 thornton37814: I am! Lots of changes since I was there 10 years ago but I was happy to see a lot of my favorite professors are still there.
>69 libraryperilous: >70 beserene: Thanks!
So, who bullet journals (or tried and gave up)? Life is going to be hectic this next year and I need to get organized. Bullet journaling seems appealing because it's super flexible but a) I'm not artsy b) I can get slightly neurotic about things and c) I'm concerned about actually keeping up with a notebook.
Do you actually find this helpful for organizing or is it just another thing you do?
If you tried it and gave up, do you do something else that works better?
>69 libraryperilous: >70 beserene: Thanks!
So, who bullet journals (or tried and gave up)? Life is going to be hectic this next year and I need to get organized. Bullet journaling seems appealing because it's super flexible but a) I'm not artsy b) I can get slightly neurotic about things and c) I'm concerned about actually keeping up with a notebook.
Do you actually find this helpful for organizing or is it just another thing you do?
If you tried it and gave up, do you do something else that works better?
72norabelle414
>71 leahbird: I have been bullet journaling for a few years and I am not great at keeping up with it but it is still better than anything else I've tried. But also my life is not terribly complicated right now so all I put in it are daily tasks, a monthly calendar, a few organizational lists for things like grocery shopping or sending Christmas cards, and notes for one meeting per month. Additionally I use Google calendar extensively with reminders for appointments and such.
The only problem I have really come across is that I have trouble using it to plan things that need to be done more than a day or two in the future. I suspect that's because of the way I personally use the journal though. If I were more organized or creative I could figure it out.
The only problem I have really come across is that I have trouble using it to plan things that need to be done more than a day or two in the future. I suspect that's because of the way I personally use the journal though. If I were more organized or creative I could figure it out.
73leahbird
That's kinda what I was thinking; use Google calendar for the big stuff but the bullet journal to keep my brain a bit more organized. The thing I get frustrated about with Google calendar is that there isn't a good way to look at a week or month view and actually really know what you have coming up. So I think that's what I'm going to try to focus on. With the added ability to track some daily habits I'm hoping to improve on, I think this is the thing that will work for me.
I was mostly concerned that'd I'd just get all neurotic about making it perfect. I think I've relieved my mind about that by looking at a bunch of insane, calligraphied, works of art that people are using to track if they finished a Netflix series. I will never be able to make artsy stuff like that and I don't actually want to. Pretty basic sounds good to me.
I was mostly concerned that'd I'd just get all neurotic about making it perfect. I think I've relieved my mind about that by looking at a bunch of insane, calligraphied, works of art that people are using to track if they finished a Netflix series. I will never be able to make artsy stuff like that and I don't actually want to. Pretty basic sounds good to me.
74norabelle414
>73 leahbird: It can be hard to see all those calligraphied notebooks online but just remember that's only because people who don't have calligraphied journals don't post pics of them online. Not because all journals have to look like that. And even those people probably have a ton of pages they messed up on. My bullet journal is a full-on mess, and that's fine.
An additional thing that I find helpful is that I often write down things I have already finished in my bullet journal. That helps with personal organization (e.g. "yes, I did pay my credit card bill last week because it says so in my journal") but also just making me feel like I'm not a total failure (e.g. "I felt like I did nothing today but my journal says that I paid two bills and took out the trash and called my mom"). Also sometimes I write "bullet journal" as a to-do item in my bullet journal so that I can check it off.
An additional thing that I find helpful is that I often write down things I have already finished in my bullet journal. That helps with personal organization (e.g. "yes, I did pay my credit card bill last week because it says so in my journal") but also just making me feel like I'm not a total failure (e.g. "I felt like I did nothing today but my journal says that I paid two bills and took out the trash and called my mom"). Also sometimes I write "bullet journal" as a to-do item in my bullet journal so that I can check it off.
