tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9694205603116151582024-03-17T22:02:21.846-05:00Reading at RandomJennihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15599352366264648402noreply@blogger.comBlogger962125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-969420560311615158.post-24602986400715269792024-03-16T19:43:00.001-05:002024-03-16T19:43:06.098-05:00The Cleaners<div style="text-align: center;"> <span style="font-family: verdana;">Book 29 of my 2024 Reading Challenge</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">read on March 16</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>The Cleaners </b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">by Ken Liu</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>My Opinion</b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">4 stars</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">This short story is part of the <i>Faraway</i> collection available through Prime Reading. It was an enjoyable read with an interesting premise. I understand introducing three main characters because they all show different experiences but it also took away from the development by splitting a short story into three POVs.</span></div>Jennihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15599352366264648402noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-969420560311615158.post-60906328233176473282024-03-15T20:39:00.000-05:002024-03-15T20:39:32.266-05:00Pretty Guilty Women<div style="text-align: center;"> <span style="font-family: verdana;">Book 28 of my 2024 Reading Challenge</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">read from March 10 - 15</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>Pretty Guilty Women</b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">by Gina LaManna</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>My Opinion</b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">3 stars</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">I'm torn on this book. It was a fast-paced quick read and I really liked the characters' interactions with each other. However, there were a lot of things that fit together implausibly to make a perfectly imperfect arc.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">It had a weird combination of women spilling secrets within minutes of meeting a stranger yet not communicating with their known friends/partners. The oversharing was necessary and moved the story along but some of the concerns could've been cleared up very quickly if they had been shared with the actual parties involved instead of strangers.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Just over halfway through I started to form an idea on the victim and circumstances but did not predict the final twist at all.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">So all in all, I'm rating it in the middle. If you can ignore some plotholes and go along for the ride, this would be a good, light read. But I also can't recommend it wholeheartedly without adding the caveat that it won't stand up to scrutiny.</span></div>Jennihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15599352366264648402noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-969420560311615158.post-71240554580130993452024-03-11T10:48:00.004-05:002024-03-11T10:48:44.631-05:00The Princess Game<div style="text-align: center;"> <span style="font-family: verdana;">Book 27 of my 2024 Reading Challenge</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">read on March 11</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>The Princess Game</b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">by Roman Chainani</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>My Opinion</b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">1 star</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">This short story is part of the <i>Faraway</i> collection available through Prime Reading. It's a miss for me. I didn't like the format of voice notes, the bumbling detective was more annoying than comedic, and it had a strange ending.</span></div>Jennihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15599352366264648402noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-969420560311615158.post-54720956668962735812024-03-10T17:16:00.001-05:002024-03-10T17:16:41.806-05:00Emmy & Oliver<div style="text-align: center;"> <span style="font-family: verdana;">Book 26 of my 2024 Reading Challenge</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">read from March 8 - 10</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>Emmy & Oliver</b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">by Robin Benway</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>My Opinion</b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">3 stars</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">I started reading and before I knew it 100 pages had passed. It's a very easy style to get sucked into. Although it took me 3 days to read it, I read it in 2 sittings; there was a day in between where I was too busy to read at all.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">So the book was incredibly readable, I liked the dynamics between the characters, and I would definitely read this author again. So why only 3 stars (and a low 3, almost a 2, rating at that)? The situation that led to the 10 years apart was too contrived and then the ending was even worse. I think the book either needed to be the light read it was the majority of the time and find another reason to create tension and drama, or it needed to dive more into the kidnapping. This book didn't really do justice to either one...I was overlooking it until the resolution at the end and I just absolutely couldn't get behind it.</span></div>Jennihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15599352366264648402noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-969420560311615158.post-62816400158396969502024-03-08T20:40:00.000-06:002024-03-08T20:40:14.409-06:00Wildhood<div style="text-align: center;"> <span style="font-family: verdana;">Book 25 of my 2024 Reading Challenge</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">read from February 20 - March 8</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>Wildhood: The Epic Journey from Adolescence to Adulthood in Humans and Other Animals</b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>My Opinion</b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">4 stars</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">The title and description is accurate so if the book looks interesting I would say it's worth the reader's time. </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">I'm not an expert on any of these topics but when there are 51 pages of notes in a 355 page book it seems well-researched.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">The very first paragraph sums up what to expect from the book.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">"Wildhood, the shared experience of adolescence across species, begins with the physical changes of puberty and ends when an individual has acquired four essential life skills. To become successful adults, all Earth's animals must learn how to: stay safe; negotiate social status; navigate sexuality; and live as adults."</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">They primarily focused on four wild animals biologists tracked through adolescence and beyond: Ursula the king penguin, Shrink the spotted hyena, Salt the humpback whale, and Slavc the European wolf.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">The prologue felt like reading a textbook but the rest of the book had a narrative approach and was much smoother and more readable.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">I'm a softie who can't watch animal documentaries and even this book teeters close...it "humanizes" the animals so I felt sad when they were bullied or had to leave their parents but I also cheered for them when they succeeded. I had an especially soft spot for Shrink.