orangerful | Entries tagged with books

77 emails in my inbox from you lot. SEVENTY SEVEN. LJ/DW is dead, clearly. Only took me 90 minutes to speed read through them. I apologize for incoherent or missing comments.

This month has flown by, but not for the most fun reasons. I was pretty distracted with some health issues at the start and that should all be wrapping up tomorrow with a final blood test. Short version is that my body punked me and I got two periods for the price of one. Finally felt back to normal this past weekend.

I saw It: Chapter Two the weekend it came out. My friend Mathew and I saw the first one in the theater and I have a soft spot for this Stephen King story so I wanted to see part II on the big screen. Without spoiling anything, if you've read the book, the movie suffers from a lot of the same problems as the book. Except in the book, the adult and kids stories are intertwined, distracting you from the weaknesses but with this movie, they tried to focus on the adult stories more (though the kids are still heavily featured) but the adult story is just kind of boring. It wasn't bad, it just was kind of...it was a thing that happened. And I really was in the mood for something scary and this just wasn't. Kind of bummed, waste of a great cast. They were acting their asses off but, in the end, the script failed them.

Speaking of King, I've got his newest book The Institute from the library which is another reason I haven't been online much this week as I have been going to bed early to spend quality time with this book. I only have 3 weeks to read it because I'm sure it has a wait list because Stephen King. Usually I have a lunch book and a bedtime book, but I'm lugging this one all around with me, trying to sneak in a few pages every day. I'm really enjoying it so far but one thing I find distracting (that no one else will) is that it remind me of an X-Files story that I wrote in middle school. Perhaps these are tropes I wasn't even aware of...anyway, I don't want to spoil anything.

I also started listening to Tan France's book Naturally Tan which is read by Tan so it is like I am driving to work and Tan is sitting next to me, rambling about his life and I AM HERE FOR IT. I love it. He is cracking me up. I also find it amusing how much less taboo the word "fuck" seems to be in the UK and also the fact that Tan says "fuck" all the time but also says "gosh". He's adorable.

BASTILLE CONCERT THIS SATURDAY! I'm really excited about this. I'm taking my Mom because she is also a fan. It's at a new venue in DC that I have never been to, so we're going to make a day out of it. It is also Mom's birthday weekend, so I'm going to treat her to dinner along with the concert. It's this whole new part of DC that is all fancy and I guess on the water? It all opened up a few years ago so this will be an adventure for both of us.

We've got one more episode of Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance, Atlanta and Killjoys left. I'm sad about the Killjoys finale because it is the series finale and I'm going to miss that show. It just had a great sense of humor and fun and action and I wish I had found it sooner.

Season 2 of Atlanta has just been all over the place, but in a good way. Every episode is a roller coaster of emotions. Donald Glover is a national treasure. I really look forward to his work as time goes on. This show is so good, but I feel like he is working up to something mind-blowing one day. Like, a whole other level.

Dark Crystal has been interesting. Oddly enough, I was surprised at how DARK it was LOL. I mean, I should have known, it is a prequel to the movie and I know how the movie STARTS so I know where this story will eventually END. But still. Damn. I am enjoying all the voices. Totally identified Mark Hamill right away, if only because he sounded like The Joker from his Batman days LOL. Deet is my favorite, but I think part of that is her character and part of that is her big dilated pupils give her that cute anime look.

The final season of Schitt's Creek will appear on Netflix October 5th. Talk about emotions. I'm ready though, it will be good to have that show back in my life.

And now it is 11pm so I need to get into bed and READ!

TTFN

Current Mood: sleepy
Crossposts: https://orangerful.livejournal.com/1322392.html

My goodness this is a LONG list of questions LOL. But we are all having fun, right? I feel like we've had some great conversations with this meme. Booknerds are awesome.

21. Have you ever read a book series because you were pressured? requested by

ragnarok_08
A whole series? I don't think so. I've had books suggested to me and tried them, but I can't think of any that I read because I felt pressured to. (the thing is I know I am guilty of pressuring people into reading books LOL)

23. Who is your favourite author of all time? requested by

chocolate_frapp
SO HARD TO PICK ONE! My default answer has been Douglas Adams and Michael Crichton for a long time, but I feel like I should probably mention Jeff Lemire now as I have read almost everything he has done (there are a couple brand new books I haven't picked up yet). OH! And A.S. King. Yeah, she is on the list now for sure. Even if her last few books were just so damn surreal I could barely understand them.

24. How many bookshelves do you own? requested by

rogueslayer452
Oddly enough, not very many and most are filled with action figures. There's the star wars shelves, the whedon shelves, the movie shelves, and then the shelf in the guest room that actually does have books on it. We have a bookshelf in our bedroom too though that is mostly Tim's books. I'm a librarian, so I rarely buy books until I feel the need to collect them for fandom reasons. So what was that? 4? 5? Yeah, not an impressive number.

26. What is your favourite non-fiction book? requested by

brunettepet
ANOTHER HARD ONE! OMG! To pick just one!!! I will say that Stephen King's On Writing is a book I refer back to a lot. Part autobiography and part how-to, King is honest and to the point. I listened to the audio too and he reads it so it was like driving around with him in my passenger seat, listening to him ramble about writing.