75leahbird
Yeah, they are gorgeous but have somehow made me more comfortable with the mess mine will inevitably be. 😉
I totally feel you on that small accomplishments thing. Having been unemployed for a good chunk now I've been working on recognizing those from day to day. Today's accomplishment was putting on actual pants and a bra. Hooray! Some of my goals to track are drinking more water (chronic dehydration is a serious problem of mine), moving more, studying at least 30 minutes a day, and getting more sleep.
My position requires supervising several projects and a lot of moving parts so it'll be nice to keep all the goings-on in one place with my school requirements so I don't let myself get piled up.
I totally feel you on that small accomplishments thing. Having been unemployed for a good chunk now I've been working on recognizing those from day to day. Today's accomplishment was putting on actual pants and a bra. Hooray! Some of my goals to track are drinking more water (chronic dehydration is a serious problem of mine), moving more, studying at least 30 minutes a day, and getting more sleep.
My position requires supervising several projects and a lot of moving parts so it'll be nice to keep all the goings-on in one place with my school requirements so I don't let myself get piled up.
76ChelleBearss
Congrats on your acceptance to return to school!
77leahbird
I started AmeriCorps orientation today! The next 3 days we're at a retreat in the Smoky Mtns and I'm really looking forward to it. It's a fun, diverse group of people and I was pleasantly surprised to not be the only one well out their early 20s. 😂
79leahbird
Thanks Sarah! It's been a WILD few weeks but pretty good and rewarding. I've been at my site, UT Recycling, for 3 weeks now and am mostly really happy there. We're down a staff member (hopefully not for much longer) so it's been a bit chaotic but the work I'm doing there is very exciting and impacts a lot of people. We donated 614 lbs of food from ONE event my first week and it went to feed about 500 people in need in our community. Our first football game is this Saturday, and my team will collect all the unused food from that which usually amounts to a couple 1000 lbs.
I started classes on the 22nd and have already given my first presentation. It went well! Balancing work and classes and homework is difficult but I'm gonna make it through.
Back to commuting 45 mins in each direction so my audiobook listening has gone way back up!
I started classes on the 22nd and have already given my first presentation. It went well! Balancing work and classes and homework is difficult but I'm gonna make it through.
Back to commuting 45 mins in each direction so my audiobook listening has gone way back up!
80beserene
That does sound like a wild few weeks! But how awesome that you are involved in a program that's feeding people in need! It's good to do work that betters the world, both for the world and for your own soul. And you're definitely going to make it through school -- work/class/home balance is one of the hardest things, but give yourself some time to figure it out. It's all new! These things settle in slowly.
Boo commute, but yay audiobooks!
Boo commute, but yay audiobooks!
81leahbird
Holy hell! I am 11 reviews behind schedule... That's pretty terrible. Whoops. At least it's better than the 21 I originally thought I was behind but turns out I just couldn't read dates correctly. Still, it's nearly 3 months behind.
Here are some drive-by catch-up reviews:
29. The Grave's a Fine and Private Place by Alan Bradley: A decent installment in the Flavia series but it's the ending and what it hints at for future volumes that really makes this one great
30. Wicked + Divine Vol 4: Rising Action by Kieron Gillen: Yay, Laura is back!
31. Wicked + Divine Vol 5: Imperial Phase I by Kieron Gillen: This vol was a little underwhelming. It's shifting gears from the original plot to the new mystery but it makes a muddle getting there.
32. Wicked + Divine Vol 6: Imperial Phase II by Kieron Gillen: This vol is kinda nuts. And so many surprises!
33. The Hidden Gallery by Maryrose Wood: Yay for the introduction of Simon
34. The Unseen Guest by Maryrose Wood: Madame Ionesco is always worthwhile
(here there should be a review of Noir: A Novel by Christopher Moore but my audiobook loan ran out and I've still not come back up in the queue)
35. Simon vs the Homo Sapiens Agenda by Becky Albertalli: I liked this but not as much as I expected to. I did slightly prefer the movie, I think because the structure is better. Still good.
