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The State of the Reader: 3/8/23

/ The Shameful Narcissist / 4 Comments

<–The State of the Reader: 12/14/22         The State of the Reader: 3/22/23–>

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: 10

Total: $19.21

Books Finished: 3

Title: The Cruel Prince
Series: The Folk of the Air
Author: Holly Black
Date Added: August 1, 2019
Date Started: October 31, 2022
Date Finished: January 3, 2023

Media: eBook/Kindle

I had mixed feelings about this one.  For the most part I liked it: enemies to lovers, slow burn, and all that, but some of the shit Jude did was so unbelievably stupid it was hard to suspend my disbelief.  Yes, even beyond the foolishness most YA protagonists do.  There’s also something about the world building that bothers me, but I can’t put my finger on it.  It’s meant to show how common the weirdness of faerie is for Jude and her twin sister, but it almost makes it come off as shallow as opposed to just every day strangeness.  I put the next book on my TBR list, but I don’t know when I’m going to get to it.

Note: I’m just going to list out the other two books I finished since I started them after I put this post on impromptu hiatus.  Sorry, I just have a lot of catching up to do and lack the time and energy to do my regular detailed post.

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The State of the Reader: 12/14/22

/ The Shameful Narcissist / 1 Comment

<–The State of the Reader: 11/30/22         The State of the Reader: 3/8/23–>

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: 3

Total: $15.97

Books Finished: 0

Books On Hold: 1

Title: Ecofeminism
Series Title: Critique Influence Change
Authors: Maria Mies & Vandana Shiva
Date Added: July 13, 2020
Date Started: May 3, 2022

Cover of Ecofeminism by Maria Mies & Vandana ShivaMedia: Paperback

I shelved this in order to switch to another research book for a bit.  I got some amazing notes from this one, and obviously intend to go back.

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The State of the Reader: 11/30/22

/ The Shameful Narcissist / 2 Comments

<–The State of the Reader: 11/16/22         The State of the Reader: 12/14/22–>

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.

Books Purchased: 1

Total: $2.99

Books Finished: 0

Books On Hold: 1

Title: The Cruel Prince
Series: The Folk of the Air
Author: Holly Black
Date Added: August 1, 2019
Date Started: October 31, 2022

Media: eBook/Kindle

Not on hold by choice.  The library loan ended before I could finish, and it’s a high demand book so I wasn’t able to renew.  I had to go back on the waiting list, so it’s on hold until I get it again.

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The State of the Reader: 11/16/22

/ The Shameful Narcissist / 5 Comments

<–The State of the Reader: 11/2/22         The State of the Reader: 11/30/22–>

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.

Books Purchased: 1

Total: $0.00

Books Finished: 1

Title: The Charmer, Volume 1
Series: Anita Blake, Vampire Hunter: Circus of the Damned
Author: Laurell K. Hamilton & Jessica Ruffner (adaptation)
Illustrator: Ron Lim
Date Added: September 25, 2022
Date Started: October 13, 2022
Date Finished: November 6, 2022

Cover of Anita Blake, Vampire Hunter: Circus of the Damned, Volume 1: The Charmer by Laurell K. HamiltonMedia: Paperback

I was 100% certain I was going to (want to) continue this series when I first started reading it, but as I mentioned last week I think I’ve matured beyond the “possessive paranormal boyfriend” type into more of the “protective but respecting of boundaries paranormal boyfriend/husbando type.”  I mean it’s what all of my fanfics focus on.  In all seriousness there’s a major issue with lack of consent and this whole concept of “owning” people (yes, vampires, lycanthropes et al are people insofar as they’re sentient beings), which is never challenged by the narrative.  If I do keep reading, though, I have enough conflicting feelings for it to make for some good critique.

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The State of the Reader: 11/2/22

/ The Shameful Narcissist / 7 Comments

<–The State of the Reader: 10/19/22         The State of the Reader: 11/16/22–>

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.

Books Purchased: 2

Total: $3.98

Books Finished: 1

Title: Flowers for the Sea
Author: Zin E. Rocklyn
Date Added: December 4, 2021
Date Started: October 18, 2022
Date Finished: October 27, 2022

Cover of Flowers from the Sea by Zin E. RocklynMedia: eBook/Kindle

This was decent.  I wanted some more information about the nature of the pregnancy/child, but it did live up to it’s Rosemary’s Baby reference if not Octavia Butler.  Since I haven’t read her yet I can’t say, though I do understand why her name was invoked.  I think the author was going for the more vague “the unknown is horrifying” angle, but some more details would’ve been nice.  The final line of the novel is bad ass though.

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The State of the Reader: 10/5/22

/ The Shameful Narcissist / 1 Comment

<–The State of the Reader: 9/21/22         The State of the Reader: 10/19/22–>

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.

