#i suppose i could listen 2 audiobooks.. but i get too invested

[penisliker-moved]

ermmmermmm. erm

[cooki3face]

Self Care Recommendations & Techniques 🩰💕🎀🧸

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#1: Invest in yourself.

Obviously, when we're adults or are even becoming young adults we get it in our heads that we have to close ourselves off when it comes to our money, "I need to be responsible" "I need to stop spending money" etc. etc. Yes, of course, I understand, we've got financial responsibilities, bills, rent, mortgage, etc. But never underestimate the power of investing in yourself. Buy yourself a couple of statement pieces every once in a while, a bag, a new pair of shoes, a candle, a new journal, something! anything!

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#2: Practice incorporating pamper days into your life.

This may be something you struggle with, sometimes we completely shut down and go onto autopilot; wake up, work/school, come home, shower quickly, eat (maybe), go to bed, and start all over. Sometimes we just don't have time, our schedules are busy, I find myself looking at the time during the day often, trying to make sure I'm not late when I'm supposed to be somewhere or I'm just straight anxious even on my days off when the clock strikes three or I'm stressing about how fast time goes by. So, after all this, I'm really telling you to take advantage of the leisure time or days off you have. Do some things that fall under investing in yourself, go get your nails done, get a bikini wax, get your hair done. Maybe you could stay home, cook yourself a meal, have a drink, watch a movie, take a bubble bath, do skincare.

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#3: Take some time out to expand your mind and find inner peace.

Gorgeous, gorgeous, girls love soup learning. Make a list of topics you're passionate about some things I'd probably write down are: psychology, business, fashion history, etc. You make a full list of about 10-20 things and purchase some books digital or real physical copies either would be perfect, if you prefer to listen to your books purchase an audiobook or maybe find a podcast you like. You can never know too much. You can apply this to fiction as well, what type of genres and sub-genres do you like good examples would be; mystery, drama, romance, period-drama, period-romance, horror, etc. You can also invest in a diary/journal to better help express yourself and your thoughts, you can check these posts here and here for journal prompts. Journaling is great for filtering through tough times, when we write we create an outlet for ourselves so we have space to expand and heal without bottling in excess emotions and ideas. Journaling is also a fantastic manifestation technique, writing helps us envision our goals and affirm the things we'd like to bring to fruition.

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#4: Try to eat better and become more active.

Make sure you remember to eat, try and make better habits of choosing more nutritious foods to incorporate into your meals, take some time to try new recipes and learn to cook yourself, drink tea, fruit juices, lots of water. Spend some time in the gym, take a walk, get back into dance or start dancing, find a workout routine you love. Take care of your body and your body will take care of you.

Stay Pretty, -𝓑

[joliepixie]

I’ve been reading almost everyday since April 16th thanks to the stay at home order. Not that I’m complaining but I feeling like it’s time to return to work if only for my activity level! its become a struggle to remove myself enough to go for a walk or run. Anyways onto the books.

Left to right:

1) I ordered this book when I was in the middle of the Throne of Glass series as a nice book to break up the series (can’t read series books back to back I get bored that way) but also to fulfill the Sarah J. Maas craving I was having without having to invest in a series. I don’t know was expecting with this book but for me it made me realize I’m not that into superhero books... don’t get me wrong it was a good book and I think I gave it 3 stars?? It just didn’t resonate with me. I didn’t much enjoy the characters and I had a hard time believing catwoman was this super badass didn’t lose one fight to anyone type of character that had assassin training. I preferred the early chapters when she was just a kid trying to make a living by fighting I think following that would have been a bit more interesting. Ok Just checked rated it 4 stars... This is why I do these “reviews” cause sometimes I don’t know how I feel about a book till I sit down and start blabbing about it. So yes a 3 star book for me.

2) Ok I have a serious addiction apparently. After reading the Throne of Glass books I wasn’t done with Sarah J. Maas’ writing style yet so with me having a week of uninterrupted home time left and having a serious book hangover I decided to re-read the ACOTAR series again.. probably just the first two because I like the build up to Rhys and Feyra’s relationship. Needless to say other then having to spend the majority of this book with Tamlin I love this book or more specifically the under the mountain trails. Going into the book for the first time last year I wasn’t expecting the trails and being a huge fan of competitions, trails, etc. I was enthralled. Love this book and love the second book even more. Oh and I promise I will be branching out from Sarah J. Maas soon considering I’ve had all her books read and just waiting for breath and sky now.

3) Another re-read/slowly trying to read every book on my bookshelf after a reading slump of 3 years. As I’ve been saying to my friends. I’m weeding out the weak deciding what to keep and what to give away. Anyways, absolutely love this book. Say what you will about Nicholas Sparks but he knows how to tug at the heart strings. When I first read this book I was in highschool and getting through those last 100 pages is tough is a terribly sad type of way. I remember I had to give my dad a hug when he got home after sobbing on the couch for hours. This book broke and I went in knowing this and I spent my entire night crying, let my dad know I loved him, and woke up with sore and puffy eyes so bad that I couldn’t read at all the next day. Regardless of how much I love this book I’m keeping it for the sake of the memories I have with it and as a reminder to let my parents know I love them unconditionally and never stay mad.

4) If you remember I picked this book up on one of my thrifting trips with my friend. Funny story I accidentally bought two copies thinking they were different stories. I have a obsession with Paris (even though I haven’t gone.. just waiting for covid to end so I can get out there) which was the main reason for this purchase and I’m glad I got it. I read this immediately after Kingdom of Ash because I needed something quick and what better then a book of short stories some involving Paris? I loved the majority of the stories in this book and will definitely be re reading a few someday. I tried reading this author other book me Before You when I was really young but being so young I don’t think I appreciated it as much as I should have. After picking up this book and being reacquainted with this authors writing style I think I’ll be trying some of her other books and probably dusting off my old copy of Me Before You.

5) I’ve been having an tough time with thrillers recently where I’ve read a lot that just didn’t sit well with me. This one reminded me why I like thrillers so much. I found this one fast paced and didn’t have to sit through chapter after chapter of the characters drinking while she took her medication. Sometimes I find with thrillers we are always given these characters that are so dependent on there vices which are used against them to make them seem crazy rather then something actually happening which drags on and sometimes used as a crutch in writing do you get what I’m saying? Even though this book did have a bit of this happening it wasn’t used nearly as much as other books and like I said very fast pace. It was neat how there wasn’t a grand reveal but the main character just worked it out on her own. I was happy with the ending as well and thought it ended the book well. All and all I liked this book a lot.