BUT right now I would pick The Faithful Spy by John Hendrix, a beautifully illustrated book about Deitrich Bonhoeffer and the plot to assassinate Hitler.

27. What is your favourite children’s/middle-grade book? requested by

teragramm
AAAAAAAAAH ANOTHER DIFFICULT ONE! I read a lot of middle grade fiction for fun so I have SO MANY to point to. I already mentioned 'Gregor', I LOVE the 'Nathan Hale's Hazardous Tales' series. I was really impressed by Adam Gidwitz's 'The Inquisitor's Tale'. That book did NOT talk down to kids and covered some heavy topics but somehow managed to stay engaging and fun. And apparently if I had listened to the audio book, they got some medieval band to sing one of the songs that plays at the tavern.

32. What was the most expensive book you bought? requested by

graveexcitement
This is tricky because the most expensive book I *own* I got as a present. This would be a book of all the songs The Beatles ever performed, transcribed into sheet music, every single part. I think it might have retailed for at least $100 when it came out and when I got it. But my parents got it for me as birthday present.

So personally...hm...probably one of my Buffy academia books because those are small presses and not cheap.

33. What is a book you read after seeing the movie/TV series? requested by

rogueslayer452
SO MANY! Right now, I'm slowly reading THE EXPANSE book series. I actually don't want to catch up to the show because I'm enjoying watching it all unfold. I'm really impressed by how close the show and the books follow each other. Makes sense because I know the authors are heavily involved.

The worst was JAWS. That book is AWFUL! DO NOT READ! Throw it into the ocean and watch the movie. BLAH!

35. What three books are you most looking forward to reading this year? requested by

meathiel
THE TOLL - book 3 in The Arc of the Scythe series by Neal Shusterman. NOVEMBER!!!!!!!!
Major Impossible - Nathan Hale's Hazardous Tales #9 by Nathan Hale DECEMBER!!!!
Network Effect - Murderbot Diaries #5 - this one isn't out until 2020.

36. What is a book you love that has a terrible trope? (Love triangle, etc) requested by

ragnarok_08
Probably most YA books LOL. I LOVE the Unwind series, but there is definitely some love triangle/teen angst tropes in there. Same with Scythe. But not enough to distract from the action.

37. Have you read a book in a different language? What was it? requested by

doomdays
Estamos en un libro/We are in a book - (Elefante y Gordita/Elephant and Piggie) by Mo Willems. It's an easy reader book so about my level. I did a Spanish/English storytime at the library.

40. What is the weirdest book you have read? requested by

qwentoozla
(I have six pages of books tagged as "weird" on my GoodReads)
The Southern Reach Trilogy by Jeff Vandermeer was so very strange, I'm not sure I would have made it through if I hadn't seen the movie and just wanted to know more.
Demon by Jason Shiga is weird and WRONG.
Landscape with Invisible Hand by M.T. Anderson was so strange I couldn't figure out how to booktalk it.
Anything by A.S. King is weird in that magical realism kind of way. Strange things happen but they could just be tricks of the mind or metaphors or something. I don't even know sometimes.

43. What book did you buy because of its cover? requested by

teragramm and

rogueslayer452
I don't buy books BUT I do check out a LOT of books because they have cool covers. Most recently, I picked up 'Wilder Girls' off the return cart because look at this:

It's sitting on my desk at work now. Someday I might even read it!

I can barely read the books I check out from the library, buying books would be futile because they have no due date so why would I ever actually read them?

45. Do you own a poetry anthology? What is your favourite poem from it? requested by

meathiel
My copy of Shel Silverstein's "Where the Sidewalk Ends" is still at my parents' house. The two poems I remember from it as favorites is the one about if they make you wash the dishes, drop some of the floor so no one asks you to wash the dishes anymore. And another one about Captain Hook remembering to not pick his nose. HIGH ART PEOPLE!

As an aside, I really enjoy YA books written in verse. Solo by Alexander Kwame is REALLY GOOD.

47. Do you own any historical fiction? requested by

author_by_night
I'm sure I do. I must! ...wait, do I? I'm trying to think of some historical fiction I have read recently but it was all from the library.

50. What book got you into reading? requested by

doomdays
I'm going to say Jurassic Park is the one that brought me back to reading. I read as a kid but then all the damn books with dead dogs and dead children turned me off of reading for fun **glares at Bridge to Terabithia** But I was really excited about the Jurassic Park movie and my Mom made a comment that was sort of like "Books are always better than the movies" so I got the book and read it. Then I listened to it. Then I saw the movie. Then I made my aunt read the book with me. Then I put the audio on in the car and made my parents listen to it. And then I read all the other Michael Crichton books I could LOL.

Second place goes to Douglas Adams because I had about given up on reading in Middle School when I found HHGTTG in the basement while working on homework. (I've told that story many times though)

AND THAT IS THE END! HUZZAH! Thanks for playing! And thanks for reading!

Current Mood: accomplished
Crossposts: https://orangerful.livejournal.com/1321756.html

So, IT Chapter Two...I have thoughts. But I'm going to sleep. So how about more meme answers?

