A short informational webcomic about the author coming to identify as demisexual.

https://medium.com/plan-a-magazine/confessions-of-a-demisexual-d945920d59ee

This is easily one of my favorite reads of 2025. The first 40 pages are a rollercoaster of crazy, and that's just the prologue. Vera is a beautifully realized character with a brilliant arc. Quirky, horrifying, philosophical, mysterious, fast-paced, I got a similar enjoyment reading this that I did with Chuck Palahniuk's early work. There is a fun nod to his novella Straight at the end.

I had a mild obsession with the Rat Pack in college, especially Sammy Davis Jr. He had a complicated personal life, but his ability to entertain through singing, acting, and dancing made him on of the most prolific Black entertainers of his day. In celebration of what would have been his 100th birthday, here is a video of a song that still gives me chills, I've Gotta Be Me

https://youtu.be/OXYndNL4Mu8

#tuesdaytunes

#naughtylistholidayswap #nlhs @wildalaskabibliophile

On its way!

Friendly reminder: Saturday is the ship date for your #naughtylistholidayswap #nlhs

We've already got a couple confirmations of shipping and one overachiever's already delivered 😉 Be sure to post when your package is sent and when you receive and/or shoot your hosts an email.

@WildAlaskaBibliophile and I hope you're having fun shopping for your match!

I'm this volume, we circle back around to Tracy Lawless and his commitment to Hyde. Hyde tasks him with using his brains instead of his brawn to find out who has been killing made men. Tracy isn't know for his brains, though, and in this town, everyone just stumbles through trying not to get killed. That doesn't work out for everyone.

My #yuleseasonswap has arrived! @thebacklistbook

The book is split into two parts, and, while the language and characters are wonderful, I just didn't feel engaged with the story for part one, to the point I almost stopped reading; however, just before the split, the story explodes, and it was a quick read after that. There is a beautiful normalcy in the interactions between the deaf and hearing characters on Martha's Vineyard, and the author takes great care to describe the signing.

#yuleseasonswap has hit the road. Thanks @thebacklistbook for hosting.

BookSpin: The Rocketeer by Dave Stevens - I'm pretty excited for this one 😁

DoubleBookSpin: One More Thing by B.J. Novak

Lucky Day is my only other outstanding read from #bookspin this year, so I should be able to complete the challenge this year! I've knocked out quite a few books from my TBR list thanks to @TheAromaofBooks

I didn't know that the Thanksgiving game halftime show was a thing, but I'm glad it was this year! Jack White is a top-tier guitarist and musician, and as a basic white man, I just can't resist a rock guitar/hip-hop mash-up 😜

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pk5lQbI1t04

#tuesdaytunes

#bookspin #Bookspinbingo @thearomaofbooks

My December BookSpin list

My selections for #nonfictionnovember were all over the place, but I was glad to have finally read The Secret Lives of Bats and, not being a sports fan, Leveling the Ice was still a very good read. I was surprised and thrilled with how good Batman Resurrection was, and Brubaker/Philips and O'Neil were both reliably excellent in their graphic novels.

This short book packs a big punch. Sport journalist Steven Sandor looks at the culture of hockey and what has been/is being/can be done about its tendency to exclude on the basis of race and class. He is not afraid to examine his own part behavior, but he mostly relies on interviews with players and executive, and deep dives into past controversies, to make his case. A clear, strong voice talking about a vital societal concern. #nonfictionnovember

I can't post details, but my book buying strategy for this year has been to check author/publisher websites before my local bookstore before big bookstores, and I've ordered from a couple items direct from authors or small publishers who offer signed books and include extra goodies. It is nice to support them directly and see that they like to show their appreciation. I haven't bought any books Amazon so far 🤘

Having just finished The Secret Lives of Bats, I thought I'd share this article about current bat research. Scientists at Bat Conservation International noticed a discrepancy in their understanding of the Seminole bat, and it is interesting to read how they went about finding the truth. There is also a discussion about in impact of wind farms on bats.

https://www.batcon.org/seminole-bat-mystery/

Also, look at that sweet 'fro! 😝

Australian icon Colin Hay released an album of new recording of some of his best songs from his 40+ year career. I first heard his music when he cameoed on Scrubs 😋 He was interviewed by AllMusic.com, a site I don't frequent as much, but was indispensable to me in college and for years after.

https://www.allmusic.com/blog/post/colin-hay-discusses-men-at-work-his-solo-care...

https://youtu.be/gDxk6PqWVPE

#tuesdaytunes

It is hard to quantify the impact the Merlin Tuttle has had on bat research and conservation. A tireless advocate for one of the most diverse mammals on earth, this collection of anecdote from a lifetime of adventures highlights the struggles of conservation, the prejudice against bats in general, and the dangers of researching remote locations. It was interesting to get a look back in time when technology was much more limited.

