Bi-Weekly Update #5

It’s been three weeks, with a lot of studying (those 12pm deadlines, several days in a row you know), too much stress, all-out partying for once and in-depth reading over quantity. Also autumn, which I love dearly, lasted for two days in between massive rain and the frost laying upon us like a blanket of death. FUn. Also I made my first embroidery:

New book posts:

Review: “An absolutely remarkable thing” by Hank Green

Spoiler-review: “An absolutely remarkable thing” by Hank Green  (when you have so many thoughts, you make two reviews, basically just listing favourite moments in this one)

Short review: aliens & feminism

The sunshine blogger award

Top Ten Tuesday: Longest books I’ve read

Top Ten Tuesday: Libraries & bookstores I’d love to visit

Quote of the Week #16: on writing

Quote of the Week #17:

Other books I’ve been reading:

The seven husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid

La Belle Sauvage by Philip Pullman (currently reading) 

Three things on my mind:

• It’s been the most inconvenient time for the library to shut down for a month, the one time in the last three years I’ve needed it, to get books for school essays. This library is really run-down and have nothing, and it’s finally going to get a completely new building and more books!!! I’M SO SO EXCITED, I love libraries and want a space to meet and hang out with bookfriends, hope that happens

• I’m still not doing a lot of reading, because there’s so much schoolwork. But I’ve also been partying, so it’s not like I’ve been locked in my house studying like some certain other weekends (the previous one). Is that this balance thing I was looking for in my life? Non-stop studying or downing a bottle of (low-percentage) vodka? Sounds like I’m an actual student. Caffeine intake have increased about 300%, so everything’s GrEAT

• I’ve been watching “Chilling adventures of Sabrina”, the new netflix series based on Sabrina the teenage witch. The cat, Salem, doesn’t speak, which was a let down. But I’ve really loved and enjoyed this series, it’s perfect for fall and I’m just a very big fan of most things witches.

Recent book buys:

Netgalley: 

• Glass moon by Megan Pollak
• How to fracture a fairy tale by Jane Yolen

Other:

• His dark materials series by Philip Pullman in ebooks, because that literature class paper isn’t writing itself unfortunately (I waited to see if it would, with no luck)

Norse Mythology | Quote of the Week #17

This week’s quote is in honor of the sun disappearing for the next five months. Guess where I live? Westcoast of Norway, in a valley where I cannot believe people still live in the winter months as the mountains are too tall for the few sunbeams there are in the winter to reach us. (I love this place, promise.) My grandmother, who was Sami from the nothern part of the country – where there’s no sun for half the year, and always sun for the other half – would complain about it constantly and that makes me smile.

One branch of my family has lived in this place for generations. They were smarter than us though – they settled on the other side of the freaking fjord (water), on a mountain farm with few neighbours where they had to use boat to get anywhere, but guess what they had? SUN.

Also I liked this retelling of norse mythology by Neil Gaiman, even if it was a lot of things I knew already, here’s my review.

Short reviews: aliens & feminism

Dear Ijeawele, or a Feminist Manifesto in Fifteen Suggestions by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

A short book packed with useful and practical advice to how to raise a girl to have complete self-worth and make them prepared, without setting unreachable standards for how to raise a kid. It’s very matter of fact and inclusive, a modern view and setting for feminism and a woman’s place in society (which is everywhere – you just got to get your children to believe it). Wholeheartedly recommend it to every adult who in any part participate in raising a kid. 5/5 stars. 

everyone’s a aliebn when ur a aliebn too by jomny sun

This book is so special, it’s a graphic novel in very simplistic style, about a lonely alien that’s sent to earth to observe humans and instead meets a lot of different animals and tries to learn from them. It’s just a wonderful, wholesome, calming read with a alien feeling alien to other aliens and then finding friends in strange places. When ur too tired to read anymore you can just sit there and colour in the illustrations, like I absolutely did. 4/5 stars.

 

 

 

Libraries & Bookstores I’d Love to Visit | Top Ten Tuesday

Top Ten Tuesday is hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl to bring bookish friends together. A new topic is posted each week.