6) Was hoping I could write about book 6, 7, and 8 altogether like last time but I have very different feelings about each book so here we go. I love this book probably just as much as Heir of Fire and Queen of Shadows. I really loved getting to see all the characters interact like Manon joining up with the crew. The skull bay fight with Lysandra was definitely one of my all time favourite scenes and having Dorian slowly master his powers was fun to read as well. My favourite part of this book was definitely Lorcan and Elide parts. Elide was a character that I could give or take when I first met her but she’s slowly become my favourite character and I loved everyone of her chapters as well as the slow building romance with Lorcan. And if you know me you know I have a great hatred for Chaol so this book got a added bonus for not having a single chapter from his perspective!

7) This was a struggle. I looked up if I could just skip this book but unfortunately it had major plot points you couldn’t miss. I was dreading this book. I read a lot of reviews about how people hated Chaol but still really found this book likeable so I went in hoping that would be my experience too. It wasn’t. I actually ended up buying the audiobook because I really couldn’t picture myself sitting and reading this book... it’s not that I hated it I just don’t like chaol and besides Yrene and Borte didn’t really care for any of the characters in this book. I’m glad I listened to it because I definitely needed this story to continue and I really did try not to hate Chaol so much but I just can’t stand him.

8) Ok. The final Throne of Glass book. I gave it 4 stars. The middle three books are my favourite and I will re read over and over this one I don’t see myself going back to it. I have it four starts because I’ve followed these characters through a eight book series and a month of my time. I’ve fallen in love with these characters and there stories, I will always love these character, and of course Elide and Lorcan! Now here’s why I didn’t like this book as much nor think I’ll read it again (other then Lorcan and Elide story.) throughout this book I felt like Rowan became a background character like I’m all for a strong female lead and her doing shit her own way but Rowan was suppose to be her equal and I just felt like he did nothing. Like the final fight he spent the majority of it chasing Aelin? I get it she didn’t have her full powers but she was handling her own couldn’t you do the same? It just didn’t sit right with me that this character that was introduced to us in Heir of Fire that trained Aelin and is her equal was just kind of brushed aside and became this clingy male that spent the majority of the book following Aelin around not doing anything other the pleading her not to leave him. Like what happened to the badass Rowan that I grew to love...? Also was really angered me Aelin losing her powers? What’s up with that?! It just felt so cheap to me.. after again reading about how strong she is and then forging the lock which did nothing by the way what was the point of that anyways, and then she just loses all her power only having a ember left??? I hate when authors do this.. I also felt the scene with Erawan, Maeve, and Aelin was just dull. I was still upset that Aelin wouldn’t get to use her powers against them and in the end it was more of a match of words then a battle just felt a little cheap to me. I was just disappointing , Aelin a character we have come to love and watch grow and get stronger hardly hold her own against Maeve... This book has a all around different feel to it compared to the other books and maybe it’s because it was the final battle and and the final book to the series I was a bit disappointed with it but I did enjoy it and felt a huge accomplishment when I finished the series. Reading that finally few chapters really put me into a hangover knowing it was over and like Aelin felt when everyone was heading home I felt that too. It’s goodbye for now.

[booksareawayoflife]

Illuminae by Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff

‘The year is 2575 and two mega-corporations are at war over a planet that’s little more than an ice covered speck.

Too bad nobody thought to warn the people living on it. With enemy fire raining down on them, Ezra and Kady have to make their escape on the evacuating fleet. But their troubles are just beginning. A deadly plague has broken out on one of the spaceships and it is mutating with terrifying results. Their ship’s protection is seriously flawed. No one will say what is going on.

As Kady hacks into a tangled web of data to find the truth, it’s clear only one person can help her. Ezra. And the only problem with that is they split up before all this trouble started and she isn’t supposed to be talking to him.’

Book Review: no spoilers

If you want to see my thoughts of Illuminae as I was reading it check out these Twitter threads. They're all spoiler-free:

Part 1): https://twitter.com/louandbooks/status/981079918607028225

Part 2): https://twitter.com/louandbooks/status/981122263717171200

 This book killed me. It is so good! If you haven't read this book, I urge you to do so now! Read it whilst listening to the audiobook and you will be wow-ed. I can't wait to read Gemina now! I wish that I had picked up the series sooner... but if I did then I wouldn't be able to binge read the series like I can now! I just have to get Obsidio first...

The Writing:

I was afraid that I would dislike this book because it is told in a mixed media format (interviews/reports etc), but I really liked it. I especially liked it because I was listening to the audiobook, and I was able to hear the songs that was referenced, and the characters felt so alive. So real. I would say that if you are afraid of not liking this book, to read the book alongside listening to the audiobook.

The Plot:

The plot of this book is very good. It's fast paced in all the right places, and after sad/action packed scenes it relieves tension incredibly well. There were numerous times where I got reading anxiety whilst reading this book, but it would calm down with some comedic relief. There were numerous twists in this book that I did not see, and it shook me. This book made me feel so many things. It broke me. It brought me to tears. I could not recommend it more.

The Characters:

There characters in this book were written incredibly well. Because of the mixed media format you can see their thoughts if they kept a journal. You can also see them from different points of view too. From their inner self, to the mask they show others. My favourite character... I'm torn between Kady and AIDAN. I love how brave and courageous Kady is. Her sarcasm. Her overall prickly character. There is only one moment where I rolled my eyes and that was when she didn't know what a rifle was to a pistol, and she didn't want to carry the rifle... when she was in a life threatening situation. Every other time I loved her to pieces. I also really liked AIDAN. Even though it was an AI, I still worried about it. AIDAN is definitely a morally gray character that I loved. I did love Ezra too. He said some of my favourite lines, and he cracked me up so much.

There were some characters that we, as the reader, only met for a few pages. I even became invested in some of them. You a know a book is that good when you become invested in a character that is only there for a few minutes.

