#I've read over 50 books in 2023 so far
Note
Saw your ask about going to a bookshop, got any book recommendations for someone who hasn't read many books in a while? Which type of stories intrigue you the most? Do you like movies? If so, which genres, which flicks?
T Count: 10
Letter Count: 172
Your T Percentage: 5.81%
Average T Percentage: 9.45%
You used the letter T 0.61 times as much as average.
—
My favourite fiction genre is fantasy, and I do so love @neil-gaiman's books; I've read 6 of his books so far this year. I've also read a few books from people here on Tumblr, such as Time to Orbit: Unknown and Curse Words by @derinthescarletpescatarian or Hunger Pangs by @thebibliosphere, or When The Angels Left The Old Country by @kuttithevangu. They're all lovely authors, and I think that Derin's books would be especially wondrous for someone who hasn't read in a while - they're tremendously engaging. I have also read a lot of other fiction this year, not by authors on Tumblr, but if we were to talk about all of the books I've read, we'd be here all day.
In terms of non-fiction, I tend to like books to do with religion, sociology, and anthropology. I've been reading a few books about the intersection of religion and queer identity lately, including the book I got yesterday. We also tried to look for Gathering Moss, which has been on my to read list for a while, as I loved Braiding Sweetgrass. Sadly, although Gathering Moss was meant to be on the shelf, it couldn't be found, so I couldn't get it yesterday.
Some other books I've got at that bookshop recently included the Wizard of Earthsea trilogy by Ursula K Le Guin, which I haven't read yet, and People Love Dead Jews, which was rather informative. It is a rather lovely bookshop; it's quite small, but it is an independent bookshop and publisher and tends to have books that the larger bookshops don't tend to have.
In terms of films, I tend to prefer either older films, odd films, or a mixture of the two.
#t#less#t ask#yes i love reading#I've read over 50 books in 2023 so far#I am inflicting my book essay upon ye#i am so normal about books
104 notes
·
View notes
Text
Encyclopedia Eorzea III: Werlyt thoughts
How is this the second Werlyt thoughts/reactions post I've written in 2023. The Sorrow of Werlyt ended over 2 years ago
This is literally just Werlyt (so also Gaius and Raen) musings, I'll actually finish reading the rest of the book later...
It's beautiful. I've looked at this for 24 hours now
Holy shit, all this Werlyt lore… Gaius was viceroy of Werlyt for TWENTY YEARS?? In-game it sounded like he led the invasion during the epidemic 10 years ago, when you see him adopt the Raen kids, but otherwise wasn’t too deeply involved... but it was under Garlean control since the very start of the Empire? Gaius came into the picture midway through, after it briefly rebelled.
"A young Gaius van Baelsar" capturing Werlyt when he was 30... I guess him being legatus in his thirties makes complete sense with the timeframe of Ala Mhigo, but having it spelled out so plainly… wow
Thinking about the memory of Gaius in the Emerald Weapon trial being a 30 year old is so funny. You jumped-up little shit
It’s hard to pin down dates because everything is measured in years after Werlyt was taken, without it ever giving a starting date, but you can work backwards… the rebellion 30 years post conquering + 20 years of Gaius as viceroy + 5 years before ARR when Gaius begins advance on Eorzea in 1.0 = 55 years ago. The Empire is also 55 years old, which lines up:
Between 55 and 455 years ago: Werlyt is founded (happens after Gyr Abania is unified, but Werlyt is still described as “newly formed” when it was conquered, so definitely closer on the scale to 55)
55 years ago: Werlyt falls under the Empire
25 years ago: While the Empire is stretched thin conquering the Far East, the Werlytians stage a revolt and retake the province. Gaius comes in to quell it, and becomes viceroy after the previous one is killed (Gaius is 31 yrs old) (This is also the year Doma is conquered, so that also lines up)
20 years ago: Ala Mhigo is conquered, Gaius is also made viceroy there
15 years ago: Gaius’s fuckup at the Battle of Silvertear, and when he starts to lose favour in Garlemald
10 years ago: The epidemic, when the Raen kids are orphaned
5 years ago: Gaius leaves for the invasion of Eorzea (1.0), which eventually leaves Valens as viceroy after the events at the Praetorium
Did the epidemic happen under his watch? The flashback of him first reaching out to Allie and Alfonse makes sense to be 10 years ago, but the energy of that scene was very much “arriving to a situation” and not that… it was already under his jurisdiction…
I don’t know how I feel about the change of context here, at least in my understanding of it. It honestly feels a bit of a shock that Werlyt has been under the Empire for 50 years? They never stated any specific years, but I always read it as a decade or so? Long enough for it to become their new lives, short enough that people still remember life before. Gaius coming in to “save” Werlyt from the epidemic by way of conquering it was this mixed bag that ultimately did build towards his character thesis of “good intentions stuck in a bad system”. To think the epidemic technically happened under his watch is new and strange, I dunno. I need to replay it with this in mind to see if it checks out
Especially with that one post-Emerald scene where Gaius is all “Things were shit in MY legion? But I ran a tight ship” lmao… I know a lot of people take the piss out of that scene thinking that he was only discovering racism for the first time in his life (he literally has scenes in ARR about stamping out discrimination in his Legion), but I always read it as his ego meaning he believed that his influence and word over his Legion was immovable, that nobody would behave that way because he told them not to. It complements his view that he always thought he was doing good, but not yet having had the blinders of being a cog in the fascist system removed. These things will always still happen. It would be good to see that scene again, with all this context of the epidemic happening during his time as viceroy... If the times are all correct, I feel like him being stretched thin between Ala Mhigo and Werlyt is a part of this
The “all the good Gaius had achieved” line in regards to him building up Werlyt as viceroy makes me wince, while I do like engaging with Gaius having good intentions, just talking about all the good he did and not the fact it was still a conquered territory + the epidemic? Even I’m balking at that, and I’m a Gaius enjoyer. Slow down here. I’m looking at the artwork of destroyed Werlyt from when he re-conquered it right below this paragraph LOL
The Raen of Werlyt migrating there directly from Corvos, to the point that their religion and food is still Corvosi-inspired... seeing it spelled out so plainly after this incredibly fleeting and brief image from FanFest... wow. I get to feel even more insane over Corvos, now
Really curious about the timeframes, still. If Raen only arrived in Werlyt a little over 50 years ago, in one fell swoop they have turned Albi's Welytian grandmother into a Corvosi grandmother
Werlyt religion being polytheistic, seemingly a fusion of the Twelve and Corvosi religion… I NEED TO KNOW ABOUT CORVOS…
I love the kind of demographics you get from these books:
Werlyt currently undergoing negotiations with Ul’dah for ceruleum, so they can continue mining… Gaius overseeing said negotiations in Ul’dah, Ul’dah is Albi’s turf... Thinking about them in Ul’dah together. It’s actually so fun thinking about Gaius visiting so many Eorzean city states as an envoy. He’s helping, but also he’s keeping his god damn head down (or in a chicken suit)
Werlyt’s main food being stewed dishes is just another thing that lines up with what I imagined, mostly just because it’s what I figured Albi and Gaius would eat a lot (both from cold places, they both know how to cook simple stuff but aren’t master culinarians)
Cheese being a major export to Garlemald, and there being a major cheese presence in Garlemald already (via Ovibos milk, so native to Garlemald itself and not all imported)... cheese lore
There’s way too much dairy talk in here, “dairy enthusiasts” pleeeeasseeee stop making my favourite place like this when I’m lactose intolerent
After The Sorrow of Werlyt says that Terncliff is too high above the ocean to fish, but then Tataru’s Grand Endeavour had orphans collecting seashells, I was so confused on whether or not Werlyt has beaches or not. I’m glad they clarified that there are a few harbours amongst the cliffs.
