I have mixed feelings about this title from the #ToB25 longlist. In many ways, I love this novel. I love the uncertainty about the narrator's reliability and what it says about trauma and family and internalizing/blaming oneself for bad things that happen and how predators use this to their advantage. But the path it takes is through some terrain reminiscent of the 1980s pulp novels I read from my mom's bookshelf, which takes away from the effect.

I got a little excited while visiting our brand new library branch (now we have two branches within two miles of our house!) and checked out four titles from the #ToB25 longlist (plus one more just for fun). Now to tell my secretary to clear my schedule so I have time to read them.

But I guess that means I first need to get a secretary.

I made the most of last night's insomnia by putting together my #roll100 list for 2025! I dug pretty deep into my TBR for a lot of these, and I remembered why I've been procrastinating reading many of them. I'm planning to be lenient with myself about DNFing if my brain isn't up to the task with some of these.

@PuddleJumper

Reminiscent of Atwood, this novel is a chilling portrayal of the way that government can use (and does use) the threat of child removal to enforce compliance from subsets of a population. It's also a great reminder of what privilege looks like, especially in times of crisis. This novel helps me reframe my potential role under an autocratic government, given my race, gender, age, marital status, and economic situation. And it's also a great story.

I'm reading too much or too fast this past week and as a result, things are steeped in unreality and the emotional ambience of each novel is seeping into my daily life, which is unsettling, especially since I'm reading a lot of dystopian fiction and books in which people act poorly, repeatedly and after they really should know better.

So, time to touch base with the real world. Pelicans always remind me of little pteranodons.

Another down from the #ToB25 longlist. The characters in this novel are realistic and complex, which means they're also maddening. They make stupid choices and jump to conclusions and repeat the same patterns of behavior over and over. But I liked reading this novel. The flow of the story feels right to me, and even my frustration with George and his total self-involvement is satisfying, in a way.

Many thanks to @BarbaraBB for sharing the link to the #ToB25 longlist...I'm supposed to be on their mailing list, but the longlist was surprisingly challenging to locate.

I've interacted with 8 of the longlist titles (finished 6, DNFed 2). There are several I'm excited about, but mostly I feel like, didn't we JUST do #ToB24???

I enjoyed this one a lot (despite it dragging a bit towards the end). Walker is so spot-on about public reactions to the discovery and spread of a novel virus, I could hardly believe that this was published in 2019. With one kid at college near the mountains east of LA and another who goes to camp every year in the mountains there, I had a lot of stored imagery to apply to the setting of this novel (but I think I would have liked it anyway).

Audiowalk while waiting for my kiddo at the community college. I keep looking at the publication date; I'm amazed this novel was written before the pandemic. Walker must have had major déjà vu in 2020.

Camille says, "You might wonder why I've asked you all here today."

I don't wonder, though; I know it's because we're readers, and she knows that if she sits here long enough, one of us (probably me) will join her with a book (possibly the tagged book), and then her plan will be complete.

I'm giving this one a so-so rating. The characters are interesting, but I live in the part of the country where this story is set, and some inconsistencies bother me (the assertion that hawks don't live in the suburbs when they so do, the common existence of daily school buses in a place where bus service is rare). Also, I don't really get why plants can't grow because there's not enough light when there are still equal amounts of light and dark.

I enjoyed this collection of pandemic stories, even though---like the days during lockdown---the stories tend to blend into one another. In these stories, Doyle explores with sensitivity issues of connection, estrangement, vulnerability, mental illness, substance abuse, and grief. I know a lot of people still don't like revisiting that time, but I find it intriguing and therapeutic to look back at those years that have influenced so much.

My history-loving son has walking pneumonia, so I suggested we spend some time watching this book-adjacent series together while he waits for the antibiotics to do their work. He said, "Mom, that looks like the kind of show a middle-aged woman would watch."

I argued that, while I am, in fact, a middle-aged woman, that doesn't mean teenaged history buffs wouldn't like the show, too.

And then I left him to his Discord and his D&D YouTube videos.

While this novel was maybe a little on the nose in a few spots (and the implied future love interest is NOT the person I expected it to be), I enjoyed reading it. The characters are interesting, and I look forward to reading more about them and what they get themselves into. Based on this installment, I think it's quite likely that Marsons's writing will become more skillful as the series progresses.

This one starts out quite creepy with the story unfolding in a gradual, satisfying way, but then it takes a fork in the road that doesn't quite work for me. There's a plot point that seems central but then kind of gets sidelined, and the logic behind the haunting kind of breaks down. Still a good read, even though it loses steam in the second half.

