Vagabond Treehouse (2023) [Beware of Chicken 3 - December 4th] Showing 2,901-2,950 of 5,829

[Tonari no Emily]

Choko wrote: "Hahahaha! Timey-wimey horny rapey dude!!! Hahahaha! You made my evening:))) I agree, she should totally feel worse about that, and to be fair, she does feel bad, just not as bad as for Bitch-face B..."

LOL yes that is a hilariously disturbing phrase

[Tonari no Emily]

Timelord Iain wrote: "Emily wrote: "Choko wrote: "..."

Have you watched The Good Place?... Chidi has alot of philosophical discussions about Self in seasons 2-4, after all the [spoilers removed]"

Yes! Loved that show, and Chidi was my favorite. Learned a bit about philosophy bc of The Good Place... Might be time for a rewatch :)

[Tonari no Emily]

Choko wrote: "If I had the opportunity, I would take it in a heartbeat! I lost The love of my life 16 years ago and although I have loved and lost since, nothing compares to that love and that loss .. If I had t..."

Yes, definitely understand <3
And me too honestly!

[Timelord Iain, Tech Support]

Finished Twisted Ones... the end was a bit hectic, and I listened to half of it while gaming/etc, and missed some stuff... but I don't think I missed anything important, and rewound some...

All in all, most of my thoughts redirect to other books & media the themes made me think of... (view spoiler)[the Effigies made me think of the people being converted in the swamp in the Hollow Place...

The ideas of changelings had me thinking of House of Hollow... and Anna and Uriah had me thinking of that Doctor Who episode for awhile... the one with the 2D enemies from another dimension, that were trying to understand and emulate 3D people to take over... for awhile I started imagining much more sinister things than the end result of the book...

Step-grandpa effigy was kinda sad... creepy grandma effigy with the dolls was creepy, and kinda ridiculous with the linoleum... (hide spoiler)]

I think that's most of it... it's been a long day, tho, so I might have forgot some...

Last question: Is Foxy trans?... I dunno if I missed clues to this, or just misinterpreted something late in the book... I was at like 95% before I wondered this... (view spoiler)[she's one of 3 main characters from the commune... Foxy kinda seems like a drag name... and she says she doesn't have the parts the effigies want/need... I wasn't sure if this was a reference to seeking fae-blood (which was why Anna lured Mouse) but Anna didn't have fae-blood, either... made me start thinking she meant she didn't have the parts to incubate babies for the effigies... (hide spoiler)]

[Tonari no Emily]

Hmm I don't remember that about Foxy if she was... But she's also like 60, so maybe that's what it was referring to about the "parts"

[Timelord Iain, Tech Support]

That’s the problem with St. Mary’s, in a nutshell… the SECOND you stop and think about the contradictions in rules, it’s jarring and ridiculously potholey…

(view spoiler)[#3 is chock full of them… between Troy, the water crossing, and Ajincourt…

The easiest/only way to rectify it, is to just blanket say that Max is special… look how many causal loops and hijinks were done by the Fates to get her setup, and all the pivotal events she messes with… and just about the only time there are repercussions, is that rock, back on one of her first jumps with Peterson… (hide spoiler)]

[Narilka]

Twisted Ones, Ch 2 (view spoiler)[Why did there have to be a room of dolls??? So creepy! At least they weren't clowns. (hide spoiler)]

[Timelord Iain, Tech Support]

Emily’s answer makes sense, too… was probably suddenly reading way too much into the situation…

[Narilka]

Twisted Ones, through Ch 11 (view spoiler)[Bongo better be OK :(

This is more creepy than anything. The tone reminds me of The Hollow Places. I guess it's based on another story too?

The hoarder situation just makes me want to get rid of everything in my house lol

At least Mouse has nice neighbors. (hide spoiler)]

[Timelord Iain, Tech Support]

Narilka wrote: "Twisted Ones, through Ch 11 ..."

The way the story is told, after the fact, bodes well for Bongo :)

[Narilka]

Ahh, great point :)

[Brian]

@Choko. Did you ever reach Soo????? Worried about her.

[Choko]

No, she never reached back... I can only hope she is OK...

[Brian]

Me too. Miss her for sure.

[Narilka]

Hopefully Soo returns soon.