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><u><br /></u></span></div>Jennihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15599352366264648402noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-969420560311615158.post-28604980827341604222024-03-08T10:02:00.000-06:002024-03-08T10:02:17.922-06:00UNSUB<div style="text-align: center;"> <span style="font-family: verdana;">Book 24 of my 2024 Reading Challenge</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">read from March 3 - 7</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>UNSUB</b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">by Meg Gardiner</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>My Opinion</b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">5 stars</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Fuuuuuck. This was a trip from start to finish. Perfect pacing because I didn't skip ahead at all. I love to read thrillers yet have a low tolerance for the uncomfortable feeling so I usually have to find a spoiler and relieve some tension. With this book I was incredibly tempted twice but I didn't peek.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">I had to get up and take a lap about halfway through after a particular reveal. It didn't feel right (and wasn't right) but it was such a gut check. And the ending added one more little punch to wrap things up.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">However, after raving about this book, I probably won't continue the series. My library only had the first one and the main reason I liked this book was the case itself (which was solved) and the dynamic between some of the characters that would not be continuing in future books. I'd probably read more if I saw them but I'm not seeking them out.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><u><br /></u></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div>Jennihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15599352366264648402noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-969420560311615158.post-30378497446995448572024-03-03T08:05:00.002-06:002024-03-03T08:05:52.841-06:00The Echo of Old Books<div style="text-align: center;"> <span style="font-family: verdana;">Book 23 of my 2024 Reading Challenge</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">read from February 27 - March 2</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>The Echo of Old Books</b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">by Barbara Davis</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>My Opinion</b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">5 stars</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">First of all, what a lovely gift, to be able to feel the emotions of the previous owners of the books she holds. I understand there would be downsides of sadness and/or fear but the character reveres books as a reader and a bookstore owner and I can see how this would add an extra layer to her already enthusiastic reading.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">5 stars because I read about 90% of it in the span of one day; I just kept coming back to it and was thinking about it when I wasn't reading it. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">This one hit me. I'm not going to overanalyze it because 5 stars are usually more about how they made me feel. It may not connect with everyone but it did with me.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">The story progressed nicely and the circumstances teetered <i>justthisclose</i> to believable. Having it set in the 80's helped with some of the reveals; you couldn't just get on the Internet and have answers in minutes.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">The ending was a little cheesy but I don't mind having everything wrapped up with a little bow.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div>Jennihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15599352366264648402noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-969420560311615158.post-7803418174325966332024-03-02T12:27:00.003-06:002024-03-02T12:27:41.327-06:00Hazel and Gray<div style="text-align: center;"> <span style="font-family: verdana;">Book 22 of my 2024 Reading Challenge</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">read on March 2</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>Hazel and Gray</b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">by Nic Stone</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>My Opinion</b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">2 stars</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">This short story is part of the <i>Faraway</i> collection available through Prime Reading. I predicted the connection very early so while I kept reading to see if/how they would escape, the rest was unsurprising.</span></div>Jennihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15599352366264648402noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-969420560311615158.post-42892591274291250342024-03-01T21:39:00.001-06:002024-03-01T21:39:28.680-06:00His Hideous Heart<div style="text-align: center;"> <span style="font-family: verdana;">Book 21 of my 2024 Reading Challenge</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">read from February 27 - March 1</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>His Hideous Heart</b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>My Opinion</b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">4 stars</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">This book has multiple authors reimagining works by Edgar Allan Poe. An unusual aspect that I really appreciate is it has Poe's original works as the second half of the book if the reader wants to read those as well.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">As always when reading books with multiple authors, I'll include a small opinion on individual stories below. I've also decided to begin by reading the inspiration story by Poe first to lay a groundwork of comparison.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">My favorites were "Night-Tide" and "The Glittering Death". Although there were some I didn't enjoy a ton there were no complete duds in the inspired stories (I can't say the same for Poe's) so that was a plus too.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><u>She Rode a Horse of Fire (i</u></span><span style="font-family: verdana;"><u>nspired by the original tale "Metzengerstein")</u></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Poe's original story didn't keep my interest so the new story was already starting behind the eight ball for me.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">I can see the similarities and thought the new story updated circumstances well, including making the object a car instead of a horse. It kept my interest more than Poe's story but I still wasn't super invested.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><u>It's Carnival! (inspired by the original tale "The Cask of Amontillado")</u></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Short and to the point, there was enough time to convey the motives and create distaste for the victim.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">It held true to the emotions of Poe's story but had a current twist in method.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><u>Night-Tide (inspired by the original tale "Annabel Lee")</u></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">LOVE!!! This was a beautiful story, stark and emotional.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">It greatly expanded Poe's poem and made the story between two girls but kept the same longing and romance.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><u>The Glittering Death (inspired by "The Pit and the Pendulum")</u></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">"The Pit and the Pendulum" is the most memorable story by Poe that I've read and I have a visceral reaction every time I read it. Somehow this inspired story generated an even stronger reaction. It was terrific.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">My jaw hurts from the tension I was holding reading Poe's story followed by this one.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><u>A Drop of Stolen Ink (inspired by " The Purloined Letter")</u></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Even without the knowledge of the inspiration, this was a fully realized story. I'd read a million more of their adventures.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Although it took the original story's "hidden in plain sight", everything else was updated and unique. I really liked it.