Week 10: 3/3 - 3/10

[Erica]

I didn’t mean to cause extra worry my grandmother had a pre-existing vision problem and the shingles made her eyes vulnerable to infections. Shingles and infections led to scarring which led to her being legally blind.

[AF]

After a beautiful, sunny week here in the PNW, rain started yesterday with a vengeance. No end in sight. All week it's suppose to rain, rain, rain.

I'm currently 13/40 for the 2022 PS challenge.

This past week (or so) I finished two books.
Dawn by Octavia E. Butler - which I didn't like
and
The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid - which I LOVED

Which leads me to this week's QOTW:
I gave my copy of The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid to my friend, telling her to read it so we can talk. I've told several people at my work to read it, some of which aren't even readers. I just want someone I know to read it so we can discuss it. I thought it was so sweet. I read it in a weekend because I couldn't put it down.

[Lilith]

Happy Sunday everyone!

Can’t believe today is the two year anniversary of my lay-off, which converted to furlough, and the beginning of lockdown for a lot of us. It doesn’t seem that long ago, yet it also feels like I’ve been back to work for hundreds of years, even though it’s only been 15 months.

On the bright side, I have finished all my CEUs! Now for the fun or paperwork…

Finished:

Finna I actually liked this quite a bit. The relationship between the 2 MCs felt pretty immature to me, so it took a bit for me to get into it. Yet they felt like such real people that I kept looking forward to how they might evolve. Happily, they did. Explores multiverses, free will, and furniture stores. I was hooked.
Book featuring parallel realities.

A Poem Traveled Down My Arm: Poems and Drawings My library had a fabulous display for Black History Month and African-American Poets. I can’t pass up a book by Alice Walker, and this worked perfectly for prompt # 20, Her poems in this volume are a bit of a departure from other works, but they are hauntingly apropos right now.
Book whose title begins with the last letter of your previous read.

Death on the Nile Agatha Christie never disappoints. I needed a good mystery, and the Egyptian markets and scenery were just what I needed. The racism is pretty prominent, but the plot is very well-constructed, and the characters drew me in, with all their flaws.
Book that takes place in a car, on a train or cruise ship.

Otto: A Palindrama This was so clever and fun. A book told entirely in palindromes! I’ll read a proper adult book with a palindromic title, but this was an enjoyable, smart kids’ book.
Book with palindromic title.

The Overnight Guest Heather Gudenkauf never disappoints either. I thought I had all the timelines figured out – but I had an incorrect character in the middle timeline. Love it when my illusions are shattered! The revenge scene was over the top/ long, but it made sense in its catharsis. To me. YMMV. Loved this!
Book published in 2022.

Wade in the Water: Poems I went back to my library for a second helping from the Black History Month / African-American poets display. I tried not to be too greedy. I’m a big fan of Tracy K. Smith, and these poems really sang to me. Some are heart-wrenching, but they are meant to be.
Not sure if it will fit a prompt, but could not resist.

Currently Reading.

Eight Kinky Nights O M G, I am about 25% in and I want to give this 6 stars! Really enjoying this book. This is D/s and BDSM done correctly. I adore the characters and can’t wait till I’m on my way home riding a bus to rejoin this world.
Works for sapphic book,
MC using a mobility device
An ace character
Takes place over a holiday (Chanukkah)
Your favorite season
Book with recipes
Book with a party
Book about gender identity (one MC coming to terms with her sexuality)
Book with secrets
Book in a sister city (NYC)
Thank you to whoever suggested it… I think it was here.

Maus I: A Survivor's Tale: My Father Bleeds History. This will hammer your heart. And it is meant to. My preference is the grittiest of grit out there, and this brings me to tears. Idiotic that this classic is being burned and banned. I’ll be buying copies.

DNF/ set aside

Let's Talk About Love I wanted to love this, but the MC is so infantilized. Argh! She’s ace, not a kindergartener. I plan to return, because somehow I like her and want to hear her story, but I need to be in the right mood,

QOTW:

I always tell my best friend what gritty thriller or psychological suspense novel I’m reading. She tells me her current horror, and we always discuss! Right now, I’m recommending Eight Kinky Nights to all my kink friends, to discuss, but mostly because I think they’ll love it.

[Ana]

Only 2 books, mainly because I started Wilder Girls and slammed to a stop, but more about that next update.

I read Murder on the Ballarat Train and Death at Victoria Dock. They weren't for a challenge, but were good mysteries. I don't have book 5, so I'm done reading the series until I can plug in the gap.

QotW:
I do that with my mom. The last time was when I read Under the Whispering Door and shoved my kindle at her. She is a super reader, so normally she's recommending books to me lol.

[Jacqueline]

It didn’t cause extra worry Eric. Dr Google already did that lol I think I’m out of the woods now. They’re not spreading anymore thankfully. Still getting some nerve pain every now and then and I’m exhausted still but I’m getting there.

