I feel like Yoder accomplished what she set out to do, but it just didn‘t work for me. It‘s not that, as a childless woman, I couldn‘t connect to the mother, but that the visceral horror of motherhood has been done better elsewhere (Wonderland by Zoje Stage or the film The Babadook). Or that it was too weird (honestly, it wasn‘t weird enough! It needed to be more Moshfeghian). It was too long and the end was too literal, maybe.

Forgive me for a #TuesdayTunes post on a Friday, but I‘m pretty psyched because the video of Car Headrest‘s set on KEXP dropped on YouTube today! KEXP‘s entire channel is worth checking out if you enjoy live music (best discovery of the summer for me), but CSH is one of my favorite bands, so this is extra cool.

Linking to the video of “Gethsemane”: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=XHqsD_iGoJw&pp=0gcJCR4Bo7VqN5tD
@TieDyeDude

Starting the weekend early with lunch before a doctor‘s appointment. Enjoying some reading with Earl Grey tea, pancake with griddled bananas, and scrambled eggs for lunch.

“Red slipped off the table. ‘I wish things could be different, too.‘”

Apple cobbler latte, a grilled cheese, and a little reading before going into work

I‘ve finally finished this book! Partially because it took a bit to get into and partially because I kept having to return it to the library because others would put holds on it! The slow start was necessary to deepen the world introduced in Scythe. And so much of what it develops - the almost all-knowing AI of the Thunderhead, the corrupt and power hungry new order scythes, and the increasing schisms in global scythedom - feels too relevant today

It was a nice fall day, so I took a drive to a coffee shop a little farther away (that also stays open later than the ones near me!). Pecan sandy flat white and breakfast sandwich with egg, cheddar, and a hash brown on an English muffin.

Quite possibly the best of either of the Spirit Animals series so far. Convinced me that I should probably read something else by Victoria Schwab because her writing really brought this world to life! The scenes in the underground world were especially thrilling and the cliffhanger was a dozy 😰🫣

Lunch with a seasonally appropriate book, then errands. Happy weekend!

“‘Okay,‘ Ronnie said, all of them breathing heavy. ‘Can we please agree to keep it closed for now?‘”

“As Quinn was pulled along, she spotted Janet marching out the back of the barn, throwing a look over her shoulder. Matt found a freshman to beat at flip cup. Ronnie stood at the edge of the throng, phone out, filming it all, the eye of the camera always seeming to settle back on Quinn and Cole.”

Books picked up at the Friends of the Library sale today

Back to my usual Saturday - farmers‘ market, lunch with a book, and errands

“Instead, she spoke a quick prayer in the language of her Saints and began the steep climb down the outer wall. Inej pitied the boy who might die alone with no one to comfort him in his last hours or who might live and spend his life as an exile. But the night‘s work wasn‘t yet over, and the Wraith didn‘t have time for traitors.”

My mom and I went to a vintage and craft market today. One of the vendors was a mobile bookstore! I picked up a couple fun looking romances and my mom got a couple thrillers 📚

“It is. We‘re simulating the interval, to see if everyone can get changed in time. If Woof is under the weather, you‘re excused from the committee meeting tomorrow night. I‘ll take minutes and send them through. Yes, you know the hoaxer. We all do. I don‘t understand why they did such a thing, but I should let them explain themselves first - after the play.”

Still waiting for my car to be repaired (waiting for parts to come, but it‘s supposed to be ready by mid-week), but at least the Scooters is within walking distance! It is finally under 80 degrees, so I have succumbed to the call of autumn beverages (a pumpkin carmeliscious).

Well, my day took a turn after lunch. My car died while driving home, so I had to get a tow. Now waiting at Culver‘s until my mom is done with work, so she can pick me up. At least I have frozen custard, my current library book, and the two I picked up at the library book sale today to keep me occupied for the next couple of hours 🫠

After a hot walk around the farmers‘ market and library book sale, enjoying some lunch and an iced chai and reading in air conditioning!

Official start of the sequel series to the Spirit Animals series. I thought it was pretty good to start with. I liked some of the more fantastical elements (the underground city) and new characters. And it sets up the series well for the next book. And Nicola Barber is always an excellent audiobook narrator!

What I purchased at today‘s library book sale. Gut has been on my TBR for awhile.

Latte and some more reading after a morning visit to the farmers‘ market/library book sale

Day off. Slept in, then went for my fasting blood tests. Then picked up some brunch and had myself a little picnic in the park (only in the mid 70s today!). Time to run some errands and then just chill at home.