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><u>Happy Days, Sweetheart (inspired by "The Tell-Tale Heart")</u></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">The author was able to take inspiration from arguably one of the most famous stories and still surprise with a twist. I know I was supposed to root against her but I couldn't.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><u>The Raven (Remix) (inspired by "The Raven")</u></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">I understand the concept behind it but in practicality it was difficult to read when individual letters were left uncovered to form words. My eye naturally wanted to scan and it took immense concentration to not only find the letters but figure out what they were spelling.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Since this took the original text and repurposed it by blocking out many words, I'm guessing this will be the closest to the actual story behind each author's inspiration.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><u>Changeling (inspired by "Hop-Frog")</u></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Poe's original story was outdated and offensive so I was already on edge when I started the inspired story. It wasn't offensive and made enough changes to make it palatable but I was still uncomfortable. I had trouble keeping the voices straight.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><u>The Oval Filter (inspired by "The Oval Portrait")</u></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">The inspired story was really compelling which was a relief because I thought Poe's story was a dud.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">It was the perfect length and kept things moving enough that the reader was unsettled but also didn't muddy the waters with extra characters or events.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><u>Red (inspired by "The Masque of the Red Death")</u></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">It was fine. I understand what the red death symbolized in Poe's story but not in the inspired one.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><u>Lygia (inspired by "Ligeia")</u></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Poe's story was boooooring but the inspired story was much better. I felt awful for Roberta though.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><u>The Fall of the Bank of Usher (inspired by "The Fall of the House of Usher")</u></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">It felt especially long because I wasn't super interested in the plot. I don't fully understand what happened but am glad they both made it out.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">I wasn't interested in Poe's original story either.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><u>The Murders in the Rue Apartelle, Boracay (inspired by "The Murders in the Rue Morgue")</u></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">An interesting spin and update on Poe's original story. I'm glad the narrator wasn't harmed physically or emotionally.</span></div>Jennihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15599352366264648402noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-969420560311615158.post-54974536878052042182024-02-27T10:31:00.002-06:002024-02-27T10:31:36.614-06:00The Wickeds<div style="text-align: center;"> <span style="font-family: verdana;">Book 20 of my 2024 Reading Challenge</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">read on February 27</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>The Wickeds</b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">by Gayle Forman</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>My Opinion</b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">5 stars</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">This short story is part of the <i>Faraway </i>collection available through Prime Reading.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">I was engrossed with this new perspective. Although the last page took me out of the story a bit I understand it was necessary to wrap up the story. I want to read what happened next.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div>Jennihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15599352366264648402noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-969420560311615158.post-88319159758644730772024-02-26T19:40:00.003-06:002024-02-26T19:42:06.944-06:00The Village Healer's Book of Cures<div style="text-align: center;"> <span style="font-family: verdana;">Book 19 of my 2024 Reading Challenge</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">read from February 19 - 26</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>The Village Healer's Book of Cures</b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">by Jennifer Sherman Roberts</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>My Opinion</b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">4 stars</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">This book had a slow start but once it got going it was impossible to put down. There was also a bit of "right place right time" to keep the story moving but I looked past it in appreciation of the quick pacing. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">I've discovered I like books that have suspense but also a grounding of characters the reader can trust; not everyone has to be suspected. The twist was a complete shock.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">I like that the mystery was the mystery and the personal relationship stuff wasn't complicated by miscommunication or dishonesty.</span></div>Jennihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15599352366264648402noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-969420560311615158.post-52326240156285124662024-02-25T10:34:00.002-06:002024-02-25T10:34:57.512-06:00The Prince and the Troll<div style="text-align: center;"> <span style="font-family: verdana;">Book 18 of my 2024 Reading Challenge</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">read on February 25</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>The Prince and the Troll</b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">by Rainbow Rowell</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>My Opinion</b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">3 stars</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">This short story is part of the <i>Faraway </i>collection available through Prime Reading.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">I really liked the dynamic between the two characters and how they built a little more closeness each day. I felt like I knew them even though all that was shown was a small snippet of their daily life. But I'm rating it 3 stars because I wanted more and wish there had been less buildup and more once the rain started.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div>Jennihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15599352366264648402noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-969420560311615158.post-85768581714654958032024-02-24T22:58:00.001-06:002024-02-24T22:58:29.016-06:00Thirteen Doorways, Wolves Behind Them All<div style="text-align: center;"> <span style="font-family: verdana;">Book 17 of my 2024 Reading Challenge</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">read from February 20 - 24</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>Thirteen Doorways, Wolves Behind Them All</b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">by Laura Ruby</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>My Opinion</b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">3 stars</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">The title was a perfect way to start the book with a hazy, ethereal feeling. I really enjoyed the pacing and development. It helped a lot that the beginning showed Frankie's location in the future so I had an underlying ease knowing that the worst wouldn't happen and she would get out.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">It was close to a 4 star read but I rounded down to 3 because there were so many things thrown at the reader out of nowhere at the end that it felt frantic. It was also a little confusing at first when Frankie and Pearl both have inner thoughts without any paragraph breaks or indications of character switches but once I settled in, it flowed better than I expected.