All of this geography and agriculture lore is neat just in that it’s showing that Werlyt is really quite big. You never really get a full sense of scale in-game, between Terncliff and what we see of the main Werlyt town (?) during Emerald trial/post-Diamond
We have three Werlytian surnames – Hunte, Souther, and Horne!
Severa Souther and Valdeaulin Ganathain… I care them. Severa is only 23, bless her heart. Valdeaulin being 48 is just exactly what I’d assumed/hoped.
The leader of the interim government is Talbot Hunte. Have we seen him..? I’m picturing the Revolutionary Commander in my mind when I read that, but I don't think he was ever named
All of these Werlytian names (surnames, and Hyur first names) have a Germanic feel, while Severa and the Raen kids have Latin-based names. The Raen in Werlyt originate from Corvos, so I am hoping it’s because they are sticking to Corvos being the root of the Latin-based Garlean language, as it should be? Severa had a Garlean parent? Hmm
Bereft at the casual mention of “the bravery of the Baelsars and the Warrior of Light”… THE BAELSARS
Kind of sad they straight-coded Milisandia by giving her a crush on Alfonse. That lizard was one of the gay ones :/
I think Gaius is possibly the first character to get a second Encyclopedia Eorzea entry. I was hoping he would, but had low expectations bc they've never given any other recurring characters new entries... but they did this, for me
“... and though his quest for vengeance would claim the masks of Altima and Deudalaphon, the hunt for Ascians was quickly set aside when he learned of the Empire’s plans to produce the noxious weapon Black Rose” – Black Rose is important and thematic, but seeing the Ascian plot dropped so abruptly even in this book is breaking my heart all over again LMAO
So extremely cool that there are 6 pages just about the Ultima Weapons!! Including the Allagan iterations, the original ARR project, and the second project during Werlyt
I do like the line “According to the testimony of Gaius Baelsar…” in the section about the Ultima Weapon, about how Lahabrea guided them to it. Gaius sat and gave testimony to the Alliance about a lot of things, huh!
I also like the confirmation that Proto-Ultima is the last iteration the Allagans made, and that all the visuals of the Ultima Weapon are magitek and Garlean-made. It’s hard to tell, since the earlier Ultima Warrior has them too, but the fact that Ultima Weapon’s horns look like Gaius’s helmet means it was done on purpose… kinda moe. Nero trying to impress his legatus
Interesting that the Heart of Sabik is mentioned so clearly, and that Valens knew he couldn’t recreate it… but still acquired a piece of Ivalician auracite to base the Oversoul system on. Reading this all post-Pandaemonium is enlightening
Seems that the “third eye” looking chestpiece on the cuirass of legatus armour is the synthetic auracite they used for the same purpose as soul crystals! Having a visual on that is neat
Another extremely obvious hint that Nero made the second (red) G-Savior, which only makes Gaius not finding out he was still alive until Tataru’s Grand Endeavour so funny/weird. Nero literally must have been in Werlyt!! The Ironworks were talking about him constantly! Gaius, are you stupid! (yeah)
14 notes
·
View notes
Text
top 10 books of 2023!!
thank you for tagging me, @elskanellis! i started drafting this right away, ran out of time to post it on 12/31, and am ~circling back now. i read 50 books in 2023, and these are my top 10 faves!
titles, brief #thoughts, etc. under the cut!
Himself, by Jess Kidd
this was so incredible and heart-wrenching and exciting to read. devastatingly beautiful/cheerful dirtbag lad busts into a small irish village to find out what happened to his mother, who was almost certainly murdered, and turns everything upside down. every character is so entertaining and funny and sharp, even the villains. the ending is incredible.
The Winners, by Fredrik Backman
i'd recommend this whole series, even if you don't care about hockey; it's so, so good and emotionally devastating. at its base, the series is about a hockey team in sweden, but really, this series belongs to the character of Benji Ovich, and it's a masterclass in building up a queer hero. it's unflinching in dealing with all that he goes through, and handles a lot of really difficult topics with deftness. the heart of his story, for me, is the question of what happens when you're in love with your best friend who is actually a despicable, evil person, and how can you ever forgive yourself for it?
The Iliad, translated by Emily Wilson
do i have to evangelize this one anymore? it's so fucking good. i've read it about 10 times at this point, i just couldn't bring myself to be finished with it. it's so refreshing and approachable and makes every single character leap off the page. it doesn't pull a single emotional punch (because homer doesn't! and wilson's like "don't look away!")
