Wednesday Reading Meme
What I Just Finished Reading: Over the last week I read: Certain Dark Things by Silvia Moreno-Garcia, Anyone But You by Jennifer Crusie, The Great Witches Baking Show by Nancy Warren, and Funny Farm by Laurie Zaleski.
What I'm Reading Right Now: I'm currently reading The Last Day by Andrew Hunter Murray, about a future in which the world has stopped its rotation, leaving half the world in scorching sunlight, half in perpetual darkness, and a tiny strip that's still habitable. I'm enjoying it so far.
What I'm Planning to Read Next: I'm waiting on Cold Clay by Juneau Black to get transferred for me at my local library, so hopefully by the time it's in my knee will be better and I can go get it. :)
132. Certain Dark Things by Silvia Moreno-Garcia
A young vampire on the run takes refuge in Mexico City, where she enlists the help (and blood supply) of a homeless youth named Domingo. This world of the author’s imaginings involves a variety of different vampires, from Revenants who drink life-force to the species of main character Atl, who sprouts feathers and wings and drinks from a proboscis like a hummingbird. I prefer ‘classic’ vampires myself, and the rest of the book struggled to keep my interest. This was basically a story about rival gangs, some of whom happen to be vampires. And despite attempts to color Atl as an antihero, she was more a straight up villain to me. I found it hard to root for anyone but the cop in this one.
Dates Read: October 11 to 14, 2023
Page Count: 264
3 out of 5 stars
Lost Challenges Pyramid of Books - Task 10 - read 10 books that take place in a city [Mexico City] (06/10)
Lost Challenges Want to Read Bingo - 121 (22/25)
133. Anyone But You by Jennifer Crusie
40-year-old Nina has just left an unsatisfying marriage and is loving single life with her newly-adopted senior dog, Fred. When she strikes up a friendship with her downstairs neighbour Alex, a 30-year-old doctor, insecurities surface as she contemplates a relationship. This was a fun and snappy quick read. The characters all felt three-dimensional to me and the dialogue was crisp and realistic. The relationship between Nina and Alex was given time to breathe and grow naturally. Both had issues that they had to deal with before they could make their relationship work, and while occasionally just opening up to each other would have solved their problems earlier, I also didn’t want to bang my head against the wall because they didn’t do so. It’s tough to open up about things! This was an enjoyable read, and I loved Fred!
Date Read: October 14, 2023
Page Count: 288
4 out of 5 stars
Lost Challenges Pyramid of Books - Task 12 - read 12 books that you choose (05/12)
Challenge Factory Hallowe’en Roundup - WITCH Arm 2 - Prompt: character who is a healer
134. The Great Witches Baking Show by Nancy Warren
Interesting that something like this can get written and GBBO doesn’t sue! Anyway, this is GBBO, but with hosts who are witches and a contestant named Poppy searching for a link to her mother, as she was abandoned as a baby. There’s also a murder that’s given perfunctory attention and is only solved when the killer inexplicably confesses. There’s no satisfactory conclusions to Poppy’s personal search either, presumably because this is the first in a series. Ugh.
Date Read: October 15, 2023
Page Count: 210
2 out of 5 stars
Lost Challenges Pyramid of Books - Task 19 - read 19 books with an outdoor cover (10/19)
Challenge Factory Hallowe’en Roundup - WITCH Arm 2 - Prompt: “witch” in title
135. Funny Farm by Laurie Zaleski
Laurie Zaleski grew up in extreme poverty, when her mom fled her abusive (and honestly, evil) dad with three young kids. Her mom Annie found a falling-down one-bedroom shack on wooded land that the owner was willing to rent to her for $100 a month, and there she raised her kids. But no matter how much they struggled, they always had room and time for the many abused and neglected animals that her mother took in.
This is a love story to those animals but mostly to Annie, who taught her children strength, determination and empathy. Each chapter ends with a little tidbit about one of the animals Laurie now has on her own farm sanctuary. A lovely story of hope and resilience.