(here there should be ANOTHER review, this time of Tess of the Road by Rachel Hartman. Same problem as before. Luckily, this shouldn't be much of an issue anymore since I'm back in the car for 1.5 hrs a day.)
36. Spinning Silver by Naomi Novik: So so so good. I didn't have any trouble following the different characters. My only small complaint is that I would have likedto see more of Miryem's good life in the Winter country and her falling in love with the King. I knew it was coming but it would have been nice to follow.
37. The Interrupted Tale by Maryrose Wood: Nice to visit Swanborne but not all that exciting
38. The Unmapped Sea by Maryrose Wood: Even Lady Constance can't be THAT dumb. And the ending is a stretch. But still fun.
Here are some drive-by catch-up reviews:
29. The Grave's a Fine and Private Place by Alan Bradley: A decent installment in the Flavia series but it's the ending and what it hints at for future volumes that really makes this one great
30. Wicked + Divine Vol 4: Rising Action by Kieron Gillen: Yay, Laura is back!
31. Wicked + Divine Vol 5: Imperial Phase I by Kieron Gillen: This vol was a little underwhelming. It's shifting gears from the original plot to the new mystery but it makes a muddle getting there.
32. Wicked + Divine Vol 6: Imperial Phase II by Kieron Gillen: This vol is kinda nuts. And so many surprises!
33. The Hidden Gallery by Maryrose Wood: Yay for the introduction of Simon
34. The Unseen Guest by Maryrose Wood: Madame Ionesco is always worthwhile
(here there should be a review of Noir: A Novel by Christopher Moore but my audiobook loan ran out and I've still not come back up in the queue)
35. Simon vs the Homo Sapiens Agenda by Becky Albertalli: I liked this but not as much as I expected to. I did slightly prefer the movie, I think because the structure is better. Still good.
(here there should be ANOTHER review, this time of Tess of the Road by Rachel Hartman. Same problem as before. Luckily, this shouldn't be much of an issue anymore since I'm back in the car for 1.5 hrs a day.)
36. Spinning Silver by Naomi Novik: So so so good. I didn't have any trouble following the different characters. My only small complaint is that I would have liked
37. The Interrupted Tale by Maryrose Wood: Nice to visit Swanborne but not all that exciting
38. The Unmapped Sea by Maryrose Wood: Even Lady Constance can't be THAT dumb. And the ending is a stretch. But still fun.
82leahbird
39. The Long-Lost Home by Maryrose Wood (read by Fiona Hardingham)
And so, we've arrived at last. The last Incorrigible book. The one that will unravel the secrets.
But first, the gaping, raw hole in the heart of so many listeners: the death of the inimitable Katherine Kellgren. So many of us are huge Katy fans. Her death was a tragedy for the world of top class audiobooks (and the world at large too as she seemed to be a really fine person). Losing her amazing talent would have been tragic no matter what, but losing her just before the final book in a beloved series she narrated so perfectly is especially bitter.
Going into this listening knowing her voice would be gone was so sad. Fiona Hardingham is a fine reader, but she (and everyone) pales in comparison to Katy. I kept hearing the characters as Katy read them. I felt a disengagement with the story that I never have any of the others, because the characters didn't sound like our familiar Incorrigibles, Penelope, Simon, Old Timothy, etc.
And then, I got to the end. There is an afterward of Maryrose Wood talking about her friendship with Katy. And it made me cry. In my car in a parking lot. There are times when I can't recall LA Meyer's name or even Maryrose Wood's, even thought I love their books. But I can without hesitation tell you Katy narrated the book. She is sorely missed.
Ok, the book. I really hated the way The Unmapped Sea ended so I was concerned about there this would head. And, I was right to be concerned. There just isn't the same kind of sparkle with Penelope off in Russia and not at Ashton with the people she loves. Even her adventures in St. Petersburg just aren't as grand without the children and Simon. But, I understand the reason she needed to be separated. I appreciate that.
