Random’s Comments (group member since Apr 30, 2009)

Random’s comments from the Beyond Reality group.

Finished Withered Hill

Not really what I was hoping for.
It jumps around a lot in time. Usually that doesn't bother me, but in this case it was a bit jarring and I feel caused issues with pacing. It would get interesting and then dull and maybe a bit repetitive.

Also, apparently Folk Horror = lots of sex

Honestly it didn't really even feel like horror, but I don't have a good alternative category. There are fantastical elements, but Fantasy just doesn't seem quite right.

Overall, I think the concept had potential, but the execution was poor.

And, over the course of about 2 weeks we went straight from late summer to early winter. We were hitting the 70s not long ago. This morning is was just above freezing when I left home.

I've talked about this a lot over the years.

My husband and I have been slowly but steadily decluttering our physical books for electronic (text and audio). We still have some print books, some things just work better that way, but we have been keeping that number down and plan on reducing it even more as time goes on. I just find as I get older that I want less physical stuff around me. I'm tired of taking care of it all.

As for preference between ebooks and digital audiobooks, that is really difficult to say. Audiobooks are so very handy in my busy life, but there is a cozy aspect of curling up with a book and a cup of tea that is also very appealing. :)

I don't know if I can really choose between the two. They each have their place.

Finished Play Nice
That was good. I'm going to have to look into this author more.

Next up, Withered Hill

I chose Play Nice
About 25% and I've been sucked in. I have a feeling it will be a fast read.

And after that, I'm planning on Withered Hill
The premise is interesting. here's hoping it is good.

I'm also planning on getting into A Night in the Lonesome October.
I've always failed trying to read this 1 chapter a day for the entire month so I am not going to bother this year. Plan on starting it the last week of the month. Its short and fun. :)

Temps are falling, rain is in the forecast. I love October. :)

Finished Flybot and enjoyed it.

I really think this is as close as I'm going to be able to come for this challenge. I just can't not read the blurbs on books. Its the first thing I do.

Started and finished Flybot
I enjoyed it. A bit of mystery, a bit of thriller.

Now I need something spooky to get into the mood for Halloween.
Now I just need to figure out what that is going to be.

To add a little more detail.

The movie was the 1984 Firestarter base don the Stephen King book. It was rated R.

I wasn't allowed to see it because I was 11 (maybe 12) and was not with my parents, just older cousins.

Not only did no one bat an eye about me buying and reading the book, no one batted an eye about an 11/12 year old kid sitting by herself outside a movie theater for the better part of 2h. The joys of growing up semi feral. :)

Banning a book often makes people want to read it more honestly. It brings it to the attention of people who otherwise may not have even heard of it.

I also grew up being able to pretty much read whatever I liked. With the same exception of obvious things like Playboy, etc.

I can still remember our local mall had a movie theater. I wanted to see a movie but wasn't old enough to see it. I was with older cousins who were old enough to see it. So while they went in, I walked around the corner (literally a 30s walk), bought the book it was based on, and sat on the floor right across from the theater entrance reading it while I waited for the movie to be over.

No one batted an eye at me buying the book and reading it.

So this has been on my radar because of the author and my husband read it and recommended, but I don't think I have read the blurb yet.

Flybot

And its driving me crazy to have not read the blurb. I always read the blurbs unless they are later books in a series.

Yeah I know, more based on author than title, but its what I've got. :)

Oh and I have to add, I really loved how the relationship between Juna and Mai developed.

Kateblue wrote: "I started Shroud with another group last month and did not complete it. I had lots going on and kept having to stop reading and then sometimes start over. Then (spoiler) so I decided I didn't need to read about that right now. Maybe I might try again by the end of the month"

Re the spoiler, while there is some of that involved, if that is all whoever said it got out of the book, I feel they missed a whole lot of the story. Especially the more fascinating bits.

I gave it 5 stars.

Just finished and I loved this. Right up my alley.

Significant moment was when I realized each individual Shrouded acted more like a brain cell or a neuron than a hive mind. And, in the end, it covered all of Shroud.

I agree, Tchaikovsky really does very well at showing us the truly alien but still in a way we can understand. I especially appreciated the alternating Light and Dark chapters, giving us an insight to what was actually intended and not just the guesses of Juna and Mai.

Example is the cave they felt they were being guided towards where the intention was to warn them away.

I found the ending interesting, left open ended. I wonder what happens next, especially given the attitude of the humans in general.

Lots of thoughts but its Monday morning, brain is in its usual fuzzy auto pilot mode and I need to try to focus on work. But I will come back later when its easier for me to think and concentrate.

So I almost never pay attention to lists really. I read the blurbs and if it looks interesting, I put it into my queue to read. If it doesn't sound interesting to me, I don't.

Now I can understand in some cases where a book might not be appropriate for a school library, or for the age group that library serves. Like explicit sexual content in a grade school library. But I really have trouble believing that books like this are flooding school libraries to begin with regardless of what people try to claim.
For a public library, they are as fitting as any others.

So I browsed through the lists linked above. I haven't heard of a single book in the 2024 list.

Now the top 100, this is where I find things are amusing. A number of these were actually assigned reading when I was in high school.
The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn
Of Mice and Men
Catcher in the Rye
Anne Frank: Diary of a Young Girl (Jr High actually)
1984

My fifth grade teacher gave me a copy of To Kill A Mockingbird because she knew I loved to read.

If it had been written back in the mid 80s, I'm sure The Handmaid's Tale would have been in my reading list as well.

I find it funny these are or have been on banned book lists.

Banning books is a tricky subject and I honestly find it silly.
What one group may find inappropriate or insulting, another may not.
Should I call for a book to be banned because I find it offensive? If so, does that not then give another the right to ban a book they find offensive that I do not?

However, lets take this a step further. What if the book promotes hate? What if it promotes violence towards others who are different from you?
What if the book normalizes or romanticizes abuse?
The subject can start to get a little murky.

Kateblue wrote: "Random--let me know if you agree with what I got told about Shroud in my spoiler--I might read it if it's not."

Once I finish, I'll read your spoiler and let you know. :)

The nick actually comes from Mostly Harmless, but I get asked about the Amber character all the time. :)
Her full name is Random Frequent Flyer Dent

I started on Monday. About a third in and liking it so far.

This is a difficult one to answer. I also do not pay much attention to hype most of the time. Its mostly just what I hear on groups such as this one.

That said, I think I'll toss out This Is How You Lose the Time War
I knew very little about the book before the group read it, but since then I have heard a lot of praise that I feel it really deserves.

Perhaps ditto for Piranesi
Another I feel deserves the praise it gets.

Finished Desperate Measures
and of course it ended on a bit of a cliff hanger.

Planning on starting Shroud at some point in the next couple of days. Busy weekend ahead and I might not be able to start before Monday.

I wanted to read this with the group, completely forgot about it until the month had already started, and still haven't managed to grab a copy.

So I won't be able to with the group but maybe I'll be able to jump in later.

I haven't been keeping things up to date

Finished
Dragonslayer
First Strike
Recon

and I started book 5 Desperate Measures this morning.

I've been enjoying the series.

I also discovered that the series is not finished (I thought it was when I started) but this is the most recent published. So I get to wait after this for more.. *grumble*

Next up should be Shroud for next month's SF read. I'm looking forward to it.

Kateblue wrote: "Have you read any of the newer Asaro Skolian works?"

I have not yet read the Major Bhaajan books, though they are on my TBR list. I do know they are not rewrites like she has done with Catch the Lightning but side stories with a character not of the Skolian family.

Catherine Asaro does pop into the group now and then. Now I feel all self conscious about bringing up that cover. :D