Back during the big pandemic years, I bought this book and Timothy Snyder's The Road to Unfreedom. After I finished the Snyder, I needed some time to recover, so I let this one sit on the shelf. Now seems like a good time to get to it. I especially want to read the "how to save it" part.

Although the plot is different, the tone of this novel reminds me of Six of Crows. Wells's skill at worldbuilding and creating three-dimensional characters is evident. Occasionally I found the action difficult to follow, especially with some of the more out-there locations, but overall it was an engrossing read.

More gross than spooky for me. It makes some interesting statements about addiction, but it kind of goes off the rails in a way that doesn't quite work for me. I'm not sure what's inspiring so much of the fungus horror these days. Maybe candida overgrowth controlling our actions?

My October Bookends post is up!

https://imperfecthappiness.org/2024/11/09/bookends-october-2024/

I'm writing it late at night after a long day, so I hope it's coherent.

Something that gives me hope: My spouse and I went out today to get wine and then visited the library (as one does), and at both places we had lovely interactions with people we didn't previously know. And we saw this great seed library! I sorely needed this this week. And tomorrow is the grand opening of a NEW library branch! I can't wait to smell it!

1) Took my younger kid to his first rock concert (King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard...fun despite the rain).
2) Visited my elder kid at college and got awesome hugs.
3) Perused a cool antique shop and saw uranium glass!
4) I recorded self-tapes and don't hate them.
5) I spotted a strange and kind of delightful map icon for a lactation room.

@DebinHawaii #FiveJoysFriday

I've never seen One Tree Hill and had never heard of Lenz, but I'm intrigued by cults. Lenz's vulnerability makes this story compelling. The common threads between cults and other abusive relationships come through clearly, as does the way increasingly bizarre behaviors can seem logical at any given point. Awareness of the tactics of abusers on any scale is important so that our own needs/wants don't keep us from seeing abuse for what it is.

1. a) Rain, sofa, blanket, cat, decaf, quiet house. b) Audiobook, bone-conduction headphones, and a long walk already mapped out (with bathrooms along the way). c) Bed, duvet, cat, Kobo, and no concern for how tired tomorrow me will be.
2. The tagged, but mostly I'm just looking forward to any book that allows me to escape reality for a bit.

#WondrousWednesday @Eggs

I'm not a huge fan of this one. I appreciate the idea that revealing a truth can injure those who are innocent, but there are a lot of strange ideas here about creating a family through adoption and about maternal instinct and about women---especially middle-aged women---that I have trouble getting past. (I was going to say the ideas about women are outdated, but in the current climate, it's clear that a lot of these ideas are still thriving.)

I enjoy the premise and storytelling of this novel, although I'm not completely on board with Hill's use of language. Sometimes, the language feels overly aggressive/abrasive to me, which sometimes fits the story/character and sometimes doesn't. Sometimes, this makes the characters seem like puppets rather than full individuals. I can see reading his books occasionally, but I think the style would annoy me if I read them too often.

I set my November #bookspinbingo card up in a lull while volunteering helping with a youth solo competition. My kid's competing on tuba against two clarinets, a marimba, and a flute. Not sure how the judges will choose the winner with that assortment, but the musicians seem to be having fun!

@TheAromaofBooks

I'm reading two novels right now (the tagged and NOS4A2), and both feature Triumph motorcycles. I love reading coincidences!

I'm very pleased with my #bookspinbingo for October! Three bingos, 17 books finished, 1 DNFed. I finished my #bookspin, my #doublespin, and 3/4 of my #castthedie titles. I wouldn't mind similarly prioritizing reading for November, too.

@TheAromaofBooks @PuddleJumper

Kate Mulgrew has a very distinctive voice, and her serial killer voice is exceptional, but the way she pronounces Haverhill (Massachusetts)---Hav-er-hill---is making my eye twitch. With about 11 hours to go, I might have to switch to the print edition.

I got about 25% through, and I just can't pay attention to this one. Although it did prompt me to finally check into getting dual Spanish-American citizenship through my grandpa. I might try picking it up again when I'm in a different mood.

I couldn't limit myself to just three favorites! There were a few books in the list I hadn't read, but I'd read others by the authors (I didn't count them, nor did I count movies).

Thanks for the tag, @dabbe ! #TLT #ThreeListThursday

Not a great photo, but I got to see Paula Hawkins tonight at a fundraiser event for a local non-profit with which I volunteer, and I got a signed copy of her newest book!