A Map for the Missing, by Belinda Huijuan Tang
this is one of those books that really comes together as a whole; i didn't know it was going to be a fave until i was finished with it. a chinese immigrant has to go back home to help search for his elderly father, who's gone missing. as he goes, every single thread of his past is tugged on and unravelled and the complexity and depth the narrative achieves is really astounding. the last few pages are an absolute gut-punch.
A Power Unbound, by Freya Marske
purely here for how it redeemed the entire series for me. i'm actually not a big romance person, though i did read more romance than ever this year; i just usually tend to get bored with the same sorts of romance tropes over and over (probably because that's what i read fic to get, not tradpub novels). this one doesn't do anything new or reinvent those tropes or anything, it's just really, really good and engaging and hot. the romance outshines the magic system/plot by far. i'd recommend the series overall, but this one has the best relationship in it AINEC.
Emily Wilde's Encyclopedia of Faeries, by Heather Fawcett
why do i always like middle grade authors who pivot to adult books waaay more than YA authors who do the same? like how are they so much better? that's definitely the case here. this is really fun fairy book (i went through a fairy phase over the summer) and packed a surprising emotional punch and a really lovely romance. i think it helped that the main character have major howl and sophie vibes. i'm excited for the sequel to come out in a few weeks!
Slewfoot, by Brom
god this was absolutely horrifying and brutal and also incredible? i actually can't believe this is here because it lost me through some of the worst of the witch trial torture (it goes really hard on it, as a warning, and i almost stopped there. her poor cat :/ i can almost never handle it when a cat dies) but!! i'm glad i stuck through because of the ending, which is phenomenal and makes every other bit of it worth it. the mythology is terrific and terrifying, too.
Small Things Like These, by Claire Keegan
possibly the best novella i've ever read? it just packs an incredible punch; it doesn't waste a single word, every square inch is a devastating look at the magdalene laundries and it doesn't hold back at all. so, so good.
Half a Soul, by Olivia Atwater
i'm so glad i discovered olivia atwater this year! this was during the Fairy Phase and it was just really fun and engaging. again, big howl and sophie vibes (this is such a high compliment from me) and i really love the second book in this series, too. it's just a really fun world to get lost in, and i'm excited to read more from this author this year.
He Who Drowned the World, by Shelley Parker-Chan
i had some problems with this, and i didn't love it as much as the first book, though i actually think most of those problems could've been solved with a third book and a longer runway. really wish this was a trilogy. that being said, this was still incredible. i loved every single narrative thread, there were zero emotional punches pulled, and i still think about these characters all the time. read this series if you haven't!!
#book talk#bookblr#2023 reads#book reviews#book recs#excited for 2024 already; i'm going back to 40 books lol#50 was too much pressure#40 is good because if i read more then it's just gravy!
19 notes
·
View notes
Text
2023 Reading Summary
I'm late...again... It's hardly a surprise. However, I've finally looked at my reading for 2023. The only stats I tracked this year was the genre, and even this was a simplified version because I decided I don't care. I spent most of my time this year recording what I thought about the books I read not the data surrounding them. And, if I'm honest, I don't think I'll even bother with the genre in 2024.
The Numbers
In total I read 84 books, which considering I've been working or training full time all year is surprising for me. On average I tend to read 60-70 books in a normal year, usually towards the lower end, so almost 20 books over that is a very pleasant surprise.
The biggest surprise has been my change in most read genre! I've only recorded 4 genres, classic, nonfiction, fantasy, and general fiction, these broke down to:
Classic 53%
Fantasy 31%
Nonfiction 12%
General fiction 4%
Fantasy is usually my top genre with over 50%, so this is a change (I don't think it will be permanent). However the largest shock is the nonfiction! I never read nonfiction for fun, but I guess this is a change from leaving university. I don't have to learn for work anymore, so I'm now looking into these things for fun as the mood takes me. I am disappointed these haven't been history books, however, I'm hoping to change that in 2024 and it has been nice learning more about literature in 2023.
Top Three Books
I tried to do a top 5 but the gap between 3 and 4 was too large, so I've narrowed it down to a top 3.
Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell by Susanna Clarke
The Tombs of Atuan by Ursula K. Le Guin
Evelina by Fanny Burney
I loved all of these books in different ways, and I think I've done a mini review of each in the months I read them. However, if anyone wants detailed thoughts then I'm more than happy to talk about any of these books.
Biggest Surprises
The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes by Suzanne Collins
Silas Marner by George Eliot
Goblin Market and Other Poems by Christina Rossetti
Fugitive Prince by Janny Wurts
All of these were excellent, they just weren't quite in my top three.
Most Disappointing
Witches: James I and the English Witch-Hunts by Tracy Borman
The Fitz and the Fool Trilogy by Robin Hobb (I DNFed this series after Fool's Quest and I'm heartbroken, but I have major issues with this trilogy in a way I couldn't keep reading as it was destroying my love for Fitz.)
Tress of the Emerald Sea by Brandon Sanderson (this is standing in for all of the secret project books)
Goals (Sort Of...)
To continue the surprises... I've only listened to 4 audiobooks, so most of those books were read physically or through an ebook. This is huge for me as I used to consume about a third of my books through audio, it's a massive improvement because I don't retain them very well. Listening to fewer audiobooks was a big part of my informal (in other words unwritten) reading goals and I'm very happy to have got it down this far. I do think it'll go up again next year because I've got a lengthy commute to work now, but I've also broken the habit of sitting at home listening when I could easily read the book myself and get more out of it.
