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I know this book is the first in a duology but with 80ish pages left in this, I'm a little apprehensive on how it plans to conclude the story at this stage. Because there are enough loose ends here that would make for an unsatisfactory conclusion of left open for the second book to rectify.

At least book 2 is coming out this September so any cliffhanger won't involve a long wait.

This book is terrifying. In an informative way, though whether that makes it better or worse depends on what outlook you have on life and living.

Though it certainly makes a powerful argument in favour of banning social media for children.

This book was something of a superfluous find in my local library when I checked the shelves for something for me to bring home. It's on my radar, but wasn't an active choice until it was in front of me.

I will say, the prose stands in stark contrast to The Knight and the Moth. More metaphorical and philosophical in words and phrasing.

Reading this book with my eyes made me realize the story is written with a very staccato cadence. Short sentences, utilitarian vocabulary, limited descriptions. This despite what I feel is a fairly ethereal and airy concept behind it.

It is very modern. And it feels almost as if it is written for audiobooks specifically. For while my ears feast, my eyes are somewhat starved.

It is always an experience reading about certain illnesses that afflict the characters in these books, recalling a time not so long ago when many of these could so easily lead to death. Anne's brush with pneumonia was surprisingly harrowing, even knowing the outcome of her fight.

Starting this Goodreads challenge book just as I finished another.

While there were a few other books on the list I would have preferred to read, this audiobook happened to be available immediately via Libby.

Though if the rest of the book is anything like this first chapter, an Amish lifestyle may suddenly become exceedingly tempting.

Fun fact: Voyage of the Dawn Treader, not The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, was my first ever Narnia book, courtesy of a Grade 2 teacher who read it to my class.

I wonder if the choice was due to its more episodic storytelling as well as it having less overt Christian themes throughout.

Hmmm.

I mark this moment in order to relate an interesting event that is unique to James, away from Huck Finn's tale. Involving minstrels. And a white man who claims not to support the slave trade despite partaking in it. But, so he seemingly says to all, for a good reason.

A lot of this book seems to lean on the hypocrisy of man, and how our words are often contradicted by our actions. Or sometimes, inaction.

Despite owning the ebook, I'm finding I'm preferring to listen to this via audiobook than reading it myself. Narrator Samantha Hydeson's voice so suits the story so far and does so well in making each characters voices distinct, I feel like my immersion in the world and story is more complete with it than just with the voice in my own head.

I may just burn all my Spotify audiobook hours on this.

This is the next step in my Anne of Green Gables reread journey, and the last of the ones that begins with Anne's name, which is a little bittersweet in a way, how much we moved away from her humble beginnings.

I'm mentally hoping to get this series done this year, if only to allow myself mentally to start a new series to reread.

Another day, another book started for a Goodreads challenge.

In this case, I've been eyeing this book since I reread Huck Finn last year, especially after all the accolades it won, including a Pulitzer.

I'm really enjoying it so far. I'm really enjoying the commentary of James' and how the perception change gives a different colour to the story.

I only recently got this off a Kindle sale before a Goodreads challenge prompted me to start this now.

Honestly, 90 per cent of the reason I bought this (besides the fact it was on $2) is because I think the cover is beautiful. Other than that, I didn't even read the synopsis before starting it. So going in really blind.

Whoa. Whoa whoa whoa whoa whoa.

JAMES ISLINGTON. YOU DID NOT JUST DO WHAT I THOUGHT YOU DID, DID YOU?

Like I get GRRM has rewrote many rules for modern fantasy in many ways, but still.

All I feel like doing now is flailing my arms in semi-outrage at the current developments.

I can't help but feel the drama of this book is lacking compared to The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe. Although, that book figuratively reinacted the resurrection of Christ, whereas this one mostly just explores faith in the face of unbelievers.

Miraz just doesn't have the same antogonist factor compared to the White Witch.

I'm at a point where the audiobook works for me, especially given the text in the story is now derived from narration itself.