 Overall, I gave this book 5/5 or 10/10. I would highly recommend Illuminae to anyone. It’s on my favourite books of all-time list. You could be a sci-fi hater, and I think you would still really enjoy this book/audiobook. I can't wait to continue on with the series! But I am broke so that might be a while. So I'm sad...

Love Lou xx

[allistair-right]

hey.. i'd be interested in reading that ready player one criticism you wrote, even if it's not done, you should totally post that

Thanks for the interest in my late night ramblings anon! Well since I can just copy-paste it, why the fuck not. It’s… long and despite me saying that i’ll try not to let my anger/feelings take over, you can kinda see me starting to break near the end of the document :))) 

 I’m pasting the document in it’s entirety (I haven’t changed a word of it) Below the cut are my thoughts about Ready Player One on 10 ‎April ‎2017, ‏‎1:13:40 AM:

READY PLAYER ONE

I finished listening to the audiobook ofready player one around a week ago and I’ve discussed said book with a friend/sof mine although not too in depth since they have yet to read the book but havegraciously allowed me ramble on about it to them. Thanks guys you’re the best.

Disclaimer: Everything that I will bestating regarding the book are only my opinions and are, of course, flawed andit is not my intention to anger or offend anybody. I will try my hardest totackle the book logically without getting too caught up about how I feltregarding certain parts of the book. This is in no way a review of the book andis mostly just a random person’s ramblings and thoughts about this book.

SPOILER WARNING: I will be discussing thebook in its entirety meaning that there will be spoilers EVERYWHERE. I will nothold back.

·        The book is fun.

o  If I have to describe the bookin a sentence it would be: “A lot of Sci Fi, retro and nerdy fun” If you’reinto games, movies and even series, especially old school ones beginning fromthe 80’s, you would enjoy this book very much.

o  For people who grew up in the80’s this book is probably a love letter to you all and you’d either enjoy theconstant nostalgia porn or you’d all get fed up with it. Cause trust me,there’s a LOT of 80’s in this book.

o  The world building of this bookis very well done. You can actually visualize the world and what state it’s in.As an artist this book gave my imagination a lot to work with and I canmentally convince myself that the world is real.

·        I wish you’d show me ratherthan tell me.

o  There are times the book withgo into a sort of information dump in an attempt to flesh out the world. I’veread a review stating that it’s a bad case of “telling rather than showing” andI have to agree. It would usually begin when the writer is fleshing out theworld but then it would keep going and going and at times it feels too muchsince it’s not really essential to the story. Luckily, I’m a bit of aninformation hoard and I enjoy reading books and articles on random topics thatI would find interesting so when I run into information dumps that would go onand on, I’m not 100% put off by it. I will be stating samples of informationdumps throughout this rambling since I don’t think there’s a chapter or an Actwithout some kind of information dump/montage.

·        Limited characters and they’reall variations of Vanilla.

o  There is a very limited cast ofcharacters in this story, and sadly, they’re not all fleshed out that well. Themain characters are Wayde(Parzival), Samantha(Art3mis), Aech and maybe even themain antagonist Sorento (though it could be argued that Sorento is just arepresentative of IOI and that they’re the real antagonists). Every othercharacter are supporting characters and “Disposable characters”.  Yes, Daito and Shoto were part of the “HighFive” and have interacted with Wayde and the other main characters a handful oftimes but, sadly, I did not find them that fleshed out and are just a littleover the rank of Disposable characters.

o  Though there are very fewcharacters, I couldn’t get myself to be 100% invested in any of them, not evenin the main protagonist, Wayde. In fact, I found him to be annoying 50% of thetime. The character that I could say that I was sort of interested in was Aechbut sadly s/he wasn’t given much time until near the end of the book.

o  When I say “they’re allvariations of Vanilla” I meant that they’re all essentially a clone of the maincharacter Wayde. Now I’m not a professional writer and this maybe a stretch butto me, in their essence, they’re all just a variation of Wayde. Maybe that’sthe reason why I couldn’t get invested in any of the characters since they’rejust a different version of Wayde and I’m not even interested in him. Theircharacters are all basically this:

§ Obsessed with findingHalliday’s Easter egg.

§ Doesn’t have a family

·        Yes, Art3mis lived with hergrandparents but that was pretty much it. She never mentions how her home lifeis and she didn’t even bring them up when Wayde tells them to get out of theirhomes because IOI has information on them and plans to abduct them. When shecontacts them again at the airport she’s complaining about how she’s panickingand doesn’t have anything on her except for the clothes on her back. She doesnot express any concern for her grandparents.

·        Shoto may or may not have afamily. This was not clarified since when Wayde tells them to get out of theirhomes. Shoto runs off to a manga café. Like Art3mis, he does not expressconcern for his family if he had any.

§ Are all hiding some sort ofsecret about their self from everyone

§ Spends 95% of their timeplugged into the Oasis and have a heavy dislike and disconnect regarding thereal world.

§ Are all hardcore gunters andhave memorized facts about Halliday and his obsessions as if it was a religion

§ Are all exceptionally good withold school games.

§ Hates IOI with a passion

§ Very savvy with 80’s popculture references or just the 80’s in general.

·        The characters are okay I guess:

