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#OctoberWrapUp #MonthlyReads

I loved the top 6 books. The Fated Sky was probably my favorite followed closely by Legends & Lattes.

The bottom four prepper books were awful. Bought these to read for hurricane season. They were so general and focused on apocalypse type events. Not helpful for the person Prepping for Tuesday, not Doomsday.

100% pick. Since the sequel takes place mostly in space, there‘s less focus on events from the 1950s and 60s, but the way the characters relate to one another is the reminder. I especially liked seeing how the relationship between Elma and Parker developed. Now I need to buy this series because my library doesn‘t own #3 The Relentless Moon and book #4 comes out in 2025👩🏻‍🚀🚀

Dr. Elma York takes Miltown for her anxiety. I freaking love her character. Incredibly relatable even though she‘s a math savant who started college as a kid. These were the final sentences of Mary Robinette Kowal‘s author note🧡

Started a reading spree this afternoon with the astronauts blasting off to Mars and not everything is going smoothly.

Loving book #2 in The Lady Astronaut series. Still prepping for the first Mars expedition. The alternate history angle has really sucked me in.

In an alternative 1961, Elma is tired of feeling like a bus driver piloting back and forth from the moon when the opportunity to be a part of the the mission to Mars comes up. Years away from her husband confined in a cramped quarters with difficult astronauts and life threatening events while dealing with sexism and racism cannot extinguish the thrill of exploration for Elma and made for a captivating read for me. Even better than the first book.

#MayMontage @Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks @Eggs
#Author's2ndBook

I don‘t think it‘s possible to love this series more 🪐🚀⭐️🌖

I liked this better than the first one. It‘s been a while since I read the first, but I think there were some parts where I was bored, I lost interest. That did not happen at all in this one. I liked (most of) the characters and even the ones I didn‘t like made for an interesting story. There is also a lot of prejudices, racism, and sexism, along with a lot of conflict, but it‘s a tight space shared for a long time. I really liked this one

This was my #bookspin for April. I was really looking forward to it having really enjoyed the first in the series, and it did not disappoint. Fab account of Elma‘s journey to found a colony on Mars in an alternative version 1960s in which Earth is growing uninhabitable.

Continuing the rise of Elma York, Lady Astronaut, The Fated Sky finds our heroine bussing colonists round the International Aerospace Coalition‘s lunar colony, but humanity can‘t stop at the moon if they‘re going to get off a doomed planet. When Elma joins the first exploratory mission to Mars, she must navigate not only the stars but sexism and racism, tragedy and treachery, to forge a future for humanity.

How is it September?

Anyway, got very close to a bingo for August despite only reading 5 books from my list (and of course none of them were my #BookSpin or #doublespin).

September list is ready to go! Thanks as always for hosting @TheAromaofBooks!

Second in Kowal's alt-history series “Lady Astronaut,“ in which a meteor strike forces earlier and more diverse development of the space program. This one covers the first crewed mission to Mars. I love the space-nerdery in this series, and the author's detailed attention to her premise.

Full review: https://scepticalreading.com/2021/06/astronettes-lady-astronauts-astronauts/

The audiobook is read by the author. Perfect!

I love it when a work of fiction has a bibliography list. Shows how much effort and research the author put into their work.

Immersion reading - ebook+audiobook was great. MRK narrates the audiobook herself and she's doing an excellent job.

2nd book in the Lady Astronaut series.

"Do you remember where you were when the Friendship probe reached Mars?"

Tried to keep this snippet spoiler free. The tagged book is the sequel to The Calculating Stars. I splurged on the #audiobook in addition to the eBook because it's read by the author herself and she does an excellent job.

#FirstLineFridays @ShyBookOwl
#JoysOfJune #readathon @Andrew65

Holiday Mondays call for a mid-afternoon book & beer. I‘m enjoying THE FATED SKY as of 25%, but I haven‘t found it as instantly gripping as THE CALCULATING STARS.