7. What is a book that you feel glad for not reading? requested by

rogueslayer452
This is an odd question. I guess 'Fifty Shades of Gray'? Everyone was talking about it and I resisted the urge. Or the Twilight series beyond book 1. Oh wait, same thing LOL!

8. What is a book that you feel guilty for not not reading? requested by

author_by_night
I guess some of the classics? If only because people seem to have expected me to read them. Like Jane Austen, I know lots of people who loves those books. But I'm not just into those kinds of stories. I don't really have any guilt.

12. What book do you passionately hate? requested by

graveexcitement
I think when Twilight was at the top of its game, I was pretty upset about it, mostly because people kept comparing it to Harry Potter and Buffy and no. Just no. Twilight was a teen romance first, a vampire story second. At the time, I was more upset about wasting time reading it (I think I got about halfway through before I realized it was not the kind of book I wanted it to be) and so I was bitter. Now I just kind of shrug and say "not my thing."

13. What is the biggest book series you have read? How many books are in it? requested by

ragnarok_08
Hm, I think Harry Potter wins with 7 books, unless we count graphic novel series trades.

14. What book gives you happy memories? requested by

qwentoozla and

teragramm
The Neverending Story. I have a very vivid memory of my Mom reading this to me at bedtime. It was the hardcover edition from the library and I was fascinated by the fact that the text was in different colors. Atreyu's story was in green and Bastian's story was in red. I had never seen anything like that before in a "real book" (i.e. not a picture book) and it blew my mind.

And since two of you asked, I'll share a second memory - my Mom reading 'Miss Nelson is Missing' to me out loud. She had a very ridiculous voice for Mr. Blandsworth, the dufus principal. I think she gave him an over-the-top lisp since his illustration was a guy with buck teeth. I sometimes forget that this is not how all people will hear Mr. Blandsworth when reading this story.

17. What is your favourite book that contains an LGBTQ+ character? requested by

rogueslayer452
Simon vs the Homosapiens Agenda by Becky Albertalli, What If Its Us by Becky Albertalli and Adam Silvera, The Rest of Us Just Live Here by Patrick Ness, Ask the Passengers by A.S. King (that's two rom-coms and two heavies, if you're making a to-read list)

20. Have you ever been glad to not finish a series? Which? requested by

author_by_night
This is an oddly worded question so I guess they mean what series did I just give up on? I tend to have small debates with patrons about how many Harry Potter books there are in the series. While I wasn't a big fan of 7, I end it at 7. But so many people asked for 'Cursed Child' as book 8 and I go off on a mini-rant about how that isn't actually a book, it's a play etc. and after reading everyone's comments on here about the book, I'm like DON'T READ IT. LOL. I'm happy to never read it.

And now that rum I had around 10pm is catching up with me and I am sleepy. I have literally 3 books on my night stand right now with bookmarks in them. And after seeing "IT" last night, I want to read that again and compare the movie and the book. HOW MANY BOOKS CAN I READ AT ONE TIME? At least 3, apparently (I have one at work, one in the car, and whichever one I commit to tonight).

Toodle pip!

Crossposts: https://orangerful.livejournal.com/1321726.html

WOW! You guys were really into that book meme! And then I fell off the face of the earth (short version: lady parts did weird things, it has been a week of feeling like "OMFG AM I DYING?" Better now, so catching up)

ANYWAY, here are just a few answers to get us started:

1. What is your favourite book and/or book series of all time? requested by

graveexcitement,

night_owl_9,

doomdays
Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams will always been my answer to this. Doesn't matter how many times I read it, I giggle and snicker and nod. I cried when I finished Mostly Harmless because I was so sad for the story to end. It wasn't a perfect series, but it made me happy. I've never found another book that "got me" the way these did.

2. What is the longest book you have ever read? How many pages? requested by

night_owl_9
Fortunately, GoodReads lets me sort by number of pages! Huzzah! Now let's scroll past all the "boxed sets" that it weirdly shelved as one book...hm...Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. That was actually my guess. Problem here is that, while book length can be measured by pages, it doesn't account for font choices. So while HP is getting this spot, I'm looking at some other books near in length that are adult and guessing that they may have had less pages, but probably more words.

3. What is the oldest book you have ever read? (Based on its written date) requested by

night_owl_9
Again, going to refer to GoodReads here because I have no idea when all the "classics" I was forced to read in school were actually published. The oldest one I have cataloged on there is Wilde's Picture of Dorian Gray, coming out in 1890. I should probably read that again, I have a vague memory of enjoying it but also speed reading it for school so not really getting to appreciate it.

5. What book or book series would you like to see turned into a film/ TV series?

graveexcitement,

ragnarok_08,

doomdays
Gregor the Overlander would be a fantastic film series. If you haven't read it, this was the series Suzanne Collins did before Hunger Games and I honestly think it is better. It deals with a lot of similar themes, mainly the effects of war on children. But this one has more fantasy than sci-fi. Giant rats and bats and cockroaches. A good sense of humor too, which is why when tragedy strikes, it hits even harder. Kinda surprised, with as big of a hit as HG was, that no one optioned this for a movie yet!

