<–The State of the Reader: 8/14/19 The State of the Reader: 9/11/19–>
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.
Books Obtained: 1
Books Finished: 1
Title: Snow White Learns Witchcraft: Stories and Poems
Author: Theodora Goss
Date Added: February 5, 2019
Date Started: July 8, 2019
Date Finished: August 21, 2019
Media: eBook/Kindle
This was amazing. I’ll need to look at the table of contents and figure out all of my favorite stories.
Books DNF: 2
Title: The King in Yellow
Author: Robert W. Chambers
Date Added: January 5, 2018
Date Started: August 4, 2019
Date DNF: August 25, 2019
Media: eBook/Kindle
I am very interesting in the concept behind this story, but the writing just isn’t holding my attention. I decided to DNF it, but I bookmarked an analysis of it as well as a YouTube video breaking it down.
Title: Tales of Lunis Aquaria
Author: Tessa Hastjarjanto
Date Added: May 10, 2019
Date Started: August 22, 2019
Date DNF: August 23, 2019
Media: eBook/Kindle
The writing was too dry, way too “telling,” and I’m just not into it. I feel bad because I’m pretty sure they’re an indie author, and I want to support, but I also feel an editor could’ve made it flow better. I also think it could be a language/translation issue.
Currently Reading
Title: Traitor’s Blades
Series Title: Greatcoats
Author: Sebastien de Castell
Date Added: March 5, 2017
Date Started: August 26, 2019
Media: eBook/Kindle
Progress: 6%
Loving this so far. It has this really awesome mien that I can’t quite put my finger on. It’s a group of friends who were once honored warriors, but are now consigned to living on the edges through no fault of their own, and they get by as well they can with all of the bad luck in the world. Falcio, the MC, is an awesome storyteller, and even the most mundane thing (like how his Duchy was named after this shitty flower) becomes hilarious and engaging when he’s talking about it.
Title: Kushiel’s Dart
Series Title: Phèdre’s Trilogy
Author: Jacqueline Carey
Date Added: February 21, 2012
Date Started: August 23, 2019
Media: Hardback (Library)
Progress: 6%
I actually read a good deal of this book years ago before I DNFed it and gave it a pretty low rating. I think I really disliked one of the characters, which unfairly colored my perceptions of the novel. Rereading it again now, I think I was a bit unfair. It is eloquently written, perfectly engaging, and I’m drawn into it again. Now granted, I haven’t come across that character again yet, but I think I’m really going to try to finish at least this first novel in the trilogy. At the very least, it’s fantastic reference/information for writing about court/courtly machinations.
Title: Tigana
Author: Guy Gavriel Kay
Date Added: February 9, 2016
Date Started: December 8, 2018
Media: Paperback
Progress: 93%
I’m so close to what I’m sure will be a transcendent conclusion, but I put off reading it because I didn’t want to get too sucked in and do this post late.
Title: The Hero With a Thousand Faces
Author: Joseph Campbell
Date Added: April 24, 2014
Date Started: December 3, 2018
Media: Hardback
Progress: 63%
“The Sumerian-Babylonian astral mythology identified the aspects of the cosmic female with the phases of the planet Venus. As morning star she was the virgin, as evening star the harlot, as lady of the night sky the consort of the moon; and when extinguished under the blaze of sun she was the hag of hell.” This is another version of the four faces of the goddess using Venus instead of the moon. That’s hella cool actually. I’ll need to look more into this, but it definitely aligns itself with that mythos.
I’m one book behind again. It’s an uphill battle; just call me Sisyphus. You keep pushing the rock until you get tired then it rolls over you and you die, or you die and it rolls over you. Either way, you’re just as dead.
I need to read at least 50 pages of Kushiel’s Dart a day if I want to finish it before it’s due. I’m certainly I’ll be renewing it at least once, but the time limit is actually good. It means I may actually make a plan to read it on a daily basis.
Let’s have the ultimate showdown in the comments, shall we? Apple or pumpkin spice? I’m an apple girl myself. I love cider and it’s almost time for apple picking. One time one of my in laws gave me a gigantic bag of pears. There’s a bad pun waiting in there somewhere, but those pears were goddamn delicious.
<–The State of the Reader: 8/14/19 The State of the Reader: 9/11/19–>
The Shameful Narcissist Speaks 
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While I love both apple and pumpkin, I have to vote pumpkin. Basic bitch over here. *waves*
Lol.
I’m in a bit of a reading slump with The Left Hand of Darkness, I just really can’t get into it but I still want to finish it. Could make for an interesting review I suppose. (It’s not been relegated to work place read.)
I picked up another book in the Iron Druid Chronicles so that I can actually finish the series before the off-shoot series begins. Hopefully it helps pull me out of that reading slump.
I received Kushiel’s Dart for free at a bookstore so I’m in no hurry to start it but I look forward to hearing what you think of it. It’s a doozy of a book that’s for sure.
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Omg, my BFF wear ugg boots, Northface, AND loves pumpkin spice. She embraces the basic bitch aura and we chortle about it. Nothing you enjoy should be a “guilty” pleasure. I actually get more aggravated at people who constantly make fun of it and mock people for just liking shit. I’m not huge into pumpkin spice, but I’ll drink it (if there’s enough sweetness lol).
Dude…I had the same problem. I tried reading that years ago and I want to try again, because I love Ursula K. Le Guin, but it was super dense if I recall. I’m hoping now that it’s been years later I might be able to slog through.
I’m loving Traitor’s Blades right now. It’s kind of in the same style as Lies of Locke Lamora, but I actually like it better. The irreverent but still sincere, disgraced Greatcoats. It’s hard to just read one chapter.
Kushiel’s Dart is a door stopper, but it’s eloquently written. I’m hoping to finish it this time. I think I had maybe a hundred pages left when I gave up on it years ago.
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If I had to choose, probably apple! I love pumpkin pie and pumpkin baked goods in general, though.
I read Kushiel’s Dart ages ago as well and remember liking the first half with the courtly stuff, and then getting a bit bored with the latter half. But I should re-read it at some point too; it was definitely an interesting story.
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That’s what it was! The first part is so intriguing I’m finding it hard to put down. The courtly stuff is fascinating, and I especially love it for it’s informative/inspirational quality for The High Archon, but later on it’s less of that and more travel based? I think it’s Phedre and Jocelyn on their way somewhere (I don’t recall) and I disliked their dynamic, which made it hard for me to keep going, but I want to try to finish it this time.
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So never heard of Traitors Blades until now…and now I’ll need to add it to my list of books to acquire.
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Duuuude, I think you’d love this book. It’s these three smart asses traveling together, each trying to fulfill their own quest for their dead king, each tortured and broken in their own way, using witticisms to keep themselves fully from despair. It’s basically my biography.
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Oh cats this sounds amazing – like I’d fall right in and travel with them.
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I love when characters use snark/cynical/dark humor to cover up really deep pain, because *raises hand* How else can you exist? Plus the whole corrupt, puppet government thing is pretty spot on, too. If you don’t end up picking it up yourself, I think I can lend it to you if you have an Amazon/Kindle account.
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Pumpkin!! ❤ I love apple stuff too, but my love for pumpkin transcends all. 😀
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Tis the season!
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Pingback: The State of the Reader: 9/11/19 | The Shameful Narcissist Speaks
Pumpkin spice is where it’s at, eh 😀
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