<–The State of the Reader: 2/26/20 The State of the Reader: 3/25/20–>
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 Purchased
- 777 and Other Qabalistic Writings of Aleister Crowley: Including Gematria and Sepher Sephiroth by Aleister Crowley – $17.77 @ Amazon
Books Finished: 1
Title: Pestilence
Series Title: The Four Horsemen
Author: Laura Thalassa
Date Added: January 26, 2018
Date Started: February 24, 2020
Date Finished: Marcy 4, 2020
Media: eBook/Kindle
It seems somewhat irresponsible if not downright cruel to praise a book called “Pestilence” during an epidemic, but current events aren’t the author’s fault. This book has a very good chance of being my best of 2020…which again is almost brutally ironic for present events. It could be both hilarious and heartbreaking in the same sentence. It made sense psychologically, and the main character is a total bad ass.
William Faulkner is quoted as saying, “The only thing worth writing about is the human heart in conflict,” and I think Thalassa would’ve made him proud. I need to hold off on reading the next book War only because I need some time to emotionally process this.
Currently Reading
Title: Desdemona and the Deep
Series Title: Dark Breakers
Author: C. S. E. Cooney
Date Added: July 24, 2019
Date Started: March 5, 2020
Media: eBook/Kindle
Progress: 39%
Unbeknownst to me when I first started reading it, this is actually the third book in the Dark Breakers series, and I’m a little bummed out I didn’t realize that. I make it a point to read series in order especially if they’re sequential, which this is. This book does spoil at least the first one, as there are characters/situations in it that were the subject of the first book (I’ll keep mum on them in case any you decide to read the series and in the proper order). Another interesting thing is the rating of this is lower than the prior ones, and I’m curious as to why. Granted, I’m not quite halfway through it, so it might have something to do with later actions or the ending, though I’m wondering if people didn’t like the main character. She is a spoiled rich girl, but I think that’s supposed to be the point. She starts out that way, but then she witnesses something that shifts her worldview and makes her act entirely unselfish. I guess I’ll have to wait and see how things play out.
Title: The Valley of Amazement
Author: Amy Tan
Date Added: April 24, 2014
Date Started: March 1, 2020
Media: Hardback – Library
Progress: 3%
I don’t usually regret borrowing a book from the library, and I love Amy Tan, but the timing of this is just so poor. I’m reading four other books that I’m in the midst of and I don’t have a designated time scheduled to read this. It’s also over 500 pages long and I believe it’s due back on the 16th unless (unless I renew), so I need to figure some things out.
Title: Dracula
Author: Bram Stoker
Date Added: May 16, 2015
Date Started: February 13, 2020
Media: eBook/Kindle
Progress: 15%
I’m finding this hard to put down. When I first started, I was reading maybe half a chapter because they’re a bit long, but last session I breezed through the last of Jonathan Harker’s diary, and geez is that dude in trouble. I have no idea how or if he gets out of that situation because it moves on to his fiancee Mina.
Title: Archangel’s Kiss
Series Title: Guild Hunter
Author: Nalini Singh
Date Added: December 27, 2018
Date Started: January 15, 2020
Media: Physical
Progress: 54%
Is angels being able to use mind control just a thing? Like is that a common motif in fiction/fantasy? Because I can think of like five stories where it’s a thing, and I don’t know if it’s just me thinking it’s a thing or if it’s legitimately a thing. Anyway, I really, really hope Elena gets some help for her PTSD because it is too real.
Title: Man and His Symbols
Author: C. G. Jung et al
Date Added: August 4, 2017
Date Started: January 7, 2020
Media: Paperback
Progress: 20%
Understanding symbols means you must understand the “symbol producing individual” themselves, because you are brought up against the whole of his cultural background. A cross in the dream of a Christian is going to mean something far different than the cross in the dream of an atheist.
Jung is very critical of what he derides as “civilized” man believing (and rightly so) that in becoming this way, or rather believing he’s become this way, we have lost so much. We think the unconscious, symbols, and faith or unimportant in the modern world, and I am guilty of the faith thing (to a point) as well. Well…I’m more skeptical of the one I grew up with lol, which isn’t a bad thing. Because modern man has divested or tried to divest himself of the symbolic realm, he is all the poorer for it. I think this is seen microcosmically in how it’s so difficult to convince people of the significance of symbols in stories. It’s almost like pulling teeth, and you’re accuse of “reading too much into things,” but people considered “more primitive” would have no problem seeing the significance.
I am now working remotely for the next week and a half due to the pandemic. I’m lucky to have a job where I can do that, and I’m too tired to really talk about how fucked up and disastrous my country (the US) is with how the people in power are handling things. I feel bad for the people who can’t call out because they don’t have recourse to do so. Those are the people who mostly work with the public and are therefore more susceptible, and it’s just a fucking mess. Anyway, I have perogies and Castlevania waiting for me, so I’ll bid you adieu for now.
Oh dip…I almost forgot? Did you hear about the meteor flyby happening on/around April 10??? HAHAHAHAHAHA OMFG. My BFF is happy because it’s her birthday meteor, but sad because it’s going to miss. I’m sad it’s going to miss, too, but still think it’s hysterical it’s on the same day as the FFVII Remake. Maybe Sephiroth has bad depth perception. I mean, don’t cats miss things right under their noses and he has kitty cat eyes XD Anyway, I’m done. I’m just going to continue cackling as I leave you with this.
Facts.
<–The State of the Reader: 2/26/20 The State of the Reader: 3/25/20–>
The Shameful Narcissist Speaks 
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Dracula is so good 🙂 I’m glad you’re enjoying it! And Jonathan’s diary is so intense at the end, I remember wanting to get back into his story, only to get wrapped up in Mina’s story haha.
And that asteroid coincidence is… kinda fun, actually. I’m not hoping for a direct impact, myself, but yes, sort of funny that it’s happening on FF7 day!
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I think someone was telling me about a series for it on Netflix. I know I’m going to want to watch that as well as the Bram Stoker’s Dracula movie once I’m done.
I think it’s hilarious XD
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I loved Valley of Amazement. I didn’t think I would at first but I think I finished it in like two days. It was the first book I ever read by Amy Tan.
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I really want to read it! I’ve been a huge fan of Amy Tan for years. I read The Joy Luck Club, Kitchen God’s Wife, The Hundred Secret Senses, and recently The Bonesetter’s Daughter. I tried to read Saving Fish from Drowning a few years ago, but put it to the side, though I’ll probably try again. There’s something so lyrical about her writing.
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I’ve also read The Bonesetter’s Daughter and the Joy Luck Club. I love her writing style. I need to read more books by her.
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I am getting so into this book now that I’ve had more time to read it. It’s hard to put down. I’m hoping I can finish it with the time I have left to borrow. If not, I might just have to buy it myself.
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