Did you know Hitler built a ballroom? 🦧😋

Snopes article citing the tagged book: Unraveling claim Adolf Hitler built a ballroom in 1933 https://www.snopes.com/news/2025/10/28/hitler-ballroom-chancellery-bunker/

#naughtylistholidayswap #nlhs

Thanks to all our participants for a quick confirmation of your matches!

Now that you've had a day or so to review your match's responses, let's dig a little deeper. Feel free to put together a “vibe board“ to further explore your Naughty List vibe.

For mine, I like twisted takes on classic stories/imagery, bats, strange mysteries, creepy folklore, and coincidentally holiday (like Die Hard or Kiss Kiss, Bang Bang).

This is my second Mary Roach book, and I just don't think she's for me. I almost felt like her writing is overly familiar; like I'm expected to understand her personality and drive and humor right out the gate. Therefore, I never really get to know her, and it is hard to connect to her voice in the book. There also didn't seem to be a purpose to her choices of topics other than her whims or whomever would talk with her, unless that's just the ARC.

This a screenshot from the “updated“ CDC page on vaccines.

Did you know that “Band-Aids do not heal wounds through Satanic magic“ is not an evidence-based claim because studies have not ruled out the possibility that Band-Aids use Satanic magic to heal wounds?

We are living in the dumbest timeline. Is this how conspiracy theory believers feel when they are told they are wrong (you know, minus the decades of research proving you aren't wrong)?

@wildalaskabibliophile, @BarkingMadRead, @mcipher, @bumpinthenight, @Gissy, @chrissyreadit, @BookwormAHN, @Readergrrl, @LittlebearReads, @Blerdgal_fenix, @Captivatedbybooks, @ImperfectCJ, @Kadagul, @KT1432, @TexReader Check your inboxes and have fun!

#tuesdaytunes

His iconic debut album was just the start of Marc Cohn's long career in music, which has been fraught with devastating set backs, and now includes a diagnosis of Parkinson's disease.

I have a soft spot for piano-based singer-songwriters, and his first two albums were in heavy rotation at our house growing up. I got to see him live with my dad once. I hope the best for him.

https://youtu.be/ia_yitMEXk0

Today, Monday, November 17 is the last day to sign up for the #naughtylistholidayswap

We've got about double the participants from last year so far! Choose your level of spookiness. Choose your level of gifting. Share what you celebrate and enjoy a creepy gift before the year's end.

And to all a good fright! 😜

@wildalaskabibliophile

What a great read! I was a little underwhelmed but The Moth Keeper, but this was everything I expected it to be. A wonderfully wholesome story, beautiful art, and warm feelings. K has a great gift for writing about queerness and inclusion without it being preachy. Their characters just are, and they only implies prejudice, choosing to focus on acceptance, as exemplified by the panel above.

This is an exhaustively researched history of the DTH, with a vast collection of photographs. Unfortunately, for me, it was not a great entry point into the world of ballet. Names, places, and productions were thrown around like I would have any idea of their significance. Chapters were broken down into very short sections, which should have been easier to read, but it just felt like short section led to a lot of jumping around.

This didn't really click for me. The author and illustrator act as guides through the history of video games with a random robot thing, but there is little introduction to these people. There is a loose thread they follow, but it jumps around a lot in the timeline and between topics. A lot of the jokes and banter between the guides fall flat. I can see what they were going for, and there is some interesting information, but overall it didn't work.

Happy Veterans Day. Here's hoping that someday our veterans get the support they deserve and the care they need after they return home, beyond a free coffee one day a year.

https://youtu.be/OLVWEYUqGew

#tuesdaytunes

Just do what makes you happy!

Miller has been in the genre game for a while, writing original novel for Star Wars, Star Trek, Mass Effect, etc, and he absolutely nails this Batman book. A variant of the Joker's Smylex turns a struggling actor into Clayface, but that is just the beginning. Miller does so much so well: fitting new characters to the Burton-verse, Easter eggs from both movies, early 90s tech, early Batman testing phase, but all grounded in a really solid story.

Our first snow fall on the peninsula this season. A few inches, nothing crazy. Definitely the latest first snow since we've been here (we usually see snow before Halloween 😋). I'm hoping for a quite, cozy weekend huddled indoors reading.

