The State of the Reader: 1/26/22

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<–The State of the Reader: 1/12/22         The State of the Reader: 2/9/22–>

A biweekly post updated every other Wednesday detailing my current reading projects and what new titles I’ve added to my to-read list.  Title links go to Goodreads, and if you have an account there feel free to friend me!  I’d love to see what you’re reading and/or planning to read.

Purchased: 4

Total: $30.96

Books Finished: 2

Title: Elric of Melniboné
Series: The Elric Saga
Author: Michael Moorcock
Date Added: October 21, 2016
Date Started: October 14, 2021
Date Finished: January 23, 2022

Cover of Elric of Melniboné by Michael MoorcockMedia: Paperback

This book surprised me.  I really wasn’t expecting the depth and paradigm subversions it provided.  I looked up some of the reviews and discovered the author was not a fan of Tolkien.  He liked him well enough as a person, but had some major critiques about his work, and the critiques are valid.  I respect Tolkien as a seminal foundation of modern fantasy, but it’s impossible to ignore the eugenics inherent in his work as well as what’s described as “Merry England,” a term I’d never heard, but a concept I’ve certainly encountered.

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The State of the Writer: 1/23/21

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<–The State of the Writer: 1/9/22         The State of the Writer: 2/6/22–>

A post updated every other Sunday discussing my current writing projects and any completed the prior two weeks.

Finished Projects: 0

Project: Story
Working Title: The High Archon
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Type: Original
Length: Novel
Current Word Count: 10,530
Prior Word Count: 10,530
Word Difference: 0
Status: Organization
Progress: Chapter 2

I highlighted the text where the fixes need to take place.  I wanted to work on it last night but was too tired.  Some of the fixes are in a specific place, but some are more general like showing a slower progression of time.  I’ll have to fix that in a fuller edit.  I still hope to be drafting again before the end of the month.

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The State of the Gamer: 1/13/22

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<–The State of the Gamer: 12/30/21           The State of the Gamer: 1/27/22–>

A weekly post updated every other Thursday detailing my current gaming projects.  I have an account at Grouvee, which is a site you can use to keep track of your backlog, so please feel free to friend me there!

What I Demoed

No demos this time.

What I Purchased

No purchases this time.

What I Finished

Nothing this time.

What I’m Playing

Title: Etrian Odyssey Nexus
Series: Etrian Odyssey
System: Nintendo 3DS

Cover of Etrian Odyssey NexusDate Started: December 25, 2021

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The State of the Reader: 1/12/22

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<–The State of the Reader: 12/29/21         The State of the Reader: 1/26/22–>

A biweekly post updated every other Wednesday detailing my current reading projects and what new titles I’ve added to my to-read list.  Title links go to Goodreads, and if you have an account there feel free to friend me!  I’d love to see what you’re reading and/or planning to read.

Purchased: 7

Total: $52.94

Books Finished: 0

Currently Reading

Title: Six of Crows
Series: Six of Crows
Author: Leigh Bardugo
Date Added: February 19, 2016
Date Started: December 31, 2021

Cover of Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo (Six of Crows)Media: eBook/Kindle (Library)
Progress: 14%

I’m not generally a fan of heist novels, and like The Lies of Locke Lamora, none of the characters are overly likable.  I definitely have sympathy for them and their situation, but the thing that’s keeping me interested is less the job and more everyone’s backstory.  I’m not sure how long I’m going to keep reading this (it’s due back on the 20th unless I renew), but even if I DNF, I will definitely read more from this author.

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The State of the Writer: 1/9/21

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<–The State of the Writer: 12/26/21         The State of the Writer: 1/23/22–>

A post updated every other Sunday discussing my current writing projects and any completed the prior two weeks.

Finished Projects: 0

Project: Story
Working Title: The High Archon
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Type: Original
Length: Novel
Current Word Count: 10,530
Prior Word Count: 10,530
Word Difference: 0
Status: Organization
Progress: Chapter 2

I figured out a lot of the logistical stuff with the time, and made a guideline for myself.  I think I’m going to do a micro-outline for Chapter 2 next and then highlight in the text where the fixes/updates need to take place.  I really hope to be drafting again by the end of this month.

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The State of the Gamer: 12/30/21

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<–The State of the Gamer: 12/16/21           The State of the Gamer: 1/13/22–>

A weekly post updated every other Thursday detailing my current gaming projects.  I have an account at Grouvee, which is a site you can use to keep track of your backlog, so please feel free to friend me there!

What I Demoed

  • Yo-kai Watch (Nintendo 3DS) – I wasn’t sure at first or rather I thought it was a flat no.  I think I was expecting turn-based battles, but it’s more puzzle based like you have to complete quick little puzzles to get your Yo-kai to act, and since that’s on the bottom screen and they act on the top it can be a bit difficult to keep up with.  The battles go by pretty quickly and weren’t that difficult.  There wasn’t a way to access the menu in the demo to see what Yo-kai you have, which was kind of a bummer.  I wanted to get a feel for that.  I don’t think I’ll pay full price for this, but I could see picking it up if it goes on sale.
  • Yo-kai Watch 2 (Nintendo 3DS) – This demo was even shorter than the first one lol.  At least with the former you had to find and fight three troublesome Yo-kai, but there was just one here that you couldn’t even beat.  It did showcase a new gimmick, but again I’ll pick this and the other up on sale.
  • Bravely Default (Nintendo 3DS) – I’m pretty sure I demoed this before but wanted to give it another go since I was talking to my brother about Bravely Default II the other day.  I don’t remember why I didn’t do more with this.  Maybe got distracted, but I’m enjoying it again now.  I still have money  left on my Christmas gift card, but I might wait a bit since I picked up quite a few games already, and I can (and should) play them before buying more haha.