The Abbey Bookshop in Paris

There’s books everywhere in this store, from the pictures it’s so cozy.

Photo by Mayank Austen Soofi

Shakespeare and Company in Paris

I wouldn’t go to Paris without paying this store a visit because of its reputation, but I also don’t love crowds.

 

 

Trinity College Library in Dublin

Famous, big old library that looks stunning and have six million volumes.

Admont Monastery in Austria

The most stunning library I’ve ever seen. A fact taken straight from wiki is that the monastery was founded in freaking 1074. The library hall was built first in 1776 and the buildings have together seven out of this world beautiful ceiling frescoes.

 

“The Carousel of Light” in Romania

This modern-style library is completely new, and there’s been some books added to those shelves since the pictures. I’m into architecture as you might’ve noticed through this list and I really like the combination of older more classical elements and the white, modern and minimalistic style. The colour of the wood is the perfect choice and I absolutely love the curves in the balconies.

Bibliotheca Alexandria

The most famous library of all time, the Great Library of Alexandria that burned down and so much knowledge was lost. This bibliotheca is more of a museum in honor and memory of that. It also houses eight million books, so.

The British Library in London

It’s the library with the most items in the world, with over 150 million items and still growing. I would want to see Leonardo Da Vinci’s notebooks, a special version of Lewis Caroll’s Alice in Wonderland, the whole of King’s Library collection and the Magna Carta.

Bodleian Library in Oxford

As someone who’s not british, this round library is still so iconic. I really like old libraries at universities that has such a distinct style and house a lot of knowledge and material for researchers, but also need to be accessible to everyday and students.

 

American Book Center in Amsterdam

Amsterdam is on the top of my list of places I want to go, and this bookstore seems cozy and well-liked.

Musashino Art University Museum & Library in Tokyo

It’s just aesthetically pleasing, which makes sense from the library of an art university.

 

SPOILERY Review: An Absolutely Remakable Thing by Hank Green

So I wrote another spoiler-free review here, where I gave the book five out of five stars. I’ve never made two parts reviews, but I really want to geek out over this book honestly.

So I just listened to an interview by Hank where he said the book was born out around a lot of individual scenes and trying to write a story around them, especially the grape jelly scene. Did he mean Carl making a person turn into grape jelly? Jeez. That’s a great way to start writing a book, and makes my ideas feel a bit more valid.

Anyway, here’s a lot of moments I liked:

• “You’re a digital girl, April, in a digital world. We all know how to perform.” Already on page 10 I realized that Hank Green’s real life thoughts and concerns would slip through into the book in form of Andy’s bluntness.
• Maya. All of Maya’s parts. That girl is awesome.
• When “Don’t Stop Me Now” was first mentioned was when I realized I would have a lot of songs stuck in my brain reading this book. The wikipedia puzzle was creative.
•  “So here’s a really stupid thing about the world: The trick to looking cool is not caring whether you look cool. So the moment you achieve perfect coolness is simultaneously the moment that you actually, completely don’t care.” I need more time to consider the degree of truth to that. I have a few friends that have become models, they’re also the people that look cool in everyday normal and weird circumstances. They do also seem to care very much. But I get what April’s thinking.

• April ruining every relationship and “isolating yourself from the love of other humans because of deep, subconscious fears that you are unable to recognize even exist.” and still realizing it. I’ve seen a lot of readers say that they didn’t like her as a person, while many also saying she’s a great character, but I have to disagree. A girl that can fuck up this much and still be aware of it. I had to consider it, but I definitely like her. The internal monologue lists are great and fit with the direct writing style really well, btw.
• Here’s the first moment I adored: Maya’s no-bullshit reaction when April is purposely distancing herself from her. That “oh, fuck you, April” moment. Wouldn’t have thought of it so highly if I realized we wouldn’t see much of Maya for a while thought. Just wanted her to stick up for herself.
• The mom’s point of how the dreams could’ve changed people more than they think. That would’ve been a different book if it went down that path, but it really stuck with me and my suspicion for the rest of the book.

