Jess > Recent Status Updates

Recently, I find myself re-reading books in which heroines leave a former partner who has anger-management/ self-regulation issues, and had tried to control them; where protagonists learn new life skills, develop healthy friendships, and have fun defensive mixed-martial-arts training montages; survivors re-gain their independence; and women manifest and master their own inner power(s).

Because reasons.

Had little surgical thingy. I'm fine, just still loopy from sedation and not allowed to drive (or decide anything important) for 24 hours. My coordination and judgment are impaired... my filter is gone. Utilizing "do not disturb" settings on everything. Going to reread a book. See ya in 24. Goodnight! 😵‍💫🥴

I'm not sure I'll get to reading this before my loan expires, but we shall see...

While the world-building is rich and heavy, I am getting the sense that there never needed to be a sequel... or dozens of terrible sequels, where [internet spoilers implied] happen. This is a "chosen one" tale that could have ended well... if left as is. I'm enjoying some stuff and disliking some. It probably helped to have seen the film first.

This sequel is difficult to get through because of all the crushed hopes, false starts at peace, and so much death and destruction. War is awful, even fictional fantasy war. (I'm still sick, too, not on FB/Discord/other social media because I have no energy. Reading is pretty much all I can have spoons for besides daily tasks.)

I'm awake near dawn because of pain and thus listening to the audiobook version of Dune to distract myself. It has a great cast voicing the characters, but I concede it's a bit disconcerting to hear my name spoken so many times in a row. Also, it's an odd shift when different people (with very different accents) switch characters, such as the Baron. Maybe I'll read the ebook (or a thrifted, battered paperback) next?

I've forgotten much of this book because I read it so long ago, so I'm looking forward to listening to this full-cast audiobook version.

I'm listening to the audiobook version this time, but the Goodreads Android app doesn't allow me to select that version by ISBN. Oh, well. Still waiting for a dark mode feature, too...

I'm enjoying this more than I thought I would. It had a messy, slow start.

I am enjoying this, but my library loan expired before I finished it. I found an epub somewhere of questionable legality on Internet Archive and am going to try to finish the book tonight.

My loan expired before I could finish it, but I liked what I have read so far. I've been ill and had recent surgery, so I'm behind on reading... and much else.

I won a pretty hardcover edition of this book in a giveaway here on Goodreads, but I keep putting it aside on the shelf because I haven't been in a Maguire mood. His books tend to be highly critical of the human condition, scrutinizing societies and religions in thinly-veiled metaphors. Sometimes, his tales are good but depressing, and I have not been in a headspace to risk the heart-rending. I need hopeful reads.

So far this doesn't seem a true Choose Your Own Adventure book, despite marketing, but it's interesting, and I'm not sure where it's going.

Please, let this be the book where we confirm the fan theory that Stacy is Titania... and all her children are Firstborn seers...

It's ongoing on the blog, but I'm guessing we're at least halfway through? I can't wait to see what happens next. Ilona and Gordon are the best.

Isana seems a bit of a control freak.

...I WAS RIGHT!... (No spoilers, but I saw this coming. Ha. Poor Charlie, she didn't.)

At this point, I'm rooting for Red. Why not.

I don't like the characters very much so far. Lying and hiding things from even those closest to you - not for their safety, but for selfish reasons - just doesn't appeal. And... there are other things. Sigh.

"She smiled, teeth blue and gold from a Blockbuster sign we were passing." Hello, 1999!