Sheri’s Comments (group member since Jul 25, 2016)

Sheri’s comments from the EPBOT Readers group.

Thanks Kristi! I'll use that this week :) If anyone else has questions they'd like to ask, feel free to either post them or message me! I have trouble figuring them out sometimes!

I’m glad this group is helping people to find new reads!

Hi everyone! I hope your reading is going well!

I had a headache all week which meant I didnt' do a whole lot aside from reading, since moving too much hurt.

The Waking Land - Read Harder book about nature. I really liked this! Main character is both a botanist and a nature magician, which is kind of cool.

A Man Called Ove - Popsugar book i meant to read last year. I don't really keep a proper TBR list, nor do I plan my challenges out strictly in advance. But I saw a lot of people read this last year for popsugar, and most seemed to really like it, so it was on my list to read eventually. So we'll call it I meant to read it last year.

The Turn: The Hollows Begins with Death - popsugar's local author. Kim Harrison lives in Ann Arbor, MI which is about 45 min away from me. I figure that's close enough to local! It was alright, I didn't like it as much as the main Hallows series. But it was interesting to see the earlier events referenced in the series.

A Princess in Theory - Read harder romance by/about a PoC. This was alright, a sort of fairytale ish romance, but set in modern era. I don't really love romance as a genre, and this didn't really make me change my mind. It had a lot of recurring tropes common to romances that annoy me, that i'm supposed to ignore because TRUE LOVEEEE. Also the plot was predictable, I knew what was going to happen within 10 pages. However it was a quick read, the writing wasn't bad, and it handled a lot of the social issues like being a woman of color in a STEM grad program pretty well.

This puts me at one book left for popsugar! Unfortunately i've been on a waiting list for it forever, and I'm still only #5. Not sure why everyone suddenly wants to read Catch me If You Can, unless it's all other popsugar/read harder participants who all are looking for a non murder based book to read.

Currently reading: The Three-Body Problem - Read Harder's book of genre fiction in translation. It's sci-fi from China. Not very far yet, so don't have much of an opinion yet.

How do you normally select books to read? Reviews? Recommendations? The cover?

I usually primarily base it off the description. Even highly recommended, if the blurb doesn't sound interesting I have a hard time feeling compelled to pick it up. However if a ton of people that I know and care about their opinions have read something and raved about it, I might check it out of curiosity, even if it doesn't sound like something I'd normally like. Interesting covers do help, but more in store than selecting digitally. Titles that catch my eyes also are a draw.

Happy reading everyone!

Hi Everyone,

Sorry I missed putting a post up yesterday, I got busy and forgot.

This week I read:

Butterflies in November - Finished this up, it was my Popsugar book that takes place in a country that fascinates me. This was alright, a bit rambling all over the place.

The Time Traders - Book by a female author using a male pseudonym. I never realized Andre Norton was a woman. I always saw the books in the sci fi aisle, but never actually read any. I don't know if this was the best to start on, but it's what hte library had digitally. it was just ok for me, a bit generic dude sci fi.

Summer Knight - listened to this while I do art and cross stitch, it's a re-read but i'm really loving James Marsters reading.

All the Birds in the Sky - ATY's book related to Air. I really loved this, a great meld of sci fi and fantasy. I really like combo books, it's fun.

Currently Reading:

The Waking Land - This will be read harder's book about nature. Really liking it so far, fantasy with earth magic.

Also listening to the audio book for A Man Called Ove which will be my popsugar book I meant to read last year. Didn't get very far yet, but like it so far.

QOTW:

borrowing from Popsugar again,

Does anyone have any books that they really loved, but are underrated? Not that many ratings, no one seems to know about the book, local author perhaps?

some of mine are:

Midnight at the Electric - I thought this was such an interesting idea for a book. There was a "present" storyline of a woman about to join a Mars colony, and two other stories told through letters and memories, one set in the dust bowl era, and another set during WW1 I think.

Biting the Sun - This was one of my favorite books, first read it back in high school and still pull it out now and then. It's a sort of utopia that is really a dystopia story, about the narrator trying to find meaning in a life where no one has to do anything.

Synners - Pat Cardigan was writing cyberpunk back around the same time as Gibson, but never got the same recognition. I really enjoyed this one, and I read another of hers for the cyberpunk prompt this year.