The way in which she isreunited with her parents is a tad ridiculous, but it's an Incorrigible book so it fits. The final revelation that she is the sister of the Incorrigibles is not a surprise but I had started to doubt if it would prove true since it seemed the answer we were being led towards all along. My original issues with the first book- namely the fact that Alexander would have been at least 6 but more likely 7-8 when they were left in the woods- come back in this one as he admits to some memories of their life with their parents. I mean, what 6-8 year old forgets his own name, their parents' names and their life story, and even how to wear PANTS? It makes sense for Cassiopeia and maybe even Beowulf but NOT Alexander.
Once the crew is all at Ashton Place, things are ridiculous but full of what you would expect. The ending is a satisfying conclusion to the series.
I feel like, even with Katy narrating, I would not have loved this as much as some of the other installments. But it's still an Incorrigible book so it's still fun. And I like a happy ending.
And so, we've arrived at last. The last Incorrigible book. The one that will unravel the secrets.
But first, the gaping, raw hole in the heart of so many listeners: the death of the inimitable Katherine Kellgren. So many of us are huge Katy fans. Her death was a tragedy for the world of top class audiobooks (and the world at large too as she seemed to be a really fine person). Losing her amazing talent would have been tragic no matter what, but losing her just before the final book in a beloved series she narrated so perfectly is especially bitter.
Going into this listening knowing her voice would be gone was so sad. Fiona Hardingham is a fine reader, but she (and everyone) pales in comparison to Katy. I kept hearing the characters as Katy read them. I felt a disengagement with the story that I never have any of the others, because the characters didn't sound like our familiar Incorrigibles, Penelope, Simon, Old Timothy, etc.
And then, I got to the end. There is an afterward of Maryrose Wood talking about her friendship with Katy. And it made me cry. In my car in a parking lot. There are times when I can't recall LA Meyer's name or even Maryrose Wood's, even thought I love their books. But I can without hesitation tell you Katy narrated the book. She is sorely missed.
Ok, the book. I really hated the way The Unmapped Sea ended so I was concerned about there this would head. And, I was right to be concerned. There just isn't the same kind of sparkle with Penelope off in Russia and not at Ashton with the people she loves. Even her adventures in St. Petersburg just aren't as grand without the children and Simon. But, I understand the reason she needed to be separated. I appreciate that.
The way in which she is
Once the crew is all at Ashton Place, things are ridiculous but full of what you would expect. The ending is a satisfying conclusion to the series.
I feel like, even with Katy narrating, I would not have loved this as much as some of the other installments. But it's still an Incorrigible book so it's still fun. And I like a happy ending.
83libraryperilous
I loved Spinning Silver and was so relieved that it not only met my expectations but exceeded them. I agree completely with your quibble, but the Staryk is such a great character that I sort of overlooked the quibble.
I'm sorry about the loss of your favorite narrator. I don't use the audiobook format, but I recently read an article about a well-known narrator, and it was just so charming. I can see why people really love both the format and their favorite narrators.
I've sort of become disillusioned with the Flavia series, but I do hope the ending of the most recent entry portends what it seems to portend. That would freshen things up nicely. (Also, please theromance for Dogger.)
edited: HTML markup error
I'm sorry about the loss of your favorite narrator. I don't use the audiobook format, but I recently read an article about a well-known narrator, and it was just so charming. I can see why people really love both the format and their favorite narrators.
I've sort of become disillusioned with the Flavia series, but I do hope the ending of the most recent entry portends what it seems to portend. That would freshen things up nicely. (Also, please the
edited: HTML markup error
84leahbird
Random question about things that happened 4 years ago: does anyone remember if I sent the a Dropbox link that included the UK Harry Potter audiobooks? foggidawn, maybe? I offered to share them with a friend who's never read HP and now I can't for the life of me remember where I stashed them. ;( I have at least a message from 2014 offering to share them but no actual info and they aren't in the only Dropbox I can remember creating....
85foggidawn
>84 leahbird: I think you did send me the Dropbox link, though I haven't (yet) listened to them. Do you need me to see if I can find that link?