I did as well with not worrying about numbers or data surrounding the books I'm reading. I deliberately retired my spreadsheet this year and only kept up with my reading journal. After a week or so I didn't miss it in the slightest. I'm not a hard data/stats kind of person, but I am easily persuaded to keep these sorts of records. I started keeping a spreadsheet in 2019 where I track genre, pages, author gender, and format in addition to the book information, by 2022 I was tracking book info, series, genre, format, author info (just too much to list), pages, month read, where I bought the book, if it was a tbr, new or library read, reread or new to me, and rating. It was too much! It was hard work, I was MISERABLE, and I didn't care. It was performing to the standards of what you see in the reading community online... So, I ditched the spreadsheet and I've been much happier. I've read better books because I haven't had my stats in mind, and I've read more. I had more time to actually read because I haven't been spending an inordinate amount of time researching books and entering data into a spreadsheet! I'm definitely making this a permanent change.
I've also used my ereader a lot more this year, I have no numbers to back this up but I've naturally been reaching for it regularly and it has done me good. I've not only read more frequently and for longer periods of time, but I've been more comfortable while reading (no more back, neck, or arm strain from 1000+ page fantasy tomes!) and I've tried books I was hesitant about buying physically because I could access a digital copy. I did have a massive problem with my ereader in November because my Kobo Libra 2 started to have battery changes that nothing resolved and then it died completely. Unfortunately I lost a lot of my reading data, including my notes, which has upset me. But I have saved my elibrary and bought a "new" device (it's a Boox Nova 3) so I can still read - I might discuss getting a Boox separately. However, I am much more cautious about note taking through a device and I'm sticking to recording everything in my physical journal.
This brings me nicely onto my reading journal. I wanted to overhaul my journal this year because my old journal format was growing stale and uninspiring to use. I was often leaving it for weeks at a time and often scrambling to write up 5 or 6 books in one go because I'd forgotten to do it as I was reading. So, I worked through several different styles of journal and found a new, more flexible, and engaging style that can fit my changing moods throughout the year. I'm definitely going to discuss this at a later date, so I won't say much here. But I am very happy to have a new journal system and I'm excited to get into it properly this year.
#books#reading#books of 2023#reading summary#end of year reflection#bookblr#booklr#best of 2023#worst of 2023#reading goals#reading journal
11 notes
·
View notes
Text
mthedm ---> mymaleficaria
Hi gang! I've had this blog since high school, but somewhere in college it fell into disuse and disrepair. I've been itching to get back on here, as a space on the internet that's not...ya know *gestures at the Twitter-sized elephant in the room*. But I also wanted to go in with a fresh coat of paint and reintroduce myself to y'all, maybe even make some new friends (or enemies. That could be hot.) A lot has changed!
Wait, why do I follow you?
Statistically, you followed me because of Wolf 359! I was big into podcasts back in the day, WTNV, Wolf 359, all those. I also wrote some Wolf 359 fics and was semi-active on the discord. Still fondly remember the show and might reblog fanart once in awhile, but it's not the direction this blog's going to go, so feel free to unfollow if what up I'm to now isn't your jam.
What's this blog about now?
Wouldn't you like to know, weatherboy? Frankly, I'm ADHD as fuck, so that'll vary by the day, but I have a few fandoms (do we still say fandoms in the year of our lord 2023???) that I've been into lately.
Dimension 20: I started watching D20 a little less than a year ago, and it entirely took over my life. It's just a series that's so robustly funny, wonderfully told, and never fails to make me smile. I'm especially fond of ACOC and Fantasy High.
Dracula Daily: I'm in this shit for the long haul! I think Lucy and Mina should kiss, but that's neither here nor there.
Game of Thrones/HotD: This show ended in a trash fire, but it literally lives in my head rent free. The political intrigue, the drama. Ugh. I'm a targ girlie through and through, so I've been eating up HotD, though it's nowhere near as good imo. Am also currently reading the 1st ASOIAF book.
YA lit/Whatever I'm reading/watching: I've read almost 50 books this year so far, and am frankly, insane. Bonus points for queer reads! Not many people to talk about books to irl, so might ramble about them on here instead. Also watch a lot of random TV drama and some anime.
Writing: I'm a fanfic writer, and a fiction writer in general, so I'll post stuff about writing--complaints, story snippets, link to my fics, etc! Headcanons and all will be found here. I've also copyedited before, which is like writing but if you get even more nitpicky about it.
Personal/Whatever the hell I feel like/My D&D Games: Life happens and sometimes you want to scream into the void. Ramblings, jokes, whatever. I transed my gender in the past few years and sometimes I'm mad about it! I also just graduated college! Madness! I play a lot of TTRPGs, and I'm usually on brainrot for one of my characters at any given time.
Why's your new username that?
One of my favorite book series is The Scholomance by Naomi Novik, and in the series, Maleficaria are the horrifying monsters that threaten to kill the students every day, and what is tumblr if not a place full of vile, evil beings? Plus, it means you all can call me Mal.
Anything else?
Nope! Other than to feel free to drop me a line and say hello, especially if you want to scream about D20. I'm p alone in this brainrot irl, so I'm pretty much always down to talk about the Bad Kids... especially Adaine and Fabian. I'm also always down to take fic suggestions in my asks! This show genuinely lifts me up when I'm down, so sharing it with people is one of my favorite things.
My fics (shortlist):
In Sweetness, There is Violence: Angsty ACOC one-shot about if Ruby had made a different choice in the finale. Obligatory Caramelinda Caramelinda-ing.
the words i speak are wildfires: A HOTD one-shot I intended to be smut, that ended up instead being more like a romantic sapphic moment of healing between Alicent and Rhaenyra. What can I say? I like childhood friends to enemies to lovers.
Stay Stellar: An unfinished (and, very likely, discontinued) 15-chapter high school AU for Wolf 359 that I wrote with an old friend. Featuring some truly crazy shenanigans, a lot of embarrassing Kepcobi moments, and a surprising amount of theatre.
#mal speaks#dimension 20#d20#a crown of candy#intro post#fantasy high#game of thrones#asoiaf#dungeons and drag queens#dadq#the scholomance#dracula daily
7 notes
·
View notes
Text
2023 Updated Resolutions and Progress (September):
Be in bed every night by 9 PM.
Lose 5 pounds without resorting to disordered behaviors.
Read a minimum of 35 books by the end of the year. I'm currently at 29 books read.