6. What is your favourite stand-alone book? requested by

brunettepet
I was going to say Jurassic Park but then I remembered Crichton wrote a sequel! Let's go with The Book Thief by Markus Zusak. I should probably read this again, it has been at least 10 years.

Okay, that is it for tonight! Need to sleep, seeing a creepy clown in the morning :P

Current Mood: tired
Crossposts: https://orangerful.livejournal.com/1321154.html

meme peer pressure. It's a thing. Stolen from a bunch of you!

Comment with the ## you want me to answer.

Pick a number and ask me a book-related question ♥

1. What is your favourite book and/or book series of all time?
2. What is the longest book you have ever read? How many pages?
3. What is the oldest book you have ever read? (Based on its written date)
4. What is a book series that everyone else loves but you do not?
5. What book or book series would you like to see turned into a film/ TV series?
6. What is your favourite stand-alone book?
7. What is a book that you feel glad for not reading?
8. What is a book that you feel guilty for not not reading?
9. What is a book you have read that is set in your country of birth?
10. What is a book that you own more than one copy of?
11. What horror book made you really scared?
12. What book do you passionately hate?
13. What is the biggest book series you have read? How many books are in it?
14. What book gives you happy memories?
15. What book made you cry?
16. What book made you laugh?
17. What is your favourite book that contains an LGBTQ+ character?
18. Have you read a book with a male protagonist? What is it?
19. Have you read a book set on another planet? What is it?
20. Have you ever been glad to not finish a series? Which?
21. Have you ever read a book series because you were pressured?
22. What famous author have you not read any books by?
23. Who is your favourite author of all time?
24. How many bookshelves do you own?
25. How many books do you own?
26. What is your favourite non-fiction book?
27. What is your favourite children’s/middle-grade book?
28. What is your next book on your TBR?
29. What book are you currently reading?
30. What book are you planning on buying next?
31. What was the cheapest book you bought?
32. What was the most expensive book you bought?
33. What is a book you read after seeing the movie/ TV series?
34. What is the newest book you have bought?
35. What three books are you most looking forward to reading this year?
36. What is a book you love that has a terrible trope? (Love triangle, etc)
37. Have you read a book in a different language? What was it?
38. What is a book you’ve read that is set in a time period before you were born?
39. What book offended you?
40. What is the weirdest book you have read?
41. What is your favourite duology?
42. What is your favourite trilogy?
43. What book did you buy because of its cover?
44. What is a book that you love, but has a terrible cover?
45. Do you own a poetry anthology? What is your favourite poem from it?
46. Do you own any colouring books based off other books?
47. Do you own any historical fiction?
48. What book made you angry?
49. What book has inspired you?
50. What book got you into reading?

Crossposts: https://orangerful.livejournal.com/1320929.html

This was a month of DNF. And the reason for that was because I signed up for a book conference, started reading the books, realized they weren't grabbing me and perhaps, with my new job, now was not the time to stress about going to a conference too. So I emailed the person in charge and opted out and dropped the books and then proceeded to read some graphic novels to feel a little bit accomplished LOL. I've included the DNF books in case they spark someone else's interest. I've decided that YA Rom/Com just is not my jam.

This Is Kind of an Epic Love Story by Kheryn Callender

This was compared to Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda so I had high hopes, but this just wasn't as engaging to me.

Odd One Out by Nic Stone

Did not finish - when the narration switched a third of the way through, it totally threw me. I couldn't get into it.

Escargot by Dashka Slater

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This book MUST be read out loud with an OUTRAGEOUS French accent.

Afterwards, you might need to draw a small pencil mustache on your child's face and buy them a beret, and them give them a kiss MWAH!

Adorable little story about a snail with high self esteem in search of a salad without carrots (and who secretly thinks very highly of you).

Cute.

Dear Justice League by Michael Northrop

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

This was cute if forgettable, with all of the superheroes reading their fan mail and responding. But it is hard to find Justice League comics that are appropriate for kids so this is a great book to have on hand when you get that 10 year old that wants to read about these superheroes

Bug in a Vacuum by Mélanie Watt

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

A fly gets sucked into a vacuum cleaner and goes through the five stages of grief, eventually coming to terms with his new existence inside the machine.

Black Dahlia by Rick Geary

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I had heard the name 'Black Dahlia' before, but really had no idea what the full story was. Though I guess, as I learned from this book, nobody really does. Rick Geary's graphic novels of true crime stories have always been favorites of mine though. Drawn in black and white, it keeps things from ever getting too gruesome, but also gives a good summary of the crime and the backstory. This one is hard to really get into because there are so many unknowns. Geary tries to present the facts as best he can while avoiding getting sucks into the theories and conspiracy stories that are connected to this horrible murder. But after watching 'Mindhunter', I needed a true crime fix and this scratched that itch.

True Death of Billy the Kid by Rick Geary

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Another historical figure that I knew nothing about! Fascinating bit of American history and true crime. You can see why such a mysterious figure transformed into a myth of the wild west.