ETA: I emailed you, but the link I found just leads to a 404 error, now. :-/
ETA: I emailed you, but the link I found just leads to a 404 error, now. :-/
86leahbird
Man, it's really nuts to get on here to catch up on reviews and realize I haven't posted in almost 2 months. It really doesn't feel that long, I guess because I read your threads and feel productive. ;)
Things have been good but VERY hectic. We had our last home football game tonight so I have my weekends back but finals are creeping closer and I have a term research paper to write... the fun never ends.
Things have been good but VERY hectic. We had our last home football game tonight so I have my weekends back but finals are creeping closer and I have a term research paper to write... the fun never ends.
87leahbird
40. Prudence by Gail Carriger (read by Moira Quirk)
Reread this and the next one to be ready to read the third one... which has then not come up in my holds since.
41. Imprudence by Gail Carriger (read by Moira Quirk)
42. The Martian by Andy Weir (read by RC Bray)
Reread when NONE of my holds would come up since I own this one and it's always fun.
43. Carry On by Rainbow Rowell (read by Euan Morton)
Looking back at my reading dates on this, I've read this every fall for the last 4 years. I know I reread it because I own it and it's a delicious take on the beloved Potter series. Maybe I read it this time of year because it takes place Sept-Dec. I don't know but I still enjoy it.
Reread this and the next one to be ready to read the third one... which has then not come up in my holds since.
41. Imprudence by Gail Carriger (read by Moira Quirk)
42. The Martian by Andy Weir (read by RC Bray)
Reread when NONE of my holds would come up since I own this one and it's always fun.
43. Carry On by Rainbow Rowell (read by Euan Morton)
Looking back at my reading dates on this, I've read this every fall for the last 4 years. I know I reread it because I own it and it's a delicious take on the beloved Potter series. Maybe I read it this time of year because it takes place Sept-Dec. I don't know but I still enjoy it.
88leahbird
44. The Strange Case of the Alchemist's Daughter by Theodora Goss (read by Kate Reading)
The premise of this story is ridiculous. But it's the ridiculousness of established stories so that's not really on Goss. And it's totally forgivable that she leaned into the creation myths of these older stories because I LOVE THESE CHARACTERS. I'm still trying to figure out Mary's story but I'm happy that there are more books to read about the Athena Club while I do so.
The premise of this story is ridiculous. But it's the ridiculousness of established stories so that's not really on Goss. And it's totally forgivable that she leaned into the creation myths of these older stories because I LOVE THESE CHARACTERS. I'm still trying to figure out Mary's story but I'm happy that there are more books to read about the Athena Club while I do so.
89thornton37814
Just checking in to see how things are going in your corner of East Tennessee.
90leahbird
>89 thornton37814: Cold! But at least it's stopped raining for a few days.
91thornton37814
>91 thornton37814: I drove over to Nashville Thursday, and it was snowing fairly heavily from Crossville to Cookeville. It was sticking to trees and grass, but not to the road.
92libraryperilous
>88 leahbird: Goss talks a bit about her inspiration for the Athena Club adventures in this interview with the LAPL.
95PaulCranswick
Happy holidays, Leah
96leahbird
>94 beserene: & >95 PaulCranswick: Thanks and Happy Holidays to you too!
I survived my first semester back in school while also working full time and I've been off work for a week now. The downtime has been lovely: spent a lot of time with the family and catching up on a few months worth of sleep and reading. In all, the semester was wonderful and the fears I had about going back at 36 were completely unjustified. I've also just really loved my job. I'm super busy all the time but I'm super happy.
My term paper for my Peopling of the Americas class was so interesting to me and compelling to my professor that he's encouraged me to work on it for publication! It was a reevaluation of a mathematical model by Todd Surovell that attempts to explain how the Americas could have been colonized by the first peoples in the short amount of time shown by the archaeological record. It was really interesting work that claimed that the energetic expenses of women and childrearing costs were the factors most likely to determine movement patterns but, while recentering the study of colonization around women, it failed to reconsider the lives of women. My paper addresses the implicit patriarchal, heteronormative nature that is found in MOST studies like this and I examined the assumptions his model made about childrearing and mobility from a feminocentric perspective. I actually really loved writing it and its being well received was immensely affirming.