</span></div>Jennihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15599352366264648402noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-969420560311615158.post-55881352204572861212024-02-20T10:55:00.000-06:002024-02-20T10:55:06.837-06:00Forever Golden<div style="text-align: center;"> <span style="font-family: verdana;">Book 16 of my 2024 Reading Challenge</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">read from February 19 - 20</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>Forever Golden</b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">by Christine Kopaczewski</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>My Opinion</b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">3 stars</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">This is a box set of 4 small books, each one an "autobiography" by the Golden Girls Rose, Blanche, Dorothy, and Sophia. I received it as a gift because The Golden Girls (and reading in general) is something my sister associates with me. This set is perfect for that purpose and it will be cute as a display item on my bookshelf, although I hope she didn't spend a lot of money on it.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">As far as the actual reading, meh. I'll just watch the show again if I want to hear their quotes and stories and enjoy it more. </span></div>Jennihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15599352366264648402noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-969420560311615158.post-42853796172720495142024-02-19T21:03:00.000-06:002024-02-19T21:03:24.854-06:00How Rory Thorne Destroyed the Multiverse<div style="text-align: center;"> <span style="font-family: verdana;">Book 15 of my 2024 Reading Challenge</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">read from February 7 - 19</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>How Rory Thorne Destroyed the Multiverse</b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">by K. Eason</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>My Opinion</b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">3 stars</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">I'll be honest, I wasn't expecting to read this book right now. I'm making an effort to read books off of my "to-read" list so I randomly picked a page of the list and got any books from that page my library had available to check out. When going through that pile to choose what to read next, I didn't think I would have the mind space for this; sci-fi can be notoriously laboring with world building and such to keep track of. I thought I would give a chapter a try and then return it to read at a later time.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Instead, I was pleasantly surprised at how accessible this book is. It reads like YA if not even a little J Fic (not an insult) so things move quickly to keep interest and layers are revealed little by little.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">What I REALLY liked about the book was that I as the reader was not kept in the dark even though Rory the main character was. Even though there was some murkiness and shadiness, the characters were straightforward enough in their thoughts that there was a basic foundation of whom to trust. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">I admit it, I was so nervous about the fate of one character that I skipped to the end to see if his named still appeared. And I admit it, I got a little antsy in the last 25% and skimmed to get the gist before going back and seeing all the breadcrumbs.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">There was a bit of an info dump at the end to wrap everything up but that was also nice because it went far enough into the future that most questions were answered. I was on the fence about whether or not to read the next book in the series but my library doesn't have it and I'm not interested enough to search it out so I will probably not read it.</span></div>Jennihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15599352366264648402noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-969420560311615158.post-10229445342351030062024-02-19T09:38:00.000-06:002024-02-19T09:38:25.811-06:00Cast Member Confidential<div style="text-align: center;"> <span style="font-family: verdana;">Book 14 of my 2024 Reading Challenge</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">read from February 15 - 19</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>Cast Member Confidential: A Disneyfied Memoir</b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">by Chris Mitchell</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>My Opinion</b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">3 stars</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">A quick read that was fine while reading it but fine that it ended too.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">At very beginning he explains how he's able to write this book. It was published awhile ago so I was curious to see if he had any backlash. In the briefest of Google searches after finishing the book, it doesn't appear there was anything major (negative reviews, of course. but legal action, no.)</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">I was concerned with the tone as the book started because he was really leaning into </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">"edgy outsider who questions everything". I may agree some of the rules seem silly but I'm also not applying to work there. The "Disney experience" is a very real thing many people take seriously so I continued reading hoping he either leaned into the job or got out. He did end up leaning in much further than I expected which made the abruptness of his exit surprisingly sad.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">It's expected and understandable to let down and be a real person behind the scenes so those stories were fun and the best part of the book. I just took everything with a grain of salt (or a spoonful of sugar, excuse the bad Disney joke). It doesn't bother me because it wrapped everything up but there's no way every single thing happened all in one day, his last day, and then he just left. I hope he was telling the truth about his mom's health though and that he was able to get closer to his family.</span></div>Jennihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15599352366264648402noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-969420560311615158.post-61687723121471497942024-02-14T13:54:00.002-06:002024-02-14T13:55:03.715-06:00Contemporary American Short Stories<div style="text-align: center;"> <span style="font-family: verdana;">Book 13 of my 2024 Reading Challenge</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">read from January 28 - February 14</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>Contemporary American Short Stories</b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>My Opinion</b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">2 stars</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><u>Before Reading:</u></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">I bought this book used and had no idea it came out in 1967 so the stories are not contemporary to me. It will be interesting to see how the stories stand up many years later. I'm also guessing there will be themes and/or language that would be offensive or outdated today.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><u>Overall Thoughts After Reading:</u></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">As expected, there was language casually used that would not be used today. There was only one story that had black characters and didn't use the n-word.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">I felt meh about the book as a whole. I'm guessing this will always be an issue with anthologies; the stories may have been fine at the time but I don't think they're worth preserving and reading decades later.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">I like the little author bios at the beginning of each story instead of a full list at the beginning or end of the book.