denise

To Die But Once

2018, Audiobooks, Books in Bed, Favorites, Fiction, Women /

We did it… we finished an Overdrive audiobook before it was viciously yanked from my account by the library’s annoying rule about NO renewals of Overdrive books. Hmph. Anyway, we listened to To Die But Once and yippee, Maisie Dobbs.

In the (very long) epilogue I started feeling some anxiety about how Maisie Dobbs and Maggie Hope are crossing streams. I keep picturing Maisie as the woman in the Maggie Hope books who oversees the Prime Minister’s special project, (what is her name? It isn’t Maisie Dobbs, that’s for sure.)… and the picture just doesn’t work. I might have to just be very careful not to read the two series really close together. (Big problem since there’s a Maggie Hope book waiting for us at the library and because I’m about to reserve the next Maisie Dobbs. Ugh.)

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Reading in October

2018, Books in Bed, Reading /

This wasn’t a horribly bad reading month, even if we didn’t have #Readathon. (Especially considering I was tired after GHC 18 and we went to the beach with the little ones.)

10 books finished (plus a couple of short stories, and I quit a couple of books in October, too.)

2 children picture books
1 audiobook
1 YA
1 Manga
1 non-fiction

1 had a lot of queer characters, both of the children’s picture books were about gender nonconforming characters, (and one I quit had lgbt characters, too.)

2 books were written by WOC (Asian).

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Every Heart a Doorway

1 Comment / 2018, Books in Bed, Queer, Sci Fi and Fantasy /

I did finish Every Heart a Doorway during our #FakeReadathon on Sunday. It’s a quick and easy read so there was little reason for me NOT to finish it. Also, it was good.

I thought it was YA but quickly realized that it wasn’t. It definitely was not. It was also a lot darker and creepier than I expected it to be. Not that I really knew what to expect… this book has been in my Evernote TBR file for more than two years. I only barely remembered anything about it. And I didn’t realize it was part of a series until Saturday.

I enjoyed it enough that I’ve already reserved the second book at the library.

Oh, I almost forgot… this one has a Transgendered character (who I assume is a character we’ll see again in the rest of the series) AND an Aesexual character (who I believe was only in this first book — but I’m not really sure since this is fantasy and anything can happen in fantasy.)

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Post-#Readathon Survey and Update

2018, Books in Bed, Chick Lit, Dewey's Readathon, Fiction /

I crapped out at 12:20 p.m. last night with 90 pages left in Limelight. I just couldn’t make it. No big deal since I managed to get a Blackout on #Readathon Bingo, heh. Everything else was gravy.

Woke up late this morning and lazily finished Limelight out on the back deck with the dogs. Limelight was fun – a beach read or something to read before you head to NYC for a fun vacation.

We’re spending the rest of today doing a #FakeReadathon because we can. I’m reading Every Heart a Doorway next.

And, here’s my end of #Readathon survey:

1. Which hour was most daunting for you?
– 11 a.m. (and I took a nap, hah) and again at 11 p.m. – I didn’t manage to hold out much later than that last one.

2. Tell us ALLLLL the books you read!
– I finished The Bear and the Nightingale.
– I read a horror short story by Somer Canon and an essay/short story by Carole Maso.
– I read a Manga, The World’s Greatest Love.
– A cookbook, Dinner Illustrated.
– Two children’s picture books: I’m a Girl and Introducing Teddy.
– Some Maisie Dobbs on audio.
– And, most of Limelight.

3. Which books would you recommend to other Read-a-thoners?
– The Bear and the Nightingale was fabulous. The cookbook is pretty good. Anything by Carole Maso is amazing. I’m a Girl is really well done. Limelight is good, for a beach read.

4. What’s a really rad thing we could do during the next Read-a-thon that would make you happy?
– I really liked the bingo idea and I loved, loved, loved having all of the mini-challenges ready from the start, rather than having to check in hourly to see which new challenges are live.

5. How likely are you to participate in the Read-a-thon again? Would you be interested in volunteering to help organize and prep?
– Of course I’ll do #Readathon again. I almost always do. Volunteering to organize/prep… maybe.

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#ReadathonBingo!

2018, Books in Bed, Children's Literature, Comics & Graphic Novels, cookbooks, Dewey's Readathon, Favorites, Queer /

Woot. I didn’t even know about #Readathon Bingo until I woke up this morning and loaded all of the Dewey’s 24 Hour Readathon links I like to keep open when I do #Readathon, so I’m pretty pleased that I was able to adjust my TBR plan (who am I kidding, I didn’t have a plan) and get a Blackout!

#Readathon Bingo Blackout
#Readathon Bingo Blackout

To get it, I had to read the short stories/essays I mentioned earlier today and track down a book with a male protagonist… TW’s Comic Con LGBTQ Mystery Box to the rescue (thanks, Momal!) In it was The World’s Greatest Love: Vol. 1. and that fit the bill nicely!

Speaking of The World’s Greatest Love… typical Manga. I kind of wish it had been written by a man, I think it might have been slightly different… the best part was the information about the world of Manga publishing. That was really interesting.

Besides that book, I also finished Dinner Illustrated and found a lot of recipes I’d try. I’m almost tempted to buy it. I wonder what TW thinks of the book.

After that, since I was waiting for the dogs to come in, I read two children’s picture books about gender/non-binary. Both were well done. I’d recommend them: I’m a Girl and Introducing Teddy.