• April feeling burned out and going on “temporary fuel” with cool things happening until the growing hate for Peter became that long-burning fuel and motivation. It’s so dangerous, but I understand too well what she’s doing.
• Second moment I adored: Miranda taking on the role as CEO of a tech start-up. The idea of the start-up was amazing, with everyone collaborating online on this dream and puzzle they all was given and had equal access to and could prove themselves against. But reading about Miranda, who April had described as pretty shy and smart until then, taking on such a leader role made me appreciate them both. And realize how unreliable April’s narrative is.
• “One plus of the Dream was that if I stayed in it all night and didn’t wake up, I’d stay out of my nightmares.” OOoff, that hit me.
• Was concerned for a bit there if Hank Green was going to write a lesbian sex scene and how much I would laugh out loud and cringe at it. The solution seemed like the most Hank thing to do and I laughed anyway.

• All the pages with messages of what people in power can do faced with uncertainty and ignorance. Of groups moving towards the poles and becoming more radical, and how that happens.
• When Carl was revealed to be sentient and understand April I was excited. When he didn’t want to be taken pictures of I died laughing for some reason. I just like the surrealness of things like robot hands running around, saving people like superheroes.
• April’s description – without emotions at the most intense moments. Like she can show frustration talking about “minor” daily life issues, but when she was stabbed she’s describing her scream as awful enough that they had to cut it out of the tape and goes on to describe the mic. The switch happened regularly, really brought out different sides in her.
• April’s perspective is really interesting because I didn’t realize just how big of a star she’d become before the president told her how it would be a joy to watch her big future.

• Seeing your own faults and behaviour through other’s eyes suck and it’s part of why April is running from Maya I guess. Relatable.
• “Call Me Maybe” started playing, I squealed with glee and horror. I love the pop teen songs in this. My heart. They sound so omnious too.
• I was aware she would die, she says so early on in the book. p.16’s “That night was probably the best night’s sleep I had until after I died.” Which hints that there was a thing after she died as well, so I kept my hopes up
• Ok, my love for Maya was strengthened by the fact that she had to go on a pilgrimage after April’s accident. And even more Andy staying. Aahh, I really liked these characters.

There’s a sequel coming being currently written, which I didn’t know going into it. The ending was very open, but I had no problem with it. If there was no sequel, I would’ve taken my immediate theory of  April being uploaded to a computer-mind of sorts. That she still lives, but outside of a body. I don’t know if there’s evidence of that yet as I haven’t read theories. Also I’m not sure that she’s completely herself towards the end. I feel there might’ve been a shift, of Carl taking more control or sharing more with her or maybe just more a natural “losing herself”, but haven’t looked too much into it yet.

I loved it: An Absolutely Remarkable Thing by Hank Green | Review

Pages: 350

Genre: contemporary, sci-fi

Synopsis

The Carls just appeared. Coming home from work at three a.m., twenty-three-year-old April May stumbles across a giant sculpture. Delighted by its appearance and craftsmanship–like a ten-foot-tall Transformer wearing a suit of samurai armor–April and her friend Andy make a video with it, which Andy uploads to YouTube. The next day April wakes up to a viral video and a new life. News quickly spreads that there are Carls in dozens of cities around the world–everywhere from Beijing to Buenos Aires–and April, as their first documentarian, finds herself at the center of an intense international media spotlight.

Now April has to deal with the pressure on her relationships, her identity, and her safety that this new position brings, all while being on the front lines of the quest to find out not just what the Carls are, but what they want from us.

My thoughts

Rating out of five: five

SPOILER-FREE, i’ve written an entire post filled with spoilers *here*.

I managed to have no expectations going into this book even though I’ve watched vlogbrothers for years. I really really liked this book. Whatever concerns I had of it being a bad choice to have the main characters be a young adult, was completely erased without a couple ten pages. I was drawn into this book extremely quickly and it has become one of this year’s favourites.

It’s a great mix of sci-fi elements put into our real world, with massive robots showing up all over. This book is also about the story of fame told through the eyes of one building her career on a viral hit of “discovering” these robots, which she calls Carl, and putting it on youtube. There’s also critical thoughts around society and community as everyone tries to figure out the mystery behind these robots and cooperate with varying degrees of success to unlock their riddles. It mirrors my concerns about what fame might do, how it changes one’s values and interactions when millions of people are interested in following a person. There’s a unique realness Hank brings into it, being in that world himself and surely having seen friends struggle with these questions.