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">As always when reading multiple authors, I'll put thoughts about individual stories below.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><u>Greenleaf</u></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">It was fine. I'm sure there was symbolism somewhere but it just felt like a judgmental unhappy woman meddling with other people.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><u>Why I Live at the P.O.</u></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">I'm glad she was able to get away from her family. Her sister was horrid and it would be incredibly frustrating to see her get away with everything.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><u>The Fancy Woman</u></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Even among other stories that used it, this one stood for a million n-words. Even if it hadn't been that word I still would've noticed and said the author needed more variety in describing people because it was one single word over and over and over.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">As for the story, I didn't really understand what was happening. I think part of my confusion is the unfamiliarity with the customs of the time; things she was getting upset about or being judged for seemed trivial and minor.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><u>Battle Royal</u></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">The story was emotionally charged with strong descriptions of the room, first with a sexual energy and then with violence. It was disturbing to read because I could picture it being written from experience.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><u>Come Out the Wilderness</u></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">The story was absorbing. It was about scenarios and lives I don't have any experience with but I could still feel everything.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><u>The Crime</u></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">The story was well-written but so so sad.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><u>The Last Mohican</u></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">This was a story that could fit in any time or place. I could feel the character's obsessiveness and wasn't sure how it was going to end.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><u>A Woman of Her Age</u></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">I would've liked the story more if it had been half as long.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><u>The Conversion of the Jews</u></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">A very odd story. I was worried because of the title but there wasn't anything overtly offensive about the story itself.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><u>A & P</u></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">I was with him until the end and then it didn't make sense.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><u>Cruel and Barbarous Treatment</u></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">It was boring because it was well-written. The main character was a self-absorbed woman who droned on and on and she was so realistic I wasn't interested and was angry at her as though she was real.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><u>The Country Husband</u></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">I hated this story. It's written as though the man is supposed to be the victim with no choice but to blow up his life because his wife was giving too much attention to the kids. That would be bad enough but the GIRL he starts obsessing over is their teenage babysitter - gross and predictable.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><u>In Dreams Begin Responsibilities</u></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Abrupt ending. I could've liked the concept with a little more finesse and timing.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><u>Sex Education</u></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">That must've been very progressive for the time it was written because I could've believed it was a newly published story with no changes.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><u>Holiday</u></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">It's not a good sign when I have to put a bookmark in a short story because I don't read it all at once. It took me 5 sittings to get through this 34 page story. Nope.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><u>The Ram in the Thicket</u></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">I didn't really understand what was going on and have no idea how the title factors in but I did feel sad for the loneliness of the two main characters.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><u>Among the Dangs</u></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">It was a fully fleshed-out story but didn't hold my interest. I was uneasy reading it because the author did a good job blurring the line between what was actually happening and what the narrator was imagining.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><u>The Gonzaga Manuscripts</u></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Just as it was starting to feel like a farce there was a definitive ending. I'm glad there was a clear answer even though it wasn't the answer he wanted.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><u>Prince of Darkness</u></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">The story wound through many different scenes and narratives. It held my interest while I was reading it but as I reflect on it now, there were a whole lot of words but not a lot of substance.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><u>Encore</u></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">It was fine. This was a story that I wouldn't have known was written years ago, the themes of family and disappointing an overbearing mother still apply today.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><u>Tell Me a Riddle</u></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Incredibly raw. I felt so much empathy for the mom.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><u>I Look Out for Ed Wolfe</u></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">That had the awkwardness of watching someone completely melt down. It worked in a short story because it would've been too much if it had lasted longer.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><u>A Shower of Gold</u></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">I couldn't find the grounding. It felt like the kind of story someone would read after dropping acid to find "the meaning of life".</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div>Jennihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15599352366264648402noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-969420560311615158.post-13644987863321489872024-02-13T17:58:00.000-06:002024-02-13T17:58:34.768-06:00Ten Steps to Nanette<div style="text-align: center;"> <span style="font-family: verdana;">Book 12 of my 2024 Reading Challenge</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">read from February 2 - 23</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>Ten Steps to Nanette</b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">by Hannah Gadsby</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>My Opinion</b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">3 stars</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">It hurts. Even knowing she's alive and seemingly happy and successful, I'm so sad for the bewilderment and loneliness she felt for such a long time.</span><span style="font-family: verdana;"> I'm not a hugger and neither is she but I wish I could go back and give that little kid a hug.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><div style="font-family: -webkit-standard;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">It was a tough read (for subject matter, not for writing) and I had to keep reminding myself she finds diagnoses that help her cope, she finds a group of acceptance, and she seemingly finds happiness.