A quibble - this is listed as 0.6 in the Spirit Animals series, but it‘s really more of a prequel to the sequel series (Spirit Animals: Fall of the Beasts). It does its job setting up the new series/bridging the original and sequel series by introducing the new characters, but each of the short stories basically follows the same arc.

Pancakes with griddled bananas and a spooky read before heading to my Inflectra infusion. Happy Friday!

“‘So,‘ Morrison said. ‘You want in, Desmondo?‘”

Well so far, this is delightful 🐈

I thought this book was well written, bringing the witch hunts and plague era in Germany to life. Thought provoking, poignant, and unfortunately very relevant still.

A bite to eat before my iron infusion. Hoping storms will wait until I get back home!

A comfort read, for sure. Each chapter works as its own story, so it was easy to pick up, read a story, and come back later when I wanted to spend more time with Nagare, Koishi, and the various customers of the diner/detective agency (and Drowsy the cat!). It really hit on how food is tied to our memories and how comforting that nostalgia is, even if the memories themselves are often complicated/not completely happy.

Having a little bite to eat outside before work

Foreground #CatsOfLitsy April being snuggly

Middle ground - some goodies from the farmers‘ market: a little painting from Three Goblin Art in a frame I had a home and a couple books from the library friends book sale (the tagged and How to Handle a Scandal by Emily Greenwood)

Lunch after walking around the farmers‘ market this morning. Enjoying being in the air conditioning!

“Later I would see that I was wrong about Leidy, wrong to think I wouldn‘t need her and that being a mom herself hadn‘t changed her in a way that would help us deal with Mami. I was wrong to believe the stories we‘d been told about ourselves: that I was the only one bright enough and aware enough to have some kind of plan.”

Have the day off (yay!), but still had to wake up early to go to the dentist (boo!). At least I can now spend the rest of the day doing whatever I want - starting with a coconut butter latte and some reading 📖

A dirty chai and bite to eat while starting a new book before going into work

Starting a new book and enjoying my iced dirty chai and egg and cheese on a cheddar chive biscuit before running errands

A collection of prequel short stories for the Spirit Animals series. I thought the story about the creation of the bile was good as well as the last story about the council of Great Beasts were especially good at further fleshing out the world. Overall, I don‘t think they were the most memorable, though.

My sister requested Starter Villain for her birthday. Ended up throwing Project Hail Mary into my Bookshop cart for myself. But I also ended up putting a library hold on for the Scalzi for myself because the description sounds good! 😆

This book is a vibe. Dark academia plus Southern gothic plus The Outsiders or American Graffiti or something along those lines. Add in an almost painful depiction of grief and slow burn queer longing. The characters were complex. The mystery was a bit predictable, but that‘s a minor quibble. One of my favorites for the year, for sure.

Bite to eat before work and a bit of reading.

This was just a lot of fun. I liked how the friendship developed between Fi and Shane and all their adventures. I wasn‘t totally convinced by the romances (very insta-love) and the twist on the Sleeping Beauty story. But overall, I enjoyed it and will consider getting around to the sequel at some point.

I‘m relaxing at my hotel now after my day of sightseeing. Here‘s what I picked up at Queer Haven Books - an ARC and an asexual pride pin, invisible disability pin for my sister, and a pair of book earrings for my mom. I could‘ve definitely gotten more, but I have to make sure everything fits in my carryon bag! All of this can fit in my purse, so I‘m good.

In Columbia, South Carolina - today is a sightseeing day while the next three days I‘m at a work conference. Made a stop into Queer Haven Books - South Carolina‘s only queer bookstore! Really cute store with a good selection of both new and used books, including a nice children‘s section, and lots of bookish and/or queer goodies.

This was just ok for me. The ending was satisfying, but it took a long time to get there. The amount of fatphobia was very annoying. The characterizations in general felt a bit shallow. It passed the time, though (most of it I listened to as an audiobook at work but read the last third at the airport/during my flight - last third was the strongest part).

Early morning flight. A little over an hour before boarding for me to read and have my iced dirty chai.

“‘Yes,‘ said Valentine, a little uneasily. ‘Send him to me, yes. By all means.‘”

From “The Seventh Shrine” by Robert Silverberg

Bite to eat and an orange blossom mocha before work

Bite to eat and a latte and a little reading before work

Relaxing Sunday with an egg and cheese on a cheddar chive biscuit and an iced mocha and enjoying my book 📖

I think I expected this book to be more typical romance and/or horror. It wasn‘t that, but it was all the better for it. The characterizations were complex, plot slow at points but ultimately impactful, richly depicted settings, with a dash of the philosophical. I enjoyed it immensely.