I survived my first semester back in school while also working full time and I've been off work for a week now. The downtime has been lovely: spent a lot of time with the family and catching up on a few months worth of sleep and reading. In all, the semester was wonderful and the fears I had about going back at 36 were completely unjustified. I've also just really loved my job. I'm super busy all the time but I'm super happy.
My term paper for my Peopling of the Americas class was so interesting to me and compelling to my professor that he's encouraged me to work on it for publication! It was a reevaluation of a mathematical model by Todd Surovell that attempts to explain how the Americas could have been colonized by the first peoples in the short amount of time shown by the archaeological record. It was really interesting work that claimed that the energetic expenses of women and childrearing costs were the factors most likely to determine movement patterns but, while recentering the study of colonization around women, it failed to reconsider the lives of women. My paper addresses the implicit patriarchal, heteronormative nature that is found in MOST studies like this and I examined the assumptions his model made about childrearing and mobility from a feminocentric perspective. I actually really loved writing it and its being well received was immensely affirming.
97leahbird
45. The Obelisk Gate by NK Jemisin (read by Robin Miles)
46. The Stone Sky by NK Jemisin (read by Robin Miles)
This series was really fascinating. Overall, it was complex and creative and a compelling adventure. I was frustrated by some of the things that still feel left loose and the ending felt incomplete to me and very disappointing in one aspect. I do think these two books could have been condensed as there was a lot of movement and waiting around that felt like it was purposeful but in the end did not really come to fruition.
Still, very good.
47. Call Me By Your Name by Andre Aciman (read by Armie Hammer)
This book is.... weird. And confusing. And GROSS. And lovely. The nonlinear storytelling and how it shifts into daydreams that last so long you forget they aren't what really happened until the real world comes back in and confuses the hell out of you are super frustrating. The writing is beautiful but it's so freaking frustrating! And I was really grossed out a time or two and a bit squeamish several more times. Theeating the peach scene still makes me gag and the scene near the end where Oliver massages Elliot's stomach while he poops.... yuck. That's not the book's responsibility and clearly I was never a teenage boy (or a girl that was into... smells and body functions) so maybe some of these things are not so out there for a lot of people who read this.
The love story, once you boil down to it's essence, was pretty touching in the second half but the first half felt really unhealthy to me. I understand the disdain and curtness was a defense for them both, but I don't like it.
If for nothing else, though, Elliot's dad's monologue near the end... worth everything. So beautiful.
I watched the movie this week and I have to say that, without Elliot's inner monologue and daydreaming asides, it seemed a lot less focused and clear. It was also less gross, thankfully, but a little less lovely as well. Dad's speech was still amazing. They leave a pretty hefty chunk of basically epilogue out of the movie and I think that was disappointing. I actually really liked that section and thought it made everything else much more important.
48. Competence by Gail Carriger (read by Moira Quirk)
This was a rare let down for Carriger's books. I appreciated getting more of Prim and Percy's perspectives but making the entire book from their point of view was jarring. And the plot is atrocious, REALLY wimpy. This whole thing basically amounts to 11 hours and 52 minutes of Victorian LGBTQ examination and justification with a last minute dash of VICTORIAN LIPOSUCTION. I shit you not. Very, very disappointing.
I remember not being impressed with one or two of the books in the Soulless series and I was slower to warm to the Finish School series so this isn't going to stop me from picking up the next book when it comes out. I dearly hope, however, that we get something better than this.