</span></div><div style="font-family: -webkit-standard;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="font-family: -webkit-standard;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">She herself said it best - "I wish more than anything that I had known about my ASD when I was a kid, just so I could've learnt how to look after my own distress, instead of assuming my pain was normal and deserved. There is no one to blame, but I still grieve for the quality of life I lost because I didn't have the key piece to my human puzzle. But until someone unlocks the riddle of time travel, little me will have to flail and fail their way through the world for thirty-odd years."</span></div><div style="font-family: -webkit-standard;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="font-family: -webkit-standard;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">I think that's the part of reading her words that is the hardest. She presents her struggles as something inevitable or deserved. </span></div><div style="font-family: -webkit-standard;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="font-family: -webkit-standard;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Overall I'm rating it 3 stars because it was a bit long, especially the last few steps. It makes me want to rewatch her shows though.</span></div></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div>Jennihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15599352366264648402noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-969420560311615158.post-5508711727816430842024-01-30T20:39:00.000-06:002024-01-30T20:39:30.698-06:00The Light We Lost<div style="text-align: center;"> <span style="font-family: verdana;">Book 11 of my 2024 Reading Challenge</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">read from January 21 - 30</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>The Light We Lost</b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">by Jill Santopolo</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>My Opinion</b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">3 stars</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><u>In the Beginning:</u></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">After about 20 pages I will say this book is light and easy to get sucked into. Having it written in her voice talking to him as she recounts past memories makes it feel intimate and emotional.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><u>Checking In (about 20% through):</u></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Uh oh, I just felt a little pinprick in my heart after reading a certain line and I feel the smallest inkling of where this is going.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><u>Checking In (about halfway through):</u></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">This book keeps speeding along, it's only been 2 loads of laundry since I wrote the previous update (that's a common measurement of time, right?). The narrator stays in the present of the time she's looking back on so there isn't much foreshadowing and I enjoy it. I still have that little pit in my stomach, not just for the concern I had earlier but also about the comparisons she's making. I hope she continues to make good choices.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><u>Checking In (about 60% through):</u></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">haha, this is embarrassing. I thought something major was going to happen because the chapters switched from Roman numerals to 1 but as I flipped through to see if the pattern continued I realized it actually was an l (the next chapter is li) so there's no change.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">I'm a little frustrated about the continued fluctuating. I understand about past loves and how they affect your present but mentally upending things every time there's a conversation, especially when those conversations are very very rare, isn't really fair to anyone.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><u>Checking In (about 85% through):</u></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Oh no. I hate the direction this has gone, especially the unconfirmed justification.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Up until this point I thought one of the good things was that she didn't add extra drama by lying and I don't like the path she's taking now.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><u>The End:</u></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Fuuuuuck. Nah man, that was too much in a short amount of time and the ending-not an ending left too much unanswered. I really really want to know what she told her husband.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><u>Final Overall Thoughts:</u></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">I didn't love the choices but understood the characters until that one big thing and then it was too far gone. And my prediction from that one line early on turned out to be correct.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div>Jennihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15599352366264648402noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-969420560311615158.post-8614034202340255922024-01-30T11:07:00.001-06:002024-01-30T11:07:21.398-06:00Things My Son Needs to Know about the World<div style="text-align: center;"> <span style="font-family: verdana;">Book 10 of my 2024 Reading Challenge</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">read from January 27 - 30</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>Things My Son Needs to Know about the World</b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">by Fredrik Backman</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>My Opinion</b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">2 stars</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">This was disappointing because I loooove the author's fiction books so much and this felt surprisingly impersonal. I felt more emotion from characters he created than from this book talking about his own life.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">The funniest piece of advice was remembering to spit on a napkin and then wipe a child's face; do not spit directly on a child.</span></div>Jennihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15599352366264648402noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-969420560311615158.post-44837136314117470622024-01-28T13:25:00.001-06:002024-01-28T13:25:58.966-06:00Nebula Awards Showcase 2014<div style="text-align: center;"> <span style="font-family: verdana;">Book 9 of my 2024 Reading Challenge</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">read from January 22 - 28</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>Nebula Awards Showcase 2014</b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>My Opinion</b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">4 stars</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">This collection includes the winners and nominees of the Nebulas and includes short stories, novel excerpts, poetry, and more.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">I enjoyed the book a lot which isn't surprising since they were aiming to curate the best of the best. These are annual publications and I would definitely read more.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">As always, since there are multiple authors I will add a little something about each one individually below. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><u>Immersion</u></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Good story and interesting concept. Even though there wasn't really a resolution I also think it ended at the right time.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><u>Close Encounters</u></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Excellent story that engrossed me from beginning to end.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><u>After the Fall, Before the Fall, During the Fall</u></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">It was over 100 pages but didn't feel like it. I lost interest a little during some of the 2014 flashbacks but the majority of the story was riveting.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">The author did a great job of creating full characters without a lot of backstory or extra details. I was surprisingly sad when Julie died.