Though I find myself having to roll back the audio just to reabsorb the words that is being said and the message and thoughts woven through. It certainly makes you think about intelligence and humanity.

Just past the halfway point of the book, the story has kicked off in a way in all three stories that I was not expecting until closer to the end.

And I now struggle to put it down for other pursuits.

It's so much in the way that I'm left guessing as to where this could go as an ending. It's so intriguing where this could stop.

The book so far is doing an admirable job of reminding me why I disliked the movie adaption of Prince Caspian. It overdramatized too much and stripped so much of the childlike innocence and tone of the books themselves. There is a humour and gentleness that was lost for the sake of action and battle.

DLF being a big example.

I get that this book in a way is written to contrast the Bennet family's privileged lives and positions with that of the servant class and how their status changes their outlook, but it isn't just that is it?

Yes there is a romance floating about but given its stilted nature, so far hardly stands as a valid diversion.

Does anyone else find one or two of the storylines more interesting than the others? And you find yourself rushing through chapters of other stories to get to your preferred one?

It may be a natural reality of these kind of stories. And a good way to pull you along and through the book. But sometimes I admit my impatience gets the better of me.

I ended up having to grab an ebook of this.

The audiobook, while good, hides one of the greatest indicators of Charlie's intellectual improvements - spelling and grammar. While some improvements can be marked with the audio, the visual cues are stronger and more evident, and I believe makes greater emphasis to what the story is sharing.

There's something enjoyable about being able to follow the events of Pride and Prejudice while exploring the story from a different perspective, this one the servants.

Although I can't say I much like our main character Sarah so far. But perhaps she will mature the further into the novel we go and she will grow on me.

One of the three timelines seem to be progressing so so much faster. As if it has hit the final third of its plot while the other two is still in its introductory third of the story. It's making me wonder how exactly the stories line up and how much more can happen in that one timeline.

It's complicated. But intriguing. And different in a way I'm finding compelling.

I had hoped the audiobook, like it did in the chapter on vaccines for COVID, would have an additional subchapter on the effects of tablets or phone screen time in the chapter about television time for infants and toddlers.

It did not. With that said, the guidance in the chapter likely doesn't differentiate much between the screens. And the common denominator is ultimately time spent.

Reading for a monthly keyword challenge. It also knocks another book off my Gilmore Girls book list so there's that.

I had no idea what I was getting into when I started this. And the opening contents alarmed me just enough to prompt me reading the synopsis to make sure I'm not dealing with a horror book. It is not, but I also reserve the right to judge it later.

Taking the pipsqueak along on this journey of returning to Narnia by rereading Prince Caspian, in what is hopefully a less arduous journey than a Redwall book is. It is at least half the length and in a larger font. Hoping to live the nostalgia that these books give me.

This has been on my hit list on my Kindle for so long but just kept getting pushed back. Finally, a Goodreads challenge became the impedus I needed to actually start reading this.

It's apparently a slow burn. Hopefully not too much of one or there will be problems.

It took me this long to realize there is a little more than some variation, which I chalked up to advancements in data and studies, between the audiobook and the hardcover.

I am still finding value with both so will keep both under consideration. Especially now that it is addressing questions that pertains to my present day.

Around 100 pages in and I'm immensely glad I didn't launch the audiobook of this before I got the digital or hard copy. Because the audiobook does not verbalize how the book distinguishes the different timelines with a symbol, which can and has caused some confusion when one can be mistaken for the other from time to time.

I've gotten a hard copy now, so the job is made more clear.

I wonder how this story would change if updated to reflect technology in 2026. I imagine instead of contacting the BBC, there would be some conspiracy website. Instead of exclusive camera footage, a flooding of camera phone video on social media with multiple angles.

Would this story even work in 2026?

The hold on this book has finally come through and I can finally satiate my curiosity as to what this second book reveals. Will it exceed the first book? Could it raise the bar set by Red Rising's second book?