49. Lumberjanes Vol 5: Band Together by Noelle Stevenson, Shannon Watters, Kat Leyh, Brooklyn Allen, Carolyn Nowak, & Maarta Laiho
50. Lumberjanes Vol 6: Sink or Swim by Shannon Watters, Kay Leyh, Carey Pietsch, & Maarta Laiho
51. Lumberjanes Vol 7: A Bird's Eye View by Shannon Watters, Kat Leyh, Carey Pietsch, Ayme Sotuyo, & Maarta Laiho
52. Lumberjanes Vol 8: Stone Cold by Shannon Watters, Kat Leyh, Carey Pietsch, & Maarta Laiho
53. Lumberjanes Vol 9: On A Roll by Shannon Watters, Kay Leyh, Carolyn Nowak, & Maarta Laiho
54. Lumberjanes Vol 10: Parents' Day by Shannon Watters, Kat Leyh, Ayme Sotuyo, & Maarta Laiho
I didn't realize I was so far behind in my Lumberjanes reading until I sat down to read the newest one. All caught up now. Still wacky, weird, inclusive fun!
46. The Stone Sky by NK Jemisin (read by Robin Miles)
This series was really fascinating. Overall, it was complex and creative and a compelling adventure. I was frustrated by some of the things that still feel left loose and the ending felt incomplete to me and very disappointing in one aspect. I do think these two books could have been condensed as there was a lot of movement and waiting around that felt like it was purposeful but in the end did not really come to fruition.
Still, very good.
47. Call Me By Your Name by Andre Aciman (read by Armie Hammer)
This book is.... weird. And confusing. And GROSS. And lovely. The nonlinear storytelling and how it shifts into daydreams that last so long you forget they aren't what really happened until the real world comes back in and confuses the hell out of you are super frustrating. The writing is beautiful but it's so freaking frustrating! And I was really grossed out a time or two and a bit squeamish several more times. The
If for nothing else, though, Elliot's dad's monologue near the end... worth everything. So beautiful.
I watched the movie this week and I have to say that, without Elliot's inner monologue and daydreaming asides, it seemed a lot less focused and clear. It was also less gross, thankfully, but a little less lovely as well. Dad's speech was still amazing. They leave a pretty hefty chunk of basically epilogue out of the movie and I think that was disappointing. I actually really liked that section and thought it made everything else much more important.
48. Competence by Gail Carriger (read by Moira Quirk)
This was a rare let down for Carriger's books. I appreciated getting more of Prim and Percy's perspectives but making the entire book from their point of view was jarring. And the plot is atrocious, REALLY wimpy. This whole thing basically amounts to 11 hours and 52 minutes of Victorian LGBTQ examination and justification with a last minute dash of VICTORIAN LIPOSUCTION. I shit you not. Very, very disappointing.
I remember not being impressed with one or two of the books in the Soulless series and I was slower to warm to the Finish School series so this isn't going to stop me from picking up the next book when it comes out. I dearly hope, however, that we get something better than this.
49. Lumberjanes Vol 5: Band Together by Noelle Stevenson, Shannon Watters, Kat Leyh, Brooklyn Allen, Carolyn Nowak, & Maarta Laiho
50. Lumberjanes Vol 6: Sink or Swim by Shannon Watters, Kay Leyh, Carey Pietsch, & Maarta Laiho
51. Lumberjanes Vol 7: A Bird's Eye View by Shannon Watters, Kat Leyh, Carey Pietsch, Ayme Sotuyo, & Maarta Laiho
52. Lumberjanes Vol 8: Stone Cold by Shannon Watters, Kat Leyh, Carey Pietsch, & Maarta Laiho
53. Lumberjanes Vol 9: On A Roll by Shannon Watters, Kay Leyh, Carolyn Nowak, & Maarta Laiho
54. Lumberjanes Vol 10: Parents' Day by Shannon Watters, Kat Leyh, Ayme Sotuyo, & Maarta Laiho
I didn't realize I was so far behind in my Lumberjanes reading until I sat down to read the newest one. All caught up now. Still wacky, weird, inclusive fun!
99leahbird
55 (but really 42). Tess of the Road by Rachel Hartman (read by Katharine McEwan)
Skipped this somehow back in October. I rather like Tess but the plotting of this felt pretty uneven to me.