View all my reviews

Current Mood: satisfied
Crossposts: https://orangerful.livejournal.com/1320636.html

Wow this was not a good reading month.

One of my problems is that I signed up to host a book discussion group at a conference in the Fall and the book list I was given is just not pulling me in. It's pretty much all YA rom-com and I just...I can't. One of them was just *painful* in how hard it was trying. Another is a collection of short stories and the first one was not good at all. Yet another is by the same author as When Dimple Met Rishi which I enjoyed. The writing is good and I think you're supposed to see the set up a mile away, but I'm not feeling it. I think Rom-Com just isn't my genre. The only one that has my attention is Odd One Out by Nic Stone because it has some relationship elements, but it is more about the main character moving on from his long-time crush on his BFF who happens to be a lesbian and therefore not an option.

ANYWAY, here are the two books I actually read:

The Luminous Dead by Caitlin Starling

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

This book is definitely a "pot boiler" horror (is that a thing? I'm making it a thing!). There was a lot of build up for the finale but the pacing was a bit slower than I am used to. It was a fascinating world and I wanted to know more about it. Definitely felt claustrophobic as I followed Gyre as she stumbled in the darkness.

Once things got crazy, it got CRAZY though and I couldn't stop reading. I can understand the comparisons to Annihilation because of the weirdness and other worldly feel, the out of place woman who may have fudged a few things on her resume to get the job.

I liked it enough that I want to read whatever Starling does next.

Now I'm going to read a book that takes place outside on a sunny day.

This Was Our Pact by Ryan Andrews

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I kinda loved this. I picked it up not knowing anything about it, I just found the cover art intriguing - the group of kids on their bikes, pedaling off into the night. And it started simple enough, with a boy struggling through a bit of peer pressure - Ben's friend from his younger days, Nathaniel, is now too "nerdy" for him to hang out with for fear of also being labeled a nerd, so Ben leads his new group on an adventure. They make a pact to follow the lanterns down the river. Nathaniel overhears their plans and follows them, much to Ben's chagrin.

As the pages turned, it felt like a Studio Ghibli story, which a world that is similar to our own but with some magical things hidden in the corners, if you only bother to look.

But at the core there is Ben and Nathaniel's friendship, which feels so very real.

Current Mood: blah
Crossposts: https://orangerful.livejournal.com/1315950.html

Submitted by

icecoldrain

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Current Mood: tired
Crossposts: https://orangerful.livejournal.com/1312918.html

I read a LOT of graphics because it was a busy month and they had piled up on my desk and it is so much easier to read through a comic book a day than trying to get through a novel. Plus I distracted myself with Phoenix Wright, Ace Attorney and have been playing that on my lunch break instead of reading.

ANYWAY - JUNE BOOKS!

Unicorn Crossing (Phoebe and Her Unicorn, #5)

Unicorn Crossing by Dana Simpson

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Cute addition to the series. I love Phoebe's Dad's t-shirt collection. SO many sly references in there LOL.

Fence, Vol. 2 by C.S. Pacat

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Fencing matches in this make it hard to out down because you want to know the outcome as much as the students competing for a place on the team. Really love this series.

Scream All Night by Derek Milman

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This was like a high quality teen movie. A roller coaster of emotions. Sometimes hilarious, sometimes sad, a bit melancholy and nostalgic. Dario turns 18 in the book and I think this would be appreciated by older teens. Definitely something that movie fans would enjoy with all the film references throughout, especially classic B-movie horror.

I knew nothing about this book when I picked it up, just that it had positive reviews and a cool title. Your sense of humor must be DARK to enjoy this, but it is worth a read. I'd love to see this made into a movie.

The Backstagers, Vol. 1: Rebels Without Applause by James Tynion IV

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Sweet, funny story with a surprise sci-fi twist! I think my drama club friends would have loved this back in the day. Definitely see why the same publishers as 'Lumberjanes' picked this up.

The Backstagers, Vol. 2: The Show Must Go On by James Tynion IV

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Another fun volume, really loved the exploration and explanation the backstage world.

Firefly: Legacy Edition Book One by Joss Whedon

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Embarrassing fact - I think I owned all of these comics in single issue format and I had not read them until now. In the collected library edition.

Fun collection of the Firefly/Serenity tie-in graphics. Most are taking place leading up to the movie, with references to the movie.

Fun read for fans.

Firefly: Big Damn Hero by Nancy Holder

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

A fun romp through the 'verse. Holder/Lovelace really captured the voice of the world and the characters.

My only gripe was the constant references back to episodes of the show, as though the author felt the need to establish street cred, proving they were familiar with the series. It was cute at the start, but it popped up a little too often.

Still, great read for fans! Joss Whedon has a credit on the cover that makes me feel like this is now official 'verse canon.

Essex County by Jeff Lemire

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Beautiful and bittersweet stories about people living in a small town in Canada, though it could be any town.