Also just as a note to people commenting how much I read, please don't feel intimidated! I in no way expect anyone else to be reading the same amount. Also keep in mind that a lot of times if I'm posting 5 books completed, some of those are often graphic novels or otherwise short books. Or in some cases audiobooks that I was listening to while doing other stuff. I don't have kids, I'm not a student worrying about homework or exams. I work full time, but I work at home. So I can snatch pages here or there that other people might not be able to. Taking a walking break to get some steps in? Read a few pages. Eating lunch by myself? Read all through it. Waiting for photoshop to run through a big batch of files? Read while I wait. etc.

Hi Sara,

I might check out Caraval then, at some point, since I love Night Circus so much :)

Also I feel you on the Catniss. In general I liked book one, and the series kind of spiraled downward for me after that.

Kathy, you're welcome! Is that the book the Wayward Pines show was based on? I liked the first season of that, although I didn't bother with the second since I thought the first season ended in a way that I was satisfied with the story.

Jessie,

You don't have to be doing a challenge to comment! There's others who sometimes comment who just chime in with what they are reading at the moment. I made the thread as a way to check in for the challenges, but that is in no way a requirement. Also don't worry about your pace! You'd be welcome to just say what you're reading and what you think about it. I read an abnormal amount compared to most people I know, so don't feel bad. Or even if you don't want to continually update on the same book, you could chime in on the questions or other people's posts if you wanted.

I'm not saying anyone HAS to comment, but I want to make sure this place is welcoming so people WANT to comment :)

Hi Everyone!

It's been a sunny summery week here, but I'm doing yet another drawing challenge so not as much reading time!

This week I finished:

The Book Thief - This was my book related to my heritage. I am a Euro-mutt, so I don't have any real connection to one part of my ancestry. But I do have some German in me, I liked books, and I wanted to read this anyhow. I really loved it, even if it made me cry.

An Unkindness of Ghosts - I had this on my challenge list since the list first came out, and I only now got around to reading it, haha. All the other library books seemed to pile up before I had to just say "ok now is the time". I liked it, it was really interesting. It counts as my allegory, the space ship was segregated into upper and mid deck people (who were wealthy and white) and lower deck people (who were of color and seen as little better than animals). It was an allegory for apartheid South Africa.

Currently reading:

Butterflies in November - Iceland really fascinates me right now and I want to visit soon. (as in a few years, not like a few months). I had a little trouble finding a book that a) wasn't nordic noir, b) looked interesting and c) I could get through the library. This one worked! I like it so far, but it's not something I'd have picked out otherwise.

So I have two questions this week. Question one: I noticed last week no one else commented on the post. I know it was a holiday in America and in Canada, and it's summer time for the norther hemisphere resulting in travel. Is that why there's a lack in check ins? Or is there anything else I can do to make this more engaging so people want to post and join in?

Question two, of the normal discussion kind: Got this idea from Stephanie. Do you ever form an immediate connection with a character, where you miss them when the book is finished? On the flip side of that, are there characters that you dislike so much, you can't wait to see the back of them when you're finished.

I'm trying to think about specific characters, but The Night Circus stands out for just a world I wish I could just step right into. I want the circus to be a thing, I want to go to it. Every time I read the book I just want to paint endless black and white circus scenes. It just feels so magical and lovely!

I'm sure there's a ton of characters I'd like to see the back of. Offhand I can think of in The Death of Bunny Munro, and this isn't really a spoiler considering the book title, by the time the death part came I was just "good riddance. you deserved it" Haha. He was probably THE most unlikeable protagonist I've ever read.

Hi everyone!

Didn't work the last two days, so it feels like a Monday all over again, boo.

Was busy with a party and hosting, so didn't get as much reading done as I'd have liked.

this week I finished:

Tea from an Empty Cup - Cyberpunk book. I liked it overall, but I thought the ending was kind of abrupt and confusing. I'll still probably read more by her, but it wasn't as good as Synners.

I Kill Giants - Read Harder's book read in one sitting. I really liked this, not what I was expecting. I'm interested in seeing the movie they made of it, hopefully it comes to streaming.

Snotgirl, Vol. 2: California Screaming - just for fun, the comic is weird but fun.

Pirates! - book set on/in the water. This was a fun read, about women who couldn't live the lives they wanted in polite society so became pirates instead.

Currently reading: The Book Thief - book related to my heritage. I am a Euro-mutt so this prompt wasn't really appealing to me. I finally decided that I wanted to read this book, and I do have German in my heritage, so I'm counting it.

Kind of a silly question this week, what do you use to mark your place in physical books?

