Month: February 2019

The State of the Reader: 2/27/19

/ The Shameful Narcissist / 10 Comments

<–The State of the Reader: 2/13/19         The State of the Reader: 3/13/19–>

A weekly 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.

Books Obtained: 0

Books Finished: 1

Title: Antony and Cleopatra
Author: William Shakespeare
Date Added: January 16, 2019
Date Started: January 17, 2019
Date Finished: February 18, 2019

Antony and Cleopatra coverMedia: eBook/Kindle

I enjoyed this much better than All’s Well That Ends Well and did absorb most of the major points of it.  I checked Wikipedia afterwards for a summary/synopsis, and while I missed a few things (e.g. Lepidus being one of the triumvirates along with Caesar and Antony, and Caesar imprisoning him after they betray Pompey), I did pick up the potential that Cleopatra might have betrayed Antony, though that seems to be more of an implication as opposed to a matter of fact.  It could go either way, and I wonder if Shakes meant to do that.  This is considered one of his problem plays.  I do like that it’s a direct sequel to Julius Caesar, which I plan to reread in this Bard project of mine.

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The State of the Gamer: 2/26/19

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<–The State of the Gamer: 2/12/19           The State of the Gamer: 3/12/19–>

A weekly post updated every other Tuesday 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 Finished

Title: Piczle Colors
Series Title: Piczle
System: Nintendo Switch

Piczle ColorsDate Started: January 31, 2019
Date Finished: February 20, 2019 (?)

I honestly don’t remember thereabouts when I finished this game, since I’m still playing it, but I did complete all 300 puzzles.  I’m hoping they release more in a DLC.  Until then I do random ones of the 300, and you can also do random colors, which can be hella hard.  I’ll probably do a review of this after I finish Oxenfree’s since this will be a breeze compared to that.

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The State of the Writer: 2/24/19

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<–The State of the Writer: 2/10/18         The State of the Writer: 3/10/19–>

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

Finished Projects: 1

Project: Story
Title: The Broken Rose
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Type: Fanfiction (FFVII) Novel
Current Word Count: 255,002
Prior Word Count: 255,229
Word Difference: -227
Status: Editing
Progress: Chapters 14 & 15 Second Edit

Pink diamond ring with smaller pink stones at cardinal points and diamond like stones aroundI went ahead and split the chapter.  That’s why the Progress description is so wonky.  I was able to think up a name for Chapter 15, too.  The original title is staying with 14.  The overarching idea of Chapter 14’s title is in both chapters, but I feel like there are too many ideas/events for it to just stay under one chapter umbrella.  I’m editing them as one chapter though, because I’m still going to post them at the same time, as I promised.

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Restless Bones on Crystal Lake by B. Batiste (Moon Investigations #2)

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Moon Investigations

<–Witch Hunt on Crystal Lake

Title: Restless Bones on Crystal Lake
Series Title: Moon Investigations
Author: B. Batiste
Date Added: March 26, 2018
Date Started: May 1, 2018
Date Finished: May 12, 2018
Reading Duration: 11 days
Genre: Fantasy, Supernatural, Mystery

Restless Bones on Crystal Lake coverPages: 170
Publication Date: March 28, 2018
Publisher: Amazon
Media: eBook/Kindle

A soggy decrepit ghost visits Hazel. And with her new ghostly admirer comes a new case and a new hidden danger.

Lola is wanted for the murder of Royce Habernath, a pirate treasure hunter whom she has fought with many times over a treasure map. In their search for the truth, Hazel, Syn and Blossom struggle with the realization, Lola is the mistress of secrets and killing someone is definitely within her wheelhouse. But when it becomes clear that Lola was framed it becomes a race to find the real murderer before Lola is sent to a prison most don’t return from. At least not whole.

If that wasn’t bad enough, Hazel may have a hidden power a queen is searching for. Whether Hazel truly has it or not the Blood Queen and her minions now know she is on Crystal Lake. And if they find Hazel, her death is certain.

Lola is one of the most interesting characters in the Moon Investigation series.  Often side characters are just that: ones on the side, but Miss Batiste puts a great deal of effort into making all of hers intriguing.  Unsurprisingly, Lola didn’t become a bad ass on a whim.  She was forged in fire and pain with pirate ancestors who became embroiled in more than what they bargained for.

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The State of the Reader: 2/13/19

/ The Shameful Narcissist / 4 Comments

<–The State of the Reader: 1/30/19          The State of the Reader: 2/27/19–>

A weekly 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.

Books Obtained: 0

Books Finished: 0

Currently Reading

Title: Antony and Cleopatra
Author: William Shakespeare
Date Added: January 16, 2019
Date Started: January 17, 2019

Antony and Cleopatra coverMedia: eBook/Kindle
Progress: Act 5 Scene V

I was hoping to finish this today, but if wishes were fishes, there’d be more in the sea. Maybe tomorrow.  Then I can look up notes on it to see how good my interpretation of Shakespearean English is.  I actually read this at lunch to take a brain break :p

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The State of the Gamer: 2/12/19

/ The Shameful Narcissist / 17 Comments

<–The State of the Gamer: 1/22/19            The State of the Gamer: 2/26/19–>

A weekly post updated every other Tuesday 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 Bought

  • Piczle Colors – $12.00 @ Nintendo eShop: Will discuss below.

What I’m Playing

Title: Piczle Colors
Series Title: Piczle
System: Nintendo Switch

Piczle ColorsDate Started: January 31, 2019

I am obsessed with this game.  The only reason I’m not playing it right now is because I’m doing this, and my Switch is dead with the charger in the other room.  I do agree with some of the critiques presented by Mr. Panda in his video review.  Some of the colors are way too close in hue, and while I understand they did it to add depth to the harder finished pictures, it can cause some unnecessary errors and confusion.  Other than that, the game is ridiculously addictive.  I’ll tell myself, “One more puzzle,” complete it, and start the next one.  I’m going to be sad when I finish, but apparently there’s a randomizer you can use to still get some enjoyment out of the game once you’ve finished all of them.  I also may be the first person to review it on Grouvee since there’s not even a rating there yet o.O

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The State of the Writer: 2/10/19

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<–The State of the Writer: 1/27/18          The State of the Writer: 2/24/19–>

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

Finished Projects: 1

Project: Story
Title: The Broken Rose
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Type: Fanfiction (FFVII) Novel
Current Word Count: 255,002
Prior Word Count: 255,229
Word Difference: -227
Status: Editing
Progress: Chapter 14 Second Edit

I’m thinking of splitting this chapter into two now that the first edit is done.  I’m not quite sure yet because the theme of the title runs throughout so it’s making it a bit tricky.  I can see two distinctive patterns in it though, and I think it would flow better if it was broken up.  I have only a few notes to either add and/or figure out where else they can go, and I think I’ll make the splitting decision when and where I figure out the best place to do so.  Either you’ll have a really long chapter to enjoy or two regular sized ones.

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Top Books of 2018

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Goodreads Challenge: 50
Books Finished: 51
Books DNF: 19

Last year I was ambitious and wrote out all the books I read.  This year I’m just going to talk about my top picks and biggest disappointments.

Top 10 Books/Series

10. Blister by Jeff Strand

Blister coverSurprisingly much more insightful than what it’s billed to be.

9. Two Hearts by Peter S. Beagle

Two Hearts coverYou can read this for free through the link.  It’s honestly the best I could hope for from a sequel to such an epic work.  It continues the themes without being trite and the resolution is beautiful if bittersweet.

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