View all my reviews

Current Mood: exhausted
Crossposts: https://orangerful.livejournal.com/1311599.html

Apollo made the mistake of walking by while I was trying to take my selfie so I tackled him! This is his “why me?” face. #cats #selfie

Wanted to be fair and get Starbuck in the picture but she was not having it. She ran away, jumped in this box and then, even as I gave her scratches, she turned her face away from the camera! #cats #selfie

Just started this book a few nights ago, only 30 pages in an it is already got me! Creepy sci-fi! #books #selfie

Thought it would be fun to take today’s selfie with my favorite youtube show outsidexboxofficial but I feel like mikecuk28 and farrantula heard me... #monthofselfies

Only TWO more selfies left and then it is JULY! I can still take a few more photo requests/questions/whatever for July.

Current Mood: amused
Crossposts: https://orangerful.livejournal.com/1310920.html

Dig by A.S. King

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

there was just so much going on in this book, maybe too much or maybe I just wasn’t ready for it all to come at me at once.

And maybe that’s a problem with how I view teen literature and maybe even actual teens themselves. It’s never just one thing going on in their lives, it’s intertwined stories, the stories of their lives, their family’s history, their friends, connections...they wish it was only one thing at a time but it’s not and that is reality.

Like so many of King’s books, it sticks with you long after the last pages, the characters and their personal “what ifs” still lingering...

Exit Strategy (The Murderbot Diaries, #4)

Exit Strategy by Martha Wells

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I’m so glad that a Murderbot novel was announced before I finished this boom because I need to know more! A great wrap up to the first series arc, but there is so much more for Murderbot to see and do, so many more episodes of Sanctuary Moon!

We're Not from Here by Geoff Rodkey

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This book was a lot smarter than I thought it was going to be. With the cover image featuring two large aliens that look like giant insects, I assumed it would just be goofy fun but it was so much more. Refugees who thought they were welcome find themselves suddenly vilified by the current government?! Forced to prove they are good creatures even though the news says they are clearly bad based on footage seen 20 years ago.

Definitely taking this with me for booktalks to upper elementary and middle school.

Be Prepared by Vera Brosgol

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Great book to hand to fans of 'Smile' or other stories about a kid just trying to survive being a kid!

Poor Vera just wants to be like her American friends. She's embarrassed by her Russian mother and doesn't know how to quite fit in. She listens to them talk about their American Girl dolls, their family trips and the most exciting thing - summer camps! But Vera knows her Mom can't afford these fancy camps away from home. Until she discovers the ORRA, a camp for Russian kids right outside of Albany! She begs her mother to sign up and her little brother up! So is so excited for this first trip away from home, making new friends!

Of course, things do not go as planned. This camp is very...well...Russian. Everyone is expected to speak Russian. They are not allowed to have any kind of candy in the camp. They compete with the boy in a "capture the flag" style game, and whoever wins the flag gets to choose the others punishment. But Vera knows that her mother worked hard for them to attend this camp, and it's only two weeks, right?

The Underwater Welder by Jeff Lemire

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Everyone in Jeff Lemire's books look tired. Even the kids, with their long faces and outlines of bags under their eyes. But it works because before you even read a page, you can tell these people have lived.

Jack's wife is about to give birth to their first child and the pressure is on. As an underwater welder, he is no stranger to pressure, but this is nothing like he has ever experienced before. Becoming a father for the first time is making Jack more nervous than he realizes and when he almost dies during a routine dive, he begins to examine his own childhood.

Very quick read, but as always, beautiful artwork on each page that you have to slow down and appreciate.

Side Note: I think I just need to read 'Essex County' and I will be caught upon all of Lemire's original works.

Apocalypse Taco by Nathan Hale

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This is a 'Stranger Things' fan read-alike if I ever saw one! I expected this book to be fun, I did not expect it to revolve around a science experiment and ethics that would actually make this a great book discussion title for a middle school book club.

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What were your stand out reads for May?

Crossposts: https://orangerful.livejournal.com/1304560.html

I actually remembered for once! Even texted my boss on Thursday night to make sure it was okay to wear my Hitchhiker's Guide t-shirt to work. AND I carried a towel with me ALL DAY at work. People probably thought I was nuts but whatever. I always credit Douglas Adams for being the author that got me back reading.

I was in middle school and had pretty much given on reading for fun. All the books they had forced us to read since 6th grade were DEPRESSING - Bridge to Terabithia, Where the Red Fern Grows...just...blah. I wasn't reading much beyond my Garfield comic books. Then I stumbled upon a copy of HHGTTG in the basement and my Mom cracked a "42" joke to which I responed with a blank stare. She told me I needed to read the book to understand it.

So I did. And it became one of my favorite books of all time. I didn't know books could make me laugh out loud.

So on May 25, I have to honor Douglas Adams, for getting me into reading and into the library for the rest of the series! He was one hoopy frood.

(Why towel day? Read below on what The Guide says about towels)

Current Mood: nerdy
Crossposts: https://orangerful.livejournal.com/1303092.html

Litsy has been around as an app-only service for a few years now but they finally launched a website! I'm thinking I might actually use it now because I can type things on a keyboard. I don't like typing anything in-depth on my phone screen.

Anyway, it's like GoodReads defeated Tumblr in a battle and then evolved to the next level...or something (I don't know why I went for Pokemon metaphor when I've never even played that game).