The writing is very-straight forward and clear, it’s the storytelling that’s mostly the focus. April’s voice seems very true to me, a nineteen year old girl. I liked that she was bisexual in the way that it was one of many traits she had. I’ve watched a lot of youtube. But I’ve always had this line where I realize that everyone’s real people, with insecurities and talents. The internet makes so many forget that, somehow. This book still made me question the cycle of internet celebrities (fuck the name influencers, honestly) posting instagrams to gain attentions and followers and it so easily turning into a vicious cycle of preying on people’s insecurities or paying attention to destructive behavior. On social media, every crisis can gain you a bigger following, and this book has plenty of commentary on that.

I do like all the characters, Maya above everyone else because she’s badass and also sees April as a real person. Miranda the scientist was really fantastic as well. Andy, April’s partner (in crime fame) was the voice of reason sometimes, with a much needed caution. I liked April, which I wouldn’t had if I knew her in real life. She’s a great character, because she’s dimentional and you get to see her thought process changing. Like how can you not like a girl that can fuck up this much and still be self-aware about it. The internal monologue lists are great and fit with the direct writing style really well.

I just loved a lot of parts, but it’s so easy to spoil this book, which is why I for the first time split the spoilers up into a seperate post. It’s absolutely worth a read (or three honestly), I don’t think you will regret it!

The Sunshine Blogger Award

I was tagged for The Sunshine Blogger Award some time ago by Lori @ Betwined reads. And then by Leslie @ Books are the new black. Thank you to you both!

 

First Lori’s questions:

1) Which fictional character do you think best represents you?

Oh no, difficult start. I don’t think I’ve found one yet. Which is strange considering how many brown-haired introverted nerdy girls who love reading and writing there are in books, almost like the authors often write someone similiar to themselves. Honestly I would be the supportive side character friend that always gives out advice, and you sometimes see them going on with their outside of the plot. I’m very critical, but all characters that has that trait also seem to have too much cynism, where I constantly shift between “let it burn” and weird optimism. 

2) What book do you most regret ever having bought?

I’m not sure there’s any- CURSED CHILD. Holy fuck why does that book exist (the reason is money and wanting to keep relevancy).

3) If you watch BookTube, who are some of your favorite creators?

Ariel Bissett was the first booktuber I liked and I’ve watched her a couple years because she has a similiar taste in books as me, but she’s also been a couple years and steps ahead of me in what kind of books she’s interested in. Like she broadened her reading from mainly young adult books and I was like “but why?” and not long after I felt like doing the same.

4) Who gave you your love of reading?

Not who, but what – Libraries. Started liking books in literally kindergarten because there was a book bus visiting us that had so many varied books. In school we had a little library and when I grew out of the fantasy section there, I fell in love with the big library in the city. And I miss it dearly after moving away.

5) Do you prefer in-person or online book clubs?

Would prefer in-person, but I talk so much about books online because there’s never been anyone of my close friends that’s as much into books.

6) How do you organize your upcoming blog posts?

I mainly post reviews, which then depends on which books I want to read and how many and schedule them. I’ve played around with the days I want to be posting and still haven’t figured that out. I do the top ten tuesday if I like the theme, so tuesday. Want to keep it to thursday and friday/saturday. I recently added some other “regular” posts, like quote of the week (because I really like searching for good quotes and have collected a lot of them) and a semi-weekly update because I wasn’t writing enough about books as I was reading them.

7) What do you think of fans who write angry letters/direct messages to an author?

I’m not really up to speed on how much this happens, if the question is about a certain author or problem. In general be a nice person, harassment is not okay. If something happens to your fav ficitional character that you just don’t like, write fanfic or something, don’t attack the author. The author has created something though, and if they’re a public person, it should be allowed to give opinions on that.

8) How would you try to convert an non-reader into a reader?

