Snowpiercer meets Roadside Picnic meets The Hike. Don‘t think I will continue the series, but this was delightfully tense and weird and claustrophobic.

Good, but not great. The plot moved quickly, but it took me a shockingly long time to get through. I just wasn‘t feeling it. Which is disappointing because I did really enjoy the characters, all three POVs.

Even better on the re-read. I loved it in audio, which was how I consumed it the first go ‘round. But I am super glad I went for the print version this time. 💀💀💀💀💀

Never not good.

Love an all-out nerdy scifi read about language and the things it does to your brain.

The Andromeda Strain … but … wetter.

I don‘t … I can‘t … what?!

I saw a lot of reviews hating on this one, but I thought it was delightful. To be fair, I am a sucker for a Sherlock Holmes adaptation.

I am inexplicably, mildly obsessed with this series. A solid third installment.

The premise just could not overcome the writing. The dialogue is … rough. Not sure if that is a product of the translation. I might swing back around and try to power through eventually.

This is the current dog walking listen, and it keeps making me smile. High hopes for the remaining 88 percent!

I have not stopped thinking about this book since I started reading it …

So, that was strange and delightful!

I think I just hated the structure ... the way the plot unfolded. It almost made the story pointless. If it hadn‘t been an audiobook, I probably would have bailed.

At least I put yesterday‘s overwhelming sense of existential dread to productive use ...

Between a so-so and a pick. I enjoyed it enough to plow through it ... but the plot just moved SO fast, it all felt rushed. It was all too quick to even be truly suspenseful ... too much reveal too early on. That said, I did enjoy all three of the girls, and who doesn‘t love it when the angry misogynists lose?

That ... was lovely.

Finished this yesterday, but took a beat to process. I wanted to LOVE this ... but I don‘t think I did? I loved aspects of it. Like the feeling of utter disorientation you as the reader share with Mahit. And the banter. And the glimpses of the world-building we did get. It could have been so epic, but, for me, it felt a little rushed and unfinished/under-developed. That said, still a pick.

Not sure why I dug this so much. There is court intrigue and political machinations, but it is a really quiet story, if that makes sense. Or maybe that was all down to the narration. Either way ... it got me through many hours of quarantine dog walks and yard work. A solid pick.

Huzzah for sunshine and Sundays 😎

Don‘t mind Sadie ... she is just going to stand guard in front of the reading chair.

Semi-annual re-read complete. I always walk away with something new to contemplate ... good or bad. But I never don‘t love the blatant girl-power on the last page.

Okay, well, that was a trip. These stories are beautiful, and bizarre ... and kind of a 🤯 I can‘t really describe them. But I finished them all in one sitting, so I guess that says something.

I have many feelings about this book. Not least of which is anger at the last five minutes!! Still a pick, though. 💡💡💡💡

I wasn‘t expecting the nod to Hamlet, but I think it worked. I really liked the non-traditional POV, but I am not sold by the narrator‘s endgame. Still a pick, though. Worth the read.

The comparisons to Starship Troopers are spot on. This is scratching the same itch, and I dig it. Here‘s hoping it is above freezing out tomorrow so I get some listening time while the dog takes me for a walk!

The first time I read this was probably 10 years ago. I can‘t say it was a disappointing re-read, because I devoured it the second time around. But I have complicated feelings about this book. I don‘t think I appreciated on the first read how many plot points feel unearned ... I blame the unreliable narrator. But who doesn‘t love 500+ pages of narcissism and sociopathy?

This. Was. Great. Some world-building gaps I hope get filled in by the next book in the series. But a super entertaining story. Great characters. Great narrator on the audiobook.

Just about halfway through. I could not possibly be loving this more!

Coffee and some creepiness in the sunshine while the applesauce cooks.

I loved this. Not perfect, for sure. But the world-building was great. A slow burn, focused mostly on the development of the two main characters and their relationship to each other. I can only hope the underlying threat is a main plot point in the second book. Also enjoyed the narrative via correspondence for most of the book. A solid pick.

This has been my dog-walking accompaniment for the past few days. Definitely a whiskey-tango-foxtrot kind of vibe ... but in the best possible way!

Lunch Break.

Made it into Hour 12, with some help from entirely too much coffee!

This book has been unputdownable. Nevertheless, time to take a break from print and switch back to Raven Stratagem for some #audiocooking.

#24in48

Sadie and I are multi-tasking this morning. It actually hit 40 degrees outside, so we crushed a walk and got started on a new audio book. This is such a great series so far.

#LitsyWalkers
#24in48

Late start to #24in48 because ... life.

But I did some #audiocleaning and finished Rosewater. Which was great. Loved that it is set in Nigeria. The protagonist is ... complicated, which can sometimes be code for annoying, but not in this case. And the narrator was excellent. A strong pick. Very much looking forward to the second book of the trilogy.

#LitsyWalkers

Managed a decent walk with the puppy last night. We got rained on, but made it home before the legit monsooning (totally a real word) started. Bracing for the 50 mph winds expected this afternoon.

Stay safe everyone!

We just took our morning walk in the first dusting of the year. Sadie found a stick, which she carried home and will now break into teeny, tiny pieces. I made some headway on the excellent Rosewater. #LitsyWalkers

My snuggle buddy seconds as a book stand.

We are catching a few hours of quiet time before the holiday insanity begins.

I have been listening on my commute to/from work. The narrator is great, and I am completely hooked.

It has been a slow reading year for me. Happy to hit the goal, with time to spare. Now I can feel like an over-achiever for the next 23 days!

A quick and beautiful read ... despite the crazy mushroom eco-cult. My big quibble is how unfinished it felt.

You have gotten old when ... double-fisting means a book in each hand rather than a beer in each hand.

My night in with @SerialReader

I am definitely reading case law right now. Under no circumstances would I be reading short stories on my Kindle app during working hours ... 😶

This has been waiting impatiently on my shelf. Finally starting it. I read King Leopold‘s Ghost years ago, when I was traveling in the area. Very much looking forward to this.

Done! This was really enjoyable ... excepting the limited but predictable violence against women. I do wish more of the story was dedicated to getting to know the three main characters better, but the ending certainly leaves things open for future stories.

Chilly outside. A sleepy reading companion inside. And a print book that (finally!) grabbed my attention after an embarrassingly long stretch of bailed-on titles.

Tried this in print years ago, and could not get into it. Giving it a second go on audiobook.

I have not been able to get into the last three books I started, and ended up putting them back on the TBR pile. Here‘s hoping this old favorite yanks me out of my slump!