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><u>Excerpt from <i>2312</i></u></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">The first half of the excerpt was really interesting but once it moved away from Swan's perspective and the personal aspects into the more scientific aspects of various surroundings it lost me. I think excerpts are hard in general because you want to give enough of a taste to interest the reader but it's often unsatisfactory because you also can't give away too much since the goal is to have someone read the whole thing.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Not related to the story itself but someone was described as dipping their head in "a kind of autistic bow". I don't have any idea what that would be.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><u>The Bookmaking Habits of Select Species </u></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">What a lovely thought that every being "reads" and passes knowledge in some form.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><u>Excerpt from <i>Fair Coin</i></u></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">I immediately added the book to my "to-read" list based on this excerpt.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><u>Five Ways to Fall in Love on Planet Porcelain</u></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">My favorite. The story filled me with feeling even though it was sparse and delicate.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><u>Christmas Inn</u></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">The story was riveting. I wish there had been a little more explanation to the ending because I didn't get it. Maybe if I reread it it would become clearer.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><u>The Library, After</u></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">I would read an expansion of that. I love the idea of a library turning feral.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">I never would've described it as a poem if it hadn't been listed in that category but it didn't bother me, I'm not the poetry police.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><u>The Curator Speaks in the Department of Dead Languages</u></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Winner of the best long poem, it also has the longest title.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">The poem was emotional.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><u>Blue Rose Buddha</u></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">This feels like a poem the author would read at a show and everyone around me would be nodding and snapping while I felt too shallow to understand it. I feel that way about a lot of poetry, actually.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div>Jennihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15599352366264648402noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-969420560311615158.post-26019181090061278212024-01-27T13:32:00.003-06:002024-02-03T20:30:41.930-06:00Everyone You Hate is Going to Die<div style="text-align: center;"> <span style="font-family: verdana;">Book 8 </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">of my 2024 Reading Challenge</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">read from January 13 - 27</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>Everyone You Hate is Going to Die: And Other Comforting Thoughts on Family, Friends, Sex, Love, and More Things That Ruin Your Life</b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">by Daniel Sloss</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>My Opinion</b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">5 stars</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><u>In the Beginning:</u></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">I'm a big fan. I feel like verbal and physical presentation affect how he can say such outrageous things without being offensive so I hope that can translate to writing as well.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><u>Checking In (about 75% through):</u></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Oof, I just finished the chapter "Lads Lads Lads" and need to take a moment. It hit me hard (in a good way). </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">The reasons I like watching/listening to Daniel Sloss is because I enjoy dark humor but he also makes me feel safe to laugh. It takes a certain person to be able to say outrageous things while also conveying they would protect you if some moron took their jokes as permission to act out of line.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">The concern I had before reading that his work wouldn't translate to print has not been an issue. If anything, it's a little better because I can experience it how I want to without the performance of someone else's reaction.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><u>Final Overall Thoughts:</u></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">This book (and Sloss in general) is not for everyone but it is for me. Great entertainment. I didn't realize until the very end when reading the acknowledgments that there's a picture on the front of the book if you remove the book jacket.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">It also makes me happy reading about his then-girlfriend knowing they're now married with a child.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Best out-of-context line: "History is written by my weiner."</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Best line: "I rolled down the window and showed him my bird collection. I have only one, but it had been inside of his mother, so I thought they should be acquainted."</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">So dumb but I laughed more than I want to admit: "I am a genius. Nay, a god. Neigh, a horse."</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div>Jennihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15599352366264648402noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-969420560311615158.post-70195883388273777142024-01-22T13:46:00.002-06:002024-01-22T13:46:24.670-06:00Accidental Magic<div style="text-align: center;"> <span style="font-family: verdana;">Book 7 of my 2024 Reading Challenge</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">read from January 6 - 22</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>Accidental Magic</b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">by Iris Beaglehole</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>My Opinion</b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">2 stars</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><u>In the beginning:</u></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">I chose this book from Prime Reading because it looked interesting. I started to read a little to see if it would stick and ended up forcing myself to stop after 5 chapters because I don't have the time to continue. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">I like the mother-daughter duo but really hope the "fish out of water" doesn't last too long and they accept what it true and begin learning.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><u>Checking In (25% through):</u></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">I like the characters but I really need at least a few basic things to be answered soon. This appears to be the first book in the series and I hope it isn't going to drag everything out. I at least need them to accept what they're seeing and start investigating what it means for them.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">It kind of has an "Alice in Wonderland" vibe when they go into town because all the characters are a little off and seem to speak in riddles.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><u>Checking In (halfway through):</u></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">I don't know about this. The pages pass quickly once I start reading but I've also been putting off returning to the book because I'm getting frustrated with the lack of any answers. Not one person they've decided to trust (even if it's wrong, at least it's a commitment)? Not one area of circumstances that is becoming clearer? </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">I guess it's progress that they're accepting the magic but I need more.