New book for Victoria Day! I‘m hoping to make a good dent in it.

I loved this second book in the Lady Astronaut series. It's in the style of the old-fashioned space-travel adventure but explores issues important to us today.

Current total for the #20in4 readathon: 9 hours and 50 minutes
@Andrew65 @DieAReader #ShutdownRound3

What a great sequel! I think I enjoyed it even more than the first book,because we're already familiar with the characters. Especially, the relationship between Elma and Parker is greatly written. And again, Kowal addresses problems that are now as actual as they were in the 60ties.

@TheAromaofBooks #BookSpinBingo
#SeriesRead2021 @TheSpineView
#SeriesBingo @AkashaVampie

Since seem no treats from #Vietnam available (apart from fish sauce and beer) in Switzerland, I decided to drink my coffee vietnamese style now and added condensed milk instead of sweetener 😁 Ice cubed for the iced version are in the making 😋

#FoodandLit
@Texreader @Butterfinger

I figure I should at least try starting my #doublespin book in the month in which it was picked! Gatsby is sinking into the couch cushions beside me. 😂

I loved the second installment in the Lady Astronaut series, and will definitely be checking out the third!

I do, however, roll my eyes pretty hard at every mention of her husband's "rocket" being "ready for launch." Such entendres are WAY overused, and incredibly corny.

Initially, the characters felt a little flat. However, that improved throughout. Also, the story of the transit to Mars was fun to read. Fun read overall.

Thanks for the tag @MoonWitch94 😘

1- Intergalactic
2- oh yes - one pre order from Amazon and two from my local indie

If it‘s still Tuesday where you are consider yourself tagged!
#Two4Tuesday

I enjoyed book 1 in this series. This instalment (book2) felt a little clumsy and, for me, it lacked the drama and nuanced cultural context that made the first book so good. I really liked the juxtaposition of the chapter intros - snippets of news from earth, with the state of play on the voyage to Mars. And it was a good bit of escapist reading - perfect for this point in time.

Reading on the bench...... being in the sun makes every feel more achievable 🤞🏼

Just catching up @JaneyWaneyB !
1- My husband‘s smile when he sees there are Jaffa Cakes in the biscuit tin!
2- You can‘t beat belting it out to a bit of Dolly Parton!
3- Homemade fruit cake - made with lots of Christmas left over dried ingredients!

#thoughtfulthursday

#ispy with my little eye a book with an orange cover! @Chrissyreadit ( and now I‘ve taken it from my shelf I think I‘ll read it - I was feeling indecisive so thanks for helping!)
Can you find a green cover @JaneyWaneyB @AmyG @squirrelbrain @MoonWitch94

I enjoyed this one, but with a spoiler caveat I‘ll put in the comments. This book is mainly in space, in contrast to the first, and mostly chronicles the long journey to Mars. It‘s stretches of day-to-day life and interpersonal drama (the racism and sexism does not get left behind) punctuated by unexpected SPACE DANGER. I missed the community of women Elma had in the first book, but overall I still enjoyed it.

Onwards, immediately to the sequel. I am destroyed with migraine hangover fatigue and not going to be doing much today. Time to do some #audiogaming and fill out my pokédex. Any other pokémon fans out there? I think my botanist brain likes collecting and categorizing things. Hoping if I rest this morning I can do some cleaning and plant care later. Very glad I stumbled on this series just when I needed an incentive to rest and not overdo it.

Loved the 2nd book as much as the first. Elma York now sets her sights on Mars. Compelling story and the cast of characters are spectacular. Not to heavy on the science, so if you are not a fan of Sci-Fi you will enjoy. 5 ⭐ Read my full review on my blog at www.thespineview.com

This was so good and I'm very glad it was my #BookSpin for this month. I didn't expect to finish it quite so soon but it was so good I kept coming back to it. I love Elma and all her hard work to be the best at what she does. The relationships between Elma and her crew as well as her husband are so belivable and kept me going to see what would happen next. I'm sad I put this off for so long because it was so good.
#BuriedAliveChallenge

Same cat different book. Callie wanted in on the #BookSpin action. Reading my number 12 The Fated Sky. #CatsOfLitsy

#BookReport
Unexpectedly had two last minute finishes with Ten Thousand Doors of January followed immediately by How Rory Thorne Destroyed the Multiverse. Earlier in the week I finished off the first cycle of the Chronicles of Amber with The Courts of Chaos as well as my library hold for The Gurkha and the Lord of Tuesday.