Books Purchased: 3

Total: $7.97

Books Finished: 1

Title: We Have Always Lived in the Castle
Author: Shirley Jackson
Date Added: September 18, 2019
Date Started: September 20, 2022
Date Finished: September 28, 2022

Cover of We Have Always Lived in the Castle by Shirley JacksonMedia: eBook/Kindle

I think I understand why this book has a rating under 4.00 on Goodreads, though I disagree with the reasoning; people didn’t like the ending, but it made perfect sense for these characters.  I’ll even admit I was hoping for something different as it was closing out, but after I finished and thought about it, it was the best ending it could gotten, and it wasn’t what I expected.

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The State of the Reader: 9/7/22

/ The Shameful Narcissist / 3 Comments

<–The State of the Reader: 8/24/22         The State of the Reader: 9/21/22–>

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.

Books Purchased: 0

Books Finished: 2

Title: The Ippos King
Series: Wraith Kings
Author: Grace Draven
Date Added: May 25, 2017
Date Started: June 29, 2022
Date Finished: August 27, 2022

Cover of The Ippos King by Grace Draven (Wraith Kings #3)Media: eBook/Kindle

I like how Anhuset and Serovek’s relationship was a foil to Brishen and Ildiko from the first book even as the plot set up from there continued.  Draven really shines when it comes to these slow burn romances.

Title: Truly Madly Guilty
Author: Liane Moriarity
Date Added: February 22, 2022
Date Started: August 22, 2022
Date Finished: September 7, 2022

Cover of Truly Madly GuiltyMedia: eBook/Library

Finished it right at the wire.  The loan expires tomorrow, and there wasn’t a choice to renew.  This was okay.  I’m really familiar with the author’s formula now since I’ve read like five or six of her books.  She has some very boomerish views lol, but I guess that’s to be expected for a white Australian woman of her age.  Moriarity does shine in building up the tension and making you want to know what the hell happened.   It’s similar to how she did Big Little Lies, and her bait-and-switches are always excellent as is her foreshadowing.

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The State of the Reader: 8/24/22

/ The Shameful Narcissist / 2 Comments

<–The State of the Reader: 8/10/22         The State of the Reader: 9/7/22–>

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.

Books Purchased: 1

Total: $0.99

Books Finished: 1

Title: Dark Places
Author: Gillian Flynn
Date Added: October 4, 2018
Date Started: August 1, 2022
Date Finished: August 21, 2022

Cover of Dark Places by Gillian FlynnMedia: eBook/Library

Woot!  I finished this before it was returned to the library.  I think this is the fastest I’ve read a book, and I’m so glad I did complete it.  I don’t think I could’ve waited on hold and probably would’ve wound up buying it.

I initially gave this four stars, but then I bumped it up to five.  The reason for the four stars was because I didn’t like the MC that much, but honestly?  You’re not supposed to.  Gillian Flynn has a knack for making unlikable main characters because the points she’s trying to make require it, and this book is no different.  Libby isn’t likable.  She has terrible habits.  She steals.  She lies.  She’s a mooch.   She’s also extremely traumatized from what she lived through.

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The State of the Reader: 8/10/22

/ The Shameful Narcissist / 6 Comments

<–The State of the Reader: 7/27/22         The State of the Reader: 8/24/22–>

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.

Books Purchased: 2

Total: $3.98

Books Finished: 0

Books DNF: 0

Books On Hold: 1

Title: Belly of the Beast: The Politics of Anti-Fatness as Anti-Blackness
Author: Da’Shaun L. Harrison
Date Added: February 11, 2022
Date Started: May 2, 2022
Date On Hold: August 1, 2022

Cover of Belly of the Beast by Da'Shaun HarrisonMedia: Paperback
Progress: 13%

This book is too heavy for me right now.  I’ve been struggling with what to watch lately, too.  I know those two sentences don’t seem to fit together, but they do.  There’s been this awkward balance of me needing something that will hold my attention but not be too intense.  Anyway, I’m going to shelve this for a bit and come back to it later.

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The State of the Reader: 7/27/22

/ The Shameful Narcissist / 4 Comments

<–The State of the Reader: 7/13/22         The State of the Reader: 8/10/22–>

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.

Books Purchased: 2

Total: $2.98

Books Finished: 0

Books DNF: 1

Title: The Darkest Part of the Forest
Author: Holly Black
Date Added: June 21, 2016
Date Started: June 28, 2022

Cover of The Darkest Part of the Forest by Holly BlackMedia: eBook/Kindle

I called it quits, and I think I understand why it has the lower rating.  It’s one of those intriguing at the outset stories that can’t keep up its momentum, and this one is more egregious because the author presents a thing we know has to happen (coffin boy waking up) and she has to maintain interest once that happens.  That can be accomplished by keeping some mystery about him or making him appealing in some other way.  Unfortunately, she does neither.  He’s…kind of a jackass lol, and the only reason either of the characters are interested in him romantically is for the sake of the plot.

I’m also not a big fan of the “fairies vs. humans” motif especially since the Fair Folk are indigenous to the land and, well, yeah, it’s their land.  Not that I think the tourists who wind up on their bad side deserve their fate, but if you’re going to ask me to pick sides in a land war, I’m siding with who was there first.

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