As a teen my classmate said she wanted to be a reader, but didn’t know how. She was actually being serious about it and came back after I recommended some young adult love story, it might’ve been Hush Hush by Becca Fitzpatrick. I wouldn’t go for that now, but the most important thing is to ask what they would like to read about and think of popular books in that genre. I wouldn’t recommend my fav books – like any of Brandon Sanderson’s – because they require more effort to get into.

I did also read my little brother Harry Potter from he was like four years old as a bedtime story and he still didn’t become a reader, so I’m not to be trusted on this one.

9) If you could frame one book cover and hang it up in your house, which cover would it be?

This book is stunning. And I haven’t read anything by Emily Bronte, I bought it solely because of how this 200th annivarsary edition is so perfect looking. I want to embroid it and hang it up, seriously.

10) Which fictional character do you love that you think would be horrible in real life?

Most of them, I feel it would be a “never meet your heroes” kind of moment. Usually you get to see so much into character’s thought processes and some of the people I find horrible in real life I would surely like better if I could get that much insight of reasoning behind actions and behaviors. I’m taking these questions too seriously, oops.

11) What’s one of your favorite blog posts that you would like to receive a little more love?

Like every review, because I want to just discuss books and if someone mails me pointing out details they loved or hated, I’m completely in for it. My review of Space Opera by Catherynne M Valente is kind of messy and rambly, but so was the book and I really liked to pour out my thoughts on it.

 

And Leslie’s questions:

1) If you have an e-reader, do you have a cover?

Slytherin forever? This gorgeous kindle cover is from Klevercase.co.uk and shipped internationally. It’s amazing, except for being really difficult to remove (at least without breaking it).

2) What was in your last book haul?

I’ve only published one book haul post, but I just got and read “An absolutely remarkable thing” (review coming soon) AND IT WAS SO GREAT

3) What’s your favorite number?

I’m a hp and fantasy fan, obviously it’s seven.

4) Best book to movie adaptation, in your opinion?

There’s so many bad ones. I liked “The Hobbit” I guess, but more so that they’ve come to a level of fame, talent and money to make it so grand and I just love seeing dragons flying.

5) Your favorite food?

Pie.

6) Something you learned in 2018?

In fiction and telling stories about real life, people like to say things like “and that’s when I hit the bottom and …” about our lives. It’s not given that you hit The Rock Bottom though, where your mentality change and you start digging yourself up. It might be a row of horrible things, decisions or circumstances happening over time and constantly digging to not suffocate. Here’s my pessimistic side coming in, told you earlier. 

7) Best bookstore you’ve visited 

I have so many I want to visit, but no good ones I’ve actually visited.

8) Are you usually early or late?

Early, because anxious mess. Late is I have to count on the damn bus.

9) If you were given 1 wish today, what would you wish for?

I can’t take these questions not seriously, no matter how hard I try. Are we talking genie-wish? I would wish for cure to autoimmune diseases, because there’s a lot of them and they suck and are difficult to treat. Sponsing cancer research is great people, but so few have heard of autoimmune diseases and there’s soo many.

10) Best book you read/discovered this year?

Radio Silence by Alice Oseman.

11) Share a funny or sweet moment you had this week!

Good way to finish this long post! I have autumn vacation this week and have spent time with my little (teenage) brother and we’ve laughed a lot together. Everyday is sometimes very busy and we don’t get much quality time, so it’s been fun to realize again how like himself he still is, while also starting to mature.

 

Here’s the questions I want to ask:

1. Which fictional character would you like most to be real?
2. Where would you go and what would you do if you had an endless budget for a vacation?
3. What do you honestly like most about blogging?
4. Which book was disappointing recently and why?
5. If you were magically given the choice of one thing you would succeed at, no matter what, what would you choose?
6. When do you stop and DNF a book? Do you give it a set number of pages or just based on feeling?
7. What’s a genre or type of book you want to read more of?
8. What’s your top three favourite books of the last year?
9. Do you write?
10. What’s one book you love to recommend to people?
11. What’s a book cover you would frame and hang on your wall?

