Jenni > Recent Status Updates

Came for the fun whale facts but stayed for the Ishmael/Queequeg bromance.

I was honestly considering DNFing after we meet Deidameia on Scyros because the way Miller handled this part was giving me the ick.

Then in pops Odysseus who is the best character in every version of this story and my hand was stayed.

Lest anyone think I chose to read this book: I'm trying to get some professional development credits.

I like how the entire concept of this three-hour long audiobook exists as a children's picture book in-universe.

😱 ...Or should I say 🤯
Genius use of emotional whiplash to put that chapter after the one where people are laughing about Culture ship names.

This last chapter wants to be an anime so bad

I get why people write so many anomalous zone/alien mind control books. They're easy to write, in a sense. You can plagiarize from so many different stories that came before that no one can say you lifted your premise from just one, and all the stupid decisions your characters make to drive the plot can be chalked up to "tHeY wErE bEiNg MiNd CoNtRoLLeD tHe WhOLe TiMe!"

This book counts for both the AAPI Heritage and Pride Month reading challenge badges, so I'm trying something new.

Already a little confused at the inciting incident: Yeva kills a dragon and her dad has to send her to her uncle to train to be a night. Yeva does not want this. Dad does not want this. Mom is away but would also not want this. Uncle doesn't want this either apparently. Why are we doing this again?

"This guy I've only known a few days is usually pretty cheerful, but he's been uncharacteristically upset ever since last night when A MONSTER TORE HIS F❄️CKING LEG OFF."

I'm honestly surprised that between being a top-tier surgeon, genius physicist, bargain bin Cal Lightman, and consulting paranormal detective (?) our man Harold never found time to become an elite mountain climber.

And yet of course he's still pretty good at it?

Oh, so this Harold guy is just Tim Roth in Lie to Me.

I'm really only reading this book to get the Armchair Explorer badge for the summer reading challenge.

I'm reading THIS book in particular because it's narrated by Peter Kenny. I realize I am 0/1 when it comes to picking books based on narrator alone, but learning from past mistakes is for squares.

The intro music to this audiobook is going HARD.

Multiple characters in this book: "something something centrifugal force..."

Me: Lol that's not really a thing.

Character later in book: "something something centrifugal force..."

Another character: "uHm ACTUally centrifugal force isn't real, it's just inertia!"

I like this book already.

I dunno man, I feel like I should dip now that we've devolved into just literally quoting movies but it's the only thing making laundry and reorganizing my sock drawer fun by comparison...

Literally the only reason I'm listening to this is because Steve Blum narrates the audiobook. It's the only thing keeping me from cringing into an infinitely massive singularity.

"...Now, all you children be quiet, Rudolph is going to tell about the murder."

"Hurrah! The murder!"

Ántonia out here raising the next generation of True Crime podcasters.

Oh my God, the Mospheiran government got DOGEd...

Ooooh we made it to the (surprisingly tasteful and kinda hot 🥵) spicy scene!

Actually, it was very cute and the prose was lovely. I hope there's more of this.

STAAAAAAHHHHP making me cry I'm driving a work vehicle 😭

"I've seen a good deal of married life, and I don't care for it."

Aaaaaaand now I remember why Lena Lingard was my favorite.

Nokata remembers hiiiiimmmm 😭

I know it's coming and I wasn't sure about it but okaayyyyy CJ you are starting to sell me on that Human Man x Alien Muscle Mommy thing.

They're having a pizza party 😭😭😭

"It's a frightening job to be an honest man."

NIKANJ NO!

"Average people didn't analyze what they thought. They *thought* they thought, and half of it was gut reaction..."

Presented with absolutely no context whatsoever.

THAT'S IT WE'RE FINISHING THE SHERLOCK FANFIC BY THE BASKETBALL MAN.

"Why Won't the Alien Be My Friend?" is pulling right up there next to "Someone Give This Robot a Hug" as one of my new favorite sci-fi subgenres 😭

That was one of the most adorable first contacts I've ever read 🥰

This is one of those books that I've been hesitant to read because it's very popular and a lot of people seem to think it's the best book on the world, which usually means I won't like it for some reason.

Three chapters in and I'm intrigued, though.