56 (but really 44). Noir by Christopher Moore (read by Johnny Heller
Ugh, skipped this one in November. Both of these I had started and then my loan ran out so they were all out of order on my list.
This was not a winning Moore for me. I shouldn't be surprised because I don't typically like noirish books anyway and this one weird in all the wrong ways.
The narration was not really my thing either.
Skipped this somehow back in October. I rather like Tess but the plotting of this felt pretty uneven to me.
56 (but really 44). Noir by Christopher Moore (read by Johnny Heller
Ugh, skipped this one in November. Both of these I had started and then my loan ran out so they were all out of order on my list.
This was not a winning Moore for me. I shouldn't be surprised because I don't typically like noirish books anyway and this one weird in all the wrong ways.
The narration was not really my thing either.
100leahbird
END OF YEAR 2018 BOOK MEME!
Describe yourself: Tess of the Road
Describe how you feel: Tomorrow Will Be Different
Describe where you currently live: The Long-Lost Home
If you could go anywhere, where would you go: Afar
Your favorite form of transportation: Spinning Silver
Your best friend is: Imprudence
You and your friends are: The Wise Man's Fear
What’s the weather like: The Fifth Season
You fear: Dietland
What is the best advice you have to give: Sink or Swim
Thought for the day: Call Me By Your Name
How you would like to die: The Unmapped Sea
Your soul’s present condition: Carry On
Describe yourself: Tess of the Road
Describe how you feel: Tomorrow Will Be Different
Describe where you currently live: The Long-Lost Home
If you could go anywhere, where would you go: Afar
Your favorite form of transportation: Spinning Silver
Your best friend is: Imprudence
You and your friends are: The Wise Man's Fear
What’s the weather like: The Fifth Season
You fear: Dietland
What is the best advice you have to give: Sink or Swim
Thought for the day: Call Me By Your Name
How you would like to die: The Unmapped Sea
Your soul’s present condition: Carry On
101beserene
Nice wrap-up! Happy New Year! May 2019 bring excellent things!
(And congrats on your paper -- it's always really gratifying to have someone acknowledge the value of your work, especially when you are challenging assumptions. Well done!)
(And congrats on your paper -- it's always really gratifying to have someone acknowledge the value of your work, especially when you are challenging assumptions. Well done!)
102leahbird
2018 Top Ten
1. Spinning Silver by Naomi Novik
2. The Name of The Wind Series by Patrick Rothfuss
3. The Fifth Season Series by NK Jemisin
4. The Strange Case of the Alchemist's Daughter by Theodora Goss
5. Tomorrow Will be Different by Sarah McBride
6. The Book of Dust: La Belle Sauvage by Philip Pullman
7. Tess of The Road by Rachel Hartman
8. Binti: Home by Nnedi Okorafor
9. Akata Witch by Nnedi Okorafor
10. The Long-Lost Home by Maryrose Wood
Honorable Mention:
Call Me By Your Name by Andre Aciman
Ms. Marvel Vol 1: No Normal by G Willow Wilson
Saga Volume 8 by Brian K Vaughan
1. Spinning Silver by Naomi Novik
2. The Name of The Wind Series by Patrick Rothfuss
3. The Fifth Season Series by NK Jemisin
4. The Strange Case of the Alchemist's Daughter by Theodora Goss
5. Tomorrow Will be Different by Sarah McBride
6. The Book of Dust: La Belle Sauvage by Philip Pullman
7. Tess of The Road by Rachel Hartman
8. Binti: Home by Nnedi Okorafor
9. Akata Witch by Nnedi Okorafor
10. The Long-Lost Home by Maryrose Wood
Honorable Mention:
Call Me By Your Name by Andre Aciman
Ms. Marvel Vol 1: No Normal by G Willow Wilson
Saga Volume 8 by Brian K Vaughan
103leahbird
>101 beserene: Thanks Sarah!
104leahbird
New Year, new thread: http://www.librarything.com/topic/301442