I've listened to over 2500 bands this year, which means I've met my goal!
Learn Python. I took Code in Place and learned a ton!
Go back to university. Classes start in September!
Read The New Yorker within a week of when it arrives.
As it turns out, that job pays an extra $6 per hour on top of what I'm making at my current side gig. I should find out if I got the job by the end of August.
2023 Updated Resolutions and Progress (July):
Be in bed by 10 PM every night. For the most part, I have done this successfully. However, I've been waking up around 4 am and am having difficulty falling back asleep. It's not severe yet, but I'm worried that it will be eventually.
Lose 5 more pounds WITHOUT resorting to disordered eating.
Read a minimum of 30 books. My original goal was 25 books, but I've finished reading 27 books so far. I figured I'd raise the bar. I'm currently knee-deep in something like 26 other books and don't know how many I'll finish by the end of the year.
Listen to at least 2500 different bands/musicians this year. As of this moment, I've listened to 2326 bands in 2023. Honestly, I'm a little sick of seeking out new music and have begun listening to bands from when I was a teen 1000000 years ago.
Learn Python. I took Code in Place and learned a ton. I'd like to learn more, but I'm putting Python and Coursera classes on hold for the next goal...
Which is going back to university to become a licensed secondary math teacher. I've been accepted into the program I applied to and am psyched about it. University starts in September.
Read The New Yorker within a week of its arrival. I've managed to do this but don't know if I'll stick with it once work and school start up.
Get the third job I'm applying for. It's basically the same sort of job as job #2, but it pays an extra $12 per four-hour shift to reimburse the cost of transportation.
2023 Original Resolutions:
Be in bed by 9 PM every night.
Lose 10 more pounds (I lost 13 last year).
Read a minimum of 25 books. This is a super realistic goal, and I'm sure I'll read more than 25 books.
Listen to at least 2500 different bands/musicians this year.
Finish the Energy and Momentum course I'm taking. Earn >90%.
Take the Rotational Motion and Gravitation course.
Take the Electric Charges and Fields course.
2023 Updated Resolutions (April):
Be in bed by 10 PM every night.
Lose 10 pounds.
Read a minimum of 25 books. I’ve finished 17 so far.
Listen to at least 2000 different bands/musicians this year. I’ve listened to 1083 bands so far.
Finish the Energy and Momentum course I’m taking. Earn > 90%. I’ve put this on hold to start learning Python, but still plan to finish this year. I’m around 50% through the course.
Learn Python via Coursera, Zenva Academy, and Code in Place 2023 (if my application is accepted).
Begin working through problems on Project Euler using Python.
Read The New Yorker within a week of its arrival.
3 notes
·
View notes
Note
1, 5, and 10 for the 2023 Book Asks, please?
1. Best book you have read in 2023 so far
Without a doubt, The Unlikely Escape of Uriah Heep by H.G. Parry. Kudos to my girl Anna for insisting I read it ASAP; it was excellent in every way. It scratched the itch of this literature lover, and it's all about two brothers, which makes any story better. I read the last 50 pages or so on the night of my fiasco of a birthday, stayed up way too late on a weeknight, sobbed my heart out, and loved every minute of it. The ending was perfect. I still need to get my own copy of it....
5. Biggest disappointment
On Goodreads, I only use two tags to organize my books (besides read/currently reading/want to read): "worth reading" and "not worth reading." So far, my choices seem to be pretty good this year, because there's only one I've tagged "not worth reading": Unfinished Business: Notes of a Chronic Re-Reader by Vivian Gornick.
I thought it was going to be a fun little book extolling the virtues of rereading when far too many people just read a book once, check it off their list, and move on without a backward glance. (I know my brother, at least, has always thought me a bit strange for rereading my favorites over and over again when I already know everything that happens in them.) Unfortunately, while this book did broadly fit that description, it ended up being an autobiographical recounting of the author's feminist awakening and how that changed the way she read some of her favorites - none of which I've read and most of which I'd never even heard of. Once I realized that's what it was about, I skimmed the rest of the book. Not at all what I was looking for. Guess that's what I get for putting a book on my list based on the title alone.
10. A book that made you happy
Well, clearly Uriah Heep made me happy, but I'll talk about another one. I recently read Dealing with Dragons by Patricia C. Wrede, the first of the Enchanted Forest Chronicles. It was such light-hearted fun, playing around so whimsically with fairy tales in general and dragons in particular. And any story with dragons in it of any description will make me happy, because as I always say, dragons make anything ten times cooler <3
The Year So Far Book Ask Game
2 notes
·
View notes
Text
so i've been having a ton of difficulty getting any (non-fanfic) reading done for the past like, year. audiobooks, which are my go-to, have been a struggle to get through, and i went from reading over 50 books in 2021 to reading like, 10 in 2022, and so far i've completed one YA novel in 2023.
but then earlier this week i found the audiobook version of a series i've read before and love and i've gotten through 1 book and am 2 hours into the second in like 4 days??
apparently the problem is not 'can't read' the problem is 'need to read really familiar easy stuff'
#anyway i am so glad i have missed audiobooks#i think i'm just gonna let myself relisten to stuff to make it a bit easier#reading#books
4 notes
·
View notes
Note
1, 17, 24, 25! For the reading ask :)
How many books did you read this year?
so far, 46! i am almost finished with bands of mourning and then i plan to read secret history and lost metal before 2023! so hopefully 48 by the end of the year (which is soooo close to 50 which has always been a goal of mine to read 50 books in a year but it's okay! there will be other years to get there!)
17. Did any books surprise you with how good they were?
i feel like in general everthing i've read of becky chambers this year has surpassed my expectations (which is saying something because i thought i would like them anyway!!) but almost every single one i've given 5 stars i think (which is a rare rating for me, so you know!!)
24. Did you DNF anything? Why?
i have a really bad habit of not knowing when to quit so although i haven't DNF'd anything yet, i do have quite a few books i have put aside to return to at some unknown point in the future. most notably probably fossil capital by andreas malm (how to blow up a pipeline was such a good book okay i think i was expecting the same vibes from this one too but it is far more academic and history-based. still a good time i am just reading it incredibly slow. also it's a reference heavy 700 page academic text so like, you know.)