 

I’m tagging:

Paige – Tammy – Lakshmi – Chasing the four winds – Sara – Ally – Catherine  – Merline – Siobhan  – Amy – Carolina 

No pressure 🌸🌸

Quote of the Week #16

Here’s the quote of the week –

There’s this story that won’t leave me. It started more than a year ago and I started writing it down, like a first draft, but at one point it just stops, with no conclusion. WHat kind of story is that, it’s like having a part of a song stuck in your head, but not being able to listen to the rest – because it doesn’t exist. Some of you are surely gearing up for NaNoWriMo where everyone writes like crazy in November, and I’ve never participated. Wouldn’t call myself much of a writer either. I just want the end of this thing to come to me, I’ve sat down so many times and tried to just get it out. Nothing. There’s like a jump from this girl escaping this town, getting into some bad shit and then escaping that again for starting a new life. Like we’re talking “the goldfinch” kind of shift in tone and genre like midways in the story, because there’s no “end” to the first part. I have so many thoughts on why I have a mental block about the end. But I didn’t make this main character anything like me. I just can’t get to the bottom of it.

Also there’s another problem in that I cannot write. I feel very much like I did writing my first newspaper article, like googling what an article was and what the small text under a picture was called. If you have good resources for becoming a better writer, throw them at me pls

Longest Books I’ve Read | Top Ten Tuesday

Top Ten Tuesday is hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl to bring bookish friends together. A new topic is posted each week.

Do I like long books?

I like long books that are that way to be able to hold a lot of information and world-building, especially in fantasy. My main problem with long books is if they don’t have a strong enough plot to justify it, like the author needs time, info-dumps or a series of essential but boring things to happen between one major moment and another. I also feel like it’s difficult with series that have long books, but books are still being released, because you have to remember the previous action and it’s not easy to just reread quickly. I’ve also seen series that could’ve been fewer, bigger books, especially in young adult, and it’s weird because you shouldn’t have to read book one and two to get the complete story like there being something essential explained in the second book that cast an entirely different light one the first book.

A third thing is that I often find myself waiting if I know the last book are going to come out soon. It’s difficult with series that have long books, and books are still being released, because you have to remember the previous action and it’s not easy to just reread quickly. Brandon Sanderson’s series is so memorable to me though that it hasn’t been a problem there.

 

 

All these books are part of one fantasy series “The Stormlight Archive” and I absolutely love it and would recommend it, Brandon Sanderson is a brilliant writer and world-builder – I want to make an entire post about why – and this is definitely one of my favourite fantasy series.

Word of Radiance (The Stormlight Archive #2) by Brandon Sanderson

1328 pages.

Oathbringer by Brandon Sanderson (The Stormlight Archive #3) by Brandon Sanderson

1243 pages.

The Way of Kings (The Stormlight Archive #1) by Brandon Sanderson

1000 pages.

 

The Wise Man’s Fear (Kingkiller #2) by Patrick Rothfuss

1000 pages. My favourite series of all time, it’s fantasy and I love it so so much. The writing is very “flowery” at parts and people seem to love or hate it, but it’s just what I’d been missing.

Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix by J K Rowling

870 pages. This might be the most boring Harry Potter book is what I thought the first time I read it, and the size doesn’t help. Love Harry Potter in general though, don’t get me wrong.

Inheritance (Eragon #4) by Christopher Paolini

850 pages. Aaah, Eragon. I’m always really curious about people’s reaction and opinions on Eragon. You see, like a lot of others I read the first two books as a kid and adored them because farmer boy finds dragon egg and goes on an adventure and there’s a fairy princess badass and it was all great. Then the forth book was released and I recognized how normal the action and plotlines were and that I shouldn’t reread the entire Eragon series if I want to keep the image of it’s awesomeness. Paolini wrote the book around fourteen years old, published it at nineteen and I wouln’t discredit it’s sucess, but I also believe it has a lot more cliches and plotholes than I picked up on as a kid.

 

A Game of Thrones (A Song of Ice and Fire #1) by George R R Martin

848 pages. I don’t often tell parents to keep their children away from certain books, but I read this book before the tv series aired – which meant I was like ten or eleven years old. It’s epic fantasy with lots of intrigues, but the whole series is so freaking long and I couldn’t take the rape scenes being an eleven year old. Now I might just watch the tv series because for once the length of the books are keeping me away.