[Narilka]

Finished The Twisted Ones. (view spoiler)[I'm not sure what to think really. It didn't feel like a complete story. Or maybe that something was missing? The creepiness of the situation should've been a good foundation and yet the ending... I don't know. Just happy Bongo was fine :) (hide spoiler)] Giving it 3 stars for now. I enjoyed The Hollow Places a lot more.

[Timelord Iain, Tech Support]

Narilka wrote: "Finished The Twisted Ones. [spoilers removed] Giving it 3 stars for now. I enjoyed The Hollow Places a lot more."

I liked the first 70% or so... then I just kinda felt like things happened too fast towards the end... basically from the point Foxy stayed the night... I was more connected to the waitress/cashier than Foxy, for most of the story...

[Narilka]

Maybe that's it. A rushed ending. Or (view spoiler)[a case where revealing the monsters really lessens the fear factor? I was perfectly OK with the creepy atmosphere and then it was gone in the last 30%. (hide spoiler)]

[Timelord Iain, Tech Support]

Narilka wrote: "Maybe that's it. A rushed ending. Or [spoilers removed]"

it wasn't just gone... it was like... most of it came out of nowhere, from about the moment we found the manuscript reconstruction of the Green Book...

[Timelord Iain, Tech Support]

Regardless of the quality of Twisted Ones, I'm planning to do a bunch more T. Kingfisher very very soon...

There's was talk of doing the Saint of Steel trilogy with Choko, after she did the Clocktaur War & Swordheart...

But also, I have A Wizard’s Guide to Defensive Baking loaded up and waiting...

[Narilka]

I agree. I'll read more T. Kingfisher in the future too. I think you'll enjoy Defensive Baking :) I have Steelheart on my kindle to read and a few more I haven't purchased yet.

[Timelord Iain, Tech Support]

Been quiet, lately...

I went ahead and started reading A Wizard’s Guide to Defensive Baking... definitely YA... bit rough around the edges... but definitely enjoy the ideas...

[Tonari no Emily]

I've been wanting to read more of her as well! Hope Defensive Baking is good :)

[Julian]

I'm currently reading The Shadow of the Gods (yay book fairy!!) and I know that several people here have already read it so I had a question for those who have.

What exactly is a tennur? All I know is that it's some creature that likes teeth but I can't picture in my head what it is supposed to look like.

[Choko]

Reading St. Mary 's #4... Very interesting so far.

[Tonari no Emily]

Haven't started St. Mary's 4 yet.. Will try tonight :)

[Tonari no Emily]

Through Chapter 2.. And (view spoiler)[ Time Police! For people wanting to "preserve the timeline" they sure don't care about well.. preserving the timeline lol. Just casually strolling through 17th? century england with modern weapons, etc... (hide spoiler)]

I'm wondering what kind of shenanigans the author will come up with next to put Max and Leon at odds with eachother :D

[Tonari no Emily]

Finished St. Mary's #4!
I honestly loved this one (view spoiler)[ No weird miscommunications between Max and Leon, just the usual self-doubt on Max's part...

The time police made things very interesting! Also I wasn't quite sure what they meant by 7 directors of St. Mary's... I was thinking departments at first, but then that didn't make sense because the department heads are called something else. Took me to the end to realize they were talking about 7 directors throughout time, and that's just kinda wild they have all 7 in one place.. Seems too risky? And I'm not even gonna get into the paradoxes cuz it makes me go a bit cross-eyed :D

I very much enjoyed the humor in this one. Some good bits I remember:
-Plague vs pox- that had me cracking up
-various dick jokes (some of them can be quite subtle if you're not paying attention xD), but especially at the end with the height thing
-The condoms! I was seriously wondering what the kitchen staff wanted that for LOL (Also how everyone casually didn't mention anything about Dr. B... Now who is he sleeping with???

Also some great emotional bits!
-Max reveals what happened in her past ( I love the way Leon's anger was shown by breaking the teacup..). That was painful to read and can I go to the future and cause a convenient fire for her father
-The civilians having a "quiet" mutiny to defend St. Mary's
-Max saving her assistant
-The bonding of her and Peterson when he has the pox-I mean the plague

Now to Barkley..
I rather wanted Barkley to actually not be Bitch-face Barkley in this alt verse? But alas. And she actually killed Max 2.0! Those damn batteries! Ugh. How did anyone not have suspicions about the convenient birds nest...
But she's still at large so we have antagonists out there still with the Time Police reigned in... (hide spoiler)]

That spoiler is very spoilery, beware.