25. What reading goals do you have for next year?
i want to re-read the red rising series ahead of lightbringer's publication and i'll probably start my stormlight re-read towards the end of the year in preparation for kow! aside from that it would be nice to get through a couple more wheel of time books if i can stomach it. authors i want to read more of include n k jemisin, octavia e butler, and ursula k le guin. i would also like to read more nonfiction (i read a few this year but overall it was very fiction-based!)
that's my very brief reding plan for 2023 but also i read a lot this year and haven't written very much so i think next year i'd like to focus on writing more! so less obsessing over my storygraph stats and reading x amount of books and instead just reading what i want when i want!
2 notes
·
View notes
Text
December 2023 Reading Update!
Despite how busy November was, I finished a bunch of things (though there were two short novellas and a DNF in there, to be fair)! So there's a bunch of mini-reviews ahead, balanced by the fact that December is a quiet month for publishing, so I don't have anything big to highlight coming up.
So here's the Keep Reading break for the Long Post ahead!
November Mini-Reviews
The Forest Brims Over by Maru Ayase - 4 stars
Each of the chapters is told from a different perspective, circling inward to Rui herself at the end. There's a lot of examination over gender roles and iniquities, though it plays a little softball with the subject for my taste. I tend to prefer when women are allowed their full rage, and kinda feel some folks were let off the hook a little easy.
Lone Women by Victor LaValle - 5 stars
This was a wild ride; I understand why folks can't say too much about this one, because the journey takes many unexpected turns. What you can expect is for the chills to come from human sources at least as often as supernatural ones. I'm more interested than ever to pick up The Changeling from LaValle now, as I've heard it's incredible, too.
Fresh Dirt from the Grave by Giovanna Rivero - DNF
As much as I enjoyed the first couple stories, there were iffy things in the next two or three that put me off, particularly with portrayals of Indigenous folks and disability. Chose not to finish and to leave it unrated.
The Crane Husband by Kelly Barnhill - 4.5 stars
Heartbreaking. Hard to say much without revealing too much for this short novella. Just be warned it's a lot of parental neglect and abuse for the main character.
Feed Them Silence by Lee Mandelo - 3 stars
I could make a full post as long as this one about my thoughts on this little novella. I will say the main character's already a mess going in, and the time spent with the wolf is actually not a whole lot. I could see the points the book was making, but the execution wasn't quite there for some of them. The prose was good, and I'm still interested in their novel, Summer Sons, for now.
Current December Reads
Speaking Bones by Ken Liu
Almost halfway through! Just got through a battle that lasted 100 pages, due to interludes about the development of the technologies involved, and that's delightfully typical of this series. 😹
Loot by Tania James
Almost 1/3rd through. Pleasantly surprised by how much I'm enjoying this, so far. As a history nerd, I personally recommend looking up the situation in Mysore, India around the time of Tipu Sultan's reign for extra context and immersion.
Organ Meat by K-Ming Chang
Less than 50 pages in, but already noted down so many bits of prose I adore. This is absolutely not for everybody, both for sheer quantity of bodily fluids and functions mentioned, but also its shifting narrative style. So far chapters have been in first person POV, third person POV, and pure dialog written in a script-like format. Absolutely loving it.
Recent Acquisitions
The Lizard Prince and Other South American Stories
I forgot to mention I received my copy of this from Iron Circus Comics a couple months ago, after backing their crowdfunding for it last year! This completes their Cautionary Fables & Fairytales series, covering the stories of six continents!
Tomb Sweeping by Alexandra Chang
My pick from Book of the Month for December! It's an anthology of short fiction spanning the US and parts of Asia.
There's a lot to do this month for the holidays and preparations for the new year, so I'm not loading up my reading radar for now. If I finish Loot, I'll likely pick up my other giveaway win, Our Shadows Have Claws, so I can review it. If I finish Organ Meats, the next library read will depend on a few things, including how accessible my preferred branches are with holiday hours and inclement weather concerns 🙀
Until next time, look forward to my posts for my Favorite Reads of 2023 and Favorite New Music of 2023, which I'll migrate here in lieu of the traditional Twitter threads.
Thanks for reading, and happy holidays!
1 note
·
View note
Text
Happy Birthday, Me!
Here's my annual birthday self-reflection using Mindvalley's Lifebook framework.
Health & Fitness
Score: 6.5
It's a year of mixed results. I've gained strength, but I've not made any traction aesthetically. I stopped running 100km /month in the middle of 2023. Instead, I've shifted my training to weight training. I am stronger - I'm even able to do a couple of assisted pull-ups using a light band - that was a pipe dream for me just a year ago. In place of running, I've been walking. I averaged 22k steps a day so far. My appetite shrunk but I am still 10lbs above my set weight. As of September, I was at 22.5% body fat. Not my ideal as I like to land between 18% to 20%.
2024 Goals: Unassisted pull-ups. Build muscles, lean out, shred.
Intellectual
Score: 7
My curiosity was rather fluid this year. Although I didn't read much, I ripped through a ton of podcasts. Given how much I walk daily, I consume information in audio format during my long walks, many of which feed my curiosity. I am more attuned with world affairs. I also have a rotation of smart friends whom I spar with intellectually.
2024 Goal: Return to words, lose myself in books. I miss reading.
Emotional
Score: 9
My then-boyfriend-now-ex and I called it off in the middle of 2023. Even though we didn't come to a happy ending, he gifted me emotional stability that presided even after our breakup. My relationship before him was so tumultuous it wrecked my emotional state. My ex reversed the damage with his love, his steadfastness and his emotional stability. Even after our breakup, I continue to benefit from the gift of our relationship. Even though the relationship is a 'was', I am so grateful for the mental state that 'is'. Thank you my forever man, thank you for loving me. You left an indelible mark in my life.