I have a ton of bookmarks...somewhere. I rarely seem to find them when I need them, so my bookmark tends to be whatever piece of paper that isn't too critically important that I can find. I have been known to use my phone or even my kindle as a bookmark in a pinch. Or corners of blankets, whatever is at hand.

Kristi,
Yeah whether the author cares or not is such a huge difference! I liked the first three Mass Effect novels. But they changed writers for the fourth and pretty much the entire mass effect fan base revolted. The author made a gay character straight, an autistic woman suddenly “grow out of it”, ignored major plot points from the established lore etc. someone actually went through the novel and marked it up with color codes. One for “this is so completely wrong, he should have been fired”, one for “this is mostly wrong and should have been corrected” wnd one for “this is wrong but not that big of a deal but since I’m doing this, might as well be thorough”. Pretty much every single page had corrections on it. (I didn’t actually read it, but I did skim through the error document to see how bad it was)

Alright, I kind of forgot about this because I wasn't reading the book right now. I read it at the end of last year, and while I enjoyed it I wasn't going to re-read so soon.

But since no one else is getting the conversation going, I'll get started. I think it's been long enough people will hopefully have had a chance to read, so please join in!

I'll start off saying I really enjoyed the book, but it was so tragic and sad what those women went through. I appreciated that the author really took the time to tell the stories of the different women affected, so it really felt personal and not just analytical.

Had you ever heard of The Radium Girls before reading this book? If so, where? If not, are you surprised that you hadn’t?

I think I might have vaguely been aware of them, but certainly not to any level of detail.

Whose story struck a chord with you the most and why?

Its been long enough at this point, I can't remember specific names. But the general story that struck me the most was the woman who was specifically told by the one doctor "Don't put your brush in your mouth, you'll get sick" just to have him openly deny saying it during trial. I know I've distinctly remembered conversations with men in my life that they blatantly denied having or swore they didn't say THAT etc. It makes you question your own mind and wonder who's remembering it wrong, and for something that simply devastated your life like their situation would just make it that much worse.

Do you think anything like this could happen today? Why?

Honestly I'm certain it IS happening today. Corporations are big, they have money, they can keep things hushed up for a long time.

How do you think the story would have been different if it had been a man’s job?

Well, the book even said that the men working with radium were given protective gear long before anyone even came close to caring what conditions the women were working it. So while it might still have happened, it'd probably have been fixed up sooner once claims started being filed.

If the girls had lost their cases, how different do you think today’s world would be?

Probably more open disregard for the dangers of various jobs.


Besides radium, what other world-altering discoveries can you think of that led to both advancement and tragedy?

I feel like the story follows a lot of progress. Early machines in factories made goods cheaper and faster to make but maimed workers constantly. A lot of medical achievements came from experimenting on those less fortunate in society.

If anyone else has questions they think would add to the discussion, or other observations, feel free!

Hi everyone! Bit late today, lost track of time.

It's back to being hot and sunny after a bunch of rain, so I'm happy.

This week I finished:

We Were Eight Years in Power: An American Tragedy - This is for Read Harder's book of social science. This was probably one of the most challenging books I've read, it just made me so depressed. However I really think every American, especially every white American, should really read it. It's one thing to acknowledge abstractly that racism is heavy in our society, and really sobering to have it broken down just how much it's built into every aspect of our society, from the perspective of someone who's experienced it.

Grave Peril - not for challenge, just needed to break up the other book. I really like James Marster's narration. using these to get used to listening to audio books, since I've read them before so I at least kind of remember how the story went.

The Complete Girls with Slingshots - Also not for a challenge. I just got my big shiny hardcovers that are all pretty and embossed, it was fun to re-read the whole series in color and such a lovely book.

The Prince and the Dressmaker - Counting this for Read Harder's comic written and illustrated by the same person. this was so lovely! The story was sweet, the art was beautiful. I really enjoyed it.

Currently Reading:

Tea from an Empty Cup - this will be my cyberpunk prompt. I was going to save it for last, so I could end the challenge on one of my favorite genres, but I just am in full on "reading books I like" mode right now.

I think I've got a book selected for all the challenges I have left, so looking forward to wrapping it up! 9 left!

QOTW:

What is your reading guilty pleasure? I know I don't love that term, but I'm sure we all have books that we love, even while being a little embarrassed that we do.