o  Wayde (Parzival):  The main character of the story which as I’vementioned before is high schooler with no family and has learned to becomeself-sufficient and provide for himself using his natural talents with computersand technology. I could not get myself to care about this character. To behonest the only thing I care about this entire book is the puzzle revolvingaround Halliday’s Easter egg and how they’re going to figure it out.Like I said, I found his character mostly annoying 50% of the time, now maybethis is because he’s written as a bit of a naïve high schooler and he doesn’thave everything sorted out but there are times that he’s been shown anddepicted as being very clever, smart and, as Daito and Shoto would say,“Honorable”. So I couldn’t convince myself of the very obvious mistakes thathe’s running into when it has been shown that he COULD have avoided saidmistakes.When IOI/Sorento blew up his Aunt’s trailer home along with most of the othertrailers surrounding that area, it didn’t really shake him as much as Iexpected it to other than feeling sad about a sweet old lady cause she didn’tdeserve to die in an explosion. I understand prioritizing hiding from the enemybut shouldn’t this have haunted him a bit more? I can understand him not caringabout his aunt’s fate along with her ex-con boyfriend but what about the otherfamilies that live with them? What about the young kinds in all the othertrailers? Why doesn’t it ever really dawn on him that if he just played it safeand stopped being cocky all those lives wouldn’t have been lost? If I remembercorrectly he mentions this like maybe once in the later part of the story buteven so it didn’t have any weight. Poor old lady that’s it. How am I supposedto care about a character that doesn’t seem to care?There was also a part where when he became the first person to ever find thefirst key, he received a lot of emails asking for interviews and a lot ofcompanies asking him to become a promoter. He smartly avoided the requests forinterviews but he immediately jumps on all the companies that want to make hima promoter? He mentions that the amount of money is enough to provide for hisneeds and that in a year he could afford an economy apartment and those are allunderstandable but it’s not enough for someone to just ignore a really longcontract and just simply state a few conditions and sign away on all thecontracts cause he can’t afford a lawyer to help him read the contracts.I remember being a 18-19 year old and a company wanted to use my art for somepromo material and since it was fan art I was fine but then they sent a 3 pagecontract and I panicked cause I don’t know what this contained and I had mymother read it for me to make sure it was alright to sign on it. This was asimple contract regarding a simple matter but since I was young andinexperienced regarding the professional world, I tackled it carefully. Wayde is also a young 18 year old high schooler in the story and he hasexperienced way more intense things in the world he lives in, he understandsthe great value of privacy and ensuring ones cyber-safety and takes a lot ofcounter measures to stay anonymous and keep his information private but hesomehow just decides to ignore a really lengthy contract from a bunch ofcompanies? Earlier on in the story when his aunt saw his laptop and demandedhim to give it to her, he quickly entered a command to clear out the entirecomputer and he mentions how he has a backup of all that information includingback up laptops. He even has a secret entrance and exit in his aunt’s trailerso he can sneak in and out to his hideout where all his important personalbelongings are. So I can’t convince myself that this really careful andpractically anal person about his privacy decides to just sign away on allcontracts and think that it’s okay since they all expire in 2 years and becausehe stated a few conditions. How can he be sure that there are not clauses orloop holes in those contracts that those companies can abuse and he has nopower over it? It just not convincing for his character to do something soobviously wrong and it doesn’t make any sense.

·        Deus ex Machina

o  It just so happens that Waydebought the IOI access codes a few months before he made an on-the-fly suicideplan to infiltrate IOI. This was not even discussed or brushed over prior tothe fact that the time when he bought this code was during a sort ofinformation dump about him trying to turn his life around after being turneddown by Art3mis. It described how depressed and desperate he was that hebarricaded himself from the real world even more by constantly upgrading histech and that, out of desperation, he ended up going to brothels in the oasisand even buying a sort of high tech blow up doll in the real world and then feelingdisgusted, throwing it away and resorting back to good old masturbation, which JamesHalliday also mentions in his Almanac how Masturbation is natural and the worldwouldn’t have progressed without it. He also describes how he upgraded hissecurity system and how he keeps himself fed and upgraded by buying stuffonline and having them delivered and how delivery people interact with hisSecurity system. There was even a point where Wayde is describing all his hightech gear and their functions and his daily routine.

Seewhat I mean by information dumps? And I’m just summarizing the whole thing. Inall that time and detailed “world building” he couldn’t have mentioned buyingthe IOI access codes. Too much telling not enough showing.

Ijust couldn’t convince myself of how very fortunate and lucky it is that Waydebought a bunch of IOI access codes on the internet black market and completelyforgot about them until he made a plan to infiltrate IOI. It’s just not inWayde’s character. He was written as a boy who had nothing growing up andprovided for himself. He kept track of all the things that he owns even in thevirtual world Oasis. He can even remember what album a song came from and whatyear it was released. But somehow he just forgets about buying a bunch ofaccess codes that could be used against his enemies. It’s not convincing.

o   It just so happens that the only person in theentire world that had the money and power to help him and his friends has beeneaves dropping on them since Key 1. When I read this reveal I couldn’t evenrelate to the shock that was being implied by the characters. This was “hinted”at earlier on when the “High Five” first met up in Aech’s chatroom, but to me,that entire scene with the books falling off the shelf and Aech and Waydediscussing it felt like an afterthought. Like it was written in when the bookwas being edited so when Moreou appeared it wouldn’t be so out of place or wouldn’tbecome an obvious Deus ex Machina.

[theastrophilearchitect]

Recent reads #2.

Hello! ‘Tis the day after the first one of these was posted, but I already have another book to talk about. So, here’s ten books I read recently.

1. Bridge of Souls by Victoria Schwab (Cassidy Blake #3)

This is book three in Schwab’s Cassidy Blake series, a middle grade series focused on a twelve-year-old girl who recently had a near-death experience, and, ever since, has been able to see ghosts. More than that, her parents have started filming a TV show about haunted places, and Cassidy has to learn to navigate the Veil beyond the world of the living while trying to fend off malevolent spirits.

Book one takes Cassidy to Edinburgh, book two to Paris, and this brings us to New Orleans. It’s just a short, easy read, without complicated subplots or hundreds of pages of build-up. It’s not one of those books where you have to reread the series to understand the sequel, because it gives you a recap, and it’s just great. Great for someone of middle grade age, and great for a reader who just loves Victoria Schwab.

Rating: 4 stars.

2. The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss (The Kingkiller Chronicles #1)

This book is absolutely enormous, and reads like the longest prequel ever written, despite the fact it’s the first book in a series.

I listened to the audio version of the first book in the Kingkiller Chronicles, and I don’t even know how to blurb it. I liked it, but not enough for a 28-hour audiobook. I liked it, but not enough to listen to its 42-hour sequel. I want more from such a long book.

This book has insanely high ratings and is so raved about, so I gave it until about halfway through before I realised it probably wasn’t going to pick up. But, I’d already invested so many hours in it, I had to get that one extra for my Goodreads goal, which I now realise makes no sense considering it took me an entire month to get to the end of this, in which I can usually read four or five.

It didn’t feel like it followed a typical story structure, and it felt less like a series of plot lines weaved together than a domino effect, which feels to me very much like a prequel. It was well written, with interesting characters and an interesting world, but I expect more from a book so long.

