Wednesday Reading Meme
Had planned for many things today. Was planning to walk to and from grocery store, eat lunch, then precook all my chicken while replying to all the comments I've received and haven't had time to answer, do the reading meme, then work.
Instead I walked to the grocery store but had to take a bus home because I was sore and my buggy was very heavy. I ate lunch, and then twenty minutes later was in the bathroom with diarrhea. And more diarrhea. And more. So my afternoon has been spent with cramps, running to the bathroom, back pain, chills, and just feeling rotten and semi-nauseous. I didn't even eat anything weird!
Well, at least I can do the reading meme.
What I Just Finished Reading: Since last week I read 3 books: The War on Horror: Tales From A Post-Zombie Society by Nathan Allen, The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman, and The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches by Sangu Mandanna. Reviews below.
I also DNF'ed Half Lost by Sally Green. It's the third book of a trilogy, and admittedly I gave up pretty early (after 5 chapters.) But literally those 5 chapters consisted solely of the MC being rude and swearing at his only friend while mentally daydreaming about how much he wanted to kill another character. I'm not even exaggerating. That was the entirety of what 'happened' over the first 40 or so pages. Being in the character's head was painful.
What I'm Reading Right Now: I just gave up on Half Lost last night, so I haven't started the next book yet.
What I'm Planning to Read Next: I'm going to borrow another of Amy's books, The Night She Disappeared by Lisa Jewell. It's about a old murder that somehow has connections to the present.
11. The War on Horror: Tales From a Post-Zombie Society by Nathan Allen
The zombie apocalypse turns out to be more of a zombie annoyance. The military steps in, everything gets sorted, and zombies are rounded up and herded into barracks where they’re fed blood and kept ‘unalive’ until a cure can maybe be found. Zombie catcher companies get hired to round up any fresh zombies.
Miles works for Dead Rite, one of those companies. He’s got an inconsiderate roommate who lets her pseudo-rebel friends crash at his house, eat his food, plot against the government, make what Miles thinks may be chemical weapons in his kitchen, and feed his 15-year-old sister drugs. I mostly spent this book hating Miles’ weasley ass for not stepping up and kicking these losers out of his house.
There’s a lot of heavy-handed political commentary about the narcissist running for office who has the gall to think that maybe people should be allowed to kill the zombies they find wandering about, and a lot of blather about the people who torture zombies for shit and giggles, as though these are the only two options. Me, I think maybe we ought to remember that these are decaying corpses who want to bite you and err on the side of caution, mm?
Not much happens and the ending is clearly set up for a sequel. Yawn.
Dates Read: January 29 to 31, 2024
Page Count: 243
2 out of 5 stars
+ Lost Challenges 74 Letters - February R - double-R word in title (11/74)
+ Around the Year in 52 Books 09 - less than 2024 ratings (11/52)
12. The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman
A toddler escapes the murder of his family by the mysterious Jack by wandering into a graveyard, where he’s saved and raised by the ghosts who reside there. They name him Nobody (Bod for short.)
This is a weird and quirky story. It took a while to get going and sometimes felt like a series of short stories set in the same universe, with only the character of Bod to link them. But once it found its feet I was invested and eager to get to the conclusion. Who was Jack and why was he after Bod’s family, and so determined to find and kill Bod? I was also eager to find out more about Silas, Bod’s only non-ghost protector (who appears to be a vampire) and who may know more about Jack than he’s letting on. Unfortunately Silas’s adventures are only hinted at and barely shown (I feel like there could be a whole novel of Silas himself) and the ending was a bit of a let-down, but the writing is impeccable and the story itself was super engaging.
Dates Read: February 01 to 03, 2024
Page Count: 325
4 out of 5 stars
+ Lost Challenges 74 Letters - January N - MC’s name begins with N (12/74)
+ Around the Year in 52 Books 04 - related to “It’s a Wonderful World” (12/52) [“babies cry, watch them grow”]
13. The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches by Sangu Mandanna
I heard this described as “het House in the Cerulean Sea” and that was enough to add it to my Want To Read list. And while none of the children here are as adorable as Sea’s Chauncey (I mean, how could they be?) the book was still a delight from start to finish.
Mika is a witch (in our world, where few know that witches exist) who takes a job tutoring three young witches despite being raised to believe that witches must not congregate together or risk exposure. I am a sucker for the found family trope, and of course Mika bonds with and comes to love the people that will protect these kids til the end. Each character is drawn well, with their own habits, loves, and foibles. Some have hidden hurts, just like Mika, and it’s a pleasure to watch them come together with such bravery.
There’s some fun and quirky humor, a few adventures, and a lovely cast of diverse characters. Such a blast.
Dates Read: February 03 to 05, 2023
Page Count: 336
5 out of 5 stars
+ Lost Challenges Pyramid of Books - Task 20 coastal town/set on water/water on cover (15/20)
+ Lost Challenges 74 Letters - March R - aquamarine cover (13/74)
+ Around the Year in 52 Books 14 - MC who is black, indigenous or a person of colour (13/52)
.