Current Mood: tired
Crossposts: https://orangerful.livejournal.com/1300647.html

I read a lot of comics at lunch this month, mostly because I am working my way through the new A.S. King novel at home and it is good but not a quick read. Little too heavy and heady. She is one of my favorite authors so anytime she puts out a new book, I drop everything to read her, such a unique style and voice. You'll have to wait until May for my full review though because I'm only halfway through the book.

Trees, Vol. 2: Two Forests by Warren Ellis

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I’m intrigued by where this is all going! The black flowers and the Trees. The Mayor and the police. Will the humans destroy themselves before the real threat even appears?

And the real big question we are all left with - WHEN THE HECK DOES THE NEXT VOLUME COME OUT?!?! (oh wait, just Googled it, Warren Ellis posted in February that the script was submitted to the artist so hopefully the wait will be over soonish?

Space Boy Volume 1 by Stephen McCranie

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

3.5 stars - There is a lot being set up in this book that I am assuming will pay off in the next volume. I did like the main character and her struggle. The idea of space travel that takes 30 years and what that would do to your life...

I was surprised that the eponymous Space Boy barely makes an appearance. Guess I will have to pick up book two to find out what is up with him!

Fence by C.S. Pacat

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This was a lot of fun and I can't wait to read the next one. Reminded me a bit of 'Food Wars' with the plot centering around the school's heirarchy, the poor kid trying to prove himself and the try-out matches to make it on the fencing team.

I also found it amusing that it is set in an all boys school and there is a student who pretty much sleeps with everyone and the students KNOW he is just a heartbreaker but they do it anyway.

The Prince and the Dressmaker by Jen Wang

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

So sweet, so perfect - maybe too perfect? I love the art style and how the whole story unfolded. And I’m glad it had a super mega happy ending, even if the odds of that happening make this a fairy tale.

Then again, if I was gender fluid and I was reading this story, I would want this ending. There are enough doom and gloom stories.

Logan's Run: Vintage Movie Classics by William F. Nolan

My rating: 2 of 5 stars

Picked this up after seeing the movie, hoping for more details about the society. Stopped about halfway through when I realized that it was just a poorly written book with a cool idea that some filmmaker snatched up the rights for, probably without actually reading the thing.

Rogue Protocol (The Murderbot Diaries, #3)

Rogue Protocol by Martha Wells

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I love how MurderBot is growing and changing a little bit with each book. Each story is better than the next. Its relationship with the humans and with other robots keeps evolving. And the sarcasm level also keeps going up LOL.

I'm a little sad there is only one more novella left and then I'll have to wait for the full novel to be released.

Miniatures: The Very Short Fiction of John Scalzi by John Scalzi

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Cute little collection of Scalzi stories. If you're not familiar with his longer stuff, you might wonder who the heck this guy is. They range from satire to silly to just goofy. I picked it up because one of the short stories was adapted for 'Love Death and Robots' on Netflix.

Current Mood: tired
Crossposts: https://orangerful.livejournal.com/1299204.html

Not my strongest month. I read the second 'Murderbot' then found out there were only 4 total and I am having that last-cookie-in-the-cookie-jar moment of not wanting to read the others right now because I want them to be there for me and also wanting to read them both and find out what happens. So I pretty much just floundered around from book to book, not settling on one book the last half of the month. I started Haunting of Hill House but wasn't focused enough to keep going; gave Logan's Run a try but I'm worried having the age at 21 instead of 30 is going to make the whole thing hard to stomach with him ogling 16 year old girls; tried John Scalzi's short story collection Miniatures last night, we will see if it sticks.

ANYWAY - here are the books I actually finished in March:

Trees, Vol. 1: In Shadow by Warren Ellis

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

From the first few pages, you can tell this is going to be a different kind of science fiction story. Perhaps it will tread some familiar ground, but I knew Warren Ellis would not disappoint me. Need to read book two ASAP!

Narwhal's Otter Friend (A Narwhal and Jelly Book #4)

Narwhal's Otter Friend by Ben Clanton

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Another fun addition to this series. Great way to talk about how it feels when your best friend has a new friend.

It will also make you want waffles, but that is normal for this series.

Great early intro to chapter books for Elephant and Piggie fans ready to take the next step.

Because by Mo Willems

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Bonus star for mentioning the orchestra's librarian.

Gorgeous story about all the pieces that happen behind the scenes for beautiful music to happen now and in the future.

What Is Inside THIS Box? (Monkey and Cake)

What Is Inside THIS Box? by Drew Daywalt

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

When I checked the New Books cart this afternoon, I was not expecting to find an easy reader book about a monkey explaining to a piece of cake that a cat may or may not be inside of a box.

Best introduction to the idea of Schrodenger's Cat for first graders.

City of Blades by Robert Jackson Bennett

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I think the 3 star rating is my fault, not the book's fault. I don't think I have the focus for fantasies with such elaborate worlds and characters and when it got to the reveal at the end, I didn't really understand what I felt was supposed to be a shocking revelation because I had forgotten all of the machinations of this imaginary realm. I suppose this is why I'm better with movies and tv shows when it comes to fantasy.