Excited for the next one! It seems we've all been busy lately, so if we need a week or two before the next one let me know :)

[Choko]

St. Mary's #4... Emily, I absolutely loved it too!!! This one was my favorite so far! It was emotional and exciting and everything I have been wanting from this series! I know it had its issues, but it is a five star for me. You covered everything in your spoiler, so apart from underlining how emotional and devastating the scene with her telling Leon about... the Bear was, I only have to add that I would join you in jumping in the future with you and (view spoiler)[ set her mother as well, not just the father, because she facilitated the abuse!!!! That angered me to no end... Poor Max!!! (hide spoiler)]

[Tonari no Emily]

Choko wrote: "St. Mary's #4... Emily, I absolutely loved it too!!! This one was my favorite so far! It was emotional and exciting and everything I have been wanting from this series! I know it had its issues, bu..."

Yes! Completely right about (view spoiler)[ the mother too! Despicable. (hide spoiler)]

[Choko]

The Twisted Ones , up to Ch. 8... Finally something scary happened:))) (view spoiler)[ That crucified deer was horrifying! I would be totally creeped out too!

So far I really like the relationship between the MC and Bongo! I want Bongo, but I fear the MC would be totally lost without him:) I like how her inner monologue flows, making the creepiness lighter. I like the barista as well...

However, I found out that this is semi fan fic, and started reading the story it was based on - a novella called The White People, written in the late 1800's and published in 1904... I started reading it, and it is about the Green Book she is looking for here... It is apparently written by a young girl and it is a flow of thoughts with no paragraphs and it is not very easy to read... I am almost done with it, but you can totally tell TK stayed close to the theme of the original, which Lovecraft also mentions as one of his inspirations. Just thought to mention that:) (hide spoiler)]

[Narilka]

@Choko, the author gives a mention to The White People as inspiration in the authors note at the end.

[Choko]

Ooo, OK. Thanks, Narilka:) I am only up to Ch. 13... I did finish The White People thought and can see how closely TK is keeping to it. I think the original author would have enjoyed her take on the story though:)))

I like Foxy. I hope (view spoiler)[ Bongo comes back!!! (hide spoiler)]

[Choko]

I finished The Twisted Ones and I think I liked it a bit more than you guys seem to. (view spoiler)[ The MC was very likable and I really enjoyed the writing. I couldn't classify it as horror, it just didn't feel that way to me. I went with fiction, because I couldn't really fit it in any of my genres. It is not fantasy, it is not suspense or mystery, just somewhat creepy fiction:)

I got to appreciate Foxy, since her role got more substantial in the second half. I wish we could have gotten a bit more of the two guys, but I think the author was trying to keep it concise.

Loved the dog, of course, but the strongest scene for me was the moment when she lit the house on fire and the dear effigy, who was most likely her step grandpa, wrapped around his stand in for his wife burning effigy and burned together with her... There was something that made me feel really sorry for him throughout the book, but that scene just broke my heart..

There was something really poignant about the effigies trying to recreate themselves and looking for more Masters... Sad and incredibly unsettling at the same time. And it must have become even more tragic and made them more desperate, when Foxy and Mouse killed the last of their "Masters"... Another horrible line of thought, which by the evidence and slight vagueness of the author becomes even more disturbing, were the two effigies who guarded Anna, and were obviously her two children who survived, and also had to be killed for her to escape ... The many speculations of how they ended up that way, what Anna had to go through, just everything about them is extremely uncomfortable for me to think about... And what are the creator effigies going to do now, with no one to continue the blood line of the Hidden Folks? There are just so many questions left unanswered, that my head hurts... At least Bongo is OK, despite Mouse pretty much having to deal with some major PTSD now... (hide spoiler)]
I forgot to mention, I loved how she kept concentrating on the grammar and punctuation, when she was too disturbed to deal with the information in the journal and the manuscript. That was such a relatable way to refuse to deal with harsh stuff, it made me like her even more:)

I am very happy to have started reading TK, this being the first book of hers I have read... I even started the Clocktour War and I am loving it too... I am up to Ch. 10 and the little group of 4 is just starting to gel together, and they just saw their foes for the first time... This seems more and more like a Mission Impossible. Let's see what happens...

