Christine > Recent Status Updates

My year in books isn't that accurate - because I keep forgetting to rate or even state that I've read the book. I read books on Kindle, paperback, hardback and audio.

It's official I've not read any of the nominated books for the Goodreads Choice Awards. Most I've never heard of. If you've rec's feel free to let me know. Reading slump continues - even though I'm reading an e-book, an audio book, and digital comics.

Gave up. The writing is...sigh..juvenile or very YA. And I'm in my 50s, this is NOT my demographic. Also I remember YA's being better? The banter isn't landing for me, nor is the humor. And the fantasy world the writer creates is kind of boilerplate? It's not that interesting - and certainly not enough to explain why it would have a fandom. I also think I've read too many of these...it's become a popular trope?

Nicely creepy with an interesting mystery element to it. As opposed to a run of the mill haunted house - it questions the "true account haunting" and kind of comments on it. I may have broken my reading slump with this one....it doesn't feel like a slog to get through. And I find myself looking forward to reading the next chapter and the next.

Apparently there's a Netflix series that was adapted from the book being released Jan 23. It's in Chinese with English subtitles, and adapted by a Taiwanese television writer. So, can I finish this before Jan 23? Probably not. But it's Netflix, so doesn't matter.

There's a lot of duplicate versions of the same book in Good Reads, has anyone else noticed this?

Frustrating book, not helped by the fact that I do not share the author's taste in music. BUT -- he does a good job of describing how to play music and what it feels like. You just have to skip over the gory bits...like a face being ripped apart by lots of hands...which was less gory then just confusing to read. Lead protagonist is kick-ass however, 48 year old, heavy metal guitarist, down on her luck.

Mother: If you don't like the book why are you reading it?
Me: No clue. It's so bad I can't stop? Example? There's the following phrase: "No one could get through to him. Except but one person."
Mother: Yeah that...doesn't work.
Me: Particularly when my mind keeps flipping words when I get distracted or tired and it becomes "Except one but person."

Eh..I'm thinking me and contemporary romance novels are just unmixy things? The plot of this thing makes no sense. The characters make no sense. I can't tell when it is supposed to take place -- there are no cell phones but there are flat screen tvs...so 2004?

You know you are having issues with a book -- when you want to smack the characters upside the head. Also, the hero, I'm sorry is an ass. There's a nice guy lawyer in the novel -- does the heroine go for nice guy lawyer? No. She goes for the asshole pretty hero, who is right out of a bad contemporary romance novel she read at 14.

So...the heroine apparently went through days of labor, nearly lost the baby twice, and flatlined for two minutes and 44 seconds. Is this even possible? Everything in this book is pure hyperbole -- and it's told a bit like a parable. The book also needs a really good copy-editor or line-editor, lots of grammatical errors. Ah, where oh where have all the good editors gone?

I just can't decide if it is intentionally so...I'm guessing it is. But apparently the humor and satire is leaping over the heads of 98% of the people who have reviewed it to date? How is this possible?

This book is hilarious. (Granted I've been told I have a quirky sense of humor). Heroine (Lily): You rode here on a bike? (she's envisioning an actual bicycle. And trying to envision the romantic hero of her dreams, dark and sexy...riding a bicycle. How disappointing.) They finally explain it's a motorcycle. She's thrilled and wants to ride to dinner on it. Hero's Mum: But you are in a skirt. (a pencil thin skirt.)

I'm wondering if this book is meant to be a satire or a parody of romance novels? It's so outrageous and exaggerated -- I can't decide whether to roll my eyes or laugh my head off. I also can't quite decide if this is intentional? I think so, because there's a sort of wink-wink in the subtext. It's falling into the category--so bad, it's fun.

More character centric than plot.

Making progress...first literary novel read in a while. There's more characterization, and it feels like a historical mystery...but more literary than genre.

I think I've figured out to handle the Reading Challenge -- just read comics for the rest of the year. I can read about twenty comics in a month.

Reading slump from heck continues...I am about to give up on this book Hello, Stranger (Revenals) by Lisa Keyplas, which is a finalist in the best romance novels of 2018. (I understand why, but the dialogue and writing style aren't quite working for me.)

Only have 23 books to read...before the end of the year. If I keep skimming romance novels, I may make it yet. Still in a reading slump. Have not read a book I loved in an age. I may need to jump genres. But nothing is grabbing me.

In a serious reading slump. At this rate, I'll be lucky if I read 30 books this year let alone 60. Have however been writing a lot. Writing on commute and before bed instead of reading.

Coworker: No one reads books anymore, everyone watches tv. So much on.
Me: I read books and write them.
Co-worker: You are in the minority.
Other co-worker: No, I'm not reading anything, binge-watching the 100 instead.

Please tell me this isn't true. Please tell me that you read. Anyone?

To all writers out there? You can't copyright a plot, character name, title of a book, or word -- well, you can but you will lose in court big time. There is no such thing as an original plot. They've all been done before. It's how you write it, the characters, the words, your technique and style that makes it original. Not the plot itself. Also don't try to practice copyright law without consulting a lawyer.