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The State of the Reader: 12/29/21

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<–The State of the Reader: 12/15/21         The State of the Reader: 1/12/22–>

A biweekly post updated every other Wednesday detailing my current reading projects and what new titles I’ve added to my to-read list.  Title links go to Goodreads, and if you have an account there feel free to friend me!  I’d love to see what you’re reading and/or planning to read.

Purchased: 3

Total: $9.97

Books Finished: 2

Title: Every Heart a Doorway
Series: Wayward Children
Author: Seanan McGuire
Date Added: August 6, 2017
Date Started: Decembeer 1, 2021
Date Finished: December 16, 2021

Cover of Every Heart a Doorway by Seanan McGuire (Wayward Children)Media: eBook/Kindle

I knew this was the first novel in a series, but I was a little surprised by how abruptly it ended.  It wasn’t bad by any means, but I think I was expecting other characters’ stories to wrap up.  That happens in other installments though.  The next one is about the twins Jack and Jill, and it’s before they come to Eleanor West’s Home for Wayward Children.  Speaking of Eleanor I think I expected to see more of her in here, so I’m wondering if she has her own novel, too.  What I really liked about this book is the LGBTQ+ rep.  Nancy is ace and Kade is a trans boy.  I’m kind of hoping they get together (I’m a hopeless shipper lol).  Next year I really want to catch up on my series continuations, so I’ll have to throw this one on that pile, too.

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The State of the Writer: 12/26/21

/ The Shameful Narcissist / 4 Comments

<–The State of the Writer: 12/12/21         The State of the Writer: 1/9/22–>

A post updated every other Sunday discussing my current writing projects and any completed the prior two weeks.

Finished Projects: 0

Project: Story
Working Title: The High Archon
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Type: Original
Length: Novel
Current Word Count: 10,530
Prior Word Count: 10,530
Word Difference: 0
Status: Organization
Progress: Chapter 2

I’m making progress with my organization but still working on it.  Given the last two weeks contained Christmas, I wasn’t expecting to make much headway; however, I managed to organize the conversation beats for Chapter 1 and fix the micro-outline (it was such a mess).  I need to do the same for Chapter 2 and fix the micro-outline there as well.  There are other things I need to add in/fix like how I completely fucked up the progression of time.  It’s the equivalent of an August evening so the sun would set late, so I have to figure out the logistics of when they get to town, how long they’re there, and when the sun sets.  They keep time differently from how we do, but the hours of the day are the same.

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The State of the Gamer: 12/16/21

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<–The State of the Gamer: 12/2/21           The State of the Gamer: 12/30/21–>

A weekly post updated every other Thursday detailing my current gaming projects.  I have an account at Grouvee, which is a site you can use to keep track of your backlog, so please feel free to friend me there!

What I Demoed

  • Brain Age: Concentration Training – You get 30 sessions, but it only takes you through one game.  Granted I’m going to pick it up based on that at some point anyway, but it’s $30 so not right now.

What I Purchased

  • Persona 4 Golden (PlayStation Vita) – $60 from Cheap Boss Attack
  • OneShot (PC) – $5.99 @ Steam

Total: $65.99

What I Finished

Nothing this time.

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The State of the Reader: 12/15/21

/ The Shameful Narcissist / 10 Comments

<–The State of the Reader: 12/1/21         The State of the Reader: 12/29/21–>

A biweekly post updated every other Wednesday detailing my current reading projects and what new titles I’ve added to my to-read list.  Title links go to Goodreads, and if you have an account there feel free to friend me!  I’d love to see what you’re reading and/or planning to read.

Purchased: 2

Total: $2.98

Books Finished: 1

Title: The Girl on the Train
Author: Paula Hawkins
Date Added: November 27, 2021
Date Started: December 2, 2021
Date Finished: December 14, 2021

Cover of The Girl on the Train by Paula HawkinsMedia: eBook

This is one of those novels were everyone is a fucking mess, but it does an excellent job of proving you don’t need likable characters to make a good story.  None of the POV characters are that admirable, but I found myself needing to sit with why I was so angry at the titular character Rachel.  She’s a depressed alcholic whose life has fallen apart, and I just found myself getting so annoyed with her when she relapsed, but…alcholism isn’t something that you can just overcome.   This is a similar thing that happened when I read Charle de Lint’s Memory and Dream.  The main character there was an abuse victim, and I got angry at her for not standing up to the abuse not realizing how terrible that kind of thinking is aka victim blaming.  You always think you’ll do differently in a situation, but you’re not in that situation.

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