[Tania]

Ashley Marie wrote: "Good morning! In typical Midwestern fashion, the weather can't make up its mind so I end up stuck with a sinus headache for days on end. It's wonderful. Don't try this at home without proper superv..."

I'm sorry to hear it - we had bad weather move in this weekend and I was down for the count on Saturday with a sinus headache - it took me half the night to get it under control before I could finally sleep. No fun! Hope you are feeling better.

[Tania]

Hello, late check-in.

I finished 2 books last week:

A Drop of Midnight: A Memoir by Jason Timbuktu Diakité - I borrowed this in my prime library more than a year ago, and I've finally finished. It's an interesting memoir from a well-known Swedish hip-hop artist (although I didn't know of him before this book). It's slow going because he jumps around a lot, and a bit repetitive, but still an interesting perspective on his search into his family history and finding his place in the world. Used for another challenge.

The Night Diary by Veera Hiranandani - a novel based on the true story of the end of British rule in India and the splitting off of Pakistan, this follows a young girl who is forced from her home when her family's religion dictates which side of the new border they must live on. It was phenomenal, and heartbreaking, and I wasn't familiar with this story in history so it was all new to me. Used as "a book with a recipe in it," there's a recipe at the end of the book.

QOTW: Yes, I have definitely done that. It rarely works, but I try. The most recent was recommending I'm Not Dying with You Tonight by Kimberly Jones and Gilly Segal to my niece.

[Tania]

Kelsey wrote: "Hello! It's been a busy week at work and my niece was born yesterday so I have been quite distracted with all the baby news. Will be heading back to the office next week which I'm happy and sad abo..."

Congratulations on the birth of your niece!

[Melissa]

Jackie wrote: "I've been doing a little light electrical work and feeling very full of myself. The outlets in my house are all really loose; like you try to plug something in and the plug just falls out. [The house is older, but it's not *that* old. I don't know what the previous people were up to.] The internet convinced me that the outlets are simple and easy to replace, and it turns out to be true. So now I'm on a journey to systematically do the whole house."

That was something my husband and I did when we moved into our house three years ago. It was surprisingly easy until we got to the garbage disposal and anything with extra wires. It also helped us definitively map the electrical circuits in the house, and we colored coded (with stickers) each outlet we replaced. The stickers make it much easier to know at a glance which outlets connected, should we need to turn off a circuit for any future work.

[Jackie]

Melissa wrote: "Jackie wrote: "I've been doing a little light electrical work and feeling very full of myself. The outlets in my house are all really loose; like you try to plug something in and the plug just fall..."

Oh it's making such a difference! Ours are naturally color coded in that the old ones are ivory and the new ones are brown (to blend in with the 'aged bronze' cover plates I got). I've been doing really well, except for one outlet in the kitchen I need to re-do. The difficulty is just that there are so many dang outlets and switches. I'm going through and doing the whole house to match, so it's going to be a while, but it's so nice having functional outlets.

[Shannon]

Cornerofmadness wrote: " a mystery based on the Monkees"

I hope you see this--what book is this?? I love mysteries and I love the Monkees!!

[Cornerofmadness]

Shannon wrote: "Cornerofmadness wrote: " a mystery based on the Monkees"

I hope you see this--what book is this?? I love mysteries and I love the Monkees!!"

I believe it's called The Door Into Murder

[Shannon]

Cornerofmadness wrote: "Shannon wrote: "Cornerofmadness wrote: " a mystery based on the Monkees"

I hope you see this--what book is this?? I love mysteries and I love the Monkees!!"

I believe it's called The Door Into Mu..."

Thank you! The synopsis involves a boy band in the 60s, so it definitely could be!

[poshpenny]

For anyone else who's been waiting...

Netflix dropped the first teaser for Heartstopper
https://youtu.be/gHALOizCpf0

It's coming out (ha) within days of my birthday, so I need to make sure I'm requesting the right days off from work hahaha

[Patricia]

Happy Thursday! It feels cozy and cold in my country because it always raining here.
I currently reading today is Eleanor and Park by Rainbow Rowell and Mia in the mix by Coco Simon

Question of the Week
Is there a book you read recently that you recommend to others just because you want to discuss it with someone else?

- My answer is yes. Of course, I love to discuss it with someone else and it seems interesting to me to ask their opinions about the book I recommend to them.

This book I recommend to my friend:

The List of Things That Will Not Change
Save Me a Seat
and Front Desk

[Cornerofmadness]

Shannon wrote: "Cornerofmadness wrote: "Shannon wrote: "Cornerofmadness wrote: " a mystery based on the Monkees"

I hope you see this--what book is this?? I love mysteries and I love the Monkees!!"

I believe it's..."

I probably should have said monkees inspired