Instead I walked to the grocery store but had to take a bus home because I was sore and my buggy was very heavy. I ate lunch, and then twenty minutes later was in the bathroom with diarrhea. And more diarrhea. And more. So my afternoon has been spent with cramps, running to the bathroom, back pain, chills, and just feeling rotten and semi-nauseous. I didn't even eat anything weird!
Well, at least I can do the reading meme.
What I Just Finished Reading: Since last week I read 3 books: The War on Horror: Tales From A Post-Zombie Society by Nathan Allen, The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman, and The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches by Sangu Mandanna. Reviews below.
I also DNF'ed Half Lost by Sally Green. It's the third book of a trilogy, and admittedly I gave up pretty early (after 5 chapters.) But literally those 5 chapters consisted solely of the MC being rude and swearing at his only friend while mentally daydreaming about how much he wanted to kill another character. I'm not even exaggerating. That was the entirety of what 'happened' over the first 40 or so pages. Being in the character's head was painful.
What I'm Reading Right Now: I just gave up on Half Lost last night, so I haven't started the next book yet.
What I'm Planning to Read Next: I'm going to borrow another of Amy's books, The Night She Disappeared by Lisa Jewell. It's about a old murder that somehow has connections to the present.
11. The War on Horror: Tales From a Post-Zombie Society by Nathan Allen
The zombie apocalypse turns out to be more of a zombie annoyance. The military steps in, everything gets sorted, and zombies are rounded up and herded into barracks where they’re fed blood and kept ‘unalive’ until a cure can maybe be found. Zombie catcher companies get hired to round up any fresh zombies.
Miles works for Dead Rite, one of those companies. He’s got an inconsiderate roommate who lets her pseudo-rebel friends crash at his house, eat his food, plot against the government, make what Miles thinks may be chemical weapons in his kitchen, and feed his 15-year-old sister drugs. I mostly spent this book hating Miles’ weasley ass for not stepping up and kicking these losers out of his house.
There’s a lot of heavy-handed political commentary about the narcissist running for office who has the gall to think that maybe people should be allowed to kill the zombies they find wandering about, and a lot of blather about the people who torture zombies for shit and giggles, as though these are the only two options. Me, I think maybe we ought to remember that these are decaying corpses who want to bite you and err on the side of caution, mm?
Not much happens and the ending is clearly set up for a sequel. Yawn.
Dates Read: January 29 to 31, 2024
Page Count: 243
2 out of 5 stars
+ Lost Challenges 74 Letters - February R - double-R word in title (11/74)
+ Around the Year in 52 Books 09 - less than 2024 ratings (11/52)
12. The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman
A toddler escapes the murder of his family by the mysterious Jack by wandering into a graveyard, where he’s saved and raised by the ghosts who reside there. They name him Nobody (Bod for short.)
This is a weird and quirky story. It took a while to get going and sometimes felt like a series of short stories set in the same universe, with only the character of Bod to link them. But once it found its feet I was invested and eager to get to the conclusion. Who was Jack and why was he after Bod’s family, and so determined to find and kill Bod? I was also eager to find out more about Silas, Bod’s only non-ghost protector (who appears to be a vampire) and who may know more about Jack than he’s letting on. Unfortunately Silas’s adventures are only hinted at and barely shown (I feel like there could be a whole novel of Silas himself) and the ending was a bit of a let-down, but the writing is impeccable and the story itself was super engaging.
Dates Read: February 01 to 03, 2024
Page Count: 325
4 out of 5 stars
+ Lost Challenges 74 Letters - January N - MC’s name begins with N (12/74)
+ Around the Year in 52 Books 04 - related to “It’s a Wonderful World” (12/52) [“babies cry, watch them grow”]
13. The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches by Sangu Mandanna
I heard this described as “het House in the Cerulean Sea” and that was enough to add it to my Want To Read list. And while none of the children here are as adorable as Sea’s Chauncey (I mean, how could they be?) the book was still a delight from start to finish.
Mika is a witch (in our world, where few know that witches exist) who takes a job tutoring three young witches despite being raised to believe that witches must not congregate together or risk exposure. I am a sucker for the found family trope, and of course Mika bonds with and comes to love the people that will protect these kids til the end. Each character is drawn well, with their own habits, loves, and foibles. Some have hidden hurts, just like Mika, and it’s a pleasure to watch them come together with such bravery.
There’s some fun and quirky humor, a few adventures, and a lovely cast of diverse characters. Such a blast.
Dates Read: February 03 to 05, 2023
Page Count: 336
5 out of 5 stars
+ Lost Challenges Pyramid of Books - Task 20 coastal town/set on water/water on cover (15/20)
+ Lost Challenges 74 Letters - March R - aquamarine cover (13/74)
+ Around the Year in 52 Books 14 - MC who is black, indigenous or a person of colour (13/52)
.