2024 Goal: Maintain
Character
Score: 8
For a stretch of time this year, I deliberated over a major decision, held back by fear. My buddy James saw it so clearly, and pointed it out oh-so-bluntly. It pricked when he called it like it was, but it snapped me out of my indecision. He made me see, I was acting out of fear. I made the difficult decision, and I've not look back since. Indecision, is in itself a decision.
2024 Goal: Maintain my personal Board of Directors, people like James help me catch my blindspots.
Spiritual
Score: 7
My focus in 2023 was not on spirituality, so I'm giving myself a pass on the score. What I am going to write about is not strictly on spirituality, but it's a distant cousin - giving back. I feel disconnected from frontline nonprofit work, from charitable giving and from altruism in general. My nonprofit work has shifted into advocacy, advisory and governance work via FoodShare Board work. I no longer have a foot in the field like I used to. Something feels off. I feel disconnected from the cause. I have so much, I want to do more.
2024 Goal: Pay it forward, give back more.
Love relationship
Score: 8
Although my 1.5 year relationship ended, I feel at ease with the decision. I am even more sure of my uncompromisable's. I met a guy recently. I laugh a ton around him. I like what he brings out in me. So far, I am happy. It's too early to say anything definitive about my budding romance. But, I'd like to stay unguarded as we navigate the future.
2024 Goal: Date with an open-heart. Date just like how I used to date before all the burns and scars.
Parenting
Score: 7.5
Leaving my previous relationship was hard not only because I had to grieve the end of the relationship, but because I also had to come to grips with not having kids. We were on the waitlist for IVF treatment - to use my frozen eggs - leaving the relationship meant, forfeiting my chance to have kids. Yes, my eggs are still frozen, so the option is still there. However, what's the odds of finding a new man who wants to be a 50-year-old-first-time-dad to a toddler? Not high. This is why the breakup deliberation was so hard. However, once I've accepted the fact that I may never have kids, my fear of dying alone lessened. I'm increasingly realizing, a large pool of people from my generation will not have kids. This means there would be a community of 'us'. I won't be the only childless grey-hair senior. I don't deny, I still fear being alone at my deathbed. But the fear is not as crisp as it was a year ago.
2024 Goal: Be less scared.
Social
Score: 8
Per Jason, my friend circuit is almost like a third hobby of mine. Indeed. I love my friends and the community we belong to. I nurtured my existing friendships this year. But I made one new friend: Jason! We even went to Turkey together. Let's dedicate this section to Jason :)
2024 Goal: Maintain
Financial
Score: 8
I paid off my mortgage. Paying off the mortgage in 2023 was very much in plan and not a stretched goal, so I am not going to give myself a great score for this alone. The stock market was bearish, but I did alright. I continued to dollar-cost average my investments. I made no major financial move in 2023 but I educated myself ferociously to get ready for my next big move in real estate.
2024 Goal: Buy a triplex closer to downtown.
Career
Score: 7.5
I've spent 18 months at Uber. I became my boss' right-hand woman. I've built decent credibility among the leadership team. I've had an okay onboarding. I've laid the foundation. But it's time to accelerate.
2024 Goal: Land my next role that will lead me to a General Manager role in two years. I want to lead a business unit.
Quality of life
Score: 8.5
Other than the fact that I don't live in a walkable neighbourhood, I am very content with life. I don't worry about money. I have work that I enjoy. I have good relationships with my immediate and extended family. I live in a beautiful home. I have enough free time to explore my curiosity. Even though life is not perfect, I feel very blessed. Life is good.
2024 Goal: Maintain.
0 notes
Note
Hi Cossette! Happy (belated) October 🍂 It's been a been quite an eventful past few months hence the slow reply!
Talking about reading, I have been very behind with updating my Goodreads profile, but I have managed to read more than 50 books this year so I'm pretty content! I did find a lot of books a bit forgettable, but I've really enjoyed:
A Day of Fallen Night by Samantha Shannon
The Magician's Daughter by H.G. Parry
Labyrinth's Heart by M.A. Carrick
For The Eras Tour, I haven't thought about making bracelets just yet but I'm definitely going through my wardrobe and fancying dressing up the Reputation Era (esp. the black hoodie look from the LWYMMD music video)!! And ahh I'm also very thrilled about the Paramore guest appearance!! (Castles Crumbling really has been growing on me 💖)
As of Maisie Peters, I still personally prefer the coherence & production of You Signed Up For This (I listen to her debut more often in order), I think The Good Witch really showcased her songwriting strength & her willingness to experiment with new sounds! Out of the 2 albums, which do you personally prefer?
Over the course of the past few months, I've been listening to Guts (Olivia Rodrigo), Bewitched (Laufey), and The Loveliest Time (Carly Rae Jepsen) quite a lot! Carly's latest b-sides is quite a pleasant surprise: it's her most experimental body of work to date but I really enjoyed it nevertheless! I also love listening to the upbeat tracks from Guts - they're quite a refreshing change from Sour!
Other albums that I've enjoyed include: The Rise and Fall Of A Midwest Princess (Chappell Roan) & The Land Is Inhospitable And So Are We (Mitski)! I'll need to relisten to these a bit more but they are growing on me 🩷
My recent top pick goes to Laufey's Bewitched: I think this might actually be my favourite 2023 release - it's a no skip album to me and I love how coherent & well thought out her sophomore effort is!! Which songs are your favourite so far? And which of the 2 Laufey albums do you prefer?