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><u>Checking In (60% through):</u></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">I'm making slow progress on this because I get frustrated.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Duuuuddddeeee...I need some sort of "teams" to be decided. I know there's usually a twist where someone you trust is the bad guy (or vice versa) but continually acting like they're brand new and not making any decisions about anyone keeps everything up in the air, both because it adds unnecessary drama but also because there's not new information being learned. They're new to town and they don't trust anyone enough to ask questions so we're still just blindly limping along.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">And now there are vampires...</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><u>The End</u></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Ok that last third really turned it around. If the events had been paced better throughout the entire book I would've enjoyed the whole thing a lot more.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><u>Final Overall Thoughts</u></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Now that some things have been settled I'm tempted to read the second book but I'm not sure.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">I was pretty frustrated for most of the book but once the action actually started it passed by in a blur. All's well that ends well.</span></div>Jennihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15599352366264648402noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-969420560311615158.post-49423122772846337852024-01-21T17:36:00.000-06:002024-01-21T17:36:21.137-06:00Cat Crimes<div style="text-align: center;"> <span style="font-family: verdana;">Book 6 of my 2024 Reading Challenge</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">read from January 14 - 21</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>Cat Crimes</b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>My Opinion</b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">3 stars</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">This small paperback was a cozy way to pass some time. As I always do when reading things with multiple authors, I'll say a little something about each story individually.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><u>Ginger's Waterloo</u></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">That twist packed a punch, I did not see it coming at all! I even read back through the story to see how the author had misdirected so well.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><u>Bedeviled: A "Nameless Detective" Story</u></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">This particular case didn't keep my attention but I liked the character enough to look into the "Nameless Detective" series.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><u>A Weekend at Lookout Lodge</u></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">It was fine. I wished it had leaned more into the "haunting" aspects throughout the story.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><u>Tea and 'Biscuit</u></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Very short, even for a short story. There wasn't an ability to "play along" because the reasoning/clues weren't given until after they'd already solved the case and announced the culprit.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><u>Horatio Ruminates</u></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">It wasn't a mystery but the author did a great job of capturing a cat's haughty nature.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><u>Scat</u></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Fairly predictable but an unique job. The culprit but unbelievably careless at the end but it was needed to move the story along.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><u>Blindsided</u></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">The ending was hokey but the bait-and-switch in the middle of the story was amazing. I didn't see it coming at all.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><u>The Last Temptation of Tony the C.</u></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">I thought the connection to cats was very thin until the ending which I did not anticipate. I still didn't really like the story though.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><u>Buster</u></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">I had the method of death correct but the motive wrong.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><u>Catnap</u></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">I didn't know what was going to happen but it was a lot of hoopla for a random ending. It wasn't a mystery.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><u>Last Kiss</u></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">I was bothered more by the violence to the animal than the violence to the human which usually seems to be the case with me.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><u>Little Cat Feet</u></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Anticlimactic ending. I know it's a short story so things have to be wrapped up but to go through an entire list of suspects only to have the murderer basically break down and admit it after one question ends the story with a whimper, not a bang.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><u>Finicky</u></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Very short and creepy.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><u>The Duel</u></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">The fact that she died as well makes absolutely no sense...after all that work put into thwarting his poisoning efforts she absentmindedly forgets and eats the food?</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><u>Archimedes and the Doughnuts</u></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">That was a solid story from start to finish with just enough personality to jazz it up without extra details.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">The title and the inclusion in this book told me from the very beginning where it was going.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><u>The Lower Wacker Hilton</u></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Unique story and setting but there was so much effort to make the characters sound like wise-guys with all the extra words and interruptions that it was difficult for me to sift through and find the actual important stuff.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><u>A Proper Burial</u></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">I understood the grief from the couple who had replaced children with their cat. Surprising ending.</span></div>Jennihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15599352366264648402noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-969420560311615158.post-27549496808662598322024-01-13T22:02:00.003-06:002024-01-13T22:02:35.917-06:00We Are Okay<div style="text-align: center;"> <span style="font-family: verdana;">Book 5 of my 2024 Reading Challenge</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">read on January 13</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>We Are Okay</b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">by Nina LaCour</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>My Opinion</b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">4 stars</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">It was a slow start at the beginning and I was worried it would remain vague for longer than I wanted. But once I got past 3 chapters the rest of the book passed quickly. I could feel the heartache.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">I rated it 4 stars because of how quick and emotional it was but I feel like it's the kind of book that I would like less if I reflected on actual plots and resolutions. So instead of pulling threads and thinking more, I'm going to just let this be and put the book away.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div>Jennihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15599352366264648402noreply@blogger.com0