@inthegreensandblues Wow, what a great #allhollowsreadswap box you sent! That card went on my mantle immediately after I took the photo. :-) And Jelly Bellies---I need to hide those before my kid gets home from school! Very excited for the books, too!

Thanks for hosting, @MaleficentBookDragon ! #ahrs24

@Texreader Thank you so much for this awesome #HauntedHollowSwap! The books are perfect and the goodies are awesome! Is that one of those paper towel alternatives? I can't wait to dig into all of these!

Thank you for hosting, @wanderinglynn ! #HHS

I like this one! It's twisty and turny with smirking references to the genre. The characters are richly portrayed and maddeningly (but realistically) imperfect. And now I feel all ready to see the author and get her latest release later this week!

I almost stopped reading this early on, but I found I quickly became acclimated and was able to keep reading this strange novel that's like a bizzarro Charlotte's Web. I'm rarely satisfied with endings, but Bazterrica sticks the landing with this one. It explores manipulation, feeling stuck in one's situation, what it means to be human, the convoluted justifications we give ourselves for atrocious actions. Kind of perfect for election season.

Camille rubbed her face on my journal and bumped the list, but I kind of like the result compared with the standard centered #bookspin list I usually post. I'm not ready for October to be over, so November's list continues the "spooky season" vibe.

@TheAromaofBooks

This is kind of like Groundhog Day meets the 4th season of Umbrella Academy. I like what Crouch is attempting here, but boy, does it get tedious at times. For a genius, Jason takes a long time to reach fairly obvious conclusions sometimes. Still, an enjoyable read overall. (I wanted to use a different picture, but Litsy didn't want to let me use any of the photos I had, just this screenshot. So, here we are.)

This was my first Paula Hawkins novel, and I enjoyed it quite a bit. There are some clichéd parts, some elements that strain credulity a little, but it's all part of the gripping journey. The word "grizzle" is used a lot to describe the fussing of a baby, and while I know what it means, it always seems like a strange---and therefore distracting---word for what it describes.

A quick, impactful read. It's an infuriating exploration of how easily we can become complicit in victimization and how easily we can justify harmful actions. There's also commentary on class and regional differences that doesn't feel heavy-handed. "Enjoyed" isn't quite the right word, but I definitely appreciate this novel.

The device of telling the story through boxing matches is done skillfully but still became a little tedious and repetitive after a while. My dad's family are (or were; I'm not sure anyone still does it) amateur boxers, so it was interesting for me to imagine these young women boxers in their place. It was also interesting to see the motivations of each boxer, how each reacted to successes and setbacks and related to each other through the sport.

I really love how Emily St. John Mandel tells stories. This is a little reminiscent of Special Topics in Calamity Physics, but darker. I can relate to Lilia's compulsion to relocate (for different reasons), and it's interesting to see how this manifests for her. The characters are all kind of extreme, which feels slightly unrealistic. But maybe I just haven't met enough people.

(Photo is of Quebec City, the closest I've been to Montreal so far.)

I am an avid journaler, but apparently an even more avid journal purchaser. At my current rate of journaling, this is 3.5-4 years' supply. I have decided that I am not allowed to buy any more journals until 2027 (unless I start using them faster and need another sooner than that).

Thanks for the tag, @BookwormAHN !
66/100 feels like a decent result. Three of my faves from this list: Rosemary's Baby (my all-time fave), The Silence of the Lambs, and Terminator 2.
I'll tag (somewhat randomly) @readwithcori @CloakNQuill @Graciouswarriorprincess

#ThreeListThursday #TLT @dabbe

#HHS and #AHRS packages arrived today!

@wanderinglynn @MaleficentBookDragon

Overall, I enjoyed this one even though the town is a little stereotypical and despite the very odd reason that most everyone in town shuns the main character but that I could never really accept as plausible. Even with these shortcomings, the novel makes me want to visit Tasmania.

Solo sunset walk with the tagged book in my ears. I also saw bats out hunting, which always gives me a thrill!

Dinner prep and an audiobook. The calm between busy spells on this lovely but packed Saturday.

This one is kind of like a YA version of Mexican Gothic crossed with My Mother's House and set in Vietnam. I almost bailed a couple of times because it's so difficult to tell what's going on or why the characters react the way they do. It feels like the author is making the characters do things that don't line up with their personalities for the purpose of making a point about colonialism. And the haunting itself is very confusing.

Second book in a row featuring this name! (The other was The Push, which I finished in the wee hours this morning.)