Rating: 3 stars.

3. Rule of Wolves by Leigh Bardugo (Nikolai Duology #2)

Oh. My. LORD.

This is the second book in the Nikolai Duology in Bardugo’s Grishaverse, and I can barely breathe (speaking of which, Shadow and Bone, out now, on Netflix). Book one, King of Scars, was enjoyable, but not especially exciting, especially as the successor to Crooked Kingdom, speaking of which: I was unaware there was going to be a fourth Six of Crows book. As I was reading this one’s denouement, it definitely felt like Bardugo was setting up at least one more book in this world, another heist, starring my beloved, Kaz Brekker. Nina Zenik, the Crows’ resident Heartrender (ish) has had a perspective throughout this series, but the other Crows (bar Matthias, for obvious reasons) were also in it, and I was trying to figure out the relevance, but I suppose it’s for the next Crows book.

ANYWAY. This was so much more exciting than book one, though there were certain things that felt irrelevant aside from as the set-up of the next book, but it was so entertaining, and I liked how it wrapped up--a note though: I don’t see how Nina could be involved in the next Crows book, but we’ll see.

I just barely even know what to say, except that King of Scars was relatively standard, but this blew it out of the water (not quite Six of Crows level, but I just love the grey morality of that duology).

Also: yay for trans rep.

Rating: 4.75 stars.

4. Scythe by Neal Shusterman (Arc of a Scythe #1)

I read this a couple years ago, got bored, and finished it as an audiobook. It was pretty standard, but then the last book in the trilogy, The Toll, came out, and I realised just how big this series is, so I wanted to give it another shot.

Scythe is set in a utopian future, in which death has been eliminated and immortality has been reached. The population still increases, but the AI that governs Earth can provide for it. However, people still have to die eventually. Citra and Rowan are taken on as apprentice scythes, the Reapers of the world, the only sources left of death. But one scythe has never had multiple apprentices before, so it is decided only one of them will be ordained, and when they are, they will have to glean the other.

I’m so glad i reread this. Initially, I felt very similarly to how I did the first time round: the characters were flat and unlikeable, and there was too much telling. However, this bothered me less over time, the characters became more interesting, more likeable, and oh my lord the ending. Rowan really reminds me of Julian Blackthorn, except i actually like Rowan. But not Julian. Screw Julian.

I would still argue this book is a little overrated, but this time, I’ll definitely be moving onto the sequel.

Rating: 3.9 stars.

5. The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid

Oh, my Lord. This book is so hyped up, and I wasn’t expecting it to be nearly as good as it was. I didn’t particularly enjoy Monique’s part of the story, but I was so invested in Evelyn’s story, I listened to the whole thing in two days.

This is told in the form of a journalism interview, in which an unknown journalist is invited by Evelyn Hugo, aged Hollywood starlet, to write her biography, to be published upon her death. Evelyn tells the story of having to ignore her heritage and go through seven husbands just to be with the love of her life against the odds of the film industry, and you can’t even imagine how good this book is.

I so rarely cry at books--have never ugly-cried unless it brought up something in my real life--and I have never, ever cried at a standalone, yet here we are.

I don’t want to say anything else, because only an hour into the audiobook, I googled fan art and spoiled myself. So don’t do that, just read.

Rating: 4.9 stars.

6. Chain of Gold by Cassandra Clare (The Last Hours #1)

My Lord. Honestly, I tried to pick up The Red Scrolls of Magic before this, and though I love Malec, I found I just didn’t care. Also, the font in my copy is different to in every other Shadowhunters book I own, which sucks.

As for Chain of Gold: this is book one in Clare’s fifth Shadowhunters series, set in 1903 and following the children of The Infernal Devices characters as demons begin to appear again in London after a period of silence.

This is absolutely the more hyped of the recent Shadowhunters books, and starting this, I really thought I was going to give up. It’s 590 pages and I’d already read thirteen books in this world (now fourteen), and it reads so much more like a period romance than it does a fantasy book. I didn’t think I’d care, but then I hit the 300 page mark, picked up motivation, and finished it in two days. I don’t think I enjoyed this as much as The Dark Artifices (though I can’t comment on The Infernal Devices, because I read the trilogy two years ago) but it was excellent.

It took me a while to learn who was who, who was related to who (it took me at least 400 pages to figure out whether Thomas or Christopher was the son of Gideon or Gabriel, though I somehow never forgot Anna was Gabriel’s daughter), and all I could think was that Shadowhunters must be incredibly inbred.

TID/TDA spoiler: I knew Tessa was with Will before Jem, but it was still weird seeing her with him, she and Jem having been together throughout TDA.

By page 100, I already wanted James and Cordelia to be together, but part of me was also shipping her with Matthew. Part of me still is, and his conversation with Lucie (I think) at the end my god. Ouch. 

The social norms in this seemed a lot more prevalent and old-fashioned than in TID, but that may just be because I don’t remember TID so well, or because there were just more people about in this one.

This book is 590 pages long, but the climax was done with by page 510. Falling action/denouement is my least favourite part of a book--I know they have to set up the sequel, but I hate it, because it barely feels like it’s building to anything. And eighty pages. 

I remember when Chain of Iron came out, everyone was complaining about Alastair, so I was really expecting him to be evil, but he wasn’t. At least not by the end of this.

I hate Grace so damn much, but this did manage to keep me interested in the world of Shadowhunters. This is probably the most beautiful Shadowhunters cover (sans maybe its sequel) but the spine looks weird on my bookshelf--it doesn’t match the TID or TMI ones, where they form an image, and it doesn’t match the TDA ones.

Rating: 4.4 stars.

7. The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller

I read Circe a couple years ago, and enjoyed it, but I was just waiting for it to end. Circe was good, but The Song of Achilles was so much more human.

People talk about how sad this book is, and I see why, but it didn’t do it for me. Like I said for Evelyn Hugo, I don’t cry often at books, especially audiobooks, but Evelyn proved it was possible, and this is meant to be such a sad book.

That said, Achilles and Patroclus’s relationship was so cute, and so very, very gay, as you’d expect. 