Dates Read: October 15 to 16, 2023
Page Count: 244
5 out of 5 stars
Lost Challenges Pyramid of Books - Task 14 - read 14 books that takes place in a state [New Jersey] (10/14)
.
What I'm Reading Right Now: I'm currently reading The Last Day by Andrew Hunter Murray, about a future in which the world has stopped its rotation, leaving half the world in scorching sunlight, half in perpetual darkness, and a tiny strip that's still habitable. I'm enjoying it so far.
What I'm Planning to Read Next: I'm waiting on Cold Clay by Juneau Black to get transferred for me at my local library, so hopefully by the time it's in my knee will be better and I can go get it. :)
132. Certain Dark Things by Silvia Moreno-Garcia
A young vampire on the run takes refuge in Mexico City, where she enlists the help (and blood supply) of a homeless youth named Domingo. This world of the author’s imaginings involves a variety of different vampires, from Revenants who drink life-force to the species of main character Atl, who sprouts feathers and wings and drinks from a proboscis like a hummingbird. I prefer ‘classic’ vampires myself, and the rest of the book struggled to keep my interest. This was basically a story about rival gangs, some of whom happen to be vampires. And despite attempts to color Atl as an antihero, she was more a straight up villain to me. I found it hard to root for anyone but the cop in this one.
Dates Read: October 11 to 14, 2023
Page Count: 264
3 out of 5 stars
Lost Challenges Pyramid of Books - Task 10 - read 10 books that take place in a city [Mexico City] (06/10)
Lost Challenges Want to Read Bingo - 121 (22/25)
133. Anyone But You by Jennifer Crusie
40-year-old Nina has just left an unsatisfying marriage and is loving single life with her newly-adopted senior dog, Fred. When she strikes up a friendship with her downstairs neighbour Alex, a 30-year-old doctor, insecurities surface as she contemplates a relationship. This was a fun and snappy quick read. The characters all felt three-dimensional to me and the dialogue was crisp and realistic. The relationship between Nina and Alex was given time to breathe and grow naturally. Both had issues that they had to deal with before they could make their relationship work, and while occasionally just opening up to each other would have solved their problems earlier, I also didn’t want to bang my head against the wall because they didn’t do so. It’s tough to open up about things! This was an enjoyable read, and I loved Fred!
Date Read: October 14, 2023
Page Count: 288
4 out of 5 stars
Lost Challenges Pyramid of Books - Task 12 - read 12 books that you choose (05/12)
Challenge Factory Hallowe’en Roundup - WITCH Arm 2 - Prompt: character who is a healer
134. The Great Witches Baking Show by Nancy Warren
Interesting that something like this can get written and GBBO doesn’t sue! Anyway, this is GBBO, but with hosts who are witches and a contestant named Poppy searching for a link to her mother, as she was abandoned as a baby. There’s also a murder that’s given perfunctory attention and is only solved when the killer inexplicably confesses. There’s no satisfactory conclusions to Poppy’s personal search either, presumably because this is the first in a series. Ugh.
Date Read: October 15, 2023
Page Count: 210
2 out of 5 stars
Lost Challenges Pyramid of Books - Task 19 - read 19 books with an outdoor cover (10/19)
Challenge Factory Hallowe’en Roundup - WITCH Arm 2 - Prompt: “witch” in title
135. Funny Farm by Laurie Zaleski
Laurie Zaleski grew up in extreme poverty, when her mom fled her abusive (and honestly, evil) dad with three young kids. Her mom Annie found a falling-down one-bedroom shack on wooded land that the owner was willing to rent to her for $100 a month, and there she raised her kids. But no matter how much they struggled, they always had room and time for the many abused and neglected animals that her mother took in.
This is a love story to those animals but mostly to Annie, who taught her children strength, determination and empathy. Each chapter ends with a little tidbit about one of the animals Laurie now has on her own farm sanctuary. A lovely story of hope and resilience.
Dates Read: October 15 to 16, 2023
Page Count: 244
5 out of 5 stars
Lost Challenges Pyramid of Books - Task 14 - read 14 books that takes place in a state [New Jersey] (10/14)
.