[Tonari no Emily]

I think I found The Twisted Ones a lot more creepy than y'all and I'd tend to put it more horror than fiction.. Mostly cuz I can totally see it as a horror movie (if some scare factors were turned up a bit :)

I actually started A Wizard’s Guide to Defensive Baking :) Haven't gotten very far, so we'll see how I feel a bit later

[Timelord Iain, Tech Support]

I complain about the radio silence, then do it myself...

I enjoyed Twisted Ones while reading it, but it was easy to tear it apart... it also reminded me of alot of elements of other fiction...

Like the fanatically religion puppet people in The Quantum Magician... and T. Kingfisher's Hollow Places, in general, for themes about places where the fabric of reality is thin... I've forgotten most of the connections I made, now...

[Timelord Iain, Tech Support]

I really liked the Clocktaur War, but it's really just 2 halves of a single story... I had to continue almost immediately...

Wizard's Guide to Defensive Baking was a fun YA story, too... but a bit flimsy... I almost wonder if it was written as an online/newsletter serial... definitely liked the ideas & magic system... reminded me of WORM, in how people's powers could be used so creatively to be almost overpowered, in surprising ways...

[Timelord Iain, Tech Support]

I've been watching a ton of TV again... been a bit at loose ends since finishing the Wandering Inn...

Been reading Dragon Kin (without you guys, sorry) when the mood strikes... they're quite a bit heavier on the sex scenes than Blacksmith Queen series, being earlier in Aiken/Laurenston's writing career... still fun...

Also read the 2nd Finn Fancy Necromancy book, from my Book Fairy books... I enjoyed it, but there's alot going on, the world is rough, and only 1 book left to resolve it all... tall order...

Also kinda clearing out some old Amazon Originals I picked up, back when you had to choose 1 each month or lose out... now I think they're just all kinda included in membership/Plus catalog...

[Brian]

I’ve been reading random paperbacks. I am really trying to get through my bookshelf. But I keep going to bookstores and re-upping. Lol. I might do Mistborn series in a week or two.

[Narilka]

We're doing a full BR of Mistborn Era 2 to time with the Lost Metal's release. Sounds like that could be a nice lead in if you're interested Brian :)

[Brian]

Hell yeah!

[Choko]

Brian, and you know I want to read Mistborn with you! Tell me a day before we start:)

[Timelord Iain, Tech Support]

I liked Hi Bob!... it was actually one of the first Audible Originals I picked up, I think... it's just 4hrs of Bob Newhart talking to other comedians... only rough part is Bob Newhart is like 88 when it was recorded, and it's hard to understand him sometimes...

Most of the rest I got were either YA or Horror short stories, it seems like... the options were always slim, and half seemed to be non-fiction or self-help or something, I think?

And the YA entries are heavy on the Graphics Audio sound effects, which I'm not a fan of... so I kinda abandoned Beezer halfway through... Beezer actually has a crazy long review on Audible from someone calling it an Intro to Satanism for children... and they seem super serious... it's like 2 pages long...

[Brian]

Ok will do Choko! Waiting for paperback book 1 to be delivered. Once it’s here I’ll give ya a few days notice.

[Choko]

Hahaha, Iain, now I want to check out Beezer! Funny what those types of reviews engender in me:)))

Brian, great!

[Nirkatze]

Emily wrote: "Finished St. Mary's #4!
I honestly loved this one No weird miscommunications between Max and Leon, just the usual self-doubt on Max's part...

The time police made things very interesting! Also I ..."

Oh I totally agree with everything here! I love how succinctly you put everything. This was totally my favorite so far as well, and for many of the same reasons.

As for The Bear... count me in y'all--I'll back you up in the Pod if you need another for jumping to do a number on Max's parents. (view spoiler)[I do think it is masterful how Jodi Taylor manages to insinuate without saying straight out... we're left with filling in the "..."s with the worst we can possibly imagine. (hide spoiler)]

Regarding bitch-face Barkley (view spoiler)[Honestly, I had a moment at the end of book 3, when Farrell saw Max and said "Isabella?" wondering if maybe Barkley WAS Max in the future (everyone said they look a lot alike) and that she was being sent to play the part of Barkley, and would have to watch her younger self falling in love and screw herself over... that would've been twisted, and I'm glad it DIDN'T end up that way--and oh what a twist with it being Isabella all along!! The Barkley in this universe is a lot more subtle. (hide spoiler)]

Actually, as much as I loved book 4, I REALLY loved Roman Holiday. Anyone else listening to the shorts in between?