Anyway, this is essentially a retelling of the life of Achilles, Ancient Greek demigod, told through the eyes of his mortal lover, Patroclus, throughout his training with Chiron, legendary centaur, and into the Trojan War.

I listened to this in a couple days, because it’s not that long, and, needless to say, I can’t wait for Miller’s next novel.

Rating: 4.5 stars.

8. Thunderhead by Neal Shusterman (Arc of a Scythe #2)

Oh. My. God. Scythe was good. It was incredibly well-written, but it was fairly standard enjoyment-wise. This one, on the other hand... I don’t have words. Mostly I’m still just reeling from the ending.

A couple comments: this book’s protagonist was very much Citra, where book one was more balanced between her and Rowan, and this is basically a sci-fi The Raven Boys. Maggie Stiefvater and Shusterman have very similar writing styles, and I love it.

I really don’t want to say too much--I was unsure where the series would go in this book, and it’s very clear where it’s going next, and I can’t wait to get to it. (Though I am reading the next Last Hours book first.)

Rating: 4.66 stars.

9. An Absolutely Remarkable Thing by Hank Green (The Carls #1)

I feel like I open every summary with ‘oh my god’, but here’s the thing: I’ve been having such a good reading year, and I also just don’t finish books I don’t enjoy. I DNF them, I don’t rate them, and I leave them be.

I started following Hank Green on TikTok last year, then I started watching vlogbrothers on YouTube, and figured I ought to read their books, see what their writing’s like. I haven’t got to one of John’s books yet, but I did get to this. This and its sequel are Hank Green’s only original novels (though I’m sure there’ll be more) and I’m so, so glad I read this. (I’m also so glad I enjoyed it, because I would hate to watch today’s vlogbrothers video having hated this)

An Absolutely Remarkable Thing takes place as April May (yes, that’s her name. It’s weirdly adorable) and her friend come across an enormous statue in New York City, and, assuming it’s some art installation, they make a video about it. Then they find out their video blew up as sixty-four of these statues appeared in cities across Earth out of nowhere.

That’s it. That’s all you need to know. Go read it.

The audiobook was excellent, and I think it was a really great format for this story. The last chapter is from somebody else’s perspective, and we’re treated to the beautiful voice of Hank Green.

Rating: 4.8 stars.

10. Turtles All the Way Down by John Green

I think it’s becoming clear I get through a lot more audiobooks than I do physical ones, which is partly because I just have more time for them, and partly because the books I listen to are generally shorter than the ones I read. Also, I’ve been reading a bit of manga recently, which I don’t want to talk about until I finish the series (but I will. I may even write a whole post about it).

Turtles All the Way Down follows Aza Holmes as she and her best friend investigate the disappearance of a billionaire whose son she used to know, but the story isn’t about that. It’s about Aza’s anxiety, and it’s a really beautiful insight.

I’ve struggled with anxiety myself, but never to an extent like Aza, which I believe is based on John Green’s experiences. Books like this are so important for representation, so people suffering similarly don’t feel like they’re going crazy.

I’ve actually owned a tote bag for this book for a couple years--I got a free one from the bookstore when it came out, and I’m so glad I can now say I actually liked the book on my tote bag.

Rating: 4 stars.

And that wraps up this Recent Reads.

[cover2covermom]

  Goodbye August & hello September!

I don’t know about you all, but once August  hits, my life is go-go-go until the end of October.  With my kids returning to school & fall sports, my schedule is back to chaos.  My August was a tad more busy since I decided to start the process of applying for a substitute license.  The plan is to sub two days a week this school year, then find something full time in the district next school year when my daughter starts kindergarten.   I am excited to dip my toes back into the work force after being a stay-at-home parent for the past 5 years.

With everything I had going on, I am actually pleasantly surprised that I was able to read 8 books in August.  Unfortunaly, it wasn’t a big quality reading month for me.  I don’t think I’ve ever given out so many 2 star ratings in one month before… 

Like I mentioned in last week’s Bookish Weekly Wrap-Up, things have been on the quieter side around here this month.  This has a little to do with a hectic personal life, but more to do with the fact I’ve been working on some new content for the blog.   I’m really excited about it, and can’t wait to share in the upcoming weeks 🙂

» It Ends With Us by Colleen Hoover

Feelings in a few thoughts:

Trigger/content warning: Domestic violence & child abuse

I was really nervous about this book starting off because it was giving me Fifty Shades of Grey vibes and that was not going to fly with me.  Thankfully this was NOT the case.

This is the type of contemporary/romance that I am on board for!  One with depth & makes you think.

I am a HUGE fan when authors tackle a heavy topic that make you reevaluate your previous stance on a subject by showing a side that you don’t often see.  Colleen wrote a very important perspective here.

I was sweating through the final chapters of this one.  My heart was in my throat the entire time.

The author’s note!  Do NOT skip the author’s note on this one.  My heart hurt.

» Murder on the Orient Express by Agatha Christie

Feelings in a few thoughts:

This was my first Agatha Christie book!  I am not big on murder-mysteries, like at all.  I decided to give this one a go because I wanted to be able to say I have read one of Christie’s books.

The audiobook was well narrated HOWEVER I feel like I would have enjoyed this better in print form.  Because I listened to it on audiobook, I feel like I missed too many fine details I would have picked up better in print.

The ending! The ending was absolutely perfect and I did not see it coming at all.   The book was probably more of a 3 star reading for me (not because it is a bad book or bad writing, just because these types of books don’t interest me) UNTIL the ending.  Bravo Christie!

» Before We Were Yours by Lisa Wingate

Feelings in a few thoughts:

Trigger/Content warning: kidnapping & child abuse (neglect, physical abuse, sexual abuse, etc)

I went into this book blind.  I didn’t even read the synopsis before starting.  Why?  It won the Goodreads Choice Award in 2017 for historical fiction, so I knew it was going to be a good book.

Sometimes history is more appalling than fiction.  Before We Were Yours is about the Tennessee Children’s Home Society scandal of the 1920s through 1950.  If you are unfamiliar with this particular event in history, don’t worry I was too, you can read more about it here → This woman stole children from the poor to give to the rich

I was absolutely horrified while reading Before We Were Yours.  This book is absolutely heartbreaking.  How did something like this happen in real life?  Let alone over the course of 3 decades?  Georgia Tann was the definition of pure evil.