P.S. Ahh I'm very excited about 1989 (Taylor's Version), The Eras Tour Movie, as well as the new Holly Humberstone album!!
happy happy belated october and happy eras tour movie day and happy holly debut day! 🤍 i hope you're doing well, jennifer!
i feel like everyone i know has had a bit of a ~ forgettable ~ reading year with only a handful of highlights! i've been in and out of a fantasy slump, which is really frustrating because there's so many fantasy books that keep popping up on my radar!
the reputation era seems like such a FUN era to dress up as !! i saw a bunch of people in rep era-esque outfits at my show and i loved it 🤍 i wonder if she'll sing castles crumbling with hayley each night — i was really hoping we'd get castles crumbling for my surprise song in seattle, since paramore was originally supposed to play in seattle the day after eras seattle, but i also would not trade my surprise songs for the world!
i personally prefer the good witch over you signed up for this, but i do still really love you signed up for this! i think my ranking of maisie albums is good witch → trying → ysuft → dressed too nice for a jacket? maybe? what about you? the good witch is definitely my most streamed album of the year so far, according to apple music replay!
i also loved bewitched, loveliest time & guts, but haven't listened to bewitched or loveliest time as much as i would want to! i've been in more of an audiobook mood lately than a music one! i think i like guts more than sour overall, but i think i like my favorites from sour more than my favorites on guts, if that makes sense? what about you? what are your favorites from guts?
i haven't had a chance to listen to chappell roan's new album or mitski, but i really really need to!! the only other fall release i've listened to lately is del water gap's i miss you already + i haven't left yet! i really want to get bewitched on vinyl i think my favorite might be letter to my 13 year old self, but i need to do a couple more listens until i'm certain! what's your favorite?
i have listened to paint my bedroom black though, and i LOVED it! have you listened to it yet? what are your favorites from it? 🤍
hope you're doing well and having a good october!!!
1 note
·
View note
Text
Hello fellow book readers and horror fans! I need some specific book/short story recommendations for a Halloween-inspired challenge I like to do.
See, starting back in 2020, I challenged myself to read as many classic horror stories as I could in October. Partially, it was to hype up my favorite holiday, but also increase my mental library. (and, try to spook myself out if possible - I am a weird combo of coward/easily scared, but also enjoy it??)
I've done this every year since, but now I'm starting to run out of titles I can think of. Here's where I need the help. Please recommend a book I haven't read yet, and, if possible, a short blurb about why you recommend it. General parameters are:
- I try to avoid the same author
- Generally, I want these stories to be older than 25-50 years
However, these are NOT hardset rules, and I'm absolutely willing to bend them for the right story.
Here's the list of what I've read so far:
Dracula
Frankenstein
The Island of Dr Moreau
Carmilla
The Invisible Man
War of the Worlds
The King in Yellow
The Shadow Over Insmouth
The Yellow Wallpaper
Goosebumps: Say Cheese and Die!
The Haunting of Hill House
The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde
The Plauge (only one on here unfinished- too real at the time lol)
Dante's Inferno
The Turn of the Screw
The Legend of Sleepy Hallow
Something Wicked This Way Comes
Misery
The Amityville Horror
The Picture of Dorian Gray
The Hellbound Heart/Asylum
King Kong
The Body Snatcher
The Lodger: A Tale of the London Fog
And here's what I have for 2023 so far:
The Werewolf of Paris
The Metamorphosis
Southern Horrors
Any suggestions are welcome to help me buff out this year's list. Thank you!!
1 note
·
View note
Note
I’m so jealous. I wish I could sit and read for several hours straight. Sometimes I get too antsy to do that, and other times the book I’m reading doesn’t hold my attention. I’ve read some books I’ve absolutely hated, and my coworkers will always say “you could just stop reading it and read something else.” I wish I could, but once I start a book I have to finish it.
Last year I read 49.5 books. I wanted to finish Hearts in Atlantis before the year ended, but the part I was reading didn’t hold my attention. I didn’t want to read it more than I had to. I love ended 2021 exactly at the halfway point of it which I think is kinda cool. My goal for this year is 50.5 (so one extra full book than last year) and for 2023 I’d like to read 52 books. Right now I’m not sure how many books I’m at. I keep track, but I can’t get up and check because my cat is laying on me.
I’m jealous of people that can read multiple books at a time. I’m thinking of starting a Stephen King short story collection while I’m reading a book. I want to read everything he’s written but short stories seem to drag for me. Most of the time. Some are really easy to get through. Most of the time when I read short stories I feel like I’m starting a book in the middle and trying to figure out what’s going on. I feel like that’s because I go into a short story not really knowing the plot. Idk.
I’m on a subdivision of tik tok called booktok. It’s not good for my bank account because I see more books I’m interested in. Sometimes people will list all the books they read during the month and they have like 10 books. I wanna know how. Maybe they read for several hours straight or maybe they read multiple at the same time. I’m not sure.
🦇
also I just finished reading Sharp Objects. I could’ve read that in one or close to one sitting but I was really tired this past week. What books did you read?
also the cat left. This year I’ve read 24 books.
ALSO I loved the one shot. I love how horny they are for each other. I’m so glad they’ve finally fucked while sparring. Chefs kiss!
I'm the same way!! If I don't like a book I still have to finish it. I try to be really careful when picking books for that reason 😂 The best way to figure it out is to look up 3 star reviews for the book. I've found that those are the most honest.
That's a lot of books!! I haven't read much lately while writing motn because it took over my entire life 🥵 You're doing better than me because I've only read 22 books so far. My goal is 70 this year but I think it's too ambitious 😂 Usually I read between 50-60 per year. In college it was only like....30 a year. If that.
I'm jealous of people who can read multiple books at one time. The only way I think that'd be possible for me would be if I switched between a physical or ebook and an audiobook. Since it'd be a difference between reading and listening. However, I don't really do audiobooks 😂 And I get too confused switching between books.
I'm on bookstagram but all of the booktoks make it there. It's also not good for my bank account 🥵 
Was Sharp Objects good? I really enjoyed the HBO show!
I recently finished an early copy of a book called A Lady's Guide to Fortune-Hunting (a historical romance), a romance called In Five Years, and another the Love Hypothesis. Currently I'm reading another romance called Book Lovers and it's the funniest book I've ever read. I've been doing a lot of romance since motn was heavy, and it always helps me get out of a reading slump because I can read them quickly.
And thanks re: the oneshot!! When I wrote their very first sparring scene way back when, I had the idea. So obviously I had to do it 😂
0 notes
Last Seen Blogs
neowesterns
moved to @connierivers
arwaherself
Untitled
c1138chronicles
Hike time
im-ready-boss
Whose Footprints Are These?
jessie-buns
Adventures of a Paranoid, Pansexual.