I'll rip the bandaid off and admit I enjoyed Twilight. I know the writing is not great, the relationships are problematic etc. But whatever, I enjoyed it when I read it. I was an awkward teenage girl who felt invisible and terrible at anything athletic. I get the appeal of suddenly gaining the attention of the popular guy no one else can touch, and finding a way to gain powers that make you NOT awkward and weak and let you be the strong one etc.

I also have a weakness for cheesy vampire stuff in general. I love some vampire smut. Don't care if the stories are repetitive, I'll still read them.

Hi Everyone!

Where did this year go? Can't believe it's already week 25, and late June!

Had a bit of a slow reading week this week, due to long sticky books that were hard to wade through. Also was a busy weekend involving going to Ann Arbor to do a FoE Mi-Bots meet up at a Comic Arts Fest. It was a lot of fun!

I finally finished Too Like the Lightning which was a bit frustrating. It took forever, didn't count for a challenge, AND it ended with a "this was part one, part two is the next book". So not even a "resolution of the current arc" type ending. I've been on the fence as to whether I like it or not, and was saving my final opinion for how it finished up, but it didn't really finish. My library doesn't even have book 2, at least not digitally! So pretty frustrating.

I started We Were Eight Years in Power: An American Tragedy which is another long, slow read. It's also an incredibly difficult one, but so important. It's utterly depressing to read, especially given current events in America, but I think it's crucial to understand just how much white supremacy is built into our nation from the very foundation of the country. I'm about halfway though, and it's my book of social science for Read Harder.

To help cut through some of that, I'm listening to the audio book for Grave Peril which is read by James Marsters who does a great job bringing Harry to life.

I'm also working through my giant The Complete Girls with Slingshots that I just got. This book is so beautiful. Huge hardcovers, bound in linen with pink shiny embossing, ribbon bookmarks, linen covered embossed case to keep the volumes together.

How's everyone's reading going?

QOTW:

What is your favorite place to read?

I like being curled up in my big lazy boy recliner. I'll read other places, but that's my favorite. If it's summer, I do enjoy setting up the hammock in the shade and taking a book out for a while.

Stephanie,

Yeah, Mary Poppins was a little weird for me too, for that same reason. She seemed rather standoffish, and I didn't really get why the kids liked her so much, unless its' just that otherwise they have no access to magical adventures at all. However I did appreciate that the original didn't have the whole "Mom needs a nanny because she's a suffragette and too busy for her children" tone, they got a nanny because Mrs Banks was simply struggling to do everything in the household. Apparently the author was very angry at Disney for that change.

Hi everyone!

Was out of town over the weekend so this is a short week for me. I almost forgot it was Thursday!

I finished The Gate to Women's Country for my book with an author that has the same first or last name. I was pleased to find Sheri who spelled it the same way! It was an alright book. It was an interesting premise, but I don't particularly go for the kind of feminist fiction that postulates women are somehow better than men. I'm about equality not superiority. Still, there were enough interesting ideas to get me through.

Women in Science: 50 Fearless Pioneers Who Changed the World - Counting this for my feminism prompt. I have read plenty of feminist fiction, and books about feminism over the last couple years, so I'm fine with counting a really good kids book for this one. I loved the illustrations, and I think there was just enough information given on each women to spark curiosity and further research. I learned quite a lot too! I knew some of the big names, but a lot were new to me, and were responsible for things I never realized.

I spent the rest of the weekend getting caught up on comics!

Currently reading: Too Like the Lightning - this isn't for a prompt, a friend was talking about it and it sounded interesting. It's ok so far, I think it's one of those books where the premise is great but the execution is lacking.

SInce it's fathers day (at least in the US) on Sunday, I'll also borrow PopSugar's question this week: Who are the best and worst fathers in books you read?

I'd say one of the best was the father in The Hate U Give. I think he really supported Starr in her decisions, even when his gut reaction was to just keep her safe. He had serious discussions with her, and didn't patronize her or treat her like a child when serious things were happening in her life.

I sadly can think of a lot worse ones. I'll go with Baron von Rathbart in Black Swan, and the dad in Unnatural Issue. both of them were terrible. Also in Purple Hibiscus, the father was pretty terrible.

Susan, I love the Expanse! I read the first book, it helped me figure out the show a bit more. Shows pretty convoluted!

Hi Everyone!

How's your reading going?

This week I finished:

Lock In - not for a challenge, I just wanted to read the series and i like Scalzi. It's an interesting world he's building with the series!