This isn’t one of those books you enjoy reading exactly because of the sensitive content, but it is one sheds light on historical events that were “swept under the rug” so to speak.  You need to be prepared for an emotional read.

This book is told in dual perspectives in different time periods: past & present.   This is always a risky tactic since people will typically gravitate to one perspective over the other.  I personally was more invested in the plotline happening in the past, and felt the book would have worked better without the storyline happening in the present.

I would recommend this book to fans of Christina Baker Kline’s Orphan Train and vice versa.

» The Tea Planter’s Wife by Dinah Jefferies

Feelings in a few thoughts:

Decent story concept, poor execution.  Elements of the plot were just odd that gave the story a disordered feeling.

The prologue didn’t really fit in the context of the story.

NONE of the characters were likeable, not even the main character Gwen.

Not enough development in secondary characters.

Setting was underdeveloped – wanted more of the Ceylon culture & tea making process,

Race relations were touched upon but never fully explored

» Long Way Down by Jason Reynolds

Feelings in a few thoughts:

Relevant YA novel told in verse

Can easily read in one sitting

The Ending!  So powerful!

Would recommend to fans of The Hate U Give

» Marrow Island by Alexis M. Smith

Feelings in a few thoughts:

Ever wonder what an acid trip feels like?  Read this book and you’ll know.  This is not a good thing.

Concept behind story was excellent, but execution was poor.

The plot was incoherent for the majority of the book.  I feel like I was missing big chunks of info.

Flashbacks did NOT work here.

The majority of the book is about Lucie AFTER the big event that occurred on the island… we do not get much about the cult or their life on the island.

» Brighton Belle (Mirabelle Bevan Mystery #1) by Sara Sheridan

Feelings in a few thoughts:

If you are a fan of “cozy mystery” types of books, you may enjoy this one.  It was not my cup of tea.

Too many coincidences, improbabilities, and plot holes.

I felt like I was thrown into this story without proper character development or backstory.  It almost felt like the second book in a series – like we were already were supposed to be familiar with our main character & her story.

» The Queen of the Tearling (The Queen of the Tearling #1) by Erika Johansen

Feelings in a few thoughts: 

This book is painfully slow… and not a whole lot actually happens.  This book could have been a good 100 pages shorter.  The plotline wasn’t bad, but just felt like it was lacking that spark for me.  It did pick up in the second half.

I really liked the main character, Kelsea.  She is far from perfect, but she follows her heart.  She felt very down to earth & real.

This is classified as a YA book, but I’d probably consider it to be borderline New Adult.  There is definitely more mature content in this one.  I would recommend it for those 15+ or for young readers that can handle more mature content (sex, rape references, kidnapping, murder, abuse, etc.)

I haven’t decided if I will continue on with the series or not.  The second book would have to be much more action packed & quicker paced for me to even attempt it.

I am very happy with my progress on my Goodreads reading challenge.  I WAS on track to hit 120 books this year, but I decided to slow my reading down so I’d have more time to dedicate to my blog.  Still happy with this decision.

July 2018 Bookish Wrap-Up + Book Haul

August 2018 TBR: ARC August

Book Event: An Evening with Patrick Rothfuss

Book Review: The Heart’s Invisible Furies by John Boyne

Book Review: The Radio Girls by Sarah-Jane Stratford

After doing so well NOT purchasing many new book this year, aside from the ones I purchase at book events, I completely blew it this month.  What happened?  I discovered the Book Outlet.  It was so bad, that I had to draft a separate book haul post for August.  Be on the look out for my book haul post later this week.

Which books did you read this month?

Have you read any of the books I read this month?  If so, what did you think?

Did you buy any books?  If so, which ones?

Comment below & let me know 🙂

Today I am wrapping up my August 2018 #reading month on my #blog. Which #books did you read in August? #BookBlog #BookBlogger #Bookworm #AmReading Goodbye August & hello September! I don't know about you all, but once August  hits, my life is go-go-go until the end of October. 

[midnightmilkbar]

The Unthinkable Has Happened

In 2016, I got engaged, I completed my Master’s degree, and I started running. Out of these three, the third is the only one that gets a response of utter incredulity and shock. This is not because people aren’t excited about my engagement, or proud of my academic achievements. It is because the third thing is bizarre.  

It is because I am the most unlikely runner, in the world. Ever.

In fact, people aren’t just shocked and incredulous: they are disbelieving. Frequently, they just burst out laughing. This morning, Callum was on the phone to a family member and when he was asked “How’s Jem,” he answered “She’s good, she has turned into a fanatic runner” and I could actually hear the person on the other end of the phone laughing from the other side of the room.

When I told my best friend in the UK over Skype that I had started running, she stopped speaking for so long that I thought the screen had frozen. She kindly apologised for being so surprised, but she pointed out that her overarching memories of any physical exertion on my part while we were at university are limited to my bending over double, completely out of breath, after climbing the (small) staircase to our Friday morning classes. I actually wrote a blog a while ago about my hilarious, failed attempts at running- (http://jemimamiddleton.tumblr.com/post/95464943339/writer) and it was absolutely accurate. 

Callum’s reaction has shifted from utter bewilderment, to faint amusement, to acceptance- and, dare I say it- pride. After a month of this new ‘hobby’ had passed, and I was still doing it (usually I give up after about 10 days), I think he started to think it might actually be a thing. He has never actually seen me run- he has zero interest in joining me, and I’m fine with that (the fewer witnesses I have, the better), but he supports me in many other, more important ways.

So how did this happen, and why does it matter? Well it doesn’t, really, except that I can honestly say, if I can enjoy running, ANYONE CAN. Seriously, anyone. I have been saying “I can’t run” for 15 years, probably since the last time I was forced to run the 1500m at school, and I have proved that this is a myth. 

Running isn’t fun. If anyone tells you that it is, they’re lying. It is especially unfun when you start. It’s awkward, it’s painful, it’s a mini kind of hell. During my first run, I was suddenly very acutely aware of all of my limbs, and how little control I had over them. I felt like my legs were made of lead, my feet two blocks of wood on the end, and my flailing arms were useless, giant sausages. I also didn’t get very far. By the end of my road, I thought I might throw up, I was seeing little stars that wouldn’t disappear despite frantic blinking, and my lungs were surely exploding out of my chest. I hobbled home.

