lishmcbride
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TBR of Doom: Chronic Book Hopper Edition
🕑 Added 2024-01-26 22:45:38 +0000 UTCI've been having a hard time reading. Wait, that's not entirely accurate--I've had a hard time reading one book and finishing that book. Basically, I've been all over the place. And for the most part, I can't blame this on the books. I don't think it's their fault? This is very much an, "I'm the problem, it's Me" problem. I've managed to finish a few things, but mostly I've been pinging around, especially in audiobooks.
I started a mystery audio book--Silence for the Dead by St. James, and had to pause it for no good reason except that the tone was a little darker than I could handle at the minute...and it wasn't even that dark? The book was good, the characters and setting were interesting and I love the narrator...but I had to pause it. Because me. I've also been having a hard time with Mortal Follies (adult historical fantasy romance) even though it's basically a grab bag of things I love. Whimsy? Yes. Magic? Yes? Shakespeare references? Of course. Good narrator? Yup. Hall's trademark banter? Absolutely. And yet...I'm not stoked to get back to it. I need to pause and I hate that. (I will get back to both these books. They are good, this is, again, a me problem.)
It's been similar in the book department. I finished one book that I thought was okay, but felt rushed in bits, and another that was okay but the ending was very WTAF? I started the Unfortunate Side of Effects and Heartbreak by Randall (Adult fantasy romance) this morning and so far it's got great characters and small magics and a solid premise. Hoping my brain won't be a jerk about it. Also started One Dark Window by King (Dark fantasy romance) and again, seems really good. I'm even partway through A Wizard's Guide to Defensive Baking and have set that down, and you all know how much I like Kingfisher's books. C'mon brain, work with me here!
I have made some progress in my plan to read more nonfiction this year--I've a couple chapters into Flying Snakes and Griffin Claws by Mayor. A solid book for myth nerds, this one is full of essays on all kinds of stuff, like flying snakes! Very readable and thoughtful.
I did finish Bespoke & Respelled by Healey (Again, adult fantasy romance) which was cute low angst. She's a stitch witch working on a set where all of the costumes are malfunctioning (and more). If you're looking for low angst and closed door, this is a fun read.
I also finished Diary of an Accidental Wallflower by McQuiston (Historical Romance) which I had a few quibbles with, but was mostly fun. (I always enjoy historical where they explore class differences.) I burned through Ne'er Duke Well by Vasti in about a day. This one was full of dukes, but had one who was an abolitionist and she was secretly not only in trade (gasp!) because she owned lending library, but also had a woman's only book collection so that ladies could educate themselves on topics society deemed inappropriate for them. This book isn't out yet, but if you like historical, check out the preorder. It was pretty funny.
Smalls is also reading nonfiction for school. He chose to read Goodnight Stories for Rebel Girls a book he loves a whole lot. Seriously, the kid is IN TO IT. I've had to give him a lot of context for things (Women weren't allowed to drive cars? People still read the Bronte's books? But they're almost 200 years old!), my favorite being that I had to explain why a woman having tattoos and being a tattoo artist was a big deal. We've looked up a bunch of different stuff because he wanted to know more about pretty much every single one we read. Each biography is one page long and illustrated and if you like it, there's a whole collection now.
Okay, friends--that's all for now. Hit me up with your book recs. I'm hoping to snap myself out of this weird hopping phase! Like, I usually read several books at a time, but this is silly, even for me.
--Lish