Head On - also not for challenge, book two

Mech Cadet Yu Vol. 1 - For Read Harder's comic not published by marvel/dc/image, it's fun sort of Pacific Rim meets Iron Giant.

Things Fall Apart - For Read Harder's colonial/post-colonial literature. It's interesting because it's set during colonization of Africa, but it's from the perspective of the colonized. It also works for ATY's book from the Amazon 100 books to read in a lifetime list.

Currently Reading:

Had a bit of trouble getting a new read. I was going to read Red Sparrow but I was refreshing myself of the synopsis and I saw a one star review on top. Looking at what it said, I really didn't feel like I wanted to read it, or at least not right now. Maybe after watching the movie, if I ever do. Then I was going to read A Promise of Fire
for my ATY book involving fire, but I really disliked the writing from page one. Reading through reviews, it sounded like again it was going to be a book I wasn't going to actually enjoy. So I am ignoring my library pile at the moment, and reading The Gate to Women's Country for my book with an author sharing my first or last name. It's alright. It's a second-wave feminist novel from the 80s, so there's some views I find pretty problematic built in. But it's interesting at least, even if it's not going to be a top book for me.

With there being so many books being adapted to movies and tv shows, do you generally prefer to read the book first, or watch the media first?

For me, I think it depends on how I feel about the media in question. If it's something I'm really interested in, I might read the book first so I can appreciate the writing without spoilers. However if I'm on the fence, or I don't really have prior knowledge of the book I might just watch the movie or show first, and catch the book later if I really like it.

Kristy,

I loved the Golem and the Jinni, i just read it a couple weeks ago! I really hope the next ones is good, too. I also love Christopher Moore, Sacre Bleu was actually one of my favorites :) But I am an artist, so I really liked seeing all the artists in the different context.

As for your question, generally not. If I LOVE a series, I just need to keep reading. Although I'll qualify that in that I've not read the next two Phedre books because they don't fit in my challenges and they are long. I don't want to feel like I have to rush through them, so I'm saving them for when I finish at least one challenge. Then I can read them and not feel like I "should" be reading something else.

Hi everyone!

Been a bit of a scorcher this week, looking forward to some temperature drops this weekend!

Got a good bit of reading in though, so there's that.

Finished:

The Halloween Tree - book set on halloween. It was a kids book, so pretty short. Not my favorite Bradbury but it was alright.

The Wednesday Wars - book being read by a stranger in public. It took me a while to find someone reading a book in a fashion where i could actually see and make note of what it was. I didn't think I'd like this at all, but it ended up being surprisingly enjoyable.

Snotgirl, Vol. 1: Green Hair Don't Care - Picked this up at free comic book day (not actually free, but that's why I was there). It is co-created by the Scott Pilgrim guy. I liked it alright, but I think I need to read the next vol to form a proper opinion. It wasn't really getting into it's groove until the last segment of the book.

Heart Berries: A Memoir - Read this as part of Emma Watson's book club, was on hold for months. It was a bit of a disappointment. I expected it to be really moving, but I was mostly just kind of counting down pages until it was done, even though it was really short. Maybe I just wasn't in the right mood for it. Counted it as my short book for ATY.

The Price of Salt - Book with LGBTQ+ protagonist. I liked it ok, and I can see how it'd be pretty groundbreaking for when it was published. It was a little slow for my tastes.

Currently reading:
Lock In - I kept seeing stuff about head on, his newest novel so decided to pick up this, and that one. Not for a challenge, enjoying so far.

Mech Cadet Yu Vol. 1 - Reading bits of this here and there. It's my comic not published by DC/Image/Marvel for Read Harder.

The Gate to Women's Country - started this, but then a flood of library books came in so back on hold. it will be my book by an author with the same first or last name.


I'll steal a page from popsugar today,

Do you ever find yourself continuing to read a series, even after you stopped enjoying it?

I usually only do this if I started out liking it, and then they start degrading. It takes a while for me to accept that I either outgrew the author or they weren't going where I wanted it to go. I'd say the worst example was Anita Blake. I stopped enjoying the books at Narcissus In Chanes, for the most part, but I think I kept reading for another 8 books or something (although no longer buying them in hardcover, and then eventually only buying on sale, and then down to just getting from the library). I might occasionally pick them up at the library still if I'm in a reading lull and it's available, but that hasn't happened in a while.

Haha Cara, I've so been there. But I usually cheat and turn my wifi off :D (although that does rely on you being aware that it's about to finish, and planning ahead. )