The next time I ran, I was going slightly better- the nightmarish lead legs weren’t so noticeable, my arms seemed to be doing what they were supposed to, and I didn’t see stars for at least 10 minutes. However, when I turned around and ran back along the pier, the sun was behind me, and I was forced to look down at my shadow. Dear god, what WAS I DOING. I tried to ignore the grey, uncoordinated image of my body that was spread out on the concrete in front of me, but I was transfixed. Even my hair shadow looked awful. Once again that painful awareness of my own awkward, flailing body parts came back, and I longed for it to be over. 

I didn’t run again for a while.

Then I got engaged. I also got a bit fat. Now don’t get me wrong- I’m not a lunatic, I have a healthy respect for my body and how it looks. But there was no doubt about it, I was getting squidgy, my regular clothes weren’t fitting nicely, and suddenly I was faced with trying on wedding dresses. After one particularly sweaty ordeal in a rather snooty bridal shop in London, with the poor (stick-thin) assistant trying to squeeze me unceremoniously into one of their bespoke gowns, and a truly horrid moment when I heard a distinct tear as she squashed my bottom into it, I realised I wasn’t happy and I needed to sort it out. There’s nothing like wedding dress incentive to get you off the sofa and outside. 

I couldn’t afford to join a gym. I couldn’t even afford the monthly yoga membership that I had tried before, and I was getting quite tired of trying and failing to find that inner yogi peace whilst surrounded by silky, bronzed Capetonians with their slinky legs and rock-hard abs. I needed something with minimal logistical effort, that I could do fairly discreetly, that was ideally free. 

Then someone suggested I try doing a Park Run. These are organised all over the world, every Saturday morning, and they are all 5km. There happens to be one that operates about 4 minutes away from my house. Very apprehensively, I signed up (it’s completely free) and the following Saturday I donned my only ‘exercise’ clothes (yoga leggings and a vest) and took Simbira with me for moral support. There were about 700 people there, some with their dogs, some pushing prams, running with their kids, their spouses, their grandchildren- you name it. Everyone was friendly, everyone was cheerful. I tried not to feel nervous- I could just walk it if i wanted, I reminded myself.

We set off, the first kilometre a hectic scramble of people jostling each other and trying to stay upright. I could only barely jog at this stage, and a woman actually fell behind me very early on. She was quickly scooped up, and I concentrated very hard on where I placed my feet, so as not to do the same thing. 

I didn’t die. I didn’t even feel like I might be sick, or pass out. I did have to walk a few times, and I took Simbira to have a paddle in the river when she got too hot (and when I couldn’t breathe). But I kept going- the magical thing is, I am naturally competitive, despite being naturally un-sporty, so having 700 people running around me ensured that I finished that run, in a respectable time. I couldn’t quite believe it. I was exhausted, but definitely pleased with myself. 

That was 2 months ago. I’m now running almost every day, and just signed up for my first Trail Series. The challenge, after I realised how much I enjoyed the Park Run, was how to keep going by myself. When I’m not motivated by 700 other people, I find it all too easy to walk, or even to call it a day and go home before I have really gotten into my stride. 

I tried running whilst listening to music. I found this quite stressful- I kept changing my pace according to what song I was listening to, and I also hated the realisation of how loud and unseemly my breathing was whenever the song stopped. I read an article that suggested listening to audiobooks instead- so i downloaded Audible to my iPhone, and managed to get all the Harry Potter’s for free. Suddenly, listening to Stephen Fry narrate The Prisoner of Azkaban made running easier, somehow. Enjoyable, even. (Not always, but occasionally). I also started (gently) investing in some gear. I already had some very good shoes, thanks to my Dad insisting that I get them fitted properly a year ago. I really laugh now when I think about how I confidently stepped aboard the shop’s treadmill that day when instructed to, and started ‘running’ so that the man could analyse my gait. I was out of breath within 10 seconds, and had to pretend that I was totally fine, whilst other customers walked past the shop window.

There is so much other kit out there. You can go completely mad. I have become quite obsessed, and have to exercise serious restraint whenever I am in the vicinity of a sports shop. There are just so many amazing leggings, shorts, stretchy sports bras and vests that you can wear. My washing line now barely sees anything else- it’s the comfiest clothing ever! I hate wearing normal bras now. I have also found that THE MOST USEFUL THING YOU CAN BUY is, in fact, a moonbag. Or a bum bag. Or a fanny pack. Or WHATEVER it is you call it- I used all these names in the shops whilst trying to find one, and was laughed at a lot. In South Africa it’s a moonbag, and my god it’s the best thing I own. Fashionable? Er, no. Flattering? Absolutely not. But you can fit your keys, phone and even some sweets in there, which is all you need.

I have had some disasters, and I’m sure I will have more. One afternoon I tripped and fell over a tree root (the perils of trail running) and landed flat on my face, with a very sore ankle. I was somewhat dazed, and still had The Chamber of Secrets blaring into my ears, so I wasn’t really sure what was going on- but Simbira was there, licking my face, and I was not badly hurt- just rather embarrassed. 

I learnt very early on that I had to be realistic about how much I could run. I started to get excruciating pain in my calves both during and after a run, and when I asked more experienced running friends why this was happening, they all responded in horror that I was mad to be attempting to run every day. Rest days are non-negotiable, it turns out. Especially if you’re an idiot novice, which I definitely am.

I have also learnt the very crucial lesson of going to the loo before you run. It’s MOST unpleasant if you forget. That goes for your dog companion too- running with a full poo bag that you might accidentally whack into another unsuspecting runner is not advised. 

I fear there may be more updates about my running exploits. I apologise for this in advance. But, I reiterate- if you think you can’t do it, that’s rubbish. You just have to want to do it enough. The thought of a wedding dress did it for me, but the benefits have been so much greater than I imagined. A friend recently confessed that, for her, running is like Prozac. That ‘runner’s high’ thing might sound ludicrous, and cheesy, but I have to admit there’s a sliver of truth in it. I don’t think I have experienced it fully yet- but I can’t deny that something makes me get up and go and run again. And again.