Sign-ups are open for the 2nd annual Naughty List Holiday Swap! Choose your level of creepiness (low, mid, high), your level of gifting, and what traditions interest you. Tis the season for long nights, cold weather, ghost stories, and atonement for the trespasses of the past year. Won't you join us? 😈

US only this year

Sign up here by November 17th: https://forms.gle/8vX3Bzo6ki8XSD358

#NaughtyListHolidaySwap #NLHS #LitsySwaps

Guillermo del Toro is a true artist, and, since missing Nightmare Alley, it had been too long since I've seen one of his films in theaters. I was so happy to see his latest last night during its limited run. I've yet to read the source material, but his take on Frankenstein is hauntingly emotional and the film just looks amazing. Isaac and Elordi are brilliant. Streaming on Netflix tomorrow!

I live here, so why you following me?
Mr. Master Race, but still no GED
...
Fear in your flesh, you so scared to be replaced
Think you a future billionaire, but your future's being erased

✊🏿

Death Cult Zombie by Genesis Owusu
https://youtu.be/vFT7fZA3ybw

#tuesdaytunes

Philadelphia lost a legend last week. 93.3 WMMR mid-day show host Pierre Robert graced the airwaves for 40 years with humor, love, and soul. It says something when another radio station interrupts their broadcast to announce the news. From his catchphrase “Great day in the morning,“ to his coffee break marathon, usually preceded by a quote from My Fellow Americans, and his Thanksgiving tradition of playing “Alice's Restaurant,“ he will be missed.

November #bookspin #bookspinbingo @thearomaofbooks

My book spin selections are Dance Theatre of Harlem and Show Me a Sign. I'm starting Replaceable You today, and I'm hoping to read The Secret Live of Bats, so I'm not expecting a bingo this month 😋

I hope everyone has a safe Halloween! Not ready for the creepy vibes to end? @wildalaskabibliophile and I are hosting the 2nd annual Naughty List Holiday Swap! Celebrate the darker side of the season of lights. Choose your level of creepy, your level of gifting, and what traditions interest you.

US only (sorry, complications last year 🫤)

Sign up here by November 17th: https://forms.gle/8vX3Bzo6ki8XSD358

#NaughtyListHolidaySwap #NLHS

A successful October with four spooky reads, one real-life horror, a couple classics, and a couple comics.

A recovering, low-level low life is at the wrong place at the wrong time, and is pulled into a web of trouble. An extra layer of story and art on display as the main character is also writes a comic strip, and his creation enters the world through his mind.

I'm still not sure what I think about my beloved Archie characters in horror settings, but there were only a couple things with the main gang. Madam Satan was the main character of the anthology, and I would absolutely read more with her. A good balance of scary, goofy, gory, and spooky.

😆 😆 😆

https://www.youtube.com/shorts/vrFT4AGhSqY

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z19lHTlKfOk

I doubt I'll read the book, but her conversation with Jon Stewart is wonderful. He is perhaps the most generous interviewer, as you can see throughout their conversation that he leads her from seemingly rehearsed to relaxed and honest, even more so than she has proven to be, and he give serious consideration to her questions back. He even gets her cursing over the Drumpf “ballroom“ 😅 ⬇

A creepy collection of short stories. They were all around 20 pages, perfect for my lunch break. There was a fair amount of Spanish, but enough context clues that I could get the gist. Themes of family and community and retribution. It is considered YA, so teen, especially female, MCs. Lots of abuelas 😋
Enjoyed with Brutalitea Peachy Scream. The company names all their read after horror movies and metal bands 😆

TW: Rape

Maybe I missed this story because it is out of France, or maybe I heard about it and shut it out because how much awful stuff can you handle?
5 years ago, Gisele Pelicot's world was shattered when she learned about the horrors that her husband subjected her to.
Today, France adopts a bill changing the definition of rape from “penetration or oral sex using 'violence, coercion, threat or surprise'“ to “any non-consensual sexual act.“

#bookspin #bookspinbingo @thearomaofbooks

I've padded my list with several books for #nonfictionnovember , thought I still have to finish Batman Resurrection and to read Lucky Day to get caught up on my October selections.

#yuleseasonswap tip thread: This or That

@thebacklistbook

Today is the last day to vote in our contest! Vote at this link: https://pollunit.com/polls/ldmi5grh2pesptbtsvuhmw
This is our first experience with PollUnit, and the voting system is a bit odd: select the number of stars you want to give your favorite pumpkin in each category. You can only vote for one pumpkin in each category. We have five entries in two categories; not bad for the first year! #TheGreatPumpkinFaceOff @WildAlaskaBibliophile

#tuesdaytunes

Put a damn woman in charge! (I mean, obviously not someone like Boebert or MTG, but you know what I mean 😉)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FciQeRGYFlw

A fun follow-up to the first book. In the afterword, the author explains that he didn't want to repeat the story of brains over brawn, so he decide to explore when someone intelligent gets a little too cocky. Great illustrations and a meaningful story.