Winter (The Lunar Chronicles #4) by Marissa Meyer

827 pages. Too long! Too slow! I really didn’t like this book, building up to a grand finale and not being able to deliver because it hasn’t the weight of other fantasy series on this list. Why would Meyer do that to herself?

 

A Clash of Kings (A Song of Ice and Fire #2) by George R R Martin

784 pages. I’m going to copy-paste what I wrote above for the first book: I don’t often tell parents to keep their children away from certain books, but I read this book before the tv series aired – which meant I was like ten or eleven years old. It’s epic fantasy with lots of intrigues, but the whole series is so freaking long and I couldn’t take the rape scenes being an eleven year old. Now I might just watch the tv series because for once the length of the books are keeping me away.

The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt

771 pages. The secret history by Tartt is definitely a better pick if you haven’t read any of her books, but the godfinch is so particular, special and fantastic. It’s a lot of different types of plotline put into one, with heist and suburban life with neglect and a lot of other crazy shit.

 

 

Book Bi-Weekly Update #4

Hi guys!

New book posts:

• Review: I was born for this by Alice Oseman
• Review: The power of habit by Charles Duhigg
• Quote of the Week #14: Kafka on the shore
• Quote of the Week #15: hp and the cursed child
• Top Ten Tuesday: Books by favourite author I still haven’t read
• Book series I want to finish part 2
• Should I read this book? Unhaul

Three things on my mind:

• I’m starting to repeat myself, but I’ve not read a lot of books these past week or month. Why? I can’t. I literally cannot sit down with a book and understand what’s going on. I can barely follow tv series, or podcasts, or comedy specials – even though I try to have them on in the background as to not sit here in complete silence for the past week. #chronicillness problems I guess. In short I don’t know what’s going on, but I’ve definitely been considering going to the hospital certain really bad days this past week.
• everyone’s a aliebn when ur a aliebn too by jomny sun has been a miracle when I literally cannot read and I am in pain and need distraction. It reads a bit like a children’s book, only it’s a graphic novel of sorts and there’s a lot more to it with loneliness and existential dread and aliens. It’s also nice that the drawings are black and white with big lines that can easily be drawn in with shaky hands, so that’s been fun. Cheers to better weeks ahead?
• The day I’m publishing this post I’m a bit better and just picking up watching tv series again – maybe not the best pick as it’s pretty heavy and serious, but Mr Robot season 2 is so so good. It’s one of those shows that very much lives up to it’s build-up and hype.

Other books I’ve been reading:

• An absolutely remarkable thing by Hank Green (currently reading, also wowowow it’s really finally here!!!!)
• At the edge of the universe by Shaun David Hutchinson (currently reading)
• The golden compass by Philip Pullman (currently reading)
• everyone’s a aliebn when ur a aliebn too by jomny sun

Added to my TBR:

• It’s all too much by Peter Walsh. I’m pretty sure it was Alex Cox from the podcast “Do by friday” that brought up this book as the non-hocus-pocus or speaking to objects version of the famous “life-changing magic of tidying up”. That sounds like just what I’ve been looking for.
• I wish you all the best by Mason Deaver. The author Alice Oseman recommended this young adult book, it has a nonbinary main character and anxiety.
• The last girl: my story of captivity and my fight against the islamic state by Nadia Murad. SHE JUST WON THE NOBEL PEACE PRIZE, I DID NOT SEE THAT COMING AND I’M SO HAPPY FOR HER!
• I’ll be gone in the dark by Michelle McNamara. About the hunt for the golden state serial killer.
• Never let me go by Kazu Ishiguro. Science fiction with boarding school.
• My sister Rosa by Justine Larbalestier. The sister is a psychopath supposedly.
• Hedda Gabler by Henrik Ibsen. I’m forced to read another Ibsen play “a doll’s house” and while researching it noticed that I’ve never heard of or read this one.

Recent book buys:

This time my broke student self has completely avoided buying books, but I’m going to pay for continuing my Scribd membership and get audiobooks there because it’s cheaper (even though I’m still not the biggest fan of audiobooks)