#WeeklyForecast
Nothing too ambitious I want to make a dent in Crown of Swords but am also excited to start The Fated Sky.

On to something I will hopefully enjoy more than Joyce...although the bar is set pretty low.

The Lady Astronaut series, book 2. Preparations for a trip to Mars. Well written, fascinating alternate history of a group of astronauts and their trip to Mars. Warning, detailed description of being ill in zero gravity. Be prepared. Great series so far. Looking forward to the next one.

#BFCR4 Week 1 check-in! This was an inauspicious start to the challenge, since I was fighting a cold. I had such low energy—I only managed 2 walks & didn‘t make it to the gym. And I counted a lot of herbal tea as water intake! I did complete the tagged book & also realized that it‘s okay to give myself credit for things I‘m already doing (i.e. the herbal tea!) instead of always trying to add on more to do. #runningonreading #bookfitnesschallenge

I started this last night, and two pet peeves from the first book reared their heads rather quickly: a rocket-launch double entendre (my pet peeve) on the third page, and a martini reference (my husband‘s pet peeve) on the fourth page. 😬 I wonder if keeping a running tally of these (or playing a drinking game) might be in order? 😂

In book 2 of The Lady Astronaut series Elma York, our MC, finds herself on the inaugural launch team after a last-minute switch in personnel. The book spends about half the time leading up to the launch deciding who goes and who stays, all while dealing with race relations and gender roles applicative to the 1960s. The other half is spent on the actual launch and travel to Mars. Lots of delving into character relationships. Highly recommended!

The Lady Astronaut goes to Mars. This book gives readers a chance not to loathe Parker, the sexist but skilled pilot from the . As the climate continues changing the question of who is going to benefit from the very expensive space program and who will be left behind comes up.

1. Tagged book + The Emperor‘s Edge by Lindsay Buroker + about to start Samantha Irby‘s Meaty on audio.
2. The rest of the Emperor‘s Edge series 🤷🏼‍♀️.
3. I‘ve forced The Calculating Stars and The 7 1/2 Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle on anyone who will listen.
#WeekendReads

Is it possible for the second book to be even better than the first? Yes...Yes it is!
Listened as an audiobook and the narrator did a great job making you feel like you were actually in space with the crew! enjoyable to see the dynamic develop between Elma and Parker
A fast paced space odyssey that if you liked The Calculating Stars you will love The Fated Sky!
5 stars!

Another great book in the Lady Astronaut series! Much higher stakes now that they're headed for Mars. I love the atmosphere of the early space program and the character development as the series has progressed. Looking forward to more!

"My mother once told me that an apology wasn't about being right or wrong, but showing that the relationship was more important than the problem."

That's a great #lessons
#springintoreading

@vkois88 @Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks

Good read!

Audiobook and crochet... and discount Easter chocolate, of course.

The Fated Sky... I'm actually enjoying this sequel more than the first book so far.

Making a tote so I have a place to stick all the bookish enamel pins I will inevitably end up buying 🤷🏽‍♀️

Normal people wonder if they‘re packing enough underwear for a long flight and long trip. I worry about whether I‘m packing enough books. Fortunately, they‘re ebooks, so I‘ll just check out lots and if I don‘t finish them all? Better than running out!

Another home run. This is such an outstanding series!

I've shared this before on Litsy but it's too good not to share again. Mary Robinette was having so much fun talking yarn and crochet with me she misspelled her own name.