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#Readathon Mid-Event Survey

2018, Books in Bed, Dewey's Readathon /

It’s that time again! (How many of these have I done over the years? I should count them…)

1. What are you reading right now?
– I’m still working on the cookbook and Limelight.

2. How many books have you read so far?
– I’ve only finished The Bear and the Nightingale (but I’ve also read some short stories/essays and listened to some audio.)

3. What book are you most looking forward to for the second half of the Read-a-thon?
– I need to find a book I can read quickly that has a male protagonist… Help meeeee. I want Blackout BINGO.

4. Have you had many interruptions? How did you deal with those?
– No real interruptions, a few dog barking sessions but no big deal.

5. What surprises you most about the Read-a-thon, so far?
– Nothing ever surprises me about #Readathon… that’s one of the things I like about #Readathon!

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11 hours into #Readathon

2018, Books in Bed, Dewey's Readathon /

I just hit the 500 page mark, or approximately the 500 page mark (I’m having to do a little guesstimating based on the audiobook I’m reading.)

I’ve read two short stories, which weren’t on my list until I saw the #Readathon Bingo card:
– Mischief by my friend Somer Canon. I needed something scary, creepy, gory, insane and that’s exactly what Somer writes. Heh.
– The Shelter of the Alphabet by Carole Maso, the first story/essay in her book, Break Every Rule. I’ve been meaning to read this book for awhile. I’m thankful for the Bingo card that triggered me to start.

I’ve finished a couple more mini-challenges and I had dinner, (Asian noodles from the deli at Whole Foods.)

I’m pretty sure I’m going to be one box short of Blackout in Bingo. I just do not have a book with a male protagonist on my shelf that I want to read or can get through today. Hmmm I wonder if there’s a children’s book on the shelf that might work. I’m going to have to go and check because it would be sad to get down to just ONE block, wouldn’t it?

I’m well into Limelight and almost through with the Dinner Illustrated Cookbook. I should be able to finish both and a couple of children’s books before the night is through, leaving me ready to start tomorrow with Every Heart a Doorway tomorrow.

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#Readathon: Napping, Eating, and Visiting

2018, Books in Bed, Dewey's Readathon /

I spent a good bit of the last couple of hours NOT reading during the #Readathon. It’s fine though, since I was doing things that are related and connected to the #Readathon.

First, I visited several bloggers who are participating in the #Readathon.
Next, I took a nap.
Also, I have done two mini-challenges and am pondering my contributions to a few more.
Last, but never least nor complete, I ate several snacks (only some of which are documented on Instagram.)

I should note that while eating many of those snacks, I was also reading — I was just reading fewer words since I was also focused on my food (and on preventing dogs from snatching my food.)

I’m about 250 pages into the day and 7 hours (for me) into the #readathon. I should also note here that TW and I decided before nap time that we’re extending #readathon into Sunday. Why not? We don’t have anything else pressing on our agenda and we have plenty of (snacky, junk) food and books to keep us going!

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#Readathon One Book Down, 30 Minutes of Cheerleading!

2018, Books in Bed, Dewey's Readathon, Favorites, Fiction /

I finished The Bear and the Nightingale and it was excellent. (Truthfully, I started reading it, a few pages at a time, more than a month ago and only started reading it as my primary book earlier this week.) And, I just discovered it is the first book in a trilogy and now I’m psyched to read the others!

It’s a Russian fairy tale type of story. Well written, great characters, beautifully done.

I’m off to spend a half hour or so cheering other readers along, so I can fill another Bingo square (and also the community is a big part of #Readathon and I like to visit people.)

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Fall #Readathon

2018, Books in Bed, Dewey's Readathon /

Woot! I needed a #readathon and I’m super glad that we’re able to do this one rather than doing a #fakereadathon. (Though I babysit the grandchildren in Georgia last night and didn’t really fall asleep til 3 a.m. so I’m VERY tired…ugh. Not ideal for a #readathon but I’ll work through it.)

I’m going to try the #readathonBingo and see how it goes. Surely one of the books on my shelf has a male protagonist? (LOLOL hahaha.)

And, for once I didn’t pre-write my Intro post (for as much as I was looking forward to this #readathon, I’m totes not prepared!) so here it is:

1) What fine part of the world are you reading from today?

I’m in Keystone Heights, FL and will read primarily from my bed. But, I’ll also read on my deck outside, at the bar in my kitchen, in my office, in the bathtub, and will listen to an audiobook in my car while we do a Pokemon Go run.

2) Which book in your stack are you most looking forward to?

I’m looking forward to finishing the Bear and the Nightingale. I’ve been reading it slowly and enjoying it. It’s really quite good but it’s time to finish it up.

3) Which snack are you most looking forward to?

Always such a hard question… if you saw my counter full of snacks, you’d understand. Probably the boozy gummi bears, heh.

4) Tell us a little something about yourself!

Lalala this question is why I tend to pre-write this post.

I am 55, I live in Florida with my partner, 3 hounds, and a prairie dog. I have four grandchildren. I love to read (all genres). I love coffee, love gin, hate soup, and hate seafood. I’m impatient with these kinds of questions. 😉

5) If you participated in the last read-a-thon, what’s one thing you’ll do different today? If this is your first read-a-thon, what are you most looking forward to?

This is my zillionth #readathon! the one thing I’ll do differently today is change up my reading list at the last minute because I just discovered #ReadathonBingo. The thing I’m most looking forward to? Reading ALL day WITHOUT having TO run ERRANDS or WORK!

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