Artificial Condition (The Murderbot Diaries, #2)

Artificial Condition by Martha Wells

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I <3 ART.

Great sequel, building on the world but still keeping things fun. I actually wanted to go back and write down some of Murderbot's quotes because it was cracking me up.

Tim and I have debated on what gender Murderbot looks like because I automatically referred to it as a "her" in the first book (because the author was a woman) but he said the audiobook was narrated by a dude, and yet in this book, it picks the name "Eden" to blend in...whatever, I'm picking Murderbot as Bobbie from 'The Expanse' because the armor on the cover reminds me of her power armor. Deal with it.

New Kid by Jerry Craft

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Really great story about a young African-American boy trying to fit in at his new private middle school. A fun read that tackles some heavy subjects and a great one for upper elementary and middle school kids to read and discuss.

Current Mood: tired
Crossposts: https://orangerful.livejournal.com/1294683.html

My new thing is reading graphic novels at lunch at work and then trying to get through a text book at home.

Hence the lack of anything very long on here as I'm still working on City of Blades.

Also, I realized I've almost read all of Jeff Lemire's original works, I think I only have two now that I haven't read, so I'm making that a goal for the next few months. So, yeah, lots of Lemire on here.

P is for Pterodactyl: The Worst Alphabet Book Ever by Raj Haldar

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

A worthy addition to the slightly-messed-up alphabet book collection, put it on the shelf right next to Uncle Shelby's ABZ Book.

The illustrations are lots of fun and I really appreciated the glossary of terms in the back!

This would be a great read-aloud for those older elementary school visits.

Descender, Vol. 1: Tin Stars by Jeff Lemire

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I picked this up because of Jeff Lemire, but it was Dustin Nguyen's artwork that really made this book perfect. In a story about a strange attack by gigantic robots, Nguyen's gorgeous style (reminiscent of watercolor paintings) keeps the story grounded. I loved this first book and cannot wait to see where the story goes! I already adore Tim-21 and I want to see him save the galaxy!

I read all 6 volumes of Descender this month, not going to post each one, just the first and last reviews

Descender, Vol. 6: The Machine War by Jeff Lemire

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

3.5 stars

Hm...well...that was a finale. There were several things in this volume that I felt should not have been kept until the very end, especially Mizerd's "stick". And then the reveal on the final page of an upcoming tie-in series made me feel even more frustrated that some plot points were hidden until this book.

Overall, still an enjoyable series but the ending felt rushed.

All Systems Red (The Murderbot Diaries, #1)

All Systems Red by Martha Wells

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

At 150 pages, this managed to be the most fun read I've had in awhile. I'm will definitely check out other books in this series to see what Murderbot gets up to on her next adventure. I think I prefer my sci-fi with a dash of snark/humor.

Unicorn Theater (Phoebe and Her Unicorn, #8)

Unicorn Theater by Dana Simpson

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Another super-cute addiction to this series. This book is actually one long story vs just a bunch of comics together. I really liked the overall theme of friendship and jealousy and getting along.

And also Sue and Ringo. I’d totally read a whole book of their hijinks, together or separate.

I Moved to Los Angeles to Work in Animation by Natalie Nourigat

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Stopped this one about half way through because I don't actually plan to move to L.A. to work in animation and she was getting very specific.

Cicada by Shaun Tan

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I don't like cicadas in real life and now I feel bad about that. But I'd never treat a cicada co-worker this way, I promise!

Gideon Falls, Vol. 1: The Black Barn by Jeff Lemire

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This rating might change depending on how the rest of the series goes because I don't even know WHAT this is all about. But I am definitely going to keep reading because it is dark, creepy, and mysterious and I need to know what happens next!

The Agony House by Cherie Priest

My rating: 1 of 5 stars

I was "finished" with this book about halfway through. Such a disappointment. I forced myself to read to the end to find out what was going on and yeah, that was also a disappointment. After I Am Princess X this just felt like a book mandated by a publisher who said "Write that again!"

That or I have just read more YA since then and know how much better the writing can be. I had some hope because there was a genuinely scary moment about a third of the way through, but after that it just became ridiculous. Everyone was pretty chill about the house being haunted and the ghost trying to MURDER THEM!

Third person was a mistake for the narration, this would have been far better in first person.

Plus, there was some weird social commentary that was going somewhere but then didn't? I was waiting for the whole rich/poor dynamic to pay off but it never did.

I have not been so upset with a book in awhile. If it had not been a library book, I would have tossed it across the room.

City of Stairs by Robert Jackson Bennett

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I picked a good book for my foray back into adult sci-fi/fantasy. Bennett does a wonderful job at world building without slowing down the plot. I realized very quickly that I needed to be awake when I sat down to read this because the complex world and complex plot required my attention to keep up. Lots of action and humor to keep me invested in the characters. I'm really curious to see where it all goes!

Paper Girls, Vol. 5 by Brian K. Vaughan

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I don't know how Vaughan is managing both this and Saga at the same time and keeping the quality so high! Things are getting extra crazy in this one, especially if your memory is starting to fade of the very first volume! I think a re-read will be in order once the series is complete.

View all my reviews

What was the best/worst thing you read this month?