Sorry I've been largely MIA a lot--doing projects around the house and not actually turning on the computer much lately. >.< But I am zooming through all the audiobooks... just started Christmas Present (St. Mary's 4.5) and it's funny so far...

[Tonari no Emily]

@ Nirkatze

Re Bitch-face Barkley (view spoiler)[ Oh gods I'm glad that wasn't the case... That would give me an even bigger headache. And honestly I don't think Max would be able to pull that one off haha (hide spoiler)]

I still need to read the shorts! I'll probably listen today.. I've been listening on and off to Red Rising for the re-read and I find it kind of hard to read right now. Very depressing beginning and I see some parallels to our society (obviously not literally) right now which just puts me in a worse mood...

[Tonari no Emily]

Timelord Iain wrote: "I really liked the Clocktaur War, but it's really just 2 halves of a single story... I had to continue almost immediately...

Wizard's Guide to Defensive Baking was a fun YA story, too... but a bit..."

Agree with you there on Defensive Baking. Very fun if you don't think about it too hard. Not quite sure what WORM is but sounds intriguing.
But the whole idea of animating bread was very amusing.

[Timelord Iain, Tech Support]

Choko wrote: "Hahaha, Iain, now I want to check out Beezer! Funny what those types of reviews engender in me:)))

Brian, great!"

The review just went on and on... and the reviewer gave a decent rating for personal enjoyment as an adult...

Here's a large except from the middle of the review... I tried to trim it, but each paragraph is 1-2 long run-on sentences... (view spoiler)[

The law says that the age of eighteen is the age when one becomes a legal adult and can enter into binding contracts, or join the military, yet they cannot legally purchase alcohol or a gun until the age of 21.

Bearing the above in mind, most everyone can agree that when a child is exposed to a positive or negative influence, it can have far reaching consequences that remain with them well into adulthood.

Sometimes a good experience can ignite a desire to learn more about a subject and the child grows up to fulfill a lifelong desire to become a scientist, doctor, soldier, mechanic, inventor or president.

While bad experiences can spur some on to greatness, it is far more common that they scar a child's tender psyche sometimes beyond repair or sometimes create a trigger of recurring nightmares, anxiety and low self esteem that also can foretell the child's future.

We know this is true from the many examples of individuals from harsh backgrounds that become successful, but greater than those numbers are the lifers in prison who started with negative exposures that snowballed them to hurt animals, bully others, shoplift, runaway from home, sell or take drugs, rob, and kill.

Their stories explain that they were triggered by events or exposure to something beyond their maturity level. And even if for the briefest of moments, it impacted some aspect of their childhood and that fear, moment or bad memory forever negatively changed their impressionable minds.

This story disguises the nightmare inducing topics of: being condemned to Hell, evil, "familiars" in your home in the demonic possession of family pets, casting spells, eating souls, and human hearts. This is heightened with special sound effects and clamoring noise that inevitably compels the listener's mind to run wild creating it's own horrible pictures.

(hide spoiler)]

[Timelord Iain, Tech Support]

Emily wrote: "Timelord Iain wrote: "I really liked the Clocktaur War, but it's really just 2 halves of a single story... I had to continue almost immediately...

Wizard's Guide to Defensive Baking was a fun YA s..."

Worm is a crazy long web serial with a fan audiobook/podcast... 7000 pages or like 150-200 hours of audio?... the serial is split into 30 "arcs" with subchapters... but the story is more like 3-5 main arcs, if you use the word to mean story arcs not chapters....

I'm glad I read the book, but it's a bit of a rollercoaster of quality and pacing... the story is kinda crazy and difficult to describe... the MC is a poor girl that gets bullied alot that learns she can control bugs/critters (up to and including butterflies, so not all disgusting)... wants to become a superhero, but has a rough introduction to superheroes... ends up going undercover with juvenile supervillains, and things snowball from there... by the end of it (view spoiler)[she's like an all-powerful supervillain, that spent some time in superhero academy, and the only hope for saving the world from this other all-powerful entity... (hide spoiler)]

There's actually a sequel book, that I think has ended now, called Ward, about students at the superhero academy... haven't read that one... there's some overlapping characters, who survived WORM...